Issue 19, Volume 117-- March 2, 2022

THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS’ STUDENT NEWSPAPER

SINGLE COPY PAID FOR BY STUDENT PUBLICATION

WEDNESDAY

MARCH 2, 2022 Volume 117 — Issue 19

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Family, friends remember UCA student Joseph Whittington

Sunny

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By Madison Ogle

THE NEWSDESK

Winston said. “For me, personally, Jojo would stick up for me when nobody else would.

He could walk into a quiet room, and within 20 seconds, everybody would be dying laughing.”

Winston said Joseph was a talented artist and a “damn good foosball player.”

“He was amazing with art, so we are wanting a piece of his to be put up at UCA,” Winston said.

Joseph’s grandfather Johnny said that beyond being a good artist, Joseph was an incredibly driven individual.

“When he’d take on a project or a cause, he was determined. He didn’t care,” Johnny said. “When he believed in something, he was just adamant about it. He was very strong.”

A visitation for Joseph was held Wednesday, Feb. 23, with his funeral taking place the following day.

A GoFundMe was organized by Whittington’s family, which raised nearly $9,000 through small donations for the service.

Dorothy said that Joseph’s impact was very clear during his funeral.

“You would’ve seen how much he was loved. He just lit up the whole room,” Dorothy said. “The whole place was packed out. He just touched everybody’s life.”

Campus Life Editor & Cartoonist

FROM THE ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

UCA announced the death of Joseph Whittington via email on Feb. 19.

The sophomore would have been 20 on March 13.

Joseph was a member of UCA’s Robotics Club, Society of Physics and Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity.

His grandparents, Johnny and Dorothy Whittington, described Joseph as incredibly adventurous, even at a young age.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L Putin puts nuclear forces on high alert Russia’s President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces to be put on high alert on Sunday, Feb. 26, escalating East-West tensions. Putin’s troops and tanks drove deeper into Ukraine, closing around the capital of Kyiv. Putin issued a directive to increase the readiness of Russia’s nuclear weapons, raising fears that the invasion of Ukraine could lead to nuclear war, whether by design or mistake. Putin’s directive came as Russian forces encountered strong resistance from Ukraine’s defenders.

“In his 20 years of life, he had touched so many people and had so much adventure. He’s done more than a lot of people,” Dorothy said.

N AT I O N A L

“A lot of people are born, they stay in the same place, they die in the same place. But he had so full of a life for such a short life. I think he’s done more in his 20 years than I’ve done in my 80.”

Joseph lived in Nova Scotia briefly at the age of two but moved to Alaska with

Avian flu found in several Florida birds

A strain of avian influenza was detected Feb. 22 in several species of birds in several Florida counties. The National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed cases of Avian Influenza in black vultures, lesser scaup and other species. There is a low risk of transmission to humans, and there have been no known human infections in North America, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said. Wildlife officials are investigating bird deaths in several counties believed to be caused by the strain.

Photo by Kai Johns

Joseph Whittington painting a table for his fraternity, Phi Sigma Kappa.

Whittington had a passion for art.

his mother at age four. He remained in Alaska until he turned nine, Johnny said.

Joseph enjoyed skateboarding and art, though he also maintained his academics. He graduated from Genoa High School with a 4.0-grade point average.

Joseph became a physics major once at UCA. Hypatia Meraviglia, a comember of Joseph in both the Society of Physics Students and the UCA Robotics Club, said, “Joseph was a kind and brilliant member of our team [UCA Robotics Club]. He collaborated well on the bots, taking others’ ideas seriously and helping new members learn.”

Meraviglia said Joseph planned on competing in the group’s first in-person competition the weekend his death was announced.

“In the Society of Physics Students, he was one of our most involved and enthusiastic sophomores, joining in discussion and helping us refine goals for the year,” Meraviglia said.

As a member of Phi Sigma Kappa, Joseph bonded with the brothers of his fraternity.

His fraternity brother, Caleb Winston, recalled Joseph as a committed and hard-working friend.

“He would work his absolute butt off to help out his fraternity and his friends,”

I N C LU S I O N

Bennett Tinnermon

Associate Editor

Schoolchildren in California, Oregon and Washington will no longer be required to wear masks, announced on Monday by the democratic Graphic by Mia Waddell governors. There are more Assistant professor Marsha Massey is the only Black professor in the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. than 7.5 million school-age Massey said it is not unusual to be the only Black professor in a department on campus. children across the three states, which have had some of the strictest coronavirus safety measures during the pandemic. The new guidance will make face coverings strongly recommended took some work to get those UCA in 2007, the university rather than a requirement by Courtney Shepherd allies. Some of that work those employed 21 Black faculty at most indoor places in Staff Writer allies did on their own, they members full-time. In 2014, the California starting Tuesday realized the situation. Others, number rose to 24.

The UCA Diversity and at schools on March 23, it took being in the room and By 2021, the number Statement outlines its values regardless of vaccination and commitments toward a more hearing stories like this to get had only risen by one. Black status. diverse student, faculty and staff some of those folks to recognize, professors make up 4.7% of here’s the situation.” the total population of faculty at population.

S TAT E After his tenure, McMullen UCA. In comparison, in 2021, In it, the university claims to Dozens of animals utilize recruitment, support and found that he was the first the university employed 438 person to be tenured in white faculty members full-time, die in petting zoo knowledge to pursue and retain Black a diverse community, adapt the College of Business. “Am I making up 82.3% of the faculty.

Dozens of animals died to diverse needs and enhance honored by that? Yeah, but we’re In terms of how those when a fire broke out at interaction among its diverse a fifth of the way through the 21st numbers are represented across century, and it took us this long? campus, McMullen said, “As far Cockrill’s Country Critters groups. on Thursday, Feb. 24.

Anthony McMullen, an It’s something that matters. It as African or African American A volunteer at Cockrill’s associate professor of business matters because a lot of people faculty, our numbers are slim.

Country Critters, Jennifer law at UCA, appreciates the had to work hard just so that I In my department, I’m the only could be in this position here.” one. In fact, not just in my Williams, estimated that attempts made to highlight McMullen attended high department, but within the diversity but believes the 40 to 50 animals died in school in Russellville, then entire College of business, we’re the barn fire. Williams said university falls short in went on to receive his degrees now up to two.” communicating the need for most of the animals died due in communication and law from “One of the reasons such efforts. to smoke inhalation. Fire “There are many people the University of Arkansas in diversity matters is to recognize Chief Chris Nelson said the on our campus who appreciate Fayetteville in 2004. He began that even within any group, you cause of the fire is still under diversity but have a difficult time teaching at UCA in 2007 as an have those different gradations, investigation. Zoo owner articulating why,” McMullen adjunct professor, then was hired those different experiences, those different approaches,” he Janice Cockrill-Griffin said said. “And that worries me full-time in 2014.

According to the University said. “If we’re doing our job as a she was devastated. “Those because there are a lot of people of Central Arkansas Diversity were my babies, and they who don’t.”

Ledger, when McMullen “There are allies on this See Inclusion page 2 all had a special place in my began his teaching career at campus,” McMullen said, “It heart,” Cockrill-Griffin said.

Black professors not a monolith; diversity still important to campus

UCA made masks optional in all campus spaces beginning Monday, Feb. 28, despite the Center for Disease Control still listing Faulkner County as having a high level of community transmission.

In an email from the UCA President’s Office, Houston Davis said, “This guidance takes into consideration several variables, such as trends in campus positivity rates and case numbers, local hospitalizations, and campus demand for isolation housing.” The same metrics used from May 2020 through August 2021 were used to come to this decision, Davis said in the email.

According to the CDC website, it is recommended for those in counties with high levels of community transmission to wear a mask, stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and get tested when experiencing symptoms.

The website says that those at high risk for severe illness may need to take additional precautions. Some professors now have to face the predicament of having students in-person when some are immunocompromised.

Schedler Honors College professor Adam Frank said he asked students to voluntarily continue to wear masks in the classroom due to one seriously immunocompromised student.

“I will continue to wear a mask indoors until our campus positivity rate drops 2% or less for a full week. That’s a personal choice,” Frank said.

As of Feb. 23, UCA’s testing and tracing data — available at uca.edu/coronavirus — displays a positivity rate of just above 6%.

During the entirety of 2021, UCA never reached a positivity rate of 5%. The highest positivity rate was in September of 2020 at around 5%.

A recent poll on The Echo’s Instagram asking students what they thought about the new mask policy resulted in 40% in

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6 Opinion 7 Entertainment 5, 8 Sports

favor of the decision, while 60% disagreed.

Freshman Garrett Hobbs said he was fine with the new mask guidance. “I personally wear [a mask] during classes but don’t wear them while I’m in the cafeteria or in the Student Center,” Hobbs said.

Masks are still available in campus buildings for those who wish to wear them, and KN95 are available for free by request.

Linguistics professor Patrick Thomas said that he does not wear a mask in the classroom a lot of the time, since it is helpful for students to see what he is doing with his mouth. He said that he sticks to the guidelines for instructors to remove their masks when far enough away from students.

“Sometimes there will be a student or two that rushes to the front of the room with a question immediately as class ends while I’m struggling to put my mask back on while they’re in my face, and that sometimes makes me a little uncomfortable,” Thomas said.

Going forward, Thomas said he plans to keep a mask on him for when he thinks it’s necessary but will probably continue without a mask.

Davis said in the email that the wide availability of testing and vaccinations — among other things — provides individuals with the resources they need and to make decisions for their personal health.

Senior Kate Johnson said she would continue to wear a mask on campus. “I think the updated policy came a little too soon, numbers haven’t dropped enough in my opinion to make the call of optional masks,” Johnson said.

In the email, Davis said, “UCA will continue to monitor and respond to changing conditions.”

Davis said he knew the guidance would be met with mixed reactions and that the community will continue to respect individual’s decisions.

Inside:

Contact Us: 2

Photo courtesy of Whittington’s Facebook

Whittington updated his Facebook profile on Jan. 8, 2021. Whittington’s family has posted memorials for him on social media.

UCA makes masks optional by

Index:

Photo by Mia Waddell

Sorority Tri Sig displayed a banner in memory of Whittington. Greek life showed support for Phi Sigma Kappa following the loss of Joseph.

H E A LT H

U.S. COVID-19 cases continue to decline

4 Police Beat 4 People of UCA 4 Students Say

Basketball: Freshman Randrea Wright talks success as a college athlete.

New release: ‘Death on the Nile’ was heavy on theatrics, light on suspense,

Nonfiction: Author Elizabeth Rush shares secrets of the trade.

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Entertainment:

Campus Life :

TODAY’S FORECAST

Opinion :

E-mail: ucaechoeditor@gmail.com @ucaecho The Echo ucaecho © 2022 The Echo, Printed by The Courier, Russellville, Arkansas.

A Sunday reset is the best thing you can do f yourself.

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2/March 2, 2022

Police Beat

NEWS

The following information is compiled from UCAPD incident reports

by Assistant News Editor Kathryn Thornberry

$305 in fines leads to vehicle towing

On Monday, Feb. 28, a vehicle located on campus was towed after Officer Stone had dispatch total the amount of citations on the vehicle, totalling up to $305 in fines. Stone saw the Cadillac Escalade without a parking permit.

He remembered that he had written many campus citations on this same vehicle.

Stone asked dispatch to check the vehicle license plate with UCA records in order to find the vehicle match on file. Dispatch could not find the vehicle on file.

Stone then asked dispatch to total the citations on the vehicle, which ended up totalling to $305 in fines. Stone had dispatch impound the vehicle.

Student passes out from edible

On Sunday, Feb. 27, Officer Ryals received a call from Conway Police, because a girl passed out in front of Torreyson Apartments after taking a THC gummy. Ryals arrived in the area, and found several individuals around Anifa Nacro, who appeared to be having a seizure.

Anifa had taken a 30 milligram THC gummy from Chelsea Morokos, and was having a bad trip.

Ambulance responded, and asked Narco if she would like to go to the hospital. She said yes, and was transported to Conway Regional.

Morokos was advised of the drug laws, the drug violation procedures, and the Judicial Board process.

Inclusion:

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university in exposing students to different perspectives, no single person should be made to feel like they are the representative of an entire group.”

Being the only Black member of a department on campus is not a rarity, according to Marsha Massey.

“At this time there is only one Black faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry — myself,” Massey said. “I admit that it is unfortunately not unusual to be the only one. It was fairly typical throughout all of my training to be the only Black person in a room. I did not expect any different when I began to search for jobs.”

“Some days I don’t feel that I notice,” Massey said.

“I am a chemistry professor, and I enjoy teaching others chemistry — no different from my colleagues around me.

However, there are times where people are surprised I’m an instructor — particularly in our department. What I did not expect, but perhaps should have, is to stand out so much.”

Massey recalls instances when meeting people in other departments and programs who were excited to meet “the black chemistry professor.” Although a strange occurrence, Massey said she understood this as a sign that people feel hopeful, inspired and excited to have her as part of the university.

Angela Webster, whose administrative work in diversity, belonging, inclusion and equity began in 2013 as chair of the Diversity Office, said, “Imagine being in a space where most of your peers, colleagues and academic and administrative leaders do not share a vast commonality of lived experiences or outlooks.

This scenario could be wrought with cultural mismatches and misunderstandings.”

With so few Black faculty at UCA, the scenario painted by Dr. Webster feels close to a reality for many underrepresented minority students and faculty on campus.

Adriian Gardner, a senior lecturer of communication, said, “We’ve lost some, we’ve gained some, and lost and gained, but I would like to see the university be more committed to a diverse faculty. We need more African American faculty and faculty of color to help serve the students we have because we’re at a predominantly white institution.”

To Gardner, representation means having many people who look like you, who have experience and are a part of your overall culture, who can help you navigate and adapt to college life. “A lot of our students enter college at a deficit, and there’s no way that we can serve them if we don’t know who they are,” he said.

“We’ve got to do a better job of meeting students where they are.”

“I try to be optimistic about the university hiring more people of color, but I have to be honest with myself,” Gardner said. “All that energy that I put in raising hell and cain about hiring people, I want to put that energy in things to develop myself further. I’ll never stop helping students, but I won’t lose more

Students caught smoking by RA

On Sunday, Feb. 27, Officer Ryals was dispatched to Stadium Park Apartments because of a strong odor of marijuana.

He talked to Residence Assistant Kassidy Dement who said she had issues with her upstairs neighbors smoking marijuana. Ryals spoke with UCA student Montravis Jones, who admitted that he and his friends had shared a joint. They were all made aware of the campus drug violation procedures and the Arkansas state law for marijuana. The three non-students were advised if they were caught on campus for any criminal offense, they would be banned from campus and charges would be filed.

Black professors share their experiences.

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sleep over them hiring Black folks, either.”

“From a pragmatic perspective, it is frustrating,” Gardner said. “Black males and females come to campus, and if they had more opportunities to connect to people that looked like them, statistically, they’d have better outcomes.”

UCA’s Diversity Ledger’s comparative race data shows the greatest disproportions in demographics between black students and black faculty, Webster said. She believes UCA is making a conscious effort to increase its number of minority faculty.

“The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion cohosts an Inclusive Hiring Series to offer tactics and techniques for DBIE-enhanced hiring,” Webster said. “There are a variety of cross-campus initiatives to help our body of faculty and staff more closely represent our student body.”

The 2022-2026 UCA Minority Recruitment and Retention Plan states that the university will “actively pursue and seek to retain a diverse student body, faculty and staff.”

Webster said, “UCA has created such means through education, narration and connection to help BIPOC employees know they are visible, valued and validated.”

She said that UCA offers mentoring, coaching circles and check-ins for minority faculty. The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion also recently cohosted a session on Retention of Employees Who Identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color.

When asked about the emotional toll that comes with being a Black professor at a PWI, McMullen, Massey and Gardner shared varying responses.

For Gardner, he relies on his spirituality and his own advocacy to maintain his will.

“It’s not a useless cause because you can never give up on what you believe in,” Gardner said. “I’m doing what I can. I’m always going to advocate, but I’m not gonna lose my mind about it.

If UCA never hires another Black person from the time I retire to the time they put me in the ground, I’m cool with that. I can do what I can at the graduate level.”

“I’m thankful for the opportunities that UCA has provided me so far. UCA is a good institution but moving forward, I hope that we can have a more diverse workforce.

It’s important,” he said.

“I teach a specific section of First-Year Seminars designed for African American males,” Gardner said. “I’ve taught this population all my life, and so I wanted to see what I could do to give back and help. I wrote a grant and a proposal in 2014 and started what’s called the Black Male Achievement Challenge.”

The curriculum deals with issues that impact African American males in higher education, Gardner said.

With different perspectives to consider, Massey weighed two sides to the topic. “I honestly debate the answer to this myself. On one hand, I want to say that yes, it is emotionally demanding to be the only Black faculty in my department. On the other hand, I believe the

stresses that I would attribute to this are also concerns for my colleagues,” Massey said.

“In this regard, I can empathize with some of my students,” she said.

“Sometimes you know that you need help and support, but you are not sure what to ask for. I would say the emotional and mental demands are hard to put into words.”

“When I first started teaching here, I was very shocked at how my colleagues were not only supportive but proactive. Frankly, I am proud of the fact that our department recognizes that we’re all different individuals — and that we all contribute to a larger community. In keeping with that, we try to engage everyone in discussions about our department,” Massey said.

In close collaboration with her colleagues, Massey is working on the department of chemistry’s ATOM Scholarship Program. This collaboration “resulted in a $ $650,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support 10 students with $10,000 in scholarships each year for 4 years, as well as programming for their career development and academic achievement in a chemistry major. This program aims to increase the success of lowincome, academically talented students in STEM,” Massey said In appreciation for his colleagues, McMullen said, “There are times where being the only one in the room is noticeably stressful. One of my saving graces is that I’m in an amazing department. The department of accounting is absolutely phenomenal.”

McMullen was named Master Teacher of the Academy of Legal Studies in Business, an academic organization for business law and legal studies professors, he said. “It was good to receive the respect of my peers in that area,” McMullen said.

“Growing up in Russellville and attending the University of Arkansas, it’s not the first time I’ve been the only Black person in the room,” McMullen said. “It does feel exhausting. I think everybody wants to be able to go to somebody and their race be a non-issue. That’s the society that we’re trying to get to. I look forward to that day, whether it happens in my lifetime or not.”

“While there are a lot of things and perspectives that we, Black professors, have in common, we all have different experiences, we all have different ways of how we’ve gotten here, we all have different ways of how we interpret the world,” he said.

“I think there’s validity in how I interpret the world, but my answer is certainly not the only answer. My answer certainly may not be the only correct answer, and I don’t want anybody to look at this subject and say, ‘Oh we’re all the same,’” he said.

“The reason that all of this matters and we want to bring in these diverse perspectives is so that we can at least train ourselves to recognize that even though there are all of those commonalities, there is not one perspective out there that every single one of us

ucanews.live

SGA donates over $4000 to AAAS by

Kathryn Thornberry

Assistant News Editor

SGA donated over $4,000 to the African/African American studies program on Feb. 28, 2022.

SGA matched up to $3,000 in student donations for the African/African American studies program, funds coming from the SGA reserves account — matching the donations from UCA Day of Giving.

SGA also allocated $1,031.24 to the African/ African American studies society. These funds came from the emergency SAFA. Prism, a community brought together to support LGBTQIA students, spoke at the meeting about a formal event they plan on hosting on April 2.

Prism co-president, Sheri Darling, says the goal of this formal is to commemorate all of the hard work that PRISM does on campus to promote inclusivity and diversity.

“I think by doing this,” Darling said, “We can promote

a space for students to be positive self-accepting and further promote UCA as an inclusive and diverse campus.”

Prism hopes to impact the campus and create a tradition for years to come by hosting this event.

The event is for anyone, with the purpose of bringing people from different departments and diversity together.

“I thought that it would be really beneficial towards the program,” SGA Vice President Chenel Dale, “Considering that they are low in funds, and with students not going towards the program.”

Fernada Ruiz, a staff member at Teach for America and elementary school teacher, presented at the SGA meeting.

Ruiz explains TFA exists to fight against educational inequity -- one of the greatest civil rights issues of our time.

“Every child should have access to an excellent education that can, and will, propel them forward,” Ruiz said, “With the resources and the knowledge

that they need to excel and break out of intergenerational poverty.”

Ruiz said TFA is trying to change a broken system using three different ways.

The first opportunity is paid fellowships and opportunities for students to work with communities TFA partners with.

The second is events and networking opportunities to help get started in a career in advocacy. The third is a paid, full-time postgraduate job opportunity for individuals looking towards a career where they can change systems of inequity.

“We do all of this so that one day all children can have a life full of choices,” Ruiz said, “The choice to go to college.

The choice to live where and how they want to live, and the choice to thrive.”

On March 19, there will be a march to bring awareness to the homeless in downtown Conway.

Purple ribbons will be passed out and tied to lampposts to make the unseen visible.

IMPROVEMENT

Board of Trustees approves 6 projects by

Milo Strain

Opinion Editor

The UCA Board of Trustees recently approved six campus projects, including replacing the windows in several residence halls with more energy-efficient ones, to be completed by Aug. 2022.

In addition to the new windows, the Board of Trustees also approved requests to replace the lights in Torreyson Library, fix or repair the baseball field drainage system, replace the dish machine in the cafeteria, add ESPN fiber to the softball and soccer fields, as well as a classroom refresh in Manion Hall and the Lewis Science Center.

The funds for four of the six campus projects come from Physical Plant funds. Funding for the new windows comes from bond funds, and funds for the classroom refresh come from the remaining Lewis Annex construction funds.

Arkansas, Conway and Hughes halls will all be getting new windows. The three halls all have single-pane, uninsulated windows that let cold air in during the winter and hot air in during the summer.

“This causes the HVAC systems to work harder and

increases utility costs. The new windows will keep the building occupants more comfortable as well as cause significant savings in utility costs,” said Physical Plant Director Kevin Carter.

The new windows, manufactured by Pella, are doublepane and insulated and will cost $920,000 to install. After being delayed due to supply chain shortages, the window project is now scheduled to be completed by August of 2022.

Torreyson Library is getting a makeover in the form of new LED lighting. The lighting project will consist of replacing all of the current incandescent bulbs as well as installing new lighting fixtures throughout the library. Students will be able to dim some of the lights as well.

The new lighting project costs $500,000, but UCA expects to save over $80,000 annually in utility and labor costs.

The UCA baseball fields will have some much-needed work done as well. The current drainage system, made of reinforced concrete pipe, is too old and is causing significant erosion and damage.

“Over time due to settling, the joints have separated causing water infiltration which causes sinkholes.

This project consists of removing the old [reinforced concrete pipe], resealing and reinstalling.

Additionally, we will be connecting the downspouts from the batting cage to the underground drainage, which will be helpful,” said Carter.

The cafeteria will receive a new dish machine as part of the campus projects. The current machine is too old and constantly needs to be repaired to stay up to code.

The classroom refresh in Manion Hall and the Lewis Science Center consists of replacing the seating in several classrooms and the flooring in one classroom and will cost $325,000.

UCA will also be installing fiber optic cable from the Farris Center to the softball and soccer fields, which could mean soccer and softball games may eventually be broadcast.

The project will cost UCA $410,000.

The total cost of all of these campus projects comes in at $2,955,000, though many of the projects could save or make UCA more money.

SURRENDERED

Photo by Addi Freeman

Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, attends the unveiling of Conway’s first baby box on July 7, 2021.

Kelsey, along with Ty Ledbetter and Conway Mayor Bart Castleberry, spoke at the box’s blessing.

Safe Haven Box receives first baby by

Addi Freeman

Editor-in-Chief

In early February, Conway’s only Safe Haven Baby Box received its first surrendered baby.

The baby, less than 30 days old, was placed in the box at the Central Fire Station in downtown Conway.

Conway Fire Department Captain Ty Ledbetter said, “It is an amazing feeling knowing that we were able to help a mother in a time of need.”

Monica Kelsey founded Safe Haven Baby Boxes after being abandoned as a child.

Kelsey was happy to hear of the first use of the baby box.

“My initial reaction was to celebrate that a child was saved.

My heart was pounding, and I just wanted to know everything I could about the infant from the fire department,” Kelsey said. “Then I started to wonder about the mother who made this decision and what we needed to do to reach out to her and offer services.”

Safe Haven Baby Boxes provide mothers with anonymity when surrendering their babies.

The foundation “offers no names, no shame and no blame,” Kelsey

said.

According to an article published in the Log Cabin Democrat, the baby did not need any medical attention and would “stay with a temporary family for 30 days before becoming eligible for adoption.”

The idea of adding a baby box in Conway came from Ledbetter.

The box was funded completely by community members within a few days of the idea being announced.

There is a process for when a baby is dropped off.

“When a baby is surrendered in the baby box, a silent alarm is activated. It notifies our dispatch center, the firefighters at the station and administration,” Ledbetter said. “The first people to the box will do an assessment on the child to see if medical care is needed. It is then taken to a local hospital where the Department of Human Services then takes the custody.”

There is a 60-second countdown between the opening of the box and the silent alarm within the firehouse.

Though Ledbetter wasn’t in the fire station when the baby was dropped off, he was immediately notified “via the alarm system and responded to the box.”

Both Ledbetter and Kelsey are thankful the mother surrendered the baby.

“Thank you for your bravery in surrendering your child safely!

I can’t imagine what you were going through, but I know that the decision had to be tough,” Ledbetter said. “I want you to know that the baby was cared for and will continue to be cared for. Far too often, we see bad outcomes, but we know this child was well taken care of.”

Kelsey said the mother was “a hero” for “keeping the child safe and healthy and lovingly placing them in a safe place, ensuring their survival.”

The Conway baby box is the 5th box placed in Arkansas and was the 75th in the country.

The box was unveiled July 7, 2021.

Kelsey’s advice for the baby as it grows up is to remember, “You are never defined by one incident in your life. You are defined by what you do with your life as you walk with Christ. He always has a plan for your life and sometimes there is pain, and hurt but know that in the end, your pain and your hurt can be turned into purpose for others.”

Campus Life

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March 2, 2022

Around Campus:

Dine with Style: Professional Etiquette From 1:40-2:30 p.m. on March 3, Career Services will sponsor an etiquette dinner via Zoom.

This event will teach students proper professional dining etiquette. The link to register can be found on CubConnect.

Softball Salute To Service Game From 5-7 p.m. on March 4, the softball team will play their Salute to Service Game at the Farris Softball Field. Students can attend for a chance to win a salute to service towel or button.

Strike Out Hunger Baseball Game From 6-9 p.m. on March 4, the baseball team will play their Strike Out Hunger game at Bear Stadium. Students can bring a canned food item to receive a discounted ticket.

Purple Society Induction Banquet From 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. on March 5, Recognized Student Organizations will host the induction banquet into the Purple Society in the Student Center Ballroom.

Guest Euphonium Recital

Photo by Maci England

UCA Theatre invited guests to become part of an immersive storytelling experience and visit the small community of Resanon, a cult with sinister intentions. Director Chad Bradford encouraged cast members to incorporate aspects of transmedia storytelling by using social media accounts tied to the production.

“GUILT/LESS” reveals cult with a dark secret by

Maci England

Staff Writer

UCA students, staff and theater lovers around Conway were invited to enter the world of Resanon, a perfect community hiding a sinister secret, in UCA Theatre’s production of “GUILT/LESS” from Feb. 25 to March 1.

“GUILT/LESS” is an immersive theater experience brought to the stage by director Chad Bradford and the UCA Theatre. The show was created for UCA’s Artist in Residence program, a program that featured Bradford as a guest speaker in the weeks prior to “GUILT/LESS.” Bradford was hired to create a project centered around transmedia storytelling and immersive experiences, but he wasn’t alone in creating “GUILT/ LESS”.

“The cast was

instrumental in putting together the show. Each cast member could be considered a playwright,” Bradford said.

“GUILT/LESS” also had a creative team of six students: AB Dickson, Dean Prince, Ari Beaudoin, Harlie Gann, Lexi Jones, and Jeffrey Oakley.

“These six students not only helped craft and write the story, they also worked on set design, marketing, social media, directing, stage management, among other roles. We met weekly in the fall to plan for the show,” Bradford said. “Students put forth ideas, and we worked collectively to craft these ideas into a cohesive story and plan, all with the aim of telling the story in an immersive environment with transmedia elements.

Thus, you get moments of traditional theater, music, dance, film, prose and audience and performer

interaction, all in an immersive environment.”

The team followed the seven core principles of transmedia storytelling coined by MIT professor Henry Jenkins and researched the immersive theatre company, Punchdrunk, for clues on how to put it all together.

“GUILT/LESS” welcomed audience members to the curious community of Resanon and encouraged them to join the group’s “guilt-free celebration.”

Specific elements of the plot were not advertised to the public.

This was so audience members could go into the performance blind and without expectations of what was to come.

Unlike most traditional theater performances, audience members were invited on stage to interact with cast members. There was a maze, a library and a

temple to explore, as well as QR codes located around the set that viewers could scan for secret messages.

Audience member Lacy Allen, a sophomore at UCA, attended the Saturday night performance of “GUILT/ LESS” and said the experience was nothing like she thought.

“I was expecting to be sat in an audience and have the cast members pull people out of the audience.

It was not like what I thought because there wasn’t really a main plot, and we were actually up moving around with the cast,” Allen said.

Bradford said, “The experience is better if the audience doesn’t really know what they are getting into.”

To incorporate aspects of Transmedia Storytelling, UCA Theatre created mysterious social media accounts for Resanon.

Characters from the production also made

accounts in order to spark interest in the show without giving away too much information.

“Social media is the way many people get news and learn about events, especially Gen-Z and millenials. It only makes sense to use it as a way to not only market the show but also extend our story,” Bradford said.

“Transmedia storytelling is about spreading integral parts of a story across a variety of mediums. So if you follow Resanon on social media, you get little bits of the story that you won’t necessarily get when you just read the Lore or experience the show.”

The performance was held on the Bridges Larson Theatre stage in the Snow Fine Arts building.

Admission to the event was free, but donations to the UCA Theatre Foundation were encouraged.

WORKSHOP

From 7:30-8:30 p.m. on March 7, the Music Department will host a recital performed by Benjamin Horne in the Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall.

Artist in Residence From 10:50 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on March 8, Chase Kahwinhut Earles will conduct a ceramics workshop in Schichtl Studio Arts. Earles will also discuss how Caddo traditional potterymaking represents continuity in tribal identity and heritage.

Internship Banquet From 4:30-7:30 p.m. on March 8, Career Services will host the 16th Annual Internship Banquet in the Student Center Ballroom to help students network with recruiters and find relevant internships.

New Member King From 7-11 p.m. on March 8, Alpha Sigma Alpha will host an event called New Member King in the Ida Waldran Auditorium.

This is a pageant for fraternities to show off their new members and their talents.

LatinX Women Presentation From 6-7 p.m. on March 8, Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha inc. will host a presentation on LatinX women in Student Center Room 215.

Photo by Madison Ogle

Elizabeth Rush addresses those in attendance for her masterclass on literary journalism. Rush is the author of “Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore,” a book that combines stories from real people with commentary on the climate crisis.

Masterclass in literary journalism brings Elizabeth Rush to UCA

by Bennett Tinnermon

Associate Editor

Nonfiction author Elizabeth Rush spoke with students about what it took to fund her writing and the difficult moments of publishing her 2018 book “Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore” on Tuesday, Feb. 22.

Rush said she knew she was a writer “when I got the call from my editor that I was a Pulitzer Prize finalist” with “Rising.”

After graduating from Southern New Hampshire University in 2010 with an MFA in nonfiction, Rush began as an instructor at the school’s creative writing program. She said it wasn’t a lot of money, but it allowed her to get her first teaching credentials. It also allowed her flexibility to do the

writing and reporting she wanted to do when classes were out during the summer and sometimes winter.

“The teaching life makes the writing life a little more possible financial-wise,” Rush said.

Rush’s Artist in Residence program focused on a masterclass in literary journalism.

Rush has done reporting to write essays for magazines and publications like Harper’s Magazine, Huffington Post and Urban Omnibus. Her writing typically covers environmental change.

Rush said that when writing and reporting, she would ask herself, “What’s missing from this conversation? Whose story has been left out?”

Rush said that nonfiction writers should

ask themself how their writing can fill a hole that’s missing in a conversation or topic.

Rush also advised, “Try to build a relationship with a publication that you value.” Rush said that after submitting her work to Harper’s Magazine multiple times, it has only published her work once.

That published work is now framed in her office, Rush said.

Rush said that she sends sections of her writing to the person who is speaking in the given section.

While this goes against what journalists are taught, Rush said it helps to honor her sources and that they do not undermine her work but help it.

The reporting for each chapter of “Rising: Dispatches from the New

American Shore” took between a month and two years, Rush said. Rush ran into issues even right before printing her book.

Rush said her editor told her a chapter would need to be removed over lawsuit concerns. In the chapter, Rush called out a researcher who sexually assaulted her, slightly changing his name. Rush spent a week removing all identifying details from the chapter, then having a friend in the field read it to check whether they could identify the person.

Rush said that the experience showed her how little power she had in that situation after being sexually harassed yet not allowed to talk about it in her own book.

Savannah MoixRogers, an MFA student, enjoyed Rush’s talk and

writing advice.

“Even though I’m not familiar with the environmental content that she produces, I can see how that would work for my own writing practice,” Moix-Rogers said.

Moix-Rogers writes poetry in the creative writing program at UCA. She said that Rush’s discussion could apply to her poetry in making the writing more about other people’s experiences to tell their stories.

Rush also had a public reading, Q&A and book signing on Tuesday night, Feb. 22.

Rush can be found on Twitter @elizabetharush.

Rush’s writing and other information can be found on her website: elizabethrush.net.

4/ March 2, 2022

CAMPUS LIFE

Talent Night concludes Black History Month

by Mia Waddell News Editor

Black businesses and talent were highlighted in the final Black History Month event put on by Students for the Propagation of Black Culture.

“Everything we’re doing today is supporting our culture,” Julian Maze, founder of A-Maze-NEnterprises said.

“I want to look out for our community,” Maze said.

The event, held Friday, Feb. 25 in Ida Waldran Auditorium, hosted Black business owners and artists.

Junior Jimeya Mayes, the co-chair of SPBC, performed an original spoken word set.

Mayes was first introduced to spoken word through Brave New Voices, an International Poetry Slam Competition.

“The poem ‘Angry Black Woman’ shook me to my soul,” Mayes said.

Mayes mother was an English teacher who helped her develop her skills. “I have no professional training.”

Photo by Madison Ogle

Jimeya Mayes performs a spoken-word poem. Mayes was among three other poets who shared their pieces with the Ida Waldran crowd.

Miss UCA Nia Kelley promoted her sister’s boutique: Meringue

By TK. Kelley wore a dress from the boutique on her American Idol appearance in 2021.

Senior Marvin Russell, chair for the Black History Month committee, spoke on the importance of Black History Month.

“We need to support each other instead of tearing each other

down,” Russell said.

Jaden Wilbur performed two pieces of original poetry, one of which was called ‘My Black Hand.’

“Our Black pain seems to be your most prized possession,” Wilbur said.

Junior Amiya Walker, a member of the SPBC executive board, promoted her eyelash business.

“I know what it feels like to want to get pretty, but I also know what it feels like to be in college,” Walker said.

Emcee Jeromy Hunt Jr. said that attendance has become more diversified at SPBC events as the month has gone on.

“Each event, we see more different people,” Hunt said. “I think we are making an impact.”

Hunt stressed the importance of supporting Black businesses and talent.

Russell thanked SPBC’s advisor, Angela Jackson, for all of her support. “I’ve been in your office this month more than ever.”

SPBC has hosted a multitude of events supporting Black History Month.

This included Gospel Night and a formal Valentine’s Day event that featured poetry on Black love.

Students for the Propagation of Black Culture is a non-profit RSO dedicated to “spread Black culture while breaking barriers,” according to their Twitter page @ ucark_spbc.

PA N E L

Faculty discusses public hesitancy towards vaccines

by Estefania Mojica Staff Writer

The second Science Wednesday of this semester took place Feb. 23 via Zoom to discuss the COVID-19 vaccines and why people are hesitant to get them.

The three panelists included UCA biology professor Ben Rowley, psychology professor Shawton Charlton and professor Clare Brown from UAMS. Panelists focused on the different aspects that create and affect vaccine hesitancy.

Charlton said, “Making a decision, like getting a vaccine, has to do a lot with the psychological effect and feeling. There’s an action bias. If I do nothing, then I don’t have to feel guilty about the choice I make.

It doesn’t have the same mental effect versus when we do an action.”

For Rowley, the most interesting part of vaccines is the technology.

With new technology, vaccines are tested more thoroughly, and scientists can create stronger evidence to support the effectiveness of a vaccine.

“Vaccine hesitancy is nothing new. Of course, in the beginning [of a new vaccine] there was more reason to be uncomfortable with getting a vaccine,” Rowley said.

“A vaccine is tested many, many times through different trials … it’s first tested on cells in a dish, then you move on to animals like mice and rats and gradually move on to human volunteers. And the vaccine is thoroughly tested to the smallest detail.”

Charlton gave his thoughts, from the psychological perspective, of why humans have hesitancy with the COVID-19 vaccines.

Rowley said “Research has shown that if we just look at what is happening near us locally instead of the global situation, we are better at making decisions. However, it is harder for our minds to conceptualize the situation globally, so when something occurs locally, we base our decisions on that.”

Professor Brown gave her input from the economic perspective on why there are multiple types of vaccines.

“The underlying reason for multiple vaccines is that there is more than one pharmaceutical company trying to create a

vaccine and essentially make a profit from it.

Different technologies are used as well, and this is also a factor with vaccine hesitancy,” Brown said.

Rowley said, “There could be a longterm effect say 30 years from now that we didn’t expect. The scientist in me knows that it is always a possibility, but the scientist in me also knows if we didn’t receive the vaccine, the probability of us getting the disease and dying from it is much, much greater.”

To further support Rowley’s point, Professor Charlton said, “ There is always a side effect for any decision we make … instead of worrying about the effects that may happen in 10 years, think about what are you scared of right now, what can happen to me right now.”

“It’s important to know when to make the decision of getting the vaccine and also knowing that prevention is a lot stronger than trying to cure a disease,” Charlton said.

Next month’s Science Wednesday topic is “Urban Trees” on March 30 via Zoom.

Details to be posted on CubConnect.

BLACK HISTORY

ucanews.live

STUDENTS SAY do you feel about “ Howmasks being made optional? ” Story and photos by Olivia Snelson

Freshman Leston Donaldson “I think it’s just going to cause another spike.

Because last time we saw the numbers start going down … then the amount spiked.”

Sophomore Dean Prince “I certainly wish they hadn’t taken off the mandatory use of masks.

I feel like COVID will only spread more and we’ll get more people sick.”

Freshman Sami Ober

“I was a little upset about it. I feel like it’s not time yet.”

Senior Hannah Crawford

“I’m not quite sure how to feel. I know personally I will keep wearing my mask but I know that a lot of others are happy to hear about it.”

Live Museum event brings historic figures to life

by Andrew McMahan Staff Writer

The University of Central Arkansas’ Students for the Propagation of Black Culture hosted a Live Museum on Feb. 22. The theme was “Remembering the Legacy.”

Senior Black History Month committee chairman and SPBC chaplain Marvin Russell said, “This is an event where we actually kind of remember the people that brought us over, remembering the legacy, as you can tell on the title,” Russell said.

“We are actually seeing some of those characters come to life and some of our students portray those characters in such a great manner.”

This event was the fifth of six events the SPBC held for this semester. Russell agreed that this time frame of events during Black History Month may be the apex of

Photo by Madison Ogle

Members of SPBC pose together after the “Live Museum: Remembering the Legacy” event. Students portrayed historic Black History figures.

SPBC’s semester. Black History Month is already a proud time for the SPBC, but to have these powerful events paralleling Black History Month makes this even more special for them.

The event was made possible by multiple student volunteers.

Each volunteer was

designated a character they must portray.

Russell maintained the notion that this event took a look at important Black figures that do not receive praise like they should.

Russell hoped to help others learn about some of the figures in Black history that they do not teach about

in school, like Colin Powell, Charley Pride, Jeni LeGon and Gwen Ifill.

Russell said, “What we do is call our volunteers up to the stage by their character name, and they will come up there and they will speak about their character and they will kind of bring their character to life. Some people will have props. Some people have dressed up as some of those characters as well.

So we will get to see those characters come to life, even the ones we do not know as well.”

These volunteers come from the SPBC, but some come from other RSO’s. Russell was elated to recognize the fact that the SPBC receives such strong support from other groups on campus.

The SPBC had one more event left for the semester.

The talent show was Friday, Feb. 25, in what Russell called “going out with a bang.”

Freshman Kaylin Allen

“I think it’s irresponsible.

We just got our rates down. Removing the mask mandate, people would start being unsafe.”

Senior Psalm Dang “I think that the university should do what they think is right, but at the end of the day if taking away the mask mandate increases the amount of positive cases, then it wasn’t worth it.”

People of UCA: Erica Hurst

by Colby Derr Staff Writer

Erica Hurst, a sophomore at UCA, loves getting to know people and communicating with her peers.

Hurst serves as a mentor in the Schedler Honors College.

She works on a volunteer basis and maintains a friendly relationship with the Schedler Honors College students.

“My main job is to be there for the freshmen as they encounter some of the difficulties and struggles of being a firstyear student, but I also get to host events and make lots of friends,” Hurst said.

“It’s been nice. It’s definitely stressful sometimes, but I feel like I’ve grown a lot, and I’ve learned a lot.”

Some of the events she hosts as a mentor include painting sessions, movie nights and scavenger hunts.

She also helps host a “Tough Talk” presentation where they discuss trending or difficult topics.

The Honors College helped Hurst make some of her best friends and allowed her to learn how to become a

better leader.

“I have learned that I really like being in roles of leadership. In group settings, I tend to just kind of naturally take on more of a leadership role. I’ve had practice doing that as a mentor,” Hurst said.

In addition to being a mentor, she worked with the Honors Council and has become close with many professors, including the dean of the Schedler Honors College, Patricia Smith.

Hurst, 19, is currently an English major with a double minor in Interdisciplinary Studies and Religious Studies.

“I kind of always knew I’d be an English major. I was in denial for a while, but I finally declared it and it’s been great,” Hurst said.

Hurst is from Paragould, Arkansas, but attended high school in Monette.

“My hometown is very small. It’s like being stuck in a postcard. It looks pretty, but I was happy to be able to move on from it,” Hurst said.

In her free time, Hurst enjoys reading, writing, painting and thrift shopping.

“I’m an English major, so it’s hard to get myself to read because, after a day of reading, the last thing I want to do is read more. But whenever I do get to read for pleasure, it’s a nice change of pace, and it’s a good way to get out of your own head,” Hurst said.

Hurst currently works with children at UCA’s Child Study Center.

“I was worried that I wouldn’t like working with kids, but I actually do.

They’re very sweet and funny, and I feel like it’s getting easier for me to feel authoritative. So that makes the job easier,” Hurst said.

While Hurst plans to attend graduate school to get her master’s degree in English, she would also like to work as a teacher someday.

She wants to teach at a high school or become a professor.

If Hurst had to give her peers any piece of advice, it would be to take a selfcare night.

“It doesn’t matter if you just took one. There is no limit. Watch a movie, do some skincare, be with friends, whatever,” Hurst said.

Photo courtesy of Erica Hurst

Erica Hurst is a mentor in the Schedler Honors College. She majors in English with a double minor in Interdisciplinary Studies and Religious Studies.

Sports

5

March 2, 2022

Upcoming Games

Baseball 6 p.m., March 4 vs.

South Dakota State Beach Volleyball 1:30 p.m., March 4 vs.

Florida State Softball 1 p.m., March 6 vs.

Belmont at Adam Brown Memorial Shamrock Classic Women’s Golf March 7-8 at UNF Collegiate Invitational

Editor’s Take

Photo by ucasports.com

Track and Field have successful outdoor season ahead by

Will McDonald

Assistant Sports Editor The UCA’s track and field programs are thriving. Since December, athletes have broken school records a total of 12 times.

Four of those school records were broken this past Saturday at the ASUN Conference Championships. The men’s team set eight personal bests at the meet, and the women’s team set four. This was the first season to test UCA’s ability in the ASUN Conference.

The men’s team placed 4th in the conference, and the women’s team placed 6th.

Although the teams didn’t win the conference, there were multiple conference champions.

For instance, in addition to breaking the school record, Timon Dresselhaus placed 1st in the men’s heptathlon.

“I’m very excited for the new school record holders and the ASUN champions. I’m looking forward to continuing our great success throughout the outdoor season,” coach Beau Theriot told UCA sports.

I’m very excited to see what these teams do in the outdoor season and how they improve even more. I expect they will break even more school records and personal records.

The UCA track and field programs are the ones to watch out for. They are ruffling feathers in the new conference, and the numbers show that they get more competitive every year.

New school records have been set every season.

Besides the athletes, who is taking UCA track and field programs to the next level? Who else is behind the success?

Beau Theriot took over as associate head coach of the program in 2012. Since the changes in the coaching staff, UCA has seen a gradual incline in the competitiveness of its division one teams.

The athletes seem to love Theriot, and everyone I’ve talked to has good things to say about the coaching staff.

There is no better recipe for success in sports than healthy relationships between coaches and players.

The athletes in track and field will have continued success in the outdoor season due to their dedication, hard work and a coaching staff that cares for them.

Freshman Randrea Wright, pictured at the game against Bellarmine on Feb. 17, scored the most points of the night against Lipscomb, netting at 16. The Bears lost the game but still claimed a spot in the ASUN Conference Championship, which will be played in Jacksonville, Alabama on March 2 at 6 p.m.

Bears lose to Lipscomb, get fourth seed in conference by

Sydney Cyr

Entertainment Editor

The UCA women’s basketball team lost to Lipscomb University 46-50 Saturday, Feb. 26 after an offensive decline in the 4th quarter that allowed Lipscomb to take the lead.

UCA started the game with a strong defensive effort, securing a 9-1 lead in the first four minutes of the first quarter.

Lipscomb cut UCA’s lead down to one point as the first quarter ended with a score of 11-9.

The scoring went back and forth throughout the second quarter, with neither team gaining a significant lead over the other.

The second quarter ended with a score of 22-21. The defense was tight, and no points were scored in the last two-and-a-half minutes.

In the third quarter, both UCA and Lipscomb scored seven field goals.

With no three-pointers and no free throws, the score was brought to 36-35 by the end of the third quarter.

By the end of the fourth quarter, Lipscomb was able to score enough free-throw points to pull through with a win 46-50.

“It was really great for our young kids to be in that situation under that type of pressure. These experiences will pay off for us, and for them in the next couple of years,” coach Sandra Rushing said.

Although UCA lost, the game was a close one, with both teams battling for the win until the very end.

“At this point in the season, there is no improvement that can happen. It comes down to heart

and passion and who wants it more,” Rushing said.

Hannah Langhi, a graduate student who plays forward, set the program’s record for games played.

Langhi made her 133rd appearance as a Sugar Bear on Saturday.

“I am really proud of Hannah, and I want to congratulate her on her accomplishment. We have been together a long time,” Rushing said.

Rushing said one area in which UCA succeeded during the game was with “groups working well together on the floor.”

Multiple UCA athletes played notably throughout the game.

Freshman Randrea Wright scored the most points for UCA during the game, netting 14 points.

Senior Carley Hudspeth was the second-highest scorer, netting 11 points.

UCA ended the season as the 5-seed in the ASUN West Conference, which means that UCA will travel to play the 4-seed team in the ASUN East Conference, Jacksonville University.

Since Jacksonville is the 4-seed in the East, they earned the right to host the 5-seed in the West.

UCA lost to Jacksonville the last time the teams faced each other in January.

“Since we have played Jacksonville once already, we know we have to handle their pressure,” Rushing said.

UCA will play Jacksonville University Wednesday, March 2, in the first round of the ASUN Championship.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Photo courtesy of ucasports.com

Senior Faith Hasness bumps the ball to doubles partner, graduate student Carol Barbosa. Hasness and Barbosa won both of their matches against North Alabama and Hendrix. The Bears will be traveling to Fort Worth, Texas to play in the Horned Frog Challenge on March 4-5.

Season starts with split games in Florence, Alabama by

Brayden Bailey and Emilee Hagewood

Staff Writer and Sports Editor

University of Central Arkansas’s beach volleyball team won 5-0 Saturday morning against Hendrix at the Shoals Beach Bash in Florence, Alabama, hosted by the University of North Alabama.

This was UCA’s fifth consecutive win against Hendrix, a winning streak that’s been held since 2020.

Esther Du’Glas, one of the players for UCA’s indoor and beach volleyball team, noted how they won against Hendrix, attributing it to hard work and perseverance.

“I just think since the very beginning my team has been working very hard and striving each day to get better,” Du’Glas said. Esther gave credit to her coach’s statement: “if you’re comfortable then you’re not growing” to how UCA was able to take the victory against Hendrix.

Five matches were played. The first pair was graduate student Carol Barbosa and senior Faith Hasness who won in two sets; 21-9, 21-14.

Junior Julia Oravec and freshman Ryenne Gepford finished the second doubles match in two sets as well, winning 21-14 and 21-13.

The third match was won in three sets — 22-24, 21-11, 15-10 — by redshirt senior Kelsie Sager and junior Evelyn Griffith Davis.

The fourth match was much of the same, sophomores Payton Sproule and Bria Garmon won in two sets, 21-10 and 21-16.

Senior Kayla Cook and sophomore Marissa Gilmore claimed the fifth match, the first set being 21-13 and the second being 21-9.

UCA held a strong defense and attacked the ball with extreme cooperation. “It was definitely all from the first point to the last I feel that our defense was very solid and attacking [the ball],” Du’ Glas said.

The game did pose challenges with the weather, however, as temperatures were below

40 degrees with non-stop rain. This caused issues with mud and the handling of the ball, but “we didn’t let that get in the way of our goal,” Du’ Glas said.

Traveling also plays an important role in the dynamic of the team, and Du’Glas pointed out that leadership and team dynamic is very important to have when playing teams across the country.

The second match of the tournament was not as rewarding as the first. When the Bears faced North Alabama, they lost 3-2.

The first match was won by Barbosa and Hasness in three sets: 20-22, 21-18, 15-8.

Sager and Griffith Davis took the third match in two sets: 21-17 and 22-15. The second, fourth and fifth matches were claimed by North Alabama, leaving the score at 3-2.

UCA’s beach volleyball team will have its next games Friday and Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas, facing off against South Carolina, Florida State, Georgia State and Texas Christian University.

Opinion

6

March 2 , 2022

The Voice

Ne w U C A mask i ng p oli c y d ange rous , comes to o s o on

The Echo Staff Addi Freeman Editor-in-Chief Bennett Tinnermon Associate Editor Mia Waddell News Editor Kathryn Thornberry Assistant News Editor Madison Ogle Campus Life Editor/Cartoonist Olivia Snelson Assistant Campus Life Editor Milo Strain Opinion Editor Sydney Cyr Entertainment Editor Emilee Hagewood Sports Editor Will McDonald Assistant Sports Editor Delaney Van Wilpe Online Editor Olyvia Gonzalez Assistant Online Editor

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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

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You don’t have to be old to get adjusted Whether you play sports, you have scoliosis, you have bad posture or you’re just flimsy and tall, a chiropractor can be your long-lost best friend.

Most people think a person has to be old or crippled to visit the chiropractor, but in reality, getting adjustments at a young age can prevent aches and pains from occurring in the future.

Chiropractic care is an alternative medicine, which means people who dislike taking modern medicine may prefer this.

If you go into a room and see someone with a big smile on their face and their hands gripped around someone’s neck, it can be intimidating. I promise that it’s totally different when it’s your neck with the hands gripped around it.

The sounds that occur when your bones

by Megan Holder are popping may make Staff Writer you never want to go back, but if you take a moment after the adjustment, you’ll realize that it was one of the best feelings you’ve ever felt.

Not to mention, your lop-sided hips and hunched upper body can be fixed within a matter of weeks with a little bit of consistency.

I started visiting the chiropractor because, for some reason, my back doesn’t really like my body. My back was hurting constantly, and one of my legs was slightly longer than the other. I was in a lot of pain all the time. I couldn’t stand on concrete for more than three hours at a time without wanting to fall over.

On Feb. 24, an email from the UCA President’s Office was sent out to the student body with information about the new mask policy coming to campus. Effective Monday, Feb. 28, face coverings will be optional in every campus space.

While talking about COVID-19 again feels like beating a stinking, rancid horse corpse, it is sadly still very relevant, and the president’s decision to lift the campus-wide mask mandate is worth discussing.

The decision to adopt this new mask policy is both dangerous and confusing.

According to the testing and tracing data released every week on uca.edu, we have just made it through the biggest spike in cases on UCA campus since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

Cases exploded when we all returned from winter break; at the time of writing, UCA has recorded 531 positive tests since campus opened for the spring semester.

To put that into perspective, that’s 38% of all positive tests recorded since March 2020. Over 10% of the total positive tests recorded were recorded in a single week just last month, a time during which the administration was adamant about its refusal to even offer an online option for students.

These figures are still just from students who opted to get tested and studentathletes, so they don’t take into account any students who had the virus and did not get tested. If the data we do have is any indication of the general trend on campus, there could have been hundreds more students who had the virus and were never tested.

The email sent by the President’s Office also states that the metrics for determining the mask policy “are the same metrics that were used from May 2020 through August

Consistently getting adjustments has made my life a bit easier and my legs are actually even now. The chiropractor will even talk to you while you’re getting adjusted. The more jokes you crack, the less you will think about how you’re going to get cracked.

Your head may get twisted like an Auntie Anne’s pretzel, but the feeling is tremendous.

Not everyone’s adjustments will be the same -- it all depends on how jacked up your body is and where. The results won’t happen from just one visit, which is why it’s imperative to keep up the visits.

Some people may say that chiropractors are too expensive.

The thing is, most places accept a wide variety of insurances or have payment plans.

I don’t think a person who can just look at your body and tell you that something is wrong without touching you can be too overpriced.

Chiropractic work is amazing, and it’s a special talent. It takes skill to touch one spot on someone’s body, and then tell you that’s exactly where they’ve been feeling the pain.

It’s one of the greatest feelings to be able to feel your body evolving and functioning the way it should be. Don’t wait until you are your grandparents’ age to try and fix what can be prevented or fixed now. Take control of your physical health. Once you start going, 2021 to guide our weekly and monthly you won’t want to get rid of the feeling. Make decision-making.”

Why such a specific time frame? What that change to become a better, healthier, was different about the metrics after August straighter you.

2021? And most importantly, why was the mask policy not changed at any point and doorknobs that I wouldn’t think about during May 2020 through August 2021, during the week. I have two plants, so I have when there were far fewer positive tests on designated Sunday as a watering day. If I feel campus than there have been this semester? like it, I also like to practice self-care, so I It just seems strange to lift the mandate reset my body just like I do my space. right after such a huge spike, especially While most people probably aren’t overly when the CDC still considers Faulkner thrilled about cleaning and organizing and County’s community COVID-19 level doing these chores, I’ve also found that this is the perfect time to listen to music, catch “high,” meaning they still recommend up on YouTube videos or podcasts, or watch masks. What metrics are this new policy your favorite show. You can really kill two based on if not the CDC’s? Something isn’t birds with one stone here by being productive adding up here. and watching or listening to your favorite This new policy will definitely cause things, especially if you haven’t had the cases to rise and potentially explode again chance to during the week. just in time for spring break, when most “How could this possibly be the most productive thing you do all students return home. week when you’re a college student Have we not learned any lessons from or have a full-time job,” you might the last two years? Cases may have fallen be wondering? It’s simple. again, but we have yet to see a dip that All of these tasks seem small wasn’t followed by yet another spike, so and insignificant in comparison to the essays you have to why take the risk here at UCA? We’re right write, the tests you have around three-quarters of the way done with to study for and the this year, and we’ve finally got the case shifts you have to work numbers somewhat under control since during the week, so it’s the massive spike last month, and now the easy to let these things President’s Office is poking the hornet’s get left unchecked in nest that is COVID-19 with the new mask your mental to-do list, policy. making that list longer This new policy is dangerous and will and more daunting. By taking the time to do a proper reset, you’re putting yourself ahead certainly cause a rise in COVID-19 cases on our campus. While the majority of for the week and starting off fresh.

It may feel like the toothpaste dried campus will probably be fine, this policy onto the sink or the dust on your shelves or shows that President Davis is now fine the mountain of empty water bottles, coffee with risking the health of immunocomprocups and RedBull cans that steadily grows mised students, faculty and staff, as well as throughout the week should be the least of your problems, but when you take the time students’ elderly and immunocompromised to clean and reset on Sunday, you’ll be able to family members. The spike that could result fully focus on the bigger things in a space that from this policy will be the fault of President is clean and refreshed.

Davis and his administration.

Over 10% of the total positive tests recorded [since March 2020] were recorded in a single week just last month

Sunday resets will make you more productive Despite the workload from the week before, the shenanigans your weekend consisted of, or the length of your to-do list for the week ahead, the most productive thing you can do all week is a Sunday reset.

The concept of a Sunday reset has been around for what feels like forever. The first day of the week or the last day of your weekend, however you choose to look at it, is the perfect time to “reset” for the upcoming week.

Growing up, Sundays were the prime time to go to the grocery store with my parents to pick up snacks for school lunches and figure out what we should eat for dinner during the week. I would also pick up my bedroom and get my school supplies ready for the week ahead. Recently, this concept has been glamorized on social media by influencers sharing their Sunday reset routines or before and after clips of their space as a result of doing a Sunday reset.

After seeing these videos take over my TikTok For You Page, I decided to give the Sunday reset a

by Ashlyn Little shot.

Staff Writer While some people’s Sundays may consist of going to work, attending church or sleeping in, finding time — even just 30 minutes — to revive your space can make a drastic difference in how you feel and can increase your productivity because a clean space is a happy space. However, if possible, I recommend taking an entire Sunday afternoon or evening to reset for the week.

Some of my Sunday reset musts include doing the laundry and putting it away. Taking out the trash and cleaning off my desk is vital.

I also try to clean my sink and mirrors, as well as wipe down surfaces like shelves, desks

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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.

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Entertainment

7

March 2, 2022

New This Week

Netflix’s ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ sullies franchise

Movies

by

Madison Ogle

Campus Life Editor & Cartoonist

Releasing Feb. 18, Netflix’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the most frustrating, god-awful take on a slasher film to date.

Between horribly tonedeaf commentary on school shootings and an insufferable cast of iPhone wielding gentrifiers, the only bearable parts of this movie are when someone gets a chainsaw to the throat.

Our main cast of March 4 — After Yang (PG), characters are four young directed by Kogonada, starring adult’s, currently en route Justin H. Min, Haley Lu to a Texas ghost town called Harlow.

Richardson, and Colin Farrell Dante Spivey, played — When an android named Yang by Jacob Latimore, and his malfunctions, a man trys to repair business partner Melody, it, rekindling relationships in the played by Sarah Yarkin, have process dreams of turning this town into a hub of influencer-run businesses.

Dante brings his wife March 4 — Asking For It (R), Ruth, played by Nell Hudson, directed by Eamon O’Rourke, while Melody totes along her younger sister Elisa, played by starring Vanessa Hudgens, Elsie Fisher.

Ezra Miller, Demetrius Shipp Unbeknownst to this Jr., Alexandra Shipp, Gabourey group and a busload of Sidibe, and Kiersey Clemons influencer’s coming to bid on — A sexual assault victim joins an the vacant properties, one of all-female gang that targets corrupt the buildings still harbor’s two groups straggling souls.

After a lifetime of March 4 — The Batman (PG13), directed by Matt Reeves, starring Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, Barry Keoghan, John Turturro, and Andy Serkis — Batman pursues a serial killer who targets elite Gotham City residents.

Music

Photo courtesy of www.netflix.com

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre” follows a group of influencers trying to revive a Texas ghost town who are terrorized by the serial killer, Leatherface. The Netflix original film released Feb. 18, 2022.

running an orphanage out of the occupied building, the old woman still living there has only one, rather large, remaining child in her care.

Dante and the woman engage in an argument about the building’s ownership, which leads to a stressinduced heart attack that takes the woman’s life.

Upon news of the death, her remaining child, Leatherface, proceeds to brutally murder any and all people in his path as a form of vengeance.

March 4 — From 2 To 3 — Peach Pit

by

— Band of Horses

March 4 — Painless — Nilufer Yanya March 4 — Oochya!

— Stereophonics March 4 — Crystal Nuns Cathedral — Guided by Voices March 4 — How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars — The Weather Station Information from:

www.metacritic.com

Netflix March 4 — Pieces of Her (Season 1), directed by Minkie Spiro, starring Toni Collette, Jessica Barden, Bella Heathcote, Jacob Scipio, Joe Dempsie, and Nicholas Burton — A woman pieces together her mother’s complicated past after an attack brings dark secrets to light

March 4 — The Invisible Thread, directed by Marco S. Puccioni, starring Filippo Timi, Francesco Scianna, Matteo Oscar Giuggioli, Jodhi May, Valentina Cervi, and Alessia Giuliani — A teenage son makes a documentary about his two fathers

March 4 — Lies and Deceit (Season 1), directed by Norbeto Amado and Curro Novallas, starring Javier Rey, Miguel Fernandez, Itziar Atienza, and Paco Tou s — A teacher pursues justice against a surgeon who date raped her, while he denies her accounts of the incident

Top 5 2000s Throwbacks List compiled by Andraea Aguilera Staff Writer

Kathryn Thornberry

Assistant News Editor

“Belief is the power that fuels your purpose.”

This is the opening line of the second episode of the new Netflix series “jeen-yuhs,” a documentary following Kanye West’s struggle and success to change hip-hop music forever.

The first episode aired on Feb. 16. Kanye is introduced in the documentary in a whole different perspective than what any of the audience is familiar with.

The documentary shows footage of Kanye from the beginning — in 1998 before he signed on to Roc-A-Fella Records, and before he had earned the respect from the rappers and producers that inspired his music.

The documentary is directed and produced by Coodie Simmons, who, at the time, was a comedian and host of a public-access show called Channel Zero.

Through the screen, Coodie’s respect and admiration for Kanye are evident from the beginning.

Throughout his narration on the film, Coodie explains the first time he had put Kayne on camera — when Kanye was an up-and-coming producer — was the beginning of a brotherhood that would last for more than 20 years.

“We had filmed a lot of artists, but there was just something different about Kanye,” Coodie said in the documentary.

“Hearing his rhymes. Seeing his confidence. There was no doubt in my mind that he was going to be a star.”

Although Coodie was certain that Kanye would be a star, the rest of the world had no idea who he was yet.

The documentary follows Kanye’s move to New York in hopes of signing with a record label and Coodie’s move following right after.

1. Silly Bandz The 2000s had some distinctive trends.

There were jelly shoes, mood rings, crackle nail art and so much more. My favorite trend from my elementary years was Silly Bandz, which were rubber bands in the shape of anything you could imagine. These colorful bands were all over the wrists of kids at my school in 2010.

Everyone would make trades with their friends and compare how many each person had on at one time. I remember using some of my book fair money on a package of animal-shaped Silly Bandz and disappointing my dad when I hadn’t actually bought any books. Worth it.

While Coodie accompanies Kanye’s rise to stardom, his footage also shows the expansion of music created by all hip-hop artists.

It reveals just how difficult it was to not only gain respect from record labels but to be noticed by them.

An immense part of the struggle Kanye experienced when trying to be seen by the world was the fact that he was from Chicago.

Kanye was the first rapper from Chicago signed to the well-known Roc-a-Fella. The label had signed Jay-Z, Foxy Brown, Peedi Peedi and many other talented artists before then.

But because Kanye wasn’t from the East or West Coast, he had to fight for a spot in the rap culture with a hunger and intensity others didn’t need to have.

Hip hop music found its roots in the New York City borough of the Bronx in 1970. Record labels such as Def Jam, Young Money and Roc-A-Fella helped up-andcoming rap artists distribute and market their music.

All three record labels were located in New York.

This made it more difficult for inspiring artists from cities such as Chicago to sign to a label. Not only did these artists have to move and leave everything behind to live in a new city, but they had to do this before they had the money and network that they needed.

That is what is so inspiring and different about Kanye’s documentary. It unfolds the truth of Kanye’s dreams becoming reality. It shows just how far confidence and faith can get a motivated and passionate individual who does not take no for an answer.

The documentary is a three-part series, with each episode airing one week after the other. The final episode will air on March 2.

2. ‘Courage the Cowardly Dog’

In all honesty, I could never watch “Courage the Cowardly Dog” alone because some episodes frightened me. I still enjoyed it and the elaborate plotlines and iconic characters. Of course, there were Courage’s owners, Eustice and Muriel. Sweet and naive Muriel was my favorite, but I always got a laugh out of Eustice and his misfortune.

The events and characters were often bizarre, but that made it more fun to watch.

There was Katz, who definitely scarred me as a kid. Cajun Fox is another antagonist that still stands out to me. I’d love to watch this show as an adult and see what different perspectives I’d get from it now.

Whether the main cast dies or Leatherface himself does, nobody really cares after the first half hour just as long as the film ends at some point.

Perhaps Garcia thought he’d be adding clever social commentary and witty humor to the slasher theme, but instead he just makes a historically frustrating genre even more insufferable.

Everything that can go wrong in this film inevitably does. The best twist that Garcia could have offered in the retelling of this story

MOVIE

SERIES

‘jeen-yuhs’ reveals the struggles of Kanye West

March 4 — Things Are Great

This initial conflict is somewhat brief at the film’s beginning, leaving more than an hour’s worth of bloody, cinematic garbage for the audience to endure.

Director David Blue Garcia makes every person into the most cartoonish and vapid depictions possible.

At one point, a man tells leatherface that he’ll be “so canceled” if he tries anything, as if the annoying millennial trope isn’t already painfully overplayed in every modern horror movie.

would have been someone making a good decision. As is, the film is an obvious waste of time, energy, effort and money.

While some may praise the film for at least delivering on its promise of excessive gore, any typical horror fan will not be impressed.

No deaths are memorable or worth talking about and the minimal special effects are of a quality comparable to a child’s Halloween costume.

This is a stark departure from today’s more creative horror films like Midsommer (2019) where each death is poignant and genuinely terrifying.

In this film, the deaths feel more on par with watching paint dry. Each is incredibly slow paced, frustrating, vague and offers no satisfaction to those who tune in just for blood and guts.

Though Garcia makes a clear effort to provide easter eggs and call-backs to the 1974 original, it all lands flat and comes across more as though he learned about the story on day one of filming.

If you’d like to make an attempt at enduring the film’s 81-minute run time, “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is available to watch on Netflix.

Photo courtesy of www.20thcenturystudios.com

“Death on the Nile” was written by Michael Green and directed by Kenneth Branagh. The film was adapted from Agatha Christie’s novel of the same name.

‘Death on the Nile’ film lacks suspense, has hefty storyline Delaney Van Wilpe

Although considered a mystery film, “Death of the Nile,” which hit theaters Feb. 11, 2022, was heavy on theatrics but light on suspense.

With a stellar cast to play peculiar characters, the film was yet another adaptation of one of Agatha Christie’s books that features detective Hercule Poirot who is played by Kenneth Branagh. Branagh, who also directed the film, started his adaptation series with “Murder on the Orient Express” in 2017.

“Death on the Nile” gives a more extensive and somewhat unnecessary, background to Poirot and his trademarked, bombastic mustache.

Its prologue shows scenes of Poirot serving in World War II in a confusing way that hardly contributes to the storyline.

The following scene is where the pieces start to fall into place. Lovers Jacqueline de Bellefort (played by Emma Mackey) and Simon Doyle (played by Armie Hammer) run into Bellefort’s friend and heiress, Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot), at a nightclub. A business deal is made between Simon and Linnet upon meeting for the first time, and the two share a dance. And Poirot just happens to witness this series of events from afar.

The film, set in 1937, fast forwards six months to Poirot enjoying the Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, and somehow he was able to get a cup of coffee and a pastry accompanied by a table and a chair for his viewing. And he just happened to run into one of his old friends, Bouc (played

by Tom Bateman), at one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Not completely realistic, but I do appreciate the theatrics of it all. What I do not appreciate is the CGI of Egypt, which you will soon be familiar with if you plan to watch this film.

Bouc, accompanied by his mother, Euphemia Bouc (played by Annette Bening), invites Poirot to his friend’s honeymoon excursions. Poirot accepts and soon realizes that he was there when the two newlyweds met.

The newlyweds, Linnet and Simon, celebrate with an odd guest list that included Bouc and his mother, Linnet’s cousin (played by Ali Fazel), Linnet’s ex-boyfriend (played by a surprisingly clean-cut Russell Brand), Linnet’s godmother and her friend (played by Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French), Linnett’s friend from boarding school (played by Letitia Wright) and a singer (played by Sophie Okonedo) that performed at the nightclub when Linnet and Simon met. All guests of which Linnet admits to

not trusting, and somehow no guests are there for Simon. It is also a little unbelievable that an heiress only has eight guests, nine including Poirot, at her wedding.

The whole storyline made me think, “this would never happen in real life,” but I must admit, the juicy theatrics piqued my interest. Especially when Simon’s ex, Jacqueline, came to rain on the newlyweds’ parade.

To escape Jacqueline, Linnet and Simon decided to take the wedding party on the Nile River on an extravagant yacht. By the title, I think you know what happens next.

Luckily for those on the ship, they brought along Poirot, but unluckily for some, the murderer still struck. This is where some suspense was afforded to viewers. However, with so many characters, the different layers of their lives were crossing over in confusing ways, distracting Poirot from finding the killer and confusing me as a viewer.

Despite some of its flaws, I would still highly recommend this film to anybody. I would also suggest playing a guessing game of “whodunit” throughout the film — the answer may be both surprising and obvious to you like it was for me.

“Death on the Nile” is playing in theaters.

3. ‘Since U Been Gone’

4. Ouch! Bubble Gum

5. Kid Cuisine Just thinking about Kid Cuisines, I can taste the macaroni and cheese and brownies. Kid Cuisine meals were iconic when I was growing up. I’d pass through the aisles at Walmart looking for them and choose a couple to take home with me. I gravitated toward the meals with the pudding and sprinkles, even though I could never imagine eating anything similar today. The convenience of the microwavable meals was unmatched, which is likely why many kids I grew up with ate them. Kid Cuisines are still available to purchase, so I may have to relive my childhood years sometime soon.

by

Online Editor

Kelly Clarkson released “Since U Been Gone” in 2004, and I still hear it often in 2022.

I remember “Since U Been Gone” was a hit at the skating rink on the weekends as a kid and it still hits when I listen to it in the car now. In fact, I turn the volume up right off the bat because it’s such an easily recognizable song. I’ve heard “Since U Been Gone” played so many times that I could recite all the lyrics off the top of my head.

It’s just one of those songs you have to belt out whether you’re alone or with your friends.

Since everyone knows it, “Since U Been Gone” makes a perfect karaoke song.

So many people don’t remember the Ouch! Bubble Gum by Hubba Bubba, but I distinctly remember it always being near the checkout at Walmart when I was younger.

I begged for it every time my family went grocery shopping.

The gum came in a small tin box, and the flavors were strawberry, watermelon and grape. Though the flavors didn’t last super long, the packaging alone made up for it.

I can remember coming to the realization one random day that this gum no longer existed, and I was crushed. I’d give anything to have another stick of Ouch!

Bubble Gum, especially if it were the watermelon flavor.

ucanews.live

SPORTS

8 / March 2 , 2022

UCA STATS CORNER SPORT

OPPONENT

RESULT

RECORD

Men’s Basketball

Lipscomb

81-66 L

10-19, 7-9

Women’s Basketball

Lipscomb

46-50 L

9-18, 4-12

Baseball

Southern Illinois

11-2 L

1-1

Kansas City

7-3 W

5-6

North Alabama

2-3 L

1-1

Softball

Beach Volleyball

Photo courtesy of ucasports.com

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Randrea Wright is a freshman point guard for the UCA Women’s basketball team. She has been named the ASUN Conference Freshman of the Week four times.

Randrea Wright receives fourth ASUN freshman of the week title by

Amber Austin

Staff Writer

Randrea Wright’s newbie status earned her the ASUN Conference Freshman of the Week four times so far this basketball season.

Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Wright is a freshman point guard on UCA’s women’s basketball team.

On Monday, Feb. 21, Wright was named ASUN Conference Freshman of the Week following the team’s win against the Bellarmine Knights.

At first, Wright had no idea that freshman recognition was even a thing.

“The first time I was named [ASUN Conference Freshman of the Week], I was unaware that I had even received the award,” Wright said. “When I found out, it made me feel recognized and gave me that extra push that there is more to come.”

However, Wright could not always see the brighter side of things as she had a rocky start transitioning between high school basketball and the demands of being a college athlete.

At the start of pre-season, the women’s basketball team did not spend a lot of time on the court.

Instead, it spent the majority of its time on the field conditioning and getting in shape, which Wright said was both physically and mentally tough.

“When I was first being recruited, coach [Sandra Rushing] said she had a plan for me, a plan that I was all for,” Wright said.

“Because of that, I needed to prove that I wanted to be here and that I had the want to get better. I did not want to let the adversity stop me from following through with things.”

Carrying that same mentality through the rest of pre-season, Wright overcame her obstacles and landed a starting position in the first game of the season.

“Entering the first game, I was not confident as I did not have a feel for the college game yet,” Wright said.

Despite this, Wright clocked 34 minutes of playing time, which is uncommonly high for freshman athletes, as they usually sit the bench due to their lack of experience.

“The more games I played, the more comfortable I became,” Wright said. “Coach had a lot to do with it; she played me as a freshman and trusted me with the ball.”

This confidence quickly grew, as Wright was first recognized as ASUN’s Conference Freshman Player of the Week after the team’s first week of games back in November 2021.

Since then, Wright has played 11 double-digit scoring games, with five of those games being back-to-back.

Without her teammates, Wright said those high-scoring points would not have been possible.

“It is all a team effort. We all flow together and put in a mutual amount of hard work,” Wright said. “When we don’t, we know there is work to do.”

Wright does not see the game of basketball as ‘work,’ however.

She sees it as an opportunity to put her worries to rest.

“Playing basketball is my escape, my stress relief, a time where I forget about reality as the game takes me away,” Wright said.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Photo by ucasports.com

Junior guard and forward Eddy Kayouloud shoots to score against Lipscomb. Kayouloud scored 22 points for the Bears, but they could not pull off the win. The Bears were seeded No. 3 in the ASUN Conference.

Season ends with a loss, Bears secure third seed in conference by

Megan Holder

Staff Writer

The UCA men’s basketball team lost the last game of their regular season against the Lipscomb Bisons 81-68 on Saturday at Allen Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

The starting five included freshman guard Ibbe Klintman, junior guard/forward Darious Hall, junior guard/forward Eddy Kayouloud, sophomore guard Collin Cooper and senior forward Jared Chatham.

At the start of the first half, Hall scored six points for the Bears. The teams were tied, with the Bisons 11-11 at the first timeout.

Shortly after, sophomore guard Lewis McDaniel scored, giving the team a threepoint lead, 18-15, at the second timeout.

Near the end of the first half, the Bears were up by two points at 27-25.

At halftime, the Bears were leading 33-31 while eight players had scored.

The Bears started the second half with a Photo by ucasports.com Junior infielder Hunter Hicks runs the bases as a teammate waits to give him a high-five. Hicks had a pinch-hit solo shot good three-pointer from Chatham. Lipscomb and UCA traded shots from there, with the in the seventh inning, which was the last run for the Bears on Monday.

Bisons eventually taking the lead four minutes into the half.

The Bisons held the lead, and the Bears tried to bounce back with three free throws from Cooper and another good three-pointer, this time from Kayouloud.

by Andrew McMahan game was a back and forth affair Sophomore designated hitter ”Starting off the first half, our defense was Staff Writer until the eighth inning when Connor Flagg and junior right the teams found themselves tied fielder Kolby Johnson had two 5-5. Southern Illinois broke the hits in game two. Senior pitcher The University of Central Argame open in the eighth inning, Logan Gilbertson received the kansas’ baseball team completed scoring six runs on six hits. That loss and moved to 0-2 on the their second series of the season would put the nail in the coffin, season.

Feb. 26-28.

The Bears could not muster The Bears lost to the Southern as the Bears could not answer.

UCA senior shortstop R.J. enough offense to survive game Illinois University Salukis (4-1) three of the series on Monday. all three games in Carbondale, Il- Pearson went 3 of 4 at the plate The Bears lost 8 to 4 in anlinois. UCA lost by 11-6 in game with an R.B.I. Sophomore third basemen A.J. Mendolia also went other close game at the halfway one on Saturday, 4-2 in game 3 of 4 with an R.B.I. Sophomore point of the game. UCA and SIU two on Sunday, and 8-4 in game pitcher Jesse Barker received the were tied at three in the fourth three on Monday. loss and is now 0-1. inning. The Salukis found a way This series, originally schedSunday brought another loss to break open yet another game uled to happen in Conway, howin which the Bears out hit SIU, in the series. The Salukis scored ever, due to ice and below-freezthis time the difference was 9 to five runs on five hits in the fifth ing temperatures, the series was moved to Carbondale, Illinois, to 7. The Bears also left 10 runners inning. SIU would not look back, on base. The game was scoreless as they held the Bears to one ensure that the series would not until the Bears managed a run more run in the last five innings. be canceled. The decision also in the fourth inning. SIU would Junior outfielder Trey Harris meant that the series’ start date respond with two runs of their had a two-run home run, sophowas pushed back a day. own in the bottom of the fourth more Drew Sturgeon added a On day one, UCA lost in a inning. The Salukis would then solo home run of his own. Barker game that they had out hit the double their score in the fifth was the losing pitcher in game Salukis 12 to 11. UCA had a inning, extending their lead 4 to three. promising start on Saturday, The Bears’ next tournament gaining a 2-1 lead in the third in- 1. UCA lost the game 4-2 after adding one more run in the ninth will be at home against South ning that later stretched to a 4-2 inning.

Dakota State from March 4-6. lead in the fourth inning. The

Bears fall to Southern Illinois, lose three-game tournament

really good, but come the second half, we let up, and Lipscomb caught fire,” Chatham said.

By the middle of the second half, the Bears were down 11 points after the Bisons went on an eight-point run. A free throw from Kayouloud broke the Bisons’ streak, but the Bears couldn’t catch up.

“With this team, we take losses as lessons.

We don’t allow each other to be so down on ourselves. We know how to take it a game at a time,” Chatham said. “We have a very positive coaching staff, and we know that we can’t win them all.”

Chatham racked seven points, while Kayouloud shot four of five shots from the three-point range, closing with 22 points.

Hall scored 11 points and nine rebounds before fouling out after playing for 29 minutes.

Despite the loss, the Bears were seeded at No. 3 from the West Division for the ASUN Conference Championship.

The Bears will play their next game at the Farris Center on Tuesday, March 1, at 6 p.m. against Stetson University.

“Tuesday is our opportunity to respond.

It’s now [either] win or go home, and our goal is to execute our plans for the full 40 minutes and not let up,” Chatham said.

If they win against Stetson, they will face East No. 2 seed Jacksonville on Thursday night at Swisher Gymnasium.

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Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 3 PM

Visit Stanley Russ room 109 for more information Graphic by Delaney Van Wilpe