THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS’ STUDENT NEWSPAPER
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WEDNESDAY
DECEMBER 1, 2021 Volume 117 — Issue 13
ucanews.live TODAY’S FORECAST CONWAY
Campus Life:
Entertainment:
Sports:
Languages: Haitian Creole workshop teaches students about culture and language.
New Release: Taylor Swift’s maturity revamps classics in new recorded album.
Women’s Basketball: Sugar Bears fall to Northern Kentucky.
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Freshman Nia Kelly crowned Miss UCA 2022
Sunny
71/44
BY ROB DAVIS
THE NEWSDESK FROM THE ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Omicron COVID-19
strain found in EU
The newest COVID-19 variant, Omicron, emerged in South Africa. Omicron has been detected in numerous countries, including Belgium, Italy, Canada, and more. Scientists cannot yet tell if Omicron causes a more severe disease than other COVID-19 variants. Experts say that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is likely to protect against the Omicron variant.
N AT I O N A L
Infrastructure bill signed by Biden President Biden officially signed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill into law. The legislation is aimed at improving the roads, bridges, pipes, ports and internet connections across the U.S. According to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, members of Congress expressed their gratitude for the cooperation of those across the aisle at a ceremony celebrating the bill on the White House lawn.
Staff Writer
Competing against nine other women, UCA freshman Nia Kelly was able to come out victorious and be crowned Miss UCA 2022. Former Miss UCA Hannah Hagerman and Miss Arkansas Whitney Williams crowned 18-year-old Nia Kelly as Miss UCA for 2022 on Friday, November 19, 2021, in Reynolds Performance Hall as part of UCA’s annual Miss UCA pageant. UCA President Houston Davis opened up the pageant, offering his support for the women competing along with outlining the potential winnings for the night. “The primary purposes of this competition are to encourage, promote and support young women as they achieve their academic and personal goals. This is accomplished with the support of many generous individuals and businesses here in Conway and throughout the state of Arkansas with over $10,000 in scholarships available,” Davis said. Along with being crowned the overall winner of the Miss UCA pageant, Kelly also won an award for Best Vocal or Instrumental Performance for her rendition of the song “Summertime” from the Broadway musical “Porgy and Bess.” With this award and the honor of being named Miss UCA, Kelly won $6,300 in scholarships. Kelly is a vocal performance
Rittenhouse acquitted
photo courtesy of Miss UCA
Freshman Nia Kelley crowned by former Miss UCA winner Hannah Hagerman. Kelley is a vocal performance major at UCA and hopes to use her platform to share the arts through her social impact initiative, Creative Intelligent through Performing Arts.
major at UCA, and through her social impact initiative Creatively Intelligent through Performing Arts, she’ll look to spread the same joy and opportunities that she has been able to receive through the arts to others in the community. “Performing arts provide you with the skillset to be able to speak to others and be able to learn faster. My goal is to advance
the arts through my social impact initiative Creatively Intelligent through Performing Arts. It is my desire to work on local, state and national levels to support and advance the arts by creating awareness and partnering with schools and community events, thus preparing our youth for a better tomorrow through the arts,” Kelly said. Kelly will be working
toward her goals through her initiative in the coming year as she becomes an ambassador for UCA. The runner-ups for Miss UCA include second place Mattison Gafner, a sophomore journalism major, third place Shalexis Shelton, an occupational therapy graduate student, fourth place Emma Park, a junior psychology and
pre-occupational therapy major, and fifth place Alivia Williams, a junior exercise science and preoccupational therapy major. With Nia Kelly being named the new Miss UCA, Hannah Hagerman passed the crown on to her successor after being an ambassador for UCA for the past two years, attending over 55 events in her time as Miss UCA.
RESEARCH
on murder charges Kyle Rittenhouse shot three men, killing two of them and injuring the third, during a protest against police brutality in Kenosha, Wisconsin last year. Rittenhouse was 17 years old at the time of the shootings but is 18 now. Rittenhouse has been on trial for homicide for about two weeks. The homicide trial ended with prosecutors arguing that Rittenhouse provoked the fatal shootings and the defense arguing that Rittenhouse fired in self-defense after the men attacked him.
S TAT E
Gov. recommends booster shots in AR
Gov. Asa Hutchinson expanded booster shot eligibility in Arkansas for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Under the new policy, anyone 18 or older who received the second dose of one of the two vaccines at least six months ago is now eligible to receive a booster shot. Hutchinson said getting the booster shot is “the best protection from the virus and from serious health consequences.”
graphic courtesy of UCA
(Above) Scheduling of Presenters. The College of Education hosts research Symposiums semi-regularly for faculty, staff and students. Presenters come from a variety of institutions to share their findings.
Symposium focuses on academics, One Size Does Not Fit All approach
BY MEGAN HOLDER Online Editor
The College of Education Research Workgroup hosted a virtual research symposium with special guest Karen Rambo of Texas A&M University on Wednesday, Nov. 17. Rambo’s specialty is in educational psychology: research, measurements and statistics. Alicia Cotabish said, “She focuses on the assessment of educational interventions to improve STEM education for students, particularly high achieving and underrepresented students to have quality education.” Rambo presented her publications in a story titled,
“One Size Does Not Fit All.” She discussed why K-12 classrooms need variability in achievement, growth and academic needs. Rambo began her presentation by asking, “what is the typical achievement in school?” She presented data on an average Arkansas student’s achievements in school. In 2019, there were 34% of fourthgraders proficient in math, and 27% of eighth-grade students proficient in mathematics. Rambo said, “my colleagues and I really wanted to know the range of academic needs within a classroom setting. We started out by looking at some data from MAP. This particular question was answered with 45,000 students in 33 states.”
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MAP is a computer adaptive assessment. The more questions students get correct, the more difficult the questions get. She said, “The nice thing about MAP is that it really lets us see where students are on this really wide continuum instead of what the state assessments do. The state assessments just tell you how you are relative to your grade. MAP gives us a better picture of what the academic need is in the classroom and grade level.” Rambo then included fictional characters in her story to compare students’ learning growth during the summer and when they go back to school after the summer. Each student’s
See Research - page 2 graphic by Mia Waddell
Social:
Opinion:
There should be less police presence on campus.
E-mail: ucaechoeditor@gmail.com @ucaecho The Echo ucaecho © 2021 The Echo, Printed by The Courier, Russellville, Arkansas.
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2/December 1, 2021
NEWS
Police Beat
ucanews.live
The following information is compiled from UCAPD incident reports by Assistant News Editor Sydney Cyr
Woman banned from campus
UCAPD was dispatched to the Delta Zeta house in reference to a female sitting on the porch in wet clothes. The woman stated she had jumped or fallen into the fountain by Irby Hall. She also stated she jumped the fence into the construction area on Donaghey Road and climbed a building on Bruce Street. Officers offered the woman an opportunity to call friends, to go to the hospital or to go to a homeless shelter. Officers noted that they exhausted every avenue to prevent the woman from going to jail, but she refused all offers. The woman refused to leave the police department. Ultimately, the woman was arrested for Criminal Trespass and issued a ban from UCA’s campus.
Man arrested for DWI on campus
Officer Chris Vasquez initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle that was driving 45 mph in a 30 mph zone. The driver was identified as non-student Len Blaylock. Vasquez asked for officer Anthony Tufu to assist him. When Tufu made contact with Blaylock, he noticed an odor of intoxicants coming from him. Tufu conducted Standardized Field Sobriety Tests on Blaylock and asked him to blow in a Preliminary Breath Test. Blaylock blew a 0.10, which is over the legal limit of 0.08. Tufu noted that Blaylock was understanding, cooperative and respectful throughout the process. Blaylock was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated and transported to Faulkner County Jail.
Research:
UCAPD officers were walking to the Christian Cafeteria when they passed a young, black male with braids and facial hair that resembled a suspect UCAPD was actively searching for on campus. Lieutenant Michael Shaw asked the man, later identified as Marlon Larkins, to identify himself, but he refused. Officer Taylor Berry noted that Larkins was given every opportunity to identify himself and told he could not leave until he did so. Shaw and officer Kevin Ford escorted Larkins in handcuffs to the police department, but Larkins refused to walk on his own, so officers carried him. Larkins was booked in for two misdemeanor charges.
Student success is dynamic.
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learning capabilities were at different levels, but they were in the same grade. Rambo said that the reasoning behind these results could have been a student’s mathematics growth being steeper because there usually has to be a teacher present to show a student the formulas and how to calculate problems. She said, “You need someone to give you direction whereas, in reading, the
Refusal to identify leads to charges
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student is more conceivable. Also, in mathematics, the task of teachers is much more constrained. Students are only about two grade levels ahead whereas, in reading, they’re three or four grade levels ahead in the same setting. It’s just a harder thing to ask teachers to differentiate for three or four above-grade levels when in mathematics it’s only one or two grade levels.” Rambo ended her story
with an analogy: If a kid has a big foot for their age and they go to their teacher asking for a new shoe, the teacher isn’t going to compare his shoe size to a typical kid’s shoe size. The teacher is going to go get that kid the size shoe he needs. “If one size shoe doesn’t fit all kids of a particular age, why in the world would we think that one size of education would do the same,” Rambo said.
graphic by Mia Waddell
AWA R D
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
graphic courtesy of UCA
Karen Shaw serves as the executive vice president and chief financial officer for Citizens Bank and is a member of the College of Business Board of Trustees. Shaw was named CFO of the year by Arkansas Business.
Karen Shaw named CFO of the year BY
EMILEE HAGEWOOD
Sports Editor
photo by Olivia Snelson
This crosswalk sits on Donaghey Avenue. Crosswalks with flashing lights have been installed across campus in recent years. Efforts such as green poles, these crosswalks and occasional police presence help to ensure pedestrian safety.
Pedestrian safety top priority at UCA BY
OLIVIA SNELSON
Staff Writer
Pedestrian safety is a huge concern on UCA’s campus. Recently, an individual on a bicycle was hit while riding through the crosswalk at Beatrice Powell and Donaghey Avenue. The car hit the rear wheel of the bicycle and the individual was uninjured, but it still calls to attention the need for more safety on campus. Sergeant Michael Hopper, a University of Central Arkansas Police Officer, describes the different measures that UCAPD and UCA take in protecting pedestrians on campus. “At the beginning of each semester, our patrol officers will staff different crosswalks, mainly on Donaghey and Bruce Street during class changes,” Hopper said. “We do this for approximately the first week and a half of the semester. This is done in an effort to both raise driver awareness of the crosswalks and also to ensure that pedestrians are using the crosswalks and not crossing the street at an unprotected [nonlighted or at an area that has no crosswalk] area,” Hopper said. Lighted crosswalks can be found on the university’s busiest streets such as Bruce
Street crosswalks located on Donaghey Avenue, which have been recently added. Green poles have also been installed up and down Donaghey Avenue to help separate the bike lane from vehicles driving down the street. “The poles were put up by the city [and have been] in the planned updates to Donaghey Avenue for quite some time as I understand it, so there is no relation to the individual hit by the vehicle,” Hopper said. “They provide a slight physical barrier between the bicycle lane and the vehicle lane, but also provide a visual reference for motorists as to the presence of a bicycle lane.” UCAPD and SGA also recently teamed up with RSO’s on campus to participate in the “Break for Bears” campaign, an effort to raise both driver and pedestrian crosswalk awareness and safety. “ Usually [the main cause of pedestrian accident is] going to be some sort of inattentiveness or distraction. This can be on both the motorist and pedestrian or cyclist,” Hopper said. According to the police department’s page on the university’s website, “On specific dates, volunteers and UCA police officers encourage safety awareness throughout the day at various crosswalks around campus by distributing
pedestrian safety information and, while supplies last, official Brake for Bears t-shirts.” Officers encourage pedestrians and drivers to be aware, considerate and safe. Giving advice such as looking before you enter a crosswalk and driving slowly through areas with crosswalks. Senior Ty Williams said that he feels safe walking across UCA’s campus. “I generally do feel safe walking around campus here at UCA, granted I do walk around on high alert just to be extra safe,” Williams said. “Obviously there is still potential for something to go wrong, but that’s crossing any street, so as long as I’m being safe I don’t worry about it.” “Hypothetically, campus police could patrol traffic around campus more, but anecdotally I already notice a lot of campus police presence watching the roads,” Williams said. “At a certain point perhaps the university has done what they can and drivers need to start taking responsibility for focusing on the road and driving safely.” Sergeant Hopper advises that anyone who is riding a bicycle through a crosswalk pick up and carry their bike to avoid more dangerous situations in the future.
Karen Shaw was named 2021 CFO of the year by Arkansas Business. Shaw serves as the executive vice president and chief financial officer for Citizens Bank and is a member of the board of directors for the College of Business Advisory Board. At Citizens bank, she oversees the Investment and Asset Liability Committee, Policy Committee and development of financial planning and budgets, according to uca.edu. She has had over 25 years of experience in banking and finance and serves the American Red Cross, Greater Arkansas
on the philanthropy committee. She’s an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Arkansas State Society of CPAs. Shaw graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in May 1994 with the highest honors in Accounting. Shaw told arkansasbusiness. com, “I loved numbers from a very young age, and my accounting classes came naturally to me even though I was constantly a creative-thinker.” She did public accounting for eight years when she landed her first job with the Little Rock office of Ernst & Young. “Over the years, I developed a love for mentoring others and desired to use my talents and leadership skills to develop,
Correction:
Editor’s note: In the Nov. 17 print edition of The Echo, the article about Language requirements was printed
empower and manage a team of financial professionals,” Shaw said to Arkansas Business. While she was at Ernst & Young, she quickly climbed the ranks, starting as an audit staffer and ending as an audit manager working with clients in financial services, health care, transportation and communication sectors. Shaw is the co-founder of POWER (Professional Organization of Women Empowering Relationships). Karen told Arkansas Business that she always knew she “wanted to pursue a professional career that would have vast opportunities to serve others, be intellectually challenging and always be in demand.”
Language requirements.
incorrectly. All quotes that were originally attributed to Katelyn Knox should have been attributed to Phillip Bailey. In this version, the
article is corrected and expanded with comments correctly attributed to Knox. Also, the print edition misspelled Knox’s name.
photo by Maddie Ogle
Have a lead for a news story? Write a letter to the editor at ucaechoonline@gmail.com If you’ve noticed something on campus that’s positive or negative, we want to hear about it.
Campus Life
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December 1, 2021
Around Campus:
Mock Interviews and Resume Reviews Until 4:30 Dec. 1, Career Services and Cooperative Education is holding mock interviews and resume reviews. Further information can be found on CubConnect.
University Chorus Concert From 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. on Dec. 1 in the SFAC Recital Hall, the music department will host a university chorus concert under the direction of Paul Mayhew, an assistant professor of music education.
PR Diversity Expo On Dec. 2, from 12:15 p.m.2:30 p.m. in Student Center room 205, the School of Communication will host a PR Diversity Expo to highlight diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the public relations profession.
Connecting Interests to College Major At 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 2, Academic Success will help students translate their interests into a possible academic major to create a more meaningful and purposeful educational experience.
Photo by Madison Ogle
Mary Kennedy Jackson, president of the Sigma Kappa sorority, performs as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz during Sigma Nu’s Greek Goddess Thursday, Nov. 18. Jackson won the pageant. Sigma Nu raised $4,179 that will go to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital along with gathering canned foods donations for the Bear Essentials Food Pantry on campus.
Mary Kennedy Jackson wins Greek Goddess pageant by Felicity Auxier Staff Writer
Mary Kennedy Jackson of Sigma Kappa Delta Tau Chapter won the Greek Goddess pageant held by Sigma Nu Lambda Phi chapter on Thursday, Nov. 18. “I’m so happy to be named Greek Goddess because it means you are a representative of Greek life and the Greek community. Sigma Kappa has given me so many opportunities so I’m excited to get to represent that,” Jackson said. The Greek Goddess
pageant brings Greek life together for a competition that everyone can attend. “Having events like the Greek Goddess pageant is so important for Greek unity,” Jackson said. Through the event, Sigma Nu raised $4,179.72 that will go to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital as well as canned food donations for the Bear Essentials Food Pantry on campus. “It’s very special to me to have had the honor of coordinating Greek Goddess 2021. We enjoy bringing the UCA community together for one night to showcase what
all Greek Life has to offer to students on campus, and it’s a privilege to be able to give back to the Central Arkansas community by fundraising for the children’s hospital and raising canned donations for the food pantry on campus” Senior and Sigma Nu member Dylan Mcleod said. Mcleod was in charge of setting up the pageant and getting everything ready for the event. “There was lots of planning that went into the event. Everything from scheduling reservations for the auditorium and dressing
rooms, planning out the rehearsal and performance schedules… and sponsoring organizations to give them all the information they need to participate in the event,” Mcleod said. Although the event focused on Greek life participation, only 11 of the 23 Greek organizations on campus were represented in the pageant. “Sigma Nu hopes that in the future we can get more Greek organizations sponsored at the event,” Mcleod said. Even though not all of Greek life participated in the event, the event still
had approximately 800 attendees. “I love the talent round because all the different themes and dances always look amazing,” junior and Sigma Nu member Danny Fuentes said. “My favorite part of the event was watching all the contestants and strut groups celebrating their hard work backstage once the curtains closed after performing. These girls put in so many hours of practice to present their performances to the Greek community, and they all did an incredible job,” Mcleod said.
LANGUAGE
Psych Society Break Room From 1:45 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Dec. 2, the Psychological Society will host members of the group to take a break from studying with various activities like coloring and fidgets.
Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band Concert Dec. 2, from 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. in the SFAC Recital Hall, the music department will host a wind ensemble and symphonic band concert under the direction of Michael Hancock, the director of bands and associate professor of music.
CSO Concert From 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Dec. 4 in the SFAC Recital Hall, the music department will hold a CSO concert under the direction of Israel Getzov, professor and director of orchestras.
Men’s Basketball vs. Little Rock Dec. 14, from 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m. in the Farris Center, the men’s basketball team will play against Little Rock for the I-40 Showdown.
Women’s Basketball vs. Central Baptist College From 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Dec. 16 in the Farris Center, the women’s basketball team will play against Central Baptist College.
Photo by Mia Waddell
Assistant professor of French Kristin Adele Okoli practices Haitian Creole with participants of the Haitian Creole Workshop Friday, Nov. 19. Okoli educated participants about how Haitian Creole was created so that people of different African countries could communicate. Okoli also discussed how Creoles are formed through different languages.
Haitian Creole workshop teaches students the history of the language and how it is significant
by Mia Waddell News Editor
Kristin Adele Okoli, assistant professor of French, led a Haitian Creole Workshop as part of the International Education Week 2021, with a brief lesson and history of the Haitian Creole language Friday, Nov. 19. Haitian Creole, which developed in a diverse region, is an expression of resistance and cross-cultural communication, according to Okoli. “I cannot emphasize enough that [Haitian Creole] is a language of resistance to the colonial imposition of French onto people of African descent in the context of enslavement,” Okoli said. According to Okoli, creole languages are formed by taking different roots of words and different syntactic structural elements from different world languages. “It’s a way of retaining
African ancestral memory and communication practices. It was a way that people born in many different African countries found to communicate more easily with each other, often ways that their enslavers could not understand,” Okoli said. Haiti’s blended culture and history of revolution and French colonization influenced the language’s creation and structure, Okoli said. “[The language] is an act of radical refusal of conforming to the European language being opposed upon them,” Okoli said. Okoli’s presentation included Haitian Creole words compared to similar French and Spanish words explaining the blended nature of the language. “A big misconception about Haitian Creole is that it’s sort of like the Patois, or a variation of French. It is not mutually comprehensible with French. Because French is one of the two official languages of Haiti,
[a misconception] is that every Haitian speaks French. Most Haitians do not speak French,” Okoli said. Phillip Bailey, associate vice president for global learning and engagement, emphasized the importance of learning other languages. “One of the things we are trying to do this International Education Week is to make the point that you don’t have to be fluent in another language to connect with human beings. I’m here because when she teaches me these words...I’ll be able to make a little connection by speaking that person’s language,” Bailey said. In Bailey’s opinion, speaking another language is an act of respect. “I’m an American. We have this big country with all this power...and I’m going to speak your language first,” Bailey said. Vulnerability and respect were major components of the workshop, which expressed
Graphic by Mia Waddell
value in participating in other cultures. “Learning another language is a way for you to push yourself out of your comfort zone and to let the other person know; I want you to be the one who’s comfortable right now. I’m okay being vulnerable. I’m okay saying stupid stuff...that’s ridiculous on accident,” Okoli said. The workshop was hosted as part of the International Education Week by the Center for Global Learning and
Engagement. According to UCA’s website, International Education Week is a national program that celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. UCA has 385 students from over 79 countries, and International Education Week is an opportunity for these students to share their culture with the campus community, according to the Center for Global Learning and Engagement.
4/ December 1, 2021
CAMPUS LIFE
Looking back on fall 2020 campus events
ucanews.live
STUDENTS SAY Was this a good “semester for you?
”
Story and photos by Courtney Shepherd
Junior Rudy Fajardo “It’s been a little bit difficult getting used to coming back to in-class with everybody else inperson. But overall, it’s been pretty alright. It’s been a little bit difficult getting used to it, but other than that it’s been nice seeing people again.”
Sophomore Carlee Morrow
“Yes and no, just because it’s been stressful. But still, there’s been really good moments.”
Senior Michael Langley
Sophomore Jaycie Sturdivant
“Yes, I’m just happy to be back on campus. I haven’t seen my friends in a long time. And honestly, being online has been a terror.”
“Yes, I would say. I was a freshman whenever COVID hit, so this has definitely been better than the online version of college.”
Senior Gwendolyn Daniels
Senior Devron Collins
Photos by Madison Ogle, Addi Freeman, Delaney Van Wilpe, Mia Waddell, Olyvia Gonzalez and Felicity Auxier
RSO
Accounting Honor Society makes holiday cards by Christian West Staff Writer
UCA’s Accounting Honor Society made holiday cards Tuesday, Nov. 16 for local charities. The charities decided to donate to the College Square Retirement Communities residences and teachers at one of the local elementary schools. They began working
around 1:30 p.m. and handmade each card. This took about one hour of crafting from the students. After they were finished they began packing the cards up for their later delivery. The cards went to the College Square Retirement Community and the local elementary school. The College Square Retirement Community is a retirement home located on
the corner of UCA, which is the only retirement home located on a state college campus in the United States, according to their website at collegesquareretirement. com. With this, they offer a variety of opportunities for their residents to attend UCA events such as sporting events and productions at Reynolds Performance Hall. Having the cards come
from students of UCA can help further connect residents with campus. The UCA Accounting Honor Society is a group of achieving students in the accounting career path. Requirements include an overall GPA of 3.25 and a 3.25 GPA in accounting. It also requires completion of a faculty-led independent study.
“Yeah, it has been. I’ve gotten to do a lot of really interesting research. I’m doing my honors thesis right now, so I’ve gotten a chance to do some research on the schoolto-prison pipeline. I’m really passionate about it and have a lot of good resources to do that, so it’s been good.”
“It has been so so, just because it’s been a lot of work. Dealing with COVID and kind of coming back from everything has been weird. Spring semester should be a lot better.”
People of UCA: Kevin White
by Addi Freeman Associate Editor
Kevin White has a wandering soul. His hometown of Prescott, Arkansas, is a small city of around 3,000 people, but he’s ready to expand his roots and travel the world. He is completing the final semester of his senior year with a double major in linguistics and English with a minor in teaching English to speakers of other languages and has a goal of one day teaching literature in Europe. “I think I eventually want to teach overseas, but for now, just to teach in the states is the plan,” White said. “I’m not ready to go overseas just yet. I want to explore the United States for a while. I want to live here for a bit. But eventually, I want to
teach in Europe.” While White waits for his dream job to call him to Europe, he already has his time here in the U.S. planned. “I’m very passionate about national parks and nature, and I’m wanting to visit all 63 national parks,” he said. “So I am going to take some time off next year to kind of explore that goal and to just spend some time connecting to myself and connecting with nature all throughout the Northwest.” White has already been to several national parks — Sequoia and Rocky Mountain national parks are tied as his favorites. Over the summer, he plans to travel to Alaska. While he’s there, he’ll visit some of the Alaskan national parks.
White has several activities he likes to do in his spare time. “I like to go thrifting — I’m a big thrifter. I like to go hammock and read a nice little book. I’m pretty musical. I play piano,” White said. Many aspects of life inspire White, but he finds most of his inspiration through the people he encounters. “I guess I would say, in general, it’s people who are a little more rebellious [that inspire me]. People that really challenge norms and what has been accepted and people that try to get ahead of the game in history,” he said. “They can sort of slip forward and see what we’re going to look back at and say ‘that was silly.’ And I try to be ahead as well and try to think about
what we’re going to look back on.” During his time at UCA, White has experienced a lot of personal growth. “One thing that I really do like about myself is that I can really make myself laugh, and I enjoy being around myself,” he said. “I feel like a friend to myself, and I feel like that’s something that maybe not everybody can experience all the time, and especially in our society, it’s all about finding someone else to kind of do that for you.” White’s advice for incoming students is to “be open to change.” “Know that it’s going to be a very challenging time of life, but it’s going to produce good character development. It’s going to be good for your plot,” he said.
Photo courtesy of Kevin White
Kevin White is a senior at UCA majoring in linguistics and English with a minor in teaching English to speakers of other languages.
Sports
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December 1, 2021
Upcoming Games
Men’s Basketball 4 p.m., Dec. 4 at Arkansas State Women’s Basketball 2 p.m., Dec. 4 at UALR Track and Field Dec. 3 at Woo Pig Classic
Editor’s Take
Razorbacks end season with three rivalry trophies BY
EMILEE HAGEWOOD
Photo courtesy of ucasports.com
Sports Editor
To say that Sam Pittman has outdone himself this year as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks would be an understatement. After going 10-2 during both the 2018 and 2019 seasons, it’s a refreshing sight to see the Hogs winning again. Pittman has led his team to win all three of its rivalry trophies after beating Missouri State. With this being his breakout season as head coach, it’s amazing to see what he has done for the Arkansas football program. After their last game of the season against Missouri State, the Razorbacks are 8-4 for the season, something we haven’t seen since Bret Bielema was coaching in 2015. It’s been hard to be a Razorback fan for a few years now, but I think it’s safe to say that after winning the Battle of the Golden Boot, I’m proud to be a fan again. In what could arguably be called the most nail-biting game of the year for SEC football, the Hogs brought back the boot in overtime when freshman Cam Little kicked a 37-yard field goal that gave them the threepoint lead and the win. Cam Little has proven himself an all-star freshman, helping the Razorbacks secure the win on multiple occasions. The Hogs defense during the game was impeccable, especially when Montaric Brown intercepted LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier on second-andseven, preventing the Tigers from scoring any overtime points. The game against Mizzou was a little more underwhelming than the previous week’s game against the Tigers, but it was still a great day to be a Razorback fan. Redshirt sophomore KJ Jefferson has been a force to be reckoned with as the starting quarterback this season. In the Missouri State game, Jefferson completed 15 of 19 passes for 262 yards. He’s been a leader on the field and fought hard for every touchdown and every victory. He was even named one of the 40 members of the Davey O’Brien quarterback class of 2021. Our players have stepped up to the plate under the leadership of a coach that has already shown so much potential. I look forward to watching next year’s season after seeing the Hogs get back to their former glory days.
Junior forward Lucy Ibeh shoots lay up at the Sugar Bears and Bears double header in the Farris Center on Saturday, Nov. 20. The Sugar Bears defeated the University of Louisiana Monroe Warhawks 62-41 and the Bears defeated the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles 70-67.
New Scottie Pippen Court sees victories in first double header BY
ROB DAVIS
Staff Writer
Both the Bears and the Sugar Bears basketball were able to earn much-needed wins in a doubleheader at home in the Farris Center on Saturday, Nov. 20, to kickstart the teams’ young seasons. Those games were also the first to be played on the newly renovated Scottie Pippen Court. The Sugar Bears (3-3), after starting the season 1-2, came out and gave the home crowd an impressive defensive performance, defeating the ULM Warhawks (2-6) 62-41. The Sugar Bears came out swinging in the first half with their suffocating defense to balance out their hot and cold offensive performance, as the whole team played together as a unit. “I thought we played pretty unselfishly today,” women’s basketball coach Sandra Rushing said. “We beat a really good team today, and we did it as a team.”
The Sugar Bears came into the second half with the same intensity they started the game with, scoring 24 points in the third quarter, putting the game out of reach for the Warhawks the rest of the way. Freshman forward Jayla Cody was responsible for two of the three Sugar Bear blocks on the day but was also able to chip in on the other end of the floor with her ten points and eight rebounds. Cody was one of four Sugar Bears to reach double-digit points in the game, with graduate student forward Hannah Langhi and junior forward Lucy Ibeh leading the way with 17 points each. The UCA Bears (1-6) followed the Sugar Bears’ impressive performance with their first win of the season, taking down the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (3-3) 70-67. Similar to the Sugar Bears, the Bears’ offense was on fire in the first half as they were able to put up 38 points as a team compared to the Golden Eagles’ 21 points.
Bears freshman guard Camren Hunter was partly responsible for the Golden Eagles’ poor firsthalf performance, picking up two steals and a block during the game. After a strong first-half performance, the Bears let the Golden Eagles creep back into the game due to poor ball handling on UCA’s part, picking up a game-leading 16 turnovers as a team allowing Oral Roberts sophomore guard, Issac McBride, to strike fire for 21 in the half. Luckily, junior guard Darious Hall was able to close the game out strong for the Bears, picking up a team-leading 19 points on the day to help secure the win for UCA with a final score of 70-67. “It was great. I wasn’t sure how we were going to handle it because we’re not accustomed to playing at home this early in the season,” UCA men’s basketball coach Anthony Boone said. “But our guys were so energetic, so excited to be playing at home, excited for the new court. The atmosphere was electric; it was an incredible environment.”
FOOTBALL
Bears conclude season with loss against Tarleton State BY
ANDREW MCMAHAN
Assistant Sports Editor
The University of Central Arkansas’ football team (5-6) faced disappointment in the aftermath of a 24-3 loss at the hands of Tarleton State University in Stephensville, Texas on Nov. 20. The loss against Tarleton State signifies the end of the 2021 regular season for the Bears. The Bears also lost the week before in their game against Stephen F. Austin University, creating an unwanted losing streak at the end of a season that started with high hopes for UCA. The Bears’ offense was held in check to a minimal 69 yards passing by the Tarleton State defense. UCA only coughed up 125 yards on the
ground rushing too. However, UCA was without experienced leaders in senior starting quarterback Breylin Smith, as well as star junior wide receiver Lujuan Winningham. For UCA, three quarterbacks threw passes. Nonetheless, those three could not fill the shoes of Smith. UCA managed to score the first three points of the game on a field goal in the first quarter but could not muster any more points the rest of the game as Tarleton State scored 24 points unanswered. There was one bright spot for the Bears’ offense, even as they were held to their lowest total yard output by the offense since 2019. UCA freshman running back Darius Hale contributed 76 yards rushing on 21 attempts. Coach Nathan Brown said he was
not happy to lose but still commended his team for their effort. Brown told UCA Sports, “Darius and Hunter played and battled their butts off . . . they were put in a tough situation. And I thought they both competed their tails off and worked hard. We just didn’t have a good enough running game tonight to help them out enough. We just couldn’t make that big play that could push us over the top. And that was tough.” Brown knew the game was going to be tough beforehand, as he understands the impact of being shorthanded. “I just told the guys if they expected me to say something profound or make it okay or make you feel better, I probably wasn’t going to do a good job of it,” Brown said after
his postgame talk to the squad. “More so, just told them I’m proud of them. Our guys battled and competed and fought all year. The cards weren’t dealt our way this year, and it sucks,” Brown told UCA Sports. Coach Brown undoubtedly knows the value he has in his locker room with the players he brought in and recruited. He did not shy away from talking about the disappointment this season brought as well as the fact that UCA is still a talented team with expectations. Brown told UCA Sports, “And it’s going to be a soul-searching offseason. For me, looking in the mirror, our staff and our program and our players are coming back. Because there’s a lot of talent on this team, a lot of talent that’s leaving but we’ve got a ton of talent in the group that’s coming back.”
FEATURE
Family athletes inspire Hudspeth to pursue basketball career BY
ANDREA AGUILERA
Staff Writer
Starting on a church league team, Carley Hudspeth began playing basketball in first grade. The UCA senior credits her love for the sport to her mom, Amy Denley. Denley was a three-time national champion basketball player at Delta State University. She is also a member of the Gulf South Conference Hall of Fame. “My mom inspired me to start playing. She had a great high school and college basketball career, and it inspired me from a young age,” Hudspeth said. Her mom is not the only other athlete in the family. Her dad, Mark Hudspeth, played football at Delta State and has been the collegiate football head coach and the assistant coach at several schools. In her four years playing for UCA’s women’s basketball team, Hudspeth became a shooting guard primarily but plays any position coach Sandra Rushing needs her to. Hudspeth is originally from Mississippi but chose to play basketball for UCA after an official campus visit. She loved the campus and the idea of attending school out-of-state for a fresh start. She also felt that Rushing believed in her when others didn’t, which helped her make the decision to attend UCA.
Photo courtesy of ucasports.com
Senior guard Carley Hudspeth came to UCA to “build a new community” and forge her own path.
“Before I came, I didn’t know anyone here, and I wanted to forge my own path and build a new community,” Hudspeth said. Hudspeth defines her greatest basketball achievement thus far as shooting 46% from the 3-point line in the 2020 season. Outside of the stat book, she is proud of who she has become throughout her time at UCA. “I am completely different than when I first got to UCA freshman year. I have grown into who I have always wanted to be, and it has been my pride and joy to take leadership of the team and work hard every day,” Hudspeth said.
While in school, Hudspeth spends a minimum of 20 hours a week practicing on top of taking a full class load. She describes the experience of a college athlete as crazy. It requires serious intentionality, dedication, hard work and sacrifice, but she loves it. “It’s all about time management. Even after late-night away games, you’ll find that most of the team is still staying up studying and doing homework on the long bus ride home,” Hudspeth said. The athlete feels as though she’s had plenty of resources at UCA. Hudspeth credits the university for her athletic advisors, mentors, counselors and faculty representatives. “Our basketball team truly has the best and hardest working coaching staff, so that really helps as well,” Hudspeth said. After graduation, Hudspeth plans to attend graduate school for psychology. She is also considering going overseas to get her masters degree and continue her basketball career. Hudspeth’s advice for athletes that want to attend college and play sports is to be consistent and honest. She also highlights the importance of having fun. “Work hard as you can every day, and not just when a coach is watching. Be the best teammate you can be. Master the little things,” Hudspeth said.
Opinion
6
ucaechoeditor@gmail.com
December 1, 2021
The Voice
Stu d e nt s c an n ot d o mu c h w it h a t h re e d ay bre a k
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Do we really need so many cops on our campus? The use of city police officers on college UCA spends on other things, such as the counseling campuses is common practice in the United States, center, it becomes clear that a substantial amount of but that doesn’t mean it’s the best way to keep the money spent on policing would be better spent students safe. elsewhere. Police officers were not commonplace at The counseling center has been overwhelmed American colleges until the 1960s when campuses but only received $544,611 this year, an increase of became hotbeds of protest and organizations roughly 1.5% from last year, while the police against segregation and the Vietnam War. budget increased by 5.5%. To put it simply, the police were sent in Instead of reallocating funds from to stop students protesting against Jim Crow somewhere like the police department to laws and never left, they have established and hire more counselors, UCA has tasked the expanded themselves on campuses all over SGA senate with alleviating the pressure on the country ever since. the counseling center. The city of Conway takes up about A couple of months ago, two friends 38,520 acres of land and employs and I had the displeasure of being 127 sworn officers, according to stopped by a campus police officer the Conway Police Department for jaywalking while on the way to Facebook page, which is roughly a registered party. one officer for every 303 acres. I invoked the fifth UCA takes up only 356 amendment and chose to remain acres of land and employs 25 silent when the officer spoke sworn officers to police its to me, causing the officer, who campus, according to UCA. was wearing shorts instead of by Milo Strain edu, which translates to one pants, to become very angry. Staff Writer officer for every 14.2 acres, a The officer let my friends drastic difference compared go but detained me for over to the rest of the city. fifteen minutes, eventually UCA has a significant number of people of color giving me a barely legible city ticket and a court date. on campus compared to the rest of Conway, the The officer never once told me his name or what specific groups that are arrested and killed by the he was charging me with. police nationally at a much higher rate than white I only found out that day in court that I was given people. The amount of police on UCA campus a ticket for “failing to yield to a pedestrian,” even arguably makes it one of the most dangerous places in though I was never in a vehicle. all of Conway for people of color. This is admittedly anecdotal evidence from my UCA spends a staggering amount of money personal experience, but this officer acted illegally. policing its campus. I know many students who have had similar, According to the 2020-2021 operating budget, UCA spent $2,206,463 on University Police, taking unpleasant run-ins with campus police, indicating a up over 20% of the university’s entire operation and larger problem with how UCA polices its campus. Know your rights, don’t ever talk to the police, management budget. When comparing the police budget to how much and always demand a lawyer.
If you don’t want to do it, go for it anyway
Growing up, I was the girl everyone loved to be situations will help you. around. I was funny, athletic and easygoing. Only two things can happen when you first try As I got older, my dad had a mountain of something, you do good or you do bad. expectations that he held over my head. Reminding yourself that things aren’t life or death I always assumed that I’d meet those expectations situations can also help. with no problem until I started to find my inner self. If it really is a life or death situation and you make I wasn’t that brave girl that my family made me it out, don’t say you read an article from a college out to be. student and got the idea. I became hesitant to do certain things. I Doing challenging tasks can sometimes became an over-thinker. give you the life you’ve always wanted. I became a girl who let failure defeat As I mentioned before, I was an me before I even gave things a shot. athlete during high school. I played Now that I’m almost done with volleyball and soccer. I didn’t get an college, I wish I would have grabbed my offer to play either, so I told myself that doubts by the neck and slung them over I wasn’t collegiate-level ready. my shoulder and never looked back. My dad always reminds me of Here is a quote by Eleanor the way my life could’ve been if Roosevelt that I like to live by: I would’ve tried out for UCA’s “You gain strength, courage and volleyball team. confidence by every experience in He mentions how I could have which you really stop to look fear in been offered a scholarship and not the face. You are able to say to have had to work my entire yourself, ‘I have lived through time in college. by Megan Holder this horror. I can take the next That is something that Online Editor thing that comes along.’ You I’ve always wanted — to be must do the thing you think a normal college student. you cannot do.” I may have not made There are times in my life when I find myself the team here, but I might’ve been playing somewhere thinking, I wish I would’ve done this, or I wish I else. would’ve tried that. Now I will never know because I told myself that I There are many things that I could’ve wasn’t good enough to play on a collegiate level. accomplished if I didn’t let fear destroy my will. If there is something that you really want to do, In life, things can seem more intimidating than whether it’s traveling, starting your own business, they really are. applying for a job or auditioning for an acting part, but It’s okay to think that you can’t do something, you’re just too afraid, try anyway. but I promise it’s easier to try things when you remind Think about how your life can be if you succeed yourself that you’re capable of doing them. rather than how it will be if you don’t because if you Giving yourself pep talks through frightening don’t try, you’ll never know.
As the school year comes to an end, the only bright light keeping students going is the awaited winter break, when classes finally end once and for all. In the past semesters at UCA, the academic calendar has excluded fall break, which was a different two-day academic break taken earlier this semester. Fall break was taken on Oct. 21-24, which was from Thursday to Sunday. So for students, two days off of classes were taken. The only reason for this short break was to give students time off in the middle of the semester. Thanksgiving break was observed on Nov. 24-28, which was a Wednesday through a Sunday, with no classes and offices on campus closed to the public. In past years, UCA has excluded fall break and given students a full week off from classes for the Thanksgiving holiday. This shift from one long break over the week of Thanksgiving to two shorter breaks taken throughout the semester may be seen as a positive thing to some students, and as a negative thing to other students.
The shortened Thanksgiving break went from five full days without classes to only Wednesday through Friday without classes to accommodate for the days taken off for fall break. This short holiday break doesn’t allow much time for students who are not from Arkansas or surrounding areas to travel back home for the holiday. It can be said, too, that if students could not travel on this three-day break, then they could not have traveled home on the fall break that happened earlier this year. Thanksgiving break occurs just one short week before students take finals at UCA. If students were given an entire week off for Thanksgiving break, with minimal assignments or assigned readings, to go home to rest, relax and refresh their minds, that could potentially harm their overall performance on their finals. By only giving students a three-day break, the university will require students with all different schedules, which could be split between MWF classes and TTR classes, to attend each class before the shortened break. This should keep muscle memory intact over the break and force students not to break their workflow for the remaining academic year. But isn’t that the exact purpose of a scheduled break in school -- to be able to get assignments done and be able to take time for yourself, whether that be with family or friends? There are both pros and cons to having a long Thanksgiving break and two short breaks throughout the semester. The most important thing to the university should be having students, who have the desire to travel home and see their families for Thanksgiving, be able to do exactly that. Of course, a break in the middle of the school year is always nice, but students could do without and power through all the way to Thanksgiving break in November. The university should adjust their future academic calendars to accommodate more for students who need to travel to visit family or friends for the Thanksgiving holiday by cutting out fall break and elongating Thanksgiving break to a full week.
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Entertainment
7
December 1, 2021
New This Week
‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ features matured style for classics
by
Movies
Olivia Snelson
Staff Writer
The highly anticipated “Red (Taylor’s Version)” Dec. 1 — Christmas at the came out on Nov. 12 as part Ranch (NR), directed by Christin of Taylor Swift’s journey to re-record her first six Baker, starring Amanda Righetti, studio albums. “Red” is the Lindsay Wagner and Laur Allen second album that Swift has re-recorded, the first being her second album titled “Fearless.” Dec. 3 — Silent Night (R), For those not familiar directed by Camille Griffin, starring with the reason Swift Annabelle Wallis, Keira Knightley decided to re-record her and Matthew Goode first six albums, Swift had a falling out with her original record label. The label would not sell Dec. 3 — Wolf (R), directed by her own music back to her Nathalie Biancheri, starring Lilywithout forcing her to sign Rose Depp, George MacKay and a ridiculous contract. Paddy Considine Having felt strongly that musicians should be able to own the rights to their own music, Swift decided to rerecord her first six albums Dec. 3 — Flee (PG-13), directed that were produced by Big by Jonas Poher Rasmussen, starring Machine Records and refer Daniel Karimyar, Fardin Mijdzadeh to each of them as “Taylor’s Version.” and Milad Eskandari What makes these new albums so unique is that listeners get to hear a much more mature version of several of Swift’s songs, as Music her voice has matured more since a lot of these songs Dec. 3 — Many A Mile — Blue Rodeo
Dec. 3 — Der Lange Marsch — GAS Dec. 3 — The Atlas Underground Flood — Tom Morello
List compiled by Ashley Savage Photo Editor
were originally produced. Listeners also receive additional songs known as vault tracks that were songs that Swift had originally wanted to include on each of these albums but was told she could not. It’s most important to start by discussing the
main reason everyone was looking forward to the release of this album. Included on this album was the 10-minute version of Swift’s “All Too Well.” “All Too Well” is what most would consider Swift’s best song out of her entire discography. Swift had
L O N G - AWA I T E D R E L E A S E
hinted years ago that there was a longer, specifically 10-minute, version of this song tucked away in a drawer somewhere. Since then, fans have been begging her to release this version. “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” INDIE GAME RELEASE
Adele’s new album ‘Exo-One:’ a visually and audibly commands freedom stunning extraterrestrial journey by
Kathryn Thornberry
Staff Writer
Adele released her fourth studio album titled “30” on Nov. 19, reaching all expectations I had and Dec. 10 — SHIFTING — Beatrice more. I didn’t really know Deer what to expect. I knew there would be girl-boss vibes because she had gone through a divorce since her Dec. 10 — Forfolks — Jeff latest album. Parker I knew that Adele, like everybody, has gone through life-changing Dec. 10 — Live From revelations over the past Blackalachia — Moses Sumney years, and I can tell that she has grown through her music. I can sense the freedom Dec. 10 — Barn — Neil Young & in Adele’s new album. I Crazy Horse can feel her want to be free from different things that have been tying her up. Dec. 10 — Richer Than I’ve People can relate to this because everybody Ever Been — Rick Ross is tied up in some sort of feeling that they don’t even need. Netflix In her song, “I Drink Wine,” Adele sings, “Why Dec. 1 — The Power of the Dog, am I seeking approval from people I don’t even directed by Jane Campion, starring know?” In a generation Benedict Cumberbatch, Geneviève where social media is the Lemon and Jesse Plemons first thing we think of when we wake up and the last thing we view before going to sleep, this is another relatable theme in Dec. 2 — Single All the Way, her album. directed by Michael Mayer, She continues on this starring Jennifer Coolidge, Jennifer track, singing, “In these Robertson and Luke Macfarlane crazy times I hope to find, Something I can cling on to.” I love this line. The world has been in crazy Dec. 3 — Mixtape, directed by times with the pandemic Valerie Weiss, starring Julie Bowen, and political outbreaks. Jackson Rathbone and Nick Thune This song and this line made me realize how important it is to have something stable and consistent in your life and
Top 5 Adele songs
Photo courtesy of www.taylorswift.com
Taylor Swift released “Red (Taylor’s Version),” a remake of her album “Red,” after losing the rights to her music. The is the second album to be remade by Swift following “Fearless (Taylor’s version).”
definitely lives up to the hype. The additional lyrics are so powerful and help turn this already very emotional song into something truly remarkable. Another vault track and my personal favorite on the album is a song titled “I Bet You Think About Me.” I love everything about this song—the lyrics, the way Swift sings it and the added vocals provided by country artist Chris Stapleton. Some of the other good vault tracks off the album include “Nothing New,” “Run,” and “Forever Winter.” “Nothing New” is my second favorite song off the album, which features Phoebe Bridgers. What makes this song so good is how Bridgers’ and Swift’s voices compliment each other so well. I can confidently say that this version, “Taylor’s version,” is much better than the original. Swift definitely did not disappoint with “Red (Taylor’s Version).” “Red (Taylor’s Version)” can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music.
1. “Chasing Pavements” Adele’s release of “Chasing Pavements,” at just 19, under her album titled “19” shed light on the true talent we would come to see throughout the duration of her career. The subtle guitar intro leads into a softly sung bridge that feels like inching toward the top of a roller coaster just before crashing. Reaching the top, listeners are met with the chorus that captures a passionate belt of vocals from Adele, masterfully balancing her softer vocals with her louder belts in a way that perfectly depicts the strong emotion she carries in this song. This song is gut wrenching, vocally impressive and easily one listeners can scream-sing along to.
how we often seek this very thing in relationships with others without even knowing it. Another song I found to love on the album was “Love is a Game.” At the beginning of the song, she sings, “My heart speaks in puzzle and codes, I’ve been trying my whole life to solve.” This is something many can relate to because we confuse ourselves more than anyone. I can relate because I know the importance of trying to figure myself out, and it has always seemed like a puzzle. The last song I want to describe is “My Little Love.” It’s written about her son, Angelo Adkins. In this song, Adele explains how she is scared she has hurt her son by splitting with his father. She sings, “My little love, Tell me, do you feel the way my past aches? When you lay on me, can you hear the way my heart breaks?” This line I can physically feel in my chest. I can’t relate to this one, but I am still somehow familiar with the hurt in Adele’s words. I find myself relating to things that I never even thought of before and feeling experiences I haven’t even gone through. I suggest listening to the album and especially these songs I have mentioned. She truly is an amazing writer, and I find inspiration in the words she sings. The album can be streamed on Apple Music and Spotify.
2. “River Lea” Adele’s “River Lea” starts out strong with an intense, emotional instrumental in the beginning, quickly joined by her deep vocal of “Everybody tells me it’s bout time that I moved on.” The instrumental that backs her vocals in this song are mesmerizing and enticing, but the lyrics deserve their own dedication and appreciation. “River Lea” feels like a coming of age track combined with heavy heartbreak and nostalgia. The entirety of the four minute song is chilling, powerful and wonderfully painful. A choir-like harmony fills the background behind the chorus and adds layers of emotion and grit to the track. The lyrics cover love, humility, heartbreak, nostalgia and wildly impressive symbolism of the River Lea.
by
Bennett Tinnermon
Campus Life Editor
“Exo One,” from indie developer Exbleative, allows players to experience a seemingly vast space on a variety of planets backed by deep, atmospheric sound design, released Nov. 18. A five-year project from creator Jay Weston, “Exo One” is described on its website—exo-onegame.com—as “a surreal, exoplanetary exploration game. Drift and flow across enigmatic alien landscapes using a gravity-based movement system.” Players take the role of an orb, referred to early in the game by audio clips as a “gravity-drive” that can switch from highly increased gravity to moonlike gravity. Players find themselves rolling down a hill and can hold down a button to increase gravity and gain speed, then release on the uphill to soar into the air, holding another button to form into a disc for prolonged flight. The mechanics took me a bit to get used to, and I still find myself messing up sometimes, but once you get a hang of its system, you can launch your gravity-drive high into the clouds without thinking as you traverse the beautiful landscapes the game has to offer across several planets. The game starts on a red planet called Sagan IV, a reference to American scientist Carl Sagan. On Weston’s TikTok @ exbleative, he said Sagan’s book “Contact” was one of the inspirations for the game’s story. The story is told through short audio clips and flashing images of astronaut teams. 3. “I Drink Wine” Adele’s latest album, “30,” came with a beautiful track: “I Drink Wine.” The piano intro feels light, yet emotional, quickly followed by the heavy lyrics: “How can one become so bound by choices that somebody else makes.” Adele’s ability to capture grief, burden, heartbreak and disappointment while equally radiating feelings of healing, humility and self-acceptance, all in one song, cannot and should not go unnoticed. This song beautifully captures the exhaust of constantly comparing ourselves to others and the pain of heartbreak, while simplifying her desire to “get over herself” already.
I did not follow the story very well, but the game itself conveys its themes through the sound and imagery of the different planets. I definitely recommend headphones for playing this game, as the sound design works so well when you can hear the sounds of the world around you feel like it is fully encompassing your ears. Soaring through the air in disc-form you can hear your gravity-drive whistle through the air and then whir as it drops as a sphere back down to the red sands of Sagan IV or the waters of
and color changes before pushing you back towards the main path. I understand that the game could not simply move forever in every direction, but it felt limiting as the game pushed you on a predetermined path towards the next monolith that would send you on your journey to a new planet. There was an instance where one planet featured walls in every direction I could find. I assume the path is supposed to be easy to come across, as the rest of the game prior was very
Photo courtesy of www.exo-one-game.com
“Exo-One” was developed by indie game developer, Exbleative. The game takes players on a gravity-defying trip through space where the player takes the form of a ball.
Nautica. Panning the camera to view the vast expanse that awaits you in every direction creates an enticing sense of exploration, but attempting to wander too far to the sides of the map greets the player with static sound 4. “Make You Feel My Love” This track, off of Adele’s “19” album, is wholesome, tender and wonderfully slowpaced. This track comes with a simple piano number in the background, joined by Adele’s vocals that seemingly come with little to no effort. Her vocals, accompanied by the simple piano, join for a soft declaration of Adele’s love and an eagerness to be a safe landing place for her partner. The chorus isn’t largely overwhelming in sound and the instrumental remains constant throughout the entire track. The simplicity of the track creates for a very wholesome declaration of emotion and truth, taking listeners to a place of steady emotion.
straightforward. Getting confused like this really interrupted the momentum and direction of the game. Overall, “Exo One” is both visually and audibly a cool game to experience. “Exo-One” is available for $16.99 online through Steam. 5. “All I Ask” Track 10 on Adele’s “25” album, is one of the most gut-wrenching tracks of her discography. The lyrics depict wanting one last moment with a partner, even though it’s evident things aren’t meant to be between the two. Her voice intentionally and beautifully cracks and rasps at the height of the chorus as she captures the true pain of her situation. This song captures the true desperation that comes with being utterly in love with someone it won’t work out with. Her ability to master emotion within her vocals, executing relatable, heartbreaking lyrics can bring listeners to tears. One of Adele’s truly wonderful heartbreak tracks, “All I Ask” is sheer talent and emotion.
ucanews.live
SPORTS
8/ December 1, 2021
Seniors reflect on college career, future BY
COURTNEY SHEPHERD
Staff Writer
As the football, soccer and volleyball seasons come to an end, three seniors share their final thoughts on the end of their college athletic careers. With a bittersweet ending to his college football career, Tobias Enlow reflects on the highs and lows that made his journey a blessing. Enlow began playing in a youth football league at six years old, a platform that later allowed him to gain the attention needed to start playing at a higher level, he said. After graduating from North Little Rock High School, Enlow played for the University of Arkansas. In 2019, he transferred to UCA in search of better opportunities and to be closer to his family. Enlow played in 11 games in his final season as a wide receiver on UCA’s football team. He caught 19 passes for 188 yards, with a long of 30 yards, and scored three touchdowns. “Football means a lot more to me than people can understand,” Enlow said. Motivated by his faith in God, he said, “To be blessed enough to wake up every day and play a sport so many people are less fortunate to play is an underrated blessing.” Enlow was the 14th prospect in the State of Arkansas coming out of high school and No. 147 wide receiver prospect in the nation. “I never gave up, no matter what challenges or odds were against me. I kept my faith high and kept working with my head down because eventually, it was going to pay off one day, and it has,” he said. “People that know my life and my story would be very proud of how far I’ve come.” Of all the life lessons and challenges faced throughout his journey, what he enjoyed the most were the knowledge and relationships he built throughout the years. “The games we lost this year taught us that nothing is ever
going to be handed to us, and no matter what the score is on the board, we have to stay humble and keep playing,” Enlow said of his final season. With plans to pursue a career in the NFL while he works on his master’s degree in Family and Consumer Science, Enlow hopes to one day inspire young kids the way other “superstars” did for him. “I continue to pray and have faith in God and my work ethic to make things happen on his timing,” Enlow said. For Madison Bowles, the end of her college volleyball career means a shift in focus. Bowles graduated from Stafford High School in Springfield, Missouri, where community and athletics were greatly valued, she said. After graduation, she joined the UCA volleyball team. Bowles came to admire these same characteristics in UCA. “I have loved playing here,” she said. “The coaching staff has always been there for me and had my back in the classroom and on the court. UCA athletics has done a great job at implementing community within Conway and makes us feel like we have connections throughout campus to rely on.” In her last season as a rightside hitter for the Sugar Bears, Bowles scored a total of 85.5 points in 21 games, with 63 spikes and 65 kills. Bowles also accomplished a total of 72 digs and 27 total blocks. “Volleyball was a way for me to physically work hard and see a reward from my hard work,” Bowles said. “It is really encouraging to see your hard work being converted into success right before your eyes.” While she enjoys seeing her own success manifest itself, Bowles takes the most pride in the hard work of her entire team. “We have dug ourselves out of bad standings and fought to semi-championships and overall played with a lot of passion,” she said. In her last season, Bowles found it hard to balance the life changes that come with the end
of her volleyball career. “This made me value the previous seasons of volleyball and life that I have endured and showed me how to handle separating life and work in the future,” Bowles said. After graduation, Bowles plans to get her doctorate in Physical Therapy. Then, as a physical therapist, she hopes to “carry out the same passion and fight” that volleyball taught her. “I will miss the friendships that I have made on the team and the family that I have developed at UCA,” Bowles said. Like Enlow, midfielder for the men’s soccer team, Vincent Abaso also wants to play professionally in his sport. “Soccer is a way of living,” Vicent Abaso, midfielder on the UCA men’s soccer team, said. Since he was six years old, Abaso, from Burriana, Spain, has seen soccer as his daily motivation. “It has built me as an adult and taught me through stages in life,” Abaso said. After former UCA soccer coach Russ Duncan traveled to Spain to see him play, Abaso said it gave him the confidence he needed to choose UCA and move to another country to pursue his college soccer career. In his senior season, Abaso scored four goals in 866 minutes from 13 games started. Abaso played in 16 games during his final season and made the single, game-winning goal against two teams, Belmont (1-0) and North Florida (1-0). Now that his journey with college soccer has ended, Abaso shifts his focus onto his future. “My goal is clear,” Abaso said. “I want to play soccer after this, but I know that this is a difficult path.” Abaso plans to utilize his major in Business Administration and Marketing to find a job if his dreams of playing professional soccer do not work out. His motivation to succeed in either of these paths means moving out of his comfort zone and “searching for new challenges and experiences,” Abaso said.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
UCA STATS CORNER SPORT
OPPONENT
Men’s Basketball Women’s Basketball
Northern Kentucky
RECORD
75-66 L
1-6
63-59 L
3-3
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Photo by ucasports.com
Senior guard Carley Hudspeth goes up for the shot against NKU junior forward Joelle Johnson. The Sugar Bears had the lead throughout almost the whole game but were quickly overturned from several personal fouls in overtime.
Northern Kentucky Norse defeat Sugar Bears 63-59 in overtime BY
MILO STRAIN
Staff Writer
The UCA Sugar Bears were defeated 63-59 in overtime by the Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team on Saturday, Nov. 27, at the Farris Center. The Sugar Bears started the game with a pumped-up performance. The Norse and the Sugar Bears traded the lead four times before senior forward Hannah Langhi ended the first quarter with a three-point buzzer-beater, putting UCA ahead 13-11 going into the second quarter. The second quarter was Photo by ucasports.com highly energized as well. The Sophomore guard Collin Cooper plays offense against Presbyterian at the UNO Classic at Lakefront Arena in New Sugar Bears continued to edge Orleans on Friday, Nov. 26. The Bears also played the New Orleans Privateers and the Virginia Military Institute out NKU, scoring 14 points and securing a four-point lead as they Keydets during the tournament. headed into halftime, 27-23. The first half saw the Sugar Bears scoring the majority of their points in the paint, forcing their way through the NKU defense to score lay up after lay up, while NKU stayed hot on BY EDMUND BURKE figures against the Privateers. 67 loss on day two of the UNO their heels. Both teams were Staff Writer “It was a tough game overall; Classic. there were some things that we Freshman guard Camren The men’s basketball team could have done better, the one Hunter scored a career-high came up short against the that stuck out the most was our of 19 points against the VMI New Orleans Privateers and defense. We let them get into the Keydets. the Virginia Military Institute paint too easy,” Cooper said. “Today was a tough loss, Keydets when the team traveled Freshman guard and forward simply because we could’ve won to New Orleans Thanksgiving Elias Cato of Queensland, the game, but down the stretch, week, Nov. 24-26, to play in the Australia, finished the game we didn’t finish defensive plays UNO Classic at Lakefront Arena. against the Privateers with a with rebounds. Along with that, On Day 1 of the UNO career-high 10 points, hitting we didn’t shoot the ball as well Classic, the Bears started slow, three of four from the field and as we can. We haven’t shot the trailing by 14 points early in the four of four at the free-throw line. ball as well as we can all season. game but used a 14-2 scoring “It felt good just to be able Hopefully, that’ll click in soon,” run to close the gap in the first to contribute to trying to get the Hunter said. half to 35-33 at halftime, but the dub,” Cato said. “I was able to The Bears fell behind early in Privateers came back stronger in come up with a few steals early, the game by 16 points at the 6:30 the second half to take the win which put me in a position to mark of the first half but used a with a final score of 90-63. score on the other end, and my 15-2 run to close the half that got “We started off slow, but teammates did a good job of them within 35-32 at the break. then we got it going in the first finding me. We came out slow in “A couple of shots early,’’ half,” coach Anthony Boone told the second half and made it hard Boone told ucasports.com, ucasports.com. “Our defense for ourselves to come back fully.” “a couple of missed rebounds was really good, and we were Graduate forward Jared late where they got offensive attacking, getting lots of scores Chatham made 10 points and had rebounds and hit a couple of inside, we were taking care of the seven rebounds. Junior guard threes, and then just some of the ball, we were strong with the ball. and forward Darious Hall had 10 finishes around the basket that In the second half, it was just the points, five rebounds and four we didn’t finish…that was the opposite. And I think once that assists. difference in the game. And it was started happening, the blood was Sophomore guard and still a close game.” in the water, and New Orleans forward Jaxson Baker said, “I On day three of the UNO really ramped it up at that point.” think that overall, in the second Classic, the Bears fell short in the According to ucasports.com, half we just didn’t have the second half of the game against the Bears had four players in start we wanted, and they took Presbyterian College with a final double figures. UCA made just advantage of that. From then on, score of 75-66 at Lakefront three of 17 from beyond the arc we couldn’t really build a run that Arena. for the game. closed the gap fully as we did in The Bears have a short break Sophomore guard Collin the first half.” before taking on the Arkansas Cooper with 13 points, including The Bears took on the Razorbacks on Wednesday, Dec. three second-half-three-pointers, Virginia Military Institute 1 in Fayetteville. was one of four players in double Keydets but faltered in a 73-
Bears lose all three games at UNO Classic in New Orleans
Presbyterian
RESULT
playing hard, and the tension could be felt in the Farris Center as each side filed out for halftime. The Sugar Bears returned from halftime to play a nail-biter of a third quarter. UCA scored 12 points in the paint and gained 19 points overall, propelling them to a double-digit lead over NKU heading into the final quarter. It was in the final quarter that things started to fall apart for the Sugar Bears. The NKU Norse had a second wind and gave the Bears a hard fight, putting up a staggering 19 points in the final quarter and tying the game with less than a minute on the clock. The Sugar Bears might have had a chance to come back in overtime, but several personal fouls against the Bears quickly decided the fate of the game. Northern Kentucky sank four free throws in a row, securing them a four-point lead. The Sugar Bears tried to close the gap but only managed to score two points before the overtime clock ran out with 63-59 on the scoreboard. This game marks the
Sugar Bears’ first loss at home in nine games, a streak that could take a while to achieve again. While the Sugar Bears may have suffered a loss at the hands of Northern Kentucky, they still played hard, and several players had standout performances. Senior forward Hannah Langhi was the highest scorer on the Sugar Bears with 15 points, 25% of UCA’s points for the game. Junior forward Lucy Ibeh and freshman forward Jayla Cody kept up the pressure on NKU throughout the first half with their relentless lay ups, each of them putting up 12 points by the game’s end, a season-best for Cody. Ibeh also earned her third consecutive double-double, with 12 points and 10 rebounds. This game also saw the welcome return of senior guard Savanna Walker in her first appearance this season since recovering from an injury, scoring 10 points for the Bears. The Sugar Bears’ next game will be against the UALR Trojans Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Jack Stephens athletic center in Little Rock.