Full Issue 04/04/2022

Hawkline wins 4th consecutive national title

‘She Loves Me’ charms audience with humor, music P 10

P 7

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

VOLUME 101 ISSUE 10

www.ulmhawkeyeonline.com

Opinion: Ketanji Jackson is right choice for Supreme Court

Students share culture through song, dance at Nepali Night P 9

April 4, 2022

P 5

Soccer reaches 2-2 tie against Oklahoma

P 14

Dance Marathon raises $5,600 for children’s hospital P 8

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April 4, 2022

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MON-

BRIEFS CALENDAR

4

Monday, April

Flag Raising Ceremony, 9 a.m., International House

5

Tuesday, April

Salsa Night, 6 p.m., Activity Center

6

Wednesday, April

International Poetry Reading, 6:30 p.m., Walker 2-72

7

Thursday, April

Soccer and Ping-Pong Tournament, 5 p.m., International House

8

Friday, April

ULM Softball vs. Texas State, 6 p.m., Softball Complex

9

Saturday, April Spring Football Game, 6 p.m., Malone Stadium

10

Sunday, April

ULM Tennis vs. Texas State, 10 a.m., Heard Stadium

Florida

U.S.

Ukraine

Crawfish farmers could receive $10.6 million

1 Cuban migrant dead, several others missing

NASA begins rehearsal for Artemis I mission

Officials claim state has control over Kyiv

News Star- A bipartisan bill from U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy is aiming to put some money in the pockets of Louisiana’s crawfish farmers who were hurt by China’s “dumping” of under-priced crawfish.

Cassidy, a Republican, joined Democrat Jon Tester of Montana, and Republicans Chuck Grassley of Iowa and John Thune of South Dakota in authoring the China Trade Cheating Restitution Act, which was filed Thursday. The bill would have U.S. Customs and Border Protection pay $38.5 million from interest on anti-dumping duties to agricultural sectors hurt by China’s unlawful trade practice.

MCT- One person is dead and several others are missing among a group of people attempting to migrate to South Florida from Cuba on Thursday night, according to federal and local officials.

The group arrived off Sugarloaf Key in the Lower Florida Keys on a “rustic vessel,” according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

Adam Hoffner, division chief of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Miami operations, said the boat capsized and six people were rescued from the water.

The dead man was found on the boat, Hoffner said.

MCT- NASA began its three-day wet dress rehearsal on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center today for the Artemis I mission to the moon.

The test began at 5 p.m. with what NASA refered to as its “call to stations,” in which teams arrived to KSC nearly 46 hours ahead of what would normally be the target liftoff.

The wet dress rehearsal will aim to bring the countdown clock nearly to 0, but won’t ignite the massive engines.

“This is our last design verification prior to our launch at a design level,” said Tom Whitmeyer, NASA’s deputy associate administrator for common exploration systems development.

MCT- Ukrainian officials claimed Saturday they had clawed back most of Kyiv and its surroundings even as they warned of new dangers—land mines planted by withdrawing Russian forces and revived Russian pushes in the east.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russian troops were seeding northern areas of Ukraine with mines as Moscow increasingly focused its offensive thrust on the eastern Donbas region—home of two self-proclaimed republics loyal to Russia. His military leaders said Russian forces were attempting to encircle Ukrainian troops in parts of the Donbas and pulling away from the capital, Kyiv.

d

QUOTE

Louisiana

DIVING FOR THE WIN

“Power comes not from knowledge but from knowledge shared.”

TODAY IN HISTORY

April 4 1789: The first U.S. Congress begins regular sessions during George Washington’s presidency.

Bill Gates, business magnate

1949: NATO is formed.

1968: Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated.

1973: The World Trade Center, then the world’s tallest building, opens in New York.

Front page credits: Main photo: Calli Sinclair Top left photo: Calli Sinclair Top right photo: ULM Hawkline Top sidebar photo: Carley Nail Bottom sidebar photo: Dance Marathon

photo by Rachael Restelle

Beach volleyball played four games last week and won three against UCA, UMHB and SLU.

1975: Bill Gates and Paul Allen establish Microsoft.

PAGE 3

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

April 4, 2022

BRIEFS

Holiday

International Week shows campus cultural diversity

photo courtesy Siddharth Gaulee

FOR THE CULTURE: The International Student Association hosts ULM’s celebration of International Week on campus. Events this week include Ramadan observance Monday at 11 a.m. in Sandel and the food festival Tuesday at 11 a.m. in Bayou Pointe.

ULM is celebrating International Week this week, from April 3 to April 7.

The week of events is hosted by the International Student Association and sponsored by the Office of International and Multicultural Affairs.

The week kicked off Sunday with a game night hosted by Campus Movement.

The Flag Raising Ceremony is Monday at 9 a.m. at the Liew International Student Center.

Here, flags from the home countries of international ULM students will be raised.

Gina White, the director of International and Multicultural Affairs, said the ceremony is open to both the campus and community.

“Please join us as our students, faculty, staff and community celebrate the diversity, culture and educational asset of our global Warhawks,” White said.

Davially Frans, a student from Bonaire, an island in the Dutch Caribbean, said International Week is one of the most important weeks to the international community on campus.

“During this week, we celebrate our differences as well as our common interests. It unites and educates everyone involved by merging all cultures,” Frans said. “As an international student, I look forward to sharing my own culture with the entire student body.”

Campus

ULM athletes shine during Super Warhawk Weekend ULM Athletics takes center stage this weekend at Super Warhawk Weekend from April 8 to April 10.

The annual event includes athletic competitions, four free youth clinics and activities for the ULM community.

Baseball and softball will play games all three days with softball against Texas State and baseball against Troy.

Tennis plays on April 9 against UT Arlington at 10 a.m. and again April 10 against Texas State at 10 a.m. in Heard Stadium.

The Spring Football Game is April 9 with kickoff at 6 p.m. in Malone Stadium. Admission to the game is free.

Before the game will be the La Louisianne Crawfish Boil at the south end zone of Malone Stadium.

Crawfish will be from Crawfish City and beer from Marsala Beverage and Flying Tiger Brewery.

Both the crawfish boil and tailgating for faculty and staff begin at 4 p.m.

All youth clinics will be April 9 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The band and art clinics will be in the Activity Center, the cheer clinic in Fant-Ewing Coliseum and the football clinic in Malone Stadium.

Anyone aged 8 to 12 is eligible to participate in the clinics. graphic courtesy ULM Photo Services

PAGE 4

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

April 4, 2022

OPINION

The Oscars

Let’s move on from the slap

Loryn Kykendall

photo courtesy MCT Campus

When celebrities fight, people love it. It’s a form of entertainment for us. We get to watch the drama unfold and take sides.

The most recent celebrity clash that has everyone arguing with their friends is the Chris Rock/Will Smith incident that happened at the 94th Academy Awards.

Rock, who was on stage, made a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith’s shaved hair by referring to her as “G.I. Jane.” Pinkett-Smith has an autoimmune disease called Alopecia, which causes hair loss.

After the joke, Pinkett-Smith’s husband, Will Smith, walked up onto the stage, slapped Rock and

returned to his seat before shouting at him.

So the question is—Whose side should you be on?

But there is no good side in this fight. Both of the stars crossed a line. You shouldn’t make fun of someone’s disease and you shouldn’t respond to hate with violence.

Some might say the slap was uncalled for because violence is never the answer, but some might say Rock just got what he deserved.

But really, neither of the two did the right thing. And nobody needs to be punished for this situation.

They both just made mistakes and, unfortunately for them, they did it on live TV. Smith has since apologized for his actions, and according to The New York Times, he voluntarily resigned from the Academy on April 1, saying that he “deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work.”

Some say he should have his new Oscar—the first he’s ever won—

taken away.

But Smith didn’t win his Oscar for not hitting people. He won it for his work in “King Richard.” Just because he lost his temper doesn’t mean he’s all of the sudden a bad actor. The two aren’t related.

And yes, Rock’s joke was offensive. But there’s no good reason to start hating him now if you didn’t before.

Every comedian, including Rock, has told offensive jokes. It’s part of the job. Somebody is always going to be offended, becuase you can’t please everyone. The only reason people are mad at him now is because Smith called attention to it by slapping him.

It’s time we put this event behind us. Both people made mistakes. It made for some interesting TV, but it’s in the past. Let’s focus on the good that happened at the Oscars.

Ariana Debose became the first queer woman of color to win an Oscar. Maybe we should be talking about that instead. contact Loryn Kykendall at kykendalllk@warhawks.ulm.edu

Animal Rights

Zoos should take better care of animals Carley Nail It’s always a fun activity for families and friends to visit their local zoos amd see animals from all over the world. Zoos are a great place to learn about animals one might not be able to see in the wild. But many zoos do not give

adequate care to the animals housed there.

This is a complaint that many have about zoos. But the answer isn’t to simply get rid of them. Zoos should do better at caring for animals and give them a better environment to live in.

I’ve seen too many zoo enclosures that aren’t well kept or don’t have enough space. Zoos are not a safe place for animals.

But they should be. Zoos should be the bridge between animals and people in a safe way that respects both parties.

Even though zoos try to mimic the animals’ natural habitats,

sometimes it is not fully possible.

Because of this, animals can become stressed or they can develop mental illness.

According to KQED, animals often become bored in zoos. As a result, some become aggressive and can lash out at other animals or zookeepers.

If the animals were given more space and their needs were better met, this would not happen.

But we shouldn’t get rid of zoos because there are also many benefits of having them.

According to Common Sense for Animals, zoos educate the community while providing

an understanding of the interdependence of animals and their habitats.

They also conduct conservation programs of animals in the wild, including breeding programs to reintroduce extinct and endangered species back into their natural environments.

The idea of zoos is great. But some locations do not run as they should.

I’m no zookeeper. I do not know the requirements for taking care of animals. I don’t know what they need.

But it doesn’t take a genius to know when animals are not being taken care of.

These animals rely on zoo workers to provide them with what they need to survive. When these needs aren’t met, the animals can’t provide for themselves like they could in the wild.

This is cruel and deliberately hurts the animals, which is why it’s so important to give them the best environment possible to live in.

Zoos do not need to be shut down, but more should be done to ensure that animals in zoos have plenty of space and have the best care available. contact Carley Nail at nailcn@warhawks.ulm.edu

PAGE 5

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

April 4, 2022

OPINION

Campus

Late spring break fuels student burnout

Lochan Acharya Spring break is a long-awaited holiday for everyone at universities and schools. It started during the 1930s in the U.S. and is now observed in many other countries.

Spring break is the time of the year when we travel and take a break from the stresses of school. Hitting the beach and relaxing in the warm sun with crashing waves and your feet in the sand makes spring break

worth it.

Spring break has already begun— and ended—at many schools, but ULM has scheduled spring break to take place significantly later.

LSU, along with Florida State and Georgia had spring break the third week in March.

Some students at ULM are upset their spring break doesn’t fall on the weeks that other universities around the country gave everyone a well-deserved break. And they are rightfully upset.

ULM should have made spring break earlier. Students need a break and three days for Mardi Gras is not enough.

Our spring break goes from April 15 to April 22—right before final exams.

Students won’t truly relax and enjoy their holiday if they’re spending the whole time preparing

for finals.

Leaving students to wait so long before spring break can lead to burnout and other issues that keep people from performing at their best.

According to the Heching Report, burnout is accompanied by physical, emotional or mental exhaustion along with lower motivation and decreasing educational performance. These feelings have increased from the pandemic, according to Ohio State University.

ULM did not take these factors into account, which only contributed to students’ feelings of burnout.

Hopefully, they will consider this next year and make spring break earlier. contact Lochan Acharya at acharyal@warhawks.ulm.edu

Politics

Jackson is great nominee for court

Mitchell Raley President Joe Biden has moved to replace Justice Stephen Breyer with someone who has the same passion for the law and a different perspective. And I like the choice he made.

The way the Supreme Court is now structured, conservatives have control in the court with a 5-4 advantage.

This means they have the deciding vote on what laws and cases will

have a constitutional impact. It is more important than ever that Biden’s replacement be a voice for the people.

Biden’s replacement for Breyer is Ketanji Brown Jackson. She was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Miami, Florida.

According to the White House’s official nomination, Jackson’s parents attended segregated elementary schools followed by enrollment into historical black colleges and finished their careers as a teacher and lawyer.

Jackson is beyond qualified for the Supreme Court. She graduated from Harvard Law School with cum laude honors and was the editor of Harvard Law Review.

Having two former nominations

by President Barack Obama, one for the U.S. Sentencing Commission and one for the U.S. District Court, Jackson has more than enough

experience and education to perform the duties of a Supreme Court Justice well. But theses qualifications are not the only reason why she should be selected for the position.

Before Jackson jumped into the world of being a judge, she started her career as a public defender.

This sets her apart from the other justices as they all started their careers as prosecutors.

Instead of prosecuting someone for a crime they might or might not have committed, she fought for the powerless.

Jackson’s beginning as a public defender shows that she might side with the citizens far more often than her counterparts. She could sway the power of Supreme Court in the people’s favor. contact Mitchell Raley at raleym@warhawks.ulm.edu

photo courtesy MCT Campus

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PAGE 6

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

April 4, 2022

NEWS

Technology

photos by Calli Sinclair

PROBLEM SOLVING: Students have fun while using problem solving skills in an effort to be the fastest to solve a set of computer programming problems.

Programming competition tests critical thinking

by Loryn Kykendall

With the timer set for three hours, students began working on a set of six computer programming problems. Whomever worked the fastest would win the annual programming competition.

The objective was to finish as many problems as possible, as fast as possible.

While it might sound stressful, it’s not an intense competition for computer science students.

Despite the difficulty of the problems, the competition is really just a fun time for the students who compete, and it gives them the chance to use the skills they’ve learned in the classroom.

Kim Taylor, an instructor of computer science, said the contest is always fun because it’s a change from being stuck in the classroom, and the winners earn bragging rights among each other.

“The programming contest is a long-standing tradition in computer science,” Taylor said.

The annual contest was already in effect when Taylor was a student at ULM from 1988 to 1992.

But this year is the first time the contest has happened since 2017, which, according to computer science student, Sijan Malla, was what made it so special.

Malla won first place in the senior division and got $50 as a prize, along with an invitation to the Association for Computer Machinery International Collegiate Programming Contest.

According to their website, ACM-ICPC is a contest that involves a global network of universities hosting regional competitions to advance teams to the ACM-ICPC World Finals.

Second place in the senior division went to Tirian Judy and third went to Simon Parker.

In the junior division, first place went to Olivia Howard, second to Gavin Quaid and third to Lochan Acharya.

Quaid received $25 for placing second in his division, and said he liked the competition because it was challenging in a fun way.

“The problems made me think about the same methods we use but in different ways,” Quaid said.

Solving even one of the six problems is a big achievement because of the level of difficulty of the problems.

However, every single student at the competition this year successfully solved at least one of the problems.

According to Jose Cordova, a computer science professor and the computer science accreditation coordinator, it requires knowledge and skill just to choose which problems to solve first.

“If you’re a computer science student, you gain some experience in determining what problem’s easier to solve,” Cordova said. contact Loryn Kykendall at kykendalllk@warhawks.ulm.edu

graphic courtesy Pixabay

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THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

April 4, 2022

NEWS

Athletics

Hawkline wins 4th consecutive national title, 3 awards

by Chloe Chapel

photo courtesy ULM Hawkline

4-PEAT: Hawkline shows off their ADTS National Championship trophy.

With three years of consecutive wins at Nationals under their belt, the pressure was on for Hawkline to come home with another national title.

After months of putting in their blood, sweat and tears to prepare a routine, they were ready to show up and show out. And that’s what they did.

Last weekend Hawkline won the D1A Hip Hop Division award for the fourth consecutive year at the American Dance/Drill Team Nationals.

But Hawkline didn’t come home with one award, they came with three— D1A Hip Hop Division first place, Overall D1A Championship and the Best of the Best award.

The Best of the Best award is awarded to the team with the highest scoring routine from the D1A & D2 categories. According to Daija Essie, Hawkline’s co-captain, they competed with 13 other teams for this award.

Kayla Attaway, Hawkline’s head coach, said the team worked hard to win this title, and “the number of hours these ladies put in to prepare [...] is mind blowing.”

According to Essien, the work starts over winter break. They first train to strengthen their bodies, then a week before spring semester they begin

learning their routine.

It doesn’t end there. Practices are extensive and hard, usually taking three to four hours per practice to learn the material. And after they learn it, it’s time to clean it up and perfect it.

“We never slow down because once you do it’s over,” Essien said. “I know it’s a lot, but it’s worth it.”

Not only is it worth it for the members, but it’s worth it for Attaway.

Attaway said once she became a coach she had to put her trust in the team, but they have made her job much easier because of the time they’re willing to put in to be great.

“As a coach, I have to put my trust in my team and that the hard work that we put in leading up to competition would reflect how well we did,” Attaway said. “As their coach, I am proud of them and the hard work they have put in over the last several months. No matter the outcome, they know without a doubt they worked extremely hard to get where they are today.”

Hawkline will compete on April 6 at the National Dance Association Collegiate National Championship in Daytona, Florida.

contact Chloe Chapel at chapelcb@warhawks.ulm.edu

Update

Recent US news you might have missed

Bastrop

A rally occurred outside the Morehouse Parish Courthouse on March 25 in protest of a court ruling in a child abuse case. The protestors called upon the district attorney to charge Kelli Whitcher, a daycare worker standing trial, with more serious crimes for the abuse of a twoyear-old while at the Prep Center Day Care in 2020.

Whitcher allegedly isolated the child and made racist remarks toward him.

She was charged with a misdemeanor. However, the family’s attorney is hoping the charges will be upgraded to a felony, according to AP News.

Louisiana

Jeff Davis Parish has officially elected their first female district attorney. Lauren Heinen captured over 3,000 of the votes cast, or 58% in a three-person election, according to AP News. The election was held to fill the seat of the late Judicial Court District Attorney, Kevin Millican, who died last July.

Heinen campaigned off the experiences she has as an attorney, business owner and special counsel. She will be officially sworn in on April 5 for her term, which will end in 2026. Heinen said she expects to be involved as both a prosecutor and administrator.

U.S.

In Virginia more than 460 acres of sacred land is going to be returned to the Rappahannock Tribe, according to ABC News. The land is at Fones Cliffs, which are located within the authorized boundary of the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

Fones Cliffs are the ancestral land of the tribe and are an important region for resident and migratory bald eagles. The land will remain publicly accessible and will be given to the Rappahannock Tribe with a permanent conservation easement that legally limits the use of the sacred land for conservation efforts.

PAGE 8

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

April 4, 2022

NEWS

Volunteering

Students dance for donations for Arkansas Children’s Hospital

by Chloe Chapel

Every minute, 62 children enter a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, according to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital website.

Many children’s hospitals rely on donations, which go toward paying for children’s medical bills that aren’t paid for by insurance.

In order for CMN hospitals to raise money, they rely on organizations like Dance Marathon.

ULM’S Dance Marathon held their annual Dance Marathon last month, which helps raise money for Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

This year participants raised $5,651.

According to Shabnam Ajani, the internal vice president of Dance Marathon, 18% of the money goes to helping provide charitable care, 15% goes to life-saving equipment, 12% supports medical research and 55% provides education, patient and advancement services.

Students helped raise money in a variety of ways. Some played games, posted on social media and donated through their teams.

One way students were encouraged to donate was through set goals each hour. These goals were determined based on a child who received medical care at a CMN Hospital.

According to Ajani, the three children they based the goals on were Koen Smith, Gracie Beck and Zach Chamness.

Smith was a baby treated in the NICU at a CMN Hospi-

tal, and every day there are 925 babies treated in a CMN hospital. That’s why the options for donation amounts were $9, $2 and $5.

Beck is a triplet who was born at 25 weeks and “has been on ECMO life support twice and against all odds survived [...] which is why we made a board to raise $25 for each triplet,” Ajani said.

Chamness has been cancer free for seven years, so “our goal was to raise $7 for each year he has been cancer free,” Ajani said.

Aixa Tharyani, the director of event operations, said having teams of students participate at the event drastically improves the outcome.

“We are a student-led organization so having participants and teams from our college peers really helps drive and keep us going as well as motivated,” Tharyani said.

Ryleigh Rowland, a senior finance student, was on a team with her sorority Kappa Beta Gamma. Together, they raised over $150.

“I think it’s important to show support whether it be financially or just a smile and letter to them,” Rowland said.

Carmin Velasquez, the director of morale, taught participants a dance to a compilation of Disney songs.

“The dance is so important because it brings so many individuals together as a hype crew,” Velasquez said. “It helps keep the energy up and get everyone excited to fundraise for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.”

photos by Calli Sinclair

contact Chloe Chapel at chapelcb@warhawks.ulm.edu

photo courtesy Dance Marathon

RAISE THE ROOF AND THE MONEY: Students played games and learned a dance to raise money and awareness about Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

PAGE 9

April 4, 2022

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

NEWS

Campus Event

photos by Calli Sinclair

NEW HOME AROUND THE GLOBE: Nepalese students connect with other students by bringing Nepalese culture to ULM, which is their home away from home.

Students get taste of Nepalese culture at Nepali Night

by Chloe Chapel

If asked the name of Nepal’s national anthem or the most popular food in Nepal, would you know the answer?

Despite 11% of ULM’s student body being Nepalese, according to College Factual, many students lack knowledge about Nepal.

Nepali Night was started by the Nepalese Student Association to help students learn about Nepalese culture while allowing Nepalese students to get a taste of home at ULM. This year’s Nepali Night was filled with food, music, performances and facts about Nepal.

Manish Katuwal, NSA’s sophomore representative, said this event helps Nepalese students feel at home even though they are living “half a globe away from our family.”

“The whole event, which includes Nepali songs, Nepali fashion and Nepali kitchen style food, brings us overwhelming happiness,” Katuwal said. “The events bring our friends closer to us, binding us as brothers and sisters, or a family as a whole.”

For Nepalese students, this event is about more than sharing their culture. It’s a chance to teach people who have never heard of Nepal about their home country.

One of the hosts of the event, Shreya Adhikari, asked the crowd various trivia questions about Nepal.

One of the questions was about which goddess is worshiped in Nepal.

After Nepalese students shouted the answer, Kumari Devi, Adhikari told students that Nepal is the only country that worships a living goddess.

Sagar Karki, a freshman computer science major, said many people have never even heard of Nepal, so Nepali Night is an opportunity to educate others through music,

performances and food.

Karki sang a popular song in Nepal called “Komal Tyo Timro,” a song in which the singer is expressing his feelings to his love. Despite this being a very popular song in Nepal, many non-Nepalese students had never heard it, which is why Karki picked it.

Nikki Pant, a freshman pre-nursing student, was another performer at Nepali Night.

Pant and three other Nepalese students danced to a compilation of Nepali and Bollywood songs.

“The dance was a bit of everything—some cultural music, some [popular] Nepalese dances, Thumkas and all,” Pant said.

The food at Nepali Night was another way to express their culture.

They had a mixture of traditional Nepalese dishes cooked by students and Himalayan Cafe, which sponsored the event.

Some of the dishes included goat curry, achhar, matar paneer, pulau and soyabean choyla.

Ayushma Shrestha, a sophomore accounting student, said her favorite part of Nepali Night was the food because it reminded her of home.

“I miss how the food is back home, and today reminded me of how Nepali cuisine is,” Shrestha said. “The spices and the taste is how home feels like.”

Katuwal said his favorite part of Nepali Night was the process as a whole.

“The planning, preparation and execution brings Nepalese students and the campus together and strengthens our bond,” Katuwal said. contact Chloe Chapel at chapelcb@warhawks.ulm.edu

PAGE 10

April 4, 2022

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Campus Event

photos by Calli Sinclair

DEAR FRIEND: The cast works together to protray characters within Georg Nowack and Amalia Balash’s love story.

VAPA presents 1st musical since pandemic

by Carley Nail

VAPA’s production of “She Loves Me” hit the stage last week, and the clerks at Mr. Maraczek’s perfume shop definitely left every customer satisfied.

“She Loves Me” is a light-hearted musical with just the right amount of comedic value, which put a smile on everyone in the audience’s face.

The musical tells the story of clerks working in a perfume shop and their different encounters with love.

Georg Nowack and Amalia Balash work together as clerks, but they despise each other.

Georg has been sending letters to his special friend, who he is in love with but has never met.

But Georg is hit with a shocking truth when he realizes the woman he has been writing to is the coworker he hates.

Georg struggles to navigate how to tell Amalia that he is the friend who’s been writing to her. The situation leads to laughs, fights and a lot of singing.

“She Loves Me” is the first musical performance since the start of the pandemic where

masks did not have to be worn, which was refreshing and gave a sense of liveliness to the performance.

Leslie Hobgood, who starred as Amalia, felt that having a fully unmasked performance was really special.

“Performing normally for the first time since COVID is so rewarding, and being able to share a story with the audience every night is amazing,” Hobgood said.

The casting of this musical was phenomenal. From the main clerks to the customers, the performers as a whole did an amazing job.

Stage manager Cherie Mialaret shared how much preparation and practicing went into making this musical happen. Everyone involved worked many hours, with performers having two-hour long practices every day since the beginning of the year.

“It’s a huge commitment and takes a lot of dedication, but everyone pulled their weight and the final product looks amazing,” Mialaret said. “All their hard work really paid off.”

A full orchestra played all the music, and a dance ensemble performed near the end of the first act.

‘SHE LOVES ME’: The clerks working at Mr. Maraczak’s perfume shop discuss preparing for the busy Christmas holiday.

Kayli Bowman, a dancer from the musical, believes that dancing brought a certain level of animation to the show.

“It brought the words to life and helped relay the message of what the actors were saying in a fun and comical way,” Bowman said.

“She Loves Me” showcased the many talents of VAPA students and successfully introduced the audience to the funny side of a 1930s love story. contact Carley Nail at nailcn@warhawks.ulm.edu

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THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

April 4, 2022

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Hawk-Art Therapy

Students paint flowers to honor women’s history

by Calli Sinclair

photos by Calli Sinclair

LOTUS FLOWERS: Students follow instructions on how to paint their own version of a lotus flower to celebrate Women’s History Month.

When we think of beautiful things, we often think of flowers—roses, tulips, poppies and more. The flower that is considered one of the most beautiful on Earth, the lotus flower, has a unique life cycle unlike any other.

Only capable of blooming from mud, it emerges itself in pond water at night and resurfaces in the morning to bathe in sunlight. Many Eastern cultures view the lotus as a symbol of strength and rebirth.

Because of its symbolism, the lotus flower was painted on canvases Wednesday to commemorate Women’s History Month.

Hosted by the Cultural Diversity Council and Hawk-Art Therapy, the event allowed students, faculty, staff and the community to honor women by painting pink lotuses.

Despite the rough weather, the CDC and Student Affairs Liaison, Pamela Jackson, were pleased with the turnout.

Jackson believes ULM should have a place for creativity to bloom and that these events serve as perfect opportunities.

Diamond Green, president of the CDC, believes the event was a great opportunity to celebrate Women’s History Month, especially women at ULM. Valerie Fields, for example, was present

at the event and has made history as ULM’s first female vice president.

“This was the first time the Cultural Diversity Council partnered up with Hawk-Art Therapy to host an event, and we plan to make this annual,” Green said.

Latricia Simmons, the administrative coordinator for the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, feels strongly that Hawk-Art Therapy is important because it allows the painter to destress in a healthy way.

“It’s positive and promotes inclusivity,” Simmons said. “The Cultural Diversity Council did a great job with this event, and there should be more events like this in the future.”

Erick Burton, the founding president and current advisor of the CDC, thinks the lotus is a perfect symbol for Women’s History Month.

“Women’s History Month is important to me because my grandmother is one of the strongest people I’ve known,” Burton said. “She raised me and showed me women can handle anything.

Women are needed. They are very important to this world and are leaders.”

The CDC and Hawk-Art Therapy will host another painting session on April 6 at 5:30 p.m. at the Terrace. contact Calli Sinclair at sinclac@warhawks.ulm.edu

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April 4, 2022

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Movie Review

‘Morbius’ leaves audience questioning

by Carley Nail

The concept of good versus evil has always been a key part of superhero films. But what happens when the line dividing good and evil is blurred?

Michael Morbius is a doctor who has dedicated his life to finding the cure to a rare blood disease that plagues his life. He will do whatever it takes.

But his research takes a turn for the worse when an experiment gets out of hand and changes his life forever.

“Morbius” makes the audience think about their own definitions of “hero” and “villain.” It makes one think of their own ethics. How far can a good person go before they are deemed evil?

It isn’t clear if Morbius is a good guy or not, which is very interesting and adds an element of ambiguity.

When watching “Morbius” you have to connect the dots within the plot yourself. You have to think in order to understand what is happening. So if you are looking for an easygoing movie that’s relaxing, this is not the film for you.

Some things are not clearly stated and have the

potential to confuse the audience. There were a few holes within the plot that I wish had been explained in detail.

But the film excelled in some aspects. The cinematography is fantastic and provides an eerie atmosphere without making the film itself dark.

The witty humor scattered throughout the film works well. Jared Leto’s acting as Morbius is great, but it’s overshadowed by other areas in the film that could be improved.

My main critique with “Morbius” is that by the time the movie ended I didn’t feel like the main issues were resolved. Morbius still has to live with the effects of his experiments and hasn’t learned to control himself completely.

The plot was well developed but left me wanting more. The storyline should have continued to give clarity to the audience.

“Morbius” offers a different perspective to hero based films, but the ending should have had a stronger finish that resolved conflicts more clearly. contact Carley Nail at nailcn@warhawks.ulm.edu

Recommendations

Spring activities to do before semester ends

Picnic at Bayou Park Everyone loves a good picnic, especially when it’s on the bayou.

Bayou Park has a beautiful view, but it also has tables perfect for picnicking. You could even bring a blanket and lay it down in the grass. There are plenty of trees near the bayou to sit under, so you won’t get too hot.

Kayak Kayaking is not only relaxing, but it’s also a great way to get a tan. On weekdays from noon to 6 p.m., you can rent a kayak or paddleboard from Wesley on campus. And it’s free if you’re a ULM student. Just bring your student ID. Forget about your homework and have a stress free afternoon floating on the bayou.

Plant a Garden April showers bring May flowers, which is why planting a garden is an excellent spring activity. Maintaining a garden can be easy if you have a yard to plant it in, but many college students don’t. As an alternative, you can just buy one plant to take care of and put it in a pot.

This way you could keep it in your dorm room or apartment.

Visit a Farmers’ Market There’s nothing better than a warm breeze with the smell of fresh fruit in the air. Visiting a farmers’ market can show you what foods are sourced locally around Monroe. The Monroe Farmers’ Market is open Saturday through Friday. You can support local farmers and businesses while having a walk around the market.

Go Fishing Monroe is home to many lakes, the Ouachita River and a bayou.

These are all places where you can go fishing. Fishing is a great way to spend time in nature, and it’s easy to do. All you need is a body of water, a pole, a hook and bait. It’s a fun outdoor activity that makes you concentrate but calms you down.

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April 4, 2022

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Crossword

Horoscope Aries Wait to see what develops. Pay attention, as conditions keep changing. Don’t get rushed into a financial commitment. Avoid assumptions or frivolous expenses. Consider consequences.

Taurus Don’t push yourself too hard. Routines get tested. Ignore worries for now. Focus on practical solutions. Energy surges are predicted.

Favor endurance over speed.

Gemini Take a deep breath before continuing. Make adjustments to restore integrity wherever missing.

Reinforce basic support structures. Plan practical actions to realize your vision.

ACROSS 1 Mayberry resident 5 Role on “Alice” 8 Olivia, to John-Boy 9 Bridges & Foxworthy 12 Jeer at 13 Like skim milk 14 Woody Guthrie’s boy 15 Actor/comedian Mostel 16 “Home Economics” role 18 Patriotic chant 19 Liz’s Richard 20 __ Esco of “S.W.A.T.” 21 Marquee light gas 23 “Designing __” 24 Actress Kathryn 25 City with a famous tower 26 “America’s Got Talent” judge 28 __ Sher of “The Middle” 29 “So what __ is new?”

30 Lois __; “Smallville” role 32 Sinatra’s second wife 35 Sense of self-

esteem 36 Actress Madeline 37 Surrounded by 38 Actress Peet 40 “Head of the __” (1986-91) 41 Actor Jason 42 TV clown of the past 43 Female animal 44 Recipe verb

DOWN 1 Sharif & Epps 2 Actress on “CSI: Vegas” 3 “__ Angel”; Mae West film 4 Chef’s advice 5 Narrow sea inlet 6 Most famous Jay 7 “Fresh __ the Boat” 10 “NCIS: Los Angeles” role 11 Phillips, once of “Dateline NBC” 12 Plato’s “T” 13 “__ and Stacey” 15 “The Twilight __” 17 “The Last __ on Earth” 19 “Who Wants __ a Millionaire” 20 “Win, __ or Draw” 22 One of the Great Lakes 23 “Eyes __ Shut”; Cruise/Kidman film 25 Actor Sean 26 “__ Haw” 27 Gymnast Korbut & others 30 Tureen utensil

31 “Eureka!”

33 Part of a baseball cap 34 Commercials 36 “The Man Who __ Too Much”; James Stewart film 37 “__ Like Love”; Kutcher movie 39 Years lived 40 “48 Hours” network

Cancer Have patience with friends. Things are in a state of flux. Clean messes. Focus on long-term goals and shared dreams. Adapt to new realities.

Leo Anticipate professional changes. New opportunities hide in the revelations. You can see what didn’t work. Consider options and choose the most stable path.

Virgo Don’t push. It’s too early to get started. The news affects your decisions. Adjust plans around traffic or delays. Check reservations and logistics.

Courtesy of MCT Campus

Libra Stay objective in a tense situation. Avoid arguments and keep your agreements, especially regarding shared finances. Prioritize the basics. Collaborate for common gain.

Scorpio Patience is golden. Don’t push your partner or risk an argument. Adapt around recent changes. Wait to see what develops. Stay receptive and supportive.

Sagittarius A disciplinarian keeps you on track. Slow for the tricky sections. Step carefully to avoid accidents. You can see what’s missing. Adjust practices to adapt.

Capricorn Let things unfold naturally. Clean up and set the stage. Misunderstandings abound. Take time to smell the roses. Relax and enjoy the ride.

Aquarius Adjust to domestic changes. Clarify family priorities to avoid misunderstandings. Get professional support when needed. Clean, sort and organize. Make home improvements together.

Pisces Stay cool. Carefully edit statements before posting. Tempers can flare. Ignore the trolls.

Stick to fundamental truths. Revise and polish your presentation. Use persuasive charm.

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April 4, 2022

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

SPORTS

Spring Soccer

photos by Carley Nail

SEE YOU SOONERS: The Warhawks kept the pressure on their Power 5 opponent and prevented the Sooners from running up the scoreboard.

Last-minute tie robs Warhawks of victory over visiting Oklahoma

by Beau Benoit

It’s not often that a Big 12 school makes its way to the town of Monroe, so this match was a wake-up call to anyone discounting ULM soccer.

The Warhawks hosted the Oklahoma Sooners in an intense match ending in a 2-2 tie.

With mere seconds left to play, a costly foul gave Oklahoma a free kick in prime scoring position. After a missed header, the score was tied for the second and final time.

The result—ULM held their own against their Power 5 opponent.

“We were all really excited to be able to play a Power 5 school,” junior Santana Pressley said. “The practices leading up to the game were filled with high energy. We were determined to perform the best we could.”

The first minute of play saw Mara Grutkamp make a beautiful shot that gave the Sooners a warm welcome to Monroe.

“The first half[…]we had more chances to

play,” Grutkamp said. “We played more of our game. Then the second half, they put more pressure on us. We had to play long sometimes and couldn’t really continue our game, but pressure-wise, defensively, we did a good job.”

The Warhawks continued to rule the pitch and shut out Oklahoma for the remainder of the first half.

Even after being fueled by the momentum of the first half, a Sooner goal in the middle of the second half made it anyone’s game.

Oklahoma started to press with greater ferocity, and a once aggressive Warhawk offense played a more wait-and-counter approach.

With 20 minutes left in the heart-racing contest, Madi Garza helped put ULM back in the lead with a monster goal into the topright corner.

With the pressure building, every penalty became increasingly heavy, and the words “one minute remaining” were as hopeful as they were terrifying.

But first, a ULM foul was called, and the subsequent Sooner kick struck the back of the net.

Almost instantaneously after the kickoff following the goal, the match ended. While a tie isn’t a victory, it also isn’t a loss.

Focusing on one minute of play means neglecting 89 full minutes of match dominated by the Warhawks.

ULM has a chance to stun a Power 5 opponent this weekend when they take a trip to College Station, Texas to face Texas A&M. “We are all so pumped about playing A&M,” Pressley said. “Taking on big name schools is something that we all look forward to. I believe we will be able to play more comfortable against A&M.” This contest is the conclusion to the spring schedule and sole contest outside of Brown Stadium. The Aggies are undefeated with a record of 5-0-0 while ULM is 3-0-2. contact Beau Benoit at benoitbb@warhawks.ulm.edu

PAGE 15

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

April 4, 2022

SPORTS

Beach Volleyball

Warhawks dominate 3 of 4 final home matches

by Cameron Jett

ULM had its best tournament performance of the year in the Warhawks’ final home matchups of the season.

ULM, which has not won more than half of its matches in a tournament, finally pulled through with a winning record.

The Warhawks brought their six-game slump to an end in front of friendly faces in Monroe and collected three wins in the four matches they played last weekend.

The Warhawks’ first two exhibitions showed that even though it was the first of April, they weren’t fooling around.

The Warhawks swept the card last Friday with a 5-0 clinic over Mary-Hardin Baylor. The duo of Audrey Brooks and Julia Blazek came through to clinch the series for ULM with a 21-8, 21-7 win on their court. Later that day, ULM pulled away to best Central Arkansas in a game that had all but one of the five courts go to three sets.

The sole sweep of the set came courtesy of ULM’s

Abbey Bufkin and Abigail Elder who took two 2111 set wins on their court.

In their third meeting of the year, the Warhawks fell just short to New Orleans in their third 3-2 matchup and the second win by UNO. UNO rebounded after ULM took the first two courts of the morning and won three straight courts to prevent the Warhawks from sweeping their own tournament.

After the morning matchup, ULM bested Southeastern Louisiana for the second time this season to close out the ULM Beach Invitational on a high note. ULM clinched its third win of the invitational following a 4-1 win over SLU. With the season coming to a close, the Warhawks have two tournament dates left on the schedule.

This weekend they travel the Southern Miss Beach Invitational hosted by Southern Mississippi. It is the first of two tournaments hosted by Conference USA opponents. contact Cameron Jett at jettcm@warhawks.ulm.edu

SANDY HAWKS: The ULM Beach Volleyball team was full of energy with three tough wins under the sun.

photos by Rachael Rastelle

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THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

April 4, 2022

SPORTS

Baseball

photos courtesy ULM Athletics

AIM FOR THE STANDS: Both Mason Holt (left) and Cole Cressend (right) stood out at bat for the Warhawks last week.

ULM evens last ever SBC series with UTA ULM snaps 2 game skid versus UT Arlington

by Jonah Bostick

Coming off a 3-1 week, the ULM baseball team went into last week hoping to continue their momentum as Sun Belt Conference play grew more intense. However, the Warhawks failed to do so by dropping two out of three games after a week of play that included a nonconference matchup against Louisiana State.

Last Tuesday night, the Warhawks faced off against SEC powerhouse LSU in Baton Rouge.

The game started off well for ULM as Mason Holt smoked a leadoff homer in the first inning and the Warhawks gained a 1-0 lead.

But LSU responded quickly with six runs scored in the bottom of the first inning. With the addition of a home run

in the third inning the Tigers held a 7-1 lead.

LSU made it clear that ULM’s pitching would be picked apart.

ULM played 10 different pitchers through the match with none making a difference.

In the top of the fourth the Warhawks scored three runs including another home run by Holt to make the score 7-4 in favor of the Tigers.

Holt’s final stat line was 2-for-5 at the plate with two home runs and three RBI. The Tigers ultimately put the game away in the late innings with an entourage of runs on the Warhawk bullpen. ULM lost the game in a 15-4 blowout.

ULM looked to recover on Friday night as they headed to Arlington to play the UTA Mavericks in conference play for the final time.

ULM once again failed to perform in the first inning as the Mavericks were able to score three runs. A scoring drought lasted until the fifth inning when UTA would put up two

more runs to go up 5-0.

In the top of the seventh, Travis Washburn hit a 2-RBI single to make the score 5-2.

The Warhawks could do nothing except drop the first game of the series.

Ace pitcher Cam Barlow collected his second loss of the season, but he threw three scoreless in between the first and fifth innings.

The final score of 5-2 saw its way back to the scoreboard on Saturday, but this time for a different team. The Warhawks scored an insurance run in the seventh and would mirror Friday’s score 5-2 in a victory.

The Mavericks once again jumped to an early lead by scoring two runs in the second inning. ULM responded in the next two innings with four runs including another home run by Holt in the third inning and three runs scored off a throwing error and a wild pitch in the fourth inning. contact Jonah Bostick at bostickjm@warhawks.ulm.edu