Full Issue 02/08/2021

Celebrating Valentine’s Day during COVID P7

Some students still waiting for refund checks P 5

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

VOLUME 99 ISSUE 4

www.ulmhawkeyeonline.com

February 8, 2021

Are RSOs represented equally on campus?

P 3

Warhawks weigh in on COVID vaccines P 4

Community marches to honor Black history P4 Inside look at new football coach Bowden P 8

PAGE 2

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

February 8, 2021

BRIEFS CALENDAR 8

Monday, February Get fit with NAACP, 5:30 p.m., online via Zoom

9

Tuesday, February Free lunch social, 11 a.m., Bayou Park

Wednesday, February

10

Mardi Gras Ball, 9 p.m., Bayou Pointe

Thursday, February

11

Poetry/Spoken Word Night, 7 p.m., the Hangar

Friday, February

12

No event planned

Saturday, February

13

No event planned

Sunday, February

14

No event planned

QUOTE

United States

Monroe

Louisiana

Missouri

Suspect arrested in July homicide case

State to expand COVID-19 vaccine

Inmates set fires, break windows

Woman arrested for suspected role in riot

NewsStar- A Monroe man is facing one count of second-degree murder connected with a July 2020 shooting at Parkview Apartments, police said.

According to a Monroe Police Department statement, officers were investigating a vehicle theft when they contacted Bobby Ray Thompson III, 41, in the 3000 block of Church Street.

During their investigation, officers discovered Thompson was a suspect in the homicide investigation.

On July 13, officers responding to a shooting at Parkview Apartments and located the body of Demetric Collins in the breezeway of Building 1.

The arrest warrant states Collins was the victim of multiple gunshot wounds, and various narcotics were located on the ground near his body.

Thompson then appeared at Ochsner's in Monroe with a gunshot wound and was later airlifted to Shreveport.

KNOE- The Louisiana Department of Health confirms the state will join the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, an effort to increase very limited supply to states and make vaccines more accessible. Nationwide, the program expands the number of pharmacies that will administer vaccines.

In Louisiana, 56 Walmart locations will participate in the Program, which will formally start Feb. 11.

Their participation will mean an increase in the number of doses selected Walmart pharmacies will receive. Because of Walmart’s prior participation in Louisiana’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the department expects the transition for currently eligible residents and participating providers will be seamless.

LDH cannot yet confirm how many doses Louisiana is expected to receive.

MCT- Inmates at the City Justice Center downtown smashed out windows and threw debris to the ground below in a disturbance that began about 2:30 a.m.

Saturday. A spokesman for the mayor said all the inmates were "back in custody" shortly before 10 a.m.

About 115 detainees on the fourth floor of the jail had set fires, flooded floors and clogged toilets, Jacob Long, spokesman for Mayor Lyda Krewson, said. About 65 inmates were being transferred to the Medium Security Institution, also known as the Workhouse, this morning, Long said.

Inmates were seen gathered at the shattered windows of an upper floor of the jail about 6:30 a.m. They broke adjacent windows and threw chairs and other debris to the sidewalk below on Tucker Boulevard.

It was at least the third disturbance at the CJC, in recent weeks, with two others occurring during December.

MCT- A Mercer County woman who told the New Yorker magazine about how she breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and is seen on videos wearing a pink hat and using a pipe to smash a window will remain jailed pending a hearing next week in Pittsburgh.

Rachel Marie Powell, 40, of Sandy Lake, turned herself in to the FBI in New Castle on Thursday night.

She appeared briefly by video in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh on Friday afternoon, after which U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Dodge ordered her held in U.S. custody.

Her image had been posted on an FBI bulletin on Jan. 16 and agents were seen searching her home on Thursday.

She is charged with obstruction, depredation of government property, entering a restricted building or grounds with a weapon, entering a restricted building and violent entry or disorderly conduct.

TODAY IN HISTORY

MARCHIN' ON

"No one will do for you what you need to do for yourself."

February 8 1883: Louis Waterman begins experiment to invent the fountain pen.

Dorothy Height, American activist

1910: The Boy Scouts of America is incorporated by William D. Boyce.

1926: Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio becomes Walt Disney Studios.

1936: First ski jumping tournament is held.

1949: First African American reporter accredited to White House, Harry McAlpin.

Front page credits: Main photo:

1974: Three astronauts return to Earth after 85 days in the U.S. space station, Skylab.

Calli Sinclair Bottom sidebar photo: ULM athletics

photo by Calli Sinclair

Students, faculty, staff and members of the Monroe community marched across campus in celebration of Black History Month on Feb. 2.

February 8, 2021

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

PAGE 3

OPINION

Campus

Minority RSOs deserve more recognition

Chloe Chapel ULM does a great job at advertising large Recognized Student Organizations. They show them at PREP, hold large events for them and sometimes send out emails about their student elections.

However, these RSOs aren’t the perfect fit for everyone. Me included.

ULM needs to do a better job of showing minority RSOs to incoming college students. It will help new students find where they fit in.

Coming to college I had a really hard time finding a place where I fit in. I didn’t know anyone. And the people I did know were nothing like me. I often wondered how there are thousands of students here, but I couldn’t find one friend.

I think a lot of us struggle with

this because we try to put ourselves into these organizations. Don’t get me wrong, they are great for many people, but not everyone.

ULM has many RSOs it doesn't show off as much as others. Many of them represent different minority groups that aren’t fairly represented on campus.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is an RSO that is a community for people of color that deserves more recognition. They offer a safe space for people of color while allowing their voices to be heard. They hold fun events that bring people together while educating them.

If you are a woman, Ambitious Women’s Society might be the RSO for you. They seek to empower and unify women. Women can often be pinned against each other, but AWS strives to bring them together as one community.

Being part of the LGBT community in the south can be hard. However, LAMBDA offers a community for LBGT individuals. They deserve to be recognized because of how much they help the LGBT community.

They give recognition to people who

are non-binary, asexual, pansexual and many others who are often underrepresented.

And last but certainly not least is ULM’s new Cultural Diversity Council. They are a fairly new RSO to ULM but that does not mean they should be underestimated. They seek to serve students and empower diversity, and that is exactly what they do. They started off strong with the unveiling of the Black Lives Matter letters and aren’t going to stop there.

These RSOs and many others deserve more attention from the university. They can benefit students tremendously.

When we come to PREP, these RSOs need to be shown off alongside many others. The meetings they have need to be advertised more. Their hard work needs to be shown off to everyone.

When you feel you know no one or have no one to turn to, check out these organizations. They are some of the kindest people on campus that will accept you with open arms. graphic by Sunil Bishwokarma

contact Chloe Chapel at chapelcb@warhawks.ulm.edu

Academics

Stubbs 131 700 University Avenue Monroe, LA 71209 Editor-in-Chief - Kaitlin Maness Co-managing Editor Design - Sunil Bishwokarma Co-managing Editor News - Loryn Kykendall Opinion Editor - Chloe Chapel Freestyle Editor - Uchechi Owunna Sports Editor - Cameron Jett Copy Editor - Carley Nail Multimedia Editor - Saugat Shrestha Photo Editor - Calli Sinclair 318-342-5453 ulmhawkeyead@gmail.com

The opinions expressed in personal columns are the opinions of the author and not necessarily the opinions of the editors, staff, adviser or the university.

Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The Hawkeye’s editorial board, but not necessarily the opinions of the adviser or the university.

The Hawkeye (USPS #440-700) is published weekly except vacation, exam & holiday periods

by The University of Louisiana at Monroe, 700 University Avenue, Monroe, LA 71209.

Annual subscription price is $15.00. Periodicals Postage Paid at Monroe, LA 71203.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Hawkeye, 700 University Ave., Stubbs 131, Monroe, LA 71209-8832.

Faculty Adviser Dr. Christopher Mapp 318 342 5454 mapp@ulm.edu Assistant Director: Courtney Collins 318 342 5450 ccollins@ulm.edu Feedback 318 342 5453 newsroom 318 342 5452 fax ulmhawkeye@gmail.com

Don’t agree?

Let us know!

Contact the writers or the editor at chapelcb@warhawks.ulm.edu

End negative stigma around changing majors

Uchechi Owunna I resumed this semester with a peculiar sense of loss. I had a feeling like I'd lost my child at a shopping mall. I quickly figured out it was because I had to disassemble the blueprint I designed for my career in pharmacy.

After two and a half years, I was once again at square one of choosing my career path.

Oddly enough, my biggest concern was not the extra cost or the time. I was concerned with how my friends and family would react to my career change. I was worried they would judge me when I said I no longer had plans of going to pharmacy school.

Many college students deal with this stigma as they navigate the right career path, and they shouldn't have to.

According to a report by the U.S. Department of Education, about 30% of college students change their major within three years of initial enrollment.

Switching majors is often seen as a negative. But making this decision is one of the most courageous things a student might do.

To switch courses of study, you have to consider all you put into that major — the money, time, sweat and tears. You also have to think about all the classes that you took that will now be considered extra credits.

According to Business Wire, 31% of students need to take additional major courses as a result of a change in major.

And 28% of students said changing their major delayed their graduation by two or more semesters.

Switching majors is completely normal because life happens, career goals reform and human passions evolve. While this is expected, the rate at which students change their majors can be reduced. And resources can be put in place to help those who change their major cope.

Colleges and high schools have to work together to help students find career paths they are interested in and could do for the rest of their lives. For example, the A-HEC of a Summer program helps students by exposing them to different jobs within the healthcare field so they know what area of healthcare they want to work in.

Having programs like this, even in college, will help reduce the chances of students changing their majors.

It is also necessary for colleges to have counseling services available for students that are going through this phase of uncertainty. Students struggle mentally to reassemble the blueprint of their career, so their advisors need to be understanding and comforting. contact Uchechi Owunna at owunnaud@warhawks.ulm.edu

PAGE 4

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

February 8, 2021

NEWS

Culture

March celebrates, honors Black History Month ULM, community members marched across campus on Feb. 2

by Loryn Kykendall

ULM saw a display of unity, hope and love Tuesday when students, faculty, staff and members of the Monroe community gathered to march across campus in honor of Black history.

CAB and the Cultural Diversity Council organized the march which went from Fant-Ewing Coliseum to Warhawk Circle.

Before the march started, Reverend Ambrose Douzart, president of Burton the Ouachita Monroe chapter of the NAACP, spoke to the crowd

photo by Calli Sinclair

WE ARE THE CHANGE: Students, faculty, staff and members of the Monroe communtiy gathered at Fant-Ewing Coliseum Tuesday morning and marched to Warhawk Circle in commemoration of Black History Month.

and led a prayer.

“I applaud you all, because everyone is a part of history,” Douzart said.

Cultural Diversity Council President Erick Burton also spoke before the march.

“Today as we walk, let’s walk with a heart of gratitude because not only do we have those opportunities, but more,” Burton said. “Let’s walk with hope, knowing that we are the change that our ancestors hoped and prayed for, and we are

making a difference every day.”

Diamond Green, a sophomore prenursing major, was one student who joined that march.

Green said that it’s important for ULM to have events like this because it unifies everyone and allows

everyone to show their support for one another.

There were also marchers who weren’t affiliated with ULM but wanted to show their support Green too.

Tarvie Wilson, a Monroe community member, said she marched because she loves her race and is proud to be Black.

“I’m a Black woman first at the end of the day and I’m going to support anything that supports me,” Wilson said.

According to Burton, the march served as a time of reflection on the African American leaders who fought for equality for all.

“There was a time when my ancestors marched so that my people could have equal opportunity,” Burton said. “Today as we walk, let’s walk with a heart of gratitude because not only do we have those opportunities, but more.” contact Loryn Kykendall at kykendalllk@warhawks.ulm.edu

COVID-19

Some students eager to get vaccinated, others hesitant

by Ashlyn Dupree

Normality—it’s something we all desire to get back to once the pandemic is over. For many people, the way back to “the normal life” is through the COVID vaccine.

Reggie Smith-Good, a senior pharmacy student who has received the first dose of the vaccine, is one of those ready to return to normal.

“I would rather take the chance with the vaccine than the chance of catching corona,” Smith-Good said.

According to Bloomberg, the vaccination rate is roughly at 1.4 million doses per day in the U.S. But as of now, vaccines are only available for people 70 years old and up, people in nursing facilities and healthcare workers, according to Ronald Hill, pharmacy professor at ULM. Hill said he received the Moderna vaccine because of his exposure to students working in pharmacies and health care settings. And many students have received the vaccine.

Garrett Humphries, a graduate student in the marriage and family therapy, received his Moderna vaccine in December 2020.

According to Humphries, the medical staff he works with explained that the vaccine had photo courtesy MCT campus been in production since 2012, but for severe TAKING CHANCES: While some students are excited to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or have acute respiratory syndrome. The production of already received it, others have concerns about possible side effects. this vaccine only had minor changes made.

Hill explained that this vaccine is the first time mRNA vaccines have been used in humans. But Hill said it’s important to remember that “the technology is not brand new. It’s just new putting it into humans.”

Chardavion Johnson, a junior political science major, said this is the reason he’s waiting before deciding to get the vaccine.

“I chose not to be in the first number because I’d feel like a guinea pig. I want to examine how others react and research common symptoms then continue from there,” Johnson said.

Hill agreed. Right now, because there isn’t much data about the COVID vaccines, “We’re all guinea pigs,” he said. But he also said to pay attention to the very high percentage of patients who have mild side effects compared to the one incident of a bad reaction.

Hill worries that students who get the vaccine may have the “back-to-normal” mentality and not take necessary precaution. He said students who get the vaccine must realize that wearing a mask and social distancing will not go away once you get the vaccine.

“If I don’t wear that mask when I need to be, I feel like I’m spitting on all frontline health care workers because they are the ones putting their lives at risk,” Hill said. contact Ashlyn Dupree at dupreeaf@warhawks.ulm.edu

February 8, 2021

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THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

NEWS

Financial Issues

Financial Issues

Refund checks arriving late for some students

by Ashlyn Dupree

After a couple weeks of being back in school, most students get their refund checks. But some are not so lucky. Shannitra Minnieweather is one of these students.

According to Minnieweather, she has not received her refund check and was told by the Office of Financial Aid that she Minnieweather would not receive her refund until March.

Unfortunately, this put the sophomore psychology major in a bind to pay for textbooks and school materials.

“I missed a few assignments because my temporary access codes expired and I still hadn’t

received my refund,” Minnieweather said. “I had to wait until the weekend when I got paid to buy my books and access codes.”

Erica Hopko, an Hopko associate director of customer service, said there can be multiple reasons why students have not received their refund check.

Hopko said it could depend on if you have completed all requirements, if you are not enrolled in the proper number of hours or are taking eight week courses, and if you do not have your method of receiving the refund set up.

But, Hopko said over 4,000 students should have received

Possible minimum wage raise causes job loss concerns

by Chloe Chapel

photo courtesy Pixabay

COSTLY EDUCATION: Some students shared on ULM’s Student to Student Facebook page that they haven’t received their refunds yet.

their refund during the first two weeks of classes.

Hopko recommended contacting anyone in the Financial Aid office because they would be happy to assist those who haven’t received their refund check yet.

“If we are not the appropriate department, we will guide

them in the direction to get the answers they need,” Hopko said. “We do ask that they keep updated on what we send out, look at Banner for updates, check and read their emails frequently and contact us with any questions.” contact Ashlyn Dupree at dupreeaf@warhawks.ulm.edu

Donation

Students fight diabetes with test strip drive

by Alexis Page

Have you ever wondered what happens to diabetic test strips that go unused?

Blair Guillory, founder of Freshe Environment, has. That’s why he collects unused and unexpired strips and donates them to those who can’t afford them.

The Theta Zeta division of Alpha Kappa Alpha collaborated with Freshe Environment last week to launch a diabetes strip drive. Donation booths were spread across campus in the library, activity center, student union building, Edward Via College and Walker Hall.

This drive was meant to spread awareness of how countless diabetes strips are needlessly recycled. These strips are often unused and months away from expiring. The goal is to provide healthier lifestyles to diabetic communities, especially those who can’t afford strips.

Guillory thought of the drive as donations at Monroe’s St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy skyrocketed. He had been planning this event since Dec. 2020.

photo by Calli Sinclair

UNUSED, UNEXPIRED: Theta Zeta collected unused and unexpired diapetic test strips to donate to Freshe Environment, a business that gives the test strips to those who need but can’t afford them.

“More product means more people can be helped,” Guillory said. “It was also my idea to reach out to Theta Zeta [and] many other orga- Guillory nizations on campus to help spread the word.”

Jordan Jones, president of Theta Zeta, said hosting a week-long drive to kickstart the initiative simply felt right.

Guillory and Jones believed the drive was essential for students to donate for the benefit of minority groups and those less fortunate.

According to a 2019 study from State of Childhood Obesity, eight of the top 10 states with the highest diabetes rate are

southern—Louisiana ranked ninth.

If students want to further help to fight diabetes, Guillory suggested donating to several nonprofit organizations such as Children Diabetes Foundation, Diabetes Sisters, American Diabetes Association and sharing information about Freshe Environment with others. contact Alexis Page at pagean@warhawks.ulm.edu

It’s the worst day of the week—grocery store day. You make sure to bring your list that consists of milk, bread and eggs. You keep the list short because you only worked 20 hours this week at minimum wage.

A gallon of milk costs $4, which is over half of your hourly pay. Since you only got 20 hours this week, you have to decide whether milk is a necessity or not.

Moments like this happen frequently in the United States. Therefore, Congress has reintroduced a bill that would force states to increase their minimum wage.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 22 states have a minimum wage that is equal to or less than the federal minimum wage of $7.25.

The bill Congress is proposing will bring the federal minimum wage up to $15, so the states would have to match that and raise their wages.

However, this can come with consequences for businesses. Many businesses might struggle to pay workers more.

This could lead to layoffs and some businesses inevitably shutting down.

Gabriella Papillion, a senior speech language pathology major, feels increasing minimum wage Papillion will help end the exploitation of workers.

“Many large corporations like McDonald’s are profiting millions of dollars just to pay their workers unlivable wages,” Papillion said.

Ryleigh Rowland, a junior finance and accounting major, agrees that it would be nice to make more money but acknowledged that it could come with some repercussions. “[Businesses] will have to start selling their products at a higher cost, which will make people mad,” RowRowland land said.

Some states already have minimum wages around $15, so changing the federal minimum wage will not affect them.

However, states that have to drastically increase to match the new minimum wage will be hit the hardest.

Tammy Johnston, an economics professor, said that major cities such as New York and San Francisco already have a minimum Johnston wage above the federal minimum wage but that in in cities with a lower cost of living, $15 per hour is drastic.

As of last week, there has not been a bill signed to increase the federal minimum wage. contact Chloe Chapel at chapelcb@warhawks.ulm.edu

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THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

February 8, 2021

FREESTYLE

History

Black Grandeur: Warhawks talk favorite Black figures

by Alexis Page

Martin Luther King, Jr. Malcolm X. Michelle Obama. Kamala Harris.

These people pop up often when talking about beloved African American figures. Schools teach about King as early as elementary. It’s not every day someone gets their own national holiday.

Michelle Obama showed that the seemingly unattainable dream of a colored First Lady isn’t an impossibility.

In honor of Black History Month, students and faculty gave their choices of great Black figures in history that they look up to and why.

Brook Little, president of ULM’s Rotaract, is a singer who lives and breathes music. She believes Black culture is thoroughly weaved into music history.

“I can sometimes hear the influences from singers like Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and The Clark Sisters,” Little said. “When I hear what many Black people refer to as ‘cook-out’ music, it makes me feel so warm and happy.”

Randall Hughes, freshman preoccupational therapy major, chose late actor Chadwick Boseman as one of his role models.

Hughes said Boseman was an inspiration and made people remember the hardships they faced in life. The actor’s biggest obstacle was his colon cancer–which he never publicly announced to everyone’s surprise.

“I find it amazing that even though he was sick, he Hughes kept [his cancer] to himself,” Hughes said. “[He] enjoyed what was left of his life to the fullest, without having people feel bad for him.”

Hughes also said Boseman can be a positive role model for children of color, especially after his most famous role as T’Challa in “Black Panther.”

Senior Computer Science major, Rojit Rojit, looks up to French soccer midfielder N’Golo Kanté as one of his favorite sportsmen.

According to Premier League,

graphic by Sunil Bishwokarma

Kanté plays for the Chelsea Club with more than 100 wins and ten goals. Dubbed as “The Blues,” Chelsea is an English soccer team based in Fulham, London.

Kanté was awarded “Player of the Season” during the 2016/17 season.

In the 2015/16 and 2016/17 season,

he was honored as Premier League Champion.

“His character is exuberant and he is adored by everybody,” Rojit said. “[He is] extremely talented yet surprisingly simple and humble. A man that is hated by nobody.”

The world has many Black figures

people idolize as role models, from young and old to popular and underrated. Black people inspire everyone regardless of race or creed–proving the universality of such a rich culture. contact Alexis Page at pagean@warhawks.ulm.edu

Movie Review

Experience diversity ‘One Night’ with 4 Black heroes

by Alexis Page

Let’s travel back to the 1960s. Wars in Vietnam raged with anxious eyes on televisions and anti-war protests.

America was traumatized from President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

The civil rights movement saw Blacks rise to fight lifelong oppression and violence based on their basic human rights.

“One Night in Miami” deals with four of this era’s greatest black legends: Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay), Jim Brown and Sam Cooke.

Regina King’s Golden Globe-nominated directorial debut “One Night in Miami,” tells an excellently performed tale of four Black stars in one hotel room sharing their ideas, successes and heated clashes. It rejects the golden “show, don’t tell” rule, focusing on dialogue guaranteed to glue your eyes to the screen. This film was adapted from a stage play by Kemp Powers, writer of Pixar’s “Soul.”

You can find this movie on Amazon Prime Video.

Feb. 25, 1964–Clay wins his famous

boxing match against Sonny Liston.

To celebrate, Malcolm invites his friends Cooke, Brown and Clay to a hotel room for the night. There is no alcohol or pretty women–it’s just them.

Malcolm wants to talk about their successes in a white man’s world and announce Clay’s conversion to Islam.

This is where Clay receives the name we know today, Muhammad Ali. During the night, tensions arise as ideals collide.

Our men are played superbly by actors who closely resemble their real counterparts. Kingsley Ben-Adir as activist Malcolm X gives an eloquent performance later bursting with anger and paranoia. Eli Goree accurately displays the egotistical Clay, later revealing hidden insecurities.

Leslie Odom, Jr. swings as Sam Cooke with infectious vocals. Listen for Cooke’s beautiful song “A Change is Gonna Come” at the end.

Aldis Hodge plays NFL footballer, Jim Brown, who is on the brink of re-

tirement. You may recognize Hodge from 2020’s “The Invisible Man.” The men create an awesome dynamic with each other. They all share being Black, famous, successful and victims in a prejudiced country.

However, they differ in professions, ideas and experiences.

Malcolm wants Blacks to charge against the “white devils,” demonizing all whites for Black oppression.

Cooke disagrees and believes music is universal–if a Black man can win over white audiences, racial barriers may finally break. Brown considers acting after football as sports careers don’t last forever. Clay smugly denies this, showing his sense of immortality and belief in being unbeatable.

King’s “One Night in Miami” is an outstanding example of the stylish Black artistry Hollywood needs. It tells a dramatic, dialogue-heavy story based on real figures armed with stellar performances. Reserve your stay, relax and “peace be with you, brother.” contact Alexis Page at pagean@warhawks.ulm.edu

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

February 8, 2021

PAGE 7 FREESTYLE FREESTYLE

Holiday

Food

Warhawks share their best Valentine’s Day stories

Hawkeye’s romantic meals Cameron’s Pick:

My ideal Valentine’s Day would be filled with me showing acts of love toward my girlfriend and loved ones.

More than gifts, it is the small things and the intentions that matter like calling, opening doors, buying flowers for her and going out on a romantic date.

I also believe that Valentine’s should extend to the entire week, not just the 14th. Valentine’s Day will be a period to remind my loved ones of just how much I love them.

I would have to say my favorite Valentine’s memory was my junior year of high school. We had a teacher that would always decorate for the holiday and she made a little photo booth for everyone to take pictures in front of.

It was so cute and she was always a positive and fun teacher. She took pictures for all of us and printed them out a few days later for us to keep. It definitely spread some good positivity and fun.

During my senior year of high school, when everyone started talking about Valentine’s and what they thought they were getting from who, all I talked about was how I had never gotten roses from anyone for Valentine’s.

Then my dad had roses sent to the school for me to get on Valentine’s Day and I cried. He listened to what I had said and I think that meant more to me than the flowers did.

Several years ago when we first started dating, my boyfriend at the time surprised me with flowers and the heart shaped box with chicken mini’s from Chick-fil-A early in the morning.

Later that night, we went out for a fancy dinner and that was pretty romantic. We have now been married for a year in December.

I was a freshman in high school and single.

I wanted one of those big stuffed animals so bad.

When I came home, my mom had gotten it for me.

It was so sweet.

Holiday Activities

Guide to COVID-19 Valentine’s

by Ashlyn Dupree

Compared to last year’s COVIDfree Valentine’s Day, you may not feel comfortable going out to celebrate.

But, there are plenty of fun activities to do with your significant other and friends while staying at home.

Here are three ideas to make your COVID Valentine’s Day special:

1. Fiesta Latina Zoom Dance Party If you are looking for something out of your comfort zone, Fiesta Latina Dance Party is the perfect activity for you.

This Zoom event will involve salsa and reggae music. It only costs $10 to join the dance party. Grab your friends and dance to the music on your TV. The event is on Feb. 13 at 9 p.m. It will last roughly four hours.

Check out rockdahouze.com to

order your ticket.

and Valentine’s Day themed items.

With the notebook paper, you will write reasons you love them or your favorite memories with them.

After you write these, you will want to fold them up and put a heart-shaped sticker to keep it folded. Put your sweet notes into the box.

It’s something your significant other can check out throughout the year and remember why you love them.

2. Wine Making This is a more expensive option, but winemaking is a special moment your significant other would remember forever.

The price of the class is $75 and includes equipment and four sessions from glass to bottle.

The Wine Making event can be viewed online or recorded to view at another time.

The wine class will show step by step how to make 25 to 30 bottles of wine in your home.

The first session is on Feb. 14 at 4 p.m.

The second session discusses racking and is on Feb. 21 at 4 p.m.

The third session on March 7 at 4 p.m. shares finning and stabilizing.

The last session is bottling and will happen on March 28 at 4 p.m.

This is a memorable moment for you and your significant other to spend intimate time together.

3. Creative Dollar Tree Gifts Unfortunately, most college students cannot afford expensive gifts.

A fun DIY idea is to create Valentine’s gifts from Dollar Tree.

Places like Dollar Tree have plenty of Valentine’s Day decorations to make your significant other or friends a from-the-heart gift.

One unique gift idea is to grab notebook paper, sticker hearts and a small box.

You’ll decorate the box with hearts

The food that creates a feeling of love best is lasagna. Almost all Italian food feels like comfort food, and lasagna has been my family’s go-to for any gathering or event. It never fails to liven things up.

Chloe’s Pick:

One of the most romantic foods is red velvet cake. It spices up traditional chocolate cake in color and taste. The red color is romantic and the cream cheese frosting is decadent. It is a popular wedding cake flavor, which just proves how romantic it is.

Loryn’s Pick:

The food I most associate with love is popcorn. Even though I don’t actually like popcorn that much, the movie theater is my favorite place to be. And my favorite thing to do with the people I love is go to the theater and share the biggest bucket of popcorn we can get.

Kaitlin’s Pick:

contact Ashlyn Dupree at dupreeaf@warhawks.ulm.edu

Maybe it’s because I loved Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp” as a kid or because it was my favorite meal growing up, but I believe that spaghetti is one of the most romantic foods.

PAGE 8

February 8, 2021

THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE

SPORTS

Women’s Basketball

Offensive revival not enough

Men’s Basketball

Just out of reach: ULM drops both games against UTA

by Cameron Jett

photo courtesy ULM athletics

SLASHER: ULM guard Kierra Brimzy slips through the defense on her way to a layup.

by Cameron Jett

Women’s basketball had their best game in conference play against the University of Texas-Arlington Friday night. Unfortunately, they were met by a Mavericks team who was one step ahead and they dropped both games in the series.

The first game of the series was competitive and the Warhawks were not put away until the fourth quarter. Coach Brooks Williams said after the game that “Our mistakes have to be minimal against a team of their caliber and we made a few too many tonight.”

With ULM committing 23 turnovers compared the Mavericks with only seven, this game could have gone much differently than the 6072 loss experienced by the Warhawks.

The Warhawks should look back to this game for positives as they have a daunting five games over the course of the next ten games, with the next two coming against the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

As usual, junior guard Kierra Brimzly led her team in scoring with 22 this game along with six rebounds, but her mistakes set the Warhawks back as she compiled nine turnovers.

Brimzly and senior guard Whitney Goins nailed six three-pointers in this game, and the team total 53% three-point shooting is the best in conference play.

The brief break from their usual scoring woes would only last one night, as the team would drop their second game 64-39. Sophomore guard Linda van Schaik was the only Warhawk to hit double-digit points. She came off the bench and led the team in minutes played at 31, points scored with 15, and was second in rebounding with seven. Late in the game she drained a trio of three-point shots. Senior forward Kierra Crockett finished second in scoring with seven and had a team high 10 rebounds. contact Cameron Jett at jettcm@warhawks.ulm.edu

Men’s basketball sees their losing streak extend to 10 after twolate game surges from Texas-Arlington. The Warhawks kept the game within three points late in both games before the Mavericks were able to put the games on ice and sweep the Warhawks on the season.

Turnovers, issues rebounding and bad shooting through both nights are areas that costed the Warhawks two winnable games and must be fixed to beat the white-hot Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns next week.

Coach Keith Richard noted many of the team’s mistakes in the second half after his team

held a six-point lead at halftime.

Richard said “We really did a poor job of driving and making good decisions with the basketball.” The team struggled against UTA’s match-up zone and the Mavericks were able to create 11 turnovers in game one as they took a 63-56 win.

Senior guard Josh Nicholas helped keep the game close with his 15 points off the bench while leading the team in shooting percentage at 5-9 total and going 2-3 from beyond the arc. Russell Harrison was the team’s secondary leader in points and rebounds, but he accounted for one-third of the team’s 18 turnovers. Senior center Chris Efretuei had eight points, a season high seven rebounds, and a pair of blocks.

Even with the Warhawks having a +9 differential in rebounding, it was not enough to win the game.

Their second meeting was decided by six points with ULM falling 52-58. Harrison had a 12 point, 10 rebound double-double but shot a poor 4-16 from the field with six of those misses coming off of three-point shots. Freshman forward Thomas Howell scored 10 on 5-5 shooting in just 17 minutes of play. Both teams had late game scoreless stretches.

The Warhawks hit a three to end their drought to bring it within two, but the Mavericks soon started hitting shots as well.

Bad rebounding efforts by ULM sealed the game as they had no choice but to foul within the final minute of play. Nicholas would

photo courtesy ULM Athletics

THE DRIVE: ULM guard Josh Nicholas looks to drive into the paint for a score.

foul out in a last ditch effort to save the game, but it would be in vain. contact Cameron Jett at jettcm@warhawks.ulm.edu

Football Feature

Bowden: ‘We must be all in’

by Cameron Jett

ULM turned heads in the world of college football with the acquisition of Terry Bowden. In an interview with the Hawkeye, the 1993 Coach of the Year spoke at length on the future of his vision of this ULM football program.

Bowden wants to get fans and players alike bought into this team before the season starts. “We must be all in.” Bowden said. “The team is not just about our players, it’s about our students, faculty, and alumni, we must be part of the success and not the problem.”

Bowden in his decades of experience has seen the difference a loyal following can make and he wants to gain that before the team’s first contest.

Bowden said, “If you wait until the first win, it may not come.”

While turning around a losing team is a daunting task, it is one Bowden has undertaken before. Of the six teams he has been a head coach of, five were losing teams upon his arrival. At each of these teams, he was able to cre-

photo courtesy ULM athletics

ALL IN: Bowden speaks with the media with a passionate message for the Warhawk faithful.

ate winning seasons and take them to postseason play. His coaching staff is already hard at work implementing their schemes among the players in search of those who will thrive under the new system.

“Every player in the locker room has a clean slate now” coach said as

part of the importance of finding the best members of the program.

Bowden was born into a football family. His father Bobby Bowden had a legendary career at Florida State, winning two national titles. His brother, Tommy Bowden, had a successful career as well. He owes much of his

phrase “Defense wins championships” does not hold as much truth as it once did. Bowden allured to Alabama’s Nick Saban, quoting him by saying. “now it’s defense as much as offense that wins championships.”

For Bowden, it revolves around the quarterback position. With returning QBs Colby Suits and Jeremy Hunt and the addition of Rhett Rodriquez, son of offensive coordinator Rich Rodriquez, there will be plenty of options moving into next season.

The culture of the school and city are important to coaches. With high schools in the area having amazing athletic programs like West Monroe, Ouachita and Rayville, the interest is there. Bowden sees Monroe as “a southern football town dying for good college football.”

With a stacked coaching staff and a team ready to change their image, the Bowden era of ULM football can become one of the program’s most sucessful eras.

coaching philosophy and knowledge to his father.

His recent stint at Clemson as a graduate assistant was something he feels will help his time at ULM, stating that coach Dabo Swinney has reaffirmed him on much of what he has done and believed in in his coaching career. contact Cameron Jett at In the modern era, the jettcm@warhawks.ulm.edu