Wednesday, March 20, 2024

ONE GAME AT A TIME

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ABOUT THE COVER: Vols enter the NCAA Tournament with high expectations while Lady Vols hit the road for the first time since 2021.

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Letter from Ablaze: Honoring female icons during Women’s History Month

MADELYN STONE Editor-in-Chief

During this year’s Women’s History Month, Ablaze has decided to reflect on courageous female icons that have paved the path for women today. Each one of these women that our editors have selected showcase the power of women and the importance of honoring their accomplishments during Women’s History Month.

Madelyn Stone (Editor-in-Chief)

When deciding on an icon to reflect on, Joan of Arc came to mind due to her fight for her convictions.

Regardless of societal constraints, Joan, a medieval French peasant, believed it was her divine calling to lead France against England in the Hundred Years’ War. Despite lacking military training and being a woman, Joan persuaded Prince Charles of Valois to let her lead the French forces to victory in Orléans in 1429.

After her victory in Orléans, Joan was captured and she faced a trial for witchcraft, a fate common for women during this time, and was executed at the age of 19 in May of 1431. By 1920, Joan was immortalized as a martyr and France’s patron saint. Her steadfastness and sacrifice have continued to inspire women globally, symbolizing resilience and the pursuit of justice.

Joan’s story continues to transcend time, by resonating with women striving for equality, even dating back to the 15th century. As a Christian, her tale deeply moves me, underscoring her enduring impact on women’s rights movements.

Molly Nichols (Social Media Editor)

Katherine Goble Johnson was the first female African American student in West Virginia University’s graduate math program as well as one of the first African American women to work as a NASA scientist.

Her expertise was crucial in calculating NASA’s first manned space mission as well as later assisting on the Apollo moon landing. Her work and willpower helped to break many barriers at the time, both with desegregation and women’s rights.

She is to be admired as both a powerful woman and a strong advocate for women in STEM. She encouraged everyone to reach for the stars and pursue their dream.

I believe that she is one of the most impactful people of her time and an important figure to remember in women’s history.

Mattie Chase (Content Editor)

For this Women’s History Month, let’s reflect on one icon close to all of our hearts, Dolly Parton. Parton, a national treasure, is committed to philanthropy work to give back to her commu-

nity.

Through the Dollywood Foundation, she has donated millions to various organizations with a focus on childhood literacy. In her career, she has promoted the success of others and opportunities for families and friends to come together.

Parton provides books to children and scholarships to high school students which has decreased dropout rates in local counties. Her Imagination Library has grown from serving Sevier County to countries across the globe.

Her dedication and selflessness through charity work won her Jeff Bezos’ Courage and Civility Award which included a $100 million donation from Bezos.

Parton is an inspiration as she has pulled herself up by her bootstraps and used music to connect us all. When you think of Parton, you think of faith, kindness and strength. She reminds us to be unapologetically ourselves and to use our privileges to help others succeed.

Her character and actions are an important reminder for Women’s History Month.

Holly Liban (Graphic Design Editor)

A woman who greatly inspires me is my mother, Lorna Liban. Although she may not be as well known as other notable women in history and celebrities in the modern day, her achievements are nothing less than admirable.

Growing up, I often questioned her decisions, but as I grew older, I deeply appreciated her delicate balance of love and discipline. She navigated the complexities of parenthood with warmth, guiding me in the right direction while still fostering closeness between us.

She always supported me throughout my aspirations but guided me as a loving mother. Despite long, exhausting hours at work, she sacrifices her free time for the betterment of my family.

Yet, she never fails to greet her students with a genuine smile. Personally, no other woman is as inspiring and as strong as her. I aspire to be as resilient, warm and loving as my mother, striving to be both a guiding force and a best friend to my future child.

Let us never forget to honor the extraordinary women in our lives, especially our hard-working mothers.

Bailey Beller (Photo Editor)

Diana, the late Princess of Wales, is arguably one of the most influential women of her time. Even 26 years after her tragic death, she is inspiring countless people today, including myself. She shamelessly broke royal protocol countless times by engaging with people directly — which was rare for someone of her stature.

However, what I find most inspiring about Diana was how open she was about her mental health struggles, which ultimately helped reduce the negative stigma surrounding mental health. Her openness — especially as a member of the royal family — was extremely uncommon.

As someone who has struggled with my mental well-being, it’s assuring to see that such an influential woman, like Diana, was promoting normalcy and raising awareness for something that impacts millions every day. She was known as “The People’s Princess,” and I think that title still rings true for those, like myself, who remain inspired by her today.

(From left to right) Madelyn Stone, Molly Nichols, Mattie Chase, Holly Liban and Bailey Beller — Ablaze magazine editors — reflect on iconic women in honor of Women’s History Month.

Photos courtesy of Ablaze

Grand Challenge Grants promote creativity for community solutions

ADAM DELAHOUSSAYE Staff Writer

Last semester, the University of Tennessee System announced its new Grand Challenge Grants, a philanthropic idea set to pour up to $5 million back into Tennessee communities and the areas in which the money is most needed. Faculty and staff across the UT System researched and developed the program, as well as surveyed Tennesseans across the state to get a personal idea of where aid is currently most needed.

The three main areas the grants hope to affect are bolstering rural communities, helping combat addiction and making strides toward improving K-12 education. Not only will these grants help directly affect local issues, but they will also put UT System grant holders in direct collaboration with community partners who have been actively working on the work already.

John Lacey, systems strategist for the UT System, said the grants will help to remove the barriers of working in a large organization and encourage the sharing of resources.

“Grants like this, I think, are really important for incentivizing collaboration and for helping develop some new innovations and new ideas,” Lacey said. “Not just in one department, but we’re really trying to incentivize cross-campus and even cross-system collaboration. At the system level, our goal is definitely to ‘be one UT.’”

The involvement and proposal process for these grants is fairly simple. Teams can either apply for a Type 1 or Type 2 grant. Experts in the respective field will look over and approve the proposals, basing their criteria in four different areas. Those areas are innovation and transformative outlook, elements of collaboration, both internal and external, what kind of impact is expected and sustainability. Once approved, Type 1 projects will begin in the fall of 2024 with updates given as needed and Type 2 in the winter of 2025.

Outside of the three major areas being targeted, methods and planning surrounding proposals are left up to the teams. Creativity and collaboration are the pillars of the liberal approach being taken by the UT System. Lacey said that while it may not be directly noticed, this sort of thinking will hopefully foster more creative sentiments within the faculty and staff.

“I think the faculty here are super creative folks anyway,” Lacey said. “And this is just another way to put their ideas out there and maybe win some of these grant opportunities. I don’t know that it’s going to directly make a faculty member think more creatively, but I think it’s another opportunity for them to share their creativity.”

Local communities are a big area of concern, as UT System President Randy Boyd and the UT

chancellors made clear in their State of the University address last month. The grants help put that into almost immediate action. As a state university and one with an immense resource pool, seeing those resources poured back into the community is seen as more of an obligation than an opportunity. With the areas of interest being informed to UT staff by residents of the state, that obligation becomes a lot more personal and a lot more meaningful.

Janet Fox, assistant dean and the department head for the UT Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Department, said there is a lot of work needed to be done in those areas.

“Community schools are closing. Hospitals are closing. There’s a lack of service for mental health and addiction,” Fox said. “I think across the state, rural communities lack the resources other communities might have, and therefore, it amplifies some of these issues because there’s not the resources to address the real challenges that accompany those issues.”

While progress is still very much being made, a new grant such as this one promises new and innovative ideas for solutions for some of Tennessee’s most pressing issues. The UT System as a whole has always acted as a link to outreach in the form of research and experimentation, and this instance is likely to be no different.

Applications for the grants are currently open, with a virtual informational session scheduled to be held on Tuesday, March 19, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. The application deadline is April 30.

The Grand Challenge Grants were launched at a mini-summit. The grants aim to foster Tennessee communities, combat addiction and bolster education. Courtesy of John Lacey

Knoxville’s annual Big Ears Festival kicks off Thursday with diverse lineup

SHELBY WRIGHT Staff Writer

This Thursday, March 21, Knoxville kicks off its annual Big Ears music festival, featuring renowned artists like Grammy Award-winner Jon Batiste, rapper André 3000, Led Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones, folk musician Rhiannon Giddens, jazz legend Herbie Hancock and avantgarde artist Laurie Anderson.

Big Ears was founded in 2009 by the festival’s executive director Ashley Capps, who also founded Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in 2002.

“I love the social experience festivals help to nurture,” Capps said.

This year, Big Ears is more diverse than ever. With over 200 performances throughout the four-day weekend, Capps expressed that he is not only excited to bring in Grammy Award winners and musical legends but also new up-andcoming artists from across the globe.

One of the up-and-coming artists is Hatis Noit, a Japanese vocal performer who is coming to Knoxville from London, England. Noit channels the power of the human voice through singing original music inspired by Gagaku — Japanese classical music — silken operatic roulades, birdsong and ancient-sounding ululations.

“I’m very much looking forward to going. … It’s one of my favorite festivals in the world,” Noit said.

Noit has dreamed of performing at Big Ears ever since she attended the festival herself in 2019. During her performance on Saturday, March 23, at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, she will perform songs from her first EP album, “Aura,” which has received much critical acclaim since its release in 2022.

Noit’s music and style stand out among the other Big Ears artists. Her performance will be simplistic yet impactful, she said. Energy and emotion inspire Noit’s performances and drive her songs. She wants her audience to feel and remember the atmosphere she creates with her voice.

Big Ears also has an incredible roster of underground hip-hop artists, electronica musicians, punk rock bands and even poetry readings, workshops, meditation sessions, film programs and a live visual art performance by revolutionary punk rock artist, Steve Keene.

All performances are within walking distance from one another in Knoxville’s historic downtown which is just minutes away from UT’s campus.

“The diversity of the festival often throws people off a little bit because, you know, most festivals are kind of focused on being just a rock festival or just a jazz festival or just a bluegrass festival, but (Big Ears is) all of those things,” Capps said.

Another featured performer coming to Big Ears is New York City drummer Kenny Wollesen, who will perform in three shows: Sexmob at The

Standard, Laurie Anderson & Sexmob: Let x=x at Knoxville Civic Auditorium and the Wolle-Sonic Massage at the Knoxville Museum of Art.

Wollesen grew up in a jazz-saturated environment in Santa Cruz, California, and has been featured with several high-profile artists, including Anderson and Bill Frisell, making him an intrinsic part of the downtown New York scene. Wollesen is also working on a new album, “LATRARA,” set to release on May 3, featuring fellow Big Ears performer Nasheet Waits and others.

Wollesen has performed with Sexmob for over 30 years, and while he is excited about their upcoming shows, especially their collaboration with Anderson, he is most enthusiastic about his sonic massage.

The Wolle-Sonic Massage is an early-morning show that will feature brand new instruments that Wollesen has invented, and he says the event is BYOY — “bring your own yoga mat” — because you will be lying on the ground.

“It’s going to be early in the morning, so I think, you know, people coming out to Big Ears listen to a lot of music, and, you know, it can be kind of overloading for some people,” Wollesen said. “Part of the massage is going to be, in a way, a kind of a palate cleanser … like a little bowl of soap water or, you know, rose petals so you could dip your fingers in and just kind of clean your ears and reset your ears and … just

take it down a notch so that you can get filled up again.”

Wollesen said that, unlike a regular concert, the audience will be in the middle while the musicians sound and walk through the audience. This will create a sonic spatial spectrum of sounds that will be heard differently by every audience member.

“So everybody, in a sense, is getting a very brand new, unique concept that nobody else is listening to,” Wollesen said. “You’re the only one. Even the musicians don’t know what all is going on … everybody’s experienced something completely unique from each other.”

In addition to concerts, Big Ears will feature Knoxville poet laureates on Thursday, March 21, at Regas Square with R.B. Morris, Marilyn Kallet, Rhea “Sunshine” Carmen and Black Atticus.

Kallet, who is also a professor emerita at UT, said that this year’s poet laureate represents the city of Knoxville. She says that poetry gives her and her fellow performers a place to sing their hearts out, tell their stories through music and provide a space for healing.

“All of these writers are heroes in their own ways,” Kallet said. “They open the doors for other people to talk about whatever has injured them or whatever they’re celebrating. There will be nothing academic about what happens. It will all be, ‘Hi, let me sing this for you today.’”

Capps suggests that if you are not up to attending the full weekend, purchasing a singleday pass can get you into over 30 shows on Thursday and Sunday and over 50 on Friday and Saturday.

Sunday’s single-day passes have already sold out, but limited options are still available for purchase on the Big Ears website. These passes, starting at $115, get you into all concerts and performances in over 12 different venues, admission to all film screenings and literary events, and entrance into all official talks, panel discussions, exhibitions and workshops.

To better keep up with each day’s schedule, download the Big Ears Festival app.

Knoxville’s Big Ears Festival’s collaborative, experimental nature has created an incomparable, eclectic musical landscape over the years, and according to Noit, you don’t want to miss it.

Capps warns not to let the lineups overwhelm you. Just because you may not know every artist doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give them a chance because you may end up discovering your new favorite band. The festival’s purpose is stated in its name — it’s all about making your ears “bigger.”

“Big Ears has so many different facets and so many different entries, depending on what your interests are,” Capps said. “It’s really about discovery and just being open.”

Los Lobos performs at the Tennessee Theatre during the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN. Thursday, April 30, 2023. File / The Daily Beacon

Alumni-founded Six Pack Coverage is a one-stop shop for news, lifestyle media

ADAM DELAHOUSSAYE Staff Writer

Andrew Grayson and Nick McCormick, the respective president and vice president of Six Pack Coverage and University of Tennessee alumni, met each other in a context probably familiar to a lot of college students. It wasn’t a networking event or a job fair that brought these two together, but rather a trip to the beach right before their fall semester at UT.

Six Pack Coverage, or simply Six Pack, is a multimedia company designed to harbor a onestop shop for news and lifestyle media. What originally began as a sports-centric page called SportsFocus, offering analytics and athlete interviews, stemmed into the multi-headed beast that is Six Pack today. This is also where the name comes into play, as Grayson and McCormick try to hit the six pillars of a well-rounded life: sports, finance, fitness, food, travel and entertainment. From a mere glance at the Six Pack site or Instagram page, it’s clear to see the duo brings an eclectic dish to the table.

When you know their backgrounds, what becomes clearer is that hyperfocused betting locks and postgame breakdowns were always going to be reductive of their ultimate potential. Grayson pursued a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology at UT, then went on to get a master’s of business administration at Austin Peay State University and for a brief time studied nuclear medicine at

Vanderbilt University.

His partner McCormick scales and handles the marketing for both Six Pack as well as Easyfish Marketing, an agency tailored to developing sweeping marketing campaigns on shoestring budgets. Another startup, Easyfish has gone from operating in the negatives to having now accrued almost $2.5 million in revenue annually. With both of those resumes in the mix, it’s safe to say the duo was bound to branch out at some point.

“The reason we came up with the pillars of the company, and we’re gonna expand on all these still because they’re still pretty raw and we’re still pretty young, is just so we can continue to grow with someone,” McCormick said. “I graduated from Haslam, so I read all these finance articles, entertainment can be for everybody and Andrew with fitness having a background in kinesiology. Being able to branch off of that — even when people graduate, they can still keep track of their interests and follow people as they grow outside of college.”

Though a lasting impression is certainly the mission statement, relevancy is still not something lost to these two even if their college days are now behind them. Social media, and all of its accessories, are accredited to a vast majority of the success by both Grayson and McCormick alike. Though the two share a much different view of it as an entity than most of their target demographic, a notice and know-how into how and why it has such a broad reach has remained

a valuable skill.

“I personally hate social media,” Grayson said. “Which is ironic because I run a ‘social media company.’ I think there’s more negatives than positives personally, but I’m not gonna be a hypocrite. It’s why we’ve blown up and done well.”

The duo credits a lot of their growth and sustained image to a whopping number of contributors and helping hands. Aside from a core team of around 21 people, Six Pack has a roster of over 337 interns at 48 universities across the United States.

The college sector is vast, and it’s one that every person who interacts with Six Pack in any capacity will have at least one commonality already within the core demographic. Not only that, it’s constantly rotating, which is also a consideration and a preparation made by Grayson and McCormick. With such a varied content base, there are sure to be reasons for interactions to continue on the site long after a follower has thrown up their graduation cap.

Though for now, it seems these two are still in the throes of that seed-planting process. This spring sees Six Pack going on tour to around 40 schools all across the country. Partnered with Greek organizations at the schools, the crew brings all the basics of a festival on frat row to an already built-in audience. Staging, production, security, insurance and artist booking are all covered along with the promise of a good time put on by a company that will shortly after be-

2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship

come a household name to these partygoers.

To date, Six Pack Coverage has grown at a faster rate than companies like Old Row and Barstool Sports did in their infancy stages, and the duo here promises a much more well-rounded media outlet than most college students are accustomed to.

Though the road is long and can at times be unforgiving, Grayson and McCormick seem unperturbed, approaching the media game with blinders on. Their guts and wits have gotten them this far. Who’s to say it can’t take them further?

UT alumni Andrew Grayson and Nick McCormick are the respective president and vice president of Six Pack Coverage. Courtesy of Andrew Grayson

Studying abroad opens doors to new countries, new career paths

LOGAN KORN Contributor

Jennifer Allison never planned on being a travel advisor. She expected to become a marine biologist, but her experiences with studying abroad sent her down a new path.

It was the fall of 2015 at Auburn University, and Allison was in class staring at her computer screen when a guest speaker came in to talk about a study abroad trip to Akumal, Mexico. Allison’s ears perked up, and her eyes lifted from her screen. It sounded crazy, actually going to Mexico to study marine biology.

Her friends thought it sounded wild too, and they all talked about signing up for the trip together.

“They were soft plans,” Allison said. “The kind no one really follows up on. ... But I did. Everyone else in that class talked about it, but I was the only one to actually do it.”

However, Allison didn’t find herself alone on the trip. Several other brave souls from different classes flew across the border with her, including Nick Lockhart, who was not a big fan of Allison.

“He hated me,” Allison said, laughing. “I’m not sure why. But, yeah, it was super awkward at first.”

The awkwardness was alleviated when the student group found itself out of the classroom and on a beach by the Gulf of Mexico. They were miles from computers, projectors and notes. On that beach and in the waters surrounding it, they would not simply learn marine biology. They would do marine biology.

Over the next few weeks, Allison and Lockhart learned to set their differences aside and work together as a team. They spent long hours in the ocean studying the impacts of snorkel tourism on the local coral.

But it was after class while eating dinner on the beach that Allison and Lockhart’s friendship was sealed.

“This momma turtle just came crawling right up out of the water and dug a hole and buried her eggs in it,” Allison said. “It just happened right there in front of us. It was crazy.”

After that, Allison and Lockhart became lifelong friends, even working together as partners on their final research project.

When they got back home, however, Allison discovered that she was addicted.

Home seemed too ordinary, too familiar. She had tasted the salty air of the Gulf of Mexico, dived 80 feet below the surface to find untouched coral species and sipped mojitos on a beach while turtles buried their eggs. The projections of blue whales and dolphins within the sterile walls of the classroom no longer interested her. She had seen the real thing.

The next semester, Allison signed up for another trip, this time to Italy, for a class in international human sciences. There are 20 different regions in Italy, and Allison traveled to 16 of them, interviewing the locals, writing stories and immersing herself in the culture.

The love of travel became a lifelong passion for Allison — so much so that she abandoned her plans of becoming a marine biologist in favor of becoming a travel advisor.

“What I do now is much cooler any-

way,” Allison said. “When I went into the travel industry, they were amazed by my personal experience and how much of it could apply to this line of work.”

Her travel agency, Nashville Luxury Travel, was so impressed with Allison that they appointed her as the Italy Specialist because she can give clients first-hand accounts of Italian villages and make specific recommendations for places to visit.

Many of us think about studying abroad, but few actually take the plunge. We let our plans fade into dreams when we could be working to make them a reality. For some, fear gets in the way, while for others, it’s money.

However, Rachel Rui, director of the Office of Asia Engagement, points out that the list of scholarships and grants available is increasing at the University of Tennessee, which partners with out-

side organizations to make these opportunities a reality.

According to Rui, UT even has advisors that students can talk to about which study abroad program is right for them and how they can afford it. She remains passionate about these programs partly because they helped her so much when she was a student.

“I came to the U.S. on a study abroad trip 16 years ago,” Rui said. “I suppose you could say my study abroad experience never ended.”

Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. It’s impossible to fully prepare for everything that might come your way. One minute, you may be studying marine biology, while the next you’re advising world travelers on their trip to the ruins of Pompeii. One day, you may take a quick study abroad trip to a foreign land, only to find yourself living there over a decade later.

Jennifer Allison, a travel advisor with Nashville Luxury Travel, credits her career to her experience studying marine biology abroad in Mexico. Courtesy of Jennifer Allison

Opinion: How to date in your 20s

ANSLEY GRAVES Columnist

It is no secret that entering your 20s can be that awkward transition period. Let me rephrase that: It is that awkward transition period. You are trying to figure out a “big person” career, a social life and maybe even a love life. You might ask yourself, “What the heck am I going to do with my life?” or “Am I ever going to find someone?”

And that’s OK. Nobody really knows what they are doing or where they are going, and we need to give ourselves more credit for where we are currently and how far we have come.

At this age, you might find yourself missing your high school sweetheart that was totally going to last. Besides, it was just college that got in the way of the relationship, right? You might not have scoped out the dating scene since high school and feel kind of stuck. You might even find yourself scoffing at the happy couples that did make it from high school and ended up staying together for college, which I definitely do not do.

If any of these scenarios sound like you, do not fear. More people are experiencing this than you would have thought, and it is OK to be frustrated or lost.

If you are like me, you are not actively looking for a relationship, but the thought of one might be nice. I am certainly no expert in the dating field, but I have learned some valuable knowledge along the way that might be valuable to you, too. With that being said, there are some serious factors to consider when taking on the role of girlfriend, boyfriend or partner in this awkward transition period that we all are just trying to get through.

In the wise words of my roommate and best friend, Ryleigh Dougall, all people should stick to two rules when it comes to looking for that spe-

cial someone.

Rule No. 1: If you have to ask yourself if they are interested in you, they are probably not.

Rule No. 2: If they wanted to, they would.

While these rules might seem cliche or even implied, they actually have significantly changed my view on the dating scene when I applied them to a person of interest. When you apply these words of wisdom to someone you are involved with, you will automatically see a filter of who is worthy of being in your life and who is not. You can and should also apply this rule to platonic relationships.

Sometimes, it can be hard to apply this filter when you really want your involvement with this person to work. We all hear excuses like, “But he is the social chair of his frat” or “But they liked my Instagram story!”

No buts! If they are not showing you that you have their full interest at heart, no matter who they are, it is time to cut it off.

We are not 16 years old anymore. This age is the prime of our lives when we form the most valuable and long-lasting relationships. Personally, as a 20-year-old, I do not have time for games. I work long hours, dedicate time to academics and am involved in a sorority. In short, I do not have time for you to like my Instagram story and not look in my direction when I see you on campus.

Lastly, try something new. Apply these rules to your romantic life and see how it goes. You might happen to find that special someone you are so worthy of having.

E. Burke

Columnist Ansley Graves shares that feeling stuck while scoping out the college dating scene and not knowing where to start searching is normal to experience. Calie Wrona / The Daily Beacon

Letter to the Editor: Being transparent about where your student fees are going

Dear UT,

Do you know where your student fees go? Let’s chat.

Short answer: The Student Government Association receives just shy of $60K per fiscal year from Student Programs and Services Fee funds.

The purpose of this organization is to represent and serve the student body. However, this governing body, much like U.S. politics, is out of touch and disconnected from UT students. In the undergraduate senate where senators are primarily elected to represent their academic college or residential area, there have only been eight pieces of legislation introduced this school year. Two of these have been the budget proposal and passing the election packet rules. With another two bills making edits to the SGA constitution and bylaws, only four bills are to support student affairs and concerns this school year.

This upcoming election is projected to have one campaign — this shows that the organization does not have the relevance on campus that it claims to have. SGA’s objective is to present widespread diversity and thought to better support the student body with support from student fees.

There is not even a facade of choice for the student body when a select few make all decisions for the organization as a result of one ticket on the ballot. A legal caveat to this limited choice is the “write-in” option students have when they begin the vote.

People have become complicit and fear speaking up. I can only imagine a world where differences of opinion would be welcomed in SGA.

My experience as the executive treasurer of SGA was tarnished. In this role, I was meant to have the responsibility of allocating the SGA budget. I was committed to supporting each branch and its members to act as intentional leaders for the student body through advocacy, outreach and programming. My campaign ran on rebuilding SGA’s reputation, which included transparency. Unfortunately, I was met with backlash for challenging a member about the intentionality of their request. A common response I would receive explaining intentionality was: “We have the money. Why not spend it?”

In a separate conversation, a UT executive leadership staff member shared that I was a supporting character in the background — I was not meant to be in decision-making conversations. I had no autonomy and thus could not do the role I was elected to by the student body. I became a middle person and a scape-

goat for decisions that were not my own. The reputation and passions I built during my tenure were harmed. There needed to be a person in this organization who questioned the validity of requests, yet I was deemed “that mean finance lady.”

One of the main reasons SGA can no longer accurately represent the student body and have proper control of its finances is because there is an overwhelming sense of oversight from university administration. Ties were severed with both the state legislature and university administration following the years-long Sex Week dispute. Student fees were being allocated toward a registered student organization holding a week-long opportunity for faculty, students and campus partners to conduct educational discussions surrounding sexual health. This event caused the Tennessee General Assembly and the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury to become involved in this years-long debate about student fees going towards educational content. The state legislature established policies that all state universities now have to follow regarding student fees. SGA used to have strong autonomy as the organization allocated student fees to all student organizations and the various events that now are presented from newly established offices. Now, that power is gone.

The Student Programs and Services Fee allocations are meant to represent the student body’s needs and wants through programming that promotes growth and connection. Compar-

ing what is done by other SEC student governments to UTK is astonishing. Students in SGA at other schools have more power and free reign so that their roles are essentially full-time jobs. They have the power and relevance to allocate funds to other student organizations that our SGA does not.

During my time serving within the student government, I’ve realized the unnecessary amount of funding the organization receives. For this fiscal year, with a total budget of about $58,000 and after $11,000 is set aside for stipends for the top four positions, we based our operating budget as $47,500. When looking at the publicly posted budget, the $11,000 is not included as that is taken out at the beginning of the fiscal year.

At most, $25,000 a year could be allocated, and still many programming and advocacy events benefiting students would occur. SGA no longer has the influence to make change on campus or affirm student concerns that warrant $50,000 from student fees.

No UTK student government administration has reached the total allocation for years, and any unused funding “disappears” at the end of the fiscal year. At this point in mid-March, SGA has spent about $22,500 of the $47,500 budget. Because the funds will disappear June 30, money needs to be spent. Typically, funds will be allocated toward supplies needed for the upcoming year.

SGA has a Transition Ceremony celebrating

the past year’s administration and welcoming the newly elected officers. Last year, nearly $30K was left at the beginning of April, so the team planning the internal dinner essentially had free range. Now, entering this election season and ceremony planning, it is said that there has been a “standard” following last year, and it should be continued. The only estimates for this event I have received as the executive treasurer is likely $8,000.

Nearly one-fifth of the budget is being requested for an internal event. Much to my dismay, the Executive Cabinet does not seem to find concern in this spending.

Do you think a student organization should put on an internal dinner for approximately 150 people costing almost $10,000 with your student fees? That’s what could happen this year, despite my dissent.

What do you want your fees to go to? Contact SGA or UT Division of Student Life.

MARY HAJDIK

SGA Executive Treasurer

Executive Treasurer Mary Hajdik says her role was tarnished due to inappropriate allocation of budget funds. File / The Daily Beacon

East Tennessee Maverick: School vouchers are a scam that harms public schools

WALKER KINSLER Columnist

Public tax dollars should go to public education, not to private schools.

Gov. Bill Lee has been pushing for private school vouchers since his first year in office in 2019. His efforts have faced continual pushback, court issues and even heavy Republican resistance.

The initial law passed by the state Republican supermajority in 2019 — though it didn’t go into effect until 2022 due to legal challenges — only targeted the Democratic counties of Davidson and Shelby. Republican legislators were afraid their voters wouldn’t agree with vouchers, so they forced the program only on their political opponents in the minority. A small expansion last year added Hamilton County to the list.

Lee’s newer proposal, unveiled in November 2023, has been going through perpetual changes and compromises as internal divisions plague Republicans. As a result, the governor’s bill, the state Senate’s bill and the state House’s bill are all different in certain aspects.

The proposal would create 10,000 vouchers, 20,000 in the House’s bill, for Tennessee families whose income is at or under 300% of the federal poverty level, 400% in the House. All counties

would be subject to this new law. These vouchers can be used at any state-approved private or religious school and amount to about $7,075 each. Only the Senate’s bill has any accountability testing requirements.

A central argument made by voucher supporters is that school choice allows parents to send their students away from a fledgling public school to a pristine private one. However, the state government must do everything in its power to fund, support and improve our public schools. We cannot divert public tax dollars away from our public institutions in order to privatize education.

Another common argument from the provoucher camp is that parents should distrust what public schools teach their children. Whether it’s baseless accusations of indoctrination or lingering resentments towards previous COVID-19 restrictions, school choice supporters viciously attack the integrity of our public schools and teachers.

The truth is that many private and religious schools have curricula designed to impress viewpoints onto students. This agenda is especially the case in Tennessee, where private schools commonly hold evangelical or conservative ideals. That is all well and good if a parent pays for their kid’s private schooling themselves, but our state should not subsidize a restrictive or religious education. Public education is the best route for an unbiased learning environment. Republicans in the General Assembly are split over the program. Some are optimistic that an

agreement can be reached, while others still oppose the transferring of tax dollars to private institutions.

Local school boards, education associations and teachers are issuing resolutions and statements condemning school choice plans. Knox News noted that by this February, school boards “including Blount County, Collierville, Metro Nashville, Moore County Schools, Rutherford County Schools and others” had passed resolutions opposing vouchers. They added that, locally, the cities of Alcoa and Maryville have done so as well. Many of these school boards across the state are in Republican-majority districts. The Tennessee Education Association and the Tennessee School Boards Association are also giving heavy opposition to the program.

This resistance shows that educators and their stewards elected to school boards clearly do not want vouchers. The only ones who do are a few conservatives with power in the state government and a vocal minority of school-choice proponents with an agenda.

The General Assembly should do away with their voucher proposals and fully fund public schools. If a school is known to be struggling, our representatives should explore all avenues to get it back on track. That is why they were elected. They should not look elsewhere and leave it abandoned.

Teachers should not be subjected to harmful accusations founded upon baseless distrust. They put in a lot of painstaking work to assist the next generation and should be supported.

2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship

Republican legislators must listen to their constituents and local educators and vote against any voucher bills. Public education funding should be free of private institutional meddling. Our tax dollars should not be siphoned away, and our state shouldn’t support biased curriculums.

Columnist Walker Kinsler writes that our “state government must do everything in its power to fund, support and improve our public schools.” Courtesy of Vecteezy.com

Walker Kinsler is a junior at UT this year studying political science and history. He can be reached at wkinsler@ vols.utk.edu.

Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

Tennessee basketball approaching first weekend of NCAA Tournament as ‘Charlotte Invitational’

CALEB JARREAU Sports Editor

Tennessee basketball isn’t looking ahead as it enters the NCAA Tournament.

The No. 2 seed Vols (24-8) begin their NCAA Tournament run against No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s (19-13) on Thursday at 9:20 p.m. ET in Charlotte, North Carolina. The round of 32 will take place on Saturday, but, for now, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes and the Vols are focused just on day one.

“I just told the team and really we’ve got to look at it like this is the Charlotte Invitational right now: Us, Saint (Peter’s) and then we’ll go from there,” Barnes said.

If Tennessee advances past Saint Peter’s, it will face No. 7 seed Texas (20-12) and Virginia (23-10) or Colorado State (24-10) — who will battle in the play-in for the No. 10 seed.

Saint Peter’s likely rings a bell for many college basketball fans. The Peacocks were recently the darling of March. As a No. 15 seed in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, Saint Peter’s upset No. 2 seed Kentucky and then defeated No. 7 seed Murray State. It then upset No. 1 Purdue to go to the Elite Eight.

The Peacocks have a different head coach from that Cinderella run — now being led by Bashir Mason in his second season. Barnes

has no doubt that the miraculous run in 2022 will provide the team some motivation heading into this year’s tournament.

“If I were at Saint Peter’s right now, it’d be the first thing I’d put up right there,” Barnes said. “Say look what happened, it can be done. And we know it can be done now at every level. I mean, No. 16 seeds beat a No. 1 or No. 15 beat a No. 2. It’s about our focus and getting ready. You got to go out and play great basketball from here on out. Because if you’re playing this time of year, you’re playing good basketball.”

The Peacocks clinched the MAAC Tournament title over Fairfield behind 6-foot-6 forward Corey Washington’s 24 points. Washington averages over 16 points per game.

From Saint Peter’s 2022 run, only one play remains: Latrell Reid. He is the second-leading scorer for the Peacocks.

Saint Peter’s also has a freshman guard by the name of Armoni Zeigler, the half-brother of Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler.

Armoni Zeigler averages 6.4 points per game while playing 19 minutes per game this season for the Peacocks.

Seeing the matchup announced created a unique moment for Zakai Zeigler and his teammates.

“We were kind of talking about it earlier,” Vescovi said. “I told him I was like, ‘You are going to have to guard your brother.’ He was

like, ‘No, you’ve got him. He is 6-5.’

“We love it. I think it is going to be a great moment for both of them. It is a game they will both enjoy playing against each other. You don’t get to see that very often. His reaction, like everybody just started yelling in the locker room. He got on his phone right away probably with him. Very fun moment.”

Zeigler’s connection to Saint Peter’s goes beyond just his brother. The Peacocks were the only school to extend him a scholarship offer following his freshman year. He turned down the conditional offer before being offered by Tennessee.

The decision worked out for the 5-foot-9 guard who just turned in arguably the best season of his career coming off of a torn ACL. Zeigler was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and earned first-team honors following the 2023-24 campaign. He averaged 14.1 points per game and seven assists through SEC play.

After being sidelined with injury last year, Barnes expects to see an excited Zeigler on Thursday.

“I mean, think about where he was a year ago this time and where he is today,” Barnes said. “I’m going to have to make sure he is not overly amped up because I know he’s going to be excited to get out there and go after it.”

Lady Vols basketball will end 14-day layoff with NCAA Tournament first round

JACK CHURCH Assistant Sports Editor

Lady Vols basketball knew it would be going on the road, not likely to seed high enough to host. When its name popped up on Selection Sunday, the Lady Vols found out where they were headed.

With the bracket set, Saturday’s NCAA Tournament game just feels closer. The game will end a two-week layoff for Tennessee.

“They’re just excited to play,” Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper said. “At this point, obviously there’s a lot of lead-up into the tournament and what your seed is going to be, but at this point, it’s all about your matchups. It really is, and so they’re excited.”

The Lady Vols (19-12) qualified for their 42nd straight NCAA Tournament, continuing their streak as the only program in the country to never miss the tournament. The No. 6 seed is Tennessee’s worst seed in Harper’s four NCAA Tournament appearances.

Tennessee will head to Raleigh, North Carolina, for the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Their first game will come

against No. 11 seed Green Bay (27-6), who earned an automatic bid by winning the Horizon League. With a win, the Lady Vols would likely meet No. 3 seed NC State (27-6).

Harper coached at NC State for four seasons and made one NCAA Tournament appearance with the Wolfpack. Harper is excited at the prospect of being around her former school for the start of the tournament run.

“I haven’t been back to Raleigh a whole lot,” Harper said. “I lived there for a few years, so it’ll be interesting to go back and see everything.”

Since Harper coached at NC State, the program has changed. From 2020 to 2022, the Wolfpack won three straight ACC Championships, the school’s first since Kay Yow did so in 1991. In 2022, they went to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.

Tennessee and NC State met in a closed scrimmage during the offseason. As the season has played out, both the Lady Vols and the Wolfpack have gotten farther away from their teams that day, so not much can be taken from the meeting into a possible matchup.

“It was so long ago,” Harper said. “Teams are both completely different. Tamari Key was barely playing at that time. Jewel Spear did not participate due to an ankle injury

during that time. So, we looked very different.”

Under head coach Wes Moore, NC State accumulated a 27-6 record, going 13-5 in ACC play. The Wolfpack advanced to the ACC Championship game but lost to Notre Dame.

Harper has coached with Moore before. Harper was on Moore’s staff at Chattanooga for three seasons and was part of two NCAA Tournament appearances for the Mocs. At Western Carolina, she coached against Moore’s Mocs often, going 3-10 over five seasons with the Catamounts. Harper and Moore have not met since they were opposing coaches in the Southern Conference.

Moore took over NC State right after Harper left and has found great success. In 11 seasons with the Wolfpack, Moore has made the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament four times. With two home matchups, Moore will be looking to take NC State to the Sweet 16 once again, this time at the expense of his former assistant.

Although Harper wants Moore to be successful, a second-round meeting between the two would be an exception.

“Sometimes it’s fun, but it’s somebody that you pull for,” Harper said. “So, sometimes that’s tough as well.”

Zakai Zeigler (5) shoots the ball during a SEC Tournament game against Mississippi State at Bridgestone Arena. Friday, March 15, 2024. Cole Moore / The Daily Beacon

Lady Vols head coach Kellie Harper watches on from the sideline during a game against South Carolina at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Saturday, March 9, 2024. David Smith / Contributor

Vols in the minors: Former Vols break out in MLB Spring Breakout

PHILIP STALZER Contributor

In 2024, Major League Baseball has decided to implement something new to spring training to allow prospects a turn in the spotlight. This showcase, named the MLB Spring Breakout, allows each team’s top prospects a chance to play in the spring.

Each organization makes a team out of its best prospects to play another organization’s prospects. Drew Gilbert, Blade Tidwell and the New York Mets took on Trey Lipscomb and the Washington Nationals. The former teammates shared a pretty special moment after the game, swapping jerseys and getting a picture together.

Jordan Beck, Chase Dollander and Seth Halvorsen played on March 16 in the Colorado Rockies game against the Arizona Diamondbacks as well.

Former teammates go head-to-head

The Spring Breakout game between the Mets and the Nationals on Friday saw the former teammates go head-to-head. While Tidwell was part of the buzz for Vol fans, eyes were on Gilbert and Lipscomb. Both started for their respective teams and each made an impact.

Gilbert started in right field for the Mets and batted second. He got plenty of action in the field and played well. He collected two putouts and had multiple base hits in his direction. Gilbert was solid in right and didn’t make any errors.

The 2022 Tennessee alum didn’t get any hits in his two at-bats. He reached on an error by the right fielder in his first at-bat and ended up on second. Two batters later, he would score on a double that would put the Mets up in the first inning. In his second at-bat, Gilbert lined out to right field on a 103 mph line drive. Despite an empty box score, Gilbert showed promise and made things happen for his team.

On the other side of the field, Lipscomb also showed promise. Although he didn’t get any action on the defensive side of the ball, Lipscomb made things happen on offense. After getting walked in his first at-bat on four pitches, Lipscomb showed off his speed by stealing second. Two batters later, Lipscomb scored on an RBI double to tie the game.

In his second at-bat, Lipscomb would face another former teammate in Tidwell. With runners on first and second and nobody out, Tidwell got the best of Lipscomb. On the third pitch of the at-bat, Lipscomb grounded into a double play.

While Tidwell had major success against his former teammate in his inning of work, the rest of the inning was not as effective. Overall Tidwell allowed three hits, one walk and one run on 19 pitches. While it wasn’t a terrible performance, all three of the hits given up

by Tidwell were over 90 mph off the bat. He did throw a lot of strikes but seemed to have trouble getting weak contact in what could be a sign that his pitch mix is predictable or that his pitches are easily recognizable.

From the Smokies to the Rockies

In the last two years, three Vols were drafted by the Colorado Rockies. All three got the chance to play together again in their Spring Breakout game on Saturday. Both Beck and Dollander got to start, with Dollander on the mound and Beck starting in center before shifting to left.

On the mound, Dollander did what Vol fans would expect him to do, facing the minimum number of batters. After walking the leadoff hitter on five pitches, Dollander settled right in. The second batter grounded into a double play to the shortstop and the third batter would ground out himself to the third baseman. Dollander threw just 10 pitches in his inning of work.

In the field, Beck had just two balls hit his way, one in center and one in left. He kept both hits to a single and limited any damage.

At the plate, Beck didn’t get much in the form of results, going 0-for-3. However, two of those at-bats were more unlucky than anything else. In the first, Beck flew out deep to right field on a ball hit 101 mph. In the sixth, Beck hit another hard, this time a 97 mph line drive right at the right fielder.

Finally, Halvorsen made his appearance in the sixth inning. Although he didn’t let up any hits, Halvorsen still allowed a run. After getting the first batter to pop it up on the infield, Halvorsen walked the second batter after the pitch call was challenged. Halvorsen struck out the third batter on four pitches while the runner on first stole second. During his fourth batter, Halvorsen balked and threw a wild pitch to allow the run to score. He then got the batter to ground it back to him on the mound to complete the inning.

While Halvorsen’s line seemed a little shaky in his inning of work, it seems that it was the result of more mental errors than physical ones.

Chase Dollander (11) prepares to throw a pitch during a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, April 22, 2023. Cole Moore / The Daily Beacon