V THE VIDETTE
TUESDAY, MARCH 24 2020 Vol. 132 | No. 26
videtteonline.com
NEWS 5
VIEWPOINT 4
COVID CAUSING ‘CLINICAL’ STRESS
OFF-CAMPUS LEASERS OWN NO ‘SPECIAL RIGHTS’
Cyber Monday With online classes beginning at Illinois State, see what went into transitioning in-class courses to computer screens
I
ILLUSTRATION BY FLYNN GERAGHTY | Vidette Art Director | @flynniegthatsme
ANASTASIA GUSTAFSON and GRACE BARBIC @AnastasiaGusta9 | @gracebarbic
n the ever-changing world of technology, the coronavirus crisis is a true test of the digital era and its effectiveness in everyday life. The transition to online only classes for colleges across the country is simply a subset of the never-before seen challenges that have become a new reality. The coronavirus crisis has forced most Illinois State University students off campus and back into their permanent residences. On Monday, faculty, staff, professors and students experienced the first day of online only classes. While most “first days” come with jitters, tensions have been especially high as the ISU community faces unparalleled obstacles. This has left many ISU faculty straining to ensure all facets of previously classroom-based learning can be moved online and students having to make major adjustments to their routine in the last leg of the
semester. Yet, in the wake of this madness staff at ISU continue to work through these troubling times to ensure a quality education for their fellow Redbirds outside of the walls of a traditional classroom. Previously, it was only suggested that professors have a ReggieNet available to their students. It was not a requirement for professors. Still, while most classes offered an online extension of the course, others did not. This has proven challenging for professors as their curriculum must become mostly transformed during the move to online learning. English professor Jan Susina said he doesn’t regularly use ReggieNet for his classes. “I am doing so now since it seems the most efficient way of sharing grades with students on their class assignments,” Susina said. See CYBER MONDAY on Page 3
PAGE 2 | NEWS | THE VIDETTE
TUESDAY, MARCH 24 2020
COVID-19 by the numbers in Illinois
1,285 cases in Illinois 236 new cases on Monday 12 patients have died so far Less than 1 to 99 age range of those infected
31counties in Illinois have a COVID-19 case
9,868 people tested in Illinois The graph shows the number of cases each day starting with March 1. Illinois is at the beginning of the ‘curve,’ which officials are trying to flatten through social distancing and quarentine measures. The upward growth in cases is known as te “ramping up” stage of disease spread.
SOURCE: THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AS OF MARCH 23, 2020
GRAPH BY FLYNN GERAGHTY | ART DIRECTOR
Pritzker pushes production of PPE KELLIE FOY Senior Reporter | @kellie_foy
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 236 new cases of COVID-19 within the state, bringing the total to 1285 confirmed cases in 31 counties. Three new deaths in Cook County have been announced, totaling 12 deaths. The individuals include two men, one in his 80’s and one in his 90’s. “To reduce the rate of spread, we need to reduce the exposures and thus far, the people of Illinois have been doing just that. I thank each of you for all of your responsible actions. This has been done through what has been called social distancing, or more appropriately, physical distancing,” Dr. Ngozi Ezike said. “When you’re at the grocery store or you’re getting gas, you could still be social and say hello. You can talk with those you see but just maintain that distance of at least six feet. We know that simply itching a smile can be a positive interaction that still honors the distancing guideline.” During this time, Illinois’ biotechnology companies and
manufacturers are coming together with the State of Illinois to help produce more personal protective equipment. In Governor JB Pritzker’s daily press conference on Monday, he stated that the alliance will work on creating FDA approved, sterilized equipment for those helping to eliminate the virus. This includes, but is not limited to, N-95 masks, gloves, gowns, ventilators, sanitizer and facemasks. Many of these companies are repurposing facilities to meet critical demand for necessary equipment. These actions follow Pritzker’s multiple requests to the federal government about supplies, funding and donations to local and state governments. Pritzker claimed that the multiple requests were not fully met by the federal government over the past few weeks as shipments continuously got smaller. “I’m an Illinoisan and I’m a Governor of Illinois. I am going to do everything that I can to protect our residents and get us through this crisis. I said I’d fight like hell for you and I’m doing that every minute of
we need these supplies.” J.B. Pritzker, governor of Illinois
Courtesy of Tribune News Service
Gov. JB Pritzker speaks during a February press conference in Chicago. every hour of every day,” Pritzker said. “One way or another, we need these supplies. I have a whole team of people whose singular focus right now is working the phones across the world to get as much PPE as possible shipped to Illinois.” Pritzker urged that he would continue to push through to get the White House to help the nation with this virus no matter what it takes, stressing the importance of being
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There are now eight confirmed cases in McLean County, including the resident who died Sunday. Director of McLean County Department of Health Jessica McKnight said in a press conference Monday that the most recent victim, a woman in her 60's is in a hospital and in good condition. She has an underlying medical condition and did not have any history of contact. Communicable Disease Supervisor Melissa Graven said that so far there have been more than 90 tests in McLean county, most through IDPH. Only four of the known cases have a known Jessica community McKnight spread, the other cases come from unknown origins. Emergency Preparedness Coordinator David Hopper said that he doesn't know how well local hospitals are doing on their supply of personal protective equipment. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has shown concerns over the amount of PPE the state has, saying that more is needed from the federal level. Hopper said McLean county will be seeking out PPE from voluntary providers who tend to use face masks or other protective equipment, but currently do not need it such as nail salons and tattoo parlors. Health officials in McLean county say the state, and the county, is in a "ramping up" stage. Graven said the cases will increase for at least two weeks, barring social distancing practices work. "These measures have to be in effect for a long time," Graven said. "Public health studies show us prolonged social distancing efforts will help reduce that ramping up."
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united as a whole. “So as long as I know that there’s action that the White House can take, things like aggressively wielding the Defense Production Act or actually buying and distributing the supplies they say they’re going to buy and distribute, I’ll do everything in my power to make that clear on behalf of the people of this state and the more than 300 million Americans who don’t call Illinois home,” Pritzker said.
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“One way or another,
McLean has 8 confirmed cases; one fatality
The Vidette The Vidette is published Tuesdays every week, except for final examinations, holidays and semester breaks. The Summer Vidette is published in June and July. Students are responsible for the content of the Vidette. The views presented do not necessarily represent, in whole or part, those of the Illinois State University administration, faculty and students. The Vidette is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the Illinois College Press Association. Subscriptions are available by mail to anywhere in the United States for $150 per calendar year. © The Vidette 2020 University & Locust / Campus Box 0890 / Normal, IL 61761–0890
THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 3
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2020
Spring, summer commencement ceremonies going virtual
Grads are not glad
GRACE BARBIC News Editor | @gracebarbic
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t comes as no surprise that Illinois State University has officially announced that Spring Commencement will not be happening according to plan. The university announced Friday in an email from graduation services that in lieu of the originally scheduled commencement ceremonies on May 8-9, ISU will present ceremonies online to recognize the achievements of the 2020 spring and summer graduates. The email said that this online ceremony would include remarks from President Larry Dietz and other Illinois State officials along with an opportunity for students to submit photos for virtual ceremony recognition. “However, there is nothing like hearing your name called as you walk across the stage,” the email read. So, in addition to the virtual ceremony, spring and summer graduates will be invited back to campus to participate in person in the winter commencement ceremonies scheduled for Dec. 12. “We recognize that the disruption caused by the pandemic has touched every aspect of our lives and that this is not the commencement that you, your families and friends were looking forward to,” the email continued. “We hope that plans, both virtually and in person, will allow you to celebrate your great achievements here at Illinois State during this extraordinary time in our history.” The email also said that students who have completed the application for graduation for spring or summer 2020 will receive additional information about these alternate commencement plans soon. GRACE BARBIC is the News Editor for The Vidette. She can be contacted at mgbarbi@ilstu. edu. Follow her on Twitter at @ gracebarbic
A student celebrates receiving his dipolma at Illinois State University’s 106th spring commmencement ceremony in 2019. Ali Rasper | Photo Editor
Petition to postpone commencement gains traction despite cancellation HAILEY BIALAS Features Reporter | @haileybialas
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llinois State University announced last week that all spring and summer commencement ceremonies are canceled, opting for virtual and delayed commencement. However, one online petition asking graduation to not be canceled is still gaining traction. Megan Todd, an ISU alumna, decided to create a petition to postpone commencement for graduating seniors of Illinois State. Overnight, it received over 2,000 signatures. Now, it has doubled, reaching over 4,000 signatures of support. Since the petition was made, and vastly supported, the university has announced that there will be no commencement ceremonies this May. Rather, graduating seniors are welcome to participate in an online version of commencement, receive what they would during commencement through the mail and are invited back to the commencement on Dec. 12. Though Todd is not directly affected by the ceremony’s cancellation, she said “As an alumna, I just think everyone works so hard in college, and they deserve to see that hard work pay off.” “I think just seeing all the seniors, my friends and past peers so upset on social media inspired this,” she continued. “Their senior year was coming to an abrupt close, and then, on top of that, they weren’t going be able to have a graduation.” Megan, and other seniors, friends and family
CYBER MONDAY Continued from Page 1
“It took some time transferring the grade information I had recorded in my gradebook for the first half of the semester onto ReggieNet. Using ‘announcements’ on ReggieNet seems an effective way to communicate to the class as a whole about adjustments I have made to my classes.” At the same time, ReggieNet has its limits. There are no offerings for group video-chats or streaming. Chief tech officer Charley Edamala said this was one of the first obstacles the university had to face when making the transition. ISU faculty have had to move outside of the university’s resources and platform to utilize other software, such as Zoom, Google Hangout or Skype, to create a place for face-to-face learning. Perhaps more challenging than adjusting the courses for online format has been the challenge of using new technology, like Zoom. Susina said ISU has provided several online workshops and information to help faculty with this transition. “It isn’t just learning how technology works, which takes time, but thinking about how to use it effectively as a teaching tool under a very limited time frame,” said Susina. “I think for many faculty and students, this will be their first opportunity to teach and
of graduating students, see this as an unfair fix. “Winter commencement will be way too long, especially for people with family members who can’t be seated that long, or had planned to be here way before December,” she said. “How will there be enough seating, for students or families? Imagine if every single may graduate decided to sit at the winter commencement. How will they accommodate?” Other graduating seniors are outraged, or overwhelmed with emotions, that their last glimmer of hope of something staying normal during their last semester has been robbed from them. Several students expressed their displeasure online by commenting on the post with the news. “Here come the tears again,” graduating student Emilija Deksnys said. Annalisa Bartolomei, graduating senior with a major through the School of Communications said the university should hold a ceremony in August for the May graduates instead. Bailey Donnely, a graduating senior in the
“Walking across the stage symbolizes that closing chapter of your college experience and I think it’s essential to have.”
learn online, and not just a single class, but multiple classes. I hope the system works as promised and students have the ability to do classes online from home.” It is Edamala’s job to see that through. He said the university has been working on the transition to online only for nearly three weeks. They have been following other universities’ best practices and as many announcements across the region arose, he knew it was only a matter of time for Illinois State. Edamala said he and other university officials have had a lot of time to talk through things and prepare for this transition. But even with that in mind, he said it hasn’t been easy. “One of the biggest challenges is the unknown,” Edamala said. “This is unprecedented. There is no playbook. No one anywhere in the world has ever had to switch over to online only so we didn’t know what to expect.” Their immediate concern was not only kicking off online only classes Monday but having to register nearly 2,500 students for classes from remote locations. Registering for classes on campus already comes with its technical issues, so he knew they’d have to put in extra work to ensure all students were taken care of. Despite these concerns, he said that as far as he knows, remote course registration went off without a hitch. “But I have no direct access to students,
Alyssa Bennardo, senior social work major
School of Nursing, agrees. Bartolomei and Donnely are among a community of many that think it could be too early to make a decision that cancels commencement and pushes it back to a combined ceremony seven months later. “They should at least reschedule it because that moment is so much more than just receiving the degree,” graduating senior social work major Alyssa Bennardo said. “Walking across the stage symbolizes that closing chapter of your college experience and I think it’s essential to have. I’m glad they’re at least inviting everyone to walk in December.” Parents of graduating seniors are also not happy with the cancellation of May commencement. Erik Juveland, graduating senior with a major in the School of Business, commented that his parents and he would rather have a large party than wait until December to walk across the stage with double the students. With the option of an online commencement also looming through students’ thoughts, Brittney Johnson, a member of the senior class of 2020, commented on Facebook, “I’m not upset because he’s (Larry Dietz) celebrating us not once but twice! Some colleges aren’t even having a celebration for them. Having some options is better than no options!” HAILEY BIALAS is a Features Reporter for The Vidette. She can be contacted at hgbiala@ilstu. edu Follow her on Twitter at @haileybialas
so we have been keeping an eye out, following trends online and making sure we are hearing and tending to students’ concerns,” he said. It is a hefty assumption that all ISU students have access to reliable internet at home. Some students might not even have access at all. With public places such as coffee shops and libraries shut down, there are not very many options available for students who cannot afford quality internet. This is also a struggle for faculty who are trying to coordinate and craft a comparable classroom experience. Edamala said one of their top priorities has been setting up support for everyone on campus. As it can be assumed, tech support has been in high demand as of late. Director of convergent media for the School of Communication had to decline an interview as he said he has been “swamped” with the technology support portion of his job responsibilities. While no one could have foreseen this new reality, the challenges of online-only learning are seeping into every facet of life. When students go back home, their day-today lives change. They might have to look after siblings, go back to work, or take up other responsibilities to make ends meet. One ISU professor in the college of arts and sciences said she is trying to meet this challenge by changing her expectations of what her
students will be able to achieve. “I want to acknowledge that, while those who are in my courses are students, they are also many other things, including human beings, friends, family members, employees and students in other courses, too,” Rachel Gramer said. “All of those things deserve time and energy, and both will be even more scarce while ISU returns to working chaos and radical change in daily practice.” Some of the effects of these radical changes, according to Edamala, include working more closely with faculty, ensuring systems working remotely are efficient and offering the support and resources to meet the needs of all involved. He admitted this process has been especially difficult for him. “It’s not going to be great … but I’m a natural optimist,” Edamala said. He said he has seen the campus community really come together through this crisis, noting that many faculty members have volunteered their knowledge to mentor less tech savvy co-workers. Edamala also noted he has worked with people he has never spoken to before and has seen many people put aside differences to ease this process. “When this whole crisis is over with, I think that unity will continue,” he added.
Viewpoint
PAGE 4 | THE VIDETTE
VIDETTE EDITORIAL
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2020
Off-campus leasers own no ‘special legal priviledge’
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he Illinois State University Parents and Families Facebook page is currently littered with discussion from parents about how to get their students out of their lease and back home. It’s not clear why. Sure, ISU has ended face-to-face classes for the rest of the semester, and the dorms have been closed, but the community surrounding the university still exists. That means landlords still exist too. “As a parent of an upperclassman, I am concerned and upset about the financial burden placed with having to pay for rent on an empty apartment,” user Lisa Miller said on the public page. “Why does it have to be empty?” user Nikki Johnson counters. “Why can’t the kids stay in the apartment that they signed a lease for and do their online classes there? They aren’t told to vacate Bloomington. Just dorms.” Students and parents fleeing the McLean County area, which currently has no cases of COVID-19, want out of their leases. However, it bears repeating (apparently over and over again), that off-campus housing IS NOT tied to ISU. ISU has no legal authority over independent leasing companies and landlords in the area.
They are business partners, certainly, and this is evident by the Redbirds seen in SAMI marketing, but ISU is not the boss of landlords. Looking at a map provided by Capitol News Illinois, a great number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois are in the North Eastern, Chicago area of the state. There are some cases in central Illinois, in Woodford, Peoria and Champaign counties, but none in McLean. Courtesy of Capital News Illinois And, so far, none in the surrounding counties to the south and west have cases. If a student lives in Chicago, it’s not really correct to say they are safer “at home” than in their apartment.
It is easy to fall into the narrative of “rent-driven landlords want to take money from students,” but landlords are people with mortgages and utilities. Renters signed a legal document back in August, or last April or whenever that shows their promise to pay rent every month for their apartment. Being a student doesn’t mean someone has special legal privileges. Most students in apartments are legal adults, and there is responsibility to that, like it or not. Additionally, pulling students out of apartments leaves them with a necessary financial burden of paying for an empty apartment, but it also
continues to hurt the already hurting business in McLean County. Local restaurants are feeling the pain of students being gone months early. Off-campus students joining the exodus only twists the knife in the wound. Medici in Uptown and Pub II have already said they are losing about half of their business. If students love these places, it’s important to support them during this crisis. As ISU Parents and Family page member Stacy Connolly puts it: “Businesses are not going to change the rules just because you don’t want your kid to be in Bloomington. They are under no obligation to adjust to everyone’s whims.” And asking for relief from the government is understandable but misses the purpose of legislation. The relief for renters being proposed by others is for those who have lost their jobs and those who cannot afford to make payments to their landlords: Those who have nowhere else to go. That legislation is not meant to service a student who is choosing to leave without being forced out. To make it serve this purpose would be a cold shoulder to the thousands, if not millions of Americans who truly need the help. Vidette Archive Photograph
EDITORIAL POLICY Editorial written by ELIZABETH SEILS a member of The Vidette’s Editorial Board. Editorial policy is determined by the student editor, and views expressed in editorials are those of the majority of The Vidette’s Editorial Board. Columns that carry bylines are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Vidette or the University.
Canceling graduation was ‘a matter of time’ MY VIEW
GRACE BARBIC | News Editor
T
here is nothing like hearing your name called as you walk across the stage. Those words stood out to me the most as I struggled to read the latest email from graduation services through tearful eyes. For the class of 2020, we may never know that feeling. At least not according to plan. Spring and summer 2020
commencement ceremonies will now be virtual. President Larry Dietz and other university officials will still make regards and there will be an opportunity for students to submit pictures. There will be no decorating your cap, walking around the campus and the Quad one last time as a student, taking pictures with friends. We won’t get to march in to that obnoxious graduation song and sit through a two-hour ceremony, anxiously waiting for our name to be called. We won’t get to try and spot our family in the sea of people that would have filled the beautifully remodeled Redbird Arena. We won’t be able to walk across the stage and shake the hands of professors who have supported us and shaped us into the people that we are.
Chicken Doodle Soup by Claire Wagner | Vidette Cartoonist
I can’t say I’m surprised by any means. In fact, I was expecting it, just as McLean County was expecting its first confirmed case of coronavirus. It was just a matter of time. But that doesn’t make it any less upsetting. Yes of course commencement is simply a formality, but for students it is so much more than that. It is truly a measure of success. A symbol of all the hard work, time, dedication and money that we have invested in this university and in ourselves. This message hit particularly close to home for me. After four years (or 3.75 at this rate) I will be watching my graduation ceremony through my phone or laptop. It’s heartbreaking. Although I am not a first-generation student, I would have been
the first in my family to have gone away and completed four consecutive years at a university. This was and still is a huge accomplishment for me. My father passed away right before I started at ISU. For the longest time I thought about giving up and not going to school. But I knew that he would want me to go on and receive a higher education. He was my motivation through the emotional journey that is college. I planned to pay tribute to him with my cap decorations. And now I won’t get to have that special moment. But enough of my sob story. There are so many students out there, and not just Illinois State students, who are feeling the effects of this. Beyond graduation, people across the country are being impacted by the coronavirus in some form or
another. So, before you try to tell a graduating senior that there are more important things to worry about, think about that important thing that you were looking forward to that was taken away from you. This entire crisis is truly a humbling experience. It has made me realize what is important to me and that in an instant that can be taken from you. Hold your loved ones a little closer and be grateful for what you do have because I don’t think that this ends with canceling graduation ceremonies. GRACE BARBIC is the News Editor for The Vidette. She can be contacted at mgbarbi@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @gracebarbic
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EDITORIAL BOARD JONATHAN BARLAS Editor-in-Chief | @janveselybarlas GRACE BARBIC News Editor | @gracebarbic ANDREW DOUGHERTY Columnist | @addough ANDREA RICKER Features Editor | @ ricker_andrea ELIZABETH SEILS News Editor | @SeilsElizabeth
TUESDAY, MARCH 24 2020
THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 5
Start date of recreational pots sales in Normal delayed
ASHLEY BINKOWSKI Features Reporter | @BinkowskiAshley
Bloomington-Normal may seek escape from the COVID-19 pandemic at cannabis dispensary The Green Solutions. The medical cannabis dispensary has been approved by the state for distribution of recreational cannabis to adults, but the start date of recreatioal sales is on indefinite hold. “We were planning to release
adult-use cannabis last Monday but we are pushing the date back because of the coronavirus pandemic that is going on,” TGS staff member Tommy N. said Monday. “We can’t give you a timeline when we will be releasing adult-use marijuana at the moment.” The much-anticipated action still does not have a set date for the opening of adult-use purchases. On its website The Green Solutions said it is taking stpes to ensure
the health and well-being of its customers during the COVID-19 outreak. “We have implemented policies and procedures which continue to allow our patients and adult-use customers to access cannabis products in a safe and sterile environment,” ths statement said. “Our stores remain open and committed to providing personalized services and a differentiated in-store experience that exceeds expectations.”
TGS currently has two stores in Illinois, one being in Normal at 501 West Northtown Road and in Sauget. Both stores operate from Monday-Saturday and are closed on Sundays. On Jan. 1 Illinois became the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuna use from licensed sellers. Consumers 21 and older with a valid government issued photo ID can make a recreational cannabis purchase.
CORONAVIRUSUPDATE: ADAPTING TO A NEW WORLD
‘I think I’ll be doing a lot of catching up’
Online classes make hands-on majors miss classroom experience
MEGHAN FORTUNATO News Reporter | @Meghan Fortunato
C
O V I D -19 is causing cancellations to the American university experience, and may only be the beginning of what is to come. As Illiois State niversity canceled face-toface instruction and moved online for the remainder of the semester it has taken away professional experience from students. In hopes of providing instructional continuity, the nontraditional situation has had consequences. Many students at Illinois State are losing experience in their field, missing out on valuable learning experiences that would come in handy when entering the professional world. While they understand the rationale behind the decisions as coronavirus continues to spread across the country, the sudden changes have left many students grappling
with an overwhelming sense of loss. For college junior nursing majors Scarlett Holze and Katie Remmes, online instruction has made it harder for them to complete their hours for clinicals, as they now lack access to on-campus resources. “I don’t really know where we go from here, I know my professors are trying to figure out realistic expectations for us so I can be caught up and prepared for my senior year,”said Holze. “I’m hoping to get more news on how we are going to be proactive and maintain a steady course in the next couple weeks.” “It’s hard not knowing what to do with myself since I went from being crazy busy to now being stuck at home, but I know it's for the best it's just stressful because I feel like I am losing out on important skills,” said Remmes. “Along with my fellow classmates I think I’ll be doing a lot of catch up.” As schools stay on shut down long term,
Vidette Archive
Nursing majors at Illinois State are saying that going completely online keeps them from completing critical clinical hours. In Illinois, nurses are required to complete at least 50 hours of clinical work before applying for a license. one of the challenges for teachers, officials and school administrators would come down to ensuring all students have equal education opportunities and are prepared for whatever their future may hold. DJ Angelaccio hadn't planned on the virus interrupting his semester. As a history education major, he began student-teaching last semester but now future classroom hours are cancelled. All of his classes have now moved online. Angelaccio had been looking forward to a
hands-on learning experience. "I’m worried about being able to connect with students," he said. "Student-teaching was always reassuring for me because I got to interact with the students, I don’t want to lose my abilities but being gone for so long I feel like my progress is going to decline.” MEGHAN FORTUNATO is a News Reporter for the Vidette. She can be reached at mefortu@ ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @eghanFortunato.
Alternative spring break helps student grow while helping those in need KOURTNEY CUNNINGHAM Features Reporter | @NewsKourtney
For Oliver Phreykz, spring break 2020 was unlike any other spring vacation before, but not because of the global pandemic. Instead of flocking to beaches, traveling out of the country, and even going to visit grandparents was out of the question for most. Though, a lot of college students still couldn’t resist. He chose to spend his spring “vacation” in a very meaningful way. A
student organization supported by the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning provides students of Illinois State University the opportunity to create social change. Alternative Breaks host a variety of trips all over the world to help meet the needs of communities. Some of their volunteer work includes building homes for the homeless, feeding hungry families, and tutoring young children. “We send out trips during our summer, spring, and winter breaks and our trips deal with a variety of
social issues whether it’s economic redevelopment, educational inequity, or criminal justice.” Phreykz said. This spring break, alternative breaks had two volunteer groups sent out to Texas to participate in Humane Tomorrow that is all about improving animal Welfare as well as Camp Summit that works with people with disabilities. One group did get to enjoy the beach scene of spring break in Miami Florida. They worked with an organization called International Children’s Outreach that works with
child welfare and education. Another trip took place in Memphis, Tennessee where the group worked with an organization called Living Lands and Waters. Lastly, the trip Phreykz went on was in Pamlico County in North Carolina. Phreykz worked on community development and also did some work with Habitat for Humanity. Phreykz got the opportunity to participate in Alternative Breaks his freshman year that changed his whole perspective on the idea to help others in need.
“We traveled to Arkansas and we did some environmental work and it absolutely changed my life because it taught me how to be a giving human being,” Phreykz said. Since then he has gone on ASB trips his whole college career and this spring break will be his last. Phreykz says ASB has opened a lot of doors for his career development. “Through my time with ASB, I realized my passion for educational inequity and after I graduate in May, I will be working with Teach for America,” Phreykz said.
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Features
PAGE 6 | THE VIDETTE
TUESDAY, MARCH 24 2020
Being stuck inside does mean being out of ideas
B
e sure to do your part with the corona virus by staying at home. Try and limit the amount of people who come to your home. When that neighbor comes by, make sure to turn off all the lights and crawl into the other room without being seen. Once you’ve crawled, make sure to wash those hands. Let’s try and not wash the hands for approximately three second. Instead try singing to the tune of what dreams are made of from the Lizzie Mcguire movie or Colt 45 by afroman or if that’s not the vibe Y.M.C.A by Village people is always the move. All the songs are over 20 seconds to make sure all the bad germs are gone. Most of the stories you read will
MY VIEW KARINA LOPEZ | News Reporter tell you clean your room or go on a walk and yeah, sure you can do that. But here are some things that I would actually do: First get to know your family, hang out with them, watch a movie. Once you are bored of that isolate yourself in your room for hours upon hours until you finally you get hungry. Finally create an apple account
for yourself that way the embarrassing photos you have don’t have to be on grandmas’ phone. This next one I give credit to my wonderful brilliant college roommate Jessica. See how long you can go without washing your hair. Once your hair becomes a grease ball, braid it. Braiding your hair encourages your hair to grow by limiting friction which results in less breakage. Read a book. Once you realize you can’t read a book for more than five minutes, watch the movie and compare the first three pages of the book to the whole movie. As I am sure many have seen on social media, workouts online are the new trend. Don’t have any mats or weights? Make a music
video because I am sure you will sweat just as much. Once you make the video delete it or archive it. No one needs to see that, except the grandparents. Rearrange the bedroom because I am sure it’s probably the same layout you had in sixth grade. Apply for some jobs and/or internships so you can finally tell your parents you were productive today. Once you finally realize you haven’t updated your resume since freshman year, go check out the ISU career center. They offer tips and sheets online to help create a resume and cover letter. Facetime a friend. Once you guys get bored, hang up. Facetime a group of friends. Once they all don’t
answer, call your grandparents. They will almost always answer and talk about literally anything. Go onto a super expensive website. For example, Louis Vuitton. Put everything you could ever want in the cart, see the total, and scream. Next, exit the page because you could never afford anything that you added to your cart. All these suggestions are done lightheartedly. But please wash your hands and call your grandparents. They’re probably the only people that actually always miss you. KARINA LOPEZ is a News Reporter for The Vidette. She can be contacted at klopez6@ilstu.edu Follow her on Twitter at @klopez_02
Quality quaratine time
Some choice options for your viewing pleasure
W
ith the shelterin-place in effect, it is official: things are getting very boring. Some are even comparing the quarantine days to our high school days. Why is that so bad though? With Netflix being hardly updated, and everyone with a surplus of time on their hands, there is no reason to not binge watch all of the old and new each streaming site has to offer. So, buckle up to watch down memory lane with a few newbies to shake up these next few weeks inside. Compiled by Jake Dahl | News Reporter
Parasite The 2019 thriller took the Academy Awards by storm, and for good reason. The film follows the Kim family, struggling to make ends meet in a dingy apartment, and the events that transpire as they begin working in various roles for the wealthy Park family. If you enjoy edge-of-yourseat nail-biters with a dash of black comedy and themes of class conflict, this one is for you (as long as you don’t mind subtitles).
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World This 2010 film flew under the radar at the time of release but has since garnered a cult following due to the movie’s fun cinematography and hilarious script. The movie follows Scott Pilgrim, a 22-year-old bassist in a band with little acclaim who falls in love with Ramona Flowers, a delivery girl. For Scott to date Ramona, he must defeat her seven evil exes in combat.
Booksmart This 2019 coming-of-age comedy was directed by Olivia Wilde and man did she nail her directorial debut. The movie follows two high school girls, Molly and Amy. The pair engage in a whirlwind night of partying that results in lots of laughs and some heartfelt moments as well. The direction is fun, and the writing is phenomenal.
Superbad I cannot understate how much I love this movie. Infinitely quotable, high amounts of charisma between all the cast members, and
MOVIE OPTIONS
TELEVISION OPTIONS Compiled by Hailey Bialas | Features Reporter
impeccable writing leads to a classic that anyone can enjoy (if you are old enough to be watching R-rated movies). As far as coming-ofage stories go, this 2007 hit is what I compare all other ones to (with Booksmart being a close second).
Greys Anatomy
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Peaky Blinders
This 2018 animated film follows Miles Morales, a teenager who is struggling to live up to the lofty expectations set for him by his father. After sneaking out to do graffiti with his uncle, Miles is bitten by a radioactive spider, which sets him on a whirlwind path to watch his universe’s Peter Parker die, and meet a multiverse of Spider-People who will train Miles to replace him.
The Other Guys If you enjoy buddy cop movies, this 2010 comedy will have you laughing all throughout. Starring Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell and directed by Adam McKay (who directed Anchorman and Step Brothers), this film offers nonstop laughs in its 107 minute runtime.
I Am Legend If you’re looking for something scarier and more topical, this 2007 horror-thriller follows Robert Neville (played by Will Smith) as he treads through a post-apocalyptic wasteland after a virus kills the vast majority of humanity and also turns a minority into horrible monsters called Darkseekers. Neville is immune, and the story follows him as he attempts to find a cure and/or other survivors before the Darkseekers get him.
With all seasons being available on Netflix, and the 16 season show being a TV fan favorite, this show gives you hours upon hours of plot twists. Plus, who doesn’t love Shonda Rhimes. This Netflix original series brings viewers back 100 years to 1919 England. The newer Netflix fan favorite has been widely approved by all bingers, making following all 5 seasons of these gangsters a perfect goal to set during shelter-in-place.
Gossip Girl Let’s bring it all the way back to the early 2010’s. The Upper East Side inspired show was, and always will be, a nostalgic favorite to those our age. Instead of posting a truth is on Facebook to stifle the boredom, let this high school trend stifle the boredom instead
The Good Place This newer show, available on Hulu, is an up and coming binge-worthy favorite. ISU senior, who is currently quarantining at school, Kayla Tepper, says, “I, personally, think this stupidly funny show is a great way to add some humor to anyone’s time stuck at home.”
One Tree Hill Two words, Brooke Davis. Besides that, this show is a Hulu streamed nostalgia
igniting machine that will take viewers through each characters lives full throttle, high school, adulthood and all.
Lucifer With the final season soon premiering on Netflix, this devil loving show is four seasons of parodic fun. With several playful puns involving the Bible, this show is bound to not only keep viewers at the edge of their seat with a few chuckles in between.
How I Met Your Mother Well, now that Netflix is no longer showing Friends, it is time to focus on the superior sitcom. This show, focused in New York City with five friends, is the perfect light-hearted yet relatable way to mosey viewer’s way through boredom.
Love Is Blind This new Netflix original series is a dating show for the ages. The unique layout of the show, allowing couples to only speak but not see who they are getting engaged to, has been all the buzz in the past few weeks when it comes to pop culture.
The Office The show that everyone knows, and loves, that will never get old thanks to Netflix. Why let it get old when there is nothing else to do? Plus, Michael Scott always needs a little extra TLC.
Sports
TUESDAY, MARCH 24 2020
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THE VIDETTE | SPORTS | PAGE 7
MLB shutdown hits home the hardest
n Thursday, there will be no no-pregame batting practice, no “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” no screaming fans in the stands, no crack of the bat and most importantly no start to the MLB season. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has affected sports and its fans everywhere, especially those who were ready for arguably the biggest sporting event of the year: March Madness. But to me, the MLB season not starting on time on Thursday hits home the hardest. Recently, I heard the saying baseball is like your best friend — always there. But for once it will not be there for us. And it truly feels like I lost a best friend. I know it will only be for the time
MY VIEW JAKE SERMERSHEIM | Sports Editor being, but we still do not know when the season will start with an everchanging timetable. First, it was just going to be a twoweek delay, then the league was shooting for a mid-April start and now some insiders such as Keith Olberman think the MLB will only be able to get one-third of the season in.
I think we should brace for the possibility that the season might not even be played this year. With each bleak and disappointing notification, that possibility gets more and more real. For a sport that did not even stop for World War II, this would be an unprecedented event. Even if the season starts at the newest projection — the beginning of June — there has been talk of starting the season with no fans in attendance. While this would be a major step up from no baseball at all, there is something truly awkward about watching a professional sport in a completely empty stadium meant for over 30,000 fans. Imagine a walk-off hit with no cheers. Or a no-hitter with just the players on the field celebrating. Or a
prospect hitting his first major league home run with no curtain call. To me, nothing compares to sitting in Busch Stadium, Guaranteed Rate Field or one of the other 28 stadiums across the country. Nothing compares to the chorus of fans singing the seventh inning stretch in unison. Nothing compares catching a home run or foul ball. While game replays, documentaries and baseball movies on the MLB Network have been fine tiding fans over, for the time being, the absence will be felt on Thursday. The sweet swing of Cody Bellinger, the intimidating stare of Max Scherzer, the graceful fielding of Kolten Wong and much more will be missed by myself and many others. There is a wide range of scenarios
‘Nuggets’: Chicken-fried fuel Missouri Valley Swimmer of the Year Kierston Farley-Sepe’s personality shines above water
being discussed for when play resumes. While the league maintains they want to have a full 162-game season, each passing day sees that possibility dwindling. If that is going to happen, the league season will likely be played later in the calendar year with a possibility of a neutral site World Series in a warm climate or domed stadium. With a lot of uncertainty still left in the baseball world and outside of it, I do know one thing: I will never take baseball for granted again. JAKE SERMERSHEIM is a Sports Editor for The Vidette. He can be contacted at vidette_jrserme@ilstu. edu. Follow him on Twitter at @ JakeSermersheim
SPORTS IN BRIEF Former ISU football player Underwood tests COVID-19 positive Former Illinois State University defensive lineman Colton Underwood announced he tested positive for COVID-19. After announcing the news Underwood urged everyone to adhere to regulations put in place. “For anyone out there that is hesitant to self-quarantine... please do yourself and your loved ones a favor and stay home,” Underwood wrote in an Instagram caption. “We Former ISU football will all beat this and come out stron- player and ‘The Bachelor’ star ger on the other side.” Over a four-year career, the Wash- Colton Underwood. ington, Illinois, native racked up 213 total tackles over 44 games. Underwood ranks third in the Redbirds’ record book for tackles for loss (44) and fourth in sacks (21.5). After his playing days Underwood was selected to participate in the reality show “The Bachelor.”
STORY BY RACHAEL HICKEY
Sports Reporter | @r_hickey15
Y
es, nuggets. Missouri Valley Conference SwimJAKE SERMERSHEIM, SPORTS EDITOR mer of the Year Kierston Farley-Sepe claims that Courtesy of Redbird Athletics she is “fueled primarily Illinois State senior Kierston Farley-Sepe earned MVC Swimmer of the Year Feb. 22 after the ISU football suspends practices on Chick-Fil-A nuggets.” Redbird’s fourth-place finish at the MVC Championships. In fact, Farley-Sepe has such a until further notice due to COVID-19 strong passion for nuggets, she has Hamilton said. Following in the footsteps of all other Illinois State coined the term as her own. The swimFarley-Sepe is Athletics, the ISU football team has been forced to cancel mer’s Twitter handle even includes far from unfamilall spring practices and scrimmages. This announcement “nuggets.”. iar with change. A comes shortly after the NCAA enacted a dead period “I just love Chick-Fil-A nuggets, and transfer from Kenuntil April 15. the word has just come to mean so tucky, she has seen Football head coach Brock Spack spoke on the cancelmuch to me,” Farley-Sepe explained change before and, lation, with a chuckle. “It’s like my own way of therefore, has seen “The health, safety and well-being of our players, staff, saying ‘oh darn’ or ‘dangit.’” the positive benefits Caitlin Hamilton families and local community is our top priority. There of change. Those close to the talented swimHead coach of Swim and Dive are bigger things than football at stake here,” Spack said mer know the term matches well with Interestingly Losing to the North Dakota State Bison in the quarher bright and bubbly personality. enough the senior terfinals of the 2019 FCS Playoffs, the Redbirds finished According to newly hired Illinois State took a chance on their season as one of the best in the Missouri Valley University head swimming coach CaitIllinois State, having Conference. admit that an individual award was on lyn Hamilton, Farley-Sepe’s energy never seen the her mind. She did everything she did this Tabbing a 10-5 overall record (5-3 MVC), Illinois within the team is nothing short of campus in person before transferring to weekend for the team.” State’s nationally ranked defense led the charge for its contagious. the university. deep playoff run. Seniors in running back James RobThe senior swimmer also played a large “Kierston is so bubbly and is just “So, my parents actually went on the inson and defensive back Luther Kirk both earned Eastrole in shaping the team’s culture. With always happy,” Hamilton said. “You can visit at ISU for me while I was still at West Shrine Bowl inivitations, MVC First-Team honors an entirely new coaching staff heading always hear when she enters the room, Kentucky,” Farley-Sepe laughed. “They and HERO Sports All-American honors. into the season, it was up to the seniors and she brings this ray of sunshine with called me that night and raved about how JAKE FOGAL, SPORTS EDITOR to maintain a positive attitude and unite her wherever she goes. She’s the type of much I would love it here. I had to the team in the face of change. athlete that when you find it, you capitaltrust my parents’ judgement.” “Change is always different and it’s ize on it.” Despite all the unknowns, Farleyhard. The team just really stayed posiThe senior Redbird certainly brought Sepe quickly fell in love with Illinois tive and open to the possibilities of what the energy to the MVC Swimming and State, as her parents claimed she this team can be. Everyone really bought Diving Championships. She earned three would. She went as far to say she Phone 309 438 7685 • Fax 309 438 5211 Corner of Locust & into the process, and that started with individual crowns in the 200-meter indiwished she had started her collegiate University, Normal, IL Mon. – Fri. 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. my wonderful classmates,” Farley-Sepe vidual medley, the 400-meter individual career as a Redbird. stated. medley and her personal favorite event, However, the senior instead ended HELP WANTED FOR RENT The swimming and diving program the 200-meter butterfly. She also teamed her career as one, and in true “nugget Need an apartment for immediate Evergreen FS is Hiring! Custom up with some Redbird teammates to earn at ISU experienced major changes to fashion,”, as she put it. Her personal move-in? 1 and 2 bedrooms and Turf is seeking a high energy, selfits culture as an impact of the coachrunner-up honors in the 400-meter freestarter with a strong work ethic to motto for her senior year was to “leave roommate matching available! ing changes. The team’s focus switched www.sami.com (309) 888-4600 join our team as a Turf Specialist. style relay. Accumulating over 30 points it all in the pool” and have no regrets This individual will be responto leaving the program better than they for the Redbirds, Farley-Sepe earned about her season. sible for applying turf products to SUBLEASES found it and, no matter the result, being the most points of any swimmer in the “Looking back on the last four years lawns throughout the Evergreen proud to be a Redbird swimmer. On a Subleases available! www.sami. league. FS territory. The job will include — they went by so fast! I really try not com (309) 888-4600 women’s team, culture is an ever-presapplication of fertilizer, treatHowever, Farley-Sepe’s success in the to be too hard on myself and be satisent topic, and one that requires constant ment of weeds, and performing water is less a result of her bubbly spirit, fied to an extent with my career. I just FOR RENT: SUMMER/ other professional applications attention. and much more in part due to her comtry to remind myself of how far I’ve FALL/SPRING ’20-’21 while ensuring amazing customer “With women, culture is something petitive, selfless drive. come.” Farley-Sepe said. service. Premium four bedroom houses on you can never stop working on. It always Competitive pay, and available to “She is just so good at flipping that “I’m not sure yet what my future campus 2020-2021 year. Call: requires time and attention from both work around your schedule. competitive switch and getting into her 309-660-2390 holds, but hopefully lots of nuggets!” Ask us about earning college zone,” Hamilton said. “But then, she does coaches and athletes. Kierston has credit hours for working with us! truly been the spearhead of that for us,” everything for this team. She would never Call us today at (309)-664-5660
“She is just so good at flipping that competitive switch and getting into her zone.”
CLASSIFIEDS
PAGE 8 | THE VIDETTE
Sports
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2020
Ranking the Redbirds Y
ear in and year out Illinois State University puts together some of the best athletic talents in the Missouri Valley Conference. With that being said, Vidette Sports Editors Jake Sermersheim and Jake Fogal rank their top five ISU athletes from the 2019-20 season.
1. James Robinson | Football | Running back
1. James Robinson | Football
No Illiois State player was more important this season than James Robinson. The senior running back put the Redbirds on his shoulders as the primary offensive threat en route to a deeper than expected playoff run. Robinson earned MVC First Team Honors for the third straight season after leading the conference in rushing yards (1,899), yards per game (126.6) JAKE SERMERSHEIM and touchdowns (18). Sports Editor After a good regular season, Robinson played his best during the playoffs, raking up 607 rushing yards that included a 297 yard showing against Southeastern Missouri. For his effort, Robinson was named as a consensus All-American and was an FCS Walter Peyton Award Finalist. That successful final season firmly put Robinson as the No. 2 running back in ISU’s record book. Robinson sits in second in career yards (4,444), rushing touchdowns (44), all-purpose yards (5,218) and all-purpose touchdowns (46). Robinson is currently projected as a sixth-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Earlier this year Robinson made an impact at the East-West Shrine Bowl. Despite being the fourth running back on the West, Robinson raked up 136 total yards and the longest touchdown in East-West Bowl history (65 yards).
This was an easy decision. Robinson pulled through for the lacking pass offense that was the Illinois State football team. With already struggling quarterback Brady Davis going down with an injury, more responsibility was put on Robinson’s back. Instead of cowering in the moment, ‘Big-game James’ rushed for 489 yards through the first two playoff games against Southeast Missouri State and Central Arkansas. Robinson finished the 2019 season leading the MVFC in rushing yards JAKE FOGAL (1,899) and 18 touchdowns, the ISU run- Sports Editor ning back cemented himself as one of the greatest to ever grace the turf for Illinois State.
2. Lexi Wallen | Women’s basketball Coming off of a four-year stint on the volleyball team, Wallen made the move to women’s basketball in dominant fashion. In her first year without volleyball, Wallen was able to prepare to be the prominent forward Redbirds throughout the winter. Wallen’s premiere performance came against the LoyolaRamblers in double overtime on Feb. 14, where she scored 35 points, including a buzzer beating three to send the game to extra minutes. Wallen’s ability to perform to a captivating standard in two different sports in the MVC earned her my second spot.
3. Kate Del Fava | Soccer
2. Kate Del Fava | Soccer | Midfielder Kate Del Fava leaves ISU as the best soccer player in Redbird history. The senior midfielder filled up her trophy case this season. Del Fava brought home 10 end-of-the-year awards for her season including Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. That honor was a nobrainer as Del Fava led the MVC in goals (17), points (39) and game-winning goals (6) along with earning MVC Player of the Week a record-setting five times throughout the season. Del Fava ended the season 10th in the NCAA in goals. That outstanding season led to the Utah Royals drafting Kate Del Fava in the second round with the 12th pick in the National Women’s Soccer League draft this year making her the highest drafted player ever from the MVC.
3. Kierston Farley-Sepe | Swimming and Diving One of the best ISU swimmers in recent memory, Kierston Farley-Sepe took home the Redbirds’ first MVC swimmer of the Year awards since 2004. FarleySepe earned the honor after a dominating MVC Championship. The senior won three individual events while posting two meet records. Farley-Sepe broke the 200-yard and 400 individual medley records.
4. Lexi Wallen | Women’s basketball | Forward A former four-year starter for volleyball, Lexi Wallen made a seamless transition to the basketball court. After joining the Redbirds last season because of injury issues, Wallen continued to improve despite a nearly four-year break from the sport. The redshirt senior led the Redbirds in scoring, averaging 17.1 points a game and 185 rebounds. That season earned Wallen MVC First Team honors.
5. JuJu Redmond | Women’s basketball | Guard While not a starter, JuJu Redmond made a huge impact for the Redbirds. Redmond was a strong commander this season for the bench unit. Redmond ranked first on ISU in steals (54), second in blocks (10) and rebounds (176) and third in ppg (11.1). Redmond’s strong play earned her MVC Newcomer of the year, Sixth Man of the Year along with a place on the Honorable mention team.
Senior running James Robinson earned MVC First Team Honors for the third straight season.
Del Fava accomplished just about all there is to accomplish as a soccer star in the Valley, only falling short in the MVC title game against Loyola-Chicago. Earning the honor of Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, Del Fava led the league in several categories. Booting in 17 goals as well as eclipsing 39 points, the senior midfielder left it all out on the field. Culminating to the point of being drafted by the Utah Royals with the No. 12 pick, Del Fava leaves Illinois State as arguably the greatest soccer player to grace Adelaide Street Field.
4. Stef Jankiewicz | Volleyball Leading the No. 3 Redbirds to a historic win in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, Jankiewicz was awarded tournament MVP for her stellar play during their run. Earning an All-MVC First Team honor, the Redbirds made their second consecutive NCAA tournament appearnence behind Jankiewicz’s 1,329 assists, which placed her second in the Valley. The junior setter also asserted herself on all other parts of the court, racking up 311 digs and 105 kills throughout the season.
5. Luther Kirk | Football The defensive captain led the ferocious Redbirds against offensive heavy hitters such as South Dakota State and Arizona State. Also proving strong against other opponents, holding four teams to single digits. Kirk led the Redbirds in tackles with 89 on the season, 64 of which were solo tackles. Kirk’s shining moment of the season came against Missouri State on Senior Day, where he sacked quarterback Peyton Huslig for the win. Qualifying for the East-West Shrine Bowl, Kirk left with the defensive MVP honors after an interception and two tackle performance. Clockwise from upper left: Kate Del Fava, soccer; Lexi Wallen, women’s basketball; Stef Jankiewicz, volleyball; Luther Kirk, football; JuJu Redmond, women’s basketball, and Kierston FarleySepe, swimming and diving. Photographs by The Vidette and goredbirds.com