V THE VIDETTE
NEWS 3
ISU TURNS INTO HOGWARTS DURING ‘HARRY POTTER EXPERIENCE’ VIEWPOINT/TURNER 4
YOU DON’T NEED FANCY VACATIONS TO ENJOY YOUR SPRING BREAK
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018
SPORTS 7
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SWEEPS MVC FOES IN TWO WEEKEND MATCHES
videtteonline.com
Vol. 130 / No. 42
Redbird flies back from the south
Vidette wins top award among large-school newspapers Staff takes home 29 awards, breaking its record of most wins VIDETTE STAFF
Tiffany Morrison | Vidette Photographer
Illinois State University Board of Trustees Chairman Rocky Donahue (left) and President Larry Dietz present Craig Bouchard, CEO of Braidy Industries Inc., with the honorary doctoral degree Thursday at the Founders Day ceremony in the Bone Student Center. Bouchard currently lives in Florida.
Board of Trustees addresses budget cuts, residence hall upgrades GARRETT KARSTEN News Reporter | @GarrettKarsten
The Board of Trustees met Friday in the Bone Student Center to announce upcoming university news and plans. An agenda formatted the structure and timing of the meeting and listed the topics to be shared, beginning with a call to order and roll call at 9 a.m. This was followed by the approving of other meeting agendas. Public comments were allowed afterward by anyone in attendance. One topic discussed was the proposal by Gov. Bruce Rauner to apply more budget cuts across Illinois, specifically cuts to state education funding. Cuts would affect ISU directly. President Larry Dietz encouraged faculty to stay positive. “I [promise] to you that I will continue to bring appropriate levels of funding to public universities across the state, Illinois State University in particular,” Dietz said. “While we look at the governor’s address as the start of a conversation, we expect to be in
those conversations to meet an agreeable resolution.” The board also approved repairs and upgrades for Wilkins Hall and Watterson Towers. Larry Dietz The Wilkins project will cost $3.5 million and will be undertaken during the summer. There will be exterior repairs and curtain wall replacements. Watterson Towers will also receive an upgrade to its existing fire detection system. It will cost $1.9 million to upgrade the system and replace smoke detectors, alarms and the system’s main panel. The work is set to be completed during this summer and next summer. The president also announced that Executive Director of Alumni Engagement Doris Rose will be retiring after 17 years of service. A reception for her was held Friday. Other items addressed included ISU’s need for a Fine Arts facility, recognition for those who received awards on
Founders Day and the recognition of ISU’s student athletes’ performance in both sports and the classroom. “Nearly 70 percent of the 438 student athletes qualified for the athlete honor roll,” Dietz said. “Unbelievable.” About one-fourth of ISU student athletes maintained a 4.0 grade-point average. Announcements after Dietz’s included a brief on the success of Founders Day by Spokesperson for Campus Communications Committee Elizabeth Chupp. She recognized faculty who made the annual event possible. She also highlighted the importance of higher education regarding Rauner’s address. “He noted that the key to job creation is education and training, and that our institutions of higher education are world-renown,” Chupp said. “This alone should be a reminder that it is necessary to support higher education and offer a budget that provides institutions the ability to sustain and build programs.” The next meeting will be held at 9 a.m. May 11 in the Bone Student Center.
The Vidette broke its record of most Illinois College Press Association wins Saturday when it won 29 awards at the annual conference in Chicago, including first place in General Excellence for daily collegiate newspapers. The Vidette also won six other first-place awards, eight second-place awards, four third-place awards and 10 honorable mentions. The previous record for most ICPA wins for The Vidette was 22 awards. It is the first time The Vidette won first place for General Excellence in the daily publication frequency group. The University of Illinois’ The Daily Illini, Northwestern University’s The Daily Northwestern and Southern Illinois University’s Daily Egyptian won second, third and honorable mention, respectively. Last year, Illinois State University’s newspaper won second place. In the General Excellence category, three random dates were chosen, and schools submitted newspapers published on or closest to the dates in 2017. This year’s submissions included the March 20, April 13 and Oct. 12 Vidette issues. The 2016-2017 Vidette Editor in Chief was Ave Rio. Vidette General Manager John Plevka said he was happy to see the wide assortment of individual awards won by staff members for writing, photography, design, editing, cartooning, digital media and advertising, but he was especially delighted to see the organization honored for its group effort. “The all-encompassing general excellence award recognizes the outstanding work being done every day by every student in every corner of The Vidette operation,” Plevka said. “Publishing a newspaper and maintaining a full-service website is a team effort and we have an amazing team at The Vidette. I am so happy to see their work and their continued dedication to The Vidette mission be recognized by professional judges.” Vidette Editor in Chief Ema Sasic and the Editorial Board won first place for opinion pages. It featured a column on domestic violence from Features Editor Emily Griffith and the process of being a Homecoming Court hopeful from Sasic. “It’s truly an honor to receive a first-place award and for our Viewpoint page to be recogEma Sasic nized by the Illinois College Press Association,” Sasic said. “I love doing what I do, and this is the icing on the cake.” Sasic also won second place for front-page layout. The Vidette submitted three consecutive editions of the paper for the category, and the covers featured National Coming Out Day, photos from the Jesse McCartney and T-Pain concert in October and Homecoming. She also won third place for in-depth reporting for her Coming to America: An ISU perspective series, and an honorable mention for multimedia reporting, shared with former News Editor Mary Cullen and former Photo Editor Kelly McNamara. The Classified Staff won first place for the classified section. Three classified sections were submitted for this category. Former Features Editor Deb Bethel won first place for headline writing for a story on Groundhog Day. The winning headline read: “Don’t throw shade on groundhogs, learn the facts.” see ICPA page 2
PAGE 2 | NEWS | THE VIDETTE
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018
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CORRECTION In a recent online story on the McLean County Museum of History’s Personal Pedal collection, the reporter wrote about a man named Bruce Callis in present tense, but he passed away 19 years ago. The story has been updated. The Vidette regrets the error.
continued from page 1
Former Sports Editor Josh Tolentino won first place for sports page design. The winning page focused on Illinois State University’s men’s basketball coach Dan Muller’s 100th winning game on Feb. 22, 2017. Tolentino also won third place for his sports column on former ISU women’s basketball coach Barb Smith, calling for ISU Athletics to find a replacement. Former editorial cartoonist Ash Brown won first place for their editorial cartoon on President Donald Trump and the drama surrounding his Supreme Court pick, which ultimately was Judge Neil Gorsuch. Among the second-place awards, The Vidette won for online news site. The Vidette also won second place in this category last year. The Daily Illini won first place for online news site. Griffith won second place for feature page design. She also won an honorable mention for column writing on her personal story of domestic violence. Photo Editor Monica Mendoza won second place and honorable mention for the feature photo category. Her two submissions included an on-stage selfie from the McCartney concert, and a “snow globe” picture from a November football game. Former Photo Editor Jenna Kadziulis won second place for sports photo for an image of the ISU men’s basketball team hugging Muller after his 100th win. She also won honorable mention with McNamara for the photo essay category for their spread on Arch Madness. Sports Editor Nate Head won third place for the sports feature story category for his article on St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong reminiscing on his major league debut. DeJong is an ISU alumnus. Head also won Nate Head honorable men-
tion for his sports game story on ISU’s win over Youngstown State on Oct. 28, 2017. “I am honored to be recognized by the ICPA committee,” Head said. “The DeJong story was one of my favorites to write, and I was very proud of it, so it was nice to earn a thirdplace honor.” Photo Editor Natalie Stuckslager won two honorable mentions. The two included her photo of actress and ISU alumna Jane Lynch receiving her honorary doctoral degree at the 2017 Founders Day celebration in the general news photo category, and an image of Chicago attorney Doug Ibendahl Top (L-R): Features Editor Emily Griffith, News Editor Stephanie Rodriguez, General taking a photo of slain Manager John Plevka and Sports Editor Nate Head. Bottom: Photo Editor Natalie Chicago Cmdr. Paul Stuckslager, Editor in Chief Ema Sasic, News Editor Kevin Schwaller and Sports Editor Bauer’s memorial Friday Michael Marra. for the Central Camera expect, but it goes to show how ous panels and speakers in print Chicago Press Photo Competimuch we all care about this paand broadcast journalism, photion. per. I am one proud Editor today tography, advertising and mar“The photo competition was and every day.” keting. The keynote speaker was a lot of hard work, but I think it ICPA is a two-day convention Ted Gregory, a general assignpaid off,” Stuckslager said. held in Chicago each year. The ment reporter for the Chicago Thirteen photographers from Embassy Suites by Hilton hotel Tribune. Gregory won a Pulitzer schools across Illinois participaton 511 N. Columbus Drive was Prize for investigative reporting ed in the Central Camera Chicago the host. More than 65 profesin 2008. Press Photo Competition. sional journalists from across Plevka is the president of the The Vidette’s advertising the United States judged the ICPA Board of Directors, which is department was also recognized. contest, which drew 1,134 entries in its 35th year. Graphic designer John Lynch and from over 30 newspapers in IlAdvertising Production Manager linois. Evan Morris won second place The convention featured variand honorable mention, respectively, for advertisements less than a full page. Morris and The Vidette staff won an honorable mention for the advertising campaign category. The Vidette staff also received second place for entertainment supplement and sports news story, and a third place for multimedia reporting at the Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball tournament. “Everyone on the Vidette staff should be so proud of their hard work and accomplishments this past year,” Sasic said. “A first place award for General Excellence is something we did not
The Vidette The Vidette is published Monday and Thursday 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 2017 University & Locust / Campus Box 0890 / Normal, IL 61761–0890
THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 3
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018
You’re a wizard, Reggie! ‘Harry Potter Experience’ brings magic to campus MIKE SMITH News Reporter | @Agora_180
Ali Rasper | Vidette Photographer
ISU student holds a “Have you seen this Wizard?” photo prop inspired by “Harry Potter” movies during UPB’s “Harry Potter Experience” which brought the wonderful world of wizarding to campus on Friday.
Check out the colorful gallery of related photographs at our website videtteonline.com
The University Program Board at Illinois State University hosted “The Harry Potter Experience” Friday evening, free of charge. The first floor of the Bone Student Center was transformed into a festival that allowed students to escape into the wizarding world of “Harry Potter.” Acceptance letters from Hogwarts decorated the walls and candlesticks brightened the dining tables as guests began to pour in. Once inside, students received gifts from the UPB table and were encouraged to check out any of the four rooms being used for the event. The Old Main Room played the role of Hogwarts’ Great Hall. Guests could use the Sorting Hat to find out what Hogwarts house they belonged in, take a short quiz to find out their Patronus, or embrace their inner Death Eater with a Dark Mark tattoo. The Circus Room acted as Diagon Alley’s Ollivander’s Wand Shop. Guests had the opportunity to decorate and stylize their own wands with paint, hot glue and other utilities. In this room, guests received a list of spells from the famous fandom. Toward the front of the room, guests could sit down with friends and watch “Harry Potter” movies on the projector screen. For the hardcore fans, the Spotlight Room featured trivia for the movies in “Hogwarts: A History.” The trivia games ran every 15 minutes. Guests would test their “Harry Potter” knowledge as they competed against others for prizes. The Brown Ballroom was turned into the Quidditch Pitch, where guests could try their hand at the beloved game of Quidditch with friends and members of the ISU Quidditch team. Guests could also grab a bite to eat or a pint of Butterbeer and enjoy the “Harry Potter” soundtrack playing in the background.
Throughout the event, UPB held raffles where guests could win prizes if they had the right number. Prizes included house banners, a box set of the “Harry Potter” movies, and much more. Guests that stayed until the end of the night had a chance to collect free decorations from the event. UPB member Adrienne Fox worked the event and made sure everyone received gifts upon arriving. She considers herself a longtime “Harry Potter” fan. “My sister got me into it when I was 10 or 12,” Fox said. “She was into it, and I wanted to like it too, so I started watching the movies and I thought they were really cool.” Fox thinks the greatest appeal to students attending the event is having grown up with Harry Potter and the movies. “It’s so relatable to come to an event like this,” she said. “It brings together ‘Harry Potter’ fans and gives people who haven’t seen the movies or read the books a chance to experience the world of ‘Harry Potter.’” However, not all guests were huge “Harry Potter” fans. Economics graduate student Jonathan Monsma said he considers himself more of a casual fan of the series. “I wouldn’t consider myself a [big] ‘Harry Potter’ fan, but I like the movies,” Monsma said. Monsma participated in one of the Quidditch games without having any prior knowledge about how to play. It turned out to be quite a challenging experience. “Quidditch was a lot of fun,” he said. “It was more of a workout than I expected. It’s a lot of running with a broomstick between your legs, so that makes it a little difficult.” Though he isn’t as invested as a hardcore fan like Fox might be, Monsma said he had a blast. “It was a lot of fun. I’m glad I came,” he said. “This was a fun event that gave me more exposure to some of the stuff that [big] ‘Harry Potter’ fans enjoy.”
‘The Vagina Monologues’ return to ISU ANDREW DOUGHERTY Senior News Reporter | @addough
“The Vagina Monologues” is returning to Illinois State University at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 and 25 at the Normal Theater. Doors open at 5 p.m. The monologues are part of a nationwide effort to raise awareness of the global movement to end sexual and other forms of violence against women. The event is hosted by ISU’s Feminist Led Activist Movement to Empower (F.L.A.M.E.). “‘The Vagina Monologues’ were created by Eve Ensler who interviewed women from all different backgrounds and heard all their stories and then created a show that synthesizes elements that she heard most often,” President of F.L.A.M.E. Delaney Auth said. “Some of those are ones that stuck with her, particularly some of them are amalgamations of a number of different women’s stories that were surrounding a similar idea,” Auth said. “Once she was able to put the show together, she had people put it on as a fundraiser for organizations in their community.” All proceeds from the event will go to the YWCA Stepping Stones Program and the Neville House from Countering Domestic Violence.
Auth said the idea behind the Vagina Monologues is to talk about women and what the experience of being a woman is like in our world. “There are monologues that may resonate more with your average college student in America, but there’s also ones that talk about women in war-torn countries,” Auth explained. “They do a piece every year about trans women. They try and get as many different experiences out there as possible.” Auth said the scripts for the performances are given out yearly but there was a big change in this year’s performance. “This year we’re not using the Bone Student Center as the venue for our performance, but rather the Normal Theater,” she said. “It’s exciting because this means more money for the organization we’re donating to.” She explained that the Normal Theater had reached out to her organization as the theater wanted to do more community events. “We also wanted to support the local business and engage with the community who may not be as comfortable coming to see the performance on campus,” Auth said. “We’re glad we can do this for this for these organizations and give back to our community.” Those interested in the event can contact the Women’s and
YWCA starts support group for sexual assault victims ALEX CAMPBELL News Reporter | @alex_campbell98
The YWCA started a new Stepping Stones program dedicated to support survivors of sexual assault. The group has already begun meeting with their first session being held on Feb. 14. The group meets in Illinois
State University’s McCormick Hall in Room 186 and the program will continue to be held every Wednesday from 2:30 – 4 p.m. However, the group will not meet on March 14 nor April 4. YWCA counselor Lindsey Lustfeldt said the program is intended to help those impacted by sexual assault on
the ISU campus. “The intent is to provide support and healing to survivors of sexual assault on the ISU campus,” Lustfeldt explained. “Our hope is that individuals who find traditional counseling or the location of the YWCA inaccessible will attend this group.” There have been different forms of support groups throughout the history of the YWCA. However, this is the first time this specific group has been offered in McLean County. “The group will run for eight weeks
Vidette Photo Archive
F.L.A.M.E.’s 2017 “Vagina Monologues” at the Bone Student Center drew record-high audiences promting them to switch venues this year to accomade more attendees.
Gender Studies office at wgstudies@illinoisstate.edu or call (309) 438-2947.
and is open for discussion of various topics pertaining to sexual assault such as rape culture, victim blaming, and relationship boundaries,” Lustfeldt said. “However, the group is ultimately for the survivors and we will let them guide the discussion during our time together.” There will also be a support group for LGBTQ+ students. “Our LGBTQIA Support Group will begin on Feb. 22,” Stepping Stone Case Manager Jennifer Golliday said.
“It will be on Thursdays from 5:30 – 7 p.m. and held at the YWCA.” Golliday said survivors can register or set up an appointment with her at YWCA, located at 1201 N. Hershey Rd. in Bloomington. “I am available to come on campus for these appointments or the survivor may come to our office at the YWCA,” she said. Those interested can contact Golliday at jgolliday@ywcamclean. org.
Viewpoint
PAGE 4 | THE VIDETTE
VIDETTE EDITORIAL
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018
Gentrification has now hit marijuana
A
trend that has taken place across the country is the act of gentrification. While this has been happening for more years than we could count, it has just recently started to get called out for what it is. Gentrification, in the simplest terms, is the idea of taking over low-class neighborhoods, buildings and locations and redecorating them to meet the taste of wealthier individuals. This term brings about such a negative connotation due to that fact while in the process of redecorating and allowing wealthier individuals to flood the community, the original members of the community are forced to deal with the backlash. Much of this backlash pertains to the fact that these communities will no longer be accessible to the individuals of lower class families. With richer residents flooding in, property values increase, which prices out lowerincome families and small businesses, according to a Medium article by Ilana Gordon. Lower-class families eventually move out of these communities, leaving behind their lives due to
the fact that richer residents want to take part in culturally rich communities they are not a part of. But a new theme we have seen in terms of gentrification actually has nothing to do with things such as housing or real estate, but more to do with semilegal/illegal substances. Marijuana has been used for recreational purposes for many years by all different types of people, yet recently a certain type of people have been being applauded for the hip, new, cool use of it. Marijuana has started the journey of gentrification by the way of white Ameri-
cans. They have paved a way for new types of recreational uses with little to no repercussions. Examples of these types of recreational uses include marijuanainfused yoga, college degrees forming around marijuana and even expecting mothers using marijuana. People allow weed during yoga because they believe it provides a “sensual experience that takes [participants] out of [their] everyday reality,” according to Marijuasana. It’s now even offered as an undergraduate program at Northern Michigan University as “medicinal plant chemistry.”
It is instances like these that give a negative connotation around gentrification. While these individuals are being coined as innovators, other individuals, most commonly black individuals, are being punished for even having marijuana on them. Studies have shown that black people and white people use marijuana at the same rates, yet black individuals are 3.7 times more likely to be arrested for possession, according to New York Times article “The Injustice of Marijuana Arrests.” The so called “war on drugs” has been aimed significantly at black Americans, while white Americans have been able to smoke comfortably behind closed doors. Comfortability and privilege has afforded them the opportunity to make money off of substances such as marijuana while others are being subjected to things such as fines and jail or prison time. We should stop funding programs that are only pushing the program of inequality and instead work toward advocating for the release of the hundreds of black Americans that have been mass incarcerated.
Editorial Cartoon by Flynn Geraghty | Vidette Art Director
EDITORIAL POLICY Editorial written by LEXI ABHSIE, 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.
Make the most out of your spring break MY VIEW KAMARA TURNER | Columnist
I
t’s been a very frigid winter this year in Illinois, with several inches of snow and below zero temperatures. It’s time for spring break and what it has to offer. Spring break is the time to travel and celebrate warmer weather in other cities like Miami, but traveling is not your only option. There are many other ways to enjoy it. Saving money is one of the most important steps to enjoying spring break. Make sure to cut out unnecessary spending to make sure you are not spending money on things that are not essential. Preparing for spring break traveling means cutting out buying fast
food every day and spending money on things like Starbucks every morning. Try to limit spending to once a week, or try making your own coffee at home before work or class. Building a budget for spring break is also important because it helps you stick to what you are planning for. Make sure the budget is realistic and be sure to stick with it if you want to see actual results. Building a budget is also a skill that can be beneficial for the rest of your life. The sooner you learn how to budget, the better you will be at saving and handling money once you get out into the post-college “real” world. While budgeting can be used all year round, it is important to use it for other things that do not involve traveling. There are a variety of fun things to do during spring break that do not involve spending, but will instead help you save money. Volunteering is one of the most overlooked ways to enjoy spring break. Not only do you save money, but you
also help those around you in need. Alternative Spring Break is a great way to get some volunteer hours. This is a week-long trip where Illinois State University students travel across the country to help communities in need. You don’t have to always take that stereotypical trip to Miami or South Padre. There are plenty of places in the Midwest where you can enjoy spring break. If you enjoy winter weather, ski resorts are also very popular and are a great way to spend time with family and friends. For seniors, job searching is something we do in our free time because March is that time that’s close to graduatation and a time to start our lives outside of college. Using spring break to look for a job or an internship is a productive way to get ahead. Spring break will give you that time to do intensive job searching, updating your resume and focusing on applications. Job searching isn’t just for seniors; it’s also important freshmen,
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Congratulations to The Vidette Dear Editor, My sincere congratulations to the Vidette staff and Editor Ema Sasic for historic accomplishments this year in the Illinois College Press Association contest. Full disclosure here, I served as general manager at the Vidette until my retirement in 2012. A huge part of my heart still resides within that building. Sasic and her staff last Saturday accumulated 29 individual awards, including first place in General Excellence in the ICPA contest, which is judged by professional journalists. The General Excellence award is particularly noteworthy. It means, simply, in the eyes of the
sophomores and juniors start to look for internships and summer jobs to build their resume and get them prepared for life after college. Spring break is also time for relaxation. Don’t forget to catch up on shows you may be behind on. Streaming apps like Netflix and Hulu are at our fingertips and are a great way to unwind from a busy first half of second semester. Whether you are going out of the state to a warmer city to enjoy the beach and party atmosphere, helping others in the community or building your resume for your future, these are all fun ways to enjoy spring break and make the best out of the week. KAMARA TURNER is a mass media major and a columnist for The Vidette. Any questions or comments regarding her column can be sent to katurne3@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter @kvmara.
VIDETTE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY judges, no other campus newspaper combines news, feature and sports reporting, photography and podcasting, web content, ad sales and ad production as well as editing and design at a level equal to the performance of this current Vidette staff. Hats off to John Plevka for his consistent leadership and for always leaving students in control as content decisions are made. This is a great honor for the Vidette. Rick Jones Rick Jones is Faculty Emeritus in the School of Communication at Illinois State University and former general manager of The Vidette. Any questions or comments concerning his letter can be sent to rajone1@ilstu.edu.
The Vidette welcomes letters to the editor, provided they are no longer than 250 words and are typed and double-spaced. Letters that exceed the 250-word limit can be published at the editor’s discretion,but shorter letters take precedence. Letters containing name calling and insults will not be published. Letters must be signed and contain the major or official title of the writer, the year in school if presently enrolled, address and a daytime telephone number for verification. Letters without phone numbers will not be considered for publication. Names may be withheld upon request, but only after approval by the editor. Letters are subject to editing for style and space at the editor’s discretion. Letters sent via e-mail to: vidette@ilstu.edu are accepted, provided they include a telephone number for verification.
ONLINE POLL
What are you planning for spring break?
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Cast your vote at Videtteonline. com or by using The Vidette mobile app
EDITORIAL BOARD EMA SASIC Editor-in-Chief | @ema_sasic KEVIN SCHWALLER News Editor | @kevschwa KAYLA JANE JEFFERS Columnist | @KJJeffers KAMARA TURNER Columnist | @kvmara LEXI ABHSIE Columnist | @labhsie
THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 5
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018
Founders Day Convocation recognizes outstanding individuals MIKE SMITH News Reporter | @Agora_180
I
llinois State Universit y hosted its annual Founders Day Convocation to celebrate the accomplishments of distinguished individuals at the school Thursday. The event was held in the Brown Ballroom inside the Bone Student Center. The room was filled with students, faculty and loved ones that came to see the group of honorary individuals receive recognition for their accomplishments during their time at ISU. ISU President Larry Dietz welcomed the crowd with opening remarks about the significance of the event and awarded Chairman and CEO of Braidy Industries Inc. Craig Bouchard with the 2018 honorary doctoral degree. Bouchard accepted the award and thanked everyone in his life, especially his wife and kids and thanked those who helped him succeed in school. “Here I learned to compete, I learned to write, I learned to solve problems, and in doing so, to recognize no boundaries to the problem,” Bouchard said. Bouchard said he hopes current students see that they can go on to achieve more. “Whenever I come back [here] I look at the students and think, ‘Gosh, that’s just like what I was,’” he said. “I think it’s a really simple message that I deliver here, which is, ‘If that guy can make it, anybody can make it.’” “The world is yours,” Bouchard continued. “The potential for you
to become astoundingly rich, either in money, in personality, in culture or in knowledge. It’s your opportunity, and you all have it.” The event continued with professor Jan Murphy, ISU Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, presenting awards, along with other staff members such as Pat Vickerman, Vice President of University Advancement, Michele Guadalupe, President of the Alumni Association board of directors, Dr. Levester Johnson, Vice President for Student Affairs, and Daniel Stephens, Vice President of Finance and Planning. Geography, geology and environment professor David Malone and politics and government professor Ali Riaz received the 2018 Distinguished Professors award. The 2018 University Professor was awarded to Eric W. Peterson. Three professors received the 2018 Outstanding University Teachers award: family and consumer sciences professor Bill Anderson, history professor Richard Hughes and music professor Ben Stiers. Psychology professor Thomas Critchfield and history professor Issam Nassar were awarded the 2018 Outstanding University Researchers award. The 2018 University Teaching Initiative Awards were given to teaching and learning professor Anna Marie Arias, special education professor Tara Kaczorowski, teaching and learning professor Grace Y. Kang, management and quantitative methods professor Tina Thompson, management and communication sciences and
disorders professor Lisa Vinney. The 2018 Universit y Research Initiative Awards were given to: Kristin Carlson, theater and dance professor, Tera Galloway, management and quantitative methods professor, Logan Miller, sociology and anthroplogy professor, Philip Mulvey, criminal justice sciences professor, Ben Sadd, biological sciences professor and L.J. Zigerell, politics and government professor. The 2018 OutTiffany Morrison | Vidette Photographer and News Reporter standing University Associate Director of University College Mary Jo Fabich receives an award during the Creative Activ it y Founder’s Day convocation ceremony on Thursday. Award was given to both English profesProfessional Emerging Leader was the 2018 Administrative/ sor Kass Fleisher and art professor Award was presented to both Professional Esprit De Corps Jin Lee. Katherine Birdsall, Campus Award, which was presented to Roy David Magnuson, assistant Relations and Yimin Wang, Inter- human resources employee Melaprofessor of music, was awarded national Studies and Programs. nie Schaafsma. the 2018 Creative Activity InitiaThe Team Excellence Award was tive Award. presented to the Food Recovery Check out the related Alumnus Garrett Anderson ’10 Network Program. photo gallery on was awarded the 2018 OutstandThe last award of the evening at videtteonline.com ing Young Alumni Award. The 2018 Administrative/ Professional Distinguished Service Awards were presented to: Stephanie Duquenne, Alumni Relations, Ryan Gray, Sociology and Anthropology, Janet Peterson, Community Engagement and Service Learning and Bruce Stoffel, Office of the Provost. The 2018 Administrative/
College of Fine Arts to host Red Note New Music Festival CINDY LE News Reporter | @Cindy_Pear
Flutes, trumpets, violins and cellos: the Red Note New Music Festival will feature contemporary concert music of participants competing for a cash prize. The College of Fine Arts will host the 11th season of Red Note Festival from March 25 – 29. The festival will showcase music that participants have worked on since last semester. Musicians from all over the world submitted their compositions online. The music had to fall under three categories: the
Chamber Ensemble (a combination of one instrument and one voice), the Wind Ensemble and Chorus. Musicians also applied for the Composition Workshop on Feb. 15 where faculty composers, Roy Magnuson, Carl Schimmel and Martha Horst helped musicians improve their compositions. At the workshop, composers attended rehearsals and seminars to perfect their performance for the Red Note Festival. Festival participants will also work with guest performers Onix Ensemble, an award-winning group of Mexican musicians.
Participants had to create a 5- to 10-minute composition to be able to perform along side them. In addition to the faculty composers, the School of Music also invited guest composers, William Bolcom and Gabriella Frank. Bolcom is a Grammy-award winner for his composition of chamber, operatic, vocal and several other categories of music. Frank is one of Bolcom’s students and also had a successful musical career.
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Features
PAGE 6 | THE VIDETTE
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018
Mr. Worldwide
Finance, insurance, law professor Carson Varner keeps his legacy alive after 42 years STUART STALTER Senior Features Reporter @VidetteStuS
T
he door to finance, insurance and law in professor Carson Varner’s classroom opens a portal to bygone days. Students are bombarded with historical lectures, whiteboard notes and physical articles cut from The Wall Street Journal. These methods have aced the test of time. Varner, 72, of Winnetka, Illinois, has taught at ISU since 1975. He has the second-longest tenure among ISU professors (sociology professor Wilbert Leonard leads with 48 years). Elise Blocki, junior integrated marketing communications and international business management double major, appreciates Varner’s methods. “Varner is extremely knowledgeable and passionate,” Blocki said. “He talks about real-life things, not homework and book concepts.” Varner discovered his love for teaching at 14. It was the last day of summer camp in his canoeing class at Hamlin Lake near Ludington, Michigan. As the oldest kid, Varner taught his classmates proper stroke techniques. “Teaching the junior canoers made me realize I had the knack to explain things and the why behind them,” Varner said. “The curiosity of asking why and connecting concepts has never left me.” Though curiosity remains the center of Varner’s universe, he notes that his teaching style has changed over time. In 1975, Varner was nervous about not knowing enough to lecture college students. Now, the goal is to never teach the same class twice. “As a psychological trick, every class I have gone into, I tell my students I have forgotten everything I ever knew,” Varner explained. Varner’s students have evolved with him. In 42 years, Varner has witnessed academic abilities rise. “Though good students have always been good students, there are
Samantha Brinkman | Senior Photographer
Carson and Iris Varner funded the addition of a world clock and map in the State Farm Hall of Business. They recently donated $1 million to the International Business Institute, the largest faculty cash gift in Illinois State University history. highly successful alumni that could not get admitted today,” Varner said. “Students go out with more confidence, since ISU is now a flagship, second-to-none school.” Students also gave Varner his favorite ISU memory. In 19 8 4 , PROFESSOR Varner mentored inter nat iona l PROFILE business major Cheryl Huenink, of Bloomington. She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. That scholarship is the most prestigious in America, allowing students to study abroad. Over a decade later, Varner advised Huenink’s niece — 1999 finance graduate Dawn Skaggs, also of Bloomington. She later became a Robert G. Bone Scholar. Another prideful moment for Varner is watching his daughter, finance, insurance and law professor Katrin Varner, work at ISU since 2001. They are believed to be the only active father-daughter
professor combination in ISU history. “To me, it is incredibly satisfying to have my daughter follow in my footsteps,” Varner said. The biggest lesson Katrin Varner received from her father is to never stop learning. One of her earliest memories is playing with figurines of all the presidents at age 2. As she lined them up, Carson would tell Katrin facts about all of them. The lessons never stopped. “Everything we did was a chance to learn, and I think that is something that I have kept with me and have tried to pass on to my son,” Katrin said. The dynamic duo was once a family trio. Carson, Katrin and retired international business professor Iris Varner, his wife, taught at the same time. Iris retired in 2009. Carson’s longevity has afforded him other incredible opportunities. For example, in 1987, Varner arrived in Berlin hours after Reagan
delivered his famous “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” speech. Varner was on an international trip with ISU students. Germans were already furious over French, British and American soldiers marching the streets for the Week of Allied Strength. Reagan’s speech exasperated paranoia over a United States vs. Russia nuclear war. The animosity made Varner defend Reagan’s speech. Two years later, Varner watched on German television as thousands danced on the Berlin Wall. The East German government announced borders were opening. Varner also taught at the École Supérieure des Sciences Commerciales d’Angers in France. It is one of the top business schools in France. Varner notes punctuality is perhaps the biggest difference between American and foreign students. “The French’s sense of time is much more laxed than here,” Varner said. “Conversely, in Germany, 9
o’clock does not mean 9:01.” Other than Germany and France, Varner has visited China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, England and Ireland. Varner picks France as his favorite foreign country. Varner notes his favorite destination in France is Normandy. He finds the trip very emotional and has taken many ISU students there. “Contrary to popular opinion, outside of Paris people are very friendly, very open to my lack of perfect French and there is a rich history and culture,” Varner explained. Outside of the classroom and traveling, Varner’s hobbies are astronomy and home improvements. He also considers himself a linguist. Other than English, Varner can speak fluent German, touristlevel Spanish and some French. Varner does not have a set retirement date. “As long as I have the strength, students are getting something out of my class and I am getting good vibes, I will continue teaching,” he said. Varner does know he will end his teaching career where it began. He has never seriously considered teaching anywhere outside of ISU. “ISU is good enough that it requires research and writing, but there is enough room to turn around and do something creative,” Varner explained. The result of Varner’s creativity will be his legacy. Carson and Iris Varner founded ISU’s international business program. It remains the only such program among public Illinois universities. The institute was named in the Varners’ honor on Founders Day. Overall, Varner is content with his extraordinary life. “If I walked down the hall tomorrow and fell down dead, on the way down, I would say that I have no regrets about how I have lived” Varner joked.
Students Organize for Syria raises awareness, funds for victims of crisis STUART STALTER Senior Features Reporter | @VidetteStuS
Over 11 million people dead or fleeing for their lives since 2011, lethal winters with scaldinghot summers and little news coverage of these plights. This is not a horror RSO TO KNOW movie; this is life in Syria. Fortunately, Illinois State University does not turn a blind eye to atrocities. Junior elementary education major Hadia Nabulsi founded registered student organization Students Organize for Syria (SOS) in April 2016. SOS provides a voice for the often voiceless. The group also fundraises for Syrian refugees. This semester, SOS has hosted a henna event and sold carnations Wednesday. The group also sponsored a Zumba class to learn cultural bellydancing and fundraise. Additionally, the group is teaming with College Mentors for Kids to sell lemonade. Before spring break, SOS plans to host events
for Syria Solidarity Week. Planned events include passing out ribbons to stand in solidarity with Syrians, bake sales and an awareness-raising movie screening. This semester, the group has raised a total of $325. Proceeds help get Syrian refugees and struggling citizens desperately needed aid. “The things we do for the Syrian community is help share their stories and struggles while raising money for food, medical aid and other items for them,” Nabulsi said. “What we do for the ISU and BloomingtonNormal community is educate community members on this crisis, since it rarely gets any new coverage,” Nabulsi continued. Racism is the biggest roadblock SOS encounters in the community. People often accuse the group of supporting radical terrorism. “The real problem is that antagonists are not fully educated on the situation in Syria, but they think that they are,” Nabulsi said. Atif Hussain, SOS Vice President, believes the cultural crisis in Syria exasperates violence. “I feel that violence, especially people who
Michelle Carrico | Vidette Photographer
President of Students Organize Syria Hadia Nabulsi presents plans for the club’s next event. bring religion as a reason to have that violence, stems from more cultural issues rather than religious issues,” Hussain explained. Much of the public’s ignorance stems from Muslim misconceptions. According to the United States Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report of Syria, 87 percent of Syrians follow Islam. “One cannot distrust 95 percent of the population off the actions of a minuscule minority
that I do not even consider to be Muslim,” Hussain said. Regardless, SOS remains a small organization. The group fluctuates between six to nine people. Though weak in numbers, SOS remains strong in their commitment to spread awareness. “We are just here to try to help the innocent people who are not talked about enough in any way we can,” Nabulsi said.
THE VIDETTE | SPORTS | PAGE 7
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018
Ali Rasper | Senior Photographer
ABOVE: Frannie Corrigan shoots a free throw in the first half. She scored a career-high 11 points. RIGHT: Kristen Gillespie looks on in her pink outfit and Kay Yow pin in honor of her former coach. TOP RIGHT: Katrina Beck pushed the offensive tempo for the Redbirds in Sunday’s victory.
Women’s basketball closes out home schedule with pair of wins KADE HEATHER & NICK LANDI Sports Reporters
With March creeping closer, the implications of each game down the stretch increases.
Friday: Illinois State 63, Indiana State 53 The Illinois State women’s basketball team was looking for revenge against Indiana State Friday night and got it. In her best game of the 2018 calendar year, Simone Goods powered the Redbirds to a 63-53 win over the Sycamores at Redbird Arena. Goods surpassed her career highs in points (29) and steals (5). She also notched her fourth double-double of the season, her first since Dec. 31 against Bradley. “We were just going to keep feeding her,” ISU coach Kristen Gillespie said. “They were giving her one-on-one looks and anytime you do that, I think that’s interesting but we’ll take it.” The Redbirds entered halftime down 27-26. “I wasn’t thrilled with our defensive effort in the first half, we were a little more reactionary, we were a step slow,” Gillespie said. “We talked about some things at halftime and I loved what we did defensively [in the second half].” After a somewhat sluggish first half, the Redbirds’ offense scored 20 third-quarter points.
Much of that credit goes to Hannah Green and Katrina Beck, who split four three-pointers, including three back-to-back. That gave Illinois State its largest lead at 37-30, then another Goods layup and Beck three-pointer put the Redbirds up by 10. Illinois State never trailed again after Green’s three-pointer at the 8:03 mark in the third quarter. Free throws extended Illinois State’s lead in the fourth quarter. Beck knocked down seven of them in the final frame and Goods and Viria Livingston added two each. Heading into Friday night, Gillespie had noted that rebounds are a huge key to beating Indiana State. She was right. Illinois State outrebounded Indiana State, 46-30 and the Redbirds collected 15 offensive boards, leading to 13 second-chance points Senior Hannah Green finished with 11 points and five rebounds. She had several family members in attendance. “Everyone who has helped me get to where I am today are in my thoughts whether they’re here or in California, so just being able to have some of them here is really special, especially for Sunday,” Green said.
Sunday: Illinois State 70, Evansville 44 With so much at stake, Illinois State women’s basketball made its last home game of the regular season count.
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ISU dominated Evansville en route to a 70-44 win Sunday at Redbird Arena. With the victory, Illinois State (13-13, 7-8 MVC) returns to .500 and finishes its home schedule with a 9-6 record. “Just a great way to finish our home season, so to speak, our last game with this group in Redbird Arena,” Gillespie said. Green, ISU’s lone senior, was honored before what would be her final game in Normal. She finished the contest with 14 points and seven rebounds. “It was just emotional,” Green said. “It means a lot to me, so I don’t want to talk too much about it [because] I’m going to cry.” Goods, meanwhile, finished what was a big weekend for her. After scoring a career-high 29 points on Friday against Indiana State, the forward followed that performance up with 24 points and nine rebounds against the Purple Aces. The Redbirds also got plenty of support from their role players. Sophomore Frannie Corrigan, who averages about eight minutes a game this season, scored a career-high 11 points in 16 minutes of action. She made sure to make the most of the opportunities she had on Sunday. “I know coach talks about it all the time about being ready and you never know when you’re going to get your opportunity,” Corrigan said. “So I just really try to focus on the controllable, like giving effort and energy every
day and just always talking, which is something that comes fairly easy to me.” Livingston contributed for the Redbirds in multiple ways, finishing the afternoon with five points, a career-high 13 rebounds, and six assists. Nine of her rebounds were offensive. Evansville (3-22, 0-14 MVC) hung around with the Redbirds early, but ultimately couldn’t keep up with them. ISU outrebounded the Aces 58-20, leading to advantages in points in the paint (38-18) and second-chance points (29-2). Junior Kerri Gasper was the only Evansville player to score in double figures, finishing with 21 points in the loss. Illinois State grew such a comfortable lead that, with around three minutes remaining in the game, Gillespie was able to send in her bench to play. Freshman Ajai Simmons, sophomores Amaria Allen and Zakiya Beckles, and junior Millie Stevens joined Corrigan on the court to finish the match. Winning five of their last six games, the Redbirds return to the road to play its last three games of the season. “This weekend, it’s just going to be [that] we can’t worry about fatigue,” Gillespie said. “We just have to guard, we got to make shots, and we’re just going to play as hard as we can for 80 minutes and if we do that, I like our chances.” Friday’s game starts at 7 p.m. in Northern Iowa.
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Sports
PAGE 8 | THE VIDETTE
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018
Jimmy Renalo | Vidette Photographer
ABOVE: Illinois State guard Madison Williams looks to find open space in the second half against Northern Iowa at Redbird Arena. TOP RIGHT: ISU’s Milik Yarbrough prepares to attempt a layup in ISU’s 79-75 victory over Northern Iowa Saturday night. RIGHT: Redbird guard Keyshawn Evans drives past a Northern Iowa defender.
Back to the ’70s Redbirds return to old ways on Retro Night to defeat Panthers JONATHAN BARLAS Sports Editor | @janveseleybarlas
W
hile the snow fell gently Saturday night in Normal, the Redbirds refused to fall with it. After losing to Northern Iowa earlier this season, the Illinois State men’s basketball earned its revenge, defeating the Panthers, 79-75, on Retro Night at Redbird Arena. ISU’s Milik Yarbrough poured in a gamehigh 25 points and William Tinsley added 18 points to lead the Redbird scoring attack. Milik Yarbrough shot 8-for-17 while Tinsley finished Yarbrough 6-for-9 from the 3-point line. ISU head coach Dan Muller not only praised Tinsley’s and Yarbrough’s composure out on the court, but also attributed the team’s success to everyone on the floor. “We had a lot of guys step up,” Muller said. “It wasn’t a pretty game, our numbers weren’t very good, but as I told the team before the game and after the game, ‘just find a way to win’ and we did that.” Center David N’Diaye combined with Yarbrough to total 11 of ISU’s 26 points at the half and their presence was felt on the boards, too, as the duo accounted for nearly half of the team’s 21 total rebounds. Off to a sluggish start, ISU’s lack of control of the game proved to be disruptive to its offense. The Panthers pounced
all over the Redbirds early on, using ISU’s mental mishaps to their advantage. With an unlikely total of nine team fouls proving to be the catalyst to a potential Redbird demise in the first, that notion was quickly shattered. At the half, ISU trailed UNI’s red-hot offensive, 37-26. Following the Panthers’ defiant 10-point run, William Tinsley turned up the heat, and the Redbirds followed his lead. As the second half began, the Redbirds seemed to wake up. Matching the Panther offense point-for-point, both Tinsley and Yarbrough almost single-handedly brought the Redbirds back into the game. ISU wore the red-striped shorts and vintage jerseys of many Redbird teams in the 1970s, many of which were honored in a ceremony during the halftime intermission. Scoring five of his six 3-point chances in the second half, Tinsley found his shooting touch on Doug Collins court and tallied his third double-digit total in his past four outings. Shooting 37 percent from the field in the first, the Redbirds responded with a second-half mirage of hot shooting. ISU connected on 11-of-14 of its 3-point attempts (79 percent) and shot 15-for-22 (68 percent) from the field. Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson joked with reporters after the game about ISU’s dazzling display. “Anyone in this room not make a 3 or throw one in?” Jacobson asked. “They’ve shot the ball well at different times. Their numbers tell you, and watching them on film, they’ve been a little streaky. Even good shooting teams at some point you
miss a couple, and in the second half that didn’t happen.” The contagiousness of shooting sparked a 9-point performance from Isaac Gassman who dropped three pivotal 3-point daggers to close the 11-point deficit at the end of the first. “We love to shoot threes, we shoot threes all the time in practice,” Tinsley said. “We just work hard at it all the time.” In a shootout of a game, UNI shoved back with about six minutes left in the second half with ISU still leading 61-55. While Evans was limited most of the game due to his recovering knee injury, he drew 10 points from the field, hitting two 3-pointers William in the process. Tinsley Yarbrough put up a couple more baskets of his own, then drawing a foul and scoring both to put the game out of reach with only two seconds left. Illinois State went on to defeat Northern Iowa 79-75. Entering the last two games of conference play 9-7 is a nice look for the Redbirds the rest of the way out. Illinois State returns to Redbird Arena Feb. 21 where they will play the Drake Bulldogs for yet another chance to climb up the conference rankings. JON BARLAS is a Sports and Features reporter at The Vidette. He can be reached at jgbarla@ilstu.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @janveselybarlas.
“We had a lot of guys step up. It wasn’t a pretty game, our numbers weren’t very good, but as I told the team before the game and after the game, ‘just find a way to win’ and we did that.” Dan Muller, ISU head coach