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March 6, 2019
Volume 145, Issue 21
washburnreview.org Established 1885
History of US immigration Yash Chitrakar
Washburn Review yash.chitrakar@washburn.edu
The members of a MS-13, or the Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational gang, start young. Most of the members are recruited, usually forcefully, from high schools, middle schools and juvenile detention centers, and the rite of passage involves getting beaten up by older gang members; women have the choice, if one can call it a choice, or dilemma of picking between in-
tercourse and a beating. The gang comprises primarily Salvadorian people, but it had its origins in the context of 1970s and 1980s U.S. immigration laws, at a time when civil wars were erupting in Central America. Hordes of citizens of Central American countries saw the U.S. as a place for refuge. When the U.S. rejected Salvadorian claims for asylum and instead labeled the desperate migrants as undocumented, the Salvadorians had to come in illegally, which meant that they weren’t privy to
the legal advantages that legal residents had. This, with the piling cultural and economic pressures and the pre-existence of gangs in Los Angeles, where most of the migrants settled, was the perfect environment a group of youths to collectivize and form one of the most vicious gangs of the time and even of today. “The undocumented Salvadorian gangs became increasingly violent to distinguish themselves from the other gangs,” said Kim Morse, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
photo courtesy of pixabay.com
Pursuit of happiness: America has a long history of immigration. Many immigrants saw America as a place of refuge.
WSGA aims to reduce cost of books
photo courtesy of pixabay.com
Buying books: Textbooks can be costly. WSGA has been looking for solutions.
Matt Self
Washburn Review matt.self@washburn.edu
As many on campus have noted, everyone has received textbook survey emails from the Washburn Student Government Association and the Kansas Board of Regents Students Advisory Committee. These surveys are meant to gather information related to college students’ experiences with textbook affordability. This is an issue that affects many on campus at Washburn and other colleges across the country as buying textbooks can be an added expense that costs students hundreds of dollars every year. The survey’s results, which will be presented March 20 to the Kansas Board of Regents, will help the board determine if a state-wide
photo by Kraig Dafoe
Prestige: Holly O’Neill stands in front of a big machine that helps see the smallest of particles. O’Neill teaches forensic chemistry in the K.B.I building.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
HLC impacts Washburn staff DeyJa Cardenas
Washburn Review deyja.cardenas@washburn.edu
A decade of excellence. Washburn will be undergoing a thorough evaluation regarding the overall education system on March 25. The HLC, which stands for Higher Learning Commission, is a company that oversees a university’s growth and student success. Essentially, the Higher Learning Commission evaluates and then visits college campuses across the state of Kansas to evaluate and access the universities for accreditation. The process for the evaluation starts when Washburn, or the designated university, sends over an assurance argument which entails all of the records of the student, faculty and staff growth and decline, as well as other supporting and confidential charts throughout the ten year milemark. Within the course of 30 days, the Higher Learning Commission evaluates all of the records that Washburn, or the chosen campus, had submitted. The accreditation CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
A Washburn Success Story: Holly O’Neill Matt Self
Washburn Review matt.self@washburn.edu
This week Washburn University congratulates faculty member Holly O’Neill, who has been accepted as a member of the prestigious American Academy of Forensic Sciences. O’Neill is an assistant professor of chemistry at Washburn who has been a member of the university for three years now. She teaches several classes including Introduction to Forensics Chemistry, an advanced forensics chemistry lab, a Forensics Science Seminar and a Fundamentals of Chemistry lab class as well. She graduated from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma and went to graduate school in the University of Tulsa to finish earning her masters degree in analytical chemistry. After graduation she would serve in the Kansas Department of Defense for 10 years and analyze
everything from explosives to illegal drugs. O’Neill’s previous experience with the Department of Defense also involved going overseas to examine the explosives being used in improvised explosive devices. The AAFS is an international multidisciplinary professional organization that provides leadership to advance science and its application to the legal system. The objectives of the academy are to promote professionalism, integrity, competency, education, foster research, improve practice and encourage collaboration in the forensic sciences. In order to be accepted into the organization O’Neill had to be recommended by a colleague who comes from the same field of forensics that she works with and meet extensive criteria requirements. O’Neill
“She is well qualified and a real asset to Washburn University.” spoke of how she felt when she received the news that she would be accepted into the organization after a meeting Feb.
15. “I was very pleased because it requires more of a time commitment to apply for membership and you also have to attend the meetings and it’s not just one of those organizations that you pay membership dues and you’re in,” O’Neill said. “So I was very pleased to be accepted into the organization.” As part of the AAFS, O’Neill will have to attend regular meetings and keep up with new trends that may arise in the field of forensic science. She expressed the importance of keeping her lab skills fresh as she deals with students in forensics on a daily basis who need a guiding hand as they progress toward their
degrees. A colleague of O’Neill, Cait Porterfield, said that there were few more deserving of being accepted into the AAFS than O’Neill herself. “I was absolutely excited when I heard she had been accepted. It was well deserved,” Porterfield said. “She is well qualified and a real asset to Washburn University.” It is exciting to see Washburn faculty such as O’Neill gain such accolades as being accepted into international organizations like the AAFS. A career as a student and a teacher is required along with no small amount of hard work to gain such prestige. O’Neill’s success is a guiding light to other students at Washburn who can use her story as inspiration to shoot for the stars in their respective fields, not just in the forensic sciences but in every field at our university.
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NEWS
washburnreview.org
Continued: HLC impacts Washburn staff and faculty STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
photo courtesy of Washburn University
Reaching new heights: Tracie Lutz, professor at Washburn, gives insight to why the Higher Learning Commission is important for Washburn faculty and staff. Lutz participated in the previous Higher Learning Commission evaluation.
Continued: History of US Immigration STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
tion. This was problematic, as previously, the US had recruited Chinese laborers in conjunction with Irish and Mexican laborers to expedite the railroad building process. Other immigrants were subject to this as well, regardless of their ethnicity. For example, until the 1920s, Mexican people would enter the U.S. border seasonally to provide agricultural labor as they harvested crops during cultivation season. After their stint in the US, they returned home to do the same. “They would do this year after year after year and that way, the United States got the labor that it needed, and the Mexican economy and the Mexican agricultural projects continued to function. That was normal. That kind of circular migration pattern was incredibly normal process into about the 1920s,” Morse said. “It was only after the 1920s that the United States began to criminalize Mexican labor, but even then, it was really normal, and it was technically undocumented for Mexican labor to cross the border to work, especially in Texas, in migrant farm labor contexts, and Texas was fine with that because they needed the labor.” The U.S. has never put a halt to that. Officially, the migration has been deemed illegal, but since the U.S. economy depends on low-skilled labor, which its indigenous demographic is failing to produce, it has looked the other way at times. The policies haven’t been and aren’t strong enough to prevent this problem, which admittedly is one of its own creations. “The bulk of the undocumented workforce is not people who cross without documentation. The bulk of them are those who overstay their visas,” said Morse. This accounts for 42-percent of the total illegal immigrants. If the U.S. were to deport all the illegal immigrants, it would be devastating. “And, frankly, the Chambers of Commerce all over the country, lobbyists all over the country associated with the agro-business are all over that problem and they tell the politicians that,” Morse said. The “Immigrants are taking our jobs” rhetoric has been spouted many times in the past, with one of the first instances being the utterance of President Herbert Hoover in 1929, but this has to be examined in this historical context. When these fears and negative perceptions manifest themselves in policies, oftentimes, it brings not only economic ramifications but also humanitarian problems, as any sort of deportation of an illegal immigrant normally break families apart. It hasn’t been just the “job-saving” or the “border-protecting” that has broken families apart, punitive measures directed toward refugees has also done the same.
history professor at Washburn. After the introduction of stricter immigration policies, members of the gang went back home to terrorize Salvadorian neighborhoods where laws were lax and institutions were weak. Some of the honest Salvadorian migrants that the U.S. were turning back were going to a home where a grisly fate awaited them. This history and the history of immigration the U.S. in general, and the economic realities are often forgotten in the discourse, and consequently, in the formation of immigration policies. Immigration became an issue primarily in the 19th century when countries started defining borders and identities. According to Morse, this is when nations states sought to define themselves and looked at resources and labor they could control. “Nations [were] defining politically what their borders were. In addition to that, there is the 19th century process of figuring out belonging. Who belongs to the nation? And who doesn’t belong to the nation? Those definitions of belonging often is rooted in the concept of race,” Morse said. The Mexican-American war in 1845, for example, was an enterprise for expansion by the U.S. The U.S. wanted to control the resources of Texas, which gained independence from Mexico in 1836. The then-Mexican strongman leader still saw Texas as a Mexican state, and an attempt at annexation would be a strong impetus for war. The U.S., touting the Mexican aggression after Mexican troops attacked American forces, declared war. The purchase of Oregon and Gadsden was a similar attempt at defining borders and controlling natural resources and exploiting cheap labor. This expansionism was happening globally, although African nations were an exception in that they could not define their own borders, owing to the colonization by European nations. The colonizing nations were the ones defining their borders for them. If history tells us anything, the U.S. has often failed to uphold its founding ideals and the subsequent ideals that were developments of the founding ideal. The country has a troublesome history with immigration, and the history doesn’t lean favorably toward immigrants. “The U.S., throughout history, has gone through punitive cycles,” said Morse. Morse said the U.S. has at times brought in or allowed people from other countries for its benefit and added strictures later when convenient. “Historically, there have been many cases where the U.S. viewed immigrants as ‘the racial other’,” Moore added. She gave the example of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which the U.S. used to outlaw Chinese labor immigra- (FOR THE REST OF STORY VISIT WASHBURNREVIEW.ORG)
process continues when The Higher Learning Commission reserves a meeting that lasts a day and a half is conducted at the campus. The Higher Learning Commission will fill out forms and dig a little deeper to better oversee the evaluation of how others see the Washburn family. Dr. Jerry Farley explained, “This is very important to the history of the university, we want that stamp of approval that were doing the right kinds of things in accordance to admissions and in accordance with the integrity and all of the things about the university that are important. We want people to know about that.” According to credible faculty members of Washburn, the university is predicted to exceed the expectations for the Higher Learning Center evaluation on March 25 and 26 of 2019. Tracie Lutz, who obtained a Masters in Education and Literacy at Washburn, now a professor at Washburn, stated with confidence, “We will meet, if not exceed, in many areas, when the HLC committee comes here.” If a university fails the Higher Learning Commissions criteria, the university can lose credibility, which essentially costs the university their essential funding and may result in a university’s student success decline.
Washburn is a university that has a staff oriented around student success and happiness. “I feel our high point is our service to our students. I feel like as a faculty, we think of the needs for our students first, we offer them resources from financial aid to opportunities for tutoring, student health services. We offer a great deal to our students, so they feel valued and supported. I was not here for the previous accreditation process, ten years ago, but from my personal perspective, from receiving my graduate studies and my degree from Washburn, everything has only improved and grown,” said Lutz. According to the Kansas board of regent’s graduation percentage rate, the system wide graduation percentage for Kansas is in the 43 percentile. “I see the HLC visit to solidify that we are a stellar institution that meets and exceeds the HLC expectations, and our assurance argument showcases and solidifies our competency as an institution. I am confident that we will meet and exceed HLC expectations,” Lutz said. “Overall, I feel Washburn University strives to foster well-rounded global citizens who will leave our institution with the ability to work successfully, interpersonally as well as academically. I think the time and effort has been put into the assurance argument that I think it’s going to be a seamless process.”
Blackface discussion evaluates situations through the years Wesley Tabor
Washburn Review welsey.tabor@washburn.edu
Incident after incident spurred a panel discussion regarding the historical, cultural and theatrical significance of blackface Wednesday, Feb. 27, in the Vogel Room at the Memorial Union. The event began with Kelly Erby, associate professor of history, explaining the early 19th century context around blackface and minstrelsy. “These are both used by predominantly white people to create a caricature of a black person,” said Erby. “It’s more than just about makeup… It’s about behavior that creates a deeply racist caricature and stereotype that mocks black people as unintelligent, lazy, silly, hyper sexual and dishonest.” Minstrelsy can be tied to deeply racist stereotypes as the movements involved with the dance correlate to old traditions that extend to the days of slavery and indentured servitude. “We teach in a minstrel show what to expect and set the picture for what black people should look like and how they should act,” said Debora King, adjunct professor for the theatre department. “In my opinion this is codified racism.” America’s joyful sector of musical theater started with such a hateful and racist-driven beginning that was teaching young American minds about how specific segments of society should look, act and what their place was in society. “It is musical theater with white supremacy as its basic element,” said King. “A lot of these performances are amazingly unacceptable.” Blackface and its origins have been drawn back as early as the 16th century. “It really wasn’t until about the 1830s and 1840s when blackface and minstrelsy really became fully developed in America,” said Erby. “It’s by far the most popular form of entertainment in America during this time.” By 1848, minstrelsy was widely accepted in America as the top musical theater performance in the U.S. “The performance of self and the performance of someone else is never without a political dimension,” said Darren Canady, associate professor of English at the University of Kansas. “The dangerous thing is to think that what we’re experiencing is some sort of vacuum that’s unconnected to a larger history… we still have people trying to divorce our current reality from the history that created it.” The Q&A section of the panel had various community members suggesting that similar discussions continue in regards to topics that are highly attached to racism. “We are often asked ‘why are you still
photo courtesy of www.onyxtruth.com
Blacklist blackface: This controversial Gucci balaclava jumper sparks discussion over the shameful imagery of blackface. After taking fire for the ad, Gucci apologized and took the product off of its website.
talking about slavery because slavery is over…?’ I think this is a proof positive as to why we need to continue these discussions,” said Sherri Camp, a genealogy librarian at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library. Paintings, films, drawings, artwork forms, documentaries and subtexts have been used as dots on the roadmap as the connection between blackface, minstrelsy and racism continue to reconnect themselves in discourse. These add confusion and prolong the traditional art forms. The most recent being Robert Downey’s Jr. role in “Tropic Thunder” in 2008. “What I find interesting as a playwright and as someone who cares about narrative is to be playing close attention to the things that are said when college student, governors are seen in blackface,” said Canady. “This idea that I’m just having fun… I’m just playing… it was a mistake. Each time it is a reinforcement of a problematic and dangerous narrative inextricably tied to slavery, to oppression, to lynching… that is a reality.” The Vogel Room quickly filled with questions like “where do we start? How do we end this kind of thinking? When is change going to come?” “First we have to work on ourselves and tell ourselves that we need to recognize when I’m doing something that’s not intentional,” said King. “We have to own it as being a part of the dominant culture.” Accountability was the consensus. America and its citizens must show accountability if the nation hopes to pull itself out of an entwined past to racism, bigotry and narrow mindedness. “If you try this then be careful,” said Tom Prasch, professor and chair of the history department. “When you do this kind of stuff it’s often problematic, it’s touchy subjects and provocative and sometimes it’s just not going to work or go well.”
AROUND CAMPUS Briefs
March 6, 2019
Think Pink Week with Zeta Tau Alpha
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, March 18: Milk and cookies at the Zeta Tau Alpha House. $2 for milk and a cookie, $5 for milk and three cookies, every additional cookie after three is $1.
3 By Morgan Holloway
8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 19: Kick out breast cancer by playing kickball at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center. Bring your WUID. $5 for individuals to register or $25 for a team of six. All day Wednesday, March 20: Percentage day at Buffalo Wild Wings, just mention Zeta Tau Alpha. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, March 21: Zater Tots at Zeta Tau Alpha House. $5 for a plate or $8 for unlimited. Both with unlimited toppings.
Reading from Ling Ma’s debut novel
Washburn English department will be presenting Ling Ma reading from her debut novel, “Severance,” at 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 19 in Carole Chapel. Ma is a Topeka native who has been named a Kirkus prize winner and 2018 NYT notable book. This event is free and open to the public. Books will also be available for purchase by cash or check only.
Stop, Shop & Dine (March Madness)
From 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 20, stop by the Memorial Union to stop, shop and dine. Stop for games and win a prize. Shop for special sales in the Ichabod Shop. Dine in for a $5.50 meal deal including nacho bar, guinness cupcakes and iced tea or water. Watch the basketball games on TV while having fun.
Standing strong: Whiting Fieldhouse still stands today but is now used as a practice gym for athletes only. This picture was found in the March 9, 1984 Washburn Review and captures the last varsity game played in the gym. At this time, this was Coach Bob Chipman’s fifth year as the head coach at Washburn.
WU-mester: Tattoos and Piercings
Washburn University College of Arts and Sciences will discuss tattoos and piercings among health care professionals at noon Monday, March 18 in Mabee Library. Shirley Dinkel, associcate dean adn professor in the School of Nursing and Caren Dick, assistant professor in the School of Nursing will lead the discussion. The event is free and open to the public.
Black Excellence Ball
Washburn’s Black Student Union will be hosting their first Black Excellence Ball at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 27 in the Ruth Garvey Fink Convocation Hall, in the Alumni Center. Free with a Washburn ID, $5 donation without.
Crime Report
Medical Report
After class extra credit
11:37 a.m. Feb. 27. A medical report was filed from the KBI Building. The patient was treated by American Medical Response (AMR).
3:38 p.m. March 2. An intrusion alarm went off from Washburn Tech Building K. The south and southeast doors both sounded. The building was secured upon arrival but nothing was found.
Someone stole my cup holder 11:45 p.m. Feb. 27. A report was made from parking lot 9 of Washburn. The victim reported the theft of items from vehicle.
Creeps be creeping 8:38 p.m. Feb. 28. A report was filed of a suspicious person at 17th and Jewell. The suspicious person was contacted and a no time limit (NTL) was given.
The wind wanted to learn 3:58 a.m. March 4. An intrusion alarm went off from Washburn Tech Building A. Everything was found to be secure and no cause was found. The alarm was reset.
Camp out with a good book
Information Only
11:15 a.m. March 4. There was a report made from Mabee Library. The report stated a tent was on the east side of the library between the pavillion.
9:34 a.m. Feb. 28. A citation was issued in parking lot 2 of Washburn.
Welfare Check
Casper wanted a perm 11:33 p.m. Feb. 28. An alarm went off at Washburn Tech’s Academy of Cosmetology. The building was found secure.
12:20 p.m. March 4. A welfare check was made at Washburn Institute of Technology. The individual was contacted and given a no time limit (NTL) reference case.
Information Only
This art is lit
9:58 a.m. March 1. A call was received from Washburn Institue of Technology East Campus. An individual reported receiving harassing phone messages.
1:30 p.m. March 4. There was a report of a fire alarm at the Mulvane Art Museum. The report was determined to be false.
Sexual Assault 10:40 a.m. March 1. There was a report of sexual assault that occurred at Washburn Tech. Both parties involved knew each other. The investigation continues.
Start again: Washburn builds the new Garvey Communications Center in the March 4, 1970 Review. When campus got hit by the 1966 tornado, many of the classrooms were in relocatable trailers. At this point, most of the trailer classrooms had been vacated.
Trapped between a rock and a hard place 1:06 p.m. March 5. A call was made from Stoffer Science Hall. There was staff stuck in the south elevator. Topeka Fire Department assisted in getting the subject out. The elevator has been put out of service.
No visitors allowed: Students Mike Staab and Dennis Jones argue with Georgia Neese Gray about a visitation proposal in the March 6, 1974 Review. Benton used to be a men’s dorm on campus.
Vote for WU: Washburn Student Government Association is currently having elections and need students to vote. In the March 9, 1990 Review, Clint Whitney casted his vote for what was the Washburn Student Association at the time. President Mark Harvey and Vice President Larry Thomas won this election by 82 votes and less than 1,000 people voted in this election.
Student Media Editor in Chiefs
Reporters
Ads Manager
Review-Morgan Holloway
Online-Arya Thapa
Josey Trimble
Kaw-Maggie Gile
News-DeyJa Cardenas
Freelance
Bod Mag-Rachel Ciummo
News-Matt Self
Lou Collobert
Online-Joelle Conway
Features-Yash Chitrakar
Dylan Babcock
Editors
Features-Nicholas Solomon
Spencer Brown
Features-Samuel Cox
Features-Kodee Christensen
John Burns
Sports-Alex Landwehr
Arts & Living-Alicia Muniz
Eriko Hiranoi
Design-Cody Dannar
Arts & Living-Mingzhu Zhu
Melissa Kern
Chief Copy Editor
Sports-Seth Burdick
John Martin
Shayn Jones
Sports-Brandon Brownlee
Sarah Miller
Copy Editors
Designers
HR Manager
Adam White
Review-Joshua Irsik
Bailey Sater
Abbie Barth
Review-Erica Faulkinbury
Exec Editor of Student Media
Kendra Wicks
KAW-Anna Marie Lauppe
Kraig Dafoe
Wesley Tabor
Ads-Randi Dofat
Director of Student Media
Dustin Wallace
Regina Cassell
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OPINION
Letter to the editor: Inclusion at WU Cedrick Henderson-Smith and Melissa Tovar
Student Staff of Washburn University Office of Diversity & Inclusion Contributors
As students, we want to attend an inclusive university. By inclusive we want a university that accepts and acknowledges who we are no matter where we come from. For us, that means that our presence, our ideas and our opinions are valued and we are as important as anyone else. We feel intimidated when we are the only student of color in class and are asked to speak on behalf of all people of color. We want to be engaged in our education as individuals who are appreciated for their input. We believe that language that attacks a group or uses degrading terms should not be allowed at the University, period. Especially hateful language directed at historically marginalized groups. We can’t stress enough that what other students say can affect others and how they feel about being a student at Washburn. Not only does degrading language hurt others, it can harm the speaker by reflecting poorly on them and also gives them a poor image. We believe students should come to the uni-
versity ready to empathize, understand and to learn why something is offensive instead of finding ways to justify hateful language. We must be ready to listen to students and find ways to support them when they feel hurt and angry. We want a university that will respond to us when we tell officials that we are offended and when we feel unsafe. In order to create an inclusive campus we must listen to students, especially students from historically marginalized groups. We cannot dismiss hateful language just because it doesn’t affect us or because we may not understand the impact. If a student tells you it is offensive, then it is offensive to them, and we should honor their value and humanity and not question their right to be angry or upset. We understand that students have the freedom to say what they want and the right to say things we may not agree with. We challenge all students to think about the impact of what they say before they speak or post on social media. Students may say what they want, but we will also hold them accountable for the impact of their language. We can educate our fellow students and continue to speak about why hateful language is unacceptable. We
Opinion: Philosophy used as a whetstone for life Yash Chitrakar
Washburn Review yash.chitrakar@washburn.edu
The whetstone. From prehistoric times to now, the instrument, in a rudimentary form or as the meticulously made tool, has been used by many a bladesmith and other people to sharpen other tools: knives, scythes, axes, and more. Not everyone uses it daily, of course, and its importance is ignored until one’s knives crush a tomato instead of slicing cleanly through it. This is not to say that the other tools aren’t important, but one would be remiss to forget or deemphasize the whetstone. Philosophy is that whetstone, being that which weaves in and out and through the underlying assumptions of many subjects: science, mathematics, sociology and more. It forms the history of these subjects. Before science, there was natural philosophy. Descartes, the man behind the famous line, “I think therefore I am,” now printed on more t-shirts than necessary, was a mathematician. He, in fact, used mathematics to form his philosophical doctrine. If one has heard of Cartesian geometry, one has Descartes to thank. Early sociologists such as Durkheim, Marx or Weber, were speculating on human nature in relation to society, much like ancient philosophers. The subject may have fallen out of favor in recent ages, seeing a downturn in participants and students, a common fate of the humanities. Lately, however, philosophy has diverged from the humanities in that respect, as it has stopped the decrease in the number of students majoring in it. And for good reason. A 2009 study dubbed “Philosophy Temperament” showed a correlation between cognitive thinking and philosophy, as out
of the over 4000 people they tested, among whom 842 had philosophical training, the philosophically trained subjects did better than others in a Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT), which was meant to test the degree to which people questioned their intuition. Whether philosophy itself creates these sorts of critical thinkers or whether the thinkers gravitate towards the subject is a question still to be answered. However, according to Rik Hine, assistant professor of Philosophy at Washburn, this is encouraging. “Even if it is the case that smart people just gravitate to philosophy, you have to ask why they are doing that,” he said. And he is right. Philosophy majors have, time and again, shown that they excel not just in their discipline but throughout the broad areas of knowledge they want to touch. Philosophy majors are consistently near or at the top in the LSAT, MCAT, and GRE. Again, the other disciplines are equally as important as philosophy, but it would do some good for the people training in those disciplines to have philosophical training. STEM majors, for example, could always recognize the importance of knowing that whatever they hear in class is not gospel. Is Science really carving up nature to expose ultimate truths? The philosophy of science raises this question and attempts to answer it in nuanced ways. Understanding these nuances could make these to-be scientists more considerate, careful thinkers. And this is just one example. Philosophy sharpens these subjects, but it needs more exposure. And Hine agrees that philosophers have to work to get this image of their discipline out into the public conscious to not let the other tools get blunt.
need to find ways we can support students who have been affected by hateful language. Most importantly we need to support one another. We know that a lot of work has gone into creating a more inclusive campus at Washburn over the last year. However, we know that it is just a start and it clearly is not enough. We know that many leaders in the university care about us and the experiences we have on campus. However, we believe our leaders continue to fall short in their actions to address our concerns. We appreciate the concern when there is a crisis, but where are the university plans for a more inclusive campus in the future? Where is the plan to hire more diverse faculty and staff? How do we engage in multicultural recruitment? We want to know why we still do not have a Multicultural Resource Center? We do not have faculty who study issues of concern to marginalized groups. We still do not have diversity training for faculty and staff. Until the university leaders become serious about taking these and other actions, their care and concern for us when students use hateful language means very little.
Opinion: Parking woes tend to muck up my day Kraig Dafoe
Washburn Review kraig.dafoe@washburn.edu
Parking is always a hassle and we beat this subject to death, but days like today really get under my skin and no amount of emails explaining the situation will ease the torment of my mind as I walk from the softball field to the union in frigid temperatures whether or not there is snow on the ground. Why the university insists on closing half the Garvey parking lot for visitors is ridiculous considering the wonderful employee parking lot adjacent to it is always half empty. It seems to me, if not to those in charge, that a reconfiguration of that parking lot, right outside the Living Learning Center, would in fact be a great way to ease the ever-present problem of parking. It may only open twenty to thirty spaces, I’m guessing low, but every space helps and if they don’t want to reconfigure, due to cost or whatever, they could just as easily have the police cadets stand over there and allow visitors into those spaces when they come. But what do I know? I only pay tuition to come here, be inconvenienced and catch a cold when having to walk nearly a half mile to class. It’s not like we’re asking for a parking garage like many other universities have. We wouldn’t want to dirty up this campus with another three story structure built for the simple purpose of allowing students to spend less time circling the parking lots. Look, I realize we can pretty much walk anywhere on campus in about ten minutes or less. This is a small campus and things could be worse. I get it. But what if we can’t walk due to injury. You may think the handicap spaces would be helpful and they are for those who need them regularly, but a broken leg or other injury doesn’t constitute using those spots and sometimes walking ten minutes may not be feasible.
CONFIDENTIAL ADVICE Dear Smalls, I can’t figure out what to do for a summer job. I want to keep growing with my academic career so that I don’t lose touch with my goals over the summer, help? -SummerPLS Dear SummerPLS, That is an incredibly smart mindset to have. I’ve heard so many tales of peers dropping out because summer ate their motivation. Luckily for any Washburn Review reader who has the same determination, I will share with you my personal secret weapon to ensure I don’t fall through the cracks. Her name is Danielle Dempsey-Swopes, the director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Washburn. Stop by, introduce yourself and let her know what your worried about. She will guide you in the right direction. I trust it. Her office is in Morgan Hall, Suite 105. Call 785-670-1906 to set up an appointment. Don’t worry. If you’re worried that there is a possibility of losing your path goals then I can tell that there is enough passion and drive in your heart to keep you from falling off track. Best, Smalls
Ask Smalls, the ‘know-it-all’ Ichabod Dear Smalls, I dare you to name the top three faculty at Washburn that you could cry to about your personal life. -doubledog Dear Doubledog, Gotta love dares. Without a doubt, Sharon Sullivan, Regina Cassell and Drew Burkes. Fun fact, I have nearly, if not completely, cried to all three of these faculty members at least one point in my academic career at Washburn. Love them. Smalls
Dear Smalls, One of my buddies has a roommate who constantly comes back to the dorms high or drunk out of his mind. I don’t really know if it’s a thing, but The R.A’s need to step up their watch game because I don’t want to be the snitch. Just worried about this kid’s wellbeing.
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Bods on the Block by Kraig Dafoe
What would you like to see added to Washburn’s campus?
Kaiya Bolton Freshman Bio-chemistry “I’d love a third floor to the Mulvane just because I love art and the Mulvane is a pretty good collection but a third floor would enhance that experience even more.”
Reece Warren Sophomore Pre-med “Honestly I would love to see, this is kind of a long shot, but more stuff at the rec. Whether that be an expansion or more equipment or more stuff for people to do because I know a lot of guys that like to spend their time there and I think it’s a really healthy way to destress.”
Christina Martin Sophomore undecided “I would say more activities for the older students. I’m an older student and I feel awkward hanging out with the younger students when they do stuff. A group that have children and are going to school or maybe even a support group because things can be challenging.”
-BLUE JEANS Dear BLUE JEANS, I recommend that you make the report. You can stop by the Washburn Police department and tell the secretary that you’d like to make an anonymous report. You can request to do it in private. The Washburn Police department is full of humble officers and they will make your experience quick and easy. Keep in mind that you have knowledge that can change someone’s life. Your decision can have the potential to weigh their fate. Trust your gut. Good luck, Smalls
Chelsea Huerter Junior Biology “Probably a red box. I think that would be awesome if we could have movies on campus.”
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Martin expresses love of WU Mingzhu Zhu
Washburn Review mingzhu.zhu@washburn.edu
photo courtesy of pixabay.com
High score of four: The Putnam Exam is highly competive. Washburn was competing with schools such as Harvard and MIT and had a student score 4 points on the exam.
Two WU students excel in prestigious Putnam Exam Angela Gray
Washburn Review angela.gray@washburn.edu
The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition, known as the Putnam exam, is a prestigious mathematical exam for undergraduate students. Usually, the median score is a zero out of 120 possible points. This year, three Washburn students participated in the Putnam Exam, which lasts for six hours. Rahasya Bharaniah scored four points, and Jonathan Tyler scored one point. Bharaniah and Tyler placed in the top 35% and 59%, respectively, in the nation. This marks the first time in at least 13 years that more than one Washburn student scored above a zero on the prestigious exam. The three students were not only competing against Washburn students, but students from Harvard, MIT, Princeton and other prestigious institutions. Bharaniah is a sophomore majoring in applied statistics and a minor in computer science. When he originally came to Washburn, he majored in actuarial science. This year is the second time Bharaniah has taken the Putnam exam. Bharaniah said he did not feel the need to study. “The recommended study material is all math, so there’s not really studying for the material,” said Bharaniah. Bharaniah has taken 15 math courses since he has been in college. Taking the Putnam Exam is one of his most memorable moments here at Washburn. Bharaniah was nowhere near stressed out about competing
against schools such as Harvard and MIT. He just wanted to have fun and try to solve interesting, complicated math problems. Always having a love for math, Bharaniah spreads that love and joy for math to others through tutoring. “I get to spend three hours doing what I love and second of all I get to help people and I think that is really enriching to know that what I do on a daily basis is making people’s lives better,” Bharaniah said. Bharaniah has placed in mathematical tournaments numerous times. When he was in a high school scholar’s bowl, his team won competitions often. He also got third place at a Kansas math competition when he was a senior in high school. He decided to come to college because he loves learning, but he still hates homework. His favorite class he is currently taking is Time Series because he gets to learn how to display and create models to represent data that goes through time. Assistant Professor Gaspar Porta, a contributor to the Putnam exams, vouched for Bharaniah’s intelligence and dedication. “He has a very healthy attitude towards being smart enough to do something,” stated Porta. Bharaniah respects Dr. Porta very much. “He’s very intelligent, and it is just incredible to see him instantly answer a question,” said Bharaniah. Bharaniah mentioned that he is certain he is going to graduate school for statistics, but is undecided which concentration of statistics he will go for. He then plans on working as a statistician or become a teacher.
Several art pieces made of pink chalks were shown on the ground around Memorial Union, Mabee Library and Morgan Hall on campus. They were made for Kat Martin’s sculpture project in Benjamin Wills’ advanced sculpture class. Martin, a senior art major, started the project with the class on Monday, Feb. 25, and she expressed her love of Washburn in the art piece. “I was brainstorming ideas like what we could do, and I wanted to do something in the public,” said Martin. “I just love Washburn, and I’m very involved. I wanted to do something on campus that would be impactful.” Martin planed out the project with the “HELLO” stencils made from big pieces of poster board. The bold banner at the top makes the art piece stable and clear, and it’s eye-catching to see the message. The students in the class were split up into three different groups. They went around campus to use stencils to do the chalk and filled in with quotes. Some of the message students wrote are “I’m Ichabod,” “happy you’re here,” “having a food baby,” “thinking of you,” “cheering you on,” “believing in you” and “next to you.” Miku Motoi, a senior art major, is one of the students in the class. She also partipated in creating the art piece for the project. “The first day we worked on the project was pretty cold, but it was so much fun,” said Motoi. “We got to use our unique words to make the project different and creative. I saw some students step by and read them actually. This means, people on campus got some interests from the project and it became a good topic to talk about.” The art piece doesn’t seem like a typical sculpture. Martin and other students wanted to in-
photo by Mingzhu Zhu
photo courtesy of Benjamin Wills
Creator: Kat Martin is a senior art major. She and other students created art sculptures around campus with chalks for a class project.
Supporter: Kat Martin, pictured above and to the left, starts the project on the first sunny day of February.
volve the public within the art piece, instead of being a traditional painter. The creative form of the “sculpture” makes it more interactive. “It’s nice to have public engagement with it,” said Martin. “I wasn’t expecting that much talk about it. I was really pleased with the final end.” Although the art piece made of chalk would be stepped on and ruined and it might not last for long, “It’s all about that first impact,” said Martin. “When someone first sees it, it’s nice to see that little message there. It’ll sadly wear off, but at least it had an impact at first.”
Martin plans to graduate in spring 2019 and she wants to go on to art therapy, which inspired and motivated her to do the sculpture project. “I’m definitely all about expressing feelings and using art as a process,” said Martin. “Just put more emotion into engaging others, and I definitely want to help others.” The positive message on the art piece express students’ love and pride of Washburn. They hope it improves the day for people when they see it. “I am so glad to be an Ichabod and I hope other students on the campus feel that way as well,” said Martin. “Just always be positive. There’s
photo courtesy of Benjamin Wills
Icha-love: Students leave messages to others in the Washburn Community. Kat Martin, leader of the project wanted to make an impact on the campus she loves.
photo courtesy of Alyssa Dorn
Positivity: The students that walk to class with their heads down recieve some much needed positive vibes from the students in the art department.
photo courtesy of Brooke Province
Group project: The advanced sculpure class takes to the campus to spread a message of encouragement. Cold weather couldn’t stop the students from showing pride for Washburn.
‘Two Ponders: A collaboration’ poetry meets paintings Kraig Dafoe
Washburn Review kraig.dafoe@washburn.edu
If you’re looking for something to do, or even if you’re not, swing by the NOTO gallery, anytime until March 28, located at 935 North Kansas Ave, to check out “Two Ponders,” a collaborative art show featuring poetry paired with paintings, sketches and photographs. Barbara Waterman-Peters and Dennis Etzel Jr. created the pieces together over a period of six months. Etzel explained how the idea came to fruition. “So I was granted a sabbatical and what really brought it around is just, I love working with artists and I wanted to take it to the next step and do a true collaboration,” Etzel said. Etzel went on to say, “I just want to thank Washburn University for doing that and giving me the se-
mester to have time to do this.” When it came to finding someone to collaborate with, Etzel, Jr. had no problem thinking of the right person for the job. “I thought of Barbara,” said Etzel. “I admired her work.” The artists wanted the work to be Topeka-centered and after meeting at Gage Park one day to discuss the project, they landed on the pond located outside of the rose garden. Though both artists felt the location to be a bit of a cliché, they also considered the mythos and archetype and how water is sustaining and life giving. “We wanted this to have that direction but we didn’t know where it was going,” Etzel said. “We wanted the project to reveal itself to us.” When Etzel presented the idea to Waterman-Peters, she didn’t hesitate to jump in. “I am so honored that Dennis
asked me to be part of this because there are many artists in the area he could of asked,” Waterman-Peters said. The two artists spent many days at Gage Park, some in not-so-warm weather, working together though doing their own thing. While Etzel wrote poems, Waterman-Peters began doing sketches. “He began to write some poems and I began to do some sketches. I didn’t know where they would lead. It just evolved really,” Waterman-Peters said. The exhibition is set up as a triptych. It shows the past, present and future. “Time became a central piece too, like a central examination,” Etzel said. “Time is a triptych.” One of the main messages that comes across in the work is the importance of water and how, if not careful, any crises the world sees
photo by Kraig Dafoe
Two Ponders or not to ponders: Barbara Waterman-Peters and Dennis Etzel, Jr. pose with one of their favorite collaborations. Two ponders was a collaboration from the two artists pairing poetry with paintings, sketches and photography.
now pertaining to water, could become much worse and it is everyone’s responsibility to do their part
when it comes to conservation of one of the world’s most valuable resources.
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Spring (don’t) break (the bank) Kodee Christensen
Washburn Review kodee.christensen@washburn.edu
There’s a lot of pressure on spring break, maybe too much. We look forward to it through the first half of second semester every year and it’s honestly the only thing that keeps us going to that 8 a.m. on the third floor of Henderson every Tuesday and Thursday in the bitter cold. You and I, we need a break. And to be quite honest, we need spring. It’s been too ridiculously cold for too ridiculously long. In the words of Phineas and Ferb’s theme song, “the annual problem of our generation is finding a good way to spend it.” With that in mind, look no further and save no more. Here’s a list of five relatively affordable day trip ideas to fill your spring break with a good time.
Let’s be real; you’ve been trying to build your Instagram aesthetic for a while now. Spring break is your chance to really lock it in. Smart phones are the taken-for-granted marvel of our time. Grab a photographically inclined friend and go exploring in downtown Topeka or main street of your home town. If you have one of those super cute but equally impractical polaroid cameras, this is a prime opportunity to make it worth its purchase. Maybe like me you were blessed with a friend whose passion is photography and who would be willing to use you as their model for a day. One of my favorite pastimes is going exploring with one of my best friends and taking pictures like we work for a magazine. It’s incredibly fun and totally not conceited at all. When I was a kid, Goodwill was the last place you would catch me shopping.
graphic by Cody Dannar
Little did I know that eventually I would wise up and realize the hidden treasure that thrift stores are to society. Take advantage of this and pick up that jean jacket you’ve been Pinteresting for a month now. Grab a belt that will put the finishing touch on the outfit you’ve been debating on wearing or not. Maybe fashion isn’t your thing and you honestly couldn’t care less. Something my friends and I like to do is find the most random, weird, out-of-the-ordinary trinket we can find and gift it to each other. The only goal of this is to feel the satisfaction that comes from the bewildered look on the other person’s face and their confused laughter when they finally lay eyes on the random treasure that will most definitely spend the next year cluttering their desk. Go into nature and read a book. Yes the lakes are ice cold and you would have to be insane or nonhuman to get into the water, but there are other options. Go fishing, bring your hammock, go on a jog, throw a ball for your dog. I’m not from Topeka so, until the end of last school year, I didn’t realize that Shawnee Lake was only fifteen miles from campus. There are trails, docks and even a picturesque stone gazebo that looks out over the lake. Just don’t hang your hammock from its posts because apparently that is frowned upon. Bring some creative materials or maybe just your headphones and tap into your inner zen. After all, spring break is a break, so take some time to chill the heck out. For a good time, make a day and/or night out of getting dressed up and driving to Kansas City to seek out the hottest club to unleash your inner dancing queen or king. Go see a movie at the fancy Imax theater, grab some food at a nice restaurant or seek out a cultural ex-
perience such as a museum or open mic night. It’s okay to learn something over spring break as long as it’s something you can also have fun with while experiencing. Check something off of your bucket list and come away feeling accomplished. Many things like this are also free and open to the public, so you can be sure to save some green. Gather your pals, decide which car is least likely to break down, get some garbage snacks and a lit playlist and hit the road. Have an itinerary or don’t. Maybe just flip a coin and see where you end up. Even if you don’t end up anywhere but lost, you’ll have one more unforgettable memory with people who mean a lot to you to add to your long-term memory bank. Roll the windows down, I suggest with the hopes of warmer weather, and sing at the top of your lungs to songs that you claim are “your jam” but you may or may not know all the lyrics to. Dance as much as the seatbelt will allow and really feel those endorphins waging war on the stress you’ve been building up for the last few months. I hope that at least one of these ideas appeal to you and your weary, strapped-for-cash self. From personal experience, I can say that all of these ideas have at least one success story to claim. In the end, spring break is just what we need, debatably later than we need it, to unwind before we reach the final lap of the school year and come to spring break’s bigger older sibling: summer break. Be wise with your time and make sure you spend at least one day doing something other than playing video games and eating leftovers in your parents’ basement. And hang in there Bods, we just have a few days left.
Music faculty recital presents ‘Winterreise’ Mingzhu Zhu
Washburn Review mingzhu.zhu@washburn.edu
The Washburn Department of Music presented a faculty recital of Franz Schubert’s “Winterreise” at White Concert Hall, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. The featured artists were tenor Andrew Childs, associate dean, humanities chair and music professor at St. Mary’s College, and pianist Shiao-Li Ding, piano professor at Washburn University. Childs has sang over 100 performances of nearly 30 operatic roles for Seattle Opera, Amato Opera, Springfield Opera, various new music workshops and others. Previously, he taught at the Yale University School of Drama, Missouri State University, the Thames Valley Music School at Connecticut College. Ding, a soloist and chamber musician, has given concerts in North
America, Austria, Germany, Malaysia, Norway, Singapore and China. Premiers of contemporary composer works include a group of piano études by Unsuk Chin. “The projection was the best I’ve had,” said Ding. “It’s a monumental work by Schubert. He only wrote two song cycles, and this is one of them, and this one is more often sung by artists.” It was the first time Childs sang at Washburn. He and Ding presented a set of Beethoven’s songs together last year, and they thought it would be a good idea to collaborate. “She’s [Ding] a tremendous collaborator, and we had a wonderful time working together, and very glad to make a connection with her both professionally and personally,” said Childs. “This is a wonderful space and I feel very grateful to sing here.” “Winterreise,” or Winter Journey, is a song cycle of 24 pieces for
voice and piano by German poet Whihelm Muller and Austrian composer Franz Schubert. The pieces included “Gute Nacht” (Goodnight), “Die Wetterfahne” (The Weathervane), “Gefror’ne Tropfen” (Frozen Tears), “Erstarrung” (Chill Torpor), “Der Lindenbaum” (The Linden Tree), “Wasserflut” (Flood) and more. During the recital, the English translation of the German text was projected on a large screen from the stage. “It’s a very challenging piece for singers,” said Ding. “I wouldn’t say the piano accompanied part is that difficult, but the collaboration between the singer and the pianist takes lots of time.” “Winterreise” speaks to the themes of human alienation and loneliness, in the times of faceless interconnectivity. It provides a unique experience for the audience willing to risk exploring the depths of human emotion in order to find
hope. Many people came to the recital in the winter night, including Washburn students, Topeka residents and students from St. Mary’s College, about an hour away from Topeka. “We are hoping that they take from the piece a real sense of hope,” said Childs. “Even though it’s a piece about isolation for the individual, we take from it a lesson that this is something to be avoided, and I hope it’s a piece that brings people closer together.” Shuting Ye, senior music major, came to the concert with her other friends. “I was really into their recital,” said Ye. “I loved the way that they performed Schubert and his work, very delicate and beautiful.” “Winterreise” was intended to inspire people not to despair, but challenges people to reassess their lacking compassion and the need for genuine human contact.
Bods on the Block by Yash Chitrakar
What do you look forward to after you graduate?
Kasumi Sawaki Junior Business Management “So far, I have traveled to Austria and here. I definitely am looking forward to travel more and find out about life more.”
Yasu Yoshikawa Non-traditional Psychology “I am looking forward to going back to Japan and helping my sons with their business. I also plan to travel with my wife.”
Zmariah Lee Sophomore Liberal arts Associates “After I get my degree, which will be soon, I want to see what else life has to offer. I am ready for my next journey, whatever that looks like. I hope it’ll be fun.”
Tomo Ichikawa Senior Psychology
photo by Mingzhu Zhu
Artistic collaboration: “Winterreise” (Winter Journey) is a song cycle of 24 pieces for voice and piano. Shiao-Li Ding (left) and Andrew Childs (right) collaborated to present a faculty recital.
“This is my last semester here. I have to complete my higher education now, and enter into a graduates program. I want to do psychological counseling.”
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photo by Eriko Hiranoi
Acrobatic dancing: The performers dancing with some acrobatic movement. They sang and did body percussion during the performance without the music.
photo by Mingzhu Zhu photo by Mingzhu Zhu
Chair dance: A mixture of hand claps, music and stomping feet are used during the performance. The ladies danced while sitting on chairs.
Enjoying the stage: The Step Show is an opportunity to showcase African-American culture and history. All performers went on stage to dance during the intermission.
Step Show gallery
photo by Mingzhu Zhu photo by Mingzhu Zhu
Step it up: The performer’s entire body is used as an instrument in the dance. Highsteppers Drill Team kicked off the Step Show.
Pose: The Step Show teaches the audience about African-American culture and history throughout the performances. The performers each posed in different ways.
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Continued: WSGA aims to reduce cost of textbooks STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Open Educational Resources Taskforce is necessary to help lessen the costs of textbooks in Kansas. Every year students spend upwards of at least $100 on textbooks and other class materials for the courses they have enrolled in. This leads many students scrambling for books every semester, frantically making price comparisons before hastily putting in an order before or after the semester starts. The stress, cost and hassle of buying new textbooks every year may be about to change. WSGA hopes to gather new information through their book survey this year in order to create a better option for students to use
when looking for textbooks each semester. They have been working toward making textbooks more affordable for students across Kansas by releasing surveys to all four-year colleges such as the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and Washburn University. Student Body President Zac Surritt said that their No. 1 goal is to find out where the textbook affordability for students is. “We have a couple of different options. One, professors in Kansas can apply for a federal grant system that will grant them funding to produce their own textbooks to sell to their classes for a much reduced fee than would normally be expected,” Surritt
said. “Another option would be to make sites such as ‘OpenStax’ more prominent as they allow professors from across the country to share their published books with each other and other universities for a fee of only $10 for the entire semester.” Colby Edinborough, freshman computer science major, said that textbooks can be very expensive and tedious to deal with. “When entire classes revolve around textbooks, even requiring codes from said books to do the homework, the affordability of said books is extremely important,” Edinborough said. “We already pay for the class and on top of it is expensive reading material.” Edinborough went on to talk about how he
spent over $300 this semester on textbooks, online resources and other classroom materials. He described looking for the right books as a draining process that was extremely costly and unappealing. Other students such as Edinborough run into the same issues, but through WSGA’s efforts and the efforts of other student organizations around the state, we can expect real change to happen in the coming years. Textbooks may not have to be so expensive in the future and can become more affordable. Taking WSGA’s surveys are the first step in the process so they can have adequate information to work with when deciding how best to approach this issue.
Sullivan advocates for all Kodee Christensen
Washburn Review kodee.christensen@washburn.edu
Passion for theater and women’s studies. Professor and chair of the theatre department Sharon Sullivan has been at Washburn since 2001 when she accepted a position as an adjunct instructor. Sullivan is passionate about women’s studies, theater and teaching. “I love Washburn. I love our students. I love the community. I love the relationships that I have with my students long past their time at school. I love that they send me pictures of their babies and their weddings,” said Sullivan. “For me, I love being a part of the community and those connections are really special to me.” Sullivan’s theater experience traces back to college when she was a theater major. She started as an actor in community college and they found out she could sew so they put her in costuming and she fell in love with it. “The thing that has always attracted me to theater is that every six weeks you have to learn something new. I’ve also always been passionate about using art as a form of activism. Theater is really special in that way,” Sullivan said. “We have this distance as human beings in the digital age but when you’re on the stage and in the audience, it’s much harder to dismiss those people as you’re sharing the same air.” Part of Sullivan’s passion for women’s
photo courtesy of Peggy Clark
Active advocate: Department of Theatre chair Sharon Sullivan is an active member in the community through organizations that advocate for equality and women’s rights. She has been at Washburn for 18 years and has made an impact on the students and in the campus community.
studies and educating people about issues such as human trafficking is due to her students. “About 15 years ago, there was a campus club speaking on slavery awareness and I went to be supportive. I hadn’t really thought a lot about human trafficking, but these students were saying it’s happening here in the U.S. and even Kansas; I was blown away,” said Sullivan. “I started researching and came to the understanding that this was an extension of the work I was already doing around violence against women and children, just more extreme. I saw that there were very few people doing work with this issue here in Kansas so I became an expert through research on how to help people and prevent it.” On campus, Sullivan was the supervisor for the Theatre Club for the previous five years and currently supervises STAND, an organization that has partnered with Love the Skin You’re In and the YWCA through an annual art auction that began as a class project and Melissa Allen has most recently raised over $20,000 for the Sophomore YWCA. Math Education Off campus, Sullivan is the chair of the Topeka and Shawnee County Human Traffick- “I think it’s a good plan. I think her heart’s ing Coalition, director for STARS with the in the right place but in order to make it Topeka Center for Peace and Justice, a mem- effective I think she needs to have a little bit ber of the Kansas Human Trafficking adviso- more data behind it. She seems to lack that, ry board, president of the International Public and she seems to say, well if we implement Policy Institute, which is a non-governmental this Green New Deal, we will in turn lessen organization that works with U.N., a mem- the effect America has on climate change, ber of the Advisory Board for the Batterer but she doesn’t specifically say in numbers Intervention Program for the state of Kansas how, which I think is where the controversy and holds a number of trainings and presen- is coming from.” tations over human trafficking and the status of women throughout the year. “Sharon Sullivan was the first teacher I ever encountered that was so student-centered,” said Emma Staats, junior integrated studies major. “It’s clear that she loves what she does. Her impact is widespread, reaching not only her students, but also our community and region. She is simply the most incredible person I have ever met. I aspire to be like her one day.” Sullivan’s main goal for the classroom is to create a safe environment where students can think for themselves and ask questions. Sullivan shared her philosophy for the classroom. “I tell the students at the beginning of the Jade Hodge semester, ‘you don’t have to believe what I Senior believe; what I’m asking is for you to think Mathematics about what you believe and why you believe it,’” said Sullivan. “Personally, sometimes I “I really like it. It’s time to take action on do really well with this and sometimes I fail climate change, but I don’t think it’ll go. It’s miserably, but such is life, and you just get not going to get passed at all.” back up and try it again the next day.”
What do you think of the Green New Deal?
Arts connect Topeka through First Friday Kodee Christensen Washburn Review kodee.christensen@washburn.edu
A First Friday Artwalk is held monthly in the North Topeka Art District. The event is put on in connection with several local organizations and stores in downtown Topeka on the evening of the first Friday of each month. It is a chance for artists and store owners to connect with the community over what they’ve been working on and to spend some time enjoying an evening out. My first experience with a First Friday was definitely one to remember. My suitemate decided to set me up with her boyfriend’s roommate on a double date. Let’s just say, the best part of the night was walking around downtown Topeka in awkward silence while the four of us sampled the most exquisite chocolate samplings I have ever had. If you go without the pressure of impressing a guy who is, “just as awkward as you,” I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed. While there aren’t always chocolate samplings in the storefronts, you can expect to see unique pieces of art from local artists, live entertainment and a good atmosphere. Whether you’re interested in art or not, I
by Nick Solomon
urge you to check it out. As an out-of-towner, I think that everyone should have a NOTO experience at least once. I’ve met several of the store and studio owners of downtown Topeka and can say that, if only for the people, it’s worth it to go. At Studio 831, you’ll meet an elderly couple passionate about art and is still creating their own today. At Platform 785, you’ll meet a woman who has spent years building her collection of vintage clothing and can tell you a little about each piece. At Absolute Design by Brenda, you’ll meet a woman who is knowledgeable on floral arrangements and is eager to help you find what’s right for you. These are the people that make NOTO what it is today and what it will be tomorrow. The next instillation of First Friday will be April 5. Activities usually begin late afternoon into the early evening and last for a few hours. On artsconnecttopeka.org, you can find additional information such as scheduling and a map of everything that First Friday has to offer. Every month is a new mix of offerings bringing both connection and community. Check it out with some friends and experience together how the arts connect Topeka.
Kaitlyn Rohr Sophomore International Business and Spanish “We can do as much as we want as individuals, but I think the only way pollution can be stopped is if the larger corporations stop polluting as much as they are. You can recycle as much as you want, but it’s not going to change the fact what corporations are dumping into the environment.”
Jordan Carley Senior English “I think that AOC has got some really good ideas and I think that the changes she wants to make are necessary, but I also think that what she’s aiming might be too radical for what the country stands for right now.”
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March 6, 2019
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‘True Detective’ season 3 review: Ozark Noir Nevertheless, to say “True Detective” season 3 is a bounce back is a massive understatement. It absolutely knocked any of the expectations I had out of the park. Known HBO hits another home run after 2018’s for giving actors not necessarily famous for “Sharp Objects,” with one of the best seasons mind-blowing acting a chance to show how of television I have ever seen. good they actually are, I was ecstatic to see Walking into the third season of “True DeMahershala Ali, a tried and true phenomenal tective,” I was cautiously hopeful. I enjoyed actor, be given the lead role for the series, both seasons of “True Detective,” but for the playing an Arkansas Major Crimes detective Wayne Hays, through three periods in his life: 1980, the 1990s, and 2015. The setting itself is startlingly perfect, with the southern U.S. Ozarks being the main backdrop of the story. The first season had connections to American historical crime cornerstones of the 20th century, and three follows suit, bringing in connections to country-wide stories and ones closer to home. The Arkansas setting is used to full advantage, drawing well-read viewers attention to real life true crime stories put in the mix, particularly the West Memphis Three, and the startling amount of ongoing government corruption within Arkansas. The basic premise is that two children, Will and Julie Purcell, are put in danger by an unknown force, with the show focusing on Ali’s Wayne and Stephen Dorff’s Roland West, partners who immerse themselves photo courtesy of vox.com deep into the case whilst investigating it. More than a comeback: Four years after the divisive second season, “True Detective” returns with its best They are joined by a perfect cast, particularseason yet with eight episodes of near perfect television. Pictured are Wayne Hays (Mahershala Ali) and partner ly Scoot McNairy and Carmen Ejogo. Roland West (Stephen Dorff ) whose phenomenal acting and chemistry were some of the best I have seen. One of the most surprising things about Nick Solomon
Washburn Review nicholas.solomon@washburn.edu
second, it was nearly universally thought by critics and some fans that the show had taken a hit in quality. Looking back, disregarding particularly Colin Farrell’s absolutely phenomenal performance, it was definitely a questionable season for writer Nic Pizzolatto and company, especially considering the near dead on similarities between it and author James Ellroy’s work.
the series is Dorff. The show pre-release was marketed as Mahershala Ali as the main attraction, but while he is indisputably one of my favorite actors of all time, Dorff is absolute perfection. Having only seen him previously in the first “Blade” movie years ago and in e-cigarette commercials, his performance blew me away, the same with Ejogo and McNairy, who plays the father of the two Purcell children. The only problem I see with the series is the finale. While near perfect, there is just one small problem I have, and that is with the casting of an integral character introduced late into the season, jarringly played by a well-known actor. First seeing the person appear, there was an undeniable disconnect that is really hard to describe, however, this is a small part to a near perfect series. I can without a doubt say “True Detective’s” third season is amazing, near flawless television. It has an incredibly engaging storyline, phenomenal characters that let me escape reality and dive into a deep rabbit hole. When the credits for the last episode rolled, I found myself sad, seeing as that I’d never get to see these characters again, or experience it for the first time. Due to the issues with the finale, I would give this season of “True Detective” four and a half out of five top hats.
‘Paddleton’: Somber, Quiet, Real Yash Chitrakar Washburn Review yash.chitrakar@washburn.edu
Two neighbors-turned-friends spend most of their days together eating pizza, watching old Kung Fu movies and playing Paddleton, a made-up game in which the two players volley a tennis ball against a wall with the objective of getting it in a musty dumpster on a lazy afternoon. Suddenly, a dark cloud settles over both of them as this routine is broken by the revelation that one of them has a terminal illness. The two friends don’t know how to react. This is the story of “Paddleton,” directed by Alex Lehmann, starring Ray Romano and Mark Duplass. The movie is an intimate piece centered around the relationship between the cancer patient, Michael (Duplass), and his friend, Andy (Romano). After Michael decides that he wants to die before the disease starts deteriorating, Andy has to contend with the idea of being alone and of the imminent death of his friend. Michael wants to ingest the pills that will take his life, however, they are to be bought in a pharmacy more than a few miles away. This results in a road trip that grows grimmer by the minute and really lets their relationship and thoughts settle and stew. “Paddleton” is incredibly real, and both actors give a muted performance undergirded by the gloomy fates that await them both, loneliness for Andy and death for Michael. The color palette, grey with bland tones, drives home the starkness of their prospects. The camera movements and techniques are not too fancy but do make
for an enjoyable viewing. Michael and Andy find moments of levity in the movie that are only inevitably undercut by sobering realizations. The sheer amount of normality portrayed by the two actors make moments like this even more touching, and the fact that the movie had a significant number of improvised scenes makes the relationship between the two friends more believable. The movie may seem meandering to some, with a tad too many quiet moments and a lack of drama, but that is reality. For those looking for something else, the movie may just not hit the mark and that is understandable. Viewers will be remiss not to watch the final act of the movie when the inevitable hits the audience and the friends like a train. The actors suddenly come alive, portraying unfettered emotions and taking the audience through the anxiety, which has been a long time coming. “Paddleton” may not be the emotional roller coaster most movies about death and terminal illnesses are, but it does make for a somber, real movie with a lot of heart. It shows each character coming to terms with the end of a good thing, something everyone has to go through at one point in life, be it a small loss or a big one. I give this film 5 out of 5 top hats for it’s cinematography and honest depiction of real life friendship. photo courtesy of imdb.com
Reality hits: The moments between Romano and Duplass injects whimsy but never loses touch with reality. “Paddleton” was a movie about friendship and loss.
John Green’s ‘Turtles All the Way Down’ novel doesn’t disappoint Kraig Dafoe Washburn Review kraig.dafoe@washburn.edu
photo by Kraig Dafoe
Spoiler alert: This book is not about turtles. Best selling author John Green does a great job revealing the working minds of teenagers through action and speech, including like, the verbiage that some like, find annoying.
If you feel bad about yourself, read this book to see how much worse it could be. This novel is about Aza Holmes and her struggle with mental illness as she navigates school and relationships while dealing with a severe case of hypochondria that focuses mostly on germaphobia, or more specifically, C diff, short for Clostridium difficile, which is bacterium that can cause symptoms from diarrhea to inflammation of the colon that can be life threatening. In the midst of this unusual teenage struggle, we find some semblance of a mystery occurring, though the adventure of this particular piece of the story is more filler and ties than driving force. Though maybe not typically done in this fashion, much of this novel speaks to many common problems and concerns for the majority of young people. It seems to be a love story on so many levels, but again, not in a typical fashion. My first impression of this work was that it was going to be a melancholy read. A teenager, Aza, talking philosophy and biology just did not seem like something I could tolerate, but author John Green kept the science in short bursts while weaving in more commonplace moments in the teenagers lives. Some of the story seems written for convenience, such as the mystery revolving around the disappearance of a billionaire wanted by the FBI for fraud, to connect Aza with Davis, the man’s son. These two, who would otherwise have
nothing to do with each other, are brought together again, having been friends when they were very young and Aza, along with her best friend Daisy, are interested in finding Davis’s father, not so much in the beginning to help Davis, but rather for the $100 thousand reward for information leading to the billionaire’s whereabouts. Other than that, most of the story stays grounded in a sense of reality. Many writers use chance circumstances and coincidence to bring points within the story together, but I believe everything should happen in a logical way unless the work is fantasy. That is one of the downfalls in this novel. Without spoiling the story, all I can say is that some minor points are not logical. I enjoyed the book overall, even though it has a faulty premise, that of the missing billionaire. The struggle of Aza’s health issues is real enough and the steps toward recovery seem genuine. Essentially, this is her story and there is something to be taken from it. I am not sure I ever really connect with any of the characters in this book. There is a successful teenage writer, Daisy, who has thousands of followers for her star wars fan fiction that is largely wrapped around the romantic relationship between Chewbacca and Ray, a successful teenage artist, Mychel, who has a gallery showing for his art work in an underground sewage show for hipsters and older art lovers alike and then there is the billionaire’s son, Davis, living in a mansion as the legal guardian of his younger brother while somewhat regrettably living the lifestyle provided by his father. Though none of these characters
seem impossible, they are not your garden-variety high school kids. Then there is Aza, a girl with mental troubles that will not help herself by following instructions of those in a position to help her, such as her psycho-therapist. Her mother, a high school math teacher, worries about her, but their relationship seems typical. In addition, Aza’s father passed away when she was four so she also deals with that loss. Aza is the only believable character with Davis a close second. Daisy and Mychel have their moments, and I suppose their fortune in life is something teenage readers can aspire to, but it may be a little too much of a reach. Green did an excellent job with the language in this novel. The dialogue rang true and the connotations were spot on. The setting of Indianapolis was a bit unusual for me but does well for this story. Overall, this was a good read, but given no real solution to Aza’s problems or a satisfactory way of dealing with them, I am not quite sure what point the book is trying to make, and it seems heavy enough to want to make a point. The inside jacket reads as if this story is going to be a mystery, but as I stated earlier, it seems a scattering of ideas more than a driving force. If you read this as a mystery, you are sure to be disappointed, but if you read it as a non-typical love story, I think you will enjoy it. I would give this novel four out of five top hats.
10
SPORTS
Competitive spirit pushes Ramirez Brandon Brownlee
Washburn Review brandon.brownlee@washburn.edu
Cold and inclement weather has delayed the start of the home schedule for the Washburn baseball team. Instead, they have spent the first month of the season on the road playing 15 games, winning eight of those contests. Leading the pitching staff this year and serving as the Friday night frontline starter is senior Josh Ramirez. Native of Lakewood, Colorado, attended Green Mountain High School where he racked up a long list of accomplishments as a high school baseball player including winning back-to-back Colorado state championships in 2014 and 2015. Ramirez was selected to multiple allstate and all-conference teams throughout his career. He was also the 5A Player of the Year his junior season and was selected as the Green Mountain High School Athlete of the Year his senior year. Ramirez is the son of Denise and Craig Ramirez. His mother works for the federal government as a systems analyst and his father also played college baseball, but he is now the general manager and part owner of a casino in Colorado. His brother, Matthew, attended Washburn last year before returning to Colorado this year. Finding the ideal landing spot to play college baseball had its advantages for Ramirez because of the experiences his father had playing in college. He had an inside track on his path to Washburn due to the fact that his father played at Washburn with current Washburn Head Coach Harvey Douglas. From there the decision was easy. “They [his father and coach Douglas] were really close and I got an opportunity from Douglas and basically I felt like it was the best fit for me,” said Ramirez. Baseball is a game that requires many adjustments and Ramirez
is driven by this aspect of the game which brings out his competitive spirit. “I just love going out and competing every day,” said Ramirez. “You have to find a different way to pitch to every single guy. You don’t pitch some guys the way you would pitch to other guys. You have to learn to pitch instead of just going out there and throwing.” Washburn has been everything Ramirez could ask for in its all around experience. Playing professional baseball after graduating this year is still his main goal if he is given the opportunity. If baseball doesn’t work out he plans to use his finance degree to go home and learn and eventually take over his father’s business. During his time in school at Washburn he said the academics challenge him and it will eventually pay off in the real world. “It’s valued as a good degree,” said Ramirez. “People in the business world know about Washburn so it’s a good degree.” Baseball consumes most of Ramirez’s time, but in the summer when he’s not perfecting his craft he likes to hit the links and play some golf. Golf has long been a favorite hobby among many baseball players so it’s only fitting that Ramirez also enjoys it. With dreams and goals of playing professionally, Ramirez is constantly working to better himself. His teammates notice this hard work and it rubs off on everyone, including fellow pitcher Nate Lorenzen. “Josh is the epitome of a guy who leads by example,” said Lorenzen. “He doesn’t always vocalize himself, but as a pitcher who has a chance at the next level he is always busting his butt trying to get better.” Ramirez got a feel for what professional baseball is like when he played up north in the Northwoods League this past summer. There he was playing every single day and was constantly on the road and traveling which is how professional life would be. Despite not always saying much, Ramirez is still looked upon to help lead the team. Being the Friday night starter means that you are the ace of the pitching staff, so you are the one who pitches the first game of every weekend series and Ramirez is that guy for the Ichabods. “He’s our Friday night guy for a reason,” said Lorenzen. “Day in and day out he wants to outwork the guy next to him. Teammates feed off of him because he has success with what he does, and people follow that.” If the weather holds, Ramirez will likely be on the mound to kick off a weekend series against the Missouri Southern State Lions at 5 p.m. Friday, March 8 in Joplin, Missouri. The next games will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. photo by Kraig Dafoe
Picture of the pitcher: Josh Ramirez visits the Student Media office to have his picture taken. Ramirez became the Friday night starter this season.
washburnreview.org
Allexis Menghini achieves new records in pole vaulting Seth Burdick
Washburn Review seth.burdick@washburn.edu
Growing up in Nebraska is one of the things that, senior pole vaulter, Allexis Menghini, takes pride in. Attending high school in North Platte, Nebraska, was a blessing to Menghini especially since it had a small town feel to it. “It kind of has a big smalltown feel. Our class was Class A, so like the biggest class in Nebraska. It was on the small end of that, so it had a small town feel to it,” Menghini said. The hard work that has taken Menghini to not one, but two national track and field tournaments comes from her parents. Her lighter side comes from living with three other sisters. Her mother and father both work. Menghini’s mother is a school teacher and her father works on the railroad and does construction. She has three sisters, so having four girls in the house can be fun and crazy. “We all like to joke around and pull pranks on each other, but nothing too mean,” Menghini said. Menghini is one of the best pole vaulters in Washburn History. Outside of track, Menghini enjoys reading and video games.
“I am kind of a nerd, I like to read, and I like to play video games. My most recent book that I have read is ‘Game of Thrones.’ I have a Nintendo 64 that I really enjoy playing. I have ‘Donkey Kong’ or ‘Super Smash Brothers’,” Menghini said. Being a pole vaulter has been a major part of Menghini’s life. Even before she came to Washburn, she was an NCAA Division I athlete at the University of Nebraska. “Originally, I went to the University of Nebraska and pole vaulted there and then I came here so that was a pretty big achievement. Pole vaulting is kind of where all of my achievements are,” Menghini said. In the future, Menghini wants to be able to take the talents she has gained in college and use them in the real world. Menghini is majoring in Spanish and Psychology. “I would like to actually go to a Spanish-speaking country and actually use what I have learned, but nothing extravagant,” Menghini said. After college Menghini is not sure what she wants to do. She knows that she needs to figure that out, considering she graduates this spring. In
the meantime, Menghini has an idea of what her future may look like. “Even though I should know, I still don’t know what I want to do yet. I either want to go into coaching or pursue something in psychology. I kind of want to hang around the track more. It is just where I am comfortable at,” Menghini said.
photo courtesy of wusports
Pole vaulter: Allexis Menghini is one of the best. She also attended the University of Nebraska.
Ichabod tennis faces Newman Jets Kendra Wicks
Washburn Review kendra.wicks@washburn.edu
Men and women’s tennis crushed Newman University during their first home match of the season Saturday, March 2. The women took the Jets down 7-0 and the men came out on top, 5-2. Freshman Svea Crohn hardly lost a game in the fifth singles spot, ending her match in 6-1, 6-0 sets. Junior Jaqueline Engelbrecht claimed the No. 1 singles victory against Newman’s Liza Gerasimova 6-1, 6-3. Sophomore Maria Soler Valverde held her ground in the No. 4 spot with a 6-1, 6-2 win. The Ichabods only dropped one game during their doubles matches against the Jets. Senior Alexis Czapinski and junior Logan Morrissey crushed the No. 1 match 6-0. Soler Valverde and her partner, freshman Kinsey Fields, never dropped a game in the No. 3 spot with a 6-0 score. Engelbrecht and Crohn defeated the Jet’s No. 2 team 6-1. “We came out strong in doubles,” Engelbrecht said. “That set the tone for the entire match and we were able to take care of business.” The win against Newman puts the women at 6-1 in their season overall. “As a team we feel great about the season,” Engelbrecht said. “We’ve had some really great
wins, which has us feeling pretty confident going into conference play.” On the men’s side, junior Paul Haase defeated Newman’s Blake Crawford 6-1, 6-0. Sophomore Marc Roura Casi claimed the No. 3 spot in a 6-2, 6-3 victory. Sophomore Bradley Eidenmueller fought through two close sets (7-5, 5-7) followed by a tiebreaker (10-7) to come out with a win at No. 4 singles. The men dominated in doubles, winning all three matches. The No. 1 team, Haase and freshman Luke Howard, came out on top 6-2. Roura Casi and sophomore Raul Dicu also went 6-2 in the No. 2 spot. Eidenmueller and junior Chase Brill won at No. 3 with a 6-3 match. The men went up against Newman without their usual No. 1 player, senior Alejandro Valarezo, who is currently out with an injury. Despite having a man down, the Ichabods stood their ground and played a solid match. “It was strange coming out without our number one player, obviously,” Eidenmueller said. “But we managed pretty well.” The victory over Newman is just the beginning for the Ichabods as they look to improve throughout the season. “We did pretty well last year, so we’re trying to live up to that,” Eidenmueller said. “We want to prove to everyone else, but also to ourselves, that we can do it again and be even better.”
Nathan Lorenzen steps out of the ‘pen’ looking for the win Brandon Brownlee
Washburn Review brandon.brownlee@washburn.edu
The 2019 Washburn baseball season is off and running with several players contributing right out of the gates. Pitching is key to any team’s success and one of the top arms coming out of the bullpen this year is Nathan Lorenzen. Lorenzen has made four appearances so far this year and has only surrendered two earned runs. A right-handed pitcher, Lorenzen’s hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, plays host to one of the most exciting baseball tournaments every summer in the College World Series. He attended Omaha Burke High School where he was an allstate honorable mention pitcher. Lorenzen is the son of Melissa and Randy Lorenzen. His father works as a printer salesman, therefore Lorenzen likes to tell people that his father is the “Michael Scott of printers.” His mother works at the University of Nebraska with one of the university foundations handling funds with most of her work building toward the public and the alumni. Lorenzen has three siblings, Emily, Kaitlyn and Josh, who are trip-
lets attending high school in Omaha. Out of high school, Lorenzen began his collegiate career at Southeast Community College in Beatrice, Nebraska. He spent two seasons there and had one unforgettable experience during that time. “My sophomore year we went to the Junior College World Series, so that was a lot of fun,” said Lorenzen. “Winning the super regional at our home field was pretty sweet and just the experience of getting to play at a Junior College World Series.” After gaining some on-field experience at Southeast, Lorenzen decided to transfer to a bigger school and found Washburn to be the best choice for him. “I felt at home [at Washburn],” said Lorenzen. “I’m from a bigger city and a bigger high school and [Washburn] isn’t necessarily smaller, but there’s a lot of people around and I felt like I fit in well.” Besides feeling at home, Lorenzen was pleased with what Coach Douglas has been doing with the program and wanted to be a part of the team. He also enjoys the great facilities Washburn has to offer. “Everybody is really welcoming,”
said Lorenzen. “I feel like there’s a lot of good people at Washburn and everyone makes you feel welcome. It’s easy to make friends here.” Sports likely will never leave Lorenzen’s life once he graduates college. He is currently working on a degree in mass media with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in business. Right now Lorenzen is applying to be the athletic department’s promotions intern for next year. He hopes to use the experience to one day be a public relations practitioner for a professional sports team. Lorenzen likes to stay active in his free time with his favorite outdoor activity being golf. He is disappointed with all the recent snow because he can’t hit links in his free time. Aside from his baseball goals, Lorenzen’s top goal in life is to see Tiger Woods play in person sometime before he retires. Seeing Woods play just barely edges out his goal of visiting every MLB stadium in his lifetime. On the field, Lorenzen is a fierce competitor and a tremendous leader. On a team with so many upperclassmen, it can be hard to find your
photo courtesy of Nathan Lorenzen, inset photo courtesy of wusports
Baseball beast: Nathan Lorenzen stands with his family for a photo. Lorenzen has started his senior season and second overall with Washburn this year.
role as a leader, but Lorenzen has done that and fellow senior Brady Hoover is appreciative of the leadership he brings to the team. “Nate’s leadership is big for our pitching staff because he brings a certain kind of energy that gets ev-
erybody fired up and gets the team going,” said Hoover. “When Nate’s on the mound, our team knows we’re going to win that game. He gives positive vibes in the dugout and does a good job of picking up teammates when they’re down.”
SPORTS
March 6, 2019
11
Men’s basketball narrowly escapes MWSU Seth Burdick
Washburn Review seth.burdick@washburn.edu
Earlier in the day, the women’s team dominated Missouri Western State from the opening tip to the final whistle on Senior Day. All five seniors for the men’s team suited up to start the Ichabods. For the seniors, Saturday went according to plan. The first basket came at the hand of senior guard Emeka Ogbonna, who broke his career high in points with a three-pointer. Ogbonna would not finish there as he gave the Ichabods a 7-0 lead early in the first half, but it was not all Washburn. The Griffons were able to cut the lead to 9-7 with 15 minutes left in the half. This changed quickly as the Ichabods would go on a 12-3 run to put them up 21-10. The Griffons would try to keep the Ichabods from extending the lead any further. Slowly, the Griffons cut the lead to four after a three pointer. One of the
key ways the Griffons were able to get back in the game was through the free-throw line. Through the use of the free-throw line, the three ball and good ball movement, the Griffons grabbed their first lead of the game with 5:06 left on the clock
in the first half. The Ichabods and Griffons would trade the lead multiple times before the end of the half, but the Ichabods would head into the break with 46-43 lead after sophomore guard Tyler Geiman nailed a deep three-point shot.
photo by Brandon Brownlee
Driving to the rim: Senior guard Javion Blake drives to the goal against Missouri Western State. Blake dropped 32 points during Saturday’s contest.
Out of the gates, the Ichabods looked to erase any doubt of winning. Quickly, the Ichabods raced to an 8-point lead over the Griffons early in the second half. With 12:56 left in the game, the lead doubled to 16 after a three from senior guard Javion Blake. The Griffons were not a foe that was going to shy away from a fight. They were able to shut down the Ichabod offense long enough for them to get within three points. The Ichabods were able get an 8-point lead again from the shooting of Blake along with, freshman forward Sevon Witt and senior guard Tyas Martin. With 1:37 left in the game, the Griffons drove down and made a layup to cut the lead to 88-85. While the Griffons were cheering for making a basket, Martin raced back to catch a deep pass from Geiman to answer the Griffons while being fouled to give the Ichabods a 91-85 lead. The Ichabods would go on to defeat the Griffons 93-90 after
a last second shot from the Griffons ricocheted off the front iron. Only having a career high of two points, Saturday’s outburst of 11 was huge for Ogbonna and the Ichabods. “My mindset was just to do everything that I can for the team. I didn’t think that I was going to come here and score everything. Overall, it is a team effort,” Ogbonna said. “I want to thank my teammates and my coaches for everything. I wanted to go out with a bang since it is my last home game.” After defeating Missouri Western State on Senior Day, Blake was happy to grab the win and prepare for the MIAA Tournament next week. “You wanna play in those good games. Those packed, heart racing games and that is what happened tonight,” Blake said. “I was glad that we were able to come out on top.”
Regular season of women’s basketball comes to an end Seth Burdick
Washburn Review seth.burdick@washburn.edu
Saturday, March 2 will be a day to remember for the seniors on the women’s basketball team. All five seniors got the nod to start for the Ichabods on Senior Day against the Griffons from Missouri Western State. From the beginning the Ichabods were dominating on both offense and defense. The Ichabods would close out the game winning, 78-68. After an early miscalculated pass that would lead a griffon score, the Ichabods would settle down and jump to a 7-2 lead. Even though the Ichabods had a lead, the Griffons were attacking relentlessly while the Ichabod offense was at a standstill. Missouri Western was able to trim the lead to 9-7, but then the Ichabod offense came alive again. On backto-back possessions, sophomore
guard Hunter Bentley and senior Taylor Blue hit two threes after fantastic ball movement to give the Ichabods more breathing room. At the end of the first quarter, the Ichabods led 15-10. The Ichabods and Griffons would trade blows until Bentley grabbed a missed three point shot and took the ball up to hoop with some authority. After making a free-throw on the ensuing foul, the Ichabod lead would increase. By the end of the half the Ichabods head into the break with a resounding 40-22 lead. To cap off the scoring run, Blue hit a clutch three with 2 seconds left in the half. The Griffons were doing everything they could to get back in the game. The Ichabods seemed to relax more coming out of the break. Five minutes into the third quarter, the Griffons were looking like the team on the attack, but the Ichabod lead was still growing in small in-
crements as they led 54-33. At the end of the third quarter, the Ichabod lead was trimmed to 58-41. The Griffon attack would keep trimming the lead as they were continuously hustling the Ichabods. The lead would be cut all the way down to under 10 points after a Griffon layup, 61-52. With less than 3 minutes to go in the game, the Griffons were threatening to make a run, but on defense they could not stop the Ichabods. The Ichabods were able to close the game out making most of their free-throws in crunch time. The Ichabods finished off the Griffons, 78-68. After the game, senior forward Nicole Murugarren was all smiles after winning her final home game on Senior Day. “Well I think we did pretty good today. It was kind of sad, but at the same time it was happy to finish in that way,” Murugarren said. “We executed pretty well today even
photo by Brandon Brownlee
Alley-oop: Senior Taylor Blue shoots a mid-range jump shot. The Ichabods won the game, 78-68.
though we had a tough game on Thursday.” Blue’s focus at the end of the game was not on Senior Day, but on the next game. “I think I could have done way
better. Offensively, the balls were dropping, but defensively, there were a lot of things we could have done better,” Blue said. “I think It would have been nice to keep them from coming back.”
Tyjai Adams enjoying track success Tom Haug: A determined man Brandon Brownlee
Washburn Review brandon.brownlee@washburn.edu
The Washburn track and field teams had an extremely successful indoor season and right now are gearing up for the fast approaching outdoor season. With the program only in its third year back as a Washburn sport there aren’t many upperclassmen. One athlete who came here three years ago and helped get the program started back up is Tyjai Adams. Adams competes in several hurdles and sprinting events on the track. Adams made her way to Washburn with track being one of the sole influences on her decision. Her recruiting trip to Washburn was a bit different then what she encountered elsewhere. “It was different because there wasn’t a team,” said Adams. “So, I didn’t get to meet the other girls or go to dinner with them or anything, but I really liked the campus and Coach Babb was really cool.” Washburn was Adams’ last visit after already taking visits to Pittsburg State and Emporia State, but it turned out to be the best decision for her. Adams hails from Hutchinson, Kansas, where she was raised by her parents, Damien and Tyrece Adams. Her father just started working at a new company similar to Boeing that builds airplane parts, while her mother works full time for Advocare which deals with vitamins and supplements. While in high school Adams was extremely successful on the track placing at state in different hurdles events multiple times. Her claim to fame however, will be that she won the state championship in the
photo by Brandon Brownlee
Upperclassman: Tyjai Adams is in her third season with the Washburn track team. She is one of the few athletes that has been here for all three years since the return of the program.
100m hurdles her senior year in a school-record time. The championship came after a year’s worth of hard work and motivation after being denied a title the previous year. “I worked really, really hard for it,” said Adams. “My junior year I got second by like a tenth of a second so that kind of fueled me and I worked all summer long and it transfered and I won.” Upon arriving at Washburn, Adams discovered that she liked the small school feel of Washburn. She said it’s not high school size small, but that it’s small enough to where everybody pretty much knows everybody, and she enjoys that aspect of being an Ichabod. Adams is majoring in health services administration because it’s a degree that covers a broad spectrum of job opportunities.
She wants to work in a management position somewhere in the healthcare field, but ideally would like to end up in a plastic surgeon’s office. Skin care and makeup interest Adams the most, so she feels like she would be right at home working alongside a plastic surgeon. When she’s not competing or doing school work, Adams is most likely at work where she is interacting with young children. She works at an early learning center called Beautiful Savior and helps out in one of the pre-school classrooms. Between work, school and track that doesn’t allow for much spare time, but something Adams enjoys doing is traveling. She has many destinations in the US she would like to see, but she would also like to go back to Cancun, Mexico which has been her favorite place she’s been so far. “I love to travel,” said Adams. “I would much rather spend my money on a trip or a flight than on anything materialistic.” There won’t be much traveling in the near future however, because Adams and her teammates will be preparing to have a strong outdoor season. With the family atmosphere on the track team all the athletes enjoy being around each other and competing together. “Ty is always supportive of everyone and is a great leader,” said fellow sprinter Darian Hillebert. “She never ceases to make me laugh and she inspires our teammates to continue setting and achieving goals.” The outdoor track season will get underway March 22 when both the men and women’s teams will travel to Emporia State with hopes of no snow and warmer weather.
Seth Burdick
Washburn Review seth.burdick@washburn.edu
Before qualifying for the national track and field tournament, sophomore high jumper Tom Haug was attending high school and living in Manhattan. There, he enjoyed life in the close-knit Manhattan community. “The high school is a large high school, but it has a small town feel to it. Everyone knows each other. For athletics, everyone is really close and really supportive of one another. That is why I enjoyed football and track there,” Haug said. In Manhattan, Haug lived with his brothers and his parents. One of Haug’s favorite parts of living in Manhattan was having his brothers there to mess with. “I lived right outside Manhattan with my three brothers and my parents. I have a twin brother. He hasn’t really done anything to make me mad at him, we argue a lot, but we are brothers, so I don’t get too annoyed by him,” Haug said. Outside of jumping, Haug is talented in other ways. One of his hobbies involves playing the guitar. “I like to watch a lot of tv and read. I also like to play music. I have picked up the guitar and the piano a little bit just to mess around with to find something outside track to kind of balance out athletics,” said Haug If he gets the chance, Haug wants to be able to see what the world has to offer him. That means traveling and trying different sports. “I would love to travel some. I haven’t been out of the country before, so I am looking to do that. I would like to explore different athletic activities that I can challenge myself with,” said Haug. Even though he just qualified for nationals, Haug believes that qualifying for nationals is his greatest achievement. “One of my biggest achievements would probably be making the national tournament this year. That is something that I have been shooting for and working towards and one of my goals this year,” Haug said. To get to where Haug is at, you have
photo courtesy of Tom Haug
Reaching new heights: Sophomore high jumper, Tom Haug stands after his performance at the MIAA Conference track and field tournament. Haug qualified for the national tournament.
to have the natural talent, but you also need to have the willpower to be able to compete at that level. “You kind of have to develop your mental attitude and your direction for the season and what you want to do. You need to develop the mental side before the season begins when you start training. You need to have in mind what you want to do for the season and keep that in mind when you go in and train every day and love the process,” Haug said. As for head track and field coach, Cameron Babb, he is a huge fan of the way Haug comes in to work and get better in practice. “My favorite thing about Tom is his attention to getting better. I remember a time last year when I walked into Lee Arena with all the lights out, and found Tom practicing high jump by himself in the dark. He didn’t care or make excuses to avoid training, he just wanted to get the work in no matter what,” Babb said.
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