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Vol. 148 Issue 32

Storm creates travel difficulties Researchers acquire bacterial molecules for use in medicine

late genes by activating those “silent genes.” Zhao said there are some proteins which stop genes from being expressed and their teams are introduced to decoys that bind them with those proteins and move them from genes. Through this method, researchers can use their targeting genes to encode enzymes. “This work is really cool because its basic mechanism is not solely to unmute silent gene clusters, but it can also mute active gene clusters, meaning it can reverse the output. So in both ways we can discover new things,” said Guo Fang, postdoctoral researcher in the research team, in an email. Zhao said other research groups may also be able to use this method as a tool to discover other compounds. Compared with the controversial topic of gene-editing in the last year, Zhao emphasized they are only

BY ZIHAN WANG STAFF WRITER

KENYON EDMOND THE DAILY ILLINI

A winter storm warning was issued for much of central Illinois on Friday, cautioning hazardous roadway conditions all day Saturday. University Chancellor Robert Jones sent a Massmail to students and their parents encouraging students to exercise caution while traveling to Champaign-Urbana, even at the expense of missing classes Monday.

University researchers recently acquired molecule products from bacteria through activating “silent genes.” The molecules have potential use for drugs but need further research. Silent genes are genes that were not able to express their functions because of certain proteins. Researchers used Streptomyces, a kind of bacteria, to produce new molecules. Huimin Zhao, professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, said they chose this bacteria because Streptomyces can be prolific to produce small molecules for drugs. Zhao said they use the bacteria as factories, and they manipulate the genes of the bacteria. Those genes can encode enzymes in the bacteria which can compound basic molecules like glucose, oxygen or water into more complex molecules, which can be used for drugs. The researchers manipu-

SEE GENES | 3A

Students receive study abroad award UI imaging technique BY DAVID RUVINSKIY STAFF WRITER

Twelve University students have been named recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, a monetary award which funds study abroad experiences. Named after a late New York congressman, the scholarship is a grant program designed for students with limited financial

means, said David Schug, national and international scholarships program director for the University. Students collectively received $45,000 in awards. “They have overcome some things in their lives to get here, they’re doing very well, and they found a way that study abroad is going to help them be better in serving others in their career,” Schug said.

“I think that’s the kind of person that they like to give the Gilman scholarship to.” Paisley Meyer, senior in LAS, is one of the recipients. Because of Meyer’s interest in conflict resolution between governments, she plans to apply what she has learned in her global studies major while studying in Vienna. “This was just kind of a city and atmosphere in

which my major was directly involved in,” Meyer said. “All of the things that I have been learning course-wise here at the University of Illinois are now being more put into practice.” Meyer said the Gilman Scholarship is designed for students who qualify for the Federal Pell Grant, a subsidy provided by the governSEE ABROAD | 3A

Government shutdown upsets UI research Federal agencies get affected by government shutdown

BY OLIVIA WELSHANS STAFF WRITER

Research at the University may experience some difficulties in funding and proposal delays due to key federal agencies being affected by the partial government shutdown. If the shutdown is brief, the University will see very little impact with respect to its research, said Melissa Edwards, executive director of Strategic Research Communications, in an email. However, the partial government shutdown has already become the longest running government shutdown in the nation’s history. Federal agencies are responsible for funding many research projects at the University. In the 2017 fiscal year, the National Science Foundation awarded about $136 million to researchers at the University, more than any other university in the nation.

One of the agencies affected is the National Science Foundation, which awarded $136 million to University research in 2017.

Police

tify cancer cells in the body, without having to surgically remove them for biopsy. “This imaging technology has the potential to open unprecedented perspectives for label-free intravital functional imaging for various branches of cancer research due to its label-free nature, relative simplicity, versatility and rich molecular profiling capability,” said Sixian You, graduate student in bioengineering, who is involved in the project. Without the use of the imaging system, the process of diagnosing cancer takes a few days involving the tissue having to be fixed, processed, sectioned and stained for regular histology and diagnosis. With the portable optimizing imaging system, researchers took 30 min-

BY CAROLINE COYLE STAFF WRITER

A newly developed portable optimizing imaging system created in University bioengineering professor Stephen Boppart’s lab now allows researchers to visualize the microenvironment of surgically removed human breast cancer tissue. The portable optimizing imaging system uses light to identify and categorize different areas of the tissue and cells. This system can identify specific features of tissue that make up a tumor microenvironment. “Our technology enables our ability to visualize, image and quantify cells and the extracellular vesicles that they produce right at the point-of-procedure, immediately when tissue/ cancer is taken out during surgery,” Boppart said. This new system could allow researchers to iden-

SEE IMAGING | 3A

INSIDE SOURCE OFFICE OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR RESEARCH

The NSF is just one of several federal agencies affected by the shutdown. Other agencies include the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Standards and Technology and NASA. The University’s Sponsored Programs Administration created a web page to answer many questions researchers might have

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INSIDE

looks at breast cancer

CINDY OM THE DAILY ILLINI

about how their work will be affected by the government shutdown. The website informs researchers that government agencies will not be able to accept proposals during the shutdown. This can be agency specific, but for the most part, researchers will not be able to submit proposals of research projects for funding until the shutdown is over.

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Researchers who received funding before the shutdown and whose period of performance remains open do not have cause to worry, according to the website. They are still able to expend funds from existing federal rewards. The webpage also urges researchers to keep up with

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2A Monday, January 14, 2019

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unknown driver. The offender drove reported on the 1100 block of AnthoChampaign away from the scene of the accident. ny Drive on Dec. 26 at 5 p.m. AccordA theft was reported on the 1500 No injury was reported. ing to the report, a witness reportblock of Williamsburg Drive around ed seeing a vehicle lose control and 2 p.m. on Dec. 21. According to the University leave a roadway, becoming inoperreport, while the victim was in the A theft was reported on the 700 able. The offender was found walkprocess of selling the offender an block of South Gregory Place, Urba- ing away from the vehicle, smelling Apple Watch, the offender left the na, between noon and 1 p.m. on Jan. of alcohol. The offender chose not scene with the Apple Watch to show 1. According to the report, a student to complete a sobriety test and was his mom and never returned. reported a package, which was at his found to be driving under a revoked A hit and run accident of a pri- apartment doorstep, had been stolen. driver’s license. Upon the attempt to vate property was reported on the The contents of the package have a arrest, the offender resisted. He was 300 block of East Washington Street retail value of $14. released on a notice to appear and around 8 a.m. on Dec. 25. Accordcitations. ing to the report, a home was struck Urbana overnight by a vehicle driven by an An automobile accident was news@dailyillini.com

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Thousands of grade changes have been processed by the Office of the Registrar from just this past fall semester alone. To be more precise, there have been about 2,700 processed grade change requests from Jan. 2-4, said Lori Fuller, assistant registrar, and Rod Hoewing, associate registrar at the office, in a joint email. The number of grade change requests is nothing abnormal for the office; they have not noticed much of an increase or decrease in grade corrections compared with other semesters. There is no hard deadline for an instructor or department to submit a grade correction for a specific semester. The general practice is to follow the timeline from the Procedures for Review of Alleged Capricious Grading found in the Student Code, where the time frame to submit an appeal for review concerning a grade that might need to be changed is 30 business days after the start of the semester after the course with the issue was taken, Fuller and Hoewing said. “There is a fairly standard volume of grade corrections processed relatively soon after grade entry deadline for each

semester,” Fuller and Hoewing said. “Those grade changes are processed rather quickly, as everyone involved in the grade change process realizes the importance of having accurate grades on student records in time to determine probation and drop status and/or academic recognition of Dean’s List.” To have the grade correction process run as smoothly as possible, they recommend quick communication between the student and instructor as soon as the discrepancy appears on the academic record. If the instructor has told the student they submitted a grade change request and the student does not see the grade change on their academic record between three to four business days, then the student can contact Academic Records & Graduation in the Office of the Registrar. “The sooner the student contacts the instructor, the sooner the instructor can investigate the source of any variance and submit a corrected grade through the grade change system,” Fuller and Hoewing said. Wade Fagen-Ulmschneider, teaching assistant professor in the College of Engineering, said he changed the way he grades to decrease the amount of grade corrections he

“Because they are so important and because they matter so much ... it’s important that we do it right.” WADE FAGEN-ULMSCHNEIDER TEACHING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN ENGINEERING

submits. In a follow-up email, Fagen-Ulmschneider said he started his new grading method in fall 2017 and has been using it ever since. With his method, he can submit the correct grade into enterprise before grades are due. “At the end of the semester I always give students the ability to submit a course grade review, so if they feel that their grade is wrong after I post it on Compass, they can fill out an excel sheet that says what they think their grade should be in the course and then submit it to me,” he said. Fagen-Ulmschneider has had a positive experience whenever he has had to submit a grade correction in the past and has experienced no problems or delays. He thinks it is a quality process. He decided to change his grading method due to the grade correction process being time-consuming and the potential negative effect on students if there is a grading error on their academic record.

“There’s multiple different people who all have to approve that grade change before it takes effect, and because of that, you don’t know if it is going to take two days or two weeks,” he said. To make sure his grades for each student are correct, he releases final grades about a week before they are due, creating a lot of time to do corrections before the due date if need be, Fagen-Ulmschneider said. With his new grading method, Fagen-Ulmschneider does not submit as many grade corrections as he previously did, but still understands the importance of the grade correction process. “Because they are so important and because they matter so much ... it’s important that we do it right,” he said. “Sometimes it is frustrating to see a process that takes a week, but to know that that process impacts your GPA means that it is important that we do it right.” madalyn4@dailyillini.com

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Conference connects adoptees with Asian heritage, culture BY CLARE BUDIN STAFF WRITER

Students from Asian organizations on campus connected with adopted children through cultural cuisine, discussions and fun activities at the Illinois Cultural Adopted Students Program Fall 2018 Conference last month. The conference, held at the Asian American Cultural Center, was formed 14 years ago with the help of the University’s TaiwaneseAmerican Student Club. Jenny Lee, sophomore in ACES and member of TASC, explained the goal of the conference was to promote leadership, community, outreach and connect Asian adoptees with their culture. “Our commitment is to demonstrate community service, leadership and action for the Asian adoptee community at UIUC and in the Urbana-Champaign area,” Lee said. “We raise awareness about the importance of connecting with your cultural heritage, understanding your ethnic identity and developing student leadership.” At the conference on Dec. 5, about 20 invited adoptees were paired up with a University student and bonded over workshops rooted in different Asian cultures and traditions. “Some of the workshops organized during our fall conference included Japanese braiding and a Tang Yuan cooking class,” said Bea Alicante, sophomore in LAS and co-director of ICASP. “Additionally, parents were able to have a Q&A session with older adoptee students.” As the program grew, several other organizations began to participate in the conference such as the Vietnamese Student Association, Philippine Student Association and Asian American Association this year. Carmel Bumaa, sophomore in Media and Philippine Student Association

officer, was invited to cohost a presentation to parents at the conference on adopted kids adjusting and finding their identity while growing up in predominantly white communities. For Bumaa, the small workshop provided a great opportunity to have a meaningful discussion with parents of adopted kids and for her group to connect with other University organizations. “It was nice hearing from (the parents) how they look forward to this event to meet up every year and how they genuinely related to our workshop,” Bumaa said. “For PSA, it was a pleasure to be invited to present because it’s also

events and centers on campus provide a supportive community and safe environment that allows students to further explore their cultural identities, as well as other aspects of their identity,” Alicante said. “Since these also mirror the diverse student population of UIUC, they offer important learning experiences and opportunities to engage in cultural appreciation.” Lee agrees the opportunity to hold events like ICASP in spaces like the Asian American Cultural Center helps students explore their own identities while helping others. “Having cultural spaces is an amazing privilege we

“Since these also mirror the diverse student population of UIUC, they offer important learning experiences and opportunities to engage in cultural appreciation.” BEA ALICANTE SOPHOMORE IN LAS, CO-DIRECTOR OF ICASP

important to externalize with the other Asian organizations on campus.” Lee said the conference provides a welcoming and educational environment for adopted students and their parents. “The kids really enjoy doing the activities and some of them have been coming consistently to the conference for years, so they get to connect with each other as well,” Lee said. “Parents have come up to me and said … that they get to ask other parents questions they have, while also learning about different aspects of culture.” Alicante said the longrunning success of the conference showcases perfectly the importance of prosperous cultural centers and organizations on campus. “Cultural organizations,

have that not all universities provide,” Lee said. “It’s meaningful to have crosscultural experiences and awareness.” Lee said she wanted to send a message to students on campus struggling with their identity that these struggles are completely normal. Lee said she came to terms with her identity with the resources available on campus and knows other students can too. “I know a lot of AsianAmericans, including me, have struggled with their identity from the fact that they lived and grew up in America in conjunction with Asian culture from their parents,” Lee said. “The feeling of not completely belonging to one PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNY LEE culture is very common.” Student members of Asian cultural organizations on campus connect with adopted children and claredb2@dailyillini.com

their parents at the Asian American Cultural Center. Students hope to inspire adoptees and work with them to connect with Asian heritage and culture.

FROM 1A

SHUTDOWN

IMAGING

deadlines. In the past, the administration said it has seen federal agencies revise and republish proposal deadlines after a government shutdown, but that is not always the case. The office urges researchers to work toward current published deadlines for research proposals and watch for revised deadlines. Karen Rodriguez’G, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, said some federally funded research experiences for undergraduates are also being affected. “I know, for instance, that the (National Institute of Standards and Technology Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship) has been delayed in that the portal is shut down, and I imagine other federally funded programs for undergraduates are probably affected,” Rodriguez’G said. The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship is a program funded through the NIST and encourages undergraduates to pursue careers in STEM fields. Rodriguez’G said some programs funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities are also being affected. Edwards said the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research is monitoring the federal shutdown situation, and it hopes the issue can be resolved quickly. “We sincerely hope that the shutdown will be resolved soon because if it is, the impact likely will be negligible for institutions like ours,” Edwards said.

their lives,” Schug said. “It’s likely going to be life changing and life enhancing for them to have this opportunity.”

utes to identify tissue features at Carle Foundation Hospital. “This technology developed over many years. First, we had new innovations in the laser light source that is used for this type of imaging,” Boppart said. “That enabled us to see the cells and tissue in new ways.” The imaging system was originally built as a microscope system in the Beckman Institute Lab but was later engineered to fit on a cart that could be brought into an operating room. “Our next steps are to engineer beam-delivery systems, such as a handheld probe, so this imaging can be done at other tissue sites,” Boppart said. In addition to the research regarding the microenvironment of a tumor, Boppart and his team are interested in measuring tumor-related extracellular vesicles. Extracellular vesicles promote the spread of cancer throughout the body. Through collection and study of breast tissue from both cancer free and cancer patients it was found the extracellular vesicle density was much higher in cancer patients. This technology could be beneficial in terms of diagnosing and imaging breast cancer that impacts 1 in 8 women. “We believe the impact of this technology will be great, because it will begin to change the way we visualize tissue for diagnosis,” Boppart said.

druvin2@dailyillini.com

cccoyle2@dailyillini.com

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GRAPHIC COURTESY OF BIN WANG

FROM 1A

GENES interested in the molecules. Although they are modifying genes, they are doing it in a lab environment, not releasing these bacteria into the outside environment. He also mentioned they are not making new products. He said the molecules

FROM 1A

ABROAD ment for students who fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. “It’s an honor, honestly,” Meyer said. “It’s really nice to know that all of the work that you’ve put in to school and just leading up to this moment has payed off. It’s really exciting to see all your friends and family acknowledge that as well.” Timothy Wedig, associate director of global studies, said Meyer was a good candidate for the scholarship because her major taught her to see issues from multiple perspectives. The advanced language requirement of the major as well

they found have existed in the organism, and what they did is trigger the process to produce those molecules in the lab. “It can be produced somewhere else or in some very different conditions, but they can’t be produced naturally, just not now, maybe in the ancient time,” said Bin Wang, postdoctoral researcher in the research team.

For now, researchers have developed eight new compound structures. Fang said their research products and methods are only useful for the research community, unless someone can use it to discover powerful compounds that can be finally taken to the drug development stage. “Later we will do all kinds of bio-analysis, to find out

what kind of property the compound may have, could be antimicrobial, could be anticancer, could be antifungal. There are many biological activities, right? Some of our compounds may have, but some of them may not have, so we don’t know the particular compound that we discovered,” Zhao said.

as the major’s emphasis on writing was one of the reasons she received the scholarship, he said. “I’m very proud of our major and of our students,” Wedig said. Aside from the financial benefit of the Gilman Scholarship, Meyer said another benefit of receiving the scholarship is to have access to more job opportunities in the future and be able to meet with people in her field at the United States Embassy. “I’m really just looking forward to embracing a new culture,” Meyer said. “I haven’t ever been outside of the United States for a prolonged period of time, and I definitely haven’t been in a place where I don’t know

the language that well.” Schug wants more students to apply for the Gilman Scholarship to study abroad in future semes-

“This a prime time in a student’s life where what they learn is going to help them personally and professionally for the rest of

zihanw4@dailyillini.com

“It’s really nice to know that all of the work that you’ve put in to school and just leading up to this moment has payed off.” PAISLEY MEYER SENIOR IN LAS

ters. He said the Campus Center for Advising and Academic Services offers many resources, including individual coaching for students, to help them earn scholarships.

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Monday, January 14, 2019

Tornado devastates Taylorville residents BY HEATHER SCHLITZ STAFF WRITER

The supercell storm had already unleashed four tornadoes by the time it lurked southwest of Morrisonville, Illinois, a town of 1,000 where Alex Brockamp was home visiting family for the weekend. The overcast, drizzly and unusually warm 60-degree day would see 29 tornadoes touch down across Illinois, making Dec. 1 the largest outbreak of December tornadoes since the 1950s. Morrisonville and Taylorville, Illinois, two rural towns where University students and their families live, lay in its path. Brockamp, junior in Engineering, stayed in the house alone to write a lab report, looking forward to the forecasted rain so he wouldn’t have to rake the leaves in the yard. His mother headed to the church to take pictures of his sister, a senior in high school, and her group in their homecoming outfits. His 94-year-old grandmother lived alone in her one-story house, a five-minute walk across town. At 4:39 p.m., the tornado sirens sounded for the first time. The local news station warned the storm would hit Morrisonville in fewer than 10 minutes and Brockamp’s mind swirled with questions.

ment. Between the overcast sky and setting sun, he could hardly see. He turned up the volume on the basement TV. Was the sound he heard lashing against his house hail or tornado-force winds? Did his grandmother fall on her way to the pantry, the only windowless room in her house? Should he drive across town and wait out the storm with her? Would he make it to her house before a tornado hit? No tornado touched down in Morrisonville. Instead, the storm rolled northeast toward Taylorville, 13 miles away. Brent Frump, senior in ACES and Taylorville native, watched the Alabama-Georgia football game from his house in Champaign. When he heard about the tornado warning, he called his mother and sister, who scrambled to take shelter in a friend’s basement after the sirens went off. Brendan Held, junior in Business, was visiting his family in Taylorville for the weekend and prayed for his town alongside his brother and parents from downstairs in his basement living room. Paul Held, Brendan’s uncle and athletic director at Taylorville High School, told his wife the storm would fizzle out before it came into town.

“I tasted it coming. The air tasted terrible.” BRANDON GATTON TAYLORVILLE RESIDENT

Should he get in his car and drive somewhere — anywhere — away from the storm? Were his parents and sister still outside the church taking pictures of her in her homecoming dress? The sky darkened and he heard the dull thuds of hail bouncing off the roof as he hurried down to the base-

The tornado

Jim Brown stood on his daughter’s front porch, about 10 blocks away from his own home, when the gray, swirling mass broke loose from the sky. His daughter had a basement, but he wanted to watch the tornado. The main gas line ruptured and the smell of rot-

BEN TSCHETTER THE DAILY ILLINI

Marie Sheedy and her son, Rod Sheedy, stand in front of one of their properties that was destroyed in the tornado that hit Taylorville, Illinois, on Dec. 1.

ten eggs and the rushing, freight train-like sound of the tornado filled the air. Brown, a retired carpenter who has lived in Taylorville since the first grade, knew his home wouldn’t survive. “It was going to tear the hell out of the place,” he said. When the tornado sirens blared, Brandon Gatton, another Taylorville resident, brushed aside his mother’s plea for him to come inside. He said he and his friends used to watch twisters race across the fields and roar down Route 48. They never hit Taylorville. The eerie warmth and the low reading from his barometer unnerved him, though he didn’t expect anything more than a bad storm. His mother called again, this time crying. Gatton relented, leisurely unplugging his computer and gathering batteries for his vape pen before heading to her

house. Gatton said he tasted the dust in the air as soon as he stepped outside of his garage. “I tasted it coming,” he said. “The air tasted terrible.” He hurried inside his mother’s house and shepherded her and the three dogs into a hallway. The power went out. Back at the high school, Paul Held’s panicked calls wouldn’t go through to his wife. The school had canceled the girls’ basketball game he’d planned on attending, and as the weather worsened, he ushered the students into the main hallway. Hail smashed against the windows and his ears popped as he felt the pressure change roll through his body. His wife had sent him a text telling him the tornado had touched down in Tay-

lorville, and now without a response from her, he imagined the worst. Snippets of everyday life flashed before him: He remembered sitting on the front porch with his wife, drinking amaretto and listening to music playing from the portable speaker, family trips to Saint Charles, Missouri, and watching “The Big Bang Theory” on his couch with his kids. “I don’t want this to end,” he thought. At his mother’s house, Gatton looked out the back door window as a bright green flash from an exploding transformer lit up the tornado’s silhouette, less than a football field away from him. “Get the f--- on the floor, now!” he yelled. “It’s here!” The window Gatton had spotted the tornado through smashed into the back of his head as he tackled his moth-

er to the floor, shielding her with his body. “I’m about to die,” he thought. The windows exploded and the floorboards shifted underneath them. “Oh my God, this is it,” his mother screamed, again and again. “It’s fine. We’re going to be OK,” Gatton reassured her, though he didn’t believe it. Pieces of two-by-fours impaled themselves into the wall above them, the splinters piercing through the top of his black beanie. His ears popped. As the windows shattered and debris flew through the room, the tornado itself sounded like a train barreling toward him. “It was an ungodly roar,” he said. Continue reading at dailyillini.com. schlitz2@dailyillini.com

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January 14, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

OPINIONS

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

UI should seek more diverse counselors

aving multicul-

tural competence is beneficial for both counselors and students as it will help better aid a diverse group of people. One study notes there is a plethora of European American counselors compared to races such as Latino/Latina, African-American and Asian counselors. This could be concerning to a school with growing diversity for ethnic reasons. Multicultural competence is the ability for people to help others who have different cultures from their own. A friend of mine who attends the University suffered from depression. He had been raised to believe mental health illnesses were not real. It wasn’t until he showed signs of suicidal tendencies that he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital and received the help he needed. Counseling centers can help students become more aware of their services and pay more attention to the ways culture can restrict someone’s comfort in seeking help. One study from the Journal of Multicultural Competence and Development found multiculturally competent counselors who helped Asian international students achieved higher ratings in trustworthiness and expertise. Multicultural competence could help students from international exchange programs. The adjustments to new cultures and environments than the ones they have grown into can be enriching; it can also become stressful and impact mental health. Situations such as these is where multicultural competence within counseling can better aid someone from a foreign country. There are long lines for counselors at the University. The school must find new ways to enlarge the counseling center and provide faster care. Counselors who are multiculturally competent would provide more efficient counseling, hopefully reducing the amount of rescheduling and extra meetings students would need. This way, counselors can help students more quickly without compromising their treatment. Maya is a junior in LAS. maya2@illinois.edu

CASSIDY BRANDT THE DAILY ILLINI

Tag, you’re it: a game of friendship SAMUEL KOTTOOR COLUMNIST

hree words. Say them and I’m yours: I love you. Three words. Say them and I’m at high risk for contracting cooties: Tag, you’re it. (Contractions are technically two words. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.) College: a place where we must choose between good grades and a social life all while throwing sleep out the window. After four semesters of caring a little too much about grades, I saw personal relationships fade away, friend groups become distanced and stress-burdened library dwellers doing their thing, all for the desire of a sexy decimal after the 3 in our GPA (congrats on your 4.0, losers). But last semester, I decid-

ed to change things up and spend more time with my friends, putting up with the people who put up with me. There was one thing in particular that pulled my friends and me closer, even through the stress of finals. Right after Thanksgiving, my roommates and I decided to start up a game of ongoing tag. The rules? Simple. The apartment was the safe zone: Upon exiting the door, everything was fair game. No immediate tag-backs. Puppy guarding? Honor system. And, if you’ve been “it” for three days, you have to do all the dishes, including the broken glass at the bottom of the pile in the sink. Just like that, the game began. At one point, a friend chased me around Grainger for 20 minutes while my group from a class worked on our project. I finally evaded him and sprinted into a dark room, where I had my group move into

so I wouldn’t be tagged. I have been chased across the Main Quad during rush hour, have hopped off our second-floor balcony in hot pursuit and have been tagged directly after walking out absolutely devastated from a difficult final exam by my roommate who had been waiting for 30 minutes outside for me to finish. Many more fun things have happened throughout the course of this game. On the surface, this game of tag has been pure fun. Through the midst of finals, it kept our mind off the stress of studying. It has been an absolute blast chasing each other down and poop-talking whoever was “it.” At a deeper level, though, this child’s game brought us closer together. At that point in the semester, things get so hectic you start to see less and less of your friends. During finals sea-

son, people spend all their time at libraries, forget how to smile and have little time to hang out with the people they care for. Tag did something incredible. It kept us in each other’s lives until the very end, nourishing our friendships. Tag was a game we used to play during a much simpler time, when we were kiddos with no worries in the world. As numbers were added to our age, our youthfulness drifted away. College stripped us of our innocence. Children are the happiest people in this world. For this very reason, one of my only principles in life is to never grow up. Adulthood can bring a certain sadness to humans. While it is certainly respectable to work hard and be career-driven, it baffles me why everyone is in such a hurry to act all grown-up and mature. George Bernard Shaw

once said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.” I have no idea who George is, but he makes a good point. Tag is more than just a fun little game. It takes off some of the weight the world has put on our heavy hearts. Start this semester off with a bang. You and your local friend group should start up a game of tag. Relive your days of childhood. Always remember your relationships are more important than any grade, certificate or award. Last semester, I decided to not focus on my grades as much, but rather spend more time on my relationships. My heart was so much happier in the end. And for the first time, I didn’t tell my parents what my final GPA for the semester was! Samuel is a junior in Engineering. kottoor2@dailyillini.com

Online lacks meaningful political discourse DAVID LEE COLUMNIST

ccording to the Pew Research Center, twothirds of Americans reported they received a portion of their news from social media. While this statistic is suggestive of where younger people are headed as consumers and of how media outlets ought to strategize, it also has implications for how people ought to behave in the democratic process. Democracies function sub-optimally when people or certain demographics do not vote. Consider the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was designed so the electorate makeup would be more representative of all Americans; democracies can only be run by the people, through people. Additionally, the electorate must be well informed, which means news consumption to form an opinion is a crucial part of the democratic process. If most citizens today, specifically college students, consume news from social media sources, then citizens ought to know the best way to vet their social media consumption and civil discourse. One would assume reading the news online is identical to reading a physical newspaper; how-

ever, notable distinctions arise. Media consumption from a newspaper, a TV program or a radio segment lacks a specific platform for discourse, which forces people to discuss face-toface, while online mediums allow for an immediate, direct and impersonal platform of engagement. Thus, one can intuitively conclude face-to-face discourse is incredibly different from online discourse. Is one form of consumption better than the other? Consider how one receives their news in the first place. Facebook algorithms and our own social media habits tend to put us in echo chambers where we are less likely to confront ideas that differ from our own. This gives a false perception of reality where we are more likely to fail to consider the validity of other views. A way to understand this is to consider the overwhelmingly liberal majority at the University, which makes it difficult to sympathize with conservative ideology. Still, people can conduct their own biased media selection in real life when they choose who their friends are and what they watch on TV. However, generally, social media news consumption creates a stronger propensity for echo chamber consumption. Is one form of discourse better than the other? It

#Politics Let’s start a discussion of the current political climate Anonymous Well, the current politcal climate is highly divided and requires greater dicussion between the parties as both have ideologies that are diverging farther and farther away from one another Permalink

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BRIAN NGUYEN THE DAILY ILLINI

turns out, according to the Pew Research Center, most people hardly discuss politics on social media in the first place. The majority of people — Democrats and Republicans — find talking with people about politics on social media to be “stressful and frustrating.” There is also a portion of politically engaged users who frequently post about political issues on social media. Most people understand the futility of engaging in online debate. Rarely are people trying to learn, as they are more likely to see themselves in a teaching position. It is much easier to treat others with a lack of humanity online, which has been made evident

in the wake of cyberbullying. Face-to-face conversation forces one to treat others with a certain amount of class and finesse. It does not limit a person to text but also brings in facial expression, tone and volume. There are certainly exceptions to both platforms, however. Online discussion sections for classes are moderated by class instructors and there are sometimes requirements for citing sources before contributing. Also, it’s important to keep in mind there are also unreasonable people to be encountered in real life. Failed civil discourse is ultimately a byproduct of either insecurity, miscommunication

or misinformation. Consider lastly how difficult it is to change people’s minds when all is said and done. People tend to vote against their policy preferences because they are misinformed. When people receive more information, they are also unlikely to change voting behavior because they consume information that confirms their own biases. The way the average citizen consumes information is fundamentally flawed. The best thing for individuals to make informed decisions is to approach any discussion or media platform with a learning mindset. David is a junior in LAS. davidjl3@dailyillini.com

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS | opinions@dailyillini.com with the subject “Letter to the Editor.” The Daily Illini reserves the right to edit for length, libel, grammar and spelling errors, and Daily Illini style or to reject any contributions. Letters must be limited to 300 words. Contributions must be typed and include the author’s name, address and phone number. University students must include their year in school and college.

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Monday, January 14, 2019

Students fall off mainstream paths to success UI officials find people focus on majors that may not be right for them

1 in 3 students don’t return for their sophomore year.

BY CIERA JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

In the college atmosphere, it’s easy to notice high graduation rates, successful alumni and the overall prestige of a university. However, a topic that is alarming — yet usually unnoticed — is the dropout rates for freshmen across the country. Gary J. Wszalek is the head academic adviser for the psychology department in LAS. “Sometimes a student is coming in the University (wanting) to try the hardest major because that makes (them) the smartest,” Wzsalek said. “Sometimes students don’t want to admit that they like psychology because they think they should be going into ... biology.” After their first semester, many students realize changes must be made for them to succeed, he said. These changes can often come in the form of transferring within their college of enrollment, transferring out of the University altogether, switching majors or a combination of these paths. “The cornfields in central Illinois do not fit every student,” Wzsalek said. “Yes, we’re the prestigious University of Illinois ... (but) sometimes students feel isolated ... This place is huge and you can easily get lost.” In addition to academic-related issues, students may feel their emotional needs aren’t being met to the extent they feel out of place, he said. “I am more concerned about if (students) don’t feel welcomed, or if (they) don’t see faces that are like (theirs) ... Then that’s a bigger issue for the University to address, and they do their best,” Wzsalek said. “If we get a crappy reputation about not being an inclusive, diversified campus then it defeats the purpose ... Fewer students are gonna be coming.” As an adviser, Wzsalek

SOURCE US NEWS

helps students identify their interests, strengths and struggles. “Our office tries to (create) a fall semester of classes that allows them to do as much exploration as possible,” Wzsalek said. “The goal is, we want you to get a degree. I don’t get a commission whether students stay in psychology or not. I want you to be in the place that best suits you.” Stephen Herzog is the academic coordinator for undergraduate programs in the Department of Computer Science. While students in the University are reputed to be high-performing scholars, he said, some students choose majors for the prestige and not because of

CASSIDY BRANDT THE DAILY ILLINI

individual interest. “It’s probably no big secret that there are a lot of opportunities for jobs in (computer science), and some of those jobs could be pretty well paid,” Herzog said. “A student may not be intuitively interested in (computer science), but they may think ‘this is my straight line to a good job, so I’m gonna do this.’” This desire to pursue majors that don’t align with one’s interest are oftentimes rooted in outside pressure from family and friends who associate success with a particular major. “They may have parental pressure. Parents are paying a lot of money for them

to come to college ... Going to a really good (computer science) department seems like a sure bet,” Herzog said. With a diversified population, the University enrolls students with a variety of experiences and insights that either help or harm their first few semesters. “I do see some students struggle, and I think it’s less a matter of them not understanding material, because they are not ready for college,” Herzog said. “They have not established really good study skills. They haven’t really managed their own time, and they get turned loose and they’re not ready.” Cory Ohms is an assistant dean of the College of

ACES and deals with student success, the probation and drop status of students and their re-entry into the College of ACES. While the University understands not every student may be a good fit, he said, many members of faculty and staff try to do their best to address the needs of the student before extensive decisions have to be made. “In ACES, if any student says that they’re struggling or are on probation, we have them work with our academic success program,” Ohms said. “They would do a self assessment, they would have to meet with their adviser ... If (they) don’t understand

the material, then we try to get tutoring.” Because the University is so rigorous, as well as being larger in size and population, it’s important for students to understand they are not alone in their decisions and they shouldn’t be ashamed of changes they have to make, Ohms said. “I would want them to know that they are certainly not alone ... This is a pretty common occurrence, whether that its fortunate or unfortunate,” Ohms said. “Every single student will encounter an obstacle, and it’s how you navigate obstacles that determines how successful you’re gonna be.” ckj2@dailyillini.com

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29 32

43 47

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60 Get a feeling 61 Iraq War danger, in brief 62 One of the Hawaiian Islands 63 Parts of a forest 64 “Here’s something interesting,” in brief 65 Got some Z’s

Down

1 Timothy Leary’s drug 2 “The Greatest” in the ring 3 One who doesn’t travel to work alone 4 “___, Brute!” 5 Religious offshoot 6 ___-de-lis 7 Cowboy’s rope 8 Informal affirmative 9 Danish or cream puff 10 Avis competitor

11 Highly successful, in theaterspeak 12 One of 500 in a ream 13 Zaps with a police gun 18 Harleys, in slang 21 PC character set 22 Milk dispensers 23 Leader of the pack 25 Sounds of resignation 27 Stage after larva 28 Bilingualism subj. 31 Sacred peak in Greek myth: Abbr. 32 Had one’s fill 33 Equipment often transported on a car’s roof 34 Was a maverick 35 Chipped in at a poker game 36 Old Russian royals 38 None of the above

39 Computer’s “brain,” for short 43 Clouds of smoke 44 What the Titanic had a disastrous encounter with 45 Give a lift 46 Beneath 47 “Goosebumps” writer R. L. ___ 48 One of four purchased for a Monopoly property 49 Sticky 50 We, on a candy heart 54 Fraternal group 55 “You’re on!” 57 Alternative to Skippy or Peter Pan 58 Big mouth 59 Cambridge sch. for budding engineers

The crossword solution is in the Classified section.

10A

MONDAY

January 14, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

LIFE & CULTURE

CASSIDY BRANDT THE DAILY ILLINI

Winter break travel offers welcome rest Students leave Illinois to recuperate from school BY TRISTAN JACOBS STAFF WRITER

Throughout December, students at the University worked on final exams and projects to finish off their fall semester on a successful note. The weeks leading up to the semester’s end are notoriously stressful for all majors. In an effort to relieve this stress, many Illini take to traveling over break. Some traveled to see relatives from across the country, and others traveled with family from home to spend time together in a new location. Students were able to use this break to experience a change of pace from their normal everyday scenery.

Sri Sowmya Panuganti is a junior in Engineering. Once she finished finals, Panuganti returned home to her family in the Chicago suburbs. From there, she and her mother took a trip to Northern Virginia to visit relatives. This trip is a tradition that has taken her many different places over the years. “We have family over there, and we had other relatives willing to travel there, so we all met up to spend the holiday together,” she said. Virginia is not the only place she has traveled for the sake of visiting family. “Usually we go to Texas (or) Virginia, but sometimes we end up staying in the suburbs with people coming to us,” Panuganti said. Being native to the Chicago suburbs and attending college in the same state, Panuganti noted a difference when traveling out of state.

She said it was more relaxing. She also said it was nice to leave Illinois for a little while. Her time in northern Virginia was mainly spent relaxing with her cousins, while also taking in the sights that the state had to offer, including a few museums. “I think it’s nice to get that change of scenery away from Illinois, especially at the end of the semester when you’re super stressed out toward the end. It’s good to go somewhere that doesn’t remind you of school,” she said. Some students have been traveling over winter break since they were young. Other students are used to their lives going at a slower pace while away from school. Sandra Yamin, junior in ACES, made several journeys over break. First, she traveled to New York in the days after Christmas. Later, she returned to Chicago before flying with her boyfriend to Miami, Florida.

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For Yamin, much of her off-campus time was spent with friends from high school. Foregoing the cost of airfare, the group decided to drive to New York on Dec. 26 for their four-day trip. This required more planning over the break than Yamin had done in years past. “Our trip was fast-paced because we were trying to do as much as we could within the limited time period,” she said. Her tourist activities sent her all over the city. She and her group went to see The Museum of Modern Art, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Upon returning home from New York, Yamin made her way to Miami, Florida, with her boyfriend and his mother for a weekend trip. “That was the first time I had been to Florida, and I was so happy to be invited,” she said. Yamin said her previous

“I think it’s nice to get that change of scenery away from Illinois, especially at the end of the semester when you’re super stressed out toward the end.” SRI SOWMYA PANUGANTI JUNIOR IN ENGINEERING

travels over winter break had never included warmer locations, and she enjoyed the experience. The trip provided more time to relax in the warm climate of Florida with fewer events planned out over the weekend. The only plans she had were a brunch and an outdoor art show. During the trip, she visited the Wynwood Walls, an urban graffiti art display in Miami where the artwork changes every few months. She enjoyed the powerful

messages the artwork communicated and she was interested by the continuous evolution of the walls being repainted over and over again. “I feel like taking trips during the break is so fun and everyone should try it, especially with friends. It really gives you a different perspective on how things might be in the future when you’re out of college and not living at home,” Yamin said. tjj3@dailyillini.com

SPORTS

MONDAY

January 14, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

FOOTBALL

Illinois ends losing streak BY GABBY HAJDUK STAFF WRITER

The Illinois women’s basketball team started with a 9-4 record last season before heading into Big Ten play, where the team failed to get a single conference win, finishing 9-22. This season, the Illini began their conference season at 8-3; while the Big Ten schedule started out rough with two-straight losses, head coach Nancy Fahey finally got her first conference win at the helm of the Illini program. Illinois pulled off the 66-62 upset on the road against No. 12 Minnesota just six days into the new year. The win came after two-straight Big Ten losses against No. 25 Indiana and Northwestern. Illinois’ comeback victory was led by junior Brandi Beasley with the help of senior Alex Wittinger and junior Courtney Joens, all three scoring in the double digits. Beasley was the main contributor on both sides of the floor, recording 18 points and a career-high five steals while adding six assists. Wittinger also put on a strong show on both ends, putting up 11 points and a season-high six blocks. Joens recorded 10 points, six of them coming from consecutive three-pointers late in the first quarter. However, the next 10 minutes was all Minnesota, as the Golden Gophers went on a 16-0 run just two minutes into the second quarter. Illinois’ scoring drought lasted for six minutes and SEE FIRST WIN | 5B

AUSTIN YATTONI THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois head coach Lovie Smith talks to his team during the game against Minnesota at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 3. Smith is currently putting together his best recruiting class thus far.

Illini land top recruits, transfers BY MILES POWERS-HUANG ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

With recruiting season in full swing, head coach Lovie Smith is doing all he can to improve his roster. The Illini have been heavily involved in both recruiting transfer players as well as high school prospects, and the program went on a hot streak as the New Year began. With joint-leading tackler Del’Shawn Phillips set to graduate, the program was looking to land a replacement to complement rising junior Jake Hanson in its 2019 linebacking corps.

Smith found just that with a commitment from 2019 four-star linebacker Shammond Cooper. Cooper announced his commitment to the Illini live on ESPN2 at the Under Armour All-American game on Jan. 3, where he was selected to participate among other premier prospects in the class of 2019. Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, the 6-foot-2-inch Cooper was the latest recruit from the area to join the program, following in the footsteps of fellow 2019 Under Armour All-American ath-

lete Isaiah Williams and University of Miami transfer wide receiver Jeff Thomas, a former All-American as well. Cooper and Williams were teammates at St. Louis’ Trinity Catholic high school, and the duo’s close personal relationship may have aided Illinois’ chances in securing Cooper’s commitment. “I’ve been trying to get him this whole time,” Williams said per 247sports. “He’s a key piece, and hopefully he chooses Illinois.” While landing Cooper was a positive step for a defense that surrendered over 500

yards per game on average in 2018, finding a coach to coordinate that defense in 2019 appears next on the list. With Hardy Nickerson resigning following the 63-33 loss at Maryland on Oct. 27, Smith had stepped in as the de facto defensive coordinator on an interim basis to close out the season. The additions did not stop there, as Smith again picked up another major piece, this time on the offensive side of the ball in the transfer market. Georgia freshman tight end Luke Ford from Carter-

ON BASKETBALL

ville, Illinois, announced via Twitter on Jan. 4 that he is transferring to Illinois to be closer to family. Ford finished his freshman season at Georgia with a single four-yard catch in its opener against Austin Peay, but did appear in nine games total. His lack of production may have stemmed from being stuck behind Isaac Nauta, a former five-star recruit who put up 430 yards receiving and four touchdowns for the Bulldogs this fall. Whether or not Ford was SEE RECRUIT | 5B

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Bettors risk all as late-game baskets shift odds Dosunmu shines against Michigan

MILES POWERSHUANG ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

hanks to Fox Sports 1’s new show “Lock It In” and ESPN SportsCenter’s “Bad Beats” segment, sports gambling has become more talked about than ever before, and its implications can be seen in almost any game. Last Thursday night, the Illinois men’s basketball game against Michigan had its own gambling intrigue. As Michigan began to pull away from Illinois after the under-four-minute timeout, it could have been easy to lose interest. However, as the teams traded buckets and the lead shifted between 10 and 12 points down that stretch, gamblers began to sweat. With Michigan favored by 8.5 points, according to the West Gate Superbook in Las Vegas, if Illinois could get a stop and convert just a layup on the other end, Illini fans who bet on their team to cover could at least go home salvaging a win. Unfortunately for Illinois bettors, the Illini could not stop the Wolverine offense from either a fast break dunk or a trip to the freethrow line, and the lead stayed at double digits, finishing 79-69. Elsewhere around college hoops, there were far more excruciating moments. University of California, Los Angeles, and Oregon

BY MEGHAN REST ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Bailey Jr. went to the line and made both of his free throws and the Ducks led 78-74. Hands took the ball down the court and tried to get a quick layup but missed. However, UCLA junior Prince Ali grabbed the rebound and dribbled out to the three point line, where he made a very tough turn-around shot falling out of bounds with three seconds remaining. With the score 78-77,

Illinois may have battled the best, but it couldn’t beat the best. Despite an aggressive offensive performance by freshman guard Ayo Dosunmu, the Illini extended their five-game losing streak after the No. 2-ranked Michigan Wolverines outplayed them 79-69 at home. Illinois moves to 4-12 overall and 0-5 in the Big Ten, while Michigan continues its historic 16-0 with a 5-0 conference record. Michigan might be ranked as the second-best team in the nation, but for Dosunmu and his teammates, it was just another routine contest. “I feel like it’s the Big Ten, and their record doesn’t mean that much because each and every night we play against a good team,” Dosunmu said. “It was fun, but the ranking didn’t mean anything.” Although Michigan jumped out to an early 8-0 lead, Illinois’ offense was solid during the first half. The Illini stayed tight with the Wolverines and ended the first shooting 48.3

SEE BETTING | 5B

SEE MICHIGAN | 6B

AUSTIN YATTONI THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili looks to shoot the ball during the game against Michigan at the State Farm Center on Thursday. The Illini lost 79-69.

have both been underachieving this season. The Bruins have already fired head coach Steve Alford, and the Ducks have lost prized freshman Bol Bol for the season with a foot injury. The meeting late Thursday night in Eugene may have not attracted many national viewers, but the game’s conclusion certainly shocked those who saw what happened. With a minute remaining, Oregon, favored by 3.5 points according to the

West Gate, led 74-65. What followed felt improbable. The Bruins brought the ball down the floor and freshman Jules Bernard nailed a three-pointer, his first attempt from three on the night, to cut the lead to 74-68. UCLA immediately fouled Oregon junior Payton Pritchard, who went to the line and made both of his free throws, increasing the lead to 76-68. UCLA responded with another three-pointer, this time from sophomore Jay-

len Hands, a 28 percent three-point shooter, which was also his first make from deep on the night, to cut the score to 76-71. The Ducks then turned the ball over on the proceeding in-bounds play. Hands received the ball on the Bruins’ possession and shot another three, this time an air ball, but he drew a foul. He went to the line and made all three free throws, and UCLA then fouled Oregon freshman Victor Bailey Jr.

2B Monday, January 14, 2019

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Monday, January 14, 2019

AUSTIN YATTONI THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois outside hitters Megan Cooney (15) and Beth Prince (8) cut the net after the match against Wisconsin in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament at Huff Hall on Dec. 8. The Illini won 3-1.

Illinois faces highs, lows in top moments of 2018 BY ELI SCHUSTER SPORTS EDITOR

10. Dudek out for the season

The 2018 Illinois football season started on a roughly played note. Rumors about suspensions looming over some of the team’s top players during training camp came to fruition on Sept. 7, when an Illinois spokesman handed out pink paper sheets to the media during Illinois’ first home game against Kent State. Nonetheless, a positive for the Illini was the long-awaited full health of senior wide receiver Mike Dudek. During training camp, the same positive energy that shined during his historic freshman season was on full display. However, only one game into his comeback season, the receiver ran into another injury hurdle. In the Monday press conference that followed the opening game, head coach Lovie Smith took the lectern to announce Dudek’s season would be coming to an end. Even the media let out a gasp.

9. Facility announcements

Josh Whitman hasn’t taken a breath since becoming the Illinois athletic director in 2016. From a long stretch of hires to a strong push to complete the football program’s new training facility, Whitman has been one busy director. And in 2018, he only added to his plate. A nnouncements to improve the Ubben Complex basketball facility by doubling the current space with a $30 million renovation were made over the summer. The athletic department is also moving forward on a new indoor facility for the baseball program, on top of the already progressing revamp of the soccer and track and field space.

8. Football loses 63-0

Painful, yet important. Tied for the worst loss in school history, the abysmal 63-0 loss to Iowa was a performance that showed the aggressively ugly side of a collegiate football rebuild. Only two weeks after a promising 55-31 win over Minnesota at home, Illinois fans were shown that Illinois football is still far from competing in the Big Ten. After the game, Twitter was full of angry Illini faithful, some of whom called for a change of head coach. Every rebuild has its trying periods, and at the end of the season, Whitman showed the nation he was doubling down on his head coach, handing Smith a twoyear extension.

7. Soccer back on track

Illinois had its fair share of struggles in the recent past. Head coach Janet Rayfield and company racked up only 11 wins over the team’s pre-

vious two seasons but managed to match that number in 2018 alone. In addition, the team qualified for its first Big Ten tournament since 2015. The regular season saw success against some major opponents, with wins over, at the time, No. 3-ranked Duke and No.14-ranked Oklahoma State. Rayfield mentioned the season saw numerous changes to the day-to-day structure of the team, but the addition of some key freshmen may have been the real X-factor. Freshman Makena Silber played in all 20 matches for Illinois and earned 17 starts on the season. She also led the team in shots with 46 and was second on the team in shots on goal with 20. The freshman also tied for second in goals with five.

6. Trent Frazier doing Trent Frazier things against Gonzaga

Illinois basketball had one thing going for it in 2018, and his name was Trent Frazier. Coming into the program with little expectation, the guard really broke out during 2018 Big Ten play. For Brad Underwood, the year has been one to forget, going only 4-16 in Big Ten play over his first two seasons. However, Frazier quickly rose to become one of the most dynamic shooters in the Big Ten, leading conference freshman in scoring, assists, three-pointers and steals. Getting it done across the board during his freshman year, as the 2018-19 season quickly approached, all eyes were on him with the program’s hardest nonconference slate set to tip off the season. Illinois headed to Maui for the annual invitational event and took on Gonzaga in the first round. In what many expected to be a blowout, Illinois hung around and Trent Frazier was looking to call an upset in the second half. The now-sophomore went off for a pretty remarkable 27 points in the second frame. Big shot after big shot continued to fall through, and Illinois found itself within just two points of one of the top teams in the country with less than a minute to go.

5. Women’s golf historic season

Illinois women’s golf had its best season in program history. The team earned a top-25 ranking, becoming the No. 20 team in the country with a chance to compete for an NCAA Championship. In the NCAA regionals, Illinois finished in seventh place, only one spot away from qualifying for the championship round. Head coach Renee Sloane told FightingIllini.com the season would lay the foundation for years to come. Well, the team is already proving that to be true, with a strong

start in their 2018-19 season. The women’s golf team has already picked up first-place finishes at the Coeur D’Alene Resort Collegiate, Cardinal Cup and Trinity Forest Invitational.

4. Illinois lands Marquez Beason and Isaiah Williams

It would be an understatement to claim Illinois fans haven’t watched the best football over the past handful of years. With the hiring of Lovie Smith in 2016, it finally looked like the tides were changing. However, fans that were once sporting Lovie T-shirts sold around campus were quickly beginning to question whether or not he was the right fit. After an underwhelming two seasons where Smith led a team that won only five total games, the coach needed a spark. The commitments of both Marquez Beason and IsaAUSTIN YATTONI THE DAILY ILLINI iah Williams in 2018 lit a Illinois first baseman Bren Spillane catches a pickoff attempt during the game against the recruiting flame. The deci- University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee at the Illinois Field on March 14. sion to rep the orange and blue looks to be instrumental in helping shape one of the best incoming classes in Illini history. Not to mention, locking down both players proved the recruiting ability of Smith and his hired coaching staff. The commitments demonstrated that, for the first time in quite some time, light may be at the end of the tunnel.

3. Men’s gymnastics and Diab winning on the rings

Possibly one of the most dominant Illinois athletes over the past several years has been senior male gymnast Alex Diab. A top competitor on the rings over the last several years, Diab finally solidified himself as number one in the nation after taking home the individual NCAA still rings title. In the same year, Diab went on to earn a silver medal at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships in the same event. The gymnast is a fourtime NCAA All-American and is the only Illini to be a three-time still rings Big Ten Champion. Diab is also second in school history with 20 career rings titles. The accomplishment makes for one cool story; while the national title was the first for Diab, it wasn’t the first in his family. Diab’s father, Mark, won two national championships on the still rings during his time at Iowa State. Diab’s victory may have been the biggest win of the men’s gymnastics season, but the team also managed to earn a No. 2-ranking in the country and ended up finishing third in the nation after a tough-fought battle in the NCAA championships.

AUSTIN YATTONI THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois guard Trent Frazier drives to the basket during the game against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas at the State Farm Center on Dec 8. The Illini won 77-74.

Once the season began, Spillane quickly caught the attention of the college baseball world and, soon after, the professional baseball world. Putting up some of the top numbers ever done by an Illini, Spillane earned the National Player of the Year title, the first in program history and only the fourthever in Big Ten history. Spillane earned the Big Ten triple crown, hitting .407 on the year with 23 home runs and 57 RBIs. His home run total put him at second place on the Illini’s single-season list, and he finished his career with a .723 slugging, which is the best in Illinois history. In all honesty, the numbers go on and on. Spillane 2. Bren Spillane becomes put up one of the best seathe nation’s best sons this campus has seen Illinois first baseman Bren in quite some time across Spillane put on one of the any sport. And to top it all best shows of 2018. off, he became the highest-

drafted position player in its next match against WisIllinois baseball history at consin and two games later No. 82 overall by the Cincin- a match against Minnesota. nati Reds organization. However, it didn’t take long for the Illini to get back 1. Volleyball Final Four run on track and avenge two of If you happen to be the three losses. The Illiunaware of what the Illinois ni beat both Nebraska and volleyball team did in 2018, Wisconsin on the road in I recommend you educate what would end up being yourself on the topic. a 17-game win streak that Easily the top story of brought them all the way to the year, Illinois volleyball the Final Four. became the No. 3 team in Coming practically full the country and found them- circle, Illinois’ winning selves in the NCAA Tourna- streak finally came to an end ment with a No. 1 seed. against Nebraska in a thrillStarting off the season ing five-set match at the Tarstrong, Illinois dominat- get Center in Minneapolis. ed its nonconference oppoThe Illini were led in stonents and continued to pick rybook fashion by Ali Basup wins over its first several tianelli and Jordyn Poulter Big Ten opponents. A bump in their final seasons with in the road came when Illi- the team. nois faced defending nationThe trip was only the al champion Nebraska at fourth-ever Final Four berth home in what would be the for the program. team’s first loss of the season. A rough stretch followed, @Schuster_Elias where the team dropped eeschus2@dailyillini.com

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FROM 1B

FIRST WIN

said. “It means that there is confidence. I told them before the game, ‘You can beat anyone when you stay focused,’ and I made them say it. That’s the attitude we have to have, and that’s what they came out with today, especially in the second half.” Following their conference win on the road, Illinois returned to the State Farm Center on Jan. 9, where Rutgers handed Illinois its third Big Ten loss. Illinois went into the contest confident, but Rutgers showed up just as ready and created a massive 23-0 run in the first quarter to put the team up 28-11 going into the second. Illinois held Rutgers to just 16 second-quarter points but was still behind 44-29 going into halftime. The Illini continued their fight in the second half, outscoring the Scarlet Knights 31-27. But their comeback effort fell short, ultimately falling 71-60. Continuing their search for a second conference win, Illinois traveled to Penn State on Saturday after a short twoday break, but the Illini tallied their fourth conference loss after being outscored most of the game, losing 62-48 to the Nittany Lions. Illinois was strong out of the gates, outscoring Penn State 17-10 in the first quarter, but after being held to eight second-quarter points the Illini played from behind the rest of the contest. Now at 9-7 (1-4 Big Ten), Illinois will host Nebraska Thursday night.

was held to just eight points in the period, going into the second half down 14. Illinois came out of the break on an offensive burst, using a 14-2 run to cut Minnesota’s lead down to 10 at the end of the third quarter. Junior Ali Andrews fueled the run, recording seven points during the quarter. Heading into the final quarter, the Illini allowed just one basket by the Gophers before going on a 7-0 run, led by Beasley’s back-to-back jumpers. Following Minnesota’s scoring drought, the teams began to trade the lead throughout the final minutes. With less than two minutes left, Beasley gave Illinois a one-point lead after landing a jump shot. The junior helped secure the win in the final 20 seconds with a midjump pass to freshman Arieal Scott, who hit the gamewinning corner three. Jumping off the bench following Scott’s three-pointer, the entire team was excited, but Fahey believes it meant a little more to Wittinger, a Minnesota-native. “The whole team was so excited but obviously (Wittinger) being in her senior year, from Minnesota, I was so happy for her in the locker room, I got the biggest hug from her,” Fahey said. Securing their first conference win since March 2017, Fahey believes the victory has been a work in progress. “(This win) means we’ve got the next game up,” Fahey ghajduk2@dailyillini.com

FROM 1B

al miss to have hope. Amazingly, Bruin sophomore Chris Smith grabbed the rebound and laid it in UCLA immediately fouled while drawing a foul with Pritchard, who again made 0.7 seconds left. Suddenboth foul shots to push the ly, the game was tied and score to 80-77. The Ducks UCLA could win the game responded by fouling outright. Oregon bettors, Hands to prevent a gamewho had been safe all night tying shot with 2.6 secuntil the final minute, now onds left. Hands drained needed Smith to miss his the first, making the score free throw so the game 80-78, but he then had to could go to overtime. hope his team would get the Luckily for them, he did. rebound after an intentionThe contest proved to be

BETTING

Monday, January 14, 2019

AUSTIN YATTONI THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois head coach Lovie Smith sings “Hail to the Orange” with his team after the game against Minnesota at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 3. The Illini won 55-31.

FROM 1B

RECRUIT going to leave Athens was unclear until his announcement. He was unsure of how things would play out as recently as postgame interviews after the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day. “I could for sure see myself staying,” Ford said in an interview with 247sports. com. “I’ve got to talk to the coaches. There’s no doubt in my mind I could do that. Then there’s also the reason: for family, to go home. With my grandpa getting more and more sick, I want him to see a couple of games. It’s hard for him to make a 10-hour drive or flight or something like a tug of the heartstrings for those betting on the Ducks, as they went from feeling secure in their winnings to coming one free throw away from losing to reluctantly still having a chance all in the course of a minute. Unfortunately for them, the Bruins held on in OT for an 87-84 victory. How on earth a team loses when they make every single free throw in the final minute seems unexplainable, but regardless,

that. I want my family members to come to all my games.” Ford’s eligibility for the 2019 season will depend on if he seeks the NCAA family hardship waiver and whether or not that waiver ends up passing. Smith continued adding pass-catching transfers, as he secured the signing of Oklahoma grad-transfer A.D. Miller on Jan. 7. Miller registered 236 yards receiving and four touchdowns in his time at Oklahoma, including a touchdown reception in a highly anticipated non-conference game against Ohio State in 2016. In 2018, Miller started the season strong, with touchdown catches in each of the Sooners’ first two games, but did

not register a catch in their final six games. Miller played behind the highly touted talents of CeeDee Lamb and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown in 2018. In 2019, he would have competed for playing with Lamb and a trio of four and five-star freshmen, including Jadon Haselwood, the top-ranked receiver in the 2019 class. Miller was a three-star recruit in 2014 out of Bishop Dunne High School in Dallas, Texas, and he committed to Illinois during Tim Beckman’s time tenure but eventually backed off that pledge. With the graduation of Sam Mays, Illinois was lacking a taller wide receiver with the ability to make catches in the air, but adding the 6-foot-3-

inch Miller may just address that need for the 2019 season. Miller’s two touchdown grabs in 2018 showcased his ability to use his height and create separation from smaller cornerbacks when matched up one-on-one. His enhanced catch radius could create a bigger window for Illini quarterbacks to fit the ball into, as incompletions were an issue for the offense in 2018. For Illinois, the first seven days in January brought three impact players into the program that could be a sign of things to come as the race to national signing day heats up.

Oregon bettors lost. Finally, Saturday’s only matchup pitting two ranked teams against each other saw No. 23 Oklahoma take on No. 25 Texas Christian University, and the finish broke hearts all-around. The game was tightly contested and was tied 74-74 coming down to Oklahoma’s final possession. People betting on Oklahoma to cover the 3.5 point favorite spread, according to the West Gate, were hop-

ing that the Sooners would miss so the team could win by at least four points in overtime. Additionally, those betting under the total, which the West Gate set at 149.5, needed a scenario in which either team could get fouled and make only one free throw with no further scoring. Both sides would go home upset, as Oklahoma junior Kristian Doolittle made a layup with two seconds left, and TCU could not

respond, ruining both the Oklahoma cover and pushing the game over the total. Situations like these can be found every night in all sports, which should be a cautionary tale for sports gamblers everywhere to have fun betting, but never expect to win because you never know when and how cruelly your money can be lost.

@MilesP_H milesp2@dailyillini.com

6B Monday, January 14, 2019

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WRESTLING

Illini fall in matchups against Spartans, Wolverines

final match 4-2 to tie the overall score at 15 apiece, setting up a winner take all showdown. For the Illini, the timing was just right, with No. 2-ranked senior Emery Parker set to battle next

against No. 20-ranked Cameron Caffey. Caffey scored first in the second period with an escape, making his lead 1-0. In the third period, Parker picked up a takedown with a minute left to score two

points and increase his lead to 3-1. Caffey then picked up an escape and a takedown to go ahead 4-3. With just 15 seconds left, Parker registered an escape to force overtime. Once again, with 15 sec-

onds left on the clock, Parker picked up a takedown to win the match 6-4, giving Illinois its first conference win of the year, 18-15, pushing its record to 2-1 on the season. “I tried not to think too much about the team aspect because I didn’t want to add pressure,” Parker said. “However, as a senior I’ve been put in these situations before so I wasn’t too uncomfortable. At the end of the day I have to wrestle to my best ability at that point in the time, regardless of the situation.” After Michigan State, Illinois traveled to Ann Arbor to compete against Michigan, trying to build on its first conference victory. The Illini scored first when Piotrowski won the first match of night by a 3-2 decision over Drew Martin, giving the Illini the lead 3-0. In the next match, Duncan lost to No. 3 Stevan Micic 18-8 , and the Wolverines led 4-3. In another ranked match, No. 5-ranked 141-pound redshirt sophomore Mike Carr took down No. 6-ranked Kanen Storr, restoring the overall lead for Illinois 6-4. The Illini dropped their next four matches, including two matches against ranked opponents. No. 12-ranked Eric Barone dropped his match against No. 14-ranked Alec Pantaleo in a 10-3 decision.

nine coming from Michigan sophomore Isaiah Livers. Dosunmu spearheaded the team’s offense while putting pressure on Michigan’s defense. “I just saw what I had been missing and what I needed to tweak,” Dosunmu said. “I’m trying to use that in my game now. I just need to keep watching film, keep trying to learn the game and keep getting better each day.”

Dosunmu led the Illini with 23 points, 19 of which he scored during the first half, just off his 19.7 pointsper-game average over the last three games. The Chicago native was in good company alongside freshman forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili and sophomore guard Trent Frazier, who netted 15 and 13 points respectively. The game also marked the end of Frazier’s dry spell. Traditionally at the

helm of the Illini offense, Frazier had seen double digits just once in the last three contests before facing Michigan. On defense, Dosunmu put together a career night and led the team with seven defensive boards, two steals and two blocks, both of which were chase-down blocks. But the Illini offense was top-heavy compared with the Wolverines. The bench

scored just six points off field goals from senior Adonis De La Rosa, junior Andres Feliz and sophomore Da’Monte Williams. With none of Illinois’ upperclassmen entering double digits, production fell on younger Illini. According to Bezhanishvili, the team has room to grow in the coming years, especially against teams like No. 2 Michigan. “We just have to keep

BY BRENDYN JONES STAFF WRITER

The No. 14-ranked Illinois wrestling team is in the thick of Big Ten play. The Illini started conference competition on Friday with an 18-15 win against the Michigan State Spartans. The Illini picked up six wins and four losses against the Spartans, ending with an overtime victory to win in the last match of the day. Illinois fell behind quickly, dropping the first three matches of the meet: 197-pound redshirt senior Andre Lee, heavyweight redshirt senior Deuce Rachal and 125-pound junior Travis Piotrowski all lost. The Spartans’ lead was locked at 12-0 heading into the fourth matchup. “We got a really slow start and looked really lethargic,” said head coach Jim Heffernan. “Duncan, Carr and Kanzler did a really good job changing the momentum (and) also a huge win for Nick Gasbarro.” Dylan Duncan picked up the first win for Illinois after he beat Anthony Tutolo in a 7-5 decision giving, the Illini three points overall. Illinois got into a groove, and strung together fourstraight victories by decision and gained the lead 15-12 over Michigan State. In the ninth match of the night, 174-pound redshirt junior Carver James couldn’t give the Illini the advantage and dropped the

FROM 1B

MICHIGAN percent, 25 percent from the arc and kept the score within five points going into halftime (39-34). Michigan produced more consistent scoring throughout, with every starter in double digits and the group making up 68 of the team’s 79 points. The Wolverine bench netted 11 points,

AUSTIN YATTONI THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois’ Emery Parker wrestles with Maryland’s Niko Capello in the 184-pound weight class during the meet at Huff Hall on Jan. 28. The Illini won 25-18.

In the 174-pound match, James dropped his match against No. 3 Myles Amine by a 12-3 decision. This made the overall score 18-6 in favor of Michigan. In the next match, Parker won a 15-4 decision against J.T. Correll, extending his win streak to nine and his overall record to 9-0 this season. “For some reason, I’ve always been a slow starter,” Parker said. “I tend to make a good amount of progress and peak toward the end of the season. So at this point, I try to be very critical, even with the wins, so I can continue to improve.” After that match, the Illini failed to pick up any more wins on the day, dropping their next two. This loss made the Illini 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten. Illinois will compete against Minnesota at Huff Hall in its first home meet since its season opener against Missouri. This starts the stretch of conference meets that will continue through February. “Personally, I think (Big Ten competition) is the most exciting part of the season,” Parker said. “These are the matches that set you up for Big Tens and Nationals, in terms of seeds. This is also the best conference in the country so we’re wrestling some really good teams and individuals consistently.”

growing as a group; I think we love those games, but we also make progress as a group and came closer together,” Bezhanishvili said. “We just have to keep going, keep working. You know at this time we can’t look back, we just have to go forward, keep working, keep getting better as a group, keep fighting.”

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Illini Media CreativeWorks is looking 9 for a couple of great graphic designers 9 8 2 to1join 7our creative staff!

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Skill:

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Illio Yearbook has been the yearbook of record for the University of Illinois for over 125 years.

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Some data entry and clerical work expected. Anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit can grow in the position. Flexible schedule is available.

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About Illini Media The independent student voice of the University of Illinois. Illini Media is the student-run nonprofit at the University of Illinois. Founded in 1911, our media partners include The Daily Illini, Illio Yearbook, WPGU 107.1, Technograph, and buzz magazine.

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The ideal candidate enjoys a good challenge, is motivated by success, and loves competition.

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You will be expected to maintain and service a small account list of area businesses while working to prospect and develop new accounts.

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Monday, January 14, 2019

buzz calendar BY EMILY PEASE BUZZ CALENDAR EDITOR

The buzz calendar is a compilation of events happening in the Champaign-Urbana area. Follow our top picks in Monday’s and Thursday’s papers for ideas on what to do on any night of the week, from where to eat to what to watch. Want to submit an event? Email calendar@readbuzz.com.

MONDAY, JAN. 14

Free Swing Dance Class #1

 8:45-10 p.m.  604 E. Armory Ave., Champaign  Free, all ages This year, do you want to make friends? Get active? Learn a skill? Join a club? Have fun for free? All of the above? Swing dancing is a great way to achieve all those New Year’s goals and kickstart the semester. The lesson starts at 9 p.m. For newcomers or for extra review, come early at 8:45 p.m. To get to the Swetland Room, enter Newman Hall from the south courtyard; it’ll be on the left. As always, our classes are free and open to everyone, so bring your friends. PHOTO COURTESY OF MARY ANN HULT

A still from the film “El Angel.” The Spanish language film about Argentinian serial killer Carlos Puch premiered in Chicago this past weekend.

FROM 10B

EL ANGEL seems like a much easier character to follow. He was raised by thieves in comparison to Carlos’ banal home life. He gets to act on his sexuality while Carlos keeps his repressed. He even has dreams, albeit pathetic, unattainable ones of being a TV star. Yet, he doesn’t bat an eye at how trigger-happy Carlos is, blithely letting this deadeyed psychopath sleep in his house. Perhaps he’s like the audience and can’t help but be interested in following Carlos. Not even Carlos’ violence can break the spell he casts. His first killing is incredibly jarring, with the poor victim walking

up his stairs and turning on his shower before he finally dies from his gunshot wound, and yet Carlos and Ramon treat it as more of a mild annoyance than anything. From there, Carlos brutally executes people during his robberies, but all anybody can manage in response is a shoulder shrug. The film’s style also favors odd fascination. It’s been compared in some circles to “Goodfellas,” but the camerawork is far more staid than Scorsese’s favored fast-moving camera, and the pastelinfused color palette owes more to Pedro Almodovar, a producer on the film. The style is pitched somewhere in a dream version of the real world, externalizing Carlos’ experiences and

feelings while he refuses to make them known. The film’s one foray into overt Scorsese pastiche, an extended sequence set to a Spanish-language cover of “House of the Rising Sun,” ends up sticking out like a sore thumb, calling attention to itself in a film that’s otherwise more restrained. The film remains solidly inscrutable for much of its running time, so it falling into typical crime-movie dramatics seems too obvious by comparison. That one misstep aside, “El Angel” is an effective reversal of what might be expected from a true-crime story. Not quite romantic and not quite realistic, it’s stylish and uncomfortable at every turn. wt2@readbuzz.com

2018 State of the Art: Photography  10 a.m.-7 p.m.  Giertz Gallery at Parkland College, 2400 W. Bradley Ave., Champaign  Free, all ages Accomplished photographers from across the country will offer unique perceptions and interpretations of specific places in a group exhibition.

TUESDAY, JAN. 15

“A League of Their Own” (Penny Marshall Tribute Screening)

 7:30-9:30 p.m.  The Art Theater, 126 W. Church St., Champaign  Variable fee, Rated PG This movie is based on the true story of the pioneering women who blazed the trail, on the fields and off, for generations of athletes. Geena Davis stars as Dottie Hinson, one of the women recruited to play in the AllAmerican Girls Baseball League, while the male pros are at war. A local connection to the AAGPBL is Champaign native Dorothy “Dottie” Schroeder. While not the Dottie Geena Davis’ character was based on (that honor belongs to Rockford Peach Dorothy

“Dottie” Kamenshek), Schroeder joined the AAGPBL as a founding member when she was just 15, and was the only woman to play in the league for all of its twelve seasons.

January Meeting: Visual Effects Breakdowns

 7-9 p.m.  Champaign Public Library, 200 W. Green St., Champaign  Free, all ages To kick off the new year, we’re talking VFX. Digital, practical or some combination of the two, there are so many creative ways to embrace the magic of movies. If you’ve created any effects you’d like to break down for the group, feel free to bring visual aids. There will be a laptop with After Effects available (or you can hook directly into the projector through HDMI if you’re pulling up a project in other software). We will be meeting in Robeson Room A.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 16

CUBED Playtest: Pyrrhic

 7-10 p.m.  Titan Games, 723 S. Neil St., Champaign  Free, all ages Pyrrhic is a turn-based, post-apocalyptic, mech fighting game. It supports three to four players and takes about 45 minutes to play. We will also playtest other games if there are enough players or enough time. So, designers come play Pyrrhic and bring your games as well.

Open Mic Wednesdays

 10 p.m.-2 a.m.  51 Main, 51 E. Main St., Champaign  Free, 19+ Come to Open Mic Night every Wednesday. It’s a free forum for singing, rapping, comedy, poetry of all kinds, music and anything you want! There are no wrong answers and no cover. It will be hosted by Side Show Kardi.

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January 14, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

buzz REVIEW

‘El Angel’ offers look into life of serial killer BY BILL TAYLOR STAFF WRITER

KENYON EDMOND THE DAILY ILLINI

nPO performs at last year’s Pygmalion Festival. She said the experience was new; a much larger crowd than the open mics where she previously performed.

nPO talks voice, finding career path BY MADDIE DOLINSKY STAFF WRITER

Daisianee Minenger’s journey in finding her voice was almost accidental. When auditioning for an After School Matters program, a nonprofit organization aimed at providing after-school programs for over 18,000 Chicago-area teens, Minenger originally planned on playing piano for them. Although, when the program directors asked Minenger if she could sing, she didn’t hesitate. Currently a junior studying music technology, Minenger started learning music at an early age. At 8 years old, Minenger would sit and play the organ with her grandfather, who worked as a pastor on the West Side of Chicago. Her cousin would be close by, holding down the beat on the drums. With no prior experience or formal training before that, they had to improvise and rely on their grandfather’s cues to keep up with the sermon. Outside of church activities, Minenger had been writing and creating since the second grade. “I always loved composition topics (in school), so I would be really excited about those, and then I went into creative writing, and eventually (creating) music for people,” Minenger said. Minenger never saw herself as someone who would eventually sing and perform

the songs she created. “I never saw myself as being nPO; I just saw myself as a writer and a producer. The artist part came later when I started breaking up with the groups that I would write for, because no one was that serious about it ... but I always knew I wanted to do it,” Minenger said. The name nPO, which stands for “no Power Off,” felt very fitting to Minenger, “considering how people always told me I do too much and I’m just known for always working and being out nonstop.” Even though rapping was already part of her repertoire, singing wasn’t necessarily what Minenger felt strongly about. “Before that day, I had never been a singer or anything, but I really wanted to get into this program, so I was just like let me just see what comes out right now ... and they ended up really liking it,” Minenger said. She participated in ASM all throughout high school. “They really helped me develop my voice,” Minenger said. Not only did the program foster a deeper appreciation for music, it taught Minenger how to act professionally when performing, which is a skill that undoubtedly helped her get a spot playing at this year’s Pygmalion Festival. “That was one of my big-

PHOTO COURTESY OF ADIA IVEY

Daisianee Minenger, who performs under the nPO moniker, has been playing music in some capacity since age 8. Minenger hopes to eventually go into music production and engineering.

gest crowds as a solo artist and that really made me get out of my shell. I’m used to performing in cafes ... where I’m not the main focus,” Minenger said. During her freshman year at the University, Minenger was involved in theater, writing plays and acting. Minenger also wrote songs for the productions, performing them at the Armory and at other spots around campus. It wasn’t until her second year at school when she really felt she came out of her shell and found herself more connected to the music scene. “(Joining a hip-hop col-

WITH SPECIAL GUEST

JAMES ELKINGTON APRIL 18 VIRGINIA THEATRE

lective) really made me get on the stage and I started going to open mics and really getting myself back into the groove of performing. Doors started opening for me,” Minenger said. Minenger hopes to continue making music but is looking forward to being on the production side of the industry. “In the long run, I want to be a recording engineer and want to work in a studio mixing music,” Minenger said. “I also want to open up an arts resource center by where I grew up for kids who maybe can’t afford (music) lessons.” Along with providing a

safe space for young Chicago students, she wants to provide a welcoming place for queer people of color on campus. This intention carried through to the creation of her RSO called FUSE, which provides a safe space for questioning and queer people of color in the LGBT Resource Center. Through the creation of her music, Minenger hopes listeners can find something in the lyrics to connect with. “I just hope people can relate, and if they can’t relate, just to keep their minds open,” Minenger said.

Carlos Eduardo Robledo Puch is one of the most infamous criminals in Argentina’s history. From 1971 to 1972, he committed at least 11 murders and 17 robberies, almost all before he turned 20. He is currently the longest-serving prisoner in Argentinian history, having served upward of 45 years in prison. Carlos’ story is sensational enough to merit a film adaptation, but writer/director Luis Ortega has stripped it down into a dry, dark comedy. Ortega’s “El Angel” is a wonderfully odd duck, never playing up the horror of Carlos’ actions but still making it known what a bizarre, frightening person Carlos was. “El A ngel” begins and closes with Carlos (Lorenzo Ferro) wandering through abandoned houses, stealing and breaking into impromptu dance numbers. These are the few times in the movie where he appears to be having any fun, his sociopathic demeanor giving way to a joyous freedom of movement. These are also the few times when he’s away from other people; perhaps his problem is he’d rather be alone. The film largely follows the arc of Carlos’ real-life escapades. He falls into an ambiguously sexual relationship with older classmate Ramon (Chino Darin) and teams up with him on a series of robberies, several of which end with murders. Some of the worst of Carlos’ crimes, like the attempted murder of a newborn, are glossed over, but the portrait painted of him is hardly a rosy one. “El Angel” is a character study of a vacant character. From beginning to end, Carlos resists any kind of analysis or explanation of his actions. His face is locked in a perpetual pout, and he never seems to take any pleasure in his illegal activities, no matter how often he does them. His blank demeanor is too alien to produce any empathy for him in the audience; yet, there’s something fascinating, even cool, about him. Ramon, meanwhile,

mdd3@readbuzz.com

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