The Montage

MONTAGEthe

OLIVIA BUMBAC REMEMBERED

Friends and Meramec professor reflect on loss of student

PAGE 4

TYPICAL SUSPECTS

Local band takes the stage.

PAGE 7

ENERGIZER PARK

The Olympics are coming to St. Louis. PAGE 11

Federal bill slashes loans for future nurses

Graduate nursing major no longer a professional degree

LINDSEY UNNERSTALL SPORTS EDITOR

Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) that is effective in July 2026, The U.S. Department of Education has reclassified many majors, including nursing, as no longer “professional degrees,” meaning graduate nursing students will receive fewer amounts in student loans.

The new bill was approved in 2025 and restricts nursing students federal loan limits down from $200,000 lifetime to $100,000, cutting the borrowing limits in half from the previous. For many undergraduate and graduate students across the country, this is a daunting bill that changes the nursing game, as the nation is already facing a nursing shortage.

April Norton Gunther, assistant professor at STLCC, is also a registered nurse with a master degree in nursing, and faces the challenges of this bill from both a nurse, professor and student perspective.

“I’m currently working on my doctorate in education with a nursing education focus. I have always loved being a nurse. I have always loved education, which is kind of a central aspect of being a nurse, as a lifelong learner,” said Norton Gunther.

Although the bill doesn’t affect undergraduate student loans, it still affects community college students and their future in nursing. According to Meramec nursing student Hannah Duffey, the bill is just the first step downhill for nurses across the country.

“The future of nursing could be significantly influenced by these policy changes. If funding and support decline, burnout may worsen, intensifying the national nursing shortage,” Duffey said. “[These] challenges can also motivate stronger advocacy and leadership within nursing.”

The lack of government funding for higher education could potentially halt undergraduate students from pursuing a higher degree in nursing due to the expense, and may limit some from being able to afford it at all.

“Even those that are able to afford it, are they going to put forth that money? It’s costing me $50,000 to get my doctoral degree. And there was no return on investment there. Even if I have the money, am I going to see the benefit to pay that without having help from the federal government? I see that a lot of people will shy away because of that,” Norton Gunther said.

Prior to the bill, America had already been facing a nursing shortage, with

the American Association of Colleges of Nursing projecting an 8.06% overall shortage for 2026, meaning over 263,000 vacant resident nursing jobs.

“We don’t have enough nurses at the bedside already. And then when we put new nurses out there, they don’t have anybody to mentor them. If we don’t have the educators to teach new nurses, we’re not going to be able to bring new nurses into the healthcare field. [Students] across the nation are turned away from nursing schools because there’s just not enough faculty available,” said Norton Gunther.

Norton Gunther has a passion for advocating for community colleges as she graduated from one herself and realizes the impact they make for people who might not have other opportunities. The new bill only lowers the opportunity for undergraduate students like those at STLCC to pursue higher education.

“It does. It very much limits the opportunity. For people to even think about it or consider it. It’s going to affect healthcare for everybody,” she said.

Although the bill takes a big hit at the nursing profession, many organizations and associations have not backed down in response to the government’s new act. Norton Gunther, LPN Program and Bridge Chair herself, stands by the American Nursing Association (ANA)

and the National League for Nursing (NLN) as they push back on The Department of Education’s legislature.

“[The ANA’s] core points are that nursing is inherently a licensed profession with rigorous education, defined scope of practice, autonomous judgment and clinical settings and to have nurses not being a part of that distinct profession; it’s incorrect and it will undermine access to care,” Norton Gunther said.

The organizations give hope and empower the current nursing students as well, according to Duffey.

“Organizations such as the ANA continue to advocate for policies that protect nursing education, safe staffing, and professional recognition,” said Duffey. “Political awareness among nurses may ultimately strengthen the profession’s voice.”

Norton Gunther just hopes the point of nursing education is not lost among the younger generation of student nurses.

“I would hope to take a spin that this is a message to nursing students to back those nursing organizations, that we do have a voice and that we need to come together and fight for that definition so that we have those avenues to be able to continue our degrees and continue to be lifelong learners.”

Bush-Munson wins case against STLCC, campaigning for Board of Trustees position

Former Forest Park professor could be one of the board members overseeing the college’s leadership team sooner rather than later

JACOB POLITTE ONLINE EDITOR

After a years-long battle in the court system, former Forest Park Professor Deborah BushMunson initially walked away victorious in her legal battle with STLCC, being awarded $195,000 with damages. STLCC’s General Counsel Amy Clendennen confirmed that the jury found in favor of the College on Ms. BushMunson’s race discrimination claim and on her retaliation claim. She noted, however, that the college is appealing the latter part of the ruling in regards to the retaliation claim.

In the midst of this, Bush-Munson doesn’t appear to be done with the college just yet, as she is now running for a seat on the Board of Trustees in April’s election. Specifically, Bush-Munson is running for the Subdistrict 4 seat, held currently by Mary Luebke. Luebke does not appear to be running for another term; she had been elected to the Board in the April 2020 election and had worked for the college for many years before that as a Department Chairperson.

Subdistrict 4 represents the Chesterfield, Wildwood, Sunset Hills, Lemay, Mehlville, Oakville and Fenton areas, among others. It is the largest subdistrict in terms of size and is also represented by Craig Larson,

whose term expires in 2028.

According to Ballotpedia, Bush-Munson will compete for the seat against Patrick McKelvey and Fielding Poe. McKelvey has run for the same seat unsuccessfully before. All are considered “nonpartisan” candidates. None have provided any notable campaign information as of press time.

Bush-Munson’s potential victory may shake-up the board and the college itself, and set the stage for an unconventional working relationship. Bush-Munson’s case against the college was notably extensive and involved allegations against the now retired Bill Hubble, the former

dean of Health and Sciences. In the suit, Bush-Munson claimed that as a result of the college’s conduct and actions, she suffered lost wages and benefits of employment. She also said that she had suffered emotional distress and mental anguish.

Bush-Munson was a professor for several years at the Forest Park campus before beginning her role as the program director for the Dental Assisting Program in 2011, a role that she served in for over a decade before being placed on administrative leave on in January 2022, and her official removal from the role on Feb. 14 of that year. Her final year at the college was, according to her, demeaning and damaging to her reputation. She claimed that her race and her complaints and charges of discrimination were deciding factors in the college’s decision to effectively terminate her employment by not renewing her contract in 2023 after refusing to select her for open teaching positions that she was qualified for.

Attempts to reach BushMunson for this story were unsuccessful as of press time. When asked for comment on the conclusion of the legal case, Clendennen did not offer one except to say, “The College’s attorneys have asked the Court to overturn the verdict on the retaliation claim, on the basis that it was not supported by the evidence presented at trial.”

STAFF

Shannon Philpott-Sanders Faculty Adviser

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Local Commuity Reacts To ICE Enforcement

Student:

ICE has “no concept of due process”

LINDSEY UNNERSTALL

SPORTS EDITOR

Following the return of President Donald Trump’s Administration to the White House, immigration law enforcement has ramped up its efforts to secure the border and hunt down non-citizens all over the country. During the first few months of 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have been sent by the federal government to many cities across the nation in efforts to locate and detain immigrants. Although there isn’t a large presence of ICE in the St. Louis area, tensions are still high in the community.

Meramec student Ameerah Power is a high school junior that participates in the school’s dual-enrollment program, and feels the weight of looming ICE threats in her everyday conversations.

“In the St. Louis area, I think the presence or the idea of ICE can make people anxious and feel unsafe to even leave their home. Personally I haven’t been directly impacted, but I talk to some of my friends about it and some of them are undocumented. It makes me think about how these policies and enforcement affect real people. It’s not just statistics,” Power said.

Many citizens across the country are upset with the use of violent tactics when detaining people, many of which have turned out to be American citizens. Many schools and organizations have stood up and protested the killings, physical violence and aggression used by the officers all around the nation.

A fellow student from Maryville agrees with the anger toward ICE and feels the panic in her own community after there have been unconfirmed reports of federal agents in St. Peters and surrounding areas.

“I think that ICE being in St. Louis is terrifying. They have no concept of due process and we consistently see them getting away with hurting people simply because they are a different race,” the student said.

Students from many local school districts walked out of class in protest of ICE on Jan. 30 as part of a “national shutdown,” including nearby Kirkwood High School.

“On campus I generally feel safe. But I think safety isn’t just about physical security, it is also about emotional security because there are people who are scared to leave their homes,” Power said. “I could do bad on a test but they’re thinking about if their family is safe rather than actual material and stuff like that. I feel like students should come to school without fear that their immigration status could put them at risk for being in jail.”

Following the video-recorded murders of white American citizens like Renée Good and Alex Pretti, as well as a reported number of eight deaths in ICE detention, there is an outrage among many local and national communities for federal agents using violence and targeting people that are merely involved in protests or recording their actions.

“People are scared. I’ve had friends skip school in fear of ICE, worried for their families,” the Maryville student said. “I, myself, have been told to carry a passport and birth certificate around because they might profile me even though I am a U.S born citizen.”

Although Power doesn’t face direct impacts to herself or her family, the shift in her daily life is noticeable.

“I do think it affects the atmosphere heavily. Even if nothing is happening directly to me or on campus, I feel like the conversations, the headlines and the media posts change how people feel every day,” said Power.“I think that talking and learning about it and having empathy for people who are in those situations is important so that the fear we have doesn’t define us.”

Both students feel unsure of what would happen if ICE agents were to come into their schools or communities, but hope that the systems around them would support and protect students’ privacy. Whether or not ICE is in their communities or someone else’s, they don’t believe violence and threats are the answer.

“ICE has gone too far. There needs to be strict regulation and a more humane approach than ripping families apart, sending them to random locations, and profiling people and locations because of the places they reside,” the Maryville student said.

Meramec News Briefs: March ‘26

Club Council Meeting: February 2026

Meramec officially has the most clubs on a single campus, since the addition of the film, book and math clubs, as well as the reactivation of the Pride Alliance. In the Club Council Meeting on Feb. 11, club leaders were informed of the changes coming to some club related activities. These changes include catering, which will now be done through EZCater, and clubs will

now have access to conference rooms on a first come, first serve basis. A district wide kickball tournament will be happening April 2, students may see Campus Life for more details. Earth Day celebrations will be happening on Wednesday, April 22, and Spring Fest will be held starting Monday, May 4.

Sky Club Hosting Class

Sky Club will be hosting a storm spotter presentation on Monday March 9, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. It is a free event that will be open to the community for anyone who would like to learn more about severe weather and the saftey with regards to it. The event will feature the lead meteorologuist from the National Weather Service at St. Louis. After the event, participants will be able to register as official storm spotters for

Meramec Phi Theta Kappa Recieves Regional Rewards

The Phi Theta Kappa Regional Awards Convention was held at the end of February in Overland Park, Kansas. The Meramec Chapter of PTK achieved Five Star Chapter Recognition, and won other awards, these include the following. Honorable Mention for the Distinguished Chapter Officer Team Award, 2nd Place for the Sister Chapter Award (with Mineral Area College), 3rd Place for the Campus Service Project Award, 3rd Place for the Honors in Action Award, 3rd Place for the Distinguished Adviser Award (given to Dr. Gerald Myers) and 4th Place for the Achievement in Art (Poly Material) Award, awarded to Katelyn Busse. On top of all of this, the Meramec Chapter VP of Communications, Olivia Stack, was elected Regional VP of Communication for PTK. Congratulations to our Phi Theta Kappa members.

Olivia Bumbac, 18, remembered

Early college student laid to rest Feb. 22

ELIZABETH CLEARY MANAGING EDITOR

Early College student Olivia O. Bumbac, 18, died Feb. 16 from injuries sustained in a car accident on Interstate 64. Her visitation was held Feb. 22.

“She was really dedicated, especially with college,” Bumbac’s friend Jackie Petrescu said.

“She really wanted to help people – that’s why she was studying to be a CNA and then, later on, get her CRNA.”

Petrescu said that Bumbac originally wanted to be a diabetic nurse, having diabetes herself, but as she furthered her studies and saw the different nursing fields, she changed her focus to becoming an anesthesia assistant.

“She was going there [to STLCC] because she just finished her clinical. She was going to take her CNA exam in a couple of weeks. I mean, she was already about to have her CNA – that’s dedication,” Petrescu said.

Not only was Bumbac passionate about helping people, but she also had a love for animals, said Petruscu..

“She had a lot of different pets growing up. She had chinchillas. She had different reptiles. When the cicada outbreak happened, she was really big on taking care of the cicadas,” Petrescu said.

“She was an animal-loving person.”

Her passion for helping people and animals alike aligned with her personality, which Petrescu described as bubbly and friendly.

“Her personality matched anyone. She was always so open to making new friends – no

matter what their background was or who they were. She was always nice to everyone,” Petrescu said.

Bumbac enjoyed spending time with friends and having new experiences.

“She loved side quests, no matter what it was. She went everywhere – no matter if it was just getting a coffee or going to Chicago on a random weekend. She just always loved trying different things,” Petrescu said.

Petrescu remembers when she first met Bumbac at 5 years old.

“When I first came to the United States, she was the first Romanian person I knew,” Petrescu said, thinking back to her favorite memory of Bumbac.

“When we were 8 years old, my parents had to go to a specific college class and they had me stay at her [Bumbac’s] house. We had a three day sleepover… That’s the biggest core memory I have of her.”

Bumbac is missed by many, including her professors and classmates at STLCC.

“After my initial shock at discovering Olivia‘s death, I saw some advice on the best way to tell the class from the counseling department and collected handouts on how to contact counseling for the students,” Bumbac’s English

gasps by the students and visible shock.” Professor Reno said that students needed time to process the information and that class ended early that day. “It was a hard day,” he said.

MERAMEC

The Music Program at Meramec offers courses and ensembles for all students. Classes are available for general education credit and the Associate in Arts degree with a concentration in Music to prepare for transfer into a Bachelor of Music program. ** SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE ** COURSES

MUS 101,102,201,202 Music Theory I,II,III,IV

MUS 103 Music Fundamentals

MUS 114 Music Appreciation

MUS 115 Group Voice

MUS 121,122,221,222 Class Piano I,II,III,IV

MUS 128 History of Rock and Roll

MUS 130 Beginning Guitar

MUS 141,142,241,242 Applied Music (Lessons) I,II,III,IV

MUS 150 Fundamentals of Music Technology

MUS 152 Audio Engineering

MUS 154 Music Recording

stlcc.edu/music · MeramecMusic@stlcc.edu

ENSEMBLES

– CORE42GENEDCREDIT!

Music 131 – Concert Choir/Chamber Singers*

Music 132 – Orchestra

Music 134 – Symphonic Band

Music 138 – Jazz Combos

All ensembles hold a seat/part assignment hearing after the first rehearsal.

*Members of the Concert Choir may audition for the Chamber Singers/Jazz Choir.

Annual Juried Student Exhibit: Reflections, Expectations,

Anticipations

What can students, faculty, friends and family expect from this year’s exhibit?

HIBA OBEED ART & LIFE EDITOR

St. Louis Community College

Meramec has hosted a number of galleries throughout the years since its founding of the art department. One such recurring exhibit is known as the Annual Juried Student Exhibit, where students may submit up to three art works they have made for a class in the last school year.

Art Department Secretary Dan Bess shares his experience as someone who has participated in three and overseen two more.

“I think the number one challenge for the exhibit is getting instructors to inform their students early enough in the process so the students feel prepared and ready by around April first to commit their best art work in the show,” Bess said. “I think it’s best when instructors are pumping them up a month before the show, talking to them about framing or showing them how to submit a piece of artwork.”

Anticipating possible issues, Bess said, “That communication chain puts a strain on the print studio and CVT studio because groups of students are

approaching them to ask for help all at once, where they could have been prepared sooner.”

However, there are some changes that this year’s exhibit will bring.

“This is the first time that we will be moving the award ceremony from the Humanities East building hallway to the theater,” Bess said.

Department Chair Tim Linder shared more details.

“We’re doing it new this year, we’ve outgrown our space and we’re moving it to the theatre. We were hoping to have a musical performance from the jazz band as well,” Linder said. “I think normally we have 300 or more attendees, family, friends, faculty and everyone there to celebrate the projects and creativity made to represent the past school year.”

On his expectations for submission turnout, Bess expects a familiar number.

“Last year we had around 130 pieces submitted and around 60 accepted. Students really need to be putting in their best possible work. I’m very excited about it,” Bess said.

CROSSWORD

DOWN

1. This famous scarecrow peaked into the world of detectives, zombies, and bombs.

3. Nothing compares to this beautiful and bald singer songwriter who drew attention to corruption in the catholic church and other problems concerning human rights.

4. The songs of these creatures can be heard from the lighthouses throughout the land.

5. An irish traditional mashed potatoes with leeks, kale, or cabbage mixed in.

8. The irish people have accepted as their own this gorgeous and talented actor who starred in The Bear, Bottoms, and Big Top Burger.

11. The ____ stone is said to give you the gift of gab (perfect speech) if you kiss it >3>

ACROSS

2. Irish soda bread is a quick leavened bread made with baking soda and _____ instead of yeast.

6. This actor is listed as a master and has had a non-stop career that has taken the span of over 40 years.

7. The longest name of a town in Ireland which translates to pig-marsh.

9. The biggest wave surfed off the shore of Ireland was __ feet tall.

10. What is the staple food in the Irish diet?

12. The most famous ship was built in Belfast, Ireland.

ART & LIFE

Blending Art Forms

How Maya Fitzpatrick incorporates creativity in her day-to-day

ELIZABETH CLEARY MANAGING EDITOR

In STLCC student Maya Fitzpatrick’s mind, art is fluid. Whether she’s blending eyeshadow, layering oil paint or framing a shot through her camera lens, she moves between mediums with confidence and passion, building both her skill and a growing online following along the way.

Stuck inside during the pandemic, Fitzpatrick discovered her love for makeup art – a passion that has only grown since. Inspired in 2020 by content creator Avani and her clown makeup looks, Fitzpatrick ordered an oil palette off of Amazon, determined to recreate the look and experiment in other ways.

“At first it was really, really bad,” Fitzpatrick said before laughing, “but very quickly, I felt like I got very good.”

Fitzpatrick currently runs two TikTok accounts where she posts her makeup looks. Totaling 8,000 followers across both accounts, Fitzpatrick has had several of her makeup videos reach millions of views.

“Originally I was like, ‘oh, finally,’ because I’ve been posting for years,” Fitzpatrick said of her videos getting attention. “Then it’s very anti-climactic. I feel like you’ll want it, and you’ll strive for it so much,

and then it’s like ‘okay.’”

Going viral, she admits, can feel strange.

“I do think I am some people’s niche internet celebrity,” Fitzpatrick said. “I was in a Chick-fil-A one time and the cashier was like, ‘hey, I’ve seen your makeup videos.’ That’s the only time where it’s like, wow, any of this has paid off. Most of the time a video will do good and get 200k likes. I’m like, ‘okay cool,’ but that just feels like a number.”

Posting her face online invites scrutiny as easily as praise, but Fitzpatrick doesn’t shy away from it.

where I did some jellyfish and I had a sun coming from here,” Fitzpatrick said, gesturing to her forehead. “I like that one. Recently, I did one with a bunch of circles on my face, like colorful glitter circles.”

Makeup, however, is only one medium she works in. Since fifth grade, Fitzpatrick has painted, first with acrylics before falling in love with oils.

“I really liked how oil is so forgiving. It never dries, so you can just keep messing with it.

”I do think I am some people’s niche internet celebrity .” - Maya Fitzpatrick

“I’m a very, very confident person. Like, you can say whatever you want to me, it’s not really going to affect me,” Fitzpatrick said. “I do think for some people, posting is not for them. Especially since I’m posting just my face, people are going to comment about my makeup or the way I lip-sync – things like that.”

When reflecting on her favorite looks over the years, Fitzpatrick has plenty to choose from.

“My first tan-line makeup look, I didn’t care for much, but then I redid it, and I really liked the pictures that came from that one. I really like the ocean one

When I tried it on canvas for the first time, I was like ‘this is so great,’” Fitzpatrick said.

Her favorite time to paint is during the summertime, where she will spend an entire day painting outdoors.

“I really like my Western one,” Fitzpatrick said, thinking back to her favorite pieces. “That one is really cool. Also my skull painting – I did that one freshman year. I feel like that one’s held up well over time.”

Her creativity extends behind the camera as well. Last fall, she was spontaneously asked to photograph her cousin’s wedding in Ohio. Walking around with a Canon camera and her mom’s iPhone, Fitzpatrick

captured the event.

“I just started taking pictures. I was in the aisle when she was walking down and I was like boom, boom, boom,” Fitzpatrick said as she mimicked taking pictures.

After first experimenting with photography on her mom’s Lumix, Fitzpatrick now uses an underwater Canon for many of her shoots. Over the summer, she brought it to a creek for an underwater session.

“I went to a creek watering pool, which was very clean. I took a bunch of pictures, and that was the most fun photoshoot I’ve ever had because it was just playing underwater with a camera,” Fitzpatrick said.

Despite her growing online presence, Fitzpatrick’s ultimate career goal is to become a third grade teacher, where she hopes to bring her love for art into the classroom.

“There is a lot of art that elementary school teachers do,” Fitzpatrick said. “I worked in preschool for two years, and I’d always be the one to write on the board and do little drawings.”

While she isn’t set on becoming a big influencer, Fitzpatrick knows that she wants creativity to remain central in her life. Whether it’s on social media or in a classroom, she plans to keep creating and sharing her art.

LILLY BURRUS STAFF

Blue lights flash and the sound of “Creep” by Radiohead fills the air as Typical Suspects takes the stage at LadyBug on a crisp February night.

Ty Waldrop occupies the drums while Parker Fenton holds a bass line during their set.

Waldrop and Fenton first met at an open jam in Chesterfield. From there, the two artists put together the five member band: Typical Suspects.

Typical Suspects Take the Stage ART&LIFE

“I’ve been surrounded by music my whole life. I’ve always wanted to play an instrument, but I never got the chance to until I was a senior in high school,” Fenton said. “I had taken a guitar class to learn how to play, and during that time I started to play the bass. I taught myself how to play from what I already knew from guitar, and after that it was just a lot of practice and a lot of time put into my instrument.”

Waldrop, the band’s drummer, also has a long history with music that has heavily impacted where he is today.

“My parents had a collective taste: My mom was a lot of 80’s pop whereas my dad was a lot more 70’s rock, so I kind of grew up listening to all of that,” Waldrop said. “When it came to actual instruments, that started in sixth grade for me. I started taking private lessons at School of Rock in Kirkwood, and I played in their program till I was a senior in high school. During that time,

I formed another band and played around with them, so that’s how I got into the whole gigging scene. Then I formed another band with Typical Suspects.”

While the band plays covers at the moment, that is not their long term goal.

“When it comes to original music we are, in the near future, definitely wanting to do originals. We don’t want to do covers for the rest of our lives. They’re fun – ones that the crowd knows automatically – but we do want to create our whole original sound and identity,” Waldrop said.

“My favorite song that we do, and it’s probably a lot of the others favorites, is “Carry On Wayward Son.” Overall it’s a tune that we have down. We could play it in our sleep if we needed to,” Fenton said.

As far as plans for the future goes, the band is all on the same page, hoping to get big and travel a lot.

“Five to 10 years down the road, hopefully we are getting big and playing stadiums. Everybody all has the same vision in the band, and we are all ready to put in the work to make that happen,” Fenton said.

If the band doesn’t work out, Waldrop and Fenton have other plans. Fenton currently attends St. Charles Community College where he studies zoology.

”I’ve been surrounded by music my whole life.”

- Parker Fenton

Although their setlist often varies, Waldrop and Fenton have their favorites to perform for a crowd.

“When it comes to my favorite song, not necessarily the band’s favorite song, I would say ‘What’s New Scooby Doo,’ cause I sing that one, and get to do Scooby and Shaggy impersonations, so that’s pretty sweet.” Waldrop said.

Fenton, on the other hand, turns to “Kansas” for his favorite.

“If the whole music thing doesn’t work out, I plan to open my own conservation for animals and hopefully tie photography into that somehow,” Fenton said.

Waldrop plans to still pursue music but in a different setting.

“When it comes to my future outside the band, I’m working for my associates in arts with an emphasis in music. Then I’ll work on getting my bachelors, and maybe even masters, in music education and teach” Waldrop said.

Typical Suspects can be found on Instagram at typical_suspects_band. Upcoming shows can be viewed at typicalsuspectsband.com.

OPINIONS

TSelective Censorship

BBC’s broadcast of BAFTA’s Inclusion of racism and exclusion of peace sets yet another negative stain on acceptance between people

CARRINGTON DAVIS STAFF

he 2026 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BATFA) has come under recent fire for its televised run that cut the outcry of “Free Palestine” while maintaining the act of John Davidson, a guest with Tourette syndrome, shouting the N-word at Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo. Frankly I am livid about the aftermath of this.

“You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Tourette syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience,” said Alan Cumming,

host of the BATFA’s from the stage. “Thanks for your understanding and for helping create a respectful space for everyone.”

While this response taken on its own is a well constructed apology, it seems to be only to the audience. No personal apology was given to the two actors directly targeted by the hate speech. The internet has taken sides rather than looking at the issue as a whole.

While there are some people who understand that Tourette syndrome is an involuntary response and what was said can still be offensive, others have taken it as a way to denounce not only

the actors involved but black people’s feelings on slurs and slurs used against them.

“What happened at the BAFTA’s will forever be a stain on the legacy, not because John Davidson chose to say some horrible thing, but because the BBC chose to leave it in,” said TikToker THR.

This describes my exact feelings on this situation. I want to make it known that all people deserve to be in spaces, especially when it’s their work being nominated, but if there’s a chance something offensive can happen, people need to be informed.

Ragebaiting isn’t a Joke

It’s digital bullying disguised as humor

BRINN

SMITH NEWS EDITOR

Internet slang and trends are always changing and evolving, with some of the more recent being “lowkenuinly” (combination of low key and genuinely) or “chud,” which is just kind of a blanket insult depending on who is saying it. The term that I have found the most strife with is “ragebaiting,” both for the term itself and also the way that it has been used within modern internet culture.

Ragebaiting is defined by Merriam Webster as “referring to trolling behavior, in which someone says or posts something offensive simply for the enjoyment of eliciting a strong reaction.” This form of provocation seeks to intentionally make people feel like garbage or be upset about something. I most often see it between friends or people part of a larger friend group, though “ragebait posts” are also growing more common. These posts, most of the time, take the form of an unpopular opinion, or sometimes the blatant spreading of

misinformation, to provoke people.

One of my issues with this form of banter is the inherent reliance on people getting upset. Speaking from personal experience, when someone I know is “ragebaiting” me, in my brain I don’t view it as a “joke.” To me, I am being made fun of for something: ragabaiting is jokes for others being made at the

expense of me and my emotions/ emotional state. It being implied that I am inferior somehow due to the things that I like or the way that I word things, or even how I identify, is genuinely upsetting. For me to be framed as the bad person for not “taking the joke” or not getting it is frustrating in a way that goes beyond the words I can put on this page.

If an offense does happen, apologies need to be made. Black people shouldn’t have to hold their tongues and ignore the negative feelings they have, just like every person with Tourette syndrome should be allowed to exist freely in a space while having their ticks.

The BAFTA’s in this moment chose to humiliate both parties, while silencing something powerful like the push to free Palestine from war.

That action should speak volumes.

Ragebaiting is a topic that will continue to upset me; it inherently relies on other people feeling real emotions, and it takes advantage of them in a very toxic and manipulative way. In a lot of senses, it is bullying, you are taking advantage of someone’s feelings, and using them to harm them even more. Using people as your source of entertainment when they do not consent to it is not a decision made by a good person. The people in your life are entitled to their own lives and it is not your place to make fun of and emotionally torture others.

The social media aspect of ragebaiting is also something that I dislike. The inherent need for clicks leads people that otherwise wouldn’t get attention to gain massive amounts of views for saying hateful or obviously wrong things. Social media has given rise to an attention economy that values your click above all else, and if people can say something outrageous that makes you feel angry or passionate and will make you engage with their post, they will, and then they will make money off of your outrage.

Jake’s Take: This Isn’t Hard To Do, Just

Do It

At what point do republicans grow a spine and get rid of their biggest problem?

convict and remove. It’s not hard.

Iam so, so ****ing tired of talking about Donald Trump. He’s like a pest that will not go away no matter how many traps you put throughout the house. Somehow, he infiltrates almost every facet of everyone’s lives. Nothing is safe from his presence.

Now, in his second presidential term, his influence, even amongst his supporters, is beginning to wane. Too little, too late, but points for people finally seeing the light. The problem now, though, is that second-term-Trump is somehow even worse than first-term-Trump by a wide margin. The dog is fully off the leash and running amok.

While the cons of this outweigh the pros, there’s one very big pro: Trump cares so little about the future of the Republican Party or even the country as a whole, and that’s very good for those running politically against his platform. There wouldn’t be wide swings toward Democratic victories like we’ve seen over the last few months without such a wide rebuke of Trump’s policies and general methods of conducting business. The thing is though… if you’re a republican and you want to stop the political massacre coming your way in the next few months, the solution is easy: just ditch him.

Literally. It’s that simple. Impeach,

I mean, sure, JD Vance is as likable as the monkeys that are currently bullying Punch, but Vance also will not embarrass you on an international scale every single day (as long as you don’t keep sending him to the Vatican because The Pope clearly hates him). Vance isn’t likeable enough to be a cult of personality, and you don’t need another one of those now. Look where it got you.

There is no real upside of humoring Trump anymore. He’s a lame duck. He cannot constitutionally run again, and he knows it, despite what he says. His hardcore base will not show up for you, and there’s not as many of those people left as you may think.

Everyday he remains behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, or rambling on in public about literally nothing coherent whatsoever, is another day you seal your electoral fates.

It’s another day that you look like hypocrites for the way you mocked Joe Biden.

While we’re on that topic, I’ll say it: Trump is worse than Joe Biden in terms of his physical and verbal capacity to lead. Period.

Yeah, Biden was so old his words jumbled together, but Biden at his most physically ill and verbally incoherent is miles ahead of Trump at this point. And notably, Joe Biden for all his faults is not mentioned in the Epstein Files over 1,000,000 times. He’s not even mentioned once.

Every day that Trump is still in power is an absolute indictment on the country. While they’re gaining ground, Democrats still don’t have a strong enough electoral assembly to do anything about it, but the republicans could absolutely lead the charge. They could start that process right now if they wanted.

There are a million legitimate reasons to get rid of him and send him into political exile for good. Everyday that Republicans refuse to engage and do what needs to be congressionally done is just as big of an indictment on them as it is on the “leader” that they still support for some god forsaken reason.

Bluey Through the Ages

Whether it’s seeing some random clip on TikTok or Instagram Reels, or seeing their merchandise whenever you go to Target, you’ve no doubt at least heard of the Australian cartoon “Bluey.”

The premise of the show is simple: it’s about two dog sisters, Bluey and Bingo, 6 and 4 respectively, just living life, having fun, playing games and learning lessons along the way, but the true meaning of the show lies deeper than that.

Before talking about Bluey as a cartoon, the question must be asked: What is a cartoon? In a literal sense, a cartoon is a drawing whose characters are often drawn in disproportionate ways. While this is true, this really only refers to things like comic strips– not animated shows. As animated shows and movies started to take over the medium that comic strips once dominated, the meaning evolved into shows or movies that rely on a series of illustrations for its animation.

While that is the technical definition of a cartoon, what a cartoon means to each individual person varies (warning: I’m going to get cheesy). For me, a cartoon is an animation that makes you feel something, whether that be happiness, sadness or even just amusement. For some of us (if not, most of us), cartoons are the

foundation upon which our childhood is built upon. Whether it was “Ben 10” on Cartoon Network or “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” on Disney Jr., cartoons allowed us to appreciate our childhoods as children. Not to say that live-action media didn’t, but cartoons did it in such a way that, arguably, can’t be replicated by any other means.

With its first episode airing in 2018, it’s safe to say that those reading this didn’t grow up with “Bluey”. So why is an adult writing about a cartoon mostly tailored toward those who are in preschool and kindergarten? Because, while it’s mainly tailored toward young children, there are aspects of it that were made for even adults.

For example, there is an episode (S2 E47) where Chilli (“Mum”) is having a flashback to when Bluey was a baby. In this episode, Chilli is unintentionally “competing” with the other moms to have her kid crawl, walk and talk before all of the other kids. When Bluey is slow in achieving these milestones, Chilli then takes her to the doctor several times to have her checked on. Every time, the doctor tells Chilli that Bluey is completely fine. Despite this, Chilli keeps worrying that she’s a bad mother. It’s here when Coco’s mother (Bella) comes to Chilli and has a talk with her about raising children, which culminates in Bella telling Chilli “You’re doing great.” At this, Chilli starts crying. This is far from the only example of

there being lessons for parents in the show, but it gives you a sneak peak into one of the many ways that proves that the show isn’t just for young children.

Like any good cartoon, I ended up having a special, unique connection with the show. Without going too far into a personal backstory, I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder about five or six years ago. One of the most common symptoms I experience during panic attacks are heat flashes throughout my whole body. While I’ve gotten a lot better at managing these attacks, the heat flashes are almost always accompanied by the worst kind of panic attacks. So when I got heat flashes while watching a few select episodes of “Bluey,” it came as a shock to me when they weren’t followed by any sort of panic attack.

away, nor will the panic attacks, but the fact that a kids cartoon made me feel like that, cemented it as one of my favorite cartoons of all time.

To this day, I don’t know what happened, but “Bluey” made one of my most feared symptoms almost null to me. These heat flashes are never going

I’m not making you watch “Bluey” but I am asking you to give it a chance. All I’m saying is that they don’t award the title of “Most Watched TV Series of 2025” to just anyone.

Meramec Transformed, Fields Left Out

STLCC Coaches and players discuss field conditions

RICKY MEHRLE & ZACH EDGAR STAFF

Over the past three years, STLCC has seen many updates to its Meramec campus. Aside from buildings, the sports fields haven’t been much of a priority to the STLCC Transformed project.

Meramec’s campus has three outdoor fields: soccer, baseball and softball, and these fields have been through a lot.

“For what it is, it’s in good shape. The playing surface is good. We spend a lot of time on it. We do a lot of the day-to-day work on it; our grounds crew does a great job of prepping the field for us when we play,” said Head Baseball Coach Scott Goodrich.

current soccer field conditions.

“The field is not the worst I’ve seen, but it can be better. I don’t know if the drain is too good. Sometimes the field can be too wet, and the grass is too high. In some places, it’s high, and others it’s good,” Gonzaga Ribeiro said.

With the new updates on campus, the fields are now in need of improvements according to Goodrich.

“Well, I mean, if you look around the landscape of college athletics right now, when you talk about fielding improvements at the baseball level, you’re really looking at turf fields, and I think a turf facility for us would really change the way we’re able to do things,” Goodrich said.

The fields are always in use, so many don’t notice the negatives. Soccer player Joao Victor Gonzaga Ribeiro expressed his opinion on the

“We’d be a lot more efficient in the things we’re able to do during practice. It would allow us to play more home games; it would add a dimension of a modern look on the campus as well.”

With weather in the Midwest, rain and snow makes it hard for players to get outside on their fields to practice, and this is a struggle when it comes to major games.

“If we have a good field, we would have a higher intensity level. We would be able to make some plays, like set pieces, that we are not able to here,” said Gonzaga Ribeiro.

Attendance at their games is another thing on players’ minds.

“I think we could have more people watch. With more spectators, we have more energy to play. Sometimes we suffer a goal, and the spectators start making noise, we can come back on the game easily,” Gonzaga Ribeiro said.

When it comes to the soccer and baseball field, there isn’t much seating – especially on the soccer field – so that affects attendance, along with weather.

“When we play in the middle of

March on a Tuesday, it’s harder to get people out,” Goodrich said. “I think if you come out here and watch us play home games in April on Saturdays, or May on Saturdays, when the sun’s out and it’s warm, just seeing a bit more people that we have in our facility adds an element to the game that really feels a little bigger than it is.”

When it comes to updating fields, the coaches benefit more from these renovations than the players do since they come and go each year.

“Well, I’m a coach, so of course sports fields should be getting more funds. I understand that the situation is what it is, especially since times have been tough coming out of covid. It’s never been an ideal situation that every coach across the country wants better facilities, wants facility upgrades, so anything we can get that can help us out in that aspect would be much appreciated,” Goodrich said.

Energizer Park to Host Olympic Preliminaries

ZACH EDGAR STAFF

The Summer Olympics and Paralympics will be hosted in Los Angeles in 2028, bringing with it men’s and women’s soccer across six stadiums for preliminary and knockout rounds. While the final medal games will be played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, the six stadiums selected to host these preliminary and knockout rounds are Etihad Park, Queens; ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, Columbus; Geodis Park, Nashville; PayPal Park, San Jose; Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego and Energizer Park, St. Louis.

Each field selected for the Olympic tournament, outside of the Rose Bowl, is a soccer-specific stadium. Etihad Park is currently being built in Queens, New York for New York City FC’s home stadium. The construction is set to finish sometime in 2027. Energizer Park is located in St. Louis, recently built to be the home of our new MLS team St. Louis City SC. The stadium was built for just shy of $460 million and has previously won the Prix Versailles World Title by UNESCO from Paris, France, recognizing it as the best designed new sports facility in the world in 2024. This set the scene for St. Louis to become a part of the world’s stage of hosting national games and setting an example of what a soccer specific stadium can be; not only for club soccer, but for the surrounding area.

This coming summer Olympics tournament will be slightly different than previous iterations. The 2028 tournament will feature 16 women’s teams and

and Knock-outs

12 men’s teams competing, instead of the usual reverse of 16 men’s and 12 women’s. Each national team, men’s and women’s, will have different restrictions on how each team can be made up of its competing players. The women’s national teams are allowed to call up any player regardless of their age, and the player’s current club team cannot refuse a player from being called up to this tournament. The men’s national

team has some key changes, including that a club team can refuse a player’s participation in the tournament, and there can only be three players included in the roster that are over the age of 23.

This tournament gives an opportunity for young players who might not normally make the cut for a roster without these kinds of limitations to display their talents. Some might earn a transfer to a new club team after the

tournament or set themselves up for a spot in a subsequent tournament roster depending on how the individual performs.

As the host nation of the 2028 Olympics, both the men’s and women’s soccer team will automatically qualify for the tournament. Anyone interested in purchasing tickets will need to register in a draw on the Official LA28 Olympics website going through March 18.

Missouri Introduces Sports Betting

Meramec students react to change in Missouri gambling law

CALEB CARR STAFF

Missouri voters approved amendment 2 in November 2024, with 50.2% of voters supporting the proposal that would legalize sports betting. Since the amendment passed, Missouri has been flooded with advertisements for different betting apps, including BetMGM and DraftKings. The sheer number of advertisements pushed into Missouri made them nearly unavoidable. This all came to a head on Dec. 5, 2025 when the betting apps went live.

Sports betting is, according to Britannica, “one of the most popular forms of gambling because it taps into the passion of sports fans.

A bet placed on a race or a game allows fans to prove their knowledge of a sport or to show their loyalty to a particular team or competitor.”

Many Missouri-based sports teams have embraced the introduction of betting apps in the state, including the St.

Louis Cardinals, who have established a partnership with the British-founded gambling company Bet365.

The sports industry isn’t the only field that will be reaping the benefits of sports betting; the Missouri Gambling Commission has imposed a 10% tax that will be applied on the adjusted gross revenue of sports betting operators. The 10% tax will not only help give Missouri more revenue, but 10% of the annual tax revenues will go to the Missouri Department of Mental Health to address compulsive gambling.

The initial amount of revenue the state will receive from sports gambling

is unclear, but Missouri Gambling Commission Chairman Jan Zimmerman said, “there are some initial estimates of $20 million to $28 million annually.”

Several students at STLCC shared their opinion on sports betting in Missouri.

“In my opinion, sports betting is a way big companies can pump out money, abuse, and gambling addictions. Even though in their advertisements, they provide a number for gambling addiction help, I still think the amount of money that has been spent on advertising sports betting apps is ridiculous,” Saul RicoMedina said.

Ryleigh Moran, another student, feels

similarly. “I do not support gambling by any means other than $1-$10 scratchers,” Moran said.

Gambling is a highly addictive activity similar to alcohol, and according to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), approximately five million Americans meet the criteria for compulsive gambling. The introduction of sports gambling in Missouri concerns many, as it could increase the number of addicts.

With sports betting apps still new to the state, it is too early to see how they will change Missouri.

COMICS |

Earthly Desires

RYDER GEORGE-LANDER STAFF

Following the Bunnies

MCGLAWN GRAPHICS EDITOR