Friday, April 26, 2024
U.S. diplomat visits campus, speaks on Russia, Ukraine war Luisa Clausen Editor-in-Chief
Courtesy of Shema Lincoln
Teedeenae “Jackson” Yearby, 17, was reported missing to Stillwater Police Department in Febraury 2023.
Dasha Vershylenko did not think Americans were still interested in the war happening in Ukraine, her home country. On Wednesday, she was proved otherwise. The School of Global Studies hosted Daniel Langenkamp, the deputy director and spokesperson for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, to explain the U.S. policy in Ukraine and its commitment to fighting Russian aggression. Vershylenko, a former Ukrainian journalist who
moved to Tulsa in 2022, contacted Jami Fullerton, associate dean for the School of Global Studies, to ask about some of the opportunities the school offered that she could take advantage of. Vershylenko said she has watched her home country struggle and noticed the topic has become less popular as the war continues. “I am so grateful that events like this are being organized,” Vershylenko said. “I am grateful to the U.S. government for the financial help they offered my country. I am surprised that this topic is still so important for people and that there are so many students here.” The reception at Wes Watkins Center hosted several OSU students and a group of students who are part of the International Scholars Program from Jenks High School.
Local investigation encourages conversations on trafficking crisis, Indigenous inequality Affairs and Payne County Sheriff’s Office recovered human remains on. Stillwater police said the remains are believed to be related to Yearby’s case. Yearby’s story resonated with Shaeleigh McGee, who Bella Casey has Choctaw and Chickasaw News and Lifestyle tribe roots. McGee, OSU’s outgoing Assistant Editor Miss American Indian, said she remembered her family talking about missing Indigenous More than one year since people for the first time when a Stillwater teenager went miss- she was 10 years old. ing, an arrest has been made in Now, McGee is starting connection to his murder. conversations about missing Teedeenae “Jackson” Indigenous people. Yearby, 17, was reported miss“I can’t stand to even ing in February 2023. On April think about it, because the 17, Stillwater police arrested more people in our communiQuinlan Phipps, 19, for first ties that are killed off or they’re degree murder in connection missing, that not only takes to Yearby’s disappearance. people away, but it takes away Phipps does not have a court our culture,” McGee said. date available on the Oklahoma Native women are 10 State Court Network website. times more likely to be murA joint operation among dered or sexually assaulted, and Stillwater Police Department, 82% of Indigenous men will Oklahoma State Bureau of experience violence in their Investigation, Bureau of Indian lifetime, according to native-
hope.org. McGee said her mother never shielded her from this reality. Instead, she educated her. As a freshman in high school, McGee prepared to take a step toward independence and get her driver’s license. McGee’s mother took her to a presentation from a group called Red Card, which spread awareness about human trafficking. “I think my mom made sure that it (trafficking) wasn’t ever a taboo, but she made sure that I was aware so I could protect myself and be aware of my surroundings,” McGee said. McGee’s mother saw the dangers of trafficking, sexual trauma and domestic abuse each day as a sexual assault examiner nurse. McGee said her mother works with many Indigenous women, but Indigenous women who seek justice for what happened to them often never see it. See Indigenous on 5A
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Luisa Clausen
Daniel Langenkamp spoke with students after his lecture answering questions about U.S. policies in Ukraine and ways students can get involved.
Pistol Pete 97, 98 selected Kennedy Thomason News & Lifestyle Editor
Courtesy of Cooper Hamilton
Cooper Hamilton (left) and Braden Smith were selected as Pistol Petes 97 and 98, respectively, on Sunday.
What’s Inside
About seven hours after they walked through the door, Cooper Hamilton and Braden Smith knew they would be the next Pistol Petes. On Sunday, the pair completed Pistol Pete tryouts to become the 97th and 98th Petes. They were two of the 19 students who tried out in one of the larger applicant pools the tryouts have seen. Each of
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Students show off designs
the applicants interviewed in front of a five-man judging committee of former Petes, then put the mascot head on and ran through situational scenarios posed to them. Hamilton, a sophomore, said this was the first interview he has ever done. “I had no clue what to expect,” Hamilton said. “I was fortunate enough to go through a mock interview the night before, and then as soon as I got actually in the interview, it was awesome, to say the least. They were joking, they were laughing, made it super enjoyable. It was very calm, laid back.” Before tryouts happen, applicants are allowed to attend a clinic
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Architecture professor shares music
where they are able to try “Until you’ve worn on the 30-35 pound Pistol that head when it’s 110 Pete head. It gives them and a four-hour game the opportunity to get a and you’ve lost eight feel for how they are able pounds of water weight, to maneuver with it on. and you’ve signed 150 In addition to the autographs that day, and judging committee, your head hurts, and you former Petes are invited got a test to study for and back each year to watch your girlfriend broke up the tryout process. About with you, and you know, 20 former Petes joined the until you have all of those committee in observing things that are going on tryouts on Sunday. and understand that as Rick Wilson, the long as you put that head president of the Pistol Pete on, none of that matters. Alumni Association, was All that matters is that… one of the judges. He said you’re having a great day having former Petes run and you’re gonna make and judge the selection their day even better. And process is important to its we think that we can do success. The former Petes that better as an organizahave a unique perspective tion as long as we treat it that people such as faculty as we have.” or alumni can’t offer, he said. See Pete on 5A
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OSU ID Student IDs could be on phone wallet
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