Issuu

THE SUNFLOWER

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2015

VOLUME 119 ISSUE 63

Diversity Issue The

Percentage of first-generation graduate students

100

Gender-ratio in graduate students (2014)

70 Male 49.07%

60 50

Female 50.93%

60 50

2000

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Percentage of first-generation undergraduate students

Gender-ratio in undergraduate students (2014)

100

Male 48.12%

Female 51.88%

40 30

10 2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

First generation students are unique in their families. Their parents did not attend college, making them the first in their families to attend a university. The percentage of first generation students in graduate and undergraduate programs has steadily increased since 2008.

Although the numbers are almost even, slightly more women are enrolled than men in both graduate and undergraduate levels.

1990

2000

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2013

2014

Percentage of races in undergraduate students

2000

1980

Percentage of races in graduate students

100

1980

1990

2000

2008

White (Non-Hispanic) Asian (Non-Hispanic) Multiple Races

2009

2010

Black (Non-Hispanic) Indian (Alk. Nat.) Not Reported

2011

2012

Hispanic Hawaiian International

Infograph by Tarun Bali

Welcome to the Diversity Issue We all have our own unique backgrounds. Some of us were born into a family with an enormous amount of wealth. Others did not have such luck. Some families have lived in the United States for genera-

tions, while others have only recently moved to this country. The status quo in terms of gender and sexuality is not as black and white as it was in the 20th century. Same-sex marriage is now legal in a majority of the states, something that was

not even the case 10 years ago. All of this is true, especially on a college campus such as Wichita State. As seen in some of the graphs above, the university has changed in the last 30 years. More and more diverse racial

groups are pursuing graduate degrees, for instance. With all of that in mind, the Sunflower created this new special issue for February, the Diversity Issue. Diversity is inevitable at an institution the size of WSU. We

hope we are able to tell the stories of some of those people and to show readers how diverse this campus truly is. We hope you enjoy this new special issue from the Sunflower. —TJ Rigg, Editor-in-Chief

Grace Memorial Chapel to see some changes By Rahim Thompson STAFF REPORTER @RahimLegend

The Christian-based Grace Memorial Chapel on the Wichita State campus will undergo significant change, if student body president Matt Conklin has anything to say about it. The entrance of the chapel resembles a traditional Christian church. Upon walking in, there are several rows of pews and crystal lighting hanging above. The floors are concrete. Its layout is something Conklin — Student Body President — said he thinks is problematic for those who want the chapel to be “interfaith.” “You get a Christian vibe from the setting, and that wasn’t the church’s original purpose,” Conklin said. “We want to remove some of those pews and create open areas and more of a welcoming environment for other religions. I also want to get the floor carpeted so other religions can pray, meditate and practice their faith comfortably.” The chapel was built in 1965 with the intent of being open to students of all religious and spiritual beliefs. Fifty years later, the chapel has since lost its essence and become predominately Christian-based. With diversity increasing and the international population growing steadily at WSU, making up more than 12 percent of the student body, Conklin has decided now is the time to get the chapel back to its foundation. Conklin and SGA have issued a proposal to remodel it into an Interfaith Prayer Space. Last year, there was an effort made to launch this project, but there was no sense of urgency until Conklin was elected president for 2014-15. Conklin said he thinks working on a

“My big vision would be: ‘WSU is known as an accepting university and that it accepts different cultures and celebrates its diversity.’” — Matt Conklin,

Student Body President

Photo by Kevin Brown

One of the proposed changes to the Grace Memorial Chapel is the removal of pews, to be replaced with carpet, allowing for more room for universal practices.

cause like renovating the chapel is everything SGA wants to stand for. “Student Government values diversity because it’s supposed to be a representation of the entire student population,” Conklin said. “This is the most diverse campus and university in the state of Kansas, (and) being such, our student body should represent that diversity.”

Conklin said an aspect of that diversity is the religions represented on campus. “The idea behind this project is to create a faith-neutral flexible environment to all religions,” he said. “We want students on campus to feel like they can practice their religions in the chapel like it was originally intended.” Conklin said the central pillar

of his campaign last spring was the idea of advocacy for students of all backgrounds. Realizing the ever-growing population on campus, and not knowing if students were comfortable practicing their faith on campus, Conklin said he was urged to look into the issues with the chapel to see if he could help. Conklin said he and SGA have been in talks with key offices on

campus. Involved in those talks were the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Physical Plant and the Finance office. Conklin said it would cost an estimated $4,400 for the renovations. He also said he plants to work with ODI to help get the word out to students that the chapel will be open to all faiths. See CHAPEL on page 3

CELEBRATE DIVERSITY

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FEBRUARY 11, 2015

An Alien’s Perspective: On work restrictions

As an international student, studying in the U.S. is a vibrant COLUMN BY experience TARUN BALI — one that few would give up. The luxury of having the boundaries of your mind pushed through cultural enlightenment and global exposure is virtually unparalleled. Enter economics and financial responsibility. For every credit hour they are enrolled in, international undergraduate and graduate students pay $267.8 and $384.65 more than in-state students, respectively. This means the tuition alone costs international students at least $3,200 more than their domestic, in-state counterparts. To add to this, the U.S. enjoys the luxury of having a favorable exchange rate in comparison to most countries. This results in the cost of living as a student being far more expensive for international students. You can point out that international students may merely work hard to make sure their paychecks help out with the bills. This is where the work restrictions come in. International students are only allowed to work for 20 hours a week during the semester. And the job must be an on-campus job, with a few exceptions. This leaves international students stuck with on-campus employment that consists of mostly minimum wage jobs with little room for raises. After having spent two

Illustration by Tarun Bali

semesters in the U.S., international students may apply for an internship. Given that a significant number of students come to Wichita for the engineering program, it doesn’t help that a huge chunk of the internships are simply unavailable to international students without a green card. Are there advantages to these restrictions? The cap on the number of hours a student may legally work is often explained as a preventive measure that helps students concentrate on education and do well in school. The same is said for on-campus employment. With students

International students in the United States

20 HOURS

Work for international students is limited to oncampus employment and a maximum of 20 hours each week during semesters.

Compared to residents of Kansas, international students can pay around $3,200 more in tuition each year.

like the currency back home depreciating drastically. Unless that is the case, international students end up turning to working off campus illegally, or worse, giving up on completing their education. Working off campus does not pose an extremely high risk. However, if caught, the consequences can be dire and may even result in deportation and scrutiny for any future travel to the U.S. When the U.S. fails to allow students to legally work off

campus, it leaves some students with few options, unlike in countries such as the U.K. and Australia. So as their minds wander during their 300-level class that they already took in high school back home, they are forced to face their fate as it is; the higher education system in the U.S. is designed to charge them exorbitantly while limiting their options to succeed. It helps the U.S. keep jobs within the U.S., but at the cost of international students.

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already on campus for classes, it is conducive to their learning that they work on campus. However, it begs the question: Is it a measure to keep off-campus jobs from being taken up by international students? One way or another, international students end up feeling the pinch of the economic hardship. Economic hardship: the keyword to legal off-campus employment for international students. International students may obtain paperwork to work legally off-campus only if they are able to prove economic hardship due to an “unforeseen” event. This would involve something grand

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Morality What is morality? Who/what defines it? Is there anything absolutely right or wrong? How does one’s concept of morality affect life?

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CELEBRATE DIVERSITY

FEBRUARY 11, 2015

A personal take on religious diversity My view on religious diversity is probably a bit radical. Despite being COLUMN BY a Christian, I BRENNEN SMITH believe that religious diversity is mostly good. Conflict between different religions seems to add more chaos to an already chaotic world, but a certain degree of chaos is beneficial. Imagine life with one religion or no religion for a second. What if God had simply revealed himself to everyone thousands of years ago (also revealing himself routinely in case anyone forgets) and many generations of people had simply accepted that the Jewish religion, for example, was the only true religion? Campus is often rife with discussion on differing religions and the implications of God as creator or the world as naturalistic. This single religion scenario would take away much of the wonder and freedom to choose in life and may eventually lead to a paradise-like world where little to no conflict occurs. In order to illustrate why my scenario is dull, it is useful to use a movie example. One of my favorite sci-fi series is “The Matrix Trilogy.” The movie is fraught with religious allegory and allusion. Just looking at the three main characters’ names illuminates some of the underlying meaning the writers of “The Matrix” were hoping to portray. Neo’s last name, Anderson, translates to

son of man because the root “andros” means man in New Testament Greek. Jesus often refers to himself as the “Son of Man” in the New Testament gospels. Morpheus was commonly known to be the god of dreams or sleep in medieval times. Trinity is fairly obvious and probably alludes to the holy trinity of Christianity. Neo, Morpheus and Trinity are the three main characters in The Matrix that take a firm stand against the machines. “The Matrix” uses more than religious symbolism, the movie uses Neo as a postmodern messiah in order to generate discussion on the state of society in the postmodern and technological era, according to an article published in the Journal of Religion and Film at the University of Nebraska at Omaha by Mark D. Stucky. The scene that illuminates the scenario I envisioned of a world unified under one religion would be strikingly similar to the paradise matrix that was the first matrix created by the architect, or matrix creator, in “The Matrix Trilogy.” “Did you know that the first ‘Matrix’ was designed to be a perfect human world where none suffered, where everyone would be happy?” Agent Smith asked Morpheus. “It was a disaster. No one would accept the program.” A world with only one religion would be very close to the “ideal” world that occurred in the paradise matrix. People would probably get fat and

become lazy, similar to what happens in “Wall-E” when all of the humans leave earth and meander through space on a luxury spaceship. The absence of religious diversity would stymy creativity because there wouldn’t be anything to think about in terms of metaphysics. What would people talk about with their friends in dorm rooms late at if not creation or origins of man and animal? Everyone would know how the world was created and by whom it was created. Even video games would be less fun. Templars and politics fueled by religious strife wouldn’t have existed so the likelihood of “Assassin’s Creed” ever being created is unlikely. All of the “Call of Duty” games based on World War II wouldn’t exist. Granted, many of the extremely bloody wars would never have occurred, but with the absence of negativity and difficult problems comes the absence of positive emotion and the solving of difficult problems. People would still experience good and bad emotions, but there would be much less intense emotions to experience. Freedom of religion and freedom of belief can only be good. The number of different religions may cause a lot of war and confusion, but the alternative to having multiple religions, that I have described here, implies that one of the largest choices in our lives that influence how we live in the world and understand it, is taken away.

CHAPEL

chapel previously, but I am not of Christian faith — not saying that I have anything against it, or anything — but if it was open to everybody, then I would definitely take a visit with some of my friends,” WSU student Eric Patel said. Although nothing is finalized yet, Conklin said he is

optimistic. “The idea is to provide accommodation and inclusion from everybody and not isolate anyone,” Conklin said. “My big vision would be: ‘WSU is known as an accepting university and that it accepts different cultures and celebrates its diversity.’”

from page 1

If SGA succeeds in its mission, at least one international student said he would be interested in visiting the chapel. “I wasn’t made aware of the

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Cultural diversity will continue to help WSU Students at Wichita State will benefit significantly from the diversity on COLUMN BY campus. RAHIM THOMPSON Aside from the freedom you get when you venture off to college, nothing could prove to be more beneficial in aiding students into adulthood than being exposed to individuals of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Being a part of something that’s different from yourself allows you to break out of comfort zones that often leave us stagnant. My freshman year of college, I hadn’t seen or known anyone from outside of the country until I went to Iowa Central Community College. Almost 65 percent of my track team was foreigners. My teammates were from the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Africa and Papua New Guinea, among other places in the world. In fact, five of my six roommates at the time were of different ethnic backgrounds. The guy I shared a room with was from Papua New Guinea, and he taught me a lot about his culture throughout the school year. Not only have I benefited tremendously from cultural diversity in college — all students can benefit from it. The University of Maryland conducted a study and had this to say on the topic of cultural diversity and its benefits: “We believe that our students benefit significantly from education that takes place within a diverse setting. In the course of their university education, our students encounter and learn from others who have backgrounds and characteristics very different from their own. As we seek to prepare students for life in the twenty-first century, the educational value of such encounters will become more important, not less, than in the

past. “A very substantial portion of our curriculum is enhanced by the discourse made possible by the heterogeneous backgrounds of our students. Equally, a significant part of education in our institutions takes place outside the classroom, in extracurricular activities where students learn how to work together, as well as to compete; how to exercise leadership, as well as to build consensus.” Not only do students learn and challenge each other in all areas, we also grow as individuals. A person is generally limited to only what they know and have been exposed to. Understanding cannot be borrowed. Meaning: until we are exposed to new things and different kinds of people, we will only have an idea of these things and people. Perception is never permanent, so once we are exposed to new people and we get to know them on a personal or working level, we change. We ultimately grow as people, because we bring a new perspective to the table. I’ll never know what life is like in Papua New Guinea, but because of my roommate, I have an inside perspective on what it’s like instead of giving an opinion on something I have no knowledge of. It is also worth noting that according to an article published on americanprogress.org, “studies consistently show that diversity drives innovation and fosters creativity. In a Forbes survey, 85 percent of respondents said diversity is crucial for their businesses, and approximately 75 percent indicated that their companies will put more focus during the next three years to leverage diversity to achieve their business goals.” That said, let’s continue to embrace the diversity here in Wichita and aid in the growth of society.

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International Education

dan. By now, most of us Wichita State and th understand the dictioncity FEBRUARY of Wichita 11, provid 2015 ary definitions of these a truly unique opport terms and peoples. nity to learn about the But do we truly world, especially Midd understand what it Eastern culture, witho means to follow Islam? going too far outside o Have we really reached a your comfort zone. proper acceptance and To understand understanding of someone of a different Muslim culture? faith and culture, it is If your answer is yes, important to put dow those who adhere to the books, turn off th Islam might disagree. television and interact a few semesters ago, James “I claim to be Arabwith such people. Ashton hadn’t set foot in school American more than It is the only way to since finishing high school nearly 20 years ago, and it wasn’t easy Muslim-American, just really connect with th for him. because of discriminaculture and reach a “I pretty much got on and off tion reasons,” said Dima deeper understanding campus as quickly as possible,” Hammouri, a junior in “Just having convers he said, “because I did not want political science at tions with people who to deal with anyone else. They Wichita State. “I don’t are different than you didn’t understand where I was want people to judge me people from other coming from.” based on my religion or cultures, other religio Ashton belongs to a small but even my nationality.” helps a lot,” Hammou every detail was given to of … $449 billion. dramatically and numerous quiet minority at WSU that most Hammouri was born said. “When you mak Column by thea press. Oh, and this would all be other programs will have to students don’t think about. He’s and raised in the U.S., that personal connecHis plan is ambitious. paid for without adding to be cut. 14-yearDerek veteran of the U.S. but her family is origition with people, you the deficit. That isn’t so bad on the Marine blair Corps, the Kansas AirNearly $250 billion in tax nally from Palestine, a establish a relationship How can this be done? face of it, until you rememNational Guard and the U.S. cuts, more jobs for teachers, region of the Middle and relationships with President firemen and cops, massive That is an amazingly good ber how long it took Army, and Barack he only Obama came to WSU East centered primarily people help you to held joint session of his military amounts of money spent to aftera an injury ended question, because it remains Congress to come to a around the countries of become more Congress career. on Thursday to rebuild roads and bridges, unanswered by the Obama decision to cut a few billion Israel and Jordan. comfortable.” Now senior forensic hare hisaplan to studying fix spending in a new super fast administration, who say it dollars from the budget. She is a practicing There are more than science, Ashton bears America. His plan was artifacts very rail system, and investments will be answered “soon.” You know, nearly six Muslim, meaning she 1,000 international denoting his service — a formiecretive until the day of in green energy. The only plausible answer is months of intense partisan fasts and prays as students at WSU, and dable leather jacket with militaryAll for the low, low price he speech, when almost that taxes will be raised fighting for each party’s required by Islam. many as 20 cultural o badges and symbols — but most priorities. And despite the international student of his peers show little outward Why did the Obama Photo by Kevin Brown progress made since organizations. Cultura sign of their veteran status. administration decide to Veteran Shockers use the Military and Veteran Student Center, located on the first floor of Lindquist Hall, for back-to-school mentoring. 9/11, Hammouri guidance stills andevents are held consta Life experience is one thing go with this plan? finds herself ridiculed ly around town, the that sets veterans apart from support one another and get help disregard and scorn, but since the Sell, who is also a First Sergeant The goal of the program is to help Well, because they need for her faith. majority of which are other students, but they’re also from actual peers. The center also wars in Iraq, Americans have in the Kansas Air National veterans graduate from college, to do something to deal “We get a lot of offering people open to the public. bound by an oath to defend the has a mentorship program in the begun to honor their vets once Guard, said veterans are inherlike Orebaugh with this economic crisis, right-wing people, academic counseling, So using tutoring Wichita’s United States, sometimes at great works where established veterans more. valuable because of their and putting moreently money right-wing Christians personal cost. provide back-to-school guidance “If you just look at the sheer personal discipline, hard work and other isolation services. from the rest “We have a brotherhood,” who don’t thewasn’t worldoriginally is a really ba for incoming vets. number of programs now and leadership qualities, andreally that accept Orebaugh Please see Obama on studentsthe Ashton said. “Whether we were Shane Carr is one of those new available for veterans returning civilian could learn afaith,”planning to attendfor college. He Muslim she excuse not becomi 4 is great deal from their experiences. graduatedcultured. in combat or not, all of us made students. from deployments, Ipage think that from Wichita North that choice to serve. In doing Carr spent four years in the indicative of the cultural shift That’s something aeronautical High SchoolLearning and spent about 11 years as that, we watch out for each other. U.S. Air Force doing aircraft that has been made,” said Sarah engineering student Brandon an Air Force avionicscultures mechanic different is no We talk to each other. We help structural maintenance. Now he’s Sell, director of Veteran Student Orebaugh is particularly proud of in supportjust of military operationsan about reaching each other out. There is nothing in his first semester at WSU Services and co-chair of the — his ability to help his fellow in the Middle East. Upon about a understanding we won’t do for each other.” studying engineering. Carr goes Veterans Advisory Board at!"#$%#&'"#(%)*# students. entering civilian life,faith, he decided different but it For the past three semesters, to the veteran center twice a week WSU. “I enjoy sharing my experiencthat beinghelps a mechanic wasn’t an !"#$!%&'()*$+',-./$01'(.! in reaching Ashton has manned the front to get help with chemistry The services Sell oversees are es with classmates,” Orebaugh enough —understanding he needed a degree. about desk at the Military and Veteran homework and with computers. evidence of that shift taking place+'"%,#!"#$%&'()*+,-(./'(0(1(2345(+-6-( said, “because I believe it helps Besides one’s Veterans self.Upward Student Center, located on the For him, the center is much more at Wichita State to recognize the # describe the processes we are Bound and the Militaryencourage and +'),(788(9:;<:,%(),%,*(9"6*###( “I would first floor of Lindquist Hall. Last valuable than going to the library value of veterans on campus. learning to real-world actions. As Veteran Student Center, students to goWSU out has of year, more than 7,000 veterans or a regular tutor. “Oftentimes, veterans have +'-&,#="6*$:%#(>:?*@(ABC,"#'(?%8B%D8*(( an engineer, I am able to explain a Student Veterans Organization, their way to meet from every branch — including “It’s just easier to talk to people been out of the classroom for a!"#$%&$"&'$()"*+&,)-./,&!++0)+1&2$$3&43!5)+1&( what we do and how it affects the Veterans Preference in Employsomeone who is Musli dependents — utilized the center that share the same kind of period of time,” she said. “They aircraft and the missions they ment and other programs to E:F,(D%EC'(C#%;GC'(HB:,(C6"G:#E(G:,C(( who is Middle Eastern for study and decompression. background,” Carr said. “We’re need some assistance in adjusting support.” serve the veteran community. said. “I +'.,#I"(<*8+(&"B(8:?*(%(8"#E'(<%++&(J(( When the center was created all veterans, so we all connect a while also balancing jobs, Orebaugh doesn’t use the As withHammouri most issues of diversithink that would be a two years ago, Ashton said, “it little easier than with other families and sometimes disabiliveteran center’s services himself; ty, if there’s something veterans D*%B,:FB8(8:F*( great thing for them gave the veterans a community to people around campus.” ties derived from their military he’s the product of another want to communicate to other t +'"/",#ABE<*C(!*,@"+"8:,%#(( do that if they to lear belong to again. It gave us the Historically, college hasn’t service.” program that focuses on students, it’s theywant shouldn’t about other cultures. I brotherhood that we were used always been the most inviting Ashton experienced that veterans. ="6+8*K'(L5ML(N(.2,<(),(O! be afraid to talk to them. wouldanyone makethat them mo to, so now we’re actually staying atmosphere for veterans, and for trepidation as well. Veterans Upward Bound is a “I encourage does on campus.” many, going back to school is a “It is difficult, but the good TRIO program that serves not know well-rounded about military culture That’s what the center was frightening prospect. During the thing about the military is we approximately 120 WSU students to just askindividuals.” questions,” Sell said.

universities on the east and remembrance, struggle and west coasts, which freWWW.THESUNFLOWER.COM hope—the three themes of uently host Indian dance the event. ompetitions and shows, After our performance, WSU didn’t have much of a many people congratulated presence. We wanted to us for showing them a hange that. snippet of our culture. As we started performing What really struck us, By Travishowever, Gillespie round Wichita, however, were the Muslim STAFF REPORTER nother purpose came into gentleman, Catholic @November61999 play—bringing the world woman and countless ogether through dance. others who asked if we Before starting Wichita State Sunday, Shakthi at percould teach them how to

Dance breaks down barriers because it’s only achieved by lowering your inhibitions—and when that happens, any preconceived notions about religion and race automatically get lowered as well. Take Shakthi—we’ve had dancers of Indian, African, Vietnamese, Chinese, Cambodian,

students alike who came together just for dance. “There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good,” said American dance critic Edwin Denby. And maybe that’s what brings people together in dance—putting our brains to rest and acting from the heart.

CELEBRATE DIVERSITY

Veteran services reinforce culture of diversity

Obama’s jobs speech strong in delivery, but weak in content

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Vietnam era, veterans returned home from overseas to face

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and their family members through federal and state grants.

“That is the best way to expand your knowledge.”

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FEBRUARY 11, 2015

Celebrate black history with ‘Great Blacks in Wax’ By Alex Perry STAFF REPORTER @SunflowerAP

Wichita State students who wish to learn about historically important African Americans will have a unique opportunity to do so at the Great Blacks in Wax event starting at 11 a.m. Thursday in room 208 of the Rhatigan Student Center. The event, which is being coordinated by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Black Student Union, actually has a slightly misleading name. Instead of wax figures of each historical figure, WSU students will depict them in costume to help tell their stories. ODI program coordinator Danielle Johnson said the misnomer is merely a matter of marketing. “It’s a very catchy name,” Johnson said. “We won’t have any real wax figures, because that’s a lot.” This is the second year ODI has helped put on this event, and Johnson said the group sees it as a more interesting way to educate people about important African Americans. “We just thought it was a way to recognize African Americans and Black History Month in a different way,” Johnson said. “We thought it’d be interesting to have people in these roles.” Black Student Union president Clinton Liddell was in costume as civil rights activist and NAACP co-founder W.E.B. Du Bois last year, but he will only serve as a

guide this year. Liddell said he was happy to see how interested people were in the exhibit’s subjects. “It was really cool to see how many people were excited to hear about the person,” Liddell said. Though Johnson does not have a complete list of figures who will be featured by the exhibit, she said ODI and the Black Student Union hope to feature some lesser-known people, as well as the heavy hitters like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Johnson also said that, even today, it is important to educate people about the history of different cultures because it often goes overlooked in school. “Whether it’s Women’s History Month, Black History Month or LGBT History Month, it’s important to celebrate these things because it’s not something that’s taught in your core curriculum,” Johnson said. “You don’t really get a chance to brush over all the vast pieces of history that make up other cultures.” Liddell said it was humbling to help educate fellow students about important African American figures and said their accomplishments in the face of adversity are still inspiring today. “I think that’s something we can all take from it,” Liddell said. “We have the ability to impact our world, we just have to make the choice.” Students who want to know more about Great Blacks in Wax and other Black History Month events can contact ODI at 978-3034.

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Photo by Kevin Brown

Vegetarian Chris Garica cooks a meat-free meal Monday night at his home. Garcia, a Wichita State graphic design student, has eliminated meat from his diet.

Shockers skip the meat By Kevin Brown and Danielle Prewitt STAFF REPORTERS @krbrownjr, @danimal902

For Wichita State graphic design student Chris Garcia, the daily decision of what he is going to eat is relatively simple — as long as his meal does not contain any meat, it is a viable option. A non-traditional student — a veteran and a father of two — Garcia has had life experiences that have changed how he views the world around him. Some of those experiences have also changed how he sees what is cooking on his stove or on the dinner plate in front of him. “It all started when I was stationed in Virginia. My girlfriend at the time — now wife — was a vegetarian, as she was one from childhood,” Garcia said. Originally born and raised in Kansas, Garcia eventually moved away from the plains to take a job in the U.S. Navy, where he spent six years of his life experiencing culture, ideas and social

movements. Transitioning from the Navy, Garcia found himself working for People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) as a graphic design specialist. “I did graphic design, and I was a project coordinator,” he said. “I was a hub for much of the online content. I had to see all of the videos, the pictures. “I saw the gruesome nature of the [meat and dairy] business. It turns your stomach.” Garcia is one of a growing group of Americans that have eliminated meat from their meals for plant-based options. Here on campus, students have options that refrain from the use of meat-based products, said David Casida, WSU’s Dining Services general manager. “Over the last 12 years, we’ve not had a large number of individuals ask [for vegan and vegetarian options],” Casida said. “We try to have a lot of fresh ingredients and an assortment of fruits, vegetables, breads and good protein sources in addition

FALL IN

to animal proteins.” Dining Services does not have specific vegan and vegetarian options, but Casida said it will accommodate any requests. If requests are made far in advance, Dining Services will try everything they can to provide options for anyone’s dietary preference. Even as a college student, Garcia said he has not had much difficulty maintaining a vegetarian diet at WSU. He also said that veganism in Kansas is much more difficult than other locations, as he was vegan for one year before transitioning to sparingly consuming dairy. However, for Garcia, even though it is more challenging in Kansas to have a plant-based diet, he does not regret his decision to pass on the meat. “I believe it is everyone’s choice, and I wouldn’t push my beliefs on someone else,” Garcia said. “[But] we are in a consumer society, so why not make the conscientious decision as to what is better for the animals, the environment and my body?”

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FEBRUARY 11, 2015

With use of WSU services, student defied odds By Travis Gillespie STAFF REPORTER @November61999

Photo by Kevin Brown

Men of Excellence members Devante Garcia, Josh Radford and Alberto Sosa talk with other members last week at the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

‘We are all brothers’ By Kevin Brown STAFF REPORTER @krbrownjr

Twice a month, a small group of Shocker men meet in the lobby of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to talk about life, troubles, triumphs and dreams. With an emphasis on building Shocker men up, the ODI’s Men of Excellence group hopes to change the WSU landscape for the better, one man at a time. “We are about uplifting men and encouraging them to be better

Photo by Kevin Brown

Nisha Jackson, a non-traditional student, is a mother, a weight-loss success story and is starting the process to obtain a doctoral degree.

That makes people think maybe you’re not ready for college — but maybe you really are. Maybe you’re ready to handle just one class. That’s how I started. That’s how I learned it was doable.” Then there was the issue of her weight. “I was super, morbidly obese, and I couldn’t even sit in the desks at Wichita State,” Jackson told an audience at a Student Support Services banquet in 2010. Getting Help As an undergraduate, Jackson got help from Disability Services, which provided a cart every day to get her to her class. The organization made sure she had desks she could sit in. In all, according to Disability Services director Grady Landrum, Jackson probably didn’t require that much assistance, but he does remember her positive outlook. “She has been very independent and used our

services very little over the years,” Landrum said. “I just remember her as being a pleasant person to talk with and wanting to improve her situation.” Jackson first learned about Student Support Services from classmates. As the first person in her family to go to college, she qualified for special assistance. Student Support Services is part of TRIO, a group of federally-funded equal opportunity assistance programs housed at WSU. The program serves first-generation students, low-income students and students with disabilities to help them stay in school and graduate. Jackson took advantage of everything it offered — from free printing, books and laptops to tutoring and advising. “All the obstacles that poverty brings into your life, SSS helped me overcome,” Jackson said.

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men,” said Joseph Shepard, Men of Excellence student facilitator. “We have the tools and resources to help them excel.” Founded in 2010 with the name “Brother to Brother,” group member levels have fluctuated, ranging from a high of 25 members to a low of three members. Although the group meets sparingly, its goal is to make sure enough contact is maintained among the group members without being intrusive; the support system is never breached.

When Nisha Jackson came to Wichita State, she said she was coming up from the hood to the hill. “And it was just so beautiful,” said Jackson, a WSU alumna. “The first day I set foot on campus, all I could do was look around. The tulips were blooming, and I felt like I was in a park. I couldn’t believe all this was right next to the neighborhood where I lived, and nobody ever came up to see it.” Diversity and inclusion are mandates for any public institution, but for Jackson, WSU went out of its way to meet her needs — and helped her become the success she is today. Jackson moved from Dallas to Wichita in 2006 — a young, single mom of three who wanted a safer place to live. She worked as a certified nurse’s aide, though she didn’t earn enough to make a living. “I really got tired of being on Section 8 and public housing and food stamps,” she said. “The way they treat you when you go in for services is just deplorable, so I expected the same thing here.” But she said that wasn’t the case. “When I came to Wichita State and went in for services, they were like, ‘We are here to help you. You are here helping yourself, so we’re going to help you.’ It was amazing.” With encouragement, Jackson began looking after her health with the same zeal she took to her studies. She went to the Heskett Center to exercise. She reached outside the university to get help for her entire family, working with doctors and nutritionists in Via Christi’s “Shapedown” program where they adopted a new, healthy lifestyle. Jackson and her daughters were so successful they were featured in an issue of Via Christi’s “Life” magazine two years ago. In 2011, Jackson graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in general studies, and in 2013, finished a master’s in aging studies. Barriers As an undergraduate, Jackson weighed 360 pounds. She was a non-traditional student — with children — and came from a struggling socioeconomic status. “It’s just fear,” she said. “‘Am I going to be successful when I get up there? Will there be people like me? Are they going to help me?’ When I started, I just really wanted to eliminate barriers to success. Anything I could control, I did.” For Jackson, some of those early barriers seemed overwhelming. It was hard to get financial aid and admissions paperwork together. She didn’t have a car to track down all the documents she needed. She didn’t have money to send off for her high school transcript. “It’s hard if you’re not comfortable being on campus,” she said. “You’re not comfortable walking into an office and asking for help with an application.

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ODI offers multicultural mentorship program By Brittany Ponds STAFF REPORTER @brittany_forev

The Multicultural Student Mentoring Program is a gem on campus that not all students are aware of, said Natalie Toney, program coordinator at the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. It was developed in the late 1980s and has since been overseen by the newly-named ODI. Toney said the purpose is to facilitate retention, academic success and development, as well as to ensure graduation of students. The program mostly targets minority and first-generation students and is open to freshmen and incoming transfer students. Once in the program, students are paired with a mentor — much like the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program. These mentors are sophomores and older, and are matched according to similar majors and group interests. “Say a student wants to join the [Student Activities Council],

JACKSON

from page 6

It was Jackson’s adviser, Vanessa Souriya-Mnirajd — now the associate director of WSU’s Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP program — who gave her advice that made all the difference.

the mentor will help the student get connected with the group and answer any questions they may have,” Toney said. “It’s like a social connection.” But the Multicultural Student Mentoring Program (MSMP) has even more to offer, Toney said. It also provides developmental workshops, personal development classes, seminars with the Office of Money Management, testing, student success classes and this semester, it is providing information from Student Health Services. Toney said the MSMP program has been around for several years, but within the last two years, there has been added changes, such as additional community service and social activities. This year, the program has about 280 students from first to fifth year enrolled, 19 peer mentors, around 15 tutors and 21 professional mentors. Toney said the program is a blessing to have on campus. “It really has helped many

students,” Toney said, “and it’s just wonderful being able to see the success of these students and a lot of it is because of this

program.” The MSMP hosts events every Tuesday at Shocker Hall and every Wednesday in room 203 of

the Rhatigan Student Center. For more information about MSMP, contact Toney at natalie.toney@ wichita.edu.

“We were sitting in Vanessa’s office when she said, ‘You’re getting ready to graduate, you’ve conquered all these obstacles, what do you want to do next? Let’s get the weight,’” Jackson said. Souriya-Mnirajd said Jackson demonstrated a love of learning early on, and was always open about her classes, self-confidence,

poverty and other issues she experienced. “There were times when she wanted to give up,” she said, “but I knew she had the level of commitment necessary to succeed in college, so I kept pushing her to never give up. I remember she opened up about her weight issue, and I told her that if she could overcome that obstacle she could

achieve anything that she wanted.” Today, Jackson has passed state and federal exams qualifying her to become the CEO of a nursing facility. She’s out looking for the right job, but she’s also looking ahead to the next step: returning to WSU to earn a doctorate in community psychology. Her advice for others who want

to improve their situation is simple: take baby steps. Just do something, she said, even something small, every day. “That really does transform your life,” she said. “If you take advantage of what’s on campus, it really will change you. It changed my life. It changed my children. It was never easy, but it did get easier — and better.”

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FEBRUARY 11, 2015

Gender-neutral restrooms open in Heskett By Rahim Thompson STAFF REPORTER @RahimLegend

Prior to this semester, transgender students at Wichita State were stuck in a dilemma at the Heskett Center: to shower in the male or female locker rooms? This disconcerting position that addressed until December when a collaborative deal between WSU administration and the university’s Physical Plant opened a new gender-neutral restroom in the Heskett Center. Near the weight room and swimming area are two restrooms. The one on the left is old and mundane — everything a person, male or female, needs to get in and out. On the right is the new gender-neutral restroom, which features a full showering area on the right, a remodeled interior and a restroom area on the left. With a growing diverse community, the university was faced with a problem it quickly addressed, said Eric Maki, director of Campus Recreation. “Essentially,” he said, “some people identified, ‘Look I’m transgendered. I’m mentally a female. I dress as a female. But I happen to have some male parts to me. What locker room [do] you want me to go in?’ We can’t tell transgender students to go into one locker room and not the other. “Which forced the question of ‘how are transgender students supposed to get showered and cleaned up?” After several transgender students reached out to officials in the Heskett Center, Maki spoke with other campus officials to find a remedy. Maki — along with Equal Employment officer Francisco Gonzalez, retiring university vice president and general counsel, Ted Ayres, vice president of student affairs, Wade Robinson, Physical Plant and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion — said all agreed that it would be beneficial to the university and, primarily, the students, to get this done. Once the location was

Photo by Manny De Los Santos

After three months of construction, this Heskett Center gender-neutral restroom opened in December. The restroom offers a full shower and restroom open for all gender identifications.

solidified, the group began working on blueprints. Physical Plant funded the project, which cost an estimated $35,000, something Maki said was “a huge thing.” Building and remodeling the restroom was a three-month process that started in September. Before the start of winter break, the new gender-neutral restroom was open for use. “We all knew we had a problem,” Maki said. “Previously, there wasn’t any outcry, but once it was identified that there was a need, we got on it.” Although transgender students inspired the restroom, Maki said the restroom is available to anyone. Also, due to a lack of a locker room, the Heskett Center provided two 36-by-48 inch black lockers outside of the restroom. Since the opening in December, Maki said he or anyone else working in the Heskett Center hasn’t received direct feedback yet. However, he said through the Office of Diversity and

Inclusion, a transgender student expressed gratitude to one of the office officials. Maki said the student saw the restroom and was pleased enough that she posted pictures on her Facebook and Twitter accounts. Elle Boatman, a transgender

have been excited about the new space and what it symbolizes for the university. Boatman said she shared the news on her Facebook page as well, which was also shared by about 50 others after being viewed on her page. Some of the individuals that shared were alumni, she said. Though Maki hasn’t received a formal “thank you,” he said he understands the magnitude of impact the implementation of the new restroom will have on the campus. It’s been more of a silent thank you, Maki said. “It’s not a thing where you purchase a new piece of weight room equipment and people come up and thank-you,” he said. “It’s been more of a quiet appreciation. “We felt like transgendered students needed a spot. This isn’t a luxury — this is a need. We’re bringing in a more diverse population of students, and we want to provide as welcoming of an environment for everyone as best we can.”

“Having that space makes me, a trans woman, feel more comfortable and thus more willingly and likely to visit the Heskett and utilize its facilities.” —Elle Boatman student on campus, took notice. “I think the implementation of the gender-neutral space at the Heskett Center is a great example of the university’s dedication to becoming a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all minorities,” Boatman said. “Having that space makes me, a trans woman, feel more comfortable and thus more willingly and likely to visit the Heskett and utilize its facilities.” Boatman said other transgender students she has talked to

MEN

from page 6

“[We meet] twice a month,” Shepard said. “We don’t see you a bunch, but we see you enough.” One of the main focuses of the group is on student success. Men involved in the program are encouraged to enroll in the ODI’s Multicultural Student Mentoring Program for help with academics. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2006, an average of 59 percent of students who started an undergraduate degree graduated within six years. However, when comparing male and female students, only 54 percent of males graduated from a public institution within six years, in comparison with 61 percent of females. “The program was created because statistics showed that men weren’t graduating from college,” Shepard said. “I really want the campus to encourage other men to participate.” Although academics are a focus of the group, historically, Men of Excellence has also worked on providing life tips to Shocker men. “Last year, we had a Men of Excellence week called, ‘Are you man enough?’” Shepard said. “We had workshops on how to tie a tie. We wanted men to look professional, so we had ‘How to Dress for Success’ and we had ‘S.W.A.G.,’ which stands for ‘She Wants a Gentleman.’” With the group’s push to provide male students with an environment to succeed academically and in society, Men of Excellence also hopes to promote a positive environment to grow without judgment. “[We should] try to take things that we all have and put them together to learn from,” said Blake Glasgow, a group leader. “We are all equal here,” said group member Darrick Reed. “We are all brothers — we all bleed the same.” For more information about Men of Excellence, contact ODI at 978-3034.

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