NEWS | 2
NEWS | 3
OPINION | 8
FOOD INSECURITY
TIMELINE
WOMEN
SGA makes a task force to fight food insecurity.
A reflection of the many changes COVID-19 has brought us this year.
Columnist Olivia Babin challenges the world’s view of a woman.
WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896 MONDAY
www.thesunflower.com
March 15, 2021
Volume 125 Issue 19
BEYOND EXPECTATIONS PHOTO BY LINDSAY SMITH / THE SUNFLOWER
Budget and Finance Chair Maggi Hole, SGA Treasurer Zachary James, Clerk of the Senate Taylin Fox, and Student Body Vice President listen to representatives during student fees deliberations on March 11, 2021.
Student Fees committee proposes $4.07 increase for most undergrads BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith
The Student Fees Committee’s proposed budget includes a 1% student fees increase, which is an increase of $4.07 per tier one student— an undergraduate student enrolled in 9 credits or more. The committee met last week to finalize a proposed budget that will be sent to the student government’s budget and finance committee for review, then SGA’s student senate for a three-read process before being sent to the university president to be signed.
BUDGET PROPOSAL TIMELINE Budget and Finance Committee: March 16 Student Senate Vote: April 7 President review: April 9 Formal submission to university: April 12
THE BIG CUTS Just like years prior, if this budget passes, many groups that requested money will be getting less than they asked for. Some will be getting none. Model UN’s entire student fees request was rejected. The request, $18,863, got cut down to $0 after some committee members cited that since Model UN was a completely student run organization, they did not meet the qualifications to be sent through the student fees process. The only two exceptions to that rule is the Student Government Association and The Sunflower. Speaker of the Student Senate Olivia Babin also cited that the majority of their proposed budget would be used for travel, and claimed that student fees should not be responsible for funding any sort of student travel. “We do not pay for travel for any of these groups [that ask for student fees],” Babin said. “That is not fair.” After much deliberation, SGA Advisor Gabriel Fonseca recommended that if the committee chose not to allocate money to MUN, that they would block their reserves from being swept for a year, so the group had enough money while they transferred to a different funding process. Budget and Finance Chair Maggi Hole made the motion, and it was passed with no votes against. The CSG Visiting Artist series also left the process with no money allocated in the proposed budget. Babin made the motion to allocate none of its $3,122 request, citing that there was not enough attendance at these events to allocate money for. The motion passed with one vote against.
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FEDERAL FUNDING Many discussions surrounding organizations that received federal funding were brought up during the two days of deliberations. Many representatives cited that if federal funds were used for operational expenses, student fees should be put towards organizations that needed the fees more. Babin moved to only allocate $4,500 to Student Support Services out of their $17,000 educational opportunity fund request, arguing that EOFs should only go towards money that ends up straight in students’ pockets — like scholarships. When representatives brought up concerns that a big cut could harm the program that many students around campus utilize, Babin argued that this service gets federal funding, and would be okay without student fees money to pay for their operations. The motion carried with a 7 to 1 vote. Similar conversations surrounded the Office of Disability Services, it requested $20,000. After a motion was made by Representative Rexhd Martin to fully fund the program, Babin argued that the office was federally mandated to exist. Therefore, if need be, they could find the funding elsewhere. “I do not believe student fees should be used for things that are federally mandated,” Babin said. The original motion to fully fund passed with a 5 to 3 vote, but was later revisited. A new motion was made by Babin to allocate $10,000 to the Office of Disability Services, that was passed.
/ The Sunflower
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PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN / THE SUNFLOWER
Wichita State junior Morris Udeze goes for a layup during the game against Cincinnati at Dickies Arena on Mar. 13.
After a season of challenges, Shockers return to Big Dance BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @Theseanmarty
A
fter a season filled with adversity for Wichita State, the Shockers are slated to return to their first NCAA Tournament since 2018. Before the season even started, six players transferred out of the program, former head coach Gregg Marshall resigned amid allegations of abuse, and COVID-19 complications kept them from competing in their seasonopening tournament. Earlier this week in the conference tournament, the Shockers faced more hardships. In the AAC Semifinals, WSU fell to Cincinnati, giving the Shockers their worst loss of the season one day before the Selection Show. Even with that, Head Coach Isaac Brown remained positive, especially with everything the team has gone through this year. “When I walked into the locker room, the first thing I said was keep your head up,” Brown said. “You guys have had a great season, you guys have battled. Nobody expected you to win the conference championship in the American. I’ve got a good feeling that we’ll still be in the NCAA Tournament. We’ve done the work we needed to do. ” @thesunflowernews
Sophomore Tyson Etienne said that even with the uncertainty of their NCAA Tournament, they just had to trust that the committee would make the right decision. “You’ve just gotta have faith, have to trust,” Etienne said. “It’s out of our hands, we built our resume and the committee is going to make their decision and whatever decision they make is the decision they make. I believe we have earned a spot in the tournament but we don’t make that final decision. I trust that the good energy will come back to us.” Out the gates this season, the Shockers dealt with complications from COVID-19 and had to miss out on their season-opening tournament in South Dakota. Those issues carried over as the team started out the season 1-2 with losses coming to Missouri and Oklahoma State after being limited to eight players. Brown said that the leadership shown was critical in this season still being a successful one. “The leadership and staying together after losses, I think that was huge,” Brown said. “Nobody pointed fingers going back to the Mizzou game, the Oklahoma State game. Those guys came back in the next day ready to SEE NCAA PAGE 5
2 | MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2021
NEWS
The Student Government Association puts together signs executive order to combat food insecurity BY EMMIE BOESE @EmmieBoese
The Student Government Association at Wichita State has a goal to represent all students. Student Body President Rija Khan is taking steps to continue that role and signed executive order 63-016 to put a task force in place regarding food insecurity on campus and around the Wichita State area. When Kahn got into office Vice President Mackenzie Hass began to recognize issues on campus. However, they recognized that they needed more people to work on the issue of wellness. When Kahn signed the executive order for the task force, it created a new position within the Student Government Association. This position is called Director of Outreach and Engagement. The student named to head the task force is Hannah Harpel. The position was created to focus directly on food insecurity under the topic of wellness. “When Mackenzie Haas and I got into office it was very much on the side of we have all these different areas where we see issues, and we wanted to work on them,” Khan said. “Initially when we started, our cabinet was somewhere around 5 or 6 members including the President and Vice President. With the amount of people we had, it was just not sufficient enough for us to focus in and truly get to the root of the issue. We decided to create this position to focus on the goal of food insecurity.” When Harpel started her new position, she had several goals in mind. One of those goals was to start reaching out to other
“Another thing that is my personal goal is not only focusing on the campus, but the community around us, like the shocker neighborhoods.” HANNAH HARPEL Director of Outreach and Engagement
organizations to work with. “When I first started my position, obviously I hadn’t been into any position so I feel like I just made the pathway as I went,” Harpel said. “I started with ICT Community Fridge, seeing how we could work with them. We tried to get a fridge on campus however it did not really work out.” After reaching out to ICT Community Fridge, Harpel then reached out to Common Grounds. “They are an organization that works with local farmers in Kansas, and they also have partners that also donate produce and other different foods,” Harpel said. “They are able to box up all that food. They offered to give boxes of produce included like carrots, potatoes, meats. We were able to give out 103 of those boxes to students.” Besides reaching out to other organizations to combat this issue, Khan and Harpel both discussed how they wanted to evaluate resources they already have on campus. A resource they wanted to evaluate is the Shocker Support Locker. The Shocker Support Locker has been running for five years and is located in the Grace Wikie Annex on campus. The Shocker Support Locker is
for students, faculty, and staff to access food, clothing, and other necessities. Harpel also has a goal in mind of not just trying to combat food insecurity on campus but also in surrounding neighborhoods close to campus like Fairmount. “One specific goal I would say is to evaluate the shocker support locker to see where our strengths and weaknesses are,” Harpel said. “Another thing that is my personal goal is not only focusing on the campus, but the community around us, like the Shocker neighborhoods. Everything that we do here affects them.” In the future, Harpel wants to keep up other relationships with different organizations, and recruit other people to be a part of the task force. Harpel would even like to find members outside of the Student Government Association. “Another really important thing to me is keeping - up third party relationships,” Harpel said. Finding something that actually works because even though it did not pan out the first time I really want to see what we could do with a student who’s made such a great organization. I think it would be really powerful to uplift one of our students who’s made such a big project that has grown so big.” Khan emphasized that she wants it to be known that this issue needs to be a wide group effort. “This issue cannot just be solved by one person or one position,” Khan said. “This is the responsibility of everyone involved, and we have to make sure we are not just looking at one solution but we are looking at 15 others.”
FORMER WSU PRESIDENT EUGENE HUGHES DIES AT 86 BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith
The 11th President of Wichita State Eugene Hughes died March 10 in Flagstaff, Arizona. He was 86. Hughes became president in 1993 and served in the position until he retired in 1998. The WSU metroplex located at 29th and Oliver is named after him. Hughes earned his degrees in mathematics from Chadron State College, Kansas State University and George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. Before being president of WSU, Hughes served as president of Northern Arizona University. “President Hughes has left an indelible footprint on our university, and we’re grateful for his wholehearted commitment to strengthening the connection between the university and our surrounding community,” Interim President Rick Muma said in a statement. “Though many of us are mourning Dr. Hughes’ passing, we take comfort in his enduring
BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith
Sedgwick County is now accepting appointments for higher education faculty and staff, according to emails sent out to both Newman University and Friends University. Wichita State has yet to publicly notify their faculty and staff.
disagreed, with Student Body Vice President Mackenzie Haas saying raising their own workers’ compensation could set an example to other organizations. However, other representatives disagreed with funding the full request. Martin argued that raises should start at the bottom— not with the student government. After tabling the line item, the committee revisited and decided to lower the office expenditures budget to $255,197, in order to allocate $244,803 to the Student and Organizational Fund— a fund that goes straight towards student groups and individuals who need funding.
FULLY FUNDED
PHOTO BY LINDSAY SMITH / THE SUNFLOWER
The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run newspaper covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Monday during the fall and spring semesters. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com.
MISSION The Sunflower — both in print and online — will be a timely resource of information about the Wichita State University community. It will report on news, issues, activities, academics and athletics, in addition to offering a forum for discussion, reviews and commentary. It will also be an effective learning experience for students, who will have the final authority over what is published.
LEGAL One free copy of The Sunflower is available to members of the WSU community. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 in the newsroom, Elliott Hall 019. The Sunflower is private property and unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable. The Sunflower is funded by a combination of print and online advertisment sales and student fees allocated by the Student Government Association. The Sunflower is a member of Kansas Collegiate Media, the Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association. Copyright © 2021 The Sunflower. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.
Former Wichita State President Eugene Hughes
legacy to Shocker Nation.” Individuals can send condolences to president@wichita.edu or can drop of cards and gifts from 9a.m.-5p.m. Monday, March 15, at Entrance A in the Metropolitan Complex. People can read the full statement from President Muma on WSU’s website.
Sedgwick County now accepting vaccine appointments for higher education faculty and staff
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Representatives listen to the discussion during the student fees deliberations on March 11, 2021.
COURTESY OF STRAT COMM
Even though many requests saw big cuts, many organizations and scholarships received exactly what they asked for. Out of all the Educational Opportunity Fund requests, the ones who received their full request were: The Cultural Ambassadors program ($10,000, no increase) The Debate Team ($20,000, no increase) Graduate Scholarship Program ($10,000, no increase) McNair Graduate Student
EDITOR IN CHIEF Lindsay Smith editor@thesunflower.com
COPY EDITOR Julia Nightengale copyeditor@thesunflower.com
OPINION EDITOR Audrey Korte opinion@thesunflower.com
DIGITAL PHOTO EDITOR Khanh Nguyen photoeditor@thesunflower.com
SPORTS EDITOR Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com
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FACULTY ADVISOR Amy DeVault amy.devault@wichita.edu
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Higher education faculty and staff are included in Phase 2 critical worker category of the County’s vaccine distribution plan. Individuals can schedule an appointment for their first dose on Sedgwick County’s website. For more information on who is qualified to get the vaccine, click here.
Scholarships ($9,000, no increase) HALA Scholarship Award for Community Service ($15,000, no increase) Underrepresented Student Grants ($50,000, no increase) SGA scholarships ($34,500, no increase) MultiCultural Student Mentoring Program( $30,000,a $10,000 increase since FY21) the Non-traditional Student Scholarship ($25,000, no increase) ADHD/LD scholarship ($450, no increase) International Scholarship fund ($10,000, no increase) Out of Student Support Services, those who received their full request were: The Sunflower ($50,000, no increase) Prevention Services ($28,840, no increase) The Rhatigan Student Center ($2,622,127, no increase) Shiftspace Gallery ($67,445, a $601 increase) Counseling and Testing Prevention Services ($374,150, a $44,331 increase) The Office of Diversity and Inclusion was the only line item to receive more than their request. Their original request was for $112,912, and they received $137,912 — in order to be able to fund their Passage2Success program.
Contact Us 019 Elliott Hall 1845 N. Fairmount Ave. Campus Box 134 Wichita, KS 67260-0134 EDITORIAL
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The Sunflower is committed to accuracy in its publications. If you find an error in any of its publications, please email the editor at editor@thesunflower.com immediately.
NEWS
MONDAY, AUG. 6, 2020 | 5
ONE YEAR OF COVID-19 March 12, 2021 marked exactly one year since Wichita State shut down due to the new COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s a look at the pandemic— from beginning to present — and how much has happened since the first reported coronavirus case in the USA.
JANUARY 2020 First COVID-19 case in the U.S.A.
MARCH 7, 2020
The first COVID case was reported in Washington State.
First COVID-19 case in Kansas
The first case in Kansas was reported from a women in Johnson County.
MARCH 11, 2020 COVID-19 was classified as a global pandemic
MARCH 12, 2020
The World Health Organization identified the novel coronavirus as a global pandemic two months after the first USA COVID case.
Wichita State University moves online WSU extended spring break by one week and moved all classes online for two weeks due to the pandemic. A couple days later, the university went completey remote.
MARCH 29, 2020
MARCH 19, 2020 The first case of COVID-19 in Sedwick County was reported. A woman above the age of 60 became the Sedgwick County resident to recieve a positive test.
State-wide stay at home order begins in Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announces a stay-athome order for the entire state of Kansas. The stay-at-home order lasted until May 3.
JULY 3, 2020 A state-wide mask mandate is signed
AUGUST 17, 2020
After rising cases, the Kansas governor signs a statewide order, enforcing residents to wear masks in all public places.
Wichita State University begins fall semester
WSU starts its fall semester with an online hybrid format.
DECEMBER 22, 2020 Sedgwick County recieves first allocation of vaccines
MARCH 11, 2021 Sedgwick County fully opens phase two of vaccination distribution
Shortly after on the 28, Health Care workers were able to set up appointments for their first dose of the vaccine.
Phase two included faculty and staff at colleges and universities.
University planning to expand in-person activities for Fall 2021 semester BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith
Wichita State’s campus will hopefully look more normal for fall 2021. The university is taking steps to safely expand their in-person classes, events, and engagement activities for the fall 2021 semester, according to a university release. The decision was made after the recent decline in COVID cases and hospitalizations, more available testing, and the vaccines that have proven to be effective. The university hasn’t come to a final plan for just how the campus re-opening process will look like, but is remaining flexible in case the need to change operations becomes apparent. “As always, the health, safety and well-being of our entire campus community remains
“As always, the health, safety and well-being of our entire campus community remains our top priority.” SHIRLEY LEFEVER Interim University Provost
our top priority, and we will continue evaluate and plan next steps in accordance with all federal, state ad local public health and government guidelines,” Interim Provost Shirley Lefever said in an email sent to students, faculty, and staff. The county is currently at a 3% positivity rate, and has seen a consistent drop the last couple of weeks. as of Feb. 26, the university PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN / THE SUNFLOWER has tested 4,944 individuals with 334 positive, Event staff members warm up before the start of the Clash of the Colleges. The event was held which is a 6.8% positivity rate, according to on Friday, Aug. 21 at Cessna Stadium.
4 | MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2020
NEWS
Wichita State Police Department adds new woman police officer BY EMMIE BOESE @EmmieBoese
COURTESY OF BOBBY BERRY
African American Faculty and Staff Association creates a safe space for Black community members BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE copyeditor@thesunflower.com/@JuliaNightengale
On a campus of 16,000+ students, only 800-1000 students identify as African American at Wichita State University. With a predominantly white student population, minority students might find themselves looking for places where they belong and feel understood. The African American Faculty and Staff Association, or AAFSA, was created in the 1980’s at WSU. In 2008, they established themselves under the current name for the organization. “The mission today of AAFSA is seeking to achieve a visible commitment of the inclusion and valuing of African American staff, faculty, students, and alumni at WSU and the surrounding community,” Danielle Johnson, president of AAFSA, said. Bobby Berry, first vice president of AAFSA, said that the organization is also a forum to exchange ideas and discuss issues and problems that are concerning African American staff on campus. They also want to provide a safe space for representation of African American students. “I think it’s also important to think about identity and some of the struggles that our students face; our faculty and staff are facing those same things, they are just older,” Berry said. “Those issues don’t just disappear ... I think it’s important that if we say we value diversity, then we have things on our campus that identify the issues that are being faced on this campus.” Johnson said that she believes having affinity groups on college campuses is important, because students sometimes are looking for relationships with people who have a similar walk through life. “I certainly don’t want to make it seem like minority folks or people in general are monolithic, there is no one black experience, but you do have that familial feel when you can walk into a room and let your hair down, and it feels natural and folks know what
it’s like to have that heaviness on you, and being able to be your true, authentic self,” Johnson said. “We can talk about what it’s like to be the only one in a space sometimes.” The AAFSA is involved with many events on campus. AAFSA partners with the Black Student Union and the Black alumni network to host Welcome Black Week. “Welcome Black Week is not about segregation, but about creating an opportunity for folks to be able to find folks like them, and building that affinity and strengthening and making sure that our students know how to navigate the space where they are the minority and doing it in a successful way,” Johnson said. A large part of what AAFSA does is provide scholarships to students. A large portion of the dues for the organization goes toward providing scholarships to students of color or minority groups. The scholarship fund has grown every year, and they also partner with the Office of Financial Aid to help provide four or five scholarships each year to students. “We have given out about 11,000 dollars in scholarships to students, both undergraduate and graduate,” Johnson said. “I myself received a scholarship when I was a student here. A lot of the students that we have seen have really raved about the dollars that they are able to get to spend on the things that they need.” Johnson said that they are also able to connect to predominantly African American associations off-campus, such as the Wichita Branch of the NAACP and Wichita Urban Professionals. They also partner with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and other spaces on campus to host programs and events. Before COVID-19, they have hosted mix and mingles between faculty and staff and hosted professional development events that prepare students to dress and answer questions in an interview. AAFSA also holds an event called Art that Touches Your Heart, where they collaborate
with a black artist or gallery owner to display their artwork downstairs in the RSC. Berry said that for the future of the association, they are hoping to offer more professional development opportunities, host conferences, to continue to grow their scholarships, and to be more intentional. “Ultimately, we want to grow more and become more visible and have a stronger presence,” Berry said. “Our group is skewed a little younger now, so bringing some creative ideas to how we can reach and impact a broader audience as well.” Johnson said that the association wants to be more easily identifiable, and they made t-shirts this year so that people can easily recognize them. “We also want to be in spaces that our students are in. We have had a number of conversations on campus with our students and they echo the sentiment of many faculty and staff,” Johnson said. “They feel that only-ness, having teachers that don’t look like them, and anyone should be able to teach anybody but sometimes they are looking for that home feel … We are recruiting on that I-35 corridor, and there are people coming in who aren’t used to being in predominantly white spaces, so they are looking for that familiarity.” Johnson said that these spaces for students might mean office hours in different places on campus. They also want to continue to work alongside the predominantly African American student groups on campus, as well as continue to have in-depth conversations and create plans for the African American community on campus. “A lot of our events and general meetings are open to the public, people can drop in, but it also is unapologetically about African American agenda,” Johnson said. “Anyone is welcome, we aren’t gonna turn anyone away, but when you are part of this organization know that we are having conversations that affect the Black community on our campus, and we always welcome an ally.”
This week’s weather in brief
ILLUSTRATION BY THY VO
Source: iPhone weather app
The Wichita State Police Department welcomed a new woman police officer on International Women’s day. Vanessa Campos was sworn in as a Wichita State police officer on Monday, March 8. Campos said that she enjoyed getting to watch women continue to accomplish their goals this year in the public eye. “It’s great being the age that I am and viewing all these great accomplishments women have conquered just in general,” Campos said. “Kamala Harris being the first female vice president and being alive and seeing this. [In] sports Sarah Thomas first female ref in the Super Bowl.” The first reason she chose to become a police officer led to her reflecting back on her childhood. Campos’ family moved to Wichita from Los Angeles in 2005 when she was nine years old.
“I would say the number one thing for me was my mom and dad met in Los Angeles, and it wasn’t the best neighborhood we were living in,” Campos said. “My dad did a lot of research to see where he could move his family, and for some reason Wichita just kept coming up. I just want to provide that to the next generation of children coming up.” Campos chose to pursue law enforcement because she wanted to offer others a new perspective regarding their perception of police officers and make a difference in people’s lives. “If I can meet somebody and change their perception of police officers, especially this time that we are in that would make the job worthwhile,” Campos said. “When I was a college student I got into trouble, and someone impacted me, an officer did. That changed my life, changed my route, changed what I thought of law enforcement.”
SCREENSHOT
Governor Laura Kelly discusses the leadership of women during COVID-19 at annual Diverse Women’s Summit 2021 BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE copyeditor@thesunflower.com/@JuliaNightengale
Governor Laura Kelly delivered the International Women’s Day Keynote at the 2021 Diverse Women’s Summit. The theme of this year’s summit was “Women and Leadership in the time of COVID-19,” to focus on the prominence of women and other minority populations fighting the pandemic, as well as the high mortality rate of these groups. “One year ago when the pandemic first hit, leaders at every level were faced with tough decisions that had to be made quickly, with information that was ever changing and so many unknowns … Women in our state, country, and world stepped up to save lives,” Kelly said. Kelly said that countries with women at the helm had much better outcomes in their COVID-19 response, such as Finland having 90% fewer deaths than Sweden. “I can’t say I am surprised at how well women have met these challenges,” Kelly said. I’m not sure if it’s just our nature or circumstances that dictate, but women are by and large good at crisis management.” Kelly said as moms, women are in charge of making sure their kids have everything that they need on top of taking care of themselves. Women are also not afraid to ask for help or to empower others, all in the interest of getting stuff done. “We must break down those barriers and empower leaders from diverse backgrounds to step up and wield their unique talents,” Kelly said. Kelly said through Women’s History Month, we are reminded that women have broken down barrier after barrier in the pursuit of justice and equality, particularly in Kansas’s history. Kelly said that women are still working on breaking down barriers. Kelly said that since she has taken office, 55% of her appointees have been women, in an intentional effort to achieve gender parity. The administration is also taking deliberate measures to advance the appointment of Kansans of color to statewide positions. “At this rate, we expect to achieve gender parity on boards and commissions before the end of my term,” Kelly said. “We continue to push that our boards
“We continue to push that our boards and commissions reflect the full diversity of our state.” LAURA KELLY Governor of Kansas
and commissions reflect the full diversity of our state.” When asked how we can encourage women to run for office, Kelly said she asks people to aspire for a leadership position that they feel comfortable in, and not just for the sake of running for office. “Women tend to wait to be asked, they don’t assume that they qualified for certain positions … if they are interested, don’t wait to be asked,” Kelly said. “Step up and just do it. You are just as qualified, or even more, than others who offer themselves up for public office.” Kelly said that obstacles she faced as a woman in leadership was people underestimating her. Kelly said that she is very competitive and she always has the intention of winning, including when she runs for office. “I tend to use that to my advantage, knowing that expectations are relatively low … there are ways I can use the underestimation of what I can do to get done what I want to get done,” Kelly said. Kelly also spoke about COVID19 and schools, and the plan to vaccinate teachers and faculty in order to do this safely. Kelly said that she knows that this is vital to parents. “I want schools to open. It’s so important for kids to have personal interaction with teachers and other students to maximize learning,” Kelly said. Kelly said instead of ripping off the bandage, it is important that Kansas peels it off slowly in terms of restrictions being lifted as science and data allow. With the COVID-19 relief funds, Kelly hopes to do a variety of things, such as fund schools and their many needs, extend unemployment for Kansans and provide direct relief checks to families. “We are going to make investments that aren’t only good for the health of Kansans but also the economic health of the state as we move forward because that is going to be critical,” Kelly said.
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MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2021 | 5
Sports
HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s sports editor, Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com
Shockers fall to Cincinnati in conference semifinals BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com/@TheSeanMarty
PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN/ THE SUNFLOWER
Wichita State redshirt senior Alterique Gilbert dribbles up the court during the game against USF at Dickies Arena on Mar. 12.
Shockers to face Drake in NCAA First Four BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com/@TheSeanMarty
After a three year hiatus, Wichita State is returning to the NCAA Tournament, after receiving an at-large bid. The Shockers will face off against former Missouri Valley Conference rival, Drake in the First Four after both teams received No. 11 seeds. If WSU can win their First Four matchup on Thursday, they will advance to a first matchup against No. 6 seed USC. “The wait after the game, just alone from yesterday was enough,” senior point guard Alterique Gilbert said. “We were just very nervous about it and once they announced our name, we just exploded. We were excited. We’re just looking forward to this opportunity.” During WSU’s time in the MVC, they had 151 matchups with Drake from 1936-2017. The Shockers won the last 11 games against the Bulldogs before they left the conference in 2017. Drake finished in second place in the MVC this season, only behind Loyola-Chicago who received No. 8 seed for the NCAA Tournament. Head Coach Isaac Brown said he has not watched film on Drake yet. “I’m going to break down the game against Cincinnati and then I’ll start watching film on Drake, but I don’t know much about them. I know they’re a well-coached basketball team. I know they won 25 games. Obviously they’re a good team, so we’ve got to prepare for them and be ready to go.” WSU lost in the conference semifinals to Cincinnati on Saturday which put the Shockers’ chances for an at-large bid in question. WSU were the second-to-last to be put in the field of 68. Sophomore Tyson Etienne said that after their loss to the Bearcats, it caused some anxious moments heading into Selection Sunday.
FROM NCAA PAGE 5
and we kept learning from our mistakes.” A year ago, WSU found themselves ranked in the Top-25 early on in the season and opened up with a 10-1 record. But the Shockers faltered down the stretch, going 13-7 to close out the season. The team has quickly formed a tight bond and brotherhood which allowed the team to flourish this year.
PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN/ THE SUNFLOWER
Wichita State sophomore Tyson Etienne goes for a jumper during the game against Cincinnati at Dickies Arena on Mar. 13.
“Knowing that we went out last game, not how we wanted to and to see us not being played in the championship game today was a sour feeling,” Etienne said. “But to see that, we’re still going to have the opportunity to go and write our story. It was a beautiful thing to see.” Brown said that after the tournament’s cancelation last year, it meant a lot to be able to return this season. “When kids signed with Wichita State it’s because they’ve seen us in the NCAA tournament and I’m just so excited that these guys get the opportunity to play in this tournament,” Brown said. “We have seven new players. No one on our basketball team has ever been to the big dance. So these guys are super excited. They’re ready to get started. Drake is a good basketball team and we’re just ready to go, man. Just super excited.” Despite being a four-year college player, Alterique Gilbert will be playing in his first NCAA Tournament after missing out with Connecticut in the years previous. Gilbert said it meant a lot to make his first tournament in what
“We also had energetic moments in the locker room too but this team is a lot more of a family,” Etienne said. “I think all of us are truly there for each other, want to see each other win on and off the court. It doesn’t just come down to if you’re scoring or not. I think everybody’s there for each other in all aspects of life.” With Marshall’s resignation, Isaac Brown was thrust into the interim head coaching role and the team thrived under him. Brown
could be his final year of college basketball. “It’s one game at a time, survive and advance, but it’s certainly going to be an experience,” Gilbert said. “We’re going to enjoy it because I’ve never been there before, but this is a lot of moments where a lot of Division I basketball is the highest level you want to play. So, I’m going to enjoy it as much as I can.” Gilbert said that it was special for him to make his first NCAA Tournament appearance with the Shockers this season. “It just means a lot to me just to be a part of this group of young men and coaching staff. We’ve been through a lot together and, through it all, we just stand together and continue to just (keep pushing). That’s what I love most about this group. No matter the situation we’re in, we continue to fight and now we’re just grateful for this opportunity. A lot of guys, including myself, haven’t been to the tournament, so we’re excited for this opportunity.” The game against Drake will take place on Thursday at Assembly Hall or Mackey Arena. It will be broadcast on TruTV or CBS with games starting at 4 p.m.
led the Shockers to a 16-5 record and their first AAC regular season championship since joining the conference. Etienne said the coaching staff was crucial in keeping the team focused especially with all the distractions. “I believe that the leaders and the coaching staff continue to harp on that every single day, not being complacent, not taking a shortcut,” he said. “I think that’s what paid dividends for us to stay
For the second straight AAC Tournament, Wichita State fell to Cincinnati in the semifinals— this time coming in heartbreaking fashion. The loss puts WSU’s NCAA Tournament hopes in question as they wait to see their fate. “It’s a heartbreaker,” sophomore Tyson Etienne said. “You never want the game to come down to the last possession but today that was the reality. Today it didn’t come out with us victorious. Stuff like that happens.” Redshirt senior Alterique Gilbert missed a shot to win the game in the final seconds, and Cincinnati hung on to win 60-59. Cincinnati advanced to the championship game for the third straight tournament. The shot would’ve advanced the Shockers to the championship for the first time since joining the AAC conference in 2017 but now WSU must wait to see their postseason fate. “It was a three, we were hoping to get to the rim,” Head Coach Isaac Brown said. “(Morris) got the rebound and threw it to Dexter which took a little bit of time, we wanted to make sure we got the ball off the court. By the time we got the ball up the court, we couldn’t get to the rim because it was a short shot clock. It was a shot he normally makes but he didn’t make it tonight.” Similar to the game against USF on Friday, the Shocker offense struggled down the stretch. In the win against the Bulls in the quarterfinals, WSU failed to convert a field goal in the final 5:08. Against the Bearcats, the Shockers only converted two field goals in the final 4:18, both coming from Gilbert. Brown credited Cincinnati’s defense but also felt that WSU beat themselves. “I thought they played good defense but it was more us,” Brown said. “The last three minutes of the game, I thought we had three or more guys that had tough layups that they didn’t make them. I give them a lot of credit, they were there, they walled up, they jumped up in the air without fouling. We just didn’t make the little shots at the rim tonight.” Even with the heartbreaking loss on Saturday night, Brown said that his message was still a positive one. With all the adversity that the team has faced this season, they remain hopeful for receiving an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. “I was absolutely positive tonight,” Brown said. “When I walked into the locker room, the first thing I said was keep your head up. You guys have had a great season, you guys have battled. Nobody expected you to win the conference championship in the American. I’ve got a good feeling that we’ll still be in the NCAA Tournament. We’ve done the work we needed to do.” The Shockers now must wait until Selection Sunday to see if they will return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018. Etienne said that WSU remains confident in their resume but it is ultimately up to the selection committee. “You’ve just gotta have faith, have to trust,” Etienne said. “It’s out of our hands, we built our resume and the committee is going to make their decision and whatever decision they make is the decision they make. I believe we have earned a spot in the tournament but we don’t make that final decision. I trust that the good energy will come back to us.” Throughout this season, the Shockers have faced their fair share of adversity, including their head coach resigning eight days before the season along with COVID-19 issues they faced. Junior Morris Udeze said the team has a lot to be proud even with their postseason hopes in doubt. “They picked us seventh and we finished first,” Udeze said. “We all came together as one to just win a lot of games that people thought we could not win. I feel like we did a great job this year and I’m proud of those guys in the locker room. We’re obviously sad right now but we’re going to pray we get into the tournament.” Selection Sunday is slated to start at 5 p.m. on CBS as WSU waits to see if they receive an at-large bid to the tournament. WSU could be selected as an alternate team to the tournament as well if a team has to opt out due to COVID-19.
locked in, especially dealing with all the cancellations we had to deal with during the last stretch in the season. For us to be able to do that was big.” Even with their season hanging in the balance until Sunday night, junior Morris Udeze said the team had a lot to be proud of. “They picked us to finish seventh and we finished first,” Udeze said. “We all came together to win a lot of games that people thought we could not win. So, I feel like we
did a great job this year and I’m proud of those guys in the locker room.” WSU will face off against Drake in the First Four game. The game will either take place on Thursday or Friday at Assembly Hall or Mackey Arena. It will be broadcast on TruTV or CBS. If the Shockers defeat Drake, they will move on to face USC in the first round.
6 | MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2021
SPORTS
Wichita State redshirt senior Alterique Gilbert chestbumps Dexter Dennis during the game against Cincinnati at Dickies Arena on Mar. 13.
Wichita State redshirt senior Alterique Gilbert celebrates with Brycen Bush after their win against USF at Dickies Arena on Mar. 12.
RETURN TO FORT WORTH A year after COVID cancelled last year’s AAC Tournament, Shockers finally play in Dickies’ arena.
PHOTOS BY KHANH NGUYEN/ THE SUNFLOWER
Wichita State redshirt senior Alterique Gilbert looks to drive during the game against Cincinnati at Dickies Arena on Mar. 13.
ABOVE: Wichita State players gather during the game against USF at Dickies Arena on Mar. 12. RIGHT: Head Coach Isaac Brown gives players a talk on the sidelines during the game against south Florida on Friday.
Junior Dexter Dennis dribbles during their game against South Florida on Friday, March 12, 2021.
7 | MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2021
SPORTS
Koskei, Holthusen compete at NCAA Championships BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com/@TheSeanMarty
Junior Joseph Holthusen took part in the Wichita State men’s track and field team at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 60-meter hurdles on Friday. Holthusen ran a time of 8.31 at the event and finished in seventh during the second semifinal of the event. Assistant Director of Track and Field and Cross Country said that Holthusen ran well in his first showing at the NCAA Indoor Championships. “He gained some valuable experience that will help him as he continues to get used to competing
at this level,” Wise said in a release. “We are very proud of him for representing Wichita State at the national meet and earning second team All-American honors.” Holthusen’s finish at the event earned him a Second-Team All American for the 60-meter hurdles. Holthusen became the second Shocker to earn AllAmerican honors in the 60-meter hurdles. Shannon Armstrong also earned All-American honors in 2004. Winny Koskei will next compete in the Cross Country Championships on Monday. Koskei will look to become the second Shocker to earn AllAmerican honors twice in her
career. If Koskei receives that honor she would join Shocker legend Aliphine Tuliamuk. Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Steve Rainbolt said that Koskei winning a second AllAmerican honor would be special. “I feel like Winny has gone through so much over the last few months,” Rainbolt said. “Dealing with COVID and having the issues of competition in limbo and disruptions in school, it’s been a tough transition for everyone. I’ve been proud of Winny to maintain her level (of performance) and come back to win the conference meet and qualify for Nationals.”
PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN/ THE SUNFLOWER
Senior Winny Koskei after winning her third consecutive conference cross country title. The American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships was held at 4 Mile Creek Resort, on Feb 6.
Baseball splits series with No. 13 Arizona
Volleyball drops two matches to Tulane, losing streak extends to five matches
BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com/@TheSeanMarty
Wichita State picked up a series split with No. 13 Arizona this weekend, as they picked up their victory against a ranked opponent so far this season. In game one of the series, the Shockers fell to the Wildcats by a score 8-5. From an offensive perspective, Corrigan Bartlett went 2-4 at the plate, while extending his hitting streak to 10 games. Cooper Elliott tallied a pair of hits in the loss, while David VanVooren and Paxton Wallace also drove in a run. Liam Eddy received the start and picked up his second loss of the season. Eddy allowed seven runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts and two walks in five innings of work. Arizona was led offensively by the performance of Chase Sileth who earned victory after giving up three runs and recording six strikeouts in seven innings pitched. Jacob Berry led the Wildcats’ offense with a double and two RBIs. The Shockers were able to split the series as they defeated Arizona by a score 10-9. Ross Cadena drove in the winning run in the seventh inning as they took down the No. 13 team in the country. Ryan Stuempfig picked up his second victory after coming in out of the bullpen in the fifth while collecting three scoreless innings. Stuempfig allowed two hits while tallying two strikeouts and a walk. Tommy Barnhouse followed Stuempfig and pitched a scoreless eighth inning while collecting two strikeouts. Haase collected a team-best save while retiring the Wildcats in order. Cadena led the team offensively in the victory, while going 2-3 at the plate while driving in three runs including the double. Bartlett also added in a pair of hits in the victory while extending his hitting streak to 11 games. The rubber match of WSU’s three game series against the Wildcats was canceled due to inclement weather. WSU finished off its Arizona roadtrip against Air Force but fell, 12-3. Josh Hansell suffered the loss after giving up five earned runs on two hits along with one strikeout in 2 2/3 innings of works. The Shockers currently have a record of 7-5 and have gone 2-1 in road games so far this year. WSU is 5-3 at Eck Stadium and 0-1 in neutral site games. The Shockers will be back in action Friday as they travel to Deland, Florida to face off with Florida International University. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Conrad Park. After that, WSU will face Stetson for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday also at Conrad Park.
BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com/@TheSeanMarty
PHOTO BY MONIQUE GAINES/ THE SUNFLOWER
Lauren Mills celebrates a home run during softball’s game against Missouri State on Friday at Wilkins Stadium.
Softball finish Wichita State Tournament 2-0 BY EMMIE BOESE
The Wichita State Softball went 2-0 at home on Thursday, March 11. The Shockers beat Omaha 1-0 in game one. The Shockers then went on to beat Missouri State in game two by run - ruling them 13-2. In the first game, there were no runs scored until the bottom of the 6th inning. Senior third baseman Ryleigh Buck got a hit out to left field. Freshman center fielder Lauren Johnson scored the lone run of the game, all the way from second base after a throwing error from Omaha’s right fielder. Senior pitcher Bailey Lange gave up four hits, and struck out six batters in a complete game shutout, while recording her sixth win of the season. Offensively, senior catcher Madison Perrigan led way as she went 2-3 at the plate along with a double. In WSU’s second game of the day, this one coming against Missouri State, sophomore second baseman Sydney McKinney and freshman right fielder Addison Barnard both got on base in the bottom of the 1st inning. Perrigan then hit a home run, giving her an RBI and the Shockers scoring three runs. Both Barnard and Perrigan collected homers in the victory along with four RBIs each. Head Coach Kristi Bredbenner said she was glad to see the improvement on offense compared to game one against Omaha. “I felt like we really had to focus on hardline drives,”
PHOTO BY MONIQUE GAINES/ THE SUNFLOWER
Wichita State junior Caitlin Bingham pitches at Wichita State’s game on March 11, 2021.
Bredbenner said. “Much better offensively.” The Shockers continued to pull ahead in the bottom of the 2nd inning, this time scoring 10 runs in the inning. Barnard launched her first career grand slam in the inning, while also giving her eight total home runs so far this season. McKinney, junior left fielder Wylie Glover, and senior second baseman Kaylee Huecker scored runs as well. Later on in the inning, Ryleigh Buck and Bailee Nickerson walked and Bredbenner went to Lauren Mills off the bench to pinch hit for Camryn Compton. Mills went on to launch a three-run home run to complete the 10-run inning. The Shockers would add one more run to the scoreboard with a bases loaded walk from Perrigan. Missouri State scored two runs each at the top of
the third inning with an RBI groundout and an RBI single. On the pitching side, junior pitcher Caitlin Bingham pitched all five innings while she allowed only two runs on three hits, and struck out three batters. The rest of WSU’s tournament was canceled due to inclement weather. The tournament was scheduled to continue four more games, before wrapping up on Saturday with two more games. Next up, the Shockers will travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma for the Mizuno Classic. WSU will start the tournament on Thursday with a game against Oklahoma State at 5 p.m. inside Cowgirl Stadium. The Shockers will play five games in Stillwater including doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday.
Wichita State volleyball dropped two matches at the hands of Tulane this week inside Avron B. Fogelman Arena. The losses extended WSU’s losing streak to five matches. On Friday, the Green Wave won the match in four sets, winning by set scores of 25-27, 25-23, 20-25 and 16-25. Tulane outhit the Shockers in the match, .358 to .245. Megan Taflinger led the way offensively in the loss as she tallied a season-high 16 kills while recording a .400 hitting percentage. Freshman Natalie Foster added in a career-high 11 kills. Sophia Rohling also added in 11 kills, as well. Kayce Litzau added in a teamhigh 25 assists in the loss along with two service aces. Libero Lily Liekweg tallied a team-high 14 digs. For Tulane, Lexi Douglas led the way with a match-best 18 kills while Mackenzie Martin also added in a double-double with 14 kills and 12 digs. In their second match of the weekend, the Shockers fell in five sets to Tulane on Saturday. The set scores of the match were that of 23-25, 25-18, 25-18, 22-25 and 7-15. Sophia Rohling and Mariah Buss led the way for WSU’s offense, with both players leading the way with 13 kills each. From a setting perspective, McKayla Wuensch added in a team-high 29 assists. Sophomore Lily Liekweg added in 23 digs while sophomore Sina Uluave tallied three service aces. Wuensch, Liekweg and Uluave also collected career-highs in those categories. The Shockers outhit Tulane in the loss, .243 to .207. WSU fell to 8-5 on the season with the pair of losses and now have a record of 3-5 in AAC play. WSU is scheduled to return to Charles Koch Arena for a non conference match against Kansas on Thursday. The game is set to start at 6 p.m.
MATCH RESULTS GAME ONE 27-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-16 GAME TWO 25-23, 25-18, 25-18, 25-22, 15-7
8 | MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2021
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Opinion
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contact The Sunflower’s opinion editor, Audrey Korte opinion@thesunflower.com
Street WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED THIS PAST YEAR IN THE COVID19 PANDEMIC?
AUDREY KORTE/THE SUNFLOWER
MARY ALLISON
Freshman, psychology major “During COVID-19, I have learned how important it is to strengthen the relationships you have. That being said I have never been this close to my parents, don’t get me wrong I love them but quarantine was a killer. Also I have learned that you don’t have to have a lot of friends, you just have to have some really good ones that care.”
DAVID NEASE
Junior, engineering technology major “I learned how fickle society is and how much we rely on social interaction and how frustrating and terrible it can be to not have that social interaction especially going to a new school or a new place.”
Women marched in Wichita for the third annual Women’s March in 2019 - Air Capital. Luisa Tayor (right) spoke at the rally after the march.
Your definition of a woman needs to change Olivia Babin Columnist
It’s women’s history month, and it’s time to redefine what you think a woman is. Women can be whoever they want to be. They can be astronauts like Sally Ride, the first female astronaut in space. They can be athletes like Serena Williams, one of the greatest athletes to ever live. They can be doctors like Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first Black woman to earn a medical degree. They can be politicians like Kamala Harris, the first female vice-president. They can be stayat-home mothers. They can be teachers like Dr. Jill Biden. They can be strippers and OnlyFans stars. Women can be anything and everything, and they still deserve all your respect.
And yes, a woman can have a penis. There is no single definition of a woman, and there shouldn’t be. Women are not defined by their clothing, or their hair, or their profession, or their ability to birth children, and certainly not by what is in their pants or on their chests. A woman is anyone who knows in their heart that they are a woman. There is no single mold they have to fit. Women’s rights have long been held up on the backs of trans women and BIPOC women. Society’s definition of a woman has centralized a uniquely straight, white and cis experience. When we refuse to acknowledge the experiences of women of color, queer women and trans women, we are not doing any women any favors. Honestly, I’m starting to grow away from the term feminism. I have always considered myself a
“Feminism shouldn’t be about any exclusively female or woman experience. It should be about everyone’s experience and freeing every type of person from the patriarchy’s limits.” feminist. If you’ve read any of my other columns in The Sunflower, it’s pretty easy to tell. But feminism shouldn’t be about any exclusively female or woman experience. It should be about everyone’s experience and freeing every type of person from the patriarchy’s limits. The patriarchy affects everyone. Men should be free to cry and have emotions and like boybands. Women should be free
to participate in sports and never have children. People should be free not to align with any gender. No one should feel like they have to fit a societal mold of gender identity. Be whoever you want to be. This month is about celebrating women and the things we have done for society. We have given birth. We have educated the masses. We have sent rockets to space. We have won 23 Grand Slams. I encourage everyone to celebrate the women in your life and the women who paved the way for our existence this month. But more importantly, I want you to remember the women who have been forgotten because they haven’t matched society’s definition of a woman: the trans women, the Indigenous women, the Black women, the lesbians, the non-binary people. History doesn’t remember them, but we will.
Even vaccines discriminate against women Audrey Korte JUDAH BEASLEY
Opinion editor
Junior, anthropology “This past year I’ve learned how to play the harmonica and how important it is to find new hobbies during COVID-19.”
KAEDE NAKADA
women’s studies major “Ever since Covid-19 hit, I realized how we socially connect with each other, like going to work and school. Without human interaction it’s hard to function normally. The hardest part for me was not being able to see my loved ones face to face anymore. ”
COVID VACCINE EFFECTS MOM’S MORE THAN DAD’S. WHAT’S UP WITH THAT? My mom and dad received their COVID-19 vaccines on the same day. I noticed when they got home that mom’s eyes were glassy and red. I mentioned it to her. Mom complained of headaches and muscle pain by day’s end. The next morning mom was still in bed at 9:30. I was aghast. She’s an early riser; one of those morning people I don’t understand (and don’t care to). But Dad was up and at ‘em. For the next few days Mom didn’t feel well. I started wondering if it was a family thing -- vaccine side-effects. In 2020 I received numerous vaccines for a now postponed trip to Sierra Leone. I had roughly 13 shots over four appointments. The yellow fever vaccine went fine. But later vaccines weren’t as kind.
A WEEK IN NOVEMBER: VACCINATED THEN COVIDDIAGNOSED. YIPEE. JAMES BRINKMEYER
junior, computer science “It’s been the one year anniversary of Covid-19, one thing that I have learned is that working from home can be very fun but it really hurts your work ethic.”
As luck would have it, I received two Hepatitis vaccines on a Friday, just days after exposure to COVID. I asked about getting a COVID test when I got vaccinated but the nurse suggested waiting so the COVID virus levels would be detectable, if I actually had COVID.
I felt fine. I started feeling effects immediately after the injections. The timing made the next week especially difficult. On Monday I tried getting a COVID testing appointment. It was pandemonium. I didn’t qualify as asymptomatic, not with a fever. So student health services wasn’t an option. I spent three days on calls to clinics, the county, United Way and pharmacies. I searched the web for hours each day looking for an appointment. No joy. Initially I figured I was suffering from vaccine effects only-- they’d started that day after all. But there’d been no improvement a week later. I had newer, shinier symptoms by then. On Thursday I gave in. I paid $150 for a rapid test appointment. My gut said, ‘you got COVID girl’. It was right.
IT’S GOTTA BE ME. I’ve long assumed when anything wonky happens with my health it must relate to Chronic Lyme disease. Lyme is a blood-based bacteria that can infect muscles, brain and bone. I began anticipating vaccine reactions a few years after my diagnosis. I anticipated all possibilities by then. I had new allergies, new medication intolerances, food intolerances, recurring infections and every complication imagined even for the most routine surgeries. I assumed vaccine effects were just me -- and that stupid Lyme, making things difficult, as always. I never thought gender played a
part in this equation. Until now.
MAYBE IT’S NOT JUST ME. VACCINES ARE SEXIST, BASICALLY. A study published last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed the first 13.7 million Covid-19 vaccine doses given to Americans. A trend in vaccine side effects emerged, again. Of the side effects reported to the agency in that study, 79.1 percent came from women, though only 61.2 percent of the vaccines had been administered to women. Women have side effects and adverse reactions from vaccines than men do. This is true for COVID-19 vaccines and vaccines in general. Nearly all of the rare anaphylactic reactions to Covid-19 vaccines have occurred among women. C.D.C. researchers reported that all 19 of the individuals who had experienced such a reaction to the Moderna vaccine have been female, and women made up 44 of the 47 individuals who had anaphylactic reactions to the Pfizer vaccine. Women have more side effects and adverse reactions from vaccines, show studies on influenza, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, and rubella (M.M.R.). In a 2013 study, scientists with the C.D.C.and other institutions found that four times as many women as men between the ages of 20 and 59 reported allergic reactions after receiving the 2009 pandemic flu vaccine, even though more men than women got those shots. Another study showed that between 1990 and 2016, women accounted for 80 percent of all
adult anaphylactic reactions to vaccines. All this time I have considered my vaccine reactions as just part of life with Lyme without considering my gender. Too often this is the case for us women and for our physicians and nurses. We assume gender equality exists in medicine and biology but it does not. Equality is like a utopian society -- something for philosophers, - Z! +a Zq Amcritics, and theorists to puzzle over. It’s not reality, nor is it likely to be in our lifetime. So the next time you get vaccinated, anticipate having some side effects if you’re a woman. Make your schedule more flexible the following day because statistically, you’re more likely to react if you’re a woman.
THAT SAID, I BELIEVE VACCINES ARE LIFE-SAVING. Anyone who has traveled to a developing country or has worked with populations that don’t have ample access to vaccines knows the devastating, rippling impact of a population unvaccinated. When it’s my turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine I will do it without question. It’s a key to my postponed Africa trip which will finally become a reality. One of these days. Just because I might spend a few days feeling icky doesn’t mean I won’t take the vaccine. I’ll get vaccinated but with an awareness that being a female puts me at higher risk for side effects. I’m comforted but annoyed by this fact. It’s nice to not be alone in this but really vaccines? Why you gotta be so sexist?
THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2021 | 9
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Arts & Entertainment
HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s A&E editor, Tabitha Barr arts@thesunflower.com
Dr. Chandler Puritty discusses diversity and inclusion in science BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE copyeditor@thesunflower.com
As part of the Stem Colloquium series, Dr. Chandler Puritty hosted a virtual chat on March 10, that was sponsored by the Chemistry Department and the McNair Scholars Program. Puritty hosted a discussion with science students and faculty from WSU about diversity and inclusion in the science field. Puritty completed her doctoral degree in biology from UC San Diego, where she now serves as a lecturer of the African American Studies and Environment Studies department as well as lecturing in the biology department at Howard University. Puritty went to high school in Wichita, and said that there are only 2% of African Americans in the environmental sciences field. “The first year of graduate school is the leakiest part of the pipeline, and so most students of color, not because they aren’t capable or not interested . . . choose to not continue,” Puritty explained. Puritty said that this ‘awoke a fire in her belly’ and she became passionate about figuring out why she felt more stressed and less confident in predominantly white spaces, at a historically Black institution. Puritty wrote an article for Science magazine titled, “Without inclusion, diversity initiatives may not be enough in Science,” that was inspired by her attendance at a panel for recruitment and retention of students of color. All of the members on the panel were white, and she was only left 30 minutes at the end to join into the conversation. “I actually wrote that paper out of necessity, and not for fun, not for prestige, not for glory . . . I couldn’t think of a better way to express how uncomfortable, repressed, and unseen I felt,” Puritty said. After completing graduate school, Puritty said she was tired of science performance, and was still really interested in diversity and inclusion, but most of the positions that she was looking into did not include both of those things. “For me, I was like, ‘no thank you, I would rather do both,’ and
Gen Z Women of Afghanistan are striving to be a positive influence BY EMMIE BOESE @Emmie
COURTESY OF MCNAIR SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Dr. Chandler Puritty spoke about the difference it makes when diversity is present in science today.
now I develop courses where I teach on intersectional environmentalism, mostly through the lens of systemic racism,” Puritty said. Puritty said that diversity is being notified about a school dance, where inclusion is being invited to the dance. Puritty said it is important to feel wanted in a space. “What we have going on here in the western world, because of our history and the people who have historically led science, which is largely cis-gender white men . . . there is a culture and a way that things are done and because it was such a siloed thing for so many years, what we understand as modern science is very much inseparable from western patriarchal cultures,” Puritty said. Puritty spoke about how people from low-income backgrounds are sometimes unaware of federal funding and scholarships for
college education, as well as science as a career option. “We’re scientists, so we should be engaged with the community, we are community members,” Puritty said. “How can we find more ways to educate and engage with the community that doesn’t bore them to tears or confuse them?” Communities of color are the most impacted by environmental issues around the world, and in the science field they are missing their perspectives and experiences. As a woman of color, Puritty said she feels that science is clearly biased towards people who have privilege to explore the unknown for the sake of knowledge. “Of course we need to save the planet, but I can’t focus on these grasses while my timeline is blowing up with news of Black men getting shot in the street,” Puritty said. Puritty said that colleges need
better representation, where students of color can feel safe and empowered in their positions as scientists. “With respect, I think we need to make more room for critics, because in my eyes critics are the only true optimists, because we are well behind on our evolution . . . We have a lot of work to do and we need to welcome these criticisms and these conversations,” Puritty said. Puritty said that she felt more confident performing in science spaces when she stopped trying to blend in to a program where she was the first Black woman in 15 years , and instead dressed as feminine as she wanted and wearing whatever made her feel strong. “Being the change that you want to see is the best way to advocate for yourself . . . I deserve to take up space here,” Puritty said.
Despite the challenges they face in their country, Afghan women of the Gen Z generation are heavy influencers in their country. These women are influencers on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. Due to information from the Business Insider several Afghan women have more than 50,000 followers on at least one form of social media. According to the Business Insider, an Afghan woman from the Gen Z generation has more followers than the president of Afghanistan. This woman’s name is Ayeda Shadab. Shadab owns her boutique and often posts on Instagram. Despite the struggles and dangers in her country, Shadab still does her best to show that life can be fun and worth living. Shadab said “Our intention is to show people the possibilities, that they can live life as they want,” she told Insider. “There is always fear in your heart, that’s just part of living in Afghanistan. But we have to stand up and live our lives.” However, only 14 % of people in Afghanistan use the internet for news information, due to a poll they found from the Asia Foundation’s 2019 “Survey of the Afghan People.” Even though Afghanistan is still behind many first world countries with internet access, the Gen Z generation influencers are affecting how much that might change for their country. This is due to the amount of people that began to access the internet for news. Overall, the positive influence these women have on their country is helping to shape them and be remembered for something positive according to the Business Insider They talk about how the Gen Z generation in Afghanistan does not want to be known for 9/11 but rather trying to move on and promote healing and change.
‘Voices in the Void’ Zoom play focuses on underrepresented voices and opinions BY TABITHA BARR arts@thesunflower.com / @tabbyjanelle
College students struggle with conflict throughout their years. It’s a growing point for them to learn and grow. On March 12-14, Wichita State University theatre students put on a production called ‘Voices in the Void’ for the community. It’s a virtual theatrical play about adults in their 20s struggling to find their own voices while obstacles arise around them. The play centered around many different characters, all intertwined together. The message they relayed was similar to what most 20-something year olds go through and how they combat the negatives. The performance was over Zoom, but it immersed the audience into the story and made the play reality. It was originally supposed to be streamed online, but it transitioned that way after winter break of 2020. Part of the play was live and other parts were pre-recorded, but everything was shown live to the audience. The people were real. Their problems were real. The solutions
“As much as we may not like this, it is a possibility and opens things up. It is an actual interaction between human beings . . . It is a valuable addition to the theatre world.” Danette Baker Director of ‘Voices in the Void’
weren’t always shown, but learning and growing was the goal. The play was written by many, and by the actors themselves. Some of their conversations were used in the dialogue and those whose lines were used were really excited. Some of the lines came from real life situations from the actors. Director Danette Baker knew that since the play was going to be fully virtual, she had to work around stationary acting and add in movements to make it more interesting.
Baker explained how each close up is a way of seeing into the person’s brain. “The audience gets every person’s perspective and every person’s point of view.” The play was very inclusive and progressive and used real time situations and their possible solutions. Therapy conversations, abusive relationships, same-sex relationships, parental relationships, friendships, and just overall life issues. “It was the most challenging, but the most rewarding thing,” Renae Richmond who played Melanie said. Staying connected and working around life situations made the process of the play an added challenge. But through working on lines and the in-person rehearsals they had helped make the connections that were needed with another human being. Baker talked about the process of directing over Zoom and how this can help theatrical performances in the future. “As much as we may not like this, it is a possibility and opens things up. It is an actual interaction between human beings . . . It is a valuable addition
SCREENSHOT
After the performance of ‘Voices in the Void’, the cast and crew held a Zoom Q&A.
to the theatre world.” From this production, Baker experienced new ways of directing and working with actors. “The awesomeness of these people, these individuals, their courage, their strength, their vulnerability; that’s something that I will take away from this.” “Limitation is just a challenge for you to think outside the box,” Sang Lee who played Robert said. Actor Crosby Dold said that she has learned a lot through the process. “That’s what I’m
taking away from this,” Dold said. “Everyone has the ability to grow, and change, and shift, and I think that’s gorgeous.” Carson Ediger who played Joe said, “this production has opened my eyes to things I’ve never dealt with.” It was a new safe and open place for students to come together and grow. ‘Voices in the Void’ gave a place for students to fully accept and be represented.
10 | MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2021
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