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THURSDAY March 24, 2022 Volume 126 Issue 26
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Political science department holds panel to analyze the Ukraine crisis BY MELANIE RIVERA-CORTEZ mxrivera-cortez@shockers.wichita.edu
In the midst of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the department of political science at Wichita State University held a panel to attempt to explain the complexity of the issue at hand. “This is an extremely difficult and awful situation that’s going on across the world, which is bleeding over into every country in the world,” Political Science Chair Neal Allen said. Allen, who was moderating the debate, decided that he would take off his tie and remain in his all black ensemble to mourn the loss of people who have died and will die. As of right now, scholars consider the conflict in Ukraine to be a crisis. “It is where there’s a possible path and things escalate, somebody does something that’s aggressive, somebody also responds to something that is aggressive and pretending it’s conspiring,” Michael Hall, associate professor of political science, said. This crisis is not something that happened overnight, but has been developing for a while. There is also no one-size solution for crises due to different factors and the unique situation. Hall said that no one can really predict what will happen, or how the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will end. What analysts can do is come up with possible scenarios. “There is likely to be a lot more fighting before the full extent of which scenario we’re looking at as it is going to play itself out,” Hall said. A factor that will most likely lead to the crisis lasting longer will be the fight over natural resources. The Nord Stream and the Nord Stream 2 are natural gas pipelines from Russia to Germany, running through the Baltic Sea. “They have immense political power and they highly determine the future of energy in Europe,” political science major Dominick Lett said. The Nord Stream pipeline runs from Russia to Germany, which in turn brings the United States into play. This could affect how much money Americans are spending on natural resources, such as gasoline and propane. The United States has a strategic oil reserve, where they have accumulated oil with their allies if a crisis were to arise. “But in any major case, there will probably be major global economic ramifications so significant that could cause a global downturn,” Lett said. The sanctions that have been imposed on Russia have come from many different countries. “Historically, economic sanctions have had various levels of effectiveness and it really just depends on how much political will other countries have to actually enforce them,” Alexandra Mildewood, an associate professor of political science, said. Middlewood said that what is being seen now is that countries have the will and political power to enforce sanctions against Russia. “Countries are actually seizing or freezing assets of certain people who are on those sanctions lists, and we’ve never seen that before,” she said. Though the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is ever changing with no certainty of what tomorrow will bring, both countries have experienced a large amount of loss.
Read the rest at thesunflower.com
Elizabeth Berhrman having fun while lifting weights at F45 on March 22 at the Heskett Center. | Photo by Baswanth Naidu / The Sunflower
Maggie Hairabedian does lunges with dumbbells at F45 on March 22 at Heskett Center. | Photo by Baswanth Naidu / The Sunflower
Victor Nguyen instructs a student during a class at F45 on March 22 at the Heskett Center. | Photo by Baswanth Naidu / The Sunflower
Scott Schul and Clint Carrier do a lats exercise at F45 on March 22 at the Heskett Center. | Photo by Baswanth Naidu / The Sunflower
Fitness franchise offers group workouts to the community BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com
Working out might seem like too much of a hassle for many college students. But F45 wants to make it fun. F45 is an organization located in the Heskett Center that provides workout classes for faculty, staff, students and anyone with a Heskett Center membership. Director Andy Sykes said that F45 is the fastest growing fitness franchise in the world. It was started in Australia and Wichita State was the second school to bring it on its campus.
“It was a huge deal, we went to SGA to get funding for it and everything,” Sykes said. “It was a big, big deal.” Pre-COVID, each class maxed out at 27. They now go up to 18. Daily attendance throughout their multiple classes reaches roughly 50. Instructor Tristram Nguyen said that people have the option of getting classes tailored to their own needs. “I know a lot of people are apprehensive about joining the classes because they either have zero activity experience or very little,” Nguyen said. “We can
always regress it if they need — make it easier.” The organization offers 21 classes every week and 10 classes per week during summer. Student instructor Ivan Castillo said that the difference between YMCA classes and the F45 organization is community. “F45 is just so unique,” Castillo said. “That the philosophy of it is community based… I’ve gotten to meet faculty members that I don’t think I would have ever met or interacted with if I wouldn’t have gone to F45. “I have made friends that are completely out of my major, even
better like grad students so it’s a really great opportunity to meet the campus community.” Castillo joined the organization in fall of last year. “After a semester, I really enjoyed it and actually applied to be an instructor,” Castillo said. “Ever since then I’ve been kind of involved both as an attendee, but also as an instructor.” Students can sign up through the campus recreation app. Sykes said that community members outside of Wichita State can attend their first class free. A Heskett membership is $40 a semester for non-WSU students.
Shiftspace starts petition to reinstate funding BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE AND LINDSAY SMITH news@thesunflower.com and editor@ thesunflower.com
A petition to reinstate Shiftspace Gallery’s full funding has received over 300 signatures. Shiftspace Gallery, a downtown student-run art gallery, received a 65.8% decrease in the student fees proposal. If the proposal gets passed by the student senate and signed by the president, it would cut the gallery’s manager position and just be enough to pay the gallery’s rent. Without the gallery manager, the gallery would struggle to stay afloat. The gallery itself does not make any income. “We would lose the space without a gallery manager in place there so it really cut Shiftspace,” Manager Kristin Beal said. Lydia Humphreys, president of the gallery, said that having a student in the full-time gallery manager position, without getting paid, would be too much to ask. ShiftSpace gallery’s request
was debated heavily after questioning its Registered Student Organization status. However, while many student organizations can develop through Shiftspace, the gallery as a whole is not an RSO. “We were asking for funding as an org, not a registered student organization … I hope that they realize that that was a misunderstanding,” Beal said. Representative John Kirk initially motioned to give them $0 due to its questionable RSO status. “I would share my concern of eliminating funding for a position without at least some time to prepare for that,” Gabriel Fonseca, SGA advisor, said at the hearings. SGA Treasurer Zachary James made a motion to fund $23,000 instead of their full $67,445 request. The vote on the motion was tied so James voted in favor to break it. “I’m really just looking to pay for the gallery itself,” James said. “I support students, I love working with students, I know
An exhibit speaking out against rape culture in Shift Space, a WSU student-run art gallery in downtown Wichita. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower
there are students in SGA that support Shiftspace … I don’t question that,” Beal said. “This is a misunderstanding that needs to be corrected.” Applied learning Shiftspace Gallery opened in 2005, according to wichita.edu. It became an org through SGA in 2008. Students get to take on a role within the gallery including, but not limited to, preparator, curator, social media manager and community outreach coordinator.
Professor Robert Bubp founded Shiftspace. He said that it adds value to learning opportunities on campus. “[Shiftspace] completely aligns with the university’s ‘applied learning’ philosophy,” he said. “Students who volunteer or work there learn the tools to exhibit, brand, and fund exhibitions, as well as create and facilitate opportunities to engage with the local public.
2 | THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022
NEWS
Olivia Gallegos (left) and Mitchell Adamson (right) are running for student body president and vice president. | Photo courtesy of Olivia Gallegos
Turning Point USA president running for SGA president unopposed BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com
WSU’s Turning Point USA President Olivia Gallegos is running for student body president unopposed. This is the second year in a row having only one ticket running for SGA president. In the last five years, this is the third time. The 2018 election was the first unopposed election since 2005. Gallegos, who is running alongside Mitchell Adamson, said her campaign is focused on four goals: transparency, mental health, financial literacy and safety. “We want to be very open and transparent about what we’re doing and about what’s going on because I think students often don’t know what’s going on in SGA, just because they’re not sure what SGA is, and they’re not sure what the proper channels are to receive information,” she said. If Gallegos wins the presidency, she still plans on keeping her position as Turning Point USA president. At Wichita State, Turning Point USA has been faced with controversy. The organization was initially denied registered student organization status by the student government association, despite a letter from FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) telling SGA that denying a group would be against freedom of speech. The supreme court ultimately overturned the senate’s decision and Turning Point USA received RSO status. Gallegos faced criticism early on when she chose to highlight Turning Point USA contributor Morgan Zegers in a social media post for women’s history month. A group of students on social media called for her resignation, but Gallegos did not resign and was a senator the following year. She has been a senator for two sessions.
SHIFTSPACE FROM PAGE 1 “Students who exhibit there learn the skills needed to install, light [and] label artwork for exhibition and they gain experience in putting their work in front of the community.” Humphreys said that it provides real-world experience. “In the school, we’re trained how to make artwork … But we aren’t necessarily taught how do
Kaye Monk-Morgan, assistant vice president for academic affairs, addresses faculty senate. The meeting was held on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018. | File Photo by Tanat Machain / The Sunflower
April 4-6
Kaye Monk-Morgan leaves 30 year career at WSU
LOCATION
BY LINDSAY SMITH
WHAT TO KNOW VOTING DATES
editor@thesunflower.com
Online
OPEN POSITIONS SGA president, vice president Legislative branch (senators) Candidates had to declare by March 2. Students who did not declare but are still interested can run a write-in campaign for any of the positions.
Adamson, a sophomore studying economics and former Sunflower staffer, said his focus on the campaign is the finances. “She needed help more with creating more of an internal control system within the student government. That’s really my main focus is to focus on creating subcommittees within the group, maybe even, you know, trying to get courses for the people who want to be involved in the financial side.” Gallegos said that safety is another top priority. “We definitely want to work with [the Office of Disability Services] to make the university more ADA accessible, as well as our senate’s safety and student services committee and working with them as well and having that conversation,” Gallegos said. Adamson said that SGA members need to treat their position more professionally. “Some students, they treat it more as a club and, you know, it’s an actual job, you know, these senators and these people get paid for this position. And, they don’t tend to take it as seriously as, you know, an actual position.” SGA voting opens April 4 and goes through April 6. you prep your work for a gallery,” Humphreys said. “And that’s just so important, because that’s what could boost their career later on.” Many of the art shows are open call for students. “We definitely do work to cater towards every student on this campus,” Humphreys said. “We have people from different colleges who work with us … The beauty of the funding coming from SGA is that it’s part of the requirement, that we cater for the entire school and the student body.”
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.
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Kaye Monk-Morgan first stepped foot on Wichita State’s campus when she was 18 years old. Now, she’s saying goodbye to her 30 year career at the university. “It’s bittersweet,” MonkMorgan said. “I spent more than half my life pouring into and trying to help grow and make Wichita State a premier education institution.” Monk-Morgan, WSU’s current vice president for strategic engagement and planning, will start her new job as chief impact officer at the Kansas Leadership Center on April 18. The chief impact officer is a new role at KLC. In this position, Monk-Morgan will “continue teaching in leadership
development programs and will serve as a facilitator for civic engagement experiences,” according to the press release. “[It’s to] elevate some of the work that’s being done in communities across the state of Kansas,” Monk-Morgan said. “To ensure that not only are we providing in-depth and positive leadership development, but that the communities in which we’re providing that development are also making progress on whatever issues [were] brought into KLC in the first place.” Monk-Morgan has worked at KLC for the past three years as an associate of the teaching team. “I do that now as a contract employee, kind of a side gig on, days off and ebekings. This certainly will elevate the level of commitment that I have,” she
said. Monk-Morgan is still planning on being a part of the WSU community through alumni events and more. “To kind of close that door, there’s always, I feel like, there’s always a window open, right?” Monk-Morgan said. “I don’t know that I’m ever going all that far away.” Over the course of her career, Monk-Morgan got to see WSU expand and grow. “We didn’t have an Office of Diversity and Inclusion when I came to Wichita State, I started the first ever diversity related programs … I had a chance to build those,” Monk-Morgan said. “From being a student government senator, all the way to being a vice president, so lots of growth over the last three decades.”
Veteran and NASA intern named Adult Learner of the Year BY SASCHA HARVEY snharvey@shockers.wichita.edu
When one pictures a college student, a plucky teenager probably comes to mind. However, students come in all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life. The Office of Adult Learning pushes to honor and include adult students in the WSU community. On March 10, Pamela O’Neal named aerospace engineering major Nick Rodriguez the Adult Learner of the Year. The event has been held virtually the last few years. 2022 is the first year in which the event was able to be held in person. To be considered for the position, an adult learner must have a 3.5 GPA, or be in the top 20% of all adult learners. O’Neal came to WSU in 2002 at the age of 31. She pursued a master’s degree in communications and a bachelor’s in English. When she was nominated for graduate student of the year in 2017, she knew she wanted to be able to give the joy of recognition to other adult learners. “We know how hard you are working,” O’Neal said. “Not only
Pamela O’Neal congralutes Nick Rodriguez for winning Adult Learner of the Year award on March 10 in the Rhatigan Student Center. | Photo by Sascha Harvey / The Sunflower
are you going to school, and you’re doing well at it, […] but you’re also probably working full time, raising children and perhaps even taking care of a sick parent.” O’Neal is grateful for the WSU community’s commitment to inclusion of all learners. Rodriguez, for example, was in the army before deciding to chase his dream of being an aerospace engineer. After combat tours in Baghdad, Iraq, and the southern U.S. border, Rodriguez was able
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to intern at NASA in summer of 2021. He was nominated for the award for his “unrelenting commitment to academic excellence.” Not only is Rodriguez a first generation student, but he is also supporting his wife and step-son. He was interested in engineering in high school but never thought he could pursue it due to a lack of interest in math and science. “I hope you all have confidence to chase your dreams as well,” he said.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022 | 3
Sports
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‘We came up short’
Former Shockers face off in NCAA Tournament Round of 32 BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com
Even though Wichita State missed out on March Madness this year, a pair of former Shockers have made their imprint on this year’s tournament. Here’s an update on those two players and their performances during the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament:
TEDDY ALLEN NEW MEXICO STATE
Tyson Etienne reacts to a missed three-pointer during WSU’s game against Tulsa on March 10 in Fort Worth, Texas. Etienne went 2-for-8 from downtown in the first round loss. | Photo by Rachel Rudisill / The Sunflower
Junior Morris Udeze battles inside during WSU’s first round game against Tulsa in the AAC Tournament on March 10 inside Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. | Photo by Rachel Rudisill / The Sunflower
Sophomore Clarence Jackson celebrates during WSU’s first round game against Tulsa in the AAC Tournament on March 10 inside Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. | Photo by Rachel Rudisill / The Sunflower
Men’s Basketball’s disappointing season ends with first round exit in Fort Worth BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com
After a season filled with heightened expectations, Wichita State’s disappointing 2021-22 season came to a close on Thursday in the first round of the AAC Tournament. Six months ago, the Shockers were hopeful and looking to build off their regular season title from last year, but nothing ever seemed to click throughout the season. As a result, WSU recorded its lowest finish since they joined the American, along with a first round exit for the first time in the AAC Tournament. “Overall, I’ve got to do a better job,” Head Coach Isaac Brown said. “I know these guys will fight, they won a championship last year, we didn’t win a championship this year. We’re never happy not being in the postseason. We’ve got to do better, I’ve got to do better as a coach. I’ve got to get these guys to play harder.” Despite returning seven key players from last year’s championship roster, the Shocker offense never seemed to click. Tyson Etienne struggled to repeat his AAC Co-Player of the Year performance from a season ago, with his scoring average dipping from 16 to 14.9 points per game. In Thursday’s 73-67 loss to Tulsa, WSU shot 37% from the field, with multiple scoring droughts sandwiched throughout. “I’ve got to do a better job on making sure the ball moves,” Brown said. “I thought earlier in the season we moved it a lot in our ‘bounce offense’ but we still weren’t scoring the basketball. We’ve
got to do a better job of turning down a good shot and getting a better shot.” The Shockers’ first round exit came without one of their most important pieces, Craig Porter Jr., who was sidelined with a pulled groin. Tyson Etienne shifted to the point guard position in the loss and struggled to create offense for himself, going 5-for-16 from the field.
“Overall, I’ve got to do a better job. I know these guys will fight, they won a championship last year, we didn’t win a championship this year. We’re never happy not being in the postseason.”
- Isaac Brown
Ricky Council IV started in place of Porter but picked up two fouls early, leading to a 34-24 halftime deficit. Council helped lead a second half charge, scoring 16 of his 19 points after halftime. “Just learning from last year when I wasn’t playing as much, when I finally got in the rotation I was going to help the team a lot, which I felt like I did but I also wanted to win,” Council said. “That didn’t happen.” Council was one of the major bright spots this season, after being awarded with AAC Sixth Man of the Year on Thursday. The Durham, North Carolina native will now be entering a pivotal offseason for his future. “This offseason is going to be big for me and whatever I decide to do
forward,” Council said. Although the Shockers were inconsistent throughout the year, the team still felt confident in turning the season around before entering Fort Worth. WSU knew it was a tall task but was prepared to win four games in four days to make a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Shockers were fresh off a twogame winning streak to close out the regular season, creating more optimism. “Ever since Saturday, our last regular season game against ECU, we knew we had a lot of work to do to get in the NCAA Tournament,” Council said. “To do that we had to win four games in four days. Losing in this first round really hurt. Honestly, I expected to get to the championship. We came up short.” Despite the bittersweet ending to their title defense, Brown said he is optimistic for what the future holds for the program. The Shockers didn’t have a senior on the roster, with five juniors receiving an extra year due to the pandemic. Since the end of the season, three Shockers — Chaunce Jenkins, Clarence Jackson, Qua Grant and Joe Pleasant — have entered the transfer portal. If the players opt to move on from WSU, they will have four open scholarships for next year. “We won a championship last year and I felt it was my duty to go out and get some guys to come in and back these veteran guys up,” Brown said. "We had a young team, we didn’t have a senior on the roster. I think we’ve got to add some pieces, I think we have a good nucleus coming back.”
Teddy Allen never suited up for the Shockers but arrived in Wichita as a transfer from West Virginia before the 2018-19 season. He was forced to sit out that season after a waiver to play immediately was denied by the NCAA. Allen was dismissed from the team the ALLEN following summer after being charged with domestic violence, ending his brief stint with the Shockers. After stops at Western Nebraska Community College and the University of Nebraska, Allen is now at his fifth school in five years and became a March Madness star this past weekend. He delivered 37 points in New Mexico State’s first round upset victory over No. 5 seed Connecticut. Allen started the game 0-for6, but caught fire late, scoring 14 points in the first half. Allen finished the game going 10-24 from the field and 4-7 from downtown. The junior forward had a career season under former Shocker assistant Chris Jans, and was named WAC Player of the Year after scoring a career-high 19.6 points per game. “I’m happy we got the dub,” Allen said after scoring the Aggies’ final 13 points of the game. “Teammates kept looking for me and telling me to shoot. That’s all you can ask for is teammates who believe in you and coaches who believe in you and this is what can happen.” Arkansas keyed in on Allen in the second round game, limiting him to 12 points on 5-for-16 shooting. The Razorbacks held on for a 53-48 win, ending Allen’s run in the NCAA Tournament.
TREY WADE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS After playing two seasons with the Shockers, Trey Wade decided to go elsewhere to play his final season of college basketball. Wade entered the transfer portal in late March and committed to play at Nevada but decommitted shortly after, due to personal reaWADE sons. Ultimately, Wade ended up at Arkansas to wrap up his college career. Although Wade’s numbers are down, he has carved out a role on the No. 4 seed Razorbacks, starting 21 of the 34 games this season. Wade is averaging 3.3 points per game on a career-high 48.9% shooting from the field. Wade started in both of Arkansas’ NCAA Tournament games, helping them advance to back-to-back Sweet 16’s with wins over Vermont and New Mexico State. Wade is averaging one point and one rebound in the two wins for Arkansas. Wade and the Razorbacks will take No. 1 seed Gonzaga on Thursday in San Francisco, California. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:09 p.m.
SPORTS
4 | THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022
Garrett Kocis leads baseball to walk-off win over Kansas BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com
Garrett Kocis knew it right off the bat. After two years of injuries and hardships, Kocis launched a game-winning walk-off home run on Wednesday, sending his Shocker teammates into hysterics and sealing the 7-5 victory over Kansas. Last year, Kocis was off to the best season of his career, launching a career-high 12 home runs and led WSU in OPS through 25 games of the 2021 season. Then a broken wrist sidelined him during his breakout season. This year has been a similar story for the senior first baseman. Kocis jumped out to a slow start at the plate and a left hamstring injury sidelined for the past month. But moments like Wednesday’s walk-off made all the time rehabbing worth it for Kocis. “It’s everything to me,” Kocis said. “I get kind of emotional right now thinking about it. All these
injuries taught me to keep going and enjoy every moment because I don’t know when my last at-bat or last play I make is going to be.” The Shockers showed some fight after the Jayhawks quickly jumped out to a 5-0 lead after four innings. In the top of the sixth, WSU scored three runs to cut back into the KU lead. Chuck Ingram then delivered a solo home run in the eight, making it a one run game. Ingram then tied it the following inning on a sacrifice fly that scored Jack Sigrist. Connor Holden delivered a scoreless frame in the top of the 10th inning setting up the opportunity for WSU to complete the comeback. After Gage Williams and Payton Tolle were retired to start the inning, Jordan Rodgers hustled out an infield single, setting up the opportunity for Kocis. The Shocker first baseman then hammered a fastball over the right field fence, sealing the win. “He’s a guy that was so big for us last year and it’s been
UP NEXT
FRIDAY, MARCH 25 WSU vs Creighton 6 p.m. Eck Stadium
frustrating for him this year,” Head Coach Eric Wedge said of Kocis. “He got off to a tough start and then he got hurt and has been finding his way back. We’ve got to be careful with him, make sure we keep him healthy, but as long as he gets back to that approach, it looks like he’s headed in that direction.” The Shockers view this walk-off win over KU as a momentum-shifter, after their 0-6 start to the season. WSU remains confident due to their ability to battle back in every game, no matter the deficit. “We never give up,” Kocis said. “One through nine, everybody out there on any given day, all the pitchers. We all got each other’s back and we just fight.”
OFFENSIVE SURGE
Garrett Kocis hugs Matt Boyer after launching a walk-off homer against Kansas on March 23 inside Eck stadium. | Photo by Sean Marty / The Sunflower
Softball picks up two wins in Stillwater BY RACHEL RUDISILL rtrudisill@shockers.wichita.edu
Shocker softball picked up two wins against Kansas City, but fell short both times to OSU last weekend during the OSU Mizuno Classic. On Friday, the Shockers fell to OSU 8-0 in five innings. The Shockers remained hitless throughout the game. On Saturday, the Shockers looked to redeem themselves, but fell short going 2-10 in another five inning game against OSU. Freshman Alison Cooper joined the circle, but after allowing five runs on three walks and two hits, she only pitched for 1.1 innings. Senior Caitlin Bingham came in for the remaining 2.2 innings of relief with five runs on four walks and seven hits. Despite being no-hit in the previous game, Zoe Jones hit a two-run shot to give WSU an early lead 2-0 at the top of the first. OSU took the lead 4-2 at the bottom of the first inning with three walks, two hits and one error. The Cowgirls extended their lead five runs and a solo homer down right field, at the bottom of the fifth. Despite their struggles with the Cowgirls, the Shockers picked up two wins against Kansas City.
Andrew Stewart celebrates with assistant coach Mike Sirianni after his first career home run during WSU’s game against South Dakota State on March 13 inside Eck Stadium. | Photo by Sean Marty / The Sunflower
Stewart’s improved bat provides depth to the Shocker lineup BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com
In Andrew Stewart’s first season with the Shocker baseball program he struggled to find a consistent approach at the plate. Stewart hit .201 in his first season after transferring from Barton Community College, but his defense kept him in the Shocker lineup despite his offensive struggles. But Stewart’s offense has had a noticeable change in 2022. Stewart’s average is up to .278 and he also saw his on-base percentage increase by 78 points this year. On top of reaching base more frequently, Stewart has provided more power to the Shocker offense, with his slugging percentage up to .389, including launching his first career home run this spring. “He’s been swinging the bat well lately,” Head Coach Eric Wedge said. “When you talk
about Andrew, you talk about a guy that you want to hit the ball in front of the outfielders. The last couple days, he’s been hitting the ball behind them. That says a lot.”
“He’s been swinging the bat well lately. When you talk about Andrew, you talk about a guy that you want to hit the ball in front of the outfielders. The last couple days, he’s been hitting the ball behind them.” - Eric Wedge
Stewart had a successful fall season, which has now translated into him becoming a regular in the Shocker lineup. The junior shortstop has focused on making contact more consistently with a new approach,
which has paid dividends so far. Stewart has only struck out seven times in 13 games, down from 29 last season. “Stay short, get my foot down and that’s basically all I’ve wanted to do is to get my foot down and get on time for the fastball,” Stewart said. After an 0-6 start to the season, the Shockers have turned their season around, partly due to Stewart becoming a regular in the lineup. Stewart has played in 13 of WSU’s 19 games and the Shockers have gone 8-5 in those games. The Shockers had similar success with Stewart in the lineup last season, going 28-22 in games he saw action in. “We became closer as a team, shaking off some of those tough losses,” Stewart said. “It was just grinding through it. We knew we were going to come out of it at some point, so keep playing.”
STEWART’S OFFENSIVE STATISTICS
UP NEXT
TUESDAY, MARCH 29 WSU vs No. 1 Oklahoma 6 p.m. Norman, Oklahoma
On Friday, Bingham pitched their entire five inning matchup and picked up her seventh win. She allowed two runs off four hits and with two strikeouts and one walk. Junior Sydney McKinney started strongly for the Shockers with a double off of the first pitch which led to a three-run off RBI’s from Lauren Lucas and Krystin Nelson at the top of the first inning. By the top of the second, the Shockers brought up their lead 6-0 off senior Neleigh Herring’s threerun homer. On Saturday, the Roos picked up an early lead at the top of the first, but ultimately fell short to the Shockers once more 10-5. By the bottom of the second, the Shockers evened out the score 2-1. The Shockers grabbed their first lead at the bottom of the fifth going 8-4 and finished the game adding two more in the bottom of the sixth, Kansas City put up one more run at the top of the seventh.
Head strength and conditioning coach set to depart after this year BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com
After 35 years as the head strength and conditioning coach at Wichita State, Kerry Rosenboom has decided to leave the university’s athletic department at the end of the school year. Rosenboom was hired on an interim basis in September 1987 and was quickly elevated to the head strength and conditioning coach, where he has served since. Rosenboom has led Shocker athletics during the most successful stretch, including baseball’s national championships and numerous conference championships across other sports. Rosenboom has made an impact on hundreds of Shocker athletes and was recently named to the Wichita Sports Hall of
Fame. Following his long tenure at the university, Rosenboom said it was a hard decision to leave WSU. “I always thought that I’d finish my career at Wichita State but after the last couple of years ROSENBOOM I’ve realized that it’s time to move on,” Rosenboom said in a Facebook post. “I’m not sure what the Lord has planned for me, but I’m excited to start the next chapter.” Many former and current Shockers announced their praise for Robenboom for his help during their collegiate careers. Rosenboom, at age 58, said that he will look for another job and his departure is not a retirement from the industry.
Men’s golf collects third place finish BY RACHEL RUDISILL rtrudisill@shockers.wichita.edu
The men’s golf team traveled to Springfield, Missouri where juniors Dawson Lewis and Brock Polhill secured the Shockers third place at the Twin Oaks Intercollegiate, the team’s best outing of the 2021-2022 season. Three of the five matched and/ or bested their previous careerhigh finishes. Lewis finished the tournament the best in the field with 10 birdies. Following closely, freshman Lucas Scheufler recorded nine birdies and the Shocker’s only eagle on the
18th hole of the second round. The two recorded the best scores on Par 4s with an average of 3.84 strokes, both career bests in the first round. Redshirt freshman Joe Bultman tied 19th, matching his career best with a shot 71 for his second straight tournament. Freshman Michael Winslow completed the best performance of his collegiate career with seven birdies in a tie for 27th. After the beginning of the tournament, Polhill had a rough start in the first round. However, he quickly bounced back in the second round with two bogies to vault 11 places on the individual leaderboard.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2022 | 5
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Opinion Street
HAVE AN OPINION?
contact The Sunflower’s opinion editor, Emmie Boese opinion@thesunflower.com
Saint Peter’s NCAA Tournament run shows the magic of March Madness Sean Marty
HOW MUCH DO YOU PAY ATTENTION TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS?
ZEPHAN RODRIGUEZ
Freshman, aerospace engineering “I’d say I am not too invested in local government currently. Whenever people are talking about it I do like to listen and stay informed that way. I don’t go out of my way to look for information.”
JAMILETH NAVARRETE Sophomore, business
The importance of understanding holidays (and not just the time-off) Allison Campbell
Sports Editor
sports@thesunflower.com
Columnist
After consecutive upsets at the start of March Madness, a tiny private Jesuit university from Jersey City, New Jersey became the darlings of the field on the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. Before Thursday, few in America had ever heard of Saint Peters but after shocking No. 2-seed Kentucky in overtime in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament, suddenly this small school was in the national spotlight. Then the Peacocks downed No. 7-seeded Murray State, one of the nation’s best mid-major programs and winners of 21 straight games this season. Saint Peter’s is the third ever 15 seed to advance to the Sweet 16. Oral Roberts and Florida Gulf Coast had similar runs in previous years, but the Peacocks’ story feels different. Oral Roberts had a similar run last year, but it had a longer resume of NCAA Tournament history. Likewise, Florida Gulf Coast mesmerized fans with its exciting play, but Saint Peter’s might be the tournament’s craziest rags-to-riches story ever. The odds of this small school from New Jersey making it this far were slim to say the least. Just 1.53%
campbellnallison@ gmail.com
Intrust Bank is all set up for March Madness. | Photo by Sean Marty / The Sunflower
of all brackets correctly picked the Peacocks to advance to the Sweet 16. As they head down to play No. 3 seed Purdue next Friday, many, including myself, are still in shock of their magical run to this point. Saint Peter’s has an enrollment of just over 3,000 students. They play in a recently renovated rundown arena called ‘Run Baby Run’ that only seats 3,200 people. The program’s entire basketball budget, the lowest among all tournament teams in the field, is five-times less than John Calipari’s yearly salary at Kentucky. They didn’t even win their conference in the regular season, needing Iona, who beat Saint Peter’s twice this season, to get upset in the MAAC Tournament to pave their path to the Big Dance. Their overtime thriller against Kentucky showcased your typical
David versus Goliath matchup. Kentucky’s Rupp Arena has a capacity of 20,545, which is 17,345 more than Saint Peter’s. The Wildcats also had a loaded roster which featured three fivestar recruits, along with Oscar Tschiebwe. Saint Peter’s run is what makes the madness of March and this tournament so special. Their story is unique because out of nowhere, an underdog no one had ever heard of has captured America’s attention. Whether or not Saint Peter’s run continues farther into the tournament, it’ll still go down in history. They are one of the best Cinderella stories that have ever come from March Madness and will be remembered for years to come.
“I personally don’t pay attention to politics but I’ve never been interested in that. Maybe I will start paying more attention now that the thought has come up.”
ALEX GALLEGOS
“Honestly I don’t pay that much attention because I am not from the Wichita area. I am from Oklahoma and I don’t think it is branched out to out-of-state students.”
YASH ALA
Freshman, undecided “I am new here but I have done research about the politics here a couple of months before I came here.”
AIDEN HOLT
Freshman, aerospace engineering ““It is not something I am focused on 100%. If I see something that I am interested in I will definitely look into it but it is not anything I normally focus on.”
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and must be fewer than 400 words. Letters may be edited for accuracy, clarity and length. Please include your name, WSU affiliation and a phone number for verification purposes. To submit letters, email opinion@thesunflower.com or submit at www.thesunflower.com. The opinions expressed in The Sunflower editorials, columns, guest columns, reviews, advertisements, letters and editorial cartoons are not necessarily those of the staff, publications board, student body or the university. The Sunflower reserves the right to edit or reject any submission. We also reserve the right to edit or reject any advertisement.
“We seem to be a society that is always on high alert for fallacies and scams, but every year we celebrate holidays without even knowing what they stand for.” Our holidays are a central part of our culture and how we create social bonds, yet we are told little about them aside from how to celebrate. It’s bizarre to think that many of us so blindly follow traditions and certain practices without even fully understanding the implications. We seem to be a society that is always on high alert for fallacies and scams, but every year we celebrate holidays without even knowing what they stand for. How many people know that Saint Patrick was a Christian missionary kidnapped by Irish raiders? How about the fact that Mother’s Day was created by the Greeks to celebrate Rhea, the mother of the gods? Or that April Fools was once not a holiday, but an insult shouted towards people who followed the Julian calendar instead of the Gregorian one, according to History.com. In failing to understand the meanings behind holidays, we lose a vital part of our culture and identity. Anyone who has a child knows that they constantly ask “why” things are the way they are. Sharing traditions, customs, holiday practices and explaining their meanings not only educates others but culturally enriches them as well. Learning the backstory of your families or country’s celebrations is a fantastic and incredibly easy way to get in touch with your roots and, more importantly, pass on your values.
Freshman, sports management
Opinion
For many, spring could not have come sooner. This beautiful season gives students and faculty a welcome excuse to spend time outside, relax and prepare for the end of the semester. But for many, the only thing on our minds (especially after spring break) is what holiday is coming up next that offers time off from school? Easter, April Fools, Saint Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo are just a few holidays that will offer merriment, parties and relaxation as we approach the end of the semester. But when was the last time we appreciated what holidays even stand for?
STUDENT OPINION OF THE WEEK MARHA JEAN JUNIOR, BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING Q: What are your thoughts about students from different states receiving in-state tuition? A: “I don’t really find there to be a problem with it. I also don’t see how it would affect anybody in Kansas that are trying to [attend] in-state university. I think it is all good. ”
6 | THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022
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Arts & Entertainment
HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s A&E editor, Kyran Crist arts@thesunflower.com
Seniors Teagan Myers and Kayla Knoll perform “Freedom” from The Mad Ones. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower
Courtesy of Netflix
The Adam Project deserves the hype BY KYRAN CRIST arts@thesunflower.com
Ryan Reynolds and his classic wit unsurprisingly take the world by storm again with the time-travel themed Netflix original The Adam Project. The film stars Reynolds playing the character Adam Reed, traveling back in time to save his wife. Shortly after crash landing his ship into his childhood home, he runs into his past self (Walker Scobell)— the spitting image of a young Reynolds with his quick wit. Scobell played his part perfectly by mimicking the humor and personality of Reynolds that fans have come to love in his acting. Incorporating that into a 12-yearold’s personality was hilarious to watch. The film follows the two as they work to get future Reed back to his wife, while they are trading sarcastic comments, uncovering secrets of the bad guy as well as dealing with the death of their dad (Mark Ruffalo) in their own ways. While I loved the film for the humor and the action, I really enjoyed the harder topics it touched on. With the two different time variants of Reed’s character, viewers were given two different viewpoints of the loss of a parent. Scobell’s character was dealing with the loss of his father by having outbursts at school and towards his mom. But Reynold’s character was the opposite. He resented the way he treated his mother when younger and was angry with his father instead. I appreciated the level of depth the film was able to handle while still being considered a lighthearted and fun film. The only complaint I have with the film is the excessive use of well-known actors. Having Reynolds play alongside Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner and Zoe Saldana, all in one film, had me spending a good portion of the movie trying to figure out if this was a Marvel film or not. While they are all great actors, the film was good enough that it could have brought in some lesser-known names.
UPCOMING EVENTS THURSDAY, MARCH 24
How to do Business with the City of Wichita Noon - 1 p.m. Online
CSB Membership Meeting 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Rhatigan Student Center
Trans/GNC Support Group 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Online
FRIDAY, MARCH 25
Telling your story with ArcGIS Story Maps Noon - 1 p.m. Online
Grief Support Group 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Steve Clark YMCA
Annual Drag Show 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. Hughes Metroplitan Complex
Senior Emerson Ross performs “Make it Right” from Prince of Egypt during the musical theatre’s senior capstone rehearsal. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower
Senior Kayla Knoll sings “Just Keep Moving the Line” from the TV Show SMASH during the second act of the musical theatre department’s rehearsal for the senior capstone. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower
Seniors shine in capstone performances BY MIA HENNEN mbhennen@shockers.wichita.edu
The Wichita State Musical Theatre Department gave seniors the opportunity to display their talent one last time before parting from the university. On March 11, in Wilner Auditorium, the spring graduating senior’s Capstone Performance was held and included pieces from various musicals and artists. “A normal musical showcases a few people really well, but this one gives everybody an opportunity to really show off and that’s awesome to get to do,” senior Teagan Myers, who did her character study on Samantha Brown from the Mad Ones. Seniors were given the opportunity to choose the character they wanted to study and perform as that character. Several said that the roles they chose had been on their list to play for years. “My character study is from the Phantom of the Opera, and I feel very happy about the choice,” senior Chayston Simmons said, who studied the Phantom. “It’s a role I’ve looked at for years and years, but Phantom is a beast of
a role, so I never felt like I could feasibly do it until now.” When deciding their characters, some seniors said they picked characters that they could find themselves in. “I picked John Larson from tick, tick...BOOM!” senior Ethan Harmon said. “It’s about [Larson’s] struggle being unsuccessful and turning 30. I can relate to that even as a 21-year-old, just because I feel like we’re all sometimes at places in our life when we feel like we haven’t been doing enough or haven’t gotten enough done.”
“A normal musical showcases a few people really well, but this one gives everybody an opportunity to really show off and that’s awesome to get to do.”
-Teagan Myers
Senior Olivia Goodspeed took on the role of Regina George from Mean Girls.
“With Regina, it’s kind of hard to relate to her because she’s an evil girl, but if you think about it—don’t we all want a little bit of the power and demand the stage that she has?” Like other aspects of life, the senior musical theatre majors felt the effect the COVID-19 pandemic had on their education. “It’s been odd because both of our years as upperclassmen we couldn’t really perform,” Myers said. “It feels like we just started, and now it’s over.” Despite the barriers, seniors were pleased to be able to perform on stage again and seek a sense of “normal.” “Look at the last two and a half years,” Simmons said. “You gotta be adaptable in order to be able to get punched in the gut and get back up and just move on.” After completing their education in May, seniors had a variety of plans, ranging from performing on cruise ships to pursuing a career with major entertainment companies. “I will be going to the Disney college program in July,” Myers said. “Hopefully from there, I’ll continue to work for Disney.”
Senior Ethan Harmon dances and sings “All I Need is the Girl” from Gypsy. Harmon chose Jon Larson for his character study. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower
Senior Levon Mathis sings “I Love Betsy” from Honeymoon in Vegas during the musical theatre department’s rehearsal on March 10. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower
Activities that won’t drain the tank or the bank BY KYRAN CRIST arts@thesunflower.com
It’s no secret that gas prices across the nation are rising, forcing some consumers to limit their driving to only essential trips. This means fewer late-night drives or trips to fun events. Where does that leave students who are trying to save money, but also still want to enjoy their college days? Here are some fun activity ideas that won’t have you draining the tank or breaking the bank.
CAMPUS ACTIVITIES Wichita State University works to offer many activities for students to attend. The Student Activities Council puts on many free events for students a month, such as the upcoming 12th annual Drag Show on March 25. The Shocker Sports Grill and
Lanes is located in the basement of the Rhatigan Student Center. It features events such as free poker tournaments and glow bowling. They also rent out pool tables and bowling lanes throughout the week.
THEMED NIGHTS For a Powerpoint night, choose a topic for your group, grab some snacks and let everyone create then present a slide that dives into a specific topic of a film/game/ book your group has chosen. For example, if your group’s topic was Shrek-themed, the slide could be “The onion layers of an Ogre.” The presenter goes into heavy detail of what they believe to be the layers. Topic ideas are limitless, so find one that your whole group is interested in. Costume parties - Pick a theme where visitors can dress up, such
SAC hosted Tie-Dye Tuesday on Sept. 7 outside the Rhatigan Student Center. | Photo by Khanh Nguyen / The Sunflower
as “Greek Mythology”, “Dress as your partner” or “Euphoria”. Finish with decorations or just enjoy the costumes and company for the night. Classic movie nights - Pick a movie or series of movies to watch together with a group. Guests can bring a dish based on the series
to snack on throughout the night. You can also play Kahoot as a break between movies, and to see who was paying the most attention while watching. These activities will help keep students on or around campus for a low cost, while still being able to make fun memories.