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/ The Sunflower

THURSDAY March 3, 2022 Volume 126 Issue 24

WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896

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SHOCKER STRENGTH

Wellness expo empowers students with wellness resources in the community BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE news@thesunflower.com

To help to raise awareness of wellness resources in the Wichita community, approximately 40 businesses and organizations came to campus Wednesday to talk to students. Beth Albers, coordinator of events for campus recreation, said that the wellness expo empowers students with wellness information. “We didn’t do one last year because of Covid,” Albers said. “We want students that are here, whether they’re from here or not from here, to know what the community has to offer them, and typically everything here is free … So we want them to know what’s available outside in the community and on campus.” This was one of the many events throughout SGA’s wellness week 2022. There were approximately 40 tables at the event, including SAC, Girls on the Run, CAPS, Sedgwick County Division of Health, VASA and the Alzheimer’s Association. Tables gave students information and free items pertaining to their wellness. Community members were also present at the event. “I decided to come to just check out the variety of resources at Wichita State and within the Wichita community for all sorts of help, whether that be physical health, mental health, emotional health, everything like that,” Angelique

Banh, graduate student, said. “Just to know what’s out there either for myself or friends or classmates who may benefit.” Students were given a card to keep track of how many tables they visited. After visiting 10, they were entered into a drawing for bigger prizes, such as gift cards from businesses at the event and a red parking spot from the police department. Every person also received a free wellness expo T-shirt. Samantha Dixon, a graduate student in anthropology, said that she came for the free tee but enjoyed the information she received about the difference between overeating and undereating. Cornhole, a vertical jump tester, a pull-up bar and a gaming computer provided by the Esports table were just some of the interactive activities available to students. Olivia Hewlett, a freshman in biomedical sciences, said that she attended after a friend told her about it. She said the VASA booth was the most enjoyable because they were interactive, and she received info on programs and training that were available. “I love how the university is supporting our health,” Lindsey Choir, senior biology student said. “My favorite one is WASAC (Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center), they’re amazing support services, love them. And I love CAPS, we support you, they are amazing.”

MONDAY MENTAL WELLNESSS

Suspenders4hope Unmasking Mental Health Trauma-Informed Yoga

TUESDAY PHYSICAL WELLNESSS Physical and Mental Wellness Together Table Lindsey Choi paints the mask, The event was hosted by CARE Team on monday at RSC. | Photo by Nithin Reddy-Nagapur / The Sunflower

Tipsy Trials Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month Table

WEDNESDAY

THE WELLNESS EXPO The Wellness Expo Pee 4 Pizza Keep Calm Breath Online Bisexual Health Awareness Month

THURSDAY FINANCIAL WELLNESS

Financial Aid Opportunities

Sophomore criminal justice major Kaitlyn Ainsworth tries to navigate the winding sidewalk mat at the Student health CAPPS’ Tipsy Turvy booth on March 1. | Photo by Jordan Plowman / The Sunflower

Bogus Budgets: Tips and Tricks to Avoid Financial Hardships

Shocker Fit Instructor Tristram Nguyen signs students up for a game. Shocker Fit offered free health classes for students to take in the Heskett Center. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

Former Shocker basketball player escapes Ukraine BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com

Last month, when the U.S. State Department began urging American citizens to leave Ukraine, former Shocker basketball player Toure’ Murry began having second thoughts. Murry signed with BC Ternopil, a team in the Ukrainian Superleague, in January amidst the country’s conflict with Russia, which escalated after Thursday’s attack. Murry had to pack up his belongings in a rush on Saturday, before it was too late. “Obviously we’ve been paying attention to the news the last two weeks,” Murray said. “My concern really reigned in when the U.S.

officials in the embassy were leaving. I was kind of worried that if the officials left, I can’t save the world, those are the people that are supposed to save MURRY us.” For Murry and other Americans playing basketball in Ukraine this season, deciding to leave the country wasn’t a simple decision. It meant breaking their contracts, which is their main source of income, while teams downplaying the likelihood of a Russian invasion. The Ukrainian SuperLeague finally paused its season just earlier this week. Teams in the

league downplayed this outcome and pleaded with their American players to stay, rather than leaving earlier. “I was in a situation where my team was informing me that everything was going to be OK and if anything happened, they would take us to the border,” Murry said. “I was reluctant a little bit to follow those rules just because I don’t want to put my trust in someone’s hand like that. “I ended up staying for a few more days, but finally, when I was fed up, that’s the day when everything escalated. I had to go with my team instead leaving on my own.” After receiving a text message to pack his bags and flee the country,

Murry got in a car headed for the Poland border. With the border blocked off, Murry had to adjust, instead heading for Romania. When Murry made it to the border hours later, he had to wait outside in the cold for 14 hours, due to the number of people trying to leave. “For me, it started at 7 a.m. on Saturday and from then on, it was like a whirlwind,” Murry said. “Just trying to figure out what’s the best move, what route I should take. I just didn’t know anything, which kind of made me panic even more because you never know what’s going to happen.” After escaping Ukraine amid the conflict, Murry flew to Amsterdam on Friday afternoon,

before arriving back in the United States on Saturday. Murry said his travel experience was frustrating as a whole, which was compounded by the teams’ late response to the situation. “I had to take a seven hour train from Romania to a major airport so it was really hard,” Murry said. “I left some stuff there that I couldn’t return and go get. It was just a lot of turmoil as far as trying to figure out how to go about it.” Although Murry’s life was put in danger, he’s gained perspective from the situation and realizes how many families in Ukraine have been impacted. “My condolences go to all the SEE MURRY PAGE 3

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NEWS

Kansas awarded first ever Governor’s Cup, other economic development awards

This week’s news in brief BY LINDSAY SMITH AND JULIA NIGHTENGALE

MDL REOPENS TESTING LAB Wichita State’s molecular diagnostic testing lab has re-opened testing to the general public. Everyone has to pre-register online before going to an appointment. The lab offers both nasal and saliva testing. Results will be done in 24 hours.

STUDENT FEES COMMITTEE FINISHES DELIBERATIONS The student fees committee finished their deliberations on Wednesday night. The student senate will review the student fees proposal later this month. If the student senate approves the proposal, it will move to the university president. The student fees committee hearings and deliberations are available to watch on YouTube. Full story and the money breakdown will be published at thesunflower.com soon.

ROTC refines students’ professional skills Governor Laura Kelly discusses the improvements she has brought to Kansas, including topics like employment. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower.

BY REPORTER email@shockers.wichita.edu

Governor Laura Kelly announced Kansas as the winner of the 2021 Governor’s cup award, presented by Site Selection Magazine at the Deloitte Smart Factory. Kansas was given this award for the most capital investments and most economic projects per capita. The state was ranked 20th for this award in 2019 and 10th in 2020. Under Kelly’s administration, Kansas has had more economic opportunities than in the state’s history. In 2021, the state created and retained 41,000 jobs, brought in more than $8.4 billion dollars, created 500 new economic

development projects including roads, bridges and childcare and the state’s unemployment rate has been below 4 percent for over a year.

“Before I became governor, Kansas was making headlines for all the wrong reasons. But in 2019, we made headlines again, this time some good news.”

- Laura Kelly

“Kansas has laser focused on growth and we’re working together to build for the future,” said Lieutenant Governor David Toland. Kansas was also awarded

the Gold Shovel Award by Area Development Magazine for Economic development excellence. Kansas also ranked number one for Business Climate in the West North Central region, ranked 10th best state in the nation and was recognized by Site Selection Magazine for the 2021 Prosperity cup. “Before I became governor, Kansas was making headlines for all the wrong reasons,” Kelly said. “But in 2019, we made headlines again, this time some good news. CNBC named us the comeback state of the year.” Along with its awards and recognition, Kansas was one of the top three states to report higher employment rates since the start of the pandemic.

Veterans Center honors outgoing Police Chief and Deputy Police Chief BY REPORTER email@shockers.wichita.edu

The Wichita Police Department has undergone tremendous change in recent years, and two pioneers of that change are now leaving the force. WSU’s Veterans Center held an event honoring the outgoing Wichita Police Chief and Deputy Police Chief on Monday, March 1 in Grace Wilkie Hall. Former Chief Gordon Ramsay and Deputy Wanda Givens were both awarded engraved sabers to commemorate their time spent serving the Wichita community, courtesy of Wichita NAACP President and Director of Military and Veterans Services Larry Burks Sr. President Rick Muma gave the two challenge coins as a token of the community’s appreciation. “It was an honor to serve this community,” Givens said. “I wanted to make a difference but I didn’t want to forget where I came from.”

Ramsay has been serving as an officer since 1993 and was appointed chief in Jan. 2016. Givens has been on the force since 1987. Both officers worked together to create a safer space for the Black community in Wichita. “My biggest struggles were internal and changing the culture internally,” Ramsay said. “The changes we’ve made have been because you have helped.” Ramsay served as a Commissioner on the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Kansas Governor’s Commission on Racial Equity and Justice. “Our department looks different today because the changes in hiring practices,” Ramsay said. “The amount of African American[s], Hispanic[s], Latino[s], and women in our department over the last few years has changed significantly and there’s one person to thank and that’s Wanda.”

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 © 2022 The Sunflower. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.

President Rick Muma gives Deputy Wanda Givens a challenge coin. | Photo by Sascha Harvey / The Sunflower

Reverend Carl Kirkendoll, one of the black pastors in the “God Squad” who met with the Wichita Police Department, attended the event and honored the outgoing Chief and Deputy Chief. “‘She was there 34 years,’” Kirkendoll said to his granddaughter. “My granddaughter said, ‘wow, that’s real black girl magic.’” Givens and Ramsay were thanked for their work toward racial equality by the Wichita branch of the NAACP. “It does take a village,” Givens said. “This is my village that I’m looking at.”

BY SASCHA HARVEY email@shockers.wichita.edu

Junior Ticie Dumas started as a health sciences student; he now has the capability to lead soldiers. With WSU’s ROTC, or Reserve Officer Training Corps program, Dumas and junior Lane Collins have developed leadership skills that will serve them in any career path down the line. Dumas always had interest in a military atmosphere and almost joined her high school’s JROTC program but never committed. When recruiters visited her class her freshman year, she made the jump to join ROTC. “Coming in, I [was] definitely not the same person I am now,” Dumas said. “I was a person that really didn’t speak out. [...] ROTC has definitely taught me to step out of that comfort zone and be comfortable with the uncomfortable.” Now, Dumas is in a medical unit and plans to broaden the meaning of medical assistance by adding engineering experience. Collins, on the other hand, didn’t even know what ROTC was in high school. He joined his freshman year. “[ROTC] helps develop people professionally,” he said. “It helps them to stay on top of their grades.” ROTC has given Collins the motivation to join the army and push through aviation school to eventually pilot helicopters someday. By taking charge of other cadets, he has grown his skills as a leader. “Whenever you’re a leader, you’re put in a position to develop yourself,” he said, “either [by] taking accountability of people or giving briefs to the commander.” One program that assists cadets in refining their skills is the KU Buddy Ranger Challenge. Held annually in Lawrence, the challenge tests cadets knowledge in everything from medics to weaponry, as well as physical capabilities. Winners earn opportunities to further their military education in specialized programs. “We compete against many different schools across the nation,”

EDITOR IN CHIEF Lindsay Smith editor@thesunflower.com

DESIGN DIRECTOR Thy Vo design@thesunflower.com

NEWS EDITOR Julia Nightengale news@thesunflower.com

PHOTO EDITOR Khanh Nguyen photoeditor@thesunflower.com

SPORTS EDITOR Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Rachel Rudisill rtrudisill@shockers.wichita.edu

OPINION EDITOR Emmie Boese opinion@thesunflower.com

MARKETING MANAGER Kaylee Stout marketing@thesunflower.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Kyran Crist arts@thesunfower.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Rachel Thomas admanager@thesunflower.com

FACULTY ADVISOR Amy DeVault amy.devault@wichita.edu

WSU cadets during their Dr. Glen Dey Park clean-up event. The Cadets conduct their tactical training at Dr. Geln Dey park and try to give back to the Community by picking up trah and debirs. | Courtesy of Scot Mullis

Collins said. “We’re there to hone in our skills. We’re there to show other schools what we’re made of; what WSU is made of.” Cadets aren’t the only ones growing professionally. Assistant Professor of Military Science Scot Mullis said working with these students has helped him become more empathetic and understanding. He hadn’t really considered the military as a career option until he had already received a degree in history from UMKC. “I didn’t join the army until I was 27,” Mullis said. “[I] ended up joining the National Guard to subsidize some income, get some additional benefits, and be able to gift the GI bill to my daughter when she went to college.” He began teaching ROTC at WSU in spring of 2018 after teaching a similar program in Nebraska for a few years. “With the program being so young, the focus has been growing the program and making sure we’re sticking with the Cadet Command curriculum,” Mullis said. Mullis, Dumas, and Collins all recommend that students look into the program and see if they think it would be beneficial for them. Scholarships and tuition assistance can cover up to 100 percent of students’ tuition as well as additional benefits. “It fits a lot of people,” Mullis said. “Not everybody, and that’s OK.” The ROTC center is in Grace Wilkie Annex. Students can email Mullis at scot.mullis@wichita.edu if they’re interested in joining the program.

Lindsay Smith: 316-978-6905 editor@thesunflower.com ADVERTISING

Rachel Thomas: 316-978-6906 admanager@thesunflower.com

Corrections

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.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2022 | 3

Sports

HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s sports editor, Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com

‘It’s definitely a blessing’

Men’s basketball won’t hold a Senior Night on Saturday BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com

Freshman Steele Gaston-Chapman and the rest of the men’s basketball team celebrate after a basket against South Alabama. It was announed on Thursday that Gaston-Chapman received a scholarship for the spring semester. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

Steele Gaston-Chapman receives scholarship for spring semester BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com

From the second Steele GastonChapman got the opportunity to walk-on at Wichita State, he knew it was a chance he couldn’t pass up. But GastonChapman’s goals didn’t stop there. He wanted a scholarship. Gaston-Chapman’s favorite piece of scripture — “For we walk by faith, not by sight” — echoes how he’s stayed motivated as a walk-on. He’s used that as a mindset to keep his faith, even when the going gets tough. Last week, Gaston-Chapman was awarded a scholarship for the spring semester. “By the looks of it, it can be however it seems but you just keep your faith, keep your walk, keep going, anything is possible,” Gaston-Chapman said. “My motivation is sky high right now because I can basically do anything as long as I keep God and keep working.”

“I’m very much appreciative of the opportunity that I was given to come here and to walk-on and receiving a scholarship, especially within the same year is just a huge blessing.”

- Steele Gaston-Chapman

The route to this point hasn’t been easy. Gaston-Chapman grinded out one season at Southwestern College, an NAIA school in Winfield, Kansas. There he averaged 13.1 points per game and was the KCAC Freshman of the Year. But Gaston-Chapman decided to bet on himself. He believed in himself and felt he had the talent to play at the Division-I level. That constant faith came to fruition when Head Coach Isaac Brown presented him with a scholarship for the spring semester. “It’s definitely a blessing,” GastonChapman said. “I’m very much appreciative of the opportunity that I was given to come here and to walk-on and receiving a scholarship, especially within the same year is just a huge blessing.” Gaston-Chapman grew up in the area and played his high school basketball at nearby Campus High School with his

Freshman Steele Gaston-Chapman looks to drive during the exhibition game against Missouri Southern State on Nov. 4 inside Charles Koch Arena. | Photo by Sean Marty / The Sunflower

brother Sterling, who now plays at Tulsa. As a senior, he had the Colts on the cusp of their first-ever state title with a 23-0 record and a berth in the Class 6A state semifinals, but the last two rounds were called off due to COVID-19. Now, after earning a scholarship at a school he cheered on as a kid, GastonChapman takes pride in his journey. “Definitely playing in your hometown, being on the team of Wichita State and being a Wichita kid is just a tremendous honor as well as earning a scholarship,” Gaston-Chapman said. “To do it in your own city is pretty cool.” Since Gaston-Chapman joined the Shocker basketball program in the summer, he has been known for his work ethic. Brown said that was the main reason he gave Gaston-Chapman the scholarship left over from Matt McFarlane’s transfer in August. “He’s an everyday guy,” Brown said. “If he was one of the guys that wasn’t an everyday guy, that didn’t take our workout to another level, I wouldn’t have gave him that scholarship, but he’s handling his business in the classroom, he’s been great off the court, he’s been great in the locker room, he’s really positive on the bench. “He’s just a positive guy so we needed to give him a scholarship to help him out and he’s been great for us.” Gaston-Chapman is redshirting this season, while rehabbing a leg injury and making the adjustment to Division-I level. Even though he’s spent every game on the bench, Gaston-Chapman will be the first

person off the bench to greet someone after a big play. His energy has transferred over to practice, giving 100% and helping make his teammates better. “He’s taken our scout team to another level,” Brown said. “He brings a lot of energy to our practice and giving him the scholarship, I felt that was something we had to do. We look forward to him coming off redshirt and helping us next year.” Gaston-Chapman has been able to learn from experienced guards, like Craig Porter Jr. and Tyson Etienne, while adjusting to a new system. He said that this experience will benefit him in the long run. “Just the flow of the game, it’s definitely a new level for me, coming from where I came from,” Gaston-Chapman said. “To just see from the guys that are ahead of me right now, to watch from them, study how they run in the system and as well to see the flow of the game.” Gaston-Chapman believes his journey with the Shockers doesn’t stop after earning a scholarship. He is preparing to make an impact next year after a year of sitting back and observing a new level of play. “Coming in with a mindset that I knew that I was good enough to walk-on but to actually play here was always my mindset,” Gaston-Chapman said. “Coming in and proving myself and proving that I could be on this level was my main goal and I ended up getting a scholarship out of it.”

Despite having five four-year players on the roster this season, the Shocker men’s basketball program will not hold a Senior Night against East Carolina on Saturday, according to Head Coach Isaac Brown. The five players — Dexter Dennis, Craig Porter, Qua Grant, Morris Udeze and Joe Pleasant — have all told Brown that they intend to return to college basketball next season. They have all played four seasons at the college level, but received an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 last winter. These fourth-year players include Dennis and Udeze, who have been a part of the Shocker program since 2018. Both players have indicated that they’ll use the extra year of eligibility but haven’t confirmed that it’ll be with WSU. “I’m happy with everybody on the team. We don’t have a senior on the team. We’re not going to have a senior night. Dexter [Dennis] and Morris [Udeze] basically told me that they’ll play college basketball next year, so that was great news. We’ve got a great core coming back.” Brown said he’ll have those conversations with Dennis and Udeze, along with the rest of the team about next season once the season comes to a close. The Shockers are currently the No. 9 seed for next week’s conference tournament and will need to win four games in four days to make a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. “I normally sit down with guys at the end of the year, so right after the conference tournament, depending on when it ends, hopefully on Sunday, and I visit with those guys two days later, and we have those conversations then,” Brown said. “I give them the floor. Obviously, I’ll tell those guys I would love to have them back, but it’s their decision in the end.” WSU will look to finish the regular season strong heading into the AAC Tournament. The Shockers will play in one of the four play-in games in the tournament for the first time since 2019. “I think if you can get on a winning streak, know that you can win basketball games, gain some confidence, and play the right way going into the conference tournament, it can help you,” Brown said.

Toure’ Murry goes up for a layup during a game against UAB on Nov. 25, 2011 at INTRUST Bank Arena. | File Photo by Sreedhar Vasomsett / The Sunflower

MURRY FROM PAGE 1 families that suffered through this. That’s the important thing, understanding there’s a lot more to life than money. As long as you’ve got your family and friends and you’re able to get out of there. That’s the most important.” Murry played at WSU from 2008-12. Murry, a native of Houston, made it to the NBA as an undrafted player and played a combined 56 games for the Knicks, Wizards and Jazz between 2013-15.

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SPORTS

Junior Carla Bremaud celebrates with her parents after helping lead the Shockers to a 84-83 victory over Tulane. Bremaud scored 14 points throughout the game. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

Senior Mariah McCully attempts to drive through Tulane’s defense on March 2 in Koch Arena. McCully scored 19 points throughout the game. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

SENIOR NIGHT

WSU sends out seniors with Senior Night win BY RACHEL RUDISILL rtrudisill@shockers.wichita.edu

WSU’s women’s basketball seniors Asia Strong and Mariah McCully have competed for the last time in the Charles Koch Arena on Wednesday. Both seniors came in their junior year as transfer students and their careers have only increased since joining the Shockers. Strong transferred to WSU after graduating from Trinity Valley University, a junior college in 2020. Being freshly added to the roster, nobody knew the name Strong. That changed her first game as a Shocker, which is her favorite memory at WSU. “I started the first game last year, and I had 20 points,” Strong said. “I was just going off. After that, everyone was cheering ‘oh my gosh it’s Asia Strong.’ It was exciting just to come here and making an immediate impact. All the articles about me and developing my 3-point shot here. I was able to show my potential shooting and playing inside and outside.” Strong is grateful for her junior college career because that gave her passion for the sport. She was able to learn more about the competitiveness college basketball brought from her teammates, opponents and head coach Gerald Ewing. “Being here, translating what I learned in JUCO and applying

it to my game here has helped,” Strong said. “I used to be very uncoordinated growing up in high school, so watching high school highlights compared to now it’s like wow, I could have never imagined.” WSU was not the first college McCully played basketball for, but her third. Before joining the Shockers, McCully played basketball for Wabash Valley College and Odessa College. She joined the Shockers last season in 2020 for her junior year. Since leaving junior college, McCully has adapted to a new basketball experience. “Being on the court is completely different from my previous schools,” McCully said. “Being on the basketball court is a different feel from the fans to outside of the school. At JUCO, you don’t really have that. You’re just known by the people on campus.” Her favorite memory at WSU is going on her team trip to Puerto Rico. “I was sick, but just the fact I still had fun and enjoyed myself says a lot,” McCully said. “Just the weather and people, it was different. I have never been on an island before.” After graduation, McCully plans to play professional basketball. Once she finishes her professional career, McCully has a full plate. She wants to teach, coach and develop a real estate business. “I have made a lot of friends; some don’t even go here anymore,” McCully said. “The people on other teams and sports recognize you. It’s a good feeling to be recognized after being slept on for so long.”

Shockers look to carry momentum into postseason BY RACHEL RUDISILL rtrudisill@shockers.wichita.edu

WSU’s women’s basketball team took on Tulane for senior night on Wednesday. Both teams needed an extra five-minute overtime period, with the Shockers winning the regular season finale, 84-83. The Shockers played with confidence. After losing last week to Tulsa, the Shocker looked to respond before heading into the postseason. “We had some talks together,” junior Carla Bremaud said. “Coach had a great talk with us two days ago that we need to be a team and we don’t know how many days we have left together, so we just need to enjoy the time that we have left together and just play as a team.” After a fast paced first quarter, the teams, combined to put up a total of 46 points. The Shockers lead 24-22. However, going into the second quarter the teams only put up a combined total of 27 points. At the end of the second quarter, both teams went into a scoring drought. Tulane went six minutes without any success and the Shockers went over 6:15 with no points going into half time. The Shockers put up four points from the free-throw line, from senior Asia Strong, junior Trajata Colbert and freshman Ella Anciaux. “The free throw line, it freezes you and it relaxes you,” Adams said. At the end of the first half, the

Shockers lead 36-37. Senior Mariah McCully put up 11 of those points and was the only player from either team to score double figures. “We had too many turnovers in the first half,” Adams said. “In the second half, we did a much better job and didn’t have nearly as many turnovers. When you turn it over against them (Tulane) they make you pay for it.” Strong ended the drought for the Shockers putting up a threepointer on the 9:27 marker of the third quarter. Following quickly in her footsteps, Bremaud put up another triple. “She hit those threes that gave us some big confidence,” said Adams. With nine seconds left in the game, Tulane guard Arsula Clark made one of two free throws tying the game 74. Bremaud attempted one last three-pointer, but the ball bounced off the backboard on the buzzer, sending it to overtime. Tied at 74 points, neither team trailed more than two points going forward. They were going back and forth trying to grab the win. Tulane’s Krystal Freeman gave the Green Wave the initial lead, but Bremaud responded with a huge triple to put the Shockers ahead by one point. After trading leads two more times, Strong was fouled with 15 seconds remaining. Trailing Tulane by one, Strong shot for two on the free throw line. Both attempts were good, giving the Shockers the win. “I missed my first free throw maybe like two or three possessions before,” Strong said. “I was confident. I just breathed and I took my time. Coach always tells me to take my time. Easy form and boom.”

Men’s Track and Field collects third place finish at AAC Indoor Championships in Alabama BY EMMIE BOESE elboese15@gmail.com

The men and women’s track program produced some solid performances at the American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama last week. The men finished second overall. Adria Navajo recorded a victory for the men in the heptathlon on Saturday. He recorded a personal best in the high jump and long jump during the race. Michael Bryan has qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in March after winning the weight throw on Friday. Bryan had a winning throw of 22.58m/74-1. Bryan shattered WSU’s record

by more than a meter and is now ranked at No. 6 in the nation. Bryan has won five of the six meets he has competed in this indoor season, breaking his own weight throw school record two separate times. He also broke his own conference record in the event at the conference championships. This will be the sixth-straight indoor national championships featuring an athlete from the Shocker track and field team. “I’m excited to see what he can do at the national meet against some high-level competition,” throwing coach John Hetzendorf said in a statement. “It appears this national meet may be the deepest field in the weight throw there has ever been.”

The women finished 10th overall at the AAC Indoor Championships. However, Yazmine Wright finished second overall in the mile with a time of 4:45.45 and second in the 3,000 meters with a time of 9:35.95. Head Coach Steve Rainbolt said he encouraged his team to have the same strong mindset heading into the outdoor season. “I am believing that the men can make a strong run at a team title in May and that the women can certainly be focused on achieving a top-three finish,” Rainbolt said. The NCAA Indoor Championships will be held in Birmingham, Alabama on March 10, and will end on March 12.

Redshirt junior Gabby Hopkins practices throwing weights during the track and field event on Feb. 4. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2022 | 5

SPORTS

Women’s Tennis falls in AAC opener BY EMMIE BOESE elboese15@gmail.com

It did not go as planned on Friday for the Women’s Tennis Program after a 0-7 loss against No. 70 nationally ranked Memphis. Head Coach Colin Foster said in a press release that the Shockers played hard despite the results of the match. “Firstly, thanks to our fans for great support and a great turnout,” Foster said. “It’s a lot of fun for our team to compete in this atmosphere. Unfortunately, Memphis set the tone early and never let us

get comfortable.” With Natsumi Kurahashi out due to a non-COVID illness, WSU shuffled its doubles tandems and bumped all five singles players up a spot in the order. Harriet Hamilton produced the closest match for the Shockers at No. 5 singles. However, she lost to Memphis’s Monique Woog 8-6. In doubles, Harriet Hamilton and Dohee Lee played a close match at No. 3 with Memphis but lost 6-5 and 7-5. The Shockers will take a pause in conference play and play at Abilene Christian on March 5. The match will start at 10 a.m.

UPCOMING MATCHES SATURDAY, MARCH 5

WSU @ Abilene Christian 10 a.m. Abilene, Texas

SUNDAY, MARCH 6 WSU @ UT Arlington 2 p.m. Arlington, Texas

THURSDAY, MARCH 17 WSU vs Cincinnati 12 p.m.

Coleman Tennis Complex

Lingwei Kong swings for the ball during their set against Memphis at the Wichita Country Club tennis complex on Friday, Feb 25. | Photo by Baswanth Naidu/ The Sunflower

Baseball secures first two wins of the season in Texas BY EMMIE BOESE elboese15@gmail.com

Freshman Kristof Minarik moves to greet the ball during his singles set against the Creighton Bluejays on Feb. 11 inside the Genesis Health Club. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

Minarik makes impact in debut season BY RACHEL RUDISILL rtrudisill@shockers.wichita.edu

WSU men’s tennis Head Coach Denny Bryan first contacted freshman Kristof Minarik when he was in high school. However, Minarik kindly denied his offer to play at WSU. He was fresh into high school and wanted to focus on his friends and playing tennis at school. Minarik was not ready to leave his home. Minarik grew up in Boldog, Slovakia. His whole world revolved around tennis. Minarik first picked up the racket at six years old. Since then, his career has taken off. “My favorite memory was when I won my first national championship,” Minarik said. “I was 12 and that was the biggest moment for me.” As Minarik grew in his tennis career, he continued to pick up more wins and score well in multiple professional tournaments. Bryan continued to watch his film and was determined to recruit Minarik before he graduated high school. After Bryan’s failed attempt to recruit Minarik, Assistant Coach Brett Forman decided to reach out for a second time. “Speaking on the phone with him, I could tell he was a bright guy that was serious about academics

and furthering his tennis career,” Forman said. “Danny spoke on the phone with him multiple times and after watching some film on him and discussing our ideas with him on his game, we decided it would be a great fit.” After a few months of recruitment, Minarik announced he would be playing tennis for the Shockers in 2021.

“The edicate of people, they’re really talkative and nice and help me. Like back in Europe, they’re not like this. They do not interact with each other.”

- Kristof Minarik

“Kristof’s strengths on court include his forehand, his quickness around the court and his overall tennis IQ,” Bryan said. “He has aspirations of becoming a professional tennis player one day, and we are looking forward to helping him achieve that goal.” Tennis was not the only factor when it came to leaving home. To continue playing tennis, Minarik had to leave his friends and family from Europe behind. Each summer, Minarik would go on road trips with his friend. They would just drive around looking

for a new adventure to — spontaneously — go on. Since moving to America, Minarik has adapted to America’s edicate. “The edicate of people, they’re really talkative and nice and help me,” Minarik said. “Like back in Europe, they’re not like this. They do not interact with each other.” Before joining the Shockers, Minarik had a career high APT singles ranking of 1,450 and a 1,119 ranking in doubles with the Universal Tennis Ratings (UTR) of 12.82 in singles and 13.2 in doubles. “Kristof has looked very good thus far,” Forman said. “We expected him to step in and contribute immediately and he has done so. He is still building and we expect his best tennis this year to come. Our hopes of Kristof, the rest of the year, is he continues to work hard and focuses on the process of getting better. With that attitude in mind, we believe he will continue to succeed.” Minarik is having an extraordinary freshman season with the Shockers. He is currently on a winning streak in singles and has only lost one out of eight matches in the doubles, against Tulsa. “I really hope to continue my winning streak,” Minarik said. “So far, I am nine to zero, and I hope it will continue.”

After the worst start in program history since 1953, the baseball program has started to make a turnaround early on in the season after going 2-1 at the Kleberg Bank College Classic last week in Corpus Christi, Texas. On Friday evening, the Shockers lost 5-3 to Texas A&M Corpus Christi. The Shockers took an early 3-0 lead after a two-out infield single from Chuck Ingram, and then added two more runs in the sixth on a pair of solo homers from Sawyre Thornhill and Couper Cornblum. The Islanders responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game. Shortstop Tyler Linneweber delivered a two-run single to five Texas A&M Corpus Christi, a late two-run advantage. The Shockers earned their first win of the season on Saturday against Pepperdine in a close 5-2 win. Freshman pitcher Payton Tolle helped the Shockers win by allowing only one unearned run in 6.1 innings. The Shockers also produced

UP NEXT FRIDAY, MARCH 4 WSU vs Iowa 1 p.m.

Frisco, Texas

well at the plate with ten hits. Garrett Kocis and Thornhill both homered. The Shockers ended the weekend with a 8-7 win against Iowa. WSU found themselves trailing by four runs early on, after Iowa scored three in the first inning and one in the second. Ingram launched a two-run homer, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Brock Rodden hit a solo home run in the next inning, cutting the Hawkeyes’ lead to one run. After Iowa tallied another run in the top of the fourth, the Shockers answered with two runs to tie the game at five. Both teams exchanged runs in the following frame and WSU scored one run in the sixth and seventh innings, before Connor Holden sealed the win with his second save. LJ McDonough picked up the win in relief, pitching a careerbest 3.2 innings featuring a career-high eight strikeouts.

Softball picks up three road wins at Niner Invitational BY RACHEL RUDISILL rtrudisill@shockers.wichita.edu

Wichita State’s softball team traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, to participate in the Niner Invitational against Northern Iowa, Charlotte and Minnesota. On Friday, the Shockers obtained their first win against Northern Iowa 9-5, but fell short to Charlotte 10-7. Sophomore Addison Barnard and Bailey Urban served as the Shockers each collected home runs. The Panthers were the first to score at the top of the second off of a home run from Brooke Snider giving them the lead 2-0. Their lead did not last long as the Shockers rallied for a six runs in the bottom of the second. Despite the Shockers 10-7 loss against Charlotte, freshman Cassie Passwaters had a career day as she joined the Shocker lineup. Passwaters hit her first collegiate home run with bases loaded to tie the game 4-4. The two teams battled to gain the lead. However, Charlotte took over at the top of the sixth 10-5. The Shockers could not catch up as they scored only two runs,

UP NEXT THURSDAY, MARCH 3 WSU @ Nebraksa 5 p.m.

Lincoln, Nebraska

giving the game to the 49ers. On Saturday, the Shockers picked up two more wins defeating Minnesota 4-0 and redeemed themselves against Charlotte 10-2. Freshman Alison Cooper pitched a complete game against Minnesota only allowing four hits, four strikeouts and two walks. Senior Neleigh Herring broke her 2-for-19 slump by going 3-4 for the day and freshman Lainee Brown went 3-for-4 at the plate. Barnard added two home runs for the day. She currently has a team-high eight homers for the season. The Shockers took an early lead against the 49ers scoring three at the top of the first after a two-run home run from junior Lauren Mills. The Shockers had five players record multi-hit games including junior Sydney McKinney, Barnard, Mills, freshman Krystin Nelson and junior Zoe Jones.

Men’s Tennis drops two seven-set road matches in Iowa BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com

The Wichita State men’s tennis team lost a pair of matches in Des Moines, Iowa over the weekend, falling to 6-5 on the season. The Shockers fell 4-3 to Western Michigan Saturday, despite getting off to a good start by earning the doubles point. Luka Mrsic snagged a quick singles win for the Shockers at No. 3 and Nicolas Acevedo followed close behind with a straight-sets victory at No. 2.

WSU then dropped the next three singles matches at one, four and six, and Ray Lo battled it out in the third set at No. 5, but the Broncos clinched the match. Kristof Minarik dropped his No. 1 singles match in straight sets for the second consecutive match. In Sunday’s match against Drake, the Shockers dropped the doubles point with losses at courts No.2 and No. 3. They came back in singles with back-to-back wins from Luka Mrsic and Nicolas Acevedo at courts three and two to go up 2-1. The Bulldogs responded with

wins at No. 1 and No. 4 regaining the lead. Alex Richards tied it up at 3-3 with a win at court five, but Drake’s Markus Bolin ultimately secured the win for the Bulldogs with the three-set victory at No. 6. WSU is back at home Thursday, March 3 at 1 p.m. to face Omaha at the Coleman Tennis Complex. It’ll be their first home match hosted on campus this spring. The Shockers will then travel to Texas to take on Texas Tech (Saturday, 11 a.m.) and TexasArlington (Sunday, 11 a.m.) over the weekend.

After completing the doubles matches, the WSU tennis team gathers for a team huddle during a match against Creighton on Feb. 11. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

6 | THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2022

Arts & Entertainment

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HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s A&E editor, Kyran Crist arts@thesunflower.com

WORTH THE WAIT

Courtesy of HBO

Euphoria doesn’t shy away from difficult topics BY RACHEL RUDISILL rtrudisill@shockers.wichita.edu

HBO Max released the season two finale of “Euphoria” on Sunday. Just like every other episode of the series, it was graphic and heartbreaking. The storyline follows Zendaya who plays Rue. Rue has struggled with a drug addiction since her dad was diagnosed with cancer. Her character not only battles addiction but severe anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Throughout the two seasons, Rue undergoes withdrawal and relapse numerous times. We also see familiar faces from Jacob Elordi, starring in the Kissing Booth, and Eric Dane, from Grey’s Anatomy. The two play son and father, and both of them struggle with their sexualities. Dane, who plays Cal Jacobs, is a pansexual who got his high school sweetheart pregnant. He felt trapped and married her. Elordi, who plays Nate Jacobs, not only is a closeted pansexual like his father, but has ranging anger issues. He has physically and emotionally abused his on-again, off-again ex-girlfriend Maddy, played by Alexa Dmie. The only sane character on the show is Lexi, played by Maude Apatow. Lexi has been Rue’s best friend since preschool. She tries to protect Rue, from a distance, throughout her addiction. Their relationship did not develop a close bond until season two, after Lexi’s play. However, the two got closer after Rue introduced Lexi to Fezco, played by Angus Cloud, or better known as Fez, at a party. Fez is Rue’s family. He also happens to be a drug dealer but refuses to sell to Rue since her relapse in season one. Fez and Lexi have an unspoken relationship. After all the dark moments “Euphoria” contains, the small longing looks and long phone calls gives the audience a time to breathe. From the outside, Fez and Lexi have nothing in common but connect through their similar values. Fez takes care of his 15-year-old brother, Ashtray, played by Javon Walton. They also live with their sick grandmother and run the family business. He has so much pressure on his shoulders because he is seen as the protector. After the finale, fans could not be more ready for season three. The main question, what happened to Fez? In the finale, Fez was accidentally shot by Ashtray moments before the SWAT team killed Ashtray, for murder. Fez was taken away by the police, but we never saw what happened next. Although Zendaya, Elordi and every other cast member evokes every emotion possible from the audience, I do not recommend “Euphoria.” The plot is brilliant and creator Sam Levinson brought awareness to other issues — body shaming, murder, abandonment and attachment issues. However, much of the graphic content was unnecessary, and the show would have offered so much more without it. The plot draws people in, not the inappropriate interactions.

Sophomore Piper Patterson dances at Spring 2022 concert by the Wichita State Dance Department. | Photo by Nithin Reddy-Nagapur / The Sunflower

Sophomore Alexandria Nickel dances at the Spring 2022 concert by Wichita State Dance Department on Feb 23. | Photo by Nithin Reddy-Nagapur / The Sunflower

Senior Siena Radice dances at the Spring 2022 concert by Wichita State Dance Department on Feb 23. | Photo by Khanh Nguyen / The Sunflower

Wichita Contemporary Dance Theater holds Spring Concert for the first time in two years BY SASCHA HARVEY snharvey@shockers.wichita.edu

For the first time in two years, Shockers took Wilner stage in the Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre Spring Concert. Held from Thursday, Feb. 24 through Saturday, Feb. 26, the performance featured five pieces, all varying in style. Over the two-year break, dancers took the challenge of the pandemic to move toward new forms that were COVID-friendly. “We were doing a lot of films,” sophomore Hannah Chandler, who performed in three of the performances, said. “Getting to perform without a mask on stage this past weekend was really exciting.” Featuring choreography from Sabrina Vasquez, Cheyla Clawson Chandler, Denise A. Celestin, Nicholas Johnson and A.J. Hopes-Pflumm, the concert featured two seniors with everyone else being sophomores. “The most rewarding part was finally getting to make our debut as a class of sophomores [...] to the Wichita community through dance,” Bailey Buchanan said. Buchanan performed in three pieces. ‘Electric Nights,’ choreographed by Johnson and Vasquez, was performed first, utilizing blue light and electronic music. “I feel like that was a great one to start off with,” sophomore Piper Patterson said. The next piece, ‘Ever there,’ starred performers Chandler and Siena Radice, choreographed by

Celestin. Afterward, there was a showing of ‘Brave New World Reimagined,’ a short film based on Aldous Huxley’s novel of the same name. Choreographer Johnson found it challenging to convert the novel’s themes into dance. “It was ambitious,” he said. “Let’s call it that.”

“The most rewarding part was finally getting to make our debut as a class of sophomores...to the Wichita community through dance.”

Wichita State Dance Department hosted the Spring 2022 concert at Wilner Auditorium on Feb 20. | Photo by Nithin Reddy-Nagapur / The Sunflower

-Bailey Buchanan

Hopes-Pflumm’s piece, ‘Given Perspective,’ starred seniors La Hawkins on Thursday and Saturday, and Caleb Faer on Friday. The final piece, choreographed by Chandler and Vasquez, was ‘Stargaze,’ starring seven girls. “With ‘Stargaze,’ we were able to work with [Vasquez] and [Chandler],” Patterson said. “[The best part] was being able to go through the whole choreographic process from beginning–no music, no choreo– to the end– performing it with beautiful lights, music and everything.” Overall, Johnson is proud of the performance, especially considering this is the sophomores’ first major performance on stage. “It’s just zen,” Patterson said. “We’re just really thankful for being able to have the opportunity to do this.”

Sophomore Hannah Chandler dances at the Spring 2022 concert by Wichita State Dance Department on Feb 23. | Photo by Khanh Nguyen / The Sunflower

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Former Washington Post journalist and author of “Seeking Fortune Elsewhere” Sindya Bhanoo reads at Ulrich Museum BY KYRAN CRIST arts@thesunflower.com

After spending her time telling others stories for the Washington Post and New York Times, author Sindya Bhanoo tells the stories of her fictional characters in her short story collection book “Seeking Fortune Elsewhere.” Bhanoo shared from the story “Malliga Homes,” at the Ulrich Museum on Tuesday, March 1. “Malliga Homes” is an impactful story of the life of a widow in a retirement community who sees her future while waiting for her daughter and her family to visit from America. Having been a journalist first, Bhanoo shared that she came to find that her fictional writing was a lot like her journalistic writing, as they are both what she calls an archive and keeping the history to show the next generations. “I’ve been a reporter for many years, telling the stories about other people,” Bhanoo said. “But I believe that archive, that record, journalism is a public service. We are trying to provide information to people now, but it is also a record and it makes this forever. And I think about fiction and these stories in the same way.” Bhanoo worked hard to get “Malliga Homes” published; it was rejected 22 times before it was published by Granta, which had rejected it once before. It also won the O. Henry Prize, which was the driving force of Granta publishing it. She encourages other writers to continue to push to get their work published and not be discouraged. “I think all this is to say that just publishing is so hard; it’s so brutal,” Bhanoo said. “And you just have to keep at it and believe in your work and believe in your stories and your voice and the importance of getting your stories out there, infusing the world with your work.”

The other stories in “Seeking Fortune Elsewhere” include four stories set in India and four set in the United States. They follow stories of those in the South Indian community in the U.S/ and the family that was left behind.

“I’ve been a reporter for many years, telling the stories about other people. But I believe that archive, that record, journalism is a public service. We are trying to provide information to people now, but it is also a record and makes it forever.”

Jazz Week brings three performances back-to-back BY KYRAN CRIST arts@thesunflower.com

Seeking Fortune Elsewhere, a collection of fiction short stories following immigrants, hits store shelves next week. | Photo by Kyran Crist / The Sunflower

-Sindya Bhanoo

Bhanoo said she was concerned that these stories would have already been told already, but she had found that they were different from others because of the technological advancements made since these stories. “There’s so many wonderful writers, but I think that our concerns change over time and our sensibilities change and I realized these stories were different from other ones,” Bhanoo said. “Technology has changed for example. What doesn’t change is that families left behind and that will never change in the immigrant story.” Partnering with Waterman books, they were able to bring some copies of the book to Tuesday’s event even though the book doesn’t release until next week. Bhanoo was able to sign the books of those who were there that night and answer any questions they might have had. To read “Seeking Fortune Elsewhere” it can be purchased online and at bookstores next week.

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2022 | 7

Washington Post and New York Times reporter and fiction writer Sindya Bhanoo reads From her fiction book Seeking Fortune Elsewhere at the Ulrich museum Tuesday night. | Photo by Kyran Crist / The Sunflower

ART THAT TOUCHES YOUR HEART

Jazz students are ready to take the stage and blow the Wichita area away with their three-day performance-packed week. Under the instruction of assistant professor of Saxophone and Jazz studies, James Pisano, students have been preparing all semester for their performances beginning March 1 and will go through the 3rd. All concerts started at 7:30 p.m. in Miller Concert Hall. Pisano said the response from the community for the program has been supportive and he is excited to see the turnout for the three-day event, hoping to bring in more of the campus and community involvement with a variety of events to choose from. “Combos are small jazz ensembles, a rhythm section plus a couple of horn players and the focus is small group improvisation,” Pisano said. “Jazz Arts 1 and 2 are large jazz ensembles, where the emphasis is on the “Big Band Style” and the written arrangements are much of the texture. “The Jazz Guitar Ensemble is a combination of small group improvisation with arrangements for jazz guitar. Since each night has a large and small ensemble on it, there is something for everyone,” Pisano said. With so much to do, preparation has been needed for the event. Pisano said his students have been working hard and are giddy with excitement for the week to finally be here and to showcase their work. “The students are very excited and there was quite a bit of electricity in our Jazz Art’s 1 rehearsal earlier today,” Pisano said. “Many of the students perform in several groups, so they will be playing multiple concerts this week.” Pisano said there are about 40 students performing in the concerts this week, and he is excited to see their hard work displayed and don’t have the community come to see them. “All the groups are playing at a very high level – see the fruits of these young artists’ wonderful work,” Pisano said.

Alec Benjamin encapsualtes writing style in latest album BY KYRAN CRIST arts@thesunflower.com

Birdeye presents art at the Rhatigan Student center for Black History month. | Photo by Kyran Crist / The Sunflower

Above: Birdeye presents art at the Rhatigan Student center for Black History month. | Photo by Kyran Crist / The Sunflower Right: Randy Ledger presents his Black Educator portraits at the Rhatigan Student center for a part of Black History month as well as Art That Touches Your Heart. | Photo by Kyran Crist / The Sunflower

After months of anticipation, singer and songwriter Alec Benjamin released the third song in his most recent album “(UN) COMMENTARY,” two years since his last album in 2020 “These Two Windows.” The newest song “Shadow of Mine” perfectly encapsulates Benjamin’s writing style of the childhood myths, tales and stories that now have different meanings as we age into adulthood. The song talks about moving away, leaving your old life and friends to start again, but still being unable to leave the “shadow” of what was. The opening lines, “Booked a trip to Texas, thought I’d start again, switched all my addresses and ghosted all my friends, thought I could escape but I could not transcend, found myself back in the same old place again,” explains the narrative of the story and how it is to be set up. I choose the word “story” because that is what Benjamin’s songs are; they tell a story through his writing that young adults can relate to as they transition from the world of high school to adulthood. The song goes on to explain that even by ignoring and “ghosting” friends, moving away and starting again, Benjamin can’t escape the shadow of his past that is constantly by his side. We see this in the first part of the chorus of the song “Everywhere I go, my shadow, it follows behind, doesn’t matter where I travel, my shadow, it finds me.” Read the rest at thesunflower.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2022 | 8

WWW.THESUNFLOWER.COM

Opinion

HAVE AN OPINION?

contact The Sunflower’s opinion editor, Emmie Boese opinion@thesunflower.com

Street

Critical Race Theory should be taught in K-12 schools Mia Hennen Columnist mbhennen@shockers. wichita.edu

WHAT DOES FAST FASHION MEAN TO YOU?

JIMMY LE Senior, Computer Science “I don’t know too much about fashion but I am aware of how detrimental it can be to the environment and workers. It is probably something that we need more lawmakers or someone to shed more light on it.”

The Flats is a private apartment complex located on Innovation Campus. | Photo by Khanh Nguyen / The Sunflower

Poor Internet in WSU housing threatens student academics Allison Campbell Columnist campbellnallison@gmail.com

AVERY CHURCH

Sophomore, Aerospace Engineering “I think a lot of people do it because it’s cheap but it wastes so many clothes. Also using labor that is not necessarily ethical.”

HANNAH MIDDLETON Sophomore, Aerospace Engineering

“Fast fashion is a sad practice because it is very unethical. In some cases, it is necessary for people that can not afford very expensive clothing. A lot of plus-size people have to buy clothing from fast fashion because other companies that have more ethical practices do not offer clothes big enough for bigger people.”

We use the internet daily, if not hourly. We rely on campus internet to complete our school work, make work arrangements and socialize with friends, family and instructors. However, this makes it incredibly frustrating when our connection to our peers, our university and more is abruptly cut-off multiple times a day. Such is the struggle of living in Shocker Hall, The Flats or The Suites. Timed quizzes are the devil, even more so when a shoddy internet connection threatens your entire academic future. More than once I’ve had to email a teacher and plead for a test window to be reopened because upon submitting a completed quiz, the page fails and all of my progress is lost. It’s beyond disappointing when I have to waste time and money for an amenity I

RAIF MORGAN

“I am generally not opposed to it in the general sense but when I think about it more a lot of the ways fast fashion is produced is morally corrupt. If you look at other nations across the world and the way that labor is used; including child labor. Looking at it from other perspectives besides that one I’m not really generally opposed to it just as long as people have access to clothing whether it is cheap or not that’s the most important thing.”

“If I’m going to be paying nearly $5,000 a semester (not including a meal plan), I would hope to be given the resources (such as accessible wifi) to complete the only online-available course work.” After all, it caters to every whim and desire of 11% of the 16,097 students at WSU, according to Wichita State University Student Life - US News Best Colleges. It’s absurd that the cost of housing does not contribute to internet security. If I’m going to be paying

nearly $5,000 a semester (not including a meal plan), I would hope to be given the resources (such as accessible wifi) to complete the only online-available course work. Several students, such as freshman Hannah Olson, have had to resort to using their own personal funds or other means to ensure internet security. “[The poor internet] prevented me from being able to finish my school work and outlines at a reasonable time,” Olson said. “I ended up using my phone to get information to help complete my work.” This is a narrative all too familiar to WSU students, many of whom have had to cluster in the Rhatigan Student Center in an effort to complete assignments on time. Until the issue is resolved, you’ll be finding me along with hundreds of other students seeking internet havens in coffee shops, libraries and outside the comfort of our expensive WSU housing.

The Problem with Shein and Fast Fashion Crochet Jacinda Hall jahall8@shockers.wichita.. edu

Freshman, Business Administration

already pay for monthly. For the last several days, and consistently throughout the semester, there have been internet issues which have prevented students from accomplishing their necessary day to day tasks. Slow internet is to be expected.

Shein is a clothing company based out of Nanjing, China. It is widely known for affordable clothing and its targeted promotion towards young women on social media. But, like every clothing company, Shein has their issues. According to an article from Eco-stylist.com, Shein is the definition of “fast fashion.” According to the Oxford Dictionary, fast fashion is defined as inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends. Shein has been accused of exploiting workers for their products and stealing from other brands. According to an article from Dazed.com, Shein often steals

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from designers and they sell the exact same product at a cheaper cost or they change one small thing on the design and sell it. Most of the time, Shein targets small, independent designers. Because Shein is a large retailer, these designers feel like they can’t keep up. Shein is also one of the biggest brands for fast fashion crochet. Shein has a wide variety of crocheted products sold at a very low cost. These pieces usually range between $3-15. Crochet cannot be manufactured by machines. It can only be made by hand and from experience as both a self-taught knitter and crocheter, it is very time-consuming. Especially when it comes to making garments such as halter tops and sweaters. Many small handmade businesses sell knitted and crocheted items within the $15-200 range on sites such as Depop and Etsy,

depending on the product. According to CNN Style, garment workers overseas are paid 18 cents for a $33 shirt they made. Think about it, if garment workers are only paid 18 cents for a $33 shirt they made, they are more than likely getting next to nothing for a garment that is priced at $3-$15 dollars and usually takes hours or sometimes days to make. If people keep buying crocheted garments from Shein, this encourages Shein to steal from small designers and exploit their workers. If you want a handmade garment, support small businesses here in Wichita such as Swiss Pointe Designs and Scrunchie Bunnie. You can also learn to make your own garments by buying patterns from small businesses or you can use free written patterns and tutorials on YouTube and learn how to make it yourself.

There is a lot of debate about whether critical race theory should be taught in schools. But how many people actually recognize what the term means? According to britannica, CRT “is an intellectual movement and a framework of legal analysis” that states that race is merely a social construct and that the legal institutions in America are inherently racist according to Britannica. This debate has recently made its way to Kansas. The Derby High School Principal Tim Hamblin was ordered to apologize after he showed a video to staff of a Black author sharing her experience of being treated differently at a grocery store because of her race. A staff member then emailed a board member claiming that the video caused a “hostile work environment” and that board member forced the principal to apologize. A big accusation to say is that the legal institutions in America are inherently racist. What does that even mean? Simply, it means a variety of items important to life have embedded prejudice or policies that work against minorities — mainly people of color. Where can this prejudice be seen? Housing, health care, environment, education, criminal conviction, to name a few. For example, Americans still see the effects of redlining today. This started in the 1930s when the government-sponsored Home Owners’ Loan Corporation and the Federal Home Loan Bank Board sought to separate predominantly Black neighborhoods from obtaining services, according to TV network History. Although the Fair Housing Act of 1968 aimed to end redlining, imprints of previous policy remain prevalent. According to a study by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, 74% of the redlined neighborhoods 90 years ago are low-to-moderate income neighborhoods today; in addition, 64% are a majority-minority. CRT analyzes facts and helps provide a more clear understanding of racism in America and how, even if individuals’ attitudes are not racist, racism is embedded in the policies and institutions that shape their country, and as a result, them. Recently, there has been a large debate over whether CRT should be taught in K-12 schools. The information taught by the subject is crucial to understanding how racial inequality still persists today, even if some do not see blatant acts of racism in their day-to-day life. Several states in America, like Arkansas and Oklahoma, have already banned the teaching of CRT, and many states are looking to ban it. Banning the teaching of CRT in schools poses a question: If certain aspects regarding race cannot be taught in school, what can? Read the rest at thesunflower.com

STUDENT OPINION OF THE WEEK MATTHEW SCHMID SENIOR, AEROSPACE ENGINEERING “We need more kindness and understanding. I think if we all understood each other better then the world would be a better place.”