The Sunflower v. 126 i. 19

/ The Sunflower

THURSDAY Jan. 27, 2021 Volume 126 Issue 18

WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896

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TIKTOK WUSHOCK

Social media intern for the Office of Admissions Destanee Brigman-Reed records WuShock for the WSU TikTok page on Jan. 24. Brigman-Reed took charge of most of the filming and content of the page. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

Behind-the-scenes of WSU’s TikTok Page BY MIA HENNEN

Top: Student Engagement Intern for the Office of Admissions Kaylie Krichati-Aikins shows WuShock the selfie they took while filming content for the WSU TikTok page. Bottom: Social media intern for the Office of Admissions Destanee Brigman-Reed records WuShock for the WSU TikTok page on Jan. 24. Brigman-Reed took charge of most of the filming and content of the page. (Photos by Mia Hennen/ The Sunflower)

In March 2021, Wichita State created their own TikTok page, providing students and other users the opportunity to see WuShock and other relatable college content. The page — run by two students — has gained almost 4,000 followers. While much of the content that appears on the page is geared to current or prospective students, those behind-the-scenes try to create an account that anyone can go to for fun or informational content. Destanee Brigman-Reed, social media intern for the office of admissions, handles most of the content development and execution while Lane Smith, recruitment & communication specialist in undergraduate admissions, manages and oversees the TikTok page. “I always envisioned it like this: a student can come to Wichita State’s [TikTok] whether they’re going to Wichita State or anywhere else for good pertinent information to use anywhere,” Smith said. The idea of a WSU TikTok began with Brigman-Reed

scrolling through her For You Page and reflecting on the difficulties surrounding virtually attending college at the time. “I was like, ‘It’d be really cool if we made a collegiate one and could share it with prospective students to help them especially during that virtual time,’” Brigman-Reed said. Unlike other social media that WSU is on, TikTok has the ability to reach a wider audience and tends to be used by people between the ages of 16 and 24, falling in line with the age of typical current or potential college students. “It’s important to use those older social media like Instagram and Facebook, but they are getting towards an older audience and outgrown,” Brigman-Reed said. Answers to questions like what students should bring to their dorm and best places to study on campus can be found on the page as well. Brigman-Reed, a junior, spoke of her experience as a student that influenced the content on the page. “I was a first-generation student, so I didn’t know what I needed to bring to college or what to expect

for classes,” Brigman-Reed said. “The page gives students who aren’t too familiar with the college process an ‘in’ to what they need to know.” Outside of the informational content, videos following the most recent trends can be found with WuShock or other students at the center. “I love creating it with students across campus that I wouldn’t normally see and hearing their stories or different tips,” BrigmanReed said. Since the page’s inception, the account has gained over 3,900 followers over a period of ten months. “We had a video that had 105,000 views and had a few others that had over 10,000,” Smith said. “It’s been kind of neat to see what content works well and what people like to see on there. We try to give the people what they want.” If students have questions or want to be in a TikTok, they can reach out via email to Smith or Brigman-Reed or comment on one of the videos. “We see everything,” Smith said. “They can reach out anytime they want to.”

Black Excellence listening sessions give students a place to voice their perspective BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE news@thesunflower.com / @JuliaNightengale

The first Black Excellence listening session of the semester took place yesterday evening, giving Black students a chance to talk to faculty members about their experience and what they think could be improved. Members of the university’s equity task force were present and said that they plan to evaluate the data from these sessions in order to start making progress on diversity, equity and inclusion. “Certainly this helps the university as we look forward to making plans and executing our strategic plan,” Alicia Sanchez, director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, said. “We recently launched the diversity, equity and inclusion plan, so certainly your input is a priority for us.”

The event featured roundtable discussions, with five faculty and staff members rotating to a different table every 10 minutes. Faculty members were in charge of a topic, including general experiences and perceptions, student services, involvement on campus, recruitment and admissions and classroom experiences. While the room was quiet at first, voices and occasional laughter quickly filled the room. There were roughly 25 students in attendance, with dinner being served beforehand. During discussions afterward about highlights from conversations, Aaron Austin, dean of students, said that there was a lot of importance placed on relationships and interactions with the offices on campus. Alexus Scott, coordinator of student diversity programs, said

that many students felt that they were sold a dream during the admissions process and the reality was not matching up. “I think a lot of the things that I was seeing and hearing was students wanting to feel support from their faculty members, not feeling as if they feel included in their academic experiences or feeling support,” Bobby Berry, assistant dean in the college of applied studies, said. “The lack of representation was a common theme within the student body and within their faculty members.” Christina Freeman, a junior majoring in business, decided to attend after seeing it in the Black Student Union Group Chat. Being a transfer student, she said she wanted to be more involved and see how other students feel. “I’m new here, some of these people have been here so I wanna

PHOTO BY DEVON SIPES / THE SUNFLOWER

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion held their first Black Excellence listening session on January 25th, 2022 in the RSC. Faculty members rotated between tables of students to facilitate conversation and write down comments.

know what they feel and hopefully because they said they are going to use all of this information, hopefully I can see it applied before I graduate in two years,” Freeman

said. “I’m just really excited and to just be more included.” Freeman hopes that these conversations don’t just stay within SEE EXCELLENCE PAGE 2

2 | THURSDAY, JAN. 27, 2022

NEWS

This week’s news in brief BY LINDSAY SMITH

SPRING FEST AT THE RSC THURSDAY Campus Recreation and Student Activities Council are hosting Spring Fest 2022 at the Rhatigan Student Center’s first and second floors on Thursday from 11-1. There will be food, music, prizes and games.

REQUIRED DISCRIMINATION PREVENTION TRAINING DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR FACULTY AND STAFF All faculty and staff — including student employees — are required to complete the “Preventing Harassment and Discriminating” training by March 18. SCREENSHOT

Office of Diversity and Inclusion holds 14th annual MLK commemoration, focused on building bridges BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE news@thesunflower.com / @JuliaNightengale

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion held their 14th annual MLK commemoration, with the focus being centered on building bridges. They recognized Gabriel Fonseca, director of SEAL, as the 2022 Drum Major Award recipient and included other guest speakers. Courtney Lockhart, president of the African American Faculty Staff Association was introduced first and said that he has served in many different roles at the university, from undergraduate student to a full-time staff employee. “Over the years, I’ve had great pleasure of witnessing growth in the university,” Lockhart said. “As with any edifice of higher education, we have work to do as an institution. But I believe we’ve come a ways.” He said that he often listens to King’s speeches and reflects on the wisdom that he shared during his time. “Now I, as a Black man, and we, as a people, we still stand in faith believing, and standing on our hope that there will be better days to come,” Lockhart said. Lockhart said that he believes that the stars are becoming clear, although darkness lingers in the nation. “Just as the stars are present in the sky, amidst surrounding darkness, so too we will shine in the midst of opposition. “It’s not only about skin color, which some would limit our celebrations to,” Lockhart said. “It’s about the right to be proudly different, intelligent without apology, and strategic in building something that will stand tomorrow.” Pre-recorded videos from students were also included in the celebration. Omarian Brantley,

“Now I, as a Black man, and we, as a people, we still stand in faith believing, and standing on our hope that there will be better days to come.”

- Courtney Lockhart

president of BSU, read “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou. Zachary James, president of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, read an excerpt from one of Dr. King’s speeches. Kennedy Moore, fundraising coordinator for BSU, sang “Raise Up” by Andra Day. The annual Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. drum major award honoree was also announced. The award is presented to a Wichita State university administrator, faculty, staff or student who seeks greatness but does so through service and love. Gabriel Fonseca, who started on campus in 2018 and has served in multiple roles on campus including director of SEAL and advisor to SGA, accepted the award during the Facebook livestream. “I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this award, to be recognized by ODI means a lot,” Fonseca said. “I think definitely in a time like this and where we are in the world and as a society, we definitely need to lean on each other and support those around us.” Reverend Ralen Robinson, pastor at Reformation Lutheran church, was the keynote speaker for the event, who spoke on the meaning of building bridges. “Building the bridge, it’s about our upbringing, and seeing yourself within the world, looking at the beautiful kaleidoscope of people, and just the first time you experience something other than yourself,” Robinson said. “That’s when you see someone

who is a different color than you, a different culture … That’s when you start building the bridge, when you see the difference and you see the complexities of the community.” Robinson said that she stuck on the bridge that she had already formed when she went to a college in a different state, and saw pockets of diversity everywhere which allowed her bridge to be built. After college, she went to Jerusalem in 2015 for a year of service and thought that people would be able to see themselves in her. “Stepping off of that plane, I saw something vastly different than going a few blocks out of my neighborhood,” Robinson said. “It was a culture shock … While we were both brown and had similarities, we were vastly different from one another.” Robinson saw civil unrest happening both back in America on the news and in Jerusalem, and knew what she needed to do was listen, hold their stories and form relationships built on trust and transparency. “While we don’t share that cultural experience, we share that human experience,” Robinson said. “How can I meet you, how can I meet my sibling in Christ.” Robinson said that it is important to believe that you too can do great things, push yourself as well as be pushed, change your outlook, and create friendships. She said as we build bridges, we see a world bigger than ourselves. “We see ourselves as a small part in this beautiful tapestry that is made up of different hues and colors and shapes and sizes, and you really do the hard work, you continue the petition that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. laid down, and that is to create avenues and spaces for all people,” Robinson said.

www.thesunflower.com 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.

The 90-minute training is organized into nine different sections and can be completed in multiple increments of time. All employees can find the training on the faculty/staff tab on the myWSU page under “employee required training.” Students can find it under “student required training.”

DIVERSE WOMEN’S SUMMIT 2022 LOOKING FOR PROPOSALS Wichita State community members are encouraged to submit presentation proposals for the 2022 Diverse Women’s Summit. The theme is “Intersectionality at Wichita State University”. The proposals need to be 100-200 words describing the presentation and its purpose.

COMEDIC HYPNOTIST COMING TO WICHITA STATE ON JAN. 28 The Student Activities Council is hosting comedy hypnotist David Hall at the CAC Theater on Friday, Jan 28 at 7 p.m. The show titled “Cards Against Hypnosis” is described as an event that will leave the audience’s mind “in a trance.” Student tickets are free, faculty and staff can purchase tickets for $3, and children 12 and under can get in for $3. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

MONDAY LAST DAY TO DROP A CLASS WITH FULL REFUND Monday, Jan. 31 is the last day you can receive a refund after dropping a course. It is also the last day you can drop a class without it appearing on your record and change credited classes to an audited course.

LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION ON FEB. 1 Celebrate the Lunar New Year at the first floor of the Rhatigan Student Center on Tuesday, Feb. 1 from 11-1 p.m. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is hosting the event. Two dance teams will perform. KVersity will dance at 11:45 and St. Anthony Lion & Dragon Dance Team will perform at 12:30.

EXCELLENCE FROM PAGE 1 ODI, and higher-up faculty will take this as an opportunity to improve inclusion for students. Jayden Johnson, a marketing junior, said that one thing that stuck out in conversations was finding a way to educate parents and students about the admission process and make them feel more comfortable, since many Black students are first-generation students. “I came to this event today because, for one, this is one of the main chances I have to be around other minority students,” Johnson said. “Out of this event today, I came because I knew this was a chance to have our voices heard by people who actually have power to make changes.”

EDITOR IN CHIEF Lindsay Smith news@thesunflower.com

DESIGN DIRECTOR Thy Vo design@thesunflower.com

NEWS EDITOR Julia Nightengale news@thesunflower.com

PHOTO EDITOR Khanh Nguyen photoeditor@thesunflower.com

OPINION EDITOR Emmie Boese opinion@thesunflower.com

MARKETING MANAGER Kaylee Stout marketing@thesunflower.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Kyran Crist arts@thesunflower.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Rachel Thomas admanager@thesunflower.com

SPORTS EDITOR Sean Marty sports@thesunfower.com

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

FACULTY ADVISOR Amy DeVault amy.devault@wichita.edu

Members of the equity task force, including Terri Hall, vice president of student affairs and Shirley Lefever, interim provost, concluded the session by assuring students that this will not be the last time for conversations and that they want to be intentional when approaching diversity related issues. “We don’t want to lose you guys, right,” Berry said. “We value you and we want you to feel valued and so the next step is then trying to see what progress can be made in these areas.” Scott said that overall, the event exceeded her expectations. “I’m super excited about the feedback that we got tonight,” Scott said. “The students really provided a unique perspective that opened our eyes tonight.”

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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.

NEWS

THURSDAY, JAN. 27, 2022 | 3

Bobby Berry, Assistant Dean of the College of Applies Studies January 26th, 2022 at the Corbin Education Center.| Photo by Devon Sipes/ The Sunflower

Bobby Berry aims to make an impact on inclusivity in his new position BY MITCHELL ADAMSON mxadamson@shockers.wichita.edu

Wichita State alumni Bobby Berry, who was recently named assistant dean of diversity and outreach for the college of applied studies, has plans to strategically create a campus culture that is guided by empathy. Berry said that when talking about inclusive excellence, it means elevating and growing inclusiveness in classrooms, the amount of faculty of color, and also growing the number of students of color in programs. “The way we do that is being a little more intentional,” Berry said. “How can we do that if we don’t have those perspectives at the table?” Berry received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science, as well as a masters in exercise science education. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in Educational Leadership. Berry did this all while being one of few Black students in his classes. He was often a leader, which meant he would sometimes stand by himself. “One of things that I specifically said was my identities were going to be a huge asset to this role,” Berry said. “One, I am a Black male, there are not a lot of me in these types of positions. Two, I am a former student

and alumni of this same college. “So for me, having the experience of being faculty and being a student that was also in some of these same classrooms, I am bringing a different perspective to the table.”

“I enjoy what I do, I’m passionate, I love the students, I love making an impact. As long as I’m making, even a small impact, that’s good enough for me.”

- Bobby Berry

While it can be scary to engage with others that are not like you, Berry said that the goal is to have a conversation and try to learn about another’s perspective. Berry said that this role embodies all that he does, and he wants to give back to the college that gave so much to him. “How do we think strategically not only about preparing our students to engage with people who don’t look like them, but how do we also show these same people that we value them and want them here?” Berry said. “A lot of my life’s work and other work I have been doing, is how do we elevate the voices of marginalized folks.”

Berry said that his job is not about invalidating experiences or perspectives, but to give students perspective. He said that a diverse environment could possibly not be inclusive, while an inclusive environment might not be diverse. “For me, it is creating an environment within our faculty, within our classrooms, so people feel empowered to ask questions,” Berry said. “There is no change that comes without people being able to have conversations and learn something. And if you feel that you can’t ask a question that means this isn’t an inclusive environment.” Berry said that he does things because he cares, and if he isn’t making his voice heard as a Black man, there might not be anyone else who is able to speak to that perspective. He feels obligated to the students to be that person for them. “People are always watching when you don’t think they are,” Berry said. “I enjoy what I do, I’m passionate, I love the students, I love making an impact. As long as I’m making, even a small impact, that’s good enough for me.”

Holocaust class focuses on giving people voices and skills to keep learning BY MIA HENNEN

77 years ago on Jan. 27, 1945, the Soviet army entered the infamous concentration camp Auschwitz and liberated over 7,000 prisoners, according to Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. Auschwitz is well-known for being the largest concentration camp operated by Nazi Germany during World War II. Coinciding with the day of Auschwitz liberation, International Holocaust Remembrance Day annually commemorates those who were victims of the Holocaust, primarily people of Jewish descent but did include other minorities. The history department offers several classes that cover the Holocaust and similar content. HIST 317 or “The Holocaust” is a course often taught by Jeff Hayton, assistant professor of modern Europe, who specializes in German history. “There is a tremendous feeling of satisfaction in helping students understand one of the most horrible and traumatic events in human

history,” Hayton said. A few thought processes guide Hayton when teaching and structuring the HAYTON course. The first is understanding the constant decisions about life and death that people had to make. Hayton mentioned the phrase “choiceless choices,” a term coined by Lawrence Langer, a Holocaust scholar, to describe the lose-lose situation that Jewish people faced. Another aim of Hayton’s is to debunk the stereotypes that students typically have with the subject. “One of the biggest myths about this period is that the Nazis were unthinking sadistic robots who did what they did out of malice,” Hayton said. “That doesn’t mean that what they did wasn’t terrible, but if you transform them into this kind of irredeemable evil, then that means that you’re not on the lookout for [people like] them in your own society.”

Hayton deconstructs other myths in his course, such as ideas surrounding propaganda and victims of the Holocaust. “It’s really important to give Jewish people voices,” Hayton said. “The idea that Jews went quietly to their deaths without making a fuss-the Nazis want us to think that, and they constructed their reports with that in mind so that we believe that [Jewish people] were somehow accomplices in

“What we’re doing is giving students the skills to keep learning for the rest of their lives ... That’s why the Holocauset is a good entry level point for this kind of learning.”

- Jeff Hayton

their own deaths.” Hayton said that primary documents from each side of the issue give voices to the victims and help understand the perpetrator’s motives.

“We comprehend what people went through and think about the reasons why people did what they did,” Hayton said. “You can’t do that unless you’re looking at primary texts.” Hayton said the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences teaches students how to learn, making the class valuable to history and non-history majors. “What we’re doing is giving students the skills to keep learning for the rest of their lives,” Hayton said. “That’s why the Holocaust is a good entry point for this kind of learning because lots of people have some sort of passing knowledge about it.” The course aims to understand the Holocaust empathetically instead of strictly just the facts. In addition, it raises complex questions about one of the worst genocides in human history. “What does it mean to be a perpetrator?” Hayton said. “What does it mean to be a victim? Can perpetrators also be victims? What is the line between a perpetrator and a bystander?”

DAY OF LIBERATION (JAN. 27) On Jan. 27, 1945 7,000 prisoners were liberated from Auschwitz concentration camp by the soviet union. Soviet leaders also liberated about 5oo from Auschwitz’ sub-camps before and soon after Jan. 27. EDUCATIONAL EVENTS A Reader’s Guide to Survival in Auschwitz with Dr. Shelly Cline and Kaite Stover. Zoom @ 12:00 pm 1:00 pm Briefing: Lest We Forget: Combating Holocaust Denial and Distortion. Zoom @ 2 p.m Shadows in the City of Light – Paris in Postwar French Jewish Writing. Zoom @ 7 register at

4 | THURSDAY, JAN. 27, 2022

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Opinion

HAVE AN OPINION?

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

The NFL needs to change their overtime rules Fans are questioning if this rule should be changed. Rachel According to sporting news, Josh Rudisill Allen, quarterback of the Bills, Assist. Sports Editor rtrudisill@shockers.wichita.edu completed 27 of 37 passes (81%) for 329 yards, no interceptions, scored four touchdowns and Before I begin I am going to carried the ball 11 times for 68 be very clear - I am a Carolina yards. Mahomes played well too. Panthers fan, and was rooting He completed 33 of 44 passes for the Packers to make it to (75%), no interceptions, three the Super Bowl. I am not a hurt touchdowns and rushed 69 yards Buffalo Bills fan. on seven carries. With that being said, I believe Overall, the game was incredthe NFL should change their overtime rule. The current ruling, ible, one of the best post season games I have ever seen. I think according to the NFL website, is it could possibly be better than decided between a coin toss. The any Super Bowl game I have seen. winner of the coin toss will gain However, the game left fans wantpossession of the ball. If the team ing more. With an intense end to possessing the ball scores a field the fourth quarter, the teams tied goal, the opposing team will gain at 36 points each. control of the ball, after a two After winning the coin toss, minute intermission. However, Mahomes threw a touchdown if the team possessing the ball winning the game. scores a touchdown, they autoI believe this caused the Chiefs matically win and the opposing to win because of a coin toss team does not receive the ball. rather than skill. The teams were This rule was established in 2010. at an even playing field and the On Jan. 22, this ruling left Bills were deprived of getting a Bills fans heartbroken as Patick chance to play. This was heartMahomes, quarterback of the breaking to every fan. Kansas City Chiefs, scored a After playing a nearly perfect touchdown during overtime.

game from both sides, both teams should have received a chance to play in overtime. In my opinion, I think the overtime rule should be similar to the NCAA rules. The rule–made in 2021–required each team to have the opportunity to score one touchdown. If both teams score a touchdown, they are required to kick a field goal. If both teams accomplish that, they are required to throw a two point conversion until one team fails. This rule brings even more intensity. When I watched Auburn and Alabama compete in the 2021 Iron Bowl, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. Watching four overtimes was intense, but worth it in the end. Even though my Auburn orange and blue heart was crushed, I was left satisfied because the ruling was fair. I was not left wanting more. I understand the NFL wants to shorten the length of overtime periods, but I think it is only fair for each team to possess the ball equally.

Take COVID seriously, even if you’re vaccinated Lindsay Smith Editor-in-chief editor@thesunflower.com

It’s been roughly two years since COVID-19 took over the world and it’s still far from over. The new strain, Omicron, has led to more infections and more talk about how we can stop this pandemic. Why has it taken two years? Because people didn’t take it seriously then, and they’re still not taking it seriously now. Yes, it’s true that 54% of the county is fully vaccinated. The vaccine has been scientifically proven to lessen people’s symptoms and help keep them out of the hospital. It’s life-saving. However, does that mean that 54% of fully vaccinated people go about their life with taking no precautions? No. People who are vaccinated need to continue to help protect themselves and those around them. The positive test rate is currently 22.6%, according to the county’s COVID-19 dashboard. This is the highest the test rate has ever been. As of Jan. 17, 277 people are in the hospital and 80 of those currently reside in the ICU. It’s true that most college students without underlying health

conditions aren’t at as much risk of getting a severe case of COVID-19. But what about faculty and staff we come in contact with everyday who could be at risk? 18-34 year olds are not the entire population of the world. Just because we might not be at risk, does not mean we shouldn’t be concerned about those around us. Our healthcare workers have worked tirelessly since March 2020 to care for those affected by the virus. They have risked their own safety to help the most vulnerable. By acting like the pandemic is over — when in reality, it’s worse than it has ever been — you are disrespecting those who have given everything to keep you safe. Four USD259 schools had to close due to staff shortages caused by COVID-19. People argue that we need to get rid of mandates so we can continue business, but what happens when there are not enough healthy people who are able to work? If everyone is home with COVID, how exactly are we supposed to keep businesses open? People argue for in-person teaching, but do not have a plan on how to do that when teachers are unable to work. Risking everyone’s health and safety to keep businesses open does not work. It just makes it worse.

Work smarter not Fees are not accessible harder — take a pre-session class parking for all Julia Nightengale News editor news@thesunflower.com

For the first couple years of my college education, I only took classes in the fall and spring semesters and would spend my summers with only a part-time job to occupy my time. It wasn’t until I came to Wichita State and had no choice but to start taking two week long pre-session courses, that I realized that they are a much more efficient way to complete credits. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s important that students take the time that they need for a well-deserved break. But when you examine the amount of work that is fit into a two-week course, and how it equates to the same amount of credit hours as a 16-week course, you will quickly see that it is sometimes a more valuable way to spend your time. One of my favorite things about pre-session courses is that all of the unnecessary assignments — or, what I like to call the “fluff” — are cut out. Two-week courses only allow time for the most important assignments and topics. In terms of absorbing material from a course, pre-session courses allow you to focus all of your energy on one or possibly two courses for a two-week span, and you will come out of the course with more knowledge. Pre-session classes also allow you to get a harder class out of the way before the semester starts which can dramatically decrease your workload and mental stress.

“When you examine the amount of work that is fit into a twoweek course, and how it equates to the same amount of credit hours as a 16week course, you will quickly see that it is sometimes a more valuable way to spend your time.” If you are trying to get those last few credits before graduating, I highly recommend taking at least one pre-session course. Pre-session classes might feel exhausting while you are taking them. After you get past the two weeks, I can almost guarantee that you will have no regrets, be happy with completing the course and soon forget the fast-paced nature and stress of a shortened course. Pre-session classes allow you to work smarter, not harder. Pre-session classes are also a great way to slowly readjust to a new semester. Instead of just being thrown in, you slowly submerge into learning again and will feel much more prepared for the semester. It can suck getting less time off, but in the long run it may even save you from taking another semester to finish up your degree. Time is valuable when you’re a college student. You don’t want to be in school for any longer than you have to. If you ever have the opportunity, take a pre-session course and I promise you will not regret it.

Opinion 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.

Emmie Boese Opinion editor opinion@thesunflower.com

I know I may seem like a woman who just complains about parking. However, I want to talk about another parking situation that I have experienced on gameday for the Wichita State men’s basketball team. Last semester me and one of my good friends that I work with pulled up to find media parking. The officer told us where it was and then proceeded to point to my placard and say, “You aren’t actually disabled right?” I told him that even though that night I felt ok,I am disabled.. He rolled his eyes at the response of a young woman who on the outside appears to be fine. Of course I was annoyed by his comment but I decided to let it go due to feeling “decent” that night. I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis a little over two years ago. I experience symptoms every day but I can push past them fairly well. Some days I experience flare ups that make it extremely painful and difficult to walk long distances. Because of this, I registered for a handicap placard. However, this semester, I was planning to park up front in handicap parking for a game since my media parking permit isn’t in regular media parking. When I got ready to pull in a lady working the parking area told me it was ten dollars to park in handicap parking. I thought that

was absolutely absurd. This is discrimantion against people with disabilities whether it is written in the law or not. This was extremely frustrating to me due to experiencing a flare up and on top of that being a broke college student who’s paycheck had not been processed yet. I found out through research that this has been a regulation since 2018 for ADA parking on game days. Former Sunflower Sports Editor Evan Pflugradt wrote a story about the new policy and interviewed Wichita State Senior Associate Athletic Director Brad Pittman for the story. Pittman said at the time that basketball is an entertainment product, and that is why the charge for ADA parking was necessary. I highly disagree with this statement. Yes, basketball is an entertainment product. However, handicap fans that cannot park for free like able bodied people is an embarrassment to Wichita State University. As stated in Pflugradt’s article Pittman said “Is it fair that somebody donates $5,000/$10,000 to park there, and somebody can come up with a handicap permit and park for free?” Pittman said. “You can argue both sides of that coin.” People do not get handicap parking to get ahead of the rest of the world. People with disabilities get parking permits because it is the only way they can successfully move and walk into an arena. However, this is not just an issue at Wichita State. It is

“I want to make sure those with disabilities are on the same playing field and get an opportunity to enjoy and live life as much as possible with able bodied people.” occuring at several universities. The University of Kansas charges $25 for ADA parking currently according to Pflugradt’s article. Wichita State needs to wake up and realize that making people with disabilities feel like an inconvenience is absurd. People with disabilities need to have free parking privileges at athletic events just like others who do not have a disability. Imagine someone who is really excited to attend a basketball game.Now imagine they can’t get to the game without needing a close up parking spot. They then get there and find out they have to pay. Therefore, getting into the game may be either extremely difficult or even impossible. Trust me I do not live in a world where I think everything should be handed to me on a silver platter. I work hard for what I have, and I am not entitled to special privileges. I just want to be able to use my voice for those who cannot. I want to make sure those with disabilities are on the same playing field to get an opportunity to enjoy and live life as much as possible with able bodied people.

SUNFLOWER HOT TAKES The Sunflower editorial board gives their one-sentence opinions.

Kyran Crist: Chicken salad is underated. Julia Nightengale: Being sucessful in schools means sacraficing your mental and physical health. Melanie Rivera: The RSC should have a chipotle. Rachel Rudisill: Snow is only pleasing before Christmas. Jacinda Hall: We should have an ice cream shop on campus.

OPINION

THURSDAY, JAN. 27, 2022 | 5

Street ARE YOU GOING TO WATHCH THE AFC AND NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES THIS WEEKEND?

YASMINE MEYERS SENIOR, BUSSINESS MANAGEMENT

“I work two jobs and usally on the weekends,” Meyers said. “I work one job in the morning and one job in the evenning. I used to watch them a lot more when I was still living at home.”

Illustration by Wren Johnson / The Sunflower

Jacinda Hall Columnist

KURTI GOSWAMI FRESHMAN, BUSSINIESS MANAGEMENT

“A friend was telling me about it and was like are you coming or not,” Goswami said.”

We gave them a shot. A couple of runs with different characters. But I think it’s time Disney hangs their flying cape and calls it quits with the superhero TV shows. It’s just not your specialty guys and that’s OK. Over the past year, Disney has released many Marvel “TV”shows to their streaming service Disney+ such as Loki, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision and their latest series Hawkeye. Growing up on Marvel shows such as Agents of Shield, Agent Carter and The Defenders, I was excited for these shows to start

streaming because I felt as though Marvel did really well with its past television series. Boy was I let down. These newer shows have been “Disney-fied”. They lack the grit and depth the previous shows had. They now have a soft feeling — they put the beauty filter over the stories of the characters and said “Ta-da.” Disney is simply milking the Marvel cash cow by putting in minimal effort to characters that people are wanting to see on screen. They have a simple plot, simple writing, simple fight scenes and oh-so-very simple humor. They plucked hyped characters from the last Avengers movies and wrung them out for every last penny. The joy of the older Marvel shows was that they introduced

Disney needs to hang it up with the “extra” creativity with Marvel Kyran Crist DAVID BANZA SOPHOMORE, FINANCE

“No,”Banza said. “I will probably just sleep.

TANATSA PARIS NGWENYA JUNIOR, FINANCE

“I watched the game last weekend (Chiefs),” Ngwenya said. “It was a pretty close match. They told me that it’s not that serious so I’ll probably just wait for the Superbowl.”

IAN ELLIS GRADUATE, ENGINEERING

“Yes I am going to watch them(Chiefs) against the Cincinnati Bengals,” Ellis said. “Yes. I want to watch (NFC Championship).”

A&E Editor arts@thesunflower.com

We gave them a shot. A couple of runs with different characters. But I think it’s time Disney hangs their flying cape and calls it quits with the superhero TV shows. It’s just not your specialty guys and that’s OK. Over the past year, Disney has released many Marvel “TV”shows to their streaming service Disney+ such as Loki, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision and their latest series Hawkeye. Growing up on Marvel shows such as Agents of Shield, Agent Carter and The Defenders, I was excited for these shows to start streaming because I felt as though Marvel did really well with its past television series. Boy was I let down. These newer shows have been “Disney-fied”. They lack the grit and depth the previous shows had. They now have a soft feeling — they put the beauty filter over the stories of the characters and said “Ta-da.” Disney is simply milking the Marvel cash cow by putting in minimal effort to characters that people are wanting to see on screen. They have a simple plot, simple writing, simple fight scenes and oh-so-very simple humor. They plucked hyped characters from the last Avengers movies and wrung them out for every last penny. The joy of the older Marvel shows was that they introduced new characters with an in-depth and detailed plotline. They really did capture the full Marvel flick feeling with villains getting their asses kicked pretty gruesomely and some dry humor when needed. Of course they had their own problems, but you felt as though the

writers cared about the story. My current fear is about the rumor that the Netflix series Daredevil, which ended in 2018, will be getting a fourth season. My problem isn’t with the character or the story — trust me I would absolutely love to see my man Charlie Cox on-screen playing Matt Murdock for another

“They really did capture the full Marvel flick feeling with villans getting their asses kicked pretty gruesomely and some dry humor when needed.” season. My problem is that the series is pretty gruesome and gritty, it is rated TV-MA on Netflix for graphic violence alone, and that won’t fly on Disney+. I’m not advocating for violence — I definitely had to skip through a handful of scenes each episode to keep my lunch in its assigned organ, but there is a type of grit and reality of a superhero show that Netflix was able to portray that Disney won’t. It would not be the same show that fans enjoyed. Likewise, I think Disney is going to run these new characters and shows into the ground if they don’t stop now. I understand fans want to see more after the ending of the Avengers movies, but this is just lazy and too childish. I would much rather they continue to make movies such as the newest SpiderMan or Doctor Strange than drag my favorite characters through the mud for five seasons. Disney needs to stick to shows about zombie high schoolers and leave the superhero shows to the other platforms that don’t have me looking for talking animals.

new characters with an in-depth and detailed plotline. They really did capture the full Marvel flick feeling with villains getting their asses kicked pretty gruesomely and some dry humor when needed. Of course they had their own problems, but you felt as though the writers cared about the story. My current fear is about the rumor that the Netflix series Daredevil, which ended in 2018, will be getting a fourth season. My problem isn’t with the character or the story — trust me I would absolutely love to see my man Charlie Cox on-screen playing Matt Murdock for another season. My problem is that the series is pretty gruesome and gritty, it is rated TV-MA on Netflix for graphic violence alone, and that won’t fly on Disney+.

I’m not advocating for violence — I definitely had to skip through a handful of scenes each episode to keep my lunch in its assigned organ, but there is a type of grit and reality of a superhero show that Netflix was able to portray that Disney won’t. It would not be the same show that fans enjoyed. Likewise, I think Disney is going to run these new characters and shows into the ground if they don’t stop now. I understand fans want to see more after the ending of the Avengers movies, but this is just lazy and too childish. I would much rather they continue to make movies such as the newest Spider-Man or Doctor Strange than drag my favorite characters through the mud for five seasons. Disney needs to stick to shows about zombie high schoolers and leave the superhero shows to the

TikTok is the best: You will not change my mind Rachel Rudisill Assistant Sports Editor rtrudisill@shockers.wichita.

I grew up in both the Vine and Tiktok era. I love the icon “free shavacado”, “look at all those chickens” and all the Vine quotes, but TikTok is the elite platform. According to mediakick.com, Vine had a total of about 200 million users and – according to CNBC – TikTok has a total of one billion users a month. TikTok originally gave the user 15 seconds to record videos, while Vine only gave the user six seconds. Both apps did this because they wanted to apply to the attention span of each user. However, as time went forward people began to use both apps for more.

“Vine had a total of about 200 million users - according to CNBC - TikTok has a total of one billion users a month.” People use TikTok for more than just funny videos. Now, a lot of people use the platform from a storytelling, news, singing and business standpoint. Lacey Brown is one of my favorite examples of having a news platform on TikTok. Brown often makes videos that report recaps and fun features on NFL players. She is sitting at about 230k followers and has over 16 million likes. Liv Pearsall uses the app – sitting at 3.1 million followers and 127.8 million likes – and uses the

platform to make funny videos and stories. TikTok has noticed this and now allows people to create videos for up to three minutes. Producing content like that on Vine was extremely difficult. This was shown in the final season of America’s Next Top Model. The models were required to make a video explaining the importance of STEM. Overall, the majority of the groups failed because of the time limits. Not only is producing content easier on TikTok, but users have an opportunity to be paid at a higher rate. If a user has over 1,000 followers, they can go live and receive gifts from other users on TikTok. People can also make money by making advertisements, creating sponsored content and joining the creator fund. With more users than Vine– even though getting viral is extremely difficult – getting viral is slightly easier. Having a larger audience allows for more people to see posted content. When you go viral, you can begin to use these resources to further your career. Addison Rae – with 86.3 million followers–has been casted in Netflix films. Bella Poarch – with 87.7 million followers – used the platform to produce songs. Poarch’s first released song was listened to ten million times in 24 hours and has over 160 million views on YouTube. Vine will always have a special place in my heart, but from a business and communications standpoint, TikTok is the elite app.

WWW.THESUNFLOWER.COM

THURSDAY, JAN. 27, 2022 | 6

Sports

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

SHOCKER LEGACY

Ryan Barnes of the Shocker Bowling team, during team practice on January 25th, 2022 at the RSC. | Photo by Devon Sipes / The Sunflower

Ryan Barnes follows in parent’s footsteps as he starts bowling career at WSU BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com

R

yan Barnes hadn’t bowled competitively since he was 12 – even though both of his parents were professional bowlers. The emergence of COVID-19 made him give bowling a shot. Ryan played basketball throughout high school and was looking to play Division-II or Division-III basketball but the pandemic made it more difficult to visit schools. Barnes’ father, Chris, similarly played basketball in high school before starting his bowling career. “I was a basketball player and I could’ve gone to a D-II or D-III and grinded out a couple years,” Ryan said. “My dad said ‘why don’t you give this a shot?’ And that’s kind of how it started.” Ryan continued to work and found a passion for the sport, much like his parents. Chris is actively competing on the PBA Tour and his mother is a former member of the PWBA. When it came time to choose a school, Ryan decided to bowl for his father’s alma mater, Wichita State. “The bowling environment at Wichita State, that’s Duke, Kentucky for the basketball comparison,” Chris said. “If you want to be a professional then that’s where you go.” With Ryan’s limited experience, he was placed on the junior varsity team during his freshman season with WSU. That season allowed him to continue to practice and put his hard work into game action. “I think it gave him a chance

“Personally, I don’t know i I’ve seen anybody make as much progress as he’s made in two years.”

BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com

After a 10-day layoff due to COVID-19 issues, the Wichita State men’s basketball team is looking to earn its first conference win on Wednesday against Central Florida. The Shockers had both games postponed last week but the program still practiced during that time off. WSU was without juniors Dexter Dennis and Morris Udeze against Tulane on Jan. 12 but they returned on Jan. 16 against Cincinnati. They were then without Craig Porter Jr. and assistant coach Billy Kennedy during that game against the Bearcats. WSU has returned to near full health heading into Wednesday’s game, with at least 12 players active, according to head coach Isaac Brown. “We’re just so excited to be back, to be having two games this week,” Brown said. “We’re going to be playing a lot of back-to-back games, with the games we had postponed. We’ve got to get back on the winning side, we need to play well and the guys are excited about coming back.” WSU is hopeful that the time off will help following the team’s recent skid. The Shockers last win was over a month ago, including four straight losses to start conference play. WSU has now also lost five games at home, the most since the 2007-08 season. Brown said that the break allowed coaches to study the film to see what was effective during their early season wins. “We needed that time in order to go back and watch a lot of film,” Brown said. “We had some coaches that weren’t at practice and were able to watch a lot of film at home and echo what they saw to the coaching staff. I’m definitely excited that we’re back because you can practice, practice, practice but eventually you have to go do it in a game.”

SPORTS IN BRIEFS MEN’S BASKETBALL’S GAME AGAINST SMU RESCHEDULED FOR FEB. 3

- Rick Steelsmith

to get in a lot more games perhaps than he would’ve if he was on the varsity team at that time,” men’s bowling coach Rick Steelsmith said. “He wasn’t quite ready for that either. That helped a lot for the practice that he had been putting in, being able to take that and put it in the competition setting.” Barnes continued improving and earned a spot on the varsity team this season. His hard work in adapting to a new sport has paid off, winning two tournament MVPs, including sealing a win in Las Vegas. Steelsmith said that during his coaching career he hasn’t seen an athlete develop as quickly as Barnes has. “I never would’ve guessed how fast his learning curve actually ended up being and he puts in a lot of work and works really, really hard,” Steelsmith said. “Personally, I don’t know if I’ve seen anybody make as much progress as he’s made in two years.” Ryan also qualified for junior Team USA after finishing in 18th place at his first Team USA Trials in January. Chris has won 19 PBA titles over his career, but seeing his son earn a spot on Team WSU was more enjoyable than any of his individual accomplishments. “The Junior Team USA

Shockers return to the court after 10day layoff

Men’s basketball’s game at SMU has been rescheduled for Feb. 3 at Moody Coliseum, the American Athletic Conference announced in a release. The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 23 in Dallas Tipoff time is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The Shockers will now play three games in five days, with games scheduled against Tulsa on Feb. 1 and SMU on Feb. 5.

BASEBALL HIRES NEW VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT Ryan and Chris Barnes embrace after bowling together in a tournament together on Dec. 26. | Courtesy of Chris Barnes

moment, I might’ve been happier for him than anything that I’ve done myself,” Chris said. “It was surreal.” Both of Ryan’s parents are proud of how quickly he has improved in the sport of bowling. Lynda and Chris have helped Ryan with any advice throughout this journey, with their professional bowling backgrounds. Lynda, who majored in psychology in college, has helped with the mental side of the game, while Chris helps more with the technical side. “I’m proud of him on a lot of different levels,” Chris said. “One, how dedicated he’s been in the pursuit of getting much better and how willing he’s been

to take coaching from coach Steelsmith, from his teammates and even from us.” Chris and Lynda believe that Ryan can take this bowling journey as far as he wants to – even following in his parents’ footsteps and going pro. “I think he could do whatever he puts his mind to,” Lynda said. “I think most parents would tell you that. He really has an amazing work ethic. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done as bowlers. What he does, what he chooses to do, he’ll work the extra five minutes, he’ll stay and figure it out. “I think as far his goals go, it’ll be whatever he decides. If he wants to be a PBA Champion, I definitely think he’ll get there.”

The Wichita State baseball program announced Tuesday the addition of volunteer assistant coach Conor Behrens to the coaching staff for the 2022 season. Behrens comes to Wichita from Point Loma Nazarene University, where he served as the infield and hitting coach for the Sea Lions. Prior to his time in San Diego, the native of Lincoln, Neb., spent two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Central Missouri, helping the Mules to a national runner-up finish and a 46-8 record in 2021. Behrens began his coaching career the following year as an assistant for his alma mater, Lincoln Southwest High School, where he was an all-state performer as a player. Behrens played collegiately at Kansas City Kansas Community College and Lindenwood University

SPORTS

THURSDAY, JAN. 27, 2022 | 7

Track and Field sets six meet records at All-Kansas Invite BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

Wichita State senior Paula Garcia became the first Shocker woman to break the 24-second barrier in the 200-meter dash, setting a new school record at the All-Kansas Invite in Topeka. Garcia’s time of 23.82 also set a new facility record at Washburn and currently ranks her first in the American Athletic Conference. “I’m extremely proud of Paula and what she did today, not only for breaking the school record in the 200m but also for running her best ever 4x400 split (53.3) afterwards,” springs/hurdles coach John Wise said in a release. “She is one of the most dedicated athletes I’ve ever worked with, and we think this is only the beginning of a great season. Working with someone like her is why I got into coaching.” Senior Yazmine Wright also

broke the facility record in the 800 meters with a time of 2:11.28. Michael Bryan’s 20.71m/67-11.5 throw in the weight throw and Destiny Masters’ clearance of 1.78m/5-10 in the high jump also were facility records. Masters set meet record to her day in the long jump with a leap of 5.81m/19-0.75. Five other Shockers set new meet records at the All-Kansas invite, including Adam Moore, whose first-place time of 4:02.32 in the mile is now the third best in school history. Danielle Rinn won the mile on the women’s side and Dowdy Elazarig (long jump), Brady Palen (high jump) and Faith Turner (triple jump) broke the meet records in their events. WSU also found success in the men’s 200m, as Joakim Genereux took second with a time of 21.58. Clayton Duchatschek ran a personal-best time of 8:20.37 in the 300 meters to enter the top-10

TOP PERFORMERS WOMEN’S Paula Garcia - 1st, 200 meters 23.82 Yazmine Wright - 1st, 800 meters 2:11.28 Destiny Masters - 1st, High Jump 1.78m / 5-10 Danielle Rinn - 1st, Mile 5:04.64 Sophomore Chonnor Ludolph participates in the long jump event during the Shocker Prelude on Jan. 13. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

list at number nine. Margaux Thompson cleared 3.60m/11-9.75 to win the pole vault. Next up, the Shockers will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska this weekend for the Adidas Classic on Friday and Saturday. “Both of these weekends are

really good in giving our athletes opportunities to compete in their individual events and continue working towards where they know they need to be to make the conference team, to go to the conference meet and compete for a spot in the final,” Rainbolt said.

MEN’S Michael Bryan - 1st, Weight Throw 20.71m / 67-11.5 Adam Moore - 1st, Mile 4:02.32 Dowdy Elazarig - 1st, Long Jump 7.20 m Margaux Thompson - 1st, Pole Vault 3.60m / 11-9.75

Tennis off to best start since 1995 BY EMMIE BOESE opinion@thesunflower.com

The women’s basketball team cheer for their teammates as they run down the clock against East Carolina. The Shockers are currently 2-3 in their conference season. | Photo by Rachel Rudisill / The Sunflower

Women’s basketball snaps losing streak with win over ECU BY RACHEL RUDISILL AND EMMIE BOESE

The Wichita State women’s basketball team got an opportunity to redeem themselves after losing two straight games to East Carolina, including a 15-point loss last season. The Shockers reversed the scoreboard by beating the Pirates 70-55, while improving to 2-3 in conference play. “We played with passion tonight and we played as a team,” junior Jane Asinde said. The Shockers scored 41 points in the paint, which came from a combination of both the guards and post. Asinde’s quick thinking and points off of fast breaks played a major contribution as she led the Shockers with a team high of 21 points. Asinde’s ability to capitalize in the paint was an example of what made the Shockers hard to defend tonight, according to Head Coach Keitha Adams. “You know tonight you got two guards in double figures, you got two posts in double figures and so you’ve got great balance there,” Adams said. “I’ve always thought those are the hardest teams to play is when you got balance because if you don’t then you can really focus on hey shut this person down, shut their guards down, shut the post down shut them down so to have this balanced attack was great.” In a previous interview, senior Mariah McCully mentioned the third quarter is the Shockers’ “slump” quarter. In recent games, the team has struggled to put up points and score fast breaks. “We have been struggling with our first five minutes of our third quarters, so tonight we went on an aggressive approach,”Adams said. Tonight, the Shockers knew they had to keep the same energy throughout the entire game allowing them to set the tone early with a 2-2-1 press. “Pressing teams don’t like to be pressed,” McCully said. By constantly pressing ECU, Wichita State caused 21 turnovers. East Carolina is one of

the top teams in the league to cause turnovers. In the first half, the Shockers had 12 turnovers but they quickly adapted to the Pirates’ plays and only allowed the Pirates to cause seven turnovers. In the past, the Shockers have struggled with their field goal shots–an average of 36.9%. To improve the low percentage, Adams had the Shockers perform a “doctors dish” at every practice. Each player throws 400 shots a day. It paid off, with the Shockers shooting 44.8% from the field and four players–Asinde, McCully, Asia Strong and DJ McCarty–scored in double figures.

“We have been struggling with our first five minutes of our third quarters, so tonight we went on an aggressive approach.”

- Keitha Adams

The Shockers have also practiced having patience with the ball. In the fourth quarter, Wichita State controlled the clock. Instead of making unnecessary shots, they controlled the ball and listened to the direction of Adams. “We had the lead clocks on our side, so we do what we call motion 15,” Adams said. “Which means we’re gonna work that first 15 seconds down, and then go into some action to where we’re getting that shot in the ladder part of that 15.” The Shockers made fast breaks when necessary and available, but they focused on slowing down and controlling the ball with those “fast 15” in order to close out the victory. “Her (Adams’s) saying is, when you’re on the freeway, you go, but you’re in the school zone, you’ve got to slow down,” McCully said. “You can go 80 on the freeway and 20 in the school zone.” Ending the night with 40 points in the paint, the Shockers will continue their conference season (2-3) against USF on Saturday Jan. 29 at the Charles Koch Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 12 p.m. and will be broadcasted on ESPN+.

The Wichita State men’s tennis team is having their best start in 26 years after wins against Oral Roberts, Saint Louis and Purdue last weekend. “All three doubles teams and all six singles guys competed really hard,” head coach Danny Bryan said in a statement. “I know we can play a lot better than that, but for the first weekend, we did pretty well.” Redshirt junior Orel Ovil went 3-0 this weekend in singles matches and was named AAC player of the week for the first time in his four-year career at WSU. It is also the fifth time a Shocker has won AAC Player of the Week since joining the American in 2017. Ovil won his first match at No. 1 6-2, 6-2 against SLU. He finished out the day with a win against ORU 7-5 at No. 2. Ovil then went on to earn his third win of the weekend on Sunday against Purdue by defeating his opponent 6-1. He also went 2-1 in doubles, defeating Saint Louis and Oral Roberts at with partner Jackie Lin. “Orel competed well, as always,” Bryan said. “This was definitely a match that he can get a lot of confidence from and if Orel has confidence, he’s going to be really tough to beat.” In doubles, sophomore Luka Mrsic and redshirt junior Nicolas Acevedo beat SLU 6-2 in their match, and got another win against ORU on Sunday by defeating them on Sunday 6-2. Mrsic earned another victory but this time at No. 4 singles against Purdue with a final score of 6-3,6-3.

Junior Nicolas Acevedo serves the ball on Jan. 23 at the Genesis Health Clubs. Acevedo finished 2-1 in the singles competition against Athell Bennett. | Photo by Rachel Rudisill / The Sunflower

Acevedo also got his first win of his career at No. 1 singles. However, he dropped his first set in the match 3-6. Acevedo then made a comeback in sets two and three with a score of 6-0, and 6-3 to win the match. “Nico (Acevedo) got into the first set and wasn’t timing the ball well and wasn’t having much confidence, but he stuck with it and the way he competed and stayed the same whether he won or lost a point helped him get more confidence, find timing and play better as the match went on,” Bryan said. “I’m really proud of him for his effort mentally to stick with it and get that third-set win.” The Shockers will begin conference play in Fort Worth, Texas against Tulsa on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 11 a.m at the ITA Kick-off Weekend. WSU will also play on Sunday against No. 3 TCU or Portland depending on the results.

Newsome to transfer back to Southeastern Louisiana BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com

Wichita State freshman outside hitter Kailin Newsome will transfer to Southeastern Louisiana for next season, she announced Tuesday night on social media. Newsome, a Houston, Texas native, had just finished her first season with the Shockers, after arriving as a transfer from Southeastern Lousiana this fall. Newsome battled through some early season injuries with WSU and played 23 matches, while tallying 150 kills – the fourth most on the team. She also tallied 159 digs, which was the fifth most by any Shocker. Newsome will now return where she started her collegiate volleyball career began with the Lions. During the 2020 volleyball season, Newsome finishing with 280 kills, including a career-high 26 kills against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Newsome also tallied 11 double-doubles during the 2021 season. Newsome then received some accolades based on her

performance, including Southland Conference Freshman of the Year and Southland AllNEWSOME Conference First Team. “We started watching all the tape and she’s the only one they’re setting, everybody’s preparing for her and she just had to work to find points,” head coach Chris Lamb said of Newsome this past season. “We also think we can make her better but we thought she was a pretty good blend of a passer and maybe could score just enough and I think we were right.” Newsome said in an interview with The Sunflower in September that the ability to playing a higher level intigued her, along with attending a bigger school. “I just really wanted something bigger,” Newsome said. “I just wanted to be in a bigger conference, bigger school.” Newsome is the first Shocker volleyball player to transfer this offseason.

8 | THURSDAY, JAN. 27, 2022

SPORTS

BACK ON

TRACK 57 – 60

Junior Qua Grant looks to pass during the game Tulane on Jan. 26 inside Charles Koch Arena. The Shockers snapped a four-game losing streak with the win over the Knights. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

Shockers snap four-game losing streak, collect first conference win of the season BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

Wichita State defeated Central Florida, 84-79 on Wednesday, securing their first conference win of the season and snapped a four-game losing skid. The win against UCF was the first win in over a month and was also the first time WSU played in 10 days, after the Shockers had two games postponed due to COVID-19 issues. WSU had a fully healthy roster against UCF for the first time in 18 days. “That win might’ve felt better than any win I’ve ever had in my life,” head coach Isaac Brown said. “I’m just so excited these guys battled, it’s been a tough last four games. We’ve had four games in 34 days. I think the time off really helped those guys to focus, to get healthy.” The Shockers took a double-digit lead in the first half for the third straight game, with the largest lead being 16 points with 9:53 left in the half. The Knights cut into the deficit to close out the half and only trailed by seven points after 20 minutes. WSU was able to weather UCF’s

runs in the second half and ultimately held on for the five-point victory. After losing back-to-back games in which they held double-digit leads, the Shockers finished off a much needed win.

“It just feels good to win. We’ve been talking about it, scoring 30 was just a part of it. I was just tired of it so I just had to do what I do.”

- Ricky Council IV

The Shockers shot 40% from the field and went 9-23 (39.1%) from beyond the arc. Ricky Council IV led the Shocker offense with a career-high 31 points off the bench. Council also went 16-20 from the free-throw line. Council was the first Shocker since Markis McDuffie in the 2018-19 season to score 30 points. The freshman guard also attempted the third most free throws in a game by a Shocker. “It just feels good to win,” Council said. We’ve been talking about it, scoring 30 was just a part of it. I was

just tired of it so I just had to do what I had to do.” Council has switched his free throw routine this season to a simpler form and has paid dividends. He is now shooting 81.2% from the line this season, up from his 65.8% from the stripe last year. Council’s 16 free throw makes were also the third most in WSU history. “My mindset is the more you hold it in your hand, the more you think about it in a tough situation,” Council said. “If you think about one little negative thought, my form will get shot.” Two other Shockers reached double figure scoring, with Morris Udeze and Dexter Dennis combining for 28 points. Leading scorer Tyson Etienne struggled in the contest, scoring five points on 2-13 shooting. Etienne also went 1-8 from downtown. On the other side of things, UCF finished the game shooting 40.6% from the field and 38.5% from downtown. Brandon Mahan led the way with 20 points. Up next, the Shockers return home for a matchup with Tulane on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Freshman Ricky Council IV goes up for a layup during the game against Central Florida on Jan. 26 inside Charles Koch Arena. Council finished with a career-high 31 points.. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

SOPHOMORE SLUMP

By the Numbers: A look at Etienne’s offensive struggles BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

Last season, sophomore Tyson Etienne was one the best players in the country and even won the AAC Player of the Year. But this season hasn’t been the same for the third year guard. Etienne’s 2021-22 season started off with a bang, connecting on a game-winning opener and scoring a combined 55 points during WSU’s two games in Vegas. Since then, Etienne is averaging 12.8 points per game, while shooting 33.9% from the field. After WSU lost last season’s point guard, Alterique Gilbert, to graduation, Etienne has been forced to create his own offense more, while also receiving more defensive attention. Etienne was a proven shooter through his first two seasons, shooting 39% on three-pointers entering this season. Etienne has scored 16 or more points in nine games this season but is struggling to do so efficiently.

He’s shooting 33.9% from the field and 30.8% on threes this season, which are both career lows. Etienne is also taking 28.6% of WSU’s shots, also a career-high. True shooting percentage (TS%) – a stat that looks at how efficient a shooter is – also shows a downward trend for Etienne. His TS% is at a career-low 46.2% this season. Previously, his TS% had never been below 54.6%. “We’ve got to do a better job of getting him open,” head coach Isaac Brown said. “We’ve got to try to get him baskets in transition and get him to the free throw line. Let him see the ball go through the basket. We’ve got to screen for him more. We’ve got to put him off the ball more, so he can get the shots coming off ball screens.” The increased shot attempts – 14.1 field goal attempts per game – have largely come from the absence of Gilbert. Etienne has played more point guard this season, making it tougher to get open looks. Last season, got catch and shoot

ETIENNE: BY THE NUMBERS How has Tyson Etienne’s play this season compared to his 2020-21 breakout campaign? Check out these numbers and statistics.

30.8%

Etienne’s three-point percentage, down from his career 39% entering this year.

14.4

Etienne’s turnover rate, which is the highest in his career.

46.2%

Sophomore Tyson Etienne drives down the court during the game against Tulane on Jan. 12. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

opportunities 39% of the time but that number is down to 30.7% this season, according to Synergy. He’s also shooting 30.4% on those shots, compared to 38% shooting last season. Etienne has also struggled with taking care of the basketball this season, with a turnover rate of 14.1 – the worst of his career. Etienne was effective in that metric a year ago, with a turnover rate of 7.8

– the 16th best in the country. Etienne will look to break out of his cold streak against Tulane on Saturday. Etienne’s most effective showing in conference play came against the Green Wave earlier this season, scoring 20 points in an overtime loss. Etienne connected on six three-pointers, tying a season-high. Tip-off is scheduled for 11 a.m. in New Orleans, Lousiana.

Etienne’s true shooting percentage, factoring in how efficient a player’s shooting is.

28.6%

Percentage of the Shockers’ shots Etienne takes – the highest on the team and of his career.

14.1

Field goal attempts per game – the most in Etienne’s career.

THURSDAY, JAN. 27. 2022 | 9

WWW.THESUNFLOWER.COM

Arts & Entertainment

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

Starbucks, gaming and comedy - Kyler Lever’s recipe for smiles

PHOTO BY KAYLEE STOUT / THE SUNFLOWER

Kai Lever talks about his passion for comedy and video games company. His goal is to make as many people laugh as possible.

BY KYRAN CRIST arts@thesunflower.com

Barista at Starbucks by day, comedian and gaming website designer by night. Business student Kyler Lever works on all ends, trying to better people’s lives with his humor and caffeinated drinks. Lever, a Kansas cowboy, challenges the typical stereotypes as he grew up a cowboy working on his family farm while starting a gaming help website at 14 years old and growing into the comedy stage in high school. After stepping onto a stage for a high school talent show, and winning said talent show, Lever said he fell in love with comedy and the feeling of putting a smile on people’s faces. Using comedy as a way of stress relief and a way to get stuff off his chest after his parent’s divorce. “My first time, I did it in front of my entire high school. It was a talent show, kind of won that, it was kind of nice. It was 300 people were there and I was just spouting out jokes,” Lever said, chuckling at the memory. “But what I think about it is comedy makes people connect with each other. It makes their day a lot better than it actually was. How I got good was my father and my mother are divorced like many people out there. And I had to get something off my chest to spell out all of that information. Maybe this is funny. Maybe I can put all this on the stage. Right,” Lever said. “And now I mainly

go over what it is like to work at Starbucks. Yeah, I work at Starbucks, even though the looks are going to tell something slightly different - I’m a cowboy at heart, and I have horses, I have land, I have all that stuff. My dad told me to go work for Starbucks. So I did. And I tell you, it’s not nice.” Lever said the Starbucks industry, while customers are sometimes rude to the staff, it makes for great comedy content. Saying that the employees will get a good laugh off of the odd drinks that come through their drive-through line. “You pull up to the window when you ask for a latte with all the kinds of shit on it, they’re going to laugh at you. We’ll make fun of you too. People aren’t nice. This world is not nice,” Lever said. Though making drinks and making fun of the drinks isn’t his only talent, Lever also signs and works on the website and company he designed at the age of 14 called Studioverse, where he and a team of others help gamers be better in the game they are playing. “I’m a professional singer, voice actor, precious. And I’m also a medium. I have my own business called Studio Verse. It’s a video game company. It’s a video game company that basically helps people that want to be better at video games, editing and media CAD and drafting, animation and all that stuff. So we train you to be better in this situation,” Lever said. “I have a website called Studioverseofficial.com, and we just do that. I have about 59 people

PHOTO ILLISTRATION BY RACHEL RUDISILL / THE SUNFLOWER

Studioverse is a gaming website created by Kyle Lever. Lever created this website at the age of 14. Studioverse helps gamers with gaming issues while talking to real people for help.

that basically want to help you and help you learn and help you grow. Most of our guys are going to college right now to get better degrees so we can live in the business.” Being the owner of the website, Lever works to help promote the business. Saying it works better than tutorial videos because his team offers real person communication and a person helping you through the game. “I basically go out and say, here’s what it is. We can help you here, and you basically have to pay us to help you. But we’re going to be in your ear, we’re going to fix it,

we’re going to show you the tricks you can learn,” Lever said. “So it’s not just a video saying here’s how to do it, that’s not telling you anything. You have to follow the video step by step to get where you need to go. But when you have someone in your ear telling you what to do. Hey, there you go. Hey, I can ask questions now. I can be hopefully a communicator with this person.” Lever hopes to use his abilities in comedy, web work and business to help better others’ lives and simply put a smile on their faces. “I get to talk and listen to these wonderful people I get to

meet that want to be a part of the company, that want to be a part of my life. And I love talking to them, I love learning with them. I love just communicating with them,” Lever said. “I’m a very extroverted person. I like talking to people. I like communicating with people when it comes to these certain things. But most of all, I love making people smile.” You can catch Lever’s comedy shows at the East Asian Grill when its renovations are finished, and his gaming website at Studioverseofficial.com.

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK THURSDAY 10 a.m. - Noon State Tax Webinar for Construction Contractors @ Online Cost: Free 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Springfest @ Rhatigan Student Center Cost: Free Noon - 1 p.m. Hiring 101 (Shocker Neighborhood Coalition Business Bundle) @ Founders’ Grove Cost: Free 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. Ulrich Museum of Art Spring Exhibition Opening Celebration @ Ulrich Museum Cost: Free

FRIDAY Noon - 12:45 p.m. Ablah Library Tour @ Ablah Library Cost: Free 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. CSB Membership Meetings @ Rhatigan Student Center Cost: Free 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Cards Against Hypnosis @ CAC Theater Cost: Free to Students with WSU ID

SATURDAY 2 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. UCF @ Charles Koch Arena

SUNDAY Nada. Rest up party animals.

10 | THURSDAY, JAN. 27, 2021

A&E

Best coffee shops in Wichita for coffee or a cozy study area BY JACINDA HALL

Want to spice up your caffeinated palette with something different than your usual hot or iced latte? A friendly service and a great environment while studying and/or catching up with an old friend? Well, this article is for you. Today, I will be listing off four of the best local coffee shops Wichita has to offer. Starting off the list at number one is Il Primo. Il Primo is known as Wichita’s oldest and best coffee shop. They have two locations here in Wichita - the first location is in Normandie Shopping center on East Central and their second location is in The Epic Center on North Main in Downtown Wichita. They offer a large variety of different drinks from lattes to cold brew and kombucha. They also serve a variety of breakfast foods from sandwiches to muffins and their coffee is less than what you would get at a typical Starbucks. They have recently raised their prices due to supply chain shortages, but their price range remains the same and it stands between $2-$5 for both drinks and food. My personal favorite from Il Primo is their ‘Sappho’ latte (iced). The ‘Sappho’ has espresso, oatmilk, lavender, brown sugar, and if you get the iced version they’ll add cold foam to the top of the drink. Il Primo also serves a variety of seasonal drinks year-round. A couple of my favorite seasonal drinks include the ‘Comfy Cardigan’ latte they serve in the spring and the Witches Brew drink they serve in the Fall. Next on the list is Leslie’s Coffee Co. Leslie’s is a small coffee shop located in the Delano District near Downtown Wichita. They offer a wide variety of coffees and teas and some breakfast foods as well. Their prices range from $3-$7 for both drinks and food. They

have an amazing environment filled with plants and greenery and they have an outdoor seating option as well. Making Leslie’s one of the perfect places to study, hang out with friends, or to relax. My personal favorites from Leslie’s are an Iced Matcha Latte made with oat milk and simple syrup or an Iced coffee made with oatmilk and their seasonal sweetened condensed milk flavor. Next up is Churn and Burn. Churn and Burn is known for their ice cream based coffees and their homemade ice cream. Churn and Burn is a little bit more expensive than the other places mentioned above, but they’re worth the price. They’re locally owned and sourced right here in Wichita, they use all-natural ingredients, and their coffee is locally sourced from Wichita’s very own, The Spice Merchant. Ice cream ranges from $3-$4 and their coffee with an ice cream base ranges from $5-$7 depending on the size you get. My personal favorite from Churn and Burn is their specialty C&B caramel macchiato. This caramel macchiato has a vanilla ice cream base with espresso, mixed with vanilla syrup, topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce. You can drink this with a giant wide-mouthed straw, or you can eat this with a spoon. For our next coffee shop - we have Cocoa Dolce. Cocoa Dolce is very well-known for their delicious chocolate, but did you know that they did coffee too? Well, now you do! They do a variety of beverages at a low cost. Their prices for their beverages range from $2.75-$4.25. They serve iced coffee, cold brew, iced chocolate milk, and more. They charge 50 cents for each flavor you choose. But the best part about your coffee -they give you free, unlimited refills. Flavors included. They have three locations in

Wichita. Downtown (across the street from The Wave), Bradley Fair, and New Market Square. Fun Fact - they have the chocolate factory at the Downtown location. Cocoa Dolce also has a nice, inviting environment. It’s a great place for studying or just to relax and to hang out with friends. Personally, when I go here, I like to chill in the lounge with a cup of iced coffee or cold brew and a cup of gelato for a sweet treat. The last shop on this list is Caffe Americana. Caffe Americana has one location in Wichita - inside the Towne West Mall. This small cafe is locally run, owned, and sourced. Their baked goods are made fresh daily in house and their coffee is locally sourced from The Spice Merchant. They have a variety of coffees, teas, and more for your taste buds. For their drinks, the prices range from $2-$5 and for their baked goods, they range from $1-$3 and, good news for everyone that drinks non-dairy alternatives, they do not charge for non-dairy alternatives. Out of all the coffee shops listed here, Caffe Americana is the only one that does not charge for alternatives such as Oat milk or Almond milk. However, they do charge 50 cents for the flavors. My personal favorites from Caffe Americana include a cold brew with almond milk and any flavor I’d like (depends on my mood) or a matcha latte made with almond milk and if I’m feeling it, I’ll get a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie to go with my drink. The best part about Caffe Americana is you can buy a drink while you are hanging out at the mall with friends! Hopefully this list gives you as the readers some ideas on some coffee shop here in Wichita to try and remember to support your local anything.

COURTESY PHOTO BY KYRAN CRIST

II PRIMO ‘Sappho’ Iced Latte. LESLIE’S Iced matcha latte with oat milk and simple syrup or iced coffee made with oat milk and seasonal sweetened condensed milk flavor. COCOA DOLCE Iced coffe or cold brew CAFFE AMERICANA Cold brew with almond milk or matcha latte with almond milk ILLUSTRATION BY THY VO / THE SUNFLOWER

Students gather for trivia night at Nerdology BY KYRAN CRIST arts@thesunflower.com

Trivia, games, and team building all took place at CAC Theater last week, with students coming out to participate in Nerdology. Friday Jan. 21st, students joined together in teams at Nerdology to win in trivia regarding topics such as seen on TV shows like Jeopardy. The game brought students together to work to solve the questions in a timely manner in the interactive game show. The event was hosted by the Wichita State Student Activities Council, which hosts many on-campus activities for students

such as Cards Against Hypnosis featuring comedic hypnosis David Hall on Jan. 28th and the Fairmount Formal on Feb. 19th. Other evemts that SAC holds can be found on their website as well on the weekly calendar in the Arts and Entertainment section. SAC works to provide events for students to attend on campus and usually free for students, though the fee will vary from event. If interested in participating in planning of SAC events, they have open seats on their committees and can be found also on the WSU website.

PHOTOS BY DEVON SNIPES / THE SUNFLOWER

Nerdology contestants win a tub of cheese balls, January 21st, 2022, at the CAC Theater on Wichita State’s campus.

PHOTOS BY DEVON SNIPES / THE SUNFLOWER

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PHOTOS BY DEVON SNIPES / THE SUNFLOWER

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