/ The Sunflower
THURSDAY Aug. 19, 2021 Volume 126 Issue 2
WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896
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ROCKIN’
FIRST WEEK Wichita State held various back to school activities during the first week of the fall semester. The Back to School Bash included rock-climbing, bouncy houses, a DJ and more. For full coverage of the first week of school events, turn to page three.
PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN / THE SUNFLOWER
Freshman Erin Jacobson does wall climbing during the Back to School Bash. The event was hosted by Student Involvement on Aug 14 in the RSC Courtyard.
Having troubles with your professor? Here’s what to do BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE news@thesunflower
Through the course of a college career, a student might find themselves being unsatisfied with a course for various reasons— whether it may be the professor or the content. “Maybe [the professor’s] teaching style isn’t what you’re used to,” The Associate Dean of Student Success Brien Bolin said. “Maybe you don’t understand their expectations or they don’t understand your expectations, so sometimes just opening up that communication and engaging with a faculty member is the first step.” Bolin’s first step is to reach out to the specific professor in question. By policy, professors have to keep a sufficient number of office hours for students. Students should schedule an appointment instead of trying to catch their
professor on the way out of class. If that doesn’t work, the next step would be to contact the department chair. In LAS, bachelor level coordinators have been appointed for every program as an intermediary step if the department chair feels unapproachable. The next person to contact after would be the dean of the college, and if still not resolved the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. A way that students can help make their voices heard about courses is by filling out their SPTE-R’s, which are evaluations of courses sent to student emails at the end of every semester. “They need to be honest, but they need to be honest in a way that is productive,” Bolin said. “Because if the SPTE comes back with some concrete things that the faculty can do, we all want to improve.”
Bolin said it is also important to remember that there are many different types of faculty at WSU. There are non-tenured track faculty, as well as tenured track faculty. Tenured track faculty usually have expectations set by the university that include teaching, service, and research. There are also lecturers who are chosen from the community because of their expertise, and GTA’s, who are students themselves. “They are also taking classes at the same time that they are teaching classes, so they have the same struggles and anxiety around their own classes and their own learning,” Bolin said. If a faculty member is continually having low performance, they will have several rounds of evaluation on their teaching, service, and research. Students don’t often travel down this path
and oftentimes rely on informal networks— Such as Rate My Professor or word-of-mouth to choose their professors. Bolin said it is also possible to see which classes and professors are more popular than others through enrollment numbers in courses. While it is important to get to know your professor, it is also important for faculty to get to know their students and what their definition of success is. “The faculty need to know who their students are too, because it’s not about everybody succeeding to the same level,” Bolin said. “It’s more subjective. I’m not saying do away with grades, but I am saying students are all successful in their own ways and learn in their own ways.” If there’s a class that is needed but isn’t being offered, Bolin said that students can talk to their
department chair. Bolin said that he has helped put together multiple different curriculum’s, degree programs, and certificates based on what they were hearing from students. “If it weren’t for the students, we wouldn’t be here,” Bolin said. “We need to make sure we are doing what we can for the students.” Bolin said it is important to connect and engage with your courses to avoid this issue. It’s important to read the syllabus for each of your courses and be mindful of how withdrawing from a class will affect scholarships or financial aid. “It’s not a one way transaction, we learn from each other,” Bolin said. “If I was talking to students all the time and not listening to them, I wouldn’t grow and we kind of grow together. We’re lucky that this is what we get to do.”
2 | THURSDAY, AUG. 19, 2021
NEWS
PHOTO BY KAYLEE STOUT / THE SUNFLOWER
President Rick Muma help students along with their parents to move into Shocker Hall at WSU on August 13.
Move in with Muma: University president assists freshmen on move-in day BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE news@thesunflower.com
S
tudents moving into Shocker Hall today had a helping hand from University President Rick Muma. Muma and his husband, Rick Case, showed up to the dorm this morning to help new freshmen move into their on-campus dorms. “I showed up to welcome them, primarily,” Muma said. “Student’s have been gone a long time, although we have had some student’s in housing in the last year. I wanted to get out and about and greet them and I want them to feel welcome.” Some students were oblivious to who was helping them unpack. “I came down the elevator, and there were like 50 cameras in my face … I didn’t even know that was the president,” Zimmerman, a freshman majoring in filmography, said. Kaycee Schkolovyi, a freshman
majoring in mechanical engineering, said that having the president there on move-in day showed that he cared about the students. “I’m from Oklahoma, so I am looking forward to the new everything and meeting everyone, and being outside of my comfort zone,” Schkolovyi said. Jake Brauns, a freshman majoring in sports management, said that having the president there made him feel more like a real person. “It’s pretty nice, it makes him feel closer to the students instead of all the way up on the top,” Brauns said. Brauns said that he is excited to experience being outside of the small hometown that he grew up in. “[I’m excited about] everything, really. Being away, just trying to branch out from the small town I came from in a bigger area of knowledge,” Brauns said. Lillian Persson, a freshman
PHOTO BY K AYLEE STOUT / THE SUNFLOWER
President Rick Muma laughs with a Shocker Hall staff member during move-in day on August 13.
majoring in psychology, said that it is nice to know that there are people here at WSU to help in case she needs it. Like many freshmen, Persson looks forward to being independent and being on her own
for the first time. Muma said that being there to help students move in is a part of his goal to help students be successful. “The big thing is I want them
to be successful,” Muma said. “My goal is that every student who comes here graduates and moves on to better lives.”
‘More hands, less work:’ Community garden invites students to get involved BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE news@thesunflower.com
The community garden, located northeast of Ahlberg Hall, is a free resource for fresh produce for students on campus. Due to lack of people on campus, the garden became overgrown during campus’ COVID-19 closure. Rex Hafenstine, a graduate student in biomedical engineering, has been working alongside others to tend the garden. Through a tour of the garden, it is clear that Hafenstine is eager to share his passion for gardening with others and help uphold the mission of the garden. “I didn’t plant any of this, I’ve just been taking care of it,” Hafenstine said. “When I first started … it was a jumble of weeds and it took me two and a half weeks to dig all of this stuff up.”
The garden features a wide variety of produce and flowers, including cucumbers from Nepal planted by a student. Hafenstine discussed his recent battle with cabbage worms in the garden. “They said that thyme is supposed to have a repellent for the little worms to keep them away, but it didn’t work that well … There are different things that you can spray on these plants and I’m trying to not kill our native bee population around here.” Along with being mindful of the native bees, the garden uses no sprays or pesticides-which means you can eat the produce right from the stem. “This whole thing next year should have multiple strawberries going on, it hasn’t this year but it takes a year to two years for strawberries to come in,” Hafenstine said. “Next year it should be really
The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run newspaper covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Monday during the fall and spring semesters. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com.
MISSION The Sunflower — both in print and online — will be a timely resource of information about the Wichita State University community. It will report on news, issues, activities, academics and athletics, in addition to offering a forum for discussion, reviews and commentary. It will also be an effective learning experience for students, who will have the final authority over what is published.
LEGAL One free copy of The Sunflower is available to members of the WSU community. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 in the newsroom, Elliott Hall 019. The Sunflower is private property and unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable. The Sunflower is funded by a combination of print and online advertisment sales and student fees allocated by the Student Government Association. The Sunflower is a member of Kansas Collegiate Media, the Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association. Copyright © 2021 The Sunflower. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.
good.” Hafenstine said it’s important for students who want to help with tending the garden to visit wichita. edu/communitygarden and get in contact with the president or vice president of The Green Group. “It’s open for people,” Hafenstine said. “Don’t destroy the garden, don’t go chomping through it and hurt the plants, and make sure if you pick it that you are going to eat it, it’s ripe.” If you wanna water or something like that, check first. Sometimes helping is actually hurting.” Hafenstine said that he has had a green thumb since high school when he worked in a nursery. “I have multiple plants in my apartment,” Hafenstine said. Read the rest at thesunflower.com
PHOTO BY JORDAN PLOWMAN / THE SUNFLOWER
Rex Hafenstine tends to the community garden on Aug. 18, 2021.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Lindsay Smith news@thesunflower.com
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Arts & Entertainment
THURSDAY, AUG. 19, 2021 | 3
HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s A&E editor, Kyran Crist arts@thesunflower.com
Back-to-School bash was a Back-to-School success BY JAYCIE NELSON opinion@thesunflower.com
On Saturday, Aug. 14. Wichita State held their annual Back-toSchool Bash in the RSC’s east courtyard. This event was filled with a dj, rock-climbing, bouncy houses, and lots of entertainment. This event was hopefully a signifying introduction to what this upcoming school year has in store, showing a sense of normalcy that is returning onto campus. The students were all smiles as they were on campus and interacting with one another face-to-face. Wichita State freshman Douglas Zilch, who is majoring in physical therapy, enjoyed a game
of giant sized connect-4 with a few of his friends at the bash. When asked why he decided to attend the bash he talked about wanting to get involved and “start the year off right.” He looked forward to trying the bouncy house with the wrecking ball later during the event. Freshman and honors student Erin Jacobson, with a major in entrepreneurship, got done climbing the rock wall (twice) and talked about why she came to the bash. “Because my roommates are really fun, and my RA is really fun and Honors College is the best floor,” she said. She said her favorite thing about the bash was the rock climbing wall.
“Climbing that a couple times was pretty darn fun,” Jacobson said. Ivan Castillo, a senior with a double major in psychology and social work, said that the bash was a great way to start his senior year. “This is my last year because I’m a senior, it’s kind of bittersweet,” he said. He said his favorite thing about the bash was interacting with others face-to-face again. The Back-to-School Bash was a back-to-school success. People were interacting, smiling, and having fun, bringing a positive start to the school year.
PHOTOS BY KHANH NGUYEN / THE SUNFLOWER
The Back to School bash was held at the Rhatigan Student Center Courtyard on Aug. 14. The event included bouncy houses, a dj and rock climbing.
PHOTO ILLISTRATION BY THY VO / THE SUNFLOWER
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
THURSDAY, AUG. 19, 2021 | 4
PHOTO BY KYRAN CRIST / THE SUNFLOWER
WSU rowing coaches talk about the various activities that Boars and bikes offers to the community as well as what students of WSU can access with them.
Boats and Bikes offers opportunities for Wichitans BY KYRAN CRIST arts@thesunflower.com
Boats and Bikes, a partnership with Wichita State’s rowing team, offers many activities and opportunities for both students and the community of Wichita. Boats and Bikes is partnered with WSU for the campus rowing team and recreational program. They also offer rentals for trikes, scooters, bicycles, pedal boats and kayaks, for those looking to spend some time on the river or riding in town. The WSU official Rowing team trains out of the Boats and Bikes facility. In the fall semester they spend the majority of their time training under head coach Calvin Cupp with the help from his assistant coaches. Cupp said that they are a more than one dimensional organization, their main focus is the student athletes but they offer a lot of opportunities for activities and community involvement. “It’s another resource and activity and opportunity that students have access to and to enrich their
experience,” Cupp said. Between the various activities and opportunities they offer for students, faculty and staff, and to the community, they have to find their balance in the busy seasons. “Think of it like a bicycle wheel okay, not the new fangled carbon fiber thing but old school spokes right,” Cupp said, “At the center you have your student athletes, but everything else we do around that creates another spoke and you know the more of those you have, the more stability you have.” “We do have others that help us, it’s not just the two of us,” Rachel Tuck, assistant coach and office manager for Shocker Rowing, said. “But that way we can figure out who’s best suited for what.” Tuck said that the pandemic brought in student athletes looking for a team support system, craving the interaction and friendships you make through training and competing with a team. “With COVID-19, a lot of student athletes really wanted that experience of ‘I want to be on a team, I want to go after something
The best places to job hunt on campus
PHOTO BY KYRAN CRIST / THE SUNFLOWER
Boats and bikes offres various activities to students looking for extracuriculars.
because it got taken away from me,’” Tuck said. “We had almost everyone who walked out, wanted to do competitive versus recreation.” While they had quite a bit that decided to go competitive, Cupp and Tuck said that they still had good interest from seniors or maybe families still interested in a recreational team.
They are looking forward to the Smores and Oars event next Wednesday, hoping to bring in more student awareness of the opportunities offered. Bringing in at least 250 the last time it was held, they hope to bring in just as many if not more this year. “We’ll put all the kayaks out and you can go pedal boating,” Tuck said, “We’ll have lots of activities
you can do with your Shocker ID, and we’ll have smores. You can go around the dock actually on a boat and push off and do a little loop around here with some other rowers and maybe get a feel for how the team works.” Smores and Oars will be on Wednesday Aug. 25th from 6-8 p.m. at the Boats and Bikes facility at 150 North McLean.
Next Level
BY ELENA KUCKELMAN emkuckleman@shockers.wichita.edu
As campus begins to open back up for the fall, new job opportunities for college students are opening up as well. One way to find some of the jobs that are available on campus is using Handshake, which can be accessed from the Wichita State University website. Once a Handshake account has been made, that person can upload their resume, see the jobs they may qualify for, and communicate with potential employers. With Handshake, students are able to read a short description of each job and apply directly on the site. Another way to find out about a job opening on campus is through Shocker Blast. Some of the best on-campus job opportunities can be found within the Rhatigan Student Center. With the large number of restaurants and offices located inside, students have a variety of work opportunities to choose from. Many Student Assistant positions are also available at various offices around campus. These jobs can often offer a more flexible schedule to work around your classes. Working at an office on campus can also provide a way to meet other students. In addition, a job at Ablah Library can have many of these same benefits. Between the Shocker Store and multiple restaurants, Braeburn Square can also be a great place to go job hunting right on campus. One final place to look for job opportunities is at the YMCA on campus. Working at the YMCA is a different and fun way to earn
PLACES TO WORK ABLAH LIBRARY Ablah library offers many benifits like other on-campus jobs such as in campus referances, being apart of the community, and awaerness of reasources.
CHICK-FIL-A / STARBUCKS / FREDDYS / PANDA EXPRESS These food industry jobs offer on campus jobs in the Rhatigan Student Center for students to work with each other as well as work for these different corperations as well as the school
YMCA If you are into health and fitness, the on campus YMCA offers jobs for students to work in several departments.
SHOCKER STORE The Shocker store, located in the Rhatigan Student Center, gives students a chance to connect with their fellow members and staff.
money as a college student. Whether you have any work experience or not, getting a job on campus is a good way to save up towards the many costs and fees that come with college. With all the work opportunities available, students can find all kinds of jobs that suit their needs.
PHOTOS BY JORDAN PLOWMAN
Students come to the top of the parking garage on campus on Friday Aug. 13th for dancing, games, and food.
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Opinion
HAVE AN OPINION?
contact The Sunflower’s opinion editor, Jaycie Nelson opinion@thesunflower.com
Ways to combat imposter syndrome Jaycie Nelson Opinion editor opinion@thesunflower.com
Do you ever get the sense that you are the only one in the classroom that has no idea what they are doing? Or maybe you are surrounded by other peers in your major, and you get the notion you don’t belong? Imposter syndrome is common among college students, even if they don’t register
“An important aspect of understanding [imposter syndrome] is knowing you’re not the only one that is feeling that way.” that’s what they are feeling. Imposter syndrome is relatively defined as feeling like a fraud. It occurs when we doubt our belonging or our efficiency in our chosen major, class, or organization. It can also occur after you hit an achievement and feel as though you didn’t deserve it. An important aspect of understanding this feeling is knowing you’re not the only one that is feeling that way. If you find yourself with this perspective, try discussing it with your peers and see if any of them share similar feelings or beliefs about themselves. If you find you can’t talk to your friends about it, you can always contact a counselor at Student Wellness Center and set up an appointment.
Another aspect to understand, is that just because you feel that way, it doesn’t mean it’s true. If you completely 360 your major, and you now feel like you don’t belong, that’s okay. Because the reality is, you do. If it’s something you’re passionate about,
WAYS TO COPE • Understand you’re not alone • Discuss the feeling with your peers • Remind yourself that sometimes your feelings aren’t true. FILE PHOTO BY EASTON THOMPSON / THE SUNFLOWER
• Remind yourself that you belong and don’t give up.
Daria Moore, a freshman studying biological sciences and graphic design, draws using a laptop during the LGBT selfcare event on Thursday, Nov. 7 2019 at the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
• Don’t belittle yourself on what you can achieve.
Professors should allow electronics in class
simply interested in, or it’s what you want to pursue, then you have as much right as anybody else to be in that class. You don’t have to have an impressive internship or resume to be sitting in your chosen class surrounded by peers with similar interests. You just need to want to be there, and you deserve to be there. Don’t belittle yourself or what you want to achieve. Don’t incapacitate yourself and what you can do because of fear. You don’t need to shrink yourself to fit into other’s ideals, but you may need to expand your self-belief if you think you’re too small to match up to other students. Your success is just as earned as anyone else’s.
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to $350 billion dollars. It is not surprising that WSU students rely on technology as Rachel heavily as they do - it is part of Lyons the rigor of getting a degree or Columnist raylons@shockers.wichita.edu certification from the university. This is why when a professor decides that they don’t want to see Imagine walking into class on technology in their class it can be the first day of school, excited to frustrating to students. start a new semester of courses Laptops and tablets not only and with an online note taking put university programs, includsystem that works for you as a student and is resilient to changes ing Blackboard and Outlook, at a student’s fingertips, but with the that were required by Covid-19. rise of digital textbooks through Now imagine your professor Access Now and RedShelf, techtelling you that they will only nology makes backpacks lighter allow students to have notebooks and more easily carried through a and a writing utensil out during long day on campus. class. They do not want to see For me, these technology any phones, laptops, or tablets bans seem unusual. Even in throughout that class - no quesmiddle school, when we did not tion. But what does this mean have a laptop to carry from class for those students who rely on to class, we used technology technology as part of their online frequently enough that teachers education? and students were accustomed to In 2019, the educational utilizing it. technology industry - comprising In high school, I did have a tools such as Blackboard, Canvas, few teachers who didn’t embrace Interactive Whiteboards (Such it fully, but those teachers often as Smartboards), and much had good reasons for not embracmore, was valued at $18.66 billion ing it. For example: my Social dollars according to the World Studies Teacher preferred more Economic Forum. As of 2025 that simulations and having us “meet” valuation is expected to increase
“It is not surprising that WSU students rely on technology as heavily as they do— it is a part of the rigor of getting a degree or certification from the university.” historical figures, and music courses or gym don’t necessarily require technology, but they do require specialized physical materials. I can see how having a laptop or tablet in a lab type setting could be dangerous, whether that is because of the chemicals being used, or the nature of the lab the students are in. I suppose this is my question to professors who are considering a rule such as this would be: What is your motive? Are you doing this because it better fits the nature of the class, or are you doing this because you are concerned that students are not getting as much out of class as they should?
LISTEN TO EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF YELLING OVER ONE ANOTHER Jaycie Nelson Opinion editor opinion@thesunflower.com
These past two years have truly put a rift between people on opposing sides of any hot topic. We could put our blame on 24-hour news, social media, or the recent and heated past election. However, we also seem to blatantly blame the other side. America is centered around the ideals of diversity, yet tolerance for people who have diverse opinions are low. This is to comfort the ones who go to a dinner party and get stuck in the middle of a political battle,when all you’re truly worried about is what’s for dessert.
You act as the middleman, with opinions on both sides, and honestly are just wanting everyone to, “chill out.” It’s completely okay to have different opinions and views, and it’s okay to feel strongly about those views. However, your true show of character shouldn’t be your beliefs, but how you handle other people’s opinions and viewpoints. To shout, yell, and diminish other people’s beliefs is where the middle-man is getting fed up. People will never have the same opinions on everything and that in itself is a beautiful concept. What’s not beautiful is to hate and bash on others for their perspective on issues and the world. We all have led unique lives, and our personal experiences
have shaped the way we perceive the world which have formed our own beliefs. To fully understand one another, we need to understand and respect each other’s opinions. We need to listen fiercely, and understand earnestly. Even if you can’t find yourself able to understand another’s viewpoint, sometimes the best thing to do is simply walk away or change the topic. It’s a skill to be able to converse in a debate with calmness and reason. It’s a show of character if you can feud respectfully. To oppose a popular belief, just because you talk louder, doesn’t mean you’re right. Take time to consider another’s opinion and counter with a response that’s grounded in respect not hate.
SUNFLOWER HOT TAKES The Sunflower editorial staff gives their one-sentence opinions.
Lindsay Smith: I miss the days when I didn’t have to search for a parking spot. Jaycie Nelson: Hedgehogs are better pets than both cats and dogs. Sean Marty: Doc Greens is underrated. Kyran Crist: Freddy’s fries need to be thicker. Julia Nightengale: Walking around campus has been the most exercise I’ve done in months. Khanh Nguyen: Go see Free Guy right now.
6 | THURSDAY, AUG. 19, 2021
Street HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE REQUIREMENT TO WEAR A MASK INSIDE THE CLASSROOM?
OPINION
TO MASK OR NOT TO MASK? Masks should be worn to save lives Rachel Lyons Columnist raylons@shockers.wichita.edu
BRESHA BANKS
Elementary Education Major “I feel like it is needed, but in a way I just feel like it gets too hot sometimes. You can’t really focus on what you’re doing because you’re hot and sweating.”
SKYLER DUNCAN
Theater Performance Major “I think it’s good because it helps people stay safe.”
KENDIE CUNNINGHAM Theater and Secondary Education Major
“In classrooms I think it’s good because we’re all so close together that we need to protect each other and ourselves.”
ASHLEY GREGA
Theater Performance Major “I think it’s necessary to keep us safe. Although I do wish I could see my classmates’ faces because I’m honestly more intimidated to go up and introduce myself to people. But if it’s going to help us save lives then like, I’d rather save lives than meet people. That sounds so weird, but like you know what I mean.”
BRADEN WEBB
Computer Science Major “I feel really comfortable in the few classes I’ve been in. I was just in my public speaking classes and they still had the desks kind of socially distanced. So I felt comfortable. I really like that they’re requiring the masks still. And it’s also nice to be able to walk around outside without the mask on, but when you go inside and go to class, I think it’s good that they have that requirement still.”
JOSH CORNETT
Accounting and Art History “I mean I don’t like wearing masks, but I think it’s probably a good thing. To stop the spread.”
I, as someone considered an essential worker, am asking you to please continue to wear your mask. I don’t want to think that the elderly woman that I saw last week, who is already struggling with only being able to do grocery pick-up orders rather than going inside the store to shop, might die if she contracts the virus. I don’t want to think that the proud veteran, who brings his chihuahua with him to the store, might potentially struggle for the remainder of his life because of the effects of contracting covid. Wearing a mask is more than an effort to protect myself. To me it serves as a reminder of the message I want others to know: I will do everything I can to create an equitable situation for all of us. A situation that can vaguely relate to those “we’re all in this together” commercials. Wearing a mask, at least indoors, has allowed us to come away from a ‘Zoom-iversity’ set up, as we’ve called it in the past, and return to in-person classes. This is something that many students are grateful for, including myself. I want to admit right here and now, that when my employer lifted the mask mandate for vaccinated employees, I did take advantage of the ability to not wear a mask. Yet, I still saw people wearing masks regardless of their vaccination status. I am now back to wearing a mask, why you ask? Because if science is telling me that in order to keep the people I love safe, I need to use what are now called
“I am now back to wearing a mask, because if science is telling me that in order to keep the people I love safe, I need to use [masks].” Layering Techniques: masking, social distancing (staying 6 feet apart), etc. These techniques have been studied scientifically to determine whether or not they help reduce the spread of viral particles. Finally I want to make this very clear: every person makes a decision for themselves and for their families. I refuse to point fingers and tell someone not wearing a mask that they are wrong. Why? COVID-19 is not political. It is not two groups of people pointing fingers at each other and being upset about the decision each side finds to be the best for the nation. COVID-19 is a public health emergency. An emergency that is worth giving our all to solve one step at a time. If we do not use the tools in our toolbox, it is much harder to solve the problem that we face. Although it is not impossible, it makes it an even greater challenge to resolve it. This puts us in the position: do we solve the problem effectively or do we take the more difficult route that makes the resolution seem as though it will never come? Whatever you decide to do, make an educational choice with the materials that are available from sources like The CDC, WHO, Local and State governments or health departments, and physicians who are on the front lines.
Unpaid internships are unethical Lindsay Smith Editor-in-chief editor@thesunflower.com
College students need money. Well actually— everyone needs money. But for this specific column, we’re going to focus on college students. So I’ll repeat. College students need money. They also need time to go to class and do school work. On top of all this, they also need hands-on work experience so that when they graduate they are able to find a well paying job so they can— you guessed it— make money. How do college students gain this experience? Internships, of course. Internships are also time-consuming. Depending on the internship, some students find themselves working 25 hours a week. For paid internships, this doesn’t pose as much of a problem. Internships can replace their usual job if need be. However, if these internships are unpaid, that poses a problem for students. Because now, in order to make money and keep going to school, they have to balance an internship, a paying job, class times, and school work. It is nearly impossible to balance all of that without sacrificing one’s mental health and see decreasing grades. But what else are college students going to do? Say no to those internships? Then have no experience when they enter the workforce? For the third time— students need money. A lot of college students are paying their own tuition
“Students shouldn’t have to choose between making money and gaining experience. They shouldn’t have to choose between paying their bills and building their resume” to go to school. Without jobs, they wouldn’t be able to do so. But some find themselves handing out free labor and sacrificing their own time to gain experience. Experience is important, especially when you enter into the workforce, but businesses need to make gaining this experience accessible to college students. Students shouldn’t have to choose between making money and gaining experience. They shouldn’t have to choose between paying their bills and building their resume. Internships are a great way to build connections, learn more about your craft, and make decisions about the future. As a junior in college, I am looking forward to the day I get an internship and am able to get a first taste of what the working world is like in the communications industry. If businesses want to keep talented, exceptional, hard working interns with great potential they have to pay them what they deserve. Internships are amazing. No one disagrees with that. But unpaid internships are unethical.
Masks are depriving us of relationships Mitchell Adamson Columnist meadamson@shockers. wichita.edu
Recently the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave a recommendation for people to wear masks inside to protect against the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19, even if they are fully vaccinated. This has sparked debate in school systems across states such as Florida, Oklahoma and Texas. Should students who are fully vaccinated still wear a mask indoors? Making students and workers wear masks may seem trivial to some, but to others it is depriving them of the facial interactions that you would normally get in an indoor setting. In my opinion, this report released by the CDC wasn’t backed by enough evidence. The report they claimed to use, issued a study collected in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. This study found that following a collection of gatherings and summer events, 469 cases of COVID-19 emerged and approximately ¾ of those cases were found in fully vaccinated individuals. If you look at the statistical analysis put out by the CDC, you will see many more cases being diagnosed due to the Delta variant, which seems to cause a panic. However, if you look more closely, the same chart shows how many people are dying to this new variant, and the line that shows cumulative death begins to run flat. What is even harder to understand is why students who
“Students that feel uncomfortable should be able to wear masks. Although, this should not be forced on those who have compilied and recieved the vaccine” are under the age of 30 are being recommended to wear masks? From 2020-2021, there have been fewer than 3,000 deaths for people under 30 in the United States due to COVID-19. With such a small number of individuals in schools dying from COVID-19, it seems irrational to recommend that all students wear masks. Especially since that number doesn’t take into consideration the vaccine until recent months. Students that feel uncomfortable should be able to wear masks if needed, considering that some still have not gotten the vaccine. Although, masks should not be forced on those who have complied and received the vaccine. Thus, when asked at Wichita State why I am not wearing a mask, my answer will be short and simple, “because COVID-19 does not pose a threat to me or to my fellow students.” I would recommend getting the vaccine if you haven’t because your chance of being hospitalized significantly reduces. But I would not feed into the media frenzy that we are going to have to be locked up again for another year.
Less small talk, let’s start having real conversations Kyran Crist Arts & entertainment editor arts@thesunflower.com
It is 2021 and we are finding new ways as a society to communicate every day. Between Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, and all of the other forms of social media out there, we are talking to someone everyday. Sometimes the same person on multiple platforms at once. Keeping in contact with your people is vital, that’s understandable. But in the age of social media we are in now, it has become just a chore at this point. Especially with Snapchat. Most students are familiar with how the features of Snapchat work. You have a Best Friends list
“Our words and our time are two of the most valuable things we can give and I feel like they are the most generously given things about ourselves.” where it shows who you talk to the most and ranks them with an emoji at the end of their contact. Then they have streaks where it shows how many days you have consistently sent that person a Snap. If you miss more than 24 hours without either party sending a Snap, the streak is lost and the
number resets. Snapchat also tells you when a person begins typing a message to you, when they have opened your message, how long ago that message was left open or unopen. I have had Snapchat for a year and the one thing I have learned, people care about those things. Like, a lot. So people send streaks every day, no conversation just a streak. Or they make random conversations out of “what about you” and “What’s up”. Especially with Generation Z, we have a lot of meaningless conversations. We speak to each other to simply speak. And sometimes that becomes a lot. We end up wasting each other’s time with small talk and nonsense. We have been trained to want and need that small talk. Especially in the times that we are in with little in person contact, we need some form of interaction and communication with others and turn to what we have been given which are these social media forms. Let’s quit wasting each other’s time with meaningless conversation and use those media forms to reach out with intention and meaning. Ask them about dinosaurs, what made them choose the major or job they’re in, ask their story. Don’t just play 20 questions and call it good when you learn their favorite color. Our words and our time are two of the most valuable things we can give and I feel like they are the most generously given things about ourselves. We feel as though they are so minimal but in reality they are big deals.
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THURSDAY, AUG. 19, 2021 | 7
Sports
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Volleyball hopes to build off condensed spring season with younger roster 2021 HOME SCHEDULE FRIDAY, SEPT. 17
WSU vs South Dakota 7 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 WSU vs Wyoming 10 a.m.
Charles Koch Arena
WSU vs Creighton 7 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
FRIDAY, OCT. 1 WSU vs UCF 7 p.m.
Charles Koch Arena
SUNDAY, OCT. 3 WSU vs USF 1 p.m.
Charles Koch Arena
FRIDAY, OCT. 15
WSU vs East Carolina 7 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
SUNDAY, OCT. 17 FILE PHOTO BY SEAN MARTY / THE SUNFLOWER
Wichita State celebrates after snapping an eight-match losing streak last seasonduring WSU’s game against Houston on March 26, 2021 inside Charles Koch Arena.
BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty
T
he Wichita State volleyball program is nearing the start of its 2021 season and is looking to rebound after an up and down season last spring. The Shockers are set to return many of the key contributors from last year but will also feature a younger roster than in years previous. The program practiced for three weeks after the end of the season, to help the returners prepare for the upcoming season. “We had three weeks to practice after we were done playing last year and I thought it was really powerful for our team,” volleyball head coach Chris Lamb said. “It gave us three weeks to prepare with the players we had coming back that were super young, maybe as young as we’ve ever been.” Lamb said that this year’s team reminds him of the 2014 team
because of the youth throughout the roster. That team ultimately made up the core of the 2017 team, which finished with an undefeated 20-0 record in conference play and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. “These girls are as talented as that group in different ways but it’s exciting because I think we can show improvement this year even though we’re younger than we were,” Lamb said. “I know they’re excited, it’s just a lot of freshmen on the floor, we’ve just got to learn how to work together and find the right systems.” Last year’s volleyball season faced adversity from the start, with the season being postponed until the spring. The Shockers finished with a 9-8 record in the abbreviated season and a 4-6 season in the AAC play. The Shockers released its schedule for the 2021 season this past Friday, but Lamb said he’s hoping that there will be no
setbacks this season. “We’re setting sail with that in mind but I’ve got friends at other places that are now in masks and it’s starting to feel like that again,” Lamb said. “So, in the back of my mind, I’m like don’t be too surprised. Right now, it certainly feels way closer to normal.” The American Athletic Conference announced its preseason awards on Wednesday. Coaches around the conference picked WSU to finish in eighth place after receiving 33 points. Central Florida wss unanimously picked to win the conference after receiving 100 points. UCF’s McKenna Mehlville was also picked as the preseason player of the year. Sophomore Sophia Rohling was the lone Shocker named to the American Athletic Conference’s Preseason All-Conference Team on Wednesday. Rohling is set to begin her third season with the Shockers
and hit .270 and averaged a teamhigh 3.09 kills per set last season. “Sophia Rohling is ready to become a busy player for us,” Lamb said. “She’s been fantastic.” Towards the end of last season the Shockers made strides defensively, with sophomore Lily Liekweg leading the charge at the libero position. Lamb said that momentum has carried over this year. “We started prioritizing that in a big way,” Lamb said. “We actually, from a conference standpoint, had good defensive numbers and made a huge jump from the year before. We should be even better. This league, I feel there’s an opportunity to be one of the better defensive teams and we’re going to try to hold on to that crown.” The Shockers will start the 2021 season on the road at the Arkansas State Invitational as they will take on Missouri State, TennesseeMartin and Arkansas State from Aug. 27-28.
WSU vs Cincinnati 7 p.m.
Charles Koch Arena
FRIDAY, NOV. 5 WSU vs Houston 7 p.m.
Charles Koch Arena
SUNDAY, NOV. 7 WSU vs Tulane 1 p.m.
Charles Koch Arena
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 10 WSU vs East Carolina 7 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
FRIDAY, NOV. 12 WSU vs Temple 7 p.m.
Charles Koch Arena
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 24 WSU vs East Carolina 7 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
FRIDAY, NOV. 26 WSU vs Memphis 7 p.m.
Charles Koch Arena
Shockers look to build off strong spring season BY EMMIE BOESE elboese15@gmail.com / @elboese15
The Wichita State Cross Country program is ready to surprise some people following a successful season last spring. Both teams return standouts junior Jed Helker, and fifth year senior Yazmine Wright for both the men’s and women’s teams. The women’s team lost top runner Winny Koskei to graduation. Koskei is a three time conference champion for the Shockers in the 6K. Wright finished fifth last year in the AAC. Wright said she would personally like to finish higher in conference than she did last year and make all- region due to the opportunity to get to run in a regional meet this season. Head Coach Kirk Hunter said that losing runners like Koskei will be hard for the women to overcome, but a championship in conference is still possible. “We were losing people left and right in terms of graduation so the young people really have to step it up, and in this league it’s going to be really tough to you know get up to that level but last year they didn’t think our girls could get second and they did,” Hunter said.
“I like the fact that the girls like to prove people wrong and hopefully they’ll do it again this year.” The women’s team has finished second place as a team at conference the past two seasons. “So we’ve gotten top two the past two years and I think everyone would definitely like to work for a first place finish,” Wright said. “So far I feel like the chemistry has been really good and I feel like we’ll work well together.” On the men’s side, Helker finished 14th overall last season in the conference champiosnhips. He said his goal is to place in the top five or ten in the AAC. As a team, Helker said the men hope to have more runners finish towards the top 15, and second overall as a team. The men finished fourth as a team in the conference last season. “With our team I think it was kind of a winter cross country season last year so having a little more of a build up and training process we will be a lot more fit,” Helker said. “If we could get top three that would be great, shooting for runner up or if we could upset Tulsa that would be great because they’re ranked top 10 in the nation” Hunter said both teams haven’t had a lot of workouts yet but that
FILE PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN / THE SUNFLOWER
Former Shocker Ethan Kossover competes in last year’s American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships. The event was held at 4 Mile Creek Resort, on Feb 6, 2021.
runners from both sides have started to stand out. “The one workout we did and that doesn’t tell us a lot about the season; have to say Yazmine definitely stood out on the women,” Hunter said.”She came back incredibly fit. Jed Helker, Adam Moore, and Shadrack Chumba
were really good also.” However, not everyone is back yet so Hunter said it is still too soon to tell where everyone is at. “The fact is we haven’t got everybody together yet so we don’t know 100% where everybody stands but I was excited to see how they came back from the summer,”
Hunter said. “Those upperclassmen and then were really excited about all of our freshmen. Men and women. They are going to be big contributors for our team. The men and women will start their season out with the JK Gold Classic in Augusta, KS on Saturday, Sept 4 at 8:30 a.m.
8 | THURSDAY, AUG. 19, 2021
SPORTS
PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN / THE SUNFLOWER
Wichita State senior Madison Janack bowls inside the Rhatigan Student Center on Monday, Aug. 17. Janack is coming off a successful junior season where she won the Most Valuable Player and helped lead the Shockers to a National Championship.
Madison Janack continues family’s bowling tradition BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty
The sport of bowling has always been in Madison Janack’s blood. Janack, a senior member of the Wichita State bowling team, grew up around the sport and said that she felt it was her destiny. “My family was a whole bunch of bowlers so it was kind of just destined for me,” Janack said. “The success that I’ve had is something indescribable and I give it to my parents for all support.” Even with her family’s connection, Janack considers herself a late bloomer. She first picked up a bowling ball when she was nine at a birthday party. That sparked some interest for Janack and she entered competitive tournaments soon after that. Janack went on to become a nine-time champion and was a member of Jr. Team USA in 2018. It was an easy decision for Janack to join the team. “Wichita State is the best
bowling program in the world and I want to be the best of the best in the future and I thought I’d have the most success here,” she said. Janack’s success carried over to WSU early on in her career. In her first ever tournament, she collected a fourth place finish and finished off her freshman year with two more top-10 finishes. In Janack’s sophomore season, she ended with two Top-five, two top-10, and three top-25 placements. Some adversity hit during the end of Janack’s sophomore season was canceled due to COVID, the program faced more setbacks the following season. The bowling season was delayed to the spring and practices limited to groups which Janack said was difficult. Janack said the setbacks helped motivate her even more last season. “Last year was undeniably the most stressful year with COVID and it kind of just fueled a fire for me,” Janack said. “I just thought in my mind, ‘what do I have to lose, I
“I don’t think she knows how speical it was. Her goal is to just be great for her teammates and to get the job done for her team. HOLLY HARRIS Women’s Bowling Head Coach
should just go all out right now’.” Fueled by that motivation, Janack put together her best year yet during the 2021 season. Janack earned the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Most Valuable Player, after placing in the top-25 in every tournament, including a first-place finish at the Mid-States Championships. “It was really special just watching her just be great,” women’s head bowling coach Holly Harris said. “The first two years she was here, she was still great but it felt
like everything clicked last year. She was free to play and free to be great and it was fun to watch that happen and to know that it wasn’t happening for herself, she wanted it so bad for her teammates.” Janack played a pivotal role in the women’s national championship final against North Carolina A&T. Entering a decisive fifth game, Janack delivered three strikes in the 10th frame to secure WSU the 247-217 win and the national championship. Harris said that Janack isn’t fully aware of last year’s accomplishments because of how important the team results were for her. “I don’t think she knows how special it was,” Harris said. “Her goal is to just be great for her teammates and to get the job for her team. Her goal is to win another national championship, the individual awards just happen. But I think because she’s so focused on her teammates and not focused on herself, that she can just be free
and play.” Harris said that Janack’s work ethic has stood out to her, ever since she stepped on campus. “I haven’t seen anyone work harder than her,” Harris said. “She’s in here all the time, the last two summers she’s been here the whole time practicing. She loves to learn and she loves the process of getting better. It’s fun to watch her get to do that.” Janack said that her career to this point at WSU has been special, well beyond her bowling career here. “I don’t think words can be formed on how it is here,” Janack said. “My past three years have been indescribable with the friends I’ve made on the team, the coaches’ relationship, and how they support me during my collegiate years and in the future as well.” As Janack heads into her last season at WSU, she said her goal is to repeat as national champions.
Esports utilizes Open House to recruit new members BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty
The Esports club hosted its first in-person event in over a year, with an Open House inside the Esports Hub at the Heskett Center. The event allowed students to interact with other members of the team and get a taste of what it’s like. Joe Mazzara, the Interim Director of Esports said that it was encouraging for them to return to more in-person events like on Tuesday. “Everybody thinks that it’s hanging out in your basement and not seeing other people but this just proves to everybody that it’s a social environment, this a social thing,” Mazzara said. “People are meeting new people right now, it’s great.” Mazzara said that he has seen the program grow substantially since it was a found a couple of years ago. “When I joined there were about 12 people in it and then over the past three years it’s gone from 12 to 40 to over 100,” Mazzara said. “Every fall, all the freshmen, all the transfer students, there’s always tons of interest. So it’s just growing, I don’t see it stopping anytime soon.” Esports added a varsity team back in 2018 and is still trying to gain awareness of it around campus.
Samara Arnold, the President of Shocker gaming, said that a return to in-person like on Tuesday will gain recognition on campus, for the program’s club as well. “Our biggest problem is getting freshmen into our clubs and into our teams because we’re still fairly new, we’ve only been around for a couple of years,” Samara Arnold, the President of Shocker gaming said. “So trying to get the word out there – that every university has a basketball team, every university has a soccer team – people don’t realize that the games that they play could compete here with the school.” The event was held at the Esports Hub, which is located inside of the Heskett Center. The hub features around 20 desktop gaming computers with games preloaded on them. It also gives the varsity team an area to practice, while giving them space to recruit even more for the program. Mazzara said that the hub has been a great addition to the program. “People have been coming out of the woodworks that play any sort of game, all sorts of interest in the varsity program. There’s tons of interest in the club because that’s the most inclusive environment for people that are playing games on campus. It’s been a huge boost for in-place recruiting, it’s just fantastic.”
Unlike some sports clubs around campus, esports was able to continue to have events but Arnold said that COVID impacted the club’s growth as well. “The majority of the people that we had participated over the last year were the majority of members that we already had,” Arnold said. “Being the gaming club, it was easier to continue some of our things online, whereas a lot of other sports clubs didn’t have that option.” Lane Pywell, a sophomore member of the varsity team, said that these events allow students to get a hands-on experience about what joining the team or club could be. “Events like these definitely spread the word around campus and definitely gets more people who may have not heard of esports or know what it is, it lets them experience how it all works,” Pywell said. Alex Bellinger recently joined the varsity team as a freshman and said that these in-person events can help the program continue to grow moving forward. “It’s honestly really important especially as we are just now starting and getting back into the wrap of things, finding new players to try out and new staff members,” Bellinger said. “It really gets us going and it really helps us get back on a roll.”
PHOTO BY SEAN MARTY / THE SUNFLOWER
Lane Pywell, a sophomore member of the Esports varsity team, prepares to play a game during the program’s Open House on Tuesday, Aug. 17 inside the Heskett Center.