The Sunflower v. 129 i. 22 (March 13, 2025)

MISCALCULATEd

Wichita State’s Student Government

faces

student fees shortfall for 2025 and

BY AINSLEY SMYTH news@thesunflower.com

Several entities funded by student fees at Wichita State are facing funding cuts after the Student Government Association learned of a $929,000 shortfall just days before entering discussions about next year’s budget.

David Miller, WSU’s senior vice president for administration, finance and operations, said the 9% shortfall was due to a combination of an incorrectly calculated student fee estimate for 2025 and “enrollment challenges” this year.

“Unfortunately, knowing this — it doesn’t change the challenge that you’re currently wrestling with for the fiscal year 2026 budget,” Miller told SGA’s Student Fee Commission as it prepared to deliberate on where to make cuts.

WHERE DID IT START?

The Commission was forced to recommend either funding cuts or increased student fees. They opted to cut funding, partially for some entities and entirely for others.

SGA’s Student Senate will discuss and vote on the recommendation on Wednesday, March 26.

The Commission learned of the issue when they convened to begin hearing budget proposals from some of the entities. Fees are

allocated on a two-year revolving basis, meaning that some entities were not scheduled to present this year. But the Senate voted to reexamine all the budgets in light of the shortfall.

Entities were given just over a day to send reports on how 5%, 8%, and 10% cuts would affect their operation. Then, they went before the Commission to explain their proposed budgets, as well as how cuts would impact them.

The Commission recommended the Cultural Ambassador Program, the WSU Student of the Year Scholarship, The Tilford Commission, Student Affairs’ Assessment and Retention unit and the ShockerStrengths Initiative to receive no funding.

Others that received large cuts include the esports varsity team and scholarship fund, the Historically Underrepresented Scholarship, the Child Development Center and the debate team.

WHAT CAUSED THE SHORTFALL?

Miller attributed much of the shortfall in student fees for the next year to decreased enrollment of international students due to issues with visas, in combination with an error in calculating 2025 student fees.

“A lot of the students, they’re

2026.

Here’s what we know.

running into issues in which they can’t get visas right now, and so that’s creating a challenge for us both this year as well as next year,”

Miller said.

According to Miller, that decline isn’t just hurting the student fees budget, but the university’s bottom line as well.

“Because international students pay higher tuition rates, those fluctuations can have a larger impact on our bottom line than maybe, you know, in-state undergraduate students,” Miller said.

Data from the Institute of Higher Education shows that enrollment of international students has decreased since the 2015-2016 academic year, though that number rose again in the 20232024 academic year.

Miller, however, suggested that the current presidential administration is likely contributing to another decline.

“I would say, back during a previous administration (Donald Trump’s first presidential administration in 2017-2021), we had similar experiences,” he said.

President Donald Trump has called for more restrictions on visas and may be planning a ban on travel from certain countries, much like the one during his previous administration, which could

affect many international students.

MISCALCULATION IN 2025 STUDENT FEE

ESTIMATE

The finance and budget team didn’t learn just how short they were until the Friday before the commission met, according to Lyndsay Pletcher, executive director of budget.

Because of the 2026 shortfall, they went back and looked at the past year’s estimate.

They discovered an oversight in the system that is used to estimate student fee revenue. The system takes into account how much revenue was taken in in previous years as well as how many students are projected to enroll for the coming year.

Student fee revenue for 2025 was estimated at $507,000 more than it should have been.

“When we went back with a corrected (2025) data set and ran the analysis as if we had had that data set, the variance in the revenue estimate was the $507,000,” Miller said.

Women’s basketball season ends with loss in second round of AAC Tournament

BY JACOB UNRUH sports@thesunflower.com

When Wichita State women’s basketball has found success this year, it hasn’t looked pretty. The poor-shooting Shockers have grinded out wins through defensive intensity and rebounding.

On Sunday night in the second round of the American Athletic Conference Tournament, the 11th-seeded Shockers finally showed a glimpse of efficient offensive basketball. Then, it all fell apart midway through the game.

WSU ended its season with a loss to the sixth-seeded Tulane University, 69-63.

“I just think the ball didn’t bounce our way today in the second half,” WSU head coach Terry Nooner said. “I think it was a lot of, quite a few loose balls that we made stops and didn’t come up

with them, for whatever reasons. But I’m just happy for the fight and the grit that I thought we showed as a team. And our future is bright going forward.”

Wichita State capped its 2024-25 campaign with a 10-22 record, identical to its tally last season. Three of the losses came to the Green Wave, who swept the Shockers.

Sophomore guard Salese Blow scored 30 points, a career-high and nearly half of Wichita State’s total.

Blow was noticeably emotional after the game, crying during the handshake line.

“I’ve always been a competitor, like, just growing up, which is how I was raised,” Blow said. “... So this one definitely stings, especially going out (in) our first round.”

The first quarter was fast-paced and high-scoring. The Shockers finished the period on a 12-2 run that culminated in a make on a

spinning desperation 3-pointer as the shot clock expired by senior forward Ornella Niankan.

Wichita State went into the quarter timeout fired up and holding a lead, 25-19.

The Shockers’ shot quality declined in the second period, as did its offensive efficiency.

Despite the slump, WSU went into the break holding on to the lead, 34-33.

Then, Wichita State sleep walked through the beginning of the second half, not scoring for four minutes of game time and allowing Tulane to take full control of the game with a 12-0 run.

“We had some unforced turnovers that are ... uncharacteristic,” Nooner said. “Just throwing the ball away and not making an easy play, which is kind of one of our tenants and things that we talk about all the time.”

After a back-and-forth, both teams went cold in the fourth quarter, not scoring for more than four minutes. Down by five points, WSU missed chance after chance to close the gap, with players growing more exasperated with each shot that rolled off the rim.

With 47 seconds left, Tulane hit a deep 3-pointer, signaling the end of WSU’s season. Nooner said the team’s hustle and defensive effort are solid building blocks for the future — but he expects the returning WSU players to put more work in during the offseason.

“It’s going to be a conditioning thing,” Nooner said. “And it’s going be a bunch of stuff that you have got to do from June, in July and August, to get yourself prepared so that when we come to these tough matchups, make sure we’ll be getting over the hump.”

Campus groups, programs react to slashed funding

BY ALLISON CAMPBELL editor@thesunflower.com

More than a dozen campus entities funded by student fees are reeling following proposed budget cuts totaling more than $200,000 to their 2026 budgets. The reductions came after it was revealed to the Student Government Association’s Student Fee Commission the morning deliberations began that there was a more than $900,000 shortfall in funding due to incorrectly calculated estimates and decreased enrollment.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT & BELONGING

Student Engagement & Belonging typically requests and receives around $1.5 million, making it one of the largest student fee allocations. This year, SEB requested $1.6 million and received $1.5 million. Executive Director of SEB Gabriel Fonseca said working with a smaller budget than the department hoped for will “be a little bit harder than I anticipated.”

Currently, the office has four open positions. The work that would be done through these roles has instead been delegated to other employees, but with the proposed cuts, changes to workload and services may be on the horizon.

“The work still has to happen,” Fonseca said. “So ultimately, some of that responsibility will permanently be put on other staff to continue to keep up some of that or we’ll have to reevaluate what programs and services we still offer to students.”

SEB currently encompasses and manages groups and programs like Ambassadors for Diversity & Inclusion, Student Activities Council, Greek life, heritage programs and more.

In the coming weeks, Fonseca anticipates there to be “some deep conversations about what we’re going to do next.”

WSU STUDENT OF THE YEAR

An annual award granted to a WSU freshman, sophomore, junior, graduate, senior honors and undergraduate student, the WSU Student of the Year award’s $2,430 budget was cut for 2026.

Only “a small piece” of the WSU Student of the Year scholarship is funded by student fees, according to Fonseca. The remainder comes from several donors, some who have been supporting the scholarship for more than 50 years.

Fonseca hopes that a donor or the WSU Foundation might be able to eventually support the entire program. For now, Fonseca said they’ll look internally for funds.

“For 2026, we will just have to find it in our budget in hopes that it’ll be able to cover it, So that students who win it next year can still get the scholarship that every other person got before them,” Fonseca said.

SGA SCHOLARSHIPS AND HARDSHIP FUND

Comprising the domestic student hardship fund, the International Student Hardship Fund and the Dreamer Scholarship, the SGA Scholarships and Hardship Fund was reduced from $34,500 to $30,000.

The Hardship Fund is a onetime, emergency-use-only fund for students experiencing severe, temporary hardship. Fonseca said this is a fund that is commonly completely used up over the year.

As a result of the cut, Fonseca said they will delay putting the applications out “until we can figure out how we’re going to make up the difference.”.

The application will likely be offered in May, following the election and installation of the new student body president and vice president.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER

According to Jillian Hoefer, the director of the Child Development Center, the CDC had a predetermined agreement with the Student Government Association to reduce its budget by $50,000 every year for three years. The center’s second proposed $50,000 cut was made last week.

As a result of these $50,000 reductions, the center has had to increase its tuition rates for parents who use the center’s child care and development services. Hoefer said that increase in tuition has made some of its programming unaffordable for Wichita State University students to bring their children to the center.

The center lost eight families last year, some of whom had been using the center for several years. Hoefer said she is anticipating additional losses with the cuts from this year. And while the center has a waitlist of families who want to use its services, Hoefer said this year’s $50,000 reduction will likely cut directly into paid student labor.

“So with the $50,000 that was again cut from us this year, that means, again, we have to raise tuition, which again is making it more unaffordable for students to bring their children here, as well as cutting some of our teacher assistance from our program, and that’s heartbreaking,” Hoefer said.

“Because it’s hard for us to tell a student who is here, who we consider family, you know, ‘You no longer have a job because we can’t support that anymore.’”

The center currently has 60 Wichita State students employed, making it one of the campus’ largest student employers, according to Hoefer.

“Our main mission is to provide child care for the Wichita State community and students too … but we’re an applied learning facility,” Hoefer said.

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STUDENT

FEES FROM PAGE 1

In 2025, the university changed how students in the Teacher Apprentice Program were charged student fees.

TAP students, Miller said, pay a flat rate within their tuition that goes to student fees rather than being included in the tier system based on hours.

The TAP program prepares para educators to earn teacher licensures, according to WSU. The program is entirely online.

Miller said the change was not accounted for in the Electronic Research Administration System which estimates student fee revenue.

How much each WSU student pays in fees is determined by a tier system. Undergraduate and graduate students fall into one of three tiers, with some exceptions, including TAP students.

Miller said that enrollment data is updated every semester but isn’t always checked. He said it depends “more on the situation and the environment than maybe we would like.”

“If we’re bogged down in budget cuts and other things, it can be harder to take that time out to look at what the data looks like,” Miller said. “But yes, we try to look at it … as much as we can.”

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT?

Gabriel Fonseca, SGA’s adviser, said that SGA normally wouldn’t even learn about a shortfall for the current year until the summer semester. They only learned about it early because the finance team looked at the estimate to figure out why 2026 was coming up short.

“It is helpful that we understand, that way we can prepare in advance a little bit about how they (the student body president and SGA treasurer) may want to respond,” Fonseca said.

According to Fonseca, they can either try to deal with the shortfall now, or leave it to the next session. Then, they can issue “budget clawbacks,” reducing some budgets from fee-funded entities.

“They could also say that each of the entities are required to deal with their own budget shortfalls and have to make it up themselves,” Fonseca said.

Another option is to pull from the Student Fee Reserves to cover a portion or all of the shortfall.

Fonseca said that while the situation is unfortunate, SGA must focus on dealing with what it can control: how funds are allocated and where cuts are made.

“I don’t think anyone is placing blame on anyone or particularly pointing fingers to say, ‘Oh, this is their fault, or this is their fault,’” Fonseca said. “I think it just, it sucks, but it’s also — we can’t go back and fix it now, and so now we’ve got to attempt to make adjustments and address it.”

THE FUTURE OF ENROLLMENT

After the Commission learned about the shortfall on March 3, Teri Hall, vice president for Student Affairs, said the unexpected changes to the normal process were “an opportunity for us to figure out if this is the way it’s going to be from now on.”

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Hall was referring to the “enrollment cliff,” a predicted drop in students enrolling in higher education, especially traditional four or more year degree programs, across the nation.

“I think this is our new norm,” Hall said. “And I think while our model is based on traditional undergraduate and graduate enrollment, some of the institutional growth in enrollment has been in non-degree programs, and those areas don’t pay student fees.”

WSU announced its highest enrollment ever in October. But despite more students than ever before, full-time equivalent enrollment at the university had dropped, meaning there were more students taking classes but not paying the same fees that fulltime students do.

Miller said it’s “hard to know” what the coming years will bring in terms of enrollment.

“Student fees are isolated from some of the challenges related to state funding or those things,” Miller said. “But we know that international students are going to continue to be a challenge for us as well, and that will certainly follow into 2027 and 2028.”

Pletcher, who sits on the Student Fees Commission as a nonvoting member, said that while the shortfall is unfortunate, the Commission did its best to balance the budget.

“It was obviously not an ideal environment but the effort that they (students on the Commission) put forth to really advocate on behalf of their constituents and make sure that they were making the right decisions, it was just admirable to watch them,” Pletcher said.

NEXT STEPS

All SGA meetings, as well as the Student Fee Commission’s hearings and deliberations are available on the association’s YouTube channel.

The Student Senate meets Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m. in the Rhatigan Student Center, room 233. They will not meet during spring break.

If the Senate approves the proposed 2026 budget, it will go to the student body president, university president and then the Kansas Board of Regents for review. The budget is expected to be complete in May.

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University financial office looks at the estimate for 2026 student fee revenue. The estimate is calculated based on previous years’ revenue and an enrollment estimate for the coming year.

WEEK OF MARCH 3

MONDAY

9 a.m. SGA’s Student Fee Commission learns of the shortfall. The Commission decided to delay budget hearings, request an emergency Student Senate meeting and ask fee-funded entities to turn in reports on how funding cuts would affect them.

11 a.m. Student fee funded groups on campus are notified that they must prepare a report to outline what a 5%, 8% and 10% budget cut would look like for their group.

TUESDAY

3 p.m. The deadline for entities to submit their reports.

7 p.m. The Student Senate meets and allows the commission to reexamine all the budgets, not just those scheduled for review this year. The Senate also passed a bill to allow access of a $500,000 Special Projects and Capital Fund for student fees.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY

FRIDAY

All day: After hours of deliberations, the Student Fee Commission passes a recommended budget, which included cuts to several entities. The commission did not recommend raising student fees.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26

7:30 p.m. The Student Senate will hear and discuss the commission’s recommended budget.

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‘Full circle’: Alumni leave a legacy to help the campus that helped them

BY MYA SCOTT mds.200624@gmail.com

Most people don’t like, or want, to think about what happens after death. It’s a taboo topic that causes even the most logical people to freeze and “knock on wood.” For some people, though, they have already begun to think about what they want to leave behind when they eventually leave this world.

The Society of 1895 is a group designated for those who decide to include Wichita State into their estate plans — the plan for their money after they die. Members are allowed to choose exactly where and how their money is spent.

David Ramos, a Wichita State alum of the School of Nursing, not only decided to give his time to the university by volunteering as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the College of Health Professions, but he also decided in 2020 to create a planned gift.

“I always knew I would come back and give to them because they were the cornerstone of me getting into nursing and medical fields,” Ramos said. “And I believed in my heart, that’s how they gave me a leg up … It’s coming full circle.”

When Ramos’ gift is realized, it will go toward a scholarship for nursing students who show financial need. He created it in

honor of his brother, Richard Ramos. Richard won the Prestigious Magnet Nurse of the Year Award in 2021, though David Ramos was always planning to name the scholarship after him. Ramos said the award was “just the cherry on top.”

Communication alumna Lynette Murphy, who now works as the senior director for Development for the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, created a planned gift in 2021 that will provide support to the very school she used to attend: the Elliott School of Communication.

“I really believe in the mission of the Elliot School,” Murphy said. “... I just wanted to make sure that when I’m gone, there’s some of the funding that’s left behind to do whatever it is that the Elliott School needs to continue to educate great students.”

Murphy said that she feels people can make a larger difference for the university philanthropically once they’re gone rather than when they are living, and that a lot of people tend to have resources at the end that they did not expect. Even though she said her gift isn’t a large one, it’s enough to make her feel like she’s doing something meaningful.

“It’s not going to be a million dollars by any means, but I feel

like I’m in some way contributing to the future education of students,” Murphy said. “Even though it might be small, it’s going to be combined with other money that people have given because of their love of the Elliott School and I love that feeling that it’s kind of not just me.”

While Murphy’s legacy gift is going to a general purpose, alumna Jessica Stitt has a specific place in mind for her money based on her experiences on campus.

“I would like for there to be a way that my funds that I’m giving can be designated for STEM individuals that want to study foreign language,” Stitt said. “... (Because) I had the opportunity to actually do the Puebla (Summer) Program and go study in Mexico… At the same time as I’m studying

engineering. I’m seeing the benefits of the fact that somebody multilingual could have within the world of engineering that they don’t really talk about.”

Stitt said she was inspired by the Wallace Scholarship, which she won during her time in colege. The creator of the scholarship, Velma Wallace, gave more than just money each semester.

“(Wallace) was always (available) if you wanted to go to lunch with her or if you wanted to just visit with her,” Stitt said. “... She loved to know how her kids were, that she supported and that she was a part of our lives. And I think that really struck a chord with me. This woman did not just give her money to help others; she gave her time.”

Stitt said she would love to be like Wallace and give her money and time while she’s alive, but giving through her estate plan is just as amazing.

If you are interested in adding Wichita State to your estate plan, connect with the Foundation and Alumni Engagement team through the website’s contact form.

“Ultimately, it comes down to personally, what do you want to do?” Stitt said. “But if you’re in, if you are truly on the fence and you have no idea, my question is why not? What’s stopping you?”

Campus group highlights local domestic violence resources during Women’s History Month

BY SOPHIA BEST sophiadapbest@gmail.com

The Ambassadors for Diversity and Inclusion drew attention to domestic violence awareness for Women’s History Month which is celebrated during March.

ADI hosted an event highlighting local and national resources for those suffering domestic abuse. The walkthrough event on March 6 invited attendees to take a “scenario card” describing a woman experiencing a type of abuse while ambassadors walked them through the types of assistance people could provide.

“We decided to plan an event not only embracing what Women’s History Month is but also talking about the struggles and issues that arise with it,” Kyla Gordon, treasurer for ADI, said. “A lot of the time, women face domestic abuse, so we decided to put awareness around that.”

Attendees were challenged to do multiplication problems while an ambassador talked at them, highlighting how hard it can be to focus on solving your problems with outside sources distracting you, an experience Liz ThorntonMcGaha, ADI’s adviser, said is

common for women dealing with domestic violence.

“We realized how important it is to really understand what it’s like for people who are in dire situations to find the resources that they need,” ThorntonMcGaha said. “We never want people to be in these scenarios or situations, but if they are, we want them to know how to get out.”

Mia Jefferson, an academic and retention program coordinator for Student Engagement & Belonging, said the event highlighted important resources and was an accurate portrayal of mental health problems survivors of domestic violence may face.

“I thought the event was a very realistic perception of what mental health looks like for someone dealing with issues both prevalent and extreme, and also kind of minimized,” Jefferson said.

ADI’s next event, a bouquet making social event, is planned for March 25 at the RSC. Attendees will get the opportunity to learn more about the group.

Local resources for domestic violence include The Wichita Family Crisis Center and The Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center.

ADI will shift to become DEI programming board

BY KASS LEWIS lewkass05@gmail.com

In the wake of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives being eliminated at schools and businesses across the country, Wichita State’s Ambassadors for Diversity and Inclusion are transforming their organization into a DEI programming board to continue fighting for equality across campus.

“In a sense, we’re trying not to change anything because we really try to be there for history and heritage months and pride months and stuff like that. Just be there to advocate for everyone,” said Kyla Gordon, ADI’s treasurer.

At the moment, though, ADI staff say Wichita State isn’t undergoing changes as a result of threats to DEI.

“I just actually came from a president’s lunch with President Rick Muma, and he said that, as of right now, nothing changes regarding DEI,” Amy Nguyen, president of ADI, said.

Now a programming board, ADI moved from tabling and fundraising to hosting events to support all groups on campus. The organization also now receives funding through the Student Government Association.

The Ambassadors for Diversity and Inclusion have hosted events, such as Walk in Her Shoes, a Diversity Leadership Summit and more. These events are open to any student. Through events, ADI members said they’re able to spread awareness for many different diverse groups on and off campus.

“It’s scary for some individuals to express their feelings or express their cultures and be able to have those opportunities, but ADI kind of is the gateway to those conversations,” said Daniel Rodriguez, a student ambassador for ADI. “… I think that’s how we advocate for diversity, our events.”

Haneen Elamin, another student ambassador for ADI, said ADI events are important in that they allow students to prepare for difficult conversations they may encounter in the future.

You never know, farther down the line, if, you know, somebody that you love is in a situation like that (domestic violence, marginalization, etc.), and you need to know what kind of resources are available to you,” Elamin said.

As the future of DEI remains uncertain, ADI staff said they will continue advocating for the people these initiatives protect.

“I feel like it doesn’t matter what you look like, you can help anyone,” Gordon said. “And I think going to events and educating yourself and being ready to fight that fight … is good.”

Men’s basketball loses first senior day game since 2018

BY OWEN PROTHRO owenprothro@gmail.com

For the first time in seven years, Wichita State men’s basketball lost its senior day game. The Shockers were defeated by the University of Tulsa, 73-63, on Sunday afternoon.

Teary-eyed and full of emotion after the loss, senior guard Harlond Beverly said everyone on this year’s team — from the players, to the coaching staff and managers, and even to the people many fans won’t see helping the team out — are family to him.

“It actually is really special to have that connection with everybody and, kind of, honor it today,” Beverly said while choking up.

With the loss, the Shockers ended at 8-10 in the American Athletic Conference. Still, they sealed the eight-seed heading into the AAC Tournament. Tulsa finished its regular season at 6-12 in the conference.

After the game, senior guard Xavier Bell took one last look around Charles Koch Arena, a place the Wichita native jokingly said he knew he’d end up at as an ambitious teenager coming out of Andover Central High School.

“It’s just a surreal feeling,” Bell said. “And they (the emotions) hit me a little bit, but they’ll probably hit me a little more as the night kind of creeps in … I’m just super grateful for everything right now.” Bell said even though the team didn’t win in the seniors’ final game of their last regular season, he feels gratitude.

“This feeling is not fun, especially it being my last home game here (at WSU),” Bell said. “But I mean, with the group of guys I got to share the court with over these last two years, I’m super grateful.”

BY OWEN PROTHRO

BALLARD & BOŠNJAK ELIGIBILTY

Wichita State men’s basketball senior center Quincy Ballard is eligible to return for another year in the Roundhouse, head coach Paul Mills said on Sunday. Wichita State is also filing for another year of eligibility for the Croatian big man, Matej Bošnjak. Ballard leads the nation in true shooting percentage this season, a statistic that weighs the value of 3-point shots, field goals and free throws, at 74%. Ballard also averaged 1.8 blocks and 10 points per game in the regular season. Ballard spent two seasons at Florida State University before transferring to Wichita State in 2022. He missed most of the 2022-23

With the group of guys I got to share the court with over these last two years, I’m super grateful.”

XAVIER BELL Wichita State senior guard

Wichita State head coach Paul Mills said he felt awful for the seniors because of how their final home game ended.

“I’ve not been on the wrong end of senior day very often,” Mills said. “And so this is a really tough one. I thought we were battling uphill the entire night. Started … both halves (and) just didn’t come out and handle things very well.”

Mills credited the Golden Hurricane’s win to them leading for 31 minutes of game time and converting 62% of their shots around the rim.

“And you combine that with our 42% around the rim, we knew the 3-point line wasn’t where we were going to win it,” Mills said.

“I thought we did a good job of defending the arc. But when you lose the turnover battle and you allow those guys to make 62% around the rim, it’s usually going to be a long night.”

Tulsa’s graduate student guard

Keaston Willis started the first half like he did in both halves against the Shockers in January, with a contested 3-point make. Wichita State trailed, 10-6, within the first five minutes of game time, which later became an 11-point deficit following a 9-2 Golden Hurricane scoring run.

McGinnis ended a three-minute Shocker scoring drought that sparked a 16-3 run as Wichita State took its first lead of the game, 24-22. During the run, McGinnis

campaign, which the NCAA is now classifying as a retroactive redshirt season, with a back injury. Next year will be Ballard’s sixth season of collegiate basketball.

Bošnjak was initially classified as a senior when he joined the Shockers from a professional team in Croatia over the offseason.

Wichita State is seeking to reclassify the 23-year-old to give him another year.

Mills said Ballard received senior day honors before the team’s loss to the University of Tulsa on Sunday afternoon because of a misunderstanding within the program.

“And so because all of his family and everybody paying for tickets from New York, we chose to honor him,” Mills said.

Bošnjak wasn’t honored during the pregame ceremony.

Both players will be eligible to enter the transfer portal following

and Beverly each hit shots from deep that sent the Shocker Faithful into waves of cheering.

Mills said it took a while for his team to feel out Tulsa and loosen up on offense.

“AJ and Harland were able to make a couple of threes,” Mills said. “ … I thought that helped. But we can’t let our shots just dictate where we are defensively.”

The teams remained neck-andneck for the final six minutes of the first half, and they went into the break tied at 27.

Out of halftime, Tulsa ran out to a 35-29 lead after scoring eight unanswered points. The Golden Hurricane maintained their six-point advantage until Beverly threw home a reverse putback slam to cut Wichita State’s deficit to two points, 48-46.

Tulsa kept finding answers and later extended its lead to 12 points, 64-52, silencing the home crowd.

With a minute left in the game, Wichita State got within seven points, but the away team sank late-game free throws to walk away with the win.

Tulsa ended the second half putting up 46 points on a smoking-hot 61% clip from the floor, whereas the Shockers managed to make just 39% of their shots during the final 20 minutes.

After the senior day loss, Wichita State will look toward the AAC Tournament at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Shockers will play their first game of the tournament against the ninth-seed, the University of South Florida. Tipoff is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 13.

“The slate is 0-0,” Bell said. “It’s a whole new season, but at this time, we understand that it is win or go home.”

the season, and neither have made a public commitment to remain at WSU next year.

ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS

Senior guard Xavier Bell and junior forward Corey Washington are the latest Wichita State men’s basketball players to receive AllAmerican Athletic Conference regular season honors, the league announced Tuesday.

Bell was a First Team AllConference selection and Washington was named Second Team All-Conference. The two are the first pair of Shockers to receive All-AAC nods since 2022.

Bell is the first Wichita State player to be named First Team All-Conference since Tyson Etienne in 2021 and is the fourth Shocker to receive the honor since the team joined the AAC in 2017. This season, Bell has averaged

15.1 points per game, carried an 89% free throw shooting percentage and started the last 20 games of the regular season. Washington, a Saint Peter’s University transfer, scored 13.4 points per game for the Shockers to go along with a 44% field goal percentage. Washington also nabbed an average of 7.6 rebounds per game and tallied eight double-doubles.

NOAH HILL TO JOIN WSU

The second-best high school player in Kansas announced his commitment to Wichita State on Tuesday night. Noah Hill, a three-star center who plays for Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, will join the Shockers next season. Hill is the 28th highest-ranked center in the nation according to 247Sports and the No. 188 prospect overall.

Hill stands at 6-foot-8, small for a big man, but has a 7-foot-1 wingspan and plays bigger than he is.

247Sports reported last week that Hill was choosing between Wichita State and power-five school Texas A&M University.

Hill hails from McKinney, Texas, but transferred to Sunrise Christian in 2023. He had the option to stay in high school for another season due to the transfer but chose to enter college basketball early.

WSU’s 2025 recruiting class now contains four players: Hill, high school guard Pierre Cousinard Jr., wing Tyrus Rathan-Mayes and junior college guard Dre Kindell. The Shockers now have 11 players slated to return next year. Mills will have to sign four more players in the offseason to round out the roster, as well as replace any players that choose to enter the transfer portal.

Baseball sweeps Missouri State, loses two to Nebraska in midweek series

BY MACK SMITH

mackred22@gmail.com

In the past week, Wichita State baseball won its first series of the year in a sweep, and then was swept itself during a midweek series.

The Shockers are 6-11 on the season.

VS. MISSOURI STATE

Wichita State’s baseball team was able to get their first series win and sweep of the season against Missouri State University.

Late-game heroics in the closing innings helped Wichita State win the opening game of the series, 7-5.

The Shockers struck first in the first inning, when sophomore Kam Durnin hit an RBI double. In the third, the Bears tied the game, but two runs on three hits gave the Shockers the lead back, 3-1.

Missouri State took the lead in the fifth inning on a strange infield single that didn’t make it halfway to first base and a WSU throwing error later on. The Bears added on one more run on a passed ball.

Junior pitcher Aaron Arnold came to the mound in the fifth inning. Arnold stopped the Bears’ momentum, giving up no runs in his three innings of work and striking out six batters.

In the seventh, senior Josh Livingston hit an RBI single. Then, it was the road team’s turn to commit a throwing error, allowing another WSU run to tie the game.

The Shockers retook the lead in the eighth when senior Mauricio Millan hit a ball with the knob of his bat and it squirted into right field, allowing senior Jordan Rogers to cross the plate. WSU added an insurance run later in the inning when sophomore third baseman Camden Johnson hit a sacrifice fly.

On Saturday, The Shockers won back-toback games for the first time all season, 4-2.

After the first three innings produced zero runs, Wichita State hit around and scored three runs in the fourth.

In Missouri State’s half of the fourth, the Bears’ head coach Joey Hawkins was ejected after voicing his frustration with a strike call.

The Bears scored their first run in the sixth. After the big fourth inning, the Shockers struggled and went down 1-2-3 in three straight innings.

Senior starting pitcher Grant Adler pitched

The

BY OWEN PROTHRO owenprothro@gmail.com

Wichita State men’s basketball head coach Paul Mills said in his weekly press conference on Saturday that even before the 2024-25 season started, this year’s group of seniors were committed to success the first week they were on campus in June.

During that time, the team gathered weekly to eat a team meal. Mills said it would be easy for some players to find an excuse not to show up, but found that everybody made sure to be there.

“Everybody was working,” Mills said. “… If you don’t have the buy-in from the jump, from your level of commitment to being here, from your level of commitment to socialize — it’s not going to happen.

“(But) they were committed on both fronts.”

What makes this year’s team unique is that the Shockers are graduating eight seniors, the most Mills recalls having on one team at the same time.

Wichita State is also tied for the second-oldest team in college

seven innings of one-run ball, fanning 10 Bears batters. After Adler was taken out, the Bears added one more run.

The Shockers got some insurance when Livingston scored on a wild pitch in the eighth inning.

The 13 strikeouts as a team tied a seasonhigh for WSU’s pitchers.

In the series’ final game, WSU secured its first sweep of the season in dramatic fashion, walking off to win, 9-8.

The Shockers put up a four-spot in the first inning.

In the third, the Bears took their first lead with a big five-run inning, tacking on more runs in the fourth and fifth inning to take a 7-4 advantage.

Down by three in the Shockers’ half of the fifth, Rogers hit an RBI triple to help cut into the team’s deficit. Junior Jaden Gustafson came into the game to pinch hit and singled to cut the Bears’ lead to one run. Senior Cole Dillon tied the game with a double that scored Gustafson.

The Shockers took back the lead in the sixth inning with a Millan double, 8-7. The Bears tied the game in the eighth with a home run but couldn’t manage anything more.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Bears gifted Wichita State a bases loaded situation with two errors and a walk. Millan stepped into the batter’s box and hit a walkoff single into left field, sending the Shockers’ fans home happy with the win.

@ NEBRASKA

In a two-game midweek matchup against the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Wichita State baseball ended the series in different kinds of losses: a blowout and a close loss.

Nebraska’s record rose to 7-8 after the series.

On Tuesday, the Shockers were bested in the series’ first game, losing 10-1.

Four of Nebraska’s runs were unearned.

The Cornhuskers were able to get the first run of the game in the first inning with the help of a Wichita State error. Two more Shocker errors in the fifth inning added three more runs.

Sophomore Lane Haworth scored WSU’s only run when he hit a solo home run to right field in the sixth, cutting the deficit to 4-1.

Nebraska added six more runs after the home run.

The Shockers stole a season-high three

basketball with seven players in their fifth-year or more of eligibility. None of the Shockers’ seniors began their collegiate careers in Wichita.

“It’s not anything I’ve ever been a part of,” Mills said. “ … I know my last year at ORU (Oral Roberts University), it was a whole bunch of guys who had been there the entire time … But that’s definitely different.”

Mills said he wants his seniors to leave the program better than they found it.

“I feel that when guys come in, that there constantly needs to be an upgrade,” Mills said. “Like you need to leave things better than you found them ... you just can’t thank those guys enough for their contributions and investment.”

A part of this team’s legacy, Mills said, will be how they handled the slump in January.

The team went 1-7 during that month, a stretch that included a four-game losing streak. Wichita State then turned its year upside down in February, finishing the month 6-1 and going on WSU’s longest conference winning streak in four years.

bases in the game and WSU’s pitchers tied a season-high of hit batters with five.

A big Nebraska first inning sunk the Shockers in a 5-4 loss in the second game.

In his first start of the season, sophomore Tyler Dobbs let the first five Nebraska batters reach base on three walks and two hits. At the end of the inning, Nebraska batted around and scored four runs.

In the next inning, the Shockers were able to get two runs back when Durnin hit a sacrifice fly and Johnson followed with an RBI single up the middle.

After struggling in the first inning, Dobbs put down eight straight batters. He was still handed the loss, his first of the season.

Haworth collected his second RBI of the series in the fifth inning, cutting the Nebraska lead down to one, 4-3.

Sophomore Caleb Anderson allowed a home run in the bottom of the fifth to give Nebraska a two-run lead once again.

In the eighth, Johnson got his second RBI of the night on a sacrifice fly, cutting the WSU deficit to one run again.

In the Shockers’ last inning of hope, Livingston forced a leadoff walk in a six-pitch at bat.

With the tying run on second and two outs, Dillon struck out swinging to end the game.

The Shockers out-hit Nebraska 9-5 but left 11 men on base.

Wichita State will play Louisiana Tech University in its final non-conference series of the year. The first pitch against the Bulldogs is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, March 14, at Eck Stadium.

“There’s a lot of situations where you would have people who aren’t that resilient and they just don’t have that ability to fight through,” Mills said. “And it’s easy sometimes, especially for players when you’re in, you know, the latter weeks … is like, ‘Let me just go ahead and move on to next year.’”

Despite the number transfers, Mills said some of this year’s group have had that “constant upgrade” feeling throughout the season.

Wichita native Xavier Bell was a significant leader for the team.

“Growing up here and knowing what this place has been, and trying not only to carry on a legacy, but restore a legacy, it means a lot to me,” Mills said.

Mills described a moment from a year ago when, during some of that team’s trials and tribulations, he asked them, “Are you all in?”

Before Mills could even finish the sentence, Xavier Bell piped up, ”I am.”

“And it was just one of those things that you’re really mindful of the fact of how much pride he takes in representing this city,” Mills said.

BY JACOB UNRUH sports@thesunflower.com

Freshman Gabby Scott had never registered a collegiate hit prior to Wichita State’s game against the University of Kansas on Wednesday evening.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Scott came through with her first knock for the Shockers, tallying three RBIs in a 7-3 WSU win.

Wichita State snapped a five-game losing streak, the team’s longest since the 2020 season, ruining the Jayhawks’ home opener in the process. The Shockers improved to 11-12 on the season, while KU fell to 12-8.

Prior to the game, the Shockers had lost all seven of their matchups against power-conference opponents.

Two batters into the game, Wichita State scored its first run with consecutive doubles by graduate students Ellee Eck and Lauren Lucas.

In the top of the third, WSU’s first two batters went down. Then, the Shockers rallied, loading the bases on a single and two walks. With the bases loaded, Scott, starting her third game behind the plate, delivered her first career hit. The ground ball bounced off the KU third baseman’s glove and trickled into the outfield, scoring two runs.

Then, freshman Brookelyn Livanec knocked her eighth career hit, a line drive that fell just under the center fielder’s glove, to drive in two more runs

The Shockers put runners on second and third in the fifth inning. Junior Jodie Epperson, who was an ice-cold 4-30 over WSU’s five-game losing streak, delivered a single to drive in a run. Scott earned her third RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly, making the score 7-0.

After throwing two innings of scoreless ball, sophomore Chloe Barber lost her control in the bottom of the fifth frame. She walked two Jayhawks and allowed two doubles to give up two runs, 7-2.

Freshman Ryley Nihart arrived in the circle and gave up three hard line drives but got away with only one run allowed due to two landing in Wichita State outfield gloves and the other harmlessly in foul territory.

The Jayhawks went down quietly in the sixth and seventh innings.

Wichita State’s top of the order — Eck, Lucas and junior Taylor Sedlacek — combined for six hits and four of WSU’s seven runs.

Wichita State will play its second American Athletic Conference series of the season against the University of North Texas from Friday, March 14, through Sunday, March 16. The first pitch in Wilkins Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday.

ARTS & CULTURE

The ‘Angel of Death’ cast embraces anger in acting

BY MYA SCOTT mds.200624@gmail.com

In the dark of the Welsbacher Theatre on Thursday night, the sound of old speakers playing “Dead Men Don’t Rape” by Delilah Bon cut through the soft chatter of the audience. “The Angel of Death” had begun.

The School of Performing Arts show follows Alicia, a social worker who grows tired of the injustices of the legal world. When she finally has had enough and quits her job, Damien, an aloof demon, breaks into her house to make good on a deal from her late mother for her to continue her legacy.

Alicia, after being taunted by Damien, relents to his badgering and decides to continue down the path her unhinged mother had been teaching her for years. Not a path of playing with dolls and going to the park, but a path of dissolving bones and cleaning up crime scenes. “The Angel of Death” tells a harrowing story of rage and the endless cycle of abuse and torment that a child will fall prey to if pushed hard enough.

Written by Amanda Schmalzried, a Wichita State student and the most recent winner of the Bela Kiralyfalvi National Student Playwriting Competition, “The Angel of Death” was a byproduct of her own helplessness and rage at the current world around her. There were many inspirations for the piece, Schmalzried said, such as the rage she felt when Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022 and The Jane Collective. She was also inspired by her fascination with female serial killers.

“I watched a documentary … (about) the most notorious female serial killer, (and) the reason why she was that way was because she killed a man,” Schmalzried said. “And I thought, ‘That’s really stupid. We can up

BY MIA HENNEN managing@thesunflower.com

When Tom Wine heard of an opening for Wichita State University in 1995, one of his first steps involved convincing his wife. Thirty years later, he had to convince his wife again when deciding to retire.

“I think probably the hardest part was convincing my wife that it’s okay for me to retire,” Wine said. “Because I still love the kids, I love making music, I still feel connected to the school, but I want to go.

“I want to travel, want to spend time with my grandkids.”

Wine, a music education professor and director of Wu Choir and Shocker Choir, is nearing his 30th year teaching at WSU.

“When I first came to Wichita State, everything I was teaching was in music education,” he said. “I was not … directing any choirs, which is now half of my load. So my job here changed, and I think that’s part of why I stayed.”

Wine has taught in several states, starting in South Carolina, where he was a choir director and teacher at Spartanburg High School for nine years.

“I tell my WSU kids,

‘How (about) if women were really fucking angry and they gave into that anger, how would they kill?’”

AMANDA SCHMALZRIED Senior performing arts student “

the ante there.’ And so I said, ‘How (about) if women were really fucking angry and they gave into that anger, how would they kill?’”

With these dark topics being the primary theme of the play, the actors had to find ways to remind themselves that they were not their characters.

Fio Willis, who played Narrator, said though they were just reading stage directions, it was still hard to hear the show performed for the few practices they had.

“These are all such wonderful people when you know them in real life, and they’re my friends so hearing wonderful people say horrible things wears on you,” Willis said. “So I think hugging each other after (each practice) and reminding myself and reminding each other that we are not the people that we are reading about (was very important).”

Morgan Holcomb, who played Alicia’s murderous mother, had to learn how to embrace her role before she could learn how to leave the character behind. Holcomb said she was always typecast as a funny side character or mother. So when she was cast as a mother once again, she was severely shocked by how different this character behaved compared to her other roles.

“When I read it fully before we started, I was like, ‘Oh God, this is not the caring, nurturing, I love my kid, like I want you to

be the best kind of mom I’ve ever played (character),’” Holcomb said. “… Reading this and just 180 (degree) flipping, like this is a narcissistic, abusive, rage-filled mother and going into it with Jane (Gabbert) was so incredibly helpful … Finding out that I can do that was so important to me and it stretched me so much as an actor.”

Stevie Longacre, who played Alicia, also struggled to place themselves into their role.

“I went back because I was having problems understanding the role and I thought I knew more than I did,” Longacre said. “… I was like, ‘Does she know about the “Angel of Death?” Has she known about this her whole life?’ And with the confirmation of yes, she has known this her whole life, it kind of just frameworked me into being like, ‘Oh, so she’s never gotten to be a child before.’”

Sean Gorman, who played Damien, had a different challenge fitting into his role.

“I have to maintain an aloofness as this character that doesn’t care,” Gorman said.“

… I don’t care about children or any of that, I’m just trying to make a turbo-murdered over here … I spent a lot of time circling the building, listening to music, trying to maintain a level of ‘Okay, I’m a cool, fabulous, sexy demon. I don’t give two shits.’”

Wichita State alumna Jane Gabbert flew from New York to visit family and direct “The Angel of Death.” Before she even touched Kansas’ soil, she and Schmalzried had many phone calls discussing the play and the deeper message behind it.

“(Schmalzried and I) talked a lot about rage, that we all collectively agree that we all have and how frustrating it can be when it’s not looked and realized and when we do have it, where do we put it,” Gabbert said. “I know a lot of women especially — men, too, I don’t want to exclude men by any means — but women are feeling a collective rage right now and Amanda and I just immediately clicked because where do we put that collective rage?”

Professor and choral director ready to find ‘adventures’ in retirement

professionally, the hardest decision I ever made was to leave (Spartanburg),” Wine said. “... I loved those kids. I felt like I’d connected with the community, but in my heart, what I wanted to do was teach teachers, and so that’s what led me to go get another degree.”

Wine studied at Florida State University before teaching at the University of Alabama for a yearlong interim position. After that, he heard of an opening at WSU.

“I had to convince my wife to go to Wichita,” Wine said. “It’s a long way from the East Coast, (but) we’re Midwesterners; we didn’t know it ’till we got here.”

TEACHING TEACHERS

With nearly 30 years at Wichita State, Wine has cultivated and witnessed many students come and go under his instruction and leadership.

Elaine Bernstorf, a music education professor, was on the committee that hired Wine all those years ago. Bernstorf said Wine approaches education with his own, non-imposing technique.

“I don’t think he’s tried to just clone himself,” Bernstorf said.

“I think his approach has always been to help them to become the choral director or musician that is their style … He has encouraged students to find their passion as musicians and conductors and then develop that as they go on and create their own programs.”

Bernstorf said Wine establishes a connection almost immediately with his students.

“He is very supportive of our music ed majors and really cares about them and their careers and tries to help them as they start going out in the world and teaching,” Bernstorf said.

Meghan Schrag, a sophomore music education major, is part of Wu Choir, which Wine teaches. Through these interactions with

Wine, Schrag said she noticed — and will remember — how much “he cared about making us care.”

“He wanted to make sure that we knew how important choir could be to yourself and to the people around you,” Schrag said. “He made sure that everybody knew everybody else’s names, and he always programmed pieces that he knew we could feel very strong for if we were vulnerable enough.”

Internationally known opera singer Alan Held came to teach at his alma mater in 2014, a transition he said was made easier by Wine.

“When I came back, I knew some things were going to be different from my time period when I was a student here, but I knew that Dr. Wine was here as well,” Held, professor of voice and director of opera at WSU, said. “So I had somebody I knew when I walked in the door, and that means a lot.”

WHAT COMES NEXT

Wine’s retirement is threefold: his role as a professor and choral director at Wichita State, as well as the director of Chancel Choir at Eastminster Presbyterian Church.

“I’ve had a church job for 40 years at different churches, and

they expect you to be there every Wednesday and every Sunday,” Wine said. “That was another hard decision, was, ‘Would I retire from Wichita State and keep the church job?’” Wine said. “Because that was kind of my identity, too, when you’ve been doing that for so long.” Ultimately, Wine decided to go all in with plans for retirement. And he already has plans ahead.

“When I turn in my keys, we’re going to Lake Tahoe for a week — just to get away,” he said. “... I just feel like I need to get out of town and say, ‘I’m away from Wichita State.’”

After that, he’s going to work on his “golf game” and go on a cruise in the fall.

“How cool will that be? To say, ‘It’s September. I’m leaving town.’” With his career as an educator and choral director coming to an end, he said he’ll particularly miss the daily music-making.

“People ask, ‘What are your favorite memories?’ And almost all of (mine) are around making music,” he said.

Wine said he’ll likely find a place to sing during retirement. But for right now, he’s not too worried about specifics.

As he said, “I keep telling folks, I’ll find a way.”

Put down the Guinness and pick up a pack of Tayto: Going beyond drinking to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday born from the conversion of Ireland to Catholicism, has become the epitome of Americans’ idea of Irish culture.

That boils down to getting hammered on Guinness and wearing green.

But Ireland is so much more than leprechauns and four-leaf

clovers. Starting with the food, instead of a pint, why not pick up a bag? A bag of Tayto.

Tayto is the most popular brand of crisps, or chips, in Ireland. Tayto invented and produced the first flavored potato crisps. The crisps have been produced in a castle, named Tayto Castle, outside of Tandragee, Ireland, since 1956.

If you aren’t hungry for crisps, why not chips, also known as fries? Or even a spice bag, which is an Irish-Chinese fusion dish of salt and chili chips, shredded

chicken, peppers, fried onions and a variety of spices. The dish is so beloved in Ireland that since 2021, there’s been a petition to have a holiday for it.

Ireland can also be celebrated through its many accomplishments in the arts.

If you enjoy animated movies, why not watch something from Cartoon Saloon Studio, which, through movies like “Song of the Sea” and “Wolfwalkers,” celebrate the Irish mythos of selkies and the man-wolves of Ossory?

When it comes to literature,

T.J. Boynton — a Wichita State University associate professor who teaches British and Irish literature — recommended several authors.

“There are so many great Irish writers beyond (James) Joyce,” Boynton said via email. “Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats, Flann O’Brien, Elizabeth Bowen, Kate O’Brien … To name the first few that come to mind.”

Ireland is more than just stereotypes, and it’s important to go beyond these stereotypes, especially considering how most

formed under colonialist rule.

“Irish culture, in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, is still pivotally shaped by (British colonialist) legacies,” Boynton said. “And many of the negative stereotypes held by those in the U.S. (e.g. ‘The Fighting Irish’) are the product of them as well.”

So ditch the bar and stereotypes this St. Patrick’s Day, and engage with Irish culture through food, art, literature or just watching “Derry Girls.”

Gingers have soul despite what common prejudices may say

Mya Scott mds.200624@gmail.com

I was around 5 years old when I first watched “The Little Mermaid.” I remember being in my old house, sitting on my couch with my mom, grinning as I saw the redheaded princess. I smiled at my mom and told her that Ariel was my favorite princess because she looked like her. My mom doesn’t have a green tail or wear purple seashells, but that didn’t matter to me. Ariel was ginger and so was my mother. Even at that young age, I realized very quickly that neither of us — me as a mixed kid or her as a ginger — had very much representation in any form of media.

It’s impossible to pinpoint exactly where in time the redheaded prejudice — or gingerism — began, but there are certainly prominent instances where it has been perpetuated. This mindset goes as far back as the Bible itself.

According to The Fitzwilliam Museum, while there is no actual physical description of Judas in the New Testament, many artists took it upon themselves to depict the infamous betrayer of Jesus with red hair. Cain, the original murderer of the Bible, also is commonly depicted with red hair.

According to Noigroup, in

ancient Greece, people believed gingers turned into vampires when they died. In Egypt, people would sacrifice redheaded men and scatter their ashes atop the King of the Dead’s grave, believing this would appease their gods and spare them.

Red hair was also seen as bad luck. In Ireland, fishermen especially lived by the omen, “Let not the eye of a red-haired woman rest upon you,” believing it would curse them if they saw a redheaded woman before leaving shore.

And the list could go on and on about how society has viewed this population. While people may not believe in sacrificing gingers anymore, many stereotypes have wormed their way into the hearts of the world.

ARE ALL GINGERS LEPRECHAUNS?

I really hope I’m not the first to tell you this, but no, gingers are not leprechauns. The short little man you see in front of Lucky Charms isn’t a real person.

Leprechauns are tiny male fairies from Irish folklore who guard and protect hidden treasure. They are often depicted with pots of gold and are viewed as a source of mischief and are difficult to contain.

So in this modern day and age, why are leprechauns such a staple insult to all things redheaded?

According to Shamrock Gift, it’s because of where the folklore

originates: Ireland. To most people, Ireland is home to all of the world’s redheads, and according to World Population Review, while the country does have the highest population of gingers in the world, only approximately 10% of the population has those iconic red locks.

ARE ALL GINGERS HOT-HEADED?

A common misconception is that all redheads have a fiery temper that mimics their fiery locks, and while this may be true of some gingers, it doesn’t stand for all.

I know many redheads who don’t have the temper shown in popular media. My mom, for instance, is one of the most calm people I know. Now, don’t get me wrong — when she gets angry, she gets angry; however, my mom often shies away from conflict if she can avoid it. She thinks rationally and logically most of the time and is unwilling to take hasty action against someone.

My mom doesn’t represent all of the ginger population, but she is living proof that these stereotypes are merely fiction, not fact.

DO GINGERS HAVE NO SOUL?

I can’t even believe that this is an actual belief some people have. My guess is that it stems from the

ancient Greeks believing redheads would turn into vampires, creatures of the night with no soul, but the fact that in this time of the world, it is still prevalent in some minds is incredulous to me.

My mom, once again my muse for this piece, is the first person I will bring up in the face of this prejudice. She is one of the most caring and empathetic people I know. She constantly wears her heart on her sleeve and sacrifices as much as she has to give to those who need it. I could never, in my life, imagine saying she has no soul.

I remember watching my mom light up like a little kid again, rewatching the film “Annie.” She had the locket and tons of merchandise based around the

film because she could finally see herself in a film — not portrayed as a she-devil who betrays or leprechaun side characters, but just a normal girl. The fact that any of these stereotypes still exist is crazy to me. Prejudices of any kind are harmful to the minority that is being targeted, whether it’s in good fun and meant to be a joke or not. I highly encourage everyone to rebel against the stereotypes that are constantly being thrown in our faces and to realize that all of us — redheads included — have souls and are just people living their lives. Maybe compliment your ginger friends instead of singing the Lucky Charms jingle the next time you see them.

‘COUNTERCULTURE’ Turning Point USA hosts speaker Olivia Krolczyk from

anti-left organization

BY KASS LEWIS lewkass05@gmail.com

Wichita State’s Turning Point USA held a speaker event featuring Olivia Krolczyk, an ambassador for the Riley Gaines Center, a leadership institute that aims to “create powerful leaders to combat radical leftist ideology in their schools.”

Krolczyk shared her story regarding a failing grade following allegations of transphobia. She travels with the Riley Gaines Center across the country to campuses, school board meetings and more in hopes of “advocating for the protection of our rights as women to privacy, safety, and equal opportunity.”

The issue at the forefront of the organization is transgender women being able to compete in women’s sports.

“My story shows that the issue of men in women’s sports goes far beyond the pool, the track, the locker room, the bathroom,” Krolczyk said. “It affects students, like you guys sitting here, all across

the nation just like I was.”

Riley Gaines started the Riley Gaines Center after competing against Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer from the University of Pennsylvania. After competing against and sharing a locker room with Thomas, Gaines decided she would stand against trans women competing in women’s sports.

WSU’s local TPUSA chapter focuses on freedom of speech and open conversations on campuses.

The TPUSA website says it exists to “Empower young activists to get involved in the fight for free markets and limited government.

Through building strong campus networks, organizing conferences, and equipping activists with the knowledge and strategies needed to combat the left, TPUSA empowers young people to make a difference within their community.”

While TPUSA is a conservative group, Savanna Sparrow, a student in TPUSA, said she thinks understanding both sides of any argument is important.

“No matter what side of the

road you walk on, there’s always something else to be heard and something else to learn,” Sparrow said.

Vince Farwell is an ambassador in Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies. Farwell argued that biological advantages alone are not enough grounds to keep trans women out of women’s sports.

“Michael Phelps, he has abnormally large lungs, but he is a cis(gender) man,” Farwell said.

“So does that mean that he has a biological advantage and that he shouldn’t compete in men’s sports?”

The event, held in the CAC Theater, featured a welcome table with buttons and stickers free to attendees, various members of TPUSA to guide visitors to their seats, three police officers and no protestors. The theater room was made up of friends and family of the TPUSA students.

“Obviously, like at WSU, we hear a lot of the DEI, or any of the LGBTQ agenda,” said Mason Fouquet, WSU’s TPUSA treasurer. “... Therefore, I think it’s awesome

TELLING YOUR STORIES

RECEPTION WITH ‘I NEEDED

PARIS’ FILM

SATURDAY, MARCH 15

Reception at 3 p.m., film at 4:15 p.m.

McKnight Art Center, room 210

“I Needed Paris,” a documentary produced and directed by Michael Cheers, follows students of the Gordon Parks Academy on their journey to Paris, France. The film follows the students’ artistic growth as they photograph fashion, portraits and streets with a twin-lens reflex camera similar to the one Parks used. Suggested donations are accepted at the door and will be given to funding student projects at the Gordon Parks Academy.

SPRING BREAK

MONDAY, MARCH 17FRIDAY, MARCH 21

Offices will be open during normal operating hours from March 17 to March 23.

that we get to hear a few of the opposing views.”

When asked about pushing against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives after the event, Collin Schmidt, event coordinator for Spectrum, said, “I do fear it, quite immensely … It’s a mindset that is really dangerous and it starts there. It starts small and then snowballs.”

Ryan Whalen, the president of TPUSA at WSU, felt differently.

“I think it’s just important that we do show that there is a counterculture for, you know, people who do believe these ideals,” Whalen said.

But, ultimately, members of TPUSA emphasized the importance of free speech and the exchange of ideas on campus.

“I think it’s just important that we can have open dialogue here on campus,” said William Crawford, the social media curator for WSU’s TPUSA. “... Free speech is very important, especially for our organization. That’s probably a top-five thing we promote, if not number one.”

SPRING BREAK FACULTY WRITING RETREAT

TUESDAY, MARCH 18THURSDAY, MARCH 20

8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Ablah Library, lower level

The Office of Faculty Advancement, Retention, and Excellence invites WSU faculty to delve into writing and research over three days of spring break. Food, caffeinated beverages and camaraderie will be provided. Contact fare@wichita.edu for more information or to RSVP.

RAMADAN IFTAR

BANQUET 2025

SUNDAY, MARCH 23

5 p.m.

Rhatigan Student Center, Beggs Ballroom

Join community members to break your fast with a shared meal. Whether you are fasting or simply want to experience a new tradition, all are welcome. Purchase tickets online at shorturl.at/vmCWl before prices increase. Tickets for students, faculty and staff are $10 while tickets for families up to five are $50.

SAVVY SCHOLAR WORKSHOP: WRITING AND CITING IN APA STYLE

TUESDAY, MARCH 25

3 - 4 p.m.

Ablah Library

Join an online or in-person workshop on mastering APA 7th edition style. Learn how to format your papers and citations the correct way, helping you feel more confident in your work. Learn more at libraries.wichita.edu/savvyscholar.

PROCRASTINATION

PREVENTION NIGHT AT THE LIBRARY

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26

6 p.m. - midnight

Ablah Library

Sponsored by the Shocker Learning Center and University Libraries, this event is dedicated to helping students avoid procrastination and finish the year out strong with a night of personalized support. Dropin support services with librarians, success coaches and tutorings will be afforded alongside arts and crafts and games.

PIZZA AND POLITICS

THURSDAY, MARCH 27

12:30 p.m.

Lindquist Hall, room 417

Political Science Professor Dinorah Azpuru will lead a discussion on the United States and Latin American relations and politics. Pizza and refreshments will be provided to attendees. For dietary restrictions, contact Alexandra Middlewood at alexandra.middlewood@wichita.edu.

HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED?

CONTACT THE ARTS EDITOR: arts@thesunflower.com CONTACT THE NEWS EDITOR: news@thesunflower.com