Daily Wildcat | Commencement | May 2024

THE DAILY WILDCAT

Graduationisonesmallpeakonyourwaytohighersummits

5 UA pharmacy

this June

Editor-in-Chief

Nate Stenchever editor@dailywildcat.com

Managing Editor

Kate Ewing kateewing@dailywildcat.com

Training Coordinator

Annabel Lecky training@dailywildcat.com

News Editors

Sam Parker

Kanishka Chinnaraj news@dailywildcat.com

Opinions Editor

Olivia Krupp

Luke Lawson opinion@dailywildcat.com

Sports Editors

Jason Dayee

Nathaniel Levin sports@dailywildcat.com

Arts & Life Editors

Amanda Mourelatos Emilee Ceuninck arts@dailywildcat.com

Photo/Multimedia Editor

Noor Haghighi

Gracie Kayko photo@dailywildcat.com

Copy Chiefs

Hannah Palmisano May Otzen copy@dailywildcat.com

Comics Editor

Margalit smargalit@dailywildcat.com Social Media Coordinators

Sohi Kang Nandini Manepalli socials@dailywildcat.com

Designers

Nate Stenchever

Dayee Kate Ewing

Sela Margalit Emilee Ceuninck Noor Haghighi

Kayko

2024 COMMENCEMNT | STAFF

2024 Senior Daily Wildcat editor reflection

BY HANNA PALMISANO Copy Chief

When I joined the Daily Wildcat in August 2022, I had no journalism experience but I knew that I wanted to edit stories that mattered to people. I couldn’t

BY MAY OTZEN Copy Chief

I joined the Daily Wildcat as a copy editor in August 2022. As an aspiring book editor I

BY SOHI KANG Social Media Cordinatior

I joined the Daily Wildcat in my freshman year, fall 2020, and have stuck

BY JASON DAYEE Sports Editor

My time at the Daily Wildcat has been a transformative journey, shaping me both personally and professionally. As a latecomer to journalism, I initially felt apprehensive, but my passion for

have known then that when you sign up for the Wildcat, you sign up for a community of people that are not only passionate about making a good thing great, but who always have your back.

Working at the Wildcat has been a formative part of my college experience. I never dreamed when I began that I would eventually take on the role of Assistant Copy Chief, or Copy Chief, and the rewarding

responsibilities those jobs entail. I’m going to miss the great group of copy editors we have on our team right now. Being surrounded by a community of people that work collectively towards improving something as important as our student newspaper has been a privilege and an honor. It’s not easy to say goodbye to a place that has introduced me to so many new and wonderful people.

I’ll carry my experiences at the Wildcat with me as I head to grad school, and whatever new challenges await me, this fall. In the words of Anne Shirley, “my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don’t know what lies around the bend, but I’m going to believe that the best does.”

saw it as a good opportunity to get my foot in the door. I was extremely fortunate that they were willing to hire someone with little to no experience in the field. They took a chance on me and I am forever grateful for the time I got to spend editing for the paper. After a year as a copy editor and a year as assistant copy chief, I

can confidently say that the Daily Wildcat has opened me up to so many new and exciting opportunities.

Journalism was never something I wanted to pursue, but during my time at the Wildcat I have picked up a second minor in journalism.

Throughout my time editing countless

news, sports, arts and opinions stories I have found a new interest in reporting and the fast-paced life of a journalist. It has been inspiring being around so many passionate individuals and I have made friendships that will last a lifetime. I am very thankful and I feel very lucky to have been a part of this team.

with student news ever since then. I’m proud to say my experience here taught me virtually everything I know about journalism as I was given the opportunity to be a copywriter, reporter, desk editor and most recently, social media coordinator. I met so many different types of people and learned about so much through

writing, editing and socialing out articles. Since my beginning here, I’ve held many internships and jobs at various places, but I couldn’t seem to let the Wildcat go. It’s where I went to between classes, how I was able to stay up-to-date with everything that was going around campus and most importantly, where I met some of my

lifelong friends.

Now that it’s all said and done, being able to be a part of student news was one of the best decisions I made for myself. I’m grateful for everyone I met through the Wildcat and for the audience who continues to support news through reading our content.

storytelling, particularly in sports, drove me forward. Joining the publication in February 2022, I dove headfirst into the world of reporting, navigating the challenges of AP style and journalistic writing.

Throughout my tenure, I rose through the ranks from a reporter to assistant sports editor and eventually sports editor. Each role presented unique opportunities to hone my skills, covering a diverse array of sports and stories along the way. The fast-

paced nature of sports journalism taught me invaluable lessons in adaptability and resilience, preparing me for the real-world challenges of the field.

As I prepare to graduate, I reflect on the countless hours spent researching, interviewing and writing, appreciating the profound impact of storytelling and the responsibility it entails. My experiences at the Daily Wildcat have instilled in me a deep appreciation for the power of

journalism to inform, inspire and connect communities.

As I look to begin on the next chapter of my life, I carry with me the lessons learned and memories cherished from my time at the publication. I am grateful for the opportunities and experiences that have shaped me into the journalist I am today, eager to continue pursuing my passion for storytelling in the ever-evolving media landscape.

University of Arizona Campus Health Pharmacy to close in June

BY ERIKA HOWLETT The Daily Wildcat

The University of Arizona’s Campus Health Pharmacy is closing its doors effective June 28. This takes away the only on-campus resource for students to get prescriptions filled and pay for them later using their bursar’s account.

The announcement, made April 3, cited the “changing landscape of retail pharmacy services in recent years” as the main reason for the closure of the pharmacy, which has served the campus community since 1967.

David Salafsky, the executive director of Campus Health, explained that the decision was made due to a variety of factors, such as a decrease in use of the service, but that the university’s current financial situation does play a role.

“There’s a budget cut in effect,” Salafsky said. “That’s part of the decision.”

Salafsky also pointed to the competitive nature of the healthcare industry, and the emergence of more online options. Ultimately, keeping the pharmacy running wasn’t worth the money.

Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University both have closed their on-

campus pharmacies in the past decade according to Salafsky.

Kim Birmingham, the chief pharmacist at Campus Health’s pharmacy since 2014, said she learned the news the day before it was announced and attributed a significant part of the decision to budget constrictions.

“Campus Health had to cut $800,000 and they needed permanent money to cut,” Birmingham said. “So, we were the ones.”

According to Birmingham, there are currently six employees at the pharmacy. While Birmingham was planning to retire, other employees will be laid off. The pharmacy also offered training and internship opportunities for College of Pharmacy students, who will now need to get that experience elsewhere.

“It is disheartening to hear the campus pharmacy is closing. Not only for College of Pharmacy students, but the student population in general,” said Megan Wong, Associated Students of the University of Arizona senator of the College of Pharmacy, in an emailed statement. “The Campus Health Pharmacy has been a great resource for students that live on or nearby campus, or students that may not have access to transportation.”

Although Salafsky pointed out decreasing use of the pharmacy, he did say that it filled about 13,000 prescriptions in the past year.

“I do think it was a really convenient tool just because it allowed you to use your bursar’s account to get prescriptions,” said Miriam Kaylor, a first-year

linguistics student who has used the on-campus pharmacy before.

Campus Health is reaching out to students who have used the pharmacy to inform them of

the change, and is available to answer questions and assist with transferring prescriptions to other nearby pharmacies like the CVS located at 825 E. University Blvd.

THE CAMPUS HEALTH PHARMACY, set to permanently close June 28, is the only on-campus resource for students to get prescriptions filled and pay for them later using their bursar’s account. Courtesy of Campus Health.

ARIZONA ENERGY

Unknown but impactful: Arizona Corporation Commission elections

BY NANDINI MANEPALLI The Daily Wildcat

Ever wondered who decides how high monthly utility bills are? The Arizona Corporation Commission plays a significant role in these decisions — it’s responsible for regulating the state’s utilities, approving rates set by utility companies and shaping the state’s electricity, water, gas and waste markets. As this year’s election cycle inches closer, the upcoming ACC elections have become a battleground for those invested in implementing clean and renewable energy in Arizona.

Samantha Wetherell, an advisor and former president of the UArizona Divest student organization, described the upcoming ACC elections as “the most important race for clean energy and climate in the state of Arizona.”

“We have noticed a lack of enthusiasm towards clean energy from the commissioners recently,” Wetherell said, citing recent initiatives from the commission to repeal Arizona’s energy efficiency standards and to scale back payments to individuals who sell their excess solar power to utility companies.

UAZ Divest has endorsed three candidates running for seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission: Joshua Polacheck, Ylenia Aguilar and Jonathon Hill.

“One of the things that we’ve come to realize by doing activism on campus is that the issue of clean energy and climate change extends past the UA,” Wetherell said, regarding the organization’s endorsements. “We want to be involved in local energy, climate and social justice issues that impact the larger communities.”

One of candidate Aguilar’s priorities is increasing accessibility to renewable and clean energy resources for communities across Arizona.

“Talking about bringing in EV vehicles and clean energy is amazing, but

sometimes communities don’t have access to these options,” Aguilar said. “We need to bring in more opportunities so all people can have access to electric vehicles and solar panels everywhere.”

In particular, Aguilar emphasized the importance of implementing protections for consumers alongside advocating for clean energy policies.

“We also need to focus on how [the expansion of clean energy] looks on the ground, and how that impacts communities who don’t often understand what’s happening,” Aguilar said, referencing how some solar companies take advantage of potential customers through misleading advertising of incentives and other benefits.

Candidate Polacheck highlighted frustrations with the current commission’s recent stances on renewable energy as a motivation for running for a seat on the commission.

“We had a bipartisan plan that was passed in 2004, one of the most forwardthinking in the country, that provided a transition to 100% energy independence and energy security for our state through clean energy by 2050,” Polacheck said.

“Over the last 14 months, the Republican majority on the Corporation Commission has systematically dismantled that plan.”

In addition to repealing the state’s energy efficiency and renewable standards, the current commission has also recently approved a rate hike for APS customers’ monthly bills, raised the monthly charge for residential customers with rooftop solar systems from $2.50 to $3 and is considering changing the way that rooftop solar customers are compensated for excess power generation.

Arizonans have already begun to feel the effects of these policy decisions, with some reporting as much as 100% increases in their energy bills.

“We had a pretty cold winter this year, and because of some of the rate increases approved by the Corporation Commission, some folks were seeing

some pretty massive bills for their natural gas for their heating,” Polacheck said.

Commissioner Lea Márquez Peterson, one of the four commissioners who voted for repealing Arizona’s energy efficiency and renewable standards, is running for re-election in the upcoming race.

“What you saw occur related to the energy standard was a cleaning up of our rules. The mandate was antiquated and out of date, and we had already achieved it,” Peterson said, referring to the original energy mandate’s regulation that electric utilities must generate 15% of its energy from renewable resources by 2025.

“Each company has also set pretty assertive goals themselves of 100% clean

energy by 2050, and that’s set by the company and not required or mandated by the commission because we want to share that balance of affordability and reliability,” Peterson added.

Regardless of where someone stands in the clean energy debate, these upcoming Arizona Corporation Commission elections will be pivotal in shaping the future of Arizona’s energy and utilities landscape.

“These small state elections may seem inconsequential, but they have incredible effects,” Wetherell said. “When it comes to affecting the state of Arizona, pay attention to these local and state elections.”

ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION CANDIDATE Joshua Polacheck filed nominating signatures at the Secretary of State’s office on March 30. Courtesy of Joshua Polacheck.

A university in disarray: Understanding the UA’s financial woes

BY SAM PARKER

This year at the University of Arizona has been, in part, defined by a financial crisis that has impacted every facet of the UA community. With news about the university’s financial situation, leadership roles and structural adjustments constantly evolving, the Daily Wildcat hopes to give a comprehensive and easily understood overview of this financial deficit and its impact.

The shortfall

On Nov. 2, 2023, former UA Chief Financial Officer Lisa Rulney gave a financial report to the Arizona Board of Regents that would alter the course of the university’s future.

In this presentation, Rulney revealed a significant deficit in the UA’s financial reserves, a shortage equaling approximately $240 million.

An updated financial report from ABOR in February revealed the UA was facing a budget shortfall of about $177 million, and needed

to implement some “significant changes” in order to avoid said jeopardy.

In the immediate aftermath of the UA’s November 2023 announcement, the campus community responded with fear and outrage. At a Nov. 16, 2023 board of regents meeting held at the UA, community members called out some of the initially proposed measures to counteract the university’s financial issues.

Follow the money

The announcement of this deficit left members of the campus community wondering where these funds had gone.

In Rulney’s initial presentation, part of the blame was placed on the system of budgeting used at the university. According to the UA’s “Financial Situation Background” page, the UA, “has utilized three different budget models: Incremental, Responsibility Centered Management and Activity Informed Budgeting, all of which led to significant decentralization and missed warning signs.

Within those budget models, we did not properly account for the actual costs associated with running the

University, which has impacted our ability to make effective financial decisions.”

In addition to the flaws of this budgeting model, different investments and departments contributed to this shortfall. According to ABOR’s Feb. 9 financial report, the breakdown of fiscal year 2024 was:

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

NOOR HAGHIGHI | THE DAILY WILDCAT

UA PRESIDENT DR. ROBERT C. ROBBINS thanks Interim CFO John Arnold during an Arizona Board of Regents meeting on April 18. Arnold presented a budget update at the most recent meeting.

The Daily Wildcat

FINANCIAL WOES

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Colleges and Divisions:

$116 million

Athletics: $32 million

Unallocated Leases/ Utilities/Institutional Costs: $24 million

Strategic Plan: $3 million

UA Global Campus: $2 million

Total: $177 million

Conflict and controversy

The university’s money mishandling and response to its financial issues was the subject of frequent backlash and controversy since the November 2023 announcement.

One of the most prominent critics of UA leadership was Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs who, on multiple occasions, demanded increased accountability from the university and the board of regents.

In a January letter to ABOR, Hobbs called out mixed messaging in the university’s reports about the acquisition of UAGC, as well as an overall “lack of accountability, transparency, and at the end of the day, leadership.”

In looking for a solution to the problems facing the UA, Hobbs demanded the consultation of an independent third party, which she said would be responsible for creating proposed solutions, “conducting an external audit” and providing reports to the governor’s office and ABOR every month.

Hobbs’ demands for transparency also came with increased pressure on university leadership, with warnings that would foreshadow later changes in the UA’s and ABOR’s leadership.

“If we do not see progress, I will work with stakeholders to identify further changes to leadership and processes in order to fix ongoing problems,” Hobbs’ letter stated.

Leadership changes

Former UA CFO Rulney’s resignation in December 2023 was just the first in a cascade of university leadership adjustments that culminated in President Dr. Robert C. Robbins’ April announcement that he would be stepping down at the end of his term.

Rulney stepped down Dec. 13, 2023, and was replaced in an interim capacity by ABOR’s Executive Director John Arnold. Hobbs took issue with Arnold filling this role, demanding in her January letter that the board “create a clear distinction between governance and operations of the university and ABOR” and that Arnold “transition out of the CFO role.” In February, Arnold took a leave of absence from the board to focus on his role at the UA. Around the same time, ABOR Chair Fred DuVal stepped down amidst conflict with the UA Faculty Senate. In the midst of this conflict, the UA also parted ways with Arizona Athletic Director Dave Heeke. This announcement came shortly after Heeke presented a financial update for the university’s athletic department and announced, among other things, a hiring freeze and the pause of any major construction projects. Heeke was replaced by Desireé Reed-Francois, who previously worked as the Director of Athletics at the University of Missouri. At the beginning of April, in the biggest leadership change at the university,

Robbins announced he would be stepping down at the end of his contract with the UA which expires June 30, 2026.

ABOR Chair Cecilia Mata said the board will begin a nationwide search for the next UA president and will “move forward with expediency,” as detailed by an ABOR press release.

According to Robbins’ statement, he is prepared to leave the university sooner if the board finds his replacement prior to the 2026 date.

Arizona’s financial future

The UA is implementing a series of steps and measures to secure a better financial future and mitigate the harmful effects of this budget deficit.

According to the UA’s financial action plan, the university has already implemented a hiring and compensation freeze, stopped international travel for senior administrators, restricted purchasing, deferred nonessential capital projects and concluded strategic

initiatives funding. The UA is also currently working on delaying the FY 2025 Salary Increase Program, rebalancing undergraduate non-resident merit aid for new students and eliminating tuition guarantee in fall 2025 for new students.

In an email sent to the campus community April 18, Robbins noted that, as would also be reported in that day’s ABOR meeting by Arnold, the UA’s FY 2025 budget deficit will be reduced from $162 million to $52 million.

“While central

administration, divisions and colleges all are part of the solution, the largest portion of the budget savings will come from reductions in administrative expenses. As a result of our budget decisions, the University will be in a position to allocate sufficient funds to ensure no college starts FY 2025 in a budget deficit,” Robbins’ email stated.

Robbins also said the university would continue to monitor the operations and expenses of UAGC and Athletics.

EMMA DIAZ | THE DAILY WILDCAT

RHYS WILLIAMS HOLDS A ”Labor against layoffs” sign during a rally on April 18 in front of the Administration building. The rally expressed concerns of threats to higher education and campus worker jobs.

Campus Health and mental wellness resources for students

BY AJ “STASH” CASTILLO The Daily Wildcat

When students arrive on campus, there are few places outside of pharmacies or grocery stores for them to go to for certain resources like prescriptions, vaccinations and hygiene products. There are also few places available for mental health wellness for students. Luckily, there are a number of resources that specialize in student health.

Counseling and Psych Services offers different types of mental health services for students on or off campus. Cassandra Hirdes, the assistant director of CAPS, talked about what it has to offer.

“A lot of students when they think about CAPS, they’re thinking about counseling and therapy services, which we absolutely offer, but we have a lot more than that. Some good examples would be that we have individuals called Care Coordinators who meet with students and maybe discuss resources in the community that can help students who have insurance or don’t have insurance figure out what resources might be a good fit,” Hirdes said.

CAPS is always trying to increase access to the students on campus. It also has peer counselors who are trained in “psychological first aid” who can speak with students as well. There are also different counselors located in the cultural resource centers around campus.

To Hirdes, the first step to getting help for one’s mental health is figuring out what you’re looking for. Whether it’s looking for a therapist, a community on campus or different coping skills, she advises students to look at the CAPS website to see what a student may need.

“I think we’re just continuing to explore all sorts of ways of offering mental health support to students. Those continue to be our plans of ongoing access and also making sure that staff and faculty are also trained and feel that they’re able to have some of those conversations about mental health too,” Hirdes said.

CAPS can be accessed online and

students can go and make appointments through the website. It is located at either 1224 E. Lowell St. within Campus Health or 1051 E. Mabel St. on the second floor of the North Recreation Center. Both locations are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., 5-6 p.m. by appointment only.

In the Student Union Memorial Center, the Woman and Gender Resource Center sits on the fourth floor. A quiet spot with open doors and a big room to study in, it offers different types of resources within its walls, no questions asked. Francisco Cruz works as a front desk assistant for the center.

“The Woman and Gender Resource Center is a really cool spot on campus. It’s not only just a resource center but it’s also a place for students to come and have a safe space to relax. We have free printing, we have our resources but you can also just come and hang out,” Cruz said.

The Woman and Gender Resource Center houses the Feminist Pharmacy, which is provided through its internship Feminists Organized to Resist, Create & Empower. It provides students with completely free and confidential safe sex, menstrual and Plan B products. It also has a pop-up Campus Pantry box which includes milk, eggs and bread. In addition, there’s holistic care run by one of the center’s graduate assistants alongside different programming events.

The organization is blossoming as its program continues to grow. The center can communicate to students through email or by students just coming in and checking out the area as well.

“[Women and Gender Resource Center] was originally started by Feminists Organized to Resist, Create & Empower and they were students. They advocated to say that they needed actual staff to support students. The students need resources like the feminist pharmacy, mental health wellness programming and a safe space to hangout. It shouldn’t fall on students, the university should hire full-time staff to help do this,” Cruz said.

The Women and Gender Resource

HEALTH OFFERS A variety of services for students.

Center is located in Room 404DD in the student union and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Terri West is the Program Coordinating Senior at the Campus Health Clinic. Campus Health offers primary care services, labs, x-rays, physical therapy, sports medicine, women’s health, LGBTQ+ services and nutrition and that is just the beginning of what is offered. “I’m in the administration office so I work with a lot of the providers. One of my main jobs is to organize the template for scheduling. I work closely with our electronic health record folks to help get that done. I also work with students who are at a point in their semester where they need to withdraw from the university when there is a medical or mental health reason,” West said.

Campus Health was established in 1918 during the Spanish Flu pandemic as there was a dire need for health services. It has been a constant on campus for the last 106 years, especially through a second pandemic.

West and the rest of the staff are starting to get ready for next semester as summer starts to roll around. Campus Health primarily helps with orientation and any new students looking for health services on campus.

“The semester is winding down so we’re seeing folks with the usual colds, flu and once in a blue moon [COVID-19]. But a lot of students are getting their healthcare before they graduate. You do have to be an enrolled student in order to receive services here. So, once someone graduates then they don’t so a lot of people are trying to wrap that up, get their prescriptions for the summer and all that kind of stuff,” West said.

Campus Health offers help for insured and uninsured students; all that has to be done is make an appointment with a healthcare provider.

Campus Health is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but on Wednesdays it’s open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It’s located at the Highland Commons at 1224 E. Lowell St.

SELA MARGALIT | THE DAILY WILDCAT

CAMPUS

CONGRATS TO ALL OUR HOUSING & RESIDENTIAL LIFE GRADUATES!

BACHELORS

Ains Gehrman

Alejandro Soto

Alessandro Bolus

Alexander Gonzales

Alison Lindstrom

Ash Johnston

Ashley Canedo

Ashley Hernandez

Austin Macedo

Bella Villalpando

Billy Dolny

Brenda Perea

Bryson Prather

Caroline Blunier

Cesilia Garcia

Cooper Harris

Christian Spiess

David Asad

Devyn Macias

Ellie Mouer

Emily Hauger

Emily Morris

Erin McGrath

Ethan Rippl

Eugenio Caballero Perez

George Saphir

Gwen Bohon

Haylee Myers

Hazel Ball

Helena Hailemicheal

Ilyanna Ordaz

India Sacher

Isabel Aksamit

Jacqueline Ramos-Saavedra

Jamie Anderson

Jenan Meri

Jenifer Cardenas

Jennifer Rascon

Jeremiah Aaron Garcia

Jimmy Gonzalez Gomez

Jocelyn Ehalt

Jordan Falls

Joseph Blair

Josh Maerling

Justin Cheung

Katana Bierman

Katherine Amine

Katy Hurst

Kaylee Clark

Lauren Sin

Liberty Barry

Melanie Fellers

Michelle Fricker

Monique Thomas

Natasha Juhl

Nicole Stagner

Olivia Luttinger

Olivia Morey

Rashel Robles

Rianna Decker

Sam Maurer

Sarah Darby

Sarah Mathew

Savannah Aragon

Savannah Hade

Shea Cox

Shea Stagner

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR SPRING 2024 GRADUATES ENGINEERS BEAR DOWN TO CHANGE THE WORLD

Sophia Warren

Sydney Case

Tanisha Hossain

Thaddeus Arcenas

Thomas Collins

Thy Nguyen

Trejon McKelvy

Tyler Radoha

MASTERS

Hannah Gentry

Sara Crane

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

Student leader to public service: Parker Fowler’s UA journey

BY EMMA LAPOINTE

Parker Fowler, a senior at the University of Arizona who is preparing to graduate, reflected on his experiences and growth as a UA student.

Fowler described some of his core experiences at the university, many of which came through his involvement with honorary groups on campus. In his freshman year, Fowler was a member of Freshman Class Council, a student group on campus that “serves as an opportunity to make new friends, get involved on campus, learn more about The University of Arizona, and serve as representatives for the Freshman on campus within the Student Government,” according to the FCC website.

“A lot of those friends that I made in that Freshman Class Council really helped me to grow and mature into a better version of Parker,”

Fowler said. “They just kind of helped me find new parts of myself like my queerness; it’s a huge part of my identity and stuff like that, and it was such a supportive group to be a part of.”

Fowler said that as he grew as a person, he got even more involved in the various honorary groups on campus and committed to them as his core extracurricular experience.

“So through FCC, I ventured further down that pathway of the honoraries as my college career continued. That was very much something that I just learned to love and got super involved in. The honorary as a whole was like core commitments to me, kind of coming to that penultimate moment for me, which was Links Junior Honorary, something that I was able to be the president of last year,” Fowler said.

Fowler was always a leader in high school when he participated in extracurricular activities, and he said that being able to come back to that

after adjusting to the new world that is college was refreshing.

“Junior year was kind of that moment for me to really show myself again, like that part of myself. I found a lot of my other parts of myself, and it’s time to kind of center back in on that. And we had a really successful year, you know, we raised $6,700 for local Tucson communities […] [and are] super involved with community service on and off campus,” Fowler said.

The benefits Fowler received from being a part of this organization extended beyond just his junior year.

“But what was so rewarding about being in Links Junior Honorary is that then, by the time that I became a senior here, they nominated me for Homecoming, where I ended up winning Homecoming King, and that was just such an amazing experience,” Fowler said.

“It was so validating, to feel like people saw me and people respected me professionally, nonprofessionally and in

friendships, and to be able to honor me with that title. I see it, that they gave me that title because they respected me so much and saw the cool things that I could bring to the table.”

Fowler expressed his gratitude for the honorary system as a whole, which he said

allowed him to form a supportive community in an initially unfamiliar environment.

A large part of the college experience for Fowler was being able to grow and reinvent himself as a person, especially when it came to his queer identity, something he did not feel as comfortable showcasing when he was in high school.

“In high school I was a 4.0 student, super involved extracurricularwise and stuff like that. I was always so stressed about making sure that I did everything right,” Fowler said.

The Daily Wildcat

FOWLER IS GRADUATING THIS semester with a major in political science and a minor in journalism. He wants to focus on working with either nonprofits or for public education unions. Courtesy of Parker Fowler.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

“Although [that] made me a really successful student, I think it limited me because I was so worried about being that model student that I then negated my passions and other areas that maybe I hadn’t discovered yet and stuff like that.”

As he navigated college, Fowler found that it was okay to not be perfect all the time, and to turn in an assignment late. Instead, he learned to focus his energy on growing as a person, and learning new things that made him passionate.

“I became really passionate about my queer identity. I wear that so much more on my sleeve than I ever

possibly would have even thought to in high school because I gave myself leeway to care about those aspects of myself, rather than just care about myself academically,” Fowler said. “And that goes for so many more aspects than just my queer identity, too. I also recently found hobbies that were outside just extracurriculars or academics. I love to play with makeup, and I like to do drag stuff.”

Fowler also said that learning how to do things for fun that are usually strictly academic, such as reading, helped him to branch out and enjoy it more.

On the academic side of things, Fowler is graduating with a degree in political science and a minor in

journalism. He plans to use the knowledge he has gained from UA to give back to not just his new community of Tucson, but also to his hometown of Phoenix.

“For a while, I thought that politics [was to] start working on campaigns and have my own election cycle, the whole spiel. I realized that something lacking from a lot of public servants is community outreach, the ability to actually understand what humans in their local region are going through,” Fowler said. “That’s why I love journalism so much, because [journalism] allows you to hear what people are doing and what they’re passionate about.

And so having those two things combined [has] taught me so much about community.”

For Fowler, Phoenix feels so much larger than Tucson, making this idea of community seem a lot more daunting. But he still wants to try and connect to the community in the same way he has learned to in Tucson’s tight-knit feel.

Fowler wants to focus on working with either nonprofits or for public education unions. Fowler’s parents are both educators, and he feels connected to the world of education in this way.

“Both my parents are educators, so I really want to kind of pay that forward. They taught me all I know about being passionate about my own personal

education,” Fowler said. “And I want to make sure that idea is cemented and stabilized within Arizona cities as well. So hopefully we can work for some groups, unions, things like that, that protect public education in the state of Arizona.”

While Fowler admits that the post-graduate world seems daunting and scary, especially when the past majority of his life has been dedicated to school, he feels like he is prepared due to the support and motivation from the various faculty and staff he has encountered at the UA.

“My professors truly believed in me. They care about you, especially in the

J-school. I think those people have always had my best interests at heart, whether it be Paloma Boykin or Pate McMichael. I really appreciate their willingness to be more than just a professor,” Fowler said. “That support has meant the world to me and has helped me feel more ready and prepared for this next step.”

As Fowler embarks on the next chapter of his journey beyond university, he carries with him not only academic knowledge but also a deep sense of self-discovery and a commitment to community shaped by his experiences as a Wildcat.

PARKER FOWLER, A SENIOR at the UA, has been involved in multiple honoraries on campus, groups which he said have helped him gain closer ties to the Tucson community and grow as a person and student. Courtesy of Parker Fowler.

FOWLER, IN HIS TIME at the UA, has been extensively involved in both the campus and surrounding communities. Courtesy of Parker Fowler.

OUTREACH PROGRAMs

Mini MOCA inauguration at ArtWorks

BY BEATRIZ E. MOJARDIN MORENO

The Daily Wildcat

ArtWorks is an outreach program housed in the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities at the University of Arizona. The program was created to promote community and learning of the arts between adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. On Friday, March 15, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson celebrated the opening of its third Mini Museum of Contemporary Art at ArtWorks on the UA campus.

The ArtWorks artists, along with their friends and families, gathered together to cut the ribbon covering the Mini MOCA to officially signify the opening of the display. After the ceremony, the attendees continued celebrating with food and games inside the ArtWorks studio.

“The Mini MOCA is a great project because it really connects our people to other artists in the community,” Elizabeth Vargas, instructional specialist and program coordinator at ArtWorks, said. “We invite people to come and talk to us, make art and put it into our Mini MOCA. It’s a great opportunity to bring our communities together.”

The intention behind the newly opened

Mini MOCA exhibit was to display the projects created by the artists at ArtWorks and to bring people together through a common interest. At the installation, community members can bring their art to display in the Mini MOCA or take home a project they see and like. It’s similar to free libraries where a person can give and take a book.

Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson is a prestigious part of Tucson that displays widely renowned art from acclaimed artists. In addition to these recognized art pieces, the museum sees value in allowing all members of the community to be a part of the collection, whether it is at its main location or around the city in displays like the Mini MOCA.

“It’s important to bring art into local communities and out of the museum and institutions. It provides people with a free way to share, create and take art and to do that in their community,” Harrison Orr, former education manager at MOCA, said.

“ArtWorks, of course, is a very important part of the UA campus and Tucson community, providing a space for artists to learn and work on their craft. So it seemed like a perfect matchup with Mini MOCA.”

Since its opening in 2016, the ArtWorks program has continued to make a difference in the lives of adult artists and the community.

“Oh, it’s fantastic. I love it,” artist Victoria Pisano said about the newly opening Mini MOCA. “I love coming to ArtWorks. It’s like a second home to me.”

ArtWorks provides a safe space of growth and understanding that allows artists like Pisano to find their passion through art.

“I love doing watercolors; you can just lose yourself in it and I just like doing it,”

artist Jack McHugh said. “I really like to put my feelings in my art pieces. It’s really fun.”

ArtWorks is located at 1509 E. Helen St. and the gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. The gallery is also open for studio tours Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mini MOCAs can be visited at any time.

CAROLINE BAILEY | THE DAILY WILDCAT ARTWORKS ARTISTS POSE WITH the new Mini MOCA outside of the ArtWorks building on March 15. ArtWorks promotes community learning through artistic expression and interactions between adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and University of Arizona students.

CAROLINE BAILEY | THE DAILY WILDCAT HARRISON ORR, LEX GJURASIC and Dominic Valencia pose with the new Mini MOCA outside of the ArtWorks building on March 15. They helped bring this project to life with support from the Museum of Contemporary Art in Downtown Tucson.

CAROLINE BAILEY | THE DAILY WILDCAT HARRISON ORR AND BRAD Biddlecome prepare to cut the ribbon on the new Mini MOCA outside of the ArtWorks building on March 15. ArtWorks is an outreach program at the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities at the University of Arizona, Department of Family & Community Medicine.

Local sushi food truck opens restaurant in American Eat Co.

BY SARAYA HAMMOND

Samurai Sombrero is a new restaurant located in American Eat Co. The location is owned by husband and wife team Gabriela Delgadillo and Jesus Oleta and started as a food truck.

According to Delgadillo the couple has had their sushi food truck for almost two years and the truck slowly became busier to the point where some days it sold out of food.

“We had to think about what we could do to cook more. Then the idea was to open a brick-and-mortar store and this chance came,” Delgadillo said.

It started with a soft opening and then had its grand opening on April 11.

“People turned out, people are still coming and they are showing us a lot of love,” Delgadillo said.

Samurai Sombrero offers an assortment of different sushi rolls that feature bold flavors and an original menu.

Delgadillo said the restaurant uses, “a lot of spices, a lot of cilantro, jalapeno, avocado, mangos and sauces. Even from the rice that we cook, we put flavors.”

According to Delgadillo, one of Samurai Sombreros’ more popular rolls is the Sumarai

Roll, which has shrimp tempura, avocado and cream cheese wrapped with soy paper. It is deep-fried and crispy on the outside and topped with spicy crab and shrimp.

Samurai Sombrero also offers vegan options including the Death Free Foodie Roll, Sweet Potato Roll, Cucumber Roll and the famous Avocado Roll.

According to Delgadillo the food truck plans to reopen once the business has trained a crew.

Husband and wife Andrey and Carolina Shevchenko, both first-time customers, tried the Rainbow Roll, Valley Roll and Sumarai Roll.

Andrey Shevchenko liked how the atmosphere was cool and relaxed and Samurai Sombrero offered good portions and prices.

“We’ll be back. We are going to try some more different styles. They have a pretty good menu,” Andrey Shevchenko said.

According to Karla Contreras, another customer at Samurai Sombrero, it has very good customer service.

“Come on and try it, it’s really good,” Contreras said.

Samurai Sombrero is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. and is located in American Eat Co. at 1439 S. 4th Ave. Visit Samurai Sombrero’s Instagram for more information and updates.

EMMA DIAZ

SAMURAI SOMBRERO SUSHI SERVES Mexican style sushi at American Eats

sushi restaurant also has a new food truck located on 22nd Street.

The Daily Wildcat

The unyielding spirit of Helena Pueyo and Esmery Martinez in Arizona women’s basketball

BY GRACE CARNAL The Daily Wildcat

When the buzzer clocked zero at the end of the first round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, the passionate supporters of the Arizona women’s basketball team were torn over the eventful season being over. Esmery Martinez and Helena Pueyo, two fifth-year players, experienced a range of emotions as their college basketball careers came to an end at Arizona. Through their passion, resilience and steadfast

commitment, Martinez and Pueyo made a lasting impression on the program by exhibiting their abilities, teamwork and leadership throughout their time together on the court. Both players reached incredible achievements that will live with them forever, but what stands out is how they got here and what they have done for the Wildcat team.

Helena Pueyo (Guard)

Pueyo comes from Palma de Mallorca, Spain, where she grew up playing basketball. Having been on the Spanish National Team, she came with a lot of experience. She helped Spain to a

bronze medal in 2019 in the U19 World Cup and a quarterfinal appearance at the 2019 U18 European Championship. These remarkable achievements didn’t stop for Pueyo. In 2019, she signed with Arizona.

“I want to play a high level of college basketball and I know I will get that at Arizona and in the Pac-12. Playing professionally has always been a dream of mine, and coach Barnes and the rest of the staff will help me reach all my goals. I am excited to get to Tucson and continue to build the program.”

With that being said, Pueyo

came to Arizona not fluent in English. With her time here, she is now fluent in English and has progressed in many aspects of her life throughout her time in Tucson.

“When you watch the growth of these kids and watch them graduate and she’s fluent in English and talking in press conferences. She would have been terrified her first year. You watch that process and you’re a part of something special in a young woman’s life, it’s impactful,” said head coach Adia Barnes.

Freshman year Pueyo was named Pac-12 All-Freshman Honorable Mention and also was the first player off the bench in 23 of Arizona’s games and averaged 21.6 minutes per game. She has been named on the team threetime Pac-12 All-Defense and on the All-Pac-12 Team twice. Pueyo finished her career at Arizona with 312 steals, the most in Arizona history and fifth most in the Pac12. She also had a school record of 110 steals this year.

“She’s going to be able to go to a WNBA camp and hopefully make a team. If not, she’s going to be a star in Europe. I’m just proud of her and her growth, but that’s what coaching is about. That’s what being a coach is about,” Barnes said.

Esmery Martinez (Forward)

With this being Martinez’s second year at Arizona, she made a name for herself fast. Martinez was born in Hato Mayor del Rey, Dominican Republic and then moved to the states where she played high school basketball. Already playing at a competitive

level at a young age, Martinez committed to the University of West Virginia in 2019. She played in all 29 games her freshman and sophomore year.

Her senior year, she ended up transferring to the University of Arizona. At Arizona, she accomplished many notable achievements. In her senior year, Martinez scored her 1,000th career point against the University of Texas at Arlington on Dec. 21, 2022 and grabbed her 1,000th career rebound against the University of California, Berkeley on Feb. 12, 2023. Not only did she help her team beat a No. 3 ranked team in her fifth year on the team, but she scored 17 points and nine rebounds and was the first Arizona women’s basketball player to be named the Associated Press Player of the Week. Martinez also was named Pac-12 Player of the Week on Feb. 26 and had a Pac-12 Defensive Honorable Mention.

“To be honest, I really had a good experience here. The people really support me and I love them. The coaches have been really good and made me feel comfortable here and looking back, I am just glad to be here right now,” Martinez said.

Looking ahead:

Both of their legacies will live on in the hearts of teammates, coaches and supporters as they say goodbye to the floor decked up in Wildcat colors — a monument to their lasting influence on Arizona women’s basketball. Pueyo and Martinez are bright stars with a promising future ahead of them.

NOOR HAGHIGHI | THE DAILY WILDCAT

HELENA PUEYO STRETCHES HER arms in offense against Cal on Jan. 26 in McKale Center. Pueyo’s two game steals put her at fourth in program history for all-time career steals.

The 2024 NCAA realignment’s impact on student-athletes’ mental health

BY MADISON FARWELL Arizona Sonora News

In the fall of this year, NCAA conference realignment will be in full force, and the mental health effects for student-athletes due to this change has largely been left out of the conversation. This realignment, the process of collegiate athletic programs changing conference membership from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 due to financial, competitive and geographical incentives, will cause student-athletes to face different travel time commitments and fluctuations in their level of play.

Sport psychology is a field that addresses the well-being and performance of athletes from a mental standpoint, and it also concentrates on systemic issues in sports settings.

As the conference realignment takes place, sport psychology and its evolution will be important now more than ever. In 2007, the University of Arizona was one of the first five schools in the NCAA to hire a full time, embedded psychologist within athletics, according to Mike Clark, director of clinical and sport psychology at the UA. The UA’s department, along with departments around the country, have since grown drastically.

The impact of the conference realignment on student-athlete mental health

The prevention and treatment of mental health concerns is a main priority for sport psychology departments, and it is anticipated that a variety of mental health concerns will rise for student-athletes as a result of the conference realignment.

“I imagine sleep-related concerns will rise, which is generally associated with concerns related to stress management, depression, and maladaptive coping [substance use, numbing out etc.]. Any number of these concerns only exacerbate other concerns [student-athletes] face [pressure to perform, injury management, NIL],” Clark said.

These changes will force the UA’s department to stay up to date on the most appropriate preventative and treatment strategies for the student-athletes.

Samantha Nagy, PhD student in the

clinical psychology program and clinical extern in UA’s athletics department, works in the insomnia and sleep health research laboratory run by Daniel Taylor.

Nagy said student-athletes could be at a developmental stage, which refers to late adolescence to young adulthood that could affect sleep.

“That requires a higher sleep duration [for example, closer to 9 hours instead of 7-8] and predisposes them to have a delayed circadian preference i.e., they want to go to bed later and wake up later,” Nagy said.

Nagy added that increased physical activity also requires more sleep. This sleep allows the body to repair itself and for learning and memory consolidation to take place. Social demands and access to technology for college athletes can also result in late nights.

Due to these factors, along with demands of early practices, classes and travel obligations, Nagy said it may be difficult for student-athletes to get proper amounts of sleep.

Nagy also said that there are “structural [education and emphasizing the importance of sleep at the department level] and individual [cognitive behavioral or brief behavioral therapy for insomnia] interventions that can help.” The acknowledgement of these interventions will be essential in providing the best care to student-athletes.

According to Mykal Manswell, clinical & sport psychology counselor at UA and former Division I athlete, as teams compete for conference or national championships against new opponents next year, they may deal with the pressures to make a profound impact in the first year. This will also be a new stressor that will have to be dealt with by student-athletes and sport psychology departments.

Increased pressure on sports psychology departments

Different roles are present inside a sport psychology department. From a clinical sense, there are sport psychologists and licensed professional counselors, and their work lies in the prevention and treatment of mental health concerns.

“The prevention work may look like

programming targeting education about healthy coping skills, mindfulness, etc, whereas treatment is usually 1:1 confidential mental health therapy,” Clark said.

From a non-clinical position, there are mental performance coaches, and their importance lies in improving performance through the training of mental skills, consulting with coaches and providing ways to improve cognitive elements of performance such as decision making and reaction time.

At the UA, all four full-time providers do work in the clinical and performance domains.

With this high demand and array of factors to address, the sport psychology department may face increased pressures as the conference realignment takes place.

“I expect to see an increase in service provision from sport psych which in turn puts pressure on other elements of my role [if I spend more time in the clinical domain, there is less time for performance related concerns]. This could lead to expanding and hiring more providers and/or a shift in how my time needs to be allocated,” Clark said.

Manswell said the UA’s department will have to “adjust to a new conference’s perspective on mental health support for student-athletes.” They will also have to establish rapport with colleagues of over 12 schools, which is no easy feat.

Staying up to date with the needs of athletes amid a different environment will provide a challenge for the field in the upcoming years. Its evolution is becoming increasingly important, but the field has developed positively in recent years and shows great potential to continue to do so.

Sport psychology evolution

In 2013, a task force was created by the NCAA which led to having a licensed mental health provider to be available to athletics departments as best practice. Over the past 10 years, the day-to-day of sport psychology in college athletics has changed drastically.

“Where once a majority of the work was 1:1 clinical therapy, it is now standard practice for sport psych’s to be included in the interdisciplinary meetings with physicians, athletic trainers, dieticians, strength & conditioning coaches, and

academic support,” Clark said.

The tasks of sport psych have significantly increased. Clark said, “It is also more common for sport psych’s to attend practice, travel with teams, and be included in decisions with administrators.”

The UA now has a staff of four full time providers in addition to three interns and a network of community providers, according to Clark.

Manswell, who played college football at West Virginia University, said that his previous involvement in college athletics helps him relate to the lifestyle experiences of the current population of the department services.

“Being a support system allows us to destigmatize the negative narrative in athletics due to our clinical team members being former athletes as well,” Manswell said.

The department’s growth will be critical in Arizona Athletics’ transition to the Big 12. This will require student-athletes to compete against different and challenging competition with travel schedules becoming more cumbersome.

The consistency of the sport psychology department will help stabilize an everchanging NCAA landscape. Despite money’s domination of the collegiate athletic experience, the student-athletes remain the ever-present priority for sport psychologists at the UA and across the country.

JAY CORELLA | THE DAILY WILDCAT WILDCATS FORWARD MAYA NNAJI is comforted by coaching staff after a leg injury during the women’s basketball game against UC San Diego in McKale Center on Dec. 7. The play continued for some time after her injury before stopping until she could get off the court.

Semester in photos: Spring 2024

A showcase of Daily Wildcat photos from sports to news to round off the semester

CAROLINE BAILEY THE DAILY WILDCAT A MAN BALANCES ON a slackline on Feb. 3 at Gem & Jam Festival on the Pima County Fairgrounds. Slacklining can be used as balance training and a moving meditation.

CELESTE LIZARRAGA THE DAILY WILDCAT

CALEB LOVE CELEBRATES A shot on against Washington State in McKale Center on Feb. 24. He scored 28 points to eclipse 2,000 for his career.

GRACIE KAYKO THE DAILY WILDCAT DAVID WALKER SHOWS VOLUNTEERS what the grass looks like on Feb. 23 on Sentinel Peak. He has been pulling buffelgrass for 22 years.

BEN TISDALE THE DAILY WILDCAT BRADLEE MILLER GETS KICKED off his bareback horse at the rodeo at La Viesta de Los Vaqueros Tucon Rodeo on Feb. 17. Barrel racing, and steer wrestling were some of the rodeo events showcased this year.

EMMA DIAZ THE DAILY WILDCAT UNITED CAMPUS WORKERS ARIZONA protest at the UA Administration Building on Feb. 5 as a result of the financial crisis threat of layoffs. Ptotestors used the online hashtag #ChopFromTheTop.

GIACOMO CAIN THE DAILY WILDCAT THE SCREENING ROOM LIGHTS shine on the night of April 4 in Downtown Tucson. The theatre hosted the 32nd Arizona International Film Festival this year.

JAY CORELLA THE DAILY WILDCAT A DIAMOND FORMATION OF the Thunderbirds soars over Luke Air Force Base during the Luke Days air show on March 23 in Glendale, Ariz. The aircraft’s ornate liveries are some of the only major modifications to the otherwise stock fighter jets.

CELESTE LIZARRAGA THE DAILY WILDCAT PEOPLE CROWD THE UA mall for the Tucson Festival of Books on March 10. Most events, including author talks and cultural performances, were free and open to the public.

NOOR HAGHIGHI THE DAILY WILDCAT ESMERY MARTINEZ HYPES THE crowd and fellow team members as she is awarded Player of the Game in McKale Center on Jan. 26. Martinez was the No. 17 WNBA draft pick in April.

TUCSON RUNNERS

ComeRun together with Professor Talattof

BY ANDREA CAMPOS The

Kamran Talattof has been a professor of Near Eastern studies and comparative literature at the University of Arizona for 25 years and is a founding chair of the Roshan Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Persian and Iranian studies. When Talattof is not contributing to the academic world, his mind is occupied by his other passion: running.

While interviews about running are not the norm for him, Talattof enjoys talking about running and was willing to share a few words and tips with Wildcats who are curious about the sport.

Talattof is known for his scholarly works such as: “The Politics of Writing in Iran: A History of Modern Persian Literature,” “Modernity, Sexuality, and Ideology in Iran: The Life and Legacy of a Popular Female Artist” and his latest piece “Nezami Ganjavi and Classical Persian Literature: Demystifying the Mystic.” However, Talattof was recently recognized by Runner’s World in 2022, for his experience using running to overcome political trauma, which did not go unnoticed among the running community here in Tucson.

Through joint runs with the Workout Group, Tucson Trail Runners and the ComeRun Together group which he cofounded in 2005, Talattof has formed strong connections with runners all over Tucson.

ComeRun Together has been meeting for runs on Saturdays ever since, growing into a group of 273 members on Facebook alone.

Talattof’s love for running was born in his childhood home, which housed a large television that was contained by a wooden cabinet, where he visually consumed track and field races and the Olympic marathon. It slowly grew throughout his youth as he used running to enhance his ability to play soccer and basketball. He continued these shorter runs as he made his way into graduate school at the University of Michigan and as he began teaching at Princeton University.

“But when I came to Tucson, Arizona, not long after I settled was when I fell in love, deeply, and I gained this passionate relationship that I have with running,” Talattof said.

He views running as being both mental and physical, which become especially apparent when it comes to ultra-marathon distances. Talattof has found that running under harsh conditions such as pain and prolonged exposure to heat and freezing weather can be very humbling. He describes this realization as valuable because it can help one avoid the “dangers of ego,” which can creep its way into one’s life.

“In this lifestyle you get the chance to become aware of the way ego has affected our lives negatively. I have run thousands of miles over many years and each one of them, I have had to contemplate the consequences of irrationality. But as I

discover a deeper connection with the earth and nature, I begin to have the ability to feel like a pebble resting along the trail I pass through; I become part of that path. This envisioned unity, this instance of selflessness, the profound connection to the trail all converge to create a splendid sense of belonging and happiness,” Talattof said.

He recommends that those new to the sport incorporate strength training early on and work on their running form to avoid injury. Talattof also suggests running in a group and allowing yourself to be thankful for the commitment and the company. He refuses to listen to music because it can become a distraction from the run itself. It may also prevent him from interacting with those around him, who can be helpful in providing feedback or the latest news updates regarding running.

“My running group to me is very much my second family. This is where I feel I am most comfortable. This is where I feel I can relate to anyone. This is where no one evaluates you for any reason and where no one expects anything from you except to show up for the next run so you can do it together. And for all the reasons above I prefer running in the group,” Talattof said.

Tim Bentley, the Arizona state rep for the Road Runners Club of America and current host of the ComeRun Together group, met Talattof through the Workout Group.

“ComeRun is part of a vibrant community in Southern Arizona. We have our unfair share of talented and gifted athletes that live here. It’s a combination of the weather, the beautiful terrain and the

people that choose to live here that really build this vibrant running community,” Bentley said.

Bentley is a former president of Southern Arizona Roadrunners. Southern Arizona Roadrunners was established in 1972 and has since been playing an active role in encouraging locals to walk and run. In 2019 Tucson was rated a Runner Friendly Community by the Road Runners Club of America. Through the Southern Arizona Roadrunners website one can sort through the many running groups pertaining to Tucson and narrow down which one is just right for them. Southern Arizona Roadrunners awarded Talattof with the Spirit of Rob Bell Award in 2012.

“[Rob Bell’s] family started a fund at the Southern Arizona Roadrunners to give people recognition […]. It is an award created for the support of people that show that spirit of comradery, passion for the sport and kindness to others. Kamran received that, you know, 10 or 12 years ago because he made such an impression and such an impact on the running community that people wanted to say, ‘hey what you do is important, what you do is meaningful to us,’” Bentley said.

Sarah Dasher is the current host of ComeRun Together; she enjoys running distances of 50 to 100 miles.

“Kamran’s impact on Tucson’s running community really can’t be overstated. He is a very well-known person in town, who has encouraged many people to run over many years now and who always welcomes new people,” Dasher said.

A GROUP PHOTO OF ComeRun. The group was created by Professsor Kamran Talattof. Courtesy of Tim Bentley.

Daily Wildcat

TALATOFF’S DISPLAY OF ALL the medals he has won. Courtesy of Kamran Talatoff.

Advance your social work career in Tucson

The ASU School of Social Work offers an in-person MSW degree program where you can learn in a cohort without leaving Tucson.

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Prepare yourself for leadership and direct practice in a high-demand field with diverse opportunities. yourfuture.asu.edu/msw

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Advanced Standing MSW - Feb. 1, 2024

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Visit: yourfuture.asu.edu/msw

UA students guide to tanning

Here’s what the experts say about safe tanning and why UA students like to tan so much

BY FRANCES LABIANCA Arizona Sonoran News

On any given day this week when temperatures inch into the 90s, you can visit any of the high rise apartment pools near the University of Arizona and find dozens of students laying out, lathered in tanning oil.

For many students, especially those from colder places, the idea of being able to get a quick tan in between classes is exciting. But many do not know the risks.

“It’s such a fun and relaxing way to spend time with my friends or do some homework,” said Sena Brenden, who enjoys tanning at her apartment building’s rooftop pool.

She said she’s not alone; about 90% of her friends enjoy tanning, too.

When students tan, either outside or using a tanning bed, they are exposed to UV radiation.

“Too much UVR causes skin cancer, not to mention wrinkles and sagging skin,” said Lisa Quale, a health educator at the UA Cancer Center. “There is no way to tan safely unless you choose a tanning mist/airbrush tan or self-tanning products.”

“Tanning is your skin’s natural defense against damaging UVR from the sun and tanning beds. Your skin darkens to try to block the rays from reaching the deeper layers of your skin,” Quale said.

Even when they are not purposely aiming to get a tan, UA students are constantly exposed to sunlight throughout the year, even just walking to class. The UA Skin Cancer Institute has created an acronym, ACE, to help students remember how to stay

sun safe.

A: Avoid too much sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

“I used to make getting to my classes a game of how much shade I could find along the way,” Quale said. “You can also carry an umbrella […] this helps with the heat of the sun, as well.”

C: Cover up. Quale recommends clothing with ultraviolet protection factor built in, but students can also opt for UV blocking sunglasses or a wide brimmed hat.

Quale said that students should apply sunscreen every 90 minutes or after they have been sweating or swimming.

“We recommend a sun protection factor of 30 or higher. Use a broad-spectrum product to protect against both UVA and UVB types of radiation,” Quale said. “Often forgotten spots are the neck, ears, feet, hands and lips.”

E: Examine your skin. Keep an eye out for spots, both new and changing, and reach out to a healthcare provider if you notice anything suspicious. Ideally, students should visit a dermatologist annually.

According to the UA Skin Cancer Institute, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. today. It’s even more common in Arizona where the sunny weather leads to potentially excessive amounts of UVR and high rates of nonmelanoma skin cancers.

The tan-skinned aesthetic so many UA students seek could lead to serious health conditions, but still many students choose to tan because it boosts their confidence.

“I’m super pale and love the glow of a nice tan,” Brenden said.

Taylor Carpenter, who is originally from Massachusetts, said that tanning helped her feel better in her own skin.

“The going out culture adds to the pressure of tanning because you want to look your best when you go out on a Thursday/ Friday/Saturday night, and being tan adds to the look,” she said.

UA students often opt for indoor tanning, as well, and many of the apartments near campus, including Pacific, Malibu, and the Cottages have their own tanning beds.

Quale said that tanning beds

can be more risky than outdoor tanning since they emit a type of radiation that damages deeper layers of the skin.

“Just one indoor tanning session increases a person’s chances of developing melanoma by 20%, and using a tanning bed increases a person’s risk for melanoma by 75%,” said Quale.

Carpenter said that indoor tanning helps her to keep her natural, outdoor tan throughout the year.

“I love tanning outdoors in the summer, but I would hate

to lose the tan so that’s where indoor tanning comes in,” she said. “It’s also nice that it only takes 12 minutes instead of a whole day.”

Overall, Quale wants students to understand that there is no such thing as safe tanning. UA students will always face high sun exposure, but there are ways for them to prevent sun damage and stay safe.

“Your natural color is the best color to be,” said Quale.

To learn more about how to tan safely, visit azskincancerinstitute.

FRANCES LABIANCA | THE DAILY WILDCAT UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA STUDENTS tan at the South Recreation Center on a day with a UV Index of 10.

Women’s basketball season recap

BY JASON DAYEE The Daily Wildcat

The Arizona women’s basketball team concluded its 2023-2024 season with an 18-16 record and an 8-10 record in conference play. The Wildcats finished seventh in the Pac-12 standings, the highest among the unranked teams in the Pac-12. With head coach Adia Barnes completing her eighth season leading the team, the Wildcats ended their season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Syracuse University on Saturday, March 23, where they fell to the Orange.

However, let’s now take a look at how the Wildcats got here.

Arizona’s original plan was to enter the season with 12 active players on the roster. The returning players included five players from last year’s team: fifth-year senior Esmery Martinez, fifthyear senior Helena Pueyo, sophomore Kailyn Gilbert, sophomore Maya Nnaji and freshman Montaya Dew. Then, Barnes added freshman Jada Williams, Breya Cunningham, Skylar Jones and Middle Tennessee State University transfer Courtney Blakely, along with fellow transfers Isis Beh and Salimatou Kourouma, as well as former Arizona track and field thrower Erin Tack, to round out the team.

Friday, Aug. 11, 2023, the team announced that Dew would be out the entire season due to her undergoing surgery. Consequently, the Wildcats entered the season with 11 active scholarship players on the roster.

Regular season recap: Arizona started its season going 7-0 and before suffering its first loss against No. 23 University of Mississippi on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, with the Wildcats falling 56-47. In Arizona’s next seven games, the Wildcats went 4-3.

During this stretch, Arizona lost another player on the active roster, Nnaji, who announced on “X” on Dec. 15, 2023 that she would be stepping away from the team and focusing on her dream of becoming a physician. This left the Wildcats with nine remaining scholarship players on the roster.

Up to this point in the season, Arizona had played three ranked opponents and was 0-3 against them. They headed into conference play with an 11-4 record.

In the Wildcats’ first six conference games, they went 1-5, with two of these games coming against ranked opponents, which Arizona lost. Despite the final results not favoring the Wildcats, they displayed extremely competitive basketball during this span. Four out of five of the losses suffered were by 3 points or fewer.

At this point, the Wildcats were 12-7 on the season with 11 more conference games to play. During this stretch, Arizona went 6-5. Gilbert, their leading scorer, missed three games due to being in concussion protocol following an injury suffered in practice, according to Barnes. When Gilbert made her return, she saw limited minutes until Feb. 25 after Arizona had swept No. 3 Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Barnes said that sometimes there’s “addition by subtraction.” Then went on to speak about how incredible the team’s chemistry and cohesiveness was at that time of the season, and although Gilbert was not directly mentioned, it was pretty clear this statement was referencing her.

Then, Monday, Feb. 26, it became official once Barnes went on Wildcats Radio of 1290 AM on DK with the Sports Tip to speak with David Kelly and let him know that Gilbert was no longer with the program. Following Gilbert’s departure, the team held tryouts to find a replacement for her and were able to pick up Brooklyn Rhodes from St. Louis, Missouri.

Despite all of this, Arizona finished its regular season 4-2 and entered the Pac-12 Tournament as the No. 7 seed. They finished 2-9 against ranked opponents but 16-5 against all other teams. With the 11 ranked games played in the regular

season also being the most in program history, the Wildcats’ attention was toward making a run in the Pac-12 Tournament and possibly even further as the NCAA Tournament loomed on the horizon.

Postseason recap:

Arizona began the Pac12 Tournament against the No. 10 seed University of Washington in the tournament’s opening round on Wednesday, March 6. The duo of fifth-year players, Pueyo and Martinez, led the way for the Wildcats with each of their 14-point performances in their opening round 58-50 victory over the Huskies. Next, Arizona faced off against the No. 5 seed USC in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 7, and gave the eventual Pac-12 champions all they could handle. Despite falling 6562, Pueyo showed out once again with a game-high 19 points, but Arizona was

unable to overcome the Trojans and its conference tournament ended there. However, a potential NCAA Tournament appearance remained in play, but it was going to be a close call if the Wildcats would make it or not.

Ten days later, Selection Sunday finally arrived and Arizona found out that it had been selected as one of the final teams to participate in this year’s NCAA Tournament. This was the Wildcats’ fourth consecutive bid to the tournament and 11th in program history. However, before the No. 11 seed Wildcats could officially enter the first round of the tournament, they would first have to play in a play-in game against fellow No. 11 seed Auburn University on Thursday, March 21.

In their play-in game against the Tigers on Thursday, March 21, Pueyo and Martinez came up clutch down the stretch, with Pueyo scoring 14 of her

16 points in the second half and Martinez making all five of her shots to score 14 points. However, the player that led the way to Arizona’s 69-59 win this time was Williams, with a game-high 17 points.

Arizona, now in the Round of 64, was set to face off against No. 6 Syracuse. The Wildcats led by nine at the end of the first half, but even with the Orange having their best player slightly banged up, Dyaisha Fair still managed to put forth a masterclass performance and finished with 32 points, six steals and four assists, which was too much for Arizona to overcome.

Although Jones scored a career-high 24 points on the day and Pueyo and Williams added 14 points apiece, Fair was simply too much for the Wildcats to match and Arizona’s hopes of making a deep run in the tournament would come to an abrupt ending with its 74-69 defeat to Syracuse.

Looking ahead:

Arizona’s season concludes with a remarkable journey marked by overcoming adversity in various forms. Competing in arguably the toughest basketball conference in the country, they held their ground against top-ranked teams, though falling short of their ultimate goal. Nonetheless, this memorable journey, particularly for graduating players Martinez and Pueyo, will be cherished. Despite their departure, the team possesses promising young talent, nurtured by head coach Barnes, ensuring a bright future for the program.

CELESTE LIZARRAGA | THE DAILY WILDCAT

THE ARIZONA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM continues the tradition of banging on the drum before a game against Loyola Marymount University in McKale Center on Nov. 12. The Wildcats won 70-54.

Men’s basketball season recap

BY MELISA GUZELOGLU The Daily Wildcat

Since the Arizona men’s basketball 2023-2024 season has concluded, it’s time to reflect and look back on the moments and lessons learned along the way. The Wildcats completed their 20232024 season with a 27-9 overall record and a 15-5 record in the Pac-12 Conference play while finishing first in the Pac-12. After a hard-fought season, Tommy Lloyd, who is in his third year as head coach, led the Wildcats to the Sweet 16, where they fell 77-72 to Clemson University.

The returning roster from the 2022-2023 season included returning seniors Pelle Larsson, Oumar Ballo, Grant Weitman and Luke Champion. Apart from the graduating class, other returning players included Filip Borovicanin, Kylan Boswell, Henri Veesaar, Dylan Anderson and Will Menaugh. The Wildcats were also built up with new additions, including Motiejus Krivas, Jaden Bradley, Conrad Martinez, Jackson Cook, KJ Lewis, Paulius Murauskas, Will Kuykendall, Keshad Johnson and former University of North Carolina Tar Heel Caleb Love.

Regular season recap:

Arizona opened its first regularseason game with a dominant 122-59 victory against Morgan State University on Nov. 6, 2023. Shortly after, Arizona claimed its first ranked win against No. 4 Duke University, beating the Blue Devils 78-73. Arizona then went on an eight-game win streak until falling to No. 3 Purdue University 92-84 in Indianapolis on Dec. 16, 2023.The Wildcats then went 6-4 over their next 10 games.

On Dec. 23, 2023, Arizona went into double overtime against No. 14 Florida Atlantic University.

Despite the 96-95 loss, Ballo grabbed a game-high 21 rebounds, while Boswell picked up a game-

high five steals. Six days later, Arizona opened conference play with a 100-81 victory over the University of California, Berkeley.

After a 73-70 loss against No. 21 Washington State University on Jan. 13, Arizona collected back-toback comeback victories against USC and UCLA. Against USC, the Wildcats rallied late, defeating the Trojans 82-67 on Jan. 17. Arizona then faced UCLA on Jan. 20, inducting former Wildcat Benedict Mathurin, the sixth overall pick by the Indiana Pacers in the 2022 NBA Draft, into the Arizona Ring of Honor at halftime. The Wildcats defeated the Bruins 77-71, rallying from a 19-point deficit to stun UCLA.

Unable to carry momentum from the weekend prior, the Wildcats fell to Oregon State University on Jan. 25. Beaver guard Jordan Pope made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to close out an 83-80 win for Oregon State. The Beavers shot 12-20 from beyond the arc while holding Arizona to only 3-14 from deep.

After losing to Oregon State, Arizona defeated the University of Oregon 87-78 on Jan. 27, as Love scored a career-high 36 points. The victory started a six-game winning streak for the Wildcats. On Feb. 1, Arizona blew out Cal 91-65 and Ballo became the 54th player in program history to score over 1,000 career points.

On Feb. 8, Arizona faced the University of Utah in a tripleovertime thriller in Salt Lake City, ultimately beating the Utes 105-99.

In the victory, five players scored double figures, including Larsson, who led with a season-high 27 points and a double-double from Love (19 points, 10 rebounds) and Ballo (10 points, 16 rebounds).

Arizona’s six-game winning streak was snapped against Washington State on Feb. 22.

Cougars forward Jaylen Wells’ 4-point play in the final minute of regulation led Washington State past Arizona 73-70.

Over the final five games of the

regular season, Arizona played impressive basketball, going 4-1, with the last game resulting in a 78-65 defeat from USC. Before that, Arizona met against UCLA on March 7, where Arizona would clinch its 18th Pac-12 regular season title. After finishing the regular season with a 24-7 record and a 15-5 conference record, the Wildcats traveled to Las Vegas for the Pac-12 Tournament.

On March 12, before the Pac-12 Tournament, the Pac-12 announced its men’s basketball all-conference honorees, including Love being named Pac-12 Player of the Year and Ballo being named to the All-Pac-12 First and Defensive teams.

Postseason recap:

Arizona began its postseason play on March 14 in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament, crushing USC 70-49. Arizona made use of its bench, outscoring the Trojans 32-3. Arizona then advanced to the semifinals, where it faced Oregon.

Against the Ducks, the Wildcats controlled the score as they built up a 33-23 lead into halftime, but Oregon was able to take over in the second half. Arizona would fall short of claiming its third straight Pac-12 Tournament title. Love put up his second-lowest-scoring game of the season with 6 points on 2-11 shooting, while Ballo achieved his 18th double-double of the season.

Arizona was selected as the No. 2 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament and faced off against No. 15 seed California State University, Long Beach, in the first round on March 21 in Salt Lake City.

The Wildcats made it through the first round with an 85-65 victory. Boswell scored 20 points and eight assists to help propel Arizona into the second round of the NCAA Tournament against No. 7 seed University of Dayton on March 23. Arizona maintained control throughout, defeating Dayton 78-68 to advance into the Sweet 16.

The final game of Arizona’s season was against No. 6 seed Clemson on March 28. The Wildcats’ 20th appearance in the Sweet 16 ended with a disappointing 77-72 loss against the Tigers. Arizona collectively shot 37.3% in the game, as Clemson’s defense was too much for the Wildcats. Bradley led Arizona with 18 points off the bench, with Love (13 points) and Ballo (15 points, 15 rebounds) following.

Looking ahead:

With an impactful year along with bittersweet moments that occurred throughout, the 20232024 season has left a memorable feeling for Wildcat fans. Arizona has continued to prove its determination to improve and show off a consistent work ethic while preparing for the upcoming season in a new conference. With several players stepping away from the program, the youth on the team will continue to build upon the program and allow for more historic moments to come.

EMMA DIAZ | THE DAILY WILDCAT UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA MEN’S basketball plays against Oregon on senior day on March 2 in McKale Center. Pictured is the starting lineup of the five graduating seniors.

1 - 3:30 p.m. May 19, 2024

The Screening Room 127 E. Congress St.

Fair Play is a documentary that makes the invisible caretaking work – historically held by women – visible, inspiring a more balanced future for all.

The event includes a post-film panel discussion.

If you have children, they and one adult can receive a free ticket to the Tucson Children’s Museum.

Secure your tickets for both the screening and the museum by scanning the QR code or by filling out the form at apal.arizona.edu/fair-play.

For questions, contact the APAL team at 520-626-2725 or team@apal.arizona.edu.

Spotlight: Creative writing department professors

BY JAIDYN MARTINEZ The Daily Wildcat PROFESSOR ACHIEVEMENTS

The University of Arizona has a lot to offer, with over 300 majors and a faculty of about 3000 members. With such large numbers, it’s possible that students may not have the opportunity to learn about professors outside their own major. However, here are three professors from the creative writing program that you can get to know and possibly even meet during your time at the UA.

Francisco Cantú

Francisco Cantú teaches mostly nonfiction creative writing courses at the UA. He will start his tenure track in the fall of this year. He studied international relations at American University and joined the Border Patrol from 2008-2012 soon after he

graduated. The program he studied at was geared toward getting students plugged into government jobs. Growing up in Arizona, he was interested in the U.S. and Mexico border.

This experience led him to write “The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border.” In this book, he talks about how he became a Border Patrol agent, his time with the Border Patrol and why he left that in his past and pursued teaching. His book was published in 2018 and was coined as “an instant New York Times bestseller” by Penguin Random House Canada. On what inspired him to share his story, Cantú said, “I think the day-today happenings of working as a Border Patrol agent were very unknown to me before I went into the job, and I also recognize

that writing about them would sort of shed light on this thing that was often unseen. I imagined that I could maybe help change things from within in my brief time, which is pretty naive, but that’s how we are as young people a lot of times.”

Being in the Border Patrol he realized the things he imagined weren’t happening.

“I started to realize the things I had imagined happening weren’t going to happen. The answers I imagined, I wasn’t going to find those answers. So that leads to my decision to leave the border patrol and to go back to my studies,” Cantú said.

He got his master’s degree at the UA, where he wrote the majority of his book.

“As writers we always hope that we can find a way to shift the conversation, even if it’s just by an inch at a time,” Cantú said.

As a professor who teaches mainly nonfiction courses, he said that he wants his students to feel at home in the classroom regardless of the topics they choose to write about.

Kindall Gray

Professor Kindall Gray is a senior lecturer at the UA. She is employed by the writing program where she teaches freshmen classes like English 101, 102 and 109. However, she also teaches fiction writing classes for the creative

writing program like English 210, 304 and 404.

Gray has been teaching at the university since 2008 when she was a grad student.

“I kind of fell into teaching,” Gray said.

She attended the UA intending to get a creative writing and English degree, but she didn’t know what she wanted to do with it. When she got into grad school, the university gave her a teaching load as part of the program. Teaching the freshmen English courses at 25 years old led her to where she is now.

Growing up, she always liked to read, especially children’s historical fiction. One notable book she mentioned was “The Witch of Blackbird Pond,” about the Salem witch trials.

“I was intrigued by the idea that you could write about stuff that felt dark or taboo,” Gray said.

She started writing short stories when she was in fifth grade. The stories started off as murder mysteries, but as she got into middle school and high school, she started to write more coming-of-age stories.

She still writes today and has a few published works. When asked about what inspires her to write now, Gray said, “My students inspire me. Hearing and reading their work and talking to them and getting ideas from them. Hearing

what they’re reading is fun. I never really read a lot of sci-fi until maybe the last five years. Part of that is that my students write and read so much of it that I started to look for more examples of it to teach, and then I actually liked it.”

Sara Sams

Rounding out the creative writing program is Sara Sams. She is an assistant professor in the creative writing program. She teaches primarily poetry workshops for both undergraduates and graduates and mentors students.

She has been writing poetry since fourth grade. She wrote throughout her schooling and as she entered young adulthood in college, she realized that poetry was the field she wanted to work in.

She graduated from Davidson College with her undergrad and then proceeded to get her master’s at Arizona State University two years later.

“I’ve always been obsessed with language,” Sams said.

This focus can be seen through her experience in Spain teaching English and an internship in New York over the course of two years. However, teaching was always at the front of the running for her poetry career.

“I just had such brilliant teachers in undergrad and I knew that I wanted to do what they were doing.

I wanted to spend time working with language, working with poetry and knew that the best way to work with poetry is in a community of people also trying to work with poetry,” Sams said.

Sams’ most current fascination and what inspires her poetry today is “using particle physics as a lens for literary analysis,” Sams said.

Her first book of poetry, “Atom City,” is poetry about the research she conducted while living in a Manhattan Project town that enriched the uranium for the atomic bomb. This project led her to the understanding that in order to write about physics and science, she needed to learn more about the discoveries and understand them to a certain level.

This led her to partner with physics teachers in piloting a course about particle poetics in the spring of 2025. Her dream for the course is for students from both disciplines to enroll and learn and understand the different fields more fully.

This research that she is pursuing has led to some new poems.

“What my research has been leading to my poetry has been unexpected. I don’t really know where it’s going. I just know I’m on the right track. If I feel uncomfortable and if I feel a little upset then I know this poem is doing something that’s important,” Sams said.

JAIDYN MARTINEZ| DAILY WILDCAT

ONE OF THE LOUNGE areas in the Poetry Center that is utilized by many creative writing students. Students are encouraged to borrow a book and read on the chairs.

Congratulations Class of 2024!

Campus Life wants to recognize the incredible contributions our student employees from the Class of 2024 have made. We honor you and celebrate your future success.

Undergraduate Students

Abby Arnold

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STUDENT MUSICIANS

Local band Desert Child releases debut album

BY GARRETT HEFFELFINGER The Daily Wildcat

Desert Child, a band of undergraduates from the University of Arizona, was met with sweeping popularity after releasing their first studio album on March 15. Their fans have Tough Luck on repeat, and the band has already surpassed 2,000 listeners on Spotify in less than a month.

This isn’t the first time local fans have heard the band, though, as Desert Child has performed its new tracks at a multitude of venues since recording the album. The most notable place to hear the project was Dusk Music Festival, and the band’s collection of fresh jams packed the venue out. They’ve come a long way since their start, and the story of how they landed such a major venue is attributed to the quality of their newest work and where they’ve performed it.

Desert Child played at Hotel Congress just once before they were able to land a spot in the venue’s Dusk Tucson Battle of the Bands 2023. While their previous gigs yielded the reward of dedicated local fans, the Battle of the Bands offered a more tangible prize: the opportunity to perform at Dusk and win a cash prize.

The four of them were up against Ariel Miranda, Daytrails, Desert Music Project, Hallways and Street Creep, and after an

explosively engaging performance, they were declared the winner. They walked off of the stage with their first major festival booked and a huge check that appeared to have been pulled straight out of a cartoon.

At the festival just weeks later, Desert Child amassed the biggest crowd they have performed for yet, and they packed the venue out with the tracklist of Tough Luck.

In November of 2022, Desert Child had their first show at the youth arts organization Groundworks, and they’ve kept busy since then. From performing at a variety of venues, accumulating a tasteful selection of merchandise and releasing their debut album, the group has quickly gained local popularity. Being fellow Wildcats, the band has even been able to perform on campus multiple times, with the most notable gig being the Bear Down Music Festival in May of 2023.

The group of STEM majors met on campus, and they were able to bond over their love for creative expression. This passion was actualized by their existing talents and the way they complement each other. Each band member plays a unique role, with Daniel Conley on the guitar and vocals, John Zuckerman on the bass guitar, Joseph Fraire with his ability to keep a beat more accurate than a metronome and Eli Shlimovitz on the keyboard and vocals. This grouping of solidified talents crafted the

local band we know today.

Drawing from their love of the Sonoran Desert, alternative/indie rock and their bond itself, the band actualized the concept of Desert Child by recording Tough Luck and continuing to perform it at a variety of venues. The arts often conflict with their educational, occupational and extracurricular obligations, but the group always finds a way to make it work. This level of authenticity brings their collaborative efforts to new heights and inspires the emotion they imbue into every song.

“If you love it, you’ll find a way, and if you’re doing it with your friends, there’s even more of a reason to find a way,” Shlimovitz, the band’s pianist and vocalist, said.

The band’s passion is reflected in their work and the crowd they draw. At Dusk Music Festival, a number of fans had something to say about the mutual enjoyability of their performance.

“When they enjoy it, you enjoy it 10 times more,” Hannah Hickson, an attendee who came all the way from Sydney, Australia, said. “They were jumping all around the stage. Daniel [Conley] threw his glasses into the crowd. They’re just having the best time, and the more they got into it, the more people showed up.”

Halley Deshler, a current Northern

Arizona University student, Dusk attendee and self-proclaimed “number one fan,” described how, “As soon as ‘Bottled Up’ started playing, I turned around, and the whole street was totally filled. It was crazy how fast they had brought people in.”

The song “Bottled Up” is from their debut album, and it was fitting to fill the massive venue they were equipped with. Although it was the biggest venue they had ever played, the band members recalled being strangely relaxed on stage. With an intense focus on the craft itself, Desert Child has been able to embrace and conquer uncomfortable situations in order to put on their spotless performances.

“And you don’t have to be comfortable either. It’s never been very comfortable,” said Conley, the band’s guitarist and vocalist.

The band had dealt with nerves before their shows in the past, but the stresses faded away as they executed the work they knew so well. Each show granted a more engaging and comfortable stage presence and their journey to being frequently booked for shows is mirrored by their increasing level of skill and talent.

Desert Child continues to perform Tough Luck at various venues in Arizona. Announcements of upcoming shows can be found on Desert Child’s Instagram. desertchildtheband.

DESERT CHILD RECEIVING THEIR cash prize for winning Hotel Congress’s Dusk Tucson Battle of the Bands on Oct. 21, 2023. The band received $750 and went on to play at Dusk Music Festival. Courtesy of Desert Child.

DESERT CHILD PERFORMING AT Marquee Theatre on Feb. 15. The band released their first studio album, Tough Luck, on March 15, which has been surging in popularity. Courtesy of Desert Child.

SAFETY

ASUA and GSPC town hall spotlights voter safety, civic engagement

BY EMMA LAPOINTE The Daily Wildcat

The Associated Students of the University of Arizona and the UA Graduate and Professional Student Council recently hosted a town hall with Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly and Voter Education Manager Avery Xola. The panel tackled pressing concerns surrounding voter safety, minority voting rights and the importance of increasing civic engagement.

The panelists focused on questions provided by students and other Pima County residents who submitted questions beforehand.

All three panelists described instances of feeling unsafe or threatened while trying to perform their job of holding free and fair elections.

“When I go and do an event, or I’m thinking about civic engagement, or going out into the community, there’s a little piece of me thinking about safety,” Xola said. However, he also elaborated that a lot of the time, the people he meets do not have bad intentions.

“I will say that some of these calls from voters are just everyday people who don’t know much about elections in the first place, so it’s easy for them to be misguided,” Xola said.

Fontes also had some passionate feelings about dealing with people who intend to ruin or interfere with elections or officials working on elections.

“If you’re trying to destroy our democracy, if you’re threatening people to achieve a political end or committing acts of violence to achieve a political end, you are acting in an un-American and anti-American way. And you don’t deserve courtesy. You don’t deserve politeness,” Fontes said.

Fontes described the years of fighting and suffering people endured to get their voting rights, mentioning the women’s suffrage movement, the Civil Rights Movement and the fights overseas to protect democracy, such as World War II.

“These people are stepping on that tradition of expanding the franchise, and they deserve nothing but contempt,”

Fontes said.

However, Fontes and Xola detailed how they might de-escalate people who feel threatened by election results. Xola described incidents where people will be upset. He asks them what district they live in and informs them that a candidate from their party did win the election. He also tells them that, more often than not, the candidate declared the election free and fair.

“Really all they need is a public official, or someone representing the government, to tell them the truth. What happens sometimes is that public or public administration officials are not doing that; they are not telling people the truth,” Xola said.

Fontes mentioned a program that started in Arizona and is now moving nationally. He says it is helping people deal with threats and mishaps on election nights. As he described it, the program is a “tabletop exercise,” similar to military and law enforcement officers’ training where teams meet to discuss how they would respond in emergency scenarios. There is one exercise before Election Day and one on the day of the election.

“It’s sort of like Dungeons and Dragons role-playing, where you go through the adventure and they throw a monster at you. We do it in elections administration so that folks can understand and see some of these things. And one of the critical components we use was an artificially generated deep fake of myself and a couple of other elections officials,” Fontes said.

According to Fontes, the idea was received well and will continue. Those leading the program invite people nationwide to view it in action in Phoenix, and Fontes has been invited to international summits to demonstrate it to a broader audience.

Fontes, Cázares-Kelly and Xola explained the importance of voting for your community and yourself.

Fontes explained that cities with lower voter participation usually have much worse and less maintained areas.

“But [towns] that have lower voter participation sometimes don’t have sidewalks, the streets don’t get paved, their water service isn’t as good. Why?

Because the folks who run our government listen to the voters. So if you want to be ignored, and you want to get left behind, don’t vote. That means you and your community aren’t going to matter to the people who are deciding where all those tax dollars are,” Fontes said. “At the end of the day, communities have this internal responsibility, and particularly people of color in our communities, we have a responsibility to make sure that the folks in our places understand this.”

Xola backed up this point by bringing up his experience as an African American born and raised in Arizona.

“I say in Arizona for you to be an African American and to not be civically engaged is unacceptable. There’s not that many of us here, we have to be civically engaged, our communities are sprouting across the state,” Xola said.

Cázares-Kelly shared her experience growing up on a reservation in Arizona and how the government tends to neglect its communities. She countered Fontes’ and Xola’s points by saying that voting is the minimum requirement for civic engagement, with more substantial actions needed for meaningful change.

“I don’t think voting is the most important thing. I think it’s the least that you can do,” Cázares-Kelly said.

However, Cázares-Kelly still tries to

convince people in her community to vote and use their civic engagement to improve their communities and help their people, using Tucson’s monsoons as an example. According to Cázares-Kelly, many reservations only have one road to get in and out, and flash floods can be a matter of life or death.

“If your loved one is on one side of that wash, and emergency services are on the other, and they’re having a medical situation, that is literally somebody making the decision between who lives or dies, whether that road gets fixed, or whether those Indians can just ‘sit there and wait,’” Cázares-Kelly said. “It’s somebody who is elected, [who] is making the decision about where that money goes. We have the technology, but we’re deciding where it goes and who is prioritized, whether or not that person is from your community or not.”

According to Cázares-Kelly, when she discusses this widespread lived experience with people from reservations or her Native community, she can usually convince them of the vital role of voting.

The town hall provided a comprehensive view of elections in Pima County and Arizona as the state heads into another divisive election year. The panelists’ final message was to register to vote and hold your family and friends accountable for performing their civic duties.

KATE EWING | THE DAILY WILDCAT PEOPLE WAIT IN LINE to vote for an Arizona midterm election at the First Methodist Church polling station in Tucson on Nov. 8, 2022. Many University of Arizona students chose to vote here due to the close proximity to campus.

Semester of sports through the lens of the photo desk

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OPINION: Daily Wildcat’s favorite sports moments of 2023-2024

BY REED LOFSTEDT The Daily Wildcat

Arizona Wildcats fans have had an eventful year, with some of the highest highs and the lowest lows. With the Pac-12 Conference officially coming to an end after this year, Arizona prepares to join its next conference, the Big 12 Conference.

However, before we look too far ahead, let’s first look back at what the Daily Wildcat sports desk deemed to be the five best sports moments for the Wildcats throughout 2023-2024:

Moment 1: Arizona men’s basketball finish as the final Pac-12 Regular Season Champions

The Arizona men’s basketball team entered the 2023-2024 season with something to prove after a disappointing opening-round loss against No. 15seed Princeton University in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Arizona would add Caleb Love, Jaden Bradley and Keshad Johnson. With an already loaded roster, the Wildcats looked to dominate their final season of the Pac-12.

Arizona steamrolled early in the season with massive wins over No. 2 Duke University, No. 21 Michigan State University and No. 23 University of Wisconsin, catapulting it into becoming the No. 1 ranked team in the nation. Despite midseason struggles, the Wildcats fought hard for the Pac12 Regular-Season Title, emerging victorious by the end of the season, securing the title in the second-to-last game of the season.

Arizona would leave its mark on the conference with 18 regular season titles, trailing only UCLA’s 32 titles. The Wildcats continued to showcase their dominance from their national title-winning era to now. The future is bright for Arizona basketball as it enters an extremely competitive Big 12.

Moment 2: Arizona Football Alamo

Bowl victory and push to stay together.

Just two years since the Wildcats’ 1-11 season, the Wildcats looked like they were ready to drastically improve in their final season of the Pac-12.

They went 3-3 in their first three games but then lost starting quarterback Jayden de Laura due to injury. A promising season for the Wildcats was looking scary as they would travel up to Pullman, Washington, to face No. 19 Washington State University.

Noah Fifita stepped up and filled that starting quarterback role. He entered the role like a hardened professional and led the Wildcats to seven straight victories, four of which were against ranked opponents.

This would lead Arizona to its first bowl game appearance since 2017’s Foster Farms Bowl and its first bowl win since 2015’s Gildan New Mexico Bowl. The Alamo Bowl proved to be one of the greatest victories for the Wildcats in recent years, with offensive prowess from Fifita and top wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who finished the day with a game-high 160 yards on 10 receptions.

Fifita would also find wide receiver Jacob Cowing in the game for two touchdowns. The defense also had a memorable performance, with it forcing six turnovers on the day.

Safety Gunner Maldonado had one of the biggest defensive plays of the game and arguably the entire season when he returned an 87-yard fumble for a touchdown. This game further showcased the culmination of the talent Arizona possessed and despite the Wildcats losing some of the players that played in this game, the future still remained promising for the program.

After such an amazing season and bright stars emerging on the team, this year seemed like it could be an even better year than the 2023 season was.

However, this would change when now-former Arizona head football coach Jedd Fisch assumed the head coaching

position at the University of Washington on Jan. 13. This decision by Fisch caused unrest and disappointment amongst Wildcat fans and the pain of losing Fisch was compacted even more when they saw players leaving the team, such as running back Jonah Coleman, who followed Fisch to Seattle.

Fortunately for fans, Arizona wasted little time in finding Fisch’s replacement, hiring San Jose State University’s head coach, Brent Brennan, on Jan. 15.

Just under a week later, Fifita and McMillan announced their commitment to the program in McKale Center. They were joined by a number of returning players, showcasing their leadership to the players and staff within the program.

This was a defining moment for Arizona fans, as it erased their fear of Fisch plucking the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Fifita and star wide receiver

McMillan to join him in Seattle.

Both players decided to remain loyal to the program that helped them get to where they are today and now they will be the leaders of the team as the Wildcats prepare for next season.

Moment 3: Arizona softball 16-1 start on the season

After going 29-25 in the 2023 season, the Wildcats softball team began its campaign this year on home turf at the Candrea Classic. They entered the tournament facing Utah Tech University, Lipscomb University, Northern Colorado University and the University of North Texas. Arizona not only won all of its games but also run-ruled all of its opponents in less than six innings.

MASON KUMET | THE DAILY WILDCAT DALTON JOHNSON AND THE Arizona football team pose with Arizona’s “turnover sword” after intercepting the ball from ASU during this year’s Territorial Cup in Tempe on Nov. 25. UA has now won the Cup two years in a row.

SPORTS MOMENTS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36

The team then went into both the Bear Down Fiesta Tournament and the Hillenbrand Invitational, performing at an extremely high level and securing 11 wins, including a win over No. 15 University of Arkansas. The team also suffered only one loss in both series, in the second game against the Razorbacks.

Despite this impressive start, the Wildcats have slowly faded, with several losses coming in their subsequent games.

However, Arizona has looked like it may resume that early-season narrative with it winning six of its last seven games, including a series win over No. 22 University of Oregon. With this being their final season in the Pac12, the Wildcats will surely be looking to show out and prove the doubters wrong.

Moment 4: Arizona women’s basketball makes the NCAA Tournament after a tumultuous season

Just a couple of years ago, the Arizona women’s basketball team finished as the runner-up in the 2021 NCAA Championship game. A mere three years later, Arizona was put in a very hard situation. Rife with injury, key losses and departures, the Wildcats stunned doubters and clawed their way back into the NCAA Tournament.

Arizona started out red hot with seven straight victories, eventually falling to No. 23 University of Mississippi. Despite this start, the Wildcats began to fall apart. They suffered losses and lost key players, including Maya Nnaji, forcing them to hold in-season tryouts to fill out their rotation. This, along with the mid-season departure of the team’s leading scorer, Kailyn Gilbert, made it seem the NCAA Tournament was far from its reach.

However, Arizona turned its season around late, capturing a crucial victory at No. 3 Stanford University. As the Wildcats entered the Pac-12 Tournament, they needed that extra push to reach March Madness. They beat Washington in the first round but got their hopes crushed by No. 5 USC, losing 6562. Despite an early exit from the tournament, the Wildcats ended up receiving a play-in bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The No. 11 seed Wildcats would venture to Storrs, Connecticut, to face fellow No. 11-seed University of Auburn in a First Four matchup for the chance to punch their ticket into the Round of 64.

The Wildcats would handle the Tigers, beating them by 10 points to advance to the Round of 64 to face No. 6 seed Syracuse University. Unfortunately, the Orange ended the Wildcats’ run in the tournament, beating the Wildcats 74-69. However, it cannot be

stated how much this team went through and was still able to come out at the end of the season with a tournament victory.

Moment 5: Arizona men’s tennis reaches its highest ranking in the program’s existence

The men’s tennis team achieved its highestever program ranking by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, with it finally breaking into the top five programs in the nation. While it currently sits at 10th in the ranking, it is on a hot streak with 13 wins in its last 14 matches.

The Wildcats will be looking to keep up their stellar form as they enter the Pac12 Tournament and the following NCAA Tournament. Currently, Stanford leads Pac12 play with a 6-1 record over Arizona’s 5-1 conference record.

MASON KUMET | THE DAILY WILDCAT

KYLAN BOSWELL ATTEMPTS TO rip the ball from a University of Texas at Arlington defender on Sunday, Nov. 19, in McKale Center. UT Arlington held on and the play resulted in a jump ball on Nov. 25.

JAY CORELLA | THE DAILY WILDCAT

AN ARIZONA TENNIS PLAYER celebrates his pair’s win over an ASU pair on April 7 at Robson Tennis Center. The first set of matches was dominated by doubles before fanning out into singles matches for the rest of the day.

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