Feb. 19 by MediaOCU

THE CAMPUS February 19, 2020 – Volume 113 Issue 18

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Opinion

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Gotta go fast

News

PAGE 4 News

Coordinating victory

Dreams do come true

Columnist Paul Dower reviews the first movie he has seen in 2020, “Sonic the

Paul Vaughan has been named the new OCU esports coordinator. After

Maddy Donatelli, Grace Fairbanks, Emma Licata, and Mandy Sigale were

Hedgehog,” and brands it one of the least offensive ways to spend 98 minutes

recently graduating from Boise State University with a degree in information

accepted in the Disney College Program. They will be working at the parks

this year.

technology management, he will help the team prepare for tournaments.

for eight months in Orlando, FL.

Diversity and inclusion vice president finalists named Francesca Iacovacci

STAFF WRITER

Finalists have been selected for the inaugural position of vice president of diversity and inclusion and will speak in open forums. The four finalists for the position are Dr. Talia Carroll, former state senator Angela Monson, Dr. Terrance Mitchell, and Dr. Jobi Martinez. Jessica Martinez-Brooks, interim diversity and inclusion advocate, said the candidate chosen for the position will be responsible for diversity and inclusion initiatives on campus with an emphasis on training experience. “We’ve been looking for somebody who has strong leadership skills in this area at other institutions,” MartinezBrooks said. “Since this is an inaugural office, it will be important the VP has experience doing this type of work.” Martinez-Brooks said the four candidates have unique skill sets. “One of the key things I think each candidate brings is their ability to build relationships across campus and to build relationships with both internal and external stakeholders,” Martinez-Brooks said. Next week, there will be an alumni and community open forum with the vice president of diversity and inclusion candidates. Each session will be from 4:15-5 p.m. in the OCU School of Law, and each

It's important we prepare students to be culturally diverse and culturally competent.

Jessica Martinez-Brooks interim advocate diversity and inclusion

candidate will have their own day dedicated to their forum. Mitchell’s forum will be on Feb. 24, followed by Monson’s forum on Feb. 25. Martinez’s forum will be on Feb. 26, and Carroll’s will be on Feb. 27. All forums will be in room 509 of the OCU School of Law, with the exception of Martinez, whose forum will be in room 504. Martinez-Brooks said the demographics of higher education are changing rapidly, so it is important to prepare students for both their educational and occupational careers. “It’s important we prepare students to be culturally diverse and culturally competent,” Martinez-Books said. “It’s important to have these conversations about inclusion on campus because it’s a safe learning environment. We want to be the change agents and encourage others to see the value in collaboration.” Martinez-Brooks said the Human Resources department had been considering creating this position for years, but the students and the Student Gov-

ernment Association recently identified it as an necessity for the campus. Chris Richie, music sophomore and vice president of the Black Student Association, said BSA, along with the Hispanic Student Association and the Native American Society, has been at the forefront in communicating the need for this position. “It’s really great we’re creating a position that gives people of color and people of diverse backgrounds a chance to be heard,” Richie said. “It’s especially a good idea because of everything that has happened this past year. This is a long process, and hiring a VP dedicated to diversity is just the first step. Richie also said he was surprised the university didn’t already have a position dedicated to diversity. “ When I first came to school, I saw someone who looked like me and thought like me. I felt like I was home,” Richie said. “Having a faculty member that represents and works to create that feeling for

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Stephen Jackson Student Publications

Celebrate Black culture Mikel Kendrick, acting sophomore, dances in the African Music and Dance Workshop for Black History Month. The event was 6 p.m. Feb. 13 in Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. History of the Buffalo Soldiers, the next Black History Month event, will be from 1-2 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center.

students is great.” Richie said it’s important for students to be involved in both the VP forums and in future diversity and inclusion events once the VP is hired. “This is what the multicultural coalition has been asking

for so we can help the university move forward,” Richie said. “I think we’re a progressive university, and being involved is really going to help us grow and show that we’re a diverse campus.” For any questions about the

forums or other ways to get involved, contact MartinezBrooks at jmartinez@okcu. edu.

New printer networks changed from “okcuprint” Francesca Iacovacci

STAFF WRITER

Campus technology has created new printing networks to replace “okcuprint” after transitioning to new printers and copiers. Gerry Hunt, chief information officer, said “okcuprint” has been replaced by “student print” and “employeeprint.” “Studentprint” and “employeeprint” have been available since the end of last semester. These new networks and “okcuprint” are all currently available. “Since we’ve created separate queues for students and employees, we wanted to make the networks more specific,” Hunt said. “We left ‘okcuprint’ in place for now so we don’t cause confusion, but we encourage students to start using the ‘studentprint’ option. We plan on removing ‘okcuprint’ this summer.” Hunt said this new system provides a more secure printing and copying environment. “We deployed a new copier fleet, and with that, we’re changing how employees print as well,” Hunt said. “They’re going to print and copy the same way students do by swiping their card. Before, teacher’s computers were connected to a specific printing device, and they couldn’t print anywhere else.” Regina McManigell Grijalva, associate professor of English, said the new way of employee printing is helpful and makes scanning easier. “I find it useful because I can scan pieces of text and put them on D2L easily,” Grijalva said. “Teachers used to have to photocopy

M MEDIAOCU.com

I find it useful because I can scan pieces of text and put them on D2L easily. Dr. Regina McManigell Grijalva English associate professor

the whole thing. It’s nice to be able to scan things and send it to people without having to print every time.” In addition to the new printing networks, Hunt said campus technology has dispersed and minimized the number of printers and copiers on campus. “When we analyzed print and copy volume on all the devices across campus, there were some machines that were barely being used because they were in employee offices,” Hunt said. “The amount of volume going to the device didn’t justify the expense of the equipment, and when I saw that, I took the opportunity to move them out to more public spaces.” Hunt said there used to be 106 copiers, and now there are 82. “We took every opportunity to move copiers out into public areas so students aren’t forced to go to the library or university center to print, especially at night,” Hunt said.

Josh Mueller, English senior, said moving the copiers to new places can have disadvantages. “I think moving the machines is good for students because it allows more places to print, but if they took them away from the faculty, then they have to compete with students to print. Maybe the faculty should deserve priority,” Mueller said. Grijalva said it’s more equitable and fair to move the copiers into more accessible spaces. “Putting faculty more on the level with students isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” Grijalva said. “We non-managerial faculty are sort of the middle ground between students and administrators. Printing the same way as students makes the process a little more equitable.” Hunt also said redistributing the printers and copiers has saved paper. In January alone, 8,700 pages of paper that were sent to the copiers were never printed, whereas before, employee materials would print automatically. Grijalva said she noticed a lot of paper was wasted when using the old copiers. “The Native American in me makes me really mindful of our resources,” Grijalva said. “I think this is a really good thing because it will eliminate unintentional and careless wasting of paper.” For any questions about the new printing networks or the new copiers and printers, students can contact Gerry Hunt at ghunt@ okcu.edu, or visit the campus technology help center in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center.

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This week, Ms. Pants gives advice about cleaning, working out and living with roommates. Send questions to Ms. Pants's secretary at fiacovacci@my.okcu.edu. Read columnist Hope Melton's review about celebrating her 21st birthday at the Jones Assembly. Read students’ concerns about the recent Wi-Fi upgrade.

opinion Students encouraged to seek help for sensitive issues College can be a trying time for many students. It is the first time in many students’ lives they are faced with the difficulties of living independently, and students may face financial struggles, mental and physical health issues, family problems, and substance abuse, among other issues. As with many significant personal issues, the main difficulty of dealing with these problems is their invisibility. Unless students openly talk about their personal lives, it is unlikely that even people who see them daily will have any knowledge of the issues they are facing. Because of this, Dr. Kristen Burkholder, access services librarian, recently posted flyers around campus informing students of the locations in the library where information on such subjects can be found. Visit page 3 for more infor-

mation on the flyers. While some may be tempted to have a discussion about these issues, it is up to the people experiencing them to communicate with others. Thus, making this information available anonymously is helpful to those who may not feel comfortable discussing such issues publicly. This mode of accessibility is respectful to students struggling with delicate issues while still sending a message of support and validation. Emotionally taxing issues can become increasingly dangerous when coupled with mental health issues, which can be exacerbated by outside stressors even without a history of mental illness. For students that are also facing difficulties due to their gender, race, religion, sexual or romantic orientation, ethnicity or financial status, stress can compile very quickly. The impression that one is

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alone in their problems and that one’s issues are a burden are particularly poisonous ideas that may prevent students from coming forward with their problems. In these situations, every bit of support can help. The campus offers free counseling services to those in need, but sometimes appointments are booked or students aren’t comfortable attending counseling. In these cases, students still deserve the support of their community, and the resources in the library are a quiet way to make information available. The OCU community strives to support its members, but sometimes it is difficult to know how to support people while still respecting their privacy. Making knowledge and resources available can improve lives without creating more pressure.

“‘Penny Proud’ from ‘Proud Family’”

“Tim Allen in ‘Shaggy Dog’”

Curtis Osceola mass communications junior

Will Watson film freshman

“Stitch”

“Benjamin Franklin Gates”

Evelyn Smith political science/ philosophy/economics freshman

Jeffrey Miles film junior

“Jack-Jack”

“Princess Tiana”

Reid Powell political science freshman

Khay Beers film sophomore

Ingenuity thrives in new works written, produced by students For some people, being a triple threat just isn’t enough anymore. While singing, dancing and acting is impressive in itself, Adam LaPorte, music theater/composition senior also writes, composes and directs. Does that make him a sextuple threat? I don’t know, but whatever he is, he’s impressive! OCU Stripped, a studentrun organization, recently produced LaPorte’s third original musical, “June by the Sea.” LaPorte wrote his first musical in high school, and you may have seen his second work, “The Baseball Play,” when it was performed through another student-run theater organization, Out of the Box. “The Baseball Play” was performed as a staged reading and, later, as a fully produced play last year at the Oklahoma Contemporary. I was lucky

enough to see both and got to see the progression and changes that were made between the reading and the staged show. “June by the Sea” is about writer and hopeful journalist, “Charlie Bennett,” trying to uncover the mystery of the quiet and secretive Klepper sisters whose father passed away without explanation. “Sarah Klepper” is very protective of her little sister “June Klepper” and doesn’t let her interact with anyone. Charlie and his friend “Janie Pink” become friends with the Kleppers with the intention of obtaining information, only to both fall in love with them. June’s hidden talent, seeing how people die upon eye contact, leads to chaos as the seaside scrambles for explanations. The music is beautifully written to capture the atmosphere of the seascape and the internal

Francesca Iacovacci is a music theater junior from Clearwater, Fl. She loves zoodles, Jeopardy! and a good poop joke.

conflicts of the characters. It’s unique while still perfectly fitting into the landscape of music theater today. There’s a certain sense of excitement and respect in seeing a show you don’t know anything about. “June by the Sea” was the first original musical OCU Stripped has produced, and it drew just as large an audience as previous, well-known titles like “Pippin.” Nobody sees a new show because it’s their favorite (although they may leave with this thought). The packed audience that sat in Petree Hall can

only mean the people present are passionate about theater and want to support their friends and the new work they’ve collaborated on. Producing a new work within our music department is a huge step toward mirroring the theatrical climate today. Many music theater programs fall short in this area and don’t have nearly as many opportunities to tackle new works. When they do, they’re often viewed as secondtier to other mainstage shows. There should be a balance between the musical canon of

classic works and new pieces to make performers well-rounded and prepare them for the real world. Making a character your own is one thing, but it’s a whole different story to build one from scratch. Additionally, new works are often still revised during the rehearsal process, and being able to adapt to changes and cuts made on the fly is a valuable skill as well. Though “June by the Sea” was the first original work produced by OCU Stripped, there are many other opportunities on campus to support creative peers. Out of the Box hosts a playwright-in-residence every year to premiere a new work. The Shadow Collective is a student organization dedicated solely to new works that produces three student-written plays every spring. The theatre and performance class of 2020 is

hosting a festival of new works open to submissions in film, visual art, literary works, oneact plays, comedy and music. Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society, accepts yearround submissions of writing, photos, and art to their online publication and is currently accepting submissions for their annual print publication as well. And if all those weren’t enough? Project 21 has yearround concerts full of studentwritten musical compositions that often collaborate with dancers. The point of all of this? Support new works! Support your friends! Fill your brain with new stories and new ideas! In an artistic environment where we all want our art to be seen or heard, it’s important to take a step back and make sure we listen to others as well.

Film critic reviews Sonic the Hedgehog, brands it “not the worst thing” Well everyone, I did it. I finally saw a movie this year, and out of all the movies I could have seen, I saw “Sonic the Hedgehog.” “Sonic the Hedgehog” is a movie directed by Jeff Fowler based on the hit video game series by Sega Games Co. Ltd. It follows the titular speedy blue rodent (voiced by Ben Schwartz) and James Marsden playing “Thomas Wachowski” as they travel across the country to protect Sonic from the evil “Dr. (Eggman) Robotnik” portrayed by Jim Carrey. I have not had that much experience with the games (I’ve played about four of them) so I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself a huge fan, but I know a decent amount about the characters and the world. I also know the Sonic fandom, and

they are not people I would really like to associate myself with. This movie has had the internet ready to pounce ever since the first trailer came out with probably the worst Sonic design ever. After all the backlash due to the design, the director stated that he would delay the movie and redesign Sonic to not look like an absolute abomination. A couple of months later, a new trailer came out with a muchimproved design and most of the internet moved on to get angry about whatever they thought was important at the time. There really wasn’t much in the Sonic trailers that had anything of value for people to come back to. It just looked like another CGI character-human character buddy cop road trip movie that we have all seen a million times.

Paul Dower is a film production sophomore from Tulsa, OK. He likes squishy toys, hoodies and Stanley Kubrick.

But how was the movie? It was OK. I have a feeling people want to rip this movie to shreds, but it is really not that bad. Is it good? No. But it is certainly not the worst thing in the world. It is technically the best movie I have seen all year, so that is something. It’s just bland. Nothing for me or anyone to get upset over. The performances ranged from good to weird. Ben Schwartz and James Marsden were pretty great and had solid

chemistry. Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik was just incredible. I would love to just watch a movie with only Jim Carrey as Robotnik. I suppose I could watch almost any Jim Carrey movie and get the same performance, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. A lot of the supporting cast, however, were just very strange. There is this one character named “Wade,” and I just don’t know what the actor Adam Pally is going for. He has this weird cadence to his voice that is bizarre. All of his line deliver-

ies made me question if I was interpreting the character wrong or if he was. I guess it made the character stand out, so on that level it worked. Tike Sumpter, the actress who played James Marsden’s wife, was definitely in the movie. The script didn’t really give her much to do, so she was also kind of bland. The visuals were really nothing to write home about. As stated previously, the character redesign worked wonders for the overall look of the movie. I never really thought Robotnik’s machines looked fake. The action was decently intriguing. They even did the whole “Quicksilver” thing from “X-Men: Days of Future Past” where everything appears to be still as Sonic is running around and moving stuff around, which is always a fun time. Again, nothing to really

get worked up over. In the end, Sonic said “gotta go fast,” there was that ring sound effect from the games that I love so very, very much, Dr. Robotnik was a goofball and pretty gosh darn funny, and it gave me an amount of enjoyment to keep me engaged throughout the entire movie. Also, it’s a 98-minute movie! We don’t see that so often anymore, so I’m glad I didn't have to sit through a three-hour Sanic the Horgeheg epic. If you want to see a blue hedgehog curl up into a ball, roll around and smash into things, then this is the movie for you. You better go fast to the theaters to see it, because if you miss it, you’ll easily forget about it. If you go see this movie, you may just have a hedgehog of a time.

English with Full Orchestra, 8 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Art Center

Box Theatre in Wanda L. Bass Music Center

Campus Calendar Calendar items must be received in the Newsroom or stupub@okcu.edu by noon Friday for inclusion in the following Wednesday issue.

TODAY The Shadow Collective Playwright’s Festival Auditions, 8:30-10:45 p.m. in Studio E in Goldstar Memorial Building THURSDAY “On to Victory: Propaganda

Plays of the Woman Suffrage Movement,” 8 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre in Wanda L. Bass Music Center FRIDAY “On to Victory: Propaganda Plays of the Woman Suffrage

Movement,” 8 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre in Wanda L. Bass Music Center “Die Fledermaus,” Presented in English with Full Orchestra, 8 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Art Center

SATURDAY “On to Victory: Propaganda Plays of the Woman Suffrage Movement,” 8 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre in Wanda L. Bass Music Center “Die Fledermaus,” Presented in

Feb. 19, 2020, Volume 113, Issue 18

Staff Writers: Madison Bailey, MaKayla Baxter, Josh Eliot, Troy Freeman, Francesca Iacovacci, Maxwell McIntire, Shelby O’Brien, Hannah Prentice Columnists: Paul Dower, Francesca Iacovacci, Hope Melton, Luke Barrett

“Die Fledermaus,” Presented in English with Full Orchestra, 8 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Auditorium in Kirkpatrick Fine Art Center

The Campus has served the Oklahoma City University community since 1907. It is published Wednesday during the academic year, with the exception of holidays and exam periods.

THE CAMPUS Editor-in-chief: Emily Wollenberg Copy Editor: Paul Dower Photo Editor: Clara Foster Community Manager: Jessica Vanek Web Editor: Luke Barrett Graphic Designer: Melissa Campbell Ad Director: Maddie Bowes

SUNDAY “On to Victory: Propaganda Plays of the Woman Suffrage Movement,” 2 p.m. in the Black

The Student Publications staff welcomes unsolicited material and let-

Photographers: Hannah Campbell, Jessica Casebeer, Clara Foster, Stephen Jackson, Mackenzie Shaw

ters to the editor. All letters must be signed and include the writer’s phone number, address, major, and classification. The staff reserves the right to edit all letters. The staff also reserves the right to refuse letters without explanation. Letters can be sent online at mediaocu.com, emailed to stupub@ okcu.edu or dropped off at the Newsroom in the mass communications department in Walker Center for Arts and Sciences. Submitted items may

February 19, 2020

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news

Esports hires new coordinator to coach teams Josh Eliot

STAFF WRITER

Esports officials have brought on a new esports coordinator to coach the teams and help them prepare for tournaments. A year ago, Dr. Amy Cataldi, dean of arts and sciences, started the esports club on campus. The program has grown to include multiple teams, a venue, an esports management major, and now, a coordinator. Paul Vaughan, esports coordinator and head coach, is a recent graduate from Boise State University. He graduated with a degree in Information Technology Management. Vaughan said he found the job opportunity on a website called hitmarkerjobs.com, which is a job board for esports postings. “Esports is just a huge passion for me, so I wanted to see if there was anything out there that might fit my skillset for esports, and I came across this job on there, gave it the application, and Jeff seemed to really like me,” Vaughan said. Vaughan said he’s still getting used to transitioning from someone who would ask questions to being the person who has to have an answer.

Esports is just a huge passion for me, so I wanted to see if there was anything out there that might fit my skillset for esports. Paul Vaughan esports coordinator, head coach

“I’m getting asked ‘hey can we do this,’ and I’m like ‘oh, I have to be the person who says no or yes to that. It’s just me. I’m the person who has complete control over that,’ so it’s been an interesting turnaround for sure, and I think I’m learning pretty quickly,” Vaughan said. Vaughan also said while it is in talks, he probably won’t be teaching Esports Management. “There’s a chance I might come in as a guest speaker for like a class session or two, but maybe not teaching an entire class,” Vaughan said.

Keegan Johnston, design and production freshman on the Smash Bros esports team, said he’s happy the university hired an additional person to work on esports so the previous coordinator, Jeff Price, wouldn’t have too much to handle on his own. Price was unavailable for comment. “It’s actually a really good thing to have someone who’s dedicated to working with esports full time,” Johnston said. Vaughan said he’s been brought on to help develop the varsity program and make sure OCU’s team is represented well. He also said there’s going to be an upcoming Esports event with the Oklahoma City Blue. “Blue is the sister team of the Oklahoma City Thunder that plays in the minor leagues. One thing I’m working on right now is a tournament coordinating with them on Feb. 29, called the 1Up-Open. It is a six-game tournament with some of the proceeds going to charity. Also, the ticket sales will get you into the tournament as well as the basketball game itself,” Vaughan said. For more information about the 1Up-Open, students can go to okgamers.com.

Roaring with pride The Hung Viet Lion dancers performed Feb. 6 in the Student Lounge in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The dancers performed to musical accompaniment, working their way into the caf as fearsome dragons. The caf also featured Asian cuisine to celebrate the event. Luke Barrett Student Publications

Librarian lists books on important topics, student shares Hannah Prentice

STAFF WRITER

An OCU student helped make sensitive topic resources more accessible to students. Oliver Nguyen, piano and violin performance senior, posted a picture of a flyer hung in the library on the OCU Facebook page. The flyer lists sensitive subjects and where books about them can be found in the library. The flyers were put out last August as a way of helping students educate themselves on sensitive subjects without having to ask a librarian where to find the materials. The list includes birth control, pregnancy, abortion, women’s health, death and grief, depression, trauma, anxiety, eating disorders, finances, gun violence, homelessness, LGBTQ+ issues, mental illness, perfectionism, failure, success, race issues, sexual assault, rape, and suicide. Dr. Kristen Burkholder, access services librarian, developed the flyer based on one she saw from another library

online, adding in a few categories to fit the needs of college students. “I created this flyer because if you are in a space where things are going wrong and you are not quite sure what to do, you might also be nervous about talking to someone about them and not feel comfortable coming up and asking someone for the information. But as a librarian, I am all about helping someone get the information that they need, and so this seemed like a good way to make that information available that would be very safe and more anonymous,” Burkholder said. Burkholder chose to include perfectionism and failure in the flyer for students who are struggling with test anxiety, especially since the Learning Enhancement Center is in the library as well, as a way to connect students with resources on campus. She also included the campus counseling services on the flyer for the same reason. “I wanted to include that information in case there was someone that needed more

“

than just books on the topic, so you can actually talk to someone else on the topic,” Burkholder said. “We have also had a lot of the tabs taken off as well, so I think students have found it helpful as well, but it’s hard to really measure how much it is being used, but it is nice knowing it’s there if someone needs it.” Nguyen, who posted about the flyer on Facebook, said he noticed it leaving a class in the library one day and thought it might be helpful to share it. “I know that there probably are some people on the campus who are going through these issues, so I thought it would be a good idea to take to social media and spread awareness about it with a simple post,” Nguyen said. “So what I did was I took a picture on my phone to take a photo of the reference guide as well as the campus counseling center number. I then posted both pictures on the OCU facebook page in case someone there might need it or for people who didn’t know that resource was there.”

Nguyen also said he sees the tool as a great educational source for those who may not personally connect with the issues listed on the flyer. “Like I said, I am not and have not experienced these struggles, so I am not well educated about these issues, so for someone like me, this tool would be a great resource to educate myself or other people,” Nguyen said. “It is important to be aware and educated about this stuff because it’s kind of easy to be misconstrued in discussions about heavier topics, so learning about it and being educated is just a really good choice.” Campus counseling services are free and an appointment can be made by calling (405) 208-7901 or emailing croby@ okcu.edu or mbwindholz@ okcu.edu. University Counseling is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. If students need assistance over the weekend, they can call campus police at 405-208-5911.

Subject

Location 363.46, 613.04244, 613.9, 618

Birth control, pregnancy, abortion, women’s health Cancer

616.99

Child abuse

362.76 155.937, 306.9

Death & grief Depression, stress, trauma, anxiety

616.85 362.829

Domestic violence

362.29

Drug addiction

616.8526

Eating disorders

332.024

Finances

363.33

Gun violence

362.5

Homelessness, poverty

306.76

LGBTQIA+ issues Mental illness

362.2, 616.89

Perfectionism, failure, success, self-help

155.24, 158.1

Personal health & fitness Race issues

613 305.8

Sexual assault & rape

362.88

Suicide

362.28

Mass communications students recognized in national competition MaKayla Baxter

STAFF WRITER

Ten mass communications students and alumni were announced as finalists in the 2019-2020 National Un d e r g r a d u a t e St u d e n t Electronic Media Competition. The annual competition was established in 1962 by the National Broadcasting Society and Alpha Epsilon Rho. Both organizations are honor societies for electronic media students, focusing on broadcast, corporate and digital media production, and preparing students for careers in electronic media industries. The competition recognizes students with achievements in audio, video, script writing, web development and academic research. Undergraduate studentproduced media projects completed between Dec. 9, 2018 and Dec. 10, 2019 were eligible for submission. The 10 finalists were Zoe Travers, Katlyn Smith and Trae Bryant, mass communications seniors, Emily Wollenberg, acting senior and mass February 19, 2020

People have worked so hard, and it's great that they are being recognized for it.

Zoe Travers mass communications senior

communications minor, Tom Hoblin, music theater ’19, and Jo Babb, Sophia Babb, Kate Dawson, and Mark Howell, mass communications ’19. Winners will be announced March 14 at the National Broadcasting Society-Alpha Epsilon Rho conference in Los Angeles, California. Andy Gibson, mass communications artist in residence, said he annually submits the department’s best work to the competition. “When we were larger and had more faculty, there were finalists from different classes,” Gibson said. “This year they all came from my courses.” Travers was recognized for her audio news package covering the 2019 United Methodist

Church Conference and the decision not to allow LGBTQ+ clergy and same-sex marriage. Travers said she is excited for the recognition. “I was very surprised that I was nominated,” Travers said. “The others who were nominated didn’t necessarily surprise me, though. They’re all great.” Travers said the number of finalists reflects the success of the department. “I think the fact that both majors and minors have succeeded says so much about the quality of our classes and instructors,” Travers said. Travers said she is happy for all the nominees. “People have worked so hard, and it’s great that they are being recognized for it,” Travers said.

Gibson said recognition on a national level is a great honor for the department and its students. “It’s nice to be recognized among the large amount of other universities,” Gibson said. “It’s also great for students’ resumes and reels. It never hurts to have come out of college with nationally recognized work.” Beth Adele, director of mass communications, said she was thrilled to hear of mass communications students’ work being recognized nationally by a reputable organization. “Our Artist-in-Residence, Andy Gibson, consistently p r o m o t e s o u r s t u d e n t s’ development and supports their career aspirations by opening the doors to competitions and resume-building opportunities that our students continue to walk through and shine,” she said. “We are proud of their accomplishments and excited for their futures.” Editor’s Note: Emily Wollenberg, editor-in-chief, was nominated for an award. She was not involved in the writing or editing of this story.

Jessica Casebeer Student Publications

Sister slay Oklahoma-based drag queen Luxx Bentley performs for Tucker Ames, dance freshman, at Sister Bingo night on Feb. 13 in the Student Lounge in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. The event was hosted by the Student Activities Council.

lifestyles

SHINING STAR

Four seniors selected to work at Disney World Jessica Vanek

COMMUNITY MANAGER

Four OCU seniors will pack their suitcases for Orlando, Fl. Maddy Donatelli and Grace Fairbanks, acting seniors, Emma Licata, music theater senior, and Mandy Sigale, music/theatre and performance senior, have all been accepted into the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World Resort. The Disney College Program is an eightmonth-long paid internship at a Disney Park. The program began in 1981 and selects students from across the globe to work at Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort. Sigale said she first remembers having a love for Disney when she was six years old. “I remember I stopped wearing actual clothes and would only walk around the house in my Belle or Ariel dresses or my Disney clothes, so they had to rotate me so I would be in clean clothes,” Sigale said. Sigale said she found an interest in the Disney College Program before she came to college, but she thought it would be difficult to balance with her double major. Sigale recently went to Disney World to celebrate her 21st birthday. “I celebrated by drinking around the world at Epcot,” she said. “Disneyland is nice and chill, and you can take your time, but Disneyworld has so much more to see.” Licata began her trips to Disney World when she was 11 months old. “I feel like it was in my veins before I even popped out of the womb. My grandparents were vacation club members, so they took my brother and I often as a kid,” Licata said. “My grandparents would take me, my brother, my immediate family and my extended family on trips biannually. I feel like I know Disneyworld backwards and forwards because of it.” Licata said her education as an artist has made her appreciate Disney even more. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten so much more of an appreciation for the work that goes into creating any aspect of Disney,” she said. When applying for the Disney College Program, students go through three rounds of screening. The process begins with an application, then the applicants are narrowed down for a video interview, and then narrowed again for a final phone interview. Applicants are initially accepted for a role they don’t have to audition for. Interns then get the opportunity to audition for character roles in the park. Sigale, Donatelli and Licata have been accepted for attractions, meaning they will be working for specific rides across the park.

Let them eat pancakes Members of Gamma Phi Beta hosted a philanthropy fundraiser event for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. The event took place on Feb. 15 and provided all-you-can-eat pancakes for $5 per person. The chapter adopted the NOCC as their local philanthropy after a member died of ovarian cancer several years ago. The NOCC provides funding and research, raises awareness and helps survivors.

Stephen Jackson Student Publications

Submitted Mandy Sigale (top left), Grace Fairbanks (top right), Emma Licata (bottom right), and Maddy Donatelli (bottom left), have all been accepted into the Disney College Program. The four seniors will all work at Disney World after graduation.

Fairbanks was accepted for merchandising, meaning she will have the opportunity to work in stores across the parks. Fairbanks said she is excited for the chance to work in merchandising. “I’m looking forward to being able to see the castle every day on my way to work,” Fairbanks said. “I also am looking forward to meeting tons of people from all over the world and making new friends.” Fairbanks first went to Disney World when she was five. “I actually lived in Florida for a year, so we tried to go every weekend,” she said. “We had the Floridian pass, and we went a bunch when I was in the third grade. We’ve tried to go once every year or every two years since then.” Fairbanks said the first Disney movie she saw was “Monsters Inc.” “After that, I became obsessed with Boo,” she said. “I’ve been obsessed with the princesses since I can remember, picking the qualities from each that would help build me into the woman I am today.”

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Fairbanks said she hopes to create a career at Disney World. “If I can make a career in the performing aspects I would love that, but also Imagineering is something that really interests me,” she said. “They hire a lot of artists to choose what shows go where and why a certain set piece works better. I think that would be incredibly cool.” Donatelli said she grew up with Disney. “When I was little, we would go to the parks once every year. I’ve just had a lot of really nice memories with Disney,” Donatelli said. Donatelli found out about the Disney College Program through a friend, she said. “She had a great time, and I knew I wanted to finish college, so if I wanted to stay longer I could do that and still have a degree.” Licata said this internship will motivate her to move across the country. “I wanted to use the college program to give me the foot in the door to get in with the company and then also move to Orlando,” Licata said. “I hope to stay in Orlando and work as a performer for a few years. There’s numerous equity theatres and performance opportunities.” Sigale said she will use her time in Florida to think about the future. “I’m going to be there for eight months, so I’ll be there for a while,” Sigale said. “I think this will be a nice time for me to figure out what my next move is.” Donatelli said she can’t pick one specific Disney movie to be her favorite. “It’s weird, because I have favorite Disney movies in categories, so for Star Wars it’s “A New Hope,” for Marvel it’s “Captain America: Winter Soldier,” for princess I really liked “Frozen 2” and “Tangled,” and for Pixar it’s “Monsters Inc.” Sigale’s favorite Disney movie is “Lilo and Stitch,” while Licata’s favorite is “Frozen 2,” and Fairbanks’s is “Aladdin.” Sigale said potential applicants should use their form wisely. “Use all the space you have on your initial application to brag on yourself,” Sigale said. “The more you put, the more likely you are to get moved forward.” Licata said to make sure to do your research. “There are numerous amounts of resources on the internet. I’m really happy with all of the preparation I did,” Licata said. “I’d say, know what you’re getting yourself into. This is one of the biggest entertainment capitals of the world, so I’d say know how to tailor to that.” Donatelli said she thinks OCU students have a good chance with Disney. “I feel like the Disney College Program really likes OCU kids,” Donatelli said. “Just make sure to be the best version of yourself that you can be.”

Mackenzie Shaw Student Publications

Donut let love hurt Members of Alpha Chi Omega pose at their charity event “AXO Galentine's Day,” a celebration of friendship and platonic affection. The event was on Feb. 14 and had all-you-can-eat snacks, like donuts and fondue. The proceeds for the event went to the YWCA to support Domestic Violence Awareness.

Pokémon GO group works together to catch ‘em all Troy Freeman

STAFF WRITER

Students are still playing Pokémon GO and are now more connected online. Isaac Sorell, acting junior, said he created a Pokémon GO GroupMe after the game implemented features conducive to a collaborative experience, with the hope of introducing new players to the world of Pokémon GO. Sorell said Pokémon was an important element of his childhood. He said he and his brother fully embraced the brand through playing the video games, collecting the trading cards and watching the anime. “I think there’s something for everyone in Pokémon. If you like to collect things, there’s over 900 Pokémon to catch, if you like story, the anime is great, and if you like competition, there are really great battles,” Sorell said. Sorell said Pokémon GO recreates the feeling of joy February 19, 2020

players felt with the property as children with a different set of features. “Pokémon Go is a world phenomenon that came out in 2016. It is basically a VR way to play Pokémon, so it’s an app on your phone that lets you catch Pokémon in real time. It gives you a map of your real-life location, and Pokémon spawn around you,” Sorell said. These pokémon are then logged in the Pokédex, a fictional device that tracks which pokémon players have caught. Penina Eisenberg, music theater/vocal performance freshman, said even though the game is inherently different from the title it’s based on, it still manages to recreate the magic of playing the original Pokémon titles. “Pokémon GO feeds the nostalgia of playing Pokémon for the first time, especially since you have to be actively engaged when you play,” Eisenberg said. Eisenberg said she started with Pokémon GO in its inaugural year, but soon took

I think there's something for everyone in Pokémon.

Isaac Sorell acting junior

a break until the game found new life years later. “I was one of the kids who played Pokémon GO all of summer 2016, stopped for a while and then picked it back up when I got to college. Since then, it has changed a lot,” Eisenberg said. “There are more activities now, in general. There are more things to do with your teams, and with the raids you can now go in the GroupMe and say, ‘hey, you want to go do this raid at so and so time?’” Raids are events where groups of players can meet in locations and work together to capture high-level, rare or legendary pokémon.

Sorell said many of the changes since release have intentionally made excelling through the game significantly easier, and therefore better for new players. “The game has evolved a lot from 2016 when it came out. They introduced 400 new Pokémon,” Sorell said. “They've done a lot to keep the game fun and expand to build community.” Sorell said in addition to accessibility, many of the improvements to the game have just happened to make playing on college campuses extremely efficient and rewarding. “The company behind the game, Niantic, uses an algo-

rithm to create Pokéstops, where you can refuel, get poké balls for catching Pokémon, as well as other items. Pokémon will then spawn around these Pokéstops, so usually Pokéstops are any place that stand out in a community. On campus, many of the buildings are Pokéstops, as well as many of the statues,” Sorell said. Po k é s t o p s o n c a m p u s include The Eternal Challenge statue, the Goldstar building, the Dulaney-Browne library, and the Naifeh Garden. Sorell said the improvement to the game that convinced him to open a GroupMe were the updates that increased the sense of community between players, which includes features such as a “community day” where the team introduces new Pokémon that can only be caught on that day. Sorell said the feature is designed to encourage players to cooperate in catching rarer Pokémon. Eisenberg said cooperation between players has become vital to progress in the game. “A lot of the communi-

ty building is based upon exchanging gifts and trading. Someone will ask ‘hey does anyone have this Pokémon? I need to fill the ’dex for this,’ or ‘does anyone want to battle? I need to fulfill the requirements for this,’ so that’s how the community is built so we can help each other out,” Eisenberg said. Sorell said he created the GroupMe because he knew there were other people playing on campus, and he wanted a space to exist where players could help each other and bond over their shared interest. “There’s probably about 35 of us now, and I’m sure there’s a lot more players on campus I don’t even know about,” Sorell said. Any students interested in joining the OCU Pokémon GO GroupMe can contact Isaac Sorell by campus email at iasorell@my.okcu.edu.