the
Volume 118, Issue 19 w
INSIDE
VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”
vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista ucentralmedia.com Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Adult dependents eligible for $1400
Jazz Ensemble I
Nationally recognized Jazz Ensemble I performs this Thursday. See Pg. 5
UCO Basketball
Broncho basketball wrapped up its season over the weekend, finishing MIAA competition. See Pg. 7
WandaVision Review Contributing writer Ty Wallace writes about his thoughts on the WandaVision limited series. See Pg. 8
President Joe Biden speaks about efforts to combat COVID-19, Tuesday, March 2, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Jacob Silva
@jdsilva_ Editor-in-Chief
Following December’s smaller COVID-19 relief bill that brought $600 checks to each American adult and provided other forms of aid to businesses and state health programs, President Joe Biden and democrats are nearing the approval of a much larger, $1.9T bill. The Senate voted 5049 to move this bill to a final vote in the House that will take place in the coming days. According to the Associated Press, here are the highlights of the bill that
@amandasiewyk Contributing Writer
Guest speakers, mental health help and training, and dance classes headline this week’s events at UCO. See Pg. 2
benefits to federal unemployment aid have been expanded to provide an extra $300 per week through Sept. 6. This is in addition to what expanded benefits each state is providing for citizens. Universities across the country are set to receive $40 billion in assistance, “with the money used to defray an institution’s pandemic-related expenses and to provide emergency aid to students to cover expenses such as food, housing and computer equipment,” writes AP. Continued on Pg. 4
Students demand guests at graduation Amanda Siew
Around Campus
may affect University of Central Oklahoma students: Adult dependents make up a significant amount of college students, but they were not included in the financial relief provided by the previous two stimulus packages. In what Biden is calling the “American Rescue Plan”, parents will now receive $1400 per dependent, even if they are adult dependents. A caveat with the new stimulus is that single taxpayers making more than $80,000, or households making more than $160,000 per year will not be eligible for the direct payments. For those who are unemployed,
Members of the University of Central Oklahoma community are petitioning to have limited guests at the in-person commencement ceremonies this spring. On Feb. 24, the university announced that commencement ceremonies for spring 2021 will be held in person without guests or faculty to allow social distancing. The ceremonies will be livestreamed for online
viewing. Brooklyn Wigington started the Change.org petition addressed to the university last week. As of Monday, the petition has gathered 790 signatures. On the petition, Wigington said: “UCO students have persevered through the ups and downs of the last year, and with improving COVID-19 conditions, the seniors of UCO deserve to graduate with the friends and family that supported them along the way.”
Wigington stated several arguments to support allowing limited guests at the ceremonies, including the improving COVID-19 statistics and vaccination numbers in the state, availability of outdoor venues for safe large gatherings, the requirement for masks and social distancing at the ceremony, and how other Oklahoma universities will allow or have allowed guests at their graduation ceremonies. In a statement released to UCentral Continued on Pg.3
2 | The Vista
March 9, 2021
Wednesday, March 10, 2021 Tuesday, March 9, 2021 Graduate Student Advisory Board Meeting: A Zoom link will be provided for the 2 p.m. meeting. Virtual Student Workshop: Prescription Drug Use Misuse Prevention: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., learn how to recognize early signs of prescription drug abuse, to identify stressors that could lead to drug misuse, and to identify strategies for safe use. STLR credit. Email Dr. Kerry Morgan at kmorgan31@uco.edu to register. UCO Virtual Office Hours for OSU-OKC: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. students from OSU-OKC can attend these office hours to ask questions about the university and transfer process. The link to the virtual office hours can be found on uco.edu. MSBA Guest Speaker Series: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Mr. Randy Collica, the Principal Solutions Architect at SAS will discuss how the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation and how analytics play a role. Meet in BUS 113 or attend virtually. The link to the Zoom session can be found on uco.edu
UCO Virtual Office Hours for Oklahoma City Community College: 10 a.m. to noon OCCC students can speak to a UCO Transfer Specialist to ask questions about the university and transfer process. Transfer Application Help and Next Steps: 1 to 2 p.m. any transfer student can drop in to the virtual room to ask questions. No appointment is required and the link to the room can be found on UCO’s website. Career Doctor: Cover Letter? Cover This: 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., attend this virtual event to ask questions and gain knowledge about your cover letters. UCO Chamber Orchestra Concert: 7:30 p.m. at Mitchell Hall Theatre: The UCO Chamber will be performing. This event is free and open to the public. Thursday, March 11, 2021 UCO Transfer Application Day: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Transfer students who want to begin their applications can attend this virtual meeting and see a presentation on how to properly do so. Diversity Day: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In NUC 200, high school juniors and seniors can attend sessions
Around Campus
that highlight the admissions process, living on campus, and events that highlight campus diversity. UCO Virtual Office Hours for Rose State College: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Students can attend a virtual meeting and ask questions about the transfer process and university life. After Hours Application and After Admissions Help for Transfer Students: 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. join a virtual meeting to ask questions about the transfer process. An Evening with UCO Jazz Ensemble I: 7:30 p.m. in Nigh University Ballroom A, Jazz Ensemble I will be performing a full concert. Proceeds will benefit the UCO Jazz Studies Support Fund. Friday, March 12, 2021 Mental Health First Aid Training: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attend virtually and gain training on mental health first aid. The link to the meeting can be found on uco.edu Transfer Student Day: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Nigh University Center will give a tour to students interested in attending UCO. Lunch will be provided.
To submit events for next week’s Around Campus, please email thevista@ucentralmedia.com. Include the title of your event, time and place, and a brief description. Descriptions are subject to editing.
the
VISTA
Staff
Jacob Silva Cory Bryce McKinnis Tanner Johnson Lyric Peterson Tanner Laws Demetri Cruse Lilli Meyers Amanda Siew Ty Wallace Yu Xiang Cynthia Faulkner
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sports Editor Digital Media/Copy Editor Photographer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Adviser
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The Vista is published weekly during the spring, summer and fall semesters. In all issues, The Vista has opportunities for both digital, online and print ads. For information or questions contact: 405-974-5549 or thevista.ads@gmail.com
Saturday, March 13, 2021 UCO Dance Master Class with Tiffanie Carson: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Taking place in the Health and Physical Education building, attendees can learn from contemporary dance artist, mentor, and educator Tiffanie Carson. Tickets are $15 if bought in advance, $20 at the door. UCO Choral Concert: 2 p.m. at Mitchell Hall Theatre, UCO Choirs in Concert will be performing. Tickets can be found by calling 405-974-3375 or by visiting the Mitchell Theatre website. Sunday, March 14, 2021 UCO Virtual Office Hours for Tulsa Community College: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Students can attend the virtual meeting and ask questions about the transfer process.
Front Pg. Teaser Photos, from top: Provided/Pixabay Provided/Broncho Sports Provided/Marvel Studios Provided/Vista Archives
UCO’s Student Voice Since 1903 The Vista is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students, weekly during the academic year, at the University of Central Oklahoma. The issue price is free for the first copy and $1 for each additional copy obtained.
EDITORIALS
Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communication, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO.
LETTERS
The Vista encourages letters to the
editor. Letters should address issues and ideas, not personalities. Letters must be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s printed name, major, classification and phone number. Phone numbers are included for contacting purposes only. Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of questionable taste. The Vista reserves the right not to publish submitted letters.
ADDRESS LETTERS TO:
Editor, The Vista, 100 N. University Dr. Edmond, OK 73034-5209, or deliver in person to the editor in the Communications Building, Room 131. Letters can be emailed to thevista@ucentralmedia.com.
Petition
March 9, 2021
The Vista | 3
Students demand guests at graduation Continued from Pg. 1
News Tuesday, the university said they are aware of the petition and the “frustration” students feel for not being able to attend a traditional ceremony. “Know that the university is listening and is/has considered a variety of options,” said Adrienne Nobles, UCO’s vice president for communication and public affairs. “Petition or not, we are considering ways we could potentially expand or alter the current plan.” Wigington and several petition supporters also compared the graduation ceremonies to how fans had attended the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association football state championship games held on the UCO campus. One supporter, Kobe Adams, commented: “The students deserve it. If we can host state playoff games with fans in the stands. We can allow parents and loved ones to celebrate a more prestigious achievement.” In response to this, Nobles said “athletic events are not apples-to-apples comparisons.” She said the OSSAA had contracted to use Wantland Stadium for the championship games from UCO Athletics, with the agreement that COVID-19 protocols would be enforced. “The OSSAA state football championship games, including the 6A game in which Jenks High School played, were not UCO events,” Nobles said. “Several in attendance to support Jenks High School did not abide by those protocols, which was a disappointment.” “The rest of the games were a
Students pictured above, from a previous graduation in 2017, celebrate their recognition in a traditional format before the pandemic. (Provided/UCO Photo Services)
much different scene with spectators and team members respecting the COVID-19 protocols in place.” Some members of the UCO community have mixed feelings about the petition. Jule Archer, a fall 2020 strategic communications graduate, said she plans to attend the ceremonies but does not support the idea of having guests at them. “Honestly, having a graduation in person in general is pushing it,” Archer said. “I’d love my family to be there in person, but things can’t just go back to normal in a flash.” Archer said she was mainly concerned about how the university would enforce COVID-19 safety regulations with a larger crowd. “We’ve seen people who don’t want to wear masks or they walk into a place with a mask on and then immediately take it off,” Archer said. “I think keeping it to just students and
former graduates only would make it easier for the school and security to regulate wearing masks and social distancing.” Prateek Shetty, a forensic science-chemistry senior, said he felt “indifferent” knowing that his graduation was going to be held in person this semester. “If it means that we’re all going to be a lot more safer without [the in-person ceremonies] happening, I’d prefer for it to be that way,” Shetty said. “At the end of the day, a graduation ceremony is just a blip in the entirety of what life is.” Shetty, who is an international student from India, said he would not encourage his parents to travel to Oklahoma for the ceremonies because he felt that the current situation with the pandemic was “not the best,” even with the ongoing vaccinations and improving COVID-19 numbers in the state.
However, Shetty said he was not against the idea of having his graduation in person as long as the university were to host the ceremonies safely. He said he hopes the university would also implement contact tracing alongside the other safety regulations. Shetty said he probably will attend the ceremonies but has not made a definite decision yet. “The bigger goal is the fact that I earned a degree, not the fact that I get to celebrate it wearing fancy clothes or whatever,” Shetty said. University officials said they will email a registration form to students and 2020 graduates eligible to participate in the ceremonies by Friday. The form will be open through April 2. When registration is complete, Nobles said the ceremonies will be scheduled according to the number of registrations received. “That allows us to plan enough separate ceremonies to accommodate those who want to participate,” Nobles said. “It is not a race to register to be sure you get a spot.” As far as graduation traditions go, like the Old North walk and tassel turns, Nobles said that “the details are still being worked out.” “That said, every effort will be made to maintain [these] traditions,” Nobles said. “Until the pandemic is behind us, [the in-person commencement ceremonies] will look different than it has in the past.” The university said they will continue to update students and 2020 graduates about the ceremonies through UCO email and on the UCO commencement website.
4 | The Vista
March 9, 2021
Adult dependents eligible for $1400
Stimulus/Taxes
Continued from pg. 1
Also, $46 billion will be routed to federal, state and local testing and vaccination programs to assist in administering tests and vaccinations. UCO, through Passport Health, has held a vaccine clinic on campus that may benefit further from this aid. This morning, UCO said in a statement that Wednesday’s Passport Health clinic is full, but that “future clinics will be announced via UCO email with a link to sign-up as the clinics are approved based on the designated priority groups and vaccine eligibility.” Families with children are being given larger tax breaks for each child in the relief bill as well. Each child under the age of 6 will qualify for a $3,600 tax break, and children between ages 6 and 17 will qualify for $3,000. AP says that “Under current law, most taxpayers can reduce their federal income tax bill by up to $2,000 per child.” Lastly, $30 billion will be used to assist low-income households and those who are unemployed pay their rent and utilities.
President Joe Biden, standing left, visits a COVID-19 vaccination site and watches as Dr. Navjit Goraya gives a vaccine to Air Force Col. Margaret Cope, at the VA Medical Center in Washington, Monday, March 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
How stimulus checks affect your tax return Lilli Meyers
Contributing Writer
CDC provides new guidelines for vaccinated population Jacob Silva
@jdsilva_ Editor-in-Chief
On Monday, the CDC released new guidelines for vaccinated Americans. According to the CDC, fully vaccinated people can now gather with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing. They reemphasize that those vaccinated still need to continue wearing masks when in the general public, avoid large gatherings and stay physically distanced from others. The CDC defines someone as being “fully vaccinated” two weeks after receiving their last required dose. These guidelines emerge as the U.S. continues to move through Phase 2 of vaccinations.
With the tax filing deadline approaching on April 15, many students may be filing independently for the first time. Lauren Henry, a UCO student, is filing independently this year for the first time. “I had a learning curve with filing taxes. I had never filed independently before and did not know a lot about how to do it,” Henry stated. Students are eligible to receive credits for their tuition from a 1098T form. These forms are available on Uconnect under the ‘My finances’ tab. An extension to filing taxes is available, but forms would have to be filled out. This does not extend the amount of time one has to pay. The IRS website states: “If you can’t file by the due date of your return, you should request an extension of time to file. To receive an automatic 6-month extension of time to file your return, you must file form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return by the due date of your return. An extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay. You may be subject to a late payment penalty on
any tax not paid by the original due date of your return.” Denise Tippett, an accountant of over 20 years stated: “If the student cannot be claimed as a dependent on another person’s return, there are several credits they can receive.” Many students may have parents that claim them as a dependent. In this case, the parent would receive the tuition credits. Despite who pays the tuition, if the student is filing independently the tuition credits are available for the student. The IRS website states: “When filing a tax return, you may need to include scholarships and grants as taxable income. Tax benefits for higher education, such as loan interest deductions, credits and tuition programs, may help lower the tax you owe.” With many students trying to figure out the system for the first time, using a trusted family accountant could benefit them. Tippett stated: “If a parent of a student has a reliable accountant that they depend on, whether they are an enrolled agent or a CPA, it’s probably best if a student goes ahead and lets them do their taxes.”
An enrolled agent, or EA, specializes in taxes for businesses or individuals. A CPA has a broader spectrum and focuses on tax and financial services for businesses. When using a trusted accountant, the student can ask questions openly and figure out the best way to file. Although some students work part time or less, it might not benefit them to file independently.“Some students are better off not filing a return if they don’t have a filing requirement. On the W4 form, if you are under the standard deduction, whatever it is for that given year, you say you are exempt from it,” Tippett stated. With the different stimulus checks being sent out in 2020, many students were unaware if this can affect their taxes. The IRS refers to stimulus checks as Recovery Rebate Credit. Henry stated: “I didn’t know if the stimulus checks I received would be taken out of my tax return for 2020 or if it would affect how I filed.” Tippett stated: “Although we are having to account for the stimulus checks on the 2020 tax returns, it is not taxable.”
Jazz/Churches
March 9, 2021
The Vista | 5
UCO Jazz Ensemble I prepares to perform Demetri Cruse
Contributing Writer
The University of Central Oklahoma’s award-winning Jazz Ensemble I is hosting a concert to honor the jazz studies program at 7:30 to 9 p.m. on Thursday in the Nigh University Ballroom A. The musical concert is focusing on the sounds and talent from the jazz students who are part of the Jazz Ensemble I. There are a total of three ensembles that will have individual concerts throughout the semester. “I am excited for this group to perform and showcase their talent,” said Brian Gorrell, Director of Jazz Studies and Ensemble I. “We have had very few practices due to COVID restrictions and weather closings the first few weeks of the semester.” Jeff Kidwell, Assistant Director of Applied Trombone and Director of Jazz Ensemble II, agreed with Gorrell on how hard all the Ensemble I students have been working throughout this semester. “Despite having a rough start in this semester, they still manage to get their practice in for upcoming performances, which shows how hard they work,” Kidwell said. “I know Brian and the students that are part of Ensemble I will do an amazing job in their performance.” Clint Rohr, UCO Jazz Lab director, commented on Ensemble I work ethic throughout their practices. “Even though they have group re-
Photo of the empty Jazz lab on campus. Jazz Ensemble I will be performing Thursday in Night University Ballroom A from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. This performance will honor jazz studies. (Photo/Demetri Cruse)
hearsals, individual practices are required before even attending group rehearsals because of the higher-level music they play,” Rohr said. Ensemble I has practiced up to four hours a week since returning on campus. Rohr mentioned that most of the students who are part of Ensemble I have been playing since middle school and have earned scholarships to play at UCO. UCO Jazz Ensemble I is one of the
most premier university bands across the country. They received first place at the Monterey Jazz Festival in California in 2018 and were later invited to Switzerland to participate in the 2020 Montreux Festival, which was canceled due to COVID-19. Ensemble I and the rest of UCO Jazz bands are looking to host more events on campus and participate in festivals as the year progresses. As of now, there have only been four concert events involving the UCO Jazz bands. All pro-
ceeds for this concert will go toward the UCO Jazz studies program. According to UCO policy, guests who are attending the event must wear a face mask while inside the building. Social distancing will also be required in the building and the capacity in the auditorium will also be reduced. For more information on the policy and the jazz band at UCO, visit the UCO website and UCO Jazz Lab website.
UCO Baptist organization continuing through pandemic Yu Xiang
Contributing Writer
According to Paul Lewis, the director of UCO Baptist Collegiate Ministries, students who are not able to meet in person can connect with them digitally. The Thursday BCM service, which is normally on campus has moved to Frontline Church to help with social distancing, is available through Instagram Live. Clark Stevens, who is on the UCO Baptist Collegiate Ministries leadership team, said meeting virtually is different than in-person meeting. “Cause we see someone in person, you build deep, meaningful relationships with them, that’s like, ‘OK that’s nice, that’s good,’ Stevens said, “but when it’s just all virtual, it’s harder to get that same connection, you don’t see their body language as well, it’s easier to hide stuff or, to not pay attention.” According to Stevens, it is easier to
connect with people when you are talking to someone at an in-person meeting, it is easier to pay attention and engage. As students have returned to in-person classes, some events have resumed. Stevens said they went bowling at Main Event on their BCM’s International Student Connection last week. According to Lewis it has been a good opportunity to be able to gather since students have been separated during the pandemic. “Ultimately our biggest passion is to help students know and follow Jesus and so that's what we're all about as well our goal is,” said Lewis said. “Now that we were able to get together again, there is real longing for community and friendships,” Lewis said. “And so we’ve been so excited to able to provide that for them and give them a place to connect with new people and make new friends and find a community of people really care
about them and love them. “So, even though we're meeting in person we're still following all the school’s guidelines to have those meetings be safe. Because we do value the in-person communication and contact and encouragement and community that comes along with those meetings in person,” Lewis said. Conversations, a religious student organization, is also available to students. Alexis Lourdermilk, a program manager in International House UCO, stated: “Conversations is a faith-based student organization created to support and encourage students, especially during the pandemic. We bring in speakers to facilitate discussions on a variety of topics.” Conversation has the virtual meeting from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Thursdays until May 6. The event is open to the community, not just current students at UCO. Jing Yao Zhang, a UCO graduate, says she
learns many useful things from the Bible at the meetings. “I can learn something that teaches me how to live better or let's get along with other people better. And second, I can meet a lot of friends, and we can help each other, and we support each other. Those things are super important for me,” Zhang said. Justin Owen, a local evangelist and a guest speaker of Conversations, said it is hard to stand out from other groups, but he said he tries to show people that he does not have an agenda. "There's nothing in the background that’s hiding. It's just that you care about people, I think that is important. I think that's a factor as what separates one group from another group is when you show your interest in people and you have something that you can offer that is generally good and interesting to them too,” Owen said.
6 | The Vista
Basketball/Fundraising
March 9, 2021
Basketball teams end season in Maryville Tanner Johnson @tdjohnson28 Sports Editor
Men The University of Central Oklahoma men’s basketball season ended Friday when the Bronchos lost to Northwest Missouri 104-72 in the MIAA Tournament Semifinals in Maryville, Missouri. UCO was the fifth-seed in the tournament, finishing the season 13-11 after the loss to the firstranked Bearcats. “There’s a reason they’re the No. 1 team in the country and they proved it tonight,” UCO head coach Bob Hoffman said. “You can’t make any mistakes when you play a team like that and we just couldn’t get it going tonight.” Senior forward Isaiah Wade led Central with a career-high 29 points and a team-high six boards. Junior guard Callen Haydon and forward Camryn Givens trailed Wade with 12 and 11 points, respectively. “I’m really proud of our guys for fighting to make it to this point,” Hoffman said. “We’ve been competing so hard and to make it to the semifinals is an accomplishment. It’s not what we wanted but we need to be proud of it.” The second season of Hoffman’s regime ended in the farthest the Bronchos had advanced since the 2017-2018 season. The Bronchos bested Missouri Southern State 109-101 Wednesday in the quarterfinal game. Three players, Haydon, Givens and Jaden Wells, notched 20-plus against MoSo.
UCO forward Kelsey Johnson drives the ball against Harding near the baseline at Hamilton Field House. She recorded 30 points in the Bronchos’ season finale against Emporia State (Procided/BronchoSports).
Women The UCO women’s basketball season ended Wednesday against the Emporia State Hornets, losing 82-80 Bronchos senior Kelsey Johnson led the team with 30 points. Johnson set a school record for becoming the first player with 30 points or more in three games in a season. Freshman forward Caley Young scored a career-high 20 points. Brooke Rayner made four 3-pointers to finish with 12 points. The Bronchos had a 38-30 lead at the half after
Johnson banked a shot at the buzzer. The Bronchos were able to get the lead to as much as 13 points before the Hornets were able to trim it back down. Emporia State continued to apply pressure in the third quarter to get the lead down to five points before going on a run to take the lead by five points. “We fell short, but we played hard. We made some shots, but they made more shots than us,” Bronchos head coach Guy Hardaker said. “We looked at this as extra due to the pandemic and not knowing if there was going to be a season or playoffs.” The Bronchos ended the season 14-9.
Extra year of eligibility not covered by usual scholarship funds Bryce McKinnis
@McKinnisBryce Managing Editor
Broncho Stadium, where UCO softball plays its home games, was renovated in 2017. Since then, Wendell Simmons Field and Hamilton Field House have also received renovations (Provided/BronchoSports).
UCO Athletic Director Stan Wagnon published a letter Tuesday requesting donations to fund scholarships for seniors who will benefit from NCAA eligibility extensions. “We want these seniors to come back and finish strong,” Wagnon wrote, “but the reality is for them to come back, we have to provide more scholarship dollars. “To help make sure these Bronchos have the same experience despite the current challenges, we are launching a fundraising campaign,” Wagnon said. The NCAA announced in September that Division-II student-athletes would be eligible for waivers to receive an extra season of competition. Wagnon said the legislation affects “every sport at UCO.” The letter included a link to the UCO Athletic Department donation portal, which shows a tally of 59 donations for $12,555, though it is not clear whether that amount reflects the amount raised for the entire fiscal year or just the fundraiser for extended seniors. The annual cost of tuition for full-time in-state students at UCO excluding housing or dining is $4,046 however, that more than doubles for out-ofstate students. Wagnon did not specify a goal for the fundraiser.
Training/Theater
The Vista | 7
March 2, 2021
UCO to offer suicide prevention training Christina Bass Contributing Writer
UCO will host a virtual suicide prevention training Tuesday 2 p.m. In the U.S., suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in America, according to suicide statistics website. In 2019, there were 47,511 deaths in the United States. They have also kept track of 1.38 million attempted suicides in 2019. In 2000 Donna and Phil Satow founded The JED Foundation, a nonprofit organization that protects emotional health and helps prevent suicide for teens and young adults, to honor their son. It has since been partnering with high schools and colleges across the country to help strengthen campus mental health. “[The JED Foundation] created a suicide prevention training called “You Can Help a Friend,” and that is the curriculum we use,” said Carlie Deatherage, assistant director for health promotion and outreach at UCO. Students, faculty and staff can learn how to prevent a suicide or any suicide attempt. “It’s a training that helps students understand their role as a friend in preventing suicide and connect-
WARNING SIGNS OF SUICIDE:
The behaviors listed below may be some of the signs that someone is thinking about suicide.
TALKING ABOUT:
FEELING:
Wanting to die Great guilt or shame Being a burden to others
Empty, hopeless, trapped, or having no reason to live Extremely sad, more anxious, agitated, or full of rage Unbearable emotional or physical pain
CHANGING BEHAVIOR, SUCH AS: Making a plan or researching ways to die Withdrawing from friends, saying good bye, giving away important items, or making a will
Taking dangerous risks such as driving extremely fast Displaying extreme mood swings Eating or sleeping more or less Using drugs or alcohol more often
If these warning signs apply to you or someone you know, get help as soon as possible, particularly if the behavior is new or has increased recently.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK National Institute of Mental Health
Crisis Text Line Text “HELLO” to 741741
www.nimh.nih.gov/suicideprevention NIMH Identifier No. OM 19-4316
(Provided/National Institute of Mental Health)
ing their friend to resources and support,” Deatherage said. As a friend, look for warning signs and ask how they are feeling because it’s not always obvious that someone is suicidal. The warning signs, according to the National In-
stitute of Mental Health, people could be “talking about being a burden to others, wanting to die, and having great guilt or shame.” Other warning signs may include some changing behaviors such as “making a plan or researching ways to die, displaying extreme mood swings, eating or sleeping more or less, using drugs or alcohol more often, withdrawing from friends, saying goodbye, giving away important items or making a will,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Individuals struggling also might note feeling “empty, hopeless, trapped or having no reason to live; extremely sad, more anxious, agitated, or full of rage.” “We have been doing this training for at least the past two years and have found that it has been effective in making talking about suicide less intimidating and more accessible for college students,” Deatherage said. To receive more training on helping those struggling with mental health, the university is offering Mental Health First Aid for STLR credit. The session is on Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students can sign up on UCore.
Sweet Charity, “a stunning performance,” closes at UCO Lyric Peterson Copy Editor
The University of Central Oklahoma closed their production Sweet Charity on Sunday at the Mitchell Hall Theater. Directed and choreographed by Broadway’s Brian Marcum and assisted by Broadway’s Eloise Kropp, it starred UCO’s dynamic and spirited performers. Sweet Charity tells the story of Charity Hope Valentine, a hopeful romantic – poignant and adventurous-always giving her heart to the wrong guy. She works at the Fandango Ballroom with her sassy friends Helene and Nickie where they are paid to dance with men. Though circumstance may not seem to favor Charity, her misfortunes leave her with unfailing optimism that allows her to leave her decidedly undesirable job as a Taxi Dancer. Charity sings, laughs, cries and dances her way through a grandiose adventure. The in-person crowd was quaint, socially distanced and masked. Behind the masks was a hopeful and energetic audience filled with lots of outbursts in laughter and cheering, and rightfully so. Charity, played on Saturday night by UCO freshman Saoirse Ryhn, was a burst of fresh air – full of energy, poised and inviting. She perfectly depicted Charity with high-pitched embellishments, lovely voice and her strong dance technique, pairing perfectly with her best friends Helene and Nickie whose performances captivated the audience with their sassy attitudes. Helene, played by Maya Cook, a senior at UCO, was a sultry and brassy dancer with a big belt and had a strong presence on
UCO Musical Theater performers sing and dance on stage at Mitchell Hall on Saturday, March 6. (Lyric Peterson/The Vista)
stage. Nickie, played by Jessica Cajina, a junior at UCO, was a delight. Cajinia depicted a true New Yorker attitude with the voice and dance skills to back it up. UCO MT department could not have cast a better pairing for that night’s show. After an anxious wait for the UCO female ensemble performance of “Big Spender” the performance sent chills through the audience. It was every amount of sultry you would expect for a hit number like that, but these young performers gave more than expected. UCO’s composition of the song combined with the lighting, costumes and the silky voices created
a stunning performance. Costume Designer Alyssa Couturier and her team lived up to the well-known rumors of the UCO Costume Department being the best. These unique ’60s designs and stylish pairings had me wishing I owned an outfit like that myself. Overall, the performance was astounding, special thank you to the cast and crew who were able to captivate Sweet Charity in a refreshing light and bring life to a stage that has been longed for over the past year. Lyric Peterson is the copy editor and digital media editor for The Vista.
8 | The Vista
March 9, 2021
Review
The moment that Wanda, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and Vision, played by Paul Bettany, switch from black and white to color in the Disney+ series. (Provided/Marvel Studios)
WandaVision simply a fun ride Mockumentary won’t affect much in Marvel landscape
Ty Wallace
Contributing Writer
Last Friday the series finale of WandaVison aired on Disney+. The show gripped America for the 8-week span that it ran, with 9 episodes total. At the start of WandaVision, Wanda and Vision are living in a 1950s sitcom. SPOILERS In Episodes 1 and 2, there are a few moments into them that nod to something being off, but the hints are pretty shallow. Like the toy helicopter in episode 2. I think these small hints are fun for awhile the show is coming out week by week, but fall flat in a full season release. I will note that throughout these episodes, the writing felt perfect, these sitcom plotlines feel like they match the decades they are meant to reflect perfectly. Episode 3 is where the show picks up the plot a little and by the end of the episode, we see Geraldine land out in the middle of a field, and the aspect ratio changes to a more modern fit. This transition made me audibly gasp, even though I knew something similar would happen. It was just done so well, I think the ominous sound as the aspect ratio moved was what really brought it all together. Episode 4 finally gives a mountain of context for what is actually happening in the real world. While it was
interesting at the time, this episode essentially fills in all of the questions we have about the previous oddities from the first three episodes. Other than that, not a ton of mystery. Episode 5 follows the family into the 1980s. At the end of the episode, a “recast” Quicksilver, played by Evan Peters, who played Quicksilver in Fox’s X-Men: Days of Future Past is revealed. This sparked waves of questions from fans, but it turned out to be nothing in the long run. Episode 6 shows that Pietro knows about Wanda’s new reality she’s created, and questions why she’s doing it. This brings the viewer to look more into Pietro. What part does he play in this? Ultimately a letdown. Episode 7 brings us to a 2010 themed sitcom complete with mockumentary interviews. Here it’s revealed that Agnes is actually Agatha Harkness and that she’s been behind some of the odd things within the hex. As for the sitcom part of the episode, Wanda is depressed, which makes all of the jokes of the sitcom barely miss the mark, but this feels intentional. As the viewer we are so accustomed to these sitcom formats that when they are bent in a negative way, it feels incredibly wrong, in just the right way. In Episode 8, Wanda relives her life, a trip that feels like nothing new for the viewer, especially this late in the season, but we learn Wan-
Teyonah Parris is double-cast in WandaVision as Monica Rambeau and Geraldine. She first appears in “Don’t Touch That Dial.” (Provided/Marvel Studios)
da is the Scarlet Witch. We already knew she was the Scarlet Witch, but it did not feel like dramatic irony. I feel like that it could have been brought up in a way that would have made this reveal more impactful. The series finale, Episode 9, seems to squeeze all of the remaining plot into this final 49-minute episode. Vision’s fight was particularly interesting, because if Vision had a fight with himself, of course it would be through logic and conversation. At the end, the goodbye scene did not sit right with me. She knows that she’s going to lose her kids and Vision, but she simply tucks them into bed and says goodbye. A mother would be much more attached to her children. As for Vision, he gets much more emotion from her. Overall, the show felt a little backheavy. The start just didn’t have a ton of plot progression compared to the final episodes, where almost everything happens. I also felt like the show tried to lead us in the direction
of something more sinister when it really was just Wanda dealing with her grief. I think that the concept of her grieving is perfectly fine, but the direction just gave a lot of unnecessary weight to questions that did not have the payout they needed. The show also underutilized Monica Rambeau after she got her powers. I know that Wanda needed to have her storyline wrap up and that they did not want to give away too much about Monica’s abilities, but Monica was a big part of the storyline throughout the entire season and it felt like she was just tossed aside after her superpower origins were revealed. The same happened for Pietro after it was revealed he was brought on by Agatha, and not a big reveal for the future of Disney’s X-Men. Overall I think the show is a great ride, but do not read too much into it! Just enjoy each episode, as this show turned out to be much more casual viewing than anticipated.