VOLUME 91 ISSUE 10 by The ULM Hawkeye

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VOLUME 91 ISSUE 10

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ERIC LIEW VISITS INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CENTER OPENING P 8-9

A look back at celebrating campus diversity

P 6-7

April 13, 2015

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

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April 13, 2015

NEWS

CALENDAR Monday, 4-13 Women’s Gold Sub Belt Conference Championship Tournament in Loxley, Ala., through to Wednesday

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Tuesday, 4-14 Baseball vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Pine Bluff, Ark., at 4 p.m. University Chorale Concert in EmyLou Bidenharn Recital Hall from 7:30 9 p.m.

Wednesday, 4-15 Sand Volleyball vs University of New Orleans in Monroe at 2 p.m. Sexual Assault Awareness in Student Center 170 at 2 p.m. Softball vs Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas, at 4 p.m. Baseball vs Northwestern State in Monroe at 6 p.m. Northeast Louisiana Horn Ensemble in Emy-Lou Biedenharn Recital Hall from 7:30 - 9 p.m.

Thursday, 4-16 Women’s Tennis Sun Belt Conference Tournament in New Orleans ULM Wind Ensemble concert in Brown Auditorium from 7:30 - 9 p.m.

Friday, 4-17 Track/Field UCA Open in Conway, Ark., at 9 a.m. through to Saturday Baseball vs Arkansas State in Monroe at 6 p.m.

Saturday, 4-18 Soccer Alumni Weekend in Monroe all day Sand Voleyball vs Tulane in Baton Rouge at 10 a.m. Baseball vs Arkansas State in Monroe at 6 p.m.

QUOTE

“From the moment I picked up your book until I put it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it.”

1 Miami

2 South Carolina

3 South China

4 Instanbul

(MCT) — One in three black residents in Miami is now an immigrant, a reflection of a nationwide trend that shows immigrants making up a rising share of the country’s black population, according to a new Pew Research Center study. Perhaps not surprising, most of the black migration in Miami and across the country has come from the Caribbean where President Barack Obama traveled this week on the first presidential visit to Jamaica in three decades. “We are not just nations, we’re also neighbors,” Obama told the crowd at the University of West Indies in Jamaica. “Tens of millions of Americans are bound to the Caribbean and the Americas through ties of commerce, but also ties of kin.” The number of black immigrants in the United States has more than quadrupled since 1980.

(MCT) — Prosecutors in South Carolina plan to go to a local grand jury with the case of the former North Charleston police officer who shot and killed a black man during a traffic stop. The soonest the case could be presented to a grand jury is May 4, according to the prosecutor’s office. The former officer, Michael T. Slager, is being held on a charge of murder in connection with the shooting death of Walter L. Scott on Saturday. Slager is not expected to appear in court again for weeks. “My role is to hold accountable those who harm others unlawfully, regardless of profession,” prosecutor Scarlett Wilson said in a prepared statement. “This office does not dictate nor comment upon police policy, training and procedure. I am, however, deeply concerned when those who are sworn to serve and protect violate the public’s trust.”

(MCT) — The pace at which China is building islands in the South China Sea has been shown by satellite photos lending weight to claims by U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Harry Harris that China is building a “great wall of sand.” The photos, published by an initiative of the Washington- based Center for Strategic and International Studies, focus on China’s reclamation efforts in the Spratly Islands on Mischief Reef, a feature also claimed by Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan. Artificial islands could help China anchor its territorial claims and potentially develop bases in waters that host some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. Disputes over the South China Sea, of which China claims about four-fifths under a so-called nine-dash line drawn on a 1940s map, have escalated as China expands the reach of its military.

(MCT) — Two Turkish journalists could face up to 4 1/2 years in prison for publishing a cartoon from the French satirical magazine Charli Hebdo featuring the Islamic prophet Mohammed, the reporters said Thursday. Ceyda Karan and Hikmet Cetinkaya were both accused of spreading hatred and insulting religious values. “The media in Turkey is facing pressure,” Cetinkaya told dpa. He said his newspaper, the leftist-nationalist Cumhuriyet, had published the image as an act of solidarity after the attack on Charlie Hebdo’s offices in Paris in January, which left 12 people dead. Cetinkaya said he hoped for a fair trial and had not lost faith that the rule of law governs Turkey. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has denounced the paper, saying publishing the cartoon was a “provocation.”

Florida’s black population rises

TODAY IN HISTORY

Officer faces murder charges

Satellite photos show sand wall

Writers pay for cartoon cruelty

Coming together under one roof!

April 13 837: Best view of Halley’s Comet in 2000 years 1870: The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in New York City 1960: The first navigational satellite was launched into Earth’s orbit 1998: Dolly, the world’s first cloned sheep, gave natural birth to a healthy baby lamb Birth: Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, is born in 1743

Groucho Marx American comedian

photo by Daniel Russell

image courtesy of MCT campus

Guests congregate inside of the newly opened International Student Center at the ribbon cutting ceremony on March 31.

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THE UNIVERSITY TY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

April 13, 2015

NEWS

ULM welcomes new SGA officers

BRIEFS

Professor’s art work recognized at exhibit Joni Henry Noble, associate professor in the University of Louisiana at Monroe School of Visual and Performing Arts, displayed her work at The Big Easel juried Art Competition. The exhibit took place on April 11 in Lafayette. Noble was Noble excited and honored to be a part of the competition. The artwork selected included black and white pictures of cities she visited including Berlin, Paris and London.

Student’s Alzheimers research earns award Loqman Mohamed, a graduate student in the University of Louisiana at Monroe’s School of Pharmacy, was awarded the 2015 Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation Young Investigator Scholarship. Mohamed earned the scholarship after presenting his research on the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. It provides registratioin to attend the annual conference; the opportunity to present at the annual conference; and recognition in the conference program and on the ADDF website.

Students salute Fall 2015-2016 electees by Tyler Smith

As spring welcomes growth and new life, the university welcomes newly elected SGA officers. Laura Knotts, SGA adviser, read off the list of the 2015-2016 officers as the candidates nervously waited to hear their names called. Marc Calhoun was one of them. He won the president seat. Calhoun has years of experience in SGA and currently serves as the secretary. The results left him speechless when he heard his name called. “It brought great excitement after figuring out I won,” said Calhoun, a senior biology major. “Being able to not only return to SGA, but be the leader to help push this great organization to bigger heights, making even greater impacts.” Calhoun is more than sure about the direction he plans to go as president, being more visual on campus. He believes getting students involved by sharing their concerns is something that will progress the campus the way it needs to.

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New SGA President Marc Calhoun listens attentively during weekly meeting.

“Students open up when their engaged and more hands on so we’ll definitely be looking to find the mediator between being hands on and keeping the problems and the concerns of the university first,” Calhoun said. Calhoun is also aware of the issues students are most concerned about. But through the dealing of those issues, he hopes to keep one thing alive, school pride. “We need to figure out ways to get

our students to bleed maroon and gold not only around campus, but at their homes as well,” Calhoun said. Adrian Lejeune presently serves as president and will graduate in May. Calhoun said he has learned many things under her leadership and appreciates the job well done. Chelsea Wyatt is currently the head of campus projects and student services. She said no one is more qualified than Calhoun. “Not only is he about the business

but he is about the people,” said Wyatt. “His leadership skills along with his humble spirit are incredible.” Calhoun said he is eager to begin his duties as president and to start making positive changes. “Get ready to make an impact to the community and to making student’s time at ULM a memory never forgotten,” Calhoun said. contact Tyler Smith at smithtw@warhawks.ulm.edu

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THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

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OPINION HAWKEYE P.O.V.

Spread awareness to make difference Disabilities affect entire families. They change the way people go about their daily lives, the things they do, the way they feel and what they find to be most important. And, of course, life for someone with a disability is hard because they may not necessarily understand that they are different. Trying to limit their lives for their own well-being isn’t something they always understand. With all these families have on their plate, the last thing they need is being gawked and pointed at in public. As adults, we should be able to maturely understand their situation. We should be able to talk to them and listen to them just as we would anyone else, while still being sensitive to their situation. While donating money to discovering more about these illnesses isn’t always an option for some, spreading awareness is one of the best and most effective things we can do. Rather than making headline news of the latest celebrity scandal, the media should focus on representing the disabled and shedding light on each of these illnesses that are not only incurable, but also sometimes undetectable until it has already affected the person. We need to make an effort to understand disabilities before a cure can be found. Understanding begins in families, among friends and within the community.Look to each other for information, research and ask questions. Try to understand the autistic child you see in the grocery store instead of staring uncomfortably. Disabled people are just that: people. They deserve respect, understanding, and help from the community in spreading awareness.

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Stubbs 131 700 University Avenue Monroe, LA 71209 Editor in chief - Ashley Lyons Co-managing editor news - Tyler Smith Co-managing editor design - Breanna Harper Opinion editor - Tejal Patel Freestyle editor - Stacy Reppond Sports editor - Dakota Ratley Photo editor - Joshua Detiege Multimedia editor - Gwendolyn Ducre 318 342 5453 ulmhawkeyead@gmail.com Faculty adviser Dr. Christopher Mapp 318 342 5454 mapp@ulm.edu Feedback 318 342 5453 newsroom 318 342 5452 fax ulmhawkeye@gmail.com

The opinions expressed in personal columns are the opinions of the author and not necessarily the opinions of the editors, staff, adviser or the University. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The Hawkeye’s editorial board, but not necessarily the opinions of the adviser or the University. The Hawkeye (USPS #440-700) is published weekly except vacation, exam & holiday periods by The University of Louisiana at Monroe, 700 University Avenue, Monroe, LA 71209. Annual subscription price is $15.00. Periodicals Postage Paid at Monroe, LA 71203. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Hawkeye, 700 University Ave., Stubbs 131, Monroe, LA 71209-8832.

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April 13, 2015

Racial difference is beauty ASHLEY LYONS On March 6 the first blackout day movement took place across social media to show the beauty of being black. Black men and women all over the world shared their photos to celebrate themselves and where they come from. Movements such as blackout day are important in a society where black or brown people think they are not beautiful because of the color of their skin. Earlier this week, Indian women started their own movement, #reclaimthebindi. This movement showed up right in time for Coachella, where many festival lovers walk around sporting bindis or Native American headdresses. Culture is not a costume. Spirituality is not an accessory. White women are praised and held up as style icons for wearing the same things that brown women are discriminated against and picked on for. Of course these movements didn’t come without some backlash. There were white tears all over the Internet about how racist blackout day is because there can’t be a white-

out day. White people telling black people that this movement only “segregates them further.” What kind of person says that to someone? Is this not 2015? On May 8 there will be an Asian Invasion day to celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage month. I will definitely be partaking in this, as a person of mixed race. As a child, I always understood I was part Asian and wasn’t fully white. But, calling myself mixed race or biracial never seemed right to me. That’s was because I would have kids argue with me about my own heritage. I obviously look very white, but my father definitely isn’t. He’s from Thailand, just like his sister and mother. One day I spoke up about being mixed and was immediately told I was wrong. Wrong about my own bloodline. I was told things like “you’re not mixed, you’re white” and “stop pretending to be Asian, you don’t look Asian.” How is someone supposed to respond to things like that? So I didn’t. As I got older I became more vocal about the Thai part of my family. Why can’t I be both white and Asian? Why do I have to pick one? Oh right, I don’t because that’s what being mixed race means. This is why representation is important. So little kids like the one I was don’t have to feel like they can’t be proud of their background or feel like they look “off.” Representation is important so black women don’t feel like their features or styles are only beautiful if on a

white woman. It’s important for children of color to have people like them to look up to and relate to. No child should ever have to feel like the way they look isn’t the right way. Book characters are assumed white unless stated otherwise. You would be lucky to see more than one black woman in most runway shows. Asian people are still viewed as “exotic.” It’s time to move past that way of thinking. Ignoring culture is not the way to do it. Catering to the people that can’t stand when something isn’t about them is also not the way to do it. If a grown black woman is brought to tears over the sight of a black Disney princess then that says a lot about the lack of representation in the media. White people can do without a whiteout day. After all, just turn on your television or Google image “beautiful women” or “beautiful men” if you want to stare at white people. Representation is important. Especially in a society where being white and skinny seems to be the “default” or the “ideal.” Don’t go skipping around with your flower crown on talking about how there is only one race and that is the human race. No one wants to hear that. Stop trying to erase race and let people to enjoy their culture and the beauty that comes with it. contact Ashley Lyons at harrelcd@warhawks.ulm.edu

Tejal’s Tips To Being Culturally Diverse 1.

Stop being so judgmental. No two people are the same and they all deserve a chance to show you that, regardless of race or nationality. 2. Go to a cultural event. Festivals and fairs are the perfect place to sample international food, dancing, and music, as well as meet different kinds of people. 3. Hang out with the international students and share your own American culture. You’ll learn just as much from them as they will from you. 4. Travel. If the opportunity to hop on a plane and visit a different country presents itself, go. If cultural experiences don’t come to you, you should go to them.

April 13, 2015

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

PAGE 5

OPINION

Depression nothing to be ashamed of

CHADWICK HARRELL Perfection. Striving for it is inevitable. Achieving it is impossible. Hoping for it is without a doubt the fastest way to make yourself miserable. It is a common misconception among this generation that in order to be successful, one must be perfect. Until we realize that the search for perfection and happiness are complete opposites, we will never reach peace. For months now, I’ve been asking myself why I’m generally not happy with my life. As far as I’m concerned, I’m in a good place in life. I’m in school perusing a better life, I’m single and living on my own, I have a great job and my friends are a pretty awesome group of people. So with all this good in my life, why is it that I wake up in the morning with this great feeling of dread? Honestly, I have wracked my brain for months going over every aspect of my life with a fine toothed comb. Today I found the answer. Funny enough, the answer came to me in the form of a completely random meeting with one of my professors. This day will forever burn in my memory as a day of liberation. With one simple phrase he changed my life and I’m sure all he meant to do was motivate me to turn in an assignment that is way overdue. (Thanks by the way) My professor gave me a short speech that I won’t go into detail about. The gist of it is this: I was striving to be perfect and it was draining my ability to do anything because of fear that I wouldn’t achieve it. Striving for perfection isn’t wrong; it keeps us going. But,

allowing failure to cripple you is not healthy, mentally or professionally. When he said those words a light went off in my head. He was exactly right. Without knowing it, I had completely allowed my entire life to shut down because I was afraid of being inadequate. I allowed the stress of life pull me into a deep depression that debilitated my ability to function. After that meeting, I walked around campus and thought about this new information. So, I began doing research. Humans are born with the innate urge to either fight or run. Following the urge to run every time you fail will only drive you into a dull state of being. Atelophobia is the fear of not being good enough or imperfection. I’m no doctor so I won’t diagnose myself (or anyone else), but I was surprised to learn that there is a name for what could possibly be a big problem for so many people. Atelophobia causes severe depression whenever the sufferer feels that they have failed to meet their idea of perfection. It is a recipe for failure because as we all know, perfection is impossible. Failure to meet those perfect standards will cause misery and a loss in self-confidence, which causes a person to avoid any situation or task that he or she perceives as a possible challenge. There are many causes for atelophobia, but the most common is our society’s constant redefining of perfection. We d e fine perfection in some way and then proceed to demand that this standard is met. It’s not on purpose, it is just the human way. Speaking from personal experience, I can say that feeling sucks. I don’t know how many of you are feeling the same as me. I wanted to share an experience with you and hopefully cause a few more lights to go off. The mission to achieve perfection is an aimless one that will only end in disappointment.

I fully expect that the road to accepting a better way to live will be challenging, but I would advise anyone who may suspect they are suffering from atelophobia to seek the help of licensed professionals as a precaution. Depression is not something to be ignored. t is a serious issue that requires more work to get over than one might expect. Our campus has an excellent counseling center whose expenses are covered in your tuition. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, just like allowing yourself to suffer when help is so readily available isn’t smart. contact Chadwick Harrell at harrelcd@warhawks.ulm.edu

image courtesy of MCT Campus

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THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

April 13, 2015

NEWS

Students connect Autism speaks volumes through food by Etta Adams

by Olivia Barfield

Students, faculty and staff from all over the world displayed their cultures through food at ULM’s annual International Food Fair on April 1 in the SUB Ballrooms. The community was invited to join as 13 different countries were represented at the fair. Each country set up a presentation table that displayed their county’s flag and popular cuisine. Many students dressed in their country’s traditional garments to serve their food, and music from all over the world was played. The food at the fair cost 50 cents to $1 per item, and drinks were provided for free. Attendees grabbed plates Lee and bowls to fill up with different food items after buying their tickets, and then walked around the Ballroom to make their purchases. Americans and international students attended the fair. They were exposed to many different cultures no matter where they were from. Shelbi Penny, a sophomore mathematics major from Louisiana, attended the International Food Fair between classes. Her favorite food was hot potatoes from Cameroon. “I enjoy seeing the different qualities and customs of all the cultures,”

Penny said, “ Int e r nat i o n al students get to live in our culture every day, experiencing our food as well as how we Karkee dress, but it’s pretty rare-if ever-that we get to be submerged in their culture and really see all of those qualities from their country. International students that attended the food fair appreciated the chance that it gave them to share their culture. Da Hye Lee, a ULM student from South Korea, helped serve Bulgogi, cucumber Kimchi and Kimbab at the food fair. “I really enjoyed the fair. Trying all cultures’ food is a new experience and it makes a lot of memories,” Hye said. The Nepalese table served chicken dumplings known as ‘Momo’, ‘Aloo chop’, and a chicken curry known as ‘Masoo ladbad.’ Bishal Karkee, a ULM student from Biratnagar, Nepal, enjoyed representing his country at the fair. “I greatly enjoyed the food fair because the wide variety of food from all around the globe was quite an experience, and I was part of the fair. It was good to represent my country ‘s cuisine to a wide range of audience,” Karkee said. contact Olivia Barfield at barfieor@warhawks.ulm.edu

Easter eggs and bunny ears are often associated with the month of April. It is also Autism Awareness Month, something Kristie Stark is very familiar with. Stark’s younger brother has a certain type of autism called Asperger Syndrome, a disorder that “affects the ability to effectively socialize and communicate.” Stark said he often says whatever he’s thinking at the moment, without realizing what he’s saying. “He has a very hard time in all social settings,” said Stark, a sophomore speech pathology major. “What most people define as inappropriate things in normal conversation, he doesn’t see them as that.” Stark said her brother, like most kids with Asperger’s Syndrome, has a hard time making friends, which makes him feel alone and “secluded.” Though he is limited in his social life, Stark said he is very active in his education. There are certain subjects he can’t understand as well as others, but he does well in science and math. Autistic children also tend to have a hobby that they are “borderline obsessed” with. Her brother’s happens to be video games. Stark said she thinks autism is something that communities across the country should learn more about. “It’s frustrating to go somewhere and be stared at, simply because people don’t understand the disability he has,” Stark said. About one in 68 babies will have autism at birth and about 3.5 million Americans live with autism today, according to autismsociety.org. In June 2014, researchers estimated the lifetime cost of caring for a

Helicon

courtesy of Kristie Stark

Sophomore Kristie Stark sits on stair steps with her autistic younger brother, who has Asperger Syndrome.

Did you know? Asperger Syndrome is named after an Austrian pediatrician named Hans Asperger. Autism costs a family $60,000 a year on average Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disorder in the U.S. child with autism is as great as $2.4 million. Autism society also estimates that the United States is facing $90 billion annually in costs for autism. There are many ways to donate to educating and spreading the aware-

ness of autism, but one is to start in your community Another way is to share a personal story to make people aware. contact Etta Adams at adamsee@warhawks.ulm.edu

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

April 13, 2015

PAGE 7

NEWS

Students celebrate international week

Different ethnic groups unify over diversity by Olivia Barfield

Flags of international students’ home countries surrounded the quad and hung from the upper level of the SUB Monday, March 30th as ULM kicked off its First Annual International Week. International Week is a week full of activities and events meant to showcase the different cultures of ULM students from around the world. Sami Owens, director of the international student program, says that students were the driving force behind the event. “Two students approached me with the idea of International Week. Doing something like this has long been on my radar, but when I saw the students’ excitement, I decided to capture it and move forward,” said Owens. Anirudha Dasgupta was glad to see all the different flags on campus.

“People from my country always believe that the U.S. is a melting pot where every person from every culture can realize the American dream, and seeing the different flags of all the different nationalities made me believe that the idea of the melting pot is not a dream but a reality,” said Dasgupta, a sophomore computer science major. International week provided students with an avenue for sharing their culture with the rest of the community. International student Mgbah “Nana” Onyinyechi from Nigeria was very involved in International Week. In her words, International Week is, “to expose Americans to who we are and what we’re about.” Onyinyechi was excited about the week and thankful for the opportunity that it offered for international students. “We’ve gotten so much support from the school board, the International Student Association, and CAB,” said Onyinyechi, a junior psychology major. “It’s great to be able to represent internationals and have a week for

courtesy of Anirudha Dasgupta

Left to Right: Anirudha Dasgupta proudly waves the Indian flag during International Week events. Olivia Barfield shows off Indian design on her hand.

ourselves, and to be able to put up our flags and do fun stuff.” T-shirts featuring flags from around the world were sold all week to support the International Student Association. On Monday, students could participate in several cultural activities during lunch time at Scott Plaza. Belly dancers, henna tattoo artists, and

origami artists were featured as part of the fun. The rest of the week consisted of the grand opening ceremony for the International Student Center. Movie night and karaoke night were also hosted there throughout the course of the week.

photo by Olivia Barfield

contact Olivia Barfield at barfieor@warhawks.ulm.edu

‘Star Trek’ legend lands for Lyceum TV personality talks about Japanese struggles in WWII by Olivia Barfield

Star Trek star, human rights activist, and social media guru George Takei spoke at ULM March 31st as part of the Lyceum Series. The Lyceum Series began in 2003 as a way to “promote intellectual exchange among ULM students, faculty, staff and the community, according to the ULM website. The series has hosted authors, political authorities, journalists, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and other distinguished personalities. Last year’s Lyceum featured ice cream entrepreneurs Ben and Jerry. Brown Auditorium was full of attendees eager to hear Takei speak. Takei spoke of his time in an internment camp during World War II, his involvement in political campaigns, his career, and human rights issues. Takei spent about three years in internment camps for Japanese-Americans during his childhood. He was one of more than 100,000 JapaneseAmericans who were forced to immigrate to the camps after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor,

produce the play “Allegiance” about the Japanese internment camps. The play is scheduled to premiere on Broadway this fall. Takei also uses social media to remember the internment camps. His objective is to grow an audience that is knowledgeable about that occurrence in history. “You can’t learn from history if you don’t know your history,” said Takei. Xin You Chen, a sophomore communications major, pointed out that Takei spoke of his childhood for greater purposes than to gain pity. “His stories of his childhood were sad, yet he made sure the story was told to elicit empathy, not sympathy, because he truly wanted raise awareness about the encampment,” said Chen. Some students received the opportunity to meet Mr. Takei by working the event. Dustin Hickman was one of those students. Hickman not only enjoyed meeting Mr. Takei, but he also enjoyed hearing him speak. courtesy of Dustin Hickman “I think the best thing about Mr. Takei coming Sophomore Dustin Hickman takes photo with Star Trek legend George Takei backstage at brown to the school was that he had a little bit for auditorium. everybody,” said Hickman, a sophomore finance which initiated America’s involvement in World about his “childhood imprisonment,” but could major. War II. One camp that Takei stayed at was close not find any information about the camps “Whether you are a Star Trek fan, a history to Monroe, in southeastern Arkansas. recorded in history books. buff, or someone that is deeply interested in civil Takei serves as an advocate for several issues, “We need to have more people that know rights issues, he had something that you could one of them being preserving the history of the about that chapter of America. Too many people relate to.” internment camps in America. He recalled his know nothing about it,” Takei said. contact Olivia Barfield at teen years in which he wished to learn more Takei has spent years working with others to barfieor@warhawks.ulm.edu

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

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April 13, 2015

NEWS

Students gather for grand opening

Eric Liew speaks about making of new building, his dreams for future by Ashley Lyons

Over 30 years and a million dollars later, flags can now wave proudly before ULM’s International Student Center. The flags, which are often swapped out, represent the international students on campus. The American flag and Malaysian flag stand side by side to represent the unity of cultures on campus and the power of people coming together to help one another. Liew, the million-dollar man and ULM alumni, arrived from Malaysia over 30 years ago not quite sure what to expect from an American university. He didn’t have much and walked to a Piggly Wiggly to buy hot dogs and milk. When he returned to his dorm, he discovered there was no refrigerator. He kept his groceries in the scarce snow outside. Liew is now the CEO of AOSS Medical Supply, Inc. and has come back to make sure that international students are cared for. “Thirty years ago seems like yesterday. When I first came here I could speak little English and experienced the same thing that every international student who comes here for there education does,” Liew said. Back then there were around 2,000 international students attending ULM. Currently there are only 400. Liew’s dream is to bring that number back. “I hope every international student understands that if I could do it you can too,” Liew said. And that’s exactly what Senior Nabin Timilsina hopes for himself and many Timilsina others just like him. Timilsina said this is about more than Liew’s money. It’s about his heart. “I want to be him some day. He is my inspiration. I look up to him as a good person with a big heart. A person who has the heart to give one million dollars to other people,” Timilsina said. Timilsina arrived at the ribbon cutting ceremony on March 31 with his nerves disguised behind a sharp suit. He said he didn’t expect the event to be so big, as he looked over a crowd full of students and faculty. Timilsina said his blood was pumping faster than usual. But when he stepped up to the podium he looked into the eyes of Liew and Nick Bruno and decided that he had nothing to be nervous about. “I spent a couple minutes trying to figure out what I might be saying then when I came here I saw so many VIPs around me and I said forget it. This is my building, these are my people and I’m going to say whatever I like to say,” Timilsina said as people laughed and cameras clicked. Timilsina arrived at ULM four years ago and is now president of the International Student Association. “When I first got here I was really nervous because I had never seen a school this big. The first couple of weeks I used to get lost,” Timilsina said. On his first day he forgot how to get back to his apartment and

The Hawkeye Preview:

photos by Breanna Harper

Left: Alex Norris grabs for a bag in the bungee run. Above: Josh Rogers (left) and George May (right) take aim during the foam ball shoot.

walked around for a couple of hours until someone helped him. “When I look back it really feels good to be apart of those challenges,” Timilsina said. He hopes to one day use his academics and leadership skills to go into education or politics. Timilsina said he is grateful for ev-

Alpha week comes to campus

erything Liew has done. “Despite having budget cuts in the state of Louisiana, we have this unique building, which a lot of schools in the United States don’t have,” Timilsina said. At the ribbon cutting ceremony, the key to the van donated by Interstate Dodge was passed on to Bruno. “The van completes the dream. We will now pick them up from the airport, bring them here, welcome them with open arms and let them get their feet planted,” said Sami Owens, the director of the international student program. Owens said in the past they would have to pick up the students from the airport and drop them off in an empty dorm room with bare walls and nothing but a mattress. “Now, that will change,” Owens said.

contact Ashley Lyonsat lyonsar@warhawks.ulm.edu

Sexual Assault Awareness workshop

ULM prepares for Oozeball

April 13, 2015

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

PAGE 9

NEWS

photos by Breanna Harper

The Village program update

Pharmacy studet reflects on time at St. Jude

Students gear up for Spring Fever concert

The Hawkeye Preview:

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

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April 13, 2015

FREESTYLE

Graduate goes from alumnus to author Chris Hunter reflects on university’s influence on his murder mystery novel by Stacy Reppond

His pen darts across the lined page of his notepad as ideas flood Chris Hunter’s head. On that couch inside the chapel of the Methodist campus ministry, his thoughts ignite the spark for a draft of his first Christian murder mystery novel. The Wesley Foundation’s influence extends past the recent graduate’s novel called “Engaged To Be Murdered” on to his work that continues today. This novel follows 22-year-old graduate student James Ellis who returns to his “idyllic” hometown of Carrington, Louisiana, for a master’s degree. When his childhood friend Corey Andrews finds his fiancée murdered in her apartment, Ellis joins the search for her killer.

Even with an intense plot, Hunter designs Ellis with “his own flaws and imperfections” as relatable to readers. “I wanted to make him seem like a person that you know,” Hunter said. The book opens Hunter’s “Grad School Can Be Murder” series that could include “at least” 16 books. After his undergraduate career at Louisiana Tech University, Hunter attended classes at ULM in the summer of 2010 before entering the graduate program fulltime that fall. Hunter received his master’s degree in business administration in December 2012. Hunter remembers learning about online publishing in an article from one of his marketing courses. His time as a Warhawk was the basis for much of “Engaged To Be Murdered.” The book is set in a town comparable to Monroe with scenes at a similar university. He also patterned some characters after people he’s met here. Though initial drafts surfaced while

at ULM, the novel came together 2 years after he graduated. Hunter decided to revisit drafts set aside and challenge himself to write mystery fiction. “I wanted to channel my energy into a field of writing that I didn’t think I would pursue,” Hunter Hunter said. Hunter created Ellis’ friends, Miguel Rodriguez and Corey Andrews, from the likes of his actual friends from the Wesley. His inspiration to publish answered his question: “Now that I’ve finished college, what am I supposed to do now?” The “cozy mystery” genre allowed him to tap into his creativity and imagination. They don’t load down readers with much police jargon, forensics or gore. The genre always captured his interest, and his exposure in high school to authors such as Mary Higgins Clark fostered it.

Hunter’s novel stemmed from how he, as a young African-American male, felt mystery novels lack diversity in characters. The novel also served to share his Christian faith that’s “carried [him] through difficult times.” Tinsley Anderson, a junior English major, sees the personal impact the university had on him. “There are endless options for setting, characters and themes, but Chris’ decision to use the likeness of ULM throughout his novel speaks volumes about our university and the positive impact it has on its students,” Anderson said. She also said his success “shines a light of hope” on students who also seek for their works to be published. “Chris Hunter’s success will give inspiration to not only English majors, but also to any ULM student hopeful of achieving a lifelong dream,” Anderson said. contact Stacy Reppond at repponsm@warhawks.ulm.edu

Majors might not matter after college by Etta Adams

Most college students likely can’t go through a spring family reunion without that one question from an older relative. “What are you going to do with your life after graduation?” This question arrives after the popular pair of “What’s your major? What are you going to do with that?” Today’s students enter college with the possibility that their careers might divert from their degrees. Recent trends suggest that this does not always hinder graduates hunting for jobs. More jobs today only require an undergraduate degree and don’t specify a required field of study. In fact, a Washington Post article said 27 percent of students actually enter a work field that required their degree. This is based off a 2010 American Community Survey by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Of course, some students’ paths don’t just

end at the undergraduate level. Bailey Patton, a junior biology major, said she plans to go to medical school where she hopes to becomes a plastic surgeon though unsure of her desired concentration. “I’ve always had such a fascination with it. The idea of being able to help people improve their Patton self-esteem and self-confidence is such a thrill to me,” Patton said. Other students have multiple directions in mind for post-college life. Ashton Mason is a junior secondary education major with a biology concentration. Mason said she has several ideas for post-graduation. Mason will return to her hometown in Natchez, Mississippi, where she plans on teaching at a local junior high or high school.

She envisions teaching “biology, life science, anatomy and physiology, algebra, pre-algebra or geometry. The plan is to be as flexible of a teacher as possible.” Mason said she then hopes to come back to ULM after teaching for a couple of years and earn an online master’s degree in education administration. After this, she plans to become a headmaster or a principal. “I’d really like to be part of the reformation of education in Louisiana, Mississippi or surrounding states,” Mason said. Though the choice of major might not carry as heavy an influence as in past years, recent ULM graduate Hope Barton said she can understand the trend. “More students are pursuing majors in things they are passionate about instead of the job prospects. And there is nothing wrong with that,” Barton said. Barton said that knowledge in a wide variety of fields will aid any applicant and help them to establish a unique background.

Her advice for a student looking toward the future, regardless of major, includes remaining confident in “what you spent so many years learning.” “Don’t be afraid to do something just for the learning experience,” Barton said. Post-graduate reality doesn’t always meet expectations, as Barton’s experience showed. She said she was surprised by difficulty in finding entry level positions. This is another aspect of the changing job hunt.

Did you know? In 2010, only 62 percent of U.S. college graduates had a job that required a college degree. contact Etta Adams at adamsee@warhawks.ulm.edu

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

April 13, 2015

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FREESTYLE

shley’s ook orner It’s not too late in the year to start a book challenge. There are plenty of fun challenges out there such as Popsugar’s 2015 reading challenge. You could also make up your own. An interesting one that I came across recently was by a woman who said she wanted to spend the year reading books written only by female authors. I thought it would be fun to apply her idea to Popsugar’s reading list when I noticed that amongst the 50 options one of them read, “a book by a female author.” A woman could write any of the options listed. Women write trilogies, science fiction, horror, romance and banned books. So why specify? After all, Mary Shelley created science fiction. I planned to recommend books

written by female authors to show the diversity in women’s writing. But I’m going to do you one better. According to Malinda Lo from diversityinya.com, only nine percent of children and young adult’s books on the New York Times bestseller list in 2013 were by authors of color. Only 15 percent of the books had main characters of color. Lo said the lack of diversity wasn’t surprising. Jamaican-born author Nalo Hopkinson said in a recent interview that books written by people of color still tend to be overlooked by publishers and readers. Following are three books written not only by people of color, but women of color that you should add to your (hopefully long) list of books to read this year.

1. “Men We Reaped”

2. “Voodoo Dreams”

This memoir is about a hard five years of Ward’s life where she lost five young men in her life to drugs, suicide, accidents and the life that comes with living in poverty. Ward questions why these things have happened when she realizes it’s because of where they come from and who they are. She writes about how her brother and his friends were ultimately the victims of racism, economic struggle that comes with drug addiction and poor family relationships. In her writing, Ward explores living through the dying that surrounds her.

Who doesn’t love a good Louisiana and voodoo story? For those who aren’t familiar, the book offers a crash course on all things voodoo. This mystery novel is a fiction story about the notorious Marie Laveau who I assume needs no introduction. It’s a quick and fun read that takes place in mid-19th century New Orleans. The book shows the spicy city’s mixture of many cultures at the time. This book is definitely more fiction than fact, but it will rekindle any love affair you may have with the city of New Orleans.

by Jesmyn Ward

by Jewell Parker Rhodes

3. “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” by Grace Lin This is a children’s book, but I chose to include it for any of you that aren’t big readers or just don’t have the time to sit down and enjoy a big book right now. This is a fast and fun book to feed the fantasy lover within you. Minli spends her days working in the fields and her nights listening to her father’s stories about the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon. One day Minli decides to embark on a journey to find the man and encounters magical creatures along the way. contact Ashley Lyons at lyonsar@warhawks.ulm.edu

Please your palate without your passport

Outside of wanting to get my diploma in the next year, it’s always been a goal of mine to travel the world to eat. Yes, just to eat. Food is very similar to art. Like art, there are meanings behind most masterpieces. For every culture, there’s a dish that is prepared for specific occasion of holiday. Food is also known to bond cultures. It’s been shown in historic events and we see it today. Two weeks ago, we got the chance to try different foods from across the pond without actually going across the pond. The international food fair allowed students to come in and eat

food from Greece, India, Japan and Nepal. Being at the food fair got me interested in wanting to know what are different culture’s top popular dishes. Different cultures can be looked at as the many different genres of art. With food, there are comfort food, spicy foods, heathy foods and so on. I just go for taste. I’ve been able to try a few international dishes in the past. Now just because I consider myself to be a food connoisseur doesn’t mean I’ll take fancy in everything I eat. I’ve had good experiences and bad. But I’m not here to talk about the bad. I want to get in the good food that bonds people, nationally and internationally. Some foods are prepared for specific occasions and anytime is a special occasion to eat.

There are four main cultures whose foods I’ve either tried and liked or want to try desperately: Thai, Indian, Creole and Irish. So far, I’ve only had Creole and Irish. But first I must talk about what I know best and that’s good ole Louisiana Creole cooking. Going home for Easter was the best way to start off spring break. I saw family I haven’t seen in years and met new family members. Of course, we all bonded over food on Easter Sunday. Amongst all foods we had present, there was one I couldn’t stop eating, crawfish bisque with stuffed crawfish tails. It wasn’t unusual that we had it, but it was the reasoning for it. My uncle said it’s a old tradition to have it for Easter. The savory tasting dish is cooked like a stew

or étouffée with crawfish, celery, brown roux for the base and many different peppers. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser. While in New York, I tried Irish food prepared by Ireland natives. Something definitely caught my eye, corned beef and cabbage. The dish had the corned beef over a bed of red skin potatoes with a creamy white wine sauce. I wasn’t expecting the beef to come sliced or have a sour tangy tenderness. It wasn’t my favorite. But the cabbage and potatoes covered in the white wine sauce evened out its sourness. The wine sauce was very similar to homemade alfredo sauce. Different pub’s chefs make their sauce differently. The sauce is cooked with heavy whipping cream, white wine and flour. It’s very easy to make. You could even make this base for some fresh shrimp or chicken fettuccine. It’s your call. Let the kitchen be your canvas and go be an artist. contact Gwendolyn Ducre at ducregk@warhawks.ulm.edu

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THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

April 13, 2015

FREESTYLE

‘Furious 7’ wins box office race

The “Fast and Furious” series has grown into a blockbuster franchise and will be solidified even more when it hits the billion-dollar mark at the box office. I’ve been saying for months that this is the F&F movie that will break into the billion-dollar club, and it’s halfway there in just one week. Some people may be scratching their heads wondering how a Fast and Furious film could ever do that, but it’s actually easy to see why. “Furious 7” is the best in the series (with “Fast Five” being its only real competition). Most fans of the series will agree. This is the one that takes what was already over-the-top more overthe-top. The dialogue is action-flick cheesy but in an enjoyable way. Several quips and one-liners are testosterone-filled at times and hilarious at other times. The action is absolutely preposterous at times and as you can imagine, glorious fun. The crew destroyed 230 cars in the making of this film. If that doesn’t signify something crazy is going to happen, then I don’t know what does. This film contains more fight sequences than a UFC pay-perview. All of the fights feel exhilarating, well-choreographed and welcomed rather than forced. It’s got so many great fights between famous actors. Tony Jaa is

by far the best when it comes to those scenes. The cast is huge in terms of celebrities an audience member will recognize. The regular F&F crew is there, but they also hired famous actors for extra-type jobs. You see a cameo every ten minutes. They spared no expense making sure you recognized every character with a line of dialogue. At times, this felt like a sequel to The Expendables. “Furious 7” picks up right where “Fast & Furious 6” left off, but it’s accessible even if the first movie of the franchise you’ve seen. It never hurts to have seen some of the previous films in the series, but I don’t think a viewer could get so lost they don’t know what is happening. It’s blatantly obvious at times. This film directed by James Wan follows Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker), Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and the rest of their gang. They must work together to stop an ex-British Special Forces soldier (Jason Statham) from hunting them down. Though obviously aimed at the male demographic, I would argue that everyone would find something enjoyable about this film. “Furious 7” offers insane actions sequences, the message that “family is everything” and the thrill of the ride. I recommend this to everyone. I also recommend viewing it with a group of friends, so you can pick up on the jokes and references together. I’m certain my friends and I having fun with the small things throughout enhanced my theater experience with “Furious 7.” All considered, it’s the first blockbuster of the year and it delivers. The editing and restructuring must have been an insane juggling act due to Paul Walker’s death. Considering this, they did a fantastic job. The only thing that bugged me was the use of too many Dutch Angles in terms of camera work. If you don’t know what that is, then do yourself a favor and keep it that way, you’ll enjoy more movies. The plot isn’t the strongest or most sensible, but I don’t think F&F is going for an Oscar here. Leave reality at the door when

image courtesy of MCT Campus

Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) aims his weapon in the “Furious 7” film released in theaters April 3.

you walk in the theater, and just enjoy “one last ride.” Knowing Paul Walker’s fate going in makes it bittersweet to watch as the last movie he’ll star in. For a movie that included a car flying between buildings, cars dropping out of planes and a man breaking out of a cast, it had one of the best send-offs for someone ever. “Furious 7” currently holds 82 on Rotten Tomatoes, and I’m giving it 4/5 stars for sheer awesomeness.

contact Patrick Pierce at piercepw@warhawks.ulm.edu

Culture local

state

Chennault builds Efforts begin to bridge to future transform town Chinese tourism into French hub Chennault Aviation and Museum Director Nell Calloway met with Chinese officials on a trip to discuss the U.S.-Chinese relationship and cooperative history in World War II. Calloway plans to continue visits to try to provide future Chinese tourism opportunities.

One Louisiana town will revisit its French cultural heritage. Preservation experts revealed plans to transform the small, historical community of Arnaudville into a “French immersion hub” through local artists, businesses and French speakers and students.

nation

Coachella festival stirs controversy Various groups accused “appropriators” at the annual music and arts festival of turning their cultures into “music festival costumes.” They formed the “Reclaim the Bindi” social media movement. This movement will “flood”the hashtags #reclaimthebindiweek and #coachellashutdown from April 10 to 19 along with cultural posts and pictures.

April 13, 2015

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

PAGE 13

FREESTYLE crossword Across 1 Software versions that probably have bugs 6 Deer sir? 10 Long-running TV forensic series 13 Reason for some food recalls 14 Tractor brand 15 Gavel sound 16 King of ragtime 18 California’s Santa __ Mountains 19 2,000 pounds 20 Lee in the frozen foods section 21 Gives off 23 Presley film set in Sin City 26 Noisy insect 29 Seuss’ “Horton __ a Who!” 30 In any way 31 Artist Francisco 33 Right-angled pipes 36 Penalty flag thrower 37 Sincere 40 Promise to repay, for short 41 The “E” in FEMA: Abbr. 43 Fez and fedora 44 Speaks scratchily 46 “Sour grapes” storyteller 48 Multi-room accommodations

49 One chasing outlaws for money 53 Domed home 54 Zip, as a Ziploc 55 Static jolt 58 Bikini top 59 Counter wipers, or what the starts of 16-, 23- and 49-Across are 63 Lanai wreath 64 Preface, briefly 65 Yeas and nays 66 Mass. clock setting 67 Mix, as a salad 68 Make into a statute Down 1 Unsurpassed, or surpass 2 Danish shoe company 3 Animated character 4 Mountain hgt. 5 Isn’t used, as machinery 6 Leaf under a petal 7 Phone book no. 8 Tycoon Onassis 9 Swiss convention city 10 Site for online bargain hunters 11 Legendary sleigh rider 12 “Not interested” 14 Animated kid explorer

17 Morning cup 22 For a __ pittance 23 Actor Kilmer 24 “Now I remember” 25 Caspian and Black 26 Handle with __ 27 Gossip column couple 28 17-Down with hot milk 31 Boardroom diagram 32 Toronto’s prov. 34 More than trot 35 Figure (out), slangily 38 Shout between ships 39 Soul mate 42 Nevada city 45 Word before base or ball 47 “Cut that out!” 48 Fantasy baseball datum 49 Holy Scriptures 50 Fairy tale baddies 51 Password creators 52 Fictional sleuth Wolfe 55 Second of four rhyming Greek letters 56 Actor Baldwin 57 Hissed “Hey!” 60 “Is that __?”: “Are you declining?” 61 Pair in a qt. 62 Took first place

last week’s crossword

“Words and pictures are yin and

yang.

Married, they produce a progeny more interesting than either parent.” Dr. Seuss, American author

did you know? • The first crossword puzzle appeared in the New York World on Dec. 21, 1913 • The creation of crossword puzzles is called “cruciverbalism” • The corner squares of a crossword puzzle must be white in Japan

PAGE 14

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

April 13, 2015

SPORTS

Warhawks take 2nd place Baseball drops Athletes take conference series total of 13 gold medals at meet

by Dakota Ratley

Warhawk track and field ran away from the Demon Triangular with 13 first-place finishes. The meet brought out three schools from northern Louisiana. ULM, Northwestern State and Louisiana Tech were all in attendance. The standings were identical in both the men and women competitions. NSU won both divisions, ULM took second and La Tech finished last. Both the Warhawk men and women took first place finishes in the 4x400 relay. The women also grabbed first place in the 4x100 relay. The ULM women got many first place finishes. Ke’Andrea Wilson won first in the 100 meter dash, Brianna Reid finished first in the 400 meter hurdles and Kristin Baudoin got a win in the pole vault. Adriunna Brown placed first in the long jump. Andrew Tate led off the men with a win in the 400 meter dash. Vinnie Van Puyvelde grabbed first in the 800 me-

photo courtesy of ULM Athletics

Brianna Reid outruns a NSU hurdler during her win in the 400 meter hurdles.

ter. Andre Phillips took a first place finish in the 400 meter hurdles. First place was also won by Corey Wesley in the triple jump, Jevaughn Shaw in discus and Joey Womack in javelin. The Warhawks will be in action again this weekend at the UCA open

in Conway Arkansas. ULM will then participate in the NSU Leon Johnson Invite in Nactchitoches before heading to Gulf Shores, Ala. for the Sun Belt Championships. contact Dakota Ratley at ratleydl@warhawks.ulm.edu

Warhawk baseball dropped two conference games over the weekend to Georgia State. The Warhawks took a 2-0 lead into the third inning. Friday night. A lightning delay stopped the game. The weather never cleared and the game was put on hold until Saturday. The Panther bats came alive in the fourth inning, getting five runs home. Three runs were off of a home run by Cam Sperry. Georgia State would score once in the fifth to grab a four run lead. The teams would trade runs in the eighth to move the score to 7-3 with the Warhawks up at the top of the ninth. ULM would make a run in the final inning. The Warhawks were able to load up the bases. Garret Walters scored one with an RBI groundout. Jacob Stockton got a two-RBI hit that brought the game to a one run differ-

Game 1 7-6

Warhawk basketball back to winning

Men’s basketball gets to pride itself on something it hasn’t been able to

claim in quite a while: a successful season. When the clock ran out on the Warhawks against Loyola, it didn’t seem like such a bad thing. You obviously want to finish the season with a win, but when there is a turnaround as big as ULM’s you have to be happy. This team was in such a dark place. The team’s win totals could be counted on one’s hands. The team collected seasons with win totals of seven, three and four. Finally, last year the team racked up ten wins. That was just the beginning. The Warhawks pulled out 24 wins this year. That’s the sum of the past four years. Those teams were all hamperd by ac-

ademic sanctions. Those sanctions left the Warhawks with barely enough players to even put a team on the floor. Head coach Keith Richard spoke many times about how much this team had to be proud of. No one really gave this team a chance to be the success it was. It was picked to finish sixth in the Sun Belt. The Warhawks finished third. The Sun Belt tournament left a sour taste in the Warhawks’ mouth. Sure, the third seed was left out of the title game for the first and second seeds. However, all three teams were evenly matched throughout the year. The CBI gave ULM the chance to play again. The team did not disappoint. The postseason run was impressive and gave even more future confidence in the

program. ULM will now have to deal with something it hasn’t had in a long time. Expectations will now press the basketball team for even more postseason success. That’s the catch of improving. The team has shown it is capable of winning. The pressure is now on to be consistent. Whether or not the team will be up to the challenge is yet to be seen. However, for the moment, we should enjoy the amount of success this year brought. This season was truly one of the best in ULM’s history. Welcome back, Warhawks. You’ve been missed. contact Dakota Ratley at ratleydl@warhawks.ulm.edu

COLOR DASH 5K SATURDAY MAY 2ND Forsythe Park Race starts at 9:00am. Packet pickup Friday, May 1st at Dick’s Sporting Sporting Goods from 4-6pm. Race day packet pickup starts at 8am. Register online at www.ynela.org. For more information, please see our Color Dash & Healthy Kids Day Page on our website, or call 318-387-9622. YMCA OF NORTHEAST LOUISIANA 1505 Stubbs Avenue, Monroe LA 71201 P 318 387 9622 F 318 703 3626 !

ence. Georgia State would end the rally, and the game, with the score 7-6. Game two saw the Warhawks again get off to an early 2-0 lead. ULM scored on a Stockton RBI hit in the second inning. Stockton scored in the fifth inning by a RBI single from Robbie Podorsky. A Georgia State homer in the fifth evened the score. The Panthers would take the lead in the sixth. The home team plated three runs to grab a 5-2 lead. The score would remain the same until a homer in the ninth bumped the Warhawks up a run. Down by the score of 5-3, ULM was not able to take advantage of having a pair of runners on base. Going into Sunday’s game the Warhawks were 17-17 on the year with a 5-9 mark in conference play. Georgia State moved to 21-15 this season with a 10-3 record in the Sun Belt. contact Dakota Ratley at ratleydl@warhawks.ulm.edu

Game 2 5-3

Did you know?

Men’s basketball’s change from a 10-17 record to a 24-14 mark was the third biggest turnaround in the country.

PAGE 15

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

April 13, 2015

SPORTS

The assassin from Eldoret Tylor Ongwae takes over the court, Monroe by Dakota Ratley

A young kid steps back behind the three-point line. He shoots the basketball. It finds the bottom of the net. The court is outside, the game is in Kenya and Tylor Ongwae is really good at basketball. Ongwae was 15 years old whenever he picked up the game. So, how does a kid who picked up the game at 15 outplay those that have been playing since five? Hard work, Ongwae says. “I know I’m behind because I started late,” he says, “I work hard, I put a lot of time working on my game.” Ongwae attended Friends School Kamusinga in Kimilili, Kenya. There he led his school to the national finals after winning the Western province championships in 2009. It was there he caught the eye of coach Tony Mauldin. Mauldin began his career as a

coach in Texas. Eventually, he moved to Kenya. Mauldin talked about how Ongwae caught his eye. He listed the obvious: his 6’8” frame, his ability to shoot from the perimeter and his defense. He also listed another trait that Ongwae has become known for. “He always played better at the end when the game was on the line, that’s a rare trait. Not many kids do that,” he said. Ongwae’s talents soon brought him halfway around the globe to Bossier City. It was there where he began his collegiate career. The Kenyan only suited up for one year for Bossier Parish Community College. In his first year in America, he avaraged 11 for the Cavaliers. It was in BossOngwae ier City where ULM head coach Keith Richard first heard of Tylor Ongwae. Richard sat in on a practice, and took note of his skills. After Cross left for Monroe, Ong-

Stats 2014 -15

“If you want the definition of a studentathlete, it’s Tylor Ongwae.” Keith Richard Head Coach wae went on to Ranger College in Ranger, Texas. He scored 17 points a game in his one year there. It was then that ULM’s head basketball coach Keith Richard decided that Ongwae was ready for Division I. Ongwae did not miss a beat. He averaged 16 points per game against tougher competition. Richard had high praise for Ongwae, not just for his efforts on the court, but on campus. “If you want the definition of a student-athlete, it’s Tylor Ongwae.

That’s who he is,” he said. Richard said that Ongwae emerged as a leader for the team. “He doesn’t take a day off,” Richard said. That kind of work ethic rubbed off on this year’s edition of the Warhawks. Ongwae led the Warhawks from a 10-17 record in his junior year to a 24-14 record in his senior season. That impression was felt by sophomore point guard Nick Coppola. “When you see someone going so hard out there it really gives you know choice but to follow his lead,” he said. “He’s one of the best players I’ve ever played with.” The leadership gave the Warhawk basketball one of its best seasons in school history. ULM was able to grab the three seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. Georgia Southern ended that dream in the semifinals. ULM fell to the Eagles 44-43. That was one of the hardest games for Ongwae. He was held scoreless. “I didn’t play the way I was expected to play as the leader of the team,” Ongwae said. Coach Richard said that Ongwae took the loss personally.

Ongwae has got his redemption in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). He averaged 20 points over the five games ULM played. He was a key component in the Warhawks reaching the finals of the CBI. More than just scoring, he provided the clutch time performances that Richard he was brought from Kenya for. The Warhawks got through the first three rounds of the CBI, only outscoring opponents by an average of four points. In the game against Eastern Michigan in the first round of the CBI with the game tied with less than a minute to go Ongwae held the ball. He rose up from the floor after stepping back behind the arc. The ball flew from his fingertips and found the bottom of the net. The court was in Monroe, the game was in a postseason tournament and Tylor Ongwae is still really good at basketball. contact Dakota Ratley at ratleydl@warhawks.ulm.edu

Awards 2014-15

Points per game-14

First Team

Rebounds per game-7

All-Sun Belt

Free throw percentage-84%

NABC All-District

Double-doubles-5

Capital One All-District

Career high-27

Second Team All-Louisiana

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE

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April 13, 2015

SPORTS

Softball splits Saturday with Mavs

ULM drops game one, takes game two against UT-Arlington by Dakota Ratley

The Warhawks ended the skid of losses against UT-Arlington Saturday night. Game one featured a dramatic seventh inning in which the Warhawks scored two to bring the game to extras. Head Coach Corey Lyon said that he was proud of the way his team played. “It’s easy to sometimes, you know, fold the tent a little bit. They never did. They fought back,” he said. The Mavericks brought a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh. RBI from Melanie Coy and Faith Bohack would tie the game at 3-3. That score would stay until the Mavericks hit a two-run homer that would put UT-Arlington up for good. The final score in game one was 5-3. The Warhawk offensive came up huge in game two. ULM responded to a two-run top half of the first with a

photo by Joshua Detiege

Head coach Corey Lyon argues with an umpire during Saturday’s earlier game.

five-run bottom half. The Mavericks would threaten the home team in the fourth inning. The Warhawks were able to get out of the inning while only allowing one run. The fifth inning would nearly put the game away for ULM. The Warhawks were able to load the bases for Bohack. The junior came through with a single that cleared the bases after a Maverick error. Miyuki Navarrete would score Bohack on a triple.

UT-Arlington would not go down easy, however. The Mavericks scored two to threaten the Warhawk lead. The home team would close the door on the visitors with the score at 9-5. The Warhawks are now 25-14 heading into Sunday’s matchup with UT-Arlington. The team has a 9-6 record in the Sun Belt with just two series left. contact Dakota Ratley at ratleydl@warhawks.ulm.edu

photo by Joshua Detiege

Sophomore Sidney Coy slides into a base during the double header Saturday.

Top Hawk

Faith Bohack

The junior once again made a huge contribution for the Warhawks. The Texas native played well in both games. In game one Saturday she went 2-4 while knocking in a pair of runs. She also drew a walk. Game two features more of the same. She went 2-4 again. This time Bohack managed to drive in a trio of runs while also scoring a pair of runs herself.

“The thing that I took out of it, I was proud of the fact that the girls fought.” Corey Lyon, Head Coach

photo by Joshua Detiege

Senior Mackenzie Mille makes contact during game one of Saturday’s slate. She finished 5-8 on the day with three runs.