Wednesday, March 6, 2024

ACCEPTANCE RATE DROPS BELOW 35%

UT’s overall acceptance rate is now about half of what it was just two years ago, as more and more out-of-state students are turned away — a move in line with the university’s goal of prioritizing admission for Tennessee residents.

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Letter from the Editor: In the aftermath of 2022

ABBY ANN RAMSEY Editor-in-Chief

My junior year of college stands out in my memory for lots of reasons — I was in my first editorial role at The Daily Beacon, I was on campus for countless hours each day and I was spending more time than ever with my friends. But despite my busy schedule and despite being someone who didn’t necessarily grow up loving sports, one thing about my junior year stands out more than anything else: football.

No matter how much you cared about UT sports, the 2022 football season impacted every student on campus in some kind of way. For most, the feeling of beating Alabama and tearing down the goal posts was electrifying. For many, the mood shifted on campus as the successful football season put a pep in everyone’s step and gave them a reason to wear orange to class more frequently than they would have before.

Sure, there were some people who were not impressed by the success and still didn’t buy into the Vol sports hype, but these people were few and far between. And I bet even they would say campus changed in October 2022. I didn’t get to experience what campus was like before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the postAlabama game campus showed a UT I did not even recognize.

It was exciting in the sense that I love the Vols and grew to enjoy sports more than I did before. But it came with its side effects as the exciting season seemed to align with lots of changes — the university had already been growing beyond its capacity, but then people began applying at unprecedented rates. Out-of-state applications skyrocketed as students longed to be in the SEC football environment, so much so that the acceptance rate plummeted by nearly 30% last February. While many were celebrating the football season, just as many were wondering how it would affect growing issues on campus like housing, parking and general space.

I will pause to note that I’m not saying all of this has to do with football — there are other factors as well, like several of the university’s colleges succeeding more than ever and people’s growing desire to settle down in Knoxville. When you look back at the past two years, though, that football season sticks out as a defining moment in the year in just about everyone’s mind.

Not only did this period of time simultaneously breed excitement and anxiety for people on campus and for me personally — it also made for great news. A decreasing acceptance rate, a historic football team, camping on sidewalks to get apartments, discussions over whether UT is “Harvard now” — what a time and place to be a student journalist.

This year has felt just as exciting in countless ways. But in a few ways, it feels a little bit like we’re just living in the aftermath of a crazy 2022-23 academic year. When regular admission decisions came out, the acceptance rate still dropped, but it was nothing compared to last year’s dramatic plummet. People are still frequently upset about housing and parking and classrooms, but it’s possibly less so than it was last year. This is partially because the university is working to address these concerns, and we’re starting to see some of their solutions come to fruition — even if we just see the beginning signs of a new residence hall. In no way is this aftermath negative.

It’s kind of a unique opportunity to witness the university recovering from a year so distinct in everyone’s memory — and it’s a little bit comical that the success requires some kind of recovery period.

We’re still witnessing the effects of 2022, but in smaller and, at times, less noticeable ways. The idea of all these changes being so slight and so much less extreme this year was clearly modeled through this year’s acceptance rate dropping by about 10% compared to last year’s 30%. It still has a significant impact, but it feels less dramatic and more like something we at the Beacon are already used to reporting on.

From a news perspective, I think we have to dig a little bit deeper than we had to last year to find out what people are concerned about and how the university is changing. But that’s what makes it all the more exciting, and that’s why so many of us chose to pursue journalism in the first place — to find the stories that require digging and dedication.

Thousands of Tennessee fans rushed Shields-Watkins Field in a avalanche of celebration moments after Tennessee took down Alabama. Oct. 15, 2022. File / The Daily Beacon

Women in Construction gives support in male-dominated field

CADEN DYER Staff Writer

Women pursuing a career in construction face a serious disadvantage. A mere 10.8% of the total construction workforce is female, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, making it easy to feel isolated. UT recently welcomed a new student organization, Women in Construction, seeking to change that.

WIC is different from UT’s Construction Science Club, which is open to both men and women.

“The construction club is kind of what everyone is a part of … and that club is huge,” Gracie Orrico, co-president of WIC said. “This is more of an extension off of that.”

Women in Construction was founded by Orrico and Penelope Roccia, both sophomores studying construction science and management. What began as a loose, unofficial hang-out session of girls within the same field of study became a growing group of young women passionate about community and networking.

Orrico and Roccia eventually took the initiative upon themselves to register WIC with the school. Women in Construction became an official UT student organization at the beginning of 2024.

“There’s a lot that goes into registering a new organization. Gracie and I are in meetings constantly,” Roccia said.

Women in Construction meets monthly and holds various events throughout the semester, sometimes hosting female guest speakers as they seek to supply each other with supportive networking opportunities in a male-dominated field.

One such meeting featured a panel discussion. About 20 young women met in a classroom inside the Plant Biotechnical Building on UT’s Agriculture Campus. They were joined by six female experts in the field.

Discussion was open and free-flowing, with many of the students raising their hands to ask specific questions of the panelists. Laughter was heard often, yet the advice given to the young girls was serious and genuine.

“Stand up for yourself and set boundaries,” Katelyn Walker, program coordinator at MBI Companies said. “We’re women in this industry. We’re gonna get all kinds of comments that are maybe not meant to hurt us or meant to cut deep.”

The word “minority” makes us think of skin color, when in reality, “minority” could mean so much more. For WIC, their minority status is as simple as it sounds, yet the impacts they feel are far from

simple.

“We’re at a disadvantage,” Christine Garofalo, project manager at MBI Companies said. “We are expected to be better. … The bar is higher.”

Construction science is the fastest growing major on the AG campus, according to Mia Sampson, a construction science and management major and current junior. She works as a student ambassador for UT and has seen an influx of potential construction students touring the school.

There are 281 construction science and management majors at UT. Thirty of them, or 10.68%, are female. WIC hopes to bring them a strong community and help them learn to rely on each other while also connecting them with the outside world.

Formerly known as Construction Science and Agricultural Systems, Construction Science and Management is a four year degree program offered through the Herbert College of Agriculture. Architecture, business and engineering are blended together along with current construction techniques. Students are expected to have a strong grasp in both math and science, and they are encouraged to find accessible career skills through internships or cooperative work experiences.

For WIC, other majors related to construction science are also welcome. Current member Anna Kate Tibbs is a junior majoring in soil science. She currently has an internship with an engineering company where she focuses on erosion prevention and sediment control. Although different from construction science, her knowledge is necessary for continuation of construction projects like those Sampson is working on.

Support for these young women will continue even after graduation through associations like the National Association of Women in Construction, National Association of Black Women in Construction and Women Construction Owners & Executives, USA. Training programs and further development of technical skills are offered in a wide variety of companies and networks.

Community and advocacy are strong focal points for WIC as they seek to ready themselves for a career in a male-dominated field.

“Be each other’s support system. I think this group is phenomenal,” Walker said. “Having that support system in the industry is huge. You are each other’s biggest cheerleaders.”

WIC can be found on Instagram and VolLink and their email is womeninconstruction.utk@gmail.com.

Women in Construction invited a group of female experts in their field to discuss their experience working in construction and STEM as women. Courtesy of Women in Construction

Acceptance rate drops below 35% as university prioritizes in-state applicants

ABBY ANN RAMSEY Editor-in-Chief

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions released regular admission decisions to the class of 2028 on Thursday, showing an overall acceptance rate of less than 35% for fall 2024 with admittance highly favoring in-state applicants.

With 57,270 applications received by the Dec. 15 regular admission deadline — the most in university history — the overall acceptance rate is 34.28%. Another 1,881 applications were received after the Dec. 15 deadline, and those applications will be considered as space becomes available. With those in mind, however, the rate is even lower at 33.2%

UT’s overall acceptance rate is now about half of what it was two years ago, with the most significant drop occurring from 20222023. For the fall 2022 admission cycle, the overall acceptance rate was 68.4%. According to materials presented to the university’s board of trustees’ education, research and service committee on Thursday at UT Southern, last year’s acceptance rate was 46%.

The acceptance rate for in-state students is 65.7% — up from last year’s 59.4%. While in-state admittance grew, out-ofstate students saw a 10% drop from last year to this year as only 23.7% of applicants were admitted for the fall 2024 semester — a move in line with the university’s goal of prioritizing admission for Tennessee residents.

In attempts to make UT more accessible to in-state students, the university has enacted a guaranteed admission policy that automatically grants admission to in-state students who are in the top 10% of their high school class or who have a calculated UT Core GPA of 4.0 or higher.

“In alignment with the Board’s recent action, UT plans to enroll a first-year class with two-thirds in-state residents as part of our flagship, land-grant mission,” the Office of Undergraduate Admissions said in a public release. “Due to this enrollment target, the increase in applications for admission, and the outstanding academic quality of our application pool, it will be more difficult for an out-of-state applicant to be admitted.”

The university also offers alternate pathways to many students who are denied first-year admission through UT Access Collaborative and Rocky Top Transfer.

“Not making it into UT Knoxville does not mean not making it into UT,” UT System President Randy Boyd said at Thursday’s education, research and service committee meeting. “And we’re working really hard to

make sure they have a softer landing into UT Martin, Southern or Chattanooga as well.”

Students who are waitlisted have these pathway options along with the option to do Verto Vols, which allows students to study abroad before starting school on UT’s campus.

While the acceptance rate plummeted nearly 30% from 2022-2023, many students — especially out-of-state ones — are applying under the impression that the Knoxville campus still accepts more than half of its applicants. If you look up UTK’s acceptance rate, Google will tell you it’s 74.9% — a statistic from 2021. Now, the university is more in line with schools like Clemson University and the University of Georgia.

During Thursday’s committee meeting, John Compton, chair of the board of trustees, asked UT Chancellor Donde Plowman about setting realistic expectations for applicants.

“We drive traffic (to the website) where we present sort of the profiles of the previous year,” Plowman said. “They can see the number, percentage of applications — they can kind of keep track of that, but I think we need to constantly be working at that.

“One of our concerns is that you say ‘no’ to too many people too many times, your

pipelines are going to dry up. So it’s a very good question, and we’ve got to stay on top of it.”

As the university becomes increasingly popular, members of the UT community have expressed concerns about parking, housing capacity and academic spaces. In a release after early action decisions went out, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions stated that these concerns are considered in their decisions.

“Capacity considerations and delivering on the Volunteer experience for all students (new and continuing) remains a priority in building the Fall 2024 cohort,” the office said on its website.

In one of several moves to solve infrastructure issues on campus, the board approved a plan on Friday to move forward with the addition of a third new residence hall following two other new residence halls that were approved in October. The residence hall will be built at the intersection of Lake Loudoun Boulevard and Volunteer Boulevard where there is currently a parking lot.

To combat the issue of losing parking spots, Plowman said in the finance and administration committee meeting that the university is rethinking policies around

parking permits and is putting more of an emphasis on students who commute, rather than students who keep cars on campus. She said new policies that will go into effect in the fall will increase the number of parking spots on campus.

“But parking is a crunch for us,” Plowman said.

Plowman agreed to provide a master plan for parking to the board at this year’s June meeting, which will be held in Knoxville.

The drop in acceptance rate comes after 2022’s historic football season when the chancellor also noted that she viewed athletic success and campus growth as “interrelated.”

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions told applicants that decisions would be released in February, and the university used the extra time granted by Leap Day to do so. In a post on the university’s official Instagram asking people how they were spending their time on Feb. 29, many commenters said their day was spent anxiously awaiting an email from the university.

Editor’s note: Numbers presented from previous years may differ slightly from those given at this week’s board of trustees meetings due to students admitted after regular admission decisions were released.

The university is becoming increasingly competitive as more students than ever are applying. March 5, 2024.

Cole Moore / The Daily Beacon

‘It’s in her heart’

UT alumna Kaylyn Harris is campaigning for the American Heart Association, raising awareness of how cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects Black women.

ELI BOLDT News Editor

At the beginning of February, Kaylyn Harris (’17) launched a campaign trail to raise money and awareness as a nominee for the American Heart Association’s Woman of Impact campaign.

Woman of Impact spans across the country, with nominees competing in their communities. Harris is a nominee for the Middle Tennessee region and is one of nine women raising money and advocating for cardiovascular disease in women awareness.

Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and one in three women will be impacted by it at some point in their lives. The women involved in Woman of Impact are all a part of the campaign because they have a passion for women’s health and educating their communities on the dangers of cardiovascular disease.

For Harris, that includes educating her community about how cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects Black women. Fiftynine percent of Black women over the age of 29 will be impacted by cardiovascular disease. This year, Harris is the only Black representative in Middle Tennessee.

“I feel that it is my privilege as well as my duty that my campaign is geared towards how cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects African American women,” Harris said.

Harris was 25 years old when she first began experiencing symptoms of a stroke. Her first warning sign was the left side of her face beginning to tingle and numb. Her speech became slurred. At first, Harris dismissed the symptoms as nothing abnormal, which is something Harris noted many women tend to do. It was not until they continued happening that she was prompted to seek help.

“I was on a meeting one day for work … and the episode happened. I got ready to speak, and I began to slur and then I began to drool, and that’s when I was like, ‘Ok I gotta go talk to someone,’” Harris said.

Harris began to work with a cardiologist,

neurologist and an orthopedic specialist to help figure out what the episodes were, though every test came back negative.

It was disheartening to have the symptoms yet get negatives from every test, so Harris decided she needed to take her health into her own hands, including spiritual and mental. She began to take care of her mental health, stress levels and eating habits to reduce the episodes.

In 2023, Harris attended the AHA’s Go Red for Women Luncheon, where the 2023 Woman of Impact was crowned. She was inspired by the women’s stories and her own health journey.

“Sitting there, hearing those women’s stories … I was just thinking, ‘One day I’ll be able to do that,’” Harris said.

A woman whom Harris met at the event later asked her to coffee to chat. Soon after seeing Harris’ passion and eagerness to help, she nominated her as a Woman of Impact for 2024.

Lisa Howard, a development director for the AHA and the supervisor for Middle Tennessee’s Impact awards, could see right away Harris’ passion for healthcare.

The nominees’ passions for healthcare look different for all of them, but not all of them work in the healthcare sector. Howard stressed the importance of diversity in the group.

Harris’ route to healthcare is different from that of others. The University of Tennessee alumna graduated in 2017 with a degree in advertising, after which she freelanced and did marketing for Two Men and a Truck. Through a friend, Harris was told about a marketing job at Nashville General Hospital, which she applied to and accepted. She is now the manager of marketing and communications.

“A lot of women on my maternal side have been in the healthcare field to some degree, whether they were CNAs, nurses, they work in hospital facilities. ... there’s a lot of women that have made a big impact on my life,” Harris said.

Harris’ great aunt, who worked as a nurse, passed away from cardiovascular disease. Having that personal and familiar connection is important to Harris’ campaign as she brings education to her community.

The name of Harris’ team is The 11 H.E.A.R.T. beats, one for each woman on her team and one

representing God, “the one that we can’t see, but we know He’s always with us.”

Being the only Black nominee in Middle Tennessee, Harris was intentional in having her team look like her village. Her nine team members, all African American women, help span all aspects of Harris’ life, some being friends from college, colleagues at the hospital, members of her sorority or coworkers from the nonprofit space.

Dominique Montgomery, the guest service manager for Tupelo Honey Café and a part of Harris’ campaign team, also has a personal connection to the cause. Her grandmother passed away in her 50s due to heart issues, which made Montgomery passionate about helping Harris raise money and awareness.

“No matter how you look, how active you are, how healthy you may look, like (Harris) always says, cardiovascular disease does not discriminate,” Montgomery said.

A big part of Harris’ education included the fact that cardiovascular disease does not discriminate, and anyone can be affected. But part of advocating for awareness in women’s healthcare and Black healthcare includes recognizing that certain sectors of healthcare can be discriminatory.

Research, including research for cardiovascular disease, is usually done on men’s bodies. Woman of Impact is trying to break that trend and focus on getting women into research. Part of one week’s impact portion encouraged the nominees to sign up for a research study.

“They are literally changing the narrative that research is only done on men,” Howard

said. “We know men’s bodies are different from women’s bodies, and when research is only done on men, we are not catching things in women.”

Male bias is a well-documented trend in research that has harmed how women’s bodies are understood and diagnosed.

Common warning signs of a heart attack are chest pain, pain in the shoulder or arm, lightheadedness and shortness of breath. But women are more likely to experience “nontraditional” stroke symptoms such as fatigue, nausea or vomiting. Oftentimes women will not recognize a heart attack when it is happening because the signs are easily written off, Harris noted.

Black women are even more at risk due to systemic and cultural reasons. In Black women over the age of 20, nearly 59% have cardiovascular disease, but only 39% are aware that chest pain can be a sign of a heart attack.

It is why education is at the forefront of Harris’ campaign. Her team has hosted weekly fundraisers, speaking engagements at local churches and social media posts that help to educate others. Harris became hands-only CPR certified and volunteered with STEM Goes Red to work with local high schools and engage young women in STEM careers.

Montgomery noted Harris’ active nature in her community as a driving force in the campaign. People want to support people, Howard said, which is why peer-to-peer campaigning is so important to education and awareness.

“Seeing the passion that is thriving through her and the drive she has … it’s in her heart to do this and to make the change,” Howard said.

Kaylyn Harris brings awareness about cardiovascular disease during her Woman for Impact campaign. Courtesy of Kaylyn Harris

‘Dune: Part Two’ review: Saviors, skeptics, a whole lotta sand

ADAM DELAHOUSSAYE Staff Writer

While aristocratic houses and lauded dukes of distant planets are all vying for control of their known universe, it appears that director Denis Villeneuve has learned best from the Fremen tribe of Arrakis: Nature, and all its trappings, is a force to abide by rather than one to mediate. It’s also a sentiment our protagonist, Paul Atreides, spends a great deal of time struggling to grasp in his journey away from home and into the forefront of his own divinations.

Adapted from Frank Herbert’s ornately crafted novel, Villeneuve’s second installment lands right back on Arrakis just after our first chapter has exited its atmosphere. Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), fresh from the murder of his father along with a considerable portion of his legions, is now in hiding after the rival Harkonnens have regained control of the coveted spice trade. When we find him, he’s being escorted through the planet’s deserts by the native Fremen and accompanied by his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson).

Their alliance, while shaky, seems to be the only thing keeping both the Fremen and the remaining Atreides with some sense of faith in a better tomorrow for all parties. After he proves that he can quite literally walk their walk and talk their talk, most of this indigenous population turns their piercing blue eyes to the direction of their perceived savior, all manifested in Atreides and his deceivingly well-kept Hollywood curls.

Though, not everyone is on board with the messianic leanings these Fremen seem to be taking. Atreides himself seems skittish at first of receiving such a burden of responsibility, not helped by the badgerings of mother Jessica, who’s taken on a new role as one of the universe’s all-seeing eyes and carrying a baby in her womb that — again, literally — reinforces these premonitions.

Zendaya’s Chani, one of our Fremen ambassadors, shows a wariness toward Atreides that soon contradicts itself in the face of new romance as the plot and his psyche both begin to blend in with this spice-laden sand. What good is salvation if the one delivering it can’t come to grips with their own allegiances?

Even as the film’s main narrative teeters toward a hammy retelling of “Monty Python’s Life of Brian,” the silliness of prophecy never seems to evade the forefront of every planet that circles around this impending fate. We’re again following the rival Harkonnens, here seeing Dave Bautista’s Rabban relieved of his post when comically blind rage fails to overshadow his

shortcomings. The Harkonnen lineage is given much more exposure in “Part Two” as it pours itself over the intricacies of their honor and the psychotic nature of their lust over power.

Enter Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (Austin Butler). Nephew to the rotund Baron Vladamir (Stellan Skarsgård) and heir to his throne, Feyd-Rautha is hell-bent on proving himself both within his bloodline on Giedi Prime as well as in the chair of the newly appointed governor of Arrakis.

Butler here basks in the light of the Harkonnens’ black sun, profoundly playing on the notion of being an absolute antithesis to the Atreides perceived purity as he licks his blades before slashing through any obstacle with a pale and grotesque smile. The saga’s most prominent new face is undoubtedly Butler’s albino sadist, who kills for sport and soaks up the glory of victory as happily as he does the blood of his enemies.

Feyd-Rautha isn’t our only newcomer, however, though he is somehow the most grounded. We’re also introduced to the Emperor (Christopher Walken) and his daughter (Florence Pugh), the puppet masters behind the Harkonnens, and Atreides’ ultimate opposition to conquest.

Walken here feels like he’s trying his hardest not to parody himself, and Pugh as his daughter can’t really help but be overshadowed by his hacky attempts at intimidation that rarely allude to the ultimate puppet master persona we’re led to believe he wields. In an otherwise collected world,

these two fail to grasp anything more than the animated ego the rest of the story feels light years away from.

Thankfully, the flimsier aspects of “Part Two” are eclipsed by the vastness of worlds new and old that Villeneuve uses as a sandbox for his storytelling. We’re given ample time to observe our characters as specks on these different worlds whose vastness seem to highlight the sheer insignificance of their journeys on their own.

Much like planetary orbit, missteps or veers into different paths only inhibit the harmony or progress being made here. The overarching narrative is encouraged through the fluidity of each plot line both in dialogue and the stages set by enormous battles and the rides on the back of monolithic worms that chalk up the 166 minutes that “Part Two” spans.

As expository as the script can feel at times, rarely do our galaxy’s warmongers feel underserved in their time on screen or reduced to rattlers of context our audience needs to be queued in on. As source material, the meaty nature of Herbert’s world rivals that of J.R.R. Tolkien or George R.R. Martin, yet this adaptation is treated with the same reverence as our aforementioned Shakespearean fantasies. Villeneuve no doubt allows himself more breathing room in this sequel thanks to an extended runtime, but self-seriousness is never forgone and our vast universe is rarely cheated out of its epic scale.

Even more impressive is how aptly Ville-

neuve takes the weirder and more mystifying sides of this universe and brings them into the fold with sheer panache. When we’re given more exposure to the Bene Gesserit and their new Reverend Mother in Lady Jessica, a group tasked with prophecy and outcomes of the known universe, rarely does their zealous sorority feel threatened by any realists.

Outside of the forces on Arrakis that oppose them and their teachings, rarely do their accusations of being all smoke an mirrors pop too far out of the screen. Not everyone may be sold on the biblical promises being made, but they all seem to be in agreement that a war entrenched in faith is not one to be met brazenly.

All of the externalities of the world we’re placed in seem to only accentuate the very human struggles faced on all fronts and the related personage and conflicts that come with it. Immigration, the legitimacy of religion and the want or need for an outsider to save a dying people are all questions as enormous as any fantastical creature or starship within the confines of this immensely sweeping universe.

This visit to Arrakis offers up as many concerns as the first one left with, contrasting with sci-fi’s recent memory epics that rarely see the scales of their moralities tipped. A gargantuan chessboard of freely moving and always morphing pieces, Villeneuve’s second entry in the “Dune” saga boasts fresh air even amidst its belligerent sandstorms.

“Dune: Part Two” is the second film in Director Denis Villeneuve’s adaption of the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert. Courtesy of IMDb

Vegan Chef Challenge encourages diners to try vegan menus in local competition

MACY ROBERTS Arts & Culture Editor

March 1, 2024, kicks off the Second Annual Knoxville Vegan Chef Challenge, hosted by the international, nonprofit organization Vegan Outreach. The challenge invites the public out to participating local restaurants that have introduced new or improved plant-based items to their menu, then vote for which restaurant they think has the best vegan options.

Eighteen restaurants are participating in this year’s Knoxville Vegan Chef Challenge, including The Tomato Head, KoPita Authentic Mediterranean, Frothy Monkey and the Bistro at the Bijou in downtown, among others in the greater Knoxville area.

While this year marks the second Vegan Chef Challenge in Knoxville, volunteers have been organizing vegan challenges as far back as 11 years ago, food events coordinator for Vegan Outreach Yuri Mitzkewich said.

According to Mitzkewich, the first Vegan Chef Challenge took place in Sacramento, California, where Vegan Outreach was largely based at the time. In 2021, Vegan Outreach began raising funding and donations and has seen steady growth that has expanded the vegan challenges beyond the Western U.S. to states that have less of a vegan scene, such as Alabama and South Carolina.

Since 2014, Mitzkewich’s work with Vegan Outreach has focused on the Southeast. When doing advocacy work and public events at universities, he determined that Knoxville and other cities in the region were in a good place to accommodate these challenges.

“I knew there was a lot of vegans that were living in these cities, but I don’t think it was something that was getting the attention of the business community as much as would reflect that,” Mitzkewich said. “Like, in promoting themselves to that community, that way, not just vegans, but the quickly growing people that eat vegan part time or are just interested in eat-

ing better.”

Southland Books and Cafe and its bar, The Bird and The Book, are among the participants in the Knoxville Vegan Chef Challenge. One of the owners, Catherine Frye, said she first heard about the challenge from its organizers as well as her own customers. Noting the cafe and bar’s extensive vegan menu, she described the vegan scene at the cafe and bar as quite large.

“We have been increasing our vegan offerings over the years, and that has created a great vegan customer base,” Frye said. “I myself am vegan, so I am always happy to get people interested in vegan food and having them to realize that vegan food can be as yummy as any other kind of food.”

Participating in the Knoxville Vegan Chef Challenge only further increased that customer base, Frye said.

Last year, Southland Books and Cafe was awarded “Best Vegan Sandwich,” and The Bird & The Book won “Best Vegan Bar Menu.” This year, Frye is introducing two new sandwiches to the vegan menu — one is a Thai peanut tofu sandwich and the other is a pesto ricotta tofu sandwich. Frye also said there will be a special vegan dessert and soup of the month.

“I hope that more people will come in and try vegan food,” Frye said. “I really enjoy getting more people to experience good vegan food and realize that just because it is vegan doesn’t mean that it isn’t yummy food.”

Last year, 23 restaurants participated in the Knoxville Vegan Chef challenge, and Mitzkewich said around 50% of them kept their vegan items on the menu even after the challenge’s conclusion. He said Knoxville stood out among other cities regarding its participation and success.

“It really shows that Knoxville is ready for this,” Mitzkewich said. “I really like working in this region because it almost feels like on the ground floor in helping the independent business community but also making it easier for vegans to exist down here.”

Customers have until March 31 to cast their votes in the Knoxville Vegan Chef Challenge, and winners will be announced in April.

Week of 3/4/24 3/10/24

The Weekly Crossword

Margie E. Burke

Josh Coates of Seoul Brothers, Idil Issak of Vegateaun, Stacy Shepanek of Vegan Outreach and Catherine Frye of Southland Books and Cafe and The Bird & The Book are participating in the Knoxville Vegan Chef Challenge. Courtesy of Tala Shatara

Best reality TV shows to help you escape reality this semester

AMELIA BEUSCHER Contributor

The stress and pressure of being a college student can be overwhelming. From trying to get classwork done to worrying about the future, sometimes you just need to take a break. Reality TV is a great way to detach from your stressful life. Part of humanity is looking for something to sympathize with and root for — which is what makes reality TV so good. Here are seven great reality TV shows to help you escape reality.

“The Bachelor”

The newest season of “The Bachelor” starring Joey Graziadei has had a lot of talk on social media. But it’s not just the new season that is popular — the show has been airing for over 20 years.

The premise of “The Bachelor” is 20 girls living in a house, all fighting for the attention of one man. Each week, the bachelor sends girls home, until he eventually proposes to the last girl remaining. Not only does it have fantastic, over-thetop vacations and fairytale romances, but it also has the factor that truly makes a reality TV show: drama.

There are a handful of girls every season who “didn’t come to make friends” and make sure to stir the pot. While it can become predictable, the conflict-resolution pattern of the show results in a great

comfort-watch.

“Love Island (UK)”

If the drama and romance — but maybe not the imbalance of genders — on “The Bachelor” appeals to you, “Love Island (UK)” is a wonderful alternative. The show has the women and men pair off into couples with the chance of going home during each recoupling ceremony. If someone’s current partner doesn’t pick them to recouple, and no one else does, they are left single and are asked to leave the villa.

The contestants are essentially locked in a house and are under 24-hour surveillance, which leads to obvious conflict. Whether there’s drama in recoupling, infidelity or competition between potential partners, there is always something cooking up. Plus, the British accents and slang really make the contestants’ personalities shine.

“Next in Fashion”

“Next in Fashion” is the perfect show for those who love fashion and know everything about pop culture. The show is a competition of fashion designers, and the winner is awarded $200,000 and the ability to debut a collection on Rent the Runway.

Each week, the designers are given a challenge and are asked to create an outfit. The judges send someone home each week until a winner is crowned. It showcases a lot of up-and-coming talent. Plus,

with guest judges like Donatella Versace, Hailey Bieber and Emma Chamberlain, viewers are sure to see some of their favorite celebrities in fashion.

“Dance Moms”

From endearing friendships to cutthroat competition, “Dance Moms” has it all. The show follows a competitive dance team of young girls, starting at age 8 in season one.

The dance teacher, Abby Lee Miller, has a reputation for being hard on her students. This leads to conflict between Miller and the moms of the girls, as well as between the mothers. While the show contains a lot of arguing and witty insults, it also shows the friendship between the girls as they grow up. It is both funny and emotional, making it a gripping watch.

“Great British Baking Show”

If you like competition shows but maybe not severe drama, the “Great British Baking Show” is a great alternative. The show takes amateur bakers from around the U.K. and has them compete in a big tent in a park.

Each week, the bakers complete baking challenges, and each week, someone gets sent home until one remains. Though bakers can get stressed at times, the hosts do a great job of trying to calm them down.

The show has themes of camaraderie among the bakers, and oftentimes great friendships are formed. Through the

calming background music to the peaceful setting, the show is a great watch to relax to.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race”

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” is one of the most iconic competition shows today. The show has drag queens face off in costume design and in performance. At the end of each episode, the two queens facing elimination compete in a lip-sync battle, which provides a consistent, entertaining finale.

The show is full of funny quips, intense drama and well-known guest judges. Not only is it incredibly entertaining, but it also uplifts those in the LGBTQ community and really helps the queens be successful even after the show has ended.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” is perfect for anyone who enjoys a funny competition.

“The Simple Life”

While “The Simple Life” isn’t exactly a modern show, its longevity in relevance is something to acknowledge. The show stars two young, wealthy socialites, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. The show takes Hilton and Richie away from their walkin closets and trust fund money, and they move in with a farm family to experience a life they’ve never lived.

Hilton and Richie spend the show completing tasks outside of their socioeconomic status, like manual labor and working minimum wage jobs. Both make the show shine with their entertaining personalities and endearing friendship.

“The Bachelor,” “The Great British Bake Off” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” are three reality TV series to binge and enjoy. Courtsey of IMDb

East Tennessee Maverick: Why Ukraine deserves your support

This past Saturday, Feb. 24, was the second anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Initially, Congress held widespread and bipartisan support for Ukraine. Now, however, the United States has become less of a staunch ally for democracy and more of an enabler for Russian aggression and expansion. American far-right politicians have unified behind depriving Ukraine of every cent and disinformation about the war abounds. The House of Representatives and its attempts to send aid are blocked by several members who admire Vladimir Putin’s stranglehold on power.

Above all, this war is more than dollar signs. Ukraine and its people did not want this invasion. They did not ask to be fighting for their lives and their independence. Thousands of innocent civilians, not to mention tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, have been killed because of pure Russian aggression. These people would still be alive today if not for Putin.

Under Putin, Russia is an authoritarian dictatorship. There can be no argument about it. Members of the country’s political opposition are jailed, exiled or murdered. Citizens are arrested for simply laying flowers down at memorials to political repression or for protesting this senseless war. Those who make excuses for Putin’s despotic government either want his oppression in Russia to continue or desire to bring it over here to the U.S. as well.

Everyone must understand that Ukraine’s fight for democracy is our fight for democracy. Helping them secure their freedom secures our freedom at home. We claim that our great country stands for freedom, liberty and rights. Those are the very ideals Ukraine is fighting for. If we abandon Ukraine, we will be opening the door for complete and utter aggression by Putin and other dictators. He is bent on expanding Russian territory through brutal military force. There is no place for wars of expansion in the 21st century.

Some tell Ukraine to just let Russia have the territories it currently occupies — about 25% of the country. But the world has tried appeasement before. It allowed an emboldened Adolf Hitler to launch a war over the entirety of Europe and kill millions. If Putin is given a little bit of Ukraine now, what’s to stop him from invading again in a few months or years? We tried to negotiate with him after he illegally annexed Ukraine’s Crimea a decade ago in 2014. He invaded the

rest of the country anyway.

Our world’s peace — own national security — is built on territorial integrity and sovereignty. If we leave Ukraine to Putin, we acknowledge that we do not care for other democracies. This acknowledgment only strengthens our enemies and places American troops in harm’s way. Abandoning Ukraine sends a clear message to the world that we will not protect our allies. NATO will face a crisis of confidence. Smaller democracies like Taiwan may face destruction at the hands of autocratic regimes such as China. If we lose allies and fellow democracies overseas, there is no advantage to our national security.

We applaud past American generations for standing up to authoritarianism abroad. We celebrate the fact that American money and weapons helped keep Britain in the fight against Nazism when the island stood alone. We even have a special name for those who didn’t back down to dictator: the Greatest Generation. How will future generations look back at us if we leave Ukraine and other democracies to dictatorships? The history books will not be kind in their assessment.

The main argument of the far-right is that we are wasting American tax dollars

and need to focus only on issues at home like the southern border. Firstly, our taxes are going towards preventing future wars that would entangle us directly, jeopardizing the lives of our troops. The uncomfortable truth, one even mentioned by Ukrainian leaders, is that Ukrainian soldiers are dying right now so that American troops don’t have to. They are trying to stop continued Russian aggression against the U.S. and our allies. Ukraine is fighting a war for our security as well.

Secondly, we constantly boast that our country is the greatest in the world. We say that America can achieve whatever it sets its mind to. But if we say that we can’t concentrate on foreign and domestic issues, are we truly great? The fact is that the U.S. is a very wealthy, smart and able country. We can do multiple things at once. We can assist Ukraine and solve the problems at our southern border and elsewhere in our country. They are not mutually exclusive.

Tennessee’s delegation to Congress has been assisting Putin’s fight against Ukraine through their votes and words. Both Tennessee senators, Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, voted against the bipartisan Ukrainian aid bill that passed on Feb. 13. Our House members consistently support isola-

tionist policies and will likely vote against the Senate’s bill if it ever comes up. Putin is predicting and hoping that the U.S. will fail to help Ukraine. Tennessee’s senators and House delegates are helping him win.

Every Tennessean should call, email and write their representatives and senators to tell them to support democracy over authoritarianism. If they continue to enable Putin and embolden dictators, we must vote them out. Blackburn and every representative are up for reelection in November. Use the ballot box, and elect leaders who actually believe in freedom.

After all, freedom is a universal, not just domestic, issue.

You can also help by donating to a local Knoxville Ukrainian charity titled koloHUB.

WALKER KINSLER

Columnist

Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

Walker Kinsler is a junior at UT this year studying political science and history. He can be reached at wkinsler@ vols.utk.edu.

Columnist Walker Kinsler encourages every Tennessean to “call, email and write their representatives and senators to tell them to support democracy over authoritarianism.” Calie Wrona / The Daily Beacon

Weekend recap: Tennessee basketball picks up big win, success on diamond continues

Sports Editor

It was a busy weekend for Tennessee athletics.

Tennessee basketball enjoyed a crucial road win in Tuscaloosa while the Lady Vols ended their season with a loss to No. 1 South Carolina. There were lots of wins on the diamond for Tennessee, as well, and some action on the tennis courts.

Here’s a recap of what happened over the weekend in University of Tennessee sports.

Tennessee basketball moves into 1st place in the SEC

No. 4 Tennessee basketball picked up an 81-74 over No. 14 Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Saturday.

It was a quiet night from Dalton Knecht, who only had 13 points, but it was a great night for the classic Rick Barnes’ defense.

Jahmai Mashack played a large role in the win, locking down the Crimson Tide’s biggest threats while hitting a pair of 3-pointers. Josiah-Jordan James also played a large role in the defensive effort.

“The tougher team is going to win games like this,” Mashack said. “You’re not going to win with just being better. You’re not going to win with just execution. You’re going to win with toughness and fighting great and who wants it more.”

For full coverage of the men’s basketball team and its trip to Tuscaloosa, visit our website.

Lady Vols end season with a loss Tennessee women’s basketball ended the season with a trip to No. 1 South Carolina. The final score was 76-68, and the effect went beyond just Sunday’s game.

With Alabama’s win on Sunday and the Lady Vols’ loss, Tennessee will play on Thursday and not get the luxury of a doublebye.

Rickea Jackson dropped 29 points in the loss with the next-highest scorers Jewel Spear and Jasmine Powell with 12 points each. There were positives from the loss. Tennessee becomes one of the few teams that has hung around with No. 1 South Carolina consistently.

“I’m proud of how we were able to keep our minds in the game,” Tennessee forward Rickea Jackson said. “Other teams would have just given up seeing that they were down by a large number, but I feel like we just continued to fight.”

For full coverage of Lady Vols basketball and its trip to Columbia, visit our website.

Tennessee baseball sweeps Bowling Green behind three run-rule victories

baseball

AJ Causey threw a gem for the Vols to defeat Bowling Green 11-1 on Saturday while the offense hit four home runs.

Drew Beam got the start on Saturday in front of a record crowd, helping Tennessee defeat Bowling Green 11-1.

Tennessee wrapped up the weekend with a 16-6 Sunday victory over Bowling Green.

Billy Amick and Kavares Tears remain consistent forces for Tennessee’s offense. Amick is hitting .378 while leading the team with 17 hits, 18 RBIs and seven home runs. Tears is swinging .429 with a team-high 20 runs scored.

“To be consistent, you got to be consistent,” head coach Tony Vitello said. “And it sounds kind of dumb to say it, but it really is an equation that works.”

For full coverage of the 11-1 Vols, visit our website.

Tennessee softball rolls through Tennessee Classic

Lady Vols softball swept its Saturday and Sunday doubleheaders in the Tennessee Classic.

Tennessee defeated Stetson 8-0 and Brown 9-1 on Saturday before defeating Stetson again on Sunday and Longwood, 12-0.

It was an all-around dominant effort from Tennessee and its pitching staff. The Tennessee Classic wraps on Monday at noon before the Lady Vols face Clemson on Tuesday.

“Stepping on this field yesterday and just seeing how many people were here and the noise they were making and the energy in this place,” Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly said. “They love their Lady Vols, and it’s a lot of fun to play in front of them.”

For full coverage of Tennessee softball, visit our website.

Men’s, women’s tennis score SEC wins SEC play has begun for Tennessee’s tennis squads.

On Friday, the Vols tennis team defeated Georgia to open SEC play. The No. 5 Vols used a 6-1 win on Friday, battling back from a slow start in doubles play to win the match.

On Sunday, the Vols routed Arkansas 4-1.

“Well, there’s a lot of importance on our whole schedule because it’s one of the best schedules in the country,” head men’s tennis coach Chris Woodruff said. “I think the coaches would tell you the conference is very important because the conference kind of sets the next step for the postseason.”

Lady Vols tennis spent the weekend on the road, opening SEC play with a win over Arkansas and a sweep of Missouri.

For full tennis coverage, visit our website.

a loss

Tennessee soccer opened its spring exhibition schedule with a 2-1 loss to Appalachian State.

Freshman Keaton Mitchell picked up a goal for the Lady Vols, their only of the day.

“For us, it’s a little bit of a wake-up call of what are we going to be about,” head coach Joe Kirt said. “Are we going to be about the pretty team that can knock the ball around and create some chances, or are we going to be about that gets stuff done when it counts?”

For full coverage of the Lady Vols’ spring slate, visit our website.

Tennessee

picked up a trio of wins over Bowling Green, run-ruling the Falcons in each contest.

Lady Vols soccer opens spring schedule with

CALEB JARREAU

Rickea Jackson (2) smiles to the Lady Vols bench following a play against South Carolina at Colonial Life Arena. Sunday, March 3, 2024. David Smith / Contributor

Why new linebackers coach William Inge passed up Alabama for Tennessee football

CALEB JARREAU Sports Editor

When Kalen DeBoer left Washington to become the head coach at Alabama, it was widely reported that William Inge would go with him.

Inge was DeBoer’s co-defensive coordinator at Washington, so the move seemed logical. Inge decided otherwise, though, and accepted the linebackers coach position for Tennessee.

It wasn’t an easy move for Inge but one that he felt like he had to make.

“It’s a little bit of everything because, No. 1, you want to be able to look at the stability of the program and see who has gone and come from the program,” Inge said. “You want to look at the history and tradition of the program. You also want to look at how will that program be able to help you grow professionally — and probably for me, that was one of the more important things, being able to look at how you can consistently continue to grow. Can you be able to grow and what can evolve from this particular scenario or this situation?

“And then when you look at the place or where it at, is it the place where you can be able to live and function just as a family? So us having a chance to be able to get on the other side of the mountains and having a chance to come to Knoxville and just as a family, we’re extremely excited.”

The veteran assistant replaces outgoing linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary, who chose to accept a position at Michigan.

Inge has a long coaching resume in college football. The 50 year old’s career began following the conclusion of his playing career as a defensive end for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

His most recent stop was at Washington, where he coached in the College Football National Championship game. His career began at Northern Iowa in 2001 before going to Colorado for a season in 2005.

He then had stints at Cincinnati, Buffalo, the Buffalo Bills, Indiana and Fresno State before his stay at Washington.

Now, he begins his next stop on his career at Tennessee.

“I’m a fan of coach Heupel as well, seeing the things that he’s done when we look at his background and his record,” Inge said. “And then when we got to talking, I think I knew that I could have a big impact here in the group with respect to my position, helping our defensive staff, helping our overall staff, helping our football team. And that was something that was important to me.”

How Inge knows Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks

Inge never coached with current Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks, but the two crossed paths often.

While Inge was at Indiana from 201319, Banks was at Penn State from 2016-19. Banks worked quickly when he wanted to get Inge on his staff.

Jean-Mary reportedly left for Michigan on Feb. 15. It was reported he took the Tennessee job on Feb. 19. Behind the scenes, it was a 48-hour decision for Inge.

“We have known each other over the years and just kind of have seen each other passing on the road, recruiting,” Inge said of Banks. “We’ve also kind of obviously played against each other, but having had a chance to be in the same conference — we’ve never worked together — it’s just kind of one of those scenarios where a conversation happened and started, ‘Hey,

would you be interested in this kind of the scenario?’ And literally, and all this happened in probably 48 hours.”

What Inge looks for in linebackers

Inge did not hesitate when he was asked what he looks for when he recruits linebackers — speed, speed and speed.

He mentioned the wide variety of styles of offense within the SEC. Some teams hammer the ball in the box, driving up the field. Others spread the ball out, similar to the style of Tennessee’s offense.

And Inge’s background helps him deal with those styles of play. Much of his career was spent in the Big Ten, but he also found success in the Pac-12.

“For us, one of the biggest things that we have to just consistently, continuously do — continue to upgrade our talent to make sure you get some guys who have what we call in-space comfort guys,” Inge

said. “When you’re in space, they’re very, very comfortable. They can guard and challenge good receivers and have their mindset to where they’re good, they’re going be fundamentally sound.”

New linebackers coach William Inge addresses the media. Monday, March 4, 2024. Caleb Jarreau / The Daily Beacon

‘Rick Barnes masterclass’: Tennessee basketball leans on Jahmai

Mashack, defense in win over Alabama

CALEB JARREAU Sports Editor

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Jahmai Mashack went barreling into the scorer’s table in Coleman Coliseum. The guard had just hit a corner 3-pointer to take the lead, and now he was tracking the ensuing inbound pass.

Remembering the lessons he learned watching his brother play football, Mashack hawked the pass and threw it back onto the court to Zakai Zeigler. He drove up the floor and Jonas Aidoo hit a tough layup.

Tennessee never trailed again after the hustle play from Mashack — the story of Saturday night’s win for No. 4 Tennessee.

The Vols sit in sole possession of first place in the SEC after picking up an 8174 win over the Crimson Tide. It was a win that relied on the Tennessee defense that has been a known entity, not the offensive threat that Knecht has become.

Much of that defense was orchestrated by Mashack, to no surprise of his teammates or coaches. He even impacted the offensive end as well, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers and scoring eight points.

“Well, like you would expect, he’s a team first player,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said. “He’s a team first guy. He’s like, I think, most players — I love him to death. His toughness, his defense, what he’s elite at, when he does what he’s really good at.

“I could almost say I thought he played the best game he’s played since he’s been at Tennessee.”

Tennessee never trailed by more than seven Tennessee’s offense was sputtering. It was a 3-of-23 stretch for the Vols from the field, an offensive drought that had reminders of last season.

The Crimson Tide made the most of the offensive inconsistency from the Vols, ending the first half on a 12-0 run. Using the start of the second half, it quickly became a 17-1 run.

The defense traveled, and Tennessee never trailed by more than seven points.

“The tougher team is going to win games like this,” Mashack said. “You’re not going to win with just being better. You’re not going to win with just execution. You’re going to win with toughness and fighting great and who wants it more.”

Tennessee locked down and returned the favor. The Vols held the Crimson

Tide to just 3-of-23 over the

“Rick Barnes masterclass,” veteran Josiah-Jordan James said.

A masterclass it was. A game that many expected to finish with both teams scoring over 90 points finished with a lot less. Alabama entered Saturday’s contest with the best offensive rating for any team since Wisconsin during the 201415 season. They have an adjusted offensive efficiency mark of 128.2, recording their points per 100 possessions.

Tennessee’s defense held Alabama to under one point per possession.

“Coach is always telling us each and every day, before away games, that you know defensive and rebounding have to travel with you,” James said. “Road wins — in any league, but especially in the SEC, where teams are so talented and play so well at home. You have to be able to rely on defensive rebounding, and we knew to win this game that we had to show up in those two categories.”

final 14:23 of the game. Alabama ended the second half shooting 9-for-29.

Zakai Zeigler (5) celebrates a defensive stop during a game against Alabama at Coleman Coliseum. Saturday, March 2, 2024. Cole Moore / The Daily Beacon

Dalton Knecht (3) shoots the ball during a game against Alabama at Coleman Coliseum. Saturday, March 2, 2024. Cole Moore / The Daily Beacon