The Observer - Fall 2021 - Issue 8

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November 18, 2021

Vol. 120 NO. 8

CWU football makes playoffs Team will play Northwest Missouri State Saturday; first playoff appearance since 2017

Photo courtesy CWU Athletics, CWU rolls into the playoffs after six straight wins to end their regular season.

By Jared Galanti & Andrew Prouse Sports Editor & Staff Reporter There will be a playoff appearance this year for the CWU football team for the first time since 2017. Last Sunday, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced the final Division II rankings for the 2021 season.

The top seven teams from each of the four regions made the playoffs. CWU (8-2) will be playing on the road next Saturday at 11 a.m. against Northwest Missouri State (9-1).

CWU started the season with a 2-2 record but went on a hot streak to put themselves in playoff position. An upset against #11 Midwestern State, two shutouts in their final three games and setting a school record in points with a 92-0 win versus Lincoln University, pushed CWU over the top.

CWU enters the playoffs with a 8-2 record, winning their last six games and clinching their fourth straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship in the process.

Head coach Chris Fisk stated, via CWU Football’s Twit-

ter, that while the coaching staff is proud of the team, there is still more work to be done.

“Words cannot describe to you from this coaching staff how proud we are of you and the adversity that we’ve gone through over the last two years to get where we are today,” Fisk stated. “Now from this moment forward none of that matters.

All that matters is what we do starting tomorrow.”

The team concluded the regular season with a 70-0 blowout win over Simon Fraser University (SFU) last Saturday. With this win, CWU improved to 8-2 on the season and extending their winning streak to six games in a row.

CWU’s first offensive drive lasted five plays and resulted in a 14-yard rushing touchdown by redshirt freshman quarterback Quincy Glasper and gave CWU a 7-0 lead.

CWU scored again when redshirt junior linebacker Daeon Hudson intercepted a SFU pass and returned it 61 yards for a pick six. CWU went for two points but was unsuccessful, keeping the score 13-0.

Another SFU punt led to CWU’s next offensive possession. This drive ended after Glasper threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Daniel Johnson. Glasper completed a pass to redshirt freshman running back Tyler Flanagan for two points, extending CWU’s lead to 21-0.

CWU defense stopped SFU on their next possession after three plays, resulting in a punt. CWU put together a 7-play-drive that concluded in a 18-yard touchdown run

by Glasper, his second rushing touchdown of the game.

This touchdown put the score at 28-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter started with SFU on offense.

SFU’s drive was shut down when redshirt sophomore defensive back Patrick Rogers intercepted SFU’s pass and returned it 71 yards for another defensive touchdown to extend the lead to 35-0.

CWU went on a 10-playdrive, capped off by Glasper throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to redshirt senior

tight end Samuel Sanchez.

This increased the score to 42-0.

CWU received the ball after another SFU punt. The CWU offense quickly turned the possession into a score. Glasper threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman wide receiver Darius Morrison. The score grew to 49-0.

A 12-yard touchdown pass from Glasper to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Tai-John Mizutani just before halftime increased the score to 56-0.

After halftime, CWU started the second half with the ball. Flanagan extended the lead by catching a 22-yard touchdown pass from Glasper for the only score of the quarter. CWU extended the lead to 63-0.

The fourth quarter began with a CWU drive. That drive ended when redshirt sophomore and backup quarterback JJ Lemming rushed for a 5-yard touchdown. This would be the final score of the game as CWU would win 70-0.

Glasper threw for 289 yards and 5 touchdown passes. He added 32 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns.

The five different CWU receivers who each caught a touchdown pass were Morrison, Flanagan, Johnson, Mizutani and Sanchez.

The Wildcat defense had two pick sixes and SFU to 92 yards of total offense.

CWU finished the season 8-2 and with a GNAC championship.

CWU honored 13 seniors in pre-game ceremonies.

The 13 players honored were Michael Chisley, JoJo Hillel, Tony Archie, Van Soderberg, Fred Feleti, Davine Tullis, Donte Hamilton, Tytus Timoteo, Will Ortner, Isaac Crichton, Samuel Sanchez, Maxwell Nauer and Zach Stecklein.

Students weigh in on concert crowd conduct following Astroworld tragedy

By Joseph Stanger Staff Reporter Earlier this month, fans from across the country gathered to attend Travis Scott’s third iteration of the Astroworld Festival, a two-day event in which Scott and various other artists perform in the rapper’s hometown of Houston, Texas. What should’ve been the first night of music, entertainment and partying, turned into the only night of the festival, and resulted in one of the deadliest crowd-control disasters in U.S. history.

“You were crammed to the point where you just start stressing out,” Robbie Blanch, a sophomore who attended the Astroworld Festival said.

“I got claustrophobic many times early in the day. It didn’t feel good.”

Blanch said that this was his first concert, and he experienced dangerous crowd conduct far before Scott’s set.

According to Blanch, a lack of accessible water, poor planning by event organizers and a crowd without concert experience were big reasons for the problems that occurred that night, not to mention Scott’s reputation for influencing his fans to “rage out.”

“Travis Scott’s built up this reputation where all of his fans are ‘ragers’ and they can do whatever they want,” Blanch said. “He set up this agenda where he wants you to sneak into his concerts, he wants you to pass out. People were just taking that to a whole new level that I don’t think he estimated could happen.”

See full story online

A LOOK BEYOND

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November 18, 2021

Beyond Our Coverage: Local

National

World

CWU Athletics has partnered with Return on Inclusion (ROI), according to CWU’s website.

ROI helps athletic programs with intercultural relationships.

President Joe Biden signed a $1 trillion infrastructure bill. According to The Wall Street Journal, the bill will help restore the country’s roads, electrical grid and internet.

President Biden and China’s leader, Xi Jinping, had a meeting to try to defuse tensions but led to no breakthroughs, according to The New York Times.

The Seattle Deputy Fire Chief Jay Schreckengost has been found deceased in the Kittitas County Mountains near Cliffdell, according to the Daily Record.

The jury began their deliberations on Nov. 16 for the Kyle Rittenhouse trial in Kenosha, Wisconsin, according to CNN. Rittenhouse has been charged with 5 different felonies including felony homicide.

Brazil and SpaceX have discussed partnering up to provide internet to rural areas and to cut back on illegal deforestation, according to Reuters.

Extensive flooding has caused many residents of Western Washington to be displaced and shut down a portion of I-5, according to CNN.

Britney Spears was released from her conservatorship after 13 years last Friday, Nov. 12, according to USA Today.

Dear Editors:

Belarus government has provided warehouses for the migrants at the Poland border checkpoint, according to The New York Times. This was an attempt to defuse border tensions after Poland used water cannons against crossing migrants.

Visit our website for more information.

cwuobserver.com

CWU’S STUDENT-RUN LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE | FALL 2021

Thank you for highlighting our communities’ struggle with fentanyl in your recent article (“Local first responders and police work to combat fentanyl overdoses” – Nov. 11 issue). This is an issue that not only has touched many within Kittitas County, but it is also important to recognize the effect on our CWU campus. Students, faculty, and staff have all been touched in some way by losses of those who have died from overdose and by others who may be struggling with substance use disorders.

We wanted to reach out to you to also highlight the resources currently available on CWU’s campus. The Wellness Center works closely with the community organizations originally mentioned. Here on campus, the Wellness Center hosts the L.E.A.D. Recovery community, an open community for students in substance use recovery, interested in changing behaviors, those impacted by others substance use, and recovery allies. Open support group meetings are held every Tuesday from 5-6 pm in SURC 256.

L.E.A.D Recovery also hosts Recovery Ally trainings. This two-hour long training provides attendees with education to better understand the process of recovery, help confront stigma related to addiction and utilize appropriate language when discussing substance use disorders. Training begins on Thursday, October 21 from 5-7 pm in SURC 140. This is offered for free to students, faculty, and staff!

It is also important to note that Student Health Services can provide students with Naloxone, a medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose, to students for free. Student Health Services also makes sure that students complete proper training for administering Naloxone before providing the medication.

These are just a few ways that our campus is responding to the growing trends, as well as providing spaces for students to either build healthy communities or explore avenues for recovery.

Thank you for your assistance in sharing these important messages and resources to our campus!

PULSE

On news stands IN PRINT NEXT WEEK! next week!

Substance Misuse Prevention & Recovery Wellness Center SURC 256 509-963-3240 cwu.edu/wellness

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in which student editors make policy and content decisions. The mission newspaper and to provide training for students who are seeking a career in information to the campus and community; to provide a public forum for the free debate of issues, ideas and problems facing the community at large; and to be the best source of information, education and entertainment news. As a training program, The Observer is the practical application of the theories and principles of journalism. It teaches students to analyze and communicate information that is vital to the decision making of the community at large. It provides a forum for students to learn the ethics, values and skills needed to succeed in their chosen career. If you have questions or concerns, email us at cwuobserver@gmail.com.

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November 18, 2021

NEWS

Health Sciences building pushes opening back to spring quarter

By Katherine Camarata Staff Reporter The opening date for the new Health Sciences building has been pushed back to March 29, 2022, according to Capital Planning and Projects Director Delano Palmer.

There have been a number of supply chain complications that resulted in delays on Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment deliveries.

“While the building is aesthetically at a pretty-closeto-complete state, there are a couple components associated with some of the technology that weren’t going to be one hundred percent complete by [January],” Palmer said.

The original delivery date for these supplies was set for December, but with winter fast approaching and complications arising due to COVID-19, Palmer said the CWU staff managing the project did not feel confident that the building would be ready by winter quarter.

Palmer said some of the supplies are coming across the

Photos taken by Doug Ryder, Contractors hard at work to complete the Health Sciences building before spring quarter.

border from Canada, so the new date accommodates any possible complications during that process.

“We want to ensure that there is enough time for the delivery, the install and more specifically, the testing of those components with our faculty and staff,” Palmer said.

Palmer said that while pushing back the opening date was disappointing, the decision to wait until everything functions perfectly was a much better alternative in his eyes.

“The students, faculty and staff deserve to have a problem-free operation of this

The new Health Sciences building aims for completion by March 29.

brand new building,” Palmer said. “Throughout the project, we have been very successful ensuring that we have stable means and measures within the building. Once it comes to actual operation and occupation of the building, we want to make sure that that’s successful too.”

According to Palmer, there were a lot of unanswered questions left to resolve and the CWU Facilities and Planning teams aimed to eliminate all questions before proceeding.

The Health Sciences building is now set to open its doors and serve the CWU community by the beginning of spring quarter.

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Study abroad to resume January 2022: CWU celebrates sixth annual International Education Week

By Stephen Martin Staff Reporter The Office of International Studies and Programs (OISP) has announced the resumption of study abroad programs in January 2022.

The OISP hopes to educate students about opportunities for studying abroad during its sixth annual International Education Week (IEW). The week consists of both virtual information sessions and in-person events.

The process for applying to study abroad will look different than in the past. Applications must undergo three levels of approval and will rely heavily on COVID-19 levels in destination countries as well as a student’s vaccination status, according to OISP’s website.

Associate Director of Education Abroad Steven Cook said IEW is a time to celebrate international education and provide opportunities for students to engage in international education on campus.

“Broadly speaking, it’s to celebrate international education and to highlight opportunities that students have come to engage in international education on campus,” Cook said.

“For me, it’s an opportunity to promote education abroad and get students to think about what they could be doing and their different options.”

In addition to giving information to domestic students, the week also aims to recognize the achievements of international students.

“Part of it is to celebrate our international students, to help them make sure that they feel welcome and the campus values that they’re here and the contributions that they make to the campus,” Cook said, “and also to facilitate interaction between domestic CWU students and international CWU students.”

Cook covered many upcoming events, and expanded on the alumni panel on Nov. 17, and the International Cafe on Nov. 18.

“We have four CWU alumni who all studied abroad during their time here, and they’re gonna talk about how their experiences abroad have influenced their post CWU lives and careers,” Cook said. “One of the others we particularly want to

highlight is the International Cafe. We have an International Cafe two to three times every quarter, and it’s intended to facilitate interaction between international students and CWU students.”

IEW was created in 2000 by the Department of State and the Department of Education in order to “celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide,” according to the Department of State’s website. However, CWU has only been celebrating for around five years. “[IEW] is U.S. wide, and different institutions market in different ways,” Cook said. “CWU has been marking it more officially the last five years or so, as we’ve been able to get the staff to really do it effectively.”

Application for countries in which COVID-19 is the major concern are more likely to be recommended if some or all of the following criteria are met:

The student is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The host country’s healthcare infrastructure is resilient (Resource: SOS International).

The host country’s COVID-19 case rate is moderate (Resource: Brown School of Public Health).

The host country’s COVID-19 vaccination rate is moderate (Resource: Our World in Data/University of Oxford).

The host country’s quarantine requirements are reasonable.

The student studies with an approved study abroad provider or exchange partner.

Photos by Stephen Martin/The Observer, Students march in the “Parade of Flags” event, showcasing different countries.

(according to https://www.cwu.edu/international-programs/travel-level-3-or-level-4-destinations)

“

We’ve really expanded our curriculum, we’ve created new classes that students haven’t studied before. Even when students do come back in person, we will still have the opportunity to have online classes.

- Nicki Kukar,

the director of AUAP and International Student and Scholar Services.

0.83% ”

of U.S. students studied abroad during 2019-2020 academic year* (according to data prepared by NAFSA: Association of International Educators based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics)

International programs AUAP and ESL seek silver lining in pandemic

By Fox Alford Contributor International students saw their options for studying in the U.S. dwindle last year as the pandemic hindered operations in international programs. Despite the rocky start, long-term benefits have emerged.

The pandemic forced all classes, clubs and activities to go fully online last academic year, including the Asia University America Program (AUAP) and English as a Second Language program (ESL). At the outset, this caused problems for international students who either had to return home or adapt to a new mode of learning.

However, despite the initial troubles caused by the pandemic, the move to online has helped expand many of the international programs at CWU. “I can visit multiple countries a day or in a week,” said Stacy Soderstrom, the associate director of International Student and Scholar Services. “[We can] recruit in places we don’t typically recruit and receive students from those places.”

Changes with AUAP and ESL According to Soderstrom, CWU has had a

stable number of international students since 2019, but programs aimed at financially aiding them and facilitating in person learning had taken hits.

One such program sees the Department of State sponsor up to 10 international students to study abroad at CWU yearly.

Last year, that number was zero due to the pandemic.

This year, seven students have been sponsored by this program, according to Soderstrom.

Another program, AUAP, had to move online.

Pre-pandemic, AUAP students would come to CWU for five months then return home, unable to come back to take more AUAP classes. This led to many students losing the English language proficiency they had gained during their stay, according to Nicki Kukar, the director of AUAP and International Student and Scholar Services.

Now that the program is online, they can take multiple classes and continue practicing English.

“We’ve really expanded our curriculum, we’ve created new classes that students haven’t studied before,” Kukar said.

“Even when students do come back in per-

son, we will still have the opportunity to have online classes.”

This change will not only benefit those who wish to continue their English studies after their five months at CWU, but also those who don’t have the time or money to attend in person.

“Even though it was such a shock and a dark time, a lot of good has come out of it,” Kukar said.

Makoto Takeuchi, a Multicultural Communication junior at Asia University in Japan, said AUAP has helped her improve her English.

However, there have not been any opportunities to practice English in Japan, outside of the class.

“I’d like to meet CWU teachers and volunteers directly. And if I go to America, I can get many opportunity to practice my English besides AUAP classes,” said Takeuchi, who was not able to attend the AUAP classes in person this fall.

ESL hopes to return to in person instruction this spring. Clubs and events focused on international students have returned to in-person or morphed into hybrid events, such as the fall International Cafes, one of which was online, and one was hybrid.

The International Cafes are events aimed at promoting interaction between CWU international and American students.

Though two of the dates have already passed, one more Cafe is taking place on Nov. 18 on Zoom. In addition, international students on campus this fall have been able to participate in all activities, clubs and classes that have returned to in person instruction.

Problems with Tracking and Student Visas What had originally crippled operations at the start of the pandemic were the restrictions to international student visas. As per the regulations put into place by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State after 9/11, students traveling to the U.S. on an F-visa had to take predominantly in-person classes, which allowed for only one online class. J-visas were a bit more lenient allowing for some hybrid classes as well. This was to keep track of where international students were during their studies here, according to Steve Cook, the associate director for education abroad.

In October of last year, this regulation was flipped to allow for international

students to study mostly online with just one in-person class. This change helped international students because then “they didn’t have to be afraid of losing immigration status, which is not a good thing,” Cook said.

Prospective students also faced other problems. Many U.S. embassies had stopped issuing visas altogether. This has slowly improved as restrictions have lifted in the U.S. and other countries.

Some prospective students also had to deal with financial troubles in their home countries due to shutdowns. In Vietnam for example, the country has been shut down four times, crippling the financial capabilities of prospective students and their families, according to Soderstrom.

Prospective students must also show that they have enough money to study abroad before they are given a visa. This causes difficulties as international students don’t qualify for the same types of financial aid that U.S. students do. As such, “there’s a certain amount of additional financial burden on many international students that domestic students don’t have to worry about,” Cook said.

OPINION

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Edith and Ethel: Ask the Aunties By ‘Edith and Ethel’ Columnists Dear Aunties, How early is too early to watch Christmas movies?

Sincerely, A Holly Jolly Reader Ethel: I’m sorry, we were supposed to stop watching Christmas movies? It is never, I repeat, NEVER, too early to watch Christmas movies.

Edith: I truthfully don’t watch many Christmas based movies besides the one classic… “It’s a Spongebob Christmas!” Just kidding, it’s “Elf.” Do you have any favorite Christmas movies, Ethel?

Ethel: ALL THE CHRISTMAS MOVIES. I grew up watching every single iteration of “A Christmas Carol,” and it’s tradition to watch them every year. And of course, it’s a must to binge watch Hallmark and Lifetime movies when you want to depress yourself.

Edith: I’m sorry Ethel, but I rage whenever somebody suggests a cheesy movie from Hallmark.

They’re too predictable. “Woah, that lady is going to fall in love with the mall worker she just met two days ago because they share a love for Christmas? So unpredictable!” Just like the other 50 movies with that same plotline, except maybe he works at a supermarket.

Or SHE works at the mall.

Ethel: You definitely have to be in a certain mood to watch them, but it does have some variety! Sometimes the lady falls in love with the Grinchy dude and reminds him about the joy of Christmas. Or the dude is a Father Christmas wannabe and thaws the ice cold heart of the NYC mogulette. See? Variety!

Edith: You’re proving a point, but maybe not the one you’re thinking of.

Ethel: yOu’Re pRoViNg a pOiNt… You’re just jealous because you wish you could enjoy them like me. But anyway, Holly Jolly, I really don’t have a good answer for you, since I enjoy them year round.

Edith: Sorry we’re barely getting to your question, we ramble.

A lot. I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, so I give myself a week of cooldown from Halloween before busting out “Elf.” But I mean, who are we to tell you when to start watching shows and movies you enjoy?

Ethel: So, Holly Jolly, I hope this helps you. This is a hot button issue, so honestly, do whatever you want to celebrate how you want!

Write in!

submit your questions to cwuobserver@gmail.com (all questions will remain anonymous)

November 18, 2021

In space, no one can hear your opinion: How ‘Alien’ is still the perfect blueprint for horror

By Andrew Prouse Columnist In 1979 the original “Alien” film was released. Director Ridley Scott and actress Sigourney Weaver created the perfect horror film.

“Alien” shows filmmakers how to perfect the horror genre. The film is a masterclass in suspense. Cinematography, acting and sound are three of the biggest factors in what make “Alien” so great.

American film critic Roger Ebert identified what he believed to be one of the film’s biggest strengths. “One of the great strengths of ‘Alien’ is its pacing. It takes its time.

It waits. It allows silences,” Ebert said.

This application of silence is at its peak at the climax of the film. Ellen Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver, has escaped the spaceship in an escape pod.

She begins preparing to go into cryosleep, believing she has escaped the alien.

This is one of the times in the movie where there is no sound. No music, no electronic sounds and no sirens. The previous scene took place in the main spaceship. Constant sirens blaring from the ship.

The silence is deafening.

Silence creates an atmosphere of anxiety. The camera sits back and watches Ripley do her preparations. This scene carries on for a long time. The longer the silence persists the more uncomfortable it is. The camera slowly starts to zoom in toward Ripley and what she’s doing.

Then an arm shoots out from the wall with a loud screech. The alien reveals itself to have been hiding inside the wall of Ripley’s escape pod.

“Alien” does not have many jump scares. However, the

scares are all earned. Modern horror films like those of the “Conjuring” series, throw jump scares at the audience left and right. With no real build up, these scares are cheap and not memorable.

Scares in “Alien” are built up, slowly building in tension and anxiety. Then when you don’t expect it, the alien attacks from the shadows, killing one of the crew members, making it seem inevitable that Ripley will die as well.

Another factor that makes “Alien” the perfect horror movie is how the movie executes the “final girl” trope.

The “final girl” is a trope among horror movies. The films usually have a girl or woman being the final person alive against the killer or monster. Typically the final girl escapes by luck or someone coming to rescue her. Ripley is different, she

survives because of her intelligence and survival skills.

Simon Dillon from Cinemania discusses why Ripley is the best final girl. “There are many things I love about Ripley that fly in the face of traditional gender assumptions. For a start, she mostly makes decisions based on logic, not emotion,” Dillon said.

Ripley stays alive because of her intelligence and appeal to logic. Ripley is the final girl because of her own doing, not luck. She also defeats the alien with a thought out plan. She tricks the alien into a position where she can launch it out of the airlock.

Ripley and the alien are the perfect combatants for the perfect horror film. From an atmosphere of anxiety and the fear of the unknown. To the perfect final girl, “Alien” is a masterclass of suspense and fear.

Opinion: ‘Dune’ 2021

Villeneuve succeeds where Lynch failed

By Stephen Martin Columnist Over quarantine I finally got around to reading my weathered copy of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi classic “Dune”.

While the novel is long with very slow pacing at times, I was nonetheless captivated by its rich lore and themes.

When I heard there was a movie adaptation in the works, and that it would be directed by Denis Villeneuve, who directed “Blade Runner 2049” and “Arrival,” my hopes were set high. Apart from the first trailer, I avoided any promotional material and tried to go in with as little information as possible.

When I finally got around to seeing it last month, it blew me away. The movie only retells the first half of the novel, and this allows it to include almost every character and story beat. It is the most faithful movie adaptation of a book I have ever seen.

Every actor was on their A-game and the effects were absolutely stunning. The way this movie conveys scale is incredible. You would be doing yourself a major disservice to not see this movie in theatres.

It is without a doubt my favorite movie of this year.

However, Villeneuve was not the first to try to adapt Herbert’s behemoth of a sto-

Photo courtesy of HBO Max (Taken from https://decider.com/2021/09/17/dune-hbo-max-release-date/),Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atriedes and Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica. .

ry onto the big screen. Surrealist director David Lynch had a crack at it in 1984, only for it to be panned by critics.

Being a fan of both the books and Villeneuve’s adaptation, I decided one night to watch “Dune” (1984) and see if it was as bad as everyone said.

It was.

Above all else, this movie’s problem is that there is simply too much story to be told in its runtime. The creators tried to fit a 180,000 word book into 2 hours and 16 minutes, which is shorter

than the 2021 movie. What isn’t outright cut from the movie is rushed and confusing, especially to someone unfamiliar with the story.

This is especially noticeable in the second half of the story, where several important plot points are told either through montage or narration.

This movie also loves to tell instead of show, constantly having characters explain their actions and motivations through voice-over monologues. The visuals have also aged poorly. While

there are a few well made sets and nice looking aliens, they are undermined by obvious greenscreens, goofy looking outfits and forgettable ship designs.

While “Dune” (1984) is an awful movie, it has given me a better appreciation of not only the new film but also every other sci-fi movie from that era. “Alien” and the original “Star Wars” trilogy all came out before this and have aged so much better.

In short, watch the new “Dune,” skip the old one.

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November 18, 2021

Day in the life of a rugby student-athlete

SPORTS

Van Soderberg, the only football player in the GNAC with a 4.0

By Leah Shepherd Staff Reporter Have you ever wondered what being a Division I athlete and full time fourth year student with a job can be like? Senior loose forward Albert (Alby) O’Shannessey, a rugby player for CWU, was able to go through what a day for him looks like.

Being a student athlete at any division level can be difficult, and according to O’Shannessey it’s too much at times.

“With a combination of having all the rugby stuff going on and class, especially my senior year … I feel overloaded,” O’Shannessey said.

O’Shannessey’s morning looks very similar to an average student’s with getting up and having breakfast before getting ready for class.

“I have an 8 a.m. class so I wake up around 7 a.m. and eat breakfast. I usually have a pretty big breakfast … then I head to my class,” O’ Shannessey said. “After that I have a two-hour gap between my next class so I usually hang around on campus and just study … then have another class at noon.”

His noon class overlaps with his rugby practice which starts at noon and runs until 1:30 p.m. So O’Shannessey is there for the second half of practice, after walking from his class to the field.

“I get there around 1:031:04 p.m. and start training

Photo Courtesy of Van Soderberg, Getting good grades and performing on the football field is not easy to do. Van Soderberg (punting) has seemed to figure out how to balance both.

Photo Courtesy of CWU Athletics.

for about 25 minutes and then I typically hang around and do some [practice] outside of training, to make up for what I missed,” O’Shannessey said.

From 2-3 p.m. the rugby team has weights together and then are encouraged to go to the training room for recovery or physical training when needed.

“I then will come home [around 4] and eat … then usually do a bit of ‘studies’ for a couple hours … dinner around 7 p.m. and that’s pretty much Monday,” O’ Shannessey said.

Tuesdays and Thursdays look a little different because in the mornings the team has 6 a.m. weights instead of 2-3 p.m., but classes for O’Shannessey are the same.

Wednesday the team doesn’t practice and Fridays are a bit like Mondays.

With the season around the corner, O’Shannessey said he is excited for one last college year of “footie” and hopes to see his fans in the stands after all the team’s hard work.

Photo Courtesy of Jacob Thompson/Thompson Sports, Alby O’Shannessey (tackling player) has a similar, yet different day than regular students.

By Isaiah Salevao Staff Reporter The Wildcats football team has 31 players featured on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) All-Academic team. For players to qualify for the GNAC All-Academic team they must have a minimum GPA of 3.2 or higher, must be a sophomore or higher and have to be in their second year at the institution.

Senior punter Van Soderberg is the only football player in the GNAC to have a 4.0 GPA, according to wildcatsports.com.

Soderberg was very pleased to accomplish this feat.

“This is perhaps the most satisfying accolade we had hoped to achieve, short of an opportunity to compete for a national championship,” Soderberg said. “Our coaching staff continues to emphasize ‘faith, family, academics and football,’ in that order. We know that there is a lot of life off the playing field, which starts with an education at CWU.” Soderberg said his biggest strategy to be able to succeed on the football field but also in the classroom is time management.

“I keep it simple and consistent, making sure to get a fast start and be proactive on assignments beginning the first week of the quarter,” Soderberg said. “Given a relatively structured athletics schedule during the week, I like to fit in school and other interests around these commitments.

I always have my backpack with me, and will take advantage of even a few free minutes whenever possible. Little things like these add up over time.”

Soderberg shared some tips for other students and athletes as they continue the journey of a college student.

“The best piece of advice I have ever received is ‘do all things with repetition but moderation,’” Soderberg said. “This may sound dissonant at first, but by spreading out your workload over a number of days in smaller chunks, you will not only be more productive while actively completing tasks, thereby finishing them faster, but will retain more information at the same time. It’s a win-win.”

Soderberg didn’t take any credit for his great accomplishment of maintaining a 4.0 GPA. He praised his coaches and teammates for giving him the floorplan to being successful as a college athlete.

“They deserve all the credit,” Soderberg said. “Every week the coaches create a game plan we believe in and offer help where help is needed. My teammates and I execute it, and together we can leave football on the field where it belongs, not allowing it to bleed into our academic or personal life.”

Photo Courtesy of CWU Athletics.

EVENTS

Page 08

November 18, 2021

Wildcat Words: What is your favorite course you’ve taken at CWU?

An d

re w S a y - C h o

y

Fr. Undeclared

“FCL 184, Family Care and Child Life. ”

M a rc u s W o l f

Ast

C hr

er K n u d s o n

ist o p h e r K in

g

Ave ry

S a w ye

r

Jr. Theater Performance

Jr. double major in Theater and Art

Sr. Aviation

Fr. Elementary Education

“Intermediate Acting 2 has probably been my favorite. ”

“ I really like this dialect course I’m taking for theater. Right now, we’re learning how to do an Irish accent!”

“ One of my ceramics classes. It’s a great way to destress, and you get to utilize a lot of artistic liberty and freedom. ”

“Intro to Education. ”

weekly events 18

Q& A

THURS

19

with Tracy Pitzel

FRI

Meet Tracy Pitzel, CWU accountant and recent contestant on the iconic television game show, Jeopardy. Pitzel competed on Sept. 20, nearly defeating Matt Amodio, who lost after winning 38 consecutive games. Pitzel is a CWU graduate who has also worked at the university for the past six years.

Q: What was the process like for becoming a contestant on Jeopardy?

A: I took the Jeopardy online test in Spring 2019 and was invited to an in-person audition in Seattle with 50 or so other contestants in July 2019. Apparently, around 70,000 people took the test, and only the top 10% were considered for an audition, and not everyone that auditioned made it onto the show.

The pandemic delayed taping for a good portion of 2020, and I wasn’t actually able to tape until Summer 2021. It’s heartbreaking that I wasn’t able to meet Alex Trebek but getting to meet Mayim Bialik was really great! The day we taped was one of the best days of my life – I was able to meet so many cool people from all over the country, and it was exciting to be on set. It felt like I was in the Olympics.

Q: What categories of trivia do you tend to do the best in?

A: Literature, music, baseball and geography are my best categories. At one point, I would have said movies, but if you’ve seen my episode, you’d know that’s not true *facepalm/groan.* Q: How did you prepare for Jeopardy before competing?

A: I needed to be fast on the buzzer, and I knew from my in-person audition that you can’t buzz in until the host finishes speaking. I took the toilet paper holder (you know, the kind with the spring inside) out of my spare bathroom and used that to practice ringing in while watching the show every evening. It helped a lot. Other than that, I didn’t really study.

Q: What are your favorite hobbies?

A: I like to keep busy, and I have so many hobbies! I love to read; my nose is always in a book. I am a great cook, and love to try new recipes. I play a few different instruments, and currently, I’m learning the accordion. I sew and crochet, too.

Q: What are your favorite movies?

A: I love to laugh, so I’m all about comedies; “The Big Lebowski,” “Tommy Boy,” “Groundhog Day,” “Drop Dead Gorgeous,” “Girls Trip,” “The Great Outdoors.”

20 21 22 SAT

3-4 p.m. SLICE Director Candidate Open Forum @ SURC 301 7 p.m. Volleyball vs.Seattle Pacific University @ Nicholson Pavilion

3-4 p.m. SLICE Director Candidate Open Forum @ SURC 301 7 p.m. Call of Duty Tournament with CWU Recreation @ SURC Theater 210 12-2 p.m. Volleyball vs. Montana State University Billings @ Nicholson Pavilion 7:30-9 p.m. “Eurydice” by Sarah Ruhl @ McConnell Hall 201

4-5 p.m. Choir Concert @ Mcintyre Hall 174

SUN

MON

23 24

7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. Monday Movie Madness: Jungle Cruise @ SURC Theater 210

National Espresso Day

TUES

WED

National Jukebox Day No Classes for students

Photo taken by Martín Meráz García, Wildcat Words and Q&A reported by Stephanie Davison.

@CWUObserver

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