04/18/2019

Page 1

Indiana Statesman Serving Indiana State University for 90 years

Thursday, April. 18, 2019

Indiana Statesman

isustatesman

@ISUstatesman

indianastatesman.com

EARTH DAY 2019

Cheyenne Fauquher

Page designed by Claire Silcox

Fair gives students the chance to help ISU reduce waste and their carbon footprint

Reporter

On Wednesday, April 17, Indiana State University hosted an Earth Day Fair at the quad. The fair began at 11 a.m. and ended approximately 3 p.m. Students were able to come and check in at the front booth and then explore all that the fair had to offer. Earth Day at ISU began in 2009 as a speaker series in the Biology department and has expanded each year to encompass more aspects of sustainability. Today, Earth Day is a celebration open to both campus and the community. Earth Day 2019 included outdoor games, live entertainment, more than 50 local businesses and organizations offering educational activities about sustainability, an outdoor picnic catered by Sodexo, an environmentally focused Workshop Wednesday through the Career Center, and an evening activity. There were several booths set up in support of Earth Day on campus. Most of the booths were campus related organizations, such as Barnes and Noble and a Massage Therapy booth with students majoring in massage therapy here at ISU. The booths set up were focused

Danielle Guy | Indiana Statesman

Indiana State Office of Sustainability released new teal colored bikes for students, staff and faculty to rent and ride around campus at Earth Day on Wed. April 17, on the Quad.

on raising awareness on being environmentally friendly. One of the booths handing out metal straws were there to inform the community of saving the turtles. Another booth was giving away plants. When approaching this booth, students were told what each plant was, how to care for the

plant, and the benefits the plant has to the environment. Not everyone who visited this booth was able to take a plant home with them, due to a short supply. Lots of the other booths were handing out flyers about ecofriendly activities or tasks that can be taken to keep the environment safe and clean, as well as

candy and bracelets about awareness. “I enjoyed being able to take some time out of my day to enjoy being outside and walk around campus in honor of Earth Day. I am really excited to finally have a metal straw. I also think it’s pretty cool that I can call myself a plant dad now,” Jacob Girten said with

enthusiasm. A big chunk of the fair was focused on Sycamore Closet and Sycamore Secondhand. Both of these organizations are new to ISU. Sycamore Closet was started for students to bring their old spirit wear or any other clothes they are no longer using to resell. Sycamore Secondhand is another new organization started for students to bring their gently used dorm items at the end of the school year to resell at the beginning of fall semester for those in need. These booths are both intended to show students that the reuse of items is not only convenient, but ecofriendly by the reuse of products still in good shape rather than throwing them away. “To me, Earth Day is a celebration of nature and its beauty. Seeing all the booths support this day made me feel proud to be a Sycamore,” said freshman, Caroline Cleaver. Katie Uttich, Res life assistant director, won the Staff Sustainabiliy Leadership Award for her work with the Pledge Against Plastic Straws. Which ISU beat University of California Los Angeles last year and it has been rumored than ISU broke the website this year during the pledge.

ISU’s new club sport for muggles? Kyle McGinty Contributor

Saabriah Muhammad | Indiana Statesman

Cunningham Memorial has been rumored to have a bed bug infestation since ISU’s Spring Break.

Staff of Cunningham Memorial Library work to clear up bed bug rumors Payton Jarrett Reporter

Over the last week, rumors have lurked around campus about an alleged bedbug infestation in the Cunningham Memorial Library. The rumors have surfaced following a Facebook post by a concerned ISU student, Aryn Suiter. Suiter has shared a picture of the bug and the bite that resulted from the encounter. The incident was also reminiscent to a recent story by WTHI-TV 10 of a Terre Haute family who has acquired a bed bug epidemic from a book checked out from the Vigo County Public Library. An intense inspection was done and there was no trace of bed bugs found at the time. Suiter’s purpose in posting about the matter was to address her frustrations to the lack of attention towards the issue rather than to defame Indiana State University. Suiter says, “I truly love this campus, the students, faculty, and staff. I posted because I felt like I ran out of resources to reach out to about the situation.” The post was also demanding the Vigo County health department gives more reassurance to the student who’s been bitten as she sees that the matter has not been taken seriously. In 2018, there have been 37 complaints about bed bugs that have been reported to the Vigo County Health

Department, as stated by WTHI-TV 10. The department sees no health concern, as the bugs do not carry diseases. “Even if it isn’t a health concern, thousands of students go to the library each week to study and do homework,” said Suiter. “They should not be getting bit by bedbugs like I have.”Greg Youngen, Associate Dean of the Cunningham Memorial Library has worked closely to investigate and respond quickly to the issue at hand. In just a few days after the initial post, Youngen, other library staff and custodians were able to identify the exact location where the bedbug was sighted and hire professional pest exterminators to thoroughly examine the building and its furniture and carpeting. “I am quite happy to report that no evidence of bedbugs was found by this service,” said Youngen. The Cunningham Memorial Library remains a functioning place for students to study, do homework, and take advantage of the many resources it offers. They encourage anyone using the library to report any sighting of bugs of any kind to the library staff immediately. “It’s just something we need to monitor continuously to stay on top of,” Youngen says, “Usually between library staff, Facilities Maintenance personal, or custodians, we can take care of most any situation.”

Quidditch, a new club sport at Indiana State University will become an official team by the fall of 2019. Quidditch is a fictional sport created by author of J.K Rowling of the Harry Potter series. A graduate student, Mustafa Mustafa, created the club in 2016. The club has doubled the original six members from the start. “We have a lot of key additions,” said head coach Dayton Stahl. “This club has definitely improved over time and were not even close to our full potential yet.” The team has many social media platforms to promote their team, as well as a “Rally Around Us” fundraising campaign. The team has currently raised over $1500 dollars to go toward fees to become an official recognized team. Becoming official would included a full schedule of

tournaments in games, as well as having a chance to attend regional playoffs to face other schools in the state including IU, Purdue and Ball State. “We are very excited about this opportunity,” said Stahl. “This has been our goal since the beginning of this year, to finally compete and make a name for ourselves.” The game itself is a mixture of football, dodgeball and soccer. The sport became a nationally recognized sport in 2005 and it’s been growing ever since. Currently 150 schools across the nation have official Quidditch teams. “The sport is growing so fast,” said President Dalton Serkis, “We just love the fact that we are going to be a part of that.” With being an unofficial team, they cannot be a part of many tournaments, as they are not registered with USA Quidditch. They have been scrimmaging with teams such as

Illinois and Ball State, as well going to an unofficial tournament in Cleveland, Ohio. “We just keep getting better with numbers that we recruit and our skills of playing this sport, I think it makes us a wild card because nobody knows what we’re capable of,” Serkis said. The Quidditch team practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m. at the first street soccer field across from the ISU baseball field. The team encourages everyone to come out and give this new sport a try. “You don’t have to be an athlete to play this game,” said Stahl “ Come out and give it a chance, we have a lot of fun and would love to see new faces that fall in love in this sport like we do.” The team is having a “House Feast” to promote their team on Friday April 19 in Dede I starting at 6 p.m. The event will include food, games and a DJ and will cost $5 per person.

Van-Go

A unique dining experience for Terre Haute Brea Haller Reporter

A new wonder of Terre Haute has opened on Poplar Street. Allyson and David Henry own and operate the new restaurant, VanGo. Both the name and place hold so much uniqueness. David Henry was 16 when he received a 1973 VolksWagen bus as his first car. He always wanted to start a business and first dreamed about traveling in the car and delivering food from it. As time went on, the couple realized Terre Haute really didn’t have anything like VanGo and decided to change this. Van-Go is an ice cream parlor that also offers several other dining options. This is the first distributor in Indiana to sell Hershey brand ice cream. Hershey offers a variety of 250 different flavors and Van-Go keeps an interchangeable 24 flavors in the store. New flavors are always entering the restaurant. “Customers can go onto the Hershey website, pick their favorite flavors, and we will bring those flavors into the store for them,”

said owner, Henry. The place doesn’t stop at just delicious scoops of ice cream. They make “Love Shakes” which is a milkshake mixed with any preferred ice-cream flavor and topped with a cupcake. Old-fashioned sandwiches are made ranging from grilled cheese to chicken sandwiches, along with a variety of soups. “My best friend and I love to come here on our lunch breaks! Great customer service and amazing sandwiches and shakes,” reads a Facebook review. If all of the great options might be overwhelming for you, Henry suggests their old-fashioned sundaes, which are “soda-jerk approved, that is one of my favorite parts about this place.” With the great food comes even better service, people and atmosphere. The restaurant aims to be a place for everyone and for everyone to enjoy spending time there. Gluten free, sugar free and dairy free op-

VAN-GO CONTINUED ON PAGE 5


NEWS

Page 2

Thursday, April 18, 2019 Page designed by Rileigh McCoy

Illinois-based college bus company accused of mocking Asian students settles lawsuit Dawn Rhodes

Chicago Tribune (TNS)

A bus company that drew widespread criticism for an ad appearing to mock Chinese students at the University of Illinois has reached an agreement that will allow it to continue operating — but under close watch from the state’s top prosecutor for the next three years. Champaign-based Suburban Express, which operates shuttles between college campuses and the Chicago area, has finalized an agreement that ends a lawsuit brought by former Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. The consent decree requires the company to make a six-figure payment for customer refunds, implement new anti-discrimination policies and training for employees, and undergo periodic reviews of operations, ads and any complaints filed by customers. U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood approved the deal on April 9. But Suburban Express — which was previously ordered by Wood to stop retaliating against customers who posted negative reviews — remained defiant. The company posted on Facebook that it “felt it was being extorted by the state,” continued to deny claims made in the lawsuit and noted the agreement included no admission of wrongdoing. News reports in December 2017, including from the Chicago Tribune, detailed an emailed ad from the company that boasted, “You won’t feel like you’re

in China when you’re on our buses” — an apparent swipe at the sizable population of Chinese students at U. of I. at Urbana-Champaign. A subsequent statement on the company’s Facebook page, titled “Apology,” assailed U. of I. leaders for “selling our university to the highest foreign bidder” before stating, “We did not intend to offend half the planet.” Within days of those reports, Madigan launched an inquiry into whether the company violated the Illinois Human Rights Act. That probe revealed “rampant and equally egregious examples of … illegal conduct,” Madigan said, prompting her to sue the company in Chicago federal court in April 2018. The lawsuit claimed that Suburban Express encouraged employees not to serve students who weren’t native English speakers and that company owner Dennis Toeppen posted a video that mocked U. of I. Asian students and banned customers with billing addresses in Chicago suburbs where there are sizable Jewish populations. In one email, Madigan said, Toeppen called a customer “a pushy little Chinese international student with a fragile ego” who “should go back to your country and stay there,” according to the lawsuit. In another email he wrote, “Bone up on your English a little so you don’t have more problems like this in my country,” the suit states. Kwame Raoul, who took over as Illinois attorney general this year, released a statement saying the new consent decree

France announces global design contest to rebuild Notre-Dame spire as donations near $1 billion mark Nancy Dillon

New York Daily News (TNS)

Oui want your input! French officials on Wednesday announced an international competition to replace the 300-foot spire that once crowned Notre Dame Cathedral but was lost in Monday night’s devastating fire. Architects from around the globe will be invited to submit their visions of what should replace the original, lacy 19th-century design from architect Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. Viollet-le-Duc revivalist Gothic design made from wood and covered in lead burst into flames Monday night and toppled over as the world watched in horror. France will be looking for “a new spire that is adapted to the techniques and the challenges of our era,” Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said Wednesday as he announced the competition. Philippe spoke a day after French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild the cathedral within five years -- in time for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. The prime minister also said General Jean-Louis Georgelin, former chief of staff of the armed forces, would oversee the reconstruction effort and that new legislation was in the works to give a legal framework to the herculean task and guarantee “transparency and good management.” While the cost of rebuilding remains unclear, nearly a billion dollars already has been pledged by France’s riches families, small donations and companies including L’Oréal, Apple and even Disney, officials said. Disney, which adapted Victor Hugo’s classic novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” to an animated musical in 1996, announced its $5 million donation Wednesday, calling the cathedral an “irreplaceable masterpiece.” “Notre Dame is a beacon of hope and beauty that has defined the heart of Paris and the soul of France for centuries, inspiring awe and reverence for its art and architecture and for its enduring place

in human history,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. Parisian officials, meanwhile, said Wednesday that firefighters performed many drills at the cathedral before Monday’s tragedy and knew what they were doing when the blaze erupted. They said there was no delay in response to the inferno and that firefighters focused much of their effort on safeguarding the wooden frames of the twin bell towers. If those burned and toppled, one official said, they would have caused a “chain-reaction collapse” of the treasured landmark. “If the fire reached this wooden structure, the bell tower would have been lost,” José Vaz de Matos, a fire expert with France’s Culture Ministry, said at a news conference. “From the moment we lose the war of the bell towers, we lose the cathedral, because it’s a chain-reaction collapse.” While the fire destroyed most of the 850-year-old cathedral’s lead roof and toppled its spire, many of the church’s art and religious relics were saved, including its most famous treasures, The Crown of Thorns and the tunic of Saint Louis. Notre Dame’s famous rose windows also survived in “good condition,” although Paris firefighters spokesman Lt. Col. Gabriel Plus said Wednesday the windows might still be at risk due to weaknesses in their support walls. Firefighters took great care not to spray the delicate stained glass too hard as they battled the flames, Plus said. “The experts are scrutinizing the whole of the cathedral, part by part, to identify what is weakened, what will need to be dismantled or consolidated,” Plus said. A crane and planks of wood arrived at the construction site Wednesday morning as firefighters continued their probe. The Paris prosecutor’s office said investigators still have not been able to tour the cathedral due to safety concerns. Since the fire, the island that houses the cathedral has been closed to the public and its residents evacuated.

“brings an end to Mr. Toeppen’s reprehensible business practices and ensures that students receive fair and equal access to Suburban Express’ services.” “For too long, students traveling from university campuses to their homes have done so under the fear of being subjected to discrimination and harassment by Suburban Express and its owner,” Raoul said. Toeppen could not be reached for comment Tuesday. A statement on the company’s Facebook page continued to dispute the claims of the lawsuit and said the terms of the consent decree imposed “some minor requirements” on the company. “Madigan’s lawsuit contained numerous false, unproven, unproveable (sic) and legally inconsequential allegations,” the statement said. “Suburban Express felt that it was being extorted by the state, but chose a $100k payment to state rather than spending $250k-$500k defeating the lawsuit.” The payment, due to the attorney general’s office by Oct. 9, will be put into a trust to provide refunds to customers. By the end of this month, the company must establish a way for customers to submit claims online for refunds of up to $20. Anyone who bought a Suburban Express ticket between April 23, 2014, and April 9, 2018, and has not received a refund may be eligible. Claims are also due Oct. 9. And the company is prohibited from retaliation against customers who seek refunds, including publicly identifying them or “otherwise engaging in public commentary” about them.

The agreement also requires Toeppen and his employees to attend annual anti-discrimination training in programs approved by the attorney general. The company must also prominently display a new anti-discrimination statement on its website, promotions, order confirmations and other company materials. “All persons are welcome to ride on our vehicles,” the statement will read, according to court documents. “We do not discriminate, offer different services, or deny services on the basis of any individual’s race, color, sex, gender, identity, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military status, or source of income. You are welcome here.” Suburban Express must also retain copies of all customer complaints, contracts and advertisements. The company must provide those documents to the attorney general every six months for review. The consequences for not complying with the terms of the agreement are potentially severe. The attorney general could ask the court to force the company to pay penalties and restitution or even halt business. But Suburban Express’ statement also asserted that Raoul’s office mischaracterized the agreement and said it’s considering its own legal action against Raoul and a top deputy. “Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s press release on the matter is false and defamatory in the extreme, in that it claims his office proved the various false and unproven allegations,” the statement said.


Page 3

FEATURES

Meet your fellow ISU Sycamores

Thursday, April 18, 2019 Page designed by Garrett Hall

Dossier by Cheyenne Fauquher Photos by Anna Bartley

Freshman Name: Ezra Davis Birthday: January 19, 2000 Hometown: Indianapolis Major: Marketing Business Analysis A chore you absolutely hate doing: cleaning the basement At what age do you feel you become an adult: 25 Sophomore Name: Nick Hartman Birthday: December 8, 1998 Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN Major: Environmental Science A chore you absolutely hate doing: dishes At what age do you feel you become an adult: 20 Junior Name: Olivia Garber Birthday: April 21, 1997 Hometown: Noblesville, IN Major: Human Development and Family Studies A chore you absolutely hate doing: Laundry At what age do you feel you become an adult: 30 Senior Name: Haley Eisenbarth Birthday: October 30, 1996 Hometown: Shelbeyville, IL Major: Criminal Justice A chore you absolutely hate doing: Vacuum At what age do you feel you become an adult: 16

The Gentleman’s Society offers Breakfast Club to ISU

The Gentlemen’s Society will be hosting a campus-wide day of service on the third Saturday of April from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will start at United Campus Ministries across from campus, next to University Hall. Breakfast will be served from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Our guest, the 21st Century Scholar Coordinator, Aaron Slocum will be there detailing the importance of service in the community and what we can do to help with the resources presented to us. Next is the service aspect, and the event will move to the African Methodist Episcopal on Spruce Street where we will be working on the beautification of their community center. Finally, the day will end with a celebration including a kickball tournament at Fairbanks Park. The brothers of the Gentlemen’s Society believe that what you put into your community you will eventually get back. They believe that it is their civic duty to plant fruitful seeds in hopes to positively impact their community’s long-term future so that they may bring the change they are so dire to see. The Gentlemen’s Society is one of two

brother & sister organizations under the umbrella of a mentoring program called MAPS (Mentoring Assistance for Prospective Scholars) the other being Sistah’s Speak. MAPS is here to help ‘increase student interaction with professionals in varying fields, monitoring that experience, and providing opportunity for academic growth, and campus involvement.’ The Gentlemen’s Society serves MAPS to fight the stigma that black men can do no good in their community. They are responsible for hosting events such as the annual Superbowl Party, a time to come together, have fun, and fellowship with each other over a game of football, as well as The Barbershop Talk, an original event providing a time, space, & opportunity for like-minded individuals to engage in intellectual & insightful conversations while also getting a haircut. With the success of their upcoming event they hope to make it annual, improving upon the foundation each time after that. The success of this event depends on active student participation, meaning they need you all to play your

part in making this event what it is. “The brothers of the Gentlemen’s Society humbly ask the students of Indiana State University to sacrifice a little of their time & put it towards something meaningful. We hope to change the way people view service by creating meaningful memories while ushering in faith & good will into the community.” Jonathan Rice, Chair of the Gentlemen’s Society, said. The African Methodist Episcopal Church is a historical place of worship that grew out of the Free African Society in 1787. This church was an alternative for African Americans as they were horribly discriminated against. This historical church has a chain of churches across the nation that are connected to the Underground Railroad. The African Methodist Episcopal has two locations right here in Terre Haute. The current church that we will be working with is in the process of turning their Parish House into a Community Center. According to Reverend Tess Stephens, “The vision of the Hope Community Center of Knowledge is to empower the com-

munity through knowledge & practice. The house will have a broadcasting room to teach young practitioners how to create their own podcasts. There will be computer training for adult certifications and workshops for entrepreneur training. On top of all that, this space will allow those in the community to have a gathering place for fellowship amongst one another.” The Breakfast Club is an event where you can enjoy a nice breakfast with your peers and make an impact on your community. After the beautification of the Hope Community Center of Knowledge, there will be a kickball tournament at Fairbanks Park beginning around 2:30 p.m. and ending around 4 p.m. It is important that we celebrate the works and efforts that are put into the community in order to keep the movement alive. Serving the community should not be looked at as a drag or a requirement. Instead, community service should be viewed as an opportunity to connect with those around you and work towards a greater good. Overall,

BREAKFAST CLUB CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Wabash location closest to campus behind Burger King

3 LOCATIONS: 3045 Wabash Ave Terre Haute, IN 2420 Spring Clean Ave Terre Haute, IN 5451 South State Rd 63 Terre Haute, IN

Summer Store Your Stuff Terre Haute Bowling Center

Good for 1 free bowling game *Not good with other offers

$120 for Summer Springhill Mini Warehouses 600 Springhill Road 812-238-2913


OPINION Sexual assualt on campus The Dark Side of the Chocolate

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Page 4

Page designed by Rileigh McCoy

Erin Bradshaw Columnist

Indiana State University offers many resources regarding sexual assault, but some feel that not enough is being done. According to the 2018 annual Security and Fire Safety report at ISU, there were 34 on-campus rapes, zero statutory rapes, 29 cases of fondling, and 74 cases of dating violence between the years of 2015-2017. “Sexual assault could involve a faculty member, a staff member, or another student,” Title IX coordinator Stephanie Gambill said. Reporting a case of sexual assault is an extensive process. It starts with going through the Title IX guidelines that pertain to the person’s situation, follows with interviews, and ends with the decision made by three randomly selected panelists. “There are very strict guidelines that we follow in this process to make sure that everyone is treated the same and has the same opportunities,” said Gambill. However, once someone is found “responsible” or “not responsible” through a university, it is up to the institution’s Office of Records and Registration to put that on the student’s transcript because it is not a criminal case. There is no law in place that makes it mandatory for these steps to be executed; therefore, a student found responsible can transfer to another university and no one would ever know. The student could continue to engage in the same inappropriate behavior. This is a worry for many sexual assault survivors. “There is a range of disciplinary sanctions available for individuals determined to be responsible for a policy violation of sexual violence, with the most severe sanction being expulsion

from ISU,” Gambill said. Some students feel as though justice has not been served to their offenders. I personally know many women on campus who simply have to live with the fact that their offenders get to walk away with a free pass. “I personally felt very brushed away by Title IX,” said an ISU sophomore who wished to remain anonymous. The student reported their incident about seven months after it had happened and was told that nothing could be done about it because their offender did not go to ISU and it had been too long. “The case never got finalized because he went to Rose Hulman. I would’ve loved to see more happen,” said the student. For many victims of sexual assault, this is a common worry. They fear that if their offender does not go to the same school or if they wait too long, nothing will be done. Another former student at ISU went through a similar process. “When this case was brought up to Title IX, they didn’t believe anything. I had the forensic evidence, the pictures, and the texts from the person,” said the former student. Because nothing was done about both of these events, the students feared for their safety when walking around campus. In addition to RAVE Alerts on cell phones, the university head created about 60 of the blue emergency poles placed sporadically across campus. Some may also see that many of these do not work and take up space that could be used for more parking or more green space. They are placed in dark, remote areas as a safety precaution for students. “The Emergency Blue Light poles are checked monthly. With this said though, it should be noted that this equipment is

SEXUAL ASSUALT ON PAGE 5

Industry: Child Labor and Slavery Yasmine Haiti Columnist

Who doesn’t appreciate the taste of chocolate? Europeans consume more than half of the cacao produced in the world, which equals approximately three million, three hundred thousand pounds of cacao per year. That is around fifteen milliard tablets of chocolate. On the other side of the planet, Americans consume 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate each year with an average of eleven pounds per person. North American countries are undoubtedly representing the largest share, followed by the continental Europe. The chocolate industry has experienced a massive growth over the last decade. A raise has considerably driven the increase in production in the population awareness of the health benefits associated with certain categories of chocolate, and by a more significant popularity and consumption in Asian Pacific countries. Our love for chocolate and the pleasure we feel when tasting hides unacceptable realities, especially for children of the second largest continent in the World−Africa. Western African countries, specifically Ghana and the Ivory Coast, supply more than 70% of the world’s cacao bean, commonly known as cocoa. The harvested bean ends up in the hands of the chocolate manufactures, including the internationally known and largest ones in the world. Humanitarian and international organizations have long suspected to generate benefits from human trafficking, child

labor, and slavery; and as soon as journalists and other organizations have exposed the truth, the industry of chocolate increased its discretion. The secretive aspect of chocolate companies made it more complicated for the media to access the farms where human rights transgressions occurs and diffuse the wrongdoings to the international community. According to a joint UNICEFWorld Bank report, almost half of all children in sub-Saharan Africa are living in extreme poverty. Most of the children of Western Africa start working at a young age to help support their families, which is how these children end up in cocoa farms. Their own relatives sell some of the children to traffickers or farm owners, while traffickers convince others that the position pays good money. Most of the children abducted that are forced to work in chocolate farms come from the poorest nations in the world − Burkina Faso and Mali. These children are exposed to a variety of dangers. The long and exhausting hours of work are considered a direct threat to the mental and physical health of the child. Furthermore, the use of dangerous materials such as chainsaws and machetes to clear the forest and cut the bean pods is a direct violation to international labor laws. The child workers are not excluded from carrying heavy sacks that can weigh more than a hundred pounds. In addition to all of the highlighted unlawful conditions, the abducted kids are exposed to different types of violence and abuse. In recent years, Candy companies admitted to the exploitation of human beings as a commod-

ity and were condemned. However, despite the signature of the manufactures of a contract forbidding any form of human rights violation, the practices are still commonplace. The purpose of this article is not to make chocolate lovers feel bad about their consumption, but to raise awareness on the 179 million children exploited by hazardous work. Displaced children lack the bare necessities from freedom to childhood to schooling to health. It is easy to walk down the aisle and pick any bar of chocolate, but it would not take much effort to take a moment to choose a slave free candy. Farms known for the production of organic food are subject to an independent tracking and monitoring system that meticulously records labor practices. Therefore, organic chocolate can also be considered as slave free. Child labor is not only dominant in the cocoa industry, but also in many other industries all around the globe. Agriculture is one of the worst and most common form of child labor. In Colombia, Nicaragua, or Tanzania, coffee plantations engage kids to pick beans. In Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, boys and girls below the age of puberty are forcefully employed in the cotton sector. Perhaps one of the most oppressive conditions would be those of children working in Cambodia and Bangladesh in the garment industry. I strongly condemn these unlawful and inhuman practices on innocent and naïve boys and girls. There has been a steady decrease in the rates of child labor, but the progress remains slower compared to the fast growing industries.

Reasons to Visit Nepal The Story of an International Student Ashima Sitaula Columnist

Jhansi Chagalakonda Columnist

The historically rich, most beautiful country called Nepal is sandwiched between the two great nations of India and China. Nepal attracts tourists from all over the world. Nepal is the home to Mount Everest’s majestic top and the birthplace of Lord Buddha. With stunning views and amazing landscapes, a spirit of adventure and love for nature would astonish many. The charismatic people of Nepal add beauty to your memories by presenting a magnificent blend of the destination and the rich culture. It is true that the name of Nepal, in the tourism world, is known for the trekking destinations offered to tourists. A big part of Nepali tourism comes from the trekking adventures across the year. People from across the globe travel to Nepal to try the laborious and exciting hike the snowy summits of the Mount Everest, which is at 5,364 meters or 18,000 feet high. The shorter treks and the diverse trekking options in the Annapurna region is what attracts the adventure lovers to visit Nepal and spend the time of their life there. You will experience breathtaking views of some of the world’s tallest and most beautiful mountains. The trekking is highly arduous, but worth the effort. Trekking the mountains is up to 7,000 meters in Nepal at the lower heights. Climbing the peaks is something else and requires climbing skills as it is a dangerous adventure that not everyone can do. Mountain peak climbing is another popular adventure that the tourists love to do in Nepal and you should try it if you do not have a faint heart. You can find the guides and the groups going for climbing the peaks at the foot of the mountain and enjoy the taste of adventure for climbing with them. Trekking isn’t the only thing you would want to visit Nepal. There are more than 200 lakes in Nepal with a beautiful glacier origin. These lakes present a stunning view with vivid shades of blue. The white-water rafting is something that the adventurers and the tourists love to do in Nepal. The long rivers with clean water, mountains, jungles and beautiful landscapes run along these rivers, low costs of the rafts and the guides, which makes rafting more exciting and adventurous compared to any other part of the world. Since Nepal is the home to the tallest summits in the world, the adventure sports in Nepal are numerous and people love to enjoy these sports. Bungee jumping, paragliding, mountain flight, zip-flying, ultra-light flight, canyoning and canoeing are among some the best adventure sports that you can enjoy. The architecture in Nepal is unbelievable and is comprised of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites alone in the Kathmandu area! The list is endless with decorated streets, sacred temples, pagodas, palaces, monasteries, mosques, medieval towns and complexes. The city and valley are the most spectacular sites. You will find that Kathmandu offers many places to visit. You would not want to miss Durbar Square, Bhaktapur, and Patan to admire the finest Newari architecture.

NEPAL CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Before anticipating reading some fateful story of an international student, let me clear it, it’s not a painful story of any one particular international students, but of all international students. Don’t be disappointed, because I promise it will be a sad story. You will feel sympathy for international students. Before we begin, I want you to pause for a second and imagine uprooting yourselves from your home, your own country and moving to a completely new environment, house and new world. It’s not that easy right? I agree. Although, you may ask, “If it’s so hard then why come?” Not all come for the enjoyment of a scintillating world or being abroad, instead some come for the fact that there is “The Department” in other countries that their own country does not offer. There is “the education” that international students want to be part of in the United States; there is “the opportunity” to learn and optimize the education they receive and possibly reproduce it in their own place. Now let’s jump right into the actual topic: “the adversities.” When international students land in the country of their dreams, they

Editorial Board

Thursday, April 18, 2019 Indiana State University

www.indianastatesman.com

Volume 126 Issue 53

Claire Silcox Editor-in-Chief isu-statesman@mail.indstate.edu Rileigh McCoy News Editor isu-statesman@mail.indstate.edu Rachel Modi Opinions Editor isu-statesman@mail.indstate.edu Alexandria Truby Features Editor isu-statesman@mail.indstate.edu David Cruz Sports Editor isu-statesman@mail.indstate.edu Danielle Guy Photo Editor isu-statesman@mail.indstate.edu The Indiana Statesman is the student newspaper of Indiana State University. It is published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the academic school year. Two special issues are published during the summer. The paper is printed by the Tribune Star in Terre Haute, Ind.

come very oblivious to the challenges they may face. Having said that, it is not easy to cope with the emotional disconnection many face because of having no family nearby. However, there are many more situations that international students are subjected to which many of the citizens might be unaware of. For example, applying for driver’s license is a hassle. In Terre Haute, it is not easy to commute with buses, because the frequency of bus services is horrible. You get a bus for every one hour, so if you miss your bus by a minute, then well too bad. Wait for an hour to get to your destination, which is outrageous. I am currently writing this article waiting for my bus because I missed it by a minute. Then comes the lack of knowledge about how credit card and credit scores works. By the time you gain knowledge, you have made many mistakes and faced many issues. I know life is all about learning, but for the people who are already here, they have their parents to learn from while international students have friends who also might not know either. The students who travel so many miles to study have to go through some long

orientations at the beginning of the semester and hear too many scary stories about immigrations, they have to follow numerous rules to avoid a violation, but none of us are guided on how to live in the U.S. or any other country. None of these orientations cover the basic needs of students. For example, how to travel, how to get a license, where to go for help if you need to practice driving, how to learn about credit cards, how to protect yourselves from fraud, etc. We don’t want to hear from officials on how to get your license, we want a student’s perspective and cautions that they can give, because they have already been through that. I totally agree all these things come with experience and learning, but I guess a heads up wouldn’t harm. The story goes like this: Once upon a time, there once lived a girl happy in her home. Her mom took care of her needs at home, her father protected her from the evil world, and everything was beautiful. One dreadful night, she dreamt of achieving more and working hard to achieve her dreams; however, one obstacle stood in her way because she had to travel abroad and leave behind the place of safety and explore the world to learn more and excel

in her life. She stepped on the plane. The plane had no turbulence, but her heart was going through a tornado invisible to other passengers. She landed in the place of her dreams. She was required to live a completely new stranger, talk in a completely new language, and cope with the pressure of classes. She woke up early to cook for herself, but wait there are no ingredients with which her mom used to cook. So, she had to settle for a burger. She hates it, pukes everywhere and stays hungry. To top it all, she is feeling home sick. She has no choice but to live with it. She cannot rent a car and drive to Illinois or anywhere close to visit her family, because guess what? They are thousands of miles away. My agenda here was to draw a small picture for you to understand the kind of situation international students go experience. Many of the international students are unaware of the norms or the life style of the place they immigrate to. Be patient, help them, and be generous to them. Teach them some norms so they can survive here until they are here. Let them in to your groups; make them feel welcomed. Make their visit worth sharing.

Opinions Policy The opinions page of the Indiana Statesman offers an opportunity for the Indiana State University community to express its views. The opinions, individual and collective, expressed in the Statesman and the student staff’s selection or arrangement of content do not necessarily reflect the attitudes of the university, its Board of Trustees, administration, faculty or student body. The Statesman editorial board writes staff editorials and makes final decisions about news content. This newspaper serves

as a public forum for the ISU community. Make your opinion heard by submitting letters to the editor at statesmanopinions@isustudentmedia.com. Letters must be fewer than 500 words and include year in school, major and phone number for verification. Letters from non-student members of the campus community must also be verifiable. Letters will be published with the author’s name. The Statesman editorial board reserves the right to edit letters for length, libel, clarity and vulgarity.


indianastatesman.com VAN-GO FROM PAGE 1 tions are all included so not one person is ever left out. Being affordable for everyone is an important factor to the Henrys as well. Seven scoops of ice-cream is under $20, meaning a family or group of seven could all grab a scoop for under $20. The Henrys want you to bring the entire family to Van-Go, everyone is welcome. Not only do they want to be a family-friendly place, they also encourage students to enjoy Van-Go. Several electrical outlets are placed throughput the space to make it an easy place for students to study. When the studying is over, live

Thursday, April 18, 2019 • Page 5 music and movies are also shown in the restaurant. To be even more connected with the people of Terre Haute, the owners have chosen to not decorate their newly painted walls, they are allowing customers to bring in any type of art and decorations that they feel will be a nice fit for Van-Go. They are even looking to have a member of the community paint a mural on one of their walls. With the amazing food, ice cream, atmosphere and customer service, this place is sure to be one of the best attractions in Terre Haute. What are you waiting for? VanGO!

NEPAL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Durbar Square was built as part of a complex of royal ceremonies, while Bhaktapur and Patan were some of the greatest cities in the Newar Kingdom. These places have a very interesting history and it would be a good idea to learn about them. Other spectacular structures are the Boudhantah Stupa and the Monkey Temple. These sacred temples are visited daily by hundreds of Buddhists (including the large Tibetan community), making them perfect places to watch Buddhist ceremonies. Although Nepal is a small country in terms of area, the diverse nature and rich history makes it a cultural hub. Those who love to have some cultural tours would find themselves in the cultural heaven while they are in Nepal. Hinduism is the most practiced religion in Nepal; the place is however under the strong influence of Buddhism due to many stupas around. Islam and Christianity are also practiced by some people and in this way, there is a great religious diversity in Nepal. Since there are people from several ethnicities in Nepal, all coming from different areas, beliefs and languages, the combined effect makes a beautiful

SEXUAL ASSAULT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 over 20-years-old and upkeep of the units becomes more and more complex. Many of the parts needed are not readily available anymore,” Chief of Police Joseph Newport said. Chief Newport also said a new security system, which was not greatly elaborated on, is in place, but has not been completed. Overall, it ended with a cost of two million dollars. Supposedly, plans to upgrade this equipment is a top priority of the university. It will replace the blue poles, but it is a very timely and expensive process. ISU is attempting to make further enhancements to benefit students and their surroundings regarding sexual assault and safety, according to Newport. During the Brock Turner case, many were devastated when a man in college explicitly raped two women and got away with only three months of jail time. Many accused the judge of having let Turner off because of his class, race, and sex. This brings to the forefront of how accountable

To place a classified ad call: (812) 237-3025 fax us: (812) 237-7629 stop by the office: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Dreiser Hall Room 201 or send us an email: Stacey.McCallister@indstate.edu

FOR RENT

2, 3, 4, 5 AND 7 BEDROOM HOUSES! Washer/dryer, stove & refrigerator included. Available August 2019 Find us on Facebook or online pics & pricing of our current available units also. LSM Investments, LLC LSMinvestments. managebuilding.com Call for more info! 812-635-0019

NOW RENTING FOR SUMMER OR FALL! 1-3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS Some close to campus! NO PETS ALLOWED Call Gibson Apartments 812-234-4884

A MUST TO SEE! 1 bedroom studio apartment. Upper unit Well maintained & clean. No pets/non-smoker $425 plus electric 931 S. 4th St. 812-535-1291 or 812-240-2331

BREAKFAST FROM PAGE 3

COLLEGE BUS FROM PAGE 2

the institution is begging for a new, innovative way of approaching community service. This is not strictly for numbers, or photo opportunities. The Breakfast Club is an opportunity to make a difference as well as play a role in the living history that our ancestors sacrificed their lives for. It is now time to become the change we want to see by impacting the future generations by building upon the foundation left by our ancestors of the past.

false, unproven, unproveable (sic) and legally inconsequential allegations,” the statement said. “Suburban Express felt that it was being extorted by the state, but chose a $100k payment to state rather than spending $250k-$500k defeating the lawsuit.” The payment, due to the attorney general’s office by Oct. 9, will be put into a trust to provide refunds to customers. By the end of this month, the company must establish a way for customers to submit claims online for refunds of up to $20. Anyone who bought a Suburban Express ticket between April 23, 2014, and April 9, 2018, and has not received a refund may be eligible. Claims are also due Oct. 9. And the company is prohibited from retaliation against customers who seek refunds, including publicly identifying them or “otherwise engaging in public commentary” about them. The agreement also requires Toeppen and his employees to attend annual anti-discrimination training in programs approved by the attorney general. The company must also prominently display a new anti-discrimination statement on its website, promotions, order confirmations and other company

blend, something you would love to indulge yourself. If you have a thing for wildlife, then Nepal certainly will prove to be the best place to savor your love for animals, as there are so many national wildlife parks across the country that you can enjoy seeing all the animals closely easily. The Chitwan National Park and Bardia National Park are the largest and the most famous ones. There is a big variety of animals found in Nepal and the wildlife parks are the best way to enjoy seeing these animals living in their natural habitat while they are really close to the humans as well. You can take Safari to the National Park where you will see plenty of local fauna including crocodiles, rhinos, deer, tigers, leopards etc. Most of these animals live in high mountains. Among birds, you will find some unique species of black kite, booted eagle, Golden eagle, common Pochard etc. If you are interested in wildlife, Nepal is no doubt an ideal place for you. So, are you inspired to go to Nepal yet? Whenever you are in Nepal, make sure you have added all these things to your list so that nothing misses up and you get a chance to enjoy the charismatic effect of Nepal and all that it has to offer. we are holding people for what they do and have done. Recently, the MeToo movement has skyrocketed in supporting and uplifting women to come forward about the tragedies they have had to endure as sexual assault victims. I think more initiatives like this should be taken on college campuses to help support victims of sexual assault; and there are some resources ISU has implemented to do so. It’s On Blue is a course designed to take ISU students to the next level regarding sexual assault by education, training, and programs regarding the subject. There is an event that happens every spring called, “Walk a mile in her shoes” when men walk a mile in heels to get a glimpse of what it might be like to be a woman. These are great initiatives, but I think more can be done and administrators should be more involved in ensuring students feel safe no matter what environment they are in.

Correction:

In the Thursday, April 11, issue of the Indiana Statesman, the jump from Tessa Shepards column was not completed. Her piece “ISU’s mental health” is completed here:

We need something else put in place to help students release stress before it gets so bad that they need to see a professional. We live 11 minutes away from a Humane Society. I am a strong believer in pet therapy. Who would not love to go play or pet a dog between classes to relive some stress? In addition, you are making the dogs’ day as well. While I come down from my soapbox, all I want to say is that if we like these ideas and we know that ISU can provide these services, then we should allow our voices to be heard. We know what we want and we want it now! We need to band together, no matter our differences, and keep our common goals in mind. We need to tackle the harm of mental health on campus. We need to say that the time is now. We need to be heard before we have another mental breakdown.

Read the entirety of the column at www.indianastatesman.com

CLASSIFIEDS Rates Per Issue 20 words or less Classified Rate is $7 Frequency Discount $6 ISU Organization $5 Extra words are 15¢ each.

FOR RENT UPSTAIRS APARTMENT Two bedroom, living & dining area with extra room for office or sitting area, carpeted throughout. Covered porch, electric heat & air. Full bath & kitchen with vinyl flooring, refrigerator & stove. No pets, no smoking. $575 per month, tenant pays electricity. $500 security deposit. 814 Lincoln Street Contact: Elaine Ross 812-230-9736

Tis the Season for Baseball

Stay updated on your favorite sports with the Indiana Statesman.

4,3 & 5 BEDROOM VICTORIAN HOMES Close to campus Homey & extra nice Quiet for study Must See! 812-232-6977

Home of the Indiana Statesman

materials. “All persons are welcome to ride on our vehicles,” the statement will read, according to court documents. “We do not discriminate, offer different services, or deny services on the basis of any individual’s race color, sex, gender, identity, age religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation marital status, parental status military status, or source of income. You are welcome here.” Suburban Express must also retain copies of all customer complaints, contracts and advertisements. The company must provide those documents to the attorney general every six months for review. The consequences for not complying with the terms of the agreement are potentially severe. The attorney general could ask the court to force the company to pay penalties and restitution or even halt business. But Suburban Express’ statement also asserted that Raoul’s office mischaracterized the agreement and said it’s considering its own legal action against Raoul and a top deputy. “Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s press release on the matter is false and defamatory in the extreme, in that it claims his office proved the various false and unproven allegations,” the statement said.

Deadlines For Tuesday Issues: Noon Monday For Thursday issues: Noon Wednesday Advertise in print and your classified will run online for FREE

SUDOKU ANSWERS from Thursday’s Issue


SPORTS

Page 6

Thursday, April 18, 2019 Page designed by Danielle Guy

Sycamores return to Gibson Complex for Pacesetter Invite this Baseball travels south for Evansville series weekend Athletic Media Relations

First Lady Cheri Bradley continues her tradition of handing out lemonade and cookies to students on the first day of classes.

Garrett Short Reporter

Indiana State has been riding the best start in program history, and despite a stumble at the start of the Missouri Valley Conference season, the Sycamores are right in the race for the top spot in the conference. ISU visits Evansville this weekend for a series with the Purple Aces. ISU dropped their conference-opening series to Missouri State salvaging one win against the Bears in the finale. However, both of their losses to MSU came in extra innings and could’ve gone either way. Since then, ISU has had a nightmarish schedule but has taken every punch on the chin and kept moving against solid Big 10 opponents. In their second conference series, things went much smoother for the trees. ISU swept Valparaiso plating 32 runs in three games thanks in part to senior shortstop Clay Dungan. He had six hits in the series including two homeruns in game one to help his team easily push past the Crusaders. Dungan received the recognition for his play the last seven days earning MVC Player of the Week, and deservedly so. However, the reemergence of senior second baseman Jarrod Watkins might be the most important part of ISU’s busy week on the diamond. Watkins hit .305 last year in his first season as a Sycamore. Heading into this past weekend, though, his average was at .246

in 2019. Something must have clicked recently because he collected seven hits and scored seven times against Valpo, coming up a triple shy of the cycle in game three. If Watkins returns to the .300 vicinity that he is capable of, ISU’s offense gains another dimension that would make them even more dangerous. Watkins’s recent success has helped ISU raise their overall batting average to .274. Comparing the Sycamores and Evansville, the Sycamores get the nod at the plate. UE is hitting a lowly .237 this season but has still managed a 5-1 MVC record. The Purple Aces come in with impressive series wins over Bradley and Dallas Baptist, the first of which was a sweep. Evansville allowed just six runs to the Braves who fell victim to a UE eight-game winning streak. Since that eight-game winning streak the Purple Aces have fallen flat. Luckily for them it wasn’t during a stretch against conference opponents. Including the series finale with Dallas Baptist as well as a game against Austin Peay and four games against Indiana, UE has lost six straight. The matchup with ISU couldn’t have come at a better time for the Sycamores. UE is 8-4 at home this season, but history still sides with ISU. Evansville hasn’t won a season series over the Trees since 2015. If ISU is able to come away with at least two of the three against UE, the Sycamores could move into one of the top two spots in the MVC, depending on how Illinois State does against Southern Illinois this weekend.

Sycamores Drop Midweek Matchup with #6 Vanderbilt, 7-1 Tim McCaughan

Athletic Media Relations

Indiana State dropped its midweek matchup with No. 6 Vanderbilt, 7-1, Tuesday night at Hawkins Field. The Sycamores didn’t reach base until the fifth inning of play and finished with just three base hits in the loss. The Commodores (28-9) used three-straight two-out base hits to jump out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second. After Sycamore (27-8) starter Geremy Guerrero retired the first four batters he faced, Julian Infante worked a walk and two batters later he would move into scoring position when Isaiah Thomas singled through the left side. Catcher Ty Duvall put the Commodores on the board with a two-run double off the wall in left center. Nine-hole hitter Harrison Ray singled in Duvall a batter later with a single to left field and that would signal the end of the day for Guerrero as Austin Cross entered from the bullpen and got a ground ball to third to end the inning.

JJ Bleday hit his 16th home run of the season for the Commodores to open the third inning of play with a rocket to left-center as Vanderbilt extended its lead to 4-0. Austin Moralis worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. The Commodores put the first two men on base on a walk and a base hit to before Moralis entered. Harrison Ray put down a bunt to first to move the runners over, but was called out for interference after running on the inside of the base path while Wright fielded the ball. Moralis would get a flyout to right before Moralis retired Ethan Paul with a strikeout. Vanderbilt’s Mason Hickman retired 12-straight Sycamores to open the game before Roby Enriquez led off the fifth with a walk followed by a base hit through the right side from CJ Huntley to end the no-hit bid. Max Wright drove in Enriquez with a single back up the middle to cut the Vanderbilt lead to 4-1. Paul would get a run back for Vandy in the bottom of the sixth with a ground-rule dou-

ble over the wall in the gap in left, scoring Ray who picked up a one-out single and stole second earlier in the inning. Joe Boyle picked up a leadoff walk to open the seventh -- the third walk of the day from Hickman, who entered play with just eight free passes issued in 42 innings pitched. With two out in the inning, Wright singled down the line in right to setup runners at the corners but a fly ball to shallow left ended the threat and ultimately Hickman’s outing as he returned to the Vanderbilt dugout with a 5-1 lead. Thomas would help the Commodores pick up an insurance run in the seventh with a two-out double off the wall in center. A batter later, Duvall drove in his third run of the day with a single up the middle to bring in Thomas to extend the Vandy lead to 6-1. The Commodores added a run in the eighth and the rest was academic. Geremy Guerrero was tagged with the loss, falling to 1-2 on the year after allowing three runs in an inning and two-thirds. Austin Mor-

alis went one and two-third innings and allowed just one base hit in relief while striking out two.Tyler Grauer struck out the first three hitters he faced out of the bullpen and finished with five in two and two-thirds. Wright recorded two of the teams’ three base hits in the game while Huntley snagged the third hit. With the victory, Hickman improved to 5-0 on the season after a seven inning start. The right-hander allowed three hits and struck out five while allowing one or fewer runs in his last five starts. Thomas led the Commodores with a 3-for-4 day. Duvall drove in three runs on two hits while Bleday added two hits, including a double and an RBI for Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt outhit Indiana State, 14-3. Five of the seven Commodore runs were scored with two outs. Indiana State returns to the road for a weekend series at Missouri Valley Conference foe Evansville beginning Friday. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. from Braun Stadium.

Jay Adkins Reporter

April 18 through Saturday April 20, the Indiana State Sycamores Track & Field team will host the annual Pacesetter Sports Invitational event at the Gibson Track & Field Complex. This upcoming invitational is alumni weekend for the Indiana State Track & Field team. 27 seniors from the team will also be honored this Saturday. The Sycamores will be competing against Dayton, Detroit Mercy, Eastern Illinois, Hanover, Holy Cross, Illinois State, Illinois Wesleyan, Indian Hills, Iowa Central, IUPUI, Lipscomb, Marian, Oakland, Tallahassee Community College and Xavier this weekend. This is head coach Angela Martin’s third year directing and coaching Indiana State’s track and field program. After serving as the interim director for the men and women’s cross country and track & field team during the 2017 season, Martin was anointed the official head coach position in May 2017 by ISU director of athletics Sherard Clinkscales. He graduated from Indiana State University in 2002 with a bachelor’s in art and a minor in physical education. Martin was an All-American 800-meter runner, finishing eighth in the 2000 NCAA Indoor Championships with a then-school record time of 2:06.19. Martin began her coaching career as an assistant coach for the Sycamore during the 2002-2003 season and she eventually became the women’s head coach during the 2010-2011 season. The Sycamores have been through a lot of success during Martin’s coaching tenure, including one Olympian, Felisha Johnson, two NCAA champions, 30 All-Americans, 45 NCAA National Qualifiers, three MVC team titles, 359 All-MVC members, and six XC All-MVC members. Martin’s current team has many talented runners and throwers. In 2018, senior distance runner Brooke Moore earned All-MVC honors after placing second in the 1500-meter run at the Missouri Valley conference championships with a time of 4:30.56. Redshirt senior thrower Erin Reese was named the MVC Most Outstanding Female Field athlete after claiming the MVC Championship in the weight throw with a mark of 21.06m, which is second in school history. Senior distance runner Akis Medrano earned All-MVC honors at the MVC Championships after finishing second in the 5K run with a time of 14:51.63. You can expect all of these athletes and more to put on a show this weekend at the Pacesetter Sports Invitational and continue to exceed everyone’s exceptions once again. The games will begin this Thursday at 11 a.m.

ISU looks to get back on track against Crusaders Emari Washington Reporter

The ISU women’s softball team is gearing up to go against the Valparaiso Crusaders for the first time this season. The Sycamores come into the contest with a record of 14-27 while the Crusaders are currently 12-22. Both teams are in a real slump this season with a plus three losing streak going into the match. Therefore, this is an opportunity for the Sycamores to try to finish off the season strong in this series over the weekend. Considering this is a conference game for both teams, it will be a close match with both teams playing to their fullest potential. In ISU’s last matchup against Southern Illinois they were outscored 20-5. This shows clear signs of their struggles at batting. They will need to overcome this problem before the Missouri Valley Tournament starts. In their last contest on Sunday, Shaye Barton and Brooke Mann both gathered two stellar hits and two runs to set the tone for the game. Southern Illinois came back with two backto-back impressive innings to shut down the moral of the Trees. ISU had a combined 11 hits from everyone, which is the best they hit

since their last win against Evansville on April 10. Now, one cannot go without saying that it’s not like ISU is not putting in the effort. For instance in the teams last game against the Sulkis, the Sycamores were in the making for a comeback until Southern Illinois had a great six-run inning which ultimately put the game out of reach. Likewise, within the same game the Sycamore’s being down 10-2 still made a valiant effort in the end of the game bring the defecate close. But as the old saying goes,” close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades” and this game ended before the Sycamores were able to really amount the comeback they so desperately fought for. This next game against the Crusaders is going to be a real statement game for both teams, before the season comes to an end and everyone always hopes to end on a good note. Rough season or not both teams will be playing their hearts out for the remainder of the season and this game will either be a major defensive battle or an exciting shootout. Fans form both sides will come out and Athletic Media Relations support these teams as they get ready to go Softball team is gearing up to go against the Valparaiso Crusaders for the to war, starting on Friday, April 19 at 3 p.m. first time this season.


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.