February 9, 2023

’Zine to celebrate women

By CARLY BAHR Staff Writer

The Women’s Center is hosting a collaborative ‘zine project to celebrate Women’s History Month in March.

The ‘zine will feature student-made poetry, photography and essays among other ideas to correlate with the theme of “bodies.”

According to graduate assistant Brie Shaun-Kearns, the Women’s Center’s director, Liz Steinborn-Gourley, pitched this theme to be open-ended and unrestrictive. Steinborn-Gourley did not respond to request for comment.

“I think it’s a broad enough topic that people can come in no matter what and share what their experiences are,” Shaun-Kearns said. “Really whatever they are open and willing to share with us and others about themselves and can provide a representation for someone else.”

‘Zines are a collaborative, small-circulation work of content ranging from text to images to artwork. Shaun-Kearns said the Women’s Center chose to create a Women’s History Month ‘zine because they have history within the early feminist movement due to their ability to be secretly distributed to a limited audience.

Taboo topics such as birth control and safe sex practices were often the focus of these early efforts. Now, in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, this

Students gathered in the Women’s Center to discuss the upcoming ‘zine to be released in March for Women’s History Month. The ‘zine will feature

‘zine’s theme stemmed from similar issues of its predecessors.

“I think a lot of it started with conversations of the overturning of Roe v. Wade,” Shaun-Kearns said. “Especially conversations with students about pregnancy and becoming pregnant or being able to be pregnant and sort of the rhetoric that was used for a lot of it. As well as conversations that I’ve had with students on my end about gender and transness.”

Shaun-Kearns hosted a workshop with students creating content for the ‘zine Tuesday and workshopped ideas with them.

Syd Berggren is a poetry writer who self-published their book, “Love Letters,” through Amazon. They plan to write about five poems exploring their gender expression.

“I’m probably going to mainly be focusing on poems, just because that is where I’m most comfortable. It’s my strong

$2 million to be given during Scholarship Month

By CARLY BAHR Staff Writer

February is Scholarship Month at Minnesota State and $2 million will be awarded to students who apply through MSU’s scholarship finder tool.

Scholarship finder (mnsu. academicworks.com) is a website available to students where they can scroll through pages of available scholarships and apply to ones they are qualified for. Qualifications vary; some are more general, related to volunteer work and grade point average and others are more specific to one’s major program or need-based.

suit,” Berggren said. “Thinking about my body and my relationship with my body, a lot of that comes with thoughts about gender for me. So I have a couple poems about dysphoria, about feeling more masculine or more feminine.”

Amanda Borgmann was also in attendance and plans to create poetry as well.

“It was an opportunity. I’ve never really been involved with

Student Government supports bill for mental health clinic

By JULIA LIN Editor in Chief

The 90th Student Government unanimously passes a resolution in support of Minnesota H.F. 586 Wednesday.

This bill would implement funding for a community behavioral health center in Mankato. Estimating to cost $1.5 million, the center ideally would be available to students and members of the community.

Emma Zellmer, president of student government, will be going to the state capitol today along with MSU associate professor, Thad Shunkwiler, and Minnesota State Representative, Luke Frederick to testify for this bill.

Zellmer plans to speak on behalf of students and the bene-

fits a mental health clinic would bring to rural areas in Minnesota.

“Right now we are under the national best practice of counselors per student ratio,” Zellmer said. “Rural Minnesota is way under national standards for mental health practitioners in the area. This affects our farmers, and constituents who live and work in Minnesota and I think it’s important to give back to our community in that way.”

Factoring in other variables, it was discussed in the meeting the start of a rural behavioral health training clinic would even employ potential graduate students and attract more students in that field of study to MSU.

“This bill would help solve these problems and is desperately needed. Mankato might seem urban from campus but if you

Carolyn Peterson-Nelson, MSU’s Scholarship Director of Admissions, said the “most important thing that a student can do” during scholarship month is log into this tool early.

“Students will be matched to scholarships that they, uniquely, are qualified for, but there are some scholarships that require an additional application or essay or some specific information related to that student’s experience. Some also require a faculty recommendation so students should log on early and review the scholarships that are available for them. If they wait until the end of the month to do that they miss out on opportunities,” Peterson-Nelson said.

Many students currently enrolled in universities do not think to apply for scholarships once they have been admitted and view this as a process for high school seniors. Peterson-Nelson said this is a mistake, as the annual scholarship month is designed to connect current students with opportunities based on their experience at the university.

“The university does award $2 million annually through scholarship finder in the month of February. If students — particularly sophomores, juniors and seniors — are not accessing those scholarships then they are missing out on those opportunities. Those are

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

Student Government unanimously passes resolution Wednesday to support a bill advocating for increased mental health clinic.

DYLAN LONG • The Reporter

a variety of students works that correlate with the theme “bodies.”

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This is a unique program and opportunity for students choosing to check out expensive textbooks for a couple of hours at a time in lieu of shelling out large sums of money for the rental, or purchase of a used or new textbook.

Student government is the "lead partner" of the cooperative arrangement which involves the on-campus bookstore vendor, Barnes & Noble Bookstore, and Library Services. Without the direct support of these two partners the program wouldn't be what it is.

Liberate classrooms can change the educational experience

Hope fading as deaths in Turkey, Syria quake near 12,000

By AMALIA SHARAF Staff Writer

Faculty members Timothy Berry and Dani Scott hosted an event over Zoom called

“Creating a Liberatory Classroom: Building Connections, Centering Students Lived Experiences” supported by Women’s Center and Maverick Diversity Institute Tuesday.

The event was held in the format of a discussion with the audience accompanied by an educational presentation. According to Scott, the hosts wanted the event to be an open discussion to allow the audience to share their own experiences.

“Once we give that back-

ground, give some practical information on what it is and what it looks like, then hopefully go into a shared dialogue of how we can address that problem,” said Scott.

The discussion started with the topic of the recent book banning in educational institutions in Florida. The audience watched a video about white supremacy and afterward discussed their feelings and thoughts along with actions they wanted to take.

“I’m coming at this from a place of anger. It makes me mad to see that bureaucracy can make this change without backup and claim that this is not historically accurate,” said an attendee.

Scott and Berry described in detail what the white supremacy idea promotes for classrooms and how this becomes a barrier to a connection between students and faculty. Berry and Scott described Grind Culture in classrooms and pointed out what might be developed.

“That is a very elementary way of learning, but the highest levels of learning involve application and evaluation, and creation. And so whoever shows up in the classroom, a student of any age from any background should be encouraged to think critically and not just repeat what someone taught them, and make students more present in that learning experi-

By MEHMET GUZEL, GHAITH ALSAYED, SUZAN FRASER and ZAYNEP BILGINSOY The Associated Press

With hope of finding survivors fading, stretched rescue teams in Turkey and Syria searched Wednesday for signs of life in the rubble of thousands of buildings toppled by the world’s deadliest earthquake in more than a decade. The confirmed death toll approached 12,000.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the especially hard-hit Hatay province, where more than 3,300 people died and entire neighborhoods were destroyed. Residents there have criticized the government’s response, saying rescuers were slow to arrive. Erdogan, who faces a tough battle for reelection in May, acknowledged “shortcomings” in the response to Monday’s 7.8 magnitude quake but said the winter weather had been a factor. The earthquake

destroyed the runway in Hatay’s airport, further disrupting the response.

“It is not possible to be prepared for such a disaster,” Erdogan said. “We will not leave any of our citizens uncared for.” He also hit back at critics, saying ”dishonorable people” were spreading “lies and slander” about the government’s response.

Turkish authorities say they are targeting disinformation, and an internet monitoring group said access to Twitter was restricted despite it being used by survivors to alert rescuers.

Search teams from more than two dozen countries have joined tens of thousands of local emergency personnel in Syria and Turkey. But the scale of destruction from the quake and its powerful aftershocks was so immense and spread over such a wide area — including a region isolated by Syria’s ongoing civil war — that many people were still awaiting help.

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LILLY ANDERSON • The Reporter

EMRAH GUREL • The Associated Press

Faculty members Timothy Berry and Dani Scott discussed about how to create liberate classrooms and different ways to structure discussions and engagement among students and faculty.

Thinly stretched rescue teams worked through the night in Turkey and Syria, pulling more bodies from the rubble of thousands of buildings.

CLASSROOM on page 4 

Stella Jean quits Milan Fashion Week over lack of inclusion

Russia forces put pressure on Ukraine

By SUSIE BLANN The Associated Press

Russian forces are keeping Ukrainian troops tied down with attacks in the eastern Donbas region as Moscow assembles additional combat power there for an expected offensive in the coming weeks, Ukrainian officials said Monday.

Intense fighting that has been raging for weeks continued around the city of Bakhmut and the nearby towns of Soledar and Vuhledar, Ukraine’s presidential office said.

They are located in the Donetsk region, which with neighboring Luhansk region makes up the Donbas, an industrial area bordering Russia.

By COLLEEN BARRY

The only Black designer belonging to Italy’s fashion council is withdrawing from this month’s Milan Fashion Week citing a lack of commitment to diversity and inclusion, and on Wednesday announced a hunger strike out of concern that other minority designers associated with her will suffer a backlash.

Stella Jean told The Associated Press that the Italian National Fashion Chamber had significantly cut back support for the We Are Made in Italy collective of young designers of color working in Italy after she made an impassioned speech about the personal price she had paid for highlighting racial injustice in Italy during a runway show last September.

Along with Stella Jean, the

 STU GOV from page 1

Jordan Muller, a senator in student government said.

Today’s committee meeting at the capitol is one of the pre-

 ZINE from page 1

anything on campus so far, so I thought it would be a good way to try something new,” Borgmann said.

The ‘zine remains open to new student contributions. The completed form will be a

WAMI collective is withdrawing from fashion week, which they were to open with a digital presentation.

Italian Fashion Chamber President Carlo Capasa told the AP that he regretted Stella Jean’s decision, adding that the final fashion week calendar being presented Wednesday is “full of diversity.”

“In the calendar that we are presenting today, you will see all that we are doing for people of color who are working in Italy,’’ Capasa told the AP. A news conference was scheduled for later Wednesday.

Jean sent a letter to Capasa informing him of her hunger strike, which she said would be revoked only with his written assurance that no professional harm would come to the WAMI designers and supports “as a result of our history of misunderstanding.”

liminary meetings in efforts to pass the bill. If the bill is passed then $750,000 would be allocated in the fiscal year 2024 and $750,000 in the fiscal year 2025 for the clinic.

PDF shared online via social media, and a printed version will be kept in the Women’s Center. The Women’s Center is located in Centennial Student Union 218 and can be reached via email at wcenter@mnsu. edu.

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“The battles for the region are heating up,” Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said in televised remarks, adding that “the Russians are throwing new units into the battle and eradicating our towns and villages.”

In Luhansk, Gov. Serhii Haidai said shelling there had subsided because “the Russians have been saving ammunition for a large-scale offensive.”

 CLASSROOM from page 3

ence,” said Scott.

Listeners got involved in the discussion and brought up their ideas.

“We could start from the physical structures of the classrooms where students are not facing the faculty members but are sitting in a circle to communicate,” one faculty member said.

Scott described what she believes the perfect liberate class-

Military analysts say the Kremlin’s forces may be probing Ukrainian defenses for weak points or could be making a feint while preparing for a main thrust through southern Ukraine.

Ukraine envisages possible Russian offensives in the east and the south, Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Vadym Skibitsky said. He pre-

room is.

“I think that the liberate classroom is a classroom where critical thinking is valued. One of the things about white supremacy culture is a consciousness,” said Scott. “It’s a way of thinking and that is what’s centered in the classroom than any person or any lived experience that shows up in your classroom that is counter to that standard. I think a liberated classroom is a classroom that

dicted that Russia will likely press its offensive in the Donbas and could also launch an attack in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.

He didn’t say when the offensive might start but noted that the Russian military would need another couple of months to complete the training of new units.

welcomes all types of knowing.”

Visitors agreed that changes are to be made and many standards that modern classes have during the lectures are to be changed.

“The conversation brought up to me that in teaching methods we are confused compliance with student engagement. Are we engaging truly with our students in an authentic way,” one faculty member said.

LUCA BRUNO • The Associated Press Stella Jean, the only Black designer belonging to Italy’s fashion council is withdrawing from this month’s Milan Fashion Week citing a lack of commitment to diversity and inclusion.

The Associated Press

DANIEL COLE • The Associated Press

Soldiers carry the coffin of Eduard Strauss, a Ukrainian serviceman who died in combat on Jan. 17 in Bakhmut, during a farewell ceremony.

Primary care remains hot deal target with CVS $10.6B bid

Microsoft’s Activision deal stalls

By KELVIN CHAN The Associated Press

Microsoft’s stalled $68.7 billion deal to buy video game company Activision Blizzard has hit a fresh hurdle in the United Kingdom, where the antitrust watchdog said Wednesday that it will stifle competition and hurt gamers.

Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority said its indepth investigation found that the deal could strengthen Microsoft’s position in the growing cloud gaming market, “harming U.K. gamers who cannot afford expensive consoles.”

In cloud gaming, players stream games on mobile phones and handheld devices they already own.

By TOM MURPHY The Associated Press

Big money is pouring into primary care clinics as the nation’s health care giants hunt for ways to cut costs by keeping people healthy.

CVS Health said Wednesday that it will spend about $10.6 billion to buy Oak Street Health, which runs clinics that specialize in treating Medicare Advantage patients.

The acquisition comes just three months after a nearly $9-billion investment by rival Walgreens in VillageMD’s acquisition of the urgent and primary care chain Summit Health-CityMD. And that deal was announced three months after CVS said it would spend $8 billion to acquire home

health care provider Signify Health.

The money being spent tells of a rapid expansion in value-based care, an approach to medicine that is growing popular with bill payers like the federal government’s Medicare program. It essentially rewards doctors for keeping patients healthy instead of paying them for every service they perform.

The idea is to help people stay on their regular medications, control chronic health problems such as diabetes, and avoid hospital stays and other expensive medical treatments.

Oak Street specializes in this type of care. Its centers use doctors, social workers and other care providers to help people manage their health.

The blockbuster deal also could hurt British gamers by “weakening the important rivalry” between Microsoft’s Xbox console and Sony’s rival PlayStation machines, the watchdog said in a provisional report.

The all-cash deal, which is set to be the largest in the history of the tech industry, is facing opposition from Sony and pushback from regulators in

the U.S. and Europe because it would give Microsoft control of popular game franchises such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush.

“Our job is to make sure that U.K. gamers are not caught in the crossfire of global deals that, over time, could damage competition and result in higher prices, fewer choices, or less innovation,” Martin Coleman, chair of the independent expert panel that carried out the inves-

tigation, said in a press release. “We have provisionally found that this may be the case here.”

Microsoft’s deputy general counsel, Rima Alaily, said the company is “committed to offering effectiveandeasilyenforceable solutionsthat address the CMA’s concerns.”

Activision also said it hopes to “be able to help the CMA better understand our industry.”

GENE J. PUSKAR • The Associated Press CVS Health is plunging deeper into primary care services, buying Oak Street Health for approximately $10.6 billion.

JAE C. HONG • The Associated Press Activision Blizzard agreed, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023 to pay a $35 million fine to settle federal regulatory charges that it failed to collect and respond to employee complaints of workplace misconduct.

Belfast: Culture Comforts

Julia Lin Editor In Chief Emma Johnson News Director Joey Erickson Variety Editor

Alicia Reed Sports Editor Dylan Engel Photo Editor

The power of the DM

DM, or Direct Message, is a feature that has taken social media platforms to the next level when it comes to making new connections. Just as impactful as a pen to paper or electronic mail, the power of the DM is increasing and we as students realize how powerful this feature is.

Whether you are reaching out to a future employer or trying to get the attention of a love interest, the DM is a feature that allows you to put yourself out there.

Entrepreneurs have said that the simple act of a direct message has led to internship opportunities, business deals or simply increasing their network. All it takes are a few words in the act of reaching out.

We, as students, should take into account the power the DM has and all of the possibilities a simple message can hold. Having the power to connect with anyone in the world at the convenience of our fingertips is something the generation before us must’ve dreamed of.

Opening the door to opportunities, DM’s can also let a friend know you’re thinking about them. Having the ability to DM your friend’s funny internet memes, breaking news clips or photos from an old mutual friend are all ways in connecting with one another. No one person can go on a form of social media and not instantly recognize the DM tab.

Our society even has a saying such as “sliding into the DMs” meaning that someone usually messaged you as a flirting tactic. When it comes to “sliding into one’s DM” it can go either way.

Many who identify with generation z or millennials have met their soulmate through DMing or online dating. In fact, the whole purpose of online dating is striking up conversations with others, making dating apps the new online chat room. Integrating every social media app with some sort of messaging feature has become the norm.

Even making its way into professional settings many workplaces use an app to communicate and DM specific co-workers. Using this allows for collaboration without giving out your personal phone number and keeps the information exchanged between co-workers relevant to work topics

Regarding schools, many universities currently use Zoom to communicate and hold lectures for their classes. Features like the DM are available in that sense for students to utilize when trying to ask their professor a question or their peers.

We as students should use the power of the DM to our advantage. We should get more out of our college experience than just the diploma itself. Who knows the doors a simple DM can open?

Pulse

By ALEXANDRA TOSTRUD Staff Writer

I found out recently that, no matter how settled one can be in a new environment, a taste of the familiar makes me realize just how someone can miss home.

After my weekly French class, the teacher approached me and asked about something I mentioned to a classmate during a discussion about where we were born. I was born in Woodbury, Minnesota, but grew up in Wisconsin just across the border. This caught her attention. She told me that she grew up in Chicago and went to university in Milwaukee.

As we left the building for the night, we talked about our shared connection with Madison, Wisconsin– my

brother goes to the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and her cousin owns a diner there– and other things that only make sense if you’re from the midwest, like our slight Canadian accent on vowels.

I’ve spent the last few weeks describing where I’m from as “the Great Lakes region, up by Canada,” but my French teacher knew exactly where my hometown was even before I described it in relation to Minneapolis. I never expected that this short interaction would mean so much, but I left campus for the night grinning from ear to ear. This wasn’t the first time I’ve crossed paths with people and things from my neck of the woods. I’ve spotted the Green Bay Packers logo

Compiled by Dominic Bothe

multiple times since arriving here– on baristas, at a Belfast Giants hockey game and even at a comedy show. The Packers are by far the best-represented team in Belfast that I’ve seen, with the New York Giants trailing not far behind.

I’ve discovered Irish people take “Minnesota Nice” to the next, far more extreme level. When visiting a nearby town with a group of friends to see a guitar-making workshop, it would take us 40 minutes of walking and bus routes to get back to the train station. The owner of the shop, after listening to our debate about the best way to return, offered with no hesitation to drive us himself in two trips– which took about 40 minutes of his time.

“What’s your biggest pet peeve?”

OLIVIA, SENIOR

“When people leave cabinet doors open.”

ERIK MILLER, JUNIOR “Being inconsistent with plans.”

OLIVIA WEBB, JUNIOR “Not unloading the dishwasher.”

BITANYA DIFABCHEW, SOPHOMORE “Don’t settle.”

DAWIT DEMSIS, FRESHMAN “Ignorance.”

CODY PITHAM, SOPHOMORE

“When people lick their fingers after eating.”

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Tostrud

The constant rain and moderate temperatures in Ireland mean the landscape is green year round, as shown with this view from a Cavehill trail outside Belfast.

Editorials represent the opinions of The Reporter editorial board. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the college, university or student body.

Biden in State of Union exhorts Congress: ‘Finish the job’

Letter to the Editor: Support to establish mental health training

To those who attend Minnesota State University, Mankato I highly urge you to support Minnesota H.F. 586.

I am writing this letter on behalf of the 15,000 Minnesota State University, Mankato students to support Minnesota H.F. 586, which would appropriate funding to the Center for Rural Behavioral Health at Minnesota State University, Mankato to establish a mental health training clinic. By every statistical measure, the mental wellbeing of Minnesota’s college students has never been worse.

This is coming at a time in which access to behavioral health services on our campuses has never been more difficult. This gap between students who need care, and the trained providers of that care, continues to grow with each passing semester.

When students are not able to attend to their mental health, it impacts their ability to focus on their coursework

which often leads them to do poorly and in far too many instances, not complete their college education.

The Center for Rural Behavioral Health training clinic would provide an incredible educational and professional opportunity for students studying mental health, while growing the number of behavioral health professionals who will serve the current, and next generation of Minnesotans. At the same time, this training clinic would add an incredible asset to provide mental healthcare for the 15,000 students who are enrolled at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

While H.F. 586 won’t solve all the mental health challenges facing college students and the southern Minnesota community, but it will go a long way to ensure that those who call the second largest university in the state home, will have access to mental healthcare when they need it.

Emma Zellmer

By ZEKE MILLER, SEUNG MIN KIM and LISA MASCARO

The Associated Press

President Joe Biden exhorted Congress Tuesday night to work with him to “finish the job” of rebuilding the economy and uniting the nation as he delivered a State of the Union address aimed at reassuring a country beset by pessimism and fraught political divisions.

In his 73-minute speech, Biden sought to portray a nation dramatically improved from the one he took charge of two years ago: from a reeling economy to one prosperous

 MONEY from page 1

uniquely scholarships related to students’ university experience,” Peterson-Nelson said.

When students log into scholarship finder, they can view open scholarships prior to logging in. After signing in with a Star ID and password, students are prompted to answer questions about their expected graduation date, campus and community involvement, employment experience, academic and professional goals and

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This hospitality is everywhere in Northern Ireland. Strangers and peers are more than happy to give me directions or explain a linguistic difference, although I’m still not sure what “craic” means. While the supposed politeness of the midwest is mostly in passing and not backed up by action, Irish kindness is tangible and felt by many people who travel here.

A final, less heartwarming, note, Northern Ireland’s most-

with new jobs; from a crippled, pandemic-weary nation to one that has now reopened, and a democracy that has survived its biggest test since the Civil War.

“Folks, the story of America is a story of progress and resilience. Of always moving forward. Of never, ever, giving up,” Biden said. “It’s a story unique among all nations. We’re the only country that has emerged from every crisis we’ve ever entered stronger than when we got into it.”

“We’re not finished yet by any stretch of the imagination,” he declared.

The backdrop for the annual address was markedly

financial need. Once this process is completed, the website generates a personalized list of scholarships based on the given information.

Students have roughly two and a half weeks to submit applications to as many scholarships as possible to ensure their chances of getting part of the $2 million to be distributed. Most of the scholarships available give up to $2,000. Peterson-Nelson said it is important to not only give yourself time

ly rural nature is reminiscent to the area of Wisconsin I call home. Both boost rolling farmland, although everything stays green year round here– even when it snows! Unlike myself, many of my first-year peers come from small towns scattered across Northern Ireland, and go home on weekends. This culture reminds me of home as well. Although my hometown can be considered a suburb of the cities, I know many students at MSU who come from the middle of nowhere.

different from the previous two years, with a Republican speaker now sitting expressionless behind Biden and newly empowered GOP lawmakers in the chamber sometimes shouting criticism of him and his administration.

As Biden, 80, prepares for a likely reelection bid, he sought to prove to a skeptical nation that his stewardship has delivered results both at home and abroad. He highlighted record job creation during his tenure as the country has emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, and pointed to areas of bipartisan progress in his first two years.

to create a worthy application, but to give references enough time to adequately recommend you.

“If you don’t log in and review your scholarship options ahead of the deadline, then you might not have time to ask faculty for a reference or they might not have time to submit it in advance,” Peterson-Nelson said.

The deadline for scholarship submissions is Feb. 28.

While I love the energy of Belfast, any sense of my home back in Minnesota and Wisconsin is, as the Irish often say, “very welcome.”

Interested in studying abroad or away through MSU?

Contact the Center for Global Engagement at ipo@mnsu.edu located on the ground floor of Morris, or reach out to myself with questions about the Gilman Federal Scholarship for studying abroad.

JACQUELYN MARTIN • The Associated Press President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., applaud.

The Mental Health Worker (MHW) is responsible for the implementation of Horizon Homes, Inc. services as identified in the resident’s treatment plans. Having organizational skills as well as related work and/or personal experience is beneficial.

Hourly rate is based on previous experience, educational level, and work history. Health benefits package may be available for qualified full time positions, only; and, for part-time, PTO is pro-rated. (Resume is preferred but optional; whereas the employment application paperwork is required. If you need additional information, please contact: info@horizonhomes.org

SPORTS S

Critical week could lead to conference win

By LUKE JACKSON Staff Writer

After two successful weekends at home, the No. 14 Minnesota State Women’s Basketball team hits the road once again in what may be their most critical weekend yet. Over the past two weeks, Mankato has played four home games where they won them all. Now, they have their eyes set on long bus rides to two different states where the stakes are higher than ever.

Saturday’s game is of utmost importance as they travel to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to take on the Augustana Vikings. The Vikings currently lead the NSIC Southern division, despite them having the same 15-3 conference record as Mankato. Both teams have three losses on the season but Augustana has a higher win percentage as they have 21 wins on the season overall, while the Mavs have 19.

The teams already faced off once at the Taylor Center and it ended with Mankato winning in a blowout. MSU’s core duo of Joey Batt and Destinee Bursch led the team to victory as they both posted 20 points. The game ended 84-69 and since then, Augustana has only lost one game and has been on a ninegame win streak. One of these wins was against the undefeated Duluth

Bulldogs who are currently leading the conference.

The Mavericks need to hone in their skills and come prepared to

Sioux Falls if they want to come away with a win. Augustana is currently undefeated at home and their head coach, Dave Krauth,

just earned the WhoopDirt.com

Coach of the Week honor. Krauth is the only NSIC coach to earn this award. To add to their accomplish-

ments, star player, Aislinn Duffy, was just crowned NSIC Player of the Week after scoring her career-high 35 points against Upper Iowa Saturday.

These two teams are playing at their best and the game will most likely come down to the winner of the South division. This will likely mean a home court advantage in the playoffs, as well.

As important as beating Augustana is, the Mavericks cannot overlook their Friday opponent. MSU travels to Wayne, Nebraska first to face off against Wayne State. Wayne State is currently 7-11 in NSIC play and sits near the bottom of the conference.

Earlier in the season, the Mavs almost hit triple digits for the second time in the year versus the Wildcats. Mankato breezed past Wayne St. and took the victory with ease, 98-59. This time, the Mavs will have to travel four hours to play on the Wildcats’ home court where they may be hungry for revenge.

Mankato need to stay sharp and on their toes this weekend if they want to have the best South division record. With only four games remaining in the season, the Mavs are looking to continue their win streak and win out the rest of the games.

On the Come Up: MSU Mavericks feat. Augustana and Wayne State

By HAYDEN LEE Staff Writer

Malik Willingham thinks that the Mavs have an opportunity to make some magic happen down the final stretch. If that’s the case, then the Mavs have got to play with a rabbit in their hat this weekend as they take on two more enemies standing in the way of their high aspirations.

The path to two wins will look a little different Friday and Saturday, as the Mavs will not have the comfort of balling in front of their home fans. The Augustana Vikings and Wayne State Warriors are on deck for the Mavs, and if things go the way they did earlier this season, the Mavs are looking at another split.

After Saturday’s win, the Mavs are flying high and will be riding the momentum they created, heading into their next two matchups.

“Rebounding, defense, hitting shots, seeing the ball go through the rim. That helps create an energy that we can start a run on,” said Willingham.

In order to start a win streak for the first time in over a month, the Mavs must first take down the Warriors, who they handled earlier in the year, 96-89 at home. In those close games, setting matters a lot. The Mavs will need to bring their A-game regardless, but especially Friday in this matchup.

The Warriors are led by a big three of Antonio Marshall (14.7 ppg), Avery Lewis (14.1) and Carmelo Harris (13.1). Marshall and Harris are volume 3-point shooters, each taking over 100 shots from downtown on the season and are each shooting above 34%.

In their last meeting, the Mavs nearly hit triple digits on the scoreboard, and that night, their secret weapon was Freshman Malcolm Jones, who played out of his mind, scoring 23 points on 75% shooting. Another stat to take into consideration is that there were six technical fouls in that game, two on Minnesota State, four on Wayne State. If these two teams pick up where they left off, this game will be a fun one to follow.

“We have had games where we play extremely hard in the last ten minutes of the game trying to play catch-up,” said Mavs coach, Matthew Margenthaler. “We just need to play that way for the first 30 minutes, too.”

Continuing their road trip, the Mavs travel to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to take on the Vikings. The Vikings got the dub last time the teams collided, in a low-scoring affair, 63-57. Jaden Graves of the Vikings was unstoppable that day, scoring 35 points on 11-18 from the field and 8-13 from downtown, while adding seven rebounds.

This time around, the Mavs will have gameplanned for Graves in order to prevent him from taking over again. Other players to look out for if Graves struggles are Ryan Miller and Isaac Fink, who are each averaging 13.1 ppg, leading the team. Fink also dominates the

glass, collecting 7.8 rebounds per game. If Kelby Kramer is back in the lineup for the Mavs, he will be a major key to their success.

“We just have to put a complete game together,” said Willingham. That has been the issue as of late for the Mavs, but after Saturday’s

contest against the University of Sioux Falls, they showed that they are capable of putting together a complete game. Their talents will be on display again Friday and Saturday. The Mavs may be picking up the pieces at the right time, but only time will tell how far they can go.

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

The MSU Women’s Basketball team aims to extend their winning streak as they play away against Wayne State Friday, Feb. 10 and Augustana Saturday, Feb. 11.

DYLAN LONG • The Reporter MSU Men’s Basketball is in for a tough away weekend, facing up against Wayne State Friday, Feb. 10 and Augustana Saturday, Feb. 11.

Super Bowl LVII: ‘The Rizzler’ vs.

‘Puke Lame-O’

By HAYDEN LEE & LUKE JACKSON Staff Writers

Sunday marks the NFL’s 57th Super Bowl, or Super Bowl LVII if you’re into roman numerals. The season finale will be held in Glendale, Arizona at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, also known as the NFL’s retirement home. There are only two teams each year that get the great honor of playing in the Super Bowl, and this year, those two teams are the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Hayden: In the green corner, defending the NFC’s representative, we have a life-long Eagles fan who is just dying to see them bring home another Lombardi trophy. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Luke Jackson. Jackson grew up in Hudson, Wisconsin, and got his Eagles fandom from watching them lose to his idol, Tom Brady, and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX, where the Eagles started to develop an underdog narrative. Jackson once hit a deer with his car, and instead of looking at the damage on the car, he got out, hit the griddy on the deer and yelled “FLY EAGLES FLY,” while “flexing.” Good luck, sir.

Luke: Representing the Chiefs (mostly Patrick Mahomes) is Hayden Lee. Lee loves everything about Mahomes. You can often see Lee watching (and dancing to) Mahomes’ brother Jackson’s viral TikTok dances. Lee also impersonates Mahomes’ “Kermit” style voice regularly. If you ever see or hear someone doing the Chiefs famous “Tomahawk Chop,” you can safely assume it is Lee. He dreams of the Lombardi Trophy being lifted by his Chiefs but is in for a rude awakening Sunday.

Who is going to win the Super Bowl? Why?

Luke: The Eagles will win the Super Bowl because they have the dog in them. They have the better and more hungry team. Time and time again, the Eagles have been counted out and came up big. Every hater called them frauds, and look where they are now. In the Super Bowl, they are going to take home the Lombardi Trophy. Their defense allowed only one score in both playoff games versus the Giants and the 49ers and in both games they tallied over 30 points offensively. The dogs will never stop barking after this Super Bowl win.

Hayden: The Chiefs will win the Super Bowl based on this one simple fact. They have Patrick Mahomes. He has the ability to keep them in every single game that they play, and has done so yet again this season on his way to, presumably, another league MVP. This season, Mahomes led

Looking to shake up the world

By CHARLIE GROEBNER Staff Writer

With only two matches left in the regular season, Minnesota State embarks on its final road trip of the 2022-23 season. Friday night, the Mavs will travel out east to square up with the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

Coming off back-to-back losses, the Mavs sit at 5-5 in the NSIC and are looking to try and close this season on a high note. While the team is still full of underclassmen, they have shown great progress in the last months. Head Coach, Jim Makovsky, has been preaching for his guys to focus on two things.

“The biggest thing is experience, We got to keep getting quality experiences. We have been having a couple of roadblocks and trying to battle adversity. Obviously, we want to go out there and win every duel, however, the bigger part to me is developing guys. It’s been getting better, but we are looking for consistency,” said Makovsky.

As for their opponent, the Rangers are without a doubt the best team in the NSIC. While in the past two matchups, the Mavs

have been victorious, this year might be more difficult. This season, the Rangers have emerged as the top dog in the NSIC and have shown it in full force.

A record of 9-0 with all but one of their wins by ten points or more. Once considered a team that was never seen as a contender, is now running the table in the NSIC. Now, they look to extend their win streak further as they square up against the Mavs in their season finale.

Two of the main stars of the show for the Rangers are 165Ibs senior, Shane Gantz, and 133Ibs freshman, Troy Dolphin. Both men are ranked the number one wrestler in the conference and have been the catalyst behind the team’s successes.

While Dolphin is still a young buck and has proven himself on numerous occasions, the real story is Gantz. With several All-American honors and championships to his name, this season he seeks something bigger.

Currently, the native of Waukesha, Wisconsin is 27-0 and has not suffered a loss since the NCAA Championship match. Entering the final season of his college ca-

reer, he looks to try and end his last dance on a high note. However, that requires one more win against the Mavs in front of the fans at De Simone Arena.

This matchup is certainly one with all odds against the Mavs. The young, inexperienced underdog who is often overlooked is facing off with the undefeated champs. However, like several of those stories, never doubt anything can

happen. Makovsky is especially eager to head into this matchup regardless of what might happen. “It’s why we are here, all the training we do is for this because we want the best competition. I can only speak for myself, but I am excited because I want to see these guys’ quality experience. To do that means going up against the best of the best,” said Makovsky.

Striving for third consecutive conference title

By JADE JACKSON Staff Writer

The Minnesota State Women’s Swimming and Diving team look to overcome the pressure and secure their third consecutive and fourth overall NSIC Championship this week in West Fargo, North Dakota.

While hoping to keep the streak alive, the four-day NSIC Championships began Wednesday and is taking place at the Hulbert Aquatic Center.

The Mavericks own a 7-1 record in dual action this season. Their only conference loss? To Augustana at the Augustana Invitational in November.

The past shows that Augustana proves to be the Mavericks’ biggest competitor. Freshman backstroke swimmer, Claudia Schwartz, explains the Mavericks’ determination to prove themselves at the tournament.

“Obviously, Augustana was our only conference loss this year, so, at the conference tournament this week, we have to put the work in and prove that we are the strongest team. Collectively, we feel great going into the tournament,” said Schwartz.

Last year, the Mavs finished 18th in the nation at the NCAA tournament. They plan to do even better this year.

“We are expecting a lot of personal bests at the tournament this week. We should do well in every event, the team has high hopes. We have put in the work this season so if we show our resiliency, we should come out on top,” said Schwartz. With a great conference tour-

nament, it will set the Mavericks up for a great NCAA appearance.

Looking to make a big splash at the tournament is sophomore Sydney Hanson, who dives both the one meter and three meter events. This season, she has been named the NSIC diver of the week three times. She placed 17th in the 3 me-

ter dive last year.

The prelims begin at 10:00 a.m. each day, with the finals set to follow at 5:30 p.m. The prelims for the 1-meter diving event will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. with prelims for the 3-meter diving event set for Saturday at 1 p.m.

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

MSU Wrestling team heads to their final away dual of the season at UW-Parkside Friday, Feb. 10.

The MSU Women’s Swimming & Diving team heads off to Fargo, North Dakota for the NSIC Championships this weekend that runs from Wednesday, Feb. 8 through Saturday, Feb. 11.

File photo

Senior spotlight: Trevor Moore

Hoping to secure WCHA’s fifth seed

By KOLE BUELOW Staff Writer

After losing in heartbreaking fashion back-to-back nights this past weekend, it is time for the Minnesota State Women’s Hockey team to put the two losses behind them and focus on Bemidji State this weekend.

The Mavericks made it close with the currently-ranked No. 7 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs this past weekend. In the record books, Friday night went down as a 3-4 overtime loss and Saturday ended in a 0-0 tie.

By ALI REED Staff Writer

After hoopin’ in Houston, Minnesota State senior shooting guard, Trevor Moore, has taken his talents all across the country, now finishing off his collegiate career in Minnesota as a Maverick.

“I’m into trying new things and exploring new places,” said Moore. “Being from Houston, I don’t really get to experience winters. So one thing I wanted to experience in my college career was a brutal winter.”

Moore grew up in Houston, Texas with a close knit family, who got him into playing basketball at a young age.

“I started playing when I was nine,” said Moore. “Just being at the park, shooting around, I kind of just fell in love with it from there and it’s just been going on

ever since.”

While attending high school at South Kent Prep in Connecticut, Moore was a solid player for their basketball team, averaging 13 points, 6.5 rebounds and three assists per game in the 2016-17 season.

After his time at South Kent, Moore started his collegiate career at the University of Cincinnati, playing in 69 games and was ranked No. 7 for best prospects of Connecticut in 2017. Following two seasons at Cincinnati, he made the jump to Morgan State University, recording a season high 27-point game during the 2020-21 campaign.

For his final collegiate season, Moore decided to head even further north and join the Mavericks, making some of the best memories of his career.

Saturday’s 0-0 tie was originally broken in overtime when MSU junior forward, Sydney Langseth, potted a game-winner, but the Minnesota State goal got called back after review and the Mavs eventually lost in a shootout. There is still one thing to be happy about from this past weekend, however, and that’s two points in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) standings.

Looking ahead to this weekend’s matchup, the Mavericks take on the WCHA’s current last-place team in Bemidji State. Prior to a 4-1 win against St. Thomas this past weekend, the Beavers had yet to win their second game in WCHA play. Their first win came against none other than Minnesota State.

With the WCHA’s bottom two seeds essentially etched in stone, the Beavers look to play spoiler to the Mavericks’ hopes of catching up to St. Cloud State as the WCHA’s fifth seed. They will be doing this while also trying to surpass St. Thomas for the seventh seed on their own.

Knowingly, Minnesota State senior defenseman, Taylor Wemple, explained, “We cannot go in

thinking that we are automatically going to win. The good thing is, we have had a really good week so far of practice and everyone is feeling confident going into the weekend.” Wemple also said, “We were so close this past weekend and it was a great series so I believe our play will carry over into our series with Bemidji.”

It is hard to understand how a team will play against you when you haven’t played them for a while, and the Mavericks are in a similar situation this weekend.

Minnesota State and Bemidji State have not played each other in over three months, dating back to October of 2022.

As for what they expect, Wemple explained, “They’ll compete a bit harder. It was pretty early in the season the last time we played them, and everyone gets better throughout the season for sure, but we’re ready for them.”

For four straight weeks, the Mavericks have competed against

teams inside the USCHO’s top 15 national rankings. This weekend, the Mavs finally get a break from that stretch, but it also raises the question: “how will the team play when their upcoming opponent has a big difference in playstyle?”

Wemple explains how she expects Bemidji to play, along with how the Mavericks will need to adapt in order to have a successful weekend.

“It is very different with higher-skilled teams. They hold onto the puck more,” said Wemple. “For this weekend, there will probably be a lot of dumping and chasing the puck. For us, if we gain possession first and win the battles to be able to set up plays, it will make our game a whole lot easier.”

The Mavericks will be chasing nothing less than two regulation wins this weekend, as they prepare to catch up to St. Cloud State in the WCHA standings. With two wins, the Mavs will only have

DOMINIC BOTHE • The Reporter

Senior shooting guard, Trevor Moore, from Houston, Texas averages 14.8 points per game as his final collegiate season comes to an end.

LILLY ANDERSON • The Reporter MSU Women’s Hockey team plays their second to last two-game series of the regular season at home against Bemidji State Friday, Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m

SPOTLIGHT on page 13 u

SEED on page 13 u

Todd Knott named Terry Flanagan Award winner

 SPOTLIGHT from page 12

“Just love being around these guys everyday, man,” said Moore. “I’m the oldest on this team so it kinda put me in that big brother role. Everyday just coming in and watching these guys, putting smiles on their faces, that’s the biggest thing for me.”

Moore has made quite an impact on the Mavericks both on and off the court. This season, he averages 14.8 points per game, with a season high of 27 points against Minnesota Duluth in January.

Graduating in 2022, Moore chose his degree due to the freedom it offers.

“I graduated from Morgan State with a liberal arts degree and

I chose that because I can go any which direction I want with it,” said Moore.

Nearing the end of this season, Moore has plans to start taking the first steps of playing professional ball.

Outside of basketball, Moore spends a lot of time with family and makes music during his freetime. Before each game, he dedicates time to listen to all of his songs.

Moore has high hopes for the team as they head into the final weeks of the regular season.

“We’re in a good spot mentally and physically,” said Moore. “I think we’re putting the pieces together at the right time and heading in the right direction.”

By KARSON BUELOW Staff Writer

Since 2012, the Minnesota State Men’s Hockey program has been fortunate enough to be guided under direct supervision of Mike Hastings, arguably one of the best coaches in all of division I hockey. However, since 2009, the Minnesota State Hockey program has also been led by a strong hand, who often flies under the radar, in Associate Head Coach, Todd Knott.

Feb. 1, the Minnesota State athletics department announced that Todd Knott was this year’s recipient of the AHCA Terry Flanagan Award, given annually to the top assistant coach in collegiate hockey.

“At first, when I got the call from coach Hastings, I was very humbled,” said Knott. “I’m very thankful for the opportunity that Hastings afforded me 11 years ago. And not only for the opportunity, but to be able to sit front row and watch one of the top coaches in the country and be surrounded by him and what he’s done.”

The humble Knott began his journey to the collegiate level similar to every collegiate-hopeful. The native of Red Lake Falls, Minnesota, accelerated his playing career with the USHL’s Lincoln Stars before spending his collegiate career at Bemidji State.

Like most collegiate players, Knott soon realized that a professional hockey career wasn’t soon to follow once his time at Bemidji was done. Having been surround-

 BOWL from page 11

ed by role models in coaching growing up and into Bemidji State, Knott was able to get his foot in the door almost 20 years ago to the date.

“I remember reaching out to my coach, Tom Serratore, and asking him if I could come be a grad assistant,” said Knott. “He called me back in 24 hours and helped me get a better job with Fargo in the NAHL, under Shawn Kuralak.”

From there, Knott took a brief tour of the USHL, landing coaching positions with the Des Moines Buccaneers and the Sioux City Musketeers. Knott recalls a lot of running around from his apartment and time spent away from his wife, but it was from Sioux City that he was able to secure a job and buy his first house here in Mankato.

Knott arrived on the scene in Mankato in 2009 as an assistant head coach, just a few years before the hiring of Hastings as head coach. Since the hiring of Hastings, the two worked together to build the winningest program in division I hockey, with an overall record of 292-107-96.

“I think part of that is I have a great boss and we’re very similar in nature in the idea that we’re never satisfied,” said Knott. “If you’re not doing your job and continuing to work and get better, someone else is coming to take your spot.”

Though he admits the idea of never being satisfied isn’t always healthy, Knott understands the mindset it takes to be successful having grown up and been in

best quarterback ever. After the Chiefs win the Super Bowl, he will have his second Super Bowl MVP, while Eagles’ fans destroy their own city for no reason.

Eagles Offense Vs. Chiefs Defense:

Luke: People say defense wins championships. That may be true

sports for nearly all his life. Knott attributes this worrisome/“always looking over your shoulder” mindset to his father, who has ingrained the work ethic in Knott’s mind from a very young age.

Over the years, Knott has put forth a great deal of effort into recruiting some of the best college hockey players, to which 13 have played professionally in the National Hockey League. But beyond the skill and talent it takes to play at the collegiate level, Knott believes there’s more to recruiting than getting the most talented players.

“As coaches, we’re really focused on what our players do on the ice, in the community, academically, it’s them doing the heavy lifting,” said Knott. “We’ve been fortunate enough to not only have very good athletes here, but also really good people.”

Having accumulated a national-best overall record alongside Hastings, working firsthand to recruit some of the best college hockey players since entering the scene, and embodying a work ethic that’s been instilled in the program since his arrival, one could say it’s been long overdue for Knott to receive the prestigious Terry Flanagan Award.

“Again I’m very thankful,” said Knott. “To go along with that, Troy Jutting and Darren Blue, who I’ve worked with for 11 years. And then guys like Paul Kirtland, so there’s a lot of people in my world that have helped me get to where I’m at right now.”

 SEED from page 12 the league in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and QBR, leading the Chiefs to the number one seed and the Super Bowl, EVEN AFTER SUFFERING A HIGH ANKLE SPRAIN in the middle of the game against the Jaguars. Even Rihanna said that he is the

to some extent, but in the NFL, offensive lines guarantee the championship. Right tackle Lane Johnson and center Jason Kelce, are the core of this team and are insane at what they do. Travis Kelce may have the best hands for a tight end in the NFL, but have you ever wondered why he resorted to that?

themselves to count on the following weekend when they travel to St. Cloud for their final series of the year before playoffs.

This weekend, the Mayo Clin-

ic Health System Event Center in downtown Mankato will play host to the Mavericks and the Beavers. Friday’s game starts at 6 pm while Saturday’s contest begins at 3 pm.

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

Assistant Head Coach of the Men’s Hockey team, Todd Knott, is the recipient of the Terry Flanagan Award for being the ACHA assistant coach of the year.

VA RI ET Y

Bingo was anything but a drag

By KENDALL LARSON Staff Writer

Leading front and center on Wednesday evening for the LGBT Center’s Drag Bingo event was Mankato’s local drag queen Princess Blue Rose. The bingo event focused on having a fun night of prizes and drag exploration.

The whole idea behind Drag Bingo was to create a “fun, engaging, and safe environment for students to express themselves,” according to Stephen Thomas, the interim director for the LGBT center.

Even the prizes focused on being fun and safe. Some of the prizes handed out were weighted stuffed plushies. Like the idea of weighted blankets, the plushies help students focus and calm down when stressed out. Other prizes included diffusers and essential oils, which can help students reduce their stress levels.

“I wanted to get prizes that students would enjoy but also help with relaxation and comfort,” said Thomas.

In addition to Drag Bingo, future drag workshops will occur throughout the semester, and the semi-annual drag show will be in the first week of April. All these ideas and events come down to being inclusive and being “student-focused,” accord-

ing to Thomas. “Students who have never done or seen drag before will get to learn about it and practice it. They can go to workshops to learn about makeup, costumes, and body design,” Thomas said.

With the drag show at the beginning of April, Thomas wanted to give students a chance to try drag through workshops that will be scheduled at the end of February and March. Students will have the opportunity

to explore what drag means to themselves and others at these workshops. The workshops also allow students to practice for the semi-annual drag show that will occur within the first week

of April. Students can take the skills they learned from the workshop and show them off on stage throughout the event.

“It’s going to be important [to have these events], especially in this day and age, where drag performers are getting a bad rap,” said Thomas.

In the last few months, there has been negative media coverage of drag events within the US, so it is essential that the LGBT center offers students a way to make their own impressions of drag. Thomas wants to make sure students have time to learn what drag is and how it is done at MSU so that they can form their own opinions.

“I want people to feel welcome at these events and understand what is going to be happening with them. I want people to have a good time,” Thomas said.

Through these events, the LGBT center and Thomas want to reduce the lack of knowledge about drag and the LGBTQ+ community.

“Drag is just a fun form of entertainment, and I want people to see that. I want people to go into these events with an open mind and good energy because we want to make sure all our events are safe and welcoming for students,” Thomas stated.

Spring semester sees return of ‘Brave Hearts’

By JOEY ERICKSON Variety Editor

School is back for the spring semester, and with it comes the return of the ‘Brave Hearts’ discussion series, hosted by the Women’s Center. The discussions are centered around answering tough or taboo topics such as sexual violence, racism and managing mental health.

The conversation topic this week is power dynamics in relationships, and how it correlates to intimate partner violence. Contrary to previous meetings, this one will serve as less of an informal, heart-to-heart discussion and more of an educational session, enlightening students on various forms power dynamics can take, and their toxic effects.

Headlining the event is MK Thao, Minnesota State graduate student, as well as graduate assistant for the Women’s Center on campus, the organization hosting the entire event.

According to Thao, power control in relationships is all about one individual taking all the power away from the other as a way to control them. This could be emotionally, financial-

ly, mentally, or even sexually.

“Let’s say that there’s this man and woman who are in a relationship and the man is the breadwinner. He’s the only one working and he does it on purpose. He won’t allow the woman to work. Now that the woman is stuck in this abusive relationship, she can’t leave either because he controlled all the finances,” Thao said.

Thao continued to speak on how power control can be detrimental to a relationship. Many victims feel trapped; escaping isn’t an option, and even if they managed to do it, they would have nothing.

“[If] she leaves, where’s she gonna go? She doesn’t have the money for a hotel. She’s been isolated from friends and family, she can’t contact them. So she has no choice but to stay. She doesn’t have any way to provide for herself, and it gets worse,” Thao said.

The dynamic isn’t strictly a marital thing, either. It can happen between a parent and a child, two children, two coworkers, or anyone who has already had a pre-established relationship with the other.

The dynamic also doesn’t

have to stem from money issues. It could assert control through emotional abuse, such as insulting and gaslighting. It could assert control by cutting off all communication with the other’s

loved ones. The problem has many faces, so it’s a hard one to nip in the bud and prevent altogether.

“That’s kind of like the concept of the power control. It’s to

highlight some ways that people wouldn’t really see as abused. Money, isolation from friends and family. Even things like taunting or degrading you is a

LILLY ANDERSON • The Reporter

Princess Blue Rose, pictured above, hosted a drag bingo in the upstairs Centennial Student Union yesterday night. The event had a massive turnout, as many packed into the room to play.

File Photo MK Thao, pictured above, is the Graduate Assistant at the Women’s Center on campus. She has been one of the leading figures behind the ‘Brave Hearts’ discussions for over a year.

Getting cancer didn’t stop Wain McFarlane from singing Disney to cut 7,000 jobs in company ‘transformation’

By LAUREN VISKA Staff Writer

Wain McFarlane was once known for his long dreadlocks, until he got cancer. He has a song, “Dreadlock Cowboy,” and he sings a story about meeting a girl and falling in love. In the chorus, he sings, “I’m just a Dreadlock cowboy coming to your town.”

“I have had three transplants, two liver transplants and one kidney transplant. I have had four types of cancer along with kidney disease, “ said McFarlane. “Prostate cancer took my hair. I wrote ‘Dreadlock Cowboy’ when I had my dreadlocks and didn’t know about my cancer.”

McFarlane and Mark Joseph light up the Hearth Lounge for students. They came to MSU and performed in the Hearth Lounge of the CSU yesterday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and was part of the CSU’s Serendipity Concert Series, which happens every other Wednesday.

McFarlane started to perform music from a young age. He has always been around music and has learned many different stories.

 DISCUSSION from page 14

form of abuse,” Thao said.

The “Brave Hearts” discussions have been happening in one way or another for years on MSU’s campus. Originally called “Conversation Circle,” the name was changed to what it is now last year, in an effort to make attendees feel more welcomed and less obligated to talk, or contribute.

This is the first school year where both the fall and the spring semester have hosted the talks. The overwhelmingly positive responses and increase

“I was born in Kansas City, Missouri but moved to Worthington, Minnesota. My mother was a minister, so I grew up attending church and performing since I was four years old,” said McFarlane. “Performing the church, just the stories that were told were crazy. I also had a hard time reading as a youngster. So I would sing the Bible. I could sing my parts, but I got all mixed up once you asked me to read it.”

McFarlane teaches a Black History Month series for others to learn about the history of African-American music. He has taught this for a while and said he enjoys teaching others about this history. He also teaches it with one of his former students, who worked with the Jonas Brothers for several years. Some of the things the middle schoolers said to McFarlane were how music will change and become entirely online and replace the need for live bands.

“So we go out and talk to kids about how they perceive music to be made. We asked them how are they going to do music. I think they talked about holograms. Pretty soon, we won’t need a band; we just have

in campus involvement both played major parts in the event’s increasing regularity, according to Thao.

“I feel like the reason why we’ve been able to do a full school year here is the positive review, a lot of involvement from staff. We’ve been able to keep things respectful and overall a safe environment for students to feel like they could come up with their own opinions and thoughts without judgment,” Thao said.

Although each of the discussions have a set topic they aim to cover, students can walk in and

to perform as holograms,” said McFarlane. “Now, on TikTok, you can play the bass, you can play the drums, you can play everything. So these things are going to be the future. So we talked about that, the history, where things came from, and about music and composers.”

McFarlane hopes students got a lot out of his performance and learned a little bit more about Black history.

“I hoped they paid attention and listened to the stories about simple things. All the things that they’re automatically taught and systematically. They are not done by white people or everybody in the world who has done things,” said McFarlane. “People got just spoken about, and some people weren’t. Black people and African Americans did many things in this country and around the world that were never noticed, and people are just not coming out. So that’s why we teach African American history, and some African Americans do not know these things either.”

To learn more about upcoming Serendipity concerts, go to the MSU website and click on the university life tab.

speak on anything they want to get off their chest.

“If students do come home, feel free to come with [your] own topic. Our topics that we have listed are just to kind of give students something to go off on. But if they suddenly feel strongly about something, come on in and throw it out there. We’ll talk about it,” Thao said.

“Brave Hearts” discussions return again today, in CSU 218, from 11 a.m. to noon, and will return every other Thursday for the rest of the semester.

By ALEX VEIGA The Associated Press

The Walt Disney Co. will cut about 7,000 jobs as part of an ambitious companywide cost-savings plan and “strategic reorganization” announced Wednesday by CEO Bob Iger. The job cuts amount to about 3% of the entertainment giant’s global workforce and were unveiled after Disney re-

ported quarterly results that topped Wall Street’s forecasts.

Iger returned as CEO in November following a challenging two-year tenure by his handpicked successor, Bob Chapek. The company said the job reductions are part of a targeted $5.5 billion cost savings across the company. As of Oct. 1, Disney employed 220,000 people, of which about 166,000 worked in the U.S.

Fr ee Pr evie w!

for all MNSU Students on Wednesday, Feb. 15th at 7:30 p.m.

(just bring your MavC ard)

$5 Student Ticket s for all other performances

LAUREN VISKA • The Reporter

JOHN RAOUX • The Associated Press

Wain McFarlane (left,) and Mark Joseph (right,) have been performing music from a young age.

Guests watch a show near a statue of Walt Disney and Micky Mouse in front of the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney.