Muleskinner Vol. 116 Issue 4

Health Officials Give Vaccine Advice

RACHEL BECKER Editor-in-Chief

On Dec. 9, University of Central Missouri students will complete the Fall 2022 semester and have the chance to venture off campus for the Winter Break from Dec. 10 to Jan 8. The 28 days away bring opportunities for seeing family and friends to share gifts but also the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated recommendations students can use to come back from Winter Break on Jan. 9 free of illness.

COVID-19 Vaccines:

According to the CDC, the COVID-19 vaccine recommendations are based on three things: the patient’s age, the vaccine the patient first received and the length of time since the last dose.

The CDC recommends people stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines for their age group. The CDC said if you are at least 18 years old and have completed your primary series, but are not yet eligible for a booster, you are considered up to date.

People are also considered up to date if they received all COVID-19 vaccine doses recommended for them and then become ill with COVID-19. In that case, the CDC states you do not need to be immediately revaccinated or receive an additional booster.

The CDC states that if someone had COVID-19, they should consider delaying their next vaccine dose by three months from when symptoms started, or when they received their first positive test.

The CDC also states that those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have different recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines. If you fall into this category, check to see if you need to get boosted using the CDC’s booster tool found on their website.

SEE VACCINES ON PAGE 2

State and Local Election Results

Editor-in-Chief and Staff Reporter

Election season is a big time for politics, and the groups that support them. American Democracy Project Student Campus Coordinator, Lindsey Burns said she was pleased with how much support ADP got during the election season. ADP sent out volunteers to help get people registered to vote at various voter drives.

However, some students on campus still didn’t vote in this midterm. Historically, there has been a low voter turnout for midterm elections, especially from young people.

Data from a survey conducted by Edison Research, and the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement estimated that only 27% of youth (ages 18-29) cast a ballot in 2022.

Sophomore Stephanie Marcella said she did not vote in this election, but she still watched as results rolled in.

“I was a little disappointed [with the results] but it was expected,” Marcella said. “I feel like we are going in a further right direction and it’s not very good for Missouri or the country, in my opinion. So seeing that was a little disappointing to me.”

In the race for the United States Senator seat, Republican Eric Schmitt was elected with 64 percent of the vote in Johnson County. The United States Senator for Missouri position was opened after Sen. Roy Blunt did not seek reelection, after holding the seat since 2010.

The race for the senate seat was closely watched by Missouri voters, and the Secretary of State reported Schmitt won with 55% of the vote.

Missouri saw a number of Republicans win various positions. Voters also legalized marijuana and passed two other amendments.

According to the Missouri Secretary of State, Missouri voters decided in favor of Amendment 5 to the Missouri

Constitution with 53% of voters in favor. This amendment proposes to make the Missouri National Guard its own agency rather than being under the authority of the Missouri Department of Public Safety as it has been currently.

Missouri voters decided to support Amendment 4. The Missouri Secretary of State reported 63% of Missouri voted in favor, in Johnson County 63% voted in favor of the amendment.

Amendment 4 proposes that the Missouri Constitution be amended to authorize an increase to minimum funding for a police force established by a state board of commissioners. After the amendment is approved, the State of Missouri would make it mandatory for all police departments under state control through a board of police commissioners to increase and set minimum funding limits.

Kansas City is the only city in Missouri that has its police force under state control which makes it the only city that will be affected by this measure. This proposal is stated as being done to ensure such a police force has enough resources to properly serve its community. Those who oppose the bill say that it’s simply a matter of control.

Amendment 1 on this year’s ballot would amend the Missouri Constitution to allow the general assembly to override current constitutional restrictions of state investments and allow state investments in municipal securities. This was not voted in by Missouri citizens, with 54% voting against the amendment.

Teresa Britton, nurse practitioner at the University Health Center filling a syringe. UCM’s health center offers flu shots as well as COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. Photo by Ellie Whitesell

RACHEL BECKER AND ERIC GARDENHIRE

Information from the Secretary of State. Graphics by Mingzhu Zhu

Muleskinner

Updated Advice from the CDC on Vaccines

Getting boosted:

According to the CDC, updated bivalent boosters became available on Sept. 2 for people 12 years of age and older and on Oct. 12 for people aged 5-11.

Two COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, Pfizer and Moderna, have developed updated (bivalent) COVID-19 boosters.

The CDC states these boosters are called “bivalent” because they have been shown to protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5.

According to the CDC’s website, “The virus that causes COVID-19 has changed over time. The different versions of the virus that have developed over time are called variants… CDC uses viral genomic surveillance to quickly identify and track COVID-19 variants, and acts

upon these findings to best protect the public’s health.”

People ages five years and older are recommended by the CDC to receive a booster if it has been at least two months since their last COVID-19 vaccine dose.

As of Nov. 2, the CDC reported 84.8% of people eligible have gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 72.6% of eligible people are fully vaccinated and only 8.4% of people eligible have gotten an updated booster.

2022 Flu Season:

The CDC states there are three flu vaccines that are preferentially recommended for people 65 years and older: Fluzone HighDose Quadrivalent vaccine, Flublok Quadrivalent recombinant flu vaccine and Fluad Quadrivalent adjuvanted flu vaccine. These vaccines are recommended for the 20222023 flu season.

The timing for flu vaccination this year is similar to previous recommendations. The CDC states that those who only need one dose for the season should have gotten vaccinated in September or October. Earlier vaccination is not recommended for most people.

The CDC states that it’s ideal to get vaccinated by the end of October, but also stresses the importance of that fact that vaccination after October can still provide protection during the peak of flu season.

Coadministration:

The coadministration of vaccines is when a provider gives a patient one or more vaccines during a single visit. The CDC states this is common clinical practice because of the convenience of one appointment rather than multiple with the same provider. While there are some exceptions, the CDC states many vaccines can be given at the same visit.

A study from July 2022 by Anne M. Hause for the CDC concluded that it is safe to get both a flu vaccine and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same visit, the CDC states that studies similar to this were conducted throughout the pandemic.

Hause’s study also showed that people who got a flu vaccine and an mRNA COVID-19 booster vaccine at the same time were slightly more likely (8% to 11%) to have reactions including fatigue, headache and muscle ache than people who only got a COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccine, but these reactions were mostly mild and went away quickly.

The CDC concludes that findings of this study are consistent with safety data from clinical trials and neither found any safety concerns with giving both vaccines at the same time. concerns with giving both vaccines at the same time.

MO Votes Yes to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

RACHEL BECKER Editor in Chief

On Nov. 8, citizens took to the polls to vote for the 2022 Midterm Elections and voted yes to legalize marijuana in Missouri. The legalization of recreational marijuana will not take effect in Missouri until Dec. 8, when the Department of Health and Senior Services will transition the operating medical license holders to simple recreational licenses. The transitioning of those licenses could come as early as February.

The University of Central Missouri has been a tobacco-free campus since 2014, including all nicotine products being prohibited on campus. Given UCM’s no smoking policy, Madison Baxter, junior, is curious on what campus activities could look like with marijuana legal in the state.

“[Marijuana] helps countless people with medical issues. I just don’t want my fellow UCM students to be using it irresponsibly,” Baxter said.

Amendment 3 was on the midterm ballot in Missouri and was voted in by almost

52% of Johnson County voters, according to the Missouri Secretary of State.

It will alter Missouri’s Constitution by removing prohibitions on the sale, use and possession of marijuana and all residents who are over 21 years old, as well as adding a 6% tax on the sale of marijuana. The amendment would additionally allow certain people with nonviolent marijuana related offenses to petition their release from prison and/or to have their records expunged.

Sophomore Kaylyn Smith said, “I think there should be limitations on who and when you can use recreational marijuana.”

Besides the stigma behind marijuana usage, there were other reasons the amendment was contested.

Kansas City Public Radio reported that, “many longtime legalization advocates [campaigned] against the measure over fears for how the market would be administered by DHSS. Progressive groups like the Missouri chapter of the NAACP, Pro-Choice Missouri and the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus opposed the measure.”

The Muleskinner is a student-led news lab in the communication department at the University of Central Missouri and operates in association with the digital media production program.

All text, photography and other content are property of the Muleskinner and may not be reproduced without permission. The Muleskinner reserves the right to edit any submitted material or refuse to print such material.

Letters to the editor are encouraged from students, faculty and alumni. Typed or legibly written letters can be submitted by email at muleskinner@ucmo.edu or can be mailed or hand-delivered to the Muleskinner newsroom at 203 East Clark Street, Warrensburg, Missouri 64093, which is in Wood building, room 312. Include your legal name and phone number for verification. Letters should be brief, self-edited and must be received by Monday the week before publication. The Muleskinner prints once a month.

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Information from the Secretary of State. Graphic by Mingzhu Zhu

In issue

of the Muleskinner, there was an error with the name of the Dean of the University of Central Missouri Adrian and Margaret Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies. Jose Marcado was named in the caption but Mark Suazo is pictured. Suazo stepped into the Dean position in July of this year

Advocacy Through Adversity

Empowered to Belong

STEPHANIE ROGERS Staff Reporter

Masters student and UCM Speech and Debate Coach Evan Kirksey has always sought to be an advocate and educator for people with disabilities. Kirksey also teaches public speaking at UCM. Early in life, Kirksey was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a movement disorder that impacts a person’s motor functions.

“Whether people believed in me or not, I was going to believe in me, and I was going to figure it out. Whether it is as simple as giving speeches about disability in tournaments every single weekend and informing a variety of judges,” Kirksey said. In speech and debate tournaments, Kirksey often viewed prompts and created speeches through the lens of disability.

“I always thought he was one of the most genuine speech givers on the circuit because a lot of people do it for points, a lot of people want to win all the trophies they can, but I could tell that he actually cared about these issues.” Masters student of communication studies and UCM Speech and Debate Coach Manuel Reyes said.

Kirksey mentioned that his future plans center around reducing the stigma around disabilities and working on new safety procedures. He started working with Safe and Sound Schools to create the program Especially Safe, which is a program to prepare school planning teams on how to address the safety and security needs of all members of a community, especially disabled ones.

“I feel very strongly called to the field of disability studies. I reached out to Michele Gay of Safe and Sound Schools [an organization aimed at crisis prevention, response, and recovery in schools] and said, ‘listen, I know that I’m a 20-year-old, I know this sounds crazy, but just talk to me. I feel very strongly called to decrease the stigma I felt for so long. When there hasn’t been a standard for years and years and years, and school shootings aren’t going away,” Kirksey said.

This led to Kirskey being invited as the keynote speaker at the National Summit on School Safety and a position with Safe and Sound as an advocate and presenter.

“I know that he was able to talk with some of the families whose children were affected by the Newtown shooting and how he was able to go talk at different

Kirksey’s care extends further than giving his own speeches that he is passionate about at tournaments, now he coaches several students on the UCM Speech and Debate Team helping them raise their voice on topics they are passionate about as well.

Kirksey is very hard-working and always available for his students.“He even called me at midnight one night when I was stumped and needed help,” senior Caleb Nading said. “When it comes to debate, he has a unique outlook on different issues and some of his ideas I would never have thought of, and they’ve helped me to win rounds.”

conferences.” Reyes said. “From what I know about it, he’s been very involved.”

Kirksey said, “[Growing up] the stigma surrounding disability was so widespread and so large.”

Initially, when learning about his diagnosis, Kirksey said he “was filled with such a sense of shame. I always felt such pressure to just live up to everybody else because I felt like I was starting at such a disadvantage.”

Since then, Kirksey has transformed the way he sees his disability. He now works with abled-bodied allies.

Building Blocks of the Community

STEPHANIE ROGERS Staff Reporter

The Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department hosted the panel discussion, “What is Disability at UCM” shedding light on what disability is and how members of UCM can be allies. Panelists included Associate Professor of English and Rhetoric/Technical Writing Rebecca Miner and Senior Instructor of Library Science and Information Services Sandra Jenkins all shared their experiences of living with disabilities. Speech and Debate Graduate Assistant Coach Evan Kirksey was a student recognized to share his journey.

“I look like a white, able-bodied man, but I was experiencing struggles nobody could relate,”Kirksey

disability until it inconveniences what they want, which Kirskey believes is also part of his perspective on how society interacts with people who are different.

The panel shared how a lack of outwardly apparent disabilities and people within that community can be mistreated. As a result, the panelists further shared how individuals interested in supporting those with disabilities can arm themselves with education to become allies.

“There’s simply no way for an able-bodied person to truly understand the struggles. However, if they try to learn, they can empathize, they can support,” Kirksey said.

Miner echoed Kirksey’s perspective and took it further, emphasizing the importance of delivery and intention and stating that the stigma around disabilities can be removed with the right approach.

“Every person deserves to feel that inclusion, deserves to feel celebration, to feel understanding, to feel acceptance,” Miller said.

When having these conversations, Miner emphasized the importance of delivery, stating that with the correct approach, the existing stigma and taboo nature around disabilities can be broken down.

Miller who planned the event said that many believe that to become an ally, one could arm themselves with education.

“If it’s not something you experience, the best thing you can do is arm yourself with education,” Miller said. “Education is your best friend for anything. And of course, compassion, honesty, kindness and caring.”

said.

The discussion covered disabilities that often go unnoticed unless they are explicitly and outwardly apparent. This is referred to as an invisible disability. According to the University of Glasgow, an invisible disability is “a physical, mental, or neurological condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities that is invisible to the onlooker.”

“Events like this, when we take voices who are part of the [disability] community when we get to raise those voices and listen to them, then that’s empowerment,” Senior Tad Miller said. They emphasized the importance of these events that bring awareness to overlooked groups. Often these groups receive lesser inclusive efforts than other sub-groups of society.

Miner shared that until she says she can’t do one thing or another, people in her life often don’t notice her

- Evan Kirksey, Masters student and UCM Speech and Debate Coach

“Whether people believed in me or not, I was going to believe in me, and I was going to figure it out. Whether it is as simple as giving speeches about disability in tournaments every single weekend and informing a variety of judges.”

Evan Kirksey during his time as a camp counselor at Camp Barnabas, a camp for Children with special needs. Kirksey said he has always been passionate about supporting the disability community.

Submitted photo

- Tad Miller, Senior

“Events like this, when we take voices who are part of the community when we get to raise those voices and listen to them, that’s empowerment.”

Kirksey alongside associate Professor of English and Rhetoric/Technical Writing Rebecca Miner and professor Sandra Jenkins speaking on a panel about disabilities at UCM. This conversation was hosted by the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department. Photo by Stephanie Rogers

Evan Kirksey speaking at the 417 Think Summit 2018, a Southwest-Missouri conference focused on big ideas and sparking change. Kirksey was giving a speech entitled “Taking the Dis out of Disability.” Submitted photo

Native Pride Through Music

DILLON SECKINGTON Opinions Editor

The second part of the ninth annual Trading Moon Native American Arts Festival featured an inspiring and creative performance from Supaman, a member of the Apsaalooke Nation, a dancer, a comedian and a hip-hop musician. The energy of the event was inspiring as Supaman shared his message of love and inclusivity.

Supaman performed in the Elliott Student Union on Nov. 8. This performance was part of the “Good Medicine Tour”, which Supaman headlines alongside DJ Element, a Native American DJ. Supaman quickly got the crowd, which was made up of mainly University of Central Missouri students, to their feet.

One of these students, freshman Nelson Rivera, spoke to how he learned a new style of music.

“That was so much fun … It shows a different side of hip-hop,” Rivera said. “I didn’t even know that there were Native rappers until right now.”

Rivera was one of several members of the audience who was asked to come on stage to help Supaman craft a beatbox beat. Supaman would also call out to the crowd, prompting them to turn to the person standing next to them and say something positive about each other. This seemed to be a great way to both interact with the audience while also inspiring them

to step outside of their comfort zone and have fun.

The event was organized to promote inclusivity and to recognize November as Native American Heritage Month according to the organizers of the event. Supaman stood out as a candidate to perform at the event, as his powerful and meaningful message presents itself in a contemporary tone. This

said Shari Bax, Vice President for Student Experience & Engagement. “Supaman presented an interesting opportunity to showcase that art and dance, but fused with modern art and dance too.”

While Supaman’s performance does have a comedic and lighthearted tone, his message is eye-opening and moving. When asked about how he hoped his

Juggling Academics, Athletics and American Culture

COLE ELLING Staff Reporter

Many international students, much like all college students across campus, are finding homework and workloads piling up through midterms. They also face the additional challenge of trying to adjust to a new culture within the United States.

Freshman Brian Mitei, is an international student from Kenya, a nursing major and a member of the UCM track and field and cross country teams.

Mitei is finding new ways to adjust to his life as a student athlete in the U.S.. With morning practice three times a week and afternoon practice everyday, he has found himself studying every night.

“It has been a big adjustment for me,” Mitei said. “I try very hard to adjust to the different teaching methods here in America but the biggest change is getting used to using a computer everyday.”

Mitei said he must use his time wisely as work continues to pile up as a nursing major.

Other students, like Ankith Simha, a library assistant and industrial management graduate student, finds time to balance work and classes while on the clock.

“Working and going to school for three years at home in India has prepared him for the stressful weeks of graduate school,” Simha said.

Simha clocks in at the library five days a week for 20 hours a week, but during that time he can multitask.

decision seemed to go over well, as Supaman’s musical performances, dances and jokes kept the crowd on their toes for around an hour.

“We have tried to put together a series of different artists that are of Native American heritage and represent different aspects of Native American art and dance,”

message was received among students, Supaman said that he “hopes they’re uplifted.”

“I know how being a college student can be. You’re away from home, and you got your homework, it can be stressful,” Supaman said.

Aside from being an entertaining performer, Supaman is a proud member of the Apsaalooke Nation in Montana.

“My tribe means everything to me,” said Supaman. “The connection that I have to my people, it’s not just to my community and people, but it’s also to the land.”

DJ Element during a turntable scrubbing solo. DJ Element is from the Salt River Reservation and has made a name for himself in the hip-hop community, working with artists such as LL Cool J. Photo by Dillon Seckington

“Luckily, I am able to do a majority of my school work while I’m at work,” Simha said.

Simha said he is happy to be working in the library even with the amount of hours he is working.

“The library allows me to check out any book I want; allowing me to learn more about my major than I would if I wasn’t working here,” Simha said.

Simha said his job is helping him get through his busy class schedule and learn more than he had ever imagined.

India native Adithya Yenda is keeping his dream of running an industrial technology company while working hard in his Masters program.

Yenda arrived in the U.S. last May and is here until the end of the Spring 2023 semester. He said there are more responsibilities in the U.S. than at home. He added that the culture in the U.S. is much different than in India, however Yenda said he is blessed for that and happy to be here.

He has adjusted his daily schedule to account for getting his class work done, being to work on time and building relationships on campus.

“Being a morning person has been key for me. I am up by 7 a.m. and my school work is done by 8:30 a.m,” Yenda said.

Students are buckling down and enjoying the college lifestyle. At the same time, international students are not only working hard in class, but adjusting to a whole new way of life in their short time here in the U.S..

Supaman performing one of his Native infused hip-hop tracks. The artist uses inspiration from his heritage to influnce his music. Photo by Dillon Seckington

Goodbye, Graduates!

Farewell to Muleskinner Seniors

KRISZTINA SARUSI Promotions Manager

Krisztina Sarusi is our Promotions Manager and makes sure that the social media content calendar is full of essential content that is accurate and aesthetically pleasing. Sarusi is passionate about art direction and project management as well as creating multimedia content.

While being a Promotions Manager, Sarusi strategizes marketing techniques to ensure that the readers are well informed and connected with the newspaper.

Sarusi strives in a creative and multidisciplinary environment where she is eager to discuss out of the box ideas and enjoys learning new skills from her peers as well as being an adroit leader and team player.

Her passion lies in art, fashion and experimental filmmaking. She is also a member of The Melies Film Club on campus, where students and faculty watch classic movies from all over the world.

After graduating, Sarusi will start as a Remote Social Media Manager for a clothing company in New York City. We at the Muleskinner want to thank Sarusi for all her hard work, and wish her all the best at her new position. While we will miss her bubbly personality and Hungarian treats, we know she will be an amazing addition to her next team. We will miss you!

JAZMYN SMITH-REED

Social Media Coordinator

Jazmyn Smith-Reed has been involved with the Muleskinner for two years. Smith-Reed majored in digital media production with a minor in public relations. From Kansas City, Missouri, SmithReed’s passion is helping others and serving her community and fellow peers with her many skills. She has produced many types of media including writing, videography, photography, audio and social media.

After completing her undergraduate degree she plans to go back to Kansas City to work for a news station in the multimedia industry. Smith-Reed’s dream career is to have her own talk show on a television network or social media platform while being the woman God has appointed her to be.

We are so grateful for all the work Smith-Reed has done for the Muleskinner, and wish her well on her future endeavors through these next seasons of her life. While we will miss her passion and drive in the newsroom, we will be continuing to support her on her new projects. Good luck, and don’t forget to shout out the Muleskinner when you get your own talk show!

Let’s Champion Diversity

ANNELIA NIXON Staff Reporter

Many University of Central Missouri students have their own opinions and outlook on diversity and believe it is an important topic among students on campus. As an international student from The Bahamas, I’ve never been exposed to much diversity in terms of race, religion and identity. These were things I saw more of once I attended UCM. This is when I realized college is where most people come to broaden their horizons and experience diversity at its core.

“I think we have unique groups of people— racially, sexuality-wise and gender-based,” senior and double major in Elementary Education and Women’s Gender and Sexuality studies, Tad Miller said.

While UCM’s campus may be diverse, many of its students come from towns that are not. College is the place they find themselves and develop their own thoughts and opinions separate from the ones taught to them by family and friends back home.

“Coming to college, originally, I was very conservative,” Professional Pilot major, Wyatt Callaway said. “I thought some things were odd but coming here and meeting people opened my eyes to how amazing people are. I feel a lot more compassionate and empathetic now that I’ve met more people.”

I understand where Callaway is coming from. According to worldpopulationreview.com, 85% of the Bahamian population is of African descent. Religion plays a huge role in Bahamian culture. Every grade school is dominated by a Christian denomination. Prayers and morning devotions are part of every child’s school routine. Most of its people identify as cisgender. You can only imagine the culture shock I felt when I arrived at UCM. However, as overwhelming as it was, I was open to it.

Even here, though, diversity is not as highlighted as I think it should be. Not everyone feels included. On campus, we have various groups of like-minded people but not much intermingling happens with those groups. This only leads to more segregation among people.

“There’s not a lot of interaction between students and I don’t feel a sense of me here,” Sociology major, Nathalie Jaramillo, said.

Jaramillo, who is Hispanic said she does not feel a connection to many people on campus because everyone stays to themselves and is not open to building connections with those who are different. She also said she has not seen many Hispanics at UCM. She compared her experience at UCM with her experience at her community college. She said she felt more connected to the students at her community college because students at UCM are not welcoming.

This shows that just because a campus is diverse, it does not mean that diversity is accepted and celebrated.

Journalism Matters, Right Now

innovations in journalism, but also about why journalism matters now more than ever.

MediaFest22 was a combined effort by the Society of Professional Journalists, the Association for College Press and the College Media Association, hosted in the nation’s capital city. This convention was not only a chance for the Muleskinner to compete at a national level, but also to network with professional journalists and even hear from keynote speakers from around the world.

than quality. However, Woodward and Bernstein explained that there is still a place for good quality journalism.

Some of the keynote speakers seemed to hone in on the idea of supporting small, local journalists at this time. They emphasized that it is not where you work, but the work that you do that really matters.

waiting until this conference to take all the experiences in.

RACHEL BECKER Editor-in-Chief

Julie Lewis, Faculty Adviser for the Muleskinner, and I got the opportunity to represent the University of Central Missouri and the Muleskinner at MediaFest22, in Washington D.C. in late October. At this conference, we learned a lot about

Two of the distinguished speakers we got to hear from were Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for their Watergate coverage at The Washington Post. Their impact on journalism is immense, setting new standards for investigative journalism in the 1970s. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the Watergate scandal, and Woodward and Bernstein talked about how they originally broke the story and how journalism has changed since then.

Their key message was “good journalism takes time and energy” and in the time of the 24 hour news cycle, it can seem like journalism is more about timeliness rather

“So many people worry about the movers and shakers of the world,” Roland Martin, CEO of NU Vision Media, said. “Instead, we should be talking to the moved and the shaken. As those are the people with the real stories.”

Martin explained that our job as journalists is to give a voice to the voiceless, and that is the essence of good journalism.

While our primary goal when attending these conferences is always to represent UCM and to learn how to better shape the program around the Muleskinner, I felt like I got a lot more out of this conference than just inspiring words.

While this semester seemed to fly by, with four print issues of the Muleskinner, breaking news around every corner and amazing opportunities for coverage coming our way, it did feel like we were all

Meeting with my old newspaper staff, the Truman State University Index, was that time to really take a step outside of our newsroom and into the world of another. I got to catch up with my former Advisor, Don Krause, and the Index’s Editor-inChief, Genna Tlustos.

This meeting solidified why journalism matters to me, because it is what combines us. The Muleskinner staff, The Index staff, all the attendants at the convention all cared so deeply about one thing: Good journalism. Being able to talk about the trials and tribulations of our newsrooms for hours, and staying up until 3 in the morning brainstorming how to make our newsroom better, that is all part of the job.

This trip solidified to me why I do what I do, why I spend hours a week in a newsroom, why I bring a camera to every event, why I carry around a notebook full of story ideas. I do it because I love journalism, and it was empowering to be in a room where everyone loved it too.

“All Quiet on the Western Front” Shows Realism in WWI

WILL KNIGHT Staff Reporter

Hope to despair, innocence to impurity, life to death. “All Quiet on the Western Front” is a story of the transition of young boys’ ignorance of the hell that latches itself to war. This World War I epic is an adaptation of the book by Erich Maria Remarque with the same title. There are many elements of this film for one to relish: haunting imagery, fantastic single shot coverage and a story that creeps under your skin as time elapses. The cinematography alone is enough to marvel

over, as it was shot with an IMAX ALEXA 65 by cinematographer James Friend.

It is all the more enthralling following the story from the German perspective, the director (Edward Berger) himself being a German native. Berger takes on an arduous task of creating another war epic following the success of the film “1917” (2019) which takes place in the same year as this film.

“All Quiet on the Western Front” involves the exuberant youth of Germany as the first World War comes to an end even though their innocence is shattered only thirty minutes into the film. We follow Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer), a 17-year-old boy, and his

companions as they enlist for the German army. The young boys are filled with true nationlist pride as they belt songs of triumph before they reach the Western Front. But this is a double-edged sword, as the boys soon find themselves caught in the midst of a war unlike anything the world had seen before. The cruel arrogance of those with power shows how human life was nothing more than disposable instruments of war.

This is not only a story of war but a story of survival. A survival of the elements, weapons and those with power and a pen.

The only drawback from the film is the lack of connection with the protagonist. There is

an expected bonding between protagonist and the audience where we become one for the duration of the film. There was a lack of that in this film.

“All Quiet on the Western Front” has both critics and audiences raving about the film. With a long run time of two hours and twenty eight minutes, it may seem like a long endeavor, but it is well worth the time, if you can stomach it. By the end we are left with one drifting feeling, that there is humanity in all of us even if we don’t bear the same flag.

Legend Returns to MuleNation

Kim Anderson Takes on Advising Role

DILLON SECKINGTON Opinions Editor

Former coach of University of Central Missouri Mules Basketball Kim Anderson did return to the University of Central Missouri as a special advisor to President Roger Best on the national state of intercollegiate athletics on Sept. 16. Anderson coached the Mules from 2002 until 2014, leading the team to seven NCAA appearances, winning six MIAA regular season championships, four MIAA tournament championships, three NCAA regional championships and a national championship during the 2013/2014 season.

Anderson explained that the Warrensburg area felt like home to him. This could be because he will be working alongside both his sister and his son. His son, Ryan Anderson, who is currently the Media Relations Manager for UCM athletics, shared how he felt about his father’s return.

“Honestly, it’s fantastic,” said Ryan Anderson. “Having my dad back at Central Missouri. He did so many great things for this university. 12 years, you know, obviously won a national title. It’s just good to have him back because he wasn’t just a great basketball coach, but he’s such a great ambassador for this university, as well as really the region in general.”

With both his playing and coaching experience, Anderson will surely have an impact on the team that he once coached. Mules Basketball Head Coach Doug Karleskint spoke about how he thinks Kim Anderson will impact his team.

“With a guy like that on campus, I think just with the resources and the knowledge and that background that he has in college basketball, we would miss it if we didn’t have it,” said Karleskint. “I’m sure that I’ll ask for some input to see what he sees.”

Aside from being an advisor to President Roger Best, Anderson will also be providing color commentary, a form of commentary for broadcasting sports, on UCM’s basketball broadcasts. When talking about how he feels about his return to UCM, Anderson seemed thankful and pleased with the opportunity.

“This school has been great to me,” said Anderson. “And it’s been great to my family. This kind of fits what I wanted to do, something that’s not a full-time deal.”

After graduating from Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, Anderson played at the University of Missouri from 1973 until 1977 when he was drafted into the National Basketball Association by the Portland Trail Blazers.

Anderson played for the Trail Blazers, as well as in an Italian league and a French league before beginning his coaching career. Anderson described his time playing professional basketball as fascinating.

“I mean it was great,” Anderson said. “You know, I finished playing in college, I went through the summer and then that next fall I found myself playing in Italy.”

After retiring from professional basketball, Anderson began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Missouri, which led to a full time position at Baylor University. Anderson eventually returned to the M.U. this time as a full time assistant from 1991 until 1999 when he took a job as the assistant commissioner of the Big 12 Conference. Following this job, Anderson was named Head Coach of the Mules basketball team in 2002.

“Jerry Hughes gave me the opportunity to be the head coach and I was here for 12 years,” Anderson said. “Then we won the national championship in 2014 and the next thing I knew I was the head coach at the University of Missouri.”

Following his time at M.U., Anderson continued to coach for Pittsburg State University as their men’s basketball Head Coach until 2021.

Kim Anderson is showing the cut basketball net in 2014 National Championship of the NCAA Division II Basketball Tournament. Afterwinning the game, the whole team cuts a small strip of the net to keep.

Media

Relations

Manager for UCM Athletics

“It’s amazing... Having my dad back at Central Missouri. He did so many great things for this university... he wasn’t just a great basketball coach, but he’s such a great ambassador for this university, as well as really the region in general.”

- Ryan Anderson,

Kim Anderson on the court during his time at the University of Central Missouri coaching men’s basketball. In 2014, he oversaw the team as they won the National Championship.

Photo submitted by UCM Athletics. Submitted photo by UCM Athletics

Kim Anderson commentates next to KOKO Radio Host Greg Hassler at the UCM Mules Basketball game on Nov. 17 at the UCM Multipurpose Building. Anderson, who in 2014 coached the Mules basketball team to the NCAA Division II National Championship, is returning to the University of Central Missouri in a part-time role as Special Advisor to the President on the National State of Intercollegiate Athletics, his part-time duties did begin Sept. 16. UCM Mules Basketball played against Central Methodist and won 74-65.

Photo by Meah Copeland

Submitted photo by UCM Athletics

Soccer Competes in NCAA-II Central Regional Tournament

Jennies fall to the Hornets in Semi-Finals

Right: Kloee Grubb, Redshirt Freshman, defends an attack from Hayley Sparks from Emporia State University. The University of Central Missouri Jennies had an overall record of 19-2-2. Photo by Rachel Becker

Left: Ricker battles against Emporia State University junior, Rhea Bailey for the ball. Ricker finishes the season, having played in every game for the Jennies. Photo by Rachel Becker

Below: Andree Orcutt, Redshirt Sophomore, scans the field. Orcutt hails from Overland Park Kansas. Photo by Rachel Becker

Julia Kristensen, redshirt freshman, shoots for a goal. During the 2022 NCAA-II Central Regional Tournament, UCM won their first round of the tournament against Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Photo by Rachel Becker

Above: Molly Ricker, sophomore defender, Sparks and Andree Orcutt run after the ball. The Jennies ended their season Nov. 13 after a hard fought game to the Emporia Hornets, 1-0. Photo by Rachel Becker

Kristensen looks to her left as the ball comes her way. The Redshirt Freshman hails from St. Charles MO. Photo by Rachel Becker