'Extremely Rare Occurence': NC State Dining responds to bug in food — Technician 10/14/21

TECHNICIAN OC TOB ER 14, 2021

VOL . 102 | NO. 10

‘EXTREMELY RARE OCCURRENCE’ NC STATE DINING RESPONDS TO BUG IN FOOD See page 3

Contents

2 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

IN THIS ISSUE: page

05

Women’s Center offers events, resources during Domestic Violence Awareness Month

WHAT YOU MISSED:

07

Let’s end the college student to pet owner pipeline

SOURCE: TECHNICIAN

Harry Styles performs at PNC arena after a game of golf with two Canes players Harry Styles came to PNC Arena Tuesday night for Love on Tour. Before rocking out, Styles played golf with Hurricanes forwards Martin Necas and Sebastion Aho on Monday. Necas said Styles was both a good golfer and a good, humble guy.

OPINION

page

10

Emmy-award winning NC State alum talks ‘Ted Lasso,’ Jason Sudeikis, television industry

CULTURE

page

14

SOURCE: THE NEWS & OBSERVER

Original girlboss, Elizabeth Holmes, faces 12 counts of fraud in court Elizabeth Holmes, founder of failed blood-testing company, Theranos, faces 12 counts of fraud in court.

Six weeks into the trial, the court faces problems with the jury as two alternates have already been called in.

There is speculation on whether or not Holmes will testify, and other important witnesses like former Defense Secretary James “Mad Dog” Mattis have already testified.

SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES

Manny Bates, Jericole Hellems set to lead savvy Wolfpack frontcourt

SPORTS

Ontario woman wakes to meteorite crashing through roof onto bed Ruth Hamilton was rudely awoken from a night’s sleep when an ‘explosion’ occurred, sending debris flying over her face. Hamilton got up from bed to find that something had put a hole in her ceiling. She discovered a melon-sized meteorite had landed inches away from her head on her pillow. Experts from Western University confirmed the rock was indeed a meteorite.

SOURCE: UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

Editor-in-Chief Jaylan Harrington

323 Witherspoon Student Center, NCSU Campus Box 7318, Raleigh, NC 27695 Editorial Advertising Fax Online

Women’s Center offers events, resources during Domestic Violence Awareness Month October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the Women’s Center is offering many events, workshops and resources for the NC State community. Many workshops are being offered by The Movement Peer Educators, a group who are trained in protection against interpersonal violence through education, advocacy and action.

NEWS page

A quick look at the headlines in and outside of NC State

919-515-5017 919-515-2411 919-515-5133 technicianonline.com

Culture Editor Sam Overton

technician-editor@ncsu.edu

technician-features@ncsu.edu

Managing Editors Caryl J. Espinoza Jaen Tristan Tucker

Asst. Culture Editor Myra Bari

Copy Desk Chief Allie Remhof

technician-design@ncsu.edu

News Editor Avery Davis

technician-opinion@ncsu.edu

technician-managingeditor@ncsu.edu

technician-copydesk@ncsu.edu

Design Editor Ann Salman

Opinion Editor Shilpa Giri

Assistant Opinion Editor Mari Fabian Sports Editor Nicholas Schnittker

Video Editor Chloe Allen

technician-video@ncsu.edu

technician-sports@ncsu.edu

Assistant Video Editor Elle Bonet

Assistant Sports Editors Wade Bowman Bryan Pyrtle

technician-socialmedia@ncsu.edu

Photo Editor Mollie Mitchell

Brand Manager Mallory High

THE RADAR Events to keep an eye on for the week of Oct. 14

WOMEN’S CENTER 30TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY Thursday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

STAFFORD COMMONS Free The Women’s Center will be commemorating its 30th anniversary with a celebration on Stafford Commons.

Join students, faculty and staff in honoring the organization’s storied history with activities, cake and more.

PRIMETIME WITH THE PACK X PACKHOWL Thursday, Oct. 14, Doors open at 6 p.m., Concert begins at 7 p. m.

REYNOLDS COLISEUM $20 for student floor, $15 for upper seats Don’t miss your chance to see Yung Gravy and Duckwrth perform live at Reynolds for UAB’s annual packHOWL concert in collaboration with Primetime with the Pack. Students can enjoy discounted prices and floor tickets for the Concert Committee’s signature event.

LAMBDAS A LA PARRILLA Friday, Oct. 15, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

TUCKER-OWEN BEACH Free This Friday, close out Latinx Heritage Month with a cookout hosted by the Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity.

Carne asada, horchata and side dishes will be served and Hispanic organizations will be talking with students about their history and missions.

OUR FUTURES WITH ANNA PATTON Sunday, Oct. 17, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

VIRTUAL Free The GLBT Center will be hosting Anna Patton, a social justice educator who has served students in higher education and community education settings, to talk about nondiscriminatory educational environments and more.

Technician (USPS 455-050) is the largest student newspaper of NC State University and is published every Thursday throughout the academic year from August through May except during holidays and examination periods.

Opinions expressed in the columns, cartoons, photo illustrations and letters that appear on the Technician’s pages are the views of the individual writers and cartoonists. As a public forum for student expression, the students determine the content of the publication without prior review. To receive permission for reproduction, please write the editor. Subscription cost is $100 per year. A single copy is free to all students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus. Additional copies are $0.25 each. Printed by Triangle Web Printing, Durham, NC, Copyright 2011 by North Carolina State Student Media. All rights reserved.

technician-photo@ncsu.edu

technician-news@ncsu.edu

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MOLLIE MITCHELL

News

TECHNICIAN 3

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

Insect found in Fountain Dining Hall chicken raises questions, concerns Melissa Sleater Correspondent

On September 21, Aryan Santhosh Kumar, a first-year studying computer science, found an insect in his meal in Fountain Dining Hall. Different university faculty said that the origin of the insect is unknown, but it may have come from produce or traveled into the building on a person.

Santhosh Kumar said as he was eating, he separated what looked like a watermelon seed from the rest of his “Chicken A La King” meal. After continuing to eat, he not iced legs popping out from the food.

“I did not know it was a bug, so I kept eating my meal, but it was aside,” Santhosh Kumar said.

“Then, in the end, I washed it off and found out it was a bug.”

Santhosh Kumar said after finding the bug, he lost his appetite for the week.

Keith Smith, the director of board operations and sustainability, said the products used in the “Chicken A La King” meal were frozen, pre-prepared products: chicken, peas and

Most Americans eat somewhere in the neighborhood of two to three pounds of insects or insect fragments a year.

- Clyde Sorenson

sauce. Jennifer Gilmore, the director of marketing and communications for Campus Enterprises, said the insect probably did not come from the vegetables in the meal.

“If it had come in with the peas then it would have been cooked, and if it would

insects or insect fragments a year,” Sorenson said.

Sorenson also said the USDA is aware of, and allows, a certain amount of insects and insect parts in food.

“The USDA knows that you can’t grow food without growing insects as well, and

have been cooked then it wouldn’t have had the bright colors, so therefore it really couldn’t have come in with the peas,” Gilmore said.

Gilmore said that the bug was likely not an internal issue.

“When these things happen it is an extremely rare occurrence, and it likely did either f ly in or come in on somebody’s clothes, and it just happened to fall off into their food,” Gilmore said.

However, Clyde Sorenson, distinguished undergraduate professor of entomology, suspects that although it could have come in with a person, it also likely may have come in with the dining hall’s vegetables.

Sorenson said that from a picture of the bug it looks to him most like a beetle larva.

Sorenson said that he doubts consuming a beetle larva would have any impact on a person’s health.

“Most Americans eat somewhere in the neighborhood of two to three pounds of

so they’ve got a long list of what’s allowed in different kinds of commodities,” Sorenson said. “People eat insects or insect parts all the time and just don’t know it, and it’s not a big deal.”

Sorenson said less insects in produce would mean more pesticides used on crops.

“Something to think about is that if people demand absolutely no insect contamination in their food then that probably means people have to use a lot more pesticides to keep that food insect free,” Sorenson said.

Smith said keeping the dining halls pest free is very important, and Fountain uses three agencies for preventative insect control.

“I have the Pest Control Services on campus, another company called Bug Out that also services the building, and then with Ecolab I do a fly program,” Smith said.

Smith said that Bug Out and Pest Control Services come on a weekly basis to treat the

building. If a student does find something in their meal, Gilmore said they should notify a dining hall manager.

Smith said that when notified of an issue, the dining hall staff throws out the batch of the meal under question, and then tries to find exactly what went wrong.

“We’re pretty diligent about t r y i ng to go dow n to t he recipe, f ind the individual items, and then go to the items, find out who made it a nd then find out ex ac t ly what happened,” Smith said.

Sm it h s a id students should not be afraid to come speak to them if there is a concern.

“We ’re not going to take any offense to whatever comment you tell us, we’re just gonna fix it,” Smit h said.

“In t he end, we’re feeding t he st udent s GRAPHIC BY NOAH WEAVER and we want to make them happy, and if we aren’t making them happy, then we’re not doing our job.”

If students have a non-urgent suggestion, question or concern related to a dining hall, they can contact Dining through its website. However, if there is an urgent issue, students should find a dining hall manager as soon as possible.

COURTESY OF ARYAN SANTHOSH KUMAR

News 4 TECHNICIAN African American Cultural Center will host block party for 30th anniversary THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

COURTESY OF ANDAIYE QAASIM

Avery Davis News Editor

The African American Cultural Center (AACC) will host Harambee!, a block party celebration on Oct. 29 from 3-6 p.m., to celebrate the center’s 30th anniversary of having a home in Witherspoon Student Center. The block party is a collaboration between the AACC, Student Media, Military and Veterans Affairs and other campus partners.

The block party will take place in Harris Field and will have games, food trucks, a DJ and more. Andaiye Qaasim, assistant director of the African American Cultural Center, said the word “harambee” is an important term for the celebration.

“Harambee is actually a key Swahili term,” Qaasim said. “This is a Kenyan term, and it basically means ... we all come together. So we are hosting a 30th celebration of us in the Witherspoon building; we’re celebrating our history here, we’re celebrating coming together. Our logo and theme that you’ll be seeing across campus is celebrating home through space and time.”

Angela Gay-Audre, the director of the African American Cultural Center, said the distinction between Harambee! as a celebration instead of an anniversary is very important.

“Our 30th year theme is a celebration, not an anniversary,” Gay-Audre said. “And I’m very particular about that language because if we say it’s an anniversary, then we devalue the work of those students who in the 1970s did some tremendous work to create this space, to shape it, whether they had a

physical space or not. They shaped what we know of as [the] African American Cultural Center. So we are celebrating them, and we’re celebrating having a physical space, we’re celebrating having a place that we can actually call home.”

According to Qaasim, the first African American Cultural Center at NC State was not actually situated on campus.

“In about 1970, the African American Cultural Center was first housed in a YMCA, so they didn’t actually have a space on campus,” Qaasim said. “And true to the legacy of that time, thinking about the ‘70s and student activism, and how many black students advocated on campus, their advocacy actually helped to bring about a space.”

Qaasim said Witherspoon Student Center is an important building for Black members of the NC State community not only because of the AACC, but also because of the man it was named after.

“This building was named the Witherspoon building in 1995 and that was after Dr. Augustus Witherspoon,” Qaasim said. “And I think he was the second Black person, the second African American, to receive a Ph.D from NC State. This is the first building that was named after an African American on campus. So that history and significance of who Dr. Witherspoon was, the building being named after him to honor his legacy, him also being an outstanding researcher, professor, advocate for black students, faculty and community leader. ... It also holds the significance that we’ve been in this building, the first building named after a Black person on campus.”

Qaasim said the block party will be a good

way for Black students, faculty and staff to visualize the other Black people on campus, since they are in the minority.

“What does it mean to be a Black student, staff or faculty member?” Qaasim said.

“You may not feel visible. The numbers are somewhat low. So I think when we have these events and celebrations, it’s a time for us to actually come together and affirm each other. And to actually show that visibility, like we’re here, we represent, people are doing amazing work on campus, from students to staff to faculty.”

Another event the AACC is putting on to kick off Red and White Week and begin their anniversary celebration is a keynote address from Brittney Cooper.

When we have these events and celebrations, it’s a time for us to actually come together and affirm each other.

-Andaiye Qaasim

“She is a renowned author, activist, feminist scholar, writer,” Qaasim said. “She really pushes the boundaries when we think about Black feminist theory, and she really makes things relevant to current events, like what’s happening now? How do we make change in the world? There’s a great TED Talk where she talks about time and Blackness, time and Black women. ... We’re super thrilled to host her because it’s an opportunity that can bring together so many different areas on campus. ... It’s a great way to start this conversation thinking about what does it mean to come together and celebrate who we are and affirm ourselves through space and time.”

Gay-Audre said having a space on campus for Black folks to gather is important and the AACC provides a space for students to come and relax.

“We are a Research I institution, which is phenomenal,” Gay-Audre said. “But we are more than research. We are humans, right?

We deserve space to be able to think about who we are, how we want to grow, how we can actualize, how we alongside the careers that we will hold, the leadership positions we will hold, can also be full, authentic humans. And that’s one of the key things that we provide for students across the board is a space to just let your load off and to be present.”

According to the event’s website, all students are encouraged to attend the AACC’s Harambee! celebration. More information can be found on the African American Cultural Center’s website. Students can register for Harambee! here.

News TECHNICIAN 5 Women’s Center offers events, resources during Domestic Violence Awareness Month TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

Cate Strantz Correspondent

Editor’s Note: This article contains content related to domestic violence.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month across the nation, and NC State’s Women’s Center is holding several events throughout the month to support survivors and assist in healing and community building.

Carlyn Wright-Eakes, the interpersonalviolence prevention education coordinator of the Women’s Center, explained the importance of the awareness month. “[It is] a nationally recognized event to honor survivors, pay homage to victims, as well as bring awareness to prevention efforts,” Wright-Eakes said.

Domestic violence, or intimate-partner violence, is defined as “physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to Wright-Eakes, due to COVID-19, these rates have spiked because of an increase in isolation and a change in resources available.

Wright-Eakes said the center is putting on events through October to increase a sense of community and belonging among students.

“We have a whole calendar of events,” Wright-Eakes said. “We are really looking at ways to center community and healing, especially because of the past year. Lots of students feel increased isolation, so these

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

events are ways to engage in community and healing, finding belonging and promoting mental health.”

Charlotte Rogers, a fourthyear studying communication and president of The Movement Peer Educators, said there are upcoming workshops that focus on interpersonal violence that many people can benefit from attending.

“Scheduled workshops such as Healthy Relationships 101 and Relax, Relate, Release: Healing with Purpose, as well as Interpersonal and Sexual Violence in the GLBT Community, [are] great for everyone to learn about the ways interpersonal violence touches on folks,” Rogers said.

The Movement Peer Educators is a group who are trained in protection against interperMOLLIE MITCHELL/TECHNICIAN sonal violence through educa- The Silent Witness Project display stands in Talley Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021. The project is a memorial to victims of domestic and dating violence. Each witness carries a plaque with the story of an individual tion, advocacy and action.

Rogers also said the Women’s who was murdered as a result of domestic and dating violence.

Center is working on physical exhibits such as “The Silent Witness Proj- and passed due to domestic violence this year’s book are open until the end of the semester. ect” and a student vision wall located in Tal- year,” Rogers said.

Students who need the services offered Wright-Eakes also suggests that students ley Student Union. The vision wall’s theme, according to Rogers, is “imagine a world utilize their second annual coloring book, by the center are encouraged to reach out without sexual violence,” and students are “The Colors of Healing.” According to the to ncsuadvocate@ncsu.edu to make an apencouraged to write their visions on sticky Women’s Center website, “Many survivors pointment with a trained professional or notes and post them on the wall located of interpersonal violence find healing and call the 24/7 Sexual Assault Helpline at recovery through grounding practices of 919-515-4444. outside of the Women’s Center.

There are many resources available to “Currently we are showcasing ‘The Silent mindfulness and artistic expression.”

The coloring book from last year is cur- students and faculty which can be found Witness Project,’ an in-person exhibit where we honor individuals who have been victim rently available and submissions for this on the Women’s Center website.

State Rep. Ricky Hurtado visits NC State for Latinx Heritage Month speaker series

Caryl Espinoza Jaen Managing Editor

On Friday, Oct. 7, State Rep. Ricky Hurtado visited Talley Student Union as part of NC State’s Latinx Heritage Month celebrations. During his visit, which was hosted

by Multicultural Student Affairs, Hurtado discussed navigating college and state government as a Latinx individual.

The event, located in the Currituck-Hatteras Ballroom, started at approximately 6:30 p.m. after an introduction by Gavin Bell, assistant director at Multicultural Student Affairs. Hurtado began his speech with a recap on his family history. His parents, both immigrants from El Saldavor, came to the United States after political instability

faced the country during the 1980s.

Growing up, Hurtado said he felt many of the financial struggles his parents faced, with his scholarship to UNC-Chapel Hill feeling like his life “was completely transformed.”

“That was my reality growing up, right?”

Hurtado said. “What does it mean to be a first-generation college student? What does it mean to be a part of an immigrant family?

What does it mean to barely be making ends meet, but what does it also mean to hold on to hope and dream of a better future for you and your family?”

Following his seminar on the influence his Salvadorian parents had on him growing up, Hurtado discussed his experience

in college as a Latinx student from working class immigrants. Speaking on his time at Princeton’s graduate school, Hurtado noted the importance of including working class individuals in both academia and policy making. According to Hurtado, both academic and political circles often focus on theory due to a lack of representation for the working class.

“My classmates and everyone around me, despite all their fancy experience in places like the White House and work in political campaigns and all this stuff, were talking about [food stamps] from a very theoretical perspective,” Hurtado said. “That’s when it dawned on me that if you took the professor and all these so called brilliant folks in the

room, no one had actually been through that experience of what it was like to go through that bureaucratic process of getting food stamps, and how that impacts not just a family bottom line, but their psyche, their social standing, community and all those things.”

Hurtado also encouraged students to prioritize their well-being and learn to say no, stating he felt pressured during his first year as an undergraduate at UNC-Chapel Hill to join dozens of organizations, including excelling academically, civic groups, tutoring and exercise.

HURTADO continued page 6

News

6 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

HURTADO

continued from page 5

“I fell flat on my face doing that and I was drowning,” Hurtado said. “To hear someone say, ‘You don’t have to be involved in everything you don’t have to. If you can’t do it right now you can take a timeout and figure out yourself and step back into the rhythm,’ that was life changing for me.”

Hurtado ended his lecture on the topic of his work in state politics as a representative for Alamance County. According to Hurtado, his election was a close call, with around 400 votes deciding him over Republican incumbent Stephen Ross. Hurtado said this not only closely mirrored other elections during the 2020 electoral cycle, but North Carolina’s changing identity as a “purple state.”

“And for me, my message wasn’t necessarily around my personal identity, but the identity of the community,” Hurtado said.

“What does it look like for us to think about the future and really build a multiracial, multi-generational movement that says, well, what about us, right? This was a message that resonated in a place like Alamance County that is experiencing a lot of the things that we’re experiencing across North Carolina, with rising housing costs, with poor educational outcomes for health outcomes, and a community that is feeling more polarized

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

than ever before.”

After the event, Hurtado answered questions from the audience on his work in state politics and his opinions on the future of North Carolina. When asked about his projection of North Carolina’s politics, Hurtado said he saw two possible paths North Carolina could find itself in for the upcoming election: progressive reform or more status quo politics.

“North Carolina is one of those battleground states, and it’s gonna be purple for a pretty long time, because we’re pretty much a 50/50 state,” Hurtado said. “The Senate races right now are really important because it’s going to determine who has the majority in the Senate.”

Hurtado’s speech was part of Multicultural Student Affairs’ celebration of Latinx Heritage Month.

For more information on future events, visit MulCARYL ESPINOZA JAEN/TECHNICIAN ticultural Student Affairs’ Rep. Ricky Hurtado standing at a podium in the Currituck-Hatteras Ballroom in Talley Student Union on website for Latinx Heritage Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021 Month.

Glitch in the Comics

Emma Reid, first year in exploratory studies

TECHNICIAN 7

Opinion TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

NC State’s WolfAlert systems need to be improved to handle life in a big city We were all aware that living in a big city meant facing big city challenges when we first committed to NC State.

What I was not ready for, however, was the number of major crimes I would enCaitlyn Mahoney counter living on campus Staff Columnist as well as NC State’s failure to effectively communicate them.

NC State’s main form of communication for all criminal activity is the WolfAlert system.

This system, which delivers both email and text notifications from the Campus Police Department, is one of the only official ways students find out about potentially dangerous situations, excluding journalistic sources like Technician.

However, for being the only alert system, it is not timely, it excludes details that would make students feel safer and it has some crucial flaws.

Most recently, on Oct. 2, a resident was shot at The Standard, an apartment complex near campus that is home to many NC State community members. A WolfAlert immediately went out, notifying students of an active shooter near campus, however, no further information was given. Students were instead left wondering if the shooting was an isolated event or if they should continue to be concerned for their safety. My roommates and I, who live less than half a mile away, spent the whole night checking our phones expecting some further information about the shooter, but nothing came.

Additionally, the WolfAlert notifications are routinely sent out about an hour after a crime took place. For minor crimes, such bike theft incidents, this may not cause any problems, but for more pressing matters like robberies,

WolfAlert

Emma Reid, a first-year in exploratory studies

bomb threats and dangerous perpetrators on the loose, an hour is a significant gap.

All in all, the WolfAlert system is not a horrendous system of communication. It is an effective means to reach a large body of people simultaneously and it does a good job of updating NC State community members about one-off incidents at the immediate moment.

The main reason why NC State is mandated to share information about crime on campus is because of the federally mandated Clery Act. However, the Clery Act was made for a reason, as timely information and updates to students can make a huge difference to keep the campus safe. Because of this, the WolfAlert system needs to be made as efficient as possible, so there are a few simple things the University could do to improve them.

First off, NC State could dedicate themselves

to providing follow-up reports for the more critical situations, such as bomb threats, crimes related to guns or incidents where police officers had to chase the perpetrator after the incident. This type of information will provide students with the closure and sense of security needed after such alarming events and might just help us sleep better at night.

WolfAlert notifications also need to be sent out in a more timely manner. I understand how sending out detailed reports to the student body may not be the very first concern on authorities’ minds while dealing with a threat, but short, regular updates can do wonders for keeping students informed and calm. After all, isn’t one of the purposes of the WolfAlert system to keep students aware of the immediate dangers around them?

Finally, NC State could update the WolfAlert

website to be more user-friendly. For example, adding a side tab for prevention resources could help students know how to react in dangerous situations. Resources such as Campus Police’s self-defense classes, pepper spray tips and tutorial videos and a link to NC State’s self-defense course could help students know how to react in a dangerous situation instead of merely informing us about them.

Another useful addition to the WolfAlert website would be a section that lists previous WolfAlerts. This resource may help students track trends in crimes, such as common robbery spots, and serve a longer-term purpose.

In short, the WolfAlert system is a great service that our University has developed to help keep the community safe and us students informed, it just needs to be more detailed, timely and student-conscientious.

We cannot let gerrymandering break NC State’s representation

In North Carolina, it is impossible to have a conversation about redistricting without bringing up gerrymandering. In every state, redistricting of congressional and state legislative Debra districts is supposed to hapMullis Correspondent pen every ten years with the release of new census data. In North Carolina, however, redistricting happens every couple of years because of the state tradition of partisan and racial gerrymandering in the General Assembly. Gerrymandering will continue into the next national election cycle unless constituents, including students, speak up to their representatives at the local level.

Gerrymandering, the practice of creating voting districts to advantage the party in power, has existed in the United States since 1812 and has thrived specifically in North Carolina be-

cause legislative district maps are created by the same legislature they elect. This leaves the door open for partisan politics to easily enter the map-drawing process. While legislators are supposed to abide by the principle of “one person, one vote,” when the power of their party is at stake, this principle is not always upheld.

New technology and better data has made the process of gerrymandering easier than ever.

One of the most egregious examples of gerrymandering was on the campus of North Carolina A&T. During the 2011 redistricting process, the Republican-controlled General Assembly drew the line for new congressional districts through the middle of campus. This divided the mostly Democratic-leaning votes of students at the university into two, mostly Republican districts, where their votes had little influence.

A decision by a federal court struck down the map that divided the campus, so A&T got to

vote as a unit for the first time in years during the 2020 elections. Coincidentally, the 2020 election precincts in the newly formed district reported record-breaking voter participation.

While some of the increased civic involvement may be because of the high stakes of the 2020 election, another contributing factor was the more fair district students were placed in.

Based on census data from 2020, North Carolina is gaining a new seat in the House of Representatives. The new seat will likely be placed in the Mecklenburg or Wake County areas because those have been the spots for the most significant population growth.

While NC State students may not be permanent residents of Wake County, our voices are still important, especially in national issues like student debt. If NC State becomes a victim of partisan gerrymandering like A&T, there could be ramifications for years to come.

One of the actions you can do to make the

most impact is contacting your General Assembly representatives. Most NC State students living on or around campus are represented in the NC Senate by Sen. Dan Blue. Representation in the House varies a bit more by location, so look up who your specific representative is with your address. Don’t forget to contact your hometown representatives as well. Sometimes a letter to them will be more impactful because they are more likely to be a Republican representative, which has been the party responsible for partisan gerrymandering in all of recent history.

Several house bills have been proposed already with an aim to improve North Carolina’s redistricting process to look more like states that use a redistricting commission with equal representation of both parties. It is important to advocate for the passage of these reforms so North Carolina can have fairer representation for this election cycle and many more in the future.

Opinion 8 TECHNICIAN Health professionals who are against vaccines cannot be considered competent THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

There’s been a flip on how medical professionals are treated since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We give them our praise, telling them how essential they are to our community Olivia as they continue to put their Hille Correspondent lives on the line while facing a virus we are still trying to decode. However, the weight no longer falls on medical professionals, as the release of multiple vaccines and boosters was supposed to be a moment of relief for them. Now, the responsibility is on us to be vaccinated to protect ourselves and to make sure we minimize the trauma our very essential medical workers have been through in the last two years.

When responsibility was shifted from frontline medical workers to citizens like us, there was a lot of pushback. What was most surprising was the resistance from many in the medical community itself. These medical professionals don’t want to get the vaccine, even considering their proximity and experiences throughout the past two years working with UNC Health and other health networks around the country.

This raises a red flag since they are members

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

in our community who are entrusted to guide us in matters of health. The same members who supposedly understand our bodies and the medicine that goes into them the most are not doing the very simple action of getting a very researched and widely administered vaccine.

It’s a relief to hear almost 99% of all UNC Health has either been vaccinated or have been granted an exemption. Although it makes me wonder, what have these 1% of “health professionals” as of Sept. 21 been doing all this time in the public health sector if they can quit their jobs over a vaccine mandate?

We assume nurses and doctors have gone to school and been thoroughly educated about the human body, studied viruses, learned how to make people healthier and now protect them in the future from life-threatening diseases.

It is extremely concerning that, while a small amount compared to the overall number of employees at UNC, those individuals got this job and had been working with actual patients with an anti-vaccine mindset. This is especially ironic and also slightly suspicious considering how one must get certain vaccines in order to even go to school and be qualified to work in a medical job.

In a WRAL article, one individual who got

a religious exemption from getting the vaccine stated, “It’s absolutely about my freedom.”

Freedom for what? Freedom to get others sick?

Or to get sick themselves? Freedom to take up an ICU bed and not allow other life threatening, non-preventable injuries from being prioritized? It’s astonishing that those who are very familiar with the inner workings of a hospital would take this course of action, especially after two years of COVID-19 practically waging war in our hospitals.

I’m a full believer in freedom of speech, but that doesn’t mean I agree with every opinion I come across. I am strong in my belief that if you are working a job based on science and medical knowledge, you must believe in science and know basic medical knowledge. It is very clear those in health care positions who have chosen to not be vaccinated either have a really good or a very bad reason, and most fall within the latter.

If, at this point in the pandemic, an individual is telling you they haven’t been vaccinated because they are still doing research, that means nothing. It is very obvious that doing research to many is simply Googling stuff that already aligns with their thought process.

That’s not research, and any researcher or analyst can tell you that. It’s very clear what the

right course of action is.

It is understandable there is hesitancy during this time, as there is a lot of information, and misinformation about what this vaccine is: how it came so fast, and what will happen.

I advise many to check out some of these links if you are still unsure about whether or not you should vaccinate yourself.

The CDC’s website is a great resource when it comes to unanswered questions and vaccine hesitancy. If you are wondering what is in a vaccine, an article from Hackensack Meridian Health titled “A Simple Breakdown of the Ingredients in the COVID Vaccines” explains the details of how the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are mRNA based while that of Johnson and Johnson uses a viral vector platform. Lastly, to know more about how our state is dealing with the pandemic, resources available and how to protect yourself and your loved ones, North Carolina’s COVID-19 information hub is a great resource with COVID-19 dashboards, regular news updates as well as opportunities to get financial assistance.

Overcoming this pandemic is not a battle that can be won by a fraction of the population, so please do your part in protecting our Pack family and lowering the death toll. Get your vaccines.

Let’s end the college student to pet owner pipeline

It isn’t rare that you see dogs everywhere on campus, throughout apartment complexes, townhomes and more. They exist as an important part of many students’ lives, some as necesMariana sary service and emotional Fabian support animals, while othAssistant Opinion Editor ers as plain old companions or household buddies. But while these animals are cute, many students don’t know what they’re in for when they get an animal just for the sake of getting a pet.

There are many pros to having a pet, which I’m sure many responses will consist of. According to Accredited Schools, pets provide companionship and positive mental health benefits, and encourage exercise. Having a pet can remarkably reduce stress, which is really a no-brainer. However, is this worth the actual responsibility of taking care of a pet?

Let’s break this down into numbers. The average college student works a part-time job or several jobs, earning at least $195 a week.

Living on a tight budget is the norm when it comes to college life and it doesn’t leave extra room for spending on a pet. While some of the benefits of having a pet may seem appealing, there are many long-term costs that include food, litter, grooming supplies and unexpected medical emergencies.

The American Society for the Prevention

of Cruelty to Animas, totals the expenses for your pet’s first year as $1,904 for a cat and about $3,221 for a medium-sized dog. While the first year is generally more expensive than the rest, your pet’s expenses will still be a huge part of your budgeting for at least 8 or more years. Most off-campus apartments or townhomes also charge several pet charges, which can add up.

Besides the expenses, having a pet is timeconsuming. While the time is a little different for smaller pet and cat owners, dog owners bear the brunt of time commitment as dogs have to be walked at least twice a day. Feeding your pet, giving them attention and general play time all add on a heap of stress to the already exhausted college student. You also have to skip events and come home earlier than you would if you have a pet anxiously waiting for you.

There is another smaller issue when students impulsively buy a pet. When you have a pet, things like spontaneous daytrips, study abroad and vacations are much harder to plan. NC State’s study abroad policies likely don’t even include pets as they are too much of a responsibility and liability to take abroad. Pets can also inhibit many housing options in the future, as many NC State students move away from Raleigh after their undergraduate years.

Unfortunately, many of these fur babies end up back in the shelters they were rescued from.

According to Medium, animal shelters near

GRAPHIC BY NOAH WEAVER

colleges find that some students may abandon their pets when their pets are no longer convenient, most significantly at the end of the semester. No animal deserves to be abandoned just because of our poor decision-making skills, so let’s wait ‘til we’re financially independent and stable ourselves before adding the role of pet’s caregiver to our numerous hats.

I hope this article doesn’t refrain you from

getting a furry companion ever. My point is that there’s a lot more about being a pet owner than making your pet an Instagram and posting in their “voice” — even though I love these posts. Caring for a pet is a really big responsibility that should not be taken lightly, so if you are already struggling with finances, I recommend staying pet-less until you can give them the life they deserve.

TECHNICIAN 9

Culture TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

Emmy-award winning NC State alum talks ‘Ted Lasso,’ Jason Sudeikis, television industry Sam Overton Culture Editor

Flying to Los Angeles with a buddy and a biology degree to find work in television and film may seem like a hastily made decision, but sometimes the biggest risks reap the biggest rewards. NC State alum Kip Kroeger did just that after graduating, starting out as a production assistant before moving up the totem pole and eventually landing the gig as supervising producer for “Ted Lasso.”

Kroeger, who graduated from NC State in December 2004 with a B.S. in biology, moved to Los Angeles a mere two months later to work as a production assistant (P.A.) on set. Shortly into his tenure as a P.A., he got the opportunity to sit down with talented producer and screenwriter Bill Lawrence. “[Lawrence said] ‘I got a P.A. job on a pilot coming up if you want it,’” Kroeger said. “And so I jumped across the table to take the job, and I was a set P.A. on a pilot that didn’t go anywhere. I had a blast.”

Like any college graduate, Kroeger tried

out several different work environments upon entering the rat race. However, his second job wasn’t nearly as fulfilling and rewarding as his stint as a production assistant on Lawrence’s show, and he itched to return to the television industry.

“Six months into that, I was really sitting there trying to figure out what am I going to do,” Kroeger said. “I don’t know enough about the industry, but I know that this is not what I wanted to do. And it was right around that time I got a call from ‘Scrubs,’ and they said ‘Hey, we’ve got a post-P.A. job for you.’”

From there, the rest is history; Kroeger quit his other job immediately and began working on shows like “Scrubs,” “Falling Skies” and “Undateable.” He worked his way up the totem pole, working as a postproduction assistant and coordinator before becoming the supervising producer of “Ted Lasso” under Bill Lawrence.

“I’m still responsible for all post-production, but it sort of keeps spilling out and encompassing a bit more as time goes on and working with that more and all that

Q & A

kind of stuff,” Kroeger said.

Kroeger specifically works through the editing process, fine-tuning visual effects, sound mixing and color correction, among other things.

There are occasionally slipups and sticky situations — for example, Kroeger’s team had to green-screen an entire football pitch into season one — but the final product is more than worth it.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Kroeger got the opportunity to fly out to London to help the director get the set up and running. He cites that first trip to London as some of his best memories from working on “Ted Lasso.”

“It was so fun to be there in the thick of it, because so much of what I do ends up being back here in L.A.,” Kroeger said. “We don’t get a ton of proximity to

LASSO continued page 11

Everything Black Club focuses on popular artists, their works Abigail Ali

Correspondent

The Everything Black Club is a new club based out of the African American Cultural Center’s (AACC) library that studies Black

creators and their art, covering several topics within the arts.

Hanna Amme, the AACC library technician and leader of the Everything Black Club, said that the club is an enhanced book

COURTESY OF HANNA AMME

club.

“We look at the major classifications or sections of the arts, so painting, movies, literature, architecture, all of these different things, fashion and design,” Amme said. “That’s how I decided to choose the subject topics, by dividing it up into these major sections of the arts.”

Anthony Ramsey, a third-year studying international studies who works at the AACC, said the Everything Black Club is a space for Black and non-Black students alike to openly discuss topics and interests about Black creators the University doesn’t offer classes on.

“Last week we did animation, like animated series, characters and voice actors,” Ramsey said.

“The week before that was Black fashion, so we talked about Black designers, Black-inspired fashion lines and different fashion topics that come from other areas of the world, Africa or the Black diaspora.”

CLUB continued page 11

TECHNICIAN: What is your favorite episode of “Ted Lasso”?

KIP KROEGER: That’s a tough one.

From season two, probably the fifth episode. All about the rom-com stuff, with the Rolling Stones song at the end of it.

TECH: What was your first impression of Jason Sudeikis?

KROEGER: Super cool. The guy’s very easygoing and genuine. He makes the time to stop and talk to you and learn a little about you, and that’s refreshing because you don’t always find that.

TECH: Was the Jimmy V reference in the first episode your doing?

KROEGER: That was me! I was proud of that one. They had shot the whole sequence, we finished all of the follow-up production and we got into editing and felt like we needed another poster for them to put up in the office. I was like, what about Jimmy V? And Jason loved it.

TECH: Are you planning to include any more NC State references?

KROEGER: Only if it presents itself. I don’t think anything has come up in season two, but you never know when it’ll be a little easter egg in there somewhere.

TECH: What is your favorite character from the show?

KROEGER: That’s hard. They’re all so wonderful for different reasons. I think Rebecca’s character is just fascinating and incredible to watch, and Hannah [Waddingham] is just a force. I love Brett Goldstein’s character of Roy Kent, I think he’s the gruffest softie you’ll ever see.

TECH: What’s your favorite restaurant in Raleigh?

KROEGER: It’s funny, I haven’t been back in too long now. One of my fraternity brothers used to work in Mellow Mushroom when we were there, and I still think they may have some of the best pizza I’ve ever had.

TECH: What do you do in your spare time?

KROEGER: These days, there’s not a ton of it. I love to get out and play sports, which has been a little tough for the last year. But tennis, pickup sports and stuff like that.

Answers have been edited and shortened for clarity.

Culture 10 TECHNICIAN Who’s Who at Student Media: Windhover Editor-in-Chief Camilla Keil THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

Emily Vespa Correspondent

Camilla Keil, a third-year in arts studies, is the new editor-in-chief of Windhover, NC State’s literary and arts magazine. As editor-in-chief, she works with staff members and volunteers to publish an annual collection of art that showcases student talent.

Keil became a volunteer at Windhover as a first-year student after she was inspired to become involved with a literary and arts magazine at NC State.

“I worked on my high school literary arts magazine and it was probably my favorite thing I ever did,” Keil said. “When I got here, one of the first things I did was I looked to see if we had a literary arts magazine, and we had Windhover.”

Last year, Keil was the visual editor of Windhover. She reviewed all of the visual art submissions and conducted discussions with a committee of volunteers, who helped determine which pieces were

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

featured in the magazine.

“Usually, there’s more good pieces than what can actually fit in the book,” Keil said. “We always are looking for innovative artwork.”

As editor-in-chief, Keil has assumed more responsibility than her previous role. She oversees the visual, literary, audio, video and design committees, plans events and sets deadlines for the staff.

“It’s a lot more big picture instead of the detail-oriented role I had [as] the visual editor,” Keil said.

Keil said that she is looking forward to working with everyone in person this year, especially after conducting virtual meetings throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

She hopes that the return to in-person events will heighten student interest in Windhover.

“Trying to engage with the school population throughout COVID was really tricky,” Keil said. “I think everyone was a little sick of being online, and having to go to one more online thing just wasn’t

something very many people wanted to do.”

Currently, she is focused on planning Windhover’s open mic night on Thursday, Oct. 14. The event, which occurs in the fall and spring, will feature visual and performance art.

Keil hopes the night will motivate students to submit their work and support the magazine.

Above all, Keil is excited to get to know everyone involved in Windhover. Her favorite part about working in student media is interacting with people who share her passions.

“It’s really cool getting to work with people who are interested in [student media] too,” Keil said.

Keil has been developing a plan for Windhover’s 2022 edition, Windhover LVI, since August.

CONTRIBUTED BY CAMILLA KEIL

“We’re looking at having ‘spaces’ as sort of an abstract theme,” Keil said. “We accept all art — it’s not like it has to be tailored to that theme.”

Keil encourages students to submit their work to Windhover LVI through the Windhover website.

Fresh fall finds at Raleigh Farmers Market Caleb Joley

brings a harvest of fresh greens and other vegetables great for salads, side dishes or even main courses.

Located less than three miles from cam“We’re not pumpkin growers, but we will pus, the Raleigh Farmers Market is a lively, be getting into our greens season soon,” welcoming space offering fresh produce and said Stephanie Moore of Moore’s other goods from local farmers and Produce from Johnston County, vendors. As the fall season rolls North Carolina. “We’ll have a around, seasonal items are making lot of different lettuces, differtheir appearance. ent types of cabbage, broccoli, Known for delicious pies, decocauliflower, kohlrabi. We grow rations and, of course, lattes, the mizuna, arugula, red Russian pumpkin is a fan favorite of the kale, different types of kale, so fall harvest. Lining the aisle of the the fall is a really good time of market is a huge selection of pumpthe year for a lot of nice greens.” kins from growers across the state.

Among these, people are sure From small pie pumpkins to large to find familiar favorites as well carving pumpkins to even green or as some new crops that encourage white pumpkins, market-goers are a step out of their comfort zone. sure to find a pumpkin to suit their Mizuna and kohlrabi specifically fall fancy. may be new names. Mizuna is a The Cronus pumpkins are famous variety of lettuce that is comfor their classic jack-o’-lantern shape monly used in salads and is rich with a round, bright orange body in antioxidants and vitamin A. and deep green stem. However, this Kohlrabi consists of a large fiseemingly common variety actually brous bulb with strong stems that requires very specific growing consupport dark green leaves, all of ditions — it has to be grown in a cerwhich can be consumed raw or tain amount of acreage that hasn’t cooked. Although it is commonly been touched for a long time to get prepared in salads or slaws, kohlthe right nutrients.

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN rabi is quite versatile and can be With all of these different pump- Amid the many stacks of pumpkins at the Raleigh Farmers Market on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021, there is one used in just about any dish to add kin varieties, Howell Brothers painted that has been inspired by the 1993 Tim Burton movie, “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” There was a color, flavor and nutrients.

Farms has one of the most impres- variety of colors and sizes of pumpkins to choose from between all of the vendors at the Farmers Market.

Correspondent

sive pumpkin displays at the market. Later in the month, they’ll add pumpkins with special carvings from a famous Raleigh native, Jim Bille.

NC State students and staff can receive a $2

discount on a pumpkin of their choosing every Monday through Thursday in the month of October. A student/staff ID or other proof of university affiliation is required.

Aside from pumpkins, the fall season also

TECHNICIAN 11

Culture TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

Amme said the Everything Black Club is about f inding home, continued from page 9 which fits in with the AACC’s upcoming anniversary of moving into Witherspoon Student Center.

“The AACC is celebrating its 30th anniversary of finding home in Witherspoon and this year, all of our missions and goals are about finding home,” Amme said.

“Whether it’s on campus or in general, we’re talking about finding home. The Everything Black Club fits in with that mission in the sense that we’re trying to find home within the arts. Where are we, how do we exist, what messages have we had to say and how has that been expanded?”

Amme said she kept the name of the club broad because the meetings cover a wide range of culture and topics.

“I kept [the name] broad, ‘everything

CLUB

It’s a safe space. It’s a fun time to just spill some tea, learn about Black heritage and all the things that Black society have done for America but also for our people.

- Anthony Ramsey

According to Moore, root crops such as sweet potatoes, rutabaga, turnips and beets will also become available.

Some fruits are set to join the vegetables on the stands this season as well. These include apples, grapes, blackberries and even a certain type of strawberries, which is typically an early summer crop.

“At the end of October we’ll have our winter strawberries,” said Gary Harper, who runs a full time stand at the farmers

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

Black,’ because it’s not just African American, it’s African diaspora as well as African on the continent of Africa, so we look at everything,” Amme said. “We look at the roots, we look at how [the art] is existing now, we look at how it is existing in the diaspora, so yeah it’s been a good couple of meetings so far.”

The club meetings include an introduction to the topic, sharing of students’ favorite art pieces and an open discussion.

“I introduce the topic, I introduce some key points for everyone, so everyone is on a level playing field, and then I ask them to engage by coming in with their favorites,” Amme said.

“So, for Black indie films I just showcased my favorite Black indie films, but the next meeting was Black music, so I said to bring in your favorite artist, bring in your favorite piece of work, whether it’s an album, a track or something and we’ll listen to it and we’ll discuss it.

Ramsey said the club has helped them learn about their culture and the impact Black creativity has had on the arts and society.

“Being able to do this club and being involved with this experience has really enlightened me to the vast impact that Black Americans and people of the Black diaspora have had on different genres and topics,” Ramsey said. “It’s made me realize how special to our society it is and how ingenious and creative and driven we are and we have risen above our station to thrive in a society that doesn’t want us to.”

Amme said she wants students to know it is OK to come into the club not knowing anything.

“I think the best thing about the club is that you get to ask all the questions,” Amme said. “I know I’m giving a brief introduction and then we’re looking at your favorites, so there’s questions all over that can span wherever, and you can come in with ques-

tions because, I may not have the answers immediately, but we’ll find it out.

Amme said making space to discuss Black art and artists is especially important at a place like NC State. ​​“[The club is] mainly tied around the 30th anniversary but, even outside of the 30th anniversary, especially on a campus like NC State, where it’s very STEM focused, it is very important to highlight the arts, to highlight popular culture, and because, for lack of a better term, the Black existence in American culture has either been politicized or commodified, so this is a way we can reclaim that,” Amme said.

After initially pursuing a fine arts degree, Amme decided to broaden out from fine arts to art history and then history, where she was able to learn more about Black painters, performers and architects.

“That’s really where I get to be like, ‘This is actually my favorite topic to talk about,’ because fine arts and also performers is where I really found joy,” Amme said. “Whether it’s community theaters or this, I really like seeing those kinds of productions. The last one I’m just interested in because I get to learn. We’re doing Black architects and architecture, and that one I’m like, ‘OK, I actually get to learn something about this,’ because you don’t think about it, but it is an art form and literally affecting the physical landscape of where you live and that’s huge.”

The Everything Black Club is looking for more students to join them to add more to the discussions.

“It’s a safe space,” Ramsey said. “It’s a fun time to just spill some tea, learn about Black heritage and all the things that Black society have done for America but also for our people.

The next Everything Black Club meeting will be held on Thursday, Oct. 21 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Check out the NC State University calendar to stay up to date on future meetings and upcoming topics.

market. “We’ve been doing [winter strawberries] for about 13 years, growing them down in Wilmington. It’s a certain type of strawberry you can grow only in the winter time. … They taste a whole lot better.”

In addition to all of the wonderful produce found at the market, there is a certain charm to the place and a passion that can be felt from the farmers who run it. Some farmers have been selling at the farmers market for decades and keep coming back year after year

to serve the community.

“We’re here six days a week, been here 25 years,” said Helen Wise of Wise Farms from Mt. Olive, North Carolina. “It’s just in us, we can’t leave it alone.”

So, as the cooler weather and colorful leaves roll in this month, a full assortment of local produce is rolling into the State Farmers Market, proving that pumpkin spice lattes aren’t the only seasonal treat to look forward to.

CONTRIBUTED BY KIP KROEGER

LASSO

[the cast].”

Although his current job is continued from page 9 quite different from what he’d imagined it to be during his time at NC State, Kroeger looks back on his college years — especially the football games — fondly.

“Some of the most fun memories I have are watching NC State football,” Kroeger said. “I was there during Phillip Rivers’ years — he was my class, he started my freshman fall as a true freshman. …

Watching those games was really something.”

And, like many other undergraduates, Kroeger reconsidered his major several times. He put a lot of faith into film and television, despite how unstable the media industry can be.

“I really wanted to interact with people more, and so I was trying to figure out how to do that,” Kroeger said. “I reached out to a buddy, the guy I ended up moving out to L.A. with, and asked if he ever knew of a way to use tech and entertainment, because that sounded like a lot of fun to me.”

From there, he switched from computer science to biology as a fall-back plan and took the 3,000-mile leap shortly after graduation. Obviously, not every aspiring producer is as lucky, but Kroeger acknowledged that and emphasized the importance of churning out content for those passionate about film and television.

“If you are a writer, write as much as you can,” Kroeger said. “If you want to be a director, find ways to shoot things. If you want to produce, find people to collaborate with and start to make your own content and read the trades, read Deadline, [The] Hollywood [Reporter] and Variety. Learn who the different jobs are, learn who the different people are and don’t be afraid to start at the bottom.”

Sports

12 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

Boston College a must-win for Pack football to keep high hopes alive Wade Bowman

back Devin Leary and company. Defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku is currently pacing Eagles’ defensive linemen with nine total The No. 22 NC State Wolfpack is looking tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks to defend its ranking versus Boston College on the year. Leading the way behind Ezeithis coming weekend after taking some time ruaku is linebacker Isaiah Graham-Mobley to recover in its bye week. Before the pause in who currently leads the team with 36 total play, the Wolfpack was looking like a force to tackles, as well as boasting 1.5 tackles for loss be reckoned with. From knocking off Clemand a single QB hit. son for the first time in 10 years to coming The Eagles’ secondary will give Leary a out on top in a battle against Louisiana Tech, great opportunity to capitalize on the deep this season has had its fair share of excitement ball that has eluded him thus far, but he’ll so far and shows no signs of slowing down. need to be careful against a unit with six inThe matchup against Boston College begins terceptions as a team. Despite the Eagles not the streak of ACC opponents the Pack will having any particular player face for the remainder of the jump off the stat sheet in year. With its nonconference the secondary, five different schedule out of the way, NC players have accumulated at State will surely put all of least one interception this its focus towards taking the season and nine players have reigns of a wide-open ACC at least one pass breakup. In Atlantic division. Currently a game where Doeren will sitting at second place belikely want to put emphasis hind No. 16 Wake Forest, on the run, Leary will have the Pack has as good of an his time to try and capitalopportunity as ever to claim ize on gaps left by a ballthe ACC’s crown this season. hawking Boston College NC State and Boston Colsecondary. lege both only boast one “Their corners played ACC matchup on the year, well against Clemson, they with the Pack’s being the were very aggressive and previously mentioned hisdidn’t allow people to get toric win over the then-No. behind them,” Doeren said.

9 Clemson Tigers, and Bos“Their safeties do a nice job ton College suffering a loss disguising things and they to the same Clemson team a understand what they do on week later. Despite the loss, defense, and they’ve made a the Eagles stood tall in the lot of plays with six intercepface of all the Tigers defense tions as a defense.” had to throw at them, playEven though Boston Coling the perennial college lege has maintained the football powerhouse to a COURTESY OF DAVID TRACEY 6-point game.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary drops back to pass against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021 at Carter quality of mediocrity in recent seasons, this matchup “They’re gonna get in a Finley Stadium. Leary went 22-36 for 251 yards and two touchdowns as the Wolfpack won 34-27. always proves to be a tough phone booth, and they still try to run by you, don’t get me wrong,” said chops at a chance for game-changing turn- with four rushing touchdowns of his own one for the Pack in any given year. The Eagles lead the all-time matchup record 10-7, with this year. head coach Dave Doeren. “They got some overs on Saturday, Oct. 16.

Receiver Zay Flowers and tight end Trae the last 10 games resulting in a win-loss of 5-5 Game-changing turnovers will surely be a play actions where guys are running down the field and they do some good things point of emphasis for the Pack as it prepares Barry will also be a point of emphasis for the for NC State. The Pack faces a steeper deficit with their misdirections and their jets and for the Eagles’ offense, as they have turned Wolfpack gameplan, with both pass-catchers when facing off against the Eagles on the road things like that, but you know, you’re gonna the ball over nine times through five games. averaging 15+ yards per reception. Flowers is historically, coming in at 3-7 all-time against see some 12 personnel for most of the game On top of the previously mentioned four in- currently pacing all wideouts for the Eagles Boston College when away from Raleigh.

The stage is set for the Pack to continue its and sometimes more than that. Sometimes terceptions thrown by Grosel, the Eagles have with 23 receptions for 345 yards and two hunt for the ACC’s top spot on Saturday, Oct. they bring an extra offensive lineman in and also lost three fumbles and turned the ball touchdowns.

The mediocrity of play this year trickles 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Chestnut Hill, Massachua tight end even and so you gotta be ready to over on downs twice. Putting pressure on play those types of things. As you know, I like Grosel and his offensive line will be the key over to the opposite side of the ball for the setts. If NC State has any hopes of not only that type of football too. Our guys embrace for the Pack defense to force more turnovers, Eagles as well. Despite shutting out Colgate maintaining its current No. 22 ranking, but the challenge and look forward to the op- and it’s an accomplishable feat with Eagles’ and holding Temple to three points, the Bos- moving up in both the AP poll and the ACC portunity to play a very physical, disciplined quarterbacks having been sacked six times ton College defense has conceded in big ways, standings, a win against Boston College is including giving up 28 to UMass and 34 to an absolute necessity. Coming out of the bye so far on the year.

Boston College team.” week, this squad is as fresh as possible for a “I do think as we get more and more sacks, Missouri in a game that went to overtime.

Eagles quarterback Dennis Grosel has takRegardless, the defense does have a hand- mid-season game and will need to play at its en the keys to this Boston College offense in you’ll see more and more fumbles,” Doeren wake of Phil Jurkovec’s hand injury which said. “Getting to the quarterback a little bit ful of players that will look to make big peak to ensure a victory against the Eagles will likely force him to miss the remainder more before the ball is thrown could help plays against redshirt sophomore quarter- to keep its high hopes alive.

Assistant Sports Editor

of this year. Jurkovec’s injury, suffered in the opening drive of the Eagles’ week two matchup against UMass, would ultimately require surgery, throwing Grosel into the spotlight.

In his time as the starter since, Grosel hasn’t exactly proven to be the gunslinger that he showed glimpses of in a 520-yard, four-touchdown performance against Virginia in the Eagles’ last game of the season.

In his five games played this season, Grosel is only averaging 157.6 yards per game with a fairly efficient 61.54% completion percentage. His touchdown-to-interception ratio of four to four will also have the Pack licking its

that stat, but overall I think if you look at us [now], we’re ahead of where we were a year ago in the takeaway category. We’d just like to keep trending, it’s about getting two or more a game. That’s our goal.”

Outside of questionable quarterback play, running back Pat Garwo III has been leading the way out of the backfield for the Eagles, netting 483 rushing yards and five running scores on the season. Garwo’s 73 attempts on the year are clear of anyone else in Boston College’s committee, with the next highest being 35 for Travis Levy, who has been another go-to guy in the redzone for the Eagles

Sports

TECHNICIAN 13

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

Top class of recruits promises blazing start to NC State swim & dive season Sam Overton Culture Editor

With the beginning of the swim & dive season quickly approaching, some of NC State’s best student athletes are set to begin competing for the Wolfpack again this month. Fresh off of an incredible secondplace finish at NCAAs, the women appear stronger than ever thanks to the return of some star swimmers. And despite the men’s underwhelming NCAA finish, this year’s batch of recruits possibly marks the best class of freshmen NC State has ever seen.

Although several key swimmers graduated at the culmination of the 2020-21 season, such as Luke Sobolewski, Victoria Fonville and NCAA champ Sirena Rowe, this year’s recruiting class more than makes up for the loss. Freshman Aiden Hayes is tapped as the top swimming recruit from the class of 2021, and his best times already put him in the scoring threshold at NCAAs. Another star newcomer for the Wolfpack is freshman Grace Sheble, a Virginia native who’s already fast enough to be an NCAA scorer in the 400-yard individual medley, 200-yard individual-medley and 200-yard butterfly. Furthermore, freshman Caroline Sheble is set to join her twin sister this month and prove to be a scoring threat in the 400-yard individual medley and 200yard butterfly.

Between the introduction of top-20 recruits such as the Sheble sisters and Hayes and the return of almost every 2021 NCAA champ, the depth of the swim & dive team

this season is incredible.

Senior Kylee Alons, junior Katharine Berkoff and senior Sophie Hansson will return as three of the fastest sprint stars NC State has ever seen, and junior Ross Dant will inevitably lead the d i s t a nc e s w i m mer s fresh off of two topthree finishes in the 400- and 800-yard freestyle events at 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials.

On an unfortunate note, Olympic medalist Noè Ponti announced in late September that he would be leaving NC State to return to his training base in SwitNICK FAULKNER/ARCHIVE zerland. Ponti, who finished third in the Sophomore Zach Brown swims the 200-yard butterfly. Brown placed first with a 1:47.51 in the 191-104 rout of Duke on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020 in the Casey Aquatic Center.

100-meter butterf ly in and Rebecca Westfall, who has a combined nessee on Oct. 15-16, as well as two midTokyo earlier this year, cited mental fatigue upon arriving in the 12 years of experience coaching Division season meets against Virginia and Texas.

Virginia remains the NC State women’s top U.S. as the cause for his departure. At this I, II and III swim teams.

The season is slated to begin on Oct. 13, competitor this season, boasting a top-5 point, it remains unclear if Ponti will rewhen the Wolfpack will compete against recruiting class and a stellar coaching staff. turn to the NCAA. A promising batch of recruits and the Despite the loss of Ponti, the Wolfpack UNC-Chapel Hill in the UNC Triple Diswill remain a force to be reckoned with tance meet. It’s likely that distance swim- return of several top competitors spells out under head coach Braden Holloway’s in- ming stars such as Dant, graduate student an encouraging season for the Wolfpack. tense training and expertise. Furthermore, Eric Knowles and sophomore James Plage, Although top teams like Virginia and Autwo new coaches have joined the staff since among others, will make their debuts this burn will inevitably test the team’s depth, it’s fair to say that NC State has the talent NCAAs: head diving coach Wesley Mat- Wednesday night.

Other notable meets on the schedule in- to rise to the challenge to pull off another tice, who led George Washington University to two Atlantic 10 conference titles, clude a home meet against top-ranked Ten- record-breaking season.

Jaylan Harrington Editor-in-Chief Record: 32-18 Rank: T-1

Tristan Tucker Managing Editor Record: 28-22 Rank: T-5

Mallory High Brand Manager Record: 30-20 Rank: 3

Avery Davis News Editor Record: 29-21 Rank: 4

Nicholas Schnittker Sports Editor Record: 27-23 Rank: 7

Wade Bowman Asst. Sports Editor Record: 23-27 Rank: 10

Bryan Pyrtle Asst. Sports Editor Record: 32-18 Rank: T-1

Ann Salman Design Editor Record: 28-22 Rank: T-5

Chloe Allen Video Editor Record: 24-26 Rank: 9

Mollie Mitchell Photo Editor Record: 26-24 Rank: 8

Clemson at Syracuse

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Oklahoma State

Texas

Texas

Clemson Oklahoma State

Clemson

No. 12 Oklahoma State at No. 25 Texas

Clemson Oklahoma State

Texas

Texas

Clemson Oklahoma State

Clemson Oklahoma State

Clemson Oklahoma State

Arkansas

Arkansas

Auburn

Auburn

Arkansas

Arkansas

Arkansas

Auburn

Aurburn

Arkansas

Florida at LSU

Florida

Florida

Florida

Florida

Florida

Florida

Florida

Florida

Florida

LSU

Duke at Virginia

Virginia

Virginia

Duke

Virginia

Virginia

Virginia

Virginia

Virginia

Virginia

Virginia

No. 11 Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

No. 19 BYU at Baylor

Baylor

Baylor

BYU

BYU

BYU

Baylor

Baylor

BYU

BYU

BYU

Miami at North Carolina Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech

North Carolina

North Carolina

Miami

Miami

North Carolina

Miami

North Carolina

Miami

Miami

Miami

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Virginia Tech

Pittsburgh

Virginia Tech

NC State

NC State

NC State

NC State

NC State

NC State

NC State

NC State

NC State

NC State

Auburn at No. 17 Arkansas

No. 22 NC State at Boston College

Sports

14 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

Manny Bates, Jericole Hellems set to lead savvy Wolfpack frontcourt Tristan Tucker Managing Editor

CHARLOTTE — At the 2021 ACC Tipoff, NC State men’s basketball head coach Kevin Keatts made the decision to bring along redshirt junior forward Manny Bates and senior forward Jericole Hellems. It’s a testament to the trust the pair has built with Keatts, the first set of guys that he recruited to spend four years with him.

It’s also a testament to the blood, sweat and tears this Wolfpack men’s basketball team has poured into improving its product. Bates and Hellems are at the forefront of that. And for the first time in his NC State career, Keatts has the versatility and depth to produce a shockingly stellar product across the roster. That all starts with the frontcourt.

Bates and Hellems are joined by a bevvy of new faces. Between four-star freshman Ernest Ross, sophomores Jaylon Gibson and Ebenezer Dowuona, and junior transfer forward Greg Gantt Jr., the Pack’s frontcourt depth is extremely young. In what seems like a flash, Bates and Hellems have transitioned to leadership roles.

“We really just have knowledge of the game,” Bates said. “Learning the game instead of just playing it off instinct is gonna take them a long longer time, so I’m just trying to break down everything. Like if they make a mistake in practice, I’m kind of pulling them aside like, ‘You got to do this right.

You got to do that right’ … just for them to expand their knowledge of the game.”

In particular, Bates and Keatts singled out Dowuona as someone that could stand to learn plenty from Bates’ style of play.

With the team legitimately having about 12 potential rotational pieces, competition is bound to be stiff. But according to both Bates and Hellems, the young, tenacious pieces have embraced the challenge.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a change in mentality because I feel like everybody that I’ve played with all these past years has had it like a dog in there,” Bates said. “Especially in the

[Jericole]’s a tremendous leader. He’s been through the fire of NC State. He understands what we’re about.

- Kevin Keatts

DAVID TRACEY/ARCHIVE

Redshirt freshman forward Manny Bates shoots a free throw against Pittsburgh on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 at PNC Arena. Bates recorded 13 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks as the Wolfpack won 77-73.

young guys, I feel like they are in love with competing. They’re big competitors. ... I just feel like our young guys are really bringing so much energy and making the whole team bring out that dog in them. Everybody’s competing to a different level. Everybody’s trying to win.”

Bates has lofty goals for this Wolfpack squad. While he emphasized he is more concerned about winning than personal accolades, Bates said he was hungry to win the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year award fresh off his first nomination to the All-Defensive Team last season. In both his opening presser earlier this fall and during the tipoff, Keatts made it a point to illustrate the drastic changes the Fayetteville, North Carolina native has made to his game. Bates had a more modest assessment.

“Honestly, I try not to focus on just one thing,” Bates said. “I’m working on the holes in my game. Confidence to shoot my 15foot midrange area. Building confidence to shoot the 3. I’ve become a much stronger rebounder in that time too… just trying to be a complete player.”

As for the Pack’s other elder forward, Hellems made huge strides at the end of last sea-

son and was eventually named an honorable mention for an All-ACC Team spot. After former Pack star Devon Daniels went down with injury, Hellems averaged 14 points per game while shooting 36.7% from distance on 3.8 attempts per game.

“You know [Hellems is] my tight end,” Keatts said. “A tight end can run, he can block, he can pass. Jericole is a combo forward.

He can shoot, he can drive, he can defend.

He can do a lot of things and he brings so much to our team. The stuff that we don’t see is what he does in the locker room. He’s a tremendous leader. He’s been through the fire of NC State. He understands what we’re about.”

Hellems said in order for him to emerge as a true offensive star for the Wolfpack, he needed to improve his mentality, and that’s something the forward feels he accomplished in the offseason.

“I play a part in just being able to guard one through five and then on offense being able to play the three [or] four and just be more comfortable with the ball, making plays for others, and then obviously making plays for myself,” Hellems said. “So it’s exciting to just be able to grow as a player.”

When breaking down NC State’s forward rotation, one player seemingly gets forgotten by the Wolfpack faithful in Gibson. If there’s one player that Keatts seems to bring up unprompted more than any other, it’s Gibson, even dating back to last season. While much isn’t known about Gibson’s playstyle with the Pack seeing as he played just 80 minutes in total last season, it’s clear that he’ll have a more defined, energetic role this season.

“He’s the kindest person that you ever meet,” Hellems said. “But he’s so quiet and he works hard and he’s gonna be a great player. He just has to figure it out as all of us do. He’s gonna be great.”

As for one of the Pack’s two former fourstar transfers in Gantt, Hellems and Bates were extremely high on the versatile forward. Bates went on to say that he sees a lot of Jericole Hellems in Gantt in both the way he plays and who he is as a person.

“Yeah, we already [connected] as a person,” Hellems said. “It’s crazy. Because every time I talk to him, he always tells me something that’s kind of similar to my life that we’d have gone through together. And it’s just like, God put him there for a reason. So he’s definitely one in the same.”

TECHNICIAN 15 Sports Men’s basketball’s underclassmen guards, new faces to play big role in pivotal season TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

Tristan Tucker

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021

Morsell, a former top-100 recruit, only averaged 4.4 points and 15 minutes per game last season for the Cavaliers. DeCHARLOTTE — Every season, fans of spite this, Morsell showed great promise every NCAA basketball team get excited to in limited time, such as when he scored 15 see their offseason changes take the court points while making all three of his deepand mesh. Many of those fans walk away ball attempts against Notre Dame, a team dissatisfied. bolstered by a strong defensive presence And while the last few seasons haven’t in Prentiss Hubb. been ideal for the NC State men’s basketAs a senior in 2018-19, Morsell averaged ball team, there’s legitimate reason for op17 points, 5.5 rebounds and three assists timism for the program. The Wolfpack’s per game with 90 3-pointers made. The fresh blend of new faces is at the forefront guard was a U19 World Cup finalist shortof said optimism, with sophomore guard ly following high school, a phenomenal Cam Hayes, redshirt sophomore guard feat. Morsell is looking to bring that potenDereon Seabron, junior transfers Casey tial to NC State and build on it, something Morsell and Greg Gantt Jr. and the freshhead coach Kevin Keatts is confident he man trio of Terquavion Smith, Ernest Ross can do. and Breon Pass set to play big minutes.

“You know [Morsell]’s gonna play a huge “It’s been exciting because you get to role for us,” Keatts said. “And in a lot of see the growth of, and the future that’s respects, he brings to us what we lost in Devon Daniels.

His ability to score inside and out. He’s a physical guard.

[Morsell] can put t he ba l l on t he floor, get to the rim, he’s able to shoot the 3. He’s shooting the ball better than he’s ever shot in his career, and I think he’ll bring the added dimension to us that we haven’t had in the last couple of years.”

The Pack has yet a not her elect ric guard to add to the mix in Smith, someone who will play a major role right away. Smith is a dominant threeDAVID TRACEY/ARCHIVE Head coach Kevin Keatts reacts during an offensive possession against Wake Forest on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 at level scorer that has Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Wolfpack won 91-82. the ability to hold Managing Editor

going to be playing for State,” said senior forward Jericole Hellems. “It’s exciting to see that those guys are ready, ready to play, and some things that they need to work on.”

The apple of every Wolfpack fan’s eye is the progression of former four-star guard Casey Morsell, who transferred from Virginia after seldom use off the bench. Several media outlets have dubbed Morsell as a fantastic get for Keatts, and his offseason has captured the attention of the coaching staff and his teammates. “[Morsell]’s a dog,” Hellems said. “Everybody knows what he can do. He did it at Virginia and didn’t get to showcase it as much, but he’s been in the gym and he’s a workaholic, so I think it’s gonna pay off regardless of what school he’s at. So he’s a good dude.”

down the fort at the two-guard spot and has the versatility to play alongside Hayes, who will presumably start in his second season.

“We talked about Terquavion Smith,” Keatts said. “I know a lot of people have said he’s a bucket. And what I mean is, he can score the basketball. He’s going to have an opportunity to start some games for us. [He] could start at the beginning of the year. We’ve got great competition in practice that we didn’t have previously.”

Like Morsell, Smith had an absolutely filthy senior year, averaging 25.6 points and 1.5 steals per game. In the 2-A state title game, Smith posted 33 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds and five steals en route to winning MVP. “[Smith]’s probably one of the most competitive guys I’ve ever seen,” Keatts said.

“And he’ll get under your skin because a freshman shouldn’t be able to talk trash like he does. And so we were in practice the other day and we were playing a competition… he hit three game-winners at the end and you know of course he got up and let everybody know that. … But they’re competitive, they push each other, they love to play the game.”

As for Hayes, Keatts said he’s relying on the pair to help ease the aforementioned guards into the Pack’s program.

And though the entire sophomore class will see big minutes according to Keatts, Hayes in particular looks primed to break out following a successful end to last regular season, when the Wolfpack won five straight road games.

“Cam Hayes is a guy who I kind of threw in the fire last year,” Keatts said. “He was a freshman. He’s a guy who has covered the ACC for a long time and knows it’s really hard to compete and perform as a freshman, especially at the toughest position in college basketball as a point guard. But he did well. … He’s starting to become a better leader. And I think that will help us as he matures as a basketball player and as a leader.”

21 Oct. 24 – 30, 2021

Monday, Oct. 25 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Homecoming Kickoff Stafford Commons

Noon Wear Red, Get Fed Stafford Commons

1 p.m. Chancellor’s Fall Address

Talley Student Union Atrium Lobby

5:30 p.m. How Quick Can You Brick?

Wolf Plaza

Tuesday, Oct. 26

Friday, Oct. 29 Noon Wear Red, Get Fed Stafford Commons

1 p.m. Fitts-Woolard Hall Dedication Fitts-Woolard Hall, Futrell Plaza

6 p.m. Floats on Founders Founders Drive

Saturday, Oct. 30 TBD NC State vs. Louisville Carter-Finley Stadium

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Hillsborough Street Cleanup Noon Wear Red, Get Fed

Check website for location

7 p.m. Homecoming Speaker: Brad Lambert Stewart Theatre

Wednesday, Oct. 27 Noon Wear Red, Get Fed Stafford Commons

3 – 5 p.m. Think and Dough Wolf Plaza

Thursday, Oct. 28 Noon Wear Red, Get Fed

Check website for location

6 p.m. NC-SYNC: Through the Decades Stafford Commons

6:15 p.m. Red and White Week Pep Rally and T-shirt Distribution

Wednesday, Oct. 27 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Stafford Commons

Join your fellow students to let donors who support programs, facilities, research, experiences and scholarships at NC State know how much they are appreciated. Student participants will receive spirit wear and refreshments while supplies last and are eligible for Homecoming Spirit Competition points and Student Wolfpack Club minutes.

Stafford Commons

For more information visit redwhiteweek.ncsu.edu #NCStateRedWhite