The Stylus - Volume 129, Issue 3

The Stylus

A student publication of Park University since 1895

One Pirate’s Last State Tournament

Damon Grosvenor Editor

The Park University speech and debate team participated in the Missouri Association of Forensics Activities (MAFA) State Championship at Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo., on Feb. 9 and 10. The team placed third overall in the President’s division at the tournament against 18 other teams.

Adam Wilkins, a senior nursing major, has had a great season. At the MAFA tournament, Wilkins was named the Missouri Champion in Original Oratory. He will return to the Interstate Oratorical Contest in April for the second time in three years. He took third place in varsity individual International Public Debate (IPDA)

Black mold at Park

Halle Magee Editor

Park University students had been concerned about the air they were breathing these last few weeks due to the discovery of mold, which caused an uproar of confusion within the dorm community. That happened even after an extensive email had been sent by Tonya Robbins, the director of residence life that regarded the situation.

Park students living in Copley Quad noticed weird symptoms: dry skin, allergies, a never-before seen case of eczema, and puffy eyes. They said it had to be something at the dorms, because when they went home, the prior symptoms dissolved.

and fifth speaker overall in varsity IPDA. He took second in extemporaneous speaking.

Being a senior in nursing has complicated Wilkins’ ability to complete both his nursing clinicals and the

speech and debate tournaments. Lora Cohn, Ph.D, the Park speech and debate coach, and Janine Wilson, an associate professor of nursing, have worked together to ensure that Wilkins was able to do both.

Wilkins has been involved with the team since fall 2021. He served as president and is currently the vice president of the team. He has been a committed team member since he began, said Cohn.

The other members of the team also performed well at the tournament. Ashlee Dureka, a freshman in accounting, took sixth in Oratory. Dureka and Dani Burg, also a freshman in accounting, went to semi-finals in novice team IPDA. Martin T. Roberson, a secondary education major sophomore and president of the team, took second in junior varsity individual IPDA.

A day of joy turns to tragedy

Skyler Jensen Editor-in-Chief

The Kansas City Chiefs victory parade and rally on Wednesday, Feb. 14 quickly went from a joyful celebration to a terrifying and heartbreaking event when a mass shooting occurred that killed one person and left 22 others injured, including 11 children.

Two men have been charged with murder from this shooting. Missouri prosecutors said at a news conference that Lyndell Mays, of Raytown, Mo., and Dominic Miller, of Kansas City, Mo., have been charged with second-degree murder and several weapons counts.

The incident started when two groups grew agitated because they believed that the members of the other group were

staring at them, police say.

This led to a confrontation using guns and ultimately, it had life-ending consequences.

Lisa Lopez-Galvan, the victim that was killed, attended the rally to celebrate the Chiefs Super Bowl win like many Kansas Citians that day. She was a mother of two and the host of a radio program called “Taste of Tejano” on KKFI-FM. She was remembered during her funeral service as a loving wife and mother whose smile could light up a room and who saw each day as a chance for excitement and laughter.

Authorities have also detained two juveniles on gun-related and resisting arrest charges. Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a news conference that more charges are possible.

“I do want you to understand: We seek to hold every shooter accountable for their actions on that day. Every single one,” Peters Baker said. “So while we’re not there yet on every single individual, we’re going to get there.”

OPINION

Taylor Swift draws in new audience for NFL

Skyler Jensen Editor-in-Chief

In The Stylus’ last issue, there was an opinion piece on how Taylor Swift attending Kansas City Chiefs detracts from the team’s clout. While I can understand some of the reporter’s points, I completely disagree with the basis of the article.

First off, it can be assumed that Swift being at the games did not distract her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, or any of the other Chiefs players as the team won Super Bowl LVIII, where Swift was in attendance. Also, the team is currently world champions. Having a celebrity at their games only added to their clout, but it did not change what the Chiefs are known for: being great at football.

Another criticism of the Swift coverage is that she is shown too frequently in the televised viewing of the games. However, the New York Times calculated that Swift was on screen for 0.46 percent of the entire screen coverage for each game,

about 25 seconds per game. Seeing as how the coverage of a game typically lasts longer than three hours, I think fans need to calm down over seeing Taylor Swift for 25 seconds.

She is the number one globally streamed artist of 2023 with over 26.1 billion streams on Spotify. Of course the NFL will show her. I think it is a smart business move on the NFL’s part as this year’s Super Bowl was the most-watched television program in history.

Also, there are so many benefits of Swift attending the games. Little girls all over the world are gaining interest in the NFL. This has given a lot of dads an opportunity to bond with their daughters in a way they may have never considered before. Personally, I grew up watching football with my family. I ended up taking an actual interest in the game when I was around 10 and had my dad explain all the rules to me.

To this day, I will still call him after every game and we analyze the different

plays and talk about the highlights, but now, we also talk about pop culture. After Blake Lively went to the game against the New York Jets with Swift, my dad had to tell me that the two are “apparently best friends.” Lively is one of my sister’s and my favorite actresses, but we’re still not sure my dad knows who she is outside of being Swift’s friend.

In addition, young girls have never been the prime audience for the NFL, and many young girls and women who are interested in the NFL have faced backlash or sexist questions. I have been a fan of the Chiefs for my entire life, and yet, I have always had to prove it. I have been asked to name players, positions, stats, and so much more. If I ever forget or get something wrong, then I have been told that I’m not a real fan and probably just watch because, as a girl, I must think the players are attractive. This past year, I had someone tell me that I probably only cheer for the Chiefs because I like Taylor Swift when in reality, I’m more of a Chiefs

The cost of rising to fame: the backlash on Renee Rapp

Matalyn Smith Editor

New and upcoming actress and singer Renee Rapp has been criticized after her newest movie “Mean Girls” was released on Jan.12. This is the downside to her new fame but her critics are out of touch with today’s generation.

It’s important to first note that many critics were surprised that “Mean Girls” was a musical since no songs were played in the trailer. Other critics didn’t like it being a musical. The producer Lorne Michaels told Entertainment Weekly after the trailer was released, “It isn’t a remake, it’s a new interpretation.”

Tina Fey, writer of the original “Mean Girls” and director of the new version, explained she decided to turn the origi-

nal “Mean Girls” into a musical after the Broadway show got shut down in 2020 because of Covid-19. ” I just knew there was more joy to be had and I wanted more people to experience this,” Fey told CBS News. “I felt like there was nothing but joy to be had on the other side of this.”

The movie is a musical but people who are not into theater can still enjoy it. “This is a very specific version of the musical that has a really specific place in a niche, culty theater way, that I think expands it to maybe people who aren’t super into theater,” Rapp told People magazine.

Just like in the ‘04 “Means Girls,” Cady bands together with her new outcast friends to take down Regina George. The movie even reuses those famous one-liners from the original “Mean Girls.” The biggest change they made with the movie

is the new cast is more inclusive and diverse — a movie made for a modern audience.

Rapp plays Regina George in the new movie. She said in interviews that she interprets Regina as a lesbian. Many of those critics have had mixed feelings about this fact, along with the way Rapp interviews on the press tour for “Mean Girls”.

During the press tour for “Mean Girls,” she called out an owner of a bus company calling him an “asshole.” She told Andy Cohen she is an ageist. And when asked if she had any notes for Rachel McAdams the original Regina George, Rapp replied, “Date me.” The younger generation found her relatable. But the critics claimed she had no media training.

fan, than a Swift fan.

Also, being a fan of Taylor Swift shouldn’t be a bad thing. She’s a role model for young women. She has been in the public’s eye since she was 14 and the worst thing that most people can say about her is that she has dated and broken up with a lot of men. Swift often doesn’t get credited for all the good she has done like giving millions to charities every year, writing record breaking songs, and showing women to stand up for themselves.

Whether you’re a fan of Swift or not, the NFL will most likely continue to show her as long as she is still dating Kelce. If you have an issue with seeing a successful woman on screen during a sports broadcast, then maybe you just shouldn’t watch the game at all or at least not for the 25 seconds she’s shown.

Editor-in-chief Skyler Jensen

Design Editors

Abby Beagel

Mason Danner

Damon Grosvenor

Halle Magee

Nathan Matthews

Jaylynn Tucker Editors

Bryce Butler

Audrey Hentges

Matalyn Smith Adviser

That orange cone gives me the blues

Nathan Matthews Editor

By Park’s “Tuition & Fees” page, the estimated annual cost for tuition, required housing, an allaccess meal plan, and “University fee” adds up to $26,180. Park also released a number for their student population as of Fall of 2023; 6,634 students. If you grab a calculator and do some quick math (e.g., cost-timesstudents-equals-total), you might gasp at the number. Granted, this can’t tell us exact profit margins of our local college, it can only give us a rough estimate of how much revenue enters Park annually. In Fall of 2022, Park reported employment to be 398 fulltime members of staff and 711 part-time members. The real number of how much Park University is bringing in annually is, more than likely, much, much lower than that simple calculation.

Now, my grandpa use to have a joke; he loved to say, whenever convenient, that, when he was a kid, he was “so poor, he couldn’t afford to pay attention.”

I know, I know, not very funny. Here’s an even less funny one.

“When I went to Park, we were so poor, we couldn’t afford to functional stairs.”

The Parkville campus of Park University is known for a myriad of things. What it most certainly cannot be known for is its accessibility. It is generally understood that if you were to go into the cafeteria, pick up a rock, close your eyes,

PHOTO/Nathan Matthews

Writer Nathan Matthews asks if “the cone” is cursed forever to sit at the bottom of “the stairs,” waiting for someone to trip over or steal it its whole life.

spin around in a circle three times, and toss the aforementioned rock behind your back, you will more than likely hit someone who had trouble finding a place to park their vehicle earlier in the day that wasn’t the bottom of “the hill.” They’ll probably just say “the hill,” and if you know Park, you know which hill they’re referring to, despite just how many hills are located over the campus.

Another experiment: try showing up for dinner, then close your eyes and run as fast as you can in a straight line. If you bump into someone, ask them how much they enjoy “the stairs.” Despite just saying “the stairs,” they’ll likely know which

ones you’re referring to, which is interesting considering how many flights of stairs are located over the campus.

For a final experiment, take a nice walk outside, go from building to building and, instead of opening the doors manually, press those big buttons that promise wheelchair accessibility and see how far you can get. While you’re at it, ask the first wheelchair-bound student you see if they’re satisfied with the state of the buttons. You will not find many of these students, if you find one at all.

Things may not be looking too bright for future Park students in need of accessibility options, but at least the average student can navigate the campus easily, right?

Nope.

“The stairs,” mentioned earlier, between Copley Quad Residence Hall and Copley-Thaw Hall, which leads to Findlay-Wakefield Science Hall, have begun to flat-out deteriorate. The concrete has begun to chip away from the passage of time, and have become a hazard for students and teachers alike.

Park’s response was an orange safety cone, which has been sitting at the bottom of the stairs.

For days.

And weeks.

You could probably go look at it right now. Beyond it highlighting Park’s attitude toward similar problems on campus, as well as acting as a warning sign for those touring the campus, it also slows

down the commute to and from classes.

If there is one thing “the stairs” are good at, it’s being wide enough that one person can walk down while another walks up with room to spare. When there’s a giant orange cone to one side… suddenly, we’re waiting turns instead of walking.

Believe it or not, this isn’t the only giant, accessibility-lacking staircase on the Parkville campus.

A couple dozen or so feet to the immediate right is a similar staircase, located to the back of Copley-Thaw Hall. This staircase has been entirely sealed off by a large, black, metal fence and gate, as it was considered a safety hazard in the winter months. Rather than fix it, or hire someone to tend to it, or even demolish it, money was spent on an eyesore that is one of the first things that students can see when they exit the Norrington Center. How often does one leave the Norrington Center? That’s where the Starbucks is, and, thanks to that required meal plan that came with your tuition, all students have some amount of “Flex Dollars,” a campus-only currency that can be used to buy a myriad of things. However, it is generally only used for – what else –Starbucks.

Maybe, just maybe, this isn’t the biggest issue on campus. My grandpa, however, use to have a saying; he loved to say, whenever convenient, that, “the squeaky wheel gets the oil.”

Squeak, squeak.

Make the trek to the Hoover museum in Iowa

Damon Grosvenor Editor

If you find yourself in Iowa City, Iowa and decide to hop on Interstate 80 to the quaint, Midwest town of West Branch, then you will encounter the birth home and Presidential Library and Museum of the 31st President of the United States, Herbert Hoover.

As you enter West Branch from I-80 and turn onto South Downey St., you will see the library to your right. After a tour of the museum and a walk up to the gravesite, where Hoover rests beside his wife Lou Henry Hoover, a visitor can walk down a path that follows the west branch of the Wapsinonoc Creek and see the Friends’ Meeting House, where, as a boy, Hoover and his family sat through

silent Quaker Sunday services. Continue north along this road, and you will come across Hoover’s small, white, two-room childhood home. Then, you can walk to the National Historic Site and learn about his childhood. After the two hours or so it takes to see everything there is at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Museum and National Historic Site, you can walk up Main St. to grab a bite to eat at Herb N’

Lou’s Pizza and depart the small town of West Branch having seen the birthplace of the first president born east of the Mississippi.

This historic site is quiet. It might even be described as quaint in comparison to Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Museum in Abilene, Kan., or John F. Kennedy’s

CAMPUS LIFE

Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel: The history

Audrey Hentges Editor

Nearly every day on the Park University campus, the sounds of rich music ring through the halls of the Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel. Home to the Park University music department,

The chapel, which sits on the west corner of Park’s campus, replaced the McCormick Chapel, which was built in 1887. Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel was later constructed and completed in 1931 by Greenebaum, Hardy, and Schumacher, who also contributed to other Kansas City landmarks such as the Liberty Memorial.

When the chapel was first built it was used mainly for worship. After years of wear and tear, Mary Tyler donated to the Chapel in her father, Graham Tyler’s, name. The money was used to refurbish and renovate the chapel, while still using the old limestone from the previous building. This renovation was well received and honored Graham Tyler and the university well.

However, on Christmas night, 1937, a fire broke loose and engulfed the entire building in flames. While there were people present at this fire, no deaths were recorded. Many valuable items were lost in the fire including pipe organs, paintings, and of course all the beautiful stained glass.

Park University Alumni and Friends came together to fix the chapel once more. They gifted the university $100,000 and renovated the chapel to its beautiful state, seen today. The chapel has a new pipe organ, wood carvings of Leonardo Davinci’s The Last Supper, done by Alois Lang, and amazing acoustics.

The building was used for many things over the years after that, mainly worship and music, but today, the tall ceilings and limestone walls create the perfect echo of instrumental music within the halls

thanks to Park’s award-winning music department. The musicians’ beautiful music fills the church every day, so if you are looking for a quiet place to study and listen to classical music, Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel is the place to go.

CAMPUS LIFE

Student Spotlight

ipated accomplishment as a Park University graduate. Do not forget to say hello to Rory if you run into her on campus.

Hoover

Continued from page 3

Rory Zetteeleund is currently a senior at Park University, and she is excited to announce her upcoming accomplishment in May 2024 as a Park graduate. Rory intends to receive her degree in History with a minor in Military History. After graduating, Rory hopes to earn a master’s degree in public library science with an emphasis on archival work, as well as a good position as an archivist.

When asked to offer some words of encouragement, Rory cited one of her favorite scriptures from Jerminah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

Congratulations to Rory on her antic-

Mold in dorms

Continued from page 1

That’s when they decided to do their own investigation within the dorm rooms.

The cause? Their vents were covered in spots they suspected to be black mold.

This issued an email to Robbins, who responded with an email that was only sent to those who live on the fourth floor of Copley Quad. Residents on the third floor also had problems but never received an email to deflate how concerned they were.

Multiple students have said they don’t know how to put in a work order. They also didn’t know the steps to take. Some emailed their RAs and never got responses back on how the situation was handled.

Whether the students were oblivious or residence life didn’t correspond the information is debatable.

Caroline Ray, a Park University freshman lives on the third floor, “I never got an email about the mold … and ours was never cleaned,” she said.

Robbins’ email contained information

about how the vents were cleaned. She wrote there was no active growth and that the team did a dust inspection. She stated the humidity levels were normal, and that the team cleaned and treated the vents.

Even though Robbins said the vents were all cleaned, a fourth-floor resident, Emma James, and her roommate Lauren Fiene said that wasn’t the case when they came back to Park after the weekend.

With this information, Park residents say they are still confused, and it did not alleviate how concerned they were and continue to be.

Ray wanted residence life to act and “do it in a timely manner,” she said.

But in Robbins’ separate email when asked if she would like to give further insight into the story, she noted that the dust was cleaned in a timely manner.

Robbins reiterated, “This inspection found no signs of active mold/mildew and no irregular building of statically charged dust on vents,” she said.

It appears Park University students and residence life butted heads on this topic, because James and Fiene had different thoughts.

Library in Boston, Mass. Unlike Harry Truman’s Presidential Library, there is no larger-than-life statue of the titular man in front of Hoover’s Library. But there is one statue on the grounds, and the story behind it encapsulates the selfless public service that epitomized the life of Herbert Hoover.

The plaque on the statue is not in English. It does not seem to fit the grounds at all. The statue is a seven-and-a-halffoot tall bronze sculpture by a Belgian sculptor named Aguste Puttemans. The statue depicts the Egyptian Goddess Isis. She wears a veil over her body and in her right hand the torch of life, whose three flames represent past, present, and future, and in her left hand she holds the key of life.

James said, “We are paying for these dorms and deserve better.”

Fiene said, “We are just striving to thrive in this academic environment, and we can’t in these conditions.”

With all confusion aside, Robbin’s wanted to make sure residents are, “en-

Renee Rapp

Continued from page 2

Another project Renee Rapp was a part of and played a lead role in was “The Sex Lives of College Girls” that was released in 2021. Both projects did press tours. No one said anything about her media training then. While this show helped Rapp’s career, it was “Mean Girls” that put her on the map.

Rapp finds the statement about having “no media training” comical. Her recent Instagram posts were captioned, “Her lack of media training is outrageous.”

Most of the critics come from the Gen X and Millennials. They are used

The Statue of Isis was a gift to Herbert Hoover from the people of Belgium for his work during World War I directing the Commission for the Relief of Belgium, after he saved their country from starvation. It was originally shipped in 1922 to California’s Stanford University, where Hoover graduated in 1895 in the inaugural class with a geology degree. It remained there until 1939, when the President and Mrs. Hoover moved it to West Branch. The statue is placed on the south side of the creek and overlooks his boyhood home.

If you’d like to visit the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum during a long weekend, it isn’t too crazy of a trip. West Branch is just under a five-hour drive away from Park University and there are two major cities on the way to visit and stay the night if you wanted to do a two-day trip.

couraged to report any issues or concerns to the office of residence life or residence life staff immediately.”

If you are a resident with any questions or any other issues, contact reslife@park. edu to file a work request so it can be given to facilities.

to pre-prepared and predictable answers. Gen Z connects better with the people who are relatable and real. The younger generation knew that there was going to be a new “Mean Girls” movie. This is because of TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms. The older generation is just now finding out about the movie — most likely from it being released in theaters.

The movie being released and marketed on multiple platforms has opened it up to be recognized by all ages. But that comes with a lot of backlash as well — especially toward Renee Rapp, since she is the lead role in the movie.

Jaylynn Tucker Editor

PHOTO/Jaylynn Tucker Rory Zetteeleund is a senior at Park.

Kansas football to play in Kansas City

Mason Danner Editor

The University of Kansas Jayhawks football team just ended one of their best seasons ever, finishing with a 9-4 record and their first bowl win since 2008 at the Guaranteed Rate Bowl over University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The Jayhawks normally play their home games at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium but will not be doing so in the 2024 season.

The Jayhawks are set to play their first two non-conference home games against Lindenwood University and UNLV at

Children’s Mercy Park, which is where Sporting Kansas City plays their home games. Due to the number of season ticket members, single game tickets are not expected to be sold for these two games, according to a press release from the athletic department of University of Kansas on Jan. 30, 2024.

The team will play their remaining four home games which are all Big12 Conference games at the GEHA Field

at Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Jayhawks will take on Texas Christian University, the University of Houston, Iowa State University, and the University of Colorado in these games. Tickets will be available for purchase to the general public for these games, because there is a higher allotment of tickets with a bigger stadium.

“This plan for the 2024 season has an incredible number of benefits for our

“I’m confident our fans will be able to create a ‘home field’ that our players will be energized to play in.”

Lance Leipold, 2024, Kansas University Football Head Coach

Park Hill grad invited to spring training

Mason Danner Editor

Carter Jensen, a 2021 graduate of Park Hill High School, recently received one of 23 non-roster invites to the Kansas City Royals spring training in Surprise, Ariz. This means Jensen has an opportunity to compete for a spot on the team’s 40-man roster.

Jensen, a third-round pick of the Royals in 2021, finished last season as the Royals’ #7 prospect according to mlb. com.

He was a high school standout and was committed to Louisiana State University before signing with the Royals. Jensen says it was incredible being drafted by his hometown team, a dream come true. He has spent his last two minor league seasons playing for the Low-A Columbia Fireflies, where he was named team player of the year in 2022, and the High-A Quad City River Bandits. Before that, he played a season in Rookie Ball. Playing professionally has come with tough times and a lot of adjustments for him. “Biggest adjustment has definitely

been handling failure, it’s tough playing against the best players in the world and learning to fail and handling it the right way is the biggest strength you can have in baseball,” said Jensen.

Jensen has been a Royals fan for a long time as a Kansas City native and had looked up to players like Salvador Perez. He is now sharing a locker room and playing with Perez. Jensen said that it’s a surreal feeling to be working with him, as he is such a great baseball mind, and it is hard not to enjoy every moment around him.

Jensen, a catcher, reported to spring training in Surprise on Feb. 13 with the rest of the pitchers and catchers before their first workout on Feb. 14. He hopes to compete well to obtain a 40-man roster spot and climb the ladder to the major leagues.

He made his spring training debut in the Royals first game on Feb. 23 going 0-1 with a walk and a strikeout. Jensen tallied his first start on Feb. 26 alongside many Royals starters such as Bobby Witt Jr. and MJ Melendez and went 1-1 with an RBI double and a walk.

Carter Jensen is in Suprise, Arizona training with the Kansas City Royals this spring

student-athletes, our fans and supporters, our campus partners and the Kansas Football program,” said Athletic Director Travis Goff. “While we are disappointed we can’t play in Lawrence, ultimately, we want to create the best possible experience for all involved, and playing two games at Children’s Mercy Park and four games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium allows us to do that. It has been a thrill to see construction begin in earnest in Lawrence on the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.”

Head Coach Lance Leipold, who is beloved in Lawrence and the surrounding areas for turning the football pro-

gram around, is thrilled to be playing in two great venues. “I’m confident our fans will be able to create a ‘home field’ that our players will be energized to play in,” he said. “Our administration has done an excellent job of partnering with both organizations and venues during our construction phase.”

Construction of their home field, David Booth Memorial Stadium, is set to be done in time for the Jayhawks to host home football games again in the fall of 2025.

Kansas University home football schedule for 2024

PHOTO COURTESY/KU Athletics

Chiefs win back-to-back Super Bowls, settling dynasty debate

Bryce Butler Reporter

The Kansas City Chiefs once again hoisted the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, Feb. 11 after beating the San Francisco 49ers in overtime by a score of 25-22.

Winning three out of the last five Super Bowls, Patrick Mahomes and the crew have solidified themselves as an NFL dynasty. As they did in their other two championship wins, the Chiefs rallied back from a deficit in the second half.

The 49ers dominated the first half, largely due to their run game and explosive defense. Running back Christian McCaffrey gained multiple first downs on the opening drive. However, a fumble on the 29-yard line was recovered by Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis. Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco also fumbled the football in the 2nd quarter, which was recovered by opposing defensive tackle Javon Hargrave.

A San Francisco trick-play resulted in a touchdown pass from wide receiver Jauan Jennings to McCaffrey. With this play, Jennings became the second player in Super Bowl history to both receive and pass for a touchdown.

All kinds of history was made in Super Bowl LVIII, however. The record for the longest Super Bowl field goal was broken twice; a 55-yarder made by Jake Moody of the 49ers, followed by a 57-yarder from Harrison Butker of the Chiefs.

R&B superstar Usher gave a halftime performance filled with guest appearances and wardrobe changes. His guest lineup included Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Ludacris, and more. He also featured Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South marching band. The show even included roller skates, which Usher had been known for using throughout his 2023 Las Vegas residency.

Some viewers noticed the tribute paid to Aaron Spears, the late drummer of Usher’s, who suddenly passed away in October of last year. “As a drummer, definitely respected the fact that they left an empty drum set on stage. RIP Aaron Spears,” one viewer commented on YouTube.

Many other celebrities came out to enjoy the game, including Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, Jay-Z and Beyonce, Justin and Hailey Bieber, LeBron James, and KC native Paul Rudd.

The Chiefs special teams came up big in the third quarter, with wide receiver Justin Watson recovering a botched punt return. In the fourth, linebacker Leo Chenal blocked a field goal attempt to keep the 49ers’

lead within three points.

After trading field goals, the score was tied at the end of regulation. This was the first game played under the NFL’s new playoff overtime rules which give both teams an opportunity to score. Many 49ers players later revealed that they were unaware of the rule change at the time.

“You know what? I didn’t even realize the playoff rules were different in overtime,” said 49ers fullback, Kyle Juszczyk. This unawareness could explain why San Francisco, after winning the coin toss, decided not to kick the ball. Kicking could have potentially given them a chance to win the game had the Chiefs not scored on their first possession. However, the 49ers chose to receive.

The Chiefs were able to stop the 49ers’ overtime drive.

On the final drive of the game, Mahomes found Pacheco, wide receiver Rashee Rice, and tight end Travis Kelce to pick up multiple first downs. It was a motion fake that got wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. open for the game-winning touchdown.

Now that they have completed the Super Bowl repeat, the Chiefs have some decisions to make regarding the roster. Hardman Jr., defensive tackle Chris Jones, and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed are included in the list of unrestricted free agents.

Coach Reid, along with general manager Brett Veach, will need to get creative in order to both retain and strengthen the Kansas City roster.

PHOTO COURTESY / People

Mecole Hardman Jr. scores the winning touchdown in overtime of the Super Bowl.

FEATURES

Park alumna Shirley Greshsam’s call to service in WWII

Damon Grosvenor Editor

Hidden away in the Frances Fishburn Archives are the numerous stories of Park women of historic importance. Shirley Anne Gresham O’Brien, a Park College graduate of 1941, is one such woman.

Her family, the Greshams, are a longtime Park family. Her father, Grover Cleveland Gresham, was a Parkville politician and post master. Grover and his wife, Caroline Ashby Gresham, began to court as teenagers, while Grover attended Park College Academy. They married in 1914 and had four children, of which Shirley was the third.

Gresham was born on July 23, 1919, in Parkville, Mo. She went to Park Hill High School and graduated in 1937. In 1941, she graduated from Park College with a

degree in English.

As World War II intensified, Gresham felt the call-to-duty and was commissioned as a Naval Aviator in the United States Marine Corps Women’s Reserve (USMCWR). There is little written about her specifically, but the women of the MCWR, were trained at the U.S. Naval Midshipmen’s School in Mt. Holyoke College, Mass. The training was partly shared with the US Navy Women’s Reserve (WAVES), but towards the latter half of the training became Marine Corps focused.

After her training, Gresham served as a 2nd Lt. in Company A, First HQ Battalion, USMC Headquarters, in Washington, D.C. By 1945, she had been promoted to 1st Lt. and was stationed at Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va. After the war ended, 1st Lt. Gresham was honorably dis-

charged.

After her service, she joined the National Agricultural Engineering Corporation (NAEC). This firm was headed by Edwin l. O’Brien, whom Gresham would marry several years later in 1958. O’Brien was the associate manager of the NAEC. Gresham worked as O’Brien’s secretary for two years while the NAEC operated in China, from 1946 to 1949. O’Brien remained overseas in the far east working to rebuild the world after the destruction of World War II.

Gresham returned to Parkville, Mo., in 1948. She obtained membership in the American Legion. In 1958, she married O’Brien. For work, she became a managing director for several department stores in the Parkville area.

O’Brien returned to the states in 1956 and entered Park College. He did not get

his degree from Park until 1970. However, O’Brien worked at Park as the registrar for 13 years, beginning in 1964, the same year he received a B.A. from Missouri-Columbia. O’Brien became a professor emeritus at Park College.

Gresham had three children, one of whom died in infancy. She had two step-children. O’Brien passed away on Aug. 25, 1983. Shirley passed away on Nov. 10, 2000. She was buried in Walnut Grove Cemetery.

Like many women who served in World War II, it was only a part of their life. Very few women talked much about their time in the service and even fewer continued their military service after the war. But, Park never forgot this hero and alumna.

Celebrating Presidents’ Day at the Lincoln Library

Damon Grosvenor Editor

Americans celebrated Presidents’ Day on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. The federal holiday was originally a celebration of George Washington’s birthday, on Feb. 11, but many state governments also added Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, Feb. 12, to the celebration.

If you are looking to find some history and general introduction to the Civil War, then the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum makes for a wonderful weekend trip. Located in Springfield, Ill., it is a bit on the longer side of a car ride.

The Lincoln Museum is unique from the Truman or Eisenhower Museum. It has one of the best introductory videos I’ve ever seen at a museum but shows the audience it is geared for. This museum is not for academic historians. Rather, it is for the general public. Unlike Truman’s Museum in Independence, Mo., the Lincoln Museum has very few artifacts on display or lengthy placards to read about the history of Abraham Lincoln and his presidency. It is most similar to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in its narrativization alongside many replicas and mannequins. But the level of funding is very obviously higher for Lincoln.

There are two exhibits worth mentioning. First is “The War Gallery.” The gallery is an interactive screen

in a room of at least a hundred photos from the Civil War. The wall is digitally recreated on the screen and the photos can be selected and examined up close. The scans are high-resolution and look beautiful. The captions are lacking, however. Most captions are no longer than a title or a sentence describing the character or scene depicted. But you can tell the quality of the original source through the scan, with the folds, creases, tears and fading of the

original reflected in the scan.

The other exhibit is the “Campaign of 1860.” It is a very fun mock newscast of the election of 1860. It covers all four candidates: Lincoln, Stephen Douglas, John C. Breckenridge, and John Bell and their platforms in an easy-to-understand way. There are even cheesy campaign ads for each candidate that smack of late-night, early 2000s infomercials. While the content of the exhibit is surface level, it was obviously not meant for a historian.

At first, I was underwhelmed by the museum. I thought it would be on the level of the Gettysburg Museum or the Truman Museum. Instead, the Lincoln Museum seemed like an inflated version of the Herbert Hoover Museum. There is a lot of spectacles, but very little substance to the museum. But I was not the intended audience for the Lincoln Museum. This museum was built for school field trips and the general public who have never been to a Presidential Museum. There were several children at the museum and the exhibits seemed to occupy the exact right amount of time for them to get some knowledge and some entertainment.

Is the Lincoln Museum worth the trip? On its own, probably not. But there is a lot of history in Springfield. After the visit to the museum, I took a quick ride to his tombstone. And you can visit several historic homes and locations from Lincoln’s time.

PHOTO/Damon Grosvenor

The Lincoln Tomb is in Springfield, Ill.