The Stylus- Volume 127, Issue 3

s u l y t S e h T

2021-22

A student publication of Park University since 1895

Volume 127

ISSUE

#3

Visit stylusonline.org for online news and student blogs FB: ParkUniversityStylus stylus@park.edu March 18, 2022

Different cultures celebrated with new center Bryce Butler Reporter On Feb. 22, students and faculty gathered in Thompson Commons to celebrate the grand opening of the Multicultural Resource and Student Engagement Center.

The ceremony included speeches from two of the driving forces behind the opening of the center, who gave their insights on what the creation of the center means for student diversity at Park.

Allison Anderson, a Student Life graduate assistant, explained that she made many recommendations for how Park University could better serve marginalized groups of people on its Parkville campus. She said she met with many different student organizations, like International Club, Modern Language Club and Spectrum and used their feedback.

“Meeting with those groups, meeting with their execs, and seeing what are the issues they face on campus and how do they feel, and what do they feel is the solution to that,” Anderson said.

She then incorporated some of those suggestions into what she called a “curated letter” to administrators at Park. These administrators signed off on an action step towards improving diversity on campus.

One of the results of her effort is the Multicultural Resource and Student Engagement Center.

Having a dedicated space for students, especially marginalized students, is a good first step, said Tiana Key, graduate assistant for the Office of Student Engagement and another key participant in getting the center up and running. However, she said it isn’t the end of their plans.

“Yes, we’ve made it here but we still have a ways to go,” Key said.

“I want to make sure that with this space, that we’re being very intentional about the type of programming that comes out of this office. I really want it to be a space where students feel welcome. But not just specifically behind that door. I want students to know they are welcome in all of Park University.”

The center does not offer specific hours, but it is open when a graduate student is there to staff it. Students can go to the center to do homework, to relax between classes or just to visit a space where everyone is welcome.

PHOTOS/Bryce Butler The Multicultural Resource and Student Engagement Center features a lot of decor to help all students feel welcome and recognized at Park University. This includes an equality flag, a drawing of Martin Luther King Jr., and a welcome sign.

In This Issue: Entertainment.......2 Sports................4-6 Campus Life.......7-8

ENTERTAINMENT

Page 2 March 18, 2022

Conductors: Playing the orchestra as their instrument Yi Li Editor The conductor is a mystery. The conductor, who does not make any sound and does not compose the music, plays the most important role and is the most visible presence in the orchestral concert.

One might wonder why the conductor is the star of the concert. Different conductors produce different music, and orchestras sound different.

Some say conducting is like directing. Conductors and directors need to let others carry out their intentions.

However, the difference is that the conductor participates in the performance.

Although he cannot make any sound, the conductor still has his own technology to control the orchestra and the music. This is the difference between a conductor and a director, because the director can only watch and give his opinion during the performance, mainly watching the performance of the actors.

However, a conductor can influence and interfere with the orchestra with gestures and even facial expressions.

The conductor relies on his own technology to make the orchestra play at a uniform speed, orderly and complete. If you hear the whole music in a concert, and the orchestra players are not confident enough to play, it is probably the conductor’s fault. Concertos and operas, which require accompaniment, also require the conductor to rely on his own skills to put all the musical parts together accurately.

Finally, the conductor must grasp the progress of the music. This honestly cannot be done by rehearsal, it has to be done by hand. For example, at the end of the allegro movement of some symphonies, the music needs to flow and rush up. And there is no language for the orchestra to understand how to charge.

This is because the speed of the rush will be slightly faster, but not gradually fast-

er. If the conductor is technically able to control the orchestra well, this kind of musical change is easy to achieve.

Many people think that the conductor is the soul of the orchestra. I agree.

The same orchestra with a different conductor will have completely different results. But the main work of conducting takes place behind the scenes.

First, an orchestra is composed of dozens or even more than a hundred professionally trained musicians. When they get a new score to practice, everyone has their own interpretation of the part they play. They usually memorize the score individually and then practice with their own part. Of course, sometimes they give it to the whole band to sight read. However, there is no music at this stage, and some music is only played according to the rhythm and syllables required by the score. Although experienced people generally have their own interpretations, they still have no complete understanding of the whole piece.

For example, the orchestra of the International Center for Music at Park University has some extraordinarily rich orchestra experience and chamber music performance. And many professionals have the habit of reading scores.

They have courses in auditory analysis at school. And they have played some of the classics dozens of times. So, they often have a deeper understanding of a work than some of the lesser conductors.

In fact, the better the musicians are, the more likely they are to become stubborn. The conductor then needs to find a middle ground between the musical conception of the orchestra and his own musical conception.

The job of a conductor is to convey his interpretation of the music to the orchestra and to coordinate the various parts to create the music. There are many details to pay attention to, from the most basic volume to the tone color of a certain part, the conductor and the orchestra need to slowly experiment to

achieve the desired effect. Everyone in the orchestra ends up with all sorts of feedback to incorporate.

It can be said that the orchestra is the conductor’s instrument, and the conductor leads this big instrument to create music with his understanding and interpretation. Therefore, the same piece of music may be completely different in the case of different conductors, and a piece of music can only be achieved by the conductor working closely with the orchestra for a long time. The conductor also plays a particularly key role when the piece is rehearsed and ready for performance.

Different concert hall environments are quite varied, and certainly different from the usual practice space, which has different effects on the sound quality and volume. The conductor has to make many adjustments during rehearsal.

Conductors sometimes adjust the audience’s visual appreciation, such as positioning and even dressing. When it comes to the stage, the role of the conductor is usually small, but it depends on the level of the orchestra. A high-level orchestra has a good command of its instruments and music and can respond quickly to the conductor’s occasional hints. It is almost useless when you are on stage, but of course, the conductor is constantly reminding you of all the things you need to pay attention to, the intensification and fading, partly for the visual effect, partly for the player to make up for it by watching the conductor in case you get lost.

If you go to a concert, you will see that most of the orchestra members are on stage with their eyes glued to the music. Moreover, it is almost impossible to make a mistake when you have practiced so many times. However, if you misunderstand the meaning of the command, something big will happen. Therefore, there is no need for improvisation.

A conductor has dissimilar roles depending on his or her abilities and at dis-

tinct levels of the orchestra. A first-rate orchestra may have multiple conductors, who are more like collaborators here, creating music with their own interpretations combined with the orchestra’s prowess.

However, in the non-professional orchestra of a student orchestra, a professional conductor is the life and soul of the orchestra, providing direction. A lot of the time the conductor is correcting some basic mistakes, such as rhythm problems, pressing the wrong notes, and so on. The conductor of the student orchestra is more like a mentor to them. In fact, the conductor can also be compared to the director of a drama. Preparation is particularly important when rehearsing, but when everything is ready, we can only follow the rehearsed way when performing.

The authority of conductors comes not from their profession, but from the trust of the orchestra. The way an orchestra dismisses the conductor is by not looking at them at all. If conductors really want to make their music fully, they need the absolute support of the orchestra. Similarly, orchestras need to work with unique styles of conductors if they are to have room for improvement.

The role of the conductor in the orchestra is more like the leader of a flock of sheep. They lead the orchestra to complete the re-creation of music. He or she is also a member of the music, neither exaggerating nor underestimating his role. They are living people, not immortals, and a shining profession is nothing more than a profession. Do not mythologize about it, but respect them.

If you are interested to see a conductor in action, please make plans to attend the Park ICM Orchestra concert on Friday, the April 8 at 7:30 p.m. in Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel at Park University. The ICM Orchestra will be performing with guest conductor Tim Hankewich, who is popular with audiences and critics alike.

SPORTS

Page 3 March 18, 2022

Golf season begins for the Pirates Skyler Jensen Editor-in-Chief

The Park University women’s golf team placed 14th at their first tournament of the spring season. The Pirates took part in the Diffee Ford Lincoln Invite at the Lincoln Park Golf Course in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on March 7 and March 8 with 14 other teams.

The Pirates finished with a team score of 686, earning 334 on the first day and 352 on the second.

Senior Savannah Oesterle ended the tournament with the lowest score for the Pirates, 158, after scoring 80 on the first day and 78 on day two. With this, she placed T33 overall.

Junior Laetitia Solombrino scored the lowest for the team on the first day with a round score of 77. However, she withdrew the next day and placed 85th overall.

Junior Kayla Kimbley finished T46th with a final

score of 163 and round scores of 83 and 80.

Senior Delaney Wisdom and sophomore Zoe Franzen finished 80th and 81st, respectively. Wisdom’s final score was 191, with round scores of 96 and 95. Franzen ended with only two more strokes at 193, after scoring 94 then 99.

Of the 15 competing teams, the University of Central Oklahoma took home first place with a team score of 587 after the two days of play.

The women’s golf team will play next on March 28 and 29 in Fulton, Missouri, at the William Woods Spring Invitational at Tanglewood Golf Course.

The Park men’s golf team also started their season.

The Pirates finished in sixth place of 11 teams at the Ron Streck Invitational at Meadowbrook Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on March 14 and March 15.

The team ended with a total score of 634, with scores of 319 on the first day and 315 on the second.

Freshman Dylan Comstock led the team, finishing with a score of 153 and placing T8. His round scores were 78 and 75.

The next three Pirates finished within five strokes of each other. Sophomore Guillermo Cervantes scored 158, after scoring 81 on the first day and 77 on the second.

Cervantes placed T15. Senior Ben Spicer finished with 160 strokes, scoring 80 on both days, to finish in T22 place. Junior Raphael Sippel earned a final score of 163, after scoring 80 then 83, to place T31.

The final Pirate, freshman Carter Goerke, scored 92 and 83, earning him T47.

For their next tournament, the men’s team will join the women’s team at the William Woods Spring Invitational at Tanglewood Golf Course on March 28 and 29 in Fulton, Missouri.

Pirates fall to powerhouse Grand View Vikings Bryce Butler Reporter

PHOTO/Bryce Butler Felipe Guirau, senior starting outside hitter, prepares to serve against Grand View University.

Park men’s volleyball fell 3-0 against a solid Grand View University team on Tuesday, Feb. 15, at Breckon Sports Center.

The No. 4 ranked Park University Pirates went up against the No. 1 ranked Grand View University Vikings on Tuesday night. This was their first matchup this season.

Both teams went into the game with impressive records. The Pirates were 9-1 while the Vikings were 8-1. The lone loss for each team came during conference play this season.

However, their current rankings would stand true as the Pirates were dealt their second loss of the season. A neck-and-neck first set fell in favor of the Vikings 25-23.

The following two sets were similar, as Grand View would go on to win them 25-20 and 25-22.

The Pirates have fallen to the Vikings in their last seven matchups. This changes their all-time record to 14-6 in favor of Grand View.

This was also the Pirates’ first time getting swept this season. Their first loss to William Penn University was not nearly as one-sided, as it ended 3-2.

Despite the loss, the Pirates had a solid offensive performance. As a team, the Pirates average 12.12 kills per game. In this match with Grand View, sophomore Joao Friedrich had 12 kills and senior Felipe Guirau contributed eight kills.

Senior Luciano Bucci was also a major contributor, tallying 27 assists on the night.

The next matchup for Park men’s volleyball will be away against the Culver-Stockton College Wildcats on March 1. In an effort to redeem themselves against the Vikings, the Pirates will play Grand View again on March 15.

SPORTS

Page 4 March 18, 2022

SPORTS

Page 5 March 18, 2022

Park alumni land cAREERS in professional indoor soccer Park University’s men’s soccer program has produced more than a dozen professional soccer players over the past decade, although they are not playing the same type of soccer they played for most of their lives.

The soccer they have turned to is indoor soccer, a high-scoring and high-intensity game played on a smaller field and in the confinement of walls. The majority of the Park alumni who play professional indoor soccer have done so playing for the Kansas City Comets.

Among the first Park alumni to make the jump were Ramone Palmer and Robert Palmer, signing with the Comets in 2012. While unrelated, the Kingston, Jamaica, natives spent much of their lives together as they were born 12 days apart, attended the same schools and played on the same teams.

Their pro indoor soccer careers started when the Palmer duo met then Comets coach Vlatko Andonovski, another Park alumnus, at a soccer camp. They attended some of the team’s kickarounds and began practicing with them.

“Before that, we had no idea about the Comets team,” Ramone Palmer said. “Since we came to kickarounds, it’s just been a blast and we decided to stick with it.”

The Palmers spent their first eight years of pro indoor soccer playing together, spending seven years with the Comets and one year with the Tacoma Stars. They also tasted success, winning the Major Indoor Soccer League championship in their second season before going undefeated in the following regular season.

Ahead of the 2021 season, Robert Palmer signed to play with the Ontario Fury, where they delivered a crushing blow to the Comets by beating them in the semifinals.

Although the team eventually lost to the San Diego Sockers in the championship series,

Robert Palmer was named MASL Defender of the Year. years at Park. He explained that it takes time to adjust from outdoor to indoor soccer Following the footsteps of the Palmer duo, there have been numerous other Park because it is so much different with indoor soccer because it requires more focus and soccer players go pro with the Comets. energy when playing.

“It’s really good to see that after Robert and I, we had a lot more Park people gain “The speed that we play is way faster,” Sandivari said. “You have to get used to playan interest and get involved,” Palmer said. “It’s good to see that we brought more Park ing at that level. You have to go for one minute or two minutes and be 100 percent interest into the Comets organization.” focused on the game because you don’t want to make a mistake.”

Currently, there are four Park alumni playing for the Comets. Robert Palmer is still Among the greatest differences between outdoor soccer and indoor soccer is the playing for the Fury, and Kiel Williams in his second season with the Florida Tropics. time a player spends on the field. Traditionally, outdoor players play 90 minutes in a Among the four Park alumni playing for the Comgame with each team allotted three substitutions. In ets is Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Flores, who played four years at indoor, there is no substitution limit. The only player Park. Originally signing with the Comets in 2016, the who plays the entire game is the goalkeeper, with field I feel like I tried to reach my peak at Park, and Efrem players usually playing many shifts under a couple of Chilean did not know about indoor soccer until he met some Comets players in a summer league during minutes.

Shimlis is my dad in the United States. He took care his time at Park. He decided to give indoor soccer a The Comets’ most recent signing from Park is Luof us. I just absorbed everything he offered to us. chance because it was a good opportunity to stay in the cas Sousa, who is Park’s all-time leader in assists with country and continue playing soccer.

42 from 2012 to 2015. He has also served as the assisFlores has now played more than 100 games for the Lucas Sousa, Comets midfilder tant coach for the Park women’s soccer team for six Comets and believes his indoor soccer success stems years. from his time at Park.

For Sousa, the sacrifice of time and pain is worth “The team and the level at that time was amazing,” it to be able to balance his duties as a coach and his Flores said. “The competition level was great. Every training session was just amazing duties as a professional athlete. and the intensity was amazing. The fact that we were all working together to get that “Sometimes it’s a little hard because the body hurts. But I do what I love, so when championship--that we actually got--the made me a better player.” you do what you love, time doesn’t matter,” Sousa said.

Even with that high-level training, the transition from soccer played outdoors to A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sousa was unable to play his first season in 2019-2020 soccer played indoors is not as easy as it seems. due to visa issues. He resolved those issues and came back the following season and Mirko Sandivari is in his fifth season playing for the Comets after spending three won MASL Rookie of the Year.

Sousa said his development at Park was critical to his success with the Comets.

The praise for Shimlis, the head men’s soccer coach at Park, was unanimous. Shimlis, also a graduate of Park, played professional indoor soccer before taking over as head coach of Park men’s soccer in 2001. His experience and connections helped open doors for the Comets players from Park.

“Off the field, he shows a lot of interest in his players and makes sure his players are okay,” Palmer said. “Him being there with us through college then guiding and motivating us to push us up to do as good as we can.”

Stefan Stokic played one season at Park before pursuing his ambition of professional outdoor soccer. Eventually landing back in Kansas City to play more than 200 games for the Comets from 2010 until 2020, the Serbian understands the importance of Park’s pro player pathway from Julian Field to Cable Dahmer Arena.

Joining the Comets coaching staff in 2020, Stokic still plans to finish his degree at Park. He has also coached youth soccer, winning the ECNL National Championship with his KC Athletics U15 girls’ team last summer.

In his one season playing for Shimlis at Park in 2006, Stokic recorded five goals and five assists in 15 games. He still has great admiration for Park’s most successful men’s soccer coach in program history.

“Coach Efrem was a great coach, and he’s a great person as well,” Stokic said. “Every part of my life up to this point has led me to this point. Every situation. Park is a part of that as well.”

The success of Park players in indoor soccer continues this season as they chase the MASL championship. The Comets sit first in the Central Division and third overall.

Williams and the Tropics sit second in the league, while Palmer and the Fury sit fifth overall.

Reigning MASL Rookie of the Year Lucas Sousa is in his second season playing for the Comets after recording a program-record 42 assists at Park.

Comets midfielder Ignacio Flores played four years at Park, winning the AMC Conference title in 2013.

Comets defender Mirko Sandivari played three season with Park after transferring from Concordia College in Alabama.

PHOTOS/Nathan Dunn

Nathan Dunn Editor

Comets forward Ramone Palmer is serving his first year as team captain.

CAMPUS LIFE

Page 6 March 18, 2022

Parkites respond to online education due to COVID-19 Yi Li Editor As the spring semester began, the new Omicron strand of COVID-19 caused a huge spike in the number of Covid cases.

While some universities started the term entirely online, Park University returned face-to-face but with many instructors opting for class meetings over video conference. It also introduced more blended options.

Overall, the last two years have meant more online learning for most students at Park. But their opinions of online learning are divided.

The main differences between online and traditional education occurs in time and space. Online learning allows students to do work on their own time and in their own space. The advantages, disadvantages, interests, problems and difficulties of online education all come from these timing and physical space changes.

While some students regularly enrolled in online classes prior to the Covid pandemic, most had no experience with distance learning before then. This can

make online learning more challenging for some students than others. According to Simon Sharber, a sophomore mathematics major, distance learning is a bittersweet experience that he had never experienced before.

Kiara Puente, a junior majoring in social work, said she struggled with trying to learn outside the controlled learning environment of a classroom. Puente lived with her family when the pandemic first began and said being at home presented more distractions than attending class in person.

She experienced many types of distractions at the same time, such as her parents constantly being on the phone, her sister also taking online classes, and her dog wanting attention. These types of distractions disappear in campus classes.

To succeed in online courses, she needs to be able to motivate herself, eliminate distractions, and find a quiet space to complete all of her assignments. Even though there are challenges, online learning has shortened her commute, which saves her gasoline and time.

Another advantage of online learning

is that it provides more people with the opportunity to receive higher education.

“You can be in the middle of Alaska, take a Park online class, and you might be able to get the same education,” said Lora Cohn, associate professor of communication, “I think it’s beneficial in that sense.”

But even instructors said they have challenges with online education. For example, they are forced to find new ways of managing and communicating with students, which often requires extra guidelines.

“When you need to see them on Zoom, but they may not turn on their video, so... you don’t even know who the person is, you won’t get to know the person, you don’t get to see the person,” said Abhijit Mazumdar, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication.

Instructors have to pay attention to the characteristics of distance learners when adapting their teaching style and designing courses. Things like attention distribution, the learning process, feedback and motivation, and a socialized learning environment are all very different online.

Professors need to ensure students are

getting quality education. Some common measures to improve the quality of online classes include online Q&A sessions, learning quality assessments and so on.

Current studies show that students’ autonomous learning ability has a significant impact on the effect of distance learners. Therefore, the problem of cultivating students’ learning habits is the autonomous learning ability of distance learners, and training them to learn distance learning.

So, the focus needs to be on improving students’ distance learning ability and developing their habits. In addition, corresponding guiding functions and learning tools should be set up on Canvas to help learners improve their autonomous learning skills like planning, scheduling and creating a learning checklist.

While it’s not ideal to continue all distance learning in the future, some online learning may be the safest way for students to return to school.

“Despite those changes, a traditional, face-to-face class style will always be around and never be replaced even if we still have virtual education,” said Mazumdar.

Students enjoy Mavericks hockey game courtesy of student life Far left: Students Kenneth Maldonado, Luis Ramos and Angel Colon-Aviles are enjoying the hockey game at Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, Missouri, on Feb. 25.

Left: Mavericks hockey players try to defend against the Utah Grizzlies.

PHOTOS/Yi Li

CAMPUS LIFE

Page 7 March 18, 2022

Commuter students describe campus parking “nightmare” MacKenzie Coder Reporter Park University commuter students have noted significant issues with parking since the return of on-campus classes following the Coronavirus pandemic.

“I’ve noticed a huge problem with parking. Some days it takes me up to ten minutes to find parking and sometimes I have to park all the way at the bottom of the hill [lot N] where residents are supposed to park,” said Hannah Pappert, a senior majoring in English and communications.

Pappert is not the only one who is having a difficult time finding a place to park on campus this semester.

Senior English major Alicia Gray noted that she used to be able to find a place to park within two minutes.

“Last semester I was able to almost always park either in front of the business building or at the bottom of the hill near Mackay and Thompson,” said Gray.

Now, half the time she said she has to park on the other side of campus from where her classes are.

“I do think there are not enough convenient spaces for commuters. It typically takes a while for me to walk to class because of this. I do understand that most colleges face this problem though,” said senior multimedia journalism and public relations major Savanna Wyatt.

While many universities may face the issue of lacking parking lots in close proximity to their classroom buildings, there is a perception that Park struggles more with it because of its high enrollment of commuter students. Additionally, some commuter students at Park believe that a lack of spaces is contributing to the issue.

“There quite frankly is not enough parking, especially for commuters. I mean the parking by the library is extremely limited and Park is a strong majority of commuter students. There is far more parking for residents it seems,” said Pappert.

Gray also wonders about the ratio of commuter spots available to commuter students. She is unsure if creating more spaces is the right answer though.

“Do students just need to know where they are supposed to park?” she asked.

Students have observed that many cars seem to be parked in the wrong lots according to the parking sticker on the back windshield. This has led many of them to believe that residents are not parking in their designated lots and instead, parking in the commuter lots.

The Park University Campus Map shows lot N (beside Julian Field) and U (above Chesnut Hall) classified as “Residential and General Parking.” Meaning residential students must park in those lots and those with a general parking tag

may park there as well. Faculty and staff parking are assigned to lots L, J and T. All other lots are for general parking (commuters) only.

“I see people park in the wrong spots a lot, and campus safety has not been consistent in keeping people in the right spots,” said senior multimedia journalism and public relations major Natalya Nalivaiko.

Nalivaiko and other commuters believe that during the pandemic, students were permitted to park in any lot.

“From what I heard, when COVID happened and everything got moved online, parking limitations and rules were kind of removed for a while. Because no one was on campus, it was okay to park anywhere you needed to park,” said Pap-

pert. This is another possible cause of the parking dilemma.

“I think there just hasn’t been a lot of communication about what’s expected of with parking, like coming back after COVID it’s just been a free-for-all,” said Gray.

There has been no statement made by campus safety or Park administration about parking restrictions since the return to campus.

Although Pappert does not want to see her peers having to pay expensive fines, she thinks it is important that a point gets made.

“Honestly, I think without the strictness that we used to have; it’s just creating a bigger problem. I definitely think they need to be harder on the rules and hand out tickets in order to like curb this behavior,” she said.

This parking dilemma contributes to students being late to class and general frustration with the university’s enforcement, or lack thereof, the rules.

Staff List Editor-in-chief Skyler Jensen

Editors

Nathan Dunn Yi Li Mariana Figueroa

Reporters

Bryce Butler Jaylynn Tucker MacKenzie Coder

Adviser

PHOTO/MacKenzie Coder Although every parking lot has a designation on the Parkville campus, commuter students say it feels like the permits aren’t being enforced by lot.

Kristin Shaw

CAMPUS LIFE

Page 8 March 18, 2022

Mixing it up

On March 15, students gathered in the Norrington Center Learning Lab to participate in a roommate mixer hosted by Residence Hall Council.

Top left: Senior communication studies major Zachary Jeffries (left) and junior psychology major Saxton Watson play the newlywed game.

Top right: Junior business major Megan Townsend runs “get to know you bingo.”

Bottom right: Neyamia Powell, sophomore English major, waits to play a game of Jenga.

Bottom left: Paper contact cards were available so students could easily exchange their names and phone numbers or email addresses.

Left: Students moved around the room while playing a game of assassin. Pictured are Michael Willis, Haley Tharp and Moriah Head.

PHOTOS/Yi Li