April 24, 2024 | The Reflector

UIndy raises tuition costs for 2024-25 year

By Brid Peoples ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

e cost of full-time undergraduate tuition, meal plans and standard room rates will all increase at the University of Indianapolis for the forthcoming 202425 academic year, according to an email sent to all students from the Office of the President on March 18.

Beginning in Fall 2024, the university’s Board of Trustees approved a plan to increase the standard room rate by $128 from $6,564, according to the email. e 14-meal plan will increase by $180 from $6,160 annually, full-time undergraduate tuition will increase by $1,032 to $35,488 and university fees will increase by $32 to $1,752 annually, according to the email.

goes towards financial aid for students, and that financial aid is the biggest expense item in the university’s budget. Graycarek said for the 2023-24 year, it is expected that roughly $61 million dollars of the total budget will be spent on financial aid and that the overall cost of tuition for undergraduate students will be $35,448. He added, however, that most students will end up paying much less than this.

I think the experience UIndy gives students at that price is pretty phenomenal.”

According to Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration Rick Graycarek, this constitutes roughly a 3% increase in costs across the board. Graycarek said the Board of Trustees decided a 3% raise in costs would be a minimal increase to help cover the cost of managing operations at the university.

“We have to figure out how we manage the operation of the university, which has rising costs, and do it in a way that is entirely mindful of the primary population that we're serving, which is students and figuring out what's the balance,” Graycarek said. “It is a lot of money, and I'm not saying it's immaterial because $1,000 [the raise in tuition] is a lot of money for students to bear.” Graycarek said the majority of revenue generated from tuition and other costs

Graycarek said higher or lower tuition does not translate to a better or worse college experience. According to their websites, local private rival colleges such as Marian, Butler and DePauw all charge tuition prices higher than UIndy. Marian University will charge $40,664 for the 2024-25 academic year, Butler will charge $46,570 and DePauw will charge $57,990 per year, according to the universities’ respective websites. “We didn't, as an institution, feel like we were pricing ourselves out of the market,” Graycarek said. “... I think the experience the university gives to students at that price point is pretty phenomenal.”

Graycarek said he encourages any student who is struggling financially to seek assistance provided through the Financial Aid Office and Student Success Office. Advice is also available at the Student Counseling Center.

“It's really, really important for you, as a student, all of our students and the university, that when you leave here, you leave with a degree in hand,” Graycarek said. “Because that's the value right? at's why you're here … we want you to be successful here and beyond.”

SGA collaborates with dining hall staff

SGA begins working with dining hall in order to meet student needs, wants and improve sustainability

By Olivia Pastrick MANAGING EDITOR & NEWS EDITOR

The University of Indianapolis Student Government Association has recently begun a partnership with UIndy Dining. According to SGA Dining Representative and sophomore exercise major Jona Hogle, the goal of this collaboration is to improve the quality of the service at UIndy Dining and make students feel that they have a sense of home on campus.

Hogle said he personally reached out to Executive Chef Taylor Hignite about things he wanted to see changed or ways in which UIndy Dining could meet his food accommodation needs. After that, SGA invited Hogle to volunteer and work with them in order to build a true collaboration.

“Aside from myself, [SGA] was working on food sustainability proposals and working with UIndy Dining to make sure that we could limit food waste, and we could try and find a way to redistribute food waste or food that would be wasted to people around Indianapolis who could be in need or food banks or food rescues and so on,” Hogle said.

Hogle said SGA and UIndy Dining have been working with an organization called Second Helpings, an Indianapolis-based hunger relief organization, to learn more about what UIndy can do to help with food insecurity and food redistribution.

While UIndy Dining oversees the bulk of this transaction with Second Helpings, Hogle said students can always reach out to SGA if they would like to volunteer to help.

“At the end of the day, if we have extra food that we didn't use, that is still in perfect condition, or say, food that can be repurposed, they [Second Helpings] will come maybe once or twice a week … and we will package the food in cases and in boxes which they will pick up and they can take back to either give out to people who need,” Hogle said.

Resident District Manager Amy Dugan said UIndy Dining has worked to tackle the food insecurity issue in Indianapolis before, but that it was stifled during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Dugan, now that SGA has stepped in to help tackle this issue with UIndy Dining, they want to continue this project.

Hogle said SGA has been working throughout the year to build connections on campus with entities like UIndy Dining. He said in addition to working on sustainability proposals, SGA has also been working with UIndy Dining to extend the hours and provide better options for students.

Hogle said that if, for example, a student does not get out of class or practice until after the dining hall is closed, their only option would be Streets Grill. Hogle said he hopes with extended dining hall hours will come more opportunities for students to eat

balanced, healthy meals consistently.

“I know students who have class late at night from 6-8:50 [p.m.], they come back and all they can eat is chicken nuggets and fries,” Hogle said. “If we have to do that every single day of the week, it's not very nice. So extending the dining hall hours is a big priority so that student-athletes on campus can have more of an option. We can build healthier eating habits, and a great sense of community to come out and eat late at night, rather than stopping at seven.”

with SGA, she hopes they will be able to bridge the communication gap between students and their wants and needs and connect them to UIndy Dining in order to create change.

Dugan said UIndy Dining has always wanted a strong relationship with student government as well as the student body. She said by working

“We’ve always had a relationship with the student government,” Dugan said. “I think that this year it became > See Dining on Page 8

Photo by Allison

Graphic by Breanna Emmett

Saying goodbye: 2024 Senior Send-o s

Graduating "Refector" staff bid farewell to the University of Indianapolis and the newsroom

Olivia Cameron

By Olivia Cameron ONLINE EDITOR

I have never been what you might call a “social butterfly.” roughout my childhood, I struggled to find a group to belong to. Being shy, anxious and generally uninterested in sports or clubs did not help. It was not until my junior year of high school that I found somewhere that I fit in and thrived: the staff of the literary magazine. For the first time, I knew what it was like to not only be part of a group, but to be passionate about a project. When my senior year was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, I worried that I would not find that again. I never expected that a college newspaper would be what filled that void. My first semester of college was definitely not how I pictured it. All of my classes were online, which meant I had moved to Indianapolis just to sit in my apartment on Zoom. I was bored, lonely and unhappy. e only exciting thing was my “Applied Journalism” class, where I got to write articles that would be published in e Re ector. Being a staff writer gave me a purpose and the opportunity to work with others during a time of isolation. And in my second semester, I got to be a part of something that would become very special to me: Production Fridays. While everything was still being done

virtually, I enjoyed getting to know the other staff members and participating in the editing process. At the time, the game “Among Us” was popular, so I have very fond memories of playing that with the group. During this time I also worked as the paper’s business manager, the first of many positions I would go on to have.

I spent my sophomore year (which was finally in-person) as the opinion editor, a job I thoroughly enjoyed. is year was very formative in many ways; I formed significant friendships with other staff members, and accepted that this was where I was meant to be. To be honest, I did not expect to stay on e Re ector my entire college career. As a creative and professional writing major, I was not looking to become a journalist, and figured that eventually I would move on to another extracurricular more suited to those interests. However, I realized that the experience I was gaining in journalism was going to benefit me in any career. My writing abilities, social skills and leadership only got stronger with every semester.

In short, I discovered my potential in the newsroom.

Junior year was historic—well, for me

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What do you think?

Send your letters to the editor or other correspondence to:

By Hannah Biedess REFLECTOR ALUMNA

Before joining e Re ector, I was a professional writing major. It never felt like the right fit for me, so I took a communication class my sophomore year. It felt fresh and exciting and I officially changed my major for my junior year. I joined e Re ector that first semester and stayed until my graduation this past December.

During those three semesters, I was a staff writer, editorial assistant and then the entertainment editor. Each job came with its own sets of challenges and obstacles but it was all worth it in the end. Working on The Reflector reinvigorated my need and want to learn and grow. Journalism was not on my radar in the slightest when I got to college, but it taught me that writing is something that is important to me. The Reflector really changed the college experience for me. It made school exciting again and it also gave me some of the best friends I could ever

it was. I served as managing editor with one of my best friends, Re ector alumna Kassandra Darnell, as editor-in-chief. Even though it was often stressful and draining, being managing editor was one of the most significant experiences of my life thus far. I take great pride in what our staff accomplished that year—including recruiting amazingly talented editors who are still on staff today, and being named the 2023 Division II Newspaper of the Year by the Indiana Collegiate Press Association (a humble brag).

I took a break from e Re ector last semester to focus on my capstone project for my English major. While the break was definitely needed, I found myself missing being on staff more than I ever expected to. For the past three years, the paper had always been there. I missed going to Production Fridays and being goofy with my friends. I missed editing. I missed writing articles. I missed all the things that I previously complained about, like making my e-portfolio and having editorial meetings. I am thankful that the online editor position was open for me when I returned at the beginning of this semester, my last at both UIndy and e Re ector

Growing up, I feared being in any sort of leadership position. I was always so scared of doing a bad job and disappointing people. Being on The Re ector showed me that I was more capable than I ever believed I could be. When I started, I thought I would never get used to interviewing strangers or having so many people read my writing.

Hannah Biedess

ask for. roughout it all, everyone was there for each other. Whether a story fell through, sources were not getting back, or everything was just piling up, there was always someone to help. is is one of the greatest groups of people I have ever found. Even after graduating a semester early, most of the staff kept in contact and we are still great friends. One of my favorite (and least favorite) memories is our 11 hour production during the fall semester this year. Everything went wrong before, during and after, but it was somehow one of the most fun nights with the staff. We

The Refector really changed the college experience for me.

I never expected to make graphics. I never expected to win awards. In short, I discovered my potential in the newsroom. I must thank Professor Jeanne Criswell for inviting me to join the paper when I visited UIndy back in my senior year of high school. She has been a kind, supportive and knowledgeable advisor to every single one of her students;

all got into a delirious state of mind and everything was hilarious. We came up with insane prompts for ChatGPT to pass the time while others were working. It is still one of my fondest and most hated memories from college.

So far in my post-graduation state, I moved back to Fort Wayne to be with family and am in between jobs at the moment. e plan is to move back to Indianapolis around June with e Re ector’s very own art director (and visual wizard) Breanna Emmett and work towards my career in journalism.

Finally, I would like to thank e Re ector for all the wonderful things it has given me. It taught me that I truly love to listen to people’s stories and write about them. Most importantly, it gave me some of my favorite people and memories. I definitely would not have made it through college without e Re ector and the people it gave me.

I feel blessed to have been on staff before her retirement.

Lastly, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has been on staff with me since my freshman year. I have met some of my favorite people in the world because of e Re ector. Despite how harsh my editing may make me seem, I truly do hope for the best for all of you.

Breanna Emmett

By Breanna Emmett ART DIRECTOR

When I joined the staff of The Reflector as art director in 2022, I never imagined that being a part of this team would mean so much to me. Prior to joining the editorial team, I had never felt passionate about journalism or visual communication. With a background in traditional painting, illustration and creative writing, I was very doubtful I would be able to succeed in a newspaper environment. Still, I had an opportunity to apply for art director, and I knew it would be a great way to grow as a professional and expand my portfolio. I pushed myself to step out of my comfort zone and join the staff—and I am so glad I did. Being a part of The Reflector has given me so much. For a long time, I had struggled with answering the question I had become all too

familiar with: “What do you want to do with a degree in art and/or creative writing?” I did not have an answer. Joining The Reflector expanded my horizons and let me see how many professional opportunities were available for creatives like myself. My experience managing the visuals of this newspaper allowed me to see a potential path in graphic and publication design. Through this newspaper, I became friends with so many talented, hardworking and amazing people. Even when balancing my responsibilities within the newspaper with my academic responsibilities was at its most challenging, I had my friends

...it was amazing to see us all go from co-workers to a genuine group of friends.

on the staff to lean on. Many of us joined the paper at the same time, and it has been amazing to see us all go from co-workers to a genuine group of friends. Watching everyone grow as professionals and creatives was equally rewarding, and I am so proud of how far everyone has come. I have so much love and gratitude for everyone who has contributed to this paper, and I want to give a special thanks to Professor Jeanne Criswell for her dedication to The Reflector , both in my short two years on staff and for the last 23 years she has been acting as adviser. Her kindness, guidance and unwavering belief in this staff has been so inspiring, and I am so grateful I was able to get to know and work with her before her retirement.

Overall, I am so grateful for my time with The Reflector and the friends I’ve made through it. It was a pleasure to be the “Visual Wizard” (nicknamed the “Viz Wiz” by my friends on staff). It is so bittersweet to be graduating and leaving this era of my life, but I am so glad that I took a step out of my comfort zone and into the realm of newspaper.

Olivia Cameron - Photo by Allison Cook

Breanna Emmett - Photo by Allison Cook

Hannah Biedess - Photo contributed by Hannah Biedess

By Hannah Hadley

In third grade, a few of my friends and I had the genius idea of producing and distributing our very own newspaper to the class—lovingly titled “ e Maper.” Although “ e Maper” did not last more than a couple issues (we were only nine years old), something about the experience never escaped my brain.

Fast-forward to my middle school years, that little kindling of interest in journalism reignited when my older brother Robbie was in college. And Robbie was not just in college—he was the business manager for the

Hannah Hadley

University of Indianapolis’s very own student-produced newspaper, The Re ector. When he came back home to visit,he would tell me how fun the “Applied Journalism” class was, and how he loved working with Professor Jeanne Criswell and making friends on the newspaper staff.Robbie encouraged me to think about going to UIndy one day and joining the staff of e Re ector, knowing I enjoyed writing and being creative.

Next, let us fast-forward to my high school years. I quickly got involved with theTV and journalism programs at Rushville

Consolidated High School, as they seemed like fun, different classes to take (shout-out to Mrs. Jobe, Mrs. Sparks and Mr. Schindel). I found that I loved anchoring and writing for our news show — “Lions Live” — and that I was good at it. However, after four years of TV and one year of newspaper, I still did not fully realize I could make these passions into a career. I was not exactly sure where my love of media fit in.

Now, Robbie is not the only person I can thank for convincing me to join e Re ector—I have to give credit to the person who actually roped me in: Kassandra (Kassi) Darnell. (Yes, I am clicking the fast forward button yet again.) Kassi roped me in at the end of my sophomore year at UIndy, when I was still a political science major and had just recently added communication studies into the mix. During our shared “Intercultural Communication”class, Kassi and I quickly became friends. And being the then editor-in-chief of the paper and in need of editors for the upcoming school year, she recruited me as part of her team. It was the best decision I have ever made in college.

Fast-forwarding (yeah, yeah, again) to now, I have been part of e Re ector’s editorial team as a communication major with a track in public relations for two years. I served as the news editor during

Michael Harrington

By Michael Harrington

When I began my academic journey at the University of Indianapolis, I lacked direction but recognized my passion for writing. Nearly two years ago, I was a nervous freshman in my academic advisor's office wondering what an “applied” course was and which one would align with my interests. It was then that my advisor highlighted how my writing skills could benefit COMM 120—also known as e Re ector. Eighteen months later, I have assumed two roles, garnered awards and penned numerous articles.

In my initial year with e Re ector, I began as a business manager, reaching out to local businesses for advertising space in the paper and I successfully secured one from UIndy Marketing for UIndy Day in April 2023. As a business manager, I learned the importance of being persistent, yet polite. During my subsequent and concluding year at UIndy, I assumed the role of the newspaper's feature editor. Serving as the feature editor for e Re ector has been a dream come true. I can focus on all-things-students, culture and Indianapolis. Feature editor has to be one of the most fulfilling roles that I have ever taken—not only do I get to have fun with

...The Refector became more than a mere course; it became a family.

the story ideas I come up with, but I also get to improve my skills in graphic design and journalism. While writing multiple stories and designing a page every two weeks is tedious, knowing the impact of my writing makes it worth it. is is what keeps me passionate about journalism. I could have 100 stories to write, but seeing just one reader pick up the paper is what keeps me going. To me, e Re ector became more than a mere college course; it became a family. Despite our professional obligations,I have never witnessed a group bond as tightly as the staff of the paper has. As a commuter student, I anticipated difficulty in making friends at UIndy. However, to my surprise, I eventually came to regard my fellow editors as some of my closest companions. ere were moments last year when I questioned my continued commitment to e Re ector. Yet, upon entering ESCH 333 and seeing the familiar faces of my peers, I was reminded of the true reason I remained: friendship.

During my time at e Re ector, I have been fortunate to have friends who played pivotal roles in shaping my journalistic skills. Hannah Hadley stands out as the first among them, instilling in me a relentless drive for improvement. Her edits on my stories were always accompanied by clear explanations, even when she deemed a piece “perfect.” Mia Lehmkuhl also left a huge mark on my writing journey. Despite constantly joking with each other, Mia readily offered her assistance whenever I needed it. I vividly remember one evening in the library when she dedicated at least two hours to reviewing my work, offering valuable suggestions for enhancing it. Lastly, Breanna Emmett introduced me to the realm of Adobe Illustrator. Before last semester, graphic design was scary to me, but with Breanna's guidance and encouragement, I ended up making graphics for almost every issue. Earlier this year, my “Pink Friday 2” review (which everyone should read), won third place in the Entertainment Column/Review Online category at the 2024 Indiana Collegiate Press Association Contest. Additionally, My New General Education Requirements graphic also won third place in the Informational Graphic category at the 2024 ICPA contest. Surprisingly, my sports story “Alumna Payton Romig becomes UIndy’s Women’s Lacross’s new head coach” was a Society of Professional Journalists

By Brid Peoples ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

I remember my first weeks as a student here at the University of Indianapolis quite distinctly. I flew out from my home country in Dublin, Ireland, a week before classes started in August 2023. I was definitely excited, but also extremely nervous. I am currently at UIndy on a one-year study abroad program, and I knew once I landed in America and started school I really had to throw myself into things, as I only had two semesters here. It was my first week of classes, and one of my professors was going around asking each student their name, major, grade and hobbies and other, typical, first-week questions. One student sitting in the row in front of me—Arrianna Gupton—said she was part of UIndy’s student-produced newspaper, e Re ector, and then advised everyone to join. I wanted to join as many clubs and meet as many new people as possible, so it was an easy sell for me.

I’ve always been very interested in

OUR MISSION

the 2022-2023 school year and now serve as the opinion editor for the 2024-2025 school year. Even though everyone thinks I am a journalism major, I am, in fact, a “PR girl” who happens to love working with a team of impassioned people in a newsroom. I reignited the passions I had discovered in high school and discovered working in PR and writing opinionated content were my very favorite things to do. Moving on, I still apply my passion for political science to my education, even though it is not my major anymore, finding I actually enjoy the advocacy for

I found my community, passions and myself here.

democracy more than the facilitation of it. This connects to my proudest accomplishment coming from The Re ector, which was pushing to reinstate a traditional student government at UIndy through an opinion article (which has won a state and national award). at article fed into discourse on campus,which eventually led to the formation of the Student Government Association four months after its publication. is experience exemplifies my belief that journalists are public servants, and that being a public servant is one of the most rewarding things someone can do. And, now as a PR practitioner, I want

to play a part of this democratic process by being a trusted source for my fellow communication professionals.

Now, it is time for my acknowledgements. I would like to thank Kassi, Olivia Cameron and Hallie Gallinat for being the fantastic mentors I needed during my first year as a journalist.

Next, I would like to thank Mia Lehmkuhl and Olivia Pastrick for being excellent bosses and managers this year.Additionally, I extend my thanks to Hannah Biedess, Breanna Emmett, Michael Harrington, Brid Peoples, Allison Cook, Caroline Krauch, Elyssa Merrill, Anika Yoder and Arrianna Gupton for being the special friends I found along the way.

My final thank you goes to Professor Jeanne Criswell: ank you for your years of dedication to e Re ector and to young journalists at UIndy. Your impact on my brother and me is significant, and it has made us better people and better writers. Re ector alumni from across Indiana, across the United States and across the world have been influenced by your guidance. I speak for all of us when I say I hope you have a wonderful retirement, where you can relax knowing you have helped thousands of “diehard journalists” have lifelong memories and skills garnered from e Re ector e Re ector has changed me for the better.I found my community,passions,and myself here.And to those considering taking COMM 120: do it. Join e Re ector and you will find more than just a newspaper.

finalist. More recently, my review of “COWBOY CARTER” has gone viral on X (formerly Twitter), something I never would have thought I would live to see. After graduation, I plan to move to New York and work for either a public relations agency or a newspaper. My dream is to get into graphic design, write or pursue social media management. I want to thank many people for everything they have done for me. I want to thank my parents for supporting all my work, Mia for encouraging me to take on harder assignments and Professor Jeanne Criswell for being such a supportive adviser and mentor in copyediting. I often say I have no regrets, but the only thing I regret about graduating early is cutting my time on e Re ector short. My advice for anyone reading is to enjoy what you have while you have it and to enjoy every moment— despite how tough things may seem.

politics and the news, and when I was younger, I was interested in writing as well.

However, as I got older and my school work became more challenging, writing began to feel like a chore. And so, I was excited to learn a different kind of writing skill: journalism!

I’m very grateful for the skills I have picked up on e Re ector—how to write in Associated Press style, how to edit

I will tell people about my year abroad in America for the rest of my life...

stories, how to interview others and how to ask the right questions. As someone who is perhaps more naturally introverted and quiet around strangers, it definitely helped ease some of my first anxieties about living so far away from home by going out into the community and being forced to talk to people. ere seems to always be a lot of criticism about the American education

system, with a lot of it being warranted, but one thing students here should not take for granted is the ability to pick up a wide range of classes and skills. My time here as a student and reporter has definitely reignited my interest in (if not love of) learning. With much smaller classes than I am used to, coming from a university in the U.K., I very much appreciate the way professors and faculty seem to relish talking about and explaining their subjects.

One thing I will especially miss is production Fridays. Even though it involved a lot of work and long hours, production was always the one day I knew I would laugh all evening.After the semester is over, I am going back to Ireland to finish the last year of my degree at Queen’s University Belfast in Belfast, Northern Ireland.I will definitely remember my time at e Re ector as the best decision I made while on my year abroad.

A special thank you to Professor Jeanne Criswell and to everyone on the staff ank you especially to the editorial team: Mia Lehmkuhl, Olivia Pastrick, Michael Harrington, Breanna Emmet, Alli Cook, Hannah Hadley, Caroline Krauch, Olivia Cameron and Elyssa Merrill. I will tell people about my year abroad in America for the rest of my life, and you are the people I will mention.

Hannah Hadley (& Leo Hadley) - Photo by Allison Cook

Michael Harrington - Photo by Allison Cook

Brid Peoples - Photo by Allison Cook

Men’s basketball welcomes a new coach

By Olivia Pastrick MANAGING EDITOR & NEWS EDITOR

e University of Indianapolis held an introductory press conference for the newest Head Men’s Basketball Coach Scott Heady on April 11. A 1986 Greyhound alum, Heady said he is excited to be back on campus for this new chapter of his coaching career. is comes after the departure of Paul Corsaro who had served as the coach for four years before taking a job at IUPUI, according to UIndy Athletics.

Heady is returning to UIndy after serving as associate head men’s basketball coach at Anderson University from 2008 to 2010, Carmel High School for seven years and, most recently, Marian University for seven seasons, according to a press release from UIndy Athletics.

At Carmel High School, Heady led the team to back-to-back state titles and a record of 141-38, according to the release. Heady’s overall record at Marian University was 168-56, where he also led the Knights to NAIA Tournament appearances and the school’s first-ever national semifinal appearance in 2019, as well as a Crossroads League title in 2020.

In his press conference, Heady wanted to thank his family and everyone at UIndy who reached out and supported him

This is where I’ve always wanted to be and I couldn’t be more proud...”

throughout this transition. He said it is special to him to return to UIndy and experience the overwhelming success he sees in the university, in terms of athletics, academics and beyond. “ is is where I’ve always wanted to be and I couldn’t be more proud to stand up here and excited to get started,” Heady said. “… I was at the Final Four in Phoenix and the first person to call me was was Dr. Singh, that was pretty impressive. I really appreciate all the people that were involved in making this decision and providing this tremendous opportunity for me and my family.”

Heady said there is a great base at UIndy for him to build off of, and he is looking forward to continuing the winning culture the men’s basketball team has created. He said that after meeting with the returning players, he is excited to build a team based on recruiting, culture, expectations and accountability—the four things he said he believes are the most important pieces of a successful team.

Heady said utilizing the transfer portal will be a key factor in his transition and beginning as head coach. According to Heady, the recruiting process is a 24-hour commitment, and one that he is ready and willing to tackle head-on in order to build the best program possible.

“We’re going to be diligent in making sure that we get the right basketball players and talented basketball players, but that they’re also good people and they’re going to fit into our culture,” Heady said.

According to Heady, the expectations for his team will be for them to be the best. He said if the team has the best teammates and leaders, they will have a championship culture at UIndy. ese expectations will be supported by the staff, Heady said, who are there to motivate and encourage the team as they chase their goals.

Accountability was another point

Heady emphasized during the press conference, and said UIndy will be putting a product on the floor that the UIndy campus and the city of Indianapolis will be proud of. He said accountability starts from the top, with himself and the rest of the coaching staff, and extends to the rest of the team.

“ at’s where you want to be, where they buy in, they take ownership and they believe and they’re holding each other accountable,” Heady said. “ at’s where we want to be with our culture and program.”

Spring Ball 2024

UIndy football is excited to wow fans

By Olivia Hogsett STAFF WRITER

e UIndy football team recently competed in their annual Spring Ball game, according to UIndy Athletics.

e Spring Ball game is held every year, and UIndy players compete against each other, according to a past article from e Reflector. is gives the team time to practice and refine their skills to prepare for next season, according to the article.

Head Football Coach Chris Keevers said the Spring Ball game marks the end of the team’s five-week, 15-practice period. e team works hard during the spring and the Spring Ball game is their reward for all of their hard work, according to Keevers. He said it is a fun event for both players and fans so he’s excited for the Spring Ball game because the team is good and they get to compete for another day.

“We get a lot of people to come out,” Keevers said. “We have a junior day where we have over a hundred recruits here, and then we have our recruiting class, which will have 38 guys come. So we get a good crowd. And the most important thing is our players really enjoy themselves.”

Sophomore slot receiver Markez Gillam said he is looking forward to the Spring Ball game. Gillam said the team has a powerful offense and defense with many guys that are capable of accomplishing a lot of things.

“I’m just enjoying the time with my boys, having a good time, making sure that everybody’s getting better,” Gillam said. “Not just myself or just our group of receivers, but the whole team in general, making each other work.”

Keevers said the team is preparing for next season by working hard and focusing

on the fundamentals of the game. He said the team focuses on caring, supporting and communicating with each other when things go badly. Gillam said as he goes into the next season as an upperclassman, he plans to lead by making sure he and his teammates are doing the right things at the right time. He said this would include making sure they are studying game notes, watching film and doing the little things right so that the team can be a successful group.

“We have high expectations in terms of effort and enthusiasm,” Keevers said. “Because of that, we keep getting better. e whole point of spring ball is you have 15 practices, you need to improve your team and get ready for the season.”

Gillam said the team has some unique attributes that fans can look forward to seeing. Particularly, they are returning several talented players from the offensive side, he said.

“I feel like we’re very explosive,”Gillam said. “We have a lot of guys that were AllConference, conference player of the year, like the First-Team GLVC for running back, we have a lot of guys that can play.”

Keevers said some notable players Hounds fans can look forward to watching are quarterback Gavin Sukup, safety Mike Brown and linebacker Clay Schulte. He said he would encourage everyone to come out and support the team next season.

“We finished the season last year in the top 25,” Keevers said. “We won the championship, we went to the playoffs and we’ve got a large number of guys back. We’ve got an opportunity to be a really good football team. We’ll be explosive on offense. We’ll be physical on defense. We’ve got special, special teams, they [fans] want to come because it’s going to be fun and we’re going to win.”

Photo contributed by Jacob Walton New Men’s Basketball Head Coach and UIndy alum Scott Heady speaks at a press conference thanking those who have supported him during the transition to UIndy.

Photo contributed by UIndy Athletics

Senior running back Jon Lewis and the rest of the Greyhound football team stretches before practice for their Spring Ball game. The game ends the team’s fve-week training period and gives players a chance to compete in front of fans again.

Head Football Coach Chris Keevers running plays with the team during practice for the annual Spring Ball game. UIndy football players compete against each other in the game to hone their skills and give fans something to look forward to for the upcoming season.

Graphic by Breanna Emmett

Photo contributed by UIndy Athletics

Baseball winds up to take on postseason

By Elyssa Merrill DISTRIBUTION MANAGER & BUSINESS MANAGER

e University of Indianapolis baseball team is currently preparing for the GLVC Tournament that will kick off in Marion, Illinois. on May 8, according to UIndy Athletics. With the team consisting of a lot of returning players, Head Coach Al Ready hopes the team’s returning players can lead them back to the Division II National Championship.

“Our team makeup is very similar to what it was last year,” Ready said. “We’ve got a lot of upperclassmen with some experience. We didn’t return as many pitchers as position players, but, nonetheless, the guys that we brought in, a lot of transfers, pitchers that we brought in have really filled the hole that some of the guys that made a big impact last year.”

In regards to transfers, one who Ready said has taken up a position as a team leader from last year has been red-shirt junior Easton Good. According to Good, he spent his first two years at Miami University, a public university in Ohio, finding himself at UIndy after playing summer ball under UIndy Baseball Recruiting Coordinator and Pitching Coach Adam Cornwell. Good said he agrees this year’s team is very similar to the championship qualifying team.

“ e core group that we have is a lot of returning guys who went to the College World Series last year,” Good said. “We know what we need to do, so as far as like the composition of the team, I think we just have a lot of guys who know what we need to do in order to get where we want to get because we have a lot of guys who are returning, who have been there and done that and know kind of what it’s gonna take to get there again. We have a lot of returners, but we also have some spots filled by some new guys, which we needed.”

According to Ready, Good has taken strides in advancements especially on the

Tennis is ramping up

Men’s and women’s tennis get ready for postseason play

By Caroline Krauch SPORTS EDITOR

The University of Indianapolis tennis teams are gearing up for postseason play starting with the GLVC Tournament, according to UIndy Athletics. According to their schedules, both the men’s and women’s team will compete in their conference finals the weekend of May 3. Head Coach and Director of Tennis Malik Tabet said there is a lot of excitement around the tournament given how well both teams did last season.

“To me, the conference is a really cool thing,” Tabet said. “We’ve won it the last two years, both men’s and women’s, so that’s an exciting event for us. It’s always nice to be on top of the conference.”

According to the GLVC website, the top four teams from the East and West Divisions will make it to the tournament. Both teams are expected to make it as both the men’s and women’s teams are ranked in the top of their divisions. Tabet said the season has been busy but has, overall, gone well for both programs- especially on the men’s team.

“The men’s team has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the country,” Tabet said. “It’s still nice to this day that we still are making history as a program where we have Tom Zeuch, who’s not only number one in the country in singles, but also in doubles with Matthieu Darache and that’s first in our program. We’ve beaten the No. 1 team in the country. We hosted a national indoor [championship], which is a big event for us. So it’s

been full.”

Tabet said the team tried something different with their training this year, experimenting with the athletes having a longer recovery period before starting the latter half of their season. He said he had noticed some fatigue within his athletes in previous seasons, so he decided to try giving them more time to regain their strength.

“I’ve noticed in the past that we just were dragging our feet,” Tabet said. “This year I wanted to give them some time to rest and recoup and regenerate for the second half of the season. It’s working out right now.”

On the women’s side of the ball, Tabet said although the team had a tough year, there is still potential for the team to go far. Junior Tyffaine Pais is a vital contributor to the team, Tabet said, recording a top-five national ranking during the season. Pais said she thought it was beneficial to have the extra time to recover this year since it gave them time to correct their mistakes.

It’s still nice to this day that we still are making history as a program...”

“We saw that against some teams, some players, things were not really working,” Pais said. “Right now, since we had one month without matches and all this stuff, we practiced and focused a little bit more on the technique and all the things we can do better.”

Although the team dropped from No.15 in the national rankings because of not having any matches, Pais is still hopeful for what the team can do in the postseason. She said although the team’s goal is to make it to nationals, they have to focus on taking it one match at a time.

“The biggest thing is nationals,” Pais said. “I would be really proud of the team because it’s a really good accomplishment. The thing I’m most excited about is of course like all the things that are before, because everything is important. You can play amazing and, it’s based on one match and you don’t qualify for nationals. If you lose the last match of regionals then you don’t qualify for nationals, so of course I want to focus on all the steps but the thing I’m most excited about is nationals.”

The UIndy tennis program is committed to training at the highest level, Tabet said, so the challenge is to maintain that culture of winning. After battling through injuries and adversity this year, Tabet is hoping the team is able to live up to the standards they have set in the postseason. The GLVC Championship will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, at Drury University, according to their website. Pais said fans can look forward to a lot of exciting and special moments to come for the program.

“It’s an amazing experience and to live this experience as a team,” Pais said. “... It’s just amazing memories, beautiful moments, and of course we want to share all these experience all together so we’re going to do everything to go for it.”

offensive side of the ball this year. Someone who used to bat ninth for the team has now provided much needed leadership and offensive performance, said Ready.

“Going from the ninth-place hitter, which is the last hitter in your order, to the first-place hitter shows you how much he’s improved over in one year,”Ready said. “He’s always been a really good defender, but offensively he’s really turned a corner for us. I mean, he’s leading our team in almost every offensive category this year, so he’s been just fantastic for us.”

For Good, this season has been an opportunity for him to perform for the sport he loves. Being in the transfer portal was hard, Good said, especially with a lot of uncertainty.

“I didn’t know if I was gonna play baseball again for a little bit,” Good said. “And then once I got to UIndy, I just kind of had a new appreciation for baseball because I had seen how quickly it could have been taken away from me, and I didn’t have any options. I didn’t have anywhere to go and then to finally find your option and find your new home. Just felt like I had a new appreciation for just practicing, like, working out all that stuff.”

With a slow start to their season, Ready said the Greyhounds turned a corner, having a 13-game conference win streak, which also set a new record for the program. As of Reflector press time, the team had a conference record of 20-5, placing them as the second seed among their conference competitors, according to UIndy Athletics.

“Right now, being 16-4 and sitting in second place in the GLVC, we’re in a really good spot,” Ready said. “We control our destiny.”

According to Good, the team’s focus has changed from looking at the big picture to focusing on the smaller aspects and wins they can control. With this mentality, they are able to take the success of individual innings and propel them to perform better each time.

“We started our season a little bit slow,” Good said.“We probably lost some games that we should have won or didn’t really compete in some games that we should

have competed in, and we kind of switched our mindset to just winning one inning at a time. Not really thinking about the next game that’s going on, thinking about winning every single inning that we can win and once we started to do that we got a really nice streak of winning.”

As the players are heading into the end of the season and switching gears to the GLVC tournament, it can be hard to balance, Good said. As an Academic AllAmerican himself while playing for the Greyhounds, Ready said he tries his best to allow his players to be students first.

Although the balance is hard, Good said he and the team know their education is important, too.

“It’s hard sometimes to prioritize school over baseball because baseball is more fun,” Good said. “Baseball is what we all love to do. So you don’t always want to do the school work but you have to, and if you’re gonna do it, you gotta do it to the best of your ability. ere’s no reason to give half effort into it.”

Planning to return and compete for his final year of eligibility, Good said his friends, roommates and teammates mean the world to him. As he goes into his final year, he wants to give his all to the sport he loves and the school that helped him, Good said.

“My roommates are a group of four people who will all be graduating next year, and it’s important for me to graduate with them,”Good said.“ ose are my best friends, so I want to be there for them and graduate with them. I owe it to UIndy to stay here. ey gave me an opportunity when no one else did. I feel like I owe it to the coaches, I owe it to the players to the school for the opportunity they gave me. I want to play here until I can’t.”

According to UIndy Athletics, the team has eight conference games left until the GLVC Championship. Hopeful to repeat their successes from last year, they will be focusing on their successes and strengths.

“If everything works out, you should see us in the College World Series again,” Good said. “So keep an eye out for us, for sure.”

Contributed by Sophie Tintera Junior shortstop Easton Good up to bat during the game against Rockhurst University. The team is preparing for the GLVC tournament starting the frst weekend of May.

Photo contributed by Jacob Walton

Junior Tyffaine Pais hits the ball during a match against Washburn University on Feb. 9. Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams are set to compete in conference fnals.

Photo contributed by Jacob Walton Women’s tennis team members celebrate after a success during an outdoor regional tournament Sept. 16-18. The teams hope to repeat their success from the fall season.

Student sips on success

UIndy student sells his lemonades, teas and more with 'Chris's Yummynade'

By Michael Harrington FEATURE EDITOR

Students at the University of Indianapolis can enjoy the summer and support a student business with lemonade. According to the Chris’s Yummynade website, the business offers “any flavor of lemonade possible,” and is run by sophomore sociology major Christian Bush. Chris's Yummynade began in 2022, Bush said, and had an unexpected success.

“I started in high school due to my economics class, which we did a small pop-up shop individually and I decided to do lemonade because my mother used to do it during my junior football season,” Bush said. “It started from there and it succeeded, which I didn't really expect, but it did and it sold out that same day with sugar-free flavors as well.”

According to Bush, the main inspiration behind Chris’s Yummynade came from his mother. Bush also said his inspiration came from how unique the idea of a lemonade business was for the economics project he was given.

“My mom, when I was younger, she sold lemonade at my football games and everybody loved it,” Bush said. “I really wasn't sure what I was going to sell at first, which it was kind of between food and drinks, but I decided to do lemonade. Nobody else was doing lemonades or beverages and it started from there and I just went, when I got home after I established what I was going to sell for my project. I just basically took a picture of myself and [illustrated] it a little bit and came up with a creative name for something not too outrageous, something just so simple.”

According to the business’ website, Chris’s Yummynade does not just offer lemonades, but also teas, merchandise and sea moss. According to Bush, he began to advertise the business to UIndy students

SRI accepts 2024 research cohort

By Mia Lehmkuhl EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Students will be hard at work on individual research projects this Spring Term as the Summer Research Institute program opens its doors for another year.

The Summer Research Institute, sponsored by the University of Indianapolis Shaheen College of Arts and Sciences, is a program that provides an opportunity for students and faculty mentors to collaborate on research projects during Spring Term, according to the Summer Research Institute’s website. Usually, the program welcomes students and faculty mentors from a variety of disciplines; however, due to changes in funding, the 2024 Summer Research Institute will be limited to those within the Shaheen College of Arts and Sciences. Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Music Technology Program Brett Leonard said this is his third year as the facilitator of the Summer Research Institute.

“I just need to start promoting even more,” Bush said. “I'm thinking about going to pop-up shops throughout Indy and probably down south as well, but just now it's going good. Good enough for me right now, but I need to promote more so I can get to different audiences in different states as well.” Bush, originally from Alabama, said he uses a church’s kitchen to create the drinks. Bush said creating a business like he has builds character, and has also played an important role in improving his self-esteem.

“It is important because it develops character, it takes patience,” Bush said.

“It builds my self-esteem as well to be able to talk to people. I'm really shy so sometimes it really complicates it a little bit, but sometimes it doesn't.”

Bush said his favorite memory with Chris’s Yummynade was meeting comedian and actor Mike Epps.According to Bush, this helped build his confidence in himself and the business. Bush said putting smiles on client’s faces is also a favorite aspect of running a business.

“I always thought I would be so scared to even meet someone like Mike Epps for example,” Bush said. “I was not scared to meet him. He made us feel welcomed and then they made us feel welcomed in his neighborhood. He lives here and has a big neighborhood that he's rebuilt.

It came with rebuilding my confidence.”

Students who are looking to start their own business should think outside the box, Bush said, and it is important to know when to take a break. Eventually Bush wants to have a physical store for Chris’s Yummynade.

“I plan on having my own store one day where I can just ship out of and put different stores in different cities to expand my business and get people talking more about it,” Bush said Students who are looking to buy products from Chris’s Yummynade can email Chrissyummynade@gmail.com or the visit website. Students can be updated on product drops by following @chrissyummynade on Instagram.

By Brid Peoples ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

The University of Indianapolis hosted the Scholars Showcase, an annual event that occurs at the end of the Spring semester.The Showcase is an opportunity to highlight the scholastic accomplishments of undergraduate and graduate students and faculty, according to UIndy’s website.

According to Professor of Biology and Co-chair of the Scholars Committee Alicia Cecil, there is a wide diversity of research being conducted at UIndy. Some students also participate in the Showcase for their classes.

“It's an opportunity for people in the arts to showcase some of their work,for musical performances to occur—everyone can just show their scholarly and creative activity they have been engaged in,” Cecil said.

Assistant Professor of Nursing Sarah Holmes said she and Cecil are co-chairs of

the committee this year. Holmes said the showcase aims to have at least one or two days dedicated to highlighting the work students and faculty are doing, across all fields. Holmes said originally the showcase was limited to STEM-related fields, but has changed in recent years.

“... We have things where we try to highlight not just the research that's been going on, but also some of those things we tend to think are outside like scholarships, they really aren't,”Holmes said.“Because there’s scholarship in the fine arts, and we wanted to really start to bring in these last few years with the event.”

I think we have a duty ... to disseminate what you've been working on ..."

to her peers.. “It's really difficult and a lot of us struggle with how to actually present our findings,” Garrett said. “Especially when it comes to non-chemistry majors … how do you get the information across without making it too dumbed down without also making it overcomplicated?” Garrett said she has been working on her project since her freshman year, as part of a research class she had to take for her scholarship.

According to junior chemistry and biology major AJ Garrett, the Scholars Showcase has allowed her to develop her abilities to talk and present her findings

According to Garrett, this year she is presenting her research on gold nanoparticles used to develop latent fingerprints. Garrett said her work with latent fingerprints and nanoparticles combines chemistry with forensics. “If I press my finger on the table, you can't see that I left a fingerprint but

there is one there,” Garrett said. “And the nanoparticles bind with your sweat components in the water that's left in your fingerprints, and it makes it visible. If I soak a piece of paper with a fingerprint on it, in the nanoparticles and let it dry it, that specific part of the paper turns pink and it shows all the ridges of your fingerprints.” According to Holmes, she would encourage students, no matter how small or big they think their work is, to consider submitting their work to the showcase. Holmes said it provides students with a solid foundation on how to present their work when they leave college and venture into the professional world, while they are in school.

“I think we have a duty, while you're learning and while you're at the university to disseminate out what you've been working on…And whether the project is finished or not, you know, again, whether you think it's big or small,” Holmes said.

'Mitochondria' RSO announces new president

By Brid Peoples ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Like the powerhouse of the cell, the University of Indianapolis's student biology club, Mitochondria, has been re-energized for the future under its new President, freshman biology major Reese Hoover. According to Hoover, Assistant Professor of Biology Mary Gobbett asked if she would be interested in taking on the role.

“I work for Mary Gobbett … and she came up to me one day and was like, ‘Hey, all of our leaders are leaving, and I think you'd be a good fit, so would you be interested in this?’And I was like, “Yeah, of course,’” Hoover said. According to Hoover, UIndy offered a weekend class for new biology students to help get them acquainted with college life. Particularly, Hoover said she is interested in environmental conservatism and was able to take a class on ecology.

“I did really enjoy learning about all the species and their ancestry and how evolution has impacted them,” Hoover said. “I thought it was really, really interesting. It wasn't hard for me to study that class because I liked it.”

According to biology major and Vice President of the club Sami Trahan, Hoover then reached out to her and others to see if they would like to be involved in the club. Trahan and Hoover work closely together, she said, and plan the events the club hosts.

“I thought it would be really good opportunity to get to know other people and try to recruit them for our club,” Trahan said. “Because we really want to help, especially biology majors. I know I would have liked help when I got to be a freshman. I think it's good to have some type of collective for everybody.” Trahan said she would like to see

Mitochondria host talks or lectures that focusing on what interests students. Both Hoover and Trahan said they are currently pre-med students, with the plan of attending medical school after they graduate from UIndy.

HOOVER

According to Hoover and Trahan next semester they plan to focus on hosting possible LP credit talks with science professors, alongside social events such as their plant sale tradition and tote bag decorating. Trahan said during the 2024 total solar eclipse, the club held cookie decorating and mini-golf activities.

“I think we have some stuff planned for each month, we definitely want to meet each month, as a collective, to [find out] what people want to do,” Trahan said.

According to Hoover, something interesting about

Mitochondria is the fact their live mascot, is a frog named Marie. Named after Marie Curie, she belongs to Assistant Professor of Biology Greg Weber, and currently lives in the basement of Lilly Science Hall with her frog sisters.

“Our plan for the RSO fair, especially for freshmen, we're going to use her as our little draw to our club and then we're gonna try to encourage people to join no matter their major,” Hoover said. Trahan said being able to meet and socialize with other biology majors is beneficial to students. Mitochondria is also planning to collaborate with the chemistry club, so the club is open to students of all academic backgrounds.

“Even if you're not a biology major, or if you're at least a little bit interested in biology," Trahan said. "I think it would be really interesting to see what kind of things we'll have planned especially with the chem club, and activities and things people may not know too much about certain things can get to learn.”

“The Summer Research Institute is a program that runs during Spring Term that allows students the opportunity to dive into some research with a faculty mentor, and it basically pays them like a full-time job so they can take time off work or don't have to start a summer job or something like that, and be able to really spend, you know, 35-40 hours a week, specifically on their research project,” Leonard said.

Senior music therapy major Lauren Nielson was a part of the Summer Research Institute in 2023. She said she took the opportunity to work on her honors project about telling the difference between an amateur violin and a more expensive, professional violin.

“For my honors project, I varnished and finished a violin and I studied a whole bunch of different aspects of the violin in that process,”Nielson said.“The one that we focused on in Summer Research Institute was the inherent resonance frequencies of a violin. … It was a really good opportunity to kind of set my honors project off on the right foot. It was also a great opportunity to connect with other peers who were doing research projects, some of them being honors projects. And some of them just being other projects that people were passionate about.”

Students receive a $1,500 stipend during the program, according to the program’s website. Faculty mentors receive $500 and must have availability every day to work with each student they mentor during the SRI.Due to funding concerns,the program has become more selective, according to Leonard.

“... This year was more selective than in the past,” Leonard said. “Previously, we were looking at about 65-70% acceptance rate, and this year, it was below 30, so quite a drop. But the process has been the same each year. I've been involved. We get faculty from,hopefully,a variety of different disciplines.”

According to Leonard, the program’s applicants can stand out by showing they understand how the three-week period of the program fits into their large research projects. Additionally, the program tries to select a variety of students, such as those from the hard sciences and humanities, Leonard said.

“The other thing that I think all of the review committee looks at is I think we all pay really close attention to—part of the project description is what are you going to do, how are you going to accomplish it and how is this going to help you in your future studies or career so if somebody says, ‘I'm going to medical school, and I'm studying the history of this class of drug that's going to treat heart conditions,’” Leonard said. “Okay, that's a really clear link to where you're going and your future and other people will say, ‘I'm studying this because it seemed like fun.’ So you know, or they don't say anything so that, a lot of times, can really make a project stand out that somebody says, ‘I know where I'm going, I know what I'm doing. And this is going to help you get there.’”

Nielson said the SRI is a funding opportunity for student researchers and that research can come with a lot of costs. Her experience at SRI working with Assistant Professor of Music Peter Nichols as her mentor was necessary, as Nichols had a lot of expertise in music recording and the sonic elements of music, according to Nielson.

“He and I connected because I work in the performance hall and he manages the performance hall on campus,” Nielson said, “Throughout the Summer Research Institute, it was really fun to kind of, you know, again, talk about passion and interest.”

Students looking to apply for next year’s Summer Research Institute program can look for updates on their website.

Photo by Breanna Emmett

UIndy sophomore sociology major Chris Bush shows off just a few of several available flavors of his homemade lemonade products. Those looking to support Chris and his business can visit chrissyummynade.com or visit his instagram @chrissyummynade. last year, and is currently experimenting with the idea of promoting it in other states as well.

Headline Graphic by Hannah Hadley

“Last chance to dance” of the semester

UIndy class hosts ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Night’ with eight different bands from Rock Garage Music Center

By Allison Cook PHOTO EDITOR

UIndy Public Relations Student Society of America and Promotions and Events Planning class (COMM 518) students planned and organized a “Rock ‘n’ Roll Night”featuring eight different bands from Rock Garage, according to an April 8 email from Student Affairs.The event took place in the Enders Engagement Center on the second floor of the Schwitzer Student Center on April 11, according to the email, and brought UIndy students, faculty, staff and community members for a night of live rock music. Rock Garage is a center for music lessons for guitar, bass, drums, ukulele, mandolin, banjo and vocals for people ages 11 to 77, and is located in Indianapolis, according to their website.

Junior communication major Emma Foutz and senior psychology major Jezalyn Hyzer are both a part of the graduate-level Events Planning class and they helped with running the event. Hyzer said the event was a success, as the organizers were originally hoping for 50 people to come out to the performance, but over 100 people attended. Hyzer’s role in the event was to be a delegator and oversee the operations of the night, she said. According to Hyzer it took the class a few weeks to coordinate everything for the event.

“We’ve been working on this for about a month or so now … I think this event had a great turnout,” Hyzer said. “It was so relaxing to watch everybody, especially people who aren’t from campus. We had some outside-of-campus people come in, and they really enjoyed it. They loved UIndy, looking at everything in Schwitzer, and just experiencing a college campus again.”

Foutz said her role in the event was serving as a liaison and mediator between the UIndy PRSSA chapter and COMM 518 since she is a part of both groups, as well as working on designs and promotional information. She said after the success of Rock ‘n’ Roll Night, attendees approached her asking if this is something that happens annually on campus. She hopes that UIndy will continue to work with student groups to put on more events like the rock concert.

“People love music, and concerts and things like that. I would definitely want to see it on campus more,” Foutz said. “Many people came out … and they were just like, ‘Wow, UIndy doesn’t really do this sort of thing.’ It was really fun to see everyone. Getting that sort of feedback is like, we’re going to try to do this again.”

The connection between UIndy and Rock Garage came from the Director of Graduate Studies in Public Relations and professor of COMM 518 Ray Begovich. Begovich said he has been a part of Rock Garage with the band “Pay-to-Play” as a bassist since October after taking up the hobby two years ago. As a favor to Begovich being one of Rock Garage’s

students, he said the event was at no cost to the university or the department out of the music program’s generosity. Experiential learning experiences can be hard to find at times outside of the communication department’s applied classes, according to Begovich, so it was exciting to have the opportunity to work with Rock Garage on this event. He also said working with the university’s Event Services and Student Affairs was a huge help with the night.

“The university is set up to support and encourage these kinds of learning activities,” Begovich said. “We couldn’t have done this without Event Services and Student Affairs. Because of that strong infrastructure we have here, we’re able to pull these kinds of things off at what I think is a pretty high level.”

Begovich said one of his students phrased the event as “the last chance to dance” for the 2024 Spring semester. Though the event was not a big concert tour, he said he was glad that attendees enjoyed being at the performance and that his student’s work had paid off.

“It was kind of nice, at least for the students, who were there to just kind of relax for a little bit and have fun. But more important, to see their creation coming to fruition,” Begovich said. “It’s a really complicated thing to bring in all the gear and eight different bands and to make sure everything moves right now. It’s not a big, mega kind of concert tour or a big deal. You know, we’re just upstairs in the student center. But even on that scale, the same amount of planning is involved … and you know,with no budget, it was pretty amazing.”

his abilities, so to see him jam out on stage was an awesome experience for not only her but for all of Begovich’s students who attended the performance. Foutz said she appreciated seeing her professor’s hobbies in action, as he has only ever brought his bass into class one time to show off a few riffs.

“To see him [Begovich] in the band that he’s been talking about all year actually perform, it was so cool,” Foutz said. “Especially just to see a professor engage in his own hobbies. It was really awesome.”

Hyzer, Foutz and Begovich said having events such as Rock ‘n’ Roll Night is important to the campus community, especially during this time of the year. According to Foutz, it is important to have a break from everything amid the chaos of the end of second semester.

“April is the hardest month for college students,” Foutz said. “Everything ramps up. There are so many exams and papers and everything and so, just one night to sit, listen to good music, and be with your friends and family relieves you a little bit of that stress. By having three hours to just

According to Foutz and Hyzer, seeing Begovich perform in “Pay-to-Play” was something that they really enjoyed during the event. Hyzer said that Begovich often downplays

Hyzer said that being able to step away from responsibilities for a little bit to support the community while having fun is important to

“These events provide a great distraction. I think we get so caught up in our heads about everything that we’ve got to do and how much stress is on us,” said Hyzer. “I think that fun events like this where there’s no learning, there’s no kind of alternative motive but to just have fun and enjoy it … just kind of sit and chill out, and e let your body feel the music. I think it’s so therapeutic.”

UIndy performs local playwright’s ‘2 p.m. in Faith, Nebraska’

By Olivia Cameron ONLINE EDITOR

The University of Indianapolis Theatre Company held seven performances of a play entitled “2 p.m. in Faith, Nebraska,” according to UIndy 360. Performances ran from April 4-6 and 11-13 in the Studio Theatre.

Written by KT Peterson, the play is about strange, unexplained events that bring conflict and chaos to the small town of Faith.

Assistant Professor of Theatre

Grant Williams, who directed the play, said he billed the play as a “local writers series,” as Peterson is an Indianapolis-based playwright. She has also taught at UIndy as an adjunct

faculty member, he said. “I wanted to highlight local writers with at least one play this year to promote the work being done locally in theater,” Williams said. “So I found this play just via her [Peterson], and I wanted to do her work. The play— it’s a comedy, it’s whimsical. It’s pretty funny. It’s very light-hearted, but it’s also about smalltown life. It’s about belief. Not necessarily belief in a deity, but belief in humanity, connections between friends and family.” According to Williams, Peterson’s play only required three actors, but he did not want to only cast three students in one play. He decided to cast six people who all play multiple characters in the show, essentially having two casts that he mixed and matched with. Williams said it was a lot to juggle because he

had to work around student schedules, but it was also the best part of working on the show.

“I’d say what was rewarding about that [the casting] was just the richness and variety that each of the actors brought to the show,” Williams said. “And how depending on which actor was in which role, it almost felt like a different piece, and it was really a fun challenge for the actors and really fun as a director to see that come together.”

One of the cast members, freshman pre-art therapy and studio art major Rachel Bush said she has been doing theater since sixth grade, but had only done community theater until this year. According to Bush, she had one main role but played four characters in total. The characters she enjoyed performing

the most were Dodge, a sheriff, and Mr. Glorious, a preacher. “I really love Dodge because he’s the sheriff of the town and he’s kind of crazy,” Bush said. “But my favorite is probably Mr. Glorious, who is kind of a satirical take on the very showy preachers who go crazy when they’re preaching and are kind of narcissistic in a way, and they feel very inauthentic. He’s just a really fun one to play because he almost does have some authenticity to him, but he’s just such a big character.” Bush said working with the show’s many special effects was new to her. According to Williams, it was fun and stressful to put the effects together. The actors who were not on stage would be behind the scenes making sure the

show went on, he said.

“A lot of the student members of the cast or other students in UIndy Theatre really helped me put them [the effects] all together so it worked and functioned on stage.,” Williams said. “So I definitely cannot take credit for all of it. I had some major ideas to get it started, but they kind of fine-tuned it.”

While it was a little overwhelming at times, Bush enjoyed working on the show, she said. Her favorite part was working with the other people involved in the production.

“I came into the Theatre Department as a non-major and a freshman, so I knew no one, but they’ve all been really welcoming,” Bush said. “I feel like I fit in so well with all of them and they’ve made it just a really fun experience.”

Eclipse orchestra piece debuted at UIndy

By Olivia Hogsett STAFF WRITER

The Ronen Chamber Ensemble performed two pieces in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center for a special program designed to coincide with the solar eclipse, according to UIndy 360. The first piece was Olivier Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time,” written while the composer was a POW in World War II. The other piece was the world premiere of “Quartet for the Great North American Eclipse,” composed by Composer for the Ronen Chamber Ensemble concert, Active Board Member for the Ronen Chamber Ensemble and UIndy graduate Luke Garrigus. Garrigus said the artistic directors for the Ronen Chamber Ensemble are Greg Martin, Jayna Park, Alistair Howlett and Jennifer Christen. They were also some of the featured performers at the concert.

According to Artistic Director of the Ronen Chamber Ensemble Greg Martin, the Ronen Chamber Ensemble was created by David and Ingrid Thelman around 40 years ago. According to Chair of the Music Department and Professor of Music Rebecca Sorley, the Ronen Chamber Ensemble is a chamber music organization that has been performing at UIndy for the past three or four years.

Many of the board members of the Roman Ensemble are UIndy professors, and Martin said one of his favorite parts of the ensemble was being able to rehearse, converse and get to know the other people he was playing with.

“It was cool for us to get to play the four of us together,” Martin said.

“The instrument combination, right, is a flute, an oboe, a violin, and a piano. So there’s not a whole lot of music written for that combination.

So, to have something written for us where the four of us could actually play together was pretty cool.”

According to another one of the Artistic Director of the Ronen Chamber Ensemble Jennifer Christen, when they programmed the concerts last year, they did not realize that it was going to be around the time of the eclipse. Garrigus took it as an opportunity to write something original.

the rehearsals with members of the ensemble and was able to communicate with individual members of the ensemble and sort of craft the parts specifically for the players… I really wanted to write something that was really energetic, hopeful, like a joyful explosion of sounds and colors.”

Garrigus said the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall is one of his favorite venues. He said he has always wanted to write something for the Ronen Chamber Ensemble, even before being a member of their board. He said he was a huge fan of theirs and would go to all of their concerts.

After experiencing the eclipse, it was fitting... to have this music”

According to Garrigus, it was a really big moment for him in his compositional journey to finally hear them perform one of his pieces.

“They asked me about writing something for that date and I was looking that date up and I happened to realize that it was the same day as the solar eclipse,” Garrigus said.

“So I found inspiration in the idea of writing a piece that would sort of imitate the imagery, the feelings and the pacing of a solar eclipse. I was able to sit in on a couple of

“It was wonderful,” Sorley said. “It was very well attended. And the quartet for “The End of Time” is notoriously a very, very difficult work, and it was very beautifully done. And after experiencing the eclipse, it was just so fitting to be able to have this music that was related to the eclipse.” Christen said both of the musical pieces were very difficult to play.

Christen said that because of the way that the pieces are written, they took a lot of rehearsal time.

According to Christen, they are both difficult in similar ways and it took some time to let things sink in.

“He’s [Garrigus] pretty fresh out of college,” Martin said. “He went to Butler for his master’s degree.

And he said part of the reason why he wrote it so hard was because he said he’d never gotten to write for people at the level of Jen [Christen].

So he wanted to write something where he could flex his muscles a little more in a way that you can’t when it’s people

that are still learning their instruments, so to speak… I have been told by people that they think that Jen is the greatest oboe player in North America, in the United States.”

According to Christen, the next season for the Ronen Chamber Ensemble is in the works, and they love to get to know their audience members after the concerts. Christen said for more information and to keep up-todate with future events, people can visit their website.

Photo by Allison Cook

Director of Graduate Studies in Public Relations Ray Begovich jams out on the bass guitar with the band “Pay-to-Play” at Rock ‘n’ Roll Night in the Enders Engagement Space.

Photo by Allison Cook Musicians from the Ronen Chamber Ensemble perform in Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center on April 8. The program included music centered around the solar eclipse.

Graphic by Olivia Cameron

Caitlin Clark talks about her expectations with Indiana Fever

By Peter Sblendorio NEW YORK DAILY NEWS (TNS)

Excitement for Caitlin Clark’s WNBA arrival continues to reach a fever pitch.

The Indiana Fever on Wednesday rolled out an actual red carpet for the newly minted No. 1 overall draft pick and introduced her at a packed press conference at Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Coliseum.

Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and head coach Rick Carlisle were among those who greeted Clark at her new home arena, where she previewed a bright future for the Fever and the WNBA.

“I expect big [crowd] numbers this summer,” Clark said, reacting to a WNBA draft watch party in Indy that 6,000 people attended.

“People couldn’t be more excited about where this organization is going, the people that are on this roster and the potential, but also just women’s basketball in general. People know it’s special. People know this draft class was special, the talent level across the board. I think it’s just going to continue to elevate the league.” Clark, 22, arrives after a historic four-year career at Iowa, where she set the NCAA’s all-time scoring mark, led her Hawkeyes to backto-back appearances in the national championship game, and repeatedly set viewership records along the way.

She joins a Fever franchise located about five hours from Iowa’s campus in Iowa City, and about seven hours from her hometown of West Des Moines.

“I was hoping that Indiana got the first pick,” Clark said. “When I saw that, I was pretty excited. Obviously,

that’s not every single reason of why I wanted to leave and be done with college. I was just ready for a new challenge and something new in my life. Felt like I kind of had done everything at Iowa that I possibly could, and we did a lot of amazing things, but to be able to come here and stay in the Midwest … you can’t script it any better.”

Clark could have returned for a fifth year at Iowa due to the NCAA’s COVID-19 waiver for the 2020-21 season, but she decided to go pro instead, ending on a high note after leading the country with 31.6 points and 8.9 assists per game as a senior.

Her selection atop Monday’s draft in Brooklyn headlined a much-hyped event in which Los Angeles drafted Stanford’s Cameron Brink at No. 2 and Chicago added stars with championship pedigree in South

Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso at No. 3 and LSU’s Angel Reese at No. 7. Clark, a 6-foot guard with seemingly limitless range, now teams up in Indiana with 6-5 forward Aliyah Boston, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft and the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year.

“It’s not all about me,” Clark said. “It’s not everything I have to do, and when I’ve been able to understand that, that’s allowed me to play my best. I think it’s just using your resources, asking questions, knowing everything’s not going to be perfect, and giving myself a little grace. I’m definitely a perfectionist, but I’m at my best when I allow myself to have a little grace and not expect everything to go exactly as it should.”

©2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Dining from Page 1

a much more developed relationship with Stephano’s leadership. It was one of his goals when he was elected president to really branch out into the community and help give the students a voice, especially to certain programs that really affect student life every day, dining being one of them.”

With the student government

election for the 2024-25 academic year underway, Hogle said he hopes to continue being a liaison between SGA and UIndy Dining, regardless of who is elected. He said dining and food quality are vital pieces of building a community on campus, and he is committed to helping this process. Hogle said he encourages students to

reach out to SGA or to UIndy Dining if they have issues or questions they want to be addressed. He said he is working on creating a Google Form for students to give constructive feedback and complaints, so UIndy Dining they can work through the issues together and create a better community.

Dugan said UIndy Dining has a QR Code and a texting app for students to interact with dining staff regularly and directly, but that SGA can also serve as a point of contact. She said because there are so many avenues for students to voice their opinions and concerns, she hopes dining will become a more involved part of campus life.

Ivy Tech offers free college credit

Apr. 18—INDIANAPOLIS —

Indiana high school students can get a head start on earning college credits for free this summer from Ivy Tech Community College.

For the fourth year, Ivy Tech's 19 campuses across the state will off er free tuition and textbooks to all eligible Indiana high school students.

"Whether high school students are just starting to pursue college credit, almost finished with the Indiana College Core, or somewhere in between, Ivy Tech can help them explore their career options while saving time and money toward a credential of value," said Dr. Sue Ellspermann, president, Ivy Tech Community College. "As Indiana's talent pipeline, Ivy Tech recognizes that summer is a great time to help students pursue in-demand careers. We're proud to offer free summer courses to students in our communities across the state so they can get a jump start on their college and career goals."

To enroll in free summer courses at Ivy Tech, students must be Indiana residents at any high school in the state — including eighth graders entering ninth grade in the fall, graduating seniors, homeschool students, and students at adult high schools.

Students who qualify for free summer courses will receive free tuition and textbooks. Courses are available from Ivy Tech's more than 70 academic programs designed for Indiana's high-wage, indemand jobs.

Many courses are included in the state's Core Transfer Library, which ensures students can transfer their credits to public in-state institutions and most private and out-of-state institutions.

Offering free summer courses is part of a series of Ivy Tech initiatives aimed at increasing college going rates of youth and young adults in Indiana. Research finds students who earn college credit while in high school are more likely to enroll in college, stay enrolled in college until they graduate, and complete a credential or degree on time or early.

In addition to offering free summer courses, Ivy Tech is the state's leading awarder of dual credit and the Indiana College Core, a block of 30 credit hours of general education coursework that is guaranteed to transfer between all public state colleges and universities, as well as some private institutions.

Interested students and their families can learn more about how to enroll in the program at IvyTech.edu/FreeCourses.

(c)2024 the Greensburg Daily News (Greensburg, Ind.)

Visit the Greensburg Daily News (Greensburg, Ind.) at www.

Service-learning project hosts dance

Students work towards UIndy's motto of "Education for Service" and partner with Brave Youth Program

By Michael Harrington

EDITOR program,” Orkmon said. “ is dance is to help their community come together, which is why we're doing it as a part of the class too. It’s to help their kids have fun and we plan it. ey have more sta ff that are our age, but as college students in our first year, we give more community service.”

Students at the University of Indianapolis are currently working to help support children in Indianapolis education programs through their Center for Service-Learning & Community Engagement program. According to Hounds Connect, UIndy is currently involved with helping Brave, a before and after-school youth development program. e program works in elementary schools, according to Brave Youth Program, and o ff ers educational and community services for children.

According to the Center for ServiceLearning & Community Engagement, the center’s goal as an institution is to promote and support UIndy’s motto of “Education for Service” through offered courses. Freshman psychology major Shayla Orkmon said the collaboration with Brave began at the beginning of the semester, and they recently helped host a dance on April 20.

“For our group project, we are planning a dance for kids in their

Founder and CEO of Brave Mary Caldwell said the organization was founded in order to change the face of before- and after-school care. UIndy and Brave’s values in community service overlap, according to Caldwell, and she said she wanted to collaborate with UIndy due to the university’s ongoing impact on the Indianapolis community.

“I collaborated with UIndy because they do a lot of things when it comes to the community,” Caldwell said. “I read up and I go to di ff erent conventions … I saw how they worked with schools like Christel House, di ff erent schools that they partnered with and helped with the kids.” Caldwell said the student volunteers from UIndy are driven in part due to the encouragement they receive from their professors. e dance, which was held in the Health Pavilion, shows

the values shared between UIndy and Brave, according to Caldwell.

“We're family-driven,” Caldwell said. “ at's why we have a family dance and the ladies who are here for the service learning class put together the whole dance to show what they can do in the community with the help of others.”

According to Chief Operating O ffi cer of Brave Danielle Lehman, the dance was planned with the UIndy service-learning students a few weeks after they first met. Lehman said Brave met with UIndy students twice a week during the planning process for the dance.

We want to give these kids opportunities that all these other kids have..."

“Our first couple of weeks were more talking about service learning and the fundamentals of service learning, and why it's so important in a community

setting and in our school setting,” Lehman said. “After we got through that, then we started doing logistics and just meeting with the kids twice a week, going out into our community and finding partners to work with to band together and make this event for these kids.”

e dance was open to everyone from Brave members to community partners, Lehman said, and had several other activities as well. She said the proceeds will help raise funds to support children who rely on scholarships in intercity schools.

Caldwell said the UIndy students also worked directly with the children.

e students who worked with Brave were able to see the importance of volunteer work—especially in college, according to Caldwell.

“You were once those kids and when you grow up you kind of miss that,” Caldwell said. “When you are helping out in the community, especially when it involves kids, you can see how it was when you were a kid for people to come and help you and do things with you and do activities with you because it takes a village.”

According to Orkmon, this collaboration helped her get out of her comfort zone by interacting with the community. Orkmon said she would like to work with Brave in the future and likes how similar they are to UIndy. ey express themselves, they're more cooperative and they know how to just communicate with us,” Orkmon said. “I also like working with Brave because working with little kids instead of older [ones], and I think that's just more enjoyable.”

Lehman said college students have a special understanding of students who need help with scholarship assistance. is idea of giving back is what Brave is about, according to Lehman. “We want to give these kids opportunities that all these other kids have, but unfortunately some of our families just can't provide that,” Lehman said. “So it's important to understand the giving back process because some of us were born into circumstances where we haven't had to have those struggles, but they're definitely out there. at's the thing that we're trying to pass on to our participants.”

FEATURE

Photo by Sarah Stier

Caitlin Clark poses with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected as the frst overall pick by the Indiana Fever during the 2024 WNBA draft at Brooklyn Academy of Music on Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York City. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images/TNS)