Feb. 23, 2022 | The Reflector

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FEBRUARY 23, 2022

Bérénice Cleyet-Merle sets a new UIndy school, Division II, French National record in the mile

By Connor Mahoney

I broke the French record it would be like the cherry on top,” Cleyet-Merle STAFF WRITER said.

Additionally, she said she experienced Crossing the finish line in record nerves like everyone else, causing her time, graduate student Bérénice Cleyetto be waiting in anticipation for the Merle cemented her name in the French race. Cleyet-Merle said the race was national record books with the fastest always at the forefront of her thoughts, time for the mile. On Feb. 11, Cleyetdriving her towards success.

Merle broke the French mile record “When the gun goes off, she is able along with the Indoor Division II record to clear her mind and just go,” Robinson in Boston. Cleyet-Merle recorded a said. “She doesn't let other distractions, time of 4:31.99, which solidified other thoughts come in; [she] trust[s] her national achievement in France. her instincts from a mental standpoint Laying it all out on the track, she said and allows herself to do what she does that she did not believe she broke best.” the record until she saw her exact time.

The Saint-Sulpice-Des-Rivoires, “My coach came to me and was like, France native added these records on ‘Oh, you did it,’ so that’s when I realized I top of ones she had already achieved. wanted to know my With various exact time,” Cleyetachievements in Merle said. “It was a DII and University ... if I broke the French relief because I was of Indianapolis so stressed a week record it would be like the r e c o r d b o o k s , before, I couldn't Cleyet-Merle is no cherry on top." sleep.” stranger to writing Cle yet-Mer le her name in the took her talents to books in a variety of Boston where she raced against top running events at UIndy. According to Division I athletes and Olympic runners.

UIndy Athletics, Cleyet-Merle already Track and Field Assistant Head Coach holds records as a part of the distance Brad Robinson said Boston has one medley relay (DMR), in the the 800 of the fastest tracks in the country and in the 3K. Robinson said there is a where top runners get an opportunity plethora of attributes that makes Cleyetto showcase their talents. Cleyet-Merle Merle the runner she is. took this opportunity to write her name “I think for her physically, she's atop the mile record in French track and incredibly efficient with her form, field history. which allows her to operate at a very “The woman who won the race just high level,” Robinson said. “But more competed in the Olympics this past than that from the physicality, she’s year in Tokyo,” Robinson said. “She dialed in her racing ability so well, with [the woman] just missed the finals in the level of competition she's been able the Olympics.” to experience at this point in her life, Cleyet-Merle finished ninth in she is very good at attacking, particularly the race, however, she still had an the last half of the race and putting incredible time resulting in an indoor herself in position to win.”

Division II record and ultimately the Surprisingly, Cleyet-Merle said she French national record. Cleyet-Merle did not truly kickstart her running said one of the main reasons for career in France until high school. At heading to Boston was to shatter the time, she participated in cross records; a national record was not in country skiing and Nordic skiing. her sights.

Initially, she did not enjoy the idea of “I wanted to break the collegiate running. record, the DII record first … and if “We had a race for our school every

Photo by Jacob Walton

UIndy Graduate Student Track and Field distance runner Berenice Cleyet-Merle leads in the mile in the ARC at the Winter Break Meet.

She routinely supports her teammates working as a 'rabbit,' which gives her teammates a pacer to follow in hopes of setting PR's.

year [and] I was always winning this, so my dad was like ‘Alright you need to give it a shot,’” Cleyet-Merle said.

After blooming late in her track career, Cleyet-Merle now finds herself focusing on the Track and Field National Championship at Pittsburg State University in Kansas. Robinson said she is planning on running the mile along with the DMR on March 11 and 12. In the future, Cleyet-Merle stated that she is looking to leave her mark on an even bigger stage by working towards the World Championships.This historic event is to be played in the

United States and potentially in Oregon, Robinson said. “[We are] trying to get her to the point where she hits the time standard to be on the list to go,” Robinson said.

“Then hopefully proving herself to the French Federation to be selected and sent to the World Championships,” Although Cleyet-Merle said she is currently focusing on the national and world championships, she is continuing to progress towards her dream of competing in the Olympics.

Robinson said Cleyet-Merle’s potential professional abilities have impacted the

program now and possibly in the future in terms of recruiting. “ We haven’t had too many international athletes before Berenice, [she has] really been the tipping point of getting it all started for us from an international level,” Robinson said.

“School records are one thing, we've had those and those are awesome to see … but to see somebody not only break their school record, but to break the DII national record and then on top of that, the French national record definitely took it to another level.”

ResLife creates jobs admist RD turnover

By Anika Yoder

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Over the past two years, Resident Assistants (RA) and residence hall management have had to adjust to the developments following COVID-19, and the continuation of in-person Residence Life (ResLife) activity has led to the creation of the position of Desk Assistant. Resident Directors have been seeing a turnover with positions still open to cover two out of the seven residence halls, Assistant Director of Residence Life in University Lofts Robbie Williford said.

Williford said the creation of the Desk Assistant position on campus has allowed for any gaps in RA schedules to be filled in at hall front desks. He said the role was initiated in the fall after an uptick in crime, and the position was created to fill in space throughout the week and especially on the weekends to maintain coverage at the halls. Prior to the position being filled, residence desks would be empty a lot of the time throughout the day and with no RA to check student ID, opportunities were

created for anyone not affiliated with campus to come in behind those living in residence halls, Williford said.

“So it was really a sort of a minor security reason why it was created. The other thing is, it created jobs for people on campus,” Williford said.

WILLIFORD Senior Associate Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator Jessica Ward said after hearing from students, figuring out what the housing department could do to make buildings more secure and more staffed included extending desk hours to increase coverage and creating the Desk Assistant. She said the Desk

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Assistant will cover more weekend desk hours as well.

“I think the Desk Assistant position also is a wonderful asset,” Ward said. “Helping people understand the residence halls so that in the future, my hope is that people become Desk Assistants and they're like, ‘You know what, maybe I do want to be an RA’ because they understand some of that aspect too. Because they're doing some of the things an RA does.”

Adjustments this school year for ResLife include Resident Director (RD) turnover, which Williford said is a result of RDs leaving for different jobs or to be closer to family. Ward said the position of Resident Director is an entry-level position, and all but one of the RDs on staff have worked in housing as professional staff members and all current RDs were hired to campus last July.

Apartment Community Assistant and senior psychology major Abra Dzaye said Resident Director turnover was a result of a lot of people leaving during the pandemic to pursue other careers. She said RDs wanting to do something else and not maintain the same responsibilities throughout the

year was another factor in RDs leaving.

Dzaye said to add to the situation on campus with hiring RDs, those who wish to apply must fill the requirement of having a masters degree.

“That can limit who is coming into the position,” Dzaye said. “That's one big

WARD reason why some of the dorms don't have [RDs], but they're working hard on that and I'm pretty sure they’re trying to find ways to fill those positions.”

Some RAs at the beginning of the pandemic during the school year were not able to get back to their homes once COVID-19 took effect and international

students as well were not able to return with travel restrictions, Ward said.

“So you just got all these intricacies that when you put a pandemic on top of it, it makes it so much worse,” Ward said. “Because you're also then worried about your family getting COVID[-19], especially when we didn't have a vaccine.”

COVID-19 is a big question mark at all times, according to Williford.

Every spring, the department goes into a recruitment season where new professional staff are recruited, and Williford said the amount of students and staff that have applied is encouraging. He said he is eager to see how COVID-19 will impact staffing and the more people wear masks and comply with guidelines, the better it is for campus.

“There's a good number of people that have applied for the student staff positions for next academic year. Then in the coming weeks, I imagine we'll start recruitment for our professional staff positions that are open for next academic year,” said Williford. “I'm not sure what the plan would be for the year between now and next academic year for the open positions, but I'm eager to see how COVID[-19] is gonna impact that."

POST GRADUATION HOUSE HUNT

SOFTBALL IN TOP POSITION

JAZZ COMBO NIGHT

Why finding somewhere to live after college is difficult right now and resources for getting through the renting or buying process.

The UIndy Softball team was selected to top the 2022 Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason coaches’ poll.

Jazz Night at Books & Brews South Indy allows UIndy jazz students to gain real performing experience while engaging with other musicians

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OPINION

2 THE REFLECTOR

Finding housing in 2022

By Justus O’Neil

MANAGING EDITOR As a newly engaged graduating senior, I have been scouring the greater Indianapolis area for housing for nearly six months to avoid moving back in with my parents right out of college.

Unfortunately, with my budget and the current housing market, I have had no success finding affordable housing as a potential renter and buyer. The internet has been a great resource for my search where I have used websites, such as Zillow, Realtor, Trulia and Redfin. However, the homes that I see one week seem to disappear before the next, and in some cases are only on the market for a few hours before being marked as sold. The difficulty of finding housing is something that many university students are able to avoid by living on campus, but for those that choose to live off campus and those who are graduating, this problem can put undue stress on top of things like job searching.

Over the past six months, I have

been primarily using Zillow to do my the case and if the housing market home searching, as they have a great will rebound sooner rather than later. user interface and it functions as an allAccording to the Home Buying Institute in-one platform for both renting and (HBI), there are two reasons why it is buying. While I would love to settle so hard to find a starter home. Their down and buy a home, the turn over reasoning includes a decline in singlefor the listings on Zillow has been so family home construction, as well as a rapid that I have expanded my search reluctance to sell due to the COVID-19 to potential rental properties as well. pandemic. Compared to the housing According to RENTCafe, 45% of market in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s when households in Indianapolis are rentersmall homes (1,400 square feet or less) occupied and 54% made up 40% of new are owner-occupied. home construction, The website also similarly sized Bide your time, bite the shows the average homes now only rent in Indianapolis “rent bullet” for another six make up 7% of new at $1,020 as of Oct. home construction. months and hope.

2021, which is just HBI states that over $500 cheaper there was also a than the national surge in homeaverage. According to the website, only buying following the beginning of the 13% of the rental properties are listed COVID[-19] pandemic because people between $500 and $700. On top of this felt the need for more space and homes data, Rentdata.org states that the size better equipped for working at home. of homes and apartments being rented Throughout the pandemic, especially in the $500-$700 range only includes during the three-semester period where studio apartments and one bedroom I strictly took online classes, I spent apartments and homes. nearly all of my time in my own home.

I began to ask myself why this is So I can understand why people might

want to focus more on what they have rather than searching for a new home.

Unfortunately, this has left first-time home buyers, such as myself, without much to choose from or anything at all.

According to another HBI article, the national inventory fell to about 923,000 homes nationwide, marking a national record low. As of right now, us first-time home buyers need to be patient and persistent, according to HBI. As I scroll through Zillow on my phone almost every afternoon, I try to keep myself from imagining how great it would be to move in, and instead try to refine my taste in homes. I would encourage first-time buyers to narrow down your needs from your wants, not in an effort to settle for something less than perfect, but so that when the house or apartment of your dreams surfaces, you will be ready to jump at the opportunity when it presents itself. If you are still struggling to find what you are looking for, then opting for a short term lease might be the best choice. Bide your time, bite the “rent bullet” for another six months and hope.

Graphic by Jazlyn Gomez

'Euphoria' and Generation Z The popular HBO series accurately represents the teens growing up online

By Olivia Cameron OPINION EDITOR

The HBO drama “Euphoria,” created and written by Sam Levinson, is currently one of the most viewed and talked about television series. As reported by Forbes, the premiere of season two on Jan. 9 garnered 13.1 million viewers across both the HBO channel and its streaming service HBO Max. During the week of Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, the series was mentioned 79,000 times on Twitter, and the number of engagements, calculated by combining the number of tweets, retweets, likes and hashtags, was 651,000, according to Variety’s Trending TV chart. In comparison, the second most trending show on the chart, “All of Us Are Dead” on Netflix, had a total of 328,000 engagements.

The series follows junior and senior students at the fictional East Highland High School in California. One of the main characters, and the narrator, Rue Bennett (Zendaya), is a 17-year-old drug addict navigating sobriety and relationships with her peers and family.

While Rue is the protagonist, the series features many main characters with their own unique storylines. Rue’s best friend and love interest, Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer), is a transgender woman exploring her sexuality and gender expression. Maddy Perez (Alexa

Demie) and Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney) are both struggling with romantic relationships and battling inner demons. Nate Jacobs ( Jacob Elordi) has serious issues stemming from his father’s own toxic masculinity and

insecurity, resulting in him being one of the biggest, and potentially worst, villains in the series. These are just a handful of all the characters that the series covers.

They are all facing issues that teens have been dealing with for decades, including Generation Z. Although, “Euphoria” brings a new perspective when looking at these issues because it is able to accurately capture how teens deal with their problems now that the internet and social media are a part of everyday life.

The popularity of “Euphoria” comes down to how relatable it is for this generation of teens and young adults.

IndieWire writes that,“‘Euphoria’ is about teens who grow up online. It shows how a generation lives and learns via an unfiltered, constantly accessible internet, which is a reality past generations didn’t go through.” Personally, I have yet to see a show that portrays growing up with the internet as well as “Euphoria” does.

Usually when TV shows and movies, such as “Riverdale” or “He’s All That,” portray modern teenagers and young adults, I find myself cringing. Teens are always rolling their eyes at their parents and using internet slang in casual conversation.

Young adults are using dating apps

while at work and taking pictures of their “trendy” clothes for Instagram.This portrayal usually reinforces the idea that young people are self absorbed and silly, and they were made that way by their phones. “Euphoria” doesn’t explicitly blame its characters' problems on social media, and it shouldn’t. Instead, it focuses on their backstories and how personal relationships have affected them. But, it’s all within the context of growing up in Generation Z. The complications that growing up in the age of social media adds to other issues are portrayed in a sympathetic and honest way. In season one, Jules uses dating apps to connect with older men as a way to give herself a sense of validation that she didn’t receive from her mother as a child. Cassie is pressured by her boyfriend into taking inappropriate photos of herself and texting them to him, which she agrees to because she seeks the love that she lost when her father abandoned her family. The character Kat (Barbie Ferreira) tries to define her identity and find confidence, something she has struggled with because of her body type, by making online videos of

herself in revealing clothing that men pay for.

All of these examples do not portray the internet in a good light, and they are not supposed to. What makes “Euphoria” so refreshing to me is that these girls

are not portrayed as unintelligent and weak for doing these things. Instead, the viewer is left with a deep sadness for these girls and the lengths they feel that they have to go to for validation and love. Hence the title “Euphoria,” these teens are chasing the quick high in real life that the internet can bring them through likes, comments and instant messages. I speak from personal experience when I say that growing up on the internet and with access to social media leads to a lot of insecurity. When you are constantly seeing pictures of other people and reading comments on their posts telling them how beautiful and amazing they are, it makes you crave that.

When you are constantly seeing pictures of people with nice things and going on extravagant trips, it makes you crave that.

It only makes it worse when you’re also young, impressionable, figuring out who you are and how you want others to see you, dealing with family issues, etcetera.

While “Euphoria,” like any TV series, is not without its issues, I believe that it will continue to be popular for years to come. And with the recent announcement that the series will have a third season, I’m confident that viewers will continue to connect with the characters’ developing stories. Its in-depth portrayal of the issues that the youth of today are facing is the first of its kind. Hopefully, writers will take notes from Levinson’s understanding and empathy for Generation Z. Graphics by Olivia Cameron

FEBRUARY 23, 2022

Dealing with stress caused by COVID

By Lindsey Wormuth EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Three years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic began, and we are still dealing with it and the effects it has had on all of us. It’s often uncomfortable to talk about the mental health aspect of the pandemic’s impacts. People are still trying to figure out what to do to overcome the struggles that the pandemic has brought. When it first started, I wasn’t seriously affected by it and I just went on with having to do school online. Although, it did start to get tough because everything was online and using certain resources, such as a tutor or going to one of the writing labs, weren’t as easy when COVID-19 started. I was not available.

I feel like one downfall I have experienced since COVID-19 started is being unable to focus. Since my whole first semester of college was completely online, I have had to constantly stare at screens. I found myself having to take brain breaks to be able to focus. According to Edutopia, taking 10 to 15 minute brain breaks can help you reset, allowing you to focus even more. Those breaks are important because it can help you prevent yourself from getting overwhelmed with the work you are doing.

With the lowering of restrictions regarding the virus this semester, it has allowed me to get back on track to where I would like to be with my grades. Not only do I use brain breaks as a part of my routine, but I also make set times where I work on something so I make sure it gets finished. I am able to sit myself down and give myself an hour or two to finish a couple of assignments that are important. This helps me prioritize the things I absolutely need to get done.

Being surrounded by people who have fun is also a thing I have been able to do to reduce my stress. I plan a fun weekend and have something to look forward to after being stressed about the pandemic in general. Whether it is planning to go somewhere that isn’t heavily populated or simply having a game night and watching a movie, being able to enjoy the weekend with people who are fun helps me become less stressed about everything crazy going on in the world.

Another thing that makes it easier to focus and be less stressed is to be active. I run everyday and it helps with my concentration because that’s where I get all of my energy out. After I do the physical activity, I am able to be calm and work on my homework. According to HelpGuide, exercising releases endorphins in the brain, and physical activity helps to relax the muscles, as well as relieve tension in the body. Being active in any way can help reduce stress from school and how school has changed due to the virus.

The advice I would give to people that are struggling in school because of the pandemic is that it will all get better. I wish someone would have told me that a year ago when I was struggling in school and with my grades. I felt like no one thought it was going to get better, and that's why that is the advice I want to give. Another piece is that you shouldn’t be scared to ask for help, whether that is with school or with your mental health. There are going to be plenty of other people who are struggling with the same things you are. There are always resources out there that can help you. The University of Indianapolis offers counseling and other mental health resources that you can find on their website. No matter how long the pandemic goes on for, there will always be resources that you can use to cope with the stress.

Graphic by Jazlyn Gomez

NEWS THE REFLECTOR

BSA hosts dinner for Black excellence

By Giselle Valentin SPORTS EDITOR

To celebrate Black History Month, the University of Indianapolis’ Black Student Association (BSA) will be hosting a Black Excellence Dinner on Feb. 24 at the Enders Engagement Center, according to BSA President and junior theatre and psychology major Kelli Thomas. She said they have hosted the dinner in years prior, but due to COVID-19, they missed a few years. But now with more people back on campus, Thomas said she hopes they can represent African American culture more.

“We wanted to do something now that we have more people active on campus, and we just wanted to do something that represented the black population here as it has grown,” Thomas said.

Senior psychology major and Vice President of Project Regalia Shapira Lewis said BSA reached out to the group because both organizations consistently collaborate with each other. She said the whole experience working together was a positive one because everyone is learning from each other and growing together.

“We wanted to create something that we all could just come together, [...] a safe space for students of color who can go to our campus, they kind of have that support and resources,” Lewis said.

Senior Admissions Counselor for Diversity Recruitment CariAnn Freed was involved in the dinner’s planning.

Freed said because she works in the Office of Inclusion and Equity, she works frequently with BSA and wanted all groups to come together to create a huge event.

“We were doing work with the Black [Student] Union, so all of the black organizations [are] coming together and pouring some of their ideas and their concepts together to pull off Black History Month. That's where it came up is we need some help and some support in getting the Black Excellence Dinner to be the best that it can be,” Freed said.

The event will include a networking component where students will have the opportunity to meet with professionals in the job industry, Freed said. Following the networking portion, the dinner will feature conversation following the theme of Real Talk, Love, Life and Money.

Lewis said people should attend the event because it will be fun and interactive.

“Sometimes when there's events, you just go and you’re so used to sitting down and nothing’s happening,” Lewis said. “No, we like to bring the fun and interesting things in and get everybody involved and interacting with each other; music, food, it’s going to be good.”

Thomas said she hopes the event raises awareness to various resources that are available to African American students. She said the goal is to bring people together.

“I think it's very important because not a lot of students of color on campus are aware of the resources they have and the faculty that they could go to, because you don't see them necessarily every day and we don't have a large population of black students or black faculty,” Thomas said. “It's hard to identify someone that is similar to you, someone that you can relate to. It's really about relating, and someone who can kind of understand your struggle and your experience and help you and teach you some things that can help you on your journey as a student.”

Freed said having this event is important because it is an opportunity to not only highlight being African American, but rather be recognized for their contributions to the country.

“What's most important is that we're overcoming barriers no matter what, despite them being there and despite the world we live in not being set up for us, we're still overcoming and we're still producing incredible things and contributing in incredible ways," Freed said.

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3 FEBRUARY 23, 2022

Student creates petition Freshman develops online petition regarding student concerns on campus

By Connor Mahoney STAFF WRITER

Looking for ways to improve freshman life in a new home at college, freshman and choral music education major Allyson Horvath created a petition on change.org to address student concerns such as issues in some of the residence halls on campus.

The traditional freshman residence halls at the University of Indianapolis include Cravens Hall and Warren Hall, while some freshmen live in other residence halls because they are members of Living Learning Communities (LLC).

The petition suggests a need for repairs

or updates in the residence halls, and given recent increases in university costs, Horvath said, she is seeking some clarity.

“Overall, I think a lot of students want to see where the money [tuition, room and board and student fees] is going, especially because the dorms are in such need of improvement,” Horvath said.

According to Horvath, many of the residence halls have had recent problems in terms of cleanliness and hot water. Vice President for Student and Campus Affairs and Dean of Students Kory Vitangeli said these concerns were addressed and that she met with Horvath to discuss these problems and ways the university will resolve them. She said the university will handle any issues

that persist.

“Whenever there are concerns in the residence halls … we immediately have facilities come out and check it many times,” Vitangeli said. “[Sometimes], there are outside contractors that need to come in to repair things . . . . If a student just doesn’t feel comfortable staying in the room, then we will work with them to change rooms.”

Vitangeli said the university is looking to switch the furniture in Crowe Hall and Cory Bretz Hall to movable furniture, similar to that in Warrens Hall and Cravens Hall. She said there are plans to repair Warren Hall’s elevators during the summer.

“We work hard to make sure that we Any reports of mildew were taken care of as soon as the university was informed, according to Vitangeli.

Outlining Horvath’s petition OUT OF ORDER

OUT OF ORDER

Cory Bretz Hall’s showers were without hot water for two days.

There was no water for another two days.

Cory Bretz residents were told to walk to Crowe Hall to use their showers, increasing the number of residents using Crowe Hall’s showers.

This occurred after Winter Break, according to the petition.

Information provided by Ally Horvath’s “Hold the University of Indianapolis accountable, students deserve better” petition on change.org and Vice President for Student and Campus Affairs Dean of Students Kory Vitangeli

Graphic by Kiara Conley

are addressing concerns,” Vitangeli said.

“We are looking all the time at long-term facility needs for the residence halls across campus.”

Horvath also said she has discussed the need for the university to be more open about where funds are allocated.

She said she wants to see a plan put in place for the buildings.

“I am hoping for more open communication between administration and students—especially [about] where is our money going, what is the tuition [that is] being raised going towards?”

Horvath said.

Vitangeli said she is looking to address this issue in the future and wants to implement some better communication and has offered some solutions.

“I am happy to talk to our facilities director and figure out [a solution] … whether it's to host a forum or to publish something and say here is [what], every year, these are all the things we’re doing over the summer because that’s typically when we would do our capital projects,” Vitangeli said.

By creating the petition, Horvath said she provided students with an opportunity to share their thoughts in the comment section of her petition.

Students have also voiced their opinions through the comments under a post with a link to the petition Horvath made on the UIndy App. “It [the petition] has opened up an opportunity, especially with the comment section on the petition, for people to talk about the little things that have been happening,” Horvath said. “It's [the comments section on the petition] giving people a space to feel like their complaints are being heard.”

Students bring issues to light and have an impact, Vitangeli said. When students bring up the problems, she said, that helps let the administration know about any possible problems on campus.

“We are always looking for ways that we can garner student feedback …”

Vitangeli said, “then put that into what we are doing and where we are making changes for facilities improvement.”

14th annual Dance Marathon

By Molly Church

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR The University of Indianapolis will be holding its 14th annual Dance Marathon on Feb. 26 from 2-10 p.m. Last year, the event was set up differently due to COVID-19 guidelines, however, senior nursing major and Dance Marathon President Lauren Meadows said they are hoping to get the event back to normal this year.

Dance Marathon raised about $66,000 in the 2019-2020 school year, while they only raised about $42,000 last year, according to junior political science major and Dance Marathon Director of Morale Priscilla Garcia. She said they have a fundraising goal this year of around $66,000 to match the amount they raised two years ago. With the funds raised, half of it will go towards research for pediatric illnesses and the other half goes towards child life specialties, Meadows said.

Last year, students could only come for four hours and rotated between stations in Schwitzer Student Center, and Meadows said that a lot of the family and networking aspect that the event typically has was lost. This year, she said that they will go back to hosting the event in the Ruth Lilly Fitness Center, with social distancing and mask-wearing at all times.

“Our big push is that as much as we want to get together and have all the fun and go to pre-COVID[-19] … we have to be careful and still social distance and adjust things,” Meadows said. “But it's still important to have this event because ultimately, we're benefiting the kids at Riley…. If we don't have this event, they are also suffering because we're not able to provide as much fundraising for them.” number, which will be verified. Letters are subject to condensation and editing to remove profanity.

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Photo by Kiara Conley

2021 Dance Marathon attendees participate in a group dance. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, participants were required to follow the university's safety guidelines, and the event was offered for virtual attendance for those who were not comfortable in-person.

The event will include food, games, Garcia said. “Because we're listening to raffles, fundraising events and stories these stories, and how our money affects from children and families who have been them, and helps them out and all of that.” at Riley Hospital for Children, Meadows This year, the event has a maximum said. They have the whole gym reserved capacity of 150 people in the Ruth and decorated so Lilly Fitness Center. they can have a Garcia said that a big stage set up and goal of the Dance games around the Marathon is not We just want to provide basketball court just fundraising, but a fun and enjoyable area, Garcia said. to get more people She said that the involved in their atmosphere..."

Riley stories are a organization. She big part of the event said she hopes more w h e re f a m i l i e s people participate come and share their stories about this year since they are able to have a patients who are currently at the Riley larger capacity than last year.

Hospital for Children.

“Other goals, besides fundraising, “They're super important because our would probably be just for everyone to RSO [Registered Student Organization] have a great time, to definitely get people is affiliated with Riley Hospital for involved and to stay amongst our RSO Children … it gives us a whole reason as to for next year,” Garcia said. “You really why we're fundraising in the first place,” want to have good retention and have

more people come out this year so that they can see what an amazing event this is.”

Students are encouraged to come out to the Dance Marathon in order to learn more about the event and what it is about. Meadows said she wants this event to allow UIndy students to feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves, and she wants to have the event available to all the students and faculty. She said that everybody is welcome, and anyone who is considering coming should.

“Don't be afraid of the dance aspect of Dance Marathon. If you are interested in coming, we'd love to have you, anybody is more than welcome,” Meadows said.

“We just want to provide a fun and enjoyable atmosphere for everybody on campus. [It’s] a chance to meet some new people and do something that you normally wouldn't be able to do.”

STAFF DIRECTORY EDITORS / MANAGERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF...................JACOB WALTON • waltonja@uindy.edu MANAGING EDITOR.....................JUSTUS O’NEIL • oneilj@uindy.edu NEWS EDITOR.............KASSANDRA DARNELL • darnellk@uindy.edu SPORTS EDITOR...............GISELLE VALENTIN • valenting@uindy.edu OPINION EDITOR..............OLIVIA CAMERON • camerono@uindy.edu FEATURE EDITOR...............HALLIE GALLINAT • gallinath@uindy.edu ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR.....MOLLY CHURCH • churchm@uindy.edu ONLINE EDITOR.......................KIARA CONLEY • conleykf@uindy.edu PHOTO EDITOR.......MAKENNA MASCHINO • maschinom@uindy.edu ART DIRECTOR............................JAZLYN GOMEZ • gomezj@uindy.edu BUSINESS MANAGER..........................ALEX VELA • velaa@uindy.edu DISTRIBUTION MANAGER.........LOGAN WONG • wongla@uindy.edu ADVISER............................JEANNE CRISWELL • jcriswell@uindy.edu THE REFLECTOR • 1400 EAST HANNA AVENUE INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA 46227

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ANIKA YODER..............................yoderav@uindy.edu LINDSEY WORMUTH.................wormuthl@uindy.edu

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4

SPORTS

Ellie Lengerich Mania

THE REFLECTOR

FEBRUARY 23, 2022

Track freshman breaks three seperate records first year in track program

By Alex Vela

BUSINESS MANAGER For many college athletes, their f reshman year involves either red shirting or not seeing the field. But for University of Indianapolis track and field f reshman multi-athlete Ellie Lengerich, freshman year has involved her breaking a 14-year-old indoor high jump record, breaking a pentathlon record and being part of a school record-breaking distance medley relay team. Lengerich broke the high jump record in her first collegiate meet,jumping 1.75 meters in the 2021-2022 UIndy Season Opener Meet, according to UIndy Athletics.

Currently, Lengerich is listed as the fourth-ranked high jumper in Division II in the country and was named the GLVC Indoor Field Athlete of the Week after breaking that record during the week of Dec. 8, according to UIndy Athletics. Lengerich said being ranked that high is “awesome,” but she tries not to get a big head over it and focuses on trying to beat her personal records when she can.

“I was really worried about coming into college and competing,” Lengerich said. “Just getting into my own head and overthinking things, and doing that coming off of our first meet, it was a huge confidence booster and made me feel like I actually belong to be competing in college.”

L engerich said clearing 1.75 meters was a personal record as well.

She said high school meets measure jumps in feet and inches, so she had no idea what she was jumping when she transitioned to college.

“I actually told my coaches to

not tell me what the height was so she competes in, she makes it look easy.

I can just jump,” Lengerich said, He said even though this is Lengerich's “Because a lot of the time when I know first year at UIndy, she is someone who I’m getting that high, I get too much in is very fun to be around and easy going. my head. So I just try not to think about “S he’s a great person to be it and just jump.” around; she makes practices really Trace Oswalt, track and field multis fun,” Oswalt said. “She’s really focused coach and a former UIndy jumper during meets and is a good leader already himself, graduated in 2018 and had for the group, even though she’s so a part in recruiting Lengerich to young. We have a young group b e c om e a G re y h o u n d . O s w a l t anyways. It’s going to be a bright future said a former UIndy teammate of his was for the entire jumps group and the team an assistant coach at Lengerich’s high overall.” school, East Central, and told Oswalt L engerich said she wants to about her. thank the coaches for being supportive “I reached out to her, and she and working around her schedule, and I maintained as wel l as her communication roommate, who throughout her has been a big We can expect a lot of wins. also senior season,” part of getting her Oswalt said. through all the It’s looking like a pretty “Then we brought school work good season for us.” our Head Coach and keeping her [Scott] Fangman focused. Lengerich into talks once said her biggest she was more seriously motivation while competing is her family, considering visiting campus and talking most specifically her dad, for pushing about track and scholarships.” her to be the best she can.

Lengerich said that the connection “I definitely want to shout out she had with the coaching staff and my family, because they are my big the university's excellent physical therapy supporters,” Lengerich said. “It makes program were the reasons she chose UIndy. me feel good to hear them say they’re She said a large part of her decision to proud of me when I’m competing in come to UIndy was about what she college. That was one of the driving wanted to study. factors to make me continue to compete “ If I have a project, or something to do as I got older.” with people, they will work around it with Oswalt said there are a lot of my practice schedule,” Lengerich said. different things that go into the events “It’s [UIndy is] a little bit more lenient Lengerich does. With her ability to learn compared to other schools I had looked on the fly, quite literally, Oswalt said, at. So they definitely put academics Lengerich is taking on a ton of new over athletics, and that was a big point things well. for me to come here.”

According to UIndy Athletics, Oswalt said Lengerich is a naturally Lengerich is developing a worthy resume gifted athlete and no matter what event for GLVC Freshman of the Year by setting

a new UIndy record with a score of 3297 in the women's pentathlon.

That mark eclipsed one of the oldest records in the b o o k – 2 9 3 8 s e t by Porsche Jackson in 2009, according to UIndy Athletics.

“She handled the early success well. That shows she’s going to be used to having it throughout her career,”Oswalt said.“Like I said, with all the new things that have been thrown at her, it would be very easy to get discouraged. And [for] a lot of freshmen that come in, myself included, there’s kind of a transition year where you’re getting used to doing track full-time for the first time ever, So there’s kind of a dip in performance and that can be frustrating, but very few athletes, Ellie [Lengerich] included, don't really have that dip in performance, so that shows it can only go up from there. ” Lengerich is currently on track for the GLVC Indoor Championships, which take place on Feb. 26-27 in the ARC, according to UIndy Athletics. Oswalt said there is a plan made up to where Lengerich will find success and peak for the conference meet as well as being well rested for the later NCAA DII Indoor Championships meet in early March.

“I’m expecting her to handle it [prep for conference] well, but obviously this is even though she’s done very well all year it’s still a very new experience, but I expect her to handle it well,”Oswalt said.

“I’m expecting her to score a lot of points, and then we’re going to shut it down a little bit for a couple of weeks leading up to the National Championships meet [so] that way we can help her body be fresh and recover as much as possible … So I’m excited for her, and all of this is just [a] great experience to get early on, and like I said before it’s going to lead to more success for her the rest of her career.”

Despite her successful freshman year, Lengerich said she's aiming higher and wants to continue her success into the NCAA National Championship Meet, while maintaining a high GPA in the classroom.

“Four years from now, I’m hoping to be accepted into the P T program here and then maybe a few National Champions and a few All-Americans,” Lengerich said. “That was the original goal coming into here.”

Wilson both have spent time evaluating and seeking out potential players, and through the long process of going to football camps and reviewing many applications, they have been able to bring in 43 new players to the program, according to UIndy Athletics. Keevers said he is excited about the future of the team.

“We had more options and got better players …,” Keevers said. “We got some really good players in Indiana, Indianapolis, Chicago and Ohio, and we finished up with two big ones in Ohio late and closed out the recruiting class.

We're looking for our fit, good students, good workers, guys who are going to build the culture and we never vary from there.

said. “If he can drop back and throw a deep, we'll throw it deep. We'll adjust our style of play to whoever's the starting quarterback. I think Bryce Jefferson is a really good athlete. I'm very impressed with his work ethic.”

Jefferson is coming back home to play, as he was a former Indiana high school student at Decatur High School, according to Illinois State University Athletics. In his time at Illinois State, he played in 19 games, amassing 1,318 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns. Keevers said Jefferson has caught his eye due to his past performances at Illinois State University.

“I think Jefferson is glad to be home; I think that's the reason why we got him. I think he wanted to play in front of his family and be back in Indianapolis and be back home for his last couple of years," Keevers said. "I think that's one of the main reasons why he came.

Since we were able to get a guy from Illinois State, it's a win-win because it's always good to get a local guy since they bring fans,” Keevers said.

Towns Jr. is a GLVC standout and his plays have not gone unnoticed, resulting in him earning Football Offensive Player of the Week last season, as well as being selected as 2021 All-GLVC second team last season, according to the GLVC. McKendree and UIndy have gone headto-head in football and now Towns Jr. will be competing against the team he was once playing for. Keevers said he has seen the way Towns Jr. has performed and knows that he has skills.

“He has the ability to have a huge effect. He's worked real hard right now. He's doing everything right," Keevers said. "We've been really happy with him. He's a neat kid. He's a grown man and he's a really good person. We’ll see about spring practice and see how he does with what we're doing, but we've watched him play for three years

and he's played really well against us.”

Wilson was also a part of the recruiting process and saw the countless hours it took to find players, as this year there are 11 senior linemen graduating, and most of the new freshman class will be expected to fill big shoes. Wilson said choosing who would fill in those shoes was going to be difficult.

“Some were not even starters, so you're replacing that with a bunch of 18, 19-year-old young kids, and we just felt like we needed that refresher and kind of reloaded that group so there was a challenge,” Wilson said. “That's part of the business, that's part of the job is to try to add what you feel is the best situation and the best players and the best people into the program that can help you take that next step forward.”

Similar to most coaches in the recruiting process, Keevers said he had to watch film and look at how well a student-athlete performed in high school games to be recruited at the collegiate level.

Keevers said recruits are determined by how well-rounded they are on the field and in the classroom.

The upcoming UIndy foot ball players were selected among the best of the best but even then, Keevers said they are hard to predict.

“The guys you think are going to be the best aren't and the guys you think will be okay are really pretty good.

You just never know," Keevers said.

"I think some of those young receivers will play, some of the young offensive linemen may play, and you may have a defensive end play.

We got the transfer quarterback and receiver and we’re going to have a real nice battle for the quarterback spot.

I think there are going to be about se ven or eight guy s who will play f rom this recruiting group, ” Keevers said.

UIndy Football's new signing class

By Blanca Osorio Ortega STAFF WRITER

National Signing Day was on Feb. 2, and colleges across Indiana made their future student-athletes known to the public. There will be first time studentathletes joining a collegiate sports team, while seasoned athletes made the choice to play for another college for the upcoming academic school year.

The University of Indianapolis football team has already handpicked the incoming 2023 football class, UIndy Head Football Coach Chris Keevers said.

Keevers and UIndy Football Assistant Coach and Offensive Coordinator Brad

We went out and got a bunch of UIndy guys that we think fit, and we got a bunch of good players; we're excited about it.”

Alongside the new freshmen entering the program, the team has also brought in two transfer students, senior quarterback Bryce Jefferson and senior wide receiver Steven Towns Jr., who both have previous success at the collegiate level. Keevers said Jefferson is a Division 1 transfer from Illinois State University, and Towns Jr. is from McKendree University in Illinois.

“We kind of adjust to the quarterbacks and we do what they can do. At this level, we're not really going to say ‘Hey, this is what we do’ We have some things we like to do, but we're going to fit it around what our quarterback can do,” Keevers

Photo by Jacob Walton

UIndy Football Head Coach Chris Keevers talks to his team at the final football practice of the 2021 season. Keevers said along with Football Assistant Coach Brad Wilson, they spent countless hours scouting potential players for the 2022-23 football season.

SPORTS

5 FEBRUARY 23, 2022

THE REFLECTOR

GLVC Champions again Swimming and Diving has big weekend at the GLVC tournament in Elkhart

By Jacob Walton

By Anika Yoder

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The University of Indianapolis men’s swim and dive team is Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) champions once again. Before last season, when Drury University took the crown from the Greyhounds, they had won the last three GLVC Championships. This season, on the backs of several high level performances, they made it back to the top of the podium, according to UIndy Athletics. Across the four day meet, the Hounds captured several school records and awards on their way to a score of 1643. Despite the challenges the team has faced this season, Interim Head Coach Brent Noble said a performance like that was expected. “ We expect to be able to put ourselves in a place to be the top team in the country, and I think on both for men and for women, we’re at the very least within striking distance with a decisive win on the men’s side, but a really close meet on the women’s side,” Noble said. “Drury was second for both men and for women last year.

I think, competing with them the way that we did, I wouldn’t say it encourages, because we’re already pretty confident, but it ’s certainly a good affirmation that we are who we think we are, and we want to be.”

The women’s side of the team came just short of the title, finishing in second place to Drury University, according to UIndy Athletics. In the last days of the meet, the team fought back to make it very close, according to UIndy Athletics. Noble said this gave him more ammunition to push the team to the best of their ability.

“It [the GLVC meet] was fun; I think they believed that they could win that meet, and they almost did. It was a pretty big point deficit and on paper, we shouldn’t have been nearly as close as we were, and they out swam their seeds and they came really close,” Noble said. “I think it shows that there’s more yet in the tank. If we had swum that way,all four days we would have been better yet, and so I think we have a lot of people that have a lot still to show in three weeks at Nationals.”

The Hounds in the championship meet walked away with a plethora of awards, two of the biggest going to freshman Cedric Buessing, according

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Photo Contributed by the Great Lakes Valley Conference

Men’s Swim and Dive team pose after winning the GLVC championship in Elkart, Ind. on Feb.9 through 12. According to UIndy Athletics, Men’s Swim and Dive had a total score of 1,643 points, while Women’s Swim and Dive had a total score of 1,873 points.

to UIndy Athletics. Buessing, in his first season with the Hounds, brought home both GLVC Swimmer of the Year and GLVC Freshman of the Year, the first of which he had no expectation of winning.

“I come back from the first trophy Freshman of the Year, and I think it was Julio [Osuna] for Diver of the Year, and I stood there and then I heard my name and we’re like ‘What?’”

Buessing said.

These awards come after Buessing captured four separate individual championships in the 1650 free, 500 free, 400 IM and 1000 Free, according to UIndy Athletics. A native of Grevenbroich, Germany, Buessing had already come off of high quality swimming before coming to UIndy, winning the European Junior Championships in the summer of 2021 for the 400 IM, Noble said. He said Buessing shares a trait that many top swimmers have: the ability to focus and turn on the switch when it’s time to compete. Noble said even with the high level of competition the GLVC brings, Buessing never faltered due to the background he had.

“Cedric is very process oriented.

He knows what he needs to do when

he comes in each day, he’s really self motivated,” Noble said. “You don’t really ever have to tell Cedric what he has to do. He gets it and he comes in and he trains hard. W hen he races, we see an even different side of him because he’s had so much practice at a high level, knowing how to draw that out.”

Another top swimmer for the men’s team at GLVC was fifth-year senior Liki Prema, who throughout the season bested his own record-breaking breaststroke mark time and time again, according to UIndy Athletics. Prema was another swimmer to come away with some hardware, being awarded the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award. On the final day of competition, Prema once again broke the 200 breaststroke record with a time of 1:55.63, butintheprocessalsobroketheGLVCmeet record that stood for five years, according to UIndy Athletics. Noble said what makes the swimmers like Buessing and Prema different is that they are not racing to be the best in the NCAA, they are racing to represent their countries.

“It’s exciting, but with people like Liki [Prema] and Cedric, you also have to recalibrate what’s exciting;

these guys both want to be in Paris in 2024. If that’s going to happen, we have to continue breaking records at a pretty quick rate because that’s a big goal,” Noble said. “I think when you have summers that are better than summers you’ve ever had before and breaking records and doing the things these guys are doing, it’s really important to be proud of accomplishments, but never be satisfied.”

This championship is not the end of the road for the men’s team, with the NCAA Division II Championships in Greensboro, N.C., kicking off on March 9. Buessing said this championship win against a top team like Drury really gives the belief that they can go further on and compete against the best of the best in Division II as a team. Noble said, similarly, that this win puts them right where they want to be.

“I mean, one big one, they know they can beat Drury now. We didn’t last year at Nationals. We didn’t last year at conference, and so we’ve seen it happen now,” Noble said. “We’ve got to make sure that we do that again and go knock off Queens. I think the men are encouraged that they are where they need to be.”

Baseball ranks fourth in poll

Photo by Kenna Maschino

Photo by Makenna Maschino

Senior pitcher Kase Lawson loads back during a game against Notre Dame College.

Lawson went for six innings, giving up nine earned runs while getting eight strikeouts.

By Lily Fischer STAFF WRITER

The University of Indianapolis baseball team was ranked No. 4 in the Blue Division in the GLVC preseason poll, according to UIndy Athletics.

This is coming off of last year where the team finished second in the conference with a 23-21 and 19-13 record in conference, according to UIndy Athletics.

Junior outfielder Caleb Vaughn said the early season conference ranking puts into perspective how good the division is. He said either placing third or fourth in the GLVC championship puts the team in a place where they feel confident for this year.

“The teams changing around a little bit from the Blue Division this year, which makes it a little bit more

Softball looks ahead to new season

Photo by Makenna Maschino

Sophomore outfielder Caleb Vaughn slides into third base at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. as the Greyhounds took on Notre Dame College. Vaughn went 3 for 5 with one RBI.

difficult for us to get higher ranking Ready said. because now we have teams like UIS, Vaughn said they’re expecting a lot Quincy, Lewis and USI in our division, of wins. He said the pitching staff is so we’re going to have to face some looking unbelievable, and they have a pretty tough competition this year, but bunch of kids that can earn a starting nothing too big for us,” Vaughn said. position on the mound.

Head Baseball Coach Al Ready “Our defense is unbelievable, our said the fall went middle infield … is very well, and the unreal. It’s probably spring has gone the best in Division unbelievably well We can expect a lot of wins. II right now … so far. He said if so just expect a It’s looking like a pretty they pitch the ball lot of wins this good season for us.” the way they think year, a conference they ’re going to tournament win pitch the ball, it’s and then heading going to be a good year for them. into the regionals expect us in the “What UIndy can expect from the regionals this year,” Vaughn said.

Greyhounds this season is to see a team The team is going to give it their that can score some runs and can play all, Vaughn said. He said that while unbelievable defense, probably one of the team has some standout players, the best defensive teams we’ve ever had,” they are going to be looking for

everyone to contribute to the team for them to reach where they want to.

“Their goals are to win against our side and with the GLVC tournament, as well as to get to the NCAA tournament,”Ready said.“Our vision is to win a national championship, and I think we’ve got a core group of guys who can do it. Whether it happens this year, next year or the year after, we’re going to compete for it.”

The team is excited for the season, and they are going to give it their all by working together and having a great season, Vaughn said.The team has an early slate that includes teams like Notre Dame College and Northwood University, according to UIndy Athletics. Vaughn said the plan of attack for the game is to go out there with everything they’ve got.

The University of Indianapolis softball team has been picked No. 1 out of the top 25 teams in the country by the Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason coaches’ poll for 2022 as well as being tabbed at No. 10 in the country for the NFCA Division II Coaches Poll, according to UIndy Athletics. The Greyhounds achieved their mission of winning the GLVC Tournament Title for 2021 and aim to do the same for the upcoming season as well as get to the superregional Division II Women’s College World Series, Head Softball Coach Melissa Frost said.

Frost said the team winning the GLVC Tournament Title puts a bigger target on their backs, but with last year’s standing as an indicator for this season, being named No. 1 in the conference and staying there is the objective. Frost said though they have lost key people, there are younger members stepping up ready to take on their roles.

“Anytime that our name is mentioned in the national spotlight, we’re excited,” Frost said. “But we also know that we need to work and we’ve got to get to work to maintain that or even move up.”

IANNANTONE Graduate student first basemen Gianni Iannantone said the team placing at the top of the preseason poll was motivation for them but the ranking is not set in stone, and though the coaches chose the Greyhounds for the top spot, the expectation is for the team to follow through with the placement. Iannantone became the fifth position player to be voted the league’s Player of the Year in program history, according to UIndy Athletics. She led the GLVC in both hits and runs batted, coming in 13th in Division II for the National Fast Pitches Coaches Association, according to UIndy Athletics.

“I think that we are in a better place as a team than we were last year at this point [in] the season,” Iannantone said.

“Hopefully it is better and we do make it to our ultimate goal, which is the national championship. I think the camaraderie and just how this team bonds is what is going to separate us from any other team in the country right now.”

Fr o s t s a i d t h e m a i n g o a l for the Greyhounds is to win the GLVC Tournament Title, get back to the World Series and win the national championship. Frost said expectations for the team are set on picking up where they left off last year in a good spot and she is excited to see the team play.

“They’re a fun group to watch. I think that they’ve worked hard in the offseason and came back very prepared, and I’m really excited to get going,” Frost said.

Iannantone said the GLVC coaches projecting the UIndy softball team as the top of the coaches’ poll is what their ultimate goal is for the season and it is not just given from the start and something to work for during the season.

FEATURE

6 THE REFLECTOR

Hearts & Minds book series talks about race

By Molly Church

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR In relation to Black History Month, Residence Director of Warren and East Hall Benjamin Robles is starting up a new book series for students and faculty.

The Hearts & Minds Book Series is completely led and organized by Robles, with the first book being “So You Want to Talk About Race”by Ijeoma Oluo. Robles said the idea for the series came from his own personal connection to reading narratives, and he wanted to open up conversations about race among students.

Robles said a big thing that encouraged him to start this initiative was some of the racist incidents that occurred at the University of Indianapolis during the Fall 2021-2022 semester. He said that as a person of color at UIndy, he felt like he needed to do something that would start conversations about race. “… I realize that some students, they're getting some of this [conversations about race] in their classroom, but other students are not. I'm trying to figure out a way that we can meet that gap, and try to get all sorts of people included in the conversation,” Robles said. “This isn't a book series for people of color, or for white people, it's for all people who want to have a nuanced understanding of some of these bigger topics.”

The series currently has six books planned for this semester, picked out by junior psychology and communication major Bhumibol Shakya, Chair of Social Justice Committee in Residence Life and Residence Director of Central Hall Duke Gatsos and Assistant Director of Residence Life Robbie Williford. Robles said he wanted to have other people pick the books so that he did not have a bias on choosing the books. Robles spoke with Shakya to help decide which books to include in the series. Shakya said he recommended certain books that he thought would help students see a better way to look at humanity.

“I think that one of the major things that students should take away [from this series] is to understand that we are basically human beings, and we should understand the human values that not any one of us is different,” Shakya said.

“We are all basically together and come under the family of homosapiens, or human beings in itself.”

Robles said students should be a part of this so they can start thinking about both shared and unshared experiences and learning and having conversations about different stories. He said he hopes that students will talk amongst themselves about their perspectives on the readings because these conversations are important and valuable.

“I … want them to start thinking about their role in our community, not just the UIndy community or the American community, but just the human community. Thinking about what their obligation and responsibility is to others and developing empathy for others,” Robles said. “ … It [the series] is a place to connect students to each other, people who are like minded and want to discover more about these things. It's creating a little bit of belonging for those students.”

Robles said that he plans to continue doing this series for as long as he is here, so long as the student interest continues. He said he hopes students will find enjoyment reading some of these narratives and being a part of conversations and discussions. “…Talking about race can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but lean into that uncomfortableness because that is what's going to make our society better,” Robles said. “Don't be afraid to not know something, or don't be afraid to participate in the conversation out of fear of what other people will think because not having the conversation is how we got here.”

Shakya said this club will help bring awareness to what is going on within the community. He said these books and this club will help students learn and see a better way to look at humanity. “… It's an initiative to make sure that we have awareness about what is happening in our society and how we can understand that to make sure that the future of UIndy, as well as the human life, usually brings the idea of love as a basis of dealing with problems rather than conflict,” Shakya said.

The first meeting for the Hearts & Minds series will be on Feb. 24 at 4:00 p.m. in Warren Hall, Robles said.

Students can find out more about this by contacting Robles at roblesb@uindy.edu.

He sent out an email to students with the meeting times and books included.

FEBRUARY 23, 2022

Black History Month events

By Arrianna Gupton STAFF WRITER

Black History Month: a time of reflection and celebration as black people look back on things like emancipation, the Civil Rights Movement and the many accomplishments of black men and women around the world, according to History.com. With that being said, the University of Indianapolis is currently hosting different events to celebrate black culture.

In the past few weeks, the university

and student organizations have hosted an array of events ranging from movie viewings, lectures and game nights.

One event that has taken place is a screening of the movie “King Richard,” hosted by UIndy Student Leadership and Activities Board (SLAB) where students could come watch the movie with other students. Another event that has taken place is the “Black Culture Game Night”co-hosted by the Safe Place with Kayla and the Association of Black Psychologists.There has also been a Spirit Week that started on Monday, Feb. 21, which features days with themes like

Photo by Arrianna Gupton

The Rev. Esau McCaulley answers questions during a Q&A session at "Reading while Black," which discussed black interpretations of the Bible on Feb. 9 in UIndy Hall.

Solidarity Day and T-shirt Day, where the Black Union will be giving out free t-shirts according to the UIndy events calendar.

Sophomore supply chain management major and co-coordinator of events for the Black Student Association (BSA) Jimmy Filsaime shared details on another event called the “Black Love” event, which was hosted by the BSA on Feb. 8. Filsaime said this was a blind dating event where students answered questions while blindfolded. He said that so far this was his favorite event as it was filled with fun and good food.

“We come together [to] have fun, eat, laugh and do all kinds of fun stuff, just getting a better community out of the campus life [for] students,”Filsaime said.

Junior studio art major and Former President of the BSA Primrose Paul said that to her, Black History Month is a great way for black students to celebrate themselves for who they are.

“Aside from me feeling like it's the shortest time of the year to have Black History Month, it's also a perfect time to kind of celebrate our heritage and the numerous ways in which we experience being black because we're not all the same,” Paul said. “There is so much to being black. Some of us are African by descent, some of us are African American.

It's a perfect blend of the two, and we get to come together and celebrate ourselves and just be who we are.”

Filsaime said he believes that these events bring a sense of togetherness to the university and help give the black

community here on campus a chance to celebrate eventful moments. Paul said these events aren’t completely exclusive to students of color and are open to everyone.

“Another thing I would say that we always have a problem with is like whenever we table in Schwitzer [Student Center] and we're kind of trying to have engagement…Students, especially who are not black, feel like they're afraid to ask if they can come,” Paul said. “But at the end of the day, we're doing this event not just for a specific group. We do have a specific group in mind, but you're all welcome. Because at the end of the day, we do want to do this all together.”

Paul said she is excited for the Multicultural Center to expand and for more to be added to it. According to Filsaime, there is a lot more to come in the next few years from student-led organizations and students can expect more from them in the future.

“The foundation isn't set yet. We're working to make it better than last year and so forth,”Filsaime said.“Expect more out of the organizations for semesters to come, months to come; we’re getting better.”

UIndy is hosting many more events that students can check out to enjoy black culture this month and celebrate Black History Month. In the upcoming weeks, events like the Black Excellence Networking Reception Dinner on Feb. 24 and the Sneaker Ball hosted by Crowe Hall on Feb. 25 will be held. Students can check the UIndy App to learn more

Graphic by Olivia Cameron

By Olivia Cameron OPINION EDITOR

The Student Counseling Center at the University of Indianapolis provides a variety of groups and workshop services for students, according to the university’s website. One of these groups is the Rainbow Pack, a drop-in support group for LGBTQ students. According to the group’s Facilitator and Diversity and Inclusion Liaison Alyssa Alonso, the group had been going on for several semesters before she took over.

The idea for the Rainbow Pack originated f rom identifying that individuals who are in the minority for sexual orientation or gender identity have different life and on-campus experiences, Alonso said. The group addresses these differences and provides support, she said.

“The support group is really about getting individuals connected to other people who identify within that community, processing through some of their mental health concerns, as well as just kind of exploring different topics and how their experiences on campus and throughout their lives are impacted by their sexual orientation and gender identity,” Alonso said.

One of the difficulties that an LGBTQ student might experience on campus is deciding if they are going to come out to a class, whether that happens

publicly in class participation or privately for them.” through assignments, Assistant Professor Alonso said that she usually begins in the College of Applied Behavioral a session by having everyone share Sciences Michael Poulakis said.They also their highs and lows of the week have to decide how to respond when they before moving on to discussing hear disparaging or negative comments specific needs. Issues that have been about the LGBTQ community, he said, discussed in the group before include and these issues can result in anxiety, heteronormativity, gender roles, the depression and loneliness. coming out process and the intersection “For many of them [LGBTQ between religion and gender or sexual students], college provides a safe space orientation, Alonso said. for them to talk about these issues,” It is going to be uncomfortable and Poulakis said. “You scary the first time don't know what attending a session, is happening back Alonso said, but home, you don't For many of them [LGBTQ anyone considering know if they have attending a Rainbow students], college provides P a c k m e e t i n g a safe space to talk, to have a sense of a safe space for them ..." should consider community.” their mental health Students having needs. She said she a space where they feel comfortable encourages people looking for support enough to be themselves is one benefit from both a professional and members that Alonso has seen result from the of their community to attend. If they are group. She said she has also seen an concerned about the group aspect, they establishment of community through the can contact the Counseling Center and consistency in which people are attending speak with Alonso about their concerns, and opening up to the group. she said.

“Personally, and what I have observed, “Meeting new people, especially the fact that people continue to attend when you're specifically identifying in the group is really indicative that they're one of these marginalized groups, can be receiving some benefit from it,” Alonso uncomfortable and scary,” Alonso said. said. “It always surprises me how willing “The group is specifically created to be people are to be vulnerable, and really lean an affirmative and safe space where we in to talking about some issues, which protect confidentiality. So even if the can be very challenging and difficult person is not out, or only partially out,

this would still be a safe space for them.”

Going to a support group allows people to release the negativity they have been holding in, Poulakis said. As long as there is confidentiality, it is one of the best ways for somebody to process their identity and the feelings associated with it, he said. Poulakis said he believes that the more they talk about it, the better it gets.

“I think when you go to a process group, when you go to a support group, you find people that are there in your corner and that they accept you and they love you for who you are,” Poulakis said.

“No judgments, no assumptions. I think to me, that's the biggest weapon, that's the biggest thing you can do to protect yourself and enjoy your undergraduate or graduate life.”

People who identify with a minority sexual orientation or gender identity have been historically stigmatized by our culture, Alonso said. Rainbow Pack is important because it addresses the needs of LGBTQ students, she said.

“Rainbow Pack is a critical component of our campus, because it allows the individuals to be seen, and for their mental health care needs to be met in a way that is affirmative and specific for them,” Alonso said.

The Rainbow Pack meets on Wednesdays from 1-1:50 p.m. in the Student Counseling Center, according to UIndy’s website.

UIndy freshman runs business Student owns business titled "Stephanie's Treats and Goods," sells desserts

By Hallie Gallinat FEATURE EDITOR

From chocolate covered strawberries to cheesecake cups, freshman business administration and management major Stephanie Carpio sells it all and more.

These treats are sold as part of her homebased business, Stephanie’s Treats and Goods, which she started in Oct. 2020.

Carpio said there are a couple reasons she started her business, one of them being that she had to quit her job due to COVID-19. She said that she originally saw an item she sells, the churro cheesecake, on TikTok. “Many people were posting about their business; it just started coming up on my page,” Carpio said. “I started with churro cheesecake because … I didn't hear about anybody selling it around here or like Facebook ads or anything.

I didn't see it around. So I thought I will do it. It did go pretty well for like the first months, after that it kind of

slowed down.”

Carpio said her business is bilingual, as she also speaks Spanish. She said her parents helped her start her business, with her father helping with cake pop packaging. Carpio said her sister also used to help with the treats.

Carpio said she posts about her business on all of her personal social media accounts. She said that her sales are made by order and she mainly tries to take orders from her Instagram account, but she also has orders come in through Snapchat and Facebook. Carpio said she also does flash sales every month for her business.

“I don’t have a specific day, just once a month, I try to do it. Just to get out a little more. That's what I started this year, well at the end of last year. It's just simple sales that have the treats … like churro cheesecake bites or the cheesecake cups,”Carpio said.

Director of the Professional Edge Center and Business and Sport Management majors Career Coach

Kirk Bryans said Carpio brought up her business during a meeting. He said while discussing her resume, she mentioned her business, to which he suggested she put it on her resume. “ We went through her entire resume and she's worked places and so we're putting things together and I was just asking questions about, 'Do you volunteer, are you part of any clubs here on campus?' And she had some volunteer work and some things that she was interested in,” Bryans said.

“And so my last question was, 'Is there anything else that you can think of that you might want to put on a resume?'

And she was like, 'Well, I own my own business. Would that count?' And I'm like, 'Oh my goodness. Yes. What is the business?' And she says that she is a baker.

She makes sweets. And that's really how I got introduced to what she does and how she does it.”

Bryans said he has ordered from Stephanie’s Treats and Goods before for the Professional Edge Center office. He

said he also gave Carpio networking tips to help her business. Having something like owning your own business on a resume is helpful for employers, Bryans said.

“Number one, it shows that you are creative, you're a leader. You're very proactive, right? You're organized, you can multitask because, oh my gosh, you've gotta do school. And then you have to fulfill orders,” Bryans said. “You've got a lot of responsibility because you have to bill people and collect from those people for what they buy. You have to set up social media so you have all these marketing skills. It shows someone who's looking at your resume that they are getting someone who is light years [more] mature from somebody who may not have had any experience or experience in one of those things I've just mentioned.”

Stephanie’s Treats and Goods can be found on Instagram at @stephanies_ treats_goods and on Facebook at stephanies.treats.goods.

ENTERTAINMENT THE REFLECTOR

7 FEBRUARY 23, 2022

Jazz Night at Books & Brews

UIndy jazz students gain real-world performing experience while meeting other jazz musicians

By Kassandra Darnell NEWS EDITOR

Standing amongst the house band, senior jazz studies major Alex Nativi plays through several jazz standards on his upright bass before audience members are invited to join the band on stage and

play during the jam session. Nativi is a member of the University of Indianapolis Jazz Combo I and participated in the UIndy Jazz Combo Night at Books & Brews South Indy on Feb. 6. He said this event provided players and listeners the opportunity to participate in the tradition of jazz music outside of a critical space.

Graphic by Blanca Osorio Ortega

“It’s not really a very cut-throat kind of thing,” Nativi said. “It’s an open space for if people want to play a tune, or if you want to play with the band or play with somebody, you have the opportunity to do that, to participate and to take part in the tradition above all else. It’s a very welcoming environment, comfortable space to play in…. For me, personally, it’s a good space for me to work out some different nuances on my own instrument.”

Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies Mark O’Connor said Jazz Night is an additional opportunity for the Jazz Combos to perform outside of the designated performances in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center. He said the event is meant to promote the UIndy Jazz Program, as well as give students the chance to promote, market and perform a gig that is similar to what real world, off-campus performances will be like.

“As much of a privilege it is to perform in the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center, especially when you’re starting out as a professional musician, very rarely do you actually get a chance to give concerts in such a nice performance space as the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall,” O’Connor said. “It ’s more typical to play at jazz clubs, or at restaurants or venues, more like that. And that’s what Books & Brews is— it’s less formal, and yet at the same time,

they get that performance experience.” kind of this new feeling or this new Co-owner of Books & Brews South way of, it’s a new perspective on the Indy Keith Fechtman said this event music,” Nativi said. “There’s a whole lot benefits business for the restaurant, different from just being a listener and just with most customers coming in on being somebody who’s just absorbing it Sundays when these events are held. But through your own ears, but when you additionally, the Jazz Night allows for the have the opportunity to share your ideas community to come visit and engage in and share your inspiration and share your UIndy jazz and create new experiences experiences through this new medium, without having to go to Downtown it’s a very different experience. And Indianapolis. that’s what separates a jam session from “It allows the students, the UIndy just a regular concert that you just go students, to perform outside of the watch.” school realm,” Fechtman said. “It also Jam sessions like this one are great benefits Books & Brews because we for students, Nativi said, because are able to draw it is one of the in potential new easiest ways to make customers from connections, work It’s more typical to play at out musicianship and the community that may not jazz clubs, or at restaurants technicalities on the have known that bandstand and figure or venues, more like that.” out where you stand we were familyfriendly, which is in the moment. Jam the biggest hurdle sessions provide more that we’ve had to overcome, is UIndy experience with the music, and a students and the community knowing lot of the educational process that we’re all ages here.” happens when you are actually doing Nativi said that for him, Jazz it, he said.

Night teaches him how to better “You start to learn, like how to accompany other musicians and make interact with the musicians on the new connections because of the style bandstand, you start to learn how to of the event. Jazz Night also differs from interact with the people that are listening a typical concert because instead of sitting to you, play ideas that compliment the and listening, the audience gets to interact musicians around you, or play ideas that with the music on a much more personal maybe take the music into a different level, he said. direction,”Nativi said.“You have all these “You get to go up on the stage and different liberties and all these different play with other musicians, and it’s opportunities now at your fingertips.”

than the recordings.”

Broberg has gotten the opportunity to play across the world at venues in Europe, Asia, Australia and across North America, according to his website. Behan said that these worldly experiences are valuable for the students in the idea that they can help increase their understanding of music, especially since many of the sources of these pieces are from other countries. Broberg said that kind of experience is invaluable.

Behan said the partnership with the American Pianist Association and their winners is great for UIndy and the students in the music department. He said that people like Broberg are great role models for the students.

“They [Pianists from the American Pianist Association] are great people, and therefore, they’re great role models, because the people make the place, the people make the organization and we’re very proud to have this partnership, and to have Kenny [Broberg] as artists in residence here,” Behan said. “You have to have great role models in your life; it has such a profound effect on who you are.

Who we are is a result of three things: your DNA, your environment and your personal choices. Your DNA, you have no control over; your environments, you have a little control over;and your personal choices, you have a lot more control over. So our goal here at the University of Indianapolis is to enhance our environment and surround ourselves with good people and high quality educators so that we can have a profound and lasting impact on our students.”

Photo contributed by Lee Clifford

Photo contributed by Daniel McCullough

Photo contributed by Lee Clifford

Kenny Broberg to perform at UIndy

By Jacob Walton EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Kenny Broberg, a distinguished pianist having won several awards, such as a silver medal in the 2017 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and a bronze medal at the 2019 International Tchaikovsky Competition, was the final winner of the American Pianist Association Classical Competition in late 2021, according to the American Pianist Association. This competition not only awarded him a cash prize nearing $200,000, but also awarded him the Christel DeHaan Classical Fellowship. Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Keyboard Studies Ryan Behan said the fellowship also awarded Broberg a residency with the University of Indianapolis, which includes teaching piano students and conducting a masters class. Alongside that, on March 8, Broberg will be performing live in the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall. Behan said that having students learn from pianists as talented as Broberg is a very valuable experience.

“The winner of the American Pianists Association is a pianist who is up there with the best pianists in the world at this time—they are playing at the top of their game, they are fire breathing pianists— that in itself is inspiring,” Behan said. “And it’s much like passing a torch … you really [are] gifting someone the fire that’s in you, that is this inspiration.”

Broberg said that teaching has always been something that he has done and will continue to do, and that it’s a very normal

thing for pianists to do during their path as performers. Live performances, Broberg said, are a crucial part of the educational process, and no matter how many recordings you listen to, there is nothing that can replace that live element.

“It’s a huge difference in that, first of all, if you’re recording in a studio, you don’t have the people to play for, you don’t have the human connection, and it’s hard to recreate that.The performers feed off of the energy of their audience, and that’s really the most important part of performing, is this human connection,” Broberg said. “Other than that, the other main thing is that recordings don’t capture the way that musicians adjust to the space of a particular setting, and a lot of times, that’s where the real magic happens, is the way that you listen to yourself, and recordings don’t always capture that.”

The energy transfer that comes with live performances, Behan said, is also incredibly important. He said that sitting behind a computer will never be able to replicate the transcendent experience that a live concert can have and the power behind those performances; he said this is something that in his own career he has felt.

“For me, I remember the impact that live concerts had on me and how they inspired me to work harder, and it helped create a vision for myself that I could do what that person is doing on stage,” Behan said. “I have probably heard 10 times more recordings than I’ve gone to live concerts, but still, it’s the live concerts that I remember more

8

NEWS

THE REFLECTOR

FEBRUARY 23, 2022

Chapel move impacts non-christians Students address challenges of religious services' move and religious awareness on campus

By Alex Vela

BUSINESS MANAGER During the Fall 2021-2022 semester, University of Indianapolis religious services for students and staff were moved into University Chapel, according to an article from The Reflector. This new chapel is meant to replace McCleary Chapel, which was located in Schwitzer Student Center, and was considered the hub for all religious traditions and services on campus, according to UIndy’s website. The new location is meant to provide a space for students of all religions.

Sophomore social work major Eli Kellerman said they are a part of the Jewish community on campus and was a Resident Assistant Chaplain last semester. RA Chaplains serve as spiritual mentors, mediators and referral agents for residents who are in need of additional support and want to seek faith-based practices to help inform their decisions, according to the University of Indianapolis Residence Life website. Kellerman said the impact of these services moving into the chapel is negative, and there is no nondenominational space for students. They said it was weird to have to celebrate Hanukkah in a church.

“I feel like whenever there are complaints about not having enough religious diversity or religious resources, ‘Oh just talk to Interfaith’ or ‘Oh just talk to the chaplains,’” Kellerman said. “ … Even in a point of position under employment, I didn’t really feel like there was a whole lot that was being done; it was kind of up to the individual, which I think is great in some cases, but it really shows that there is a lack of infrastructure and support.”

Student Body Director and junior communication and psychology major Bhumibol Shakya is another nonChristian student at UIndy. Shakya identifies with Theravada Buddhism and is an RA Chaplain as well, and he said the move has not impacted him as much.

“I don’t feel like going to chapel literally affects my religion because it’s not something that stops me from going there,” Shakya said. “The staff members are basically the people that help me out

Graphic by Kassandra Darnell

a lot, like Dr. [ Jeremiah] Gibbs and Rev. Ari [Arionne Williams], help me a lot, so in one way or another the chapel does not impact me that much with my religion.”

University Chaplain and Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion Jeremiah Gibbs said the new University Chapel has meant that they have a lot more space there, but not as many people coming due to COVID-19 challenges, among other things.

“I think the first thing is that the students who are really involved with our office now have access to the community space, a space that’s really dedicated for them to engage in group conversation and have their meetings there and that kind of thing,” Gibbs said. “In the old chapel, there was social space in Schwitzer [Student Center], but there wasn’t any space that was sort of their space to be able to meet, so I think that has been

one of the biggest differences.”

Kellerman said they are only given a small room on the first floor that only fits one person. They said it is not adequate, not accessible and not advertised.

“I think we should have a space for students of any religion, kind of what we had with the prayer room, outside of the chapel,”Kellerman said.“Because I mean, I’m just Jewish and I’m uncomfortable in that space, but I couldn’t imagine what a Muslim or Buddhist would feel in that space. I feel like we should have a space where no one religion is centered, but it’s safe for everyone to go to; so the prayer room was a great example …, it’s just we lack resources, period.”

Shakya said that as a Buddhist, he has been welcome to many places he has gone to outside of the space they are given. He said his spirituality has not impacted him wherever he goes.

“Being a person of different religion, I think the university is very diverse and it has supported me even though I’m different,” Shakya said. “There has never been a day when somebody has come to me and been like, ‘Hey you have a different religion, you’re not welcome here’ or something.”

Sometimes non-Christian religious students will find some encouragement in the Interfaith engagement, Gibbs said, but the reality is the Interfaith engagement does not include everyone’s religion or beliefs. It is still challenging for a lot of them because most people are looking for somebody who has some similarities and similar experiences, he said.

“I think the hardest part for those folks is that in every circle that they are in, they are going to be a minority, a pretty significant minority,” Gibbs said.

government, particularly during a public health crisis.

Democrats warned that Cruz was trying to strip control from locally elected school boards.

The Texan urged colleagues to do precisely that, because those that impose vaccine mandates are “trampling on our rights.”

“These petty tyrants have no right to force parents to vaccinate children with a new and untested vaccine,” Cruz argued.

“And let me be clear, I’m vaccinated. I’m pro-vaccine, but I believe in individual choice. If you want to be vaccinated, fantastic. But it ought to be your choice in consultation with your doctor.”

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., accused Cruz of attempting a “massive federal overreach that would disempower school

boards and states and take funding away from their children’s education.”

Kaine noted that student vaccine mandates are hardly novel, and said it would be “unprecedented” for Congress to “force local school boards and state superintendents of instruction to not have a vaccine mandate.”

“Everyone in this body [the Senate] who attended school in the United States had to get vaccines to attend school,” he said. “Measles, mumps, rubella, polio, chickenpox. Everyone in his body who has sent a child to school in the United States had to make sure that they got their children vaccinated. And is that because of a big federal mandate? No. All 51 states – Utah, Texas, New York, Maine, Washington, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Virginia – embrace their own vaccine mandates. All 51.”

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, offered an amendment similar to Cruz’s, to block the vaccine mandate President Joe Biden ordered for the federal workforce, including those in uniform.

That got slightly more support but still failed, on a party line 46-47 vote.

Two Republicans voted against the Cruz amendment.

Lee insisted that with the pandemic ebbing, “we’re ready to move on. We’re ready to not have government dictating every aspect of our lives. COVID is no excuse for a government to do something that is categorically immoral.”

The votes on those amendments cleared a path for the Senate to approve a must-pass three-week budget extension, averting a shutdown that would have begun at midnight Friday. The House

approved that three-week deal on Feb. 8.

The Senate vote Thursday night was 65-27 to keep the government funded through March 11.

Lawmakers are close to finalizing a massive annual budget topping $1 trillion, and leaders in both parties agreed to the short-term funding to buy a bit more time.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., denounced Cruz, Lee and their allies for threatening a shutdown “in the middle of a pandemic” – an idea so bad “it should be obvious.”

Alas, she said, “my colleagues are

“When we start talking about students of any particular religious tradition, in some cases most of those students and in some cases four or five students that are from that tradition. Oftentimes, folks who are from non-Christian religions will really struggle to connect with people from their own tradition.”

While UIndy is diverse, there is not a lot of consideration for other religious holidays, Kellerman said. They said they were not allowed off of work and had to reason with professors to miss class for the three Jewish holidays in the month of September: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot.

“I have had a lot of experiences where people have told me that I’m the first Jewish person that they’ve met and the only Jewish person they know, and that’s really weird because I live in a place back home where there’s a very thriving Jewish population, so it’s very weird to be the only one,”Kellerman said.“ … I just don’t think there’s a lot of awareness because the Jewish population is so small, just like the non-Christian population’s tiny.”

Gibbs said the university has a lot of programming and opportunities for students to engage in their religious tradition. He said UIndy is doing the most it can do and that it has a lot more opportunities than there are students engaging in them all the time.

“Students have to take some initiative themselves and actually go out and engage with many opportunities on campus, one of the student organizations or the chaplain programs,” Gibbs said.

“There’s so many opportunities on campus, but you have to be able to take a step, which sometimes is uncomfortable, but you have to take a step out and actually begin to engage.”

Shakya said one thing the university can do is start an education system on different kinds of faith to educate people on different kinds of religions. He said his advice to anyone looking into religion is to find something they feel happy about.

“I believe that you find your identity or yourself just by delving into more stuff like religion because religion becomes a part of who you are, so if you delve into something and if it makes you happy, just follow that religion and pathway to gaining what you want to gain,” Shakya said.

Senate rejects ban on vaccine mandate

By Todd J. Gillman

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS (TNS) WASHINGTON – The Senate granted Sen. Ted Cruz’s demand Thursday night for a vote to block local school boards from requiring COVID-19 vaccines but then promptly rejected his proposal.

Cruz and a handful of Republican allies had threatened to force a government shutdown if they didn’t get floor votes aimed at ending vaccine mandates.

Cruz’s proposal to cut off federal funds for school districts failed on a vote of 44 in favor, 49 against, after a brief debate that saw Democrats and Republicans swap their traditional stances on the extent of federal power to overrule local

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/TNS

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-FL) speaks to a reporter as he walks through the Senate subway during a series of votes on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2022, in Washington, D.C.

I'm pro-vaccine, but I believe in individual choice." here once again, pretending the biggest threat to our nation is not the virus but instead it’s vaccines and tests and masks that have helped actually save lives. This makes about as much sense as blaming the rescue crew for a shipwreck and threatening to sink that lifeboat unless they don’t stop helping.”

Cruz often flies United Airlines between the capital and Houston, and said that every time, a pilot or flight attendant thanks him for fighting against corporate and government vaccine mandates.

“We’re seeing airline flights canceled all over the country. And yet, under these illegal vaccine mandates, airline pilots

and flight attendants and mechanics and ticket agents are being fired from their jobs,” he said.

He called out United for an “arbitrary policy” adopted to “curry favor with the Biden White House because United has a CEO [Scott Kirby] who believes making Democrats on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue happy is somehow in his best interest.”

As for the school mandates, he said, “That is an absolute abuse of power. The choice of the health care your kid get ought to be the choice of the parents. ... But we’re seeing arrogant blue state Democrats across the country say to moms and dads `I don’t care what your views are.’”

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Biden administration’s effort to invoke workplace safety laws to require vaccines in the private sector. But millions of federal workers must get vaccinated or get regular testing for COVID-19.

“Under this vaccine mandate, Democrats are firing doctors and nurses and then complaining that we have a shortage of doctors and nurses,” Cruz asserted.“Under President Biden’s illegal vaccine mandates this administration is preparing to fire soldiers and sailors and airmen and Marines [and ...] Navy SEALs who spent decades training and fighting to defend this nation. ... because they will not submit to an arbitrary and illegal mandate.”

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