The Lion's Roar 01/19/2021

The

LION’S ROAR

FCS STATS TOP 25 Preseason Poll 1. North Dakota State 2. James Madison 11. Central Arkansas 14. Nicholls 21. Southeastern

#15 Cole Kelley

Senior Quarterback

Hammond, LA Jan. 20, 2021

Table of Contents A Letter from the Editor

pg. 3

Miss Southeastern Q&A

pg. 4

Scelfo’s outlook on Spring Football Luma Coffee Roasters Mobile Ticketing

pg. 8

pg. 10

pg. 12

Gabrielle Wood’s 2021 Hopes and Dreams pg.13 Baseball gears up for 2021 pg. 14 Priscilla Jackson FT. pg. 15 Storming the Capitol pg. 16 No. 3 Morgan Carrier pg. 18 SLU Home Sports Scehdule pg. 19 TLR Staff New Year’s Resolutions pg. 20

Letter from the Editor: Gerard Borne, Jr. After a year that felt like five, one thing that stayed persistent in 2020 was the consistency and professionalism of The Lion’s Roar Newspaper.

Challenges and barriers arose that seemed to have no solution in sight but the hard-working staff of the newspaper found a will and a way.

With the start of 2021 The Lion’s Roar will take a different approach to things with a higher volume of production. A major change that will directly affect the paper is the change of all university athletic teams playing in the same semester. On top of a sports slammed semester another big change that will occur is the change of administration in our nation’s capitol. The Lion’s Roar plans to cover every step of President Biden’s presidency, as we did for President Trump. Like all things I trust and believe that the staff will exceed expectations in quality and production.

Another new spin to the 2021 Spring semester is The Lion’s Roar creation of our own Tik Tok account. Yes, we will be posting

The Lion’s Roar is the official newspaper of the students of Southeastern Louisiana University. It has been in continuous publication since 1937.

Submissions and letters to the editor are welcomed, but the editor of The Lion’s Roar reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, libel and available space, or refuse publication without notification. Submissions must include the author’s full name and either phone number, e-mail or other contact information (not to be published). Faculty and staff members should include their

light-hearted things that our staff will come up with. Along with trying to get clout on Tik Tok another aspect the paper will strive to improve on is the use of our app “College News Source.” The app will have past and present articles on it and will be able to download on Android and iOS platforms. It will also make it easier for users to engage with us by receiving notifications of new content, the ability to comment and to share.

One positive aspect that came out of 2020 was the increased activity on The Lion’s Roar website. With the temporary suspension due to COVID of a printed paper, online production was the bread and butter of 2020. With higher online engagement it directly led to more followers on all social media platforms.

As this is my first semester as editor-in-chief I know one thing is certain, I am prepared and thrilled to take on the role. I feel I am as prepared as they come with this being my third year on staff and having a good idea on what the job role entails. Another thing that will help me is the fact that previous people in my job role have done well.

With all the unexpected obstacles that happened in 2020 it helped shape a new and improved paper with a faster paced production.

Moving to a new office space, having online staff meetings, not printing our physical newspaper, and a lot other things still will not slow us down in 2021; the staff is very competent and more skilled than most other newspaper in the state. So here’s to 2021: No matter what you bring to the table one thing’s for certain, The Lion’s Roar will be able to handle anything you throw its way.

Policies and Procedures

title and department. Students should include their classification and major. By submitting an article for publication, the author understands that the submission will be edited.

Organizational News space is provided at no charge as a courtesy for university recognized Greek and Student Organizations. The space of such articles is limited to 150 words. Submissions of this Organizational News must adhere to the same polices as other submissions or letters to the editor but must also include the name of the organization.

All views expressed in The Lion’s Roar are those of the author or, if unsigned, those of the staff of The Lion’s Roar.

These views should not be interpreted as the views of the administration, faculty or students of Southeastern Louisiana University.

A single issue of The Lion’s Roar is free. Additional copies may be purchased for 50 cents in the Student Union suite 1303. Annual mail subscriptions are $35 within the continental U.S. The Lion’s Roar, in its print form, and associated online or digital versions,

are designated public forums. Student editors have the authority to make content decisions without censorship or prior approval. The Lion’s Roar also defends the rights of student journalists relative to freedom of speech and press as stated in Amendment I of the Constitution of the United States of America.

The Lion’s Roar is published through the Office of Student Publications, part of the Division for Student Affairs. It is published weekly during regular semesters and monthly during the summer semester.

Contact Us General Offices North Campus Main Building #156

Editor-in-Chief - Gerard Borne Office Assistant - Ashlyn Harris Graduate Assistant - Alyssa Larose Faculty Advisor - Chelsea Slack Administrative Assistant - Gemma Carter Coordinator - Lorraine Peppo Director - Dr. Lee E. Lind

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Mailing Address The Lion’s Roar SLU 10877 Hammond, LA 70402 Email - lionsroar@southeastern.edu Telephone Numbers - 985-549-3527 (newsroom) 985-549-3842 (fax) 985-549-3731 (advertising) Website - www.lionsroarnews.com

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Miss Southeastern Q&A: In anticipation of the 60th annual Miss Southeastern pageant The Lion’s Roar Newspaper decided to ask all 15 participants questions about the contest. This year the Miss Southeastern pageant will be held on January 22nd at the Columbia Theatre.

The Lion’s Roar Asked: 1) Why did you decide to compete in Miss Southeastern ?

2) What would being crowned mean to you ?

-Brynn Lundy Staff Reporter

1) I decided to compete in this pageant mostly because it wasn’t during the school year, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to with my busy schedule, but also because I thought it’d be a fun experience to meet some new people, and I didn’t have a job lined up for break anyway.

2) To me, being crowned would be a very fun experience, and it would just be a good platform to bring awareness to environmental issues.

-Ashlynn Martell 1) Southeastern is home to me, and it always has been. My mom came here from Alabama to teach and met my dad, and it’s kind of a family legacy, so I would love to represent the school that really is my home.

2) While I’ve been at Southeastern, I’ve always actively strived to be a leader and pursue anything that would give me an opportunity to help others and serve others and be a success in my future, so I would love the opportunity to help other girls succeed as well.

- Victoria Rocquin

1) had a friend competing last year, and it planted a little seed in my head. It was a what-if that I knew I would regret if I didn’t do it. It sounds like an exciting opportunity. I’m excited to work with all these girls 2) To be honest, Southeastern was not my first choice in universities. I surprise myself every day how much I love it now. I wouldn’t change it for the world, so being crowned Miss Southeastern would be a total 180 for me. I’d be so excited to get to utilize all the means that she has to pursue more endeavors like this.

-Hannah Tribou

The Path to the Crown 1) I decided to compete in Miss Southeastern because I know that it’s a great opportunity for empowering a woman, and I think that having a woman represent the Southeastern community is really positive. I think it’s more of a job than it is a pageant title.

2) Being crowned would mean a job, representing my student body, and taking actions to improve students’ lives around campus.

-Gillian Herbert

1) I decided to compete in Miss Southeastern because I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to help others with their mental health because I know how hard it is when you struggle with it.

2) Being crowned would mean the world to me but I believe it would mean even more to my community and everyone the struggles with mental illnesses. Having good mental health is the first step to becoming your best self and I would have the platform and backing to be able to provide others with the opportunity to become their best selves just by helping out with the first step. It would be an honor.

-Jannette Jackson 1) I decided to compete in Miss Southeastern because, to me, Southeastern is like another home, and I would definitely love to represent Southeastern as a whole and get it on the map even more by possibly going to Miss Louisiana and winning that too 2) Being crowned would mean the world to me because I’ve grown up doing pageants, and I know what it takes to be a queen. You have this whole other level of confidence, and I just want to make all the other girls in the world feel the same confidence as well.

- Mason Burnette

1)I decided to compete in Ms. Southeastern to challenge stereotypes and show little girls and young women that they can do anything they aspire to do. I decided to compete to represent those with mental health issues and physical disabilities, proving that those with health issues can be as strong and capable as any abled person.

2) Being crowned as Miss Southeastern would mean, frankly, the world to me.

Not only would the crown allow me to represent those with health issues; it would also allow me to make changes which I so desperately want to see on campus and in our community.

-Sarah Cavalier

1) I chose to compete in Miss Southeastern because, A, I love this school as a whole, and also because this school means so much to me not just because I love it myself but also because my entire family loves it. I’m fifth generation Southeastern. My grandma actually was in the Miss Southeastern pageant when she was in school, and then my great great grandmother was in the first graduating class. It just meant something so special to me to be a part of something like that and really represent the school.

2) Being crowned would mean a lot to me because, like I said, my entire family loves Southeastern, fifth generation, my family all went there, my mom, my dad. We lived in on-campus housing, and my two sisters go to Southeastern with me at this time.

It would be great to be a part of something to where I can give back to the school that gave so much to me.

- Hannah Henderson

1) I decided to compete in Miss Southeastern because I wanted to show my leadership as well as show my platform this year. I competed in Miss Southeastern last year, and I really enjoyed the experience, so to do it again this year and to come much stronger than I did last year, I think it would be a fun opportunity to network with people.

2) Being crowned would give me the honor to do what I believe in. I can spread my word to everyone, which is something that I stick to as far as being positive and I wanted to spread my work again in chronic obesity and kind of helping with that because it is the underdog. If i can be that person to target both kids and adults.

- Tayla Phillips 1) Last year I competed, as you know, and I got first runner up. I was one point behind the current Miss Southeastern, Janine Hatcher. That night, I realized how much I wanted to leave a legacy here at Southeastern. Start of quarantine, when everything hit, I had nothing else to do, so what I did do was use all the free time that I did have and start reading articles on how to walk, how to talk, how to be a pageant competitor. I watched hours of videos.

2) With all the effort, preparation, training and practice that I’ve put in, if the crown was put on my head, I’d probably fall to my knees and thank God because I’ve put all this effort in for Him. I keep telling myself, I pray at night, and I say, ‘God, if you don’t want me to win, but you still want me to touch at least one person in the process.

- Lily Gale 1) For me, I have always loved the idea of being in a pageant. Ever since I was little, I always told my mom I’ve always wanted to be in a pageant. I just think it’s such a great opportunity to share what you believe in. It’s an awesome platform. I think Southeastern does a great job with the Miss Southeastern pageant, and I’m just so grateful for the opportunity to be in this pageant.

2) Oh my gosh, being crowned would be amazing. I think it would be such an amazing experience. I think it would just be so cool to have that platform to really say what you mean and to share your voice with the world and to help others.

- Kobi Painting

1) I competed in the Miss Southeastern pageant last year, and it was a great experience that I never saw myself doing, but glad I did. It was a great way to meet people and have a chance to compete for scholarships.

2) Being crowned to me would mean that I have a chance to represent Southeastern for Miss Louisiana but also have a chance to spread awareness of self-love to so many people and how impactful it is to have.

- Omaria Romero

1) I decided to compete in Miss Southeastern because, honestly, after watching Miss Janine walk around campus, an aura of strong-willedness came off of her, and I was like, that’s what I want to do. I want to be someone that gives off that type of aura as well.

2) Being crowned would mean fulfilling what I’m fighting for. My social impact statement is basically about helping young girls with their self image because myself, I’m a plus size girl. A lot of young girls struggle with their looks, so being crowned would mean that I get to fight for them and be there to inspire them.

- Angeneka Jacobs

1) I fell in love with pageantry when I was a freshman in high school. I used to care about getting all dressed up and pretty, but now that I’ve been in college and I’ve been exposed to the real world, it’s more about having a platform to share my voice and make sure that I can be representative for people that need me to be representative for them.

2) It would mean a chance to really make an impact on our campus, whether it’s about my platform, sexual assault on campus, or anything else that would be needed of me on campus.

-Catherin Wooton

1) I decided to compete because senior year, my father was deployed, so he never got to see me dance for the first or last time, and I saw that this pageant had a talent portion. During the preparation, I really saw what it means to be Miss Southeastern. It’s a wonderful experience.

2) Being crowned would be the most rewarding experience ever. Countless hours, tears have gone into this process, and it would be very rewarding and I hope to make the school proud.

- Megan Magri

Lions look to win Southland after historic 2019 season ~Gerard Borne Editor-In-Chief

The 2019 season was one for the record books for the university’s football team. From knocking off No. 6 ranked Jacksonville State in the season opener to having a 17-point comeback over No. 8 Villanova University in the playoffs, the Lions exceeded expectations.

On Aug. 13, the 2020 Southland Conference announced that all fall sports would be postponed until the spring, leaving the Lions in a unique scenario .

Third-year head coach Frank Scelfo explained how the extended off-season helped the team in many different ways.

“It allowed us to have a lot of practices and to get to know the newer guys even more,” said Scelfo. “Transfers and freshmen got to see more time on the field in practices and got to study more film than usual.”

Over the off-season Scelfo appointed Chris Lachney to defensive coordinator for the team.

“I know Chris is going to do a great job this season,” stated Scelfo. “Our defense is going to run a lot smoother. Last season we gave up way too many big plays on defense and I don’t think that will happen this season. Communication was an area we were lacking last season and I know Chris has got a handle on that.”

The Lions’ 2019 season ended in a 73-28 road playoff loss to University of Montana in the second round of the FCS Playoffs. The Abbeville native stated how the loss was good for the team in retrospect.

“It showed us where we needed to be as a program,” explained Scelfo. “It was a good building block. We weren’t on their level at the time. They’re a historic program and that’s where we need to be as a team moving onwards.”

One bright spot to the 2019 season was University of Arkansas transfer Cole Kelley, quarterback, played in all 13 of the Lions games last season as the backup to Chason Virgil, Kelley shared what he learned from Chason.

“Chason was a great mentor,” said Kelley. “He showed me a lot about the playbook and really opened things up for me. He was great to study and learn under as a transfer.”

Kelley explained how he hopes to continue his production into the 2021 season.

“Last year I did a great job of not turning the ball over,” commented Kelley. “I wanna play good clean football and not throw any interceptions. I pride myself on taking care of the football.”

The Lafayette native shared why he wants to win a Southland Conference title so bad in 2021.

“I’ve never won a championship at any level since I started playing football,” said Kelley. “So to win my first ever championship in my senior season would be nice.”

Scelfo shared what he thinks the Lions have to do in order to win the conference title for the first time since 2014.

“We need to take it one week at a time in order to succeed,” stated Scelfo. We don’t need to look so far ahead and just keep a clear vision and take it one game at a time. We definitely have the talent to do so, so that’s not the problem, also it’s if we can all put it together in big time matchups.”

The Lions will open up their 2021 season on the road against Sam Houston State University on Feb. 27 at 6 p.m.

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Luma Coffee: Roastery And Social Club -Brynn Lundy Staff Reporter

Coming soon to the downtown Hammond district is a coffee shop owned by four young adults from Louisiana.

The creators of Luma Coffee Roasters, couples Devin and Catherine Masters and Logan and Shelby Torrance, came together about five years ago to learn more about coffee and form their own coffee roasting company. In December 2020, the entrepreneurs signed the lease for their first coffee shop location, the old Central Rexall Drugs building on East Thomas Street.

Over the past couple of years, they have been operating as a coffee cart in The Mission Church in Hammond, where the Masters are worship leaders and the Torrances are youth pastors.

Catherine Masters expressed the importance they place on preparing coffee for their customers. She shared what it has been like being able to share their creations with the community through their coffee cart, which will remain in business when the shop opens.

“It’s been a really small window that we are able to have face time with our customers and to

serve our customers,” she said. “But that’s been a really cool stepping stone, and we’ve definitely learned a lot through having the espresso cart there and built a lot of great relationships and started that process of education with our customers.”

The business brainstorming began after university alumni, Devin and Catherine, got married in 2015. They visited Nashville on their honeymoon, where, according to Devin, they experienced coffee on a level they never had before.

“On the way back, we talked and talked and talked and came up with a name, and we just started making plans and making dreams,” shared Devin. “We actually drew a few logos on the way.”

Not long after that, the couple decided to ask Logan and Shelby Torrance to join them on their coffee company journey.

According to Catherine, they initially learned how to roast their own coffee in their apartment using a Whirley Pop popcorn machine before they saved enough money to purchase a

legitimate coffee roaster. Devin and Logan took classes to further their knowledge of coffee roasting and became certified through the Specialty Coffee Association.

“We did a few in Hammond, and then I drove to Jacksonville, Fla., over a period of a year and completed all of my certification stuff,” said Devin.

“I knew that this stuff — it’s not magic. It’s not just trial and error, but it really is a science. I wanted to understand exactly how to get the best product and how to create the best products.”

The roasters faced some obstacles before finally solidifying the lease on the Hammond location, from lack of funding in 2017 to losing the lease to another company, then the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. In November, they were able to start negotiations again and officially signed the lease in December.

“When I tell you, it was surreal — it still hasn’t hit us because it’s been such a big dream in our hearts for so long, not only to open up a brick and mortar location, but to open up in this specific building is really a dream come true,” expressed Catherine.

Catherine and Devin want their coffee shop to be a place where visitors and community members feel comfortable and welcome.

“Our new shop is going to be called the Luma Coffee: Roastery and Social Club because we believe so deeply that it is social and that we will have a space for members of the community to come to relax and read a good book or to have coffee with a friend or for students to come work on projects together in our upstairs loft,” said Catherine.

Customers will be able to see the entire roasting process, from raw coffee beans to a cup of brewed coffee. Additionally, the location will offer classes for anyone interested in learning about the coffee roasting process.

The business owners feel their shop will bring something unique to downtown Hammond that they hope will not only help with their success but also add to the success of the whole city.

“Nothing against anywhere else, but the level that Luma Coffee Roasters is going to operate on is going to be something that Hammond has never seen before,” said Devin. “That’s something that we take pride in. That’s something that we’re very excited about, and that’s something that I feel like is going to push every other place in Hammond to take themselves to the next level.”

The grand opening of the Luma Coffee: Roastery and Social Club is tentatively scheduled for mid-March/early April.

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Athletics

looks towards a

new ticketing platform ~Elana Guillory Staff Reporter

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The university will take a different approach this year in how fans will purchase tickets. The Athletics Ticket Office has made online ticket purchasing available for Spring 2021.

Although there was already an online ticket purchasing option, the department is now pushing it to be the primary sales method.

Lori McAfee, director of ticket operations, described the push for online ticketing services as a safer alternative due to the pandemic. Accordingly, the university followed in the footsteps of other schools.

“I think mobile ticketing will help us encourage fans to purchase tickets in advance to game day,” said McAfee. “For instance, during football season, fans like to come up to the booth right before gates open and this causes a line. With mobile ticketing, you can skip the game day purchase line and walk into the stadium without having to get a physical ticket printed.”

In addition to safety precautions, online ticket purchases will also be more convenient for fans.

“Fans can easily go online from their house at any time of the day and purchase tickets. They can now print at home or download their tickets straight to their phone. They do not have to come by the office and pick up their tickets,” McAfee described.

Tickets will be accessible in different formats when purchased online.

According to the university website, “All tickets will be available via email or text message in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.”

With the unpredictability of sporting event schedules, online ticket purchasing will also provide versatility and quick updates.

“If a game were to be moved to a new date, the ticket office can now email or text updated tickets, which keeps fans from having to come back to the office to get a new ticket,” said McAfee.

To purchase online tickets, fans will be required to create an account on TicketReturn, a website that provides ticketing services to box offices.

Carson Fryou, a sophomore sports communication major, shared his opinion on online tickets.

“It is a great idea for sports fans to get their tickets safely,” said Fryou. “Some people will have a hard time with their tickets if the mobile devices they use to buy the tickets break.”

A crashing ticketreturn.com could also cause issues.

However, Fryou said he believes this problem could be easily solved.

“People who have technical problems could ask someone else to buy tickets for them and pay that person with real cash,” said Fryou.

A How-To Guide on purchasing tickets is featured on Lionsports.net. There, instructions for purchasing, viewing and transferring mobile tickets are explained.

The worst year is finally over: Hello 2021 ~Gabrielle Wood Staff Reporter

If there is anything that the world could ever agree on together, it is one thing: 2020 takes the cake as one of the worst years to experience.

It was the year of a global pandemic, social inequality, riots, deaths of those we idolized, hurricane after hurricane, and so much more.

For half of the year, it was no longer going to a campus I loved being at, all of my time and efforts in organizations being put on hold and having to adjust to a new way of working and learning as I found myself becoming stir crazy at home.

Consequently, many things were canceled and many people fell sick in my life. It was a wake up call for someone who went about her everyday life taking what I had, and the people around me, for granted. Although it will forever be something to remember, it is over and done with and I am more than ready to move on from the past.

so many days during quarantine where I just felt stuck, as if I was living the same day over and over- as morbid as that sounds.

It was making sure to call up a friend or go visit my favorite coffee shop that really got me out of those funks during that time.

What brings purpose to my life is also having new experiences. I want to travel and see things I haven’t ever seen before. Being exposed to a new culture is something that everyone should experience in their lives. I feel that this is essential in growing as a person by stepping out of my comfort zone and learning new things I wouldn’t have at home otherwise.

Doing what I love to do everyday brings me purpose as well. In 2021 I want to take more time to read, exercise and grow my photography skills. In quarantine I was able to focus on things I haven’t been able to do such as painting, and it felt like a luxury to do so instead of exerting myself in the busy world around me. Each month I plan to try something new that brings me joy.

Practicing gratitude was never something that I did before 2021. I felt thankful at times, but I never really knew the extent of how privileged I had it until 2020 broke so many of those around me.

I bought a journal at the beginning of January specifically for writing about what I am thankful for the day. In the morning or night I’ll note three different things I am thankful for, whether it’s a person in my life or an opportunity that falls into my lap. It may seem so simple, but I feel that actually saying “thank you” to people more can make a huge difference in someone’s life. My parents for instance, I’m aware I don’t say those two words enough. Being more present in the moment is also a factor of gratitude that I want to consider, instead of being so absorbed into my phone all of the time.

Every year up until 2021 I had the typical goals of “this year I will eat healthier” or “this year I will save I plan to do this by first making sure a day doesn’t more money” but I couldn’t set any more goals that go by wasted. Even if all I feel like is sitting at home didn’t actually bring meaning to my life, not after what watching Netfilix, something as little as taking a walk we went through in 2020. to reflect on my week would be purposeful. There were 2021 will be the year for new beginnings.

~ The New Year has

ignited a sense of hope in

me. My goals for this year

are pretty straight forward, to live life with purpose and practice gratitude daily.~

Baseball gears up for 2021 Season

After an abrupt end to their 2020 season, Southeastern Baseball is gearing up for a return to the diamond.

The team has not faced any outside competition since their game against Louisiana Tech on March 10. However, the team held a series of intrasquad scrimmages at the Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field throughout the course of the fall semester.

Head coach Matt Riser shared how the intrasquad scrimmages brought the team back to some sense of normalcy.

“It was like a normal fall, that was the nice part about it,” said Riser. “Obviously because of the pandemic, things have been a little out of the ordinary for us. So, to be able to go back in early fall and to be able to do that, playing against each other and getting back to competing on the field I think was a huge success for us.”

Riser also said he believes that the matches helped prepare the team for the upcoming season.

“The one thing we normally do is have outside competition in the fall, and obviously with the pandemic and COVID, we were not allowed to do that,” shared Riser. “Again, I think with everything going on, the guys appreciate being able to be out there. That will help for preparation for the spring as well.”

The intrasquad matches also gave an idea of what challenges the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will present during the upcoming season.

“We have dealt with our setbacks just like anybody else with the COVID with having a few positive cases and some contact tracing to go along with it,” said Riser. “But that’s going to be the name of the game for the springtime as well. It gives us a chance to see what that is going to look like before we actually get

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into competition.”

According to Riser, the team’s preparation for the spring season is different from years prior due to the early end of the fall semester.

“They went home for Thanksgiving and did not come back. We depend on those guys to be very professional and mature in their approach in the off-season in getting their workouts in, getting their throwing in, and we are going to hit the ground running as soon as we get back,” Riser said.

Riser noted that the team is extremely excited to get back on the field, and competing in the spring has been the team’s number one priority since their previous season was cut short.

“They are extremely excited because the guys are getting a second chance. If they didn’t get off to a great start or if they did, either way, they have a chance to come back and re-prove themselves or show what they can really do. So, it’s a reset button for us,” he said.

Looking ahead at the upcoming season, Riser is looking forward to being able to return to the field and describes being back as a blessing.

“I mean, we take it for granted and hopefully we never go through this pandemic situation again or another situation like it where our season gets cut short and we have to do what we have to do to get on the field,” shared Riser. “We have had a couple years where we have not been to a regional, and they knew when they got recruited into this program that they were supposed to be the crew that was going to bring us to the next step. They are extremely eager and extremely hungry to do that, so I am excited to see them do that on the field.” ~Dylan Meche Staff Reporter

Priscilla Jackson: A faithful worker custodial services On the back of many bathroom doors on campus, there is a sheet of paper called the Restroom Service Log. One name on the paper is logged more than any other.

That name is Priscilla Jackson. The time logged by Jackson’s name varies and is as early as 3:30 a.m.

Jackson has spent the last 15 years working for the university under the Physical Plant Services as a custodian.

Throughout her time in the position, her work cleaning and maintaining the campus has added to the campus’ clean and friendly atmosphere.

Ever since COVID-19 protocols were implemented on campus, Jackson’s work routine changed slightly to include sanitizing along with more frequent cleaning of bathrooms.

“In the morning when I first come in, I clean the bathrooms and first start with the sinks and then the toilets and clean those and the soap and paper towel dispensers, sanitize door knobs and the light switches, and then the last thing I do is mop that bathroom,” explained Jackson.

An average day of work for Jackson also includes cleaning and sanitizing bathrooms but also taking out the trash, along with mopping and vacuuming the vicinity.

“It’s the same thing every day unless they need me to strip and wax the floor,” explained Jackson.

Jackson loves the everyday routine of her work, and one of her favorite aspects of work are meeting the quotas her managers

put out and they often leave notes on her door.

Some students have taken notice of her work on campus and appreciate how through her and other custodians’ hard work, the university’s cleanliness is maintained.

Zachary Roy, junior psychology major, recalls the first thing he noticed about campus as an incoming freshman.

“While attending orientation as an incoming freshman, I noticed how clean the campus was, and through my tours of other colleges, the one thing that stood out to me about Southeastern was just how clean and maintained it was,” said Roy. “It never really occurred to me that custodians like Mrs. Jackson put hard work into their jobs to keep this campus clean.” .

~Austin Dewease Staff Reporter

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Capitol storming is a symptom of a larger problem ~Dylan Meche Staff Reporter

There are really no words to describe what we saw take place on Jan. 6 at the U.S. capital. What started as a protest headlined by President Trump against

about what we saw, but we cannot afford to continue to promote this cycle of political violence.

The chaos we saw did not come out of nowhere.

alleged voter fraud in the 2020 election, devolved into

These political tensions have been brewing under

an assault on the Capitol building.

the surface for decades. We have seen them reach a

Given the fact that Trump had still not conceded and several Republican lawmakers threatened to

boiling point over the past few months.

It has become clear that there is deep discontent

object to the electoral college certification, I knew that

within our country. Most Americans believe that

Jan. 6 would be crazy. I never saw anything like this

our system is broken and that their leaders are not

coming.

listening to them. People have become so angry, so

Rioters broke through police barriers to gain access to the interior of the Capitol, causing the joint session of Congress to be interrupted. They assaulted

convinced that our system is beyond saving that they allowed their passions to get the best of them.

It is very hard not to feel discontent or feel as if

police officers and destroyed property. They also

we have no control. We have witnessed our culture

gained access into the House Chamber, Senate floor

change radically over the past few years. The America

and several congressional offices. In the chaos, four

of today is virtually unrecognizable from the one

civilians and one police officer were killed, as reported

most people grew up in. This radical change has made

by CNN.

people desperate for stability. This desperation is the

Political violence and intimidation accomplish nothing. It will never lead to anything except more violence.

What happened was inexcusable, but we must

reason Trump was elected to office in the first place.

Americans have every right to believe that President Trump’s actions in the aftermath of the election were wrong. However, it would be foolish

take time to reflect as a nation why people were so

to use this incident as justification to silence and

disillusioned with their government that they chose to

punish people who voted for Trump. Actions such as

invade their own capital. We have a right to be angry

the banning of the President from social media do

nothing but make people more angry and tribalistic.

There has certainly been a ton of misinformation

fingers and blame each other for what we saw. Let’s not become part of the problem by giving into

circulating online in the aftermath of the election.

inflammatory rhetoric. We also must avoid the

Suggestions by online groups such as QAnon that

temptation to view this incident through the lens of

Trump had a hidden plan to expose massive voter

our own political biases.

fraud were instrumental in convincing these people that things were a lot worse than they seemed.

What we saw is not representative of the majority of

Hopefully, this incident will be a wakeup call to all of us that our current political climate is unsustainable. We cannot convince ourselves that

people who voted for Trump in this election. Most of

politics is an all or nothing battle. We must not

them are regular Americans who, like you and I, were

remove people from our lives simply because they

horrified by what they saw.

vote differently than we do.

We are now living in a country where a quarter of

The issues that face our country are important, but

our population believes that our elections are rigged.

there is far more to life than politics. It is not healthy

These questions about election integrity have been

to center our lives around the person who is in the

met with contempt by our political leaders. Even if

White House or which party controls Congress.

you believe that these claims have no merit, ignoring them will have profound consequences.

When people believe that their votes do not matter

Despite what the rioters present at the Capitol on Jan. 6 believed, things are not as hopeless as they seem.

The people that stormed the Capitol were convinced

and their voices are not being heard, our democracy

that our country was beyond saving, but America is

suffers. People who feel that they have no control act

never beyond saving. Things seem to be falling apart,

irrationally. If this trend continues, some people will

but our country has triumphed over much more

develop the flawed perception that further violence is

difficult challenges. Only together can we persevere

the only way to make their voices heard.

through these times of uncertainty.

Regardless of who you voted for, we cannot point

17

Morgan Carrier Lady Lion embraces her senior season

~Brynn Lundy Staff Reporter

The university’s women’s basketball team has started off the 2020-2021 season with a 3-3 record and several canceled games. Senior guard and forward Morgan Carrier, native of New Iberia,, has played no small role in the Lady Lions’ successes this season, scoring a total of 67 points so far.

Within the first three seasons of her career with the Lady Lions, beginning as a freshman in 2017, Carrier has collected a total of 463 points, 107 turnovers and 166 rebounds.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many studentathletes had to say goodbye to the 2019-2020 season, which was cut short last March. Carrier, who wears No. 3, described how that experience influenced her motivation for this season. probably been the most rewarding. She’s grown as a person and as a player, on and off the court.”

“It was an overwhelming type of feeling,” said Carrier.

“We didn’t really know what to feel. It was surreal, kind of, because as hard as we worked to get there, it was like it was taken away from us. So, it made the players who returned want to go harder and realize, at any point, it could be taken from us again. We just go as hard as we can because we remember what happened last year.”

Head coach Ayla Guzzardo, named to the position in April 2017, has been alongside Carrier’s journey at the university since her freshman year. Guzzardo described her experience with coaching Carrier throughout the years.

“It has been a rollercoaster ride,” said Guzzardo. “No, it’s been fun. I’m not gonna lie, it’s always eventful.

Watching her grow these past four years has probably been the most rewarding. She’s grown as a person and as a player, on and off the court.”

Guzzardo shared how Carrier has improved her game since the season ended last year.

“She’s gotten better defensively. She’s taken it personal. Offense is where she really shines, so defense is where she’s picked it up and she’s worked a lot harder at practice,” Guzzardo said.

The first women’s basketball game of this season took place on Nov. 25, 2020 - 258 days since the last athletic event for the university. Carrier explained how she utilized the extended break to keep up her athletic drive and prepare for the current season.

“Mentally, I just try to stay level-headed, even though sometimes my teammates have to bring me back down because I’ll either get too high or too low,” shared Carrier.

“Mentally, I just try to stay the course because, like I said, we never know what’s gonna happen. Physically, I just have to make sure I’m getting in the gym, eating right, putting the right things in my body.”

Carrier shared what she has enjoyed the most during her time with the Lady Lions — the relationships she built with her team.

“We’re more of a family than just teammates, so that’s the best part, being able to play with girls that I actually like and trust,” said Carrier.

Guzzardo had much to share regarding Carrier’s impact on the team, including what she feels the rest of the season has in store for the senior.

“Our team is going to be better because of Morgan. She’s that type of player,” Guzzardo noted. “She’s an energy player. You feed off of it. She’s a leader. One thing that helps us is that she’s able to shoot the three and she’s able to get to the rim this year. With her being on the floor, our progress has exceeded our potential. We gotta make sure we stay on track, and with Morgan at that lead, we’ll be alright.”

As her unpredictable senior season continues, Carrier is looking forward to playing as many games with her teammates as she can.

“Since corona came around, we never really know what’s gonna happen, so we just take it day by day, just go as hard as we can every day and hope that we can play the next game,” said Carrier.

2021 Spring Sports Home Schedule Football McNeese State University 03/06 Northwestern State University 03/13 Lamar University 04/03 Men’s Basketball Northwestern State University 01/23 University of Central Arkansas 01/27 University of New Orleans 01/30 Nicholls State University 02/13 Abilene Christian University 02/20 McNeese State University 02/24 Women’s Basketball Northwestern State University 01/23 University of Central Arkansas 01/27 University of New Orleans 01/30 Sam Houston State University 02/10 Nicholls State University 02/13 Abilene Christian University 02/20 Beach Volleyball University of New Orleans 04/14 Soccer Sam Houston State University 02/19 Stephen F. Austin University 02/21 McNeese State University 03/12 Houston Baptist University 04/01 Texas A&M- Corpus Christi University 04/03 Nicholls State University 04/09

Softball Lion Classic Tournament 02/12-14 Louisiana Tech University 03/03 University of Southern Miss 03/10 Lamar University 03/12-13 Louisiana State University 03/16 Abilene Christian University 03/26-27 Jackson State University 04/06 McNeese State University 04/09-10 Southern University 04/20 University of Louisiana at Monroe 04/21 Texas A&M- Corpus Christi 04/23-24 University of Central Arkansas 04/30-05/01 Tennis Southern University 02/04

Louisiana State University-Alexandria 02/21

Incarnate Word University 02/26 Abilene Christian University 02/28 Omaha University 03/17 Nicholls State University 03/26 University of New Orleans 03/28 University of Southern Miss 04/05 Stephen F. Austin University 04/09 Sam Houston State University 04/11 Indoor Volleyball Nicholls State University 02/09 Sam Houston State University 02/13 Abilene Christian University 03/11 Stephen F. Austin University 03/13 Houston Baptist University 03/18 Incarnate Word Univesity 03/20

19

2021 Staff New Year’s Resolutions I would say my main goal for 2021 is to trust God more and strengthen my relationship with Him. Other than that, I would say take better care of my physical and mental health.

-Brynn Lundy

Honestly, I never really do those because why not just change now, but I guess to be more mindful of my mental health and do better with my morning meditation.

- Trinity Brown To continue to improve my mental and physical health and to invest my time into things that are truly deserving of it.

-Elana Guillory