Hammond, LA
February 2, 2021
S O U T H E A S T E R N L O U I S IA NA U N I V E R S I T Y
Miss Southeastern 2021: Her journey from Baton Rouge to Peru to Hammond
Miss Southeastern 2021 Lily Gayle, senior communication major, will be competing in the Miss Louisiana pageant in June as Miss Green and Gold. Janine Hatcher will be competing in the state pageant as Miss Southeastern 2020 since the pageant was postponed last year. Brynn Lundy and Symiah Dorsey/The Lion’s Roar BRYNN LUNDY Staff Reporter
On Jan. 22, Lily Gayle began her reign as the institution’s 60th Miss Southeastern Louisiana University. How did Miss SLU 2021 end up in the city of Hammond? Gayle was originally planning to go to Louisiana State University, but her path changed after attending a preview day on Southeastern’s campus. “I came here and I met Marjorie Parker at one of the Lion Pride Previews,” she said. “She’s the one who really changed my mind on coming here, and I absolutely fell in love with Hammond and downtown and coming here on campus. Everyone is such a family here, and I loved that.” However, prior to college decision-making and before high school, Gayle experienced a unique childhood that had a significant impact on her teenage years and ultimately led her to Hammond. As the oldest of four children, Gayle has two sisters and a brother. Her father runs a church in Denham Springs, and her mother homeschooled all of her siblings. She was born in Baton Rouge, but her family moved to Peru, South America for mission work when she was three years old and moved back to Louisiana
when she was 13. When she was a junior high and high school student, Gayle suffered from anxiety, situational depression and anorexia. She felt like an outsider to American life whenever her family moved back to the states. “I didn’t know what it was like to be an American teen in the 2010s era. Coming back and realizing this culture is completely different — there’s a lot more social media and technology here — I didn’t know how to catch up. I went through that without a lot of support at all,” said Gayle. Gayle’s experiences influenced her decision for her platform, the Lifter’s Project: Everyone’s Worth Their Heartbeat, which advocates for depression, anxiety and anorexia recovery. Since her earlier years at the university, weightlifting has been a source of positivity for Gayle. She commented,“I’ve been weightlifting for about four years now, and it really made my body image become more positive. It made me feel more confident in that, to be beautiful, you don’t have to be skinny. You can be lifting 115 for five reps and still look good in a hot pink dress.” Gayle and her boyfriend Jordan Tate, a senior industrial technology major, have known each other since high school. Tate recalls the time when she was introverted and nervous to talk to
people on campus, but he mentioned how much she has grown over the years. He said, “Miss Southeastern is the perfect position for her. This school helped her discover who she really is, so now she wants to give back to the school that she loves so dearly. She will fight for what is right, and she will do her best to make a difference in people’s lives.” Gayle said she felt that her homeschooling set her apart, and she was more timid during her first semester, the fall of 2017. Once she began to grow more comfortable in her place at the university, Gayle jumped into campus involvement and became an orientation leader in 2018. She is currently a leader for the on-campus chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the campus director of outreach for the Student Government Association, and she is a full-time sports reporter for the Southeastern Channel. Gayle chose communication as her major because of her love for sports. “From the fall of 2017 to the fall of 2019, I never missed a football practice, even in the spring,” she said. “I went to some of the fall camp practices in the fall of 2019, and I really focused on the plays, the routes I focused on the terminology they used on the field and that really made me the reporter I am today. That made me stronger see MISS SLU, pg. 4
University alumna pens children’s book to honor her late sister
Tyra McGary and her brother Peronous “Pete” Clark are photographed with Tyra’s children’s book “A’Tiffa’s Mystery Adventure.” McGary held a book signing and balloon release in memory of her sister on Dec. 9, 2020. Courtesy of Tyra McGary BRYNN LUNDY
book titled “A’Tiffa’s Mystery Adventure,” in memory of her sister, A’Tiffa Ronique Wilson, who passed away from breast cancer in November 2017 In November 2020, two-time university alumna at the age of 34. Tyra McGary released her first book, a children’s The book, published under her pseudonym Tyra Staff Reporter
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T. Wilson, revolves around a young schoolgirl who lives and attends school near a beach, enjoys time with her friends and loves to solve mysteries. One day, she is tasked with the case of missing items at school, bringing readers along for an adventure. McGary wants her book to show young readers who A’Tiffa was; in addition to promoting problemsolving and sharing with them the validity of grief. “It not only shares critical thinking, but nowadays, kids at all ages potentially experienced the loss of a loved one, so I did include that ‘In Loving Memory’ to just share with young readers that this sometimes happens, and hold on to what you love. Hold on to those good memories,” said McGary. From Southeastern, McGary received a Bachelor of Arts in social work in 2001 and a General Studies degree in 2010. She is currently enrolled in Loyola University’s Master of Business Administration program. She said her social work degree played a role in her healing process. “My degree in social work was very, very helpful in the sense that I knew what I needed to do for me regarding grieving and healing and articulating that in a way that I could share the story that I was trying to convey with others but also keep it a good piece of memorabilia for me,” noted McGary. McGary will be donating “A’Tiffa’s Mystery Adventure” to the Tangipahoa Parish Library and
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Campus Life.................................2 Opinions.....................................3 A&E............................................4
Sports.........................................5 News..........................................6
also hopes to donate the book to schools throughout the parish. “It’s very important to me,” said McGary. “A’Tiffa and I did go to college here in Louisiana, and I want her friends and our family to enjoy this story as well as everyone else.” McGary started working on this project before her sister lost her battle to cancer. It took her about five years to put all the pieces together and she said the release date was intentionally planned around the anniversary of A’Tiffa’s passing. “For me, as a part of my grieving process and wanting to keep those beautiful memories of her, it was very instrumental for me to connect those dates with this book,” shared McGary. One person who is inspired by McGary daily is her husband, Carl McGary. He said, “Every day, her drive and ambition motivate me to want to do more and be better. You couldn’t ask for a better person who knows and understands the ups and downs in life and is still willing to push you. She inspires me when she says the simplest thing like ‘I have an idea’ and will continue to give me the rundown. I can go on, but it will require 20 years or more.” “A’Tiffa’s Mystery Adventure” is currently available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
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Volume 92, Issue 15 A Student Publication www.lionsroarnews.com lionsroar@southeastern.edu
Page 2 | February 2, 2020
The Lion’s Roar | Campus Life
Office of Technology defends university from cyberattacks
Cyber atttacks happen frequently at the university, Mark Hemel, the network specialist for the Office of Technology, shares it happens more times than people realize. Students and faculty are often targets of phishing attacks in which hackers portray themselves as a trusted source in order to steal data from. Dylan Meche /The Lion’s Roar
DYLAN MECHE Staff Reporter
With an enrollment of over 14 thousands students, the university finds itself a prime target for cyber attacks. Students and faculty are often targets of phishing attacks in which hackers portray themselves as a trusted source
in order to steal data from the user. Mark Hemel, network specialist for the Office of Technology, explained that phishing attacks occur more often than people might realize. “The university sends/ receives more than a million emails in a given day and the rough numbers lead to
more than 80% of that being undesirable email,” said Hemel. Hemel elaborated that phishing scams can vary in scope and severity. “A phishing campaign can be anywhere from a handful of targeted emails or can be an all out attempt in contacting every email address we have and lure them into giving up sensitive
information,” explained Hemel. According to Hemel, phishing scams attempt to convey some type of urgency and almost always circle back to money. He noted the signs that students and faculty should look out for. “Does the email provoke an emotional response? Does it involve your credit, money,
fines or penalty if you don’t act now? How is the grammar in the message? Many phishing messages come from out of the country and english is barely a second language, therefore the message is easier to spot. Where did the message come from despite looking official? The takeaway here is that if it sounds fishy, it probably is phishy.” said Hemel. Hemel notes that faculty and students are equally targeted. The most commonly attacked emails are addresses that are publicly available on the university’s website. Most phishing attacks targeted for colleges are designed to gain access to the email address in order to send more junk mail. However, Hemel clarified that hackers are not interested in what is in the email account. “The value of a phisher trying to get into a college email address is seen as more reputable than lets say your average yahoo account,” explained Hemel. “From that point, distributing junk mail to lead others to fake bank login pages, etc occurs. As stated previously, the end game is usually money.” Although students and faculty have increased their reliance on technology due to COVID-19, Hemel explained that this has not had any effect
on the frequency of phishing scams. “I was definitely expecting to see more but in actuality it was just more of the same,” noted Hemel. Hemel explained some of the steps that the Office of Technology takes to defend the university against phishing attacks. “I have the ability to write custom rules/filters based on sender, subject or content,” said Hemel. “We have to be careful here, writing rules that are not specific may catch unintended messages. Filtering words like love, money and mortgage could be used in day to day messages, so it’s definitely more complicated than that. That’s why it’s important to forward the message to postmaster@selu.edu so we can customize the filter properly. The sooner I find out about it, the better chance we have in protecting the university.” In order to protect themselves from phishing scams and other cyberattacks, Hemel suggests students and faculty should examine unexpected emails and utilize the 2-factor authentication built into university Gmail accounts. Hemel also emphasized that any student or faculty who is concerned about an email they received can contact him at postmater@selu.edu.
Dining Services implements people’s choice station in ManeDish
The People’s Pop-Up operates as any other station, it is protected by plexiglass shields and the staff are all wearing the required personal protective equipment. The pop-up is located to the left of the pasta station.
AUSTIN DEWEASE Staff Reporter
Dining Services has recently implemented a new food stand in the Mane Dish called The People’s Pop-Up. The pop-up serves food once a week voted on by students as an effort to give students the opportunity to tell the Mane Dish what they want. The People’s Pop-Up operates as any other station, it is protected by plexiglass shields and the staff are all wearing the required personal protective equipment. The pop-up is located to the left of the pasta station. Mason Garcia, executive chef and director of residential dining, explained where the idea of a new food stand came from. “I’ve always enjoyed doing pop-up’s and the idea to involve students was just something I thought would be a cool way to build some excitement and give our guests the opportunity to tell
us what they want,” said Garcia. The People’s Pop-Up can be whatever students want it to be: sweet, savory, entrée, appetizers, desserts, drinks, according to Garcia. While the pop-up is live, Dining Services posts a poll on their Instagram with options for next week and the option voted the most popular is selected. Before the polls are posted to Instagram, however, Garcia and other Mane Dish employees decide on three options. Garcia said, “We have a white board in our kitchen office on which our employees are encouraged to write their ideas. Each week we decide on the three options we’d like to offer for a vote.” He said he believes that these events have been extremely successful and has brought more traffic to the Mane Dish. “We’ve had a lot of participation in the polls and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s hard to gauge success in the COVID era by participation, as there just aren’t quite as
Morgan Ledet/The Lion’s Roar
many people on campus, but we have noticed a slight increase on People’s Pop-Up days,” noted Garcia Last week’s featured dish was buffalo wings, with people being able to choose between various types of wings and dipping sauces along with sides such as veggies and fries. Skylar Stiglet, junior computer science major, had been enjoying the recent dishes by The People’s Pop-Up food stand, with last week’s dish being his favorite so far. “I was surprised by the many different options they had and the workers were very kind and I can’t wait to see what they will serve next,” commented Stiglet. Students can vote on next week’s poll by following the Southeastern Dining Services account on Instagram @ southeasterndining.
University students overcome virus restrictions to land internship TRINITY BROWN Staff Reporter
Many students have chosen to refrain from attending events, extracurricular activities, and even jobs in fear of contracting the virus. However, there are still various students who have started internships this semester, learning to work in their career field while keeping a safe distance. The university has persisted in its requirement for students in various majors to complete an internship prior to graduation. Students everywhere, especially juniors and seniors, were faced with the choice between pushing off their internships if they were face-to-face, choosing only virtual positions or preparing to follow strict COVID-19 guidelines in order to complete their internships safely. 2020 Homecoming Queen Destiny Richardson, a junior art major with a concentration in graphic design, started her internship at Speedway Printing & Copy Center during the Christmas break. She has not let the scare of the pandemic affect her work ethic. “As of right now, I am in the process of being trained by the company, so being shown how to make flyers, business cards and banners,” said Richardson. “It’s basically just showing me so I can be prepared to know what to do and how their company runs.” Richardson also shared how she was not worried about the internship because she knew it was a requirement and acknowledged it as an opportunity to learn the overall flow of business in the professional world. She explained how the company has been handling its workspace throughout the pandemic. “They have more spaced out workspaces, and hand sanitizer is everywhere, even for customers to use, and they have been cleaning,” explained Richardson. “They also have computers specifically assigned to people. I use the intern computer, so no one ever really has to use mine.”
Another student, Anusha Puri, is currently an intern at Hannis T. Bourgeois accounting firm. Her internship will end in April. “This is my third internship, but whenever the COVID-19 hit us in March, I got laid off from my first internship,” shared Puri. “It was very tough for me to find another internship after that due to the hiring freeze by the companies.” Puri is a senior accounting major and was very excited to be doing her internship despite health and safety concerns. She believes Hannis T. Bourgeois has been doing a good job following guidelines even while training interns. “It’s been almost a month since my new internship at HTB, and the safety protocols we have been taking at the firm have been amazing,” said Puri. “Most of our seniors have been working from home so that only essential staff and interns like myself can come to the office and work. Because most of our work is scanning workpapers, printing and assembling the tax returns, which cannot be done from home, we need to be at the office.” The intern also admits that even though she is in the training phase, she is looking forward to that time when she starts working under pressure, meeting deadlines and overall having a great learning experience, which are her reasons for joining the team at HTB. Puri, like Richardson, was more scared of not being able to find an internship due to the pandemic. “I was never scared to apply for any of the internships,” expressed Puri. “In fact, whenever I got laid off from my first internship, I was disheartened that it ended so soon, but I never lost hope and applied at several companies. Luckily, I ended up getting my second in May and third now.” As the spring semester begins, more clubs and activities are being held face-to-face as well as classes and internships. For more internship resources, students can contact their academic internship coordinators or access platforms such as Handshake on the university website.
Opinions | The Lion’s Roar
February 2, 2021 | Page 3
Long live the hard hitting legend Henry “Hank” Aaron Gerard Borne Editor-In-Chief
Unfortunately last week the game of baseball lost one of its greatest players and role models in Henry Louis Aaron at the age of 86, otherwise known as Hank Aaron. Aaron was born on Feb. 5, 1934 was born in Mobile, Ala. which at the time was faced by racism and segregation. The first ballot Hall of Famer held some of the most impressive records and accolades in the game, some of which included being a 25 time All-Star, being crowned the 1957 National League Most Valuable Player, a three time gold glove winner and winning a world series in 1957. To me, Aaron’s most impressive record was holding the all-time record for most home runs for 33 years. One connection Aaron and I
had was the fact that we both knew a man by the name of Clifton Dixon, my grandfather. The stories my grandfather had about Aaron were amazing. The two grew up together and were always playing each other in baseball. One story I remember vividly was the one where my grandfather’s team wouldn’t pitch to Aaron for two whole seasons and would rather him have a walk than a chance to swing. Or another story where at the age of 15 Aaron started to play professional baseball, but his mother would only let him play home games due to school. My favorite story of all was the one where my grandfather told me about the time his team went against Aaron’s and didn’t throw him a single strike, but he still hit two homeruns. I would often times watch some of Hank Aaron’s old highlighst from his later days with the Braves and Brewers. In almost every hit the ball sounded like it was being shot out of a gun, the power he possessed was absolutley remarkable. The impact Aaron
had on the game of baseball was absolutely remarkable and the stories are even better. For Aaron baseball came easy but playing in the Major Leagues did not. He very regularly faced segregation, racism and a whole list of other things. Aaron was seen as an aggressive playmaker on the field, but sweet as honey off of it, one quote that Aaron is most known for was “I’m hoping someday that some kid, black or white, will hit more home runs than myself. Whoever it is, I’d be pulling for him.” As mentioned earlier Aaron held the MLB record for the most home runs by a player ever for 33 years, but in most baseball fans’ eyes they still see Aaron as the all-time leader over the steroid using Barry Bonds. Other accolades and records Aaron held off the diamond were: having an award named after him for the best overall hitter named “The Hank Aaron Award”, becoming senior vice-president for his former team the Atlanta Braves, and receiving the Presidential
Aaron was born on Feb. 5, 1934 was born in Mobile, Ala. which at the time was faced by racism and segregation. After Aaron’s retirement he helped the Braves in the front office as a senior Vice President and as a scout. Aaron held the all-time homerun record for 33 years. Morgan Ledet/The Lion’s Roar Medal of Freedom. Aaron was not only a baseball player but was also the author of his autobiography titled ‘I Had a Hammer’.
Hank Aaron will go down leader, an activist and someone as arguably one of the best to look up to. players in baseball history, but to me he was more than just a baseball player, he was a
The times are catching up: Print journalism is dead. When was the last time you read through an actual newspaper? Chances are, it has been quite a long time since you had ink smeared all over your fingers while not laughing at the cartoon section of your local newspaper. Newspapers have been in steady decline since 2008, and with the ever-evolving world of media, print journalism is on its last leg. However, this is not the end for Austin Dewease journalism, it is only the beginning of a new era. Staff Reporter According to the Pew Research Center, 86% of U.S. adults get their news from their smartphones, tablets or computers. This is followed by television at 68% and with print publications at the bottom at a staggering 32%. More and more Americans are getting their news through electronic devices and two platforms are being used for news between two widely different audiences. 42% of Americans aged 18-29 are primarily getting their news from social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, and 33.4% of Americans 30 and older are getting their news from websites and apps of reputable news companies, according to data from the Pew Research Center. From this data, it is safe to say that major newspapers like The New York Times are moving to an online format and making their money from online subscriptions and ad revenue. But it is not just major news publications—our very own newspaper, The Lion’s Roar, is focusing on making content for their website and social media—not to mention funny TikToks— and ceasing production on their physical newspaper due to the pandemic. What was once a profitable and practical way for Americans to get their news, newspapers have not stood the test of time, and like many old-fashioned mediums; are on their death’s bed. The decline of print journalism deals a big blow to journalism as a whole but not all is lost. If the free press is to survive, then we must listen to the data and adapt with our ever-changing world so as to not fade away.
Breaking Barriers Behind the Camera: The Even with vaccines, things will never be Gordon Parks Story “normal” In this moment we call life, we all seek to find our purpose and our passions. Symiah Dorsey Our purpose Staff Reporter is not only our greatest gift, but it can also become our greatest weapon. When we are armed with our life purpose, we innately fight back against the unjust conditions society throws our way. Some of us fight back with our words, through poetry or through song. Some of us fight back with our hands, through creation or through cultivation. As for Gordon Parks, one of the greatest documentarians of the 20th century, his weapon of choice was his camera. Born the youngest of 15 siblings in 1912, Parks’ upbringing in Fort Scott, Kan. was influenced by poverty, segregation and racial violence. His innocence was plagued by various hardships throughout his youth, such as being thrown into the Marmaton River by three white boys at age 11 and losing his mother at age 14. Parks worked a multitude of odd jobs as a young man, and
little did he know, waiting tables on a train would lead him to his life’s purpose. While on the job, Parks came across magazine images of Depression-era migrant workers. It was then that Parks decided to save enough money for a camera of his own. This $7.50 Seattle pawnshop camera was the beginning of his culture-defining career. With no experience and very limited resources, Parks embraced a self-taught journey into photography. His undeniable talent landed him his first job shooting fashion for Madeline Murphy. Parks later became the first Black photographer to work for the Farm Security Administration, the same administration that produced the magazine images he was first inspired by. Parks was also a freelance photographer for Glamour and Ebony around this time and later went on to be the first African American to photograph for Vogue and Life Magazine. His accomplishments were significant within themselves, but it was even more aweinspiring that he achieved this level of success in a pre-civil rights era. In 1948, Parks’ photo essay
on the life of a Harlem gang leader achieved widespread recognition and acclaim. Parks covered a variety of social topics, from poverty and racism to arts and entertainment. Parks remained at Life Magazine for two decades, where his photographs continuously infiltrated the racial barriers surrounding him. He captured photographs of historical icons such as Muhammad Ali and Malcom X, and he also captured photographs of ordinary, everyday people. His camera did not discriminate, and that is what truly made his work stand out. Parks didn’t only capture the rallies, demonstrations and protests; he captured the photo of a Black girl staring into a store with only white dolls. He captured the photo of a family ordering ice cream from the “colored” entrance. His photographs often displayed white and Black children playing together because to them, color really did not matter. What made his photography so sensational is that it showed life as it was. There was nothing to glamorize; it was raw and
see GORDON PARKS, pg. 6
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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.
W i t h C O V I D vaccines being administered, t h e r e ’ s definitely Elana Guillory hope that this Staff Reporter pandemic will be over soon. However, Rome was not built in a day. Even after the majority of the population is vaccinated, things may never be the same. There is hope in a lift of COVID restrictions. PfizerBioNTech and Moderna pumped out vaccines at record rates. Both vaccines are over 94% effective. About 10.6 million Americans have received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the New York Times as of Jan. 29. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, in order for normalcy to return, 75% of the United States population will have to be vaccinated. Michael Webster-Clark, researcher at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said he believes restrictions will begin lifting mid to late summer this year.
Staff Editor-in-Chief - Gerard Borne, Jr. Office Assistant - Ashlyn Harris Graduate Assistant - Alyssa Larose Faculty Adviser - Chelsea Slack Administrative Assistant - Gemma Carter Coordinator - Lorraine Peppo Director - Dr. Lee E. Lind
As of Jan. 31, almost 400,000 vaccine doses have been administered in Louisiana. Side effects from the vaccine are extremely limited. Everything seems to be going according to plan. Some of us think after restrictions are lifted, life will be normal. We think we will finally get to take that perfect summer trip, like backpacking through Europe or a trip to the beach with friends. In doing this, we feel hope and put our worries at ease. We also set ourselves up for disappointment though, if we think it will be that easy. It seems to have been a common theme in the last year to anticipate progress and to be met with a setback when you least expect it. And another. And another. Perhaps it is possible that COVID will not be going anywhere for awhile. What if something bad happens? What if there’s a halt in vaccine production? What if a new variant or mutation arises? What if we can’t go out and party for another year? Or two? Or three? As we have found throughout the last year, stuff happens, we take a step back in phases,
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and we get blindsided. Who knows, it might take another year before things are back to normal. That’s just life. And life doesn’t get better, we do. We have to go through hard things to become stronger. We have to have these countless setbacks. If everything were okay all the time, we’d complain that we’re bored. Things will never be like the normal we used to know. Some of us will be more cautious while going out, even if everything seems to be fine. Some of us will fear that another pandemic will happen again. Some of us will have to fight for our old jobs back. Some of us will be happier than ever to be with loved ones or at the movies like we used to be. Much like the pandemic, life always has its setbacks. It’s a long road to restriction-lifting, herd immunity and normalcy. Things will never be the same. We won’t even be the same. One thing is certain though— by the end of this, we will be stronger and more grateful for things we used to take for granted. And maybe a little bit more paranoid than we used to be. But again, that’s life.
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Page 4 | February 2, 2021
The Lion’s Roar | Arts & Entertainment
Strawberry Jubilee to return this Spring HANNAH JUNEAU Staff Reporter
After last year’s virtual Strawberry Jubilee, the Campus Activities Board plans to host an in-person Strawberry Jubilee during the spring semester. SGA President L’Oreal Williams explained that Strawberry Jubilee is an event full of games, food and fun. “Strawberry Jubilee is a traditional event at Southeastern hosted by our Campus Activities Board,” explained Williams. “It is held every spring semester. There are awesome games, food and fun.” Williams shared the details of the ever-changing theme for the event. “Each year is different,” shared Williams. “Last year, the theme was Disney, so it was all Disneythemed virtual engagements. The year prior the theme was Camping. The War Memorial Park was turned into a campground.” Williams also explained how activities are set up at the event.
“There were hammocks, picnic blankets, inflatable obstacle courses, archery and axe throwing just to name a few things,” explained William. “Many student organizations participate in Strawberry Jubilee. They usually sell assorted food items or tickets to do a fun activity.” Activities and traditions at the jubilee are catered to match the theme, according to Williams. “Each varies based on the organization’s preference and the theme,” said Williams. “One Strawberry Jubilee tradition is Ms. Southeastern and Dr. Crain cutting the Strawberry Jubilee cake, which is decorated according to the theme. Much like the name, there are a lot of strawberries at Strawberry Jubilee. It’s kind of like a mini strawberry festival on campus.” Strawberry Jubilee is a school tradition and one of the larger events that students can look forward to, according to Williams. The date and details of the event have not yet been finalized.
Chelsey Blank, Miss Southeastern 2019, appears at the 2019 Strawberry Jubilee. In 2020,the Campus Activities Board held the event virtually on Zoom. File Photos/The Lion’s Roar
The Campus Activities Board allows students to partake in hosting Strawberry Jubliee and enjoy various events. File Photos/ The Lion’s Roar
Jeanine Hillario, a junior communication major, takes part in the 2019 Strawberry Jubilee. At the event, students, faculty and staff can participate in games, contests and events. File Photos/The Lion’s Roar
Staff, faculty and students share stories from winter break HANNAH JUNEAU Staff Reporter
For many, Christmas is the perfect time of year family gatherings, a bunch of food, presents and joyous spirit. Faculty and students at the university shared what they did over the break and what made their Christmas special. Freshman Kinesiology major Amber Peterson explained that her family got a new puppy over the break. “My family adopted a puppy, which was a huge change for us because we’re all predominantly cat people,” explained Peterson. “I spent my Christmas Break trying to help train him and cleaning up a lot of pee along the way.” Peterson shared that she got to spend a lot of time with her god family and immediate family. “As for the actual holiday, I spent my day with my godparents and my immediate family,” shared Peterson. “It was nice that COVID didn’t really affect our plans because we celebrate in a small group for every holiday.” Eric Summers, vice president for student affairs, gave details about how his Christmas break went. “My holiday break was uneventful, mostly,” expressed Summers. “I mainly took care of projects around the house — I did a great deal of painting. On Christmas Day, we loaded up the car and did a few ‘drive-by’ gift deliveries. Our parents are older, so we couldn’t really spend a lot of time with them. We didn’t have the big dinner that we all look forward to. I really missed that part of the holiday, but it was special nonetheless.” Management major Mason Fuller explained that he spent time with his immediate family for the first time since quarantine over Christmas break while following the COVID-19 protocols. “My Christmas break was great despite all the difficulties everyone, including myself, went through in 2020,” explained Fuller. “I spent quality time with my immediate family for the first time since the quarantine. Money for gifts was tight for everyone, but that did not matter when the best gift was just seeing each other.” Gabe Willis, dean of students, welcomed a new life into his home over the holidays. and tougher.” Gayle’s freshman year remedial math teacher had an impact on her transition from homeschool to college by being in her corner. Lizette Leader, Ph.D., Associate Provost of Academics and Connect to Success and as an adjunct instructor for Northshore Technical Community College, spoke on Gayle’s growth and potential. “Watching Lily’s transition from a quiet homeschool student to a young, determined woman in control of her own world and about to complete her bachelor’s degree sends energy throughout the Lion Nation. Her service to the Green and Gold community in a variety of roles and her dedication to completing academic goals are testaments to our entire Green and Gold community,” Leader said. Gayle summed up the legacy she wants to leave behind during her reign as Miss SLU, saying“I MISS SLU
continued from pg. 1
Amber Peterson welcomes in a new puppy over the holidays. Other students, faculty and staff traveled over the winter break. File Photos/The Lion’s Roar “Christmas break was awesome,” shared Willis. “We welcomed in a new baby girl on December 4th: Morgan Olivia Willis. The highlight of the break was spending time with family!” Times were tough for junior Nick Riley, who lost both his job and girlfriend over the break, but his friend Bailey helped him overcome his adversities. “Honestly just a boring mess,” described Riley “I lost my job, my girl. Just been struggling really but managed to stay cheerful and overcome obstacles. Bailey’s the main dude right now, like, he’s giving me so much motivation at the gym. I feel accomplished every time he trains me.” want everyone to know that I was one of the most relatable, down to earth people they’ve ever met. I want to make sure those people understand that if someone like them could be where I’m at now, they can do the exact same thing.” The university is sending two titleholders, both Gayle and Miss SLU 2020 Janine Hatcher, to the Miss Louisiana pageant in June. Gayle will compete as “Miss Green and Gold” at the state competition.according to the theme. Much like the name, there are a lot of strawberries at Strawberry Jubilee. It’s kind of like a mini strawberry festival on campus.” Strawberry Jubilee is a school tradition and one of the larger events that students can look forward to, according to Williams. The date and details of the event have not yet been finalized.
Sports | The Lion’s Roar
February 2, 2021 | Page 5
Lions guard tries to follow in father’s Hall of Fame footsteps
Freshman guard, Jamon Kemp is the son of former NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp. Jamon is anative of Seattle where his father played for the Seattle SuperSonics. Kemp hopes to lead the Lions to the playoffs in 2021. GERARD BORNE Editor-in-Chief
A six-time NBA All-Star, a three time All-NBA second team and a McDonald’s All-American—these are just some of the accolades achieved by Shawn Kemp, the father of university men’s basketball freshman guard, Jamon Kemp. Jamon, the youngest of Shawn’s three children, committed to play at Southeastern in the spring of 2020 after one season at Woodstock Academy Prep School in Connecticut. The 20-year-old guard shared what it was like growing up with a dad who was an NBA superstar. “It’s crazy. You are always being compared to him and you’re always under a huge microscope by everyone. Everything you do small or big is in comparison,” expressed Jamon.
Coming out of high school, Jamon was a three-star recruit and received offers from Washington State University and University of Montana, but he ultimately chose Southeastern because of a relationship with an assistant coach. “I have a close relationship with Coach Jordan Brooks. Him and my dad have known each other for a long time and he wanted me to come here. Brooks and I have worked a lot with each other over the years, and he knows my game as well as anyone,” said Jamon. The Seattle native shared how big of an impact his father left on the Emerald City. “To me, it’s crazy how many people’s lives he impacted in Seattle,” he said. “He impacted so many people and changed a lot of people’s lives. I think that’s one thing I will never forget from my time there.” Shawn’s style of play, commonly known for his high flying dunks
Courtesey of Sports Infromation
and shot blocking ability, inspired Jamon to try and follow in his father’s footsteps. “I think I can get up there like my dad used to. The last time I had my vertical measured it was close to his so. I think I can probably dunk better than him too to be honest,” Jamon said. Jamon shared what his goals are for the 2021 season and the impact he wants to leave at the university. “I want to win a Southland Conference Championship and hopefully make it to the March Madness tournament. I want to be the best player to ever come through Southeastern and have my name on all the school records,” Jamon shared. As of Feb. 1, Jamon has scored a career high of 12 points, six rebounds and two assists. The Lions will next face Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas on Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
Last Week in Southeastern Sports: Jan. 25- Feb. 2 GERARD BORNE Editor-in-Chief
The men’s basketball team continued their hot streak with two home victories over Southland foes University of Central Arkansas and the University of New Orleans. The Lions went into last week at 2-4 in conference play and escaped the week crawling up in the Southland standings. Senior guard Keon Clergeot dropped 15 points against Central Arkansas and 24 against the University of New Orleans. The 6-11 Lions currently sit at fourth in the Southland. Second year head coach David Kiefer talked about Clergeort’s performance on Saturday against the Privateers. “He makes me look good as a coach. When it’s crunch time, he’s been a consistent closer for us down the stretch and a huge addition to the program,” said Kiefer. Meanwhile, the women’s basketball team had a rocky week going 1-1, dropping the first game of the week 60-54 against University of Central Arkansas but knocking off the University of New Orleans 73-53. On Saturday, sophomore guard Hailey Giartanno dropped 25 points against the Privateers, leading all Lady Lions in points. The Lady Lions currently sitting at 5-6 and sitting at seventh in the Southland will face Sam Houston State University on Feb. 10 in the University Center. Indoor Volleyball kicked off their 2021 season with 3-1 win over Tulane University in New Orleans on Jan. 28. Freshman outside hitter Kailin Newsome led the Lady Lions with 23 total kills and adding 8 digs. Second year head coach Jeremy White
continued to impress off of his 2019 playoff campaign with splitting the series against the University of Southern Mississippi. The Lions Indoor Track and Field team continued their 2021 season with the LSU Louisiana Invitational in Baton Rouge. Thomas Nedow, Thomas Daigle, Parker McBride, Lara Zupanc and Terrell Webb set personal high marks for the Lions, while McBride and Nedow won in their events. Along with Southeastern, LSU, Grambling University, the University of Louisiana-Monroe, University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Southern University, Louisiana Tech University, Nicholls University and the University of New Orleans also competed. Another team gearing up for action soon is the Lions football team, who will hit the road on Feb. 27 to face Southland Conference rival Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. The Lions will look to improve on their 2019 campaign in which the team made it to the second round of the FCS Playoffs for the second time in program history. Senior quarterback Cole Kelley is returning for the Lions and will be at the helm for the offense, alongside South Alabama University junior transfer quarterback Cephus Johnson III. In 2020, the Lions promoted linebackers coach Chris Lachney to defensive coordinator after the departure of Lance Guidry to Florida Atlantic University. On Jan. 21, the university’s baseball team announced their 2021 schedule in which the Lions will hit the road to take on 10th-ranked Arizona University, seventh-ranked Louisiana State University and 29th-ranked University of The Lions men’s basketball team finished the week 2-0, defeating the University of Central Arkansas and the University of New Orleans. The Lady Lions Volleyball team also kicked off their 2021 season with splitting a weekend series with Southern Mississippi. the University of Southern Miss, head coach Jeremy White looks to improve on his 2019 campaign. Courtsesey of Sports Information
Super matchup between QBs Mahomes, Brady for NFL title There has never been a Super Bowl matchup of accomplished quarterbacks quite like the one coming up next week between Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes. This will be the sixth Super Bowl matchup between former AP NFL MVPs, the second between former Super Bowl MVP winning quarterbacks and the first between players who had previously won both awards. Brady has won a record six Super Bowl titles, four Super MVPs and three league MVP awards since becoming starter in New England in 2001. Mahomes is just getting started in his career and already has one league MVP and one Super Bowl MVP to his credit and is back in the title game for the second time. The first Super Bowl matchup of former league MVPs came in the 1976 season when Oakland’s Ken Stabler (1974 winner) beat Minnesota’s Fran Tarkenton (1975 winner). Denver’s John Elway was part of the next two MVP matchups, losing to San Francisco’s Joe Montana after the 1989 season and beating Green Bay’s Brett Favre eight years later. Then it happened again in back-to-back seasons in 2015-16 with Denver’s Peyton Manning besting Carolina’s Cam Newton and Brady beating Atlanta’s Matt Ryan. Brady was also part of the only previous matchup of Super Bowl MVPs losing a rematch to Eli Manning and the New York Giants following the 2011 season. This will also be the second time in NFL history that the past two championship quarterbacks are facing off in the title game. The only other time it happened came in 1943 when Washington’s Sammy Baugh faced Chicago’s Sid Luckman. Baugh had won the title with Washington in 1942 and Luckman with the Bears in 1941. Brady is also the fourth quarterback to start Super Bowls for two franchises, joining Peyton Manning (Indianapolis and Denver), Kurt
Warner (Rams and Arizona) and Craig Morton (Dallas and Denver). CELEBRATE AT HOME: The Bucs will be the first team to play the Super Bowl at their home stadium, although two others got to play for the title in their home markets. In the 1979 season, the Los Angeles Rams went to the Super Bowl against Pittsburgh at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, where they lost 31-19 to the Steelers. Five years later, the San Francisco 49ers won the title just a few miles south of their home at Candlestick Park with a 38-16 win over the Miami Dolphins at Stanford Stadium. With a win Feb. 7, the Bucs will be the first team in the NFL, NBA, NHL or Major League Baseball to win it all at its home venue since the Golden State Warriors did it in the 2017 NBA Finals against Cleveland. Every title since then was clinched on the road or in a neutral site at the Super Bowl or in a coronavirus bubble. The last time the NFL champion finished the season by winning a title at its own stadium came in the 1965 season when Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers beat the Cleveland Browns 23-12 at Lambeau Field in the final season before the Super Bowl. GOING WILD: Tampa Bay was the first team in 10 years to make it to the Super Bowl despite not winning the division. The Bucs are hoping to follow the path the Green Bay Packers took in the 2010 season when they finished second in the NFC North but went on to win the Super Bowl against Pittsburgh. The Packers were the sixth wild-card team to win it all, joining the Oakland Raiders (1980 season), Denver (1997), Baltimore (2000), Pittsburgh (2005) and the New York Giants (2007). No team has even made it to the Super Bowl after playing in the wild-card round since 2012 when Baltimore and San Francisco did it. The Ravens won that game 34-31. KEEP IT CLOSE: No one has been able to blow out Patrick Mahomes since he took over as Chiefs starter in 2018. Mahomes
has lost just nine games as a starter with the most lopsided being a 40-32 defeat to the Raiders this past October for his only loss in his past 26 starts. He has also lost twice by seven points, twice by six, three times by three and once by one point. The last time Mahomes lost by more than one possession in a game came in his final year in college at Texas Tech, when the Red Raiders fell 66-10 to Iowa State on Nov. 19, 2016. More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/ AP_NFL
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback. AP Photo
Page 6 | February 2, 2021
The Lion’s Roar | Sports
UPD provides insight on sexual assault and university procedures
GABRIELLE WOOD Staff Reporter
Over the past semester, a noted topic of awareness on campus has been sexual assault. Amid discussions of alleged cases, many students pose the question: to what extent is the University Police Department involved in the process? Discussion of alleged cases has led students to question the University Police Department’s processes and policies when a case has been reported. University Police Chief Michael Beckner shed some light on the issue. “An initial officer will respond to gather information and make sure the reporting party is not injured and in need of emergency medical assistance,” said Beckner. “They then get the reporting party to a safe place and secure the crime scene to gather evidence.” The department currently has two criminal investigators who are assigned to investigate major crimes and follow up on other criminal events on campus.
The University Police Department recently clarified the process by which sexual assault can be reported and is thoroughly investigated. File Photo/The Lion’s Roar “A UPD investigator will be called out to take charge of the investigation and get the reporting party to the hospital so
an exam and evidence collection kit can be completed,” said Beckner. “After that, they start a full investigation interview
with all of the parties involved. This would also include anyone who may have any knowledge or pertinent information to build
facts in the investigation.” Beckner explained the process for incidents that are reported after a period of time. “If there is an amount of time between the act and the report, the initial officer will take the report and the UPD investigator will follow-up with the reporting party and begin an investigation, interviewing anyone who may be vital to the investigation,” he explained. “An investigation is not completed overnight and takes time. We must weigh each set of facts and gain enough evidence to lead to a conclusion of the case for both the reporting party, and alleged suspect.” The department conducts a full investigation, according to Beckner. If a warrant is issued, the subject is charged and arrested;the individual will then go through the court process to determine a verdict. “Once an investigation is complete, the evidence is reviewed, and if there is probable cause, the UPD investigator will apply for a warrant that best fits the act to be charged,” shared Beckner. “At that point, a judge
will determine if probable cause exists to issue the warrant. The individual has the rights of being innocent until either pleading to the charge or being found guilty or innocent in a trial by a group of their peers, as defined by our Constitution.” The university also has a process through the student code of conduct and Title IX which could lead to separate penalties brought by the institution. A suspension may be issued during and after the trial. Beckner concluded, “All incidents will be investigated to the fullest, and evidence will determine the issuance of warrants and furtherance of criminal proceedings. Perception is not a factor in determining the outcome of any criminal case. UPD is a full service law enforcement agency, consisting of fully state-certified police officers who are dedicated to serve our university community in a fair and consistent manner, and I as Chief am proud of the job that our officers do.”
50-year-old former SLU Student finishes degree at Idaho State HANNAH JUNEAU Staff Reporter
1996 was an important year for former university student Allen Savant. It was the year he dropped out and moved to Idaho. Savant lived in the nowdemolished Holloway-Smith dorms on campus from 1994 to 1996. Many wondered why he decided to move out to Idaho instead of completing his degree at the university. Savant explained that he wanted to start a family, and Idaho was the best place to do it, given that his wife at the time had family there. “I dropped out to raise a family. My wife, at the time, wanted to move to Idaho because her grandmother lives there, so we moved,” Savant said. Savant was not a regular student at the university. He was also in the Phi Mu Alpha
Allen Savant is due to graduate in May. He encourages others to pursue an education no matter what age. Courtesy of Allen Savant Sinfonia Music Fraternity. He said, “I was a vocal performance major. If I recall, we helped and were asked to be in the school play Pirates of Penzance. It was either ‘94 or ‘95 when I did it.”
Savant is no longer pursuing a vocal performance degree at Idaho State. Instead, he is pursuing two certificates. “One in training, the other in leadership and a bachelor’s degree of Science in Education.
It’s called OLP: Organizational and Learning Program, and the degree is called Workplace Training and Leadership,” explained Savant. Savant made the decision to change his major because he found the vocal performance program very demanding. He believes that his current degree gives him more opportunities. He also hopes to be accepted into the Instructional Design and Technology master’s degree program. “I think, with the way the world is right now, this is gonna be in high demand since corporations, education and everything else that was done in person is now online. We are gonna need someone designing training courses online and other types of online learning,” he noted. Savant decided to take a break because he felt he did not have enough time between his
Robinhood raises $3.4B from investors amid surge in trading Popular online trading platform Robinhood said Monday that it has lined up $3.4 billion to help meet its funding requirements amid a spike in trading on Wall Street fueled by small investors driving up shares in GameStop and other stocks. The funds are being provided by Ribbit Capital and several other venture capital firms, including Sequoia Capital, Index Ventures and ICONIQ Capital. The $3.4 billion figure includes $1 billion in funding that Robinhood announced Friday. Robinhood needed to secure funding in order to meet deposit thresholds required by organizations that handle the trading orders placed by investors on its platform. These firms, known as clearinghouses, execute the trades placed on stock brokerages like Robinhood, and require higher deposits in order to reduce their risk during the 48 hours or so that it takes them to transfer the stock to a buyer and the funds to the seller. “This round of funding will help us scale to meet the incredible growth we’ve seen and demand for our platform,” Jason Warnick, Robinhood’s chief financial officer, said in a statement. Investors on social media and online forums such as Reddit have been cheerleading each other in recent weeks to drive up shares in GameStop, AMC Entertainment and
This Dec. 17, 2020 file photo shows the logo for the Robinhood app on a smartphone in New York. Popular online trading platform Robinhood said Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, that it has lined up $3.4 billion to help meet its funding requirements amid a spike in trading on Wall Street fueled by small investors driving up shares in GameStop and other stocks. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File) other stocks. Big institutions including some hedge funds that had bet on those stocks going lower have lost billions as the shares skyrocketed. The speculative frenzy has put pressure on Robinhood and other stock brokerages to keep up with traffic on their online platforms. Last week, Robinhood, Charles Schwab and other retail brokerages placed limits on trading of GameStop, AMC, Express and other stocks popular with small investors. The move led to a swift backlash
from customers and criticism from some lawmakers claiming small investors were being treaded unfairly. Robinhood, which is based in Menlo Park, California, initially limited investors to only selling their positions, not open new ones. It also required users to put up more of their own money for certain trades instead of using borrowed funds. On Monday, the company was limiting users to buying four shares and five options
contracts in GameStop. Traders interested in snapping up AMC Entertainment, are limited to 75 shares or options contracts. GameStop stock vaulted from below $20 earlier this month to close around $350 as of last week. The videogame retailer was down to $234 a share in afternoon trading Monday. Movie theater operator AMC was running at around $2 last April and surged to around $20 last week. It was trading at around $13.80 Monday. - Alex Veiga AP Business
full-time job and night courses. He explained, “When I declared this as my major, all of these core subjects were taught online through Idaho State University’s Moodle page. This was my third attempt at getting my degree. After my divorce in 2000, I started back and had to drop out because working full-time, going to school parttime and raising kids was little too much. When my youngest graduated high school in 2017, that’s when I started back in school while still working fulltime.” Savant wants to thank his “mawmaw” for all of her help in getting him settled in college, as well as his good friend Sue Burke Bourgeois who helps keep him out of trouble. He said, “One thing, if you could, is mention two people for me: my mawmaw Peggy Wallace who helped me move up to college and get settled in,
and a really good friend who I still keep in touch with. She was my RA in the dorms, and she kept me out of trouble: Sue Burke Bourgeois. She was going to plan on flying up to watch me graduate, but with the virus, that ended that trip.” Savant revealed that he misses his family and friends as well as Louisiana’s seafood. “I miss my family and friends, as would anyone living over 2000 miles away. “I’d have to say the biggest thing I miss the most is the food -- great seafood and home Southern restaurants. Up here in Idaho, they have meat and potatoes, and it’s expensive to get fresh seafood here. I’m just glad I know how to cook it all. I had two king cakes shipped up here this year from Joe Gambino’s, and I gave it to a lot of my coworkers and my neighbors, and they loved it, so I still do at times get things shipped up,” he concluded.
GORDON PARKS
continued from pg. 3 authentic. He showed the impact of ignorance on the innocent. Parks’ photographs also helped rally support for the awakening civil rights movement, through which his documentation defined an entire generation. Parks was a creative visionary whose talents also extended beyond his love for photography. He is also known for his works in literature, musical composition and filmmaking. In 1969, Parks became the first African American to write and direct a major Hollywood studio feature film, “The Learning Tree.” As the Gordon Parks Foundation describes him, Parks was a modern-day renaissance man. Parks will forever be acknowledged as one of the most groundbreaking documentary photographers of all time. His life was certainly not one without struggle, but it was through his hardships that he found his purpose. As Gordon Parks once said, “I saw that the camera could be a weapon against poverty, against racism, against all sorts of social wrongs. I knew at that point I had to have a camera.” So now I ask you, what is your weapon? Excessively purchasing and using hand sanitizer will not eradicate the entire coronavirus pandemic. In fact, using too much hand sanitizer can cause damage to the skin, making it more possible for germs to enter the body. Children are also more prone to weakened immune systems through the use of hand sanitizer. I understand the abundant desire to be cautious, but when caution translates into excessive fear, we only create more problems for ourselves. Teaching jobs are in jeopardy now that many schools have closed down. People are less compelled to eat out, so smaller businesses and hospitality workers will suffer. Reading this, you might find it counterproductive of me to present an economic problem without giving a solution, and I agree. I really do not have a direct solution to the economic crisis. However, I can say this: do not let fear control the situation. Do not spend all of your money stocking up for the next apocalypse. The best thing we all can do is stay informed and take proper precautions to fight off bacteria. It is okay to be cautious and to limit your social interactions, but we cannot stop living our lives, and we cannot continue shutting out our neighbors. We can take protective measures while also being informed. If we want the economy to bounce back, we have to stop spreading fear.