’ THE LION S ROAR 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
Hammond, LA
Financing higher education
see PAGE 2
Hammond Art Guild
January 23, 2018
The new ‘sweet’ spot
see PAGE 4
President Crain’s Spring semester resolutions In the center photo, Reilly Roberts, poses with some rolled ice cream at Sweet Rolls, located at 119 East Thomas street in downtown Hammond. The store was opened in early December 2018 by Dion Grossnickle, Richard Henry and Olaf Ross. They decided to branch into the restaurant industry after running Cypress Fitness for years looking forward to the opportunity to employ more people. Courtesy of Johnny Chauvin ANNIE GOODMAN
North Cypress Fitness who graduated from the university in 1996 with a Dion Grossnickle, sports management degree, one of the owners of has recently opened a shop Staff Reporter
see PAGE 2
Trump opinion
in downtown Hammond called Sweet Rolls along with Olaf Ross and Richard Henry. “Sweet Rolls is a unique
concept,” said Grossnickle. “It’s a blend of a couple different types of sweets and treats. The first thing, and what we’ve so far been
known for, is our rolled ice we add crème and glaze to cream, which is a Thai- it. It’s full of really good type ice cream. We use it a stuff versus just doing an little different. We use our see SWEET ROLLS, pg. 8 house-made creams that
Dance team brings home A Winter Welcome gold at national competition ANNIE GOODMAN & BRIANNA HAWKINS
Uncharacteristic wintry weather caused the university to close for two days at the start of the semester, leading to changes to the academic calendar. “Accommodations for the lost class time were determined after extensive conversations with the academic deans,” said University Provost Tena Golding. According to Golding, other than the start of the Spring 2018 semester, only Term I classes are affected. “Yes, the spring calendar has been adjusted to reflect the changes made to the first day of class, now Jan. 19, drop/add period, now Jan. 19-23 and fee payment deadline, now Jan. 24,” said Golding. “The only other change to the calendar applies to Term I classes. The Term I classes’ end date has been changed from Mar. 7 to Mar. 8, and the Term I classes’ final examinations’ Tuesday, Thursday schedule date has been changed from Mar. 8 to Mar. 13.” However, Golding said that actions have already been taken in response to this. “Term I classes lost two days, but only one class meeting was lost by Monday, Wednesday classes and Tuesday, Thursday classes,” said Golding. “By adding the ‘dead’ day between Term I and Term II to the Term I session, we were able to recapture one of the two classes missed in Term I resulting in one missed day for all classes.” The wintry weather being at the very start of the semester allowed for an easy transition. “As classes had not yet started, many faculty have already made adjustments to their semester schedule for the missed class time,” said Golding. “Others will be using Moodle activities/assignments or a method consistent with their course format and teaching style to ensure the student learning
outcomes for each class can be met.” Golding explained that the university already has plans in place for situations like this. “In conjunction with its Emergency Management Plan, Southeastern has a Continuity of Operations Plan to help ensure campus units can resume critical operations in a timely manner following a closure,” said Golding. “The actual response would depend on a number of factors including reason for the close, number of days missed and impact on available resources.” According to Golding, University President Dr. John L. Crain makes the final decision of whether to close the school after consulting the vice president and other faculty members. “In weather-related closures, information is gathered from a variety of sources including Louisiana State Police, area school systems, i.e., superintendents, state and local government, state and local departments of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and local weather authorities,” said Golding. “Any decision to close campus comes after much care and consideration.” Due to the closure of the university, changes have also been made to Winter Welcome Week events starting on Jan. 23 and ending on Jan. 29. The first event, “Cookie Crawl” will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Student Union breezeway. “Coffee with the Rec!” will be hosted by the Recreational Sports and Wellness staff on Wednesday, Jan. 23 and Thursday, Jan. 24 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. in the overflow parking lot by the University Center and in Zone 5/6 commuter parking. “Enrollment Services Express Ribbon Cutting” will also be held on main campus Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 11:30 a.m. For the full story, visit lionsroarnews.com
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Volume 89, Issue 16
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A Student Publication www.lionsroarnews.com lionsroar@southeastern.edu
Staff Reporters
see PAGE 3
Ring Sales for graduating seniors
The Lionettes won the first national title in the university’s dance program history in the Division I Hip Hop finals for the 2018 season. file photo/The Lion’s Roar SARAH HESS Staff Reporter
see PAGE 2
Riser aims to inspire
The university’s dance team, the Lionettes and Cheerleading team, competed at the 2018 Universal Cheerleading Association & Universal Dance Association College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championships. The Lionettes placed first in the Division I Hip Hop finals, winning a national title for the first time in the program’s history. The team also placed seventh in the Jazz portion. Spirit Coordinator Paige Hall explained how the performances done by the university’s spirit squad
at nationals were different from their traditional routines performed at school functions. “Each routine for completion is a max of two minutes,” said Hall. “Our hip-hop routine had multiple songs with a variety of styles. The routines we do at games usually are one or two songs and focuses on entertainment value.” Hall described the focus of the Lionette’s national’s routine. “We wanted to do a fun, entertaining routine, so the theme was a girl mix,” said Hall. Dance team member Re’Jon Alexander, a junior kinesiology major expressed how it felt
when she found out they had placed first. “Is this real life?” said Alexander. “We’ve always had ‘when we win’ in our vocabulary, but when it really happened, it was surreal.” The UCA competition’s divided into different divisions based on the university’s size, and this year they added NCAA. They started Game Day Competition, where competitors were able to display all their sideline routines. The university’s cheer team earned bronze in the UCA’s Game Day Competition. Skills Coach for the university’s cheerleaders David Mayeux explained just
how large the competition was. “The National College Cheerleading Championship is considered to be the most prestigious cheerleading competition in the world, actually,” said Mayeux. “There are probably two or three hundred teams there. Every year, it attracts thousands of spectators.” Mayeux gave his opinion on why this new portion, Game Day Competition of the UCA, is important. “It’s nice because ultimately that is what cheerleading is about anyway- what we do on
see DANCE pg. 8
Ron Roberts resigns from the university NIKISUN SHRESTHA Staff Reporter
see PAGE 6
Former head coach of the Lions football team Ron Roberts has taken on a new role as the defensive coordinator at University of Louisiana at Lafayette after he
Weather
Tuesday H 62 L 37
resigned on Friday, Jan. 19. In an interview for Lionsports. net, Director of Athletics Jay Artigues expressed his thoughts on Roberts’ tenure as head coach and on the search for his replacement. “We’re extremely thankful to coach Roberts for his dedication
in taking our football program to unprecedented heights,” said Artigues. “We plan on moving swiftly, but thoroughly, in our search for our next head football coach.” Greg Stevens is currently the interim head coach of the team.
Index
Wednesday H 60 L 33
Campus Life.................................2 Opinions.....................................3 A&E............................................4
Horoscope, Crossword, Sudoku....5 Sports.........................................6 News..........................................8
PAGE 2 | JANUARY 23, 2018
The Lion’s Roar | CAMPUS LIFE
Dr. Crain’s 2018 Resolutions for the university Here is a brief list of what University President Dr. John L. Crain would like to accomplish for the university in 2018. For a more in depth story, visit www.lionsroarnews.com • “I also would like to see us hold the line on student tuition and fees, or at least try to limit any increases to modest amounts and award merit pay raises for faculty and staff,” said Crain. “Additionally, continued growth in collaboration with industry partners as well as with two and University President Dr. John L. Crain feels it is hard to find time to connect with four-year educational institutions is students but hopes to be able to change that in 2018. FILE PHOTO/THE LION’S ROAR important.” • “Many years ago, I chose a career in higher education because I found great satisfaction in seeing my students grow, evolve and achieve personal success,” said Crain. “It’s one of the things I miss most from my days as a faculty member. One of my personal goals is to find more time to interact with students.”
• “There are a number of general goals I want us to work toward in the short term,” said Crain. “These include continuing to grow new student enrollment through better recruitment as well as enhancing retention of current students.”
• “I also want to see us continue to evaluate regional needs to ascertain if new academic programs or concentrations are needed as part of fulfilling our regional mission,” said Crain. “We’ve seen nice growth in our Honors Program, and I would like to see that continue. I also • “Another goal is for our think we have an opportunity to university to receive at least stable grow enrollment in our graduate state funding,” said Crain. programs.”
• “Generally, I want to see us continue to enhance and expand opportunities for our students to engage in campus activities and programs that support their academic and personal success, such as enhancements to student support services as well as mentorship and leadership development opportunities,” said Crain explained how specific long-term goals through 2024 are currently Crain. being planned with student, faculty, staff, alumni and community member’s participation. ANNIE GOODMAN/THE LION’S ROAR • “Although I am generally very pleased with how things good things happening at our are going, there is always room • “More specific longer- university, and I feel we have a lot for improvement, and we should term goals and objectives will be of momentum moving things in always strive to create a campus developed through the strategic a positive direction,” said Crain. environment that provides our planning process, but I am always “We’ve experienced successes students with an even better interested in doing what we can in enrollment, student academic experience,” said Crain. “I’m to ensure continued relevance achievement, academic program convinced one of the ways we can and excellence in our academic development, athletics and fund do that is by doing a better job of programs,” said Crain. raising. I want to do everything supporting the work of our faculty possible to keep the positive and staff.” • “There are numerous momentum going.”
Class rings are now Funding on sale in bookstore ZACHARY ARAKI
JENNIFER DETTWILLER STAFF REPORTER
The spring semester begins with the University Bookstore hosting Balfour for senior ring sales. The ring sale will be held for a total of three days in the bookstore for students to view samples, receive their ring sizes and order official Southeastern rings. Ring sales began yesterday and will continue through Tuesday, Jan. 23 from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., Jan. 23 from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. and Jan. 24 from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Executive Director of Alumni Relations Michelle Biggs discussed what purchasing a ring means to a graduating senior. “The official Southeastern ring keeps students and alumni connected to their alma mater,” said Biggs. “It is a tangible reminder of the hard work and dedication that they have put in toward their degree. We invite all eligible students to come by and see for themselves the
beautiful symbols of this great university.” Senior psychology major Ashley Scaffidi explained what receiving her ring means to her and how it signifies her time at the university. “The end is near,” said Scaffidi. “My time at Southeastern was short and well lived.” Scaffidi additionally mentioned what her future holds after she graduates this spring. “Grad school,” said Scaffidi. “Coming back, getting my masters and just getting on the right career path.” Biggs also said a ring may be purchased online at http:// www.balfour.com/southeastern/ or during “Grad Fair” on Mar. 14 and 15. Other helpful tools that can be used is the Balfour phone number for ring sales, 1-800-BALFOUR (800-2253687). The “Ring Ceremony” is scheduled for Wednesday, May 2, which will be located in the War Memorial Student Union Ballroom at 6 p.m.
STAFF REPORTER
The university and the state allocate financial support for higher education in the budget. Vice President for Administration and Finance Sam Domiano discussed the university budget and enrollment. “Fall enrollment remains relatively stable with our largest class of incoming freshmen in the past decade,” said Domiano. “Enrollment plays a critical role in the budget as approximately 75 percent of our operating budget comes from self-generated revenues, which are primarily
Higher Education
student tuition and fees. We are extremely pleased that students continue to select Southeastern and its impressive array of academic programs for their educational journeys. As always, we strive to foster a campus environment that nurtures dynamic student experiences as we work diligently to recruit, retain, progress and graduate students so they can confidently contribute to society and create the workforce of the future.” Domiano cited “Summer Smart” for helping fund the budget. “We are pleased to report that summer school enrollment increased,” said Domiano. “We
expect much of this increase is attributed to the ‘Summer Smart’ initiative, which reduced net cost for a three-credit hour course to less than $900 while at the same time expanding course offerings and increasing the number of online and hybrid courses. This increase propelled enrollment in an upward trajectory, reversing the previous summer enrollment trend and having a direct, positive impact on self-generated revenues.” According to Department Head of Accounting and Finance Dr. Robert Braun, this year’s state budget prioritizes higher education more than past budgets. “Fundamentally, I believe that
greater awareness and vision for the role of higher education in preparing the state’s workforce for the future is the key,” said Braun. “In a society that views institutions of higher education with increasing skepticism, we need to make the value proposition of a degree from Southeastern more clear. The best way to do that is to keep our focus on helping students to learn and grow so that they can be our advocates within the communities they serve.” Domiano discussed the university’s financial support from the state.
see BUDGET, pg. 8
Alpha Psi Omega Welcome back, everyone ,to a new semester at Southeastern. Alpha Psi Omega is hitting the ground running with auditions for their upcoming production of “You Go, Goddess!” by Tommy Jamerson. Cold read auditions will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 30 in the Pottle Lobby from 4-7 p.m. Please also come out to our interest meeting on Monday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. in the Student Union. Come out, see what we’re about and discover what it means to #SeekALifeUseful.
Incident Reports
This is not a complete list of campus incidents. To see more incidents, visit the University Police Department’s Daily Crime Log on the university’s website. North Oak Park 9:48 p.m. Narcotics Violation: after closing. One student Three students and one non- was issued a misdemeanor student were found inside summons for possession of Dec. 4
marijuana. All three students were issued a referral to the Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability. The nonstudent was issued a University Ban Notice. Dec. 5
2:52 p.m. Harassment: An employee in Fayard Hall reported receiving a threatening telephone call on their office phone line from an unknown caller ID.
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Opinions | The Lion’s Roar
January 23, 2018| Page 3
SPEAK OUT How has your opinion of Trump and his administration changed, if at all? Why? “My opinion never really changed. Whatever they needed, that was for them. They never really cared about others.” Alexandria Mitchell Junior, Athletic Training
One year with Trump: What’s going on here? On Jan. 20, 2017, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States of America, and I began to seriously Annie Goodman contemplate the logistics of Staff Reporter moving to Mexico. I soon remembered, though, that I have no money, no practical skills and no understanding of the Spanish language. Then, I realized Trump’s confidence in getting the Mexican government to pay for the wall. He knows that soon Mexico will be willing to pay anything to keep us out. Clearly, I decided to stay in America. Now, I’m writing about Trump’s first year in office, and I am proud to report that he has not started World War III as I had feared. Yet. But, what has he done? Unfortunately to me, as a Republican president, he is not doing too bad. In his first year in office, Trump has managed to pass 107 bills including the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and according to White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, the stock market is at record highs. Trump withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord, approved the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, has bolstered immigration laws enforcing travel bans, appointed 12 circuit judges and has repealed
sections of the Affordable Care Act put in place by Barack Obama and his administration. For anyone with conservative views, this sounds dandy. For those with liberal views, it might sound a bit more like this: Trump cut taxes for the rich, withdrew from a plan hoping to save the planet, approved construction on controversial pipelines that will only benefit big oil corporations, and fueled racism and hate via travel bans against innocent countries because he has business deals with the actually dangerous ones. Regardless of how you view these changes, they have been achieved without the approval of the general public. In an article by CNN titled “Trump is on pace to sign more executive orders than any president in the last 50 years,” an analysis by Chris Cillizza and Sam Petulla of CNN shows that Trump signed 49 executive orders by October 2017. What does this mean? It means 49 times Trump bypassed Congress. It means 49 times Trump bypassed the voters. It means 49 times Trump bypassed you. Which Trump administration laws ignored your opinion on the matter? An article by BBC titled “What executive actions has Trump taken?” lists climate change policy reversal, two travel bans, undoing waterway regulations set in place by Obama, the approval of the Keystone
XL and Dakota Access pipelines and more. This means three things. First, it means that most of the Trump administration’s achievements throughout the first year were achieved without your consent. Second, it means Trump’s goals in office seem to be as simple as undoing actions taken by Obama. Third, it means the popular vote is still against him and he doesn’t mind acting without your consent. That’s not so surprising considering Trump’s views on women and their consent, right? At the start of 2018, Michael Wolff published a book titled “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.” This book has since sparked many controversies due largely to its lack of evidence. From claims that Trump’s advisors view him as unintelligent to claims of Trump eating cheeseburgers in bed, the book has undoubtedly shed a new light on Trump’s first year in office. Mostly, though, it just confirmed something we’ve always known: Trump is an odd character and will make for an interesting presidency drenched in scandals to say the least. His entertainment value will hopefully engage younger generations in politics, though. As Trump embarks on his second year in office, here’s to hoping for another year without WWIII.
Why and how college students should relax on a daily basis A normal week for a college student usually consists of Jennifer Dettwiller about four Staff Reporter major things. These include exams, going to work, normal school work and trying to be social with peers. In my case, all four of these things make for a high anxiety, stress-filled environment. According to Dartmouth’s Student Wellness Center, high stress levels can lead to frequent common illnesses such as colds, sore throats or the flu. Stress can also be a factor in your sleep schedule. The website also recognizes that a small amount of stress is healthy. It is “protective and adaptive. Our responses to stress help our minds and bodies to prepare for difficult challenges, and to react appropriately in a time of crisis,” said the Dartmouth College Health Study, from spring 2008. What is too much stress and how do we, as suffering college students, relax? In my case, too much stress is when my body starts to physically and mentally shut down. By this, I mean I catch what feels like every cold that is going around campus. I get more pulls in my neck than I can count, and I feel like no amount of break is long enough. So, the steps I take to relax may seem easy or that they won’t work for you. They may not
because everyone is different. But, trying needed relaxation techniques may lead you to a new sense of relaxation. One of my main relaxation rituals I do is heavy bag workouts, yes, like boxers, but only for 15 minute increments because I don’t want my body to be pushed to where I can no longer continue my day afterwards. The Dartmouth article explained that exercise is a good tool in reducing stress because it can not only alleviate symptoms of stress and depression, but it also builds confidence and selfimage while also blowing off steam, and releasing physical tension in a person’s body. People who I know that are normally stressed say, “I don’t have time to relax,” which is a major problem and, as I said, can be detrimental to one’s health. Statistics show that 75-90 percent of visits to a physician’s office are for stress-related conditions and complaints. Stress can be crucial to one’s health and has been linked to six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide. So, what other ways should students relax to avoid major stress to the point of hospitalization? Most important to me is exactly that word: me. Time only by yourself, even if it’s at least 10 minutes at a time, can
“Trump is doing a fine job, I guess.” Trae Lewis Sophomore, Nursing
“Since he got elected, at first, I was super excited. Now, with just everything going on, I don’t really listen to him anymore. My opinion is, just take care of it. Every time I hear it, it’s just terrible, and I ignore it. ” Joshua Sapp Senior, Business Administration “He is just doing his job. I don’t see any problem with it. Maybe there is some instances where he could do better, or maybe he does not have to do so much more in any area. Other than that, I don’t have much critique on it.” Tyler Ward Freshman, Communication “I don’t really follow politics; don’t know much about Trump administration.” Samantha Fulgham Freshman, Criminal Justice
“I really don’t think my opinion has changed at all. He is the outland-ish, whimsical kind of a person. You never expect what he is doing because you never know. He’s never changed.” Vincent Hart Freshman, Biological Sciences
“In the beginning, I wanted him to succeed, but as he came on the way, he had so much getting on with the immature tweets, and antiimmigration. He does not really want to be a president.” Darius Martin Freshman, Computer Science
Jennifer Dettwiller
be beneficial to your health. I know it is for me. Also, taking care of yourself, which is an area I lack in, but it is something we should all take into consideration because of the easy access students have to fast food on campus. Relaxation in college students is not a common thing because many of us are told that we are, “Too young to have things to stress about” or, “You’re so young. What do you have to be stressed about?” So, we try not to show our stress, causing
Policies and Procedures 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 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.
“I think Trump, right now, is adjusting to things. Some of his actions are definitely irrational, but I think he’s got a big plan in his mind. We just gotta trust him like we did for Obama.” Richard Mathis Jr. Senior, Marketing
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.
ourselves more harm than good. The Dartmouth Wellness Center article includes a few more ways students can relax or lessen stress that are simple, and take little time from one’s schedule. Find a support system, change your outlook on certain events, be realistic, get organized and take charge, learn to say “no,” get a hobby, slow down, laugh more and use yoga or quiet time to your advantage. Relax. Tomorrow is a fresh start, and you can do it one deep breath at a time.
“No, still has not changed. Nothing. The whole immigration thing, building the walls thing, politically impossible to do, especially with the money and the effort that had to be put into it. When he got the Department of Homeland Security, he cut off all relations with Haiti, for them legally being able to come in the country. ” Darryl Jones Freshman, Criminal Justice “I haven’t kept up with his administration or anything with like the government since ever. So, I don’t really know how it’s changed or anything. I just know that he became the president, and recently something with the government shutdown.” Amanda Costales Senior, Informational Technology
The Lion’s Roar Staff Editor-in-Chief - Larshell Green Distribution - Jesse Salminen II Glenn Duhy Office Assistant - Alyssa Larose Administrative Assistant - Gemma Carter Coordinator - Lorraine Peppo Director - Dr. Lee E. Lind
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Page 4 | January 23, 2018
The Lion’s Roar | Arts & Entertainment
Lions promote artwork in the Hammond art scene
Artists with the Hammond Art Guild have a chance to showcase their artwork in HAG’s annual spring show at the Hammond Regional Arts Center, such as the 55th annual Spring Open Exhibit above. File Photo/The Lion’s Roar BRIANNA HAWKINS Staff Reporter
Students, alumni and professors in the art field have become a part of the local art scene in Hammond by becoming members of the Hammond Art Guild. The Hammond Art Guild promotes the work of their patrons by displaying their artwork at the Hammond Regional Arts Center where it can be seen by the community. Junior art major Elisa Gauthreaux explained how she became a member of the guild. “I heard about the guild through a student that was in one of my courses who was a member already, and she was attending one of my classes,” said Gauthreaux. “She was talking to me about all the opportunities for artists and work that you can show in the Hammond area.” Hammond Art Guild President Nancy Lowentritt discussed why she thinks students were open to joining the Hammond Art Guild.
“What I can tell from the students that I met is that there are quite a number of them who are interested in pursuing art after they graduate,” said Lowentritt. “As they go through the four years of college and they start specializing in particular mediums of art, they seem interested in getting their art out there to be seen by the general public.” Assistant Professor of Sociology Marc Settembrino also shared his experience on how he joined the Hammond Art Guild. “I became a member of the Hammond Art Guild for the 2016 HAG Spring Show at the Hammond Regional Arts Center,” said Settembrino. “I only started painting in 2015, and Eric Johnson, director of Sims Library, and HAG members Nancy Lowentritt and Andrea Hano encouraged me to enter the show. I had a great time showing my work. It was so much fun. I’ve been a guild member ever since.” Gauthreaux who is also one of the administrators of the guild’s Facebook page
explained the benefits of joining the Hammond Art Guild. “It has a solid membership,” said Gauthreaux. “It is serious in promoting the arts with its members and in the community, and it promotes members to get involved in communityoriented projects. It encourages members to also teach classes for the community, put work in different venues, become socially conscious about getting people to get involved through the different social medias and actively encourage its members.” Settembrino always had an interest in the art field but didn’t feel he would be good at it. “I have always wanted to paint, but I had convinced myself I wouldn’t be very good,” said Settembrino. “In 2015, my dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I don’t know why exactly, but I decided to start painting. Painting became an escape, but it also helped me cope with his death. I started out painting with watercolors. The way the colors danced on the paper brought joy to a dark time in my life.” When asked about his future plans, Settembrino said he will continue his membership with the guild and encourage creativity amongst his students. “I plan to continue painting and showing with the guild,” said Settembrino. “I also plan to continue to encourage my sociology students to reconnect with their creativity. Since 2015, I’ve required students enrolled in my race and ethnic relations courses to complete a ‘creative project.’ Essentially, students can do anything other than writing a term paper.” Lowentritt used an event on campus a few years ago to gather interest in the spring show. “I went to a talk on campus that was put on by the art department or maybe the Contemporary Art Gallery,” said Lowentritt. “Cannot remember exactly, but I went there, and I brought some flyers with me about the upcoming spring show that year and talked to a number of students that seemed to be interested. So, that spring there were about, I think eight students who entered the show, and it was really great.” According to Lowentritt, the guild enjoys having young people join them, and by reducing the membership fee from $25 to $20, it’s more affordable for all members.
“Once a year, we have an annual spring show, which is open to non-members and members,” said Lowentritt. “If you’re a member, you can enter three paintings each year for a flat fee, and if you’re a non-member, you’ll pay per entry. That would cost more to enter the show if you’re not a member. We love having young people join us, so that’s why we reached out to SLU. We like them, and you know, not everybody can afford it. So, that’s why we lowered the price to $20, and it’s a lot of exposure for $20.” Settembrino also shared his opinion on how HAG works with the students on campus. “I can’t speak to HRAC’s relationship with SELU students although I know they had shows recently that featured SELU alumni,” said Settembrino. “But HAG loves to have SELU students. Our membership is open to anyone. For me, students bring a fresh perspective to the guild, through their art and through their ideas. You don’t have to be an art student to join. You just need to be an artist.” Settembrino believes that students in the art field get many more opportunities by joining the HAG. “SELU students should join the art guild because it gives them an opportunity to show and sell their work,” said Settembrino. “The guild organizes several group shows each year where members can show their work for free or for a small fee. It’s a great way for students to get exposure to a larger audience.” Settembrino also feels he’s been influenced by many of the members in the guild. “There are so many wonderful artists in the guild who’ve been working their craft for decades,” said Settembrino. “They have so much information to share about techniques and the art business. I’ve learned so much from other guild members. Nancy Lowentritt is a great mentor, and Andrea Hano has been so encouraging.” Lowentritt said that by becoming a member of the guild, students can enter their work into the annual art show. “The membership that people pay at the beginning of our fiscal year, which is Oct. 1, entitles them to enter this spring 56th annual show,” said Lowentritt.
Students procure finalist status at NATS JENNIFER DETTWILLER Staff Reporter
Vocal students and faculty explained the process and their feelings on the Southern Region Convention of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. In early November, a university press release stated, “A total of 26 Southeastern students competed in the competition held earlier this month at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, with 13 advancing to the semi-final round.” Out of the 13 students who advanced to the semi-finals, seven went on to the finalists round. The finalists included Brennan Simmons, Wesley
Newton, Ryan Blanchfield, Cody Sires, Caitlyn Rodrigue, Rachel Denton and William Dopp. Senior music major Sires, who received second-place, explained how he felt about the experience in its entirety and his feelings about the results he received throughout. “Placing in a competition where there are participants from universities in a tri-state area is definitely a confidence boost,” said Sires. “I’m constantly questioning if I’m improving at all. The results are what they are. I prepared for it just as everyone else has. I feel second place is what I earned. Now, I am a better musician because of the positive feedback and critiques I’ve received.” Sires accredited his love of
music to his great-grandmother who would sing and speak to him in Italian. In the junior men’s division category, senior music major Simmons placed second, and as a first- time competitor in a singing competition, he was happy with the results. He discussed some challenges he ran into during his time competing “A big challenge for me is keeping my ADHD in check,” said Simmons. “Music is a very independent and intensive program. You’ll find yourself in a practice room for hundreds of hours each semester. Being able to focus in that room all by yourself for hours is very challenging for me, but when I get it, the outcome is so incredible. It even helps me retain my focus on my school
work, allowing me to make better grades.” Additionally, Simmons explained how he felt about the competition process. “The competition was very exciting for me,” said Simmons. “I was able to perform for some really talented musicians and get great feedback. I am full of anticipation for the next time I am able to compete.” Faculty and staff pianists Charles Effler and Mary Bresowar accompanied students during the competition. Professor of Voice Dr. Stephen Rushing described how faculty members help and guide the students leading up to and during the competition. “All of the faculty who are members of NATS will send their students to the competition,
Seven vocal students out of 26 reached the finalists round during the Southern Region Convention of NATS. Courtesy of Alissa Rowe and they assist the students in choosing their repertoire,” said Rushing. “They also coach them in all the music that they are performing. They work with the dimensions of the foreign language diction, with style, with accuracy, with their visual presentation, their acting of the
piece. It’s all part of the art of song. So essentially, they’re helping them out with three languages: the language of the text, the language of the music and also their body language. Those three simultaneously are a part of what they present and is part the art form.”
Cinematic reveal: Why the Columbia Theatre houses more than traditional art events LARSHELL GREEN
all their lines and will learn all the stagecraft and all sorts of things. This whole experience is intended to teach them about commitment and team building and The Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts is what it takes to actually put on a production.” known for creating productions for seasons filled with In December of 2017, the theater got to be a part of concerts, plays, orchestras and more. the filming of the “Green Book,” a film that shares an Beyond those traditional art events, the theater account of attempts to allow African-American jazz houses debates, gospel concerts, religious programs, musicians to travel in the south safely between 1936 local dance recitals and performances for middle and and 1966. During filming, the theater was utilized to high school students and wedding festivities. house wardrobe, hair and makeup, background actors At the end of February, Hammond Eastside and catering. Elementary Magnet School will perform “Singing “This is Jim Crow south, right, so that book told in the Rain” and Holy Ghost Catholic School will them where they could lodge and where they’d be able perform “Beauty and the Beast.” After hosting junior to get to eat and not get hassled,” said Blackwood. “I Broadway events, religious performances and band did not previously know about it, but I think it is a fabulous story. It’s a part of the history of the south that really needs to be told.” Blackwood admitted that a Netflix movie, “Highwaymen,” starring Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson is expected to be filmed in March about the story of Bonnie and Clyde that the Columbia will be involved in. Non-traditional performance events are held at the Columbia based on if requirements are being met. “We try to serve our mission statement the best we can, and if somebody wants to use the theater and it’s not going to damage the theater, they can,” said Blackwood. “Part of the reason for that is it enables for that is it enables us to serve our primary mission, which is fine arts entertainment, arts, programming, symphonies, plays, all kinds of things like that.” Events that fit within the mission statement of the Columbia Theatre help contribute to the budget. By opening up the theater beyond calendar events, Blackwood feels that he is able to create diversity among sponsors, performers and audience members. According to Blackwood, upon taking his position, he quickly noticed a need to make adjustments to the Filming of the “Green Book” was done in downtown Hammond and coordinated with the Columbia Theatre for the demographic of the theater. Performing Arts. Courtesy of Regan Davis “When I first came down here the summer of 2011, Editor-in-Chief
days, Executive Director of the Columbia Theatre Roy Blackwood explained that the theater goes into what he refers to as “dancing girl season.” “From the first of May through the end of June, we have every week blocked with a dance school of some kind,” said Blackwood. Another aspect of the summer season, which features non-calendared events, will be a two-night performance by Upward Bound during the last week of June. Blackwood cited the importance of the workshop in creating hands-on experience for those who may have a future in Broadway. “The culminating event is a performance of some kind of play they will have done,” said Blackwood. “They will have made their costumes. They will learn
I told the staff that this isn’t a museum, we’re going to open it up and use it,” said Blackwood. “I want people to know that there was a time when I would see that the people who felt most welcome here looked like me, and that bothered me a lot. I knew that we needed to broaden our demographic a lot and our appeal, and so, we’ve been working very hard to get our programming such that lots of people want to come and see it. I mean, it’s not totally altruistic although it’s important. It’s also a survival thing. If we aren’t relevant to the community at large, we will not be here anymore. And we want to be here, and we need to be here. This is not about old white people doing other things for old people. It just doesn’t work.” Outside of allowing events to be held at the theater, the other portions of the budget of the Columbia comes from the university, sponsorships and partnerships with local businesses like Red, White & Brew, and generating revenue for heavily reduced ticket sales. Blackwood admitted that ticket sales from productions only make up 25 percent of the theater’s income. “We want people to come see us,” said Blackwood. “Students get in either for free or greatly reduced rates. What’s hard for people to understand is that for me to put this on stage the most expensive ticket is $40, I have to have raised a lot of money. These are subsidized tickets. In New York, you can’t buy a Broadway ticket for under $200 at a regular rate per person. That restricts a lot of people. People will not pay that kind of money for a ticket in Hammond. I work really hard to make the tickets affordable. I want people to come. We need to fill up the theater.” For those interested in applying to host an event at the Columbia, visit: columbiatheatre.org and fill out a Clover Submission Form, which can be seen on the website as a Rental Request Form. “We don’t do what, they call in the industry, is called four wall rentals,” said Blackwood. “We are always co-producers. see COLUMBIA, pg. 5 We maximize the
Arts & Entertainment | The Lion’s Roar
January 23, 2018 | Page 5
Sculpture biennial honors Morrison, patron of the arts SARAH HESS Staff Reporter
The Hammond Regional Arts Center exhibited its fifth installment of the “Marjorie Morrison Sculpture Biennial,” a tribute to one of the region’s arts patrons and philanthropists. Morrison was a founding member of the HRAC. The curator of the exhibition was university sculpture professor Jeff Mickey. The evening was a ’70s themed night in tribute of Morrison. Many donned bold prints and bell-bottoms in a’70s homage, including university alumnus James Michel who attended the exhibition dressed as Alex from the 1971 movie “A Clockwork Orange.” Executive Director of the HRAC Maureen Joyce described the opening night. “It was a packed house for most of the evening,” said Joyce. “Many pulled out their favorite polyester or bell-bottoms to celebrate the legacy of Marjorie Morrison at the ’70s throwback party. They dined on some of her favorite recipes and sipped on one of her signature cocktails. Many also purchased tokens to use in the newly acquired original art vending machine, the Art-o-mat. Some purchased artworks from the exhibiting artists, which truly honored the legacy of Marjorie Morrison, who completely understood the beauty, inspiration and lasting impact the arts create in our world.” Many of the directors of the Hammond Regional Arts Center shared their opinions of Marjorie Morrison’s contributions to the region’s art world. “Marjorie was a woman who elevated the behavior
of others the moment she entered a room,” said Director Donna Anderson. “Her friendships were forged through common passions for travel, dance, music, books, theater and visual art. She was vibrant, curious and adamant that the arts were the foundation of civility.” Director of the Sims Memorial Library Eric Johnson described Morrison’s endeavors in the Hammond art scene. “For me, Marjorie Morrison epitomizes support for the arts in Hammond,” said Johnson. “She was one of the original founders of the Hammond Regional Arts Center, worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the arts in our community, and attended exhibition openings, concerts, readings, plays, operas and dance performances in Hammond, New Orleans, Baton Rouge and beyond.” Johnson went on to describe the type of person Morrison is and reminisced about the time he had spent with her. “Traveling to an event with Marjorie was as entertaining as the event itself,” said Johnson. “She would pack sandwiches, dessert and at least one bottle of champagne to enjoy before and after the show, and regale everyone in the car with stories of her life and, on the way home, reactions to the event. She was a warm and gracious hostess and would entertain small groups in her home, surrounded by art on every wall. Every time I attend an opening at the arts center, I still look around the room, expecting to see Marjorie dressed to the nines and enjoying the artworks and the company. She truly was one of Hammond’s treasures, Many artists were featured at the “Marjorie Morrison Sculpture Biennial” including “Storm System” and “Please and Help” and my life has been enriched by her friendship.” by Maggie McConnell. Sarah Hess/The Lion’s Roar
COLUMBIA
continued from pg. 4 performance that you’re bringing in here. A four wall means that someone comes in, says, ‘I want the theater on this date,’ asks if it is available, and I say, ‘Yes, it is. That’ll be X number of dollars.’ You give me the check. I’ll give you the key. You do your thing and leave. We don’t do that. There is a couple of reasons why: to
protect our facility and our name slash product. People associate a certain level of quality with what we do here. It’s not a mosh pit. That’s why the theater’s almost 17 years old, and it still looks almost new.” Most meetings are scheduled after the form has been filled out to determine the mission of the event. Blackwood encourages experienced and first time patrons to visit the theater. Group rates with 20 people or more will possibly be negotiated.
Blackwood considers live performances as what can fill in the space between the differences that so often separate humans. “We’re not one kind of people,” said Blackwood. “We are all of this. We all have come here from somewhere else. I think that the arts have a responsibility to spread that message and to provide people with opportunities for entertainment, not in a preachy way, but to give you a sense of stepping outside of yourself and viewing things from the perspective of others.”
DDD plans a pavilion project for community events ZACHARY ARAKI Staff Reporter
The Hammond Downtown Development District is working to build a pavilion slated to be completed by the end of the year. “It gets slapped with the name farmers market pavilion a lot, but it’s really a community pavilion,” said DDD Assistant Director and Farmers Market Manager Olivia Graziano. “This is gonna be a place where you can gather for birthday parties, just a party to hang out. We’re gonna try to
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You might feel bolder as each new success falls into place. But caution is still advised through the end of the week. Until then, a stepby-step approach is best. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) That cooperation you request could come at too high a price. Since few can beat the Bovine at being clever and resourceful, why not see what you can do on your own? GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Aspects favor a quieter time spent getting closer to the people who are especially important to you. There’s always much more to learn and appreciate about each other. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) The concerned Crab will act to resolve workplace misunderstandings before they get out of hand and cause more-serious problems. Coworkers rally to support your efforts. LEO (July 23 to August 22) What the Big Cat might see as a disturbing act of disloyalty might just be a failure of communication on both sides. Take time for mediation rather than confrontation. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Be more patient with those who seem unwilling to accept your version of what’s right. The fact is, there’s a lot more to learn on all sides of this issue. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) It should be easier to assess the facts you’ll
do some live music there. It’s really gonna be a place where the community can gather downtown to not only enjoy the space but to enjoy each other.” The pavilion is set to be located behind the Downtown Development District building, where the farmers market is held on Saturdays. DDD plans to rework the space, such as moving the monuments and changing diagonal parking to parallel parking. “We’re keeping all of the trees and things intact, but that’s kind of the idea right now, keep it where the market
need to make an important decision. But don’t commit if you still have doubts. There could be more you need to know. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your excitement level remains high as you continue working on that new project. Expect some setbacks. But on the whole, all will move pretty much on schedule. S AG I T TA R I U S (November 22 to December 21) It might be wise to be more prudent with expenses right now. But your financial situation should soon clear up, and you could be back shopping, happily as ever. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) You might prefer sticking with your current schedule. But some newly emerging information could persuade you to consider a change. Keep an open mind. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) You might want to reject a suggested change. But it could be wise to go with the flow, at least for a while. You can always return to your first plan if you like. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You’re bolstered by both the practical and poetic sides of your nature as you maneuver through some unsettled emotional situations. Things ease up by week’s end. BORN THIS WEEK: People reach out to your generosity and wisdom, and consider you a treasured and trusted friend. (c) 2018 King Features Syndicate, Inc.
is right now,” said Graziano. “We kind of have a good thing going right here. The vendors call it market magic if you will. So, we thought it was a great space, and considering the other spaces we had been working with, we kind of hit some walls with those. It just made the most sense to keep it over here.” Although a part of the DDD’s master plan since 2002, the pavilion project was “revamped and revitalized” to make more headway this year. Graziano discussed what is left to complete for the pavilion project. “Now that we have a location and we have, not final renderings but a really concrete rendering that’s been approved by the city and the historic district, we really have to just get some CDs sent out,” said Graziano. “We have to get some bids. We have to go through three contractors at least to make sure we’re getting the
best price. From there, we’re gonna break ground hopefully in the next couple of months, then from there, it should take about six or seven months. We’re really hoping to get this project completed this year, but early next year at the very latest we think.” The project is not expected to significantly impact passing traffic. “There’s gonna be some work trucks located around here,” said Graziano. “Like I said, we’re reworking that space so the diagonal parking will shift to parallel. In doing so, you’re gonna lose two parking spaces there. To kind of counterbalance that, we are creating parking elsewhere, which is gonna increase spots by much more than two spots. Those are the only road blockages or parking things you’re going to see really.” Part of the challenge in the pavilion project has been working with other groups.
“We have to not just keep like the DDD’s or the city’s best interest in mind but also the historic district,” said Graziano. “We follow the historic district. So, we need their blessing of course. The Cate family, the heirs actually own that property, and they kind of gave it back to the city. So, we had to get their blessing as well to make sure that we could use that space in a way that they approve of, and of course, we have to go through the community and just make sure that this is a pavilion for them, just make sure we get all of their wants and needs. And everything that they picture when they picture a pavilion, we want to make sure that they see that when we do the final project, when it’s completed.” Graziano discussed her part in the pavilion project. “I’m excited about being a part of this,” said Graziano. “I kind of walked into the plans as a work in progress, and it’s
been an awesome experience to see all the steps that it’s taken. A lot goes on behind the scenes that people don’t know or always appreciate, and I’m really proud to say that I had a hand in the market pavilion as I think my colleagues would say as well.” Graziano shared what else was part of the DDD’s master plan. “They also talked about connecting downtown with Southeastern more, via walkways, just connecting with the school and the students itself,” said Graziano. “That’s something we’ve done as well. We’ve taken a lot of the points of that master plan, and we’ve dropped them into our strategic plan that we just revamped last year. We’re just gonna revitalize that as well this fiscal year, so just kind of reworking that since it is a little dated just to make sure everything that’s on it is either still relevant or we’re making it relevant.”
PAGE 6 | JANUARY 23, 2018
The Lion’s Roar | SPORTS
‘Fearless and Relentless Baserunning: Stuck on Green’ RISER SHARES KEYS TO PERSONAL AND TEAM SUCCESS LARSHELL GREEN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
During baseball Head Coach Matt Riser’s past four seasons at the university, some of his many accomplishments include leading the program to its first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament in
2016, first preseason national ranking in 2017, along with earning 157 wins. The team’s famous base running skillset has earned them the fifth national ranking for earning 118 stolen bases. The Picayune, Mississippi native played for Pearl River Community College and Tulane University. He began his coaching career at Tulane after graduating
with a degree in biomedical engineering at the university in 2007. At Southeastern, Riser’s duties included serving as the primary hitting coach and third-base coach during games under former coach Jay Artigues. Riser recently attended the American Baseball Coaches Association convention in Indianapolis, Indiana on Jan. 4-7 of this year. His
presentation “Fearless and Relentless Baserunning: Stuck on Green,” focused on the team’s unique assets and celebrated Riser’s passion for the green and gold nation. As Riser enters his fifth season at the university, he reflects on the lessons that he has learned from his coaches and mentors in order to influence generations of well rounded athletes.
Baseball Head Coach Matt Riser enjoys building personal relationships with players on the team as he observes their personal and professional growth. Riser has watched and helped with the growth of former players like, far right, Derrick Mount and Wade Miley and with current players like, left, junior catcher Evan Pace, senior infielder Taylor Schwaner. FILE PHOTOS/THE LION’S ROAR The Lion’s Roar: How did you determine the name for the presentation? Matt Riser: We really think baserunning is a style of play that’s not done by most in our league, in Division I, to be honest with you. I think it best describes our mindset and mentality. That’s the number one thing we got to do on our base running. Obviously, the green and gold was easy to approach from the school colors. It spoke of who we are and what we are with the same school spirit during the presentation for the hour.
to do the same thing. To be able to present to so many coaches and spread that word. I remember being at that convention for the first time and wanting some more from the other coaches, wanting more information from them. It’s a quick segment. You don’t realize how quickly 45 minutes goes by, but it goes by in a flash. I wanted to be able to get up there and talk about what our guys do. I love getting up there and bragging about our coaches, players and our programs. It’s a great experience to be able to feature what we do as a baseball team and as a university TLR: Have you been to this as well. conference before? M.R.: I have. The first time that TLR: Why is this convention I went was in 2009, and I try to important to baseball world? go every year. It’s one time every MR: This is where we get year. It’s a great event to interact everything passed. We talk about with other coaches. We have all rules and regulations to propose to assets from high school, to junior the NCAA. This is an opportunity high, Division I to pro coaches, to hear a coherent voice. This are all there. There are all different is what we want in the coaching levels of play, so we try to attend world, or this is not what we every year. I have the fortune to want in the coaching world. Not attend every year with the staff. all voices can be heard, so this is We had over 6,000 coaches this the one spot, outside of the other year. It was a pretty big event and conventions, where everybody a neat event to be able to network is there probably more than any and socialize. We get to discuss other place in the country to try to the different styles of play and get together and be able to discuss hopefully bring something back rules and regulations. We discuss for us to implement during the where the future of the game is season. gonna go and influence that in the right direction. TLR: Describe your experience at the convention. TLR: If you had to pinpoint six M.R.: Once in a lifetime. You main points of your presentation know, when I went to my first what would they be? convention a few years ago in M.R.: One would be mindset. 2009, I absolutely loved it and We also talked about aggression dreamed to hopefully being able and fear and how to turn that
fear into the act of being fearless. Next, we talked about how to turn passiveness into aggression. We talked about instincts, how we are able to turn these guys into athletes. You have to trust your instinctive moves. I broke it down into what we do as an offense, from our straight steals to our special team plays. We try to give them a broad spectrum about drills to actual execution in the main part of it. That was the main six areas that I tried to touch base on.
There’s big, strong guys that fit the style, and there’s small guys that fit the style. If I find the guy that does both, usually he’s a professional player, which makes things really tough to identify him, get him here and be a part of our program. Usually, what we do is identify the right guy and implement. Throughout the years, we’ve been able to see the success we’ve had doing it. When you bring in new players that have seen the past success that our guys have had, then they buy into it a TLR: What is the most important lot quicker. lesson that you’ve learned at the convention? TLR: What expectations do you M.R.: There’s some very have for the upcoming season? intelligent older coaches that have M.R.: We’ve got big expectations. seen a lot of things, and there’s Each year, they get bigger and some very intelligent younger greater, and obviously with the coaches that are very studious of success, you enjoy it. Nobody’s the game and this game is always truly satisfied except for one team evolving. I think the neatest part in the country, and that’s the winner about this and this convention is of the national championship. I that you learn a lot every year. think we’ve gotten more talent When you are done learning, then this year than we did last year. We it’s probably time to stop and get can find the right leadership. We out, move on and do something can get into this regional and win else. one of these things. Hopefully, we break in Omaha. Sam Houston TLR: What sort of techniques State did a great job last year. We did you use to develop a team that want to be the first club in the excels so heavily at baserunning? Southland to reach Omaha. M.R.: It’s just been implemented over the years, and it’s part of TLR: What were the most what we recruit. It’s what we try to important lessons that you identify and bring in our program. learned from your coaches at We try to recruit the strength of the Tulane University and Pearl River athlete and skill of the athlete as Community College? well. Who has baseball instincts? M.R.: There’s a lot more to Who has the right mindsets? It’s life besides baseball. You’re a very particular player. It makes consumed with it from such a it hard to recruit because there’s young age, from three to four not a ton of those guys out there. years old and it becomes life with
“THOSE LIFELONG IMPACTS THAT YOU’RE MAKING ON THE NEXT GENERATION YOUNGER THAN YOU, THOSE ARE THE IMPORTANT PARTS OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING FOR THIS SPORT.”
the fall ball, summer baseball to the spring, and you put so much time and effort into it, that you think it’s the only thing to do in life is play baseball. Play in the major leagues, retire when you’re 40 years old and you’ve got so much money that it’s OK to retire then. The good thing about my coaches and my mentors is that they’ve all had the same message: that the wins and losses is not what defines you as a coach or a player. Those lifelong relationships that you’re building, those lifelong impacts that you’re making on the next generation younger than you, those are the important parts of what you are doing for this sport. Don’t ever let this get too big or too nonchalant. It’s not do or die or life or death when you miss those plays. If you make the big pitch, life continues on after. If you get the hit or you don’t get the hit, those special relationships that you build with everyone around
you is what lasts. TLR: What are you most proud of? M.R.: Probably watching these guys go on and do exactly what we talked about. The advice that I got from my mentors was to go on and have success in life. I got to go to a former player’s wedding this summer. I got to fly to Colorado and see him meet his better half. To see these guys turn into not only fathers but husbands as well. We’ve got players who are having kids now. Just to see the impact that they’re making and having all of the success in their real world life, they’re using all of the skill sets that we’ve taught them here to get through stuff on the baseball field. They’re using that same mindset to have success in life. That is no doubt, 100 percent the most reassuring and refreshing part of what we do. There is no greater accomplishment than that.
Sports | The Lion’s Roar
January 23, 2017 | Page 7
Lions basketball creates history NIKISUN SHRESTHA Staff Reporter
The Lions basketball team recorded their best start in history against conference oppositions with consecutive wins at home against Houston Baptist University and Northwestern State University. On Wednesday, Jan. 17, senior forward Jordan Capps and senior guard Joshua Filmore led the Lions to a 85-69 victory against Houston Baptist. “I thought offensively, we were in a pretty good rhythm in the first half,” said Head Coach Jay Ladner. “Josh really struggled in the last game. That wasn’t typical of him, but good players bounce back after those type of performances. We really needed it, and I thought, especially in the second half, it really blew the game open. Obviously, Jordan had 31, and when he is locked in and being active, he has a chance to do that every night. The ball is in his court. I want him to continue to improve his effort and his defense.” Ladner credited Houston Baptist as a difficult team to beat but commended his team’s effort in the game. “Anytime you come off a loss and you’re playing a team like Houston Baptist, who’s a very dangerous team, the game is close,” said Ladner. “It was good they led us back. In the second half, our defensive effort was good. We pressed more tonight than we’ve probably pressed all year. I thought we gave some problems with the press. Really proud of the team tonight. I was proud of
the way they prepared the last couple of days. I was proud of their effort tonight, their mental focus. I knew that they were ready to play. They were locked in.” Capps, who had a career-high of 31 points in the game, pointed out the importance of the home crowd who came in despite the inclement weather. “We got a good crowd today,” said Capps. “They always get the team energized. The crowd gives us energy, and we feed off that specially in defense.” Ladner was appreciative of the supporters that came in as well. “It’s incredible to me and how grateful we are for the people that did come today,” said Ladner. “If you came to the basketball game, you’re a Lion supporter tonight. We’re really fired up and thankful that those folks braved the elements to get over to our game tonight, and it made a huge difference.” Filmore tied his career-high seven threepointers in the game against Houston Baptist. He explained the difference between his shooting in this game compared to his previous game. “The last game we played, I had an off night,” said Filmore. “I was just shooting ’cause I was open. Tonight, I made an emphasis on locking in when I got open looks, making shots and knocking it down. I’m happy to help the team out.” The team registered their second victory of the week with an 85-58 win against Northwestern. Junior guard Marlain Veal credited team effort as the key to their win.
Junior guard Marlain Veal drives to the basket in the match against Northwestern State University. Veal’s 12 points, eight assists and six steals in the game helped the team to register their sixth win in the conference. Nikisun Shrestha/The Lion’s Roar “We all rely on each other,” said Veal. “So, it’s never just a one-man show on this team, and everybody has done that.” Ladner gave his assessment on the second game. “I thought our preparation was really good the last couple of days,” said Ladner. “I knew we were ready to play. So, I was really pleased when I saw we held them to 25 percent in the second half, and I thought that was the difference in the
Lady Lions’ victories put team chemistry on full display
game. The stat I really want to acknowledge and compliment our team and players is the fact that we had 21 assists and 10 turnovers, and what that led to offensively as compared to two assists and 21 turnovers for Northwestern, I think that had a lot to do with the game.” The team will travel to Sam Houston State University on Wednesday, Jan. 24 in search of improving their 6-1 record in the conference to build on their historic run.
Student-athletes shine with higher GPAs PRAKRITI ADHIKARI Staff Reporter
Sophomore guard Tyler Morrison helped her team on the defense with three steals and controlled the pace of the game by grabbing 11 rebounds. The Lady Lions have won their first back-to-back games since the 2014-15 season. Jonathan Rhodes/The Lion’s Roar JONATHAN RHODES Staff Reporter
The Lady Lions basketball team held on to defeat the Northwestern State Lady Demons 71-65 after being up by as much as 20 points in the first half. This victory is the second conference win of the season and the first back-toback victories since the 2014-15 season. “We’re on a two-game winning streak,” said Head Coach Ayla Guzzardo. “I’m excited. It’s something that Southeastern is not used to doing. Anytime that we can
build some confidence and get some momentum going, it helps.” The two wins are also the first two under Guzzardo. “I’m only as good as the people around me,” said Guzzardo. “I’m very blessed to have a great staff, the three that I brought in including the assistants that I had before. My flaws are their strengths, and the same way around. Their weaknesses are my strengths. I cannot do this without them.” Junior guard Jaclyn Scholvin led the team in scoring with 13 points followed by sophomore guard Charliee Dugas and junior
This Week’s Puzzle AnsWers
forward Jyar Francis with 12 points each. The Lady Demons pulled the game within four points in the fourth quarter, but the Lady Lions extended their lead to six, thanks to a clutch jump shot made by junior guard Ashailee Brailey. Dugas was happy to win their first game this season at the University Center. “We just stayed together and played as a team,” said Dugas. “We did not fold under the pressure or turn the ball over. We just played team ball. I am happy that we got this win. The team is doing good playing together. It’s a good feeling.” Sophomore guard Tyler Morrison led the team in rebounds with 11. Senior guard Taylin Underwood led the team with six assists and was tied with Morrison with three steals. Guzzardo believes Morrison and Underwood were key players in this game and said they offer more to the team than just stats. “Taylin did not show it on the scoreboard, but that kid played her butt off,” said Guzzardo. “She got her teammates involved. She shared the ball and got two great blocks in the first half. She got steals. She
just played great basketball. Tyler Morrison was an unsung hero. She only had about eight or 10 points, but she gets it done on the defensive end, and she is controlling our offense and controlling our pace. Those two have been keys for us.” The Lady Lions’ next matchup is against Sam Houston State in the University Center on Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. The first 300 students will receive a promotional item to “Pack the House,” and there will be a Cane’s Challenge. Guzzardo likes the attitude that the team has been showing in recent games. “I’m happy,” said Guzzardo. “This is our second game where we are playing like I know we know how. We are sharing this ball and getting a whole lot of touches to the whole team, and they’re coming together and putting the shots in the hole. It is hard to make open shots. No one understands how hard it is to make an open shot. But, they have the confidence. They have been working hard in practice, and they have been working hard on their own. They have all of the confidence in the world, and that is going to help us against a pretty good Sam Houston team on Wednesday.”
The university student-athletes have shown improvement in their academics as their average GPA for the 2017 fall semester rose from 2.942 to their best ever tally of 2.968. Director of Athletics Jay Artigues expressed his happiness on the achievement of the students. “I couldn’t be more proud of the student-athletes,” said Artigues. “They’ve done a great job all year long academically. Our mission statement is excellence in the classroom, in the community and in competition, and they went above and beyond in the classroom. They did a tremendous job.” The athletic department has a total of 342 student-athletes participating in different sports and representing the university. Out of 187 students who posted a GPA of 3.0 or higher, 40 lions and lady lions carried a 4.0 GPA. Women’s basketball junior guard and general studies major Ashailee Brailey has been playing for two years and has earned a GPA of 3.6. She shared how she has been able to manage time for the academics and her team. “In my free time, instead of just laying around, I try to study,” said Brailey. “Sometimes I do get behind on my studies, and just knowing that school is important and that this is gonna carry me on to my future, it’s just like a big priority.” Artigues described how he thinks the coaches helped students to perform their best. “I think their coaches have done a great job recruiting quality student-athletes, and they’ve also done a great job at emphasizing the importance of academics,” said Artigues. “So, it helped student-athletes at accomplishing their goals.” Women’s basketball sophomore guard Courtney Dawsey has been playing for two years and has a GPA of 3.7. She expressed her happiness on being able to manage time and effort for both school and the field. “It feels good to know that I am doing well in sports and in class, that I can manage both of them at the same time,” said Dawsey. She explained how school is her first priority and manages time for her academics. “It is very difficult to manage time and just making sure you have everything done for school before practice and all because school comes first,” said Dawsey. Both Dawsey and Brailey acknowledged missing classes while participating in several competitions. Dawsey explained how they cope with such situations. “It’s good to have a good relationship with the teachers and other students in your class so you know what you’ve missed and how to make it up once you get back,” said Dawsey. “It is hard, but it’s all worth it in the end.” Freshman cross-country runner Breanna Bernard believes that time management is important specially during the time of tests and exams. “Exam time is a bit tricky ’cause it is hard to coordinate practice time while everyone is having exams but our coaches are willing to help us,” said Bernard. “It gets a little stressful.” Bernard also shared her plans for the upcoming semester. “I am taking more classes this semester, more hours,” said Bernard. “I know that I definitely will have to crack down a bit more. Chemistry and calculus are going to be pretty heavy classes, so I am gonna have to study a bit more in the weekends, and between classes, but I’ll get it done.” Artigues expressed that the athletic department wants to witness even higher academic performance the coming semester and will set their goals for it. “Every year we try to raise the bar, and what they did academically this year, the goals are going to be ever higher next year,” said Artigues.
Page 8 | January 23, 2018
The Lion’s Roar | News
Lionettes bring home gold at the Nationals DANCE
continued from pg. 1 the sidelines for our athletics,” said Mayeux. Trenee Calamia, a senior elementary education major and university cheerleader voiced how all the team members were aware how serious this trip was for the two teams. “We called it our ‘business trip’ this year,” said Calamia. “We strictly went for the nationals competition and not really for Disney, and our coaches made sure we knew that. We actually never referred to us going to ‘Disney’ because it was better for us to say we were going to ‘Nationals.’” Mayeux described what he believed set the team apart this year from their other competitors. “All the teams that go there and attend this, they all work hard, and they’re all after the same thing,” said Mayeux. “I think what set our team apart was their determination The Lionettes dance team returned as the National Hip Hop champions after to be successful when they got there. I’m they received gold in Florida. File Photo/The Lion’s Roar not saying other teams weren’t determined
to succeed. However, this team set a goal at the beginning of the year to continue to work hard throughout the year so that when we did go, we would come home successful. They maintained that all year long, and even when they got there, they stayed focused on what their ultimate goal was. That’s one of the reasons they were able to come home with the medal.” Lionette Bailey Boudreaux, a junior kinesiology major described the moment her team was announced the national champions. “You sit there and wait and hope you do not hear your name until they announce the National Champion,” said Boudreaux. “Once they got to the top two teams, my heart was pounding. When they announced second place, and it wasn’t us, all I could do was just smile and scream of excitement. I was in total shock, but it was such a joyous moment that I will remember forever. It’s then that you know all of the hard work and dedication you put in was worth this amazing accomplishment.”
Momentum Marketing Conference debut NIKISUN SHRESTHA Staff Reporter
The university’s Small Business Development Center and 5 Stones Media organized “Momentum Marketing Conference” for educating small businesses on marketing trends. The conference featured four presentations and a one-on-one marketing assessment session. 5 Stones Media’s Director of Client Services Kim Walker described how the idea for the event was formed. The conference was held on Friday, Jan. 19 at the War Memorial Student Union Ballroom. “We’re a marketing agency, and we’re part of a national agency mastermind group,” said Walker. “One of the other agency in another state mentioned that a big thing that they did that the community really loved was bringing Google to town and because we are Google partners, we were able to reach out to our rep.” Walker described the purpose of the event and how the event panned out. “We find that business owners are often very overwhelmed by marketing,” said Walker. “It changes all the time. So, we wanted to put on a conference that educated small business owners and inspired them to really get on board with modern marketing and grow their
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business in 2018. We had four presentations. I spoke specifically about the five trends that we see in marketing for 2018. So, we talk about businesses understanding their customer journey, personal voice assistance. We talked about chat bots being a big thing this year.” One of the main attractions of the event was the presentation from Google representative Drew Tonsmeire. “Drew, who is the Google expert that flew in from Georgia, he talked about micro moments,” said Walker. “Business owners really understanding those quick moments when people are on the go and out and about when they’re using Google to search.” Lira Casborne, a representative from Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West gave her reflection of the event. “I think it was extremely helpful,” said Casborne. “It really felt like a conversation. It wasn’t overly structured. There was a lot of engagement in conversation going on. Overall, I thought it was a great seminar to kinda refresh you about the basics of what you should be doing with social media but also giving you great ideas from the research they’ve done.” Casborne pointed out that she was interested in the presentation provided by J.R. Portman. Walker explained what the remaining two
Nation
WASHINGTON (AP) — Some federal workers reacted to the government shutdown Monday with anger, some with worry and others were happy to have a day off, not unlike a student learning of a snow day. The shutdown effectively cleaved the federal workforce in half as hundreds of thousands
of workers were sent home while others who were declared essential stayed on the job. While Congress appeared ready to reopen the government, the workers could find themselves in a similar situation in a few weeks because the spending deal is only short term. Some took in stride. Ali Niaz, a Department of
SWEET ROLLS
continued from pg. 1 instant powder based ice cream mix. So, we’re doing a richer ice cream compared to what a lot of the places that do a rolled ice cream use.” According to Grossnickle, they chose to open the business as an opportunity to provide more people with jobs. “Our main goal in life is to employ people, and this just gave us a great opportunity to employ more people,” said Grossnickle. “We employ over 200 people at our health clubs and some of our other businesses in the area, and this is giving us another 30 people we are able to employ by having Sweet Rolls in downtown Hammond.” Sweet Rolls is not just rolled ice cream though. “We also do other things,” said Grossnickle. “We do Italian gelato. We do house-baked cookies and scones. We also do a signature house-baked cinnamon roll that’s topped with like pralines, pecans, banana fosters. So, we do multiple things other than just rolled ice cream.” Exercise and ice cream both create endorphins, according to Grossnickle, bridging the gap between these two seemingly different businesses for the owners of Sweet Rolls. “I’ve been looking at this trendy rolled ice cream thing for
Government Shutdown
Labor employee who was sent home after reporting to work Monday, said he decided to take advantage of the shutdown discounts being offered around the city. He ended up at Logan Tavern, where he watched news of the shutdown on an overhead TV. Niaz, 24, said he “could have used a
a while, a little over a year,” said Grossnickle. “I’ve been in the health club industry for 26 years. I’ve done it through college and through now with North Cypress Fitness and Cypress 24/7. It just so happened I was looking at social media a year ago and saw this unique thing happening around the world and said, ‘Well, this may be a really neat thing to bring to Hammond.’ And I love ice cream. The neat thing is, ice cream is good for the soul. Our health clubs are good for the body, but we’re about putting smiles on people’s faces.” According to Grossnickle, Sweet Rolls decided to open in Hammond due to its uniqueness. “We decided Hammond, specifically downtown Hammond, because there’s no other place like it anywhere in the New Orleans area or the Northshore,” said Grossnickle. “Hammond just has a unique feeling to it. There’s so many cool places now, restaurants and salons. It’s just a really cool place. So, we thought it was a perfect fit for what we wanted to do.” It is Grossnickle’s belief that providing jobs is the best way to give back to the community. “A lot of people think donating and donations, but the easiest way to give back to a community is to employ as many people as you possibly can,” said Grossnickle. “That money just funnels right back into the
presentations were about. “J.R. talked about video and the importance of video and the different types of video businesses can use, as well as the process for creating videos,” said Walker. “Then Drew came back and did the final session about how to actually put these things in place starting with Google My Business where business owners can go and claim their business listing to make sure that it is updated.” The event was sold out with 175 people participating at the conference. It was concluded with free marketing assessment where 5 Stones Media gave a report card for small businesses by looking at their website, analyzing social media, Google My Business listing, video and photography, looking at aesthetics and effectiveness of design of their website. Rachael Creech, owner of Adventure Pets in Mandeville gave her assessment about the event. “I thought it was excellent,” said Creech. “You don’t always get to hear directly from someone who works for Google. That was very informative. I’ve gotten a lot of good things out of it. Our business, we’ve been around 17 years, but there’s always something new to learn, specially with the digital stuff. It’s a good resource.”
couple more days” of being furloughed, then had a question for the bartender. “Are the same deals going to be offered next month when the government shuts down again?” he said. Felicia Sharp, a lab tech with the Defense Department at Fort Belvoir in northern
economy. We even try to look at hiring local people to where that money stays here in the market.” Grossnickle credited the Downtown Development District for doing an “incredible job at creating this downtown area to where it is the place to go.” “This was a ghost town back when I graduated,” said Grossnickle. “Now it’s a hip place. We have so many people actually coming from St. Tammany Parish to come here and enjoy downtown Hammond. That’s never happened. People would leave Tangipahoa Parish to go to St. Tammany Parish to eat and go out and shop, and now they’re coming here, which is kind of cool.” Grossnickle said he is looking forward to participating in downtown events and festivals. “That was one of the main reasons we came here,” said Grossnickle. “I moved from St. Tammany Parish to Tangipahoa Parish myself, and it was really cool. I could bring my family, I have two young children, to enjoy those things. Now we’ll be part of it, which is kind of fun. I enjoy them all. I just love the feeling of coming downtown and having thousands of people walking around and enjoying themselves.” The interior design of Sweet Rolls was carefully thought out to provide an idiosyncratic atmosphere. “The decor is really cool,”
Virginia, said the whiplash that occurs when employees are furloughed, only to return to work shortly thereafter, can make it difficult to plan. -Associated Press writers Denise Lavoie in Richmond, Virginia, and Ashraf Khalil in Washington contributed to this report.
said Grossnickle. “We really thought through everything and the way we wanted to build it. Like the tables, this is a piece of cypress from the Manchac Swamp. The doors that we have hanging for decor, that’s from an old house in Ponchatoula. So, I think the uniqueness and the music, it’s from the 1990s, is a little different. It has sort of a retro but classical and old school feel to it. The main thing is they get to experience fresh ice cream that they’ve never had before made right in front of them from scratch.” Grossnickle feels customers are the best at marketing by posting pictures of their food to their social media and telling their friends about the new business. “As long as we give them a great product and we exceed their expectations, they’re gonna market for us,” said Grossnickle. “It’s such an easy way to market these days by telling their friends right with their phone, ‘Hey, you gotta check this place out.’ Or if they post a picture on Facebook or Instagram, people are asking, ‘Where the heck is that?’ and when they tell them it’s in downtown Hammond, they never would imagine something like this would be here.” Although Sweet Rolls has only been open since the beginning of December 2017, its overwhelming success has owners looking at other possible
Mayeux explained how this national win has brought accolades to the university and its staff and helped with enrollment. “It definitely brings a level of respect not just to the spirit program at Southeastern but also to the university itself,” said Mayeux. “Anytime you have spirit organizations, cheerleaders or dancers travel to a national competition and place high like Southeastern does consistently, it adds a level of respect for the program, for the coaches, for the administration and for the school. Another aspect to it is, when you have teams go to a competition and do well consistently, it attracts students that to Southeastern. Maybe they want to be athletes in a spirit organization.” Using the momentum from their achievements at nationals, the spirit squads will continue to practice skills and support basketball and baseball until the seasons end. Then they will switch gears and begin preparing for their selection process that will begin around May to select their new team.
BUDGET
continued from pg. 2 “While it is too early to speculate if state appropriations will remain intact through the end of the current fiscal year, we remain pleased that there was no reduction in state support at the outset of the current fiscal year for the first time in nearly a decade,” said Domiano. “At this time, we remain cautiously optimistic that mid-year reductions will not materialize, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely.” Braun examined flaws in the state budget. “I am no expert on the current funding formula for higher education,” said Braun. “It seems, though, that there are structural elements of the process that make it especially vulnerable to the state’s trials and tribulations. Health care and education seem to be the only ‘negotiable’ parts of the state’s budget.” Braun shared his thoughts on the university budget. “Southeastern’s budget is complex,” said Braun. “We have a budget office of highly skilled accountants and financial managers who are dedicated to understanding the myriad of rules and procedures that help us to be responsible stewards of the funds that we raise through tuition, donations, grants and state allocations. I see my job as a department head, first and foremost, to be an advocate for the quality of the educational experience of all students who take accounting and finance classes at Southeastern. In order to do that, I need to have qualified faculty who are engaged and motivated to create those quality educational experiences. Fortunately, the faculty we have are intrinsically locations on the Northshore. “We want to employ as many people as we can,” said Grossnickle. “That’s our main goal. We want to be a provider of a place for people to have a job.
motivated by the mission. That can only last for so long, though. We need the budget to help us to sustain our work in support of the mission and to help us to attract new faculty who will help us to grow.” The university budget included merit-based pay raises for faculty and staff for the first time since the fiscal year 2009-2010. “We are pleased we were able to provide pay increases for the first time in multiple years to those faculty and staff who qualified,” said Domiano. Braun believes this year’s budget shows more support for faculty. “One thing that has not wavered over the years is the commitment that my colleagues have shown to providing quality, relevant learning experiences for students,” said Braun. “There has to be a limit to how many times we can draw upon this commitment, however. This year’s budget helps to signal appreciation for the dedication that faculty have shown in the face of adverse financial circumstances.” Braun discussed what the budget means to different people. “On the one hand, the budget is an expression of spending priorities and a plan to utilize the resources available to an organization,” said Braun. “That is the context in which I have answered most of your questions. On the other hand, the budget is a tool to promote discipline in spending decisions and to measure performance in meeting goals. On yet another hand, the budget is a means of coping with unforeseen contingencies. The state’s ‘rainy day fund’ is an example of this aspect. Given that the state seems to be operating in a perpetual state of crisis, it has dipped deep into this fund.” We’re growing. Our next goal is looking at other locations around the Northshore to possibly build a few more locations. We’re looking as far as Slidell to Covington to Mandeville as we speak.”
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