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’ 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

March 28, 2017

Lights, Cameras, get ready for the return of Greek Week JALINA FOURCADE Staff Reporter

Greek Week is back and invites students back into the world of cinema classics this year as teams of Greek chapters will base their festivities around films from the big screen. Greek Week is filled with major events such as the Volleyball Tournament on Sunday, Apr. 2 at 1 p.m. in Greek Village the Dodgeball Tournament on Tuesday, Apr. 4 at 6 p.m. in the Pennington and the Stepshow on Thursday, Apr. 6 at 7 p.m. at the University Center. The theme this year is movies and the selected themes are a throwback to iconic movies of the past. Each team was given two options for their theme and had to vote on which one they preferred. Alpha Sigma Tau, Sigma Tau Gamma and Phi Mu Alpha will join together for their “Ghostbusters” theme. Theta Phi Alpha, Delta Tau Delta and Zeta

Phi Beta will unite to represent “Titanic.” Alpha Omicron Pi, Theta Xi, Pi Kappa Alpha and Sigma Gamma Rho’s team will represent the movie “The Little Rascals.” Sigma Sigma Sigma, Kappa Alpha and Alpha Phi Alpha chose “Dirty Dancing” for their theme, and Phi Mu, Kappa Sigma and Theta Chi selected “Willy Wonka” as their team’s theme. This year the Order of Omega, a nationally recognized Greek leadership honor society, will be hosting a “Give Back” Day at La Carreta on Monday, Apr. 3 from 4 p.m. to closing to raise funds for the Southeastern Food Pantry. “Last year the Order of Omega raised several hundreds of dollars to enable the Food Pantry to purchase needed supplies,” said Assistant Director of the Office of Student Engagement Kyle Gallagher. “This year they are hoping to raise $500.” Changes are coming to Greek Week. “This year they will be

hosting a Cupcake Eating Contest on Sunday Apr. 2 at 4 p.m. and making the Dodgeball Tournament a permanent event,” said Gallagher. Greek Week accomplishes more than encouraging philanthropy. It also brings awareness to the Greek community and their values. “Greek Week benefits Southeastern by giving the larger community the chance to get to know each of our organizations and learn about what being Greek really means,” said Gallagher. Keep an eye out throughout the week as teams compete in a scavenger hunt featuring one letter of the Greek alphabet each day hidden around campus. There will be many other events, such as one fraternity’s penny drive, the Golden Silence and the Tug-o-War competition. For individuals interested in details about these events, the calendar of events can be found under Greek Week 2017 will take place Apr. 3 to 6 with events all over campus. The Greek organizations will take on the theme the Greek Life section on the of movies. Some of the events taking place are Cupcake Eating Contest, Volleyball Tournament, Tug-o-War and ending university’s website. the week is Stepshow and the awards ceremony on Apr. 6. File Photo/The Lion’s Roar

Roomie the Lion to get new look Understanding Lion’s Lagniappe Campus community encouraged to vote through Apr. 4 for Roomie’s new look

In the first option, left, Roomie appears with a different physique than before and a variety of different costumes. Roomie’s second design, right, may include his tail the same color as his mane and he may have jerseys instead of T-shirts. REGINA PERGOLA Staff Reporter

Roomie is getting a makeover, and students are encouraged to vote on what they want him to look like in the future. Students, faculty, staff and any fan of Roomie can vote on the new designs from Wednesday, Mar. 28 until Apr. 4. Each voter is allowed one vote that is linked to his or her email. “We have been working with a committee made up of stakeholders,” said Executive Director of Public and Government Affairs Erin Cowser. “The Alumni Association, the

Lion’s Spirit Squad, the studentathletes, SGA, anybody and everybody we could get in there that was interested and wanted to make sure we are going in the right direction. They were able to narrow it down to two sketches from two different companies.” The previous Roomie mascot costume has been used for seven years. “That’s the normal lifespan of a mascot costume,” said Cowser. “It’s definitely time. He needs a little bit of a makeover.” Cowser described the origin of the makeover idea. “That’s why this committee came together,” said Cowser.

“It was at the suggestion of the Alumni Association, that said we need to sit down and take a look at the some of the things that people love about the current Roomie and some of the things that people have said that we could probably improve upon.” The final two chosen mascot costume designs that voters will be able to view have been selected based on a series of criteria other than looks such as wearer comfort and visibility, ease of assembly and materials. The new design will be structured on more than looks. “Some of that is utility of the suit, the person wearing the suit, we have to make sure that they are going to be safe or mobile,” said Cowser. “Crazy things that you wouldn’t think about like will he or she be able to put the suit on his or herself.” Mike Legendre, an alumnus who has worked with Disney corporations on their mascots and costuming provided insight on these criteria. “He was able to provide advice via long distance because he lives in Ohio,” said Cowser. “He was a tremendous asset in this process. Both of the companies have been great about saying that they will get all of these things right with our considerations. It’s exciting. We will do a reveal after Roomie does his own personal makeover.”

and who is involved off campus REGINA PERGOLA Staff Reporter

Free samples and information were given out at the First Annual Merchant Festival hosted by Campus Card Operations. Businesses where students can use Lion’s Lagniappe came together and set up stalls to allow interested students to taste their products. “This is our off-campus Merchants’ Fest,” said Director of Campus Card Operations Pamela Hoover. “This is really to help us to offer the students to meet with all of our off-campus merchants, who participate with our Lion’s Lagniappe program and give them an opportunity to sample some of their goods.” On Mar. 23 from 2-4 p.m., these businesses set up tables in the Student Union Breezeway. They offered a selection of their goods to any interested parties who passed through the breezeway. Vendors and samples included chips and dip handed out by Applebee’s, strawberry lemonade and 20 percent off coupons from IHOP, chocolate or vanilla custard from Eddie’s Famous Frozen Custard and more. Lagniappe users can use the GET app to make online deposits into their Lion’s Lagniappe account, check their recent transactions, report a lost or found ID and identify all Lion’s Lagniappe merchants. Campus Card Operations held a raffle for a basket of goods, and they also offered free merchandise

Eddie’s Frozen Custard Owner Edward ‘Eddie’ McGhee, above left, was one of many employers who attended Merchant Fest to inform students about the restaurants and other eateries who accept Lion’s Lagniappe. Regina Pergola/The Lion’s Roar to anyone willing to show or download the GET app on their phone. “It’s really nice,” said Hoover. “They’re donating their time and products, and we will be giving out some prizes.” The point of the festival was to raise awareness of outside businesses that accepted lagniappe. Lagniappe is money that students can put on their campus IDs and use as a debit card on and off campus. “So hopefully, it’ll introduce them to our Lion’s Lagniappe program which is what our office does as well,” said Hoover. “I think a lot of students may not be aware of the off-campus merchants program. That’s really what we’re promoting.”

Smoothie King had a table set up with pamphlets about health and free smoothie samples. “We are passing out smoothies,” said Matthew Montgomery, general manager at Smoothie King. “Showing everybody about our business.” Students can support local businesses and the university by visiting Lion’s Lagniappe merchants. “We’ve been a part of the Lion’s Lagniappe program for about three years now and loving the influx of new students that come and see us every day,” said Montgomery. More information on the GET app or the Lion’s Lagniappe program can be found at Campus Card Operations website.

University students rise above competitors in local vocal competition LARSHELL GREEN A&E Editor

Half a dozen university fine and performing arts students were recently given top honors at a local vocal performance competition. Six university students were honored at the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition, which took place at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches on Saturday, Mar.11. First place winners of the competition were sophomore Sara Cage in the women’s division, Lauren Gibson in the senior women’s division, Alfred Harper in the freshmen men’s division and Cody Sires in the older student adult women’s and men’s division. William Dopp, a student residing in Independence and a member of the Southeastern Community Music

School ranked second in the high school men’s division. Michelle Guillot was awarded second place in the younger advanced women’s division. Dr. Stephen Rushing, professor of voice has been a member of the university faculty in 1992. He describes the competition as an opportunity for students to receive criticism from other professionals in the field while allowing them to perform in a public venue. “It really helps boost their morale as they advance to the finals, or they place in the finals,” said Rushing. “It’s a reflection of their general abilities among their peers across the state.” According to Rushing, competitors arrive in the morning and sing for two to three judges in one room. They come in prepared to sing three selections and go through several rounds of ranking in the competition.

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“Usually they have to have one song in a foreign language, one in English and the third one can be whichever one they want, oftentimes they’ll choose opera,” said Rushing. “In the first round of the competition, they’ll sing two selections, one that they’ve chosen and one that the judges chooses. At the end of the day, their scores are tallied. Usually the top three or four will advance to the final round and then they will sing again for a different set of judges altogether. Those who advance to the finals are ranked and then those are tallied.” Cage explains that the competition was held for members of the Louisiana chapter. The two other chapters of Mississippi and Arkansas make up the competition that will occur later at nationals. Cage also believes that the Six university vocalists were recently honored at the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition which required them to prepare three selections. see VOCALISTS, pg. 2 Students performed for two to three judges at each level of the competition. Courtesy of UCCS Index

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Campus Life.................................2 Opinions.....................................3 A&E............................................4

Horoscope, Crossword, Sudoku....5 Sports.........................................6 News..........................................8

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Volume 88, Issue 23

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The Lion’s Roar | CAMPUS LIFE

Face-to-face engagements connect students In the Lion Light: A spotlight on campus organizations to potential employers RIANA BRASELMAN STAFF REPORTER

Computer science and industrial technology majors were given the opportunity to talk with a variety of companies and organizations who visited campus in the lobby of Fayard Hall. On Mar. 22 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., 2017 Tech-Connect Career Fair hosted by the Department of Computer Science and Industrial Technology along with Career Services invited a total of 32 companies, contractors, corporations and more to help students start developing networks and communicating with possible future employers. “This is our fourth annual event,” said Director of Career Services Kenneth Ridgedell. “It seems to be growing every year. It’s an event that is specifically designed for computer science and industrial technology, engineering technology and OSH&E, the technology majors here at Southeastern.” Tech-Connect was first established to help employers have an easier platform to communicate with students. “We found that working with services that there’s been a really large push and demand in the part of employers for the technology industry over a period of years,” said Ridgedell. “And that’s why

years ago we started this specialized event in the spring. We felt it was appropriate to do so just because of the sheer amount of demand on the part of employers asking to be open and engaged with our students one on one.” The spring semester presents the opportunity for students to become employed over the summer or near future. “So doing this event this time of year in the spring allows them technology employers to come on campus every six months to have those face-to-face engagements and networking with our students,” said Ridgedell. “And many of these employers are looking to hire interns for the summer. They’re also looking for some full-time positions and has a variety of opportunities for the technology students based upon the high demand for those jobs.” Overall, there are a few qualities and skills that employers are seeking out in potential student employees. “There’s two primary things that all of these companies are looking for universally,” said Ridgedell. “They’re looking for, given that these are technology companies, they are looking for students to come to the table with a certain amount of technical knowledge as a base or a foundation. But just as important as that technical

knowledge and education, they are also looking for people who have adaptability, flexibility and great interpersonal communication skills.” A variety of different industries were represented at the fair such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, Entergy and Triad Electric & Controls. One visiting accounting firm Postlethwaite & Netterville came specifically looking for possible cyber security interns or systems engineers. “We really try to network with students, seeing who has communication skills,” said Postlethwaite & Netterville recruiter Missy Judice. Oluwafemi Akande, a senior computer science major registered and visited Tech-Connect seeking more information about future job opportunities in his field and concentration. “I tried to communicate with people and trying to get a feel for the type of jobs they’re looking for,” said Akande. “I just wanted to get to know more about system administration which is what I want to do. How to get jobs. How to get a feel for the companies that offer system administration.”

Elite Women binds through community service SARAH HESS STAFF REPORTER

Many of the organizations at the university promote student participation in community service and work to help students become well-rounded young adults. One particular organization that exemplifies these qualities is the Emerging Leaders Inspire Through Excellence organization, also known as Elite Women. The goal of this organization is to empower future female leaders. Elite Women is a relatively new organization on campus with this being their second semester since its founding in fall 2016. Seven women came together with a mission to bring empowerment, networking and mentorship. Any full time female student at the university can join the Elite Women’s Organization. They meet every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Student Union Room 2216. They currently have over a hundred members. Vice President Monetria Turner hopes that with their larger roster the attendance of meetings will also increase. While trying to enhance the skills, they will use in the workforce. Members of Elite Women are also dedicated to helping the Hammond community with an extensive number of service hours they have put in during the organizations first year. Last semester, Elite Women held a Beauty Expo that focused on empowering women and networking with different businesses from the Hammond community to advocate personal hygiene and give beauty tips. This semester they put on a financial class with the Hammond Regions Bank where women from the bank gave students useful tips such as how

to build one’s credit and all other financial information that young adults need but probably are not aware of. Elite Women also participated in Keeping Hammond Beautiful and volunteering at Landmark Nursing Home on Valentine’s Day to bring residents cards and teddy bears. They also attended the Special Olympics in Baton Rouge and gave seminars at Connie Dottie Group Home talking to young girls about life decisions and empowering them to want better in life. Their biggest service event so far, the No Glass Slipper event held in Baton Rouge included free makeovers, dresses and shoes that were offered to local girls attending prom. Helping the students get ready for their special day Elite Women became personal shoppers for the day to make the experience for the young girls even more special. No Glass Slippers even had speakers come talk to the girls about prom safety. Female university students are encouraged to join Elite Women. “Anyone who joins can expect to gain leadership skills, a sense of unity and how to work with other women and uplift them,” said Turner. Turner herself has personally benefited from joining this organization. “I’ve gained self-awareness and I’ve enhanced my leadership skills,” said Turner. “I know how to better work with people, and I know my strengths and weaknesses.” Turner encourages any interested students to come join their organizations. Any women at the university that might need a little extra empowerment, mentoring or networking in their life can join this organization and become an Elite Woman.

“The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” comes to the Vonnie Borden Theatre ANNIE GOODMAN STAFF REPORTER

The second play of the semester will be “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” directed by Jennifer Bouquet, an adjunct professor. This play is a modern take on a biblical story. “Well, contrary to what the title may lead one to believe, this is not a religious play, but rather a very human play that gives us a different perspective on a very old story that nearly everyone knows,” said Bouquet. VOCALISTS

continued from pg. 1 importance of the competition lay in the exposure it offered participants. “I think it’s important because it exposes us to other teachers,” said Cage. “It exposes us to other students who are just as capable of doing this competition as us. It requires a lot of training, a lot of focus, but essentially, it’s just a good opportunity to see what it’s like to compete at a perform level at your own grade and just to expose yourself to a lot of opportunities and to other universities as well.” Cage explained that although her work in past university productions such as “A Little Night Music,” “The Mikado” and her leading role in “The Merry Wives of Windsor” prepared her for the competition, the preparation was targeted differently. “I guess it was different from that because even though I was putting myself into a character, it wasn’t as long,” said Cage. “I was mainly focused on my technique and getting it across to the judges as knowing that I am doing it. I know what I’m singing about. Here is what I have learned and I hope it impresses you. For the ‘Merry Wives of Windsor,’ it was like, ‘Here’s my character, and I just hope that I portray her in the best of my abilities to represent the story.’” Gibson describes her preparation for the competition as having been a huge task, especially with the workload of student teaching and auditioning for graduate schools. “I had to prepare four classical pieces in three different languages,” said Gibson. “I went from teaching eight hours a day to running to my voice lessons or practice sessions in the evening. There were a few times I felt too exhausted to sing, but

“We follow the story of Judas Iscariot as he is put on trial to either be saved from the ninth circle of Hell, or left to rot as Satan’s dog’s chew toy. We see many human characteristics including pride, sorrow, love and betrayal and how one has to participate in one’s own self-forgiveness. Even if it isn’t a play about religion, it is a play that I think could solidify one’s faith, whether that faith be in an omnipotent being or humanity as a whole. It does use very strong, vulgar and harsh language, but I believe if the audience

the extra encouragement from my voice teacher and pianist helped me push through.” Gibson’s interest in vocal performance began when she joined her high school choir. “I immediately fell in love with the effect singing had on my emotions,” said Gibson. “Music became my language of communication. I could share any message with others through singing. It was for that reason that I decided to pursue music at Southeastern. I have never once regretted this choice.” Sires admits that he gained an appreciation for singing after his great-grandmother made him sing often during his childhood. “Because of this, I fell in love with singing,” said Sires. “I believe that everyone is capable of singing, however, since each voice is unique, it takes a lot of practice to figure out how your particular instrument works.” Sires, a senior music major, with a concentration in vocal performance believes placing first in his category in the competition has benefited his self-esteem as a performer. “Winning this competition has done a lot for me,” said Sires. “Most importantly, it has boosted my confidence tremendously. I get stage fright so easily, and this has helped

can see past that, they will receive a really good message.” The play will be held Apr. 4 to 7 in the Vonnie Borden Theatre in D Vickers Hall. This play was written by Stephen Adly Guirgis and published in 2005. Bouquet feels that the contemporary details of the play will allow viewers to better understand the story. “I think students would be the most interested in this play because it is easy to understand and uses modern language,” said Bouquet. “So, it’s

ease some of that fear of not being good enough.” Rushing praised the students and faculty of the Fine and Performing Arts Department for the continuous success displayed throughout years of participation in the NATS competition. “We’ve had a pretty steady history of winners in our department in the vocal division,” said Rushing. “That’s in part because of the quality of students that we recruit and the quality of the faculty that supports them. Most of all, it’s the hard work of the students and individuals who work towards the goal by participating, singing well and trying to do their best, their personal best. A lot of them aren’t really trying to compete against anyone else, they’re trying to do their best they possibly can to do a historical performance.” Cage, Gibson and Sires all attributed the majority of their success in the competition to the involvement of members of the fine and performing arts faculty. Fine and performing arts faculty Dr. Alissa Rowe, Director of Choral Activities and Mary Bresowar, an accompanist for the NATS competition were among Cage’s sources of

not like you have to translate as in Shakespeare. It also will challenge them to open their minds a little to a different perspective on a story they may have been taught when they were young or introduce them to a story, that I feel, is one of the most important.” The play is $15 for general admission, $5 for seniors and nonSoutheastern students and free for all Southeastern students and faculty with ID. Even though the play has biblical origins with holy characters, Bouquet

assistance and preparation for the competition. “Without her, Alissa Rowe, I wouldn’t have made it,” said Cage. “If I could also give props to Mary Bresowar, they helped me. I’m just extremely grateful, and I hope people come out to more music events and expose themselves to the world of music because it’s a lovely world to be in. I love it.” Placing first place in the Senior Women category gives Gibson a sense of accomplishment and gratitude for the music department faculty after relying on them for assistance with her preparation. “Knowing I was able to push myself to perform my best and having it pay off with a win gives me great pride in myself as a performer and student,” said Gibson. Sires attributes the success of university students overall to the dedication and motivation of fine and performing arts faculty members. “We sing roughly 10 to 12 hours a week in classes, and that doesn’t include the individual practice time outside of classes,” said Sires. “Our teachers prepare us, and we truly owe it to them for helping us develop healthy singing and practice habits.”

believes people will be able to relate to the humanity of the play. “I chose this play because I feel like an audience, especially maybe a young audience, can really empathize with the human aspect of all these characters,” said Bouquet. “Many of the characters are ‘divine’ in one way or another, mainly saints, and through the language of the play and the stories that they tell, they show a very human side and remind us that no one is ever perfect. That is something that is universally relatable.”

Organizational News is due the Friday before publication 10 a.m., with a limit of 150 words.

Delta Omega Alpha Delta Omega Alpha is a preprofessional honors society on Southeastern’s campus, designed to aid students with preparation towards a career in health care. The organization brings in representatives from a number of ﬁelds and graduate schools to provide information on pursuing a graduate level degree, including, but not limited to medical, Nursing, Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, Physical or Occupational Therapy,

on by

Anesthesiology, Pharmacy, Dental, Veterinary, Pathology, Ophthalmology or Optometry and Public Health, Medical Technician, Scribe or Volunteer. We meet every other Monday at 5 p.m. in Meade Hall, Room 112. Meetings last approximately one hour, and food is provided. Total dues are $15 a semester, which includes T-shirt, food, rafﬂe prizes, etc. and are due at the second meeting of each term. If you are interested in joining Delta Omega Alpha for the Spring 2017 term or would like additional information, please feel free to e-mail us at: doaselu@gmail.com https://doaselu.wordpress.com/ http://doaselu.org/

flodowntheriver@yahoo.com

Opinions | The Lion’s Roar

March 28, 2017 | Page 3

Calm down, ‘Split’ is just a movie As part of their mission to keep students entertained, Campus Activities Board offers Movie Nights. They even allow students to vote on which movie they should play next. One of the movies they have offered recently is Annie Goodman “Split.” This is Staff Reporter a movie about a man who suffers from dissociative identity disorder, or multiple personality disorder. The main character abducts three young ladies with the intent to kill them. Personally, I find this to be a rather intriguing movie idea. However, others feel that this movie “stigmatizes mental illness” and are upset with CAB for offering it. I have three issues with this. First, they do not advertise this as a documentary. Therefore, do not take it as such. To say “Split”

stigmatizes mental illness is like saying “Paranormal Activity” stigmatizes the supernatural. Movies are fiction. As people intelligent enough to be in college, surely we are intelligent enough to realize this as well. Right? We know movies are meant to be entertaining, not educational. Right? We know how to distinguish fact from fiction. Right? One can only hope. Well, if you were not yet aware of this fundamental concept, you learn something new every day. Right? Second, CAB is not to blame for the weird fascinations of America. CAB offers popular movies for students to vote on. They did not choose what movies would be popular. If you wish to be upset with someone, be upset with every individual that has watched and liked this movie. If that is too macro for your liking though, simply shake your finger at any student who

chooses to vote for it. My point is CAB is not to blame. Do not shoot the messenger. Last, why would you complain or protest this? Why would you get angry and offended by this misleading form of entertainment and aim to shut it down? I understand being upset with the radical portrayal of a very serious, very real mental illness. I understand wishing people were more informed about mental illness and how those around us are affected by it. However, that is exactly why I do not understand complaining to CAB about how repulsive they are for offering such a film. This line of thought does not foster understanding. This line of thought does not explain the negative stigma. This line of thought offers no beneficial value to campus, movies or society as a whole. Why not view this as an educational opportunity? Why not use this as a chance to inform

the masses properly about mental illness? After watching the movie, people will temporarily have a heightened interest in mental disorders, especially DID, so set up outside the theater to tell people the truth about DID and other mental illnesses. Of all the things to complain about, why this? There are so many abhorring things going on in the world today that we, as individuals, can do nothing about, so we just tweet our frustrations instead. Yet when there is an issue such as this, that we can easily make into something benign and productive, we choose to stagnate by complaining. I hope students pick this movie, I hope CAB plays it and I hope the viewers will educate themselves on mental illness rather than accept events of a horror movie as judicial. I am no expert, but I have done my research on DID. Will you?

I personally don’t believe in vaccines Recently, there has been a great outbreak in mumps spreading across eight states to date with over 1,000 cases reported. This brings to life the vaccine versus antivaccine debate. Personally, I have not been vaccinated for everything I was told I needed to be, and I currently don’t want to be vaccinated. I have Regina Pergola been vaccinated in a few Staff Reporter instances, but not the 13 plus vaccines I was told by my state government to get. My argument is simple. If you are vaccinated, you should not have to fear an outbreak of any preventable disease. That’s what the vaccine is supposed to prevent, right? Therefore, why should anyone butt into someone else’s business and tell them they should vaccinate? If one and one’s dependents are vaccinated, why should they have to worry about my personal decision to not vaccinate? The answer is simple. Vaccines are not perfect. Vaccines can screw up sometimes, and sometimes that results

in severe symptoms worse than the disease you were trying to prevent. 10 percent of the mumps vaccine receivers are still at risk to develop the mumps. Vaccines fail. This is a point that I personally use to justify not being vaccinated. If the vaccinated person of today is unable to stop themselves from getting an illness that they have been specifically vaccinated against, why should I even bother with the needles and the chemicals? If they are concerned about getting the disease from me because I personally have not been vaccinated, then they obviously don’t trust their vaccine. Ergo, my point. It’s my business if I want to or don’t want to have chemicals injected into my body to physically alter my biology in the hopes that it will prevent a disease. It happens that my belief is that vaccines are a short-term solution for a long-term problem and that to vaccinate is to create a biologically weaker immune system in yourself and in your progeny. I can sympathize with mothers of infants who are unable to safely vaccinate their children due to their age and thus worry

about their safety if they are exposed to unvaccinated adults. However, the danger goes both ways. My sister, between the age of one and three, was vaccinated. She had a very severe reaction to the vaccination. During her recovery from this reaction, my sister had lost almost 10 percent of her weight and her physical capabilities started regressing. On a young child, that is an extremely severe setback. She was in and out of the hospital for the next year, on a special diet to help her gain weight during one of the most crucial times of her development. She still has not recovered this body fat, even though she is now in her early twenties. In short, I believe that vaccines can do more harm than good. If someone isn’t vaccinated and that worries a vaccinated person and makes them fear for their safety, I would suggest they either put more faith in the science behind vaccines or dig a little deeper into the mountains of research surrounding vaccines and make a fully informed, personal decision on being vaccinated rather than just getting injections because they were told that they should.

What made you choose your major and why? “I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do. I knew I was good at math. So, I just chose accounting. My mom’s an accountant too.” Jenna Gautreaux Freshman, Accounting

“I was in biology, but then I really didn’t think that’s what I wanted to do. I like making things, and I couldn’t get a degree in making things, so I switched to industrial technology.” Luke Mayeux Senior, Industrial Technology “I really like literature, and I like writing. My concentration is in creative writing, so I can write poetry.” Taryn Dixon Senior, English

“I’m into sports, and I feel I’d be comfortable and make a lot of money.” Joshua Deselles Sophomore, Sports Medicine

“I got in music when I was like eleven years old. I started playing piano when I was a sophomore in high school. It just came naturally to me.” George Llopis Junior, Music “I actually have a degree in music already, and I chose IT for the job opportunities.” Anthony Hoss Senior, Information Technology

The importance of thoroughly planning your college career “I went to accounting, marketing to supply chain. It’s a trip that our ISM club went on that kind of got me into it. I was all for it. The trip influenced me that much that I changed it.” Chelsie Reed Junior, Supply Chain Management “In high school, I became really interested in science, general science and biology, and so ever since then, I wanted to pursue it.” Jonathan Beard Senior, Biology

“I like to help people, and I love working with other people.” Dwaine Singleton Sophomore, Nursing

“I want to make money.” Makiel Peters Sophomore, Engeneering Let’s be honest. We were all, at one point or another, sitting there and thinking, “What the heck am I gonna do for the rest of my life?” I know I was. In fact, it took me months to decide, like I’m sure it did for many others. Stepping into the college life is one of the largest steps we take in our lives. It’s not something Zachary Billiot everyone gets to do, and Staff Reporter we’re reminded every day how many people don’t make it through all the way. For a lot of us, myself included, we’re still sort of unsure how we want to play our lives. We’re making a huge decision: the course we want to take for years to get a job in the field we want to spend the rest of our lives in. That said, there are still quite a few freshmen who are undecided and haven’t

quite picked a major. To those freshmen, I say the time is now. Now is the most optimal time to plan ahead and narrow down your course path. I understand it may still be very tough to decide, so we’ll use myself as an example of how to lay your plan down. For me, I kind of knew what I wanted to do from a young age and that was game design, plain and simple. But, it’s more abstract than that. Every type of art form is required to make a game, so I chose to take the path that would lead to the bulk of it: computer science, learning to code. That wasn’t to say that was my first option. I’ve earned myself a knack for art, and wanted to initially do more artsy things in the field but that just wasn’t the optimal path for me. I kept looking, and after taking certain classes in high school, I found how much I enjoyed coding, at least when the code doesn’t fight me. Then I weighed that

against everything else, and in the end, that’s what I wanted to do more. Through that, comes questions everyone has to ask themselves when deciding what they want their major to be. “How do I know this is the major?” “Do I want to do this more than that?” “Is this really what I want to do for a career?” As soon as you can answer those questions, you have a pretty good idea of what you’re going to do. Picking your major is never easy, and it’s really easy to get stuck thinking about all the what-ifs and the maybes. You can’t let that get in the way for too long. To all of those students who are still undecided, it’s high time you ask yourselves those questions and really take the time to form a solid answer for yourself. Priority registration is this week, and you need to be ready to make a good and informed decision because this decision is going to affect the rest of your life.

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.

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.

“I chose it because of the concentration, which is child life, and I like dealing with children and counseling.” Rayana Lasalle Sophomore, Family and Consumer Sciences

“After I toured the campus and walked around the facility and I saw the classes that I would be taking, it kind of convinced me to take it.” Brett Broussard Sophomore, Industrial Technology

The Lion’s Roar Staff Editor in Chief - Morgan Ledet A&E Editor - Larshell Green Distribution - Jesse Salminen II Advertising Assistant - Brandon Hebert Office Assistant - Alyssa Larose Coordinator - Lorraine Peppo Director - Dr. Lee E. Lind

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Page 4 | March 28, 2017

The Lion’s Roar | Arts & Entertainment

Evans discusses race and stereotypes during ninth Common Read KRISTEN WILLIAMS Staff Reporter

Every semester, genres including non-fiction, poetry and others are chosen by the English department to be analyzed by English 101 and 102 classes. The English department held its ninth annual Common Read on Monday, Mar. 20. This semester, a short story fiction collection, “Before you Suffocate Your Own Fool Self” by Danielle Evans was featured. Throughout the day, sessions and activities for the book such as Q&A’s, student panels and a reading by Evans herself were held. Evans’ stories illustrate her experiences as the only African-American in certain settings. “I had always written,” said Evans. “I just wrote, and I just read, and I liked telling stories, and I liked the space that it put me in. It was an escape to get out of my own life by reading but also share my life by writing.” Evans explained why she

loves writing and why she does it. “I think I got into fiction in college because I liked how it allowed me to write about recognizable things and seeing how people work in the world, how we think about other people and how we affect their lives,” said Evans. “I think that is the function of the world.” Evans also talked about what she thinks makes her short story series so special. “This project was really me thinking about what I could do with first person because it is all about what we can or can’t say, or what we’re self aware about,” said Evans. “Those spaces of honesty are what writers strive for. I have a second book coming out. Actually, tonight I will be reading my new story ‘Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain.’” This story is also featured in this year’s Best American Short Stories. Evans will possibly be finished and coming out with her next collection. Students and faculty gathered to listen to similar viewpoints of the Common

Read. “It was really great that she could come,” said Alexis Fairbanks, a part of the Common Read committee. “We thought this book was great for the time. We had a student panel with students showing their work and presented what they did. There was artwork, somebody did a musical interpretation and wrote a song. Basically, students showed her their interpretations of her work.” Students sat down with Evans and asked her questions about her work. “They asked what motivated her writing and some asked how she got published,” said Fairbanks. Students enjoyed their experience with her and what they learned from the Common Read. “I went to all of her stuff today,” said Myles Cyprian, a freshman athletic training major. “It helped me write my paper seeing so many viewing Danielle Evans, featured author of this semester’s Common Read prepares to read her new short story “Richard of points of everyone’s outlooks York Gave Battle in Vain” during her 6:30 p.m. panel. Evans discussed topics such as African-American stereotyping, on each story.” perspectives on first person events and everyday issues from her most well-known work “Before you Suffocate Your Own Fool Self” during the annual program hosted by the English department. Kristen Williams/The Lion’s Roar

Columbia Theatre hosts Eisenhower Dance show after five year wait REGINA PERGOLA Staff Reporter

Now in its 26th season, the Eisenhower Dance group performed six separate dances set to four different composers’ music at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts. Executive Director of the Columbia Theatre Roy Blackwood aspired to have the Eisenhower Dance make the Columbia Theatre a stop on their tour for the past five years and finally succeeded. “The first year I went to APAP in New York I saw them,” said Blackwood. “I went to their showcases, and I just fell in love with what they’re doing.” The Eisenhower Dance used lights, costumes and dance to represent different

kinds of contemporary music throughout their performance. “I think their choreography is wonderful,” said Blackwood. “There is a syntax to the choreography that creates a voice that moves through that song, only kinesthetic. I just think it’s fabulous the way they move one form to another.” Blackwood believes that Eisenhower Dance is unique in their form and dances even though they are part of an ambiguous genre. “There are a lot of contemporary dance groups out there but there aren’t very many that do innovative things that are beautiful to watch,” said Blackwood. “I think this really is.” The music was varied throughout the different dances.

“I love the way they are using contemporary music with contemporary dance because there is a parallelism there that works,” said Blackwood. “They speak to each other beautifully, but the music doesn’t overpower. I think that’s a nice balance to get, and I lay that on the choreographer. I think she’s brilliant, and she does wonderful work.” Blackwood expressed that he aimed to have memorable performances at the Columbia Theatre, and despite low attendance, Eisenhower Dance fulfilled his ambitions. “I’m always disappointed to not have a full house, but these people that are here tonight won’t forget this,” said Blackwood. “That’s what I love.” Denise Tullier-Holly, a

supervisor at the Office of Student Teaching was asked to volunteer as a flashlight holder in the performance entitled “Light Play.” “I thought it was extraordinary,” said TullierHolly. “I was asked to be a volunteer, and I was just in that last piece. To see them right

after they had finished a piece, and they’re all grabbing their next costume and getting set and sweating buckets,but so in tuned, they’re very wonderful.” Jordan Wild, an audience member felt that the technology blended well with the dances without overpowering them. She also believed

that the performances had lightheartedness to them. “I thought it was just joyful, funny, great sense of humor and great use of the space,” said Wild. “It’s just unusual. I was really happy to hear some new ways of using some of the pieces that I’m familiar with.”

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Eisenhower Dance came to the Columbia Theatre and performed a series of six dances set to music from four different composers. The performances were separated by two to three minute intervals, which allowed the dancers to change costumes and prepare for the next dance sequence. Regina Pergola/The Lion’s Roar

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The ending performance for the Eisenhower Dance at the Columbia Theatre was titled “Bubbles.” Regina Pergola /The Lion’s Roar

Arts & Entertainment | The Lion’s Roar

March 28, 2017 | Page 5

Kerber’s performance kicks off second week of Guitar Fest ANNIE GOODMAN Staff Reporter

The second week of Guitar Fest continued with a performance by Instructor of Guitar and Festival Coordinator Patrick Kerber. Kerber was satisfied that his performance was well received by the audience members. “The people liked it,” said Kerber. “That’s what counts. As a performer, you’re never satisfied. You never get everything you want. It was fine. The people liked it, so it’s fine.” The performance took place on Tuesday, Mar. 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the Pottle Auditorium. Students in attendance enjoyed the show. Sara Cage, a sophomore vocal education music major liked watching a professor perform. “It was wonderful,” said Cage. “I think it’s wonderful Patrick Kerber, instructor of guitar performed a solo concert on Tuesday, Mar. 21, at 7:30 p.m. This performance was for for students to come and see the second week of Guitar Fest, which is organized by Kerber . Annie Goodman/The Lion’s Roar faculty actually perform their

primary instrument.” In between each set, Kerber would give a brief history and story about each piece. “These are standard pieces on a repertoire that I’ve known for quite a while,” said Kerber. “You pick and choose. You reach a certain point in your life where you just start to play what you like to play. When I play at a university, I like to do a program that’s sort of historical. I start in the Renaissance, I skipped the Baroque this time, and just move through classical, romantic, up to modern to present a historical for the school. It’s the academic side of it.” Kerber has also been playing guitar for about 52 years, beginning when he was a child. Kerber has been teaching guitar for 46 years and prides himself on his knowledge of the instrument. “I could write a book on that one,” said Kerber. “I mean, it’s

just the whole overall thing of just watching people grow and succeed, seeing talent develop, helping people to find themselves. And, there’s so much to be gotten from studying music all the way from self-discipline to just creating your own joy for yourself. It’s a big ball of wax teaching.” Guitar Fest is a month long event with performances once a week. Guitar Fest continues Mar. 28 in the Pottle Auditorium with All Styles Night. “Next is the All Styles Night, next Tuesday,” said Kerber. “That’ll be fun if you come to that one. That’s where everyone gets to play whatever they want. There’ll be a little bit of classical. There’ll be jazz. There’ll be pop. There’ll be a bluegrass group coming from Ponchatoula. Three of the Impaired Faculties will be playing, so you’ll hear some of their stuff. It’s a mixed bang, little bit of everything.”

Professors talk ‘fake news’ in panel JONATHAN RHODES Staff Reporter

The library and Phi Kappa Phi tried to tackle the topic of President Donald Trump’s ‘fake news’ through a panel discussion. “Breaking Fake News: Finding Truth Amid Alternative Facts” was presented to students on Mar. 21 from 2-3 p.m. in the Student Union Theatre. The idea of the event came from Outreach and Instructional Media Librarian Angie Balius. “I think that it’s a topic that we need to talk more about,” said Balius. “It’s something that I have been thinking about a lot as the election last fall just really went off the rails with how news was being reported and what news stories seemed to have legs. The information landscape is just so complicated right now, and so I thought of the idea of getting everyone together. Let’s just talk about the stuff that is out there and make sense of it together. Not in a teacher student role but more of a we are information

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Avoid having someone else take credit for the project you started by finishing it yourself. Then it will be you lovely Lambs who will be wearing those well-deserved laurels. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) The facts about a new opportunity are still emerging. Wait until they’re all out in the open, and then use your keen business sense to help make the right decision. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might feel confused, even hurt by a friend who suddenly puts distance between you. If she or he won’t discuss it, don’t push it. An explanation should come in time. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Your willingness to be part of the team opens doors that had been shut to you. Keep them open by keeping your promises even when your commitment seems to be wavering. LEO (July 23 to August 22) Congratulations. You’re really getting things done to purr-fection. And don’t forget to take a catnap now and again to keep those energy levels up and bristling for action. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Your “plaintalking” honesty is admirable. But sometimes sharp words can leave painful scars. Be careful that what you say doesn’t come back to hurt you. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A stress-filled period

all trying to make decisions as adults in our society.” Students walked out of the panel informed more on “fake news” but have to question themselves about how to avoid it. “I thought it was interesting,” said Lewis Melton, a sophomore communication major. “We heard a lot about fake media early on. I try to avoid the media a lot. I kind of got to the point that I just don’t care anymore. So, I was hoping this rekindle something like how to distinguish what is and is not fake media. I’m walking out with more questions for myself than answers that I thought I would receive.” The panelists were communication professors Dr. Joseph Burns, Dr. Joseph Mirando, Dr. Claire Procopio and Information Literacy instructor Stephen Sanders. They each shared their opinions on “fake news” and why the term is so popular. “We want a business model that tends to entertain,” said Mirando. “You gotta admit some takes a positive turn as you deal with the underlying problem. Act now to avoid a recurrence by changing some basic rules in your relationship. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your rising energy levels make it easier for you to achieve some important objectives. This could lead to a big boost in how you’re perceived, both at home and on the job. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) A changing picture begins to emerge as you learn more about an offer that seemed so right but could be so wrong. Look to a trusted adviser for guidance. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Spiritual aspects are strong. Take time to reflect on the path you’re on and where you hope it will lead you. It’s also a good time to reach out to loved ones. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) You could be assuming far too many responsibilities, whether it’s at work or in personal matters. Be careful that you’re not weighed down by them. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You’re getting closer to your goals. And since nothing succeeds like success (or the promise thereof), don’t be surprised to find new supporters swimming alongside you. BORN THIS WEEK: You are always the first to try new ventures and confront new challenges. You inspire others with your courage to follow your bold example.

giving birth to a two-headed baby has a lot of pass around value. There is a lot of people that want that to be true. So, I would say to you that one of the motivations besides making political content say what I want it to say is that fake news has real entertainment value that really didn’t exist before.” The moderator for the panel was Sims Library Director Eric Johnson who believes “fake news” is at its most dangerous when it is used to intentionally harm others. “It’s not new but it is not going away,” said Johnson. “I’m most concerned about fake news being weaponized to really, seriously hurt people on a mass scale. Pizzagate is a good example of a very disturbing individual who read about fake news and went into a pizza parlor in a suburb of D.C. and shot the place up because he thought it was a child sex slavery ring. Those are the kind of things that scare me the most.” Procopio spoke on how “fake news” has an audience because of its bias to one side of the argument or the opposite side. “I think there is something about fake news that gets legs in part because it is partisan,” said Procopio. “If you look at where big bodies of people are drawn to things it is extremism. You look at the fastest growing religions around the world, it is the extreme religions. If you look at some of the fastest growing philosophies, it is the

Information Literacy instructor Stephen Sanders and Communication professor Joe Mirando discuss the phrase “fake news” and how students can combat false information. During the panel, university professors and employees answered questions from audience members. Jonathan Rhodes/The Lion’s Roar be told, ‘There is a black and from them, and it is very hard to way things come at us. Urgency, white. If you don’t know too sort out if you are trying to listen urgency, urgency. There is much about, we will get rid of to both sides. But, if you look at nothing coming at us but ‘Let’s the shades of gray.’ Fake news it from that dynamic, sometimes get it done.’ I will say to my 100 panders to that. It’s ‘Oh the it can help you pick out the sides level class why don’t you watch other side is not just disagreeing and what they are trying to do. a half hour newscast every day with you or have different Is this the group that is in or is instead of acting as your own values than you. They’re evil it the group that is out? If it is editor? It’s a perception that and they’re stupid’ I think it’s the group that is in, how are they they don’t have that half hour. very comforting to see other using fake news to defend their There is perception that time people disagree with you that position and make the other side has grown shorter and shorter.” way. It’s very dangerous, and look crazy for wanting to shift It is apparent to Procopio that it’s really inaccurate.” the power?” “fake news” is here to stay and “Fake news” is considered by The need for news to be the people are going to have to instructor Sanders to be part of a provided immediately also fuels work around it to find the news power struggle which has made “fake news” and guarantees that that they want. it difficult to sort out the truth it will have an audience. “I think as citizens, we have amidst all of the propaganda. “I do believe there is a to educate ourselves about “I think that the people who perception of a lack of time,” the kind of things that we don’t have power want it so they said Burns. “I see it in classes. I are reading,” said Procopio. use fake news to undermine will say, ‘I need you to go to the “How to make sense of it and those who do have the power,” library’ they will say ‘I can just how to recognize when we said Sanders. “The people who look it up on my phone.’ They feel it’s partisan and when it do have power use fake news to will say, ‘Can I just email the doesn’t have much concern for defend and prevent those who assignment?’ I’m not saying this accuracy.”

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consumers together, and we are of this fake news like Hillary extreme ones. People like to don’t have power from getting it is bad. It’s the concept of the

The Lion’s Roar | Sports

Page 6 | March 28, 2017

Lions baseball lose five consecutive games JONATHAN RHODES Staff Reporter

After winning 10 straight games to start this month the Lions baseball team have gone in the opposite direction by losing five straight games for the first time since 2014. One of the four losses was on the road against LSU and the others came in a three game series at Houston Baptist. Head Coach Matt Riser was disappointed in the Lions’ struggles with their past five games. “It’s a long season,” said Riser. “Whether it’s going good or going bad, it’s a long season, and it’s not going very good for us. We lost five in a row, we’ve had a couple of injuries, and morale has gone down a little bit. They got to understand that it’s a long season, we are still not even half way through the season. Just like we rolled off ten wins, we lost five in a row. All we got to do is just change it and win the next game.” Last week was tough on the Lions as three players have been injured in the past five games. These injuries disrupted the game planning for the Lions in the series against Houston Baptist. “It’s been a long week,” said Riser. “Schwaner pulled a hamstring against LSU. Obviously he is still swinging, but he can barely run and defend third base. Ryan Byers is out. He had a concussion on Friday night. Kade Granier got a shoulder injury, that’s why we had to start Koestler on Sunday.” There has been a decline in the confidence of the Lions after last week and it was represented in their games. Riser hopes the team will regain that confidence that they had earlier in the season that led to a ten game win streak. “We have to play with confidence,” said Riser. “We have to get that confidence back of knowing that we have played the best teams in the country and that we have had success against the best

teams in the country. The early season schedule was not a slouch schedule, but we are realizing more and more now that it’s not the opponent that we are playing it is more ourselves. If you go out with the wrong attitude against a Houston Baptist who is below .500 you lose but if you go out with the right attitude, you will beat the West Virgina’s and the Rice’s.” Riser played seven pitchers in the game against LSU. The Lions have been in search this season for a midweek starter at the pitching mound but have not had much luck so far. “The biggest thing is trying to give some guys opportunities to step up,” said Riser. “We got to find a midweek starter. We’re killing our bullpen for the weekend. We’re having to roll these guys out Wednesday, Friday and Sunday three times out of the week. We’ve got to find somebody to step up. Hopefully, with Graffeo coming back in, maybe he can take that role and run with it. We will see.” The Lions record is 14-9 overall ranking them third in the Southland Conference standings and they have 5-4 record in inner conference play. They will have to find a way to regain the momentum they had at the start of the season. “We just got to keep working and keep grinding,” said senior infielder Carson Crites. “Every pitch and every bat matters. We can’t give anything up. We just got to stay with it, stay hard nosed and just keep getting after it.” Riser wants to see the Lions work well batting and pitching and not become one-dimensional. Home runs without any players on base only keeps the game close but it’s not how the Lions are accustomed to playing. “I think right now we need to be more dynamic,” said Riser. “We are relying too much on the home run and not playing enough of our style of baseball which is executing runs, bunts and our steals.

Junior infielder Taylor Schwaner led the Lions at bat against Houston Baptist despite dealing with a hamstring injury he sustained against LSU last Wednesday. The Lions are ranked in third place in the Southland Conference standings behind Sam Houston State and McNeese who they will play this weekend. Jonathan Rhodes/The Lion’s Roar Pitching-wise, if we can do a good job of limiting three passes that will help us eliminate the offense. We saw it this past weekend with this losing streak of the runs scored or 50 percent of them are on three passes whether it’s walks or hit by pitches or errors. That’s a big run production there if we force them to make contact on it and make plays behind them. Obviously you cut those runs in half and you give yourself a chance to win the ball game.”

The Lions will look to get back on track against UL Lafayette this Wednesday at 6 p.m., and this weekend against McNeese. Riser is anxious for the team to turn the season back around to where they focus on playing Lions baseball. “We got to get back to doing some basic fundamental stuff,” said Riser. “The biggest thing is we got to get back to being us which is refusing to lose and just taking it one pitch at a time.”

Lady Lions tennis face ninth loss in a row NIKISUN SHRESTHA

then you have the option of going indoors. We went indoors and that was a very good atmosphere for them and very bad for us.” Despite the loss, Hayes thought the team fought hard in their games. “I thought that the girls played hard, but with our injuries and the fact that we’re playing in an indoor facility we were not used to, it was a very bad combination,” said Hayes. “If you factor in our injuries, them being very good and the atmosphere they were in, we were gonna lose. I wish the scores were more competitive but they were just a better team. The girls fought, they played hard. It just wasn’t gonna be our day.” Hayes also gave an update on the injuries of three of his players. “As of right now, it is very doubtful that any of the injured girls will be back,” said Hayes. “Two of them for sure will not

be back and the other one it’s very doubtful that she will be back.” However, Hayes wanted to focus on the players who were playing. “I don’t want to focus on the injuries because the girls who are playing are fighting as hard as they can,” said Hayes. “They’re representing Southeastern with great effort and tremendous amount of sportsmanship. Right now, we’re just not good as the teams we’re playing.” Hayes also pointed out the areas the team could improve on. “We have a great attitude,” said Hayes. “Physically, we’re playing hard. Right now, we’re playing against better teams and we’re positive and we’re fighting. The problem is that when we step out on the court, there are very few matchups that favor us. So, I think the word that we need to use the most is that we need to continue the fight and believe that our ability

is equal to our opponent.” The team looks to build some confidence and get the wins from the upcoming four home games. “These next four matches we play, we have several opportunities to win,” said Hayes. “We need to have that attitude that we’re going to win. If we can get a couple of wins, we’ll get a little more confidence. It doesn’t matter how much physically you try, if you don’t believe, it won’t happen. So, that’s gonna be really important to us. A little confidence goes a long way.” The support from Lady Lions fans will be appreciated in the home games. “On April 3rd, we’ll have free jambalaya,” said Hayes. “The more help we get, the better it is. The girls are always gonna fight for Southeastern. I mean they love being a lion and any support they have, it’s just gonna give a little more to get that victory.”

Ron Roberts Free Youth Football Camp 11 a.m. be on campus Apr.1 for Super Lady Lions Softball vs. Lamar Lion Saturday. To see other 12 p.m, North Oak Park events visit southeastern.edu or Lady Lions Tennis vs. lionsports.net Incarnate Word Green and Gold 5K Run 12 p.m, Southeastern Tennis 8 a.m, Friendship Circle Complex

Lions Football Spring Game 2 p.m., Strawberry Stadium Free admission Egg Scramble 3 p.m. (immediately following Spring Game), Strawberry Stadium, Free admission, 50,000 eggs stuffed with candy, prizes and Chick-fil-A giveaways

Meet & Greet with Robert Alford 4 p.m., Victory Club, Tickets are $50/adult and $25/children and can be purchased through LAA. Lions Baseball vs. McNeese 6 p.m., Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field

Staff Reporter

The Lady Lions tennis team’s losing streak continues with its ninth straight loss at Abilene Christian. These losses saw the team’s overall record slump 3-9, while the team has yet to win against a conference opponent. Abilene Christian produced a better performance than the previous year and is one of the stronger teams in the conference. “Last year, we beat them,” said Head Coach Jason Hayes. “So, we knew this year, they were gonna want their payback. They’re a very strong team, probably one of the top three teams in the conference.” The new environment under which the team had to play did not help the Lady Lions’ cause to win. “When we got there, the wind was in excess of 25 miles Junior Madina Vorotnikova despite her valiant efforts and the efforts of her an hour,” said Hayes. “There’s teammates have not managed to win a conference match this season. The Lady a rule that says if it’s over 20, Lions overall record is now 3-9. File photo/The Lion’s Roar

Super Lion Saturday Event Schedule Super Lion Saturday is an all day event where fans and students can show their lion pride and support the athletic teams that will be playing on campus.

Fans and students can also participate in fun events and win prizes at the games. Not all events are free and some require for participants to register beforehand. Be sure to

Matt Riser talks Lions baseball in KSLU radio show NATHANIEL CALLAWAY Staff Reporter

The Matt Riser Show, held Mondays from 7-8 p.m. at Buddy’s Bar & Grill, is a radio show for the Lion’s Baseball team’s head coach to have a chance to discuss and talk about any past games, future games or any decisions he and his team have made. On the episode for Mar. 20 he talked about The Lions’ previous 10 wins, and their wins against Lamar University, though eventually losing their fourth and final game. Riser explained that while it wasn’t preferable to lose, he was still pleased with his players’ performances. “To take a three out of four week, there’s a 75 percent there, is pretty good,” said Riser. “You know you can’t win them all. Like I told the guys yesterday, we want to win every single game we can, and that one got away from us at the end yesterday. But yeah anytime you go and take a good two out of three in the conference weekend it’s good. You can just put in a good week for another one.”

After Sunday’s win against Lamar, the Lions had a 10-game winning streak, and Riser also shared some of how it feels to carry the burden of a double digit winning streak for a baseball team. “Especially with the schedule we’ve had, it was a big day going into the season,” said Riser. “To be on a roll like we have especially going to conference, you know UNO, Lamar, those are two that are close in our conference this year. So with our preseason conference schedule to win all 10 in a row, it’s a pretty big deal. The way we did it, I think was more impressive. We got a lot of long run games. Friday night was a good home run game, we had to put in the play, come back a few times to bring that streak home. So, I’m very pleased and very impressed with just the way we handled some things. We continued to show up at the ballpark ready for each game.” During the game, Riser decided to pull Jacob Seward out of a starting lineup position. He explained that his decision had to do with performance and what he thought was his ability to play

well in the game “We talked about how there’s a few guys who have a history on our side who just haven’t come to the party yet offensively,” said Riser. “Seeing those guys start on a roll was really good this week. But it was the situation. We just looked at and talked a little bit about Seward’s freshman year. He kept coming up on guys on base, he kept getting big hits and hit plenty RBIs his freshman year and his sophomore year as well. It was last year where he was kind of a little bit more selective in what he was trying to do.”

Riser talked about how he has been impressed with sophomore pitcher Corey Gaconi’s performance and how he has improved over the last year. “Just with what Corey’s done, he’s trained really hard and his transformation was just incredible,” said Riser. “He’s lost almost 35 pounds since setting foot on campus freshman year and he really just took it upon his shoulders to make sure that his body was in the best possible shape. Everything he’s doing is awesome and well earned and well deserved.”

The Lion’s baseball Head Coach Matt Riser, right, uses his weekly radio show program as a chance to share the latest news of the team. Nathaniel Callaway/The Lion’s Roar

Sports | The Lion’s Roar

March 28, 2017 | Page 7

Softball tastes victory at Alcorn, defeat at Nicholls NIKISUN SHRESTHA Staff Reporter

The Lady Lions softball team has been playing on the road this past week. They had mixed results in those games. They won both their games against Alcorn State, but they lost all three games at Nicholls. “I thought that the team did a phenomenal job at Alcorn with two good road wins,” said softball Head Coach Rick Fremin. “We got some really good pitching, and we played great defense as well. As far as the games at Nicholls State, two of the three games were really tough losses. We played extremely aggressive and did a great job of swinging the bat offensively to produce runs. We have to do a better job of just cleaning up our defense in those tight conference games in order to take the series.” The wins at Alcorn State and the losses at Nicholls suggest the team is improving

away from home. “We’re becoming a better road team, and I believe we’re getting better every time we play,” said Fremin. “They’re getting a lot more acclimated to the Southland Conference and understanding how things are done in three game series whether it be at home or on the road. I believe our best ball is ahead of us towards the end of the season. So, that’s encouraging.” Tuesday, Mar. 21, which also marked Fremin’s birthday, saw Lady Lions performed well in both their games against Alcorn State. In their first game, junior pitchers Lacey Hill and Rachel Hayes produced a complete-game shutout as they won 2-0. The second game of the day was led by sophomore shortstop Jaquelyn Ramon with three hits, while freshman outfielder Mattie Ort and junior outfielder Kalyn Watts drove in two runs to post a 6-1 victory.

Watts continued hitting well in the games against Nicholls. On Friday, Mar. 24, Watts hit two home runs. One in each game for the Lady Lions. Despite showing a great fight, the team lost the games 9-1 and 4-3. “Kalyn Watts has been seeing the ball very well lately,” said Fremin. “We’re really proud of her. We adjusted some things offensively for her, and she has made those adjustments and it’s really contributed to her success.” The third game of the series with Nicholls had it all. There were 22 hits, eight errors and four lead changes. The teams also had to go through a four-hour plus rain delay. In the game, Ort led the Lady Lions with two runs scored. They also had contributions from Watts and junior infielder Alli Daigle with each of them driving in two runs. However, the team lost the game 9-7. Fremin was happy to see standout

performances from various players on the team. “Well, it takes a team to win a ball game and to win a championship,” said Fremin. “It’s gonna take a team to put things together in order for us to reach the Southland Conference Tournament, which I feel is still in our future. So, I think it’s great that a number of different players are receiving attention for their performances.” The Lady Lions now have a 14-18 overall record. They will look to better their record as they play Lamar at home in a three-game series which starts on Friday, Mar. 31 at 4 p.m. “We’re gonna have a tough three game series at home this weekend against Lamar,” said Fremin. “They’re undefeated in the conference. They have a very good program. So, we look forward to hosting them at Southeastern and representing the athletic department with a good series.”

Junior infielder Alli Daigle, left, had two hits and two runs batted in on the third and final game against Southland Conference opponents Nicholls. In the same game, sophomore shortshop Jaquelyn Ramon, right, was able to steal the base once. The Lady Lions currently have an overall record of 14-18 with the series loss against Nicholls. Nikisun Shrestha/The Lion’s Roar

Young breaks school record at Hurricane Invitational CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Lions track and field teams got everything they wanted and then some from the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational on Saturday at the University of Miami’s Cobb Stadium. Senior Alex Young shattered the school record with the best hammer throw in the nation in 2017. Junior Devin King followed with the No. Alex Young 2 pole vault n a t i o n a l l y, while the team of seniors Dontrell Lyons, Ashley Riley, Maverick Bowleg and Andre Colebrook ran the fifth-fastest 4x400-meter relay of the outdoor season. “We had a fantastic meet,” Head Coach Sean Brady said. “We checked all the boxes

of the things we wanted to accomplish. I thought our kids competed extremely well. It was a great opportunity for us to see some good competition. A lot of nationally-ranked teams were here and we’re leaving this meet and people are knowing who Southeastern is, I can tell you that. We brought a small group and every person today was either top eight or contributed in some way.” Young shattered the school’s record in the hammer throw by 11 feet, 7 inches in winning with a mark of 233-09 on his final attempt. Jonathan Kinchen had set the previous mark of 222-02 at the 2015 Southland Conference Championships. Young’s throw is also tops in the nation in 2017 by 8-07 and beat his previous best of 221-03, set at the NACAC U23 Championships this

past July. His collegiate best had been 218-02 at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor National Championships. “He’s picked up right where he’s left off coming out of the USA Nationals, opening up with a PR and a school record,” Brady said of Young, who won the USATF Indoor national championship in the weight throw earlier this month. “He just continues to get better and better. The things he is doing right now and the level he is operating on is just amazing.” Young went in to finish third in the shot with a season-best 58-01.25 and was 10th in the discus at 151-08. King, competing in his first outdoor meet of the season, cleared 18-02.5 to win by 1-07.75. That mark ranks first in the East region and is second to South Dakota’s Chris

Nilsen’s 18-06.5 this season. “He had a super start to his outdoor season,” Brady said. “He went out at 5.65 meters and had two really nice attempts at the bar. He handled some conditions that were not the best. It unusually windy here today and from that prospective, Devin handled himself really well. He had another good meet and another win, but more than that, I think that was a real confidence booster.” The 4x400 relay team finished first in 3 minutes, 9.14 seconds, beating host Miami by 1.35 seconds. That time ranks second in the East region in 2017. “They closed the show like we had hoped,” Brady said. “We were hopeful we would see some good competition and we did. They are going to be one of those teams at the end of the year that if we stay healthy, I believe can advance through regionals and get to nationals.” Colebrook earlier won the 400 hurdles in 51.88 seconds. Riley, Lyons and Bowleg all placed in the top six in the 400 meters with Riley coming in second in 47.68 seconds, Lyons setting a personal best with a third-place time of 47.77 and Bowleg placing sixth in 48.49. Bowleg, seniors Deandre

Henderson and Woodard and junior Cliff Resais ran a 41.18 for fourth in the 4x100 relay. Henderson later placed sixth in the 200 with a careerbest 21.46. Resais, running the 200 for the first time as a Lion, came in 13th in 21.79. Woodard finished seventh in the 400 hurdles in 54.29. Senior Collin Rowland finished second in the javelin with a throw of 194-0. Senior Gennard Paul was fourth at 1708. Sophomore Marcell Kecskemety took third in the discus with a personal-best 167-00 and was also fourth in the shot put at 56-05.7. On the women’s side, freshman Ashley Davis had a fourth-place finish in the shot put with a throw of 49-02.25. Sophomore Dekayta Alex placed fifth in the 400 in 56.23. Junior Addie Shafer threw 144-10 for sixth in the javelin. Junior Natalia Redondo was also sixth in the hammer at 169-07. There has been a change in the schedule for this upcoming week. A select group of athletes will compete in the Texas Relays starting Thursday while another group will be at the Mississippi College Twilight Invitational on Friday.

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