Talon summer 2018 Double Issue

Talon

FEATURE THE WORLD AT AVILA PAGE 10

ISSUE 94 / SPRING / 2018

ALWAYS MOVING FORWARD

INTERNATIONAL FIRST FRIDAYS IN KC PAGE 18

SPORTS PHILLY PHIRE PAGE 26

INSIDE

Photo From Rachel Mead at Rockhurst University

LIFESTYLE

INTERNATIONAL

P 6 WHEN REALITY HITS | P 7 I’M NOT ADDICTED, YOU ARE | P 8 PRAYING FOR FLORIDA | P 10 THE WORLD AT AVILA | P 12 ENROLLED IN LOVE

P 16 FIRST FRIDAYS IN KC | P 17 ARABIC TRANSLATION | P 18 CREATIVITY ON CAMPUS | P 19 SPANISH TRANSLATION

SPORTS P 22 MARCUS PETERS MOVES WEST | P 24 ROUGH START FOR SKC | P 25 TRAINING BETTER | P 26 PHILLY PHIRE | P 27 BEHIND THE GAME

Want to read more content? Visit us online at Talonnews.360.net, or see our interactive side of the magazine online at Talon.tv. Here you can find videos, interviews, and other special content!

CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR IN-CHIEF GRACYN REED MANAGING EDITOR BRIANNA PERALTA SPORTS EDITOR RYAN MEYER CO-INTERNATIONAL EDITORS YESSICA RAMIREZ HESHAM ALBADR PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR MICHAEL PORTER ADVISOR DR. J ANTHONY SNORGRASS

TALON TEAM UGO OSUALA TAYLOR POTTER SAVANNAH PARRIS ERIKA VALLONE REGGIE DAVID YESSICA RAMIREZ MARISSA JARNAGIN EMILY HELLON BRIANNA BOLGER ABDULAZIZ ALMOHIMEED LEXI PARDEE TALA ALSEERI GRACYN REED PENNY FENN MICHAEL PORTER KATIE MOONEYHAM

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ON THE COVER & BACK: FRONT COVER: Photo From Marissa Jarnigan at Northwest Missouri State BACK COVER: Photo From Brianna Bolger at Mizzou ISSUE 94 |

3

Little Shop of

Book and Lyrics by

Howard Ashman Music by

Alan Menken

Based on the film by Roger Corman Screenplay by Charles Griffith

STUDENTS FREE! 816.501.3699 avila.edu/tickets

APR 2018

26-28 AT 7:30 PM

APR 2018

29 AT 2:00 PM

GOPPERT THEATRE THE BILL AND JEAN BUCHANAN STAGE AVILA UNIVERSITY • 11901 WORNALL ROAD • KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI CALL 816.501.3699 OR VISIT WWW.AVILA.EDU/THEATRE FOR TICKETS

| ISSUE 94

If you’d like to become a contributor, we’d love to hear from you! (Photos, articles, poems, etc. We accept it all!)

talonnewsmagazine@gmail.com

FROM THE EDITOR, Wow. It’s over. my college expereince is done, ended, gone. I cannot believe the amount of amazing things I experienced here at Avila. Form the school days to the all nighters in the MAC Lab; I can’t believe it. These past four years have seriously flown by. Believe me when I say your college years will be done and gone in the blink of an eye.

This issue is themed “Always Moving Forward”. Since most of the editorial staff is graduating I wanted to focus on the fact that this time of our lives is over. We now are moving onto other great things; never stopping. With everything going on around the world, no matter what, you should always be moving forward.

The Talon has been the best part of my college years. I have learned so much about editing and about myself. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my team and Dr J. Thank you for all the great work put into my time as Editor-in-Chief. Couldn’t have done it without y’all.

FOR THE LAST TIME, Gracyn Reed Editor-in-Chief

EDITORIAL POLICY The Talon News Magazine is produced by students of Avila University. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the Talon News Staff, the Trustees, administration, faculty, or staff of the University. The Talon News Magazine encourages letters to the editor. These may be submitted electronically or in writing and should include the writer’s name, address, and telephone numbers for verification purposes. Letters can be mailed to the Talon News Magazine Editor, Avila University, 11901 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64145. The Talon reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of space, clarity, or inappropriate language. Copies of the Talon News Network Operational Guidelines may be requested by writing to the above referenced address.

WHEN REALITY HITS College is harder than it looks Ugo Osuala I remember when I first started college.

It was like a whole new world and I loved it. So many new faces and things to do.

It was almost paradise, especially if you live on campus. You get a whole week to make friends and pretty much do whatever you want.

Then school starts, and you’re in mostly general education classes and it’s a breeze. Then comes yours Sophomore year. A little tougher but nothing too bad. then comes your Junior year and those credit hours start to pile up and the 3 letters “GPA” start to creep into your mind after everything you do.

Then after 3 long years, you’re finally a Senior in college! Soon you will be done with school forever. You are about to graduate. Sounds exciting right? HA! Senior year of college is by far the hardest year to get through, especially the 2nd semester. I am speaking from experience because I am currently a Senior in college. You have so much to do and it feels like you are in a race against time. Yes, you may have had stretches previously where you had a

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lot of work to do, but work in your Senior year just seems so out of control. There are no more “intro to” classes and you are knee deep in the field you will most likely be working in for the rest of our life,.

To top everything else off, you probably

“...work in your senior year just seems so out of control...” have a job, so go ahead and add that extra burden on your shoulders.

Simply put, Senior year is no joke, but as millions have proven, it can be done. But it’s just… so… hard. After you make it through though, you can start to celebrate that you will never have to go to school again. Graduation: that’s when the real fun begins.

I’M NOT ADDICTED, YOU ARE You v. social media

Taylor Potter Social media is everywhere. It can teach us and tell us the news in seconds. We use it consistently and our world depends on it. From tweets, to comments, to shares, we are all consumed by social media in some sort of way. It brings a lot of benefits and positives to our world. But that also brings about the question, is social media ruining our lives?

You may deny it, but a majority of people are on social media daily. You may even be on social media right now while reading this. There is nothing wrong with that, it’s just a little habit. No problem. Or is it? You may find yourself in class or at work on your phone checking the newest posts. Hopefully not, but maybe even while driving. Sounds like a problem to me. Social media is now consuming us and we think that it’s normal. It changes the way we pay attention and how we want others to see us. Our identity is filtered through social media and we may not even notice it.

We all want more followers and more likes. No one wants to post a selfie and have no one comment on it. We try to find the best photo, or construct the best tweet in hope that it grabs people’s attention. Trying to make ourselves seem the best. We filter what we want people to see and create our own image of how we like it. Social media has now forced us to be up to date with the new. We can’t fall behind because we will be lost and no one will care about us anymore.

Do people really care that much? I can tell you that your true friends won’t be super bummed if you don’t post on Instagram today. We think that these relationships on social media are what is important. We are blinded by the fact that social media is around us every day. This social media has now turned into social Media. I can’t be me without it. That’s a lie. What if we all tried one day without social Media? What do you think would happen? Maybe we should give it a shot.

Photo From Entrepreneur.com

PRAYING FOR FLORIDA Behind what really happened Savannah Parris On Wednesday, February 14th, a day for sweethearts and valentines turned into a day of tragedy for students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida. A 19-year-old named Nikolas Cruz was behind the deaths of 17 innocent lives, including students and teachers. Known for being the bad kid and previously being expelled from the school, Nikolas managed to find his way in and pulled the fire alarm. Students flooded into the halls giving him easy targets. Before getting to into the actual event, lets back track a little bit. Nikolas was diagnosed with autism, ADHD, and depression. Nikolas and his brother were adopted by Lynda Cruz and raised. People that knew him growing up described him as the “problem child”. As he got older, he began to inflict harm on himself and was in and out of treatment. He was bullied by others and his own brother. His adoptive dad died as the boys grew up and his adoptive mom passed away this past November due to pneumonia.

Over the past seven years, police have reported 39 times to where they lived all because of Nikolas. The FBI was even tipped that he could be a potential threat and they didn’t pursue it. Nikolas ended up moving in with a friend’s family shortly after his mother’s death. They saw nothing they believed would be considered alarming.

Mental illness is a huge problem in the United States because it is not approached properly. Statistically, one out of five American’s will suffer from a mental illness every year. If someone is diagnosed with cancer everyone is so quick to be there and offer

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Photo From Time Magazine

help and care, but when someone is diagnosed with a mental disorder they act like it’s a lost cause. People with mental illnesses are more prone to carrying out acts of violence if not treated properly, prescribed the right medication, or hospitalized.

Aside from mental illness, how did a 19-year-old get his hands on an AR-15? It was rather easy to be completely honest. He was over the age of 18 and passed a background check. This tragedy sparked a national debate on our current gun laws.

Should we have armed teachers and armed security individuals in schools? Should we make it to where you must be checked for mental illnesses? How old should you be? Should there be more requirements to purchase a fire arm? Especially a semiautomatic? There are student activists from Marjory Stoneman getting rises out of our government for speaking how they feel about the shooting and our gun laws.

Stores like Walmart, and Dick’s Sporting Goods are raising the age of purchase to 21. Nikolas Cruz got charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder a day later, February 15th. He pleads guilty to try and avoid the death penalty. At the age of 19 he is going to spend the rest of his life in a cell. We are Avila University, and we come together as one. We are taught to stand up for what is right and what we believe in. Act on it when you think someone you know is struggling with a mental illness, help them get the help they need. If you ever feel you or other students are in danger report to campus safety or an instructor immediately.

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THE WORLD AT AVILA How international students view college

Erika Vallone All around the world there are people who are looking for higher education: they are hungry for knowledge and want to obtain bachelor’s degrees or even specializations and masters in order to achieve their goals. Some of them decide to do it near their houses, close to their families and friends with the understanding that their lives will go on normally without too many changes, and that they will be surrounded by their loved ones in every step of their journeys. Others, take the notable and difficult decision to experience college in another country with the hope that a new place can offer them new opportunities that will change their life forever.

Nowadays, hundreds of thousands of students from all around the world decide to come to the United States to fulfill their dreams. Proof of this can be seen at Avila University, a private university in Kansas City, Missouri, that boasts the presence of 181 international students from: Canada, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Brazil, Venezuela, United Kingdom, Vietnam and many more countries from East Asia.

40 It is easy to recognize international

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students for the way they look, the way they sound and the way they act. It is as if they have a neon sign on their forehead that says that they are not from this country; but what exactly does it mean to be an international student?

It means being prepared for failure before seeing the success. Putting some effort in what you are doing is not enough; putting passion, time and all your energies is a must.

It means loving and hating your accent at the same time. Feeling happy when you hear for a few times people saying that your accent is really nice; you believe that it is something that makes you stand out from the crowd, a special peculiarity that is just yours but with the time you start to think that it is just something that distinguish and exclude yourself from the others. You are not seen anymore as you; you become the symbol of your country.

It means being prepared to have all your classmates looking at you when you dare to ask a question to your teacher.

You know that they will see and hear that you are different, but there is a benefit to that: you are sure that they will pay attention to you and your question, and

that they will be careful in how they will formulate the sentences while explaining something to you to be sure that you fully understand. These circumstances

will give you the possibility to entirely comprehend the concepts that you weren’t able to understand.

Moreover, your satisfaction and confidence in being able to speak freely in another language, even if grammatically incorrect, will increase.

It means being open-minded in order to learn the culture and the traditions of the new country.

You realize that some things, even the ones that sometimes may go unnoticed or underestimated by most people, are different from the

Photo From Erika Vallone

ones in your hometown so you look at them, with your eyes full of interest and curiosity trying to understand and appreciate their distinctiveness and eccentricity.

Finally, it also means being able to connect with international students in a way that most people are unable to do. You know the feeling of being in another country, the challenges, the fears, the doubts and at the same time you are aware of the benefits, the comfort and the joys that living in a “new home� can bring to you and the fact that this experience, despite all the challenges that it has, is just one of the steps necessary to achieve your dreams.

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ENROLLED IN LOVE Relationships and college

Reggie David Starting college is a great time in many young people’s lives. College comes with many things, such as more responsibility, more parties, more schoolwork, less sleep, new friends, and tons of fun. Some students come into college dating someone or while in college find the love of their life. For many young women, a serious relationship sounds like a dream. The idea of being with a guy who’s completely committed, open his feelings, and takes you out on real dates can sound like the college version of a fairy tale. You might picture walking around campus holding hands, sharing milkshakes at your favorite place downtown, and even crying on his shoulder after a long day or rough exam. In fact, you might have even seen

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your friends post pictures on Instagram of dinner dates, and trips to Disney, and wished the same for yourself. Most of all, you read the sentimental anniversary posts, one year, two years, even three years or more and hope that one day, you’ll have someone you love and them feel the same way about you. All of that sounds amazing, but it’s far from that simple.

Although having somebody at your side through the difficult times as well as the great times can be great, it can also be too much to handle.

For an example, I have friends who feel forced to spend any and all free time they have with their boyfriend or girlfriend, and I rarely ever see them out. But depending on the relationship,

Photos From Yessica Ramirez

some can be restricting which doesn’t allow for a large amount of freedom. Along with restricted freedoms, it can sometimes be harder to focus when you’re dating someone. I found that many people exceeded their expectations for grades, going higher than they ever done before. I believe this success was from the fact that they didn’t have the worry or bother of a girlfriend. Students had more time to focus on school work and had no obligations to text, hangout with or do anything with a significant other. Free time was their free time.

Don’t get me wrong there are many positives of dating in college as well.

Loneliness for instance, especially during freshman year, is quite common while away at school. A new setting far from the securities of home. Finding a significant other with the same interests can help you through hard times when

nobody else is there. Another positive, which helps through the good times, is being able to always have a good time. For an example, it doesn’t matter if your friends are busy on a Saturday night or a Wednesday afternoon, there is always the option of hanging out with your significant other instead.

Whenever you’re hesitant about who to go out with, your significant other will definitely be more than ready to join you, proving that you aren’t alone.

I’ve discovered there to be many truths which conclude how great or how awful college relationships can be.

Obviously, dating is mainly a matter of personal choice; people should look into what works best for them. College is a difficult time and a time where you find yourself. Depending on the situations, the “college life” can become worse or better with a significant other.

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ISSUE 94 / SPRING / 2018

INTERNATIONAL SECTION

FEATURE

FEATURE

FIRST FRIDAYS IN KC

CREATIVITY ON CAMPUS

PAGE 16

PAGE 18

Contents

BRINGING THE WORLD TO AVILA AND AVILA TO THE WORLD

16 17 18 19

FIRST FRIDAY’S IN KC KANSAS CITY CROSSROADS COME ALIVE ARABIC TRANSLATION ARABIC TRANSLATION CREATIVITY ON CAMPUS AVILA’S OWN TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHERS SPANISH TRANSLATION SPANISH TRANSLATION

ON THE COVER: Photo From Emily Hellon at UCM LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

“I believe my purpose is to share my culture, traditions, and positivity with the world through film, photography and journalism.”

Yessica Ramirez, International Editor

“A news story should be like a mini skirt on a pretty woman: long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to be interesting.”

Hesham Albadr, International Editor ISSUE 94 |

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FIRST FRIDAYS IN KC

Kansas City Crossroads come alive Abdulaziz Almohimeed For art enthusiasts in Kansas City, the first Friday of each month is a day to look forward to. The aptly named First Fridays is an event where art galleries in the Crossroads district open their doors to the general public, joined by a variety of performers, vendors, and other creative individuals. First Fridays spans all of the Crossroads district, which is centered at 19th Street and Baltimore Avenue, with the entire event spanning some twenty blocks around the neighborhood. Kansas City, in its own right, is quite a center of art, opening 70 shops and galleries at its First Fridays. It ranks as one of the largest free art crawls in the nation. Truly, Kansas City has made First Friday into its own unique event, one that treats art lovers to a night filled with all manner of creative delights.

The Crossroads gained a new life with the entrance of Jim Leedy. Leedy was a ceramicist who taught at the Kansas City Art Institute, who was dismayed to find that many of his students would leave the city because of the lack of a space for artists. At the time, Kansas City had no artistic neighborhood, which made prospects dim for those newly out of school. Initially, Leedy sought to transform Westport into this space, but later turned to the Crossroads after realizing how cost effective it would

be. Leedy also sought the help of artist John O’Brien, who was eager to grow the Crossroads into a space where artists could thrive. He would revamp the spaces, then rent them out to artists at a fair rate, only taking enough to cover the bills. This caused a rapid expansion of the area, as more and more spaces were renovated and taken up by enthusiastic artists.

First Fridays was first concocted as a way to join the galleries together, so that each could thrive. The first official First Fridays was held in 2002, although earlier events had occurred in the mid90s. The event was first hosted at The Dolphin, one of the first galleries to open in the Crossroads, which was owned

by John O’Brien. The Dolphin would be the center of artistic life in Kansas City for 25 years before closing in 2013, as John O’Brien chose to become an art dealer rather than a gallery owner.

The initial goal of First Fridays was so that local businesses and artists could gain exposure, in the hopes that customers would return later on after having a positive experience at First Fridays. Nearly two decades later, this seems to have paid off, as First Fridays is as popular as it ever was, and the Crossroads continues to be one of the largest art districts in the country.

Photo From Abdulaziz Almohimeed ISSUE 94 |

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CREATIVITY ON CAMPUS Avila’s own talented photographers Yessica Ramirez

“There is a vast difference between taking a picture and making a photograph.” – Robert Heinecken Anyone can pick up a camera and take a photo, but a true artist, a true photographer, captures a significant moment in time which is then kept and cherished forever.

As a photographer myself, having the ability to capture a moment like that brings nothing but joy to my life.

We create photographs that tell a meaningful story that reminds us that those memories are not forgotten.

Each photographer is different but a way in which we’re all similar is that we speak through our photos.

There is a difference between knowing someone takes photos and actually knowing the reason why they take photos. What exactly is their story? How did they develop an interest in photography? With all these questions in mind, I decided to interview and get to know other photographers around campus. I asked questions about what inspired them, who influences them, what their biggest obstacles were, what

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their style is, and most importantly, where their love and passion for photography comes from.

Keegun Selley, a junior at Avila, found his passion for photography when he got his first camera at the age of thirteen. He immediately fell in love with it after that.

Lauren Larson is a senior at Avila who has a passion for photography.

Lauren gets her inspiration from fashion and culture, along with peoples’ stories around the world. Similar to another student photographer is Kelly Ulrich. Kelly is also inspired by the world. She loves art, people and loves better changes in the world.

She is influenced by her best friends.

“They are all so artistic and talented in their own way and it is nice to have their everlasting support, as well as supporting them with their capabilities and dreams,” Kelly says.

We all have similar yet different goals and inspirations in life. Seeing what other photographers are creating and shooting truly inspires us all.

Photo From Yessica Ramirez

CREATIVIDAD EN LA UNIVERSIDAD Los propios fotógrafos talentosos de Avila Yessica Ramirez

“Hay una gran diferencia entre tomar una foto y hacer una fotografía”.

Robert Heinecken Cualquiera puede tomar una cámara y tomar una foto. Pero un verdadero artista, un verdadero fotógrafo, captura un momento significativo en el tiempo que luego se mantiene y aprecia para siempre. Como fotógrafo, tener la capacidad de capturar un momento como este no trae más que alegría a mi vida. Creamos fotografías que cuentan una historia significativa que nos recuerda que esos recuerdos no se olvidan.

Cada fotógrafo es diferente, pero una forma en la que todos somos similares es que hablamos a través de nuestras fotos.

Existe una diferencia entre saber que alguien toma fotos y saber realmente el motivo por el que toman fotos. ¿Cuál es exactamente su historia? ¿Cómo desarrollaron un interés en la fotografía? Con todas estas preguntas en mente, decidí entrevistarme y conocer a otros fotógrafos del campus. Hice preguntas sobre qué los inspiró, quién los influye, cuáles fueron sus mayores obstáculos, cuál es su estilo

y, lo más importante, de dónde proviene su amor y pasión por la fotografía.

Keegun Selley, un estudiante de tercer año en Ávila, encontró su pasión por la fotografía cuando obtuvo su primera cámara a la edad de trece años. Inmediatamente se enamoró de eso después de eso.

Lauren Larson es una estudiante de último año en Ávila que tiene una pasión por la fotografía. Lauren obtiene su inspiración de la moda y la cultura, junto con las historias de las personas de todo el mundo. Similar a otro fotógrafo estudiante es Kelly Ulrich. Kelly también está inspirada en el mundo. Ella ama el arte, la gente y ama los mejores cambios en el mundo. Ella está influenciada por sus mejores amigos. “Todos son tan artísticos y talentosos a su manera y es agradable contar con su apoyo eterno, así como apoyarlos con sus capacidades y sueños”, dice Kelly.

Todos tenemos objetivos e inspiraciones similares pero diferentes en la vida. Ver lo que otros fotógrafos están creando y filmando realmente nos inspira a todos.

ISSUE 94 |

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ISSUE 94 / SPRING / 2018 SPORTS SECTION

FEATURE

FEATURE

FEATURE

MARCUS PETERS MOVES WEST

ROUGH START FOR SKC

PHILLY PHIRE

PAGE 22

PAGE 24

PAGE 26

Contents

CAPTURING THE LIVES AND INTERESTS OF AVILA’S STUDENT ATHLETES

22 24 25 26 27

MARCUS PETERS MOVES WEST SEE YOU LATER MR. PETERS ROUGH START FOR SKC WILL SPORTING KC PREVAIL? TRAINING BETTER WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME A BETTER ATHLETE PHILLY PHIRE PHILIDELPHIA FANS FINALLY WIN BEHIND THE GAME DNA THAT BACKS UP SPORTS

ON THE COVER: Photo From Lexi Pardee at NWMS LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

As it begins to feel more and more like summer, sports begin to get crazier. With the start of NCAA softball and baseball and MLB season in full swing ESPN is constantly sharing new things. Here in this issue you will find a little bit of everything.

As my last issue as sports editor, i want to take the time to thank all the readers throughout all of the issues I have participated in. The Talon has helped me grow in my sports writing and kept me busy throughout my college years and I am forever thankful for it.

Ryan Meyer, Sports Editor ISSUE 94 |

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MARCUS PETERS MOVES WEST See you later Mr. Peters Ugo Osuala Photo From Sports Illustrated

As we all now know, All-World Cornerback Marcus Peters was traded to the LA Rams for pretty much pennies compared to the type of player he is. I could say I won’t dig deep and try to figure out how the Chiefs could move an asset as huge as Marcus Peters. I could say the NFL is just a business and it could happen to everybody, but I won’t, because I have a set of ideas as to why I believe he was dealt.

First, his attitude. We all know Marcus Peters isn’t your average person and it takes him a lot to get your trust, but when you get it, he’s all in. Yes, he threw that flag in the stands against the Jets, yes, he got into a yelling match with his defensive coordinator and yes, he can get out of control every now and then.

Secondly, his choice to sit during the National Anthem. There are a lot of fans who were angry with Marcus Peters because he wouldn’t stand for the National Anthem. Some went as far as to say they wouldn’t watch the Chiefs play on TV and would not come to see them play at Arrowhead. It got to a point where Peters and the CEO of the Chiefs, Clark Hunt, came to an agreement where Peters would stay in the locker room during the anthem.

Thirdly, they didn’t want to make him the highest payed DB in the league. Peters was entering the last year of his contract (Chiefs had the option to extend him to a 5th year, most rookie contracts) and it was time to start the conversation on how

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much money he was going to get, and based on the way he has played, it was going to be A LOT. Were the Chiefs simply hating on Marcus Peters? I think this is a definite possibility.

Lastly, they knew he probably wasn’t going to stay in Kansas City anyway. It’s a fact that if Marcus Peters had the opportunity to play for his hometown Raiders, he would jump at that opportunity the second he had the chance. I think this is the biggest reason of the three. The Chiefs knew he wouldn’t stay and instead of letting him walk to the Raiders (those same Raiders the Chiefs play twice a year) they get him before could get them. Also, do you think it was just a coincidence he was traded to a team on the west coast, in his home state of California? Let’s be real here.

In all actuality, who knows what really happened, but what I do know is our defense didn’t get better. As a matter of fact, this move is even more shocking because as a team, the Chiefs desperately need defensive backs, so trading away your best one is even more reason to open your eyebrows as to what possibly could have gone wrong.

I could go into more hypotheticals about what could or could not be the reason he is no longer a Chief but only important thing is to know is exactly that -- he is no longer a Chief. I guess we will just have to see how everything plays out during the offseason, free agency and the draft to determine if this move was indeed the right one to make, but one thing is for certain. The Chiefs-Rams matchup in Mexico season this upcoming season just got a whole lot interesting and should have a lot of eyes tuned in.

Photo From Gracyn Reed ISSUE 94 |

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ROUGH START FOR SKC

Will Sporting KC prevail?

Dylan Doss At this moment, Sporting Kansas City is held at very high-expectations for their 2018 season after conquering and obtaining their fourth final in Lamar Hunt’s U.S. Open Cup against the New York Red Bulls September 20, 2017. Relaying on to the next season, Sporting KC held the first game of their 2018 season at home against a remarkable NYC FC team March 4, 2018.

Maxi Moralez tallied the first goal of the game for NYC in the 31’ from a sliding ‘tap-in’ goal that was inevitable from NYC’s strength in their attacking four. Jesus Medina, of NYC, added to SKC’s deficit in the 53’ by settling a low-slotted cross from Ben Sweat and finished as cool as a cucumber. The match finished 0-2 in favor of NYC FC. This was a rough start for Sporting KC that left a lot of fans wondering what’s in stake for the rest of the season.

Luckily for sporting fans, SKC was victorious in their second game of the season, away at Chicago, with a score of 4-3 bettering the Chicago Fire. Young star, Felipe Gutierrez, tallied his first two goals of his MLS career, scoring an unassisted header in the 9’ and a stunning late-match winner in the 86’ to secure a much-needed victory for this sporting side. Without two crucial late-match finishers, from Jimmy Medranda (unassisted 83’) and Felipe Gutierrez (assisted by Salloi and Russell), SKC may not have beat an impressive Chicago Fire side who responded to SKC’s first two goals with 3 back-to-back finishes leaving the score in the 82’ 3-2 in Chicago’s favor.

Furthermore, SKC brought an impressive side to Chicago, bettering their starting 11, and hopefully leaving Kansas City fans with positive expectations for the season.

How well do you believe Sporting KC will do in the remainder of the season and will they secure a fifth Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophy?

Photo From Dylan Doss

TRAINING BETTER What it takes to become a better athlete Penny Fenn I am a collegiate long distance runner at Avila University. I have been running at Avila for almost 2 years and have been a runner or almost 9 years.

Over the years I have been constantly learning the sport and experiencing new things with it. Now that I am in college I take more control over my training.

This is because I have realized from my eye-opening freshman year, that I need to take my success as more of my responsibility and not just my coach`s. I will discuss what I do for workouts and the running schedule I have created.

When it comes to training, it is important to have personalized workouts.

What needs to be done better? What do I need to add to my routine? What do I need to take away? I asked myself these questions and made adjustments to my training between cross country season and track season. I needed to add miles onto my total mileage of each week and do more weights. I knew this because I would get tired about halfway through my cross country races and my pace would suffer severely.

Most of my team practices take place in the morning Monday through Friday and on the weekends we are on our own to get one or two runs in. For

our weekday practices we typically do either a middle distance run of 35 or 40 minutes or a speed workout. And not all the time, but sometimes a small weights workout or core afterwards.

After my classes are over for the day and after my morning practice is complete, I get in a 4 or 5 mile run or a threshold or tempo workout. For threshold runs they are usually mile repeats or a 5K tempo run. Which workout I do on my own is dictated by what I did that morning at team practice. On the weekends I either get in one or two longer runs. On Saturdays I will typically run for 55 or 60 minutes and on Sundays I get in a 100-minute run. If I have a busy weekend I at least try to get in one of these runs, and one or two core workouts in these two days also.

After making these adjustments a few months ago I feel I am much more prepared for the track season than I did before the cross country season.

Realizing that I needed to take my training into my own hands and actually writing out a schedule will probably change my future in collegiate athletics.

What adjustments in your life will you make?

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PHILLY PHIRE Philidelphia fans finally win Michael Porter

“Sunday, February 4th 2018. The night the City of Philadelphia cried together”-Charmaine J Forde. One thing I always told growing up was that great things will come to those who have the patience to wait for them but the real question is are you willing to wait your who life for it?

Now, growing up in the southern part of New Jersey, Philadelphia is about a 10-minute drive over the Ben Franklin Bridge into center city. So, from the Flyers, Eagles, Sixers, Phillies, Union and even the Soul were the teams that I really gravitated towards. You were supposed to demonstrate passion, frustration, and joy at moments corresponding to the situation that was going on. The year 2001 was huge for me. Allen Iverson won the MVP award and took my Sixers to the NBA Finals to face the dynasty of the Shaq and Kobe. Watching the games, I had no idea what was truly going on but one thing I did grasp was that when A.I hit the stepback jumper in Tyronn Lue’s face and stepped over him as he fell. My father told me I stood

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there staring at the television at that moment as he jumped for joy. Winning game one in LA gave us plenty of hope that maybe David would be to slay Goliath but we were soon sweep after that improbable win. Then comes 2008. The year that made me crave the feeling of winning. The Phillies went to the World Series and broke the year curse that rained on us every chance that it got. 2009 came with a World Series appearance but the big bad Yankees won that one. In 2012, we went on to advance then played the previous year’s champs, the Boston Celtics but eventually fell in seven games. Being a Philadelphia fan has been a lot of agony in itself but 2018 has changed that.

February, the Eagles celebrated their first Super Bowl win in franchise history, Villanova won their second title in in three years. Philadelphia has been waiting for a year like this all of our life. Now, we will brag until another city knocks us off the throne, but for right now we are the best sports town and I am proud to say I was there from the beginning.

Photo From Natalie Brown

BEHIND THE GAME DNA that backs up sports Katie Mooneyham

Heywood Broun said, “Sports do not build character. They reveal it”.

Your capability to work with others, your leadership skills, your ability to communicate, and so many more qualities are brought to surface when playing sports. If the quarterback, point guard, pitcher, goalie, or other important positions did not speak up and lead their teammates, the team would not be successful. Many benefits come with playing sports.

These benefits are not only staying in shape or having a large group of friends. They are much more complex than that. Playing sports can easily boost one’s self-esteem. When a skill is improved, self-esteem shoots up.

Discipline is instilled into one who plays a sport because you go by rules and if they are not followed you get called out on it. Respect and teamwork go hand-in-hand. One has to fully respect their teammates in order to be successful when working with one another. One of the most

important qualities that comes from playing a sport is the ability to set goals and achieve them. Knowing what you want whether in your sport or in your personal life and working towards that goal is a way to be successful in your life. Among these qualities, health also plays a huge role in sports. The heart benefits tremendously by playing a sport.

You become healthier with your weight and any chance of a heart malfunction decreases. There is a countless amount of qualities that come with playing a sport. Studentathletes are challenged with how well they can balance their time with their sport and their studies. A lot of athletes do better academically because they are aware that if they do not perform in the classroom, then they cannot perform in their sport.

Sports not only improve your physical self, but also your mental self.

ISSUE 94 |

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“JUST LIKE MOONS AND LIKE SUNS, WITH THE CERTAINTY OF TIDES, JUST LIKE HOPES SPRINGING HIGH, STILL I’LL RISE.” MAYA ANGELOU | ISSUE 94

“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”

NELSON MANDELA

BASEBALL IS CANCELLED Royals off to a bad start Gracyn Reed As all of you know, the Kansas City Royals are on quite a large loosing streak.

With a record of 8-22 this season so far we are clearly not hitting the targets where we need to be. Seasoned manager Ned Yost has nothing but positive words to say about his team depite their losses this season. In every interview hosted by local media he sees the team as working through their kinks and are trying to get the hang of things. We have quite a few new members to the team this year including infielders, outfielders, and pitchers. As a long-time, die-hard Kansas City Royals fan it pains me to watch my team work so hard everday just to come up short in the long run. I have high hopes for our boys in blue that they can and will get the hang of playing baseball again this season. Slowly the boys have begun hitting the ball in the gaps instead of directly to the defense and we’ve been making more great plays and less errors.

Despite the rough start fans at The K are still having a great time. Despite the losses the atmosphere at The K is still the latest and greatest ballpark to enjoy the game at. I am one of those fans. Even when we lose by many many runs, I still enjoy going out to the stadium, enjoying a hotdog, and hanging with friends and family.

Those Royals fans who have stuck though the teams over the years, winning a world series or not, will always know the love, hard work, and fun the boys put into the greatest show on dirt. I am proud to say I am raised royal and wouldn’t want it any

Photo From Gracyn Reed Photo From NPR

ISSUE 93 |

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INTRODUCING REGGIE AS THE NEW SPORTS EDITOR MY NAME IS REGINALD DAVID. I’M A SENIOR HERE AT AVILA UNIVERSITY, MAJORING IN SPORTS COMMUNICATION. I’M ORIGINALLY FROM BRIDGEPORT, CT. SPORTS AND WRITING HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY PASSION. SO I COULDN’T BE MORE EXCITED WITH HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE SPORTS EDITOR FOR THE TALON MAGAZINE. I PLAN ON BRINGING THE SPORTS SECTION TO NEW HEIGHTS AND CONTINUING THE SUCCESS THAT THE 8 MAGAZINE HAS HAD.

you have to be 100% committed to excel. The first game was October 31st at St. Mary. Losing the game by a buzzer beater made the Eagles develop a burning will to fight. This came in handy once the season went on, no matter how big of a lead the opponent had, the Eagles would always fight back.

Once Christmas break rolled around the corner, the team got December 17 through December 26 off. Coming back after this break meant two-a-days. This showed who worked over their Christmas break and who didn’t. These practices consisted of a lot of drills that involved conditioning. Those practices helped pick up the slack of a ten-day break.

The first game of the new year was a home game on January 3rd. This is when the season began to pick up. Having a game every Wednesday and Saturday and still practicing every day kept you

busy, but you also have to put in work on your own. Before every game each player on the team was required to shoot 250 shots. A big part of the game of basketball is muscle memory. Putting up shots on your own is so important in order for you to be a confident shooter.

The Eagles began to get on a role and win a lot of their games. As the season went on, some history was made. This year’s team was the first team in five years to win five games in a row. Avila Women’s Basketball had a great season that came to a heartbreaking end on February 27th at Culver-Stockton. Now that the season is over, head coach Torie Murillo gives the team time to heal those little nagging injuries before post-season starts. Through the ups and downs of the previous season, Avila Women’s Basketball team is looking forward to preparing for next season.

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GIRLS GOT GAME Deeper into Avila women’s basketball Katie Mooneyham

Avila Women’s Basketball team does a lot more than just showing up on game day to play their opponent. The team is led by coach Torie Murillo, who played at Avila from 2008-2012. Murillo helped lead the Eagles to back-to-back NAIA National Tournament appearances.

Having a very successful career as an Eagle, Murillo earned Heart Defensive Player of the Year her junior and her senior year. Murillo led the team in steals both her junior and senior year as well.

Because of these honors, Murillo has always been someone to look up to. After spending three seasons as the assistant coach, it was inevitable to offer her the head coaching job. Murillo’s first season as the head coach was the 20162017 season. Through her coaching she shows a great sense of leadership and

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competiveness that is contagious to her team. Starting pre-season in August, the basketball team had to be stretched and in the end zone of the football field by 6:00am. The goal was to complete a workout called twenty-two minutes, but this was a lot harder than it sounds. This workout contains eleven mini workouts to complete all in under twenty-two minutes. After the team conquers all four levels of that, they moved on to the mile.

This had to be ran in six minutes and thirty seconds or less. This goal had to be reached by every single player or they were not going to play. On top of everything, the team was also in the weight room two to three times a week.

This long, challenging pre-season came to an end once practice began. Having practices everyday including weekends, Photos From Talal Alaseeri

DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE WAY STUDENTS THINK ABOUT EVERYDAY ISSUES? COME JOIN THE TALON AND BE THE VOICE OF AVILA UNIVERSITY contact us at talonnewsmagazine@gmail.com ISSUE 93 |

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IT’S DRAFT TIME! Chiefs and the NFL Draft Ugo Osuala Everyone’s favorite Barbados babe finIt’s almost time for the NFL Draft, so it’s a pretty exciting time to speculate who will go where, as well as what major moves will be made that night. Going into the draft, the Chiefs are a solid team, but need some help in key areas on the roster, especially since Pat Mahomes has taken over as the starting QB and have seen All-Pro Marcus Peters get dealt to the Rams (It still feels unreal saying that). There is not as much room for error as there has been in previous years. Here are 3 positions that need to be addressed in the draft.

First, Defensive back. It’s true that Eric Berry was hurt, but the Chiefs had Marcus Peters and still managed to get torched because teams simply threw the ball to the other side. There have been moves such as trading for Kendall Fuller and signing David Amerson, but this position still needs to be addressed. Injuries played a part as to why the secondary was bad, so getting those players back alone should make an improvement be evident.

Second, Tight End. We all know Travis Kelce is a top 2 Tight End in the game (and #1 when Gronk is hurt) but as we

22

all saw last season against Tennessee in the playoffs, the offense seemed to just die once Kelce left the game with a concussion. A reliable backup needs to be drafted because Demetrius Harris is too inconsistent, and Orson Charles is more of a blocker with limited catching ability.

Third, Pass Rushers. Tamba Hali is no longer with the team and Dee Ford hasn’t been bad, but he hasn’t been spectacular, leaving the Chiefs with only 1 proven pass rusher. While Justin Houston is one of the best in the game, he can be neutralized by being double teamed. There are some good pass rushing prospects in the draft so there shouldn’t be too much of a problem drafting one of them and getting them on the field early (especially if Bob Sutton continues to put Houston in coverage) a young pass rusher along with Dee Ford and Justin Houston should sure up that side of the ball.

If the Chiefs address these needs, not only will they be more of a solid team than they already are, but they will have the depth to make deeper playoff runs more of a possibility…… again.

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CAPTURING THE LIVES AND INTERESTS OF AVILA’S STUDENT ATHLETES

Contents

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IT’S DRAFT TIME CHIEFS AND THE NFL DRAFT GIRLS GOT GAME DEEPER INTO AVILA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL INTORODUCING REGGIE DAVID AS THE NEW SPORTS EDITOR BASEBALL IS CANCELLED ROYALS OFF TO A BAD START

ON THE COVER: Photo From Michael Porter

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

With the beigning of spring training underway, march madness closing out the season, and more college sports starting I’m back for another issue. Here we wanted to focus on something more than what the scores are and who scored all the points.

The articles in this issue focus on the behind the scenes of the winners.

Ryan Meyer, Sports Editor ISSUE 93 |

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ISSUE 93 /SPRING / 2018

SPORTS SECTION

GIRLS GOT GAME

IT’S DRAFT TIME

FEATURE

FEATURE

PAGE 22

PAGE 24

FEATURE BASEBALL IS CANCELLED PAGE 27

UN PEDAZO DE PAPEL Luchas de un inmigrante indocumentado Yessica Ramirez

En los últimos meses, he estado trabajando en un documental muy especial que se enfoca en una mujer que habla sobre las luchas que ha soportado viviendo como inmigrante indocumentada en los Estados Unidos.

Al ser un mentor de primer año, también tuve la oportunidad de hablar sobre mis experiencias personales como hija de inmigrantes indocumentados en uno de los seminarios de primer año.

Oportunidades como esta me han permitido ser la voz no solo de mis padres, sino de otros inmigrantes indocumentados.

No puedo agradecer lo suficiente a Ávila por elegir el tema de inmigración para su primer año de programa. En el programa, los estudiantes de primer año leen el libro The Distance Between

Us de Reyna Grande. Grande es alguien a quien muchos inmigrantes indocumentados e hijos de inmigrantes pueden admirar.

Ser capaz de hablar con el alumnado sobre mis propias experiencias personales con la inmigración me permitió conocer a otras personas en Ávila de forma similar a mí, y lo más importante, me permitió contar mi historia. Con este documental que he creado, también tuve la oportunidad de presentarlo en Avila’s Scholar Day. Es un documental emocional que da una idea de las luchas que ha enfrentado una mujer fuerte, que también es mi madre. Recomiendo encarecidamente a todos que miren esta poderosa película. Le dará una mejor perspectiva de la vida.

ISSUE 93 |

Photos From Yessica Ramirez

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A PIECE OF PAPER

Struggles of the undocumented Yessica Ramirez

For the past few months now, I’ve been working on a very special documentary that focuses on a woman speaking about the struggles she has endured living as an undocumented immigrant in the United States.

Being a freshmen mentor, I also had the opportunity to speak about my personal experiences as a daughter of undocumented immigrants at one of the freshmen seminars. Opportunities like this have permitted me to be the voice for not only my parents, but other undocumented immigrants.

I can’t thank Avila enough for choosing the topic of immigration for their First Year Program. In the program, first year students read the

book The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande. Grande is someone that many undocumented immigrants and children of immigrants can look up to.

Being able to speak to the student body about my own personal experiences with immigration allowed me to meet others at Avila similar to me, and most importantly, allowed me to tell my story. With this documentary that I’ve created, I also had the opportunity to present it at Avila’s Scholar Day. It is an emotional documentary that gives an insight of the struggles that a strong woman, who also happens to be my mother, has faced. I highly recommend everyone to watch this powerful film.

It will give a better outlook on life.

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‫منذ تطويرها في السبعينات‪ ،‬ألهمت العاب الطاولة القلم والورق مثل لعبة دانجن ان دراجون الناس لخلق قصصهم‬ ‫الخاصة‪ .‬اقالم وورق وونرد والقليل من الطاقة االبداعية هي كل ما يلزم للعب لساعات من المغامرات‪ .‬ومع ذالك‬ ‫لسنوات عديدة كانت هواية واقليم المهووسين والمنبوذين اجتماعياً‪ .‬في الثمانينات على وجه الخصوص جمعت‬ ‫دانجن اند دراجون قدرا كبيرا من الصحافة السلبية التي ولدت من الذعر الشيطاني‪ ،‬الفكرة القاتلة التي كانت تشجع‬ ‫الشيطانية والشعوذة‪ .‬لعقود من الزمن‪ ،‬كان ينظر لالعب الطاولة على انه مصدر للعار‪ ،‬او شي يخفيه او يخاطر‬ ‫بالسخر منه‪ .‬على الرغم من ان وصمة العار قد تقلصت على مر السنين‪ ،‬الى ان الهواية حافظت على جمهور او‬ ‫العبين محدودين‪ .‬ومع ذلك في السنوات االخيرة شهدت الهواية قدرا كبيرا من النمو‪.‬‬ ‫ربما نتيجة للحنين او الرغبة في تجربة العاب اجتماعية اكثر‪ ،‬شهدت لعبة الطاولة زيادة كبيرة في شعبيتها ‪ .‬وقد‬ ‫انتجت هذه الهوايات بعد التوسع مجموعة من المقاهي اللعاب الطاولة مثل مدينة كانساس باوون اند بينت والتي‬ ‫تضم مجموعة من ألف لعبة للترفيه زبائنها ‪ .‬ومن تجارب منظمة يمكن اللعب ليال مثل مستوطنين من كاتان الى‬ ‫رحالت اكثر حرية مثل دانجن اند دراجون او فامباير‪ ،‬تقدم العاب الطاولة شئ للجميع‪ .‬وهذه االلعاب تضم مجموعة‬ ‫من االلعاب واالشكال المتنوعة لجذب الجمهور او الالعبين‪ .‬ولعل االهم من ذلك هو ان العاب الطاولة تمنح‬ ‫الالعبين عذراً للخروج واللعب مع أصدقائهم ‪ .‬بدال من الجلوس في المنزل امام الشاشة‪ .‬وهذا الذي حدث حيث‬ ‫ارتفعت مبيعات ألعاب الطارلة بشكل كبير‪ .‬وسواء أكان هذا النمو سيستمر او ال‪ ،‬فال يزال من غير الممكن رؤيته‬ ‫والكن في الوقت الحالي يبدو ان هذه الهواية تؤدي عملها بشكل جيد‪ ،‬حتى في العصر الرقمي‪.‬‬

‫| ‪ISSUE 93‬‬

‫‪Photo From Abdulaziz Almohimeed‬‬

GOT GAME?

A hobby becomes mainstream Abdulaziz Almohimeed

Since its development in the 1970s, pen and paper tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons have inspired people to create their own stories. Pens, paper, dice, and a little creative energy are all that is needed to play through hours of adventures. However, for many years, the hobby was since as niche, the territory of nerds and social outcasts.

In the 1980s in particular, Dungeons and Dragons amassed a great deal of negative press that spawned from “Satanic Panic” – the notion that the game was promoting Satanism and witchcraft. For decades, being a tabletop gamer was almost seen as a source of shame, something to hide or risk being ridiculed over.

Although the stigma did reduce over the years, the hobby itself maintained a limited audience. However, in recent years, the hobby has seen a massive amount of growth, entering the mainstream.

Perhaps as a result of nostalgia, or a desire for a more social gaming experience, tabletop gaming has

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seen a major increase of popularity.

The hobby has even spawned an array of board game cafes, such as Kansas City’s own Pawn and Pint, which boasts a collection of a thousand games to entertain its customers. From more structured experiences that can be played over a night, like Settlers of Catan, to more free-flowing improvised journeys, like Dungeons and Dragons or Vampire: the Masquerade, tabletop games offer a little something for everyone.

The games span a variety of genres and formats, appealing to a wide audience. Perhaps most importantly, tabletop games give players an excuse to get out and play with their friends, rather than being isolated to a screen at home. This has clearly spoken to many people, as sales for tabletop games has risen dramatically. Whether this growth will continue or not remains to be seen, but for now, this analog hobby seems to be doing perfectly well, even in the digital age.

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BRINGING THE WORLD TO AVILA AND AVILA TO THE WORLD

Contents

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GOT GAME? A HOBBY BECOMES MAINSTREAM ARABIC TRANSLATION ARABIC TRANSLATION A PIECE OF PAPER STRUGGLES OF THE UNDOCUMENTED SPANISH TRANSLATION SPANISH TRANSLATION

ON THE COVER: Photo From Michael Porter LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

“I believe my purpose is to share my culture, traditions, and positivity with the world through film, photography and journalism.”

Yessica Ramirez, International Editor

“A news story should be like a mini skirt on a pretty woman: long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to be interesting.”

Hesham Albadr, International Editor ISSUE 93 |

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ISSUE 93 / SPRING / 2018

INTERNATIONAL SECTION

A PIECE OF PAPER PAGE 18

GOT GAME

FEATURE

FEATURE

PAGE 16

BROTHERLY LOVE

Definition of friendship Reggie David

Trust, loyalty, truthfulness, protection and integrity, all of these things stem from friendship. Without it, a friendship can be destroyed. Friends help us all, friends are there for us. A good friend is there for you, he understands you, and you understand him. It’s a mutual relationship.

Where in life would you be without your best friends? I know that I would be pretty lost, fairly confused, and I would have a very difficult time communicating with others.

Trust would be an issue; how could I trust another human being if I had never done it before? Aside from parents and loved ones, friends teach us that strangers can turn unto trustworthy i n d i v i d u a l s.

Friendship is very important in life.

If I didn’t have my friends that I had growing up, I would be a very different person today.

When doing something fun alone is fun, but doing something fun with someone else, who is having fun, is much better in my opinion. My point, friends make life better.

Friends make activities in life more enjoyable. Most of all, friends can have a big impact in your life.

Friendship is considered to be a true blessing for everyone and a person with good friends will have a support system for sharing each and every moment of their life whether it is happy or sad. Friends are an extremely important part of our life and everyone feels the need for a companion at some point or the other in their life.

At times, we may come across situations where we doubt our decisions as well as capabilities. In situations; friends help us by providing us with a reality check.

They never let us down and stand besides us like a rock while we are in the midst of tackling the most drastic adversaries in our lives.

Photo From Talal Alaseeri

ISSUE 93 |

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THE END OF AN ERA Farewells and thank you

Ugo Osuala As graduation day begins to creep up on Seniors such of myself (creeping too fast, slow down!) I reflect on my 3 years here at Avila. I came in as a transfer student and didn’t know anyone or anything about the school. 3 years have passed, and I am grateful for all the friends that I made and am looking forward to keeping that friendship going long after we graduate. I am also grateful for the professors, who made the transition from a big school to a smaller one such as Avila easier than I could imagine. I want to take the time to single out a couple of things I am going to miss about Avila and a special thank you to 2 professors. I feel have had a positive impact on me.

The first is hanging out with friends and fellow students in the lobby in Dallavis, waiting for class to start or just sitting there after class was released. I remember very first day there I didn’t say a word to anyone. Today, Janine comes out of her office and tell us to be quiet! Whether it’s about sports, music or anything in between, it was always a good time sitting around after Media Law or Integrated Brands. I’m also going to miss the late nights in the Mac Lab. A lot of the time those late nights were due to the fact that we procrastinated for hours on end, but those times will be missed because a I made friends that I wouldn’t have made if we didn’t have the same problem on the same project or if we were both trying to find what and what not to write down for one of Linda’s quizzes. Finally, I want to single out 3 professors that have impacted me. The first is Dr. J. To be completely honest, it was a blessing to have him as a professor because he could relate to me. It made me want to work harder. The second is Linda. Don’t let her loving voice fool you, if your work is not up to par, she will come after you like she did to me many times and it won’t be pretty.

Both drove me to do better work and to care about the work that I am doing. I’m grateful to have met many different people and while ready to begin a new chapter of my life, I will no doubt cherish all the memories from Avila!

Photo From Talal Alaseeri

FREEDOM TO SPEAK What freedom of speech means to you Taylor Potter By definition, freedom of speech is ‘the right to express any opinions without censorship or restraint’. To me, this means, just that. When I think of the phrase Freedom of Speech, I think of expressing my beliefs or openly expressing my thoughts and/or feelings on a specific topic, whatever that may be. With all of the political conflict that consistently goes on today it is a blessing but also a curse when it comes to freedom of speech. It is a blessing to be able to express our thoughts about a specific person, event, etc. It is also a curse when it comes to disagreeing. When disagreeing, specifically, with a certain political decision it can be a pain to hear the conflicting views whether it’s on social media or in person.

According to Wikipedia, based on John Milton’s arguments, freedom of speech is understood as a multifaceted right that includes not only the right to express, or disseminate, information and ideas, but three further distinct aspects: the right to seek information and ideas; the right to receive information and ideas; the right to impart information and ideas.

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This is another reason freedom of speech is a crucial part of the world we live in. We as people of the United States, have the right to seek information and ideas. This meaning, we not only have the right to our own beliefs, values,

“...it is a blessing but also a curse when it comes to freedom of speech...” and opinions but we also can research what we want, obtain background checks on who we want and more.

Freedom of speech is something that not everyone is gifted with. Luckily for us United States, our founding fathers knew exactly what was right, and that is what allows us so much more than a lot of others in this world.

| ISSUE 93

MY PASSION Finally doing what I love

Michael Porter When I first heard the famous quote by David Bailey, I didn’t entirely understand the context of truly what it was capturing emotion. Hell, I didn’t even know what it was like being a full-time photographer. One thing I did love was music, Good ole music.

The thing that never left my side. Growing up I had a camera in my hand and loved giving people directions so hey, why not be a photographer.

Then it came.

One night, I had a stream of consciousness about what I truly wanted and maybe gear my energy and passion towards. Usually when I’m out with my friends, I am the one they ask to take individual or group photos of.

Not because I was ugly or anything, just because of the fact that they saw something I necessarily didn’t see. My eye. The way I was able to frame things to create a moment in time seemed to be very important to them as they were thinking of Instagram captions.

Then my close friend who was really into concert photography told me about the amazing experience meeting the artist whose music he ultimately loved. If you were to tell anyone about this, there would be a line of people down the street asking “Where can I sign up”? So I did what any logical person in this situation would do, I went to grab a camera and book my first gig. Going around to ask manager of these artist I love to be able to meet and shoot photos of them with no experience.

I had to eventually figure out something so that I could do my new found love. So my friend and I, contracted the perfect plan to get my first show. I was able to email this artist’s manager after long research and my close friend let me use his previous photos from an older sow to pose as mine so I would have a portfolio. Lucky enough, I got my first show and I haven’t looked back since. From artist to Dave East, Desiigner, Steve Aoki, The Darkness, Billie Ellish and other, it just seems like I’m getting better and better. I never thought a year ago I would be able to say what I have done now and I’m so grateful.

Photo From Michael Porter

ISSUE 93 |

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HEALTHY MIND

Mental health fact and fiction Saria Jorgenson May is mental health awareness month and there are many ways that you and everyone else can learn about different types of mental health disorders. Anyone can have a mental health issue; about 1 in every 5 people to be exact. This can happen because of genetics, it can be neurological, or it can occur because of trauma. Symptoms can be obvious or invisible, which is why you need to look out for the signs, and if you think someone is experiencing a mental health issue, it doesn’t hurt to talk to them, calmly and sincerely, to see how they’re doing and if they need someone. Don’t immediately make them call a hotline or schedule therapy appointments, it’s better to lead them to helpful resources. Be that trusting and supportive person they need. If you have a mental health issue, it’s good to share your experience with others who are struggling or going through the same thing you are. It can be your treatment story or how your life was affected by mental health, either way, it can be encouraging to others to know that it gets better, no matter how long it takes. If you don’t normally take in the information from what you read daily, I want you to take in what I’m about to say; watch what you say.

Words are powerful, so think before you speak. Many people who have mental health issues are hesitant to reach out for help because of the stigma surrounding mental health in general. People experiencing mental health issues shouldn’t have to deal with this stigma. Phrases people say everyday are even stigmatizing. Two common phrases I hear a lot are “the weather is so bipolar today” and “this makes me want to kill myself.” If you are going to start being more aware of what you say, start with those. Calling the weather “bipolar” and comparing it to someone with bipolar disorder is very misleading to what the disorder actually entails. Call the weather unpredictable or inconsistent. Don’t call your friend bipolar if they’re just in a bad mood, bipolar disorder is more that consisting of extreme mood changes from manic highs to depressive lows. Don’t say something makes you want to kill yourself if you’re just frustrated with an assignment, be mindful of your words and instead say that you’re frustrated. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. and chances are, someone around you might have been affected by suicide in some way. Just think before you speak.

If you need to talk to someone, think of someone you might want to talk to and call them or text them. If you don’t wish to talk to someone you know, the suicide prevention and crisis hotline is a 24-hour hotline 1-800-273-8255. Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it.

Barbershops are also becoming central locations for important mentoring in the black community.

The successful, educated, businessminded men who work in barbershops are fantastic mentors for young people in the community, and a very valuable group of people for them to look up to. I believe President Obama had a program called “Fatherhood Buzz� for a while that passed along fatherhood tips through community barbershops. My understanding is that the program is designed to get fathers more involved, especially in high-risk areas.

Many states allow barbers to get their training hours and get licensed through apprenticeship instead of traditional schooling, it can be a great education resource and job creator to have barbershops in the community. This is a trade that can be passed down from generation to generation. Barbershops are also increasingly becoming a major source of innovation in the beauty business. A lot of the most creative cutting, shaving, styling and coloring is coming out of barbershops in the black community and it’s really moving the industry as a whole forward.

ISSUE 93 |

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BARBER SHOP BLUES Special place for all communities Reggie David

A barbershop is more than a barbershop in many communities.

Especially in the black communities. It used to be you could get a shave and a haircut for just a few dollars; and for that price you got more than a trim and fresh face. You also got a place to express your opinions, connect with neighbors and a way of supporting a local business.

Also, you experience both tangible and intangible and a value in any community, but perhaps especially so in African American neighborhoods.

The history of black barber shops is more complicated than many realize.

But even though the days of getting

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just about anything for a quarter are long gone, their relevance remains and continues to change.

Growing up, my dad would take me to the barbershop as I sat there and listened to the older people talk. The look of joy, laughter that everybody was filled with was incredible. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized going to the barbershop was more than just a haircut, it was a place my dad went to talk with guys and enjoy good conversations; whether that was sports, tragedies in the world, or events of everyday life.

Barbershops are also becoming central locations for important

Photos From Reggie David

| ISSUE 93

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Congratulations on making it this far in the semester! From now on is when it really starts to get difficult. Teachers begin realizing that you’re behind and you need to catch up so they pile on the work; to top that off it’s group project season. Just think once you make it through it all, summer will be here and you will be home laying by the pool.

This issue we went with “Beneath the Surface”. The stories focus on something that you don’t always see. The covers throughout the issue are things that are simple on the outside but you don’t always know what is under the first layer. Nature is one of those things that could be struggling on the outside and underneath everything is fully growing. Sometimes we don’t always think about, for instance, what people are dealing with on the inside despite what they look like on the outside. Never forget that you too are more complicated than you look.

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Gracyn Reed Editor-in-Chief

EDITORIAL POLICY The Talon News Magazine is produced by students of Avila University. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the Talon News Staff, the Trustees, administration, faculty, or staff of the University. The Talon News Magazine encourages letters to the editor. These may be submitted electronically or in writing and should include the writer’s name, address, and telephone numbers for verification purposes. Letters can be mailed to the Talon News Magazine Editor, Avila University, 11901 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64145. The Talon reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of space, clarity, or inappropriate language. Copies of the Talon News Network Operational Guidelines may be requested by writing to the above referenced address.

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ON THE COVER & BACK: FRONT AND BACK COVER: Photos From Gracyn Reed ISSUE 93 |

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INSIDE

Photo From Gracyn Reed

P 16 GOT GAME? | P 17 ARABIC TRANSLATION | P 18 A PIECE OF PAPER | P 19 SPANISH TRANSLATION

P 6 BARBER SHOP BLUES | P 8 HEALTHY MIND | P 9 MY PASSION | P 10 FREEDOM TO SPEAK | P 11 THE END OF AN ERA | P 13 BROTHERLY LOVE

INTERNATIONAL

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SPORTS P 22 IT’S DRAFT TIME | P 24 GIRLS GOT GAME | P 26 INTRODUCING | P 27 BASEBALL IS CANCELLED

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ISSUE 93 / SPRING / 2018

BENEATH THE SURFACE

GOT GAME?

BARBER SHOP BLUES

INTERNATIONAL

FEATURE PAGE 6

| ISSUE 94 PAGE 16

SPORTS IT’S DRAFT TIME PAGE 22