The Arbiter Vol. 36 Issue 14 | 3.28.24

Boise State ranks 68 in free speech but 165 in students’ comfort to share their opinions. NEWS 05

Body image issues in Gen Z have increased with the rise of social media.

Women have been portrayed in many different lights throughout greek mythology.

Despite having a very promisingyear, the men’s basketball season faces a heartbreaking end.

ON THE COVER:

The 2024 Treefort music festival showcased art in various mediums. From local bands and women artists to long and short films, Treefort had it all for its attendees. Here are the top highlights from this year's festival.

HOW TO REACH US:

As a student-run organization, we produce accurate and hyper-local information through non-partisan and socially responsible media.

Photo of skateboarder Elliot Saxton.

Photo by Taya Power-Thornton

Emergency contraception is most effective 3-5 days after unprotected sex.

Forgotten Feminists: Selma Burke likely inspired the portrait on the U.S. dime

One of the few women recognized in the Harlem Renaissance, seldom receives credit for her work

Kiryn Willett | News Editor | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Selma Burke’s work was likely the inspiration behind the portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt on the back of the U.S. dime, but often does not receive recognition for her work.

Burke was born in Mooresville North Carolina on Dec. 31, 1900. Growing up, Burke had an interest in sculpture and would sculpt small figures from clay in a nearby riverbed. Her parents supported her education,

though at first Burke went to school for nursing. She graduated as a registered nurse from St. Agnes Hospital School of Nursing in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1924. Burke then worked for Amelia Waring, an heiress to the Otis Elevator fortune, as a private nurse and caretaker. Waring encouraged Burke to pursue her art, and after she died Burke became a sculptor. Burke studied art at Sarah Lawrence College, and went to Europe twice to

study under other well known artists such as Henri Matisse and Aristide Maillol. As Nazism began to rise, Burke returned to the U.S. and opened the Selma Burke School of Sculpture in 1940. Burke was one of the few women in the Harlem Renaissance, a period in the early 20th century that is considered the “golden age” of African-American art, literature and music. During the Harlem Renaissance, she connected with several

other influential artists, including Augusta Savage, who encouraged her to teach at Harlem Community Art Center.

Burke was one of the first African American women to enlist in the Navy, where she drove a truck at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. After injuring her back while working, she won a national contest for the commission of a bronze relief portrait of President Franklin Roosevelt.

Burke requested a sitting with Roosevelt, as she believed the drawn portraits were inefficient. Burke sketched him over the course of two days in 1944.

After Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, President Harry S. Truman revealed the sculpture. Burke sculpted Roosevelt as a younger age than he was at the time, so while credit is often given to John Sinnock, Burke and others have claimed that it was her sculpture that the image on the dime is based on.

Burke continued to sculpt well into her life, and her last sculpture was a nine foot sculpture of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1980. Today, the sculpture stands in Marshall Park in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Burke described herself as a “people’s sculptor” and wanted to appeal to a broad audience, beyond those who had an education in art. She often focused on the human body for her work, and created several sculptures of prominent African Americans, including Booker T. Washington, Duke Ellington and Mary McLeod.

Burke died of cancer at the age of 94 on Aug. 29, 1995. Collections of her work can still be seen today, including collections at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art.

Photo of Selma Burke.

Photo Courtesy of Arrowmont

BSU ranks 68 in free speech, but 165 in students’ comfort sharing opinions

What leads to students holding back their views on college campuses?

Joel Hroma | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The 2024 university rankings for college free speech were released earlier this year, placing Boise State University at 68 out of 248 schools. The rankings are published by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, formerly the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).

For perspective, the top five schools are Michigan Technological University, Auburn University, University of New Hampshire, Oregon State University and Florida State University. All of these with the exception of Florida State were given a speech climate rating of “good” whereas Florida State received “above average”. The lowest five schools are Fordham University, Georgetown University, University of South Carolina, University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University.

It is worth noting that four out of the five lowest-rated schools are private schools with University of South Carolina being the only public school in the lowest five and the top five schools all being public schools.

FIRE compiles many data points that go into their rankings, including comfort expressing ideas, tolerance for liberal speakers, tolerance for conservative speakers and administrative support.

In addition to being ranked 68 overall, Boise State ranks 144 in tolerance for speakers combined — meaning both liberal and conservative, 219 in tolerance for liberal speakers and 70 for conservative speakers.

Despite being in the top 100, students still expressed hesitation about sharing their true opinions on campus or in class.

Boise State ranked 165 in comfort expressing ideas. According to FIRE’s website, this “measures how comfortable students are expressing their thoughts via writing, in class, and among their peers and professors at their college.”

There are many reasons that could lead to a student not feeling comfortable sharing their opinions on a college campus, including feeling pressured to not share or just wanting to fit in.

“If you have a more mixed campus where you don’t know your peers’ political beliefs, you know we’re in a highly polarized time, you know that the consequences of disagreement politically are some form of censure,” said Professor Christian Lindke, an adjunct professor of political science at Boise State University.

Lindke mentions that due to the diverse nature of certain campuses, people might feel more afraid to express their opinions as opposed to a more monolithic campus, where students might know what they are getting themselves into and feel more comfortable sharing.

Conversely, students might just learn what to say to fit in as opposed to sharing their true opinions.

“In a place that’s monolithic, you know what to say because there’s a group of norms,” Lindke said.

Students coming from areas around the country that have a more monolithic viewpoint experience a shock when instances come up where they need to share their opinions. Students might initially feel they can share their opinions, but moving to a place that has different views than theirs or even a more diverse set of views could lead to the student feeling uncomfortable.

“I’ve gotten in a few arguments with some of my classmates about certain political topics,” said Ella Edwards, a junior at Boise State studying integrated media and strategic communications.

Edwards expressed the feeling of potentially losing friends or the trust of

their peers for speaker her mind on certain issues.

“I felt scared to speak my mind about those issues because oftentimes those conversations impacted the way I was treated by my peers in class,” Edwards said.

Other students might feel a shift when starting college. Students might come from a high school where they shared the views of most, if not all, of their peers to a university that has a more diverse set of views and opinions.

“I went to a high school that was super open and accepting where most people aligned with the same views that I had so I had no issue and was used to sharing my opinion about those things. In college, it’s not as easy I’ve noticed,” said Bridget Gibson, a freshman political science and urban studies major.

While they might not feel pressured, there might be a thought in their minds about what consequences might come from expressing certain thoughts.

“There is a lot more backlash for viewpoints,” said Gibson.

Lindke believes that college is a time for people to make friends and connections and the fear of expressing opinions can hinder these connections.

“You’re at a point in life where you’re trying to make friends and to build relationships that will be lifelong friendships … if you’re in a place that’s politically mixed and you have strong political beliefs, you may not feel as free to say them as you would in a place where you know what to expect,” Lindke said.

Lindke went on to say that this was a “bad thing” from the standpoint of deliberation and having open conversations.

The phenomenon of students being in a college setting and afraid of saying the wrong thing has been around for some time now although Professor Lindke believes it is a growing trend.

Photo of students working in a classroom.

Photo by Niamh Brennan

ASBSU Review Board ruled in favor of an ethics complaint

The board ruled in favor of the complaint filed against President Cheyon Sheen and AVPEA Nathan Hoang Kiryn

An ethics complaint was filed against ASBSU President Cheyon Sheen and Associate Vice President of Ethics Affairs (AVPEA) Nathan Hoang on Oct. 24, 2023.

The complaint, filed by Senate Leader Ethan LaHaug, Associate Vice President of Financial Affairs (AVPFA), Joey Engstrom and Isaac Celedon — who later dropped his name from the complaint — alleged that Sheen and Hoang had committed an ethical and constitutional violation by not recognizing the Senate’s non-confirmation of Hoang as the AVPEA.

The Review Board, the judicial branch of ASBSU, ruled in a 5-0 decision that Sheen and Hoang failed to recognize the Senate’s confirmations on March 3.

But the road to this decision has been a months-long process, full of infighting, off-the-record meetings and alleged further ethics violations from other members of ASBSU.

The Complaint

The complaint was first filed against Sheen and Haong after the joint assembly meeting on Oct. 12, 2023, where both the AVPEA and the Associate Vice President of Student Relations (AVPSR) were subject to confirmation.

The necessity of the confirmations was contested by Peña, Hoang and other members of ASBSU, due to ambiguity around the code changes made as a result of last year’s constitutional convention. A new constitution was passed, which now requires AVPEA and AVPSR to be confirmed by the Senate. Hoang and Peña were initially hired in their respective positions while operating under old code.

Hoang spoke out against the idea of confirmations for these positions, according to the meeting minutes, and claimed that the “necessary authorities”

had already approved their appointments under the old system.

Despite this, confirmations were still held. Peña was confirmed as AVPSR, but Hoang was not confirmed as AVPEA by the Senate. According to Engstrom, Hoang should have no longer operated as the AVPEA after the Senate did not confirm him.

Mark Nelson, a COAS Senator, spoke on why the Senate did not confirm Hoang.

“He was pushing through to eliminate the power of the Senate. Like, I actually liked Nathan. But I certainly didn’t like his beliefs. Like, if I voted the way Nathan wanted to vote on two of the code changes, I would have voted myself out of an office,” Nelson said. “So like, the way it was worded and presented, there was no way that a sane person could vote for it.”

In the meeting minutes, members expressed concern over Hoang’s resistance to being confirmed. Hoang did not respond to a request for comment.

“His demeanor in the meeting we were just in — it concerns me that he’s against this confirmation, because his position is supposed to be elected. He has opposed confirmation every step of the way,” LaHaug said during the debate for Hoang’s confirmation.

After the confirmation, according to Engstrom, Hoang continued to operate as AVPEA and attended executive council meetings. After his non-confirmation, the responsibilities of the AVPEA should have fallen to Diego Tapia, the Associate Vice President of Inclusive Excellence (AVPIE).

Engstrom stated the Senate felt their decision and authority was not being respected, and after speaking with other members of the Senate, Engstrom, Celedon and LaHaug filed a complaint against Sheen and Hoang for failing to recognize the Senate’s decision.

After filing the complaint, things began to escalate.

Post-complaint backlash

Initially, the complaint was only supposed to be between the parties involved. LaHaug, Celedon and Engstrom as the complaintaints, Sheen and Hoang as the respondents. However, once word got out, Engstromg said that Celedon received such harsh backlash over filing the complaint that he later dropped out.

This was just the beginning for Engstrom. He received an email from Hoang that a complaint was being filed against him by Zane Rivers, the Chief of Staff at the time, for “codical violations”. The complaint alleged that Engstrom had made changes to a student’s request for funding on Sept. 21, 2023 in relation to the amount of money a student had petitioned the funding board for, and that this was a code violation.

The minutes also confirm the change in the request, raising the amount being granted by $29.

Engstrom said the change was made because they believed the student had made an error requesting funds, so initially they requested a lower sum than what they required. According to Engstrom, they were waiting on new code that would allow students to change their requested amount of funding during the meeting to be passed, so the board agreed to allow the change in the meeting. The new code passed the following week.

While Engstrom acknowledged it was a violation of the code the Funding Board was currently operating under, during the meeting, Hoang motioned to make the change and the board passed the request with the added amount with five approvals and one member abstaining. The complaint against Engstrom was not filed until

over a month later, Oct. 29, 2023, after he decided to move forward with his own complaint.

On Oct. 30, 2023, Engstrom received a message from Rivers, asking to meet to discuss the complaint to “work out a win-win solution”. Engstrom stated it was a closed door meeting with no one else in the room, where Rivers ensured he was not recording.

Engstrom claims that during the meeting Rivers proposed an arrangement where if Engstrong continued with the complaint he would remove his Student Funding Board (SFB) officers.

According to Engstrom, Rivers had a chart with Review Board members and how he believed they would vote. Engstrom claims that this would prevent funds from being granted, which Rivers acknowledged in the Executive cabinet meeting minutes from Oct. 30, 2023.

The minutes state that Rivers said, “I believe it is irresponsible to allow any of the members identified in the most recent ethics complaint to continue to serve on the SFB while they are under investigation for code violations and consequently can and should be removed by the president for that cause. This should be a provision that, at minimum, lasts until the Review Board has had an opportunity to consider and rule on the relevant complaint. I am aware that this will cause an immediate and indefinite halt to the ability of BSU students to get funding, for which AVPFA Engstrom and the SFB officers under investigation should and will be held accountable.”

“He even recognized himself that by removing all funding board officers from their positions, theoretically firing them, he knows that it would be like that no students would get

funding so in reality he was holding my funding board hostage,” Engstrom said. “I mean, this in and of itself is extortion. You cannot blackmail someone or hold something, especially student fee money which is not only illegal, but the state legislature would not have liked that but to hold funding board hostage and to extort the funding board for your own personal gain in order to quash an ethics complaint is in and of itself unethical.”

Engstrom announced he had rescinded his complaint at 4:49 pm that evening and informed Rivers that he cc’d him on the email rescinding his complaint. Rivers responded that Hoang would be sending out an email to Engstrom and the other SFB officers that he rescinded his complaint. Rivers informed Engstrom he rescinded his complaint against Engstrom and his funding board officers at 4:59 pm.

Engstrom claims that this is a “violation of Idaho law by withholding student fee money” and that he felt “manipulated” and “intimidated”. He also accused Rivers of “holding the funding board hostage”

Peña had earlier given an address to the assembly meeting on Oct. 26, 2023, where he indirectly addressed the complaint being brought forward. Peña said he had mediated discussions about the ethics complaint against Hoang and Sheen, and that after a week of “backchanneling and rumors” they “owed” the rest of ASBSU information on how Executive was dealing with the complaint. After announcing that they had not come to a solution, Peña clarified that his following testimony was not a reflection of anyone but himself.

During the testimony, Peña stated that the complaint “represents an escalation beyond my capability to help fix”.

“Even a cursory look at this complaint reveals significant flaws, and it is my belief that there have been procedural errors in how the complaint has been handled since its submission,” Peña said in his testimony. “I am disappointed by the unsupported claims,

misrepresentation of evidence, and flat out lies that this complaint contains.”

Peña went on to acknowledge that he was not a complainant or respondent, and had “little to no authority” over the complaint. He also stated that he had “very little desire to be involved in this at all” and stated that he was not there to discuss the complaint or whether or not Sheen and Hoang had violated the constitution.

“I want to speak out as much as I can as to the poor conduct and badfaith decision making that has riddled and debilitated this institution. So that you as leaders have the information and context that you need to make decisions that are in the best interest of your constituents,” Peña said during his address.

Peña described the infighting as “ridiculous” and as an “abhorrent waste of our time and of student fee money”. He listed multiple issues students may be facing, such as a lack of resources to remain enrolled and attend class, sexual assault, or mental health crises.

“This week I was informed that the Mental Health Committee has been unable to organize serious efforts to combat mental illness on campus this semester because they have been caught up in the semantic messes these individuals have created,” Peña said in his testimony. “I have been unable to sleep the past few nights and have been suffering from anxiety attacks due to this latest issue. Once again, these individuals have directly impacted and impeded my work as AVPSR.”

Peña went on to state that Celedon had missed the majority of the previous Executive Council meeting and did not contribute to discussions around resolving the complaint. Peña also claimed that the reason the minutes from that meeting had not been released were due to someone altering them without authorization and having to “prioritize” the ethics complaint.

“Senators and Assembly members, you have been misled, manipulated, and lied to. I have as well,” Peña said during his testimony. “I call upon you

all as students and as civil servants to take immediate action to remove these individuals from their positions within ASBSU for the good of ourselves, our students, and our community.”

Engstrom said that addressing the Assembly was a violation of code, citing code Legislative Code IV.D.2C.

Engstrom also stated that under Judicial Code VI.A.1, it is any member’s right to submit a complaint. According to Engstrom, student funds were not used to address the complaint.

Peña confirmed in an interview with The Arbiter that the address was partially about the complaint, but stated that it was not a violation of code.

“I helped write the code … And so like, I’m familiar with that code, the majority of people in ASBSU are not, I think the vast majority of people in ASBSU have opened the Constitution webpage and haven’t even begun to open code pages right. So, that creates an interesting dynamic when people start quoting code in meetings, like Executive cannot give an opinion. Okay, that’s not in code,” Peña said. “What is in code, is that first off, Executive Cabinet members may only

speak during Joint Legislative meetings if they are invited … Well, we stretch our code and we stretch our rules all the time I count about, I’d say on average two or three violations per meeting, because nobody’s read it right.”

Legislative Code IV.D.2C reads “All Executive Cabinet members must remain neutral and may not speak for more than three (3) minutes at a time during discussion. An exception is made for the Associate Vice President of Ethics Affairs only when presenting Code Changes and Code Regulations. In that case, they have the same rights as a Member.”

During the meeting where Peña presented, Tapia attempted to stop Peña from speaking on the matter, but other members allowed the presentation on poor conduct to proceed.

Tapia then remarked, “Do whatever you want and face the consequences. If you want to burn it down then burn it down.”

Engstrom sent Tapia an email stating he would like to sign back on the complaint on Jan. 26, 2024.

Read the full story @arbiteronline. com.

Photo of students in a meeting.

Photo by Niamh Brennan

OPINION

Redefining the dream: Gen Z’s new criteria for success Gen Z has created their own idea of what being “successful” really means

Ella Van Leuven | Opinion Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

If you want to truly be considered successful, by the end of your 20s you better have graduated college, bought a house, found your longterm career path, gotten married and started having kids, all while maintaining your physical health, financial well-being

and social life. Pretty attainable, right?

The concept of success has evolved significantly over the past few generations, reflecting broader societal changes, economic conditions and shifts in values and priorities. For older generations, success has traditionally been defined by tangible

achievements such as home ownership, career stability, climbing the corporate ladder and accumulating wealth.

Baby Boomers, born approximately 1946-1964, often view success in terms of property acquisition, secure employment and a stable family life. This generation was raised in a time of economic prosperity, making these goals seem desirable and achievable. The idea was that hard work would naturally lead to job security, the ability to purchase a home and the means to provide for a family’s future.

Generation X, born approximately 1965-1980, experienced a mix of economic conditions, including recessions in the early 1980s and 2000s. While still valuing the traditional markers of success, Gen Xers also started to place a higher value on work-life balance, possibly reacting to seeing their parents’ sacrifices. This generation began questioning the worth of sacrificing personal and family time for corporate success, although financial stability and home ownership remained important.

Generation Z, born approximately 1997-2012, has grown up in a very different world than the previous generations. This generation has been shaped by the Great Recession of 2008, the climate crisis, rising global instability and the rapid evolution of technology and social media.

A few primary priorities have contributed to Gen Z’s distinct view on success, including financial security over ownership, career fulfillment, work-life balance and flexibility, social impact and mental health. An Intuit study revealed that the top drivers of prosperity for Gen Z include work-life balance, ability to pursue hobbies or passions, ability to give back to their communities and prioritizing

romantic relationships.

While still valuing financial stability, Gen Z tends to see success less in terms of owning a home or other traditional assets. This shift is partly due to new economic realities that make these goals less attainable, but also reflects a preference for experiences over possessions, such as travel and personal growth.

Gen Z also places a high value on finding meaningful and fulfilling work. This generation is more likely to pursue careers that align with their values and passions, even if it means less traditional stability or lower earnings initially.

Having witnessed the burnout experienced by previous generations, Gen Z values flexibility in their careers, including remote work options and careers that allow for a healthier work-life balance. Success for Gen Z also includes making a positive impact on society.

This generation is particularly concerned with social and environmental issues and values companies and careers that contribute to solving these problems. There’s also a growing recognition of the importance of mental health among Gen Z. Success is increasingly defined not just by external achievements, but by personal well-being and happiness.

While Gen Z faces severe uncertainty and intense pressure over the future, young people are setting a new precedent of what it truly means to be successful. Success isn’t necessarily defined by your homeownership status or the point you’re at in your career — instead, success can be measured by the true satisfaction a person has with themself, the work they do and how it impacts the people and world around them.

Graphic of items floating around a worried man. Graphic by Kelsey Mason

Hidden behind a screen: A generation of body image issues

How social media negatively affects the way we view our bodies, and makes us mentally sick

Emily Gordon | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Now more than ever, we view ourselves and others constantly through various social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. Apps like these are built to make photos and videos a way of connecting with those around us, but how does this impact how we see ourselves?

Body Dysphoria Disorder (BDD) is a rapidly increasing mental health condition that is ravaging the young people of America. BDD is the overwhelming obsession with one’s appearance, resulting in harmful behavior to alter the appearance or feelings of anxiety and dread in social situations. Mayo Clinic has labeled this condition as “common” with nearly 200,000 diagnosed cases a year.

It is vital to note that mental conditions such as BDD and other eating disorders are not just something females face. In fact, the National Institute of Health suggests that men are critically underrepresented in eating disorder services and are less likely to notice symptoms within themselves and have them identified by professionals. This has resulted in limited research in regard to the impact of eating disorders on men.

Danielle Rhodes, a dietician for Center for Change here in Boise, explains the alarming lack of research regarding eating disorders, and the disparity between those who are identified.

“Females are more likely to be identified as having eating disorders,” said Rhodes. “People don’t view men as capable of eating disorders.”

With apps like TikTok and Instagram on just about every young person’s cell phone, we are constantly exposed to unrealistic body standards, further impacting the way we view our bodies. The human body is a complex structure that changes and adapts from both genetics and lifestyle.

“It doesn’t matter how media literate

we are, we feel the impact,” said Rhodes. “It impacts us whether or not we know it”

Modern gym culture has evolved rapidly as social media usage has grown. With the influx of “fitness influencers” taking over TikTok and Instagram, young people are rapidly becoming obsessed with imitating the body of another person.

Laci Whipple, a Boise State master’s student studying eating disorders further, discusses the growing obsession with fitness and diet culture within college-aged men.

“A vast majority of men are experiencing compulsive exercise and disordered eating to achieve muscularity,” said Whipple. “That includes things like carb cycling, and fasting and the anabolic steroid use.”

Whipple also explained that the rapidly changing culture of “body positivity” may not be doing the at-risk generation any good.

“If you just hate yourself and hate your body, body positivity or self-love is too big of a leap,” said Whipple “It’s still a focus on our external appearance.”

The younger generations’ growing obsession with body image and unrealistic body standards is slowly becoming a national epidemic. A typical scroll through TikTok or Instagram will reveal harmful images or videos within a matter of minutes. Videos like “How to Get Abs in a Week” or “How to Get a Revenge Body” are scattered throughout these platforms, available for anyone to see. While many people go to the gym to simply exercise their body or reach a healthy goal, a generation that values aesthetics over health, strength or well-being can become problematic.

A healthy body is a good body, and that looks different for everyone. The excessive use of diets, supplements or over-exercising only further damages the mind and body, yet we do it anyway to achieve the figure of those online, which may be

edited anyway.

Social media platforms are playing vital roles in the toxic obsession with appearances. Young minds are being filled with images of unrealistic bodies that will not perform the way in which they are intended. As bodies are “trending”, big-name advertisers are directly profiting off the backs of those chasing a body they saw online through advertisements and promotional videos targeting viewers’ insecurities.

The rising use of social media and focus on body image is posing as a great detriment to young minds. The body

positivity and gym culture movement is still a looming threat on the way in which we look at ourselves. Diets, weights, and runs cannot pose as a cure for an eating disorder.

If you feel as though you may be at risk for disordered eating, go to nationaleatingdisorder.org or through Boise State University Health Services for information on how to get help.

Illustration of women with different body shapes. Illustration by Kelsey Mason

H ig H lig H ts of t reefort 2024

T he opening ac T s newesT album , Top performances , female ar T isT s

T haT sTole T he show and more

Arbiter Staff | Editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu | Graphics

From musicians to artists, writers, filmmakers and more, the 2024 Treefort music festival proved again its ability to showcase the art of many talents. Whether or not you attended Treefort for the films, the music, food and drinks or even just the fun, welcoming atmosphere, I think we can all agree that Treefort rocked this year all around. Here are some highlights of Treefort 2024.

The opening act: Bittermint and their new album ‘Pill’

Olivia Brandon

Bittermint, a local Boise indie rock band, dropped their new album “Pill” on Jan. 19, 2024. “Pill” explores the theme of utilizing coping mechanisms to portray the appearance of proper self care that is in turn, merely performative.

Bittermint’s lead singer and rhythm guitarist Kyler Daron discussed everything from how the band formed to the process of creating their new album. Daron explained that the thought process of naming the band Bittermint was to take contrasting terms mint (mint condition) and bitter, and carry that theme over to the band’s overall vibe.

“When we did these bits, the philosophy was to take the music part of it really seriously, which is like the ‘mint,’” Daron said. “But then the actual content not meaning anything — that's the bitterness, these two contrasting elements that make [the band]

what it is.”

The inspiration behind “Pill” was for the album to serve as a response to the unpredictable nature of our world in recent years. Each square of the album cover represents a different coping mechanism.

“Everybody has their different coping mechanisms, [on] the album ‘Pill’ every song is a different coping mechanism,” Daron said. “Every song on the record portrays a different version of the way people deal with stress.”

Read more about Bittermint and the production of ‘Pill’ @arbiteronline. com

Top music performances

Olivia Brandon

This year’s festival was jam-packed with incredible performances from big-ticket groups like Kid Bloom to local Boise bands like Bittermint. Here are five performances from Treefort 2024 that rocked my world and should be added to your Spotify playlists asap.

College Level

If you haven’t heard of this group before now, you’re welcome. “Grad School Level” would be a more appropriate name for this indie pop group, as they absolutely enamored the audience at Boise Brewing on Thursday night. Their songs “Small Talk” and “Good For You” were standouts from this set but every song is definitely going straight into a Spotify playlist. The song “Konabug” was written about one of the band members’ dog, proving that this group can take any topic and

transform it into a danceable tune.

Briston Maroney

Call me basic, but hearing “Freakin’ Out on the Interstate” live was a spiritual experience. Indie pop artist Briston Maroney knows how to put on a phenomenal energy-infused show that leaves audiences wanting more. “June” and “Spring” were two songs that were incredible live, and the sense of excitement in the crowd was palpable. This is a must-see artist that I’d love to see again.

John-Robert

One of the best parts of Treefort is finding new bands to add to your music rotation, and John-Robert is no exception. The smooth folk stylings of this group are impossible not to dance or bob your head along to, especially with the songs “Westward Bound” and “Road Trip.” John-Robert’s sound is reminiscent of early John Mayer and the rich, silky smooth musical tone of this performance had me hoping it would never end.

Read about the other top performances on @arbiteronline.com

Captivating films at Filmfort

Emily Gordon

‘Can’t Seem to Make You Mine’

Directed by Aaron Keene and Sara Burke

Running time: 101 minutes

“Can't Seem to Make You Mine” is a film about a man recently released from prison as he tries to reconnect with his ex and become a father to his 6-year-old son, while he stays with a

stripper he met through a prison penpal website.

The film starts abruptly with our main character, Wilder (Zachary Ray Sherman), in the car with Riley (Jessica Barr) heading to her place for the first time since his prison release. He is confused by the advanced technology within the car and is visually uncomfortable and overwhelmed.

The filming style is extremely intimate, as the camera films closely to the faces of the characters throughout the film and rarely stays still. It almost feels as if we, the viewers, are up close with Wilder and Riley, swaying alongside them.

Overall, “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine” was a harrowing depiction of life after prison, shedding light on the broken system in which people can fall victim to and how it affects those around them.

‘Sucker’ Directed by Deni Chang

Running time: 18 minutes

“Sucker” was shown as part of Treefort’s “secret screening”, with no information regarding the content of the film or its length, viewers were immediately gripped by this film.

The film tells the story of two Chinese-American brothers as they navigate through their day in their hometown of Flushing, Queens in New York. Andy takes care of his little brother and prepares him for violin practice so he can work. The brothers then learn that the practicing center is closed and Andy leaves his brother on

by Sasha White | Photos by Taya power-thornton and Niamh brennan

the sidewalk while he leaves for work.

Upon entering the parking garage of his work, it can be assumed that he has lost his job as there is a confusing conversation between him and presumably the boss regarding him selling the garage. A distressed Andy goes to find his younger brother only to discover that the boy's violin had been stolen.

Later that night, Andy is unable to sleep and leaves the shared apartment to walk the city. He sees a man holding his brother's violin and during the chase, he is hit by a car — then things get weird.

“Sucker” was beautifully filmed and the dialogue between the brothers felt natural, however the lack of information regarding everything else left viewers wanting more.

Read more details about these two films @arbiteronline.com

Female artists/ bands that shined

Ella Van Leuven

As a woman passionate about the music I consume, my goal during Treefort this year was to see as many of the festival’s female artists, all-girl groups and female-fronted bands as I could. Although there were too many incredible artists and groups for me to see, let alone address in this article, here are a few of the women in music who made my first year at Treefort an incredible experience.

Plum Vision

Plum Vision is a Boise-based band known for its eclectic blend of genres like riot grrrl, indie rock and psychedelic influences, consisting of locals Kiyah Henson, Ella Thurston and Megan Miller. The all-girl group has garnered attention in the local music scene and has performed at various venues and events, including the Underground Music Showcase in Denver and Freakout Fest in Seattle. Their music resonates with listeners seeking a blend of nostalgia and innovation, making Plum Vision a notable presence in Boise's vibrant musical landscape.

Kiyah Henson, vocalist for Plum Vision, discussed how being in an allgirl band has affected her experience as an artist.

“I feel like we've been taken in by the Boise music scene and I feel like people are really excited to have us play, being an all-girl band,” Henson said. “Especially being in a place that is more dominated by men, having a space where it is just girls and having that as your thing is very fun. It’s really cool to be in an all-girl space.”

Plum Vision's unique blend of influences, combined with their captivating performances and strong presence in Boise's music scene, solidifies their status as a band to watch, while their upcoming album promises to further define their artistic evolution and narrative depth.

Glixen

Glixen, a Phoenix-based band, is a dynamic force in the alternative rock scene, known for their genre-defying sound that blends elements of shoegaze, dream pop and electronic music. Formed in 2020, the group consists of Aislinn Ritchie, Estaban Santana and Sonia Garcia.

Aislinn Ritchie, founder and vocalist for Glixen, outlined details of her experience starting out in the music industry, particularly as a shoegaze artist.

“I tried really hard to get myself out there. I was looking for a girl band but in Phoenix, it’s just minimal," Ritchie said. "It was really rare for women to be in this kind of music, but I think it's growing, and there are so many more bands now with women and girl-fronted bands. I feel very accepted.”

Ritchie discussed how important she and Sonia Garcia, bassist for Glixen, feel it is for women to get involved in the music industry.

“I want girls to feel comfortable playing guitar and listening to this music, because this music is fully white-male-dominated … We've encouraged a lot of girls, it's okay to f*cking like this music! I want more girls to buy pedals and play guitar.”

Glixen has emerged as not only a compelling musical entity in Phoenix's alternative rock scene but also as an example of inclusivity and empowerment for women in the music industry. As they continue to push boundaries and defy genres, Glixen's impact

resonates far beyond the stage, shaping the future of the music community in Phoenix and beyond.

Read about more female musicians that stole the show @arbiteronline.com

A first timer's experience at Treefort

Marlei Soderquist

As a first time Treefort goer, here are some things I wish I knew before the festivities began and also things I learned.

Download the Treefort app

This was by far the most useful thing I utilized during the week. Throughout the week there are hundreds of different events. From performances, short films, artist talks, museums and so much more, it can be intimidating to try and figure out where to start.

The app not only had a detailed schedule of every event going on, location and time, it also has a feature where you could create your very own schedule. This is a great chance to sit down and pinpoint every event that would be of interest and create a personalized schedule that you can also share with your friends.

A welcoming community

There are very few communities that are more welcoming than Boise, which makes Treefort one of the most kind and inclusive music festivals I have ever been to.

The faculty and volunteers are not only kind, they are willing to help in any way they possibly can. Having had a lot of questions as to where to go for certain events as well as concerns as to when events started, the volunteers and staff were more than willing to help and also suggest other events based on my interests.

Free events

The tickets for Treefort are, let's face it, a bit pricey, which can make it difficult for the average person to secure their ticket to one of the most highly anticipated weeks in Boise. Although the tickets are a bit steep in their price, there are plenty of free events that are scattered throughout the Boise area during Treefort. Some of my favorites were the concerts at local breweries like Payette and Boise Brewing Company.

To go along with the handful of venues that are free to the public, Julia Davis Park and Alefort were open for the public as well as the multitude of food trucks that are located in the park.

Read about more Treefort tips @arbiteronline.com

CULTURE

MARCH 28, 2024

All the drama, all the stories: Theater at Boise State is thriving Theater Arts culture at BSU is all about collaboration and creativity

Koletta DiDio | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

I’ve been hungry for a story — for a good story. To sit, listen and be captivated. To be swept off my feet and out of my chair, forget my name, my problems and my life.

I had never given theater its credence before. Like kale and documentaries, it was shelved with things I always wanted to try but never quite got around to actually sinking my teeth into.

That all changed when I sat down for Boise State University’s Theater Arts Department’s last show, Wolf/Girl. The lights dimmed, the hush fell over the audience and how I experienced a story was changed forever.

Wolf/Girl is a play of magical realism, heart and depth. The main character, Maddy, runs into the woods where she saves a wolf and is granted a wish by his pack. She then wishes for the impossible: to free herself from the constraints of society by becoming one of them — to become a wolf.

What follows is a heroic journey that is insightfully conscious and eloquently portrayed. It’s a script of heart, depth and indignation balanced by sparkling humor delivered by dedicated actors, further brought to life by a collaborative crew with a stunning set design.

BSU’s Theater Arts Department has been telling stories with great heart and depth since 1968, with productions ranging from Shakespeare’s works to SpongeBob The Musical. The department’s culture today is one of collaborative creativity and warm associations among playwrights, actors and crew — not to mention the eager audience. A positive environment both behind the curtain and on the stage, however, is a rare balance.

Ben Lamb, a senior theater major at BSU who’s performed in three productions within the last year, spoke to his experience as one of the leading actors in Wolf/Girl.

“Collaborative is the best way to describe the entire work. Heidi was there the whole time, making slight adjustments,” said Lamb. “Our cast had such a family dynamic — everyone was just working together to bring this play to life for the first time ever.”

Lamb’s experience with the Theater Arts Department has been extensive and involved, and his excitement for it is infectious.

Annalise Rackerby, a senior theater student, was the sound designer for Wolf/Girl. Sometimes, crew members experience a production different from the actors.

“It truly was a thrill charting out every audio cue and enacting them individually into each scene. While tech for this play was quite a challenge to endure, knowing what the end result was going to be definitely kept my spirits high,” said Rackerby. “Ecstatic doesn’t even begin to describe the feeling of the fact that I was able to share my musical expressions with the Boise community.”

Even among such happy spirits, there must be a catch. University Art departments, including theater, have seen struggles nationwide. These limitations can come in many shapes and sizes: sometimes it looks like an empty theater because COVID-19 outbreaks mean it’s unsafe for large gatherings, and sometimes it means that an artist’s vision has to be edited because it’s too expensive to fulfill.

The New York Times released an

article detailing how humanity subjects, including art departments, have been feeling the financial cutbacks since the 1970s. So how do the people from BSU’s theater department operate within these limitations?

The individuals within have risen up to make these constraints work for them is what promotes such a lovely, productive atmosphere. That spirit of collaboration and positivity is well represented by Heidi Kraay, adjunct professor, playwright and one of Boise’s Writers in Residence. Kraay also happens to be the playwright of Wolf/Girl.

As one of the Writers in Residence of Boise, Kraay is also offering free community classes called Filling Up Your Creative Well that portray the gentle yet constructive growth of creativity that Kraay is known for.

One of the themes of Kraay’s workshop is learning how to work with creative limitations. Kraay teaches that these limitations are worth working with, not in spite of, because of the opportunities they offer artists. BSU’s art department is no stranger to financial struggles, but artists like Kraay are learning to work through it — and lead others along the way.

With those potential challenges facing the department, Kraay was fearlessly positive when asked about how to work within those limits.

“That’s actually where you start to utilize your creativity. Because creativity is so much about problem-solving. Working within those constraints, we ask, ‘How do we shift this? How do we figure out how to make it work?’ … We find ways to work with the systems or outside of the systems and to work together as

artists and collaborators.”

This acceptance and emerging creativity work not only for Theatre but also for the individual. And that’s what theater is all about — humanity and the living of life.

Kraay’s play Wolf/Girl is about hunger — be it for nature and humanity to live in balance, for your authentic voice to be heard or just to sink your teeth into the meat of life itself. To taste freedom and feel capable within your own right. As someone who’s been hungry for a good story, I felt more than satisfied.

And when it comes to the Theater Arts Department here at Boise State University, I’d recommend pulling up a seat for such a buffet. And for those of you who are as hungry as I am for good storytelling, The Sound of Music will be performed April 12-14th at the Morrison Center for Performing Arts. Get ready to sit, listen and be captivated. Get ready to be swept off your feet and out of your chair — forget your name, problems and your life as you knew it before a story changed you.

Photo of the Morrison Center signage on Earle Street.

Photo by Niamh Brennan

Forgotten Feminists: Explaining the stories of ‘difficult’ women in mythology

Unraveling the twisted tales of so-called “difficult” women in greek mythology

Kelly Ann Asker | Copy Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Content warning: Mentions of sexual abuse and murder

Throughout history, women have been branded as “difficult” for a multitude of absurd reasons, and a few of the biggest examples of these “difficult” women can be found in ancient Greek myths.

From Medusa the “monster” to Pandora, the girl who released evil into the world, Greek myths have been twisted until women become villains. It’s time to right the wrongs of history and finally explain the real stories of these not-so-difficult women.

Medusa the Gorgon

Medusa is famously known as the woman with snakes for hair, who maliciously turned people to stone. The Roman poet Ovid described her story as follows: Medusa was a beautiful woman, who was seduced by the god of the sea, Posieden, whom she slept with inside of Athena’s sacred temple. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, was highly offended by what Medusa did and cursed her, turning her into a Gorgon.

From then on, Medusa was no longer the beautiful woman she once was and then plagued with the curse of turning anyone who looked at her into stone, damning her to a life of loneliness and misery. Eventually, a demigod hero named Perseus, son of the sky god Zeus, slayed Medusa by cutting off her head.

What many people don’t know is how she really came to be the so-called villain.

Medusa was a maiden dedicated to Athena, worshiping her and loving her. When Poseidon saw her, he was instantly attracted to her. But rather than “seducing” her, he raped her while she was worshipping Athena in her temple.

Athena did in fact curse Medusa, even though her “indiscretion” was not by her own fault.

The erasure and revision of Medusa’s true story serves as a reminder that in every time period and every evolution of society, women have been blamed and faulted for their experiences with sexual assaults and rapes.

Now, Medusa serves as a symbol for survivors of rape and sexual abuse, empowering women to not let the actions of their abusers define them.

Pandora, the First Woman

Pandora was the first human woman, created by Hephaestus, the god of craftsmanship. Hephaestus created Pandora at the instruction of his father, Zeus. Pandora’s purpose was to be wed to the titan Prometheus’ younger brother, Epimetheus.

On their wedding day, Pandora was given a jar from Zeus, which was filled with evils — although she was unaware of the box’s contents.

Pandora was warned not to open the jar, but curiosity eventually got the best of her and she opened the jar, releasing a plethora of evils into the world, the likes of which no one had seen before.

For the rest of time, Pandora has been ridiculed as the woman who disobeyed her orders, resulting in a world full of violence, hatred, disease, madness and death.

This story is sometimes referred to as the origin of Greek misogyny.

The sole purpose behind Pandora’s creation was to marry Epimetheus to eventually serve as punishment to his brother Prometheus, who stole fire from the heavens and gave it to man.

Zeus “gifted” the box to Pandora, knowing she would open it and release the evils, because as we all know — when you’re told not to do something, it only makes you want to do it more.

By opening the jar and releasing the evils, she punished man for harnessing the fire that Prometheus gave them. While the “kill two birds with

one stone” idea worked for Zeus, it left Pandora in the crossfire to be despised by humankind for centuries to follow.

If only the gods had carried out their plan without turning Pandora into a pariah.

Clytemnestra, Agamemnon’s Wife

Agamemnon was the King of Mycenae who led the Acheans during the Trojan War. During his time in the war, things started to go south when the wind stopped and they could no longer sail. A priest tells Agamemnon that if he sacrifices his daughter Iphigenia to the goddess Artemis, the goddess will allow the winds to return so they can set sail once more.

Desperate to continue their voyage to Troy for the war, Agamemnon persuaded his wife, Clytemnestra, to send Iphigenia to him, lying and telling her that he would marry her to Achilles, a demigod hero.

When Iphigenia arrived, she was sacrificed by her father. As the priest stated, the winds returned and they set sail for Troy.

When Agamemnon returned home to Clytemnestra, she had plotted with his cousin — her new lover — and the pair

brutally murdered the King.

Clytemnestra has since been portrayed as a vengeful, adulterous murder who killed her husband in cold blood.

But to truly understand Clytemnestra’s motives, we must go back even further to when the pair were first wed.

Agamemnon was not Clytemnestra’s first husband. In fact, he murdered Clytemnestra’s first husband, then proceeded to rape her and force her hand in marriage. Not the best way to start a marriage.

It’s fair to assume that Agamemnon lying and murdering their daughter, Iphigenia, was the final straw for Clytemnestra and she likely saw murder as the only way out of her union with Agamemnon, who was famously unfaithful to his wife during the 10-year war against Troy.

The stories of these “difficult” women in mythology have been twisted and turned to paint them malicious villains, when in reality, they are survivors and victims of circumstance.

Illustrations of mythological items. Illustration by Sydney Smith

CULTURE

Exhibit ‘Contemporary Conditioning’ sheds light on gender inequality

This exhibit expertly interweaves various societal issues women are facing today through various mediums

Olivia Brandon | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The exhibition “Contemporary Conditioning” features the work of three artists with unique artistic styles and life experiences, each providing commentary on the state of women’s rights. The exhibit is displayed on the second floor of the Student Union Building (SUB) through April 7.

Artist Alyse Ambriel Hanna is a master’s student at Boise State in the visual arts program and Gallery Assistant for the Blue Galleries at Boise State.

Hanna’s work focuses on the mistreatment of non-human animals and women, showing the oppression they face within Western society. Hanna’s piece is multimedia and features a sculptural element as well as two videos.

The sculpture consists of two cages of chicken wire. One cage includes a ceramic egg and is akin to the size of where a chicken spends the entirety of its life on a factory farm. The other cage is large enough to hold the average American woman.

The first video, “Machined”, depicts the treatment animals undergo in factory farms, illustrated through a demonstration by Hanna utilizing a balloon to represent the animal. Machined” features the sound of Hana blowing up the balloon she will be utilizing, which represents the shared environment between humans and animals.

Hanna’s second video, “Reveal”, uncovers the many makeup organizations that have branded themselves as “clean” but participate in animal testing, and highlights the pressure placed on women to succumb to modern beauty standards and regimes.

Hanna was inspired to create these pieces after the overturning of Roe V. Wade and Idaho’s passing of House Bill 460, which prohibited abortions in Idaho.

“When Idaho passed House Bill 460 I felt personally that my autonomy was

being taken away over my female reproductive system,” Hanna said. “This made me think about all of the non-human animals that have experienced this type of objectification and exploitation as well due to their reproductive systems.”

Many individuals have resonated with the piece and have sent Hanna pictures standing behind the cage that could hold the average American woman. It has been powerful for Hanna to see how the public interacted and resonated with her work.

Hanna feels that through art she is able to make an impact and express opinions on issues she is passionate about.

“Art is such an important vehicle for creating change. I think it’s an incredible platform to voice your experiences, to voice your stance,” Hanna said. “There’s a sense of courage I get when I’m making art, it’s hard to have that same courage when you’re out and about in public. So it’s something where you can … express yourself in private and then have the opportunity to share it and then a lot of times you’re validating somebody else’s experience.”

Artist Sivita Justice’s piece “Attrition of Absences” tastefully raises awareness of domestic violence against women. After hearing some shocking statistics regarding the number of women who have experienced domestic violence, Justice was inspired to create her portraits.

Justice believes that to begin the process of dismantling our patriarchal society we must raise men in environments that provide education on the dangers of misogyny.

“The way I’m painting them now is not a literal portrait,” Justice said. “They are portraits, but they’re more trying to capture the feeling or their pain, what they’ve gone through. So that was really evolving for me.”

Justice noted the ways in which the other pieces build on or further each other’s themes, citing artist Linane’s piece “When

Did Our Bodies Not Become Our Own,” which centers around verbal violence as an example.

“For a man verbal violence that is almost structured [as] this is how you come on to women. And if they don’t respond, then you get more fierce,” Justice said. “I think what my pieces are is the end product of that kind of violence that maybe isn’t even realized in our culture.”

As Justice’s portraits focus on shining a light on acts of domestic violence, she highlights the element of a desire for control that is often at the core of these attacks. She referenced a woman from India who refused to quit her job after her husband demanded it and another woman who was killed for seeking an education in Turkey.

Artist Maiyan Linane’s pieces “When Did Our Bodies Not Become Our Own” and “The Sticker Project” bring awareness to online harassment towards women, something that has often been downplayed in the media.

Lianane’s reflections on her personal experience growing up alongside the internet inspired the creation of “The Sticker Project,” an exhibit that invites audience members to peel back strips of paper to reveal framed online messages

women have received. These messages were then placed on the bodies of models with transfer paper and photographed to create “When Did Our Bodies Not Become Our Own.”

“Using the female bodies was complicated because I didn’t want to re-objectify them. It was basically showing how those words can be internalized, and also become your identity,” Linane said. “You have to navigate your own identity through the way you get treated online or you decide not to identify [when] having an online presence.”

Linane’s work strives as a reminder that predatory online behavior should be unacceptable and legislated against.

“These feelings and behaviors already exist in the world. And these behaviors already exist, it’s not new,” Linane said. “[With] the internet, you have the ability to reach people in a different way and be more uninhibited. These things would be illegal in the real world, [but] online it’s just kind of like laughed off.”

Each of these artists drew from personal experiences or the experiences of other women to create beautiful and emotionally charged pieces. To see these incredible works stop by the second floor of the SUB before April 7.

Photo of the Contemporary Conditioning art exhibit currently on display in the SUB. Photo by Niamh Brennan

The venues and events that contribute to Idaho’s concert scene

A dive into the growing concert atmosphere within the Treasure Valley

Caresse Basaraba | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Clink — the Instagram notification pings your phone and it’s just what you have been anticipating. Your favorite musical artist just posted, and it’s an announcement of their upcoming tour. Your eyes vigorously scan the six inch phone screen, but soon roll with frustration that once again “Boise, Idaho” is not one of the cities or dates on the graphic.

Time after time, residents of the Treasure Valley find themselves frustrated that Boise is not a stop artists tend to make when they embark on their tours.

From 4A high schools, Boise State University athletics and concert venues spanning from Nampa to Boise proper, the Treasure Valley’s prominence in the event industry is expanding.

But when will the Treasure Valley become a main hub for mainstream, wellknown artists?

Salt Lake City, Utah (339 miles), Portland, Oregon (430 miles), Seattle, Washtington (493 miles) and Reno, Nevada (422 miles) are cities that are typically the closest stops artists make in accordance to Boise.

There are a few “bigger” artists that have performed in the Treasure Valley as of late. Luke Combs sold out Albertsons Stadium in May of 2023. This was three years after Garth Brooks also sold out The Blue in July of 2019. Other notable artists that have recently come to the area are Boy-

genius, Kane Brown, LANY, Macklemore, Old Dominion and Shinedown.

Treefort Music Fest also falls under the discussion of music events within the Treasure Valley. This annual spring festival began in 2012, and is a multi-day music festival hosts artists across all genres, held in multiple venues in downtown Boise. Treefort is an impactful event, bringing in a large influx of people and money to Boise.

Carrie Westgard, Visit Boise executive director, said they estimate Treefort brought in nearly $8 million in travel spending. That money goes toward various stores, attractions and restaurants, according to KTVB.

There are three main venues in the Treasure Valley area that hold larger scale concerts: Ford Idaho Center, ExtraMile Arena and Albertsons Stadium. Other supporting venues include The Knitting Factory, Morrison Center, Revolution Hall, Treefort Music Hall and the Idaho Central Arena.

Ford Idaho Center, located in Nampa, Idaho is an event venue home to many events including the Snake River Stampede, Festival of Trees and Monster Jam. “Concerts in particular add a great deal to the community for both tourism and recreation as well as fiscal impact from employment and ticket sales,” Jacalyn Hill, Director of Marketing at Ford Idaho Center said. “From food and beverage and

hotel stays – the Ford Idaho Center contributes to both the quality of life in the Treasure Valley and the economy.”

The capacity of Ford Idaho Center fluctuates as there are three different venues on the complex.

“The Ford Idaho Center Arena has a max capacity of 13,067, but varies regularly depending on the set up,” Hill said. “It depends where and how stages are oriented, if there is a seated floor, etc.”

The Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater has 10,500 capacity and the Ford Idaho Horse Park & Sports Center has 2,500 capacity.

“We feel that we are ideally located for more and more touring artists to visit us in Nampa and the Treasure Valley,” Hill said. “Located on a popular route from Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Reno to Seattle, Portland, Spokane; it’s a worthwhile stop with incredible music fans.”

Some notable artists hold the attendance records for this venue.

“Morgan Wallen holds the record for our Amphitheater and Zach Bryan recently set a new Arena record,” Hill said.

On Boise State University’s own campus, there are several venues for live events and concerts.

ExtraMile Arena, Albertsons Stadium and the Morrison Center all host music events.

With a capacity of 1,994, the Morrison Center is a smaller-scale venue. The structure recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, and remains an essential venue to the Treasure Valley.

Just this fall, the Morrison Center brought Brett Young, another popular country artist, to Boise.

“There are so many events that have brought large audiences. Our Broadway in Boise series often has sell-out crowds.

Most recently, classic rockers Styx and the Beach Boys sold out the venue,” Lynn said.

“Besides concerts, we have comedians, Broadway in Boise (touring Broadway),

dance, immersive experiences and lectures. The possibilities of what we can have on our stage are endless.”

Albertsons Stadium, home of the iconic blue turf has hosted memorable concerts as previously mentioned, such as Garth Brooks and Luke Combs. With a capacity of 36,387 and expansions in place for the future, Lyle Smith field is undoubtedly a great and unique venue for artists to perform at.

There are concerns when it comes to protecting the integrity of the iconic blue turf when dealing with the weight of stage equipment and a high volume of foot traffic on the floor.

A perfect example of an artist currently on tour who would be ideal for the Treasure Valley, is Olivia Rodrigo. Embarking on her GUTS World Tour, the demand for this artist was increasingly high as she gained a massive amount of popularity in recent years.

Despite not aligning with the country themed artists who are previously mentioned, Rodrigo would easily be able to sell out Ford Idaho Center or Extra Mile arena. With the majority of her fan base consisting of young females, the college town of Boise, Idaho would be a perfect fit for the former High School Musical The Musical The Series star.

Besides Rodrigo fans, the entirety of Boise State’s student population is another prime aspect for concerts to be held here. The BSU student population, as of fall 2022 is 26,162 students — according to enrollment data. This age group is a large target audience for current artists on tour.

With Boise’s popularity growing rapidly, it is only a matter of time for this city to become a main stop for musical artists embarking on tours.

Some notable concerts in the Boise area within the near future include: Hozier, Tim McGraw, Tyler Childers, Mt. Joy and more.

Photo of vocalist Sam Fulwiler of The Macks reaching out to the crowd.

Photo by Taya Power-Thornton

SPORTS & REC

Women’s Basketball: Postseason miracles, madness and misfortune

Despite falling short of the championship, the women’s basketball team had an impressive outing

Alec Simeone | Sports & Rec. Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Boise State’s women’s basketball team has had a turbulent March 2024.

The lady Broncos lost their final three games before the Mountain West Conference (MWC) Championship was set to tip off in Las Vegas. On top of that, the team hadn’t seen the quarterfinals round since they won it all back in 2020.

Apparently, none of that sat right with senior forward Abby Muse. On Sunday, March 10, Boise State entered the MWC tournament as the sixth seed, set to square off against the eleventh seeded Utah State University.

Right from the tip, it was no contest. The Broncos dominated from end to end, never trailing during the entire game.

Much of this performance came on the back of the star studded Muse.

She recorded 12 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists, marking just the third triple-double in Boise State history, and the second in Mountain West Women’s Basketball Championship history.

All this helped the Broncos cruise past Utah State in the first round of the tournament, with a final score of 85-49.

The second round saw the team take on the #3 seed University of Wyoming.

This game was quite a change of pace from the first round blowout that the Broncos enjoyed. The Cowgirls led for most of the game, including the entire third quarter, ending with the Broncos down 44-40.

Then with five minutes left … The comeback began.

Down by three, the Broncos went on a 14 point run that featured three pointers

from senior guard Mary Kay Naro and sophomore guard Natalie Pasco, and was capped off by free throws from sophomore guard Mya Hansen and senior forward Elodie Lalotte to bump the Broncos up 11 with 19 seconds to go.

The final score was 62-54 and the Broncos went on to the semi-finals for the first time since 2020.

Unfortunately, everything came crashing down against San Diego State University (SDSU).

The 72-69 final score doesn’t show it, but the Aztecs were in control for most of the game. Boise State led for most of the first quarter, but for the 20 minute stretch that was the second and third, SDSU was on top.

In the fourth quarter, while still trailing, the Broncos were never outside of a one possession game. Keeping the game within three, the Broncos even had the lead with two minutes to go.

Sadly, SDSU’s Adryana Quezada took the final thirty seconds over as she earned two trips to the line that resulted in a total of four points. The Broncos did have a chance at two free throws of their own with fifteen seconds left, but couldn’t get them to sink.

Though the squad had a disappointing ending to the Mountain West Tournament, they still secured a spot in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). March Madness was on.

The squad had one week to prepare for their first WNIT appearance since 2019, as the University of Las Vegas, Nevada would go on to win the Mountain West Championship for the third year in a row.

Would this finally be the year that Bronco basketball would break the

seemingly infinite drought of a March Madness Tournament win? Nope.

Wednesday, March 20th 2024 was yet another in a collection of losses in the big tournament. The Broncos faced off against the University of Montana Griz in Missoula, Montana, and got rolled 92-66.

Oh that elusive second round … What happened?

Well, Montana just made more shots. Boise State won the turnover, rebound and fastbreak game, but the Griz shot 52% and made 15 threes, to the Broncos’ 35% and five threes.

It was a weird game for the Broncos and maybe even a lucky game for the Griz. The Broncos even out-blocked the opponent 5-3, but for some reason it was Montana’s night as five of their players had at least 14 points, while only Hansen and Pasco reached double digits (though, they both had 20 and 21

respectively.)

Boise State held the lead a total of three times in the match, though it was never for any meaningful stretch of time. The Griz truly beat the Broncos halfway through the second quarter, where they never relinquished the lead.

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Boise State knew they were beat, and it showed, as Montana outscored them 20-6 in the final 10 minutes.

The Broncos caught another L in round one, and still, with all the talent and great performances from stars like Abby Muse, it wasn’t enough to take down the No. 3 seeded Griz.

Though the Broncos were unable to wrap their season up with a championship or a run in the NIT Tournament, the lady Broncos have much to be proud of this past season. With record breaking performances, the Broncos are in good hands.

Photo of BSU Women’s Basketball player #33, Abby Muse, taking a shot.

Photo Courtesy of Boise State Athletics

Postseason

Tragedy: Boise State men’s basketball finishes season with back-to-back losses

A promising season for the men’s basketball team ends in a disheartening fashion

The ending of the 2023-24 Boise State men’s basketball season was anything but picturesque.

Heading into the 2023-24 season, the Bronco squad seemed to be gearing up for victory.

With incredible offseason transfers, the growth of budding stars in Chibuzo Agbo and Tyson Degenhart, and Max Rice entering his last season as a Bronco, the team looked all too prepared to have a remarkable season.

Opening up, the Broncos started out hot, racking up a plethora of Quad 1 wins and building their NCAA Tournament Bid resume early in the season. Despite losses to non-conference teams such as Clemson, the Broncos looked like one of the stronger teams in the Mountain West Conference (MWC).

In a season that establishes the MWC as a true basketball powerhouse, the competition was one of the fiercest it had ever been.

Programs such as San Diego State

University (SDSU), Utah State University (USU), Colorado State University (CSU), University of New Mexico (UNM), University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) and BSU all comprised a conference that had some of the fiercest competition in the nation.

Heading into March, there was a toss up for who would be crowned the MWC Champions. With every team settling into their respective roles, it seemed as though there were no “clear cut favorites”.

Entering the tournament, Boise State fell into the third seed and was slated to face the UNM Lobos after their first round bye.

After what seemed like what should’ve been a “locked in” win, the Broncos fell short and were out of the tournament in the second round of the tournament.

After the win against the Broncos, the Lobos did not let off the gas and defeated both CSU in the semifinals and SDSU in the championship game.

The Lobos and tournament MVP Jaelen House put on a clinic in order to secure their spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Though the Broncos had a lock on a spot in the NCAA Tournament, there was no guessing where the Broncos would land in the seeding. Most analysts projected the Broncos to be ranked anywhere from a sixth to ninth seed in the tournament. However no one was prepared for what would happen on the highly coveted ‘Selection Sunday’.

On March 17, the Bronco squad gathered in the Stueckle Sky Center in Albertsons Stadium and watched the NCAA Tournament selection show.

Despite all the predictions, no one could’ve seen this coming.

Shock overtook the Broncos faces as their name was announced for the 10 seed play-in game against University of Colorado.

So much shock filled the room, that fans of rivalry teams took to voice their opinions on the unfair ranking of the Broncos.

The Broncos were selected to play in the ‘First Four’ which put the Broncos in a must-win position to even enter into the 64 team group that would participate in the NCAA Tournament.

The Broncos made their way to Dayton, Ohio and faced Colorado to secure their seat in the tournament.

In the play-in matchup, the Broncos were unable to secure their seat and fell to Colorado 60-53.

“Just saying goodbye to this team is the hardest thing,” head coach Leon Rice said. “Every team is special for their own reasons. This team, the way they were with each other and just in rain or shine they showed up with great attitudes. I’m going to miss this group a ton.”

Despite the despair and heartache that the Broncos faced during Selection Sunday, the Broncos made history as the first time the Broncos were selected in backto-back-to-back tournament selections.

However, that wasn’t the only record they broke.

After the loss to Colorado, the Broncos now hold the worst record in the NCAA Division 1 Tournament with an astonishing 0-10 record.

Though the season looked as though the Broncos had all the potential and star power to conjure up the programs first NCAA Tournament, the team fell short and proved why they were given a much lower seed than they anticipated.

With the Broncos season ending in two back-to-back losses, the Broncos off-season will look much different. The exit of Max Rice and the uncertain future of head coach Leon Rice will be something to look for during the offseason.

Photo of BSU Men’s Basketball player #1, O’Mar Stanley, dribbling down the court

Photo by Niamh Brennan

Bounce Back ‘Bolt’: Boise State’s wide receiver, Austin Bolt’s journey to The Blue Local Legend, #81 on the Football Team, is poised for a big 2024

Sarah Courser | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Alightning bolt on and off the field.

Austin Bolt, Boise State University’s star wide receiver, has returned after suffering a lower leg injury that sidelined him for three years. It had not been the start to his Boise State career that Bolt and many Bronco fans imagined.

After a stellar high school senior season racking up 2,771 yards and 36 touchdowns, many believed Bolt would immediately contribute on The Blue.

Three years sitting where he could have been doing something else, Bolt stayed and worked hard to get back on the field.

From Boise, Idaho, Bolt attended Borah High School, where he quickly made a name for himself as he was rated the number three prospect in the state of Idaho. Bolt was named the 5A All-Idaho team in both football and basketball while attending Borah High.

He was always on the field whether it was to be kicker, kicker returner, punter or quarterback — Bolt was nearly off the field.

Despite his success on the field, Bolt

was also a phenomenal basketball player. The Borah Lions star athlete received one of the highest honors being named 2019 Gatorade Idaho Player of the Year for both football and basketball during his senior year of high school.

His phenomenal high school accolades put him firmly in the conversation for one of the best athletes to ever come out of the state of Idaho.

Deciding what to do in his future was no easy task, however Bolt chose to further his football career and commit to Boise State in 2019. Despite receiving offers from University of Idaho, University of Montana, Montana State University, Utah State University and University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Bolt chose to stay local.

His commitment was a testament to not only his belief in the program, but also his long standing childhood dreams of playing on The Blue.

Bolt, who averaged 19.4 points per game on the hardwood his senior year of high school, had the opportunity to walk onto the Boise State Men’s Basketball team while also on the football team.

Most players do not get that kind of opportunity, but Bolt was a man who could not be stopped.

The chance of playing for the basketball team never worked out, but it allowed Bolt to participate in the winter conditioning program for the football team. It was a blessing in disguise as it would have been a major setback in his football career.

Despite being a multifaceted athlete playing a multitude of roles on his highschool football team, Bolt eventually landed a position as a wide receiver.

Going into the 2022 season it appeared Bolt was ready to play a larger role in the Bronco offense. But that changed in the opening game in Corvallis, Oregon when he suffered a lower leg injury that would sideline him for the rest of the season.

He would have to wait yet another year to play a significant role for the Broncos. This gave Bolt the strength and courage to work hard to develop into the player he needed to be for the team.

Despite a slow start, with his career stats sitting at zero from 2020 to 2022, Bolt made a triumphant return to the

field in 2023, determined to prove himself once again.

Bolt’s comeback gained momentum against Fresno State University with a 33yard reception, and his shining moment would come on the biggest stage … the Mountain West Championship.

On one of the biggest stages for the Broncos, Bolt played a pivotal role in the dominant win against University of Nevada Las Vegas, as he caught a well-executed flea flicker orchestrated by Taylen Green that led him to make a 57-yard touchdown.

That play broke the game open and propelled the Broncos to their first Mountain West Championship win in four seasons.

In the 2023 season, Bolt racked up six receptions for 175 yards, two touchdowns and a phenomenal 29.2 yards per reception, showing just how determined he was to make a comeback.

With the 2024 season ahead, Bolt will be part of the many talented receivers ready to prove themselves in what is shaping up to be an offense with a lot of horsepower.

The receiver room features key returners such as Bolt, Latrell Capels and Prince Strachan. With the additions of Indiana Transfer, Cam Camper and former fivestar recruit Chris Marshall, there will be plenty of big play opportunities.

Bronco Nation finally got a taste of what’s to come.

As Bolt looks to the future, it’s clear that his return to the field in 2023 was just the beginning. With his injuries behind him and his determination unwavering, Bolt is poised to make an even greater impact in the upcoming season.

Boise State Football fans can anticipate an electrifying performance from the resilient and rejuvenated “Bounce Back Bolt” as he continues to leave his mark on the field.

Photo of BSU Football player #81, Austin Bolt.

Photo by Marlei Soderquist

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