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Est. 1934
Issue 10, Volume 86
UNPRECEDENTED A week ago, the historic winter storm that barreled through Texas left UH crippled and shut down. Look back at just how much the University was impacted. | PG. 3-5
2 | Wednesday, February 24, 2021
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
YOUR FOR
DESTINATION
INNOVATION
GRADUATE DEGREES
Construction Management Biotechnology Computational Health Informatics Mechanical Engineering Technology Network Communications Executive Human Resource Development Foresight Global Retailing Human Resource Development Cybersecurity Supply Chain and Logistics Technology Technology Project Management
cotgrad@uh.edu uh.edu/technology
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 | 3 SYDNEY ROSE & EDITORS AMINAH TANNIR,
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS
@THEDAILYCOUGAR
WEATHER
With COVID-19 and outages, UH manages two crises at once SYDNEY ROSE
NEWS EDITOR @SYDNEY_ROSEY
Some residents from Cougar Place and Cougar Village II were relocated to The Quad after the winter storm caused power and water outages. | Sydney Rose/The Cougar
With many residential students relocating due to power and water outages, UH has had to balance the two biggest crises facing the school: the coronavirus pandemic and the aftermath of the winter storm. Those living in student housing such as Cougar Place, Bayou Oaks, Cougar Village I and Cougar Village II were given the option to relocate to The Quad or University Lofts as power and water outages and bursting pipes continued. They are moving in to empty bed spaces with permanent residents, creating coronavirus safety concerns. Some students, like psychology sophomore N’Namdi Jelani, have said UH has done well with mitigating COVID-19 risks. “I hadn’t much thought about COVID with everything else going on, but I feel safe with it all because I think campus is doing its best to handle both problems simultaneously,” Jelani said. Jelani, unlike other students, knows the people he is temporarily staying with, so he feels more
secure about the coronavirus precautions taken. For students like mechanical engineering technology sophomore Luke Westerfield, there is the option to not relocate and risk COVID-19 safety, even if that means no power or water. Westerfield opted to stay at his dorm in Cougar Place instead of relocating to another residence hall. “It hasn’t gotten deathly cold in the dorms, but I am going to someone’s house today just to hopefully have better access to power,” Westerfield said. The residence halls, including Cougar Place, have had power turning on and off this week, with water and electricity returning for brief periods of time. “I do think we have slacked a bit in regards to people social distancing, but most people are wearing masks and are not super huddled,” Westerfield said. “I know UH is doing everything they can and I’m extremely thankful for (them) making sure that we at least have food.” news@thedailycougar.com
WEATHER
As snow excites some UH students, others brace for power outages HAYA PANJWANI
SENIOR STAFF WRITER @HAYAPANJW
Snow covered the Houston area last Monday after an arctic blast hit parts of Texas and power outages are affecting UH students on campus. As a result of the inclement weather, power outages hit the UH servers causing all school operations to close Monday and Tuesday of last week. Reports about the weather began surfacing early last week and Texans everywhere began making preparations for the weather hitting record lows. Some UH students were excited for the weather, like neuropsychology senior Trishna Pillay. “I woke up at 5:30 (a.m.) to see the snow, and I’ve been going in and out ever since,” Pillay said. “I was not prepared at all, mostly just in my PJs and layered up. I honestly feel like a kid in a candy store. I’ve never been to a place with snow before and the last time I saw this much snow in Houston was when
I was 6.” While some students are spending their day playing outside, others are struggling to accommodate power outages that have impacted approximately 670,000 people in Houston. “I wasn’t expecting it to snow, so I was completely unprepared,” said psychology senior Sharon Zachariah. “The power outage has been going very slow, and once I realized I had no electricity, I decided to go back to sleep because there’s no heat or Wi-Fi in my apartment.” Much like other UH students, Zachariah is relieved the University is closed, especially since she is unable to get any work done. “I’m relieved school closed because I had a handful of assignments due tomorrow that I am no longer able to do today because of the Wi-Fi,” Zachariah said. “I think UH was very cautious and preventative in their early closing of school, which is a good thing.” news@thedailycougar.com
The University’s servers and operations were put on pause last week as severe weather created power and water outages across campus and the Houston area. | Christopher Charleston/The Cougar
4 | Wednesday, February 24, 2021
NEWS
SYDNEY ROSE & EDITORS AMINAH TANNIR,
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
@THEDAILYCOUGAR
CAMPUS
Optometry college hosts only on-site surgery center in nation HAYA PANJWANI
SENIOR STAFF WRITER @HAYAPANJW
The University’s College of Optometry is the only optometry school in the nation with an on-site surgery center. The college, which ranks among the top 10 optometry schools in the nation, is an ambulatory surgical center owned and operated by the college, and grants students unique opportunities to grow in the field. “We needed an environment where we could provide those educational experiences for our students, and to also service our alumni base and the Greater Houston community by providing them a really quality upscale surgery site,” said associate dean of the surgery center Marc Piccolo. The surgical center offers cataract surgery, cornea transplant, entropion and ectropion surgery, glaucoma procedures, oculoplasty,
pterygium surgery, refractive lensectomy and retinal detachment. Optometrists from all over can refer a patient to the center. Meanwhile, students and professionals will have the opportunity to provide care for the patient. These surgeries happening in-house give students the ability to work one-on-one with patients. This works in similar ways to the real world. “Our students really needed to have an educational experience around pre-operative care, because optometrists perform both pre-operative work and post-operative work,” Piccolo said. Along with participating in procedures, optometry students are able to engage in cutting-edge research to better understand the mechanisms of the human eye, as well as find strategies to combat visual impairment and blindness. “We’re an educational
institution. So our prime objective is to make sure that our students have hands-on experiences, and we’re the only one that does that,” Piccolo said. “Now, that’s not to say that other schools and colleges can’t rotate their students outside, but we feel that having control of the surgery center gives us the ability to provide a more unique and more full experience for our own students.” The surgery center and optometry school dons many high honors and awards for the work they provide to their patients. The company the surgical site uses sends questionnaires to the patients to get feedback as well. “We were recently recognized within the top 10 percent in the United States with patient satisfaction. So we were pretty happy about that,” Piccolo said. “We really want to give them a top rate experience.”
UH College of Optometry ranks among the top 10 in the nation. | File Photo
news@thedailycougar.com
CAMPUS
College of Nursing doctoral program accepting applicants DELANEY RAMIREZ
STAFF WRITER
The College of Nursing’s new Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program is accepting applications and looking to start classes in the fall of 2021. This is thanks to the approval of a unanimous vote from the Texas Higher Education Board. The post-master’s program will still need to achieve approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which the College expects to earn by June. The DNP program at the University is designed for nurses who hold a master’s in nursing science and are being certified as family nurse practitioners or nurse administrators. “As a tier one institution, we want to make sure that our alumni have the opportunity to obtain this degree,” said founding dean and professor Kathryn Tart. “It makes us nationally competitive; it’s part of the process of what universities are supposed to be doing for the academics of the professions.” Tart added. The program goes beyond the master’s level for those who
want to reach the highest level of educational preparation available for the practice level. The program offers two paths for prospective students: the FNP to DNP track and the administration DNP track. The program is full- and part-time, and will use a hybrid class-delivery method with faceto-face experiences in clinical settings. Accepting applications will last until April 1, with student admissions finalized following approval of the program from the SACSCOC. The College is beginning to seek accreditation from the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education either 90 days before or after the degree is offered. An on-site evaluation is required to complete the accreditation process. The evaluation can only occur once a degree program has had students enrolled for one year. The degree allows FNPs and nurse administrators to address shortages of primary care providers, among other professional opportunities. FNPs work alongside physicians, pharmacists, physical therapists
Juana Garcia/The Cougar
and other medical professionals through what is known as interprofessional care, expanding and supporting care networks. The continuation of nursing education to the doctoral level gives nurses better resources and preparation to manage patient care, and offers improved patient outcomes from a systemic
level as opposed to a master’s education alone. “I want a DNP … Because as passionate as I am about patient care, I am equally interested in quality improvement projects and systems leadership, both areas of healthcare that are underrepresented by nurses,” said DNP applicant Kate Lagus.
With a DNP, an advancedpractice registered nurse is eligible for higher-ranking leadership positions in patient care and administration. Hospitals look for nurses who hold a DNP for chief nurse
NURSING
Continues on page 4
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 | 5 SYDNEY ROSE & EDITORS AMINAH TANNIR,
STATE
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS
@THEDAILYCOUGAR
Hobby school survey shows Texans views on state budget
BINH TANG
STAFF WRITER
As Texas looks for ways to improve its state budget, opening casino gambling to boost funds tops one of the most popular options according to a survey conducted by the Hobby School of Public Affairs. The survey collects the result from 1,329 Texan adults to appraise 18 proposals meant for augmenting state budget through tax revenue, and opening casino gambling for the state budget gauged support from 70 percent of the Texans who took it. Senior director of the Hobby School of Public Affairs Renée Cross said the survey holds significance in helping legislators produce policies based on majority opinions. “I can say that surveys such as this one helps to inform policymakers on the issues of most concern to Texans, as well as to identify potential revenue enhancements with popular support,” Cross said. “This type of information is especially important during a regular state legislative session, which occurs biennially,” Cross added. To vitalize a more substantial budget for the state as well as to tackle the deficit of $1 billion, the Hobby school survey concludes that five sources gain the most support from the people of Texas. Introducing a tax on e-cigarettes and vaping products holds 84 percent of support among Texans. Second to this is closing current property tax loopholes that big companies
NURSING
Continued from page 3 positions or to run a large operation room. The degree also opens educator opportunities for future DNP students. There are components of the program’s education which demand doctorly prepared faculty, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Lagus, who wants to serve patient populations who are underserved or uninsured women and children, said earning a DNP degree after the completion of her master’s will give her the opportunity to influence change for these groups.
Renee Josse De Lisle/The Cougar
use to lower their property taxes, with 83 percent of support. Poll attendees agreeing to impose a higher tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products comes third with 72 percent of support. On that note, Texas has been among nine other states prohibiting casino gambling. Opening casinos to boost the state budget fund is likely to stumble upon the opposition of the leaders. However, demographic changes can bring some hope for this endeavor. “Texas has long had a traditional political culture, which does not support gambling. However, as the demographics of the state have changed along with subsequent changes in political ideology and partisanship, activities such as gambling have gained statewide
support,” Cross said. Another 18 percent of Texans favor an expansion of gambling in Texas if it is limited to Indigenous reservations and existing horse or dog racing tracks, Cross said. “Key leaders such as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick do not support an expansion of gambling at this time. Without the support of the lieutenant governor, it is doubtful that any bill expanding gambling will pass in the state Senate,” Cross said. The political climate also plays a big role in examining the reception of said proposals. Legalizing recreational marijuana faces strenuous opposition shown in the survey, in which there is only 44 percent of support coming from Republicans, while 83 percent of Texan Democrats thumb up this
“It is difficult to directly affect positive changes for these folks as communities as a BSN-educated nurse. I feel like I will be best equipped to not only care for, but also advocate for, all patients and quality healthcare systems if I am doctorly prepared,” Lagus said. As the program is centered on evidence-based practice, quality improvement and systems leadership, the program’s track for both administration DNP and FNP DNP requires 1,000 hours of clinical practice. Clinical hours accumulate through both master’s education and DNP education, with the two adding to 1,000. In 2020, the College’s NCLEX-RN
pass rates for first time test takers were 100 percent, placing in the top five percent of the nation. All of the College’s nurse practitioner master’s graduates passed their certification exams on the first try, according to Tart. Lagus said these pass rates are because of the dedication from both students and faculty. “I do not think I understood when I applied what having a 100 percent pass rate means for the FNP national certification exam – it means grueling work on the part of the professor and the student,” Lagus said. Because of the importance of high-quality nursing programs to both healthcare systems and
idea. Cross said there are still dry areas in counties that do not allow the sale of alcohol in Texas, and laws in the state are promoted by religious or conservative groups to protect what they believe to be family values. “Texas has had a history of a prevalent traditional political culture, which typically values the status quo along with an aversion for the legalization of activities related to ‘sinful’ activities,” Cross said. “Given these traditions, it is not surprising that many conservative Republicans do not support the legalization of marijuana,” Cross added. Other states such as New Hampshire, Tennessee, Wyoming, Washington, South Dakota, Nevada and Florida impose no tax on individual income. 82 percent of Texans oppose this proposal in which 71 percent strongly disagree and state income tax remains the most unpopular choice to subsidize state budget, according to the Hobby school report. “Part of the opposition comes from the fear that we would pay much more with a state income tax, although our reliance on property taxes is worrisome to some economists,” Cross said. “The opposition is also in part an aversion to change as well as the notion of big government, which dates back to the state’s post-Reconstruction policymakers.” news@thedailycougar.com
patients, and the anticipated shortage of nurses in Texas by 2030, Tart said faculty fiercely dedicate themselves to educating the next generation of nurses, from undergraduates to doctoral students. “If you want to make the commitment, this college has made a commitment to the profession and to educate our students from the very beginning all the way through the highest level of nursing that you can get,” Tart said. “We’re doing it because there’s a huge need out there, and we can see that need coming down the road.” news@thedailycougar.com
EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF
Jhair Romero
MANAGING EDITOR
OPINION EDITOR
Jordan Hart
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Donna Keeya
Juana Garcia
WEB EDITOR
ASSISTANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Mason Vasquez NEWS EDITORS
Sydney Rose Aminah Tannir
Gerald Sastra COPY CHIEF
Zai Davis
SPORTS EDITOR
Andy Yanez
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
James Mueller
STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing.
GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be limited to 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies, but rather should present independent points of view. Deliver submissions to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@ thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.
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The Cougar is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press.
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6 | Wednesday, February 24, 2021
LIFE AND ARTS NEWS
SYDNEY ROSE & EDITORS AMINAH TANNIR,
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/LIFE-ARTS
@THEDAILYCOUGAR
REVIEW
The Cougar Reviews: ‘Malcolm & Marie’ misses the mark CHRISTOPHER CHARLESTON
STAFF WRITER @CHRISTOPHEASTON
Sam Levinson’s recently released romantic drama “Malcolm & Marie” begins with just over one minute of credits on the screen. It’s almost as if Levinson desires for the viewer to wholly appreciate an aura of calm in the moments leading up to what can only be described as a 90-minute melodramatic argument between the film’s two main characters. The opening seconds are actually quite bizarre to tell the truth. Malcolm, played by John David Washington, a promising young director, and Zendaya’s Marie, Malcolm’s girlfriend, arrive home from the premiere of Malcolm’s newest film, and it quickly becomes glaringly obvious – to everyone except Malcolm – that the couple share absolutely none of the same wavelength on this particular evening. Marie’s face and short answers say it all; she is a woman scorned. Her passive indignation is a result of Malcolm forgetting to thank her in his speech at the premiere, despite the fact that it was her own struggles with addiction and self-harm that partially inspired Malcolm’s creation of the film’s main character. Just like that, we’re off to the races. The gloves come entirely off on both sides. There’s something else you should know: Malcolm is kind of a jerk. Not in the traditional sense, but rather, he is an artist who is fully committed to being perceived as an artist by everyone else, and we all, unfortunately, know someone like that. Malcolm’s general sense of aloofness comes early in the film, pertaining to both his inability to pick up on Marie’s feelings as well the fact that he himself is collegeeducated, but sees education as a negative thing when it comes to those who critique him. This is the first clue Levinson leaves us that Malcolm isn’t quite all the way present. What’s worse is the fact that Marie is making macaroni and cheese for Malcolm. As if he is a small, needy child. We find out later that, to a certain extent, he is. Though it’s clear that Marie is not only Malcolm’s muse, but a solidified and necessary factor in his everyday life, he has absolutely no problem coming to blows the second she lays a finger on his glass ego. Which is to say,
Juana Garcia/The Cougar
they fight. My god. They fight. It seems that Marie knows exactly what buttons to press to get Malcolm going. She’s capable of dissecting his thought patterns and actions in the snap of a finger, and knows exactly why he does what he does, but still wants to hear him say it. It’s an early reveal of a flaw in a plot that sees Marie participate in an argument she is quite frankly above. She’s so intelligent that at times, it feels like Steve Jobs is arguing with an iPhone. You instantly get the impression that this is not the first major fight Malcolm and Marie have gone through. They are two artists, both young and highly sensitive. Concurrently, it also seems evident early on that this fight will be the one that either makes them or destroys them at their core, obliterating their relationship and perhaps even creating the risk of an actual physical altercation. While that fortunately never occurs, their argument still reaches damaging enough levels to the point where it feels unrealistic at times; like when Malcolm rattles off the names of his ex-partners who intimately inspired his film just as much, if not more, than his relationship with Marie. In Malcolm’s eyes, Marie likes it. It’s one of her worst qualities
and something that has put a stronghold on their relationship. The scene is the first time in the film that you feel Malcolm truly sees Marie, and it’s unfortunate that it occurs while he is cutting her down, highlighting for her the worst parts of their relationship, while simultaneously reminding her of the lowest points in her life. Sure, the scene ends with Malcolm finally telling Marie what aspects of his character she inspired, which seems to strike an emotional chord in Marie. But who cares? Isn’t that still textbook toxicity? Weirdly, it seems like Malcolm gets credit for this and that makes me shiver. For much of the film, you simply want Malcolm to be gentle with his girlfriend, who is clearly fragile after a lifetime of damaging events. But he won’t be because, like I said earlier, he is not really a good person. Eventually, you begin to have a hard time believing that all of this is simply over a botched speech. It’s then revealed that Marie is also upset because Malcolm did not cast her in his film’s main role. Malcolm essentially says Marie does not work hard enough and the two duke it out a bit more. But even this reasoning doesn’t feel like enough to keep them up into the wee hours of
morning scrapping harder than Iron Man and Captain America in “Captain America: Civil War.” The relationship dynamic being explored between Malcolm and Marie is not a new one in cinema. A young, broken girl falls in love with an older artist who “saves” her with his patience and grace while using her for inspiration in the process. The issue is that in Levinson’s flick, like in almost every other project that has explored this dynamic, the male character just comes across as arrogant and selfrighteous, even in the moments his heart is supposed to be revealed. Because of this, it sometimes appears that Malcolm is stuck in one gear, but that’s also due to the fact that the script asks for a wide range of emotions that John David Washington, as an actor, is not yet capable of portraying. For someone that many film fans predicted could take up the role of the next Black Panther, it’s peculiar to see Washington go so far in the opposite direction, away from the action genre. At times, the film feels like a simple collection of monologues that would have made for a much better stage play than a movie. While each monologue is extremely well-written, so is the dictionary. Zendaya clearly gets the better
of Washington, and it only makes sense. She was already acting when Washington was still playing ball at “The House.” But what does it mean to get the better of someone in a feature-length argument? Zendaya is the better fighter? Sure, if that’s what people want to hear. Much like the creation and purchase of “Malcolm & Marie,” the ending of this story occurs in the blink of an eye. Things end unsettled, or at the very least, interpretive to the viewer. A plot that is likely triggering for many still feels no desire to reward its viewers for sticking around. While it initially seems that there would be a conclusive ending to the battle between Malcolm and Marie, Levinson, I suppose, simply ran out of ink. The cast and crew of “Malcolm & Marie” clearly wanted to get back to work during the pandemic and I cannot blame them at all for that. If anything, the average fan of film should watch “Malcolm & Marie” purely to see how a pandemic movie should be produced. Levinson has successfully created a lockdown film that quickly makes you forget it is a lockdown film. Unfortunately, that may be the movie’s best quality. arts@thedailycougar.com
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 | 7 SYDNEY ROSE & EDITORS AMINAH TANNIR,
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
@THEDAILYCOUGAR
LIFE ANDNEWS ARTS
TRENDS
Vinyl records coming back to popularity with new generation SYDNEY ROSE
NEWS EDITOR @SYDNEY_ROSEY
As music evolves over time, so does the way we listen. But as vinyl record players become popular with the new generation, we see examples of new music in retro listening methods arise. An aesthetic many teenagers and those apart of Generation Z are trying to accomplish is attracting things that are deemed vintage. This can be seen in the clothing they wear, room decorations they buy or records they listen to. “I like the authenticity of a record, and as it ages you hear the little crackles,” said journalism senior Desiree Cantu. The appeal of listening to music on a record player can come from the sound quality. Many say the sound of a record playing can not be compared to what’s offered on a CD or a streaming service on your phone. Vinyls continue to prove they are not a thing of the past as sales for artist’s new albums
Juana Garcia/The Cougar
are more prominent on vinyl, outperforming CDs. The youth taking up the timeless act of listening to a vinyl may be why the relevance has remained for the early 20th century feature, but it is the
generations who lived during the peak of record playing and have collected vinyls that help the popularity. Collecting vinyls requires a lot of care though. This goes into keeping them pristine,
preserving them and making sure the music quality remains above all else. Collecting and listening to vinyl records has spread to the younger generations through social media and media outlets
geared towards that age group. Students saying applications such as Tumblr or articles from Buzzfeed are the reason they began listening to vinyls. Even with the increase of vinyl lovers, it seems streaming platforms such as Spotify or Apple Music are a portion of the reason for record shops going out of business. Another reason is the current ongoing pandemic as less people are going out to buy records to listen to, staying safe with the comfort of listening to music on their phone from home. Even with in-person shops that have been long standing since the height of record sales losing traction, vinyl collectors and listeners are seeking product online through websites such as Amazon and Urban Outfitters. However, as the music industry changes and evolves, vinyls seem to remain a vital piece of it, even as the years go on. arts@thedailycougar.com
REVIEW
The Cougar Reviews: ‘The Little Things’ plot lacks originality CHRISTOPHER CHARLESTON
STAFF WRITER @ CHRISTOPHEASTON
Recently released on HBO Max, director and writer John Lee Hancock’s “The Little Things” manages to combine the most familiar character attributes of Rami Malek, Jared Leto and Denzel Washington with a plot that is less interesting than most of the projects that these heavy-hitters have worked on in the past. The story follows Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe “Deke” Deacon, played by Washington, as he returns to the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department where he worked for several years before abruptly leaving. His mission is simple, he is tasked with retrieving evidence. It’s an assignment considered elementary for someone who has put in as much time as Deacon. In Los Angeles, Deacon crosses paths with the guy who replaced him, Detective Jimmy Baxter, played by Malek. Baxter has heard of Deacon and is immediately intrigued by the old man who he
seems to know both a little and a lot about. Malek’s character is supposedly the up-and-coming hot-shot around LA, but Hancock doesn’t do a good enough job of showing us why. The first time we see Baxter, he’s getting grilled by the local press for his failure to capture the serial killer currently running around the community. When Deacon accompanies Baxter to the scene of a recent murder, things start to pick up rather quickly and Baxter subtly looks to Deacon for help putting the pieces of the puzzle together. What we see in Washington’s character from that point on is what connects Deacon to other characters portrayed by the Hollywood veteran, living in the past. Deacon has obviously been through a lot, and even though he was always good at his job, the few mistakes he made were costly to him and his loved ones. When opportunity presents itself, Deacon has no problem returning to the lifestyle that ruined him
Juana Garcia/The Cougar
many years prior. His instincts and skills are still present, and within a matter of hours, they are awakened. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Said opportunity presents itself when Deacon notices similarities between Baxter’s case and one that he worked on a while back. They team up, of course, and start kicking ass and taking names, sort of. They actually fumble a lot and eventually the FBI is called in to take over, leaving Baxter and Deacon only a few days to crack the case. Their lead suspect is Albert Sparma, played by Leto, who’s a middle-aged crime-enthusiast that works down the street from Baxter’s crime scene.
Sparma fits the description of a neighborhood creep more than a murderer, but like most buddy-cop stories, once two detectives have their guy, he’s their guy. Leto has some nice and backand-forth banter with both Washington and Malek, and the scenes where their clever game of cat and mouse is boldly on display are the most enjoyable. It wouldn’t be a movie about police officers attempting to solve a murder for their own personal objectives without a scene where they break and enter. This happens and the plot twist that accompanies it is also one of the film’s high points. Still, multiple plot twists in the second half of the movie seem
to serve as a cover for much of a monotonous story we’ve all seen before. Though it’s filled with fine acting and acceptable pacing (and Michael Hyatt who we all certainly love), “The Little Things” lacks originality, which is hard to do in an era where reusing story and plot is so acceptable. The ending is a fun way to conclude a slightly confusing ride on the HBO Max-coaster, but I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t watched the film. The challenging part is getting to the ending, but if you have a few hours to attempt pushing through, go for it. If not, that’s ok too. arts@thedailycougar.com
8 | Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Great Name. Downtown Address.
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) serves the educational needs of America’s fourth largest city. As Houston’s second largest, public four-year university in the heart of Downtown,
UHD provides students life-changing educational experiences with unparalleled opportunities to conduct research and participate in community-centered learning, coupled with flexible scheduling and an award-winning faculty. We offer bachelor’s degrees in 44 areas of study and 9 master’s degrees in five academic colleges. As industry evolves, more and more working professionals in Houston are realizing the tremendous value—and greatly enhanced earning potential—a master’s degree can provide. We understand that our students have busy lifestyles—jobs, families and more. To accommodate them, UHD provides flexible class offerings on weekdays, evenings and weekends, as well as online and hybrid options for both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. With one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas, UHD’s
competitively priced tuition and fees makes the pursuit of higher learning affordable and accessible.
POINTS OF DISTINCTION • UHD is ranked by U.S. News & World Report for its qualiy online programs. For three years straight, UHD’s Online Bachelor’s Programs and Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice have been recognized among the best in the nation. • Home of Houston’s largest MBA program since 2014 • Federally designated Minorityand Hispanic-Serving Institution & Military Friendly School • Industry-aligned degrees in accounting, business administration, criminal justice, data analytics, nonprofit management, rhetoric and composition, security management, teaching, and technical communication. Industry Demands Advanced Business Skills We know that degrees and individual coursework must align with industry needs. For this reason, UHD’s Marilyn Davies College of Business has reinvented the Master of Business Administration (MBA) with its Corporate Fellows Program. This ‘team-teaching’ approach ensures that professors and industry executives lead classes. Students gain both academic insights and professional perspectives through this unique instructional model. Face-to-face and online options are available within this flexible graduate program. Graduate Certificates: Meet Individual Student Needs For individuals who are not ready to commit to a full MBA program but want graduate-lev-
el training to improve their skills, UHD offers eight AACSB-certified graduate certificates. After earning a Graduate Certificate, students may enter UHD’s MBA program—no GMAT required—with nearly half of all coursework completed. Data Driven: Cutting-Edge Technology & Emerging Fields The College of Sciences & Technology’s Master of Science in Data Analytics was among the first graduate degree of its kind in the region. With the emergence of Big Data and the need to manage vast quantities of information to find innovative solutions in fields— from life sciences to oil and gas to healthcare to education to banking/finance to countless other industries. A master’s degree in data analytics is an excellent complement to a foundation in technology, science, engineering and other disciplines. Other graduate degrees supporting critical industries include the Master of Security Management, which prepares students for cybersecurity careers; the Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management, which provides students with the tools needed to lead community-facing organizations; and the Master of Professional Accountancy, one of UHD’s newest graduate offerings that prepares future accountants and auditors. With more than 51,000 Gator alumni and counting, UHD alumni excel in fields ranging from medicine and business to science to humanities. UHD is recognized nationally for its community engagement programs that link classroom academics with opportunities to serve people and agencies in Greater Houston and around the globe. UHD Gators help shape the city’s workforce—home of Gator Grit—ready to take on our city, state, nation and the world. Learn more at uhd.edu/masters
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10 | Wednesday, February 24, 2021
SPORTS NEWS
ANDY YANEZ, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS
@THECOUGARSPORTS
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Justin Gorham comes to form in senior season ANDY YANEZ
SPORTS EDITOR @AYANEZ_5
A season ago, senior forward Justin Gorham was trying to find a place to carve out his role with the Houston men’s basketball program. He was in a crowded position group with Chris Harris Jr., Brison Gresham and Fabian White Jr., which, to no surprise, led to his minutes being limited throughout the season. Even then, the Cougars’ coaching staff had expectations for the Columbia, Maryland, native. “When you are going to find how good Justin is, (will be) next year when he is a senior,” UH head coach Kelvin Sampson said after a practice during the 201920 campaign. What always stood out to Sampson and his staff was Gorham’s work ethic. Even if an assistant coach only had space for a workout at 7 a.m., it did not matter for the 6-foot-7inch forward. He was eager to improve throughout his redshirt year. Fast forward to 2020-21 and Gorham has become one of the key identity players of the team, tracking down rebounds like an average person might hunt down a couple of ribeye steaks as Sampson once put it. After a win against Wichita State back in January, in which the forward finished with a 14-point, 10-rebound doubledouble, the UH coach gave Gorham even bigger praise. “He is the heart and soul of this team,” Sampson told reporters after the performance. A title that belonged to 6-foot5-inch guard Nate Hinton just a season ago.
High school impact Almost six years before Gorham was causing all sorts of havoc for opposing teams in a UH uniform, he was a junior for the Calvert Hall High School basketball team. His program, ranked No. 1 in its district, was playing in the Baltimore Catholic League championship game held at Towson University. As the seconds trickled down in the game between Calvert Hall and John Carroll, Gorham and his fellow teammate, Nico Clareth, forced a turnover with 15 seconds left on the clock. With Calvert Hall trailing by one, the team went to Clareth to take the final shot. When the ball left his hands, however, it
UH men’s basketball senior forward Justin Gorham claps and encourages his fellow teammates on the court during a regular season game in the 2020-21 season at Fertitta Center. | Courtesy of UH athletics
was Gorham that went to work. The shot bounced off the rim and went towards the left. At the same time, Gorham timed his jump just right to meet the ball on top for the buzzer-beating tip-in. Among those watching the game was Towson head coach Pat Skerry. For him, that tip-in was one of his first looks at what Gorham was all about. A memory that still sticks with him after nearly five years. “That exemplified who he is and his game,” Skerry said.
Towson tour Roughly 18 months later, Skerry got the chance to see Gorham’s rebounding prowess up close. He joined Towson as a freshman in the 2016-17 season. In his first season with the Tigers, he made 31 appearances but made only two starts. Similar to UH, however, the coaching staff knew what they had in him. Skerry believed Gorham’s potential was through the roof. He envisioned Gorham
eventually reaching allconference first-team status. He saw him as a Dennis Rodman and Kenneth Faried type of guy. During his time with the Tigers, Skerry got to see more than just Gorham’s motor. Unfortunately, it was through much adversity. Just in his first weeks as a college athlete, Justin’s father, Gerald “Jerry” Gorham Sr., passed away from advanced stages of cancer in his small intestine. “That was hard man,” Skerry said. Even in 2021, the Towson head coach feels fortunate to have met Justin’s father during the recruiting process. It was no surprise to him why Justin’s motor had always been so strong. Justin’s Towson teammates all rallied around him after the tragedy. “I thought ( Jerry was) incredibly strong, the type of family you want to have,” Skerry said. “Good values, hardworking, a loving, welcoming
home. The type of family that you want to be around … Jerry was a great guy. Great, hardworking.” In his second year with the Tigers, Justin faced adversity again. This time on a much smaller scale. Early during his sophomore season, he suffered an ankle sprain that nagged him throughout the campaign. Justin, however, played through it. He ended the season averaging 9.8 points and 6.7 rebounds, both significant increases from his freshman year. “He’d be an all-conference type player had he stayed with Towson,” Skerry said. The soon-to-be UH player, however, had different plans. Shortly thereafter, he announced he was transferring over to the Cougars.
‘Double-double machine’ Under Sampson’s program, Gorham has shown he is a rebounding magnet on a bigger stage. Locking down doubledigit boards in a majority of the
games he has played in. He held a streak of nine games, in which he finished with at least 10 or more rebounds. Of those nine games, he finished with 15 or more rebounds in three of them. He also recorded five doubledoubles along the way. “I always knew he was an unbelievable rebounder, and now that he is getting the chance to do it, he is really showing it,” Skerry said. “He was a skilled forward who was a double-double machine.” One of the things that caught the attention of the coaches at UH about Gorham was his toughness. To Sampson, that has always been his greatest asset. Assistant coach Kellen Sampson, who Gorham spent a good amount of time working with during his redshirt year, once talked about how the UH program embraces “blue-collar” players. Athletes that are not afraid to get dirty, as Kellen put it, and play a style that meshes with a grit and grind mentality. Gorham has fit that mold perfectly. “He embodies everything we value,” Kelvin said. “He is a high character kid.” Gorham’s rebounding, however, is all on him. Kelvin does not even bother setting a goal. He believes that would be an insult to his forward. Gorham’s motor takes care of crashing the glass. Gorham’s teammates love it too. It alleviates plenty of pressure off their shoulders. “I don’t know what we would do without him really,” sophomore guard Marcus Sasser said. “Any time we shoot the ball, I just know that if we miss it, 50 percent of the time, the misses, he is going to get it.” There are a few people that hate Gorham’s rebounding prowess — UH’s opponents. The more offensive boards he clamps down, the more frustration builds within the opposing teams. Senior guard DeJon Jarreau often sees their foes often fussing against each other every time No. 4 comes away with the ball over a scrum of players. “He just wears guys down,” Jarreau said. “His energy is great. He comes to do it every game. He does it in practice. What he is doing is not a fluke. He works at it and takes pride in it.” sports@thedailycougar.com
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 | 11 ANDY YANEZ, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS
SPORTS NEWS
@THECOUGARSPORTS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
From sitting out to balling out, Britney Onyeje has found home at UH JALA MASON
SENIOR STAFF WRITER @MASONJALA
Right out of Pflugerville High School, guard Britney Onyeje decided to head east to continue her athletic and academic careers. She didn’t land in Houston, though. Instead she ended up all the way the way in the East Coast, enrolling at Central Florida in Orlando. But at UCF, Onyeje sat out for her entire freshman season. When things didn’t go as planned, Houston women’s basketball head coach Ronald Hughey and the rest of the coaching staff were thankful they had stayed in touch with Onyeje and her family. Sometimes the saying “you’ll always find your way back home” rings true. It certainly did for Onyeje, who, after one season with Knights, decided to transfer to Houston. “Usually Texas kids have a way of coming back, and that’s what happened with Britney,” Hughey said. “We were excited to be able to have the opportunity to have her back.”
Another pause Onyeje, however, couldn’t hit the ground running like she wanted to. Due to transfer rules, she had to sit out another season. This time, it was particularly because this marked the second consecutive season she had to sit out. This go-round, however, she used
UH guard Britney Onyeje releases a 3-point shot in a game against Memphis on Feb. 13 inside of the Fertitta Center. | Andy Yanez/The Cougar
her time wisely. “She developed herself into a 3-point shooter. And that’s the things we talk about when growing your game, knowing your role, buying into that,” Hughey said. “And that’s to her credit.” After all that work, it seemed clear that Onyeje was set to make an immediate impact on the program, but she had yet to be challenged in an actual game setting, which had the coaches a little leery, but in her collegiate debut, Onyeje wowed with 23 points against Oklahoma. “At the start of the season, I was
very excited, so I feel like I just want to have high energy on the court,” Onyeje said. “Just cheer on my teammates, do whatever I can on the court that would help us win.” That mentality is what Onyeje credits to helping her be prepared for the season’s start. The same go-getter mindset has also rubbed off on those around her. “Energy, energy, energy. I love the infectious energy she brings every day,” Hughey said. Through 15 games in her first full season as a collegiate basketball player, Onyeje has averaged 10.9 points per contest, leading the
Cougars. However, not every week has been smooth sailing. After going through a rough patch with her shooting, Onyeje had to regroup to get back to performing the way she and her coaches knew she could. Along with more hours in the gym, perfecting her form and focusing more on making shots, Onyeje got back to her old self with the help of her team. “The minute I sat out, when I was in a little shooting slump … Everyone was like ‘keep your head up, it’s going to fall, it’s going to fall,’” Onyeje said. “I feel like my teammates talking to me, that put me back in my little shooting streak.” The team serves as an anchor in many areas of Onyeje’s life outside of basketball too. It is one of the things she likes about the program.
— winning. It sometimes leaves Hughey feeling like a proud father, as he put it. One of the team’s most memorable bonding experiences was a make-shift talent show that took place the night before the game against ECU. “Britney is Beyoncé and everybody else is just her background dancers,” sophomore guard Dymond Gladney said with a laugh as she reminisced. Those silly times off the court have a way of translating onto the court for UH. “We just have fun playing with each other, and you can tell. When we’re on the court … We gel,” Gladney said. With a team like this, Onyeje has high hopes for the future.
More than a team
“I like competition … We want to win conference. We want to be the first ones that win the conference tournament,” Onyeje said. For Onyeje, it seems as if she has found her stride, and those around her are ready to see what she’ll make happen. “We always knew that she had energy, she was going to have a great attitude, she was going to work hard, and we thought everything might fall into place,” Hughey said. “And it absolutely has fallen into place for her.”
“This school is family-oriented,” Onyeje said. “If I miss my parents, I can just go to my teammates or I can even go to some of the coaches and just talk to them, and they cheer me up.” This team chemistry Onyeje speaks of accounts for much of UH’s success. After UH’s start at the beginning of American Athletic Conference play, the Cougars began to struggle a bit. Hughey attributed a portion of this to the team’s connection, or lack thereof, on the court. Since then, the team has meshed together to achieve a common goal
All in
sports@thedailycougar.com
SOFTBALL
UH’s goal for 2021 is to be the aggressors JAMES MUELLER
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @JDM2186
UH is of to a 3-3 start to the 2021 season. | Courtesy of UH athletics
From freshman pitcher Logan Hulon throwing a no-hitter in her collegiate debut, to putting together an 11-game win streak, it appeared that nothing would be able to stop the Houston softball team from rolling in 2020. But everything took a 180-degree turn in a blink of an eye as the COVID-19 pandemic suddenly rocked the U.S., prompting the NCAA to cancel the softball season less than a month after it started. This was extremely heartbreaking for the Cougars, who had gotten off to a 16-7 start before the season was canceled, but the team vowed that they were going to use this long layoff to work hard and do everything they could to get better every single day in order to come out stronger in 2021. After 337 days without playing a game, the wait to return to
action was finally over as the Cougars opened their season with a doubleheader against Lamar on Feb. 12, followed by taking on Texas Southern the next afternoon. As the UH softball team took the field for the first time since March 2020, players and coaches were filled with a whirlwind of emotions to finally play the game they love. “We haven’t played in over 330 days, so any opportunity we get to be on the field is a blessing,” head coach Kristin Vesely said. “Just being out there is really hard to explain because that was the light at the end of the tunnel.” The Cougars picked up right where they left off to start the 2021 season, scoring five runs in the first inning of a game that ended up being a dominant 14-1 victory. UH dropped the second game of the doubleheader against Lamar, but bounced back, shutting out TSU in route to an 8-0 win. One thing that was on display
in UH’s opening three games was aggressive baserunning as the Cougars ended up with nine stolen bases over the weekend. “Baserunning is going to be crucial for us to be successful this year. I think (in) situational hitting, we’ve done a really good job,” Vesely said. “If we can keep doing those things, those are just going to add up to extra runs for us which will equal wins at the end of the year.” This strong approach on the basepaths points to Vesely’s larger goal for UH if it is to be successful in 2021: being the aggressor. “I think with us, one of our biggest strengths is going to be (being) gritty,” Vesely said. “We’re going to be, hopefully, a team that’s over-aggressive and the aggressors in the game to try to catch the other teams on their heels and capitalize on mistakes.” sports@thedailycougar.com
12 | Wednesday, February 24, 2021
OPINION NEWS
JORDAN HART, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/OPINION
@THEDAILYCOUGAR
POLITICS
Sen. Ted Cruz cowardly left Texans in dark as the historic winter storm barreled through the state
Juana Garcia/The Cougar
ANNA BAKER
STAFF COLUMNIST
In the midst of a catastrophic snowstorm across Texas leaving millions without power, water or heat, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz packed his bags and went to Cancún, Mexico, with his family. This is clearly an example of his incompetence as a leader and his selfishness. More than that, it’s an example of how wealthy people deal with climate disasters and will continue to. Many people see climate change as an issue that affects us equally, but that’s not true. While climate change may come for everyone in the end, it will affect poor people of color first. Cruz’s flight shows the need to fight for equitable climate change policy that prioritizes the communities
most at risk in these disasters. What Ted Cruz did was absolutely deplorable, but it’s been done before. During this pandemic, there have been celebrities like Timothee Chalamet, Kim Kardashian and Drake going off on lavish vacations to other countries despite Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines telling people to stay home. Since rich people have the money to avoid certain issues, they will. Another major example that is similar to the Ted Cruz situation is Joel Osteen not opening up his church during Hurricane Harvey. When talking about climate change, people typically act like this will affect all of us equally, even though it won’t. We can see that rich people
have the ability to whisk themselves away on luxury vacations the second disaster hits, or shut themselves up in their million dollar homes or churches. Even if a natural disaster does affect a rich person’s property, they likely have multiple homes to stay at or can afford a five star hotel suite. Most people don’t have that option. Most people’s lives are completely uprooted if a weather disaster damages their house. Poor communities, specifically poor communities of color, are the most at risk in climate disasters. Redlining prevents them from repairing their property to waterproof their buildings. Someone living paycheck to paycheck probably cannot afford a generator or even stock up on emergency
supplies. Communities of color are also less likely to be prioritized when fixing damage after a storm. After Hurricane Katrina, the world witnessed that it was harder for lowincome African American communities to recover than others. The same goes for Harvey. During this winter storm, it was poor communities of color that struggled the most. Utility companies kept downtowns across Texas powered, as well as the wealthy neighborhoods surrounding them, while other communities on the outskirts were literally left in the dark and cold. Low income communities are still struggling after this recent storm. Many lost power for over 48 hours and couldn’t go to work for a week.
While his constituents were struggling, Cruz left to have fun on vacation. Cruz’s Cancún trip is just a sneak peek as to what may happen a lot in the future. Climate change is real and more weather disasters will start happening, along with rich people leaving to escape for themselves. Hopefully there will be more climate change policies in the future with the new president, and hopefully those policies will prioritize the communities that will be affected the most by climate change. There needs to be a policy in place to protect and help these communities. Otherwise, it will be every man for himself, with the rich being the most successful at it. opinion@thedailycougar.com
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 | 13 JORDAN HART, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/OPINION
OPINION NEWS
@THEDAILYCOUGAR
FOOD INSECURITY
Devastating winter storms demonstrates why Texas food insecurity must be quickly addressed
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ABDULLAH DOWAIHY
STAFF COLUMNIST
Last week, the state of Texas experienced devastating winter weather that caused power outages, loss of water and canceled classes. The real tragedy that occurred during the winter storm is the worsening of the food insecurity situation that already exists in Texas. Food insecurity has been a serious issue in Texas since before the pandemic started. Now that there’s severe cold weather, the problem is twice as bad. This is an urgent humanitarian situation in the U.S. that must not be delayed any longer, especially when coupled with the increase in electric bills. Houston is one of the largest cities in the U.S. If its citizens are starving, that will impact the country’s economy and welfare. The Fair Haven Food Pantry in the Spring Branch area of Houston is one of the prime examples of the food insecurity problem in Texas. John Stephens, the pastor working for the pantry, has
called last week “a disaster within a disaster,” mainly because the food pantry has already witnessed the highest level of food insecurity due to COVID-19. The food pantry also suffered from shortages of supplies to give to families whose jobs are impacted by the winter storm. In addition, the supermarkets in Texas are “running low” on food supplies. This is disastrous because grocery stores should be the lifesavers for citizens. Therefore, the winter storm did not alleviate the situation, but made it more difficult to feed the hungry. Unfortunately, Texans saw how elected officials like Sen. Ted Cruz would rather leave the whole country than fix the humanitarian issues in the state. This complete dereliction of duty should make it crystal clear to Texans that the food insecurity issue, like all other issues, will not be fixed by those in power. In fact, the elected politicians may believe that the people of Texas do not care about – or just forget about – these important issues.
This winter storm, combined with the pandemic, should motivate young voters in Texas to campaign for human rights reform in the politics of their state and their country. That’s because reform and progress start with holding those accountable who neglect the needs of the citizens. This should not be a very hard task for the American people, because the U.S. is one of the major contributors to the World Food Programme (WFP), which won the Nobel Peace Prize for their heroic efforts to feed the poor. In fact, the current executive director of WFP, David Beasley, is a former Republican governor of South Carolina. If an American can lead the whole world in feeding the poor and the needy, then they can lead an American state in feeding the poor and the needy. Therefore, Texans should not lose hope yet in finding the leader who will finally put an end to the starvation of the citizens of Texas. In other words, voters in the state of Texas must use that sadness and anger felt from seeing the negligence of the
citizens to elect politicians who take seriously the welfare of the poor and the weak. Texans, probably like the rest of the American people, have seen how countries around the world collapsed or became rogue nations when their citizens are starving in the streets. Texans also saw how American presidents always made a speech to the U.N. condemning these nations or urging these leaders to contribute more to feeding their own citizens in poor nations. They’ve seen how the leaders of those countries have a bad habit of profiting off of the deaths and malnutrition of the children in their own cities. As a result, the economy of these countries never recover and their leaders are never held accountable because they are not a democracy. Texans must now stand up to those officials who act like leaders of a rogue nation by voting them out of office in order to live up to the American values they talk about on the world stage. opinion@thedailycougar.com
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14 | Wednesday, February 24, 2021
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Wednesday, February 24, 2021 | 15
GRAD SCHOOL NEWS GUIDE JOBS
The best tips for job searching as while in graduate school
UNIVERSITY CAREER SERVICES @COOGCAREERS
Job search process for graduate students is a little different than for undergraduate students. Since a graduate degree aims at specializing in a certain area, the job search also needs to be well thought out and tailored towards a specific field. Typically graduate students select to go in the academia or industry route. Jobs in the academia will include teaching/ research positions while industry will include R&D, application, sales and marketing to name a few.
4 GRADUATE STUDENT JOB SEARCH TIPS Begin with assessing your skills and gaining experience The first step in beginning your graduate career journey is by assessing your interests, skills, strengths, goals, values, and self to better understand your story, as you connect with employers and opportunities of interest. Job search process becomes easier if you have clarity on what you like and make the search process more efficient. While doing this, consider what type of industry you would like to work in academic or industry
setting. If you are looking to make a crossover (to industry for example) you will have to demonstrate marketable skills. This is why we encourage doing internships during your time in graduate school or even during a post-doc. Others may develop a unique skill set on their own outside of their laboratory work and find their niche.
Be open to all different kinds of possibilities If you are open and accepting to change, you will most likely be 10 steps ahead of the person who is afraid to step out of their comfort zone and expand their horizons (one example of this is someone who does a post-doc in the same lab that they graduated from). To only look 50 miles or so from home is to rule out about 95% of the career prospects out there.
Organize your documents Take time and seek professional help (college career center) to create/update your resume and/or CV. Typically academic jobs require you to submit a CV while industry jobs need a resume. Create an impactful cover letter connecting your skills and experiences with the job requirements. Make sure
to highlight your transferable/soft skills like communication, team working, presentation, problem solving, etc. Make digital folders labeled by organization name and job title. Create an online portfolio reflecting your research/writing work.
Practice interviewing Numerous surveys and studies show that interpersonal skills matter more than technical skills in industry. Lack of interpersonal skills is the number one reason people don’t get hired and it’s the number one reason people get fired. If you struggle to communicate with different types of people, especially nonacademics, than you need to get trained in interpersonal skills. The longer you wait to improve these skills, the more your career will suffer. Participating in mock interviews helps students understand the different types of interview questions and strategies to answer them thus building up their confidence in the interviewing.
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16 | Wednesday, February 24, 2021
GRAD NEWS SCHOOL GUIDE INTERVIEWING
How to ace your upcoming graduate school virtual interviews UNIVERSITY CAREER SERVICES @COOGCAREERS
This past year many graduate programs moved to online interviewing. A benefit of online interviewing is you still get to connect with the admission’s committee no matter where they are located. Online interviewing is different though than face-to-face and does require additional preparation. Below are 20 tips to help you prepare and feel confident about your upcoming virtual graduate
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Network (Informational interviews, LinkedIn, Professional Associations, Alumni) Companies don’t need to advertise their high level positions because there’s already a high demand for them. Instead of advertising high level positions,
school interview.
speaking
Technology
Prepare
Know if the interview will be live or pre-recorded Test the online platform, ex. Teams, Zoom, Skype, before the interview day. Find a quiet space where you will not be interrupted Face the computer away from the window for a natural light Turn off any distractions such as a phone, email, or web browser Look at the webcam when most companies will either hire internally or seek referrals. They may use a recruiter to help them find someone but most will just ask their employees and external networks for good candidates. If you’re not part of any of these networks, you’ll never even hear about the best jobs. All industry jobs searches start with networking. Networking is the ONLY way to get a good industry job. Over 50% of jobs at top
Review your application materials Think about your strengths and practice specific examples of when you have displayed those strengths using the STAR Method Research the program to answer questions such as why are you choosing to apply to our program, and do you have any questions for us? Record yourself or practice firms come from direct referrals. Ask friends and colleagues for introductions to people in their networks. Meet people outside of your niche research area, for example by attending presentations by startup companies, meetings of technology interest groups, and on-campus socials. Informational Interviews are great ways for YOU to connect with professionals and learn more about their roles and responsibilities. Prepare strong,
in front of a mirror to view your non-verbal’s View the UCS Virtual Interviewing Workshop Schedule a Mock Interview appointment on Cougar Pathway to practice before the interview
Dress professionally from head to toe to put yourself in a professional mindset Have your resume and notes next to you as a reference Respond to questions within
a 1 minute to a 1 minute and 30 seconds Make sure to speak clearly by not rushing through your responses Provide detailed but concise responses to show and not tell the interviewer the strengths you bring to a program. Answer situational based questions by using the STAR method. Prepare three questions to ask at the end of the interview Send a thank you email after the interview
open-ended questions you hope to learn from the professional. It is estimated 70-80 percent of jobs are advertised through non-traditional job search channels. LinkedIn is the most popular professional. There are 171+ million total number of LinkedIn users from the US and 55 job applications are submitted every second to LinkedIn. Your LinkedIn profile creates a great opportunity to make yourself stand out. Your connections on
LinkedIn can be key in helping you find -- and land -- the job you want. Professionals on LinkedIn are 4x more likely to get a call with a recruiter -- and 9x more likely to get hired -- when they’ve been referred by a connection than if they apply without a referral. Take advantage of LinkedIn’s job search filters to narrow your search by industry, function and experience, and then use the open search box to add key phrases to find the right job for you.
Interview Day
