The Bison Newspaper - Vol. 98, No. 10

Facebook: Harding University Student Publications

HULA rearranges trip due to protests

The spring 2023 Harding University in Latin America (HULA) program has slightly rearranged its planned itinerary due to continued protests in Peru making transportation in the country unreliable.

HULA students flew into Lima, Peru, Feb. 2 and then headed to Buenos Aires, Argentina, instead of flying straight into Arequipa, Peru, where the program is headquartered.

According to HULA director Jeremy Daggett, citizens of Peru have been protesting for a new congress and a reformed constitution after a failed coup by former President Pedro Castillo on Dec. 7. Castillo was elected in 2021, and the indigenous and underrepresented peoples of the Peruvian provinces hoped he would bring change to their government, but it soon became clear he was susceptible to corruption and incompetent to lead, according to Daggett. After the coup, in which Castillo tried to dissolve congress, he was arrested, and Vice President Dina Boluarte took over as Peru’s sixth president in five years.

“The people of the provinces were disappointed by the president that was supposed to be

their champion, and they’re asking for new elections for president and new elections for congress in hopes that something might finally change,” Daggett said.

Daggett said though protesting is a normal part of Peruvian culture, altercations with police and military forces have led to some of the protests becoming violent. According to a Jan. 27 article by The New York Times, at least 57 deaths have occurred related to the unrest. Daggett said the concern with HULA staying in Arequipa is not due to the violence, as the protests are organized, and citizens can find out ahead of time where they will be located. Rather, the concern was more that travel into the Arequipa airport wouldn’t be possible or that the group would be restricted from traveling outside the country.

“We were planning on traveling to Argentina on Feb. 9 and now we’re traveling on Feb. 4, so the only big change has been moving up our trip five days,” Daggett said. “That gives us a little bit more time for things to iron out. I don’t currently anticipate having to extend our stay in Argentina.

I’m confident that we’ll be able to do a really special Arequipa-based HULA program.”

Director of International Programs

(IP) Audra Pleasant said her office has been monitoring the situation and still

feels the program can be headquartered in Arequipa this semester.

“The situation in Peru is fluid, and we’re monitoring it closely,” Pleasant said. “If circumstances change, and we no longer feel that we can provide an excellent program or reasonable safety for all program participants, we will adapt the itinerary as needed.”

Freshman Mikayla Jones is one of the students studying abroad at HULA this semester. She said the program directors and IP office have done a good job at making the group feel safe and informed about the situation in Peru.

“Some of my friends who went to HULA in the past said their only regret was that they couldn’t spend more time in Buenos Aires, so with that in mind I am so excited to explore that city for even more time,” Jones said.

Daggett said they are hopeful about HULA returning to Peru to continue with their planned schedule after visiting Argentina.

“We love HULA, we love Peru, we love hosting HULA in Peru, and we’re really hopeful that things can be settled in the coming weeks so we can be comfortable continuing on the program based in Peru,” Daggett said.

Gov. Sanders signs order regarding academic finances

exactly until you actually see what the final product looks like.”

Dr. Kieth Williams, associate professor of education, said this order will bring a large number of changes.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order concerning academic and financial plans in the state on Thursday, Jan. 19. This executive order aims to reduce inefficient spending and relieve administrative burdens on school districts, according to an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article on Jan. 20.

Sanders said she aims to create a more cohesive system in which each school district can apply to receive federal and state funding by submitting a single, unified application, starting in the 2024-25 budget cycle.

Under Sanders’ executive order, the Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva will review state laws and regulations concerning public schools and districts in Arkansas, according to a Jan. 19 report from television station THV11. He will then proceed to recommend to Sanders reforms based on what is needed.

Oliva will also create a process for school districts to send feedback to his department about state laws, regulations and more.

Dr. Steve Breezeel, professor of political science, said the nature of this order is uncertain.

“I know that school funding is one of the biggest obstacles that public schools in Arkansas face,” Breezeel said “This is one of those things where you never know

“It may involve curriculum, it might involve methods of instruction, additional people to be involved in teaching reading, we just don’t know because she hasn’t released any information on that,” Williams said. “There needs to be something in it with teacher compensation. That’s going to be a major point.”

Williams also said Sanders added a caveat about accountability of teachers.

“It’s going to become a very sensitive issue in the ranks of all the professionals and teachers in the state because the variables that impact learning are many times overlooked by those who make the laws,” Williams said.

Dr. David Bangs, department chair of the graduate education program, discussed the specifics concerning teacher pay to watch for in this new education order from Sanders.

“No one disagrees that teachers should be paid more,” Bangs said. “No one disagrees that police officers should be paid more, but trying to define that money and pull that in is a whole different ball game. … Those salary schedules are put in with lanes, experience and education, and when you put that in, that’s a recurring expense every year for that district. No one’s going to dispute some of those things. You have to find a way to pay for it, and that’s where it gets difficult.”

EMMA JONES editor-in-chief

SOPHIE THIBODEAUX student writer

SOPHIE ROSSITTO news editor

The Edificio Bencich building near the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which the spring 2022 HULA program visited while in the city. Last year’s HULA program was the first to visit Buenos Aires, and the spring 2023 program will be starting their semester there.

Photo provided by Jeana Willmon

Graphic by WAGNER VALDEZ Burns supper, 4B Artist talk, 2A 3 vs. 3 basketball, 1B New pet store, 2B

Harding alumnus visits campus to present original paintings

Students, staff and faculty gathered in the Stevens Art and Design Center Jan. 24 to listen to alumnus John Roberts present an art talk.

The collection of art brought to Harding’s campus was primarily from the David Lusk Gallery in Memphis, Tennessee, where Roberts displays and sells his work. A few of the pieces had been previously sold and were borrowed back for the event.

“I think line is a very big tool that he uses here,” freshman art licensure major Paige Singleton said. “A lot of the time people try to exclude line because it doesn’t look as good or something, but it can be used in very special ways if you use it correctly.”

Line work was a theme visible across all of Roberts’ work, but another theme he heavily

relied on was everyday environments. He explained in his talk that most of his themes were memories from his childhood or old family stories about supernatural occurrences. All the paintings, aside from two, featured bright warm toned colors.

Roberts grew up in Searcy, where he attended West Side Church of Christ and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Harding. He proceeded to obtain a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. After grad school, Roberts spent time as a missionary in Brazil but ultimately ended up living on land that once belonged to his distant grandmother in Sharon, Tennessee. He spent much of that time etching tombstones. In 2020, Roberts decided it was time to change back to artistry and started working half days etching tombstones while the rest of the day he painted in his garage.

During the talk, he said he used to believe Arkansas and Tennessee were not as beautiful as other places, such as Italy, Colorado and England, but as he grew in his artistry he came to love Arkansas and Tennessee. That is the reason Roberts showcases those settings in his paintings, such as “We Have Lived Our Lives in the Valley of The Shadow of Death,” “Hwy 64 to Marion, Arkansas,” and “Swish McBasket Had 9 1/2 Fingers.”

“I like [the paintings] because it’s just so beautifully done from something that’s so recognizable and so normal to me,” Roberts said. “When I first moved to where I am now, I thought it’s boring and not so beautiful … but I think they [the other locations] are equally as beautiful as Tennessee and Arkansas. You have to learn to appreciate what you’re used to, and that’s all anyone can do.”

Roberts’ most recent painting, “Requiem,” features a young man in the foreground holding a boombox with a trampoline and a cat sitting in the background. This man is a friend of Roberts who died. In the sky, there are three clouds, which symbolize the Holy Trinity, and a dove. Early in the talk, he said that while the painting was special to him, he was not ready to share its full significance. However, after many questions and comments directed toward “Requiem,” Roberts opened up that the painting was a prayer for the soul of his friend.

“The prayer tied to his friend, how special that is to him, makes it more special to me,” assistant Provost Dana Steil, who attended the event, said. “I appreciate that he decided to go ahead and share with us how special that was even though he was hesitant at first. That made it more special.”

‘Filmmakers with low budgets and big ideas’

Students attend Sundance Film Festival for first time in three years

SPENCER AIELLO student writer

A group of Harding students and faculty returned to campus last Saturday from a trip to the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, where they viewed films not yet released to the public and talked with the crews from the films.

The Sundance Film Festival occurs every January in Park City. Many universities come from around the United States to attend the festival, allowing students to see some of the processes and challenges firsthand of what goes into filmmaking. Harding students also had the opportunity last week to participate in the Windrider Summit, which offered educational sessions and discussions related to the Sundance films from a theological perspective, according to the organization’s website.

Harding students returned to the festival this year after not being able to go since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down the in-person availability to students.

Film program director and associate communication professor Charles Bane said

being able to go on this trip again with Harding students and film majors was important.

“It was incredibly important,” Bane said. “The past two years were virtual, and though there were some opportunities for Q&A, most of them had been pre-recorded. There were no real options for connecting with other participants.”

Bane said the trip allows film majors and other majors to reach out and make connections to other students who are in different programs.

“For filmmakers, it’s important because they get to meet students in other programs and see what they are producing,” Bane said. “It also allows a glimpse into the trends in the industry.”

Senior media production major Sam Stebbins also went on the Sundance trip and said he felt it helped grow his perspectives.

“I think the Sundance trip is important because it has the potential to broaden one’s understanding of the world and expose any ignorance we may have about certain issues,” Stebbins said. “I certainly felt God pricking my heart during some of the films I watched.” Stebbins said being able to go on this trip as a senior was important to him.

“As a senior, going on the Sundance trip was a really great way to kick off the end of my time at Harding in an exciting and unique way,” Stebbins said. Freshman film major Alita O’Leary went on the Sundance trip as well and said it was inspiring.

“[I was able] to be surrounded and inspired by so many people who are in the same shoes as me, Christian — as well as non-Christian — filmmakers with low budgets and big ideas,” O’Leary said.

last week.

interact

Test your news knowledge

ACROSS

6. Harding alumnus Mat _____ is Searcy’s new mayor.

7. Where is Harding’s new BSN program located?

10. What Scottish food was eaten at the Burns Supper?

12. Where is missionary Louis Bassay from?

13. Where are three freshmen members of the track team from?

16. Which DreamWorks sequel was recently released?

18. Which 2009 movie won three Academy Awards?

DOWN

1. A visible theme in artist John Roberts’ work:

2. Which team won the 3 vs. 3 basketball tournament?

3. Where is the Sundance Film Festival held?

4. What city is the HULA program typically based in?

5. The new Searcy pet store is ___ Pet Shoppe.

8. How many Harding professors won the Achievement in Teaching award in 2022?

9. What was one business affected by road work?

11. New governor of Arkansas, Sarah _____ Sanders.

14. What activity have students been participating in at Harding Place?

15 Which social club won the women’s A team volleyball championship?

17. What was one of two kinds of sushi that students learned to make?

BAILEY RIDENOUR student writer

Artist John Roberts gives an art talk featuring paintings from his original collection in the Stevens Art and Design Center. During his Jan. 24 visit, Roberts said many of his paintings were inspired by childhood memories or family stories.

Photo by BALAZS BALASSA

Photo provided by Alita O’Leary Actors perform in a scene during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah,

Harding students had a chance to learn about the filmmaking process and

with film crew members during the festival.

“

December 2022 Movies

Puss in

Boots: The Last Wish

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” may have spent 11 years in development purgatory (purgatorio?), but it’s easily one of the best DreamWorks Animation movies in years — maybe even one of their best movies, full stop. It’s bright, dynamic and light-hearted, while also managing to balance heavy themes about mortality, loss and love. Warning: Spoilers ahead. Puss in Boots sings two musical numbers, and he is also haunted by a specter of death and his own powerlessness against it. He left Kitty Softpaws at the altar, leaving her unable to let her guard down or let anyone in. His best friend, a bug-eyed Chihuahua who doesn’t realize his own family tried to drown him, calms Puss down from an on-screen panic attack. A lot for a kids’ cartoon, no? But “The Last Wish” makes it work, and watering it down to a children’s movie is a disservice to the medium of animation. Like “Shrek,” “The Last Wish” is funny, unashamed and, at times, irreverent; it’s a proud addition to the franchise.

After learning that he is on his last life, Puss in Boots goes to a tavern to drink his sorrows away. There, he is confronted by the Big Bad Wolf posing as a bounty hunter. The two fight, and the Wolf disarms him and corners Puss in the bathroom. Puss flushes himself down the toilet and flees, eventually retiring to a quiet life at Mama Luna’s Cat Rescue. He buries the boots, is renamed Pickles and lets the legend die. When the Three Bears Crime Family breaks into the rescue to find him and he learns they want him for a heist job, however, his passion is relit. With the bug-eyed Chihuahua, disguised as a cat because no one wants him, Puss digs up his early grave and pulls his boots back on — along with the heavy burden of the legacy they carry.

Here’s where the real meat of the movie comes in and, spoiler, it’s a heist. And like any good heist, there are competing teams. Team Friendship (named by the unwanted Chihuahua) is Puss, Kitty Softpaws and Perrito (the Chihuahua’s new name). Team Three Bears is Mama, Papa, Baby Bear (Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone and Samson Kayo) and Goldilocks (Florence Pugh; did I mention it’s a stacked cast?).

And Team Villain is Big Jack Horner (John Mulaney; I mean, come on), Jiminy Cricket and a bunch of unnamed bakers who are used as cannon fodder so Jack can reach his goal. They follow the twisting turns of the Dark Forest to find the magical wishing star, each desperate to have the star’s wish for themselves. And all along the way, Puss is haunted by Big Bad Wolf — Death — and Death’s own vengeful quest to punish Puss’ careless and selfish waste of his former lives.

The themes of “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” can be split into three questions: What is family? What are friends? And what makes a life worth living? Answering them is a tall order for any movie, but “The Last Wish” delivers on all fronts. Puss grapples with his legacy and fear in the face of his last life; Kitty Softpaws searches for someone — anyone — she can trust; Perrito delivers many of the film’s most heartfelt moments and finds true friendship. The Three Bears envision a life filled to the brim with their family and love; Goldilocks is desperate to finally be rid of the dirty, hungry orphan she’s always seen herself as. Jack Horner is heartless and irredeemable, and his apathy and disregard for life lighten up the heavier character beats.

The movie’s tight pace bounces between quick humor to heartwarming dialogue to anime-esque action scenes. It takes perfect advantage of its medium with story-book stylization, richly textured characters and packed color. If you can’t tell, I love this movie. It is uproariously delightful, and I am so excited to see what DreamWorks will do next.

Avatar: The Way of Water

My excitement was at an all-time high on Dec. 16, 2022. After 13 years, James Cameron and his team brought us “Avatar: The Way of Water.”

I loved the first movie released in 2009 — and the critics did, too. “Avatar” was one of the most successful movies to hit the box office in the 21st century. The movie reached $2.92 billion worth of earnings at the worldwide box office. Furthermore, “Avatar” had a successful trophy haul — winning three Academy Awards and receiving nine nominations.

Walking into the movie theater in December, I expected to watch another award-winning film. However, I left the theater knowing Cameron could have done a better job. (Warning: Spoilers ahead.)

Even though the storyline was enjoyable at face value, the sequel movie seemed to mimic the initial 2009 film using different elements. If you watched the movies side-by-side, you would slowly realize how similar the movies compare to each other.

I could rattle off a list of similarities between the two plot lines, but the one that stuck out the most came at the end of the film. The Resources Development Administration (RDA) slowly outnumbered the Avatar during the final battle on the water. However, Payakan began to attack the RDA vessel.

In the first movie, when all hope seemed to be lost, the animals began to fight off the RDA on the ground and through the air. Although both of these scenes are displayed in a magnificent manner, they are still too similar for my liking. Despite the similar storyline, “Avatar: The Way of Water” offers interesting character development. I am glad Cameron and his team decided to put less emphasis on Jake’s story. Jake’s family and compatriots got to enjoy the spotlight more during this movie.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the development of Spider and Kiri throughout the movie. Spider, the son of the late Colonel Miles Quaritch, embraced the Avatar throughout the movie. He liked to fellowship and speak with the Avatar in their native language. Spider also dressed like the Na’vi tribe. The development between Spider and his father’s avatar makes the audience ponder when watching the film. The conflicting senses of hope and disagreement made their story intriguing to watch. I hope Cameron utilizes Spider in a major way during the next movie.

Kiri, Jake’s child born from Grace Augustines’ deceased avatar, was easily my favorite character in the film. Watching Kiri fulfill her mother’s dream was heart-wrenching and inspiring. The way she gradually connected with the nature of the sea was truly fascinating. The scenes involving Kiri’s developing connection with the sea were beautifully shown throughout the entire movie. Along with character development, the cinematography was nothing short of stunning. The scenes set in the reef were beautiful and mind-blowing to witness in theater. I fully expect this movie to win an Academy Award for cinematography or visual effects. Despite impressing on a visual scale, I honestly believe Cameron could have given the audience a better and more creative story. Moviegoers waited 13 years for the second edition of the “Avatar” series, and Cameron fell just short of my expectations.

To sum it up, “Avatar: The Way of Water” was beautifully shown but lacked a hint of creativity. Overall, I would rate the film a 7 out of 10.

Give yourself some credit

Throughout the last few years, I have found there are two sides of the academic coin. Regarding attitudes, a student can either view her schoolwork as a major point of pride from accomplishing tough courses and preparing for an intense career or as blow-off classes that add up to a degree that generally does not receive much praise — or somewhere in between. I speak on behalf of the latter category, as communication majors tend to receive comments from peers about how their homework status is more of a laughing matter.

I suffered whiplash in my transition to college. For seven years, I attended an academic magnet school with fellow students who challenged me in our shared studies and went on to Ivy League schools. But when I entered college and my academic path, I immediately felt discredited for the work I wanted to do. Science majors were shoving their labs and lectures in my face, and I thought, “What are my communication skills even worth?”

Whatever your major is, or whatever category you fall into based on a stereotype,

Emma Jones editor-in-chief

Sara Hook features/layout editor

Sophie Rossitto news editor

Climbing on the housetop

This year I played the classic game — as an upperclassman, active club member and beau — of trying to get out of Spring Sing. My friends and I agreed on a rule: if I’m old enough to be applying for grad school and looking at potential in-field jobs, I should not have to be expected to run around on a stage and get all sweaty. It’s funny being an upperclassman now, seeing who still wears their jerseys, who still gets really into club or intramural sports and who still wears their club or team merch. Don’t you have anything better to do, like school?

As I get older, it feels sillier and sillier to wear my jersey on Fridays, to dress up in purple and green when we beaux or to get my eyeliner done for Spring Sing. In the past, I’d have been willing to change everything about myself to wear a goofy uniform and fit into a silly little club, but when I found those groups here, I didn’t have to change a thing about myself. I wonder why some people will now change everything about themselves to no longer associate with something they previously held so dear.

It feels almost like the secret of Santa Claus. Everyone loves Santa as a child and will change their behavior to be visited by him. (Though few parents are heartless enough to withhold presents from disobedient children on Christmas). Once a child finds out Santa isn’t real, they abhor anything that has to do with fairy tales or the fun stories of Christmas. After this, people have a spectrum of where they can end up. They can be like Dorey Walker from “Miracle on 34th Street,” who tells every child in sight that Santa isn’t real; or they can simply acknowledge that the legend of Santa Claus is fun but false and move on with their merry lives; or they can contribute to bringing the same feeling to others that they themselves felt when they first believed, a belief not in the legend, but replacing magic in the legend of Santa with the faith and generosity of St. Nicholas. In doing so, they teach others to have the capacity for generosity and love.

I think we need a reminder of what a healthy attitude toward school should be: that we take pride in our work as a user of our God-given talents, but we should not give that work power to single-handedly define our worth as a valuable person in society, especially not in comparison to others. Since the curriculum is so different across various departments, comparing workloads contributes to a toxic academic environment. I am unable to mention each particular area of study and address the perception of rigor that comes with them, but I urge you to investigate the mindset you have of your schoolwork and the intention behind it.

We all know that God created us with different talents and abilities, so let’s start showing respect to every career path, as all are necessary for humanity’s success. To the future teachers, videographers, childlife specialists, designers, social workers and coaches, we not only need you, but we need you to believe in the work you do, too.

There is value in a work ethic, period. Perhaps you are guilty of either discrediting or giving too much credit to your work,

due to a simple comparison to what others are involved in. Value personal judgment on that, yes. You should know your own standards and what drives you. But do not get subliminally fooled into considering your academic challenges worthless or worth too much because of what is or isn’t required of you, and respect the professional goals of your peers, as well as yourself.

You have to know what you’re getting into and stick with it. If you have a stereotypically “easier” major, give it everything that is required and more because you have a gift that is meant to be used. If you have a “harder” major, don’t discredit the work other people are doing just because they chose a different path than you. Embrace this challenging journey you set out to take, knowing it should pay off in the end and you will play a vital role in the lives of others.

My fellow Bison, it may be time for you to flip that coin.

GRACE WINFREE is a guest writer for The Bison. She may be contacted at gwinfree@harding.edu.

Naturally, no organization is perfect, nor any family. Of course, when I am involved in my club, it’s going to take me away from “more important” things like my closest friends, job or schoolwork. When I was a part of the Student Association my sophomore year, it wasn’t my own motivation that made me active and passionate about what I was doing, but Ethan Brazell, a senior who spent time with me and helped me foster my gifts. My freshman and sophomore years, I wasn’t active in my social clubs because of myself and my pledge class alone, but because of my friends like Maddy, Coleman and Sam, juniors and seniors who invited me to things and gave me rides there. They didn’t just pass me the torch, but they held onto it with me, and we would both enjoy — in different capacities — what it meant to be a part of the groups we were in. It would be a shame to them, and a disservice to those who are younger than I, to avoid wearing my jersey. Perhaps, in my season of life, when I’m looking at jobs and applying to grad school, there is nothing more meaningful I could do than invest in what I do and who I look up to.

Tiane Davis sports editor

Malachi Brown opinions editor

Emma Weber community editor

Maggie Samples lifestyle editor

Gabriel Huff head copy editor

Cianna Jay asst. copy editor

Ava Bramlett editorial assistant

Balazs Balassa head photographer

Macy Cox asst. photographer

Gracie Cornett cartoonist

Bonnie Spann business manager

Theo Westbrook video/social media

Cooper Turman graphic designer

Wagner Valdez asst. graphic designer

Stacy Roibal beat reporter

Emily Stinnett historian April Fatula faculty adviser

Michael Claxton narrative columnist

Guest Writer Alexandra Wisner Student Writer Nic Fraraccio

NIC FRARACCIO is a student writer for The Bison. He may be contacted at nfraraccio@harding.edu.

ALEXANDRA WISNER is a guest writer for The Bison. She may be contacted at awisner@harding.edu.

Guest Writer Grace Winfree

Graphics by Cooper Turman

Graphic by Cooper Turman

Editor-in-Chief Emma Jones

OMW to play BOTW

If you know me very well, then you know my favorite video game ever is “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (BOTW). BOTW is an open-world actionadventure game that came out in 2017, but I didn’t start playing it until the summer of 2020 when I bought myself the game and a sunshine yellow Nintendo Switch Lite to play it on. That summer, being stuck at home with nothing to do, became one of my favorites because of this game and the joy I found from playing it. (Is it strange to feel nostalgic for our quarantine era?) I put a lot of time and effort into this game, to the point where I 100% completed it — one of my proudest accomplishments, if you’re wondering.

Being snowed in this week gave me the opportunity to sit down and start replaying the main storyline of BOTW with my boyfriend. And while this was wonderful and fun and I enjoyed myself, it just wasn’t striking up the same sense of wanderlust and adventure I felt the first time I played. Rather, it made me more nostalgic for that experience and almost bitter that I would never experience it for the first time again. I know, it sounds silly, but bear with me. Surely you have a favorite book or movie or TV show you wish you could relive for the first time?

As I grow older, I’ve found more and more experiences are starting to feel like that. Even college, at this point, feels like the same events that I am reliving over and over and finding less and less joy in. I have less drive to read for fun because it feels like something I am always having to do for class. My favorite movies are starting to feel boring. I am taking new classes, but my schedule is starting to run together and feels like every other semester. I am yearning for newer, bigger, better experiences that I know cannot happen while I am here.

But that train of thought cannot keep continuing. How wonderful is it that I loved BOTW so much to devote so much effort to it, and how wonderful it is to replay it and enjoy it in a whole new way. How wonderful that I can reread the same books I love, like “Airman” by Eion Colfer or the “Hunger Games” trilogy by Suzanne Collins, over and over and find a new reason to love them every time. How wonderful that I have seen “The Lego Batman Movie” enough times that I can monologue from it. Yes, it is good that I can look forward to experiencing new things, but so much of my life and your life and our lives is repetitive. I am learning to find the good in the repetition, to relive things and find the joy in them each time, because do we not love a God who also loves repetition? In “Orthodoxy,” G.K. Chesterton writes, “Perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony … It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them.” I hope I, and any others who have found themselves becoming jaded from the same old repeated experiences, can change our perspectives to find the joy in the repetition of everyday life — and in replaying favorite video games.

EMMA JONES is editor-inchief for The Bison. She can be contacted at ejones19@harding.edu.

Why would a woman write an article celebrating manhood? Because not many women would read it if it were written by a man. In our society, the legitimacy of your opinion is directly proportional to the degree of victimhood attributed to you. Men, in general, rank lower on that scale than women. We are constantly exposed to messages conveying that women can do and say things that are touchy or unacceptable from a man. Inequalities in women’s favor are blissfully ignored. Women are praised for being strong and keeping it all together, while men are often the butt of the jokes. The pendulum of public opinion has swung. A disclaimer: I realize I am making sweeping generalizations about culture, men and women, but bear with me.

God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (ESV). As Christians, it is our duty to reject any unscriptural message. This begins with a solid grasp of the biblical view of manhood.

First, God created both sexes in the image of God and called his creation “very good.”

Where does this culture shift leave Christians? Several New Testament letters contain warnings to churches that had absorbed the surrounding culture. It’s naive to think the church is immune to the shifting sands of societal norms. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of

Second, God created man as the stronger vessel (1 Peter 3:7); men’s bodies can handle things that women’s bodies cannot. Their bodies aren’t better, just different. On average, men have higher muscle mass, build muscle faster, have greater bone density and a lower body fat percentage. They take more risks (Gary Charness, Uri Gneezy: “Strong Evidence for Gender Differences in Risk Taking,” Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Volume 83, Issue 1, 2012), especially under stress (Mather, M., & Lighthall, N. R. (2012). Risk and Reward Are Processed Differently in Decisions Made Under Stress. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 21(1), 36–41.), and overwhelmingly constitute those working the most dangerous jobs in America and dying workplace injury-related deaths (according to a Public Health Post article published June 9, 2020). Statistically, the firefighters, police officers and paramedics that rush to an emergency are by a large majority male (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Third, men have been given the responsibility to protect and provide for their families. In 1 Timothy 5:8, Paul has harsh words for anyone who doesn’t provide for his family. According to U.S. Census data, men in general, and especially married men, work longer hours than women. Likewise, Paul tells husbands in Ephesians 5:29 to nourish and cherish their wives as they would their own bodies. In 1 Timothy 3:5, he requires that men manage their household well as a prerequisite to managing God’s household as an elder. The idea of men fulfilling leadership

roles in the home and the church is unpopular but biblical. As a woman, I am not eager to usurp that purpose. As Jesus says, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (Luke 12:48, NIV). Just because women “can do everything a man can do” does not mean that we can do it better, we should do it or that doing so is in the best interest of our Christian brothers or ourselves. Granted, masculinity has been twisted by the fall: anger, domination, workaholism and sexual impulsivity are a few examples. We women have no fewer flaws: manipulation, pettiness, competitive jealousy and gossip. Human nature is just plain bad. But our culture whispers that men are transactional, that they want things from us rather than for us. It’s unsurprising that many of us young women no longer want men to lead our homes or our churches — we’ve been marinated in a culture that views men with profound distrust and smugly highlights men who perpetuate its fatalistic depiction.

Worldly ideas are insidious because they inhabit the subconscious, sitting undisturbed and generally unnoticed below the surface. We may not believe them, but we feel them.To fight these subtle ideas, we can call out the overtones. While culture jumps on any opportunity to demean masculinity, it is our job as Christian women to affirm real manhood when we see it. Just as we build up our female friends with small measures of gratitude, extending that same gratitude to the men in our lives shows them that we see them through God’s eyes rather than those of culture. Women: Let’s give men the opportunity to be the sacrificial leaders God intended them to be. Men: Rise to the occasion.

The lighter side of chapel — part 2

Here are a few more comic moments from chapel over the years.

Many great stories from Harding’s past have been told during chapel. Bible building namesake Jim Bill McInteer once shared how as a freshman in the 1940s he ran afoul of an entire dorm. He was washing up one Saturday morning and plugged his electric razor into an outlet. Suddenly, there was a “Pop!” and the lights went out. Soon, an angry mob stormed the hall. The outage had taken out the radio right before an important college football game.

“What’s going on?” he asked. The crowd shouted back, “We’re trying to find whoever shorted out the power before the game so we can kill him!”

Brother McInteer thought fast and said, “I’m in! Let’s get him!”

Dr. Clifton Ganus — Harding’s third president — could always be counted on to regale us in chapel with gems from Harding’s early days. After all, the school was only 15 years old when he came as a freshman in 1939. He spoke often about professor Benjamin Franklin Rhodes, for whom the Fieldhouse is half named. Rhodes was a brilliant teacher of history and Bible, but he was famously absent-minded.

Once he was headed to class, stopped in the middle of the front lawn and was

heard by students to exclaim, “Oops!

I forgot my teeth!” At which point he made a U-turn and rushed home. Still another time he had left the house, and Mrs. Rhodes discovered his pants hanging on a chair. Horrified that her spouse was half dressed, she ran after him. Fortunately, Ganus told us, he was wearing another pair.

Not surprisingly, some humor in chapel has come from student pranks. Obviously, I can’t encourage this sort of thing, but marbles have been let loose from the back of the auditorium to make their way down to the front. So have golf balls. So have mice. Alarms have been hidden under random seats. And, back when we had songbooks, one day they were all missing from their places among the seats. Only a few days later were they found stacked in a stall in the men’s bathroom. Piled on a board on top of the commode, they couldn’t be seen from the floor. And to discourage people from checking, the pranksters had placed

a pair of pants and shoes under the board, as if the stall was occupied.

So many moments come to mind — some I saw and others I only heard about. Back in the day, Dr. Joe Pryor lost a bet and promised the students he would show up in chapel the next day without his signature bow tie (which he even wore while cutting grass, I’m told). The next day, he cracked up the room by walking onstage with one of those twelve-foot clown ties on.

Then there’s the day Dr. David Burks held his infant grandson in chapel and the kid spit up on the podium. Or the time Burks sang a duet with James Huff, who was the SA President that year. The best word to describe it is “memorable.”

Details are sketchy, but I’m told that one morning in chapel someone set up bowling pins on one end of the stage. On the other end, they put a faculty member — I heard it was beloved Bible professor Neale Pryor — on a skateboard. Then they pushed the skateboard toward the pins, hoping for a strike. If anybody knows how that turned out, please drop me a line.

Next time — my favorite funny chapel story.

MICHAEL CLAXTON is a guest writer for The Bison. He can be contacted at mclaxto1@harding.edu.

Harding University student body with integrity, truth and open ears. However, we believe that meeting that goal is a two-way street between our staff and the public it serves. We pledge to keep our eyes and ears open to what our community has to say and hope that, in return, that community will be an interactive audience, sharing its stories with us. We also pledge to do the basics: Report accurate and relevant information, check our facts, and share them in a professional, timely manner. If you have any story ideas, questions, comments or concerns for The Bison staff, please email Emma Jones, the editor-in-chief, at ejones19@harding.edu. “The Bison (USPS 577-660) is published weekly (except vacations, exams and summer sessions), 20 issues per year, by Harding University. Periodicals postage paid at Searcy, Arkansas 72143. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Bison, Harding University 11192, SEARCY, AR 72149-0001.” BYLINE POLICY: The Bison provides an opportunity for class writers to contribute work under the byline “guest writers.” Due to this arrangement, staff

may rewrite a portion of the

stories as they deem necessary, while still identifying the work as the guest writers’ own.

At The Bison, it is our goal to serve the

Narrative Columnist Michael Claxton

Guest Writer Gilley Wright

Illustration by Gracie Cornett

Graphic by Cooper Turman

Graphic by Cooper Turman

Track welcomes Ukrainian athletes

MAGGIE SAMPLES lifestyle editor

Three Ukrainian athletes joined the Harding track and field team this semester to train together, making a positive impact on the team’s culture.

Freshmen Vladyslav Malykhin, Anton Kopytko and Karyna Vegner were friends before coming to Harding and wanted to join a team together.

Don Hood, coach of the Harding track and field team, said a friend of his who helps him find international athletes interested in coming to Harding mentioned the three friends.

“They’re very talented athletes,” Hood said. “But because of the war situation there, they really can’t train. They can’t do anything like they need to. And so they were wanting to find someplace where they could go that they know of. They all know each other and are good friends and have relationships with each other. They wanted to go as a package deal.”

Hood said international athlete recruitment often can look promising but for a variety of reasons can fall through. But Malykhin, Kopytko and Vegner knew of other European athletes at Harding and felt confident that they would be taken care of at the University.

“So we got three phenomenal athletes to come in,” Hood said. “What I didn’t know was their personalities: Would they be spoiled elite athletes, or would they come in and jump into the team and really help us? And I’ve been thrilled. They are very appreciative of the kindness of the people here.”

Hood said he has high hopes for the track and field season and that the team is working to build a strong training foundation for the stretch of the season.

“We don’t really have a home season,” Hood said. “We can’t sell season tickets and that kind of thing. But we are going to host three track meets here this spring at our new facility, and I hope the students and the faculty will come see these kids do what they’re good at.”

Vegner said track is crucial to her character and development and she cannot live without the sport.

“Sport develops everything in a person,” Vegner said. “The most important thing for me is confidence, character, leadership.” Malykhin also said track is very important to him and that the sport is his life.

“Going to Harding was a very good chance for athletes from Ukraine,” Malykhin said. “It was hard to pass the TOEFL [Test of English as a Foreign Language] test as my English is not so good.”

Both students said they wanted the Harding community to keep Ukraine and the war there in mind. Vegner said understanding the war

and its tragedies is key to understanding the history of these students.

“This is a story about Ukraine and how the Ukrainian people suffer from the war with [Russia],” Malykhin said.

‘Turn Me Up’ crushes ‘Jackboys’ in 3 vs. 3 tournament

The team known as “Turn Me Up” made up of junior Daniel Clothier and sophomores D. Ray Brown and Preston Weaver won the Harding recreation program’s 3 vs. 3 basketball tournament on Jan. 28.

With a record of three wins and one loss on the day, “Turn Me Up” took down “Jackboys” in the championship game, The score was 21 to 15 with the leading scorer being Weaver.

“We started kind of slow,” Weaver said. “We lost our first game and then pretty much after that every game we kept getting better and better and by the end, I think we played our best game.”

The trio gained their prize of T-shirts adorned with “HU Intramurals Champion,” as well as bragging rights on campus.

“There were a couple of teams I definitely wanted to beat, and the shirt was an added bonus,” Weaver said.

Brown agreed the win felt great.

“Yeah it feels really good,” Brown said, “It was a fun tournament to play in, but you always want to go into something like this. We’re all competitive, so to come out with a win like this, and like Preston said, some of the teams we beat made it even better.”

Every team saw a culmination of students from different backgrounds, social clubs and sports teams on campus, and each individual had a bit of a different role on their respective teams.

“It took time to figure it out,” Clothier said. “You know, we had to kind of figure out everybody’s role.”

In total, the tournament played host to 12 different teams of three who played at least three games for a shot at the championship matchup.

With plenty of spectators to cheer on the competing teams and officials to confirm and record the stats and records, the recreation program threw a tournament that people will remember.

“I want to thank the recreation department for coming out on a Saturday,” Brown said. “Letting us do something like this was a lot of fun.”

It is yet to be confirmed whether or not there will be any more tournaments of this style in the future. For more information about the teams that competed, records and game scores, visit the Harding University Intramurals and Club Sports tab on the IMLeagues app.

“That was a great way to spend a Saturday in Searcy,” Clothier said.

Zeta Rho, TNT prevail in club volleyball championships

Women’s social club Zeta Rho A team won the women’s club volleyball championship against women’s social club Delta Gamma Rho (DGR) A team Jan. 19, and men’s social club TNT A team won the men’s championship against men’s social club Gamma Sigma Phi (GSP) A team Jan. 24.

Junior Nora Vaughn, a player on Zeta Rho A team, said this season was different from the others, as administration decided it would be best to split the season in two. She said this decision was made in an effort to work around the new track construction.

“I was abroad in the fall, so the split up of volleyball was nice because I actually got to play,” Vaughn said. “To me teamwork means that we are working together cohesively in a connected way to win a game. Our club shows that because we have that connection

together, we communicate well, we laugh together, and that makes us work easily together. We bring our skills together to make a good team.”

Vaughn said the win was extra special for them since it was senior night.

“Winning was super awesome,” Vaughn said. “It was senior night for a few girls, and I’ve been playing with them since I was a freshman, so it was bittersweet. It felt so intense to have everyone in the stands watching the game. We were all hype.”

Sophomore Jake McCain, a player for GSP’s A team, said it is very important to work as a team in volleyball.

“Volleyball is a very important team sport,” McCain said. “You’re constantly setting other people and helping each other out. Without teamwork you’re not a good team.”

Sophomore Ellianna Holland, a player for DGR A team, said she enjoyed the

community around volleyball and playing with her friends.

“I played last year, and I love playing with these girls,” Holland said. “I’m really competitive, so I love the adrenaline rush of playing and winning. I also enjoy the community and playing with my friends. My suitemate [and I] play front row, so it’s fun to play with her.”

Holland said Zeta Rho had not lost a set in four years until they played against DGR this volleyball season.

“Last year we won all the games except against Zeta Rho,” Holland said. “It was just incredible we got that far. I also think that we were so proud we won one set; they haven’t lost a set in four years. We didn’t care if we lost at that point because we beat them at least one set. That was our goal, and we were really proud of that. We practiced some, and that really helped us and got us to where we wanted to be.”

From left to right: Freshmen Vladyslav Malykhin, Karyna Vegner and Anton Kopytko stand in the Ganus Athletic Center. The trio joined Harding’s track and field team during the spring 2023 semester.

Photo by BALAZS BALASSA

Photo by BALAZS BALASSA

Photo by GABRIEL HUFF

ABBEY WILLIAMS student writer

Freshman Malik Young drives the ball toward the basket as junior Carter Lees guards him during the intramural 3 vs. 3 basketball tournament. The competition was held Jan. 28.

Junior Isaac Aston spikes the ball during men’s club volleyball in the Ganus Athletic Center. The 2022-23 season was split between semesters.

CALEB CHUNN student writer

Neighborhood Pet Shoppe provides new options for pet owners

MATTIE POWERS student writer

A new pet store called Neighborhood Pet Shoppe has come to Searcy, offering various goods and services for animals.

The store sells all kinds of animals, such as birds, snakes, mice, chinchillas, tortoises, hedgehogs and much more. Neighborhood Pet Shoppe general manager Gavin Jones said the shop is the largest family-owned and operated pet store in the tri-state area and has been in business for about 22 years with the store owners starting another business called Safari Pets in the early 2000s.

The store provides many services for customers and their pets, including areas where customers can pet the animals for

sale, a full-service grooming salon, and a birthday party room that can be used for a person or an animal. The Neighborhood Pet Shoppe also plans to host free freshwater and saltwater fish classes for the public in March this year. Jones talked about the specialties the store offers.

“We focus on education, and we’re not so much just sell, sell, sell, sell, sell,” Jones said. “We’re more of, ‘Hey, let me show you how to take care of that so it’ll live

Searcy renovates roads around campus

Many roads around campus and the greater Searcy area have been undergoing improvements.

Director of the Physical Resource Department Danny DeRamus said road work like this is ongoing annual work.

“This work is being done by the city,” DeRamus said. “Every year, Searcy repaves a certain number of streets to keep up with damage and repairs.”

Director of Public Safety Craig Russell said the work is happening all over Searcy. One road that was repaved was Dr. Jimmy Carr Drive, which affected students in the female dorms nearby and Legacy residents.

“This is a city street, and I believe the City of Searcy is doing this work,” Russell said. “They have been resurfacing streets all over town, not just in this one location.”

Additionally, construction knocked out the phone and wifi services at Slader’s Alaskan Dumplings on Jan. 17, and the issues were not resolved until Jan. 19.

Daniel Ockay, manager of Slader’s Alaskan Dumplings, said this and the maintenance of surrounding roads were inconvenient to business.

“It seems like the city could have done more to notify businesses and not be such a hindrance,” Ockay said. “They effectively

shut down access to our business on our busiest day of the week on two separate weeks without notice. The crews were also severely uninformed. I had to ask them permission to even be able to park at the business.”

Junior Audrey Cartwright is a resident in Shores Hall who had to drive on the roads that were under construction to get around campus, as most of the work was being done on the women’s side of campus.

“The roadwork was frustrating because it threw off my groove,” Cartwright said.

Cartwright’s frustration led her to take a different route to get around campus.

“After a while I was like, ‘I’m going to just go a different way,’” Cartwright said. “The initial experience was frustrating for how long it took, and then it became something I just avoided.”

Mark Lane, Searcy’s city engineer, said the weather is one reason for prolonged construction.

“They were initially scheduled to complete the work by the end of December,” Lane said. “They got a little ahead of themselves with the milling and could not lay asphalt due to the rain and/or temperatures.”

Lane went on to say work is expected to continue when the weather warms.

“If the weather dries up and warms I expect that they will have another week to week and a half of work,” Lane said.

longer. It will prosper, and then you’ll want to come back and see us.’”

Some Harding students who live on campus have pets in the dorms, like junior Anna Wolfe who takes care of her cat. Wolfe talked about her initial reaction to the store and what it had to offer.

“I think it’s really cool, like it’s kind of like a little mall you can go in with just your pet,” Wolfe said.

“But you have all your needs there so

University alumnus completes first month as Searcy mayor

Harding alumnus Mat Faulkner stepped into a new role as Searcy mayor last month, as he helped initiate plans to stimulate the city’s economy, community development and more.

Faulkner took office Jan. 1 after defeating former Mayor Kyle Osborne in the runoff election on Dec. 6, 2022, according to an article from The Daily Citizen on Dec. 7, 2022.

Faulkner said during his first four weeks in office, he began adjusting to his new workflow in City Hall and helped develop the city’s annual budget while learning to find a balance between working and spending time with his family.

“The transition has been a whirlwind so far,” Faulkner said.

Since moving to Searcy from Florida over two decades ago, Faulkner has served in a number of roles in the community, according to his election campaign website. He was CEO of the marketing agency Think Idea Studio, which has provided services to many local organizations, for about 20 years. He also organized efforts to help Searcy win

season 4 of the reality television show “Small Business Revolution” in 2019.

“Through this work, I have been able to form many relationships and really get to know those who we call neighbors in our community,” Faulkner said.

Heather Kemper, director of Alumni and Parent Relations at Harding, said she and Faulkner met over 20 years ago and bonded through joining the same church small group, becoming neighbors and watching their children grow up together. The pair collaborated with Main Street Searcy and other community members to create the Beats and Eats festivals and events in 2017.

Kemper said Faulkner has found success by not only dreaming big but by putting his innovative ideas into practice.

“When he sees a need or he becomes aware of a need, he’s a person who takes action,” Kemper said.

Faulkner said his goals as mayor include improving the beauty and design of city parks, sidewalks and other public features, as well as creating financial plans for facilities such as the Searcy Swim Center. He said that during the first city council meeting

this year, officials formed two committees to work toward these objectives.

City officials have also hired a consulting firm, Boyette Strategic Advisors, to design a plan to bring more industry to the city, build a capable workforce to fill existing jobs and create new jobs, Faulkner said.

Since graduating from Harding, Faulkner said he has been blessed to make connections with people across different departments on campus. On Jan. 22, he attended a Chinese New Year celebration in Cone Chapel, where he visited with participants and took part in a craft activity, according to a Facebook post from Faulkner that night. Event coordinator Yuee Chen said College of Bible and Ministry instructor Gary Jackson, a minister to the Chinese church in Searcy, is good friends with Faulkner.

Chen said the mayor was very approachable and friendly during the celebration, and she was impressed to see him taking pictures with children and families.

“I can tell that everyone loves Mat, and he loves them,” Chen said.

they’re not sending you somewhere else, but like you can just enjoy it.”

Another student pet owner is junior Regan McClure, who owned a fish with her friends off campus. Unfortunately, their fish died over the winter break.

“It looks pretty from the street,” McClure said of the new store. “I’m excited to see if it’s as cool as The Fish Bowl. Maybe a fish from this new one will live longer.”

Neighborhood Pet Shoppe plans to have its grand opening on Feb. 25, giving free goodie bags to the first 100 customers at the register.

Mayor Mat Faulker is pictured in front of Searcy’s Rialto Theater. Faulkner took office Jan. 1.

Searcy’s new Neighborhood Pet Shoppe stands off of Race Street. The store aims to offer more education to potential pet owners in order to provide better care.

Photos by MACY COX

EMMA WEBER community editor

SOPHIE ROSSITTO news editor

Photo provided by Mat Faulkner

Construction drivers repave the roads on Dr. Jimmy Carr Drive beside Starbucks. The construction was done by City of Searcy workers.

Photos by MACY COX

Harding introduces new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program

MORGAN WRIGLEY student writer

Harding has introduced a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program in January at the Rogers, Arkansas, campus that offers the opportunity to gain a BSN in as little as 16 months.

BSN admissions director Jeanne Castleberry said the new degree is a fast-track program that is not for everyone.

“This program is a hybrid program, which means the lectures are online and the labs and clinicals are in person,” Castleberry said. “The student has to live within 100 miles of the facility in Rogers, Arkansas, to be eligible for the program.”

Castleberry added that the program is meant for those who have completed 64 hours or already have a bachelor’s degree, and all liberal arts courses must be completed before entry. The hybrid program uses a rigorous curriculum that combines online coursework with on-site labs and clinical rotations.

“There is such a large need for nurses right now and accelerated programs are another

avenue through which the nursing shortage can be lessened,” senior nursing student Kayla Cesone said.

Cesone also said she believes the program can be great for someone if they have the time to complete it.

“I could see it being appealing to someone who has realized they want to be in nursing after completing another degree, so without the gen-eds and prerequisites in the way, students can progress faster through the program and start working as a nurse faster,” Cesone said. “Nursing school is such a hands-on learning experience, which makes it a great degree for an accelerated program if you have the time for it.”

Senior Kelcy Mayes added that this program could serve some students well in multiple ways.

“It allows you to still go to Harding’s accredited program without having to uproot your life if you were in Rogers,” Mayes said Reflecting on her own time as a nursing student, Mayes emphasized the taxing nature of the program.

“It has been really difficult over the past two years … So if it could be condensed into 16 months or however long the program is, that would be beneficial because it would shorten the duration,” Mayes said.

Mayes also said she would have loved to do an accelerated program to acquire her BSN sooner.

Castleberry said that for now, the opportunity will solely be offered at the Rogers campus, while the Searcy campus will stick to the traditional path.

“It’s possible for the future,” Castleberry said. “But the Searcy campus has a wide variety of other options for students like study abroad, adding a minor, second majors, campus life, et cetera.”

The Accelerated BSN (ABSN) page on Harding’s website said students who enroll in the Harding University ABSN program for the 2023 school year will automatically receive a $10,000 scholarship upon admission.

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

Q&A with Susan Grogan and Emmie Mercer

Achievement in Teaching award recipients

Q: Who was your favorite teacher, and what did they teach you?

Every spring, professors from various departments receive the Achievement in Teaching award. In 2022 the recipients were Dr. Lance Hawley (Bible), Dr. Debby Nutt (nursing), Dr. Josh Brown (pharmaceutical sciences), Dr. Michael Claxton (English), Dottie Fry (theatre), Emmie Mercer (business administration), Dr. Susan Grogan (education), Dr. Keith Schramm (chemistry and biochemistry) and Richard Wells (engineering and physics).

In honor of teacher appreciation week, which was celebrated at Harding Jan. 23-27, Mercer and Grogan were asked a series of questions about their experiences as teachers.

Q: Why are you a teacher?

Mercer: Teaching is such a rewarding experience. I teach because I love getting to know the students while also getting to teach them about a subject field that I am passionate about.

Grogan: It is both a creative and scholarly work that challenges me and gives me satisfaction when I see understanding and learning in my students.

Mercer: Mrs. Blaney was my favorite teacher. She taught me middle school English and took a special interest in me. She would seek me out and ask questions about my day, and I could tell she genuinely cared. I learned so much in her classes, and she was so encouraging. She expected a lot from her students, but if you applied yourself, you’d learn a tremendous amount. It seemed that nearly every assignment had helpful applications in the real-world. I’ve tried to bring this same philosophy into my teaching. I recall that Mrs. Blaney required us to write a “book” in her class, and I still have it to this day. Her handwritten notes called my book a “nice masterpiece,” and she mentioned that it had “few mistakes.” It also had a note stating, “Never throw this away!” However, “throw’” was misspelled as “through.” It was

the first time I recognized that even teachers make mistakes. This reminds me to give my students grace, and even myself, at times, when

Grogan: It has to be my 10th grade world history teacher (a coach) who taught us about the Holocaust and opened my eyes to the incredible cruelty in the world. He was a man I respected. He showed documentary films on the reel-to-reel projector of the atrocities and forever changed my innocent heart. He was kind and yet firm, and we loved him.

Q: Do you have any message you would like to leave for your students, past,

Mercer: Never stop learning. Always work to improve your spiritual, personal and professional lives. But, don’t be too hard on yourself. Your career is important, but nothing’s more important than your relationship with

God, your family and your friends.

Grogan: No matter what your environment tells you or the world news, stand on the firm ground of the word of God. He is the truth when the truth seems hard to find. He is constant and faithful when you are not. Always be grateful.

Q: What other passions do you have outside of your career? If you weren’t a teacher, what would you want to be?

Mercer: I enjoy playing board games with family, reading, cooking/baking, sports and gardening. I always wanted to own a flower farm or be a florist since flowers bring me such joy. I also would enjoy being an editor, because I always seem to find at least one mistake in every book I read. It’s now become a challenge of mine to find a mistake in every book I read, so it’d be nice to be paid for finding such mistakes.

Grogan: I would be a world traveler or an artist. I hope to draw and paint more in my retirement. It isn’t easy to carve out time for that these days.

Searcy Mission House hosts first guests

NIC FRARACCIO student writer

Harding exercise and sports science professor Justin Bland welcomed his first missionary family at the beginning of the spring semester into the newly renovated Searcy Mission House. Harding graduate Louis Bassay has stayed at the home with Bland’s family for the last three weeks.

The Cameroonian missionary has continued to work with Harding University and Cloverdale Church of Christ since graduating from the University in 2018. Bassay said his church family at Cloverdale has continued to bless the mission work he has completed at home.

“Cloverdale is the best thing that’s happened to the missionary work in Cameroon,” Bassay said. Bassay also praised the work Bland and his wife completed when renovating the mission home.

“The way the Blands have dedicated themselves to the Mission House and the work they have done there is such an inspiration and a challenge to me at the same time,” Bassay said. “You have to admire sacrifice, and they do it with so much love.”

Despite welcoming Bassay and his family into the mission home, Bland said he and

his wife faced many obstacles that created “resistance at every step.” However, Bland said Cloverdale and Clairday Electric, Inc. offered a significant amount of time and resources to complete the Mission House.

The renovated mission home on North Pear Street has caught the attention of members within the Harding missionary community.

Harding director of Global Outreach Kenneth Graves said he believes the house will “start and strengthen connections” with missionaries around the world. Graves, who served as a church planter in Brazil for 18 years, said the house will make missionary families feel at home when visiting Searcy.

“The biggest benefit would be the peace and privacy that they would have for their own family,” Graves said.

Even though the house will come as a benefit to missionaries around the world, Bland admitted he isn’t focused on causing change.

“I’m not interested in changing the world,” Bland said. “I’m interested in being responsible with the things that God has given me to be responsible with.”

The house is designed to be a place of refuge for missionaries on furlough, Bland said. It will be considered for other traveling

Christians in need of a temporary place to stay. Currently, guests can stay there rent free, although the house is not yet fully operational. Bland said a board will meet to determine if that policy needs to be altered in the future.

“They need a place to not be in the spotlight or under a microscope — to not have to worry about crashing on someone’s futon with their kids stuffed around them, worrying about taking up someone’s space or wondering what the schedule is for that family,” Bland said.

Harding Dining holds sushi class for students

Harding Dining hosted its first Teaching Kitchen event this semester with chef Andrew Post on Jan. 25, teaching students how to make homemade sushi in the Olen Hendrix Building.

Post instructed the class on how to make California spicy tuna rolls and spicy tuna rolls before letting them step right into the kitchen. The students learned how to produce two different types of sushi rolls. The first one was temaki with tuna inside rice, rolled up in nori with ginger and wasabi on the side. The second sushi roll was uramaki, which had rice on the outside, nori and spicy tuna.

“Chef Andrew walks them through and demonstrates everything with screens so they can see,” Harding Dining marketing manager Taylor Grant said. “Then we divide them up into groups so they can actually have hands-on learning.”

All students gathered around the stations in groups of three to five and started making sushi. Each group was provided with enough ingredients to make both temaki and uramaki rolls with the choice of what to put on each roll. Post walked around the groups and helped if needed.

Freshman Camille Bewley, who attended the cooking session, said she would encourage anyone to attend the Teaching Kitchen events.

“I have made sushi before,” Bewley said. “Chef Andrew makes the experience super amazing, and I definitely would recommend anyone who gets the opportunity to come take a class.”

Out of the 24 students that signed up for the class, 20 showed up, which was a full house. Once the groups finished making both sushi rolls, they ate together. Harding Dining will host a different Teaching Kitchen every month this semester.

“I have introduced something new,” Post said, “college students should be learning about a whole myriad of things and really enjoy being a part of it to add a little bit of extra color to their college years.”

“Typically, furlough is not a time of rest for missionaries so we want to do what we can to make it that way.”

As the house continues to be used by visiting missionaries, Bland hopes the house serves as a “swinging door” for those who visit Searcy. “I don’t know how God’s going to use that,” Bland said. “But if every family that comes feels that they have a place of refuge, that’s great. That is a blessing.”

Photo provided by Justin Bland

The Searcy Mission House stands on North Pear Street. Its first guests, the Bassay family, are missionaries from Camaroon, Africa.

STACY ROIBAL beat reporter

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

MACY COX asst. photographer

Photograph by MACY COX

Chef Andrew Post taught students how to make California spicy rolls and spicy tuna rolls on Jan 25. Twenty students attended the class.

English Department celebrates birthday of Robert Burns

The English Department hosted its eighth annual Burns supper Jan. 28, celebrating the birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns with bagpipe music, toasts, poetry and haggis.

“It’s one of the social events of the year for the English Department, but everybody’s welcome to it,” professor of English Michael Claxton said. “You don’t have to be an English major, so a lot of people bring their friends.”

Senior English major Hannah Ireland has attended the event three times and said the supper was an opportunity for those interested in Robert Burns or poetry to

celebrate something they admire and enjoy.

“It’s a chance to just hang out with professors outside of class and our classmates and students from all over campus,” Ireland said.

Burns’ birthday has been celebrated by kings, presidents and celebrities of all types, Claxton said. It usually involves a tribute to Burns, reading his poems, singing his songs and eating traditional Scottish food.

“I just love the fact that in 2023 we’re going to pause as people do all over the world to remember somebody who’s been dead for hundreds of years, and just to celebrate the arts and a significant contribution to those arts,” Claxton said.

The live bagpipe music was provided by

Finance Department Chair David Johnson, and English Department Chair Jon Singleton played the guitar. Other attending professors provided a variety of Scottish foods: bangers and mash, turnips, shortbread cookies, and haggis.

“It’s not your traditional Scottish haggis, because the United States Department of Agriculture won’t allow people to, I guess, sell sheep stomach and some of the things that go into the real haggis,” professor of English Terry Engel said. “We have a vegetarian haggis and then a regular haggis, and I think the regular haggis has liver and some other kinds of meat in it, but it’s all fully cooked

and well-processed.”

The tradition started at Harding in 2015 and has continued every year since then, barring 2021. Engel said the supper has been very popular, with a record attendance of around 60 students and guests. However, the event’s popularity isn’t just because of the food and poetry. Ireland said she also goes to support her professors.

“More than anything I really enjoy seeing them sharing something they’re so passionate about,” Ireland said. “Some of them, they got their Ph.D. in this area — in poetry, or Scottish poetry, and they just love putting on a show of sorts for the students.”

Harding students take charge of Harding Place bingo

TIANE DAVIS sports editor

Two Harding students took charge of Saturday bingo at Harding Place last semester, and their participation every week has sparked a bigger group of students to volunteer every week and develop relationships with the residents.

Junior Ethan Kelly, who started handling Saturday bingo at Harding Place in September, said it all started when his resident life coordinator, Debra Nesbitt, announced on Canvas that Harding Place was looking for volunteers to call bingo. After that, he started visiting every Saturday afternoon to lead bingo games and visit with the residents.

“I saw that it made people happy,” Kelly said. “People really enjoy playing bingo, and it’s just kind of a way to have fun and escape on the weekends.”

Kelly said it is a rewarding way to spend his Saturday afternoons because he did not grow up with grandparents. He said it is meaningful to him to be able to spend time with the residents at Harding Place.

“There have definitely been times when I have realized this is a calling that God has put on my heart, because at times, this community of people is neglected,” Kelly said. “I’ll be doing this until I leave Harding,

for sure. I definitely want to be able to build relationships between students and residents.”

Junior Ross Barrett, who started volunteering at the same time as Kelly, said he kept volunteering there because he loves the residents at Harding Place and they needed people to call bingo for them.

“The community at Harding Place is so welcoming,” Barrett said. “I felt so loved after doing bingo just a few times. I think the connection of Harding Place and Harding University is really cool because there’s always a need for assisted living, and it’s amazing Harding has that to offer. I hope in the future that students can get involved with Harding Place daily.”

Marketing and Residence Services Director Sandy Reynolds, who works closely with the volunteers at Harding Place, said they try to take every opportunity they can for students to interact with the residents.

“We love students to come,” Reynolds said. “Students can participate in any of the activities that they want to participate in — card games, Pictionary, charades, SkipBo, Wii Bowling — they can participate in anything.”

Students often take classes that require them to do a certain number of service hours, and Reynolds said the students that fulfill

those hours by volunteering at Harding Place are always welcome.

“A lot of times they’ll just check the box for their service hours, but it’s all about that one-on-one interaction with the students,” Reynolds said. “My hope for students is that they will fall in love with Harding Place and that they will want to keep coming back and keep those connections that they make.”

Reynolds said the dining room at Harding Place is open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and students can visit and eat half price f or $5. She said Harding Students are always

welcome to visit, even if there are no events happening at the time.

“All of our residents have a story to tell, just like all the students have a story to tell,” Reynolds said, “It’s just a matter of getting a little bit of time to listen. Harding Place is just a cool place, and we love being a part of the Harding community.”

Harding Place resident Wanda Reed, who regularly plays bingo every week, said it is one of the best things they do at Harding Place.

“I also like for the students to come in,” Reed said. “We need younger ones around to pep things up.”

SARA HOOK features editor

Photograph by BALAZS BALASSA

David Johnson plays the bagpipes at the Burns supper hosted by the English Department on Jan 28. This supper celebrates Scottish poet Robert Burns and has been a tradition for the English Department since 2015.

Photograph by BALAZS BALASSA

Harding Place resident plays bingo on Jan 28. Juniors Ethan Kelly and Ross Barrett began volunteering to call bingo at Harding Place in Sept.