The Bison Newspaper - Vol. 98, No. 13

The Student Association (SA) held a pie bake off March 14 in the Olen Hendrix Building to celebrate Pi Day.

Students signed up in teams to face off in a challenge that took place in the Olen Hendrix kitchen. The competition started at 6:30 p.m. Five teams signed up to test their skills in the kitchen, baking a variety of pies from a derby pie all the way to a pizza pie.

Teams were allowed to come to the competition with their pie crust already made, but the rest of the pie needed to be made at the bake off. One of the judges was assistant family and consumer sciences professor Megan Jones, who talked about how this competition impacts her department.

“I just love that this space is being used,” Jones said. “A lot of people don’t know about it, and they walk in, and they’re just surprised, and I just love it. I mean I teach the classes that we use in here, Food Science and a class called Family Resource Management, and I just love that people are coming in and using it and doing something that I love doing: cooking.”

The rest of the judges for the competition consisted of assistant professor of business

David Kee and both the male and female junior representatives from the SA, Ella Duryea and Max Guyer. Duryea talked about her favorite part of the bake off and what makes it so special for everyone involved.

“My favorite part, honestly, is that I have never seen almost any of these people, but we’re all here together and like having a good time,” Duryea said. “I think food is something that brings people together, and to get to enjoy it like with people I’ve never met before is really sweet.”

One of the students competing in the competition was sophomore Ella Smith, and her team made a dark chocolate pecan pie with homemade whip cream on top. Smith described what appealed to her about this competition.

“I like being with my friends doing this ‘cause usually when I’m baking it’s me by myself and all of my other friends are just doing whatever,” Smith said. “I’m just usually like, ‘I have free time; I’m just going to do this,’ but this is fun because I’m right here, and we’re literally just laughing the whole time,” Smith said.

The winners of the bake off were senior Ragan Edison, sophomore Lauren McDuffie and freshman Kiersten Mahan, and their prizes were

also co-written a book called “The Political Economy of Terrorism,” which is set to come

Bradley compared her definition of “flourishing” to the Hebrew word “shalom,” which describes qualities such as health, wholeness and strength. Bradley said this concept of well-being is related to God’s plan for humans in Genesis 1:27-28 when he created them in his image and instructed them to “be fruitful and multiply.”

Since God has given dignity to each person, Bradley said human systems need to also extend honor and respect to everyone.

“Any economic, legal, cultural system has to be grounded in universal human dignity,” Bradley said. “It is very easy for us to believe that we have dignity. It is harder for us to extend dignity to everyone else.”

The sinful fall described in Genesis had an impact on the sphere of economics, Bradley said. Things in this broken world will always come at a cost, and humans will always have a scarcity of resources such as

Bradley said her idea of economic freedom has been influenced by the work of economist Milton Friedman, who described this type of freedom as the ability of people to leave and enter markets without being forced.

Bradley said humans naturally want to act in their own interests, but these desires do not always have to result in greed and manipulation. She said one approach, which is supported by scripture, to cultivate healthy

Professor visits campus to speak on spiritual, economic wellness Student Association hosts Pi Day pie bake off

economic relationships is to offer incentives for people to satisfy their own interests while helping others at the same time.

“Biblical prosperity is mutual,” Bradley said.

Junior Gauge Shaw said he is studying to become a clinical psychologist, so he liked the way Bradley focused on the idea that certain motives lead individuals to make choices.

“You can apply that to a lot of situations that drive people to do things, especially make economic decisions that are going to impact millions of other people,” Shaw said.

Senior Megan Drause said she appreciated the opportunity to hear Bradley present a female perspective on topics she has learned about in her classes.

“I thought she had some really interesting points to make about how economy can interact with theology,” Drause said. “I’m a business major, so we talk about that a lot.”

Drause said she also appreciated Bradley’s points about helping those living in poverty. The professor said people need to change the narrative about these issues and recognize the dignity of individuals who have been excluded from broad economic exchanges, instead of seeing them as people who are destined to always be poor.

Bradley said college students who want to address problems such as poverty in their communities need to understand that the process of bringing change can be long, but they can collaborate with others who are working toward the same goals.

“We have to be willing to get in there and really kind of walk with people to try to help them,” Bradley said. “And I think that’s hard, but I think it’s necessary.”

baking supplies, a box of cookies and gummy bears.

MATTIE POWERS student writer

Dr. Anne Rathbone Bradley speaking about biblical human flourishing and economic freedom in Benson Auditorium March 3. Bradley, an economics professor from George Mason University, was the guest speaker at the second American Studies Institute Distinguished Lecture Series event of the semester.

(Above) Freshman Kierstan Mahan, a member of the winning bake off team, concentrates on making a pie crust in the Olen Hendrix kitchen.

(Left) Mahan, senior Ragan Edison and sophomore Lauren McDuffie received an award for winning the Pi Day bake off on March 14.

Photo by MACY COX

Photos provided by Lauren Simmons

SOPHIE ROSSITTO news editor

New manager starts work at campus Media Center

A new Media Center manager began settling into the position last week. Jessa Morris has filled the role that had been left vacant several weeks prior.

The Media Center is an extension of Brackett Library, so library staff worked to find someone to replace the previous manager, Debbie Stewart, who left the center in late January.

Prior to Morris’ entrance into the role, student workers in the Media Center had been left without a boss but felt confident

in the training they had through Stewart. Senior Emma Brantley had worked at the center for a few years before Stewart moved on from her position.

“[Stewart] sent us a text saying that she would be leaving in about a month, which was kind of shocking to all of us,” Brantley said. “We didn’t see it coming. But there was definitely some comfort in knowing that she had kind of set us up fairly well to leave us and have us run the Media Center on our own.”

While the workers had no official boss at the time, library staff made it a point to keep the student workers informed on the process

of finding a replacement. Junior Morgan Mahan works in the Media Center and spoke on the efforts to find a new manager.

“Everything [was] running smoothly for the most part,” Mahan said.

For the new manager, the Media Center was not an unfamiliar place, as she was a student worker there from 2017 to 2020.

“I have experience in the Media Center, so for me, it was just picking back up in a different role,” Morris said. “I feel like I’ve just kind of come back home and just have to get settled back in this new position.”

As with any transition in leadership, changes are inevitable, but Morris’ goal is

to stay true to the Media Center’s clientele and only make changes that are beneficial to all who visit the Media Center.

“I am open to changing anything that needs to be changed for the benefit of our students, staff and faculty, and the people of the community because that’s who we serve and that’s the order that we serve,” Morris said. “So it’s mainly about the students. So whatever the students need, I’m willing to try and fix it for them.”

Spring King crowned at basketball game Bowties from The Bison

Associated Collegiate Press Awards

CALEB CHUNN student writer

The Media Center in Brackett Library is shown during working hours Feb. 15. Last week, Jessa Morris took over the role of overseeing the center, which provides printing, lamination and other services to Harding students, faculty and staff members.

(Top) Senior Andrew Miller holds a phone with Spring King senior Johnny Galloway on FaceTime as senior Luke Olree receives the crown for Galloway and stands next to Dr. Mike Williams in the Rhodes-Reaves Field House on Feb. 25. (Left) Finalist Caden Burks stands with his parents, Stephen and Jeanne Burks, during the ceremony. (Right) Finalist Tanner Shumate stands with his mother, Karla Shumate, during the ceremony.

Photos provided by Jeff Montgomery

2022 Petit Jean: Pacemaker Award finalist, fifth best in show Balazs Balassa: fourth in photojournalism Emma Jones, Wagner Valdez and Gabriel Huff: eighth in page design

Cut out one of these bowties and tape it to your outfit to escape getting pinched this St. Patrick’s Day!

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN and SOPHIE ROSSITTO

Photo by BALAZS BALASSA

Miranda Kiffmeyer

Guest Writer

W e all understand the struggle of circling the parking lot looking for somewhere to park our vehicle, but have you ever struggled to enter a building or room? You might have a grandparent or family member with mobility needs, but did you know we have students and faculty at Harding whose mobility needs aren’t being met?

The ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act, is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination and promotes accessibility. According to the ADA, for every 25 normal parking spots, there needs to be at least one accessible parking space. These spots “must be located in the shortest accessible route to an accessible entrance.”

As we all know, with all of the construction on campus, even regular parking spots are rather sparse, let alone accessible spots. Handicapped parking spots are there for people who have physical disabilities and who have a handicapped hang tag, handicapped plates or a special Harding handicapped parking sticker. More often than not these spots are occupied by people who do not have these hang tags, plates or stickers. These spots are quite popular

Accessibility issues

for able-bodied people to drop off or pick up their dates, reducing the very limited amount of accessible parking spots to almost zero.

It’s interesting that students get heavy repercussions for parking in the red faculty spots and little to no consequences for parking in the handicapped spots. There are quite a few individuals on campus who these parking spots are beneficial for. There are hardly enough accessible parking spots for the students, faculty and staff that need them, not considering alumni and guests that need those spots, as well. Many of the manual doors on campus do not work, and many popular locations on campus do not have them. Manual doors are quite helpful, especially for those using mobility aids. In some locations where there are manual doors, they are turned off because “there aren’t any disabled students here.”

The Hammond Student Center is a very popular location for students to congregate, but the ramps inside are inconvenient and hard to navigate. Even the outside ramps are incredibly steep, and the texture of the sidewalk would quickly tear up the wheels of a walker or wheelchair.

Classrooms can be hard to navigate as well. There have been multiple instances where I have struggled to enter a classroom with my mobility aid because there are so many tables and chairs jam-packed for the maximum number of students. Even many of our dorms are not accessible. But much of this inaccessibility isn’t seen by those who do not have that need.

It is important to listen to people with disabilities to learn how to best support them and what you can do to make the world more accessible. I often say, “I’m not the first, and I’m definitely not the last disabled student to come through this University, and if there’s something I can do to make things easier for the future generations of disabled students, I’m going to do it.”

To hear more about my story and learn more about what it’s like living with a disability and chronic illness, disabled communities and ways to support, check out my health Instagram account @medically_m.

MIRANDA KIFFMEYER is a guest writer for The Bison. She can be contacted at mkiffmeyer@harding.edu.

What’s your opinion?

Guest Writer Hannah Atkins

Jobu Tupaki may not believe in any form of objective truth, but I believe in the truth that the film “Everything

Everywhere All at Once” is objectively an excellent piece of filmmaking.

If you have not seen this movie, there may be a chance you are in a universe where everyone is just a rock. And if that is the case, you need to find your most statistically probable jumping pad so you can return to the proper version of life where you can watch this amazing craftsmanship from the Daniels — co-directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert.

If you aren’t a rock, or living under one, then you know this film has been extremely successful and for good reason. At this year’s Oscars, “Everything Everywhere

All at Once” won seven awards on top of the plethora of other trophies they have gained from previous award ceremonies. This movie has now dethroned “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” as the most-awarded movie of all time. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is severely hyped, and it is deservingly so. Other than the affirmation it has received from Hollywood critics, it is adored by the masses.

One of the reasons for that is due to the fact the story is absurdly complex while also still being digestible. The focus of the film is on Evelyn Quan Wang (Michelle Yeoh), who is a Chinese immigrant running a laundromat along with her husband, Waymond Wang (Ke Huy Quan). On the

The Iron Curtain

Harding has been a part of Searcy since 1933, and as an insider looking out, it seems like Searcy is not as infatuated with Harding as we would like to think.

Universities increase the economic state of many cities and towns, bringing thousands of potential customers to local businesses and providing hundreds or thousands of job opportunities. It seems like a slam dunk that schools — and therefore Harding — are absolute goods to the communities around them. Well, at least it seems so until you notice the Sonic workers frustrated during beauxings and queenings that someone ordered food and we can’t hear them call our names, or when Midnight Oil is so crowded from students trying to stay dry that none of the locals can get their coffee without tripping over backpacks.

But of course the benefit of Spring Sing is undeniable. Bringing in family and alumni bolsters the economy. At the same time, I know when I have to work Spring Sing weekend, or even Lectureship, as a cook and cashier I’m overwhelmed and just wishing people would take the hint that when the line is out the door, they should expect to be waiting a while. Not to mention that in the grand scheme of things, we might be able to afford more than the $2,000 prize money to non-profits if we cared more about the community than putting on a bright show. Or why wait for Spring Sing for a club to donate money — just ask your club to fundraise.

Oscars and googly-eyes

day of the Chinese New Year party they are throwing at the laundromat, they also have an important meeting with the IRS because the business is being audited, Waymond is trying to give Evelyn divorce papers and their daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) is trying to get her mother to accept her relationship with her girlfriend. In the midst of her chaotic personal life, Evelyn is stopped by Alpha-Waymond, who came from another dimension to explain to her that there are millions of parallel universes and to give her the mission of stopping the evil Jobu Tupaki from causing destruction all across the multiverse. Oh, and did I mention that Jobu Tupaki is Joy from a different reality? Well, Evelyn has to use her newfound abilities from verse-jumping technology to stop her daughter from unleashing the black hole everything bagel that could destroy the entire multiverse.

The pacing of the movie is very quick and high energy because of all the moving pieces that are occurring “all at once.” Within the mayhem of Evelyn’s adventure, the story explores so many incredibly deep and meaningful messages of life. The movie tackles philosophical ideas ranging from the meaning of life to finding one’s purpose and the overall human existence. There is something that everyone can take away from this film. Underneath the abundance of silliness that is hotdog fingers, Raccacoonie and googly eyes, there is a very emotionally moving motif. What made me really fall in love with “Everything Everywhere All

at Once” was the central idea of kindness. We are small, stupid humans in a very big universe. Life is mundane. Doing laundry and taxes is not what most people want to spend their time doing. So while it may seem like nothing in life matters, we have the power to choose to make it matter. You can find meaning and purpose in the people in your life. Being present in every moment and choosing to love those around is what “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is trying to teach its viewers.

The film is a technical symphony of stunning visuals that are brought to life by a very talented cast. The action is exhilarating, the comedy is ridiculous and the writing is honest. The Daniels are true lovers of cinema, and it is evident in their meticulously crafted masterpiece. There is so much more I can unpack from this movie that I could talk about it for hours. This movie left me feeling inspired and with more of a lust for life.

If you have not seen this movie, I highly recommend that you do. If you are going to take anything away from this movie review, let it be this beautiful reminder from Waymond Wang: “The only thing I do know is that we have to be kind. Please, be kind. Especially when we don’t know what’s going on.”

HANNAH ATKINS is a guest writer for The Bison. She may be contacted at hatkins2@harding.edu.

But then I think of all the service that Harding helps with around the community. When our friends force us, we chomp at the bit to serve at the Rock House or Harding Place, and even though they could always use more help, it makes me sad to think of all the places in Searcy that Harding students neglect: Jacob’s place, Domestic Violence Prevention Program or Hope Restored — beyond the social work program sending interns and club members reluctantly trimming hedges to meet the requirements to be active in their social club.

If we cared about tithing, we would tithe.

If we cared about service, we would serve.

If we cared about being kind, we would stand by the door during a loud night at Sonic so the server wouldn’t have to walk around the tables shouting a name for five minutes hoping someone would take it.

I think it’s an easy fix, actually. Maybe we could give up watching Looney Tunes on Saturday Mornings to do the Student Association service project, or balance our three Wednesday night devotionals with going to buy food for the hungry people almost inevitably at the corner of Walmart. Sometimes, in the Harding bubble, it feels like the only notable thing in Searcy is Harding, but maybe that’s only true because we don’t take note of anything besides ourselves. Perhaps before acting like we are the pride of Searcy, we ought to contribute something to it that its community is proud of.

MALACHI BROWN is the opinions editor for The Bison. He may be contacted at mbrown33@harding.edu.

guest contributors

Hannah Atkins Aiden Broome Caleb Chunn Nic Fraraccio Miranda Kiffmeyer Mattie Powers

Graphic by Cooper Turman

Ten Thousand Words

Editor-in-Chief Emma Jones

Go green

Oneof the worst parts about going abroad last spring was missing out on some of my favorite seasonal food items that weren’t available in Europe — specifically the shamrock shake from McDonald’s.

Now, I could write my whole column about how much I love shamrock shakes and how yummy they are and how nice it’s been to be back in a country where they are served during March, but I doubt you want to read 500 words about how much I like ice cream.

What makes a shamrock shake so special anyway? It’s just a mint flavored milkshake with green food coloring, something I could probably get elsewhere year round. But by advertising the shamrock shake as something that is only available once a year, McDonald’s really appeals to the part of me that wants to buy unique things with limited accessibility. This marketing ploy is something that has been around forever, especially with holiday-related items, but I feel recently we’ve reached a point where — A) Everything, not just holidays, have become commercialized, and B) This commercialization is creating an influx of cheap products that are contributing to a larger waste issue.

I went into this a little bit in my Valentine’s Day column, “For the love of love” (see the Feb. 17 issue of The Bison).

To paraphrase myself, an ever-increasing issue of the holidays is how they are being sold in many different forms, which is a struggle for a gift-giver like myself not to give into. Just walk into Walmart right now; they have a special section for Easter, with several aisles full of novelty candy, cheap (but so cute!) decorations and plastic eggs that will be thrown away come April 10.

An article from activesustainability.com said, “The world keeps generating more and more rubbish… We live in a throwaway society and we’re paying the price; we don’t know what to do with all our waste.” So that delicious shamrock shake I get that comes in a plastic cup, the vinyl “Trolls”-themed Valentines that I bought for my friends, the wrapping on the Peeps packages I’ve already started treating myself to, all is just holiday-themed landfill waste.

I suppose my main point is this; we are so conditioned to buy things, especially things we feel are special or in little demand, that often get almost immediately thrown away after their season of time has passed (I am preaching to myself here, too; I love buying things as much as the next person). Many “old-fashioned” holiday traditions and decorations came before our consumer culture and are better for the environment; things like handmade cards on Valentine’s Day, food-dyed real eggs for Easter or costumes for Halloween that are made, not bought. Maybe it’s time I set aside my shamrock shakes and impulse holiday shopping for more sustainable, and meaningful, alternatives.

I do not own a TikTok account. At least not anymore. I am out of the loop on all the trendy audios and inside jokes and memes and such. Often when I am shown a TikTok, it is not funny to me because I am disconnected from the subtle contours of the app’s ever-changing humor. Largely, I would say I look at the app disapprovingly. But not today. Today TikTok has done the world a favor.

One of my primary sources of TikTok intake is my older sister. She keeps me up to date with celebrity drama, popular Netflix shows and trends of all kinds, and sometimes she’ll send a TikTok to watch. She called me this past Monday while I was working in the library. Not wanting to distract those around me, I went down to the phone booth on the bottom floor to answer the call.

“Hey, if I Venmo you $10 will you do something with me?” she said as soon as I picked up the phone. Of course, I’ll never turn down a good $10, so I inquired what she wanted me to do. She informed me of one of the latest TikTok trends, a food combination that she held in skepticism: ice cream and Fruit Roll-Up.

Fruit Roll-Up ice cream

The recipe is quite simple: a small scoop of ice cream placed in the center of a Fruit Roll-Up. The Fruit Roll-Up is then wrapped around the scoop of ice cream, perhaps like a burrito, bao or ravioli. The ice cream freezes and hardens the Fruit Roll-Up, and what follows is a fruity, gummy dessert which is apparently causing mukbang TikTokers to go into a frenzy.

My sister, ever skeptically curious of internet trends, couldn’t tell if these mukbangers were faking their elation. Perhaps less adventurous than I, she needed someone she trusted to test this new trend before she would. So she sent me the $10 for me to go to the store, buy myself a pint of ice cream and a box of Fruit Roll-Ups, and as the kids say, “Go ham.” I myself am a big fan of ice cream, gummy candy and strange food combinations, so to get all these things for free was an easy choice.

After my girlfriend and I acquired the goods, we sat in the Ganus Activities Complex parking lot on FaceTime with my sister, and the three of us tried this odd combination. My review: 11/10.

You don’t expect it, but the freezing ice cream turns the Fruit Roll-Up’s texture into

something like the perfect Chili’s tortilla chip. It crunches in your teeth with the most satisfying shatter one could imagine. But after the first crunch, the frozen Roll-Up melts and returns to the classic gummy texture we all know and love. You get one solid bit of crunch and then you chew as the grinded gummy produces a sweet artificial fruit flavor that somehow creates perfect harmony with the vanilla ice cream. The experience is both nostalgic and renewing. Ice cream and Fruit Roll-Ups were a staple of my childhood, and each alone could be considered perfect. But together, the two create a rare super-perfection of food rivaling, if not outright dethroning, the classic ice cream sandwich for the best dessert food of all time.

I don’t like TikTok, but for this I will say, “Thank you.” You’ve changed the dessert game forever.

AIDAN BROOME is a guest writer for The Bison. He may be contacted at abroome@harding.edu.

Which letter is missing from this column?

It’s been quite some time since I tried this. In 2012, I got up the nerve to write one of my “Bison” columns without using one specific letter from the big list of 26 letters. The former time, I somehow pulled off the entire piece of writing with not one single use of the letter “e.” Except in the title: “Silent E,” which possessed two of them. You would be shocked to know how often you need the letter “e.” For some fun with your friends, try conversing for five minutes without using words with “e” in them. It’s not simple.

Most “Bison” columns need 600 to 800 words. Friends, you will now witness me pursue the objective of writing for this long without using the very first letter we were introduced to in school. If you don’t know which one it is, I’ll give some hints.

It is missing from this list: B, C, D, E, F, G. Yes, I know 20 other letters would fit the description of being missing from the list, but it is the one beginning the whole lineup. If this hint won’t do, consider the letter you wish to see when you get one of your tests returned, or better yet, when the semester ends.

I would mention the term for the thing I’m trying to do, but of course it involves the forbidden letter. So, we must go the long route to get to it. The first third of the word is “lip.” The middle section of the word is “o.” The third portion is where we run into trouble. Think of the tiny, four-letter metric unit of weight or the kind of cookie you need to build smores. Now put everything together to get the word.

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

Reflecting on my previous experience with this foolishness, I see how much less difficult it is to write sensible sentences without this vowel versus writing without

the letter “e.” If one of my fellow professors were critiquing it, my former effort would never receive the letter missing from this piece. Still, I forced myself to follow the rules of spelling (though I could not use the word “spelling”) plus the other set of rules English professors discuss endlessly, involving things like verb tenses or semicolons. But otherwise, I used much circumlocution, plus lots of synonyms. There’s one book which is your friend if you wish to try this, but I could not mention it without disobeying the rules.

If it seems impossible to write intelligent sentences without the word “the,” it is. Things get correspondingly bothersome without using those units of speech which come before nouns. The letter missing from this column, when it is used by itself, is this kind of word. Plus, the version of it used before vowels is forbidden, too. These omissions put crimps in one’s style, to be sure.

If you tried to write 800 words without the letter “z,” you would find no problem. This is why I did not try something so simple. But omitting the first of the five vowels, like I’m doing, is like requiring someone in history not ever to refer to kings, or to insist the biology professor not mention cells.

Not surprisingly, such writing tends to focus on the process itself. So yes, in lieu of telling stories without using this

letter, or writing instructions for putting together bookshelves or something (where I could not tell you to insert peg “B” into slot “you-know-which”), I’m writing in circles to help you see how fun it is to do this. It seems my definition of “fun” gets more pitiful every week.

In 2012, I ended my “Silent E” column with poetry. I wrote one limerick, though of course I couldn’t use the word. I will try to outdo the previous effort, ending this column with one longer poem. Here is my love sonnet, which revises one from the English poet everyone knows, the guy who wrote “Othello.” Look up Sonnet 18 if you wish to judge my effort.

My friend, you’re like some welcome summer breeze.

You well outshine the sun but not so hot.

Rough winds do blow, which messes up the trees, Plus summer’s never long enough — it’s not. Sometimes, the sun’s so scorching it will burn, Or clouds will block the yellow shining sphere,

Likewise, we first look good but then we turn, With wrinkles there, discolored blotches here.

But your forever summer won’t grow dim, Nor lose those twinkling eyes which I love so.

Don’t even think of dying — it’s too grim, But if you must, there is one thing I know.

If folks need me your loveliness to show ‘em, Then I will freely point to this here poem.

The Bison. He can be contacted at mclaxto1@harding.edu.

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 writers may rewrite a portion of the guest writers’ stories as they deem necessary, while still identifying the work as the guest writers’ own.

Narrative Columnist Michael Claxton

Guest Writer Aidan Broome

Illustration by Gracie Cornett

Graphic by Wagner Valdez

Coach Morgan announces retirement

Jeff Morgan is the athletic director and former head coach for the Harding men’s basketball team. Morgan announced his retirement from the head coaching position on Feb. 21, four days before the Bisons’ final game of the 2022-23 season.

Q: What did it mean to you being able to share that final moment with your family, team and alumni?

A: It was incredible. … The text messages, phone calls, emails from past players, coaches, people that couldn’t be there, but then to be able to see so many of our former players and to be able to share it with your family … that was really special to be able to share that with them.

Q: Let’s take a look back at your career. Back in 2011, your team finished the season as the 11th ranked team in the nation. What made that team so special and how can Harding reach that level once again?

A: We won some games early that year that we had no business winning … like we were down nine with 30 seconds to go at [the University of] North Alabama and ended up getting that game to overtime and winning the game. There was a real toughness about that team … I think that propelled them with some confidence that just carried out throughout the year.

Q: Let’s skip to 2014, you entered the conference tournament as a five seed and managed to go on and win it. What did it mean to you for your team to enter as an underdog and come out on top?

A: It was just a special kind of January, February and March. Because that team got down to eight players in January … for most of the conference season, we only played

with eight guys. All those guys could really handle it, pass it and shoot it. That team became known as the hashtag “Great Eight” because they played the whole year. To go ahead and win a conference tournament, we played lights out. I think we made 41 threes in three games.

Q: How did coaching better you as a man and as a Christian?

A: I think it’s because of the people that the Lord has brought our way in players and fellow coaches. I’m just eternally grateful for

the young men and their families that have said, “Yes … we want to be at Harding.” I think all of those people have played a significant part in helping me walk a better walk and encouraging me in my walk with the Lord.

Q: What are your plans for the upcoming school year as you continue to focus your attention on the athletic director position?

A: We have some great coaches. We have some great student athletes that continue to amaze me on how well they do in the classroom … I want to broaden that perspective and

try to develop more of that relationship with our student athletes. I know that’ll help me because I can’t sit in this office every day.

Q: What is your final message to the fans and student body?

A: It’s probably one just out of tremendous gratitude and gratefulness … I just hope they know how much we appreciate and we love the fact that they were such a big part of it, from our student body, the faculty and staff and everybody in our Harding community.

Harding track and field thrives at national championship

BALASZ BALASSA

head photographer

MORGAN WRIGLEY student writer

Five players from the Harding track and field teams earned All-America honors at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships held last weekend, March 10-11, at the Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia.

Vlad Malykhin, a freshman from Shostka, Ukraine, won the national championship in the pole vault with a height of 5.52 meters (18 feet, 1.25 inches), which was the highest clearance ever at the NCAA Division II indoor national championships, the third-highest ever recorded in Division II and a Harding school record, according to hardingsports.com.

“I was very happy, and I appreciate all the people who support me, who support Ukraine,” Malykhin said. “I really appreciate it.”

Head track and field coach Don Hood said he ordered new poles that arrived two weeks before the national championship meet, which he hoped would suit Malykhin’s vault style better. Malykhin’s previous vault record was 5.32 meters (17 feet, 5.5 inches), and he said the new poles were “really worth it.”

Other All-America athletes from the men’s team included sophomore Antiwain Jones, who placed fifth in the high jump by tying his school record of 2.15 meters (7 feet, 0.5 inches); senior Dakarai Bush, who placed

sixth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.95 seconds; and freshman Yves Bilong, who placed sixth in the triple jump with a jump of 15.13 meters (49 feet, 7.75 inches). The men’s team tied for 10th overall with 20 points, its first top-10 finish since 2009.

The Lady Bisons only had one competitor at the national meet, senior pole vaulter Sierra White, who placed fifth with a height of 4.05 meters (13 feet, 3.5 inches), breaking her own school record and making her the second Lady Bison indoor track and field athlete to ever earn multiple All-America honors.

“This year it’s my senior year, so I was nervous because I wanted to do well, and I didn’t want to end [indoor] on a bad note,” White said. “I had a tough season leading up to it so it was difficult to approach it and be like, ‘Okay I have to clear this,’ but then I did, and it was really really exciting. It was a very electric meet and moment.”

Hood said he feels the teams’ success stems partially from his coaching staff, and that he feels very fortunate to have the staff that he has working with him right now.

“I think it’s one of the best coaching staffs in Division II, maybe the country,” Hood said. “It’s a good time to be here right now.”

With the conclusion of indoor season, the track and field teams will be transitioning into their outdoor season starting this weekend as they host their first home meet at their new outdoor facility, located by the intramural fields. Harding Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) will host a meet tailgate Saturday at 1 p.m.

“I hope some people will come out this weekend and watch a little bit,” Hood said.

Lady Bison softball players reveal good luck traditions

ABBEY WILLIAMS guest writer

Harding athletes don’t always need luck, but some Lady Bison softball players have good luck traditions.

Junior outfielder Ashton Bryce said she believes in luck as an athlete.

“I do believe luck exists, especially in sports,” Bryce said. “You can look at so many different instances in sports where luck 100% played a factor in a game.”

Bryce said the team does some things based on superstitions.

“I don’t believe that we have ever won a game purely based on luck,” Bryce said. “There are several things that we do that are more superstitious, I think, than luck. For example, we have the same pregame routine and do it the exact same way every time. There are sometimes when a call goes in favor of us and not the other team, and that could be luck in that case.”

Bryce said if they played a good game and didn’t win, that could be bad luck.

“Same thing goes for losing,” Bryce said. “One call or one play that didn’t go our way that could’ve, that lost us the game could be considered luck. Coach says, ‘We didn’t have luck on our side,’ or ‘We just needed some luck that game and didn’t have any,’ if we played a really good game and didn’t win.”

Senior outfielder Madison Fraley said she is superstitious when it comes to softball.

“I don’t focus too much on luck, but I would say I’m very superstitious when it comes to softball,” Fraley said. “I like to have a routine. It keeps my head clear and helps me feel in control.”

Fraley said she believes a tradition she and her teammate do contributes to winning.

“We most definitely win games because of one of our superstitions,” Fraley said. “My teammate Jordan Cabana and I have a certain tradition we do, but only when absolutely needed. Multiple game-winning hits and plays have been made right after we do it. I can’t say exactly what we do because it would ruin its power, but we both have to 100%

believe it will work. Ninety-nine percent of the time it works.”

Fraley said the softball team participates in “Vest Friday,” a tradition started by sophomore catcher and infielder Brooke Johnson, who stole the idea from her cousins.

“The softball team does connect over wearing vests,” Fraley said. “It gives us something to look forward to on Fridays. The best part is when we meet up in the Hammond Student Centerafter chapel and look at all of our vests.”

Fraley said Vest Friday is a fairly new tradition.

“Vesting on Fridays is a fairly new tradition, and I’m not sure I can contribute a win to the vests yet,” Fraley said.”However, I do believe the vesting will continue to grow in power. My dream would be to look into the stands on a Friday home game and see a crowd full of fans, all in vests. I believe that would most definitely contribute to a Harding softball win.”

Fraley said she does a few other things for superstition besides Vest Friday, such

as putting on eye black, glitter, a helmet, EvoShield and gloves the same way every time. She uses the same throwing balls throughout the entire game and fires remix cheers in the dugou as well.

Johnson said the team connects over Vest Friday.

“This is something that we started doing about a month ago,”zzzz Johnson said. “My whole family loves vests, and they started an Instagram account called @vestfriday. We all get together and take a photo, and it just makes the team and some people around campus feel a sense of community.”

Johnson said luck gives her a sense of comfort and confidence when it comes to softball.

“I believe in luck,” Johnson said. “Not in a way that it directly affects the outcome, but it gives you a sense of comfort and confidence to play to the highest level due to your routine that you trust. There’s an element of luck in every game, whether that is the umpires or refs, weather, or things just unfortunately happening.”

NIC FRARACCIO student writer

Harding men’s basketball team and administrators present head basketball coach Jeff Morgan a token of appreciation in the Rhodes-Reaves Field House Feb 25. Morgan served as head coach for 30 years.

Freshman Vlad Malykhins holds his record-setting pole vault trophy at the intramural track on March 15. Five Harding athletes were All-America athletes this year at the indoor championship meet.

Photo provided by Jeff Montgomery

Photo by BALASZ BALASSA

Graphic by WAGNER VALDEZ

EMMA JONES editor-in-chief

Domestic violence prevention program expands in White County

MALACHI BROWN opinions editor

Bobbie Boozer, the new executive director of the White County Domestic Violence Prevention Program, began laying new foundations for education and progress last spring. During her time in the position, the program has been rapidly developing its outreach capabilities to include rural domestic violence, as well as child abuse and human trafficking awareness programs.

“We’re trying to expand awareness about domestic violence and all its related activities throughout the community,” Boozer said.

Elizabeth Wilson, a retired Harding faculty member, has been working with the program since its conception 27 years ago. Much of the program consists of going to communities and educating them about the signs and realities of domestic violence, child abuse and human trafficking. The outreach program bolstered by Boozer will begin offering parenting classes April 1.

“We do education at schools, churches, really anywhere we can,” Wilson said.

… as well as seeing the joy a client feels when they get their own apartment, a new job or getting their kids into school,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales views the program as playing a crucial role in the ability of women and their families to rebuild after violent situations. The shelter and outreach program provide safety, comfort and resources to enable families to take steps toward independence.

“Every day, I am thankful that I can be part of such a great place where I can learn and work,” Gonzalez said. Alongside the education programs, the organization has an emergency shelter known as Hope Cottage. The program asks those who share its same ideals to help in spreading awareness about its programs and the causes it supports, and to get out in the community and raise awareness about what it does.

“We also have a monthly needs list for Hope Cottage that we could always use help getting stuff for them,” Boozer said.

Searcy businesses introduce new March menus

GABRIEL HUFF

head copy editor

EMMA JONES editor-in-chief

BAILEY RIDENOUR student writer

Restaurants in the city of Searcy are showcasing new March menus in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.

Lisa Ford, the owner of Wild Sweet William’s, said that their March menu includes a new chicken pesto sandwich and a “Strawberry Fields Forever” salad.

“The timing to create a new menu or a new product item varies greatly,” Ford said. “Sometimes something will just strike me, and I can produce it immediately. Other times I gather or gleam information and ideas and mull them over for weeks before I’m

able to produce something.”

In order for the creativity process to flourish, Ford said her body and heart must assume a positive state of being.

“I can set on something for a year before it’s created, or it can be immediate,” Ford said, snapping her fingers.

Mr. Postman Expresso and its sister store Perk and Post announced their March menus in a “Lucky Launch” on March 1. New drinks at the coffee shops include the Pot of Goldsmith, Mr. Post-achio, Clover cold brew, Little Leprechaun granita and Shamrockin’ Redbull. Graduate student Laurel Beshirs, who works at Mr. Postman, said the new drinks have been well received by customers.

“My favorite is the Pot of Goldsmith — Irish cream added to our most popular drink,” Beshirs said. “But our Mr. Postachio is pretty popular this month. [It’s] a play on words and just something new we’re trying, and it’s going well.”

Junior Bailey Moore, who has worked at Warehouse 4 since it opened on Harding’s campus, said she’s excited for their new March menu items.

“For drinks, we’re doing a honey lavender latte, and it is so tasty,” Moore said. “It feels right for kicking off spring, too. In the kitchen, we just started serving our tomato toast — toasted sourdough, a little pesto, a little ricotta, cherry tomatoes, salt, pepper and some arugula. It’s like the chicken pesto’s little cousin.”

Slader’s Alaskan Dumplings has released a new “dumpling of the month” flavor this March with the introduction of alfredo dumplings. Manager Daniel Ockay, who came up with the idea for the alfredo dumplings, said customers seem to be enjoying the new sauce option.

“The idea for the flavor came up in a team meeting,” Ockay said. “With our

feature dumplings, we are trying to explore options that depart from our normal. I’ve told the team no idea is off the table.”

Photos by MACY COX Searcy shops have new March and St. Patrick’s Day menu options. New options include the Little Leprechaun Granita at Perk and Post (left) and decorated baked goods at Wild Sweet William’s (right).

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

Student teachers work during Harding spring break

TIANE DAVIS sports editor

During Harding’s spring break, some students did not get the privilege of a week off from classes. Students working as student teachers were left behind to wait for their own week off from classes, as their schools have different dates for spring break.

Senior Abi Schliffka, a student teacher at Ahlf Junior High School in Searcy, said her break does not start until March 19. Since her sister is also a Harding student, she said it was strange knowing her sister was hours away from Harding while she was still in Searcy.

“At the same time, I quite enjoyed staying here for my internship because it felt like I could do things at my own pace and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of campus without it being filled with students,” Schliffka said. “But if Harding is willing to give an extra spring break to just me and my sister so we can hang out together, that would be fabulous.”

Schliffka said she would like it if Harding’s spring break aligned with other schools in town because it would open up more possibilities for everyone, including the teachers.

“In my opinion, if Harding had the same spring break as the public schools, it would make more sense since it is closer to spring, and student teachers would have the same opportunity as other students to go on spring break mission trips and plan mini-vacations with friends who may not be education majors,” Schliffka said.

Schliffka said even though it is inconvenient to have a different spring break from Harding, there are still several benefits to it.

“There is value in being able to find contentment in your own company, and when

I got home from my internship every day, I realized that this was a lesson that I had no idea that I needed,” Schliffka said. “During Harding’s break I also found time to meet up with others who stayed on campus during their break, so I felt like I could bond with them in that sense and deepen those friendships.”

Senior Hannah Hillier, who has been student teaching at Cabot Junior High School North and Cabot Freshman Academy, said she is planning on traveling with her sister for spring break, but that it would be more convenient for her if Harding had the same spring break as other schools nearby.

“I would love it if Harding had the same spring break as local schools,” Hillier said. “It would give me the opportunity to spend time with my fiancè and friends.”

Hillier said when she graduates and has a different spring break from Harding again, it will still affect her.

“My fiancè will still be in college, so we will have two different spring breaks, which is disappointing because we would love to do something together for spring break,” Hillier said.

Senior Kelsey Drumheller, an art student teacher at Cabot Freshman Academy, said everyone in her family works full-time, so the dates of her spring break did not make much of a difference. She said it probably would help if Harding had the same spring break as other schools, however.

“I feel if Harding and local schools had spring break at the same time, it would help with any time conflicts for certain people,” Drumheller said. “Going on spring break at a later time won’t really affect me, but it would be nice if everyone had the same break.”

Professor discusses history of St. Patrick’s Day

SARA HOOK features editor SOPHIE THIBODEAUX student writer

People across the world come together every year on March 17 to celebrate the life of St. Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. The celebration is held on the traditional death date of Patrick, which became a feast day for several church traditions.

While St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish celebration, Patrick himself was Welsh and lived in the 400s, said history professor Julie Harris.

“Patrick had a fascinating story,” Harris said. “He was kidnapped by Irish slavers/ pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. He was there for six or seven years before escaping. Ireland was still pagan at this point, with the Druidic religion dominating the land.”

After escaping, Patrick returned to Britain, Harris said. According to Patrick’s spiritual autobiography, “Confessio,” he later felt called to return to Ireland to convert them.

“Oddly enough, though often listed as a saint and being the patron saint of Ireland, Patrick was never canonized as a

saint because he lived before the process was formalized,” Harris said.

Patrick became a legendary figure in Ireland, and many stories, religious and mystical, arose about him. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Patrick had established many monasteries, churches and schools by the time of his death.

“Many legends grew up around him — for example, that he drove the snakes out of Ireland and used the shamrock to explain the Trinity,” the encyclopedia said.

Over time, the holiday came to be celebrated by immigrants in major U.S. cities as a more secular celebration than a religious one.

“The Irish potato famine of the 1840s brought many Irish immigrants to America,” Harris said. “They brought the holiday with them, though the religious connections are celebrated less on this side of the Atlantic.”

Many Harding students participate in St. Patrick’s Day traditions. Sophomore international business major Madison Sanders said her abroad experience visiting Ireland last fall made her look forward to the occasion.

“Seeing the famous places and the people made me excited for St. Patrick’s Day,” Sanders said. “More specifically, seeing the Book of Kells in Dublin made me appreciate St. Patrick’s dedication to God.” Graphic by

Can you find the pot of gold? wet but not from rain heights to make travel simple students nap nearby

Interpret this poem to find your own pot of gold: a $25 MO gift card!

There will be a QR code and notecard at a hidden location on campus, based off of the poem. Sign your name to the notecard and scan the QR code to submit your name. The first three people to find the code will receive the prize.

Photo provided by Hannah Hillier Senior Hannah Hillier conducts the beginning band during a concert on Feb. 7 at Cabot Junior High School North. Hillier’s spring break is March 20-24, two weeks after Harding’s.

Photo provided by Abi Schliffka Senior Abi Schliffka holds a balloon at Ahlf Junior High School March 2. Schliffka’s students filled the U.S. history classroom with balloons to celebrate before she moved placements to a different school.

Green in history and at Harding

From pots of gold and leprechauns to rainbows and shamrocks, St. Patrick’s Day is full of a complex color with a rich history in the art and design world that surrounds us: green. Green is the most prominent color when one thinks of St. Patrick’s Day, but the color is not just reserved for the March festivities. The color green can be seen everywhere, and its presence not only has an effect on its surroundings, but it also affects the person looking at it.

Braydon Letsinger, a senior visual arts studio major, has utilized the color green in several of his pieces and said the color’s meaning has changed over time and become more ambiguous.

“Historically, it’s like rebirth, regrowth, because it’s plant life and like, with Ireland, it’s such a big color,” Letsinger said. “But in more recent history, it’s kind of come to have a little bit more negative connotations, but it can be used negatively, like Shakespeare was one of the first to coin the term like ‘green with envy’ or like the ‘green eyes of envy.’”

Tessa Davidson, an assistant professor of art, discussed the use of the color green in both her personal work and art throughout history.

“I learned through my reading about green back in the day that the human eye can actually detect the green more than any other color, like as far as the variety of all the differences within the color green,” Davidson said. “I think it was explained that it’s because of the way we’re wired as

human beings to look for growth and what could be vegetation and things like that.”

Outside of the fine arts, the color green also inhabits the spaces people create, walk through and observe on a daily basis. This use of color in interior and exterior spaces is intentional and planned.

Jenna Lewis is a senior in the interior design and architecture program and has been creating spaces using intentional color theory and an understanding of how different colors can affect the human psyche.

“I think for interiors, green is usually a color that is peaceful and relaxing and hard to mess up,” Lewis said. “My first project I did was a wellness house. I was inspired by this plant and designing a hospital clinic area, and so for my patients I wanted them to not feel like they were trapped in such a sterile clinic. It was more of like something

that would be very calming and soothing and feel like they were in nature without being outside.”

A group of Harding students has dedicated themselves to the challenge of wearing green every day during the month of March, and documenting it through an Instagram account called @greeenmonth, which was started by sophomore Kennedy Williamson.

“Green month is a great opportunity to bring together the green community,” Williamson said. “It’s been fun to see all the green on campus and wonder if it was a coincidence or intentional.”

Green is a color that can be found in many places with many meanings and is a great color to wear to avoid getting pinched on St. Patrick’s Day.

Stroll through French culture with the French Embassy

Harding University partnered with the French Embassy from Houston March 16 to host “A Stroll Through French Culture” on campus, marking the University’s first event celebrating French Culture Month.

There were various stations set up in Cone Chapel for the event. The stands included a variety of art, music, theater and food that all originated in French culture. The event was for all of Arkansas.

French professor Robert McCready worked with the French Embassy from Houston to approve the event, seeking to provide many opportunities for people on and off campus.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to enjoy the camaraderie among us, but also to show the inter-departments of what we can do,” McCready said. “But every single

booth, everything for the festivities had something to do with French culture. So it would be French music, French jazz, French food, French art, etc.”

Bonnie Kee, accreditation and academic support coordinator for the Foreign Languages

PATRICK’S DAY St.

crossword

“Especially [with] prospective students who are thinking maybe they want to major in French or some international major.”

Another helper for the event was chair of Foreign Languages and International Studies, Kristi Bond. Bond said there were some components that made the event special.

Department, helped with the event and said she hopes this impacted Harding University.

“Having our students and high school students from around here learn about French culture and be more aware of anything French will help, I think, Harding,” Kee said.

ACROSS

“Well, it’s exciting for us to host an event that is so visible to the public and just brings in a lot of culture,” Bond said. “Some of the French students are going to be doing tables on culture from different countries around the world. We have a pharmacy teacher who’s from Cameroon, he’s going to have a table about Cameroon. There’s just going to be all of this cultural information and visuals and food that I think just gives students on campus that experience with some things that they don’t get to experience without leaving campus.”

4. The city that dyes its river green to celebrate

7. The approximate number of hours that the NYC parade takes

10. The country that St. Patrick is patron saint of DOWN

1. Where the first St. Patrick’s Day parade in the U.S. was hosted

2. Expect to be __________ if you’re not wearing green

3. St. Patrick’s real name

5. St. Patrick _____ on March 17

6. The _______ fairytales served as inspiration for leprechauns

8. The original color of St. Patrick’s Day

9. A symbol of Ireland

A group of Harding students is attempting to wear green throughout all of March. Green historically has been connected with growth, rebirth and nature. It is also the color associated with St. Patrick’s Day.

CALEB CHUNN student writer

Photo provided by Kennedy Williamson

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN and MAGGIE SAMPLES