The Northerner | Ed. 69 Issue 1 by thenortherner.com

BLACK HISTORY MONTH The meaning of Black History Month according to NKU’s students and staff page 4-5

NKU faculty member on ‘Family Feud’

page 8 Edition 69 Issue 01 Wednesday, February 23, 2022

thenortherner.com @northernermedia

February at NKU: Black History Month, Homecoming and more!

Left: Hanson Nguyen, Right: Tayshawn Elliott, Center: David Wassler

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SUBJECTS AND TAKEN BY EMORY DAVIS/CAMERON NIELSEN GRAPHIC BY: ALLIE ROSE

02 Happenings

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

NORTHERNER STAFF

WWW.THENORTHERNER.COM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Matthew Dietz [dietzm5@mymail.nku.edu]

WHAT TO DO Check out the hottest campus happenings and can’t-miss events at NKU.

MANAGING EDITOR Madison Plank [plankm3@mymail.nku.edu] NEWS EDITOR Mildred Nguyen [nguyend8@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. NEWS EDITOR Haven Wolfe [wolfea15@mymail.nku.edu] ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Braden White [whiteb15@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Amari Brandy [brandya2@mymail.nku.edu] SPORTS EDITOR Matthew Dietz [dietzm5@mymail.nku.edu] ASST SPORTS EDITOR Brendan Connelly [connellyb3@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Blake Lehmann [lehmannb2@mymail.nku.edu] VIDEO EDITOR Dylan Boling [bolingd3@mymail.nku.edu] PHOTO EDITOR Emory Davis [davise19@mymail.nku.edu] DESIGN EDITOR Allie Rose [rosea18@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. DESIGN EDITOR Ysabel Cordova-Elias [cordovaely1@mymail.nku.edu] WEB EDITOR Sean Gibson [gibsons13@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. WEB EDITOR Blake Wagner [wagnerb7@mymail.nku.edu] COPY EDITOR Misti Hopper [hopperm7@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. PHOTO EDITOR Zayne Isom [isomz1@mymail.nku.edu] ADVISOR Michele Day [daymi@nku.edu]

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ABOUT THE NORTHERNER

Entire content is copyright of The Northerner and may not be reprinted without prior consent. Views expressed do not represent those of the administration, faculty or student body. The Northerner is considered a designated public forum. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The Northerner staff respects the right to a free and open dialogue as allowed under the First Amendment.

CONTACT US The Northerner Griffin Hall Rm. 125 Highland Heights, KY 41099 Editor-in-Chief: (859) 572-5732 Advertising: (859) 572-6677

Health Innovation Center and Founders Hall at NKU. PHOTO BY : CAMERON NIELSEN

FEB

MAR

END OF SEASON TAILGATE, 4 P.M. - 6:30 P.M. Want a chance to tailgate with friends between the NKU women’s basketball game at 2 p.m. and the men’s basketball game at 7 p.m.? Head to the BB&T Lot near the Welcome Center Garage to join in the fun!

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT SERVICE FAIR, 11 A.M. - 2 P.M. Students will have the opportunity to meet local nonprofits that they can volunteer their time with in the Student Union Ballroom. APB TALENT SHOW, 6 P.M. - 8 P.M. Join the Activities Programming Board to see an abundance of talent on NKU’s campus in the Student Union Ballroom.

Viewpoint: Bengals lose Super Bowl LVI, but the future remains bright Matthew Dietz EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

It was an unforgettable season for the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals. A season that saw the team win the AFC North division, snap their 31-year playoff win drought, and advance to their first Super Bowl since 1989. But the Bengals were not able to achieve the ultimate reward for such a marvelous campaign on Feb.13, losing to the Los Angeles Rams 23-20 in Super Bowl LVI. No question about it, from the Bengals’ perspective this hurts. A lot. Sure, not many people expected the Bengals to be in this position at the beginning of the season, and to some extent, that made Super Bowl Sunday a joyous occasion no matter the outcome. But to get so agonizingly close to the final prize, only for the lead to be snatched away in the final minutes is a painful, heartbreaking ending for players, coaches, fans and the city of Cincinnati as they continue waiting for the first ever Super Bowl championship. The magical 2021 season is over, but the Bengals could just be getting started. Cincinnati figures to return almost everyone from one of the most explosive offenses in the sport, headlined by quarterback Joe Burrow, wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and running back Joe Mixon. On defense, Cincinnati retains its two best edge rushers in Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard, several talented linebackers in Logan Wil-

son and Germaine Pratt, and multiple members of the secondary, including Chidobe Awuzie and safety Vonn Bell, as well as Jessie Bates III who will need to work out a new deal with the team or potentially play the 2022 season under the franchise tag. Bottom line: this loss will sting for a long time, but the future remains very bright in Cincinnati. 2021 laid the groundwork for the long-term goals that the Bengals have with the core group of players, and as the season comes to a close, albeit in an emotional way, those goals have not changed. The 2021 Cincinnati Bengals provided the city with entertainment, joy and most of all, hope. With Burrow and young head coach Zac Taylor at the reins and a slew of talented playmakers around the field, this may be just the beginning for the city and for the franchise. For one final time in this remarkable season: Who Dey.

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Wednesday. February 23, 2022

News 03

Photo provided by subject

Active leader on campus gets nominated homecoming royalty Madison Plank MANAGING EDITOR

When junior health informatics major and information systems minor Hanson Nguyen was named sophomore/junior homecoming royalty earlier this month, he could hardly believe it. This year had actually been the second time Nguyen was nominated for homecoming court, when just one of the many organizations he is involved with, Presidential Ambassadors, nominated him. He has been involved with this organization since his freshman year and serves on their e-board currently. “I do put all of my effort into it [Presidential Ambassadors]. So I thought it would be cool to get nominated, but everyone in it is amazing. We all cheer for each other. I thought it was going to be our president instead, but then it was me. I was like, ‘Wow, everyone has faith in me, everyone thinks I really represent PA well enough for you all to vote for me.’ I was really surprised but happy,” Nguyen said. Nguyen is currently a student ambassador for LGBTQI+, has served in SGA since his freshman year, is a leadership mentor, a peer coach for the First Year Student Success Hub, gets to chair the Breaking Ground Retreat this year and was an orientation

leader during summer 2021. Attending small, Catholic schools growing up, Nguyen said he didn’t really get many chances to join organizations and get involved. He completely altered his narrative in which he strives to be involved throughout campus and has received awards such as, “Rising Star”, “Most Growth”, “Most Spirit” and “Freshman of the Year”. One of Nguyen’s favorite memories of being nominated for homecoming was getting to choose what outfit he wore. Being a big lover of fashion, Nguyen knew his traditional Vietnamese ao dai (a long, split tunic worn with trousers) that he wore to his sister’s wedding last August would be perfect to embrace his heritage and be himself. “I felt like I walked into that room and all the other male candidates were in suits and ties and I was like, ‘My outfit really represents me because I know they would never wear heels,’ and it shows how I’m not really afraid to show my feminine side and that I’m gay and part of that community,” Nguyen said. An item he got to check off of his bucket list during his homecoming experience was blowing the NKU gjallarhorn, something he has wanted

to do for quite some time. 10 years ago, though, Nguyen wouldn’t have pictured himself where he is right now, being involved with so many organizations and winning homecoming. “I thought I’d go to college, and maybe try to make some friends, just really focus on school and try not to be so involved,” Nguyen said. “If you would’ve asked me a year ago if I thought I would win homecoming, I would’ve said no, because I know I work so hard and get so involved but it’s not for the titles, it’s just because I enjoy it, it’s fun and I love the people I’m meeting.” Hannah Miller, junior social work major, first met Nguyen their freshmen year as they were getting sworn in as senators in SGA. Their last names are close alphabetically so they sat next to each other. “And from the very first moment I met him, he’s very talkative, makes everyone feel welcome, and I just remember from the beginning him being very welcoming and positive,” Miller said. Miller, who is also involved with Presidential Ambassadors, said one of the jobs they do within the organization is help with commencement each semester, where

they carry flags and banners at the beginning of each ceremony. Sounds like a nerve racking job, right? Being surrounded by so many people awaiting graduation? Not for Nguyen. “It’s not a very popular job because it makes people nervous. Every single semester, he’s the first one to raise his hand and be like, ‘I will carry the flag, I’ve got this,’ and he does a really good job every time,” Miller said. Senior mathematics and statistics major Abigail Leonhard was also nominated as homecoming royalty alongside Nguyen, where the two were both nominated by Presidential Ambassadors. “I knew him right when he was a freshman and joined PA, and I remember him distinctively doing so much for the organization. He may not be the loudest person in a room, but he gives so much to all of his organizations that I think speaks so loudly,” Leonhard said. Miller and Leonhard both shared similar experiences with Nguyen, stating how actively involved he has been and remains to be as well as an overall fun person to be around. “Every memory with Hanson is a good memory, that man is like a burst of energy and light wherever he goes,” Miller said.

04 News

News 05

The meaning of Black History Month, identity and community, according to NKU’s students and staff

Mildred Nguyen NEWS EDITOR

Two African American students and a staff member share what Black History Month means for them, how their identity shapes their worldview and interaction with others, and what they are doing to support minority communities at Northern Kentucky University. Senior theatre major and dance minor Tayshawn Elliott came from Cincinnati. He is the first member of his family to go to college, compelled by his love for singing, though NKU was far from his first choice. He had never visited the NKU campus, feeling that it was too close to home, until his mother encouraged him to give the university a try. “As soon as I was on the campus and started to see the people and talk with people, it was like something was speaking to me, pulling me,” Elliott said, “like, ‘This is where you’re supposed to be.’” Elliott currently serves as president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and Alpha Beta Rho chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity (he was the chapter’s first member). Though initially hesitant to run for president of NPHC, he decided to give it a shot last year after talking to several members who spoke positively of him. NKU students, especially students from minority groups, need someone who is in the room to speak on their behalf, Elliott said: someone who has their best interests at heart, so that the students do not feel like their needs have to be questioned. “That’s part of the reason that I’m in the position that I am in on campus, just so that I can be that person in the room for those who may not be able to be there,” Elliott said. “I try to speak up in any way, shape or form no matter who I’m speaking to, just letting them know that we’re important, we’re here, we matter.” Elliott feels that NKU could be doing a lot more to accommodate minority students. He recalled walking into Greaves Concert Hall on his first day of class and seeing only three Black people in the room, out of an attendance of a hundred. “It’s those types of things that you can choose to either let break you or build you,” Elliott said. “You take responsibility and say, ‘Okay, while I’m here I have to do my part as the person in the room, or speak up for the things that people might not have heard before or opinions that people may not be used to hearing.’” But leadership can be hard on one men-

tally, which is why Elliott encouraged students to take care of themselves before they try to take on the world. “You can’t be a great student if you’re not being a great human first,” he added. For Elliott, Black History Month is a reminder that we still have a long way to go in this country, but that the preceding generations were fighting for him. “People before me came before me to fight for me, so I have to continue to do the same things for those who came after me,” he said. It is a reminder to be proud of the accomplishments that African Americans have made, but also to see what they can do better for the community as a whole. Elliott feels that a sense of camaraderie unites Black students because of the struggles they are facing together, making it all the more important for NKU to foster that community and provide them with what they need: spaces, financial help, faculty and staff who can help them be their best selves. “We’re building people, like we’re literally releasing people with degrees into the world,” Elliott said. “This is a place where people are really finding themselves and putting that stamp on who they are, so we have to make sure this is a place where people feel wanted and comfortable. I’m trying my best with what I have.” In his closing remark, Elliott reminded everyone to attend the End of Season Tailgate on Feb. 26, of which the Black Alumni Council will be a part.

Tayshawn Elliott

PHOTO BY EMORY DAVIS

Cincinnatian Lavette Patterson, a senior dance major with a minor in Black studies, started dancing at the age of three and has been training in all dance styles since a very young age. She is currently rehearsing with School of the Arts for Dance ‘22, scheduled for the end of April. She will be featuring in the Feb. 22 Six@Six presentation “Democracy and the Arts” as one of the dancers interpreting the lecture through choreography. She is also working with the Black Studies program to promote change in NKU’s lack of diversity and inclusion in its curriculum, which she finds to be tailored to white students in their structure and language. Her efforts will be represented by a March 26 workshop – with guest appearance by a Zimbabwean artist – where Black students can learn how to be good leaders and get a sense of their individual and collective power. “What we’re doing really holds so much value to this community and other colleges as well, so I’m hoping a lot of students will be able to make it out to the event,” Patterson said. For Patterson, Black History Month means remembering major Black figures and celebrating Black culture without feelDESIGN BY YSABEL CORDOVA-ELIAS

As Director of Training and Development for Human Resources, Dr. Marquita Barron calls herself a one-person team. Anything and everything related to training and development, be it consulting on professional development or helping facilitate learning, she does it. “I’ve a long-time love of learning, not just learning for myself but helping others to learn, anything and everything that they want to, to make themselves the best that they could possibly be,” Barron said. “That’s really my love: helping individuals to discover, even rediscover, what it is that helps them to be exceptional people in the workforce.” A native of Cincinnati, Barron earned her doctorate degree in human resources management in 2019 and started working at NKU in 2020. She has been ensuring that the staff performance evaluation has a diversity component, which requires employees to understand the importance of diversity and integrating it into how they help their students and their departments. She has also concentrated on including di-

versity into different programs for managers. “It starts with faculty and staff really understanding what that all means, so we can help our students understand what that all means, so they can take that out there in the real world and be able to function appropriately,” Barron said, adding that NKU still has some ways to go and that a lot is being worked on behind the scenes. Nevertheless, it was NKU’s student-driven mission, vision and core values – a focus on making sure that students have everything they need to be successful – that drew Barron to the institution. “It’s kind of been within my dream jobs to be the head of training and development,” she said. Barron feels that this focus on students has also created a sense of community, even a sense of family, among NKU’s faculty and staff. “Everything that we say and do, it’s all about the students, all the time. We live it, we breathe it, we sleep it, we wake up: it’s all about the students,” she said. “We push it that way when we talk about and focus on our students, you can’t

help but be a community.” For Barron, Black History Month means an opportunity to reflect on the past, recognizing both the good and the bad, so that we can continue to learn and grow. “I think a lot of these things came about that were good and great, not just for Black folks but for this country, stems from the original sense of America which was slavery,” Barron said. “To kind of recognize that we did have that history, to continuously be aware that we did have that history, to never lose focus that we did have that history, so that we can progress, move forward and do the things that we need to do to ensure that all of God’s creatures are created equal.” Black History Month is also an opportunity to recognize the great contributions that African Americans have made and will continue to make for this country, Barron added. Her identity affords her the various lenses in which to view the world and her interaction with others. “When I look in the mirror, the first thing I see is Black. Then I see a wom-

an who is a little older and is a widow, a mother, grandmother, and on and on,” she said. “I have seen and experienced those things that social media is only now shining a light on, especially to those not privy or predisposed to experience such as injustices because of the color of one’s skin.” Even in light of such injustices, Barron sees people as human beings who are flawed but able to do and be better. “We must be better,” she said. In her closing remark, Barron encouraged everyone to participate in the events and activities happening on campus throughout the month, in particular the Ultimate Black Family Reunion on Feb. 25. Registration details for the mixer can be found on the African American Student Initiatives website. Dr. Marquita Barron PHOTO BY EMORY DAVIS

ing ashamed about it. Although she feels that the Black students community is filled with multitalented and very intelligent individuals, they are not as united as they could be – which she attributes to NKU’s lack of support for minority groups. “Multiracial organizations are treated unfairly, funding-wise and promotion-wise, and it limits the opportunities to be a part of these groups and to be leaders in that community,” Patterson said. “When organizations like this aren’t supported equally, everybody suffers. If we aren’t supporting minority groups then we aren’t celebrating diversity and we hurt our own NKU community.” Her solutions are more funding for different organizations and activities that bring people together, especially minority groups, to ensure that everyone is equally funded, supported and included within NKU’s dream of a community.

04 News

News 05

The meaning of Black History Month, identity and community, according to NKU’s students and staff

Mildred Nguyen NEWS EDITOR

Tayshawn Elliott

PHOTO BY EMORY DAVIS

06 Sports

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

David Wassler: Seldom utilized, always recognized Brendan Connelly ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

A Division I college basketball walk-on is, in many ways, comparable to a pawn in chess. They may not make up half of the roster, but their numbers in the sport are many. Both entities have minimal impact; a pawn can only move one square at a time, and a walk-on is fortunate to see one minute of playing time, even in a blow-out. Both are seen as supporting cast. But for David Wassler, a senior walk-on for the NKU men’s basketball team, his role is crystal clear. Most games, Wassler can be seen at the end of the bench, sitting among fellow teammates and team athletic trainer Ben Folz. His main focus is on the court, studying and dissecting each play (more on that later). Wassler also acts as a cheerleader, reacting to every basket, whistle and clutch play. Should a pawn attempt to sneak past the opposing defense and take down the king, the path is not easy. Similarly, Wassler’s basketball journey has provided many twists and turns. His love for the sport began in kindergarten. He was always the tallest in his grade in middle school and high school, so basketball was an easy choice. The bumps in the road, however, started in high school. Wassler began his freshman season at St. Xavier high school in Cincinnati with a chipped bone in his ankle. The ailment was not enough to sideline him, so he persevered. At the end of the season, while wearing a knee brace, Wassler grabbed a rebound but fell to the floor, tearing the ACL in his left knee. After rehabbing during the summer, Wassler greatly improved during his sophomore and junior seasons. But tragedy would strike again. Wassler tore his right ACL at a West Virginia University basketball camp the summer before his senior year. “It obviously completely changed my senior year, rehabbing most of it. Playing a little bit at the end,” Wassler said. Limited playing time in his final campaign led to several offers from Division-III colleges, but Wassler’s coach implored him to look at walk-on opportunities at schools like Xavier, UC, and NKU. Through discussions with then-head coach John Brannen, Wassler was offered a walk-on spot before he arrived on campus. Just one year into Wassler’s tenure, Brannen left for UC and NKU hired current head coach Darrin Horn, leading to some uncertainty for Wassler. He thought Horn may bring in his own walk-ons or try to switch up the roster,

David Wassler celebrates on the bench during a game against Canisius.

but that wasn’t the case. Horn and his coaching staff had heard good things prior to meeting him, but were even more impressed once they got to know him. “As good a guy as I’ve ever been around, in 20 plus years in the business, at understanding his role,” Horn said. As a walk-on, Wassler’s stat line doesn’t compare to that of Trevon Faulkner or Marques Warrick, but he still has all the responsibilities of a scholarship studentathlete. These include attending film and weight sessions, traveling on road trips and knowing the opposition’s scouting report. Wassler excels at all these duties because, as Horn said, he is “crazy smart”. “He can not be in live action in practice for weeks on end and we can put him out there. And something we’ve talked about one time, he’ll do it perfect,” Horn said. In addition to his commitment to the team, Wassler juggles life off the court. He is a Computer Information Technology major, he lives at home and commutes to campus to save money, and has a part-time job at his family’s butcher shop, Wassler Meats. Horn said that being a walk-on is really about the player’s love for the game, since there is almost no return on a rather large investment. Like a chess pawn, walkons don’t accrue much playing time or fan recognition. Part of Wassler’s role is doing whatever it takes behind the scenes to help the team succeed. He has never searched for recognition, but instead, it found him. Insert Chet Powell. The 2003 NKU graduate has season tickets in Section 110 of BB&T Arena. Powell and fellow graduates Tim Mullins (class of 2001) and Mike Hoerlein (class of 1997) have cheered Wassler’s name at home games since the 2019-2020 season. The group’s antics actually started two years before with Chris Vogt, who played for the Norse from 2017-2019 before

following Brannen to UC. Powell said he wanted to recognize a role player on a team with stars like Drew McDonald, Jalen Tate and Lavone Holland. “The three of us were looking around like, ‘Who never gets in? Well, Chris doesn’t get in.’” Powell said. Once Vogt left, they started looking for a new player to cheer for. Hoerlein saw Wassler, a sophomore at the time, at the end of the bench, recognizing him as a walk-on. The cheer’s inception garnered the same reaction from Horn, Wassler and his family: confusion. “After the game, I asked, ‘Were they chanting David’s name?’” Horn said. Over time, the Wasslers have become more familiar with the cheering section. They have gotten to know each other, take pictures, and even bring a cardboard cutout to games. In the cheer’s brief history, Horn remembers one iteration more than the rest. On Feb. 16, 2020, NKU welcomed UIC to BB&T Arena. The Norse trailed by as many as 40 points late in the game, and the crowd thought Horn might empty his bench. Sensing the cheer coming, Wassler subtly got Powell’s attention, communicating that they shouldn’t call his name. That’s the influence Wassler has over his own chant. If the game is going well and he might have a chance of going in, he’ll give Powell a barely noticeable thumbs up as if to say, “Okay, go ahead.” But if the Norse aren’t playing well, he shuts it down. When COVID-19 prohibited fans from attending Norse home games, the cheer disappeared for a year. When fans returned on Nov. 4, 2021, Wassler’s supporters were stronger than ever. Because he missed the first few games rehabbing from knee surgery, the fans in Section 110 knew he wasn’t going to play. So they improvised.

Now, Wassler’s name can be heard at the 10-minute mark of the second half in every home game, regardless of score. Powell still leads the chant at the end of the game if the situation warrants, and Wassler believes it has been successful. “It’s definitely worked. I think it’s had to add a couple minutes of playing time here and there,” Wassler said. Perhaps the best example of the cheer’s effectiveness was the Norse’s contest against Alice Lloyd College in December. With 2:38 left and NKU leading by 32, Wassler subbed in for his first minutes of the season. In less than two minutes of game time, he recorded a three-pointer and a steal, much to the delight of his teammates and the crowd. “When he made that three, this whole section went ballistic,” Powell said. Wassler said that’s one of his favorite moments from his time at NKU, in addition to his first basket as a freshman. “More than anything, when I make the shot or whatever, just seeing our bench’s reaction, that’s really what I enjoy the most,” Wassler said. As Wassler prepares to play his final regular season home game this weekend, Powell is planning on making t-shirts with Wassler’s number 44 on them. Since Wassler is graduating in May, the trio will need to find a new player to recognize. The question is: Who will it be? “We’ve got a good eight months to figure out who our next guy’s going to be,” Mullins said. Whoever the lucky recipient, Powell said that Wassler is welcome to participate in the selection process and always has a seat in Section 110. In the chess match that is the game of basketball, the walk-on may be comparable to a chess pawn, but Wassler will always be a king in the eyes of his most passionate supporters.

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

News 07

Graphic by: Ysabel Cordova-Elias

Inside the creation of LINK nky and their partnership with The Northerner Matthew Dietz EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

In October of 2021, the Northern Kentucky region was introduced to a new publication, LINK nky, a company that is striving to provide compelling and engaging coverage of the news in Northern Kentucky and report on the deeper issues that matter most to the community. The idea of starting the publication was first developed by Mark Collier, founder of Fort Thomas Matters and Michael Monks, founder of The River City News, as well as several other people in the region. The group had been working on the idea for several years, and in March of 2021, they made a phone call to Lacy Starling, an entrepreneur, writer and speaker, to see if she would be interested in writing a business plan for the company. Starling agreed and with that came the birth of LINK nky, which officially launched on October 27, 2021. LINK nky acquired two local publications in 2021, Fort Thomas Matters and River City News, and has merged the two publications with LINK to form one publication. Collier serves as the COO for LINK nky, while Monks is the Chief Content Officer, with Starling serving as founding President and CEO. Prior to LINK, Starling’s previous

company, Legion Logistics, grew from a startup to a $26 million company headquartered in Newport, Kentucky. Starling received her bachelor’s in newspaper journalism from Kent State University and her MBA from Malone University, and was a former newspaper reporter. To be able to return to journalism was something that excited Starling, who had worked in entrepreneurship for 20 years. “For me it was an opportunity to bring all of these threads together, and to have a news organization for this community that I have lived in for 15 years and that I really love,” Starling said. On the Editorial side, LINK nky is led by Managing Editor Meghan Goth. After receiving her undergraduate degree in journalism at the University of Cincinnati and her master’s at Columbia University, Goth worked at the Cincinnati Enquirer for five years. She later moved on to WCPO in 2015. When she found out about LINK nky, Goth was all in on the idea. “I thought it was a really great opportunity to bring local news to a community that really needed it and wanted it,” Goth said. The central hub for LINK nky is LINKnky.com, which features tabs

at the top of the site for readers to browse new stories in sections that intrigue them, including news, sports, business and culture. In addition to the written content, LINK nky has several sections related to multimedia content, including podcasts and video. Starling said that LINK nky is trying to lean into more multimedia content, and have all of it in one central location on the website. “Being able to bring that all together in one place, instead of having [readers] go to our YouTube channel or go to our Soundcloud, it’s all in one location and people are able to see all of the multimedia content that we’re creating, in addition to just really great daily breaking news and then longer features,” Starling said. In December of 2021, The Northerner and LINK nky agreed on a content sharing agreement, enabling each publication to publish stories from one another on their respective websites. For The Northerner, it means that readers are able to get more stories about what is happening in the Northern Kentucky region outside of campus, and for LINK, they are able to bring their readers exclusive content from within the university. Starling talked about how LINK

not only benefits from the increased NKU coverage, but they also have the opportunity to provide exposure for student journalists at The Northerner, a goal of the publication’s since its inception. “One of the things that we talked about when we started this, is the fact that we wanted to provide opportunities for journalism students, all of us having been journalism students at one point in our past,” Starling said. LINK nky will have a print edition that comes out every two months, and a newsletter that releases every weekday morning to subscribers, allowing for both flexibility in the content that can be distributed, as well as a longer amount of time for news to break and to provide coverage compared to a daily print newspaper. “The first thing is it gives us more of an opportunity to bring the most recent and updated information to people because newspapers have to go to bed a lot earlier than the newsletter,” Goth said about the daily newsletter. “It’s a little bit more personalized and also we like to put some content there that might not be in other places.” To read articles and view content from LINK nky, visit LINKnky.com.

08 Arts & Life

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

NKU faculty member goes on ‘Family Feud’ Suicide #2 leading cause of death among college students

44.5%

Not recieving education regarding mental health issues as a college athlete Occurence of depressive issues

33.2% 25.7%

Accessible treatment at their university

A diagnosis of depression in the past six months

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SUBJECT

Braden White ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

Connie Seiter, assistant to the vice provost, recently appeared as a contestant on Steve Harvey’s “Family Feud” that aired on Feb. 15. Seiter’s interest in the show began when she would host over 60 other family members during Thanksgiving, where after dinner each year Seiter and her family would play a game. For the past few years, they have played the game “Family Feud”, a game show where two families go head to head guessing the most popular answers to survey questions. That is when Seiter’s son mentioned to her that she should consider being on the show. Soon after in 2019, she had her daughter apply to be on the show. Seiter didn’t end up hearing back for over a year. Then, she received a message that said the show was interested in having them. Seiter described what it was like when they first heard that the show was potentially interested in them being contestants. “We all love Steve Harvey, we think he is hysterical. With it being a family-type show, we just thought it would fit perfectly for all of us,” Seiter said. Seiter added how the show receives thousands of applications each year to be contestants on the show.

“It was exciting to believe that we actually heard back from them. There are over 25,000 people who apply for the show [annually],” Seiter said. In January 2021, the show reached out to Seiter and her family for a Zoom interview to give them a chance to introduce themselves, as well as play a practice round of the game. After the Zoom interview, the show let them know that they would review their application and keep it on file for one to two years and that they would let Seiter and her family know if they were interested. But it was not even a few months before the show reached out to Seiter and her family asking them if they would like to be on the show. “Within a couple of months we heard back from them and they said they were ready to have us down there,” Seiter said. The show flew Seiter and her family down to Atlanta where the show was taped and they stayed in a hotel for five days to tape the show. Seiter also described what her day looked like while being on set at “Family Feud”.

“When they came to get us the first day, it’s a long day. They come and get you between 7:30 and eight o’clock in the morning and you don’t get back to the hotel until about nine o’clock that night, because they generally tape four shows a day,” Seiter said. After the first day of taping, Seiter mentioned how tired and a little disappointed she and her family were after finding out that they were not picked to go on stage that day. Usually, this is normal for people brought on the show, so Seiter and her family ended up being in the audience and participating that day. “That first day we were exhausted and a little disappointed because we didn’t get selected on stage that day,” Seiter said. “But we found out later that is generally how they do it. They will let you sit in the audience, participate and see how things go.” Due to COVID-19, there weren’t

many other audience members when taping. However, this ended up being how Seiter and her family got to meet the host of “Family Feud” Steve Harvey. “Steve in-between the taping of the show would come out and talk to us into the audience, one on one, faceto-face and we loved it. We had so much fun and enjoyed the entire experience,” Seiter said. When Seiter and her family were not in the audience, they were the ones chosen to play. Seiter and her family ended up locking the win and earning $20,000. Seiter explained the importance of what this show truly meant to her. “It’s a good laugh, it is entertainment,” Seiter said. “It is just enjoyment and fun, I think we all need that in our lives.” Seiter also explained how exciting it was for her to have the opportunity to be on “Family Feud”. “It was fun to be a part of it and interact and meet Steve. The whole experience was just so much fun,” Seiter said.

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