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2 | MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021

DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEWS?

By MARISA NELSON

2. This weekend, two individ3. Which college at Weber State 4.) President Biden has restricted uals were arrested in Salt Lake University did research on price what again due to COVID-19?

1. The Moderna team is working when police found an operational gouging? a. Gatherings on a vaccine __________ for the ____________ in their apartment. a.

The Moyes College of Education new variant of the virus. a. Prostitution ring b. School attendance b. The Goddard School of Business a. Booster b. Dog breeding service and Economics c. Religious worship b. Patch c. Drug lab c. The Lindquist College of Arts and d. Travel Humanities c. Shot d. Meth lab d. The College of Engineering, Apd. All of the above plied Science and Technology

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Section Editor

A new COVID variant has prompted the Moderna team to start work on a new vaccine.

ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS ON PAGE 15

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021 | 3

Isiah Brown, number 12, leads the pack, resulting in a 2-point basket at WSU’s game against SUU on Jan 21, 2021.

By MILES SHAW

Asst. Section Editor

Weber State men’s basketball pounced on the first game of the season with an explosive 91–67 on Jan. 21.

Cody Carlson led the Wildcats in scoring, with his career best of 25 points. He got off to a quick start by burying a three on a dish from Seikou Sisoho-Jawara for Weber State’s first points of the night.

The Wildcats led with an early double digit lead with a 10–0 run right out of the gates to start the game. Southern Utah’s Maizen Fausett put an end to Weber State’s run with a 3-pointer five minutes into the first half.

“We had great energy. The kids were excited about playing our first conference game in forever. They’re excited about league play and wanted to come out and play well tonight, and they did a good job of following the game plan,” Wildcats Head Coach Randy Rahe said.

Dontay Bassett brought the energy early for Weber State with an and-1 finish from the free throw line, where he shot five of six from on the game and a monster block early in the first half. He finished the game with four blocks.

Back-to-back baskets from Isiah Brown

gave the Wildcats a 21–9 lead nearly halfway through the first half.

A three from Michal Kozak off a behind-theback pass from KJ Cunningham put Weber State’s lead at 28–9 and capped off a 14–0 run for the Wildcats with 7:46 to go in the opening half.

After a big two-handed slam from Carlson, the Wildcats caught fire from the 3-point line.

Brown buried back-to-back shots from deep 3-point range followed by another 3-pointer from Zahir Porter.

“They would send that double-team, so it’d just leave the guard wide open for the three, so I’d just try to get the ball, wait for them to double-team and make the open pass. It broke down their defense,” Carlson said.

Carlson went back to work in the paint in the final minutes of the first half, scoring three baskets for the Wildcats, giving them a 20-point lead for a score of 47–27.

Carlson went into the locker room at halftime with a near double-double of 15 points and nine rebounds.

To start the second half, Carlson and Bassett hit back-to-back buckets from beyond the arc to get the Wildcats going.

Carlson shot two of three and Bassett one of four from 3-point range on the game. Kozak finished three of five from deep.

“It’s a big advantage. It gives us a lot of versatility in how we can attack a team, and we can throw it inside, and they can step outside and shoot threes, so it’s fun to have that, and we can run a lot of different things to give them different looks,” Rahe said.

The game screeched to a much slower pace in the second half due to the physical play.

Both teams committed 13 fouls combined in the first half, but in the second half, Weber State alone committed 18 to the Thunderbirds’ 15.

The Wildcats battled through the physical play, exemplified by Brown’s and-1 layup through contact to give Weber State a 63–46 lead. Brown was able to get baskets in when the Wildcats needed it the most.

“Isiah’s capable of doing. He knows when he needs to be more aggressive if we’re struggling a little bit, and he’ll make a play. He’s got a scorer mentality that way,” Rahe said.

The foul-fest and choppy play reached its peak when technical fouls were assessed to Southern Utah’s Head Coach Todd Simon and

Weber State’s Bassett with five minutes to go in the game.

Despite the contentious play down the stretch, the Wildcat’s bench brought the game home with Dillon Jones and David Nzekwesi scoring the final points for Weber State.

After the team’s runaway victory at the Dee, Weber State traveled south to take on the Thunderbirds in Cedar City.

“You have to have that edge. We have to play with an edge and if you don’t have it you just can’t be successful, and so we’re going to have to have that going down there, these guys [SUU] are a high-scoring, very potent, offensive team,” Rahe said.

On Jan. 23, Weber State fell to the Thunderbirds 77–72 at America First Event Center.

Next up for the Wildcats is a road trip to Moscow, Idaho to face a winless Vandals squad on Jan. 28 and 30.

The Wildcats return to the Dee Events Center to take on Montana State on Feb. 4 and 6.

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4 | MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021

FATALLY UNFOCUSED: THE DANGERS OF TEXTING AND DRIVING

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Reggie Shaw was 19 years old when he took the lives of two rocket scientists.

Shaw was driving on Valley View Highway between Tremonton and Logan when he swerved into the scientists’ lane and struck their vehicle. Shaw was texting his girlfriend at the time of the accident.

Texting while driving is not something Shaw thought of as harmful or even dangerous. In 2006, no one was talking about the dangers of texting and driving. Shaw became the first person in the state of Utah to be prosecuted for texting and driving.

“I couldn’t wrap my head around what initially happened,” Shaw said. “I never connected the dangers of using my phone and driving.”

It was a typical day for Shaw as he headed to work early that morning on Sept. 22, 2006. He was driving 70 mph on Valley View Highway when his girlfriend sent him a text message.

Shaw picked up his phone and responded to her. It was in that moment Shaw took his eyes off the road.

James Furfaro, 38, and Keith O’Dell, 50, were driving on the opposite side of the road.

The two men were carpooling to ATK Launch Systems in Promontory, Utah, where they both worked.

Shaw crossed the center line and clipped the front of their car, causing their car to spin out of control and into the path of a truck carrying a two-ton trailer. The truck could not stop, and it T-boned the car carrying the two men. They were killed instantly.

Shaw did not realize that he had done anything wrong. He thought he must have hydroplaned. He was sure he was driving safe and had maintained his focus.

It was not until Dr. David Strayer’s testimony at Shaw’s trial that Shaw accepted responsibility for the crash.

Strayer is a psychologist at the University of Utah and has been studying the effects of distracted driving on the human brain for over 20 years. Strayer has presented research findings that drivers cannot pay attention to their driving environment while using their phones. It takes several seconds for the brain to reconnect to the task of driving. During this time, drivers can miss things like a stop sign, a red light, a pedestrian or even a car. People think they are focused and paying attention when their eyes are looking at the road, but their brain is not there.

Strayer described his research so well that, in 2009, Shaw pleaded guilty to two counts of negligent homicide. Shaw was sentenced to 30 days in jail and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

Shaw was also ordered to work with law-

makers to create a law against this type of offense. Shaw was present when the bill went before the State House and Subcommittee on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice.

One by one, community members, scientists and other victims addressed the committee. Each one was ignored. Shaw watched as the State House committee members talked amongst each other and played on their phones. The information fell on deaf ears.

Shaw put his notes in his back pocket and stared at the committee members. He pointed at each one of them and said, with tears in his eyes, “I could be your son; I could be your son... This could happen to any one of you, and it’s not a matter of if, but when.”

He spoke to the committee about killing two people and ruining their families forever.

“Every second of every day I think about these two men,” Shaw said. “I must live with the fact that they are dead because of me.

They were husbands, fathers and sons. What I have done is unforgivable. I don’t want anyone to go through this.”

Thanks to Shaw’s emotional testimony, the bill was voted into law on Feb. 6, 2009. This law has become one of the most strict in the country. It carries the same consequence as a DUI if a death or serious injury occurs while driving and using a cell phone.

Unfortunately, the texting ban did not immediately put a dent in the accident statistics.

The number of distracted driving incidents from 2010 to 2015 increased by an average of 6% yearly. This resulted in 111 fatal accidents that took the lives of 122 people.

From 2015 to 2020, accidents have started to decrease by an average of 5% yearly, but still resulted in 87 accidents that caused 97 fatalities.

According to Sgt. Chad McCoy from the Utah Department of Public Safety, in 2019 and 2020, 37% of all distracted driving crashes occurred due to cell phone use. In 2020, there were 4,359 vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers, and 16 of those crashes resulted in fatalities.

“I want people to know that they are not only putting their lives at risk, but the lives of those around them as well,” McCoy said. “All phone calls, emails, text messages and social media messages or posts can wait.”

Shaw is frustrated that tragic accidents and deaths are still occurring due to cell phone use. Even though the numbers are decreasing, it’s still not enough. Shaw said he won’t be satisfied until there are zero accidents and deaths related to texting and driving.

Shaw and the Utah Department of Public and Highway Safety have partnered with Zero Fatalities in hopes to educate the public through campaigns aimed at behavior change.

Shaw has made this his life’s mission, and

he has no intention of stopping. Shaw has spoken to millions of people about his story.

He continues to spread his message: Don’t text and drive; it can wait.

“You don’t want to look at yourself in the mirror every day knowing that you killed two

MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021 | 5

people over a text message that could have waited,” Shaw said.

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pixabay.com

By JOHANNAH RATY Correspondent

According to Sgt. Chad McCoy from the Utah Department of Public Safety, in 2019 and 2020, 37% of all distracted driving crashes occurred due to cell phone use.

6 | MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021

Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times

By MILES SHAW

Asst. Section Editor

By RAYMOND LUCAS Section Editor

By TYLER HASLAM Reporter

By EMILY MILLER Reporter

By JACE COOK Reporter

By ALEC CIPOLLINI Reporter

Lakers’ Kobe Bryant celebrating during the playoffs in 2008 at the Staples Center.

A year ago, legendary player Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash alongside his daughter Gianna. Today, we remember the famed shooting guard, and the light he brought to the court.

Emily: Growing up 20 minutes outside of Los Angeles, everyone was a fan of Kobe Bryant. He stole the heart of almost every Lakers fan I knew, and he will always be the 2000s kids’ MVP. When I was 11 years old, all the neighborhood kids would find a living room to pile up in and turn on the TV to watch the 2010-11 season. We had recently cheered for the Lakers after their 2009-10 championship win, and it would be no different this time around.

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were going into game seven against the Boston Celtics.

This playoff run alone had everyone excited, with two teams involved in arguably one of the greatest rivalries ever, and we were lucky enough to see them on their home court.

The series had been back and forth, but I distinctly remember that I knew the Lakers would come out on top. What kid didn’t expect that of their favorite team? Kobe played the entire series the way you expected of him. He had the ability to impact every game he played in. It may not have always been in shots, but it was often in points and intensity. Kobe was a leader on and off the court.

It was a controversial call to give Kobe the Finals MVP title as game seven ended, and he gave the Lakers franchise their 16th title. The score read 83-79.

People have often said his final game of that series was lacking, but the six games before

that were nothing short of a tremendous effort. He averaged 28.6 points, eight rebounds and four assists per game. When he was awarded the trophy for MVP, Kobe had made it clear that it wasn’t just his effort that got the team there — it was everyone’s.

Kobe’s ambition to win took him far in his career, and his character will always be something to remember. It brought him a long list of awards, championships and medals.

Jace: I’ll be honest, Kobe Bryant was not a player I always rooted for. I am and was a die hard Jazz fan. When you are a Jazz fan, you pretty much have to hate the Lakers. It’s a rule.

I remember whenever the Jazz played the Lakers in the playoffs, the Jazz would lose the series. I remember being so happy after a playoff game where the Jazz only lost by one to the Lakers. The Lakers with Kobe dominated the court. I remember even calling Kobe a ball hog. I never thought he passed enough. When I got older, I understood that he was so good, he could control the ball like that and still come out on top. I saw why people would always shout “Kobe” when shooting a crumbled paper ball into a trash can.

Kobe Bryant was a legend and left a huge impact on the game of basketball. I love the Mamba mentality that he showed while playing. He always worked to get better and better.

I believe athletes from all sports from around the world can learn from Kobe and his Mamba mentality.

Kobe did legendary things even after retirement. I admire how much he focused on his family. I remember seeing Kobe on the sidelines with his daughter Gianna. He would teach her about basketball while at the games.

Kobe also enjoyed soccer, which is my favorite sport, and loved seeing him in the soccer community. Another one of my favorite memories is when he talked to Luka Doncic in his native language, Slovenian, in the middle of a game. Doncic was wondering who was speaking his language to him, then he turned around and found Kobe. They both smiled. I think Kobe’s impact on basketball will last forever. He is a legend for what he did on the court and what he did off of it.

Alec: I only started following basketball in 2015, toward the end of Kobe Bryant’s career, so I don’t remember too much about it.

I knew who he was, and I realized how much he was idolized before he retired and eventu-

MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021 | 7 Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images/TNS

Kobe Bryant, right, of the Los Angeles Lakers outpasses Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics during Game One of the 2008 NBA Finals in Boston, Ma., on June 5, 2008.

ally passed away. Since the rest of the Lakers’ roster was awful when he was about to call it quits, I only watched for Kobe.

There was a day in 2018 that I came across a random video on YouTube with Kobe in it.

It was a game highlight showing when Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Orlando Magic in March of 2010.

Former Magic player Matt Barnes was getting ready on an inbound to pass the ball to one of his teammates. Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant walked up to guard Barnes. As the referee gave the ball to Barnes, he tried to make Kobe flinch by pretending to throw the ball and get Bryant to react.

The joke was on Barnes when Kobe seemed unfazed and didn’t move a muscle as the ball flew toward him. This showed the cold-blooded side of Kobe Bryant that made me always remember just how fun it was to watch the league with him in it.

There was no one like Kobe Bryant in basketball. His demeanor and drive to be one of the best basketball players in the existence of the NBA has inspired many people to follow in his footsteps.

Tyler: As a Jazz fan, growing up I had quite the abhorrence for the Lakers. Kobe often had a hand in knocking the Jazz out of the playoffs.

Despite my disdain for the Lakers, I always respected Kobe. In fact, during the latter years of Kobe’s career, my respect for him surprisingly grew into a subtle form of admiration.

While I was a Jazz fan, I was ultimately a fan of basketball, and there are few who contributed as many great moments to the game as Kobe Bryant. To me, the culmination of all those great moments was Kobe’s final game

against none other than the Jazz.

Going into that game, at the time, part of me wanted the Jazz to crash Kobe’s going away party, but I got the vibe from the getgo that the great Kobe had no intention of going out in that way. In typical yet beautiful Kobe fashion, Bryant came out of the gates guns blazing. Shooting nearly every time he touched the ball, Bryant attempted a staggering 50 shots.

I don’t think anyone expected anything less from him, and with the high volume of shots came an even higher volume of points. Bryant finished with 60 points, including a string of tough buckets in the fourth quarter that allowed the Lakers to ultimately beat the Jazz. I couldn’t think of a more perfect way for Kobe’s legendary NBA career to come to an end. Kobe was a baller, but even more than that, he was a winner, and ending on a win like that seemed more than fitting.

Although I was disappointed that my Jazz didn’t win, I couldn’t help but smile as I watched Kobe’s brilliant career come to an end in such a poetic way.

Ray: After a historic career that captivated millions of fans, Kobe Bryant continued to push the game forward after his retirement, which spoke eloquently for his love of the game.

It’s easy to find bashful comments from former players in the NBA, but we never got that from him. Instead, he created a platform called Detail on ESPN+ and used it to break down the game and provide insight to fans who have a deep knowledge of the sport or are trying to learn. Kobe was an educator.

Rather than participating in the never end-

ing debate of “the greatest player of all time,” he preached appreciation instead. He took to Twitter to tell fans to enjoy Michael Jordan’s six rings, his five and LeBron’s quest. Kobe was gracious.

Kobe was often spotted with Gianna Bryant as their love for the sport and each other sent warmth through the basketball community.

He became an avid supporter of women’s basketball, and his faith in her was strong.

It’s been a year since the tragedy, and I can’t help but wish that I appreciated him and his impact more while he was here.

Miles: It was over 100 degrees on a hot summer day when my brother and I were playing basketball in our driveway awaiting the big game — USA vs. Spain. I was nine years old, and that summer nothing was bigger than the Olympics. Just weeks earlier, I ran out to my mailbox and tore through Sports Illustrated for a look at the 2008 USA Olympic Basketball roster.

I’ve been watching basketball with my brother ever since I can remember, and we had just watched Kobe take on the Celtics’ Big Three in the NBA Finals. These Finals are memorable for me because it was the beginning of the Mamba mentality in motion.

Kobe and the Lakers lost in six games to Garnett, Allen and Pierce, and not in the most graceful of ways, with the Lakers losing the sixth game by 39 points. When he stood on the court with the green confetti falling down, you could tell he’d be back, but it was on to the Olympics.

The All-Star game is great, but Team USA is the best of the best playing on the same team.

While Avengers: Endgame featured heroes in

red and white uniforms, eleven years before the movie released, the Avengers of basketball weren’t headed back in time, but to Beijing. Instead of Captain America and Iron Man, it was LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

LeBron the heart and soul of the team, and Kobe the precise, unbeatable combination of man and machine-- Kobe had powered through multiple broken fingers earlier that year and would later in his career drain two free throws while limping on a torn Achilles tendon.

At the time Team USA was still haunted by its Bronze finish in the summer 2004 games after they lost to Argentina in the semifinals.

But this time was different. Lil Wayne said it best in his 2009 song “Kobe Bryant”: ‘Went to Beijing and came back with the bling.’ Which is exactly what he did as he led the team to victory, not with the snap of his fingers, but with the flick of his wrist and the slamming of the basketball through the hoop.

The Mamba mentality was on full display on the world stage, and it was just the beginning. After falling to Boston earlier that year, Kobe got his revenge by taking home the Larry O’Brien Trophy the following two years, beating the Boston Celtics in 2010 to do it.

Those Olympic Games are some of my favorite games Kobe played because they were the epitome of everything he was: the leader on a team of leaders, the go-to guy on a team of go-to guys, the MVP on a team of MVP’s and your favorite player’s favorite player.

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KANDICE HARRIS | The Signpost

8 | MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021

Four people who have used a tape measure to make sure they are sitting six feet apart.

By ADAM RUBIN

Senior Reporter

In March 2020, the Stewart Library’s Special Collections and Archive Department created a questionnaire with short, open-ended questions in order to document and archive the community’s personal and local stories concerning COVID-19.

These questions ranged from “When did you first hear about COVID-19?” to “How has your day-to-day life changed?” to “If you work in the medical field, what have you seen change?”

Since COVID-19 shut down WSU and, seemingly, the world, WSU’s Special Collections started to take a look back at their Spanish Flu archive. Stewart Library’s Special Collections and the team in the Archive Department realized they needed to do things differently and be proactive in documenting this current pandemic.

Because information from the Spanish Flu era is lacking, those in the Stewart Library Archives and Special Collections Departments felt they needed to document the current shift in lifestyle differently than they had 100 years ago.

Last April, Special Collections and the Archive Department put their questionnaire out on their social media platforms to help get the word out about the project. Not only

are students encouraged to fill out the short questionnaire, it is also open for participation by faculty, staff, alumni and the general community.

Part of Special Collections’ mission is to document the history of WSU and the Northern Utah community as a whole. It is important to create and maintain a record of these times for future generations. After having taken note of how little documentation there was for the Spanish Flu, it took the project’s team a little over one month to get the questionnaire up and out to the community.

Sarah Langsdon, head of Special Collections, is aware that people don’t keep written records anymore, so she worries this information may get lost by the time the next pandemic occurs, when this information would be most useful.

Langsdon pointed out how some people don’t even print out their photos anymore.

At the same time, Langsdon recognizes how much of a safety net the internet has proved to be for a lot of people, allowing many to continue staying connected.

“All I can say is, ‘Thank goodness for technology,’” Langsdon said.

Kandice Harris, Archives Coordinator, also expressed the importance of documenting the present pandemic. People’s experiences here, once shared with the Stewart Library’s

project, will allow future generations to compare local history with the national situation, gaining both worldwide and local points of view.

“Everybody has a different perspective,” Harris said. “Somebody who experienced COVID-19, who had symptoms or who was asymptomatic, is going to have a different experience than someone who was a shut-in and had other things that they had to deal with.”

Harris explained that some people feel like they are just “average Joes” and that their stories aren’t important. It is exactly those stories that allow for a well-documented archive project.

“So far, for this survey that we have created, 38% of the respondents have been students, the next percentage has been alumni at 25%, faculty and staff has been 26% and 13% of respondents have no connection with WSU at all,” Harris said.

In total, there have only been 100 respondents, which is something that everyone involved with the project would like to see go up drastically. The project team’s goal is to see that number go up to at least 1,000.

Special Collections is also taking donations of items commemorating recent times in order to increase the documentation of the world in this current state.

Marianna Hampton, who graduated from

WSU in 1999 with a double major in psychology and technical theatre and remains active with the university in several capacities, echoes Harris’s and Langsdon’s points of view as to the importance of documenting these times.

“Within five years from now, we will not be the same people,” Hampton said. “It’s amazing how one tragedy that will affect us for a long time can be forgotten so quick, and people need to document the way that it needs to be remembered.”

The performing arts industry has been immensely impacted by the shutdowns caused by the pandemic.

“It’s not just me, it’s the actors, the directors, everybody all the way down to the writers,” Hampton said. “You have all these people who have spent their entire lives getting ready for their performances and their careers, and when COVID-19 shut everything down, it shut down a lot of things.”

Not knowing what the future holds can be a scary thought for many, and there’s nobody that hasn’t been affected one way or another by the pandemic. Everyone has a story and a unique perspective to share with the greater united goal of a better tomorrow.

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KANDICE HARRIS | The Signpost

MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021| 9

A member of the community created an at-home alternative to going to the movie theater.

KANDICE HARRIS | The Signpost

Community members have fun during trying times.

Reporter

Weber State University has been ranked in the top 30 best bachelor’s degrees in communications

by College Rank, an organization providing online education data.

College Rank’s mission is to provide students with useful information that will help them make an informed decision regarding which college to attend, according to their website. College Rank has rankings for everything from best animation programs to best college farms.

Currently, there are just over 500 WSU students working on a communications major, out of about 28,000 total students, according to the university website.

College Rank marked the univesity’s Bachelor of Communications degree program as 30th nationwide.

“Communication teaches the knowledge and skills employers desperately need while enriching their lives in many ways,” Sheree Josephson, WSU communication department chair, said.

The communication bachelor’s degree at WSU has seven emphasis areas, the largest program being public relations and advertising. This emphasis is complemented by Ogden Peak Commu-

nications, a university PR firm helmed by WSU students that provides real-world experience under the guidance of faculty advisor Nicola Corbin.

The second-largest emphasis is digital media. Other emphasis areas include interpersonal and family communication, multimedia journalism, organizational communication, communication teaching and civic advocacy.

The key factor in the success of Weber’s communication programs may be the several successful co-curricular, student-led organizations.

Aside from Ogden Peak, other organizations housed by the department include the WSU Debate Team and WSU Speech Team, a fully operational student video production studio dubbed Studio 76, the KWCR Wildcat Radio station and The Signpost.

WSU’s communication-related organizations have received various local and national awards.

Last summer, The Signpost won the General Excellence Award in the Utah Press Association’s Better Newspaper contest for the fourth year in a row. The Speech and Debate teams consistently bring home awards and high placements from regional tournaments.

The Department of Communication office.

“Students learn about these things in traditional classes and apply them in the co-curricular organizations and during their internships,” Josephson said. “By the time they graduate, they have strong portfolios and the capability to continue to learn on their own.”

Students who are interested in declaring a communication major may speak to an academic advisor or contact the Lindquist College of Arts and Humanities for more information.

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BB Communications College Rank

By JOSHUA KAMP

SARA PARKER | The Signpost

10 | MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021

By JOSHUA KAMP Reporter

By MATIAS PEDREIRA Translator

Traducido por Matias Pedreira La licenciatura en comunicación de la Universidad Weber State ha sido clasificada entre las 30 mejores por College Rank, una organización que proporciona datos educativos en línea.

Según su sitio web, la misión de College Rank es proporcionar a los estudiantes información útil que los ayudará a tomar una decisión sobre a qué universidad asistir. College Rank tiene clasificaciones para todo, desde los mejores programas de animación hasta las mejores granjas universitarias.

En la actualidad, de un total de 28,000 estudiantes de WSU, hay poco más de 500 cursando alguna de las carreras en comunicación, según el sitio web de la universidad. College Rank posiciona al programa de licenciatura en comunicaciones de la universidad como el número 30 a nivel nacional.

“La licenciatura en comunicación enseña conocimientos y habilidades que los empleadores necesitan desesperadamente a la vez que enriquece las vidas de los estudiantes en muchas maneras”, dijo Sheree Josephson, directora

del departamento de comunicación de WSU. La licenciatura en comunicación de WSU tiene siete áreas de énfasis, el programa más grande es relaciones públicas y publicidad. Este énfasis se complementa con Ogden Peak Communications, una empresa universitaria de relaciones públicas dirigida por estudiantes de WSU que brinda experiencia en el mundo real bajo la guía de la asesora docente Nicola Corbin.

El segundo énfasis más grande es medios digitales. Otras áreas de énfasis incluyen la comunicación interpersonal y familiar, el periodismo multimedia, la comunicación empresarial, la enseñanza de la comunicación y la defensa cívica.

El factor clave en el éxito de los programas de comunicación de Weber puede ser el suceso que han tenido varias organizaciones co-curriculares dirigidas por estudiantes.

Además de Ogden Peak, otras organizaciones auspiciadas por el departamento incluyen el WSU Debate Team y WSU Speech Team, un estudio de producción de video estudiantil completamente operativo llamado Studio 76, la estación de radio KWCR Wildcat y The Signpost.

Las organizaciones relacionadas

SARA PARKER | The Signpost

MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021| 11

The Department of Communication office.

con el departamento de comunicación de WSU han recibido varios premios locales y nacionales.

El verano pasado, The Signpost ganó por cuarto año consecutivo el Premio General a la Excelencia en el concurso Mejor Periódico de la Asociación de Prensa de Utah.

Los equipos de Oratoria y Debate siempre ganan premios y altas posiciones en los torneos regionales.

“Los estudiantes aprenden sobre estas cosas en las clases tradicionales, las aplican en las organizaciones co-curriculares y luego durante sus pasantías”, dijo Josephson. “Para cuando se gradúan, éstos tienen carpetas de

presentación sólidas y la capacidad de seguir aprendiendo por su cuenta”.

Los estudiantes que estén interesados en declarar una especialización en comunicaciones pueden hablar con un asesor académico o comunicarse con la Facultad de Artes y Humanidades Lindquist para obtener más información.

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12 | MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021

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truth in

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Prior to recommending a tuition increase to the Board of Higher

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$

reasons for the proposed

increase, how the revenue

generated by the increase will

be used, and an opportunity for

?

public comment from students.

MONDAY, FEB. 22, 2021

2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Zoom link:Â weber.edu/StudentAffairs/sfrc.html

S PPORT The Signpost

The pandemic has been especially hard on advertising revenue at The Signpost, and we are turning to our alums and supporters for help. You can buy swag and boost student journalism at the same time. Purchase a cup, a mask, Weber-branded Coke bottles or commemorative art of the iconic Stewart Bell Tower.

Prices start at $20.20, to cap a year for the history books. Visit The Signpost’s e-store and order now! https://secure.touchnet.com/C20249_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=158

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MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021| 13

Reporter

The Weber State University women’s basketball team fell short in a double-overtime game against Southern Utah University at the Dee Events Center on Jan. 23. Despite the extended game, the Wildcats lost 74–76.

“I thought our kids played tough,” head coach Velaida Harris said.

WSU started a little slow and went down by 12 in the first quarter, but they found their groove and ended the half up 33–30. The Wildcats got their biggest lead of seven points in the third quarter, but the Thunderbirds caught up, and the game was tied at the end

of regulation.

The first overtime could not separate the teams with the score tied at 70. Near the end of the second overtime, the Wildcats were down three. They ended up going for a layup, trying to get an and-one. Although they did end up getting fouled, they did not make the basket.

“We were a little sporadic at the end of regulation because we were in a situation where we could win the game, which we hadn’t been in,” Harris said.

The Wildcats fought hard together, but they knew there were some things in need of improvement.

“I think our kids really played hard, played

Daryn Hickok fights for a basket in the game against SUU on Jan. 23.

together, stayed together the entire time,” Harris said. “But there’s points in the game we need an easy bucket, and sometimes we just make it difficult for ourselves.”

Harris thought there were some missed calls, and the officials would not give her a timeout. However, she says she does not blame the outcome of the game on those things.

The game’s leading scorer was SUU’s Cherita Daugherty with 24 points. She also had four assists, seven rebounds and two steals.

The Wildcats had two players score 16 points. One was Jadyn Matthews, who contributed three assists and 11 rebounds. The other player was Daryn Hickok, who added three rebounds and two steals.

The Wildcats had 22 turnovers compared to SUU’s 25. Weber scored 19 points off those turnovers, while the Thunderbirds scored 24.

Both teams had 36 points from the paint. Weber State got 10 second-chance points compared to Southern Utah’s 12 points. The Wildcats got 11 points from the fast break, while SUU got eight. Weber State won the bench points battle 25–2.

The Wildcats’ next game is Jan. 28 at 6 p.m. at the Dee Events Center.

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NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

By JACE COOK

14 | MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021

Night Skiing DISCOUNTS! TUESDAYS

WEDNESDAYS

THURSDAYS

Family Night 6 NIGHT TICKETS

Ladies Night NIGHT TICKETS

College Night

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NIGHT $17 TICKETS

*Blackout dates apply

*Must show valid College I.D. *Blackout dates apply

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO PURCHASE VISIT POWDERMOUNTAIN.COM

COVID-19 TESTING To help WSU monitor the spread of the virus on campus, students, faculty and staff will be randomly selected to take a COVID-19 test. Notifications will be sent to your WSU email. We will also continue to offer non-symptomatic testing to any students, faculty or staff who would like to be tested.

SCAN ME And learn how you can save 8% on all your Weber Dining purchases.

Double your bonus dining dollars January 18th - 29th

- If you are currently NOT experiencing COVID-19 symptoms: Sign up for your free test at weber.edu/coronavirus.

ARE currently experiencing COVID-19 symptoms: Complete the self-report form found at

- If you

weber.edu/coronavirus and we will contact you with instructions for your free testing.

Find a list of common COVID-19 symptoms, forms for testing and more information at weber.edu/coronavirus.

MyWeberMedia.com| January 26, 2021| 15

DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEWS? QUIZ ANSWERS FROM PAGE 2 1. The correct answer is A, Booster.

According to The New York Times, “Moderna’s vaccine is effective against new variants of the coronavirus that have emerged in Britain and South Africa, the company announced on Monday.”

2. The correct answer is C, Drug lab.

According to KSL, police had obtained a search warrant and found chemicals and other materials to make drugs after firefighters got a report that a fridge had exploded and caused a fire.

pix

ab

ay.

co

m

3. The correct answer is B, The Goddard School of Business and Economics. According to Fox 13, the research looked at supplies of goods during an emergency, specifically the COVID pandemic.

4. The correct answer is D, Travel. According to CBS News, Joe Biden restricted travel on Brazil, Ireland and many other European countries.

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President Joe Biden has put in place new restrictions due to COVID-19.

THE SIGNPOST TEAM Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Greenlee jennifergreenlee@mail.weber.edu

Chief Copy Editor Breanna Hart breannahart@mail.weber.edu

Webmaster David Morris david.lee.morris@gmail.com

Design & Graphics Editor Aubree Eckhardt aubreeeckhardt@mail.weber.edu

News Editor Marisa Nelson marisanelson@mail.weber.edu

Adviser Jean Norman jeannorman@weber.edu

Asst. Design & Graphics Editor Alli Rickards alexandrarickards@mail.weber.edu

Sports Editor Raymond Lucas raymondlucas@mail.weber.edu

Ad Manager KC Sanders kcsanders@weber.edu

Videography Editor Sarah Earnshaw sarahearnshaw@mail.weber.edu

Asst. Sports Editor Miles Shaw milesshaw@mail.weber.edu

Photo Editor BriElle Harker brielleharker@mail.weber.edu

Culture Editor Caitlyn Nichols caitlynnichols@mail.weber.edu

The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees fund the printing of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. The Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and to refuse to print any letters. Letters should be submitted online to thesignpost@weber.edu and read letter to the Editor in the subject box. Letters should not exceed 350 words.

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PRESENTS

MARY MAPES

Mary Mapes, author of Truth and Duty: The Press, The President, and the Privilege of Power. Award-Winning Former producer of 60 minutes.

DATE: TUESDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2021 | 7PM VIRTUAL EVENT!

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