The Standard's 4.30.19 issue

Open dialogue

Bunny business

Losing season

Conference highlights issues in diversity

Local man spreads ‘hoppiness’ around Springfield area

Team struggles as regular season ends

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THE STANDARD M I S S O U R I S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

VOLUME 112, ISSUE 29 | THE-STANDARD.ORG The Standard/The Standard Sports

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019

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Multicultural Programs creates Room of Reflection SHANNON NOONAN Staff Reporter @shannon_noo

Photos by JAYLEN EARLY/THE STANDARD

Protesters hold up signs at the Halfway Earth Day protest on Saturday, April 27, at Park Central Square.

Environmental protesters gather to demand political action KATHRYN DOLAN Staff Reporter @kathryndolan98 A group of eight protesters gathered in Park Central Square on Saturday afternoon to participate in the event known as Halfway Earth Day, an annual demonstration held the weekend after Earth Day. Halfway Earth Day is hosted by Earth Strike, a grassroots movement that organizes protests four times per year to demand climate action from governments and corporations worldwide.

Enya Eyerman, the co-organizer of the Springfield Halfway Earth day protest, worked with Missouri State’s Green Student Alliance to organize and spread the word about the event.

She said the purpose of the demonstration is to hopefully make people question the way they approach environmentalism.

“I want people to stop thinking of environmentalism as something an individual can only impact and start thinking of it as something we need to politically activise for.” Eyerman said.

Eyerman said people need to hold political organizations, corporations and governments accountable for taking climate action rather than just asking consumers to change their individual action.

Eyerman said she thinks everyone should still be aware of their individual environmental impact but making changes on a political level is what’s going to help the planet the most. u See EARTH, page 10

Emily White holds up a sign as part of the Halfway Earth Day protest.

Signs at Halfway Earth Day advocate for protecting the Earth.

Missouri State University’s Multicultural Programs partnered with the General Counsel’s Office and various faith and spiritual leaders in the surrounding area of Springfield and the Ozarks to establish a Room of Reflection, room 33, in the Multicultural Resource Center.

The room was created to satisfy the need for students to have a safe space to participate in spiritual or religious practice, including anything from meditation, mindfulness, prayer, worship or even yoga, depending on the individual according to Mara Cohen-Ioannides, the adviser of the Hillel of Southwest Missouri student group.

“This (mindfulness) is something that a lot of students were interested in, but they did not have a space that was quiet and available to utilize,” said Matthew Banks, coordinator of Multicultural Programs. “So, we were hearing the anecdotal evidence that we then kind of ran with.”

There is hope that with the creation of this space, students will also improve academically in the retention of their subjects according to Cohen-Ioannides.

“MSU has a public affairs mission and a part of that is cultural competence — you cannot graduate culturally competent students if they haven’t been in conversation with people of other faiths,” campus minister of Ekklesia Michelle Scott-Huffman said.

The title, Room of Reflection, was thought of as a group effort. Names such as, chapel and sanctuary, were prohibited because of their religious overtones, so they had to find something more uniform to call the space.

“We were just trying to think of ways to signify this is a quiet space, this is a space for reflection, meditation and prayer, this is a space that is set aside for something special,” Scott-Huffman said.

The room’s design follows a “utilitarian” idea — a space that is not specific to any one religion or faith and can be customized to meet the needs of any and all religious or spiritual practices, Banks said.

“The idea is that it is a shared space, so everybody gets to use it,” Cohen-Ioannides said. “So, our thought to maintain this is it should be restful and peaceful, but there will be no obvious icons of any religion. Nothing can be permanently hung on the walls, except for abstract or nature art.”

Everything currently in the room is comprised of items that were already on hand or donated for its use. Any purchases come from the budget of Multicultural Programs or the General Counsel’s Office.

“We’re always seeking donations for supplies people can use,” Banks said. “We’ve had some individuals donate different religious texts, whether it’s Christianity, Judaism. We had a donation of a prayer rug from Muslim individuals. We have some crystals from people who do alternative u See ROOM, page 10

Locals rev their engines for a cause at benefit car show AFTON HARPER Staff Reporter @affie888 A young man wearing blue jeans and a dark T-shirt climbs into the driver’s seat of his 1966 police car and flips on the siren. It blares loudly as the cherry red light on top shines in a circular motion.

Derick Kerr said he traded his 1981 Malibu station wagon plus $6,000 for the retired

police car about two years ago.

He said it matches his personality since he is a Greene County corrections officer.

“It’s not where I want it to be yet but it’s getting there,” Kerr said.

Kerr said he’s invested about $2,000 worth of work, parts and paint into his project.

On Saturday, April 27, Kerr attended the ninth annual Hope on Wheels car show. The show took place at Missouri State University in lots 22 and 24 across from Robert W. Plaster Stadium.

The Hope on Wheels car show is an annual event hosted by MSU Marketing Association and MSU Car and Bike club to raise money for Convoy of Hope, a Springfield-based charity known for providing relief to communities affected by natural disasters.

Kerr said he found out about the car show on Facebook and decided he wanted to support a good charity on his day off.

“It’s kind of nice it goes to a good cause,” Kerr said.

Louis Swisher, 78, of Marshfield, Missouri was sporting his teal 1948 Dodge Business Coupe with red rims at the car show.

He said he had a Business Coupe in 1968, but had to get rid of it after settling down and having children with his wife.

After Swisher’s wife Doris passed away last year, he said it was time to buy another Business Coupe.

u See CARS, page 10

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THE STANDARD

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019

Collaborative Diversity Conference sparks awareness Panel, presentation stoke conversations about discomfort, oppression

Opening keynote focuses on differing opinions, respect TINSLEY MERRIMAN Staff Reporter @MerrimanTinsley

LAYNE STRACENER Senior Reporter @LayneStracener At the Collaborative Diversity Conference on April 25, Rabbi Barbara Block, Rev. Phil Snider and Missouri State English instructor Mara Cohen-loannides spoke about how people unconsciously use hurtful language that subtly reinforces patriarchal, white and Christian dominant norms.

For example, Cohen-loannides said that as a Jewish woman, she has been told “I respect others’ religions, even though they’re wrong,” and “How does it feel to be the token Jew?” Cohen-loannides said these people likely thought they were being nice, but they made her feel like an outsider.

Block said people need to be aware of their words and think about if those words are inclusive. For example, Block said, when organizations have events titled “Christmas in July,” it does not resonate with everyone. She also said to speak up if you hear someone using hurtful or non-inclusive language.

“Your way of seeing things is only one way of seeing things,” Block said. “That doesn’t mean your way is the only right way.”

As some attendees said during the open discussion, there was an uncomfortable feeling in the room. About 10 people walked out.

“This uncomfortableness you feel is what minorities feel like every day,” Cohen-loan-

dinator at Hand in Hand Multicultural Center, said people in dominant groups often take it personally when people talk about problematic things these groups do in general.

“Maybe if they had sat with me for a minute or two or talked about (these issues) before, they would have realized it’s not just individual,”

Missouri State University held its seventh annual Collaborative Diversity Conference on April 25-26. The event consisted of 15 different panels, but focused on bridging the cultural divides of the modern day. To kick off the conference, professor Irshad Manji spoke about how while opinions may differ, respect should be maintained by those with differing views.

Manji taught at the University of Southern California as a professor of communication. Originally from Africa, Manji moved to Canada when she was young. A best-selling author, Manji also founded the Moral Courage Project to help young speakers reach out to their communities.

The Moral Courage website gives more details on the project, like how it is based out of USC, Manji’s former institution. It also provides a quick bio on Manji and why she created the program.

To attend the Collaborative Diversity Conference, she flew in from her home in Hawaii. To start her speech, Manji said systems, structures and institutions are a creation of individuals.

u See PANEL, page 11

u See KEYNOTE, page 11

STEVE TRAN/THE STANDARD

Dola Flake gives her presentation “Promoting Diversity and Inclusion: The System of Oppression” as part of the Collaborative Diversity Conference. nides said.

Conflict arose when the panelists and some attendees said Christians often shove their religions down others’ throats and it makes others feel unaccepted and unincluded.

Others said they felt that since not all Christians do that, people should not label a group and judge one Christian for things other Christians do.

Mayra Ramirez, immigration services coor-

Route 66 food truck park, diner to open LAUREN SAIKO Staff Reporter @Laurensaiko The owner of Wheeler Work Trucks on St. Louis Street, Kirk Wheeler, has always been fascinated by Route 66. With retirement in the near future, Wheeler decided to turn some extra property he owns into a Route 66-themed food truck park and diner later this summer.

His property at 1530 E. St. Louis St. will be transformed into the Birthplace of Route 66 Food Truck Park & Diner. It will include 10 individual food truck sites with an indoor diner for customers to take their food inside to eat, as well as outdoor seating when weather permits.

“Most food trucks in this part of the country are seasonal,” Wheeler said. “In this situation, they can work 12 months out

of the year and have a place where their customers can go inside and sit down.”

While the diner itself will not serve food, it will include a full-service bar. Wheeler said he plans to keep all the locally brewed beers on hand.

“I’m going to redo the building and make it resemble an old diner with neon lights and fun Route 66 automotive-themed decor,” Wheeler said.

He plans on putting a small retail area in the front with Route 66 memorabilia for visitors.

“That corridor of Route 66 between Glenstone and National has just kind of been ignored,” Wheeler said.

Photo Submitted by Anthony Miller Wheeler said that strip has been known as a used car lot, An artistic rendering shows the plan for the and there is no place to get a drink or something to eat. u See PARK, page 11

Birthplace of Route 66 Food Truck & Diner, which is set to open this year on Glenstone Avenue.

THE STANDARD

opinion

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019 | THE-STANDARD.ORG

3

It’s OK to be good without God Dalton McCart Letter to the editor

Illustration by ALYSSA VANDEGRIFT/THE STANDARD

I’m white, OK? JAY SAXTON Columnist @jayasaxton I grew up in a small rural town in southeast Ohio. There were not a lot of black families in town. I was friends with, or at least knew, them all. Most of the black kids were my classmates and teammates. Several times I stayed overnight with them and they stayed with me. I remember camping out on my friend’s living room floor and staring up a big poster of singer Barry White. My friend’s mother was a huge fan.

Very cool. So began my experience with black culture.

I listened to a lot of music while growing up. I listened to white artists, but I really enjoyed bands like Earth, Wind and Fire, George Clinton and Parliament, The Spinners, Gap Band and the Jackson 5. I played a lot of Motown albums that were my mother’s. Although I loved the music and spent a lot of time with my black friends, it did little for me to understand race relations.

I had a ways to go.

In my teens, I dated a girl who was white.

She attended West Virginia State University, a historically black college in Institute, West Virginia. In talking with her I learned that the college was started by a slave owner. He had married one of his slaves and they had children.

He wanted to ensure that the children were allowed to receive a good education. In 1891, West Virginia State was born. “Interesting,” I thought.

Around this time a black friend of mine was managing the local McDonald’s. One day at the drive-thru he asked me if I wanted to round up my change as a donation to the United Negro College Fund. I said no. “Why not?” he asked. “Because if there was the United Caucasian College Fund, people would call me racist, so I don’t think that’s fair.” “But Jay,” he said, “You are a majority.” I thought, “So, what!” I got my food and left. I still had a way to go.

As a manager for Gap in the late 1980s, I found myself on a board to explore a new term call “diversity.” The company was proliferating

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I’ve learned that because I am white, I don’t worry about driving down the street, being the only white person at the restaurant, or being able to speak my mind and not be looked upon as some radical. and wanted to adopt an employment practice that mirrored the communities in which they operated. This meant hiring people from the same demographic as their customers. For example, if the store was in a predominantly black neighborhood, there should be more black employees. If it was in a Hispanic area, then the employees should be Hispanic. If the store was in an area with a high Asian population ... well, you get the picture. Gap missed the point. They were going about it from a profitability standpoint and masked it as an inclusion standpoint.

I couldn’t see it.

Through most of my adult life, I went on with my white self, not really bothering to educate myself about other people’s way of life or their struggles. I was aware of the Civil Rights Movement and the history of race in America. I saw stories of racial tension, riots and the rise of militant groups, and I heard about “white privilege.” “Are others really jealous of me for my race?” “Get over it!” I thought. I figured it would all work out in the end. I still had a long way to go.

Although I have not taken public actions or promoted any advocacy to improve the lives of minorities, I have tried to instill in myself

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and my kids the value of all people. My daughter is a member of the Black Student Union at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar.

She didn’t join because it was some novel thing or stunt. She did it because she has a lot of black friends whom she loves. She has a black roommate. My son has black, Hispanic and Asian friends. I sat down with a black colleague of mine to talk about his experiences growing up in Memphis in the 1960s. I have read Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of The United States,” I have listened to Norm Chomsky. I’m not saying these things to pat myself on the back, or prove that I am some kind of expert when it comes to race. I am not.

I only see the world through the eyes of someone who is white. All of the role-playings, “putting yourself in their shoes,” or whatever term you find to use, can help you realize the lives of others.

I’ve learned that there is more to people than their “one story.” Much more. I’ve learned that because I am white, I don’t worry about driving down the street, being the only white person at the restaurant, or being able to speak my mind and not be looked upon as some radical.

Where does the story that you have been told about someone originate? Is it true? How do you know? To find out the real story we always go to the source. Have you found out about the struggles of others through books, or media or hearsay? Who perpetuates the myths or issues regarding race? How can we stigmatize a group without knowing their story?

I still have a long, long way to go.

To learn more, contact MSU’s Division for Diversity and Inclusion. Read “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh on the web, and “Making Space for Everyone” featuring assistant professor Jake Simmons on the university’s web page “Mind’s Eye.” Further study can be done through Psychology of Diverse Populations class with associate professor Adena YoungJones in which some insight was derived for this article. Both Simmons and Young-Jones have done extensive research on the topic of diversity and inclusion.

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This article is in response to the opinion piece “Subjectivism, atheism lead to ugly conclusions” by Isaac Demotta.

The Euthyphro Dilemma is an old question that asks about the root of good in the universe. The E.D. asks if god(s) commands what is morally good because it is morally good, or is it morally good because god(s) commands it? This boils down to if morality is entirely based on god’s religious authority then it is within god’s ability to turn evil into good and it would be objectively good. For example, if god declares that murder is good, it would then be the only moral option to murder. To refuse to do so would make the offender immoral. This means morality is based on god’s whim and therefore arbitrary, not eternal and unchanging. The other side is morality is fixed and in that case god’s authority must agree with what is good or god is not moral.

According to Dr. Harwood, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, moral subjectivism in relation to epistemological relativism is self-contradictory. Moral subjectivism is the idea that all moral opinions are valid, but the existence of contradiction makes this self-defeating. Dr. Harwood also says this does not mean that god is necessary for morality instead we discover morality by engaging in reason and discourse. There are moral structures throughout the world that do not have god at the source. The most influential ethical systems in history such as: Aristotle’s Virtue ethics, Hume’s concepts of Sympathy and Benevolence, Kant’s Deontology or Duty Ethics, and Mill’s Utilitarianism do not need god like many Asian systems like Confucianism, Taoism, and certain forms of Yoga in Buddhism and Hinduism.

Dr. Walker-Pacheco, Professor of Anthropology, explains that we also see similar foundations of morality in the natural world, supporting that morality exists outside of human religion. Studies, such as “Justice- and fairness-related behaviors in nonhuman primates” by Sarah F. Brosnan at Georgia State University, have been done to test a sense of fairness by rewarding two monkeys differently for the same test, and the lesser rewarded monkey refuses their treat. On the other hand, empathy is shown when the monkey with the greater reward

u See LETTER, page 12

Country music has always been open to diversity Elijah Dowden Letter to the editor I am writing this letter in response to last week's article on “Old Town Road.”

Country music originated from the predominantly white cultures of the South and Appalachia, so of course most country artists are going to be white. However, the genre has always been open to diversity. In fact the very first person to play the Grand Ole Opry in 1925 was Deford Bailey, a black harmonica player. Another African American, Charlie Pride has had 52 songs on Billboard's top 10 country charts including 29 number one hits, making him one of the most successful country artists of all time. Lil Nas X's song wasn't removed from the charts because of his race. It was removed because it is not country, plain and simple. As a lifelong fan of the genre, I could argue all day about what is and isn't country, but “Old Town Road,” even the remix, definitely isn't. It’s not a combination of genres. It’s just a trap song about country things. It was a cheap marketing ploy to manipulate the country charts so his trap song wouldn't have to compete on the more listened to hip-hop charts. The song's popularity now can be directly attributed to the memes and “controversy” surrounding it.

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THE STANDARD

life

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019 | THE-STANDARD.ORG

International students share history of henna KAYLA CURRY Staff Reporter @kaylalcurry

GRETA CROSS/THE STANDARD

John Cockroft, 53, entertains a crowd in downtown Springfield in his bunny costume.

Delivering joy to some’bunny’ special

F

ZOE BROWN Staff Reporter @zoe_zoebrown

or most of his recent adult life, John Cockroft, 53, has been hopping around from job to job.

Literally.

Earlier this year, Cockroft created the Funny Bunny Business, where he dresses up in a life-sized bunny suit to do events, pranks, bachelorette parties, deliver rejection letters and bunny grams.

Cockroft said he had no intention of creating the business —the idea was completely random.

In February of this year, Cockroft happened upon a $100 bunny suit while in Walmart. When he initially saw the suit, Cockroft said he had no plan or strategy for what he would do with it. Nonetheless, he was determined to buy it.

“I had no money, so my son, 18 years old, had a hundred dollars, so I borrowed it from him,” Cockroft said. “I said ‘I’ll pay you back in a week, $125.’ And I knew what I was going to do with the suit.”

Cockroft and his wife, Andrea, had plans to go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras the next week.

“I was going to get in a bunny suit and collect tips on the street with the bunny, and I did,” Cockroft said.

They had enough money to get down to New Orleans, Cockroft said, but at the time they didn’t have the money to get back home.

“We just knew on faith that this bunny suit was going to get us enough money to get back home,” Cockroft said. “That’s how close we were on money, and we did. I stayed in the suit until I got heat exhaustion.”

He said the bunny got a lot of attraction at Mardi Gras.

“It makes people laugh, and it’s all about that,” Cockroft said.

The couple calculated that they made just under $400 in four days during the Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans. This was enough to get back home from Mardi Gras and pay back his son in full — with interest.

“You can’t risk not having fun,” Cockroft said. “If you find a way to do that and get paid for it, that’s a good goal to achieve.

Some people never achieve that.”

About 30 years before starting the Funny Bunny Business, Cockroft graduated from Evangel University with a degree in jour-

GRETA CROSS/THE STANDARD

John Cockroft created the “Funny Bunny Business” on a whim — while in Walmart, he happened upon a $100 bunny suit and was determined to buy it. Cockroft said he hopes to expand his “Funny Bunny Business” to paid parties and pranks. nalism and started a 12-year career working at a weekly newspaper.

Around the year 2000, the news industry went digital, something Cockroft said he wasn’t trained in. So, he quit his job at the newspaper. Since then, he’s done a variety of jobs around the Springfield area.

He’s been a substitute teacher, a waiter at the Dixie Stampede and Branson Showboat, a door-to-door salesperson, a photographer and more.

“I don’t like working at a place year after year, so I move on in a few months,” Cockroft said. “I’m like an angel that shows up, helps them out really well and then takes off.”

He said variety is what he thrives on, which is why he started the Funny Bunny Business.

Since his debut at Mardi Gras, the Funny Bunny has mainly done public events like Easter egg hunts and pub crawls around the Springfield area.

Marti Mowery, president of the Tom Watkins Neighborhood Association, planned an Easter egg hunt with the Funny Bunny in attendance.

“The Funny Bunny made the kids’ day,” Mowery said. “He gave hugs and took pic-

tures with the kiddos. He even went on the playground area and played with the kids and brought smiles to their faces.”

Cockroft said the best part about doing an event is getting to see the kids’ excitement.

“I’m literally smiling in the outfit even though I don’t have to,” he said.

His mission, Cockroft said, is to have fun and bring people joy.

“That’s what’s really fun about this bunny idea — it’s not about the money, and it’s not about anything other than having fun and getting away with it,” Cockroft said.

“You have to have fun, and you have to get away with having fun every day otherwise you get old.”

Andrea Cockroft chuckles jovially before she describes her husband. She said he’s changing all the time.

“I never know what to expect from one minute, one hour,” Andrea Cockroft said. “It’s a fun life. We have a 24-hour marriage.”

John Cockroft said he’s not eccentric or bizarre, but that many of his peers don’t understand his energy.

“You have to take this unbridled joy for life and let it loose and be okay with it,” he said.

With festival season in full swing, henna tattoos can be seen adorning the hands of festival-goers everywhere. While this trend has been popularized in Western culture, it carries a historical and cultural significance to people of Asian heritage, such as international graduate students Harshneet Singh and Shruti Gohil.

Singh and Gohil presented “Henna 101” to give other students a closer look at the art of henna to celebrate Asian American Heritage Month and henna’s significance to their culture.

Henna originated in the Middle East nearly 5,000 years ago, but in recent years, it has become a global art practice. Its temporary, do-ityourself nature makes it an attractive option for those looking for a short-term accessory for any occasion.

“This is an ancient thing, more of a cultural thing practiced in India and Arabian countries mainly,” Gohil said. “Nowadays, in the U.S. people have started to use it because this a temporary thing, so it goes away within a week.

For other tattoos, if it’s permanent, they stay longer, and you could get bored with the design.

This is a different thing where you can just have it and if you like it, OK, if you don’t you can wash it off.”

Pakistani exchange student Samra Sahar said henna is a practice she became interested in as early as 10 years old. While drawing intricate designs along one student’s hand and fingers, Sahar made a connection between her love for art and design and her interest in henna.

“I liked it, and I just started to practice and learned how to do it,” Sahar said. “After that little phase, I had done it for a marriage ceremony. I had spent my whole night doing this.”

Each time she finished a design on a student, they thanked her for the new art that adorned their skin. One student returned a few minutes later to ask Sahar for more.

Sahar spent the remaining 1 1/2 hour practicing smaller henna designs on the students attending the presentation.

Singh showed students photos of his wife on their wedding day, explaining that the intricate designs can be time-consuming, especially for brides in India who cover much of their body in art as part of their wedding preparation. Although in Middle Eastern and Asian countries henna is commonly seen at religious ceremonies and weddings, it can be used for almost any occasion.

“It’s not just a religious thing,” Gohil said.

“It’s not that specific that you can only use it in religious occasions, but it’s basically a sign of a good luck. Everyone wants their occasions to be blessed, so you can use it normally.”

Gohil presented more on the history and cultural significance of henna to inform other students on its lesser known uses. Besides as an accessory for religious ceremonies and weddings, henna is used for a number of other things including to celebrate pregnancy and as hair dye that doubles as conditioner.

Sahar described the modern use of henna as an accessory because, especially for girls, it’s used to “enhance their beauty.” The positive notions associated with henna, such as beauty and luck, make it essential to special occasions in Middle Eastern and Asian countries.

“In the U.S., it’s not a cultural thing, but for us, it’s a culture because at any wedding, any festival, if you don’t have henna you’re missing some special thing,” Sahar said.

Because of the growing popularity of henna, the production of premade kits — like Shelly

u See HENNA, page 12

Florists, fashion designers celebrate spring at ‘Art in Bloom’ JESSICA FLANIGAN Staff Reporter @jessicaf161 Blossoming flower arrangements have sprung up at the Springfield Art Museum Art in Bloom festival as florists and fashion designers come together to interpret works of art through fresh and creative displays.

Art in Bloom is an effort that began at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts in 1976, and it eventually became popular in museums across the country. Springfield hosted their first signature event last year, bringing in nearly $21,000 for the museum, according to Joshua Best, the development and marketing coordinator for the Springfield Art Museum.

Proceeds from the Art in Bloom event will benefit the Museum’s Art Acquisition Fund.

Opening with a family fun night on Thursday and a preview party on Friday, the event lasted all weekend through Sunday, April 28.

The preview party featured a nature-inspired runway show with original creations from local fashion designers Jennifer Vaughn and Joseph Pyatt.

Several Missouri State students were featured in the show as well, including Brianna Miller, Kelsey Ball, Rei Radford and Elizabeth Victrola.

Kelsey Ball, a senior merchandising and fashion design major, was one of the designers.

“My look was inspired by the silhouette of a flower,” Ball said. “I made skinny floral print pants and a fluffy tulle top to make her

ZOE BROWN/THE STANDARD

Dressed as Moana, Nina Musacchio, sophomore at Evangel University, talks to kids at Art in Bloom Family Fun Night. Musacchio is a cast member of Princesses of the 417. Moana and other princesses interacted with kids, face painting and taking photos. appear as a flower and stem walking the run“I designed the pants last semester for my way from a distance.” design challenges class and figured a floFor her final look, Ball drew her inspira- ral-themed show would be a great opportution from the pants’ design. nity to show them,” Ball said. “I wanted the

top to somewhat resemble the beige flowers from the pants’ print.”

Ball said she could not pass up the opportunity to have a floral theme for her first runway show.

“Seeing my creation on the runway was so surreal, and I felt so proud to show it off,” Ball said. “It’s one of my favorite looks I’ve ever made.”

Floral workshops and live musical performances filled the lobby on Saturday and Sunday, and the vibrant floral arrangements were open to the public.

The featured florists created 28 arrangements inspired by the current works on display in the museum’s collection which were then judged for various prizes.

Judging was dispersed across three different categories — best overall, most creative take and most traditional.

Sarah Williams, associate professor from Missouri State’s art and design department, was a juror for the florists’ awards.

Williams said she very much enjoyed the event and was honored to be selected to judge the entries.

“I was really impressed with the floral arrangements,” Williams said. “There was a huge range in ingenuity, creativity and expression.”

Best said a wide range of work was seen at the event.

“We tried to honor people who are doing literal interpretations, so they may just recreate

u See BLOOM, page 12

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019

THE STANDARD

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Regional Rhythms provides unique opportunity for musicians in the Midwest to blend together REESE RADMACHER Staff Reporter @Reese_Radmacher Each year at Missouri State University, seniors involved in the highly selective Electronic Arts program collaborate within interdisciplinary groups to create something unique and authentic. One group, known as Regional Rhythms, is using their combined knowledge of audio engineering, graphic design and production to shed light on diverse sounds and styles across the Midwest.

The group is comprised of three core members who are all senior electronic art majors with different areas of focus. Creative director and producer Emily Hoffmann, who formulated the original idea, has a primary focus in audio studies as does producer and audio engineer, Taylor Bottini. Producer, web and graphic designer Kristina Forst has a focus in interactive new media.

Hoffmann plays the ukulele and sings, and Bottini plays guitar, bass, saxophone and otomophone. Both musicians use their knowledge to create a simple beat whether it be jazz, rock or hip-hop based, which is then used by various musicians throughout the Midwest as somewhat of a guideline to contribute their own original spin to the song.

In search of musicians willing to send in submissions, the group traveled to multiple cities in the Midwest including Fayetteville, Arkansas; Lawrence, Kansas; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Louisville, Kentucky. Among them, Forst said Indianapolis was one of the liveliest music scenes, even within the smaller areas.

GRETA CROSS/THE STANDARD

Senior electronic arts interactive new media major Kristina Forst (left) and senior electronic arts audio studies majors Emily Hoffmann (center) and Taylor Bottini (right) work on finalizing their senior thesis project, Regional Rhythms.

The group found unexpected scenes in seemingly unlikely places as well.

“There was a pizza place in Kentucky that played metal on the weekends,” Bottini said.

“It was very strange.”

Hoffmann said in terms of smaller cities,

Dixon Street in Fayetteville, which featured live music best categorized as grassroots and Americana, was a pleasant surprise.

“I think the aim of the project was to find those small big cities that have really unique music scenes that aren’t given the credit they

Opening the vault: My top favorite films

Below, I have assembled a collection of films that do just that. Naturally, lists, such as these, are subject to change and are completely personal.

DAVID WHEELER Critic @DontTellThe_Elf

Ingmar Bergman, the Swedish genius, near the end of his long-standing, seminal career, creates a five-plus hour masterpiece that follows an affluent, expansive family through the eyes of its two youngest members, the titular Fanny and Alexander.

The film opens in early 20th-century Sweden during Christmastime. The Ekdahl family celebrates the holidays and reunion, yet soon after, tragedy after tragedy befalls the family, sending Fanny and Alexander down

a path of overearly maturity. It is a film with contradictions — ghosts are comforting specters and priests seem more devoted to the Devil than to God. Combining all of the themes of Bergman’s previous work — death, insanity, religion, dreams, magical realism, family generations and a writhing omnipresence of eroticism and pain — this gigantic work by one of the great magicians in cinema stands as one of my absolute favorites.

There are films that entertain, that transport you into a different world and allow you to tag along for the wild ride, and there are films that awaken something in your heart and soul, delivering you into a kingdom of replete humanism and thought-provoking stories operating in either tragedy or comedy.

5. “Fanny and Alexander”

deserve sometimes,” Hoffmann said.

The group accepts submissions from anyone who wishes to take part, which makes for a diverse range of styles and sounds which Hoffman said was part of the goal.

“It can be anything from snapping or to a piece of original music that someone has already created as long as it’s original to that person,” Bottini said.

Bottini summed up the Midwest sound as a “mish-mosh melting pot.”

Overall, the group has created a total of three songs that strategically mix different sounds from different genres to form eclectic and vibrant melodies.

The songs mix a wide array of jazz, rock and hip-hop elements through use of the harmonica, drums, electric and bass guitar, saxophone and other unique instruments.

“It’s been really cool in the editing process seeing that I can make a harmonica fit with a saxophone,” Hoffmann said. “It definitely makes the music sound unique, and it’s not your average pop song.”

Hoffmann said one of their songs includes submissions from 15 different musicians, all of whom have never met before.

Regional Rhythms —a group of people that hardly knew each other at the onset of the project — has grown into an easy-going and “quirky” unit, Bottini said.

The group attributes part of this seamless collaboration to their flexible mindset.

“We’re not very strict with things, and we’re very open to whatever happens, happens,” Forst

u See RHYTHMS, page 12

End of Evangelion,” the film is a kaleidoscopic examination of existentialism, depression, apocalyptic omens, rebirth, love and the bonds that tie the human race to the world — all backdropped by a setting not so dissimilar from the world of “Godzilla.”

Having fought and defeated many Angels — massive, extraterrestrial kaiju invaders — in a giant robot, young Shinji Ikari must now make his final stand to avert Earth’s destruction while dealing with his own inner turmoil in the process.

A structured narrative unravels into ex4. “Neon Genesis Evangelion: perimental filmmaking, creating a maddenThe End of Evangelion” ingly colossal mosaic on the meaning of This is the concluding chapter of one of human connection and mental illness. A Japan’s most acclaimed animated series “Neon Genesis Evangelion.” Aptly titled “The u See WHEELER, page 12

6

THE STANDARD

sports

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019 | THE-STANDARD.ORG

Bears make their mark on the big stage CLAIRE NIEBRUGGE Senior Sports Reporter @claireniebrugge The Missouri State women’s track and field teams took 17 athletes to compete in 14 events across distance, sprint and field events. Missouri State had a solid finish to the weekend, setting a new school record, sending several athletes to the finals and placing top 10 in a handful of events at Drake Relays.

Grace Breiten earned her spot in Missouri State’s record book, posting the fourth fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase time in school history.

Breiten placed first among the collegiate runners and second overall behind a professional athlete. The junior set a new personal best by almost 30 seconds, putting up a time of 10:28.67.

“This performance will probably get her to the national meet,” interim head coach Jordan Fife said.

Missouri State set a new school record in the 4x800-meter relay, previously set in 2017, beating it by nine seconds. Freshman Edna Dar, junior Paityn Howat, senior Kayla Fallis and junior Madeline Saville reset the school record with a time of 8:58.06 for a 10th place finish.

Fife said it was very encouraging to see the athletes come together and run for each other to get the school record.

“It was exciting to see them pull that together,” Fife said. “I still think that record will continue to go down and down over the next few years.”

The 4x100-meter relay qualified for Saturday’s finals with an eighth place prelim finish.

Sophomore Timeka Jordan, junior Taryn Smiley, freshman Tomi Bamigbade and freshman Namibia Clavier paced the Bears to a 46.44 race.

Missouri State finished second in the finals of the 4x100, posting a time of 47.05.

“With the type of talent at this meet, for that team to be the second-place team at the Drake Relays, says a lot about their tremendous performance,” Fife said.

Capturing an eighth place finish in the 4x1,600-meter relay was Breiten, sophomore Erica Wollmering, Dar and Howat with a time of 20:31.20.

Smiley ran an 11.70 race in the 100-meter prelims, qualifying her for the finals. Smiley was seeded seventh going in to Saturday’s contest but finished fifth overall with a 11.95 time.

“Making a final at the Drake Relays is a really big deal,” Fife said. “For her to represent Missouri State the way she did in the final, we are certainly very happy with that.”

In the 800-meter final, four Bears placed in the top 25. Fallis led the way with a 2:13.64 ninth place finish. Saville set a new career best for a 2:15.34 17th place finish, followed by teammates Howat, who placed 22nd, and sophomore Jasmine Crawford in 23rd.

Two distance runners set personal records in the 1,500-meter run. Dar posted a season-best time of 4:34.46 taking 14th place, while Wollmering ran a career best time of 4:34.56 for 15th place.

In field events, junior Jamilah James leaped a mark of 12.26 meters, earning seventh place in the triple jump.

The running Bears will spend the next two weeks preparing for the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championship in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Fife said Drake Relays is a good precursor to the conference meet, giving the younger athletes a chance to compete on a big stage and see how well they could execute.

“With conference two weeks away, the biggest thing for us is confidence,” Fife said.

“Some of our athletes look up to people in their events and think that they are unreachable. We feel like, now, we could be just as good as them or better.”

Hitting the ‘Jackpot’ MONICA BLAKE Sports Reporter @monicablak3

BRENNA LUMLEY/THE STANDARD

Steffany Dickerson explodes off the mound in the doubleheader against Drake.

After a troubling freshman year, one of Missouri State’s top pitchers is working toward her goal of becoming an All-American.

Missouri State sophomore Steffany Dickerson attributes most of her success to her support system. After working through one trial after the next last season, she is excited to be where she is at now.

Her nickname since she was 12 years old, according to her dad, Michael Dickerson, is Jackpot.

“At 12 years old she said she wanted to play DI college softball,” Michael said.

“We switched to another team and during tryouts one of the parents saw Steffany and said, ‘She can play outfield, she can pitch, she can play shortstop. We’ve hit the jackpot!’”

Steffany came from a long history of being top dog amongst her teammates.

“For my high school, I was the only pitcher, so I had to pitch every game,” Steffany said. “We had a tough schedule and played a lot of great teams in Oklahoma, so it came down to ‘do we want to win?’”

As a multi-sport athlete for two years in high school, Steffany had developed the endurance to survive an intense season pitching many games. Her successful senior year resulted in a nomination for Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year.

In each state, one player is picked for every major sport as the player of the year based on athletics, academics and character.

“Just to be nominated for that and to have

your application looked at was really cool,” Steffany said.

Her extremely successful high school career boosted her for looks from MSU. “It was a really long process, but Beth Perine followed me a lot my junior season, and she really made it seem like home to me,” Steffany said. “She was like a second mom to me.”

Perine is the associate head coach for MSU. After stepping on campus, the decision was made immediately, and Steffany knew Missouri State was where she was meant to be.

Her freshman year, Steffany started 12 games and made 24 appearances. She collected 80 strikeouts in 84.1 innings and maintained a. 2.74 ERA. The transition from high school to college was not easy for Steffany.

“I had a lot of ups and downs. My freshman year was not the best,” Steffany said.

“I had a lot of trials and tribulations I had to go through, but my team and my coaches and all of my friends here really helped me get through it.”

Steffany leaned on her support system to get her through the difficult time.

“Prayer and my faith have really gotten me through a lot of this,” Steffany said.

“Really just the team too. I wouldn’t change anything for them.”

Her support system did not stop at MSU but continued down south through her parents.

“My parents are amazing; they help me through a lot, and they sacrifice a lot for me to be here,” Steffany said.

u See JACKPOT, page 9

Baseball Bears hit 30 losses for first time since 2014 AMANDA SULLIVAN Sports Editor @mandasullivan14 The Missouri State baseball team has 30 losses in a season for the first time since 2014 after Bradley swept the weekend at Hammons Field.

The 2014 baseball season ended with a 2631 record. Aaron Meyer was a freshman at the time and is now a graduate manager for the Bears.

The Bears are 13-30 this spring, winning four of their 12 Missouri Valley Conference games so far. There are still 12 games left in the season, all but two are against Valley opponents.

Here’s what the Bears are looking forward to:

Wichita State, April 30 and May 7

Wichita State has had an up-and-down year when it comes to their record. The Shockers’ season has winning streaks and losing streaks scattered throughout for a 20-23 record.

The Bears’ 13-30 record is less than impressive, and their five-game losing streak includes a sweep by MVC foe Bradley.

Wichita State has a four-game losing streak itself, including a sweep over the weekend by Cincinnati.

The Bears and the Shockers have played similar opponents in nonconference play: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts and Kansas.

WSU is 3-3 while MSU is 2-5. The biggest takeaway from this is the result against KU. The Bears lost both to KU and Wichita State won both of their games. The games were around the same time and Wichita State was the more victorious out of the three.

Photos by BRENNA LUMLEY/THE STANDARD

(Above) Logan Wiley throws out the first pitch of the game. (Left) Mason Hull, infielder, hits a foul ball against Bradley on April 27.

KU kept the same starting pitcher for all four games: Steve Washilewski.

The sophomore left-hander has a 2-1 record this season — the loss came against Wichita State, while one of the wins came over Missouri State.

Wichita State’s mid-week pitchers have been strong. Redshirt freshman Ryan Stuempfig has started four of the last six mid-week games.

He’s 1-1 in 18 innings pitched. He has appeared in eight games, starting six of them.

Expect the right-hander to at least make an appearance in one of the two games. In his few innings, he has been effective in his role.

Dallas Baptist, May 2-4

Dallas Baptist will be the toughest opponent for the Bears as they close out the 2019 regular season.

The Patriots have a 30-13 record, the exact opposite of the Bears at the moment. They are also 8-4 in conference — again the exact opposite of the Bears.

DBU is currently in third in the MVC. The Patriots face Missouri State before battling Indiana State, one of the best in the conference this season before winding down against Southern Illinois, who is 1-11 in conference play.

Last season, the Bears and the Patriots

took it to the wire for the regular season title, with DBU pulling out the series win in game three.

With Dallas Baptist’s strong record, expect these three games to be some of the toughest on the Bears’ schedule.

Evansville, May 10-12

Evansville has proved itself as a worthy competitor in the MVC. The Purple Aces have played some tough nonconference teams this season, like Indiana.

u See BASEBALL, page 9

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019

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Bulldogs take series on Senior Weekend DEREK SHORE Sports Reporter @D_Shore23

u See GOING PRO, page 9

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Dixon said if it wasn’t for his brother, he wouldn’t be where he is at today.

“His motivation and him making a lot of money today motivates me to try and perform at a higher level than maybe he does,” Dixon said. “I’m excited to take that step.”

Michael has also passed along knowledge to his younger brother about playing pro basketball — mainly, the differences in the competition from the college game to the pros.

Dixon said the NBA and Europe are “full of grown men.” At the college level, most players are going up against competition that is a few years older versus up to 10 years at the pro level.

“I’m going to have to continue to get stronger physically and mentally,” Dixon said. “I will have to work on my game in each and every aspect. I have to be physically ready and mentally.”

Dixons said he has not heard from any professional teams yet, but three weeks ago he signed with David Pick, a well-known basketball agent in Europe who knows his brother. So far, he is too early in the process to know where he will start his pro career.

He also said ideally he would like to play in the NBA, but that is a tough task to accomplish. If he goes to Europe, Dixon said he wants to play somewhere “that is nice, has good food and pays pretty good money — somewhere that I can enjoy my time when I’m not playing basketball.”

U

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There was 7.8 seconds remaining.

Illinois State led by two and was about to inbound the ball. Missouri State junior Keandre Cook tipped the ball and it was knocked towards center court, where nine of the 10 players scrambled for the ball.

Senior Jarred Dixon emerged with the ball with 1.7 seconds left on the clock.

Dixon took two dribbles and launched a shot from half court as the clock hit zero.

“As soon as I let it go, I was like, ‘this has a chance to bank in or bank out,’” Dixon said in the press conference after the game. “It was on target.”

The ball banked in and helped the Bears beat Illinois State in dramatic fashion on Feb. 10.

That shot went viral from being the top play on SportsCenter’s Top 10 highlights to perhaps the most memorable play of the 2018-19 college basketball season.

Dixon said that shot is easily his fondest memory from playing at Missouri State.

“There is some other good stuff that happened in my career, but that is definitely No. 1, and nothing will ever take that place,” Dixon said. “That is still unreal to this day to me.”

Now Dixon, who averaged 9.7 points per game over his four-year career with the Bears, is set to graduate next month with aspirations of taking his game to the next level.

The guard said his collegiate career was humbling. Through all the ups and downs he had throughout his collegiate career, he called it a “blessing” to play at Missouri State in front of a fanbase that loves watching basketball.

“I enjoyed every single second of it,” Dixon said. “I probably wouldn’t change anything that happened in my career here.

I feel like each year I got better and better.

I learned a lot which will help me down the road in life. I definitely grew a lot as a person on the court and as well as off the court.”

Although he coached Dixon for only one season at Missouri State, head coach Dana Ford believes he has a bright future wherever his career takes him.

“I don’t think Jarred had a bad practice all year, and he’s very coachable,” Ford said.

“I think his future is whatever he wants it to be — on and off the court.”

Dixon hopes that next step is playing professional basketball.

It helps that his brother, Michael, who was a standout college basketball player at Mizzou and Memphis, has played professionally overseas since 2014.

“It has definitely been a dream,” Dixon said. “I’m going to get my degree first because basketball won’t last forever. Definitely going pro playing at that level is going to be a fun experience. I’m looking forward to the process of it.

“Having an older brother that plays professionally right now, who tells me all the ins and outs of it, just makes me even more excited to try and perform at that level.”

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DEREK SHORE Sports Reporter @D_Shore23

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Following family, going pro

TH

File photo by KAITLYN STRATMAN/THE STANDARD

Jarred Dixon launches up to dunk the ball against Robert Morris on Nov. 9. The Bears won 74-60.

Missouri State traveled to University of Missouri-Kansas City to start this week and came back home to host Drake from April 27-28.

On Tuesday, Missouri State received a complete-game effort from junior Erin Griesbauer and two RBIs from freshman Payton Minnis to beat UMKC 4-1.

Senior Kyana Mason and Minnis hit back-toback triples in the fifth to push the Bears ahead before pulling away from the Kangaroos in the seventh. Griesbauer went the distance for Missouri State, allowing six hits, one run, no walks and three strikeouts.

“It was an outstanding effort by Erin in the circle,” head coach Holly Hesse said in a press release. “She really competed and had good command. It was also great to see some extra-base hits and some clutch hits by our offense. I’m really proud of Minnis, Mason and (freshman) Rachel Weber for coming through in key situations.”

Over the weekend, sophomore Steffany Dickerson tossed a two-hit, complete game, and the Bears received some clutch hitting as part of a three-run sixth to down Drake, 4-2, in Saturday’s second game during the Missouri Valley twin bill.

The victory earned Missouri State a doubleheader split. Drake senior All-American Nicole Newman no-hit the Bears, finishing in a 5-0 shutout.

“Our freshmen really came up big for us and had some clutch hits (in game two),” Hesse said in a press release. “I’m really proud of the effort they gave for the seniors to give them something to remember on their senior day.”

Seniors Mason and Morgan Greenlee were recognized in pregame ceremonies. Greenlee, who did play in the game, has been out with an injury since March 2.

On Sunday, the Bulldogs rallied in the seventh inning to steal the series from Missouri State.

Drake plated five runs to overcome a 5-4 deficit in the rubber game matchup.

Newman struck out 11 and walked one. However, the Bears scattered six hits off the All-American right-hander and kept her on the ropes with timely hits and three Drake errors.

“I am proud of the way we competed against a great pitcher and a great program,” Hesse said in a press release. “It’s been a long time since Newman was tested that deep into a game and a long time since Drake has had to come back in the final inning. It’s a tough loss for us, but we took the fight to them all day.”

With one series left in the regular season, Missouri State has an overall record of 28-19, 12-10 in the Missouri Valley.

The Bears currently sit fifth in the conference.

Missouri State will finish off the 2019 campaign at Indiana State, which is scheduled for May 3-4.

If the season were to end today, the Bears would draw the fifth-seed in the MVC Softball Quarterfinals.

They would play the winner of game one in the opening round which is No. 8 Evansville or No. 9 Valparaiso.

S TAT E U N I

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Bear Network helps current, former athletes SAM GRUS Sports Reporter @SCGRUS_6 Finding a job out of college can be difficult for the average college graduate, but for college athletes, it can be even harder. College athletes have less opportunities for jobs because of their busy schedules during the season and in the offseason.

On March 21, Missouri State University Athletics partnered with leaders at the Athlete Network to form the Bear Network.

The Bear Network is an organization created to promote and track programs and services offered to current and former student-athletes, according to a release from MSU. “It has and will continue to be a priority at Missouri State to provide a total holistic experience for the student-athlete the day they arrive on campus and as alumni,” Missouri State Director of Athletics Kyle Moats said.

One of the program’s main focuses is expanding career placement for former and current athletes.

The program provides multiple services, like mentorship programs and career opportunities to help keep them informed and well-connected in their fields of study.

“Athlete Network allows us to focus on one of the most important aspects of the experience, career planning and placement,” Moats said in the release. “This consolidation of services will be Missouri State-branded to better connect to their alma mater.”

Missouri State is the first school in the Missouri Valley Conference to partner with Athlete Network, according to the release.

With the 17 teams and over 400 student-athletes, the Bear Network stretches

Graphic by JADIE ARNETT/THE STANDARD

beyond Springfield.

“Through their commitment to cultivate relationships with both current student-athletes and former athletes, Missouri State athletic administrators are invested in helping their athletes succeed on campus and far after their playing days,” Vice President of partnerships for Athletic Network Brett Fuller said in a press release.

The program, according to the release, helps

keep current athletes in touch with former athletes from the same program or those that studied in the same field.

It also helps those former athletes keep in touch with their former teammates as they search for careers with employers looking to hire them.

“With their engagement platform, Missouri State Athletics will not only be able to offer services in one easy-access location, but use

data analytics to track the utilization of those services ensuring a beneficial relationship is maintained with their athletes for life,” Fuller said in the release.

The network looks to help the student-athletes whether it is their first job or a complete career change.

Navigating the real world can be difficult, but the Bear Network is trying to make it less difficult for their student-athletes.

It all ends with sudden death Women’s golf season Seasoned men’s golf ends in disappointment, team finishes third freshman wins title MONICA BLAKE Sports Reporter @monicablak3 The Missouri State women’s golf team finished sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship.

The MVC pre-championship poll predicted the Bears to win the tournament after winning the championship last year and playing at the NCAA Regionals.

“From a team standpoint I was very disappointed,” head coach Kevin Kane said. “I felt like we had as good a chance — or better — than anybody to win, and we were favored to win.”

After the first two rounds of competition, the Bears were sitting in third place overall, led by freshman Abby Cavaiani who was tied for third.

Senior Ashley Childers was the next Bear in the rankings holding on to 11th place.

During the final round, Cavaiani worked her way into a tie for first place.

This was only the fourth tie after three rounds in MVC history.

Cavaiani battled out two playoff holes against Northern Iowa’s Sydney Eaton to bring home the individual championship for the Bears.

“I was nervous but I was confident in how I was playing,” Cavaiani said.

As the first MVC golfer since 2011 to earn medalist honors as a first-year player, Cavaiani took home Newcomer of the Year honors and was a member of the MVC

10-golfer all-conference team.

“I had to take it one shot at a time, one swing at a time, one round at a time and not get too ahead of myself,” Cavaiani said. “It ended up working out in my favor.”

Kane said he was not surprised Cavaiani took home the individual title. Even with her individual title, Cavaiani will not play in the NCAA Regionals.

She had been a top contender for the Bears all season and was ranked first in her class in Wisconsin at the end of her senior year of high school.

Childers was the next Bear in the final rankings finishing 29th overall followed by three Bears — senior Rachel Johnson, freshman Allison Bray and sophomore Bridget Schulte — tied for 35th.

“There’s no way to sugarcoat it, we just did not play well,” Kane said. “Abby is obviously the silver lining to that.”

The Bears had won the last two conference tournaments and had three players on the team who had been a part of the winning teams.

“I don’t have the answers,” Kane said. “It’s not for lack of effort or lack of want to, we just picked a bad time to play poorly.”

The Bears will graduate two seniors from their 10-man roster: Childers and Johnson.

“This season will motivate our team to work even harder and to be even better,” Cavaiani said. “It’s something we’re going to keep in the back of our heads, and it’s really going to motivate us going into the next few seasons.”

MONICA BLAKE Sports Reporter @monicablak3

The Missouri State men’s golf team finished third after three days of competition in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

Senior Kory Franks led the Bears with a second-place individual finish. Southern Illinois University came away with the win followed by pre-championship favorite Illinois State.

The Bears hosted the tournament at the Porto Cima course in Lake of the Ozarks.

“It was a solid week for us at Porto Cima,” head coach Neal Stafford said. “We had a great opportunity, just as we do each and every event, but came up a little short in the end.

“Illinois State had a terrific year and Southern Illinois played very well down the stretch in the final round. You have to give those guys a lot of credit.”

After the first day of competition the Bears trailed leader Illinois State by 14 and second-place Southern Illinois by 13.

The Bears were led by seniors Franks and Brad Carpenter. At the conclusion of day one, the seniors rolled in at second and fourth, respectively.

By the third and final day of competition, Franks finished regulation with a rally from three strokes down on the back nine, to fourunder-par (212), and tied for first place with Illinois State’s David Rauer.

The tie forced a sudden death playoff hole.

“The sudden death hole, and really the final six holes, are still kind of a blur to me,” Franks said. I tried to become tunnel visioned in what I was doing and just have control of my breathing. I didn’t really understand the

magnitude of what was happening at the time.”

Franks hit an errant tee shot, forcing him to play from the penalty area. Meanwhile, Rauer had an impressive shot to save par and claim the individual title.

“Ultimately, I came up short, but I did so making aggressive swings, so I don’t regret anything I did,” Franks said.

The Bears competed with a very seasoned team.

Their seven-man roster was made up of four seniors and one athlete from each of the other classes.

“Our expectations are always very high with the championship atmosphere this program has created over the past several years,” Stafford said. “This particular group rewrote the programs record books.”

Carpenter followed Franks’ second place finish at fourth, earning them all-conference honors.

Seniors Adam Fisher and Jack Knoesel finished their time as Bears with a tie for 29th with totals tallying 233.

Junior Lukas McCalla finished tied for 38th.

“This team was certainly capable and showed that many times throughout the last 3-4 years with multiple team and individual titles,” Stafford said. “They will no doubt go down as one of the best teams in Missouri State golf history.”

Franks reminisced from his four years as a Bear.

“I’m just so grateful for all the opportunities Coach Stafford and Missouri State have provided me,” Franks said. “The relationships I have developed with my coach and teammates will be everlasting.”

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019

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Stony Brook ends Bears tennis season MONICA BLAKE Sports Reporter @monicablak3 The Missouri State tennis team started play in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament with a 4-3 win against No. 5.

“A No. 4-No. 5 match with us and Drake is always going to be a close match and a battle,” head coach Mallory Weber said. “We came out and played really well to start the tournament.”

Drake swept the doubles matches and earned an early singles point to go up 2-0 against the Bears.

Points were then earned by freshman Anna Alons and MVC All Conference sophomore Ellie Burger. The Bears then went up by one (3-2) when freshman Clara Gandara Gonzalez took down her singles opponent.

“We had to battle some tough weather conditions and really did a good job of getting through the match,” Weber said.

Drake tied it up with another singles win,

JACKPOT Continued from page 6

No longer being the top dog on the team, Steffany also struggled to adjust to her new position on the team. It was the first time she ever had to manage something like that.

Michael and Vickie Dickerson were a big component of support for Steffany during this time as well.

“I told her ‘you have to have resilience and remember that this is your freshman year,’” Michael said. “Everything’s different, everything’s changing and it’s going to be an adjustment for anybody.”

Sweat, tears and much more led to a newfound level of confidence for Steffany as she moved into her sophomore year.

“The softball team has already suffered a lot of adversity, but just having each other’s backs makes anything possible,” Steffany said.

The softball team has suffered three injuries this season to starters. Junior Hannah Heinrich’s was involved in a car accident in the Kansas City area earlier this year. Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications Rick Kindhart said Heinrich underwent surgeries as a result of the accident, but did not comment more on the specific injuries.

“Immediately the team was so ready to fight for her and win for her,” Steffany said.

Kindhart said senior Morgan Greenlee broke her ankle during practice redshirt senior Darian Frost underwent hip surgery in the fall,

but the win was secured by senior Fati Khamissi in a tiebreaker singles match to send the Bears to the semifinals against No. 1 Stony Brook.

“It’s always good to get out of the quarter final,” Weber said.

Stony Brook followed suit with Drake and won two early doubles matches, earning a point.

“We came out very strong,” Weber said. “I think it was one of the most complete matches we played this year.”

Of the six singles matches, half of them progressed to three sets. Alons, Khamissi and Burger led in their respective matches, but were unable to finish with a win.

“Fati and Ellie have both been very solid for us the entire way,” Weber said. “Ellie went undefeated through the conference season and Fati clinched the match for us against Drake.”

Weber was also impressed with the performance of Alons.

“She stepped up into a pretty challenging

forcing her to redshirt this season.

“We all just decided to fight for them,” Steffany said. “They can’t do it, but we can do it for them, and at the end of the season, everyone will get a ring.”

The softball team has been influential in Steffany’s experience so far at Missouri State.

“I’ve never seen a team glue together so much so fast,” Steffany said. “I think that’s part of the reason we’re doing so well right now.”

Heinrich and Greenlee are known as strong, vocal leaders on the team who lead by example. Their absence resulted in Steffany, along with other girls on the team, stepping up to make a difference on the field.

So far this season Steffany has recorded 126 strikeouts in 37 appearances, pitching 157 innings. She has not yet received conference honors, but it is a major goal of hers.

“Who doesn’t want to get MVC honors?”

Steffany said. “I really just want to make a name for myself here.”

Her goal since she was 12 was to play college softball, but her goals do not stop there.

She said shewants to be an all-American.

Steffany’s dad is excited to see her work towards these goals during her time at MSU. “It’s been very fulfilling,” Michael said. “I’m excited that’s she’s becoming the pitcher she always wanted to be.”

As the season and her time at MSU continues, Steffany looks forward to growing with the team and seeing what they can accomplish.

“I’m really looking forward to the conference championship. I really think we have a good go at it this year,” Steffany said.

role and was also up and winning in her matches,” Weber said.

The Seawolves shut out the Bears 4-0, advancing to the championship round of the MVC tournament where they lost 4-3 to Illinois State.

“Even though we lost that match 4-0, we were about to win on three of the courts and we had one that was in a tiebreaker that we just couldn’t get through,” Weber said.

The Bears will graduate only two seniors, Khamissi and Phoebe Boeschen, on their ten-person roster.

“This team was very unique in fact that we were very deep talent wise,” Weber said. “The fact that we get all of that back and they have another year under their belt, I think that’s very exciting.”

File photo by GRETA CROSS/THE STANDARD

Senior Fati Khamissi swings her racquet to keep the ball in play. The Bears were 3-2 in conference play going into the postseason.

GOING PRO Continued from page 7

If his pro basketball career doesn’t work out, Dixon would love to fall back in to coaching basketball.

“I don’t know if I will get into that right now,” Dixon said. “Definitely from being around my coaching staff — just playing basketball and watching college basketball — that is something I would want to do.”

His major is in sport and park administration, which produces many coaches, Dixon

BASEBALL Continued from page 6

They are 21-19 overall, with an 8-4 record in the MVC, just like DBU. The Purple Aces have the draw over DBU, though, as they won two out of three in the series earlier this season.

If Evansville gets into a groove in its last three MVC series, expect a battle to the finish with Illinois State, the other team at the top of the Valley next to Indiana State.

Valparaiso, May 16-18

Missouri State should beat Valparaiso to close out the regular season.

said. He said it is not a popular major at Missouri State, but one that will serve him well down the road.

Dixon said his biggest goal in the future — whether he is playing professional basketball or enters the real world — is to have success wherever his path may take him.

“I want to do the best I can,” Dixon said.

“I’m not going to say make the most money I can, but I want to get the most out of each experience whether that is playing professionally in Europe, the NBA or becoming a coach at some level.

“I just want to try to climb each ladder and get to the top.”

The Crusaders are 9-29 this season and 2-10 in Valley play.

This series could be a precursor to tournament play, regardless of standings.

If the Bears can manage to end the regular season with a few more wins under their belt, it could bolster some confidence going into the MVC Tournament in Normal, Illinois.

On the flip side, if the Bears lose to Valparaiso going into the tournament, their heads will be down, and that could lead to an early end to an already long season.

Expect big things from players like Drew Millas, Ben Whetstone and John Privitera, the three juniors leading this young baseball team.

If they can manage to hit a stride of their own, the rest of the team may follow in suit.

10 THE-STANDARD.ORG

THE STANDARD

EARTH

CARS:

Gina Bencel, a senior electronic arts major, is part of Green Student Alliance and was the other co-organizer of Halfway Earth Day. Bencel said she hopes people driving by notice their poster’s messages highlighting the flaws of capitalism, a concept most people don’t associate with environmentalism.

“Environmentalism isn’t just about recycling,” Bencel said. “It’s voting and paying attention to how the current administration is gutting our environmental protections.”

According to National Geographic, The Trump administration has brought many changes to U.S. environmental policy. Several actions regress Obama-era policies that aimed to curb climate change and limit environmental pollution, while others threaten to limit federal funding for science and the environment.

On a local level, Bencel says Springfield has several environmental matters to improve on relating to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

“The city is overall unconcerned with contamination caused by coal ash,” Bencel said.

Ash Tracker, a website created to help the public access detailed information about groundwater contamination near areas used to dispose of ash from coal-burning power plants, states that coal ash is one of the largest industrial waste streams in the United States.

According to Ash Tracker, each year coal plants generate over 100 million tons of ash, most of which is dumped, untreated, into landfills and ponds.

John Twitty Energy center, a power plant in Springfield, has 11 groundwater monitoring wells, seven of which have been polluted above federal advisory levels based on samples collected between October 20, 2016 and December 07, 2017.

Coal ash contains a toxic mix of pollutants that can cause cancer and other health effects, these pollutants frequently migrate into local groundwater at unsafe levels.

Bencel said political action regarding coal ash is necessary in order to protect Springfield’s water supply.

Mackenzie Asch, 22, traveled an hour and thirty minutes with her husband from Anderson, Missouri, to take part in the protest. Asch said she heard about the event through Facebook and wanted to be a part of creating change and spreading awareness.

Asch said major corporations produce large amounts of waste and consume large amounts of non-renewable resources. “(Corporations) are putting pressure on individuals about their waste so that they don’t have to change their money-saving ways,” Asch said.

Asch said in order to make large scale progress, young people in their 20s and 30s need to step up and vote in local elections to elect leaders that care about the environment.

Green Student Alliance will partner with local environmentalists to host two more Earth Strike protests this year, one on Aug. 1 and one on Sept. 27.

Swisher said he bought the car last Wednesday from someone online. He said he plans on working on the car because the previous owner used a roller brush to paint on its current teal color.

He also said he’ll possibly replace the interior with red leather because it stands out more than the old beige seats it currently has.

Forgotten Dreams, a Springfield-based car club, also brought around 20 of their own cars to the show.

William Aragon, president of Forgotten Dreams, said this is the group’s third or fourth year coming to the Hope on Wheels car show.

Aragon said his club is a “tight knit family” that attends car shows on the weekend for fun.

Alyssa Bender, junior marketing major and president of the MSU Marketing Association, said a lot of planning, as well as trial and error, are involved in making the car show happen.

This year, Bender said her team was able to use an app called “Car Show Pro” to manage the paperwork for the car show. The app allowed them to go completely paperless.

Bender said this provided her team more time to focus their efforts on recruiting venders and sponsors to finance the event and recruit contestants.

“Our relationship with Convoy of Hope has been long-standing, but lacking in dedication in recent years,” Bender said. “This year with our increase in membership, our executive board found it especially important to give back as much as possible.”

Bender said MSU Marketing Association members are now required to spend at least two hours volunteering for Convoy of Hope to “experience the impact of the work that is being done by them.”

Coffee Ethic, a coffee shop in downtown Springfield donated supplies for the some raffle prizes and goodie bags that were handed out.

BJ’s Trophy Shop, located on East Sunshine Street, also donated all the trophies awarded to contestants.

Jessica Blake, public relations director for Convoy of Hope, spoke at the event during the awards ceremony.

“We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without the support of each and every one

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TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019

Car show raises over $1,800 for local non-profit

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practices. We have chimes the people use for prayer and Buddhist rituals. It’s been great seeing that space grow over the last three weeks.”

The space is operational and reservable

Photos by JAYLEN EARLY/THE STANDARD

(Top) Derick Kerr, Greene County corrections officer, stands next to his 1966 Oldsmobile F-85. Kerr was a runner-up for the best General Motors Co. (Right) William Aragon, president of Forgotten Dreams Car Club, stands next to his 1988 Chevy s-10 at the Hope on Wheels car show. Aragon was given the best low rider award. of you here today,” Blake said to the hundreds of people gathered around the registration and award tables. “And for the organizers of this event — Missouri State Marketing Association and Missouri State MOTO (Car and Bike Club) — we appreciate them hosting this event to support Convoy of Hope and the work that we do.”

Blake said Convoy of Hope is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year.

Aragon was awarded best low rider with

his green and white splattered 1988 Chevy S-10. His car club was awarded best club participation. Kerr was runner-up for best General Motors Co. with his 1966 Oldsmobile F-85.

There was a total of 84 entries in the car show this year, which is slightly lower than last year’s total of 115, Bender said.

The show raised $1,848 from registration fees and donations. Car Show Pro will receive around $150, the rest of the money be donated to Convoy of Hope.

on a first-come, first-serve basis during and after the hours of the Multicultural Resource Center. To make a reservation, you must email Multicultural Programs and request the space. The only time it is currently unavailable is on the weekends, which may change in the future based on need.

“The hope is that this will open up more opportunities for people to have more conversations that will help them to both explore their

own spiritual health and to connect with other people who see that differently both religiously and non-religiously and make us more culturally competent people,” Scott-Huffman said.

The Multicultural Resource Center is always looking for donations for the Room of Reflection, including prayer rugs, holy books of various faiths, folding chairs, prayer books, hymnals and art that doesn’t contain words or images of people.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019

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PANEL Continued from page 2

“When the family can’t decide where to go, I’ll have 10 of the best restaurants basically in one parking lot,” Wheeler said. He plans to have live entertainment there from time to time.

Food trucks in Springfield are preparing for the move to the park late summer.

Cody Davis, owner of the food truck Davalon, has owned his truck for 1 1/2 years and said he is anticipating the opening of the park.

“Right now we do Tex-Mex, and Japanese … and we’re going to start introducing Korean and Vietnamese-style food once we hit the food truck park,” Davis said.

Davis has had a passion for food for well over a decade — before opening Davalon, Davis was a chef at Ocean Zen for 15 years.

“I’m a foodie, so I’m going to start doing all kinds of crazy features, like I might even start offering sushi,” Davis said. “For me, it’s being able to play.”

Davis said he only does events now and is excited to be able to serve the public.

Kenny Crow, location manager for the Lon-

don Calling Pasty Company food truck, which has been in business for 5 years, said he is excited for the opening.

“What I’m most excited for is to be able to have more of the food trucks around — it is rather lonesome out here,” Crow said. The London Calling food truck is one of the only ones parked at the food truck park on Glenstone Avenue.

Crow said a lot of his food truck friends will be joining them at the new location.

“It’s somewhat of a bringing our family together under the same roof,” Crow said.

Wheeler said they are anticipating an opening sometime in late August or early September with all 10 food truck spots taken. So far five food trucks have committed, and Wheeler said he has five others seriously considering.

The five trucks who have committed are London Calling Pasty Company, Davalon, The Wheelhouse, Olive Branch and Holy Cow Food Truck.

“It’s going to be a large opening; we’re going to be rolling out the red carpet … it just can’t get here fast enough,” Crow said.

Ramirez said. “It’s systemic.”

Ramirez said diversity conferences should be catered more toward white people because they need more practice understanding how to be more inclusive to everybody.

“Events talking about diversity and inclusion are important because they help people become aware of problems, and then they can learn tangible ways to fix those problems,” Ramirez said. “They produce great conversation, and I think they can be even more beneficial and transformational if you focus on a group of people that doesn’t talk about this normally.”

On Thursday and Friday, master level social worker Dola Flake gave a presentation titled “Promoting Diversity and Inclusion: The System of Oppression.”

Flake said people with more privilege are born with more power, so they need to use their power to help minorities, fight injustice and promote diversity.

“If I’m starting 100 feet behind you and people are throwing rocks at me, maybe somebody can give me roller skates,” Flake said.

After the presentation, Flake asked everyone to write down a time they had been oppressed and tape it to the wall for everyone to read.

Commerce Bank group manager Sherry Lynch said the workshop made her think about how people are oppressed every day in ways that she does not often think about.

She wrote about a time she was buying a car and the owner told her to come back with her husband.

“As I listen to others, I can actually think of my own examples or people who are close to me who have had experiences that I don’t experience,” Lynch said. “It’s really important to have that awareness.

If we all think the same, we’re not ever going to get better. We have to appreciate our differences and learn from each other.”

and a Confederate flag onstage to protest Mississippi naming April as Confederate Heritage month.

Be told the online music magazine Billboard in a phone interview that the passing of the bill was a "slap in the face not only to my ancestors but everyone's ancestors who fought against the Confederacy."

This led Lewis to reach out to Be. Both had not seen each other in years, but instead of meeting with hostility, they calmly talked about

the other’s point of view.

Manji said when opinions differ, people’s egos conflict. This leads to individuals arguing over which opinion is correct. Instead of shooting down a differing opinion just to win an argument, one should take a breath and consider the opposite side.

“Many of us talk a good game about change,” Manji said. “But sometimes, we’ll get so dogmatic in resisting the dogma of the other side that we wind up mirroring the arrogance of the other side. We wind up practicing exclusion in the name of inclusion.”

Lisa McEowen, a staff member of the Meyer Library Special Collections and Archives, said this was her favorite part of the speech.

McEowen said that while people get heated in arguments, it is a good idea to slow down before things reach a boiling point.

“I think that people do get very defensive in conversations like these, especially when identity is involved,” McEowen said. “And I think that is an important thing in addition to when she was talking about taking the time to take a breath. That’s an opportunity to check in with yourself and check your motivation.”

The conference drew in people from many different areas, including Drury University chemistry professor Mark Wood. When asked about his favorite part of the speech, Wood said it was Manji’s point of institutions being a creation by the individual.

Photo Submitted by Anthony Miller

PARK

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“Hopefully this food truck park and diner will be the first domino to fall, and it will bring more attention to the area,” Wheeler said.

Cars have always been a hobby of Wheeler’s. He said he restored his favorite car, a 1966 Chevrolet Malibu, that was passed down from his grandmother to his mom and eventually to him.

He said he and a friend are in the middle of a Route 66 trip. They went to Chicago in his 1966 Chevy pickup and drove the route back to Springfield. They plan on finishing the journey by driving from Springfield to Santa Monica, California, in June.

“I’m hoping that will bring more attention to the local people that that’s part of history,” Wheeler said. He said he hopes the food truck park and diner will become a dinner destination for locals as well.

KEYNOTE Continued from page 2

“Individual actions matter,” Manji said.

“They may be ripples in the ocean, but what they do is they create a precedent for other people to observe and say to themselves, ‘If she can role model and change, what’s stopping me?’”

Manji gave an example of African American Mississippian rapper Genesis Be, and a Mississippian named Lewis who belongs to the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an American nonprofit organization.

During a concert, Be posed with a noose

Weekly Crossword © 2019 King Features Syndicate ACROSS 1 Gaucho’s weapon 5 Big Apple abbr.

8 Silenced “Hey!” 12 “Once -- a Mattress” 13 Debtor’s letters 14 Duel tool 15 Delphinium 17 Rotate 18 Dismal 19 Snow White’s pals 21 Put on the line 24 Everything 25 Pop flavor 28 Frogs’ hangout 30 Make up your mind 33 Kinsman, for short 34 Drops from the payroll 35 Letter after 31-Down 36 Moment 37 From the start 38 Read cursorily 39 Barbie’s companion 41 Teensy bit 43 Go directly downhill 46 Pacific porch 50 Desirous look 51 Rash 54 Sandwich treat 55 Sphere 56 Reclined 57 Marries 58 Bill 59 Pronto, in the ER DOWN 1 Socket insert 2 October stone 3 Traditional tales 4 Turkey’s capital 5 Pinch 6 Second person 7 Cottage cheese

label word 8 Corolla component 9 Morgan of “Super Size Me” 10 Lowly laborer 11 Sawbucks 16 Half a Vail pair 20 Bankrolls 22 Rotate 23 “M*A*S*H” locale 25 Letterman’s network 26 Raw rock 27 Big name in U.S. aircraft 29 Mr. Gingrich 31 Letter before 35-Across 32 Allen or Conway 34 Enthusiasts 38 T-shirt sizes 40 Continental money 42 Timeworn

43 Decelerate 44 Wrap in a waxy cloth 45 Attempt 47 Tidy 48 One side of the Urals

49 “-- It Romantic?”

52 Historic period 53 Recede

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LETTER Continued from page 3

denies their treat until the other receives an equal payment. Dr. Walker-Pacheco mentions other examples. Neanderthal graves have been found with grave goods showing a reverence for their dead kin. Similarly, crows and elephants have been observed holding funeral-like ceremonies. Empathy and fairness are attributes long thought to be strictly human. Dr. Walker-Pacheco says, “behavior doesn’t fossilize” but by comparing ourselves to our relatives in the natural world, we can extrapolate how early humans may have acted and see that the foundation for our morality is natural.

Therefore, it is reasonable for people of any faith, or lack thereof, to be moral and to have a purpose. Atheism is a claim about the belief in the existence of god(s). It does not make a judgment on morality. Atheism does not lead to nihilism nor is it a life of thrill and pleasure. Some may be hedonistic in the same way that some religious people are.

I, like many, do not live life for thrill and pleasure, but aim to do good in the world and to show that people can lead good fulfilling lives without religion. Often, an atheist’s morality is based in humanism, a system focused on the goodness of humans and rationality to solve problems.

Regardless of where one believes morality comes from, it is insensitive to claim that others do not have the capacity for morality or purpose in life without one specific view.

Billions of people around the world have a different view on religion than the author and are equally capable of morality.

BLOOM Continued from page 4

what they see in the painting but only in flowers,” Best said. “We also have people who may just use the colors of a painting to inspire their interpretation.”

Not only paintings, but photographs, sculptures and textiles were all brought to life in the artists’ creations of radiant floral displays. Draping around the artwork, red roses interspersed with a myriad of colorful flowers around nearly every corner of the museum.

“We don’t really put a lot of rules on it,” Best said. “They’re allowed to use fresh flowers, artificial, or nontraditional materials like fiber and paper to create their arrangements.

By combining fine art with unique floral displays, the event allowed artists to explore depictions of fine art inspired by springtime.

“It’s really about highlighting the art, the craft and skill of floral designers,” Best said. “We let them, as much as possible in a museum setting, allow their creativity to run wild.”

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WHEELER Continued from page 5

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019

Be Blood” is a modern masterpiece set in the booming industrial age.

2. “A Brighter Summer Day”

This film is at once epic and intimate in monument in animation, and to myself, “The vision as supplied by one of the greats of End of Evangelion” is a film that speaks most world cinema. Writer-director Edward Yang to those who are lost on the road of life. weaves this four-hour tale loosely based on true events. By exploring topics in Taiwanese history, gang warfare, the music of Elvis Pres3. “There Will Be Blood” ley and family drama, Yang created a major cinematic gem.

In the film, Xiao Si’r, the fourth child of a large family living in Taipei, navigates through adolescence, young love and the violence of the city’s savage youth gangs, leading to a devastating conclusion.

Minimally shot, Yang brings a soft, well-proportioned elegance that’s hard to find in most films. As it approaches the fourhour mark, the film easily manages to elicit silky comedy, a touch of a musical, a large IMDb dose of adolescent barbarity, a hint of Shakespearean tragedy and a family drama that Daniel Day-Lewis in the 2007 film evaluates every member with compassion “There Will Be Blood.” and concern.

In the winter of 2007, writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson released his greatest work — a prophetic study of a man’s lust for power, oil and reputation at the expense of family and his own villainous soul.

The film chronicles the life of Daniel Plainview, played by the masterful Daniel Day-Lewis, a simple oilman with an adopted son as he scales the capitalist ladder, later becoming a man consumed by greed and at odds with religion.

Massive trails of black smoke stretch across the sky while blood soaks the earth. Heaven and hell clash. At its most fundamental, the film begins as a classic good and evil conceit.

Yet, the more you begin to settle into it, you realize it is a story of evil and evil. “There Will

1. “Ran” Writer-director Akira Kurosawa, the Japanese master, creates his towering masterwork, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “King Lear” reimagined in feudal Japan, effectively combining Kurosawa’s dexterous filmmaking with the cataclysmic tragedy of Shakespeare.

This is a wheelhouse not foreign to Kurosawa as he’s adapted “Macbeth” and “Hamlet” into “Throne of Blood” and “The Bad Sleep Well,” respectively.

Lord Hidetora — played by the extraordinary Tatsuya Nakadai, a Kurosawa regular — now old and weary, abdicates the throne and divides his kingdom to his three sons. His

IMDb

Tatsuya Nakadai and Pîtâ in the 1985 film “Ran.”

two eldest betray him, and the third, the most loyal and honest, is banished. Hidetora’s abdication leads to civil war, provincial chaos — the literal translation of the film’s title — and the decay of his own sanity.

“Ran” is a film with massive scope. Theatrically presented with long, static shots and booming performances, Kurosawa plays with color and music as a Japanese castle goes up in flames while seemingly hundreds of flaming arrows pierce its façade and those defending it in one of the film’s most pivotal, lasting scenes. This combination of Kurosawa’s craft with Shakespeare’s tragedy makes “Ran” my favorite film of all time.

And there you have it: a quick list of my favorite films. My hopes for this column come twofold — I hope this piece not only introduces you to some very fine films off the beaten path but that it also works as a way to introduce myself to you on a more personal level. Similarly, I hope this list pioneers the idea that there are more films to discover outside of America, and that some of the best films are out there ready to be unearthed by the adventurous moviegoer — be adventurous and be bold. So, remember to take ease in heart and mind, sit back, relax and enjoy the movies.

HENNA

RHYTHMS

Mehndi henna kits — make it easier for anyone to try their hand at the art, but Gohil advises those purchasing premade kits to be careful.

“This (henna paste) is made from a plant, and the leaves are made into a paste, but I’ve seen many companies add chemicals to their paste for a deeper color,” Gohil said. “So, one should watch out for whether it’s naturally made or not.”

For those wondering whether they should try henna, Gohil encourages everyone to try it because unlike other tattoos, henna is “sort of a fun thing” to try without the permanent commitments. Gohil believes anyone from any background who likes the look of it can sport henna.

As a child, Sahar found henna to be risk-free to try, and now, it is a hobby she regularly practices.

“It’s not a compulsory thing for people,” Sahar said. “It’s for those who want it, and for those who don’t want it, just skip it. If some people like it, they should try it because it’s not a permanent thing like a temporary tattoo, so it’s good motivation to try it.”

said. “Our project has grown and changed a lot with that.”

There is a mutual consensus among the group in regards to the respect they have for one another and their ability to work effectively as an interdisciplinary team.

“We all knew that we had to work hard, and getting grumpy wasn’t going to make the project any easier,” Hoffmann said. “I feel like we all just had a really nice respect for each other and took care of business.”

Another crucial component of the project is the crowdfunding campaign put on through Indiegogo, Inc. which Hoffmann said will hopefully provide funds for festival and competition fees which could link the project with people who have connections.

Even though Regional Rhythms currently has no plans in place to move forward with the interactive project after graduation, Forst said they believe there is a future for the project if they find a production company willing to accept it.

The group will display their work on May 15 at the 18th Annual Electronic Arts Showcase in the in the Plaster Student Union Theater.

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