The Standard's 4.9.19 issue

Patrisse Cullors

No girls allowed

Senior night

Black Lives Matter co-founder speaks about her work

Girls can now join Scouts BSA, but not all are pleased

Lacrosse Bears celebrate with win over Creighton

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

VOLUME 112, ISSUE 26 | THE-STANDARD.ORG The Standard/The Standard Sports

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2019

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Springfield police annual report shows overall decrease in crime CLAYTON FRYE Staff Reporter @clayton_frye The data included in the Springfield Police Department’s 2018 annual report shows that crime is down. All categories of crime showed a decrease, a change from the gradual increase in crime over the last decade.

Overall, the outlook is good.

“Crime is down and recruiting is up,”

Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams said.

There were 40 fewer crimes against persons than in 2017, a 1 percent drop. Within this, robberies dropped 23 percent and reported rapes dropped 5 percent.

There were two more homicides in Springfield in 2018 than in 2017, 18 and 16, respectively. According to the report, only two of those deaths were related to domestic violence, a decrease from past years. The SPD violent crime unit, consisting of one sergeant and nine

investigators, focuses on detailed investigations to successfully prosecute violent offenders.

The report also mentions the SPD is making a point to focus on cybercrime, with the formation of the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force. The task force’s focus is apprehending sexual predators who exploit children on the internet.

The SPD also has a few more progressive programs, including Crisis Intervention Training, which trains officers on how to more ef-

Shining a light

fectively handle situations involving people with mental health issues. The program includes tablets for quickly contacting mental health professionals while a situation unfolds and consulting with those professionals about the best course of action for the person having the issue.

Ideally, this will avoid expensive and ineffective destinations for mentally ill persons, u See CRIME, page 9

Four hopefuls running for senior class president EMILY COLE News Editor @EMCole19

When the deadline for Student Government Association candidates closed in March, there were no candidates for senior class president. Now, there are four.

Jake West, junior socio-political communications major, was running for the position but withdrew his candidacy.

As a result, SGA re-opened the ballot for potential senior class president candidates.

A mandatory informational meeting was held March 26 for those interested in running.

Now, as the election approaches on April 8, there are four candidates for the position: Chase Stockton, Mackenzie Morris, Olivia Rowland and Madeline Schatz.

Chase Stockton

Photos by BRADLEY BLASTERS/THE STANDARD

(Above) Jordan Harris, left, president of Me Too Springfield, leads the PowerWalk on April 7. The walk was held to bring awareness to sexual assault. (Below) Marchers raise their hands in solidarity with sexual assault survivors.

PowerWalk held to advocate for sexual assault survivors LAYNE STRACENER Senior Reporter @LayneStracener While chanting phrases like “My body, my choice” and “My clothes are not my consent,” about 75 people walked almost a mile to support sexual assault victims and protest victim blaming, slut shaming and sexual assault for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

The PowerWalk, organized by Me Too Springfield, was April 7.

It began at Jordan Valley Park and ended at Best of Luck Beer Hall.

Me Too Springfield president Jordan Harris said she plans to host this event every year.

After the walk, Harris gave a speech about the importance of advocating against sexual assault and educating others. Harris said

she thinks this event fills a need in the community.

“All over the world, women are constantly made to feel like victims,” Harris said. “We are told that it’s our responsibility not to get raped. … Not only does this divert attention away from the real cause of the crime, but it creates a culture where rape is allowed to happen.”

Harris said she is especially passionate about educating people about sexual assault from coercion.

She said people who were sexually assaulted from coercion often don’t realize it until much later.

“I was sexually assaulted from coercion,” Harris said. “Educating people on what coercion is, how to be clear with consent and being there for the victims who weren’t aware that what happened was sexual assault is really important to me.”

Stockton is a junior political science major. According to a post on his Instagram, he has been involved in SOAR, University Ambassadors and was a member of the Campus Recreation staff.

Stockton is also currently the president of Phi Alpha Delta, is on the Student Affairs Advisory Board and was the secretary and historian of Alpha Tau Omega.

“I chose to run because I see the position as a way to give back to the university and allow me to do something great for the senior class,” Stockton said.

According to posts on his platform Instagram, his overall platform includes the following proposals: • Increasing accessibility and transparency to seniors and all students • Promote diversity in the student makeup of the Senior Gift Commission • Bringing “scholarships” to graduating seniors to help them land on their feet • Sending a monthly newsletter to seniors including job postings, resume tips, and graduate school deadlines Specifically for the senior class, Stockton’s platform includes introducing a gap and gown rental system and arranging senior success events like graduating to-do seminars, after college prep seminars and networking events.

Stockton’s ideas for the senior gift include renovated seating behind the Plaster Student Union, donations for the Multicultural Resource Center and campus-wide laptop rentals.

“If elected, I hope to make the senior class president a more well-known and approachable office and become a great resource for seniors and all students,” Stockton said.

Mackenzie Morris There was also an exhibit at Best were wearing when it happened. of Luck called “What Were you Southwest Baptist University Wearing?” that showcased stories student Savannah Marie was in the of local residents who survived sexu See WALK, page 9 ual assault and the real clothes they

Morris is a second year economics and mathematics major. Based on number of credit hours complete, Morris is still eligible to run for the position.

“I decided to run for senior class president u See SGA, page 2

2 THE-STANDARD.ORG

THE STANDARD

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2019

Coach Dana Ford talks respecting women Submitted photo

Submitted photo

Chase Stockton

Mackenzie Morris

SGA

have served on SGA Cabinet for the last two years and there is so much that we have accomplished, and there is still so much that needs to be done.”

According to her platform’s Facebook page Rowland into the Future, her platform centers around four areas: Access for All, Preparing for Life Beyond Graduation, Being a Bear and Giving Back.

As part of the Access for All aspect of her platform, the post says Rowland would utilize the class gift in a way that enhances campus accessibility to be inclusive of all students.

To help MSU graduates prepare for life after graduation, Rowland’s platform includes hosting free headshot events, supporting professional development programming and fostering a partnership with the Student Alumni Association.

The platform area Being a Bear includes supporting campus traditions, creating events to incentivize athletic participation like Senior Nights and alumni discounts, and encouraging participation in SGA. Rowland’s ideas for giving back include using alumni for volunteer opportunities at local high schools and hosting senior service days.

“In my last year, I want to serve our campus and make lasting changes while improving the lives of seniors at MSU,” Rowland said. “I think that I have the most experience and ability to accomplish the goals I have outlined in my platform and it would be my honor to represent the incredibly talented seniors of our prestigious university.”

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because there is a great deal of potential for this position to make an impact on Missouri State and Springfield,” Morris said. “I was on cabinet this year, serving as Director of Research and Development, so I have seen the power students have to create opportunities to make Missouri State a better place to live and learn.”

Her platform is titled Climbing Up, Reaching Out. According to a Twitter post, her platform focuses on three areas: recognition, involvement and the senior class gift.

For recognition, Morris wants to recognize the accomplishments of seniors by starting a Sunday Senior Spotlight. This would be a social media post to recognize graduating seniors.

To encourage graduating seniors to stay involved in university life, Morris wants to introduce senior class community service, senior mentors for underclassmen and a Student Class Banquet.

Morris did not list any specific ideas for the senior class gift, but said she will spend time researching what other universities give, and will hold meetings with seniors to see what students want.

Morris is currently the Director of Research and Development for SGA and is a member of the Missouri State Improv Team.

“As senior class president, I hope to keep seniors engaged in the community through a service partnership and facilitating a senior Madeline Schatz mentorship program for seniors to serve as Schatz is a junior professional writing mentors to new students in their program,” major, and has been a senator in SGA for two Morris said. years. She is also the current president of the MO State College Democrats.

Olivia Rowland “I am running because when I came to Rowland is a senior middle school math Missouri State, I didn't feel connected to the and science education major. She is current- school or community, but as I got involved ly the Director of Sustainability for SGA. on and off campus, my feelings began to “I am running for senior class president change and I have wanted to work to help because in my time serving as a student lead- enhance the student experience for those who er at MSU, I have realized our school's po- haven't quite found a home at Missouri State tential to be even greater,” Rowland said. “I or in Springfield,” Schatz said.

Submitted photo

Olivia Rowland

Submitted photo

Madeline Schatz Her platform has five focus areas: increasing accountability, expanding seating, student health, connecting students and encouraging competence.

To increase accountability, Schatz would create an online forum on the MSU website for seniors to communicate with the senior class president.

Student health on Schatz’s platform includes providing resources to the MSU Counseling Center to update their online screening tests.

Schatz would also like to create an online platform, through Blackboard, to connect students with internship listings in their fields.

To encourage competence, Schatz’s says on her platform that she would hope to create general training sessions that deal with diversity and social issues that would be open to all students.

“For my platform, I wanted to create initiatives that could easily be implemented in the next school year so seniors could immediately benefit from them and then do as much expanding on those ideas as possible throughout the year, so that the projects could be picked up by following senior class presidents,” Schatz said. “Often, students have great ideas, but there isn't enough time to accomplish them in one academic year.”

Online voting for the student government election begins April 8 and runs until April 12.

TINSLEY MERRIMAN Staff Reporter @Merriman Tinsley

On April 3, an audience gathered with a hushed interest to listen to Missouri State men’s basketball head coach Dana Ford. His topic? How men should handle women’s rights and how to have a healthy relationship with a significant other.

Ford became MSU’s head coach on March 22, 2018. He and his wife also founded Rebound, a program dedicated to helping women and children recovering from domestic abuse.

Ford’s advice on how to be a “healthy male” was to have a role model who showed what it is. Ford talked about how it was former Young Women's Christian Association CEO, Pat Shea, that approached and inspired him.

Shea asked him to partner with the YWCA, giving Ford a reason to show what a “healthy male” is.

Ford said a “healthy male” is almost impossible to develop unless taught by a role model.

“If you’re not taught that, it’s not something you can learn on your own,” Ford said. “If you don’t see that, I don’t think you can just learn it on your own.”

This made Ford want to demonstrate what a “healthy male” is to both the public and his family. He wanted to raise his children with fairness between them.

Ford said while women can be abused in relationships, physical abuse is not the sole type. Mental and verbal abuse are also a problem. Ford outlined a scenario where it would be abuse for him to tell his wife to turn the air down since “it’s my house.”

“That’s me taking a stance against her because I may make more money than her,” Ford said. “That’s abuse. That is violence.”

Ford said that in relationships, both parties should be involved in decisions. This way, both parties are in control in the relationship and it is healthy. He also advocated taking it slow in a relationship, saying if it is the right person, they will understand.

“When dealing with a relationship, drive as slow as you can,” Ford said. “The right person is willing to wait on you however long you wanna wait. You must drive slow. If you

u See FORD, page 9

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opinion

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 | THE-STANDARD.ORG

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Pete Buttigieg: The best mayor you may have never heard of JORDAN PHILLIPS Columnist @jrdnphillips On Jan. 23, 2019, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, announced that he was launching an exploratory committee for the Democratic Party nomination for 2020. At the time, he was an unknown figure in the Democratic Party who had been mayor of South Bend since 2011 and had unsuccessfully run for the new Chair of the Democratic National Committee in 2017.

Now, he seems to have made a lot of headway since a well-received CNN town hall on March 10 and has been climbing steadily ever since.

If nominated for the Democratic nomination in 2020 and if elected president, Buttigieg will be the youngest president ever elected, being only 38 years old at the time of the election.

He would be the first openly gay president the United States has ever had. He would be the first millennial president and the first veteran of the war in Afghanistan to serve as commander-in-chief. That’s a lot of firsts for a country like ours.

So what is the reason for this surge in popularity? Buttigieg seems to be truly authentic and he has a way of speaking that puts people at ease.

When I was first introduced to him, it was through a clip of him on the MSNBC morning show “Morning Joe” and I just found him to be quite fascinating. He always seemed to really answer questions and address concerns, instead of going around the question like most politicians do. He speaks plainly and practically, almost with a pragmatism that seems to be lacking these days, especially in the political environment that we have been living in. An article published April 5 in New York Magazine described him as being “something both very new and yet very traditional.”

From what I have seen, he does try to appeal to conservatives in the middle and on the right.

On March 17, he was the first 2020 Democratic candidate to appear on Fox News. His reasoning? “An election is supposed to be about our whole country, the whole thing, and we

Illustration by ALYSSA VANDEGRIFT/THE STANDARD

can’t just concentrate on those areas where people, for the most part, already agree with us,” he said when he was on “The View” on March 22.

He can, unlike our current president, say that he has served in the military, having become a Navy reservist in 2009 — according to Navy Times — and he was deployed to

Afghanistan in 2014, doing a seven-month tour before returning to his post as mayor.

He is a Rhodes scholar, has attended prestigious institutions like Harvard and Oxford, and can speak seven languages, not including English. Even though he is an intellectual, he does not look down upon people and is not condescending.

In other words, Mayor Pete — as he is called in his hometown of South Bend — is the antithesis of the Trump presidency, and I think that is what the country is looking for right now. We do not need to fight fire with fire; that is only going to make our situation worse and divide us further. We need the water to put out the fire ­— that water is Pete Buttigieg.

Subjectivism, atheism lead to ugly conclusions ISAAC DEMOTTA Columnist @isaacdemotta Is morality subjective? Is right and wrong merely a matter of opinion?

Numerous people will answer yes to these questions, having no idea what necessary conclusions must be drawn if morality is indeed entirely subjective and a matter of opinion.

Let me ask this: Was the Holocaust subjectively wrong or objectively wrong? Was Hitler’s annihilation of millions of Jewish, Christian, mentally and physically disabled, and homosexual people actually wrong, or do you just not like it?

If your answer to whether morality is subjective was yes, then the only logical answer is that what Hitler did was not actually wrong. Sure, you might not like it. But Hitler slaughtering millions was right and good in his opinion, and there is nothing beyond opinion.

It is a matter of preference like what type of food you like. I do not like many types of vegetables, but that does not mean it is wrong if other people like them. It is simply a matter of opinion.

Now, the subjectivist might very well ask “but Isaac, is there not a difference between humans and vegetables?”

Well, how so? By what standards?

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Your standards? You just told me your standards are but your own subjective preference. It makes no sense for your preference for humans to matter more than your preference for vegetables.

You might very well think that humans are distinct and mean more than vegetables — I would agree — but there is no logical reason to assume so if all morality and value is subjective, being merely a matter of opinion. You see, if there is no moral standard that says human beings are innately valuable, then believing so is merely a preference. It might be a very strong emotional preference, but emotions are not logic.

Why are humans valuable?

The subjectivist might bring up things such as consciousness and sentience or feelings and emotions.

But why are these things more important than some other features of humans, such as height or weight?

Why are those human features more important than sets of features for, say, vegetables? Vegetables are often green and have a distinct scent and taste. Why are any of these categories more or less determinative of value than the other?

I know it seems fundamental that human beings are valuable, but if there is no objective moral standards or values, then it is simply a personal preference. Someone else could very well have a different opinion of human value –– history is full of these people –– and they are as jus-

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tified in their view as you are in yours.

Moreover, if the subjectivist managed to show that humans are innately valuable, then he is no longer a subjectivist. He becomes one who believes in an objective moral standard.

Now, I want to look at what I believe is the origin of subjectivism.

I think it began when God was cut out of modern society. If space, time, matter and energy came from nothing, if life came from non-life, and if human beings are but chemical results of random chance and processes, then of course morality does not exist. And along with it goes value and purpose.

If God does not exist, human beings are meat robots. Human beings are a collection of matter and chemical processes. There is no value or meaning in atoms. There is no value or meaning in a chemical reaction. If atheism is true, so is subjective morality, followed by nihilism.

Many will say “that’s not true. I believe humans are valuable and I’m an atheist.” Fine, but that does not change the fact that there is no logical reason to believe so under the atheist framework. If someone believed two plus two equals five, they are more than welcome to do so, but that does not mean it is logical.

First, God was cut out of the world. And with God went his moral

standards. Since it is not true that “God created man in His own image,” then man is not valuable. If we humans do not bear the mark of the Creator, we are no different than a snake or a tree. We are but one of many living beings. We are but a hopelessly minute amount of matter in this great big universe. If atheism is true, there is no escaping these conclusions.

Now, here is what I believe.

I believe there is such thing as objective truth and objective morality. There is a moral law and it is eternal and unchanging. As there is a moral law, there is a moral Lawgiver.

God is that giver, and he is eternal and unchanging. Man was created by God in his image and he has purposed each of us according to his will. He gave us his Word and he gave us tools of reason and logic so we can discern truth and discern what is right.

What Hitler did was gross and evil because he destroyed valuable human beings who all bear the mark of their Creator. He was objectively wrong for doing so and he is in the lake of fire at this very moment.

This life is not the end, but merely the beginning of eternity. People who believe this life is all there is live for thrill and pleasure. But worldly pleasures will not satisfy the human heart. How many rich, famous and beloved people have tragically died by suicide?

Man is not merely the result of

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random chance and processes. To believe so is to rip all value, meaning and purpose from life.

Author and journalist Steve Turner said this: “If chance be the Father of all flesh, disaster is his rainbow in the sky and when you hear State of Emergency!

Sniper Kills Ten! Troops on Rampage!

Whites go Looting!

Bomb Blasts School!

It is but the sound of man worshipping his Maker.”

If chaos, random chance and process brought about everything we see around us, more chaos should not surprise us. To quote a more well-known author, C.S. Lewis wrote in the “Abolition of Man” that “we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.” Translation: We scoff at morality and traditional values and then when a “Sniper Kills Ten!” or a “Bomb Blasts School!” we are shocked.

How foolish.

I am not trying to evangelize with this column. Instead, I want to get people thinking. I want to get us all to investigate the assumptions and values we hold close. It is our duty as humans to do so.

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life

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TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2019 | THE-STANDARD.ORG

Crown competition Five MSU women will compete in the Miss Missouri pageant ZOE BROWN Staff Reporter @zoe_zoebrown

or the women who compete, pageants are more than winning a sash and a crown. Pageants can serve as an opportunity for young women to represent their community, practice applicable skills and gain scholarship money.

Five Missouri State University students will be competing for the title of Miss Missouri for one week in June: senior Jordan Belcher, senior Andi Hudson, freshman Audrianna Hebron, junior Madison Horner and senior Olivia Henson. In total, there are 27 women competing in the pageant.

The women arrive on Sunday, prepare throughout the week and start the competition on Wednesday night.

Olivia Henson, public relations major, said she is ready for the competition. She took a three-year break from pageants and is now ready to return. This is her third time competing in Miss Missouri.

“Last year, I actually sat in the audience for the first time, so getting to see it from an audience perspective gave me so much inquiry about what I wanted to present myself as,” Henson said. “I’m just extremely ready to show the judges the woman that I am.”

The pageant is held in Mexico, Missouri, at the Missouri Military Academy where the contestants stay for one week.

“The week is a lot of work,” Henson said. “You’re practicing your talent, you’re working out, but trying not to sweat because you have a spray tan. You’re trying to eat healthy but also smile all the time and keep this poise but be real and relatable.”

Throughout the week, the women rehearse, make appearances in the community and compete. However, each of the returning women describes the experience as a sisterhood.

Madison Horner, journalism major, said she met her best friend during pageant week.

“I remember Marissa and I always coming back to our dorm, eating entirely too much that week and laughing until midnight and having to get up and do it all over,” Horner said.

Each of the women credits the Miss America system for helping them become more confident, debunking the notion that pageants pit women against one another and judge them based on physical characteristics alone.

Audrianna Hebron, exercise and movement science major, said pageants have helped her grow as a person.

“I was actually still in therapy when I started competing and my therapist kind of told me that it might not be the best idea,” Hebron said. “A lot of people think pageants are very subjective and they make you feel worse about yourself and that you’re trying to perfect every little thing, but for me, it actually did the opposite.”

Similarly, Henson won the swimsuit category her second year at Miss Missouri. She said she recalls thinking that she earned the title not because she was the skinniest or most fit, but because she was confident in the woman she is.

“I’m thankful for the Miss America organization because they are a huge reason why I have the confidence that I have in just who I am, and that is something that you just can’t trade or get anywhere else,” Henson said.

The Miss Missouri pageant is a preliminary competition for the Miss America pageant. In order to qualify for the Miss Missouri pageant, contestants must win at least one local title.

Andi Hudson, elementary education major, qualified for the Miss Missouri pageant three times. She said her mother was initially skeptical of pageantry, but the scholarship aspect persuaded her mom to let her compete.

“My first year at Miss Missouri in 2015, between all the locals I competed in and then competing at the state pageant, I was able to raise enough scholarship money to pay for my whole first year of college at Missouri State,” Hudson said.

According to the Miss Missouri webpage, the Miss America Organization awards over $45 million in scholarships annually.

At the local, state and national level, scholarships are awarded to the overall winner as well as categorical winners for best talent, private interview, evening wear and on-stage questioning.

For Jordan Belcher, family and consumer science education major, the scholarship she won at the local level helped her pay off student loans.

I’m thankful for the Miss America organization because they are a huge reason why I have the confidence that I have in just who I am.

- Olivia Henson

A lot of people think pageants are very subjective and they make you feel worse about yourself and that you’re trying to perfect every little thing, but for me, it actually did the opposite.

- Audrianna Hebron

E

ach contestant in the Miss Missouri pageant promotes a personal platform called a social impact statement.

Horner’s social impact statement is Love like Loren, which raises awareness for disability inclusion. Her social impact statement was inspired by her cousin, Loren, who was born with Down syndrome.

“She was also a Children’s Miracle Network patient, which is our national partnership for the organization,” Horner said. “I was able to see firsthand the incredible effect that the hospital had on her.”

All of the fundraising done by the national Miss America organization is donated to Children’s Miracle Network, their national partner.

“They saved her life, so I wanted to create a social impact statement that would honor her and tell her story but also honor the hospital that gave her a second chance at life,” Horner said.

Similarly, Henson also wants to raise awareness for disabilities. Her 15-yearold brother has disabilities.

“I began to realize, what if there was a program for children in the school system to see and visibly understand what other peers are going through,” Henson said.

“Sometimes kids don’t get it.”

For her platform, Henson visits K-6 grade classrooms in the Springfield area

Graphic by NINA TODEA/THE STANDARD

and talks to students about various physical and mental disabilities. Her intention was to reach 1,000 students by June — she has already exceeded her goal.

Hudson is promoting early-childhood literacy. Her social impact statement is Putting Books in Little Hands.

“I work with a lot of young students, and there are just so many statistics out there that by the time of fourth grade, if you’re not reading at reading level, you’re more likely to not ever catch up,” Hudson said.

A report by the Annie E Casey Foundation found that reading proficiently by the end of third grade can be a “make or break-benchmark,” as it indicates high school success with reasonable accuracy.

Hebron is running on a platform called Find Your Balance. She advocates for

finding a balance between mental, social and physical health.

“One of the reasons why I chose this issue in particular is because when I was young, I was about 8 years old when I was diagnosed with obesity,” Hebron said.

“When I got to high school, I got diagnosed with anorexia, so it was just kind of a complete flip flop between health complications.”

Belcher advocates for domestic violence awareness because it is something she has personally dealt with. Her platform is called Survive and Thrive.

Whoever wins Miss Missouri will take a year off of school to prepare for the national title of Miss America in New Jersey, promote their social impact statement and make appearances around the state.

Editor’s Note: Madison Horner is a staff reporter at The Standard.

Getting creative at Show-Me Gourd Art Festival MSU fashion designers take on Fashionation

MICHAELA SATTERFIELD Staff Reporter @mchaela_s The buzz of chatter amongst gourd art fanatics mixed with the buzz of saws and woodburners at the annual Show-Me Gourd Art Festival.

The Show-Me Gourd Society is much like a secret society — the members have a bond that only fellow gourd artists understand. Michell Lemen, a member of the SMGS, has attended the festival three years in a row. She said that when she meets someone else who is into gourd art, she knows they will be friends.

Both members and fans look forward to the yearly festival hosted at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, which brings in people from all over the country. Madonna Watermon, president of the SMGS and two-year Gourd Artist of the Year, said there is a national gourd society, which is broken into chapters. The SMGS is a chapter, and there are smaller “patches” within Missouri — groups of gourd artists that meet on a local level.

The festival consists of workshops taught by gourd artists from around the country, free demonstrations, vendors selling gourd art supplies and, of course, the fierce gourd art competition.

Gourds in every shape and size lined the competition tables.

Watermon said there are different types of gourds — some are fruits, some are vegetables and some are inedible. Gourds have even been used throughout history. She said Native Americans used them as both cooking utensils and bowls.

“That’s why I like them so much — because they’re so versatile,” Watermon said.

The wood-like texture of gourds enables them to be used in many ways. Watermon said art techniques for gourds include painting, woodburning and carving.

This variety was displayed at the competition. Some gourds were carved with intricate precision, while others were delicately painted or embellished with other materials, like beads. Animals, gemstones, globes, necklaces, flowers and countless other creative expressions graced the tables.

Kevin Oelklaus, a member of the Kansas City patch and winner of three distinguished awards for his gourd art, said he is continually amazed at the variety gourds offer.

“There’s no limit to what you can do with a gourd,” Oelklaus

KATHRYN DOLAN Staff Reporter @kathryndolan98

said. “If you can imagine it, you can create it.”

The complex gourd art pieces were surrounded by bins of plain gourds for sale. These gourds, yet to be transformed into works of art, show where the process starts. They have already been

It’s a night filled with cheering, dancing and strutting — Fashionation, an annual local fashion show, features clothing and products from various retail stores throughout Springfield.

This year, clothes from 13 local boutiques were shown off on the runway, as well as original designs from five Missouri State students.

Megan Johnson, the vice president of operations for Fashionation, said the event has been going on for 13 years, but this is the first year student designs were included.

“The whole purpose (of Fashionation) is to celebrate (Springfield’s) local retail stores,” Johnson said. “We have so many amazing boutiques in town and this is the night to show them off.”

Johnson said she’s very excited MSU student designs were featured this year.

“They’re going to be the next generation of designers and retail shop owners,” she said. “We wanted to shine a light on them and give them a chance to be in the spotlight.”

Alix Jonusas, a senior fashion design and product development major, was given the opportunity to share her work on stage at Fashionation.

Jonusas is currently creating a collection of clothing called Ph.01. Her current target market is women ages 25-35, although she said she eventually wants to expand her collection to include men.

She said she embellishes her pieces with safety pins to add a bold, technical element to her clothing. Jonusas said she enjoys using primary colors in her designs as well as black and white.

“The whole vibe of my collection is very grungy and edgy, but it has a sophisticated twist to it,” Jonusas said.

Currently, her collection is a size 8, created to fit her models, but as her collection expands, Jonusas hopes to make her

u See GOURD, page 10

u See FASHIONATION, page 10

SINJIN SANDERS/THE STANDARD

Michell Lemen, a member of the Show-Me Gourd Soceity, crafts a gourd at a workshop.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2019

THE STANDARD

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Asian Heritage Month Banquet fosters inclusivity, intersectionality KAYLA CURRY Staff Reporter @kaylalcurry

Troop 208G Widmar belongs to local Springfield Troop 208G, the first Scouts BSA troop to open for girls in the Ozark Trails Council in the Springfield area.

Students and staff, both international and domestic, dined on dishes of white rice, shrimp curry and other Asian staples while performers and speakers showcased their cultures during the third annual Asian Heritage Month Banquet.

For some attendants, the performances appeared foreign, but for others, it reminded them of home. Mia Sethi is an international student from India in her junior year as an economics major.

She said her favorite part of the evening was hearing a poem recited in Urdu during the poetry segment.

“It means like ‘so then you’re alive,’ and it’s about keeping your dreams alive,” Sethi said. “It’s actually one of my favorite poems. I’ve heard it ever since I was a kid. It’s in one of my favorite movies, spoken by one of my favorite actors. I have a very personal connection to it, with my brother and me and my family in India.”

Graduate student Ria Cheng served on the Asian Heritage Month Planning Committee to help plan this year’s banquet and other events throughout April. She also took part in the fashion show segment where she and other models modeled traditional dress from their home countries.

The fashion show included jewelry from India and a traditional Thai dress.

“I think we tried our best to include all the cultures we could find, and of course, we want to educate the public and make it more educational,” Cheng said. “It’s a free event for students, and we have this amazing food from all over Asia, so I think a lot of people would like to come if they knew this was happening.”

Planning Committee member and graduate student Harshneet Singh encourages more people, especially Americans, to include themselves in events such as the Asian Heritage Month Banquet to better understand the wide variety of Asian identities.

“Even though you can see people walking around on campus, at the same time, you can’t see their dance form, you can’t see the poetry, you can’t see what they are into singing or how they perform,” Singh said. “Even in the fashion show, we are wearing traditional dress. That is part of our culture.”

Other cultural performances of the evening included dancing and singing. Performers such as the Japanese group, Kizuna, performed traditional dances while sporting floral kimonos.

The performances showcased Asian countries from the Middle East to Southeast Asia to East Asia, and invited the audience to learn more about the number of diverse Asian identities present on campus.

u Read the full story online at the-standard.org

u See ASIA, page 10

GRETA CROSS/THE STANDARD

Scoutmaster Josh Smith, left, and scout Alexia Smith prepare to recite the Scout Law. The Scout Law reads: “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”

No longer a boys-only club Scouts BSA now allows girls to explore new ranks, but not all are happy with change GRETA CROSS Staff Reporter @gretacrossphoto Julia Widmar, a high school senior, has been surrounded by Boy Scout culture for nearly her entire life. Growing up, her father was a camp director at Camp Arrowhead in Marshfield, Missouri, so most summers throughout her childhood were spent at camp with her father and oldest brother, who was also a Boy Scout.

She traces her interest in scouting back to the time she spent at Camp Arrowhead.

“I grew up at that scout camp,” Widmar said. “Scouting was always around me.”

Just over a month ago, Widmar was finally able to join the organization. As of Feb. 1, the Boy Scouts of America allowed girls to join troops nationwide, which changed the older youth program’s name from Boy Scouts to Scouts BSA. Girls age 11 to 17 are able to join troops, earn merit badges and participate in campouts. For the first time, girls are able to be recognized as Eagle Scouts, the highest rank in Boy Scouts.

For over 50 years, Boy Scouts of America has given young women opportunities to join exterior programs such as Venture Crew, commonly known as Venturing. Venturing is a co-ed program for boys and girls between ages 14 and 20.

While many activities done in Venturing are similar to those in Boy Scouts, the organization is structured much looser.

During recent years, families in scouting began to request an equal opportunity for young women. Girls raised around scouting were participating in

nearly just as much as their counterparts but could not be recognized.

Widmar has been involved with Venturing since she was 14 years old, the minimum age for joining the organization. She also served as a Merit Badge Counselor at Camp Arrowhead for four years, teaching and guiding young men on a variety of topics related to earning merit badges.

“All of this stuff I know, I have taught, and so finally being able to get recognized by earning the Scout rank, by earning Tenderfoot, by earning all of these ranks, feels really good … to know that I’m finally being recognized for what I’ve known,” Widmar said while flipping through her Boy Scout Handbook.

THE STANDARD sports Lacrosse Bears dominate on senior night 6

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2019 | THE-STANDARD.ORG

CHRISTIAN REHDER Sports Reporter @Christian_MR03 The Missouri State club lacrosse team and fans celebrated four seniors’ accomplishments on Saturday, April 6, during their senior night ceremony at Betty and Bobby Allison North Stadium. The ceremony took place prior to the Bears’ Lone Star Alliance quarterfinal matchup against the Creighton Bluejays.

The seniors walked with their parents and were presented flowers by head coach Donnie Curran before the game. Those seniors included senior captain and longstick midfielder Jake Weber, faceoff specialist Justice Greenberger, longstick midfielder Jerrad Davis and attackman David Beermann.

Assistant coach Gunner Serota said he knew it was going to be an exciting game because of the senior night spotlight.

“All the seniors were determined to go all out today because everyone’s family was there cheering for them,” Serota said.

With the stage set and all eyes on the seniors, the Bears went to work.

The Bluejays struck first, scoring a quick goal in the first minute of play. MSU answered three minutes later with a goal by freshman attacker Kyle Hunter. After the Bluejays scored a second goal one minute later to take the lead again, the Bears’ offense dialed in.

Greenberger answered with three consecutive goals for the Bears, followed by a goal from Andrew Tipton to close out the first period 5-3.

As the Missouri State attack pushed on in the second period, Greenberger delivered two more goals, with Davis adding a pair of goals as well.

With Hunter and freshman midfielder Chad Harper also adding a goal each, the Bears scored six unanswered goals in the second period, giving MSU a commanding 11-3 lead at the halftime break.

Serota said as the dominance over the Bluejays continued, he started seeing more of what he wanted to see on senior night: the guys having fun.

“Once we got into our groove and started scoring, I started noticing the guys laughing and having a blast out there, especially the seniors,” Serota said. “As an ex-player and coach, that’s what I love to see — guys out here playing the game they’ve played their whole lives and enjoying it as if it was their first time ever playing.”

The Bears carried that momentum into the second half to score eight more goals, securing a 19-5 victory.

As it was the their day to shine, the seniors showed out and all four had notable game stats.

Greenberger scored five goals, Davis finished with two goals and an assist, Weber had six takeaways and one assist, and Beermann recorded one goal and three assists.

Photos by KAITLYN STRATMAN/ THE STANDARD

(Above) Senior Jerrad Davis stands on the field and is celebrated by his teammates for his senior night. Davis is a graduate student pursuing a project management degree.

(Left) Senior Justice Greenberger hops over his opponent to get to the ball.

After the win, nostalgia set in for the seniors as they remembered all the good times the game brought them.

“The 7 a.m. practices were brutal,” Weber said. “But in hindsight, that’s quality time I got to spend with my brothers, and it’s going to kill me to not have that anymore.”

Davis said he’s going to miss going through the game day routines.

“I’m definitely going to miss suiting up each game and competing,” Davis said. “It’s like a ritual that you’ve done for years, then suddenly you just don’t have to do it anymore.”

Beermann said the quarterfinal win Saturday was bittersweet.

“When I was hugging my family after the game, it really set in that the end was coming,” Beermann said. “I wanted to celebrate the dub.

But man, 11 years of playing this game and competing — I just can’t believe it’s actually about to be over.”

Greenberger left some wise words of advice to the underclassmen after his last home game.

“It’s a grind, and you have to work through it if you want to continue to get better,” Greenberger said.

Bears look to turnaround season SAM GRUS Sports Reporter @SCGRUS_6 What a difference a week can make.

After opening Missouri Valley Conference play against the Indiana State Sycamores, the Missouri State Bears are winners of six of their last eight. Two of those victories were against the Sycamores, who at the time sat atop the conference.

The biggest key to the Bears’ recent success has been the resurgence of the offense.

Over their weekend series with the Southern Illinois Salukis, freshman Mason Hull had an awakening.

The shortstop hit .364 with a home run and three RBIs. Coming into that series, Hull was hitting .169, and he inches ever so closer to the Mendoza line, with a batting average of .195.

Hull’s confidence is riding high after his two home run game against Murray State on Wednesday, April 3, and driving in five of the Bears’ 15 runs in the win over the Racers.

Hull is not the only one heating up at the plate.

Third baseman Joey Polak came into the weekend hitting .206. After going 6-of-9 at the plate against Saluki pitching and drawing two walks, his average now sits at .237.

The sophomore had himself a day at the plate during Friday night’s contest, hitting three home runs and driving in five for a 10-5 victory.

Over their past eight games, the Bears are averaging just under seven runs a game and the pitching staff is holding opponents to just over five a game.

The starting pitching for the Bears has rebounded just as well as the offense for the Bears.

Junior Logan Wiley has pitched a combined 12.2 innings in his last two starts, going 1-0 in those two starts.

The right-hander picked up his first win of the season with a 13-4 victory on during Saturday afternoon’s game against Southern Illinois. Wiley has continued to be the Bears’ No. 1 starter on the season, despite some shaky numbers.

Missouri State’s bullpen has been overworked on the season since the Bears’ starting pitching has had difficulties getting deep into ball games.

During the Bears victory on Friday, senior Jake Lochner stepped up and threw eight innings and allowed five hits. The lefty struck out 11 Saluki batters and walked two.

The biggest stand-out start was freshman Forrest Barnes’ complete game victory over

At the end of senior night, the four seniors came together to reiterate one last valuable piece of advice from Davis.

“Take a minute to cherish the game every time you step out onto the field because whether you like it or not, it’s going to be over before you know it.” said Davis.

Senior night was originally scheduled for Sunday’s game against the Washington University Bears. Curran said a group of parents expressed heavy preference in having senior night on Saturday instead, so he agreed to move it ahead.

The rescheduling ended up helping the Bears since WashU canceled Sunday’s game last minute due to lack of players and budgetary issues for traveling expenses.

The Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association dealt with it last year by suspending their postseason chances for the 2019 spring season, along with a $2,000 fine.

With the victory over Creighton, the Bears clinched their division and are headed to Dallas to compete in the LSA Final Four.

Track to name new head coach barring hiccups CLAIRE NIEBRUGGE Senior Sports Reporter @claireniebrugge

File Photos by BILL SIOHOLM/THE STANDARD

(Above) Freshman Mason Hull heads to first base after sending the ball into the outfield at Hammons Field against Indiana State.

(Left) Junior right hander Logan Wiley drives the ball toward home plate against Indiana State at Hammons Field on March 31.

Southeast Missouri State on Tuesday, April 2.

The right-hander allowed two runs on three hits, walked one and struck out 11 in the 8-2 win. In a start that saved the bullpen arms, it was the only appearance Barnes made during the week.

The bullpen has been better as of late.

Sophomore Connor Sechler has continued to be head coach Keith Guttin’s go-to guy

late in games.

Since the Indiana State series, freshman Hayden Juenger has been getting the call more often out of the bullpen. The righty has pitched 8.1 innings, striking out nine and walking four.

His season ERA has dropped from 5.79 to 4.67, and opposing batters are hitting .265 against him.

The Bears are tied for second with Dallas Baptist and are 4-2 in conference play.

If the offense continues to hit as the weather warms up, look for this Bears team to possibly play for a chance at winning the conference.

The Bears next game is Tuesday, April 9, against the Kansas Jayhawks. They will then head to Illinois State April 12-14 for another MVC series. The Redbirds are 2-1 in conference play and 17-14 overall.

They will return home to Hammons Field on April 16 to face in-state rival Mizzou.

Jordan Fife assumed interim head coaching roles for the women’s track and field team on June 30, after former head coach Ron Boyce announced he was leaving the program after 22 seasons.

Missouri State athletic director Kyle Moats said filling a head coaching position depends on the situation. Sometimes an interim head coach is needed immediately after the season ends while actively looking for a head coach, such as Corey Gipson when he took over as interim head men’s basketball coach between Paul Lusk and Dana Ford.

Sometimes an interim head coach is needed to fill a gap for an extended period of time to assess whether or not someone is a good fit.

That’s the case with Jordan Fife. When Fife expressed interest in the head coaching position for track and field, Moats decided that Fife would maintain a one-season interim period in order to make sure everything went smoothly.

Fife has been the head cross-country coach and assistant track and field coach for Missouri State since 2014. He said he felt ready to do more for the track and field program and he is excited for the opportunity.

Moats said one thing he looks for in a head coach is someone who can handle the budget well and recruit hard.

“We wanted to see how he would handle the new role,” Moats said in regard to why Fife was named interim coach instead of head coach when Royce left.

Fife said he knew he would be able to handle the behind-the-scenes duties that come with being a head coach because of his cross-country duties, and as assistant to Royce, he knew what to expect for the position. Fife said as the distance coach under Royce, he cheered on every athlete but felt more like a spectator. Now, he said he gets to focus on every athlete and every event, which he thoroughly enjoys.

Moats said they will evaluate the year at the end of the current season and if everything worked out, then Fife would take over as head coach.

“We just wanted him to prove himself,” Moats said. “If it goes well, then great. I’m good with that.”

Moats said Fife did receive a little more compensation when given the interim head coaching position, because the role is a bit more to take on.

Moats said each interim situation is different and must be assessed differently.

u Read the full story at the-standard.org

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No-hitter headlines action-packed week DEREK SHORE Sports Reporter @D_Shore23 A no-hitter headlined an action-packed week on the diamond for the Missouri State softball team.

The Bears started off the week at Valparaiso for a two-game set on April 1 before returning to Killian Stadium to host No. 14 Arkansas on April 3. They finished off the busy week on the road at Bradley on April 6-7.

Sophomore Steffany Dickerson threw her first career no-hitter and helped lead Missouri State to a 6-0 victory over the Crusaders in game one.

“Steff was outstanding in game one,” head coach Holly Hesse said in a press release. “She had good command, and our defense really

played well behind her. I’m so happy for her to get a no-hitter on the road in difficult, cold and windy conditions.”

In a complete game effort, Dickerson struck out seven and walked two in the program’s 17th all-time no-hitter and club’s second this season.

The Bears out-hit Valparaiso in both games, but fell 5-2 in the second game with five unearned runs in the fifth by the home side.

“In game two, they capitalized on a mistake and got a big inning out of it,” Hesse said in the press release. “We allowed just two hits all day, but their grand slam was certainly a big one.”

On Wednesday, Missouri State out-hit nationally ranked Arkansas, but the Razorbacks took advantage of two unearned runs in the

second inning and held on for a 2-1 victory.

Dickerson took a hard-luck loss in the circle for the Bears, tossing five innings and striking out three. Freshman Bailey Greenlee followed, retiring all six Arkansas hitters she faced.

“It starts in the circle where our pitching was outstanding for seven innings,” Hesse said in a press release. “I was really proud of the way our team battled and hung in there and gave ourselves a chance to win. We didn’t pull it off, but our effort was amazing.”

On Saturday, Missouri State received exceptional pitching and clutch hitting to claim a pair of one-run victories over Bradley — 4-3 and 3-2.

The Bears overcame a 3-0 deficit in the series opener thanks to a bases-clearing triple by sophomore Daphne Plummer in the fifth and another complete-game effort from Dickerson.

Missouri State then jumped out to a 3-0 lead in game two and held off the Braves late behind a quality performance from junior Erin Griesbauer.

“I can’t say enough about our pitchers, and Daphne was amazing,” Hesse said in a press release. “We really battled a very good team for 14 innings, and I am so proud of our entire team for making so many big plays.”

After the Bears clinched the weekend series with its doubleheader sweep, Missouri State dropped a 2-0 decision to Bradley on Sunday.

The Bears are 22-14 overall on the season, 8-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference, which ranks fifth in conference play.

Missouri State returns home for a pair of mid-week games, starting on Tuesday, April 9, against Southern Illinois.

Well-rounded senior leads the Bears Mason’s mindset has helped her flourish on the softball field

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adjustment from being a slap-hitter.

“A lot of times I try to be too perfect,” Mason said. “I’m just simplifying it and trying to make contact. It is just seeing the ball and hitting the ball. That is it.

“I have just kept trying to get better and better each season. I don’t really know if there are any hardships. Of course, there are some slumps in a season. I made adjustments, and now I’m keeping it moving.”

Lindsey Ramsey, who was Mason’s high school coach at William Chrisman High in Independence, Missouri, saw the talent and leadership traits she exuded during a standout high school career as their lead-off hitter and spark plug.

“Coming into her freshman year, Kyana had an abundance of athletic talent,” Ramsey said.

“We knew right away she was going to be a leader on our team. She started varsity her freshman

U

SI

Batters are now prohibited from having any part of their foot touch the ground outside the batter’s box when bat-ball contact is made. If the rule is violated, it’s an automatic out.

Previously, a batter’s foot was able to step outside the box so long as part of it was touching the chalk.

“That is something that held her back from being in the lineup,” Hesse said. “She worked really hard on that this summer — to get her footwork right so she would not be called for being out of the box. That has made all the difference for her.”

The change is to ensure slap-hitters do not gain an unfair advantage that other batters do not have by being allowed to contact the ball while outside the batter’s box.

Mason said simplifying her approach and trusting the process has helped her make that

RI

ER

File Photo by BAILEY VASSALLI/THE STANDARD

Kyana Mason, a senior, stands on the base during a 2018 game. Mason is the sole senior for Missouri State after injuries to several teammates.

E

All in. All the time.

That’s the way Missouri State senior Kyana Mason plays each time she steps on the softball field.

“That is her M.O.,” head coach Holly Hesse said.

Mason, the only senior on a young Missouri State softball team, brings that same mindset pitchafter-pitch, inning-after-inning and game-aftergame for the Bears.

“That is her core value she talks about before every game,” Hesse said. “She is all in. She doesn’t care who we are playing. She doesn’t care what is happening. She doesn’t care what might happen. It is about being all in every pitch to her.”

Mason said she used to be more of the quiet leader, but playing with that mentality has helped her take on a role as a vocal leader on the team, and she has run with it.

The third baseman has flourished this spring and become one of the better offensive threats in the Missouri Valley Conference, leading the conference with 46 total hits and ranking third with a .418 batting average.

“I love the Bears,” Mason said. “I’m trying to just take it all in and do what I can to help the team win.”

Hesse said Mason has stepped up, taken the entire load of being a leader and put it on her shoulders.

“Her leadership has been outstanding on and off the field,” Hesse said. “She takes a lot of pride in it. She is the heart and soul of this team.”

The numbers and opportunities have not always been there for Mason, though.

Early in her career, she was stuck behind Bethany Sullinger, an All-Conference third baseman for Missouri State in 2017. That left Mason with limited playing time, appearing in only 34 at-bats over her first two seasons.

Mason’s playing time increased in her junior season last year, but that was before the NCAA approved a new rule that overhauled the art of slap-hitting.

year and just continued to grow. By the time she was a senior, her defensive skills had grown and offensively started to hit for more power.”

Mason started and lettered all four seasons at William Chrisman, earning both All-Conference and All-District honors as a senior. She was named the team’s MVP in her freshman and sophomore seasons as well.

Ramsey also said Mason left a lasting impact on their program.

“She literally was a game changer for Chrisman,” Ramsey said. “She could play anywhere on the field and lead off every game for us. We definitely felt a huge loss when she graduated, but of course, we were excited for her to continue her softball career.”

With the adjustments she has made, Mason has earned regular playing time with the Bears and then some. Hesse has been impressed with her in all facets of the game.

“She has been outstanding at leadoff for us,” Hesse said. “I could not be happier for her to have a senior year like this. Defensively, she has been perfect in conference play. Offensively, she is our spark. I couldn’t be happier for her.”

Coming into this season, Mason certainly did not expect to be mentioned among some of the best players in the Valley numbers-wise.

“Nope, I did not expect it,” Mason said. “I have just been trying to do my best, and it is working. It is just exciting. I didn’t even know half the stats. I’m just going out there having fun and playing. It is really cool to get that recognition, but I didn’t expect it at all.”

Mason is a psychology major, who is looking to return to Missouri State next fall and start pursuing her master’s in counseling. She will also help her brother Kelvyn, who will play football at Missouri State next fall, get settled in on campus.

Mason said as she finishes up her softball career, the biggest goal she has set is to help her team go on an uphill battle for the conference tournament and ultimately win a ring.

“I think it would take being gritty,” Mason said. “We have to keep playing pitch-by-pitch and not try to win it in one swing. We have to keep playing pitch-by-pitch and being all-in.”

TH

DEREK SHORE Sports Reporter @D_Shore23

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Bears dominate at Mizzou AMANDA SULLIVAN Sports Editor @mandasullivan14 The Missouri State track and field team took home 19 top-five finishes at the Mizzou Spring Open.

Junior Chicago Bains garnered a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles with a 14.03 time.

Senior Olivia Ott ran a 15.05 in the same event to place sixth.

Senior Taryn Smiley and sophomore Timeka Jordan finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 100-meter dash. Freshman Tomi Bamigbade placed ninth, and senior Sidne’ Williamson placed 12th. Freshman Allie Hafner placed 24th.

Only sophomore Namibia Clavier placed in the top five in the 200-meter dash. Jordan finished sixth, Bamigbade finished eighth, Williamson and Bains finished 12th and 13th, while Ott and Hafner rounded out the Bears in the race, placing 19th and 25th, respectively.

Clavier also took home a bronze in the 400-meter dash with a time of 55.77.

The 4x100-meter relay team of Jordan, Smiley, Bamigbade and Bains took home silver.

The 4x400-meter relay of senior Madeline Saville, junior Paityn Howat, senior Kayla Fallis and freshman Edna Dar placed fifth, while the second team of sophomore Jasmine Crawford, freshman Emily Yaeger, junior Danielle Bohannon and sophomore Erica Wollmering placed seventh.

The distance runners showed out for MSU in Columbia.

Dar and Fallis took top-five finishes in the 800-meter run. Wollmering placed eighth.

Howat, Yaeger and Saville finished 13th through 15th, and Crawford placed 18th.

Wollmering and Dar finished second and third, respectively, in the 1,500-meter run. Junior Grace Breiten finished seventh. Crawford placed 14th followed by junior Jordyn Capra in 16th place and Bohannon in 26th.

Sophomore Shelby Palmer, junior Renae Buschling, senior Mercedes Robinson and freshman Adyson Delaney took second through fifth, respectively, in the 5,000-meter run. Palmer ran a 18:17.92 time with Delaney rounding out the Bears’ times out at 19:21.51.

Field events added four medals: two silvers and two bronzes.

Williamson and junior Jamilah James placed

Graphic by AMANDA SULLIVAN/THE STANDARD

Missouri State had 19 top-five finishes at the Mizzou Spring Open on April 5. second and third, respectively, in the long jump.

Williamson out-jumped James by one meter, leaping 5.81 meters, while James jumped 5.80 meters.

Ott snagged another sixth-place finish with a 5.52-meter jump.

James had a season best 12.46-meter leap in the triple jump to place second.

Sophomore Rochelle Etienne took third with a 43.67-meter throw in the javelin. Freshman Rachel Buschling placed 11th.

Senior Brittany McPike placed 15th in the discus throw and sixth in the hammer throw.

Missouri State will compete again on April 12-13 at the John McDonnell Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2019

THE STANDARD

THE-STANDARD.ORG 9

Black Lives Matter co-founder visits MSU AFTON HARPER Staff Reporter @affie888 A crowd of around 200 students snap their fingers approvingly as a woman in a cheetah print skirt speaks at a wooden lectern.

One of the founders of the Black Lives Matter organization, Patrisse Cullors, visited Missouri State University April 4 at the Plaster Student Union to speak about her experiences as one of its organizers.

Cullors said she remembered there being a large police presence in her Los Angeles neighborhood as a child, but she thought this was normal.

“I had this moment of realizing that the community I lived in — and many other communi-

ties that looked like mine — were being criminalized because we were black,” Cullors said.

Cullors said she already knew she wanted to fight injustice but she just needed the language — this is where her school helped equip her with the tools necessary to fight “the real fight.”

“I knew that I had a fire in my belly to change those communities,” Cullors said.

Cullors said she wanted to do more than be an activist — she wanted to be an organizer.

“As I was building my skills of organizing, I had bigger targets,” Cullors said. “I knew there were other groups of people that I actually wanted to hold accountable.”

Dignity and Power Now is another organization that Cullors helped create. Dignity and Power Now is an LA-based organization whose goal is to “end state violence and mass incar-

WALK Continued from page 1

exhibit. She was sexually assaulted by a family friend when she was 14. Marie said she appreciates how Me Too Springfield gave a voice to her and other people who survived sexual assault.

“It took me, personally, six years to get a voice, and now I get to stand for other people who can relate,” Marie said. “Nobody in my family had a voice for me. Me Too Springfield helped me. Sexual assault survivors are often too scared to talk about it, and I don’t want to live in a society where you can’t talk about it.”

Sophomore global studies major Kaylynn Wake attended the event to support Marie and her sister, who also had a display in the exhibit. She said it’s important to her to stand withall the sexual assault survivors in the community.

“It’s really easy to share something on Facebook for Sexual Assault Awareness Month or say that you support it, but it’s important to actually bring that into your daily life and show the people in your life that you stand with them and believe them,” Wake said.

Wake said she encourages everyone to go to marches like this, even if you’re scared or have no one to go with.

“For me, it has always been super empowering to watch these

FORD Continued from page 2

want to crash and burn, drive as fast as you can in a relationship.”

Ford hoped that these examples would help the audience in their day-to-day lives. He asked that the audience to not make mistakes now, as these mistakes would come back in the long run. This would hinder them from being “healthy males” later in life.

“Vampire cases,” Ford said. “Cases that you think are gone, in the dirt and buried and long gone, but what happens? They come back up.

Vampire cases. Well don’t start your life and

people get a voice for the first time in their lives,” Wake said.

Trysta Herzog, chief relations officer at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks, said she attended the event to stand in solidarity with other sexual assault survivors and raise awareness about sexual assault.

“The more we say ‘Me too,’ the more people who come and are able to give voice about the things we’ve been through, the more that the public will see that this is a real issue and it’s affecting a lot of people, including people they know,” Herzog said.

Herzog held signs that read “One in 33 men are victims of sexual assault. We stand with male victims too” and “Every 98 seconds someone is sexually assaulted. Every eight minutes, that person is a child.”

These statistics, and others about sexual assault, can be found on the website of the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

Herzog said she is especially passionate about issues regarding children.

“I was sexually abused as a child, and we have so many children in our community who face similar circumstances,” Herzog said. “If we can shine light to these issues, I think we can really make a difference.”

Kelsey Nichol, vice president of Me Too Springfield, said she wants survivors to know that Me Too Springfield is there to help sexual assault survivors by advocating for them and helping them find resources.

“When I was sexually assaulted, I didn’t think there was

your teenage years dealing with vampire cases.”

Finally, Ford gave a call to action to the audience to be more accountable for their actions.

“And so I think one of the biggest things is holding people accountable to not only challenge themselves, to not let other factors dictate who they are, but when you see other people getting out of control,” Ford said.

“There’s nothing wrong with having fun, but there’s nothing fun about abuse. There’s nothing fun about violence.”

Oscar Moreno, a sophomore international business and finance major who attended the talk, said being a “healthy male” applied to his life and family members.

“I think it made me evaluate how as a brother any time I’ve ever done that,” Moreno said.

Weekly Crossword © 2018 King Features Syndicate

ACROSS 1 Recipe meas.

4 Lapidary’s supply 8 Help a hood 12 Weeding tool 13 Laugh-a-minute 14 Pianist Peter 15 “-- Town” 16 Taj Mahal city 17 Right on the map?

18 Including the latest info 21 Household member 22 Welcome sight?

23 Certain card 26 Chaps 27 Praise in verse 30 Author Wister 31 Prickly plant part 32 Old woman’s home?

33 Longing 34 Predicament 35 Grandfather, for one 36 “Oh yeah? -who?”

37 Prompt 38 Suspensefully timed out 45 Medicinal plant 46 Rembrandt works 47 Canine 48 New Balance competitor 49 Entanglement 50 Trail behind 51 Busy one 52 Cruising 53 Type measures DOWN 1 Grand 2 First course,

often 3 Saucy 4 Tool used on cheese 5 Two cubed 6 Extra 7 Speak haltingly 8 Concerning 9 Suitor 10 Formerly, formerly 11 Pledge-drive gift 19 Admitting clients 20 Author Fleming 23 Bliss 24 Have bills 25 Barbie’s friend 26 Silent 27 Discoverer’s cry 28 Dopey pal?

29 “A mouse!”

31 Rocket launcher 32 Passel 34 Lustrous black

ceration,” according to their website.

Cullors is currently working on an initiative called Reform LA Jails. She said this has been a 15-year project to prevent LA from allocating $3.5 million to building two new jails.

“Guess what? We stopped it,” Cullors said as the audience clapped. “This is the kind of work that goes down in history.”

The Reform LA Jails initiative will be voted on in the 2020 election.

Cullors said change does not happen by just protesting or putting out tweets — it happens with meetings that involve strategy.

“Lots and lots of phone calls, lots of lobbying elected officials, lots of having conversations with people, writing op-eds, building up a fullout strategy that takes 15 years,” Cullors said.

She said the best way for students to create

35 Hill that’s steep on one side 36 Villainous look 37 Actress Sevigny 38 “Phooey!”

39 Hodgepodge

40 Heard reveille 41 Supermarket stack 42 Between jobs 43 Wander 44 Early birds?

BRADLEY BALSTERS/THE STANDARD

Jordan Harris speaks to the crowd of about 75 marchers before the walk on April 6. anything to help me,” Nichol said. “I never came forward and never did anything about it because I felt really alone.

We will do whatever it takes to help you and get you the justice you need.”

CRIME Continued from page 1

lasting change is to join organizations they care about.

Thalia Barbosa, sophomore political science major, said Cullors’ work inspired her to focus on political science. Barbosa said she wants to work with a non-profit organization or charity to see what she can do to help people. She is specifically focusing on immigration and low-income families.

“I want to be as impactful as she is by using my tools in the right way to make sure people are all right,” Barbosa said.

Barbosa said she found Cullors’ message concerning our country's current state to be uplifting “The movement isn’t as dire as the media portrays it,” Barbosa said, “that things are going OK and they will be OK in the future.”

such as hospitals or jail cells.

Property crime in Springfield also dropped.

In total, there were 20 percent fewer property crimes in 2018 than in 2017.

The largest part of that drop was vehicle theft, which dropped by 25 percent. 499 fewer vehicles were stolen in 2018 than in 2017. 1526 vehicles were reported stolen in 2018 but the police department recovered 1284, or 84 percent, of those.

In addition, there was a 21 percent decrease in theft, with 2342 incidents, and 11 percent fewer burglaries, with 261 incidents.

The report has a separate section for do-

mestic violence. From 2016 to 2017, incidents of domestic violence increased from 2882 to 2902, but in 2018 they decreased with 142 less reported cases.

In October of 2018, the Greene County Family Justice Center opened. Many of the region’s legal, philanthropic and governmental bodies have worked together to make this center the location for victims of domestic violence to find help, encompassing all aspects of raising a family away from the dangers of domestic violence.

Drug activity and seizure is another focus of the SPD. In 2018, 349.25 pounds of marijuana were seized in 2018, as opposed to 201.5 pounds in 2017.

u Read the full story at the-standard.org

10 THE-STANDARD.ORG

GOURD Continued from page 4

dried, which Oelklaus said can take up to a year.

Lemen attended one of the workshops at the festival. While working on turning a gourd into a sea turtle, carver in hand, she said it is important to wear a respirator while working with gourds. Breathing in too much gourd dust can lead to health problems.

Once your respirator is on, she said the first step in the process is scraping the mold off of the gourd, which can be accomplished by burying it in potting soil or sanding. Getting all the mold off is a crucial step, as the gourd should be as smooth as possible before the artwork begins.

After that, the seeds on the inside must be removed, just like when carving a pumpkin, before the gourd is ready to go. Once the gourd is clean, it’s time for the fun part.

Artists can transform it into anything they envision using paint, carvers, woodburners or any other medium available.

Marla Garber, one of the workshop instructors, said she has been into gourd art for eighteen years now. For those interested in gourd art, she said it is not as difficult as it may seem.

She had one piece of advice.

“Just do it,” Garber said.

THE STANDARD

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2019

GREEK WEEK

Jammin’ finale After a week full of community engagement, glitter, crazy costumes and messy contests, Greek Week 2019 has come to a close. FSL’s Greek Jam was held on Saturday, April 6.

Read the full story and see more photos online at the-standard.org.

Photos by SINJIN SANDERS and GRETA CROSS/THE STANDARD

ASIA

Continued from page 5

“For us and the way we program, Asian doesn’t just include East Asian,” said Matt Banks, coordinator for the banquet. “We worked intentionally to incorporate South Asia. We worked intentionally to incorporate individuals from Southeast Asia.

We’re trying more and more to include Central Asia and the Middle East in these conversations, so that is something that was non-negotiable.”

To diversify and improve upon previous years, the committee focused on incorporating more than just traditional dance and music performances by introducing new segments such as the poetry reading in Asian languages, interactivity such as the Japanese trivia questions given by Kizuna and also by including both casual and formal wear in the fashion show.

“It’s in these moments in time we feel proud to represent our country,” Singh said. “Even though we are so far from our country, just to go onstage, speaking two or three lines about our country, in our traditional language, we are still representing our country.”

FASHIONATION Continued from page 4

clothing more size inclusive.

“I want everyone to be able to wear my collection — I never want anyone to feel like they can’t,” Jonusas said. “It is a very powerful collection, so it takes a powerful person to wear it, but I think if someone has the confidence, they can pull it off.”

Anthony Nam, senior fashion design and merchandising major, was another MSU student selected to feature original designs in the show.

“My collection is modern space-age themed,” Nam said. “I pull a lot of inspiration from the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the Netflix series ‘Lost in Space.’”

While creating his designs, Nam said he thought about what people would be doing in space and what they may need on another planet.

However, Nam said he doesn’t want his designs to appear as costumes — they are intended to be a contemporary, wearable collection.

His designs include elements such as big pockets, straps, harnesses and reflective material.

Nam said he was very excited to participate in a big, well-known local fashion event.

“I’m thankful for this opportunity to get my name and brand out there, and show what Missouri State and all my professors have been able to teach me,” Nam said.

Nam said he hopes one day he can look back and say he’s created a namesake for himself in the fashion industry.

“I feel that representation is such a big deal, being a gay, Asian American,” Nam said. “I want to represent my communities and show other minorities that if you work hard enough, nothing’s going to stop you from accomplishing your dreams.”

Behind the curtain, Nam was grinning ear to ear after the show.

“I’m shaking from an adrenaline rush,” he said. “Seeing my clothes on the runway was absolutely insane.”