‘EMBRACE AWKWARD’
Undergrad Rebecca Reimer dances with her partner on Monday, Sept. 23, at a Westie Swing Club meeting. The club offers a welcoming atmosphere and encourages participants of all skill levels to join. |
New club swing dances out of their comfort zones
BY MONIQUE BEVER monibever@gmail.com
One of Wichita State’s newest clubs meets every Monday evening, transforming their night from classes and study into the steps and movements of West Coast swing, a swing dance style derived from California.
“I really wanted to cultivate an atmosphere where people, like me, in college could find joy from just taking a moment to step back and just move their body,” said Trinity Madden, West Coast Swing Club president and instructor. “(And) have fun in a non-serious environment that’s able to embrace the awkward and be silly and not take fear of judgment for that, and not fear of making mistakes.”
Madden balances her dance life — instructing for the club and competing in advanced West Coast Swing competitions across the country — all with the responsibilities of an engineering major.
“I find it a lot of relief that it’s,
like, if I could just step away from my studies for an hour to go to a dance class and just forget about everything — just take a moment — I feel a lot more rejuvenated when I go back into my studies,” Madden said.
Originally from California, Madden grew up dancing until she became deaf at 12 years old. She didn’t see herself dancing ever again until a roommate encouraged her to start again at an off-campus class after suffering a bout of homesickness her first year.
“Dance is like my best stress relief,” Madden said.
Alongside Madden, Megan Castillo and Jordan Manning serve as hosts and perform vicepresidential duties for the club.
Castillo grew up Country Swing dancing, discovering West Coast Swing in college; she and Manning found themselves quickly immersed in the local community and wanted to share their love for it with Wichita State.
“What I found in this is just a beautiful community of people that are so much more than
dancers; they’re family,” Castillo said. “With the club, we get to see other students and help them grow in something that we love.”
Last semester, the club hosted an event for De-Stress Fest called “Dance your Stress Away.”
Encouraged by the turnout at the event and the lack of an on-campus dance club, they worked to create the club, which was established earlier this semester.
“I wanted to have that atmosphere where, yes, it’s West Coast Swing, and it’s a very specific dance, but … anybody can do it, whether you’ve danced your whole life or you’ve never danced before,” Madden said.
The club advocates for inexperienced dancers to step out of their comfort zones and try out niche clubs across campus — beyond theirs.
“You’re only in college once,” Madden said. “You never know what can be what changes your life for the better.”
Manning started dancing just six months ago after a suggestion
How is Wichita State responding to a historic citywide drought?
BY MIA HENNEN managing@thesunflower.com
Wichita has experienced drought-like conditions for more than two years. Soon, the city will be in its second month of enforcing restrictions due to severe conditions.
For Wichita State University, the drought has required some adjustments.
“It has made us change our approach in what type of plants we were planting this fall (and) what type of plants we’ll plant next spring,” said Eason Bryer, executive director of Facilities Services. “We can’t predict the future, but I don’t see this drought magically going away over a single winter.”
The city entered stage two of drought restrictions on Aug. 5, which significantly limited when residents could water outdoors. The restrictions began due to low water levels at Cheney Reservoir, Wichita’s main water source.
In his role, Bryer oversees the university’s landscaping, building maintenance and more — water plays an important role in each.
DROUGHT PREPARATION
Before the city entered stage two, residents were encouraged to reduce water voluntarily. Bryer said he and his team had been “proactive” in saving energy and water.
They did this by changing traditionally green spots into dryscape areas, opting for rocks instead of plants.
Rock gardens are more expensive at first due to the cost of the material, the labor to replace the gardens, putting down fabric and placing the rocks. Bryer stressed the long-term cost savings versus a traditional lawn, though.
“We’ve converted about 80 (landscaping) beds from areas that used to require lots of fresh water, pesticide, herbicide (and) fertilizer,” he said. “Well, now those areas require nothing but to let Mother Nature take its course and rain once in a while.” Bryer also noted the university’s transition to more native greenery.
“A good example to look at would be everything in the wild grow area in front of Woolsey (Hall). That is all native scape,” Bryer said.
from Madden. He said he’s happy to see himself among the club’s new members.
“Four weeks ago, we had our first class, and I watch 17 other students do the exact same thing, and they all have that nervous look, those butterflies in their stomach that we all have, but by the end of the night, you know, those butterflies, they’re gone, just completely,” Manning said.
The club opens its meetings up with an icebreaker activity, doing something traditionally embarrassing to champion their philosophy of encouraging members to do their best to “embrace the awkward.”
“We’re cultivating a culture that is safe. We’re cultivating culture where it’s okay to make mistakes; it’s okay to be wrong,” Madden said. “You don’t have to understand dance and body movement. You don’t have to understand tempo. You’ll learn — that’s the whole point of this journey. I think it’s important for a lot of people to realize that you’re not going to be perfect.”
“Those were all plants that were selected because they thrive in our geographic area.”
Sean Wentling is the president of WSU’s Green Group, a student organization that focuses on educating people on intersectional environmentalism. He emphasized the importance of vegetation on campus.
“All the greenery, shrubbery, bushes and trees around campus provide, you know, mental health benefits, but also aesthetic benefits for the campus; it makes it look pretty, and it makes it look like a campus to which you would like to attend school,” Wentling said.
While the university was working to transition several elements in preparation for the drought, Bryer said it was “still watering on a pretty aggressive schedule,” about four to five days a week. SEE “DROUGHT” PAGE 2
Photos by Aubri Baker / The Sunflower
Senior Megan Castillo is spun by junior Jordan Manning along with junior Trinity Madden at the Westie Club meeting on Monday, Sept. 23.
Junior Olivia O’Reilly advances to a new step she learned during the meeting of the Westie Swing Club on Monday, Sept. 23.
Junior Jordan Manning twirls while senior Logan
Oesterreich guides him during a dance. The club teaches a lead-follow dance style.
‘Smaller organizations are going to be hit the most’: What funding changes mean for student orgs
BY MALEAH EVANS maleah.evans04@gmail.com
Some student organizations on campus worry they may lose members or have to charge joiner fees, following the Student Government Association’s allocation process which assigns organization funding.
Three weeks ago, SGA voted on its budget allocations to student organizations for the 2024-2025 school year, which totaled $275,000. Student organizations asked for nearly $600,000 altogether.
Every student organization received less than what they asked for, with 20 groups getting less than half of their request.
GROUP REACTIONS
Model United Nations received $12,000, more than they have received in previous years, but the group originally asked for nearly $54,000.
“Up until 2020, we were getting $20,000 a year,” said Alexandra Middlewood, associate political science professor and faculty adviser for Model UN.
The group asked for enough funding to cover one of the conferences they plan to attend, a change from the past.
“So in previous years, we have asked for the amount to cover both conferences,” Middlewood said. “Student government just hasn’t ever given us that, which is fine; they have limited resources.”
The allocations that the group received will cover less than half of their spring conference.
Due to insufficient funding, Middlewood said she has to look at group numbers and limit how many students can participate.
“We were getting $20,000 a year when we had 12 to 15 students participating,” Middlewood said. “This year, we have 30 students participating, and we got $12,000. We have grown every year since 2020, and they still cut our budget every year.”
Middlewood said this means that the group will have to rely on more fundraising and the political science department to chip in more funds.
Middlewood said she’s also facing the possibility of having to charge students a fee to join Model UN.
“I don’t want to have that (fee), because that creates that financial barrier for students to be able to participate,” Middlewood said. “Without the funds to be able to have everyone who wants to join, I’m facing these really difficult questions.”
Other organizations face similar questions to Model UN.
Some groups received no funding from SGA.
IMPACTED BY FUNDING SHORTFALLS
Kendah Ballout, the president of the Artist Exploration Association, said her group primarily uses funding from SGA to get art supplies that aren’t offered in the Ulrich. This year, they requested $1,350 and received nothing.
This was due to SGA instating a rule that requires a $1,500 minimum to be considered for appropriations.
Ballout’s group is looking at going through the organizational funding process. This process is a different way for groups to get money from SGA, in which they can request up to $3,000.
MEMBERSHIP IMPACT
Due to the confusion with funding, the Artist Exploration Association has had to push off its first meeting of the semester, which will likely impact membership, Ballout said.
“Smaller organizations are going to be hit the most by the appropriations and disorganization,” Ballout said. “Not that I have anything against SGA. I know that they’re allocated a certain amount of funds and don’t have control over how much money they receive, but throughout all of this, it’s best to keep in mind that it’s small organizations being impacted the most.”
The Intersectional Student Leftist Association also received zero funds, as they requested less than $1,500.
Jared Amborski is the group’s treasurer. Amborski said the lack of funding will likely impact the growth of the group.
“That goes for us and any group really,” Amborski said. “Without support from the university, the Student Government Association, and administration as a whole, groups on campus can’t thrive.”
As a former member of the SGA Finance Committee, Amborski said he can see both the perspectives of SGA and student organization leaders.
“It’s really easy being on that side of the table (with SGA) and being like, ‘Oh my God, the (student orgs) are so needy,’ and then now being on the other side, like, ‘SGA just doesn’t care about us,’” Amborski said. “Neither is true; we’re just trying to do the best we can.”
New software available for ‘different learning styles’
BY SOPHIA BEST sophiadapbest@gmail.com
Wichita State has implemented a new accessibility software at the beginning of the fall 2024 semester.
Kurzweil 3000 is an assistive technology program that can be accessed using WSU login credentials. The software can be run on Windows and Mac, and on the web browsers Chrome, Firefox and Outlook.
Missy Tatum, a former occupational therapist in the K-12 system who works closely with Kurzweil 3000, joined OSAT for a Zoom presentation on Sept. 23, to explain the software.
“We all have different learning styles and Kurzweil builds on that … so that it works for everybody,” Tatum said.
Students can open any PDF of online textbooks into the program to make it more accessible. The font can be changed, including options such as OpenDyslexic and OpenDyslexicMono.
DROUGHT
FROM PAGE 1
“So maybe a little bit more than you would in a residential situation, but even at that, not as much as most commercial settings would water,” Bryer said.
A DRY SPELL
Since stage two restrictions began, Cheney’s water levels have continued to drop, with current readings putting it at 57% full.
Wentling said that while he’s happy to see efforts have been made to reduce water usage, the situation was avoidable.
“(Several feet of) water … has been totally evaporated from the Cheney Reservoir — that’s been going on for years now,” Wentling said. “It’s something which we could have taken into account as a community, not necessarily to reduce all of our water usage, but to bring awareness to water usage.”
With stage two fully in motion, WSU has been forced to start different watering habits.
“So when those restrictions came, instead of us being able to nourish our plants and our grass as much as we wanted, as often as we wanted — or as much or as often as we thought was reasonable — we kind of got restricted to a narrow, 14-15-hour window once a week,” Bryer said.
WSU’s sprinkler system is not a cohesive whole, with many operating on different schedules
Students can also change the background and highlight colors to help with eye strain, and to play text-to-speech at slower and fast speeds.
It also includes several built-in dictionaries including a photo and children’s dictionary, as well as a thesaurus and translations for more than 70 languages.
Students can open documents to work on, with the option to use built-in template outlines for writing papers and utilize graphic organizers for brainstorming and notes for reminders. Tests can be taken within the program, certain features can be locked away to prevent cheating.
“I asked one of the students to come in and just tell me what he thought of the program,” Keiser said. “And he came in and started crying. He says, ‘Now I’m going to go for my master’s.’”
To learn about how to use the software, students can attend a Zoom presentation Friday, Sept. 27 at 9 a.m.
due to the size of campus.
“If we turn them all on at once, it would pull so much city water that no one in the surrounding neighborhoods would be able to get a drink or take a shower. I mean, it would just tax the system,” Bryer said.
While Bryer estimates that around 75% of the university is operating on sprinkler systems with internal clocks, a quarter of them were installed decades ago, before the technology existed.
Bryer said this is why some on campus might see sprinklers running after rainfall.
“If it rains the evening that it’s set to sprinkle, I mean, we would have to go in and completely reprogram everything and remove that operation,” he said.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Wichita is set to reassess restrictions on Oct. 5. It could maintain current restrictions, advance to stage three or remove restrictions altogether.
Bryer said he doesn’t see the drought going away any time soon but also thinks it is unlikely that restrictions will progress to stage three. In the event of stage three, though, Bryer said it would require “substantial fundamental changes” at the university.
“We’ll do everything we can to protect our investment,” he said. “But yeah, stage three, it would require some acceptance.”
DROUGHT STAGES
CURRENT STAGE
This stage limited using city water outdoors to once a week, starting on Aug. 5. Watering is limited Friday through Sunday. Golf courses, car washes and other businesses are exempt. STAGE THREE 35-50% FULL
In this stage, all outdoor watering for non-exempt customers would be prohibited.
STAGE FOUR 0-34% FULL
This stage would offer the tightest restrictions for Wichitans.
With the enactment of this stage, only certain hospitals or medical facilities would be exempt from water conservation rules.
All other customers would have to reduce water usage by 15%.
SGA representatives from both sides of the room conversed with other students about funding and recognition of their respective student organizations. | Photo by Alejandro Clavier / The Sunflower
*Fullness of Cheney Reservoir
‘DOG FIGHT’
Volleyball ends home Shocker Classic 2-1 and kicks off AAC play
Vs. Cal Poly
BY OWEN PROTHRO owenprothro@gmail.com
Redshirt freshman outside hitter
Alyssa Gonzales’ team and career-high 16 kills and .424 hitting percentage helped Wichita State volleyball eke out a comeback win over Cal Poly in the first game of the Shocker Volleyball Classic and the Shockers’ season home opener.
The Shockers went five sets on Thursday night against the Mustangs (2522), (25-20), (25-19), (25-21), (15-9). Cal Poly’s record dropped to 5-4 overall.
“I told (fifth-year setter) Izzi (Strand), ‘turn me up,’” Gonzales said. “I was literally like, ‘Izzi, I got this. I’m going to get kills, I’m here to swing.’”
The teams traded leads in the first set multiple times before the Shockers opened up a 21-17 advantage that proved too much for Cal Poly to overcome.
Wichita State held on to a 1-point lead for most of the second set, but the Mustangs made a 4-0 run to take the lead back and eventually won the set.
Cal Poly went up by four in set three, cruising to a 5-1 lead. The Shockers cut the deficit to one point later on, but the Mustangs closed out the set scoring six unanswered points.
In the fourth set, a 4-0 run helped open up a 21-17 lead for Wichita State. The fight was not out of the Mustangs, who stampeded back with a 3-0 run of their own, but a 4-1 run closed out the set for WSU.
In the final set of the game, the Shockers went on a 5-0 run, which would eventually become a 12-6 lead. The Shockers never looked back, closing the game.
Senior middle blocker Morgan Stout and junior outside hitter Emerson Wilford each made 14 kills. Strand led the team in assists with 50 and had her second double-double on the season with 12 digs. Wichita State’s 23 team blocks nearly doubled the previous season-high.
Cal Poly hit .157 as a team, the lowest mark for a Wichita State opponent this season. The Shockers hit .209 collectively. Despite the team’s poor attacking efficiency thus far this season, Stout said the Shockers were “dialed in” against Cal Poly.
“It was probably a confidence issue, I don’t know,” Stout said. “But it was just the fact … we could lean on each other during that (fourth) set and actually battle through it with some grit.”
After the game, Wichita State head coach Chris Lamb said it was nice to get a win against an opponent like Cal Poly.
“We played a lot of teams like (Cal Poly) and didn’t come out on the winning side,” Lamb said. “So (it was) nice to get one.”
Vs. UNC
BY OWEN PROTHRO owenprothro@gmail.com
A .146 hitting percentage and 30 attack errors by Wichita State volleyball led to a loss in a tightly-contested matchup against the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) on Friday night.
The Shockers lost, 3-1, but nearly every set came down to the wire (25-20), (27-25), (15-25), (25-23). The Bears improved to 9-3 overall.
Wichita State head coach Chris Lamb said the Shockers didn’t fire strong out of the gate.
“We got to play well, we got to find someone,” Lamb said. “How about (we) learn to be ready to compete? I think we went through the motions for the first 45 minutes.”
For the second consecutive game, the first set went back-and-forth. The teams were tied at 18-all, but a 7-2 run by UNC ultimately decided the set. Wichita State ended the set hitting .088 and doubled the Bears’ attacking errors with eight.
The second set eventually went into extra points and UNC got the last swing, closing out the set despite the Shockers’ improved .238 hitting percentage.
Lamb called his third challenge of the game during the third set, which set up Wichita State with a 2-0 lead that eventually became a 4-0 run.
“Some people might look at that (challenge) as a shot of adrenaline,” Lamb said.
The Shockers held onto their 4-point advantage and later went on a 6-0 run to open up an 11-point cushion, 22-11, and win.
The teams tied at 22 in the fourth set. It looked like the set was going into extra points again, but a 3-1 scoring run by the Bears decided the game.
Redshirt freshman outside hitter Alyssa Gonzales ended the game with a team and career-high 13 kills. She also more than doubled her career-high in hitting errors with 12, leading to a .028 hitting percentage.
Northern Colorado committed 16 service errors, while Wichita State committed only four. However, the Bears converted on five aces to the Shockers’ one.
Fifth-year setter Izzi Strand said to win more games throughout the rest of the season, “it’s going to take a lot more people stepping up.”
“We have a lot of people that left and we have all new people now,” Strand said. “Therefore, we need the ones that are capable of being the leaders to keep stepping up and to really show that they can fulfill that role. And we need extra players that maybe haven’t gotten their chance yet to step in and find their spot on the court.”
Vs. Omaha
BY OWEN PROTHRO owenprothro@gmail.com
Wichita State volleyball was on the brink of losing its home Shocker Volleyball Classic tournament, but came back in thrilling fashion with big rallies in the third and fifth sets.
The Shockers would need every point to pull off a five-set (19-25), (25-21), (31-29), (17-25), (15-13) win in its Saturday matinee against Omaha.
“I knew it would be a dog fight … It was a huge win for us,” head volleyball coach Chris Lamb said.
The Shockers ended the weekend 2-1. Omaha’s record fell to 2-9 overall.
The win came despite Omaha out-hitting Wichita State in the game, .277 to .182. Omaha’s mark was the highest hitting percentage by a WSU opponent in a losing effort since 2016.
The Mavericks later opened up a 5-point lead and 5-0 scoring run in the first set. Late Shockers kills were not enough as Omaha took the set.
The teams traded runs in the second set, but two 3-0 runs late on by Wichita State tied the game.
Wichita State got out to an 8-4 lead in the third set, but 3-0 and 4-0 runs by the Mustangs eventually gave the away team a 3-point advantage, 15-12.
Omaha would eventually go to set point, 24-20, but three errors by the Mavericks and a kill from senior middle blocker Morgan Stout sent the set into extra points.
The teams traded the set point six times before the Shockers finally took the win from a Stout service ace.
Stout said she didn’t know what the score was until the stadium lights went out, signaling Wichita State won the set.
“I literally, like, blacked out,” Stout said. “I didn’t even know what was going on.”
The Mavericks cruised to a win in set four. In the final set, Omaha went on a 6-0 run with the help of a won challenge to come from the brink to take the lead, 13-12. Three straight kills from Stout decided the match in WSU’s favor.
In addition to her heroics at the end of the game, Stout led the Shockers in kills with 14 and added four blocks. Fifth-year setter Izzi Strand led the team in assists with 48 but also in digs with 17, a rarity for a setter and a season-high.
Lamb called the win a “catalyst” going into conference play.
“This was not a paved road,” he said. “And we got through the mud, the potholes and the rain.”
BY OWEN PROTHRO owenprothro@gmail.com
Wichita State volleyball’s first American Athletic Conference (AAC) matchup was competitive for two sets before the Shockers took over. Wichita State beat Memphis on the road, 3-1 (25-20), (24-26), (25-13), (25-16) on Wednesday night. Wichita State, now 6-7 overall this season, beat the Tigers after hitting .333 as a team, the Shockers’ highest hitting percentage since August. Memphis’ record dropped to 6-7 on the season.
The Shockers then went on a 6-0 scoring run in the first set to take a 16-11 lead. The Tigers clawed back, eventually cutting Wichita State’s lead to 3 points three separate times, but the 5-point cushion created by the Shockers proved too much for the Tigers to handle. Wichita State took the set after hitting .324 as a team.
After trading 3-0 runs to start set two, the Shockers eventually led, 8-6. Wichita State maintained its narrow advantage until Memphis went on a 3-0 run, taking a 16-14 lead.
Kills by freshman outside hitter
Alyssa Gonzales and junior outside hitter
Emerson Wilford helped the Shockers tie the game at 18, but Memphis would go on a 3-0 run to take the lead. The teams continued trading the lead, eventually taking the set into extra points. Memphis ended the set on a 3-0 run to win it.
Multiple big scoring runs for Wichita State in the third set helped the team take a 19-9 lead that eventually became a 12-point buffer for the Shockers, 23-11, as Wichita State ended the set hitting .481.
A Wilford kill helped the Shockers take a 5-0 lead out of the gates in set four, but the Tigers answered with a 3-0 run of their own.
Wichita State would eventually open up a 20-12 lead. Memphis came back and scored four unanswered points, 20-16, but Wichita State ended the game on a 5-0 scoring run.
Wilford ended the game with a game and career-high 16 kills and hit .295 overall. Junior outside hitter Brooklyn Leggett finished behind Wilford in kills with 10. Fifth-year setter Izzi Strand recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 37 assists and a game-high 16 digs. She also added eight kills, tying her career-best mark.
With the win under its belt to start AAC play, Wichita State volleyball will play its first home conference game of the season on Friday, Sept. 27, against Temple University. The first serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Charles Koch Arena.
The Wichita State volleyball team celebrates after winning the third set against Omaha on Sept. 21. Wichita State came back from a 24-20 deficit to take the win. The Shockers took the second, third and fifth sets to win the game. | Photo by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower
Alyssa Gonzales, Izzi Strand and Sarah Barham prepare for a serve against Cal Poly. Wichita State won on Thursday in comeback fashion, 3-2. | Photo by Owen Prothro / The Sunflower
Katie Galligan passes the ball during the Sept. 20 game against Northern Colorado. The junior libero made 18 digs and two assists in the game. | Photo by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower
Emerson Wilford and Morgan Stout block the ball in the first set against Omaha. The two players had a combined seven blocks in the game. | Photo by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower
Emerson Wilford digs the ball in a rally against Northern Colorado. Wichita State lost the game in four sets. | Photo by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower Memphis @
‘Point of pride’: Shocker student-athlete GPAs outperform non-athlete peers
BY ALLISON CAMPBELL editor@thesunflower.com
After setting a “bold and aggressive” five-year academic plan in 2022, Wichita State Athletics and student-athletes have reached a seemingly “unattainable” set of academic goals according to Gretchen Torline, the director of Athletic Academic Services.
The conclusion of the spring 2024 semester yielded a 3.399 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) by student-athletes and signaled the last semester before the halfway point of the initiative.
“I can remember back when I started, a million years ago, that we were just … so happy to stay at a 3.0 (department-wide GPA average),” Torline said. “We thought if we could ever get to a 3.2 (GPA) that would be great … and now we’re at the 3.4 (GPA).” While student-athlete GPAs faltered last semester — from 3.45 average to a 3.399 — overall, student-athletes have continued to perform “above average,” according to Torline.
Athletic Director Kevin Saal’s five year plan asked studentathletes to achieve at least a 3.0 average GPA every semester for 10 semesters, a 3.30 average in five different semesters and a 3.4 average for at least one semester.
“(When) Saal challenged us to that, I was not very open to it in that I didn’t think it was attainable,” Torline said. “(But) it is attainable, and I think that we’ve proven that we have done that … so now it’s kind of a point of pride for us.”
Since spring 2022, studentathlete GPAs have, for the most part, continued to increase with the exception of spring 2024. Despite decreasing, the spring 2024 3.399 average is still the third highest GPA in WSU Athletics history, trailing a GPA average of 3.406 in spring 2023 and 3.45 achieved in fall 2023.
STRATEGIES
FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS
For student-athletes, achieving these grade point averages comes with a few sacrifices and plenty of hard work.
Whether it’s transfer students or freshmen, like volleyball’s Nadia Wasilewski and Grace Hett, spending an afternoon in mandatory study hall or upperclassmen seeking mentoring or other academic help from
WSU Athletics’ designated tutors, Torline said there’s no shortage of resources when it comes to stimulating academic success.
“I know when I was in school, I would have loved to have had somebody sit down with me,” Torline said. “So we do have that, and that’s been very successful.”
Student-athletes, whether new or returning, are also reminded that staying ahead is a necessity, especially during their season.
“Staying ahead is kind of important … and not procrastinating. As much as it sucks, you have to just do it,” Wasilewski, a freshman outside hitter, said. “They (athletic academic staff and faculty) always make sure that there’s resources available. I haven’t used any of them yet, but they make sure that if you need help you’re going to get it.”
In addition to mandatory study hall for new athletes and access to mentors and tutors, Torline and other athletic academic services staffers check in with professors to track the grades of studentathletes and catch issues early.
“We really are focused on (helping students get) their degree and doing well while they’re here not just, you know, making average grades and getting their degree,” Torline said. “We do try to play that, you know, parent role,
STUDENT-ATHLETE FIVE YEAR PLAN
GOALS
ACHIEVEMENTS
but we’re not enabling them … It’s overwhelming to be a studentathlete with everything that they have going on, and we’re just here to help them.”
Torline said that aside from “tremendous support” from the athletic department, coaches and administration, student-athletes have been receiving the same message: “Go above and beyond and be the best that they can be.”
“I wish I could say that we did something magical, but really, we kind of challenged the studentathletes to go above and beyond,” Torline said. “I think we just really have done what we’ve always done.”
SUCCESS AND SACRIFICE
Student-athletes at WSU outperformed their non-athletic peers academically even before spring 2022. Compared to other American Athletic Conference (AAC) schools, WSU studentathletes generally surpass their competition in the classroom.
“I think one of the biggest pluses is the athletic office with those coordinators,” said Elia Ortega, a first-year adviser for the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Ortega said there’s a lot of collaboration between academic advising offices and studentathlete academic advising offices to ensure that student-athletes’ schedules work around practice times. When enrollment opens, student-athletes, along with Cohen Honors students and seniors, get first pick of university courses for the next semester.
“They don’t have the flexibility that sometimes other students may have,” Ortega said. “That’s just one of the perks they give them for being on the campus and being in one of our approved athletic programs.”
Sometimes, though, studentathletes will be enrolled in
“tough majors” — subjects of study such as chemistry, engineering and health professions. These courses typically require additional lectures and labs, which are often lengthy and intersect with practice times.
Ortega said that sometimes, despite advising’s best attempts to accommodate them, those students must choose between their sport and their degree.
“It gets a little complicated because I can’t fit everything in (their schedule in order for them to graduate and play),” Ortega said. “If you’re trying to do that (labs and clinicals) with a sport not as compatible … we have to play with things.”
Some alternatives include night classes, but NCAA academic eligibility requirements can pose additional challenges.
“You have to complete a certain number of degree hours by the end of each academic year to be eligible the following year,” said Korey Torgerson, the associate athletic director for Student Services.
LOOKING PAST THE HALFWAY POINT
Going forward, Torline said she’ll continue to put her faith in student services and studentathletes themselves and is confident that, despite not doing “anything magical,” students will continue to respond to the asks of the five year plan and their advisers, prioritizing their academics just as much as, if not more than, their athletics.
“I don’t think, you know, we did anything different … It’s the student-athletes that did the work (and) … bought into what we were trying to tell them,” Torline said. “I mean, they’re ultimately the ones that did this … we just had the message, and they responded.”
Location for new pickleball courts changed to preserve trees, prevent disruptions
BY MACK SMITH
mackred22@gmail.com
The Wichita State pickleball courts are still moving from their current location next to Wilkins Stadium and the Heskett Center, but now to a slightly different space in an attempt to prevent disruptions to Lindquist Hall and preserve trees. The courts are switching from its original proposed location of the green space between Lindquist Hall, Heskett Center and Hubbard Hall. The new location will still be in the green space but slightly more to the north. The plan will also move the art sculpture Profile Canto IV-A to a new location.
Student Government
Association Sen. Andrew Bobbitt said the change occurred after
BY MACK SMITH mackred22@gmail.com
WOMEN’S TENNIS
The Wichita State women’s tennis team kicked off its fall season with matches against Iowa State University, Kansas State University and the University of South Florida over the weekend. The Kansas State Tournament in Manhattan was played from Sept. 20 to Sept. 22. Sophomore Giorgia Roselli finished undefeated in singles. Junior Kristina Kudryavtseva and freshman Sati Aubakirova finished 2-1 in doubles.
MEN’S GOLF
The WSU men’s golf team finished ninth while shooting 15 over par at the Git-R-Done Invitational in Lincoln, Nebraska. Seniors Michael Winslow and Jose Ramirez were the team’s highest placers. Both finished tied for 25th and shot 215, two strokes over par.
The Shockers will participate in the Bayou City Collegiate Classic in Houston, Texas, from Monday, Sept. 30, to Tuesday, Oct. 1.
WOMEN’S GOLF
The WSU women’s golf team finished 16th at the Golfweek Red Sky Classic in Eagle, Colorado. The team shot 909, 45 strokes over par. Sophomore Mackenzie Wilson was the Shockers’ top finisher. Wilson finished tied for 50th while shooting eight over par. The team will next play in the Ron Moore Intercollegiate in Denver, Colorado, from Oct. 4 to Oct. 6.
working with university administration and members of campus recreation.
“There were some concerns from members of faculty and students about the disruption that placing it so close to Lindquist Hall would have,” Bobbitt said.
John Lee, the director of campus recreation, said people were concerned with the original placement of the courts.
“People were concerned about the three trees that were out there and then the plan became,
‘Let’s move the art sculpture somewhere else and then put the pickleball courts there,’” he said.
“Then if we add three more, it will go backward, but since there is not funding to add the three courts now, the trees can stay there as long as the university wants them there.”
Lee said there is a lot of optimism within campus recreation about the change. He said campus recreation will work to “maintain” the courts, which he called a “start to something that should be bigger one day.”
“We are super excited,” he said. “The old pickleball courts proved themselves. There were people
out there all the time all day, and especially the night. I think that the popularity of the courts proved the viability and spearheaded it into the master plan to start with.”
According to Lee, the pickleball court construction is about to go out on bid. At this current time, there is no timetable for when the courts will become operational.
BY JACOB UNRUH sports@thesunflower.com
A junior college national champion will join the Wichita State men’s basketball team next season.
Dre Kindell, a guard who came off the bench for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)-winning Barton Community College last season, announced his commitment to the Shockers on Sept. 19.
Kindell, who will be a junior next season, hails from Cincinnati and comes in at 6-foot and 155 pounds. He averaged 20 minutes per game as a freshman last year, scoring nearly 10 points per game while shooting 41.9% from the field and 32.7% from 3-point range. He also averaged 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
Aside from Wichita State, Kindell received Division 1 offers from Kent State, Hampton, CSU Northridge, UMKC, Texas Rio Grande Valley, Milwaukee, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Tennessee Tech and Cal State Bakersfield.
The Shockers were the final team to offer a scholarship to Kindell, who chose Wichita State early rather than wait until the conclusion of his second season with Barton.
Kindell is the second member of Wichita State head coach Paul Mills’ 2025 recruiting class, following freshman guard Tyrus Rathan-Mayes’ commitment last week. The Shockers’ current roster has nine combined seniors, graduate students and fifthyear players that will have to be replaced next year.
Illustration by Cameryn Davis / The Sunflower
The Wichita State pickleball courts on Sept. 11, 2023. The courts are being moved to a new space this year. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower
Graphic by Sascha Harvey / The Sunflower
Students need to invest in their future
Piper Pinnetti opinion@thesunflower.com
Between juggling classes, jobs, internships and trying to carve out some resemblance of a social life, retirement might seem like a distant concern for most students.
Students are thrown into a series of trials as soon as they turn 18, such as doing taxes every year and voting nearly every year. Then, expect to discuss adult topics at the holiday table when you upgrade from the kids corner.
Suddenly, you’re complaining about taxes or maintenance projects and you realize you sound like your parents.
An adult responsibility out of focus for a new adult is retirement. The future decades away is not a stressor yet for people in their twenties.
With everything students are attempting to accomplish within a few years, it’s understandable why many young adults don’t prioritize financial planning for their future.
Starting a Roth IRA now, as a student, could be one of the smartest decisions to make for long-term financial stability.
A Roth IRA is an individual retirement account that allows your investments to grow tax-free. This means that while you won’t get an immediate tax break on your contributions, you will enjoy tax-free withdrawals in retirement, provided you meet certain requirements like being over 59 ½ and having owned the account for at least five years.
“Tax-free” should immediately bring joy. It does to me.
With compounding interest and years of growth ahead, contributions now could result in a comfortable cushion later in life, especially as older generations in
Wichita suffer from homelessness as a result of increased property taxes, despite a fixed income after retirement.
WHY START YOUNG?
Time is the greatest asset when it comes to investing. The earlier you start, the more time your money has to grow.
Even if you’re only able to contribute a small amount while in college — say, a few hundred dollars per year — it will add up over time.
For instance, contributing $2,000 a year starting at age 20 could grow to nearly $500,000 by the age of 65, assuming a 7% average annual return. This snowball effect is due to compound interest, where your returns begin to generate their own returns.
These are big numbers for broke college students to think about without getting stressed.
For my Roth IRA, I invest $14 every two weeks, which lines up with my direct deposit. It is set to automatically come out, but it is an optional setting that can also be canceled and directly managed.
The best part? The Roth IRA gives flexibility. While it’s designed for retirement savings, contributions can be withdrawn at any time, without penalty. So, if there is an emergency or need to tap into your savings down the road, you won’t be penalized for accessing your contributions.
BENEFITS NOW AND LATER
A Roth IRA’s tax advantages are particularly beneficial for students. Young adults’ incomes are likely lower than it will be later in life, putting them in a lower tax bracket. By contributing to a Roth IRA now, you’ll be paying taxes on that income at a
Student organizations are an essential part of the college experience. It’s a way for students to meet others with similar interests. But what happens when there is not a group for what you enjoy? Simple, you start your own student org. At Wichita State University, it takes more than getting some people together and advertising your group around campus. You have to go through a process that makes your club an official WSU Registered Student Organization (RSO). And it’s not as easy as you might think it is.
lower rate.
In retirement, when you’re more likely to be in a higher tax bracket, your withdrawals will be tax-free, allowing you to maximize the money you saved.
For many students, the immediate thought of saving for retirement feels far-off. But consider the future freedom it affords.
While Social Security may offer some support, there’s no guarantee it will cover all your needs. A Roth IRA ensures that you are building your own financial safety net, giving you control over your future.
WEATHERING MARKET FLUCTUATIONS
One of the concerns with investing, especially for firsttimers, is market volatility, or how it rapidly and unpredictably changes. It’s natural to feel anxious when the stock market dips, particularly when you’ve invested hard-earned money.
market has consistently trended upward over time. Short-term fluctuations are inevitable, but over the long haul, your investment will likely grow.
For example, during the 2008 financial crisis, many people panicked and withdrew their investments when the market crashed.
While that might seem like a smart move at the moment, it’s often better to ride out the storm, especially if you’re decades away from retirement.
If you’re in your 20s or 30s, you have time on your side. The market will recover, and by staying invested, your money will grow when it bounces back.
If retiring is right around the corner, then take it out to get the most money you can before it crashes.
GETTING STARTED
Starting a Roth IRA is
basic information like your Social Security number, bank account details and your employer’s name and address.
After that, it’s just a matter of choosing a provider — many offer low or no fees for setting up an account. Vanguard and Fidelity, for instance, are well-known for offering beginner-friendly investment options with low costs. I use Fidelity. It has felt like an easy transition into understanding how the investments work, the accounts underneath a person as well as what different terms or numbers mean.
While it might feel premature to focus on retirement while balancing the chaos of student life, starting a Roth IRA now can help secure your future.
By taking small steps today, you’ll be setting yourself up for financial stability and peace of mind for years to come.
When it comes to investing for retirement, time is your best ally.
Making a student organization at Wichita State is harder than most think
Going into making your club, you have to file the appropriate paperwork with Student Engagement & Belonging (SEB).
To do this, you group must fulfill a few requirements:
• Five or more student members with a president and treasurer
A faculty or staff member to serve as the adviser Governing documents including a constitution and bylaws
That’s just when filing for your organization to be considered. The paperwork alone makes it stressful for full-time students to want to create their school student organization, let alone do it. Outside of creating your own constitution and bylaws, students
Join host Nidhi Shenoy in an exclusive conversation with student Sarah Gerber as they discuss how Gerber’s passion for music stemmed from her childhood in Uganda. Available on Spotify.
Conduct to make sure their rules don’t clash with WSU rules.
After getting the paperwork approved, students still have to meet with SEB and the Student Government Association to make sure your organization aligns with the policies. This is a process that can take up to weeks or even more.
After going through that unnecessarily long process, you still have to go out and advertise your organization so you get the two most important things for a student organization: funding and members. These two things are the hardest part of making a student organization. The process of trying to get members and finding a way to advertise without funding can be stressful for students that just want to start something and meet
WSU needs to implement a better system when it comes to funding student organizations without having to climb mountains.
Do you have
Let’s say you went through every step to create an organization and now you have
ready to start your club, but it’s been weeks or even months since you started setting up your organization. Read the rest at the sunflower.com
Illustration by Wren Johnson / The Sunflower
Bonfire
Braeburn
Patio Party
Shocker
Brew
Parade
Shocker Madness
ARTS & CULTURE
BY BAYLOR HENRY baylorsahenry@gmail.com
On the 15th day of the eighth month each year, a mid-autumn festival is celebrated across Asia. It is one of the two biggest festivals in Vietnamese culture and is traditionally celebrated with dancing, games, lanterns and other activities. The Wichita State Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) hosted a Lunar Bash on Friday to commemorate the occasion.
“This event just invites our members to come out and celebrate the Moon Festival with us,” Minh Nguyen, president of VSA, said.
The Lunar Bash featured a performance by the VSA dance team, as well as a lion dance performed by the St. Anthony’s Lion & Dragon Dance Team. There was also a presentation explaining what the Moon Festival is, as well as treats from Puffette, a local Wichita bakery.
In addition to the Lunar Bash, VSA hosts events and meetings throughout the school year and offers benefits for those involved.
“We’re a cultural club here that strives to build a connection
between the student body and the Vietnamese community here in Wichita,” Nguyen said.
VSA hosts mentorship events for members and connects members of VSA from schools across the Midwest. They also attend KCON, a combined VSA event with WSU and KU.
“VSA means a lot to me … because it cultivates a community based off culture, and that’s not really something you can find around the Midwest as often,” Laura Pham, external vice president of VSA, said.
Pham said there is even more to come for the group and its members.
“This event is just the tip of the iceberg of what VSA can do for you,” Pham said.
The VSA hosts meetings every other Monday from 3:00-4:00 in Ahlberg Hall, room 200. Members, regardless of ethnicity, are welcome to join.
“You don’t have to be Viet to be a part of VSA,” Kenny Phan, the VSA internal vice president, said. “As long as you’re interested and open minded to learning about Vietnamese culture.”
BY MYA SCOTT
The Ambassadors for Diversity and Inclusion and the Hispanic American Leadership Organization (HALO) collaborated to celebrate Hispanic culture.
The Nuestra Cultura event was open to Wichita State students and community members and was designed to showcase many different facets of Hispanic culture.
Sophomore Grecia Esparza, the secretary of HALO, said the event was designed to help people learn about and see traditions that they may not have known existed.
“We feel like there’s a lot of diversity to be explored,” Esparza said. “And that still needs to be seen more around campus. So I feel through this, we can really expand on that.”
HALO had multiple Wichita State students and different groups from around Wichita perform for the event.
Junior Carlos Sosa, a performer who sang “Mi Tesoro,” said he was originally hesitant to join the showcase, but, eventually, he knew he needed to join.
“Seeing Hispanic representation on campus and seeing events geared towards the Hispanic
heritage — I knew I had to be a part of that,” Sosa said. “It was just something that I wanted to do my part in. My parents always raised me to always contribute my talents where I can.”
Sosa said the showcase was a success in celebrating and preserving Hispanic culture on campus.
“The biggest thing is getting our voices out there and getting people to recognize that as representation at WSU,” Sosa said. “And so having these celebrations to just celebrate the culture, it’s very important for future students to see that they have a place here on campus and that they recognize their cultures have value.”
Several students attended the event, including freshman Maneja Ahmed. Ahmed said she decided to attend because she wanted to explore different traditional dances, songs and languages.
“It’s really nice to embrace their culture,” Ahmed said. “We’re (my friend and I) international students, so sharing mutuality with them and understanding them is really nice.”
More information on HALO and their events can be found at linktr.ee/wsu.halo.
Photo courtesy of Vietnamese Student Association
Laycock conducts
Mark Laycock, director of orchestra and area coordinator of strings, gestures to the orchestra for applause.
Professional singer Christy Ramirez sings for Nuestra Cultura. The event was held on Sept. 18 and was meant to showcase different ascpects of Hispanic culture. | Photo by Mya Scott / The Sunflower
Kenny Phan and Kaina Pereira bow their cellos during Floyd’s “Ain’t It a Pretty Night” from “Susannah” on Sept. 19. |
Photos by Shelby DuVall / The Sunflower
Cristina Castaldi, associate professor of voice, performs a solo on Sept. 19 at the concert.
GET WILD
JAZZ PROGRAM PERFORMANCES
THURSDAY, SEPT. 26
7:30 p.m.
Walker’s Jazz Lounge
252 N. Mosley
Join Jazz Arts Ensemble 1 and 2 from WSU’s jazz program at Walker’s Jazz Lounge alongside charcuterie and cocktails. Tickets are available online or at the door.
AI IMPACT ON CAMPAIGNS AND ELECTIONS PANEL
THURSDAY, SEPT. 26
9:30 a.m.
Hubbard Hall, room 209
Join political science faculty
Alexandra Middlewood, computer science faculty Shruti Kshirsagar and business analytics faculty Justin Keeler for a panel on the impact of AI on political campaigns and elections.
DREAM MOBILITY AID OBSTACLE COURSE
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Shocker Hall, east pavilion
Navigate a small and cluttered obstacle course using a mobility aid outside Shocker Dining Hall. Enjoy free snacks and drinks with the opportunity to learn more about various disabilities.
FOOD TRUCKS AT THE FOUNTAIN
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
6 - 8 p.m.
Wichita Boathouse
513 S. Wichita
Peruse food trucks, yard games, local vendors and more at Wichita’s biggest Final Friday Party. Transportation will be provided for shockers that register at shorturl.at/1DNW0.
MUSICAL THEATRE
INCUBATOR PROGRAM
SHOWING
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
2 - 4 p.m. & 7:30 - 9 p.m.
Welsbacher Theatre Eugene M Hughes Metropolitan Complex
The conclusion of a workshop, the School of Performing Arts presents a staged reading with props and choreography at a new musical. Tickets are available free for WSU students online or at the Fine Arts Box Office in Duerksen Fine Arts Center.
GREAT PLAINS RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28 & SUNDAY, SEPT. 29
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sedgwick County Part 6501 W. 21st St. N.
Celebrate the renaissance with the 24th Annual Fall Great Plains Renaissance and Scottish Festival. The festival will feature acrobatics, falconry, fire breathing, bagpipes, knights, pirates, fairies, vikings, vagabonds and more. Tickets are available $16 upfront or $12 in advance.
MONDAY MELODIES
MONDAY, SEPT. 30
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Rhatigan Student Center Starbucks Lounge
Join the latest installment of Monday Melodies in the Starbucks Lounge. Monday Melodies takes place the last Monday of every month.
SHOCKTOBERFEST BONFIRE MONDAY, SEPT. 30 7:30 - 9 p.m.
Braeburn
HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED?
CONTACT THE ARTS EDITOR: arts@thesunflower.com CONTACT THE NEWS EDITOR: news@thesunflower.com
A Wichita State student pets a Tanganyika penguin at the RSC during Wildlife Wednesday. Every 30 minutes, a new animal was brought out for students to interact with.
Senior Azeneth Ramos takes a picture with Chewie the sloth during Wildlife Wednesday. Students lined up to pet and take pictures with animals from Tanganyika Wildlife Park.
Chewie, the two-toed sloth, makes a visit to the Rhatigan Student Center for Wildlife Wednesday. Chewie is one of the most popular animals at Tanganyika Wildlife Park.
Sophomore Sadie Frye pets a worm snake from Tanganyika during Wildlife Wednesday. Tanganyika brought several animals for students to interact with.
Penguins, along with three other wildlife animals from Tanganyika Wildlife Park, were on display from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
An armadillo girdled lizard was on display for Wildlife Wednesday. The lizard was one of four animals showcased.
Tanganyika Wildlife Park’s worm snake is displayed in the Rhatigan Student Center for Wildlife Wednesday on Sept. 25. | Photos by Aubri Baker / The Sunflower