Issuu

/ The Sunflower

THURSDAY Sept. 23, 2021 Volume 126 Issue 7

WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896

@sunflowernews @thesunflowernews

www.thesunflower.com

PHOTO BY THY VO / THE SUNFLOWER

SGA Senator Adriana Owens speaks at the protest held on Sept. 17, 2021 in front of the WSU Police Station.

Students hold protest calling for immediate action from UPD following alleged sexual assault BY KYRAN CRIST, JULIA NIGHTENGALE AND LINDSAY SMITH

About 150 Wichita State students and community members protested on campus Friday in response to a reported sexual assault at Shocker Hall. On Tuesday, a student reported being raped on campus on Sunday, two days prior to the report. The university police department gave minimal information, citing the open investigation. The report appeared on the campus crime log, but no formal alert was issued to campus. The Clery Act requires the university to alert students if there is an ongoing threat of bodily harm to students. WSUpd did not clarify why the reported assault was not considered an immediate threat. Most students were not aware of the alleged assault until The Sunflower reported on it Wednesday. Protesters marched from Shocker Hall to the university

police department chanting demands for further investigation and transparency. “Survivors need justice!” “Hey hey, ho ho, to jail the rapist needs to g0!” “UPD is full of snobs, they can’t even do their jobs!” Outside the police department, individuals share their thoughts, concerns and stories with the crowd. “Everyone talks about how great and diverse WSU is, how inclusive, how safe it is. That doesn’t mean shit if we don’t back it up … we deserve to be cared for,” Aaliyah Blanchard, a senior at Wichita Northwest, said. WSU Freshman Victoria Owens said that it is important to take concerns further than the UPD. “What are they doing, giving us parking tickets? Is that going to help anybody? They could get money for that,” Owens said. “You know what they don’t get money for? Keeping people accountable. “We need to take charge,

because this is not ok that this girl is going through this.” Junior Delaney Jones said she wants the university to implement more policies to keep students safe. “Some of my values personally relate to this. I feel like we should each have bodily autonomy, and me being safe on campus is a priority and they need to do their job to make sure we are all safe on campus,” Jones said. Wichita State Junior Alondra Aguilera, who helped organize the event and led most of the chants, said that the police should be more transparent with students about similar situations. “I think there should be a statement they should release directly from the university, not through other outlets, and then have police say, maybe a few details of how they’re doing the investigation, how far they are in the investigation,” Aguilera said. Aguilera said that she hopes accountability will be promoted after the protest.

“I hope there’s a message of accountability that we need to keep students, staff, everyone accountable regardless of gender, or their status or their position here in the university they need to be held accountable,” Aguilera said. The survivor attended the protest, but chose not to speak. Aguilera said she wants the survivor to know she’s not alone. “I hope that she feels supported, just seeing how many people came to show up for her and other survivors as well,” Aguilera said. Though much of the protest took place in front of the university police department, no officers showed up to speak with students. The protest’s sponsor requested for officers to not attend in hopes of creating a safe space for students. Aguilera said despite this, she hopes the UPD is open to conversations in the future. “We hope that he is open to having another dialogue with … students on campus,” Aguilera said.

FOCUS group promotes gender equity BY MITCHELL ADAMSON mxadamson@shockers.wichita.edu

Feminists On Campus Uniting Students, or FOCUS, is a student organization on campus built for engaging and teaching students about topics that might not be otherwise given much light. “The mission statement of focus is to one, promote a positive and welcoming environment for all people to share their feeling and comments and concerns about issues at the University...the second goal is to advocate for abortion access and abortion positivity,” FOCUS President Ambrosia Naramore-Winfrey said. Advocation for abortion access is a major effort undertaken by the group— focusing their efforts on how to promote a positive area for students that may feel stigmatized. The group wants to create awareness that further develops relationships between all groups of students and their diverse backgrounds.

“[We want] to promote gender equity on campus, which is much more than just the conversation between male and female equity, it’s equity for the nonbinary community and the transgender communities on campus.” AMBROSIA NARAMORE-WINFREY FOCUS President

“[We want] to promote gender equity on campus, which is much more than just the conversation between male and female equity, it’s equity for the non-binary community and the transgender community on campus,” Naramore-Winfrey said.

/ The Sunflower

@sunflowernews

The group has been involved in outside programs such as the Reproductive Justice Leadership Institute, which has given insight on how to properly educate others about important topics to be discussed within the group, along with enabling the students to be better aware on how to reach people who may feel alone. Feminism can be a confusing term for people because of the different waves that have occurred in history. Naramore-Winfrey said that feminism does not only advocate for women, but for every gender in the spectrum. “There are different waves of feminism,” Naramore-Winfrey said. “With different ideas in the United States, beginning with the Suffrage movement and the right of women to vote, then progressing to equal pay in the 90’s, another wave that talked about equal access to promotions, and women in the workforce. “The new wave of feminism focuses on gender equity and @thesunflowernews

PHOTO COURTESY OF FOCUS

understanding gender equity in the scope of all genders. It not only recognizes unequal access that

women face, but also the issues SEE FOCUS PAGE 2

2 | THURSDAY, SEPT. 23, 2021

NEWS

Women of Wichita State University: A rich history of empowering and inspiring women in education BY PIPER PINNETTI

“Our main purpose is to promote the personal growth of our members through social interaction and foster a community, and we serve the university by providing scholarships.”

piscesbxnny@gmail.com

PHOTO BY LINDSAY SMITH / THE SUNFLOWER

Crime Scene ICT exhibit is located in the basement of Ablah Library by special collections.

True crime in the Ablah Library: Graduate student display lays out a timeline of forensics BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_ KSmith

If you walk into the basement of Ablah Library anytime soon you might see something you haven’t seen before: four skulls and crime tape. But don’t worry, a murder hasn’t been committed. If you look closer, you’ll see instead a timeline of forensic sciences in Wichita and Wichita State as a whole. The display — which will be up through the end of the semester — was created by graduate student Sara Rue in pursuit of a museum studies certificate. “The intent behind it is to show the connections over the past 100 years between Wichita State University and the development of Forensic Sciences in Wichita,” Rue said. The display began with the collection of O.W. Wilson, Wichita’s chief of police from 1928-1939. “His advances with reforming the police department and bringing in forensic sciences and really sort of pushing that element,” Rue said. Wilson changed the way the department did many things. One of his main creations was the Plane Posse, which was intended to help catch bank robbers. Instead of chasing my foot or car,

this creation brought planes into the mix. An illustration in the display jokingly brings this creation to light. “There’s this delightful character of him, riding an airplane chasing a bank robber who’s also riding an airplane which is completely unrealistic,” Rue said. “But it’s just this sort of fun joyous element that also really draws the eye.” Wilson pushed for police training in different areas of forensic sciences, including fingerprint training in November of 1928 — eight months after he began as chief. During these lessons, cops learned the best ways to extract a fingerprint from a surface and how to properly identify it. Before the use of fingerprints for identification, cops would use birthmarks, size of head, height and more for help. This is still used to this day, but can prove to be difficult when thousands of people identify with a characteristic. That’s when fingerprints come into play.

“O.W. Wilson is originally from Berkeley, so after he left Wichita he went back to Berkeley to teach for a while and then he went back to Chicago and then he went back to Berkeley and there’s a lot of back and forth,” Rue said. There, Rue was able to get a personal glance into Wilson’s life. “They have Wilson’s personal letters between him and other police chiefs around the nation that were trying to do all those reforms at the time so I got to look at those which was very exciting,” Rue said. “I think it’s really fascinating to look at primary source items.” One of Rue’s main goals in creating the exhibit was to bring just enough information and special touches to keep people interested. She said travelling to where Wilson was originally from helped this vision. “I wanted to make sure that when I did the exhibit, you want to create interest in the subject matter without overwhelming the individuals who are observing it,” Rue said.

FROM WICHITA TO BERKELEY

TRUE CRIME

Rue’s research did not start and end with O.W. Wilson’s collection. Her research brought her to the west coast for information — Berkeley, California to be exact.

While many people may come by this display by coincidence, many students may find that this topic already interests them. Read the rest at thesunflower.com

FOCUS FROM PAGE 1 that men face such as body positivity.” As there have been resources provided for pro-life movements on campus, there is also a need for pro-choice resources for students. FOCUS wants to create an atmosphere that fosters acceptance and support for those who may be going through a situation regarding an abortion-related topic. “A community of abortion positivity is important because women need to have resources regarding their bodies and all genders need to have resources regarding their bodies readily available,” Naramore-Winfrey said.

She reiterated that this included aspects of health, reproductive, mental, or other health issues that people might not know. The group is welcoming towards all ways of life, and whatever background that you may have. “One of the goals in FOCUS is to address the myths of abortion … destigmitizing abortion issues,” Naramore-Winfrey said. These issues are topics of contention due to the Supreme Court’s recent decision on abortion in Texas. The FOCUS group hopes to lift the stigma of having harder conversations about these topics. Other than going to the

The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run newspaper covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Monday during the fall and spring semesters. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com.

MISSION The Sunflower — both in print and online — will be a timely resource of information about the Wichita State University community. It will report on news, issues, activities, academics and athletics, in addition to offering a forum for discussion, reviews and commentary. It will also be an effective learning experience for students, who will have the final authority over what is published.

LEGAL One free copy of The Sunflower is available to members of the WSU community. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 in the newsroom, Elliott Hall 019. The Sunflower is private property and unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable. The Sunflower is funded by a combination of print and online advertisment sales and student fees allocated by the Student Government Association. The Sunflower is a member of Kansas Collegiate Media, the Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association. Copyright © 2021 The Sunflower. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.

events provided by the FOCUS organization, Naramore-Winfrey recommended doing your own research to learn about topics and weigh all views that may be present regarding an issue. Being educated will allow you to provide more informational resources to others. If you would like to be a part of FOCUS on campus, they are holding meetings on Sept. 24th, Oct. 8th, and Oct. 22nd of the next month. Any questions can be addressed to the president of the organization, Ambrosia Naramore-Winfrey, @arnaramore-winfrey@shockers.wichita. edu.

In 1928, a group of women gathered together and created what was known as the Faculty Wives Club. Two years later, it was the University of Wichita Dames. Now, it’s the WSU Women’s Association. Their purpose from 1928-2018 was to provide scholarships to students of WSU as well as promoting the sense of community between the members. Shortly after the Dames formed, the Council of University Women (CUW) was established in 1930 and made their mission to raise funds for female students seeking education at WSU. The organization also made the spirit of friendliness a priority and organized various luncheons and fundraisers to promote their goals. After roughly ninety years both groups merged to form the Women of Wichita State University (WWSU) in 2018 and are serving the university’s interests by providing scholarships to students. Previous member of the Women’s Association since 2005 and to the end, Angela Paul, was elected as president of WWSU after four years of memberships and contributions in the joined organization. “This is my second year as president,” Paul said. “We decided to merge because membership in both organizations was dropping … both of our goals were scholarships for students and social activities for our members.” As president of WWSU, Paul’s job is to know everyone, their job, and whether or not they’re doing it. The group has elected officers such as her, the secretary, and treasurer as well as interest groups, chair members, etc. All together, WWSU has about 70 members. “We have monthly board meetings, where we talk a lot about the events but also about other deadlines that we might have, like the scholarship committee,” Paul said. The Scholarship Committee decides how many scholarships will be awarded and how much money they will give. Last year WWSU awarded five $1000 scholarships. “We’ll start ramping up our scholarship committee in about January,” Paul said. “So applications will be accepted in the spring, probably March, and that money is applied to tuition for the following school year.” Female identifying students who are attending the university for a following year are eligible for these annual scholarships. This includes high school students already enrolled in the school for the next academic year. The

amount of scholarships offered depends on the amount of money the organization has raised. “[Scholarships] depend on how much money is in those accounts and how much we have made at our fundraisers,” said Paul. Because of COVID-19, fundraisers have switched from in-person to virtual to promote social distancing and ensuring the safety of WWSU’s members. “We have had silent auctions in the past and people have brought in baskets or other items,” Paul said. “Last year we had a silent auction and it was online for the first time...that was fun for the board to put together, because it was a new event for us, and it was fun for our members to donate to the scholarship fund.” WWSU members have also participated in Lunch and Learn events that involve food and a discussion over a TedTalk and coffees on Fridays to promote friendship and the sense of community in the group. “In small groups, people with a shared interest will make better friends,” Paul said. “We have several interest groups...a book club... games and giggles, Lunch Bunch, a new members group, and the theater group.” Any member of WWSU is eligible for these interest groups as well as a new group not yet on the website. The unnamed group will have activities such as hiking and other outdoor activities. Students can apply for scholarships in the beginning of the 2022 semester. For any female-identifying persons who are no longer students of WSU or meet the requirements of the organization, membership is encouraged. “We don’t have an official goal but I’d like to see about 80 people in our membership,” Paul said. “Our main purpose is to promote the personal growth of our members through social interaction and foster community, and we serve the university by providing scholarships...We do hope to get some more members and people to be active in our interest groups.”

www.thesunflower.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF Lindsay Smith news@thesunflower.com

DESIGN DIRECTOR Thy Vo design@thesunflower.com

NEWS EDITOR Julia Nightengale news@thesunflower.com

PHOTO EDITOR Khanh Nguyen photoeditor@thesunflower.com

OPINION EDITOR Jaycie Nelson opinion@thesunflower.com

ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Lena Alhallaq photos@thesunflower.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Kyran Crist arts@thesunflower.com

MARKETING MANAGER Kaylee Stout marketing@thesunflower.com

SPORTS EDITOR Sean Marty sports@thesunfower.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Rachel Thomas admanager@thesunflower.com

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Emmie Boese elboese@shockers.wichita.edu

ANGELA PAUL President of WWSU

FACULTY ADVISOR Amy DeVault amy.devault@wichita.edu

Lindsay Smith: 316-978-6905 editor@thesunflower.com ADVERTISING

Rachel Thomas: 316-978-6906 admanager@thesunflower.com

Corrections

The Sunflower is committed to accuracy in its publications. If you find an error in any of its publications, please email the editor at editor@thesunflower.com immediately.

NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPT. 23, 2021 | 3

PHOTOS BY SEAN MARTY / THE SUNFLOWER

Above: SGA advisor Gabriel Fonseca, student advocate Jadie Chauncey, and SGA president Rija Khan laugh during the Phi Beta Sigma’s Dunk a Sigma on Sept. 22 outside the Rhatigan Student Center. Right: SGA chief of staff Ella Ihrig throws a ball during Phi Beta Sigma’s Dunk a Sigma on Sept. 22 outside the Rhatigan Student Center.

SGA advisor Gabriel Fronseca throws a ball during Phi Beta Sigma’s Dunk a Sigma on Sept. 22 outside the Rhatigan Student Center.

LAST NIGHT AT STUDENT SENATE

Student finds opportunities working at Heskett Center BY MITCHELL ADAMSON

ICT CROSS-CAMPUS COALITION

mitchellxadamson@shockers.wichita.edu

The ICT cross-campus coalition, composed of 9 total representatives from the SGAs of all Wichita four year universities was passed today after being introduced during last weeks meeting. The purpose of the coalition is to establish communication between postsecondary institutions in order to better advocate on behalf of students to representatives in local and statewide government office. With a 29 to 5 vote, the bill will now move onto the president for consideration.

REQUIRED SENATOR HOURS Currently, SGA senators are required to record 1 senator hour a week, and this bill will repeal it. Speaker Trubach, author of the bill, said that the senaotor hours do not help to keep senators accountable and only creates more paperwork. Wiith a vote of 36 in favor to 0, the bill will now move onto the president for consideration.

ACCESS NOW OPT-OUT MODEL An association resolution was introduced last night concerning the Access Now opt-out model. This resolution would recommend the university to give professors the option to opt in or out of access now codes to make it more accesible and affordable for students. The resolution was tabled for a vote next week.

PHOTO BY MONIQUE GAINES / THE SUNFLOWER

Pavitra Paramesuvaran, an international student from Malaysia, found a home working at the Heskett Center. “My first semester here, we were looking for jobs, as we are international students, and my friends from Malaysia worked here so they helped me get a job,” Paramesuvaran said. The transition from being an international student, to getting a new job was a big change of scene, and Paramesuvaran had to learn how to balance it all. “There have been a lot of transitions since I started, I was really terrified of my leads until we got closer to them,” Paramesuvaran said. As time progressed she began to get to know her bosses and created friendships with many of the people that she worked with. She described the environment with her co-workers as very lively, with a strong bond that tied them together. “We started having fun, treating everyone like family,” Paramesuvaran said. There have been times where she described the Heskett as being “chaotic” due to people trespassing, but luckily with the support of the staff the Heskett has done a remarkable job in keeping an orderly and safe environment.

“It’s kind of quiet now, with a bunch of old timers coming in and out,” Paramesuvaran said. She said that her community at WSU has built her as an individual, allowing her to develop new skills that she had originally thought she was not capable of. By learning more about herself through her experiences, it has allowed her to better prepare for future career goals. “I made a lot of connections through Heskett, becoming more of an extrovert, I was not this confident as a person,” Paramesuvaran said. The constant interaction with many different types of people has given her confidence that she can present herself in a professional way, which will benefit her future endeavors exponentially. The staff has been very flexible and helpful in providing opportunities for work outside the Heskett along with activities that expanded her growth in her role currently. “I don’t think I would have gotten this opportunity anywhere else,” Paramesuvaran said. Paramesuvaran said her passion for Psychology is what drives her efforts to finish school and work hard at her job. She plans on working with children that have special needs and working with them through their intellectual disorders, using therapy instead of medication.

Wichita State student Pavitra Paramesuvaran works at the WSU Heskett Center on Sept. 22, 2021.

What students need to know about campus dining options BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE news@thesunflower.com / @JuliaNightengale

Fueling up for a long day of being a college student is essential, and the dining services at WSU have developed meal plans and programs to help keep Shockers full on a budget. With tools such as ordering ahead of time and Shocker Sharea-Meal, students can get the most out of dining services and help further sustainability initiatives.

MEAL PLANS WSU Dining Services offers a variety of meal plans for resident and commuter students, along with faculty. “All of our meal plans offer great value, it would really depend on where you are looking to eat more often,” Senior Director of Dining Services Matthew Pray

said. Resident meal memberships, which are required, come with unlimited meals in Shocker Dining, along with a choice of the number of dining dollars that can be used in any dining locations in the Shocker or the Rhatigan Student Center. All plans come with two guest meals as well. Students can add Shocker dollars to any meal plan, which are loaded onto your WSU ID and can be used anywhere on campus. Shocker dollars can help you save money if you eat on campus a lot; if a student buys 500 Shocker dollars, they will have $575 loaded onto their account. “You can be sure to find something that fits your needs and budget,” Pray said. Commuter students have a similar plan, with a choice of how many swipes to use in Shocker Dining and a number of dining

dollars. Commuters can also choose a Commuter Shocker Dollar membership, which is accepted at any location on campus. Faculty and Staff Shocker Dollars are available to purchase in $42.50 increments, with a $7.50 bonus added. If food allergies are a concern, students should reach out to Pray or Director of Operations Jamie Kraisinger who will work directly with you to ensure you know what you can and can’t safely eat. “We provide a very diverse program and can accommodate most students with allergies or preferences,” Pray said.

COVID-19 STRUGGLES During COVID-19, Pray said that they were able to put out a similar top-notch program despite difficulties. He said that they

served food through a self-service model that they had grown comfortable with. “We did increase our cleaning and sanitation schedule, along with adding plexiglass in between our serving/cashier area and the guest,” Pray said. “A vast majority of our meals at Shocker Hall were packaged to-go.”

SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES WSU dining is focused on many sustainability initiatives. These include the purchase of dairy products free from artificial growth hormones, certified cagefree humane eggs, and free-range, antibiotic-free poultry. They also purchase local products and fair trade menu items, focus on reducing landfill waste, reducing food waste with strategic planning, and using technology that needs none or less electricity.

MOBILE ORDERING AND SHOCKER SHARE-A-MEAL Don’t have a lot of time in between classes to wait in line to get food? Students can now download Boost mobile, an app that lets you customize and order food ahead of time. You can also check your dining balance in the app. Shocker Share a Meal is another tool that students can utilize to reduce food waste on campus. When there is leftover food from events on campus through WSU Catering, students can download the Dine On Campus app and get notified when it is available. “This has been well-received [outside of COVID] and appreciated by those who take advantage of it,” Pray said.

WWW.THESUNFLOWER.COM

4 | THURSDAY, SEPT. 23, 2021

Opinion

HAVE AN OPINION?

contact The Sunflower’s opinion editor, Jaycie Nelson opinion@thesunflower.com

PHOTO BY MONIQUE GAINES/ THE SUNFLOWER

Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences students enter the stadium for Clash of the Colleges on Aug 20, 2021.

The stigma around liberal art degrees needs to go Jaycie Nelson Opinion Editor opinion@thesunflower. com

The idea that a liberal arts degree is “easy” or “not relevant,” needs to vanish. Choosing to study the arts is not picking the “easiest” degree. The arts are a rewarding, passionate-driven field with hard-workers. This is not to discount anyone in any other field because all college degrees are equal, hard, and challenging for students. However, thinking an engineering degree will lead to more success than a liberal arts degree isn’t exactly true. While engineers can go into

jobs with an average income higher than those in fields of liberal arts, there are always the exceptions of liberal art degree majors making it “big” and going into even higher paying positions than those of engineers. Another factor to consider is what we consider “successful” in regards to our degrees and jobs. Is money all that determines our success? What about our individual happiness? When a person with a science degree is feeling down and seeks therapy who do they go to? A therapist with a psychology degree which falls under a liberal arts degree. With the rise of social media and the plummet of mental health, psychologists are needed

MEET THE STAFF Columnist, Rachel Rudisill

Major: Journalism Year: Sophomore Favorite Color: Green and pink Hobby: Fishing and traveling Favorite type of Music: Country Favorite Song: Bandaid on a Bullet Life Motto: “It’s a dark world, be the light

Opinion LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and must be fewer than 400 words. Letters may be edited for accuracy, clarity and length. Please include your name, WSU affiliation and a phone number for verification purposes. To submit letters, email opinion@thesunflower.com or submit at www.thesunflower.com. The opinions expressed in The Sunflower editorials, columns, guest columns, reviews, advertisements, letters and editorial cartoons are not necessarily those of the staff, publications board, student body or the university. The Sunflower reserves the right to edit or reject any submission. We also reserve the right to edit or reject any advertisement.

“It’s unnecessary to put liberal arts against different degrees and fields. The truth is the arts work with other degrees.” now more than ever. Liberal arts are dedicated to growing and learning. What two traits are better for a person to have heading into the next chapter of their life? The constant pursuit of knowledge and life creates wellrounded and interesting individuals that work to make the world a better place.

Steve Jobs, the founder and creator of Apple, said “It’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing.” The world needs both. If we were to give up the arts, we would be losing a part of what makes us human. Understanding liberal arts is understanding what makes us – us. It’s unnecessary to put liberal arts against different degrees and fields. The truth is the arts work with other degrees. Why do people feel the need to put the liberal arts below their own degree? The truth is regardless of the reason for “degree-shaming” or

calling any degree stupid; it’s wrong. It shows ignorance and misunderstanding for different fields and perspectives. I’ve talked to multiple people in other majors and there’s always been a sense of respect for each other’s degrees because we understand each other’s reasoning for getting a distinct degree. However, there’s always someone who brags how their course work is “harder.” The stigma around the liberal arts degree needs to end. Understanding and respecting each other’s degrees leads to a positive college environment for everyone.

Steve From Blue’s Clues created the perfect ending for our childhood Rachel Rudisill Columnist editor@thesunflower.com

As we move forward with our lives in college, we tend to reminisce on the past. Majority of college students are fresh out of high school and as we enter the world of adulthood, many become overwhelmed. Everything we grew up with is now a memory of the past. When will we catch a break? When will we receive a small breath of fresh air? Steve from Blue’s Clues was this breath of fresh air. For those who do not know about the show, Blue’s Clues was a children’s television series from the late 90’s and ended in the early 2000’s. Steve lived in a world with talking inanimate objects and blue and magenta dogs. Blue, Steve’s dog, would leave clues for whatever she wanted, because unlike the salt shaker she could not speak. In 2002, the actor who played Steve decided to leave the show. Even though Steve was ending his time on the show, Nick Jr was not ready to let the show end. This left us with Joe, Steve’s brother. Although Joe did a finanimal job in filling in Steve’s footprints, children were left wondering why he had to go. Steve’s character left for college

and we never heard from him again. He left his dog and friends behind. This helped to create a mindset that once you leave for college, you also leave your childhood behind. The world of make believe is officially gone and now that we are adults, we must focus on real life. This year was the 25th anniversary of the original airing of the show Blue’s Clues. The show was recently rebooted and is taken over by a man named Josh. Josh lives in Steve and Joe’s old house and he now carries the responsibility of taking care of Blue. Within the reboot, Joe and Steve frequently make brief appearances. This not only allows for the new generation of Blue’s Clues fans to enjoy the show but their parents as well. Many 90’s kids who grew up with the show now have children of their own. By incorporating Steve and Joe within the series, even for a moment, allows for them to be captivated by the show as well. For the 25th anniversary, Steve decided to leave a message for us, the original watchers of the series. In the two minute long video, Steve wanted to speak to us 90’s and early 2000’s kids directly. He used the song “You Can Do Anything That You Want to Do” as a play on words to show what he has accomplished. He then progresses to commend us on how great we are

SUNFLOWER HOT TAKES The Sunflower editorial board gives their one-sentence opinions.

Sean Marty: We really need healthier options in the RSC. Julia Nightengale: It’s hard to pick a Halloween costume. Lindsay Smith: Grilled chicken tastes like garbage. Jaycie Nelson: Sweater weather is upon us.

doing growing up. He talked about the major stressors caused by growing up (student loans, jobs, family, children). We do not hear about these stressors much as children and learning about these ideas is overwhelming and a lot, but with just Steve understanding what we are going through is that small breath of fresh air. Steve was not shy in the short video. We, the audience, helped Steve to overcome his challenges and give him a sense of relief just as he has helped us in our childhood. Knowing that someone cares about us and “has not forgotten” about us is amazing to hear. Steve is one of those actors that truly cares about his audience and he wanted to make that known. With the major stressors in life beginning to develop in our lives, Steve gave us a moment to stay calm and relax. He is an actor and he shows that he has his struggles in life, but we can overcome it. Although we are approaching our twenties, thirties, and even forties we can remember we do not have to fully let our childhood go. Continue to reminisce on the past. Continue to pretend you can fly and chase the end of a rainbow. Maybe just do not talk to a salt shaker or mailbox -- so you don’t look crazy. We are college students and young adults. Thank you Steve for never forgetting about us.

OPINION

Street

More action should be taken to make campus more environment friendly Elena Kuckelman Columnist

DO YOU WATCH AWARD SHOWS? WHY OR WHY NOT?

MATTHEW SAENZCHAVEZ JUNIOR, ART EDUCATION “I do not watch award shows... I don’t really find them all that interesting.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 23, 2021 | 5

emkuckleman@shockers. wichita.edu

If there is one thing that the recent increase in natural disasters across the world has taught us, it’s that climate change is happening in full-force. From wildfires and hurricanes, to heat waves and flash flooding, these disasters are not only more prevalent, they are becoming even more severe. With all that said, it is increasingly important that we each do our part to help mitigate the effects of climate change in any way we can. At Wichita State, more could be done to take action towards being a more sustainable campus. There are so many small steps that can go towards helping our environment. One of the easiest ways to do this is by recycling. The WSU

“Protecting our environment starts with everyone working together and playing whatever part they can.” campus has over 40 recycling bins. But, to get students interested in using them, the university needs to focus more efforts on providing information about their locations on campus, encouraging students to practice sustainable habits, and informing students on the benefits of recycling. Reducing resource use across campus is another big factor leading to sustainability. As a college campus, WSU needs a large quantity of resources to be able to function. However, creating a plan and taking action starting with small steps towards lower usage can have a significant

impact. Whether it is water, energy, waste, or carbon emissions, finding ways to reduce the amount of these resources can help in big ways. With all the new construction going on around campus, constructing these buildings to be more energy efficient and environment friendly can go a long way in the process. For example, according to WSU Strategic Communications, Woolsey Hall is set to be a “highly efficient, natural-light filled building” and it is “targeted to be certified with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver rating, the most widely used green building rating system.” If other campus buildings follow down the same path, WSU will become a much more green campus. Finally, better communication and encouragement to students about protecting our environment can help instill an initiative across the student body.

We are so fortunate to have our semi-normal school year in fullswing without the severe threat of a natural disaster looming over us. Meanwhile, hurricane Ida recently tore through the East coast and wildfires are still raging across the Western United States. Protecting our environment starts with everyone working together and playing whatever part they can. As students, we can take action by utilizing the recycling resources on campus, and being more conscious of our own energy and water use. Even the small things can help, like unplugging your electronics when they aren’t in use, washing your laundry at a colder temperature, or turning off unnecessary lights. You can also make an impact by joining organizations like the Green Group on campus.

FRANSEIRA MALDONADO GRAD STUDENT, INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS AND MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING “I do watch award shows here and there if I have time like Oscars, Mtv... Just like the memes.”

ILLUSTRATION BY THY VO/ THE SUNFLOWER

The controversy on the vaccine mandate MANDEE STALLMAN JUNIOR, CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PSYCHOLOGY “I don’t watch award shows, I don’t have a huge interest in award shows, I just kind of find out about it afterwards.”

ISAAC MASON SOPHOMORE, MANAGEMENT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY “I don’t really usually watch many award shows, I feel like they kind of drag on... If I do watch them they’d probably be like the sports award show.”

Mitchell Adamson Columnist meadamson@shockers. wichita.edu

The debate is raging between conservatives and liberals, and everyone in between, about the recent vaccine mandate requiring businesses to require vaccination records to work. Although there is great concern, I can see both sides of the argument as having validity. Liberal views have tended to hover around the belief that requiring vaccination is a good thing, protecting those who are elderly or have health conditions that would negatively be affected by COVID-19. Conservatives are more concerned about their personal autonomy, and freedoms regarding lifestyle. Understanding that freedom for conservatives means understanding that existing away from government intervention as much as possible is their supreme

desire. Both sides are valid in my opinion, it just depends on what you value more. Are you willing to give up more personal autonomy in favor of the public good? Or are you willing to give up health benefits and protection in protecting your freedom? They both seem logically valid. It comes down to what you consider more important, which I believe has less to do with whether you are right or wrong, and more with how you were raised, what type of morals guide your life, and the benefits vs. costs weighed. Everyone has values that differ from one another. I personally am a Christian, which means that the morals and values that I have differ greatly from someone who

does not believe in God. They may think that believing in something such as saying the Lord’s name in vain, is not something important. Whereas I have a different view. These small concepts build and create a framework in which people see the world. I tend to favor views that align with more conservative or libertarian approaches to topics. Whereas someone who is more liberal may have differing or opposing views on the topics, because they have a different experience. Now these are not static lines drawn, it really involves much more than I can write about in this small opinion article. The important thing to point out is that we all have views, and we may think that others are not correct, but can you at least see where the other side builds their ideas from? Too many times we sit and demonize the other group of people, trying to prove that we are right. In relation to the vaccine, there are two popular opinions (and I’m

sure many that vary in between). Instead of yelling and screaming at one another, why don’t we all just consider the other person’s point-of-view. I value freedom and thus I really don’t think that the government should mandate me to do what they say. On the other hand, I am willing to get the vaccine because people are concerned about health risks. It’s called compromise, and some conservatives or liberals may not be able to. Listen to them though. Don’t immediately jump to ridicule. I think that the issue of vaccination is an area where we can discuss compromise, and if we cared about one another a little more, maybe we wouldn’t have to constantly tear the other person’s opinion down as “moronic. Try thinking about the people you disagree with as a family member, or someone you highly value. In trying to help them see your views, it would be guided by care and not hatred.

How to navigate your evolving relationship with your parents during college Julia Nightengale News Editor news@thesunflower.com

CRISTIAN MUNOZ SOPHOMORE, MANAGEMNT “I used to watch award shows when I was like a kid because I thought it was really cool to see that some people were getting recognition for like the work they do. But as I grew older I realized that a lot of times what the awards are actually given to don’t reflect where a lot of people felt like the award should have gone to.

“Both sides are valid in my opinion, it just depends on what you value more.”

I have something to admit. I haven’t lived steadily with my parents since my freshman year of college, but almost every time I go to see them, I find myself crying or getting emotional as I drive away. My freshman year of college I lived in the dorms, and while I found myself going home the first weekend because college didn’t feel quite right yet, I spent many weekends not going home and weeks without seeing my parents. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to see them; it was because it was too hard to leave. Over the past couple of years, I have moved in and out of my parent’s house at different points. I moved out with my boyfriend recently, which means I probably

“But make sure they know that you love them, by making time when you can and continue to include them in your life.” moved out of my parents for the last time. It was hard to understand at first why my parents wanted me to come home more. I won’t pretend that it hasn’t been a point of contention between us. But as a college student who has been through it and came out on the other side, I would like to give some advice to those currently struggling with this for the first time. We all know that we love our parents. As we go through college and meet new people and gain new responsibilities, it’s easy to get distracted and tell ourselves

that we’ll just see our parents next week. I want to emphasize how important it is to set aside this time. Without your parents, you never would have made it to college in the first place. While it is a time to grow and learn and try new things and maybe not tell your parents everything, it is also a time that your parents want to be involved in and possibly have been looking forward to it for you. Share what your life is like as a college student. Share your successes, your failures, because the truth is your parents are going to stick around a lot longer than most of the friends you make in college. These are your homies for life, and you need to appreciate them. Your parents do worry about you as you are at college, even if they don’t show it. Keeping them informed about what is going on in your life helps them sleep easier at night, instead of staying

up wondering what you have been up to. I don’t want to look back at my time in college as a time when I went MIA on my parents. Also, and you probably know this, but your parents usually have really good, sound advice on how to navigate your problems because they probably have experienced a variation of the same issue. It’s ok to not see your parents all the time when you are in college. We are all very busy. But make sure they know that you love them, by making time when you can and continue to include them in your life. Even just a daily phone call for a couple of minutes. Even though you may not need them for the same things that you used to, embrace your evolving relationship because someday your parents won’t be here. You don’t always get the chance to make up for lost time, so don’t lose any of it.

6 | THURSDAY, SEPT. 23, 2021

WWW.THESUNFLOWER.COM

Arts & Entertainment

HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s A&E editor, Kyran Crist arts@thesunflower.com

PHOTO BY LENA ALHALLAQ

Junior Jerad Pawloski paints during a painting class hosted by SAC in the RSC on Sept. 18.

PHOTO BY LENA ALHALLAQ

Student Activities Council hosted a Shocker themed painting class in the RSC on Sept. 18

Paint night brings in students and families BY KYRAN CRIST arts@thesunflower.com

Students, faculty, and the public, were inivited out last weekend to spend a night painting in the Rhatigan Student Center. Provided with a design, step by step instuctions from an on-site instructor, as well as being provided with the supplies for the night. Many students were accompanied by their families for the event as WSU had hosted family weekend from Friday to Sunday. Many others came out with friends to experience a night of fellowship. The weekend was hosted by the Student Activities Coucil who host and organize many events for students to particpate in on campus throughtout the school years. Freshmen Sela Tucker paints during a painting class hosted by SAC in the RSC on Sept. 18.

Sophomore Reghyn Malone paints during a painting class hosted by SAC in the RSC on Sept.

Straying from his orginal plan, WSU alumnus comes back to WSU to teach violin BY KYRAN CRIST arts@thesunflower.com

When attending school at a university, you become another number in the classroom. Not a face and personality to the teacher, they just see so many students at once so often. Not for the music department. Music teacher Timothy Jones says how he enjoys the one on one he has with his students, that the bond with them is everything to him. “What I love about teaching is that you really get to help people,” Jones said, “I think that was always my inspiration for being an educator.” Wichita Native and WSU alumnus, Jones talks about how he has always wanted to teach, knowing that was his passion since he was ten years old. His dream was to teach middle schoolers, but when the position opened at WSU, he said he couldn’t pass the opportunity. “I really wanted to teach middle school, that was my dream for a long time, even through college my goal was to be a middle school teacher.” Jones said. “I really think that when you want something, truly and you’re committed to it, it’s very likely to happen. The question is how and when it will

happen.” Jones talks about how teaching middle school was a seed he had planted throughout school that was destine to bear fruit, but by the time he had finished his doctorate he had bigger plans to teach higher education. After teaching middle school for a year, he pursued an open position at the college. “I was actually prepared to continue doing it [teaching middle school], but it happened that the violin professor had resigned at that moment.” Jones said, “It just made sense, it was a natural decision to seek this position.” If someone had told him 15 years ago that he would be here teaching at the school where he received his first two degrees, he would have been a little shocked. “I love being here, it’s really an honor and a joy to be in the place where I also earned my first two degrees, teaching in the studio where I once had lessons as a student.” Jones said, “It’s powerful and I’m really happy about it.” After attending WSU, he went to Brazil to further his education and pursue his doctorate degree, looking for a chance to get away from home. “I can’t even tell you how happy I was.” Jones said He says that he spent almost five years in Brazil where he met

his husband. Jones talks about the cultural differences in Brazil, missing the friendliness of the communities there, and after spending so much time there it felt as almost a cultural shock when he came back to the states. “The people are so receptive, coming back to the states was almost more of a cultural shock that going to Brazil.” Jones said, “I think I was so ready at that moment in my mid-twenties, just so ready for just any type of new experience and then when I came back to the states, I was almost 30… Brazilian’s are such warm people” After teaching throughout COVID-19 last semester, Jones says that it offered a unique challenge for the music department. “I was complicated for everyone, but the unique aspect for are that we spend thousands of hours alone in a room with our instrument to eventually present something to the public.” Jones said, “Without that presentation, our work loses a lot of its meaning you know.” Even throughout the uncertain and troubling times, Jones says that he certainly didn’t see his students unmotivated. “I would not say unmotivated, I really wouldn’t, I saw the students working hard but it was difficult to practice and stay

UPCOMING EVENTS THURSDAY, SEPT. 23

The Charisma Experience 5:30-7:00 p.m. Free virtual event, register online.

Non-Binary and Gender-Inclusive French: Tips for Self-Expression and Allyship 7-9 p.m. Virtual event on Zoom.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 24

Job hunting lab 9 -10 a.m. Rhatigan Student Center Barton School Webinar: Researching for Scholarly Impact 12-1 p.m. Virtual event.

Grief Support Group 2-3 p.m. COURTESY PHOTO

motivated without having some kind of public presentation to look forward to.” Jones said, “So this was a challenge, obviously we live streamed concerts and recorded concerts, but not unlike sports, so much of the experience and the energy has to do with being seen.” With live concerts back this semester, Jones says that he is excited to see the hard work of his students and put their talent on display.

Steve Clark YMCA & Wellness Center

Cosmic Bowling 5-10 p.m. Shocker Grill and Lanes

SUNDAY, SEPT. 25 family fun day 1-3 p.m. Ulrich Museum Cosmic Bowling 5-10 p.m. Shocker Grill and Lanes

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THURSDAY, SEPT. 23, 2021 | 7

Kansas State Fair Week

PHOTO BY JORDAN PLOWMAN / THE SUNFLOWER

The Kansas State fair held dairy exhibts amoung the many animals brought to be shown.

PHOTO BY KYRAN CRIST / THE SUNFLOWER

Arts and Entertaiment editor talks about how eating fried Oroes before going on rides at the fair isnt such a fun idea anymore.

PHOTO BY JORDAN PLOWMAN / THE SUNFLOWER PHOTO BY JORDAN PLOWMAN / THE SUNFLOWER

Animals cool off after a hot day out at the Kansas State Fair.

Kansas State fair had multiple animal exhibits at the fair this year including petting zoo’s and pig races.

Kansas State fair brings Rides and fair food don’t mix genuine entertainment BY EMMIE BOESE elboese@wichita.ed

The Kansas State Fair brought back childhood memories for me. Specifically the farm animals. I have always loved animals so when I get to interact with them I am probably going to be in the petting zoo with all the kids or “Oohhing” and “Aahhing” about how cute they are. Last week I watched the annual pig races at the state fair. There were three separate pig races. There was an all male, all female, and the fastest pigs male and females together. Their goal was to race around a small track to see who could get

to the Oreo cookie setting on a plate first. The cheesy and cute aspect honestly might have made my night. My favorite race would probably be the female race. The pig that won was named Brittney Squeals which I got a kick out of. Overall, I would rate this state fair event a 7/10. It would be a 10/10 for me if there were more races, and more obstacles for the pigs to face in the race. My next favorite animal event would be the Exotic Animal Petting Zoo. This petting zoo is owned by a family. There were many goats, and baby goats, a mom pig and her piglets, camels, a kangaroo, a zebra, horses, donkeys, a cow

and a porcupine. I was so invested in the animals my dad literally bought me a cup of feed so I could feed the animals with all the kids. Feeding the camel was probably my favorite. I found out how fasting she was. When I gave her food I expected her to be sloppy and aggressive but she was gentle. If you weren’t paying attention she would try to place her head on her shoulder. Overall, I would rate the petting zoo a 10/10. The reason I am giving the petting zoo a perfect rating is because it was interactive, and unique given the selection of animals.

BY KYRAN CRIST

arts@thesunflower.com

After being put on hiatus for a year due to COVID-19, the Kansas State Fair came back last week, bringing along with it rides, food, people hollering for you to “step right up”, petting zoos, pig races, concerts, and more. The fair brings nostalgia back for many in Kansaswith the kid-like joy of going on the ferris wheel or digging into a bag of cotton candy. For me, the nostalgia comes with the ride “Freak Out” and participating in the games that I know are rigged, but on the off chance I might win one of those giant stuffed animals, I will

spend the $5 that quickly can turn into $30. The Freak Out is a claw-like looking ride that swings from one side to the other while slightly tilting the claw as it swings. When I was younger, the idea of being thrown into the air by a giant metal contraption was more thrilling. Now going to the fair as an adult, I am much more content with filling up on Outlaw Fries and a lemonade as I walk through the petting zoo. This year with COVID-19, the fair had cut back their selection of rides offered, while keeping the bigger attractions such as the “Ring of Fire” and the “Orbiter”, but missing ones such as

“The Love Machine”. And maybe it is just my old age, or maybe it was the fact that cooler ones weren’t there, but this year all the rides seemed to be ones that spun in circles. My stomach was not a fan. It was also not a fan of seeing the amount of money spent on games. I played more than my fair share and lost against a friend more than I should have. But am I mad about it? No, I would do it again just on the off chance that I’d bring home that purple cow. While the rides weren’t my favorite anymore, seeing the enjoyment on others’ faces of having the rides back again was awesome.

We need to stop trying to retell fairytales in today’s society - it never makes sense Julia Nightengale News Editor news@thesunflower.com

I’m sure everyone saw at least one advertisement for the new “Cinderella” movie, which was released on Amazon Prime on Sept. 3. While scrolling aimlessly for something to watch, I decided to click on it purely for comedic purposes, because I had heard people talking about the terrible autotune in the movie. It did not disappoint. There are so many things wrong with this movie, and I won’t take up your time describing all of the little details and parts that they got wrong. If you are looking for the worst autotune in the movie, though, check out the stepmother’s song. Also, many of the songs were not even original songs and instead just overplayed pop songs. I think they should have made an original soundtrack to the movie, and it kind of feels like a cop-out. It makes the movie feel messy, and the character’s using slang words such as “she cray” made it feel like a cringey mom desperately trying to be cool with her teenage daughter.

“I think that they had the right idea for this movie, but it was executed very poorly.” I didn’t really like the scene where the girls at the ball dance and try to “seduce” the prince- we don’t need young people thinking that finding your true love is about competing with others and being as beautiful as possible. I know that this is an original part of the movie, but they could have found a slightly different approach to this scene. Camillo Cabello is also, surprise surprise, a not terrific actress. Her supporting characters outshine her in almost every scene, and I could almost say that I looked forward to the musical numbers so she wasn’t talking anymore. I want to say that I appreciate the intent of making this

movie. There are many values and ideas in old Disney movies that should not be promoted to our kids, but I also found plenty of confusing messages in this movie as well. If I was a kid and watched this as my first Cinderella movie, I don’t

think I would know what to think.

I think that they had the right idea for this movie, but it was executed very poorly. Also, I think that there is a point to be made that we could stop making remakes of old Disney princess movies. These fairy tales are set in past societies, where our current improved society doesn’t remotely make any sense. We need to create new Disney princesses so that we can make stories with valuable lessons for our kids to absorb. These stories have already been told. They changed key components of the central character’s personalities, such as the stepsisters not being annoying and mean and the stepmother wanting her to marry the prince and follow her dreams. I wanted to love the idea of Cinderella dreaming about being a businesswoman selling dresses, I really did. It just doesn’t make any sense in the world that this story is set in. With many of the details in the movie, if you think about them for slightly too long, you quickly realize that it really never would have happened in this world. COURTESY OF AMAZON

8 | THURSDAY, SEPT. 23, 2021

WWW.THESUNFLOWER.COM

Sports

HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s sports editor, Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com

PHOTO BY RACHEL RUDISILL / THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State senior Neleigh Herring celebrates after hitting a home run during WSU’s game against Pittsburgh State on Sept. 20 at Wilkins Stadium.

Shockers dominate Pittsburg State in fall-opener BY EMMIE BOESE AND RACHEL RUDISILL elboese15@gmail.com / racheltaryn28@gmail.com

There may have been no run-rule, but the Wichita State Softball Program proved on the scoreboard how powerful their hitting can be. The Shockers beat Pittsburg State University 31-3 in their first game of the fall season on Sunday. In order to allow for more reps and practice from both teams, the fall season consists of 10 inning games with no run-rule. The Shockers pulled away from Pittsburg State right away by scoring 16 runs in the first inning. They hit six home runs in total with four of those homers coming in the first inning. Senior first baseman Neleigh Herring had three home runs on the day. She hit a three - run shot to start off the scoring for the Shockers. “I’m just trying to see the ball and push back the ball,” Herring said. I felt good. “I think my approach was good and I was able to get my timing down. Home runs come if I feel good in the box and I’m not chasing pitches or getting outside of my

plan.” Sophomore catcher Jessica Garcia also had a notable performance at the plate by hitting a grand slam in the first. Each player from the Shockers pitching staff got a chance in the circle. Senior Erin McDonald got the start and pitched 3.0 innings. She struck out five and allowed zero runs and hits. The Shockers had much support from the crowd including Wichita State softball alumni. “We had a really good showing for the first game,” Herring said. “We pitched well, played really good defense, and we were able to keep our energy up.” Transfers Zoe Jones and Arielle James both started off in the lineup for the Shockers with James at second base and Jones at third. Jones had a solo shot in the first. “I feel like they (the transferred) fit right in,” Herring said. “They are going to be able to produce for us.” Up next, the Shockers will play against Southern Nazarene on Friday, Sept. 24 at PHOTO BY RACHEL RUDISILL / THE SUNFLOWER Wilkins Stadium. TIckets to each fall game Wichita State senior Erin McDonald throws a pitch during WSU’s game against Pittsburg are $5 a piece. State on Sept. 19 at Wilkins Stadium.

Xavier Casserilla puts MLB dreams on pause to play for Wichita State BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

Before he even stepped foot on Wichita State’s campus this fall, Xavier Casserilla had already achieved a dream of every baseball player growing up: to get drafted by a Major League Baseball team. Last summer, Casserilla was drafted in the 20th round by the St. Louis Cardinals but ultimately decided to come to WSU instead of going pro. “It was definitely a blessing,” Casserilla said. “It’s something that I dreamed of for a long time and got the opportunity but I decided I wanted to come here and be a part of the winning culture and get after it and develop more and see where it takes me.” Casserilla said the decision was something he thought long and hard about, weighing the options. “Definitely had to think about it a little weighing the pros and cons,” Casserilla said. “But Sirianni, Pelfrey and Wedge definitely made their case and argument and kind of fell in love with that and decided to come here.” Caserilla grew up in Haslet, Texas and played his high school baseball at Northwest Eaton high school, where he was a first team all-area infielder. When it came time to choose his next school,

“It’s something that I dreamed of for a long time and got the opportunity but I decided I wanted to come here and be a part of the winning culture.”

HELKER WINS AAC ATHLETE OF THE WEEK WSU redshirt sophomore Jed Helker took home the AAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week on Tuesday. Helker took home the individual title at the Greeno/Dirksen Invitational, with a personal-best time of 24:18.10. The men’s team won the individual title with five runners placing in the top-10.

MEN’S TENNIS OPENS FALL SEASON IN STILLWATER

XAVIER CASSERILLA Freshman

Casserilla said that WSU’s winning culture stood out to him. “It’s a baseball town, wonderful atmosphere, the history here is great and I just want to bring back some championships and hopefully bring it back to what it used to be,” Casserilla said. Since head coach Eric Wedge took over in 2019, he has instilled a ‘pro mentality’ from his time coaching in the major leagues. Casserilla said that a key reason he decided to come to Wichita. “I think it’ll be huge,” Casserilla said. “Just having pro experience from him and Pelfrey, just all the big league experience and that’s where I want to go so why not surround yourself with people that’ve been there and done it.” Casserilla was able to put on the Shocker uniform for the first time this past Monday, with WSU opening up its fall season against

SPORTS IN BRIEFS

PHOTO BY SEAN MARTY / THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State freshman Xavier Casserilla celebrates after hitting a home run during WSU’s game against Cowley College on Sept. 13 inside Eck Stadium.

Cowley College. Casserilla started at third base and went 2-5 plate with a home run and four RBIs. “Definitely great to have some normalcy back, just be out here with all the guys and not have to be separated and get some good work done together,” Casserilla said. The Shockers are coming off their best season since joining the American Athletic Conference, going 31-23 and finishing third in the AAC. Casserilla said that forming chemistry with the team has been easy since arriving this fall. “It’s just a great group of guys,” Casserilla said. “We’re not afraid to get on each other and mess around

but when it’s time to go we lock in and we get after it.” Caserilla said that the next three seasons at the collegiate level will be helpful for when he’s draft eligible again. “It’ll be huge just developing, getting bigger and stronger and faster and learning from all the guys here and learning from the coaching and preparing me to get to the next stage and not feel rushed about it.” Caserilla said his main goal for this upcoming season is to help WSU return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013.

The Wichita State men’s tennis program opened up its fall season this past weekend with the OSU Invitational. Ray Lo and Alex Richards went 3-0 in doubles throughout the weekend, picking up victories over OSU, Nebraska, and Tulsa. Jackie Lin had a strong debut, winning two singles matches over Tulsa and OSU.

GOLF PROGRAMS RETURN TO THE COURSE Both the men’s and women’s golf programs took part in their second tournamentsof the fall season this week. The men’s program finished in a tie for sixth place at the Ram Masters Invitational on Tuesday. Lucas Schuefler and Brock Pohill both secured top-20 finishes at the tournament. For the women’s, they finished in ninth place at the Sunflower Invitational. Lourisa Brunt and Kenri Benson both finished in the top-20.

SPORTS

THURSDAY, SEPT. 23, 2021 | 9

PHOTO BY SEAN MARTY / THE SUNFLOWER

The Wichita State volleyball team celebrates after scoring a point during their match against Creighton on Sept. 18 inside Charles Koch Arena.

Volleyball finishes Shocker Volleyball Classic with 1-2 record BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

A healthier Wichita State volleyball team made its home debut this weekend, After dealing COVID-19 related issues over the past two weeks. The Shockers finished the weekend with a 1-2 record during the Shocker Volleyball Classic. WSU’s roster returned to full strength in practice earlier this week, just two weeks after withdrawing from the SD Invite due to COVID-19 issues. During last week’s Kansas Invitational the Shockers were limited to 12 of its 18 players but Brylee Kelly and Morgan Stout made their returns to the lineup this weekend. In the first game of the tournament, WSU defeated South Dakota in five sets in its home opener and the first game of the Shocker Volleyball Classic on Friday. The Shockers took two of the first three sets but could not close

it out in the fourth set. WSU took a late 13-8 lead in the decisive, fifth set but South Dakota battled back to tie the game at 13, with a 5-0 run. The Shockers finished off the match with sophomore Kayce Litzau clinching the match with a service ace. “I think that’s the big difference in the past teams, too,” redshirt sophomore Brylee Kelly said. “We’re still so young but it shows that we still have grit and we can fight. We were a little rattled and then we got in the huddle and composed ourselves and they made a serving error and everything kind of fell in our favor. It shows that we’re kind of mature for being so young.” In the second match of the tournament, the Shockers fell to Wyoming in four sets — just 12 hours after their match concluded against South Dakota. WSUdropped the first two sets after struggling to find a spark. The Shockers fought back in

the third set, winning 25-20 and forcing a fourth set. The Cowboys were able to seal the victory in the fourth set, 25-16. “It’s important,” Lamb said. “There’s battles you win, there’s wars you lose, you can’t ever let them see you phone it in. That’s the dialogue we talk about all the time and we’ll try to build on that.” In the final game of the Shocker Volleyball Classic, the Shockers were swept by No. 17 Creighton in three sets. WSU kept the first two sets close, with both sets tied heading into the final points, but the Bluejays pulled away late. “I think we can take away that we can battle with the big dogs, Creighton came in ranked No. 17 and we were down three points every set,” redshirt sophomore Brylee Kelly said. “I think we learned that we can compete when we’re not at our best because we’re not and we’re still down a couple players with protocols.” Kelly led the team offensively in

the three games, with a team-high 38 kills in her first action back in over two weeks. Kelly said she only practiced for three days leading up to the game due to quarantine and struggled to regain her rhythm early on. “I got three practices in and I just knew that I could help impact the team and we were growing already without the players we had,” Kelly said. “I just fought my way through it, I took 14 days off so I’m a little rusty but the team was there to cheer me on and let me know I can do it. That’s what’s great about this team this year is we all have each other’s backs.” The shorthanded roster has played a big role for setter Kayce Litzau – who finished with 77 assists this weekend – in finding some chemistry with the hitters. Litzau said that practice is typically where they work on that, but those reps have limited so far this season. “It’s really important to get our team chemistry going and for me,

setting the hitters like I didn’t have 14 days with Brylee so we had a few missed connections out there but we know we just have to keep working on it,” Litzau said. “It’s just a matter of getting the reps in.” Lamb said that with the Shockers closer to full strength, it will allow them to gameplan for the games ahead. “This young team of ours is going to have to figure out where we’re going to find scoring but I feel like we’re finding our way defensively,” Lamb said. “I believe some time to start focusing on teams, COVID had us missing a lot of players in the gym and we’ve been focusing on our team and now we’re going to put some time into our upcoming opponents.” The Shockers will open up conference play on Friday against Tulane. Due to the after effects of Hurricane Ida, WSU will face off against Tulane at Houston’s Fertitta Center, before their matchup at Houston on Sunday.

Lambs find forever home at Wichita State BY EMMIE BOESE elboese15@gmail.com / @elboese15

Their individual passion for volleyball formed the relationship they have today. Chris Lamb and Shannon Lamb have worked for the Wichita State Women’s Volleyball Program for 22 years. Chris is the head coach of the volleyball program at Wichita State and his wife Shannon is the Director of Operations for the program. For her first nine seasons with the program, Shannon was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. She has been the director of operations for the program for the past 13 years. The Lambs’ background with volleyball started first as a player, and second as a coach. Shannon is from Davenport Iowa, and played collegiately at St. Ambrose University. She was named a threetime first team all-conference selection and earned all-district twice before graduating with a degree in sports management in 1993. The year after graduating from St. Ambrose, she became head coach of the program there. She led her team to the 1995 NAIA Volleyball Championship Tournament, and was named Coach of the Year in the conference. Chris is from Sebastopol, California. Due to not many men’s volleyball leagues being around at the time, he started out playing grass volleyball. He then went on to play men’s club volleyball and started his coaching career at El Molino High School

in Forestville, California in 1987. While at El Molino, he led his team to four North Coast Section Championships and made the state tournament for four seasons in a row. The Lambs went on to coach at the NCAA Division one level in volleyball, which would be the beginning story of their relationship together. Shannon first met Chris when she was trying to recruit some of his players from Empire Volleyball Club while she was a coach at the University of Northern Illinois. “I was on the court watching his setters and then I spotted him,” Shannon said. “Chris is a fun coach to watch because he doesn’t just sit on the bench. He you know is everywhere on the court at least where he is allowed to go. I like the communication and connection he had with his tema, and the energy. He had a lot of positive energy and the competition was really great there”. Shannon decided to introduce herself to Chris after watching his setters play. She said they became friends soon, and started dating three years later while Shannon was a coach at the University of Arizona and Chris was a coach at Washington State University. After deciding they wanted to get married in a few years, the Lambs began exploring their options due to wanting to coach in the same city. Chris got a call from Wichita State’s athletic director at the time, Jim Schaus. Schaus asked Chris to interview for the head coaching job at Wichita State. Due to Shannon being on

Wichita State’s campus before and the potential she knew the program had, she convinced Chris to go to the interview with Schoust. However, Shannon told Chris that the only piece of the program she was worried about at Wichita State was the arena, which was then called Henry Levitt Arena. “So there were things about the arena that were just worn down and needed to be updated and definitely air conditioning and the first thing that Jim Schaus did was he pulled out the blue prints for what became Charles Koch Arena,” Shannon said. “So Chris called me that night and was like you got what you wanted.” “This is the place where they are getting a new arena and all the other things that you talked about I really like too.” While working for the volleyball program together, Chris got asked by faculty, and opposing coaches from other teams how he could even coach with his wife or how they make it work. “I honestly don’t understand it,” Chris said. “I get that it might not be for them but to say that it’s hard, they couldn’t do it…. it was what we were hoping to find and we found it.” The Lambs said even though they enjoy working together, their relationship and then later marriage was something that they were proud of but not something they announced to everyone. Chris said that other coaches from other programs at Wichita State were unaware of him and Shannon’s relationship. “I think a funny story is that

PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN / THE SUNFLOWER

Head coach Chris Lamb talks to the team during the game against Kansas on Sept. 10 at Horejsi Family Volleyball Center.

people didn’t even know that we were dating,” Chris said. “Our golf coach.. his office was next to mine. We were here like two years before we got engaged and he heard I was getting married and he said who’s the lucky girl? I was like well Shannon. Who’s Shannon? My assistant. You and your assistant are getting married? He didn’t have any idea.” However, despite others’ lack of knowledge of their relationship in the beginning of their careers at Wichita State, the Lambs said they definitely felt like they found a home at Wichita State and have created a family atmosphere. “I’ve really enjoyed watching Wichita State grow as a university and how much the campus has evolved and just the No. 1 thing is

all the girls in the program,” Chris said. “I remember bus trips more than matches and I’m a volleyball head. Just how many former athletes have still remained close with us. Shannon said the community surrounding the volleyball program and the players have helped make being at Wichita State a sense of comfort. “Our relationships with former student athletes are still successful just as they are part of our family [and] we raised our daughters around them,” she said. “I think that it’s just become our home, and that didn’t take very long. The volleyball community in Wichita and the surrounding areas has grown tremendously since we first got here.”

10 | THURSDAY, SEPT. 23, 2021

Family Fun Day at the

Ulrich Museum of Art

Saturday, September 25th 1:00-3:00 P.M. Around the Neighborhood: Feathers, Blocks, and Tweets Bring the family for an afternoon of hands-on art making, stories, and fun discoveries about the treasures in our neighborhoods, the birds that live amongst us, and shapes found in our environment. Free and open to the public. Masks strongly encouraged.