the
SUNFLOWER
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015
VOLUME 120, ISSUE 27
More than a cup of Joe
INSIDE: More photos from inside Shocker Hall during the broadcast of ‘Morning Joe’ on Tuesday
Photo by Christopher Bardo
Students, faculty, staff and community members gather around the hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” early Tuesday morning in the Shocker Hall dining area. Attendees arrived at 4 a.m. to watch the broadcast.
MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’ broadcast brews excitement on campus
I
DANIELLE PREWITT
MANAGING EDITOR
@danimal902
t was just after 5 a.m. Tuesday when every television monitor in the Shocker Hall dining hall displayed student Larry Harmon waving a large black and yellow sign that read “WSU.” Harmon, a sophomore, braved the early morning hours to attend the airing of MSNBC’s, “Morning Joe” that was broadcast live from 5
to 8 a.m. Tuesday at Wichita State. “I was in the back and in the middle, so camera two could see me,” Harmon said. “I was standing on a chair and I had a WSU sign that was handed to me, and I was apparently going a little too crazy.” A producer from behind the camera was looking straight at Harmon, with his finger pointed, urging him to get down. “I realized … is he just going to kick me out? I didn’t know.”
The producer then came around from the camera, took his sign and told him to get down from the chair for safety purposes. Students, faculty, staff and the surrounding community arrived outside Shocker Hall around 4 a.m. for free “Morning Joe” coffee mugs, shocker basketball tickets, food and coffee. Mascot WuShock lit up the mob of Shockers as the cameramen meandered through a sea of black
and yellow. As hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski spoke on air, the crowd quieted, but quickly regained energy at the mere mention of “… live from Wichita State University.” The aroma of fresh brewed “morning joe” and baked muffins filled the entire dining hall, and students could be seen studying in between crowds of people. The broadcast drew more than student and administrative
attention. Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell was in attendance, and said he would never pass up the national exposure that “Morning Joe” brought to Wichita. “You can’t buy this kind of exposure to be able to showcase our community in a number of different ways, and one of those ways is Wichita State,” Longwell said.
SEE MSNBC • PAGE 3
Active shooter training provides options for potential situations CHANCE SWAIM
REPORTER
@chanceswaim
Wichita State offers free, one-hour training sessions on what to do in response to an active shooter on campus for faculty, staff and students. The next session is scheduled at 9 a.m. Dec. 16. An active shooter is a person who is engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. In most cases, active shooters use firearms and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s “Active Shooter Event Quick Reference Guide.” “Being prepared can be a matter of life and death,” said University Police Capt. Corey Herl. One of the keys to survival in this situation, he said, is telling yourself that you are willing to do whatever it takes to live. Herl leads the Campus Safety: Active Shooter Incident Planning classroom training. More than 700 faculty, staff and students have completed the training. Since 2013, there have been at least 156 school shootings in the
United States, according to research compiled by Everytown for Gun Safety; the criteria for a school shooting included instances when a firearm was discharged on K-12 school grounds or a college campus. A pamphlet distributed in the training session outlines three options students can take in an active shooter situation. One of the first options provided is to flee the area and have an escape route in mind. “If you get your mind right, the body will follow,” Herl said. “You don’t go into a test thinking you’re going to fail a test, right? Then what happens? You fail the test. You have to tell yourself that you’re going to survive.” Second, the pamphlet said to hide in an area out of the shooter’s view, block the entrance, silence cell phones and remain quiet. Third, fight with as much physical aggression as possible only if your life is in imminent danger. Herl said some of the most valuable advice he can give is commit to action.
SEE TRAINING • PAGE 3
COPING WITH AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION
• Be aware of your environment and any possible dangers • Take note of the two nearest exits in any facility you visit • If you are in an office, stay there and secure the door • Attempt to take the active shooter down as a last resort
WAYS TO RESPOND WHEN AN ACTIVE SHOOTER IS IN YOUR VICINITY Run • Have an escape route and plan in mind • Leave your belongings behind • Keep your hands visible
Hide • Hide in an area out of the shooter’s view • Block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors • Silence your cell phone Fight • Take action as a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger • Attempt to incapacitate the shooter • Act with physical aggression and throw items at the shooter
CALL 911 WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Photo by Christopher Bardo
Armand Fruge, a 2011 WSU graduate, is the author of the children’s book, “The Dream Collector.” His work will be showcased Saturday in the Writers of the Wheat Literary Festival on the second floor of the Rhatigan Student Center.
Literary festival hosts WSU grad, other Kansas authors ALEX PERRY
REPORTER
@sunflowerap
Armand Fruge originally enrolled at Wichita State undecided on a major to pursue. It was not until midway through his sophomore year that he started studying English with the goal of becoming an author. Now, the 2011 graduate has a published work to his name: “The Dream Collector,” a children’s book with the message that kids should always follow their dreams and do what they love. After a year of work, it was released in late September. Fruge is one of several Kansas authors whose work will be showcased at the Writers of the Wheat Literary Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday on the second floor of the Rhatigan Student Center. Admission is free, but donations are accepted, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Wichita Children’s Home.
Fruge said his education at WSU was valuable for his career from a networking perspective. “I had a lot of great professors and met a lot of interesting people, a lot of like-minded people,” Fruge said. “I enjoyed my time at WSU.” His 2-year-old son inspired him to write “The Dream Collector.” Fruge finds inspiring children to pursue their dreams rewarding. “That’s something I stand by,” he said. “I always work hard to try to achieve my goals, pursue my dreams and find happiness.” Fruge said children’s books are usually 30 to 40 pages long. Given the differences in reading comprehension and attention span between children and older audiences, he said writing for younger audiences provides unique challenges. “When you’re writing a novel, you have a lot of pages and a lot of time to develop your characters and get your story togeth-
er,” Fruge said. “[Writing a children’s book] is just as challenging, I believe.” Meanwhile, Thaddeus Nowak, a festival volunteer and attendee, said she looks forward to meeting other Kansas authors. “Authors that are part of a community tend to be more successful than others who are always by themselves,” Nowak said. “It’s fun to talk to people who have experienced similar things.” Nowak works as a database administrator in Lansing and has published four novels in the “Heirs of Cothel” fantasy series. He had a simple piece of advice for aspiring authors. “Practice and perseverance,” Nowak said. “Sticking with it and continuing to do it even when it’s difficult, and eventually it becomes easier.” Fruge, on the other hand, maintained the importance of networking at school.
SEE FESTIVAL • PAGE 3