Wichita Democrats organize to move ‘Forward Together’
BY KAMI STEINLE steinlekami@gmail.com
Wichitans gathered for a summit, Forward Together, on Wichita State’s campus on Saturday to engage with and bring hope to the Wichita Democratic community.
Forward Together, held by Wichita State Young Democrats and the Sedgwick County Democratic Party, was an all-day event that consisted of guest speakers on topics including immigration and public education.
Dan Glickman, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and U.S. Representative from Kansas’ Fourth District, was the keynote speaker of the event.
“Events like this are important to remind people that a community exists where people have common decency and a common knowledge, that they have others who they can turn to and talk to,” WSU Young Democrats president Jenna Ghant said. “It’s a movement. It’s to mobilize folks. It’s also to show people we care, as you know, Young Democrats … we want to make sure that our values as people are well represented.”
Governor Laura Kelly was supposed to be in attendance for a VIP reception, but was unable to attend due to weather. Instead, Jeanna Repass, chair of the Kansas
BY JONAS LORD legobricklords@gmail.com
Over the weekend, the Cosplay Club gathered in the Rhatigan Student Center for a celebration of all things Minion and “Despicable Me” related. Their Steal the Moon event, which is now in its second year, served as student outreach for the group.
Participants (many of whom were dressed like Minions) ate Minion-themed foods, played Minion games and even sang along to songs from the franchise. The night ended with a moon piñata, which was made and destroyed as a reference to the plot of the first movie.
“Because it’s Minions, it’s something really easy to do,” sophomore and club president Robert Hammond said. “I think it’s a really low entry-level thing, which is what we try to do most times.” The group prepared costumes in advance, but additional supplies were also available for participants at the event.
It’s a movement. It’s to mobilize folks. It’s also to show people we care, as you know, Young Democrats … we want to make sure that our values as people are well represented.”
JENNA GHANT WSU Young Democrats president “
Democratic Party, read a speech Kelly had prepared for the event.
“Kansas has been on the right side of history since we entered the Union in 1861, since we held the first referendum on women’s suffrage in 1867. And just three years ago, when we became the first state to protect women’s fundamental right to make their own health care decisions,” Repass read. “Each of you in this room — especially the young people — hold the power to ensure that the Kansas of tomorrow stays true to the values upon which the state was founded.”
Some candidates from the Kansas legislature and Wichita city council were at this event. There were also current Kansas senators and city council members in the audience.
“I didn’t really know what to expect, but I liked it fairly well. It was educational. I liked our keynote speaker a lot more than I thought I would,” said Sam Lane, a Democrat running for Kansas
Secretary of State. “I’m running for office, so for me this is figuring out how the process works.”
During the keynote, Glickman took questions from the crowd. Questions ranged from what democratic nominees should focus on to be electable to how to get young people more involved in politics.
“The media is no longer a centralizing factor in information … (and) I don’t think the universities in this country have done a very good job on civics education at all,” Glickman said. “I think the fact that most of the people in my era were subject to draft, subject to military service, highlighted their responsibility as citizens more than you probably see right now.”
One Wichita citizen, Mark Barlow, a self-described civic demonstrator, concerns himself with bridging a gap between older and younger generations and making sure people “don’t lose hope.”
“I am pretty independent. I work with anyone,” Barlow said. “At the end of the day, I see everyone around me as American, and following that, as a human.”
Barlow also works closely with Defend Democracy ICT and attends many protests around Wichita. He said he believes it’s crucial to bring “a civic message of importance to the student body to let them know we’re out here.”
“The young people are doing their young stuff. The old people are doing their old stuff. This is — without being critical — this is an old person event,” Barlow said. “This is people with money and they’re retired and they’re trying to put that money forward … I’m very happy that these people are here, we need much more of that.”
Repass also said the next time Kelly comes to Wichita, everyone who purchased a ticket for the VIP reception will be able to come back to an event similar to this and attend free of charge. Kelly’s letter left with the sentiment of “doing the hard work of connecting and organizing and motivating to take part in our democratic process.”
“I will tell you, anybody that tells you Democrats don’t know how to fight, that’s not true,” Repass said. “We know how to fight, we just tend to fight each other. We can change that.”
Former Wichita State volleyball player still making plays, just
BY OWEN PROTHRO sports@thesunflower.com
She’s no longer diving for digs in Koch Arena, but Annalie Heliste is still a presence for Wichita State’s volleyball team.
Heliste, who played from 202124, has found a role as a graduate assistant coach while pursuing a Master of Arts in Communication Science and Disorders.
Balancing her demanding coursework and new role hasn’t been easy — but it’s a challenge Heliste has taken head-on.
“It’s just more time-consuming,” she said. “But, I’ve realized through it all that I have picked the right career path, and I’m loving every minute of it.”
Her choice to get into speechlanguage pathology began in high school. When applying for graduate programs, the relationships she built on the team and in the classroom made the decision to stay at Wichita State an easy choice.
“My experiences as a college athlete and my time with the coaching staff — they’ve been super, super great,” Heliste said. “School-wise, I honestly felt the same about my professors and my classmates … I’ve made some really great friends.”
Heliste learned she’d been accepted into the master’s program during her birthday week last February. When she showed up to a spring practice shortly after, some teammates connected the dots.
“I think Katie Galligan was the first person to realize why I was there,” Heliste said. “She was like, ‘Oh my gosh, you got it.’ It was just so great.”
As a graduate assistant, Heliste’s responsibilities range from administrative tasks like helping Match Club donors, to making sure things are set up for practices and before games, to in-game tasks such as tracking stats and analyzing performance.
She also runs an occasional practice for the non-traveling players. Recently, she started charting the setters’ quality of sets to the middle — a task assigned by head coach Chris Lamb. Her behind-the-scenes contributions haven’t gone unnoticed. Lamb sees the same work ethic and attention to detail that defined her as a player.
“She’s an A-plus person and worker,” Lamb said. “She sort of knows that language, so it’s not hard for her to break down our stats or do odds and ends kind of things that
help the staff in crazy ways.”
Heliste wasn’t a top recruit when she joined the Shockers, but Lamb said she steadily climbed the skill ladder. By her senior season, she was Wichita State’s primary libero and a leader on and off the court. She played pivotal roles on teams that won the National Invitational Volleyball Championship in 2023 and the American Conference Championship in 2024.
“She waited her turn,” Lamb said. “Got better as a passer, a digger and a server. She was always on the right side of team culture; leadership stuff started coming her way. She eventually would speak up, and people would listen.”
These days, Heliste’s voice carries a different kind of weight. Not as a player, but as a mentor. Galligan, a senior defensive specialist, said that Heliste has been able to provide an outside perspective, which the team may not get from anyone other than a former player.
“When you’re in the game, and you’re repping things out constantly, constantly, constantly, sometimes the little things can slip away,” Galligan said. “Or when it gets tiring, the mental side sometimes is the first thing
“This is kind of like one of the first big events that we’ve done this year,” senior and club secretary Riley Strandberg said. “A lot of the other events are kind of smaller things, making these hats, making the goggles, kit bashing.”
Club member Vivian Trower enjoyed seeing the executives let loose at the event.
“I find it amazing to watch them, the executives mess around a bit, but I kind of came …because I thought it would be fun,” Trower said.
Trower said that being involved in events like this one gave her the confidence to get into cosplay and join the club.
“It’s something that I have an interest in, but I just never had the confidence to take it on by myself,” Trower said. “And so being in a Cosplay Club means that I just am not taking it on alone, so it just gives some confidence to me to actually do it.”
Maintaining this supportive environment is one of Hammond’s favorite aspects of the club.
“Coming in and learning something that you’ve never learned before and being able to, like, for the teacher standpoint, to be able to teach someone and someone to be able to like take that in, I really love that about the Cosplay Club because that’s what we try to make sure we do,” Hammond said.
not on the court
to go. She’s been able to home in on stuff like that, or just give her perspective on what she would have done or what she thinks we should adjust.” Heliste has been able to meld her two practices as well. On top of duties as a coach, she brings a thoughtful, supportive approach to both Wichita State’s players and clients she sees — one that emphasizes encouragement and growth. “She’s done a great job with
that,” Galligan said. “Keeping it very positive, being like, ‘Oh, you did this great, but let’s fix this,’ or ‘Let’s adjust this.’ I like that kind of coaching style.” As for what’s next, Heliste plans to build a career in speechlanguage pathology before considering a deeper dive into coaching. But whether she’s in a clinic or on the court, one thing’s clear: she’s found her calling in helping others grow.
Wichita State volleyball graduate assistant coach Annalie Heliste observes the Shockers during a game against Tulane on Oct. 24. Heliste, a 2024 graduate, chose to stay at WSU to pursue a Master of Arts in Communication Science and Disorders. Photo by Garima Thapa / The Sunflower
Christopher Carmichael stands and applauds after the opening keynote speech to the “Forward Together” event on Oct. 25. Carmichael is the vice president of government and commercial services for D-J Engineering, an Augusta-based manufacturer of machine parts. Photo by Piper Pinnetti / The Sunflower
Former Student Body President Kylee Hower looks back on her administration
BY KASS LEWIS news@thesunflower.com
Kylee Hower still remembers the day she asked Matthew Phan to be her running mate in her bid to become the 2024-25 Student Body President.
“We were driving to go visit the Child Development Center on a golf cart — and I can’t drive a golf cart to save my life,” Hower said. “So I probably almost killed us at least a couple of times.”
As she drove the cart “like a maniac,” as Hower put it, Phan was sitting on the back of the golf cart, and current Student Body President Jia Wen Wang sat in the passenger seat.
Hower recalled hollering over her shoulder to Phan, “I think that we’d make a great pair.”
Phan said he replied, “I need a little time to think about it.”
Phan said that he was waiting to hear back about an internship at the time, which kept him from responding immediately.
“When we went to Topeka for higher education day, (I was) like, ‘You know what, I’m going to go fully into it, I want to run with you,’” Phan said.
Looking back on her time as student body president, Hower said she’s proud of her and Phan’s move to better the culture within the Student Government Association office.
“Coming into SGA freshman year, it was kind of a different vibe,” Hower said.
Hower started her career in SGA her freshman year as a senator, and then became Speaker of the Senate in May 2023 after the position was
vacated following sexual harassment allegations against the former speaker.
In an interview with The Sunflower during her and Phan’s presidential campaign, Hower said, “One of my biggest goals as speaker was to just make sure that the senators felt safe speaking on issues, felt safe in those spaces, and just kind of cultivating an inclusive environment in the senate. Because without a diverse senate, you have a weak government.”
Hower was elected president for her junior year, following her time as speaker. In her presidential term, she worked to change the culture surrounding SGA, both inside and out.
“It felt kind of intense at times (in the beginning), and I think I’m really happy to say that we were able to put a lot of differences aside,” Hower said.
When asked whether there was anything she would change about her time in office, Hower said, “Honestly, I don’t have a ton of regrets about the term. I’m proud of the things that we were able to accomplish, and proud of the relationships and the culture that we were able to build around that space.”
Hower said she was content with the outreach to students that she and Phan had worked on, but added, “I think there’s always room to reach more people and connect more.”
Phan said his fondest memories with Hower were their trips to Kansas Board of Regents meetings.
“So we always go together and just drive down and we just chat the
whole time, get to know each other a lot more throughout that process,” Phan said.
Those conversations carried throughout the Hower-Phan administration and into this year. Phan now serves as Speaker of the Student Senate.
“We talk to each other like every day about different meetings we had,” Phan said.
Now that Hower’s administration and her time in SGA overall have come to an end, she said her life has slowed down.
“A lot more free time,” Hower said. “I think it’s also been — I don’t know, it’s hard to go from being so heavily involved in something to not being in it at all and like quitting it cold turkey.”
Although Hower still keeps in touch with current SGA members, she said it’s mostly friendly.
“I still talk to Jia Wen (Wang, current Student Body President) and Amy (Nguyen, current Vice President) and Matthew quite a lot, and they keep me updated on things, and I’ll give them my opinion here and there,” Hower said.
As far as Wang’s presidency, Hower said, “I would say we’re done transitioning. I think she’s got total, she’s — she’s killing the game.”
Wang said she understood most public aspects of being president going into her current position, but Hower helped her understand the day-to-day activities that the public doesn’t always see. From meetings with cabinet members to student organizations, Hower helped Wang get used to the new position.
“There was a period of time where we just kind of sat down
Last day to withdraw from full-semester classes with ‘W’ is Tuesday
BY MYA SCOTT opinion@thesunflower.com
The deadline for Wichita State students to withdraw from fullsemester classes without affecting GPA is approaching quickly.
Tuesday, Oct. 28, is the last day
to fully withdraw from a class with a “W” on record.
Students who need to drop a class can do so themselves on the MyWSU portal under the “MyClasses” tab. The university does not refund
classes dropped after the refund period deadline, which was Aug. 29. Additional information on withdrawals can be found on the WSU Website.
together and went through everything,” Wang said. “Literally hour-by-hour calendars.”
During Hower’s presidency, Wang served as the student body treasurer, which made the transition easier due to the two already knowing each other.
Although Wang and Nguyen were part of the Hower-Phan administration’s cabinet, Wang said she purposefully waited until after the election ended to start asking for advice from Hower.
“For me, I wanted to make sure I established clear boundaries,” Wang said. “I was campaigning since January, but I still took an oath to be the treasurer, so in the SGA office and spaces like this, I wasn’t asking Kylee for guidance. I just think it wasn’t ethical.”
Even though the Wang-Nguyen campaign ran unopposed, Wang still wanted to refrain from “taking advantage of (her) current position.”
Hower decided to leave SGA because she only has one semester of school left, while SGA positions last for the entire academic year.
“I didn’t want to commit myself to something that I wasn’t going to be able to finish,” Hower said.
“But also, I just felt like it was a good time for me to leave and stop serving in a physical capacity.”
Hower now works in the Student Engagement & Belonging office, which is just next door to the SGA office.
Phan admitted it was weird not having Hower in the SGA office anymore, but quickly added, “but she’s just right next door.”
CORRECTION
In the previous issue, The Sunflower ran a mistake regarding the date that satellite early voting locations are open. The Oct. 21 issue had the date Nov. 7, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m., which should be Nov. 1, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. The Sunflower is committed to accuracy and takes care to prevent errors in its publications. Therefore, we believe in being transparent when addressing and correcting inaccuracies.
Former Student Body President Kylee Hower (in white) poses with fellow SGA members, including former Student Body Vice President and current Speaker of the Senate Matthew Phan (far right) and Student Body President Jia Wen Wang (right of Hower). Hower will graduate this December after a career in SGA as a senator, speaker of the senate and student body president. Photo by Ainsley Smyth / The Sunflower
Military and Veteran Center honors first African American Medal of Honor awardee
BY KAMI STEINLE
steinlekami@gmail.com
Wichita State’s Military and Veteran Student Center held a rededication ceremony to honor
former Shocker and the first African American to be given a Medal of Honor in the United States Army, Captain Riley L. Pitts. Pitts received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from WSU in 1960. Later, he enlisted in the U.S. military and served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade during the Vietnam War. He was killed at age 30, on Oct. 31, 1967, and awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously
on Dec. 10, 1968.
The Center, previously housed in Grace Wilke Hall, was initially dedicated to Pitts on Nov. 11, 2014, before relocating to the Shocker Success Center in August 2024.
“It reflects Wichita State’s dedication to empowering every student to succeed while recognizing the unique experiences and sacrifices of those who have defended our freedoms,” said Samuel Jones, director of Military and Veterans Services. “His story reminds us that leadership, compassion and service to others are not only military virtues, but
human ones.”
The rededication was recognized by the city of Wichita and by the Kansas State Legislature. Kansas Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau attended the ceremony, presenting the letter from the Kansas Legislature. FaustGoudeau represents parts of Kechi and Wichita, including WSU, in the Kansas State Senate.
“It was an honor in 2014, Wichita State University named this center after him, and it continues to be so as the facility was upgraded with the renovations and movement to the Shocker Success Center,”
former director of Military and Veterans Services, Larry Burks said.
“When it comes to doing what’s right, there’s always push back,” Marché Fleming-Randle, Vice President and Director, Military and Veterans Programs said. “There’s always someone thinking that there’s somebody else better to be in a slot, but again, Captain Pitts rose above all of that … he’s a Wichita State Shockers, why not Captain Pitts?”
A plaque was also unveiled, memorializing Pitts. Members of the Pitts family attended and were presented with a ceremonial saber
from WSU.
Pitts’ children, Mark and Stacie Pitts, were 5 and 7 years old, respectively, when Pitts was awarded the Medal of Honor. “It is so befitting that you would honor him (Pitts) in this way,” Mark Pitts said. “We (Mark and Stacie) knew who he was, we understood what he stood for, we understood his integrity, his character, his dignity. Not because we had the opportunity to experience that growing up as children, but because he remained so much alive in the family. We had amazing support services around us.”
How three students aim to reinvigorate the youth vote on WSU’s campus
BY ANTHONY GONZALEZ-MEDINA 65nthony@gmail.com
With a lack of clarity surrounding ballots and polls, and the growth of political polarization, it may seem like a challenge to go out and vote. But a small student organization is tackling the issue.
“It’s really nice to feel like I’m making a difference in helping out other students on campus,” Amelia Locke, Shockers Vote Coalition president said. “And it’s just really nice to help students get out to vote, get registered for the first time and help them through that process.”
Locke is the leader of the Shockers Vote Coalition, a studentled, non-partisan civic engagement organization that promotes voter registration and destigmatizes voting. Its members help students throughout the semester to stay
informed and learn how to navigate the polls.
The coalition is a Student Government Association agency.
Locke, a senior majoring in political science, acknowledged that there can be a lot of confusion surrounding voting and elections.
“It’s gotten pretty complicated nowadays, so we’re just trying to help students from all different walks of life figure out how they can vote and help them do that,”
Locke said.
For Locke, her involvement in the organization has been about “telling students that local elections and state elections are just as important as those big presidential elections.”
Shockers Vote frequently hosts voter registration drives, events with local candidates and events aimed at boosting voter turnout and educating students, according
to Locke. Many events center around civic holidays like National Vote Early Day, Election Day and National Voter Registration Day.
Anaiyah Dickinson is the Marketing and Special Events Delegate for Shockers Vote. She’s responsible for the marketing events and other initiatives that the group uses to encourage students to vote.
Through the 2024-25 academic year, Shockers Vote hosted 18 voter registration drives, a Q&A with Mayor Lily Wu and two debate watch parties. It registered 228 students on election day and distributed over 500 voter registration and advance ballot request forms, according to a post on the group’s Instagram.
“I loved our ‘donut forget to register to vote’ (event) for National Voter Registration Day,”
Dickinson said. “That was a really fun event. We handed out Krispy Kreme donuts, and we got to connect with students and give them information about how to register to vote.”
Locke said she feels “that a lot of people have a lot of apathy towards voting,” and notices a misassessment of how much a student’s vote can matter. She said she tries to reaffirm that every student’s vote matters on the local, state and federal levels. She also wishes to help turn around the low voter turnout that has affected many local elections.
Dickinson got involved with Shockers Vote for the same reason.
“I feel like most students think voting is a lot harder than it is, and I just want to help simplify that process and kind of decrease voter apathy and create resources so that
people can be engaged and aware,” Dickinson said.
Dickinson became interested in the topic of voter engagement from a course she took through the Honors College on the Black Lives Matter movement. That introduction prompted her to work on a project in conjunction with the political science department.
“I got involved through a personal project that I started here on campus with another student,” she said. “We actually created a website for the 2024 presidential elections. We compiled a bunch of resources to help students learn more about the candidates and their polling locations and things like that. And I found a lot of passion in doing that work, and so I decided to join (the) Shockers Vote Coalition.”
Read the rest at thesunflower.com
Former Wichita City Council member Lavanta Williams (left) and Eula Mae Pitts (right), widow of the late Captain Riley L. Pitts, stand beside the newly unveiled plaque honoring Captain Pitts’ bravery, joined by family members who gathered to celebrate his enduring legacy. Photo by Ananda Smith / The Sunflower
‘RECIPE FOR TEAM SUCCESS’
Women’s bowling team builds on breakout NCAA debut
BY OWEN PROTHRO sports@thesunflower.com
Even with the changes that came with joining NCAA competition — from longer tournaments to near-weekly road trips — Wichita State’s women’s bowling team embraced the challenge and delivered a debut season most programs could only dream of.
The Shockers did the improbable by coming back from the elimination bracket to win the Conference USA Tournament and matched that by sweeping their way to an NCAA Tournament Final Four berth at the Lansing Regional.
“Making it to the Final Four was a big moment for us,” senior Paige Wagner said. “Just knowing that we were able to do that was really cool, especially with it being our first year.”
With a year of NCAA experience behind it, Wichita State is looking to build on last season’s magic and simultaneously create a foundation of continued success in its new era. Head coach Holly Harris said the familiarity of year two brings a welcome sense of clarity.
“(We have) a little bit of confidence in knowing what’s ahead of us,” Harris said.
That confidence will be tested early. Ranked No. 5 in the National Tenpin Coaches Association preseason poll, the Shockers enter the season in the national spotlight — but they’re focused on what’s ahead.
“We saw it at first, but we didn’t really dig deep into it,” Wagner said. “We just kind of saw it and kept going.”
“It doesn’t really mean a whole lot to us,” junior Aleesha Oden added. “We’re just going to go and bowl, and whatever happens happens.”
Despite the national attention and a top-five ranking, the team remains grounded. Oden, who was named Most Outstanding Bowler at the CUSA tournament, has grown to know that you can only control what you do until the foul line. From there, whatever break you get is the one you’re dealt.
Those processes have become a guiding light for the team.
“As long as we do that, we usually figure it out and we see the results,” Oden said. “The biggest thing is having fun with it, and that usually brings the good. Then, just staying within ourselves and what we call ‘our house.’”
The “our house” metaphor became a rallying point last season, especially in high-pressure moments, like at the CUSA Tournament. It helped to keep their minds off of — oddly enough — bowling.
“If you only talk about bowling while you’re
The biggest thing is having fun with it, and that usually brings the good. Then, just staying within ourselves and what we call ‘our house.’”
ALEESHA ODEN Junior, Wichita State Women’s Bowling “
bowling, the days would be so much longer and your brain would be so fried so soon,” Oden said. “Not talking about bowling helps you enjoy the moment a little bit more.”
That mental approach carried into the offseason, where the team focused on controlling the controllables — something they’ve already had to lean on.
At the Mid-States Championships, Wichita State’s home exhibition tournament, junior Ashtyn Woods was injured midway through the first day of competition. With no substitutes available, the Shockers bowled shorthanded and narrowly missed the eight-team championship bracket by 63 pins, finishing in 10th place out of 29 teams.
The tournament didn’t affect season stats and rankings, however.
“It was really cool that the four of us who bowled were really close to making match play,” Oden said. “That’s just hard to do because Baker (matches), you lose two frames and your max (score) is only 210 every game.”
The tournament also offered early lessons. Wagner said body language — when times are good and bad — will be an emphasis going forward, along with committing fully to the second shot. Harris also said some of the early nerves are behind them now.
“The girls that were going to be nervous, it was just like nervous at the start (of the season), and we got to do it last weekend,” Harris said.
Wagner believes setting small goals after each tournament will help the team stay focused on the bigger picture — like holding an NCAA trophy. She realizes, however, that there are many steps before the big dance.
“Usually after each tournament we just talk about what we could do better based off of how the last one went and just go with it,” Wagner said.
Along with developing their mental games, Wagner and Oden both agreed that no single player has stepped up their play the most. That’s because they both think they could see anyone
Wichita State women’s bowling junior Aleesha Oden (12) lines up to roll during a scrimmage on Oct. 17. Oden was named Most Outstanding Bowler at the CUSA Tournament last season.
in the lineup on any given day, which will help down the stretch of the season.
Even the freshmen are eager to contribute.
The jump from high school to college athletics can be daunting, but they’re asking questions and delving into the program at a fast rate.
“It’s a recipe for team success,” Harris said.
“So them jumping in, and wanting to learn … they’re just eager. They’re not waiting for someone to tell them what to do.”
Freshman Kendall Bollea, a Phoenix native, is already starting to make her mark, as she finished top-10 in the Mid-States Championships. Harris also said Alena McDugle and Erica DeBello are poised to make noise in their freshman campaigns.
“Kendall had a really good summer,” Harris said. “She placed in the top-50 of the National Youth Tournament, and she had a really good Mid-States. Alena also had a really good Mid-States, so I think those two will step up and play a decent amount their freshman year. Erica is also working really hard — I see her contributing somewhere in mid- to late-fall.”
Wichita State’s women’s bowling team high-fives senior Paige Wagner, far right, during a scrimmage on Friday, Oct. 17. The Shockers scrimmaged against No. 8
Sam Houston State and No. 24 Oklahoma Christian in the Rhatigan Student Center. Photos by Owen Prothro / The Sunflower
the 3-2
Volleyball’s comeback falls short against North Texas
BY OWEN PROTHRO sports@thesunflower.com
One of the hardest feats to accomplish in volleyball is to come back and force a fifth set after falling in the first two. What’s even harder is to win the fifth set and come out victorious.
Wichita State accomplished the former Sunday afternoon against North Texas, as it rallied to win sets three and four and force a tiebreaker. But the Shockers couldn’t do the latter, losing the match 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-14, 25-23, 14-16).
“We’re all getting in the car today, acting completely different,” head coach Chris Lamb said. “They might be dumping water on me if it’s the other way around.”
Wichita State (14-8, 6-4 American) looked out of sorts for the first two sets, hitting .195 and .114 in both of them. The Shockers tallied only 26 of their 62 kills, and nearly half of their errors, during them.
Then, they made the switch from a 6-2 rotation to a 5-1 and backed North Texas (17-5, 7-3) into a corner to win the next two. During the third and fourth sets, Wichita State hit .270 and .158 and held the Mean Green to hitting percentages of -.044 and .149, respectively.
The Shockers used multiple
6-0 runs in the third set to open up a 23-12 advantage. Junior outside Sydney Dunning sent it to set point and a North Texas attack error won Wichita State the set, 25-14.
The fourth set was highlighted by a kill from redshirt sophomore middle Allie Paulsen, which erupted the home crowd, 23-22.
The Shockers eventually won the set on the tail end of a 4-1 scoring run, 25-23.
“I’m proud of the 5-1,” Lamb said. “I mean, we were below 17 points a game after one and two … We played better volleyball (in the third and fourth sets) and the 5-1 was a part of that.”
Statistically, the teams were evenly matched in hitting and assists, but North Texas’ blocking — especially in high-pressure moments — proved to be the difference.
The Shockers hit .178 for the game, and North Texas hit .162. Wichita State made five fewer assists (64-to-59) and had more service aces (5-to-3).
But over the course of the game, the Mean Green made three more total blocks than Wichita State, 15-12.
“When you consider that half of our errors are getting blocked — our ratio needs to be a third,” Lamb said.
The Shockers took a 6-1 lead to start the fifth set, but during an 8-1 North Texas run, the Mean Green blocked an attack that tied the game at six. North Texas later went up by two points, 12-10, following another block.
Getting by blocks next week will be a step forward. Getting more players involved in the offense will be another.
“There were just some critical moments that we failed to handle,” redshirt senior outside hitter Brooklyn Leggett said. “I think we’re going to be ready for FAU and South Florida next week after this. I think we’re ready to come back.”
Lamb thought the offense took a baby step forward in regard to getting more players involved against North Texas, however.
“Emerson (Wilford) played a really good match. Her hitting .242, that’s helping us a lot,” Lamb said. “I thought while we didn’t set her enough, Maddie’s (Wilson) .364 today — 12 (kills) on 22 (attacks), over 50% kills as an M1 half the match — that was a bright spot.”
Wichita State’s match against FAU is scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. in Boca Raton, Fla. It plays against South Florida Sunday at noon in Tampa, Fla.
BY MACK SMITH mackred22@gmail.com
On paper, it looked like Wichita State’s volleyball team was going to take care of Tulane.
The Shockers rank third in the American Conference in kills; the Green Wave ranks ninth. Wichita State ranks fourth in points, and Tulane ranks 11th.
But the game on Friday night was a competitive match between the teams, with the Shockers winning in four sets, 3-1.
After losing a heartbreaker to Rice last weekend, Wichita State head coach Chris Lamb was impressed with the team’s performance.
“It’s a lot to send me home going, ‘Okay, we found something. We’re good at it. We’re going to be tough to beat,’” Lamb said. “Tonight, it was like, ‘Don’t forget you’re doing sports for a living,’ and anything can happen.”
The Shockers’ record grew to 14-7 overall and 6-3 in the American Conference. Tulane’s record sank to 9-11 and 1-8.
Wichita State narrowly won the hitting margin by .027. But the Shockers got more swings in, totaling 170 attacks to Tulane’s 153. They also made eight more kills.
Redshirt senior right side Brooklyn Leggett hit a gamehigh 20 kills on a .474 hitting percentage. Averaging 0.74 kills a set this season, junior setter Jordan Heatherly snuck across three against the Green Wave and made a game-high three service aces.
“I thought that everyone behind me was giving me good ideas on where to score,” redshirt senior right side Brooklyn Leggett said about her performance. “Sometimes there’s some big blocks in front of me, and I just have to figure out different ways to score off of that.”
Tulane jumped out to an early lead in the first set, using a 4-1 run at the start to take an 11-8 advantage. A block by Leggett and
sophomore middle blocker Allie Paulsen amid a 4-1 Shockers run gave the home team its first lead of the match, 12-11.
Wichita State maintained its lead throughout the remainder of the set, and a kill by junior middle blocker Maddie Wilson ended it, 25-20.
The beginning of the second set was played closely, with neither team gaining momentum.
Then, the Shockers found a spark. A 5-0 scoring run helped Wichita State distance itself, 10-6. Tulane found life of its own and used a 5-0 run to take a 12-11 lead.
Lamb called a timeout in the hope of ending the run, but the Green Wave scored two more unanswered points before it ended, 14-11. The Green Wave held on and surged for a 25-20 win.
Tulane kept its momentum from the second set, midway through the third, taking a 15-14 lead. The Shockers immediately went on a 4-1 run to take the advantage, 16-15, and later used a 6-1 run to set up set point, 24-19. After the Green Wave staved off Wichita State twice to stay alive, they committed an attacking error, 25-21.
The Shockers took a 13-8 lead in the fourth set, but Tulane went on a 6-1 run to tie the score at 14 and make Wichita State call its first timeout. Tulane scored four of the six points out of the timeout and forced another Shockers timeout. Out of it, Wichita State caught fire and went on a 7-0 run to retake the lead and get them on the doorstep of winning the match, 23-18.
Lamb said he doesn’t remember doing anything unique out of the timeout, just remembering the scouting report.
“Nothing, no voodoo,” he said. “It was just, ‘This is what we’re seeing. Let’s just not be surprised.’” Kills from Leggett and redshirt sophomore middle blocker Allie Paulsen later won the match, 25-20.
Shocker Sports Roundup: What you missed over the last week
BY EVAN TONG evantong3@gmail.com
Women’s golf
Women’s golf finished out its fall schedule in Manhattan, Kan., taking third in the Powercat Invitational last Monday and Tuesday. Tournament host Kansas State took first place on its home turf, with Cincinnati behind in second.
Wichita State took two top-10 finishes at the tournament, finishing with 925 total strokes as a team, 61 over par for three rounds of golf.
Senior Kate Tilma had the best finish for the Shockers, tying for seventh place on 226 total strokes, going 10 over par. It was a return to a familiar place for Tilma, as she golfed at K-State her freshman year.
Fellow senior Mackenzie Wilson came up second-best for Wichita State, tying for ninth place on 227 total strokes, just 11 over par.
The next Shocker on the leaderboard was Manon Guille, tying for 26th place with 237 strokes, 21 over par.
Women’s bowling
Women’s bowling made it to the finals at the Destination Orlando tournament hosted by Sacred Heart University at Orlando’s AMF Sky Lanes from Friday to Sunday. No. 5 Wichita State’s rivalry with No. 1 Jacksonville State continued into this year in yet another matchup between two juggernauts of NCAA women’s bowling, as the teams made it to the tournament finals.
In a best-of-seven Baker match, the Shockers fell 4-1 against the Gamecocks by scores of 223-224, 185-213, 207-165, 186-240, 200-216.
Wichita State starts off their season 11-2 after a second-place run in their first tournament of the season.
Men’s tennis
At the men’s American Individual Championships from Thursday to Sunday in Tulsa, Okla., the Shockers ended their run in the semifinals in both the singles and the doubles championships.
Senior Alejandro Jacome
advanced to the semifinals with three straight 2-0 sweeps. His day ended on Saturday in the semifinals after losing to Memphis’ Maxime Dubouch 7-6(6), 1-6, (10-1).
Sophomore Ilias Worthington made it out of the round of 32 with a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 victory over Tulane’s Hady ElKordy, but was swept in the round of 24 by Rice’s Petro Kuzmenok.
Jacome and Worthington paired up together for the doubles championships and finished in the semifinals. The duo lost in a hard fought tiebreaker 6-7(6), 6-7(3) to Charlotte’s Vasco Prata and Ivan Dreycopp.
Women’s tennis
At the women’s American Individual Championships, junior Giorgia Roselli made it to the singles finals while junior Xin Tong Wang finished out in the semifinals against Charlotte’s Ni Xi to set up a championship finale between Xi and Roselli to finish the singles bracket.
Finishing up the doubles
tournament on Sunday morning, the duo of Wang and Roselli made a run in the championship, taking the crown against Charlotte’s Xi and Sara Suchankova, 6-4, 6-4.
Both Roselli and Wang had byes to start the singles bracket. Roselli made two sweeps to get to the finals, while Wang took three sets in both of the matches, including two sets decided by tiebreaker. No. 1-seeded Wang lost 6-2, 6-3 to No. 6-seeded Xi in their semifinals match. Roselli bowed out against Xi in a 6-0, 6-4 loss to end Wichita State’s
Wichita State volleyball redshirt junior middle blocker Maddie Wilson (14) and junior setter Jordan Heatherly (16) block the ball from going over the net against North Texas on Oct. 26. Wilson and Heatherly combined for 11 blocks during
loss. Photo by Mack Smith / The Sunflower
Wichita State volleyball junior setter Jordan Heatherly (16) cheers after a point against Tulane on Oct. 24. The Shockers won, 3-1. Photo by Garima Thapa / The Sunflower Volleyball handles Tulane in four sets
Illustration by Savanna Nichols / The Sunflower
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press
THE SUNFLOWER STANDS WITH THE INDIANA DAILY STUDENT
STAFF EDITORIAL
Freedom of the press, a First Amendment constitutional right, is under attack at Indiana University Bloomington. The university fired Director of Student Media Jim Rodenbush — who had been with the university since 2018 — for refusing to censor the staff of the Indiana Daily Student (IDS), IU’s student newspaper.
Later, when the editors asked that he be reinstated, administrators cut the printed edition of their homecoming guide instead of providing clear answers or reasons.
These actions stem from the administration’s request — or demand — to Rodenbush that the Oct. 16 edition of the publication’s newspaper be “... nothing but information about homecoming — no other news at all, and particularly no traditional front page news coverage,” according to an email sent from Rodenbush to the IDS editors on Oct. 7, following the request.
While that week’s newspaper was their annual homecoming guide, the attempt to control the paper’s content violates the constitutional right of freedom of the press, but also the publication’s own Student Media Charter, which states that the IDS editor staff has full editorial control over what goes in their publication, without prior review by any administrative members.
The charter also states that this policy was approved by the Indiana University trustees in 1969 to protect the 150-year-old publication’s independence and freedom.
In an Oct. 9 meeting, Rodenbush informed the administration that he would not be enforcing this demand as it was censorship. The administration ignored him and fired him five days later.
We, The Sunflower, condemn this attack on the IDS and more broadly on student media. This issue is paramount to student media across the nation because there’s never a guarantee that this won’t happen to us.
The Sunflower’s relationship with university administration has had its ups and downs. For example, in times of big news or controversy, the administrators prefer not to do interviews with us.
Following the allegations of plagiarism against Wichita State President Richard Muma
‘Just
Let’s be real — finding your way around Wichita State as a freshman is tough enough. Between chasing classes, figuring out parking and pretending you know where Lindquist Hall is, the last thing anyone needs is another maze: the Rhatigan Student Center food court. Especially if you’re vegetarian, like me. In life, I aspire to have big dreams without a big back.
Growing up without meat, I quickly learned that “fast food” in America really means “meat and cheese with a side of guilt.” And when every other corner of Wichita screams “McDonald’s” or “Braum’s,” it feels like being vegetarian in Kansas is almost rebellious. The RSC might be our campus hub, but for students looking for healthy, plant-based options, it’s honestly a culinary desert.
Take Starbucks, for instance. I walked in one morning, thrilled to see an Oatmilk Latte on the menu. Finally, progress! Or so I thought.
last year, he refused to do an interview or provide comment to us on the matter. Likewise, many staff members have increasingly declined or hesitated to speak to Sunflower reporters, directing us instead to the Office of Strategic Communications. But recently, with all the sudden changes in diversity, equity and inclusion, Wichita State Provost Monica Lounsbery has communicated with us what the changes mean for the university for the most part.
Not so long ago, in 2018, a conflict between The Sunflower, the university administration and Student Government Association came to a head when SGA attempted to cut The Sunflower’s funding. They also shut journalists out of student fee deliberations, violating the Kansas Open Meetings Act. Administrators at the time were frequently upset with The Sunflower’s reporting, mostly about the developing Innovation Campus. Former Editor-in-Chief Chance Swaim was referred to as “damaged goods” by the former Vice President of Strategic Communications, Lou Heldman.
The truth of college journalism is that threats and attempts of censorship can happen anywhere. The scales of tolerance can be so easily tipped depending on that year’s coverage and the individuals in power.
Censoring student publications hinders the ability of students to receive accurate and timely news. Without college newspapers and websites, students would have to rely only on press releases and would probably rarely hear the truth behind the polished messages and a variety of perspectives.
The IDS lost the ability to print their newspaper — a newspaper that around 200 Indiana University students pour work into each week to bring news to their campus. They lost their director, a supporter and advocate for their publication — a man who stood up to censorship and paid the price with his job. They were denied a right provided by the US Constitution — the freedom of speech and press.
The Sunflower stands with the Indiana Daily Student and Rodenbush, because the university administration committed censorship and an unlawful firing. When one student newspaper is under attack, we’re all under attack.
In the microscopic print below, it read: “contains dairy.” Wait, what?
How do you market something as oatmilk-based… and then still sneak in dairy? If the goal was inclusivity for lactose-intolerant or vegan students, it completely misses the mark. I ordered it anyway (rookie mistake), and by 2 p.m., after teaching and sitting through lectures, I felt sluggish and bloated.
And guess what? It’s not just in my head. Research shows that over-processed and greasy foods can throw your gut microbiome — the bacteria that keep your body balanced — completely out of whack. According to Harvard Health, diets high in processed fats and low in fiber lead to inflammation and fatigue, even affecting mental clarity. Perhaps, this may be an even better option for the mass majority to improve the health of everyone who isn’t vegetarian as well?
Then there’s Chick-fil-A, the go-to lunch spot for most students. I’ll give them credit for their Kale Crunch Salad; it’s light, flavorful and doesn’t make you feel like you need a nap after eating it. But the
Timeline of events at Indiana University
THURSDAY, SEPT. 25
n Administration tells Rodenburg to tell the editors to only publish content about Homecoming in their Oct. 16 issue.
William Crawford
The recent article titled “Living in a post-Kirk America” radically misunderstands the context and gravity of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. This was more than just a political figure dying. In a culture that is more and more hostile toward the ideas of free speech, conservative values and open dialogue, this was an attack on a man who merely stood for these beliefs. The same beliefs are shared by many others in our country, like me. To minimize or brush over this as another interchangeable tragedy is both factually wrong and negligent.
TUESDAY, OCT. 7
n Rodenburg informs Indiana Daily Student editor staff of administration’s demands through an email.
TUESDAY, OCT. 14
n Rodenburg is fired “effective immediately” for “lack of leadership.”
n The administration prevents the Indiana Daily Student from printing their Oct. 16 Homecoming guide.
THURSDAY, OCT. 9
n Rodenburg tells administrators that he won’t tell his editors what to publish: “Any type of attempt on my end to censor or manipulate any content from a student media outlet is literally against the law. This is First Amendment stuff.”
n The Indiana Daily Student writes a letter from the editor detailing what happened concerning the Homecoming guide.
The article also severely misrepresents Kirk’s position on empathy. The full quote states, “I can’t stand the word empathy, actually. I think empathy is a made-up, New Age term that it does a lot of damage. But it is very effective when it comes to politics. Sympathy, I prefer more than empathy.”
Kirk was not rejecting kindness or understanding; he criticized the misuse of “empathy” as a political weapon that shuts down honest discourse. The distinction is important and ignored by the author’s selective reading.
In addition, painting Kirk as unworthy of empathy because of political disagreements is extremely wrong. Kirk’s life embodied commitment to principles that many in this great nation hold dear: liberty, personal responsibility and the freedom to worship Christ. To characterize his death as “fauxvictimization” is intellectually lazy and morally disgusting.
Any political violence should be grieved in this nation, whether it’s from the left or the right. We must have true sympathy and human dignity for all people, even for the people we disagree with. To deny that truth would add fuel to the flames that divide us already. I encourage people to keep talking, keep debating and keep standing for the truth. I’ll leave you with a message from Kirk’s own words:
“When people stop talking, really bad stuff starts. When marriages stop talking, divorce happens. When civilizations stop talking, civil war ensues,” Kirk said. “When you stop having a human connection with someone you disagree with, it becomes a lot easier to want to commit violence against that group. What we as a culture have to get back to is being able to have reasonable disagreement—where violence is not an option.”
God bless you all!
serving size? Laughable. It’s as if they took a normal Chick-fil-A salad, divided it by three, and said, “That’ll do.” Sure, you can add fries to make it a meal (which I shamelessly do), but let’s not pretend that’s balanced. Freddy’s? Forget it. Steakburgers and custard — it’s like a dairy and beef explosion waiting to happen. If you must eat there, the skinny fries are the only redeeming factor. And then there’s Panda Express and FujiSan — the last hopes for anyone craving a little variety. Between shrimp, broccoli, and rice, you can almost create a balanced meal… almost. But even then, the flavor falls flat. It’s
Ananda Smith
Illustration by Savanna Nichols / The Sunflower
ARTS & CULTURE
‘Back at it again’:
re-opens
BY MALEAH EVANS arts@thesunflower.com
After a 10-year hiatus, Wichita State alums and spouses John and Connie Ernatt opened a display of new artwork in the gallery space they own, The Diver at 424 Commerce St. Art lovers, community and family friends from the Wichita area came to the exhibit opening on Friday to support the couple and see or shop their work.
Individual and collaborative pieces by John and Connie were displayed for sale, ranging from $500 to $12,500, and one piece titled “Cold Sand” with a price available upon request.
The couple used to do art shows about every six years, Connie said. But the COVID-19 pandemic stopped those plans.
Wichita couple
art gallery after hiatus
During the pandemic, the Ernatts closed their gallery to renovate the space.
The couple built the gallery themselves, and modeled it after a living room space, with built-in seating so visitors can sit while looking at the art. There is a smaller area for only their art to be on display, and a larger area for shows.
“So we haven’t been active, so this was our chance to be out in 10 years … because of COVID, it’s been longer than the six normal (years), but it feels good to be back at it again,” Connie said.
Coming off the end of the pandemic, the Ernatts decided it was time to re-open the doors to their gallery and invite people back.
“It’s really hard to find time
Disney screening inspires Shockers to dream big
BY FATIMA TOUFFAHA fatimatouffaha7@gmail.com
Shockers took time off and enjoyed beignets, crafts and a showing of “Princess and the Frog” on Friday at an event hosted by Student Activities Council and Alpha Kappa Alpha.
Bayou on the Big Screen also featured a table with crafting paper, tools and magazines that were laid out for viewers to create their own vision boards.
Nakyia Pierce, the president of the Epsilon Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, was heading the vision board table.
“(Everyone) wants to do something with their lives, and in order to do that, you have to have some kind of vision established,” Pierce said. “No movie captures vision better than ‘Princess and the Frog.’ Girly had a vision, set out for that vision and got her vision.” Pierce said that Bayou on the Big Screen was the final event of the sorority’s Skee Week.
“Skee week’s goal is to really show off who we are on campus,” she said.“We’re here to match six initiatives and show that we are in our community.”
Skee Week is a week-long initiative of events hosted by Alpha Kappa Alpha that aims to strengthen sisterhood, community involvement and service.
Madison Miller is the vice president of the chapter. Miller said partnering with SAC for the event helped draw a larger audience.
BY ANTHONY GONZALEZ-MEDINA
65nthony@gmail.com
For those who are looking for a form of self-expression, community or just fun, a student-led and operated improv troupe on campus at Wichita State may be for you.
“I would encourage anybody who’s interested in improv. Off the Cuff is the place in the university to get involved, even just to watch the shows or get to know any of it,” Trevor Andreasen, a senior who serves as the troupe’s showrunner, said. “People look for ways to decompress, to let some steam off and improv is just a great avenue for that.”
Off the Cuff Improv was founded by seven members in the spring of 2024 under the original name of Audience Choice Improv. The name Off the Cuff came a semester after the troupe’s founding, in the fall of 2024. It came from a running joke that Andreasen and founder and showrunner Ian Moore could never name anything. Eventually, during an improv game at rehearsal, the name sprang up and it stuck.
“Somebody had made a comment to me, and you know we were all in the improv mood and we were all ‘yes-and-ing’ each other, right? … I was like, yes, and we can just call it Off the Cuff,” Andreasen said. And with the approval of other
troupe members, the name stuck.
“It came out of a moment in rehearsal, so I felt way more attached to the new name because of that,” Andreasen said.
The troupe is now entering its third year and fourth semester with seven members. Off the Cuff is a project under the Empty Space Theatre at Wichita State.
The troupe focuses on hosting rehearsals, which are open to the public and go over improv exercises, games and activities that help members prepare for shows.
The troupe also wants to increase the number of shows it hosts for the public.
“This year I would like to up how many shows we’re doing … we’re doing one in the fall, but I’d like to do three in the spring,” Andreasen said.
With more shows, the troupe is looking forward to having “more people to have scenes with and get their input on, because it’s very audience-interactive and I’m really excited,” co-showrunner Pashence Adkins said.
For Adkins, entering the troupe was about developing herself as an actor.
“It’s a great exercise, improv, in general for figuring out your character’s intentions and building upon that,” Adkins said. “I’ve seen it help me figure out the intentions of characters anyway because when
We all kind of root for each other. I love seeing everybody here, I’m just tickled.”
JOHN EARNATT WSU Alumn, The Diver co-owner “
to put together a body of work, to have a show and so on, but we decided that the time is now,” John said. “We’ve lost a lot of friends this year, and so if you want to do something you kind of have to do it now … as you get older, your window kind of closes.”
The dual gallery space was packed shoulder-to-shoulder as a larger crowd, made up of family and friends of the couple, occupied
the space from when the doors opened at 6:30 p.m. to the end of the night.
“It was crazy,” Connie said. “When you plan an event like this, it’s a gamble … we’re not on social media, and so we were relying on other people to get the word out … we didn’t know if it was going to be a lot of people or not.”
John said that seeing the space so full epitomized the community that the art world brings.
“It was wonderful … in the Wichita art community, we all kind of root for each other and we show up for each other,” he said. “I love seeing everybody here … I’m just tickled.”
The exhibit of pieces will be on display through the new year, with viewings at First Friday art crawls.
“Typically, our demographic is targeted towards Black students,” Miller said, “So partnering with SAC allowed us to get an outreach with people who probably don’t see us on campus as much.”
Alpha Kappa Alpha reached out with the idea of Bayou on the Big Screen to SAC before the semester began.
“We have a bit of a reputation to uphold, and other student organizations can come to us and we can create an event like this,” Devin Taylor, the arts and culture chair of the SAC, said.
“I love seeing it all come together,” Taylor said. “It all starts as a conversation, and I love seeing it slowly snowball into an event that we can be proud of.”
The sorority hosts events regularly, which it shares on its Instagram.
Student improv troupe finds excitement in self-expression and community engagement
we’re going through scenes or I’m building a character on the spot, we go over the where, what, why, who are you, and all of that really kind of helps me figure out my acting process and what I’m doing.”
“Being able to see audience reactions and get that energy back from them, because energy just builds from the audience. And just being able to make people laugh for a night, forget their stress, their worries, whatever,” troupe member Israel Carreno said. “I think that’s my favorite thing about being a performer in general, but improv especially is one of those things that you know you’re going to have a good time, you know you’re going to laugh.”
But for many troupe members, the community that improv provides is a standout.
“We get up, we do whatever, we have fun and that’s just the best part,” Carreno said. “It’s been great to get to know people in the troupe a bit more and get to hang out with them more. It’s just a fun time.”
As showrunner, Andreasen leads weekly rehearsals and acts as a coach for many of the improv exercises and games. He is also preparing to leave the troupe in capable hands by training Adkins and Colton Farmer, who serves as co-showrunner alongside Adkins. Teaching the pair how to lead games, exercises, go through scenes
and refine their technique to get the troupe in good position for their shows, are things he’s had to do.
The decision to have two co-showrunners was intentional; “Because I started out with a partner, I’m thinking, trying to set a precedent of having people work together to run the improv troupe will also increase its longevity instead of just having one person constantly in charge, having multiple people and having it be a little more democratic, so that’s kind of my goal,” Andreasen said.
“I would come by and visit a lot if that happens. I just want the troupe to remain a place where people can have fun, let loose, be creative, get to know each other, that’s the big thing.
“I’d never been in (an improv troupe), so I wanted to do that, and instead of going out for a troupe, Ian and I wanted to create opportunities for people in our school to do that as well,” Andreasen said. “I think community is a huge focus and definitely was a focus between Ian and I when we first were thinking about starting the troop. And it’s just good fun.”
Despite most of the cast being Performing Arts majors, Off the Cuff welcomes all students to give improv a try.
“I encourage people who are in any department or school or college in the university to come
to rehearsals if they want, to try out for the troupe in the future. It’s not a closed space, rehearsals are open,” Andreasen said. “The majority of rehearsals already this semester, we’ve had guests who aren’t in the troupe showing up.” Founding troupe members and seniors, Andreasen and Moore plan to leave something strong behind them. Their work in the troupe is focused on longevity and building up the younger members. Andreasen said he is also working on creating a constitution or set of guidelines for “outlining the function of the troupe.” He is working with improv professionals in Wichita to come and share their knowledge with the troupe – all in hopes of having it so that the troupe can stand on its own and function without him.
“It’s such a beautiful place to connect with people, cause that’s what improv is. You have to trust the person you’re doing it with and you have to know each other on some level,” Moore said. “I need to know who you are and just talk to you, and that absolutely builds up a community. I think our bonds have deepened because of that.”
The troupe has plans for its fall show to be on Sunday, Nov. 23, hosted by the Welsbacher Black Box Theater, on 29th and Oliver. All official details will be released on Empty Space’s official Instagram.
Connie Ernatt socializes with gallery attendees. Ernatt and her husband John have not had a showing in 10 years.
Artist John Ernatt sits at the gallery opening. The opening took place at The Diver Studio at 424 S Commerce St. Photos by Evan Tong / The Sunflower
MINION MADNESS
GRAD FAIR
Tuesday, Oct. 28-29
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Rhatigan Student Center
Graduating students visit the Shocker Store to purchase regalia, order your class rings, hear announcements and enjoy snacks and giveaways.
SAVVY SCHOLAR WORKSHOP: DO I REALLY HAVE TO CITE THAT?
Tuesday, Oct. 28
3 - 4 p.m. Ablah Library
Come for the next session of the Savvy Scholar Workshop series to learn about citations and formatting in academic papers.
PICKLEBALL FOR SARCOMA Tuesday, Oct. 28
3:30 - 7 p.m.
Heskett Center
Join a pickleball doubles tournament and costume contest to support the Sarcoma Foundation of America. $15 per team, $5 per costume entry.
BLACK AND YELLOW FALL WORLD SERIES GAME ONE. Tuesday, Oct. 28
6 p.m. Eck Stadium
Watch the Shocker Baseball team conclude their fall practice with a five-game intrasquad series, each played to six innings.
WSU CHOIRS AND WICHITA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PERFORM MOZART’S CORONATION.
Tuesday, Oct. 28
7:30 - 10 p.m.
Wichita First United Methodist Church Come listen to the Wichita Symphony Chorus, Wichita State University Choirs, Butler Community College Concert Choir and Wichita Community Children’s Choir.
KALEIDOSCOPE: AN EXHIBITION BY STUDIO TOOLS AND PRESENTATIONS
Tuesday, Oct. 28
All Day WSU ShiftSpace at the LUX
See an exhibition of works by students enrolled in
HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED?
CONTACT THE ARTS EDITOR: arts@thesunflower.com
CONTACT THE NEWS EDITOR: news@thesunflower.com
Sophomore Andreana Weed thinks over the final question of a Minions trivia Kahoot game. Questions were either true or false or multiple choice.
Senior Riley Stranderg announces the rules of a game to the Cosplay Club on Oct. 25. Strandberg is the club’s secretary.
Sophomore Dylan Miller plays a Kahoot on their phone about Minions trivia. Multiple rounds of trivia were held during the event.
Sophomore Robert Hammond sprays bubbles on students trying to keep a balloon in the air. Hammond added multiple challenges until only one team’s balloon was still floating.
Freshman Grayson Aikman celebrates after winning the first game of Minions trivia. Aikman was given a medal for his win.
Students consider their answers to a Minion trivia activity on Oct. 25. The winner was awarded a medal. Photos by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower