The Sunflower v. 127 i. 28 (April 13, 2023)

CULTURE & CUISINE

Diversity advocates work to promote Hispanic student enrollment, retention

BY ALLISON CAMPBELL campbellnallison@gmail.com

When Antonio Rojas, an aerospace engineering major, entered his first Wichita State lecture hall, he was baffled by the overwhelming majority of white students in the classroom.

“I’m just jam-packed with people who don’t look like me, who don’t talk like me, who don’t sound like me,” Rojas said. “I was like, ‘Damn.’ I had never felt like a minority where I came from, and this place is where I first got that taste of ‘Oh yeah, I’m underrepresented.’”

Many minority students, like Rojas, initially didn’t see an accurate reflection of Wichita State’s self-proclaimed status as “the most diverse university in Kansas.”

Now, as a champion for inclusivity and diversity, Rojas is working alongside faculty and staff to help Wichita State achieve Hispanic Serving Institution status to benefit people of all races and ethnicities.

Last fall, the university

announced that over 15% of students at Wichita State are Hispanic. With this milestone, WSU is on track to receive designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution by 2030. If Wichita State achieves this, it will become Kansas’s fourth and largest Hispanic Serving Institution.

“The increase in the Hispanic student body is amazing, to not only back up that phrase (the most diverse university in Kansas), but to show for it,” Rojas said. “(We hope to) diversify our school, not just make it Hispanic.”

Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) are U.S. Department of Education-sponsored universities, with at least 25% of their full-time undergraduate student population identifying as Hispanic. With the title also comes access to three exclusive government grants, with the potential maximum award size (per grant) of $600,000.

Rojas, president of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization (HALO), credits the growing Hispanic student

enrollment and retention numbers to efforts taken by various groups and offices on campus, like the Office of Admissions, Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), Passage 2 Success, the Office of Student Engagement, Advocacy and Leadership, and their Hispanic-based service organizations.

Rojas believes that showing consistent support for Hispanic students through specific initiatives, like Sí Se Puede Day, an event where high school seniors will participate in workshops with professors and guest speakers and compete for scholarships, is essential to the growth and retention of the Hispanic student population.

While any HSI-awarded funds will be managed and distributed by university representatives, Rojas hopes that the funding will go towards creating better events for all WSU students and improving the quality of CAPS and mental health care for minority students.

“Being underrepresented — being a minority — comes with its

own difficulties, mentally,” Rojas said. “If (the university) can get better funding for better programs, for more support, that’ll help everybody all around.”

While student advocates like Rojas will graduate long-before WSU obtains HSI status, they believe the university will continue supporting Hispanic-studentbased initiatives and make the

Infographic by Thy Vo / The Sunflower

best possible choices for minority students.

“While I won’t be there to see what’s happening,” Rojas said. “I believe in the people that are in the higher places (university admins). I believe in their chance, their ability, and their beliefs that they’re for the students and will always be for the students.”

Two from Maharaja & Team dance for the audience. The event was held in the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex. | Photos by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower

A mother takes photos of her children on stage before performances begin. VASANTH, the Indian Student Association’s spring festival, was hosted at the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex on Friday night.

Two performers dance together for Vasanth. The event, hosted by the Indian Student Assocation, featured Indian cuisine and traditional dances.

Three performers from Maharaja & Team embrace as a part of their performance.

Anusha Chowdhury Anu of Anusha & Vaishanvai performs as part of their classical dance.

Anusha & Vaishanvai perform classical dance for 2023’s VASANTH celebration.

Spring cleaning?:

BY ALLISON CAMPBELL campbellnallison@gmail.com

Submissions for funding available for women with business concepts

Applications for the Women for Women Innovation Fund, an award reserved for WSU women with innovative business ideas, are now open. The bi-annual award was created by WSU alums Erin and Kyle Cummings, who also invested in launching a student-managed investment fund at the end of 2022. Applicants must address how their concept will address market needs, what the funds will be used for, and their estimated completion timeframe.

Full and part-time students are encouraged to apply for the funding, which offers up to $5,000 to selected students. The application deadline is April 28, and those interested in applying can do so through the Women for Women Innovation Fund webpage.

Former Apple executive speaks on digital transformation and education

Rae Niles, a WSU alumna and former learning senior manager for Apple, recently presented a lecture on how teaching and learning strategies can incorporate the newest digital advancements.

As the director of curriculum and technology for Wichita Public Schools, Niles has shifted her goals to refining teaching methods and incorporating digital aids to better supplement teaching practices. Niles, who worked at Apple for 15 years, has decades of experience collaborating with educators to assess what learning environments and technological tools are most conducive to success.

Niles was just one of several guest speakers and lectures invited by the university as part of the Corbin Connect Speaker Series.

Faculty invited to annual award ceremony

The annual University Faculty Awards ceremony, to be hosted on May 5, will honor WSU faculty members who have displayed excellence, leadership, research and creativity within their departments.

2023 honorees include department of biomedical engineering David Long, department of public health sciences

Amy Drassen Ham, department of mathematics and statistics John Hammond, and department of engineering technology Perlekar Tamtam (among others).

RSVP for the event is required and can be completed on the University Faculty Awards home page.

Registration open for Lavender

Graduation

LGBTQ+ graduate students will be honored at WSU’s annual Lavender Graduation ceremony on May 5.

Hosted by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies, the event will celebrate the achievements of LGBTQ+ students with lavender or rainbow cords to be worn at the Spring 2023 commencement ceremony.

Students can choose to be recognized openly or privately and are required to RSVP through the Lavender Graduation homepage.

MISSION

Young students in Wichita visit university for Sonia Kovalevsky Day

BY ISABEL ORDOÑEZ ordonez.ai01@gmail.com

From practicing fractal equations and building tetrahedrons to juggling and 3D printing, young girls and women came to campus to celebrate Sonia Kovalevsky Day last weekend.

The event, held in honor of Sonia Kovalevsky, a Russian mathematician and pioneer for women in mathematics, celebrated young women interested in a career in STEM.

“It’s great to reach out to women or girls and get them involved with mathematics and excited about math,” Aubrey Wolfe, an event volunteer and mathematics and statistics lecturer at WSU, said.

Now on its second annual celebration at Wichita State, the day welcomed Pamela Harris, an associate professor at the University of

Wisconsin-Milwaukee, for a lecture about her journey as a Mexican-American female and the mathematics of juggling.

“For me, I never knew there were Latinas in math as I was getting my Ph.D.,” Harris said. “ And I think about how important it is to come and break that down for other people.”

Harris’s advice to young students aspiring for a STEM career is to “find your own people” because while they might not be in your own school, “putting yourself in a situation that you meet them” is crucial.

Catherine Searle, planning chair for the event, said that generating interest in math for young women, especially women of diverse ethnic backgrounds, is essential, as only 25% of all mathematical doctorates are granted to

women.

Attendees as young as second grade participated in the mathematics festivities.

“I was really pleased we were able to get so many kids who come from under-represented groups because these are the people that face more obstacles to get into college in the first place, which is not good,” Searle said.

Other institutions celebrating Sonia Kovalevsky Days inspire Searle and the planning committee to continue to bring the event to campus and explore other possible workshop options.

“I think this is something we want to continue doing every year,” Wolfe said. “I think that as we continue doing it, the girls that come and enjoy it and have fun will then be looking forward to it next year.

Kansas bill to ban ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ statements in hiring process

BY MALEAH EVANS maleah.evans04@gmail.com

Many Republicans in the Kansas Senate have passed a bill that will ban public colleges in the state from using diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statements in their hiring processes.

Senator J.R. Claeys is the driving force behind the bill, claiming that DEI is part of the “rotten tree of reverse discrimination” and that it is nothing more than “an ideological loyalty oath.”

“DEI and its siblings CRT (critical race theory) and SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) are divisive ideologies that promote a toxic woke culture in our schools,” Claeys said in an update from his Kansas Statehouse email. “Imagine being told an outside force is working against you in life and you have no control through your choices to be successful. That’s DEI…”

Claeys’ goal with the proposed bill is to remove requirements that an individual “encourage … to endorse

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any ideology … or provide a statement articulating their experience … in diversity, equity, or inclusion.” Harold Wallace III is the new director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) at Wichita State. He is making it a goal to revamp ODI to the popular hub it used to be when he attended the University. Wallace hopes that the bill passing will not impact his future plans for ODI.

“The (overall) goal for DEI work is to no longer need DEI work,” Wallace said. “But it can't be taken away until we have done our part to really take care of the issue.”

The DEI bill passing in Kansas will mostly impact ODI here on campus and it has passed during a turbulent time for those who rely both on DEI and ODI.

“We have to be realistic with ourselves, some of us have learned biases and some of us have unlearned biases,” Wallace said. “So it's really gonna be hard for us to get to a space where we (ODI) are no longer needed, but to try to obliterate DEI work in

the United States, (in) any state is an uncomfortable place to be.”

Some students on campus have issues with the bill as well.

“I don't think removing mandates on diversity and inclusion would in any way stop the conversation from happening,” AJ Haynes, WSU student and ODI worker, said. “Because we’re still trying to figure out what diversity is and what diversity looks like ... So, if you remove that, we’re taking a huge step backwards and I don't think that’s fair to anybody,” Haynes said.

Kansas is not the first state to remove DEI statements from higher education.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has proposed legislation that would ban public institutions from relying on DEI statements in hiring processes as well.

Texas A&M University, the University of Texas, and the University of Houston all have stopped using DEI statements after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott informed them that DEI hiring practices violate state and federal employment laws.

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

EDITOR IN CHIEF Jaycie Nelson editor@thesunflower.com

ADVERTISING/DESIGN MANAGER Thy Vo admanager@thesunflower.com

NEWS/MANAGING EDITOR Mia Hennen news@thesunflower.com

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Sascha Harvey arts@thesunflower.com SPORTS EDITOR Trinity Ramm sports@thesunflower.com

ASSISTANT

BY SARAH BEAUCHAMP sbeauchamp2944@gmail.com

Throughout the month of April, students can bring expired or unused medication to the YMCA Student Wellness Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. as a part of prescription take back.

Prior to dropping off medication, students should remove the label or mark out any personal information.

Upon arrival students will inform the front desk at the wellness center that they are there to drop off medication and will be directed to the drop off area.

This service gives students an option to safely and conveniently discard medication. Prescription drug take back day is co-sponsored by Student Health Services, and the campus police department. It is part of the Drug Enforcement Agencies’ program to reduce drug abuse.

If students miss this deadline, more information about safely disposing of medication can be found here. Other prescription drop off locations can be found here. For questions students can contact Student Health Services at 316-978-4792 or the university police at 316-978-3450.

Honor society hosts book drive for local elementary school

BY JAYCIE NELSON editor@thesunflower.com

The Mortar Board Senior Honor Society is hosting a book drive for Minneha Elementary, a Wichita public school, to continue their philanthropy “Reading is Leading.”

Wichita State students can donate books or organizations on campus can register and donate as a group, and the group with the highest amount of books donated is awarded $100.

New books or slightly used books are welcome for donation.

“We try to get a wide variety … some for the younger grades might be like picture books versus like older grades that might be like at a higher reading level,” Rachel Smith, secretary of Mortar Board Senior Honor Society, said. “But really any book that people are willing to donate and give to these kids.”

Last semester the group received 282 donated books.

“I was very surprised by 282,” Smith said. “It was way past the goal that I had set previously.”

Smith is hoping for around 200 books to be donated, and, with the added-on group competition, hopes that helps to increase the number of books donated.

Smith said the main goal is to encourage kids to find joy in reading and the importance of it as a lifelong skill.

“Throughout your life, you need to be able to read and it’s also nice you can turn it into a hobby.”

The book drive started on April 3 and goes until April 14. Dropoff locations include the Heskett Center, Shocker Hall, Shocker Dining Hall, Rhatigan Student Center, Ahlberg Hall and the Ablah Library.

CONTACT US 019 Elliott Hall 1845 N. Fairmount Ave. Campus Box 134 Wichita, KS 67260-0134

EDITORIAL

Jaycie Nelson: 316-978-6906 editor@thesunflower.com

ADVERTISING Thy Vo: 316-978-6905 admanager@thesunflower.com

FACULTY ADVISOR Amy DeVault: 316-978-6052 amy.devault@wichita.edu

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.

Located in the Rhatigan Student Center is one of the collection boxes for the drive. |

Photo by Krisy Mace / The Sunflower

A young student works on a 3D printing project during Sonia Kovalevsky Day hosted in the John Bardo Center.

Students learned the basics of 3D printing, from creating the model to printing it at a local library 3D printer. |

Photo by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower

Baseball drops season series finale to Sooners

BY TRINITY RAMM sports@thesunflower.com

‘Passion of mine:’ Softball manager revolves life around sports and community

BY MIA HENNEN news@thesunflower.com

If you’re looking for Brynna Mays, chances are you can find her at a Wichita State softball game, but she says if she does her job right, you wouldn’t be able to spot her.

Mays, a freshman studying pre-physical therapy through an honors leadership lens, spends most of her time around the softball field, where she works as the softball team’s manager, meticulously recording stats or doing various other tasks.

“The way that I can tell I did my job right is if … nobody knows that I did all the things that I need to do,” Mays said.

The Topeka native said the same goes for the softball players.

“If the girls don’t know half the stuff that I’m doing, that means that I’m doing my job right, and they’re not running into problems that they then have to fix later,” she said.

Mays attributed her knowledge and passion for softball to the 12 years she spent playing the sport before coming to Wichita State. When deciding where to go to school, softball became an important factor in the decision, even though Mays wasn’t looking to play at the collegiate level.

“It was something that I definitely was not ready to get out of my life,” she said. “The next closest way for me to stay involved with it was to manage.”

Mays said staying close to home was important too. The night before the application was due, Mays applied for the Harry Gore Memorial Scholarship, a $64,000 scholarship that essentially covers receiving an education at Wichita State.

Mays said she was shocked and nervous when she continued to

qualify for the various rounds of interviews that go into receiving the scholarship, which she did in 2022, alongside two others.

“$64,000 is a lot of money,” she said. “It gives me that foot in the door.”

Mays said that some people don’t realize that, despite her financial advantage, she’s still an “average student.”

“I don’t get preferential treatment,” Mays said. “I’m not having someone do my homework for me … I’m staying in college on my own. (The scholarship) just got me that first step.”

Mays said when she tells people about being a Gore Scholar, one of two things happens.

“They either assume that I’m too perfect, or that I couldn’t have done it without somebody’s help,” Mays said. “But I just want to be able to sit in the middle and be like ‘I did this. It’s on me, but things can go wrong.’”

Fellow softball manager and Topeka native Hannah Munstermann called Mays a “quick learner.”

“She’s really smart in general,” Munstermann said.

Munstermann, who has been a softball manager for four years, said Mays translated her knowledge as a former player to her current stat-taking role.

“She went (from) seeing everything from one perspective,” Munstermann said. “(Her prior experience) helped a lot because she could see stuff and she could

read pitches a lot easier than I could.”

While a chunk of Mays’ role as a softball manager requires her to be behind the scenes, Mays is often in the batting cage with the players, pitching softballs for teammates to swing at.

From team dinners to ice cream runs, Mays said the coaches work hard to ensure that the connection between players and supporting staff is strong.

“Things go wrong in athletics all the time,” she said. “The one thing that you can’t have change is the connection with the people in the room.”

While Mays is easily at the softball field almost every day, the time she spends off usually consists of working a shift at the Student-Athlete Success Center or going to class.

Mays started working at the center last fall, where she meets and checks in athletes looking to study.

“I definitely know more people because of it,” she said.

Mays said, while most of her time revolves around the university, she likes to spend time at her home away from home: Camp

Tawakoni, a church camp.

“On that campus, I can go there and reground myself,” she said.

After graduation, Mays hopes to be accepted into one of the three doctoral physical therapy programs in the state.

“It’s difficult because there’s a limited number of classes that you can get into because there’s not that many universities that offer it,” Mays said.

Ideally, Mays, a sister to a first grader, would like to work as a physical therapist specializing in sports and pediatrics.

“Sports is a passion of mine, and I love babies and children,” she said. “That would be the ideal outcome for me.”

Mays said she feels valued by the team and hopes to continue managing throughout college. During batting practice, players direct “thank you”s toward her every time they go to switch positions.

“They tell me all the time that I’m more helpful than I realize,” Mays said. “Sometimes it really does seem so small … but the more I look at it, (managers) just make things run smoother.”

Coming into the game with a three-game winning streak, baseball was unable to pull off a season sweep of the Oklahoma Sooners on April 11 as they lost 8-1 in Norman, Oklahoma.

Wichita State won both previous meetings this season.

A March 14 matchup in Eck Stadium saw the Shockers win 6-2. The March 28 matchup at Riverfront Stadium was a close bout but Wichita State came out on top 8-7.

Freshman right-hander

Nate Snead made his first career start on the mound for the Shockers and allowed one run in three innings pitched.

The team went through eight pitchers throughout the game. Sophomore righty Robert Cranz had a careerhigh four strikeouts in his 1.2 innings. Junior left-handed Caden Favors took the loss and his record now sits at 2-4.

Jace Miner, Michael Mulhollon, Matt Wilkinson, Patrick Dunn and Nate Adler all took the mound as well during the game. Miner was the only one out of this group to pitch a full inning.

Sophomore infielder Peyton Tolle brought in the Shockers’ lone run of the night with a solo home run in the fourth inning against Oklahoma’s Carson Atwood.

The Shockers left six players on base throughout the game and only had seven hits. Oklahoma went on a scoring tear in the fourth where they scored four of their eight runs. They had seven players contribute to scoring throughout the game.

The team will head on the road to face Tulane April 14-16 in New Orleans. The Green Wave are coming off an 11-5 loss to No. 1 LSU at home. The Shockers are 3-9 all time at Tulane.

Keitha Adams leaving Wichita State to return to University of Texas at El Paso

BY TRINITY RAMM sports@thesunflower.com

WSU Athletics announced on April 11 that head women’s basketball coach Keitha Adams is leaving Wichita State to take a head coaching job at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).

“We appreciate and value Coach Adams’ contributions to our program and her support of the young women who have developed within it,” athletic director Kevin Saal said.

“Coach Adams and her staff have served Wichita State University well and we wish her and her family the best in their future endeavors.”

Adams was the head coach at UTEP from 2001-2017. She saw the program’s transition from the Western Athletic Conference to Conference USA in 2005.

During her tenure there, she won three C-USA titles, made two NCAA and Women's National

Keitha Adams yells instructions to her team during the game against Missouri Southern on Nov. 1 at Charles Koch Arena. Adams was named the Wichita State head women’s basketball coach on March 29, 2017. |

Invitational Tournament (WNIT) appearances and was named C-USA Coach of the Year in 2016.

At Wichita State, she put up an 80-93 record over six seasons. The Shockers made history this past season in the American Athletic Conference Tournament when

they took down No. 1 South Florida in the second round and made the quarter finals.

The team also made their first WNIT appearance since 2012 and first postseason appearance since 2015.

Brynna Mays sets up the camera to record the softball game against Oklahoma State on April 4. Mays had to run to the other side of the field in just a few

stats for the game. | Photos by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

Softball players line up to bat as Brynna Mays prepares to pitch the ball to them on April 4. Mays helped the team practice before the game against Oklahoma State, which ended in a win for the Shockers.

BRYNNA MAYS Softball manager

Photo by Madeline Bell / The Sunflower

Junior Chuck Ingram practices his swing during the second game of a doubleheader on April 8 against Houston at Eck Stadium. | Photo by Madeline Bell / The Sunflower

SPEAK

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT STUDENT FEES GOING UP $22 ANNUALLY NEXT YEAR? (IF APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT AND KBOR)

A college girl’s guide to mental health

Danielle Wagner suzwagner65@gmail.com

COLUMN

CAPRI LABROI Sophomore

Pre Med Lab Sciences

“I’d rather it not go up. I like the fact that I’m able to pay for school, and I don’t want that. I would hate for it to be a little bit over where it’s at now, but I mean, as long as it’s still affordable then I guess I’ll be okay.”

JERED PAWLOSKI Junior

Mechanical Engineering

“I feel that’s ridiculous since it’s already so high, and it’s already such a demanding time trying to pay for college, especially with inflation going up in the economy right now. And just in general living costs on top of that, so it adds a lot of stress to school.”

Every single day, all over the world, college students are struggling with their mental health. Among these may be your friends, your classmates or even yourself.

Mental health is something that is commonly overlooked on college campuses, but is so important to understand.

People who struggle with mental health issues not only have problems in classes, but also in their social lives. Sometimes those who aren’t experiencing mental health problems first hand don’t understand what it’s like.

Let me break it down for you. As someone who has been fighting with their mental health since I was a freshman in high school, I understand the struggles to some extent.

While my experiences are not the same as everyone else’s, I feel that I have some insight into the mental health crisis.

What has helped me the most is finding a routine. When it feels like everything is out of your control, having the stability of a routine can help in ways you never imagined.

I don’t just mean having your work and class schedule, but the things you do when you wake up everyday and before you go to bed. Consistency is key.

Not only does this help with control, but also helps when you feel like you don’t have a purpose. Make good habits and find what works for you.

For instance, the first thing I do when I wake up is make my coffee then read while I drink it. Then every night before bed I watch New Girl with my sister. They’re just little things, but it’s what I look forward to the most every day.

Fitting breaks into your schedule can do wonders for your mental health. When you get overwhelmed, it’s easy to shut down.

Forcing yourself to get through your tasks isn’t going to benefit you. Those breaks can help you collect yourself and produce a better product. Quality over quantity.

Account for some you-time

before things get bad. You don’t have to be going full speed all the time. It’s okay to slow down and take care of yourself. Find those activities that help you calm down. It could be anything from reading to a full on spa day.

Sometimes those little joys in life can be just what you need. The people you run into on campus might be struggling just as much as you, so don’t be afraid to pay them a compliment. It might just make their day a little better.

Remember that it’s okay to struggle sometimes, but it shouldn’t feel like you can’t come up for air.

If you’re struggling with any sort of mental illness there are people out there who can help you. Talk to your friends; they’re there for you.

Therapy is a great option to help sort out everything that’s going on in your head. It may not be for everyone, but it’s worth a shot.

Counseling and prevention services are on campus and ready to help you. They offer a variety of services and even have a mental health screening if you’re not sure what’s wrong.

Ways to balance all your college work

Tyler Guthrie teguthrie@shockers.wichita.edu

COLUMN

Transitioning from our youth to our adulthood can be a confusing and nerve-wracking process.

There is not only the pressure within yourself and from others to “find your calling,” but also the pressure from the university to complete your studies while building a resume.

ELYCIA NESBITT Sophomore Nursing

“That’s a lot. I don’t think they should do that. They should keep it lower because college is expensive, and a lot of people don’t have a lot of money to pay for an extra fee that we really don’t need.”

Trinity Ramm

sports@thesunflower.com

COLUMN

I don’t know if it’s because my tastes are maturing or because I have developed a slightly unhealthy obsession with HBO’s “Succession,” but I am firmly grounded in my financial dramas era.

Slightly less dramatic and far less Shakespearean, “Air” is the story of how Nike, a running shoe company in the 1980s, did the unthinkable in signing the No. 3 pick in the 1984 NBA draft who would becomes one of the greatest players of all time, Michael Jordan and creating the most recognizable shoe line in the world, Air Jordan.

Think of this as basketball’s “Moneyball” where the underdog company is trying to game the system with an undersized budget, a little innovation and a bad gambling habit without the potential for longevity.

The movie pulls together an ensemble of Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Chris Tucker, Marlon Wayans, Jason Bateman and Ben Affleck, who also directs.

Ensembles are hard to manage, but everyone plays together well. No role is over done nor does anyone really phone it in.

With this cast, I expected the movie to be funnier but it still made me laugh out loud a few times and all of the little, intimate jokes felt natural and landed well.

“That seems like a lot.

I’m really struggling to get enough money for college and the only thing carrying me through are scholarships. For me, $22 seems like a lot, I don’t know if it’s going to be possible for a lot of people.”

This year, I’ve had to find ways to alleviate my personal stress when juggling assignments, the times of my classes, my job and my club organizations.

The time we spend on homework, studying and classes can take an incessant amount of time out of our lives. We have to see our friends and family, work our jobs and do the things we love. This is why it is crucial beyond everything else to manage your time accordingly.

What has helped me is to complete an assignment or study session everyday in order to get

them done, even if the deadlines are far away. This is to ensure that all assignments and activities will be done and completed with good time left.

When you have to work on a difficult assignment, study difficult terms or create a large presentation, break it down into smaller parts and look at these parts instead of it all as a whole.

When you focus on these individualities, they will become

more clear and sensible to you. For example, study one element for a little while before focusing on the other alkali metals, instead of trying to cram them all in at once.

Attributing these three practices into my daily school routine has helped me pass my classes, do outstanding work in my clubs and organizations and kept my head level as I work another shift for my job.

Paramount Pictures rolls a nat 20 on DND adaptation

Maleah Evans

maleahevans04@gmail.com

COLUMN

You may have heard of the “devil worshiping” game Dungeons and Dragons, better known as DND, but have you heard of the movie inspired by the game that just came out?

“Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” hit theaters on March 31, and I, being a DND player and movie enthusiast myself, went to see it with friends as a day-late birthday present.

Going into the movie, I was hoping for the best but expecting the worst, as most game-to-movie adaptations go.

But for a short two hours and 14 minutes, I was blown away. It truly was an incredible movie. There are some parts that I thought were a little tacky, but it’s a movie inspired by DND, so I was expecting a little tacky.

Tacky bits aside, it really was a gorgeous film, especially with some of the scenic backgrounds and magical effects. I would for sure go to see it again, especially for the D20 popcorn bucket.

Honestly, even if you know

nothing about DND, you would still understand and probably enjoy this movie, due to the fantastical elements. Some of these elements that stood out to me were the subtle magic effects, and of course the special effects makeup for the elves, giving them a somewhat ethereal look.

Aside from the DND classes and a few Easter eggs here and there, it really is just an adventure movie with magic.

And, who knows, after you leave the theater, you may find yourself wanting to try the game behind the movie.

The movie emphasizes how little Michael Jordan was actually involved in making the decision of where to sign by never showing his actor’s face. We see his reactions but his face is often covered by his hands or not shown at all.

This was an interesting choice and I wonder if they didn’t want to deal with finding someone who looks enough like Jordan or if it was a deliberate choice to show how much this decision was driven by his mother.

A worry I have about movies like “Air” or any other biopic or historical fiction type movie is how does a film build suspense or similar mechanisms that drive the plot when the audience already knows how it ends.

We already know that Nike does sign Michael Jordan in the end, so what does the viewer get out of this? Beyond a trip to the movie theater or about two hours of entertainment at home, I’m not entirely sure.

Of course, not every movie has to make you think, but maybe I just expect more out of the DamonAffleck connection since their last collaboration on this level was “Good Will Hunting.”

I think “Air” does well enough at not spoiling itself, but I don’t know how healthy it is to have a movie market saturated by stories that when I describe them to people, they ask “Oh, is that a documentary?”

These questions make it seem like I thought the movie was awful, but it wasn’t. I enjoyed all 112 minutes of the movie and was genuinely interested in the way they decided to tell a piece of His Airness’ story

JESUS HERNANDEZ Freshman Media Arts

Illustration by Wren Johnson / The Sunflower

Illustration by Wren Johnson / The Sunflower

‘Air’ has a lot of sole for just another biopic

Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios

ARTS & CULTURE

Studio Ghibli films coming to Wichita for Ghibli Fest 2023

Japanese printmaker shares her projects

BY PIPER PINNETTI ppinnetti12@gmail.com

BY SASCHA HARVEY arts@thesunflower.com

Studio Ghibli Fest 2023 is in full swing, with showings coming to three locations in Wichita. Each film will be followed by a clip from the documentary series “10 Years With Hayao Miyazaki.” This year’s festival has included films from March to November, with three theaters in Wichita running each film for the allotted times: Regal Warren West & Imax, AMC Northrock 14 and Regal Warren East.

friendship between a little boy and a magical goldfish girl.

English dub

- Sunday, May 7 at 4 p.m.

- Sunday, May 7 at 7 p.m.

Japanese with English subtitles

- Monday, May 8 at 7 p.m.

- Wednesday, May 10 at 7 p.m.

KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE

“Kiki’s Delivery Service” is the story of a young witch embarking on a pilgrimage to a seaside town to find herself.

English dub

Japanese with English subtitles

- Tuesday, July 11 at 7 p.m.

CASTLE IN THE SKY

“Castle in the Sky” recounts the tale of Pazu and Sheeta, brought together by mysterious circumstances, on their search for the floating castle Laputa.

English dub

- Monday, July 10 at 7 p.m.

Japanese with English subtitles

- Wednesday, July 12 at 7 p.m.

Japanese printmaker April

Vollmer’s art has taken her all around the world, including a stop at the Ulrich Museum’s Bergen Gallery last Tuesday night. She gave a brief history lesson to the audience, described tools used during the Japanese printmaking process and shared her experiences from residency in 2004.

and teaching Japanese woodcut,” Vollmer said.

The residency program closed in 2011 and succeeded Mokuhanga Innovation Laboratory (MI-LAB). Kadota died in 2017.

Vollmer talked in detail about the specific Japanese Mokuhanga printing technique. The process uses water based printmaking with blocks of wood.

“Printers often ask me if I destroy my blocks after I print them. I don’t,” Vollmer said. “Why destroy them when I could do a different (piece) using the same blocks?”

SPIRITED

AWAY: LIVE ON STAGE

“Spirited Away: Live on Stage” is the first ever adaptation of the 2001 film “Spirited Away.” The show, adapted and directed by John Caird, Tony Award winner for Les Misérables, ran with two separate casts in Tokyo in 2022.

Japanese with English subtitles

- Sunday, April 23 at 4 p.m.

- Thursday, April 27 at 7 p.m.

PONYO

This year, Studio Ghibli is celebrating the 15th anniversary of “Ponyo,” an all-ages film about the

Sascha Harvey arts@thesunflower.com REVIEW

2023’s billionth video game adaptation of the year (don’t quote me on that), “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” was actually amazing. Sure, I was disappointed with everyone else when Chris Pratt was cast, but the rest of the cast was incredible, and it was really a very entertaining film.

I grew up playing different Mario games on the Wii, of course, and a few through older consoles and emulators.

Honestly, I was always a bit partial to Kirby, but Super Mario Bros. games were obviously a formative part of childhood for anyone growing up in the 2000s.

With so many recent film and show adaptations of video games, some stellar (The Last of Us) and some not so much (Sonic…), I feel like the fate of this movie could’ve gone either way. Much of the online reception mimicked this, with many dissatisfied with certain choices the company made.

Like the Sonic film franchise, though, the Internet has proved, once again, to be able to bully a major production company into making a change, whether this is from a minor shift in Chris Pratt’s infliction as Mario or basically remaking the whole film to make Sonic the Hedgehog look completely different (and way better).

Even without comparing it to other video game transformations, the movie was a great watch. Honestly, even if you didn’t have any prior experience or connection to Mario, the

- Sunday, June 11 at 4 p.m.

- Sunday, June 11 at 7 p.m.

Japanese with English subtitles

- Monday, June 12 at 7 p.m.

- Wednesday, June 14 at 7 p.m.

NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” is one of Studio Ghibli’s lesser known films. The film shows the adventures of brave Princess Nausicaä living in a post-war apocalyptic world.

English dub

- Sunday, July 9 at 4 p.m.

PRINCESS MONONOKE

“Princess Mononoke” is about Princess Mononoke herself, a wild girl raised by wolves, and Ashitaka the warrior. This film covers the impact of humanity on natural environments.

English dub - Sunday, Aug. 6 at 4 p.m.

- Sunday, Aug. 6 at 7 p.m.

- Monday, Aug. 7 at 7 p.m.

- Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 7 p.m.

Japanese with English subtitles

- Saturday, Aug. 5 at 3 p.m.

- Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m.

Other showings can be found at gkids.com/ghiblifest/.

“While I was studying Mokuhanga in the 1990s, there was very little awareness in the United States about Mokuhanga,” Vollmer said. “Because there were very few experienced teachers, I was able to teach classes while I was still learning.”

During this time, Volllmer made connections in her field of study. This includes artist Keiko Kadota. With the encouragement of Tadashi Toda, an internationally famous printer, Kadota started the Nagasawa Art Park (NAP) residency in 1997.

Vollmer was directly invited to participate in the residency; which she did in 2004 and was able to stay in Awaji, Japan.

“She was really committed to this and I always felt her support behind my passion for making

In the PowerPoint presentation, Vollmer shared a few pieces of her own with the audience. One of the projects included, “Delirious Birds and Bees,” an autobiographical self portrait. To create this piece, she “printed from a variety of blocks … cut between 1995 and 2007.”

The “Nature in the Floating World: Images of Nature in Japanese and Chinese Art” exhibition in the Ulrich Museum includes both Japanese and Chinese art. The works include ukiyo-e, the 20th century shinhanga and sōsaku-hanga movement woodcut printings. They will be on display until May 10.

movie would be entertaining. Some stuff might seem pretty weird, but the world itself is immersive and could stand on its own as a quirky and fun kids’ movie.

At times, I felt a bit out of touch with the story just because of how outlandish the whole concept is. For example, (warning: spoilers) when Peach and Mario approach Cranky Kong and ask him for help, why didn’t Cranky Kong just offer his people (monkeys) to help? I mean, surely Bowser’s castle would destroy their kingdom too. But then you think about the fact that this movie is about a bunch of emo turtles trying to destroy a mushroom kingdom, and it makes sense in that fact that really none of it makes sense.

Really, though, the idea of someone asking for your help and you’re like, “yeah, I’ll help, but only if you let my son beat the crap out of you first,” is really funny.

The characters were pretty fun and personable, although I wish we could’ve seen more of Charlie Day as Luigi. I think it would be fun if the movie was advertised as having Mario be the protagonist and get the bulk of the screen time but then you walk in the theaters and the film ends up being about Luigi.

Of course, this didn’t end up happening, but I still really loved and appreciated how affectionate Mario and Luigi were with each other. I think it sends a good message to kids and was just really sweet to watch.

I can totally foresee another Mario movie in the future, and I hope we get to see more of the other characters, especially Diddy Kong.

Century II announces upcoming broadway lineup

BY JAYCIE NELSON editor@thesunflower.com

Century II Concert Hall has been filled with shows and musicals this past year from “Legally Blonde” to “Anastasia,” and just announced its “23-24 Broadway in Wichita Series.”

The first show in the series is the two-time Tony award winning-show “SIX,” that will be coming to Century II from Sept. 19-24.

“From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st century girl power,” according to an announcement from The American Theatre Guild.

The second show in the series is “Annie,” and will come to Wichita Dec. 1-3.

“Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right

around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in a new production–just as you remember it and just when we need it most,” an announcement from The American Theatre Guild said.

Also in December, Cirque Musical Holiday Wonderland is coming to Century II on Dec. 18.

“Audiences will be dazzled by the acrobats, aerialists, hilarious hijinks, and holiday cheer,” according to an announcement from The American Theatre Guild.

The fourth show in the series, “Come From Away,” will be coming to Wichita from Jan. 26-28, 2024.

“This New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them,” according to an announcement from The American Theatre Guild.

The fifth show in the series, coming to Wichita from March

15-17, 2024, is “On your feet! The story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan.”

“‘On your feet!’ is the inspiring true story about heart, heritage and two people who believed in their talent—and each other—to become an international sensation: Gloria and Emilio Estefan,” according to an announcement from The American Theatre Guild.

The final show in the series is “Mean Girls,” coming to Wichita from April 19-21, 2024.

“Mean Girls,” based on the movie, follows Cady Heron, Regina George and frenemies navigating highschool and social statuses.

“Mean Girls delivers with immense energy, a wicked sense of humor and joyful inside-jokery,” New York Magazine said.

Pre-sale season tickets go on sale April 18 can be bought at BroadwayWichita.com or the Century II Box Office.

Photo courtesy of April Vollmer

Photo courtesy of Century II

‘The Super Mario Bros.’ movie is simply super for all audiences

Illustration by Sascha Harvey / The Sunflower

FOOD ON THE MOVE

BIG READ 2023: MINI FILM FEST SHOWING OF ‘THE UPSIDE’

THURSDAY, APRIL 13 5:30 p.m. | Advanced Learning Library

MEN OF EXCELLENCE

THURSDAY, APRIL 13

5:30 - 7 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

PHENOMENAL WOMEN

THURSDAY, APRIL 13

5:30 - 7 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

MINMPA PROGRAM

FRIDAY, APRIL 14 8 - 11 a.m. | Marcus Welcome Center

HEALING FROM TRAUMA SUPPORT GROUP

FRIDAY, APRIL 14 2 - 3 p.m. | Steve Clark YMCA & Student Wellness Center

LECTURE SERIES IN THE MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES: DAVID GUTMAN, TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

FRIDAY, APRIL 14 3 p.m. | Jabara Hall

COHEN HONORS GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND BBQ

FRIDAY, APRIL 14 4 - 6 p.m. | Shocker Hall

NATIONAL STUDENT EXCHANGE INFO SESSION

FRIDAY, APRIL 14 4 - 5 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

HOLI - FESTIVAL OF COLORS

SATURDAY, APRIL 15 11 a.m. | Hubbard Hall

ULRICH FAMILY FUN DAY

SATURDAY, APRIL 15 11 a.m. - 2 p.m | Rhatigan Student Center

BIG READ 2023: ROZ CHAST

SATURDAY, APRIL 15 6 - 7 p.m. | Hughes Metropolitan Complex

DANCE DANCE KVOLUTION

SATURDAY, APRIL 15 6 - 9 p.m. | CAC Theater

PRIDE PROM

SATURDAY, APRIL 15 7 - 10 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

WU LIFTS

SUNDAY, APRIL 16 10 a.m. | Heskett Center

OPEN STREETS ICT AT WSU

SUNDAY, APRIL 16 Noon - 4 p.m. | Wichita State University

HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED?

CONTACT THE ARTS EDITOR: arts@thesunflower.com

CONTACT THE NEWS EDITOR: news@thesunflower.com

FACULTY ARTIST TALK

A Bubl Works worker prepares drinks for students at the SGA Food Truck event on April 12. Students were able to obtain free meal/treat tickets. |

Photos by Garima Thapa / The Sunflower

Students enjoy the food truck provided by the SGA.

65th session Student Body President John Kirk passes out tickets for students to receive free meals or treats with.

A student waits to receive a drink at the Bubl Works truck on April 12.

65th session Student Body President John Kirk passes out tickets for students to receive free meals or treats with.

Students gather at the plaza by Shocker Hall for free food on April 12.