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MONDAY, MAY 6, 2019 VOLUME 93 ■ ISSUE 59

LA VIDA

SPORTS

Professor reflects on Chernobyl experiences.

Texas Tech baseball pitcher Kurt Wilson picks up unexpected start in left field.

Read the farewell columns from departing members of our editorial board.

OPINIONS

ONLINE Check out our coverage of the weekend softball series against Kentucky on our website.

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PG 6

PGS 4 & 5

ONLINE

Students reflect on time as Raider Red

By MALLORY ROSETTA Staff Writer

T

hroughout the school year, there is one fan cheering on the Red Raiders at every event.

Raider Red has been a tradition for many years at Tech, and with the recent Passing of the Guns ceremony, John Brown and Lance Lebron reflected on the season they had as the popular campus mascot.

Brown, a senior industrial engineering major from Melissa, said he first became interested in the mascot position in 2016 when the then Raider Reds talked him into trying out. One of his favorite parts has been going out and interacting with people in the community.

“I got to see how Raider Red would bring life to anybody, old or young,” Brown said. “I got to turn somebody’s day around just by having them see me, which was a really awesome experience to be a part of.”

Some of the highlights from Brown’s time as Raider Red include being able to travel to Omaha, Nebraska, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the College World Series and Final Four games.

The events around the Lubbock community are also experiences Brown said he will

never forget.

“Any interaction is great,” he said. “It was a lot of fun getting to be a part of the tradition here at Tech.”

If anyone is interested in trying out for Raider Red, Brown said they have to remember the more they put into it, the more they will get out of it.

As the new Raider Reds take position in the fall, Brown said he hopes they remember who Raider Red is, what he represents and hope they continue to bring his spirit to every event in the Lubbock community.

“I hope they continue to be the cocky, goofy cowboy that he is,” Brown said. “Raider Red is the public relations mascot of Tech, so they need to keep the tradition going and be a good face for the university.”

Bruce Bills, the head cheer and mascot coach, said Brown was new to the mascot world and entered the program as an assistant to the mascot program in 2017. Brown was polite and well-mannered but also reserved at first.

“Out of costume, (Brown) was very shy, but when you put him in costume, he was a different person,” he said. “That was kind of exactly how we wanted it to be, though. We wanted this to be an iconic symbol of Raider Red, and (Brown) did a great job of that.”

One of Bills’ favorite moments with Brown was getting to see him at the Final Four game in Minne-

apolis with the basketball team.

“A whole new part of the country who may not have known what Texas Tech was got to experience that,” Bills said. “From what he did at appearances to performances at games really stood out and was a really proud moment for me as a coach.”

Lebron, a junior restaurant, hotel and institutional management major from New Braunfels, said he has been part of the mascot world since high school, but Raider Red was a different experience than he previously had.

“It was tons and tons of more fun and helpful,” Lebron said.

“It taught me a lot of things and showed me a lot of things I could improve on.”

The football games were some of Lebron’s highlights as Raider Red. Seeing how big of a crowd it was and getting to see how happy the fans were to cheer on the team was an unforgettable feeling, he said.

Lebron worked as a mascot throughout his high school career and currently works as a mascot instructor for the National Cheerleading Association, he said. This previous experience made it easier to slip into Raider Red’s shoes and embody his character.

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LOOKING BACK

SEE RAIDER RED, PG. 3

John Brown and Lance Lebron were two of the students who were Raider Red in the 2018-2019 year. As Raider Red, they attended various Texas Tech events. Photo by McKenzie Garza / The Daily Toreador

NATIONAL

FOOTBALL

Gender pay gap warrants changes in workforce

Mannix receives waiver for immediate eligibility

By ADÁN RUBIO News Editor

As female college graduates are entering the workforce, discrimination is an issue they may have to overcome. With this unfair treatment, a woman’s pay can also be at risk.

The gender pay gap is a form of discrimination against women in the workplace that consists of the pay inequality between men and women.

In 2019, according to the Payscale website, gender discrimination that takes place in pay still exists despite shrinking the gender pay gap. Regarding the uncontrolled gender pay gap, which consists of the median salary for all men and women, a woman earns about 79 cents for every dollar a man earns.

Texas Tech Jerry S. Rawls College of Business Administration Dean Margaret Williams said women are given advice to ask for high pay.

“That’s certainly not the only way to address the gender pay gap,” she said. “I would also say that every employer needs to constantly examine their own pay systems to determine the extent in which there’s a gender pay gap and to take steps to correct that themselves.”

Because there are a variety of causes of the gender pay gap, Williams said women should not be made responsible to close it.

The management of a job should understand why the pay gap is present in their workplace.

“It’s easy to spot,” Williams said regarding the gap. “It’s a little more difficult to understand why that gap exists.”

Whether it be the type of position or the seniority of a position, Williams said there are different causes one must consider to comprehend why the gender pay gap is present.

Despite society’s task to eliminate the gender pay gap in the workplace, Williams said women still have to understand their value in their current position and job.

“I think women need to be aware, educate themselves of the impact of the choices they make on their current and future pay,” Williams said. “I would say this for any employee, not just women, but you should do the research to understand what they can command in the labor market, what salary they can command in the labor market.”

Regardless of the causes that lead to gender discrimination in the workplace, Williams said there are a variety of reasons why a woman may not speak out against the unfair treatment they are facing.

Because of the fear of being fired, Williams said speaking up about an issue in the workplace can be problematic for a woman.

SEE PAY GAP, PG. 2

The NCAA has given junior wide receiver McLane Mannix a waiver for immediate eligibility.

Mannix transferred to Texas Tech from the University of Nevada in January. At Nevada, the junior from Midland earned All-American honors and was arguably the best wide receiver in the Mountain West Conference, according to a Tech Athletics news release.

While Mannix was in Reno, Nevada, he threw 107 passes for 1,653 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, according to the release. Mannix ranked sixth in the nation for receiving yards that were in the first two years of eligibility.

In his first year, he caught 57 passes for 778 yards and six touchdowns and was named Freshman All-America, according to the release. Mannix was the second freshman in Nevada’s program history to collect the accolade.

As a sophomore, he caught 50 receptions for 875 yards and scored seven touchdowns. Mannix was a candidate for preseason for the Biletnikoff Award, Paul Hornung Award, the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and was named as an honorable mention in the All-Mountain West selection, according to the release.

Mannix will be available for Tech in the first game of the season against Montana State on Saturday, Aug. 31. @EleanorGuinanDT

ADRIAN ROMERO/The Daily Toreador

Tech coach Matt Wells encourages his players during practice on March 3, 2019, in the Sports Performance Center. McLane Mannix will contribute immediately to Tech’s receiver rotation with few returning starters.

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MAY 6, 2019

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM

CAMPUS

Financial planners discuss literacy in money management

By ADÁN RUBIO News Editor

Whether it be the need to develop an efficient budget or build good credit, financial literacy could help people manage money. But some may face issues with obtaining this knowledge.

According to WalletHub, Texas was ranked as the 25th most financially literate state. Results for the rankings, which consists of all 50 states and Washington D.C., were obtained through the analysis of financial-education programs and consumer spending.

Whether one feels financial literacy in Texas should improve or not, there are a variety of ways one who is not comfortable with their finances can overcome the learning curve of financial planning.

DeAndre Geels, a junior personal financial planning major from Sioux Center, Iowa, and student assistant at Tech Red to Black Peer Financial Coaching, said financial literacy is important for college students, as this marks a time in one’s life when he or she is becoming more independent.

“Beyond college life, no one is going to hold our hand and help us through every roadblock we might have,” he said. “It’s important to prepare ourselves for this time of independence by knowing

how to manage our finances and certain topics.”

Although students have access to financial education resources at Tech, whether it be Red to Black or PFP classes, Geels said sometimes people need to make an effort to do their own research.

“It’s also important for people to self-learn this kind of stuff,” he said. “There’s a lot of websites that people can use. Investopedia is a good way to learn things with a general amount of knowledge.”

Whether it be reading more about finances or googling questions to get the proper advice, Geels said there are different ways one can improve their financial literacy. With the current state of education, he said people need to learn about finances.

“People can definitely be better with no doubt,” Geels said. “Our current education system doesn’t strive to focus on financial literacy as one of the main topics in school, so that leaves it up to the individual. How they learn it is up to them, how they manage their finances is up to them.”

Depending on a person’s approach to learning how to manage their money, one may face a variety of obstacles.

Christopher Crouch, professor and Ph.D. candidate in Tech Personal Financial Planning, said being finan-

cially literate is important, as people will be dealing with money all their life. He said when one is not financially literate and trying to manage their finances themselves, the stress can take advantage of them.

“If you’re overwhelmed or if you don’t understand what you’re doing, it’s really easy to get yourself in a hole where you’re borrowing to cover your costs, and you end up having to borrow more,” Crouch said. “You just dig a deep pit, basically where all your money that you’re making is going to make those interest payments.”

For people in this situation, Crouch said one can get so far behind that he or she may feel there is no solution.

“I know it can be really terrifying to get into that situation,” he said.

Regardless of the issues one may face because of the lack of financial literacy, Crouch said one should not only understand finances.

“It’s all about applying it,” he said. “They have the knowledge; they’re just not applying it.”

Even though some financial knowledge may be common sense for most people, Crouch said it is up to people to continually implement their education to manage their money and not get overwhelmed.

Despite what people need

to know about finances, Crouch said he wants to see people in Texas get better at understanding how to use their money. The want for financial education in local institutions needs to be acknowledged.

“There’s a big push to kind of bring this along through certain universities,” Crouch said. “But we really need a bigger push, a statewide push.”

Hunter Coday, junior PFP major from Royse City and Red to Black student assistant, said it is unfortunate financial skills are not taught a lot in high school.

“I honestly think it should be a class you take in high school,” he said. “You have to have money to live and pay for things, and you need to know how to manage that money, so you can actually do things in life.”

With the lack of financial literacy, Coday said issues could arise among people, especially college students.

“There’s a lot of people who don’t really know anything about this,” he said.

“It can be overwhelming and cause a lot of stress, especially for college students.”

Whether it be school and work-related stress or the difficulty some may face when learning about finances, Coday said students can encounter obstacles when pursuing financial literacy.

For Tech students dedicated to building money management knowledge, he said Tech offers more than just financial coaching.

“Really it just teaches you those bare, essential skills you need to know,” Coday said regarding PFP intro courses any Tech student can take. “I would say that’s a great opportunity as well while you’re here at Tech.”

Whether it be taking part in local finance courses or

making an effort to teach oneself through online sources, financial literacy could be achieved through a variety of ways.

“A lot of it, currently, is self-discipline and up to the individual to decide for themselves if they want to be financially literate or not,” Geels said. “It’s something all of us are going to have to deal with. There’s no escaping money.”

PAY GAP

resources are methods Stevens said people can use if they cannot resolve the pay issue with their supervisor. If other options are exhausted, he said one can go to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“The first step should be to your immediate supervisor to get an explanation from them” Stevens said. “You might want to get an explanation from that individual in writing.”

Through their supervisor’s explanation, Stevens said people can understand the reasons why they are not receiving equal pay compared to their co-workers.

“What most people may not understand that in any pay situation is there are ranges of pay,” he said. “Simply because you don’t make exactly the same dollar, that doesn’t mean there is in fact discrimination.”

Just because a man’s pay is higher than a woman’s pay, Stevens said that does not mean discrimination is taking place. If both pays are within

the set pay range, such as $50,000 to $63,000, he said discrimination is not occurring.

Whether it be pay ranges or one’s value in a workplace, dealing with the gender pay gap could require a woman to consider a variety of aspects.

Wendy-Adele Humphrey, associate dean for assessment and strategic initiatives in the Tech School of Law and vice chair of the Tech President’s Gender Equity Council, said pay equity is one facet of gender discrimination.

To understand the extent of the gender pay gap, Humphrey said there are different factors that can lead to pay discrimination among genders.

“A lot of different things go into the gap,” she said regarding how a woman’s education level, work experience, age or ethnicity can cause them to be treated unfairly. “Because there are laws in place to protect people from this type of discrimination, most workplaces have some type of policies or

procedures for reporting.”

In addition to consulting HR or the EEOC, Humphrey said there are other approaches to overcoming the strain of the gender pay gap.

“To whom you reach out to and consult with will depend upon the type of discriminatory behavior,” she said. “It varies on a case-by-case basis.”

Depending on the issue a woman is facing regarding pay, Humphrey said the solution to the problem can vary.

Regardless of the resources available to help workers, Humphrey said men and women should be agents of change in the workplace and eliminate the gender pay gap to help women dealing with pay inequality.

“Talking to a trusted colleague about it,” she said.

“Depending on the situation and how extreme it may or may not be, even counseling early on just to talk through the process.”

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“I think it’s really difficult to expect the person who is being discriminated against or the person who is suffering that treatment to be the person to correct the problem,” she said. “You’re in a very vulnerable position.”

To resolve the gender pay gap they are facing, a woman might consult a variety of resources within their job.

Jerry Stevens, instructor in the Rawls College of Business, said going to a direct supervisor is the first step anyone should take when facing discrimination.

“Lay out your side of the story and how you feel you are being discriminated against,” he said. “If it’s in the pay area, then certainly that’s one that you want to bring up to your supervisor.”

Going to the person above one’s supervisor or human

@AdanRubioDT

@AdanRubioDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kim oversees missile firing drills, tells troops to be alert SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean state media on Sunday showed leader Kim Jong Un observing livefire drills of long-range multiple rocket launchers and

what appeared to be a new short-range ballistic missile, a day after South Korea expressed concern that the launches were a violation of an inter-Korean agreement

5

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to cease all hostile acts.

Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency said Kim expressed “great satisfaction” over Saturday’s drills and stressed that his

front-line troops should keep a “high alert posture” and enhance combat ability to “defend the political sovereignty and economic self-sustenance of the country.”

LA VIDA

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM

MAY 6, 2019

3

CAMPUS

Professor reflects on Chernobyl experiences

By AKHILA REDDY L a Vida Editor

Driving into the 19-mile zone surrounding a nuclear power plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine, Ron Chesser observed villages and cities alike containing houses, schools, businesses and other familiar marks of civilization.

However, one factor set this area apart during his 1992 visit: not one person resided then, or now, in what is now known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

“It was like a ghost town,” Chesser said. “In some areas it literally looked like people were there a few days before.

You see their belongings and you can see their books and pictures on the wall and much of their life is just laying there.”

The zone was the result of the catastrophic reactor meltdown at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant on April 26, 1986, according to the Nuclear Regulator Commission website. The accident released extremely high levels of radiation into the surrounding environment and resulted in the evacuation of hundreds of thousands people.

Amidst this tragedy, however, was an opportunity for scientists like Chesser, now a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech, who was one of the first American scientists on-site at Chernobyl.

Chesser’s path to Chernobyl began with his work at Savannah River in South Carolina, a large, high-security area that had a number of nuclear reactors for producing

RAIDER RED

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 “It taught me how to take mascoting experiences from each character and use those interactions to better Raider Red as a whole,” Lebron said.

Lebron came to Tech with the intention of auditioning for the role of Raider Red, Bills said. He also started out as the assistant to the mascot program in 2017

SARAH VECERA-KING/The Daily Toreador

Ron Chesser scans a shrew for radioactivity on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. Chesser made over 75 trips to Chernobyl to conduct research between 1992 and 2006. plutonium primarily for U.S. was critical to his work.

Resolved to get this access, nuclear weaponry, he said.

“My work there was on the Chesser said he returned the radiation that had gotten out next year by himself to stay into the environment and what and negotiate. It took about impact it might have on organ- two and a half weeks before he isms,” he said. “And it was encountered a member from pretty low radiation, but I had the Ukrainian Parliament and wanted to compare the results explained his situation.

“He called and said, ‘Get to that at Chernobyl, which I knew was a much larger release this man access,’” Chesser said. “Within a few minutes I of radiation.”

In the aftermath of Cher- had a helicopter, and they said, nobyl, he began a dialogue ‘Where do you want to go?’ and with some of his colleagues to so I flew to different parts of the get access, a difficult process, zone and after that point then he said. During his first visit we set up a regular program in 1992, he went with a fairly where I brought people back.” large group, but they were deBetween 1992 and 2006, he nied access to the most highly said he made over 75 trips to contaminated areas, which Chernobyl, some of them as long and became the full Raider Red in 2018. Since Lebron had previous mascot experience, Bills said it made it easier on him to transition into the position.

“He was one of those students who was very creative in his skits, movements and personification of Raider Red,” he said.

“He always brought a lot of energy to the character.”

Seeing Lebron on the mat with Co-ed Cheer at nationals, Bills said the things he did in the

routine were so thought out he brought out a whole new energy for mascots on the stage.

The Spirit Program strives to not only teach students about the spirit of Tech, but also to teach valuable life skills, like time management, Bills said, and Lebron and Brown both exemplified these qualities well.

He hopes they can pass it on to the next Raider Red generation.

“Raider Red is Texas Tech’s biggest fan, so I hope (future

as three to four months. With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, Chesser also recruited his former colleagues from Tech to Chernobyl.

In 1992, Chesser was working as a professor at the University of Georgia but had previously spent many years at Tech. Chesser returned to Tech in 2000, when funding from the Department of Energy was being cut and Tech offered to step in and fund the program.

Carl Phillips, professor emeritus in Biological sciences, said he recruited Chesser at the time after speaking to some faculty at Tech who had been working in Ukraine.

Phillips also visited the site about six times to conduct research, he said.

“I was interested in the possible biological effects of radiation on small mammals, species of mice that live nearby,” he said. “It was a pretty good model, I think, for understanding what can go on in nature.”

The results from the research at Chernobyl were surprising, Chesser said. The team had been expecting to see substantial genetic changes and mutations in the mitochondrial or nuclear DNA of organisms, potentially even physical changes.

However, the differences observed were subtle, he said.

It was hard to find anything that showed the radiation had a long lasting impact on the wildlife in the area.

“The big lesson was that nature’s very resilient and that it can recover very, very quickly,” he said. “There’s no doubt in my Raider Reds) will continue to be the spirit at games and events,” he said. “I expect them to take it and keep running with what we’ve got going here.” @MalloryRosettaDT IVÁN SANTIAGO BRAVO/ The Daily Toreador

Raider Red hypes up the crowd before a men’s basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019, in the United Supermarkets Arena. Different students play Raider Red every year.

mind that early on in those areas where the biggest impact of radiation was that there were probably a lot of pretty major impacts or genetic changes/mutation, but those organisms don’t survive, and so the multigenerational impact, almost all those big impacts go away very quickly.”

Another face of Chesser’s work in Chernobyl was the development of the Tech Natural Science Research Laboratory Radioactive Collection. “(The Radioactive Collection) started in 1994 taking radioactive samples from the Chernobyl reactor meltdown area,” Heath Garner, curator of collections at the NSRL, said. “This included capturing small mammals that had been exposed to the radiation both in the hot zones and in the areas that were considered control or non-radioactive.”

The collection took shape largely because of the mentality of Robert Baker, a Tech professor in Chernobyl and director of the NSRL at the time, Chesser said.

Today, the collection is available for researchers around the world to utilize, Garner said.

The collections receive a fair amount of interest, but not as much as it did 10 years ago.

“Now, it’s seen a little more as a curiosity because it happened a long time ago,” Garner said.

As work in Chernobyl began to wind down, Chesser said another opportunity from the State Department presented itself.

Because of the work he, Phillips and Brenda Rodgers had done in Chernobyl, they were asked to get involved in inspections for

nuclear dismantlement in Iraq.

Starting in 2005, he began inspecting the nuclear sites to ensure they were nonoperational and to examine potential radioactive contamination around those areas, he said.

They also trained Iraqi scientists in evaluating and dismantling those sites in accordance to national standards.

The group used the Chernobyl laboratory to train the Iraqi scientists, Phillips said.

“Ultimately Ron Chesser and Brenda Rodgers and I took a group of Iraqis to Chernobyl and used the Chernobyl experience as a way to train the Iraqis in what they had to look for if they wanted to understand nuclear energy,” he said.

There were dicey times in Iraq, Chesser said. There were gun shots coming into the area he was at. It was frightening but also energizing, he said.

“I got to know a lot of good people,” he said, “and it was very rewarding work to be able to do something that you hope is doing good for your country and doing things that you hope are good for the world.”

Looking back on his work in both Chernobyl and Iraq, Chesser said he could not have predicted the path his career would take. He just went with the inertia, he said.

“You get caught up and these things are rewarding,” he said. “I know some scientists that scoff at this I guess, but you’re doing work that has a big impact, and so are you going to turn it down?

I wasn’t about to.” @AkhilaReddyDT

OPINIONS

Page 4 Monday, May 6, 2019

FAREWELL

@DailyToreador www.dailytoreador.com

To The DT, thank you for the best 5 years I decided on Texas Tech on a whim.

That might sound silly, but I honestly couldn’t tell you why, of all the colleges I applied to, my heart and head decided on Tech. But as soon as I stepped foot on campus a few months before my high school graduation, I felt like I was home.

I still feel that way today.

I’m a year into my master’s degree and when I walk through campus, there is just a magic in the air that’s hard to describe.

And where I really feel like I’m home is behind the glass walls of the Student Media rotunda.

When I was first hired at The Daily Toreador, I was just excited to get started and continue my passion of journalism and media. In those first few weeks though, I contemplated quitting at least every other day. The daily deadlines were a struggle to keep up with — especially while adjusting to larger classes and life away from home — even for someone who is permanently attached to her planner.

Somehow, I survived and kept coming back for more.

For the next four years

McKenzi Morris is a mass communications graduate student from Allen.

I worked my way through the department, meeting new people and learning new things along the way.

Each position taught me something new about myself and gave me experiences I truly believe you can only get within a college newsroom.

I’ve covered presidential elections, bomb threats, a shooting, World Series runs, Board of Regents controversies and so much more with The DT, and in the process I met some of my best friends.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with the most talented people who constantly pushed me to be the best version of myself and taught me more than I think I was ever prepared for.

I could fill an entire issue thanking the people who have influenced me within the department, so I’ll keep this as brief as possible. To Carson Turner, Davian Hopkins and Amy Cunningham

– thank you for hiring me and giving me my first editor gigs with La Ventana and The DT. Y’all taught me how to handle the stress of the job and become a better leader.

Avery, you were the first person I hired (and the first person crazy enough to agree to working with me) and I thank the heavens for you constantly.

How blessed am I that my managing editor was my voice of reason and, in working sideby-side, became my best friend?

Michael Cantu, Justin Rex, Austin Watts and every person who has worked on staff the last two years – y’all are what keeps this publication alive and thriving. I know it can be a thankless job sometimes, but I hope you know how much I appreciate the work each of you have put forward and how much I have loved working with you.

Andrea and Sheri, y’all truly have been my momsaway-from-mom these last five years. You are both extraordinary human beings who have taught newsroom after newsroom of college kids how to be better journalists and even better people.

You do your jobs with grace and dignity in a way that amazes me every day, because I know we don’t always make it easy on y’all. Thank you for taking me in as a sophomore and pushing me out my comfort zone. I know with 100 percent certainty I wouldn’t be where I am now without the two of y’all.

And to my better half, Tyler – you have been the backbone of this publication the last two years. You kept me sane in the hardest of times and allowed me to put work at the center of our relationship more than once. Without you there’s no way I, or most of us, would have made it.

These people are at the heart of my most prized memories. The Wednesday night jam sessions, the Friday afternoon laughs, the road trips and the hugs because we were always around when randomly getting the best news (like emails dinging with acceptance letters and seeing our publication listed as a Pacemaker finalist).

All of the moments that came between working on producing news for the Tech

community and making sure nothing was on fire were the ones that I hold most dear.

Those moments helped me realize how special my job is.

Because even when we were putting a paper together or covering breaking news, we were able to share laughs about the terrible puns we would come up with or the awful misspellings we were so thankful someone caught. I’m convinced there aren’t many work environments were the day-to-day is this enjoyable.

Don’t get me wrong, not everything was sunshine and rainbows all the time. We’ve had our fair share of storms that came with tears and heartbreak (like dealing with the aftermath of covering a shooting and losing a friend).

But that’s the best thing about this place. It gives you people who will walk with you as long as you need, until the days don’t seem so dark.

My five years have been filled with long days, sleepless nights and stress that have taken more than a few years off my life I’m sure. And when people only see that part of the job — the hard parts that make

you think you’re going insane — it’s easy for them to ask why I’ve stayed as long as I have.

But these people, these friends, this family, have always been worth it. They’re the reason I’ve stayed in this department for so long and they’re the reason leaving is so hard.

The DT granted me so much these last five years — experience unlike any other, countless memories to balance the sleepless nights, the stress beyond belief and friends I will carry with me forever. That’s what makes this job so special, and if you’re waiting for me and give you a reason to come work here, here it is: Your time here will give you everything you want, everything you need and whatever may fall in-between. This place and these people will change you for the better if you let them.

I’m eternally grateful I did.

So, with this I bid a final farewell to the place that’s been my everything for the duration of my college (and postgraduate) career. I just had to say thank you one more time.

Love y’all so dearly. @McKenziMorrisDT

FAREWELL

To my friends, family & faith in West Texas, I’ll always be grateful

T

here are a few questions that run through my head every time I sit at my desk to write a column: Will my audience be better off having read this?

Will I be better off having written this? Will I leave this community, the people who have become family to me here, better off than when I first arrived?

These are the questions I’ve

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EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief McKenzi Morris (806) 742-3395 editor@dailytoreador.com Managing Editor Austin Watts managing@dailytoreador.com News Editor Adán Rubio news@dailytoreador.com La Vida Editor Akhila Reddy features@dailytoreador.com Sports Editor sports@dailytoreador.com Opinions Editor Robert Avila opinions@dailytoreador.com Multimedia Editor Ciara Perozzi photo@dailytoreador.com Digital Content Manager Ikechukwu Dike online@dailytoreador.com Copy Editor Tori McGee online@dailytoreador.com

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CORRECTIONS The DailyToreador strives for accuracy and fairness in the reporting of news.

If a report is wrong or misleading, a request for a correction or clarification may be made by calling (806) 742-3393 or emailing dailytoreador@ttu.edu.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION © Copyright 2019TexasTech University Student Media/The Daily Toreador. All DT articles, photographs and artwork are the property of The DT and Student Media and may not be reproduced or published without permission. The DailyToreador is a designated public forum. Student editors have the authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.

Robert Avila is a third-year law student from San Antonio.

carried in the back of my mind writing for this community I love for three years. Every time I write I consider the students on campus, my colleagues at the law school, Texas Tech alumni, the city of Lubbock and West Texas. I consider my friends, family and the people I grew up with. I consider myself and whether the words, sentences and paragraphs I write help me grow as a person, a writer and future lawyer.

I did not plan on becoming one of the main voices for the Opinions section at The Daily Toreador for three years. I didn’t think I’d have the time to write so often with law school, but the people in this newsroom and the excited energy and passion drew me in.

The Daily Toreador helped me find my voice. It changed the way I wrote, and it helped me understand my love of humor as a former satire columnist came from something deeper — a need to speak truth to power, a strong desire to discuss the things that are difficult in life and an understanding there is power to words.

Humor has always been my vehicle for truth, but the DT helped show me there were other ways to bring truth to my community. I learned there is strength in being vulnerable and sharing personal stories. That context above all else will always show the weakness of many political issues. And I learned about myself, how to speak truth through narratives I could build that make readers personally feel the perspective in every word I bring to a topic.

Every column is an imprint of my personal self.

From my first year using and trying to shift away from my roots in humor, my second using my understanding of the law, and my third combining all of that with my love for my community. Every column, every sentence and word I use, is chosen carefully with the desire to serve my community and grow personally.

Writing is how I understand and make sense of the world. And as a columnist and an editor this semester helping others find their voice, I can only hope my writing has helped others make sense

LETTERS The Daily Toreador welcomes letters from readers. Letters must be no longer than 300 words and must include the author’s name,

of the world themselves. If nothing else, I hope I was able to provide humor to this community the way I find it in every aspect of this strange and amazing world.

Here’s the thing; I am not a self-made man. You can trace a line through my past, through the many jobs I’ve had, the eight years of higher education, every work of writing I’ve ever had published, and understand that there were people who shaped me into the man I am today.

They shaped who I would become and helped me without ever expecting anything in return. These people have taught me to always accept others with loving, kindness and most importantly, forgiveness, and taught me to use what gifts I was provided in this world to help serve those the same way they helped me.

My faith, which this community has helped me grow, might lead me to call this idea continuing in God’s grace. I would just the same call it gratitude — recognizing what it is to be human, and know that in everything we do in life, relationships and people, will always be the most important part of our lives.

These are the people I have to express gratitude for these past three years: To start, I have to thank my friends from my first year of law school, our group we dubbed “The Firm.” Kevin, who I’ll always have to meet at Robin’s Nest. Kyle the first person I’d ask for life advice, his wife Erin and their fam-

signature, phone number, student ID number and a description of university affiliation. Students should include year in school, major and hometown. We reserve the right to edit letters. Anonymous letters will not be accepted for publication. All letters will be verified before they are published. Letters can be emailed to dailytoreador@ ttu.edu or brought to 180 Media and Communication. Letters should be sent in before 3 p.m. to ensure the editors have enough time to verify and edit the submission.

ily. Adam and his wife Elisha and their family, who have always been kind to me. Matt and Patrick, friends who became like brothers to me in law school. Hannah, the only girl in our group who we were all lucky enough to have keep us on track with classes.

I have to thank Lorenzo, my roommate from first year and best friend from college. I would not be at Tech without you or your parents, and I will always be grateful for your help. My friend Paige Foster, the kindest person I have ever met, her family and her cat Chloe — there is no friendship I think that could survive as much as ours has.

I cannot thank enough Professor Sutton, my mentor and the person responsible for every opportunity I’ve been grateful enough to have at the school. Professor Ramirez, our conversations on life that have helped me get through law school. Professor Camp for allowing me to come to his office and talk about everything except the subject of his courses I was in.

Professor Henry and Professor Drake for their extra help. And importantly, I have to thank Professor Casto and his generous gift this year of one of his old shirts that did not fit — it is comfortable, and it almost makes up for his previous gift, a D in his contracts course the first year of law school.

There are my mentors in the legal community — Ryan Turner, Judge Hernandez and Judge Benham. My neighbors in my apartment

complex, particularly my neighbor Marie who greets me every morning and promises I will be the best lawyer this world has ever known (who I would never show my GPA for fear of breaking her heart).

My church, my gospel community, my former editor Avery, one of my best friends, who has aided me in my faith.

Nathan and Emma, my close friends whose cat I lost on the first night watching her (sorry again, glad she made it home!). Sascha and the Texas Tech Club tennis team — our championship tournament in Arlington will always be one of my best memories.

If you can understand my love of this community, my friends, my family and my faith here, you can ask the girl from West Texas. She taught me the importance of just knowing there is someone in your life that accepts and cares for you.

Knowing I had a best friend who cared about me as much as you did, helped me more than you know. I will always be grateful to God for meeting you when I did, and my future wife will have our friendship to thank for these understandings.

These are the people I have to thank most for my work at the DT: My family, my mom and dad, my younger siblings my sisters Marissa and Angela, my brother Aaron, my Aunt Velma, my cousins and other family members too many to list. I am amazed with how much all of you have grown every time I see you and I

GUEST COLUMNS The Daily Toreador accepts submissions of unsolicited guest columns. While we cannot acknowledge receipt of all columns, the authors of those selected for publication will be notified. Guest columns should be no longer than 650 words in length and on a topic of relevance to the university community. Guest columns are also edited and follow the same guidelines for letters as far as identification and submittal.

could not not write what I do without all of you in my life.

My colleagues and friends at the DT, who laughed at even the most vulgar jokes I could tell. The long nights I spent with editors and my staff who I am proud to have watched grow. The advisers who I apologize now for not making every meeting with — thank you for the memories I will always cherish.

Most importantly I have my friends Gaige Davila and Gloria Matheson, your next opinions editor, to thank for getting me through this year and inspiring much of my writing. There is no one as passionate about journalism and writing as these two in my life, and there is no opinion or conversation I value more than theirs.

And of course, Texas Tech, Lubbock, West Texas — thank you for becoming my second home. Thank you for reading my work and that of my passionate colleagues at the DT, the best place I have ever worked for. I am a better person having lived here these past three years in this community I love, and I can’t thank you enough for it.

P.S. I forgot to mention my personal hero, Cody the horse. I was devastated to hear Fearless Champion had been injured last August but, Cody came through and performed to be the hero horse this school needed most in the clutch. We should all strive to be more like Cody. @DailyToreador

EDITORIALS Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The DailyToreador. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the editorial board, Texas Tech University, its employees, its student body or the Board of Regents. The DailyToreador is independent of the College of Media and Communication. Responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies with the student editors.

OPINIONS

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM

MAY 6, 2019

5

FAREWELL

Goodbye everyone, but don’t worry, I got it “W hat are you gonna get?”

Dad asked.

“A college degree!” 6-yearold me yelled excitedly.

I was saying I was going to earn a degree before I even knew what college was. My dad taught me well, I suppose. From an early age, I knew I was going to attend college however, it took me a while to figure out what career I wanted to pursue.

I wanted to be many things growing up: a pediatrician, a professional wrestler, a homicide detective, a meteorologist.

However, all those years, I was ignoring the one thing I seemed to show talent in — writing. My teachers saw it.

Other students saw it, but it took me a while to catch on.

Junior year of high school, I joined my tiny school news-

Tori McGee is a senior journalism major from Seymour.

paper and eventually became the editor-in-chief my senior year. Thus began my journey pursuing journalism.

I didn’t begin my college career as a Red Raider. In fact, I started as an Eagle at the University of North Texas.

Although I met some amazing people, I quickly realized Denton wasn’t the place for me. I was alone for the most part. I had no friends or family nearby; I had a job that I didn’t enjoy. My freshman year was rather dark, with some bright lights randomly thrown in.

I made the decision to trans-

fer to Texas Tech at the end of my freshman year, and I don’t regret it for a second.

Upon arriving, I applied to be a writer and editor for La Ventana, Tech’s yearbook (yes, we have a yearbook). Soon after I was hired however, I was asking myself what on Earth I had gotten myself into.

I would have two or three stories to work on simultaneously, sources would not respond to my emails or phone calls, and all the while, deadlines loomed around the corner like a black figure waiting to devour me. The workload nearly broke me, and as if that wasn’t enough, I decided to transition right around the corner to The Daily Toreador.

It was the same experience: deadlines, silent sources, multiple stories to write. I was nearly broken again.

But would I trade any of these hardships? Not at all.

Although there are several rainy days, the sunny days outshine all of them. I’ve gotten to cover several interesting events and stories during my time here and meet many interesting figures as well.

I have gotten to witness history being made, triumph and heartbreak.

In Student Media, I found a home away from home.

I found a very talented and supporting family. There are many individuals I must thank for helping me along in this journey. Where do I even start?

To my former boss, the amazingly talented and hardworking Davian Hopkins, thank you for taking a chance on me and allowing me to be part of Student Media three years ago. Has it really been that long? If you

hadn’t hired me, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

McKenzi Morris, thank you for all the support and encouragement you have given me these last two years. I know it wasn’t always easy running this publication, but you did it with such willpower and ease I don’t think I’ve ever seen in anyone before. Thank you for being such a great boss, and I wish you the very best in your future goals.

Sheri Lewis and Andrea Watson, two of the most professional, hardworking advisers, you both have taught me so much. I can’t thank you enough for all the help, support and critiques you have given me. You both have helped me to become a better writer and hone my skills to the best of my ability.

Finally, to one of my very best friends and the future Editor-inChief, Austin Watts, you have

also shown me immense support and encouragement these last two years. You always pushed me to keep going and pursue my dreams, even when I wanted to give up. You have tremendous talent, and I have no doubt you’ll take this publication to new heights next fall. The DT is in great hands, and I cannot wait to see what you will do.

I could go on, but there are far too many people to name.

The DT has been the experience of a lifetime and has helped kick-start my journalistic career. As I prepare to move on, I’ll never forget the people here who helped me along the way.

With that, my time here has come to an end. To my DT family, thank you for everything, and I will miss you all dearly. I love all of you. @ToriMcGeeDT

FAREWELL

Time with The DT more than just a picture in portfolio

C

oming to Texas Tech, I was dead-set on being a nurse. In high school I went through all the health-oriented classes and even received my Certified Nurse’s Assistant certification to prepare for it.

I knew the medical field would bring me stability, financial relief and instant approval from my family, but I worried it would bring boredom.

Fast forward to my freshman orientation pre-nursing seminar where I sat in the back of the room with my parents.

An overwhelming fear of living a life I never truly wanted in the first place came over me, and I immediately whispered to my family, “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

As my mom inappropriately, but understandably,

Ciara Perozzi is a junior electronic media and communication major from Commerce.

whisper-yelled at me while my father sat in awe, we made the decision to leave and speak with an adviser.

He asked me about my passions and what my ideal career would look like if I could paint it all into one large yet messy picture. After our conversation, I changed my major to journalism right then and there.

I thought that was all for life-changing moments of the day, but little did I know.

The next thing he did was show me to the front doors of

The Daily Toreador. He led me here, and I had no idea I had just walked into my home away from home for the first time.

This newsroom has given me more than I could ever put into one farewell column, but I guess I can try.

Looking back at these past few years as one of the youngest staffers here (ironically a DT dinosaur when I first arrived) I have learned more than I ever could have in a classroom. These people have seen qualities in me that I didn’t know were there, nurtured them, have given me confidence and contributed to a massive part of who I am.

I am so grateful for the people who have believed in me more than I could’ve ever believed in myself.

These people are my family.

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Every Wednesday night putting the paper together for the next day until 10 p.m., road trips, documenting Tech history and sweet sleeplessness has brought me memories that I hold closer to my heart than most.

As I sit here typing away in The DT conference room with tears streaming down my face, I don’t know if I ever realized how much this place meant to me until this moment.

So, I’ll leave with some thank you’s and advice before I cause water damage to my MacBook.

To my former boss, Justin Rex, and the future editor-inchief, Austin Watts, you two truly changed the course of my life.

Justin, you taught me everything I know about this job.

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build the multimedia family I knew was possible. Each one of you hold so much talent it’s unfair, and you have taught me more than I could have ever taught you. Always remember to hold your head as high as possible and let no one speak down to you.

You are valuable and gifted and worthy of entering any room you walk into. Like I always say, act confident and no one will question you.

If you are lucky enough to work here one day, I hope you learn like I did that it’s so much more than a job.

You will cherish every single laugh, piece of advice, DT watch party, night of exhaustion that turns to delusion and everything in between. @ctperozzi

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HELP WANTED

I walked in these doors petrified of looking dumb because I didn’t know how to work a camera and over a few semesters you gave me the confidence and knowledge to eventually become the editor after you.

Austin, you saw something in me to be an editor even when I definitely did not and continued to make me feel valued and talented.

After a little bit of coercion and “accidentally” emailing me the application, you led me to one of the best decisions I have ever made.

To all of the editors I have worked with this past year, your talent and hard work amazes and inspires me every day. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for each of you.

To my staff, thank you for allowing me to guide you and

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6

SPORTS

MAY 6, 2019

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM

BASEBALL

Wilson picks up unexpected start in left field

By MAX HENGST Staff Writer

Texas Tech baseball’s sophomore Kurt Wilson earned an unexpected start on May 1 and had a huge impact on the Red Raiders’ win after facing a nine-run deficit.

Wilson started this season as a pitcher and has thrown 14.2 total innings this year, according to Tech Athletics.

He posted a 6.14 ERA, giving up 14 hits, 10 earned runs and eight walks while striking 12 batters out at the mound.

After his 12 appearances at the mound this season, Wilson said head coach Tim Tadlock told him should prepare for a possible start in the second game against UTRGV. “During BP today (Tadlock) told me to be ready and I had a good chance of playing today,” Wilson said. “I tried to get mentally locked in this. This is serious.”

In the 46 games the Red Raiders have played this season, Wilson’s only playing time was at the pitcher’s mound.

“I actually thought I was

going to pitch,” Wilson said.

“Then I got to the ballpark and (Tadlock) was like, ‘be ready to go.’ I was like, ‘OK.’ I’m thinking pitching and then he was like, ‘left field’ so it was a different mindset I had to switch to.”

Although it was Wilson’s first time in the field this season, it was also his first time batting.

As Tech trailed UTRGV 9-0 in the second inning, the Red Raiders came back to tie the game after Wilson sent sophomore Cody Masters home to tie the game, 9-9, with a clutch hit to the left-center wall in the fourth inning.

“I just wanted to get my pitch,” Wilson said. “I haven’t seen a lot of pitching in a while.

I mean coach Tadlock got me a couple simulated, like we would hit in inner-squads and stuff, but live game I just wanted to get my pitch and attack it.”

Wilson’s hitting performance did not stop there. He then hit his first home run of the season in his first start of the year, giving Tech a 19-9 lead in the sixth inning.

LUIS PERALES & ADRIAN ROMERO/The Daily Toreador

LEFT: Sophomore Kurt Wilson throws his hands up in celebration after scoring a run during Texas Tech’s game against The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. RIGHT: Wilson pitches in the 10th inning during game one against Stetson on Sunday, March 24, 2019 at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. Wilson has started the last few games in left field for the Red Raiders.

“It was awesome, he’s been talking about it for weeks,” sophomore Gabe Holt said regarding Wilson’s start. “He got his chance and he shined, so that was good to see because we really need someone to step up big in left field, so that was good to see.”

Wilson finished his first game as a starter with three hits in his five at-bats, according to Tech Athletics. He also scored three of Tech’s 19 runs and earned three RBIs. Wilson also earned one home

SENIOR SENDOFF

ADRIAN ROMERO/The Daily Toreador

Senior infielder Jessica Hartwell hits a home run to put the Texas Tech softball team in the lead in game two against Kentucky on Sunday, May 5, 2019, at Rocky Johnson Field. The Red Raiders defeated the Wildcats, 9-6, to close out the regular season. For full coverage of the series against Kentucky, visit www.dailytoreador.com.

run and struck out once.

“I wanted to show the coaches I could play (left field), it’s not really a joke,” Wilson said. “I also wanted to prove to myself. I mean, I’ve been struggling a little bit on the mound, and I wanted to help this team someway to win. I feel like I could do it in left field.”

Last season, Wilson appeared in 23 games, starting in 14. In his 60 at-bats, he earned 11 hits, 11 RBIs, seven runs and a home run with a batting average of .183. Wilson said he was

waiting for the moment to get back to the outfield for a while.

“I played a little bit last year, probably got a couple starts,” Wilson said. “I mean for this year, I’ve been waiting for this for a while. I was bugging the coaches and bugging the coaches and finally, they gave me my chance.”

Wilson continued to start in left field as the Red Raiders traveled to Norman, Oklahoma. While posting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with eight catches and seven put-

outs, Wilson’s success at the plate continued. In 17 at-bats, he earned five hits, four runs and five RBIs, giving him the eighth-highest batting average on the team with a .308.

After the Red Raiders swept the Oklahoma Sooners for the first time in Norman, Oklahoma, since 1999, the team will head back home for a doubleheader against FIU on Tuesday. The first game will start at 2 p.m. with the second game following at 6:30 p.m. @MaxHengstDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Harden scores 41 as Rockets outlast Warriors HOUSTON (AP) — James Harden made a 3-pointer to finish off the Golden State Warriors in overtime.

Eric Gordon helped the Rockets get to that point with the best playoff performance of his career.

Harden scored 41 points, and Houston outlasted the Warriors 126-121 on Saturday night to cut the deficit in the Western Conference semifinals to 2-1.

A layup by P.J. Tucker put Houston up by three with about 2 minutes left and the Warriors missed shots on their next two possessions.

That set up the 3-pointer by Harden with 49 seconds left that made it 124-118.

Kevin Durant made three free throws after that, but

Harden added a layup to stretch the lead. Stephen Curry, who dislocated a finger in Game 2, missed a wide-open layup and Harden grabbed the rebound to secure the victory.

Gordon added a playoff career-high 30 points with a playoff-best seven 3-pointers.

“It’s all about bringing something to the table, offensively, defensively every single night to give yourself a chance to win,” he said.

Durant said Gordon was “very important” to Houston’s win.

“He kept them afloat for a while,” he said.

The Rockets withstood a 46-point performance from Durant and late surge by the Warriors to avoid falling into a 3-0

hole in the best-of-seven series.

Game 4 is Monday night in Houston.

Harden led the team despite recovering from injuries to both eyes he sustained in Game 2 when he was hit in the face by Draymond Green.

He said they didn’t bother him on Saturday, but both eyes remained bloody red in spots.

“That’s James. That’s what he does,” Houston coach Mike D’Antoni said.

Curry finished with 17 points on 7-for-23 shooting after missing two layups in overtime. He wouldn’t say if his injury was limiting him on Saturday night.

“I’ve just got to make those,” he said. “If I’m out there playing, I’ve got to produce and it just didn’t happen tonight.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Braun’s 6th hit of night lifts Brewers past Mets in 18 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Ryan Braun knew the best night of his career at the plate wouldn’t mean much if the Milwaukee Brewers didn’t win.

Braun made sure they did with his career-high sixth hit, a two-run single with one out in the 18th that lifted the Brewers to a 4-3 comeback victory over the New York Mets on Saturday night in the longest game in Miller Park history.

“That’s a game you badly want to win because if you do win it, it feels like you won two or three games,” Braun said. “If you lose, it feels like you lost 10.”

Braun stood on first base with his hands raised above his head as Yasmani Grandal slid across home plate with the winning run, ending the game that lasted 5 hours, 22 minutes. A jubilant bunch of Brewers ran out to greet Braun, who was the

only Milwaukee player to have multiple hits.

“We had 11 hits and one guy had six of them,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “That should say everything about how crazy this game was.”

The Mets took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 18th on Jeff McNeil’s run-scoring single off Taylor Williams (1-1), who was Milwaukee’s eighth and final pitcher. McNeil was thrown out at second base for the third out after trying to stretch his hit.

The Brewers — the last major league team to play an extra-inning game this season — were far from done.

Eric Thames then drew a leadoff walk from Chris Flexen (0-2), who got Mike Moustakas to fly out to center. But Flexen, just recalled from Triple-A Syracuse earlier in the day, walked Grandal and Travis Shaw to load the bases for Braun. The Brewers’ longest-tenured player hit a sharp grounder past first baseman Pete Alonso and into right field, scoring the tying and winning runs.

“I thought I had a chance to make a play,” Alonso said. “The corners were in, so I didn’t have much of a reaction time.”

Manager Mickey Callaway praised the overall performance of his staff after the Mets (16-17) fell below .500 for the first time this season.

“We threw the ball great,” Callaway said. “There at the end, we didn’t throw the ball over the plate. You give free passes, you’re going to be beat.”

Miller Park, which opened in 2001, had two previous 17-inning games, in 2003 and 2015. Both teams used eight pitchers and all of their position players in this one.

Alonso had tied the game in the ninth with a first-pitch, leadoff home run off Brewers reliever Junior Guerra.