The Index, Vol. 113 Issue 11

Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

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UNIVERSITY WILL HOLD IN-PERSON GRADUATION

Graduates stand as President Sue Thomas and Provost Janet Gooch speak. December 2021 commencement occurred in the Pershing Arena. Photo by Tim Barcus

Truman will not require masks for spring commencement MATT FRANK Managing Editor Truman State University will have its first traditional spring graduation ceremony since May 2019, and it will take place May 7 at Stokes Stadium.

Seating will be first come first served.

Students may invite as many guests as they would like to the graduation ceremony at the stadium. This is the first time in three years that students are not limited in their number of guests for a May commencement ceremony.

There will be bleachers brought in for

extra seating during the event. Guests can also bring their own chairs or blankets and sit on the banks of the field, similar to a football game, said registrar Nancy Asher.

In the event of inclement weather, the event will be split into two ceremonies and moved to Pershing Arena, which is where the December ceremony is held each year.

If this is the case, students have been given four rain tickets to give to their guests, as well as a ticket for themselves. This is due to the capacity of Pershing not being large enough to accommodate more than four guests for each graduate, Asher said.

The event will also be livestreamed

and available to view by anyone who is unable to attend in person, Asher said.

The link to the livestream will be available on the registrar website and the University’s YouTube channel.

The planning for the event has been continuous because of the changing situation in regards to COVID-19, Asher said.

“At the beginning of the semester, masks were still required, and we didn’t know where we would be in May based on COVID?” Asher said. “And so we felt we couldn’t make for certain plans until we knew kind of the direction the University was going.”

Some students have voiced their opinion on this semester’s commencement ceremony.

“Graduation is a recognition of hard work and success,” senior Patrick Bentlage said. “I’m looking forward to it being in-person.”

Assistant registrar Kaytee Wood said planning for commencement begins when the last ceremony ends. Wood said rooms for the December commencement ceremony have already been reserved.

See GRADUATION page 3

House fire affects Cooper, Fox win two students stugov elections SYDNEY ELLISON Features & Opinions Editor

The fire mostly affected the back porch and kitchen. The house owners, Rayni Hartman and Carissa Campbell, were alerted to the fire by their neighbors. Submitted photo

VOLUME 113 ISSUE 11 © 2022

Seniors Rayni Hartman and Carissa Campbell woke up to pounding on their window and shouts of warning. Around 1:15 a.m. April 13, their sleep-addled minds first credited the disruption to a dream, but as the warnings continued and the shouts of “fire” and “get out” became clear, Hartman and Campbell quickly woke and rushed to exit the house.

A fire had broken out on their back porch and was gaining traction toward the entire house.

“I looked around the back corner of the house and I saw the back porch was engulfed in fire,” Hartman said. “We didn’t even hear the smoke alarms until we were heading out the front door.”

After rushing out of the house, Hartman was informed that the police had already been called and on their way. Campbell said it took the fire department less than five minutes to arrive on the scene.

The fire had since spread to their kitchen which was the first room connected to the back porch. The fire also affected the attic.

Hartman said the fire took about an hour and a half to stop.

See FIRE page 6

SETH JARVIS Staff Writer

The spring 2022 student government elections were held from April 4 to April 8 on the student government website.

Students had the opportunity to vote for president and vice president, senior and voting senators, along with the Funds Allotment Council chair.

Junior Kennedy Cooper was elected president in this election. She was the chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee on student government for 2021-2022. Her running mate was junior Esther Fox who was the chair of the Health and Wellness committee for 2021-2022.

Cooper and Fox wanted to run together for the executive position to have a more direct route to accomplish goals and work with administration. Along with this, Cooper and Fox want to broaden the scope of issues that student government focuses on.

They said the former leaders, Shania Montufar and Ethan Kershaw, did a great job and that they want to continue the good work. The two ran unopposed.

See STUGOV page 6

Graphic by Rachel Becker

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The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

SAB hosts goat yoga on the quad

On Tuesday, April 12, SAB hosted goat yoga on the quad from 4 to 6 p.m. The next SAB event will be 7 p.m. April 23. with Noah Cyrus and special guest Valley.

Photos by Rachel Becker

The yoga instructor was Tarasa Gardner, a local yoga teacher. She is the owner of You, Yourself, and Yoga in Kirksville.

The goats could climb on the attendents as they stretched. 120 people attended the event.

Students participating in goat yoga. Goats were encouraged to interact with participants.

Crime Reports DPS & KPD 04/08 Peace disturbance reported at the 600 block of Mulanix St.

Attendees could feed the goats animal crackers. SAB played relaxing music throughout the event.

04/08 Warrant issued at the 1300 block of Harrison St.

04/08 Trespassing reported on Quail Drive

04/08 Warrant issued at the 200 block of 7th St. in La Belle

04/08 Driving with revoked license at the 400 block of Cottonwood St.

04/11 Peace disturbance reported at the 600 block of Mulanix St.

04/08 Selling of drugs reported at the 600 block of Meadow Crest Dr.

04/12 Burglary reported at the 400 block of Franklin St.

04/08 Drug possession reported at the 600 block of Meadow Crest Dr.

04/12 Driving with suspended license reported at the 1300 block of Blueberry Way

04/08 Drug possession reported at the 500 block of Fourth St.

04/13 Driving with revoked license reported at the 600 block of Main St.

04/08 Drug possession reported at the 400 block of Franklin St.

04/13 Driving with suspended license reported at the 1300 block of Blueberry Way

04/08 No valid license reported at the 1200 block of Walnut St.

04/13 Shoplifting reported at the 100 block of Vine St.

04/08 Warrant issued at the 500 block of Missouri St

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

The Index

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US Senate candidate visits Kirksville JACK RATLIFF Staff Writer With Roy Blunt’s retirement announcement, a wide array of candidates have emerged to fill Missouri’s second seat in the United States Senate. One such candidate, Spencer Toder, stopped at DuKum Inn in Kirksville March 30 while on his campaign trail.

He stated his dreams and ambitions for the state as well as the nation, and brought vouchers for free drinks and free appetizers as a token of goodwill. He spoke in front of a respectably sized crowd of around 15 before wading into the crowd to meet and speak with each table.

The Democratic pool of Missouri sen-

ate candidates is crowded, with some frontrunners, including the Busch family heiress and a former Marine. The depth of contenders does not bother Toder however.

He said the other candidates are appealing to large fundraising donors, and the ordinary people have been left behind.

He said candidate Trudy Busch Valentine was an opportunist, only announcing her candidacy the day before the meeting.

Toder said her entry into the race hasn’t impacted his campaign plans at all because they are appealing to different bases and because he has a year’s head start.

Toder spoke of his origins as the founder of a startup company and his subsequent decision to run for office because of

his desire to seek the most impactful thing he could do at the current stage of his life.

He explained that he hosts events at local colleges instead of for large, corporate donors because his whole campaign message is to make people’s voices heard. “[The] donors already have their voices being heard … they have the means and can do whatever they want,” Toder said.

“As someone who hasn’t always had the means, I know how hard it is to feel like you’re not being heard. That’s what it feels like to be young … it feels like there’s nothing you can do or say that makes a difference, and that’s not true.”

He said many politicians completely discredit and ignore the youth vote. How-

ever, he said, few politicians reach out to college age voters to get their input and views on important and relevant issues.

He gave a message to college students who may not be interested in politics or who believe it does not pertain to them.

“I would say that if you don’t think politics is important, you are either coming from a place of privilege or you don’t realize just how much it impacts your life,” Toder said.

The primary elections will be held August 2 to decide the Republican and Democratic nominees, and the election for Roy Blunt’s seat will be November 8.

Toder sits and discusses his campaign with students at the DuKum Inn. Toder hopes to replace Blunt as a Missouri Senator. Photo by Anakin Bush

GRADUATION| Truman will host a maskless, nondistanced commencement Continued from page 1 Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the commencement ceremony has taken many different forms.

“Every commencement ceremony has been different since COVID started,” Asher said. “So, that’s been a challenge, coming up with a new plan every single time.”

During the May 2020 ceremony, the event was completely virtual, with the only people present being those necessary for the conferring of the degrees. The December 2020 event was in-person, in Pershing Arena, with no guests. Each student had to sit six feet apart and remain masked.

The May 2021 event consisted of seven ceremonies inside Pershing Arena. This allowed for students to have two guests each.

“Every commencement ceremony has been different since COVID started. So, that’s been a challenge, coming up with a new plan every single time.”

- Nancy Asher Registrar Janet Gooch, Sue Thomas address the graduates in December 2021. Each graduate was allowed to bring two guests. Photo by Tim Barcus

Commencement during COVID-19

Graphic by Rebekah Nelson

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Goodbye, Index Seniors!

Some of The Index seniors stand together in the newsroom. Stevie Findley Jr., Anakin Bush, Rachel Becker, and Jinyu Li will be graduating at the end of the semester. Photo Illustration by Genevieve Tlustos.

In defense of the compact disc

Be safe at graduation SAVANNAH KLUESNER AND JACK RATLIFF STAFF WRITERS

music to specifically sound the best through that medium. As a result, no other medium will pack quite the punch as a CD. Another advantage of owning a compact disc is that nothing can take it away from you once you own it. While streaming has blown up in popularity due to the wide availability of music at the tip of your fingers, sometimes the artist will remove their music from a streaming service, or the site itself could crash (like Spotify on International Women’s Day).

However, there is absolutely no chance of anything like this happening with a CD. Once it is in your possession, the artist cannot take it back. If the CD is recalled for whatever reason, you will now have a major collector’s item on your hands.

However, for us, CDs have a personal impact as well. Used CDs have a personality of their own. Although compact discs have a reputation of being fragile, in reality, many of our used CDs were first produced in the early 90’s. As such, they are older than we are and contain stories of their lives before they belonged to us. Like beloved used books, used CDs may have cracked cases or may be missing pages from their jackets, but all of these imperfections give us a hint about who might have owned them previously. Similarly, there is a sense of solidarity in knowing that someone else loved an album before you did. Even though modern streaming services allow you to see how many people like the album, track or artist, actually holding evidence of the connection in your hands is a completely different story.

The decision to have this semester’s May commencement ceremony without limitations on the number of guests and no mask requirements, which is in line with the University’s guidelines, has some seniors happy and some students worried about the consequences of the large event.

At The Index, we believe that while it seems that many seniors are happy that May commencement is returning to how it was before COVID-19, we are still wary of any consequences this may bring.

We have noticed many graduating students are excited to be allowed to bring their entire family to the ceremony to celebrate their years of hard work. Some students have large families, and being able to bring them all to the event is a great feeling.

It has also been a very long time since there has been an in-person May commencement, which is much larger than the December commencement ceremony. We have seen that bringing back this tradition has made a lot of seniors and their families happy.

However, with that in mind, it is highly debated whether or not the pandemic is behind us. Bring-

While streaming makes listening to music more convenient than ever, there is something to be said for having a tangible copy of what you are listening to, whether that be vinyl records, which have become more and more popular, or cassette tapes, which are becoming attractive as exclusive items for top fans of many artists. However, perhaps one of the most overlooked, yet most appealing, methods of listening to music is the somewhat archaic compact disc, or CD. While some argue CDs are too fragile or bulky, we insist there is nothing like listening to your favorite artist on a compact disc.

One of the most compelling reasons to give CDs a try is the simple fact that they sound much better. According to Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., of ThoughtCo, CDs work using binary code and a system of compressed divots in the surface of the disc. Because of the nature of laser printing, CDs contain data that are less compressed than audio files available electronically, and are therefore naturally louder and cleaner than streamed music or even vinyl, as stated

by Tony van Veen of Disc Makers, a blog dedicated to the appreciation of compact discs. It is exactly these qualities that make CDs enjoyable, whether you listen to them over large speakers, headphones or the small speakers of a car. For albums released in the era of CDs, the artist created and mixed the EDITORIAL POLICY: The Index is published Thursdays during the academic year by students at Truman State University, Kirksville, MO 63501.

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VOLUME 113

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ing in a large number of people from different regions could also bring in other illnesses.

Truman has only two documented cases of COVID-19 that are either active or in isolation as of April 12, according to truman.edu/coronavirus/ reporting. Some have concerns of this number rising for the Truman and Kirksville community when large amounts of people travel to the area.

Some concerns have been raised about the decision that students who are immunocompromised would have to make. Should they go to this largescale in-person event, or to skip out on a celebration of their newly earned degree. The same goes for guests that may be immunocompromised.

There is also the possibility of inclimate weather resulting in the event being moved to the Pershing Arena.

If this is the case, there will not be the added benefit of fresh moving air that the outdoors ensures. However, if this is the case, graduates will be limited to four guests, which is still a large number of people. But we still recognize that the risk of spread is lower, and that the decision has been made with much thought.

Contact Contact

Submit corrections or contact the editor.

index.editor@truman.edu index.editor@gmail.com

660-785-4449

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Rachel Becker, editor-in-chief I know brevity is a skill among journalists, one I should probably work on. But my four years at The Index cannot be summed up in 350 words, or even 500 words. The relationships I have developed here and the skills I have evolved are so transformational that trying to put them into writing seems futile.

I was lucky enough to find my niche freshman year when I first walked into the newsroom and was able to call it my second home for years. At the time, I was an eager photojournalist who didn’t know a thing about newspapers. Through the help of the editors at the time, especially Ryan Pivoney, I worked my way up to News and Photo Editor. I treated my volunteer position at The Index as my full-time job, spending time in the office, brainstorming page designs and figuring out ways to improve the newspaper.

During my time at Truman State University, many people have told me “newspaper is dead” and “print journalism is a thing of the past”. However, I strive to prove them all wrong. That is what this office is all about. The Index has been a news outlet for the Kirksville and University community since 1909, and I am so honored to be a part of its rich history. The skills taught in our newsroom are the principles of journalism, and we work hard to grow future journalists. This learning lab, and yes, The Index is a newspaper made by only students, and is a place where students can learn to grow and explore the world of journalism.

Yes, we make mistakes. My first story was so poorly written that the sources contacted both my adviser, the communication department chair and the deans. We all make mistakes, and the mistakes of journalists are not easily forgotten. We sometimes print names wrong, or mislabel captions, but no matter what, we hold ourselves accountable and work to make things right.

Journalism, and my time in the newsroom, has taught me that there is no such thing as perfect. You can always get a better photo, a stronger quote or a juicer story, but what matters is taking pride in what you do. I am so insanely proud of the work the staff at The Index has done.

I am proud of the work I created, and how my voice and interests are reflected in each piece. For my next step, I am seeking a Master’s in Journalism, but I am still deciding where I will pursue my degree. Truman has truly been a transformative experience for me, both in the classroom and out.

As for The Index, Genna Tlustos will be taking over the role of Editor-in-Chief. I know she will do amazingly in the position. Ever since Genna started working with me in the news section, I knew she would be the next leader. She has the drive for journalism and a curiosity that is crucial to our field. As I have been training her, I can see that she has fresh ideas and lots of potential for her next year as EIC. Genna, I see a passion for truth in you, and don’t let anyone dim that. Good luck next year, but you won’t need it since you have the skill.

There are some other people I would like to address in particular: Trevor, thank you so much for staying by my side for another four years. You have been my best friend and my biggest supporter when it comes to my nerdy pursuits (first “the yearbook girl” now

“the newspaper girl”). Thank you again for keeping me sane during work nights, always picking up a copy of the paper and even being our podcast editor. I cannot wait to see where you are going to end up.

People like you are one in a million and I know you’re made for greatness.

Anakin, I had no clue you were someone I would end up spending over half my senior year within this office. I have seen you change from a new staff writer who didn’t know AP style to a managing editor who can get the whole news section done before midnight. It has been a pleasure working by your side, and I want to thank you for being the rock in the office during the chaos of a Tuesday night.

Ryan, I know you might not even see this. For those of you who don’t know, Ryan was my first editor at The Index, and the EIC before me. He made me realize my passion for journalism and writing.

He was one of the first people to instill the confidence in me that I needed. I want to thank him for seeing something I didn’t even see in myself.

Truman, please keep supporting the extracurricular activities and co-curricular activities that your students enjoy. These experiences give people a sense of community, something so dear to the mission Truman has. My experience at the newspaper was also essential to my education, as it gave me real-world experiences and connections.

To a younger Rachel, lift your head up, girl. I had no clue I would find the community I did in this office, and the purpose that the newspaper gave me each week helped get me through some of the toughest times in my life. This paper, and the people that make it up, gave me something that no journalism class could. Confidence. For the first time in my life, I am genuinely proud of my work and who I am as a person. The people in this newsroom are all here for each other, and care for one another. That is the type of community we need more of at Truman.

Dear reader, the most important part of all of this. You are what gets me up in the morning, what drives me to learn more.

Journalism is a deep love for educating others. We work hard to track down stories, sources and the truth of the matter for you.

We wish to keep our readers well informed and entertained with our publication.

Without you, The Index would not have the recognition it does. So thank you, whether you pick up a copy every Thursday or this is your first look.

Anakin Bush, managing editor Hello, I am Anakin Bush, the managing editor of The Index. I graduate in less than a month, which hasn’t really hit me yet and is kind of terrifying. I have been the managing editor for the last year, and before that, I was the assistant news editor.

I would just like to thank some people who have been very impactful to me during my time here. Thank you to Don Krause. If I didn’t take his media writing class three years ago, I wouldn’t have been influenced to join The Index. Thank you to everyone I have worked with at The Index over the last three years. I have learned so much and had a lot of fun working with all these wonderful people. The last person I would like to thank is Rachel Becker. I learned almost everything about reporting and page design from her, so I really appreciate the patience and care she has shown to me and everyone else on the staff.

The next step for me is to head to the Jefferson City News-Tribune as

a reporter, so that’s exciting. Thank you again to everyone who has read and supported The Index, and please continue to support us. I know the incoming editorial board is going to do an amazing job.

Steven Findley Jr., sports editor Hello to those who skim enough of the paper to maybe glance at this little ole’ senior goodbye column. My name is Steven Findley Jr., and I’ve been a part of The Index for a year and a half. This year I served as the sports editor for the paper and am grateful to former editor-in-chief Rachel Becker for reaching out to me (a staff-writer at the time) about filling the position.

I’ve learned so much at The Index, such as using different softwares to construct the pages and honing my journalistic skills in terms of interviewing and writing. Sports are my passion, and being able to put that passion into the ink that fills these pages has given me so much joy and satisfaction. I’ve gotten to grow closer with the athletic community here, even as a non-athlete. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll give anybody that asks for it a couple buckets at the Student Recreation Center on any given Friday evening, but my main enthusiasm comes in the form of analyzing and enjoying the sports ultimately as a spectator.

I’m sitting here during the final Monday work night of my brief collegiate newspaper career, not really taking it all in maybe how I should.

I feel no sadness for ending my time here and am grateful to the editors alongside me and the writers who really deserve a lot of the credit for what we achieve here. The Index is an award winning newspaper, and I think it represents this community that we

have at Truman to the highest degree.

Thank you for supporting The Index and continuing to support the new leadership that will be filling editorial positions and the fresh minds that will be writing not underneath, but alongside those who dedicate themselves to what student journalism is really all about. I’ll be heading back to Kansas City as I try to navigate what I can contribute to this world through my passion, one way or another. I want to end it off with a final quote: “The newspaper is a greater treasure to the people than uncounted millions of gold” - Henry Ward Beecher.

Jinyu Li, designer Hi, I’m Jinyu Li, a senior graphic design major and a designer at the Index. I was not by any means an art student, but I like going to museums and learning about drawings and coloring. It was a hard start for me to learn all the new softwares, like Photoshop, Illustrator and so on. But I know this is what I like, this is the art I want to create. I want to create something visually

pleasing. After a few years of working, I finally came into the department of The Index. I think The Index really gave me an opportunity to fully realize my ability, to actually express my passion in a work environment. It has given me confidence and also the chance to know my limits. Go learn what you like and feel what your interests can bring to you.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS| Kennedy and

Fox want to continue to advocate for diversity Continued from page 1 Cooper and Fox said they have four main issues they will focus on as executives. Their first project is diversity. They want to ensure the LGBTQ+ community remains supported, add gender discrimination to the non-discrimination policy, encourage faculty diversification and revise intercultural perspectives to be focused on more modern issues and world affairs.

The second project Cooper and Fox want to work on is campus culture. They want to help increase enrollment, provide more transparency on how student fees are spent and begin to reframe the athletics fee, which will take a few years.

The third project is to help the campus environment. They want to provide stronger communication between student government and the various environmental groups on campus, provide information on how to be sustainable at Truman in self and society courses, and work on improving and supporting the university garden.

Their fourth project is health, wellness and safety. They will continue the discussion of COVID-19 and its impact on students, work to have the University Counseling Services and Student Health Center be more accessible and work to have more mental health programming from student government along with establishing a Mental Health Designee position to work with student government. Cooper and Fox

also seek to provide more avenues of support for mental health on campus.

Cooper and Fox encourage everyone to get involved with student government.

Their meetings are every Sunday at 5 p.m. in the sub conference room and are open to the public. In addition to this, there are associate senator positions that almost any student can apply for. The time commitment for this measures at about an hour a week with one meeting.

Sophomore Santino Bono was elected to be a senior senator for the upcoming year.

Previously, he has been a voting senator, sub-committee chair for the Purple Friday Committee and a member of the Academic Affairs Committee for 2021-2022. He explained he was motivated to remain on the body by seeing the impact that student government has had, such as the success of the LGBTQ+ resource center.

As a senior senator he will be responsible for helping new senators learn about the various procedures and rules of student government.

Bono said, “Despite tons of different opinions on the body, I’ve never met a member that I’ve super disliked. You can always find redeemable qualities in all of these people because they have a desire to represent thousands of people and you can respect that,” Bono said.

Bono Santino wants to see student government continue to push to address men-

tal health support on campus. He wants to work with groups in student government to make progress on things such as making mental health resources more accessible for people on campus.

Freshman Colleen O’Reilly was elected to be a voting senator in this election.

Before this, she was an incoming senator elected in fall 2021 and was on the external affairs committee. O’Reilly said she was on student government in high school, which motivated her to continue in college.

She said student government does important work, such as launching the LGBTQ+ resource center, so she wanted to become part of it.

O’Reilly said she tries to put the message of student government out on campus and receive input from people around her.

She asks people in her club meetings about activities that student government is doing or what they believe the body should be doing. She also makes sure to communicate with her friends regarding it as well.

Sophomore Alicia Stout was first elected to student government for the first time this semester.

“In high school I was really involved in student government.” Stout said. “After talking to Santino Bono, and talking about how student government runs and what voices they’re looking for, I felt reunited with that interest of mine, which is what drove me to run,” Stout said.

Alicia said she was additionally motivated by seeing all that student government has accomplished so far this year with the success of the LGBTQ+ resource center.

She wanted to be a part of the organization.

Access to mental health and disability services are two important issues to Stout.

She knows people around her who have struggled with finding adequate services, so she wants to push for people to have greater access to those needs. Along with this, she wants to continue pushing for diversity and inclusion on campus because Truman is home to a diverse array of people. Stout said she is excited to represent queer people and their interests on student government.

Sophomore Owen Smith was the elections administrator for the spring 2022 elections. Turnout for this election has increased when compared to fall 2021, but is still less when compared to spring 2021, Smith said. Around 10% of the University turned out for this election. Smith said he was not surprised or concerned about the turnout, as a small turnout is typical for student government elections at Truman.

Smith said recruitment for candidates was difficult this year with only six candidates being declared by the deadline before elections. However, a large number of candidates signed up to run on the day of the deadline. Ultimately, 20 candidates ran for election.

FIRE| None were harmed in the fire, but property damage persists Continued from page 1 During that time, Hartman and Campbell called their friends, Sophia Decker and Dara Fitzmaurice, to arrange a place to stay for the rest of the night. Hartman said people who lived nearby offered bottled water and food to them.

One person even brought their dog over to let Hartman and Campbell destress by petting the dog.

“I am just so overwhelmed with how much support and help we received, especially people who didn’t even know us who were just walking by and saw it happening. They came up and made sure everyone was okay,” Hartman said.

While they were waiting for the fire to stop, Hartman and Campbell discussed what items they hoped would be okay.

The first thing that came to mind was their cap and gown for graduation. It was the first thing they grabbed once the house was clear for entry.

The fire did not affect either of the women’s rooms and they were able grab as many things as they could under the fire department’s supervision.

Once at Decker and Fitzmaurice’s house, Hartman and Campbell recall having trouble falling asleep. Campbell recalls feeling like she was going to hear the same pounding and yelling that had originally alerted her to the fire, so it took her a while to relax. The same feelings continued to affect her for a few days after.

“On Wednesday morning, when we

got back to our friends house and were trying to fall asleep, I kept hearing that guy’s voice, the sound of him banging on thewindow and him saying ‘get up, get up, get out’,” Hartman said.

Hartman and Campbell said their families were relieved to hear they both were okay. Both students are thankful for the support of their friends and family. The nursing department reached out to Hartman in the aftermath of the fire to offer help with taking stuff out of the house and donating supplies. Both of the seniors said their professors were completely understanding, so they don’t feel behind in any classes.

The fire was a freak accident, according to Hartman. The fire department’s unofficial cause was a powerline that could’ve sparked and hit the porch. The fire didn’t reach either of their bedrooms so most of their personal belongings were safe. “[The next day] was a mess, like think of your most chaotic day and probably times that by 5,” Campbell said. “We went in there to get our stuff packed up — our back door was blown off — we started in the kitchen, and it was just the water and debris soaked into our shoes, and my feet were soaked, and it was cold. It just sounded gross, and it looked super eerie.”

Hartman and Campbell’s landlord reached out after the event to offer an empty apartment for them to live in for the remainder of their year. They said it took a lot of stress off their back to have a new place to live figured out so quickly.

The fire took place at the end of Hartman and Campbell’s senior years. It came after living in the house for two years.

To end the year, both Hartman and Campbell hope there are no more disruptions and that they can make positive memories of their last few weeks on campus.

“It made me more thankful for my material items, my support, my roommate of course ‘cause we had to go through that together,” Campbell said. “Overall, it has really humbled me and made me a lot more grateful for what I have.”

There is significant damage where the fire burned. The unofficial cause of the fire is a sparking powerline. Submitted photo The fire mostly affected the kitchen and living space. Both women were not harmed. Submitted photo

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Burden remains mayor after city council elections KENNEDY COOPER Staff Writer Kirksville City Council Elections occurred April 5. Out of nine candidates, Zac Burden, Kabir Bansal and Jennifer Walston won the three open seats Burden and Walston were incumbents, and Bansal was elected for the first time.

The other candidates on the ballot were Wesley Gerber, Kevin Alm, Dana (Danny) McDowell, Robert Prough, Stepha-

nie Deren and Jessica Parks.

1,571 people voted in the Kirksville City Council Election. Voters had the opportunity to choose three candidates, so there were 4,361 total votes cast.

The winners of the election were sworn in at a special meeting of the Kirksville City Council that occurred April 11.

In Kirksville, city council members are elected at large, and then the mayor is elected by the city council members.

“I want to encourage people to think about what it means to be involved at a local level.”

- Zac Burden, Kirksville Mayor Burden was reelected as mayor of Kirksville with John Gardner being elected as Mayor Pro-Tempore.

“As a member of the council I vote like any other member of the council does,” said Burden.

“In many ways you

could look at it as a Speaker of the House.”

The voter turnout in the election throughout Adair County was lower than it has been in recent years, despite the number of registered voters increasing. There are a total of 14,622 registered voters in Adair County.

In this election, only 14.2% of registered voters voted. In the April 2021 election, there was a turnout of 20.03% and in Nov. 2020, there was a turnout of 69.78%.

According to Burden, there were only seven votes cast at the Student Union Building, which is the polling place for Truman students who live on campus.

“Turnout in this election is probably some of the lowest I have seen,” said Burden. “I want to encourage people to think about what it means to be involved at a local level.”

Adair County city council election results

Source: KTVO Missouri Municipal Election Results

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

9

detours

ursStudent brings tattoo art to Truman

ours detours JAYDON DAWSON Staff Writer

Truman State University sophomore Larissa Wratney said she’s always been interested in the art of tattooing. When she was finally able to get one at the age of 18, Wratney knew she wanted more tattoos.

“I was really, really broke, and I was like, you know, I think it would be cheaper if I just bought the supplies myself,” Wratney said.

That realization led her to YouTube, where she watched tutorial after tutorial on stickand-poke tattoos. For the uninitiated in this DIY craft, stick-and-pokes are tattoos that are applied at home without the use of a machine. The artist uses a single needle to make small, individual “pokes,” which translate ink to exposed skin in much the same way a tattoo machine does.

Wrantely said she found that both the packs of sterilized needles and tattoo ink were fairly cheap and easily available online. She said while getting supplies was straightforward, the actual process was a little daunting at first.

“Actually figuring out what I was doing in the process was definitely a learning curve,” Wratney said. The first one that I gave myself, I had to stop in the middle cause I almost passed out. I’m beyond that now, thankfully.”

Wratney loved the process of applying stick-and-pokes and grew passionate about her chosen art. She said that she enjoys watching how far she’s come in the process.

“I’ve given myself a lot … I have a lot of different degrees of good and bad tattoos on myself,” Wratney said. “ When I was starting out they were a little rough … and they don’t look bad, even still, but I think it’s kind of cool because every tattoo that I do on myself, it’s like I can track the progress of how my skill has increased over time.”

Her favorite tattoo she’s given to herself takes inspiration from a poem called “The Two-Headed Calf” by Laura Gilpin. The poem describes a two-headed calf who isn’t going to survive the night, but sees twice as many stars in the sky when he looks up.

Wratney said she saw the poem a long time ago, and it always stuck with her.

She said she saw a TikTok artist that drew illustrations for the poem and got permission to use one as a tattoo. Copying other people’s designs is something that Wratney said she’s very careful about.

“I don’t wanna upset anybody,” Wratney said. “So I very much want to avoid that. Especially if I want to maybe continue.”

She initially did about three to five tattoos on herself, and then about a month later, started to give them to friends. Wratney said giving these stick-and-pokes is often a bonding experience, since she’s physically very close to a client for an extended period of time.

“I gave this guy a tattoo once, and then I started dating him,” Wratney said. “It’s directly a result of the fact that I had to spend so much time giving him this tattoo, so that was funny.

There is this person from my high school who I tattooed four or five times over the summer … and it was just really cool to connect with her in a way I just hadn’t before because we had to spend so much time together.”

Beyond just clients, Wratney has found a community of other stick-and-poke artists through the internet. She said the stick-and-poke sub Reddit is one of her favorite resources, and users are always willing to share constructive criticism and support.

She connected with a stick and poke artist in Pennsylvania who gives tattoos for a living, and gives Wratney advice and inspiration.

Wratney has given about 40 tattoos so far, and while most of them were done over the summer, she’s performed a fair amount on students in Kirksville. When people approach her, they usually have a design in mind.

“I’ve sketched some stuff out for people before, or people have been like, ‘Okay, I want this design,’ and either works for me,” Wratney said.

Before getting a stick-and-poke, she said people should consider that they usually take a lot longer than machine tattoos, and while it hurts the same amount, stick-andpokes will generally heal faster.

She also said to make sure the tattoo artist is being safe and performing proper sanitary procedures throughout the appointment.

“Especially, with home tattoos it’s just like, that can go wrong very quickly, and if something gets infected, that will ruin the tattoo, ruin your skin. ” Wratney said.

urs

Find Larissa Wratney on Instagram at wrattattoo or linktr.ee/ wrattattoo

Three faces are tattooed on the upper arm of Larissa Wratney. Wratney freehanded this tattoo. Submitted photo

VOLUME 113

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A two-headed cow tattoo tattooed by Larissa Wratney on her shin. It is inspired by a poem titled “The Two-Headed Calf” by Laura Gilpin. Submitted photo Sydney Ellison said that she felt very confident while getting her tattoo done by Wratney. She wanted one for a while, and when a friend told her about Wratney’s stick-andpokes, Ellison reached out through Instagram.

She said she was drawn to how accessible and affordable stick-and-pokes are compared to professional tattoo shops, and that they generally heal faster.

Ellison has always been into art, and her tattoo is a three-star design that she likes to doodle.

“Yes I am very happy. I draw that a lot on the edges of my paper, so it felt right for that to be my first tattoo,” Ellison said.

Even though she describes it as a fairly painful process, Ellison said she would definitely do it again.

Wratney’s not sure what the future holds, but she wants her stick and pokes to be involved.

“I know I don’t want to stop,” Wratney said. “I don’t know about a career …I’m just still working on cultivating my skill and technique, and if it’s a possibility, if that could turn into something more than a hobby, then I would absolutely love that.”

A rain cloud is tattooed on a leg. Wratney does stick-and-poke tattoo’s on herself and for others. Submitted photo

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The Index

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Father John Misty’s new album is perplexing JACK RATLIFF Staff Writer The earliest I’d ever heard of Father John Misty was when my ultra-hipster friend became obsessed with the artist, proudly sporting homemade merch. So when it was suggested that I review his latest album, “Chloë and the Next 20th Century,” I had mixed feelings. Hipster indie music usually is not my preference, but I am always curious about what others listen to and enjoy. Unfortunately, listening to the album did not clear up my mixed feelings, and in fact, only confused them further.

“Chloë and the Next 20th Century” can be best described as an interesting fusion of modern folk and retro 1940’s and 1950’s swing, evoking images of a smokey nightclub where everyone is dressed to the nines. This format allows artist Joshua Tillman, better known as Father John Misty, to showcase the versatility of his voice, somehow able to fit in with the crooners of fifties and the folk heroes of modern acclaim. The album’s 50 minute runtime also allows for the singer to demonstrate his highly praised songwriting skills.

The album’s opener, “Chloë,” sets the tone for the rest of the album, providing the retro swing feel that permeates the album. “Goodbye Mr. Blue,” a gentle folksy tune, is arguably the greatest song on the record, chronicling the heartbreaking story of the singer’s cat dying in his arms. Seriously, try to listen to this song while snuggling a cat without crying! It would probably be best to have tissues handy. “The Next 20th Century” starts modestly enough but builds to an excellent rock style crescendo that will make the rockers happy.

The album is supposed to be a concept album, which if you’ve read my previous reviews, you will know just how much I worship concept albums. Typically, concept albums are a collection of songs that share a common theme or tell a specific story, and

Graphic by Jinyu Li they often require an intense amount of work on the part of the artist. This attention and dedication to the craft is precisely why I typically enjoy concept albums. However, this album does not quite scratch the same itch as other concept albums. “Chloë and the Next 20th Century” does have a uniting musical tone that stays fairly consistent throughout the entirety of the album, which gives credence to the fact that it is intended to be a concept album. However, the lyrical content was baffling and borderline pretentious that it was difficult to detect a narrative being told. Perhaps repeated and concentrated listens will increase one’s enjoyment, but for the casual listener, the evidence of a uniting concept feels to be absent.

“Chloë and the Next 20th Century” is an excellent addition to the vast catalog of sad boy indie music that is currently taking college campuses by storm. Even casual listening had me feeling like a sad boy hipster with an increased desire to hug my cat.

However, for this particular reviewer, the album evokes mixed emotions, meeting my expectations but not going quite far enough to surpass them. “Chloë and the Next 20th Century” was not my cup of tea, but give it a listen before taking my word for it. However, I would keep a cuddly cat and a box of tissues handy, just in case.

“Chloë and the Next 20th Century”: 3/5

Haikus: My last two weeks at Truman SAVANNAH KLUESNER Staff Writer Just two weeks until The end of all that I have Ever known before.

Finals week is fast Approaching, and yet I have Not started a thing.

Sixteen days left and My invitations have yet To come. This is fine.

What do you mean when You say that coffee isn’t an Essential food group?

Come on Savannah.

You know term papers refuse To just write themselves.

Graduation is Chaos. But in chaos there Can be beautiful.

Graphic by Rebekah Nelson

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

11

Student-made website connects study groups JADE MARCEAU-MARY Staff Writer

Student AJ Jahjolli is a senior computer science major.

Jahjolli created a website to help connect individuals across college campuses. Submitted photo

Study Friends is a new platform made at Truman to help students get through their classes by connecting with their peers.

Study Friends is a platform founded, coded, designed and produced by AJ Jahjolli, a senior computer science major at Truman State University, during the spring 2022 semester. This project started two years ago, while Jahjolli was a sophomore. At the time, he helped a friend connect with one of their classmates in order for them to get help in their computer science class.

Ever since then, the two have been studying together, which gave Jahjolli the idea to create a website that would be the middleman for him — a website that would help students connect with their classmates. Study Friends was then born

to allow students to receive help in their classes while creating some good friendships.

“I know the current resources we have at Truman cannot be enough sometimes,” Jahjolli said.

Jahjolli was willing to make Study Friends a part of TruView to make it more accessible to students, but his offer was declined as the Truman administration would only allow platforms entirely made by Truman to be accessible through TruView. Jahjolli is still optimistic about Truman changing their mind and continues to improve his website for himself and for the Truman community. One of Jahjolli’s plans is also to turn the website into an app for ease of access, but for now, students can add the website to their home screen on their phones. Jaholli hopes that most schools in the US will adopt it someday. Study Friends is free and easy to access. First, you must create an account. Once logged in, you can create a session and start making study friends.

Find out more about the app at www. studyfriends.org AJ Jahjolli hopes the website will spread to more college campuses. The website is free for users to access. Submitted photo

Graphics by Cee Spiller

“King Richard” is a biopic unlike any other JOEY DOUGHERTY Staff Writer The vehicle for Will Smith’s first Oscar win, “King Richard,” was released to theaters and HBO Max during late 2021 to popular and critical acclaim. While many now flippantly regard Smith’s recent outburst at the Academy Awards as his greatest performance, “King Richard” no doubt secures his position as an acting force to be reckoned with.

Director Reinaldo Marcus Green’s “King Richard” follows Richard Williams, the resilient and often overbearing father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, as he endeavors to do the impossible and turn the pair of prodigies into professionals. The jump from the rough tennis courts of Compton to Wimbledon — the proverbial Mecca of the tennis world — is a jump Richard intends to make by any means necessary, working his daughters to the bone while desperately lobbying big names to coach them.

As the Williams sisters begin that climb, Richard must reassess his role in determining their future and consider the relationships he puts on the line in his calculated effort to raise champions. All the while, he deals with the demons of his own past, the expectations he has for himself as a father of five daughters and the tumultuous racial climate following the police brutality faced by Rodney King during 1991.

In many ways, “King Richard” fits the mold of your typical sports biopic, following the rags to riches narrative commonly seen throughout the genre. Where it sets itself apart from the typical fare is in its decision to focus on Richard rather than the women who came to be regarded as the most successful tennis players in the history of the sport. A controversial decision, no doubt, but one that adds tangible nuance to what could have simply been another dull addition to a tired genre.

tennis balls

Richard’s personal struggle as a father hoping to keep his daughters off the streets of Compton gives more immediate drama to his efforts with Venus and Serena. Behind this struggle lurks Richard’s own desperation to avoid becoming like his father, a careless man who abandoned Richard at a young age. This facet adds a fitting layer to the film’s foremost drama.

The pacing in “King Richard” is also impressive. Years pass without a narrative hiccup as Venus and Serena rise through the ranks. This is likewise a testament to the costuming and makeup work. As the narrative moves from the late 1980s to the early ‘90s, both the style changes and the characters age. These shifts are never obvious and happen naturally.

What is most impressive about “King Richard” is the performances of its varied cast. Will Smith as Richard and Aunjanue Ellis as his wife Brandy are the obvious stars. Smith assumes Richard’s mannerisms and speech pattern in a fashion worthy of the best leading actor accolade. Ellis matches him at every turn in her portrayal of a mother of five children dealing with an often overbearing husband. Saniyya Sidney as Venus and Demi Singleton as Serena should not be overlooked either. Both bring a demeanor that is at once childish and mature, a duality that is demanded of them as their characters inch further and further into the public eye but still strive to maintain their identity as children.

Overall, “King Richard” checks all the boxes of a satisfying biopic, but brings a fresh enough narrative structure to the table so as to elevate it above the rest. Supporting this structure is a wonderfully paced story and a fully realized cast of characters that reveal a lesser known factor in the Venus and Serena Williams story: the father who helped shape their career and cultivate their success as tennis stars.

The Index

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Craig Hennigan reflects on director of forensics position SYDNEY ELLISON Features, Opinions Editor

Director of Forensics Craig Hennigan is leaving at the end of the 2022 summer term. Hennigan has worked in this position for two years and has been a communications professor at Truman State University for seven years.

Hennigan will be the interim director of debate at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

When Hennigan first took the position of director of forensics at Truman, he didn’t have an assistant director. He said he recalls being stressed as he had to work with both speech and debate, the former being something he hadn’t coached in a stretch of time.

“My goals when I first took over were to stay afloat,” Hennigan said.

Hennigan said he values the connections he has been able to make with students during his time as director.

According to Hennigan, his competitive spirit has often pushed students to do their best in competitions.

“I don’t really have to foster a competitive spirit,” Hennigan said. “It doesn’t matter if you win or lose but the activity is always more fun when you win.”

The forensics team had nationals which began April 12.

It’s the last major competition for Hennigan as Truman’s

director of forensics.

Sophomore Megan Ford, a member of the forensics team, said Hennigan’s departure was mildly expected.

“I was really happy for him [when hearing of his departure],” Ford said. “This was something he’d been looking for, a place where he can just grow differently as an academic.”

Sophomore Alicia Stout, another member of the forensics team, said she is very thankful for Hennigan’s leadership throughout her time on the team.

According to her, though he may not foster a competitive spirit among students, his own competitive nature affects students and pushes her to be a better debater.

“The coaches I’ve had before him I didn’t click with nearly as much as I had with him,” Stout said. “I think he is responsible for a lot of my personal success in my relationship with debate, in a positive manner.”

Hennigan’s dissertation is about urban issues which is a part of the reason why he is excited about the opportunity to teach in Las Vegas.

Hennigan said he is thankful for Truman and the students he has interacted with throughout his time here.

“I’ll miss the ambitiousness of a lot of the students,” Hennigan said. “A lot of the students are very high performing and things like that.”

“It doesn’t matter if you win or lose but the activity is always more fun when you win.”

- Craig Hennigan Director of Forensics

Professor and Director of Forensics, Craig Hennigan, has taught for seven years at Truman State University. Hennigan is leaving Truman at the end of the summer term.

Submitted photo

Five reasons to look forward to summer ALYSSA RYANY AND SYDNEY ELLISON Staff Writer and Features, Opinions Editor

1. Warm weather Kirksville has really enjoyed throwing us curve balls by making it 30 degrees at the end of March, but it won’t last for much longer.

We will have beautiful, warm weather to look forward to, so keep studying and that 80 degree weather will be here before you know it!

2. Exploring cities Going on day trips to different places is one of my favorite summer activities. Although you can do this in the winter, the vibes aren’t nearly as immaculate. In the summer, you can walk outside on a sunny day with your friends and family, and take time to soak up some sun. Going on little adventures like these can also expose you to experiences different from what you would normally get in your hometown.

3. Zoos Since I was a kid, I have loved going to the zoo, especially to see the penguins. I’d recommend studying hard so that time goes faster and you can get to the zoo sooner to see your favorite animals. Nothing compares to walking around all day while feeding giraffes and finding the closest gift shop to cool off in. If you’re lucky, there might even be a cute stuffed animal to buy at insanely high prices, which but it can give you some extra serotonin for the fall semester.

4. Ice cream trucks Another thing you can’t get until the summer are ice cream trucks. I don’t know about you, but any time I hear music playing from outside, I peek out the window to see if it’s the ice cream truck. If it is, you can bet I’ll be running around the house looking for loose change so I can get my SpongeBob ice cream on a stick. If that isn’t enough motivation to push through these last few weeks, I don’t know what is.

5. Relaxation Lastly, and most importantly, you need to make it through these next few weeks to get some rest and relaxation. As Truman students, there is always something on our minds, but summer is a time to kick back, at least for a couple of days before starting summer jobs. Some ways to relax over summer are playing frisbee in the park, having a picnic in the park, reading outside or having a movie night.

Getting to do activities that bring happiness, whatever those may be. Try to get outside and see friends and family. As of today, there are only 15 days until summer.

Graphics by Jinyu Li

The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

13

Truman sports brief: week of April 21 Tennis last seven matches Tennis went 3-4 in their last seven matches. After a loss to Quincy University, Bulldogs bounced back with a 5-2 win over Missouri Valley College. The win was also their first one against the Vikings since 2017.

The Bulldogs had four points from singles, and took first in doubles with Akansha Negi and Allie Brown. Another loss to University of Missouri - St. Louis allowed for another bounce back in a Tri-Meet with Simpson College and College of Saint Mary. Bulldogs got the doubles point and all six singles points against St. Mary’s and won 7-0. Tennis won 7-2 against Simpson College. The following two matches against William Jewell College and Rockhurst University resulted in losses, but give the Bulldogs the chance to bounce back again. Bulldogs are currently 14-6 and look forward to their last two matches of the season, April 22 and 23.

Senior Rachel Shelly warms up for the match against University of Missouri - St. Louis. The Bulldogs lost 6-1. Photo by Oliver Malone

Golfer makes history Bulldogs golf has had both team and individual successes. At the Dan Salisbury invite, April 4, Bulldogs placed 5th out of seven teams. Macyn Young had the first ace by a Bulldog in over 20 years, and was the fifth in school history. The team was led by Natalie Fatka and the top two lowest scores were by Sydney Young and Abby Boyer. The following event, April 10 and 11, was 54 holes. Bulldogs finished 11th out of 17 at their last event of the season. S. Young took medalist honors and finished in a tie for 30th.

Kara Hunt tied for 45th, Fatka and Catherine Salem tied for 53rd, and Emily Ducaji tied for 61st. Bulldogs will finish their season at the GLVC Championships, April 22.

Softball ends the season The Bulldogs are experiencing a rough stretch near the end of their season. Currently on a 10 game losing streak, softball will try to break this streak with two games set against William Jewell College here in Kirksville.

The Bulldogs are 16-6 against the Cardinals all-time, and this might be a pair of games that the Bulldogs can turn around their misfortunes. Game one is set for noon April 23, with game two to follow.

Junior Ellie Weltha hits against University of Illinois Springfield, April 10.

Weltha had a double that scored two for the Bulldogs. Photo by Oliver Malone

Track & Field pushes forward First, we at The Index would like to extend our deepest condolences for the loss of head track and field/cross country coach Tim Schwegler, who recently passed away with his family by his side in comfort. Track and field most recently competed at the Jim Duncan Invite in Des Moines, where Sophie Oxandale won the 400 meter dash with a personal record time of 58.42 according to Truman athletics. Three Bulldog javelin throwers occupied the podium for their performances: Jaylynn Martin, Natalie Telep and Quinn Albertson. Junior Jacob Morris finished third in the men’s discus competition.

Baseball past two series The Bulldogs are deep into their GLVC campaign, and completed two more series against conference opponents since the last issue of The Index.

The Bulldogs downed the Indianapolis University Greyhounds in extra inning dramatics in their first game, then proceeded to lose three consecutive games. After that series, the Bulldogs recently completed a stint against the University of Southern Indiana on the road. The Bulldogs split the four game series with the Screaming Eagles. Baseball will be back in Kirksville for a four-game series against the Quincy University Hawks, beginning April 22.

Junior Holden Missey stretches for the ball against Indianapolis, April 3.

Missey had a great day at the plate with a double and a homerun. Photo

by Oliver Malone Graphics by Rebekah Nelson

ADJUSTING| Third time’s the charm: first normal season during junior year Continued from page 15 Morris relied on senior teammates Bobby Campbell and Brendan Baker as competition during practices, he said. Their skills and leadership pushed Morris to improve. Baker was injured during indoor season and Campbell during outdoor, so Morris did not have that same environment at practices.

Just like the rest of the program, Morris also struggles with the loss of their head coach, Tim Schwegler. These unexpected challenges only made it harder for Morris to adjust.

“Having those people there at the beginning of the season, and now, they’re not there, they’re not there to compete with in practice,” Morris said. “You have to push yourself in different ways because you don’t have Brendan and Bobby to compete with at practice anymore.”

Hardesty explained that Morris has not stopped improving despite what has happened this season.

Morris has also had to learn new events like shot put.

“I’m not built like most shot putters are — I’m not near as strong as people, but I’ve had some improvements this season that I’m pretty proud of and some big jumps, and they don’t compare to my other events I don’t think,” Morris said. “To put in work and see the results in an event that isn’t your best event is still rewarding,” Morris said.

“Jake continually gets better with the technical aspects of each throwing event year after year. He’s also continued to increase his max in the weight room on his lifts,” Hardesty said. “Those two things combined have elevated Jake to the post season this year.”

His success has been showing both on and off the field.

Learning how to adapt has helped Morris grow in his leadership skills.

“Jake brings a sense of humor most days, hard work every day, but he’s also taken a leadership role with the younger throwers this year,” Hardesty said. “As a coach, you always want your upperclassmen to take a leadership role and help mentor and guide the freshmen. It helps build the team atmosphere, and it gives everyone on the team the opportunity to elevate their own throwing abilities.”

Hardesty believes that these changes will lead to great success in the future.

Because of the way COVID affected his past few seasons, it allows Morris to have two more seasons, despite being a junior academically, Hardesty said.

“I imagine his goals will get tougher and his time spent perfecting his throwing technique will get sharper,” said Hardesty. “Personally, I think he’s capable of so much more, so I look forward to working with him the rest of

this season and the next two years to see just how far he throws. It’s going to be very exciting.”

Morris has his sights set on very big goals for the rest of the season and is looking forward to the future. By the end of the season, Morris, said he, would like to break school records in the hammer and disc and qualify for Nationals in both of those events as well. At conference, Morris would like to win the disc and score well for the shot put and hammer.

“I still have two more years after this, and I would like to, you know, compete for a National title in disc, hammer or even weight for indoors, one of those years, ‘’ Morris said. “The big angle is to compete for a National title in one of those events.”

Morris currently holds the school record for the indoor weight throw.

He credits his parents as the ones who have pushed him to compete.

“They come to every meet no matter how far it is. They’ll drive day, night, just to get there and watch me,” Morris said. “Without them, I would not be where I am, and I would not have the opportunities I do now.”

The Index

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Athletes transferring is good for Truman STEVEN FINDLEY JR. Former Sports Editor Greetings to all who are reading this final issue. There have been a lot of big moments, great memories and even better human interest stories that we here at The Index sports section covered this year for Truman sports. Ultimately, student athletes come and go from the collegiate level, but they do leave a significant impact no matter how they moved on from a program.

This sets the stage for what has happened here at Truman, as two high-profile athletes are moving onto the Div. I level.

Let’s begin with an analysis of former Bulldog senior Cody Schrader, the nationally recognized running back who has decided to transfer to the University of Missouri.

Schrader was box-office level for the Bulldogs, particularly this past fall. Put this into perspective: Cody Schrader had the most rushing yards (2,074), rushing touchdowns (25) and rushing yards per game (172.8) out of the entire NCAA, according to Truman athletics. This means Schrader outperformed players in the FBS, FCS, Div. II and Div. III. In addition to this, Schrader was named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association.

Schrader is what is known as a superstar player. His individual accolades had the eyes of potential FBS suitors wide open, and ultimately landed him with the SEC competing Missouri Tigers. Schrader now enters what is arguably the most competitive football conference in the country.

“Okay, but how does this connect back to Truman?” one might think. Well, thanks to Schrader, Truman now has significant football notoriety. They’ve fostered and advanced their superstar player to the next level, all while providing a top-notch education. The fusion of academics and athletics that this institution provides is exceptionally attractive for incoming recruits.

The premiere athletic status rolls into other sports as well. Former Bulldog basketball junior forward Cade McKnight finds himself transferring to Indiana State University to play basketball for the Sycamores at the Div. I. McKnight is a two-time All-American, and was

Former basketball junior Cade McKnight guards the net. McKnight currently plays for Indiana State University. Photos by Oliver Malone

the GLVC Player of the year in the 2020-2021 season. The Bulldogs have enjoyed massive success with McKnight on the team, who has had big shoes to fill since Brodric Thomas graduated in 2020.

Once again, an immediate reaction of angst and worry about the future might be appropriate for Bulldog fans. However, Bulldog basketball continues to produce elite talent that advances to the next level under coach Jeff Horner. Brodric Thomas is in the NBA currently playing for the Boston Celtics, and as a former Truman Bulldog, had one of the most prolific careers here ever. If this is any indication for what McKnight can do after college, then the excitement should continue to resonate.

Ultimately we have to say goodbye to our student athletes in one way or another. Putting things into perspective can sometimes ease these departures though. We should send these athletes off on a positive note not only for what they achieved on the field, but also for their success in Truman’s rigorous academic climate. Good luck to Shrader and McKnight in their future endeavors. They will forever be Bulldogs, and will be etched into Truman sport’s lore for their accomplishments during their careers.

“Ultimately we have to say goodbye to our student athletes in one way or another.

Putting things into perspective can sometimes ease these departures though,” -Steven Findley Jr.,

Former Sports Editor

Senior Cody Schrader runs up the field, Oct. 30. Schrader had the most rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and rushing yards per game out of the entire NCAA.

Freshman tennis player Allie Brown had an exciting win in her singles match at Rockhurst University. Brown won a tiebreaker in the first set, then went on to win it all in a super tiebreaker. Despite the Bulldog’s loss in their last away dual of the season, Brown placed first overall.

Allie Brown

The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Bulldogs play catch-up on a long weekend

15

Left: Junior right fielder Maria McGonegle throws in against Quincy University. McGonegle had a homerun that scored two runs for the Bulldogs. Photos by Oliver Malone

Bottom Left: Senior Emma Walbert slaps against Illinois Springfield, April 10. Walbert appeared on base three times with a walk and two hits.

Bottom Right: Sophomore pitcher Nicole Havel winds up against Quincy University, April 9. Havel relieved Mya McCubbin in the fourth inning. Havel allowed two hits and had two strikeouts.

Above: Junior Macy Taylor tries to beat out the throw against Illinois Springfield. Taylor had a single for the Bulldogs.

Right: Freshman Sydney Parkerson hits against Quincy University, April 9. Parkerson had a double against the Hawks.

Jacob Morris learns how to adjust to first full season LILLIE MORISAKI Sports Editor

Junior Jacob Morris throws shot put for the Bulldogs. Morris competes in six different events. Submitted Photo

Just like the rest of Truman’s athletes, junior track and field student Jacob Morris is still learning how to bounce back from the previous seasons affected by COVID. Many athletes struggled to manage their time and are facing those consequences this season.

“It’s 6-7 months of being in season,” Morris said. “It is much harder on the body and [mind] than I expected cause it’s so long, and I haven’t experienced a full season yet … I am really struggling with the balance between school, track, family, social life — all those things,” Morris said.

Learning how to get into a routine is hard after being used to two seasons where it’s not the full experience, Morris said.

Morris said he only had indoor events his freshman year and outdoor events his sophomore year, never both in the same season.

“Between the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons, [Morris] competes (throws) in 6 different events, so that’s a lot to manage, and he has to prioritize each throwing event so he can get enough throws in during the week at practice,” said Leslie Hardesty, assistant track and cross country coach.

“Then you add in the amount of weight lifting we do each week. Year round, he has to constantly push himself to in-

crease his strength throughout the season and maintain it.”

Morris said having a schedule is what has helped him the most. Ensuring that he knows what he is doing at each specific time has made it easier to stay on track.

Both Morris and Hardesty said a good mindset is what it takes to be successful when juggling so many different events.

A change in his mindset is what Morris has needed, he said.

“Really focusing on those technical aspects I feel like is what I’ve honed in on these last three, four, five months compared to what I used to, which was how many throws can I get, and how hard can I go,instead of training haphazardly and throwing throughout the week with no end goal,” Morris said. “[I know] that not everyday is going to be a great day throwing wise, not everyday is going to be a great day school wise, so you just have to balance those two things,” Morris said.

Learning time management has not been the only difference between this season and his last ones. Adapting midseason has been another struggle.

See ADJUSTING page 13

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

TIM SCHWEGLER DIES AT 63

Services for cross country, track and field coach set for Friday/Saturday TRUMAN ATHLETICS Tim Schwegler, the head cross country and track and field coach at Truman State University, passed away Thursday, surrounded by family.

Schwegler graduated from Truman during 1980 where he served as captain of the Bulldog cross country team and was a member of the track team. After graduation, he worked at Kirksville High School as the boy’s cross country/track and field coach. He led the Tigers to three district titles, two North Central Missouri Conference championships and had three top ten state finishes.

He returned to Truman to complete his master’s degree and served as a volunteer assistant for the women’s cross country/track and field squads.

Following his master’s degree completion, Schwegler was named the head coach at Highland (Kan.) Community College where he built a top-20 National Junior College Athletic Association track and field/cross country program. He coached 106 athletic All-Americans and 192 academic All-Americans during his tenure at Highland. The Scotties won eight Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference championships and were named the NJCAA Top Academic Team of the Year nine times. He was the 1999 NJCAA Men’s Track Coach of the Year and the 2004 NJCAA Region VI Women’s Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the Highland Hall of Fame.

Schwegler returned to Truman and the Kirksville community during 2006 to serve as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs and was later elevated during 2013 to the head coaching position. During that time period, he has helped produce 25 conference champions, six National Collegiate Athletic Association Div. II All-Americans, one National Champion, numerous U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic scholars and teams, nine College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-Americans and new school records in 15 different events.

He is survived by his wife Nancy and two sons, Matt and Sam. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. April 22,at Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home .

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. April 23 at Countryside Christian Church . The burial will be at Park View Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Kirksville, MO. Tim would have loved for attendees to wear Truman purple or HCC navy and gold for his beloved alma mater and Highland, KS friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Countryside Christian Church or Truman State University Cross Country/Track and Field.

Arrangements in the care of Davis-PlayleHudson-Rimer Funeral Home 2100 E. Shepherd Ave., Kirksville, MO 63501.

Photos by Truman Athletics VOLUME 113

ISSUE 11

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