The dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus) was a North American species of canine that went extinct approximately 13,000 years ago during the extinctions of the Late Pleistocene epoch.
Popularized by HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series, the dire wolf has long been in the spotlight of popular culture. Recently, however, it has become a focal point of discussionforts of researchers at Colossal Biosciences Inc. In a recent April 7, 2025, press release, American biotechnology and genetic engineering company, Colossal Biosciences, claimed that they had successfully brought the dire wolf back from extinction... SEE DIRE WOLF PAGE 5
UCR students and community reflect on the impact of Earth Day
WITH THE INCREASED PRESENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND CONTROVERSIAL CLIMATE POLICY, UCR STUDENTS WEIGH IN ON CAMPUS ACTION AND EARTH DAY.
CECILE DIROLL & SPANDANA JANAPATI
Since the initial demonstrations in 1970, Earth Day has served as a platform for raising awareness of environmental action and the long-term negative impacts of human action. Sparked by the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, then Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson helped inspire student protests against war and ecological destruction, eventually leading to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by Former President Richard Nixon in the same year.
In light of recent environmental policy shifts, such as the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw the United States (U.S.) from the Paris Agreement and halt clean energy projects like wind farms, public discourse around climate change and sus-
To better understand how these drastic changes are being received, The Highlander conducted a poll asking University of Cali-
“The environmental problem that worries me the most is deforestation. I think it’s sad to see trees gone and time lapses of the Earth changing. Even though trees and plants only account for one-third of oxygen production, it’s still a big part. Another environmental problem that worries me is overconsumption. With overpopulation and loss of habitats and biodiversity, these problems become more worrisome because they can compound.”
fornia, Riverside (UCR) students and community members to share their thoughts on Earth Day and climate change.
Hoop and hustle: “If you want a bigger house, you have to give a bigger deposit”
UCR WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH BRAD LANGSTON’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE 2024-2025 SEASON.
Last month, the University of California, Riverside 2024-2025 season, going 12-8 in conference play and earning the seventh seed in the Big West Championship. They matched up against the sixth seed, California State University, Long Beach (CSULB).
Despite getting swept in the season series against CSULB, the Highlanders held star guard Savannah Tucker to just seven points en route to a 54-40 victory. However, their season ended after a second round loss
leading the Highlanders as head coach, after working as interim head coach in 2023-2024. He has worked endlessly to give the team his all and mentions that the team has grown so much in the past year. The mindset he pushes for the team is “progress over perfection” to make the Highlanders more process-oriented.
This progress has shown itself over the past two years. A 20-6 Big West home record has highlighted that this team is not going to back down.
The biggest challenge that Langston faced this season was having eight new players on the team. Losing veteran leadership can be hard to overcome. But team in overcoming these challenges.
Throughout the season, the Highlanders would occasionally have light and fun practices with the intention of getting to know each other better to improve team chemistry. Langston added, “Even though we
HUMANS OF UCR “ Kaelyn McAdams (she/her), Physics / C.S., First Year
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January 2025 is the warmest January on record
RIDA SYEDA Contributing Writer
IN 2025, GLOBAL TEMPERATURES HAVE INCREASED TO HIGHER LEVELS.
January 2025 has been recorded as the warmest January thus far, setting unprecedented levels of global temperatures observed by climate scientists.
According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, “January 2025 was 1.75 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial level.” January 2025 was the “18th month in the last nineteen months for which the global-average surface air temperature was more than 1.5 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial level.”
The latest State of the Global Climate reports show that “2024 as the hottest year since records began 175 years ago, with a global mean temperature of 1.55 degrees Celsius above pre-industri-
tures have surpassed the Paris Agreement critical warning threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The 2016 Paris Agreement set goals to hold the increase of average global temperature at 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Multiple climate experts have warned of the long-term hazards caused by avoiding the goals of the United Nations’ (UN) Paris Agreement.
The UN explained that “while a single year above 1.5 degrees Celsius doesn’t break the Paris Agreement’s long-term goals (a long-term average below 1.5 degrees celsius), it is a stark warning of the urgent need for emissions reduction”
Citing the alleged “unfair economic burden imposed on American workers, businesses, and taxpayers by U.S. pledges made under the Agreement,” United States (U.S) President Donald Trump pulled out of the Paris Agreement
President Trump announced this move in 2017. After three years of waiting, the U.S. be-mate agreement in 2020. President Joe Biden returned the U.S. to the agreement, then President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement again soon after his second inauguration.
As President Trump signed the executive order, he proclaimed, “I’m immediately withdrawing from the unfair, one-sided Paris climate ac-
Guterres warned of the potential repercussions of a Trump presidency on international climate targets and policies, and how the withdrawal of the U.S. could cause major setbacks for the progress of the agreement.
“It’s very important that the United States remain in the Paris Agreement, and more than remain in the Paris agreement, that the United States adopts the kind of policies that are necessary to make the 1.5 degrees still a realistic objective,” Guterres said.
President Trump recently signed the Protecting American Energy From State Overreach executive order on April 8, 2025. According to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, this order centralizes energy regulations at a federal level: “It directs the federal government to dismantle what it views as unlawful or overly burdensome state and local regulations that impact the development and use of domestic energy resources.”
The executive order claims that state laws and regulations of fuel and gas corporations are “unconstitutional” because they threaten “American energy dominance” and interstate and international commerce, posing a threat to federal power. The order blames states such as Vermont,
New York and California for “extorting” andtion companies that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation laws, “the Attorney General must take immediate action to stop their enforcement. The focus is particularly sharp on state policies tied to climate change, carbon emissions, and environmental justice, where the order asserts states have overstepped their bounds.”
With this order, the Trump administration has continued increasing already record-high U.S. oil and gas production, further increasing carbon emissions. Energy-related carbon emissions have risen by 1.5 percent worldwide. This consistent increase in carbon emissions contributes to the yearly rise in global temperature.
President Trump completed some of his goals outlined in Project 2025 with his executive order, “Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements.” This legislation removed the U.S. from various organizations or change.
On Jan. 20, 2025, Trump ordered an immediate withdrawal from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), a platform for climate change negotiations. Its creation allows countries to hold each other accountable
The Trump administration describes the U.S. withdrawal as prioritizing economic power and saving the country from any actions that could hinder that power. H
COURTESY OF FREEPIK
The dire wolf returns
COLOSSAL BIOSCIENCES INC. CLAIMS TO HAVE BROUGHT BACK THE DIRE WOLF; EXPERTS DISAGREE. THOMAS DU
The dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus) was a North American species of canine that went extinct approximately 13,000 years ago during the extinctions of the Late Pleistocene epoch.
Popularized by HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series, the dire wolf has long been in the spotlight of popular culture. Recently, however, it has become a focal point of discussion among theforts of researchers at Colossal Biosciences Inc.
In a recent April 7, 2025, press release, American biotechnology and genetic engineering company, Colossal Biosciences, claimed that they had successfully brought the dire wolf back from extinction. With the successful birth and continued survival of three genetically-engineered puppies — named Khaleesi, Romulus and Remus — Colossal has stated on their website that the company “[accomplished] something that’s never been done before: the revival of a species from its longstanding population of zero.”
To breed the puppies, researchers at Colossal created two dire wolf genomes from DNA preserved within dire wolf specimens — an approximately 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull. After comparing the dire wolf genomes with those of the gray wolf (Canis lupus), the in 14 genes responsible for produc-
served between the two species.
To express the dire wolf’s traits, the researchers harvested endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) from living gray wolves before editing the genetic material within the nuclei of the EPCs with CRISPR technology. The nuclei of the cells were then transferred from the EPCs into a denucleated gray wolf ova to grow into embryos, which were eventually transplanted into surrogate wombs. The three puppies were born during the fall and winter seasons of late 2024 and early 2025. -
ebrated the recent births as a massive advancement for de-extinction
biodiversity loss from anthropogenic climate change continues to increase. Ben Lamm, a co-founder of the company and the current CEO, stated that “this massive milestone
ples demonstrating that our end-toend de-extinction technology stack works.”
Dr. Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s chief
ing that “[humanity is] an evolutionary force at this point” and that we should be “giving ourselves the opportunity to see what our big brains can do to reverse some of the bad things that we’ve done to the world already.”
De-extinction is not a new concept. In 2003, a team of European scientists attempted to produce a clone of the Pyrenean ibex, which had gone extinct in 2000, through a process similar to Colossal’s. The group took preserved DNA from a Pyrenean ibex and selected a surrogate from a genetically similar species in an attempt to facilitate its revival, but the clone perished after a few minutes due to physical defects that prevented the left lung from in-
What sets Colossal apart from methodology. The company focuses on long-extinct species and attempts to facilitate their reintroduction by modifying close genetic relatives of extinct species in order to produce the previously extinct species.
Since its founding in 2021, Colossal has worked towards what they call the “functional de-extinction” of several species of now-extinct organisms, including the woolly mammoth and the dodo. The company on their website as “the process of generating an organism that both resembles and is genetically similar to an extinct species by resurrecting its lost lineage of core genes; engineering natural resistances; and enhancing adaptability that will allow it to thrive in today’s environment of climate change, dwindling resources, disease and human interference.”
Many experts have responded with criticism to Colossal’s assertion that the newborn puppies are dire wolves. Dr. Philip, a zoologist from the University of Otago, said that the puppies are “genetically engineered gray wolves.” Paleogeneticist Dr. Nic Rawlence, from the same university, added on by clarifying that dire wolves are “in a completely different genus to grey wolves,” and that Colossal had “compared the genomes of the dire wolf and the grey wolf, and from about 19,000 genes, they determined that 20 changes in 14 genes gave them a dire wolf.”
“What Colossal is trying to do is genetically [engineer] animals to look like extinct creatures,” Rawlence remarked. “They look cute and cuddly, but … they’re not a dire wolf.”
Colossal has attempted to defend its methods, with Shapiro assuring that the company is “using a morphological species concept.” Shapiro conceded that it “is not really possible” to create something identical to the dire wolf, but explained that “it’s also not the goal” and that they don’t “have to have something that is 100 percent genetically identical.”
In a similar line, Colossal’s of-
criticism of the company on Reddit with “the reality is that ‘species’ is a human idea” and that the company species. Our dire wolves look and act like dire wolves, so we believe it’s accurate to call them dire wolves.”
University of Maine paleoecologist Dr. Jacquelyn Gill disagreedtion, insisting, “I have more than 14 Neandertal genes in me, and we wouldn’t call me a Neandertal” and further cast doubt on the idea that the
puppies could act like dire wolves by stating that they “don’t have any traits that would allow us to understand the dire wolf any better than we did yesterday.”
Cornell University geneticist Dr. Adam Boyko similarly stated that the puppies “are not being raised in dire-wolf packs, where they could learn dire-wolf behavior” and additionally “aren’t eating an ancient diet, so they are not acquiring their ancestors’ unique suite of intestinal microbes.”
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) noted in an April 18 statement that “the dire wolf and the grey wolf are genetically distinct by thousands of genes while the gene editing by Colossal was done on only a handful of genes of the grey wolf genome to re-create phenotypic traits of a dire wolf.”
The IUCN went further to declare, “The three animals produced by Colossal are not dire wolves. Nor are they proxies of the dire wolf based on the IUCN SSC guiding principles of extinct species for conservation
are phenotypically distinct from the grey wolf and phenotypically resemble the dire wolf. Second, our knowledge of the behaviour, phenotype, and ecology is inherently limited because the dire wolf is extinct.”
Dr. Jeremy Austin, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Adelaide and the Director of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, commented that while Colossal’s recent success does have real-world -
vation and genetics, the puppies were not dire wolves “under any
ASUCR
Truancy in this week’s Senate meeting
SENATE SEES FAILURE TO MEET QUORUM; HOWEVER, IT STILL REPORTS ON UPCOMING EVENTS.
SANJANA THATTE
The third Associated Students of the University of California, Riverside (ASUCR) Senate meeting of the year began at 7:19 p.m. after failing to meet quorum.
Makai Harris, Vice Chair of UCR’s Chapter of California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) students, announced that in the coming week, they will hold events to educate the campus on issues they can make a change.
Harris explained that waste levels are at a record high, so to mitigate this waste, they are“hosting a clothing swap where students will have the opportunity to learn how to reduce waste as well as reuse and upcycle clothing to mitigate this issue and hopefully come out of this experience with a new article of clothing.”
“In the United States, we generate enough textile waste the largest shopping mall in our country every six days, and there are a lot of critically important changes that need to take place, both through policy and within the industry itself, to move away from this wasteful model to a more circular one, in which consumer products and the materials that make up our world are built to last, are easy to repair and purpose, they are repurposed through reuse, recycling or composting in a sustainable loop,” explained Harris.
Archivist and Executive Assistant, Rishika Salvi, announced that a jean donation drive would be held on April 30 for Denim Day, a day of awareness of sexual violence. She mentioned turning in the jeans on April 23 would be ideal, as they would be paint-
ing the jeans later.
In regards to Senator Reports, Senator Mia Tuifa announced that the Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai clubs have gone over $10,00 in donations and boosters, as well as three to four professional wrestling mats donated to UCR. They are working to secure the old Aberdeen-Inverness cafeteria as a location for their tournament in the fall.
President Pro Tempore Leila Haidar also mentioned how she was trying to improve Title IX policies as well as UC SHIP premiums: “So this is the collaboration with some
the gaps in those policies are, and turning that into a bill to advocate for on a UC-wide level. I am also for the [Student Health Advisory Council] SHAC. We worked on the proposals for changes to UC SHIP to hopefully reduce premiums, [this way] premiums are still going to go up, but not by as much. And then we
day, and I believe that was just administrative updates for the most part.”
The meeting ended at 7:43 p.m. School of Business Senator Dhruv Patel, School of
Jimenez, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) Senators Ryan Choi, Justin Ibay, Carter Anderson and Karen Vo were absent.
Bourns College of Engineering Senator Uma Akundi, CHASS Senator Anahita Hooshyari Far, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) Senator Anthony Ching and CNAS Senator Mitchell Wei were excused.
SANJANA THATTE / THE HIGHLANDER
UCR students and community reflect on the impact of Earth Day
WITH THE INCREASED PRESENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND CONTROVERSIAL CLIMATE POLICY, UCR STUDENTS WEIGH IN ON CAMPUS ACTION AND EARTH DAY.
Since the initial demonstrations in 1970, Earth Day has served as a platform for raising awareness of environmental action and the long-term negative impacts of human action. Sparked by the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, then Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson helped inspire student protests against war and ecological destruction, eventually leading to the establishment of the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) by Former President Richard Nixon in the same year.
In light of recent environmental policy shifts, such as the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw the United States (U.S.) from the Paris Agreement and halt clean energy projects like wind farms, public discourse around climate change and sus-
To better understand how these drastic changes are being received, The Highlander conducted a poll asking University of California, Riverside (UCR) students and community members to share their thoughts on Earth Day and climate change.
What is one environmental problem that worries you the most?
The environmental problem that worries me the most is deforestation. I think it’s sad to see trees gone and time lapses of the Earth changing. Even though trees and plants only account for one-third of oxygen production, it’s still a big part. Another environmental problem that worries me is overconsumption. With overpopulation and loss of habitats and biodiversity, these problems become more worrisome because they can compound.”
Air pollution. With COVID, we saw that the air pollution got much better. But as soon as everyone started using their cars and industries started working again, we saw air pollution was back at its extreme toxicity levels.”
First thing that comes to mind is air qualEmpire [I.E.]. Given the current administration, a lot of the EPA’s regulations have been rolled back, so I’m kind of concerned.”
Do you think events and celebrations like Earth Day actually raise awareness about climate issues?
cause a lot of people don’t really know what to do to help. So when they show up to events [related to Earth Day], they think ... ‘I didn’t know that this was sustainable and that this wasn’t sustainable.’ They have an opportunity to learn about new things and how they can help the environment.”
Absolutely. If events like that aren’t put out, then no one is aware, but if events like that are put out, then people can start to feel cautious. There’s going to be a sense of community where other people will care, and everyone will show up. I do believe that if there are events, they will actually make an impact.”
I think it does because people not only learn about Earth Day, but they also get involved in how to take sustainable actions.”
Do you think individual action actually helps with climate change?
I think yes, but the focus shouldn’t be on the individual consumer. I think the focus should be on
There is only so much an individual can do without real structural change. That being said, one individual makes up a mob of individuals [who are] willing to work on the problem …”
I think that we all need to come to work together to be able to meet these common goals we have with combating climate change. I think a lot of people have issues with knowing what they can actually do as an individual person to help combat the issues of climate change. We all need to be able to communicate with one another to be able to work towards these common goals.” H
even if it’s just one person, because people will learn from each other and educate each other.”
Isaac Antonio, Business Economics, Second year (he/him)
Danielle Ma, Political Science, Third year (she/her)
Emmanuel Green, Neuroscience and Biology, Fourth year (he/him)
Maricela Vasquez, Plant Biology, Third year (she/her)
Emilio Rojas, Studio Art, First year (he/him)
Sachi Bhahji, Environmental Science, Second year (she/her)
Angel Canales, Economics, Class of 2023 (he/him)
Hannah Dueñas, Psychology, Fourth year (she/her)
Kathya Leon, Business Economics, Fourth year (she/her)
Take It or Leave It: Celebrating Earth Day is not enough
EARTH DAY IS A FEEL-GOOD SPECTACLE FOR PEOPLE TO PRETEND THEY’VE HELPED THE PLANET, WHILE REAL CLIMATE ACTION GETS BURIED UNDER LIKES, HASHTAGS AND POLITICAL DENIAL.
Eour feeds with nature shots, recycled quotes and eco-guiltdriven posts. Does this actually help climate action? The short answer is no. As much as we want these posts to create meaningful change, they don’t. Instead, they create a false sense of contribution, allowing inaction to masquerade as environmentalism.
However, let’s be clear: creating these Earth Day posts is good in theory. Online posts and Earth Day environmentalism, and a chance to demonstrate that people “care.” But gone down. Climate-related issues like global warming, deforestation, ocean pollution and air pollution have only gotten worse.
Despite decades of Earth Day campaigns, the state of the planet is still spiraling, and people are more likely to turn to an Instagram post than plant a tree. Celebrating Earth Day doesn’t make you automatically part of the solution. In fact, celebrating Earth Day could be a way of convincing and disillusioning people that they’ve done enough. California, the world leader on climate action, only had 743 people volunteer in 12 state parks for Earth Day last year. This number comes from a state with 39 million people. In totality, only 0.0019% of the Californian population showed support on Earth Day.
Earth Day, reports that only 1 billion people engage in volunteerism of any kind, such as tree planting or trash pickup, on Earth Day. While social media is a great way of showing that people “care” about our Earth, it ultimately isn’t a solution and is just
performative.
Before we burden the average person with the responsibility of Earth Day activism, let’s examine the political issues at hand. The current Republican Party has made climate denialism a key part of its platform, but it wasn’t always that way. Under President Richard Nixon in the 1970s, the Grand Old Party (GOP) helped pass major environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). His administration 1970.
Today, however, the GOP rejects climate science, blocks climate action and endorses climate denialism — rejecting the existence of global warming, spreading misinformation and preventing policies that would reduce emissions.
President Trump, a leader in the climate denialism movement, has issued sweeping executive orders to block state-level environmental laws. The Pew Research Center reports that only 23 percent of Republicans believe climate change is a major
hoax, there is only so much traction climate action days like Earth Day can create.
During my time at California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG), a nonpartisan organization, I participated in petitioning the Biden administration to create an executive order to ban logging in our oldest growth forest. Our goal was to have that executive order signed in response to the collected signatures before the Republican Party settled unfavorable environmental action for
the next four years would be high. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in getting the executive order signed, even though we had secured the signatures needed. This just demonstrates that getting climate action even in a liberal presidency is hard and nearly impossible under the Republican Party. Social media
widespread collective action, but it gets complicated when so much of what we see is performative. It’s hard to tell what’s driving real change and what’s just signaling, but dismissing it entirely means overlooking one of the few tools we have to build momentum fast.
The Trump administration attempted to override California’s climate legislation by using the Congressional Review Act to revoke the state’s Clean Air Waiver, which allows for more environmental regulations. These moves don’t just stall progress — they threaten to undo years of work by scientists, communities and even the students who pick up litter on Earth Day. It’s like trying to patch a dam with a band-aid while someone is actively blowing up holes through the wall.
So, where does that leave the people who do show up? Are they wasting their time? Absolutely not.
between the few who do participate on a deeper level than those who simply post their Earth Day activism on social media. The few people who are engaging in Earth Day activities, such as volunteering, organizing and educating, are not using Earth Day as an excuse to avoid their responsibilities. They are using it as
they already do: recycle, compost, ride their bike and vote with the
future of the Earth’s climate in mind. They’re not in it for the photo op. The people who participate in Earth Day events are usually already living lowwaste, sustainable lives.
Those who participate in Earth Day and engage with sustainable practices already care. They’re in falls short — it’s not pulling in the people who need convincing that climate change is real. It is creating a comfortable echo chamber where everyone agrees climate change is bad, but the conversation remains immobile.
Earth Day doesn’t spur people into action. At least, not most people. It acts more like a performance — a symbolic day that permits people to feel like they did something good for the planet without actually changing anything about their behavior longterm. It’s like going to the gym once a year and wondering why you don’t have abs.
However, Earth Day isn’t useless — it is misused. If we want the day to mean something, we need to stop treating it like a green-themed holiday and start treating it like a deadline. Earth Day should be a reminder that we are running out of time. The wake-up call that only works if people actually get out of bed.
Liking a post about sea turtles won’t save them, and planting one
logged forest. The planet does not need another Earth Day; it needs us to show up every day.
LILIANNA ANGEL
COURTESY OF CURT CARNEMARK VIA FLICKR
COURTESY OF WANNAPIK
Trump’s audit of California sex education targets LGBTQ+ content
THE INTENTION OF ‘MEDICAL ACCURACY’ WILL ONLY THREATEN REAL-WORLD ACCURACY THAT CHILDREN NEED IN SEX EDUCATION.
Recently, the Trump administration began an audit of one of thefornia Department of Public Health (CDPH) — the CA Personal Responsibility Education Program (CA PREP). This program serves youth ages 10 through 19 and targets vulnerable populations, including individuals with special needs, young mothers and many other groups.
CA PREP focuses on educating youth about preventing pregnancy, avoiding sexually transmitted infections (STIs), healthy relationship skills, healthy life skills and information on adolescent development.
Under President Trump’s order, the CA PREP program is now being reviewed for the “medical accuracy” of all its educational materials. This move targets an openly inclusive educational curriculum and is the latest in a string of obvious attacks on the education of LGBTQ+ concepts, which will only harm the students this program serves.
review is the statement made by Andrew Gradison, the acting secretary of the Administration for Children & Families (ACF). Gradison stated that the review intended to ensure the curriculum is “age-appropriate and medically accurate.” The emphasis on medical accuracy as well as appropriateness highlights the ACF’s
thinly veiled intentions to limit sex education curricula that are relevant to LGBTQ+ people.
The current presidential administration’s censorship of information regarding the trans community in particular has already been made abundantly clear, so it’s easy to recognize this as Trump’s latest attack. Early in his second term, Trump even went as far as to issue an executive order that
recognize two genders — female and male.
This binary system removes an abundant and reliable source of LGBTQ+ related educational resources for students, which can lead to isolation within their respective communities. Statistics show that LGBTQ+ youth who attend schools with inclusive sex education programs have lower levels of depression and suicidality. Moreover, inclusive sex education programs help prevent dating and intimate partner violence for all students.
8.2 percent of LGBTQ+ youth have access to inclusive sex education in United States (U.S.) schools. With the CA PREP curriculum being placed under review, it’s more than likely that these numbers will decrease, as the current actions of the Trump administration will only make these programs unavailable.
The CA PREP program was not designed to “recognize only two genders;” it was designed to prepare students for the real world, where identities are complex. In accordance withcy, education and career success, CA PREP focuses on giving students inreal world by introducing subjects like pregnancy, STIs and healthy relationships.
Learning about all types of identities and relationships ensures that students will be prepared for decisions they will actually face in the real world and have all the information they need to make the best decisions for themselves. These decisions may include romantic or sexual relationships, their own sexual and gender identity and other important choices they will face in adulthood. Students can only make these decisions once they are accurately informed on the subject, which this program provides.
CA PREP gained negative government attention after a Daily Mail article brought to light how “some role-plays have been included [in the program] which present same-gender couples and discuss the use of sexual aids.” The statement allegedly conteaching 10-year-old students about sex toys and sexual role-playing within classrooms.
This only brings to light the importance of the increase in media literacy that has been shown to follow inclusive sexual education. Politicians took this quote from the Daily Mail and ran with it, ignoring the inaccuracy of this interpretation. CA PREP is designed to provide age-appropriate sexual health information to students as young as 10, but there is no mention of sexual role-playing in the document provided. The program is focused on teaching students to make well-informed and responsible decisions about sex and relationships. If students didn’t have access to this information, they would be left in the dark.
The CA PREP program was designed with students in mind, putting together an evidence-based curriculum which has been shown to increase sexual and reproductive health knowledge, improve awareness, reduce worries about seeking out reproductive health services and increase knowledge on methods of sexual health protection. Overall, it’s
participated in the program. Any attempts to censor the accuracy of the program and cater to what the Trump administration wants students to know or believe will only be a detriment to students in the program.
LAYNA LAPIKAS / THE HIGHLANDER H
ALEX KUPISIEWICZ
Scotty-Scopes:
Energy to embody
(Sept. 23 – Oct. 22):
Just like a parent, you provide the good vibes and harmony for all. In your relationships, you need to focus on being a voice of peace.
(Dec. 22 – Jan. 19):
your way. There is a certain level of unpredictability in the nature of life, so let yourself enjoy that.
Aries (March 21 – April 19):
You need to be like an Excel spreadsheet if you take a methodical approach to your goals.
Cancer (June 21 – July 22):
Become a builder and focus on a strong foundation. Whether that be in work, academics or in your personal life, you’re about to experience an earthquake like no other.
(Oct. 23 – Nov. 21):
Like an artist, the fruits of your hard work long enough. The culmination of your hard work is soon coming.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18):
The comfortability of a teacher or librarian is the energy you should focus on this week. Your nurturing linked with practicality will provide you with stability.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20):
This is a time of awakening, so let yourself transform instead of holding onto the past. Be a free spirit and let the good times – or maybe even bad times – roll.
Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22):
Try being super chill this week, Leo. See if anything goes any worse or better now that you are not spending time on anxiety, worry or mental anguish.
WHAT TYPE OF PERSON YOU SHOULD TRY TO EMULATE THIS WEEK.
(Nov. 22 – Dec. 21):
Sagittarius, copy the whimsy joy of a magician. You can lean into hidden truths and illusions to aid you on your way to your goals.
(Feb. 19 – March 20):
Like an outdoorsy person, try being a little bit more adventurous this week, Pisces. Now is the time to search for a journey!
Gemini (May 21 – June 20): Eight of Wands
Important news is coming your way, so become a corporate killer. Check your email inbox, voicemails and yes, even the spam folder.
Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22):
week. You don’t know that much about what’s going on but you need to 100 percent pretend that you do.
Libra
Ten of Cups
Scorpio
Ten of Pentacles
Sagittarius
The Moon
Capricorn
Wheel of Fortune
Queen of Pentacles
Pisces
The Fool
Knight of Pentacles
Judgment
The Tower
Nine of Swords
The Well H
LAYNA LAPIKAS / THE HIGHLANDER
NATALIE DAHL
Royal Orchid Thai: where vegetarians and carnivores can meet in the middle
COZY, SWEET AND SAVORY; THE UPS AND DOWNS OF DINING AT ROYAL ORCHID.
Immediately upon entering Royal Orchid Thai on University Avenue, we were struck by the small, yet cozy restaurant space. With enough room for roughly six tables in the dining room, Royal Orchid keeps its space limited, yet comfortable with the
placed utensils, plates and tables. Golden were seated atop the cashier’s desk, from where the host managed tables and payments with smiles and speediness.
From serving locals chatting with their families to fellow university students grabbing a hearty meal before grabbing dessert at Tim Boba, the spot creates a safe and welcoming environment for those who dine there.
For this year’s Earth Week we wanted to try a restaurant known for its vegetarianfriendly items and alternatives. For most items on the menu, you can choose tofu as a protein option but there are several meatfree options such as the green papaya salad or the Thai egg rolls. We chose a blend of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals to review for our entrees, main courses and of course, dessert.
Vegetable Soup
Price: $13.95
Rating: 3/5
It’s salty, tangy and sour, with just the -
vors were enveloped in the clear broth, creating an exciting yet soothing taste perfect for chilly weather. Vegetables such as baby corn, carrots, broccoli, mushroom and cabbage were cooked to perfection. The vegetables were just tender enough to not feel unpleasant and uncomfortable to eat and have the perfect bite. I do feel as though the soup could have done with an extra something special whether that being in the form of an added protein or spice to the broth, but it still stands strong on its own.
Pad Thai
Price: $14.95
Rating: 3/5
The thin rice noodles were cooked to perfection with the classic chewy al-dente texture combined with the solid crunch of the bean sprouts, vegetables and crushed peanuts. Pad Thai is meant to be a textural explosion of soft and sturdy ingredients, so this rendition of the dish accomplished that perfectly. The tanginess of the tamarind and the lemon shined, creating the punchy taste
that Pad Thai is known for. The chunks of tofu were deep fried superbly. They were not too tough and not too soft; I could tell the tofu was freshly prepared and served with the noodles. My one gripe with this Pad Thai, though, was its sweetness. The signature tamarind paste gives it a tanginess but at times creates a sweetness that borders on overwhelming. While Pad Thai is meant to be sweet, in this particular version it was somewhat distracting. In short, if you like your Pad Thai sweet, this is the spot for you.
Homemade Sticky Rice with Mango
Price: $8.95
Rating: 5/5
Heavenly! Sweet, light, warm, nutty and fresh. Everything that you could want in a mango sticky rice delivered on a plate. The
nut cream added on top also adds a fattiness to the already indulgent dessert, and adds a coolness to the cozy. The mango creates a freshness, balancing out the sweetness and starchiness, while adding a bright pop of color to the dessert. This was a phenomenal sticky rice that everyone who visits Royal Orchid should try.
SANJANA THATTE / THE HIGHLANDER H
SANJANA THATTE
NORM’S NOOK SPOTLIGHT
Scottish buildings
Explore some buildings with a rich history of kilts and bagpipes. If there’s a uniqueness that follows the University of California,
UCR’s logos are plastered with tartan print, a bagpipe band and a self-proclaimed “Highlander” title; it’s clear that UCR doesn’t go without sticking to its Scottish branding. However, it doesn’t stop there. The construction of the Aberdeen-Inverness student housing project in 1959 started an ongoing tradition of naming dorms and student apartments after places in Scotland. Named after the Scots’ triumphant win at the Battle of Bannockburn, Bannockburn Village honors the event through its name. Some of the newest buildings on campus, Dundee and its adjacent dining hall, Glasgow, also pays homage to two populous cities in Scotland! If a plaid skirt doesn’t make you rethink your lifestyle, nothing will!
Elena Versage /
STUDENT POLL
QUESTION:
GABRIELA GALVAN
GRAPHICS BY LAYNA LAPIKAS / THE HIGHLANDER
COURTESY OF FREEPIK
22. Birth states of LeBron James and Simone Biles
They’re related
Pet bull terrier in Toy Story
Coupon presenter
Pie in the sky?
Well-ventilated
Mimicked
Involuntary twitch
To’s partner
Word with juvenile or kangaroo
Hair colorer
Halfhearted
Nicholas II was the last
MAIN ST
BY NATALIE FEATURES
IE DITOR
Monthly expense
Like sushi 52. Position of superiority
Bookbinder’s fabric
Design detail
“A Chorus Line” number 60. Comprehend
Accessible after the dragon’s End
With skill
Work hard
“Get lost!”
After-Christmas event
Stairway pillar
Down
1. After-bath powder
Up to the task 3. Godsend
Amazing adventure
First “R”
Priestly garb
“Ta-ta!”
Asian caregivers
ORANGE ST
Nobel Peace Prize city
Science of 74. Fox or turkey follower
Taking the place (of)
Photo 11. Japanese port city
12. “The King”
13. Wealth
21. Poison plant
23. Klutzes
26. Home _____
28. Hit on the head
29. Huck Finn’s transportation
30. Dublin’s land
31. Stop, ____ and roll
32. Second “R”
36. Vial measurements
38. Yemen’s Gulf of ___
39. *N____
40. Allocate, with “out”
43. Rubbish
46. Perturb
PEEK!)
47. Dismal
49. Third “R”
51. Malicious
THREE RS ANSWERS (DON’T
53. It’s full version in wrestling is illegal
54. “We’re #1!,” e.g.
55. Like breaking a chocolate bar into pieces
56. Yo-Yo Ma’s instrument
57. Antlered animal
61. Waste away, like a
63. Imagine, old style
64. Road ___
65. ___ nitrate
67. “Are we there ___?”
69. Parking place H H
The Heartbeat of 909 Dance Troupe
MEET THE 909 DANCE TROUPE AND GET ENCHANTED BY THEIR ENERGY.
To say that the 909 Dance Troupe is passionate would be an understatement. Every Tuesday and Thursday night from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m., laugh-ing structure. A unique energy emanates from the group as they gather to greet one another. There is not one unhappy face as bags are thrown down on
hugs to breaking out into song, this club is more than just a group; it’s a family. Co-directors Nikki Shekhtman and Bobby Zepeda look at their troupe with pride as they explain that their club is unique for the tightly-knit community that creates it.
909 Dance Troupe was founded in 1997 by Christopher Ayson and Jennifer Fontanilla. The club began as a Filipino Culture Club and branched out into a hip-hop club, which was later renamed 909 Hip-Hop Dance Troupe. The name was later changed to 909 Dance Troupe after the club began to incorporate dances that, although closely related to hip-hop, were not exclusively in that style.
For the 909 Dance Troupe, the biggest struggle was bouncing back after the COVID pandemic. Shektman shares that, “in recent years, we’ve had a lot of people leave, and usually, everyone kind of stays throughout their entire undergrad, but recent-
when usually it’s mostly older members because they stay throughout their entire college careers, so
Bobby Zepeda, a senior majoring in business management, and Nikki Shektman, a junior majoring in psychology, both joined the club in the 20222023 academic year and have now taken roles of co-directors as they lead their group into success.
“Our goal is to constantly improve year by year and help others grow as dancers. We want to win and keep our name relevant within the dance community so that our name doesn’t die out,” mentioned Zepeda when asked about their club’s aims. “We really want to provide a safe space for dancers here in Riverside,” added Shektman.
Both dancers insisted on the idea that their club is meant to create a comfortable and safe community for dancers at the University of California, Riverside. It is meant to create a connection between people who share the same passion. The club has one main rule — every dancer must hug all the other members when they arrive at practice and before they leave as a way to maintain the community spirit. Even though I am not a part of the club myself, I still received a couple of hugs, which really speaks to the welcoming atmosphere of this group.
It seems that they are on the right track to achieve these goals as the 40-person troupe won second place in the 2024 Maxt Out competition. Their passion for dance is mirrored in their dedication to organising their very own competition, Ultimate Brawl. Every year, they connect with dance teams from Mexico, Canada, NorCal, SoCal and more to bring this competition to life, here in Riverside. As hosts, they perform an exhibition piece to close the event, which their talented dance captains, Talyah Ejan and Anastasia Sachs, choreograph, along with both directors.
This year, Ultimate Brawl is taking place on May 4 in the Riverside Municipal Auditorium. The goal behind this event is to bring dancers to Riverside. As Zepeda and Shektman mentioned on several occasions, the dance scene is more pres-
communities here in Riverside. The goal of this competition is to bring dance to this city and gather dancers from all over to compete and have fun.
If you are interested in joining this club, auditions take place during the Fall quarter after a oneweek workshop in Week 0 of each new academic year. The troupe also leads free workshops and classes throughout the year that anyone can participate in. Their club Instagram is @909dt and the Instagram for Ultimate Brawl is @ultimatebrawl.
NOLA PERIFEL
NOLA PERIFEL / THE HIGHLANDER
Fix Your finances
HOW TO SURVIVE ADULTHOOD WHILE MANAGING YOUR FINANCES.
LIZBETH MARTOS Assistant Business Manager
college, I spent the whole thing on fashion hauls and mukbangs. It wasn’t that everything changed. It even con-nance. While this article might not inspire you to switch majors, it will be literacy and getting your life together.
Financial literacy is essential in today’s age, especially in our generation, because we are still young enough to we make a mess of our future. Not only will I be sharing ways you can but I will also be teaching you how to adult in the real world. I would like to-
sor. Please consult with a professional research.
Create a budget you can actually stick to
Budgeting keeps track of your income and expenses, and helps you control where your money is going. -
cial stability and to being able to live the life you dream of. One important thing about budgeting is to learn how to prioritize your needs, wants and savings. My favorite way to track my income and expenses is to follow the 50/30/20 rule. If you would like to use a template, click the link here in the online version of our article. This budget rule is divided into three parts: 50% is for necessities, 30% for wants and 20% for savings.
Necessities cover the expenses that you must pay to maintain your lifestyle. This includes housing, groceries, transportation, tuition and utilities. Wants are expenses that are non-essential and are not needed to survive. Wants fall under the category of making your life enjoyable. This includes take-out foods (in some cases), streaming services, hobbies and entertainment. Yes, daily trips to Scotty’s are considered to be a “want” (guilty).
Savings is money you put aside in case of an emergency or to contribute towards a goal. It can be deposited into your savings or retirement account. Whether you’re saving for a vacation or want to splurge on a big item purchase, savings is money set aside for the future.
You can adjust this budget based on your needs because this budget meth-
But this method will help you to orgayou from having fun. So start tracking
your debt is the debt avalanche meththe loan with the highest interest rate to the next highest interest rate until
While following this method, it is advisable to pay the minimum amount that is due for each month on every loan. . The purpose of following this method is to pay less interest over time, meaning you don’t give your hard-earned money to the bank.
Loans can consist of credit card debt, student loans, car payments, mortgages, etc. Some mistakes that can happen to the average person is paying their credit cards by the minimum payment rather than paying the entire statement balance. Credit cards typically have higher interest rates between 21% to 30%. So, when you do not pay your statement balance in full, the interest compounds. In other words, you not only need to pay your balance when you fail to pay in full, but you also need to pay the bank for the interest that has been accumulatand in full, you can save money and redirect that money back towards you. By using the spreadsheet I’ve created, you can track all of your loans to make sure you are paying the right amount.
Build that emergency fund
It is important to build an emergency fund for yourself due to the fact that at any moment, something bad can happen. Whether your car broke down or you got hit with an unexpected tuition fee, you can rely on that emergency fund that you built. Emergency funds should be at least three to six months of your living expenses. The best way to keep your emergency fund safe is by keeping it in a highyield savings account. A high-yield savings account is a savings account where you can deposit money and accumulate interest over time.
For example, if you deposit $10,000 inside the HYSA and leave it untouched for one year with a four percent annual interest rate, you will earn $400 of interest by the end of the year. If you were to do the same with a traditional savings account with a 0.01 percent annual interest rate, you
I use Marcus by Goldman Sachs to build my emergency fund while having cash as well in case I need hard money. Speak with your friends and family about whether they have an account so that you can use their referral code.
Start investing
Many of you may be intimidated by the word investing. Yes, there are intimidatingly many ways one can invest. Whether it’s investing in the stock market or buying real estate, in-
vesting is a great way for you to grow your money. If you are a beginner in investing, you should all start with opening a Roth IRA account. A Roth IRA is an individual retirement account for which you contribute money you have already paid taxes on. Once you retire and withdraw the money, you won’t get your money taxed by the government, meaning your earnings will be tax-free.
It is important to start as soon as possible to grow your account and earn money from capital gains. Even putting in $5 a day can make the big-
vesting in this account. Some easy accounts to open are with Fidelity or Vanguard. Both Fidelity and Vanguard are beginner-friendly platforms
opening fees and no minimum contribution requirements. Because you are in your early 20s, the best way to diversify your account is to invest in 70 percent domestic index funds, 20 percent foreign index funds and 10 percent bonds. By investing in domestic index funds, foreign index funds and bonds, you are balancing and diversifying your investments. For example, if the domestic market crashes, you have steady foreign investments that are still thriving and vice versa.
Index funds are like buying a bundle pack of stocks and are less risky compared to buying one stock (a share of a company). Index funds are less risky because you are investing in many companies all at once. If one company is performing poorly, the entire index fund won’t plummet. Bonds are loans you give to a company or the government in exchange for regular interest payments. They are known to be steady and low risk, which makes them a reliable investment. Some beginner-friendly index funds I invest in using Fidelity are:
Domestic: FXAIX, FSKAX, FSPGX
Foreign: FSPSX, FPADX Bond:FTBFX
These letters are ticker symbols that represent the name of the index fund you are investing in. For example, you can easily search “FSPSX” instead of typing the full name, “Fidelity International Index Fund.” This makes it fund on Fidelity or Vanguard.
Get a drivers license with the REAL ID
tip, it is an important step in adulthood to get your drivers license. Many of you are either commuting or living on campus for college life. For those who do not have a driver’s license, I will remind you that you should get one. Having a driver’s license will not only help you move around, but it will also bring you opportunities for jobs that require a driver’s license. I advise you to all get the REAL ID to be able to travel domestically and enter federal facilities. You do not want to rely on anyone for a ride to the grocery store.
The entire purpose of this article is to help you get a foot in the door once you leave college life and have the right tools to survive the real
overwhelming, but your future self will thank you. I challenge you all to and commit to completing everything.
I recommend making a copy of the spreadsheet and starting to track down to share this article with someone you care about who may need help with complete it all in one sitting. You do
If you’re curious for more, in next week’s issue, I will be discussing the importance of opening a credit card and which ones are recommended for university students.
MATA ELANGOVAN / THE HIGHLANDER
RADAR
‘Daredevil: Born Again’ marks a gritty new chapter for
Marvel’s street-level saga
DISNEY+ REVIVES THE ‘MAN WITHOUT FEAR’ WITH STRIPPED-DOWN STORYTELLING, BRUTAL INTROSPECTION, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A HERO IN THE SHADOWS.
LILIANNA ANGEL Staff Writer
On April 15, Marvel Studios premiered the sea-vival series “Daredevil: Born Again,” proving that grounded storytelling can be just as gripping as any multiversal epic. The series drops its audience into the dark, battered heart of Hell’s Kitchen and into a new era for one of Marvel’s most beloved
clear this is not just a return — it’s a reckoning. Raw, introspective and tense, “Daredevil: Born Again” rede-
After years of fans’ longing for thedevil” loosely adapted the “Born Again” comic arc, Disney+ draws from the “Shadowlands” storyline for its revival. In the season, there is a more worn and fractured Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) who has given up being Daredevil. The series doesn’t waste time setting the tone: cold, unforgiving, yet human. By the end of episode one, fans of the original show understand the absence of the beloved Foggy Nelson and Karen Page, and emotional fallout of the faulty choices
Instead of writing around them, the narrative uses their absence to deepen Matt’s Isolation.
The silences in his life are loud and speak volumes.
Charlie Cox is phenomenal, slipping back into the role with added layers of pain, restraint and quiet fury.
“Daredevil.” This one is sadder, more burdened by guilt and visibly worn down. One standout moment shows Matt getting ready to go to his new places a notecard in braille. No words are spoken, but the sadness in his movements and face says it all. This is what “Daredevil: Born Again” does best — it lets emotions breathe.
However, for longtime fans, one detail looms large: his Catholicism is missing. In both the comics and the a cornerstone. His spiritual torment often mirrored his physical battles — church pews, whispered prayers, confessions of violence and guilt. But in the revival, those moments are almost entirely gone.
There is only a passing reference
Matt often wavers between devotion and distance. But here, he doesn’t return. He doesn’t even try. The silence from the church isn’t just a back-
ground detail; it’s a symbol that something within Matt is broken. His abfrom purpose. When he walked away from being Daredevil, he walked away from his religion, too.
Then there’s a deeper layer a few
“Daredevil: Born Again” started and ended with Lent. Lent is about sacri-
intentional. The action is stripped down and personal. Matt isn’t dodging bullets like a superhuman. He’s
footing, bleeding in nearly every scene. The show is missing the iconic
are stellar, they are overshadowed by too much blood and gore. One could
urrection. That’s no coincidence, as in March 2026, at the start of Lent. Matt and Wilson Fisk both attempt to lay down parts of themselves — their identities, their roles in the city — in pursuit of something better. Matt avoids the mask. Fisk chases legitimacy through politics. But in the end, both men drift back into the very roles they tried to abandon.
Kingpin’s return brings back the same terrifying yet poised presence he’s known for, with Vincent D’Onofrio delivering the same calculating menace he brought as Wilson Fisk — this time with more gravitas. He’s no longer a blunt instrument — he’s a scalpel, cutting the system aslogues are not quite as poetic as those the same venom, with a calmer facade. In one scene, he’s speaking at a charity gala, masked in civility and then the camera cuts to the back room where his goons are quietly taking someone down. It’s a perfect metaphor — the mask of respectability hiding raw violence underneath.
argue that Muse, one of the villains being brought to the screen, needed the blood; it felt like Disney+ was trying too hard to demonstrate they are adults now.
Visually, the show captures bold choices, some working better than others. The animation and computergenerated imagery (CGI) moments, particularly in enhanced movement sequences, allow for more comic-accurate agility. But this comes at a cost — the gritty, practical stunt work that
back. When stunts are used, they’re incredible, making the superhuman feel almost possible. But the more ex-
er color of the new Daredevil suit, pull away from the grounded tone fans adored.
The storyline, while a bit slow at times, is tightly written and layered with emotional depth. The show isn’t
the broken state of its characters and the city itself. Dialogue is consistently strong, with visual storytelling that complements every character’s emotional arc. One thematic standout is the show’s commentary on real-world
issues ranging from systemic corruption to justice reform. The show gives weight to the vigilante story without beating the viewer over the head.
However, not all characters get the spotlight they deserve. Newcomers like Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva) seem underdeveloped, their charm not quite clicking in the way the original side characters did. The niece of Ben Urich, BB Urich, portrayed by Genneya Walton, is a young journalist introduced with promise -
trayed by Hunter Doohan and known for his work in “Wednesday” as Tyler, was also a character fans expected to make waves, but ended up sidelined. Yet, this underdevelopment ironically works in favor of the show’s tone, portraying a darker world where not everyone gets to be the hero.
While the side characters falter, the core cast is what makes “Born Again” soar. Vanessa Fisk (Ayelet Zurer) returns with manipulative grace, stirring genuine anger in audiences. Kingpin and Daredevil are the beating heart of this show; the duality, the moral greys, the ideological war are all there.
“Daredevil: Born Again” also succeeds in something that Marvel’s recent projects have struggled with: making the world feel connected. With appearances and references made by Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” “Hawkeye” and “Echo,” the show feels like a central connector in Marvel’s blueprint for heroes taking up local crime. It looks like Charlie Cox is being set up as the leader of Marvel’s justice-seeking heroes, or possibly the young Avengers, because this show is the best possible starting point for that.
Overall, “Daredevil: Born Again” is a gritty, gripping return for the “Man Without Fear.” Although the show is not perfect, the emotional weight, exceptional acting, and strong sense of worldbuilding make it a must-watch. Yes, the costumes could be less
But the core? It’s solid, it’s smart, and it leaves audiences wanting more.
VERDICT:
Season two can’t come fast enough for “Daredevil: Born Again,” a triumph of MCU’s storytelling style. It’s a must-see for fans of grounded heroes, strong performances and emotionally driven narratives.
COURTESY OF DISNEY+
Good things happen in threes for the season three finale of ‘The White Lotus’
BIGGER
DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN BETTER, BUT SERIES CREATOR MIKE WHITE CONTINUES TO PRODUCE SOME OF THE MOST ENGAGING
TELEVISION
FOR AUDIENCES TODAY.
*Spoiler alert*
After a full week in Thailand with the new and returning cast of provocateurs in the season three
Lotus,” has put theories to rest with new questions. The show sets up curiosity for how the next installment within the series will handle the repercussions of this season’s loose threads.
While this latest installment hits all of the notes that viewers have come to expect, and develops a cast of characters that can hold its own against any of the past star-studded casts in the series, bigger does not always mean better. Especially for those checking in for another full stay at The White Lotus Hotel.
One glaring disappointment compared to previous seasons is the vital absence of an intriguing hotel manager. With spectacularly written characters, such as the unforgettable Armond and the complex Valentina, there is no long-awaited (Christian Friedel), to convolute the plot in an interesting way for fans.
Theories connecting Valentin (Arnas Fedaravicius) and his friends to the burglary that had occurred in episode two were shown to be correct. Luckily enough for the Russian best friends,ments of the season.
Throughout season three, viewers questioned whether or not Gaitok could pull the trigger if confronted with the opportunity to go against his Buddhist morals on violence and prove himself as an individual with ambition to others around him. However, when push comes to shove, Gaitok confronts his timidness as he receives an order by the White Lotus Hotel owner, Sritala (Patravadi Mejudhon), to shoot Rick (Walton Goggins) for killing her husband, Jim Hollinger of Sritala’s top security guards, and presumably wins the heart of Mook in the process.
Speculation surrounding Rick’s past and his
is revealed that Jim had been his father all along. Sritala confesses this out loud as her husband lies cold in her arms as a result of Rick’s uncontrolled anger. Rick ultimately becomes a victim of the lies fed to him by his dying mother. His mismanaged hatred left him blind to the love he received from his partner, Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) — which becomes too late to realize in the end.
Instead of leaving one fatality within the main cast of this season, Mike White tugs harder on the emotional heart strings of his show’s fans. He decides that Rick should not be the only indi-
resulting in two sympathetic casualties.
As it was countlessly repeated within the season by Chelsea, bad things happen in threes, and this saying hits entirely too close to home. After becoming a burglary victim in episode two, getting bit by a snake in episode three, and now tying her fate to Rick’s death, Chelsea proves her theory right as she becomes the fatal third “bad thing.”
Fans may remember that not-so-important fruit containing a poisonous seed called the pongin episode one. Surely enough, the seed returns as a method for Timothy (Jason Issacs) to kill his family before they realize what he has done to create their wealth.
Thankfully, Timothy eventually gains enough consciousness to understand that killing his entire family will only cause a larger chain of harm and that he must be truthful to his family about the reality that is ahead for them.
However, as explained to Timothy by a Monk in episode six, Buddhism equates death to one’s consciousness dropping back into a larger pond from which it came. The death of Timothy and his family’s wealthy lifestyle symbolizes their descent back into the larger consciousness of reality that is the poor working class. This remains
As it is too well known in daily life, money will make just about anybody turn into the person they hate. Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) is no exception to this notion. By accepting Greg’s -
tlement, she approaches Pornchai’s business proposal in the same manner Tanya had done to her in season one — out cold and left to dry. It will be intriguing to see if future installments by Mike White decide to explore any cracks in Greg’s perceived security.
On a beautiful and surprisingly happy note for “The White Lotus,” Jaclyn (Michelle Monoghan), Laurie (Carrie Coon) and Kate (Leslie Bibb) all make amends by the end of their trip after Laurie’s beautiful last dinner table speech that touches the hearts of not only her friends, but also the viewer in their depiction of the struggles between long-lasting friendships.
VERDICT:
Season three of “The White Lotus” takes a grander approach than its respective seasons, although that does not necessarily mean it outshines the groundwork laid before it. This latest installment provides more than enough to keep viewers satiated and anticipating what series creator Mike White has planned next.
COURTESY
SEBASTIAN MORALES Staff Writer
Coachella: More than just music, it’s a political arena
BERNIE SANDERS SPEAKS
ON THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC STATE OF THE U.S. AT COACHELLA MUSIC FESTIVAL.
The Coachella music festival is held in Southern California, attracting nearly 650,000 attendees across two weekends in April. Ticket prices start at $649 for general admission and can cost up to $1,400 for VIP passes, not including the additional cost of transportation, hotels, camping and parking. This year more than 60 percent of the attendees used a payment plan for their tickets and festival expenses.
Senator Bernie Sanders made a surprise appearance during weekend one of the Coachella Music Festival as part of his Oligarchy Tour. The Fighting Oligarchy Tour, sometimes referred to as the Where We Go from Here tour, is a sequence of political rallies led by Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswomen Alexandria OcasioCortez (AOC).
An oligarchy is a system of government in which a small group of individuals yields power without public participation. Senator Sanders states that most of the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour events are held in
congressional districts represented by Republicans in order to encourage the young voters to take on oligarchs and corporate interests that
U.S. The Vermont senator aims to amplify the voices of working class Americans through these rallies and is calling for an end to corporate control over American democracy.
Nebraska on Feb. 21, where Rep. AOC and Sen. Bernie Sanders rallied against unprecedented wealth and income inequality, which they described as a growing threat to democracy.
On Sat April 12, Sanders took the stage to introduce indie pop artist Clairo at the Coachella music festival, but not before delivering a political message to the young voters of America. He urged young and racial justice, stating that “the future of what happens to America is dependent upon your generation.” Sanders invited young voters to stand up to oligarchy stating that the U.S. economy “is working very
well for the billionaire class, but not for working families.” He urged the concert attendees to help build an economy that works for everyone and to stand up to insurance companies because “healthcare is a human right.”
He emphasized the urgency of climate change and encouraged young voters to advocate for the planet. Sanders explained that he attended Clairo’s set because she is an artist who “has used her promi-
including those of women in Gaza, “where thousands of women and children are being killed.” His speech was met with mixed reviews. Many took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to praise Sanders for pushing the boundaries of contemporary politics. Some argued that music festivals should not be political. Others criticized Sanders for his economic stance asking if Sanders knows the average cost for a Coachella ticket.
H
‘Adult Swim’ by Kai is a well-anticipated, chill summer K-pop anthem
THIS
UPBEAT TRACK COMBINES KAI’S PERFORMANCE STRENGTHS AND STUNNING AESTHETICS WITH A NEW SUMMER TWIST THAT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE EXCITING.
Kim Jongin, known by his stage name Kai, is an idol most known for being part of the K-pop group EXO, a nine-member boy group that has been active since 2012. He has had an extensive career spanning well over a decade, from training before EXO’s debut to his solo career that started in 2020 with the release of “Mmmh,” the sultry title track from attention for the concept and performances.
Due to mandatory military service for South Korean men, Kai was absent from the music scene for almost two years. Fans were thrilled to hear the announcement that he completed his service, and he was returning with a new single. “Adult Swim” came out on April 3, 2025, and is a pre-release song for his fourth album that is set to re-
lease on April 21, 2025.
The song exudes a laid-back tone while maintaining an upbeat sound.
polished sound, and lacks the more maximalist quality that is frequently seen in other K-pop releases. The drums that remain constant in the track tie the song together and complement the choreography, which closely follow the beat and matches Kai’s classically trained dance expertise. The music video is gorgeous and vivid, set around a sensual implications of the song, with motifs of dripping popsicles, stolen glances and Kai swimming shirtless.
Kai’s vocals are a standout feature throughout the song, particularly in the pre-chorus, where pleasant harmonies added depth. While Kai is best known for his dance skills
and stage presence, his vocals, often likened to honey, give each for his typical style of more sensual songs and this track is no exception. The subtle addition of a whistle in the instrumental is a clever production choice. It’s soft enough to not be jarring, serving as a nice motif that ties into the theme of a swimming pool.
Lots of fans enjoyed the song, especially since Kai was in enlistment for quite a while. This was an overall enjoyable track that showcased his voice, dance and looks. Summer concepts are a popular staple of Kpop, so fans are always in anticipation of songs to add to summer playlists each year. “Adult Swim”
Some fans and critics, however, felt that “Adult Swim” was quite underwhelming for a comeback that
many had eagerly anticipated. Kai’s previous tracks have typically been a bit more interesting or upbeat, with the exception of “Peaches,” which was not as popular as other title tracks. Many suggested that it had potential, but didn’t deliver particularly interesting elements that they would have expected from a well seasoned performer like Kai. The chorus in particular seemed static, with Kai talk-singing for the entirety of it until the end of the song, where he shows more of his signature vocals.
Despite its missed potential, “Adult Swim” remains an enjoyable listen for those who appreciate minimalistic summer tracks, offering a laid-back vibe that is still worth enjoying.
SARAH TABEL
COURTESY OF BROOKINGS INSTITUTE VIA FLICKR
JOANNA SIMON
‘The Studio’ enters the television scene with lights, camera and action
SETH ROGEN STARS AS A DESPERATE STUDIO HEAD IN THIS NEW AND HILARIOUS COMEDY.
KARL BOUDIWAN Contributing Writer
Aired on March 26, 2025 on Apple TV, “The Studio” is a new comedy series created by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, starring Seth Rogen, Chase Sui Wonders, and Ike Barinholtz.
Rogen plays Matt Remick, a newly-appointed production studio head who craves celebrity approval -
try, all while juggling corporate demands with creative ambition. He is surrounded by clueless and greedy executives who are only interested in the next big paycheck.
proven, the show does an excellent job of satirizing the current state of Hollywood. Matt Remick is clearly in over his head after his promotion, as he constantly talks about making “good movies” while surrounded by greedy corporate executives who only care about making more money.
One of these executives is portrayed by Bryan Cranston, who delivers a great performance with a
blend of absurdity and menace. His performance as studio executive and antagonist, to Rogen’s character.
Rogen shines in a refreshing role that separates him from his signature stoner persona that audiences are used to seeing. As Remick, he showcases a new level of performance as he portrays a man torn between artistic ambition and the heavy weight of studio politics.
Alongside him is Ike Barinholtz’s character Sal, Remick’s colleague and partner in chaos. The chemistry between Rogen and Barinholtz is electric, and the two nail the comedic rhythm of desperate studio
for their upcoming project, as they are tasked to work on the “KoolAid” movie after their studio buys the rights. The duo also provides entertaining and hilarious moments. The show excels with its use of cameos. Familiar faces like Martin
Scorsese and Steve Buscemi pop up, adding a fun layer of authentic-
appearances don’t feel like fan service. Instead, they elevate the satire and give viewers a playful peek behind the curtain of the entertainment industry.
Another element that makes this show great is its cinematography. The series’ use of continuous takes gives the audience a sense of realism and makes the events of each episode feel authentic and immersive.
Some moments in the series so far give the essence of a documentary, showing viewers the chaoticgen and Goldberg, with the help of cinematographer Adam Newporting skills as well as their growth as acting careers.
VERDICT:
ent side of his acting skills, proving that he can make a comedy without the use of stoner humor and excessive cursing. Viewers looking for heavy satire, strong performances and a break from formulaic sitcoms
The Marías release two new songs tailored to unrequited lovers
THE BAND’S NEWEST TRACKS, ‘BACK TO ME’ AND ‘NOBODY NEW,’ WEAVE A MELANCHOLIC, DREAMY AND CAPTIVATING TALE OF HEARTBREAK AND LONGING.
IAN PALMA Contributing Writer
With the release of the 2024 album, “Submarine,” elevating the band to international acclaim, The Marías have mostly been occupied with extensive touring. The makers behind the dream-pop track, “No One Noticed,” which became a popular rallying cry for the covens of heartbroken TikTok content creators, had practically little to no time to record new material.
On April 4, 2025, The Marías announced the release of the song “Back to Me” as a single alongside the B-side “Nobody New.” With the two songs continuing the themes of heartache and vulnerability found in their last album, “Back to Me” and “Nobody New” are compatible tracks that make innovative use of psychedelic cadences and introspective lyrics, proving just how versatile and extraordinary the band is within the realm of today’s indie scene.
“Back to Me” continues The Marías’ spree of bittersweet tracks
centered around romance and longing. With a simple yet catchy shoegaze sound alongside soft-spoken and alluring vocals that further strengthen the overall themes of love, “Back to Me” is easy to mistake for a Mazzy Star song. The track’s poignant motif about being present even in the face of rejection is further driven home with somber synthesizers.
With lyrics such as “I could build us a home,” emphasizing the extent of what it takes to win a lover back, the song will most likely strike a nerve with unrequited lovers as well as those who have been through a tumultuous and unforgettable breakup. With a steady rhythm, poignant lyrics revolving around the topic of love, and distorted guitar and synthesizers to back it up, “Back to Me” is a sturdy song that will almost certainly hit the most when looking across an evening skyline à la Jay Gatsby while contemplating about a long lost love.
“Nobody New,” which might just seem like an additional track to the overall single, is not one to skip over. The song continues the same themes found in its predecessor, but where it shines the most is in its Spanish hook. Spanish-language tracks are nothing new to the band, with songs such as “Cariño” and “Lejos de Ti” being just a few examples.
However, there’s always a sense of enchantment when it comes to singing about love, especially when it’s accentuated with the use of a romance language. This is all the more apparent with lead vocalist María Zardoya’s breathy and captivating crooning. Unlike “Back to Me,” the rhythm is more upbeat, but only by a small margin. Even though the beat syncopation and lyrical content between the two are nearly identical to each other, “Nobody New” isn’t overly repetitive, and actually comes as a welcome reprise to the title track.
The two tracks make their point when spinning a narrative of unrequited love and yearning, something that The Marías continue to do time and time again with many of their other songs. The songs are other, especially within the overall themes of melancholic indie pop in general. If “Back to Me” and “Nobody New” were just a fraction of what The Marías have been putting together while touring over the last year, then there’s no doubt that what they’ll release in the future will be nothing short of great.
The Marías’ “Back to Me” and “Nobody New” hold up as simple yet poignant new tracks. These songs are must-haves for the playlists of the brokenhearted.
A LOOK INTO AN UPCOMING SPIRITUAL SUCCESSOR TO “RHYTHM HEAVEN”
One of the more niche genres of video games tends to be rhythm. Rhythm games often have players hit buttons to a beat, such as in the “Guitar Hero” series. One of the most popular rhythm games on the market was Nintendo’s “Rhythm Heaven” series, in which players play a set of mini rhythm games in order to achieve a high score.
In recent news, Nintendo announced “Rhythm Heaven Groove,” a continuation in the series, slated for release in 2026. Tempo Labs, an indie video game company, seeks to capitalize on this trend in the market by developing their own game.
The “Bits & Bops” demo seeks to differentiate itself by improving graph-
a full twenty upon its 2025 release. Each minigame is beautifully illustrated, which is especially clear in the game, “Meet and Tweet,” which has charming animations.
Those who are interested should not come into this expecting a handcrafted story, but should come with some rhythm experience. For new casual players, the game might be a bit overwhelming after completing the tutorial. However, after a couple minutes of practice players will be feeling the groove. Thankfully, the game strikes the balance of easing in both newer and veteran players.
The demo itself is very short, which only takes around 20 minutes to complete a full playthrough, leaving players with a sense of wanting more. Since Tempo Labs tends to emulate Nintendo’s “Rhythm Heaven” style, the comparison falls short when seeing that there are only 20 mini games of-dred.
Although some innovations have been made graphically, the mini games play relatively the same. There is no gimmick, which means it will be easily consumed by casual gamers. Avid gamers might feel somewhat disappointed, as the game seems to lack any distinct spark aside from the graphics, which stand out the most.
Many gamers around the world dream of developing their own video game. However, few see their dreams come to fruition, either due to a lack of funding or advertising. Marketing is the biggest expense of AAA games, or highly poputhrough crowdfunding.
Tempo Labs’ “Bits and Bops” gained crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. In this exclusive interview, Evan Andrews and Rose Hammer, two of Tempo Labs’ creators, shed some light on what it is like to develop an indie video game.
What made you want to make “Bits & Bops?” Was it a hole in the market or a passion project?
Andrews: “It was a bit of both. I’ve been playing rhythm games since I was fairly young, and I wanted to share my love of rhythm games with a new generation of players. In particular, ‘Bits & Bops’ is heavily inspired by ‘Rhythm Heaven,’ which was one of the games that got me hooked on the genre, and is still one of my all-time favourites. My aim is for ‘Bits & Bops’ to provide that same gentle on-ramp for new players while also giving a serious challenge to experts.”
Hammer: “I’m less of a hardcore rhythm gamer than Evan, but I love
For a free game, “Bits & Bops”
working on games, and I was excited to use my artistic skills in a project where I really felt they’d work. I also think our team is incredibly talented and that wedience.”
What are your processes of level development?
Andrews: “Generally speaking, we’ll start with a musical draft from Julian or Em, then I’ll pick out some rhythms that match or complement the music to form the cues. Once that feels like it’s working, Rose will develop the characters and stage layout. As things progress, we’ll integrate new work into the build regularly to pick up anything that isn’t working and revise things as we go, and eventu-
Hammer: “Occasionally things are we’ll start with a visual layout, characters/narrative, or game mechanic. But often the music leads the process.”
Have you faced any unexpected challenges or struggles while in development?
Andrews: “Perhaps not unexpected, but the biggest technical hurdle we’ve faced was minimising audio latency to make the game feel right. Calibration has become the standard for most rhythm games, and many players expect it, but for the intended experience in “Bits & Bops,” it is unfortunately not possible. It’s been a long process and we’re still iterating on it to this day, but we feel the custom engine we’ve built for the game is unmatched – and many of our players agree!”
Hammer: “I think learning to work together and compromise has sometimes been hard. We’re a lot better at it now, but there were times when we spent
many hours going back and forth over design or studio-related decisions that perhaps could have been resolved more smoothly. However, these days our team is disagreements, because as a result we’ve gotten a lot better at communicating and appreciating each other’s contributions.”
h over io-res have more wever, eam is cause as a n a lo
Are there any recommendations you would give to budding indie game developers?
Andrews: “Game development is incredibly diverse in the skillsets it requires, spanning both creative and technical domains. If you don’t know where to start in game development, you might
make games, but ended up studying computer science at university and working as a software engineer for a decade or so before trying to be a full-time game developer. As a result, I have a unique perspective compared to people who have only ever programmed in a game development context, and I also have a career to fall back on if game development doesn’t work out.”
you know what your role will be, is to You can do this by making small games in a non-commercial setting, such as hobby projects, rom hacks or game jams. Later on, if you want to make something commercial, try to focus on games that both interest you and have enough of an audience to meet your sales expectations. Build a demo or vertical slice that you can share with your genre’s audience ASAP, and gauge their reception.”
PAUL LEWIS III
Production Assistant
AN INTERVIEW FROM TEMPO LABS.
PAUL LEWIS III
Production Assistant
Hoop and hustle:
“If you want a bigger house, you have to give a bigger deposit”
KISHNEET KAUR Staff Writer
Last month, the University of California, Riverside (UCR)ished an eventful 2024-2025 season, going 12-8 in conference play and earning the seventh seed in the Big West Championship. They matched up against the sixth seed, California State University, Long Beach (CSULB).
Despite getting swept in the season series against CSULB, the Highlanders held star guard Savannah Tucker to just seven points en route to a 54-40 victory. However, their season ended after a second round loss to UC Davis,
The 2024-2025 season was Langs-landers as head coach, after working as interim head coach in 2023-2024. He has worked endlessly to give the team his all and mentions that the team has grown so much in the past year. The mindset he pushes for the team is “progress over perfection” to make the Highlanders more process-oriented.
This progress has shown itself over the past two years. A 20-6 Big West home record has highlighted that this team is not going to back down.
The biggest challenge that Langston faced this season was having eight new players on the team. Losing veteran leadership can be hard to overcome.
played an essential role in overcoming these challenges.
Throughout the season, the Highlanders would occasionally have light and fun practices with the intention
of getting to know each other better to improve team chemistry. Langston added, “Even though we come schools, we can forge together.”
From a basketball standpoint, the team has gelled on the court. Fundamentals like making the right reads and understanding their teammates’s
locations elevated the performance of the Highlanders.
Langston expressed that “so many players stood out this season,” but there were only a few key players that played a big role such as Makayla Rose. A complete two-way player, Rose made her impact on both the court.
The junior guard was awarded the 2024-2025 Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year award and averaged 9.3 points per game in 32 appearances. He also acknowledges Makayla Rose from a leadership standpoint, as she has stepped up this past season. In past seasons, she held on to her traditional role as a player.
Another player that stood out this season was Shelley Duchemin. Duchemin was a Second Team All-Big West selection and was also, “an amazing -
big shots and runs.”
Hannah Wickstrom came in strongsive weapon,” according to Langston. She has also grown in her defensive presence this past season. Wickstrom was named to the Big West All-Fresh-
In regards to leadership, Coach Langston mentioned that Seneca Hackley stepped up as a leader on the team. Originally a transfer from Northern Colorado, her voice and experience made the program an enjoyable experience.
Esther Matarranz, a senior from Madrid, Spain, has dedicated herself to the program and has not gone unnoticed, as she has spent her last four years devoted to the team and is deeply familiar with the program.
Looking back, moments that stood out this past season include beating 2024 Big West Champions UC Irvine at home and snapping Hawaii’s 14ability to succeed against elite competition.
landers have prioritized “having a pro-mentality,” as “the smallest details matter.” In addition, Coach Langston stressed the importance of being a great teammate. He went on to share how this is not only applicable to bas-
ketball, but it is also a matter of showing up when teamwork is expected. With the momentum carried from this season, Langston plans to build on this success heading into the next year by conveying one simple message: “If you want a bigger house, you have to give a bigger deposit.” The Highlanders strive to give more going into the next season with aspirations of bringing the Big West Championship back 2010.
Highlanders fall short in three-games series against UCSB
UCR MEN’S BASEBALL FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE TRITONS AFTER GETTING SWEPT BY THE GAUCHOS.
against University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), the UC Riverside (UCR) baseball team entered the contest 3-12 in the Big West. Unfortunately, the Highlanders would get swept by the Gauchos.
UCSB ascended to fourth in conference standings while the Highlanders slipped to 11th. Throughout each game in the series, the Highlanders had a few opportunities to make runs, but were unable to capitalize.
Landon Nunes shared, “I think we just need to
Maddie Heinlin from Pleasanton, California, has been a huge contributor to the softball program at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). She has spent all four years of her collegiate softball career at UCR and has accomplished
past week, Heinlin was named Big West Pitcher of milestone in her success this season.
Upon being named Big West Pitcher of the Week, Heinlin’s initial reaction was one of surprise. There have been times in her career when she anticipated receiving this award, but did not receive it. Heinlin felt ac-
innings and then we can start executing better in the front zone ... We’re 1 for 5.5 runners on third, and other than that we just gotta keep coming out.”
This past Friday, the Highlanders began their three-game series against UC San Diego with a 3-7 loss. After losing the second game in the series, 0-11, the Highlanders made an eighth inning comeback in the third game, winning 7-6.
This coming Tuesday, the Highlanders will look to continue the turnaround in a non-conference game against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas back home at the Riverside Sports Complex.
Highlander in the Arena: Aarav Sane leads Highlanders to historic doubles victory against UCSB
AFTER GOING UNDEFEATED IN SINGLES THIS PAST WEEK, AARAV SANE IS NAMED UCR ATHLETICS STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK.
Before this award, Heinlin had made Second Team All-Big West as a sophomore in 2023. Since then, she has evolved as a pitcher in numerous ways, notably by changing her perspective as needed per game. Heinlin stopped relying on necessarily throwing the best pitch, as that can lead to a predictable game. Alternatively, she has put trust in herself, knowing that her other pitches are just as good.
as a pitcher have been the two pitching coaches she has had the opportunity to work with at UCR and her father. Heinlin started her journey at UCR with Coach Cindy Bristow, but now works with Coach Nicholas Sanchez.
vealed that the number one goal for the team is to make the Big West Tournament at the end of the year. As a personal goal, she looks to accumulate 100 strikeouts en route to an All-Big West First-Team mention.
complished, honored and happy to receive this recognition.
Both coaches have provided tremendous support to her mentally and physically. During Heinlin’s junior year, she put too much pressure on herself following a successful sophomore season. She began to struggle, but after giving herself time to relax and destress, she was able to get her momentum back. -
ment has to be her father. She shared how every time she is home during a break, he handles her catching duties and has done so for her since the age of nine. She playfully mentioned how he even catches her pitches without any gear on.
For the remainder of the season, Heinlin re-
Heinlin strives to do whatever she can to help her team win. She delivered once more in Friday’s contest against California State University, Long Beach, surrendering zero earned runs in seven full innings.
With her collegiate softball career shortly coming to an end, Heinlin hopes to be remembered as someone who worked hard and was a good leader, but also someone who brought a lot of fun and energy to the team.
When asked what being a Highlander means to her, Heinlin expressed that it is making the best of every situation by utilizing what is already available. She went on to say that determination and work ethic are what make individuals successful.
SOFIA MAJEED Staff Writer
SOFIA MAJEED Staff Writer
LAYNA LAPIKAS / THE HIGHLANDER
PHOTOS BY ELENA VERSAGE / THE HIGHLANDER
H
Maddie Heinlin’s Highlander legacy
WITH HER FOURTH-YEAR AT UCR SHORTLY COMING TO AN END, MADDIE HEINLIN EARNS BIG WEST PITCHER OF THE WEEK HONORS, IN NEW YORK
Maddie Heinlin from Pleasanton, California, has been a huge contributor to the softball program at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). She has spent all four years of her collegiate softball career at UCR and has accomplished an impressive array of achievements on impact on the program. This past week, Heinlin was named Big West
time, marking another major milestone in her success this season.
Upon being named Big West Pitcher of the Week, Heinlin’s initial reaction was one of surprise. There have been times in her career when she anticipated receiving this award, but did not receive it. Heinlin felt accomplished, honored and happy to receive this recognition.
Before this award, Heinlin had made Second Team All-Big West as a sophomore in 2023. Since then, she has evolved as a pitcher in numerous ways, notably by changing her perspective as needed per game. Heinlin stopped relying on necessarily throwing the best pitch, as that can lead to a predictable game. Alternatively, she has put trust in herself, knowing that her other pitches are just as good.
her development as a pitcher have been the two pitching coaches she has had the opportunity to work
with at UCR and her father. Heinlin started her journey at UCR with Coach Cindy Bristow, but now works with Coach Nicholas Sanchez.
Both coaches have provided tremendous support to her mentally and physically. During Heinlin’s junior year, she put too much pressure on herself following a successful sophomore season. She began to struggle, but after giving herself time to relax and destress, she was able to get her momentum back.
in her development has to be her father. She shared how every time she is home during a break, he handles her catching duties and has done so for her since the age of nine. She playfully mentioned how he even catches her pitches without any gear on.
For the remainder of the season, Heinlin revealed that the number one goal for the team is to make the Big West Tournament at the end
of the year. As a personal goal, she looks to accumulate 100 strikeouts en route to an All-Big West FirstTeam mention.
Heinlin strives to do whatever she can to help her team win. She delivered once more in Friday’s contest against California State University, Long Beach, surrendering zero earned runs in seven full innings.
With her collegiate softball career shortly coming to an end, Heinlin hopes to be remembered as someone who worked hard and was a good leader, but also someone who brought a lot of fun and energy to the team.
KISHNEET KAUR Staff Writer
BaseBall
4/13/2025 UCSB vs. UCR 5-3, L
UCR Team Leaders:
Matthew O’Brien: (L, 2-4), 4.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 K, 1 BB
