4.7.21

The Volante

THE STUDENTS’ VOICE SINCE 1887

W E D N E S D AY, A P R I L 7 , 2 0 2 1

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Flamez tobacco shop sells art by local artists The Vermillion tobacco shop, Flamez also sells art form local artists. The space provides a platform for artists to display work that may not have another avenue to do so.

Coyote men’s track and field squad ranks No. 25 for second week in a row After last weekend’s USD Early Bird meet, the Coyote men’s track team posted seven new marks that rank in the nation’s top-50.

BREAKING GROUND ON NEW HEALTH SCIENCES BUILDING

People ages 16 and up can recieve COVID-19 vaccine

Madilyn Sindelar

Madilyn.Sindelar@coyotes.usd.edu

Jacob Forster | The Volante

The groundbreaking ceremony for the new building for the School of Health Sciences took place Thursday April 1. The new building will be west of the Andrew E. Lee Memorial Medicine and Science Building.

Rachel Spinks

Rachel.Spinks@coyotes.usd.edu

Jacob Forster | The Volante

State District 17 Senator Arthur Rusch spoke at the ceremony describing his push to pass the senate bill to authorize the Board of Regents to demolish Julian Hall and begin construction on the new Health Sciences building.

The School of Health Sciences broke ground for construction of their new building last Thursday. The School of Health Sciences encapsulates nine departments with 22 different programs, but does not currently have a designated building.

Speakers at the groundbreaking included Dean of the School of Health Sciences Haifa AbouSamra, Sen. Arthur Rusch, who represents District 17, including Clay and Turner Counties, USD President Sheila Gestring and Head of Delta Dental Scott Jones.

Sen. Rusch said he pushed to pass Senate Bill 40, which authorized the Board of Regents to demolish Julian Hall and begin construction on the new Health Sciences building.

“The bill also appropriated $5 million in state general funds for the construction of the School of Health Sciences Building,” Rusch said. “I’m pleased with the role that I was able to play in the passage of Senate Bill 40.”

AbouSamra said construction for the new Health Sciences building is going to take part in three phases and cost over $20 million for the entire finished project.

Phase one starts with tearing up the parking lot next to the Andrew E. Lee Memorial Medicine and Science Building to begin construction. After construction is complete the School of Health Sciences will then move into their newly renovated building in phase two. Phase three entails See GROUNDBREAKING, Page A3

The USD COVID-19 Task Force announced in a press release Monday that all South Dakotans age 16 and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.

This includes all out-of-state students who attend USD, as they reside in the state the majority of the school year.

For those who wish to be vaccinated, USD encourages students to visit the Sanford Health website and make an appointment at Sanford Vermillion. There is a large supply of vaccines currently in Vermillion, according to the press release.

Even with full vaccination, the campus will still be requiring face masks and other COVID-19 safety precautions to achieve COVID-19 specific immunity.

For those in the middle of a vaccine series, or still haven’t received a vaccine, USD urges students to get tested for COVID-19 regularly in the MUC pit for free from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. all weekdays.

“Our community has done a great job protecting each other this year. Now, with widespread vaccine availability and continued testing opportunities, we can better protect ourselves and our loved ones as we work toward a more normal campus experience this fall,” University Relations said.

Cultural Wellness Coalition hosting film screening at Coyote Twin Jacob Forster

Jacob.R.Forster@coyotes.usd.edu

USD’s Cultural Wellness Coalition will be hosting a free screening of “Judas and the Black Messiah” at the Coyote Twin Theater in downtown Vermillion on April 8 at 7 p.m. as part of their Diverse Film Series for the Students Community.

The film, released this year in a simultaneous theatrical and streaming release on HBO Max, depicts the betrayal and assassination of Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, in 1969. The film was directed by Shaka King and stars Daniel Kaluuya as Hampton, LaKeith Stanfield as FBI informant Bill O’Neal and Jesse Plemons as FBI Agent Roy Mitchell.

The film is the first in the CWC’s Diverse Film Series. Admission is free, along with popcorn and a drink. Seating will be limited due to COVID-19 safety protocols.

USD’s IdeaFest held virtually for the second time Jacob Forster

Jacob.R.Forster@coyotes.usd.edu

USD’s IdeaFest is being held virtually this year, much like the event last April. IdeaFest is a showcase for undergraduate and graduate students at USD to display research projects they work on as part of their studies at USD. Kurt Hackemer, USD provost and vice president for academic affairs, said his office is involved in IdeaFest through funding undergraduate research. Hackemer said this year’s event will be more polished since those setting it up are more experienced with remote work than they were last April. “(IdeaFest 2020) was put together pretty quickly, the way a lot of remote learning was put together pretty quickly,” Hackemer said. “I think that it’s probably like many of our classes, it’ll be more polished this time around.”

Hackemer said the challenges of IdeaFest last year were uncertainty about who would

participate and how question and answer sessions would work.

“I think we have a much better sense of that now. And not just IdeaFest, but in the broader academic world,” Hackemer said. “We know how to do conferences, we know how virtual presentations work, we know how to moderate questions, we know how to literally better present materials electronically.”

Kim Albracht, assistant director of academic engagement at USD’s Gallagher Center, said the center is involved in the coordination and delivery of the event, along with the Graduate School and other members of the IdeaFest Committee.

Albracht said the challenges of the virtual event are that it’s a new format for everyone involved, but that it presents an opportunity for more people to attend.

“There’s a bit of a learning curve, like anything, but also going virtual offers a lot of opportunity for people, for example,

that may be taking classes in Sioux Falls to participate more readily,” Albracht said.

This year’s IdeaFest will involve recorded poster presentations as well as live oral presentations over Zoom. Students with poster presentations will be able to answer questions about their presentations after their recordings.

“Last year, all of our participants did end up doing a recording of their presentation that people were able to go and visit online,” Albracht said. “Throughout the scheduled event, this year, we’re doing it so that it has a little bit more of a traditional feel, and that presenters will be there live giving their presentations.”

Madeleine Nelson, an undergraduate medical biology major, will be presenting on the mechanisms of synthetic cannabinoids, human-made chemicals which imitate chemicals found in marijuana.

See IDEAFEST, Page A6

Jacob Forster | The Volante

The virtual IdeaFest will be held April 7–8 to allow students a space to share research and scholarship being done at USD.

News

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USD CLUB BASEBALL STEPS UP TO THE PLATE AT PRENTIS

Peyton Beyers I The Volante

USD’s Club Baseball team plays a game in Prentis Park against Wayne State in their home opener April 6.The team was started in 2004 and their next home game is Saturday April 24 at 2 p.m. against Minnesota State University–Mankato.

CITY OF VERMILLION POLICE BLOTTER

4

underage citations

Mar. 28 An officer stopped a vehicle for an expired registration.

The driver’s license status was revoked and the driver did not have insurance for the vehicle.

The driver was charged and the vehicle was impounded.

An officer stopped a vehicle for failing to stop completely at a stop sign. Officer’s investigation found the driver to be intoxicated. Passengers were found to be intoxicated and under the age of 21. The driver was arrested and taken into custody. The passengers were cited for underage consumption of alcohol.

Charges are pending.

Officers responded to a local retail firm to assist with a patient having a seizure.

Officers provided care until the ambulance arrived and took over treatment. The patient left with a family member and did not require additional care.

Officers responded to a 911 call of a domestic dispute in

6

progress. Officers investigation found one subject had committed a crime against the other subject by taking their phone and preventing them from calling for assistance. The subject was arrested and taken into custody. Alcohol was a factor.

Officers investigated a report of suspicious activity at a cityowned park.

An officer responded to suspicious activity on city property. No criminal activity was discovered.

Mar. 29 An officer stopped a vehicle for passing in a no passing zone within the city limits. The driver was cited and released.

Officers responded to a call of a domestic dispute. Officers’ investigation found no crimes had been committed.

Officers performed a welfare check on an elderly male who was overdue for a visit with the

>> Mar. 28–April 3

1

traffic violations

sex crime

caller. Officers located the man who explained that he had been feeling ill.

family member. The driver was cited for Using an Electronic Device while Driving.

Mar. 30 Officers responded to a roadrage incident that ended near the Clay County Courthouse with one subject brandishing a weapon. Both subjects were identified and separated.

Charges are pending for the subject who brandished a weapon.

Officers investigated a report of a disturbance at a residence.

No arrests were made.

Mar. 31 Officers investigated a report of an abandoned 911 call.

Investigation revealed an assault was in progress which prompted the emergency call.

One adult male was arrested for simple assault.

An officer saw a driver texting while driving down the road.

The vehicle did not stop when the officer activated the emergency lights and sirens for several blocks. The driver admitted they did not notice the attempt to stop them because they were texting a

Apr. 1 An officer recognized the driver of a vehicle and knew he did not have a driver’s license.

The vehicle was stopped, the driver was 19 years of age and the odor of marijuana was coming from the vehicle. The driver was also on probation.

The driver was arrested for multiple offenses.

Officers responded to a report of a dispute at a local tavern.

Investigation resulted in one of the participants having disorderly conduct charges referred to the State’s Attorney Office.

Apr. 2 Caller reported a sex crime.

Under investigation.

Apr. 3 While on patrol, an officer saw a driver who appeared to be typing into a phone and not paying attention to driving.

The officer stopped the driver who admitted to texting a family member while driving.

The driver was cited for Using a Mobile Electronic Device while Driving.

The management of the Liquor Store reported a theft had occurred, they also provided photos and video of the suspect. The suspect was later located and charges are pending.

Caller reported an intoxicated family member had arrived at her apartment and was unable to leave. Officers found the subject was passed out and called the ambulance. The subject was identified from video as a suspect in a theft from the Liquor Store. The subject was transported to the hospital.

SGA works toward sustainability on campus Maddi Kallsen

Maddilynn.Kallsen@coyotes.usd.edu

Anna Moore, USD sustainability grad student and Campus Recycling Coordinator, spoke to the SGA senate about strides USD and the Vermillion community are taking towards sustainability at this week’s SGA meeting.

“Here at USD when we talk about sustainability, especially coming from the academic sustainability department, you typically are thinking about two questions. The first question is, what kind of future do we want?” Moore said. “The second question is what can we do to get there?”

Marcus Destin represented the Dakota Days student board organization petitioning for large organization status. The senate granted Dakota Days large organization status.

Along with Dakota Days, the African Student Association, represented by Lalise Gemeda, petitioned for and received large organization status from SGA. Senate Resolution 1, a resolution supporting the reduction of printing quotas, was read. President Ally Feiner is the resolution’s sponsor. The reading for Resolution 1 was approved at the meeting. This resolution is in support of USD’s sustainability efforts.

“Sustainability is about thinking but it’s also about doing,” Moore said.

Along with Resolution 1, the reading for Senate Bill 2 was approved. Senate Bill 2 supports the maintenance of the Bike Share Program.

Both organizations Then Feed Just One, represented by Cameron Miller, and the South Dakota chapter of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, represented by Claire Lorenzen, presented organization reports to the SGA senate.

Various organizations petitioned for food exemption requests on their budgeting processes and allocated funds. Organizations approved for food exemption requests include International Club, SERVE, Dermatology Interest Group, American Medical Association - Medical Student Section at USD, Latino Hispanic Student Organization, African Student Association, Asian American Student Association, USD SSOM Infectious Disease Interest Group, USD Chemistry Club, and the Nepalese Student Association.

Student organizations also petitioned for clothing exemption requests on their budgets. These organizations include the Student Theatre Cooperative, Asian American Student Association, African Student Association and Dakota Days. All were approved.

The Volante Volume 145, No. 23 April 7, 2021 www.volanteonline.com Al Neuharth Media Center 555 N. Dakota St. University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD 57069

SGA passed Senate Resolution 1 to reduce printing quotas and Senate Bill 2 to support maintenance of the Bike Share Program.

editor-in-chief

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Alle Anduaga Tyler Boyle sports editor

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news editor

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Peyton Beyers I The Volante

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News

A3 Wednesday, April 7, 2021

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Medicaid expansion campaign kicks off in South Dakota Jacob Forster

Jacob.R.Forster@coyotes.usd.edu

The recent federal stimulus bill included provisions incentivizing states to expand Medicaid coverage. While states including Wyoming have moved Medicaid expansion forward legislatively, Dakotans for Health, a political advocacy group, is working to put the policy forward as a ballot initiative in South Dakota’s 2022 elections.

The South Dakota ballot initiative process requires petitioners to collect signatures totaling 10% of votes cast in the previous gubernatorial election to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot.

For 2022, this is equivalent to 37,000 signatures. Signatures must be submitted by November 8.

In addition to this, Michael Card, a political science professor at USD, said the South Dakota legislature has referred a measure, House Joint Resolution 5003, to voters on the June 2022 primary ballot. This measure would place a 60% threshold on any initiated measure or constitutional amendment with a cost greater than $10 million over the first five years.

Medicaid expansion falls under that level of budgetary impact.

“The committee proposing the Medicaid expansion has filed a lawsuit against this going into effect,” Card said.

Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government would cover 90% of the costs of expanding Medicaid, leaving 10% to the state. Matthew Heard, a professor

of health services administration at USD, said this would cost the state about $60 million over the next five years.

“Might not seem like a big figure, but remember, we are a balanced budget state and $60 million dollars is about 3.5% of our state’s general fund budget,” Heard said said in an email interview with The Volante.

In addition, South Dakota’s revenues depend largely on a state sales tax, which can fluctuate depending on economic activity in the state.

“I think we always have to be concerned with whether a program will be sustainable or not,” Heard said. “Hopefully in the upcoming months, we will see our economy start trending back toward whatever normal is and we will see these sales tax revenues take off.”

Heard said while current South Dakota law places a number of limitations on persons applying for Medicaid, expansion would qualify all adults up to age 64 who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty line.

“Currently, we have nearly 115,000 South Dakotans on Medicaid or CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program),” Heard said. “Medicaid expansion would mean an estimated 45-50 thousand more people would be eligible for Medicaid.”

Under current South Dakota law, no adults without children and who are not disabled qualify for Medicaid, regardless of income, according to reporting from PBS. Pam Cole, an organizer with Dakotans for Health, said the

weather and pandemic have been the biggest challenges for signature gathering.

“Getting out there where people are congregating, you know, in finding enough signatures,” Cole said. “So you know, COVID, people are still social distancing.”

In addition, the group is challenging H.R. 5003 in the South Dakota Supreme Court. Cole said the court will make a decision in the next couple of weeks.

Remi Bald Eagle, a liaison for tribal outreach at Dakotans for Health, said the policy would have benefits for the reservations in South Dakota.

“It would allow more tribal members to qualify for Medicaid,” Bald Eagle said. “And what that does is it allows more treatment options at the IHS (Indian Health Service).”

Benefits would include revenue from referred care. Bald Eagle said while currently the IHS must pay for referred care services, if individuals qualified for Medicaid, these services could be billed third party.

“If they can bill for more people and get that third party billing to the service unit, then that qualifies even more people for referred care because it enlarges their budget,” Bald Eagle said. “A lot of people don’t realize that 25-50% of a service unit on a reservation or a hospital budget is that third party billing revenue.”

Heard said about 24% of people who would become eligible under Medicaid expansion in South Dakota are Native American.

“I believe IHS offers free care for Native Americans, but access to the care and treatments are often limited,” Heard said.

Those who would qualify under expanded Medicaid but currently don’t can get coverage through the Affordable Care Act exchanges.

However, Cole said that coverage is often inadequate.

“It doesn’t help them with pharmaceuticals,” Cole said. “On

Hailey Freidel skydives during her study abroad expierence in Limerick, Ireland.

Rachel Thompson | The Volante a daily basis, they’re really literally left out in the cold with healthcare.”

Petitioners must validate at least 17,000 signatures by June 28.

Cole said students who are interested in the campaign for Medicaid expansion can circulate petitions by going to Dakotans4Health.com.

Submitted Photo | The Volante

Study Abroad continues to encourage student travel Rachel Pechous

Rachel.Pechous@coyotes.usd.edu

Submitted Photo | The Volante Ashley Anderson hikes in Perth, Austrailia while studying abroad.

GROUNDBREAKING From Page A1

demolishing Julian Hall and creating a new parking lot in its place. AbouSamra said construction of the new building and parking lot is projected to be completed in August 2022.

Originally built in 1950, Julian Hall serves as an instructional home for the social work program and physician assistants, as well as addiction counseling and prevention programs.

“It (Julian Hall) is a very old building and it’s not suited for the current requirements that we need to educate our students,” AbouSamra said.

Rusch, a USD alumnus, spoke about the demolishing of Julian Hall.

“When I lived there many many years ago, that wasn’t the greatest place then and I’m sure it’s not improved over the years,” Rusch said.

AbouSamra said most of the buildings where the department is located across campus do not have the appropriate technology needed to educate the future healthcare professionals.

“We’re all over the campus. Some of our programs are in Julian Hall,” AbouSamra said. “We have faculty in the business school and Lee Med. That’s why we need one building to group our students and faculty in a place where we can upgrade our labs, lab space and classroom space with new technology”.

AbouSamra said the School of Health Sciences is one of the fastest-growing schools on campus so it’s important for students who share a common interest to come together in a welcoming space. ”Right now students from different programs in the School

Students at USD have several opportunities to travel while continuing their education. One way to do this is with the Study Abroad program through the Gallagher Center for Experiential Learning & Education Abroad.

The Study Abroad program has implemented several precautions regarding COVID-19 and are doing programs on a case-by-case basis.

“We’re not saying no to students that would like to study abroad, but we are going to meet with them individually and assess the situation,” study abroad advisor Jessica Winterringer said.

In assessing programs, Winterringer said she will meet with students every two weeks to go over a matrix adapted from the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) which includes statistics of current COVID-19 cases, overall deaths and rates of decreasing cases for the country that the student is planning on traveling to.

“We also look at vaccine rollout, we look at housing and we look at entry and exit requirements,” Winterrginer said.

Students will have to provide a negative test at least three days leading up to their trip and potentially again at the airport as Winterringer said many countries are requiring tests upon arrival.

“If it’s positive before they leave, they cannot go. If it’s positive when they arrive, they will quarantine,” Winterringer said.

Winterringer also said students have options on where they stay when they arrive.

“A lot of them are gonna have their own rooms but the programs are also offering homestays,” Winterringer said.

Students who choose to do a homestay will be tested, as will the family they are staying with. Once moved in of Health Sciences don’t have lots of opportunities to come together and to feel like they belong to one school,” AbouSamra said. “I think this building is going to be very critical in making that happen, where they share the lounge, the study spaces together, and they can intermingle and they can interact and get to know each other.”

The new School of Health Sciences will include renovated labs and classrooms for student use. Students in social work and addiction counseling and prevention will have an opportunity to learn through a new telehealth center. Other additions include a new dental hygiene clinic, a physician assistant exam room and nursing skill labs.

USD’s dental hygiene program is naming the dental hygiene clinic Delta Dental Oral Health Center in honor of a $1 million gift from the Delta Dental of South Dakota Foundation. Head of Delta Dental Scott Jones said this dental hygiene clinic is key for future generations as USD is South Dakota’s only dental hygiene program. “(The clinic) is going to further enhance the educational experience of students and future generations of dental hygienists,” Jones said.

AbouSamra says that the Health Sciences department is very excited for the buildings new technology for the students.

President Shelia Gestring said, at the Health Sciences groundbreaking, the construction of the new building will have wide-reaching impacts on the state.

“This is truly a momentous day for the future of the University of South Dakota but also for the health and wellbeing for all the citizens in the state,” Gestring said. “The past few months have demonstrated for us the importance of a world-class health care infrastructure.”

the students will not have to wear masks in the home and around the family but will need to wear masks outside of that.

Winterringer said despite challenges due to COVID-19, the Study Abroad program is still a great opportunity for students.

Junior double major in International Studies and Spanish Sydney Fulton is currently planning on traveling to Granada, Spain this summer.

“I have always wanted to study abroad since middle school and with the International Studies major it is a requirement to graduate,” Fulton said.

Fulton said she’s been taking Spanish classes since kindergarten, which is helping to prepare her for the experience, but she is most excited to learn more by being there and experiencing the culture in person.

“I’m just really looking forward to having those new experiences and being totally immersed in a new culture, a new language and country,” Fulton said.

The Study Abroad program is also planning for multiple trips to take place in the fall.

Winterringer said she understand students might be hesitant to travel.

“It’s okay to feel uncomfortable and scared because that means you’re learning and you’re adapting and growing. So try new things, don’t hold back, otherwise you’re going to regret it,” Winterringer said.

Winterringer said she also likes to follow and tell students a certain quote: “life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

Students interested in Study Abroad can find the program in room 103 in the I.D. Weeks Library or attend their study away sessions every Wednesday and Thursday at 2 p.m. in Old Main room 212 or through Zoom.

Jacob Forster | The Volante School of Health Sciences dean Haifa AbouSamra spoke of how the new building will condense the school from being housed in multiple buildings across campus into one.

Opinion WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2021

THE VOLANTE

VOLANTEONLINE.COM/OPINION

EDITORIAL

IT’S A NUMBERS GAME

22 The number of programs included in USD’s Health and Science department.

5

The millions of dollars that Senate Bill 40 offers for the construction of the School of Health Science building.

Peyton Beyers I The Volante

With the recent nice weather, students are able to benefit from spending time outside.

Editorial: Getting back to the outdoors

Recently, the weather in South Dakota has been very nice. Temperatures were in the 80’s over the past weekend in some places and it was a great time to be outside.

So much research has been completed and it shows that going outside, being in nature or relaxing in the sun can have many benefits to a person’s health.

There are many physical health benefits to going outside.

When sunlight hits your skin, your body starts to create Vitamin D. This is great for boosting your immune system and fighting certain things like depression, cancer and heart attacks. The best way to boost Vitamin D is sunlight.

Being outside can also help you get more sleep. People believe that going outside and being in the sun can reset your internal clock and create a more-natural sleep pattern.

A regular sleep pattern is great for college students. Our sleep patterns are regulated by the circadian rhythm. When people expose themselves to too much artificial light, their internal clocks can go crazy.

Your eyes also benefit from being away from a computer screen. Computer vision

syndrome and nearsightedness are two issues that can be reduced by spending time outside in natural light. Obviously don’t go looking at the sun, but spend some time in a place where you aren’t two feet away from a computer screen.

It’s also fun to have games or exercise some way outside. Whether you’re going for a walk, biking or playing a sport of some kind, exercise is great for reducing the possibility high blood pressure.

There are also mental benefits to going outside.

Scientists believe spending time outside in the sun can help to improve mental health.

“

There are many physical health benefits to going outside.”

Going outside can help reduce stress, elevate your mood and fight off depression and anxiety. Spending time in nature or even just outdoors can increase your intake of Vitamin D and serotonin levels. All of this helps to decrease stressors and improve your well-being.

Being outside can also improve your productivity. There isn’t much research to back this up, but outdoor space can improve your creativity. Seeing all the color that’s coming back after winter can give your mind a little kick to thinking outside the box.

Even if you have assignments or work, try to find time to be outside. Take a short walk around campus. Eat outside. Do your homework outside. It doesn’t really matter what you do but try to spend some time outside throughout the last few weeks of the semester. It’s doubtful you need all of this to convince you to go outside. But make sure you make some time for yourself to relax.

The end of the semester is coming and with it, stress. Take a breather. Go outside, touch some grass, smell the flowers. After all, it’s South Dakota; something is bound to ruin the good weather soon.

Find more opinions on our website. volanteonline.com

20

The expected billions of dollars spent for the completion of the new Health Science building.

24 The percentage of projected job growth for physician assistants in South Dakota.

From dlr.sd.gov

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What is your favorite part of spring?

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Tyler Boyle, sports editor

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Rachel Pechous, verve editor Emma Daggett, opinion editor

The weather

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Spring flowers Return of animals

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I don’t like spring

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CONTACT US The Volante welcomes letters to the editor in regards to campus, local, state and national issues. Letters will be edited for clarity and length and will be printed as space allows. Please limit letters to 300 words or fewer. The Volante reserves the right to hold letters for publication in a later issue.

Submissions must include the author’s name, address, telephone number, year in school and major or job title. Letters must be exclusively for The Volante.

We will not publish anonymous letters.

Send letters to: Al Neuharth Media Center 555 N. Dakota St. Vermillion, S.D. 57069 Fax to: 605.677.5105 Email to: volante@coyotes.usd.edu Via our website: volanteonline.com The deadline for letters is 5 p.m. the Friday prior to publication.

Letters must be typed and fewer than 300 words.

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Opinion

Wednesday, April 7, 2021 A5

Trisha Paytas: The unsung mental health advocate SOPHIE SWANSON is a junior majoring in English and Special Education.

Trisha Paytas is well-known in the entertainment industry for being unpredictable and full of personality. She has gone through a lot of ups and downs in her time in the spotlight, but always seems to find herself amongst stars. What makes Trisha interesting isn’t just the multitude of jobs she’s held or her TikTok account, but the way in which she is not afraid to show the world the “ugly” side of mental illness on her platform.

Trisha has been on YouTube since

the beginning, and as one of the oldest creators on the app, we have seen her grow and change from being young and ignorant to someone who is educated and successful. Trisha has always been very open with her mental health struggle and shows that through her many styles of videos. More often than not, you’ll find her crying in front of the camera, venting her frustrations to the world.

Trisha has always been seen as someone who can’t keep friendships and relationships for long because she’s deemed “crazy.” In reality, Trisha pushes those she loves most away because she’s afraid they’ll leave her and not come back. When she came forward

with her struggle with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder), she expressed that this came to be from a mix of childhood trauma and abuse she’s received as an adult.

Being open about her past has made her fans feel closer to her and her search in finding love and happiness. A few years ago, Trisha was in a relationship that was built on a mix of co-dependency and lies. This heightened her struggle with DID, and eventually she was put in a mental health facility for attempting to overdose on narcotics.

Currently, Trisha is engaged to a man named Moses, who is always willing to make appearances in her music and YouTube videos. He treats her

with respect and love, and his family has welcomed her with open arms. Her new friendship and podcast with Ethan Klein, Moses’s brother-inlaw, has become the center of a lot of talk in the entertainment industry, and they recently bought matching cars together.

Trisha continues to be outspoken about her journey with mental health and shows her viewers it’s okay to be vulnerable about their feelings and asking for help.

Mental health isn’t pretty, it’s messy and painful and ongoing.

Seeing a star like Trisha Paytas be able to be so open about this topic helps begin to break the stigma surrounding mental health matters.

Death by mosquitoes EMMA DAGGETT is a first-year majoring in English.

Think very hard.

What’s the most dangerous animal in the world? It’s not a bear, or snake, or lion.

It’s probably the mosquito.

This is the tiny annoying bug everyone knows about and is just irritated with. It buzzes around your head and there seems to be thousands of

them whenever you go outside in the summer months. It’s strange to think that this little, squishable bug is so dangerous to people.

Bill Gates mentioned in one of his blogs which stated mosquitoes kill more people in one day than sharks do in a century.

The nasty little insect can carry diseases which infect humans and animals. They can carry things like Zika, malaria, yellow fever, dengue and so many other things that are debilitating to humans.

Even though only the female mosquitoes feed off humans, they are the deadliest in the world. The Center for Disease Control

and Prevention says, “In 2018, there were 228 million cases of malaria worldwide and 405,000 deaths.”

The world even has a mosquito day every year on Aug. 20. Each year, organizations try to raise awareness about what mosquitoes have the potential to do. People try to stop mosquitoes before they can start breeding and laying eggs, but it never seems to work.

In 2016, the U.S. state of Hawaii was forced to declare a state of emergency because of an outbreak of dengue fever, which was spread by infected mosquitoes. Since then, there haven’t been a lot of outbreaks in the U.S.

While the U.S. no longer considers some of these diseases a threat to our public, mosquitoes can still cause many illnesses.

There are about 3,000 different species of the insect and not all of them drink blood.

But why take the risk?

Squish them.

Mosquitoes are able to live in any warm area and are very adaptable. Climate change is expected to widen the area mosquitoes can live in.

Mosquitoes are nasty and disgusting. They are becoming more immune to chemicals.

Bug spray isn’t as effective as it once was. So next time you see a mosquito, just squish it.

OVERHEARDS

Here you’ll find the weirdest, funniest and stupidest things we’ve heard during the week. Context is for suckers.

“Wait, you read the Bible?”

— Neuharth

“And then it bit me.”

— Neuharth

“Are you a big corn gal? Because I am.”

— MUC

“I need an OnlyFans.”

Degree or experience?

PAYTON RYZ is a junior majoring in communication studies.

Most of us come to university thinking it’s for a certain major and degree which will then get us a certain career and we will live out this American idealized life. These are the steps society said we need to take and what we thought would make us successful.

What a lot of us learn as we go through university, or what I hope you all start to think about now, is this four-year journey is more about the experience: the people we meet, the opportunities that come our way, the mistakes we make, the lessons learned, the adventures we take and the perspective we gain. The experience is what truly matters, not the degree and whether you got an A versus a B in one class.

What matters is how we decide to take the opportunities given and create something extraordinary with them, what we do to go out of our way to help people in the community, help a friend, or inspire those around us, how we pivot, change, grow and explore who we are as people and the endless possibilities that are out there. Whether we choose to make the most out of this experience, that is what matters and is worth more than any degree title or grade.

Without experience, outside of reading a book or answering questions on an exam, how are you truly contributing

to society and your community right now?

How are you growing as a person to become the best version of yourself if all you know is what’s written on the page in front of you?

I may procrastinate my work and rush to finish it within the last couple of hours before the time it’s due, but it’s because I’m out there experiencing it.

And that’s what we’re supposed to do!

What I have gained from taking the opportunity to grow my own business, from pushing myself to work out of my comfort zone, to speak to different people, is what gives this college experience value. It gives me more meaning, purpose and direction in my life. It allows me to see options for my next path that I never thought were possible!

When we take chances out of the dorm and don’t just follow the step-by-step procedure of learning and studying for exams, we gain more knowledge from the world and those experiences than we could simply by reading a textbook.

I’m not saying education isn’t important but I believe what we learn and how we learn it should inspire us to go out there and take action in some way or spark interest in a new area of discovery. The more involved you are and the more experiences you take part in, the more you realize those moments in life are the ones that add so much more joy, perspective and value to your four-year college degree.

Read more student opinions on our website.

— Elm Street

“I’d smell your breath for a week straight if it meant I could smell again.”

— Neuharth

“That first drop of blood after a pregnancy spook...it’s the most freeing feeling.”

— The Link

“Oh my goodness, another women.”

— MUC

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A6 Wednesday, April 7, 2021

News

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Letterpress embraces collaboration in immersive gallery

Peyton Beyers | The Volante The “Letterpress Printing: From Industry to Art” exhibition is a collaborative show, displaying artwork found in USD’s collection and created by contemporary letterpress artists all over the world. The show was curated by assistant professor of graphic design James Quigley and Fine Arts gallery director Amy Fill.

Chloe Fullenkamp

Chloe.Fullenkamp@coyotes.usd.edu

Collaboration is key for USD’s newest gallery, “Letterpress Printing: From Industry to Art.” Featured at the John A. Day Gallery in the Warren M. Lee Fine Arts building, “Letterpress: Industry to Art” combines sound, video art to create an immersive experience.

Assistant professor of graphic design and co-curator of the gallery James Quigley has been practicing letterpress since 2012. Quigley said when he was contacted for the gallery, he used the opportunity to reach out to pros in the letterpress community.

“I reached out to people I knew and people I didn’t know who work in the letterpress industry,” Quigley said, “And to my delight, they all said yes.”

Of the artists showcased, Lead Graffiti and Jen Farrell from Starshaped Press are just some of the prominent U.S. artists featured. Letterpress printing includes many different styles which are embraced in the community.

The different styles showcased in the exhibit include polymer, wood type, wood metal type, wood and linoleum type.

“Letterpress is a very small community, and a very supportive one,” Quigley said.

The gallery is a collaboration of artwork provided by artists and pieces from USD’s collection.

“This gallery gives us the ability to be more collaborative,” Amy Fill said. “We are able to combine pieces from USD’s collection with other pieces to create an exhibit.”

Fill, director of University Art Galleries, led her team when they picked out pieces from USD’s collection.

“When we were selecting the works for the gallery, we wanted to select pieces which had a broad representation of the different styles and approaches of the art,” Fill said.

Fill said many of the pieces have a connection to USD from the 1980s. USD used to hold printmaking classes and had a book design department.

“A lot of the pieces were created during the printmaking workshops that used to happen on campus and in the department in the past,” Fill said.

The gallery features different media used to

IDEAFEST From Page A1

Nelson said she has not presented at previous IdeaFests but has presented at other research conferences. Nelson said she believes the advantages of a virtual IdeaFest include preventing the spread of COVID-19 as well as some personal comfort.

“I think it’s nice to be able to do it virtually just because you are able to sit in the comfort of your own space to present, which takes away a lot of the pressure,” Nelson said in an email interview with The Volante. “I also think it’s nice because it is easier to be able to take notes in a virtual conference.”

Drawbacks include difficulty with making connections with other presenters and researchers, and an inability to ask questions outside of a set timeframe.

“I personally prefer presenting in person, as I find that I am more engaged and excited to present and answer any questions people may have when I am standing in front of a group of people,” Nelson said. “Also, in person presentations are fun to attend in general.”

Albracht said she is looking forward to next year’s IdeaFest, which will most likely return to an in-person format.

“It is really great to have the excitement of an event like this, because it is a campus-wide event, to have that excitement in the MUC (Muenster University Center) and feel that presence,” Albracht said.

Hackemer said he believes the next in-person IdeaFest will retain some elements of the virtual events.

“I think we’re all looking around and getting much better ideas about how we do those blended kinds of experiences now. So I think I think you’ll see that filtered into IdeaFest,

print on such as paper, books and posters, as well as the different techniques.

“Letterpress is all about smashing ink into paper,” Quigley said, “Its a relief printing technique.”

Quigley said printmaking is a versatile art as it can be pressed onto different materials.

“I have printed on burlap, lace, leaves and all sorts of funky stuff,” Quigley said.

Many aspects of the gallery may not look like art, but they are just as important as the pieces on the walls. Around the gallery are elements of different letter pressing techniques such as a type case, linoleum blocks and printing press machines.

“All the items in the gallery except for the type case are mine,” Quigely said, “The school has some materials, but I was able to provide a lot of it.”

Throughout the gallery, artwork is combined with sounds and an informational video about printmaking.

“The elements we chose to include in the gallery were chosen to immerse the guests in printmaking,” Fill said.

The gallery is set to close April 9, after an interactive closing reception that day.

“We are looking forward to hosting a reception for the gallery where guests can come and do their own letterpress,” Quigley said.

Guests will be able to set up to two lines of wood type and press onto the paper prompts provided by Quigley.

Fill said the interactive reception is just one of the ways she is aiming to bring art to USD. “Part of my research is about how art doesn’t have to be in a gallery, so interactive and participatory aspects are really important to our galleries here at USD,” Fill said.

After the gallery closes, Quigley hopes that students, faculty and community members who have attended the gallery take home a new respect for the letterpress technique.

“The biggest takeaway is really just the awareness of the printing process,” Quigley said.

“I want people to learn about how letterpress used to be and how it is now a modern art technique.”

The John A. Day Gallery is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday if students wish to learn more about the artwork or visit the gallery.

Peyton Beyers | The Volante In letterpress printing, metal type is arranged letter-by-letter, inked and put through a press to create books or other graphic materials.

Peyton Beyers | The Volante Letterpress materials are displayed to educate the viewer about letterpress’ evolution from industry to artform. She show utilizes video and sound to create an immersive exhibit.

Packard Exhibition held as drive-in event Miles Amende

Miles.Amende@coyotes.usd.edu

To work around the difficulties of hosting an art show during the pandemic, local artists Klaire Lockheart and Aaron Packard hosted the 2021 Packard Group National Exhibition as a drive-in event.

The event was the second of its kind. Lockheart conceived the idea of the exhibition last year when she decided the area didn’t have enough exhibition opportunities.

“I thought it would be fun to put together a national exhibition, so

Submitted Photo | The Volante To provide more national exhibition opportunities, Klaire Lockheart and Aaron Packard hosted the 2021 Packard Group National Exhibition as a drive-in event. The show had 133 entries from across the nation.

that way artists all over the country could participate,” Lockheart said.

Rather than have people walk through an exhibition space to see the artwork, the two had artists submit pictures of their art, which were then rear-projected onto a screen at Packard’s studio, No. 7 Center.

The two took a similar approach to the reception of the previous exhibition, which was intended to be physical but was switched to the drive-in movie. “(The studio) has this really big front window,” Packard said. “Once the sun goes down, you get this really great view. There’s some good parking and some nice walking right past there, just off Main Street, so it worked. We had some people in convertibles last year that pulled up and stayed for a while, and then other people who bicycled in.”

Lockheart said last year’s exhibition had about 30 entries, while this year’s had 133. In addition to promoting the event on social media, she said she contacted every state’s arts council to put out calls for submissions.

The only rule for submissions was that they must be 8-by-10 inches or smaller, which was originally established when Lockeart and Packard intended for artists to mail their work for the exhibition.

“It brings a much cheaper shipping element to everything, and a much easier method of them returning work as well,” Packard said.

“It’s also somewhat of a trend in the last number of years, this... style of show, where it’s somewhat termed a ‘mail-in’ show.”

In curating the event, Lockheart said she likes the idea of art shows where artists can get in if they follow basic submission rules, and that the Packard Exhibition is a nice way to be inclusive and bring art to Vermillion. Additionally, artists were not charged a fee for entering the exhibition.

“I have this exhibition open to anybody in the United States, so I have professional artists, I have students and I have everyone in between,” Lockheart said. “A lot of people have told me this is their first professional art exhibition… and that’s why I want to make it as easy and as friendly as possible.”

Next year, the two hope to host a physical exhibition, but the 2021 show can still be viewed digitally at Lockheart’s website.

“This year, (the exhibition) was really about honoring artists and keeping the budget as low as possible to not stick them with any extra expenses,” Lockheart said.

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Wednesday, April 7, 2021 THE VOLANTE

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FLAMEZ TOBACCO SHOP SELLS ART BY LOCAL ARTISTS

Bennett Clary | The Volante

Ayanna Jones’ artwork (right) has been sold in Flamez since February.

Bennett Clary

Bennett.Clary@coyotes.usd.edu

Flamez is a tobacco shop in Vermillion that is also selling art from local artists.

Manager Donald Flamez said this service isn’t only in their Vermillion store, but it’s special because it allows Vermillion artists to present their works to the community.

“There’s a whole bunch of people that do great work but have no platform to put it,” Flamez said.

Flamez worker Lebowski said customers and friends of customers tend to be the people who display their art the most. Lebowski said he enjoys the artwork they sell because it’s all-local and matches the vibe of the store.

“We’ve never had one that’s the same, it’s always completely different every time,” Lebowski said.

Flamez said the artists own the work while it’s in the shop. Artists can also choose to remove their work from the store or sell it somewhere else, but Flamez likes to give them a place to present their work.

“We sell your work as long as your work is quality,” Flamez said. “Much like anything else we sell, it has to be quality, otherwise we can’t sell it.”

Full-time artist and Reiki master

practitioner Ayanna Jones creates and sells art on Instagram and in Flamez. In an email interview with The Volante, Jones said she’s been selling her artwork since 2018 and in Flamez since February. She said she would regret the missed opportunity if she didn’t sell in Flamez.

“I think my artwork fits well with Flamez because it screams love and unity and it blends perfectly with the wonderful vibes and friendly atmosphere that they create in the store,” Jones said.

Lebowski said he would love to continue selling local art in the shop because everyone involved in the process also enjoys seeing the art in Flamez.

“I really like promoting local art culture, that’s definitely my favorite part of the whole art ordeal,” Lebowski said. “I feel like you’ve got to do your part (to) promote culture and whatnot in your community.”

Artists can talk with any associate about having their art sold in the store.

Jones’s work can be found on Instagram @ayaoriginal, and more information about Flamez can be found at flamezvape.com or on Snapchat @Flamez_SD.

Displayed artwork is chosen by Flamez staff to fit their preferred “aesthetic”.

Bennett Clary | The Volante

USD student shares passion for music, “blessed” to create Bailey Zubke

Bailey.Zubke@coyotes.usd.edu

Music isn’t his future career, but junior kinesiology and sports management major Blessed Vargas is still passionate about the music he creates.

“It’s honestly just a hobby, but it’s a hobby I take seriously,” Vargas said. “So it’s like, I’m not gonna put out something that isn’t impactful to anybody. I’m not gonna put out something generic. I’m not gonna put out something where I’m bragging about money or cars. I’ll put out something where like the lyrics will hit me. At the Ruby Ball, there were a lot of moments where people were just reacting to what I said and I’m like, ‘That’s exactly what I want from my music.’”

Vargas, whose stage name is Wraith Wilson, first considered making rap music before his junior year of high school. Vargas was born in New Jersey but grew up in Puerto Rico before coming to USD. Vargas performed at the Ruby Ball earlier this month, which was his first live performance. Vargas is the president of Union of African American Students (UAAS), which puts on the ball each year, and kept his performance this year a secret.

“I knew that I was going to perform, but my exec board didn’t know that I was gonna perform because I didn’t let them know until the week of the performance,” Vargas said.

“I wrote one song that was unreleased. That same week, I was like, ‘I have to get this done for Ruby Ball.’”

Vargas performed a song he wrote specifically for the Ruby Ball, and performed it live despite his worries of any mistakes.

“The whole week leading up to the event I was super nervous because I was like ‘I’m gonna forget my lyrics, nothing’s gonna go right,’” Vargas said. “When I actually stepped on stage and actually started performing, that

first song that I did was the most flawless delivery I’ve ever put down live or recorded without any slip-ups, and I’ll look back at the video of it and it’s crazy how nice that was.”

Vargas has a few songs available to listen to on Spotify and Apple Music, and said he usually works on his music alone, but if he wants his voice mixed a specific way, he will have someone help him out. Most of his music remains unreleased as he decides whether he likes the song or not after giving himself time to listen to the final product.

“I’ve made at least 20-something (songs), but not all of it’s on all streaming platforms,” Vargas said. “I have, not an entire album, but almost an entire album, where I made it and I was like ‘it’s good,’ and (when I) listen to it now I’m like, these two, three songs are nice, but I don’t know about the rest of them, so it’s just sitting on my laptop right now.”

In order to get in the mood to make music, Vargas finds motivation from listening to heavy metal music, and he said whenever he listens to heavy metal music outside of the gym, it motivates him to hurry and go make music.

Vargas uses his own life experiences to make his music, and plans to keep making music on the side as he works to become a strength coach for a high school or college.

Vargas currently works as a personal trainer while he studies at USD. “Usually just like my own my life experiences, stuff that (inspires me),” Vargas said. “Especially since I started making my own music, the way that I listen to music is way different. I listen to certain parts of the instrumental style, certain lines, certain ways to deliver and stuff like that. So listening to new artists is probably one of the things that drives me where I’m like, okay, this is a nice song, I need to start making more music.”

“Not Feeling Right” is Vargas’ most recent release.

Submitted Photo | The Volante

Verve

B2 Wednesday, April 7, 2021

The Volante | volanteonline.com

Bennett Clary | The Volante

The South Dakota Chamber Winds practice weekly for an hour in the choir room of the Fine Arts building.

USD Faculty Ensembles perform for first time together Bennett Clary

Bennett.Clary@coyotes.usd.edu

The USD Faculty Ensembles in Concert will feature two faculty ensembles: the Faculty Brass Quintet and the South Dakota Chamber Winds. This will be the first concert the two wind groups perform together. Both groups will perform separately and at the end they will perform a piece together.

Assistant Professor of Horn Dr. Amy Laursen has been playing the horn for 24 years.

She said the main function of both groups is to be a recruiting tool when they perform at schools, but they typically do not give a whole recital. Not only do the ensembles act as recruiting tools, they also provide a way for USD students to learn more about what their teachers do outside of the classroom.

“The opportunity to go up (and) share music right now with people is a challenge, and I think it’s good also for students to hear chamber ensembles,” Laursen said.

“Realistically I feel like these are various groups that people could form once they’re out of college.”

Director of Athletic Bands and Professor of low brass Dr. Todd Cranson has played the tuba for 30 years. Cranson said during the pandemic, practice hasn’t really changed because they’ve been keeping up with the research and the best safety practices.

“The biggest thing was that we were really hesitant to get started because we were unsure how to deal with COVID,” Cranson said.“The only real difference is we sit a little further apart than usual. We take our masks down to play and then put it back up to talk.”

Professor of saxophone and jazz studies C.J. Kocher has been playing the saxophone for 39 years. Kocher said the challenge is getting people to attend the concert who wouldn’t normally, but he thinks anybody would enjoy it.

“I think anybody that comes and listens will kind of go on a little journey through different styles and different sounds,” Kocher said.

Provost Kurt Hackemer has played the trombone for 43 years. Hackemer said he enjoys playing with the Brass Quintet because he’s from a different part of the university and came to USD as a history professor, so music is a secondary activity for him.

“I really like playing with the people who I get to play with,” Hackemer said. “They’re great people, but also it’s a lot of fun just playing with really good musicians. They make me sound better. I love that.”

Adjunct Professor of Flute Stephanie Kocher has been playing the flute and piccolo for 37 years. She said the future of both ensembles includes more opportunities to play and the concert isn’t just for students involved in the fine arts.

“I would love more non-majors to be involved in the music department because a lot of people think they don’t have time or they’re not good enough so there’s not a place for them and there definitely is,” Stephanie said.

The concert will be held in Aalfs Auditorium on April 8 at 7:30 p.m. It will also be live streamed.

Bennett Clary | The Volante

The Faculty Brass Quintet has been performing together for three years and wants to continue performing in the future.

Rachel Review: Concrete Cowboys, Unexpected Gem

Press Photo | Netflix Rachel Thompson

Rachel.R.Thompson@coyotes.usd.edu

I personally feel like while I was growing up, from 2008-2012, there were so many horse movies about a girl either trying to keep the family farm or someone who wanted nothing to do with the horse becomes the only person the horse trusts. They were all the same and I was glad they weren’t being made anymore, or at least weren’t on my radar anymore.

This film seems like one of those movies, but becomes something greater that I’m glad to have watched.

Netflix released the film “Concrete Cowboy” April 2 and it stars Caleb McLaughlin and Idris Elba in a very compelling story.

The film follows Cole, played by McLaughlin, who is forced to live with his dad during the summer due to his actions. His father is played by Idris Elba, who lives in Philadelphia and is a cowboy who doesn’t know how to connect to his estranged son.

This is a coming of age film that truly is an unexpected gem.

The film is based on young adult novel “Ghetto Cowboy,” which drew from The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club organization and the

overall Black horse-riding culture in Philadelphia.

At the end of the film we find out that several of the actors were actually a part of The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club.

They did amazingly in their roles; I had no clue they weren’t professional actors, and some, I hope, continue acting.

McLaughlin, who is known for his role as Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix original show “Stranger Things,” shines in this role. I predict he could become a household name, like his co-star Elba. He gave this role his all and showed great acting range

that he hadn’t had the opportunity to show in “Stranger Things.”

It would not be a stretch to say he outshined Elba in this film.

The film delivers its message and feelgood ending, but it could have given us more. As an audience, we know what the film is trying to portray, but it isn’t exactly portraying it. It would have helped if we got to explore more of the relationship between Cole and his father, and also show us more of a connection and the building of trust between Cole and his horse.

The film explores, or practically bashes, the whitewashing of Western

movies and cowboy lifestyle that Hollywood has portrayed in the past. The film helps show that the Black community is more diverse in its culture than Hollywood has portrayed.

Even though the film falls flat in some areas and can be a little predictable, it’s a great coming of age story and a great new take on a modern Western movie.

At first it may feel like a casual watch, but will quickly leave an impression on you.

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COYOTE MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD SQUAD RANKS NO. 25 FOR SECOND WEEK IN A ROW Madilyn Sindelar

Madilyn.Sindelar@coyotes.usd.edu

The USD men’s track and field squad is ranked No. 25 in the nation by Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association for the second week in a row.

The men’s team has already had a successful bout of outdoor season meets, after coming off a successful indoor season.

The team participated in the Texas Relays, Bobcat Invite and Wildcat Classic before hosting the USD Early Bird April 3 at the Lillibridge Track Complex.

At the USD Early Bird, the Coyotes posted seven new marks that rank top-50 in the nation on the men’s side.

In pole vault senior Ethan Bray soared to an outdoor best of 18-4 ¾ for the sixth-best height in the country this spring.

Following behind him fellow Coyotes senior Kaleb Ellis and redshirt freshman Marshall Faurot vaulted outdoor bests of 17-1 moving to 30th in the country. “[Coach] Derek [Miles] has built a program with so much depth that we’ve been able to acquire that title so we go in, trying to do our best, and hopefully, we can maintain that reputation because when the world talks about the best vault squad that’s us,” Ellis said. “So, it’s kind of cool to have that but it’s definitely earned every single meet that we have so we just

try to keep that going.”

24-year-old Ellis is the oldest on the entire team but uses his experience to guide the newcomers.

“I get to see all the new people coming in and kind of like mess-ups that I’ve made throughout the years and that I’ve had to learn from. I’m trying to give my two cents to them, to give them more of an advantage than what I had,” Ellis said.

Ellis aims to jump close to 18 feet and retire as an AllAmerican, he said.

The men’s 4x100 meter relays saw a new facility record Saturday. The squad of Virgil Steward, Demar Francis, Ardell Inlay and Dylan Kautz clocked in at 40.24 for 26 in the nation.

In men’s high jump redshirt sophomore, Jack Durst sits at 37 nationally with a height of 6-11. If he improves to his best indoor mark of 7-1 he lands inside the top-15 in the nation.

Redshirt sophomore Jessie Sullivan and redshirt junior Matt Slagus moved in the nation’s top-50 for the hammer throw.

Sullivan hit 203-9 and Slagus threw for 203-1 respectively.

Senior Zach Anderson ranked fifth nationally in the high jump, redshirt freshman Brithton Senior sits at sixth nationally in 110-meter hurdles and freshman Eerik Haamer vaulted to eighth nationally at the Early Bird.

“I’m on like year five, now it’s kind of just like we know what

we have to do and we know we have to be doing each week to hit those accomplishments so now it’s just a given that it’s up to me to get those things in order and then finish strong,” Anderson said.

Anderson is two centimeters off the qualification height for Olympic Trials in Oregon this summer. He plans to jump for those marks to have a shot at competing at Trials.

“I’m hoping to get that done this season and be able to go back to Oregon at the end of June,” Anderson said. “Jump there for those and then maybe keep jumping and see what’s going on from there.”

In event squad rankings South Dakota ranks second in men’s and women’s pole vault, and third and tenth in women’s and men’s steeplechase respectively.

“I guess the weather’s nice and, and the conditions are very good, it’s just a pleasure to compete outside with everybody else,” Haamer said. “You tend to get more people and compete with more people outdoors so it’s also fun.”

The Coyote’s next meet is the South Dakota Challenge Friday and Saturday at the Lillibridge Track Complex and Gottslben Field.

Freshman Luke Olson (5) and freshman Dylan Blake (4) lead the charge during a track & field meet.

Peyton Beyers | The Volante

Athletic trio wins $100,000 for company Fomeno Sydney Johnson

Sydney.G.Johnson@coyotes.usd.edu

Submitted Photo | The Volante

Payton Ryz, Ashlynn Atwood, and Brigit Blote began a sustainable business to promote environmentally friendly shopping.

A sustainable business plan that earned three USD students $100,000 was inspired by a t-shirt in the middle of Monte Verde, Costa Rica.

USD student athletes Payton Ryz and Brigit Blote, along with USD alum Ashlynn Atwood created a sustainable business centered around the idea of recycling clothes, which they named Fomeno.

Fomeno is an online platform that allows people to thrift in one, easy-to-use place that will connect users to the multitude of online thrifting options that are out there.

While Blote was away on a study abroad trip to Costa Rica, the idea for Fomeno came to fruition. In Monte Verde, Costa Rica, many of the students rewore their favorite outfits multiple times, and one of Blote’s friends had a shirt from Brandy Melville that had forget-menot flowers on it, and after seeing it day after day, Blote really wanted the shirt.

Once back in the United States, Blote tried looking online for a thrifted version of the shirt because she knew that the company that made the shirt wasn’t very environmentally friendly.

“When I got back to the U.S. I jumped online and typed in ‘forget me not T-shirt,’” Blote said. “I started finding a bunch on secondhand shops but there were so many different sizes, shirt prices, and different qualities, and I thought ‘why isn’t there an easier way to streamline this.’”

After Blote explained her new idea to her friends Ryz and Atwood, they also discovered that their business idea fit really well with the 2020 Hult Prize challenge.

The Hult Prize is a sustainable business competition for students that is ran globally every year. The winner of the Hult Prize receives $100,000 to put towards their

business. Every year the Hult Prize creates a theme that coincides with the United Nations sustainability goals. The year that Fomeno was entered into the competition, the theme was to create a sustainable business that impacts the planet in a positive way with every dollar earned.

In December of 2019, Fomeno placed first at USD’s Hult Prize Competition. After winning at the University level, the girls made their way to Boston, Massachusetts in March of 2020, for the regional level competition where they also placed first and found themselves representing the United States in the World Hult Prize Accelerator.

Now that Fomeno has received $100,000 from winning the Hult Prize Regional Competition, the next steps are to work on the app and website to get the company out to the public as soon as possible, Ryz said.

Fomeno is also looking to add more individuals to their team that share in their passion for thrifting and fashion by hiring fashion influencers to model clothing to be shared on the app and website upon launch.

Ryz, Blote, and Atwood have all found themselves drawn to shopping sustainably which is why Fomeno has become an outlet for them to share this love with others who also want to help the planet, Atwood said.

“All of us are very driven towards sustainability, especially within the fashion industry,” Blote said. “The fashion industry is the second dirtiest industry in the world.

There are a lot of unethical practices that go on within fashion and there’s so much need for change within the industry. Anytime this gets overwhelming or exhausting, I think about how the end goal is so worth it. There’s so much value, it’s not like ‘oh let’s make an app,’ no it’s ‘let’s find ways to decrease textile waste and play into the circular economy and create something in tech that ultimately does good.”

B4 Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Sports

The Volante | volanteonline.com

South Dakota soccer picks up pair of shutout wins Madilyn Sindelar

Madilyn.Sindelar@coyotes.usd.edu

After recording their first shutout of the season in the first game of the series, the Coyotes completed shutout number two against North Dakota State Saturday at First Bank and Trust Soccer Complex.

After the matchup April 1-3 the Coyotes (7-8-1) moved to fourth place in conference play after defeating NDSU (6-8).

Jordan Centieno and Alexis Mitchell scored for the Coyotes in their 3-0 shutout Thursday afternoon. All three goals came in the second half, and Mitchell scored two, bringing her to five goals on the season.

Junior Taylor Cotter recorded three assists on goals Saturday, putting her up to seven

this season. Her seven assists rank second in the Summit League and 10th in the nation.

Her three assists is one assist short of the USD game record of four set in 2001.

Sophomore Shaylee Gailus, freshman Ashby Johnston and freshman Taylor Ravelo each recorded goals during the NDSU matchup Saturday.

Coyote goalkeeper Emma Harkleroad picked up her first Summit League Defensive Player of the Week honor for the two shutout performances over the weekend. She tallied nine saves on the weekend, bringing her up to 36 on the season.

USD is set to play North Dakota Friday and Sunday in Grand Forks to finish out regular season play.

Peyton Beyers | The Volante

Freshman Ashby Johnston (14) steals the ball away from an Oral Roberts opponent.

Peyton Beyers | The Volante

Junior Joana Zanin (10) and senior Alexis Mitchell (3) chase down the ball vs Oral Roberts.

USD-SDSU football game canceled Kaleb Martin

Kaleb.Martin@coyotes.usd.edu

File Photo | The Volante

The USD football team cancels game against SDSU due to COVID-19 concerns.

Saturday’s Missouri Valley Football Conference matchup between the Coyotes and the Jackrabbits scheduled to be played at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings has been canceled following a positive test within the USD football program.

The Missouri Valley Conference announced on Monday that the matchup between the two schools would be canceled. Due to a shortened season and no open weeks left on the schedule, the conference announced that the rivalry game would not be rescheduled. The matchup was canceled due to COVID-19 protocols that affected USD’s Tier 1 personnel. According to the NCAA, Tier 1 personnel consist of athletes, managers, staff, and coaches.

This Saturday’s no-contest marks the third consecutive game cancellation for the Coyote football program. The last game for the Coyotes took place March 20 against Youngstown State.

Overall, four of USD’s scheduled contests have been affected by COVID-19 protocols.

Along with the South Dakota State matchup, the Coyotes have also had games canceled or postponed this season against Northern Iowa, North Dakota State and Western Illinois.

Throughout the shortened 2021 spring season, USD has played just one game at the DakotaDome and only four games in total. The team’s record currently sits at 1-3.

The Coyotes were scheduled to be back in

action to conclude the 2021 season at home against Western Illinois on April 17, but the Leathernecks announced on Monday that they will be opting out of their final two games against Southern Illinois and USD. Five Missouri Valley Conference teams are now done playing for the spring season after multiple schools have opted out of lateseason games. The six remaining schools in the conference that have games left to play are North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Northern Iowa, North Dakota, Youngstown State and Missouri State.

For South Dakota State, this marks their second cancellation of the season. The 4-1 Jackrabbits also had a game canceled March 27 against Illinois State after the Redbirds announced they would opt out of the final four games of their season. SDSU is scheduled to conclude its season on April 17 against North Dakota State in the Dakota Marker game.

South Dakota’s biggest football game of the year will have to wait until the fall.

The Jackrabbits are scheduled to travel to Vermillion Nov. 13, which will be the first matchup between the programs in nearly two years. South Dakota State currently leads the overall series between the programs 55-53-7 but, the last time the two teams met, USD came out on top in a narrow 24-21 victory at the DakotaDome November 23, 2019.