November 13, 2019
Volume 146, Issue 12
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Art student Isaac Bird preps for senior art exhibition Haleigh McDonald Washburn Review
If you mention the name Isaac Bird to students or faculty members at Washburn a majority of them will most likely smile and say something like “Isaac is quite the character” and after meeting him. They are exactly right. Bird will be graduating this spring semester with the accomplishment of being on the president’s honor roll for most of his four years at Washburn and he plans on going to graduate school to become an art professor. Bird discovered and crafted his many talents and passions like sports, playing guitar and piano and most importantly art during his years of homeschool. He gives a lot of credit to his mom, dad, younger sister and coaches for shaping him into an outgoing, confident, caring and hard-working person and he appreciates the fact that they have always accepted him and encouraged him to do what he loves, which is teach art.
“There wasn’t really ever any pressure for me to be a specific way,” said Bird. “I’m very confident and secure in being however I want to be.” Being homeschooled allowed Bird to focus on the things he truly loves like drawing and writing poems, but it has also given him a special perspective on life. “It’s super easy to be a good person, be nice, take care of people, be funny and be kind. Driving a cool car and dressing nice, that’s what people think is cool, but I feel like that is way less cool than making people happy,” said Bird. This insight is the main reason why he wants to teach art to students, because he can bring a unique viewpoint to teaching and changing students’ lives. He wants to inspire students to find what makes them happy and prioritize spreading kindness to the people around them. One of Bird’s biggest inspirations is Washburn art professor Ben Wills. “He [Wills] is everything
I want to be like. He is an artist and a musician and a really powerful educator and he is super energetic and supportive of students,” said Bird. Professor Wills thinks similarly of Bird. “Isaac is a very ambitious student and very fun to have in the classroom. His relentless and punishing optimism and enthusiasm will make him an inspiring guy to be around so art education is kind of perfect for him,” said Wills. Isaac’s senior art showcase will be in the art building Monday Nov. 11 to Nov. 22 and he said you can expect to see inspiring narrative pieces of art and poetry. “Every drawing, every poem that I make is like me releasing energy back into the world that I’ve gathered from my community. I am a product of my community, so everything I make is from them and for them” said Bird. Community is the most important thing to Bird, that is why he chose to
WASHBURN REVIEW - Haleigh McDonald
Artist and scholar: Isaac Bird talks with fellow classmates while setting up the focus scene for an art class.
study art at Washburn. “The community at Washburn has completely changed who I am and who I want to be and has shaped me. It’s always been about people for me and Washburn has good people,” said Bird. Bird’s constant positivity, kindness and involvement around Washburn’s campus is what helped him earn the title as 2019 Top Bod. “I think about them announcing my name and I swear I just laugh. That’s
so wild I never dreamed of being Top Bod. It’s a really cool feeling, it was humbling that my university thinks I’m worthy of such an honor,” said Bird. Isaac wants to encourage people to come to his art show and give him a high five or come talk to him if you see him around campus. “Get out there and spend some time doing something you love today or tomorrow, I would appreciate it personally,” said Bird.
Kansas Leadership Center sparks gun safety conversation Matthew Self Washburn Review
WASHBURN REVIEW - Matthew L. Self
Around the table: People of varying backgrounds spoke with each other about the topic of gun safety in the community. There were no wrong answers and all had a voice in this open discussion.
The debate over proper gun legislation has been raging for many years now. Recently those debates have taken on a greater urgency as the rise of mass shootings has pushed gun safety to the forefront of American minds. But as debates take place over gun rights in our state capitals, smaller discussions can be found at the local level, including our own campus. At 6 p.m. Thursday in the Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center a group of concerned citizens came together to discuss the topic of gun safety at an event labeled: Perspectives on Gun Use and Public Safety, A Community Issue & A Community Conversation. The group also included members of the Topeka Police Department and a great deal of Washburn students. Members of the local state government,
such as Shawnee County commissioner Bill Riphahn and city council member Michael Padilla, could also be seen at the event. The discussions focused on gun use and how it affected public safety. Organizations involved are Topeka Justice Unity and Ministry Project, Topeka Center for Peace and Justice, Washburn University Leadership Institute, Topeka Youth Commission, Kansas Leadership Center, the Valeo Behavioral Health and Family Service and Guidance Center. After the initial announcements were made, the 60 or so participants were introduced to the ‘actors’ for the evening. Each of the actors portrayed someone who has been involved with guns in the past and who now either supports gun restrictions or rejects it. Thus, each actor presented a different perspective on gun safety. Continued on page 2
Christina Valdivia-Alcala speaks to first-generation students Jackson Woods Washburn Review
The first-generation college experience is easier for some than others, and the We Are First student organization wants people to know that important figures in their community have experienced struggles in college as well. Councilwoman-elect Christina Valdivia Alcala was invited to speak at the student organization’s Nov. 6 meeting. She shared her story about how she came to Washburn University and talked about her experience while here. She considers herself to be first generation in multiple ways. Her parent’s ancestors were Mexican and she searched for how she related to that identity for much of her life. This is because, despite this ancestry, she was pressured to assimilate into the US, including not being raised to speak Spanish. Even though she struggled in high school, she was encouraged to go to college by her mother. After graduating from high school, she went to Wichita State University, but did not have the support structure there to help her. Groups
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that we have at Washburn now like HALO and We Are First did not exist then. She became a nontraditional student at Washburn starting in 1990 as a parent. She was a history major in an environment where all her professors were white. Her professors were not people whom she was able to tell what she was dealing with as a college student. After all her hard work, including challenging work on oral histories from women, she was able to walk at graduation. Unfortunately, she later found out she was one class short of receiving her degree and did not go back and complete it. Savannah Rodriguez, president of We Are First, was one of the organizers of this event. “We want people to know there’s not only one path you can take,” said Rodriguez. Rodriguez is a sophomore transfer student in her first semester at Washburn, and is double-majoring in political science and religious studies. She was recruited to be president of We Are First by Graciela Berumen, the first-generation retention specialist at Washburn.
WASHBURN REVIEW - Jackson Woods
A lifetime of struggle: Councilwoman-elect Christina Valdivia-Alcala talks to students about what she has overcome. Valdivia-Alcala won the Nov. 5, 2019 election for Topeka City Council District 2.
Berumen was Rodriguez’s WU101 teacher, and recognized her leadership skills that could be put to use in the student organization. Valdivia-Alcala places a lot of value on being connected with her community, and believes that everyone should make connections with people who share mindsets.
Gallery: High School Art Day
Valdvia-Alcala commented on what she would tell her college self so that students could hear her advice. “Unity is crucial. Unity between brown, black and white,” said Valdivia-Alcala. “Demand change from your government, because it’s past time for asking.”
Article: Multicultural Day no longer planned
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NEWS
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Camp War Eagle soars to campus Abbie Barth
8:05 a.m. Nov. 7. A report was made from Washburn Tech. A student reported his Washburn Tech issued laptop was stolen from the Scranton Tavern.
Washburn Review
Camp War Eagle will be in the Memorial Union Wednesday through Friday to encourage students to apply to work at the Arkansas camp this summer. Camp War Eagle is a Christian sports and adventure camp for children and teens ages 6-17 in Northwest Arkansas. According to assistant director of the camp Micah Moore, the camp began in 2005. Their mission is to serve kids with socially, economically and culturally diverse backgrounds, with a special focus on kids from underserved backgrounds. Abby Stenzel, junior kinesiology and PTA major, worked at Camp War Eagle two summers ago for eight weeks. She believes that this camp is important because of how it impacts the kids. “A lot of them come from impoverished homes so they don’t get all the love that we get. So just being able to share with them is special,” said Stenzel. At first, she was on the fence about doing the camp. “Originally, I thought that it was way too far away because it’s like six hours away, but I just really felt like God was calling me to work with kids and I absolutely love being outside, sports, and those kinds of things,”
photo courtesy of Micah Moore
“Tonya Hawks”: Campers pose for a photo while participating in one of the outdoor activities. This photo was taken this past summer.
said Stenzel. It ended up becoming an enriching time for both the campers and Stenzel. “When you make decisions like these, it’s stepping out of your comfort zone that makes you grow the most… I grew so much in my faith but also had the opportunity to share it with the kids,” said Stenzel. Michael Jueneman, junior exercise and rehabilitation science major, worked as a counselor for 10 weeks at Camp War Eagle. He wanted to join the team because he wanted a unique experience that he probably can’t have after he graduates. “I had a couple friends that went the summer before and I just felt like I’m only young for so long and I only have so many summers left. I want to be able to do fun things while I’m young and not working full-time. So,
I figured it’d be a fun job. My friends loved it, so I just went for it,” said Jueneman. When he first went to the camp he only knew one person. He is now planning to go back this summer. “[My favorite part] one hundred percent was the friendships I made. I went down there only knowing one person… and now I’m still friends with tons of people from there,” said Jueneman. Staff at Camp War Eagle get paid $200 a week and their food and lodging is free. The minimum requirement of time to dedicate each summer is six weeks, and that includes two weeks of training. For any interest in applying or for more information, email Moore at micah@campwareagle.org, or stop by their table in the Union this week.
Federal judges rule to protect LGBTQ rights Wesley Tabor Washburn Review
The Trump administration’s proposed adoption rule was deemed unconstitutional Wednesday, Nov. 6, by two federal judges. The proposed rule would have allowed adoption centers to reject LGBTQ couples based on religious beliefs and moral convictions. The rule was scheduled to take effect Nov. 22. U.S. District Court Judge Paul A. Engelmayer of the southern district of New York said the rule was unconstitutional because it would have allowed the Department of Health and Human Services to withhold funding from health care providers that did not comply with the proposed regulation. Engelmayer wasn’t the only judge who disagreed with the proposed principles. The very next day, Thursday, Nov. 7, Judge Stanley A. Bastian of the eastern district of Washington defined the rule by saying it was “discrimination by another name.” The struck down rule was originally published by the
photo courtesy of pixabay.com
LGBTQ protected: A proposed rule by the Trump administration was ruled unconstitutional on Wednesday, Nov. 6, by two federal judges. The proposed rule would have allowed adoption agencies and other health care providers to deny LGBTQ couples based on religious beliefs.
Department of Health and Human Services in May 2019. The rule would have expanded the ability of doctors, nurses and other health care workers to refuse services on moral or religious grounds. New York Attorney General Letitia James stated the following in an official statement released last week. “The rule would have encouraged health care providers to ‘openly discriminate’ against some patients. Health care is a basic right that should never be subject to political games.” Washburn University
Queers and Allies advocate for LGBTQ rights on Washburn’s campus. Lauren Evans, the organization’s president, believes that the federal judges made the right call. “LGBTQ+ people should not be put in a preventable life or death situation based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Queer lives are at risk every day, and trans people face open and often physical hate,” said Evans. “This should never translate over to health care, a profession in which people must pledge to do no harm.” The Washburn University College Democrats
and Washburn University College Republicans each had their opinions on the ruling. “Executive orders being shot down by federal judges is not new to this administration,” said Washburn University College Republicans Vice President Jake Nordhus. “I had a feeling that this order would be shot down early in the process. This [LGBTQ/health care proposed rule] probably isn’t the president’s top priority. It’ll be interesting to follow moving forward.” Washburn University College Democrats Vice President Payton Smith thought the outcome was a good example of the United States government system of checks and balances. “I’m pleased to see federal judges strike down the Trump Administration’s attempt at limiting the LGBTQ community’s access to healthcare under the disguise of religious freedom,” said Smith. For more information, check out my original report/article in last week’s issue or online at washburnreview.org
Continued: Kansas Leadership Center sparks gun safety conversation “There will be several different personas tonight,” said Errin Mahan, an emergency planner at the Shawnee County Department of Emergency Management. “There will be someone playing a surgeon, a therapist and an officer who had an encounter with an active shooter among others. I will be portraying a sheriff in a rural county that will be introducing a school’s Defend Initiative.” After the initial announcements took place, the participants were split up into several different groups. Each was presented with a slip of paper with instructions to guide the conversation and two folded envelopes that
Minecraft time
held two different situations involving gun violence. “I work with Leadership Greater Topeka and the conversation came up about how do we host these critical conversations, especially concerning gun violence in the community,” said Eric Grospitch, VP of Student Life. “The campus has been rocked by this violence in the last six months. Having conversations about how to positively impact our community and create change has been at the forefront of our minds this year.” During the conversations, everyone could present their views on possible solutions to the situations they were
given. There were no wrong answers and all were given the opportunity to speak their minds. As a precaution, therapists were on hand to help anyone who was frightened or upset about the topics under discussion. “I think this was a great opportunity to listen to other people and how they feel about the issue of gun violence and the availability of guns and, more than that, a broader issue of how we communicate with each other,” said Michael Padilla. “I think the conversation we had tonight was about our basic values and what we believe in.”
Please drive safe 3:25 p.m. Nov. 7. A report was made from SW 21st St and SW Potomac Dr. A two vehicle non-injury accident occurred.
Dry Campus US 9:46 p.m. Nov. 7. A report was made from the LLC. Possible alcohol was reported in a student dorm.
Kinda early? 7:31 a.m. Nov. 8. A report was made from Washburn Tech. The alarm in building K was set off.
Hey there Mr. Creep 1:54 p.m. Nov. 8. A report was made from Morgan Hall. A suspicious person was reported.
Time for a walk 12:48 a.m. Nov. 9. A report was made from SW 21st St and SW Buchanan St. A traffic stop was performed which resulted in a citation and the vehicle towed.
Dry Campus US: Giraffes gone wild 1:11 a.m. Nov. 9. A report was made from Lincoln Hall. Alcohol was reported in a students room.
Don’t drink and drive 3:05 a.m. Nov. 9. A report was made from the 1600 BLK of Lane. A DUI traffic stop was performed.
Time to wake up 10:51 a.m. Nov. 9. The fire/smoke alarm was set off at LLC.
Medical report 1:56 p.m. Nov. 9. A report was made from Yager Stadium. A medical call was made during the football game.
Think next time 1:10 a.m. Nov. 10. A report was made from SW 20th St and SW Washburn. A traffic stop occurred. An open container of alcohol was found.
Thanks for the help 2:47 a.m. Nov. 10. A report was made from SW Washburn Ave. WUPD assisted the Topeka Police Department on a traffic stop.
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Opinion
November 13, 2019
Our veterans represent the very best of
Staff
America. They have bravely answered the
Review Editor in Chief
call to serve in the finest military force in
Abbie Barth
the world, and they have earned the dignity
Arts & Living Editor and
that comes with wearing the uniform and
Design Editor Cody Dannar
defending our great flag. On Veterans Day,
Features Editor
we honor all Americans who have served in
Erica Faulkinbury
the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, both in times of war and peace. President Donald J. Trmp
Online Editor in Chief Joelle Conway Chief Copy Editor Adam White Advertising Manager Josey Trimble Assistant Editor Nicholas Solomon
WASHBURN REVIEW - Cody Dannar
Editorial: Thank you, veterans This past Monday was Veteran’s Day. Most of us have loved ones that have served. Hopefully, we all took a moment on Monday to thank a loved one or tell them how much we appreciate their service. Sometimes we forget that serving in the military means sacrifice. These sacrifices come in the form of time away from loved ones, missed holidays and putting your safety at risk. All veterans are impacted by their time in the service. Veteran’s Day came from Armistice Day back in World War I. In 1954,
President Eisenhower officially changed the name to Veteran’s Day to commemorate veterans of all wars. According to the National Center for PTSD, about 30% of Vietnam veterans experience some form of PTSD in their lifetime. For Iraq veterans, the percentage is about 11-20%. PTSD, also known as post-traumatic stress disorder used to be called shell shock, combat fatigue and war neurosis up until about a decade ago. According to the National Center, it is defined as
“a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident or sexual assault.” According to history. com, as of 2018, 18.2 million living veterans served during at least one war. A significant portion of the student population at Washburn University are veterans. In 2017, Washburn was recognized as a military-friendly school. Last year, Washburn was awarded the Purple Heart University award. The first
university in the state of Kansas to receive the honor. As a school that has a high demographic of veterans, it is important that we take the time to recognize and appreciate these individuals’ sacrifice. Many Washburn veterans find their way into different campus organizations. In doing so, they continue to serve their university and community – just like they did when they served. Please take the time this week to say thank you to a veteran. I promise they’ll appreciate it.
Why we should elect presidents by popular vote Bayley Baker Contributor
Only slightly more than half of all eligible voters cast ballots in presidential elections. Even fewer than that vote in midterm elections. Why? A major reason is that many Americans feel like their vote doesn’t matter. While I disagree with this - I firmly believe that everyone’s vote does matter. I see where those people are coming from. America’s elections are broken, but they can be fixed. It is going to take big, structural changes. I have one idea about where to start: abolishing the Electoral College and electing the president by popular vote. Our current Electoral College system effectively marginalizes millions of voters living in firmly red or blue states. In a winnertake-all system, any votes over the 50 percent margin are considered “wasted votes.” This means that voters in states with a heavy partisan lean have a much lower chance of actually impacting the election. It’s not surprising that public knowledge of this fact results in lower voter
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turnout. In every presidential election, candidates are forced to only compete in a handful of swing states, and effectively ignore voters in every other state in the union. This anti-democratic campaign style is largely forced by the winner-take-all Electoral College system. This undermines the principle of every person’s vote making a difference. Abolishing the electoral college would reshape our democracy for the better. Not only would it ensure that the person who got more votes would win the presidency, but it would also force candidates to spend time engaging with voters in all 50 states, instead of just a few key swing states. By electing our presidents by popular vote, every vote would matter. Polls show that most voters would prefer to elect the president by national, popular vote over the existing Electoral College system. It’s time for lawmakers to force presidential candidates to build real, nationwide bases of support and strengthen our democracy by ditching the Electoral College.
Assistant Sports Editor Joshua Irsik Reporters Eriko Hiranoi Sambridhi Regmi Abby Gaschen Matt Self Kodee Christensen Yue Li Alyssa Storm Arthur Rocha Thomas Hanson Jaluan Newson Alexis Chicalas Photographers Angelo Chavez Bailey Longstaff Caroline Rea Frankie Kelley Derek Blanchard Copy Editors Wesley Tabor Jada Johnson Jessica Galvin Jason Morrison Brianna Smith Jackson Woods Freelance Reporters and Photographers John Burns Savannah Workman KAW Editor in Chief Anna Marie Lauppe Bod Mag Editor in Chief Hailey Mann Special Projects Maggie Gile Bod Mag Team Leah Jamison
photo courtesy of Bayley Baker
Columnist: Bayley Baker is a senior at Washburn University studying mass media and political science. She enjoys reading, writing and watching makeup tutorials on YouTube. The goal of this column is to mobilize and inspire Washburn students by educating them on politics.
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PUZZLES & ENTERTAINMENT
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By Joshua Irsik
The Washburn Review was established in 1885. This section shares snapshots of coverage from the Review’s more than 130-year newspaper.
From 1989 (above): In 1923, Benton residence hall was “one of the few building in the country being built at the present time that will be standing 100 years from now.” The building closded in 1989; currently the building is home to the applied studies programs. From 1991 (middle): Lady Blues’ basketball gets underway with an alumni game and varsity scrimmage open to the public. In 1990, the Lady Blues’ record was 23-7 and were selected as one of 16 “at large” berths to participate in nationals. From 1968 (right): The Press Box was a section that ran in the Nov. 6 issue of the Washburn Review. The section included sports and other important stories that readers would want to know about.
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ARTS & LIVING
November 13, 2019
By Kodee Christensen
What’s your favorite movie soundtrack?
WASHBURN REVIEW - Kodee Christensen
Show time: The blue marque in front of the Andrew J. and Georgia Neese Gray Theatre on Washburn’s campus displays the information for the department’s latest play, “War Paint.” The theatre department hosts four shows a year, two per semester.
What it takes to be a theatre major
Kodee Christensen Washburn Review
The ever-growing theatre department, which lives and breathes in Garvey, is a close-knit group of students and faculty who share a passion for performance and collaboration. Those who get to call themselves theatre majors experience this passion first-hand every day in classes, rehearsals and by passing in the hallways. “Theater is not just performative, its collaborative,” said chair of the theatre department Sharon Sullivan. “So it really is important to understand what the other person does and what the other jobs do. It really helps create a much stronger understanding of the discipline itself.” The theatre department has two main majors, general theatre and musical theatre. Just last year, the musical theatre emphasis was added to the program and Sullivan shared that it will soon become a full degree program. She hopes the official change will come by the end of this school
year or beginning of next. “One of the things that’s really unique about our program is that we don’t have a graduate program,” said Sullivan. “So that means first year students, freshmen, undergrads... they get the roles. I would say that as a freshman or first year student, you can expect to be on stage...or backstage if that’s where you want to be.” Something else unique about Washburn’s theatre department is that auditions are open to everyone: majors, non-majors, graduates and even community members. Overall, the theatre department’s community is one of a kind. “Coming here and having a fresh start after high school was like everything I could have ever wished for,” said junior theatre and English major Angela Gray. “Everyone here is my family.” Having this familial space amongst peers is helpful as the seemingly endless opportunities become overwhelming. “Time management is something that actors struggle a lot with, be-
cause they want to be in shows more than they want to be in class,” said Sullivan. “And we have to sometimes remind them that their job is to get an education, not just be in shows.” Gray has experienced first-hand this feeling of wanting to do everything the department has to offer and shares a tip for handling it. “It’s very good to have organizational skills,” shared Gray. “There’s so much I want to do. My dream is to become an author or playwright, and I’m working on my first novel and first play right now.” In continuing to support students on any and all endeavors they choose in the theatre department, ticket sales for shows have recently been replaced with donations that go directly to student funds. “One thing I would really love is to have more of our Washburn students, faculty, staff and the Topeka community come support our students and see their hard work,” said Sullivan. “Because our students work so hard and they’re so good.”
Draw & Paint Night opens artistic door Mingzhu Zhu Washburn Review
The first public Draw & Paint Night, presented by the Washburn Art Club, offered hands-on experience for creating artwork. It took place from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at Monette Mark’s Fire Me Up Ceramics in NOTO Topeka. All supplies were provided for participants. Gabbi Rollins, a senior general studios major, is the president of Washburn Art Club. She’s one of the organizers of the Draw & Paint Night. “With art, you can express yourselves and people don’t judge it,” said Rollins. “This event gives an opportunity to just come here to sit and draw and just forget about it and enjoy themselves.” Two instructors, Yue Li and Kyra Miller, both senior painting and drawing majors, provided instructions for the two sessions, painting and drawing. People who don’t do art on a regular basis could come to
WASHBURN REVIEW - Mingzhu Zhu
Step by step: Muffy Walter is an art lover and drawing beginner. She created a piece of art with the guidance of instructors.
the event and have fun. “We have experts, like Yue and Kyra, help guide beginners, hold their hand and help them step by step,” said Rollins. “For other people, we give them a free range to go on their own and then we check in with them to make sure they’re okay and they’re not stuck.” Washburn Art Club members helped to set the supplies and prepare the still life. They also had snacks and drinks for peo-
ple to enjoy. “I feel like it’s a great way to express how you’re feeling through pictures or drawings, because sometimes you just can’t really talk about it. I think that’s how art is important,” said Miller. Beginners were welcome to Draw & Paint Night, not only those with intermediate or advanced skills. The event opened a door of art for everyone. Muffy Walter, an English professor at Wash-
burn, gained her drawing experience at the event. Li guided her step by step in the drawing process. Even though she’s a beginner, she created a great still life. Walter is an art lover. She spent a fair amount of time at Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. There she can support art and understand people’s cultures. “I have a little bit of confidence. This is something I could actually learn how to do,” said Walter. “I never would have seen what [Li] was seeing. I think that was really helpful to have her perspective on it, because it’s not how I look at this.” Washburn Art Club members are enthusiastic to help people and give them guidance with their experience in this field. They encourage the community to go to NOTO and visit local galleries. Art Club will hold more public art events in the future. For more information, visit the Washburn Art Club Facebook page.
WU art students host highschool art day
Tonyce Jackson Sophomore Criminal Justice
“Hairspray. The whole plot is segregation in the 60’s, and that’s dope because I’m going to school for criminal justice.”
Dakota Bradley Freshman Exploratory
“Guardians of the Galaxy 2. The music went really well with the movie. And the character Starlord got into the music.”
Randee Wisdom Sophomore Secondary Education
“The first Sinister movie. The music made it so much spookier and really helped hit it home for me.”
Ray Brown Sophomore Entrepreneurship
WASHBURN REVIEW - Frankie Kelly
Trolls are in: A high school senior decides to add a troll to her artwork. She was very proud of how it turned out.
WASHBURN REVIEW - Frankie Kelly
Hand building: A senior from Topeka High School enjoys hand building. The lesson was instructed by ceramics teacher Bobby Tso.
“Mulan. All of the songs are bops. Reflection, Let’s Get Down to Business...all of them.”
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FEATURES
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Virtuoso pianist performs On Stage Live Eriko Hiranoi Washburn Review
Thomas Pandolfi performed in On Stage Live, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8 at White Concert Hall. On Stage Live is the oldest non-profit performing arts organization in the Topeka area, providing outstanding and affordable live cultural entertainment and educational experiences to a diverse audience. It promotes appreciation of the performing arts and enhances the quality of community life. The 2019–2020 season has five concerts. This is the second concert of the season. The concert theme was Liszt meets Bacharach and Manilow, and the concept was transcription. In music, transcription is defined as the analysis of an acoustic musical signal to write down the pitch, onset time, duration and source of each sound that occurs in it. The performer, Thomas Pandolfi, is an American pianist who touches the hearts of all who hear him with his passionate artistry and amazing technique. A graduate of The Julliard School, Thomas earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees as a scholarship student. “Listen up to take music from other composers and make these elaborate arrangements, which we call transcriptions.
Sometimes we also use the word paraphrase,” said Pandolfi. The concert began with Apres Une Lecture du Dante, composed by Franz Liszt. Liszt’s ideas came from the ideas of Mephistopheles, Heaven and Hell, death, faith and religion, which preoccupied Liszt’s musical genius for many decades. In the late 1830s, Liszt sketched a piece consisting of two movements for piano which he called Fragment after Dante. Pandolfi also performed a piece called Liebestraum No.3 in A-Flat Major (“Dream of Love”), also composed by Franz Liszt. The piece is one of Liszt’s most famous pieces and is known around the world. The audiences remained wholly engrossed in listening to his romantic music. “Is it not beautiful?” said Pandolfi after playing the piece. After performing the Liszt pieces, Pandolfi performed two more pieces called Bacharach Medley composed by Burt Bacharach and Manilow Fantasy composed by Barry Manilow. Both pieces were arranged by Pandolfi. Julia Marsh is a Washburn University Alumni who has bought season tickets of On Stage Live for five years. “I enjoyed everything he played. When watching him play the piano, his fingers look like they’re flowing,” said Marsh.
Totally talented: On Stage Live is the oldest non-profit performing arts organization in the Topeka area. Thomas Pandolfi talked about music pieces before performing.
WASHBURN REVIEW - Eriko Hiranoi
Amazing virtuoso pianist: American pianist Thomas Pandolfi performed seven pieces of music at White Concert Hall.
New theater hits Topeka Nicholas Solomon Washburn Review
WASHBURN REVIEW - Erica Faulkinbury
Grand time: B&B is a new theater in town that makes patrons feel like they’ve stepped back in time to an era long past, with a fully tended bar, ticket booth and register like something out of one of the movies they are there to watch.
Photo Courtesy of B&B Theaters
Chill out: One of my favorite features of the new B&B theater is the reclining heated seats. Pictured is one of the theater’s auditoriums.
By Alyssa Storm
Are you excited about the new B&B Theaters?
Brad Noble Freshman, Nursing
Reilly Peuser Senior, Mass Media
“I’m excited because it looks like it’s going to be super nice and comfortable.”
“I’m excited for Topeka to finally have reclining seats.”
Elex Banks Freshman, Communications
Monse Soria Freshman, Exploratory
“I’m excited for it. I feel like it will be a fun atmosphere.”
“I’m not really excited because I don’t really like movies.”
B&B Theatres is new to Topeka and it’s well worth visiting. The spacious theatre seating makes the experience much more enjoyable for the frequent moviegoer. B&B Theaters, located at 2829 SW Fairlawn Road, is a family owned theater chain operating in the Midwest. The theatre is equipped with Grand Screens, MX4D technology, as well as reclining, heated seats and a bar. B&B Theatres is a straight shot from campus. Imagine you’re going to the Fairlawn Dillons and take a left on SW Fairlawn, from there it is a straight shot to the Wheatfield Village. Visitors are welcomed by music playing from the speakers placed around
the fully tended bar, ticket booth and register creating an inviting atmosphere. The bar has your 21+ drinks, while the registers at the snack bar has fountain drinks – medium and large being in the $6 range. Movie tickets for a standard film are about $11 and $18 for MX4D screenings. The theatres are spacious, making B&B Theatres uniquely comfortable. They are uncrowded and normally theaters have a ton of seats. The individual theatre I visited only had six rows giving me the illusion of feeling secluded. This enhanced my viewing experience for specific films. Every theater aside from the MX4D is equipped with reclining heated seats. The sound system is also noticeable at the start of a movie, adding to the overall experience.
B&B employees also find the theatre environment welcoming. “It’s like a family. It gives you high energy and makes you happy. It’s an amazing experience to be part of someone else’s enjoyment. People come here to relax and enjoy their movie, and being part of that is a very inspiring thing,” said one employee about the working environment. “There’s never really a dull moment. We are kind of a family. We’ve only been open for about a week and we’re already pretty tight knit,” another employee added. I can safely say that B&B Wheatfield is worth visiting. The Grand Screen and MX4D is aesthetically pleasing. The seating is spacious and comfortable with fair pricing when considering the enhanced experience.
7
FEATURES
November 13, 2019
photo courtesy of biology club
Box turtles: Reed has an adopt-a-turtle program in the works. He has recruited even non-biology majors in his research.
Professor observes box turtle behavior Jason Morrison Washburn Review
When Benjamin Reed was growing up, he dreamed about being a scientist who would study dinosaur bones, dig up treasures, explore the deep sea and fill his laboratory with snakes and other creatures. Reed’s dreams came true in many ways because of persistent hard work and his love for research. He pursued a biology degree, and quickly found that he loves to teach. After graduate school at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, he became an assistant professor of biology responsible for 10 Washburn University courses, including the new zoo internship partnership with the Topeka Zoo. Reed wants students who are interested in animal-related fields to get experience prior to graduation. Kansas is a good location for his research. He studies ornate box
turtles, the state reptile. “I put little transmitters on the turtles. And then I use radio telemetry. I go and find them and get information about where they’ve gone, how far they moved, and what their behavior is,” said Reed. He has become a fabulous edition to the biology department, according to associate professor of biology, Rodrigo Mercader. “He is very much student-centered,” said Mercader. “As soon as he started working here, he developed new opportunities for them by taking up internships right away. He brings them into the actual research and makes it very easy for them to come talk to him.” Students this semester are working with Reed to observe behavior and record data that helps them understand variations of movement. Senior biology researcher Steven Dennis is involved in a study of the
long-term memory of turtles. “We place them into a maze that has a strawberry for a reward. And record the number of wrong turns along with the time it takes to reach the end,” said Dennis. A second maze has red dots as markers so they can see if visual landmarks will help them to improve. They compare the results to the turtles’ home range, which is the area each one covers. The difference in home ranges spans from half a hectare, or about half a football field, to sixty hectares. The variables that influence an individual turtle’s movement affects their ability to mate and live a healthy life. The research Reed and his students conduct aids in conserving the dwindling population of the ornate box turtle. They expect to find that a turtle who has a large home range will be more willing to explore the maze
and remember it better. They discovered that turtles are individuals who have very different personalities, similar to how we see dogs or cats. Reed found that turtles vary in how far they explore, how aggressive they are and how much risk they will take. During the winter months, he monitors the turtles’ temperatures after attaching a small device to each. Before it gets very cold outside, the turtles bury themselves about three feet deep. “Their metabolism basically just stops. And their brains are operating marginally, and that’s about it,” said Reed. In the spring, their body temperature and metabolism will increase, and they will emerge and be on their way. When Reed has time away from work, he is outdoors hiking and taking photos of wildlife.
New face in the Communications Department Kathryn Heger Contributor
Gretchen Montgomery began her teaching career in August 2019, as a professor at Washburn University in the Department of Communication Studies teaching intercultural communications classes. She overcame many challenges on the road to becoming a professor. Montgomery started her journey in her undergraduate classes as a communications and Spanish major. Montgomery realized she had lots of interest in continuing her education and going to graduate school for her master’s and doctorate. Montgomery loved being involved with intercultural communication and cultural identity at Nebraska Wesleyan University. After talking to her advisor at that time, she decided to continue her education and begin her journey to become a professor at Washburn. She focuses on how people with different cultural and social backgrounds interact, and the challenges and opportunities they experience through an intercultural context. Montgomery came to Washburn’s campus to teach a sample class for what it would look like if she was hired for the job. She immediately felt at home after teaching her first sample class and knew it was the perfect fit for her. “Washburn was the size of school and type of institution that would value my type of teaching,” said Montgomery. Washburn was the type of environment Montgomery was familiar with at Nebraska Wesleyan University. As a student, getting to walk into office hours whenever she needed help was crucial to her success. She realized Washburn was similar and wanted that friendly feeling at work every day. Getting to know her professors well and realizing they cared about her and the work she put forth was important to Montgomery. Montgomery recognizes students who work hard in school and outside of school with parttime jobs, having been in that exact situation of trying to make a living and getting her degree. She always credits students doing the same thing and going through similar challenges. “Graduate programs are tough, and it is a process to find your community of people to get through those adversities,” said Montgomery. Montgomery knows how much advisors help and guide students in their journeys all while working to stay mentally stable the best they can. “I’ve been lucky to have lots of mentors
throughout my undergraduate and grad school careers,” said Montgomery. Before her journey in graduate school at the University of Kansas, Montgomery took more than a year off school before realizing she wanted to learn more and continue her career path of gaining her master’s degree and doctorate. She was still curious and had unanswered questions about the communications studies and cultural environment in which people live. After Montgomery visited with her previous faculty at Nebraska Wesleyan about her interests in the culture part of communications and how people from different cultures create friendships and relationships, she was advised to apply for the graduate program at the University of Kansas. After completing two major research projects and a set of exams, she qualified and received her doctoral degree in Communications and Intercultural Studies. “We live in a world that there are forces that try to highlight and drive us apart based on differences,” said Montgomery. Montgomery’s main focus for the classes she currently teaches is to see the cultural differences among others as a benefit and not a deficiency. She teaches her students to recognize and understand the differences in cultures and social groups and embrace all diversities. “It’s easy to come to work when the work you do feels fun and important,” said Montgomery. Montgomery is always learning to overcome challenges placed in her path. A hard challenge she faces every day is not being a people-pleaser. Some students enroll in her class for credit only, therefore, they don’t engage as much in learning as she would like. Montgomery has learned to not take it personally. With this being her first official semester to teach, all of her classes have been engaging. When students give their feedback on the content, she takes their knowledge and applies it to hers. Teaching is more enjoyable when the students make an impact and speak their minds, sharing their knowledge on the lessons during class and getting to experience them. Jacob Klemz, a student of Montgomery’s class, said Montgomery is always able to engage and break up the classroom and do small activities about what the lesson is that day. “Professor Montgomery always brings a pretty positive and light-hearted attitude when she comes to class,” said Klemz. Klemz also mentioned Montgomery’s class
photo courtesy of the College of Arts and Sciences
Intercultural: Gretchen Montgomery is a professor in the communications department. Montgomery has been teaching intercultural classes within the department, studying how people from different cultures interact.
has been the most interactive class in which he has participated. She appreciates feedback from her students on topics discussed in class. “I would recommend her to someone as an instructor,” said Klemz. “She cares about what you take from the class over teaching a set amount of material.” Klemz said Montgomery always likes the feeling of getting to help people and learning what their perspective is on things. “We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to get the perfect grade or highest grade we can, but it’s important to find a balance between academic success and the college experience,” said Montgomery. Montgomery believes it is important to be kind to yourself. Striving to be the best you can be and rewarding yourself is something everyone should do. “It takes a level of dedication to your craft in being a professor or in any job you want,” said Montgomery.
8
SPORTS
washburnreview.org
Ichabods make comeback against Gorillas
Jacob Weaver Washburn Review
Saturday, Nov. 9 was senior sendoff for the Ichabods at Yager stadium. They faced off against the Pittsburg State Gorillas, a team with the same season record of five wins and five loses. The Ichabod’s were able to bring it back towards the end to finish the day off with a positive season record. Pittsburg starts the first quarter with a 41-yard field goal, taking the lead by three points. Then they made a 9-yard run to the end zone, putting the Ichabods behind 0-10. Washburn had many attempts to score against the Gorillas, but were unable to find an opening in their defense during the first quarter. A solid pass from Washburn’s quarterback to wide receiver James Letcher Jr. landed a touch down for the Ichabods in the beginning of the second quarter. Though the Gorillas made another touchdown, wide receiver Jace Williams was able to answer back with a great catch in the end zone, placing the Ichabods only slightly behind. Running back Curtis Whitten, number 2, made a 2-yard run straight into the end zone to push the Ichabod’s ahead of the Gorillas. Pittsburg State end-
ed the first half with a 10-yard run which put them ahead of Washburn. The second half of the game began with the Gorillas making a 5-yard run, putting them 10 points ahead. Whitten, scored again from a 15-yard run. The Ichabods were not far behind in the end of the third quarter, tailing by only three points. Washburn regained the lead immediately into the fourth quarter off a 3-yard run by number 21. Pittsburg made a big run down the field to score a touchdown and put themselves in the lead. The Ichabods were able to close out the game with a touchdown from Letcher and Whitten making the final score 49-38. Whitten is a double major in business entrepreneurship and marketing and a running back for the Washburn Ichabods. He is happy with the win and pays tribute to his former teammate Dwane Simmons. “Today was a big win. We just came back from a big rivalry win, and this one was especially important to us because we lost Dwane, so we wanted to win this one for him and his family,” said Whitten.
Washburn Review
Service with a smile: Junior defensive specialist/libero and team captain Faith Rottinghaus is back serving the ball to the Gorillas in Friday’s game in which she got 21 digs.
The Washburn Ichabods played against the Missouri Southern State University Lions in their last regular season volleyball game. This was the second time Washburn had played them. Last game, they won against the Lions in the fifth set. This time, the Ichabods shut them down and didn’t let them win a single set. The Ichabods started the first set strong and focused knowing their opponents could give them a hard time. Washburn gained the lead and was able to make a nine point lead, a large gap between them and the Lions. Number nine, Erica Montgomery, was able to score multiple points for her team by slamming the ball into an opponent, finding the perfect spot to target and hitting it in between the
By Joshua Irsik
Washburn basketball wins big
Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 the Washburn men’s basketball team traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, to participate in the Central Region Challenge. Washburn won their first game against Minnesota State University 78-71 on the first day of the challenge. The Ichabods picked up their second win the next day when they played against the Winona State University Warriors. The Ichabods took an early lead of 17 points at 21-4 with 10:33 left in the first half. Tyle Geiman hit a 3-pointer with 2:00 left in the half making the lead 30-29. Jonny Clausing made the score 31-30 with 18:31 left. Closing out the game Washburn would finish the game 67-54 making them 2-0 on the season so far. Geiman and Drew Maschoff each scored a game-high 15 points while Clausing recorded his first double double at Washburn with a career high of 12 points and 10 rebounds. Maschoff had nine rebound. Geiman also had seven assists and three steals. Clausing added two blocks. The Washburn men will return to Kansas City on Nov.15 to take on Rockhurst University. The Washburn women’s basketball team traveled to Pittsburg, Kansas, on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 to participate in the MIAA/GAC Challenge. The Washburn women lost their first game to the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Bison 62-80. The next day they
Senior linebacker Kyle Emerice, a finance major from Nebraska, changed to a power back for their game against the Gorillas. He is very happy with the win and believes their performance will help
out in the playoffs. “Watch film, same thing every week. There is going to be a similar look and similar offense in our next game, so it should transfer pretty well,” said Emerice.
defense. Washburn won the first set 25-15 against the Lions. During the second set the Ichabods were having a hard time staying ahead. With the Lions constantly at their throats, the second set could have gone either way. Then Kelsey Gordon was able to find a spot in the back right of the court that pushed the Ichabods ahead. Toward the end the Ichabods earned a large lead and finished the set off with a 25-18 score set. Washburn was able to get a few easy points from the Lion’s service and ball handling errors during the third set. Even with the errors, the Lions were able to continue tailing behind by just a point or two. The Ichabods gained and kept the lead near the end with a score of 25-19. Washburn won in three sets. In their previous game against the
Lions they won with five sets. Montgomery, a senior nursing major who plays outside hitter, enjoyed the match against the Lions, but is sad to eventually say goodbye to her beloved team. “It was a good win for us. Last week at home for me, especially as a senior, is really sad, but it was really good to go out with a bang and beat both teams,” said Montgomery. Gordon is a biology and environmental biology major who plays as a middle blocker for her team. Gordon enjoys winning but knows that it’s never the end to hard work. Like most teams, there is always room for improvement, but a win is still great for the team. “We played well, I think we have room for improvement, we always do, but I am very satisfied with how we played today,” said Gordon.
Volleyball defeats the Lions Jacob Weaver
WASHBURN REVIEW-Lou Collobert
WASHBURN REVIEW-Bailey Longstaff
Focus on the catch: Junior James Letcher, Jr. focusing on catching the ball. Letcher Jr. had 166 total receiving yards during Saturday’s game.
took on Oklahoma Baptist University earning their first win on the season. Washburn tailed at the end of the first quarter 28-26 but then outscored the Bison 24 to 18 in the second quarter taking a 50-46 lead in the half. When both teams returned from the half, Washburn would be outscored in the third 29 to 21 with Washburn scoring 13 more points to hold the Bison leading into the fourth quarter. With 4:44 left to go in the game, the Bison increased their lead to 86-84, but a pair of free throws by Alexis McAfee with 3:39 left in the game tied the score. Washburn would later score two more points making it 88-86. The Bisons would later tie it with 1:49 left. Washburn would earn the final score of 89-88. Abby Oliver hit the first of two free throws with one second to play pushing Washburn to the win. Reagan Phelan lead the Ichabods with 26 points adding three rebounds and three assists and MacAfee recorded her first career double double with 12 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Mia Castaneda scored 19 hitting 4 of 7 3-pointers and Oliver and Hunter Bentley each had 10 points. The Washburn women will next be in action on Thursday Nov. 14 in Lee Arena against the Bethel Thrashers in the first ever meeting between the two schools.
Cross-country places 19th and 20th The Washburn men’s cross-country team placed 19th at the NCAA Central Regional Championships on Saturday Nov. 9 in Joplin, Missouri. David Kibet placed 35th at the meet with a time of 31:51.00 on the 10k course. Brett Kulp placed 100th overall with a time of 33:21.32. Tyler Coad finished the 10k course with a time of 33:35.53 to place 109th overall. Brandon Clark placed 135th overall with a time of 34:18.22. Brandon Kerr ran the 10k course with a time of 35:26.13. Weston Evans finished the meet with a time of 35:38.98. Kael Ecord finished with a time 37:01.13 on the
10k course. The Washburn women’s cross-country team placed 20th at the Regional Championships. Sierra Mortensen placed 32nd out of 219 runners with a time of 22:32.82 in the 6k. Lily Johnson placed 64th overall with a time of 23:02.92. Kaylee Snell finished 76th at the meet with a time of 23:11.77. Dulce Ayala Chanez placed 165th at the meet with a time of 25:07.63. Kelsie Det placed 201st with a time of 25:54.67 on the 6k course. Stacy Briggs finished with a time of 27:14.31.