spring welcome 2015

2 | Spring Welcome 2015 The Standard

Spring Welcome 2015 | 3the-standard.org

Advertising staffBrandi Frye salesHolly Johnson salesNick McConnell salesBrooke Partridge designEmily Dilley office assistant

Editorial staffBart Anders reporterElizabeth Armbrecht copy editorTheresa Brickman copy editorRebecca Biundo reporter

Sofia Caito reporterMaddy Cushman photographerNicholas Deckard photo editorCallie Dunaway reporterZachary Fletcher reporter/photographerEmily Joshu reporterAndrea Koenemann distributorRose Marthis news editorSpencer Martin columnistTrevor Mitchell editor-in-chiefTaylor Mize distributorNicole Roberts reporter

John Robinson reporterBrittanie Schuette distributorKayla Seabaugh copy editorPeyson Shields life editorMike Ursery sports editorEli Wohlenhaus digital editor

Professional staffJack Dimond faculty adviserSandy King ad manager

Contents

Standard staff

Spring Welcome 2015is published by The Standard, Missouri StateUniversity’s student-produced newspaper.The university has not approved and is notresponsible for its content, which isproduced and edited by The Standard staff.

The Standard901 S. National Ave.Springfield, MO [email protected]

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4 CalendarAll the dates you need

5 Welcome back to MSUTrevor Mitchell and Clif Smartwelcome you back to campus

6 New to Missouri State?Whether you’re a freshman or atransfer student, check outthese columns

7 Theater calendarsSee when and where to getyour theater fix in Springfield

8 Last semester at MSUCatch up on the news from lastsemester

9 SAC CalendarWhat’s SAC got planned for thissemester? Find out here

10 Finding a jobGet employed in 2015

12 Study upThere’s plenty of places oncampus to get your studyingdone

13 Spring breakIt’s not too early to startplanning your spring break trip

14 Get up and moveGet that New Year’s resolutionin gear

15 Grading the BearsEli Wohlenhaus grades to theMSU basketball players

16 Lady Bears strugglingGrowing pains for the women’sbasketball team

17 GolfHit the links with the MSU golfteam

18 Swimming/BaseballBears look to crush thecompetition in the pool and onthe diamond


15 16Mark your calendars!

Jan. 16Refund Deadline — First Block Schedule

and Full Semester Schedule Change at 100percent Credit/Refund

Jan. 19Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday (No

Classes/Offices Closed)

Jan. 25My Payment Plan Installment Due

Jan. 26Refund Deadline — First Block Classes

and Full Semester change at 75 percentCredit/Refund

Jan. 30Refund Deadline — First Block Classes at

50 percent Credit/Refund

Feb. 9Refund Deadline — First Block Classes at

25 percent Credit/RefundRefund Deadline — Full Semester at 50

percent Credit/Refund

Feb. 10Census

Feb. 16Presidents Day Holiday (No

Classes/Offices Closed)

Feb. 184 p.m.Monday Evening Classes Meet/Wednesday

Evening Classes Do Not Meet

Feb. 20Last day to Drop, Withdraw, declare

Pass/Not-Pass or Audit for First Block Classes

Feb. 25My Payment Plan Installment Due

March 2Mid-Semester Grade Rosters Available

March 6First Block Classes End

March 9 – March 15Spring Break (No Classes/Offices Open)

March 16Second Block Classes Begin

March 17Refund Deadline — Full Semester at 25

percent Credit/Refund

March 1810:00 a.m.Spring 2015 Mid-Semester Grades Rosters

Must Be Submitted Online by 10:00 a.m.

March 19Mid-Semester Grades Available Online

March 20Refund Deadline — Second Block

Schedule Change at 100 percent Credit/Refund

March 25Final My Payment Plan Installment Due

March 27Refund Deadline — Second Block Classes

at 75 percent Credit/RefundSecond Block Census

April 2Spring Holiday (No Classes/Offices Open)

April 3Last Day to Submit an Instructor Drop for

Second Block Classes

April 3 – April 5Spring Holiday (No Classes/Offices

Closed)

April 6 Refund Deadline — Second Block Classes

at 50 percent Credit/Refund

April 10Last day to Drop, Withdraw, declare

Pass/Not-Pass or Audit for Full SemesterClasses

April 14Refund Deadline — Second Block Classes

at 25 percent Credit/Refund

April 24Last day to Drop, Withdraw, declare

Pass/Not-Pass or Audit for Second BlockClasses

April 27Final Grade Rosters Available

May 7Spring 2015 Classes End

May 8Study Day (No Classes/Offices Open)

May 9 – May 14Final Exam Period

May 15Spring Commencement

May 18Spring 2015 Final Grades Rosters Must Be

Submitted Online by 10:00 a.m.

May 19Grades Available on My Missouri State

website (check academic calendar for whenavailable on official transcript)

Graduation! Get out your planner and write down these

important dates and events in the spring semester

Statewide Collaborative DiversityConferenceMarch 25-27

Learn how to create a diverse community and network toimprove recruitment and retention of minority groups.

Join real

world...

“The Ethical Citizen: Can You Make aDifference?”April 14-17

The Public Affairs Conference will feature keynotespeakers, panel discussions and special events to help you findyour way to being an ethical citizen.


“Hey, what’s up? How long’s it been, like amonth or something? Did you change yourhair? It looks really good. Oh, you didn’t? Wellit still looks really good. Yeah, great seeingyou too! Yeah, we totally need to hang outsometime. I’ll text you.”

It’s spring semester, which means you getto have the above conversation with everycasual acquaintance you have on campus forthe next few weeks.

But there’s more to the second semester ofthe year than forced small talk with the guyfrom biology that never pulled his weight onthat group project.

You’re a couple credit hours smarter, sever-al finals more responsible, perhaps a few hang-overs wiser.

Whether this is your second semester oryour last (or maybe your first, but then this

whole “older and wiser” thing I’m doing does-n’t work, so stay with me) there’s no way youhaven’t learned at least one thing from thesemester we just went through.

No matter how good or bad your fall 2014was, use it to make your spring 2015 even bet-ter. Bombed all your finals? Start puttingtogether a study plan for May, and get wellacquainted with the BEAR Claw. Three yearsinto your Pre-med studies you discovered whatyou really love is teaching seventh grade Eng-lish? Get with your adviser and make thatdream a reality.

The point is, no matter where you are inyour college career, you always need to keeplearning from what you’ve already done, orelse you’ll never make any real progress as youfloat your way through a couple of years hereat Missouri State.

So make 2015 either better than 2014 orjust as great. Either way, The Standard will behere every Tuesday morning to help.

As always, I can be reached [email protected] or@TJM613 on Twitter, and also follow @The-Standard_MSU as well.

Have a great syllabus week!

Dear Missouri State Students:Welcome. Returning students, welcome

back to campus. New students, welcome to theMissouri State family. I hope you are as excit-ed as I am about this semester. Classes areunder way, our winter sports are in full swingand there are lots of student activities on theagenda. I challenge you to get involved andstay connected.

One of the events you will want to attend isthe presentation by Cal Ripken, Jr. at the Pub-lic Affairs Conference at 8 p.m. on Tuesday,April 14 in JQH Arena. Cal Ripken Jr. is base-ball’s all-time Iron Man. He retired from base-ball in October 2001 after 21 seasons with theBaltimore Orioles. His name appears in therecord books repeatedly, most notably as oneof only eight players in history to achieve 400home runs and 3,000 hits. On July 29, 2007, hewas inducted into the National Baseball Hall ofFame. Ripken received the third highest per-

centage of votes in history, collecting the high-est vote total ever by the BBWAA.

The many on-field accolades that Ripkenreceived during his illustrious playing careerinclude: AL Rookie of the Year (’82), two timeAL Most Valuable Player (’83, ’91), two timeGold Glove recipient (’91, ’92), two time All-Star MVP (’91, ’01), a world record 2,632consecutive games and 19 All-Star Gameselections. In addition, his 2,131st consecutivegame was voted by fans as MLB’s Most Mem-orable Moment in baseball history and Ripkenwas named to the MLB All-Century Team atshortstop.

Ripken has always placed a strong focus ongiving back to the community. In 2001, he andhis family established the Cal Ripken, Sr.Foundation in memory of the family’s patri-arch. The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation is a501(c)(3) non-profit organization, workingthroughout the country with Boys & GirlsClubs, P.A.L. centers, inner-city schools andother organizations serving America’s mostdistressed communities.

I hope to see you at the Cal Ripken, Jr. pres-entation and the other events at the PublicAffairs Conference.

Have a great semester. Go Bears!

@TJM613

Trevor MitchellEditor-in-chief

@ClifSmart

Clif SmartUniversity President

Welcome back, Bears!


Health always comes firstWhen it seems like grades are the top priori-

ty, we can sometimes forget about our own well-being. You may think that a little cold is nothing,but without taking some time away from thebooks to rest, the symptoms can worsen. Thenyou won’t be able to concentrate on schoolworkanyway. I had this wake-up call last semesterwhen complications arose from earlier healthproblems. I was so upset about missing assign-ments I almost delayed necessary treatment.“But I can’t miss class!” Yes, you can. It took mydoctor’s lecture and an emergency trip home tomake me realize that. Don’t be stubborn like me;listen to your body.It’s not lame to go home

I used to think that college kids never wenthome, which I blame both on movies and myolder cousins’ college stories. What I didn’t real-ize was it’s perfectly acceptable to go home forthe weekend. No one will judge you for goinghome. They might even be jealous because theymiss their mom’s spaghetti as much as you do.Sometimes it’s refreshing to get away from cam-pus, sleep in your own bed and hug your dog.

You don’t have to be an upperclassman to dobig things

Freshman year has its limits, especially thefirst semester. Yes, I’m looking at you, GEP 101.That doesn’t mean that upperclassmen get tohave all the fun, though. They may be older, butthey don’t have more power. If you want to be aleader, be a leader. If you want to start a club,start that club.Your grade level is not a restric-tion; if anything, it’s an advantage since youhave so much time to make your mark on theuniversity.

“I learned that you don't have to be an upper-classman to do great things for yourself and theuniversity,” said freshman Rebecca Burger, anewly appointed SOAR Leader.Your major is no one else’s problem

“What are you going to do with your major?”I get asked this way more often than I wouldlike, being a creative writing major, and I knowthat I’m not the only person who deals with this.My extended family generally pelts me with thisquestion every time I see them, but it also comesfrom fellow students. Following your passiondoes not always mean following a specific pathright from the start. Sometimes you don’t knowwhat kind of job you want, and that’s okay, espe-cially as a freshman. What matters is your pas-sion, not what other people think you’ll do withit.

I transferred to Missouri State University ona whim. I didn’t look at schools or tour campus-es. As bad as it sounds, I didn’t even know whereSpringfield was on a map. I just picked MSUbecause I knew a handful of people who wenthere and I had maxed out my stay at my com-munity college, STLCC-Meramec in St. Louis.

In the beginning of the semester, I put a lot ofpressure on myself to meet friends and whenthings didn’t pan out right away, I became frus-trated.

It seemed like everyone already had estab-lished friend groups and the best place for mewas nowhere. I spent many weekends of my firstsemester listening to Taylor Swift while spoon-ing a Subway footlong alone in my dorm room.

I also spent many nights thinking about howI should have never left Meramec. I met a lot ofgreat friends there, but as a two-year school, Iknew transferring/graduating was inevitable for

them and even me. Living on campus without a car proved more

challenging than I had originally thought. Iwalked everywhere with the exception of takingthe Bear Line to Brick City.

Transitions have never been the easiest forme. Actually, they pretty much suck. However, Iknow it’s a part of life and a part of growing up.

I was not a great student until I came to MSU.Good grades never mattered to me but somehowmoving away from everything I knew made mewant to be successful. My brain shifted fromPeter Pan to Anne Hathaway in “The DevilWears Prada.”

Since transferring I have pushed myself hard-er than I thought I could. I changed majors andgot involved in several different student organi-zations and I have gotten more familiar with thecampus.

And while things haven’t exactly gone as Iplanned, I have put myself out there and metsome pretty cool friends along the way.

I am still learning the ins and outs of MSUand I’m still looking for that perfect sandwich.However, things are a lot easier than when Istarted, and I know things will continue to getbetter as time goes on.

On transfers and transitionsBy Rebecca BiundoThe Standard

@rebeccabiundo

What I learned my freshman year

By Emily JoshuThe Standard

@EmilyJoshu

u See more of Emily’s advice on the-standard.org

By Rose Marthis, The Standard @RoseMarthis


“Runaways”Looking into the life of vulnerable teens in

1970s New York City, “Runaways” combinessongs, dances, soliloquies and poems to tellthe emotional stories of diverse characters. Feb. 12-14, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15, 2:30 p.m. Craig Hall Coger Theatre$18 adults, $16 students/seniors, $12 inadvance with MSU ID

“Tartuffe”Moliere’s controversial comedy tells the

tale of one family’s deception and downfallcaused by their two-faced houseguest,Tartuffe. March 26-28, 7:30 p.m. March 29, 2:30 p.m. Craig Hall Coger Theatre$14 adults, $12 students/seniors, $8 inadvance with MSU ID

“Strutting and Fretting: a neo vaudeville”The Spring Dance Concert comes to life

as a carnival incorporating magic, whimsy,nostalgia and visual into an imaginative per-formance choreographed by MSU faculty.April 30-May 2, 7:30 p.m. May 3, 2:30 p.m. Craig Hall Coger Theatre$14 adults, $12 students/seniors, $8 inadvance with MSU ID

C nurtaicall

Need theater in your life? Both MSUand Springfield have shows to keepyou shouting ‘encore!’ all season long

Springfield Little Theatre•“The 25th Annual Putnam CountySpelling Bee,” Jan. 23-Feb. 8•“Disney’s My Son Pinocchio Jr.,” Feb. 20-March 1•“The Wizard of OZ,” April 3-19• “Tuna Does Vegas,” May 8-17

Springfield Contemporary Theatre•“Shining City,” Jan. 9-18•“The Tempest,” Feb. 13-March 1•“Painting Churches,” March 20-April 4•“Spring Awakening,” April 24-May 17

Springfield Regional Opera Lyric Theatre•“Street Scene,” Feb. 20-22•“Master Class,” March 27-29•“Cafe des Artistes: Roma Fellini,” May 2-3

MSU Department of Theatre and Dance

File photo/THE STANDARD

Students play every role in productionsby the Theatre and Dance Department.

Springfield Area Theater Companies

Visit each theatre’s website:• springfieldlittletheatre.org• srolyrictheatre.org• springfieldcontemporarytheatre.org

Showtimes & Tickets


Several events happened last semester that created anuproar in Springfield. Here are some quick updates on afew of the biggest topics students will still be talkingabout this semester. Black rights protestsAfter Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson shot and killed

Michael Brown in August, protests swept the nation,including MSU.Homecoming Blackout was a silent protest led by 35

protesters in October 2014 at the MSU homecoming. Theprotesters held up signs during tailgating and the footballgame that said “Black Lives Matter” and “Don’t Shoot.”Protestors said audience members shouted insults andracial slurs at them.Over a month later on Nov. 24, the grand jury did not

indict Wilson for the death of Brown.On Dec. 3, New York Officer Daniel Pantaleo was also

not indicted after putting African-American Eric Garner ina fatal chokehold in July.A day after the grand jury decided there was not

enough probable evidence to indict Pantaleo, over 100students gathered in the PSU and participated in a two-hour long sit-in. They sang songs, led chants and held upsigns that said “Justice 4 Mike Brown” and “I Can’tBreathe.”LGBTQ non-discrimination billCurrently, employers and businesses in the city of

Springfield can discriminate against someone based on hisor her sexual orientation or gender identity.In October 2014, City Council passed Council Bill

2014-189, which made it illegal for anyone to discrimi-nate against an individual based on his or her sexual ori-entation or gender identity in the areas of employment,housing and public accommodations.Shortly after the ordinance went into effect, a referen-

dum petition containing over 2,500 signatures was certi-fied by the City Clerk. City Council had 30 days toaddress the referendum by either repealing the ordinance

or placing the issue on the April 2015 ballot.City Council tabled the issue longer than 30 days,

meaning citizens will vote on the ordinance in the Aprilballot.Until the public votes on the issue, the ordinance will

not take effect.MSU’s new football coach

After nine years of being the head coach at MSU anda total record of 37-64, Terry Allen was not re-hired afterhis contract expired. His replacement for the 2015 seasonis former University of Columbia-Missouri’s assistantcoach Dave Steckel.Steckel worked at Mizzou for 14 years. MSU will be

his first head coaching position.Steckel helped Mizzou win consecutive SEC title

games and create two SEC Defensive Players of the Year.University President Clif Smart said he will be offering

Steckel a $270,000 five-year contract. Even though theuniversity will be increasing the head coaching salary,Smart said no additional university money will be used.

Last semester at MSUWhether you’re new to Springfield or winter break was just too long, here’s what’s going on around town

By Nicole RobertsThe Standard

@NReneeRoberts


Hot Chocolate GiveawayJan. 12, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.SAC Concerts presents: EchosmithJan. 13, 7-9 p.m.SAC Comedy Club presents: Adam New-

manJan. 14, 7-9 p.m.SAC Films presents: “Divergent”Jan. 14, 9-11 p.m.SAC After Hours presents: Ice Skate

NightJan. 15, 9 p.m.-midnightSAC Campus Events presents: Winter

Wonderland Rock ‘n’ BowlJan. 16, 7:30-10:30 p.m.

The Student Activities Council planscultural, social and diverse events for theentire student body. From the spring con-cert to Friday night bowling, SACensures that Missouri State students willalways have options for activities to doon campus.

SAC is completely student-run andmakes decisions, like the performers forthe big spring concert, based on whatMSU students want.

For students interested in joiningSAC, all council meetings are held bythe SAC executive board every Tuesdayat 4 p.m. in PSU 313.

SAC Winter Week ❤ events

By Peyson ShieldsThe Standard

@peysonrose ❄

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Student Activities Council executive boardholds all council meetings.

Spring 2015

sneak-peek

❄

SAC Lectures presents: Laverne CoxJan. 20, 7-8 p.m.SAC Films presents: “Tammy”Jan. 21 and 25, 9-11 p.m.Rock ‘n’ BowlEvery Friday night, 7:30-10:30

p.m.SAC Presents: “The Parent

Trap”Jan. 28 and Feb. 1, 9-11 p.m.

By Zachary Fletcher, The Standard @ZachSFletcher

Spring Welcome 2015 | 11the-standard.org10 | Spring Welcome 2015 The Standard

Want to find work this semester, but aren’t sure whereto begin? Here are 10 tips for a less stressful job hunt.1. Decide if you want to work on or off campusThere are pros and cons to both on-campus and off-

campus jobs. On-campus jobs are conveniently locatedand tailored to fit the academic schedule. Off-campusjobs tend to pay higher wages and may provide more op-portunities in a particular field of interest. Decide whichbest suits your needs and focus your search accordingly.2. Utilize your resourcesSave yourself some trouble and pay a visit to MSU’s

Office of Student Employment. According to the office’scoordinator, Cheryl Combs, Student Employment Serv-ices averages 60 or more off-campus job postings at anygiven time — and that’s to say nothing of the 2,700 stu-dents employed by the university alone last year. Juststop by Room 113 in Shannon Hall, or go tohttp://www.missouristate.edu/StudentEmp/. You’ll beglad you did.3. Find out who’s hiring, rather than applyingeverywhereFew things are worse than filling out a lengthy appli-

cation only to learn a day later that there are no positionsavailable. Focus on businesses that have advertised open-ings, rather than blindly firing out as many applicationsas you can. While it’s true that most employers will keepapplications on hand for a while, it’s usually not worthholding out for.4. Beef up your resumeBuilding a solid resume can be tough if you don’t

have much work experience, but you can strengthen it inother ways. Be sure to include academic achievements,involvement in campus organizations, volunteerwork,and any other skills or strengths you may have.5. Contact your references before listing them.People are a lot more likely to give you good recom-

mendations if they’re warned ahead of time. Even if youknow your references well, don’t list their contact infor-mation without asking their permission.

6. Don’t hesitate to be proactiveIt never hurts to follow up with an employer after sub-

mitting an application. You may feel like you’re beingpushy by calling to ask for an update, but really you’reshowing that you care about the job and are willing totake an active role. A quick phone call is often enough toget your application moved to the top of the stack andmight even help you secure an interview.7. Give employers time to respondThat being said, you should still allow some time for

the employer to process and respond to your application.If it’s a job you really want, determine a reasonable wait-ing period beforehand and stick to it. Otherwise, youmight get impatient and settle for something less suitablebefore the first employer has had a chance to get back toyou.8. Negotiate your hours before taking the jobOne of the biggest risks of working in college is tak-

ing on more hours than you can manage. Even if youspecify in your application how much you’d like to workper week, it’s not uncommon to get more than you askedfor. Make sure your prospective employer knows, beforeyou accept the job, that you have other obligations andcan only be so flexible. Don’t be rude, but remember thata boss who won’t listen to the employee’s needs is notone you want to work for.9. Be choosy…A job can improve your college experience or make it

miserable. If you’re not happy where you work, chancesare your grades and social life will suffer too. Employ-ment is important, but don’t take a terrible job just be-cause you feel like you have to.10. …But not too choosyFinding work is hard these days, and you won’t al-

ways get your dream job. Sometimes you have to com-promise. Just remember that every job has its ups anddowns and that this one is only temporary. If nothing elseyou’ll have some stories to tell and some experience todraw on next time.

Spring semester is a time for trying new thingsand making decisions about the future. One de-cision that many students make is applying for astudent leadership position. If you’ve ever con-sidered being a student leader but weren’t surewhat to do, or would just like to see the require-ments all in one place, here’s a quick rundown toget you started.Resident AssistantResident Assistants play an important role in

virtually all first-year students’ lives, providingeverything from health and safety assistance. toentertainment. to life advice. While they are notpaid, RAs do receive free housing and food, avoucher for the bookstore, and a private room.Anyone seeking to become an RA must be a full-time student, with 12 credit hours completedupon application and 24 finished before the jobbegins. Additionally, they must have and main-tain an overall GPA of 2.75.RA applications are due on Jan. 29, and all ap-

plicants are required to attend one of a series ofinformation sessions occurring on Jan. 14, 22,and 26. Following the application process is aninterview and a “Carousel” session, which willtest problem-solving and teamwork skills. Stu-dents who pass the selection process must takepart in a one-day spring training session, a weekand a half of summer training in August and aleadership course during the fall semester.Being a Resident Assistant is both one of the

most challenging and one of the most rewardingthings a person can do in college. To those whoare unsure if they want to give it a try, Wells RAMoises Giron said, “It’s okay to be afraid of notknowing whether you’ll be able to succeed or not,but it’s not okay to let that fear stop you.”University AmbassadorIn all likelihood, you’re at MSU now because a University

Ambassador convinced you it was the best choice. A UA’s jobis to promote the university, primarily by leading campus toursfor prospective students. UAs are paid hourly at minimum

wage and are required to complete a set number of tours andother obligations each semester. Candidates must meet anoverall GPA of 2.5 and have 24 credit hours completed by thetime they begin.Applications for the UA position are accepted until Jan. 20.

All applicants must also attend an information meeting, thelast of which will be held on Jan. 14. The selection process

consists of two interviews: a “role-play” inter-view, where the applicant is asked the sorts ofquestions they might receive on a tour, and amore straightforward job interview. Those se-lected will be expected to participate in bi-weeklymeetings and a training retreat held on Feb. 8.University Ambassadors are student leaders

in a very literal sense; hundreds of “followers”depend on them to navigate MSU’s campus.Even so, UA Recruitment Chair Francis Ahrensreminds prospective applicants that it’s okay totake a backseat sometimes and that “a generalrule of being a leader is that you also have to fol-low.”Keep in mind for next year: SOAR LeaderThe first friend many students make at MSU

is their SOAR leader. SOAR leaders are the onlystudent leaders employed full-time: they log 40hours a week at $7.35/hour in addition to freeroom and board. Students interested in this posi-tion must have an overall GPA of 2.75 or higherand at least 30 credit hours completed. They mustalso have full-time student status for the semesterfollowing their summer at SOAR, so that incom-ing students can expect to see them on campus. Applications are accepted in October, with a

four-part Carousel occurring in early November.Among the tasks applicants are expected to com-plete at the Carousel are an interview, a mock stu-dent/parent Q&A panel, and an impromptupublic speaking activity. Standout candidates willbe selected for a second round of interviews.Once hired, every SOAR leader must take aspring leadership course and attend all trainingactivities and SOAR sessions. SOAR is a demanding job, but as three-time

veteran Katie Hash said, “You won’t know if it’ssomething that you won’t like or something you do fall in lovewith until you apply. I did not think SOAR was for me. ThenI applied, and I stuck with it for three years, and it really mademy college career.”

Resident AssistantInfo Sessions Jan. 14, 22 & 26

Applications due Jan. 29

University AmbassadorInfo Session Jan. 14

Applications Due Jan. 20

Spring Student Leader Position Deadlines

Zachary Fletcher/THE STANDARD

Weston Thomas gives tours of the Missouri State campus while working as aUniversity Ambassador — just one of the many leadership roles students canhave.

New year, new you... new job? Where do you want to work? Jobs are available both on and off campus Want more on-campus options? Check out a student leader position

Zachary Fletcher/THE STANDARD

Nearly every building on campus has student workers help-ing out. One option is the front desk at Plaster StudentUnion, where Dale Obermark helps answer questions.

Student Employment Services: Shannon 113, 417-836-5627 SAVE THE DATE: SOAR Leader applications are accepted fall 2015


It’s the weekend, and those big testsare over. Hanging out at the same placesall the time can get redundant.Here are six unique places stu-dents can unwind and have agood time:

1. “Wake Up. Do Good.Repeat.” is the motto of HeroesCoffee, located within walkingdistance of Brick City. The gour-met coffee shop serves a varietyof signature drinks, includingThe Hero and the Peanut ButterCup. Heroes is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

2. European Cafe is the per-fect place for a sweet tooth. Thecafe, located just off the squaredowntown, is a modern bakery

that sells maca-roons, cream puffsand even savorybreakfast choices.With a cozyatmoshephere andfree Wi-Fi, studentscan enjoy a relaxingbreak from school.

3. Tired of binging on Netflix? Take amuch-needed break and see a film at TheMoxie Cinema. The Moxie specializes inindie and underrated movies that hit the bigscreen. Located on South Campbell down-town, the theatre is just minutes from cam-pus and is a good way to see movies thatopen in limited release.

4. Get creative with RSVPaint as youenjoy a night out learning to paint a canvaswhile drinking your beverage of choice,alcoholic or non-alcoholic. For $35, artsupplies — including paint, canvases,and brushes — are provided as partic-

ipants are taught to paint specific paintings.Even though RSVPaint is all ages, it’sBYOB and anyone consuming alcoholmust present an ID. A session calendar isavailabe at RSVPaint.com.

5. It’s a blast from the past in more waysthan one. 1984 is an arcade located down-town that caters to anyone looking to gettheir Pac-Man on or just hang with somefriends. While there is a $5 admission fee,there is unlimited play on classic videogames and 25-50 cent plays on pinballmachines. 1984 is open Wednesday-Satur-day, 4-11 p.m.

6. New to the Springfield area, SkyZone is the perfect place to relieve schoolstress by jumping through the indoor tram-poline park. For $15, guests can bouncearound for an hour and receive Sky Socks,which are required for jumping. It is a 10minute drive from campus. The trampolinepark is open six days a week excludingMondays.

By Rebecca BiundoThe Standard

@rebeccabiundo

Boredom busters: Take a study break


With the spring semester beginning, it’s timeto start planning spring break. Less than twomonths away, spring break begins on March 9.If you are traveling somewhere far and need

to fly, there are a lot of different myths on whento buy plane tickets. According to Forbes, thebest day to buy airline tickets is on a Sunday.Here are three different spring break options

for the last minute planners:Beach TripGulf Shores, AlabamaMore and more students each year are ditch-

ing the typical beach destination spots for springbreak and venturing to cheaper, lower-profilespots. That’s where Gulf Shores comes in. A lit-tle over 700 miles from Missouri State, GoogleMaps estimates it takes 11 hours and 43 minutesin the car.Gulf Shores has a lot to offer, including the

beach, shopping, a zoo, golf and even amuse-ment parks.There are plenty of beachfront hotels that

range in price from $100 a night and up. Stu-dents may opt for would be renting a house orcondo. There are different price ranges and sizesof homes. Look into that is VRBO.com, whichhas over 3,000 listings in Gulf Shores alone.Ski TripWinter Park, ColoradoAnother popular option for spring breakers

who are not crazy about the beach is Colorado.Winter Park is a popular destination and only anhour and a half away from Denver. The drive to

Winter Park is a little over 12 hours from cam-pus. Winter Park is a ski resort with plenty ofski-in and ski-out options on the mountain.Aside from skiing, there is a village with shop-ping and activities for people of all ages.Winter Park has many lodging options,

including Vintage Hotel, Zephyr MountainLodge and Founders Pointe. Prices range withinthe resort, but to get more details visit winter-parkresort.comA cheaper option students can look into

would be to stay in Dillon, Colorado. It is moreaffordable than staying on the slopes and is ashort drive to multiple ski resorts.Day TripPedestal Rocks, ArkansasPedestal Rocks Scenic Area is about a 2.5

hour drive from campus. Located south ofJasper, Arkansas, it is a beautiful scenic areawith two loop trails that each have their own sce-nic area.The Pedestal Rocks Loop is a little over 2

miles long and leads to the main attraction,Pedestal Rocks. According to the Explore theOzarks website, “These unique rock formationswere formed over eons from water and winderosion, sculpting unique mushroom-shapedcolumns, as well as numerous caves and rockshelters in the side of the bluffs.”The other trail is the Kings Bluff Loop is 1.7

miles long and leads to Kings Bluff Falls, whichis one of the tallest waterfalls in the Ozarks.There are many columns, cracks, caves, rockshelters and other formations.Visit www.exploretheozarksonline.com for

more information.

Sprang breaaakBy Callie DunawayThe Standard

@Callie_Dunaway

Photo courtesy of Peyson Shields

Even on a cold, rainy winter day, Pedestal Rocks still offers beautiful views.

Options no matter what kind of trip you want


Get your sweat on — off campusAlternative gym options for when Foster Rec is just too full

I’m sure you’ve noticed the new wave ofgym-goers that flood into Foster RecreationCenter every spring. Thanks to New Year’sresolutions and spring breakers trying toget the perfect beach bod, your workoutarea will be a little crowded. Thankfully,Springfield has tons of gyms nearby thatoffer great deals if you’re trying to breakaway from the crowd. So if you’re lookingfor an alternative gym, here are fewoptions.

Physique Fitness offers a variety ofclasses such as barre physique, hot barre,yoga, physique TRX, pound, thighs andassets and so much more. One month ofunlimited classes is $115 or you can buy a10-day class pass for $105. Physique alsooffers happy hour prices of $6.50 for theirclasses.

Previously Ozark Fitness, GenesisHealth Clubs is a fully-equipped gym thatprovides a variety of classes, as well as tan-ning, free wifi and certified personal train-ers. The personal training is included withyour membership and includes a fitness

assessment, first workout and programmingsession, individual exercise program ses-sion, two-week follow up session and afour-week reassessment for the duration ofyour membership. Membership costs include a $200 enroll-

ment fee with monthly dues ranging $30-45, depending on what membership optionyou go with. Manager Gabe Haugh saysthat students can have free enrollment ifthey bring in a copy of this story to eitherthe northern or southern location to redeemthe discount. “We never let price stand in the way of

someone being a member here,” Haughsays. The clubs will be undergoing a $5 bil-

lion renovation which will include adding apool, hot tub and a shake and smoothie bar. The North Springfield location is open

Monday-Thursday 5a.m.-11p.m., Friday5a.m.-9p.m., Saturday 7a.m.-7p.m. andSunday 8a.m.-7p.m. The South Springfieldlocation is open Monday-Thursday 24hours, Fridays until 9p.m., Saturday 7a.m.-

9p.m., and Sunday they open at 7a.m.For questions, contact ghaugh@gene-

sishealthclubs.com.

Planet Fitness is open 24/7. Membershipis $10 a month, commitment free. This feeincludes a T-shirt, unlimited access to theclub and unlimited fitness training. Howev-er, if you upgrade to the Black Card mem-bership, the benefits include tanning,unlimited use of massage chairs, reciprocaluse of all Planet Fitness Franchise locationsand unlimited guest privileges at any loca-tion, among many other benefits. The BlackCard Membership costs $19.99 per month.

By Sofia CaitoThe Standard

@SofiaCaito


Eight wins, eight losses. Six non-conference wins, six non-conferencelosses. Two conference wins, two con-ference losses.Now that you are caught up on

Missouri State Bears men’s basket-ball, let’s get caught up on why thispost-season program from a year agois reveling in mediocrity.Contention: The MSU Bears have notfigured out their identity.The talent displayed by each indi-

vidual player on the team is not inquestion, but their record doesn’treflect the players’ talents. Before theseason started, head coach Paul Lusksaid that the Bears were still trying tofigure out who they were as a team.Two and a half months later, they

seem to be getting further from find-ing themselves.After a 69-55 blowout loss at home

on Sunday, sophomore center TylerMcCullough acknowledged that fact,saying “we need an identity as a team

to be successful.”How right he is. The Bears have

not found their identity and a big rea-son that is has to do with McCullough,alongside forwards Camyn Boone,Loomis Gerring, Christian Kirk,Gavin Thurman and Ron Mvouika.Two weeks ago Lusk charged McCul-lough with the starting center role, butit has not gone according to plan (seemy player evaluations later).Switching defensive schemes has

only partially found success, especial-ly recently against Missouri ValleyConference opponents. Coaches GregLansing and Dan Muller of IndianaState and Illinois State, respectively,solved the Bears’ defenses like a highschooler solves a fourth-grade mathproblem.On the other side of the ball, in

what is supposed to be called“offense,” MSU is lacking. The Bearsdo not have any fluidity to theirmotion and often have little to nomovement or too much. Either way,they do not create good, open looks atthe basket.MSU’s road does not get any easi-

er. The big game coming up for the

Bears is Jan. 21 against the WichitaState Shockers. Tip-off is at 7:05 p.m.Player EvaluationsSeniorsChristian Kirk: He doesn’t see near

the minutes he used to, and maybe thatis because he is one of only two sen-iors on the squad and has not been astrong leader. Despite that, he isalways very poised and professional,doing what needs to be done when itneeds to be done. Grade: C+Ron Mvouika: A back injury has

kept him out. He could be granted amedical redshirt, but that decision hasnot been made yet. Grade: N/AJuniorsCamyn Boone: His aggressiveness

and scrappiness allows him to keep upwith the big men down low, even athis 6’6” stature. That aggressivenessearns him more fouls than anyone elseon the team, bringing his grade downbecause he limits his own minutes.Grade: B-Loomis Gerring: Moving from the

power forward position to the wingguard position has not helped him. Ihave rarely been impressed with him.Grade: DMarcus Marshall: Potential MVC

Player of the Year candidate is certain-ly limited by this offense, but he stillfinds ways. I still want more leader-ship, better defense and less forcedshots out of him. Grade A-Gavin Thurman: He started the

year injured and has hardly returned toa lethal form that I wanted out him. Heis 6’7” and a prolific scorer, but it hasbeen as hard to find as Peter Pan’sshadow. Grade: DDorrian Williams: He is a great

point guard in the ways of dribbling,defending and creating for others, buthe is not a vocal leader and he only hasmoments when he can really turn on

his ability to score. His consistencymust improve. Grade: BSophomoresTyler McCullough: I want more

out of him. He’s shown glimpses ofbeing dominant down-low, but unfor-tunately ‘inconsistency’ and ‘soft’ arewords that could describe him. He’syoung, smart, and works hard. Grade:C-Austin Ruder: Unfortunately, he

has not been as steady as he was a sea-son ago. Teams know to prepare forhim and are bottling him up, causinghim to force bad shots. He needs tofigure out how to shake the pressureoff and how to improve the otheraspects of his game. Grade: C-FreshmenChris Kendrix: Young man is laden

with talent and really needs to unleashhis potential. He has good size andgreat offensive skills that he needs tostart using. His main problem rightnow is his timidity. Grade: B+Shawn Roundtree: The young man

will be a good leader someday, I onlyhope his composure and offensiveabilities will follow. His defense haslooked as solid as can be expected fora first-year. Grade: DRobin Thompson: He sustained a

season-ending injury before he had achance to prove himself. Grade: N/A

By Eli WohlenhausThe Standard@eliwohlenhaus

Bears searching for identityMVC men’s basketballStandings through Jan. 12

MVC OverallW L W L

Wichita St. 4 0 14 2Indiana St. 4 0 8 8N. Iowa 3 1 14 2Evansville 2 2 12 4Loyola 2 2 12 4Illinois St. 2 2 10 6Missouri St. 2 2 8 8Bradley 1 3 6 11S. Illinois 0 4 7 10Drake 0 4 3 13


Lady Bears struggling,but individuals stand out

Winning on the road is never easy in col-lege basketball, and perhaps no team knowsthat fact better than the Lady Bears.

Their schedule called for six straight roadgames to begin the season. They lost all six ofthem.

Probably not the start second-year headcoach Kellie Harper wanted for her squad,who now sits at 4-10 on the season. But whennine of the 13 players are underclassmen,growing pains are to be expected.

There have been some bright spots in theyoung team. Freshman guard Liza Fruendt isaveraging 14 points per game and freshmanforward Aubrey Buckley has 11 steals on theseason.

As for the returning upperclassmen, nonehave had more impact than redshirt juniorguard Kenzie Williams, who is averaging 15points and five rebounds per game with 29steals on the season. Junior forward and cen-

ter Hillary Chvatal has also stepped up, aver-aging nine rebounds per game.

Despite these individual performances theLady Bears haven’t been able to get any con-sistency going, at least in the positives. Theyhave been outscored 974-832. They have alsobeen outshot — opponents made .437 percentof baskets while the Lady Bears have madejust .362 percent of their shots.

The Lady Bears are also losing theturnover battle, committing 18.7 of them onaverage per game with a .5 assist-to-turnoverratio.

The Lady Bears have picked up a pair ofnice wins on the season, including a 57-52neutral site win over Mizzou in Decemberand a 74-66 win over 11-3 Indiana State, butthose performances have been few and farbetween this year.

If the Lady Bears hope to have success inthe second half of the year, they must find thatconsistency they’ve lacked in the first half.There is a lot of young talent on this team;they just need the experience and maturity toput it all together.

By John RobinsonThe Standard

@SaxmanJohn


Junior guard Kenzie Williams looks to make aplay against two defenders in a game againstDrake at JQH Arena last season.


An MSU player battles for aloose ball while two otherslook on in a game last seasonagainst Illinois State.


Every sport has its ownunique grind. When injuries,practices and competitionbegin to pile up, championsare unearthed from the deter-mination of athletes to keeptheir dexterity and pushthrough until the offseasonarrives. If only college golfhad the luxury of an offsea-son.

Beginning in the fall andwrapping up in the end ofspring, both the men’s andwomen’s golf teams are fullswing full-time. Even whenthe summer arrives, ideal golftemperatures make it hard tostay off the green.

Women’s head coachKevin Kane is well aware ofgolf’s year-round nature.

“Last year was tough,”said Kane. “I might haveover-scheduled and ruffledsome feathers. This year wehave been much more com-petitive.”

The women’s golf teamfinished strong, placing fifthout of 16 schools at the BlueRaider Invitational inMurfreesboro, Tennessee.

Freshman Stine Pettersenled the way for the Bears,tying for 12th overall individ-ually at the tournament withan 8-over-par 224. Pettersen,

who was named the MissouriValley Conference Women’sGolfer of the Week on Oct.22, has finished in the top 10twice in four events last fall.

“Freshmen Stine Pettersenand Verena Gimmy haveestablished themselvesalmost from the start,” Kanesaid. “Both are currently top10 in the league in scoring,which has given this teammore quality depth.”

The women’s golf teamresumes play on Feb. 15 inNew Braunfels, Texas, for theJim West Challenge. Theteam has three more tourna-ments scheduled after thatbefore wrapping up the yearin Burlington, Iowa, for theMVC Championship on April19-21.

Though the women’s golfteam had many high-pointslast fall, the men’s team spentmore time than theywould’ve liked looking atweather forecasts.

“Three of our five tourna-ments this fall were rainshortened,” said men’s headcoach Neal Stafford. “Wewere extremely focused atthe end of summer and wereoff to a good start this fall.The weather just put usbehind where we wanted tobe.”

The good start began witha second place finish at theDerek Dolenc Invitational inEdwardsville, Illinois. It was

the team’s first tournament ofthe year and senior MarkKarlsen shot his way to a sec-ond place finish individually.

Perhaps the biggest high-light of the men’s rain-short-ened fall schedule was a 3.38team GPA: Karlsen and red-shirt senior Adam Welch bothearned a 4.0. This team GPAis slightly down from lastyear, when the Bears rankedin the top-11 in the NCAAwith an overall team GPA of3.5.

Barring any unforeseenrain clouds, the team resumesplay in Goodyear, Arizona,for the Snowman Getaway onFeb. 20. Though the bestchance to see the men’s teamplay will be at MVC Champi-onship in Sunrise Beach,Missouri, on April 27-28.

“We feel good about thechampionship this year,” saidStafford. “We host the tour-nament, and having playedthere before, most of ourguys have a good knowledgeof the course.”

With the fall producingfour starters averaging under75 a round, the men’s team ispoised to finish higher thanlast year’s fifth place finish.The women’s team is hopingto get back to championshipform after falling sevenstrokes short of defendingtheir title last year.

Golf swings its way into a new yearafter ending 2014 with strong finish

By Bart AndersThe Standard

@bartanders42

Men’s and women’s teams makestrong showing in respectivefirst half of 2014-2015 seasons

Notable eventsMen’s

March 9-10 Grover Page Classic Jackson,TennesseeApril 4-5 Redwolves IntercollegiateJonesboro, Arkansas

April 27-28 MVC Championship Sunrise Beach,Missouri

Women’sApril 6-7 UMKC InvitationalKansas City, MissouriApril 19-21 MVC ChampionshipBurlington, Iowa


The Missouri State men’s and women’sswimming and diving teams continue to raise thebar during the 2014-2015 campaign season aftersetting milestones last season.

The men’s team won its first Mid-AmericanConference championship last season, posting adominating performance with a triple-digit cush-ion ahead of second-place Eastern Michigan.Junior Uvis Kalnins was named the MACSwimmer of the Year.

Kalnins continues to collect accolades, hav-ing been named MAC Swimmer of the Week inback-to-back weeks during the current cam-paign. He broke two pool records in a meetagainst Denver in Lawrence, Kansas, on Oct. 27to earn his first award. His second came on Nov.3 after setting personal bests against Missouri inColumbia.

The women’s swimming and diving team isin pursuit of its eighth consecutive Missouri Val-ley Conference championship during the 2014-2015 season.

Pursuing an eighth-straight conference titlecould prove to be challenging after former MSU

swimmers Renata Sander and Anna Ahlin bothgraduated. However, swimmers junior DoraKiss and sophomore Lauren Pavel could keyMSU to another crown.

Senior Garrett Nevels, who was awarded2013-2014 MAC Outstanding Diver of the Yearlast season, has continued to excel at his craft.Nevels broke multiple school and pool recordsagainst Drury on Oct. 16 and finished as runner-up against Missouri.

Both teams return for a home meet on Jan. 17against Truman State before traveling acrosstown to face Drury on Jan. 22 for the second halfof the annual “Duel in the Pool.”

The meet against Truman State is at 3 p.m. atHammons Student Center.

Bears back in the pool, hopeto continue domination


MSU swimming and diving teams will gofor more records in 2015.

By Mike UrseryThe Standard

@MikeUrsery

Baseball Bears hope for improvedoffensive output, pitching in 2015

Contrary to what the weather would haveyou believe, Missouri State baseball is close.The Bears will begin their 2015 season onemonth from today in Nacogdoches, Texas, atthe Steven F. Austin Tournament on Feb. 13.

The Bears will see 19 returning letterwinners and seven regular starters for thisyear.

One of the biggest returning players towatch on this year’s squad is junior outfield-er Tate Matheny. Matheny leads the teamwith his .330 career batting average and wasone of the best offensive players in the con-ference last year. Selected by the scoutingwebsite Perfect Game as one of their 54Division-I preseason All-American candi-dates, Matheny also spent the summer withUSA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team— the first Bear to play for the club sinceRyan Howard in 2000. Matheny hit .288,third best on the squad, with one home runand 11 RBIs for team USA.

Matheny will need to bring some of thatoffense back to MSU if the Bears want to

clean up the inconsistent offense whichplagued them last season. When the offenseclicked, it really clicked. They won 13 of 21games, which had five plus runs scored, and19 of 28 games when the Bears were able toscore first. The flip side of this state is just asugly. When opponents scored first in a game,the Bears’ record was 7-22. And while theBears performed well in high-scoringgames, they did not win a single game inwhich they scored less than three runs.

On the mound, the Bears return twostarters in junior right-handed pitcher JonHarris and junior left-handed pitcher MattHall. Harris pitched a team high 79.2innings, struck out 66 batters and notched acomplete game shutout. Hall pitched theleast of the four main starters with 65innings but appeared in the most games at16. He pitched two one-run games againstconference champion Dallas Baptist and willlook to continue on the starting rotation thisyear.

The Bears often couldn’t finish the joblast season, leaving a total of 459 men on thebase paths. If they can find a way to shore uptheir offense and keep their steady pitching,the Bears should return to the top half of theMissouri Valley Conference.

By John RobinsonThe Standard@SaxmanJohn

spring welcome 2015

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