The Baker Orange

@bakerorange
www.thebakerorange.com

may 6, 2016
vol. 123 [issue 9]

Baker University Student Media ~ Baldwin City, Kansas

Leaving a Legacy

Plenty of students and faculty have left their mark on this school year
Jim Joyners Top 10
Sports Moments

J.D. Parr retires

after 35 years at BU

PG. 10

PG. 14

Gene Johnson
subtracts teaching
from his equation

Senior Art Exhibition

in Holt-Russell Gallery

PG. 2

PG. 15

from 2 to 4 p.m.

785-594-2711
711 8th St. in Baldwin City
Sunday - Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Ofcial Mexican Restaurant of Baker University

Like us on Facebook
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@El_Patron_BC

First copy free; additional copies 50 cents. The Baker Orange Copyright 2016

page 2

The Baker Orange | News

A CALCULATED DECISION

May 6, 2016

Professor adds retirement to personal equation

mykaela cross

For Associate Professor of

Mathematics Gene Johnson, the close
of this semester marks the end of his
teaching tenure at Baker University.
Johnson admits that his decision to
retire was unexpected, but he believes it
is time for him to move on.
Its just about time, Johnson said.
Baker has an early retirement package.
Thats part of the incentive, and I just
want to be doing some other things.
With his newfound free time, Johnson
intends to find a few new hobbies and
enjoy activities he just has not had the
time for while teaching at Baker.
I dont have specific plans, but
theres a long list of books to be read and
things I havent studied since graduate
school that Ive wanted to get back to,
he said. In the process of doing those
things, Im sure other things will come
up. Ive been taking an art class at the
[Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art], and Im
going to be doing that again this summer.
Maybe that will branch out into other
things.
Johnson said that despite his desire
to retire, many of the Baker faculty
members would rather he continue on
campus.
My department chair was somewhat
dismayed, the dean also wanted me
to rethink a little bit, but I decided it
was time, Johnson said. Im gratified
that they werent just sweeping me out

the door, but on the other hand, I had

decided that this was it.
Though hes setting his sights on
newer surroundings, Johnson would like
to leave Baker with best wishes for the
universitys future.
I wish everyone well, he said.
Even though Baker has been struggling
financially, I have good hopes that it will
come through in good shape and be able
to build toward a better future.
As one of his students, junior
Benjamin Carpenter believes Johnson is
a great teacher with high expectations
for his students.
He is very particular and can seem
difficult at first, but once you figure out
his expectations he is a pretty good
professor, Carpenter said in an email
interview. He has really helped to
develop my attention to details.
One of the things Carpenter will
remember most about Johnson is his
particular choice in fashion.
He always wears a red cardigan
to class everyday and has since I have
known him, Carpenter said.
The news of Johnsons retirement
came as a surprise to Assistant Professor
of Mathematics Louis Levy, who was
hired three years ago by Johnson and
other department members. Levy
admits that the upcoming change will be
hard to imagine.
I told him that I know I havent been
here that long, but I have a hard time
picturing this place without you, Levy
said.

Levy describes
his first impression
of Johnson as very
positive, saying
he was impressed
during their first
conversation.
My first official
meeting was through
a phone interview,
Levy said. We
conversed for quite
a while before we
actually met, but he
seemed as though
Photo by Shelby Stephens
he was a wealth
of information. He
Associate Professor of Mathematics Gene Johnson
knows a lot about
Ive always felt that I could ask Gene
mathematics, but he
anything
about mathematics and get a
also knows a lot about things that are
great
answer,
Hays said. He has a very
not mathematics. That was clear to me
good
way
of
explaining
things.
early on.
Both
Hays
and
Levy
say that
Eric Hays, instructor of math and
Johnsons
retirement
will
be a loss for
acting director of Student Academic
the
Baker
community.
Success on campus, has also been
Theres a lot Im going to miss about
impressed by Johnsons accumulated
him,
Levy said. We have occasional
knowledge and will miss Johnsons
chats
about various math topics, and its
conversations.
very
interesting
to get an opinion from
I always have had really good
someone
so
knowledgeable
about so
conversations with Gene, Hays said.
many
things.
Hes very well rounded and always read
As well as being knowledgeable
interesting books. I will definitely miss
about
mathematics as a subject, Johnson
just running into him in the hall and
has
helped
Levy progress as a professor.
starting a 20-minute conversation about
I
hope
he
has an excellent
something very random.
retirement,
but
its not going to be
Hays has known Johnson for nearly
the
same
around
here, Levy said as a
12 years and has found him to be very
farewell
to
Johnson.
intelligent and approachable.

Bakers own Gamma Theta chapter

of Delta Tau Delta recently brought
home the Court of Honor Award.
Chapter President Nick Yarbrough,
along with seven other fraternity
officers, received the award at the
Western Plains Division Conference in
Springfield, Missouri.
Every year since 1965, the top
20 chapters across the nation are
recognized for excellence by receiving

the Court of Honor Award.

The conference itself was a little
intimidating, sophomore Logan
Brettell said. Just because of how
many chapters were actually present,
but we were confident in ourselves
and knew how hard we had worked as
a house and definitely felt very proud
when we were announced as Court of
Honor winners.
Yarbrough said that the leaders of

the chapter want to put the younger

members in a position where they will
be successful in the future.
I think the best way to continue
this going forward is putting people
in a position that will help them and
the chapter succeed, Yarbrough said.
Developing our young members to
be leaders is extremely important and
our upperclassmen to a good job of
mentoring the younger guys.

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Delta Tau Delta fraternity wins Court of Honor Award

Chapter members also have goals

for future awards.
Our goal next year is to get the
Hugh Shields Award, which would
mean being a top 10 Delt chapter in
the nation, junior Andrew Dare said.
For an extended version of this article,
visit www.thebakerorange.com.

may 6, 2016

The Baker Orange | News

page 3

Daisy Coleman hopes documentary helps heal others

BRENNA THOMPSON
STAFF WRITER

In a small town in the middle of

Missouri, Daisy Coleman sits at the side
of a red leather chair. Her tattoo gun
purrs as she carefully draws on her
client. She is a freshman art major at
Missouri Valley College, pursuing her
dream of becoming a tattoo artist while
competing on the womens wrestling
team. However, just a few years earlier,
she didnt want to live.
On January 8, 2012, a night of
drinking alcohol took a turn for the
worse when Daisy, then 14 years old,
and a friend decided to sneak over to
a popular senior boys house. She was
a freshman in high school in Maryville,
Missouri. Daisy became intoxicated
to the point of blacking out. Matthew
Barnett was accused of taking her into
his room and raping her.
Barnett ultimately pleaded guilty
to child endangerment after he and his
friends dropped her off on her front
porch in freezing temperatures. Her
mother found her a few hours later in
the snow.
In the fall of 2013, an investigation
and legal case against Barnett went viral,
and her life was forever changed. Now,
she is using the case as a platform to
bring awareness to Title IX rights and
speaking out against rape culture.
Audrie and Daisy, a documentary
featuring her case, will be available on
Netlix and released in theaters later
this year. She wants to motivate women
across America to speak out about their
assault cases, and she has encouraged
her brothers to become voices against
lack of respect toward women.
One of Daisys brothers, Charlie
Coleman, is a senior at Baker University
and was good friends with Barnett
before Jan. 8, 2012.
It has made me a lot less trusting of
people. Im a lot more skeptical, Charlie
said. I still have that happy personality, I
just carry myself a little differently, with
more caution.
Charlie expects that the documentary
will bring awareness to what can happen
to families and the people surrounding
the victim.
Daisy said she was at irst hesitant

Daisy Coleman tattoos a client at Gentlemans Ink in

Marshall, Missouri.

about participating in the documentary;

however, when her case went viral, she
felt a responsibility to tell her story.
I almost felt this duty, almost like
serving and protecting, Daisy said. I felt
it was necessary for me to do because of
other people in my situation.
She hopes to see sexual assault cases
taken more seriously, both in the legal
system and society as a whole. She is
all too familiar with the depression that
comes along with the bullying, stress and
trauma of rape.
It changed me as a person, but at the
same time, it set this path that I decided I
wanted to go down, Daisy said. I didnt
want to just go with the punch line and
what everyone else thought. I wanted to
go against that.
Daisy has come a long way since
multiple suicide attempts, but she
understands some victims never
overcome the horror, bullying and
isolation that they endure after rape.
The other case featured in the
documentary involves Audrie Pott. She
was just 15 years old when three boys at
a party in Saratoga, California, sexually
assaulted her. She committed suicide
eight days later. Her parents have carried
on her memory by sharing her story.
Audrie took her life because of her
assault and the bullying that followed.
This has to be taken more seriously,
Daisy said.
Both Daisy and Charlie want men
to be aware of the consequences if they
do not speak out against lack of respect
toward women, which they say feeds the
acceptance of sexual assault.
Kids are scared to speak against
the crowd. Thats the biggest problem,

Charlie said. If they dont stand up and

say something, theyre basically saying
sexual assault is OK. Instead, they stand
there and watch it. They let it happen
because they think, Well, its all innocent
and fun. I havent heard no.
Charlie now works with baseball
teams and plans to join an organization
called Coaching Boys into Men in order
to speak about being a positive role
model.
Daisy is also involved in
organizations educating and bringing
awareness to Title IX rights and sexual
assault, and she has used her voice to
give advice to others pursuing a legal
case after being sexually assaulted.
It has given me a foot in the door
to be able to talk to other people and
continue with the advocacy for our
younger generation, Daisy said.
Daisy is an ambassador for an
organization called PAVE, which stands
for Promoting Awareness and Victim
Empowerment.
We are a group that goes around to
different high schools and we speak to
high school students about their Title
IX rights in situations such as domestic
violence, assault, or in some cases,
actual rape, Daisy said.
Daisy will continue to advocate
and educate about sexual assault;
however, she said she has not allowed
the case to deine her.
She is an apprentice at
Gentlemans Ink, a tattoo parlor in
Marshall, Missouri, and uses her art
as a creative outlet.
I have a really thick skin
to peoples opinions now. As a
wrestler or as an artist or even just

as an advocate, Im going to receive a lot

of criticism, Daisy said.
Daisy said her family has overcome
adversity and become stronger, more
educated and more aware of the true
hardship that comes along with rape.
Charlie believes Daisys situation has
pushed him to be an even better person.
I try to be a positive role model in
the best way I can, Charlie said.
Daisy says one of the most important
lessons regarding victims of sexual
assault or abuse came from Audrie Potts
mother.
A lot of times you hear someone
speak out about their case, (and) a lot of
people arent going to start by believing.
Audrie Potts mom said to start by
believing, that it could really save a life. I
live by that now. Just start by believing,
Daisy said.

This is the last issue of

Daisy Coleman

The Baker
Orange
of 2015-2016

The Baker Orange | News

page 4

May 6, 2016

Baldwin Martial Arts focuses on family participation

NATHALIA BARR

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

The Baldwin Martial Arts
program is a family affair that
starts with the instructors. Tom
Christian and his wife Cheryl
both teach Youn Wha Ryu part
time in the community, and they
encourage families to join together.
If youve got a family member
training with you, youve got
somebody to kind of get you in
gear when you dont feel like doing
it, Tom Christian said.
Christian has done Youn Wha
Ryu for more than seven years.
Youn Wha Ryu is based on Tae
Kwon Do with influences from
other martial arts.
Its a very well-rounded system,
Christian said. This system took a
lot of the good pieces from several
different arts and worked it in
together.
The classes are held at the
Baldwin Intermediate Center on
Monday and Wednesday nights, and
are offered at discounted rates for
families.
Fourth grader Jillian McLaren has
taken the class for almost two years
after she fell in love with it at her

Baldwin Martial Arts Instructor Tom Christian teaches a class in Youn Wha Ryu, which is based on
Tae Kwon Do. | Photo by Cassie Long

first class. After practicing at home

with her father, he decided to join
as well. Jillians father would help
her at home to reach the 300 Club.
Students pick three forms or kicks
and do them each 300 times to gain
the muscle memory and practice
before the next testing session.
Jillian and her father are both firstdegree blue belts.
I think it gives her selfconfidence, and theres a bit of
discipline to that, Jillians mother,

Arlena McLaren, said.

Arlena describes the class itself
as a family.
Tom and Cheryl are very
supportive and they want them to
learn the proper ways, Arlena said.
Theyre just very encouraging, and
somebody Jillians age really needs
that, so its been very positive for
her.
Baldwin Martial Arts student
Floyd Rolland has a similar story. His
daughters have been in the class for

two years, and they begged him to

join. He has been in the class now
for three months, and his favorite
part is just that its something to do
with his family.
The instructors here are also
my neighbors, so theyre almost like
family, Rolland said. We spend a
lot of time together.
Rolland played football and
basketball in high school, but he
never even thought about doing
martial arts until his daughters
got into it. Christian says that the
classes are for anyone.
With this system, we have
what we teach, but if your physical
ability, lets say, wont allow you
to kick high, then were going to
work things out so that youve got
another way of doing it, Christian
said. Theres always another way
to do it, and theres a way to modify
things so everybody can do them.
While this is currently just a parttime job for Christian and his wife,
he hopes the classes grow. Christian
invites those who are interested to
attend a class to see if they enjoy
it before signing up through the
Baldwin City Recreation Commission
or visiting the Baldwin Martial Arts
Facebook page.

MAY 6, 2016

The Baker Orange | News

page 5

B a healthier u
Students and community members received a dose of exercise science
and group fitness on April 19 during B a Healthier U sponsored by the
Exercise Science Student Alliance. (photos by Khadijah Lane)
1. Freshman Rhianna Becker laughs during the warm-up
session of the ESSA-sponsored event B a Healthier U
outside of Parmenter Hall.

3. Students and faculty joined near the steps of

Parmenter Hall to learn Tabata, taught by alumna
Dominique Barbour.

2. Freshman Brenna Sparks raises her hands to the beat

of the music at the group fitness event.

4. Freshman exercise science major Baylee Bartgis

reaches down for a deep stretch during the Tabata
lesson on April 19.

page 6
may 6, 2016

EDITORIAL

Health comes first

The End is Nigh

To some students excitement and others

dismay, finals week is nearly upon us. Tests,
presentations and papers galore contribute
to the rise and peak of student stress levels
during this time of year. With no time left and
little relief in sight, many students are feeling
the pressures of finals week and are already
suffering from lack of sleep and proper
nutritional habits. The newspaper editorial
staff members urge students, as well as
faculty and staff, to take precaution when
preparing for finals week. The entire Baker
community should remember that health
always comes first.
Keeping a balanced routine, especially
during times of intense stress, is crucial in
maintaining good health, whether that involves
sleeping, eating or taking mental breaks. In
order for all of campus to see a successful
close to the spring 2016 semester, it is vital
that students take the necessary steps in living
healthy lifestyles during finals week.
Although classes and meetings complicate
our schedules, its important that students
remember that without healthy bodies,
we cannot have healthy minds. As college
students, we understand it isnt always
possible to have an everyday eating or
sleeping routine, but going out of the way to
ensure we have a lunch packed or a snack
at the ready will have a bigger effect on our
mental state and final grades than many
of us think. And even though we all get a
little cranky when were hungry, a Snickers
bar from the vending machine may not be
the smartest choice in snack. Remember, a
healthy body equals a healthy mind, and a
healthy mind means success as a student.

Sadly, finals week brings with it added

pressure to do well. Under that pressure,
many turn to studying methods that are
not only detrimental to their cause, but also
to their health. We urge students to avoid
cramming all night, abusing substances and
refusing to relax.
Some students can be found staying up
for days in order to cram in last minute
studying, while others may choose to abuse
substances like caffeine or prescription
Adderall in order to fight sleep.
Staying up all night and cramming
for a final is more than inefficient, its
counterproductive. Studies have shown
that without sleep, the mind does not rest,
and as a result, the brain loses the ability to
focus or retain information, making lastminute study sessions worthless and tests
even harder to pass.
Taking too much adderall, with our
without a prescription, is obviously
dangerous to any students health and
grade, not to mention their standing with
the university, should they get caught. We
know its a peer pressure, but the best way
to avoid trouble, and the long list of possible
side effects that can come from taking
adderall, is to simply stay away from it,
especially considering it wont do any good
in the long run.
While avoiding Adderall should be a nobrainer, some students turn to an over-thecounter solution: caffeine. Though wonderful
in the form of everyones favorite drinks,
caffeine is more detrimental to the human
body than many people realize, and is also
counterproductive.

Though our bodies may feel a sudden

jolt, its a jolt that is not good for the body,
and it wont last forever. In nearly every
case, it will result in us being even more
tired than before we decided to drink that
extra cup of coffee. Using energy drinks as a
nitro-boost is even worse, as some, like Nos,
have actually been tied to seizures when
consumed in excess.
We should all know better than to stay
up too late, drink too much caffeine or abuse
harmful substances, but sometimes students
feel as though there are no alternatives. We
have some solutions for students who would
like to conclude the semester on a happy and
healthy note.
One is to avoid procrastination. If we
dont want to stay up until the crack of dawn
doing a final paper, we cant wait until the
night before to start writing. If we want to do
well on a test in a week without pulling our
hair out, should we have any left after the
semester, we need to start studying now and
not wait until two days before to take in a
semesters worth of information.
The best way to stay ahead of the game
and have a great finals week is to plan. Plan
study times, and stick to them. Plan enough
time in the morning to grab a granola
bar or a bite at the caf. But perhaps most
importantly, plan to have fun. At a time
when all of our stress levels are at a high,
its a necessity to take study breaks or catch
a movie night with friends. After all, weve
nearly made it through another academic
year. If we plan for finals week and do it
right, who says that we cant have our cake
and eat it too?

Is a $15 minimum wage reasonable for Kansans?

A recent Fair Wage Act has been
proposed in California to raise the
minimum wage to $15 an hour.
As the discussion of raising the
minimum wage spreads around the
country, many states are taking steps
toward a $15 standard. But is it a
good idea for Kansas?
Currently, the minimum wage in
Kansas is $7.25 an hour compared
to $10 an hour in California. Lets
compare the cost of living in California
to Kansas.
According to Careertrends.com,
the cost of living in California is 15
percent above the national average, in
contrast to Kansas, which is 4 percent
below the national average. It costs
more to live in California than Kansas,
as much as $7,787 a month.
The minimum wage should not be

whitney silkey
raised to $15 in Kansas because it is
not practical with the current cost
of living. Although I would support a
slight increase in the minimum wage, I
do not believe that it should be as high
as $15. That just seems like a bit much
for simply working fast food or retail,
and this is coming from someone who
works in fast food.
To help pay for college, I work
summers and weekends at Freddys
Frozen Custard and Steakburgers. I
have been working at Freddys for
almost a year now. I started out at
$7.50 an hour (just above minimum

wage). Through my experience with

Freddys, I believe that starting a
new employee out on a $15 wage
would not be motivating enough for
them to want to work hard to move
up in pay.
In my case, if I had been offered
$15 an hour right off the bat at
Freddys, I wouldnt have had anything
to motivate me to work hard. Of
course, I would still try my best, but
I dont think I would be nearly as
motivated and excited to work at my
job knowing that I didnt work hard
to earn the $15. As silly as it sounds,
I love my job not only because of the
environment and the company, but
also because I like the challenge of
knowing if I try hard I will eventually
be rewarded.
Although fast food workers often

get a bad rap and are treated poorly

for their work, I dont believe that they
need to be paid $15 an hour. I enjoy
challenging myself at work because I
know that even though its a fast food
restaurant, I can still make the best
and enjoy my time working while still
getting the job done. I am motivated
by the idea of getting raises every now
an then, and I think that this wouldnt
be the case if I would have started at
$15 an hour.
In California, it seems more
reasonable, and even practical, to raise
the minimum wage because of how
costly it is to live there. In Kansas, it
doesnt seem necessary to me right
now, so for now I am perfectly content
with my minimum wage job. Kansas
can afford to wait before setting
starting wages at $15.

The Baker Orange | Voices

may 6, 2016

page 7

Binge watching may hinder happiness

What is the best way to relax on a
day off? For some it is getting brunch
and going on a walk or spending time
outdoors. Others love to spend a day
shopping or with friends. There
is another type of person, though,
who loves to spend 15 hours with
Netflix to relax.
Binge watching can be therapeutic
for some people. Fifty percent of
Americans admit to being binge
watchers.
I am studying abroad in Italy
this semester, and one of my fellow
American students has spent almost
every day in his bed watching Netflix.
He has covered countless seasons of
shows from Modern Family to Suits
and only leaves to go to class.
It is easy to see the problem with
binge-watching habits, especially for
those of us who are supposed to be
studying another culture. However,
there is more bad news for anyone
who binge watches Netflix. A recent
study from the University of Texas at
Austin revealed a correlation between
binge watching Netflix and depression.
Of course, correlation does not
mean causation. So binge watching
Netflix may not cause depression,
but there is a definite link between
the two. Perhaps people prone to
depression are more likely to binge
watch.
The survey was done on 300
millennials and examined their Netflix
habits. According to a summary of
the survey in the Huffington Post,
Those who lacked self-regulatory
skills reported being unable to stop
clicking next even though they knew
there were other things they needed
to do, indicating a lack of self-control.
The data also showed that feelings of

lauren freking
loneliness and depression were
directly correlated with bingewatching.
I admit to having nights when
I am so tired that I want nothing
more than to lie in bed and watch
Gossip Girl. When I think about
the times I have forced myself
to go out with friends after a
long day as opposed to watching
Netflix, I have never regretted
it. It may take more effort to
motivate myself, especially
since I sometimes dread leaving
my apartment and socializing
(introvert probs), but I always
have fun in the end. I always am
glad I went.
Staying in bed and catching
up on a favorite show is not
worth missing a walk under the
stars, an ice cream date at Sonic or a
siblings baseball game.
My parents always encouraged me
to push myself in order to do what
was healthy or the right thing for
my mental and physical well being.
Similarly, I would encourage college
students to push against laziness or
lack of self-control when it comes
to Netflix. If you have had a long
week, remember that it may be more
therapeutic to go to the Burger Stand
and have a beer with a friend than to
watch Orange is the New Black.
Even if your idea of fun for that
night is not to be with friends or do
yoga, remember that just pushing

Word Around

BAKER:

graphic by Madison Dispensa

past the initial desire to stay at home

ultimately will make you happier.
Additionally, there is the
glorification factor. Many people
take pride in the massive number
of episodes they can watch in
one sitting. Bragging about
binge watching is rampant.
The researchers in the survey
commented that people who show
signs of addictive behavior are those
most likely to binge-watch, and are
also the kind of people who use
their addictions to make themselves
feel better about their lives and/or
relationships with others.
There is no glory in addiction.
Obviously, this is the first study

What do you think the

right hourly minimum
wage should be?

released on the topic and most studies

deserve to be questioned or further
researched. To me, though, none of the
findings are that surprising. It makes
sense that lying in bed all day to watch
TV may not be the best thing for your
mental or physical health.
In a country that has problems
with mental illness and obesity, it
may be time to stop the glorification
of sitting down for a whole season
of Greys Anatomy on a Friday night
and start glorifying the things that
truly matter. No matter your beliefs
or upbringing, family, good food,
exercise, self-love, hard work and
achievement will always make you
happier than Netflix.

Taylor Schley EDITOR

Sarah Baker ASSISTANT EDITOR
Mykaela Cross ASSISTANT EDITOR
Whitney Silkey ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Khadijah Lane PHOTO EDITOR
Lexi Loya ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Jim Joyner SPORTS EDITOR
Nathalia Barr ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Kayla Kohn GRAPHICS EDITOR
Dave Bostwick ADVISER
E-MAIL orangeedit@gmail.com
PHONE 785-594-4559
WEBSITE www.thebakerorange.com
Mission Statement

I think it should be $8.75

because housing in Kansas
isnt that expensive, so
with the right job and
financial aid you could
work with it.

vanessa shaw
freshman

I think $7.25 is fine. It

may not be reasonable for
a family, but its doable for
me.

I think it should be
changed to $9 an hour
because $7.25 is difficult
to live off of.

Garrett howland

madison lutz

freshman

freshman

The Baker Orange and KNBU-TV are produced by

Baker University students with the goal of keeping the
university community informed while providing an
educational and practical experience to mass media
students. Staff members will accomplish this goal by
paying the highest attention to detail and consistency
in reporting, by considering the variety of interest and
perspectives of the Baker community and by producing
well-planned content.
Staff members will adhere to the highest level of
journalistic ethics in their reporting as outlined by the
Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. The
staff works independent of the trustees, administration,
faculty and staff of Baker University.

page 8

page 9

Leaving
a Legacy

what do you want your

legacy

to be

a f t e r y o u g r a d u a t e f r o m b a k e r?

I would like to leave a legacy

being that one guy that everyone
says, Id like to hang out with
him sometime.

jesse
miller

That people remember my

name is Deeva.

deeva
sharma

I knew how to have a great

time, and I had a passion for
my academics and my athletic
career. I spent multiple hours in
the gym and library giving my
best efforts in everything I did
here at Baker. I encourage those
after me to enjoy themselves
and be college students.

That I never wear shoes, and

that Im that one girl that never
wears shoes when she walks
across campus.

mackenzie
sammons

diego
ordonez

commencement
speaker
U.S. Congressman Kevin Yoder will be the speaker for the May 22
graduation ceremony at 1 p.m. in the Collins Center.
Yoder received degrees in political science, English and law from the
University of Kansas in 1999 and has been a representative for the Third
Congressional District of Kansas since 2011.
Recently, Yoder has helped secure an increase in research funding at
the National Institutes of Health and was presented the Kansas State
Childrens Champion Award based on his leadership in early childhood
education programs.
Yoder has also been recognized and awarded for his involvement on
issues such as the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and the
National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB).
Before the ceremony, a commencement brunch will be held between
10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Susanne Teel Dining Hall in the Long
Student Center and a brief worship service will begin at 10:45 a.m. at the
Baldwin First United Methodist Church. Graduates and faculty will robe
and march.

Class of 2016 Makes Its mark on BUs campus

The graduates will be honored at the reception immediately following

commencement on the lawn north of the Collins Center.

commencement
Dates
m a y 14 | 10:30A
SChool of professional &
Graduate studies
undergradate degrees
1:30P
school of education, school of
professional & graduate studies
graduate degrees
m a y 22 | 1:00P
college of arts & sciences, school
of education, school of nursing
undergraduate degrees

page 10
May 6, 2016

Sports editor Jim Joyners

Top 10 Moments of 2015-16
10

March 5, 2016 - Fayette, Missouri

In the Heart tournament seminals, the womens

basketball team beat the conferences regular season
champion Central Methodist Eagles, 64-59. The Wildcats
shot nearly 50 percent from the eld and held CMU to
one 3-pointer. Baker also shut down Heart Player of the
Year DaJonee Hale and her supporting crew, and after
two tough losses earlier in the year, nally knocked off

Goalkeeper Rachel Hunt runs toward the rest of her team to celebrate the Wildcats win in
penalties to advance to the conference championship game. | Photo by Khadijah Lane

8
7
6

April 22, 2016 - Sauder Field

Baseball won its ninth-consecutive conference game
for the rst time in more than 10 years. On free hot
dog day, the bleachers at Sauder Field were packed.
Baker rallied for a 6-5 walkoff win in game one and
demolished the Crusaders 15-2 in game two.

Jan. 20, 2016 - Collins Center

The mens basketball team snapped a ve-game losing streak to
Benedictine with a 76-71 win, shooting 14-27 from 3-point range.
The Baker student section got in the Ravens heads, with some help
from Tyson Robke and Kailani Killebrew on the oor leading the
charge, which made a huge impact down the stretch. All 11 Wildcats
scored, including 15 from Nick Wilson.

Nov. 11, 2015 - Liston Stadium

In the conference seminals, the womens soccer team beat MNU in
penalties. Wind gusts were up to 40 miles per hour, the temperature
dropped below freezing and the women played 110 minutes before
the decisive penalties. Goalkeeper Rachel Hunt made two saves and
Taylor Baum buried the winning penalty. The students stormed the
eld and Baker was on its way to the conference nal.

Aug. 29, 2015 - Des Moines, Iowa

Baker opened up the 2015 Heart of America Athletic Conference
season with a 20-15 win against the leagues newest team, Grand
View, on ESPN3. Late interceptions from Darrian Winston and
Hayden Jenkins sealed the win, with Grand View threatening near
the end zone. Each team won its division of the Heart and won one
game in the playoffs.

Senior Seth Jones started 12 games for the Wildcats in the regular season
and helped lead Baker to the No. 5 seed in the conference tournament. |
Photo by Khadijah Lane.

May 6, 2016

The Baker Orange | Sports

5
4

page 11

March 5, 2016 - Kansas Expocentre, Topeka

Colby Crank and Victor Hughes captured the wrestling programs second
and third individual national championships. The Wildcats nished sixth
as a team, the highest nish in program history.

March 16, 2016 - Independence, Missouri

In the national tournaments opening game against Columbia College,
senior Jami Hodge played the best game of her Baker career. Hodge
scored 30 points, which is the fourth most in a single game in Baker
history, and 11 of those came in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats won 8071 behind the best scoring game in Baker postseason history.

Victor Hughes celebrates his national championship by lifting up head

coach Cody Garcia. | Photo by Khadijah Lane

Baker celebrates after Adonis Powells game-winning touchdown at Evangel. | Photo by Khadijah Lane

Nov. 14, 2015 - Springeld, Missouri

Nov. 21, 2015 - Baldwin City

Baker led 31-7 at the half and appeared to be rolling into an easy road
win and a Heart South title. Evangel then scored 28-straight points and
took a 35-31 lead in the nal three minutes. The Baker offense calmly
marched down the eld and Adonis Powell sealed the conference title
with a 6-yard touchdown run with 48 seconds to go. The Wildcats
celebrated on the eld and nished the regular season 10-1.

Baker hosted and won three NAIA playoff games in the busiest sports
day in Baker history. The day started with a 68-21 win for the football
team over Point University in the rst round of the playoffs. Then both
basketball teams lost close afternoon games to MNU in the Collins
Center. The womens soccer team beat Viterbo 1-0 on a Megan Johnson
goal to advance to nationals in Orange Beach, Alabama. Finally, the
mens soccer team beat Wiley 2-0 on goals from Amer Didic and
Andrew Miller to advance to nationals in Delray Beach, Florida.

March 21 & 22, 2016 - Independence, Missouri

After beating Columbia, Shawnee State and Lewis-Clark State, the Wildcats
reached the Fab Four for the rst time in school history. In front of a
massive crowd, Baker dominated Benedictine 50-34 and held the Ravens
to a season-low 22 percent shooting. The women did not win the national
championship game against MNU the next night, but they nished with the
best record in program history.

Jami Hodge led Baker with 16.2 points per game at the national
tournament, pushing the Wildcats to the title game. | Photo by Marilee
Neutel

The Baker Orange | Sports

page 12

JOPLIN BOUND

may 6, 2016

Baseball team headed for Heart tournament

chad mullen
STAFF WRITER
The baseball team is headed to
postseason play for the second time
in three seasons.
In their final regular-season
games of the season, the Wildcats
lost the first three games of a
four-game weekend series against
Avila but finished senior day at
Sauder Field on Sunday with a 3-2
victory to give Baker a 16-16 record
in the Heart of America Athletic
Conference.
Losing three out of four games
this weekend was tough, but it
didnt hurt us when we look at the
bigger picture, junior Caleb Lee
said. We arent hanging our heads
over it because it meant a lot to
the whole team to get a W on the
seniors last home game, and to
accomplish that was a really good
feeling.
Game one of Saturdays
doubleheader saw the Wildcats take
a 1-0 lead in the first inning after
senior Gabe Greenbaum scored on a
wild throw by Avila. After that run,
the Wildcats were held scoreless for
the next 20 innings.
The Eagles took the lead in the
sixth inning of game one off a tworun home run by Tyler Raymond,
and won the game 2-1 when Baker
was unable to answer with a run of
its own.
Game two saw Avila slowly build
a lead, scoring one run each in the
second, fourth and sixth innings to
take a 3-0 win. The Wildcats totaled
six hits in the game but were unable
to capitalize with runs on the
board. Lee thinks the team needs
a complete effort from all three
phases to put together a run in the

conference tournament.
We know we have good
pitching, good fielding and good
hitting, Lee said. Its just not every
game that we have all three working
at the same time, but when we do,
were a really dangerous team.
Game one of Sundays senior day
saw the defense flounder, as seven
Wildcat errors allowed for six Eagle
runs in a 7-0 loss. Baker also had its
worst offensive game of the series,
getting just two hits off of Avila
pitcher Randy Keen.
The regular season finale gave
the Wildcats a chance to snap a
five-game losing streak. The game
started on a positive note, as senior
Cort Brennan drove in the games
first run to give Baker a 1-0 lead
in the first inning. The Eagles
responded with two runs of their
own in the third inning to take a 2-1
lead.
That lead lasted until the bottom
of fifth inning, when senior Charlie
Coleman sent a sacrifice fly to right
field to bring home senior Eric
Rausch. Then a balk by pitcher Cage
Cascone brought sophomore Jamaal
Rashad home from third to give
Baker a 3-2 lead.
BU pitchers Bennett White and
Matt Gruber did not allow a run to
hold onto the lead, and freshman
Evan Coder got the win for the
Wildcats.
Lee thinks the win sets them up
for a run in tournament play.
We love the position that weve
put ourselves in, and we feel the
bracket is really set up in our favor,
he said.
Simply making the tournament
is not enough for the Wildcats,
according to Lee.
Its a big deal for us to make

Junior Justin Madsen pitches against Avila in the first game of the doubleheader on May 1 at
Sauder Field. | Photo by Chad Phillips

it to the tournament this year, but

that hasnt been and isnt our goal,
he said. Our goal is to go and win
this thing.
The Wildcats were scheduled

to take on the MNU Pioneers in the

opening round of the conference
tournament on Thursday in Joplin,
Missouri. The results were not
available at press time.

Womens golf takes third at Heart championship

bailey conklin
STAFF WRITER
The womens golf team finished its postseason
in an unfamiliar fashion this year compared to
the past three years. The Wildcats took third
at the Heart of America Athletic Conference
championship on Tuesday at Table Creek Golf
Course in Nebraska City, Nebraska. Bakers twoday total team score was 672.
The Wildcats had won the previous three Heart
championships.
Freshman Samantha Mitchell finished fifth
individually, shooting 79 the first day and 82 the
second day. Mitchell was also named to the Heart
All-Conference Team along with fellow Baker
golfer senior Lindsey Mateer, who was named
Heart Player of the Year in 2015. Sophomore

Bailey Gibson also finished in the top 10, tying for

ninth place with a two-day score of 166.
Mitchell was in the top three after the first
day and attributed her low score to her putting.
Unfortunately, she didnt have the same putting
stroke on the second day.
The first day, honestly, my putting was on fire.
I had 19 putts, which really helped, Mitchell said.
I really wanted to continue that on the second day.
Unfortunately, I did not. I had 15 more putts than I
did on the first day.
William Penn University made its debut at the
Heart championship since joining the conference
and took first place with a total team score of 643,
followed by Grand View University with a score of
664. William Penn was led by Demi Coertze, who
finished second overall with a two-day score of
156. Coertze was named Heart Player of the Year.

Coertze was beaten out by three strokes for first

place by Culver-Stocktons Lucy Clark.
With Bakers third-place finish, the womens
golf team will not advance to the NAIA Womens
Golf National Championship in Pooler, Georgia.
Mitchell feels motivated by placement on the Heart
All-Conference Team and is excited to continue
playing next season.
As a freshman I can qualify for the conference
team, Mitchell said. Its kind of a confidence
booster to know that I have three more years to
improve on where Im at now and to know this is
where I can start off, and its kind of exciting to
see where I could possibly finish my four years at
Baker.
The mens golf team will have its chance at
the Heart championship May 8-10 at Swope Park
Memorial Golf Course in Kansas City, Missouri.

may 6, 2016

The Baker Orange | Sports

page 13

Track ready for conference championship

Levi blaylock
STAFF WRITER
After hosting the second annual
Zach Kindler Wildcat Open on
Saturday at Liston Stadium, the BU
track & field team is now preparing
for the Heart of America Athletic
Conference championships this
weekend in Des Moines, Iowa.
The mens team will be going for
a sixth straight outdoor conference
title, and the women are going for
their fifth straight.
I am very confident that
my teammates will have great
performances, junior Alex
Garbarino-Herman said.
On Saturday at the Baker
meet, Garbarino-Herman was
able to qualify for the 2016 NAIA
Outdoor Track & Field National
Championship in both the womens
100-meter and 400-meter hurdles
by hitting the B standard mark in
both. Her qualifying times were
good enough for her to take home
first place in both events.
Distance runner Jamie Steury runs in between opponents from Truman State University and Park University during the Zach Kindler Wildcat Open on
It was an incredible feeling
April 30 at Liston Stadium. Steury finished first in the 5,000-meter dash with a time of 16:07. | Photo by Taylor Schley
to qualify in both hurdle events,
Garbarino-Herman said.
Brenda McCollum continued
mens discus throw and Jamie Steury
get out worked by other teams and
from severe cardiac arrest in August
her dominance this year in the
won the mens 5,000-meter race.
at practice we run further, we jump
of 2014.
5,000-meter race walk as she also
In the mens 3,000-meter race,
higher, and throw harder.
It was very important to me
took home a first-place finish. Rosie
Baker swept the top three spots with
The only relay team to finish in
and the others that are a part of his
Hollis also captured first place in the
Joe Linder in first, Andrew Dare in
first place was the mens 4x100legacy to compete well in his honor,
womens 3,000-meter steeplechase.
second and Corey Matteson in third.
meter squad, which won over four
Garbarino-Herman said. He held a
On the mens side, several
The key to success has always
other teams.
special place in my heart and always
Wildcats finished at the top of their
been hard work, Linder said. We
This meet was in remembrance of
pushed me to do better in all aspects
respective events. Josh Peck won the
have coaches who push us to not
the late coach Zach Kindler, who died
of my life.

Cheer and dance become NAIA varsity sports

brittney diehm
BU MASS MEDIA
Competitive cheer and
dance are now the 24th and
25th national championships
sponsored by the National
Association of Intercollegiate
Athletics. This news was
released recently during the
75th annual NAIA National
Convention.
Bakers head dance coach,
Lynsey Payne, joined NAIA
President and CEO Jim Carr
on stage at the event to make
the announcement. She is a
member of the Competitive
Cheer and Dance Committee,
which had been working on
getting competitive cheer and
dance to varsity status for
approximately five years.
There is no governing
body for these two sports, so
committee members spent a lot Seniors Kaitlyn Stout and Victoria Paul.
of time writing rules.
criteria that you need to be a varsity
At one point in time we
sport.
started at invitational status, Payne
For NAIA varsity sport status,
said. Some changes were made and
the sport must be sponsored by a
we kind of had to start over again.
minimum of 40 varsity institutions.
Weve now officially met all of the

Nia Madison is a sophomore

dancer at Baker University who is
excited to finally see her teams hard
work pay off.
Its about time competitive cheer

and dance are sports, Madison

said. We work hard, so its
cool to not be club [or] activity
status anymore.
Madison envisions more
dancers and cheerleaders
looking to come to Baker and
other NAIA schools in the
future because of the varsity
sport status.
Its exciting to see these
sports grow, Madison said. I
think there will be an increase
in dancers and cheerleaders
that want to come to Baker
and other NAIA schools since
we can officially say cheer and
dance are sports.
The NCAA has not made
cheer or dance a varsity sport,
but Payne thinks that may
change.
One big thing in cheer is
called stunting, and I know the
NCAA has been looking at that
for the cheer side of things,
Payne said. Dance is different and a
lot of people think dance should not
be a sport.
Payne is sure the other groups
will be watching to see how the NAIA
handles this addition.

page 14
May 6, 2016

One night, one stage, one legacy

35 years of history
J.D. Parrs final concert promotes past and present
Several special guests joined the Baker
University Jazz Ensemble, conducted
by retiring director J.D. Parr, for the
Chris Grubb Memorial Jazz Concert on
April 14 in Rice Auditorium.

4
1. Freshman Isaac Byrd and senior Zach
McElmurry keep the rhythm flowing.
2. Elwood and Jake perform some of the
iconic dance moves made famous by the
Blues Brothers.
3. Junior Madison Wendt sings More
Today Than Yesterday, a song which
retiring Director of Jazz Ensemble J.D. Parr
dedicated to his wife Nancy.
4. The Department of Music and Theatre
presented retiring Director of Jazz
Ensemble J.D. Parr with a bouquet of
flowers at the conclusion of the concert.
5. Alumnus Kenny Richardson, a founding
member of the Kansas City band Four
Fried Chickens and a Coke, joins Jake and
Elwood from One Night Only.
6. Jazz Ensemble Director J.D. Parr, who
is retiring after 35 years at Baker, donned
a pair of sunglasses to get into the Blues
Brothers spirit.

Photos by Khadijah Lane

The Baker Orange | Entertainment

May 6, 2016

page 15

Art exhibition features graduating seniors

Whitney Silkey
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Walk into the Holt-Russell Gallery
during the month of May, and you can
look to the left to see two large selfportraits that strikingly resemble the
artists who drew them.
The artists, seniors Kelsey
Vollenweider and Kayla Kohn, have
chosen pieces to display for their senior
exhibition. The pieces are from a variety
of assignments they have completed
throughout their time at Baker.
Vollenweider is a double major in
studio art and art history, and Kohn
is an interdisciplinary major with
emphasis in mass media and visual arts.
If you take a stroll around the
gallery, you will see several different
types of art on display, including digital
photography, graphite drawings,
inkwash, watercolor and a sharpie
drawing.
Vollenweider said art has always
been a passion of hers.
My twin got all of the number and
analytical skills, Vollenweider said
about her twin sister, Kayla, who also
attends Baker. I was always more
creative, and art was a better fit for me.
Kohn, who was once an active
member of the U.S. Air Force, decided
to come to Baker because it was close

to home. Deciding on
mass media and studio
art was more of a
chance for Kohn to be
creative and display her
artistic talents.
Kohn has a young
daughter, Audrey, who
is featured in a few of
her display pieces in the
gallery. Kohns favorite
includes three pictures
in which something
looks amiss. Through
close observation, you
can discover that Kohn Photoshopped
herself as a doll in her daughters
toy crib. This project was to combine
surrealism with digital photography.
Vollenweider has two pieces on
display in the gallery that she explains
are her favorites because of the sheer
amount of hours put into them.
One of her favorites is the large
self-portrait that she completed her
freshman year at Baker. Vollenweiders
other favorite is a sharpie piece that
portrays her love for softball, which
she played during her time in college.
Vollenweiders eyes widen as she
tells the story of the sharpie piece.
It took me the entire fall semester
up until the very last minute of finals,
Vollenweider said. I was finishing my

[www.brainbashers.com]

Music & Art

in brief

Spring Sing will feature the

Baker choirs. Their annual spring
choral concert will include Brahms
Liebeslieder Suite and works
from other composers on Friday,
May 6, at 7:30 p.m. in Rice
Auditorium.

graphic by Kayla Kohn

piece while my twin was helping type

up a paper for another class.
The Baker Delta Delta Delta
chapters housemother, Lynnette
Boyd, is also featured in a few of
Vollenweiders watercolor pieces.
Vollenweider hopes that the gallery
will help people realize just how time
consuming art can be.
After graduation, Vollenweider
hopes to work in restoration at a
museum using her background in art.
She also may do a little teaching here
and there.
Kohn hopes to continue painting,
drawing and taking photographs.
Vollenweider and Kohns senior
exhibition runs until May 22 in the
Holt Russell Gallery, which is located in
Parmenter Hall.

The Baker University Orchestra

will perform its spring concert at
7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10, in
Rice Auditorium.
Student Recitals in May
(McKibbin Recital Hall)
Chelsey Mann, clarinet,
Junior Recital
3:30 p.m. | May 7
Taylor Winlkler, piano,
Senior Recital
7:30 p.m. | May 9
Emily Elliott, soprano,
Junior Recital
7:30 p.m. | May 12
Madison Wendt, soprano,
Junior Recital
5:30 p.m. | May 13

page 16

www.thebakerorange.com

may 6, 2016

Parting Shot
Sigma Phi Epsilon held its 15th annual Spiking Out Volleyball Tournament on April 23. The tournament generated $1,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Also, six Sigma Phi
Epsilon members had their heads shaved to raise an additional $1,000 for St. Baldricks for Childrens Cancer Research. Sophomore Aaron Brooks was one of Sigma Phi
Epsilons members who sported an unusual haircut before going bald in support of the St. Baldricks Foundation. | Photo by Taylor Schley