Feb 21, 2014 Print Edition

GOING GREEN

FeatureLibrary announces updates and changesPg. 6

sportsRead about an ORU sports father-son legacyPg. 11

Photo by Audrey Gray

NeWsConvicted killer sentenced to life without parolePg. 3

GOING GREENAlheli Moreno readies to putt as Alejandra Acosta looks on. The ORU women’s golf team competes at the Islander Clas-sic in Corpus Christi Tuesday. PAGE 12

Oral Roberts University · Feb. 21, 2014 Tulsa, Okla. · Vol 48, No. 10

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PAGE 7Graphic design class to create sets for upcoming musical

‘My Beloved’ conference to debut PAGE 5

NEWS

FEATURES

PAGE 15Don’t miss “A Street Car Named Desire”

SCENE

News

THE ORACLE • Friday, Feb. 21, 2014 • 3

By Hannah Covington The man convicted of killing an ORU student and her boyfriend will avoid death row and spend the rest of his life in prison. A Tulsa County jury convicted 21-year-old Darren Price of two counts of felony murder Feb. 10 and spent more than six hours debating his fate Feb. 13 before sentencing him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In proceedings that lasted almost three weeks, Price stood trial for the 2011 murders of ORU freshman Carissa Horton, 18, and her boyfriend Ethan Nichols, 21. The pair from Iowa were walking in Tulsa’s Hicks Park Sept. 18, 2011, when two males confronted and robbed them. The couple were then forced to their knees and shot in their heads execution style. Two walkers discovered their bod-ies the next morning. Price and Jerard Davis, 23, were arrested shortly thereafter. Davis pled guilty to two counts of felony murder in October 2013 as part of a plea deal to avoid death row. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. In addition to finding Price guilty of murder, the jury also found him guilty of two counts of robbery with a fire-arm and one count of eluding police in connection with Horton’s and Nichols’ deaths and sentenced him to 45 years in prison for those convictions. Price’s trial started Jan. 27 in Tulsa County District Judge Bill Musseman’s courtroom. After jury selection ended a week later, testimony began Feb. 4. The jury, made up of seven women and five men, had to decide between sentences of death, life in prison with the possibility of parole and life without parole. Tulsa County District Attorney Tim Harris and Assistant D.A. Julie Doss oversaw the prosecution. In their closing arguments, Har-ris and Doss argued four “aggravating

Man convicted in ORU murder gets life in prison

Darren Price is led away from the courtroom Feb. 10 as the jury begins deliberations for his verdict.

By Austin St. John

circumstances” that warranted the death penalty in this case. In Oklahoma, prosecutors must find at least one or more of seven aggravat-ing circumstances to seek the death sentence for first-degree murder. First, the prosecution argued that the crime was exceptionally heinous and cruel; second, Price created a risk of harm to more than one person; third, Price murdered the pair to avoid pros-ecution for another crime; fourth, Price would be a continuing threat to society because of the possibility that he could commit additional violent acts even after being convicted. Doss emphasized the mental torture inflicted on Horton when she had to watch her boyfriend die and know the next bullet was for her. “Sometimes life without parole is just not enough….this is one of those times,” Doss said in addressing the jury during the trial. After the sentencing, Harris said he respected the jury’s decision to bypass the death penalty. “He’ll never be able to hurt anyone again. He won’t kill anyone ever again,” Harris said. “The state of Oklahoma believed he deserved the ultimate punishment; the jury disagreed with that. I respect this jury, and I respect all juries. That’s the way our system works, and I don’t contend with their decision whatsoever.” Throughout the case, lead defense attorney Jack Gordon and his co-coun-sel, Stephen Lee and Mark Cagle, fo-cused on Price’s troubled upbringing as a “crack baby” abandoned by his mother when he was 3. He spent several years in and out of the care of the state De-partment of Human Resources. During his emotional closing de-fense, Gordon pointed to the crowd in the gallery to show that Price’s mother didn’t even come to her son’s sentencing. Gordon also cited Price’s young age—he was 19 when the murders oc-

curred—as a mitigat-ing factor in the case. He added that Price’s defenders have cared for him in a way no one ever has. “He’s had more love in the last 2.5 years than he’s had in his whole life,” Gor-don said. On his judgment day, Price wore a light blue shirt. His defense attorneys also brought him a blue paisley tie to wear and helped him put it on just before court came into session on the morn-ing of Feb. 13. “This is a sad case,” Gordon said after the trial concluded. “You have two dead kids, and he’s going to serve the rest of his life in the joint. I’m just glad we saved his life.”Continued on page 19

Internet photo

Carissa Horton, 18, was a freshman at ORU when she was murdered along with her boyfriend, Ethan Nichols, 21, in September 2011.

4 • Friday, Feb. 21, 2014 • THE ORACLE

Amnesty and Restoration Policy: Three years laterBy Madison McDaniel In a chapel service nearly three years ago, former president Dr. Mark Rutland announced the implementation of the Amnesty and Restoration Policy. Th e policy states that students can come forward and confess breaking the honor code to the Deans of Men and Women without being punished or expelled. Since March of 2009, this policy has been in action and has not been subject to any alteration. “It’s almost like the Prodigal Son moment when he came to himself and he said ‘how did I fi nd myself in this situation,’” Dean of Men, Matthew Olsen said. “And at that point, that’s really where we get excited to say ‘we want to help. We want to see what we can do to help you get where you need to be.’” Th e groundbreaking policy created a notable buzz on campus three years ago, but many current students admit to knowing very little - if anything - about it. “I didn’t even know that ORU had an Amnesty and Restoration Policy,” Sophomore Laura Cobb said. Cobb has signed and agreed to the Honor Code that is presented every fall, yet the Amnesty and Restoration Policy still hasn’t been made a focal point when the entire student body and faculty sign it. “Until this point, I didn’t know that this policy was even in existence,” Cobb said. “But now that I’m aware of it and understand its purpose, I’m glad to know that ORU off ers this avenue of healing for students.” Students can approach the deans in various ways. Th ey can tell a student leader or faculty member. “Obviously we want to be there to support them and really kind of celebrate that they’re coming forward, to help alleviate the guilt and shame they might feel,” Dean of Women, Lori Cook said.

“And from there we would work to put together a restoration plan, or counseling to see what their needs are.” Th e Amnesty and Restoration Policy is kept confi dential; only those who are involved in a students’ restoration plan will be informed. According to the policy, “follow-up evaluations and counseling are fundamental components of the amnesty and restoration process and amnesty granted is typically conditioned on the student’s completion of appropriate counseling and treatment.” “We talk with the student about what they might think is the best too,” Cook said. “We work with them; it’s not us looking at them and saying ‘okay, you need this this and this.’ So it’s really a process of discovery with the student.” Th e legal lines of the Amnesty and Restoration Policy “does not grant amnesty for criminal, civil, or legal consequences for violations of federal, state or local law.” “We haven’t necessarily seen the extreme, but we’re prepared to deal with it. We have a team if we need to. Anything that comes our way, we’ll help someone with,” Cook said. Th e Amnesty and Restoration Policy endeavors to create a model for restoration, accountability and spiritual discipline in a Christian community. Students are given the opportunity to turn to the Deans of Men or Women and fi nd a permanent solution to their personal struggle. “I think this is the essence of our university,” Olsen said. “We believe that we are in a fallen world and part of that restoration that we try to see for students; we want students to model that for their culture that they go into as well.”

NEWS BRIEFS

“Strongman” Competition to be held in AprilTh e Aerobics Center has partnered with Living Well Ministries to hold the fi rst ORU Strong-man Competition on Saturday, April 12 in the Mabee Center parking lot. Th e competition will be split into three weight divisions: Male 210 pounds and above, Male 209 pounds and below, and a Female division.

Weigh-ins will begin at 9 a.m. in the Mabee Center South Lobby and events will start at 10 a.m. Judging will be based on technique and time/distance for each event. Each participant will receive a t-shirt with registration. Prizes will be awarded to the top three competitors in each division.Th ere will be a Kid’s Zone obstacle course by Vertical Limit CrossFit.

Th ere will also be an Air Force game zone and a rock climbing wall. In addition, Health Zone of Saint Francis will be off ering free health screen-ings to families and children of all ages.

Model United Nations slated to travel to St. LouisTh e Model United Nations class left for Mis-souri Wednesday to attend the annual MidwestModel United Nations Conference. Th e team will be representing Russia and Guatemala before returning to campus Saturday.

Are you ready for the nexthigh school invasion?College Weekend will take place March 6 to 8. It will be held in conjunction with the Quest Whole Person Scholarship event.

To read thecomplete

policy,

refer to Page 16 in the student

handbook


Senior duo to host new conferenceBy Morgan reeves ORU seniors Galen Jernigan and Holly Erickson began collaborating in August to birth the My Beloved Conference. After months of planning, they’re excited to see how God will move in the hearts of young women on March 1. The conference will be held at Woodlake Church in south Tulsa. It is centered-around young women finding their identity in Christ. “My heart is that girls will rediscover their value,” said Erickson. “Also, to have a genuine, organic experience with Christ.” Jernigan and Erickson had the choice of writing a senior paper or completing a project. They chose to do a project. The My Beloved Conference is the result. “Both me and Galen’s hearts are marked to minister to the hearts of young women, and we both felt God calling us to do something like this,” said Erickson. Through the planning process, they have learned much about themselves and about each other. Jernigan has a talent for envisioning, while Erickson focuses on

getting things done. “People think we are the same, but we really aren’t,” said Jernigan. “I am better at seeing the big picture, and she is better at taking one day at a time.” The pair realizes there will be setbacks and successes with a process such as this. “You have to work hard for your victories,” said Erickson. A number of ORU alumnae will speak at the conference. Lynne Ray has a heart for girls and healing, while Hannah Ouellette is passionate about women realizing the calling God has placed on their lives. “The speakers have very different styles, but are both amazing,” said Erickson. Worship will be led by Daniel Jones and Alexis Sauter. The duo also leads worship at ORU. Jernigan said they could not have done it without the help and support of loved ones. They have received support from their friends and families and also from professors.

Photo by Morgan ReevesThe My Beloved Conference will take place at Woodlake Church on March 1. Creators of the conference , Galen Jernigan and Holly Erickson, focused the conference on young women finding their value in Christ.

“Support of people with the same vision has helped so much,” said Jernigan. Planning the conference has given the women experience they feel is priceless. Jernigan and Erickson said God has given them peace as the conference approaches. The girls hope to see God work and hope people genuinely experience Him.They are expecting the Holy Spirit to move. Their goal is for 150 girls to attend. “I know those who do come will be there for a purpose,” said Jernigan. “If they are willing, they will get a lot out of it.” Doors open at 8 a.m. March 1. The event starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door for $30 and $25 online. Scholarships are available. A booth will be set up on the third floor of the GC from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 26 for more information.


By Valeria Hernandez Students’ opinions and comments matter to the ORU library. The library staff paid close attention to students’ needs and upgraded some of their ser-vices based on what they heard. 1. extended Library Hours The library extended their operation hours. Students now have access to the library every day until 11:30 p.m. except on Fridays when they close at 7:30 p.m. Assistant Director of Public Services Jane Malcolm said this change has been in the works for several years, but was delayed due to budget issues. “Our budget was staying static,” said Malcolm. “Minimum wage went up, our budget was still static. [So] we have to figure out how to be creative with the resources that we do have.” The self check-out service is a way the library can extend their hours without the extra expense of paying for student workers. It enables students to take out books without help from library employees during the extended hours. 2. More e-books ORU’s library had a merry Christ-mas last December, with 20,000 e-books added to the catalog. Although a library survey showed students prefer print books, e-books have the advan-tage of being used 24/7 by multiple users. This acquisition makes a total of 127,000 books the library offers, with

more than a quarter as e-books. In ad-dition, e-books require fewer employees to process each book. “I cannot imagine the labor that would’ve taken to process 20,000 books,” said Malcolm. “That’s really ex-citing for me, that it enables us to serve more students with the same money.”3. reserve rooms online Students now have the opportunity to reserve library group study rooms online through the ORU app or sign-up at the kiosk located in the Library Information Commons (LINC).4. scan a Book Three-in-one canon machines work as a printer, scanner and photocopier. However, a new scanner is available at the LINC. This new device will make scanning easier and more convenient, and will free up printers. 5. research Help A new desk was built for one-on-one research help at the LINC front desk, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The library also offers library instruction classes called LIBBI. This class instructs students on how to search specific content for any given subject. “If you are the person that knows how to find information, everybody will think you are brilliant,” said Malcolm. “The person who knows how to find the right kind of information has a lot of power.”

Library version 2.0FEATURES

Photos by Julianne Gonzalez

Above: Browsing the shelves in the library, Evangelina Bielby looks through a book. Below: Freshman Quinton Jones studies at a desk. The libraray extended its hours from, now open unti 11:30 p.m. on Monday through Thurdsay and 7:30 on Friday.


Design class envisions setting for upcoming playBy Dominique Johnson The graphic design studio class will bring the big screen to the theater de-partment’s next production. “Tintypes,” a musical, will incorporate 21st century technology to tell the story of 19th century New York City. “We’re creating a digitally projected background with images that cor-respond to the content of the show,” said Jason Howell, professor of the graphic design studio class. “A lot of that’s historical information provided by the playwrites and director. We’re just assisting in the visual aspects of the storyline.” “Tintypes” portrays America in the 1900s with actors playing historical characters and singing songs that tell the story of America’s past. Laura Holland, chair of the commu-nications arts department, serves as the director. “It’s unlike any other play you’re ever going to see,” Holland said. “It doesn’t have a storyline running through [it].

It’s a series of images that are trying to portray the 1900s in New York City. The play progresses with us looking at different kinds of things that were there then.” The play will feature a digital back-drop, with images assembled by the graphic design studio class. “It’s cool to work with an actual client,” junior Tia Orred said. “They can say ‘I don’t like this; we’re going to change it.’ And then we’ll change it. I think it’s neat because it gives us real life experience instead of turning in papers for a grade.” The students were given subjects of history that will be featured in the production. Audience members will see themes of immigration, inventions, Vaudeville and more. “Our role is to assist in what the director sees for the vision of the show,” Howell said. “You’re going to see a style that fits the style of the show. You’re not going to see something spec-tacular, design-wise. But it shouldn’t

be. It should fit. If we’ve done our job properly, then you don’t notice the graphic design.” The designers must gather and edit pictures to use for the digital backdrop. “It’s been a little overwhelming, in terms of organizing such an extensive, complex thing,” Howell said. “Find-ing and editing the pictures is easy, but understanding how to manage several hundred pictures all at once is over-whelming.” Howell said the students deserve a lot of credit for their work. “[The pictures] will be projected onto the screen behind the actors,” junior Marie Baker said. “The point is they’ll compliment and give a his-tory behind the era that the actors are representing, but not distract. We want the focus to stay on the actors. We want people to notice them in passing.” After searching through hundreds of pictures, some of the students have learned a bit themselves. “I learned that Teddy Roosevelt once

gave a speech, got shot in the middle of it and kept giving the speech,” Amy Leander said. “He was such a man.” Roosevelt will be one of the charac-ters featured in the production. Accord-ing to Howell, “Tintypes” will expose a lot of history in an approachable manner. “How many people actually go out and search for immigrant photos of the 1900s,” Howell said. “It’s not on any-body’s priority list. You can spend hours and hours searching around on the In-ternet for this kind of story. [But] you’re going to hear [it] in a couple minutes in a song. It’s a condensed version of visual history in this one period of time.” The production will feature ragtime music from the early 19th century. It features five actors that will be on stage the entire time and play multiple roles. It will open on Feb. 27 and run for two weekends. “It’s kind of like you’re sitting down with a scrapbook of that era and the pictures come alive,” Holland said.

Photo by Dominique Johnson

Amy Leander (left), Lisa Kleefeld (center) and Tia Orred (right) are all members of the graphic design studio class responsible for creating backdrops for ORU Theatre’s “Tintypes.” The show runs Feb. 27 to March 2 with Thursday to Saturday performances at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.


Survey reveals youth know more pop than politics

JoeBiden?

Rihanna?ChiefJustice Roberts?

By Valeria Hernandez Who are you most likely to recognize: singer Ri-hanna or Chief Justice Roberts? A recent study about political knowledge in Amer-ica’s youth revealed that ORU students are more likely to recognize pop icon Rihanna. The study was made to prove a nationwide problem: America’s youth is not as politically knowledgeable as past generations. Donald Houy performed this study for the Whole Person Assessment elementary statistics project in fall 2013. Houy worked in Student Accounts at the time, and therefore had access to all undergraduate residen-tial students’ Z numbers. Houy used this advantage and selected 30 ORU undergraduate students ran-domly by Z number. Houy met with each student and showed them pic-tures of Rihanna, Vice President Joe Biden and Chief Justice Roberts. Students who mentioned their names correctly proved their recognition of the public figure and were counted as knowledgeable of the topic. “A majority of ORU students recognize Rihanna [24 students], whereas only a minority of students rec-ognize Roberts [nine students],” wrote Houy. “We can

conclude that ORU undergraduate, residential students are following a trend that America’s youth are not as politically knowledgeable as past generations.” Instructor Jayne Ann Harder assigned the statisti-cal project for students to practice what they learned in class. The project was assigned a month prior and continued with the instructor’s guidance for the accu-rate performance of the studies. Harder was surprised with the original ideas her students came up with, especially with Houy’s. “[Houy’s paper] was very well researched,” said Harder. “To me it was very interesting to see the youth of today, who we are paying attention to and who is making an impression in our minds.” The Pew Research Center shows statistical youth disengagement in political affairs. The “DoNets gen-eration,” as the PRC calls people in their teens and 20s due to technology knowledge, are less and less informed about political news, while remaining up to date on celebrities. ORU Freshman Abigail Feltham saw photos of Biden, Rihanna and Roberts, recognizing Biden and Rihanna. Feltham acknowledged she does not keep up

with daily news. “I don’t really have the time to look into the news,” said Feltham. News organizations nowadays have no break. Social media released news is a 24/7 job. Despite “DoNets” being constantly surrounded with a flow of information at all times, their political knowledge has been decreasing. “Studies reveal that only 26 percent of incoming freshman consider it essential and crucially important to remain updated on current events,” wrote Houy. “This percentage is contrasted with 50 percent of students to 1970 and 42 percent in 1990.” There might be several reasons why students con-sider current political news events less interesting than entertainment news, but the jury is still out. “While experts have hypothesized answers as to why America’s youth are disengaged, there is still a long way to go before researchers tell us why,” wrote Houy.

Graphic by Rebecca Glenn

Who do you recognize? ORU student discovers political awareness among young people is at a forty-year low

Photos by Nick Conroy

Clockwise from top:President William Wilson reveals the raffl ewinners from earlier this week.Ryan Nuzzo and Taylor Davis perform the famous balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet.”Jonathan and Bonnie Swindal sing together during theORU Sweethearts Game.Dean of Spiritual Formation Clarence Boyd and his wife and Dean of the College of Education Kim Boyd were winners ofthe ORU Sweethearts Game.Kemper Vogel and the ORU worship team lead Valentine’s Day-themedsongs like “At Last” and “Life is a Highway.”



Would RatheR

Youlook like this oR like this?Come take YouR PoRtRait

tues., Feb. 25 & thuRs., Feb. 27LRC 3rd Floor by the Eagle Card Center, 11 am to 4 pm

Wed., Feb. 26 & FRi., Feb. 28Chapel, 10 am to 1 pm (break for the chapel service)

The Hammer, 7-10 pm Check out the Perihelion on Facebook & twitter


@oruoraclesportsSPORTS

By David sauer For ORU golfer David Holtgrewe, playing sports at ORU is in his blood. His father, Jeff Holtgrewe, played basketball for ORU from 1974-78. During that time, ORU had some of its most successful seasons. Two of Jeff Holtgrewe’s teammates, Anthony Roberts and Alvin Scott, went on to play in the NBA. Roberts was an All-American and a member of the ORU Athletics Hall of Fame’s inaugural class. In the summer of 1975, Jeff Holtgrewe and the ORU team traveled to Italy along with players from Notre Dame and Purdue, to play against the Italian team preparing for the Olympics. He was personally recruited by Oral Roberts to play basketball for the Golden Eagles and he had a personal relationship with the Roberts family. “I consider it a rare privilege to have known them, Richard and Roberta, so well,” Jeff Holtgrewe said. “I always felt welcome at their home and have many wonderful memories visiting them, talking with them and spending time with them and their family.” Jeff Holtgrewe excelled not only on the court, but in the classroom, and graduated in the inaugural class of the ORU School of Medicine. He is currently practicing orthopedic surgery in Colorado. Jeff Holtgrewe’s son, David, joined the golf team in 2009 and added a second Holtgrewe to ORU’s long list of successful players. Naturally, one would expect there to be a lot of external pressure on David Holtgrewe because of his dad’s success. He says the pressure actually comes

from within. “I’d say probably pres-sure added by myself, more than anybody else,” David Holtgrewe said. “Knowing, coming here, that my dad was a basketball player in the era where they had great teams, and Oral was here and personally recruited my dad. I did put a little extra added pressure on myself to not necessarily achieve every-thing my dad [did] but try to do as much and have success on the golf course and in the classroom.” Although both of David Holtgrewe’s parents at-tended ORU, they did not pressure him to go to their alma matter. “They just kind of encouraged me to come down here and meet Coach Watson,” David Holtgrewe said. “They encouraged me, but overall it was my decision in the end. And I think that’s the way it needed to be for me to enjoy it.” David Holtgrewe and his dad connected through sports during his childhood. They not only played basketball together, but golf as well. Part of the reason he chose golf was because of his dad. “It was something my Dad and I really connected [on],” David Holtgrewe said. “We’d go out and we’d hit balls and play together, and it was something we

could do together and truly enjoy. I loved the game and everything kind of lined up.” Growing up, David Holtgrewe’s dad pushed him to work hard to achieve his goal of becoming a division I college athlete. “He definitely pushed me to excel and to work harder,” David Holtgrewe said. “To try to be better than where I was, try to be the best I could be. He was just a great motivator and encourager to chase after my dream to play college golf at the D1 level.” David Holtgrewe started to win his golf games against his dad in late middle school and early high school. Despite his status as a Division I athlete, he says his dad can still challenge him on the course. “He’s still tough competition out there,” David Holtgrewe said. “He’ll get his good day in there, and I’ll have to play well to beat him still.” Now, Jeff Holtgrewe has made the transition from being a player to being a fan. “We try to go to as many of David’s golf tourna-ments as possible,” he said. “I love to watch him play, supporting him and his teammates. I am proud of how well they all represent ORU and the Lord as players and as teammates, on and off the course.” Just like other fathers watching their sons compete, Jeff Holtgrewe said it can be stressful to watch his son play. “At times it can be nerve wracking watching someone you love and are cheering for, play golf,” Jeff Holtgrewe said. “It is both stressful and wonderful.” For the Holtgrewes, sports are something that will continue to be a part of both of their lives. “I enjoy sharing a mutual love of golf with David and I look forward to playing golf with him the rest of my life.”Courtesy photo

The living legacy

Former ORU basketball player Jeff Holtgrewe played 71 games during his four-year career.

Courtesy photo

ORU golfer David Holtgrewe is in his final semester as a member of ORU’s golf team.


‘We are a family’

By Hannah Covington Their reputation in the Summit League is formidable. ORU women golfers hold the longest league cham-pionship-winning streak for women’s golf in the NCAA, with 15 consecutive first-place finishes. Coaches and players refer to last season’s premier run in the Southland Conference as nothing less than disap-pointing when they finished second in the final tournament. On a breezy and warm afternoon earlier this week, the five-member team practiced at the Tulsa Country Club. They start the spring golf season with something to prove. “I think they have a chip on their shoulder this year,” said Head Coach Lance Watson. “We feel like some teams in the Southland Conference are not taking us as seriously as they should, and we feel like we are the best team in the conference. We will win conference in April.”

Ask either Watson or Assistant Coach Jennifer Tannehill what makes this year’s squad unique, and their an-swers are the same: Chemistry. “They are, in a true sense, a team,” Tannehill said. “These girls all have dif-ferent personalities, and they gel really, really well. It’s not fake.” Four out of the five players are from Mexico, two being from the same hometown of Torreón. The fifth, South Korea-native Shinwoo Lee, already has an impressive grasp of Spanish thanks to her teammates. When they’re not on the green practicing or competing, you can find them on the fifth floor of Susie Vinson Hall, grouped together in one of their dorm rooms. Sophomore Paty Torres said hav-ing such a close group of friends from the team made her transition to college easier. Torres is from Torreón. “We are a family,” Torres said. “We’re always in one of each other’s rooms and spend so much time together at prac-tice, eating meals, doing homework and going out on the weekends.” Torres began playing golf when she was 7. Mexico lacks high school and col-legiate golf teams, so Torres and many of her teammates played through clubs.

Golf isn’t necessarily a well-known sport, but its popularity is building, Tor-res said. “You get to know most of the girls who play golf in Mexico because it’s not that common of a sport,” Torres said. Torres first heard about ORU from a friend also from Torreón who played on the women’s golf team. She encouraged Torres to check it out for herself. Watson attributes ORU’s strong allure for top Mexican recruits to these types of word-of-mouth recommenda-tions. “[Past players] had such life-chang-ing experiences at ORU that their families and themselves talk very highly of ORU down in Mexico,” Watson said. “If they would have talked nega-tive about us, we would have never had these girls.” He added that the parents of players value the family atmosphere at ORU and said his squad this season may be one of the “closest-knit teams on campus.” Last semester, Shinwoo Lee real-ized the first letter of each teammate’s first name—Paola, Alheli, Paty, Ale-jandra and Shinwoo—formed a quirky acronym that has since become their nickname on campus: Papas. Friends will often refer the five golf-

ers collectively, asking, “How is Papas?” Alejandra Acosta looks at other women’s golf teams and is thankful that hers has avoided drama. “You can see it with some other teams and the problems they have,” Acosta said. “We don’t have those.” Like her teammates, Acosta is hopeful they will claim the conference championship this season. Individually, Acosta has started the year strong by shaving two strokes off her average last season. She has already snagged two top five finishes. With the weather turning warmer, both coaches and players expect out-door practices will lead to consistent improvement in the team’s upcoming tournaments, the soonest being this weekend’s 2014 Islander Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas. During the drive south, Papas will banter in Spanish and probably listen to their latest song obsession — “On Top of the World” by Imagine Dragons. Tournaments offer some of their favorite times spent together. “It’s like we’re in the same phase in life, living so far away from home,” Acosta said. “It’s nice to know we are all in this together.”

Photos by Audrey Gray

ORU golfers Paty Torres (left) and Paola Aviles (right), both from Mexico, practice at Tulsa Country Club on Monday.

With four players from Mexico, close-knit women’s golf team makes big goals for season


Knees: New issue or same old story?By russell Dorsey Injuries play a major part in sports. With so much money invested in ath-letes today, an injury to one player could make or break a team’s season. Over the past two or three years ACL/MCL tears have become prevelant injuries in the sports world. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament and the Medial Collateral Ligament, also known as the ACL/MCL, are two of the four major ligaments in the knee. Tearing these ligaments has become a major concern. These injuries have affected sports’ biggest superstars, and have affected the sports themselves. On April 28, 2012, Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose inexplicably tore his ACL in a playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Only six days later New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera tore his ACL while catching fly balls during pre-game batting practice. Both Rose and Rivera were able to recover and return to their teams. Rivera sat out for the season and returned to the Yankees 12 months later. The fol-lowing season he saved 44 games, with an incredible 2.11 ERA. Some athletes take longer to recover from the injury than others. Rose took 18 months to recover from his ACL tear before he returned to action. During the 60’s and 70’s, knee injuries would have ended an athlete’s career, but with the advancements made in modern medicine today, athletes can now return to pre-injury form and oftentimes return stronger than be-fore. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson sustained an ACL tear in 2012 and made a quick eight month return. The season following his injury, Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards and won the 2012 NFL MVP award. ORU redshirt-sophomore guard Obi Emegano was having an excellent sea-son before tearing his ACL on Nov. 22. “There are a number of things whether it’s poor stretching, poor preparation, wear and tear, Emegano said.” “Nowadays everybody is so eager to get in the gym.

Slowly I could be pushing my body to a limit without even knowing... the work that I have been doing has to come into play with injuries like that.” Athletes have training staffs that help them prepare for the grind of a long season. Just like the Bulls and Yankees have training staffs to keep their superstars in shape, ORU has strength and con-ditioning and athletic training staffs in place to help the school’s student ath-letes be in prime shape for competition. “The numbers are probably the same in the previous years,” said John Joslin, head of sports medicine at ORU. “It’s all in the world of ESPN we live in now that everybody sees those injuries on TV every night. The one thing that has changed is the evaluation and the discovery of the injuries by the physicians and the athletic trainers being around more often.” The ACL/MCL can be damaged though direct contact, but in other ways as well. “The sudden change of direction in sports like football or basketball; where you have to change directions is when that knee gets in the position where the ACL snaps,” Joslin said. “When Obi Emegano tore his ACL, he was sprint-ing down the floor and tried to make a cut toward the basket and when he extended the leg in the planting motion, that’s when the ACL tore.” Emegano has been working hard to come back from his injury and has started his rehab to get ready for next season. “They have me doing everything. I’m in the swimming pool a few times a week, lifting weights, riding the bike, el-liptical machine, just doing little things to get back in shape”, said Emegano.Although Peterson is a special case and athletes cannot expect to return from injury as fast as he did, athletes like Obi Emegano can be optimistic that a re-turn to pre-injury form is more possible now than ever before.

Cheerleading accounted for

of catastrophic injuries

Among college football players

have had ONE concussion

have had TWO OR MORE concussions

Football has the highest injury rate with

male athletes

70.5%

34%

361,000

30%

Injury Statistics

Source: National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury ResearchGraphic by Rebecca Glenn


By Jonathan Defriess ORU’s Madison Reynolds stands undefeated in the 400-meter sprint this indoor track and fi eld season. Reynolds also holds the fastest 400-meter time posted in the Southland Conference. Her time of 54.52 is 0.97 seconds faster than anyone else’s best time. “[It’s] pushing myself at every practice, putting 110 percent in, saying I might be good right now but I can be better,” said Reynolds. Reynolds believes that her hard work and desire to run contribute to her success. “I just love the sport in general, and being an athlete,” Reynolds said. “I’m competitive as well. I just want to be the best that I can be.” Reynolds’ smallest margin of victory is almost a full second. Her current time is good enough to have won the South-land Indoor Championship last year. Reynolds is an environmental sus-

tainability major at ORU, but she has Olympic aspirations fi rst. “Th e degree is fi rst and foremost but if God blesses me to be able to try out for the Olympic team in 2016, there is a good chance I will,” said Reynolds. Reynolds isn’t the only ORU athlete to have success this season. Multiple members of the team have a chance at qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championships. “[It’s been] good, especially after the Air Force [meet],” Head Track Coach Joe Dial said. “As a whole team, we had an absolutely great meet.” Dial hopes to see the excellence con-tinue to fi nish out the indoor season. “Th e goal for every kid is to do [his or her] personal best ,and if they do their personal best, then that is really all we can ask from them,” said Dial. Justin Estala stands atop of the Southland Conference in the men’s

Reynolds leads ORU’s track success

Photo by Pamela Castillo

Madison Reynolds prepares for the Southland Conference Indoor Championships.

By ryan Woods Coming into this season LeBron James had won four of the last fi ve MVP awards and through the fi rst two months of the season all signs pointed towards him earning his fi fth. Only Michael Jordan (5), Bill Russell (5) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6) have more awards. With a player of this magnitude, it didn’t look good for any-one trying to unseat James for the league’s top honor. Russell Westbrook’s third knee surgery in late Decem-ber meant six weeks and 27 games without one of the league’s most explosive players. Th is was an injury that many thought would derail a title contender and show the fl aws of Oklahoma City’s roster construction. Th en something happened that hadn’t been done in 26 years; Kevin Durant fi nished January averag-ing 35.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. Th e last player to average at least 35-6-6 for an entire month was some guy named Michael Jordan in Nov. 1988. Th rough 16 games in January, Kevin Durant scored 575 points on 344 shot attempts (1.67 points per shot). Durant had at least 30 points in eight games, at least 40 points in four games, and recorded the fi rst 50-point game of the season. Th e only players to score the season’s fi rst 50-point game three times in a row are Wilt Chamberlain,

Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant. Th e Th under entered the toughest part of its schedule on Jan. 16 against Hous-ton. At halftime the Rockets led 73-59. In the second half Oklahoma City held Houston to just 19 points and won 104-92. Durant scoried 36 points with seven assists and fi ve rebounds. Whatever was said at halftime not only sparked the team’s comeback, but set the tone for the week that would propel this team, and Durant, to the top of the league. Th e following night, the Th under defeated Golden State 127-121 in a game that Durant scored a career-high 54 points, six assists, and four rebounds. Over the next 12 nights the Th under would go 7-0, including wins over Portland, Brooklyn, San Antonio and Miami. Since Dec. 27 Oklahoma City’s winning percent-age has increased its lead on the Western Conference, and so have expectations heading into the fi nal 32 games of the season. Th e Th under not only has the best record in the West by four games, but at 43-12 they boast the best record in the entire NBA.

The 2014 NBA MVP: The case for Kevin Durant

LeBron James: 26.6 ppg

7.0 rpg6.6 apg

Kevin Durant: 31.5 ppg7.8 rpg 5.5 apg

Overthrowing the King

pole vault and is currently the only member of the team to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships. Tim Jones placed fi rst in the triple jump twice this indoor sea-son and hasn’t fi nished lower than fi fth. Jones also holds this season’s third highest triple jump total in the Southland Conference. Lauren McFarland holds second place in the Southland Conference women’s pole vault. Tinashe Mutanga has one fi rst place fi nish in the men’s 200-meter sprint and Erin Roberson has a fi rst in the women’s 800-meter sprint twice this season. Th e indoor season will conclude with the Southland Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships on Wednesday, Feb. 26 and Th ursday, Feb. 27 in Birmingham, Ala.

It’s important to note that the MVP is not the “best player alive” award. Instead it’s awarded to the player who had the most value to his team’s success for that season. Given that criteria, it will be hard to argue against the case for Kevin Durant: the 2014 Most Valuable Player.

Internet photo


the form that felt most natural to him to express his love for theater. “I get theater, and I love the col-laborative nature of it. You get to build families; that’s a plus,” said Daigle. Sanders met Daigle during their college years and lost touch with him when she transferred to ORU. “When I went to New Orleans, I tracked him (Daigle) down, and the rest is history,” said Sanders. How appropriate it is that they reconnected 10 years later on the streets of New Orleans. “She invited me to act in a show (“Shining City”), and I jumped at the chance to work with her again,” said Daigle. Having accepted the challenge to direct “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Daigle rose to the occasion and fell in love with Tennessee Williams. “I’d work on anything in the Wil-liams canon anytime. He’s up there with Shakespeare for me now”, said Daigle. Daigle describes his experience working on one of the greatest plays in American theater as a joy in itself, a feeling he attributes to the cast and crew. Whether alumni or current students, most of the cast and crew come from the ORU theater department. “ORU’s theater students are a very special family of artists. I love getting to work with ORU students,” said Daigle. “They’re well trained, smart, engaged and passionate—all things you want when you’re working on a show.” Daigle would love to work with actors that have trained at ORU again because he feels the passion and respect for the craft that is taught in the class-room translates into their work ethic. “Talent only gets you so far; you have to be passionate and respectful about the work, and that’s clearly part of the training at ORU,” said Daigle.

SCENE

By ellie Cogles Friday, Feb. 14 Playhouse Tulsa opened their production of Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” at the PAC. The show will run until Saturday, Feb. 22. Student ticket prices are $10. Courtneay Sanders, a drama/televi-sion/film performance graduate from ORU, serves as Playhouse Tulsa’s Ar-tistic Director as well as ORU’s Theater Director. Courtneay has been cast to play the lead, Blanche Dubois, for “A Streetcar Named Desire” a challenging role that has her exploring raw human nature. Sanders describes her experience playing Blanche as incredible, intense, exhausting and very satisfying. “I wouldn’t change the experience for the world. I am very thankful to be able to create such a complex individual (Blanche) in such a safe, creative en-vironment,” said Sanders. “It’s the first time since Playhouse was formed that I have really just felt like an actor.” In this classic drama, southern belle Blanche Dubois arrives at her sister Stella’s apartment in New Orleans. Outside of her comfort zone, Blanche is left to face the world after losing the family plantation and her job as a teacher, all while dealing with a web of lies and secrets from the life she left behind. Desperate for a new start, Blanche’s every lie is scrutinized by Stella’s husband, Stanly Kowalski. This play examines what it means to be, and not to be, wanted. “A Streetcar Named Desire” received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948 and has been revived and adapted in numerous occasions. This made Playhouse Tulsa’s Resi-dent Playwright Cody Daigle hesitate when asked to direct the show. Daigle, who has been writing stories and poems since age 6 chose to be a playwright as his career because it was

‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ finishes run at PAC

Photos by Ellie Cogles

Top: (Left to right) Jeff Houston, Nathan Arnold, Rueben Wakefield and Cody Shelton act out a scene in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Bottom: ORU Theater Director Courtneay Sanders plays lead role Blanche Dubois and embraces Norah Sweeney who plays lead Stella Kowalski.


2014 Remake of Robocop Fails to Thrill AudiencesBy Victoria atterberry A world where machines carry out justice is the main theme revolv-ing around the dramatic action movie, Robocop. The original 1987 film was quite successful, winning many awards and bringing about several sequels. Now, many years later, Brazilian film director Jose Padilha has attempted to recreate the 1987 hit. Unfortunately, this 2014 remake of Robocop missed the mark. Although Robocop was not entirely bad, the movie did have several prob-lems. The movie felt rushed. Not much planning was done to make sure the movie still had the same elements that brought along the origi-nal version’s success. The remake brought Alex Murphy ( Joel Kinnaman) to his attacker too soon, not allowing for the movie to build climax.

Next, the movie failed to create a true hardened criminal, unlike the original, which showed just how brutal the villain could be. Good villains are usually savvy, troublesome to the pro-tagonist and hard to defeat. Robocop’s villain had none of these qualities and was simply too easy to get. Lastly, the movie lacked focus. It was hard to tell if the movie was focus-ing on Alex Murphy’s desire for revenge or on his effort to adjust to a situation that had altered his way of life. Despite its problems, Robocop did possess some good elements. The movie was thorough in describ-ing the situation that was present in that current era. The movie walked the audience through the story of Alex Murphy by giving a full description of his life as a cop up to events that led to his becom-ing Robocop.

Internet photo The acting was well done. Gary Old-man who played the passionate creator of Robocop, Dr. Dennett Norton, and Samuel L. Jackson, played Pat Novak, the devoted news host promoting a robotic police force were great support-ing actors. Some strong computer graphics and designs were present which gave the movie a good boost. Overall Robocop was average. The

movie was entertaining but not well developed. Like many remakes, this 2014 remake of Robocop was not where nearly as entertaining as the original. A plus for the movie is its PG-13 rat-ing which will allow for a broader audi-ence unlike the rated R original. Three stars for the average 2014 re-make of Robocop.

“LEGO Movie” clicks into hearts of moviegoers and criticsBy McKensie Garber What may seem like a glorified toy commercial at

first, Warner Bros.’ “The LEGO Movie” is an inventive, witty, slap-stick creation that offers laughter, warmth and brilliant entertain-ment for any age. Directed by Dartmouth gradu-ates and “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” and “21 Jump Street” creators Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the first ever LEGO film has been in development since 2008. The 3D computer animated story stars ordinary construction-worker LEGO minifigure Emmet, played by Chris Pratt from “Parks and Recreation.” His straight-laced, or should I say, straight-locked LEGO life is rocked to pieces when he is mistakenly identified as the prophesied Mas-terBuilder or “Special” who holds the fate of the world in his plastic claws (hands). Although seriously under-skilled, it’s up to him to stop the

LEGO villain, Lord Business, played by Will Ferrell, from freezing the LEGO universe under Krazy glue – the “Kragle.” He embarks on an epic adventure with the help of his dark and mysterious sidekick Wyld-estyle, played by Elizabeth Banks from “The Hunger Games,” Batman played by Will Arnett and proph-esying wizard Vitruvius, played by famed storyteller Morgan Freeman. The action adventure film boasts many other household names, including Liam Neeson, Sha-quille O’Neal, Dave Franco, Jonah Hill, Chan-ning Tatum, SNL’s Will Forte, and Charlie Day from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Packed with humor that jeers at pop culture and social conformity, the colorfully imaginative film hits every mark and probes deeper than one would expect. The modern-day “Toy Story” summits with an unexpected and heart-warming scene from Will Ferrell, “The Man Upstairs,” in the flesh. From the writers of “Hotel Trannsylvania,” the highly stylized and fast-paced film comes full circle as a well-thought, innovative masterpiece with a catchy theme song in tow. Past or present LEGO enthusiasts will find an authentic appreciation for the meta-hu-mor and LEGO set references. The film has gained unanimous praise from film critics, receiving a 96 percent approval rating from

Rotten Tomatoes. It has grossed more than $190 million worldwide since its release. With this figure, it claims the second-best February weekend debut, falling only behind “The Passion of the Christ.” The beautifully built world of “The LEGO Movie” is sure to enchant gamers, movie lovers, techies, artists and all other people cool enough to accept its genius.

Graphic by Matt Dean

Why the Olympics are important to AmericansBy Zach Wells

Unity. Har-mony. Togeth-erness. Th ese words encapsu-late the world’s view of the Olympics, a bi-annual sporting competition that showcases

the best athletes from almost every na-tion across the world. Th ese games play host to some of the most inspirational and awe-aspiring stories, as well as serve a greater purpose in creating and fur-thering relationships between nations. Th e signifi cance of the games can be clearly defi ned as such by every na-

tion, besides one: Th e United States of America. In the US, the Olympic Games are about total domination; they are an-other way to show off and shame every other nation for their absence of athletic prowess and talent. However, our need for dominance is not as shallow as it may seem. Th e United States, which is without question the most powerful and most free nation in history, must continue to excel in the games in order to main-tain the image that we are the best and a force like no other. America and her people seek to be top dog, and the Olympics are just another way to display supremacy. To the American Olympians, the

games mean something a bit diff er-ent — getting paid. Who knew that a lifetime of training and commitment to a sport could earn you cash? Our Olympians can get up to twenty-fi ve thousand dollars from the US Olympic Committee for getting a medal, plus Subway endorsements. I mean, glory and national praise are great and all, but those things fade with time. However, money and things last forever. At this point, I would put something like, “LOL JK ;),” but I am not laughing, and I am not joking. Th is is a serious piece about why the US appreciates and follows the Olympics like it does. You just can’t beat making fun of other na-tions, especially Russia.


MUSE

$$

$$$600 million

to build Fisht Olympic Stadium

$51 billion cost of Sochi games

2,850total athletes

230 U.S. Athletes

89 countries participating

Torch traveled40,000 kilometers,

including into space, over 123 days

sportstotal events 15 98

days of competition

13,477 media staff

3 billion expected viewers

Graphic by Michelle Karjadi

17

Sochi Stats

FeaturedOnline Columnists

Peter Odom Wesley

Ian Bush

Check out “Suppositions: Ex-poring faith’s original purpose”

online at oruoracle.com.

Read “The Whistleblower: The Second Amendment” in (some-

what) plain English online at oruoracle.com.

George Zimmerman fight: The on/off controversyBy Kaylin Thompson

On Feb. 5, celebrity-boxing promoter Damon Feldman announced George Zimmerman

and rapper DMX as opponents cho-sen for an upcoming celebrity-boxing match. Zimmerman’s involvement in the fight created a buzz throughout social media. The notorious former neighborhood watchman fatally shot teenage Trayvon Martin in Feb. 2012. Ironically, the fighters were announced on Trayvon Martin’s birthday.

Upon release of the announcement, Feldman received large amounts of

negative responses and multiple death threats. On Feb. 8 he announced on his Twitter page that he has stepped away from his role in the fight. Although Feldman is no longer involved in the match, he claimed the fight was still on. DMX is also no longer taking part as his representatives released statements claiming that his involvement was never finalized.

According to Philly.com, European media mogul Alkiviades David was set to replace Feldman’s role in promot-ing the fight involving Zimmerman. David’s vision for the match would not be “celebrity-boxing” but a more street style. “This is going to be like ‘Fight Club’, a very violent event,” David told TMZ. He later canceled plans to or-chestrate the event in adherence to the wishes of the Martin family.

There are currently no offers pro-moting any fight involving Zimmerman at this time.

In general, it is in poor taste to capitalize on someone else’s death. Do-ing so demonstrates a complete lack of human decency and total disregard for the family’s feelings. By exploiting his newfound notoriety, Zimmerman at-tempted to embolden his public image and increase his financial wealth.

In the past, the term “celebrity” was generally given to people who pro-vided positive contributions in society. Today, the word is used to describe any prominent figure in media who captures the public’s fascination. Zimmerman proved he embraced his celebrity status by accepting the proposal of a potential celebrity-boxing match.

Zimmerman’s strange behavior and

his unwillingness to maintain a low profile is causing controversy across the nation.

Another notorious figure associ-ated with a murder, Amanda Knox, has also been making headlines over recent years. Knox released her first book, “Waiting to Be Heard: A Memoir,” in April 2013.

When someone is associated with a death or heinous crime, the expected reaction from him or her would be to flee into obscurity or keep a low pro-file. Zimmerman’s behavior continues to make headlines. He isn’t shying away from the spotlight. Although the celebrity-boxing match has been can-celed, Zimmerman’s conduct has shown that he is eager and willing to explore career opportunities that will make people talk.

Graphic by Matthew Dean


Murder trial continued from page 3 Th roughout the trial, the jury lis-tened to ample testimonies from the couple’s family and acquaintances, ho-micide detectives and forensic experts involved in the case. During sentencing, jurors heard from several of Price’s former girl-friends who detailed his violent past by telling their stories of domestic abuse. ORU junior Alexis Weber was also called to testify. Weber lived with Horton her fresh-man year during the Iowa native’s one month at ORU. “Th e main reason they brought me in was to have someone from ORU verify there was such a thing as aerobics points and to prove that [Carissa] and Ethan were out walking to get aerobics points,” Weber said. She received a call from the prosecu-tion the night before they wanted her to testify. Weber said she tried to look at Price while Doss asked her questions in the courtroom. “Th e courtroom was a lot more clut-

tered than I thought it would be,” Weber said. “[Price] was completely slack-faced, didn’t care. It made me really sad.” Weber remembers doing music with Horton in their dorm room. Horton played several in-struments, and they would sing together. In the semester following her death, Weber decided she wanted to visit Price and Davis in prison but was stopped from doing so once she arrived at the jail. Th ough she initially sup-ported the decision to try for the death penalty in the case, her feel-ings have changed over time. “I was super blessed by the fact that he didn’t get the death penalty. Th at’s what I’d been praying for,” Weber said. “Th e Lord doesn’t want us to die without knowing him fi rst, and they are clearly not in the place where they know God because they did this.”

Price is scheduled to appear in court again for formal sentencing next month on March 27.

Courtesy photo

Carissa Horton and junior Alexis Weber lived together for a month during their freshman year. Weber was called in to testify during the murder trial.



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