The Winonan - 2010S the Winonan – Student Newspaper
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Winona State University OpenRiver The Winonan - 2010s The Winonan – Student Newspaper 10-26-2016 The Winonan Winona State University Follow this and additional works at: https://openriver.winona.edu/thewinonan2010s Recommended Citation Winona State University, "The Winonan" (2016). The Winonan - 2010s. 48. https://openriver.winona.edu/thewinonan2010s/48 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the The Winonan – Student Newspaper at OpenRiver. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Winonan - 2010s by an authorized administrator of OpenRiver. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Vol. 96, No. 9 / Oct. 26, 2016 THE ‘BEN’ ONYEAGHALA CANDLELIGHT VIGIL HONORS STUDENT PAGE 2 FILM SERIES FILM STUDIES STUDENTS FOLLOW THEME PAGE 8 INONAN CROSS COUNTRY TEAM SUCCEEDS IN CHAMPIONSHIP MEET W thewinonan.winonastateu.com PAGE 17 ADDRESSING RACE IN WINONA PAGE 10 “If someone gets uncomfortable, I’m really excited because discomfort is a sign that people are questioning their worldview.” -Mary Jo Klinker COLLAGE BY TAYLOR NYMAN Winona State University Student Newspaper / Since 1919 NEWS ‘Full of positivity and light’ Students honor life of Chukwudi Benjamin Onyeaghala fter more than a week of searching, AWinona State University student Chukwudi Benjamin “Ben” Onyeaghala, 19, of White Bear Lake, Minn. was found dead in the Mississippi River on Tuesday, Oct. 16. Students gathered on Sunday, Oct. 23 to celebrate his life with a candlelight vigil at the gazebo followed by a balloon release and flower toss into the Mississippi River. At 6 p.m. Sunday night, more than 100 people gathered at the gazebo at the center of campus to honor Onyeaghala’s life. The ceremony began with a prayer and a reading from the scripture, since Onyeaghala was born and raised Catholic. Attendees were then invited to come forward and speak about their memories of Onyeaghala. One of those speakers was Tejay Garjaye, who was close to Onyeaghala “Ben was a really interesting person,” Garjaye said. “The kid is probably one of the funniest persons I’ve ever met. He’s a bright kid; he had a bright future.” Garjaye, along with his two roommates Eric William and Achidi Oketch, were good friends Students gather to remember Winona State sophomore Chukwudi Benjamin with Onyeaghala. All three of them referred to Onyeaghala, 19, whose body was found in the Mississippi River near Homer, PHOTO BY NATHANIEL NELSON Onyeaghala as their brother. Minn. on Tuesday, Oct. 18. The loss of Onyeaghala hit them particularly be uncommon among college students. She added how whenever she saw him, hard, since Onyeaghala made it a habit to visit Angel Tarwoe also spoke during the event, Onyeaghala was always in a lighthearted mood. their home almost every day. recalling how she met Onyeaghala. He came up “No matter where you were or who you were “The last place that he was at, too, was my to her and began flirting, after which she said with, he was always joking with you,” she said, house, and I wasn’t in town that night,” Garjaye he looked like her brother. They both laughed, “He never had a bad thing to say about anybody, said. “It hurt me that when he went missing I and Tarwoe said this kind of loose attitude was and he was always full of positivity and light.” wasn’t there.” unique to him. Aside from his school studies, Onyeaghala was Onyeaghala was a sophomore at Winona “Nobody really touched on that, but he was often seen at the Integrated Wellness Center on State, studying health exercise and rehabilitative really chill,” Tarwoe said. “He’d be late to class, campus, playing basketball with his friends. sciences with an emphasis in movement science. and he’d just go, ‘Eh, I’m gonna eat dinner first.’ He was known for his relaxed nature, which, can Nothing really phased him. It was admirable.” Continued on page 3, see Ben. 2 - NEWS NEWS Oct. 26, 2016 Ben, continued from page 2. Students write their memories about Winona State sophomore Chukwudi Benjamin Onyeaghala, 19, during a candlelight vigil at the Winona PHOTO BY NATHANIEL NELSON State Gazebo in his memory Sunday, Oct. 23. He was friendly to everyone around him, and with his two roommates. He talked of Ben as wonderful times with everybody and shared the effect he had on his friends and acquaintances his brother and said losing him was like losing a wonderful times with me. And I don’t want was palpable. member of the family. anyone to feel negative about the situation.” Onyeaghala was remembered as a lighthearted, “Me and my roommates took him under our Onyeaghala will be remembered as a kind, uplifting man with a tendency to make any wing, and when we got the news, it was just relaxed and humorous young man who brought room light up. Achidi Oketch told a story of shocking, as if your brother had died or your smiles to everyone around him. His friends Onyeaghala to showcase his trademark humor. sister had passed away,” William said. “As of right remember him as a man who always found a way According to Oketch, Onyeaghala had just now, we’re just trying to commemorate him and to connect with people and improve their lives, gotten over to their house after a stint at the the positives. I’m at a loss for words. It’s just too bringing positivity to a dark world. fitness center. It was cold inside, and he was shocking.” “That’s what made him genuine, that’s what wearing shorts and a sweatshirt, but he did not The joy Onyeaghala brought to members of made him stand out more than most people. say anything about being cold, Oketch said. the community came out in full force at the end Just the fact that he was willing to go out of his “I heard some ruffling to the side, and he’s just of the ceremony, when balloons were released way for someone else, even if he didn’t have to,” like ‘Ugh, I had to do it.’ And I was like what do over Levee Park and flowers were thrown into the Oketch said, “As college students, we face a lot of you mean?” Oketch recalled. “And then we look Mississippi River, an upbeat dance party followed stress in our lives and sometimes, we don’t act in at Ben covering himself with the futon mattress. soon after in commemoration. the most positive ways. For someone to do that We’re like ‘Bro, if you were that cold, we could’ve “It just shows what people are willing to do at on a daily basis, that’s amazing.” given you some sweatpants!’ He had such times like this. Come together, share memories, BY NATHANIEL NELSON situational humor, and you never expected it.” and that’s what I want people to remember about news reporter Eric William also spoke at the vigil, along Ben,” Achidi Oketch said, “He always shared [email protected] 3 - NEWS NEWS Oct. 26, 2016 Students learn new stretches at ‘Yoga for Newbies’ rom standing on their right leg up to moving pranayama (breathing exercises), pratyahara Finto a downward facing dog pose, a group “Go at your own pace because yoga (control of the senses), dharana (perceptual of 10 students explored different yoga poses to awareness), dhyana (devotion) and samadhi deepen their focus and build muscle strength at is all about transitioning between (union with the Divine). “Yoga for Newbies” on Tuesday, Oct. 18. “Most of the yoga of modern times focuses on The self-declared newbies tried out a sequence poses, making modifications and asana, pranayama and pratyahara,” Sterkowitz of 22 postures, which are supposed to be a said. “Modern yoga is a combination of exercise, complete workout, according to Health and taking breaths. You’re not supposed to breathing and meditation.” Wellness advocate Sam Raph. During the presentation, Ernst talked about the Raph, Hannah Sterkowitz and Sydney Ernst be a master right away.” reasons why people decide to take up yoga on a gave a presentation about yoga for beginners, daily basis. where attendees learned different types of yoga -Sydney Ernst, student health and wellness advocate “Among yoga’s benefits are an increased and tried out some poses that are not quite as flexibility, improved muscle strength, better new, according to Raph. posture and decreased stress,” Ernst said. “Sitting “The most classical techniques date back to According to Sterkowitz, there are eight basic in poses increases your core strength and helps to more than 5,000 years ago,” Raph said. steps to classical yoga that incorporate different build stamina.” The presentation began with a discussion on meanings: yama (universal morality), niyama yoga and what to expect at a yoga class. (personal observances), asana (body postures), Continued on page 6, see Newbies. Meet the news staff... Olivia Volkman-Johnson Cheney Mason Nathaniel Nelson Colin Kohrs Sara Tiradossi Academic & administrative reporter Crime & Security reporter Technology reporter Local reporter Health & Wellness/Student Senate reporter SECURITY INCIDENTS 3 p.m.: A bike was reported 1:45 a.m.: A male student 10:55 p.m.: Two male 1:12 a.m.: Six students No time: Bike wheels stolen between the Science was found intoxicated in students were found were found with were reported missing Laboratory Center and between the Science Lab- with alcohol in Mo- alcohol in Lourdes outside of East Lake Watkins Hall. The matter oratory Center and Phelps rey-Shepard Hall. The Hall. The matter was Apartments. The matter was referred to the Winona Hall. The matter was re- matter was referred to directed to the was referred to the Wino- Police Department.