Mary Ippel, 76, began volunteering at Muncie Mission around 17 years ago. Upon her arrival, she immediately made her mark with her compassionate personality.

Leigh Edwards, Muncie Mission's Vice President of Community Engagement, said Ippel is a popular figure at the Mission.

"She's like everybody's favorite grandma, I'd say," Edwards said.

Ippel agrees that her motherly love is shown through her activity in the Mission's Liberty Street Program.

"They could be my child, that just made bad decisions, so I always come in and think, you could be my kid, so I'm gonna act like your mother," Ippel said.

Edwards explained that Ippel's positive energy and consistency in giving back to the community influence the other workers.

"It's pretty hard to be discouraged when you're around Mary because she has risen above so many challenges," Edwards said.

Mary has run into many challenges throughout her life. After being diagnosed with severe pancreatitis, Ippel was on the verge of death.

"They told my husband there was nothing they could do after a few days, and he should call the family," Ippel said.

Prayers flooded in from the family and community for Mary. Soon after that, a miracle happened.

"The surgeon came in and said to my husband, 'There is one more thing we can do to try to save her life,'" Ippel said.

Ippel was met with yet another barrier, threatening her health even more.

"They had to put me on a lot of medicine that took the blood away from my fingers and my legs," Ippel said.

That resulted in the amputation of both her legs and several fingers. Ippel was unaware of her life-threatening experience. For two months, Ippel was unresponsive and had no idea her limbs would be amputated.

Ippel's recovery took a year, and she was preparing to return to the Walk-A-Mile fundraiser. The community could not wait to welcome her back.

"The kids in our youth group at church said we really want to have a team for Mary, they said 'we're gonna wear tutu's and we're gonna call ourselves Mary's Merry Marchers," Ippel said.

Mary's Merry Marchers is still active today, bringing in numbers for fundraising.

"She has been an active and avid fundraiser for us and has raised probably well over 100,000 dollars," Edwards said.

For Ippel, giving back to her community benefits her regardless of how much help she provides.

"I'm the one who walks away with a blessing from being here," Ippel said.

As far as Walk A Mile, Ippel and her marchers will be in attendance. Compared to the first walk after surgery, much progress has been made.

"I was the very last person to finish, but I'm not the last person anymore," Ippel said.

Ippel is accepting new members, and for any inquiries, reach out to Mary Ippel on Facebook.

The Walk-A-Mile fundraiser will take place on Saturday, Feb. 21, with doors opening at 8 a.m.

Contact Kahmara Munn with comments at kahmara.munn@bsu.edu.

"I was extremely nervous," Trujillo said. "My music is a personal part of me, so it's weird to let that part of me out and let people hear that."

Trujillo, a first-year biology life science teaching major from Valparaiso, Indiana, did not take a traditional path to Ball State. After high school, he moved to Chicago and attended Columbia College Chicago, where he studied music and spent two years focusing on piano and jazz performance.

His relationship with songwriting became more serious during his time in Chicago, when he began moving beyond piano performance and into composition.

In early 2023, he wrote "Clocking Out," the first song he would release publicly. Though his first show at Columbia drew only a handful of listeners, Trujillo said he would "play for that crowd of three people, over and over again."

But his plans changed abruptly when his stepfather - who helped fund his education - died.

"With that, I wasn't able to afford going to Colombia, because it's crazy expensive," he said.

After stepping away from school and taking time to regroup, Trujillo eventually found his way to Ball State's campus in 2025, drawn by the opportunity to study his other passion: science.

Music, however, remained central to his identity.

In December 2025, his persistence in pursuing his musical passion culminated in the release of "Night Dancer," a five-track EP under the project name Noiroon. Blending indie pop and jazz influences shaped by his musical training, Trujillo said a lot of the themes presented in the EP are drawn directly from his own life.

"If I don't have music, I don't have anything," he said. "Everything I crafted, I wrote, recorded … I don't think I'd be anywhere without music."

The EP's title comes from its title track, which Trujillo described as a metaphor for a man with two lovers: one he loves and one who is a mistress.

"He's yearning for the night dancer. It's almost a metaphor for my actual life. A lot of my songs have metaphors to my personal life, whether they're obvious or not, but it's kind of … a metaphor of yearning for wanting something more, or going down the traditional path, rather than the path that would give me the most satisfaction," he said.

Verse two of the song, he said, symbolizes his regret for not pursuing that satisfaction.

Though many of the tracks carry emotional weight, Trujillo said they do not fully reflect his day-to-day personality.

"I really am a happy guy, I promise," he said.

Trujillo described his identity as split between two versions of himself: the focused science student and the expressive performer.

"My artist side is energetic, happy, … passion-driven. And my academic side is … tedious lab work, kind of [a] studious sort of thing," he said.

While he spends his days doing lab work and attending classes, he said performing allows him to fully step into his extroverted personality.

"The performance [version of] me is where I can really shine," he said. "I'm a big, big extrovert. I love talking to people. I love playing for people, and I love to see how people feel and react to my music."

When he performs, he said he feeds off the crowd's energy and allows himself to be "a little more loose" and expressive than he might be in a classroom setting.

The "Night Dancer" EP officially came together with help from fellow second-year Ball State student Anthony "Tony" Orta, a psychology major with a jazz minor, who played bass during the release show and assisted in the studio. Orta said the project pushed him creatively, especially as he transitioned from upright bass to electric.

"It was a really cool growing moment to figure out … my sound on the electric, and to be able to [be] there to support the great music that Noiroon was able to create."

Orta said Trujillo's piano playing was one of the first things that stood out to him as a collaborator.

"He had a very unique playing style with piano," Orta said. "When he asked me if I wanted to play this gig in Chicago, I was like, 'That sounds like a really cool opportunity.'"

Most rehearsals took place on Monday evenings, often the only time the group's schedules aligned. Between Orta's 19.5 credit hours, his responsibilities as a resident assistant on campus and Trujillo's academic workload, time was limited.

"Sometimes we were able to play for three hours. Sometimes it was like an hour and a half," Orta said, emphasizing how they would typically practice until someone kicked them out.

Before meeting, Trujillo would send chord sheets and recordings for them to study. Much of the preparation involved learning songs by ear, then experimenting with them in campus spaces.

"A lot of it was trying things over and over again," he said. "[Gino] would tell [me] what sound he was aiming for and where we had room to express ourselves."

Much of the EP's rehearsal, recording and mixing took place across Ball State's campus, from practice rooms in the Hargreaves Music Building to studios in Sursa Hall. Trujillo said navigating access to those spaces was not always easy, especially since they are not music majors. Still, the resources were instrumental in bringing the project to life.

"Utilizing those parts of campus really brought this entire show together," he said. "[Every time] we would go in there, people were so helpful."

Trujillo said seeing photos of Sursa Hall's recording studio before transferring to Ball State helped reassure him that he could continue making music at Ball State.

"It's a really, really nice studio," he said. "We're talking like thousands of dollars worth of equipment in that studio."

About 90 percent of the EP's vocals were recorded in Sursa, along with several instrumental tracks, including keyboard parts. Rehearsals for live performances took place in practice rooms inside the Hargreaves Music Building.

When Trujillo and Orta entered those spaces, they never had key cards to access the studios. However, teachers and faculty there would let them in, knowing that they weren't doing anything wrong.

"When we went in there, nobody would … ask questions. I mean, … we were doing what we were supposed to be doing. We looked like regular music students. And again … that's a message I wish I could send [to] Ball State," he said. "... I wish [Ball State could] make it accessible for … anybody [who] has passions in music … we shouldn't let things be behind a paywall."

The band's lineup during rehearsals typically included Trujillo, Orta and drummer TJ Poole, a Muncie-area musician whom Orta met during jam sessions at Midnight Cafe in the village before the business closed.

For the Chicago performance, the group was also joined by Miguel Chavez, a guitarist from the Chicago area who learned several of the songs by ear in a single rehearsal before the show.

However, the Chicago performance came together during one of the most stressful times of the semester: finals week. Orta had a music theory exam the same day they were scheduled to leave for the show.

While Orta finished his exam, Trujillo rushed to prepare merchandise for the show.

"Gino was running around trying to make different t-shirts for the gig that we pressed," Orta said, explaining that they had planned to print 10 shirts but pressed only six.

After packing up their equipment, the group drove to Chicago.

"It was so surreal being actually there and being in a band, in the sense of, 'This isn't for a school thing. This is a personal thing,'" he said.

When the band finally took the stage in Chicago, Trujillo remembers his nerves quickly gave way to relief. Audience members approached him after the set, praised him and bought merchandise.

"I had a ton of people come up to me telling me, 'Wow, your set was f***ing fantastic. Genuinely, your songs are really good. I love the ways you guys crafted them.'"

The night also marked a milestone for Orta, who is 20, as being paid to perform at a Chicago bar venue felt "really cool."

"Was it much? No, but I think the first experience was amazing," Orta said.

One of the most memorable moments of the night for him came during "Night Dancer" itself. The ending section, which he said is more interpretive, felt especially alive during the set.

"It felt more like a conversation," Orta said. "There's suspense, there's build, but there's calm too. You don't always know where it's going."

After the show, the celebration was short-lived. Trujillo had a 7:30 a.m. exam the next morning back in Muncie.

The band left Chicago around midnight, but a snowstorm hit on the drive home. Orta took over driving for the final stretch while Trujillo attempted to sleep and study in the passenger seat.

They arrived back in Muncie around 5:10 a.m.

"To preface, I was 10 minutes late [to my final exam]," Trujillo said.

For Trujillo, the audience's response at the show affirmed the risks he took in sharing his work publicly. As he continues balancing his science major with his creative pursuits, he said music will always remain at the core of his life.

"Music will always be my biggest thing," he said.

Trujillo said he hopes listeners can experience the EP as something they can return to during everyday moments, whether walking to class, driving home from work or relaxing after a long day.

"I hope they can get a sense of enjoyment," he said. "I want them to just be able to be like, 'Yeah, that sounds like a good thing to listen to right now.'"

Beyond indie pop and jazz, Trujillo draws inspiration from yacht rock artists like Steely Dan and Toto, Japanese city pop musicians such as Miki Matsubara and Spanish rock bands he heard growing up. As a first-generation college student whose father is from Mexico, he said that cultural influences naturally make their way into his music.

For example, in his single, "Tuned In," he included a dramatic Spanish-language monologue inspired by telenovelas.

"It's just me talking there the entire time," he said. "I really wanted to convey, like, you're walking in and your parents are watching some dramatic show."

Orta said his own musical influences also shape the EP's sound. Alongside jazz training, he draws inspiration from artists like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, whose bass lines he studies closely.

"Even when they're simplistic, they're fundamental," he said. "Learning those lines really helped me explore the neck of my instrument."

Looking ahead, Trujillo confirmed another EP is already in the works, along with a new single set to be released in April on all streaming services.

"The biggest thing I say is just to 'just do it,'" he said, offering advice to other Ball State students balancing music with academics. "You can make a lot of excuses … but if you really want something to happen, you've got to put yourself first and be responsible."

As the weather warms, he plans to host a small promotional event near the Scramble Light on campus, where they hope to give away merchandise to students who stream the EP, another effort to bring his music directly to the Ball State community that helped shape it.

For those interested in listening to Noiroon's EP, the songs from "Night Dancer" can be streamed on any music service.

Contact Meghan Braddy via email at meghan.braddy@bsu.edu.

Ball State's Valentine's Day ended in heartbreak after a nail biting 75-68 loss.

"It was there, and we were just unable to make a play. You feel awful for them, because you know the work they put in," Head Coach Michael Lewis said.

This loss puts the Cardinals at a two-game losing streak after their loss to Buffalo Feb. 11.

RELATED: 'Disappointed' - Ball State Men's Basketball falls to Buffalo at home

As they are now in the back half of their season, Lewis said the Cardinals have learned a lot, and they now only have a few more games to show off their improvements - but importantly - win.

"We're just trying to win, just put our best foot forward and be together and try to come out with wins. Hopefully whatever happens in the end will decide itself," redshirt sophomore guard Davion Hill said.

Hill was one of the key contributors for Ball State tonight, despite some struggles down the home stretch. He finished with a team-high 17 points, along with an impressive 90% from the free throw-line.

Not only was Hill the highest scorer for the Cardinals, but one of the few bright spots, along with Devon Barnes' first-half performance.

Barnes recorded 12 points and four rebounds in the first half in only 12 minutes; in those 12 minutes, he also eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for his collegiate career. It looked to be a big night for him, but when the second half rolled around, his gametime minutes were more than scarce.

After a double-digit first-half performance, Barnes only saw six minutes in the second half, which led to only six points.

Lewis did not mention anything about why Barnes did not play more minutes in the second half but he still had strong thoughts about how the team ended the game.

"We gambled on a pass from 94 feet from the basket, you can't do that. Like, it has to be a 100% play," Lewis said. " It's the basketball gods. They're real, and they punish bad players."

The toughest thing Lewis said Ball State had to deal with, though, was playing from behind for about 39 of the 40 total minutes, as they were only tied once in the first three minutes and never led.

The gut wrenching feeling Lewis said he has for these players isn't just because of the loss, but the great effort the team had today. Especially right out of the second half, as it seems the Cardinals got a complete energy and intensity boost.

"I just really feel for the guys, they played tough, and I thought they competed really hard," Lewis said.

Ball State now only has six remaining games in the regular season, with this matchup being the last weekend game in Muncie for the year. Out of the 6 remaining games, three of them will be played at Worthen arena with the first one being Akron on Feb. 20.

As the Cardinals look to next week, they only have a few days until they travel to Athens, Ohio, and take on the Ohio Bobcats on Feb. 17.

Contact Rylan Crum with any questions @rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X @RylanCrum

Ball State American Sign Language club showcases a true representation of community by promoting what the deaf and hard of hearing have done for the program. By meeting once every two months, the ASL club gives people the opportunity to learn ASL directly from the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. President Jenna Nicholson provides more insight on why they are so important.

"Well, the deaf community is basically behind this program here at Ball State," Jenna Nicholson said.

Unlike other languages, ASL requires a set of skills that can only be taught through first- hand experience. Having instructors who have used ASL throughout their lives can provide students with a quality understanding.

"All the teachers here are deaf and hard of hearing, mostly deaf, but again, they are the big forefront for the language," Nicholson said.

Being in a space where everyone has a shared interest not only gives you courage but also a community you can count on for growth. It is a place not just to gain experience but also to gain a friend. The ASL club provides those qualities and more.

"It is a really positive experience," Nicholson said. "I mean, it's a good place to come together just to talk to people who are in ASL classes, and it's just a good way to learn from people as well."

A place not just to gain experience but to gain a community is one that the ASL Club here at Ball State strives to be.

Learn more about ASL club meetings by following their Instagram at Ball State ASL Club.

Contact Kevine Mahoro with comments at Kevine.mahoro@bsu.edu.

But they did. Even with only six Cardinals players recording points and four of those players combining for 78 points, they pulled away late for a 82-67 win against the Falcons.

Head Coach Brady Sallee said the team is not built on a single player, but more about execution and the trust the team has in whoever is shooting the ball.

"We have tremendous talent," Sallee said.

One of the biggest factors to the victory was Bree Salenbien. The senior forward who has had a career season for the Cardinals scored a career-high 32 points, leading the team to their 21st overall win and 12th win in the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

When the forward checked out of the game with under a minute to go, she received a standing ovation from the home crowd.

"It's awesome," Salenbien said. "We're getting so much community support right now, and it's super special."

Things did not start on the right note for the Cardinals. The team had eight first quarter turnovers, which put them at a two-point deficit after two quarters.

But that did not stop the Cardinals from turning the ship around, as they only averaged four turnovers per quarter the rest of the game.

Sallee said Salenbien was a huge vocal leader in the huddle during the game, making sure everyone on the team was on the right page. The senior said the team made sure to fix all of the "little things" after a slow start to play.

"We play fast, we play in the system," Salenbien said. "Just getting back to that was important."

Even with Salenbien's stellar performance, the Cardinals also saw big games from senior center Tessa Towers, junior guard Karsyn Norman and sophomore guard Grace Kingery. Those three combined for 46 points.

The Cardinals shot 50 percent behind the arc in the game, with 33 of their points coming from three-point land. While hitting that percentage mark from behind the three is hard to come by, Norman is not surprised with the team's effort.

"It's not crazy because we do put the work in," Norman said.

The Cardinals largest lead of the game was 18 points, but Bowling Green did not let that come easy. Every time Ball State went on a run to try and take control of the game, the Falcons would punch back.

Sallee went into this game knowing he would have to coach every possession, but the head coach has trust in his team in games like this.

"It wasn't like there was any panic," Sallee said. "We just had to get back to our standard, what we expect of ourselves."

The team recently clinched a spot in the MAC tournament in Cleveland in March and are also fighting for the regular season MAC championship title.

The Cardinals have a big week ahead of them, as they will face a struggling Buffalo team Feb. 18, and will then go on to face the undefeated first-place MAC team in Miami (OH) Feb. 21.

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

This marks the Cardinals' 13th win in Mid-American Conference (MAC) competition through 14 games and will travel to face the Buffalo Bulls on Feb. 18.

Here are four takeaways from today's action against the Falcons.

Competitive, back-and-forth first half

Bowling Green came out hustling in the first quarter, playing physical defense forcing eight turnovers with four steals and had a narrow 19-17 lead.

The Cardinals turned it up in the second quarter, taking a 36-28 lead with senior guard Bree Salenbien playing a major part recording 16 points in the first half.

Play was sloppy at times with both teams finishing with 23 combined turnovers after the first half and with Bowling Green outrebounding Ball State 20-18.

Very high rebound/turnover game

Turnover and rebounding numbers were very high in this game from both teams with 33 combined turnovers and 77 combined rebounds.

Ball State had 20 turnovers this game to Bowling Green's 13 while the Cardinals outrebounded the Falcons 41-36.

Through 26 games this season, the Cardinals have only been outrebounded five times and lead the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in rebounds (1,133).

Bree Salenbien career high

Senior guard Bree Salenbien played a vital part in Ball State's win today, putting up a career high of 32 points while also adding on eight rebounds and four assists.

Previous notable performances from Salenbien include two 26-point games over Cincinnati and Oakland City.

Salenbien has been very reliable for the Cardinals this season as one of the team's starting guards, averaging 15 points, seven-and-a-half rebounds and three and-a-half assists.

This marks Salenbien's eighth game this season with 20+ points.

Both teams' limited bench role

Both teams' starting lineups carried almost the whole load in today's win with Ball State only having two points coming off the bench to Bowling Green's five.

Senior center Tessa Towers recorded 14 points with 10 rebounds which marks her eighth double-double this season. Towers averages 14.5 points with eight rebounds this season.

Sophomore guard Grace Kingery contributed to this game generously in scoring, recording 17 points. Kingery averages 13 points per game on the season.

Junior guard Karsyn Norman produced a solid, all-around game having 15 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Norman averages close to 10 points, four rebounds and five assists per game.

Contact Bryce Pennell at bryce.pennell@bsu.edu with any questions or on X @bryceBSUDN.

What started as a spontaneous jam session at the Nashville Station Inn sparked the start of the all-female International Bluegrass Music Association sweeping, Grand Ole Opry starring, bluegrass band, Sister Sadie. Don't let the label fool you, these six women are constantly pushing the boundaries within their genre by not letting labels compartmentalize their music and their message

"I think being true to yourself in the industry has only grown more and more," Katie Blomarz-Kimball, bass and vocals in the band, said. "You kind of get to a point where you're like, 'I need to write these songs' and 'I need to express myself,' and I think sometimes that genuine, true, raw nature of a song or lyric is kind of what makes yourself so relatable to the audience."

While life on tour may seem very glamorous, there is a very human aspect of traveling in a tour bus, exploring new cities every day.

"Right now we're exhausted," Deanie Richardson, one of the band members, said. "We've been up driving since 3:00 a.m., so it can be pretty exhausting and trying, but once we hit that stage, it is just pure fire and energy, and it's all worth it at that point. There's a lot that goes into the behind-the-scenes getting ready for a tour."

While the music is a huge component of a tour, there are a lot of logistics that go into it.

"Mapping out the travel, booking hotels, finding decent places to eat on the road so you don't get burnt out and bored quickly, planning setlists and making the shows exciting and interesting for the audiences every night, but also for us on stage who are performing these shows night after night," Richardson said.

Sister Sadie is a band that prides itself on its differences, while many presume them as a bluegrass band. There is so much more that goes into their music than just the genre. The band's main focus when making music is the story, the unrelenting drive to speak their truth through a tradition that has not always made room for it.

Their newest album, "All Will Be Well," released in 2025, marks a new chapter in this band's ongoing legacy. It showcases real raw emotion that these women, as well as other listeners, can relate to. From gut-punch ballads to high-octane instrumental parts, this album showcases so much of the band's spirit and talent.

To keep up with the band's music, tour, and members, you can visit their website at www.sistersadie.com

Contact Brianna Baariu with comments at brianna.baariu@bsu.edu

Yestigsmeier passed away in 2014 and coached the Cardinals for 36 seasons.

"He was one of the most respected golf coaches in the country and the legacy he created is uniquely different in the world of college golf," said Yestingmeier's successor, and current men's golf coach, Mike Fleck.

Yestingsmeier led his Cardinals to 107 tournament titles as well as 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, but his legacy would go beyond just the wins and losses.

"He's the patriarch of men's golf, and the legacy that he created is incredible," he said. "He's in every golf hall of fame you could imagine."

The decision to honor Yestinsmeier came after a Ball State golf alumni tournament. The pins were originally meant to be given to the winning team of the tournament, but Fleck proposed an additional use for the pins.

"I kind of introduced the concept of, hey, what about if we order enough pins so we can honor that same person with our current team, and we can put that pin on a golf bag," Fleck said.

Current players of the team were explained the significance of the pin at the beginning of the season and got the opportunity to tell the story of the former coach to others they met on the course.

"He's the reason we have this building. He's the reason we have everything in our golf bag and the golf bags," senior golfer Carter Smith said. "Everywhere you look around, you see the name Earl Yestingsmeier… Even our golf building is named after him."

Despite not being able to know Yestingsmeier, Smith and other players are still able to experience the culture he created for the program.

"It's been great getting to let our program represent Coach Earl…There's still things today that were really important to him and are still part of our program, which is really cool," Smith said.

The Cardinals will play out the remainder of their season bearing the pin of the late Earl Yestingsmeier. This is just one of the many ways that Earl Yestingsmeier is honored at Ball State University.

Contact Stephen Grata with comments at stephen.grata@bsu.edu.

For as long as I can remember, I have loved romance. As a kid, I would always get invested in romantic comedies and obsess over the main couple in whatever book I was reading. Romance books quickly became a guilty pleasure of mine.

That fascination took a while to transition into my daily life.

Despite being in a happy relationship for over a year now, there are certain aspects of romance that I have maintained my firm beliefs about. I am not talking about the stereotypical beliefs that our society has, such as how men should always have to pay the bill, spend hundreds of dollars on flowers each month or plan elaborate dates - although some people are fond of all of those things.

My strongest belief, in terms of love and relationships, has always revolved around Valentine's Day.

I am not a cynic. I am able to appreciate a couple going out of their way to show off their partner and make them feel as loved as possible. After all, that is the standard for couples on Valentine's Day. Some people dress up, go on a fancy date, buy their partner an expensive gift and spend a whole 24 hours cherishing the person they might plan to spend the rest of their life with.

However, this is not the part about Valentine's Day that irks me.

What bothers me is when people treat the holiday as nothing more than an obligation, when people in relationships only celebrate their partner because a date on the calendar tells them that they are obligated to, or when the only way someone can wake up to flowers, sweet words or random acts of love is because a holiday tradition told them that it is an expectation.

If you need a holiday to push you into showing your significant other that you love and care for them, it ruins the authenticity of romance within relationships.

A February 2024 PsychologyToday article by Silva Neves, a psychosexual and relationships psychotherapist, references research studies that focused on the significance of creating a long-lasting relationship. According to the article, "The most important ingredient for enduring love in relationships is not the big things but everyday small things: how people feel appreciated and wanted."

I have expressed to my boyfriend that I would rather receive flowers on any other day of the year, simply because they mean more when they are bought unprompted. Of course, that belief is not limited to only bouquets and expands to include all love languages.

Before entering my relationship, Valentine's Day always looked the same to me. I would throw on my most comfortable pajamas, open a bag of cheap chocolate and turn on one of my favorite scary movies. I would spend my night curled up in a dark room, covered in blankets.

On occasion, I would even invite friends to celebrate with me. My version of the holiday might have looked different from most, but I had preferred it to elaborate, once-a-year affection that a lot of the people I knew were receiving at the time.

A March 2015 PsychologyToday article written by Jonathan Fader, a psychologist stationed in New York, reports, "bottling up all of our love for one special day doesn't allow us to practice the daily things, like gratitudes and affirmations, that make relationships thrive."

That same article goes on to suggest, "More often than not, partners use extravagant dinners and gifts as band-aids for chronic relationship issues."

When my boyfriend and I first started dating, we spent our first Valentine's Day together in the dorms. He cooked us dinner in the communal kitchen, which I ate with a pocket knife and fork because we did not have enough utensils, and surprised me with brownies as dessert. Then, we watched a movie on a futon under his roommate's bed.

Considering it was my first ever Valentine's Day with a significant other, it was special. But it was not special because of the acts of love he showered me with, but rather because I had spent the day with him. What made it so special to me was that none of what he did that night was out of the ordinary.

Cooking for me and watching movies with me is something he does almost every weekend, and satiating my sweet tooth is something he constantly surprises me with. He even goes out of his way to make me coffee every morning that I am there, even if he does not drink it that often, simply because he knows I love to drink it first thing in the morning.

In a January 2023 PsychologyToday article, Cortney Warren, a board-certified psychologist, said that based on a study performed by Plenty of Fish in 2020, "51 percent felt pressure to be romantic, 43 percent to be in a relationship, 42 percent to go on a date, and 41 percent to act like the holiday is meaningful. In addition, 43 percent of respondents thought it was the most pressure-filled holiday and one-in-five wished that it could be cancelled all together."

The pressure to be romantic on Valentine's Day should not be as profound as it is today. The stigma surrounding the holiday has the potential to be more damaging to relationships than helpful. More than that, I believe that it can be damaging to one's self-esteem.

If we correlated our worth in relationships to how often we are shown unprompted affection from our partners throughout the year, how many of us would feel confident enough to push back against a holiday that enforces romantic traditions we should already be experiencing every day?

People should not need a holiday in order to show their significant other that they love and care about them. Dates should not be saved for one night a year or for special occasions, and acts of love should not be conditional because of a date on the calendar.

If you cannot love your partner loudly on days when it is not expected from society, then what difference does it make if you pour all your effort into them on Valentine's Day?

I do not know what my partner and I will do for Valentine's Day this year, and quite frankly, it is not a top priority to me. The obligation to be romantic is nothing compared to the simplicity of genuine affection.

Love is not conditional on the time of year. It is not conditional on the date, the month or how long you have been together.

Your relationship is not an obligation, and it should never be treated like one.

Contact Jayden Vaughn via email at jayden.vaughn@bsu.edu.

Ball State welcomed in McKendree on Feb. 12 after starting conference play with a sweep over Queens. McKendree came into Worthen Arena as the No. 12 in the nation and the Cardinals sat at No. 8 in the nation.

The Cardinals kept to their winning ways as they won 3-1 (25-19, 25-20, 26-28, 25-16) and continued to their eight straight victory.

The team followed that up with another win as they won 3-1 (21-25, 25-16, 25-14, 25-14) over Lindenwood and got their ninth straight victory.

Head Coach Mike Iandolo had a challenge with having a back-to-back starting with McKendree, but he does not see his team backing down for any opponent.

"I think we had a little bit of a slow start," Iandolo said. "I think we did a good job responding once we got used to what was going on."

Iandolo has seen his team start slow and that once again showed up but after that first set, Iandolo says the Cardinals were able to really lock in.

"They looked ready to play, more than we did," Iandolo said. "We buckled down with our serving, got a little more disciplined, and we were able to do ok."

Before the Cardinals began conference play, Iandolo had one message to his team about improvement.

"It is really being crisp on our blocks and our defense from the start of the match," Iandolo said. "Doing what we are supposed to from the start."

The Cardinals followed up the McKendree matchup with another MIVA opponent in the Linwood Lions. Both the Cardinals and Lions began their season with only one loss each and a potential spot at the top of the standings.

Despite going down in set one, the Cardinals never wavered in their belief together as a team. It has been what has made this team different from last year.

Senior Outside Hitter Patrick Rogers knows where the Cardinals are at their best even if the team goes down in a set.

"We were just feeling them out in [set 1]," Rogers said. "We just played together and had fun and that was the most important thing for sure."

Outside Hitter Wil Basilio followed up with a similar overall theme for the Cardinals over the last two MIVA matchups.

"Stayed together as a team," Basilio said. "Losing that first set, we could have gotten down on ourselves, but we came back hard on that second set."

Basilio helped put in 25 kills across the two matchups with McKendree and Lindenwood. Basilio said that the Cardinals are just out there to make a stand.

"It is a huge feeling, really good because it is kind of proving ourselves," said Basilio. "[It] solidifies us as the top team in the MIVA which we always love to see."

The Cardinals know their focus must always be staying the course especially since the Cardinals are going to be playing in another team's environment going forward.

"Just maintain the level we are at," Basilio said. "Focusing on our side of the net and not really worrying about what gym we are in."

The Cardinals will now travel to Ohio State on Feb. 19 to take on the Buckeyes followed by a matchup in Kentucky on Feb. 21 to take on the Northern Kentucky Norse's.

Contact Zachary Kendall with questions via email at zacharykendall@bsu.edu or on X @ZacharyKendall_

Ian discusses the new entry in the Tomodachi Life series, Living the Dream.

Checkpoint is Byte's video news series, reporting on recent events in the world of entertainment, tech, and pop culture. Whether it's video games, film, television, or music, we've got you covered!

Anchors: Ian Fraser
Executive Producer: Ian Fraser
Script: Mason Mundy
Video Editing: Ian Fraser
Audio Editing: Ian Fraser
Intro Graphics: Ryan Minter
Graphics: Ryan Minter
Thumbnail: Ian Fraser
Original Thumbnail Images From: Nintendo
Music: Jack McGinnis
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_0kl1WiSPg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Fghz93zCdY

Fifteen minutes before the game was set to start, the bingo cards ran out, with a line of people still waiting to get in. Despite this, the organization still worked to make students comfortable to talk and learn about sex through fun and games.

The first two people to receive bingos cheered and jumped with each other before they went to the back of the room to get their sex-themed prizes.

Ethan Bravo, president of Spectrum, was surprised to see how popular the event was.

"To see that we had, like, three times the amount of people that we were expecting, we were shocked, and we weren't ready," he said. "So we're sad that we had to turn people away."

Bravo said the organization is ready to use the attendance rate as guidance for what to expect the next time they host this event.

At the occasion, a colorful slideshow was displayed with sexual education questions of many types. Instead of numbers, bingo cards were full of answers to the questions, with key answers like "syphilis," "consent" and "aftercare."

Students who participated interacted gleefully with the bingo questions and expressed their excitement and anticipation of getting a bingo. Between all of the cheering and jokes, the hosts made sure that students could be properly educated about sex.

Spectrum's event coordinator, Amanda Evers, believes it is important to hold non-traditional sex education events like this.

"When people can feel [like] they're part of a community or movement or just bonding over something, they're more likely to retain that information and feel more comfortable about sexuality, safe sex and talking about those things with other people," they said.

While sexual education is important to her, Evers also enjoyed the joy in the room.

"I liked making people laugh and just seeing them have a fun time interacting with the people here," she said.

The poster for the event advertised free sex toys for everyone who was able to get a bingo sheet to play. For the Spectrum executive board, this meant going out to get the supplies together.

Kymberly Kirkpatrick, Spectrum's treasurer, explained that they worked with Ball State's Office of Student Life to be able to provide the prizes.

She said going out to buy them is "historically, a very big thing for bonding for the Spectrum exec board."

Spectrum, an LGBTQ+ organization, wanted to use this event to help students get the education they may not have gotten previously.

RELATED: The evolution of student organization Spectrum through setbacks and triumphs

"Let's be honest, most [college-aged] people being sexual[ly] active in their life.Just making sure that they are responsible, have the information that they need to have a fun time, but also making sure that nothing happens to either person they might be with is the best thing we can do," Bravo said.

By the end of the night, all the prizes had been claimed, and students left together discussing the evening with their new items, and hopefully for Spectrum, more knowledge on safe sex.

Contact Sidney Miller via email at sidney.miller@bsu.edu

The show started with the announcement of Kena: Scars of Kosmora, a sequel to 2021's Kena: Bridge of Spirits. The game is said to be bigger and better than its predecessor, while staying true to the first game's vision. The game will feature improved combat, boss battles, and more exploration. We then learned that last year's Ghost of Yotei will be receiving a free DLC titled "Legends" releasing on Mar. 10. Additionally, fellow awards darling Death Stranding 2 will be making its way to PC on Mar. 19. Capcom also gave us a look at its two new games coming this year, Pragmata, and Resident Evil: Requiem.

Koei Tecmo revealed that they are making another installment in their classic Dead or Alive franchise, but little else was said aside from a brief glimpse at a couple characters. Remedy Entertainment gave a look at gameplay for CONTROL Resonant, the sequel to their 2019 masterpiece, and my favorite announcement from last year's Game Awards. No full release date was given, although it's still slated to release this year. Krafton gave us a look at Project Windless, an action game based on the South Korean novel series The Bird that Drinks Tears.

Konami arrived with a slate of announcements, including a look at Metal Gear Solid: The Master Collection Vol. 2, featuring current-generation ports of Metal Gear Solid 4, as well as Peace Walker. They also unveiled a new Castlevania game titled Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, as well as a new Silent Hill game in collaboration with Annapurna titled Silent Hill: Townfall.

Rounding out the show, we received a surprise announcement of a new John Wick game, with full-on third-person real-time action. Keanu Reeves appears to be reprising his role as the legendary assassin in a prequel to the critically acclaimed film franchise. Bungie gave us a look at their upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon.

After a series of criticism, backlash, and a lengthy delay, the game has been considerably revamped and will be hosting an open test period from Feb. 26 to Mar. 2 before the game's official release on Mar. 5. We received new looks at Housemarque's new game, Saros, starring actor Rahul Kohli, as well as legendary fighting game studio Arc System Works' new Marvel-themed fighting game Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. The game will have over 20 playable characters at launch on Aug. 6, 2026.

The closer saw Santa Monica Studio unveiling two massive announcements. First, the original God of War trilogy will be receiving full-fledged remakes with TC Carson reprising his role as the original Kratos. These games are in very early development, so there wasn't much else to see there. Their second announcement, however, was the stealth drop of God of War: Sons of Sparta, a retro-inspired 2D side-scroller following the legendary Kratos before he became the God of War.

With a livestream spanning over an hour, Sony's State of Play gave us a lot to chew on in terms of new announcements. Whether it's fast-approaching releases like Resident Evil: Requiem and Marathon, or far-off releases like John Wick and the God of War remakes, there was a little bit of something for everyone.

Sources: PlayStation, PlayStation, Steam, PlayStation, Steam, Steam, Steam, KoeiTecmo, PlayStation, Remedy, Steam, Krafton, Krafton, BrooklineBooksmith, Steam, Steam, Steam, Steam, Annapurna, Steam, PlayStation, IMDb, Bungie, Bungie, Housemarque, PlayStation, IMDb, ArcSystemWorks, Steam, SantaMonicaStudio, Steam,IMDb, PlayStation

Images: PlayStation, PlayStation, Bungie, PlayStation

"I have been into rocks pretty much my whole life," Braiden Robinson, the owner, said. "It has been like one of those hyper fixation focuses that I have. My grandpa has a little rock collection, and I was just fascinated looking at them."

Robinson is completely self-taught, educating himself with the right materials to turn a rough rock into a piece of art.

"I first started with the saw and a bucket of geodes, and I was selling them for 5-10 dollars a piece," Robinson said. "I made 250 dollars my first day, and I'm like, 'this is cool.' Seeing the look on people's faces when they see inside the rocks is really cool."

The family aspect helps sustain the passion. Robinson's wife, Kat Mesaros, the owner of Kat's Crystals and Curiosities, support each other through the crystal business.

"We became really good friends. I got my saw, and we started working together as partners - and then - we just fell in love from there," Robinson said.

The workshop was recently recognized by receiving the Vore Arts Fund, a non-profit in Muncie that helps the art community work without the financial burden.

"As a part of the Vore Arts Fund, you get six months free membership for Mad Jax, so we were able to come in and use the makerspace and the ship yard and their equipment."

For more information, go to Wook's Workshop on Facebook

Contact Mira Bloomer with comments at mira.bloomer@bsu.edu.

Seeking a job or internship? Cardinal Job Fair, February 18

Meet with a wide range of employers, explore internships and full-time opportunities. Whether you're searching for your next career step or exploring career paths, this event is a great way to engage with industry partners.

How to prepare:
1. Build your resume and practice your elevator pitch withQuinncia.
2. Map out which employers to visit. See the full list in Cardinal Career Link.
3. Dress to impress. Need something to wear? Check out Cardinal Closet.

Entry Information:
Enter at Gate 3, Worthen Arena
Bring your student ID to check in

FREE Tax Preparation for Students and Employees!

IRS-certified accounting students can still prepare your tax filing for free until April 8! Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is a federal program available to individuals and married couples with an income of less than $68,625 per year. Students, employees, and families of Ball State University and Muncie Community Schools are invited to use this free, virtual service.

All tax preparation volunteers must complete many hours of IRS-certified training and exams before becoming VITA volunteers. All tax filings are reviewed for accuracy by an experienced tax preparer, and returns will be filed electronically for faster processing and with direct deposit, taxpayers often receive refunds in two weeks or less.

Taxpayers can choose between virtual tax preparation completed using a secure document management process by supervised preparers and reviewers or can schedule an appointment for in-person preparation by visitingthis link.More information on these options and other aspects of the VITA program is available atVITA Tax Preparation | Department of Accounting | Ball State University.

For more information about VITA student volunteers and the tax preparation program, please contact Jason Stanfield, PhD, CPA, associate professor, Paul W. Parkinson Department of Accounting, Miller College of Business.

Join University Dining for a Mardi Gras Meal

Celebrate Fat Tuesday with a flavor-packed Mardi Gras feast! We're hosting a special meal at The Atrium in the Arts & Journalism Building.

Stop by the Revolving Cuisine station from 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 17, for an All-You-Can-Fit experience. The other stations will feature their regular menu items, as well!
The Menu Highlights:

• Entrées:Jambalaya with Andouille Sausage & Chicken, Fried Shrimp Po Boys, and Vegan Red Beans & Rice.
• Sides:Cajun Mac & Cheese, Maque Choux, Fried Okra, and Hushpuppies.
• Dessert:King Cake, Festive Rice Krispies, and Iced Sugar Cookies.

Pricing:

• 1 Meal Swipe (Lunch or Dinner).
• Cash/Card: $9.65 for a Large Container or $5.85 for a Small Container (plus tax).

Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)

For more information, go toBall State's Communication Center.

One notable example of an entity in Indiana utilizing geothermal is Ball State University.

When Ball State University, located in Muncie, Indiana, completed its geothermal energy system in 2012, it marked a first for Indiana college campuses. The project, one of the university's largest sustainability initiatives, created one of the nation's largest ground-source, closed-loop district geothermal systems and continues to operate today.

The heating and cooling geothermal system for buildings across the university's campus runs off the Earth's natural ability to maintain a stable temperature throughout the seasons. Because of this, Ball State's geothermal heat pumps absorb available heat from the ground in winter seasons while discarding excess heat back into the Earth in the warmer months. Simply put, these systems use the consistency of underground temperatures to regulate the indoor climate of 71% of the campus's buildings.

After the switch in 2012, the school reduced its carbon footprint by almost half. According to Ball State, the university now releases approximately 85,000 tons less carbon than before, when the heating and cooling systems ran on fossil fuels. This change offered a reduction in carbon emissions roughly equal to what a million trees would absorb in the same amount of time.

"[The system] is holding up quite well at this time as we performed several preventative maintenance projects over the last year," stated Pete Heuer, BSU director of operations.

According to Heuer, the change is significant because most heating systems, including what BSU used prior to the geothermal switch, work by burning finite fossil fuels. This one, however, uses the renewable source that the planet offers. By weaning off the older boilers that once heated the university, Ball State has said that it is keeping to its sustainability commitment.

In this statement, Ball State University pledges to "protect and enhance the environment through our learning, research, service and administrative operations."

In 2015, former President Paul Ferguson became a signatory to the Second Nature Climate Leadership Commitment program, which had made additional commitments on reducing the emissions of harmful greenhouse gases to zero and mitigating campuses' contribution to climate change.

By integrating the geothermal systems across its campus, the university continues to pursue this commitment.

With the transition to geothermal, the school created nearly 2,300 more career opportunities, both directly and indirectly related to the geothermal system, according to a study by Ball State's Center for Business and Economic Research. This increase allowed the community to broaden its horizons and created opportunities that did not exist before.

A press release from Ball State Foundation notes that the university saves about $2 million a year with this system.

What does that mean for the rest of Hoosiers across the state?

Ball State's large-scale project is a prime example of how these systems can work, but another Hoosier business has been helping roll the technology out across the state for the last two decades.

Indiana Geothermal, founded in 2000, aims to further public knowledge about geothermal systems, their impact on the environment and the benefit to one's home or business.

While not connected to Ball State's project specifically, Indiana Geothermal has helped roll out multiple residential geothermal loops in the Delaware County area that help the average homeowner reduce their carbon footprint.

Owner of Indiana Geothermal, Dona Kyler, said in an interview that several local businesses and homeowners have taken advantage of this innovative system. All of those customers are presented with the four different types of geothermal loops that their company provides, and they also offer homeowners the opportunity for a free quote and evaluation.

"We have been selling ClimateMaster geothermal systems and installing loops in Indiana and the surrounding states for over 30 years," explained Kyler. "There are no systems available that can come close to the efficiency of a geothermal system. AirSource heat pumps come the closest, but are half the efficiency. A geothermal system can be up to 500% efficient [compared to AirSource]."

When considering how technology has grown and progressed in the past years, Kyler reflected on how geothermal systems have also advanced.

"Geothermal efficiencies have gotten better over the past 50 years with new technologies and refrigerant changes."

Even further, as one of the leading companies in geothermal system installation, Indiana Geothermal is looking to reframe the conversation surrounding it.

Kyler stated, "Our industry is historically not good at telling the geothermal story. We are trying to change that."

One way Kyler plans on doing so is by creating education opportunities ranging from government to businesses, as well as homeowners, on the benefits of geothermal.

In addition to owning Geothermal Indiana, Kyler also sits on the International Ground Source Heat Pump board of directors. She has installed these systems in her home, her rental house and even her barn, as well as having installed multiple systems for friends and family.

According to Kyler, "we breathe geothermal around here."

To learn more about Indiana Geothermal's systems, reach out to them at 317-829-1490 or visit their website at www.indianageothermal.com.

To learn more about Ball State's geothermal system, visit www.bsu.edu/about/geothermal.

This story was produced in part with financial support from Carbon Neutral Indiana. The reporting and production of this piece were overseen by faculty and/or staff within the Department of Journalism at Ball State University to ensure adherence to professional and ethical standards.