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Wichita State's independent, student-run news source

The Sunflower

Wichita State's independent, student-run news source

The Sunflower

Wichita State's independent, student-run news source

The Sunflower

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OPINION: Rap music is more than mindless violence and drug pushing

Maleah Evans, Arts and Culture Editor March 7, 2025

Rap and hip-hop music are in the spotlight once again, especially after the Grammy Awards and Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX half-time performance which was riddled with cultural and historical references...

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What we know so far about federal policies surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion — and how Wichita State is handling them

Ainsley Smyth, News Editor March 7, 2025

The presidential administration’s arrival at the White House in January sent waves throughout the country as President Donald Trump signed various executive orders. One of Trump’s targets has been...

William Leclair (courtesy of Leclair)

Barracks to bass drops: WSU DJ combines Indigenous culture with EDM

Mya Scott, Assistant Editor March 7, 2025

When William Leclair was stationed in Georgia, far from the fields of his childhood in Oklahoma, he found himself stuck in the barracks and too young to go to a bar. To escape the boredom of being confined,...

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OPINION: ADHD is real despite misconceptions

Piper Pinnetti, Opinion Editor March 6, 2025

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is often misunderstood despite being one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, affecting an estimated 8.4% of children and 2.5% of adults. Yet, the stigmas...

Microphones reserved for Student Government Assocation senators sit unused during the Student Senate meeting on April 10.

‘This is their livelihood’: Task force works to build disability protections into WSU

Allison Campbell, Editor-in-Chief March 6, 2025

In Annie Wasinger’s shared office in Rhatigan Student Center room 219, photos of impactful and influential women decorate the walls. Among them is Judy Heumann, the mother of the disability rights movement....

Moe Hatfield talks about why they joined Spectrum. Hatfeild also discussed the organizations change from a "safe space" to a "brave space."

LGBTQ+ organization highlights new goals amidst current political climate

Riley Sipes, Reporter March 6, 2025

Last semester, WSU’s Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies ushered in a new executive board of mainly freshman and sophomore students. In the spirit of their fresh start, they decided to regroup and take some...

Hashim Syed poses for a photo in Ablah Library.

Blind communications student defines himself by more than just disability

Evan Tong, Reporter March 6, 2025

Emerging from a van outside the Elliott School is a spectacled man. Once out of the van, a white cane, the one that guides him throughout campus, extends from his hand. His name is Hashim Syed, and...

Photo courtesy of Wichita State University.

WSU professor’s app brings graphic novels to the ears of visually impaired

Kass Lewis, Reporter March 6, 2025

A Wichita State professor is developing an app that aids visually impaired people in reading graphic novels. English professor Darren DeFrain has been working on the app, Vizling, for five years. Users...

(Photo courtesy of Willie Schwanke)

Pitchers Jace Miner and Grant Adler return to Wichita State after transferring out for one year

Mack Smith, Reporter February 18, 2025

Jace Miner and Grant Adler left Wichita State’s baseball program after the 2023 season, but after one season away from the ICT, the senior pitchers are back.  Wichita State head coach Brian Green...

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OPINION: Step into spring with Zumba

Piper Pinnetti, Opinion Editor February 18, 2025

The perfect fitness routine combines fun, energy and good music. Zumba meets each of these requirements. Zumba blends dance moves with aerobic exercises, creating a full-body workout that feels like...

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OPINION: Pitcher this: Softball is better than baseball

Makenzie Miller, Reporter February 16, 2025

My dad played baseball in college and shaped a portion of my childhood surrounded by baseball.I have been to my own share of games. But, I also grew up playing softball with my little sister, and my father...

(Photo courtesy of Wichita State Athletics)

How two Canadian track and field freshmen are adjusting to life in Kansas

Kami Steinle, Reporter February 14, 2025

Moving to the American Midwest can be a difficult adjustment when coming from a city in Canada. Differences, from the nightlife to the weather, can be hard to get used to. For the 2024-25 school year,...

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