Answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Will Hyde, junior business and political science major: I went to California for 10 days for the University Innovation Fellows (UIF) national meet-up at Stanford University. We visited companies like Microsoft, Google and AirBnB to learn about design-thinking, how to generate a creative culture for an entrepreneurial mindset, and to network lead innovators around the country. The other fellows and I hope to put into actions the lessons we learned on the trip back at William Jewell to empower students to strive to improve our campus.

Rae Snider, senior English major: As an early birthday present, my girlfriend took me to Paris. The sights and the weather were beautiful, but she was by far my favorite thing there.

Athena Palmer, junior nursing major: I work at KU as a nursing associate, and I worked 40 hours over Spring Break.

Paige Soukup, sophomore nursing major: I went to Colorado with several of my close friends, and we visited Rocky Mountain National Park, the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs and we spent a day in Denver. It was fun to be able to experience several different types of mountain landscape within the span of a couple days. Experiencing the different cultures of mountain towns and the cities in Colorado and how they differ from the cultural climate of the Kansas City area was incredibly interesting. I thought it was important because taking a break from the stresses of school helps me manage my mental health.

Elliott Yoakum, first-year Oxbridge literature and theory major: I went to Orcas Island, which is off of Washington state with friends.

Shannen McCoy, senior business administration major: For #SprangBrekk2k17 I went to Banff, AB, Canada. A friend I made in Peterborough, ON, Canada last summer where I interned at Ontario Turtle Trauma Centre recommended the place. I lived in a hostel for a week with others from Australia, South, Africa, France and Germany. During the week, I went snow tubing, trekked 2 kilos across a frozen lake, hiked 6 kilos up a gondola and drove a dog sled through the Canadian Rockies (my favorite day because the doggos were the cutest, most lovable pals I’ve ever met).

Zoe Spangler, junior theater and ACT-In major: Over break, I exhibited my lighting design work from Jewell Theatre Company’s production of Godspell (2012) at a young professional’s exhibition called Cover the Walls at the 2017 United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) Annual Conference in Saint Louis. USITT is a non-profit, membership organization that seeks to advance the networks, knowledge and skills of theatre professionals involved in the areas of design and production. I had fun meeting new people, gaining feedback on my portfolio, attending workshops, receiving OSHA training, and visiting the City Museum. My conference fees were paid in part by Jewell’s Student Travel Grant.

Ben Shinogle, senior English and political science major: I went to Palo Alto, Calif. and San Francisco with the University Innovation Fellows. While there, I worked with Landon Young and Alex Holden to develop a set of connections with prominent tech companies in the area and begin to conceptualize how a partnership might look leveraging Jewell’s resources with the experience and design thinking incumbent in the technology field.

Daniel Virga, senior Oxbridge molecular biology major: Nine of us set off west to explore Great Sand Dunes National Park, Moab, Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park and Zion National Park. We hiked, camped and generally just adventured while out there. We did take on some exhausting trails, but to experience the wonders of nature with such a great group of people was remarkable. You can see more of Danny’s photos from his trip here.

By now most of you have probably heard about Jordan Peele’s horror debut “Get Out.” You’ve probably heard that it is funny, bone-chilling, subversive and incredibly clever. I am here to tell you that it lives up to the hype. From the opening scene, which features a violent kidnapping, to the minute the credits rolled, I was totally captivated by this movie. It was truly one of the best theater experiences I’ve had in years.

For those who don’t know, “Get Out” follows a young black American, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), as he goes to his girlfriend’s (Allison Williams) parents’ country house for the first time. Once there, things quickly escalate from the expected awkwardness of meeting your significant other’s family for the first time to moments of dread to terrifying events that made this moviegoer rock back and forth in her seat. It’s like if the classic “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” was a psychological thriller.

While the movie is scary, it’s not scary in the blood-and-gore way upon which so many in the genre capitalize. Instead, ideas that are just realistic enough—think hypnosis, brain surgery and a secret dungeon—are what deliver true fright. The movie plays on the very real, primal fear all humans have of others being in control of their own bodies. Additionally, like a truly great horror movie, little things, like a teacup, a bowl of Froot Loops and the search engine Bing, become sinister. At the same time, the movie delivers the clever lines and laughs I would expect from one-half of “Key and Peele.”

In addition to “Get Out” just being a great freaking movie, the film has also made waves for its cerebral, biting political message. It is, after all, about the way black people are treated in contemporary American society. It takes aim not at the outright racists, but at the “woke” liberals, the ones who emphasize how important it is to experience other cultures and who would vote for Obama a third time if they could.

What’s terrifying in the movie isn’t that you don’t see the villain coming but that the protagonist has been conditioned to ignore the warning signs around him. One scene in particular that depicts this is the much-talked-about dinner party scene. White people walk up to Chris and make cringeworthy but expected remarks: “You must be a great athlete.” “Black skin is considered more attractive now.” “You play golf? I know Tiger.” “Is the sex better?” Chris laughs uncomfortably, but accepts these remarks as if he hears them all the time and, as a black man, he likely does.

Chris is paranoid about all the weirdness going on, but can’t voice it because he has been told his entire life that he is being sensitive or crying wolf at racism. As the movie progresses, Peele slowly piles on these awkward encounters into horror movie moments. These microaggressions, these tiny remarks that white people make to remind a black person that he is different from them.

Additionally, the film created great characters. Allison Williams’s Rose is chilling as the wide-eyed, passive girlfriend. She is the character that I, as a white viewer, related to. She talks back to a cop who is guilty of racial-profiling and rolls her eyes at her parents’ uncomfortable, tone-deaf remarks but is still complacent in their racism. As Chris becomes more desperate, she stands to the side. Her character shows that being an ally isn’t enough, that that’s just another way to trap somebody.

I’m white, and no matter how much I try to sympathize, I can never totally understand what it’s like to be a black person who deals with different forms of racism. I can, though, appreciate a funny, scary, well-made movie that portrays the most terrifying parts of this experience. By all accounts, “Get Out” is this movie.

Cover photo courtesy of “The Los Angeles Times.”

These constitutional rights have been exercised extensively as of late in the form of marches and protests across the country. The Women’s March saw a record number of people turn out to protest the new executive office and its proposed legislation; protests against the new immigration restrictions were organized and enacted incredibly quickly. As technology and communication improves, protests are growing larger and are being organized more quickly and efficiently than ever before–and law enforcement is paying attention.

As the number of protests rise, so do the numbers of arrests at protests. Last November, over 100 people were arrested for blocking a McDonald’s entrance at a “Fight for Fifteen” protest in Kansas City. Several activists who oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline have been arrested over the last several months.

At the recent Day Without Immigrants protest in Kansas City, three protesters were arrested. The first arrest of the day was for a protester blocking the street. The ticket issued to this person stated that his offense was that he had “no horn signalling device” and he “did fail to comply by not leaving the area after being told to do so, honking horn inciting a crowd to gather after being told not to use horn.”  All three people who were arrested were Latino, and one is a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, who will now have to defend himself in court and risk losing his legal status.

Of course, protesters getting arrested is nothing new. During the Civil Rights Movement, peaceful protesters who complied with the law were arrested in record numbers. If anything, these arrests worked as publicity for the movement, and brought the protests to national attention.

As these protests and the resulting arrests become more prevalent, we have to wonder, what do our first amendment rights mean anymore? What does it mean that someone can be arrested for honking their horn to show solidarity at a public venue? What are the limits on our freedoms of speech, to petition, to assemble peaceably? Increasingly, it seems that rights are limited when powerful bodies disagree with the actions and rights being exercised.

These limits extend beyond arrests and legal action. In response to several allegations of racism and misconduct on its campus, University of Missouri students held several protests on its Columbia campus in the fall of 2015. At a protest in November, protesters forcibly prevented a member of the press from photographing their “tent city,” which was outdoors on public property, and which students had hailed as a Safe Space.

“We ask for no media in the parameters so the place where people live, fellowship, and sleep can be protected from twisted insincere narratives,” a Twitter account associated with the activists later stated.

In this scenario, the freedom of the press, a civil right guaranteed by the constitution, was restricted in a public place.

These students, of course, were under no obligation to speak to or cooperate with the press. Taxpayers do not pay their salary, and there were other opportunities for the press to cover the story. It was still, though, a limit imposed on a right in a public space.

However, the event did raise questions about the limits of freedom of the press and speech, especially as it applies to safe spaces. The story switched from coverage of these protests for racial equality to a debate about the first amendment.

The events I’ve described are obviously very different, and there are several nuances with both scenarios that I did not get into in this article. However, both deal with a limiting of first amendment rights on public property.

With the advance of smartphones and social media, we are now able to see how first amendment rights are being infringed upon and limited. It seems, especially in recent months, that any time someone with the ability to limit the first amendment rights of someone with whom they disagree, they will do so. Currently, many are questioning the effectiveness of our system of checks and balances, which means that citizens’ protest may be the last “check” at our disposal. It is certainly the one that individuals have the most control over. This being the case, we should all be aware and be very afraid when our freedoms are being limited, both by law enforcement and by other citizens.

Photo courtesy of FreedomWorks.

The process can be confusing, so here’s a rudimentary explanation of the steps it takes to become a member of the president’s Cabinet:

A nominee is nominated by president/president-elect
Senate hearings before relevant Senate committee
Committee votes — if a majority of the committee votes for the nominee, it goes to the Senate floor for a vote by the full body. The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, can bring a nominee to the floor for a full Senate vote even if they do not get the approval of the relevant committee.
Goes to the floor vote in the Senate
Among Donald Trump’s appointments are several former Goldman Sachs employees, as well as several generals. Critics have said that such appointments violate the doctrine of civilian control of the military and favor donors to the Republican party, rather than qualified candidates. Sen. Claire McCaskill criticized Trump’s cabinet stating, “I call it the three ‘G’ Cabinet: Goldman, generals and gazillionaires.”

Most of Trump’s nominees are expected to be confirmed. This is, in part, due to a procedural change implemented by the Democrats when they were in the majority in the Senate in 2013. The party eliminated a rule that required 60 votes to move a nominee to a vote by the full Senate.

Here are the individuals who Trump has appointed to his cabinet:

Secretary of State-The Secretary of State is the chief foreign affairs adviser to the president and carries out the U.S. foreign policy agenda. Rex Tillerson has no experience in government, but did head an international company, Exxon Mobil, for decades. He advocates for a better relationship between the U.S. and Russia, a country he has had business ties with in the past.

Homeland Security Advisor-Tom Bossert previously served in the George W. Bush administration as deputy homeland security adviser. Bossert got attention for an op-ed he wrote in 2015 in which he defended the invasion of Iraq and criticized President Obama’s approach to the use of force.

Secretary of Agriculture-Sonny Perdue is the former governor of Georgia. Perdue is a former veterinarian and Air Force member, and he also ran an agriculture business that specialized in hauling grain. He served on Trump’s agricultural advisory committee during the election.

Secretary of Commerce (not yet confirmed)– Wilbur Ross is a 79-year-old billionaire. He is the chairman and chief strategy officer, as well as the founder, of the private equity firm WL Ross and Co. He made a name for himself by restructuring failing companies and businesses, including one of Trump’s casinos in 1990. The Department of Commerce states that its mission is “to foster, promote, and develop the foreign and domestic commerce.”

Secretary of Defense– James Mattis is a retired Marine Corps general. He served as the commander of U.S. Central Command and oversaw the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In order to serve in this post, Mattis had to receive a congressional waiver from a federal law that states that a member of the military must wait seven years after leaving the armed forces before serving as secretary of defense.

Secretary of Education-Betsy DeVos (not yet confirmed) has been a critic of public schools and an advocate of putting taxpayer dollars to charter schools and voucher programs. During her senate confirmation hearing, she stated that she did not know the differences in evaluation standards for standardized test scores. She has been a longtime Republican donor. No Democratic senator will support DeVos’s nomination, and if one more Republican senator opposes she will not receive the nomination.

Secretary of Energy– Rick Perry (not yet confirmed) was the former governor of Texas. He has previously stated that he would like to abolish the Department of Energy. The Department of Energy is in charge of both regulating the energy industry and managing the country’s nuclear weapons. Trump once tweeted that Perry “should be forced to take an IQ test before being allowed to enter the GOP debate.” Perry has also appeared on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Secretary of Interior– Ryan Zinke (not yet confirmed) is a veteran of the U.S. Navy SEALS. Zinke is currently on the House Armed Services Committee and the Committee on Natural Resources. The Department of the Interior oversees such agencies as the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Geological Survey and the National Park Service.

Attorney General– Jeff Sessions is a Republican senator from Alabama. Sessions advocates for a more stringent immigration policy and an increase in deportations of undocumented immigrants. He was denied an appointment to a federal judgeship in 1986 after lawyers testified he had used racially charged language.

Secretary of Homeland Security– John F. Kelly is a retired Marine Corps general and oversaw Guantanamo Bay prison. The Secretary of Homeland Security is responsible for protecting the nation from terrorism and cyberattacks, recovery from natural disasters and border protection.

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development– Ben Carson (not confirmed) is a retired neurosurgeon. Carson has no government experience, but says that as the son of a single mother, he was prepared for the secretary role. This department oversees policy on home ownership, housing assistance, fair housing practices and addresses homelessness and housing development.

Secretary of Labor– Andrew Puzder (not confirmed) is the chief executive officer of CKE Restaurants Inc., which is the parent company of several fast-food restaurants including Hardee’s. In the past, he has been opposed movements to increase the minimum wage and regulating overtime pay. The Department of Labor oversees the welfare, working conditions and opportunities for workers, job seekers and retirees.

Secretary of Transportation-Elaine Chao served as secretary of labor under George W. Bush and the deputy secretary of transportation under George H.W. Bush. She also served as a member of his Asian Pacific American Advisory Committee. She is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Secretary of Treasury-As Secretary of Treasury, Steven Mnuchin will oversee economic and financial systems. Mnuchin has no government experience, but did work at Goldman Sachs for 17 years and headed a California bank that foreclosed on an estimated 36,000 homes.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs-David Shulkin (not confirmed) is a physician and was appointed as the undersecretary for health in the Department of Veterans Affairs by President Obama. This office is in charge of providing benefits and health care to veterans of the U.S. military.

Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency-Scott Pruitt has served as attorney general of Oklahoma since 2010. He is an advocate of the oil and gas industries and has actively opposed the environmental regulations that the Obama administration put in place, saying such work was government overreach. This department oversees federal regulations, distributes grants and conducts studies concerning the environment.

Health and Human Services– Congressman Tom Price serves as chairman of the House Budget Committee. He has stated that he plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act and privatize medicare.

Head of CIA– Kan. Congressman Mike Pompeo has worked in the aerospace and oil industries and was a part of the investigation into the allegations surrounding the 2012 Benghazi attacks.

Ambassador to UN– Nikki Haley, the first female and minority governor of South Carolina, doesn’t have much diplomatic experience. She called the suggestions that Trump made during the campaign for a travel ban on Muslims “an embarrassment to the Republican Party.”

Supreme Court Nominee– Neil Gorsuch is the youngest supreme court nominee in decades, which is worth noting since judges hold their seats for life. He has clerked for two Supreme Court justices and also served as a clerk on the second most important appeals court in the country, in Washington D.C. In this position, he ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby in its infamous contraception case before it went to the Supreme Court. Several Senate Democrats, including Elizabeth Warren, have stated that they will filibuster the nominee. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s decided to block any consideration of President Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court one year ago, following Antonin Scalia’s death.

While many members of Trump’s administration must face confirmation hearings, there are some officials who do not require confirmation. Here are the most prominent:

Chief Strategist– Steve Bannon is the former executive chairman of Breitbart, the right-wing news website. Bannon served as Trump’s campaign advisor for the final months of the campaign. He was briefly in the U.S. Navy and worked at Goldman Sachs in the 1980s. As chief strategist, Bannon will act as a close advisor to the president and hold a permanent spot on the national security council.

Chief of Staff- The chief of staff acts as an immediate advisor to the president and is considered the highest member of the president’s cabinet. Reince Priebus previously served as the Republican National Committee chairman, was on the RNC general counsel and acted as chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.