March 23, 2011

THESE GIRLS PACK A PUNCH: Emily Browning stars as a fiery femme fatale in Zack Snyder’s action-fantasy flick ‘Sucker Punch’

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Wednesday n March 23, 2011

SPRING BREAK CYCLING: MSU men’s and women’s teams traveled to Baton Rouge for weekend races, downsouth cuisine

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An MSU student signs a ‘peace pledge’ in the Clark Student Center. (Photo by Hannah Hofmann)

Students sign peace pledge Brittney Cottingham Features Editor

More than 100 students signed the Pledge for Nonviolence with the Student Buddhist Association as part of the Victory Over Violence (VOV) exhibit Tuesday.

The pledge states: “I will value my own life. I will respect all life.

I will actively pursue dialogue. I will inspire hope in others.”

Local members of the Soka Gakkai International, a national Buddhist organization, were on hand at the exhibit to share insights with students.

Lindsay Steigerwald, president of the MSU Student Buddhist Association, is what SGI calls a “fortune baby” – a child born into the organization that is “fortunate enough to have this in their lives since birth.”

The purpose of the student organization is to help people attain “true happiness by mani-

A car accident paralyzed MSU student Merideth Selvidge when she was 3 years old. (Photo by Hannah Hofmann)

Sophomore stays upbeat despite handicap Josh Hayter For the Wichitan

Photographs and a few faded memories are all Merideth Selvidge has to remind her that, at one time, she was able to walk.

It’s been 16 years since a car accident left the MSU student from Burkburnett a paraplegic at the age of 3.

It was March 31, 1995.

Selvidge’s mother was driving through the early morning fog toward Merideth’s grandmother’s house where she was to

spend the day. The light turned red as the car approached the intersection.

She hit the brakes and waited for the light to change. It turned green and she accelerated. A split second later, their lives were changed forever.

“The truck didn’t see us in time to slow down,” Selvidge said. “He hit my mom’s side of the car and pushed us into a traffic light pole on my side. The force of the crash threw me forward.”

The impact bruised her spine, paralyzing her from the waist down.

Selvidge spent the next 3 and a half

months at Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth.

“It didn’t make much sense to me when they said, ‘You can’t use your legs anymore,’” the brown-eyed brunette recalled.

“It was really hard for my mom, because she was the one driving the car. She felt that I would blame her (but) I don’t. It wasn’t her fault. It’s just been normal for me since then because I was so young.”

Today, the freshman wheels her way to class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She stud-

See SELVIDGE on page 4

festing their highest potential in life.”

“We believe that happiness is being able to experience profound joy that comes from never being defeated by any problem in life,” Steigerwald said.

The most common misconception about violence is that only physical violence exists.

In fact, there are many types of violence, including verbal, psychological and emotional abuse, Steigerwald said.

The Student Buddhist Association has another peace and nonviolence oriented exhibit planned for the near future.

“The future is in the hands of our generation, so it is really encouraging to see how many students support the cause,” Steigerwald said.

To get involve with the student Buddhist organization, students can go to their Facebook page for more information, “SGI-USA Student Buddhist Association at Midwestern.”

‘Great Days’ expected to draw many workers Chris Collins Managing Editor

One of MSU’s biggest annual philanthropy projects, Great Days of Service, will be held April 9.

Approximately 150 students, faculty and staff have already signed up to participate in the volunteer program, although Fulton expects about 600 to sign up eventually.

“We’ve gotten the word out better this year, and we expect a bigger turnout,” said Candice Fulton, assistant professor of

chemistry. Fulton has headed up the program since it began four years ago.

Autism House, Big Brothers and Sisters, Boy Scouts, Campfire, CASA, Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill Thrift Store, Riverbend Natureworks, United Way, Whispers of Hope and other organizations have applied for help from the Great days of Service volunteers.

“We all have something we can give,” she said. “You can always find a few hours to donate.

The deadline for students to sign up for the program is April 7.

Veterans come together to create campus club Chris Collins Managing Editor

The swirling, charred ash.

The dead bodies. The deafening clack-clacking of automatic gunfire.

These things are distant memories for senior education major Robert Maxwell, but they will stay with him for the rest of his life. The 43-year-old retired Air Force serviceman said he doesn’t like to talk about the time he spent fighting for his country in the Gulf War.

Maxwell, who served 16 years in the military, retired due to medical disability He has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an anxiety disorder some people experience after being faced with neardeath experiences.

He doesn’t like to talk about it – unless it’s with fellow servicemen and servicewomen.

“You’re looking for familiarity wherever you go,” Maxwell said. “Going to school here is a change for anybody, let alone the transition we’re making.”

But he’s trying to make things better for himself and other veterans currently attending MSU. That’s why he’s spearheading the instatement of the Armed Forces Veteran’s Organization at MSU, a group intended to share information and stories between veterans.

Although only 9 members are currently on the organization’s roster, the group claims more than 50 contacts at MSU. If all goes as planned, the organization will be up and running by the fall semester.

Maxwell said he didn’t have any luck when he attempted to start the organization last spring.

“I tried to start this a year ago and hit a brick wall,” he said.

Millie Gore, professor of counseling, kinesiology and special education, attended a conference in Austria this year where students suffering from PTSD were discussed. When she returned to Wichita Falls, she resurrected Maxwell’s plan and breathed life in the organization.

“This group of students has very different needs,” Gore said.

“They have seen terrible things.

Some of them have had to kill people.”

Also, some veterans may feel like students don’t recognize the service they’ve done for their country.

“They go from a regimented world to the free-wheeling world of college,” she said. “They feel like students and faculty don’t appreciate the role they’ve

See VETERANS on page 3

Robert Maxwell displays badges of honor. (Photo by Chris Collins)

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The Wichitan

campusvoice nour view

Legislature should hold its fire

Texas legislators are locked on a misguided and potentially dangerous target – a law that would allow concealed handguns on college campuses.

The legislation in question would make it legal for anyone with a license to carry concealed handguns in the state of Texas to bring weapons into campus buildings, incuding residence halls.

Proponents of concealed carry on campus argue that students, faculty and staff should have the right to defend themselves against potential armed attackers.

While tragedies like the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre are always a potential threat, inviting individuals to arm themselves preemptively is a step in the wrong direction.

College and university presidents from across the state have stood up against the prospect of guns on campus, but their protests seem to be falling on deaf ears. More than half of the state House of Representatives - some

80 members - are backing concealed carry legislation. Senators have thus far shown similar support.

Advocates of guns on campus allege that individuals with licenses to carry concealed weapons undergo intensive training and must not have a criminal background or suffer from chemical dependencies or mental illness.

Even that argument is flawed. To obtain a license in the state of Texas, an individual must pass a criminal background check, state that you are of sound mind and take part in a 10 hour training course.

Ten hours is not “extensive training.” A college student will spent 45 hours per semester in a computer class to learn how to use Microsoft Office, but can carry a lethal weapon with only 10 hours of instruction. Something is wrong with this picture.

Proponents will also argue that at colleges and universities that currently allow concealed carry, there have been

no campus shootings. They ignore the

fact that most campuses that disallow

guns have avoided active shooter situations, as well.

If nothing else, legislators should give

individual institutions the power to de-

cide whether or not to allow weapons

March 23, 2011

thewichitan 3410 Taft Blvd. Box 14 n Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 News Desk: (940) 397-4704 n Ads: (940) 397-4705 Fax (940) 397-4025 n E-mail WICHITAN@mwsu.edu

editorial board

nEditor in Chief: Brittany Norman nManaging Editor: Chris Collins n FEATURES/ A&E Editor: Brittney Cottingham nOp-Ed Editor: Cameron Shaffer nSports Editor: Andre Gonzales nPhoto Editor: Hannah Hofmann nAdvertising manager: Rachel Bingham nCopy editors: Alyssa Johnston nadviser: Randy Pruitt

on their respective campuses. Lawmak-

nReporters: Orlando Flores, Caitlin Ruth

college communities as the faculty, staff

nPhotographers: Kassie Bruton, Damian Atamenwan

ers do not have the same insight into and students do.

They should listen to the arguments

of college administrators, faculty mem-

bers, law enforcement officials, parents

and students who ask them to consider the potential risks and consider them

as carefully as the opinions of the many individuals who are in favor of the

legislation. Their decision needs to be

driven by reason rather than a desire to

Copyright © 2011. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication. Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (350 words or less) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a telephone number and address for verification purposes. The editor retains the right to edit letters.

maximize political impact.

Multiculturalism will fail in Europe, but succeed in U.S. nSocietal Floss

“If you come to France, you accept to melt into a single community, which is the national community…And if you do not want to accept that, you cannot be welcome in France.”

French President Nicholas Sarkozy sounded off in February, joining a growing trend among European leaders. Sarkozy and other European leaders have argued that multiculturalism is a failure.

Sarkozy also said, “We have been too concerned about the identity of the person who was arriving and not enough about the identity of the country that was receiving him.”

Former Spanish President José Maria Aznar says that multiculturalism “weakens and divides societies” and comments

by British Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel echo that.

Merkel said in a speech last October that “And of course, the approach [to build] a multicultural [society] and to live sideby-side and to enjoy each other... has failed, utterly failed.”

Europe’s immigrant population has boomed over the past two decades and a very large chunk of that boom has come from the Arab world. The British and French heads of governments have been generally referring to the local Muslim population with their comments.

Sarkozy states that, “…we in France do not want people [Muslims] to pray in an ostentatious way in the street.”

Cameron said “Under the doctrine of state multiculturalism, we have encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and apart from the mainstream” and that this caused radical Muslim youth to “[behave] in ways that run completely counter to our values.”

In a recent poll in Germany, over 30% of respondents said they felt like the country was being “overrun by foreigners.” Recent laws passed in France and Switzerland that limit the freedom of expression of Muslims, whether in the name of women’s rights (France ‘s ban on the burqua) or preserving the cultural landscape

Cameron Shaffer Opinion Editor (Switzerland’s constitutional ban on the construction of minarets) are examples of the efforts being made in Europe to protect the traditional feel of the continent.

The people in these countries that want a more Europe-like feel to Europe are growing in numbers and political power.

The Danish Peoples Party in Denmark is one example.

Europe’s cultural problems should serve as a warning to the United States and as a reminder of why the American system is better than the traditions of the “old world.”

A close examination of Cameron, Merkel, and Sarkozy’s statements shows that they are primarily concerned with preserving the traditional feel of each of their countries. To be British is to do and enjoy British things and to be German is to speak German and be like the other Germans.

The cultures of Europe are based around ethnic and traditional identities and the people there want to protect that. Of course it will be hard for other cultures to exist alongside a protectionistic home culture.

And that is what makes the United States better than Europe. The cultural of the U.S.A. is not based around ethnic identity, but around ideas and values.

It is, as Abraham Lincoln put it, “a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

Or, as Emma Lazarus’ poem says of the Statue of Liberty, “…

Keep, ancient lands, your storied

pomp!” cries she, with silent lips.

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”

A society that is founded upon the ideal that our creator endowed all of the human race with certain inalienable rights, particulalry liberty and equality will succeed in being multicultural. Unlike Europe, where the citizens are tied together and bonded by their common ethnic heritage, the prime culture of America is one of freedom and equality.

As long as the people of America hold true to that, no matter their ethnicity or traditions, America will succeed.

The Amecican culture of liberty, freedom, and equality is far from perfected and has gone through quiet a bit of purification. From a civil war that left hundreds of thousands dead to over hundred years of civil rights efforts and marches to fulfill the dreams of our nation, America has endured freedom being squelched by our own people and responded with freedom prevailing.

But America is on an everupward march, optimistically moving closer to the standard of our cultural ideals that unify the melting pot of our country.

The European nations are on a regressive path in regards to equality and liberty because liberty and equality are not their cultural foundation.

The strength of the U.S. is in its diversity of people and cultural heritages within the unified philosophy of liberty. Midwestern State is an excellent microcosm of how that works.

8.2% of our students are international with some the highlights of the year coming from the international student community, such as Caribfest. Part of what makes Midwestern great is the diversity and multiculturalism that is here.

Where Europe continues to fail with their multiculturalism due to their basis of ethnicity and tradition, the United States succeeds because of our foundation of liberty. And Midwestern serves as a great example of that success.

nletters to the editor This week marks the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, which took place on 25 March 1911.

The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers--most of them Jewish immigrant women between the ages of 16 and 23--who had been locked in the factory by management. At the time it was the worst industrial accident in the history of New York City and remains the fourth deadliest workplace disaster in U.S. history.

In the aftermath of the tragedy nationwide attention was focused on dangerous and unsanitary conditions in the sweatshops as well as the mistreatment and exploitation of factory employees.

Hundreds of workers organized with the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU) and successfully campaigned for workplace safety legislation.

The American labor movement may have been conceived at Haymarket Square, but it was born from the ashes of the Triangle Fire.

Next year marks the centennial of the Lawrence Textile Strike; the follow-

ing year, the centennial of the Bread and Roses Strike. What do all these events share in common? They made possible the 8-hour day, the 5-day/40-hour work week (and the weekend!), the abolition of child labor, the institution of workplace safety regulations, and the right to collective bargaining--all of which, in turn, made possible the American Middle Class.

Our forebears fought long and hard, suffered, even died for these blessings-blessings which we all enjoy and take for granted, blessings which we are increasingly at risk of losing.

I encourage you to take a moment this week to read about the history of the American labor movement, to appreciate all of the good things it has gained for the citizens of this country, and to think long and hard about whether you are prepared to give those things up. As the old worker song says, “Which side are you on?”

Thanks for your article (Total museum costs approach $3 million, March 9).

I can’t understand why Mr. Ash would want to disconnect faculty with their seniors, or why he would miss a wonderful opportunity to connect the museum with our esteemed Juanita Harvey Art Galleries.

In the past it made for an event-filled evening of trailing back and forth between spaces.

Nathan Jun Assistant Professor of Philosophy

Catherine Prose, Gallery Director and Assistant Professor: The Juanita Harvey Art Gallery

March 23, 2011

news

VETERANS...............................................................................................................................continued from page 1

Veteran Robert Maxwell (Photo by Chris Collins)

played as soldiers.”

Maxwell said he can easily pick out fellow veterans from the sea of students at MSU. For him, posture, hair length, and note-taking habits give them away.

“We can spot a vet in the classroom as soon as we get there,” he said. “You pick up on the little

things.”

He said veterans generally behave differently in class than other students, too.

“He’s not gonna be the one with his head on the desk saying, ‘I can’t believe there’s 30 minutes left in class.’”

Most veterans don’t like to discuss what they’ve done in battle, he said.

“If you were to ask them, ‘What was it like?’, they’re not going to tell you. That’s just the way it is. There are 3 guys I know that are sweeping and clearing every time they walk into a classroom.”

He said he personally dislikes talking war with civilians.

“I’m not going to talk to you about some things. It’s like, ‘You weren’t there. You have no idea. Because you weren’t there, you don’t even have a right to know.’ It’s information I wouldn’t even bring up to my parents, and they were in (the military).”

Some veterans, however, aren’t squeamish at all about sharing their war stories.

“Some of them will tell you everything in the world. But me, I keep all that private.

There’s some things I don’t tell anybody.”

He might, however, talk to other veterans about tasks he’s carried out during wartime.

“The majority of the time, that’s who they’ll talk to – somebody with a similar experience.”

That’s the beauty of the organization, he said. It will be a source of camaraderie and common threads of discussion.

“It’s nice to have someone who knows what our acronyms are,” Maxwell said. “The silly little stories, the MREs. A little air of familiarity in a sea of unknown.”

He said his experiences in the military and at MSU differ in drastically in pace. In the Air Force, Maxwell was applying what he learned within a matter of months. In a university setting, using his learned skills practically could take years.

“Sometimes the pace can be too slow,” he said.

He hopes the organization will create a line of communication for veterans, whether that be discussing new ways to fund their education or just swapping stories.

“Sometimes the easiest way to get something off your mind is to just spew it out. If we don’t help

The Wichitan n 3

campus briefs

each other out, who will?”

Maxwell said he tries to apply himself completely to his studies in the special education department. n tHURSDAY: “If I’m going to let the taxpayers pay my way Education Career Fair. D.L. through college, I’m going to maintain a decent Ligon Coliseum. 9 a.m.

GPA. I’m not going to take the gift I was given and just goof off. If I went out drinking the n Saturday: night before class, it just wouldn’t feel right.”

Caribbean Expressions. Akin He said he decided to specialize in special education after being placed in resource classAuditorium. 7 p.m. rooms during practicum studies. He was placed in classrooms where children with autism and n Monday: Downs Syndrome we taught.

Artist Lecture Series: Michael “After dealing with these special children, Uslan: Akin Auditoriumi. 7 p.m.

I ended up liking it, then loving it,” he said.

“Whether it’s a junior high kid with behavior issues or a 20-year-old with Asperger’s or secAfter retirement, Rios slipped into alcoholism ond-grader with Downs Syndrome, I love them. and eventually depression.

They’re mine.”

“I drank a lot,” he said. “I look back and think, He said he could love teaching special ed. as ‘Thank God I’m where I’m at right now.’” much as he loved working for the military.

He said he attended group therapy sessions and “You find a job you love and you never work a started to see a psychiatrist once a week upon reday in your life. I might be lucky enough to find turning to the states. After letting some time pass, that twice in my life. I’ve seen some frightening Rios feels like a new person. things in my life – but if you really want to be “I just felt like my whole world was taken out scared, try being left alone in a room with a bunch from under me.

I’m not going to say everything is of second-graders.” perfect now, but I have my family and kids and I Teaching is a lot like being in the military, he feel good.” said. You have to stay on your toes. “You adapt to Rios, who is able to sleep every three or four the situation you’re given. You deal with it and do days, has blocked out his memories of war, many the best you can.” of which are painful for him to recall.

The Armed Forces Veteran’s Organization is “I don’t talk about it,” he said. “When I left Iraq, headed up by senior social work major Ramon I didn’t leave anything behind. You can’t imagine Rios, a retired serviceman for the Army. in the smell, the noise, the screaming.”

At age 29, Rios was honorably discharged from Rios, who never graduated from high school, the military for medical reasons after serving 11 decided to attend college to set a good example years. He said he used to resent the Army for retirfor his four children.

Now he has a 3.7 GPA and ing him so early in his career, but has been trying is enrolled in 17 credit hours at MSU. He decided to let go of that. to take part in the organization after Maxwell apHis 18-month stint in Iraq left him suffering proached him with the idea. from short- and long-term memory loss, as well He said he wants members to volunteer in the as asthma from inhaling sand. Rios has been dicommunity at least once a semester. He also plans agnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and a to speak to the MSU ROTC about military life. traumatic brain injury.

“If I can help just one person, it’s a big deal to He said he now has problems remembering the me,” Rios said. names of his nieces and nephews and other family Dues for the organization will probably be from members. $5 - $10 per semester, he said. Its faculty sponsor is “It’s hard,” Rios said. “I take lots of notes and Jim Gorham, assistant professor of mass commulook at my calendar every 30 minutes to make sure nication, who is enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

I’m not missing stuff.”

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news

The Wichitan

March 23, 2011

Officials say 94 students were among 108 people who died at Ookawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki, Japan, when the usunami swept through the school. (Photo Courtesy)

The quake heard ‘round the world

Kerr Country residents stand together in support of distant loved ones after natural disaster in Japan Melissa Boughton MCT Disaster struck more than 6,000 miles away March 11 in Japan, prompting local residents to pull together and do what they can to help distant loved ones and victims of the tragedy.

With a reported death toll of more than 18,000 and an estimated rebuilding cost of $235 billion to repair the damages left in the wake of a devastating earthquake and tsunami, Kerr County residents are praying for loved ones and chipping in to make a difference in Japan.

Gloria Louk of Kerrville said when she first heard about the natural disasters abroad, she was

“very concerned,” because her brother and his family live in Japan.

Louk said she messaged him on Facebook right away and was surprised at how quickly he responded.

“It is just a comfort to know we can stay in touch that way,” she said.

Louk’s brother, Alan Engel, has lived about an hour northeast of Tokyo, in Tsukuba, since 2007 for work, and said his city was minimally affected by the quake itself.

“There was fairly severe shaking,” he said, adding that it was about a 6 on a 7-point scale.

“You definitely had to hold on to a rail.”

Engel said in a phone inter-

view Friday that other than a few broken windows and a crack on the floor, his home didn’t receive any serious damage.

The magnitude 9 earthquake – one of the largest in recorded history – hit much of Japan, including the northeast coast of the archipelago and the coast of Sendai, and triggered a 32-foot high tsunami, killing thousands and sweeping away everything in its path, including houses, ships and cars.

“It’s just a complete mess,” Engel said of the devastation.

“I’ve been glued to the news for a week.”

Since the deadly disaster hit more than a week ago, a nuclear power scare is fueling fears of radiation leaks from a nuclear

power plant in Fukushima.

The Red Cross reported the evacuation of residents living within 12 miles of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and within six miles of Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant.

People living between 12 and 18 miles of Fukushima Daiichi were advised to stay indoors.

Higher than normal radiation reportedly was found in spinach and milk samples from the area around the nuclear power plant.

With many discrepancies between the U.S. and Japanese media reports, residents are unsure of what exactly is happening.

“Panic is contagious,” Engel said. “(The news) is generating a fair bit of needless concern here among foreign villages.”

Engel urged locals not to worry too much. He said he and his family have no intention of leaving the area.

“Japan will be alright,” he said.

“It will pick itself up, and I am looking forward to participating.”

The Salvation Army in Japan has three emergency service relief teams operating in areas devastated by the earthquake and tsunami. One of the teams is assisting people who have been evacuated from areas where there is potential danger, because of damage to nuclear power generation stations.

“The money that we are getting here, and the money that The Salvation Army is getting internationally, is being used in

areas that are highly devastated to help with basic needs such as food, water, clothing and shelter,” Meredith said.

The American Red Cross has committed an initial $10 million and provided an advisor to a high-level support and liaison team to the Japanese Red Cross to assist its ongoing efforts to provide medical care and relief assistance following the earthquake and tsunami, according to a press release.

“Right now there is a race to get supplies there,” Engel said of what the area needs.

Residents who want to contribute to The American Red Cross or The Salvation Army to assist with the Japanese crisis.

tors, driving should be out of the question.

“There are things that I shouldn’t be able to do,” she said, “(But) anything that seems impossible might not be.”

When she was 14, Selvidge and her family took a trip across the world to see just how “impossible” it was for her to walk again. In Azerbaijan, a country between Russia and Iran, doctors performed a stem cell replacement procedure that would theoretically give her the ability to walk.

“I didn’t really want to go,” Selvidge confessed. “I was afraid that something would go wrong and that it would cause more problems.”

Still, she was excited about the possibilities the operation might lend her.

“It would be amazing if I could walk again,” she thought.

“I’m happy where I am now, but even if I don’t get anything back, I haven’t lost anything. I mean, you have to try, and if it doesn’t work, maybe something will come along later.”

People from her hometown rallied together and raised the $30,000 for the procedure and she was on her way to the country near the Caspian Sea. Doctors there took her own bone marrow and harvested her stem cells so they would not be rejected.

They then injected the cells into her spine. Since her spine was not actually severed, the stem cells would regenerate and re-open the connection with the nerve cells.

She returned home 14 days later.

In the weeks and months following the procedure, the realization that she wasn’t going to walk set in. But it wasn’t all for nothing.

“It did have its advantages,” Selvidge said. “My balance is better and some of the muscles in my back and sides I can now use, which is really helpful being able to drive because I can get myself in and out of my car. It’s a baby step. You have to take baby steps to get anywhere in life.”

That’s the positive outlook she tries to have on most things.

She gives her family credit for that attitude. Selvidge said her mom is the most positive person she has ever known.

“She wakes up being happy and excited about the day and about life,” she said. “My dad’s always been encouraging. (He has) always worked hard in life at everything. He would tell me, ‘I want you to do well in school so you can be better (and) go further.’ He always says, ‘Do your best. As long as you know you’ve done your best, then you can go to sleep at night and be happy with the day.’”

Nevertheless, it’s not always easy for Selvidge.

“There are times when it’s just like, ‘This really sucks. This is not good.’ But it’s just something you have to deal with. Everyone has to deal with something,” she said. “I get really mad when people say, ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ Some things do, and I do believe that, but not

everything. I don’t really under- recalled a trip to the movies stand why it happened and that’s where a boy was staring blatantly really frustrating. But I try not for several minutes. Her friend to dwell on that because it’s not told him off. going to get you anywhere. You She also sticks up for herself, can ask ‘Why?’ until you’re blue though. She recalled a time when in the face, and you’re not going she was at the grocery store and to know. You just have to move a curious cashier asked her, “So, on. It’s a struggle sometimes but what’s your deal?” Taken aback, I just have to stay positive.” she told him, “If you’d like to reHer friends help take her phrase, that would be great.” mind off those struggles. “My You may have seen her rollfriends are amazing and there is ing across campus with a bright so much that I’ve done because smile on her face. She’s strong, of them,” she said. she sits tall and her smile says it She said that at times, she feels all. She’s grateful for everything like she might be slowing them that she has. Her family. Her down or making things difficult friends. Her life. but they always figure out a way to include her.

“I forget you’re in a wheelchair,” a friend once told her.

“You don’t act like you are. You don’t act like something’s w r o n g with you.”

“Knowing that people think that makes me feel really good,” Selvidge said.

Growing up, her friends were always there for her. She Meredith Selvidge. (Photo by Hannah Hoffman)

“I could have died or been a lot worse off than I am. But I didn’t,” she said. “I thank God for that because even though it’s hard, I can still do it. I’m still here.”

Selvidge said she’s not sure what her life would be like if she was walking and wonders if she would be a different kind of person.

“This is how I am,” she said.

“This is what happened. Everything that happens to you, good or bad, makes you who you are.

You can’t deny that and you have to be thankful for what you’ve learned from it.”

selvidge....................................................................................................................................................................................................continued from page 1

ies elementary education and plans to pursue a degree in deaf education. Her love for deaf children was sparked her senior year after her high school American Sign Language (ASL) class took a trip to Cunningham Elementary and signed stories to the deaf children there.

“I just really enjoyed it and decided I was going to do that with my life,” Selvidge said.

She said she never thought she would be living on her own in the dorm room because her parents only live 20 minutes away from MSU. “It was my mom’s idea,” she said.

She repeated her mother’s words: “You need to see if you can do this. You need to see if you can do this without us.”

“It was a really good decision,” Selvidge said. “It helped me grow up a lot and that’s important. It’s a good feeling to know that I can be independent.”

Selvidge has been able to drive a car since she was 16 years old.

She steers with her right hand and uses a hand control to accelerate, brake and shift with her left.

“I probably smiled for a week straight when I got my car!” she said. “I would drive everywhere!

I didn’t think I would be able to do that.”

Selvidge said she has exceeded her own expectations for herself.

With her injury being so high up on her spine (she is a C7/ C8 paraplegic), she should not be able to use her hands as well as she does. According to doc-

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March 23, 2011

The Wichitan n 5

Girl power : Action heroines pack a ‘Punch’ most always, they are thoroughly rouged and suggestively dressed. mct “It was difficult, at first, to convince the studio, not because Black undies? Or white? it’s about all-female action charIt was a choice that confront- acters but because it was so difed writer-director Zack Snyder ferent,” says Snyder’s wife, Debowhile making “Sucker Punch,” rah, who helped produce the film a mostly female action-fantasy for Warner Bros. “You usually starring Emily Browning as a pitch them a set of comps” – that gun-toting, sword-swinging is, clips of comparable movies – killer deceptively named Baby- “but there were no comps for a doll. She dispatches zombies and movie like this. That was both robots with the kind of brutality exciting and scary.” that made Snyder’s mostly male “Sucker Punch” features five “300” a hit in 2007, but she also young actresses cast somewhat wears a thigh-high skirt that, against type. Browning (Babyas viewers will discover when doll) starred in the kids’ film “Sucker Punch” opens Friday, “Lemony Snicket’s A Series can be rather revealing. of Unfortunate Events.” AbThe underwear question in- bie Cornish (Sweet Pea) played volved more than just aesthetics. John Keats’ love interest in the As it turns out, Snyder wanted costume drama “Bright Star.” the color to downplay any titil- Jamie Chung (Amber) recently lation, not increase it. had an eye-candy role in Adam It’s a small but important Sandler’s “Grown Ups.” point that underscores the tricky Jena Malone (Rocket) is nature of a movie whose sexual known for indie films like “Baspolitics are as multi layered as tard Out of Carolina.” And its plot. A three-tiered narrative Vanessa Hudgens (Blondie) is that unfolds in an insane asylum, a dimpled tween idol from Disa brothel and the escapist fanta- ney’s “High School Musical” sies of its beleaguered heroine, franchise.

“Sucker Punch” is a visual blend For “Sucker Punch,” howof pulp comics, steampunk and ever, they practiced martial arts, video-game violence, all shot in trained with assault rifles and Snyder’s signature heightened worked out under Logan Hood, style. One minute its female a former Navy SEAL who also characters are invincible warriors, wrangled Snyder’s actors on the next they’re chattel. And al- “300.” Malone, for one, piled 10 Rafer Guzman

Above: Emily Browning plays Babydoll in this epic action fantasy. Right Corner: Director Zack Snyder talks with Browning, Jena Malone and Abbie Corinish about their next action scene. Right: From ‘High School Musical’ fame, actress Vanessa Hudgens shows a more racy side with Nakibe and Cornish in ‘Sucker Punch.’ (Photo Courtesy)

‘Jane Eyre’ gets remade with an Indie twist Steven Rea MCT

“You can only breathe so much in corsets,” says Mia Wasikowska, who was required to wear such an apparatus, along with various bell-shaped skirts, flounced petticoats, and tight little bonnets, as she assayed the title role in the new and beautifully miserable “Jane Eyre.”

“It restricts your voice and your breath, and it’s really symbolic of the repression of the day,” she observes. “That’s very much what that time represented for women – physical repression that becomes mental. Oh, it’s crazy.”

In this new iteration of the oft-filmed “Jane Eyre,” director Cary Fukunaga (“Sin Nombre”) and his costume designer drew their wardrobe inspiration from the fashions of the early 1840s. There’s one emotionally devastating scene in which Wasikowska’s Jane frantically tries to get out of her corset, with a close-up of her fingers on the laces as she desperately unknots row after row. She’s like a scuba diver in trouble, madly trying to untangle in the deep, struggling to shed the malfunctioning oxygen tank, and making for the surface.

“It’s the same thing with me when I get home at the end of the day,” Wasikowska says, laughing. “The first thing I do is I take everything off and jump into my pajamas.

“Freedom.”

For Wasikowska (pronounced vash-i-kov-ska), playing Charlotte Bronte’s star-crossed heroine was a dream come true. When the Australian actress, all of 21 now, had finished Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” in 2009, she hied back to her parents’ home in Canberra, waiting for news of potential projects.

“It was the first time I had been home and didn’t have any schoolwork to do,” she recalls, on the phone from New York recently, “so I was like, ‘Whoa, what am I going to do?’

“So I made a list of ‘the classics’ – books that I thought I should get to – and Jane Eyre was there on the bookshelf, so I started reading. I was at Chapter 5 and I called my agent up and asked if there was a script around, and there wasn’t at the time. The book was incredible, and so dense, just Jane’s internal monologue from start to finish. ... But two months later she called me and she said, ‘Here’s the script, and the director would like to meet with you.’ “ The rest is history. Or, more accurately, Victorian Gothic feminist fiction.

Shot on the moors and dales of Derbyshire, where the skies are forever sheathed in clouds, and in historic country houses that Fukunaga and his crew lit solely by candlelight, “Jane Eyre” stars Michael Fessbender as the mercurial and brooding Rochester.

The actor, who played Irish Republican Bobby Sands in the rivet-

ing “Hunger,” is only slightly less daunting and charismatic than Orson Welles was in the 1943 adaptation. Joan Fontaine, then 26, was the estranged, woebegone Jane in Robert Stevenson’s version.

“I definitely wanted to cast young, and I wanted to cast someone who wasn’t your standard Hollywood face,” says Fukunaga in a separate interview.

“I wanted someone who had an intelligent and emotionally subtle approach to acting,” he explains.

“And I was introduced to Mia through friends who told me to see what she did in ‘In Treatment.’ And I was just floored by how much of a raw and natural talent she has.”

In the first season of HBO’s “In Treatment,” Wasikowska was Sophie, a teen gymnast with suicidal impulses who sought counsel from therapist Gabriel Byrne.

It was a part, and a performance, that put the then unknown on the map.

Along with her starring role as ‘Alice and Wonderland’ actress Mia Wasikowsthe girl who goes down the rabbit ka stars in the film adaptation of the 1847 novhole in “Alice,” Wasikowska appeared el, ‘Jane Eyre’ with Michael Fassbender as Edlast year opposite Annette Bening, ward Rocheser. (Photo Courtesy) Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo in Lisa Cholodenko’s Oscar-nomiwrote the script, and nated “The Kids Are All Right,” playing the daughter (named after Guy Pearce and Gary Joni Mitchell) of the lesbian couple. She and her brother ( Josh Oldman also star.

Hutcherson) go out and find the anonymous sperm donor — their Then comes “Stoker,” father. Conflict and confusion ensue. in which Wasikowska Wasikowska has two other films ready for release this year. plays another teen — “Restless,” from director Gus Van Sant, is the story of a terminally one who has lost her faill teenager who falls for a boy who spends his time going to funer- ther. “Old Boy’s” Chanals; somehow, the ghost of a Japanese kamikaze pilot factors into wook Park is the director, the equation. and Colin Firth and NiAnd then there’s “Albert Nobbs,” from a script by Glenn Close, cole Kidman are set for who also stars, directed by “In Treatment’s” Rodrigo Garcia. key roles, too.

And it looks to continue, with two new projects lined up for later “Right now I’m excitthis year. later I’ll be exhausted.”

“The Wettest County in the World” is a Depression-era crime drama from director John Hillcoat, who did “The Road.” Nick Cave

pounds of muscle on her 5-foot6-inch frame and eventually pushed her rack dead-lift weight to 300 pounds.

The film goes so far as to exclude men entirely from the main cast. There are no “boyfriend” roles at all, and most of the male characters are villains, from Babydoll’s abusive stepfather to brothel owner Blue (Oscar Isaac, “Robin Hood”). Scott Glenn plays the Wise Man, a benevolent father figure who sends the women into battle; he is the film’s only “redemptive” male, according to Snyder.

At the same time, Snyder wanted his female characters to embrace certain traditional sexual archetypes — “the nurse, the French maid, the schoolgirl,” he says — and simultaneously take control of them. Such archetypes are common in movies with explicit sexual content, he notes, yet “Sucker Punch” seems destined to cause some hand-wringing even though it contains no sex scenes at all.

“The most dangerous place to go, I think, with female sexuality, is when people are conscious of their own sexuality and it becomes a tool,” Snyder says. “I thought we had a sexual revolution and everyone is cool with that. But apparently it’s still a hot-button issue.”

ed,” says Wasikowska. “Maybe

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The Wichitan

Peace, Love & LipGloss

How to fake looking awake

After a glorious week off of school, it can be challenging to get back into your regular routine. You’ve gotten used to late nights and sleeping in.

Now the alarm is set for 6 and you have tons of homework that you just can’t concentrate on. Dark circles are getting heavy and little red lines have begun appearing in the whites of your eyes.

How on earth do you go to class looking this tired? It’s simple, really. Fake looking awake! Here are some tricks and products that can help you look more alert.

Cover up those dark bags hanging from your lower lash line with Mary Kay Concealer ($10 at marykay.com).

Sweep Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder ($22 at lauramercier.com) under your eyes to instantly look fresh.

Physician’s Formula Happy Glow & Mood Boosting Blush ($11.99 at Ulta) will give you a soft blushing illumination

Rachel Bingham Advertising Manager when applied to the apples of your cheeks. If the adorable etched hearts in the powder don’t boost your mood, the natural plant extract, Euphoryl, and sweet smell of violets are sure to do the trick.

Urban Decay Eye Shadow Midnight Cowgirl and Shattered ($17 each at Ulta) will make your eyes look whiter and brighter. Midnight Cowgirl should be swept over the entire lid, blending into Shattered at the outer corner.

Enlarge your eyes even more

with three liners. Make a thin line along your upper lashes using Ulta Precision Liquid Eyeliner ($8 at Ulta). Bring back that gorgeous turquoise color along the lower lashes.

To save some money, dip a thin eyeliner brush into Visine and mix it with your Shattered eye shadow color. Line the inner corner and waterline with Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil - Yeyo ($18 at Ulta).

Benefit Prrrrowl Mascara Topcoat & Lip Gloss Duo ($28 at Ulta) is a perfect combination to finish “waking” you up.

The mascara is an iridescent shimmering blue that looks great over your regular black mascara. The candy blue-pink lipgloss will make your teeth appear whiter, while blending with your eye shades.

Hopefully your fake awake look will soon turn into you truly being bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. But for now, these products should keep you from looking so exhausted.

March 23 , 2011

New on DVD:

‘The Tourist’

Angelia Jolie and Johnny Depp are two of the most sought after and highest paid actors of the last ten years. The two have also never starred in a film together until now.

Frank (Depp) is an American on a European vacation who befriends Elise ( Jolie) on a train ride to Venice, Italy. Elise is a mysterious stranger who is harboring a secret that turns into a complicated web of deceit as the two are chased by not only the Italian police but Russian hit men as well.

Frank finds himself just along for the ride.

This Golden Globe nomianted film will leave you guessing until the very end.

The DVD includes: - Commentary by Director - A Gala Affair - Bringing Glamour Back - Outtake Reel

DVD released: March 22, 2011 Genres: Suspense, Action, Thriller, Romance Starring: Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp Rating: PG-13 for violence and brief strong language Running Time: 1 hour 43 minutes

Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie in “The Tourist.”

(Photo Courtesy)

The Strokes’ new record puts an end to their comeback Orlando Flores, Jr For the Wichitan

2001 was a strange time in American music. The emergence of hip-hop into the mainstream saw an influx in one-hit wonders with no real rhyming skills. Pop saw the likes of Jennifer Lopez, The Puff Daddy (or whatever name he went by at the time) created girl group Dream, ‘N Sync and others took undeserved control of the spotlight for the entire year. And who could forget the God-awful mini-takeover of the Nu-Metal movement? Yes, the first real year of the new millennium held very little promise; and with groups like Radiohead, Gorillaz and Coldplay receiving all the critical praise, it seemed like all the real music was being imported from across the pond.

Then, came The Strokes.

These five ultra-hip, bed-headed, Brooklyn rockers would be the central piece to the revival of not only New York’s underground rock scene, but the entire essence of New York Cool for the next decade. Suddenly, New York was the place to be. Watching some unheard, yet hyped, band play a show in a small SoHo apartment loft became the norm. Music was everywhere; and this postpunk revival saw the careers of several powerhouses, such as Interpol, The Killers and Yeah Yeah Yeahs to name a few, take off. Because of this, The Strokes were catapulted to near-Godlike status. Dubbed “God’s gift to

rock music” and “so good, there’s no way they’re American,” The Strokes led rock ‘n roll music into the 21st century by going backwards, taking cues from the New York punk scene of the 70s and adding their own indie savvy to it.

Their debut Is This It was a critical darling and soon led to worldwide, arena packed tours.

same cloth as Is This It, but with a more mature sound. Unfortunately, things began to dwindle from this point.

It took three years before another album was released. First Impressions of Earth saw a dramatic change for the band. The same formula was there, but the energy was dead. Critics and fans alike panned the album, cit-

‘Angles’ was released Tuesday, their first album in five years.

(Photo Courtesy)

Despite their new fame, The Strokes kept their cool image together and delivered another instant classic with 2003s Room on Fire, an album cut from the

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ing a lack of care from the band and proclaiming Impressions as a huge step backward.

From 2006 to 2010 the band focused on themselves. Backing members spent time with their families, while leaders Julian Casablancas and Albert Hammond Jr. each released a pair of solo albums. Murmurings of a reunion began in 2009, yet noth-

KOCKS

ing ever materialized. Then, one fateful night in a small England night club last summer The Strokes returned to a crowd of less than 500 people in a surprise show under a pseudonym.

The announcement rocked the music world, and gave fans the hope that new, more focused, material would soon materialize.

The rest of 2010 and in to 2011 would be spent touring arenas, stadiums and festivals selling out shows and playing through their catalog of hits, as well as playing new material from their new album, Angles.

Now, the anticipation of finally getting to hear a new album from The Strokes can finally be relieved; and 10 years after the birth of the new New York Cool, it looks like it is primed for another rebirth. Unfortunately this is not the time to celebrate a full comeback.

If First Impressions of Earth was considered a step backward, Angles is a gigantic leap even further behind. The band likes to consider this album as a “new beginning” rather than a comeback.

The first sign of this is a shift in power. Originally, frontman Julian Casablancas was responsible for the entire running of the band. Every lyric, guitar rift and drum kick were either created by the man himself or approved by him. With Angles, Casablancas continues to be the face of the band but has allowed input from the other members, even sharing singing duties with Albert Hammond Jr. This change finds the composition of the album thrown off and sounding like five different voices attempting to come together as one and failing, rather than sounding like a cohesive record.

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Experimentation in sound takes place with this record, resulting in awful 80s new-wave sound-a-likes (“Michu Picchu” and “Two Kinds of Happiness”), prog rock wannabes (“You’re So Right” and “Metabolism”) and other atrocious combinations that do not complement their original sound.

All hope is not lost, though.

There are still slight glimpses of New York post-punk brilliance that made The Strokes who they are today. Tracks like lead single “Under the Cover of Darkness” and “Taken for a Fool” easily fit And hold up to any song from Is This It and Room on Fire, but it’s album standout “Gratisfaction” that truly showcases what makes The Strokes great - rip roaring guitar rifts, sing-a-long anthemic lyrics and an exuding cool that only New York indie rock can produce. However, with all the sore spots on Angles, even a track as great as “Gratisfaction”

is unpleasantly overshadowed.

So, yes, this is unfortunately not The Strokes album we expected, but overall it is not a complete failure. On a positive note, it is good to see a band of The Strokes caliber performing and making music again, especially during a time that is once again being overrun with cookie cutter pop music and one-hit wonders. Despite the new album, The Strokes do understand the importance of their back catalog - choosing to mostly play from it while including the better songs from Angles at their live shows. Keeping the spirit of their former selves alive is crucial to securing their legacy as “the last great American rock band” (another title they’ve been given by critics), and hopefully they will learn from their Angles mishaps and take this spirit with them into the studio on their next album.

the feed

Orlando Flores, Jr For the Wichitan

Travis Barker Give the Drummer Some

An A-list of rappers support the Blink-182 drummer’s solo album but still falls short of memorable, sounding awkward and forced.

The Verdict: 2/4 – Questionable

Chris Brown F.A.M.E.

Finally past the Rihanna drama, Brown straddles the lines of hiphop, R&B and pop to deliver an enjoyable album his fans have waited for.

The Verdict: 3/4 – Deserves a Listen

Gucci Mane The Return of Mr. Zone Six

After a few embarrassments and unforgettable tattoo, Gucci Mane rebounds by releasing another great mix tape with harder, darker sound.

The Verdict: 3/4 – Deserves a Listen

Panic! at the Disco Vices and Virtue

Despite a lineup adjustment, Panic! at the Disco is back in full force to claim pop-punk’s top spot now that Fall Out Boy is gone.

The Verdict: 3/4 – Deserves a Listen (Photo Courtesy)

sports

March 23, 2011

On Deck This Week n

today:

basketball: mens ncaa division ii elite eight tournament.

vs. bellarmine university

11 a.m. tennis: women’s okla.

3 p.m.

vs. central

n

thursday: tennis: men’s and women’s vs. washburn @ oklahoma city.

3 p.m.

n

friday:

softball: msu invitational ii vs. central missouri noon

vs. st. mary’s

4 p.m. n

sunday

softball: msu invitational ii tournament

vs. delta state noon

vs. st. edwards

2 p.m.

The Wichitan n 7

Tennis wins some, loses some Damian Atamenwan For the Wichitan

The Midwestern State tennis teams experienced a thrilling Spring Break in California playing Concordia-Irvine, Azuza Pacific and Vanguard.

The Mustangs dominated almost all teams played in California, and lost to Abilene Christian at the MSU tennis courts.

MSU marked a dynamic performance in the opening games against Concordia with the men’s team winning 5-4 and the women 5-2.

Mario Urban and Bo Zaputovic came through strong for MSU as they paired to beat Bruno Santarelli and Jan Guler 9-7 in No. 2 doubles.

Urban also registered a 6-2, 6-0 win against Kareem Berdai.

Luke Joyce played hard to end the match with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 victory against Santarelli.

Rozike Jansen van Rensburg and Alex Odell-Michels claimed three of the five points for the women.

They played together to defeat Jordan Kimura and Kristin Yep 8-5.

Van Rensberg went ahead with a three-set win against Bettina Radke 6-3,0-6,6-1 while Odell-Michels sealed the match with a 3-6,6-4,6-3 win against Johanna Sceresini.

Lindsey Holcomb won a singles match 6-3,6-4 over Yep and paired with Ashley Huse to beat Summer Beaird and Casey O’Connor.

The Mustangs lost to Azuza Pacific who played hard to maintain their NAIA tennis rankings.

Urban and Zaputovic stood out in their games collecting three wins for MSU. The duo overpowered APU’s Whitman Hough and Ilja Ikon-

‘Qdoba’ and ‘Qdoba Mexican Grill’ are registered trademarksof the Qdoba Restaurant Corporation ©2010.

nikov 8-1 in the No. 2 doubles. Urban battled Jochem Hoefnagles to a 7-5, 7-6 conquest while Zaputovic defeated Hough 7-6,7-6 in the No. 4 singles.

Odell-Michels secured a 7-6,6-4 win for the women’s squad at the No. 2 singles over Natalie McNall.

In addition she played with Van Rensburg to beat Casey Wetzig and Leah Hoffee 8-2 in the No. 2 doubles.

Leah Roberts beat Kim Koetterheinrich 6-2, 6-3 for another Mustang win.

The Mustangs concluded the tennis week with a win against Vanguard University.

The Midwestern-Vanguard game ended 6-3 for the women’s side.

Abbie Lewis, Roberts, Holcomb and Huse won their matches in both competitions.

Roberts and Lewis paired to take down Anna Valingsten and Birttnie Furuvald 8-2 while Holcomb and Huse defeated Eskaterina Gabashvil and Teresa Odera 8-4.

The men’s team came up with eight wins out of nine games.

Urban lost to Lucas Periera in the singles competition.

Urban later redeemed himself after pairing with Zaputovic to defeat Robin Wagner and Sandro Busher 8-2. Zaputovic also added a win over Alexandre Piccin 6-3, 6-1.

Vjekoslav Stipanic and Luke Joyce initiated the MSU dominance of doubles with an 8-6 win against Piccin and Periera while Jarrod Liston and Chad Weeks combined talents to claim an 8-5 victory over Nils Iwdal and Radek Rosiak.

MSU wasn’t so lucky however in their feat against ACU on Sunday, losing their first Lone Star Confer-

Freshman Jarrod Liston sets the serve against his opponent.

(Photo by Hannah Hofmann)

ence match, both men’s and women’s team.

The no. 6-ranked Lady Wildcats rolled over MSU, 7-2.

Rensburg and Odell-Michels took the no. 1 spot in doubles, while Holcomb and Huse took no.3.

ACU swept the singles, claiming all six matches.

Going into the men’s, the 10th na-

tionally ranked Wildcats took down the Mustangs, 6-3, claiming the wins in all three doubles.

In the singles, ACU tied with MSU, 3-3.

Now, the women will come in action against Central Oklahoma today at the MSU tennis courts.

First serve is set for 3 p.m.

8 n

sports

The Wichitan

March 23, 2011

MSU takes South Central Regional tourney Andre Gonzalez Sports Editor

Senior guard Adrian Van Buren attempts a three-pointer against Angelo State University on February 23. (File photo

by Hannah Hofmann)

And then there were eight. The Midwestern State Mustangs will be making another appearance this week in Springfield, Mass. for the NCAA Elite Eight tournament.

But first, MSU fought for their bragging rights at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional tournament at The University of Central Oklahoma over Spring Break.

In the opening round, the Mustangs faced off with longtime rival Tarleton State University for the fourth time, falling to them in the previous three contests, including the Lone Star Conference championship tournament.

TSU had an opportunity to overcome the Mustangs at 11:24 left in the second half, as Corin Henry put forth a layup to tie the game at 38-38.

As the weekend progressed, MSU went on to face Missouri Southern on Sunday, March 13.

The Mustangs once again proved victorious with the help of junior guard Michael Loyd who chipped in a season high of 25 points, while senior guard Chris Hagan put forth 18.

MSU held the lead at intermission with an impressive 14 points ahead MSSU, but shortly into the second half the Lions

started to attempt redemption against the Mustangs.

MSU had the final say however with successful freethrows completed by Loyd, Hagan, and junior forwards Keonte Logan and Darrick Thomas.

The match ended, 75-52, with MSU earning the final spot competition with the University of Central Oklahoma.

The Mustangs rolled over the Bronchos Tuesday, March 15 with an overall score of 73-66.

In the last six minutes of the contest, MSU connected 18-of24 freethrows to help overcome UCO. Senior forward David Terrell poured in a game-high of 13 points while Hagan and Loyd both contributed 11 each.

In the end, MSU overruled the Bronchos, putting an end to their 25-game winning streak and earning a ticket to the Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass.

Now, the Mustangs will face off against No. 2 Bellarmine, Ky. today at 11 a.m.

“We’re going to prove that we are the best of the best,” junior guard Melvin Clark said. “We just have to go out and execute.

In order for us to be successful, we’re going to have to play really good defense.”

If a victory comes in MSU’s favor, they will continue into the semifinals held on Thursday at 5 p.m. The championship round will be held on Friday at noon.

Senior guard Chris Hagan has a look of confirmation as he swooshes a three-pointer against Angelo State University.

(File photo by Hannah Hofmann)

MSU is in the Elite Eight! What do you think?...

“Keep playing hard, I know they can do it. Let’s win!”

-Irene Wilson, MSU retiree

“They’re playing good ball. They have a good shot this year, and I hope they make it.”

-Trey Wolfe, junior

“I’m really excited to see them at this level.

It will really help put MSU on the map” -Jasmine Ellis, senior

“They’ve worked hard for this, and I’m tired of being tossed around!”

-Bob the Basketball, game ball (Photos by Hannah Hofmann)

MSU cyclists experience great racing and culture Loren Eggenschwiler For The Wichitan

It was a great weekend for the MSU cycling team. It headed to Baton Rouge, La. this past weekend, taking a shuttle bus and van with trailer on an 11-hour drive.

The team left at 7 a.m. Friday morning during Spring Break and arrived in enough time to have a team ride before the sunset.

The team was also able to tour a bit of the town and LSU campus.

Saturday morning began with the Team Time Trials in the fog.

MSU had two men’s A teams,

who took first and second.

Tony Baca, Jason Short, Alexi Martinez and Sean Brown took first with 22:08.

Danny Robertson, Bryan Goins, Sebastian Wichterich and Francis Hamre came in at 23:12.

The women’s A team, Claire Routledge, Natalie Klemko and Loren Eggenschwiler took first.

Men’s B Matt Fox, Ricky Randall and Fidel Goytia took 2nd , 23:58,behind LSU. After a quick break back at the hotel, the team set off for lunch before the criteriums, held on the LSU campus.

This is when both bus and van

with trailer were caught in traffic as Baton Rouge celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day, Mardi gras style.

There was a parade that practically stopped traffic and colorful beads and trinkets covered the curbs of the parade route.

After collecting some goodies, we made our way to lunch and then to campus for more racing.

The criterium was very interesting.There were several obstacles, such as round-abouts and poles, but it was a pretty good race.

The women’s B began for MSU where Ashley Weaver was able to take 3rd.

The women’s A was combined

with the men’s B. After a fast paced 45 minutes, Goytia grabbed 2nd with Randall close behind in 3rd.

Fox came in 5th.

Eggenschwiler, Klemko and Routledge came in behind the men with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd for the women. The men’s A dominated the race and took 1st-7th; Short, Baca, Martinez, Wichterich, Goins, Robertson and Brown.

Sunday was an early morning as the team headed to Francisville an hour away.

The fog was thick and the races were delayed a half-hour.

The hilly road race began in a

thin layer of fog.

The men’s A took another clean sweep, Martinez, Short, Baca, Brown, Robertson, Goins, and Wichterich took 1st-7th, respectfully.

The men’s B Goytia and Randall took 3rd and 4th after Tulane University took of the front and LSU snuck in 2nd in the end.

Women’s A Klemko, Routledge and Eggenschwiler rolled in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectfully.

MSU’s Bailey Hess took 4th in the women’s B category.

It was a great weekend for MSU as they experienced new things and had a great adven-

ture.

They were able to taste alligator and gumbo and experience the celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day, even if they were seeing it from the inside of a bus.

The team experienced the culture and tastes of South Louisiana, making it one of the best collegiate race weekends ever.

MSU will be heading to Baylor this weekend for more races.

MSU will be hosting a race weekend April 2nd and 3rd.

If anyone is interested in helping or attending they can check out MSUcyclingteam.com or contact Julie.carter@mwsu.edu.

Above Left: Sebastian Wichterich and Sean Brown dodge one of the obstacles present during the race. Above Right: Jason Shorts celebrates his win, as Baca and Martinez follow into 2nd and 3rd. (Photos by Loren Eggenschwiler)