March 29, 2021 by The Wichitan and Wai Kun

March 29, 2021 | thewichitan.com |Real Students. Real Stories. | Vol. 85 No. 14

NEWS: Pg 4

Educating students on the ‘Traps of a Trafficker.’

CELEBRATING MSU TEXAS WOMEN PART TWO: Pg 8-9

In honor of Women’s History Month, The Wichitan continued its “Celebrating MSU Texas Women” series, SPORTS: Pg 12-13 featuring five more phenomenal women on campus. Track team is taking off and setting records.

FEATURE: Pg 10

COLUMN CONTEST WINNER: Pg 2

REVIEW: Pg 14

Terrell Wilson shares his music story.

Negative experiences living in McCullough-Trigg.

Shea Moisture Collection is a God-send for men.

@WichitanOnline

@wichitanonline

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Tips for signing up for classes Registration can be a hectic time for university students, but there are ways to make it, at the least, manageable. Tip 1: A great tool for any student registering for classes is ratemyproffesors. com. With 15 million reviews of 1.3 million professors from 7 thousand universities, the website has honest reviews of nearly any professor you might have. The reviews tend to lean negative, but they can also tell you which professors are more lenient and which professors actually utilize the required reading. Tip 2: It’s important when registering to take breaks between classes into account. Getting the classes done as early as possible may sound like a good idea, but hunger and exhaustion tend to both set in around noon. Take into account time to eat, take a nap and potentially cram in homework due next class. Tip 3: Don’t blindly register for the classes your advisor sends you. Advisors are human too; they make mistakes. An advisor can forget to check your transcript and suggest a class you already have credit for, they can suggest classes that conflict and they can forget to take breaks into account too. Never be afraid to question your advisor if you think there’s been a mistake. Tip 4: Know when early registration is. Graduates, Honors and senior students (90+ credit hours) can register early April 5 and 6. Juniors (60-89 credit hours) can early register April 7 and 8, sophomores (3059 credit hours) can April 9 through 12 and freshman can April 13 and 14. Registration for all is open April 15 through 5 p.m. on August 26, but early registration provides the best chance to get the best classes.

Vol. 85 | No. 14 Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201 3410 Taft Blvd. | Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 wichitan@msutexas.edu | thewichitan.com @wichitanonline

NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES LIVING IN THE MSU’S MCCULLOUGH-TRIGG DORMITORY Columns in Campus Voices are the opinions of only the authors and do not necesssarily reflect the views of The Wichitan as an organization.

his semester has been an interesting one, with a snowstorm barreling through and COVID restrictions being lifted in Texas. Along with these events, this is my first semester living in the McCullough Trigg dormitory on the MSU Texas campus, and my experiences have Triston Ogier been negative. Let us start positive though, because the dorm isn’t all bad. The shower works well, whereas the ones in Legacy Hall do not. Okay, now that the good experience has been listed, I will move onto the bad. To start the negative side, me and my roommates have an air conditioner that does not work correctly. Whenever it is turned on, it makes a loud mechanical sound, while making little progress on altering the temperature. My dorm room does not get as cold as a house with no power, but our air conditioning reflects whatever the temperature is outside. During the cold weather, I had to wear two layers and two heavy blankets to sleep, so that I could rest without getting too cold and shivering. My roommate has put in a work order form for this, but no response has been given yet. This next issue is also related to the cold. When I write about what is next, I understand that the staff was under unexpected stress, and I do not want to make them sound like they are completely in the wrong; I am explaining my side of the story. During the snowstorm this year, a pipe burst above a couple of rooms in the dormitory. One of those rooms, of course, was mine. I was not present at the time of the incident, but my suitemate luckily was. He alerted the campus to this issue, and they quickly got working on it. This quick action by the university was appreciated, and I don’t think a pipe bursting above my room is the university’s fault. The part that was not handled well was the communication. If my roommate had not told me that the room was flooding, I wouldn’t have known it was go-

PHOTO COURTESY TRISTON OGIER

Missing ceiling panels in McCullough-Trigg dormitory of biology sophomore Triston Ogier, March 20. ing on, because the university never contacted me about it. Soon after, my room was vacuumed by staff and they left without giving me a word about the situation. I was left with a soaked mattress, some ruined items and missing or damp ceiling tiles. I was able to get a new mattress a couple hours after the incident, as well as confirmation that the school still wanted me to stay in the same room and that I needed renter’s insurance if I wanted to have any reimbursement of damaged items. I am not someone who makes a big fuss over things such as this, as it does not bother me too much. I understand stuff happens and rules are in place, but it would have been nice to know that MSU requires such insurance in order to replace damaged items. Today, there are still ceiling tiles missing in

my dorm as well as tiles that are damp and smell of mildew. I am apparently used to it, but when others come visit, they tell of the smell. I was told that workers are supposed to come in and replace a lot of the ceiling and the mechanics within, but nothing has happened yet besides the occasional short visit from some workers who are checking the ceiling out. Overall, if it weren’t as expensive as it is to live on campus, I would continue living in the McCullough Trigg dorm over the other buildings. These experiences have not deterred me from staying there, and I enjoy having a personal bathroom as well as other commodities provided there. These have just been my negative experiences in this interesting semester.

Triston Ogier, biology sophomore, was the winner of The Wichitan’s I.M.O Column Contest. This contest was open to all students on campus, from Feb. 15 to March 22, 2021. Students were invited to submit a column piece on any topic related to MSU Texas or the Wichta Falls community. EDITOR IN CHIEF: Bridget Reilly MANAGING EDITOR: Amos Perkins NEWS EDITOR: Stephanie Robledo DESIGN EDITOR: Omar Combie BUSINESS MANAGER: Alexis Martin ISSUE STAFF: Emily Beaman, Ryan Clayton, Thalia Doe, Bailey Graham, Shunde Hooks, Abigail Jones, Elizabeth Mahan, , Joseph Nelson, Triston Ogier, Khirstia Sheffield, Colin Stevenson ADVISOR: Jonathon Quam

Copyright ©2021. First copy free. Additional copies $1.00 each. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. 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 (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a email address, telephone number and address.

HOW TO PREDI CT

YOUR SIDE OF HISTORY Columns in Campus Voices are the opinions of only the authors and do not necesssarily reflect the views of The Wichitan as an organization.

magine, you’re in school again, and your answers to last night’s math homework are similar to the kid’s who always gets his answers wrong. If you’re smart, you’ll probably rethink your answers to those Joseph questions. Inversely, if your anNelson swers are similar to the Einstein of the class, you’ll probably get a good grade. But does history work the same way? Are there states who’ve answered “2+2=5” to important moral questions? Most Southern states opposed slavery’s abolition. Most Southern states opposed women’s suffrage. Most Southern states opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and most Southern states opposed gay marriage. At every “bend towards justice,” old Dixie positioned itself on the wrong side. However, as I learn more about which states consistently

13 ! =50 1 4 +

=5!

2+2

hindered progress, I’ve also learned which eracy was held in Birmingham, Alabama. The states reformed society for the better. Anyone state government killed other Americans in a who wishes to be on the side of progress should desperate protest against abolition. The state measure their beliefs against states historically government rejected women’s suffrage in 1919. ahead of the curve. This strategy offers a good None of Alabama’s Senators or Representapredictor of how future generations will grade tives voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The our answers to the moral questions of our time. former Governor of Alabama, George Wallace, Massachusetts was one of the first states to proudly ran for president on a “segregation foroutlaw slavery, ratify women’s suffrage and ever” platform in 1968. It’s also hard to imagine the first to legalize gay marriage. In addition, Alabama ever legalizing gay marriage without John F. Kennedy, who helped draft the Civil the Supreme Court’s intervention. Needless to Rights Act of 1964, was a Senator from Massa- say, Alabama is historically terrible at being on chusetts before being elected president. Other the side of justice while Massachusetts is hisstates have great track records, however, it’s torically successful. This isn’t to dismiss any needed discussions clear that, at every bend towards justice, Massachusetts was one of the first states to lead on modern-day issues. We shouldn’t just cheat the way. Inversely, despite other states having off the Einstein of the class to get a good grade, abysmal track records, Alabama was one of nor should we agree with everything Masthe states to lead the fights against equality. sachusetts has to say. You should still think, The Constitutional Convention for the Confed- question, and debate. Ask the same questions

3! 7=7

=9 1

! 14+ 41= 55!

2+2

=4!

GRAPHIC BY JOSEPH NELSON | THE WICHITAN

Tale of Two States: Confederacy or Civil Rights, George Wallace or John F Kennedy, Homophobia or Marriage Equality.

you would ask if your answers clashed with the student who always gets an ‘A’ in the class. If state governments, historically notorious for their oppressive stances, just so happen to agree with your conclusions to moral and legal dilemmas, you should question why your conclusions are similar to the state who always gets the answers wrong. There are times where these two states agree on certain issues, either now or in the past. If Massachusetts had a vote on gay marriage in the 1800s, their electorate would oppose the measure, but Alabama would concur. In the same light, Alabama eventually ratified women’s suffrage in 1953, but Massachusetts was already ahead of the curve. The distinctions lie where the two states diverge. Whenever Alabama and Massachusetts disagree on an issue, Massachusetts is always ahead of its time. If someone finds themselves agreeing with Alabama’s state government and disagreeing with Massachusetts’, why should they be so confident that the dynamic, which has existed for two centuries, is now obsolete? There’s good reason to believe that the two sides of history are still at work. When engaging with our present moral dilemmas, analyzing the bellwethers of historical progress can predict how future generations will grade our answers. I am definitely not drawing a moral equivalence between every issue. Someone who says 13 x 7 =73 is less obviously wrong than someone who says 2+2=5. Likewise, someone who is homophobic is less obviously wrong than segregationists, but they both agree with Alabama and disagree with Massachusetts. Moral and legal questions still need answering today, and these two states can indicate who’s doing their math correctly. If you’re comfortable with your grandchildren reading their history books, wondering why you didn’t support banning discrimination based on sexuality (MA: prohibits, AL: No laws), why you didn’t support banning assault weapons (MA: illegal, AL: legal), why you didn’t support raising the minimum wage (MA: $12.00, AL: No minimum), why you didn’t support the Green New Deal (MA: both senators support, AL: both senators oppose), or why you didn’t support repealing marijuana’s prohibition (MA: legal, AL: illegal), then your comfort is your own prerogative. However, if you do care to aid the waves of progress, look to the states who’ve successfully done so for centuries.

Love, Mom and Dad:

THE TR AGEDIES OF HAZING EMILY BEAMAN REPORTER n March 21, five families gathered to share their stories about how they lost their sons to hazing. Presented by The Anti-Hazing Coalition, Love, Mom & Dad: Turning Tragedy into Progress was an online discussion broadcast across the nation to raise awareness about the negative effects of hazing. Viewers were witness to multiple emotional testimonies about how the victims’ families learned and coped with their children’s deaths. “We received the ultimate punishment,” Debbie Debrick, one of the mothers, said. In the state of Texas, hazing is a crime, and involvement with a hazing death is a felony. Every year, Greek life organizations at MSU Texas host anti-hazing events, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Since 1969 to 2017, one person has died every day from a hazing incidence. “We can’t just let this go without doing something to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Evelyn Piazza, another mother, said. The presentation began with Evelyn and Jim Piazza, the parents of Tim Piazza who attended Pennsylvania State University. Tim and his pledge brothers were forced to consume a bottle of vodka before completing a drinking obstacle course. After being left alone, Tim fell down 15 steps headfirst and was carried to a couch by four frat members where they tried to wake him up. Twelve hours after his fall, 911

was called. “[Imagine watching as] the nurse pulls your mom forward and tells her to kiss her baby goodbye,” Evelyn Piazza recalled from the night Tim passed away. She spoke on behalf of her surviving, oldest son who had just learned his brother was brain dead. Lianne Kowiak, the mother of Harrison Kowiak, who was a student at Lenoir-Rhyne University, spoke about the shock and pain she experienced after learning the truth about her son’s death. The first story she heard about her son’s hospitalization was that he received a head injury while playing intramural football. After his death, she learned that Harrison was subject to a game called “Running the Gauntlet” where he ran across a field, being hit by frat brothers until he couldn’t stand. She sent him to college on a golf scholarship and last saw him unconscious on a hospital bed. “No parent ever expects to send their child to college and not have them come home,” Lianne Kowiak said. Rae Ann and Steve Gruver, parents of Max Gruver who went to Louisiana State University, said their son was forced to do extreme calisthenics before participating in “bible study”. Pledges had to answer questions about their frat and the greek alphabet correctly or take a pull of a 190-proof bottle of Diesel; Max took 25 pulls in under 2 hours. Twenty-nine days into his freshman year, he died between 4 and 5 a.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MUSTANGS LINK

Screenshot of ‘Love, Mom & Dad: Turning Tragedy Into Progress’ online discussion, March 21.

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

One example of hazing include forced or coerced alcohol or other drug consumption. on a couch in the frat house with a blood-alcohol-content of 0.495, six times the legal limit. “In the morning, four of his closest friends were told to lie to the hospital staff... and then had to pick up his dead body, put it in the car and drive him to the hospital,” Rae Ann Gruver said. Debbie Debrick, mother of Dalton Debrick, who attended Texas Tech University lost her son less than a week after she moved him into his dorm. After playing “Don’t F Your Brother” and drinking half a handle of whiskey, Dalton was put in a room guarded by a frat member so he wouldn’t be seen. The party ended at 2 a.m., Dalton was found dead at 6 a.m., but 911 wasn’t called until 3 hours later. “He passed away in a house full of people having a party who wouldn’t get help because they didn’t want their so-called brothers to get in trouble,” Debbie Debrick said. The final speaker was Kathleen Wiant, mother to Collin Wiant who went to Ohio University. Over the semester, Collin had to take exams for upperclassmen, clean bars his frat brothers worked at and play pledge football. On the night of his death, he drank a gallon of hard liquor in one hour, was beaten with a belt, waterboarded and forced to do whippets. At 5 a.m. he became unresponsive, and all other pledges were initiated into the fraternity and entered a code of silence about what had truly happened to Collin. “[Hazing] is not acceptable, and more importantly, it’s not brotherhood,” Kathleen Wi-

ant said. The Piazza’s said they’re continuing to pursue this cause years after Tim’s death because they hope to bring enough attention to the issue of hazing that no family ever has to go through it again. “If we all aren’t going to do this, who’s going to?” Jim Piazza said. Together, these five families are advocating for universities, cities and states to pass legislation to ensure tragedies like they endured never happen again. They’re visiting each state to try and create felony hazing laws in any states that don’t have them. They’ve already helped create laws like these in Georgia and Texas. “Kids get kicked out for cheating and minor things, but when they kill our kids they get a slap on the wrist. We need to make sure these laws get changed all across the board,” Debbie Debrick said. They acknowledge that hazing also affects those who survive it and can even happen outside of the Greek life society. “We know it happens in bands, athletics and intramurals too, but the whole hazing area has to stop before another life is taken away,” Lianne Kowiak said. All families are hopeful to see more action taken across the nation against hazing and will continue to spread awareness about its harmful effects. They hope their program sparks a change in the future of hazing and saves the lives of any and all potential victims.

QUILT JOURNEYS:

PATTERN EXHIBITION

STEPHANIE ROBLEDO NEWS EDITOR uilts tell a story and the Wichita Falls Museum of Art is sharing its own stories through the Quilt Journeys: Pattern exhibit. “This exhibit appeals to people familiar with quilting but also introduces the important history of quilting to those who are unfamiliar with quilting’s role in American history. Created out of necessity, quilts provided protection for the family from the cold. Later, the quilts would be passed from family member to family member creating a legacy. Finally, quilts enter museums as art objects. The quilts in this exhibit made that journey,” Danny Bills, curator for WFMA, said. In the past, the WFMA has had quilt exhibits but what makes this one different is the focus on patterns. The quilts on exhibit have patterns such as the Lemoyne star and the drunkard’s path. “This is a quilt exhibit curated from the WFMA Permanent Collection and this particular quilt exhibit focuses on pattern. Quilting has a rich history of various patterns that evolve and change names based on region and the passage of time. Quilt Journeys: Pattern creates a window into that with some specific patterns illustrated in our quilts. We hope to do future exhibits with quilts based on collaboration and stories,” Bills said. The focus on patterns is also a way for the exhibit to appeal to all because patterns can be seen beyond art. “Previously, we would exhibit the quilts from the collection as a whole with descriptive labels. This exhibit has that text but also incorporates educational material and a

PHOTO BY RYAN CLAYTON | THE WICHITAN

guilt, balance and time management, nontraditional students and accessibility and outreach at MSU. “It’s difficult being a mom in school. You really have to learn balance, you’ve got your studies and...there’s a plethora of things that as moms that we have to do every day,” April Kaufman, sociology senior, said. “Being a college student you do learn how to manage your time and how to put what’s important first and then prioritize from there. So I think being a mother with that has really helped me to develop in a way that has taught me to prioritize my life in a way that my kids come first but school comes second right now. It can be difficult.” The event gave a voice to students that attend university while parenting and at times working too. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to discuss this with [the panelist and attendees]. For people to actually hear what it’s like because we are almost invisible on campus,” Brittany Roberts, sociology sophomore, said. The exhibit will be open until July 24, 2021.

Infographic on display in the “Quilt Journeys” exhibit at WFMA, March 25. way for viewers to share their own quilt story if they want,” Bills said. “We also chose to focus on particular quilts with key patterns. Quilt patterns are mathematical as well as artistic, and we wanted to open the door to interest beyond quilting.” As part of women’s history month, MOSAIC hosted Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to be Silenced, a series of events held throughout March by different organizations. WFMA participated in this event and held Quilt Journeys: Motherhood and the College Experience. A discussion panel with MSU students that are mothers as well. “The exhibit’s themes served as part metaphor for the experience of juggling motherhood, school, and work. Women throughout time have used squares and triangles to build patterns to create quilts to care for their families,” Tracee Robertson, director of Wichita Falls Museum of Art, said. “A quilt is made from pieces brought together out of necessity but also with creativity, much like the pieces of our lives contributing to the whole story of who we are.” The panel consisted of topics about generational change, imposter syndrome, mom

PHOTO BY RYAN CLAYTON | THE WICHITAN

“Grandmother’s Flower Garden, Variation, n.d.” Gift of J.I. Staley, March 25.

‘TRAPS OF A TRAFFICKER’ educating students on human trafficking the next day.” The average age of children being forced into sex trafficking is between 12 and 16 years old. Traffickers typically approach a child who has run away from home within the child’s first 48 hours of being out on the street. “People call pimps street psychologists. They can look and see vulnerability very quickly. If they look and a kiddo is looking down or looks afraid or is carrying a backpack, that’s a perfect target. There’s a vulnerability. They can offer their help. By offering help, they’ve found someone that they can exploit,” Earley said. Similar to how a mouse trap requires some bait like cheese or peanut butter to lure the mouse in, traffickers or recruiters use bait to get their victims to walk into their traps. “Somebody may see a kid at a bus station and say ‘Oh I see you’re looking for Wi-Fi. You know there’s a McDonald’s right across the street. I’ll buy you a burger. I’m going there anyway. If you let me buy you a burger, you can use the free Wi-Fi.’ That exact scenario happened. She walked across the street. A friend pulled up in the car, shoved her in the car, drugged her [and] trafficked her. I think that one was eight days. That was a particularly brutal case,” Earley said.

The average lifespan of trafficking victims is reported to be seven years. This could be due to a number of reasons, including malnutrition, overdose, untreated STDs or murder. However, there are survivors who make it out of their situations and go on to live their full lifespan. “At my community college, in my psychology class, we watched a documentary [about human trafficking], and I was very moved by it. I wanted to do something, but I guess I made up excuses. Now, no matter how busy I am, or how difficult it is, I really want to find ways to help people become aware of it. I feel like we need more of this discussion because it’s happening everywhere,” Regina Agbo, nursing junior and event attendee, said. Sherilene Morancie, geoscience senior and Violence Intervention and Prevention peer educator, agreed students need to know what trafficking situations look like so that if they are being recruited by a trafficker, they will know. “As of recent, there were stories about what’s happening here in Wichita Falls, and a lot of people didn’t believe it [human trafficking] was happening here before, so we just wanted to relay what exactly happens and to be aware of it,” Morancie said.

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

Assistant professor of social work Catherine Earley (right) and daughter Hannah Earley (left) inform MSU Texas students on the dangers and signs of human trafficking, March 17. ELIZABETH MAHAN REPORTER n the Legacy Multipurpose Room, March 17, Violence Intervention and Prevention peer educators and the office of Title IX held a night of learning about the dangers of human trafficking; an issue that occurs in almost every community. “Human trafficking is an issue that affects everyone, and we need as many people as possible to be knowledgeable about the topic to help keep students safe,” Laura Hetrick, director and coordinator of Title IX, said. The special guest speaker at the event, Catherine Earley, assistant professor of social work and volunteer at Traffick 911, defines trafficking as the exploitation of vulnerability. “It’s definitely not at all what you’ve seen in the movie ‘Taken.’ Really trafficking in its essence is about exploitation,” Earley said. “Trafficking is not limited to third-world [countries]. It’s happening in prominent, affluent communities, all around the world, including right here in Texas. The question isn’t really ‘Where is human trafficking?’ The question is ‘Where isn’t it happening?’” Texas ranks second in the country for the most human trafficking cases. The Texas Triangle is the name for the area between DFW, Austin, San Antonio and Houston, and Earley

has seen many cases in which victims of trafficking were taken all around the Texas Triangle. No matter what age, race, religion or social class a person falls under, she says anyone can become a victim. “Gang members are finding that they can make more money trafficking girls than they can selling drugs. As a matter of fact, rival gangs are now even partnering up because this is so profitable,” Earley said. Although traffickers often find their victims in online spaces like social media or dating apps, traffickers also recruit in schools. Earley described a personal experience in which her daughter, Hannah Earley, thought someone involved in trafficking was attending her middle school in Wichita Falls. Earley consulted human trafficking experts, and they said the student in question fit the profile of someone recruiting victims for trafficking. “When Hannah was in middle school, she started asking questions about this kid that had shown up in school. The kid didn’t quite seem the right age and was really intensely interested in Hannah spending the night at her house, not just Hannah, but a few other kids,” Earley said. “She kept insisting for months and months. I finally went to the school counselor.... She said ‘Oh the kid is on our radar. We’ll take a look.’ The child disappeared completely

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

Human trafficking hotline: 1 (888) 373-7888. SMS: 233733 (text HELP or INFO). Over 200 languages, open 24hrs, 7 days a week.

CAMPUS EXPERTS OFFER ADVICE ON

HOW TO OVERCOME BURNOUT

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Without proper self-care, burnout can heavily degrade one’s mental health. Dec 2020. AMOS PERKINS MANAGING EDITOR urnout is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress that typically generates anxiety and a lack of motivation. With highstakes tests, essays and other assignments, university is a breeding ground for burnout, and MSU is no exception. “College is a marathon and not a sprint. It can be easy to become tired and worn out during the semester due to all of the pressures from the academic side and everyday issues everyone deals with, such as concerns about health, money, and family,” Laura Hetrick, licensed professional counselor and Title IX director and coordinator, said. Pam Midgett, licensed professional counselor and director of the counseling center, says college students are at higher risk for burnout because of pressures both internal and external. Students attending college for the first time are particularly at risk because they are

leaving a familiar environment for a completely new one. “Students are away from family and all things familiar. While this may be a welcome change for some students, it still is different. Students have received many messages about college from family, former teachers and the media. These messages may include that they will have great academic success or perhaps they will never make it past the first year. Some believe they are not worthwhile unless they make perfect grades. These messages can create almost a pressure cooker inside the student and many eventually burnout,” Midgett said. According to Kylie Kerr, licensed professional counselor at the MSU Texas counseling center, there has been an increase of reported burnout symptoms from students this semester. Some of the symptoms of burnout reported by students include exhaustion, stress, selfdoubt and anxiety. These symptoms increase during the middle and end of the semester because of heavy course loads and upcoming mid-

terms and final exams. “Many students report that the aforementioned symptoms are due to increasing demands from professors and deadlines approaching for assignments and exams. Most students report feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work they have to do for classes. The biggest stressor reported by many students is the struggle to balance their classwork and exams with the amount of time they have during a day. Most symptoms discussed... are often reported as directly relating to the student struggling with time management, study skills, and struggles with specific subjects that they may be having a hard time with. Based on what I have heard from our students there is not one simple answer for why, but rather it is a combination of many different factors involved in the college experience that can contribute to a rise in such symptoms,” Kerr said. Kerr sees a correlation between the amount a student relaxes and how burnt out they are. Some of the students she has spoken with have

listed the shortened semester as a direct cause of their exhaustion from school. “I have noticed that many students who do not take time for self-care and time to relax in between semesters have reported higher rates of burnout and exhaustion. The most recent reports I hear from students is that having a shorter semester, spring break being canceled, has caused them to experience more stress as they reported not feeling that they have as much time to complete coursework and prepare for exams. There does seem to be a direct correlation between less of a break, both during a semester, and between semesters, and the reports from students of exhaustion and burnout with school,” Kerr said. Students appear to not be the only members of MSU experiencing burnout. Kerr said she believed faculty and staff are experiencing similar burnout, and Angie Reay, Redwine Wellness Center director, agreed with her. Reay teaches several classes and noted her increased workload this semester, but she stated she believed the students still have it worse. “I have [felt burnout]. I have taken on responsibilities, had to plan for the unknown and juggled the stresses of life. I believe that our students are struggling more this year. While school is stressful enough, our students are challenged with the pandemic, how it has impacted their families and navigated through a challenging time in their lives,” Reay said. “Our students are trying to handle a lot right now and have felt not having a break. For the university, it was the best decision to try and keep our students safe.” In a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine, 71% of college students surveyed indicated worsening stress and anxiety due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions implemented because of the pandemic have also made it harder to socialize and relax in some of the ways students are used to, but Midgett says students can still find ways to combat burnout, even during the outbreak. “It is important to exercise some control over where you focus your time. It is healthy to focus on topics that you find are meaningful and important and to balance those with positive messages about yourself and your future. We need to follow appropriate guidance and then gather in small socially distant groups. Plan to meet several friends for a scheduled lunch each week, meet another friend for a walk around the lake several times a week, organize a zoom group where you read a great book and discuss your thoughts and opinions about the book. Make a vision board of all the places you would like to travel. Get ready for a great future,” Midgett said.

Celebrating MSU Tex

IN H O N O R O F W O M E N’S H I S T OR Y M ONT H, T HE WI C HI T A

ANGIE REAY

Director of the Bruce and Graciela Redwine Wellness Center Receiving an athletic scholarship playing basketball for MSU Texas, Reay graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, earned her master’s in education and is now pursuing her EdD in educational leadership. At MSU for over a decade, Reay has worn many hats. Currently, she is: Camps and Conference Coordinator, Cheerleading Administrator, CPR/AED/First Aid Instructor, Adjunct Instructor: West College Education and Reay’s office oversees the Youth Protection Program; as well as serving as the Staff Senate ViceChair, Budget Oversight Committee, Return to Campus Task Force, Employee Health and Wellness Committee-Chair, Title IX Investigator and Centennial Steering Committee. Hesitant but confident in applying for the position, Reay was named Director of the Bruce and Graciela

Redwine Student Wellness Center in April 2017. “I think one of the things that worked to my advantage was my dedication and work ethic before this job,” Reay said. Reay’s advice for young women is to become experts in whatever it is they are trying to pursue and to showcase a strong work ethic. She also said having support from her husband, children and friends were helpful in her journey. “Know your field. Be very knowledgeable in the area you’re trying to pursue. We all like things, but you need to be very knowledgeable. Regardless of your gender or ethnicity, [succeeding] takes a lot of work. It takes doing a lot of things you might not want to do. Discipline is another thing; you have to be disciplined enough to come to work and be successful,” Reay said.

EUNJI CHO

Assistant professor of mass communication Cho studied advertising at Seoul Women’s University. She was Vice President of a studentoriented agency and through the organization, she would enter national advertising competitions. In her senior, year after she gave a presentation for an advertising competition the advertising agency Ogilvy offered her an internship that turned into a job as an account executive. “Ogilvy is a global agency, headquarter is in new york. We communicated with all people in the world...My main client was Nike,” Cho said. “Airmax 360 was released in 2005, we had to make the same theme...same campaign but different countries develop different ideas.” After four years Cho went on to pursue post-graduate education. Cho received her master’s in advertising from UT Austin and earned her Ph.D. from the

University of Wisconsin-Madison and chose to pursue a career in acadamia. “If I go to academia, that is totally different story. I can still study, doing research about advertising and I can meet students to develop advertising campaigns. I can do more in the universities,” Cho said. Cho began working at MSU Texas in the fall of 2019. She was confident in this decision because she enjoys her teaching and can do research. Cho researches advertising with children and how they process it. She advises students to talk about their interests and make connections with professors. “Try to think about what you want to do and also talk with your professors. Discuss your career. It really helps,” Cho said.

SUZANN

Universit

Shipley received her bachelor’s in German and English and pursued her master’s and Ph.D. in German. “I got my master’s in five years, had a Fullbright [scholarship] to Germany and then went to UT [University of Texas] for my doctorate in German,” Shipley said. Shipley began her college teaching career at 30-years-old at the Univerity of Cincinnati. She was one of 20 women nominated to be a part of the American Council on Education fellowship, a national leadership program for women who aspire to be university presidents. Before arriving at MSU Texas in August of 2015, Shipley was President of Sheppard University in West Virginia for eight years. She chalks her successes up to looking at herself beyond how society views women. “We’re perfectly comfort-

xas Women: Part Two

A N FEATU R ES SO ME OU T S T A N D I NG W OM E N O N C AM P US

NE SHIPLEY

ty President

able looking at ourselves as a daughter, an aunt, a mother, a sister, but what about CEO? What about entrepreneur? What about engineer? We’ve got to make room for titles that society didn’t ok decades ago,” Shipley said. “We’ve got to step into titles that society has now said it’s ok for women but it’s not habituated at all. I think recognizing how you want to define yourself is one of the most important steps.” Shipley is s a strong advocate for manifesting the job you aspire to have and not giving up when expectations are not met. “You have to believe in your core that you’re meant to do this and you will ultimately do it,” Shipley said. “But you can’t give up easily just because people don’t think you look like the job you’re applying for ...it’s hard. It is really hard when you are a successful person, to fail.”

KYUNG LEE GAGUM

Assistant professor of world languages and cultures Lee was born in South Korea. At 7-years-old she moved to Wiesbaden, Germany after an opportunity arose for her parents to be guest workers. She left Germany at the age of 18 to study in the United States and pursue a degree in German at the University of Arizona. There, Lee completed her undergrad, graduate and Ph.D. “Long story short, I came to study and ended up getting married and stayed in the states. My husband was in the military and stationed at the David-Monthan base in Arizona. At the time I already had children, so I had to balance being a student, a wife and a mother. It was challenging,” Lee said. Lee said that she has been inspired by Asian female authors who involved the German language in their careers, such as Yoko Tawada. “She inspired me in the sense

that although German is not her native language, the way she plays with the language and enjoys writing in the language, made her writing really special. Since she is Asian, and learning a European language, I feel like I can relate to her and aim more toward my goal to share the love and passion of the language,” Lee said. When asked what advice she would give to a woman in her 20’s, Dr. Lee said to first take care of your skin, then take care of yourself. “Let’s start with the body. That is something that you can take care of immediately. Set goals, short-term goals, then set long-term goals and establish how you are going to get there and why. The answer to the ‘why’ should always be, for yourself,” Lee said.

CAMMIE DEAN

Assistant vice president of student affairs Dean graduated from the University of Iowa in 1995 with a bachelor’s of science in sociology and completed her master’s degree in education in training and development at MSU Texas. Throughout her college career she kept encountering people that had positive impacts on her college experience. Through them, she realized that was the career she wanted to pursue. “Having sort of decided ‘Yeah I would like to help other people make it through this experience,’ I also landed on the people that I want to help are first-gen students, minority students, international students, students who want to engage in that cross-cultural experience. It was a really powerful piece of my education and so having decided maybe this is the path for me I knew this was the place within higher ed that I wanted to be,” Dean said.

Dean was hired as the director of multicultural services at Clark University in 1997. In 2006, she was promoted to director of student life. In 2009, Dean transitioned to MSU and served as Assistant Director of Student Development and Orientation. Dean is now the Director of the Priddy Scholars program, Mosaic Cross-Cultural Center and in August 2020, added Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs to her titles. During Dean’s academic life she had Esther Materón-Arum, her advisor who kept her on track to keeping her goals. Now Dean can advise other students in the same way. “Advice that I most often give to young women in the workforce is to be strategic in whatever position [they] are in…It’s always about thinking of [the] next step and beginning to prepare for that,” Dean said.

TERRELL WILSON SHARES HIS

MUSIC STORY KHIRSTIA SHEFFIELD FEATURE EDITOR Houston-born native, Terrell Wilson, applied arts and sciences junior, grew up in a whirlwind of music. Watching family members like Willie D., an American rapper who was best known as a member of the Houston rap group the Geto Boys, alongside Bushwick Bill and Scarface, only sparked his fascination for the cultivation of music. “Music has played a part of my life forever, it’s my life,” Wilson said. “I just started venturing off into it and learning more about it as time went on.” At eight-years-old, Wilson was playing almost every instrument in the band. He played the saxophone, trombone, baritone and every instrument in the percussion group. “I was a band geek growing up in elementary and middle school,” Wilson said. “When I got to eighth grade I had to choose between band and basketball, so I just left [music]

alone until I got to college. I felt like basketball was more me, I could show my persona on the court and my demeanor.” At 18-years-old, he made his first song on a track with one of his teammates and since then he hasn’t stopped making music. With now three albums named 923, Differences and Verity, Wilson said it’s only up from here. “My family calls me the chosen one of the family because anything I hop into I’m going to give it 110%,” Wilson said. “I’m never going to go into anything halfway locked in because that would be an injustice to myself and [my family].” Navigating the fast-paced basketball court and the obstacles it brings helped Wilson navigate his life and find who he was. Early on the name T-Money resonated with him and it closely followed as he determined his stage name; 7$ey. “I had to be creative because I didn’t just want to be another Tmoney,” Wilson said. “The seven represents the seven days of the week because I go hard every day of the week, the money sign represents T-money and the -ey I added on for a little razzle-dazzle.” He lives and breathes creativity and he recognizes his music as an eye-opening experience or Third Eye. “My music is my own genre because it’s blind leading the blind in the world and I don’t want to fall victim to it,” Wilson said. “I try to put knowledge in my music and in order to listen to my music you have to be able to feel me. It’s real recognize real and if you’ve been through an experience in your life where you went through a hard time you can feel me putting that PHOTO COUTRESY OF TERRELL WILSON on the track because I’ve Terrell Wilson, applied arts and sciences been through those situjunior and basketball guard, doing a song ations and I’ve made it out of them.” recording in his closet, March 25.

Determined to win, Wilson named his label natural-born winner because he wins in spite of the cards he’s been dealt in life. “I’ve never been to the studio, I record in my closet and I engineer my music myself. Everything is me, but I don’t let that stop me,” Wilson said. “I just find the beat, put it on a track, say a few words, find the tempo of the song and go with what I feel. I put my feelings into every song so you can really understand where I’m coming from. I trust myself and the entire process.” He draws his inspiration for his lyrics from his heart and his experiences. He says he’s not from this world and his outlook on life makes him different from any other rapper out right now. He says he hopes that his listeners can understand that. “You can make something out of nothing,” Wilson said. “Even if you feel like you’re the worst at whatever you do, if you change your mindset and manifest what you want you can achieve anything you want. The world is yours.” Although music has become something he is very passionate about, basketball still always comes first. As a point guard and leader of the team, Wilson sees basketball as a lucrative business and nothing will come between him being the best he can be on that court. “Whenever I enter the gym that’s my mindset and that’s where I’m at for that time being,” Wilson said. “I’m on scholarships and I’m getting paid to do this. This is my job and I’m serious about the money.” Despite his tunnel vision on the court, as an up-and-coming artist, it can be discouraging when your music isn’t hitting numbers or resonating with people like you planned it would, but Wilson finds beauty in this process. “You have to stay down, nothing will happen overnight,” Wilson said. “As long as you stick to it and don’t let anyone phase you, you will succeed. I’m a firm believer in God and whatever path he leads me down I know in the end I am going to be a better person.”

PHOTO COUTRESY OF TERRELL WILSON

Terrell Wilson, applied arts and sciences junior and basketball guard poses for the camera for an album cover.

A P R O F E S S O R’ S P I E D AY

PHOTO BY EMILY BEAMAN | THE WICHITAN

Competitors of the Celebrity Pie Eating Competition at the Spring 2021 Burkburnett Jeremy Duff, associate professor of political science, looking over at his competiton Boomtown Shootout. with a mouth full of pie. EMILY BEAMAN REPORTER he Spring 2021 Boomtown Shootout Festival was a twoday event March 19 and 20, in Burkburnett with live music, giveaways, community vendors, cooking competitions and MSU Texas’ very own Jeremy Duff, associate professor of political science. The festival began Friday afternoon with a steak competition, vendor booths and live concerts from Jamie Richards, Zack Crow and the Chris Shackelford Band. The festivities reopened Saturday morning,

kicking off the day with friendly competitions, food vendors, family games and a bean tasting competition. Amongst the fun and games, Duff’s main focus was the Celebrity Pie Eating contest on Saturday afternoon. He was selected to be one of the “local celebrities” competing against others from the community. Despite being a first-time-pie-eating-competitor, he said he had no prior training or preparation for the competition aside from that morning. “I judged beans this morning, so I prepared by eating a bunch of

beans,” Duff said. Following up the Silver Thunder Band, around 1 p.m., eight men and women took their seats on the amphitheater stage and had their pies placed on the table in front of them. In order to take the competition one step further, the contestants were required to finish their pie without using their arms or hands. Duff commented that his personal favorite type of pie is chocolate, but was rather unimpressed when given a cherry pie for the competition. “It was okay,” Duff said. The time began, along with Weird

Al Yankovich’s parody song “Eat It”, and all eight contestants dug in. Duff admitted to turning to those at the table with him, asking if one of them could “hurry and finish” so he could stop as well. After five and a half intense minutes, Kendric Manuel, head coach of Burkburnett Elite, was named the winner. Duff had finished half of his pie, but was still proud of his accomplishment and simply honored to be part of the celebrity line-up for the competition. He was the only participant from MSU. “I am so proud and humbled and

honored to represent Midwestern State University in this incredible feat of athleticism and eating ability,” Duff said. After his grueling competition, he headed to the Community Center. As a self-proclaimed barbecuing professional, Duff was also scheduled to judge the rib tasting competition. He sat on the finals table along with six others to judge the 15 samples of ribs that moved past the preliminary rounds. After turning in his ballot, he returned to the vendor booths to spend the rest of his day hanging around the festival.

LAUNDRY MONSTER

COMIC BY ABIGAIL JONES | THE WICHITAN

TRACK IS TAKING OFF AN

PHOTO BY BAILEY GRAHAM | THE WICHITAN

Emily Hurst, dental hygiene freshman, leaps over the pole while practicing high jump, March 26 THALIA DOE REPORTER eyton Lewis, track captain and finance sophomore, broke the 1993 record for MSU triple jump mark on Saturday, March 13 at the meet against UT Tyler at the Ice Breaker Classic. “My goal is to perform better at each meet than the previous one. Even though I broke the record for triple jump and now it’s my name that holds that place, I want to always continuously attempt to break the records that I’ve even set myself. I’ve never broke a record before, so when I found out, I was like ‘Oh snap, my name is going to be at MSU for as long as it possibly can.’ It gives me the drive to work even harder,” Lewis said. Lewis also performed in the 200-meter dash and long jump event, where she is currently placed second best for performance by just one second. She plans to break it. “Coming in second in long jump and finding out it was only by an inch behind first place, I took it as a challenge, as a bet. Now it is a big goal for me. I was at 16’10 and the record is at 16’11. I want to get to the next foot – 17,” Lewis said.

PHOTO BY BAILEY GRAHAM | THE WICHITAN

Peyton Lewis, finance sophomore, practices long jump in an effort to futher her abilities, March 26.

Lewis said Kelsey Bruce, the head coach for track and field, is what also fuels the drive in her and is the definition of a coach and amazing leader. Bruce motivates her to be a better person on and off the field. “She is incredibly supportive and positive. She truly brings out the best of us, whether we want to or not. When she first met us, she was very direct on what what she expected from us and was willing to push us. On bad days, she gives us this positive turn around and they immediately turn into good days. We have great practices every day and put in as much effort every day. The fact that Bruce came in so abruptly and has had so much impact on our program and team already is crazy – I love it. We needed it,” Lewis said. Continuing a career in track and field for as long as possible is Lewis’ dream. She said the feeling is unbeatable. “It is a dream of mine. I would love to continue jumping, especially triple jump, because it’s just the feeling I get when I jump into that sand, it’s great, I love it,” Lewis said. Other captain, Taylor Carr, sports & leisure studies sophomore, also broke her col-

lege personal record, ter dash with a time o “I was very happy t PR [personal record]. ter, my time was 25.9 ter, it was a 59.1. I’ve 100-meter dash, beca sprinter but when I r made a 12.5,” Carr said Carr said she is go to break the PR she se the invitational meet and Saturday. “I plan to by the e get in the 58’s for the my PR is a 59.1, but at my body just needs to fast as I once did whe Hopefully at this mee ter that, I can break m coming meet I am go 100-meter, 200-meter, ter,” Carr said. To automatically Star Conference in in ner needs to be in the lem for Carr. “Right now, for c

ND BREAKING RECORDS

PHOTO BY BAILEY GRAHAM | THE WICHITAN

Track coach Kelsey Bruce, gives one of her athletes pointers on running form, March 26.

finishing her 400-meof 1:00.86. that I got a new college Before for the 200-me9 and for the 400-mee actually never ran a ause I’m not a short ran it this past time, I d. oing to try and improve et at last week’s meet at this upcoming Friday

end of this season, to e 400-meter, right now t one point it was a 57, o adjust to running as en I was in my prime. et, or even the meet afmore PR’s. At this upoing to be running the , but not the 400-me-

qualify for the Lone ndividual races, a runtop 25; that is no prob-

conference, I’m sitting

in eighth place for the 400-meter and surprisingly, like I said earlier, I don’t run the 100-meter but when I did for the one time at the last meet, I came in fifteenth. I hope to improve for the 400-meter and make it into the top five so I can get a better lane,” Carr said. Bruce said that the accomplishments of the team can be accredited to the girls. “I’ve been impressed by their resilience, welcoming of a new coach and accepting the challenge to excel. I came in with a lot of expectations and all of them have risen above that. Llana Anderson, is only the second hammer thrower to be in this program and she works more independent than the other girls and does a great job with that. Amerhyst Woolf, ran amazing and won the college division for the meet. Every week, Woolf has been improving in her workouts. It is nice to see how the team can come together because Woolf is one of our older girls and her alongside with Alexandra Feller have been great leaders on the distance side. On the sprint side, they are mostly young. It is so cool to see how this group can work hard together, support one another and have committed individually to making

themselves better,” Bruce said. According to Bruce, the next meet against Oklahoma Baptist University will be different because it is a non-conference meet, but an invitational, and that a few girls will be running events that in the past they haven’t. “OBU is not in our conference. This week, and really every week, our goal is to be competitive. Sometimes in track, it is easy to get caught up in marks and times. I want them to just be competitive, and attempt to win every chance they get,” Bruce said. “At this meet, we have a lot of girls running in events that they usually do not run in. The point is, working on different skills and really making them well-rounded runners. Some are moving down and working on their speed, while others are moving up and working on their strength. I definitely think they will become more wellrounded after this weekend.” The next opportunity to see the Mustangs race to the finish line will be this Friday and Saturday, March 26-27, at the Hurt Memorial track located in Shawnee, Oklahoma against Oklahoma Baptist University.

PHOTO BY BAILEY GRAHAM | THE WICHITAN

Taylor Carr, sports and leisure studies sophmore, practices the 300m dash, March 26.

Shea Moisture Men Collection: EMPO WERI N G

T H E

PHOTO BY OMAR COMBIE | THE WICHITAN

MA LE

S O UL

PHOTO BY OMAR COMBIE | THE WICHITAN

Shea Moisture Men’s Refreshing Shampoo, Exfoliating Body Wash, Waves Pomade Shea Moisture Men’s Defining cream is a light-weight formula containing Argan oil and Defining Cream. and Shea butter.

hea Moisture, a personal care company, added a new collection to the market strictly for African American men. This collection consists of bar soaps, Shunde Hooks body wash, conditioner for different hair textures, beard wash, beard oils and much more. Recently, I have seen Shea Moisture ads on my laptop computer, as well as in TV commercials, and felt that I should give some of the products a try. I felt it was time to upgrade my care products, so I purchased the exfoliating body wash, refreshing shampoo and defining cream for my hair. All of the products begin with a moisturization process so there is no damage to hair or skin. The exfoliating body has Himalayan salt and Jeju volcanic ash to give its users a stimulating scrub. The refreshing shampoo contains vetiver and neroli, which gives a revitalizing clean. Vetiver is good for relieving stress and neroli reduces pain

and inflammation. The defining cream is a light-weight formula that contains argan oil and shea butter. I found this information interesting because other than the apparent reasons for needing a care product, the ingredients have other essential properties that can assist with physical and mental health. When I first used these three products, I noticed how the Shea Moisture collection appealed to the senses. The containers that held the formula were a combination of different tints of green and orange. The colors gave a calm and mature vibe, appealing to my sense of sight. When I got a whiff of what came from each container, I was astonished because of how appealing it was to my sense of smell, especially the exfoliating body wash. For a quick moment, I felt as if I was on a tropical island. The way it felt on my body, whether I was pouring it in the palm of my hand, across my skin or into my hair, appealed to my sense of touch. It was an exhilarating experience that you would have to experience for yourself to appreciate. The next thing I noticed when I first used the products, specifically the

exfoliating body wash and refreshing shampoo, was the rich lather whenever water touched its surface. The exfoliating body washes unlocked a new level of confidence, because I felt clean when I finished conducting hygiene, and of course, it left a fantastic smell everywhere I went. My friends asked what cologne I was wearing, and it felt good to tell them it was my new body wash. The lather that I received from the refreshing shampoo left me in shock, because it was the one time I paid attention to the slight change in colorization. The grease, dirt and whatever else that was in the hair was no longer there. The last thing I noticed when I used the products was how they held my hair down. When I first used the defining cream, I loved how it was light and not heavy like most hairdressing. It kept my hair laid and presentable throughout the day. Shea Moisture’s efforts to create this product allow you to get your money’s worth. The list of products ranges from six to eight dollars, but they do come in sets on the websites for whatever a person’s needs are.

PHOTO BY OMAR COMBIE | THE WICHITAN

Shea Moisture Men’s Wave Pomade is use to help hold curls down when striving to get waves.

March 29, 2021

Articles inside

FEATURE

REVIEW

NEWS

SPORTS

CELEBRATING MSU TEXAS WOMEN PART TWO