April 6, 2016 by The Wichitan and Wai Kun

VOTE IN OUR WEEKLY TWITTER POLL @WichitanOnline WEDNESDAY AT NOON. April 6, 2016 | Midwestern State University | thewichitan.com | Your Campus. Your News. | Vol. 80 No. 23

Gay athlete discusses inclusion KARA MCINTYRE MANAGING EDITOR

SGA Results

Shayla Owens, business management junior, was elected President in the Student Government elections that concluded March 18, and Andrea Mendoza-Lespron, English junior, was elected Vice President.

Social Media

pgs. 3-6

A.J. Lopez is the university’s social media coordinator. He discussed how social media interacts with our school.

Fee Allocations

fter multiple incidences of social media bullying last semester, professors, administrators, and social justice organization leaders came together to create a social justice celebration called Inclusion Now. Jonathon Quam, mass communication assistant professor, said the idea for Inclusion Now came from Martin Camacho, Fain Fine Arts College dean. Quam and mass communication lecturer Christopher D’Amico led “the wrangling and pulling it all together.” “Of most people on campus, D’Amico and I were best positioned [to lead Inclusion Now],” Quam said. “Social justice is a massive background for both of us.” Terrence Clemens, an openly gay basketball athlete, gave a lecture in Fain Fine Arts Theatre March 31 to 125 people about LGBTQ+ issues in athletics as part of Inclusion Now. He also showed clips from his documentary Game Face. Keith Lamb, vice president of student affairs and enrollment management, confirmed that the Office of Student Affairs provided the funds to bring Clemens to the university, which cost $3,500 including travel. Christopher Cruz, People Respecting Identity Diversity for Everyone president and theater freshman, was the one responsible for finding Clemens as an option for a guest speaker. “I went to iLead and there was a speaker who was talking about being inclusive,” Cruz said. “He showed a picture of Terrence Clemens with his bio, and that was around the time I was starting PRIDE, so I thought it would be really good to have a guest speaker.” Quam and D’Amico, with other professors, offered students extra credit to attend the lecture. “I’m here because of the [extra credit for]

film class for D’Amico,” Hana Getahun, nursing sophomore, said. Clemens emphasized that this was the biggest crowd he’d ever spoke to and the first time giving his lecture in an auditorium, which made him both excited and nervous. “Especially with all the minority students, it made me nervous speaking to my peers,” Clemens said. “It was really cool to be the first openly gay athlete speaking at the first social justice event here. I’m used to small classrooms, not giant stages, so [MSU] gave me a lot of freedom and let me live out my vision on this stage.” Clemens smiled and gestured pointedly as he outlined his goals as a leader in LGBTQ+ equality. “I want us to be looked at more positively and in more of a normal sense. I want to genuinely change the minds of people who don’t give us a chance, not just in sports, but in the work world as well,” Clemens said. “It’s all about educating people in a way that’s not so flamboyant. Our society glorifies the flamboyancy of our sexuality, and that’s not what this is about.” Cruz explained why he chose Clemens to speak. “I thought he was really cool because he was an athlete and he was gay, which is pretty unheard of and can cause a lot of controversy,” Cruz said. Quam echoed these views as he recalled his experiences with Clemens. “Terrence came in and he was the nicest person I could’ve imagined from the get-go. The moment I went out and met with him and the guys he traveled with, they were nothing but respectful the whole time,” Quam said. “They asked, ‘How can we best address your student body or whoever comes to the speech?’ We talked with him the day before and he rearranged a lot of what he said to best fit what we needed [as a university].”

He expanded on the importance of displaying different perspectives on social issues, saying that Clemens spoke from a background that has been “badly missing from other speakers we’ve had on campus.” “It’s one thing for professor D’Amico and I to lead safe-zone trainings, but we’re two nearingmiddle-aged white men, and we have different but similar perspectives on LGBTQ+ issues [than Clemens],” Quam said. “Terrence on the other hand could come in and speak from the perspective of having been a collegiate athlete and dealt with his identity issues in that capacity, having been from inner-city Los Angeles and dealt with his identity issues from that capacity, and living in rural Oklahoma while in college and dealt with his identity issues from that capacity.” Quam explained why Inclusion Now is so important for this campus and this community. “This is just the beginning for social justice on our campus. It’s a part of our mission as a university and I think there’s a lot more that we can do to lead the way in this community in terms of creating more social justice programming and focus more on the disparities that exist in our community,” Quam said. While change is never immediate, Quam discussed the future for Inclusion Now and the planning strategies for the next social justice celebration. “I was talking to professor D’Amico and he described it best as, ‘This is a drop in the bucket.’ Can it be bigger? Absolutely. Will it get bigger? Absolutely,” Quam said. “We were able to pull this together in just a few weeks. If we come back at it next year with the timing of starting in the fall and building forward to spring, it will be something that we’ll be able to build up and make bigger and help students work before it instead of in response to it.”

Online

Student Fee Allocations committee members allocated a total of $2,419,142 out of the $2,430,000 in estimated revenue, creating a surplus of $10,858 in the budget.

Jazmin Brown, psychology sophomore, gets snacks from the refreshments table in the Atrium of the Fain Fine Arts building. | Christopher Cruz, theater freshman and PRIDE president, is given a gift from Terrence Clemens, LGBTQ+ issues speaker, who thanked Cruz for bringing him to MSU for the first social justice movement week.

2 | April 6, 2016 |

STAF F E D I T O RI A L

Educate yourself on social justice OUR VIEW: It’s more than time for we as a campus community to be tolerant of people

with varying sexualities, gender identities, religions, and cultural ties. But tolerance isn’t enough – we must foster inclusivity as well.

e continue to make strides in social justice at the national level, from legalizing marriage equality to tackling a corrupt justice system. And when instances of discrimination on social media happened last semester, campus leaders and administrators were quick to open a dialogue about these issues. Inclusion Now, a social justice campaign, is the latest and broadest of our efforts to improve the climate of social justice on campus. But we can’t let it be the last. The cure for ignorance-based hatred is education. Part of getting a well-rounded education in our college years is expanding our knowledge of cultures and identities that may be outside of our own experiences. If you’re not making an active effort to broaden your awareness, you’re not doing enough. Education will foster tolerance. But, the next step is to make people, who may feel ostracized based on their sexuality, race, or gender identity, etc., feel welcome in our classrooms and our social circles. We are stronger every time we add another voice to our community. We are weaker every time we shun them. Our work is not done until our fellow students can be proud of all the pieces that make them who they are, without fear of judgement or prejudice from a community that is meant to be enlightened and open-minded.

CORRECTIONS: APRIL 6 • In “On the issues”, Andrea Mendoza-Lespron was credited as the University Programming Board low budget no budget chair. To clarify, she is the former chair. • In “More than 20 attend ‘drunk’ relay for safe spring break”, Tia Joiner was incorrectly identified as Tia Joyner and Nicole Longley was incorrectly identified as Nicole Longely.

wichitan

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Vol.. 80 | No. 23

Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room B103 3410 Taft Blvd. Box 14 Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 - wichitan@mwsu.edu

G UEST COL UMN

Closed-minded voters vilify variety W

ith the presidential election less than eight months away, it is hard to have a conversation with someone without it eventually shifting towards politics. This is a topic I enjoy hearing about, but often dread Connor Wolf actually discussing. Younger voters are especially vocal about their opinions in politics. As for me, I would much rather stay quiet. My silence on the matter is not to look cool, edgy, or not care about politics. Being able to vote is a great thing. I am quiet on the subject of politics because I do not feel that I know enough about either side or have a big enough world view to see how everyone is affected by each decision, I am a very indecisive person and I hate making up my mind without all the details. Being well informed at this age is difficult with the way the media feeds information to us. One scroll through a Facebook feed will probably show many young voters have no idea what they are talking about. Social media and pop culture give us watered-down, cartoonish views on the candidates like the Bernie vs. Hillary debate memes making Bernie Sanders look hip and Hillary Clinton look out of touch, or Donald Trump being the punchline to every joke on the Internet. We live in a society that creates low information voters, who will vote for Bernie Sanders because they want to “Feel the Bern” or Donald Trump because he will “Make America Great Again.” These images that the candidates have built up around them do not do much in the

MANAGING EDITOR: Kara McIntyre DESIGN EDITOR: Brianna Sheen PHOTO EDITOR: Rachel Johnson BUSINESS MANAGER: Dewey Cooper DESIGNER: Justin Marquart ADVISER: Bradley Wilson

way of encouraging voters to be receptive to other ideas. I was raised in a Republican household, so I tend to hold some conservative views, but I do not make that my only basis on how I vote. While the way a person is raised can play a big part into how they see certain issues, however, no one should vote for whomever your parents vote for as an easy way out. The whole reason that you register to vote is to cast an opinion, not to give somebody else a second one. Something I learned from growing up in a Republican home is these days is; it seems hard to have conservative views because the party as a whole is seen in a negative, nonprogressive light. This all has resulted in it being really easy to look like a complete idiot in an argument. I am not too proud to admit that I do not know very much about politics, and would rather not become a stereotypical stupid radical Republican (or Democrat) by going up to bat with my lack of political knowledge and certain conservative opinions. This is why I choose to stay quiet in political arguments. People who do not know enough about a subject, should not be fighting for or against it. Listen. Learn. See things in a new perspective. Then voice your opinion. Connor Wolf is a mass communication junior.

Copyright © 2016. 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 telephone number and address. The editor retains the right to edit letters.

| April 6, 2016 | 3 SPECIAL SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE

Social media is more than retweets and friend counts RACHEL JOHNSON PHOTO EDITOR

ocial media networks have started to take over the way people run their lives, from how they find friends or dates, to how people post their day to day activities as if it were a personal diary. Nearly any information someone could ever hope to know can be located in seconds via devices that fit in the palm of one’s hand. Smartphones have transformed the way society functions. There are apps for just about everything. To edit photos, check a bank account, file taxes, translate languages, calculate scientific equations, and more. It’s social media apps and networks that have taken the internet by storm. Like never before, people are able to stay constantly connected and updated with what’s going on around them with the click of a button. Instagram tells a person’s story through photographs. Facebook focuses on keeping people connected to the daily lives of their friends and family, no matter the physical distance between them. Twitter’s fast-paced, 140-character snip-

pets provide information in near-immediate, easily-digestible chunks. Not to mention Snapchat, YikYak, and more. While college students are well-versed in how to use these various social media to connect with friends and document their lives, they are less likely to understand the growing importance of a social media presence for post-graduation job searches. Carefully cultivating and growing one’s online presence is just as, if not more important than documenting the morning’s bagel or checking in at the local bar. In this edition’s special coverage of social media, Wichitan reporters will examine how social media should be used by students about to enter the workforce. How to build a LinkedIn profile and expand a professional network, how employers use applicant’s social media presence to make hiring decisions, and what to do (and not to do) on social media. Just as much as college graduates need a list of references and a well-crafted resume, they need a professional and noteworthy digital presence.

PHOTO BY RACHEL JOHNSON | THE WICHITAN

These social media icons are paintings by Teresa Lopez, a 2013 MSU graduate, that are hanging in A.J. Lopez’s office.

Networking: If you’re not doing it, you should be

there to prove it. In 2012 a study done by ABC showed that 80 percent of jobs are acquired through networking. So for MSU students to give perspective an enrollment of 6,043 in 2015 means only 1,209 will find jobs in ways other than networking. Let’s break it down even smaller to get perspective. The faculty to student ratio is 17:1. Using this as the class size, 13.6 students out of a class of 17 would find jobs through networking. “Over 90 percent of employers will check your LinkedIn profile before hiring you.” said Lopez.

COOPER MILLER REPORTER

hey’re freshly graduated, degree in hand, ready to take on the world, but not a clue of where to start. Now imagine the same scenario, except this time, an opportunity is waiting for them. This is the power of networking. Founded in 2002, LinkedIn is a social networking site, designed and used for professional networking. It’s the Facebook of networking; and its popularity among employers and jobhunters alike has continued to increase. As of October 2015, LinkedIn had more than 400 million users. “It’s a way that you can make connections even if you’re not currently hunting for a position” said Cindy Price, college coordinator of the Career Management Center. “It’s a passive way to find a job.” With tools like the alumni tool, groups by field, and skill-set endorsements, LinkedIn makes networking easy. “It’s hard to sit down and write somebody a recommendation letter, but through LinkedIn the endorser can click on different skills they know a person has” said Stephanie Sullivan, assistant director of the Career Management Center. “It’s easier and businesses recognize it.” With a similar feel to other social media platforms like Facebook, students should navigate LinkedIn with ease, taking advantage of its plentiful resources, like connecting with professors who can endorse their skills. “LinkedIn’s ecosystem helps you to explore and discover what’s possible.” said Kenly Walker, corporate communications manager at LinkedIn’s San Francisco office. “You should take the time to connect with people you know, alumni from your university and people you have worked with in the past.”

professional self; a person you may not feel is presentable to potential employers. “If you don’t have a LinkedIn, your first things that are going to pop up are going to be Facebook and Twitter, and sometimes those aren’t the best reflection of you” said Lopez. Doing this will steer employers to their professional self first on a quick search of you.

WHY LINKEDIN?

WHY NOW?

It’s simply, really. “LinkedIn is a professional reflection of who you are.” said A.J. Lopez, social media coordinator of the university. There is no denying it; college provides for fun and sometimes irresponsible times with friends. Unfortunately, more often than not, these instances can show up on student’s digital profile. Spread all across the web are instances of your non-

TIPS AND TRICKS: TO MAKE YOUR PROFILE STAND OUT.

Make your profile picture professional.”It’s your virtual handshake.” said Walker. “Plus members who include a profile receive 14X more profile views.” “Never make your photo sexy.” said Lopez. “Your profile picture is your first impression.” Complete your profile! “100 percent complete profile equals 40 times more opportunity.” Welch Tag your skills. “LinkedIn members with at least one skill tagged get 13x more profile views,” said Walker. SCREEN SHOT TAKEN FROM HTTPS://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/

“Getting familiar with how to network early will make it easier when you do find it very important and relevant.” said Dirk Welch, director of the Career Management Center. It’s never too early to start networking. Students need to understand the importance and abundance of opportunities that will present themselves through networking. The numbers are

RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS

Students can find at the Career Development Center in Clark Student Center a great deal of resources to guide and assist you in getting started networking on LinkedIn. Another resource available are networking career events the university holds. “One of the events that we have is our networking career events and the students are able to go meet potential employers and network with them,” said Sullivan On May 5 the Career Development Center is holding a free seminar/workshop for students Social Media: Use of LinkedIn to get hired…digital dirt to get fired in Clark student Center. “We encourage students, even if they aren’t graduating this semester, to go ahead and come to the career event,” said Sullivan. “Because it’s never too early to start building a relationship with a potential employer.”

| April 6, 2016 | 5

4 | April 6, 2016 | SPECIAL SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE

Coordinator: ‘We try to be ahead of everything’ KARA MCINTYRE MANAGING EDITOR

A.J. LOPEZ is the university’s social media coordinator. He discussed how social media interacts with our school.

Evening: Lopez checks all the social media accounts again before leaving to make sure there isn’t anything he missed. He sets his schedule up for the next day, if there is an event that night then he sends out a Tweet to advertise the event then when the event starts, he will be there to cover it through social media.

ABOUT THE JOB

WHAT DOES YOUR JOB ENTAIL? University President Suzanne Shipley’s four Instagram posts as of April 5.

University president joins Instagram on around them. The Midwestern State Instagram has 2,657 followers. A.J. Lopez, social media coordinator, said, “We his semester, social media novice, University president Suzanne Shipley joined the Instagram share information differently on all the social medias. community and now has four Instagram posts, Facebook is geared towards more alumni and family. Twitter is geared towards more event stuff and is more and 52 followers. Shipley, said, “I don’t have the photo talents, but to of a customer service platform. Instagram is more of me it’s a non planned, spur-of-the-moment opportu- the lifestyle of the university, and then, Snapchat is still evolving, but it’s a combination of more personal nity to connect with students.” Kenadi Campbell, computer science sophomore, narratives and information.” Lopez, also enjoys when the students take the picsaid, “She’s keeping up with the times, and it just tures. He said he loves it when students put their stuff makes her seem more relatable as a president.” Shipley also joined Twitter last fall, and has 396 fol- out. “That’s the contrast between us lowers. and other universities and what Emily Richburg, sophomore in they do, because we like putting out fine arts, said, “it’s nice to know that what the students see as a universishe cares about that aspect of our ty. Social media is about having fun. lives. We constantly hear how social Yes, we want to convey a message media is controlling us, and instead out there, but we can have fun with of agreeing, she is finding a way to it. That’s why the students use social use it to connect with us. She’s makmedia, because it is fun, so we use it ing it personal, which is pretty cool.” the same exact way. It’s easier to reShipley said she thought social late something with humor.” media and the phone divided us and Other students that responded distracted us from each other. positively after finding out about “The phone allows me to break this new user said the following: through resistance that someone @shipleysuzanne1 “Getting an Instagram is a great might have to me, because they see me with a camera, and they’re really nice about let- way to connect with students that use the app. I would ting me take their picture, and they want to take my like to see her with students and attending events,” picture. So it’s really an access tool, because otherwise said Makenzie Anderson, nursing sophomore. “It’s refreshing, because she’s trying to connect to I’m going up to people and introducing myself, and they don’t know who I am, and they don’t really care. her students through social media, which most of us But if they see me on social media, it’s like they know are on. I’m sure not many administrators take time exactly who I am. And it’s important for students to out of their day like that. I’d like to see her post what’s know who their president is, if you need something. going on at Midwestern, her interests and her favorite So I have found it a really great tool to build connec- parts of the school.” said, Elizabeth Barcenas Mejia, nursing sophomore. tions.” said, Shipley. “It will help her keep in touch with the students on Students engage on several social media platforms. Sometimes out of boredom, sometimes for a good campus.” said, Victoria Estrada, education math sophlaugh and sometimes to find out things that are going omore. RUTTH MERCADO REPORTER

“We monitor all of the social medias and everything on campus. We try to be ahead of everything and educate the students, faculty, and staff on social media in general and new things coming out or new features. The big one was about a month ago when Instagram decided to allow multiple accounts, so we threw out a memo to the faculty and staff about it. We told everyone about the new Snapchat features and how to integrate that. We educated them on emojis, like what some mean rather than others. They don’t know what the eggplant or peach emojis mean, so we have to tell them, ‘Don’t use those emojis ever.’ It’s a lot of that kind of stuff. We also can send anything we see on social media to different departments, such as sending parking issues to the police or leak information to facilities.”

WHAT DOES YOUR TYPICAL DAY LOOK?

In morning: It starts with checking what was missed overnight, then Lopez looks at what the people are talking/posting about, he makes sure schedules are done for the day, and then he goes to explore campus. “The morning is all about research and the afternoon is all about going around campus and finding out what we need to do. Usually around lunch I’ll stay around the Clark Student Center because there’s usually something around there that we can put up on social media.”

IS IT HARD TO BALANCE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE WITH YOUR WORK LIFE?

“I’ve been in this field for quite a while, and you have to be everywhere at certain times. Everything works around the events, not around you. You just have to say, ‘okay, these hours I’m with family’ and designate time for your personal life. It takes a while to get to that point, but it will happen eventually.”

DO YOU ACT DIFFERENTLY WHEN TALKING TO THE PRESIDENT AND WHEN TALKING TO STUDENTS?

“No, you have to be yourself. If you’re not being true to yourself, then what’s the point? You treat everyone the same and don’t change for anyone.”

WHAT ARE THE BEST PARTS OF YOUR JOB?

“Being able to meet everyone and being outside half of the time. I like to be outside and being able to go places. Every day is different; I’m going somewhere different or meeting someone different. For example, a few weeks ago we had a photo shoot in the bell tower in the morning, then a photo shoot in the new dorm in the afternoon, so we’re going from one place to another with two different extremes.”

WHAT ARE THE WORST PARTS?

“The thing about social media in higher ed is that we are brand new. There’s been nobody before us for the majority of the time,

so we’re trying to take baby steps. Everyone is trying to learn off of each other. We went through that whole Yeti fiasco last year, so we had to deal with that and learn for next time. I think the hardest part is trying to figure out what fits for your university and what other universities are trying. Everyone has to keep each other in the loop because it’s always changing.”

DOES MSU MONITOR THE MWSU.SNAPS ACCOUNT?

“Yes, we do. There’s no way for us to check who’s running it, but Snapchat is putting a lot of funding behind creating a more personal route so all of a sudden, you may find that the owner of those snaps are going to be revealed.”

BEHIND THE SCENES

FAVORITE SPOT ON CAMPUS: INSIDE THE BELL TOWER

“You can see the whole campus from there. I’ve been there a few times, and that’s always been my favorite spot. Not only that, but just the history behind the bells makes it even better.”

FAVORITE MSU TRADITION: HOMECOMING BOAT RACES

“It’s very unique to our university. It’s fun to see the cleverness and the attempts to make it across the lake.”

FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIUM: TWITTER

“A lot of professionals are on there. I can keep in touch with other professionals in my field and we can share ideas. It’s easier through Twitter because I always see their stuff, and with other networks, I don’t.”

TIPS TO COLLEGE STUDENTS

WHAT ARE SOME TIPS YOU HAVE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS? “Develop a sense of humor. That’s super important for social media. Keep posting and keep sharing because it will help you form a presence on the Internet.”

HOW CAN STUDENTS USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO FURTHER THEIR JOB PROSPECTS? “It’s kind of the same way with what we do with Twitter. Every profession has a hashtag. For example, ours is Higher Ed Social Media, or #HESM. For others, you have to find which one is the correct one, and from there you can start meeting other people who are in your exact same profession.”

WHAT SHOULD STUDENTS BE WARY OF WHEN USING SOCIAL MEDIA?

“There’s no such thing as deletion. Especially with Snapchat, because there’s always a way for it to be hacked. While your story is gone within 24 hours, it is staying somewhere for 24 hours, and within that time you could be the lucky one to get hacked that day. I mean, we all saw what happened with Ashley Madison, so it is possible. It can stay on even longer if you’ve sent a picture to someone and they haven’t opened it. If they haven’t opened it for five days, then it’s going to stay on the server for five days before it’s deleted.”

DO EMPLOYERS ACTUALLY LOOK AT FACEBOOK?

“I can tell you that they do. Even if they don’t say they do, they still do.”

WHEN DID MSU APPEAR ONLINE? @MIDWESTERNSTATE

July 13, 2011

April 3, 2012

May 21, 2012

July 11, 2012

April 12, 2015

These social media icons are paintings by Teresa Lopez, a 2013 MSU graduate, that are hanging in his office.

A.J. Lopez PHOTO BY RACHEL JOHNSON | THE WICHITAN

6 | April 6, 2016 | SPECIAL SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE

Digital footprint key to success Cultivate your online presence

or students graduating this May, finding a job is on the forefront of their minds. The Career Management Center prepares students for careers. Employees helps students by critiquing resumes, Cristina McCrary conducting mock interviews, loaning business professional outfits to students, as well as hosting numerous career fairs and networking events. “Our goal is to help students prepare for life after Midwestern [State University] and build those life-long business skills,” Stephanie Sullivan, assistant director of the Career Management Center, said. One of the most important representations of a job applicant is their social media presence. In fact, 91 percent of companies use social networking websites to screen potential employees, and 69 percent of companies admit to rejecting an applicant based on what they saw on a social networking site. Some red flags to employers are profanity, spelling and grammar errors, illegal drug references, and sexual or inappropriate posts. Cindy Price, college coordinator of the Career Management Center, said students often don’t realize that once something is put on the internet it’s out there forever. While there are definitely things on social media that will turn an employer away from

an applicant, there are also things that can draw employers in. One in three employers found content on applicant’s social media that made them more likely to hire them, and 23 percent found content that directly led to hiring a candidate. LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking service that allows users to highlight professional and educational experience, showcase examples of work, volunteerism, and make networking connections. An overwhelming majority of employers use LinkedIn to screen job applicants. More than 90 percent of employers turn to LinkedIn during the hiring process to screen candidates. Price said, while job searches may not be on the forefront of an underclassman’s mind, it’s never too early for students to create a LinkedIn account and build a professional network. The Career Management Center, in partnership with other offices on campus, will host Mustangs Movin’ on May 2-6. The week-long event will feature presentations to students to prepare for life after graduation. Topics include job searches, obtaining a home loan, 401K and IRA, mock interviews, and more. To find out more, call the Career Management Center at 940-397-4473. Cristina McCrary is a career consultant at the Career Management Center.

hen I first started using Twitter six years ago, I never imagined that it would influence the world as much as it has. I figured it would be like all other trends—it’d be popular for a few months, Kara McIntyre create some waves, and disappear—but social media has done the exact opposite. It keeps growing and can update in an instant. From last spring to this spring, I served as Chi Omega’s public relations chairman. I was in charge of running all of the sorority’s social media accounts and creating marketing and recruiting strategies. I learned the importance of a positive social media presence, especially for college students. Social media is how we communicate. According to wearesocial.net, out of the 7.2 billion people in the world, there are slightly more than 3 billion active Internet users. And to top that, 3.65 billion mobile users have access to the Internet via smart phones and tablets, making it even easier to use social media at our fingertips. It’s no wonder we’re all addicted to our phones. But after operating an organization’s social media, I realized one look at someone’s profile

can make or break your opinion of them. Keeping social media profiles on private isn’t the solution either — employers get the impression you have something to hide. Building a positive, public presence is more important than hiding your presence. I had to be extremely careful with what I posted because potential new members could be looking at our Twitter or creeping through our pictures on Instagram (and thanks to Twitter’s “switch account” feature, posting from the wrong account happened sometimes...oops). I wanted them to see the best parts of Chi Omega. Social media impacts us every day, personally and professionally. This generation wants fast and easy—we’re all running around living chaotic lives with our noses in our phones, and using social media fits that lifestyle just right. Using social media also allows us to make connections with people from around the world, so make sure those connections are setting you up for a bright future. The competition is probably Tweeting or Facebooking anyway, so you should be too. And if you wouldn’t want your grandma to see it: Don’t post it. Simple. Kara McIntyre is a mass communication junior.

Be mindful of what you post

ocial media is a big thing to our generation. We have to document everything we’re doing, where we’re going, and what we’re eating. As the marketing chair for Mikayla the University Programming Dunlap Board, I have definitely had to step my social media “game” up. I am a private person and don’t like exposing too much of myself on the internet. With UPB’s social media, I have to be very active online. Making sure I’m promoting events in a good enough time is a challenge because we have so many platforms. Learning the best times to post on Instagram and Twitter was a big challenge initially. It varies based on whichever platform I’m posting on. Being active on UPB’s social media has really made me take a backseat in my own social media. I didn’t post that much to begin with, but now my social media is really stagnant. To be great at one thing, something else has to take the backseat and

I’m okay with it being my social media. I have more time to be productive since I’m not constantly checking five to six social media accounts. For almost a year now, I have definitely seen a difference in my own preference of using social media. I’m getting to the point where I rarely use it. I’m establishing myself and my social media presence with UPB. Being that a lot of employers are now looking at social media accounts before hiring people, I want to be cognizant to what I am posting. I wasn’t posting anything inappropriate before, but now that I’m getting close to starting my career, I want to make sure my online profiles are a reflection of my true self. Social media has been a great thing for me. It’s very entertaining, and it gives me a way to keep up with friends I wouldn’t necessarily talk to everyday. College students just have to be mindful of what they post and how it could affect them later on in life. Mikayla Dunlap is a radiology junior.

Attention all singers! If you have been a member of a choir, you know what a social, fun, and inspiring activity this can be.

Sing in choir! University Choir is the select choral ensemble open to all students at MSU, meeting MWF 2:00-2:50. Midwestern Singers, a chamber ensemble, and the Attention all singers! If you have been a member of a Oratorio Chorus are also open to MSU students. Contact Dr. Dale Heidebrecht, Director of Choral Activities for more information (3974268)

WORRIED? overwhelmed? SAD? STRESS • ANXIETY • DEPRESSION PART 1 OF A 3-PART SERIES

BRI SHEEN DESIGN EDITOR

ast year, 65 percent of college students reported stress, anxiety or depression as a factor impacting their academic performance, according to the spring 2015 National College Health Assessment. Similarly, in a survey of MSU students, faculty, staff and alumni, 77.53 percent of people reported experiencing some form of anxiety while in college and 38.2 percent of people reported having been treated for depression in their lifetime. The correlation between stress and mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression among college students is not a coincidence. According to Lori Arnold, counselor at the campus Counseling Center, it may be time for students to reach out to family, friends or even the Counseling Center if students see their struggles impacting major areas of their life such as school or personal relationships. In this series, Wichitan reporters will examine the climate of mental health on campus, delving into root causes of anxiety and depression among MSU students and presenting solutions and resources for those affected. You'll hear from Jacklyn York, mass communication junior, who decided to get help for her depression when she discovered she was pregnant following a failed suicide at-

“Don’t put someone down because they are suicidal. Lift them up and help them in any way possible. Show them why life is worth living.” TOPHER MCGEHEE MASS COMMUNICATION FRESHMAN

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UPCOMING EVENTS GET THE FACTS While anyone may feel anxious at times, the Mayo Clinic website says people with anxiety disorders have frequent and excessive worry and fear about everyday situations. ANXIETY DISORDERS can include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more. The Mayo Clinic site defines MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER, diagnosed depression, as a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest that interferes with day-to-day activities and can lead to suicidal thoughts or actions.

GET HELP You don’t need to have a diagnosed mental health condition to seek professional counseling.

PHOTO BY RACHEL JOHNSON | THE WICHITAN

Pam Midgett, director of the Counseling Center, works in her office April 4.

tempt. From Topher McGehee, mass communication freshman, whose depression nearly cost him his life in high school. And from Catherine Stepniak, psychology and sociology junior, who describes her panic disorder as something that's "always there.” It's clear that stress, anxiety or depression affect the majority of people at some point in their lives, but the stigma surrounding mental health remains. It's time to talk. Check back next week for the first installment of this series, dealing with anxiety.

“Anxiety causes “I give birth us to believe to a baby boy. lies. We believe I watch an that we’re not infant, small good enough enough to fit in and the anxiety one hand, fight just manifests instinctively to those irrational, stay in a world I unreal was so ready to thoughts.” escape.” REAGAN FOSTER COUNSELOR AT THE COUNSELING CENTER

JACKLYN YORK MASS COMMUNICATION JUNIOR

THE COUNSELING CENTER offers free personal, career and academic counseling to students, faculty and staff. The center is located across from the police station and can be reached at (940) 397-4618. SUICIDE HOTLINE: 1-800-621-8504 PSYCHOLOGY CLINIC: (940) 397-4791 SOURCE: WWW.MAYOCLINIC.ORG/

Social Justice Art Exhibit April 6 | Fain College Atrium | Event is part of Inclusion Now.

Wichita Falls Museum of Art Bus Trip April 6 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | For more information contact the Wichita Falls Museum of Art at (940) 397-8949

Nuts and Bolts of EURECA Proposals April 6 at 5:30 p.m. | Bolin 213 | For more information contact the office of Undergraduate Research at (940) 397-6274.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee April 7 at 3 p.m. | CSC Apache

Alan Lightman Lecture April 7 at 7 p.m. | Fain Fine Arts Theatre | Free | Open to public

Men’s and Women’s Tennis April 8 | MSU Tennis Center | Teams will play Collin College at 10 a.m. and Seward County at 3 p.m.

Softball vs. A&M-Commerce April 8 at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and April 9 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. | Softball field

Maroon & Gold Spring Game April 9 from 4-9 p.m. | Memorial Stadium | Free admission and hot dogs and free shirts to the first 1,000 people | MSU shuttle will provide transportation | Alumni game at 4 p.m. followed by the main game at 6 p.m.

An Afternoon at the Opera

Percentage of people who said they’d experienced anxiety in some form while in college.

Percentage of people who said they’d been treated for depression in their lifetime.

Percentage of people who said they’d never gone to the Counseling Center for their depression. SOURCE: ONLINE SURVEY OF 89 STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF

April 10 at 3 p.m. | Akin Auditorium | Free | Martin Camacho, dean of Fain Fine Arts college, will perform on the piano along with singers Tanaka Madyara, Lindy Wilson, Rita Beeman and Billy Brasfield.

Women’s Tennis vs. Cameron April 11 at 2 p.m. | MSU Tennis Center

Suicide Prevention Training April 12 from noon to 1 p.m. | Dillard 189 | For faculty and staff | Drinks and desserts provided, training is free | RSVP by April 8 to Lori Arnold at the Counseling Center (940) 397-4618

Artist-Lecture Series: Michio Kaku April 12 at 7 p.m. | Akin Auditorium | Free for students, faculty and staff. General admission is $20 | Sold out, but overflow guests will be allowed in on a first-come, first-serve basis.

i.d.e.a. WF Luncheon April 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. | CSC Comanche | Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at ideawf2016.eventbrite.com

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