April 20, 2016 by The Wichitan and Wai Kun

HAPPY 4/20! LOOK FOR MORE POT LEAVES IN THIS ISSUE FOR WEED TRIVIA! April 20, 2016 | Midwestern State University | thewichitan.com | Your Campus. Your News. | Vol. 80 No. 25

Save lives, know the signs Suicide prevention training hits close to home BY ALLISON ASHCRAFT AND KARA McINTYRE

PHOTO BY DEWEY COOPER | THE WICHITAN

Lori Arnold and Vikki Chaviers, counselors, introduce the QPR suicide training program on April 14.

For keepers” Payroll on how to look Director Kathy for signs of suicide and Rice, last week’s how to handle getting help) since training on suicide prefall 2013. It is offered to students and vention hit close to home. faculty at least once per semester, as well as With teary eyes and Kleenex in special groups on campus such as residents, hand, she expanded on her personal advisors, and campus police officers. Approxiexperiences with this topic. mately six faculty and staff members attended the “I’ve been thinking about [QPR April 12 training session. training] a lot because I had a nephew “If faculty and staff don’t go to the training, they that committed suicide. It’s important that might miss some of the signs,” Albert Jimenes, campus people go to training like that because colpolice sergeant, said. “It could be something small that lege age is such a vulnerable age for suicide,” a student may send in an email or some kind of reach for Rice said. “When my nephew committed help, but if the professor or staff member doesn’t know suicide, I didn’t see those signs that they diswhat’s going on, we could miss giving them the help they cussed. 20 years later it’s still hard to know, ‘Did need.” I miss something?’” There were about eight students at the April 14 session, and During the training, counselors Lori Arnold upon the end of the workshop, they all became certified gateand Vikki Chaviers explained keepers complete with a certificate. that sometimes the evidence of Arnold said it’s important to cast a wide net a suicidal person is obvious, but of people who can look out for students who may other times it’s hard to spot. be thinking about suicide, but training other “The warning signs might students is also necessary. look different to each person, “Professors and staff members are around but generally the number one students from time to time, and have some thing to look for is signs of depresaccess to them, but the students are probably sion. The training teaches us that going to be around other students more than about 90 percent of people who attempt they are faculty and staff,” Arnold said. “The KATHY RICE suicide are depressed,” Arnold said. “It’s a more people that are trained, the more PAYROLL DIRECTOR really important issue to address, especially people that can be helped.” since suicide can be very preventable. But the Rice, who attended the faculty QPR signs aren’t always obvious because people can mask their training, said that college students are at a vulnerable emotions.” age for suicide because they can’t often see that their She expanded on the importance of asking somesituation will improve. one if they’re thinking about suicide despite the com“Students from the age of high school through mon fear of bring up the subject. After all, according college have a different view of the world than to the American Association of Suicidology, suicide is someone with more life experiences. So a lot of the second leading cause of death for individuals in times, they don’t have that foresight to know the 18-25 age group. that it’ll get better and that it’ll pass,” Rice said. “Sometimes we’re worried that asking the ques“Ninety-nine percent of the time, things will tion can put the thought in someone’s mind, which get better.” isn’t true. Talking about suicide isn’t going to inWhitney McDade, nursing junior, said crease someone’s risk of doing it,” Arnold said. “It’s she came because QPR was on one of her almost always scary and difficult to ask if someone tests and she thought it would be cool to is thinking about committing suicide, but it’s one find out more. of those situations where you have to take a deep “It’s cool that we’re certified gatekeepbreath, summon your courage, and just say, ‘Are ers,” McDade said. you thinking about suicide or hurting Victoria Post, nursing junior, said she yourself?’ or ‘Do you definitely feels more equipped now to ever wish you could handle a situation in which she might go to sleep and never have to help a fellow student contemplatwake up?’” ing suicide. Arnold said they “It’s stuff we’d covered in class, so we have been doing the can feel assured we were getting the best QPR training (Quesinformation,” Post said. tion, Persuade, Refer — a Tips for suicide prevention included nationwide training prophrases to listen for when talking to a gram to help create “gatesee QPR pg. 5

“20 years later it’s still hard to know, ‘Did I miss something?”

2 | April 20, 2016 |

S TAFF SAT I RE

Embrace progress, dude OUR VIEW: If we allow tobacco to be smoked on campus, we need to

allow weed on campus, too.

arijuana activists worldwide have been eagerly awaiting today’s date — 4-20 — a number first established by a group of five high-school stoners but made famous by the Grateful Dead. The number has been used in everything from police codes to social code words and now holds a special date in pot culture — even at MSU, a supposedly ‘conservative’ campus. Though portrayed as being a smoke-free campus, smoke still fills the air and clouds apartments from freshman to post-grad. Students stand in front of tobacco-free signs and light up. Since April of last year, FUN FACT: THE FIRST TEXAS revisions to the smoking DISPENSARY ban on campus have WILL NOT BE been in a stand-still due LICENSED UNTIL JUNE 2017. to disagreements on disciplinary actions. Rather than remain a “smoke-free campus,” administrators may designate smoking locations for addicted individuals who need to get their tobacco fix. But why just limit smoking areas to tobacco? Let’s be cutting edge. Students have given thoughts on tobacco use without hesitation. But a “green” campus? They seem shy at the idea of something so illegal. Sure, they’ll partake in drinking binges, sometimes legally, sometimes not, but few consider the side effects alcohol has to their bodies. Midwestern, instead of being behind, can lead the way. We’ve got Student Government-supplied water bottle dispensaries. Why not weed dispensaries? We’ve got a pseudo-Starbucks. Why not a head shop? The chance of being revolutionary is there, why are we waiting? See the complete editorial online.

the

wichitan Vol.. 80 | No. 25

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 U E S T COL UMN

The best and worst day of my life

fter one of a million fights with my boyfriend and one very hard year, I lifted the pill bottle and swallowed up what was left and chased it with a mouthful of liquor. Then I went to bed and laid beside him. And waited. Jacklyn York The next thing I remember, he was rushing me to the hospital. I’m in and out of it. When I am coherent I am cruel and saying horrible things. No person is as dangerous as a person that is ready to die. They are willing to take anyone with them. Inside the hospital, I wait. They’re not going to admit me. He’s mad. I’m relieved. The burning and itching starts in my head and is working its way down to my shoulders and extremities. I probably looked crazy scratching like there were villages of mosquitos covering me. Seeing this, the hospital staff change their mind and admit me. I still think it’s a choice. The police man nearby lets it be known that it’s not. The hospital staff on duty that night were most likely prepared for another graveyard full of car wreck victims and normal broken bones. They were not, however, most likely prepared for the girl who was ready to die and tear down everyone in her path. They put me in a room and grew tired of my resistance. “How many pills did you take?” “What did you take?” Truth be told, I didn’t know how many or what I took. I knew I took enough and that’s all that mattered. I wasn’t stupid enough to admit I did it on purpose. “Where did you find the pills? Were they prescribed?” My boyfriend’s face stared at me blankly. It must have all been surreal for him. Once I left the hospital, I was going to finish what I started so there was no point in trying to save me. The nurses were tired of dealing with me and for good reason. I cussed them all out and treated them horribly. I think they were mildly happy to show me what happened next. I’m still not sure why it’s referred to as having your stomach “pumped” but that description isn’t enough. Nope. A tube is siphoned down your throat so that they can pour bags of fluid straight to your stomach and induce vomiting. This happened for quite a while. Too long. I believe they recovered around 13 codeine pills but some had already been digested. Then comes the charcoal and you don’t even want to hear what that induces for pills that weren’t recovered. It gets worse.

MANAGING EDITOR: Kara McIntyre DESIGN EDITOR: Brianna Sheen PHOTO EDITOR: Rachel Johnson BUSINESS MANAGER: Dewey Cooper PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kayla White, Makayla Burnham, Topher McGehee, Rutth Mercado, Dewey Cooper, Justin Marquart DESIGNER: Justin Marquart ADVISER: Bradley Wilson

PHOTO BY RACHEL JOHNSON | THE WICHITAN

Jacklyn York, mass communication junior, and her son Braiden York have a light saber battle in their front lawn.

Once it was over a nurse came in my room. I glared at her and for the first time admitted what I had done. “All that did was make me want to go home and finish the job.” I told her with contempt. She turned to me and just asked “Why?” What may have seemed like such a simple question had such a complicated answer and I just broke. I poured my heart out to this nurse about how I had recently gave birth to but lost a son and I couldn’t stop grieving. No matter what I did, the pain wouldn’t stop. I was in depression and just didn’t realize it. It would seem normal to be sad after losing a baby, right? The nurse left and came back with the doctor. I was scared she would tell the doctor what I said. She came back into the room smiling though. “Do you want to tell her or do you want me to?” She asked the doctor. “You’re pregnant.” My heart jumped out of my chest. I just tried to take my life and I would have taken my child with me. Of course my first reactions were safety of my child. I couldn’t believe what a horrible and selfish thing I was so ready to do and how it would have affected something so much bigger than just me. Fast forward seven months. I gave birth to a 2lb 4oz baby boy at 27 weeks. I watched an infant, small enough to fit in one hand, fight to stay in a world I was so ready to escape. I found new a beauty in the world. May 2003 is an amazing blessing and great news is shadowed with my suicide attempt. I still consider it the best day of my life but I know one day when he’s old enough, I’ll have to explain to him how I found out I was pregnant with him. I want him to understand how he saved me because that’s exactly what he did. Jacklyn York 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 20, 2016 | 3

UPCOMING EVENTS

Employment Fair

April 20 from 3-5 p.m. | D.L. Ligon Coliseum

Concert

April 21 at 7 p.m. | Akin Auditorium | Concert with Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and Midwestern Singers

Honors Recognition Banquet

April 22 at 6 p.m. | Don Flatt Gym and Gerald Stockton Court in D.L. Ligon Coliseum | RSVP by April 19 to confirm attendance and names of guests. PHOTOS BY KAYLA WHITE | THE WICHITAN

Linda Hollabaugh reads the plaque given to her by Jeffery Oxford, foreign languages chair, on behalf of the university at the retirement reception for Tom Hoffman and Hollabaugh in the Prothro-Yeager on April 18.

LANE RIGGS REPORTER

Retiring professors inspire students

he retirement commencement for Tom Hoffman, English associate professor, and Linda Hollabaugh, foreign languages associate professor, was held in the second floor atrium of Prothro-Yeager Hall on April 18 from 2:30-4 p.m. The event celebrated the 48 years Hoffman has served at the school, and the 27 years Hollabaugh has taught. Amid a crowd and refreshments, Hoffman and Hollabaugh commemorated their years at the school. Those who knew the professors also knew the extent of their teaching capabilities and secretary of foreign languages, Emilie Allsup, and chair and professor Jeffrey Oxford, voiced their opinions on the professors and their years of service. “I know Linda Hollabaugh better,” said Allsup,“and he’s going to be hard to replace, it’s going to be really hard to find someone. She’s a wonderful, ethical professor who is thorough, and capable.” Allsup, along with secretary of English, Pam Marshall, were in charge of setting up the retirement commencement in the atrium with refreshments. During the event, the professors were awarded a plaque and watch from Human Resources. To Allsup, the plaque is especially essential as part of the professor's retirement. “It’s real important to give them closure,” Allsup said. “We hope to give them a fulfilling feeling when they leave.” Hollabaugh, who first came to the school in 1989, has been critical to the school’s growing foreign language programs, specifically the Spanish majors, honor society, and clubs. “When Hollabaugh arrived, the department Spanish major was in decline. With some work, she revitalized the Spanish foreign language pro-

Tom Hoffman reads the plaque given to him on behalf of the university at the retirement reception for Hoffman and Hollabaugh in Prothro-Yeager on April 18. grams. She was the director of the study abroad program from 1995 to 1999,” Oxford said. “She’s been very active in campus life, and she won’t easily be replaced.” Hollabaugh herself, though she’s ready to retire and visit her children and grandchildren, as well as pursue music again after a five-year break, said she is going to miss the campus. “The campus has been like family to me, and it’s been a wonderful 27 years,” Hollabaugh said. “I’m going to miss the stimulating conversations.” Hollabaugh will retire at the end of the semester and will continue to live in Wichita Falls. “It was great to see everybody at the reception,” Hollabaugh said. “Now I’m ready to do whatever I want to do, whenever I want to.” After his official retirement Aug. 31, Hoffman may retire to North Carolina, where a daughter and grandchildren reside. “I plan to be active in the community of Wichita Falls after retirement,” Hoffman said. “I won’t know until September if I’m moving to North

Carolina, so until then, I’m going to continue to be active with Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Backdoor Theatre, and Wichita Falls Theatre.” Betty Carroll, English instructor, was a student of Hoffman’s some 25 years ago and spoke highly of his involvement with the school, in addition to his other interests. “He’s the epitome of what a true teacher is,” Carroll said. “I try and bring a piece of him into the classroom every day. There isn’t a teacher nearby that he hasn’t touched, and people have called me asking for just one more opportunity to be in his classroom.” Hoffman began working at the school in 1968, after searching for a teaching job across the state. He first taught American drama and dramatic literature, but soon, his classes began to broaden, and more and more students came to his classes. “We thought we would be here two years, and then here we are 48 years later,” Hoffman said. “I love this school, and I especially love the caliber of students. I got the feeling that the school offers variety to those who want a good schooling experience.” Hoffman’s participation in campus life is impressive; he served as adviser to the literary and visual arts magazine, Voices, for over 25 years, he was a Board of Directors member for six years, and the President of the Texas Association of College Teachers from 1997 to 1999. A class with Hoffman proved to be interesting, as he often literally brought characters to life by dressing up in costumes and proceeding to teach class. As his retirement nears, however, Hoffman shows some reluctance to leave. “I love what I’m doing,” he said, “you can’t stop a teacher from being a teacher.”

ADDITIONAL 2016 RETIREES: GARY LEWIS, MUSIC; GARY FASHIMPAR, SOCIAL WORK; RALPH FRITZSCH, ACCOUNTING; SUSANN KEY, ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER.

One-Act Plays

April 22-23 at 7:30 p.m. | Bea Wood Studio Theatre

Crime Stoppers Moonlight Walk April 23 at 7 p.m. | D.L. Ligon Coliseum

Black Leadership Summit April 26 at 4 p.m. | CSC Comanche | Free for students.

‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ Screening April 26 at 7 p.m. | Moffett Library Leisure Reading area.

Celebration of Scholarship

April 27 from noon to 6:30 p.m. | Clark Student Center | Panel session, faculty and graduate student presentations, dinner

CRIME LOG

April 11

Theft | 1:46 p.m. | Killingsworth Hall | A non-student reported that while on campus her wristlet clutch purse had been taken by an unknown person. The purse was later found on campus but there was money missing from it.

April 12

Theft: Misdemeanor | 1:39 p.m. | CSC | A custodial employee had his coat stolen from a table in the CSC food court.

April 13

Criminal mischief: Misdemeanor | 3:06 p.m. | Parking lot 10 | A student’s parking decal was defaced.

FUN FACT: WOMEN ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO WEED’S PAINKILLING EFFECT BUT BUILD TOLERANCES EASIER. SOURCE: LIVESCIENCE.COM

4 | April 20, 2016 |

WORRIED? overwhelmed? SAD?

Counseling Center: Nothing is off limits ALLISON ASHCRAFT REPORTER

ucked away at the corner of Hampstead and Louis J. Rodriguez Drive is the Counseling Center, director Pam Midgett, and certified counselors to help students with a variety of issues. “We like to say that there is really nothing that a person would want to talk about that impacts their personal life that is off limits in the Counseling Center,” Midgett said. “We will help students or listen to students and provide counseling for students who are in all sorts of circumstances.” The Counseling Center offers both one-on-one as well as group sessions. Midgett said besides just the obvious anxiety and stress that college students go through, staff members also assist with career counseling and have a variety of workshops to help with skills such as time management. “We also help students who don’t know what they want to pursue in terms of a major and then ultimately a career,” Midgett said. The Counseling Center is free to students and can be a vital resource for students struggling with anxiety, depression or any other issue. Morgan Sinclair, sociology sophomore, said the counselors are even better than counselors she’s paid in the past. “I’ve not really had the best counselors in the past,” Sinclair said, “From the ladies in the front desk to my actual counselor, they’ve always been really, really nice.” Emma Labedis, mass communication freshman, said she’s never used the Counseling Center, but if she ever felt overly stressed she would definitely go. “They seem very knowledgeable in how to deal with stress,” Labedis said. Midgett said to see a counselor, all someone has to do is call and set up an appointment with the receptionist. Sessions typically last about 45 minutes and it’s all anonymous. “All of the counselors who work here know that it’s really scary to make your first appointment and come to counseling, and so we respect that,” said Midgett, “We do everything we can to make you feel comfortable.” Sinclair said if any student is hesitant about going to visit the Counseling Center, they should definitely just go for it. “They really care,” said Sinclair. “It’s kind of nerve wracking at first because you don’t really know what to expect but it’s just like a normal therapy session where they just get to know you, they talk to you, and they make you feel comfortable.”

FUN FACT: ABOUT 40,000 STATE & FEDERAL PRISONERS HAVE A MARIJUANA CONVICTION INVOLVING MARIJUANA

SOURCE: ROLLINGSTONE.COM

STRESS • ANXIETY • DEPRESSION PART 3 OF A 3-PART SERIES

YVETTE ORDONEZ REPORTER

’ve thought about suicide,” Yajaira Medellin, social work sophomore, said. “I would probably do it with sleeping pills so it would be less pain. I have written several notes telling my family it’s not their fault. It’s not their fault because I don’t tell them. I don’t want to bother them with my depression. I would make them sad by telling them, and that only makes me feel worse.” Suicide is a leading cause of death among U.S. college students, according to Suicide Prevention Resource Center, and the second leading cause of death among college students in Texas, second only to abuse of prescription drugs. “Depression is a prolonged period of sadness. It’s having a lack of energy or motivation, that can result in sleeping and eating problems,” Lori Arnold, counselor at Counseling Center, said. “Depression and sadness are different because depression can be anger. Not always, but everyone experiences it differently, noticing the negative more than the positive. It can be due to a number of things. School, work, relationships. It’s a change in personality and mood, not going out as much, isolated, behind on schoolwork and activity levels.” Medellin said, “Depression is thinking about how much of a screw up I am. Feeling like I do nothing right, thinking I’m worthless and unloved.”

PROBLEM

Often, a problem students face with depression is failure. Teens diagnosed with depression are five times more likely to attempt suicide than adults, according to American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. According to an informal campus survey, about 40 percent of students have been treated for depression. “It’s like not wanting to get up every single morning. You think about how [crappy] the next day is gonna be and how you’re gonna mess up tomorrow,” Kenny Hall, graphic design freshman, said. Medellin said she has been suffering with de-

77%

People who reported they’d never gone to the Counseling Center for depression. Nineteen percent said they use counseling for depression.

pression for seven years. The depression comes and goes and she doesn’t know what triggers it. “It sucks having to be in a constant battle with yourself. People feel like there’s a logical reason why you are depressed, but you can’t answer the question. Sometimes I’m sad out of nowhere and for no reason,” Medellin said.

CAUSES

Hall said, “I’ve been through counseling several times in the past. The first time I was 8 when my parents got a divorce.” There is no single cause of depression. A person can develop it for different reasons including illness, grief, job loss and divorce. It can be hard for them to know what their trigger is without outside help. Medellin said, “It has gotten better on its own, but it hasn’t gone away. Before I experienced it just about every day and now it’s about twice a week. I don’t have a reason for it I don’t think. I fight the world, then fight my head and then fight people around me. Not physically, just in my own thought and I push them away.” Since her freshman year of high school, Medellin said her depression has decreased in intensity. Symptoms of depression include: little interest or pleasure in doing things, feeling hopeless, trouble falling asleep or sleeping too much, little energy, eating problems, feelings of failure or guilt, trouble concentrating and making decisions, thoughts that you are better off dead, or hurting yourself in some way. Reagan Foster, counselor at Counseling Center, said, “If you are depressed, you already feel down. You already find it difficult to sleep, to be motivated to study or to go to work or put value in relationships or to take care of yourself. Those negative thoughts that we have when we’re depressed and we’re feeling down are only magnified because of the anxious feelings and the irrational thoughts.” For Medellin, the distraction of having someone by her side makes it easier for the feelings to go away.

38%

People who reported they’d been treated for depression in their lifetime.

| April 20, 2016 | 5 “I do better when I am distracted. [Working out] can be helpful,” Medellin said, “But for me not as much. Some people like to go running with headphones, but being alone is the opposite of what I need. It won’t help me. I need someone next to me. Texting to say ‘I’m here if you need me’ is not enough. I need you in person. That’s what Jei does (Medellin’s boyfriend). He lets me know someone is there. He reminds me that the good days far outweigh the bad ones. That has helped me a lot.” Hall has been dealing with depression longer than he can remember. “I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t [depressed]. My dad wasn’t around much when I was little which led to my mom being committed for a week or so, and she was really depressed being she was essentially raising two kids alone and me and my sister would fight a lot,” Hall said.

Support, don’t condemn, those with depression

COPING MECHANISMS

Hall said he went to counseling again when he was 14 because his dad started drinking, which later became his mechanism to deal with depression. “I used to drink til I passed out, to where I was stupid drunk and couldn’t think for myself,” Hall said. Hall moved to Texas in 2011 when he joined the Air Force. He is married to his husband for a year, who has bipolar disorder. “Me and my husband drank for eight months. But we leaned on each other to help quit,” Hall said. Drinking is a way Medellin also chose to deal with her problems in the past. “I would drink to help ‘deal with it’. Now I still drink, but I have a boyfriend and I like to listen to Christian songs. But sometimes I feel like I’m not worthy enough for them. I would feel like, and still sometimes still feel like, it wouldn’t make a difference if I weren’t here,” Medellin said. According to Healthline, depression and other mental illnesses can be hereditary, or because there is an imbalance of hormones. Anyone can have depression and sometimes in is undetectable. “Sometimes they are good at hiding it,” Pam Midgett, counselor in the Counseling Center, said. Medellin’s father’s bipolar personality may play a role in her mental state. Hall’s parents dealt with mental problems. “Both of my parents have been in psychiatric 72 hour holds. That’s when you get committed to a hospital in the mental health unit and they observe you for 72 hours or longer and give you the best treatment they can. My mom is on anti-anxiety meds and my dad drank a lot and did drugs a year before the divorce,” Hall said.

RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS

Counseling is a way to help tame issues with depressed students. According to MSU survey, about 38 percent of students go to their friends for guidance, 23 percent turn to family, almost 20 percent turn to

44%

People who reported their method of coping with stress helps them deal with it for a short time.

SOURCE: ONLINE SURVEY OF 89 STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF

PHOTO BY DEWEY COOPER | THE WICHITAN

Lori Arnold, counselor, speaks at the QPR training on April 14. religion and the final 20 percent turn to counseling. Of the respondents, 77 percent do not make use of the counseling on campus. Each student pays for having the Counseling Center on campus available to students whether they use it or not. For Hall, no one needed to tell him he needed the help. “I went by myself. [Depression] is pretty much a daily occurrence. Meds can only do so much. They can correct your brain chemistry, but you need counseling frequently. I go see my psychologist or psychiatrist weekly if not more. I take a lot of meds. Nicotine helps. Counseling, seeing friends, seeing my sister in law and her kids helps,” Hall said. Medellin and Hall both said they prefer to not be alone when they are feeling depressed. “Let someone you love know that constantly. You shouldn’t have to wait for a bad time to express those feelings. Be there on the bad days and the good days too. How do I trust you if I don’t have a relationship with you outside of my depression?,” Medellin said. Midgett said healthy dieting and sleeping the recommended eight hours is also helpful, but not as helpful as other things. “You need to play to their strengths and tell them to ask themselves ‘What am I doing that is getting in the way of making my goals?’ Find what to work on. Time management is important. Leave door open for counseling. The Counseling Center works as a team, everyone has their specialty,” Midgett said. The Counseling Center offers workshops and other programs to help students manage their time and lower their levels of anxiety. “All groups of all characteristics have come in for counseling,” Midgett said. “Depression doesn’t fully go away every time. It’s a work in progress.”

17%

People who reported they use exercise to cope with stress. This was the biggest coping mechanism, followed by relaxation at 15 percent.

eople have been called cowards, wimps, and so many other insults just because they wanted to end their life. But people don't want to die for attention. It is just to stop the Topher pain. I know from experiMcGehee ence. No matter a person's situation, their wealth, the smiles that hide their true feelings away, anyone can be depressed and suicidal. I was a freshman in high school. I was doing extracurricular activities. I was in advanced classes, Boy Scouts, and much more. I started dating and got into a very serious relationship for someone my age. I didn't understand my body or even how to manage my time with school, my girlfriend, or my home life. I quickly over-exerted myself. Things started becoming heated in my mind and I went on a downward spiral. I don't know what was going through my head but all I knew was that I wanted to end my pain. I snapped one day and decided that I needed to rid the world of Christopher McGehee. I went outside and hung myself from a tree, but luckily the tree branch snapped and I was saved. I was spared, but I still wanted to die, looking past the obvious sign that it wasn't my time to go. I was admitted into the mental hospital known as The Pavilion. I hid my true self from the doctors. Acted as the pup-

pet I needed to be to get out of that dreadful place. I was set free a week and a half after admittance. A few months flew by and I attempted suicide again. I was then admitted to the NIX in San Antonio. I was there for a week. I was put on the right meds and was on my way. Still, I didn't know who I was, what my purpose was. When I came back to school, things started changing for the better. My head football coach, Jimmy Randolph, would ask me everyday if I was okay, if my day was going alright, or if I'd like to talk to him about anything. He impacted me because he truly cared for me. I knew he was a Christian and I wanted to be one, too. I started going to church, started getting more involved, and then one day I knew it was my time to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Not even a year after my suicidal attempts, I was baptized in the name of the Lord, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. October 21, 2012, I became who I was supposed to be. Suicide will always be a sensitive subject, but 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. Share a helping hand. I know it may not seem like much, but every little thing helps a person that is in need. Topher McGehee is a mass communication freshman.

from QPR pg. 1 friend and how to ask them if this is something they are serious about without making them feel alone. Both McDade and Post said they had dealt with people who considered suicide in their personal lives. “The best thing is, if someone says they are thinking about suicide the one thing that you always want to make sure is, ‘Do they have a plan?’” McDade said. “Because if they have a plan, then you need to really need to be willing to help them out, more so than someone who doesn’t have a plan.” Arnold expanded on McDade’s point, emphasizing why both students, faculty, and staff should attend these trainings. “You never know who someone is closest to,” Arnold said. “Maybe they’ll talk to their friend or maybe they’ll talk to a faculty member, so it’s important for as many people as possible to know the warning signs.”

PHOTO BY RUTTH MERCADO | THE WICHITAN

Vikki Chaviers, counselor, speaks at the QPR training on April 14.

6 | April 20, 2016 |

Softball team splits Commerce series, enjoys turf SAMUEL SUTTON REPORTER

he softball team lost both games on a rainy Saturday, April 9, to split the four-game series with Texas A&M Commerce. The team is now 6-7 on the new softball field turf, and even though this is considered a losing season, players like Amanda Thomas, sports and leisure sophomore, Peyton Helton, undecided freshman, as well as Head Coach Brady Tigert agree the turf is a step up. “It’s been great [having the turf]. It’s actually made us better. We work harder on defense with it, which helps us in games. We’re blessed to have it,” Tigert said. The first game was a 9-6 loss to Commerce. The team wasn’t gaining any traction for the first four innings, and it let Commerce score three times, while it only scored once. However, it were able to get offense going in the fifth, scoring five times on four hits, and one error. It was looking like a win for the team, but Luci Ponce, infielder for Commerce, hit a grand slam to put Commerce up 7-6. Commerce also scored a two-run home run from Haley Colwell, which put them up 9-6. After that, nobody was able to score for either team, which lead to a win for Commerce. The next game started off poor for MSU when Ponce hit a two-run home run in the first inning to put Commerce up 2-0. There was no score again until the bottom of the third, when Erin Knox hit a two-run homer to tie the game, 2-2. After that, the team couldn’t defend Commerce and hit inconsistently. Ponce hit another home run in the top of the fifth, which sent three runners home and put them up 5-2. Magen Lynch hit a three-run home run in the fifth for Commerce as well, which gave them an 8-2 lead. MSU scored off an RBI single from Baylee Voigt, which made it 8-3. It didn’t start any fire for the team, though, and

PHOTO BY TOPHER MCGEHEE | THE WICHITAN

Peyton Helton, undecided freshman, pitches the ball to a player on the Texas A&M-Commerce University team, April 8. Midwestern State wont the two games on April 8, 11-6 and 4-3. that was the last score they had. Commerce wasn’t done scoring. They got a run off an illegal pitch, a two RBI single, and a two-run home run in the seventh. This lead to a 13-3 loss for MSU. Tigert said poor pitching was the reason for the loss. “We didn’t pitch well. At times, the weather played a factor, but it wasn’t why we lost. We couldn’t make adjustments because we weren’t pitching well to begin with,” Tigert said. Helton said the reason for the two-game loss was inconsistent hitting and a lack of confidence in the second game.

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Location: [Venue] Logan's Roadhouse [Address] 3701 Call Field Rd Wichita Falls,Zip TXCode] 76308 [City, State, State ZIP code]

Date: Tuesday, 2016 [MONTH May DAY,3,YEAR] Time: Check-In: 5:30 to - 6:00 [Time AM/PM TimePM AM/PM] y, [Time am/pm to-Time /pm] Seminar: 6:00 8:00 am PM

“I would just say that we couldn’t string over hits together. We hit, but we couldn’t put them all together. We also start down in the second game, which didn’t help,” Helton said. Helton said the weather wasn’t the reason for the loss, but it did play a factor at times. “At some points yes [the weather affected us]. It made it hard to grip the ball at times. Also, we haven’t played in the rain yet this season. You could tell it was a struggle, but it wasn’t too bad,” Helton said. While this does give them a losing record on the turf, the players and coach don’t think the new turf is why they lost. “The turf is fine. You do have to get used to it a bit, like with sliding. You have to slide earlier in weather like this or you may slide past the bag, but it doesn’t really hurt our game,” Thomas said. Thomas said the ball generally comes off better on the turf. She said there are no uneven bounces on turf. Helton said that can some times be a bad thing though. “Infield hits don’t bounce as high as they used to, so it doesn’t go over defenders’ heads, which was something to get used to,” Helton said. While that was something different, she said that overall, the turf is an upgrade because it’s nicer to play on, and there is no cleanup after the game. “We don’t have to rake or clean it up. We just have fun, play, and go home, which is nice,” Helton said. Tigert also commented about the clean up, as well as Thomas’ statement about the ball bouncing evenly. “I don’t have to work on it, there’s no excess maintenance. Also, you’re not getting bad hops. They stay down, which made players more comfortable, and more confident in catching the ball,” Tigert said. The team has one more series on the turf, against Texas A&M-Kingsville starting April 22.

OF WICHITA FALLS

PART-TIME & SUMMER POSTIONS AVAILABLE Boys & Girls Clubs is hiring for youth program part time positions. 25 hours weekly $8.10-$8.65 per hour. Summer youth program positions and lifeguards needed. Must be available through August 15. Applicants must have some college or equivalent experience. $7.85-$8.65 per hour. Lifeguards-$10.80-$12.40. Apply at 1318 6th Street. Contact Carlos Martinez at (940)322-2012. MSU Internship/ Work Scholarship opportunities available. Commitment to work 75 hours during a semester- 6 hours weekly fall/spring and 16 hours weekly during a summer semester. A Scholarship Award of $650 per semester. Application deadline for fall is September 1, Spring is January 10th and Summer is June 1st Contact Carlos Martinez at 322.2012.

| April 20, 2016 | 7

Science students explore mountains KRISTEN GREGG REPORTER

PHOTOS BY MAKAYLA BURNHAM | THE WICHITAN

Local high school percussion members and the MSU percussion ensemble lead by Gordon Hicken, associate band director, perform in Akin Auditorium on April 18 with a crowd of about 120 people.

Concert gives experience, endings, opportunities SAMUEL SUTTON REPORTER

he Percussion Ensemble Spring Concert, presented by the Department of Music on April 18 at 7 p.m., gave experience to associate band director Gordon Hicken, a last performance to music performance senior Buddy Richison, and opportunities for local high school percussion band members. “It was a lot of fun and hard work because I envision the program, I choose the repertoire, and then we get into the ‘nitty gritty,’ and it gets more intense,” said Hicken, assistant music professor. “But then you see the finished product, and you see students come out and play fantastic.” The ensemble included a set of songs played by the school’s percussion band and a performance from band members from local schools such as Childress High School, Rider High School, Colorado City High School and Windthorst High School. This was a stepping stone for Hicken. He said it was a fun experience for him and the students. This is Hicken’s first year here, and he said it has been a good transition and there have been no struggles so far. “I’ve actually been able to get some grants to get FUN FACT: some instruments, and we’ve got great support from MARIJUANA our Dean, the President, the provost, everybody. From DOES NOT CAUSE my point of view, it’s been smooth sailing,” Hicken CANCER. IN FACT, said. SOME STUDIES Richison said good things about Hicken as well. SUGGEST IT ACTS “[Hicken] has taken this group as far as it can go. AS A PROTECTIVE This is the best it’s been in the four years I’ve been here,” AGENT. Richison said. “He, along with everyone else in the muSOURCE: ROLLINGSTONE.COM sic department, challenges us to do better and better.” Hicken said his goal is to support the school on a national, international and regional level. He has judged percussion ensemble festivals at local colleges like McMurry and Tarleton State and he goes and talks to high schools almost every week about percussion. Richison is a senior this year, and this was the final concert he will be doing at this university. “Everything I needed to get done was out of the way, so I could just come out, have fun, relax and play great. It was awesome,” Richison said. He said he and fellow players have become a brotherhood. “It’s almost like a fraternity. We spend all day together, we play all day, we practice all day. We’re like a family,” Richision said. The high school percussions also played at the end of the show. The members played a song titled, “Wood, Metal, Skin.” “This was fantastic. The students gained an intense amount of knowledge. The students said it blew their mind. And the performance with the university students and other high school students, that’s something they’ve never done before so they’re taking good things back home with them,” Caleb Leonard, Colorado High School percussionist, said. Richison said this concert was beneficial to the music department and it helped challenge them to get better for the future.

s Alexandria Weiskircher, geology junior, places all 19 of her new igneous rocks into her collection she started as a young girl, she reflects on the weekend she spent with 10 other petrology students in the Wichita Mountains, Saturday, April 12. “I loved the Wichita Mountains and getting a feel of the different rocks,” Weiskircher said. “I loved rocks as a little girl, but when I first came to college I went into pre-pharmacy.” Weiskircher now majors in geology and has to take a field trip for each class she was with Jonathan Price, chair and associate professor of geosciences. This trip centered on rock texture and type. “You have to see the rocks to understand the rocks,” Price, said. “We wanted to see the features of the ancient volcanoes at the Wichita Mountains. What’s nice about ancient volcanoes is that you can walk around inside of them, so you can see pretty deep into what is going on.” Price said with modern volcanoes like Kilauea in Hawaii, people can see erupting, but they don’t get to see what’s really going on underneath. “The Wichita Mountains is a nice place to look and see what’s going on inside of the earth, and that’s part of what the class is about, using rocks to tell you what happened inside the earth,” Price said. The students had packets to fill out throughout their trip as well as take pictures of certain things. Price would lecture at each stop to explain what was happening. The students departed at 6 a.m. The route started in the eastern mountains, north of Lawton, Oklahoma. “A lot of people drive past them and see the mountains off to the side, but they’re unique because we’re in the rolling plains and that’s the only topography in the area,” Price said. They made their way up the mountain to look at volcanic rocks that are on the surface, and then made their way down to look at the interior of the volcanoes. From there they visited the top of Mount Scott to get a look view of everything, but the wind set in. “We made our way Westward from there, and then the rain set in,” Price said. “We walked in the rain for a while. We were in the worst part of it, I think, but the students were good-natured about it.” In the westward route they found the Wildlife Refuge that is common to buffalo and longhorn. Price said the group saw a lot of deer, a raccoon and a skunk. At the end of the day, the group rolled west past Altus, and camped for the night at Quartz Mountain. “The camping went well. It was a little windy, which made sleeping in my hammock a little difficult, but the temperature was perfect,” Josh Aaron, senior in geology, said. “We made delicious tacos for dinner.” On certain trips, the students are given a budget to grocery shop. Then they cook for everyone. The next morning the group studied rocks in the Quartz Mountain area. “There’re similar rocks from place to place, but there are differences students should pick up on by this point,” Price said. “And they were able to do that.” They finished by going from the most westward portion of the Wichita Mountains to the most central

PHOTO COURTESY OF JONATHAN PRICE

Students apart of the Structural geology class took a trip to the Arbuckles Mountain to explore and get hands on experience in the field. portion. The group looked at the surface flow rocks which are rhyolites, and then at granites crystallized underground. “Being in the field allows me to physically see what I’m taught in the classroom,” Aaron said. “The students were very keen at picking up differences. They did a good job of noting different sizes of individual crystals in the rocks, how the crystals are put together and what minerals are present,” Price said. At the central part of the Wichita Mountains is a darker rock called gabbro. It crystallizes deep under ground, so far underneath the volcanoes. “It makes for some very interesting rock that can’t be seen in a lot of places,” Price said. Price’s colleagues radiometrically dated the rocks to be 545 million years old. Weiskircher said the trip was helpful towards her understanding of igneous rocks and her career. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do with geology and there is a lot of igneous activity in the mountains and the trip got me more interested in it,” Weiskircher said. Cut short by Mother Nature, the upper level structural geology class explored marine carbonate faults and bends of mountains in Altus, Oklahoma last Saturday, April 17. The first two formations studied were lime stone and shale. They are marine formations of later day sea. “The shale was organic and rich. It’s a very good source for petroleum,” Aaron said. “With the limestone being marine, it had a lot of fossils throughout and it was cool seeing that”, Aaron said. Oil is drilled in areas like this because igneous rock is found under the these marine rocks. They went further back in time at the second stop and studied an offshore marine environment from ancient reef rocks. Afterwards they stopped for fried pies. Their third stop was the Arbuckle Mountains, which has a waterfall. “The Arbuckles are interesting because of all the deformation that takes place,” Aaron said. The deformation is presented by way of folding, fracture, anticline and syncline. “Seeing the different structures reinforced everything that I learned in the classroom, “ he said.

8 | April 20, 2016 |

PHOTOS BY JUSTIN MARQUART AND FRANCISCO MARTINEZ | THE WICHITAN

As of April 19, the old football practice and rec fields are under construction to put in new turf fields, including one turf football practice field. | Football players line up to run drills during a football practice, Aug. 24, 2015.

Field turf installations should be complete before fall JARED TUILAGI REPORTER

wo grass fields are being changed into field turf and will be completed before the beginning of the fall semester. For the past five years, these fields have been ideal for the university’s sports and recreational use. From the “drought” the city has been in, to the space needed for more recreational use, there will be multiple benefits reaped from this project. One area of grass fields being replaced is the football practice field. “Five years ago, the practice fields we had could have been the best in the country,” Bill Maskill, head football coach, said. Once the city went into a drought, it became more difficult to maintain the good health of the field with water amounts decreasing. With the grass having a sand base, the water from seldom rainstorms along with the routine usage from the football team caused the fields to grow slightly uneven over the years. The football team used the practice field, other athletic teams used it for conditioning, as well as the student body participating in recreational sports. “We have had flag football classes, intramural football, and of course our football team practices on the field so it really wore it down.

Now once the project is up, we’ll even have a recreational grass field designated for the student body to be out there while the football team is out there. So it’s a win-win for everybody,” Maskill said. Field turf is a particular type of artificial playing surface. Last year, the football team played every game on field turf. Maskill said practicing on grass fields and then going to play a game on turf doesn’t make a huge difference in preparation. “Last season, if it rained, it affected our practice because the fields were in such bad shape. Five years ago, it could rain all day long for two weeks straight and it wouldn’t affect us because we had good, thick, plush grass,” Maskill said. Adding field turf has its negatives, including the heat. The actual temperature on traditional field turf can be about 60-80 degrees hotter than the actual outside temperature. “Summer workouts will be hotter, but the companies say that there is now a cooling mechanism in the fibers of the turf that should make it about 20 percent cooler than it used to be,” Maskill said.

IMPACT ON FOOTBALL Football players and even former players are looking forward to the new turf. Austun Lambert, fresh-

man in physical therapy, said he is grateful for what his class and classes to come get to enjoy. “It’s exciting. Yeah it’ll be hot but that’s not that big of a deal. I think upgrading any part of any facility is something that helps any program out overall,” Lambert said. “Turf burns would be the worst part but I’d rather get a turf burn than step in a pot hole and sprain my ankle,” he adds. Former football player Derek Lockhart, senior in sports and leisure studies, said he is proud of the legacy him and his class left here for all future mustangs. “We are a winning football team here and I think these fields will only continue that tradition. With the regular grass, we lost amounts of practices and had to move drills in different areas everyday but that won’t be a problem anymore,” Lockhart said. “I wish I could be able to use these fields but I’m happy with the direction this university is headed.”

IMPACT ON SOCCER Across Midwestern Parkway from the football fields are the soccer practice fields that are also undergoing field turf installment. Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach Michael Meachum said the convenience of a turf field would be the

biggest reason behind the change. “From student-athletes to students, anyone can use these fields anytime it’s available. Also the maintenance part of it won’t be much of an issue so we don’t have to worry about tearing the fields up,” Meachum said. Soccer is predominantly played on grass which is why the main playing field for the soccer teams will not undergo field turf installment. The men’s and women’s soccer teams have played against other schools within the conference that have turf fields so their preparation is benefitted. “Now we don’t have to go all the way to Memorial Stadium to practice for those teams because we have it right here,” Meachum said. “When the grass goes dormant over the winter, we won’t have to worry about ruining the dormant grass on our main field so it will stay plush year round,” he adds. Another benefit for the soccer programs would be the line planning for their practice turf. Instead of having the football lines that were painted on the previous field for flag football, there will be permanent soccer lines. As with football, soccer players also see problems. In soccer, the ball is obviously on a continuous roll for the majority of the game. On field turf, the speed of the ball while roll-

ing is higher than it is on regular grass. The bounce of the ball is also affected, making it slightly higher on field turf as well. Although, these negative effects do not phase the confidence of midfielder Laurence Chamberlain, exercise physiology junior. “Turf isn’t as comfortable, and obviously no one wants to get a turf burn from getting tackled. But regardless to what field we’re on, I’m pretty confident in the team we have and the coaches we have. We’ll still be a great team,” Chamberlain said.

RECRUITING Both coaches believe that the finished products from these installations will have a huge impact with the recruiting of athletes. Maskill said, “Recruits will be able to see the turf fields here on campus and just be amazed. There will actually be a Midwestern logo in the middle of one of the fields. As coaches we’re even excited to see that.” The total cost for all project expenses is $4,566,200 which is partially budgeted by the $6 increase per credit hour paid in student tuition fees. The soccer fields are scheduled to finish by June 1, the football fields scheduled by July 1.