March 1, 2017 by The Wichitan and Wai Kun

March 1, 2017 | Midwestern State University | thewichitan.com | Your Campus. Your News. | Vol. 81 No. 21

SGA Candidates

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Voting for SGA candidates is open through my.mwsu.edu.

PHOTO BY TIMOTHY JONES | THE WICHITAN

Syreeta Greene, director of equity, inclusion, and multicultural affairs, Keith Lamb, vice president, Robert Palmer, Wichita County Historical Commission chairman, and Suzanne Shipley, university president, unveil the desegregation historical marker at the unveiling ceremony in front of Ferguson Hall on Feb. 5.

Unveiling history

Dinning Hours

University exhibits desegregation marker BRENDAN WYNNE FEATURES EDITOR

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See what students think about the new dinning hours.

Community Mural

pg. 8

Anne Farley Gaines tries to bring life to downtown through murals.

laced just outside Ferguson Hall, the Midwestern University desegregation historical marker stood cloaked beneath a scarlet, velvet veil. Keith Lamb, vice president of student affairs and enrollment management, gave the opening remarks for the ceremony held Feb. 25 in honor of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Hardin Junior College, one of Midwestern State University’s former titles, and the enrollees of the 1954 integrated class. Marilyn Virginia Menefee-Billouin, the last surviving member of the original six plaintiffs that attempted to enroll in Midwestern State University’s segregated system, was in attendance along with two of the original enrollees, Edwin Fuller and Horace Pope. “When I arrived at Midwestern State University just a year and a half ago, I was not aware of the

PHOTO BY TIMOTHY JONES | THE WICHITAN

Syreeta Greene, director of equity, inclusion, and multicultural affairs, recognizes honorees at the desegregation historical marker unveiling ceremony in front of Ferguson Hall on Feb. 25. significant events that led to integration in 1954,” Suzanne Shipley, university president, said. “The lawsuit filed against the university was the first lawsuit of its kind, even predating the landmark, Brown v. Board of Education.” Robert Stewart and Chase

Thornton were both graduate students when they began the research that would highlight this significant event in the university’s history. “This is a very proud moment for us,” Thornton said. “When we began this journey several

years ago, we never imagined our humble project would evolve into what it has become, today. This project introduced us to so many wonderful people and uncovered a lost piece of history essential to the struggle of equality in education. It has been a great privilege and a crown jewel of our academic careers.” Thornton said this crown jewel comes with a history of its own. “This story began with Robert taking an African-American Politics course here at the university. Robert wrote a class paper originally designed around the procession of African-Americans in local media here in Wichita Falls,” Thornton said. “He invited me to start working on an independent research project concerning the integration of Midwestern State University. Eventually the historical association helped us in getting the historical marker that

see MARKER pg. 6

2 | March 01, 2017 |

LETTER TO THE E DI T O R

S TAF F E DI T O R I A L

Peña, Warren Fulfilling our liberal arts mission know how to get things done OUR VIEW: Although all candidates would make a valiant effort, we feel Maria Peña and Jacob Warren would make the most successful SGA president and vice president, respectively.

Dear Editor, As manufacturing jobs continue to disappear, a college degree is increasingly critical to social mobility. Additionally, the university is subject to increased pressures from all directions. Funding often comes with stipulations that privilege fiscal concerns over educational ones — universities must tailor their graduates to the needs of the market and students create a demand for marketable degrees at low prices. Attending college becomes a career move

oth Maria Peña and Jacob Warren have been involved with SGA for the majority of their time at the university, and know the difficulties students have getting their voices heard on campus. Having Peña and Warren at the helm is our best bet for a successful student government. ticking Although fellow presidential candidate b o m b Kendall Nelms wouldn’t make an incainside the vessels of pable president, we believe Peña is the my brain almost better choice. She has been a leader on ended my life. campus since she began calling herself a Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012 started Mustang. We respect her experience and Robin out just like any clear vision, making her determined and Reid other day, but capable for the tasks ahead of her. nothing in my life has been the Warren shares Peña’s goals of an inclu- same since. “How do you spell sive student body and has been involved aneurysm?” was one of the with SGA since the fall of his freshman first questions I asked after year. He has since excelled in multiple my voice was able to be heard, because I had been extubated. leadership positions across campus. My throat was irritated from Equipped with ample experience and the intubation, but my mind clear, determined goals, Peña and Warwas curious. I saw the nurse’s ren will not only use SGA to bolster other handwriting on the whiteboard across my room, with the name organizations, but return the power to “Bret Michaels” written out. I the students. vaguely remember her telling

for the student, whose best shot at financial security hinges on education. The university has assembled a task force to explore the potential of our designation as a liberal arts institution. On Jan. 26, a public panel comprised of faculty from across the university discussed how they employ a liberal arts and sciences approach to teaching. This model provides students with a broad base of knowledge and skills derived from diverse areas of study, which many see

as extraneous to a job-oriented degree plan. Consequently, students are cheated out of a wellrounded education. But such an education would enable one to navigate and change our difficult world, rather than simply finding an advantageous place in it; to consider the public good, rather than succumb to the myopia of careerism. Many of us are workers, immigrants, people of color, and their children — I am the son of a white carpenter with a high-school

diploma and a Latina schoolteacher who graduated from MSU at age 50. We are the ones who have the most to gain from a renewed investment in a liberal education. The goal is to question and resist the forces beyond the university which seek to shape our educations to their own benefit; the first step is for all of us to get behind the efforts to fulfill our potential as a public liberal arts institution. Brian Zug is a humanities senior.

GUEST COL UM N

The day my brain exploded

someone in the room I had suffered the same type of stroke

wichitan

the

Vol. 81 | No. 21

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

as Bret Michaels. The night of Feb. 4 my aneurysm ruptured. I didn’t know I had an aneurysm until after it ruptured and was repaired by a craniotomy. I had emergency brain surgery the afternoon of Feb. 6 at Zale Lipshy University Hospital in Dallas. I woke up in ICU with 33 staples in the shape of a question mark across the right side of my head. I was extremely swollen and extremely confused. I wanted answers, so I asked for my phone. Once I got my phone, I started looking up any information I could find about aneurysms. I was absolutely exhausted with the simplest of tasks. I wanted sleep, but it was nearly impossible because the nurses woke me up on the hour, every hour, to do a neurological check. Flashlight

to check the pupils of the eyes, squeeze this hand, move this foot. At least I had function of the left side of my body again, I had lost all control of the left side of my body because I had a right-sided stroke. My surgeon told me I have age on my side. My aneurysm should have never ruptured, but it did and it caused a lot of damage. My aneurysm was two millimeters in size, yet its rupture and subsequent hemorrhagic stroke left me with an acquired brain injury and 10-20 percent chances of survival or living in a permanent vegetative state. Five years later, I have learned more about chronic pain and the remarkable functions of the brain than I thought possible. I struggle with migraines, tiring easily and memory problems, but I am grateful to be alive. I

share my story because I feel a responsibility to educate others and I know early intervention is crucial. I encourage people to see the doctor if they have a sudden, severe headache, especially if coupled with nausea, vomiting, or loss of consciousness. My sentinel headache, a warning sign of impending rupture, felt like a thunder clap in the crown of my head and I brushed it off for three days before the aneurysm ruptured. If only I had known then that the aneurysm was leaking, I would have gone to the doctor and could have possibly avoided the stroke. One in 50 people has a brain aneurysm. I just hope to be one person who can make a difference for someone else. Robin Reid is a mass communication junior.

EDITOR: Kara McIntyre

DESIGN EDITOR: Justin Marquart

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.

FEATURES EDITOR: Brendan Wynne MANAGING EDITOR: Leah Bryce PHOTOGRAPHERS: Timothy Jones, Arianna Davis, Makayla Burnham

ISSUE STAFF: Brendan Wynne, Brian Zug, Robin Reid,

Cortney Wood, Tyler Manning, Mercy Yermo, Lane Riggs, Sarah Graves, Joanne Ortega, Arianna Davis

ADVISER: Bradley Wilson

Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a email address, telephone number and address.

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SGA VOTING ENDS MARCH 3 CANDIDATES LAY OUT PLATFORMS CORTNEY WOOD REPORTER

he attendance for the final debate nearly doubled to about 85 students, and increased online views to 800 views on the MSU Facebook page along with about 240 views from the Wichitan Periscope live stream.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES Kendall Nelms presidential candidate

Damian DeSilva vice presidential candidate

Jacob Warren vice presidential candidate

Yenifer Valenzuela secretarial candidate

Presidential candidates Kendall Nelms, psychology sophomore, and Maria Peña, political science junior, addressed audience questions. “Our student government is supposed to create different forums and different types of events for students to actually participate in,” Peña said. “We could do a better job having and promoting events weekly or bi-monthly to represent the students and show them that our student government is there for them.” The opposing stances, between Nelms with “new and inventive” ideas and established three-year SGA member, Peña, outlined what each candidate offers to the student body. Nelms and Peña both agree that involvement is crucial for presidents. “I know how to get my voice out there and heard in the community, and I want to help other students with that,” Nelms said. While age is not a restriction, Peña said experience is necessary for presidential candidates to succeed in office. “I have put myself in the position where I want to listen to everybody and see what I can do to benefit everyone at the university,” Peña said. Once asked for audience input, SGA senator Luke Allen, political science and Spanish junior, brought up the topic of inclusion and said while separation can easily creep into organizations without acknowledgment, SGA works hard to eliminate the unintentional isolation. “I see a lot of entities that what to do their own thing, and SGA kind of brings the together, but there is still the separation,” he

said. “That’s not with every case, but in order to get things moving and done, we need to get all these organizations together. With such a diverse student body, I think that’s a big issue I hadn’t really heard discussed and that’s why I wanted to bring it up. It’s more important for a leader to show their plans and exhibit what they are speaking about rather than just discuss it.”

VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

The vice president candidates further discussed their platforms. The candidates are Jacob Warren, economics junior, Damian DeSilva, economics senior, and Manny Hoffmann, political science junior. According to Hoffmann, he was unsure of the direction he wanted to take which led him to register late for candidacy, but now feels “there is a lot to accomplish.” “I’ve been fortunate enough to serve as the secretary this past year and it’s encouraging because the relationship between administration and student government is strong,” Hoffmann said. “They really listen to what we have to say and a lot of progress does come out of that. I want SGA to be given the esteem it warrants, so it shows that we are there to get work done.” With the goal to further strengthen relationships, DeSilva said he continues to push to serve as a connection for students and wants to bridge the gap between faculty and students. “Even though SGA does a good job with activities, there is a disconnect between what is relevant to the students and how it affects them,” DeSilva said. “There needs to be more effort put into promoting student involvement in SGA, so we need to work on how to reach out to get input from the general student body.” According to Warren, said his goal for vice presidency would be to serve the student body and focus on the issues they want to see change. His ideas range from online polls to physical presence to convey his efforts to ensure committee progress. “As vice president, I would have

each committee pick a goal and have them accomplish it by the end of the month,” he said. “If we hold the committees accountable to having one event a week, we increase SGA’s presence on campus and that allows students to get involved. Most organizations don’t know that we can team up with them to help.”

SECRETARIAL CANDIDATES

The third position up for election is secretary, and while Yenifer Valenzuela, finance junior, was not present at the final debate, Ricinda Turner, mass communication junior, and Jaylon Williams, sociology senior, each explained the vitality of communication from the secretary as well as from the organization as a whole. Patrick German, political science junior, backed out of the election for secretary, but still remains on the ballot. “Many people don’t get messages about what is going on on campus, but there is always room to grow,” Turner said. “With that, you find ways to communicate to students beyond their email whether that’s through portal, phone number or any organizations they might be a part of. We have to reach them in an effective way.” While communication between committees and organizations on campus are effective, Williams said the external factor of students off campus poses one of the greatest challenge for SGA and that is where her attention is focused. “Involvement is one of the biggest concerns for incoming students because they don’t get involved,” Williams said. “As those in executive positions, we can lead by example and that is what I’m hoping for, that we can get SGA’s name out there, invite students to get involved with SGA, so we can truly support the students and help them decide where to get involved and to want to stay.” Voting for Student Government Association president, vice president and secretary opened on the MSU portal Feb. 28 and will run through March 3 at 5 p.m.

Maria Peña presidential candidate

Manny Hoffmann vice presidential candidate

Ricinda Turner secretarial candidate

Jaylon Williams secretarial candidate

4 | March 01, 2017 |

DINE ON CAMPUS

BUT WITH LIMITED HOURS JOANNE ORTEGA REPORTER

nly seven weeks into the new year, dining locations have been exploring a new year and new mindset. The only problem is that students don’t like the new way of operating. Katelin Wiley, radiology freshman, said she does not like the new hours because everything closes too early and would prefer last semester’s dining hours over the new ones. “When I’m hungry at 7:30 p.m., everything’s closed except Maverick’s Corner and Chick-fil-A,” Wiley said, as she took a bite from her philly cheese steak sandwich from Grill Nation. Students who have late classes have fewer options that are open after 7:30 p.m., when the Mesquite Dining Hall closes, which could cause them to grow “boring and repetitive.”

CHICK-FIL-A M-Th 11 a.m. - 9 p.m F 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Sa - Su Closed

There are now longer lines of students waiting to get their food compared to last semester, which Wiley said she believes has to do with the new hours and the rush to get food before a location closes for the day. She has had to pay for her food after not being able to simply swipe her card due to the breakfast, lunch and dinner time blocks already set. “I had lunch at noon and after my lab I wanted to get Chick-fil-A around 4 p.m. because they close at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, but it was still the lunchtime meal block. So I had to pay for my food with flex dollars,” Wiley said. Since the Mesquite Dining Hall seats around 300 students and requires more staff members and product to operate, it was difficult to open a large space each weekend when only 100-200 students dined each day. Maverick’s Corner is now the only option open on the weekends from 11

BURRITO BOWL M-Th 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. F 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Sa - Su Closed

a.m. - 6 p.m., replacing Mesquite Dining Hall that was open last semester. All of the locations in the Clark Student Center, as well as Starbucks in Moffett Library, close earlier on Friday when some of the students go home for the weekend. Student-athletes have different schedules that include classes and practices, but still have to find time to eat before a certain location closes. “A lot of people may have jobs, need to do homework, etc., and it’s late at night and the cafeteria (the Mesquite Dining Hall) is closed,” Austun Lambert, physical therapy sophomore, said. Lambert, a player for the football team, said he has to spend his money on “junk food” when it is late and the Dining Hall is closed. Of the times he has been to Maverick’s Corner they have sometimes not had the food that was on the menu and this

has caused it to get replaced by something different. “The food is better from last school year, but the hours are horrible,” Lambert said. “I just think they should keep the cafeteria open a little longer from what it’s been. A lot of these students stay up all night long studying and they don’t have anything to eat.” Lambert said it was just a suggestion but he thinks it could benefit many of the students. But students proposed for the hours to get extended and for Mesquite Dining Hall to stay open longer.

WHY THE CHANGES

At the start of the spring semester, dining officials changed the hours of each location causing students to skip meals, spend money out of their own pocket or use their flex dollars. The university is now on its second year of a partnership with Chart-

GRILL NATION M-Th 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. F 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sa - Su closed

wells, the provider for the campus’ dining and relies upon resident students far more than food services. any population to consider,” he said. Matthew Park, associate vice president Although various food options are availand dean of students, said, “We significantly able at the Mesquite Dining Hall, those with expanded the amount of concepts and oppor- food restrictions could face some trouble tunities for both resident and commuter stu- finding something to eat after being released dents, as well as employees to enjoy campus from their class at late hours. This could lead dining.” students to drive off campus and buy a meal According to Park, Mesquite Dining Hall with their own money, when they are already was previously the only one dining location investing money on their meal plans. on campus where students with a meal plan Wiley said she likes the Mesquite Dining could use a meal swipe for dining, but also had Hall because it has, “more variety and health‘declining balance dollars’ which are similar ier options,” which could allow for students to the flex dollars in the new dining program. who are vegetarian or vegan to enjoy a meal. “We always build the annual operating budget based on assumptions for enrollment NEW STAFF Among the new staff members added to at the university and participation in the dinthe dining management is Rukhsar Arzoo, ing program.” Since the enrollment of freshmen and one of the two assistant directors on campus, sophomore students is down compared to who also works with marketing. She has been the previous years and they are the primary working with Chartwells since 2014. Arzoo was the student manager at population of the school that Southeast Missouri State Uniresides on-campus and has versity from 2014 to 2016 bemeal plans, there are about 100 fore she came to work at MSU. less students who are on meal Dining Director Mueen Paplans this year than what was tankar has replaced Le Thurprojected and the budgets were man and has been working for built around. about a month. Patankar has Park said, “[T]o somewhat 14 years of experience in Quick balance those, some changes Service Restaurant food service needed to be made in terms of and higher education. the dining structure and proPatankar was unable to say gram.” why he has replaced the previAdministrators asked Chartous dining director and would wells to review the records of not give any reason as to why all of the frequencies and utithe new dining schedule was lizations of the dining locaMUEEN PATANKAR made or who decided on it. DINING DIRECTOR tions, and later report back to “I care about the students the school with recommendations. After they identified the time periods because they are away from home and family where students weren’t dining as much, the and you just have to make sure that they are changes in dining hours were made for the happy,” Patankar said. He said the dining staff members have gotspring semester. “The changes were made to be of the least ten positive feedback on the food and have been sharing news on the dining services impact on students,” he said. The discussion and presentation of ideas through social media, Twitter being the most began in the fall semester. The presented popular with the students on campus. He said, “It’s based on feedback about the recommendations that Chartwells came up with were introduced to students through the hours. We have to make sure we attend the food advisory committee, where feedback was business.” Patankar suggested that the hours may provided to and received from. Specific individuals who ultimately gave the approval for have changed because not many students the changes to be made included Park; Kristi have been seen during the late nights. “I’m the kind of director that likes to see Schulte, residence life director; and Keith Lamb, vice president of student affairs and en- changes for the better. I like to see changes based on feedback,” he said. “The dining rollment management. “Students, in order to have a real apprecia- management is working on improvements tion, need to go back and look at what dining to be made for the following years and hope services was like on campus two years ago, to grow fresh produce on campus that could before we made the shift from what then was later be used to cook.” Another change this semester is the iPad a partnership with Aramark to what now is a installed inside the Mesquite Dining Hall for partnership with Chartwells,” Park said. Park said the hours set this semester would the students to view the different food oppossibly not be the same for the upcoming tions being served that day. It is connected to school year, because it is a dynamic and fluid the campus’ dining page, where students can see the menu of all the dining places and nuprocess. “The longevity and success of the program trition facts for each food item.

“I care about students because they are away from home and family, and you just have to make sure that they are happy.”

HTTPS://NEW.DINEONCAMPUS.COM/MIDWESTERNSTATE

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MESQUITE DINING HALL M-Th 7 a.m.- 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. F- 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Sa-Su- Closed

MAVERICK’S CORNER M-Th 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. F 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Sa- Su 11 a.m.- 6 p.m.

STARBUCKS M-Th 7:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. F 7:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sa Closed Su 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.

EINSTEINS M-Th 7:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. F 7:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sa-Su Closed

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DESEGREGATION MARKER D from MARKER pg. 1

Shayla Owens, SGA president, gives a speech at the desegregation historical marker ceremony.

Cammie Dean, director of student development and orientation, speaks at desegregation historical marker ceremony.

Horace Pope, one of the first black students at MSU, presented with a commemorative medal by University President Suzanne Shipley.

Suzanne Shipley, university president, gives remarks at desegregation historical marker ceremony.

we’re celebrating here today.” Thornton credits the magnitude of his research to the struggles faced not only by the plaintiffs involved, but all individuals that sought equality in education. “Today we honor the individuals that broke the chains of segregation for future generations,” Thornton said. “In 1951, if an AfricanAmerican student wanted to go to college, they could do so in one of two ways. The first would be for the local university to offer courses in the likes of carpentry, plumbing, or other jobs related to skill or manual labor. The second option was to petition the local school to pay for their education at the nearest all African-American college. The second option was not deemed viable for the residents of Wichita Falls because the nearest school that fit that criteria was located at Prairie View A&M, a distance of about 367 miles, or Texas Southern University at about 411 miles.” One of the original plaintiffs, Willie Faye Battle-Fields, stood at the helm of abolishing segregation at the university. “Willie Faye Battle, later Willie Faye Battle-Fields, the valedictorian of the Booker T. Washington High School 1950 graduating class, would be approached by members of the African-American community, as well as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, including Thurgood Marshall himself to apply to Hardin Junior College,” Thornton said. Battle-Fields would receive an initial acceptance letter from Hardin Junior College, but when she went to register for that fall semester, she would be pulled out of line and told she would be unable to attend college. However, Battle-Fields wouldn’t let this keep her from school, and she would attend her freshman year at Prairie View A&M University. In the summer of 1951, a year after Battle-Fields’s initial rejection from Hardin Junior College, there would be a large meeting of the NAACP and the black community to form a plan to rend out segregation at Midwestern University. The result: Midwestern University became the first fully integrated and state-funded higher learning institution in Texas by admitting the first African-American students in June 1954. “What they gave us changed the social, political and educational direction of this country, forever,” Thornton said. “We’d just like to say

University President Suzanne Shipley presents a statue to O’Linda Barnett emony celebrating the desegregation historical marker on Feb. 25. thank you.” Thornton wasn’t the only speaker to express his gratitude to the honorees. “Today’s Midwestern State University has grown to differ in many important ways from the Midwestern University of 1954,” Shipley said. “We’ve become Texas’s only public liberal arts university and the only Texan member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. Our 6,000 students come from 44 states and 54 foreign countries, and represent striking variety. 10 percent are international, 14 percent are African-American, 16 percent are Hispanic, and 50 percent of our students are first generation col-

lege students.” Shipley said tha by the original plai current and future “The institution we commemorate change. The effect first generation fam portunities for gen many families, it al Robert Palmer, County Historical very pleased to be a “This is one of

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DEDICATED FEB. 25

Beginning in 1951, African-American individuals trying to gain admission into the university — then Hardin Junior College — sued the university. Wichita Falls Junior College was predecessor to Hardin Junior College and, in honor of the plaintiffs in the Battle et. al. v. Wichita Falls Junior College Dist. et. al., organizers presented awards to honorees and representatives of the original plaintiffs.

PHOTOS BY TIMOTHY JONES | THE WICHITAN

t in honor of Willie Faye Battle-Fields and Dorothy Battle-McPherson during the cer-

at the barriers broken down intiffs have paved the way for students. n that grew from the event today has been refined by t of a college education on a milies can revolutionize opneration after generation. For ll begins right here,” she said. , chairman of the Wichita l Commission, said he was able to dedicate the marker. the most important markers

BIOS: DESEGREGATION PLAINTIFFS

that we have dedicated to Wichita County. I think it’s very important that we stress just how important it is,” Palmer said. “As a commission, we’re charged with preserving the history of Wichita County. That includes people, events and sometimes challenges. What is preserving history? It’s a window to the past and a window to the future. We want future students at Midwestern State University to be aware of the events that led to this county being the great county that it is. It’s important for people to know the struggles and battles that were fought to get us where we are and where we want to be in the future.”

• MARILYN VIRGINIA MENEFEE-BILLOUIN is the last surviving member of the original six plaintiffs that attempted to enroll in Midwestern State University’s segregated system. She was born in Crowell, Texas on July 29, 1933. She moved to Wichita Falls with her family upon completion of the seventh grade to attend high school, as education for black students was not offered in Crowell beyond seventh grade at that time. She attended Booker T. Washington High School where she graduated with honors in 1951. During the lawsuit, Menefee-Billouin was determined to further her education and attended Wylie College in Marshall, Texas while allowing the Marilyn Virginia Menefee-Billouin courts to decide her future. Billouin married an airman, Frank Billouin, and moved with him to various locations before setting in Fort Walton Beach, Florida where she and her husband raised four children. She also worked as a Quality Assurance Inspector for a large electronic company for more than 25 years. Menefee-Billouin recently relocated from Florida to Schertz, Texas be closer to family. She said she enjoys bowling, traveling and spending time with her seven grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren. • WILLIE FAYE BATTLE-FIELDS was born June 17, 1933 in Cooper, Texas as the fourth daughter of six girls. After the death of her father in 1943, her mother moved the family to Wichita Falls in August 1945. While attending Booker T. Washington High School she was an A-student, a member of the debate team, head cheerleader, and participated in other extracurricular activities. She was presented as a debutante by the 1933 Culture Club. She graduated high school in spring 1950 as class valedictorian. Battle-Fields dream was to become a nurse. Her attempted to enroll in Hardin Junior College in 1950 served as the impetus for what commemorates

this dedication. In 1955, Battle-Fields graduated from Prairie View College School of Nursing and passed the state board exam on her first attempt. She returned to Wichita Falls and was hired at Wichita General Hospital and was the second black registered nurse to practice in the Wichita Falls area. During her nursing career, Battle-Fields also worked at the Veterans Administration Hospital in McKinney and Dallas; the Wichita Falls State Hospital, and as the director of Nursing at Cottonwood Manor Nursing Home in Wichita Falls. She retired from nursing in 1985. She married Venson Fields in March 1969. Battle-Fields died November 2003. • HELEN MURIEL DAVIS-THURSBY was born Feb. 14, 1933 and arrived in Wichita Falls in 1941. She went to Booker T. Washington High School and graduated in 1950. She attended to the Jackson School of Nursing in Dallas and went on to have a 21-year career at the State Hospital until her health forced her to retire. Davis-Thursby had two sons, Dwight Haywood and Michael Thursby and one daughter, Felicia Lynn Walker. She also had 16 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Throughout her life, she pushed her children and grandchildren to educate and better themselves, and take advantage of the opportunities that were such a struggle for her to reach. Her legacy lives on through her family and friends, and all her students that now have access to higher education opportunities. • CARL LAWRENCE was born June 22, 1932 in Oklahoma City. He was married to Doris Ann McBride who attended MSU in 1954. There is little known about his life after attending the university. • WILMA JEAN NORRIS was born June 7, 1931 and a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School. She completed two years at MSU. She later moved to Ohio. • GOLDEN ERA MITCHELL WHITE RICE was born June 1, 1929 and a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School. SOURCE: Syreeta Greene

8 | March 01, 2017 |

Shayla Owens, management senior and SGA president, converses with Syreeta Greene, director of equity, inclusion and multicultural affairs, at the gala. The event was designed to encourage black individuals to feel empowered through the excellence they hold, hence the name “Black Excellence Gala.”

BLACK EXCELLENCE GALA

PHOTOS BY MAKAYLA BURNHAM

Treston Lacy, mass communication junior, Betty Stewart, former provost and vice president of academic affairs, Anais Elliot, business administration junior, Hannah King, dental hygiene junior, receive Midwestern State’s Excellence in Leadership award at the Black Excellence Gala on Feb. 25. The Office of Student Development and Orientation hosted the event in Comanche Suites, to help recognize black heritage and encourage black individuals to be proud of where they came from. Treston Lacy, mass communication junior, plays the piano for approximately 150 people.

| March 01, 2017 | 9 PHOTOS BY ARIANNA DAVIS

Anne Farley Gaines, commissioned artist from Chicago, works on painting the clouds.

Audra Lambert, local artist, uses her mallet to open paint cans, Feb. 23.

Mary Helen Maskill, public programs director at Wichita Falls Museum of Art, exchanges jokes over her mallet with Audra Lambert, local artist, while she helps paint the background for the mural.

Artists bring life to downtown ARIANNA DAVIS REPORTER

hen asked to describe the city, “artistic” is not a word that first comes to mind. Local artists, residents and Wichita Falls Museum of Art staff plan to change this way of thinking. The Arts for All reception on Feb. 23 at the Wichita Falls Museum of Art allowed inhabitants of the city to come check out the 18-month-long mural project in the works of being completed. Anne Farley Gaines, commissioned artist, and Audra Lambert, president of Wichita Falls Art Association, came together during the reception to continue working on the mural. Their goal: To bring together the Wichita Falls community through artistic expression and unity. “The greatness of this whole thing is the discovery of a new talent. For other people, but also for myself. I only just started doing ceramics. My main medium is painting. Being a painter has really given me an edge,” Gaines said. Gaines, who lives in Chicago and travels around the country creating murals in other cities, became invested in art at 3-years-old. However, she said she’s always had a strong awareness for art, and committed to the field at the age of 19. From a young age, she gath-

ered inspiration from her great uncle, whose artwork was displayed across her home’s walls. Throughout school she was known as the “class artist” and has always held a passion for music and dramatic arts. Lambert, on the other hand, is a local artist. She’s part of a collective studio in downtown called Seventh St. Studio. “I came onto this project after it started. I came to volunteer and they [the staff] asked me if I could help more, so here I am,” Lambert said. “Today, I’m really trying to help Anne facilitate with the mural a little more. It is a huge project, bigger than what people think.” Gaines was commissioned through The Priddy Foundation, which is an organization “dedicated to the support of programs in human services, education, the arts and health” as stated on its website. The Priddy Foundation also gave grants, made by Director of the Wichita Falls Museum of Art Francine Carraro, to allow for the creation of the mural. Carraro also brought Gaines in to work on the mural after seeing her art. “Francine saw my previous work such as the ‘Treasures of Palos Heights’ in Palos Heights, Illinois, and we started working together,” Gaines said. According to Mary Helen Maskill,

public programs director at the Wichita Falls Museum of Art, The Priddy Foundation grants covered the cost of the mural. It did not come out of the museum’s budget. The grant funding put toward the Arts for All program also went into Gaines’ salary and trip to Wichita Falls, any material fees, installation and other exhibitions created through the Wichita Falls Museum of Art. She also said with this year’s collaboration, she weighed between 300 to 400 pieces submitted by volunteers. “Theater. Music. They’re all collaborative art forms. We wanted to make art like that, too. It’s not the norm in the fine arts world to work together on art pieces,” Maskill said. “It’s taking people out of their box and having them learn a new art form. It’s also getting people downtown, which we want to happen.” While hundreds of pieces were submitted, there were cases where a single person contributed multiple tiles. Teachers and students in the district were also involved. Audra Miller, Fain Elementary School teacher, said she encouraged 17 of her students and her children to participate in the mural. “It brings art to the community and allows people to participate and be involved in a collaborative piece that

will last a lifetime,” Miller said. “It also allows my children and students to be a part of something bigger. Art is an amazing thing and can bring about a lot of joy.” Fain Elementary School is attempting to move toward project-based learning that incorporates local artists, according to Miller. “I was part of a group of teachers that kind of started this to begin with. We’ve done previous collaborative type pieces. We took all the artists locally and built a curriculum based off it. It gives light to a lot of the native Wichita Falls artists allows them to give their history,” Miller said. The Wichita Falls Museum of Art did a similar project in 2014, in which they gathered volunteers locally to come together and create a quilt — each person helped design the squares. “You want people to take ownership and feel good about it. It’s also introducing a whole new art form you normally don’t get to do or see much of,” Maskill said. The mural is set for installation on the old Zales Jewelers store on 8th Street and Ohio Avenue in the first week of June. It’s planned to be available to the public on Saturday, June 24 during the Art and Soul Festival. Additional reporting by Mercy Yermo.

10 | March 01, 2017 |

Health Fair message: practice prevention Although the health fair is offered as a gift to the community, there will also be ways for o teach people to practice prevention to attendees to give back by donating blood, regprolong life, the 17th annual Commu- istering to be an organ donor, contributing a nity Health Fair will take place Friday, nonperishable food item to the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank and recycling March 3, in D.L. Ligon Colioutdated prescription glasses. seum from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Stu“There are two issues. One dents from all departments is that we hear so much about in the Robert D. and Carol the Affordable Care Act and the Gunn College of Health Sciissue is affordable care begins ences and Human Services with prevention,” Bowles said. college will participate, of“If you change your behaviors, fering more than 60 projects you can prevent disease before to help people practice early it happens, that way healthcare prevention with their health. becomes affordable.” Students in the health sciPrevention also plays a part ences program spend about in prolonging length of life as half a semester planning for well as the the quality of life by this event. focusing on wellness. “It’s a student project,” “You hear about life expecBetty Bowles, associate proBETTY BOWLES fessor of nursing, said. “My ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF tancy and that can be divided into healthy years and unNURSING nurses have teams and usuhealthy years at the end of life,” ally it’s been the nursing department that’s led the charge, but this year Bowles said. “Behavior change and prevenevery department within the health sciences tion lengthens your well years, whereas medical care lengthens your ill years.” is participating.” ROBIN REID REPORTER

“Behavior change and prevention lengthens your well years, whereas medical care lengthens your ill years.”

Topics to be covered: • Screening services offered will be for blood pressure, blood glucose, pulmonary function, vision, HIV/AIDS, STDs, depression, height, weight and body mass index. • Disease prevention activities will relate to alcoholism, allergies, anxiety, breast cancer, depression, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, obesity and stress. • Health promotion activities will include dental hygiene, nutrition, contraception, sleep, smoking cessation and recycling. • Safety topics will include cycling, firearms, Heimlich maneuver, self-defense, traffic and texting while driving. Health sciences students are able to gain some experience before beginning their careers in healthcare, as well as earn a grade for their participation in the Community Health Fair. “It’s both a didactic grade and a clinical grade, but it’s so good for the students because they get practice in patient teaching and they get to learn patient communication,” Bowles said. “It’s just a great way to interact with patients of all ages.”

Director brings magic to the stage LANE RIGGS REPORTER

A presents

In Speech Beyond Words Creating a Call for Conscience & Inclusion in Music for Solo Piano

7 p.m. March 6 • Akin Auditorium PLEASE DONATE • Bring one or more canned food items to be donated to the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank. Admission is free and open to all.

mwsu.edu/faculty-forum

s the house lights dim, a world of magic sparks to life, bringing the works of Shakespeare and Harry Potter together. Wand fights, transfiguration potions and altered dialogue combined the two cultures and invited the audience to a more relatable rendition of William Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost. Assistant Professor and Director Christie Maturo chose the comedic drama due to the school setting, age appropriate casting and the desire to bring Shakespeare’s work back to the MSU stage. “I had never worked on this show nor seen it performed and I wanted to challenge myself,” she said. “It’s already hard to understand because it’s Shakespeare, and the story is so thin the plot barely holds together. Magic was my answer.” Although Shakespeare is generally esteemed for his in-depth plots, this comedy’s plot can be interpreted many different ways and is considered one of his lesser works. “Setting it at a school was an artistic choice I made in hopes of making the play accessible to our modern day college audience. In my acting and directing, I always strive to find how the world of the play and the characteristics can connect the actors and the audience,” Maturo said. “With this show, I found my first connection through setting it in an environment that all parties could relate to.” According to Houston Pokorny, theater senior, the ambiguity of the plot and character

background allowed the actors more say in the delivery of their characters. “My character was told to deliver two letters, but he messes up which he is to deliver the letters to,” he said. “There are two versions, where he does it intentionally or he just doesn’t pay attention. There are also versions where he can’t read.” Aware of the thin plot, Maturo decided to add a more prominent magical twist to the production than the original had. “There were a lot of circumstances that I found strange,” she said, “But when you put a magical explanation on much of the show, the actions and behaviors of the characters can be justified, and therefore, believable.” Once this decision was made, the technical crew and costume designs brought the magical world of Harry Potter likeness into their creations. “It took a really long time to decide to take the risk to include magic,” Maturo said. “I knew I had to do it because it was iffy.” Despite the explanation the magic brought some of the actors still found obstacles within the script, such as theater junior Ellanor Collins. “My biggest obstacle was falling in love,” she said. “But over the rehearsal process, we played so much with our character, and I grew to fall in love. The hardest part was figuring out Shakespeare’s kind of love.” Overcoming the language, thin plot and fear of the unknown the cast brought Maturo’s vision of a magical Shakespeare to life in their production of Love’s Labour’s Lost.

U P C O M I N G E V E NT S Toolbox Thursday

March 2 from noon to 1 p.m. | CSC Caddo | A lunchtime event where students can come and build on their leadership skills to help improve their organization.

Geoscience and Environmental Science Colloquium Series

March 2 at 4:30 p.m. | Bolin 100 | Dr. Bob Finkelman, Research scientist and lecturer at University of Texas at Dallas will talk about Coal in our society: The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Theater production

March 2, 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. | Fain Fine Arts Theatre | The theater department will put on their version of William Shakespeare’s Love Labour’s Lost.

Discover MSU

March 3 | Gordon T. & Ellen West College of Education | High schoolers and transfer students interested in MSU will take a closer look at the Gordon T. & Ellen West College of Education.

Community Health Fair

March 3 from 9 to 11 a.m. | D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Come out and get health screenings, learn about disease prevention topics, health promotion topics and safety topics.

Red River Reading Series

March 3 at 4 p.m. | Legacy hall multipurpose room | Krista Rascoe, Faith Munoz and Kristy Henderson will host the Red River reading series.

Artist in Residence, Ceramics and Faculty shouw March 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. | Juanita Harvey Foyer Gallery | The artists residence in the Ceramics class and the Art Department faculty will have an opening reception at the Juanita Harvey Foyer Gallery.

Opera Workshop

March 3 at 7:30 p.m. | Akin Auditorium | Come out for an evening of beautiful opera scenes featuring MSU voice students and area high school students | free with MSU ID

Mustangs Rally

March 4 at 9:30 a.m. | D.L. Ligon Coliseum | MSU invites prospective students, parents, and guests to visit college life the MSU way.

Friends of Burkburnett

March 4 from 1:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. | Burkburnett Community Center | MSU volunteers will be loading boxes, taping and labeling boxes.

CRIME LOG Feb. 22

Drugs: Possession of Marijuana | 11:06 a.m. | Bridwell Court Apartments | An anonymous phone call led to marijuana being found as well as drug paraphernalia.

Feb. 26

Transportation Code: Parking Violation | 8:45 a.m. | Parking Lot #21 | Officer observed an abandoned vehicle in Lot 21.

| March 01, 2017 | 11

25 compete in 2nd annual bake-off petition. Each team was composed of all girls or all boys since the tradition was once Pierce bout 25 residents of Killingsworth Hall Hall residents, an all-boys dorm, versus Killparticipated in the annual bake-off ingsworth residents, an all-girls dorm. “The fact that the boys now live in Killingcompetition on Feb. 27 in an attempt to bring back tradition and prove which sex sworth didn’t change anything when we organized the competition. We tried to keep it as is better. Sopapilla cheesecake made by Evalyne traditional as we could,” Hidalgo said. Jenna Lawrence, biology freshman, said Roberson. Photo contributed by Evalyne Robthat the bake-off was a great erson way to bring everyone to“The bake-off used to gether. be a thing some time ago, “I really liked seeing evso we decided to bring it eryone down in the lobby back to life and make our doing the best they could residents compete,” Tiare to make the best dessert. It Hidalgo, resident assistant made every team work toand biochemistry junior, gether and an overall way to said. bond,” Lawrence said. Second floor RA, EvalAccording to Hidalgo, yne Roberson, won the the competition proved to competition with her soTIARE HIDALGO be a success. papilla cheesecake. BIOCHEMISTRY JUNIOR “We hoped to bring all “I was pretty pumped the residents to get to know when my dessert won,” Roberson said. “I had put a lot of work into it each other and have a fun time,” Hidalgo said. and knew it would be a close call because ev- “The bake-off was everything we expected it to be, and we are really looking forward to doerything else looked really good.” There was a total of 10 teams in the com- ing it again next year.” MERCY YERMO REPORTER

“The bake-off used to be a thing some time ago, so we decided to bring it back to life and make our residents compete.”

REVIEW

‘Moonlight’ presents character study

fter a moment of conThe great writing in this film also does a troversy, the Academy excellent job of giving authenticity to the of Motion Picture Arts characters. Interpersonal conflict is written and Sciences named the film in a way that feels natural, the dialogue feels Moonlight as best picture dur- genuine. ing the 89th Academy Awards. Looking at the themes this film explore, Moonlight is a film direct- Moonlight delves into the topics of self-dised by Barry Jenkins and stars covery and inclusion. The film argues the Mahershala Ali, Naomie Har- negative effects of parental neglect. Due to Tyler ris, Janelle Monáe, and Trev- his inability to connect with his peers and Manning ante Rhodes. The movie tells the neglect he feels from his drug addicted the life story of Chiron, a homosexual man mother, Chiron latches onto the first parental growing up in Miami. figure he comes across, a drug dealer named Ultimately, Moonlight is an Juan. Through the Juan the incredibly well directed, acted film stress the importance if and written film that acts as a self-discovery. He teaches Chitouching character study and ron to swim and tells him that an important social commenhe is the one who determines tary. The film is tightly focused the individual he wants to bearound the life of its main charcome. acter Chiron and the events As for inclusion, the film and people who influence him stresses its importance during to become the man he is. It is puberty and how vital it is in apparent that director Barry determining what shapes an Jenkins has an extensive knowlindividual. Chiron is bullied TYLER MANNING edge of the world he presents in throughout high school for beFILM CRITIC the film. ing gay. This persecution leads As for the acting, every actor Chiron to act out against his embodies their roles brilliantly, making each abusers and ultimately sends him down the character feel genuine and real. The character wrong path: prison. of Chiron is played by three different actors Overall, Moonlight is an important char(Alex Hibbert, Aston Sanders and Trevante acter study that presents the struggle many Rhodes) each portraying Chiron in differ- members of the LGBT community face today. ent stages of his life; all doing a phenomenal It’s well-deserved win of best picture at this job. Each actor brings a new element to the year Academy Awards is a great accomplishcharacter while also building off each others’ ment for the LGBT community and an imperformances giving a sense of authenticity portant step in ensuring more inclusion and to the character. Mahershala Ali and Naomie diversity in Hollywood. Bravo, Moonlight. Harris are equally brilliant in this movie. RATING: 9.5/10

“Every actor embodies their roles brilliantly. Moonlight is an important character study.”

12 | March 01, 2017 |

KICKBALL

Hometown Heroes win kickball tournament SARAH GRAVES REPORTER

own by one. Two outs in the top of the fifth inning. The Hometown Heroes have one final chance to beat their opponent, Kickball Team, while up to kick. After two errors from Kickball Team and a solid kick to the fence by Jared Maloney, criminal justice sophomore, the Hometown Heroes score five. Kickball Team has one last person up to kick, but falls short and loses to the Hometown Heroes 2-6. The recreational sports’ annual kickball tournament took place at Mustangs Park on Feb. 23. Three teams competed in the round-robin tournament for both bragging rights and T-shirts. Rodrigo Mireles, marketing junior and manager of recreational sports, said, “We do a kickball tournament every spring. This time we had the privilege of using the softball field. The kickball tournament is one big field day for the students to have

fun and learn to compete with each other.” The tournament allowed the 27 competing students to challenge one another for entertainment. Courtney Burnette, nursing junior, said, “My friend ask me to join his team. I love to play sports, so I said why not?” Burnette said the highlight of her night was catching the ball to get her team, Kindergarten Kickers, an out. As a member of the women’s soccer team, she said she loves to compete every chance she gets. Logan Veitenheimer, criminal justice freshman, said, “I joined the tournament because some guys that I went to high school with asked me to. I like to win and have fun. That’s what we came here to do today.” His team, Hometown Heroes, went on to win the tournament. “I had a great time competing even if it is just for a kickball game. It was a nice break from schoolwork and studying. I also really liked that we got first place Tshirts,” Veitenheimer said.

PHOTOS BY TIMOTHY JONES | THE WICHITAN

Hunter Quintero, economics senior, rolls the ball toward a kicker. Quintero was captain of the Hometown Heroes team that won the final game against Kindergarten Kickers 3-5. Jackson Strieby, mechanical engineering sophomore, slides to third base during the Intramural Kickball at Mustangs Park on Feb. 23. In the first game of the three game series, Kickball Team lost to Hometown Heroes 2-6. In the second game Kickball Team beat Kindergarten Kickers 4-0.