May 3, 2017

May 3, 2017 | Midwestern State University | thewichitan.com | Your Campus. Your News. | Vol. 81 No. 28

Higgins no longer campus resident Sexual assault investigation still ongoing

Sex Trafficking

KARA MCINTYRE EDITOR

pg. 8-9

Presenter brings awareness about national, state and local problems relating to sex and human trafficking.

Capital Campaign

pg. 10

MSU president out sources for new logo.

Women’s Tennis

pg. 16

After a season of struggle, MSU tennis heads to Nationals.

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odney Roshunn Higgins Jr., 19-year-old former cornerback, was arrested and charged with sexual assault on Tuesday, April 18. Both he and the victim were residents of Killingsworth Hall when the victim reported the incident to university police two days before.

Killingsworth Hall has been known as the all-female dorm until Pierce Hall closed for renovations in December. The residents and resident assistants of Pierce Hall were transferred to the fifth and sixth floors of Killingsworth Hall when classes resumed in January.

“It’s important to remember that Killingsworth has not always been singlegendered,” Kristi Schulte, director of residence life and housing, said. “It’s been co-ed in the past, so it’s important to recognize that [we moved Pierce residents into Killingsworth] based on occupancy, not necessarily whether men and women should be separated for those purposes.”

Though Pierce and Killingsworth residents were combined in the same building for the spring semester, Schulte said Killingsworth will go back to all-female and Pierce will go back to all-male, but not based on sexual assault cases.

“We are anticipating increased occupancy, and with that, we’ll see a higher percentage of female students on campus, so we need the space for the women,” Schulte said.

“Killingsworth will be all-female and Pierce will be all-male based on occupancy projections.”

Another sexual assault report was submitted to the University Police Department on Monday, May 1 at 2:48 a.m. in Killingsworth Hall. Schulte said she still does not see a connection between the Pierce residents moving into Killingsworth and the two sexual assault cases within the last two weeks..

With any sexual assault case, Title IX Coordinator and Dean of Students Matt Park said the protocol includes separation of parties, both criminal and campus investigations, and a faculty and staff conduct committee hearing before determining the possible punishments.

“The first thing that happens is the factfinding process. It is essentially this impartial evidence collection, which is going to typically

PHOTO COURTESY OF WICHITA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND MSU MUSTANGS WEBSITE

Rodney Roshunn Higgins, Jr. was arrested on April 18 at 12:33 p.m. for sexual assault. The incident occurred in Killingsworth Hall on Sunday, April 16. be done by either one of the conduct officers or, in cases of sexual misconduct, harassment or other types of discrimination, we assign two investigators to collect the information,” Park said. “If there’s enough evidence collected, a charge is filed, then the hearing comes in.”

The investigation of Higgins’ charge is still ongoing — police investigations can take up to two weeks before the campus investigation starts.

“If there is a charge and a hearing, that will take some time to get to because there has to be an investigation and the neutral, fact-finding first,” Park said. “This is a case where there is a criminal charge, and in that case, we as a campus are wanting to make sure that we respect the integrity of that criminal investigation, because it does have significant implications.”

Federal law and the Office of Civil Rights determined that the entire process of an alleged conduct violation should be completed within 60 days, depending on the circumstances. Park said that even though the semester is coming to a close, that doesn’t mean the investigation will stop.

“It’s an invisible number; it’s not a hard

number. But that’s the expectation though.

We can’t let these types of cases linger and hang out there. We can’t ignore them,” Park said. “The end of the semester that comes with spring commencement does not mean we have to have everything worked out by then.

We can continue past that date, and that’s normal.”

Depending on the circumstances, a student who has been arrested for, charged with, or allegedly committed a sexual assault can be removed from campus housing, but Schulte said it is “not an easy yes or no question.”

“Speaking generally, because I don’t want to go into specific cases, there may be situations where there is an acquaintance scenario or where there has not been anything to indicate that there are significant safety concerns. The result may be a separation of parties — moving to different areas, restricting access to different areas, etcetera,” Schulte said. “But if there is a determination that there is a violation or an alleged violation is significant enough, then we can remove them from campus.”

Schulte confirmed that Higgins is no longer a resident of campus housing.

2 |May 3, 2017 | STAF F E D I T O R I A L

Participate in undergrad research OUR VIEW: It’s important for students to participate in undergraduate research to learn outside the classroom.

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he Celebration of Scholarship took place on April 26-27, including the Enhancing Undergraduate Research Endeavors and Creative Activities student poster presentations.

Our peers had 33 poster presentations and 37 podium presentations during these sessions, proving that it is possible to go to school and complete undergrad research.

While we realize that the semester is coming to a close, students can still participate in summer research or prepare for next year’s EURECA ike many art majors, learning to balance program. The Undergraduate Research Opporwork, non-art course work and life outtunities and Summer Workshop is another great side of the Fain Fine Arts building can way to complete undergrad research without be challenging. Studio courses meet in threethe added stresses of schoolwork — unless the hour blocks twice a week, which can cause time constraint issues, not to mention the student is taking summer classes. amount of studio time that is required to comThere’s so much more to be learned than plete projects. Art students are in the studios Lauren what’s inside the classroom or in the pages of a Hamlin working away on assignments way too late at night. textbook. All of that can be achieved through I’ve had a photography business that got started while still undergrad research. in high school. The photography business just gave me some Go out and give it a shot. Students who parextra spending money but was not enough to sustain.

I worked at Books-A-Million on weekends during my junior ticipate in EURECA or UGROW earn money for year at MSU. I took 15 hours per semester, three of which were their efforts — so there’s no reason not to try it studio classes (which take up a hell of a lot more time than a out. normal class). I felt as if I lived in the art building. The pressure

Surviving two jobs and being a full-time student

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to get all of my course work done during the week and working all weekend left no time to have a social life — or sleep. So I decided to quit my job to take a summer painting course in Dallas — that was when I decided that I needed to find another means of supporting myself.

CORRECTIONS • In the article titled “Collection used for research, but only by two students,” Special Collections Assistant Stacy Johnson did not say that no one from EURECA comes in.

• In the article titled “Graduating senior to give commencement address,” the Great Plains Honors Conference was in South Padre Island, Texas.

• In the article titled “Tennis advances to regionals,” the women’s team played Dallas Baptist University on Monday, May 1.

wichitan

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Vol. 81 | No. 28

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

The Pokemon Go craze that took over last summer was my first go at making t-shirts for a profit. So I started making shirts for Team Mystic and strangers contacted me on Facebook to make one for them too. I charged $6 and told others to bring their own shirt and what times I would be printing. This was a perfect solution to my financial problems.

I am majoring in printmaking and minoring in graphic design, so what better job could I have? Since I am religious, and after praying about it, everything just seemed to fall into place.

I was offered space at Frank & Joe’s, a local coffee shop, to sell my T-shirts. So I would come up with a few different designs, purchase some T-shirts and print them myself.

My business took off and Black Cat Printmaking and Graphic Design was born. People began to contact me to do custom shirts and logos for their businesses. I had found my niche. This is what I love to do. I hope to continue expanding my business and plan to eventually own my own store/studio, my dream location being in Galveston. I would like to help other artists out with their dreams too.

Not enough people go for what they dream anymore.

Lauren Hamlin is a printmaking senior.

EDITOR: Kara McIntyre MANAGING EDITOR: Leah Bryce FEATURES EDITOR: Brendan Wynne DESIGN EDITOR: Justin Marquart PHOTOGRAPHERS: Bradley Wilson,

Timothy Jones, Arianna Davis, Leah Bryce, Cortney Wood, Bridget Reilly

ISSUE STAFF: Noah Fazekas, Lauren Hamlin, Ryane HattenSarah Graves, Robin Reid, Dakota Mize, Taylor Morrison, Mercy Yermo

ADVISER: Bradley Wilson

Copyright ©2017.

The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication.

Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University.

The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a email address, telephone number and address.

Finals Frenzy returns with Comic-Con theme

nice.”

According to Dinkins, the University ith finals around the corner, UPB Programming Board is responsible for is hosting it’s annually semester providing entertainment for students at a free event, Finals Frenzy. For all students cost.

“All events put on by the University in need of a study break or time to de-stress, the event will take place on May 4th from 6-11 Programming Board are free to all students at p.m. at Jesse Rogers Promenade. The event the university,” she said. “Our responsibility is free for all students and includes activities is to provide entertainment for the students. such as laser tag, face painting, a gaming We organize events such as Stampede Week, Family Day, Homecoming, and of course truck, piñatas, and more!

Taylor Dinkins, chair of UPB, assistant Finals Frenzy.”

Smith said while all the activities are great, coordinator of student activities, and business sophomore, said it’s the last big event of the he’s most looking forward to the gaming semester and serves a purpose to help students truck.

“There’s so many great activities and de-stress for finals.

“It’s the last big event of the semester so everything is free,” he said. “Last semester I we like to go all out,” she said. “We do this to really enjoyed making mugs but I’m looking help students take a break from the madness forward to the gaming truck this year. I’ve of finals. Also, we bring in different vendors never really seen that at any other school so and try to relate the activities to our specific it’s pretty exciting. Also, I think the theme is theme. This year’s theme is ‘Comic Con’ and perfect because I like Anime and Comics, so will include a photo booth, laser tag arena, that’s a plus!”

According to Smith, if he’s not helping set face painting, costumes contest, and a gaming up the event, he’s out enjoying himself. truck.”

“I try my best to help out According to Dinkins, the when I can but if I don’t need University Programming Board to then I just like to go have is responsible for providing fun with my friends. There’s entertainment for students at a food, games, etc.,” he said. “It’s free cost. never been a disappointment, “All events put on by the I absolutely love it!”

University Programming Board Kirsten Durre, sociology are free to all students at the junior, said as an organizer of university,” she said. “Our the event, it’s amazing to see responsibility is to provide new faces come out and enjoy entertainment for the students. themselves.

We organize events such as “As someone that helps run Stampede Week, Family Day, the event, I love seeing new Homecoming, and of course KRISTEN DURRE people come out and have fun Finals Frenzy.”

SOCIOLOGY JUNIOR right before the most stressful In addition, Dinkins said week there is,” she said. “Each the importance of the event is to help students take some time to relax from semester I meet new people at the event, so it’s also a way to be social and make new friends.” all the studying finals require.

According to Durre, it’s satisfying to see all “It’s important to provide students with an event like this because as finals comes up so the work behind the event pay off.

“We literally start off with a piece of scratch do our stress levels,” she said. “So it’s good to take some time to de-stress and get your mind paper and a list of ideas,” she said. “So it’s very off things, that is exactly what Finals Frenzy satisfying to watch our ideas come to life after provides. It’s like a little study break but twice such a long process. We work really hard to serve our students with fun events.” more fun.”

Dinkins said she recommends all students John Smith, psychology junior, said he attends each semester and it’s the biggest help to attend this event to enjoy some games, free food, and prizes! for him to de-stress for finals.

“We usually have a pretty big turnout each “I love the aspect of taking a break from school while at school,” he said. “It helps semester. It’s a lot of fun, students love it,” she me to unwind and get out of study mode for said. “Plus, the organizers of the event work awhile. I’ve always heard “You don’t want to really hard to set everything up, so it’s great to overstress yourself while studying,” so I attend see everyone come out and enjoy themselves. every semester and feel like Finals Frenzy is It’s reassuring that their hard work paid off. I of the biggest contributors to de-stressing for highly recommend students to attend to play finals. You just get to kick back and relax, it’s some games, win prizes, and enjoy free food!”

RYANE HATTEN REPORTER

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“I love seeing new people come out and have fun right before the most stressful week there is.”

| May 3, 2017 | 3 FINALS F R E N Z Y S C HE DUL E Thursday May 4 | J e s s e R o g e r s P r o m e n a d e 6-8 p.m.

6-10 p.m.

7-8 p.m.

7-10 p.m.

8-9 p.m.

9-10 p.m.

Putt Lazer Putt Tag Tourney

DIY Galaxy Shirts

Caricatures

Canvas Art

S’mores

Decorate Graduation Caps

Photo Booth

Superhero capes for kids

DIY Stress Putty

DIY Magnets

Light Sabers

Face Painting

MYO trail mix

Gaming Truck

Pinatas Bash

Finals Testing Supply booth

Liquid Nitrogen Ice CreaM

Costume Contest

9:45 p.m.

Door prize drawing

10 p.m.

Late night Breakfast w/ MSU ID

11 p.m.

Movie: Split

4 |May 3, 2017 |

Students, faculty show off research at Celebration of Scholarship FROM JUDGES, ORGANIZERS

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY BRADLEY WILSON

Former Provost Betty Stewart thanks the crowd after a lab in Bolin was dedicated in her honor April 27.

Bolin lab named after former provost SARAH GRAVES REPORTER

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aculty gathered to honor Betty Stewart, former provost and vice president of academic affairs, by renaming room 301 in Bolin Hall to the Betty H. Stewart Instrumental Lab on April 27.

Betty Stewart said she was grateful of this honor, but said her former co-workers were instrumental in her achievements here.

“The people here have been some of the best I’ve ever worked with. I love the people here, there’s no question. You can’t be a good leader if you don’t have people to support you.

I feel like the people here have been so supportive, and we have been able to accomplish quite a few things because of that. I’m just so pleased,” Stewart said.

Marcy Brown-Marsden, dean of the college of science and mathematics, said Stewart understood what it was like to be a scientist and what the department needed to succeed while being the dean of science and mathematics from 2006-2010.

“We knew when we found out she was leaving that we wanted to do something. It happened at a good time. She feels at the core of what she does is being a scientist, so it was nice that we had got this instrumentation,” Brown-Marsden said.

“It was just a natural fit. It came to mind as a possibility and we all just thought it was the right thing and the right way.”

The lab is full of equipment designed for analysis and precise measurements to further the education of students. The new Thermo Fisher gas chromatography mass spectrometry system was acquired with Stewart’s assistance through a $125,000 grant. This system transformed the lab’s capabilities.

Chris Hansen, chair of chemistry, said the gas chromatography mass spectrometry equipment is essential for educating students going to the science field.

“The system we use is vital for students that are learning.

If they want to go in the industry, they’ll use that. The interpretations we can get from that for unknown discovery is absolutely necessary to help further the student’s knowledge of instrumentation,” Hansen said. “Every company that works in the industrial field is going to have a lab. Those labs are almost all going to have the gas chromatography mass spectrometry.

As far as students going on to industrial settings or graduate work, understanding and using the equipment before you go on is useful there.”

After the dedication, the faculty went downstairs to the Tom Haywood Foyer for a farewell reception honoring Stewart.

JEFF STAMBAUGH, management professor | “I don’t think there’s one most important thing, but I’ll tell you one of the things that jumps out is the communication ability of the poster. Some of the posters are much easier to understand than others, and some of them are more visually pleasing than others. One of the areas where you quickly pick of the differences is how well they’re communicating the message.”

KATHY ZUCKWEILER, graduate school dean | ‘’A lot of the poster presentations are very interesting. All six colleges are participating, so there is a huge breadth of topics, which is really neat. It’s good to see what the students are doing for their research topics. The event is absolutely worth attending, I learn something new every time I read posters.”

CHARLES WATSON, biology professor | “I expect them to show some level of being inquisitive, and I just want my students to love what I love which is biology. I try to find students that are excited. I don’t worry about if the students are A students, B students or C students. If they come in with a genuine inquisitive nature I’m going to try to make sure they have the opportunity to do research. I expect my students to be invested and enjoy what they do.”

FROM ATTENDEES

KRISHUN JACKSON, senior business management | “Our professor said we can have extra credit while we learn about other things like EURECA if we attended these sessions. I could possibly see myself doing something like this if I have a good group because it would be hard alone.”

ALASKA CARRILLO BELL, pre-med biology sophomore | “It’s interesting to see how my peers can do these presentations. It was worth attending because it shows me how I can do that too, I can conduct an experiment and do a poster like them.”

CLAYTON MEYERS, marketing sophomore | “I came to support a friend and to get a further understanding for remittances [topic of the project he attended]. It was absolutely worth attending. The EURECA presentations are something that a class won’t teach you.”

AWARD RECIPIENTS BEST GRADUATE STUDENT POSTER CHAMPION: Clayton Reece Burgoon for “Supraspinatous and Infraspinatous Tendon Tears with MRI Arthrography of the Shoulder: A Case Study” | Faculty Mentor: Victoria Sanders RUNNER-UP: Gabriel Jacobs for “A Study in Trilobite Growth and Development: Morphometric Ontogeny of Calyptaulax stras-

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CHRISTELLE BILLAN, physics sophomore | “It intrigued me in the sense that she was able to bring Theater and Physics (together), something as deep and complex as the multiverse theory. That’s really interesting.

And I just wanted to see how they would combine both subjects ,that you believe to be completely different from each other, but are similar in so many ways.”

LASHANDA TURENNE, nursing junior | “The presentations on sexual attitudes and the impact of pornography interested me the most. It was interesting because I don’t think sex is taken seriously, so I was happy to see the presenters were going to be speaking on the topic to college students that would and could have questions. It’s my second time coming to see the presentations, and they’re always on great topics.”

SAMANTHA BURNS, chemistry sophomore | “I attended for extra credit and guess what I’m glad I came because it has opened my mind to different ideas and I might want to try this next time.”

AFOLABI ADERETI, mechanical engineering sophomore | “I came to get extra credit for a class, I wanted to finesse my way through it but I got caught up in one of the presentations and I stayed, I am exceptionally glad I came.”

BEN ROBERTSON, geology senior | “I didn’t realize it was an art show. I kind just thought it was a pile of trash.

But when I actually went and checked it out, it makes a lot of sense. I really like what he was going for.”

THARUSHA WANIGASEKERA, mechanical engineering senior | “My team mate and I are both going into the automobile industry. We both wanted to research that field and we both found a non-Newtonian fluid that can be used in hydraulic systems, damping automobile shock absorbers, and as an actuating system.”

JANITH AMBEWELA, mechanical engineering senior | “It [non-newtonian fluid] works better because its viscosity can be changed according to the magnetic field supplied to it, but regular shock absorbers in use today only have one viscosity. In off road environments, it can work better because we can control the amount of shock absorbed by the fluid by changing the viscosity of the fluid inside the cylinder.”

burgensis” | Faculty Mentor: Jesse Carlucci HONORABLE MENTION: William Bryan for “Nail-Patella Syndrome (Fong Disease)” | Faculty Mentor: Victoria Sanders BEST GRADUATE STUDENT PODIUM CHAMPION: Melissa Jean Laussman for “How Deans of Women Changed Academia” | Faculty Mentor: Melissa Nivens RUNNER-UP: Scott Gordon and Steven Kundert for “Collatz Conjecture Verification:

Faculty and graduate student podium presentations.

A Many-Core Approach” | Faculty Mentor: Eduardo Colmenares-Diaz HONORABLE MENTION: Jeanel Georges for “Anolis oculatus and Anolis cristatellus in Dominica: investigating the distribution and impacts of an invasive species on an island endemic” | Faculty Mentor: Charles M. Watson BEST UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT POSTER CHAMPION: Careisha Whyte for

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Faculty and graduate student poster presentations.

| May 3, 2017 | 5

PHOTO BY TIMOTHY JONES | THE WICHITAN

Gordon Hicken, assistant professor of music and associate director of bands, performs a new piece for saxophone and percussion at the Celebration of Scholarship Faculty and Graduate Student Poster and Podium Presentations April 26.

PHOTO BY ARIANNA DAVIS | THE WICHITAN

Sean Aleman, mechanical engineer junior, presents his aquaponic cycle research project during EURECA on April 27.

SAMANTHA ACUNA, sports and leisure studies senior | “I’m taking an organizational behavior class and we talked a little about how cultures affect the character within the workspace and our professor said if you’re really interested in the cultural level and people doing research, go to the celebration of scholarship.”

FROM PARTICIPANTS

KENNETH SHANKS, senior photography and presenter | “I choose to participate because of EURECA and also the monetary benefits. I’m showing this presentation in my senior show so its good practice for me and plus I like to get students’ reactions.”

HYUNGMO YEON, mechanical engineering senior | “We got a lot of support from our two sponsors, basically they helped with a lot of designing for us. I enjoyed the teamwork but mostly the designing of new stuff and making it more simple. It was fun and difficult figuring the biggest problem of listening to what our sponsors were saying and the conflicts from having our minds be different.”

MOIZ TATLA, mechanical engineering senior | “I was happy with the outcome of our presentation. We’ve presented it about four times now. We started our project last fall.”

SIMON OSPINA, economics sophomore | “I decided to participate because I’m really passionate about economics, and I thought this would be very advantageous to my knowledge on this subject. I learned how to do economic research and also new theorems “Evaluating the Ethical Awareness of Accounting Students in the Dillard College of Business Administration” | Faculty Mentor: Ronald Young RUNNER-UP: Tamra Woods and Jocelyn Brown for “The Effect of STEAM Units on Pre-service Teachers’ Self-Efficacy” | Faculty Mentor: Dittika Gupta RUNNER-UP: Careisha Whyte and Shirley Hazel for “Acceptance of Legalized Assisted Suicide: Does Terminology

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founded in the literature.”

LUKE ALLEN, political science and Spanish junior | “I was surprised with how many people came compared to last semester. It’s really nice to see students be more interested and engaging in these activities.”

JARED SHARP, mechanical engineering senior | “This was a course requirement but it gave me experience for my future career when presenting data and doing research. I learned valuable experience from faculty, who taught me how to design projects.

Presenting was great, but I wish the evaluators would have been more knowledgeable on the subjects they were covering. I wish they had a vague knowledge on each presentation, because the questions they asked had nothing to do with our subject.”

CHIEDZA TOKONYAI, mechanical engineering junior | “This topic was outside of my major, so doing this research has definitely boosted my self-confidence. It was like a practice run for senior design and taught me how to do research.”

CIERA WOLINSKI, biology senior | “My project is over the resting metabolic rates of squamates (lizards and snakes). What I did was compile a whole bunch of different data points on their metabolic rates. We are using that not only as a source for other scientist to then compare their results to but we are also looking at developing a new phylogenetic tree based on their metabolic rates. This should be a highly cited paper because so many other biologists can reference their work to the data we’ve collected over all these different reptiles.”

Matter?” | Faculty Mentor: Beverly Stiles and Newman Wong BEST UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT PODIUM CHAMPION: Bethany Russell for “The Effect of Subinhibitory Concentrations of Tetracycline on Non-Plasid-Based Erythromycin Resistance in Escherichia coli” | Faculty Mentor: James Masuoka and Jon Scales

Undergraduate podium presentations.

RUNNER-UP: Romeo Botelua, Charles Trevor Criddle, Xin Hu, Chase Meyer, and Michael A. Olaya for “Development of Muon Tomography Imaging System” | Faculty Mentor: Yu Guo HONORABLE MENTION: Laura Sorge and Francine Baron for “Exploring Students’ Perceived Benefits of Learning Communities...Going Deeper.” | Faculty Mentor: Kym Acuna

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Undergraduate poster presentations.

Musical concert closes out 2-day event ROBIN REID REPORTER

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he Department of Music University Wind Ensemble performed four pieces, closing out the Celebration of Scholarship, April 27.

The 36-member band filled the stage in Akin Auditorium. The band members were dressed in all black, their brass and woodwind instruments making a stark contrast against their clothing. As they sat on stage, focused and ready to begin, they tuned their instruments, prepared to share the music from Fascinating Ribbons. Some pieces were energetic and loud, while others were more mellow, with softer sounds.

“Each year we’ve tried to go into it with a specific, thematic idea of what we’re going to do. Three years ago, the first time we did it, we did concerto. What that means, is collaboration. Celebration of Scholarship is very much about collaboration so for us, collaboration with professional musicians, means concertos,” Matthew Luttrell, associate professor of music and band director, said. “Last year we did a concert that was a mixture of jazz and really vibrant orchestral music. Last night, we played music written primarily by women.”

Beyond the purpose of performing music, is the band’s mission to raise awareness of the world and make people more aware of the world around them.

“For the next year, all of our concerts are being planned around cultural diversity, gender equality and social justice. Last night was the first time we had really done something of that vein,” Luttrell told the crowd. “The first three composers were Joan Tower, the second piece was done by Barbara York and then the third piece was by Julie Giroux.

We ended with ‘La Fiesta Mexicana,’ music based primarily from the country of Mexico.”

Luttrell shares a love for both music and the students he instructs.

“I love to perform and I love working with the students. I really love working with them,” Luttrell said. “I thought the Julie Giroux piece ‘One Life Beautiful,’ that was dedicated to Ray Cramer’s daughter, came off extremely well. I thought it was beautifully played. I thought the group did a great job.”

Before the final number, Provost James Johnston announced 12 awards from the 95 projects shown during Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity forum presentations on April 26-27. Cash awards were also presented to three ideaMSU finalists.

Mechanical engineering and physics senior, Michael Olaya, also won two awards for two of his projects, one for engineering and one first-place, $2,000 cash prize, for “Colony Robotics” for ideaMSU. “Physics and mechanical engineering has forced me to recognize everything is a system. We have to look at the entire system,” Olaya said.

6 |May 3, 2017 |

CONGRATULATIONS

TO THE 2016-2017 OUTSTANDING STUDENT LEADERS AND SCHOLARS AT MSU OUTSTANDING FRESHMAN MAN Levi Mason Lamb Ricardo Rodolfo Rodriguez Jr. Timon Leon Varner * Jared Lee Vomastek * Brendan Lawrence Wynne **

OUTSTANDING FRESHMAN WOMAN Frida Guadalupe Arredondo * Federica Bove Ashley Paige Littleton Jocelyn Fernanda Miranda Brenda Lorena Morales Mai P. Trinh * Cortney Nicole Wood **

OUTSTANDING SOPHOMORE MAN Michael Alan Bravenec Christopher Cruz Mondragon Marc A. Ellis Luka Ture Gebel Jeremy Dale Glebe * Rahul Vivek Joshi * Bryce Allen Lewis John Bradley Logsdon Nathaniel Steven Shawver ** Jose Torres

Robin Janelle Reid Laura Christine Sorge Serah Joy Welborn Jessica Lauren Wollenberger

OUTSTANDING SENIOR MAN Suman Bhandari * Anthony Chisom Enem Ramon Toyos Garcia Tyler Lee Garcia ** Israel Ezeodum Tyler Shane Lasseter Austin Thomas Monson Chanuka Gehasha Perera Scott Nicolas Perez Zakary Martin Roberts Luke Jarrett Saunders Timon Denson Thomas James Edward Trevino Indeesha Wickramarachchi Brian James Zug *

OUTSTANDING SENIOR WOMAN

Luke Gregory Allen * Cavaughn Xavier Browne ** Aaron Dana DeVaul George Layton Rabb

Gifty Serwaa Assibey Niya Marie Benavides Nikki Robyn Bussue Heather Marie Campa Mikayla Danielle Dunlap Rephael Esther Edwards Brittany Kay Fernholz Whitney Michelle Hogue Amy Elizabeth Jobe Kharmyn Renee Lewis Dorcas Madikita Matuwana * Summer Brielle Mull * Faith Abigail Munoz Sydnee Janaye Pottorf Sherrie Lurea Reddick Bethany Ann Russell ** Rachel Marie Smith Catherine Grace Stepniak Jacklyn Kay York

OUTSTANDING JUNIOR WOMAN

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE MAN

OUTSTANDING SOPHOMORE WOMAN Taylor Rene Broyles Holly Meadow Frazier Hanna Gebel ** Emma Virginia Labedis Larissa Lee McShan Audrey Danielle Miller * Marissa Pearl Norris * Valeska Vitt

OUTSTANDING JUNIOR MAN

* FINALIST ** WINNER

Veronica Naomi Balderas ** Elizabeth Nicole Buchanan Sandra Ann Contreras Chiara Del Vecchio Sherielle Forbes Montserrath Garay Natalia Zamora Garcia* Elyssa Dorathea Henderson Ashma Geneve Henry Kathryn Louise Husted Emily Beth McDonald Kara Ann McIntyre * Maria Isabel Pena

Bradley Wayne Allen Olayinka Samson Soyinka * That Binh Vuong ** Clinton Thomas Wagoner *

GRADUATE WOMAN

Amy Elizabeth Knowles * Mikayla Paige Schreiber * Lauryn Taylor ** Gloria Guadalupe Villarreal Abigail Elizabeth White Alicia Michelle Ward

MAN OF THE YEAR

Luke Gregory Allen ** Suman Bhandari Charles James Frazier Tyler Lee Garcia * Jonathan Mark Henderson * Israel Tochukwu Ezeodum Austin Thomas Monson Christopher Sean Silva Indeesha Wickramarachchi Colby Manley Work

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

Natalia Zamora Garcia Amy Elizabeth Knowles Ana Jo Leach Andrea Mendoza Lespron * Maria Isabel Pena Darby Jo Smith Megan Carol Piehler ** Catherine Grace Stepniak Careisha K’Niche Whyte *

VIOLA GRADY LEADERSHIP AWARD

DILLARD COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OUTSTANDING ACCOUNTING STUDENT Careisha K’Niche Whyte

OUTSTANDING ECONOMICS STUDENT Catherine Marie Ryan

OUTSTANDING FINANCE STUDENT Cody Wayne Rutledge

OUTSTANDING GENERAL BUSINESS STUDENT Karina Lopez

OUTSTANDING MANAGEMENT STUDENT Madison Taing

OUTSTANDING MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS STUDENT Harrison Taing

Dareem Kyle Antoine Frida Guadalupe Arredondo * Kelli Dawn Cousins Charles James Frazier Kenneth Ryan Griffin Andrea Mendoza Lespron ** Kharmyn Renee Lewis Herbert McCullough IV * Emily Beth McDonald Christopher Sean Silva Indeesha Wickramarachchi

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

HOWARD FARRELL COMMUNITY EXCELLENCE AWARD

OUTSTANDING ART STUDENT

Alexandra Lynn Copp Rephael Esther Edwards Montserrath Garay * Tyler Lee Garcia ** Kenneth Ryan Griffin Emily Beth McDonald Bethany Ann Russell * Indeesha Wickramarachchi

JAMES L. STEWART SERVICE AWARD

American Society of Mechanical Engineers Sigma Lambda Alpha Sorority, Inc. **

OUTSTANDING MARKETING STUDENT Keaton Scott Dolan

Devah Colleen Scholl

LAMAR D. FAIN COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS Aaron Lesli Campbell

OUTSTANDING MASS COMMUNICATION STUDENT Megan Carol Piehler

OUTSTANDING MUSIC STUDENT James Deverson Ivey

OUTSTANDING THEATRE STUDENT Kaylor Falon Winter-Roach

VINSON AWARD FOR JOURNALISM Kara Ann McIntyre

| May 3, 2017 | 7 GORDON T. & ELLEN WEST COLLEGE OF EDUCATION OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN THE BACHELOR OF APPLIED ARTS AND SCIENCES (BAAS)Darren Lee Clark

OUTSTANDING SOCIAL WORK STUDENT Cailli Carol Perry

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT IN HEALTH SCIENCES AND HUMAN SERVICES

OUTSTANDING ELEMENTARY EDUCATION STUDENT (BSIS Early Childhood – Grade 6) Heather Daneille Brown

OUTSTANDING KINESIOLOGY STUDENT Susanna Joann Ray Kayla Brooke Elam

Jordan Taylor Carter

PROTHRO-YEAGER COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

OUTSTANDING CHEMISTRY STUDENT Andrea Joyce Fowlé

OUTSTANDING COMPUTER SCIENCE STUDENT Christopher Sean Silva

OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE STUDENT

Andrea Mendoza Lespron

Shadai Denise John

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENT

Norma M. Castro

(BSIS Early Childhood – Grade 6/All Level Special Education Sydnee Janaye Pottorf

OUTSTANDING HISTORY STUDENT

OUTSTANDING SPORT AND LEISURE STUDIES STUDENT

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN HUMANITIES

Amilia Jo Cato

Abigail Elizabeth White

OUTSTANDING MATHEMATICS STUDENT

Luke J. Shelby

Mason Scott Ellis

OUTSTANDING MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDENT Michael Arthur Olaya

OUTSTANDING GLOBALSTUDIES STUDENT

OUTSTANDING PHYSICS STUDENT

Blake Koby Huffstutler

ROBERT D. & CAROL GUNN COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND HUMAN SERVICES OUTSTANDING ATHLETIC TRAINING STUDENT Laura Renee Poston

OUTSTANDING CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDENT Gabriella Angela Victoria

OUTSTANDING DENTAL HYGIENE STUDENT Niya Marie Benavides

OUTSTANDING EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY STUDENT Lucas John Veitenheimer

OUTSTANDING GEOSCIENCES STUDENT Thomas William Smith

Brian James Zug

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT IN EDUCATION

OUTSTANDING BIOLOGY STUDENT

Lindsey Rebecca Shelley

OUTSTANDING ENGLISH STUDENT

OUTSTANDING SECONDARY EDUCATION STUDENT

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS

Sachithra Ishani Weerasooriya

OUTSTANDING POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENT

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT IN SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS

Danielle Lee Goettle

OUTSTANDING PSYCHOLOGY STUDENT

Gabriel Shai Dickman Jacobs

OUTSTANDING SOCIOLOGY STUDENT

CLARK SCHOLAR

Aaron Dana Devaul

Zakary Martin Roberts

VINSON AWARD IN CREATIVE WRITING Chad P. Marqui

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT IN HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Kylie Lee Kerr

Erica Ann Brown Caroline Duque Abigail Rose Helms** Larissa Lee McShan Oluwatobi Emmanuel Olowofela Simon Ospina

HARDIN SCHOLAR

OUTSTANDING NURSING STUDENT

Luke Gregory Allen** Cavaughn Xavier Browne Laura Christine Sorge

Michael Sandon Ward

OUTSTANDING RADIOLOGIC SCIENCES STUDENT Brandon Antjuan Taylor

OUTSTANDING RESPIRATORY CARE STUDENT Sarah Grace Flagg

** WINNER

EURECA RESEARCH SCHOLARS Bridget Jo Alaniz Hezekiah Onmeje Agbo Abdullah B. Albakhurji Sean Thomas Aleman Luke Gregory Allen Janith Sanujaya Ambewela Nchetachukwe Constance Anih William R. Ash Enaho E. Atamenwan Mouhammed Abdulaziz Balghonaim Francine Tiffany Baron Ravi Prasanth Baskaran Suman Bhandari Jocelyn Raverne Brown Aaron Lesli Campbell Salvatore Capotosto Phillip Devonte Carr Cody Lane Chancellor Kiran Chapagain

Weiwei Chen Huiluo Chen Sarinda De Mel Chiara del Vecchio Reuben Lekat Denwe Lisa Marie Diemer Wadzanai Dzvurumi Kevin Tanner Ellis Anthony Chisom Enem Israel Ezeodum Gael Gonzalez-Peltier Rojitha Goonesekere Kyle Kerby Gordon Emma Catherine Griffiths Qianying He Camille Marie Khan Denzel Martin Kinyua Evan Ryan Knobloch Nemanja Krtolica

Luca Liam Lalor Tyler Shane Lasseter Jomarie Dequan Leblanc Xitong Li Yaning Liu Randy Lopez Mutandwa Machemedze Corbin Santiago Matamoros Matthew David Matlock Dorcas Madikita Matuwana Hunter Hanna May Macy Breann Miles Selena Mae Mize Austin Thomas Monson Latham Jay Moody Mpathi Zizwe Nzima Kanayo Bond Oji Adanna Diane Okoye Michael Arthur Olaya

Simon Ospina Chanuka Gehasha Perera Amber Lee Quevy Robin Janelle Reid Zeltzin A. Reyes Trejo Kalli Danae Root Melissa Katelyn Rose Meaghan Alyssa Rose Bethany Ann Russell Karema Osama Sallam Kenneth Zackery Shanks Hettiyadura Shehan Karunaratne Laura Christine Sorge William Eugene Statham Jared Wynn Steger Catherine Grace Stepniak Aaron Spencer Stewart Chenai Sukume Jordan Kenneth Susac

Michael Arthur Sweeting Kevin Benjamin Thompson Jerrod Cliffton Tofte Chiedza Sandra Tokonyai Tharusha Eran Wanigasekera Sachithra Ishani Weerasooriya Alexandria Marie Weiskircher Chris Whitworth Careisha K’Niche Whyte Don Menuwan Wijesinghe Hunter Lee Wolfe Tamra Kathleen Woods Paul Emmanuel Yacho

8 |May 3, 2017 |

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

Most traffickers have between three and five victims working to exchange sex-acts for anything of value. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 laid the foundation for sex trafficking legislation in the United States. Guerrilla Traffickers are violent pimps that severely harm victims.

WICHITA FALLS BATTLES HUMAN, SEX TRAFFICK CORTNEY WOOD REPORTER

I

f she doesn’t earn him $1,000 tonight, she won’t get dinner. She has to turn at least two more “tricks,” or “daddy” won’t let her go to bed. She’s serviced three “Johns” already, but it’s still not enough to earn her time to sleep before she has to get back on the circuit in “the Life.”

Every day, sex trafficking victims are forced to sell themselves for the profit of others. Their bodies. Their innocence. Their rights.

All ripped away for a pretty penny.

Ninety-nine percent of people in human trafficking never get out. The average age of entry point into sex trafficking is between 12-16 in the United States. Texas is home to three major trafficking cities. If they don’t escape “the Life,” most victims only survive seven years because murder, suicide, sexually transmitted diseases, etc. are common in the Life.

Sex trafficking is here in Wichita Falls, and has been for a while, but as society turns a blind eye to the horrific nature of this crime, pimps have taken advantage of the public reluctance to address the issue.

“We don’t have to go looking for the girls anymore,” one pimp said in a trafficking awareness video. “Society and social media is doing it for us.”

Human trafficking bares two frightening faces: labor and sex.

While human trafficking is the fastest growing crime the world faces, it remains below the surface, hidden beneath the ignorance of those who think it happens only outside U.S. borders. Sex trafficking is a foreign topic to people, and yet the impact is detrimental to human life.

Texoma Child Abuse Prevention members brought in Traffick911 Director of Programs Lindsey Speed to emphasize the im-

pact sex trafficking has here at home plate.

“People say they understand sex trafficking because they saw Taken once, and I’ll just look at them and nod because that’s cool and all, but that creates the illusion that sex trafficking isn’t here in the U. S. and that’s not true,” Speed said.

The two hour seminar offered credential certification for members in various professions like teachers, counselors and police officers, but more than anything, helped equip everyday citizens with knowledge to prevent sex trafficking.

“This was the fourth year for us to bring them out,” Lisa Choate, director of the teens emergency shelter, said. “We often have local speakers talk at different events, but getting to bring in specialists that handle these topics every single day can be more impactful for people. It became apparent that this was a topic that was being missed in trainings offered, and it’s a problem that is growing in mad proportions.”

Choate said the graphic content is a “fantastic opportunity” for the majors that interact with these situations, but also said the exponential growth of the crime rate should attract everyone because the topics aren’t covered as extensively in classes although the materially is applicable to everyone. The amount of information and the seriousness of the statistics in the Wichita Falls community sparked the drive for Texoma Child Abuse Prevention members to focus on sex trafficking recruitment and prevention.

“They are traveling through our community, collecting people from our own community and they are trafficking through our community,” she said. “We’ve had a massive social pressure to reach those who aren’t in the normal Child Protective Service, counselor group. It’s something we need to get everyone to understand the seriousness of, and part of that is breaking down the idea that ‘it’s not here,’ or that ‘your’ children are safe.”

Cailli Perry, Kelsey Denne and Dianna Delgado, social work

seniors, work at the Children’s Aid Society of West T their internship, and volunteered with the Texoma Prevention projects to experience varieties of social Way, Patsy’s House, Pathway Project, Rainbow Hous and other community based organizations contin conferences like Traffick911 to “pump as much info the community as possible,” Denne said.

According to Denne, professors should offer class tending seminars, and Perry said while administrati issues like assault from happening, awareness needs so people know what to do and where to get help.

“They [Texoma Child Abuse Prevention] do m projects than I originally thought, and everyone on tee has roles in different agencies in the communi together to prevent and acknowledge the problems said. “I didn’t realize how big of an issue it was in Te in Wichita Falls.”

While Speed said statistics on sex trafficking are o they are something to be aware of to focus on the int protect the victims. According to the Dallas Morning funded study estimated that the vast majority of you Texas had some contact with Child Protective Service According to Speed, pimps manipulate basic des to trap broken individuals. Through this, “it’s no ac often refer to themselves as “Sugar Daddies,” Speed like “daddy,” “pimp” and “traffickers” are synonym one forcing or coercing sexual acts in order to obtai of value.

Traffickers not only approach victims in public pl through social media platforms, Speed said. They use “provide” for a potential victim in order to lure them

*Trick- an act done by victim for valuable *Daddy- Pimp/Trafficker *John- person who rents victim *The Life- how victims refer to the fast paced culture

KING

Texas through Child Abuse work. United se, Phased In nue to attend ormation into

s credit for ation can’t stop to be pushed

more outreach n the commitity. All come s here,” Perry exas, let alone

often skewed, tense need to News, a stateung victims in es. sires in order ccident” they d said. Terms mous to somein something

laces, but also any means to m in.

| May 3, 2017 | 9

Walk for child abuse prevention awareness pus, Perry said the administration on campus really cracked down on sexual assault he Texoma Child Abuse Prevention awareness and has helped the students on members organized the walk for child campus be more mindful of the dangers.

“As we closed out April, we wanted to abuse prevention mid-April around campus to raise awareness for the abuse pre- continue to meet throughout the year to bring different topics into focus,” she said. vention.

Social work seniors Kelsey Denne, social “Through May, June and July, maybe we can workers acting together president, and Cail- focus on water safety or gun safety. Whatli Perry were introduced to Texoma Child ever issues are pertinent to the community Abuse Prevention through their internships are definitely something we need to focus on. We want to meet the need of the comwith Children’s Aid Society.

All throughout April, committee mem- munity.”

For the fourth year, Texoma Child Abuse bers pushed social media presence to raise awareness for abuse prevention, and with Prevention members invited Traffick911’s Director of Programs, Lindsey members of the counselSpeed to present on April 26. ing center and retired proThe increased rate of sex traffessors on the committee, ficking in the U.S. caused the the campus provided a committee to focus on the raw public meeting ground to aspects of human trafficking. reach students, commuThey [the pimps] are smart, nity members and citizens. and that’s why their business “We also have a rather is growing,” Choate said. “You large student turnout to may sell drugs and they are used events like our Walk of one time, but people can be sold Knowledge,” Lisa Choate, over and over.” teen emergency shelter diThrough increased awarerector, said. “It’s been nice ness, Choate said the commithaving that kind of parttee has gained members in varinership with the campus ous social circles, extending the through the social departreach of the committee, as well ment. A lot of our agenas providing them with greater cies that contribute to the insight into what the commuTexoma Child Abuse Prenity wants. vention already have stuLISA CHOATE “We have got a fantastic, dents and faculty on their TEENS EMERGENCY SHELTER DIRECTOR growing committee, so I don’t committees.” want to put a lid on it,” Choate According to Choate, professors encourage their students to come said. “Anyone is more than welcome to join to the events, as the events offered are appli- the committee, and you don’t have to work cable to them. Be it criminology, counseling for an agency that serves. With all we have or communication; this impacts many stu- accomplished in just the few years we have been getting together, I don’t know what dents in some way.

“We fortunately work in a community we’ve got in store.”

The non-profit organization accumuwhere we all collaborate very well with one another,” Choate said. “Maybe if we do our lates funds through donations, also relying jobs well enough, we will all be out of jobs. on free sponsors. Evangel Temple allowed This is something that really brought us to- them to use their chapel, United Way gave gether, seeing as April was Child Abuse Pre- chips and water and Red River sponsored hot dogs at events. vention month.”

After the alleged sexual assault on camCORTNEY WOOD REPORTER

T

PHOTO BY CORTNEY WOOD | THE WICHITAN

Lindsey Speed, Traffick911 director of programs, explained various traps traffickers will use to lure victims in at the Texoma Child Abuse Prevention conference April 26. “They utilize whatever they can to trap victims,” Speed said. “Pimps say they can spot potential victims within an instant, so we have to prepare everyone for what they look for. Confidence and high self-esteem are major points to warn off predators.”

The average age of entry for sex trafficking victims is between 12-16, and Traffick911 has dealt with more than 700 cases of sex trafficking. According to Speed, the average life expectancy of someone who doesn’t get out of trafficking is only seven years, which makes it “imperative” for people to intervene.

> SEX TRAFFICKING STATS APPROXIMATELY

79,000 MINORS AND YOUTH ARE VICTIMS OF SEX TRAFFICKING IN TEXAS

MINORS AND YOUTH SEX TRAFFICKING COSTS THE STATE OF

TEXAS

APPROXIMATELY

$6.6 BILLION

Contact information for organizations: CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY OF WEST TEXAS:

Phone: (940) 322-3141 TEXOMA CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION:

Contact: @TexomaChildAbusePrevention TEENS EMERGENCY SHELTER:

Phone: (940) 322-7671

“They’re smart, and that’s why their business is growing. You may sell drugs and they are used one time, but people can be sold over and over .”

PATSY’S HOUSE:

Phone: (940) 322-8890 SOCIAL WORKERS ACTING TOGETHER:

Phone: (940) 397-4437

10 | May 3, 2017 |

MSU phasing in brand extension DAKOTA MIZE REPORTER

C

onfusion over MSU’s location will be settled when a new brand extension is implemented over the next two years.

Julie Gaynor, director of marketing and public information, said,“About 2013, we brought back the tower to Midwestern State and we simplified it, but it wasn’t a new logo.

It was just a cleaned up version of an older logo. In 2006 we had a mascot change, so we brought in the mustangs logo. We’ve always had the athletic logo, which are the big letters.

That’s been with athletics for a long time.”

Gaynor said the university is not going through a name change, and it is not necessarily going through a logo change.

“What it is is just an extension of our brand,” said Gaynor.

An outside firm was hired in 2017, at a cost of $100,000, to create a comprehensive capital campaign including a new logo. This logo, initially, will only be used in association with the capital campaign.

BRAND EXTENSION

should be really proud of the fact that we’re a public Texas institution. At that point, it was what is called a brand extension. The brand is Midwestern State University or MSU. The extension of the brand changes it slightly, but doesn’t necessarily revolutionize it. We are doing banners downtown and the Chamber of Commerce wanted MSU Texas on those banners, and those will have the Hardin Tower on it.”

Gaynor said they have begun to introduce the idea on campus, and some alumni said they liked the idea because for the first time it helps people to better identify Midwestern State University.

Shipley said, “What had happened was people started hearing about it as we talked about the campaign, and everybody we’ve presented it to said can’t you use that for everything? We went to the Faculty Senate, the Staff Senate, the board, and more or less got the marching orders to transform anything we had that says Midwestern State University to MSU Texas over time. We’re not gonna roll out a big, expensive rebranding.

We’re just going to, as we run out of things, put this on it instead of Midwestern State University: Make It Yours.”

Shipley said they presented the idea to the Student Government Association officers who then took it to the rest of the SGA. Shayla Owens, management senior and SGA president, said, “My cabinet really enjoyed it. They thought it was a great way to differentiate ourselves from many of the MSUs that are out there, and show where we are in proximity to the rest of the world. It’s a new way to show who MSU is and the great things that are going on on our campus.”

completed in December.

Gaynor said university consultants said “There’s such a need in the Dallas, they thought the brand extension would be Fort Worth area,” Gaynor said. “A lot of CAMPAIGN LOGO Gaynor said the idea came about when a great platform, and asked if the university people who live there are place-bound, and they started planning a comprehensive had considered using the idea outside if the necessarily can’t move as frequently and yet campaign. fundraising campaign. want to complete their degrees. Our BAAS is “At the time, we had started this new a really good program in the fact that people Suzanne Shipley, university president, said, “We hired a firm to do our campaign initiative in Flower Mound, where we’re going may have had to stop out of college, but they logo, and we’re going to do a $50 million to offer upper level and graduate level classes have a number of hours already. This just comprehensive campaign over seven years. for the working adults,” Gaynor said. helps them to complete their degree and Gaynor said, “We are actually in the obtain their bachelor’s.”

You usually want it to look differently than how everything else on campus looks. They process of constructing a facility there (Flower Gaynor added, “One of the things about were charged with coming up with a look Mound), and it is located our name, while we all love and they gave us a whole bunch of different very close to North Central Midwestern State University, Texas College or NCTC. It’s looks.” it’s a little bit confusing Shipley said she liked the design that had a going to be a shared facility because we are not located swirl at the top because it looks like a horse’s with NCTC. It’ll be a place in the Midwest. As we were mane or tail, and it also had the “Mustangs where the working adult making that leap into the population can come and feel of movement.”

Dallas, Fort Worth area, we “The cost of a firm to create a campaign they can take classes in either looked at how we could take is $100,000 and that’s for a seven-year a hybrid format or online.” what was given from the Shipley said the campaign,” said Shipley. “What they’ve comprehensive campaign 2013 REBRANDING created is the case and they look at the all university spent about six to and adjust to that.”

Shipley said they thought it was better to the donor history so we know who to ask for eight months looking for a The seal is now reserved for use Shipley said the university by the Board of Regents. location for this facility. what.” looked at the name and some take a small step toward the brand extension “We wanted it to be Shipley said the firm does all of the of the elements of their brand rather than just leaping right into it.

“Right now, we’re putting it on anything feasibility work so that when they’re done the between here and Dallas, and hopefully on to see what to be improved. university can have materials that they can the Fort Worth side,” Shipley said. “We got a “We could do MSU Texas Flower Mound, new, and we’re not going back and correcting real estate agent who showed us around the because the Texas establishes that we’re in the old,” said Shipley. “What you’ll see it show people.

“It makes for an elegant and well-planned hot areas where things are growing. We were Texas,” said Shipley. “The issue with MSU is on are the new banners, the new Flower campaign,” said Shipley. “An elegant and looking for areas that would have plenty of that you’ve got Michigan State, you’ve got Mound website, the Weatherford website and anything that is used well-planned campaign is more likely to have services for adult students coming to class Missouri, you’ve got for recruiting new so that they could eat, Mississippi, so there positive results. That freshmen next year. buy things or shop, in are a lot of MSUs. This money did come from We’ll slowly have addition to being on clearly helps identify a foundation, so rather things show up at the their way to class. than spend any student us.” bookstore. We’re just Gaynor said they money or taxpayer Shipley said she going to let it develop hoped the facility wanted the word Texas money, I went to three naturally.” would be open in put the design in either different foundations Gaynor said the fall to help adult the tagline or around and got the money from they always try to students complete the name because it each of them for the implement changes their Bachelors of is common for people next five years to do the A modification of the graphic standards The logo established in 2013 is still “the official that are easiest for the Applied Arts and fundraising.” to get confused about established and approved by the Board mark of the university.” university as a whole.

Sciences degrees, but the location of the Shipley said she in 2013, this MSU Texas will initially “In 2013, when we redid our letterhead, we there was a delay in the university. did not want to reveal only be seen in association with the construction and they the names of the “I told them I wanted something that phased it in,” Gaynor said. satellite campuses in the Fort Worth area. now hope it will be placed us geo­graphically,” Shipley said. “We foundations.

| May 3, 2017 | 11 CRIME LOG

P LAY R EVIEW April 25

Evading Arrest or Detention | 11:20 a.m. | Parking Lot #1S | Male student was being detained in lot 1 when he pushed a police officer and fled towards Moffett. He refused several orders to stop and was tased and taken into custody. It was later learned the subject had two City Warrants.

April 26

Medical-non criminal | 2:19 p.m. | Bolin Hall | A non student was walking to the CSC Post Office and tripped stepping on a curb. Faculty/ Staff assisted her and offered to call for medical which was refused.

April 27

Accident: Traffic/Motor Vehicle | 11:06 a.m. | Parking Lot #01N | Parking Officer heard a woman yelling gin parking lot 1 north. He then radioed to dispatch that here was a minor accident. Both parties refused medical treatment.

April 27

Drugs: Possession or Delivery of Drug Paraphernalia | 11:19 a.m. | Sundance Court Apartments | Police were sent to Sundance PHOTO BY LEAH BRYCE | THE WICHITAN

Ellanor Collins, theater junior, and Denush Vidanopothirana, theater and mass communication sophomore, rehearse their lines for the student-produced one-act plays on April 28-29.

Theater students showcase one-act plays BRENDAN WYNNE FEATURES EDITOR

F

rom the dealings of a couple facing absurd circumstances surrounding a baby doll, to the final job of two geriatric mobsters, the Theater Department’s showcase of five student-produced one-act plays was Brendan Wynne nothing short of an exciting ride for the audience that filled every available seat.

The night began with “The Worker” by Walter Wykes, directed by theater junior Rachel Innes.

Jacob Turnbow, who played Man, and Ilka Megee, Woman, delivered each line a timing that lent to the snappy and witty nature of the script. Complimenting the quick-precision nature of the delivery with a methodic chaos in movement, the ensemble excelled at creating their own small world of normalcy in the midst of absurdity.

Before breaking for a brief intermission, the audience was introduced to “The M Word” by Alan Ball, directed by theater junior Autumn Dahl.

Saying that this piece utilized the theme of irony would be an understatement, as Dean Hart, who played Man, and Kalli Root, Woman, approached the piece with a nonchalant demeanor that only high-

lighted the satirical nature of the content. When two business-minded professionals approach the topic of “merging” romantically, casual discussions over “notarized mid-life crisis proposals” and “suicide as the preferred contingency plan” ensues, taking the opportunity to take the phrase “say what you mean” to an entirely new level.

As the evening wrapped up, the final production, “Mafia On Prozac” by Edward Allan Baker, directed by theater junior Katie Cagle, took the audience the docks of Rhode Island, where two mobsters on their last legs ponder their life choices.

Perhaps the most introspective piece of the evening, Adrian Guat Jr., who played Tee, and Joseph McGinn, Jay, lead the audience on a journey through the lives of the geriatric gangsters, reflecting on the path of their lives in the worlds of family, friends, and murders. After claiming that Al Capone speaks to him in his dreams, Jay encourages their to-be prey, Matt, played by Samuel Mitchell, to “live by choice,” and make amends with his family, or die. The trio maintained a stimulating pace with the otherwise dialogue-heavy piece, keeping the audience enraptured with the colorful past of the characters.

Brendan Wynne is a mass communication sophomore.

323 for safety on a call of a loud party. Drug paraphernalia was found in the room.

April 28

Medical-Accident | 6:18 p.m. | McCoy Engineering Hall | A student was cutting some tape with a pocket knife. She accidently cut the middle finger of her hand.

April 30

Non-Criminal – Medical: Other | 5:11 p.m. | Dillard College of Business Administration | A subject reported a student who was having emotional issues.

May 1

Sexual Assault-Felony | 2:48 a.m. | Killingsworth Hall | Report of a Sexual Assault at Killingsworth Hall

May 1

Criminal Mischief: Misdemeanor | 1:43 p.m. | Dillard College of Business Administration | A handicap toilet in Dillard Hall was found broken into several pieces. The cause is yet to be determined.

UP C OM I NG E V E N T S Moffett Finals Week Events

April 30 at 6 p.m. to May 10 at 8 p.m. | Moffett Library | Events include two silent movies, desk yoga, canine cuddles and art lounge

Finals Frenzy “Comic Con” May 4 from 6 to 11 p.m. | Jesse Rogers Promenade | Take a break from studying and come enjoy this free event.

Red River Reading Series

May 5 at 4 p.m. | Legacy Hall Multipurpose Room | The Red River Reading Series will host a release party of Voices, the arts and literary journal published by students and faculty.

4th Annual German Essay Contest Award Ceremony

May 5 at 5 p.m. | CSC Cheyenne | Every year the German Program awards the best essay written in each German Language class. There will be German food and a film screening of the comedy “Kebab Connection”

Juried Student Show and Senior Exhibition

will see performances by both drag queens and kings. Admission is $2.

University Orchestra

May 5 at 7:30 p.m. | Akin Auditorium | The department of music will present the University Orchestra.

University Choir, Midwestern Singers, and Oratorio Chorus

May 7 at 3 p.m. | Akin Auditorium | Department of music will present the Univeristy Choir, the Midwestenr Singers and Oratorio Chorus.

“Birds in Art-Uniting Science, history and Beauty”

May 9 at 5 p.m. | Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU | Dr. Marcy Brown Marsden, dean of the college of science and mathematics, will present “Birds in Art-Uniting Science, History and Beauty.”

Senior Documentaries

May 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. | Juanita Harvey Art Gallery | The Juanita Harvey Art Gallery will present the Juried Student Exhibition and the Senior Exhibition.

May 12 at 3 p.m. | Fain Fine Arts Theatre | The department of Mass Communication will present screenings of senior documentaries.

PRIDE’s Drag Show

May 13 at 10 a.m. | Kay Yeager Coliseum | Come support the future alumni of Midwestern State University.

May 5 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. | CSC Comanche | Experience the drag culture| In this show you

Commencement

12 | May 3, 2017 |

Barbecue edition:

the search for the best in town

TAYLOR MORRISON REPORTER

T

here was a time when students of MSU argued which local burger shack had the best burgers. When the answer came to light, they needed something else to argue about. Politics, environmental issues, racism and sexism were all played out.

I have assembled an elite team of food enthusiasts with nothing better to do on a Thursday afternoon.

There is Stephen Wright, English senior. Stephen is a veteran barbecue eater. He helped bring peace and clarity to those looking for the best burger in town, and now he is back to do more good. In the field he is loud, lewd, rude and crude, and he is the best damn food eater I’ve ever seen. Picture him as the Deadpool of tasting stuff.

New to the fellowship is Randal Hicks, Wichita Falls native, and all around badass. Randal is our tank in this excursion. What he lacks in wordplay he makes up for in ability to eat things. He is our strong silent member who tackles the really hard questions. Think of a life-sized Care Bear that never smiles.

Also joining us is Addison Thompson, marketing senior.

She just happened to be around and hungry at the time this plan was devised. To get a better idea of who we are dealing with, you could compare her to, a brunette Caucasian girl, about 5’5. Moving on.

Lastly, I’ll be narrating this epic. Taylor Morrison, mass communication junior.

THE BRANDING IRON

Our first stop has taken us to The Branding Iron. A classic in Wichita Falls, The Branding Iron is located on the corner of Scott Street and Kell East. It is open 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Monday to Thursday, and 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The building is unassuming: muted yellow bricks wrap around a square structure. Pulling into the parking lot, dust engulfs our car. The gravel parking lot plumes in a cloud of powdered rock from the disturbed sediments under-

tire. Approaching the front of the macaroni. building, there are two doors to I sit across from Stephen. He has choose from. One door on the right, joined me on one of these tasting leading to the pick-up counter, and trips before, but that doesn’t change one door on the left leading to the the fact that he looks uneasy as dining room.

I stare him down during his first Standing at the threshold of bite. I’m looking for any microthe entryway, we are hit with a expression that may give me a hint waft of barbecue glory. The smoke, to what he is going to say. Stephen spice, meat and heat all culminate opens his mouth to speak, “its ffftogether to create the most ,”“fucking awesome,” I shout a little welcoming slap to the face any of too loud for a public setting, hoping us have ever endured. But I digress… to beat Stephen to the punch. “It’s Entering the building, our fatty,” Stephen corrects me with entourage almost feels a quiver of a chuckle, “I was going to say it’s despair. The walls are adorned with fatty.” scrap and bits of metal. Ancient and Brisket is undoubtedly going rusted hand-tools, barbed-wire, to have a fat line in it, that’s how horse tackle and branding irons it stays so moist and succulent. collect dust on every available inch The next bite seems to be more to of wall space. This décor may be the Stephens liking, “the smoke on it is birthplace of tetanus. The wooden awesome, it’s moist, pretty tender, floor boards beneath us appear to be a pretty good brisket.” I stare down cracking and pulling apart from one Stephen again. He knows I didn’t another. just pay for his meal for a statement We are served in a cafeteria as general as, “a pretty good brisket.” fashion. We pull old plastic trays “The smoke ring penetrates thick and assorted cutlery from the end into the meat, nearly a quarter of of the ordering line. Slowly, one side the way through it,” Stephen says. step after another, we move closer “The bark is not as crisp as I would to the All-American indulgence like, it definitely leaves me wanting awaiting us. From behind possibly more with the texture. Aside from the dirtiest sneeze guard known that, the meat is juicy, flavorful, to man, we see it. Sitting out on but the temperature is just barely a cutting board, ham, sausage, lukewarm.” brisket, turkey and countless other This sounds like a fairly mediocre meats glow with an almost angelic review to me, but there is something aura. in Stephen’s grimace that tells me Cue the choir. he’s holding back a major upside.

Past the meats is a hot bar of He continues to fork brisket into his serve-yourself sides, a countertop mouth. of desserts and a fountain “What really makes this meat drink machine pop is the sauce,” accompanied

by THE BRANDING IRON Stephen continues sweet tea spouts. as he moves The Price: $9.75 If you are eating between his side The Verdict: barbecue with any dishes.

Meat Quality: 7 out of 10 drink other than “The meat is Smoke Quality: 7 out of 10 sweet tea, you are Sauce Quality: 10 out of 10 very good, very clearly not of this good, but nothing Sides Quality: 6 out of 10 land. We understand to really write Overall Value: 9 out of 10 you are new here and home about. The Final Score: 7.8 out of 10 did not know any barbecue sauce better. Consider this though, it’s a total your warning. game changer.”

For this troupe, the order consists Stephen’s actions may have been of a brisket and smoked sausage louder than his words as he applied combo plate. Joining our entrée are seemingly gallons of the condiment two sides near and dear to any true to every item on his plate. “It’s southerners heart, potato salad and good on the brisket, it’s good on

the sausage, it’s great on the potato the morning smoke. salad, really cuts the creaminess, Inside, the small building is more and it makes the macaroni salad that reminiscent of a shabby lakeside gas I personally don’t like, bearable.” station than a restaurant. A grocery Pre-saucing, the pace of aisle sits awkwardly to the side Stephen’s meal was not noteworthy, with a mismatch of assorted candy but a half bottle of barbecue sauce and loaves of bread. In front of us and six minutes later, the plate was is the counter to order from, and a wiped clean. That’s not a random sheet of glass separating us from yet number. I pulled out my phone and another assortment of sides. To be started timing once I noticed he completely honest, I have already picked up speed. counted this place out in my mind, After more than a handful of aside from the pit-smokers visible paper towels, Stephen is ready to from the street, this place lacks any score his meal. charm.

The Meal: Combo Plate with two We order our food and stand sides (potato and macaroni salad) by, awaiting our order. We decide Stephen’s final thoughts: to recreate our previous meal.

“The sauce is really what held Brisket and sausage paired with it together, it was sweet and spicy, potato salad and macaroni salad. At thick and smooth. The brisket Prine’s, all items are served by the and sausage were both good, but I pound, so our order was a quarter preferred the sausage. The potato pound of each. salad was incredible, 10 out of 10, I After a few minutes of waiting, had to deduct points our order was PRINE’S BARBECUE for the mac salad ready.

We took The Price: $10 though. Who even our foodout to our The Verdict: likes mac salad?”

Meat Quality: 9 out of 10 vehicle to begin the Smoke Quality: 9 out of 10 tasting. I would like PRINE’S BARBECUE Sauce Quality: 7 out of 10 to make something very clear; my Just mere blocks Sides Quality: 7 out of 10 impression away from The Overall Value: 9 out of 10 first of Prine’s was so Branding Iron is Final Score: 8.2 out of 10 wrong. I could the next stop on hara-kiri out of our barbecue tour, Prine’s. Prine’s Barbecue sits at the corner of sheer embarrassment. If you don’t Burnett and 13th Street. Prine’s is know what that means, Google it. I open 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., Tuesday to know you have a phone. Back to the point, it was good, better than good, Saturday.

The building is located off the but I didn’t gather a group of people beaten path in numbered streets and shell out clams to write only my of downtown Wichita Falls. On opinion.

It was Randal’s turn to comment. three sides there are residential houses, and across the way is an He has a pretty even temperament, old elementary school that has but when someone is staring at you since been made into apartments. with a face covered in barbecue Approaching the restaurant, we sauce, the giggles can get the better notice that it is wrapped in the same of anyone. Yes, you Randal, like a pale yellow brick as The Branding little girl playing tea party with her Iron. Prine’s is smaller than what imaginary friend Pam. The world you would expect for a barbecue knows now. Anyway, once his joint, which may be because it’s composure is reclaimed, Randal is a carryout only establishment. less shy about playing food critic.

“The meat, is heavenly” Randal Outside you can see the old brick pitsmokers that look as though they said. He is less shy, I didn’t say he’s have been charred for millennia, a poet.

“The brisket is on the next a aesthetic nice touch for anyone hoping to find true authentic level, it has a way better bark than barbecue. We get no smells from the Branding Iron. Terrific smoke, it outside; we have apparently missed just melts, like, I could drink the

| May 3, 2017 | 13

PHOTO BY CORTNEY WOOD | THE WICHITAN

The sliced brisket plate from Branding Iron. Photo by Cortney Wood. May 2. brisket.” We all take a moment to talk about how the compliment just ended up sounding gross.

“Personally, I think this brisket blows the last one out of the water. The sausage is about the same, and the sauce isn’t as good, but the cook on the beef makes up for that.”

He isn’t wrong. While still delicious, the sauce at Prine’s is a lot thinner than the sauce at The Branding Iron. It still has the right amount of spice and sweet, nothing bad about it at all, but the sauce just falls a little flat with its low viscosity.

Randal barely slows down to breathe, let alone speak. I know I’ll have to wait for him to finish off the foam container before I get much more feedback. He finishes, sets his plastic fork down, and says, “Ready,” before jumping right back into his critique.

“I kind of feel that I’m in the same boat with Stephen and The Branding Iron macaroni salad. Prine’s mac is edible, but it’s not winning any prizes from me. The potato salad is pretty good, I’ve had better, but I wouldn’t turn this one away. Overall, the brisket wins. Everything else is good, but the brisket wins.”

The Meal: 1/4lbs brisket, 1/4lbs sausage, 1/4lbs potato salad, 1/4lbs macaroni salad Randal’s final thoughts: “The brisket wins. Is that long enough? I feel like I’ve already said that. The barbecue was great, the sides were good and the sauce was ‘eh.’ I’ll be coming back, maybe try some other meats, but you cannot lose with the brisket.”

TEXAS BEST BBQ AND BURGERS

Our final stop has a more convenient location. Near the intersection of Maplewood and Southwest Parkway is a small strip mall

that houses Texas Best BBQ and Burgers. There isn’t any reason your everyday shopper would be at this strip mall. There is a specialty bike shop, a custom T-shirt printing shop and a party outlet store. There are more storefronts nearby, but most of them are forgettable.

Texas Best BBQ and Burgers is open 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., seven days a week.

Before I get into the long and short of our experience, let me start with this bit of information: I hate the term BBQ. It is barbecue. Barbecue is a word, and an art, and something that should be respected enough to spell out in its full length.

Let’s get back to the point.

We pull up to the lot of Texas Best BBQ and Burgers. Immediately it is different than our other two stops. First off, it is not a standalone building. Secondly, the walls are made entirely out of glass. Before entering, I can tell you there is plenty of natural light. Lastly, the décor does not seem out of the 1940s. Andy Griffith did not hangout at a spot like this.

Inside the lines of the tables, counters and molding are clean and sharp. By no means is this restaurant modern in design, but by comparison to the previous two, it’s space age.

We are greeted at the counter, and to the right we see a lengthy list of menu options, at least double from where we had just travelled.

We see burgers, steak-on-garlic, chicken fried steak and pulled pork. Not only does Texas Best stand out in style, but they also stand out in options. I’m more of a swine man myself, I prefer the pulled pork to the brisket any day, but to maintain fairness we order brisket and sausage, again. Maybe next time pulled pork, maybe next time. We try to pair our meal with sides as similar as possible. Potato salad, yeah, they have that. Macaroni salad, not an option, but what is? Macaroni and cheese!

At last, this beautiful noodle has found its “I like the meat more than the first place rightful mate. we went, and the mac and cheese. The potato While we wait for our food to arrive, a salad and sauce aren’t as good.” Addison is waitress walks by and offers us deep fried methodic with comparisons. Where the rest biscuits. Done. I am assured this place is a of this outfit is composed of artists, she takes winner, we can go home knowing we did a the scientific approach. thorough job.

“The meat isn’t as good as the second Our food arrives quickly. We return to the place, and the potato salad isn’t as good, front to serve ourselves from the sides bar. No but the sauce is better, and they have mac one is around to make sure we don’t take more and cheese.” Addison said. “I think the mac than we have paid for. I assume we ladle out and cheese takes the win for all sides of the mounds of mac and cheese and potato salad day, but otherwise this place is second in on the honor system; little do they know that everything else.” all’s fair in food and war. I take an extra half There is disagreement among this group scoop of mac and cheese, don’t judge me. with the last statement, but The time has finally come, everyone is entitled to their TEXAS BEST BBQ AND BURGit’s Addison’s time at the opinion.

ERS bat. Have you found that The Meal: Combo Any The Price: $8.99 everything is funny when Two Meats with two sides The Verdict: you are put on the spot? That (potato salad and macaroni Meat Quality: 7 out of 10 must have been what was Smoke Quality: 7 out of 10 and cheese) happening, because Addison Sauce Quality: 6 out of 10 Addison’s final thoughts: was laughing before I even Sides Quality: 8 out of 10 “I don’t think Texas Best pulled out my recorder. I Overall Value: 9 out of 10 BBQ and Burgers stacked up don’t judge her, you have to Final Score: 7.4 out of 10 against the other two place, have a sense of humor to get but it did offer a few things along in the group. She is slowly working on the brisket and mac and they lacked, like the mac and cheese, and cheese. Honestly I get a bit impatient, the rest the fried biscuits. I’d never had fried biscuits of us are have nearly emptied plates, while she before, and I would come back for them.

Texas Best isn’t my top pick, but I wouldn’t be leisurely picks at her food.

“Get off my back, I like to enjoy my food,” opposed to eating it again.”

Just by the numbers, Prine’s is the overall she snaps at me. She’s right, barbecue is life, and everyone has their own journey. Who winner of this tasting, but after a group am I to say what pace she should move at? discussion, it was determined that all three After several more minutes she has acquired restaurants shined in different departments.

The Branding Iron had the best sauce, and enough information to make an argument.

“The mac and cheese is delicious.” Again, potato salad. Prine’s had the best meat. And she is right. “I was getting burnout on Texas Best BBQ and Burgers had the best, well, the only mac and cheese, and fried biscuits. macaroni salad.”

I think the whole table can agree with the So don’t be afraid to try all three and choose statement. for yourself.

14 | Mat 3, 2017 | M OV I E R E V I E W

Student increases in health sciences majors

250000 200000 150000

ILLUSTRATION BY LEAH BRYCE |

100000

THE WICHITAN

50000 0

2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

Academic Years

According to the Education Foundation the universities across U.S. have been reporting a gradual increase in health sciences enrollment.

New health sciences building to open March 2019

ment and health science students to work together by acting as patients for the health care s the mass communications building disciplines.

“What is currently the parking lot behind comes to its final stages of construction MSU prepares to break ground on the McCoy Engineering Hall and the street bea new Health Science building. Two years ago tween McCoy and Bridwell Courts will come the university was granted the tuition rev- out and the trio building will come down and enue bond from the state to pay for these new the new building will go there,” Johnston said. “We will take that parking lot and part buildings.

“Buildings are a recruiting tool,” James of the street and create a new green space. In Johnston provost and vice president for aca- preparation for parking we are creating a lot demic affairs said. “Current state of the art the same time we are demolishing it.”

With the medical field technology and bringing the simconstantly growing and ulation center on campus which changing the health care is usable to a number of different majors are rising in numdisciplines, will hopefully help bers. At MSU the college of new students coming in see the health sciences holds the family atmosphere in and among largest student population. the technology.”

“We did a benchmarking The new building will cost uptrip to Tarleton’s new nursJAMES JOHNSTON ward of $50 million, but accordPROVOST ing building. McKinney had ing to Johnston the state bond a new Health Science buildwill cover the cost. The estimated ing and we looked in and date of occupancy is March 2019.

“My view is a building is an instrument around the Dallas and Fort Worth metroplex,” there to help deliver the instruction and the he said. “After the benchmarking trip we had program that we have on this campus,” John- a long list of what we didn’t want, and when ston said. “This building will take us a signifi- we drew up the plan we stuck a lot to our origicant step forward in how we are able to teach nal ideas.”

While on the benchmarking trip to other in those disciplines.”

The present health and science building, campuses, Johnston and his committee tried Bridwell Hall, is about 47,000 square feet and to design the building unique to stand out the new building will be about 87,000 square from others in the region. When picking his feet. Similar to Moffett and Dillard School of committee Johnston chose the chairs of each Business, this building will host an area for department in the college of health science.

“It fits the identity and the mission of who students to have access to food, in a “grab and we are,” Johnston said. “Research tells us that go” style.

“It also allows both passive and active in- the more we learn in an interdisciplinary enterdisciplinary learning. We set aside a place vironment the more that carries into practice. for interactions of cross disciplines,” Johnston So in this case of healthcare delivery this insaid. “It’s a complete shift and step forward cludes the quality of health care we would experience in this region when students become from we’ve been able to do in the past.”

According to Johnston the building is de- professionals. I hope to see more collaborasigned like a dome stage so that every class- tion across campus through this building. I room can be viewed from the lobby. Another hope it doesn’t just serve as a health science goal the department has is for theater depart- building, but as an MSU building.”

LEAH BRYCE MANAGING EDITOR

A

“It fits the identity and the mission of who we are.”

‘La La Land’ sings and dances its way into hearts TYLER MANNING FILM CRITIC

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n honor of it finally coming out on Blu-Ray, I feel like it is finally time to express my thoughts on La La Land in writing. I have seen this movie three times in theaters and Tyler Manning vehemently recommend it to everyone I know, it is safe to say that I love this movie. It encapsulates everything I love in film and is one of my favorite musicals to this date.

So why do I love La La Land? I think when asking that question about any film, it is the combination of a few well-executed parts that makes a movie great rather than a specific quality. With La La Land, the film’s strengths are pretty apparent: strong performances, a great musical soundtrack, characters with clear, relatable goals and motivations and beautiful directing.

First, lets talk about the characters and the performances. To me, characters are the most important part of a story. The story should be a byproduct of characters trying to achieve their goals and not the other way around. If I do not feel invested in or at least understand a character’s motivations, I typically tend to get disengaged in the story. One recent example of a movie that had an interesting premise but no real characters to invest in was Rogue One. In La La Land, the audience is presented with the characters of Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling). Mia is an aspiring actress who dropped out of college and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. Sebastian is a pianist who dreams of opening up his own jazz club. The story that follows relies solely on them trying to be in a relationship while also pursuing their own dreams. All subsequent conflict in the film is caused by their inability to balance their relationship and maintain their same aspirations. Although not the most complex characters or story, it acts as a good foundation for a musical and is thoroughly engaging.

What also bolsters the film are the great performances by Gosling and Stone. In my review of Fifty Shades Darker, I mentioned that the goal of a romantic movie is to make the audience believe that the two characters are in love, and this is where Gosling and

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in La La Land (2016).

Stone soar. Both have genuine chemistry that translates incredibly well onscreen, giving the audience a sense that there is a real bond between the two. Both actors play to their roles greatly and are perfect fits for this movie.

The music in this film is also fantastic.

Upon leaving the theater after my initial viewing, I immediately went to iTunes and purchased the soundtrac — I still listen to it, even to this day. It has a great sense of character and personality to it and features a plethora of great songs.

My final point for why I love this film is the directing. I hold a lot of respect for director Damien Chazelle. After viewing his last Oscar nominated film Whiplash (which I wholeheartedly recommend) and now La La Land, it is clearly apparent that he has a solid grasp on the language of film. The cinematography is film is beautiful. All of the musical numbers are well-directed and Chazelle’s expressive visual style serves the story beautifully. It is clear when watching this movie that it is being directed by a man who has a grand vision and knows exactly how to translate that to the screen.

Overall, La La Land is a film that stuck with me well beyond my time at the theater. It is an incredibly beautiful movie that I can see inspiring many future filmmakers. It draws in its viewers and is sure to make you heart sing.

Rating: 9/10

| May 3, 2017 | 15

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY JOSH BUCHEL

Amy Floyd turns a corner during her race at Nationals in Colorado April 29.

Mitchell Sides, exercise physiology graduate student, Bill Ash, accounting and finance sophomore, and Josh Buchel, finance sophomore, take a selfie together on a practice ride before Nationals in Colorado.

Cycling Nationals ‘exciting,’ ‘almost poetic’ KARA MCINTYRE EDITOR

W

hile most students were camping out in the library, cracking open textbooks — sometimes for the first time this semester — and cramming for finals this weekend, the cycling team jetted off to Grand Junction, Colorado for the USA Cycling Collegiate and Para Road Nationals.

Some cyclists, such as exercise physiology graduate student Brissia Montalvo, would train at least two hours per day.

“Training was busy. I was trying to get at least two hours of riding a day, then we had Team Time Trial every Wednesday, which was never easy,” Montalvo said. “I knew that Nationals was going to have climbing, so during spring break I made sure I was climbing every day.”

Montalvo started cycling in 2010 as a form of cross-training to help her with running, but she started racing competitively in 2013

Mitchell Sides, exercise physiology grad student, Pablo Cruz, exercise physiology sophomore, Josh Buchel, finance sophomore, and Bill Ash, accounting and finance sophomore, use trainers to prepare for their races.

after she earned her undergraduate degree.

Montalvo said this was her first time at Nationals, and she said she was excited about the experience.

“Nationals was definitely exciting and nerve-wracking, really a whole wave of emotions. It’s an experience for the books,” Montalvo said. “Cyclists from all over the world share your same passion. It’s almost poetic seeing so many riders out there at once that share that passion.”

Josh Buchel, finance sophomore and team captain, started racing when he was 15 years old as a form of losing weight. Despite his a crash last month, he said racing in Nationals is still “the best feeling in the world.”

“You can feel your heart in your throat when you’re standing on the starting line.

You know that the riders around you are all fast and everyone is good. You tend to feel everything in your body. Every twitch, every slight pain. You constantly trying to rest

so that you feel stronger in the race,” Buchel said. “It’s the best feeling in the world. It’s even better when your race goes well and you win or get on the podium and it feels like the world was lifted off your shoulders — all that hard work paid off.”

Buchel said there was some pressure leading up to the big race, but not for him.

“For myself there wasn’t much pressure because I am still trying to recover from the crash. For the other riders there was, of course, a lot of pressure,” Buchel said. “We always want to have MSU on the podium. This year was no exception. We had a lot of setbacks and we didn’t go to Nationals as strong and fast as we wanted to, but riders like Bill Ash and Pablo Cruz rode with such heart to get us on the podium. It was beautiful to see them ride, it’s like poetry.”

Montalvo also said there was pressure on the team because of its reputation.

“There was pressure for Nationals and then

there also wasn’t. The pressure came from Team Time Trial which Amy [Floyd], Maxyna [Cottam] and myself trained for every week. I didn’t want to let the team down,” Montalvo said. “There was also pressure because MSU is known for having a successful cycling program. This was my first road Nationals, therefore I didn’t know what to expect exactly, other than there wasn’t going to be any mercy. I just wanted to go out there and compete, be safe and have fun.”

Despite the cyclists being stricken with crashes and illnesses, Buchel and Montalvo said they were optimistic about the future for the team.

“This [crashes and illnesses] disturbed our training a lot, which affected our performance. Next year, hopefully we are a little bit luckier and can get that top spot for the university.”

Bill Ash, accounting and finance sophomore, takes a photo of Josh Buchel, finance sophomore, and Mitchell Sides, exercise physiology graduate student, riding on the hills of Colorado before Nationals.

16 | May 3, 2017 |

Women’s tennis clinches nationals spot MERCY YERMO REPORTER

W

ith a school record of 11-0 home victories in one season, being ranked 15th in the nation and second in the region, the women’s tennis team will travel to Florida on May 10 against the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Region. The team earned a ticket to the national stage by defeating Dallas Baptist on May 1. With a victory of 5-1 over DBU, MSU will be represented at the national competition for the fourth time in the last five years.

“Once all the girls had leads over DBU, and they were 5-1, the fact that we would have MSU represented at the national level seemed more and more real,” business management freshman Sebastian Venegas said.

Following with a victory over Cassidy Paul, marketing freshman Ashley Ramirez helped extend the lead to 4-1.

“It was such a good feeling to come back and win my double with Greta [Lazzarotto],” Ramirez said. “We had lost our match together last time, so it was pretty awesome to win today.”

Psychology freshman Bianca Duff, Greta

Lazzarotto, mass communication sophomore, and Eirini Kontaki, exercise physiology sophomore, and mass communication junior Daria Panferova also contributed to the victory.

“We are taking it game by game. We learn from our wins instead of our losses, and we are hoping that carries us to the best outcome possible,” Head Coach Scott Linn said.

Natalie McLaurin, exercise physiology sophomore and MSU tennis fan, agreed.

“I hope that the girls are able to go all the way to the national championship, because they really are playing like champions,” McLaurin said.

While the women are traveling to Florida, the men ended their season with a loss to Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma on April 29.

“Even though we didn’t win against Cameron, we are excited for next season since we ended up conference runner-up this year and even though we’re losing a lot of seniors, next year should be a great year for us,” computer science junior Vasudev Vijayaraman said.

The men’s team was ranked 21st in the nation and third in the region.

MSU WOMEN’S TENNIS RECORD Overall 22-4 | Home 11-0 | Away 5-3 | neutral 6-1 | nationally ranked #15

PHOTOS BY ARIANNA DAVIS

Maddy Coffman, biology sophomore, runs up as her opponents hit the ball back during the tennis match against Dallas Baptist University on May 1.

Players stand by the sidelines after their matches finish to cheer on the remaining teammates.

Bianca Duff, psychology freshman, prepares to swing at the ball during the women’s tennis match on May 1.