October 2, 2019 by The Wichitan and Wai Kun

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WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE BACK! NEW LOOK, NEW APPROACH, NEW CONTENT!

Oct. 2, 2019 | thewichitan.com | Vol. 84 No. 1

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C A M P US VOI CE S

L ETT E R F ROM T H E E D I TO R

The Wichitan is back with a fresh, new look!

ou might have noticed our presence was absent these first two months of school. We have taken this time to redesign, rebrand and redefine your student newspaper. Throughout this process, we have created a new logo, changed our color schematic, added new, fresh content, and converted to a bi-weekly newspaper. Our goal for all these changes is to bring entertainment, information and build trust with the campus body. We also hope to bring the campus an “Ask Wichi” advice column in upcoming issues. Students, staff and faculty can submit questions via the Wichitan email and they will be answered by Wichi. Not only have we rebranded and redesigned, but we have also joined hands with two other student media organizations; The Wai-Kun, our yearbook, and MnG Media, our broadcast news source. We are newly integrated together and will be spreading media coverage through our own organizations as well as each other to better inform and entertain the campus populous. That being said, the Wichitan, MnG Media and the Wai-Kun are calling all journalists, photographers, videographers, designers, salespeople, and social media enthusiasts to join. No experience is required and every major is accepted. Being a part of any of these organizations is a great resume builder as well as good sources to gain experience and skills for future endeavors. Whether you decide to join or not, we hope you enjoy this fresh, new look of the Wichitan.

You made it to college, now what? W

hat does it mean to get a degree from a small, public, liberal arts university like MSU? What are you going to make of your time here? What’s your legacy going to be both here and in the larger world? Are you simply here to get a piece of paper to help you land your first job? Or are you here to learn Todd about yourself and your place in the world? Can Giles you do both? Occasionally in life, we are afforded the rare opportunity of seeking and embracing transformative experiences for ourselves and our communities. College is one of those all-too-rare opportunities. Snatch it up while you can because, believe me, they don’t come around often and they certainly don’t last long. I graduated from two large schools—Texas Tech and the University of Kansas. One thing I learned at Tech as an undergrad

Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201 3410 Taft Blvd. | Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 wichitan@msutexas.edu | thewichitan.com @wichitanonline

was that you can get an intimate and engaging world-class education wherever you go to college if you willfully seek it out. What is a world-class education? It’s an education grounded in the diversity of the liberal arts. And what are the liberal arts? They’re disciplines like the humanities, philosophy, history, the sciences, mathematics, literature and the fine arts. A true education is one that enlightens minds, changes lives and inspires greatness in oneself and others. The liberal arts move us beyond simple job training; they enrich the whole person—heart, mind and soul. I encourage you to seek out these classes. Embrace them. Don’t go through your brief time here with major-only blinders on. Take classes that sound interesting and challenging to you, ones that open you up to new ideas, and, yes, even those that expose you to some intellectual and/or emotional discomfort. Push

see COLLEGE pg. 3

Would a gate at Sunwatcher Village benefit us? A

s a resident that lives in Sunwatcher Village, I sometimes find it difficult to find a parking space in the lot that is built into the apartment complexes. You might be wondering why. The answer is simple; that lot no longer has a gate like it did back in 2007 and students that have a resident parking pass are allowed to Dariana park there regardless of where they live. Yes, beGarza lieve it or not, Sunwatcher Village used to have a gate, and as a resident, you needed a key to get into to parking lot. What happened to it? When students swiped their keys to get into the parking lot, other students tried to beat the gate before it came down resulting in broken gates on a weekly or monthly basis. Like any other civilian, I wonder if there was any form of punishment that the school implemented on the students that would break the gate. Unfortunately, it was rare when the stu-

dents would get caught by campus police or be reported by someone that witnessed the incident. What about cameras? The school didn’t have the high-quality cameras that we do now, so if the perpetrator was to be recorded during the act the image quality would be too blurry to distinguish their plate numbers. Maybe you have some lingering questions that need to be answered and I leave you with this last one. What would happen to the students who park at Sunwatcher Village and do not live there? If the school was to bring back a similar gate system to Sunwatcher Village then the school would have to accommodate the students more parking lots to make up for the loss of the Sunwatcher Village lot that is currently utilized by everyone. As a current student, I would like to bring back the gate system for future students to utilize if we could get past all of the “buts” and “what if’s.”

EDITORS: Alyssa Mitchell, Kristin Silva

Copyright ©2018. First copy free. Additional copies 25¢ each. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication. Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a email address, telephone number and address.

PHOTO EDITOR: Bridget Reilly Vol. 83 | No. 27

DESIGNER: Brittni Vilandre ISSUE STAFF: Amos Perkins, Brian Lang, Khirstia Sheffield, Matthew Tempelmeyer, Dallas Wabbington, Omar Combie

ADVISOR: Jonathon Quam

English junior

M OV I E R E V I E W

from COLLEGE pg. 2

PHOTO CURTESY IMBD

Bill Skarsgård in It Chapter Two (2019).

‘It: Chapter 2’ has less fear and more feelings

fter two years, the evil clown is back. The much-anticipated sequel to “It” is here with direction by Andy Muschietti and even though two years have passed for us, it’s been long 27 years for the Losers’ Club. Pennywise’s hibernation is finally over. At the start of the film, most of the gang has moved away from Derry, and the further they get, the Brian more they forget that traumatic summer in the ‘80s. Lang It seems like all of the losers have fallen neatly, and maybe a little disappointedly, into place in middle age. Bill has become a screen-writer, although his movies can never quite stick the landing. Richie, naturally, is a stand-up comedian. Eddie is a risk-analyst for an insurance company. Bev has married well but unhappily into an abusive relationship. Mike, however, has stayed behind in Derry and since he never left, his memories of Pennywise are still strong. He keeps a close eye on crime in the town, and just as predicted, Pennywise returns after 27 years to feed off of the fears of children once again. After the gang is reunited, it’s time for them to finally face their demons and put a stop to Pennywise once and for all. “It: Chapter 2” has a lot to live up to. Coming off of a wildly successful first installment is a lot of pressure for even the biggest blockbusters, and as Bill can remind you, it’s hard to get the ending right. While “It Chapter 2” has the same characters and storylines of the first film, it has a different soul entirely. For one thing, the motley gang of kids is grown up now, and while they still have rapid-fire banter sessions amongst themselves, they’ve lost those nostalgic “Stand By Me” vibes that made the first film special. The new crew of the Losers’ Club has a different goal than the first as they try to give “It: Chapter 2” a beating heart, despite an often aimless plot. Since the sequel leans into the emotional side of the characters more than the first film, there’s less joking and more pa-

thos, something these actors are well suited to. Bill Hader leads the show as grown-up Richie. He consistently has the funniest things to say and keeps the film from ever becoming too serious. His chemistry with grown-up Eddie (played by James Ransone) perfectly matches the great performances by Finn Wolfhard and Jack Dylan Grazer in the first film. Playing opposite Hader, James McAvoy does a wonderful job as the group’s de facto leader. He’s never afraid to jump all the way into the campiness of running from Pennywise, but he adds some depth to what could easily be a stock character. And of course, Bill Skarsgard’s creepy performance as Pennywise can’t be overlooked. Maybe it’s because he did such a fantastic job the first time around, but Skarsgard hasn’t gotten the buzz he’s due for his second portrayal of Pennywise. His calculated performance hits all the right notes and his humanity still shines through underneath the layers of CGI. It’s not often that you find yourself wanting to see more of the demon clown, but Skarsgard’s acting is magnetic. Despite all of these great elements, “It: Chapter 2” never seems to come together completely. With a nearly three hour runtime, there’s plenty of repetition and multiple extended breaks between the action. While “It” had a nice mix of jump scares and psychological creepiness, “It: Chapter 2” focuses more on outright jump scares, which gets a little old after a while. It feels like there was great potential for “It: Chapter 2” between the fantastic actors and what could have been a driven storyline, but instead, the plot wanders around without deciding what it wants to be. It still makes a fun movie, but it doesn’t quite recapture the magic of its predecessor. At the end of the day, even with its flaws, “It: Chapter 2” is still loads of fun. It’s the kind of movie that’s best to watch with a few friends and plenty of snacks while gripping the arms of your seat, waiting for the surprises. Hold on tight though, because Pennywise has a wild ride in store.

yourself by taking classes that ask the big questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What are my obligations to humanity and the natural world? Becoming an educated person is about developing into a more sophisticated, empathetic and engaged citizen. In fact, becoming an educated person is about learning to exist in a state of perpetual becoming—of being a lifelong learner who never settles into the rank bog of preconceived notions and handed-down beliefs. It’s about learning to think critically for and about yourself, making conscientious decisions for the environment and your community, developing a cultural literacy that moves beyond your own surroundings and upbringing, and experiencing and understanding the world as it truly is—diverse, alive, interconnected, and finite. In short, the liberal arts is about what it means to be human in a radically pluralistic and constantly changing world. As much as I hate to say it, your generation has been saddled with cleaning up the mess left behind by my generation and those who came before me. Now more than ever, we need business leaders steeped in the economics of sustainability, health professionals grounded in the empathy of cultural diversity, ecologically ethical engineers and teachers who can root their students’ learning in the concepts of compassion, interconnectivity and sense of place. It’s a critical time, my friends; how will you be poised for the ecological, economic and spiritual challenges that must be faced head-on during your lifetimes? I share these heady thoughts with you as we begin another academic year because I not only want to welcome you into the community, I also want to encourage you to spread your wings while here, to soar as high and as unfettered as you can, so when you look down from above, you see the broader map of wisdom. Find the connections. Create new ones. Thrive amongst them. Open your mind—and the minds of your professors—to new possibilities, to new ways of knowing and being. We’re here, just like you, to learn to approach the world in new and exciting ways. Onward and upward!

Associate professor of English

Feel strongly about something? Don’t just talk about it, email us your thoughts and see them in the next edition!

Email us at: wichitan@msutexas.edu

A DAY I N T H E L I FE

‘I try to surround myself with people who are hungry for success’ KHIRSTIA SHEFFIELD REPORTER

re’Vonne Bradford, exercise physiology senior, has made it her mission to become involved on campus by networking with her peers and creating positive relationships that will last after college. Over the course of three years, Bradford has been the president of the Black Student Union, the campus culture chair of the Student Government Association, an orientation leader and a peer counselor. As her college career comes to an end, Bradford decided to limit her involvement on campus and she is currently a student ambassador and senator for the Black Student Union. “Getting involved has allowed me to meet and network with so many people,” said Bradford. “When you get involved, you gain so much more school pride, but you also have the opportunity to learn about the different varieties of people who attend our university. Being involved builds character, leadership skills and it ultimately helps better the community.” Though Bradford is heavily involved on campus, she still makes her schoolwork a top priority. She is currently taking 18 hours and has mastered balancing school and extracurricular activities. “A normal day for me varies, and with taking 18 hours it has become, oddly enough, easier for me to maintain balance and organization,” said Bradford. “I try to make every day productive by attending all of my classes, trying to plan out naps and being prepared for any of my organization’s executive officer meetings.” Bradford isn’t just the face we see at all school activities and events, but she’s also the face of all the parties. Also known as ‘DJ Ayo’ Bradford stays booked and busy on the weekends, mixing soundtracks and keeping hundreds of college students entertained through her music taste and skill. Bradford describes her life as mostly calm, but said it can get hectic on the weekends. “When I’m booked as a DJ, sometimes being a part of an organization can get tricky,” said Bradford. “If I have to DJ on a Friday night and volunteer early Saturday, I sometimes have to sacrifice some sleeping hours, but it’s

always worth it in the end and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” Though life can become hectic and chaotic for Bradford, she tries to remember why she’s so involved and who she does it for. “I am a first-generation student,” said Bradford. “Everything I do is just leading up to my future and that’s why I work so hard every single day. I am creating my own path, my own legacy, and I refuse to quit or fail.” Outside of school and the DJ booth, Bradford spends the little free time she has watching documentaries on Netflix, perfecting her craft as a DJ, cooking and hanging out with friends. Bradford says she is very particular with who she calls a friend. “I try to surround myself with people who are hungry for success,” said Bradford. “My friends are people who are always learning new ways to perfect their skills and talents. It’s very important to me to have people in my corner with the same mindset as me.” Briona Sibley, general business sophomore and close friend of Bradford, describes Bradford as a leader and a woman she aspires to be like. Sibley said, “Bradford is a great person with a wonderful personality and she’s also a fantastic leader. She has impacted my life in so many ways, and she is one of the reasons why I’m so involved on campus. I was never the ‘getting involved’ type, but she has definitely changed my perspective. I am thankful for our friendship because she has helped me see that life is all about working hard to achieve success.” Bradford has not only made an impact on campus, but she continues to change the lives of her peers by being an example inside and outside of school. Bradford will continue to guide those left behind after she graduates through continuous involvement and dedication to her legacy. “I do all of this because I love people and networking,” said Bradford. “You never know who you could meet and you never know how they may change your life. I hope that even after college I continue to impact lives no matter where I may end up.”

$50 MILLION CAMPAIGN benefits all students

ALYSSA MITCHELL REPORTER

he university’s comprehensive met its goal of $50 million in the third year of a seven-year campaign. This campaign began Sept. 1, 2016, and will continue until the university’s centennial celebration. The three pillars are enriching lives, enhancing teaching and learning, as well as investing in the campus and community. While the campaign has surpassed its original goal, not all donations are in cash. Anthony Vidmar, vice president of university advancement and public affairs, said, “The other thing to realize is that’s not $53 million in cash. It includes pledges, it includes software, everything. People think ‘well you’ve got $53 million in cash you ‘ought to be able to do everything,’ and donors restrict some of that.” The $1.5 million pledge that established the agricultural business program is solely for that and can’t be used for anything except that program. With various programs and equipment being stared and donated all students will benefit from this campaign in various ways. Vidmar said, “[We need a comprehensive campaign because] your tuition is too expensive right now, wouldn’t you like it to be less?” Students won’t physically see all of the benefits of this campaign because a lot of the money being raised goes to scholarships. Some of the bigger benefits they will encounter directly are things like the agricultural business concentration, the piano replacement project in Fain and the equipment supplied by Shimadzu Medical Systems for the radiology department. “Almost everything to this point from our leadership gifts have really had a student focus and a really academic focus,” Julie Gaynor,

marketing and public information director, Another gift was the renewal of both Schsaid. “We have leadership gifts that are going lumberger and IHS Markit’s software licenses to set the foundation for a new activity center, saving the university from paying a combined one that hasn’t come to fruitotal of $18.1 million. tion yet, so think about how Vidmar said, “The Schlummany students that will afberger is a company in IHS that fect.” provided software...the equivaVidmar said the Shimadzu lent to those is over $10 million. equipment has helped the So, our students are being trained university become the firstin geosciences on state of the art named school of radiological software that they’ll use when science in the country. The they get a job.” equipment itself is equivalent The benefits the faculty have to $2.4 million. seen are faculty research, or felOne gift received during lowships, that has allowed them this campaign that Gaynor to work on projects and bring that believes may potentially affect experience back to the classroom all students is the Canan Food to share with their students. ANTHONY VIDMAR Scholarship. The Priddy Scholarship stems VICE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY “We had a donor who realfrom the comprehensive camADVANCEMENT AND PUBLIC ized there was a need because paign and currently gives a full AFFAIRS he’s a professor on campus, ride to 40 students. and that lead to this program “We wouldn’t have the Priddy for students on campus who are struggling to scholars if we didn’t have the campaign most have a resource for food,” Gaynor said. likely,” Vidmar said. “The Priddy Scholars Pro-

“That’s not $53 million in cash. It includes pledges, it includes software, everything.”

$1,950,169 $21,322,728 $7,446,980 given in Bequest intentions.

given in pledges.

given in outright gifts.

gram was a direct result of a conversation that Dr. Shipley had with leaders of the Priddy Foundation.” University President Suzanne Shipley, said though they have reached the campaign goal, they will continue to “blow on past it” until the campaign ends. “What’s interesting about the gifts we’ve received is that a lot of them are scholarships,” Shipley said. “So you look at the Priddy Scholars, that’s all-new. That’s 40 students who get a full ride who never did before.” She estimated the Priddy Scholarship was a gift of over $10 million. She also said there are plans for Bolin Hall and the Daniel Building to be enhanced in the future. “What I like about the campaign is that it spread nicely around our different needs. Greek life will see a real improvement on this campus once the Daniel renovation is done because Greeks will have a place to meet. Right now they suffer from a lack of space,” Shipley said. She said the campaign members try to gauge what the campus needs and ask the donors for specific items or resources. “Where needs emerge, we ask for them and by this time in the campaign, most of the big gifts should be done because you ask for the big gifts first,” Shipley said. “The focus of the rest of the campaign [will depend] on numbers of people not how much they give.” An example of this is the faculty staff campaign. In previous years an average of 15% of faculty and staff gave back to the university. Now, 51% of staff have given back to the university. The next step will be to reach out to the alumni. Shipley said, “We won’t be asking you for tons of money, we just want you to give. If it’s $5, $10, $100, just give.”

$823,488 given in realized bequests.

ACTIVITIES

ALL ABOUT MSU

AC RO S S

3. Robert & Carol ___ 6. First mascot 8. President Suzanne ___ 10. First name of MSU: Wichita Falls ___ College 13. ___ & gold 15. “Per scientam ad ___” 17. Provost James ___ 20. Building with a bell on top 21. Current mascot name

DOW N

Crossword created by Matthew Tempelmeyer

1. Fantasy of the lights AKA ___ display 2. Dr. ___ McGraw 4. Head football coach 5. Softball field name: Mustang’s ___ 7. Name of first mascot 9. ___ Yeager 11. Established in 19___ (word form) 12. ___ Conference 14. D.L. ___ Coliseum 16. What is the “C” in the CSO? 18. “DOG HOUSE!” 19. Name of library

SUDOKU

Comic created by Dallas Wabbington

“We have a voice too!” KARI FEATHERSTON | EDITOR-IN-FLOCK

According to the humans, Sept. 29 was “Goose Day” and the day was celebrated with a video of how people felt about us geese around campus. Well, we have a voice too. Steve Flippers, associate squawk of organized street-crossing, said he was both flattered and appalled at the responses given. “Being the majestic birds we are, I really thought our presence in the campus community would be more delightful to the humans,” Flippers said. “I don’t understand why they are so offended when we honk at them for coming into our personal bubbles. They need to stay in their lane and the peace will be kept.” Jenny Waddles, vice squawk of sidewalk droppings, said she felt honored that the humans dedicated an entire day out of the year to her kind. “You know, it’s just really a nice thing they do for us,” Waddles said. “It’s kind of creepy how many people came to the lake that day and just stared at us, but all-in-all, I think it was coming from a good place.” Steve Flippers

Jenny Waddles

Randall Swimmington

Randall Swimmington, director of attacks on humans, said he didn’t give a honk what the humans had to say. “We need to stop living at peace with them and take back what is rightfully ours,” Swimmington said. “They have taken our lake and are using it for their own benefit. The revolution begins now — we must fight for our lake!”

Though we don’t all feel as strongly as Swimmington, we can all agree that the humans’ presence on campus is quite annoying for us too. Sandy Wingflap, assistant feather clipper, said, “I can’t tell you how many times my street crossing class and I have almost been annihilated by one of those rolling monstrosities. These people just be rolling through campus like we’re not even there.” Sandy Wingflap

Marcus Webb, president of Alpha Geese, said the reason he gets aggressive with humans is because they have a staring problem. “I’ll just be minding my business and they come walking by looking at me with a stank face, so I flap at them,” Webb said. “They almost always let out a little scream and scurry away. I know I’m a stud, but they should just take a picture — it’ll last longer.” Marcus Webb

At the end of the day, we have to deal with the humans. We don’t have to agree with the vile opinions that come our way, but in order to preserve our kind, we must be at peace.

M E N ’S SOC C E R

Men’s soccer shuts down OCU 3-0 AMOS PERKINS REPORTER

he men’s soccer team opened up Lone Star Conference play Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. with a statement 3-0 victory over Oklahoma Christian University. The team returned to defensive form and recorded its fourth clean sheet of the season. Adam Conway (No.2), midfielder and kinesiology sophomore, led the defense allowing only three shots and no goals. “[Getting a clean sheet] makes the game a lot easier,” Conway said. “We know we can’t lose if we don’t concede.” Guilherme Martins (No.27), forward and sports management junior, opened up the scoring in the first half by rebounding a failed shot and sent it sailing into the lower right corner of the net. With 37 minutes remaining in the game, Sebastian Venegas (No.10), midfielder and business management junior, launched a deep shot from outside the penalty area and watched as it buried into the top corner of the goal. Eight minutes later, the junior scored on a curving goal shot directly out of a corner kick. “He’s done that for three years in a row now,” Michael Meachum, men’s head soccer coach, said. “He’s got one of the best left foots in the country.” The boys faced an All-Conference goalkeeper, Anthony Trabichet of OCU, but it was Taylor Lampe (No.1), goalkeeper and exercise physiology junior, who prevented more shots and goals than Trabichet. This is Lampe’s 21st clean sheet of his career, tying the Midwestern State record for most shutouts in a career. “It definitely helps. We don’t have to worry about the backline because he’s there,” Conway said. The Mustangs look to avenge last year’s playoff loss versus rival West Texas A&M at home on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m.

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY

In the preceeding game against West Texas A&M University Sept. 28, undecided sophomore and defender Adam Conway headers the ball. into the goal.

PHOTOS BY BRIDGET REILLY

Mathematics junior and forward Trevor Amann manages to escape Oklahoma Christian University defense to take a shot at goals. | Business management senior and midfielder Sebastian Venegas jumps into the arms of his fellow teammates after scoring a goal from outside the against the penalty box Sept. 26.

The Wichitan is looking for reporters of all kinds as well as salespeople, columnists, photographers, social media enthusiasts and anyone looking to be a part of a campus organization.