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134th YEAR ISSUE 39
FRIDAY MARCH 8, 2019
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
Blackjack Road is one step closer to being fixed COURTNEY CARVER PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Courtney Carver | The Reflector
Cones are on the side of Blackjack Road near the forestry complex to warn drivers of potholes.
The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors is working on getting the ball rolling for the Blackjack Road Project, which the county has worked on for several years now. This project will fully widen and reconstruct Blackjack Road, and District 5 Supervisor Orlando Trainer said the project will be significant. “There will be quite amount of base work, a quite amount of widening and drainage,” Trainer said.
“I know the total amount is about $7 million. Some of those funds are coming through MSU and MDA (Mississippi Development Authority). The county is putting about a little bit more than $4.5 million in the project.” Because of the unsafe road conditions students and residents face when driving on Blackjack Road, Trainer said the project will possibly be finished in two calendar years. “I would say in complete entirety, give it two years,” Trainer said. “What’s going to have to happen is you give that the weather, you can’t
EMMA WARR
all walks of life will have the opportunity to meet and build relationships. Mississippi is the birthplace and home to a number of famous names. Britney Spears was from McComb, Elvis Presley was from Tupelo, Oprah Winfrey came from Kosciusko, Brett Favre came from Gulfport, Jerry Rice was born in Starkville and the list goes on. Such a number of talented individuals from Mississippi, in fact, that professor Phillip Poe of the communication department said he believes there must be something in the water.
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DYLAN BUFKIN STAFF WRITER
Mississippi State University’s dining halls, specifically Fresh Food Company and The Perry Cafeteria, will soon hand out reusable to-go trays, rather than the paper trays currently in use. This effort is in an attempt to decrease the amount of waste MSU’s dining halls produce, as well as to save the campus money in the long run. Michael Folse, the codirector of Research and Development of the MSU Student Association, is one of the main progenitors of the new program. After watching a Vox Media video on the University of California Merced’s reusable tray program, Folse began to work toward bringing a similar program to MSU’s campus. Merced’s campus utilizes the OZZI system, which consists of a number of kiosks distributing and collecting proprietary trays for consumers to use and then return for cleaning. The system MSU will integrate is conducted through Aramark, which has implemented similar systems at other campuses in the Southeastern Conference. As the program is currently proposed, students will go to their preferred dining hall, scan their IDs as normal and receive one of the new, clean to-go trays. After finishing their meal, students will remove any refuse from the tray, rinse it and return it to a dining hall when they are done to have the cycle begin anew. Folse and his co-workers in the Student Association are still trying to finalize how the program will be funded, possibly through the SA itself. Additionally, the SA is conducting a trial run, consisting of 25 freshmen, to sample student attitudes and concerns with the program. If implemented, the reusable trays will entirely replace the current paper trays. TRAYS, 2
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Blackjack Road. “It is almost daily that I receive comments and concerns regarding Blackjack Road,” Spruill said. “I understand that so many people believe that area is located in the city limits of Starkville, and they reach out for help and clarification on when it will be addressed.” The county has to gain permission through easements from the land owners on Blackjack Road before the project can begin. Furthermore, some of the private land owners are concerned regarding this project. BLACKJACK, 2
MSU to host New Narrative Festival
Dining halls to implement reusable trays
FRIDAY
control it. If we can get all these issues resolved, we can get that project bid let’s say next month. Then perhaps somebody could probably go to work within 90 days, so that’ll throw them within the summer really doing it. They could make some significant improvements to that roadway before the end of the year. It probably wouldn’t be finished. If everything goes well, I would say two years, we should have that project completed.” According to Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill, she faces concerned residents frequently regarding
Courtney Carver | The Reflector
While many faces pass by Donna Maykowski in the Colvard Student Union, the first thing Maykowski notices is their shoes. Maykowski always appreciates a good pair of shoes ever since she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and must wear a particular type of shoe.
Marvelous Mrs. Donna’s 25 years serving Mississippi State COURTNEY CARVER PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
While she sits at her desk on the second floor in the Colvard Student Union, students walk by receiving a friendly welcome and genuine smile from Information Desk Administration Assistant Donna Maykowski. Maykowski is originally
from New Jersey, but she and her husband moved with their two children to Germantown, Tennessee, where she worked in an elementary school. After living in Germantown, which is near Memphis, for 10 years, her time at Mississippi State University began when she received news from her husband in 1993, saying he had a job offer in Starkville.
“I really didn’t want to move,” Maykowski said. “He said, ‘We’re going to move to Starkville, Mississippi.’ I said, ‘No, we’re not. I am not going.’ The kids didn’t want to move. Going from New Jersey to Memphis was a culture shock. Moving from Memphis to Starkville, Memphis was like New York City compared to Starkville. There was nothing here but Mississippi State.” MAYKOWSKI, 2
The second annual Mississippi State New Narrative Festival and Conference will take place at The Mill on March 22 and 23. Students, faculty and members of the community alike will have the opportunity to hear from and build connections with business professionals, artists, poets, musicians and leaders in an exhibition of talent and knowledge. The idea behind this event is to highlight and give a platform to some of the best and brightest talent the state has to offer. People from
Read more at reflector-online.com
New Narrative Festival
Rosalind Hutton
Phi Kappa Phi hosts book drive for local children TORI BOATNER STAFF WRITER
HI: 71 LO: 59 SKY: Thunderstorms POP: 67
KATIE POE NEWS EDITOR
The Mississippi State University chapter of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society is hosting a book drive in support of third- and fourth-grade students at Henderson-Ward Stewart Elementary School in Starkville. Phi Kappa Phi welcomes all donations of new and used books aimed toward the thirdand fourth-grade reading level. Any children’s genre
Rosalind Hutton
SATURDAY
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FORECAST: The weather on Friday and Saturday will not kick the weekend off to a good start. There is a high chance of rain Friday, and thunderstorms are likely Saturday. However, Sunday should be a beautiful sunny day with highs in the upper 60s.
Courtesy of Accuweather
is welcome. Collection boxes are located on campus in Thompson Hall, Giles Hall, Magruder Hall and McCain Hall. Boxes are also located off campus at Mugshots, Vowels, Copy Cow, Sweet Peppers Deli and the Starkville Sportsplex. While books are being donated, students at Henderson-Ward are collecting “book bucks” created by Phi Kappa Phi to reward reading and positive behavior. While the book drive ends on March 29, members of Phi Kappa Phi
will prepare to host a Book Bonanza on April 5 where students can buy donated books with their book bucks. Victoria Daniels, Phi Kappa Phi vice president, said she is excited about this opportunity to give back to Starkville. “I really want to be able to volunteer and do something for the community, and not just say I’m part of an honors society,” Daniels said. Fond of reading, Daniels said books are a wonderful gift for young students. BOOKS, 2
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BLACKJACK
“Everybody has their own perspective, and you never know what people have as far of the point of concerns until you sit down and talk with them,” Trainer said. While the private landowners have their concerns, Trainer said the county is locating people to sign the documents for the apartment complexes. “In theory, you would think those apartment complexes would be in favor of that, because actually, they contribute to the problem,” Trainer said. “Once the problem is corrected, it would probably be beneficial.”
According to Trainer, almost all of the issues faced so far have been worked out. “Fortunately, today I can say we have either received or have some confirmation of all the property owners,” Trainer said. “We are so close to getting that information we need, and that should lead to the beginning of the construction process.” Junior political science major Emily Case was struck by a drunk driver while on Blackjack Road two and a half years ago. While the road did not cause her accident, she said she feels the road is in need of reparations. “Blackjack is actually
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something that I’ve been dealing with since my accident,” Case said. “I would say me getting hit didn’t necessarily have to do with Blackjack. I do think it is a heavily-trafficked road that definitely needs repaired because it’s not very safe to drive on nor like cross.” Case, the Student Association Vice Presidentelect, said she has written various pieces of legislation, including a piece that would lead to a cross walk being placed at the intersection of Blackjack Road and Hardy. “They did add the cross walk, but I honestly would like to see them add like a
pedestrian sign or one of the flashing lights because at nighttime just having stripes on the road isn’t going to help immensely,” Case said. With her pieces of legislation, Case said she wanted to write legislation to represent the people, especially those who live or travel on Blackjack Road. “I feel like that’s something that every student can resonate with,” Case said. “They’ve at least driven down Blackjack or know what it is. Everyone knows there is a million and one potholes. There are so many places that students live off of Blackjack. I would love if this gets up
and going because it’s been a long time coming.” Like Case, Spruill is hopeful the county will begin construction to improve the condition of Blackjack Road. “I am hopeful that the county will be able to obtain the necessary permission in the very near future so that these improvements can be made as soon as possible, and the university can likewise begin its improvements, since one is contingent on the other,” Spruill said. Trainer is ready to move forward with this project, and he is eager for these improvements to begin.
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“In terms of per capita, nobody produces artists, writers, musicians like we do,” Poe said. “It’s just something in the water, in the air—it’s a very unique place … In the terms of our state’s outsized contribution to narrative and storytelling, we were looking for a way to reemphasize that and make Mississippi State the home of that advocacy. We are showcasing thought leaders and communication leaders from various industries,
certainly student leaders who are leading the way, musicians, artists, writers.” Poe said he hopes MSU will be a representative for the southern narrative. “We want Mississippi State as the state’s advocate for what we consider to be narrative. And our definition of narrative is very broad, everything from corporate communication to poetry … We are all telling stories, and we are trying to unite people under this umbrella of how
we have told stories, what concepts can we take from the past and apply to the future, filtered through new technologies,” Poe said. Imagine getting the opportunity to sit across the table from the CEO of a fortune-20 company and getting to chat with them over breakfast. The Mississippi State New Narrative Festival and Conference will provide this opportunity. Speakers of this year’s event include Steve Azar,
former Congressman Gregg Harper, Charles McNair and MSU’s president, Mark Keenum. Student performers are welcome to register at the event’s website. The event will allow those inclined to showcase their skills through music, dance, speech, poetry or other forms of communication. John Forde, the head of the Department of Communication, encourages all students to attend. This
is the second year the event has been held, and he plans on this year to be greater than the last. “We are very excited about the event, and invite anyone to attend. There should be something for everyone. This was a great event last year, except for the tornado warning,” Forde said. “We are continuing many of the general program ideas from last year, but we’re also adding more music and food.”
MAYKOWSKI Maykowski said. “I love the students. There’s nothing like the students. They keep you young, and they keep you informed. I’ve met scores of students.” While she has made a lasting impression on the students and her coworkers’ lives, she has served as an adviser for multiple organizations. Maykowski has had an award named after her, as well as receiving a distinguished award. “The Student Association Senate named an award after me that they give out to someone every year at the banquet, ‘The Donna Maykowski Friend of the Student Award.’ It’s quite humbling,” Maykowski said. “I also got the Zacharias Distinguished Employee Award, and that was a huge deal.” According to Coliseum Services Coordinator Gail Langston, she and Maykowski became friends when Langston began working for the university in 1998. “She’s such a people person, and she always makes you feel comfortable and welcome,” Langston said. “You feel like you’ve known her forever.” Maykowski said her favorite thing about her job is the people with whom she gets to communicate. “The job I have here, I’m involved with orientation,” Maykowski said. “I talk to so many people from so many different places, and there’s a lot of people where we have
things in common. I love when people come back and say, ‘What happened to this? I graduated from here 40 years ago.’” Langston, who has worked with Maykowski for approximately two decades, said Maykowski is working in a position perfectly suited for her. “She really works at a place that she loves, with people that she loves,” Langston said. “It’s just a winning combination. She’s in the right place, that’s for sure.” According to Langston, Maykowski is a delightful presence to be around. When the two go out to eat, there are numerous people who spot Maykowski and come to their table to catch up. About six months ago, the two went to eat at Oby’s, and Langston said Maykowski soon became very proud when the waiter asked to see her driver’s license. Throughout Maykowski’s time at MSU, she has seen various changes throughout campus. “When I first started here, there were 13,000 students,” Maykowski said. “Now, we have 22,200. There were a lot of building’s that weren’t here. So many people say how beautiful campus is. They’re right because it’s so well kept, and the buildings are beautiful. The road work is a lot different than when I first started. We used to have the junction fivepoint. There were times where it would be hard to get in and off campus because of all the construction going on and the rearranging of the roads—it was crazy.”
Out of all of the progress MSU has made, Maykowski said the atmosphere has remained the same. “I think that the one thing that has stayed is Mississippi State is so family-oriented and hospitable and friendly,” Maykowski said with a smile. “People here are just really like one union. It’s nice to know that there’s people that would watch out for you and stick up for you.” Throughout her time here at MSU, Maykowski said everything is constantly changing, but she said change means progress. She has not found anything challenging throughout her 25 years working for MSU. “I can’t really say challenging, maybe because I have acquired, you know, I have had multiple sclerosis over the last 18 years,” Maykowski said. “That’s a challenge because I had to park in a certain handicap spot, and there used to not always be a handicap spot. Now, they’re everywhere. I can’t really walk a far way, so I have to get close. I don’t know that there are challenges with that, but I just do the best I can. There’s a lot of things I can’t go to because I don’t know if they have adequate parking, that’s why I always want to be the first one there so I can get that handicap spot. I hate that, but it could be worse.” Maykowski said students oftentimes offer to help her. “There’s always many students that have offered help,” Maykowski said. “I was walking into work last week, and there was a student across
the street, and he said, ‘Are you going to the Union?’ He came across the street, gave me his arm and walked me all the way up. I thought that was so sweet. The students here have been just more than kind. I think that speaks a lot of volume of the students at our school, and it has happened many times. I so appreciate that.” Lori Andrews, owner of Union Station Hair Designers, has gotten to know Maykowski over the last 21 years she has worked in the Colvard Student Union. According to Andrews, Maykowski’s priority is the students of MSU. “She’s dedicated to the students, she loves her students, and that’s it,” Andrews said. “She loves her job and she loves everybody here. She’s very outgoing. She’s an awesome person, just period. Like I said, I could see her in the hallway, and she’s going to stop and talk with 12 people. She gets a personable relationship with just about everybody she meets. That’s just the type of person she is. She cares.” According to Langston, Maykowski is constantly inspiring others. “She could have so many reasons to be so down on life, and yet she inspires other people,” Langston said. “She’s never selfish, and it’s never about her. It’s always about the other person.” According to Langston, Maykowski and her husband usually have perfect attendance to MSU basketball games. When Maykowski is
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“I love reading, and so I think this is one of the greatest things you could give a student,” Daniels said. “So, I was definitely really excited when we decided to
do this book drive.” Lauren Whitmore, public relations officer of Phi Kappa Phi, said she hopes the Book Bonanza will help better prepare
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not supporting MSU or conversing with students, she said she can be found reading and cooking. Maykowski and Andrews’ friendship sparked by their love of reading. “She would come into the Union, and she’d come in and speak to me because that’s just the way she is,” Andrews said. “Me and her started talking about books, and me and her love to read, so she would share her books with me, which I think she would share them with anybody on campus. Then I started cutting her hair, and we’ve been really good friends ever since.” With a love of reading, Maykowski said she has over 900 hardback books. “I’m an avid, ferocious reader,” Maykowski said. “It took me a very long time to read books on my Kindle because I just love the feeling of seeing how much I’ve read and how much I have left. Now, I mostly read on the Kindle, and I belonged to book club after book club.” According to Maykowski, she said she also enjoys playing word games like Wordscapes, and she loves to cook dishes like chicken parmesan and chicken soup. Regardless of where she is, Maykowski expresses how passionate she is about her job. “It’s a great place to work, and I always tell people I love my job, and they always say it’s really hard to come across someone that really loves their job,” Maykowski said. “If you love your job, you never work a day in your life, and it’s the truth.” CONTINUED FROM 1
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The MSU Department of Communication is hosting the festival and conference as a nonprofit event. The attendance fee of $45 will cover the cost of the conference, several meals served and will go toward the improvement of the TV studio in the Mitchell Memorial Library. Entry and registration for individuals interested can be found on the event’s website, newnarrativefestival.msstate. edu. CONTINUED FROM 1
However, because of this transition, Maykowski’s two sons both grew up in Starkville and both attended MSU. “Both were Sigma Chi’s, and both moved to Memphis,” Maykowski said. “Jason was a Public Relations and Management major, and Mike was a General Business major. We have season tickets for a lot of the sports. It’s a family affair. Now, they have children, and they’re bringing their children to watch sports of MSU.” When she is not at work, Maykowski said she is known as Nonnie to her three grandchildren. When Maykowski began her career at MSU, she was hired on for a temporary job as a secretary for the Research Park, however, the job ended sooner than it was supposed to. Maykowski then began searching for another job at MSU. “I applied for the administrative assistant position in the Office of Student Life,” Maykowski said. “I got the job over in the YMCA, and I’ve been in Student Affairs ever since. I worked for the Student Association for like 15 years, then I worked for the Center of Student Activities. I went back to Greek life, and I just started this job last orientation.” Having worked for MSU for 25 years as of last June, Maykowski has become a familiar face for students and faculty on campus. “I love my job,”
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“We’re ready to move forward,” Trainer said. “Hopefully, no one will have a significant amount of damage or fatalities before we get that thing improved. We’ve just kind of be holding our breath. I just ask people to be patient with us over these matters.” According to a press release from the Starkville Police Department, another road project will begin soon, in which Locksley Way will receive a full overlay, restriping, sidewalk and bike lane, while Blackjack Road will receive the addition of a multi-use pathway. This is separate from the Blackjack Road project.
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third-grade students for their reading exam they must pass in order to advance to the fourth-grade. “We really want to focus on improving literacy of
the third-grade students in Starkville,” Whitmore said. Whitmore said this project is a major way their chapter is getting involved in the Starkville community.
THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2019 @REFLECTORONLINE
BULLETIN BOARD
SUDOKU
An In-Class Distraction
BAD DAWGS Wednesday, March 6, 2019 • Student issued a Justice Court citation and referral on Blackjack Road for possession of paraphernalia. • Student reported her vehicle was burglarized while parking in F25 parking lot.
• MSU citation issued on Stone Boulevard for disregarding a traffic device. • Two Justice Court citations were issued for speeding, the most notable of which was 56/30 on Blackjack Road. • Justice Court citation issued on Stone Boulevard for improperly passing a stopped school bus. Notable Traffic Citations: • Justice Court citation • One MSU citation was issued on Stone Boulevard issued on Stone Boulevard for a lack of insurance. for speeding 38/20.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY...
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… In 1893, Emmet Dalton began serving his life sentence in the Kansas State Penitentiary for his part in the Dalton Gang’s attempt to rob two Kansas banks. Born in 1872, Dalton was the youngest of three brothers who joined together in a life of crime. Bob and Grat, his brothers, were reluctant to allow their baby brother Dalton in their crimes. They left Dalton behind as they forged their way to California to rob trains in 1889. When his brothers returned to Oklahoma, Dalton was deemed mature enough to join the gang in a stream of train robberies. These robberies are what gave the gang their notoriety throughout Oklahoma and Kansas. At the same time, Dalton had a sweetheart named Julia Johnson. He gave up his dreams of having a normal life due to his involvement in the gang. He would later say, “What had I to offer (to) Julia? … I rode away. An outlaw has no business having a girl, no business thinking of marriage.” On Oct. 5, 1892, the brothers tried their hands at a dual robbery of two Coffeyville, Kansas, banks in broad daylight. The plot could have been pulled off had the citizens not been warned of the bandits’ arrival. Dalton and Bob were shoving $21,000 of grain sacks in one bank, while the townspeople simultaneously surrounded the bank. When they attempted to escape, the townspeople let their guns shoot freely—so they fled back inside. They managed to escape through the back, reuniting with their brother Grat and the other slew of robbers. In a back street that would later be named “Death Alley,” the gang was under heavy fire. Dalton’s brother were hit first. Dalton, in an attempt to pick up Bob from his horse, was shot down when a bullet slammed through his hip and a load of buckshot got him in the back. Dalton’s brother’s died, along with two other gang members. The people of Coffeyville propped up the dead to take photographs, which would later become famous images. Townspeople carried Dalton, who reportedly had 23 gunshot wounds, to a nearby hotel, and he lived to stand trial. Eventually, he was sentenced to life in prison. After serving 14 years of his sentence, Dalton was paroled and returned to society a reformed man. His story has a happy ending, as he would later marry his sweetheart Julia Johnson and have a successful career as a real estate agent. The couple later moved to the booming Los Angeles area, and Dalton found work in Hollywood as a consultant to verify the authenticity of western movies. He died on July 13, 1937. history.com CLASSIFIEDS FOR RENT: Searching for Female roommate (or two) who loves dogs (at least not allergic). Preferably graduate student or young professional, but not necessary if personalities seem to work well together. I am super chill. and play guitar. I attend the Orchard Starkville on Sundays. Rent $400/ month + utilities. Call 662-213-6371. The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday. The deadline
for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. Classifieds are listed at $5 per issue. Student and staff ads are listed at $3 per issue, pre-paid. Lost and found items: Found items can be listed for free; lost items are listed at standard ad cost. CLUB INFO The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday. The deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. MSU student organizations may place free announcements
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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2019 @REFLECTORONLINE
OPINION
Cities like Starkville need to embrace Mardi Gras
CLAIRE KELLEN
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Happy belated Mardi Gras, Bulldogs. It is the most wonderful time of the year, if you live in the South, that is. If you live up North, you might be asking yourself, “Mardi what?� Mardi Gras is a wonderful time of Fat Tuesday preparations, including parades, beads and festivities. Being from the Midwest, I had barely heard of Mardi Gras, much less experienced it. But now going to school in the South, I see Mardi Gras everywhere during this Pre-Lenten time. Should the rest of the country get with the program and hop on this parade float style bandwagon of bead-throwing and mask-wearing fun? After attending my first Mardi Gras celebration, I am an avid advocate for celebrations everywhere. Mardi Gras is a long standing tradition within the southern states with street
processions beginning in the 1830s, which have since transformed into the loud and lively parades we enjoy today. According to Dave G. Hauser of the Chicago Tribune, six out of the seven best and biggest Mardi Gras celebrations are in the southern states. Which city is the outlier? St. Louis is number seven on the list; which makes sense, as St. Louis was founded by French fur traders and French tradition runs deep within Mardi Gras Festivities. But it is unfair these big cities get to have all the fun. Small cities deserve their chance to make it big on the list of best Mardi Gras celebrations. According to Jed Lipinski of Nola.com, a study done at Tulane University showed the 2014 Mardi Gras celebrations brought $465 million to New Orleans’ parish alone. There is economic profit to be made from these exciting celebrations, and more northern cities should recognize this. Mardi Gras is rich in French tradition
W E L C O M E
STARKVEGAS
and southern pride, which might be one reason why more northern states have not adopted these wild celebrations yet. What is not to love about being hit in the face with beads as parade floats blast ridiculously loud party anthems from 2008? Personally, I think it is time for more Northern cities to
adopt this fun tradition, and smaller Southern cities like Starkville could benefit from it, too. Having Mardi Gras celebrations in Starkville would give a lot of students who have never experienced anything like it before a chance to get their feet wet before they decide to take on a big celebration like New
Orleans. It is a wonderful cultural experience. The first Mardi Gras celebration was not even held in New Orleans, according to Jesse Greenspan of The History Channel. If you ask anyone from Mobile, Alabama, they will fight you to prove their city was the origin of Mardi Gras before it migrated around. Now, New
Orleans is the Mardi Gras hub of the U.S. If we start with a small celebration in Starkville, think of where we could be in a decade or two. College kids love to party, and what better place than StarkVegas to set the stage for the next big Mardi Gras celebration. It is like downtown Starkville was destined to be a parade route, and with Cajun restaurants like Oby’s and Rosey Baby, we already know Starkville has a sweet spot for all things New Orleans. Having our own Mardi Gras celebration would be a great way to bring the diverse student body of Mississippi State University together with the residents of Starkville, and help us to all celebrate a common culture and a cool tradition. Not only is Mardi Gras fun, it brings people together. After never having experienced Mardi Gras before this weekend, I am now pro-Mardi Gras all the way, and it is absolutely time for Starkville to feel the same way too.
Trivia Time! 1. Which metallic element has a melting point of approximately minus
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38 degrees?
Diane Von Furstenberg
2. What was Stephen King’s first published novel released on April 5,
“ You are the one that possesses the keys to your being. You carry the passport to your own happiness.�
1974? 3. What is the only national flag that is not a square or rectangle? 4. In 1952, Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of which country? Source: trivia.fyi
Answer: 1. Mercury 2. “Carrie� 3. The flag of Nepal 4. Israel
All pants should be created equal It is time to talk about the ‘T’ in LGBTQ DAKOTA IVY
KATELYN WYATT
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Ladies, what is the best surprise when shopping for clothes? Pockets. Pockets add value to pairs of pants or dresses, casual or formal, and instantly make the article of clothing worth buying. The absence of pockets in women’s clothing is ridiculous. Even when a piece of clothing appears to have pockets, the need to carry a purse, fanny pack, etc. still exists because these creations passed off as pockets, but can barely fit a phone, let alone a set of keys. According to Tanya Basu of The Atlantic, “The biggest problem (with women’s clothing) might be the lack of pockets in the first place: women’s slacks, dresses and blazers often have no pockets, or worse, ‘fake’ pockets that serve no utilitarian purpose besides sartorially leading the wearer on to believe they have a handy wardrobe aide, until it’s too late.� It is unfair for women to not have reasonable and functional attire as the norm. Whether it be jeans or gym shorts, pockets are always practical. When some men are faced with wearing pocketless gym shorts, for example, they freak out. It is normal for men to have functional pockets, but women need these, too. Of course, there is the option of lugging a purse everywhere just to hold items which should be able to fit in your pockets. Do not get me wrong: purses have their benefits. I like to keep snacks in my purse, and then there is the whole dilemma of discreetly
How can we ever dream of equality if the pockets in women’s jeans are still only big enough for a single jelly bean?
Rosalind Hutton
storing feminine products. With this being said, it is still easier to steal a purse than it is to pick a pocket. According to Catherine Snowdon of BBC News, “There are concerns about pockets affecting the lines of the garment, making it sit strangely on a woman’s figure.� There is a clash between cute and functional clothing. Why is there a problem with a pair of jeans or a skirt addressing issues of both fashion and function? There is no reason a pair of jeans cannot be fashionable and well-designed. One solution is to jump back to the 1990s and early 2000s when cargo pants were in style. On that note, the history of pockets is a little complex and goes back hundreds of years. Pockets originally started as pouches tied to garments. These pouches lead to both purses and pockets as we know them today, as reported by Embry Roberts of Today. However, things changed in the 1920s, “when women
co-opted menswear styles for themselves—and therein took back the pocket! What a time to be alive. (The right to vote was exciting, too. But come on, guys, the pocket.).� From there, well-designed pockets have been fading into the distance to make room for overpriced purses and skinny jeans. Slowly, they seem to be coming back for dresses. Some modern wedding dresses even feature decent pockets (yes, this pro-pocket wedding dress style has made it onto my Pinterest board). It is way past time for pockets to stay in women’s fashion and serve their intended purposes. All pants should be created equal. There is no reason for them not to be. Besides, what is a little more fabric in the big picture of pant and skirt designs? Pockets are a convenience all women should have at their sides, and I do not think anyone likes that fake seam of illusion convenience. If only I had a pocket for every time I had to ask a man to hold something for me.
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Rosalind Hutton
No matter what religion, race, sexuality, gender (or lack thereof) one identifies with, we are all humans, and we should have the decency to care for each other. Making a few changes to be more aware of and understanding of trans issues is not difficult. Transgender is not a dirty word, and it needs to be brought into everyday vocabulary. We should make sure to understand some basics about trans people, so as to eliminate the ignorance of so many others surrounding the topic. The first key to understanding transgender people is to understand gender is socially constructed—it is not something anyone is born with. Transitioning does not mean becoming a different gender. It is a social change in how one is perceived; they remain the gender with which they have always identified. A trans woman has always been a woman, she has just not always physically presented herself as a woman. There are many terms that fall under “transgender,� and sexual reassignment surgery is not the end-all goal
of all trans people. Being a transgender person does not necessarily mean identifying with the opposite gender one is assigned with at birth. It includes non-binary genders, like those who are gender fluid, gender queer or agender. Even the way we address transgender people calls for more attention. For starters, “transgender� is not a noun, it is an adjective; it should always have a noun following it. A person is not a “transgender� and a group of trans people are not “transgenders.� It should go without saying at this point that respecting people’s pronouns is important. If you are unsure of which pronouns to use, simply ask. It is better to ask than to assume. These are only a few basics that, if taken into account, will show great improvements in trans acceptance. All it takes is more coverage of transgender issues in the news, a basic understanding of transgender issues and human compassion to alter the saddening statistics surrounding trans people. So yes, it is time to talk about the “T� in LGBTQ. It is time to save lives and aid in making the quality of life better for all humans.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Life Editor/Emma Moffett
Managing Editor/Kristina Domitrovich News Editor/Katie Poe
Imagine living in a country where you are unsure of which bathroom you are allowed to use, where you are characterized as mentally ill and where you have no legal protection against discrimination in work or education in the majority of states. Infuriating, right? According to the Human Rights Campaign, this is the daily life for many transgender people. Transgender people deal with more than just legal discrimination. According to National Center for Transgender Equality, more than one in four trans people have been the victim of biasdriven assaults. Knowing this fact, there is far too little coverage of trans issues in the news. This lack of coverage leads to a lack of understanding, which enables unnecessary violence. Transgender people are not only facing violence from outside forces, though. In a study by the Human Rights Campaign, 41.8 percent of non-binary youth said they had attempted suicide. The life expectancy for transgender people is between 30-32 years of age according to Annie Murphy of NPR, which is unsettling and alarming. A raise in awareness for trans issues could save lives and reduce bigotry. Every person who is a member of the LGBTQ has a duty to protect trans people. This act of love would bring more attention, and could influence those outside of the LGBTQ to fight for the rights of trans people as well.
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Letters to the editor should be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. Letters may also be emailed to editor@reflector. msstate.edu. Letters must include name and telephone number for verification purposes. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish a letter.
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Student perspectives on study abroad programs Kendra Sanders’ Nordic summer HANNAH BLANKENSHIP STAFF WRITER
For Mississippi State University junior Kendra Sanders, chemistry does not conjure up memories of barren classrooms, but rather reminiscences of breathtaking waterfalls and lush landscapes. Sanders, a biological sciences major, participated in MSU’s faculty-led Alternative Energy Iceland and Scandinavia study abroad trip last summer. In quintessential Icelandic fashion, the students toured the country by bus on the one road that goes around the whole island. They stopped to see and experience various waterfalls, hikes and local cuisine. They even stopped
to do a polar plunge in the Atlantic Ocean, the coldest experience Sanders said she has had. According to Sanders, the Icelandic landscape was as beautiful and magnificent as she had heard from others. “I’ve always heard Greenland is icy and Iceland is green, and it was very true—so beautiful,” Sanders said. “It was very cold and very rainy while we were there, but there were flowers growing, there was grass and (it was) just very colorful and vibrant.” As for the study portion of the trip, the group toured various alternative energy facilities, including a greenhouse in Iceland where they ate soup made from tomatoes grown with a local natural energy source.
Sanders said the students split into groups and compiled a blog-type report of one of the countries they experienced on the trip. For extra credit, the students participated in karaoke competitions on the bus rides and in daily photo competitions in which winners received an Icelandic chocolate bar. The second and third weeks of the trip were spent in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, where the group experienced windmills, fjords, beaches, museums and local shops. Sanders said the experience was very valuable for expanding her perspective on the world. “I think it was just very enlightening to see what else is just outside the U.S. and outside of just college in
Kendra Sanders |Courtesy Photo
Junior Kendra Sanders smiles while she is on a fjord tour in Norway as the country’s flag waves behind her. Sanders spent last summer in studying in Iceland and Scandinavia.
different culture and food and just different people and
their perspective on life,” Sanders said.
“I chose Iceland because I am attracted to nature, and I thought it would be a natural setting with pretty views, and great for hiking and going on adventures,” Green said. “A group of friends I made on the trip went hiking together on a glacier in Iceland, which is in my opinion, a once-ina-lifetime opportunity, and I will never forget that.” Green said students do not have to leave the country they are studying abroad in when they have free time because there is just as much to do there. In Germany Garret Green|Courtesy Photo alone, he immersed himself Junior Garret Green, who is an MSU civil engineering major, hikes up a glacier in Iceland in his free time during his study abroad trip in Germany during the summer of 2018. in local culture around every “My class was in got to visit Iceland, France, Green said he often had the corner. “While in Germany, I Germany, but we had the England and Austria during freedom to choose what weekends off, so we could go my free time during my study excursions he wanted to visited multiple beer gardens, go on, which was a very and got to experience the on multiple adventures and abroad.” famous German beer,” While studying abroad, important factor. excursions,” Green said. “I
Green said. Due to being in a new environment, culture and overall country, Green said making friends is a must and a very important part of making the entire experience as enjoyable as possible. “I made a lot of new friends, and we still keep in touch today,” Green said. Green believes once students study abroad, they will be addicted and want to go again as soon as possible. Despite the cost of the trip, Green found the experiences proved to be more than worth it. “It is worth every penny and I would go back in a heartbeat, and I have even looked into more study abroad opportunities because it is that fun,” Green said.
general, and I really enjoyed getting to experience a
Garret Green’s summer in Iceland, France, England and Austria
TALLY DUKE STAFF WRITER
Garret Green, a junior civil engineering major at Mississippi State University, spent his summer 2018 studying abroad. Green travelled to different parts of Europe while with the MSU study abroad program. “I went to Germany for a technical writing class with some classmates from the engineering program from Mississippi State University,” Green said. “We were in Europe from June 20 until Aug. 4, 2018.” During his time overseas, Green went on multiple adventures across Europe and said he saw the world in a way he never had the opportunity to do before.
Ethan Worch’s summer in Germany EMMA KING
STAFF WRITER
Rachel Nix |Courtesy Photo
Senior Rachel Nix stands in front of one of the two cathedrals in located Salamanca, Spain during her International Studies Abroad trip to during the 2017 spring semester.
Rachel Nix’s semester in Spain SARAH ALLEN BOWMAN STAFF WRITER
Rachel Nix, a senior at Mississippi State University, studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain, in the spring of 2017. While many students choose to travel abroad through summer excursions offered by MSU, Nix wanted to find a program that allowed her to spend ample time in the Spanish-speaking country. A double-major in business management and Spanish, Nix is studying international business, a program which requires students to study abroad as a part of the curriculum. After deciding it was time to study abroad, Nix said she began researching programs that allowed her to spend a full semester in Spain. She found most of the programs offered and taught by MSU professors were offered in the summer, and decided to look at provider companies. She compared costs, schools and towns, finally she decided on attending the Universidad de Salamanca in Salamanca through the study aboard provider
called International Studies Abroad. “Salamanca is like the Starkville of Spain,” Nix said of the Spanish college town. Salamanca is located near Madrid, the capital of Spain, but is much calmer and smaller. It is filled with history and things to do, but is far less populated than Madrid. The Universidad de Salamanca has its own extensive history as well. While Nix was there, the university was celebrating its 800th birthday. It is one of the oldest universities in Europe, and much of Salamanca’s history has evolved around the university. The university is very popular for international students. Nix, along with students from America, France and China to name a few, attended courses in a special international area of the school called International Courses. Depending on an international student’s Spanish-speaking ability, they can take classes with all Spanish students or with all international students.
Students also have the option to take classes in Spanish or in English. Nix attended two classes taught in English, and two classes taught in Spanish. Nix said she loved International Studies Abroad and the support it provided her while abroad. They sent weekly emails about what was happening in the community in order to help their students get involved. They also provided excursions to places such as Lisbon, Portugal, Segovia, Spain and Sevilla, and organized activities such as a community garden and pickup soccer games. Being able to travel was Nix’ favorite part of her time abroad, and she said it was fairly easy to travel around Europe on her weekends and time off from school. “I learned about myself in relation to other cultures,” Nix said. In reference to her plans after college, Nix said her time studying abroad provided her with a perspective she feels will be important in working for an international company.
Ethan Worch, a native of Ocean Springs, said he found Berlin to be quite a change of pace from his hometown. Worch is an electrical engineering major with minors in computer science and German. By studying abroad in Berlin, he earned his last credits for his German minor. Worch traveled to Germany through the Mississippi State University Foreign Language Department’s six-week program. Alongside a group of fellow MSU students, Worch attended classes at a local language-learning center for non-native speakers over the span of a month and a half. Worch’s fellow students hailed from all around the world, including places like Japan, Columbia, Italy, Thailand, the Czech Republic, China and the Netherlands. Each class was conducted
Ethan Worch |Courtesy Photo
Left to right: Nathan Smith, Dani Schulze and Ethan Worch stand in front of Olympic Stadium in Berlin in the summer of 2017.
entirely in German, leaving students on a level playing field, despite their immensely different cultures. When they were not in class, Worch and his fellow study abroad students participated in many excursions across the country. These trips took them from museums in Berlin to places much farther from their new second home, such as Erfurt, Weimar and Dresden. During his stay in Germany, Worch and another MSU student lived with a
host family. This allowed Worch to learn and use even more German. Worch said he is glad he studied abroad, not only because he gained the necessary credits for his minor in German, but also because it allowed him to experience another culture he learned to love. “I look forward to the opportunity to return to Germany,” Worch said. “I would highly recommend the experience to anyone who is considering it.”
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Grimwood finds fairway with the Bulldogs HUNTER CLOUD SPORTS EDITOR
America is the land of opportunity, which is why Mississippi State University women’s golfer Ela Grimwood, a junior from Auckland, New Zealand, chose to leave New Zealand and continue to advance her golf career in the U.S. “It is kind of what everyone does in New Zealand because there aren’t as many people (from New Zealand) who play competitively in America,” Grimwood said. “So anyone who wants to keep going in their golf career will probably come over here.” Grimwood was first introduced to golf when she was six years old by her uncle a week before she moved out of England, where she was born, to the city of Auckland, New Zealand. “My uncle was just swinging a golf club in his backyard and I wanted to have a go, and when we got to New Zealand I joined a golf club right away,” Grimwood said. “When I was little, they would have junior day so I would play every week, and then they would have junior lessons like once every two or three weeks.” By middle school and high school, Grimwood started to play golf almost daily. From Auckland, New Zealand, to Starkville, it is about a 20-hour flight. Grimwood said it was because of Rica Tse, a golfer at MSU who graduated in 2015, that she came to MSU. “I was looking at schools
and there was this girl from the same area as me who graduated from Mississippi State off of the golf team, so I talked to her,” Grimwood said. “Through her, I got to here.” Grimwood said her first impression of Starkville was the people’s nice demeanor, and her first impressions of the MSU campus was its large size. Grimwood said she first came to campus at night. “Everything was so big. I
“On days when we have a tournament and everyone else thinks it is windy, then it is like not so bad for me. So I guess there is a bit of an edge there.” Another advantage of coming from New Zealand to the U.S. is when she goes home during the summer, it is winter in New Zealand and the weather is very similar to Mississippi winters. This allows her to practice while at home. “At the moment, with it
“If you are having a bad day, someone else is going to come in for you. It is nice to have a fall back, but also nice to work collectively on something rather than on your own the whole time.” -Ela Grimwood
saw the Hump and I actually thought it was the football stadium,” Grimwood said. “I thought this is massive, and then the next day I actually saw the football stadium and I was like, ‘Dang.’ It was a lot bigger than what I was expecting.” The wind in New Zealand can be intense, and Grimwood said the time spent playing in those winds have given her kind of an advantage when dealing with winds other golfers may not be used to. “I have played some courses with massive, massive winds,” Grimwood said.
being really wet, since when I go home over the summer it is winter at home and it is wet there,” Grimwood said. “I guess that kind of gives me an advantage because I got used to playing in it.” Grimwood said while the team practices by either improving their swing or lifting weights, so much of golf goes past experiences to adapt on the fly to weather and course conditions. “Before we get to tournaments we prepare as much as possible by working on our swing, and I guess more of our technique,”
Grimwood said. “By the time we get to the golf course, we practice in all conditions, including when it is this cold. We are kind of used to a lot of things, so we have to use our past experiences to work on what is going on on the day.” In most college tournaments, the final standings are based off the total score of a team, which is the best five players for each round and then the total number of round totals are added together. This is a little different because it is both individual and a team effort, something Grimwood said she likes. “It was kind of weird experience at first because we have played in team events at home but they were more of a match play,” Grimwood said. “Where as this one (is stroke play), it is kind of nice to have because it is not always reliant on you. So if you are having a bad day, someone else is going to come in for you. It is nice to have a fall back, but also nice to work collectively on something rather than on your own the whole time.” Grimwood said the golf team is very close—not only in practice or out on the course, but also outside of those things. “We will live with someone else on a team, we will go to dinners together. Sometimes if it is National Pancake Day, we will have pancakes,” Grimwood said. “It is not just on the golf course or at workouts, we actually like spending time together and we do so all the time.”
Trevor Birchett | MSU Athletics
Column: Pack the Hump THANKS for the seniors Saturday FOR MAKING US Rosalind Hutton
1
500 Russell stReet 323-PAPA(7272)
SAMUEL TAYLOR RAYBURN is a senior double majoring in communication and economics. Contact him at sports@reflector.msstate.edu
Four years ago, there was buzz around top-10 recruit Malik Newman and how he would carry Mississippi State University men’s basketball back to the NCAA tournament. However, there was another freshman on the team, Quinndary Weatherspoon, now a senior guard from Canton. Four years later, he has accomplished just what many thought Newman, who transferred after his freshman year, would do. Weatherspoon, along with Aric Holman, a senior forward from Owensboro, Kentucky, will play their last game in Humphrey Coliseum this Saturday when MSU takes on Texas A&M University. I know spring break starts on Friday, but I cannot stress enough how much these seniors deserve a full house on Saturday. The game is at 1 p.m., so there is plenty of time after to start a road trip. Unless you are going on a trip and leaving Friday or Saturday, be there to support Weatherspoon and Holman, because they have earned the right to receive the wellknown Bulldog support. Especially considering the lack of student support in the month of February. When Weatherspoon joined MSU his freshman year, the team was coming off their third losing season in a row, and was a combined 13-41 in those three years in conference play. The
#
“Let’s pack the Hump!”
program was at rock bottom. Now, in Weatherspoon’s senior season, they are a lock for the NCAA Tournament, and a projected six seed at that, according to ESPN’s Bracketology Expert Joe Lunardi. Weatherspoon and Holman are the centerpieces of the resurgence of MSU basketball. Weatherspoon has put together one of the more accomplished careers in MSU history. This season, he is averaging 18.8 points a game, second in the SEC, on 51.4 percent shooting, good for fourth in the SEC and the top number for guards in the conference. Weatherspoon is the consistent and constant driving force of this team. I will never forget his buzzer beater against Vanderbilt University his freshman year, or his buzzer beater against Baylor University in the NIT last season—a few of many special moments he gave this fan base. He has been the motor of this team for four years. Whenever the team gets into a dry spell, Weatherspoon was always there to drag them out. He carries this team on his back at times, willing them to victories. He is one of the greatest player’s in school history,
third all-time in scoring and only needs 76 points to pass Bailey Howell as second, and 188 points to pass Jeff Malone as the all-time leader. He has at least two games left this season, and could have more, depending on how deep MSU goes in the SEC and NCAA tournaments. Holman deserves just as much support. A projected first-round pick coming into the year, Holman struggled early on and lost his starting spot as a result but he handled the demotion in the most mature way possible. You do not see him complaining to the media, he comes in and works hard, and is starting to work his way out of his poor play. The two have given blood, sweat and tears for this university and its fans. The showing from students the last month was pitiful and totally undeserved for the type of team this school has. Send off the two players, who played a vital role in the revival of MSU basketball in the right way, with a standing ovation from a loud student body. They have earned it, and every available student should be there to cheer them on in their last game. They have given so much for this school; our attendance is the least we can give back to them.
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