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132nd YEAR ISSUE 23
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2017
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
Starkville church properties violate city codes KATIE POE
STAFF WRITER
At the Board of Aldermen meeting last week, the City of Starkville found two church properties in violation of city codes, and gave them 60 days to bring the areas to compliance. The two churches are Antioch Baptist Church and Second Baptist Church. During the meeting, City Planning and Community Development Director Buddy Sanders showed the board a video and photos of the properties. It depicted Antioch Baptist Church with busted windows, unhinged shingles and growing vines on one side. Olivia Zeringue | The Reflector About a year ago, The Starkville Board of Aldermen gave the Antioch Baptist Church 60 days to fix their current state of disrepair and meet city codes. Antioch Baptist Church was inspected and designated a would be made, but no work Perkins said the city has the building does not get state of disrepair. The city was done to fix the church. consistently enforced laws special treatment because it Vice Mayor Roy A. and ordinances, and said is a church. was told improvements
“It is very unfortunate that this is a house of God,” Perkins said. “I fully support churches. I stand by churches and want them to do their best. Of course, I believe in grace and mercy, but here the time has expired.” He said the city has been patient with Antioch Baptist Church, but it must enforce the law. Perkins said beautification is one of the city’s top priorities, spending “millions of dollars” on the area where the church is located. He said the church is not aesthetically pleasing and is in terrible condition. “I’ve visited this site very recently, and this property is certainly in a very dilapidated state,” Perkins said. “This board that is sitting has taken very strenuous measures
to improve the quality of life and appearance in our city...We cannot just sit idle and allow this dilapidated structure to remain as-is.” Antioch Baptist Church Pastor Mary Carr said she is aware the 105-yearold church needs to be improved, but it has faced some obstacles which have prevented progress. “There has always been a longing and a heart desire to fix the church, but due to death of members, decreasing membership and lack of financial support, we find ourselves in this situation at hand,” said Carr. She said they plan to address the infrastructure, make upgrades and stabilize the roof. She said a group, which wishes to remain nameless, has stepped forward to fix the roof. CHURCHES, 2
Michael Sam sheds light on the LGBT community KATIE POE
STAFF WRITER
Jenn McFadden, The Reflector
SA Recap: Senate rolls through 19 pieces of legislation to end the semester DYLAN BUFKIN STAFF WRITER
The Nov. 14 Student Association Senate meeting marked the last business meeting of the semester. Understandably, the meeting was filled with legislation. A total of 19 different acts, bills and resolutions were discussed during the meeting, including previously failed legislation covered earlier this year. Because the legislation was so numerous and varied, it will be listed here by category, rather than
chronologically for easier comprehension: one act, six resolutions and nine bills. Act 10 was passed, to appropriate funds for Bulldogs for Liberty and the Black Student Association. Resolution 36 showed student support for the idea of online evaluations for teachers and assistants, rather than the current model of using physical forms. The goal is to remove in-class time constraints and improve anonymity. SENATE, 2
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On Nov. 15, the Student Association presented Michael Sam, one of the first openly gay college football and NFL players, as a speaker for this year’s Fall Lecture Series. Sam was named the Southeastern Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 for his excellent football performance at the University of Missouri. Sam was drafted in the seventh round of the 2014 draft by the St. Louis Rams. After being waived by both the St. Louis Rams and the Dallas Cowboys, Sam played in the Canadian Football league for the Montreal Alouettes. After a tumultuous 2015 season with the Alouettes, Sam retired from professional football, citing mental health reasons. Now, Sam has decided to speak about his struggles in life and provide his insight into the LGBT community. Riley Reeves, codirector of Special Events
in SA, explained why SA wanted to bring Sam to the Fall Lecture Series. “This year, as part of the Student Association, we were trying to be more diverse in who we brought to campus, as to represent the entire student body at Mississippi State, so that is why we are bringing Michael Sam,” Reeves said. “Hopefully, he will attract a broad, diverse audience, and hopefully, we can hear his inspiring story. We chose Michael because, first of all, he is a very well-known person. He played in the NFL, he was on dancing with the stars, and he’s an ESPY, and along with the diverse population that he can bring to the speech, we thought he would be a great choice for this year’s Fall Speaker.” Sam’s speech was his own personal story. He prefaced his speech with his own hopes on what his speech would bring. “Hopefully you guys will get something out of it,” Sam said. “Maybe a new perspective of the LGBT
Office of Public Affairs | Courtesy Photo
Former NFL player Michael Sam speaks for the MSU Student Associationʼs Fall Lecture series.
community, the AfricanAmerican community and a
little bit about yourselves.” SAM, 5
Court of Appeals comes to MSU JORDAN DARENSBOURG STAFF WRITER
A special event geared toward political science and criminal justice majors took place in the Hunter Henry Center on Wednesday. The event, entitled “Court On The Road,” brought the process of an actual hearing in the Mississippi Court of Appeals to the campus of Mississippi State University. In this event, two cases were presented back-toback, one involving a couple who were killed in an
accident involving a sheriff ’s deputy on MS-6 in Panola County. The plaintiffs were the deceased couple’s estate, while Panola County was the defendant. One of the students who attended was Avis Alexander, a senior criminology major from Gloster, said the organizers did well to put on the event. “This is actually the first court case I came to at Mississippi State,” Alexander said. “And I really like the environment, I really think it was structured well.” Another student who
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attended the event was Reashley London, a senior political science major from McComb. London said the event helped her with her future plans. “I want to be a lawyer one day, so this actually gained me some type of experience to make sure I have facts and evidence to back up my claim,” London said. In the case, the plaintiffs had what is called the burden of proof, therefore the estate was the first to present their argument. In their argument, the plaintiffs claimed the officer had run a stop sign at
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an intersection, causing the couple’s vehicle to ram the officer, killing the couple. However, in their argument, the plaintiff had referred to a graph which was not visible to the audience. London said she noticed this, and she could not make a real determination because of it. “(The plaintiff) just kept referring the graph, and I think that there wasn’t enough evidence to really support his claim because he just kept saying ‘if you look at the graph’,” London said. Read more at reflector-online.com
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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2017
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CHURCHES
BAD DAWGS Tuesday, Nov. 14 12:53 p.m. Resident of City was arrested in Fresh Foods parking lot for speeding 33/20, expired driver’s license and possession of marijuana in motor vehicle. Subject also had active warrants with OCSO. Justice Court citations were issued. 7:55 p.m. Student was issued postarrest citation and referral for possession of marijuana in Zacharias Village parking lot. 9:44 p.m. Officer reported losing flashlight at an unknown location, last seen on Nov. 9. Wednesday, Nov. 15 5:08 a.m. Custodian reported the door handle to the basement was pulled off the hinge. 12:01 p.m. Employee reported missing items during an audit in Etheredge Hall. 2:16 p.m. Employee reported missing items during an audit in Campus Landscape. 9:19 p.m. Resident of City/County was arrested on Stone Blvd for speeding 39/20, expired driver’s license and no insurance. Justice Court citations issued. Subject also had a bench warrant from Clay County. Thursday, Nov. 16 1:50 a.m. Resident of City/County reported his vehicle stolen, and it was later found in Clay County.
The BOA voted to give the church until Jan. 16, 2018, to come up with a report. While Second Baptist Church’s building is sound, the BOA said a section of its property is violating city codes. The church started a construction project two years ago to expand the building, but the soil has not been touched since. The church has been tied up in litigation with the original contractor, which has paused construction. Sanders said there is a safety issue with chert, a specific type of sedimentary rock, laying around in piles, pipes sticking out of the ground and tall vegetation. Perkins said he has received many complaints about the property and
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called the area an “eyesore.” “This is not the Second Baptist that this community is used to,” Perkins said. “A lot of my friends who were members of this church. If they were living this mess wouldn’t be there.” Second Baptist Church Pastor Joseph Stone asked the BOA to understand the situation. “I’m simply asking the board to be considerate of the members of our church,” Stone said. “We are in litigation, we do know something needs to be done with the building construction project. I’m asking that you allow me to have serious business for Dec. 10, allow me to place it on the agenda and let the congregation decide whether or not to apply
for a building permit, or whether or not to cover as it’s been proposed, putting out grass seeds.” Alderman Ben Carver said the BOA should give Second Baptist Church more than 60 days to solve the issue. “I think that it didn’t need to be pushed tonight,” Carver said. “It’s not timesensitive, in my opinion. Given a 60-day extension, I don’t know that any litigation is going to be solved within 60 days.” He also said the public should not have been made aware of the issue. “My thoughts on this are, in total honesty, I kind of wish it never would have been brought to the public spectrum. I guess it’s a sad day when you’re brought to
SENATE Resolution 37 expressed student support for round-up donations at POD vendors around campus to support the Green Fund during Green Week at Mississippi State University. The resolution also includes the possibility of other round-up donations around campus. Resolution 38 shows student support for the preservation of Section 117(d) of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Sec. 117(d) which is currently being discussed in the U.S. Congress. The section prevents graduate students’ tuition deductions and stipends from being taxable income, but currently, the section
Mississippi State University 2017 Fall Commencement Ceremonies December 8th, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. Processional begins at 9:00 a.m. Doors open at 8:00 a.m.
December 8th, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. Processional begins at 3:30 p.m. Doors open at 2:30 p.m.
Humphrey Coliseum
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is under discussion. This resolution is being sent to all of Mississippi’s U.S. Congressional members, in hopes the section survives. Resolution 39 asks for recycling bins to be placed in every residence hall. As of right now, there is only a recycling bin in Moseley Hall. Resolution 40 calls for Boy’s/Girl’s State, a high school student government program in Mississippi, scholarships to apply to transfer students, too. Resolution 42 called for the construction of a crosswalk on the intersection of Blackjack Road and Hardy Road, providing a safer and more efficient connection between the Helix apartment complex and campus. Resolution 43 calls for CPR training for Residence Advisors and Residence Directors, but after discussion over how much the program would cost and how it would implemented, the resolution was tabled until the next session. Resolution 44 shows student support for crosswalk
The University Registrar announces detailed graduation information regarding regalia, invitations, photographs, and marching instructions. This information is available at www.registrar.msstate.edu, under students/graduation for you to view and/or print.
etiquette information to be distributed in some manner during orientation. Bill 24 now requires the appropriations chair to submit a budget report to the Senate at the end of every calendar month. Bill 25 requires a Senator to be notified if he or she is under threat of dismissal for absences, and they can now formally challenge the dismissal if they believe they are wrongly accused. Bill 26 allows senators to vote by proxy on old business, meaning business previously discussed in a meeting, in which they were present to discuss. However, the senator must tell the Vice President of their absence and their vote ahead of the meeting. Bill 27 defines abstention in the constitution as a removal of the abstaining senator from the total number of votes, which was a point of debate during the discussion of Bill 21 earlier in the year. Bill 28 makes the role of a parliamentarian, which is a person who advises procedure in the Senate optional, considering the
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a board meeting to discuss something on a church matter,” Carver said. Alderman Jason Walker said the remedial action for the church would be to cover the bare soil with seed, let it take root and when the church gets a new building permit, the seed can be removed and construction can start. “I’m as hopeful as any of you that y’all are going to get through this process and you’re going to expand your church and you’re going to continue to be a vibrant church,” Walker said. The BOA voted to allow the churches to have 60 days to comply to the city’s codes, and there will be a public hearing on the issues Dec. 7.
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parliamentarian is not currently used. SA combined Bills 29 and 32 into one bill, which will allow meetings related to legislature to count as office hours. In addition, three missed office hours equates to one missed Senate meeting. Each senator can only miss three meetings each term. These bills were both modified takes on Bill 21, which failed in October, attempting to impose punishment for unexcused absences. Bill 31 was the most contentious piece of legislation discussed on the floor. In an effort to be more inclusive, the bill tried to prevent executives in the SA from running for Mr. and Ms. MSU, and Homecoming Court. The counter argument was the bill only excluded people from running, rather than including anyone currently unable to run. While the SA executives do have a role in both programs, they are never directly involved in selection or judgement. Therefore, it seemed to many senators as an exclusive bill and not inclusive. The bill failed to pass, by vote of 56 to two.
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Starkville Weekend Preview WILL WELLS
SUDOKU
LIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
A wide variety of events will take place on campus and in Starkville this weekend. The T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability will hold their annual fun run with all proceeds going toward “Project IMPACT,” a program benefitting young children with disability. While Mississippi State University’s football team is on the road this weekend, sports fans can watch MSU volleyball, men’s basketball and women’s basketball games on campus this weekend. Those interested in learning more about agriculture or philosophy can attend a free lecture about either subject on campus Friday. Fans of gospel music can attend the Black Voices Gospel Choir’s fall concert at Beth-El M.B. Church on Saturday. Agricultural Economics Lecture What: Seong Yun, MSU assistant professor of resource and environmental economics, will present a lecture entitled “Human Behavior Data Reveals that Population Growth Rates of U.S. Scallops Change with Sea Surface Temperature” as part of the Department of Agricultural Economics’ brown bag seminar series. Attendees can bring their own lunch to the seminar.
When: Noon Friday in the Lloyd-Ricks-Watson Building, room 310. Philosophy Lecture What: Christian Miller, A.C. Reid Professor of Philosophy from Wake Forest University, will present a lecture entitled “Generosity: A Surprisingly Neglected Virtue.” When: 2 p.m. Friday in McCain Hall, room 175. T.K. Martin Fun Run What: The T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability’s annual fun run will take place this weekend with all proceeds going to “Project IMPACT.” Registration for the run begins at 5 p.m. for a cost of $20 for an individual or $35 for two or more participants When: 6 p.m. Friday at the T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability. Volleyball vs. the University of Missouri What: Mississippi State
University’s volleyball team will take on the University of Missouri Tigers. When: 7 p.m. Friday in the Newell-Grissom Building. Men’s Basketball vs. Florida A&M University What: MSU’s Men’s basketball team will face off against the Florida A&M University Rattlers. When: 1 p.m. Saturday at Humphrey Coliseum. Gospel Concert What: Black Voices Gospel Choir will host their fall concert at Beth-El M.B. Church on Saturday evening. When: 6:45 p.m. Saturday at Beth-El M.B. Church.
An in-class distraction
Women’s Basketball vs. the University of Southern Mississippi What: MSU’s Women’s basketball team will take on the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. When: 2 p.m. Sunday at Humphrey Coliseum.
November 14 puzzle solutions
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Well worth the drive! 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 in Club Info. Information may be submitted by email to club_info@reflector. msstate.edu with the subject heading “CLUB INFO,” or a form may be completed at The Reflector office in the Student Media Center. A contact name, phone number and requested run dates must be included for club info to appear in The Reflector. All submissions are subject to exemption according to space availability.
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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017 @REFLECTORONLINE
OPINION
Evangelicals and Republicans need to stop defending Alabama’s Roy Moore Beth Reinhard and Alice Crites for The Washington Post, there was definitely inappropriate behavior toward the young girls by Moore, who was 32 at the time. The women were flattered at the time, but now feel disgusted a man so old would want to take teenagers out on dates, which he frequently did. Despite these claims, Moore may still receive support from evangelicals. According to the Public Religion Research Institute, 72 percent of evangelicals believe elected officials who have committed immoral acts in their personal life can still perform their political duties in an ethical manner. The Republican party is supported by a majority of white evangelicals. However, there should be extreme caution in cases involving sexual assault because of the severity of the issue. This will raise questions for evangelical voters: is worth supporting someone who may advocate the protection of their beliefs at the expense of ruining their image if the allegations are true? The GOP is definitely weighing their options as
HUNTER CLOUD
is a freshman majoring in communication. Contact him at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.
A judge is someone who is supposed to have high moral standing. Although they do not have to be perfect, they must be close to it. They also should be responsible in wielding their power. However, Alabama senatorial candidate Roy Moore may have been morally corrupt before becoming a judge. Five women accused the former judge of sexual assault when they were teenagers and he was a prosecutor, according to Jonathan Martin and Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times. The allegations come four weeks before the election for an Alabama senate seat in Washington D.C. In an extensive report by Stephanie McCrummen,
Jenn McFadden, The Reflector these accusations come at a horrible time, four weeks before the election. If the accusations are true, the GOP will surely see him removed from the U.S. Senate if he wins. In the history of the U.S., 15 people have been expelled from the Senate. 14 were from the Civil War era,
according to Jessica Estepa from USA Today, and there have been a few who have resigned before expulsion. If Moore is elected, and the allegations are true, the Senate must vote a two-third majority to expel him. Amidst the sexual assault allegations in Hollywood, victims are hopefully feeling
comfortable coming forward and telling their stories. Perhaps there is a chance to create a space free of judgment for victims to share their stories, or maybe one already exists, like a church. Whether he is guilty or not, this is an opportunity for evangelicals to give the victims of sexual assault a
safe space, allowing them to come forward. The sooner this happens, the more likely the justice system can reach a verdict. A line has to be drawn on when it is acceptable to break away from partisanship for the sake of your party winning and alleged sexual assault.
Artificial intelligence could America is losing by sitting be devastatingly dangerous out of new Pacific trade deal DYLAN BUFKIN
STEVEN WEIRICH
is a freshman majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
Artificial intelligence is quickly advancing. In 1964 the first major AI, ELIZA, was built, and it could only hold a conversation from a script. Now, AIs like Apple’s Siri, Windows’ Cortana and Amazon’s Alexa can interpret human dialogue to an amazing degree, and fulfill commands. It is benign now, but AI is something with which society needs to be cautious. AI has the possibility of creating a human society so advanced we cannot even imagine it, but it also has the capability of upheaving our societal system and upheaving us with it. Steven Hawking, one of the world’s leading scientists, warned, “The full development of artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.” The full development Hawking refers to is superintelligence. Nick Bostrom, a philosophy professor at Harvard University, defines superintelligence as intellect surpassing the human brain. The prospect of a superintelligent AI presents us with something smarter than any regular human could ever be, and it ultimately may not want to be controlled or limited by its creator. All sentient life has an innate desire to not die, so why would an AI be any different? Someone may intend to shut the AI off, but the AI may not want this to
is a senior majoring in economics. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
Jenn McFadden, The Reflector
happen. It may do anything to ensure it cannot be killed. In fact, it may evolve or learn how to break free from its control, for after all, it would be the smartest being in the world. Because a superintelligent AI is actually thinking, we do not know for certain if an AI will do something. A superintelligent AI may decide to go along with humans before getting bored, then decide it wants to change up the status quo for fun. The AI development community must understand the ramifications of a superintelligent AI, so now let us assume we have been either able to impede the creation of superintelligence or superintelligence is inherently benevolent. The main problem will be automation. History is full of examples of technology assisting humans, which destroys and creates jobs. The difference now is AI will be a technology which will adapt and think for itself, taking humans out of the labor market entirely. In 2016, Google’s automated car had driven two million miles with only 14 total accidents. Thirteen of
those were caused by other cars, which is statistically better than an average teenage driver. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows there were 3,428,010 jobs in the transportation sector of the economy. If Google mass-produces its self-driving program, which does not have to be paid, does not get tired and does not miss work, an entire sector of the economy is gone. As AI becomes more advanced and cost effective, we need to be prepared for the inevitable automation accompanying it. All of this is not meant to fear-monger, it is meant to show we need to see this coming. From various surveys Bostrom conducted to AI specialists, he predicts superintelligent AI has a 50 percent chance to exist by 2040. This does not mean we should be afraid. It means we should be prepared. We should be ready for its eventuality, and for the ramifications of its discovery. It may be that superintelligence is at least 100 years away, but we need to start planning now, before it surprises us in the future.
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“Either way, America will watch 11 other nations offer us a collective, ‘ bye, Felicia,’ and move forward with the trade deal.” There are two reasons this reflects poorly on America. First, we would have benefitted economically from several provisions in the deal. According to an article by Rajeshni Naidu-Ghelani for BBC, a crucial part of the agreement was the removal or reduction in tariffs which confront U.S. exporters. For instance, U.S. vehicle exports into Vietnam would have likely increased once the 70 percent tariff was removed. U.S. farmers also would have seen their export numbers grow, as tariffs on products such as soybeans and poultry would have been reduced or eliminated. American consumers would likely have benefitted as well, as it would have become cheaper to purchase vehicles from Japanese companies,
such as Toyota and Honda. The second reason why America now looks foolish deals with the political aspect of the original agreement. According to a CNN article by Daniel Shane, the expected benefits of the deal were not entirely economic. A key country left out of the talks was China. This was because the agreement was also supposed to serve as a check on Chinese hegemony in the Pacific region. Several other Asian countries, especially Japan, were eager to counter the growing Chinese economic influence. China has not made a reputation as a scrupulous trading partner, as their investments often come with strings attached, such as requirements for other countries to use Chinese materials and workers. Ironically, despite the fact Trump talked such a big game on countering China on the trade front, he handed them a huge victory by pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in January. It is no wonder why Xi Jinping put on such a fabulous parade for our president last week. For now though, it looks as if China will not be able to pull as many Pacific Rim countries under their influence as they may have hoped, as the other countries in this deal will work to hammer out the final details over the next few months. I have no idea what Trump will decide to do about this amended deal, and I will offer no predictions as to what his actions will be. All I know, at least for the moment, is America will sit by as global trade policy moves forward without us at the table. President Trump was right; I think I am getting tired of all this winning.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Life Editor/Will Wells
Managing Editor/Kristina Domitrovich News Editor/Josh Beck
Last week, 11 Pacific Rim nations came to an agreement on implementing a new trade deal, called the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. The group is comprised of nations from both the eastern and western sides of the Pacific Ocean, including Canada, Japan, Singapore and Australia. If the name of the deal rings a bell, it is because this was formerly the group who was going to create the Trans-Pacific Partnership. In fact, of the 12 nations involved in drafting the TPP, 11 of those countries are completing negotiations for the new Pacific trade deal. As you likely already guessed, the one nation who will not be included is the United States. According to a report for the Council on Foreign Relations by James McBride, while the U.S. has been a leader on creating a global trade network for decades, President Donald Trump has taken a different path. In January, one of his first acts in office was removing the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He stated he thought he would be more capable of negotiating bilateral agreements instead of engaging in a multi-lateral deal like the partnership. Although he has started a round of renegotiations for NAFTA, Trump has not done much else with regards
to those bilateral deals he was so certain he could deliver. In fairness to the president, many of the presidential candidates in 2016 spoke about their desire to withdraw the U.S. from the agreement. If we had elected a different president, we would possibly face the same challenges. Either way, America will watch 11 other nations offer us a collective, “bye, Felicia,” and move forward with the trade deal.
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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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The Reflector is the official student newspaper of Mississippi State University. Content is determined solely by the student editorial staff. The contents of The Reflector have not been approved by Mississippi State University.
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The Reflector staff strives to maintain the integrity of this paper through accurate and honest reporting. If we publish an error we will correct it. To report an error, call 325-7905.
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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT
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MSU’s Fashion Board returns to the runway HannaH East
Contributing WritEr
Mississippi State University’s Fashion Board’s second runway show this semester will take place on Nov. 29. The board consists of a diverse group of students with different interests working toward the common goal of promoting artistry of all kinds. Mary Sullivan Benton, president of the board and senior communication major from Birmingham, Alabama, has been a member of MSU’s fashion board since her freshman year, and previously served as the group’s vice president of communication. She oversees several committees, and handles the internal and external communication. Benton said Fashion Board is unlike any other organization on campus because it brings creativity and beauty to the community, allowing students to express themselves in a productive way. She said the group is a great way for students to gain experience and skills, even if fashion is not their major. “I want to have a career that is in the fashion industry, but similar to the position I have now where it is more of the business side of it,” Benton said. Michelle Jean, a junior fashion design and merchandising major from Franklin, Tennessee, said she believes it is very important for colleges to offer a diverse range of majors, including artistically-influenced majors. She said it is better to encourage more than one interest for students, so they have more opportunities in the future. A member of the Fashion
Jordan Henderson |Courtesy Photo
The members of MSU’s Fashion Board put on their first show of the semester, entitled “House of Mirrors,” on Oct. 11. The group’s second show of the semester will take place on Nov. 29.
Board’s backstage crew and vendor relations committee, Jean aids in the setup and preparation of the school’s fashion shows. The day of a show, committee members pick up clothes to be showcased from businesses around Starkville and Columbus. The backstage crew is not only in charge of prop design and stage setup, but the theme of the show as well. “The whole team works together on the theme,” Jean said. “We’ll bounce ideas off each other and expand on certain ones until we have a solid vision.” Lydia Neuhoff, junior English major from Pelham, Alabama, also contributes to MSU’s fashion board. She is a makeup artist
SAM Sam described his early childhood: how he lived with 6 siblings, how he lost two brothers, how his father left and the abuse of his remaining brothers due to their gang activity. “I got death threats from my own flesh and blood,” Sam said. However, Sam said football offered an outlet. After convincing his mother to let him play, Sam was on his path to the NFL. Playing football all through high school, Sam realized he wanted to play in college. Sam diligently applied himself to his schoolwork, and as a result, was admitted to the University of Missouri in 2009. Instead of focusing on his impressive success on the football field during college, Sam explained the elation he felt on
member and a writer for the fashion department’s magazine “Etre.” Neuhoff said she has always enjoyed makeup, and as she has grown older,
“I really think having this experience with the Fashion Board will help me later on.” -Lydia Neuhoff, junior English major it has become more of an expression of her personal style than the traditional sense of the word. For the fashion shows, the makeup team has 20 CONTINUED FROM 1
graduation day. “The happiest day of my life was when my name was called, and I looked in the stands and saw tears just rolling down my mom’s face,” Sam said. “[It] was the proudest moment of my life.” He described how he discovered his sexuality his freshman year of college, but did not come out as gay until his senior year, which was gladly accepted by his team. Shortly after being drafted by the Rams, Sam publicized his sexuality on ESPN. The climax of the speech was Sam recalling one of his teammates asking him to speak to a family member of his, who was also a member of the LGBT community. The family member told Sam about her struggles from being bullied by family and
minutes to ready each model for his or her presentation of clothing in a way to complements the specific outfit. Neuhoff draws
friends for her sexuality, and how it had led her to attempt suicide. Sam adamantly explained the importance of being there for others, because sometimes a seemingly small gesture can have a profound impact on a person’s life. “I detest bullies more than anything in the world. I do. I detest bullies more than anything in the world because I was bullied by those who were supposed to protect me,” Sam said. “My mindset changed. I started reading people’s stories, who had been e-mailing me and contacting me over the past few weeks or few months actually, and I just couldn’t read what I was reading. Guys, if you take the time and start listening to people’s stories, I swear you might change somebody. You might save somebody’s life.”
inspiration for these individual looks by focusing on one aspect, and developing from there. “Of course we are all the product of what we
consume,” Neuhoff said. “I usually find one thing I really like, from YouTube videos or other makeup tutorials I’ve seen, and I build off of that.” Neuhoff said it is refreshing to relate to so many other students who are more untraditional and artistic-minded. She said she enjoys combining two of her passions as a writer for the board’s magazine. “My dream job would be working for a creative company like BuzzFeed or Vogue, and being able to write about makeup and new style trends,” Neuhoff said. “I really think having this experience with the Fashion Board will help me later on.” Jesse Newton, former Fashion Board designer and current junior designer at
Rialto Jean Project in New York City, graduated from MSU in the spring with a degree in fashion design and merchandising. “Fashion board was so good to me,” Newton said. “I learned how to think quickly, organize and plan a runway show, and I worked with the social media team to create content for the Instagram feed.” Newton said the fashion and human sciences departments helped create opportunities to excel as a student. Newton said it is important to proactively create opportunities for oneself. Newton was a featured designer at the 2016 Kansas City Fashion Week, a couture intern under Iva Ksenevich in Moscow, Russia, and a volunteer model coach for the Starkville 4-H program. He said it was significant he constantly added to his resume and portfolio to give himself the greatest chance of success when entering the fashion industry. He said seeing his mother’s reaction to his creation coming down the runway at the 2017 Gatsby Gala was a moment he will never forget. “It was a very simple, elegant, backless gown that was inspired after my mother,” Newton said. “She is this truly beautiful, classic Southern woman who I love dearly.” Newton said although he wants to stay in New York for a few years, he eventually plans to return to the south to be closer to friends and family. “Eventually, I’d love to get my masters and teach fashion design to future generations, maybe even at MSU,” Newton said.
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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16 2017 @SPORTSREFLECTOR
SPORTS
One man down, next man up for MSU’s wide receivers TAYLOR RAYBURN SPORTS EDITOR
Noah Siano | The Reflector
Deddrick Thomas, a sophomore from Memphis, Tennessee, celebrates his first career touchdown in MSUʼs 49-0 win over Charleston Southern.
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Down two starting wide receivers, with a third limited due to injuries after having lost another in the spring, No. 16 Mississippi State University (7-3, 3-3 SEC) had to find someone to step up and fill the void, and everyone did so. This football season, injuries have continued to hit the receivers, with Gabe Myles continuing to bounce on and off the field after MSU already lost a projected starter in Malik Dear before the season. Then a leader in catches, Donald Gray, went down against Texas A&M University. Next was a leader in receiving yards Keith Mixon who has missed two games and was limited against the University of Alabama. Receiver Deddrick Thomas said it does not put more pressure on anyone else because the players came to MSU to play. “This is what you came here for,” Thomas said. “This is why you get recruited, this is why you go through that whole process.” Despite it all, quarterback Nick Fitzgerald still threw the second most yards he has this season against an SEC opponent on Saturday, in the 24-31 loss to Alabama. How did it happen with so many injuries among the usual playmakers? Simple, instead of one dominant receiver stepping up and taking over the game, Fitzgerald, a junior from Richmond Hill, Georgia, spread the ball around, and everyone stepped up. He completed his first 10 passes
on Saturday to different players. “Guys made some really great catches, beating man coverage and beating zone (coverage),” Fitzgerald said. “It was not exactly the goal to spread it around, but whoever was open was open.” Head coach Dan Mullen complimented the receivers work ethic and them stepping up. Especially for their “Coach, give me the opportunity, I’ll find a way to make a play,” attitude.
“Th is is what you came here for. Th is is why you get recruited, this is why you go through that whole process.” -Deddrick Th omas, MSU receiver “There are a lot of teams out there like the team we played, they were looking and basically just throwing it to one guy, saying, ‘We’ve got the one guy; we’re going to throw it to him and scheme it up to get to that guy,’” Mullen said. “That’s not how we’ve been. We’re going to distribute and take what the defense gives us. The benefit of doing that is to be able to, when you have the massive amounts of injuries the way we’ve had at receiver, still be confident out there that the next guy up will go make the play.” In the end, no one caught the ball more than two times, so instead of one receiver
having to take a massive step up, it was everyone taking a little bit of the load. Thomas, a sophomore from Memphis, Tennessee, said it showed Fitzgerald’s trust in everyone from the receiver group. “It starts with trust,” Thomas said. “So for him to have trust with us and deliver the ball to each and every receiver is great.” While having success through the air, MSU is still a run-first football team. MSU runs the spread and often tries to get Fitzgerald or a running back outside, but the only way for those plays to work is for receivers to block well. Receivers are generally known as flashy players who do not want to get their hands dirty with things like blocking, but at MSU, the receivers take pride in getting down field and making blocks. “If you can’t block, you can’t play,” Thomas said. “If you can’t protect your brothers, running back, quarterbacks, whoever has the ball, how can trust you to run to a middle route.” The receivers will have to step up once again as MSU travels on the road this weekend to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to take on the University of Arkansas (46, 1-5 SEC). Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. and CBS will broadcast the game. “For the most part this season, I think we’ve improved from one week to the next. That challenge is still ahead of us,” Mullen said. “Obviously going on the road against an excellent team, we’re going to have to do that and improve this week off last week’s performance.”
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