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Nick Gibson provides depth page 6

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Flex dollars should s t r e t c h farther

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132nd YEAR ISSUE 19

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2017

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

Hospital debate heats up in the ﬁnal days DYLAN BUFKIN STAFF WRITER

The ﬁnal vote to determine the fate of OCH Regional Medical Center is quickly approaching and both sides’ efforts throughout this year will culminate during the Starkville special election on Nov. 7. The issue was initially discussed in 2016 by the County Board of Supervisors, who wanted to put the hospital up for sale. The movement quickly faltered, as the hospital’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted against the sale. Shortly after, the Greater Starkville Development Partnership followed the Board’s example and opposed the idea as well. However, in May of this year, a petition gained enough votes, more than 1,500, to force the issue to a public vote in November, instead of strictly leaving the decision to the hospital’s Board of Trustees. Dr. Richard G. Hilton, the CEO of the OCH and main proponent to keeping the hospital locally run and operated, said his job since the Board’s decision is ﬁrst and foremost to educate the public about the issue. “The direction to me was given to oppose the efforts and they said to me,

‘We want you to educate the public about our services-keep them focused on what we do and what we do well,” Hilton said. “We want you to oppose those efforts [the Board’s efforts] and we want you to correct any information that is misleading or misinforming.’” Tactics-wise, Hilton referred to the hospital’s efforts on local TV, newspaper, social media and the hospital’s services themselves as ways the OCH attempted to get its message out. Despite the hospital being prohibited to spend money to directly inﬂuence public opinion, OCH has effectively reached the citizens of Starkville. Mary Kathryn Kight, the head of public relations for the OCH, said OCH’s past successes should prove to the residents of Oktibbeha County the hospital does not need to be sold. “We hope that what we’ve done for the past 45 years has shown the public that we continue to grow, that we continue to add services and recruit physicians,” Kight said. “Not just what we’ve done lately, but we feel like we’ve always been a good service to our community.” Hilton said the hospital plans to secure an afﬁliation deal if the result of the election is not to sell. The deal would pool resources

Olivia Zeringue | The Reﬂector

The controversial vote to sell OCH Regional Medical Center to private entities will take place during the Oktibbeha County special election from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Nov. 7.

from two medical entities in order to improve patient care without the hospital losing ownership. On the other side of the argument, Orlando Trainer is the president of the Board of Supervisors and long-time advocate for the hospital being sold. Trainer said it is an emotionally charged issue, but when viewed from a realistic point of view, the choice is clear. “I think what we have is

a situation where there’s a lot of emotional perspectives, probably on both sides, and I can understand that,” Trainer said. “However, I think we don’t need to pass up on the opportunity and really be realistic about the lay of land.” Trainer’s efforts to reach the public has centered around convincing people the grass is greener on the other side. Trainer is quick to point out the success of other community hospitals

Politicians aim for younger demographic WILL WELLS

LIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Political campaign signs are visible on every main street and corner, all vying for Starkville residents’ attention as the special elections draw near. Although Mississippi State University students were likely aware of last year’s elections at both the local and national level, many forget off-year elections. Though these elections do not garner the same amount of coverage, the importance of the election is not nulliﬁed. Starkville residents who make their way to the ballot box on Nov. 7 will face several decisions which will impact the area. Elections will take place for the local Mississippi House of Representatives’ seat, the Oktibbeha County district 1 constable, Oktibbeha County chancery clerk and the Oktibbeha County circuit clerk. There will also be a referendum on the ballot to decide whether Oktibbeha County should sell OCH Regional Medical Center or not. A key element of offyear campaigning is not only convincing people who are voting to vote the way a campaign would prefer, but to also convince voters it is worth voting in

which have been sold, such as the Lee County Hospital in 1987. Trainer and other proponents for selling OCH invited the potential bidders of OCH to speak to the Starkville community in order to further drive home his point: selling now means future success. “You can look at these other communities that have gone through this before. They’ll tell you they’re just glad that they went through

it when they did, instead of having to deal with it now,” Trainer said. “Because you know, every time you deal with something later, it has a tendency of being worse than what you expect.” Trainer assured if the vote goes in the hospital’s favor the Board will continue to do what they feel is best for the community, including pursuing other options for the hospital. Polls for the special election will open at 7 a.m.

SA Senate recap: Bill 21 fails to pass, ACCESS granted seat

Stephanie Flynt and Senator Laken Vickers, Bill 22 institutes a honorary ACCESS rotational term seat, or HARTS, to allow ACCESS students to participate in the government body. After a graduate student working with ACCESS gave a summary of the program, debate ensued. While no one ever argued the program was a bad idea, some worried it was a bad implementation. One senator proposed a “liaison” program allowing ACCESS students to have their voices heard in the Senate, but without having to alter the SA constitution or add a new senator seat. The counterpoint raised by writers of the bill was the whole point of the bill: to make ACCESS students feel included, not separated, and the Senate could act as an example for other organizations to follow. The bill passed 48 to nine. Additionally, several resolutions were quickly passed. Resolution 28 expressed student support for one-dollar parking in Old Main, as well as earlier parking in the Lloyd Ricks lot. Resolution 29 showed student support for sexual harassment prevention training requirements for Cowbell Cab drivers.

DYLAN BUFKIN STAFF WRITER

the election. Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill said every vote is important, especially in local elections. She has experienced how important a small number of votes can be, as she was elected Mayor by six votes earlier this year. “When you win any election by six votes, every vote counts in a way you don’t always appreciate with a national election,” Spruill said. Jason Walker, the alderman representing Starkville’s Ward 4, which includes the Cotton District and several apartment complexes where many MSU students live, said students can play a big part

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

HI: 79 LO: 64 SKY: T-Storms

HI: 79 LO: 64 SKY: Showers

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POP:55%

POP: 44%

POP: 6%

in local elections. Walker said because Starkville’s local elections normally take place in May and June, students who prefer to vote in their hometowns every November can still have an impact in Starkville. “It is pretty easy to move your registration back and forth,” Walker said. Walker said changing their registration while in Starkville will help familiarize students with the process many will go through at some point in their lives when moving. In addition, many MSU and Starkville organizations dedicate time to help students through the process of changing their

registration. Sandra Sistrunk, the alderman representing Ward 2 in Starkville, said she believes the college democrats and other groups’ registration efforts helped her be elected. Sistrunk said once students are registered in Starkville, they are not entirely different than any other voters. “Every voter is very similar, and also very unique,” Sistrunk said. Spruill said social media has become very important in recent years, especially when trying to appeal to younger voters, but ultimately politicians must have a message to resonate with the voters.

FORECAST: This weekend the weather will continue to heat up. Friday will be cloudy with afternoon thunderstorms. Saturday the rain will continue in the morning, but the rain will clear out before the football game at 11 a.m. Sunday will be sunny and warm, where did fall go? Courtesy of AccuWeather

The Mississippi State University Student Association Senate met Tuesday to discuss five pieces of legislation. Bill 21 was reintroduced to the floor and continued to generate strong opposition, even with SA Supreme Court members overseeing the process. The bill was modified from only allowing senators to miss three office hours a term, to four absences a term, two per semester. After a quick introduction from Senator Lindley Williams, the bill was put to a vote. The vote was extremely close, but with only 35 votes out of 42 needed, the bill failed to pass. Therefore, the issue is put to rest until a new bill addresses the topic. The second major bill introduced was a bill centered around the ACCESS program at MSU. The ACCESS program, is a relatively new honorary college. The ACCESS program helps students with intellectual disabilities learn to function independently, as well as receive an education tailored to their needs. Written by Senator

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BAD DAWGS Monday, October 30 1:09 a.m. Non-resident/visitor arrested behind Fresh Foods for possession of stolen firearm, weapon by felon and controlled substance. Subject had active warrant in Clay County. Tuesday, October 31 10:15 a.m. Employee reported missing property during an inventory audit in Forestry Storage Facilities. 3:16 p.m. Aramark employee reported vehicle damaged behind Perry Cafeteria. 5:43 p.m. Student reported clothes stolen from McKee Hall. Wednesday, November 1 12:42 p.m. Notable traffic citations Justice Court citation issued for speeding, driver was going 85 mph in a 45 mph zone on Hail State Blvd.

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“We had a message that appealed to them and got some of them involved in the campaign,” Spruill said. Walker said having a presence at student events when there is not an election going on helps lay a secure foundation, and lets potential voters put a name to a face, which is crucial in an election. Sistrunk, on the other hand, said the key to victory is still traditional campaigning methods.

“Good old fashion door to door campaigning still matters,” Sistrunk said. By voting in local elections, students can influence Starkville going forward. “I hope that students become involved in local politics and make it the kind of place they would like to be,” Sistrunk said. Voting polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Nov. 7.

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Four MSU students receive funding from ECAB program KATIE POE

STAFF WRITER

Several student business startups received funding at the monthly Entrepreneurship Center Advisory Board (ECAB) meeting Oct. 27. ECAB is a step in the Venture Catalyst Program where individuals present their startups to a board of about a dozen professors and CEOs. The board can decide to grant these startups up to $2,000. Similar to the show “Shark Tank,” the event provides an option for Mississippi State University students and staff to get their business ideas off the ground. At last week’s meeting, the board heard a pitch from Calvin Waddy, a senior finance major. He is the CEO and founder of an event planning and promotion app called Glaance. Waddy said he received $500 during the first step of the Venture Catalyst program last year to conduct market research, and last week the board granted him $2,000. He said Glaance will make it easier for its users to receive information about events. He said one unique thing about Glaance is how events will be suggested to its users based on their interests. Waddy also said the app will tell users people they can go with to events. To be a user of the app, you do not have to be a student at MSU. Another aspect of Glaance is how tickets will be issued through it, not a third party app. For unpaid events, there will be an attendancebased check-in through turning on the location on the user’s smartphone. A long-term goal for the app is to have a 360-degree camera to place at larger events like concerts, so users can see what is going on before they arrive. People who pitch business startups to ECAB

must prove how they will make money through their idea. Waddy told the board Glaance will receive two percent of ticket sales, which he said is a competitive price compared to other apps. There will also be a subscription model where organizations wishing to be a part of a parent group, such as the Student Association or Interfraternity Council, can pay $5 a month per organization. While conducting his market research, Waddy said he spoke to SA president Tyler McMurray and the IFC about implementing the app. “These are two of the most important event coordinators at Mississippi State,” Waddy said. “While I was having conversation with them, they explained to me that there’s a problem, that creating events for organizations on campus is still too complicated.” As of now, organizations planning events use the OrgSync program. Dr. Melissa Moore, professor and head of the Department of Marketing,

Calvin Waddy | Courtsey Photo

The Glaance app, created by senior Calvin Waddy, focuses on seamless event planning.

Quantitative Analysis and Business Law, asked Waddy if he was truly confident these organizations would use his app. “One of the biggest challenges in marketing is

really getting to the truth and you’ve had a couple of individuals say that they are going to use it,” she said. “Intentions and behaviors don’t necessarily correlate, so what is your true confidence level that it is going to be

works off a signal as low as 1x. The radio frequency ranges up to three miles, and the product can be used for both the crossbow and compound bow. How the tracker works is through radio frequency

Jacob Miller| Courtsey Photo

The TeleNock is a tracker placed on the end of an arrow at the nock to help recover animals.

implemented?” Waddy said Glaance has a written commitment with IFC to serve as a beta tester for the app in December. Regarding SA, Waddy said McMurray was “really interested” in Glaance. “She’s looking at opening it up and using it in tandem with OrgSync because she understands that students don’t really like OrgSync,” he said. Waddy said at first, SA would use both programs, but OrgSync would be “phased out” when its contract with SA ends in April. However, McMurray told The Reflector they do not plan on “switching off ” of OrgSync anytime soon. McMurray did confirm the SA plans on using Glaance in conjunction with OrgSync. Also at the ECAB meeting, Jacob Miller, a freshman mechanical engineering major, pitched his product called TeleNock Recovery Tracking System. Miller received $2,000 in funding. The TeleNock is a tracker placed on the end of an arrow at the nock to help recover animals while bow hunting. Miller said his product is the world’s first tracker integrated into an arrow nock. The tracker works through a smartphone and

barrels at its base. Inside are an antenna and battery pack. Miller said he plans on selling the product in a twin pack, in case hunters have to take more than one shot. Miller called tracking a “major problem” for hunters who shoot with bows. “One thing that startled me was that experienced hunters with over 20 years of experience still find recovery problems, so it’s not something that you get better at as your experience goes up,” Miller said. Miller said he has personal experience with the problem since he is a world championship archer. Miller explained to the board there are two competitors on the market: ProTraker and BreadCrumb. He said ProTracker uses a similar system as his, but on the front of the arrow. He said the design is unbalanced, heavy and bulky. Miller explained BreadCrumb as an arrow locator, not a game locator. He also said that product has a shorter range than the TeleNock. Miller said he is still working on molds for the product, so it has not made it to production. He said he hopes to have it ready around December. Other startups which received funding at the meeting last week were Esteemed Juices, a natural juice company, and Feedback Games, which makes mobile games due to feedback it receives. The next ECAB meeting is Nov. 17 in McCool 339.

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BULLETIN BOARD

Starkville Weekend Preview WILLIAM WELLS

LIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY... ...in 1964, D.C. residents cast their first ballots in a presidential election. Three years earlier, the 23rd Amendment passed and finally gave D.C. residents the right to vote for president and vice president.

The city of Starkville and Mississippi State University’s campus will host a variety of events this weekend. Three MSU athletic teams will play on campus this weekend with a blackout game against the University of Massachusetts Minuteman, a softball doubleheader and a women’s basketball game against the Arkansas Fort-Smith Lions.

Democrat Lyndon Johnson went on to win the 1964 election, crushing opponent Barry Goldwater, Sr. with more than 60 percent of the popular vote. ...in 1976, “Carrie” was released in theatres. Starring Sissy Spacek and based off Stephen King’s first best-selling novel, the film is based on a high school outcast exacting her revenge on prom night. history.com

Women’s Basketball vs. Arkansas Fort-Smith What: The Mississippi State University Bulldogs will take on the Arkansas Fort-Smith Lions in women’s basketball. When: 6 p.m. Friday in Humphrey Coliseum. Admission is free for full-time MSU students.

Geology and Paleontology Lecture What: To celebrate Mississippi’s Bicentennial, Darrel Schmitz, professor of geosciences, and George Phillips, the curator of paleontology at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson, will lead a discussion on important fossil finds in Mississippi. Schmitz and Phillips will also discuss economic geology. Sandwiches and snacks will be available for attendees. When: 12 p.m. Friday, in Hilbun Hall, room 300. The

SUDOKU

University of Massachusetts Minutemen’s football team on Saturday. The game is a “blackout” and all fans are encouraged to wear black. When: 11 a.m. Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium.

event is free to the public.

Aside from MSU sports, a geology lecture will be given in Hilbun Hall as part of the celebration of Mississippi’s bicentennial and Internationally acclaimed dance group Ailey II and “southerndelic funk” band Tesheva will both perform in the area.

Tesheva Concert What: Tesheva will perform at Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que in downtown Starkville on Friday. The self-described “southerndelic funk” band performs in Starkville frequently. When: 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que. There is no cover charge.

Ailey II Performance What: Ailey II, a New Yorkbased dance company, will perform on campus as part of the MSU 2017-18 Lyceum Series. The group was created in 1974 by choreographer Alvin Ailey and is led by Troy Powell. When: 7 p.m. Friday, in Bettersworth Auditorium in Lee Hall.

Softball Doubleheader What: The Mississippi State softball team will face the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in a doubleheader on Sunday. When: 2 and 4 p.m. Sunday at Nusz Park. Admission is free for all.

Football vs. University of Massachusetts What: MSU will face the

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OPINION

MSU should include local The 25th Amendment may take Trump out of office restaurants in meal plan

HUNTER CLOUD

is a freshman majoring in communication. Contact him at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.

Food gives us the energy to work and learn. It also connects us to friends, family and the community. A meal plan is one of the first things listed for college costs and it has a significant impact on students. It is incredibly important for first-year freshmen to have food, so Mississippi State University requires a meal plan. According to MSU Dining Services, a meal plan is mandatory for freshmen because of the benefits of nutrition and socialization, and these characteristics accompany a meal plan. It is beneficial for students who struggle with food security and for students starting to live on their own, which is why MSU makes it mandatory for freshmen to have one of the top meal plans. However, it can be a waste of money for freshmen who often go to places downtown for food, or go home every weekend to have a meal plan they will not fully use. This is why it would be great if the university and the Starkville community adopt a new program allowing students to use block meals and flex dollars at local businesses, so they get the full value of their meal plan. Although MSU has diverse options to choose from when it comes to food

offered on campus, the dining service at Auburn University has 32 restaurants and eight food trucks on their campus, according to Auburn Dining. Students at MSU would have more restaurants to choose from in downtown Starkville, which is only an eight-minute drive from campus.

“MSU has a unique opportunity to get its students involved in the community and local economy.” Bulldog Bash has a huge impact on the local economy according to Starkville Daily News because the city makes money off of two percent beverage and food tax. The MSU Student Association also benefits from Bulldog Bash, which earns them $425,000 annually from the two percent tax budget. If students were motivated to go downtown because their block meals make it more affordable, there would be great economic return from this program for MSU and the city of Starkville. MSU has a unique opportunity to get its students involved in the community and the local economy. If both MSU Dining Services and local restaurants work together to adopt this program, it would be very beneficial for students and local businesses. It would help MSU and Starkville set an example for other colleges in Mississippi and even across the South.

JESSICA LINDSEY

is a senior majoring in communication. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate. edu.

There are 27 Amendments to the United States Constitution, ranging from individual citizens’ rights to rules for government officials. The 25th Amendment deals with what should happen if the President of the United States were to resign, pass away or become incapacitated, and therefore would be unable to perform the duties of the president. Many people know should something happen to the president, the vice president would take over. What many people do not know about this Amendment is if the vice president, along with either a majority of the Cabinet or of Congress, can deem the president unfit to carry out the duties of his office then they do not have to return power to the president. According to Emily Singer at Mic Network, the president can defend himself against the claims of him being unfit, and the vice president and majority of the Cabinet or Congress have four days to respond. There must then be a two-thirds vote from both chambers of Congress agreeing with the vice president and cabinet before the vice president can officially take over the presidential title and duties. President Donald Trump could suffer for

Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector

various reasons ranging from surgery to the restlessness among the parties in Washington D.C., and Vice President Mike Pence could put Trump out of office using the 25th Amendment. It would be a very long, tedious process, but it could happen. However, it has almost been a full year since Trump was elected, and no one has been spurred into any action yet–not even impeachment, which has been talked about but never acted on. A procees like this, while once it gets rolling, should not take a long time in theory, but we all know that the powers in D.C. can take a long time for the simplest issues. By the time the process could be complete, there may only be a year left for Pence to take over as President of the United States. Would a Pence presidency be the best thing

for the U.S. though? On one hand, Pence does not take to Twitter to voice his anger at his opposition like Trump is notorious for doing. Pence does not call leaders of foreign powers “Rocket Man” or blame “both sides” when it comes to racial protests. On the other hand, Pence is actually a politician, and while he may keep foreign powers happy enough to avoid World War III over petty 140-word exchanges on social media, he knows how to please other politicians to get bills passed. Even the short time he could possibly serve in office could be detrimental by just introducing his ideas as bills. According to Madeleine Sheehan Perkins at Business Insider, Pence does not believe in same-sex marriage, women serving the military or funding Planned Parenthood. He believes abortion should be only

used for cases of “forcible rape,” funding for HIV/ AIDS treatment going into LGBT conversion therapy and business owners should be allowed to discriminate against whom they provide service. Ideals like these could be devastating to many different groups, the United States military included, if Pence became president and decided to propose these as bills to Congress. Having the seed of these potential laws planted in Congress could harm people long after this presidency is over. Americans’ current options for leaders, at least for the next three years minimum, are either a man who could potentially start World War III, which would most likely be nuclear and therefore unrecoverable; or a man who could tear the country apart by alienating and hurting the individual citizens. Those are the men America elected.

Feminism promotes men’s suffering from gender roles CHRIS LOWE

is a junior majoring in business information systems. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

In our societal struggle for equality among the genders, the vast majority of us focus on only one gender’s inequality battle. Women are rightly seen as having fewer opportunities with careers, decision-making and life in general, but they are not the only ones suffering from stereotypes and social stigma holding them back. Men have their own issues they must face everyday, but because of the very nature of those issues, they have almost no options to voice their grievances without social condemnation. With the way social justice is carried out today, groups with an overall advantage over others are not allowed to talk about their own problems, because somehow we see them as a form of recompense from their aforementioned advantage. It works this way with men. I am not suggesting men are equal to women when it comes to cultural roadblocks, but I am indeed demanding they be discussed. To put it frankly, men are not treated more

fairly than women in quite a few aspects of life. In some cases, women even have the upper hand. The gender role brainwashing basically starts at birth. Boys are not allowed to play with dolls, be interested in fine arts or sometimes even express their feelings. We are raised to be stoic and aggressive. We are also taught to respond to many situations with violence, and assert our dominance on others to prove our “manhood.” Actually addressing these issues head-on would make almost anyone realize how stupid of a concept this is; but it is, for some reason,

part of American culture, so we go with it. Samantha Olson of Medical Daily outlines the repercussions of such an idea when she said, “Reinforcing rhetoric that feminizes emotional expression and masculinizes violence has the power to stunt empathy, drive dominance, and connect respect with fear.” This is just the tip of the iceberg of unfair, ridiculous standards which leave many men struggling with their identity and feeling inadequate. Does this sound familiar? These are the same feelings women famously have with their own gender role struggles.

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himself to a certain standard of chivalry and do most of the work. Of course, this is not a universal thing, and there are plenty of women who see how idiotic this is, but it is still extremely prevalent. With a more egregious example, male rape victims have to fight to prove victimhood, whereas women are usually assumed to be telling the truth when bringing it forward, and when these women are lying, it can land innocent men in jail. Most would assume men have nowhere near the same chances of being raped as women, but Sarah LeTrent

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Life Editor/Will Wells

325-7905 editor@reflector.msstate.edu

News Editor/Josh Beck

When we journey beyond the tip of this proverbial iceberg, we find interpersonal relations among the genders are lopsided in ways that put all of us in predicaments. On the male side of things, the outdated concepts of the “breadwinner” and “provider” force a lot of men to pay for dates, overly splurge on gifts and essentially take care of the women they are with. I have personally witnessed and even been in relationships where the woman’s duty is to look pretty and analyze her man’s worthiness for her devotion. This man is expected to make every move first, hold

for CNN points out a study performed by the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics that begs to differ, “Males and females carried out sexual violence at strikingly similar rates after the age of 18 -52% of males and 48% of females.” Men who are raped, especially by women, are just told they “got lucky” and they “must be a stud.” What kind of reality is that, and why do we condone it? There is list of issues men face simply by virtue of being male, but these few are enough to bring attention the plight people face as a whole. It is not exclusive to either sex, and as such, it deserves to be talked about in a broader sense. Feminism is important and absolutely should be respected, but it is about time men are included. I will echo my sentiment from earlier: just because we are in an overall place of advantage does not mean we should be forced to deal with destructive gender roles silently. Holly Brewer of Health Guidance said it better than I ever could, “Men and women are individuals; they are more than just male or female. Our gender is only part of who we are; it does not define us as people.” Let us employ Brewer’s mentality from this day forward, so everyone gets a fair shake and no one is left feeling inadequate.

Circulation/Erin Blake circulation@reflector.msstate.edu

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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2017 @REFLECTORONLINE

LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

Female leaders offer insight to a younger generation Emma moffEtt Staff WritEr

Wednesday evening, the President’s Commission on the Status of Women at Mississippi State University hosted the Women’s Leadership in the Rural South Panel Discussion in the Bettersworth Auditorium in Lee Hall. The panel consisted of Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill, Judy Bonner, Provost and Executive Vice President at MSU, the Reverend Allison Stacey Parvin, ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church and Pastor of BethEden Lutheran Church and Camille Scales Young, principal and director at Cornerstone Government Affairs in Jackson. Betty Thomas, undergraduate representative and co-chair of the programing committee for PCSW, said they hoped attendees would leave this event both informed and inspired about the direction of female leadership. “We planned this event because we really wanted to show the young students and young women at Mississippi State all the wonderful female leadership and how there are women leaders in so many different fields,” Thomas said. Thomas said she thought the event succeeded on all levels. “I thought it went really well,” Thomas said. “We had a diverse group of speakers who each brought a unique perspective that people seemed receptive to.” Despite the rainy weather the evening of the event, Thomas said she was glad to see people come from

Emma Moffett | The Reflector

Lynn Spruill, Judy Bonner, Allison Stacey Parvin and Camille Scales Young spoke at a panel hosted by the President’s Commision on the Status of Women at Mississippi State University on Wednesday.

the community and across campus to hear the board of distinguished panelists, and show their support of the PCSW. “We ended up having had a fabulous turn out from the people in the community and from the students at Mississippi State,” Thomas said. “The Bettersworth Auditorium can seat about 514 people, so based on how full the room was, I would say we had about 450 attendees.” During this event, Susan Seal, executive director for MSU’s Center for Distance Learning, moderated the conversation and asked a wide range of questions to each of the panelist. Each

woman provided her own perspective on the challenges she has faced as a woman in her industry, as well as sharing

Camille Young, panelist and MSU graduate, said opportunities like being a part of this panel for PCSW is

“We had a diverse group of speakers who each brought a unique perspective that people seemed receptive to.” -Betty Thomas, progamming comittee co-chair for PCSW helpful advice and words of encouragement for the young women in attendance.

something she cherishes and is always glad to participate in. “Anytime I can be an

example or mentor to young people, and especially young women about reaching their full potential, whether that is with leadership, career goals or personal goals, I want to take the opportunity to do that,” Young said. Young said she regularly speaks at schools, including MSU, and civic organizations throughout the year, and enjoys being able to give advice to such a diverse group of individuals. Young said the opportunity to be a part of this panel was something she could not refuse. “When they offered me this chance to come and be a part of this amazing panel, I jumped at it,” Young said. “I

think it is a great opportunity for the students here at Mississippi State to experience something like this.” Mayor Spruill said she was also just as eager to participate in this panel and this event was something which sparked her own personal interest. “If there is anything that is helpful I can do for young women as they go out into the world, I am excited about doing that for them,” Spruill said. “If I can be any kind of leader for them or any kind of help to them, then, that is an opportunity I would not miss.” Spruill shared detailed insight into her career path and the struggles she faces as Starkville’s first female mayor. Spruill said despite any push back, she has continued to work diligently as mayor, and has heard positive feed back from people who were previously detractors during her campaign. Thomas said she could not have hoped for a better turn out for their event, and is also looking forward to any future events the PCSW will host. “PCSW will continue to do events like this in the future so just stay tuned, and I hope that we will continue to also have such a large and active turn out as well,” Thomas said.

THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2017 @SPORTSREFLECTOR

SPORTS

Trio of juniors vital to men’s basketball going into the season FORREST BUCK STAFF WRITER

After ﬁnishing 16-16 and making it to the second round of the SEC tournament last season, the Mississippi State University men’s basketball team is coming off its most successful season since the 2011-12 year. Last year was a developmental season, as the roster consisted of only one senior and one junior, with the rest of the team being sophomores and freshmen. Of the nine players who played over 10 minutes per game last season, eight of them were underclassman. MSU was the second youngest team in the nation last season, and managed to ﬁnish with a .500 record, something which bodes well for the future of the program and this upcoming season.

Sports Illustrated ranked every Division 1 basketball program in the country in a preseason poll and the Bulldogs were ranked 48th. If the Bulldogs can finish the season as a top 50 team, they would be in the hunt for a NCAA tournament selection and certainly a NIT invitation. However, head coach Ben Howland does not put much stock into preseason polls. “I never did get caught up in the early season predictions,” Howland said. “Anything is possible.” If the Bulldogs are to finish as a top 50 team, they must improve significantly on offense. Last season, MSU finished ranked at the 193rd offense in the nation and only averaged 72.5 points a game. Howland talked about the offensive identity of this year’s team at media day.

“We want to push it every time we get it to try and take advantage of our quickness and gain a numbers advantage,” Howland said. “We also want to create offense with our defense by

creating turnovers.” The Bulldogs ranked 143rd in team possessions a year ago. Increasing the pace and being more of a runand-gun team should allow the Bulldogs to get more

possessions, attempt more shots and play less in the half court, where it is harder for young teams to execute consistently. The team is led by a trio of juniors in guard Quinndary “Q” Weatherspoon, and forwards Aric Holman and Xavian Stapleton. All three are expected to contribute to this year’s team. The trio discussed new attitudes and ways the team had improved from last season. Stapleton said the team has grown closer as time has gone on. “Our chemistry and work ethic is different. Our guys are always in the gym outside of practice on their own,” Stapleton said. “Everyone just loves each other and it’s like a family around here, and because of that we can be successful.” Weatherspoon focused

Hill and Dontavian Lee, being able to come in and spell Williams, without any drop off, cannot be overstated by the players and coaches. Williams is the feature back, he ran the ball 22 times against Texas A&M--a heavy load. It is important for MSU to have depth at this position to remain multi-dimensional when Williams takes a break. If there was a huge drop off between Williams and the backups, opposing defenses would key in on quarterback Nick Fitzgerald whenever the backup running backs stepped in the game. On the ﬂip side, they have to be complete running backs. If they can run, but miss blocks or cannot catch out of the backﬁeld, then opposing defenses know MSU is not throwing the ball when they come into the game. Head coach Dan Mullen

said with time, the running backs have begun to realize it is about more than just running the football and the more they play the more they realize their mistakes. “It is not ‘hey did you see my great run,’ it is ‘hey okay I understand coach, I missed this protection, I missed this block, I should have been in this location here’,” Mullen said. “They start having the accountability to make sure they understand the complete part of the game.” Early in the season, fans questioned why Hill or Gibson were not getting more snaps after they would run the ball well. The reason was the inability to do other things out of the backﬁeld, like blocking or catching the football. However, now half-way into the season, they understand blocking schemes better and are beginning to be able to

spell Williams more. Fitzgerald said the experience is the difference between Williams and the others, but they are all able to do what is asked of them. “All of them are very good running backs. They can all score,” Fitzgerald said. “They can all run it. They can all block. It is little different with Aeris [Williams] than Nick Gibson, because I have to tell Nick Gibson sometimes what to do. Aeris, he will tell me what to do sometimes. It is just a difference of experience.” With the ability to spell Williams more, they get more snaps and MSU fans see more plays like Gibson’s touchdown run on Saturday. The group of running backs and MSU football are set for another early kickoff on Nov. 4 against the University of Massachusetts Minutemen. Kickoff is set for

Brooklyn Prewitt | The Reﬂector

Quindarry Weatherspoon and Xavian Stapleton box out in MSUʼs 87-82 loss to Ole Miss last year.

on the one thing he can control, his effort. “The main thing I want to improve from last year is my effort,” Weatherspoon said. “I have to play hard each and every play. A lot of coaches look at me as an All-SEC caliber player, but [there are] a lot of good players in the SEC so I just have to work hard.” Holman, a standout defensive player, said he has the opportunity to work more on his offensive game since MSU now has eligible Abdul Ado. “I have worked on being more conﬁdent on the offensive side,” Holman said. “Usually I have been the rim protector and rebounder, but with Abdul [Ado], I can be more conﬁdent on the offensive side now, since we have another defensive presence on our team.”

Nick Gibson leads stable of running backs behind Williams TAYLOR RAYBURN SPORTS EDITOR

Aeris Williams is the workhorse, the feature running back whose talent demands 20 carries a game, but behind him is a group of equally talented backs who are ﬁguring things out more and more with each snap. One of those running backs is Nick Gibson. Gibson, a sophomore from Birmingham, Alabama, is one of three back-up running backs who relieves Williams. On Saturday, in Mississippi State University’s game against Texas A&M University, Gibson did not just maintain the status quo, but excelled when he ran the ball. He carried the ball four times for 43 yards, bringing him to a total of 228 yards on 35 carries for an average of

6.5 yards a carry. The biggest play of the season came in the third quarter when A&M had scored and regained some momentum. Gibson and the MSU offense quickly struck back as they drove down the field, and Gibson scored on a 14-yard run, the first touchdown of his career. Gibson said after the game, his phone was blowing up, but the play did not register to him until he was talking to his family afterward. “It really did not hit me until I was in the car with my parents,” Gibson said. “Actually scoring, it did not hit me because when I get out there again I am trying to score another one. It was amazing to get my first career touchdown.” The importance of the ability Gibson holds along with his fellow backups, Kylin

11 a.m. and the SEC Network will broadcast the game.

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