3.10.21 by Reflector Editor

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WEDNESDAY MARCH 10, 2021

136th YEAR ISSUE 18

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

Classes will return to full capacity next semester, majority will be held in-person HANNAH BLANKENSHIP MANAGING EDITOR

Say goodbye to Webex classes and gray socialdistancing seat covers because classes will be reverting to full capacity this fall. Almost a year ago exactly, Mississippi State University students went home for spring break and did not return. Instead, many started online classes from their childhood bedrooms. After returning to campus in the fall, albeit with lots of social distancing and many classes still online, next semester will ﬁnally signal a long-awaited return to normalcy. “I think we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Regina Hyatt, vice president of

student affairs. John Dickerson, university registrar, said classes will return to normal with no social distancing-requirements, but that a few classes will remain online. “We fully expect that and the plan is that it will be somewhere around 90% of our classes will be face-to-face with full capacity. Somewhere around that 10% range will be online. We found that some online classes work better for students,” Dickerson said. Another provision that was made for COVID-19 safety that will remain in place is the 20-minute interval between classes. This aids in preventing large gatherings outside classrooms, Dickerson said. CLASSES, 2

Mary Georgia Hamilton | The Reﬂector

Daniel Dye and Jason Hwang sit on the Drill Field on Monday. Although COVID-19 regulations were in place this semester, MSU plans on mostly in-person classes in the fall.

Student hit by car on campus HANNAH BLANKENSHIP MANAGING EDITOR

Last Tuesday morning a student was hit by a vehicle as she was crossing the street via a crosswalk on Mississippi State University’s campus. The student, Cara Ivy, a sophomore music

Hardy Boulevard and President’s Circle on her way to class and said she did not even see the car coming. According to Ivy, the driver of the car that hit her called the police. The driver was issued a campus citation for disregard of a traffic device. CAR, 2

education major, said in an email she truly saw her life flash before her eyes. “(The student was) crossing in a crosswalk and the car did not stop and hit the individual,” said MSU Police Department Chief Vance Rice. Ivy was crossing at the intersection of

Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill tweeted out this information in response to the governorʼs decision to lift the statewide mask mandate.

Ever Grains replaces OLILO in Colvard Student Union

HEATHER HARRISON STAFF WRITER

A new health food restaurant opened up March 1 in the Mississippi State University Colvard Student Union where OLILO previously was. Ever Grains boasts a menu promising health and wellness as its mission. It offers salad bowls with many ﬂavorful combinations. There are several signature dishes, and customers can also customize their bowls in a ﬁve-step process. “We believe that Ever Grains is a great healthy option choice and makes it easy to create customized meals as well, so you can have a different meal each day,” MSU DiningAramark Marketing Manager Andi Pichardo said in a statement.

Ever Grains’ salad bowl concept starts with choosing the base greens and grains from a couple of options. Next, the customer selects an entrée from a variety of vegetables and then the protein, like turkey, chicken or eggs. For toppings, spicy roasted broccoli, feta, avocado and toasted walnuts are available. Lastly, the bowl is complete with a salad dressing, like avocado Caesar, carrot miso or pesto vinaigrette. According to Pichardo’s statement, one of MSU Dining Services’ goals is to foster good nutrition on campus. “Mississippi State University Dining Services is committed to promoting health and wellness within our community,” Pichardo stated. RESTAURANT, 2

Mary Georgia Hamilton | The Reﬂector

Ever Grains recently replaced OLILO in the student unionʼs food court. Similar to OLILO, the new restaurant provides a healthy variety of signature dishes and customizable options.

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FORECAST: Spring is here! Get ready for warm temperatures with highs in the high 70s and lows in the 50s. Expect partly sunny days with low chances of precipitation through the end of the week.

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CAR The MSU Police Department responded quickly, and Ivy was transported to OCH Regional Medical Center where she was found to have a sprained ankle and injured left elbow. Chief Rice said on average about two to three students a year actually get hit by a car on campus. This was a surprisingly good number, he said, in light of the number of cars and pedestrians on campus daily, as well as the fact the average speed on some of the roads on campus is 10-15 miles over the speed limit. “One is too many. We would like no pedestrians to be hit by cars. To get to that it’s a two-way street. The driver’s got to really pay attention and not put the pedestrian in danger, but the crosswalk is not a magic wall. And you’ve got to take some

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BAD DAWGS responsibility too and watch out,” Rice said. In a November press release detailing the university’s “Look Up and Look Out” pedestrian safety campaign, Jeremiah Dumas, MSU’s executive director of transportation, said there are 154 crosswalks on MSU’s campus, and they

RESTAURANT Pichardo explained Dining Services received some students’ feedback that requested additional healthy options on campus. “We also want to make sure we take students’ feedback in mind and continue to innovate within Dining Services. Based on student feedback we have received, having healthy options on campus is very important,” Pichardo said. Students have mixed reactions about Ever Grains. Some, like Mary Rogers Coon, a freshman undeclared major, said they enjoyed the nutritious options. Coon said she got a salmon and quinoa bowl with mixed vegetables, and she liked having the new

are always evaluating and working to improve the safety of each one. “Pedestrian safety is the responsibility of each individual— walkers, drivers and cyclists,” Dumas said. For safety tips for drivers and pedestrians on campus visit lookup. msstate.edu. CONTINUED FROM 1

spot on campus. “Well, I had been to OLILO,” Coon said, “and I liked that. It just kind of seemed like the same thing, so I got that.” While Ever Grains focuses on health and wellness like OLILO, Ever Grains moves away from the Mediterranean style and offers various flavors and culinary styles. On the other hand, students like Laura Kathryn Rutledge, a junior elementary education major, said they were not excited about Ever Grains. Rutledge said she wished Dining Services chose another restaurant to take OLILO’s place. “I know we need more healthier options, but I’m

CLASSES Hyatt also said some services were found to be more effective through a virtual medium. “I don’t think most students prefer mental health services remotely but for some students it’s helpful from a convenience perspective. So, I think there are some services that might be offered both in-person and remotely through some virtual engagement,” Hyatt said. Additionally, several outdoor gathering and studying spaces have been added, which is a definite benefit to campus and will continue to be added, Hyatt said. In order to accommodate for social distancing, several nontraditional classroom spaces, such as the Humphrey Coliseum and Bettersworth Auditorium, were used. These will not be in use next semester. Although there will be no social distancing regulations next year, Dickerson said they are still undecided about whether or not masks will be required. “We’ll go back to full capacity. What I don’t know yet is whether we’ll wear masks or not,” Dickerson said. Dickerson said they are basing the decision to return to in-person classes in the fall on the expectation that most students will be vaccinated by then. Hyatt said student organizations on campus are expected to return to normal as well. The university has already loosened their guidelines to allow up to 250 students at outdoor events, as opposed to the previous cap of 100. New Maroon Camp, the university’s summer camp for incoming students that typically hosts over 1,000 students, will be conducted like normal. Last year the event was cancelled. Garrett Smith, a junior political science major and Student Association

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just thinking more people would appreciate something like Zaxby’s or Chicken Salad Chick, something like that,” Rutledge said. Dining Services typically sends feedback forms to students a couple times a year and adapts the food options based on the responses. Since Ever Grains opened in the middle of the spring semester, dining services will not have a grand opening for the new restaurant. In the fall, there will be more promotions for the new spot, according to Dining Services. Ever Grains is open Monday through Friday, and their hours are listed on MSU Dining Service’s website.

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president-elect, said he was personally very excited to return to in-person classes in the fall. “It’s been a struggle keeping up with everything, keeping up with online learning. Some classes get a little easier, some classes get a little harder. It just depends, but I’m definitely ready to get back myself,” Smith said. Smith said in-person classes increase the responsibility of both students and teachers. “I think that a main part of it is accountability, both for professors and students. Professors have more expectations of them when they’re in person in the sense that they’re more likely to be prepared, have everything ready to go. For students we’re more likely to be prepared for a class we have every Tuesday then be prepared for a test that we have not actually been to where we’re just working through the material at our own pace. So I think there’s a high level of accountability for both sides of the aisle on that one,” Smith said. Hyatt agreed, saying students have communicated many times to her that they much prefer face-to-face classes. “Almost every student I’ve talked to has said ‘I prefer to be in class, inperson.’ At the same time students have said ‘I do like the flexibility of the online thing but I don’t think I’m getting as much out of it,’” Hyatt said. In addition, interacting with others in person truly is just an irreplaceable experience, Hyatt said. “I think from a mental health perspective we need to be around people and while I’m grateful that we’ve had the technology to be able to do virtual learning and virtual engagement there just isn’t a substitute for sitting across from somebody, laying eyes on somebody, having a face-

to-face conversation,” Hyatt said. President-elect Smith said as future SA president he would do everything he could to aid students in the transition back to in-person classes. Hyatt urged students to continue to be mindful of personal health and safety so the progress toward normalcy will continue. “I know everybody’s tired and wants to throw away all their masks. I will probably be the first person to burn all of their masks when the time is appropriate, but it’s not time yet. So just to the degree that people can still make good decisions and not throw caution to the wind just because we’re tired of it,” Hyatt said. Hyatt emphasized how proud she was of students and the turmoil they have endured over the course of COVID-19. “I’m just amazed at how resilient our students have been through it all,” Hyatt said.

Monday, March 1, 2021

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Employee reported a fraudulent unemployment claim filed in her name.

Resident of city/county arrested on Stone Boulevard for improper equipment, minor in possession of alcohol and possession of marijuana in motor vehicle.

Student reported being extorted for money via social media. Student reported being extorted for money via social media. Student issued referral in B8 parking lot for inciting violence on campus. Employee reported a fraudulent unemployment claim filed in his name. Tuesday, March 2, 2021 Employee reported a fraudulent unemployment claim filed in her name.

Thursday, March 4, 2021 Employee reported a fraudulent unemployment claim filed in his name. Friday, March 5, 2021 Employee reported he was extorted for $1,500 via telephone from unknown individuals posing as police officers from Social Security Administrative Office. Saturday, March 6, 2021

Resident of city/county reported her vehicle was Student was hit by a vehicle damaged while parked in F8 in the crosswalk at the parking lot. intersection of Hardy and President’s Circle. Sunday, March 7, 2021 Student reported she was sexually assaulted in McKee Hall.

Resident of city/county arrested on Barr Avenue for DUI.

Hannah Blankenship | The Reflector

Mary Georgia Hamilton studies on campus while following COVID-19 guidelines. These guidelines will be largely removed next semester.

Mary Georgia Hamilton | The Reflector

Hannah Blankenship, Daniel Dye and Jason Hwang socially distance in a classroom. The gray seat covers will not be present next semester as classes begin to return to normal.

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To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9. PuzzleJunction.com

SUDOKU

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Paint layer Fatuous 18 16 17 Part of B.C.E. 21 22 20 19 Place for a valve 25 23 24 Sheer curtain 29 26 27 28 fabric Chop off 32 33 34 31 30 Reenforcing 37 36 35 Good times Cathedral recess 38 40 39 Hawaiian 42 41 garland Like tears 46 43 44 45 In apple-pie 49 50 51 52 48 47 order Partly enclosed 53 54 55 56 porch 59 58 57 Sinew Patches up 62 61 60 Wall climbers Dentist’s order Copyright ©2021 PuzzleJunction.com Viña ___ Mar, Chile 57 French sea 10 Mischievous 37 Charred Regatta 58 Door part 11 Ring unit 39 Muslim leaders “La vita nuova” 59 Out of this world 12 Sleeper’s woe 40 Old French coin poet 60 Snoop 13 Camel hair fabric 41 Kind of beetle Bring into being 61 Kills, as a dragon 17 Panache 42 Learning style U-turn from 62 Matinee hero 22 ___ Tunas, Cuba 43 Rapscallion WSW 24 Dawn goddess 44 Garden tool Inlets 25 Heat releasers Down 45 Kind of wheel Vista 26 Radial, e.g. 46 Broad valleys Roof overhangs 27 John, in Wales 1 Masterstroke 48 On pins and Roto follower? 2 Dog bowl bits 28 Riviera city needles Got a whiff 3 Partygoer 29 Goes for the 50 Saab model Gloomy gold? 4 Bluejacket 51 Sign of secrecy Consecrate 5 Map within a map 31 Carried on 52 Black and tan Consume 32 Fast 6 Not yet final, at ingredient Spanish wine law 33 Ballyshannon’s 55 Genetic Leave 7 Singer DiFranco river material speechless 8 Flapdoodle 34 Salacious glance 56 Old Chinese Steamer pusher 36 Mortise joint 9 Fencing words dynasty

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By Parker Dorsey This week’s album review is on “OK Human” by Weezer. Their 14th studio album, a small wink to Radiohead’s “OK Computer,” is a baroque-pop delight. It has a beautiful string arrangement perfectly complimenting Rivers Cuomo’s vocals, along with a good deal of his trademark witticism and

CLUB INFO Student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info. Information may be submitted by email to managing@reflector.msstate.edu with the subject heading “CLUB INFO.” The deadline for Wednesday’s paper is by 3 p.m. on Friday. MSU student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info. The Oktibbeha County Humane Society Student Chapter is a student-driven organization dedicated to raising money and awareness about the local Oktibbeha County Humane Society. They volunteer at the humane society and host events on campus that directly benefit it. Their upcoming meeting dates are March 11, March 25 and April 8. They are always looking for new club members and can be reached on any of their social media platforms or at msu.ochssc@gmail.com.

innuendo. This album takes influences from Harry Nilsson’s “Nilsson Sings Newman” and the Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds,” and it is filled with COVID-19 quarantine-inspired lyrics that hit a little too close to home. “OK Human” is a great listen, and it is easily their best album since “Everything Will be Alright in the End.”

Sudoku Solution

9 2 6 3 4 7 1 5 8

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Publicize your club!

2 8 5 9 1 3 4 7 6 Email managing@ 4 1 6 2 8 7 9 5reflector.msstate.edu 3 3 9 7 6 4 5 2 8 1 9 an 7 203a-MAZE-ing 8 5 4 6 1 2day! by 23 orthogonal maze Have 1 5 2 3 9 6 8 4 7 Grab a friend, another copy of The Reflector and see who makes it through the fastest. 8 6 4 7 2 1 3 9 5 7 2 9 5 6 8 1 3 4 5 4 8 1 3 2 7 6 9 6 3 1 4 7 9 5 2 8

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OPINION

FACE-OFF: Is it too soon to revoke MS pandemic regulations? The call to lift the mask mandate is premature Tate Reeves is right to remove COVID-19 restrictions

LUKE COPLEY is a sophomore majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate. edu.

Last week, Gov. Tate Reeves lifted the statewide mask mandate and any remaining COVID-19 related restrictions on businesses. This is the second time Reeves has lifted the mask mandate, doing so as well last September, as reported by Bobby Harrison with Mississippi Today. It was reinstated a few months later in December after ICU beds filled up across the state, as noted by Jacob Gallant of WMC-TV. I understand the impatience; I understand the importance of maintaining our economy, but this call comes just a little too early. The point of all of the mandates and restrictions was never to halt the virus but to slow the spread enough so hospitals do not become overrun with patients at the same time. Each time a new wave of COVID-19 cases surges, hospitals and health care professionals are bombarded with patients. According to Ashton Pittman with Mississippi Free Press, as Mississippi’s 890 ICU beds fill up rapidly, hospitals are forced to turn patients away at the door. According to a graph shared by Mississippi’s Public Health Officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, Mississippi saw its first peak in August with 989 cases in a week. As this major wave passed, Reeves lifted the mandate, then watched as it skyrocketed over the holiday season to 1,252 cases confirmed on Dec. 17. ICU beds in Mississippi filled up. In response to this, the mask mandate was reinstated by Reeves on Dec. 22. We are now going to repeat this cycle. Beyond the beds, it is also morally cruel to subject healthcare professionals to that level of stress simply so we can have our return to normalcy. It is not about whether or not you and I want to wear a mask in Walmart. It is about mitigating the suffering of COVID-19 patients, doctors and any other healthcare workers taking care of the ill. Furthermore, it is not like we are actually keeping numbers that low anyway. According to the daily COVID-19 coverage at the Mississippi State Department of Health, we have had 260 new cases confirmed since 3 p.m. on March 6, weeks

rolled out nationwide, and we are well on the way to being finished safely with the whole debacle. However, we are not there yet, and Mississippi lifting the mandate early is just guaranteeing healthcare workers a few more months of chaos and the death of more Mississippians. No one likes masks. No one would choose to enforce social distance practicing for the sole reason of tanking Mississippi businesses, but the bitter medicine is working. COVID-19 deaths are down in places which are enforcing strict COVID-19 guidelines. The paradox lies in the fact Reeves is looking at the low numbers and taking it as evidence for us to return to normal when, in reality, it says the opposite. Instead, it is evidence which proves mask mandates and social distance requirements are working, and we should continue them until everyone who wants a vaccine has it. When asked about extending the mask mandate as Alabama governor Kay Ivey did, Reeves responded to CNN’s Jake Tapper this past Sunday by saying, “When you look at the numbers in Mississippi, it doesn’t justify government intervention. It doesn’t justify statewide mask mandates.” The correctness of this statement is up for debate, but the simple truth remains. Reeves’ job is to protect Mississippians, and removing the mask mandate does the opposite. Reeves’ executive order is premature and ultimately will exist as another stain on the history of the state of Mississippi. As the vaccine is slowly rolled out, Mississippi is preparing for one last hospital crisis, one last filling of the ICU and one more wave of lives lost.

“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.”

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2. Who is credited with inventing the first mechanical computer? 3. Norway was responsible for introducing what fish for raw consumption in Japan? Source: trivia.fyi

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Last Tuesday, Gov. Tate Reeves announced he will be suspending business regulations as a result of the COVID-19 crisis as well as a lifting of the mandatory county mask mandates which have persisted since the beginning of the pandemic. After months of massive government overreach, billions of dollars of damage done to the Mississippi economy and a general erasure of basic American rights which define a free society, the nation seems to be trending in the right direction to the long promised return to normalcy. While I will not praise government officials for returning the wrongfully taken freedom guaranteed to every American citizen, I am thankful the petty autocrats, who were beginning to grow a little too comfortable in their new roles, are finally taking their hands off the levers of power, and people can finally return to their normal lives. We are in the twilight of this crisis. Massive government empowerment has rendered itself unnecessary, and fortunately, we live in a state which recognizes that new reality. In lifting the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 crisis, Gov. Reeves can begin to undo the damage caused to the state. The nature of the pandemic has shifted into our advantage. We are armed with new weapons against this, as well as increased knowledge

of this fact early into the pandemic, and Reeves is aware of it now. Only true authoritarians like Newsom and New York governor Andrew Cuomo refuse to recognize the reality. And the reality is their garbage policy has real economic consequences for the people of their states whose livelihoods are being ruined as a direct result of the decisions these governors make. According to Danielle Wiener-Bronner with CNN Business, “About 60% of the businesses that have closed during the coronavirus pandemic will never reopen.” Putting that number into perspective, of the nearly 164,000 businesses which closed as a direct result of COVID-19 lockdowns, around 98,000 of them will not reopen when normalcy returns. Government red tape, social distancing rules, new sanitary regulations and contactless payment put an enormous strain on businesses’ already razorthin profit margins, and with no end in sight for small businesses in lockdown states, making ends meet is an impossible endeavor. Millions of Americans will return to jobs which no longer exist, and this is a direct result of politicians acting irresponsibly with the emergency power they gave themselves to the detriment of the American people. Only through our elected officials exercising restraint in the application of their power can we hope to be put on the road to economic recovery. Florida understood this, and now, Texas and Mississippi will be rewarded in a postpandemic world with less irreparable damage to the job market and economy which extended lockdown policy promises. Fortunately, the American people at large are recognizing this fact of life as well and are resisting the trampling of individual rights. According to Betsy McCaughey of The New York Post, “In California, a recall effort against Gov. Gavin Newsom has amassed more than 1.5 million signatures.” A similar effort is present in New York against Gov. Cuomo after the scandal emerged regarding his treatment of elderly COVID-19 patients and nursing homes, according to Evan Halper and Seema Mehta of The Los Angeles Times. The reckoning is coming; people are not going to stand idly by and watch the erosion of individual rights. Hopefully, the courage to stand up against tyranny, as modeled by Gov. Abbot and Gov. Reeves, will sweep across the nation and stand for the true normal and American way of life.

S e

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MICHAEL BOURGEOIS is a junior majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

regarding its transmissibility and lethality. Additionally, more favorable weather conditions have placed the state of Mississippi in a stronger position against the virus as we pass the oneyear anniversary. Even still, government management of the pandemic has been a colossal failure since the beginning of COVID-19 as lockdown policy is holistically ineffective in the efforts to limit the spread. Take a state like California for example. To this day Gov. Gavin Newsom has not lifted his lockdown orders, and the state is still experiencing 73 deaths per every 100,000 people, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of March 6. Contrast that number to a state like Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis allowed people to calculate their own risks for themselves without implementing statewide mask mandates or lockdowns, and the figure is around 58 deaths per every 100,000 — a negligible difference, especially when factoring in the demographics of each state. Florida, according to U.S. census statistics reported in WorldAtlas, ranks fifth in terms of oldest median age in its population, making its population far more vulnerable to a virus like this than a state like California which ranks ninth in youngest median age in America. With California being one of the younger states in the U.S., it has a biological advantage among its population, making survival much more likely. This statistic is intended to illustrate the point that no amount of government interventionism is going to act as a cure-all. From one extreme to the other, the differences in results when it comes to case numbers and death numbers are negligible. DeSantis was aware

Answer: 1. Beaver 2. Charles Babbage 3. Salmon

before we will see the jump following the governor’s recent executive order. As recorded on the Mississippi Department of Education website, the majority of Mississippi public schools closed on March 16, 2020, just five days after the very first positive test happened in Mississippi. Further, our return to normalcy would be so much sweeter if we actually knew it was over. According to Zac Carlisle of WTVA, the city of Starkville is not lifting the mandate, as it is a city by city choice, nor is Mississippi State University making major adjustments to the COVID-19 policy, excluding higher levels of admittance to outdoor sporting events like baseball and softball. No, the world is not normal. The pandemic is not over. On March 6, the U.S. suffered from over 1,400 COVID-19 related deaths, as reported by the New York Times. This number is over 15 times higher than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s report of the average number of car crash related deaths per day in the U.S. If Mississippi waits longer to lift the restrictions, all of this has been for something. The long months of lockdown, excruciatingly monotonous days of Zoom calls and discussion posts — they were not done in jest. We did these things to minimize death and disorder and to save lives. Giving it all up this close to the end by suddenly deciding the protection of our fellow man is not a noble enough pursuit to keep at the hard work is to give this painful lifestyle we have been living a weak exhale of an ending. It diminishes our achievement, saving lives, to just being something we did for a while but got bored of. Vaccines are being

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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT 5 THE REFLECTOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2021 @REFLECTORONLINE

SA President Garrett Smith strives to evolve, engage and empower every MSU student

as Provost Scholars, Beta Upsilon Chi, sports writing for The Reflector and serving in Student Association. “Early on, I realized that Student Association was something I wanted to focus on. I served in the Senate for two years ... And when I ran for vice president last year, I realized that it was a fulltime job, so I did not want to overextend myself. It’s the same with being president,” Smith said. His time serving as vice president made him realize

how capable SA is of creating change on campus and how much change has already occurred. “Mississippi State is evolving just like any other education institution in the nation,” Smith said. “I want to be a part of that evolution, and I want to fight for student voices when it comes to those changes.” As vice president, his primary responsibility was running and supporting the Senate. From meetings to events to making tough decisions, Smith served

and worked with diligence. Tyler Packer, the exiting SA president, spoke highly of Garrett and his abilities to lead. “We should be confident in Garrett because he has confidence in us. He is about fighting for students and making their voices known,” Packer said. Smith believes he has a good grasp on the role of SA president due to his experience serving as VP and his drive to be a voice for every single student. “Most of my platform

has been focused on better communication between the student body and SA ... That way, I am speaking on behalf of the students and not just myself,” Smith said. He also intends to create a new cabinet committee with the specific goal of partnering with student organizations. This committee will support smaller organizations to help them find funding, plan events, market themselves and collaborate with them. “I think SA has

struggled in the past with exclusively advocating for our larger organizations,” Smith said. “While those organizations are incredibly important, they don’t represent our entire student body. There’s a whole lot of students out there, and it is our responsibility to find, reach and advocate for them.” He says his best friends have been his main support system throughout his campaign. “The same guys I watched that Super Bowl with and play ping-pong with every week are the guys that helped hand out my stickers on the Drill Field,” Smith said. “My campaign team was made up of people who believed in me.” He looks forward to serving alongside Kennedy Guest, Reagan Clark and Chanu Cherukuri in their positions as vice president, secretary and treasurer, respectively. “I have worked with and known all three of them throughout my entire time here. I know they are a very capable group,” Smith said. The feeling is mutual, as SA Secretary-elect Reagan Clark, a junior political science major, is eager to work alongside Garrett under his leadership. “I’m excited to work with Garrett because he has really great ideas to better the student body, and I can’t wait to get them accomplished,” Clark said.

syncing with your smart device, so we bought into the app for the challenge.” Harrington hoped to design an event which could involve all residents of Starkville, including any age range, occupation and fitness level in the community. “We have had 750 participants sign up for the challenge,” Harrington said. “A big, big thank you to our partners with this challenge. We definitely could not have done this by ourselves. We reached out to OCH Regional Medical Center and MSU Cowbell Well and Starkville Parks and Recreations, and so, it was a collaboration with all four entities, which encompassed the whole city.” Starkville Stride is composed of weekly goals, and participants who reach the goals will be entered into weekly drawings for a variety of prizes. These prizes include gift cards to local businesses, including gym memberships, boutique prizes and even a Botox appointment donated by a local dermatologist.

“Weekly door prizes are based in weekly step-counts. So we have a category of 25,000 to 49,999 steps, another category of 50,000 to 74,999, and we’ll have a category for 75,000 steps or more for weekly prizes,” Harrington said. “We’re giving over $1,800 in cash prizes at the end.” Although the focus of the challenge is to get Starkville residents outside and active, Harrington said Starkville Stride is promoting the use of various public amenities, such as sidewalks and parks, that the city has to offer. “We have a ton of resources available, so educating the community on that is important to us,” Harrington said. “It’s just pulling the community together and hitting the focus areas of getting healthy and staying active and that, in turn, affects your quality of life.” Elaine Schimpf, the health promotions coordinator for the OCH Regional Medical Center Wellness Connection, has played a significant role

in the collective efforts to bring about Starkville Stride. “I’m one of the collaborators with Starkville Parks and Rec, MSU and the Partnership. The four of us got together and brainstormed to see how we could get the community involved in walking and just trying to better themselves,” Schimpf said. Schimpf has been leading videos and programs broadcasted on social media which promote health and betterment for Starkville Stride. From virtual touring of the Wellness Connection gym to leading workout videos for Starkville Stride, Schimpf has been a lead coordinator for these programs. “What I have done mostly is help promote and get people on teams, as well as getting speakers for the daily Facebook posts they do,” Schimpf said. As well as being one of the Starkville Stride coordinators, Schimpf is participating in the challenge on a team with her Wellness Connection coworkers. “At first, I wasn’t going

to participate because I get a lot of steps a day, so I was thinking it might not be fair. But since it is a competition in which they take an average for the team, that helped the employees decide, ‘Why not?’ And it’s all for fun,” Schimpf said. “I’d much rather participate than sit on the sidelines.” Melissa Rogers, the Chick-fil-A community director, is an ambassador for the Starkville Partnership and a participant in Starkville Stride. By involving Chickfil-A employees in the Starkville Stride event as a team, Rogers and her husband, owner/operator of Chick-fil-A Starkville, are furthering their goal of promoting unity in the restaurant for their team members, as well as connecting with the community. “It’s another opportunity we have to create that family atmosphere that we strive to have. It’s one of our core values, and another of our core values is fun. So anything we can do that is different and

unique and participate in the greater Starkville community — that’s only going to strengthen who we are, to make us even more effective as Chick-fil-A to the community,” Rogers said. As an ambassador for the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, Rogers is very involved in the planning and orchestrating of the Partnership events, as she helps promote their ideas to the community. Rogers said the Starkville Stride event is proving to be successful as it begins to head towards its goal of improving community unity and health. “It’s really just an effort to get people out and moving in Starkville, and it’s a great way to get businesses and organizations to work together as a team to do that,” Rogers said. “This is health and wellness focused, and just getting outdoors and walking, just breathing fresh air and doing something relaxing and fun and good for your body, is also good for your mind.”

KATIE RAINWATER

STAFF WRITER

The results are in: Garrett Smith, a junior political science major from Starkville, Mississippi, is Mississippi State University’s newest Student Association presidentelect. While he is now one of the most prominent leaders on campus, Garrett did not see himself as a potential leader until after he entered high school. He recalls his junior year of high school when attending Mississippi Boys State and being elected mayor and eventually chosen as a senator to represent Mississippi Boys Nation. This aided in his growing passion for leadership and community service. “They were some of the smartest leaders I had been around in my entire life. I still keep up with them. Some are (currently) serving as student body presidents at their universities and other amazing things across the nation,” Smith said. His senior year, Smith’s soccer coach was JoJo Dodd, who served as MSU’s SA president in 2015. Dodd recognized Smith’s leadership potential early on, and Smith viewed Dodd as a role model and mentor in his journey to the presidency. Smith has been involved in many organizations on MSU’s campus such

Mary Georgia Hamilton| The Reflector

Garrett Smith, a junior majoring in political science, was elected to serve as Mississippi State University’s newest Student Association president after students cast their votes on March 3.

Starkville strides toward a healthier tomorrow

MAGGIE PHILLIPS

STAFF WRITER

In an effort to promote health and wellness, the Starkville community has come together to take part in a walking challenge called the “Starkville Stride Challenge” or “Starkville Stride.” Beginning on March 1 and continuing through April 26, Starkville Stride is a health-betterment event being hosted by the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, whose goal is to enhance and improve the quality of life for Starkville residents and Mississippi State University students. Hunter Harrington, the director of membership development for the partnership, proposed the idea of Starkville Stride. “About six months ago, we started thinking of ways that the community could participate in some form of health and wellness challenge,” Harrington said. “We partnered with ‘Walker Tracker,’ a company which made an app that can tally up everybody’s steps by

Adam Sullivan | The Reflector

The Greater Starkville Development Partnership is hosting the Starkville Stride Challenge, a health-betterment event which encourages Starkville residents to get up and moving. Participants in the challenge have the chance to win door prizes and cash rewards.

66-Sports SPORTS

THE REFLECTOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2021 @SPORTSREFLECTOR

Alex De La Osa of Florida | Courtesy Photo

Jesse Henderson, a current junior at Mississippi State University, jumps over a hurdle during a match at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where he finished fifth for the Bulldogs during the 60m hurdle finals.

Henderson hurdles past records and barriers JAILYN WILLIAMS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Jesse Henderson, a junior hurdler from Benton, Mississippi, shattered the 60 meter hurdle school record for Mississippi State University during the University of South Carolina Indoor Open after undergoing full ankle reconstruction last March. It all goes back to eighth grade at Yazoo County Middle School when Henderson was kicked off the high school’s track team due to the strict grade policy. Even with this setback, Henderson did not stop. Freshman year arrived, and Henderson was able to join the team again. The rest was history, and the next stop was Mississippi State University, where he would participate as a Bulldog. “I knew that I was a great runner,” Henderson said. “ I found something that I was great in, so it was

only right that I got myself together.” After attending summer track meets with the Peak Performance team, Henderson had gained much exposure. This encouraged him to reach out to MSU’s track organization where he received astonishing intel. “I reached out to Coach Silvey, and he emailed me back pretty quickly,” Henderson said. “MSU was the only school that showed interest or even emailed back, so I am thankful to be here … Besides the huge ankle surgery, I have succeeded well since my arrival.” During the indoor meet hosted by USC on Feb. 13, Henderson broke MSU’s men’s track and field 60 meter hurdle record by a tenth of a second. “Going into the race I was tied at fourth, and I was not expecting to break a school’s record coming off of an injury,” Henderson

said. “I mean I just really was not expecting to be the highest record holder after this race, but not only did I break the record, I literally shattered it.” Coaches and trainers all seemed to think Henderson truly was fit to excel within the meet. Over the years, his hard work and dedication only grew stronger. Chelsea Head, an MSU athletic trainer from Newman, Georgia, had no doubt in her mind Henderson could not get the job done. She has had the ability to watch him grow and thrive since his arrival on campus. “Ever since Jesse was a freshman, we knew he had the ability to be better than he could have ever imagined,” Head said. “Before the surgery, he made a promise with himself and his performance that he would not let the injury defeat him and that he would come back stronger and better

than the year before.” “That summer, after the ankle surgery, he was able to do more functional exercises,” Head said. “Jesse woke up every morning at 6:30 am and went through some of the hardest training that he had to mentally and physically committed to doing.” There is never a day that Henderson’s character does not match his work ethic. Head was also able to share details about certain personal aspects of Henderson. “Jesse brings a type of energy that no one could ever match,” Head said. “Even on days where he doesn’t feel like doing it, he finds something from deep within and manages to turn it.” Steve Thomas, a multi and vertical jumps coach from Mobile, Alabama, knew Henderson held all the necessities needed to succeed. “I expected it,” Thomas

said. “Our sport is very measurable. When strength and speed improve, performance will always improve.”

“ Ever since Jesse

was a freshman, we knew he had the ability to be better than he could have ever imagined.”

Chelsea Head

Athletic Trainer Mississippi State University

The indoor track and field coaching staff had great faith and expectations for Henderson. Thomas said the young hurdler is easily

one of the top three athletes on the MSU campus. “There is a term: assiduity. Assiduity means close and constant attention to what one is doing,” Thomas said. “To be great at anything, this is a necessary characteristic. Jesse has this quality, and that is what makes him a great athlete.” Henderson was well aware of his ability to perform, but this was an unseeable moment. The hard work and dedication put into each week was released. Henderson ended up reaching the goal of qualifying for nationals despite all that it took for him to get to that point. “My game plan going into this was to only qualify for nationals,” Henderson said. “I just literally was not expecting that, but I just thank God for that.” He continued to say, “I did not know how to react to it at all … It was indeed a bittersweet moment.”

Diamond Dawgs slash the Golden Flashes JACKSON WADDELL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After news broke Wednesday morning that Mississippi State University’s original opponent, Tennessee Tech University, had to cancel their trip to Starkville due to COVID-19 concerns, MSU was left scrambling to find an opponent. Luckily for the Dawgs, Kent State was also looking for an opponent after their series at West Virginia had been canceled due to COVID-19 issues, so the two scheduled to play in Starkville, Mississippi, this past weekend. The Bulldogs pulled off their first no-hitter since 1999, with a combination of four key pitchers throughout the weekend. Christian MacLeod, a junior from Huntsville, Alabama, got the start on Friday night for the Bulldogs and had a rough go of it, only going one 2/3 innings surrendering three runs (two earned), four hits, three walks and four strikeouts. When asked about MacLeod’s start, Head Coach Chris Lemonis said his beginning performance was out of the ordinary. “Usually he’s really good with his command, and he just kind of nibbled around the plate tonight,” Lemonis said.

“(MacLeod will) put his nose to the grindstone starting tomorrow morning, and he’ll be fighting to get out there and have a good start next week,” Lemonis said. Mississippi State University then looked to junior Brandon Smith from Richland, Mississippi, to limit the damage, and he came through big time. Smith threw four 1/3 innings of dominant baseball, striking out and not allowing a baserunner in the process. The Bulldogs were in trouble headed to the bottom of the fifth, down 3-1, but that is when the bats finally woke up. The senior from Theodore, Alabama, Tanner Allen started the scoring with an RBI single. Soon after, another senior, Josh Hatcher, an infielder and outfielder from Albany, Georgia, was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to push the tying run across. MSU’s Diamond Dawgs took the lead on a two-run single by Luke Hancock, and they never looked back from there, scoring three more runs in the game and pushing their lead to 8-3 which would hold to be the final score. Saturday was not as kind to Mississippi State University, as junior Eric Cerantola had another

rough start on the year. The Oakville, Ontario, native went three innings, allowing four runs, five hits, four walks and four strikeouts. On the other side, Kent State University’s Luke Albright, a junior from Fishers, Indiana, showed why he is their ace, allowing just one run on five hits in 6.2 innings, adding four strikeouts as well as four walks. The Golden Flashes were all over the Bulldogs taking a 9-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

Mississippi State University put up a last-ditch effort in the ninth, but it was not nearly enough, with Kent State University pulling off a 9-5 win. Sunday was a great day for the Bulldogs, with freshman Jackson Fristoe on the bump for his third start of the year. The Paducah, Kentucky, native had about as good of a start you can have in the game of baseball, taking a perfect game into the seventh. His eight strikeouts propelled MSU’s staff to a combined no-

hitter, along with Landon Sims, Mikey Tepper and Cam Tullar all “pitching” in. When Fristoe was asked about his start on Sunday he spoke about how the weekend with Kent State University was not like his other weekends of play. “I just had kind of a different mindset today going into this game which I think made me fill up the zone a little bit more,” Fristoe said. Mississippi State University put 13 runs

on the board, with a huge performance by the sophomore infielder from Southaven, Mississippi, Kamren James, who has struggled at times in the early going in 2021. James went three for four with five RBI’s on the day, including a two-run homer in the fifth inning. The Bulldogs will be back in action at the Dude this week, as they take on Grambling State University at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday and University of Louisiana-Lafayette on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.

MSU Athletics | Courtesy Photo

Jackson Fristoe, a freshman from Paducah, Kentucky, cheers as he pitches during this past weekend’s matchup with Kent State University in Starkville, Mississippi, at Dudy Noble Field.