3.17.21 by Reflector Editor

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WEDNESDAY MARCH 17, 2021

136th YEAR ISSUE 19

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

Dresses of Hope provides prom dresses to girls in need EMMA KING

can prove to be expensive, especially when purchasing an outﬁt. DOH serves the greater Starkville area. Throughout the school year, the organization collects prom dresses of all sizes, colors, styles and more. Its goal is to have something for every girl to want to take home with her. These dresses are available at Starkville high schools on DOH’s Shopping Day.

STAFF WRITER

Although prom is in the past for most college students, one student organization at Mississippi State University is dedicated to giving girls the perfect prom dress at no cost. Dresses of Hope (DOH) is a group that takes gently used prom dresses and redistributes them to local girls in need. Prom is a high school staple in America, but it

DRESSES, 2

Jordan Smith | The Reﬂector

Bryan OʼNeill, Starkville resident, recycles empty boxes while utilizing Starkvilleʼs new recycling drop-off location. The new system aims to allow recycling at a cheaper cost than before.

Starkville institutes new recycling program at lower cost MAGGIE ROBERTS STAFF WRITER

The City of Starkville has contracted with Waste Pro of Lowndes County to establish a new recycling drop-off location that began March 8. The goal of the new drop-off is to create a way for residents to recycle while having lower costs compared to

pick-up services. Lynn Spruill, the Starkville mayor, had a part in organizing this initiative. The inspiration began with the local residents voicing what they wanted: a way to recycle. Spruill helped ﬁnd a way to please the people. “The community had asked for it, and one of our aldermen was responding to requests

MSU organizations celebrate Women’s History Month

MAGGIE PHILLIPS STAFF WRITER

Mississippi State University organizations have come together across campus to recognize the month of March as Women’s History Month. By looking at important and impactful ﬁgures of the past and innovative, powerful women of the present, MSU is empowering and encouraging women in recognition of this month. The campus has come alive with events to honor Women’s History Month, such as the Women’s Day and Women’s History Month social media

campaign, in which students can share their empowering messages across social media. This also includes the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center’s virtual “Brown Bag Lunch Series” with the MSU Gender Studies Program which will host a variety of speakers focusing on feminine issues across minorities, professionalism and prejudice. The MSU Music Makers Productions, headed by student director and senior kinesiology major Madeline Emery, is organizing a drivein movie to be shown in the parking lot of the Joe Frank Sanderson Center. WOMEN, 2

from his ward. There are a number of comments on social media, and our city Facebook page has indicated that people were still interested. We started to look at how we could do it in a cost-effective manner,” Spruill said. Spruill and others working on this project took time to ﬁgure out many different moving

parts. According to Spruill, one of the biggest challenges was reallocating funds. “We had to dedicate some funds, ﬁnd a location for it and put that together in the current budget. We are excited to get it started, and hopefully, it will have some robust engagement from the community,” Spruill said. RECYCLING, 2

MSU student designs displayed for proposed park JOSHUA STEWART STAFF WRITER

On Friday, Mississippi State University landscape architecture students enrolled in the Design II class unveiled their proposals for a park downtown at the corner of Jackson Street and East Lampkin Street. Students were given a number of weeks this semester to plan and design a proposal for an urban park, which had to be feasible and well thought out. Twenty three posters were present on the lot, which previously housed the Starkville Community Market, on March 12. In

addition to the students displaying their proposals, MSU faculty member and member of the Starkville Main Street Association Taze Fulford was present and walking around the lot. Fulford co-teaches the class with another member of the landscape architecture faculty. Members of the Main Street Association will review all of the proposals from students and move forward by selecting elements from one, or many projects. The hope is that a project on the site will begin over the next several months. Student designs were drawn from a number

of inspirations, from feasibility and access to features and use. Many students incorporated elements that would be attractive to families in Starkville, while some opted to appeal more towards students. Features included a range of options: a dog park, a stage, lush greenery all over the lot or shaded areas intended as places to study and hang out. Students such as Garrett Harpole, a sophomore landscape architecture major, expressed how the site looked at the present and how it can be changed. “We’re trying to optimize this space to

be used by people for a park. Right now, with the concrete and current state, it is not ready for that,” Harpole said. Harpole spoke on how long a project like this takes for the students involved and how in-depth it is. “We spend weeks doing inventory analysis, coming to the site every day, getting exact measurements of existing structures to see what you want to keep and then another week digging through data and ﬁguring what you want to change. Afterwards, we make concept diagrams of designs and priorities,” Harpole said. DESIGN, 2

John Grifﬁn | The Reﬂector

MSU sophomore William Irby presents his project plan at Fridayʼs event. One or multiple designs will be selected by the Main Street Association and used for the new installation.

WEDNESDAY

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FORECAST: Keep your umbrellas handy Wednesday as a high chance of severe thunderstorms is predicted. The dreary weather will be followed by partly sunny days and cooler temperatures with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s going into the weekend.

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RECYCLING Hamp Beatty, alderman for Ward 5, has been very involved in this initiative. He always has been involved in keeping the community green, even when there was curbside recycling pick-up. “We used to have curbside recycling in Starkville. Budget cuts and the coronavirus cut out the curbside last year. The cost got to be that paying waste management once a week to come pick up recycling was excessive,” Beatty said. The budget cuts inspired him to see what he could make happen to fill the need of the community. “I tried to come up with something that was doable, instead of curbside. We first tried to partner with Mississippi State, but it just didn’t work out. We are now working with Waste Pro on

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it, who also does the school’s recycling,” Beatty said. Ultimately, this is only the beginning of recycling in Starkville. The drop-off is a step toward more people in the community recycling and helping the environment. “It’s a start. It gives people a place to bring their paper, cans and glass to this collection point. There is no fee, so it does not cost anybody anything. Anyone, even those outside the county, can bring their recyclables here,” Beatty said. Grace Fleming, a sophomore studying elementary education, is happy about the new recycling drop off. However, as a student, she is unsure of whether she will use the drop-off or not. “I like recycling because

it makes me feel like I am doing good for the environment, instead of just throwing things into a trash pile. Although, I do not know if I will be using the new drop-off because it is out of the way and will take up a lot of time and energy to recycle,” Fleming said. According to Fleming, she does recycle where she lives now, but it is much simpler than having to drive somewhere to do so. “I probably won’t use it because I have to drive to it, and that is extra energy during my day. Having multiple drop-offs may help people want to use it though because people may be across town,” Fleming said. To find out where to drop off your recycling visit the City of Starkville website.

DRESSES This year’s Shopping Day was held on February 26 at Starkville High School. On Shopping Day, DOH sets up its own dress shop to mimic the experience of a real prom store. DOH President and senior psychology major Sidney Claire Smith says the most recent Shopping Day was a huge success despite the new COVID-19 protocols. “This past Shopping Day was great,” Smith said. “I was a little anxious about how COVID-19 would affect the day, but we were able to social distance and still have so much fun.”

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Throughout the year, DOH holds a number of fundraisers to cover the costs of storing the donated prom dresses, including benefit days at local restaurants and graphic fundraising on Instagram. Mary-Margaret Earp, a junior in marketing and DOH secretary, said COVID-19 has affected some of the group’s operations but not its overall goal. “While our activities have changed because of COVID, it hasn’t affected our mission,” Earp said. “We are still dedicated

to giving dresses out and giving hope to girls in our local Starkville community.” DOH has been meeting virtually throughout the year, but according to Earp, they have still accomplished a lot, including collecting more dresses than ever before. Shopping Day has become something the members look forward to, as they are able to interact with the high schoolers and help them pick out their dresses. “It was such a blessing to be able to give out dresses and see the joy on the girls’ faces,” Earp

said. “Dresses of Hope truly took on a different meaning during such a hard and difficult year.” DOH offers more than just prom dresses on their Shopping Days. The group also provides shoes, jewelry and the opportunity for girls to have their makeup done. Smith said she has been a member of DOH for over three years, serving on the executive board and now as president. She was looking for something she felt passionate about and fell in love with the organization’s mission. “Dresses of Hope

allows girls to pick out a free prom dress, which is great in itself,” Smith said. “But I have also found that the girls walk away with more confidence.” DOH is a way for MSU students to give back to the community, which is why senior marketing major Elizabeth Johnson joined. “I joined Dresses of Hope because I was looking for a way to serve in Starkville and the surrounding areas,” Johnson said. “Ever since I was a freshman, Dresses of Hope really appealed to me. Dresses of Hope has grown to be one of

WOMEN The movie, “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé,” is a powerful movie about famous pop icon Beyoncé and her experience performing at Coachella. “Beyoncé is one of the strongest women who is a pop culture public figure,” Emery said. “I think it’s great that you can see women like that, really strong powerful pop icons like her.” Originally planned to be an event recognizing Black History Month, the drive-in movie had to be rescheduled due to the ice storm. However, Music Makers found the subject and themes of the movie work just as well for Women’s History Month and could still go on to serve its original purpose. “Beyoncé was the first female black headliner at Coachella,” Emery said. “This is the perfect opportunity to lift up

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women for Women’s History Month, while still honoring Black History Month.” Emery said Music Makers found this movie to be a perfect opportunity to create a fun, educational environment that could be used to empower and encourage students across campus. “Homecoming” portrays a woman who represents outstanding confidence, bravery and strength, which are important traits to present to the MSU community. “People can come for free and pull up to the drivein and watch this movie to sing and dance and have a good time,” Emery said. “She is just such a strong woman, and I think she can be a role model to anybody.” Although much of Women’s History Month is able to focus on the good, exciting accomplishments of women across the

world, the MSU Police Department is hosting a self-defense workshop to acknowledge, educate and prepare students for criminal acts that frequently target women. Corporal Chantel Solis-McCoy, the crime prevention officer of the MSU Police Department, is focused on educating female students on common risks, as well as presenting options for defense in dangerous situations. “The reason that selfdefense is something that women should know is because it gives them several options if they are ever attacked,” McCoy said. “There are going to be some situations where physical defense cannot be used without the risk of serious body injuries, so we try to give them other ways out.” Among the services provided by MSU to keep students safe is a program

called the Rape Aggression Defense system (R.A.D.) program. This program is usually taught in one to two sessions per semester, in which students are taught a variety of ways to defend themselves in dangerous scenarios. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the in-person sessions had to be canceled. “R.A.D. was designed to complement a woman’s natural desire to resist rape aggression,” McCoy said. “We teach women riskreduction strategies for being out and about, in your home or in your vehicle as ways to remain safe and lower the risk of being attacked.” From physical self-defense tactics to psychological tricks to tips for lowering the risk ahead of time, the MSU Police Department is determined to provide a myriad of ways for students to be able to

defend themselves. “It doesn’t matter how big, small, tall or strong she is. If she really puts her mind to it, a woman can do anything,” McCoy said. “I feel that these skills could save someone’s life.” Many female MSU students have become public leaders and role models, working to better the community and encourage community members. Gracie Anello, a junior geoscience major, has been an active community leader on MSU’s campus and outside in the community, after being crowned Miss Maroon and White in the fall of last year. “I do a lot of stuff on campus, speaking to a lot of different organizations, getting to know different influential people inside of each department of the university, helping with the Health and Wellness Center with their breast cancer

DESIGN

Harpole also spoke about the wrong ideas people tend to have about his major. “A lot of people have misconceptions about landscape architecture. They may think it is just about gardening,” Harpole said. “It’s about trying to create an experience for people and using space. I want people to understand our goal is to make a space people can use and enjoy being in. That is our job.” Adyson Poole, a junior landscape architecture major, also showcased her proposal on Friday. “I wanted something that tied into a little bit of everything,” Poole said. “I have colors everywhere to make it inviting not just for college students but for families as well. People can walk by with their families and say ‘Hey, let’s go see what’s up here.’ I also have a multipurpose stage, which would be for concerts, poetry nights and the like. It’s very versatile.” Poole also mentioned the pet-friendly aspects of her design. “I have a dog park,

the biggest organizations on campus and one of my biggest blessings.” Many of DOH’s members remember prom as one of their favorite high school memories, which is why they believe it is important to give every girl the same opportunity. “Especially in this season of COVID-19, a lot of people are struggling financially on top of having a lot of their high school experience taken away,” Smith said. “I hope that our organization plays a small part in restoring that normalcy and gives them their dream prom.”

awareness initiative back in October and stepping into classrooms just to say, “Hi,” to Bulldogs and welcome them back to classes,” Anello said. Anello spoke of her experiences as a prominent female leader in MSU and the surrounding community, how she hopes to be an encouragement and welcoming face to all who come to MSU and how she respects the resilience of MSU women. “I think it’s really important to younger girls that we give them good role models by highlighting what the women in our country are doing right now and what the women in our university are doing right now,” Anello said. “It is so important to be a strong and respected woman in our world today, and I am a big proponent of that. And that’s something that I choose to look for in my own life.”

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which would also have a splash pad open during the summer. There’s a lack of dog parks in Starkville, and I figured there needed to be a central one near to the Cotton District.” Poole lastly spoke of her gratitude for the opportunity to showcase her work. “I’m really grateful for this opportunity. This is very community involved, and that’s really important for the community of Starkville to give their input on it, as this is a public park. So you want to build something everyone will like. You don’t want something to be built and no one to get use out of it.” Fulford, co-instructor of the Design II class, explained why the lot was chosen for a park. “We’ve gotten a lease to do green space out here, and we were looking for input. So we thought it would be great to have our students look at a spot as they were working on it. This would be a great spot for an urban park. In Starkville, we have Fire Station Park and a few other green spaces, but as far as a true urban park, this would be a great space

John Griffin | The Reflector

Adyson Poole, a landscape architecture student in Design II, discusses the details of her design which features elements for everyone, including families and college students.

for it.” Fulford also spoke about the next step in the process of a park being built. “We’ll take these boards back to Main Street, and they may pick one or take pieces of many to generate

a new plan,” Fulford said. “Afterwards, they’d have to start generating interest in the project, talking with the greater community and figuring out how we’d fund it. This is conceptual student artwork. So they’d have to

find a landscape architect to put the work in drawings, so it could be built.” Fulford ended with the amount of work that went into these proposals. “It was a lengthy process,” Fulford said.

“They did analysis of the site, went through how things fit on the site, did functional diagrams, completed three conceptual plans for the site, then a master plan. They did a lot of work. I think they all learned a lot.”

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BULLETIN BOARD

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

veAn the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and In-Class Distraction must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Across

ector 3/17/21 Crossword

1 5 10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 24 25 26 29 33

Farrier’s tool Action words Tire holders Turkish honorific Steel girder Blue-pencil Roulette bet Sonata section Seafood selection Nescient Feral feline Chat room chuckle Put on board Floor it Heightened Directory contents Driving hazard Bruin legend Bobby Schools of thought Promise Kind of table Doctor’s charge Motion picture Charter Small industrial vehicle Conger catcher Enthralled Night spot Gym wear Tabasco Metered vehicle Throw Rum drink Military group Hatred

34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 47 50 55 56 58 59 60

50 56

52 58 61

1 8 4 64

61 Old Icelandic literary work 62 “All ___ are off!” 63 Student residences 64 Felt bad about

9 More finetextured 10 Stitched again 11 Object of devotion 12 Venus de ___ 13 “Let it stand” 21 Fishing gear 23 Jacket 25 Underhanded sort 26 Smell 27 Promenade 28 Hard red wheat 29 Bumper sticker word 30 Reef material 31 Delete 32 Clothesline alternative

7 2 9 6 8 1 Down 1 2 3 4 5 6

Sari-clad royal Popeyed Kicker’s target After-jail cons Like the flu Like some piano keys 7 Split 8 Defective

34 37 38 40 41 43 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 57

Fleet Sloppy Adolescent Fizzless Lorgnette part Banded adders Twos in the news Ticket part Wind down Leave the stage “Aquarius” musical Egg cell Pakistani tongue Secret message “Holy Toledo!” Tokyo, formerly

1 5 3 8 9 1 5 7 6 3 4 6 7 9 3 1 8 2 4

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By Parker Dorsey This week’s album review is on “Sound Ancestors” by Madlib. This is the latest musical release from legendary hip-hop producer and rapper Madlib, and it is a very interesting experimental instrumental effort, especially considering Four Tet’s role in its production. This album is a diverse soundscape,

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 date is 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.

Sudoku Solution

2 4 3 9 1 8 7 5 6

8 1 9 7 5 6 2 4 3

5 6 7 3 2 4 9 8 1

9 2 6 8 3 7 5 1 4

1 8 4 5 9 2 6 3 7

3 7 5 4 6 1 8 2 9

4 9 2 6 8 3 1 7 5

2 3

SUDOKU

going from raw off-kilter beats to easy-going atmospheric rhythm. It is tough to pigeonhole this album into one category: it is jazzy, groovy and funky. Although “Sound Ancestors” does not quite reach the same level as “Madvillainy” or “Yessir Whatever,” it is still a very good Madlib release, and that makes it worth listening to.

Publicize your club!

5 9 3 6 4 1 8 2 7 4 6 7 9 8 2 1 5 Email 3 managing@ reflector.msstate.edu 8 1 2 5 7 3 6 9 4 1 8 9 4 2 6 3 7 5 3 4 5 7 9 8 2 1 6 7 2 6 1 3 5 4 8 9 6 7 4 DAWG 2 1 9 S5 3 8 9 3 1 8 5 4 7 6 2 Monday, 2 March 5 88, 2021 3 6 Student 7 9 reported 4 1losing his wallet, last seen in Old Main.

BAD

7 5 8 1 4 9 3 6 2

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Student issued a referral for smoking marijuana in Magnolia Hall and possession of paraphernalia. Employee reported unemployment claim filed in his name. Tuesday, March 9, 2021 Employee reported losing his tablet in Mitchell Memorial Library during the week of Feb. 14.

Student reported a suspicious vehicle had her blocked into her parking space at College View Apartments. Thursday, March 11, 2021 Safewalk employee found a leaf blower on the side of Hilbun Hall. Officer took possession of the blower. Monday, March 15, 2021

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Student reported she was stalked by an unknown male near Hathorn Hall.

Employee reported a fraudulent employment claim filed in his name.

Student reported being followed via vehicle by an unknown person.

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OPINION

Appreciate St. Patrick’s Day even during COVID-19 KATELYN WYATT

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

It is green day! No, I do not mean the band. I mean St. Patrick’s Day. While many of us have participated in St. Patrick’s Day festivities, I bet not many know the history of the holiday. To many of us, it is just a day to drink and wear green, and in general, that is not too far off. There are many fun and surprising facts about St. Patrick’s Day

everyone should know to truly appreciate the holiday. Mike Cronin writes in Time a history of the holiday and explains how the U.S. formed the holiday to include the traditions we commonly celebrate today. According to Cronin, “The modest observance of St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland dates back to the 17th century, as a religious feast day that

commemorates the death of St. Patrick in the fifth century. Patrick is credited with having brought Christianity to Ireland, and as such became a figure of national devotion and, in due course, the nation’s patron saint.” The holiday is inarguably Irish; however, modern celebration traditions were founded in the U.S. Cronin

notes how St. Patrick’s Day was not celebrated in Ireland as a public holiday even as late as the 20th century. At the time, it lacked the parades and public events with which many currently associate the holiday. Shockingly, by the time St. Patrick’s Day parades began in the early to mid-20th century, Irish bars closed for the day. However, the party aspect picked up in the U.S. with Irish immigrants. St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated in the U.S. since 1737. For 2021, it seems celebrations will look like they did last year with closures and restrictions varying between cities in the U.S. According to Campbell Robertson with The New

York Times, St. Patrick’s Day parades in Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia have all been canceled again, but the New York City parade, famous for its status as the “oldest uninterrupted St. Patrick’s Day in the world,” plans to hold onto this title by allowing a low-profile ceremony of people walking through Fifth Avenue in the early morning. There are still chances to celebrate together this year, especially with restaurants opening up in different parts of the country. However, Ireland has put strict rules on St. Patrick’s Day in their country. Cormac McQuinn with The Irish Times explains how the Irish government sent out a public reminder

of COVID-19 restrictions banning organized gatherings and of the consequences St. Patrick’s Day partiers may face. Throughout the pandemic, Ireland has remained in a state of lockdown. St. Patrick’s Day 2021 will be no different. Around this time last year, the pandemic shut down the country and brought any major 2020 St. Patrick’s Day festivities to an abrupt halt, thus signifying the first holiday we lost last year due to COVID-19. Though this year’s celebrations will be limited or almost nonexistent, we can, at the least, appreciate the culture and significance behind the holiday as the world begins to heal.

eaters dissociate from the violent realities behind an animal-based meal, but vegans’ dietary habits tend to remind them of those realities. Thus, this results in a tension which causes a general dislike for vegans. As the only vegan person in my family, I tend to just bring my own food to family events. For a while, I tried to be accommodating and eat some of the food because I did not want to offend them. Being understanding of someone bringing their own food and not making a big deal about it is important. Typically, at celebratory events like birthdays or major achievements, the person being celebrated is often the one who chooses the meal. While my non-vegan brother and cousins easily have a variety of options to

choose from, I have many things to consider and end up having conversations with family I did not have before. In the short-term, this is not a big deal, but it does influence the way my family sees my lifestyle. Phrasing questions in a respectful way and not treating restrictions as a burden is important to gain an open mindset for a person’s different lifestyle. For those who want to take their understanding a step further, maybe have at least one dish your vegan friend or family member can eat. For example, if you have a salad, then maybe have some of the toppings on the side. Drastically changing your diet might be easy for you like it was for me. When it comes to your family and other loved ones, this change may take more time for them to process. Normalizing your diet is part of this process, so making family aware of foods they may already be eating which are vegan can help. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals provides a list of foods and snacks which are already vegan such as Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, Cap’n Crunch Peanut Butter Crunch, LaCroix Sparkling

Water and Starbucks Unsweetened Black Iced Coffee, among others. Dietary restrictions can also affect romantic relationships. As a single person who is vegan, I have no need to learn how to cook non-vegan foods. If someone is not openminded about food, it can lead to odd conversations. I have been in relationships in which my diet was criticized or where I was expected to change to a “normal” diet if the relationship continued. This is clearly not OK and further proves the significance of having an open mindset and willingness to understand. Overall, when it comes to dietary restrictions, it is important to approach the topic not from an offended or defensive place but one of understanding. There is still unfortunately a stigma around dietary choices people make, so there needs to be more respect from the important people in our lives when it comes to this topic. It should not be the goal to make someone change their diet because it is not normal to you. Instead, we should respect others and not try to make them feel like outcasts.

Respect those with vegan lifestyles HALLIE GREEN

is a senior majoring in philosophy and religion. Contact her at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.

While it may seem like having different dietary restrictions only affects your diet, in reality, it affects so much more than that. Unfortunately, something not often discussed when it comes to the topic of different people’s diets is the social aspect. If you look back to a pre-pandemic time when everyone freely gathered, many, if not most, of those social events, whether it be with one person or a large family, centered around food. This emphasis on food can be frustrating when it comes to social gatherings, which can be so culturally important. Social gatherings are clearly a big deal for many, but they are even more momentous for those who have recently made changes in their diet since family and friends can make either

hurtful or helpful comments about such changes. There are several reasons I became vegan. Some of the reasons are human rights and animal rights issues, especially when it comes to factory farming. Factory farming also plays a large role in environmental issues. While those may seem like three separate issues, they are actually all interconnected. According to the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, “Industrial livestock operations produce 1 billion tons of phosphorous and nitrogen-rich waste annually in the U.S. alone.” Such factory farming operations produce a chain-reaction of effects as this waste results in water pollution to millions of miles of bodies of water in the U.S. and threatens local communities’ clean water supply. Other more personal reasons I decided to go vegan were health-related. While talking to my doctor in addressing issues, changing my diet was part of it. My doctor knew I was vegetarian at the time, so we decided I would be able to take it a step further. It is incredibly important to note

a person’s diet is their choice. Being vegan works for me but does not necessarily work for everyone. People should understand, since our bodies and lives are all different, our diets are going to be very individual as well. While some people are very understanding about the variety of reasons people may have different diets than what is considered the norm, others are not as considerate. BBC published an article by Zaria Gorett detailing the psychology of why some may be ridiculously offended by veganism. “Hank Rothgerber, a social psychologist at Bellarmine University, Kentucky, thinks it all comes down to answering the question: how do we continue to eat meat?” Rothberger suggests meat-

Violent action films are militaristic propaganda

SAM COTHRON

is a senior majoring in agronomy. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

Movie night rolled around, as it often does, leaving me with no fruitful suggestions. To prevent the otherwise inevitable lapse into a profound sofa stupor, the gathering resignedly settled for the goodold-fashioned American standby: the action movie. A modern, fast-paced one, of course, replete with guns, blood, a dash of jingoism and quite a few more guns. The film was “The Old Guard,” which was released in 2020 and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. The movie is interesting not only for its particularly militaristic narrative elements but also because it represents the values of the audience it was intended for which imbues it with meaning in many places so fundamental they

are often overlooked. As a superficial escapist piece of entertainment, “The Old Guard” stuns with its slickly-choreographed and brutally violent action sequences, and it convincingly portrays the angst of virtually-immortal mercenary antiheroes. But implicitly, it is an ode to the military establishment’s imposition of order through violence, so unreservedly presented that the film quite easily qualifies as a piece of militaristic propaganda. Popular media is a reflection of popular values. According to a Gallup study from 2020, 40% of Americans have a “great deal of confidence” in the United States’ armed forces. “Quite a lot of confidence” and “some confidence” follow at 32% and 20% respectively. Overwhelmingly, Americans are reluctant to cast a skeptical eye over the military and military spending — 50% of Americans find military expenditures to be “about right” — and, naturally, action films of the military variety will reflect this public opinion in their depiction of the military as an

unequivocal force of good, easily capable of wielding altruistic violence to make the world a better place. Otherwise, the majority of viewers might be offended by a cynical or even morally ambiguous portrayal of the armed forces, which is quite bad for business. Indeed, the military is always ready to lend a helping hand to studios which produce this positive publicity. Rebecca Keegan of The Los Angeles Times notes, “The Department of Defense regularly cooperates with Hollywood on projects large and small,” and why not? The protagonists of “The Old Guard” possess the ability to heal spontaneously, even from exceptionally grave injuries, making them practically invincible to both natural and unnatural causes of death. These characters serve as a thematic proxy for the American military, so naturally, their motivations are charmingly altruistic, though sometimes heavily overlaid with fashionable, edgy cynicism. How, then, might

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is ultimately unclear. This ambiguity refers to a phenomenon in which people hold a “reverent but disengaged attitude toward the military — we love the troops, but we’d rather not think about them,” as noted by James Fallows of The Atlantic. They shoot bad people. We might not know exactly who or where, but that information is irrelevant. The military is good, and should we ever wonder if its use of violence is counterproductive, we can set up an appointment with CIA agent James Copley, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Copley, at first unnerved by the Old Guard’s violence, scoured the history books to discover their seemingly

random missions actually saved the world. Multiple times. And if you do not believe it, he even has a bulletin board with snapshots, handwritten notes and newspaper clippings, all conveniently connected with string stretched between thumbtacks. The moral of the story? The best way to address the world’s problems is via militaristic violence. The value of human life, or the potential avenues of negotiation and cooperation, simply do not factor into the equation, and you might even be unpatriotic for protesting their conspicuous absence in “The Old Guard.” But thank goodness we seem to be on the winning side!

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one better the welfare of humanity with immortality? Once again, quite naturally, with violence. The centuriesold antiheroes are shown in dramatic montages to leap through historical events, bloodied weapons in hand, slaughtering the presumed evil-doers and making the earth a better place for democracy and freedom, one kill at a time. But to keep this from being too blatantly rosy at the start, the film depicts the Guard’s collective decision to slow down its mercenary activities with the wooden leader Andy, played by Charlize Theron, speculating perhaps their many years of hand-tohand ferocity might not have been so good for humanity after all. Reluctantly, the Guard is roused from this despondency by the appearance of a new immortal superhero, U.S. marine Nile Freeman, who is deployed in Afghanistan to ostensibly combat the local terrorist insurgents. She storms a building, unquestionably occupied by some evil armed men. Exactly what she and the other marines are doing

EDITORIAL POLICY 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.

CORRECTIONS

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 5 THE REFLECTOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 @REFLECTORONLINE

Ms. Annie serves up smiles at the Perry cafeteria

MARY BLAKE BRASHIER

STAFF WRITER

Mississippi State University students who frequent the Marketplace at Perry know the sweet, chipper voice of Annie Doss, known to the campus as Ms. Annie, as she greets them on their way in and tells them to have a great day on their way out. Doss is the hostess at the Perry, and she scans in thousands of students every day. To students at MSU, Doss is so much more than a cafeteria hostess; her eager smile and welcoming tone make her more like an old friend. Doss was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, where her father is from. Her mother is from Mississippi. Doss grew up with five sisters and three brothers. She will celebrate her 64th birthday in May, sadly without her precious students since the school will be out for the summer. Leanna Breland, a freshman majoring in secondary education at MSU who frequently goes to Perry, said she always enjoys her interactions with Ms. Annie. “She always brightens my day,” Breland said. “Perry was the first cafeteria I had eaten in on my first day of school and I was very

nervous, but she helped calm my nerves and made me feel better.” Besides being a fabulous hostess, Doss is also a mother and a grandmother. “I had five kids. I had four girls and one boy. My oldest one is 45 or 46, and my youngest daughter is 32,” Doss said. “I also have 20 grand babies. My only son had five kids: one boy and four girls just like me.” Doss’ kindness and joy are a picture of perseverance. One of her daughters died at the age of four. Since then, she has also lost her mother and one of her aunts. Yet, she still shows up to work every day with a huge smile on her face. “The Lord is good,” Doss said after sharing about the death of her mother. For fun, Doss enjoys fishing, bowling and tennis. She also helps local churches serve food on Saturdays. Serving is her greatest passion, and her favorite people to help are the students of MSU. “Let me tell you something,” Doss said. “I am also a Christian. The Lord will put you where he wants you to be, and he wanted me to talk to the students and pray for them. ‘Cause that’s what I do, I

Adam Sullivan | The Reflector

Ms. Annie works as a cafeteria hostess at the Perry cafeteria. Ms. Annie is passionate about her job, and Mississippi State University students look forward to her eager greeting.

pray for y’all.” Samuel Graham is a sophomore mechanical engineering major at MSU who also enjoys going to Perry, but he goes specifically to see his favorite hostess. “Ms. Annie is one of the only reasons why I go to Perry every day,” Graham said. “She never has a bad day. Whenever I see her, it makes my day better.” Doss has worked at MSU for over a decade and has loved every minute of it. Students enjoy seeing her smiling eyes and hearing her words of encouragement

throughout the day. “Mississippi State is a great place to work. I like the people,” Doss said. “My supervisors and the people I work with — they’re all good. We get along.” Her smiling face is always ready to greet the students walking into Perry, and she never fails to punctuate each scan with a chipper, “Have a nice day!” Her dedication and passion for her work make her many student’s favorite person on campus, including Breland and Graham. “She makes a point to talk to everyone; she doesn’t

have favorites. She just talks to everyone as they come in,” Breland said. “She is one of the most joyful people I have ever met,” Graham said. “I just love what I’m doing. Because I love y’all,” Doss said. “I would not do this if I did not love y’all. I just feel the Lord has put me here to help. I’m good.” Doss loves the sunshine, and on bright days, her already happy attitude becomes a positively sunny disposition. “She loves Fridays, too,” Breland said, “Anytime you ask her how she is on

a Friday, she is always even more excited than she usually is.” Doss credits all her love and joy to the Lord, and she encourages students to love more. “That’s what we need in the world: more love. If we have more love, we’re all good. We wouldn’t have all the confusion,” Doss said. If anyone needs a reason to smile, the Perry cafeteria may be the place for them. Doss will be ready and waiting to scan you in to eat some fried chicken with open arms and a smile on her face.

engineering, has worked at Starkville Nutrition since the first semester of his freshman year. Moak agreed with Chance that juggling a job and classes is not for everyone. However, for Moak, being part of the Starkville community has been incredibly rewarding. “The most rewarding part is the friends I’ve made at Starkville Nutrition. It was good to give an out, to be able to go to work, make a little

spending money and just be able to talk to people and meet customers and get to know local people … The main reason you’re here if you’re in college is to get an education … I would encourage students to try it, but it’s not for everyone,” Moak said. Many students like Chance and Moak work jobs off campus, but other students work jobs that are on-campus and often disregarded. This is true for Ellie Holt, a sophomore psychology major who works as a Resident Assistant (RA) on campus. Prior to becoming an RA, Ellie thought it would be an easily manageable job. “Before, I didn’t think RAs did anything. Once I got into it, I saw that it was a lot. I think people just do not see the work that RAs do,” Holt said. On top of being on duty every week, Ellie is responsible for assembling a monthly bulletin board as well as monthly programs. She also said quite a lot of paperwork is involved with being an RA.

RAs are also heavily involved with the housing department and interviews for future RAs. Being an RA is not just paperwork and written work, it also requires a level of emotional depth when dealing with residents and sensitive issues they bring to their RAs. “It (being an RA) takes a toll on your mental health that we had not predicted. Residents will come to you with anything. I know some of the RAs in my building have had residents come to them with self-harm issues, suicidal thoughts — and that takes a huge toll on their personal mental health,” Holt said. “Parts of the job like this get overlooked. You can refer someone to the health center, but it’s up to them to take it.” All of the jobs mentioned take hard work and strength to balance school life. So many students work and often times their workload is overlooked and ignored. However, the contributions of students to the Starkville community and to MSU’s campus cannot be missed.

A balancing act: MSU students juggle college and careers

EMILY BUTLER

STAFF WRITER

For college students, balancing classes and social lives free from parental influence can be hard. All students know the struggles which come with independence, but many also know the difficulty of balancing a working life on top of all that. According to a study done by the National Center for Education Statistics, 43% of undergraduate full-time college students were employed n 2018. With numbers as high as these, a multitude of students exists with a variety of different jobs at Mississippi State University. MSU students work at all sorts of different jobs. Some work off-campus at restaurants, coffee shops and stores, some work in Columbus and some students also work on-campus obs. Whatever the job is, many MSU students are working hard to either pay for their college bills or to have a little bit of extra spending money.

Josie Chance, a freshman agriculture education, leadership and communication major, works part-time at Chick-fil-A while also balancing her school schedule. She held a job during much of high school and knew she wanted to work going into college. “I worked all through high school, so I already had a decent balance of how to handle working while trying to manage a class load,” Chance said. Contrary to what some might think, Chance said having a job actually helps her to get her homework done. Because of her busy schedule, she plans when she will complete her homework for the week. “My schedule is going to be busier because I have a lot of stuff going on, but I prefer that … I waste less time,” Chance said. Chance also noted working in college is very beneficial but not for everyone. “I think that going

to college is a big change for anyone, so if work is something people are going to struggle with, it might not be the best idea for them,” Chance said. Having a job during college is not for everyone, but for Josie Chance, it is what keeps her on top of it as well as helps her to manage her resources and money. Will Moak, a junior majoring in chemical

Students “spring” for spontaneity this March

MARY BLAKE BRASHIER

STAFF WRITER

The cancellation of spring break was a big blow to students at Mississippi State University. Thankfully, MSU made the tough call before most students had the chance to dream up any plans. However, as the time for spring break is passing, students are growing restless, and weekend trips are becoming quite popular. Maddie Bender, a freshman at MSU majoring in history, went on a day trip to Birmingham, Alabama, a couple weeks ago. She was accompanied by her friends Mae Bogran, a freshman majoring in management and Isabella Walker, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering. “We went to Whataburger, Dunkin’ Donuts and Target,” Bender said. Bender, Bogran and Walker are all from Texas. Their Birmingham trip was centered on some of their favorite places to frequent back home. They wanted to get the real hometown experience without the long drive back to Texas. The girls enjoyed their day trip immensely and highly recommended doing it, although they warned the traffic was hectic.

Bender said she recommends students find something to keep them afloat and help their mental health, especially since there is not a long break around the corner. “Find a lifeboat. Mine is learning things,” Bender said. Bender and Bogran also do yoga at the Sanderson Center once a week together. The two said exercise is very important to stay both physically and mentally healthy. “Releasing endorphins once a week is important for my mental health,” Bender said. While their Birmingham trip was planned a week or so in advance, others are taking spontaneous trips out of the blue. Anna Beth Gandy, a freshman criminology and psychology major, went on a day trip to the beach recently. “One night I was feeling extra spontaneous,” Gandy said. “I was with my friend, and I wanted to do something. So I said, ‘Let’s go to the beach.’” Gandy and her friends quickly came up with a plan and headed off to the beach around 1 a.m. but not without an unexpected setback. “My car actually got

Jordan Smith | Courtesy Photo

Students Jordan Smith, Virginia Coleman and Esther St. Pierre took their own Spring Break.

towed right before we were planning on leaving,” Gandy said. Unfortunately, all their supplies were in Gandy’s car, as she was going to be the driver. Thankfully, they were able to get the car back, but they missed the sunrise on the beach.

However, according to Gandy, the group still had a lot of fun. “We stayed there all day,” Gandy said. “We split the gas, and we ate good food. It was inexpensive, which was good because we are all broke.” Gandy said she was

terribly upset at the cancellation of spring break. “You always hear about the first spring break in college, and I was excited to get to do that with my new friends,” Gandy said. Gandy highly recommends taking a spontaneous trip to the beach or anywhere else. She shared it was a fun way to get out and have a break. As for her mental health without spring break, Gandy shared her methods for coping. “I make sure and rest and re-energize myself and focus on things that are important,” Gandy said. “Checking in on my friends and spending time with them is something I make a point to do.” Esther St. Pierre, a sophomore majoring in kinesiology, also went on a beach trip. “I went to Key West,” St. Pierre said. “I camped with three friends from Friday to Monday. I kind of wish I was still there.” St. Pierre and her friends were originally going to Texas, but because of the effects of the ice storm, they decided it might be wise to cancel. Instead, Key West, Florida, was offered up as a possibility. “It was very

spontaneous,” St. Pierre said. “It is the kind of trip that I live for.” The four girls camped out on the beach and cooked on a camp stove, eating out only once the entire trip. There was live music on the beach, and the girls even made some friends from Minnesota who helped them set up their tent. St. Pierre was initially pretty upset with the cancellation of spring break. While spring break is thought of as a beach trip and parties all week, St. Pierre wanted the break for her mental health as well. Those looking for a break might consider a spontaneous trip to the beach, a day trip to Birmingham, Alabama, or even just an afternoon at the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge 20 minutes down the road. Other options include Nashville, Tennessee or Tuscaloosa, Alabama. “Starkville is a really small town. Honestly, you have to take advantage of the good of that,” St. Pierre said. “It challenges you to think outside of the box. For a day trip, go to the Refuge and kayak, or have a picnic or walk around downtown or on campus. There are little hidden gems everywhere.”

66-Sports SPORTS

THE REFLECTOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 @SPORTSREFLECTOR

Bulldog baseball breaks record in win over Eastern Michigan JARED CONERLY STAFF WRITER

A theatrical weekend series took place at Dudy Noble Field, where the No. 3 Diamond Dawgs (12-3) accumulated three wins over Eastern Michigan University (4-4) and won the series with a sweep. The mouth-watering smell of charcoal grills in left field permeated through the air, only being overpowered by the roaring cheers of 3,526 fans in attendance on Friday watching the Bulldogs open the series and dominate Eastern Michigan 14-0. Junior Christian MacLeod (1.84 ERA) took the mound first for Mississippi State University and allowed only one hit in the five innings he pitched. The pitcher from Huntsville, Alabama, walked one and struck out a careertying 11 batters, setting the school’s modern-day record for consecutive scoreless innings with 36 innings. The

previous best was 30 innings set in 1976. This marked the fourth straight shutout for MSU and something that has not been accomplished in 112 years, when the 1909 squad recorded five straight shutouts. Head Coach Chris Lemonis could not help but praise MacLeod for his efforts. “He was really sharp tonight, as sharp as I’ve seen him in a long time, and it was nice to see him bounce back and respond (after last week’s start),” Lemonis said. “He’s one of the more talented pitchers in the country. I told the team we all face some little ups and downs as seasons go on with adversity. When you bounce back from it, it makes you a better player. I think that’s what we’re seeing with Christian right now.” Offensively, senior Rowdey Jordan, an outfielder from Auburn, Alabama; senior outfielder Tanner Allen from Theodore, Alabama;

sophomore infielder Kamren James from Southaven, Mississippi; and freshman infielder Lane Forsythe from Humboldt, Tennessee, highlighted the matchup by contributing two runs each. Six other Bulldogs also chipped in one run each, sealing the game. Saturday’s game played out a little differently than the first. EMU’s Justin Meis took to the mound first and dealt some damage to the Bulldogs. Meis pitched a nohitter himself throughout most of the game, and a single home run by EMU’s Taylor Hopkins put the Bulldogs behind 1-0. It was not until the bottom of the ninth inning with their backs against the wall that the Bulldogs finally scored a run. Allen singled up the middle followed up by James who took a hit by pitch giving him a free base. Junior Luke Hancock, a catcher from Houston, Mississippi, then singled,

allowing Allen to score and tie the game. With two players still on bases, sophomore Logan Tanner (C) took to home plate and on the first pitch the Lucedale, Mississippi, native smacked a three-run walkoff home run to steal the game with a 4-1 victory. “We’re such a close group, and we know that if we fight to the end, there is no way we can’t come back,” Allen said. “We always feel confident going into the ninth (inning); we know the crowd is going to get into it.” The Diamond Dawgs pulled off a win in spectacular fashion, marking the third walk-off victory in the season. Junior Eric Cerantola started on the mound for the Bulldogs and threw a career high five innings for the Oakville, Ontario, product, notching five strikeouts and allowing the only EMU run off a solo home run in the fourth inning. On Sunday, the

Diamond Dawgs got on the scoreboard early with three runs in the bottom of the second. Forsythe, senior Josh Hatcher (IF/OF) of Albany, Georgia, and Tanner all scored a run off a double by graduate Scotty Dabrule (IF) of Venice, Florida. EMU would answer back with their only score of the game coming off a single home run by Mark Kattula in the top of the third inning. The Bulldogs would answer with a run of their own in the bottom of the third when Tanner hit a 388foot home run, improving the Bulldogs’ score to 4-1. Freshman Jackson Fristoe (1.59 ERA), from Paducah, Kentucky, was the starting pitcher for the Diamond Dawgs, and through the first four innings, he threw three strike outs and allowed the single home run from EMU. Sophomore Will Bednar (0.00 ERA) took the mound for the next four innings after starting in the fifth.

Bednar threw seven strike outs and allowed only one hit. The sophomore from Cumming, Georgia, Landon Simms (0.77 ERA), capped off the night by pitching in the last inning for the Bulldogs and threw three strike outs to close the game; putting the finishing touches on an incredible weekend that showcased the Bulldogs’ pitching prowess. Bednar played a part in the showcase of incredible pitching, and the Valencia, Pennsylvania, native said he is thrilled to be surrounded by talented pitchers and teammates. “It’s good to be competitive with the guys who are potential starters, and we are all super competitive. We all want the spots, but we are all rooting for each other to do the best that we can,” Bednar said. “It’s really exciting to have so many guys that could be weekend starters against SEC schools, so I’m real excited for what our staff is going to do this year.”

Jordan Smith | The Reflector

Brad Cumbest, a junior outfielder from Hurley, Mississippi, swings for the Mississippi State University Bulldogs during their matchup this past weekend with Eastern Michigan University, where the Dawgs took a win in each game during the three-day series.

Bulldog soccer goes 2-0 in game and season LYDIA PALMER SPORTS EDITOR

On Saturday afternoon, the Bulldogs scored their second consecutive spring win, putting them at 2-0 so far in this portion of their season. Along with the Bulldogs going 2-0 with their season record, that was also the score that the girls put up against the Red Wolves of Arkansas State University this weekend. The first goal of the game was scored by Mississippi State University around 15 minutes into the first half. Hannah Telleysh, a junior midfielder from Orlando, Florida, scored the goal that kicked off the game. “We were going back and forth trying to get through into the final third, and everything was kind of back and forth, back and forth just getting us to settle down the game and finally get a shot on goal,” Telleysh shared about the leadup to her goal that kicked off

scoring for the Bulldogs. “So, it was really great to get the first actual shot and for it to go in the back of the net.”

“Marcella is one of the hardest working people on the team.” James Armstong Head Coach MSU women’s soccer Telleysh’s shot was the only score of the half, bringing the Bulldogs on top of the Red Wolves to start the second half. This is not to say the Red Wolves of Arkansas State University did not push some shots towards the goal during the first half of Saturday afternoon’s match. Two of the shots by ASU during the first half were by senior forward Sarah Sodoma, a native

of Manchester, Missouri. She led the Red Wolves in shots for the entire game, with three total shots and one shot on goal during the match. Despite efforts from the Red Wolves, the Bulldogs were still on top when the second half started, and the momentum was strong with multiple Bulldogs shooting for the goal early on in the half. Monigo Karnley, a junior forward from Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, had a strong shot early on in the second half, but it was blocked by the Red Wolves’ goalie, senior Megan McClure. Shortly after the blocked shot, the Bulldogs scored their second goal of the night with a kick by Marcella Cash, a freshman forward from Beavercreek, Ohio. Aside from this being the second goal of the game for the Bulldogs, it was also Cash’s first goal as a Bulldog. She shared about this moment after the game. “Obviously, (being able to score) started from all the hard work that everyone else has been putting in at practice, because I wouldn’t have scored if it wasn’t for everyone that had the ball prior that was able to get the ball where it was,” Cash shared. The team’s head coach, James Armstrong, spoke

highly of Cash as a player and teammate. “Marcella is one of the hardest working people on the team,” Armstrong said about the freshman. “She came in as a goal-scorer, and when you haven’t got a goal for so long, it starts to wear on your mind a little bit. So, I think you could see that once that

goal went in, it was kind of like the weight was lifted off her shoulders, and she played a lot better afterwards.” Head Coach Armstrong spoke proudly of his team after the game, especially speaking about this being their second spring game and winning both of those

matches. This year, the spring games are not only for training but affect the Bulldogs’ standings. “Troy will be another good team, wellorganized,” Armstrong said. “I think at the moment, we’ll just concentrate on us and how we can be better from today.”

Hannah Blankenship| The Reflector

Marcella Cash protects possession of the ball during a match against Arkansas State University on Saturday in Starkville, Mississippi.