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137th YEAR ISSUE 1

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

Congestion on campus: An update on Blackjack, parking and traffic PAYTON BROWN

“Students and staff panic and think there are not enough spaces, but there actually are. We just need folks to continue to look in their zone and know what all is available to them,” Dumas said. “First and foremost, understand where your parking zone is as well as the lots that are available to you. Please do not try to relocate your car after every class.” Additionally, Dumas said people who drop off students at their building cause more traffic because the driver stops in the middle of the road and affects traffic. Campus traffic is not the only point of interest for MSU students, as the completion of Blackjack Road is another commonly discussed topic since the beginning of its construction in 2020.

STAFF WRITER

Since the new school year at Mississippi State University began, on-campus traffic has been a concern for many people due to the overflow of automobiles in central areas. To many students, the root of this issue appears to be a lack of parking accommodations and on-site traffic guidance. However, the uncertainty of the new, in-person school year manifested itself into an influx of traffic on campus. Executive director of MSU Parking and Transit Services Jeremiah Dumas assured students and faculty the latest traffic jams are a combination of new students, new commuters and the confusion that comes with the beginning of a fall semester. Dumas noted that more than 1,500 new parking spaces have been added to

John Grifﬁn | The Reﬂector

Blackjack Road south of Mississippi State Universityʼs campus has been a hot topic amongst students for the past couple of years due to its unsafe driving conditions.

MSU’s campus in the last couple of years. Though it seems like few parking spaces are available, Dumas explained Parking and Transit Services reviews parking on campus each

year and determined that MSU has more than enough spaces per permit allocation. “We are not near capacity,” Dumas said. “One of the things that always happens at the ﬁrst of the

year is that everybody wants to park as close to the building as they can, and it is challenging for us when we are able to look in other parking lots in their zone and see that there’s

available spaces.” Dumas believes faculty and students can resolve the trafﬁc issue within the ﬁrst month of the semester by properly researching where they can park.

BLACKJACK, 2

Small residence hall fire sparks conversation of student safety MAGGIE ROBERTS STAFF WRITER

Mississippi Department of Health

Graph of COVID-19 cases in Mississippi since March 2020. As of early September, cases are declining due to a rise in vaccinations.

Administrators, students promote vaccine awareness MAGGIE PHILLIPS STAFF WRITER

When students returned to campus at the commencement of the fall 2021 semester, COVID-19 cases heavily increased in Mississippi, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health. However, due to an

increase in vaccination rates among Mississippians, case numbers are slowly starting to level off. Mississippi State University continues to encourage preventative measures against COVID-19 by offering vaccines to all students, faculty and staff, requiring masks indoors throughout

campus and promoting personal hygiene and social distancing. Jeremy Baham, assistant vice president for Student Affairs, has been working with organizations across campus to promote student health and wellbeing during the pandemic. VACCINE, 2

The start of the semester brings reminders of safety protocols on and off Mississippi State University’s campus. A discussion about residence hall safety began when a piece of the air conditioning unit caught fire on the fifth floor of the women’s bathroom in Cresswell Hall on Aug. 15. As a result, unhealthy air quality in the building forced the fifth-floor residents to relocate to a nearby hotel for about a week. Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt explained the fire was minimal but still caused inconveniences for the residents. “There was a PCAC unit in the fifth-floor women’s restroom that sparked. The damage was primarily smoke or soot.

There wasn’t a large fire,” Hyatt said. In years past, various residence halls have reported fires. Many of the fires were due to residents’ misjudgments. “We have had a fire started by candles. We have had a fire started by a cell phone plugged into a wall on a bed, so we have had numerous kinds of fires. Since I have been here the past seven years, there hasn’t been another fire in Cresswell that I recall,” Hyatt said. Other than avoiding fires, students can remain safe in their residence halls by following advice from experts. Hyatt urged residents to be conscientious of their surroundings, especially at nighttime. She shared some simple tips students should follow. “Be thoughtful when you are locking the door

and when you are out of the room and not leaving your valuables in plain sight. If you are going somewhere, tell your roommate or someone on your ﬂoor, especially if you are going to be gone for more than a couple hours,” Hyatt said. Another way students can stay safe while living in a residence hall is to walk with either a friend at night or utilize MSU’s Safe Walk program. At night, Safe Walk employees escort people on campus to their car or building. MSU Police Department Crime Prevention ofﬁcer Corporal Chantel SolisMcCoy teaches students about crime prevention tactics. Solis-McCoy said the most common issues she sees are people not locking their cars, leading to an increase in automobile break-ins and stolen property. SAFETY, 2

Afghanistan veterans react to Taliban takeover

HANNAH BLANKENSHIP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Beginning on Aug. 6, the world watched as a terrorist organization took over a whole country in a little over a week. Americans reeled as the Taliban undid in nine days what it took the U.S. 20 years, a trillion dollars and over 2,298 American lives to do. The U.S. originally invaded Afghanistan in 2001 after the Taliban were found harboring Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda movement, the group behind the 9/11 attacks. Since then, U.S. troops have been occupying the country, battling Taliban forces and attempting to

establish a strong Afghan national government and military that can withstand the militant terrorist group. In April of 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden announced all U.S. troops in the country would be pulled out by Sept. 11, 20 years to the day after the 9/11 attacks. The Taliban began seizing land and took province after province, eventually arriving at Kabul, the capital city, and taking over the seat of the nation. A crisis ensued as the U.S. tried to pull out their troops and received widespread criticism for the execution of their decision and leaving behind at-risk Afghans. For many college-aged

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Americans, the U.S. war in Afghanistan has been going on for their whole lives. Most of them were only babies when the Twin Towers fell. Some were not even born yet. It was easy for the conﬂict in Afghanistan to feel far away. But for other members of the Mississippi State University family, the war in Afghanistan was not a far-off reality. They lived it. Brian Locke, the director of MSU’s G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans and a retired military veteran who served in Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008, described the Taliban takeover as “a punch in the gut.” SAFETY, 2

The U.S. Army | Courtesy Photo

U.S. Army Sgt. Raymond Dakos patrols near Combat Outpost Kowall near the village of Tabin in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 2011.

FORECAST: The latter half of the week will bring in mostly sunny skies and high temperatures. Thursday and Friday should be mostly sunny with partial clouds throughout the day. Stay hydrated Saturday because it will be a hot and sunny day for MSU football. Sunday will be another rainy day, so keep your rain boots and umbrella handy.

Courtesy of National Weather Service

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VACCINE “Our Department of Health Promotion and Wellness spends a lot of time talking with folks about the importance of wearing a mask, the importance of being vaccinated and how those things can help the community get through this,” Baham said. “Our ultimate goal is to help students lead healthy lives and make healthy decisions, not just while they’re here, but to learn how to do that and take that wherever they go after they graduate.” Baham said MSU’s efforts to promote a healthy campus include making preventative measures accessible to the entire MSU community. For example, the university provides face masks and makeshift “clinics” for students to receive the COVID-19 vaccine across the university. “We are doing vaccinations in the health center, as well as doing pop-up clinics all over campus, where you can walk in without an appointment and sign up to get vaccinated that same day,” Baham said. “Being vaccinated greatly reduces the chance of being sent to the hospital.” As universal research shows increased infection rates of the COVID-19 Delta variant in younger generations, taking preventative actions

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against the virus have become even more important for students’ well-being, Baham said. Beyond self-defense against COVID-19, Baham encourages students to take the initiative to get vaccinated to protect the community and set the university up for the best possible semester. “I don’t know that anybody can give a good answer about what’s going to happen two weeks from now or a month from now,” Baham said about the plans for the upcoming semester. “It’s not normal. We’re not trying to have a normal year. What we are trying to do is provide the best experience for students in a safe environment.” Jonah Neville, an MSU health and wellness educator, works with the Department of Health Promotion and Wellness on campus to educate students about navigating campus life safely during a pandemic. He explained that research shows vaccinated people recover more quickly from COVID-19 than unvaccinated people. “We do have a good fortified first line of defense,” Neville said regarding the increased availability of vaccines for the fall 2021 semester. “The promising thing is that in vaccinated

individuals, the viral load seems to dissipate much more quickly than it does in unvaccinated individuals, which leads to less chance of spread and less likelihood of infection.” Although Neville started his work in the Department of Health Promotion and Wellness overseeing the alcohol and drug program for MSU, his focus moved to COVID-19 education and research as the need for it increased. Neville has been working with students and organizations to help them learn about COVID-19 and teaching them where to receive COVID-19 updates from reliable sources. “You can see the trials and all the vaccine information,” Neville said. “The CDC always has great information, as well as the John Hopkins School of Public Health and the National Institute of Health.” Furthermore, the health and wellness educator noted COVID-19 cases in Mississippi becoming more level in contrast to national trends showing increasing infection rates. “Cases nationwide are trending upward. In the state, they were trending upward, but now they are starting to somewhat level off, which is encouraging. That could

be attributed to the fact that Mississippi has seen a nice boost in vaccinations in the past two or three weeks, which falls into the time period in which vaccinations start being really effective,” Neville said. “Stay diligent. We are inching towards the finish line, hopefully, but we are not out of the woods yet.” Additionally, MSU students have started new leadership roles to educate students about COVID-19 and the vaccine. The Vaccine Ambassadors are a Student Affairs organization trained to assist students in assessing the options and precautions they can take during the pandemic. Ashlynn McCain, a senior communication and psychology major, is one of the Vaccine Ambassadors on campus who helps educate student organizations, assist health center employees in vaccine distribution and promote general health and wellness on campus. “I see the Vaccine Ambassadors as an introduction to a book on COVID-19 vaccines. We are giving the very basic information, such as how to get a vaccine, what vaccines are available on campus and answers to questions on their safety and efficacy,” McCain said. “One of our main goals is to try to encourage vaccination.”

McCain said her inspiration to join Vaccine Ambassadors was the safety of others and a desire to provide the best possible college experience for MSU students. “My biggest fear when the pandemic started wasn’t really for myself. It was for the people I was around,” McCain said. “One of the most patriotic things you can do — patriotic meaning good for yourself and for your community — is to get the shot because, at least to me, it said, ‘I care.’” According to McCain, the objective of the Vaccine Ambassadors goes beyond presenting information about the pandemic and encouraging the COVID-19 vaccine. The Vaccine Ambassadors also hope to promote health and wellness by listening to students, especially during times of stress and confusion. “Something that is very important to me is to make people feel heard, and I feel like a lot of people, vaccinated and unvaccinated, don’t feel heard. They hear so much misinformation, so I just want to provide a safe space for them,” McCain said. “Not only are we here to give information, but we are here to take in that information because we want to help students in the best way that we

SAFETY Solis-McCoy described the strategies and technology the MSU Police Department uses to help students when an incident occurs. “When it comes to different vehicle theft or burglary prevention, we do an initial report,” SolisMcCoy said. “We have the student, faculty or staff provide us with all the items that were lost or stolen. “Once we get all the information, then our investigators take over. We also have a license plate recognition software that is at every entrance and exit on campus that will help give an idea of when and where individuals are on campus.” Jordan Brock, a senior communication major, experienced vehicle theft last semester at her apartment. “I lived at the Social Campus. I woke up and went down to get in my car

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for work. When I got to it, I noticed that my glove box was open, and there

“

Keep

valuables out of your vehicle if possible and always carry a spare key.”

Corporal Chantel Solis-McCoy Crime Prevention MSU PD

was stuff that had been taken out and left on my passenger seat. When I got in, I realized that the $250 I had in my console had been taken,” Brock said. Brock had filed a police report with the Starkville Police Department, but they

never found the culprit. Brock continued to describe what she assumes happened. “I had just gotten a new car, and I always press my lock button once and never really paid attention. I figured out I have to press my lock button three times for all of the doors to lock. Someone told me that people will just walk through apartment complexes and pull on people’s doors, so I think they (the thief) did that, and my door was just unlocked,” Brock said. Solis-McCoy finished with her best advice to avoid theft. “My best tip would be to fill out our property identification form that is on our website. Keep valuables out of your vehicle if possible and always carry a spare key,” Solis-McCoy said.

John Griffin | The Reflector

The MSU Police Department encourages everyone to lock their vehicles and utilize resources on the police department’s website.

BLACKJACK Blackjack Road provides access to several student housing complexes as well as multiple entrances into the university, making it an important part of Starkville transportation. Nic Parish, vice president of Burns Construction, described the progress of Blackjack Road as successful and

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believes the crew will complete the road this fall. “Over the summer, we were able to get the old roadway removed, replaced and paved. We are working on the third lane and hoping to start curbs on it next week. All the traffic on all three lanes should be open sometime around mid-October.

I think you will see no construction equipment out there around the first of November,” Parish said. Regarding the influx of traffic on both Blackjack Road and on campus, Vance Rice, MSU Police Department chief of police, said traffic is temporary and primarily depends on the faculty

and students to relieve the issue. Vance explained that the first weeks of school brings in traffic that is difficult to predict because each car is going to a different location on campus, unlike traffic for scheduled events, such as football games. Therefore, the MSU Police

Department cannot set up traffic routes because it would block off areas of campus where people need to go. “There is literally almost nothing we can do. People just have to learn their location and where they are going to be able to go and not go,” Rice said. Students and faculty

AFGHANISTAN “It’s very hard to see a terrorist organization walking around with your weapons, and it’s hard to see a terrorist organization driving your vehicles,” Locke said. Aaron Uram, a MSU graduate student pursuing his masters in electrical engineering, served in Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011. Nearly 80% of his company was wounded in direct combat with the Taliban, receiving a total of 114 Purple Hearts. “I was shocked,” Uram said of his initial reaction to the takeover. “I haven’t been that distraught in a while, just for the speed that the government collapsed. I couldn’t believe they took the country in a week, because we owned like 90% of it for 20 years. I couldn’t believe it.” John Brody, an ex-spec ops weatherman and a

can.” McCain said one of the most important measures students can take to slow the spread of COVID-19 is to stay informed. McCain offered sources for students who are questioning their next move to fight the pandemic. “When it comes to more in-depth stuff — ‘What is a viral load,’ ‘How is the Delta variant affecting younger people versus older people’ — we refer people to the health center or the COVID hotline. They are the ones that have been researching this, and they’re the ones who have been briefed by the state, so we want to make sure that the most qualified and knowledgeable people are the ones answering those questions.” The FDA-approved Pfizer vaccine is available on campus to all students, faculty and staff, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is available upon request. To schedule an appointment at the Longest Student Health Center, call 662-325-7535. COVID-19 testing is available by appointment by calling the COVID-19 hotline at 662-325-2055. Students, faculty and staff can enter multiple prize drawings if they are vaccinated by submitting their vaccine card on Banner.

graduate student studying meteorology at MSU, was in Afghanistan when bin Laden was assassinated. “Of course I’m upset, disappointed, a lot of negative emotions,” Brody said. “I spent time there. I believed in the mission.” But none of them regret their service in Afghanistan. “I was involved in many projects of building schools and building hospitals, building roads and doing humanitarian assistance,” Locke said. “So you think of the 20 years that we’ve been there, all the people who have had a better life over those last 20 years, as opposed to probably what they’re going to experience now.” On Aug. 16, President Biden said American troops should not have to fight a war that Afghan forces themselves will not

can diminish their traffic and parking concerns by familiarizing themselves with their parking zones and using the MSUprovided transportation system. Issues with both Blackjack Road and campus traffic should resolve within the semester, resulting in faster access to everyone’s destinations. CONTINUED FROM 1

fight. This statement, and the belief that the Afghans do not want to fight their own war, has been the subject of hot debate. Locke, who was in charge of training members of the Afghan National Police, said the issue is far more complex than it is made out to be. “I don’t think it’s necessarily accurate to say that they wouldn’t stay and fight, because they stood alongside of us and they fought with us for 20 years,” Locke said. He also mentioned the massive amount of Afghans that died fighting with the Americans—over 64,000. However, all three veterans spoke extensively of the fundamental cultural and societal differences between the Afghans and Americans that ultimately prevented

the achievement of the American objective in Afghanistan. Uram said many Afghans do not have a concept of a national government. Their allegiance is first to their family, then to their clan or tribe. And the Americans are just another tribe—a tribe that will not be there for very long. Many of the Afghans did fight faithfully alongside the Americans, but at the end of the day, the difference in cultural values was something even military might could not overpower. “It’s a tribal society and we tried to push our value system on it. It just doesn’t work,” Uram said. Additionally, according to Brody, Afghanistan’s lack of development posed another huge problem for the American objective. He said you can talk military strategy and

tactics all you want, but you should first address the bare fact that most of the people you are talking to do not even know how to read. He remembers seeing Afghan national military members graduating from military training and holding their diplomas upside down. According to The World Bank, less than 50% of Afghans are literate. Brody said unless the U.S. had decided to take a multigenerational approach to nation-building, the mission was doomed before it began. Another thing all three veterans were sure of from their time on the ground was the ruthlessness of the Taliban. “I keep hearing this stuff on the news about how we’re going to make a deal with the Taliban and they’re going to protect everybody. Whoever’s

saying that is out of their mind, because anything you could think of in medieval times, and I won’t go into it, they will do to people. There’s zero human rights with the Taliban,” Uram said. Uram said even while he was on the ground in Afghanistan he realized this would be an impossible war. But even still, it did not affect his motivation. “I felt committed to the military,” Uram said. “Even though I may not have agreed with everything the politicians got us into, I believe in our military. It’s the best in the world still. And our lower-level military leaders I believe in, and just our country, I believe in. I just felt like I’d be giving up on everybody if I didn’t do my job. There was never a question in my mind about that.”

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Across 1 5 9 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 25 29 30 31 32 35 36 37 41 42 43 44 45 46 48 50 55 58 59 62 63 64 65

Seductress Cuckoopint Mischievous Diaper cream ingredient Detective’s assignment Riyadh resident Gobs Berry starter Kind of drive “Put a lid ___!” Denial Adjust a camera Certain student “Is it soup ___?” Pound sound 1969 Peace Prize grp. Insignificant Dance bit Think ahead Vine fruit Sheepskin leather Kayoed Memory unit Recliner part Regret In times past It blows off steam Non-owner habitation 5th letter of the Greek alphabet "Barbarella" actor O’Shea Certain sorority woman Monthly expense Isaac’s firstborn Ornamental handbags Race track shape

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9 1

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66 One of TV’s Simpsons 67 Nettle 68 Cairo’s river 69 Pharaoh’s symbol Down 1 Reason for a medal 2 Unaccompanied 3 Recurring theme 4 Marinara alternative 5 Build up 6 Least cooked 7 DoD part 8 Diner’s card

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

9 Protective embankment 10 Big dipper 11 Stole 12 Nuptial agreement 13 Matchsticks game 22 Involuntary twitch 24 Cluster of flowers 26 Kitchen light 27 Carpenter’s tool 28 Hither’s partner 30 Deviation 32 Beach 33 Full of rich soil 34 Night spot 35 Most preferred 36 Thickness 38 Not mine

39 40 41 45 46 47 49 51 52 53 54 56 57 59 60 61

Expected Black, to poets Dust remover Meal Discordant Washer setting Old photo color Tiny organism Month after Adar Lewis’s partner Early days It’s pumped in a gym First name in jeans Beer barrel Gobbled up Wall Street order

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Smith: Leach’s Bulldogs are not5 1a 7last 2 6 3place 4 9 8 team

TARA SMITH

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After a full spring, a few weeks of practice and two scrimmages under their belts, the Mississippi State University Bulldogs have been able to grow into a team that will leave many of their pre-season predictions in the pre-season. This is not a last place team. “The biggest thing is we’ve gotten better up front; we’ve gotten better at running back,” Head Coach Mike Leach said regarding the use of the run game this season. With the offensive line being such a vital part of any offense, specifically in the air raid offense, it is paramount that they continuously improve their game and communication with each other. After the team’s first scrimmage in Davis Wade, Leach was dissatisfied with the way the offensive line performed. Leach thinks consistency is an important point for the Bulldogs to develop. “The biggest thing, we gotta put big plays, you know, closer together. We make plenty of good plays, we make a good streak sometimes,” Leach said. Leach was feeling a little bit more confident in the offense going into the second scrimmage. Some of this confidence is due to

the quarterback maturation, and some of it is credited to the team finally being able to have a full off-season under Leach. The off-season during the 2020 COVID-19 season was essentially nonexistent. “I think the off-seasons are really important. I think that’s helped elevate us up too,” Leach said. This go-around, the team was able to participate in fall camp along with the Maroon and White spring game. The most memorable point of the spring was the infamous photo of sophomore wide receiver Jaden Walley sporting a cowboy hat and leg brace while departing Davis Wade early due to a sprained MCL. That injury left many wondering what it meant for the star going into the 2021 season. Thankfully, Walley had a quick recovery and was back on the field in no time. Despite his injury, he has looked like the Walley we all know and love. His record-breaking 718 receiving yard freshman season was not beginners’ luck or simply a fluke, and the Will (Rogers) to Walley combo will continue to be one of the most dangerous threats the Bulldogs have to offer. There had been speculation regarding the quarterback pool amongst the fans due to Leach refraining from announcing who the starter would be, but Will Rogers, the young hero of the 2020 season, will inevitably receive the starting position in the week one game against Louisiana Tech University. There had been a great deal of competition between Rogers and Jack Abraham in the spring off-season, but

the University of Southern Mississippi transfer has had little practice time this fall due to a concussion. The Will to Walley connection, both true freshmen last season, quickly became the pair to watch as the almost telepathic connection between the two gave the fans hope towards the end of the season and something to look forward to in the following years. Of course, the success of this duo is exhilarating, but they are not the only players who have improved and impressed Leach in the off-season. Leach pointed out multiple athletes who have

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he’s more to make an inaccurate 5 some 4 good 6 7throw, 3 the overall possibility 2 inmobile 9betterand 1 shape, does things and is starting to carve of team success elevates In the second 9 for8himself 5 1exponentially. 2 3 out 6a good 7 role there. Then (Scott) Lashley, scrimmage, linebacker he’s a pretty athletic guy, he’s Rodney Groce Jr. led the 6 starting 5 9to get8 comfortable 1 7 2defense 4 in tackles with a total at right tackle,” Leach said of five, but his teammates 4 in 1a press 5 conference 7 6 8last 3were9not far behind, trailing week. by a mere one or two tackles On top of the offense’s 2 1 5in comparison. 6 7 steady 8 4 3improvement, There are a variety of the defense has been different predictions thrown 9 dominating. 3 8 4The 5constant 2 6around 7 on where the pressure they place on the Bulldogs will end the season, 8 quarterback 2 3 1is one7 of 9the 4but 58-4 is both optimistic most critical aspects to the and realistic. season. If The season opener 3 8against 1 LA Tech is set for 5 team’s 4 cansuccess 6apply2this they that9pressure

steadily improved or been a consistently prominent piece to the team. “Charles (Cross) has been steady, but he was pretty steady last year. I think Cam Jones, we flipped him to the other side, and he does some real good stuff. He’s athletic and he’s bigger than he was. And then (LaQuinston) Sharp has really done a good job at center. He’s strong, he’s very solid, and he’s starting to do a good job leading that group. A lot of time, the offensive line, you want them to gain weight. Dolla Bill (Kwartravoius Johnson), we wanted him to lose weight and he did. He’s

in a game situation and force the opposing quarterback

Sept. 4th with a 3 p.m. kick off at Davis Wade Stadium.

Mississippi State Athletics | Courtesy Photo

Quarterback Will Rogers (pictured) was named the starter this week for the upcoming game against Louisiana Tech. The game is set for this Saturday at 3 p.m. at Davis Wade.

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OPINION

COVID-19 vaccinations save lives and could save yours too

SAMUEL COTHRON

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

David, a senior at Mississippi State University, contracted the Sars-CoV2 virus three weeks ago. After days of crippling gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, body aches and difficulty breathing, he was admitted to the emergency room at Oktibbeha County Hospital Regional Medical Center after turning purple from gasping for air, unable to inhale deeply enough to obtain oxygen. He feared for his life. The doctors quickly confirmed that his lungs were filled with fluid, due to double viral pneumonia. He began oxygen therapy and intravenous antibiotic and antiviral medication, all administered in a makeshift private room within the emergency room—the hospital’s COVID-19 isolation ward had no available beds. Although he has finally begun to emerge from the illness, one sentiment was hauntingly consistent throughout the ordeal: he deeply regrets that he did not get the vaccine. The long-proven efficacy of vaccinations for pathogenic viruses has been widely accepted for decades for illnesses

such as measles, rubella and polio—but since the emergence of the current pandemic, vaccine skepticism runs rampant through the American populace, bolstered by pseudoscience and disinformation. Arguments against vaccination, when not pseudoscientific, conflate vaccine hesitancy with a libertarian notion of “personal choice,” especially when mandatory vaccination is concerned. The damage these narratives has wrought is in many cases irreparable. Mississippi is among the worst states in terms of COVID-19 response, with nearly 19,000 cases recorded in the past week, and with a relatively low proportion of the

population fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 Data Tracker. Vaccination rates are the worst in the most rural counties. Wayne County, for instance, has high community transmission, with only 31.3% of the population fully vaccinated. Conservative leadership is now reckoning with its ambiguous treatment of the COVID-19 vaccination, with figures like former President Donald Trump and more right-wing belief centered outlets such as Fox News pivoting from earlier repetitions of “personal choice” arguments to quiet admissions that vaccinations are helpful in preventing serious illness.

Brian Niemietz of the NY Daily News writes the former president told rally attendees that he believes in the audience’s personal freedoms, but he recommends taking the vaccines like he and many others have. In response, the attendees—presumably diehard Trump devotees— booed. Tucker Carlson, a provocative television personality on Fox News, claimed that facial masks “clearly hurt kids,” “obviously damage society” and the vaccines are “experimental drugs.” While the host has refused to disclose his vaccination status on the basis of medical confidentiality, Fox has quietly mandated that employees reveal

their status to an internal database and wear masks in confined indoor spaces. The popularity of conservative figures such as these is unequivocally to blame for some of Mississippi’s vaccine hesitancy. The state has long implemented measures to safeguard public health, from prohibition of smoking in public buildings to the mandatory use of seatbelts. Proof of vaccination against common viral pathogens are commonly required for students, and given the recent FDA approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, it would be prudent to consider including COVID-19 vaccinations

in this slate of required vaccines. The common term for such a measure would be a “mandate,” which seems to imply an insidious coercive factor, but it is interesting to note that there is no comparative opposition to measles vaccine mandates, or vaccination for any other viral illness. The hesitancy hurdle remains largely a political one, which has proven to be difficult to overcome. The overriding reason everyone eligible should be vaccinated is simple: self-interest. To avoid serious illness and hospitalization, get your two doses. According to Carla K. Johnson and Mike Stobbe for the Associated Press, almost 99% of the patients who have recently died due to COVID-19 were unvaccinated. As COVID-19 cases rise across the MSU student population, refusing to be vaccinated is a serious personal health risk. Crippling sickness, as well as death, due to COVID-19 is preventable: if you are eligible for the vaccine, get it—as soon as possible. David had no preexisting medical conditions or past serious medical events and look what happened to him. Severe illness and hospitalization is not a far-fetched outcome reserved for the elderly and chronically sick: it could happen to you. Note: The name of the student mentioned above has been altered for anonymity.

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OPINION EDITOR

GRIFFIN ADCOCK

Starting college can be one of the most exciting times in one’s life. For most, it is the first true experience of independence, responsibility and freedom which comes with becoming an adult. In the midst of this new chapter, a student is now responsible for regulating their own education, extracurriculars and social life. While this newfound freedom and responsibility is often enjoyable and rewarding, it comes with many of its own challenges as well. One of the most difficult trials to overcome is moving away from one’s family and support groups while also being thrown into a new living situation. Cohabiting with roommates in a residence hall or apartment is uncharted territory and is a highly valuable skill to learn whether they are a stranger or an old friend. It is not always an easy skill to obtain, but it is possible to become more adept at handling conflict with roommates by utilizing communication, directness and mutual understanding. Communication is key when beginning new relationships, whether it applies to friends, significant others or roommates. However, even with communication, conflict is still inevitable. The first way to help moderate this clash is to learn about each other’s personalities, convictions and general lifestyle. Communicating well with roommates helps all involved to respect each

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other’s boundaries and helps prevent conflict from arising. Birgit Ohlin of Positive Psychology emphasizes the importance of constant and positive communication in the establishment and upkeep of any relationship. The key to cohabiting well is making a true effort to know someone. As is to be expected, not every way you or a roommate behaves will be ideal. There will be times when they will say or do something uncalled for or irritating. In many instances, being a well-adapted roommate is learning to forgive and overlook these moments, but in some cases they will persist. When a roommate is continually acting in a way which is bothersome or harmful to the overall living situation, action will need to be taken to resolve this conflict. This brings us to our next tip—being direct. The fastest route to resolving conflict quickly is being direct with a roommate and telling them

what behavior is bothersome so they are aware and know exactly what they need to fix. Silence and complacency only make conflict grow, many times without the other individual’s knowledge of the issue. Cindy Lamothe for Healthline explains that passive aggressive behavior and ignoring problems only leads to a larger problem in the long run. One first has to acknowledge and address conflict to end it. Directness with roommates in uncomfortable situations is the best way to lessen repercussions in the long run. Roommates can communicate and address conflict continuously, but without prioritizing a mutual respect, these actions alone will not take them very far. Above all, the most important attribute in any living situation is respecting each other as individuals. Kindness and empathy will never harm a relationship. Elizabeth Scott of Very Well Mind urges

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people when responding to criticism or receiving it to listen and try to understand the other person’s pain and respond with empathy for their feelings. No matter how different two roommates are, if they seek to respect each other first and foremost, they can overcome any conflict. While living well with roommates may appear easy, it takes more work and regulation than one would expect at face value. Like any good and rewarding situation, one must put in time and effort to ensure success. College is full of new and exciting experiences, some more challenging than others. Everyone experiences conflict at some point, but how they deal with and handle it sets them apart from the rest. Conflict can be big or small and vary greatly, but as long as all involved choose to treat each other with kindness and respect above all else, any issue can be resolved!

The television show “The Chair” on Netflix offers a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of a failing English department at the fictional Pembroke University. The show follows Sandra Oh as department chair Ji-Yoon Kim, the legendary Holland Taylor as Professor J o a n Hambling and other college faculty as they function in their lives inside and outside the classroom. The series is a quick watch with only six 30-minute episodes, so it is great for people who do not want to commit a lot of time to a show. While some of the issues are dramatized to keep up with the rest of Hollywood, there is truth in the events and issues the show depicts. These topics and characters reflect the everchanging world around us on a micro scale. Pembroke is America. Topics include gender inequality in the workplace, aging adults’ unwillingness to change for the better, complicated relationships with both familial and romantic love and technology’s ever-present

role in documentation and accountability. “The Chair” takes you on an emotional journey through the character’s experiences in unprecedented times, which left me unsure of what to feel at the series’s closure. Perhaps the brevity of the series is the cause of this. I believe the series w o u l d benefit from one or two more episodes to flush out the plot lines of each individual character. The “wokeness” of the show’s content was a bit much at times, almost seeming too forced, which made me just as frustrated as some of the characters, but it does have good intentions. Nevertheless, the series does a wonderful job portraying events of a much larger system that frequently occur in real life. I truly felt the frustration, anguish and love of the show’s charming but flawed characters. The beautiful set, stunning costuming and cast’s charisma are all elements that drew me in and will be sure to keep the audiences flocking. Overall rating: 7/10

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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT 5 THE REFLECTOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 @REFLECTORONLINE

MSU students and faculty return for a “normal” semester

KATIE RAINWATER

STAFF WRITER

Since its arrival in March 2020, the COVID-19 virus has given students a much different college experience than anticipated. With the closures of universities and transition to online learning, a “new normal” emerged. Now Mississippi State University students are undergoing yet another transition, as students adjust to having in-person classes. This transition has been met with mixed opinions from students and faculty. Many members of the class of 2025 have felt a range of emotions since arriving at MSU. They are anxious, excited, nervous and hopeful about life at their new university, all while still navigating life amid a pandemic. Mabry Keyes, a freshman communication major, has joined multiple organizations since arriving at MSU, including Chi Omega sorority and the university’s choir. She is

thrilled about all that is to come. “There’s so much I’m excited for! I can’t wait for football season, Chi O(mega) events and choir concerts, to name a few. This year is gonna be a good one,” Keyes said. The current sophomore class was hit the hardest last year when they arrived on campus. The cancellation of New Maroon Camp and Bulldog Bash, mostly-online classes, virtual orientation and Greek Life recruitment, modified game days and more had the class of 2024 feeling discouraged about their college experience. However, many of them still got involved and made the best of the unprecedented times. That being said, sophomores may be the most thrilled of anyone to have a normal semester. Luke McConnie, a sophomore business major, reminisced on last year as he prepares for this semester. “I had a great group of friends, was involved and

had an awesome experience. However, I know many sophomores who did not get that same experience due to limited opportunities,” McConnie said. He pointed out that although being back on campus is exciting, it is more draining than online classes. “Going back in-person is definitely a struggle, especially in planning ahead and studying,” McConnie said.

Current juniors had one full semester of normalcy before the lockdown. They hope for a return to camaraderie among classmates the way it used to be. Eli Whitten, a junior educational psychology major from Brandon, Mississippi, has looked forward to her in-person classes from both a learning and communal standpoint. “I have enjoyed interacting with my

professors and having ‘class friends’ again. I have enjoyed the consistency of having community with students both older and younger than me,” Whitten said. She also takes comfort in the return of a crowded campus. “I am looking forward (to) seeing a full capacity of students on the Drill Field. Seeing a mass of students freshman year made me feel so at home,” Whitten said. Seniors are ready to make their final year at MSU unforgettable, especially since campus is back to in-person classes and events. However, with cases of COVID-19 rising once again, the university reinstated a mask mandate inside all campus buildings less than a month before the start of classes. Vimal Patel, a senior industrial technology major, is graduating in December. He is prepared to pull his mask back out if it means an in-person semester. “Seeing each other, even

with masks, is still great. Interacting with everybody, getting involved on campus is the way it is meant to be. I hope we never go back online,” Patel said. Regina Hyatt, vice president of student affairs at MSU, has talked with students of various classifications about their feelings regarding the current school year. “They too are excited about the upcoming year. Most have talked about looking forward to campus activities and events and having a chance to be back with friends, reconnect with their student organizations and more,” Hyatt said. She shared some wisdom about how students and faculty can continue to have a fun and safe semester, stressing the importance of getting vaccinated and staying cautious. “Wear your mask; do what you can to stay safe and well. It’s going to take all of us to help keep the campus community healthy,” Hyatt said.

Brent Funderburk “exhibits” 40 years of art on campus

LYDIA PALMER

STAFF WRITER

Artist Brent Funderburk served as the head of Mississippi State University’s art department for seven years, and worked on campus for 36 years. Before his time at MSU, the North Carolina native received both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees from East Carolina University School of Art. He shared a story which pushed him to get back into creating during his final years at MSU. “A student came up to me one day towards the end there and said, ‘You know, Mr. Funderburk, I heard that you were once an artist,’ when I was the department head,” Funderburk said, laughing. “I looked down and saw through my arm to the ground like I was a ghost or something and it hurt so bad. So, I had to get back to it.” This wake up call of sorts has culminated in many spectacular pieces, some of which can now be seen in MSU’s art gallery. “Here and There: Paintings and Drawings— 19812021” showcases the work of the artist over the span of 40 years. It is currently on display in the Cullis Wade Depot Art Gallery on the second floor of the Cullis Wade Depot on campus, featuring charcoal drawings, watercolors, acrylics and oil paintings. The showing opened on Aug. 17 and will remain on exhibit until Sept. 17, 2021. The gallery is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and there are select Saturdays (upcoming football Saturdays), when the exhibit will be available for viewing two hours before kickoff. Lori Neuenfeldt, the gallery director at the Cullis Wade Depot Art Gallery, shared her passion for the gallery and the campus’s art department. She spoke highly of the artist, a personal colleague of hers— particularly about his desire to be involved with the specific placement of the art around the gallery. “He’s so thoughtful with his work,” Neuenfeldt said. Neuendfeldt has the opportunity to be the contact person for every artist whose work comes through the gallery. The campus gallery is also staffed by many others, including Exhibition Coordinator Dixie Boswell. Boswell has a passion for art that is evident as she speaks about her desire

for others to come into the space and see what creations are on display. “What I’d love for the student body and greater community to know is that we’re not going to bite,” Boswell said. “We want everyone to come in, not just art majors.” Although art majors are not the only audience the gallery looks for, they do play a large role in the gallery through positions such as gallery assistants. One of these gallery assistants, Kelley Proaps, a senior art major and history minor from Huntsville, Alabama, spends time in the gallery on campus as well as another one in town, gaining experience that applies to her major. “We talk to different artists about their process and how they set up their exhibitions as well,” Proaps said. “So, it’s really just something that can help an artist figure out how to get their future exhibitions, how to light things and how to hang pieces.” In Funderburk’s show in particular, there are 61 pieces on display. Boswell shared that in order to fit all of the pieces in the gallery, movable walls were brought in. She and Funderburk rearranged the art until it suited both of them, and the results are a well-mixed layout which showcases his black-and-white drawings

as well as his bright, colorful acrylics, oil paintings and watercolors all at the same time. A lot of the pieces that viewers will see as they walk through the gallery space are features from Funderburk’s travels with his wife out West. While discussing his time of travel, he shared a little about the title of the show, and how it originates from a feeling he gets while traveling. “We feel like we’re here when we’re there, which kind of explains the name of the show,” Funderburk said. “Because you carry ‘here’ with you. If things are right, and you’re carrying the presence of your true self, your authentic self, your divine self, then you’re always ‘here’.” On Sept. 9, Funderburk will be in the gallery from 5-7 p.m. He will be giving a brief gallery talk at 6 p.m. in the exhibition space. The artist shared his desire for people of the local community to come and view his art, but he harped particularly on the need for students to get to see art. “I’m not special, there’s nothing great about me, but there’s nobody like me,” Funderburk said. “I think it’s good to tell the students, ‘Hey, there’s nobody like you, and you’re starting this journey, and you’re building a world within this world, which is what art is.’”

Lori Neuenfeldt | Courtesy Photo

Brent Funderburk’s show can be seen in the Cullis Wade Art Gallery until Sept. 17, 2021.

Leif Baranow | Courtesy Photo

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, MSU students traveled to Iceland, Spain and Greece as they embarked on various study abroad trips.

Dawgs abroad: students recap their study abroad experiences MARY BLAKE BRASHIER STAFF WRITER

This summer, many Mississippi State University students expanded their education beyond the classroom as they embarked on various study abroad trips. Each trip revolved around a certain subject, and students were able to take a class while also having the opportunity to explore the country they were visiting. Leif Baranow, a senior majoring in environmental engineering, participated in a trip to Iceland to study alternative energy. The trip was three weeks long. Rather than learning in a traditional classroom setting, the group learned as they travelled. “It was run by two professors from campus, so we did a bunch of activities and stuff relating to the class, but it wasn’t like we were in a classroom. They would give different lectures on the road. I thought it was great because instead of seeing pictures we were actually there looking at it, seeing what we were learning happen in front of us,” Baranow said. Emily Baker, a junior majoring in international business, went to Athens, Greece, where she took a business ethics class. In Greece, they would have classes in the mornings, and the afternoons would be utilized for traveling. One of their favorite daily activities was going on sunset hikes. “The places we got to go had unbelievable views,” Baker said. “It was breathtaking.” One of Baker’s favorite parts of her trip was going to the island of Delphi.

“One day me and my roommate took a bus tour into Delphi,” Baker said. “The oracle Delphi is said to have lived there in the temple of Apollo. Learning about the mythology mixed with the beautiful view was amazing.” Greece’s COVID-19 restrictions were slightly stricter than those in the U.S., and Baker and her group had to wear masks both inside and outside. However, this did not take away from the experience that they had. “I would definitely recommend Greece to other people. It is a great place for college students to go especially,” Baker said. “It was nice learning how to be independent in a city like Athens because it is a very friendly city, and it is very safe as well and has a lot of culture.” Ty Abernathy, a faculty member in the department of counseling educational psychology and foundations at MSU, took a group to Seville, Spain. Abernathy has been taking groups on study abroad trips for years. In 2018 he started a program to go to Vienna, Austria and Prague in the Czech Republic. However, due to COVID-19 those trips were postponed, and Abernathy organized the Spain trip quickly following. “Several people from the university had to come together to make this particular trip happen,” Abernathy said. “It was the first international trip for Mississippi State after COVID-19.” Malerie Millet, a junior majoring in educational psychology, was part of Abernathy’s trip to Spain. According to Millet, the trip almost did not happen. However, thanks to

Abernathy, MSU and many other people, the trip came together. The trip worked out fine, and the group was able to spend three weeks in Spain learning about the culture while taking their class. “One of my favorite things was going to Spanish mass,” Millet said. “We didn’t understand a thing at all, but it was wonderful to have the experience of being in such a big cathedral and attending mass.” COVID-19 restrictions in Spain were similar to the restrictions in Greece. However, a few days prior to the group’s arrival, Sevilla lifted their curfew, and the group was able to see the city come alive. “You have to go,” Millet said. “I’m going to be one of those people who never stops talking about studying abroad. I met and talked with so many people that without that experience I might not have met.” There are study abroad programs for a variety of classes. Abernathy said on the psychology trips they often have not only psychology majors but education majors, biology majors and more. “Go somewhere, travel,” Abernathy said. “You may grow to appreciate your culture and where you live and your way of life in a way that you haven’t before. In a few years you will never miss the money you spend to go on one of these trips.” The schedule for 2022 study abroad is still in the works, but students can find more information about study abroad on MSU’s website and can also email the study abroad office at studyabroad@ international.msstate.edu.

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