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Reflector The
SEPTEMBER 28, 2012
REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM 125TH YEAR | ISSUE 10
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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
College Republicans have Congressman Harper visit, speak BY JOHN GALATAS Campus News Editor
Congressman Gregg Harper visited Mississippi State University during his travel through northeast Mississippi on Tuesday and Wednesday. Rob Mellen, adviser to the College Republicans at MSU, said Harper has visited MSU in the past and spoke to many classes about government. “We just simply invited him to come down and speak to the College Republicans group,” Mellen said. “I work through his office with Marcy Scoggins who is one of his assistants. She handles his schedule and he agreed to come down, in fact, likes to come down and speak to the classes.” Mellen also said aside from speaking to the College Republicans group, Harper
DAN:
Grad school preparation key for seniors
THE FAMILY MAN
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also spoke to classes on campus including Whit Wa i d e’s American Harper Government class. Mellen said Harper will be in Mississippi the next few days and made appearances at several events around Starkville. In addition to two speaking engagements on campus Tuesday, Harper also visited a Starkville Fire Station that received federal funds, and toured local companies and spoke to Starkville High School Wednesday morning. “It’s kind of a whirlwind tour of northeast Mississippi, but he’s engaging in what we call constituent service,” Mellen said.
BY ANDREW FORTUNE
BY KRISTEN SPINK
Staff Writer
Sports Editor
an Mullen is easily one of the most recognized faces on campus. But, while many people view Mullen as an intimidating, tough-skinned SEC football coach, his life away from the turf is a mystery to most. Besides being a husband and father of two, Mullen finds time to encourage those who are in the midst of suffering. Mullen receives many emails from parents with kids— especially those who are MSU fans— who are going through a hard time, asking him to call their children. The renowned coach said not calling would be a tragedy because it is the right thing to do if he can take their minds off the issues for even a minute. “I find it amazing that a phone call from me can lift up someone that’s going through such tough times or a family that’s going through such down spirits. You know it would be an embarrassment not to do it,” Mullen said. “I try to tell them something funny and put a smile on their face. A lot of them are big fans, so I say, ‘I know you’re cheering for us, but we’re cheering for you, and we’ll try to get out there and win some games and put some more smiles on your face.’” Thirteen-year-old Michael Triplett is one of many who has benefited from Mullen’s encouragement. After struggling for three years with ulcerative colitis, Michael had a surgery called a total colectomy to remove his large intestine and was overjoyed when he received a call from Mullen the night before the surgery. Michael’s father, David Triplett, said his brother Les, who is the director for the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools, contacted Mullen concerning Michael while the coach was at the SEC coaches golf tournament. After hearing the request, Mullen took time during the tournament to call Michael. Michael said his friends did not believe him, and his brothers were jealous when he told them Mullen had called him. “He was very encouraging and was kind of like a football coach. He got me to take my mind off things and get ready for the surgery,” Michael said. “It showed me that he is as respectable off the field as he is on the field and has a great attitude and is a great person overall.” Michael’s mom, Belinda Triplett, said her son was grinning from ear to ear when he got off the phone with Mullen. “It made it very personal that he called on his personal cell phone,” Belinda said. “It meant a lot to us. It made Michael take his mind off the fact that he was about to go in (to surgery), and he felt very encouraged and loved.” After struggling with this condition for three years, Michael has almost fully recovered, and his family is very happy with his progress.
In today’s current economic environment, obtaining higher education is considered by many to be paramount for success. Undergraduates at MSU are encouraged to be aware of the preparation they need to take if graduate school is the next step in their continuing education. The Graduate Record Examination is the exam that serves as the standard admission test for most graduate programs. Unlike the ACT or SAT, the GRE covers a larger range of material and is now offered in both a computer-based and paper-based format. Peter Crank, senior broadcast meteorology major, said the first step any student considering graduate studies should take is to study for the GRE. “Be sure to study and then take the GRE. Consider buying a test prep booklet as a study tool,” he said. Barnes and Noble and the Campus Bookmart offer a wide range of GRE study booklets to students. There are also resources available to students online to prepare for the exam. James Orr, director of the Student Honor Code Office, said that earning a graduate degree is a privilege. “[Students] should work hard and be honest when completing their assignments and admission applications. Students have an obligation to gain skills that will allow them to be a positive impact on society,” he said.
ANDREW FINNIGAN | THE REFLECTOR
Rachael Carrol, a graduate student in experimental psychology, works on transcribing and research for her master’s degree. SEE GRAD, 3
SEE MULLEN, 8
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CROSSWORD .................. ......5 CLASSIFIEDS...........................5 LIFE......................................6 SPORTS....................................8
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