Student Senate condemns Board of Supervisers for Tate’s contract.
ENTERTAINMENT
Olinde Career Center opens free-to-use career closet.
THAT HITS
HAUNT
The effects of CTE can last a lifetime.
Photo by Madalyn Cunningham
‘I JUST WASN’T OKAY’
How CTE affects athletes and what scientists, LSU are doing about it
BY MARTIN SULLIVAN @marty_sulli
The pocket collapses, the ball comes loose and Arizona Cardinals linebacker Eric Hill recovers.
On an attempted scoop and score, Hill is drilled in the side of the head by an offensive lineman.
Lights out.
The former LSU linebacker missed the rest of the game, but he didn’t undergo concussion protocol. He played the following week.
That was just football in the ‘90s.
Recently, another gruesome concussion to NFL quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Brett Favre’s Parkinson’s diagnosis have created a renewed relevance for concussions and CTE in football. While the zeitgeist has evolved with time, so too has the science and technology. Now, public knowledge is beginning to fall behind.
CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, often shows signs later in life once players are retired. Currently, it can only be diagnosed postmortem.
“It’s my era of people that are moving forward, and we’re starting to see those symptoms show themselves,” Hill told the Reveille. “I do have guys that I played with or played against that I know are showing signs of struggle neurologically.”
Ronald McKinnon, a former NFL teammate of Hill’s and current Division II linebackers coach, now experiences symptoms like headaches and trouble with balance.
“Sometimes you wake up and your train of thought is everywhere,” McKinnon said. “Sometimes you don’t know where you’re at. It’s really tough.”
The degenerative process of CTE can have a wide range of symptomatic outcomes. These include Parkinsonism, cognitive deficits, memory loss and all kinds of behavioral and emotional symptoms, said Dan Molloy, special projects manager for Concussion Legacy Foundation.
“For me, to think that what I’ve put myself through, that I came out unscathed – no, I don’t believe that,” Hill said. “I think there is some real damage there. I just think it has not progressed as rapid as some other guys.”
Molloy believes there’s still a reluctance to recognize the longterm harm that can take place from a life in football.
Following the hit that left him unconscious for 30 seconds, Hill returned to practice that same week.
“I’m convincing myself that I’m okay, and I just wasn’t okay,” he said.
Hill believes he had more concussions at practice than in game.
“There were times you take a shot to the head, and it was very
customary for us to keep little ammonia packs in our sock,” he said. “We’d pull it out, pop it and wake ourselves up, so to speak.”
Fortunately, football programs including LSU have taken dramatic strides in the right direction since then.
Efforts to limit contact in practice as well as eliminating two-adays are both steps that LSU has taken. Technology like sensory mouthguards to detect big hits, guardian caps and position-specific helmets have also been implemented.
“In the last 10 years there have been more change in helmets than there were the previous 50,” said Gregory Stewart, Tulane Center for Sport co-founder and codirector. “The league was able to shame the helmet manufacturers into making progress.”
Even newer are custom helmets made based on scans of a player’s head.
Now, in nearly every locker room, you can find a poster outlining and explaining the range of helmets available, from cutting edge to newly prohibited.
LSU is currently participating in multiple studies, including one using sensor-embedded mouthguards in collaboration with Football Research Inc.
The study’s Manual of Procedures says that “describing the number, magnitude, direction and time history of impacts experienced by collegiate football players and comparing across relevant player, event and season parameters can help the research team understand injury mechanics, protective factors and risk factors associated with sport participation and sport-related concussion.”
In coaching, there’s an effort to take the head out of tackling. Players are coached to attack same shoulder, same foot and wrap up.
“The way I coach football, I teach my guys to use their hands,” said Karl Dunbar, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line coach and former LSU defensive lineman. “I tell our guys all the time, your arms are longer than your neck.”
At the NCAA level, autonomy with medical staff is often considered better than at the professional level.
“The rules are very clear that the medical folks have the right,” Stewart said of medical intervention. “Athletic trainers can’t get fired over something like that.”
Today, all 50 states have legislation on the proper protocol for how concussions should be managed.
“Our physicians and athletic trainers have the utmost authority when it comes to medical decisions,” LSU Director of Sports Medicine Micki Collins said. “Our coaches don’t question what we do and when we do it.”
LSU uses C3 Logix, a concus -
sion assessment system, to aid medical staff’s decisions when transitioning recently concussed players back into play and back into the classroom.
It’s also the responsibility of the institution to keep their athletes informed so they can make good choices, because playing through injury is ultimately a twoway decision.
“Every student-athlete here at LSU, every year, gets concussion education,” Collins said.
At yearly physical appointments, student athletes meet and discuss one-on-one with their doctor.
LSU also holds hour-long presentations by physicians covering catastrophic injuries like concussions. This education is sport specific and includes newer insights like subclinical traumatic brain injury research.
Collins said she has seen a great increase in student-athletes looking out for each other. That’s significant because of the fundamental role of player honesty in diagnosing with accuracy.
“Sometimes you have to protect these guys from themselves,” Dunbar said. “Because it’s a gladiator sport, they want to be on the field because that’s how you make your living. You don’t want to make your living and not be able to have a living after football is over with.”
At the professional level, financial incentive plays a significant role, as players may hide injuries to avoid a reputation of being injury-prone. Hill said he knew players who’d privately get medical help outside the team facility in order to get themselves back on the field.
“It follows you, and as that file gets bigger and bigger, they start to look at you as a risk,” Hill said of the injury-prone label. “There’s a lot on the line economically, maybe not at that moment but the following year.”
Tagovailoa earned a four-year extension prior to this NFL season. If his most recent concussion had come before this contract, things could look different.
As important as these efforts to address CTE are, it’s important to note they can only do so much. The very nature of concussions means total prevention is impossible when protection is outside the skull.
“Football is a violent sport,” Stewart said. “You’re never going to completely take concussions away.”
Even the prevention of headto-head hits with penalties like targeting is not an all-encompassing solution.
“They’re big guys coming full force, hitting and stopping,” Stewart said. “Even if they’re not hitting their head. That’s one of the other ways we see concussions, kind of a whiplash type of thing.”
Another roadblock to the pro -
cess of assessment is the possibility of delayed symptoms.
“You’re not going to catch every concussion on the field because symptoms can develop later on,” Molloy said.
Putting players back into the game if they have no immediate symptoms has risks. Second impact syndrome occurs when a player gets a second concussion before the first one has healed.
“It is a massive brain swell that can be fatal in up to 50% of cases,” Molloy said. “Almost everyone who survives has some kind of lifelong morbidity or disability.”
Fortunately, this condition is rare and attentive medical personnel can limit its possibility.
More recent conclusions have indicated that long-term damage is not only more common than originally thought, it can be asymptomatic. These hits are called subclinical traumatic brain injuries.
“It may not cause symptoms, but it might be causing tiny, microscopic tears in your neurons that put you at risk for degenerative disease later on,” Molloy said.
Molloy likens the association of football and neurodegenerative disease to the gradual harm of cigarettes and lung cancer.
“What we’ve seen, it’s not so much the big hits, it’s the repetitive,” Collins said.
Still, there are parts of the research that seem to confound logic.
“There are individuals that have very high G-force hits and have no symptoms,” Stewart said. “Other individuals have low Gforce hits and a lot of symptoms.”
This highlights one of the most important caveats: all this research is new.
“We’re not in the infancy stage anymore,” Stewart said. “But we’re still in the toddler stage of understanding what’s going on with concussions.”
There are confounding variables to all this research, like difficulty transitioning away from football or preexisting head trauma or mental health issues.
A lack of effective biomarkers and poor methods of imaging also continue to limit progress.
“Every time you make a change, it’s 10 or 15 years before we know if the change worked or not,” Stewart said.
Stewart believes there will one day be a biomarker that can better indicate a player’s predisposition to long-term neurodegenerative disease. Other ongoing efforts include working to diagnose CTE prior to death, which could shorten the timeline dramatically.
Until then, prevention and education take priority.
“Degenerative brain disease from contact sports has the potential to ruin your life,” Molloy said. “It’s not your destiny, but mitigate your risks wherever you can.”
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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS
The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.
NEWS Researchers awarded with grants, recognized as role models
Five LSU researchers have been awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER grant, recognizing their potential to serve as lifelong academic role models. These awards reflect their ability to integrate research and education in alignment with LSU’s Scholarship First Agenda, which focuses on advancing research in agriculture, biomedicine, coastal resilience, defense and cybersecurity and energy.
“These NSF CAREER awards demonstrate leading research universities’ ability to attract top talent by providing rising re -
searchers with the best environment for them to do their work,”
Robert Twilley, LSU’s Vice President of Research and Economic Development said in an official statement. “With five faculty winning over the past year, LSU is well on its way to becoming a top 50 research university by investing in scientists and science that is excellent, relevant, and makes a difference in people’s daily lives.”
Corina Barbalata, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, develops underwater robots designed to autonomously survey and collect samples from the sea floor.
Her work advances technologies relevant to coastal, defense and energy sectors, making underwater robotics more accessible and reliable.
Jimmy Lawrence, assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, researches bottlebrush polymers — large molecules with polymeric side chains that resemble dense bristles. His work could lead to advancements in healthcare, electronics and the sustainability of plastics, with significant implications for Louisiana’s polymer industry.
Hai Lin, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
explores sustainable construction methods. His project, inspired by the soil-building techniques of mud daubers and the strength of fungal root systems, aims to enhance the durability and sustainability of earthen buildings through 3D printing technology.
Kevin Smiley, an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, investigates disaster vulnerability by studying how environmental changes, particularly climate change, affect communities differently. His research on Hurricane Ida examines the impacts of climate change on storm surge, flooding and wind damage, highlighting
the social implications of climate-related disasters.
Chen Wang, formerly an assistant professor in the Division of Computer Science and Engineering, focuses on cybersecurity risks in video conferencing. His work aims to develop algorithms that remove micro signals — unnoticed audio or video clues — used to glean sensitive information during online meetings, protecting users’ privacy. These researchers exemplify LSU’s commitment to advancing science and technology that address critical global challenges, the university said, furthering its goal of becoming a top-tier research institution.
President Tate’s bonus pay structure denounced Student Senate demands condemnation of Delta Tau Delta
BY AIDAN ANTHAUME
LSU’s Student Senate passed a resolution Wednesday condemning Board of Supervisors for President William F. Tate IV’s salary contract which allows him to nearly double his pay if he meets certain goals that the university has routinely achieved.
The resolution SGR 4, authored by sens. Cerquone, Elmer, Robertson, Womack, Appleton, Juarez and Long, raised concerns about the structure of Tate’s contract, which includes bonuses tied to goals like increasing research funding and improving student retention –benchmarks LSU regularly exceeds.
“He gets an extra $75,000 just to bring in more students when we are already at capacity,” said Alicia Cerquone, a senator for the College of Graduate Studies. “The issue is not with the dollar amount. I think the idea that we are paying someone just to maintain the status quo is the main component.”
Cerquone also noted that Tate receives a salary exceeding that of the presidents of private institutions like Harvard and MIT, despite LSU being a public university.
“Tate is getting paid more at a public institution than private universities, and that just shouldn’t be,” Cerquone said.
The authors of the resolution also noted Louisiana’s Attorney General Liz Murrill’s comment on X (formerly Twitter), where Murrill called the cash bonuses an “unconstitutional donation.”
Later, in a statement to the Reveille, Murrill walked back her stance regarding Tate’s contract after she
was provided a copy.
College of Engineering Sen. Kendal Frazier, an industrial engineering junior, voiced her support for the resolution saying, “I think that this is a perfect way to be using our platform.”
The passed resolution serves as a recommendation to the university administration, urging action from LSU without mandating implementation.
“The best way to address this is to start a petition and back this bill to show there is support and make this resolution more concrete,” Frazier said.
The resolution passed with a vote of 48 in favor, 8 opposed and 5 abstentions.
According to Cerquone, the legislation will be sent to every member on the Board of Supervisors.
“When we have buildings on campus that are rotting and teachers and advisors who are making enough just to get by doesn’t sound like a reasonable distribution of school resources,” Cerquone said. “Yes we need petitions, yes we need student voices, but this is the first step in making a change.”
BY AIDAN ANTHAUME @aidanth
LSU’s Student Senate passed a resolution Wednesday urging the university to hold its Delta Tau Delta chapter accountable for an offensive banner displayed during the university’s first home football game.
Authored by College of Business Sen. Corbitt Driskell, an economics and accounting senior, SGR 5 calls on LSU to publicly address or take action concerning the banner displayed by LSU’s Epsilon Kappa chapter of DTD.
The banner, which compared the bombing of Palestine to Nicholls State University, sparked outrage among students. While the fraternity issued a statement within two days, LSU has yet to formally acknowledge the incident.
“This isn’t okay,” Driskell said during the bill’s introduction. “I commend DTD for releasing a statement, but LSU needs to address this as well.”
Debate sparked on the senate floor when Dylan Weinrich, a senator for the University Center for Freshman Year and Delta Tau Delta’s chairman for Philanthropy and Community Service, questioned the need for further action. Weinrich, a political science sophomore, stated that the fraternity had already been punished and expressed concerns about misinformed resolutions.
“Pushing this bill would show we don’t put effort into our organization. We want to put out positive legislation instead,” Weinrich said.
According to Weinrich the fraternity has been blacklisted and is currently on watch.
“The banner that was put up was clearly wrong. However, I feel like this bill is purposely
A banner that reads “What do Nicholls + Palestine have in common? Getting BOMBED” hangs from the house of LSU Delta Tau Delta chapter Epsilon Kappa on Sept. 7.
misinformed by not reaching out or taking action,” Weinrich said. “A statement has already been put out and received.”
Sen. Gabriela Juárez, a political science sophomore, pushed back, arguing that LSU’s response was insufficient given the seriousness of the issue.
“DTD got a few parties canceled, but there are [people] in Gaza who have had their families murdered,” Juárez said, calling for action from the university.
Speaker Pro Tempore of the Senate and computer science junior Ethan Elmer said, “This isn’t a nothing matter, this is a public matter . . . These are people’s lives.”
“Their members didn’t even
know the post was taken down,” Elmer said about the fraternity’s apology, which was later removed from their social media.
In closing, Driskell said, “The bill is stating that there has been nothing for the student body to know what has happened. Regardless of who did it and their private repercussions, further action needs to be taken. Nothing in this is saying kick DTD from campus or suspend their members. Just for LSU to make a statement.”
The resolution passed with a vote of 41 in favor, 7 opposed and 2 abstentions.
The resolution, while not binding, serves as a strong recommendation for LSU’s administration, urging accountability.
PHOTO PROVIDED TO THE REVEILLE
@aidanth
LSU President William F. Tate IV
TikTok personality ‘Mr. Prada’ charged with second-degree murder of Baton Rouge therapist
BY OLIVIA TOMLINSON @oliviamersade
Terryon Ishmael Thomas, 20, has been charged with seconddegree murder of Baton Rouge therapist and former priest William Nicholas “Nicky” Abraham, 69, who was found dead on the side of Highway 51 in Tangipahoa Parish over the weekend.
The TikTok creator, with over 4 million followers, known as Mr. Prada was arrested in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday for charges of aggravated criminal damage to property, resisting an officer and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, following the death of Abraham. Thomas has now been charged with seconddegree murder and obstruction of justice, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday.
Authorities had discovered Abraham’s body inside a rolledup tarp, hidden on the side of Highway 51 between the communities of Fluker and the Village of Tangipahoa on Sunday Sept. 29. The therapist was
BY CADE SAVOY
found an hour east of Baton Rouge, where detectives said the victim worked.
The Tangipahoa Parish coroner’s office said the cause of death is blunt force trauma and ruled his death a homicide earlier this week. Sheriff Gerald Sticker told WAFB the attack was very violent and physical, with lots of bruising to the head, shoulder and neck.
Investigators searched Abraham’s home in East Baton Rouge Parish earlier this week and found no sign of struggle; however, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office found evidence indicating a violent altercation had occurred inside Thomas’ home, according to an arrest warrant filed by the sheriff’s office.
Detectives found “a significant amount of blood” and “multiple sharp objects and other weapons,” according to the warrant. Investigators believed the man was murdered on Saturday evening and his body was put on the side of the road in the middle of the night.
Evidence of surveillance
footage shows the therapist arriving at Thomas’ apartment Saturday in the same clothing he was found in on Sunday, according to the affidavit. Nearby witnesses also saw Thomas carrying a tarp down the stairs of his apartment complex and loading it into Abraham’s vehicle.
On Monday the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office released surveillance images of the person of interest to the public. The man in the image was the last person to have been driving Abraham’s car.
The driver of the stolen vehicle would not comply with the cops after a Baton Rouge police officer attempted to pull the vehicle over, according to a warrant. The driver backed the stolen vehicle into a police unit and fled the scene. Abraham’s stolen vehicle was recovered off Sherwood Forest Blvd. in Baton Rouge on Monday afternoon. The officer involved in the crash later identified Terryon Ishmael Thomas as the wanted party.
The police have no evidence that Thomas was a client of
Abraham. The relationship between Thomas and Abraham and the potential motive are still under investigation.
The TikToker was taken into custody Tuesday night and remained jailed there without bond Wednesday. Thomas remains in custody in Texas and awaits extradition to Louisiana. No court date has been set yet.
Vice presidential debate sparks optimism among LSU voters
Better than the First Debate
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance faced off on Tuesday, Oct. 1 in the first — and only — vice presidential debate this election cycle. The debate, hosted by CBS, comes in the midst of a historically tight presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
As with most televised political debates, the vice presidential debate is unlikely to have a significant impact on voting outcomes come election day.
According to data compiled by Forbes, 43 million Americans tuned into the debate on TV — a 25% decrease in viewership from the last vice presidential debate in 2020.
The debate featured similar questions to those asked during Harris and Trump’s matchup on Sept. 10, including topics related to immigration, gun control and abortion.
A CBS snap poll conducted immediately after the debate reveals that neither Walz nor Vance decisively won — or lost — the debate, with 42% of respondents saying Vance won, 41% giving Walz the edge and 17% claiming it was a tie.
Here are a few LSU students’ takeaways from the debate:
America hasn’t had a popular presidential candidate in a long time. Gallup, a popular pollster, explains that no presidential candidate since Mitt Romney in 2012 has posted more than a 50% approval rating. And Harris and Trump are no exceptions: Their approval ratings sit at 44% and 46%, respectively.
But while presidential candidates are struggling to earn the approval of American voters, Walz and Vance are enjoying surges in approval in the wake of Tuesday’s debate. On LSU’s campus, both Republicans and Democrats seem to approve of the other party’s vice presidential nominee more than they did before the debate.
“I thought J.D. Vance was going to be Trump part two,” said Brandon Reynolds, a communications doctoral student and registered Democrat. “But I was impressed by him last night. He looked like a traditional politician.”
Landon Terro, a sports administration junior and registered Republican, felt similarly about Walz. “I would much prefer Tim Walz to Kamala Harris. When I watched the debate, I thought; ‘Why can’t these two be running.’”
This trend is also reflected in national polling. CBS post-debate polling found that 88% of Americans viewed the debate positively, and Walz and Vance both experienced significant approval rating
spikes, from 52% to 60% and 40 to 49%, respectively.
The Debate was Fair
During Harris and Trump’s debate on Sept. 10, moderators Linsey Davis and David Muir factchecked Trump five times and Harris zero times.
While the statements Davis and Muir fact-checked were factually inaccurate, ABC’s decision to allow live fact-checks during the debate prompted criticism from Republicans that the debate was “rigged” in Harris’ favor.
For the vice presidential debate, CBS opted to eliminate live fact-checks in favor of allowing the candidates to fact-check each other. This procedural choice was aimed at preventing viewers from claiming that the results of the debate were manipulated by the media, thereby increasing its legitimacy.
And it seems it did. “I liked that the moderators didn’t try to cut either candidate off. They let them answer the questions,” Terro observed. “When the moderators fact-check the candidates, it makes them look biased. They should just let the candidates fact-check each other.”
Messages of Unity
It’s no secret that American politics is polarized. According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, national politicians are increasingly disinter-
Spirit Halloween comes to town
BY JOHN BUZBEE @thebuzzbuz
Pumpkin flavored everything. Stylish sweaters that are a little too itchy. Alleged cooler weather. The stress of putting together a costume.
Fall is here and Halloween marches closer.
Spirit Halloween has returned to Baton Rouge with the promise of being the Red Stick’s one-stop shop for everything Spooky Season.
It “possesses” the building that used to be Buy Buy Baby at 5919 Bluebonnet Blvd, near the Mall of Louisiana. The Halloween outfitter is just steps from where it was set up last year, next door to Best Buy.
Minding traffic, the retailer is about 8 miles, or roughly 20 minutes away, from LSU by car.
ested in bipartisan cooperation, and Republican and Democratic voters are increasingly likely to express hostility toward members of the other party.
And Americans are tired of it: per the Pew Research Center, 65% of Americans say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics.
The vice presidential debate seems to have been a breath of fresh air for American voters, with both Vance and Walz taking significantly softer rhetorical approaches than their running mates.
“I feel like Walz and Vance
The store’s hours vary a little day-to-day but are posted on the door as 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Oct. 12, where the store will start to open an hour earlier, at 9 a.m.
The store will stay open through Nov. 3, its posted calendar says, at reduced hours.
Spirit Halloween is the largest Halloween retailer in the U.S. and Canada, the store’s webpage says. The brand is known for buying old or unused commercial space and setting up pop-up stores during the Halloween season before packing up everything and vanishing. It’s known for selling decorations, costumes, candy and collectables.
made a real effort to find commonality with each other,” Reynolds said. “When Tim Walz talked about his son witnessing a shooting, J.D. Vance told Walz how sorry he was. I wish our politics was always like this.”
COURTESY OF DALLAS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE Mugshot of Terryon Ishmael Thomas AKA “Mr. Prada.”
AP PHOTO
This combination of photos shows Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, left, at the DNC on Aug. 21 in Chicago, and Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, on Sept. 25 in Traverse City, Mich.
ENTERTAINMENT
The Musical Theatre Club has spooky plans this fall season
BY SARAH WALTON @sarahrosewalton
When it comes to LSU student organizations, fewer are tougher to upstage than the Musical Theatre Club.
The club, now 240+ members strong, has been around for decades and is dedicated to sharing and growing the art of musical theater.
“I could call it a really fun family that spends a lot of time and care into ensuring the success of any student who is interested in theater,” said senior social work major and club intermediary Jasmine Garrison. “It’s just a big happy family of people that love to sing and dance on stage.”
Kylee Broomfield, the MTC board chair and a sophmore in arts administration added that everyone, no matter what skill and major, is invited to join MTC.
“I feel like our club is a bridge between the School of Music and the School of Theatre. We have professors from both involved, musicians and actors,” said arts administration and vocal music junior Isabella Siddon, who is also the MTC’s assistant board chair. She continued by saying the club, to her, feels like a stepping stone to introduce others to music or theater.
Each year, the club starts out with a cabaret followed by a stage reading, but this year, it will be performing High School Musical after its cabaret. The spring is
when its typically has its musicals, putting on Little Shop of Horrors last year, with this year’s yet to be announced. Then to close out, MTC has its annual Singeaux performance.
These events may be the show stoppers for MTC, but they are by no means all it does. Its also hold regular general body meetings, hangouts and workshops for students. The real goal of the club, according to them, is to bond and to create a space where people can grow and succeed.
This year, the cabaret is “Haunted Hallways,” and will be held on Oct. 5 with free attendance. Siddon described it as “something that the board and the production
team put a lot of work, and a lot of thought into” and praised the collaborative effort the team, board and actors put in to create something they’re very proud of.
“I think it is going to be a really fun and creepy show,” Siddon said.
Hunter Nastasi, a junior arts administration major, the board secretary and the assistant director for Haunted Hallways spoke highly of the project and its production. “It has been a really fun journey going through this because this is my first time being in a production team role for any show. It has been such a fun and unique experience.”
Garrison agreed, complement-
ing the team’s resilience and flexibility, something she played a unique role in shaping.
As an intermediary, Garrison’s job is to advocate on the part of the actors to the production crew, an uncommon role in theater that the MTC only recently adopted. Garrison described that after some bad experiences with production team members in the past, she decided to speak out for herself and on behalf of her fellow castmates.
“Seeing the immediate change that happened just from me speaking up, not only for myself but for the other people who were feeling the same way, I was like, ‘I really like this. I feel like this should be a role,’” Garrison said.
“There should never be a moment where people in a cast have to feel uncomfortable with somebody on the production team.”
Shortly after, she created the intermediary position on the board and was voted in. “I am just so happy to continue to bring my knowledge of social work into MTC and constantly ensure the comfort of not only everyone in shows but the organization as a whole.”
The hope is to continue the strong spirit of collaboration past Haunted Hallways and into future productions like High School Musical, which according to Broomfield, will feature an interactive twist allowing the audience to have props and even join in with the characters.
But that comes later, now MTC is all in making Haunted Hallways the best it can be.
“It’s been really awesome getting to know these talented people. We had a lot of new people audition for the show. I was nervous seeing how many new people there were, but then I saw their auditions and said, ‘This is going to be a great show!’” Siddon said. “They’re so talented, so talented. We have such a big group of hard working and talented people, and that’s all I could’ve asked for.”
Haunted Hallways is one night only, on Oct. 5 in the School of Music Recital Hall, at 7 p.m. The show is free and open to all. MTC’s upcoming show, High School Musical, will be Nov. 21 and 22.
KLSU elevates local artists with another College Radio Day
BY CAMILLE MILLIGAN @camillemill333
LSU student radio station
KLSU hosted its annual College Radio Day celebration on Saturday, Oct. 5, with live music, food, local art and thrift vendors at Tin Roof Brewery from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The event attracted a crowd of music and art-loving folks of all ages, representing a slice of the diverse, local culture that college radio works to protect. KLSU Chief Announcer Lindsey Foles said college radio plays an important part in circulating unique music that isn’t easy to find on streaming platforms or other radio stations.
“It’s a great way to broaden your music taste,” Foles said. “Most of the stations around here are Top 40 or Christian radio or just classic rock, and there’s just not a lot for that contemporary group of music and local artists.”
College radio isn’t just a window into a world of eclectic music. It also plays a big part in promoting local musicians who have smaller platforms than mainstream artists.
“Local artists cannot get on the radio typically just because
all these radio stations are Top 40,” Foles said. “They’re not really concerned with spreading the awareness of the local bands that are here. College radio picks up on those local artists and those smaller groups that are amazing, but they just don’t have that nepotism maybe, or they don’t have the money to become popular because they can’t commercialize themselves as much.”
The College Radio Day celebration hosted Lafayette-based bands Rareseed, Kinky Vanilla and The Debtors who each played sets featuring original music. Some listeners sat attentively at wooden tables or on picnic blankets. Others grabbed drinks from the bar or waited in line for sushi or burgers at the food pop-ups.
Shoppers browsed the variety of vendors’ booths selling thrifted clothing, jewelry, vintageshirts, magnets, paintings and many other goods.
At mixed-media artist Gianna Militana’s booth, prints, books and scraps of old paper adorned her table. She sold collage starter kits, handmade pins and drawings. Militana said her booth was successful because the event drew in an art-enthusiastic crowd.
“It’s mostly my peers who I am able to connect with about art and a lot of people that are creative and like music and art,” Militana said. “That’s what this whole event is about.”
A former KLSU DJ herself, Militana also emphasized the importance of the celebration as a bridge between the student workers and the community they connect with through the radio.
Devoted KLSU fan Tony Caines is one of those meaningful community connections. Caines calls into the station multiple times almost every day to request songs, chat with the DJs and show his continual support for college radio. He uses KLSU as an opportunity to socialize, pass on knowledge and listen to great music.
“It’s important for me to have a radio station that I can interface with,” Caines said. “I like to give feedback to the Disc Jockeys. A lot of them put a lot into it, so for me to give them that personal feedback I think helps to motivate them. I am an older person. I’ve been listening to popular music for 50 years, so I’m able to give younger people the benefit of my experience.”
Caines feels that the Saturday festivities were a perfect way for
radio fans to put a face to their favorite KLSU DJs’ voices.
“I think it’s important for listeners to see the DJs in person,” Caines said. “They are able to relate to them on a more personal level. When you meet them in person it gives you a better feel for where they’re coming from.”
KLSU’s College Radio Day celebration successfully honored
college radio’s legacy of promoting contemporary music and local musicians and upholding the relationship between the radio and the public.
“You have no idea the people that are listening or the reach you have,” Militana said. “I think it’s so awesome to see the real life connections you can make through music and art.”
GRAPHIC BY JACOB CHASTANT
CAMILLE MILLIGAN / The Reveille Lafayette-based band Kinky Vanilla performs on stage at College Radio Day on Oct. 5 at the Roof Brewery.
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R o u g e , M a i s o n B u r b a n k , Fa i r way V i e w, O a k b r o o k A pa r t m e n t s , C o r t F u r n i t u r e , Th e
O l i v e r , S o u t h g at e To w e r s , G e i c o, Th e C o v e at S tat e S t r e e t, C i t y V i e w A pa r t m e n t s
SUIT UP
In the purSUIT of professionalism: The Tailored Tiger provides free work attire for students
BY CAMILLE MILLIGAN @camillemill333
The LSU Olinde Career Center has officially launched the Tailored Tiger Career Closet, its newest resource to aid both graduate and undergraduate students in their career pursuits by providing professional clothing items at no cost.
The closet opened in early September and has already helped 65 students find professional attire. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday to celebrate the Tailored Tiger’s introduction and early achievement. LSU Executive Vice President and Provost Roy Haggarty spoke proudly at the ceremony about the closet’s potential for the LSU student body.
“Public Universities are successful only in so much that they benefit the lives of the people that they serve,” Haggarty said. “The success of the university is measured most of all by the success of the students who come to the university with less opportunities and less resources than others. We are really proud to be able to support those students by providing appropriate business attire to them.”
The Tailored Tiger is located on the third floor of the Student Union. Shoppers can leave the career closet with up to four items per semester at zero cost. To shop at the Tailored Tiger, students must book an appointment via handshake. Each appointment lasts for 45 minutes, and student workers are stationed in the closet to provide assistance if desired.
The closet is a product of long-term collaboration between Student Government, Student Affairs and the Olinde Career Center. Former LSU Student Body President Lizzie Shaw made the closet a passion proj -
ect during her time in office starting 2022.
Through research and hard work, SG drafted a proposal to get Student Sustainability Funds to cover up-front costs of the closet, and the Career Center agreed to provide the physical space. After the funds were provided in March 2023, SG and leaders at the Career Center could focus on the logistics involved with the closet from its construction to its inventory.
Senior Director at the Career Center Jesse Downs said that the endeavor took effort from many individuals focused on student success at LSU, and their hard work is paying off.
“It was awesome to work
with SG to finally get this initiative off the ground,” Downs said. “We’ve had a team of people that have been persistent and operating with urgency to make sure this initiative happens. It’s been such an affirming first month because we were able to see that students are using it. It’s helping them. To be able to help them feel confident in their candidacy is a really awesome thing to be a part of.”
Up until its opening, the Tailored Tiger has been an ongoing operation for multiple SG administrations. At the ribbon cutting, current Student Body President Joseph Liberto praised the closet and its future impact on student’s careers.
“A lot of SEC schools have something like this,” Liberto said. “I’m just so thankful that I’m able to be the one that opens it. LSU has a lot of great resources, and this is just one of them. Never again will a student have to worry about dress code. That changes the game for them. I know it might sound drastic, but it could change their career.”
By providing appropriate, professional dress, the Career Closet prepares its customers for interviews, workshops and other career-related activities. This helps eliminate appearance-related obstacles that prevent students from their professional pursuits.
“We know that sometimes there are financial barriers for students to get what they need to kind of feel confident and comfortable in these professional environments,” Downs said. “That’s a barrier to hundreds of
the closet has operated so far.
Rainwater said the Tailored Tiger is using this semester as as building block for expansion. Making students feel comfortable in key interviews with qualifying outfits is really important.
Students don’t just get to take home fresh clothing items. They can also learn some basics of professional dress from how to find the perfect suit to how to color block correctly. Liv Tees, a student worker in the Career Closet, says that the closet is an uplifting space for shoppers.
“The personal connection is very important,” Tees said. “I like to just ask them their major, why they’re looking for clothing, what are their main goals in life. It’s not a free closet atmosphere, it’s very much a shopping experience.”
opportunities. That’s a barrier to an internship that might be the springboard you need to be competitive for that full-time job you want.”
Megan Rainwater, the Operations Manager at the Career Center, oversees the daily functions of the closet as well as the students who work there. She said that so far, the Tailored Tiger has been running smoothly, but plans for expanding the closet are already being discussed.
Rainwater said partnering with a dry cleaner and tailor who could provide even more resources for students facing professional endeavors could be in the Tailored Tiger’s future. For now, she is happy with how
The Tailored Tiger Career Closet runs on donations of new or gently used professional attire. The Career Center accepts donations from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at its front desk on the first floor of the Student Union. They are requesting items like ties, slacks, dresses, suits and skirts; they do not accept jeans, polos or purses.
Downs said the Career Closet marks an exciting new chapter in the student services offered at LSU to break barriers to career development and assist students with career preparedness.
“Professional dress and building your confidence is just one little function, one little service offered in the border scope of the career center. The career center is here to support students from the time they are enrolled through graduation in every aspect of career development. The Tailored Tiger is one piece in that big puzzle of offerings to support students in their career journey.”
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
Career Center Operations Manager Megan Rainwater, Senior Director Jesse Downs, and Associate Director of Student Servies Blake Winchell smile Oct. 2nd at the LSU Student Union in Baton Rouge, La.
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
The Tailored Tiger shirts hang on a rack of pants Oct. 2nd at the LSU Student Union in Baton Rouge, La.
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
The Tailored Tiger ties sit Oct. 2nd at the LSU Student Union in Baton Rouge, La.
SPORTS
BY REVEILLE SPORTS @reveillesports
Athlete of the Week is an ongoing weekly series the Reveille started this year.
At a university where nearly every athletic program is nationally relevant, there’s never a shortage of options. There are always electric playmakers to be found.
This Reveille Athlete of the Week is LSU soccer’s Audur Scheving.
The sophomore goalkeeper stays alert at all times ensuring that no ball will get past her. On Friday against Auburn, Scheving had a career-high six saves.
Although LSU fell short of the win on Friday in a 4-0 loss, Scheving’s quick reaction and trained eye allowed the Tigers to prevent many goals.
Head coach Sian Hudson said Scheving “kept us in the game.”
How does Scheving handle all this pressure playing in these big games, and having to ensure her reflexes are always on point?
“With so many people in the stadium, which I appreciate, just try to not overthink and just go for it,” Scheving said.
Scheving has had an impressive 2024 season so far. She’s been crucial in LSU’s strong defensive performance this year having started in all 13 games for the Tigers.
YOUNG STAR
Caden Durham’s rise to freshman phenom
BY AVA HEBERT @avahebe4
With four minutes and 45 seconds left in the first quarter of LSU’s football game against South Alabama, a freshman running back from Oklahoma City scored LSU’s third touchdown of the game.
Throughout the season, she has had several standout performances, including multiple shutouts and game-saving moments.
Her presence in goal has made her one of LSU’s most reliable players. So far this season, she has 33 saves and has allowed only 17 goals.
Scheving’s contributions have gone beyond just stopping shots. She’s been a leader on the field, helping organize the Tigers defensive line and ensuring the team stays compact during key moments. She has become a crucial player for LSU.
She’s from Iceland and played for the national team at the country’s highest professional level for Stjarnan. She honed her skills at the club and national level, helping build such a strong profile that she signed with LSU in July.
“Just really proud, and I had no idea what I was getting into when I came here, but I’m finding a passion for it again,” Scheving said when asked how she feels about what she’s accomplished so far as a goalkeeper.
Audur Scheving is an overall pivotal figure in LSU’s competitive season, helping the Tigers rank among the top teams in the SEC with her consistent performances.
Her impact in games like the one against Auburn illustrates her importance to the team’s success for the rest of the season.
The stadium erupted with fans cheering him on. But after an offensive lineman fell on his foot, he couldn’t hide the pain.
As freshman running back Caden Durham limped off the field, LSU’s stadium went quiet as they watched their new star enter the injury tent.
Durham capped off a remark-
able first half with a total of 217 yards – 128 rushing yards on just seven carries and 89 receiving yards from three catches. Following his explosive performance, he remained on the sidelines for the remainder of the game. In just one half, Durham accumulated more rushing yards than any other LSU player had gained in an entire game throughout the season.
LSU’s running game has been one of its Achilles’ heels throughout the 2024 season. Before Durham’s performance against South Alabama, the most rushing yards achieved by a different LSU running back was 62
yards on 13 carries by Josh Williams.
LSU didn’t plan for this to be a weakness. In fact, the Tigers anticipated that this would be a strength. With four returning offensive linemen, running backs were expected to easily gain yards and break tackles.
Ironically, it was their passing game, which had lost a quarterback and two wide receivers to the NFL, that kept them afloat.
“We have to be more efficient with our running game,” Kelly said in a press conference following LSU’s season opener against USC. “We didn’t execute see DURHAM, page 11
LSU soccer falls 4-0 against Auburn
BY AINSLEY FLOOD @ainsleyflood
Everyone loves an underdog, and that is exactly what LSU soccer is hoping to become in the second half of SEC play.
The Tigers suffered their second shutout this week on Friday night in Baton Rouge, which marked their third loss in five conference matches.
Auburn was ranked No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 and has some of the country’s best players on its roster, such as goalkeeper Maddie Prohaska who tops the SEC in shutouts with 10 this season and has 34 in her career – the second-most in Auburn history.
It was clear to LSU head coach Sian Hudson that this team was going to be one of
the Tigers’ biggest challenges on the calendar.
“They are top 20 in the country for a reason,” Hudson said.
At kickoff, Auburn pressured LSU to the max and forced them back into the 18yard box. There were a few close calls, but the defense was quick on its feet, blocking attempt after attempt.
Both teams wanted to get the early lead, resulting in intense gameplay and more than a fair share of fouls up and down the pitch.
Unfortunately for LSU, Auburn won that battle 15 minutes in with a quick break through the purple and gold backline. A perfectly positioned Auburn forward, Olivia Woodson, awaited at the back post for the finish.
In what proved to be a terrible two minutes for LSU, Auburn struck again with a wide shot that slid just out of LSU goalkeeper Audur Scheving’s reach.
“We just gave up two or three really bad moments today defensively,” said Hudson. That made Auburn two goals richer, while LSU had yet to take a shot. This would go on to be its main issue of the night.
Scheving made two gamechanging saves in the half. When Auburn kept shooting high just below the crossbar, she reached off the ground and punched them away.
When the team needed it, the Tiger fans showed out in what became a packed stadi-
see LOSS, page 11
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
LSU football freshman running back Caden Durham (29) runs through defenders Sept. 14th during LSU’s 36-33 win over South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, Sc.
SOCCER
Monday, October 7, 2024
DURHAM, from page 10
at the level we’re capable of executing.”
The Tigers started the season with sixth-year senior John Emery Jr. leading the way against USC, but after suffering a torn ACL at practice, he was declared out for the season.
With Emery gone, the Tigers were forced to look in other places for rushing production. And Durham stepped up to the plate.
Durham didn’t see the field in LSU’s game against USC. He didn’t find his footing until the
LOSS, from page 10
um. Scheving said the support from the fans played a part in her ability to handle the pressure.
“I’ve never seen so many people in the stadium, so I really appreciate that,” Scheving said.
Throughout the match, Auburn seemed to be the more offensive team, making runs through the midfield and intercepting LSU’s passes left and right.
“I think we’ve got to start winning the midfield battle, first and second contacts,” Hudson said. “They did really
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Tigers traveled to Columbia to play South Carolina. There, he led the Tigers in rushing yards with 98 on 11 carries.
Durham provided the Tigers with a possible answer to their prayers. With an experienced offensive line, he showed potential of what LSU’s running game could be, despite his youth as a true freshman.
“He’s made it happen,” Kelly said. “And he’s earned it through an opportunity that was given to him.”
With LSU being on a bye week, Kelly didn’t want to reveal too much in his weekly press
well with that tonight.”
New sets of legs brought some life back into LSU’s offense late in the half. Players like forward Amy Smith made some optimistic-looking plays in the hopes of a comeback.
“I thought some of our young players came on the pitch at the end and raised the energy levels and gave us some different looks, so credit to them for coming in and making the most of their opportunity,” Hudson said.
LSU was still shotless while Auburn had 11 shots – six of them were on goal – and nine corners.
Down but not out, LSU
conference, but he seemed hopeful that Durham would be back on the field against Ole Miss.
Durham’s performance showed consistency and progress. He gave the Tigers hope after Emery’s injury and lifted some of the weight off of quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s shoulders.
Durham has shown promise in the past few games, and it might just be the key to success for the Tigers. After a dominant performance against South Alabama, Durham and the rest of the Tigers will face a true test against Ole Miss.
came back from halftime with a fire under their feet. Scheving stole the show with save after save. She was not going to let Auburn off easy.
Another goal came seven minutes into the second half when a shot snuck through the legs of defender and co-captain Jazmin Ferguson.
The final goal materialized only three minutes later when a free kick placed the ball at the top of the 6-yard box where an Auburn player was ready to head it in.
Auburn out-shot LSU 23-4 in a game of missed chances for the Tigers at home. The few shots they had needed to
count, and when there were balls played into the 18, LSU failed to finish.
“We didn’t really get close to them,” said Hudson. “We gave them far too much respect and possession.”
Post-match, LSU dropped from No. 5 to No. 9 in the SEC standings. They remain in the top 10, but just barely after a half-season of high highs and low lows.
In the history of LSU soccer, the road to Pensacola has never been straightforward, but this season has been bumpier than expected. This loss was not how the team wanted to close the first half of SEC play.
Next Thursday, Oct. 10, the team will play away against Kentucky, No. 8 in the SEC. With some time to reflect on the past week, the team is sure to be back with something to prove.
“The girls have got a weekend off to sort of refresh at the midway point of the SEC schedule, and we’ll be looking forward to a matchup against the Wildcats after they knocked us out of the SEC tournament last year,” Hudson said. “It’s an opportunity for a little bit of revenge. The last time we went there, we won on the road, so we’ll be looking to bounce back next week.”
How women’s basketball added depth this past offseason
BY TYLER HARDEN @ttjharden8
Kim Mulkey’s team will look different this year both visibly and schematically.
With Angel Reese taking her career to the WNBA and Hailey Van Lith leaving for TCU, Mulkey and her staff resorted to the transfer portal. Along with the four transfers they added, they also kept the top class of 2024 in-state recruit home.
On Sept. 23, Tiger fans got to see these new additions for the first time at the team’s first open practice.
But here’s what the newcomers have done in their careers thus far, which got them to LSU.
Kailyn Gilbert
Kailyn Gilbert is a transfer from the University of Arizona who adds some more valuable experience to the guard position.
In her freshman season in 2022-23, she started all 32 games for the Wildcats, averaging 4.9 points per game.
In her sophomore season, she took it to the next level, averaging 15.1 points per game along with 5.3 rebounds per game and 2.3 assists per game. She also shot 41.9% from the field and 40% from three.
But where Gilbert is most effective is forcing turnovers. Last season, she finished with 22 turnovers and totaled 53 steals in two seasons.
Shayeann Day-Wilson
Shayeann Day-Wilson also adds valuable experience to the
guard position, averaging 27.2 minutes of play over three seasons. She played two seasons at Duke before transferring to Miami.
Day-Wilson made a smooth transition to the collegiate level, averaging 12.7 points per game along with three rebounds per game and 3.7 assists per game in her freshman season.
Last season at Miami, she scored 11.9 points per game along with 2.7 points per game and 3.5 assists per game. Not only does she add depth to the guard position, she also adds depth to the point-guard
role. Day-Wilson and Last-Tear Poa, rotating at the point, can give LSU different looks in its offense.
Mjracle Sheppard
Mjracle Sheppard also made a nice transition to the college level for her freshman season at Mississippi State.
While she wasn’t a primary scoring threat, she was a significant factor on the defensive side of the ball.
And LSU is well aware of that.
Against the Tigers last season where the Bulldogs came away with an upset 77-73 win,
Sheppard totaled six steals. That performance marked her fourth game of the season with over five steals.
In her freshman season, she averaged five points per game, 2.6 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game and 1.4 steals per game.
Jersey Wolfenbarger Jersey Wolfenbarger adds versatility to LSU’s lineup. Standing at 6-foot-5, she can provide both a presence in the paint and a threat on the perimeter.
Wolfenbarger was named to SEC’s All-Freshman team after finishing with 7.6 points per
game, 4.3 rebounds per game and 1.1 assists per game.
For her sophomore season, she implemented more of her game in the front court, finishing third on Arkansas in blocks. She averaged 1.3 blocks per game along with seven points per game and 2.3 rebounds per game for her sophomore season.
When it comes to potential, Wolfenbarger has lots of it. She is a former McDonald’s AllAmerican and was Arkansas’ High School Gatorade Player of the Year in both 2020 and 2021.
Mulkey recruited Wolfenbarger during her coaching tenure at Baylor, so she should know how to implement her properly both offensively and defensively.
Jada Richard
LSU added one true freshman to the team for this coming season, and it didn’t have to look far to do so.
Jada Richard led Lafayette Christian Academy to four state championships and received MVP honors in three of the titles. She was Louisiana’s 2024 Gatorade Player of the Year and scored 2,886 points throughout her high school career.
Richard is a true point guard and will also add depth to the position along with Day-Wilson. She’s a do-it-all offensive player, as she scores just as effectively as she facilitates the offense.
Richard has a good chance to make an impact as a true freshman, and she can gain valuable experience for this season going forward.
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
LSU football freshman running back Caden Durham (29) holds the ball on Sept. 14th during LSU’s 36-33 win over South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, Sc.
ERIN BARKER / The Reveille
LSU women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey reacts to a play Jan. 21 during LSU’s 99-68 win over Arkansas in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.
OPINION
This isn’t ‘13 Going on 30.’ Kids need to dress like kids again
JEMIAH’S JUSTIFICATIONS
JEMIAH CLEMONS @miclemah
Gone are the days of begging your mom to go to the mall and shop at Justice, Children’s Place or American Girl Doll. Today’s youth prefer to shop at Lululemon, Aerie, Free People, etc. From cosmetic products to retail stores there’s a shift happening. This drastic change leaves us with one question, why are children’s stores fading away?
Infants all the way to six yearolds are still wearing clothes from children’s clothing stores because physically they have no other choice, and they may not have been exposed to adult retail stores the way other kids have. While working in retail, I’ve noticed it’s the kids with access to a phone or social media, typically ages seven to 11, that are breaking away from the normalcy of wearing children’s clothes.
Social media trends have made their way into the hands of children, and this isn’t a good thing. Like some adults, kids are trying to emulate what they see on TikTok or Instagram, but a lot of these trends aren’t child appropri-
EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/
A worker organizes items inside the Walmart Supercenter in North Bergen, N.J., on, Feb. 9, 2023. On Wednesday, the Commerce Department releases U.S. retail sales data for February.
ate. For example, the Drunk Elephant bronzing drops and retinol cream swept through TikTok. The viral product was disappearing off the shelves, but its main consumer was not the target audience.
Kids flocked to Sephora and sold out this product for weeks on end. This phenomenon prompted beauty creators on TikTok to educate their viewers on chemicals like retinol and how it impacts the
skin. While ignoring this warning, kids still went on to buy and use these products. Eventually, Drunk Elephant released a statement saying that people 12 and younger should not be using their products.
The increased consumption from children has spilled over into clothing stores. Other viral trends like the Aerie crossover flares and Free People’s carryall bag have caught the attention of kids na-
tionwide. As a retail worker, it’s quite odd when an eight year old asks, “Do you have this in an extra extra small?” and the piece of clothing is three sizes too big for them.
Both Justice and Children’s Place have filed for bankruptcy in recent years. 10 years ago those stores were the most popular for kids ages 6-12, and now they are fading away. This could be another reason why kids are flocking to other retail stores. Even if these stores made trendy clothing that appealed to kids, it’s not guaranteed that their products would be as popular as the new brands that kids have been exposed to. There seems to be such a rush to escape childhood, but what happened to kids just being kids?
In my experience, kids walk into these stores with a credit card and no parental supervision. They rummage through all the clothes in the store and leave a massive mess for the employees to clean when they’re done. In the end, the children walk out with an item that’s ill fitting and inappropriate, but it follows a trend, so they’re happy.
It’s important to note that the children are not at fault for this massive shift, but their overconsumption is a side effect of bad parenting. Kids wouldn’t have ac-
cess to any of these things unless their parents provided it to them directly or indirectly. Simply handing your kid money to go shopping does more harm than good. Parents aren’t able to monitor the items being bought, and it also diverts from the average shopping experience. Most kids go into clothing stores with an adult who helps them pick out, try on and get the clothes they want. There’s quality time that’s missing when kids are allowed to roam stores freely, and follow any trend that has their attention.
If stores such as Lululemon, Aerie, etc. wanted to further capitalize on this new demographic, they should include sizes for kids. However, considering that most of these brands don’t have adequate sizes for plus-size consumers, this change is highly unlikely. On the contrary, child specific brands could try to bounce back by following social media trends and doing influencer brand deals to market to a child-friendly audience. This increase in child-consumership is changing retail as we know it. A change needs to be made and it starts at home.
Jemiah Clemons is a 20-year-old kinesiology junior from Miami, Florida.
Tattoos don’t have to be meaningful; they can be just for fun
GARRETT’S GAVEL
GARRETT MCENTEE @9are_bear
Everyone has heard it before, the condescending, “You really need to think on that… Tattoos are permanent” spiel. I’m here to say that the person who said that to you is wrong.
The notion that tattoos have to have meaning is incredibly bumptious. Tattoos are an art form and art doesn’t have to have meaning behind it. Art can just be art. And you can just want a cool thing on your body for “forever.”
The proselytizers who argue in favor of the importance of memento when the occurrence of ink injections into the skin will always lay great importance on the permanence of tattoos. They’ll tell you not to go get
EDITORIAL BOARD
Colin Falcon Editor in Chief Managing Editor John Buzbee
the silly little gnome or cat on your ankle because liking it isn’t enough.
They’ll cry out and say, “But what does it really mean to you!” and you, dear reader, can say, “Nothing. Hop off.”
It really is that simple. So long as you acknowledge the permanence of a tattoo and how its imagery can change people’s first impression of you then you can get whatever tattoo you want.
The argument that tattoos have to be meaningful is trite. Tattoos are in their most abstract and objective form: ink that you wear and ink that is kind of permanent (unless you want to suffer the wrath of laser tattoo removal). The main point is that because tattoos are permanent they should hold meaning.
But who among us has such consistent things of importance that remain important forevermore?
Variables for what make
something noteworthy change throughout our lives and will never ever remain constant. You, of course, have the typical constants i.e., religion, family, and triumph (typically after mental health struggles). But if we only allow these events that can often be traumatic to be deemed the only ink worth getting tattooed, then there would be no tattoo artists to work with. The amount of people who would be allowed to get a tattoo would drop drastically.
This isn’t even mentioning how our own personal aesthetics rapidly change due to personal growth, societal exposure and the cycle of flip-flopping trends. Due to both the impermanent nature of much of our fixations in life and the constant changing of stylistic trends the notion that all tattoos should have meaning to be printed onto your flesh is foolish.
Tattoos are supposed to be
an artform; something that reflects beauty and individuality in a society that enforces conformity. Tattoos are supposed to be a statement of our quirks, likes, past and present desires. Just liking an aesthetic tattoo you saw on Pinterest is a good enough reason to get it, if you so desire.
This is not a hate article on tattoos that mark important milestones or intense personal meaning. This is just meant to fight back against the narrative of tattoos being forced into boxes that are rigid and must have relation to a serious topic.
The most glorious and unique part of tattoos is how subjective they can be. There’s only one wrong answer when it comes to tattoos; that they have to have meaning.
Garrett McEntee is a 19-year-old English freshman from Benton.
Editorial Policies and Procedures
The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.
J PAT CARTER / AP
A tattoo artist works on a client during TattooLaPalooza in Miami, Jan. 10, 2015. The tattoo show is not only a tattoo convention but an art convention. Various artists of all mediums attended the show.
Quote of the Week
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