Missed the election details? Read on Murray’s new mayor (A2) and check out TheNews.org for full coverage.
The Murray State News November 7, 2014
TheNews.org
Vol. 89, No. 12
Enrollment tops more than 11,000 students
The limitless
PILL
Amanda Grau
Assistant News Editor agrau1@murraystate.edu
Photo courtesy of Google
Kate Russell || Staff writer krussell13@murraystate.edu
Mikelle Martin, freshman from Newburgh, Ind., said she never put two and two together. Her brother and sister had it, but neither Martin nor her parents ever thought she had it. It never crossed their minds. Until last summer. Last summer, Martin finally went to the doctor. She was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, and was prescribed Adderall. Martin said she wishes she would have been diagnosed earlier. She said the Adderall helps her pay attention in lectures, take better notes and get better grades. She feels motivated and driven when she takes her pills, and when she’s not on them, “I’m a couch potato,” she said. According to Attention Deficit Disorder Association, 4 to 6 percent of the U.S. population has ADHD. It lists three common symptoms of the disorder: distractibility, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The association’s site also says ADHD and ADD are interchangeable references. Judy Lyle, associate director of Health Services, said drugs like Adderall and Ritalin work similarly to the methamphetamine speed. She said they’re more controlled and have fewer side effects, but the
drugs are similar. Lyle said she will occasionally have students come to Health Services and self-disclose that they are taking Adderall without a prescription, but it doesn’t happen often. “I know it’s being sold,” Lyle said. “I know it’s an issue on campus.” She said the drug became an issue when students take them with other drugs or with alcohol and that it can be harmful to mix substances. A recent study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research said Adderall is the most commonly abused prescription stimulant among college students. The study used Twitter to gather mentions of the drug. The study monitored tweets containing the word “Adderall” from November 2011 to May 2012. They collected 213,633 tweets from 132,099 users. It found references to recreational use of Adderall were highest in northeast and southern states and the tweets peaked in December and May – finals weeks. “… which suggests that college students who abuse prescription ADHD stimulants do so primarily during times of high academic stress,” the report said. The report also catalogued the substances that were mentioned along with Adderall in tweets. Most commonly mentioned were alcohol, coffee, Redbull, cocaine and marijuana. “Such poly drug use or co-inges-
tion is known to increase morbidity and mortality risk,” it said. Adderall prescriptions can’t be refilled. If you are prescribed the drug, you have to go to your doctor every month and get a new prescription. That allows your doctor to monitor the amount of pills taken and check for any side effects. According to the Mayo Clinic, possible side effects of Adderall include anxiety, loss of strength and weight loss. Other side effects that are less common and require a doctor’s attention can include bladder pain, fast or irregular heartbeat, lower back or side pain and serious heart or blood vessel problems. For a patient with a family history of heart problems, using Adderall could mean monthly heart and blood pressure checks. Martin said she has scheduled appointments with her doctor every few months so he can make sure her heart isn’t being damaged. “(Adderall) can be dangerous to take if you don’t have ADD,” she said. “It can raise your heart rate.” Martin said she can see why someone would take the drug during finals week, but she thinks it’s a dangerous choice. “They’re trying to stay up and get everything done,” she said. “If you’re staying up that late, it’s unhealthy and it makes you irritable. They’re trying to fit 36 hours in a 24 hour day.”
The final count for Murray State enrollment soared past the estimated 11,000 for the fall 2014 semester. Enrollment increased steadily from 10,022 students in 2008 to 11,207 this semester. Fred Dietz, associate vice president for Enrollment Management, said increased enrollment can be attributed to a number of factors, but the cost of attending Murray State tops the list. With the closure of Mid-Continent University in June, Murray State saw the largest transfer enrollment numbers from Mid-Continent recorded, leading to a larger transfer total. Along with a larger transfer student population, Dietz said there were increases in graduate students and international students this year. The Murray State Paducah Campus has seen a 12 percent increase, with approximately 140 additional students. Murray State President Bob Davies said high school graduates of today know the value of higher education. Students are dreaming of better opportunities for tomorrow, he said. “Students are being drawn to higher education as a whole to better themselves and find opportunities that would not exist without the higher education credential,” Davies said. “When we admit students, they’re having that dream.” Wanting to earn a degree encourages high school students to visit Murray State, and the bargain Murray State offers is what brings them back as enrolled students, Dietz said. “Our students continue to realize the value of the (Mur-
‘Catch the Wave’ to help Murray resident’s home explosion provide clean water under investigation Mari-Alice Jasper Staff writer
mjasper1@murraystate.edu
More than 780 million people around the world have no access to clean water, but an emerging organization on campus is determined to remedy that. Catch the Wave is a student organization working with Living Waters for the World, a non-profit focused on providing water to poorer areas. Murray State is the only university working with Living Waters for the World. Catch the Wave serves communities that have available, but contaminated water. It has developed modular clean water systems to address the specific needs of each community. Systems are commonly installed in churches, hospitals, schools or orphanages because they are central institutional settings. Bacteria and other impurities are removed from the water through filtration and disinfection processes. Up to
WHAT’S
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300 gallons of water can be processed per hour by the system. R o g e r Weis, professor of education and human services, said Catch the Wave’s main purpose is to generate Weis funds for Living Waters of the World, but students can also volunteer to work with a team. “It’s going to be a lot of work,” he said. “But it is going to be worth it.” Weis said Murray State is the ideal place to start and they plan to spread the program to other universities. Every minute at least one child dies from water-related diseases, according to the World Health Organization. “It irritates me when a student says there is nothing to do,” Weis said. “There’s lots of work to do. We want to have
fun with this, but it has to be taken seriously because people’s lives are being effected.” More than 570 water systems have been installed by the organization, according to the Living Waters for the World 2013 Annual Report. This is the organization’s 20th year of service. Living Waters reported it has trained 1,662 volunteers to properly install the water purification systems. Volunteers are also trained in team leadership, health and hygiene instruction and maintenance of the system. The operating budget of Living Waters for the World is approximately $700,000 according to the 2013 Annual Report and more than half of its budget is used to fund field operations. Josh Hawkins, junior from Mayfield, Ky., said he has always had a desire to serve people because it is a passion. “We’re all on Earth for a reason,” Hawkins said. “We are
see WAVE, 2A
Staff Report A Murray resident is in serious but stable condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center after his home exploded Sunday night. Jackie Hernden’s home was left completely incinerated. An emergency call came between 10:20 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Sunday night, and Calloway County Fire Rescue arrived on the scene within two minutes of the call. Calloway County Fire Rescue Chief Thomas Morgan said the house was engulfed in flames and most of the roof was gone when first responders made it to the house on Bethel Road. “There wasn’t a lot of the house left when they got there,” Morgan said. It took firemen nearly 10 minutes to tame the house fire and put out the car also engulfed in flames outside the
ray State) degree in relation to cost,” Dietz said. “We have done a good job of awarding financial aid so that students can afford to attend.” While affordability is important to students, high quality education and a campus that isn’t too big are also important, he said. Davies agrees with students: the size is just right. Physically, the campus can handle the number of students without a problem, Davies said, but culturally, he thinks smaller is better. “We pride ourselves on small classes, we pride ourselves on direct faculty and staff connections with students, we pride ourselves on that student experience in having those small intimate ties,” Davies said. “If we continue to grow rapidly and rapidly, and exponentially, what does that do to the cultural capacity?” Davies said protecting the campus environment students enjoy when visiting is of utmost importance. He said protecting the Murray State reputation and tradition of serving students and being very student focused is imperative. That tradition is what students are buying into when they enroll at Murray State, Davies said. The University needs to put more focus on recruiting non-traditional students, though, he said. He added campus tours after 5 p.m. and offering Saturday classes would create a better environment for non-traditional students working weekdays. Growth is essential to a university. Even so, the university should not grow for growth’s sake, but to reflect successes, Davies said. “More students is not always better,” Davies said. “Bigger is not always better.”
Can’t wait for basketball? We couldn’t either! Read about this season’s predictions, players and Prohm in the tab located inside.
home. Foul play is not suspected and the incident is still under investigation by the State Fire Marshal. Ricki Gardenhire, public information officer for the State Fire Marshal, said the explosion is being investigated as an accident. “Right now it looks like is was just an accident caused by a propane tank,” Gardenhire said. She said propane can easily explode if not hooked up correctly. Calloway County Fire Rescue returned Monday morning to put out hot spots. “Especially when a building or house is under investigation we go back to put out hotspots and make sure nothing rekindles,” Morgan said. The State Fire Marshal began its investigation Tuesday morning and a end date has yet to be determined.
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SCOTTISH REFERENDUM
A visiting professor from Scotland spoke on last month’s independence referendum. Find the story at TheNews.org.
DRAG SHOW
CAREER SERVICES
OUR VIEW
SOCCER OVC
Career Services offers help, advice to students, 6A
Adderall abuse is just as prevalent at Murray State, 4A
Murray State soccer prepares to Queens, kings perform for student body, 5B face the OVC Tournament, 1B
The News
News
2A
November 7, 2014
Rose wins Murray mayor by 149 votes Lexy Gross || Staff writer cgross2@murraystate.edu
Ben Manhanke || Staff writer bmanhanke@murraystate.edu
Less than 200 votes determined the winner of Murray’s mayoral election Tuesday night. Voters chose Jack Rose to replace Mayor Bill Wells with a difference of only 149 ballots. Rose, former professor in the department of educational studies, was the only candidate running against Wells. Rose will take his position at the beginning of January. “Well, I feel very honored and humbled by the support,” Rose said. “Unseating an incumbent who’s been there just one term isn’t easy.” As the precinct numbers came in, Wells and Rose said they weren’t sure who would take the mayoral seat this year. “It was a rollercoaster,” Wells said. “I was up by 21 or something, then it changed.” Wells said although he was surprised he came in second this year, he’s proud of the campaign he ran. He served 20 years on the Murray City Council before he ran for mayor four years ago. He noted the accomplishments Murray has received since he became mayor, including being named the Friendliest Small Town in America by USA TODAY and lifting the ban on packaged liquor in Murray. “I will always be happy about the positive campaign I ran,” Wells said. “I really hope for the best in Murray.” Audrey Kellett, senior from Murray, said she was surprised Wells was not re-elected. Kellett
said she voted for Wells because she knew he was mayor for several years and didn’t know either candidates’ political stance. She said in hindsight, she wishes she voted for Rose. “I don’t really have a problem with the way things were going in Murray,” she said. “But (Rose) would be a new person and bring in new, fresh ways of doing things that might help improve the city.” Rose worked for Murray State for 23 years before retiring in July 2014. Rose also served as the Faculty Regent at Murray State and resigned in March 2013. As mayor, Rose said he hopes to have a true open-door policy. He said he’s received several complaints that in the past that it’s been difficult to contact the mayor. He also wants to hold open meetings where Murray citizens and groups can voice their opinions about issues in the city. The most important item on Rose’ agenda so far is getting a handle on Murray’s budget. He wants to start attracting new sources of revenue to the city. “Right now, we’re not getting as many new businesses and industries as we could,” he said. Caleb Brannon, freshman from Puryear, Tenn., said he knew the race for mayor was going to be close from talking to Murray locals. “Everybody I talked to was split, so I didn’t know for sure who was going to win,” Brannon said. “I have talked to Wells before and I know he’s a good guy, but what it comes down to basically, I think, is that people wanted change and not just have the same people running the city.”
File Photo
Jack Rose was elected Murray mayor Tuesday night during the midterm elections. He will replace Bill Wells.
WAVE
ELECTION NIGHT BRIEF Senate: Republicans gained control of the Senate after Tuesday’s votes, making the re-elected Mitch McConnell Senate majority leader.
From Page 1 very fortunate and we need to share with the world.” Hawkins said he has never traveled internationally, but he would like to spend time serving in other countries. Living Waters for the World is associated with 25 nations like Guatemala and Ghana. Abigail Spiegel, sophomore from Louisville, Ky., said Catch the Wave has the capacity to impact thousands of people on various levels. “Water is a basic need of life and when someone does not have this basic need they cannot give back to their community or take an active role in their own family,” Spiegel said. Spiegel said giving back to the world changes a person’s mindset and can create an entirely new outlook on life, which she said some college students need. “We need a reality check of what the rest of the world is going through while we are uploading pictures to Instagram of our pumpkin spice lattes and skipping class because we don’t feel like walking to class,” she said.
Park Referendum: 7,831 voters, 65 percent of the vote, did not pass the park referendum. Murray City Council: Mike Faihst and Pete Lancaster were the two incumbent City Council members unseated after election. They will be replaced by new members Johnny Bohannon and Burton Young.
Jenny Rohl/The News
Abigail Spiegel, sophomore from Louisville, Ky., reads a brochure about non-profit organization Catch the Wave.
In 1918, on the 11 th hour of the 11 th month, the world rejoiced and celebrated. After four years of bitter war, an armistice was signed. This day was proclaimed Armistice Day and it was hoped that this would be the “war to end all wars,” but it wasn’t. Thirty-six years and two wars later, President Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming Nov. 11 as Veteran’s Day to honor all those who have served America.
Thank You for Everything... They were called to serve, they never asked why. They fought for freedom for you and I. Their family and friends were left behind. Their goal was peace for all mankind. Fighting for liberty and justice for all. Some lived to see it, but some did fall. Each one risked their life, so freedom could ring. Thank you for everything! -Unknown
How do you feel about the election results? Send us an email at letters@thenews.org to let us know and check out our full election coverage at TheNews.org.
The News
News
November 7, 2014
Program tests for HIV, STIs
News Editor: Rebecca Walter Assistant Editor: Amanda Grau Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews
POLICE BEAT
Oct. 30
7:34 a.m. A caller reported being stuck in an elevator in Blackburn Science Building. Public Safety and Emergency Management and Facilities Management were notified. 6:32 p.m. A Public Safety officer conducted the check of a person at Springer Residential College. The person was warned to stay off campus.
Oct. 31 3:54 a.m. A caller from Graves County, Ky., contacted Public Safety attempting to locate a missing person. 11:43 p.m. A Public Safety officer conducted a traffic stop on University Drive. A verbal warning was issued for disregarding a traffic control device.
Nov. 1 1:34 a.m. A Public Safety officer conducted a traffic stop on Farmer Street. A verbal warning was issued for failure to illuminate headlights and failure to have possession of a driver’s license on their person. 3:12 a.m. A caller reported a medical emergency at Old Richmond Residential College. Public Safety and Muray Ambulance Services were notified. The patient refused transport.
Nov. 2 12:18 a.m. Murray Police Department requested assistance in an on-foot persuit of a suspect. Public Safety was notified. 6:51 a.m. A caller reported the smell of gas at Winslow Dining Hall. Public Safety, the Murray Fire Department, the Central Heating and Cooling Plant, Murray State Environmental Safety and Health and Murray Natural Gas were notified. The leak was caused by an extinguished pilot light.
3A
Nov. 3
9:04 a.m. A person reported a theft to Public Safety. A report was taken for theft by unlawful taking under $500. 1:57 p.m. A caller reported being stuck in a Curris Center elevator. Public Safety and Facilities Management were notified and a report was taken.
Nov. 4 7:30 a.m. A caller reported a medical emergency at Winslow. Public Safety and Murray Ambulance Services were notified. The patient refused transport and a report was taken. 10:08 a.m. A caller reported a medical emergency at Hart Residential College. Public Safety and Murray Ambulance Services were notified. The patient was transported.
Nov. 5 7:30 a.m. A caller reported a medical emergency. Public Safety and Murray Ambulance Services were notified. The patient refsed transport. 12:21 p.m. A caller reported a non-inujury accident near Wrather West Kentucky Museum. Public Safetly was notified and a report was taken.
Call of Fame Nov. 1, 2014, 1:09 a.m. Racer Patrol requested a welfare check on two people in the grass. Public Safety was notified, and the people were gone upon arrival. Motorists assists – 22 Racer escorts – 3 Arrests – 0 Amanda Grau, Assistant News Editor, compiles Police Beat with materials provided by Public Safety and Emergency Management. Not all dispatched calls are listed.
Police Beat is also available every week online at TheNews.org.
What to look for in next week’s issue:
• Student involvement in their field of study is a major problem. • Murray State business professors have written a new textbook. It’s a novel! • Enrollment increased, but are professors sticking around? • We wonder if Dining Services actually gets our texts. • Scheduling classes is stressful. Will it get better?
Brittany Risko || Staff writer brisko@murraystate.edu
“Man Up Monday” is a program Health Services started to allow students to get free HIV and sexually transmissible infection tests. The program started Oct. 20 and it was created to spread awareness about testing. The idea of “Man Up Monday” came from “The Monday Campaigns” from Columbia University in New York City. “The original intention of the program was to encourage men and women, but particularly men, to take stock of their health,” said Judy Lyle, associate director of Health Services. Although the program is called “Man Up Monday,” it is not exclusive to men, Lyle said. Women are encouraged to get tested as well. The design was to get men to check in on their health and get tested, Lyle said. Twenty-six percent of all new HIV-infected people are aged 13 to 24, placing college-aged students in the middle of those most at risk, according to the Center for Disease Control. “In past years, HIV testing could not be done on campus, it had to be done elsewhere, and it was something that I really wanted to bring to campus because it is convenient to get people used to using our services, and it is free,” Lyle said. The program informs students about the risks of contracting HIV or STIs and shows them how to minimize those risks. Approximately 20 million
Haley Hayes/The News
“Man Up Monday,” a program created by Health Services, urges men on campus to get tested for HIV and STIs. young people, from ages 15-24, are diagnosed each year. The campaigns first premiered on campus in the spring of 2013. “What the first semester really did was poster production and we paid for some other things; since then we have gotten a $5,000 grant to promote the program,” Lyle said. The yard signs promoting the program line the sidewalks on campus. “This year we have really cool postcards that Alliance does really good about passing them out for us,” Lyle said. On the back of the postcard
the hours and what students can do to get the free tests are listed. Compared to the first semester, the program is doing better. In the first semester, only about 10 tests per month. “This year we have used the postcards, the yard signs, word of mouth, and we are doing two tests or more a week,” Lyle said. Requests for testing have increased in recent months, she said. “They are thinking about it when they start a relationship, if they are changing relationships, or if they got a prob-
lem,” Lyle said. Another $1,000 grant was given to purchase the HIV tests. Health Services uses OraQuick, in which a small paddle is run along the gum line and put in a solution for 20 minutes, Lyle said. “If a test were to come back positive we would not assume it is positive, we would send the person to the health department for further testing,” Lyle said. About 60 percent of people with HIV do not know that they have it, according to the CDC.
Low global demand equals lower gas prices Teddy Martin Contributing writer emartin@murraystate.edu
The recent drop in gas prices can be attributed the Iraqi decision to lower prices on crude oil, according to USA TODAY. This decision mirrors Saudi Arabian and Iranian decisions to lower their crude oil prices as well. USA TODAY stated the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is destabilizing other exporters’ prices and sustaining production. OPEC’s yield is increasing, but worldwide demand has diminished. North American needs have increased, and with less competition, gas prices have sunk, USA TODAY said. Students have found themselves in with more money as cost of fuel has decreased. Some on-campus students have benefitted from lower gas prices. Kyle Schenck, freshman from Boston, Ky., said it normally took about $50 to fill his car, but now it takes about $35. “With the prices right now I’m less stingy with my gas— not enough to make me want to go home every weekend but more willing to drive to places at shorter distances than, say, the beginning of the year.” Some students remain unaf-
Kalli Bubb/The News
Gas prices lower as the price of crude oil drops. fected by the drop. Freshman Tori May from Providence, Ky., said the change will not make her more likely to travel on the weekends, and it doesn’t take as
much gas for her to get home because she lives closer than most students. “But I do get better mileage than others so I tend to drive,” May said.
Murray State is reaching record enrollment according to Fred Deitz, associate vice president of Enrollment Management. With an increase in the number of students attending the University, the number of commuters affected by lower prices will also increase. Students who travel from distant hometowns to Murray will also be affected. As of Oct. 1, 2014, the mileage reimbursement rate for employee travel and student group travel decreased to $0.46 per mile. This rate will remain in effect through Dec. 31. Jerry O’Bryan, transportation specialist of Facilities Management, said that the dropping gas prices saves Murray State money and decreases prices of University goods as well as improves the economy in the surrounding area. Julia Stimson and Elizabeth Travis, sophomores from Mayfield, Ky., agreed. Even with the decrease in gas prices, the cost of parking tags in addition to the costs of living on campus makes the cost of gas a greater burden. Travis said it could be worse. She said she is glad the prices are not increasing.
AT T E N T I O N S E N I O R S The Fall Senior Breakfast will be held Thursday, November 20, at 8 a.m. in the Curris Center Ballroom. Seniors and graduate students who are graduating in December 2014 are invited to the breakfast free of charge. Students should RSVP to the Office of Student Affairs no later than Friday, November 14. msu.studentaffairs@murraystate.edu Faculty and staff may purchase tickets for $5 from an administrative assistant in their area or the Office of Student Affairs, 425 Wells Hall. For more information contact the office at 270.809.6831
4A
November 7, 2014
The News
Opinion
Opinion Editor: Carly Besser Phone: 270-809-5873
Our View
The News 2609 University Station Murray State University Murray, Kentucky 42071-3301 murraystatenews@icloud.com Fax: 270-809-3175
TheNews.org Mary Bradley
Editor-in-Chief • 270-809-6877 mbradley9@murraystate.edu Rebecca Walter News Editor • 270-809-4468 rwalter@murraystate.edu Katie Wilborn/The News
Carly Besser Opinion Editor • 270-809-5873 cbesser@murraystate.edu
ADHD medicine has consequences
Hunter Harrell Features Editor • 270-809-5871 hharrell@murraystate.edu Mallory Tucker Sports Editor • 270-809-4481 mtucker11@murraystate.edu Kayla MacAllister Chief Copy Editor • 270-809-5876 kmacallister@murraystate.edu Elizabeth Leggett Online Editor • 270-809-5877 eleggett@murraystate.edu Allison Borthwick Advertising Sales Manager • 270-809-4478 msunewsads@gmail.com Sarah Beitel-Starks Advertising Production • 270-809-5874 sbeitel@murraystate.edu Fumi Nakamura Photography Editor • 270-809-5878 fnakamura1@murraystate.edu
The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board. College is a commitment that is academically demanding. We pull all-nighters to cram for tests, we juggle multiple papers at once and some of us unofficially live at Waterfield Library. These are regarded as normal aspects of student life, but some students turn to extreme measures to give them a boost. Adderall, Ritalin and Vyvanse are just a few examples of amphetamines used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. When taken recreationally, ADHD medications provide heightened levels of focus and energy. The pills may provide a leg up when trying to balance multiple assignments at once, but the risks are higher than the reward of a good grade.
take the medication because their dopamine receptors are flooded. If students are prescribed amphetamines and experience negative side effects, they should cancel their prescription. By trafficking medication, they are contributing to a growing problem. Students who are using ADHD as an upper or a study buddy should quit before it becomes an addiction. Because ADHD medication is approved by the Food and Drug Administration and is so easy to access, some don’t consider it a real drug with serious consequences. This is ignorant and far from the truth. Students must know the dangers of recreational amphetamine uses before using it as a “study buddy.”
Garrison: Grow up weird
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abuse. It makes the list alongside cocaine, morphine and Dilaudid. There are two groups of students responsible for the ADHD medication problem on campus – students who buy it and students who are prescribed it but don’t mind selling it or giving it away. ADHD medication affects people diagnosed with ADHD in different ways than it does people who are not. Adults who are prescribed amphetamines because they have ADHD report feeling moody, anxious and “zombie-like” when they take their medication. This leads to many people selling it or giving it away to people who don’t have ADHD because people who are not diagnosed may have more of a sense of euphoria when they
The Captain’s Log
Joe Hedges Adviser • 270-809-3937 jhedges@murraystate.edu
The News welcomes commentaries and letters to the editor. Letters should be 400 words or less. Contributors should include phone numbers for verification. Please include hometown, classification and title or relationship to the University. Commentaries should be between 600 to 800 words. The News reserves the right to edit for style, length and content. No anonymous contributions will be accepted. All contributions should be turned in by noon on Tuesday of each week via email at letters@thenews.org. Contributions to The News are the opinion of the author and not that of The Murray State News.
According to the American Academy of Neurology, ADHD medication is highly addictive. Side effects can be as mild as insomnia or as severe as irregular heartbeat, hallucinations, seizures and high blood pressure. Its use can become fatal when combined with drinking alcohol, which is a common combination for college students. Those who abuse amphetamines will feel delusional from a lack of sleep, severe weight loss and slight paranoia. Health isn’t the only thing students are gambling with when recreationally using amphetamines. ADHD medication is listed as a schedule II drug by the Drug Enforcement Agency because of its high potential of
Zac Garrison Senior from Franklin, Ky.
My whole life I’ve been the chubby kid. The kid whose gray sweatpants fit a little too tight and my third generation hand-me-down sweater had a few too many drops of spaghetti sauce on it. I never minded how my clothes looked and that my hair
stuck straight out at all angles. Apart from being an obvious dynamo with the female species, a lot of my self-worth was derived from this period of my life that can be referred to as the “blunder years.” To put it simply, I grew up weird. I picked my nose, had braces, was an avid member of my middle school chess club and a large majority of my friends were gnomes and night elves on World of Warcraft. I had a problem fitting in, which caused the other kids to avoid me. The friends I did have were weird themselves, so at least there was company in the misery. Now, I know that there was anything wrong with me. That was my opinion though. Every-
one else also seemed to have their own opinion of me. I had to develop a pretty thick skin to get through middle school. The sharp tongues of a prominent pre-pubescent, middle school clique still haunt me today. Thinking of those days makes me think “Was it even worth it?” Was it worth the poor fashion sense, generally antisocial behavior and particularly cringworthy behavior? Oddly enough it was and I would do it again. People never really wanted to hang out or be good friends with the aforementioned gentleman, so I was almost forced to stay to myself. Back then, I saw this as dire and depressing but turned out to be almost a blessing in disguise. The time I would have spent trying to fit in, I spent accepting I was already an outsider, so I might as well make the best of it. I read a different book every week about lands far away from here. About kings who used wit to rule lands. I wrote my own short stories about fictional characters that possessed qualities I thought real heroes should have. I thought of my mind as an asset, and made sure it was always what kept me standing out from the pack. Teens always say they want to rebel against conformity, but conform with the other teens all the same. Those who are not square pegs going through square holes come last and aren’t on the same level as all of the other square pegs. Well, the square pegs were dull. They wore the same clothes, talked about
the same things and rejected anyone who strayed from their golden path. Anyone who has ever tried to fit a circle peg through a square hole knows you’re going to run into a lot of problems, so why even try? A part of growing up weird was knowing that I was different. I looked different, acted different and was constantly reminded that I was anything but a square peg. I started to take pride in it. I developed my self-deprecating sense of humor because I had heard them say it enough about me, so why not own it? I began to learn who I was very quick. Sooner or later you stop trying to fit yourself through that square hole and realize the whole fitting in thing is kind of monotonous anyways. When does that cycle stop? If you base your whole personality off of fitting in, are you an individual? Becoming self-aware is tough for a lot of teenagers because they put the crowd’s needs before theirs. Instead of searching inside of themselves and learning more about themselves, they put their time and effort into acting like the other kids so no one will ever call them out for being different. Because different is death in grade school, right? Take the time to learn about yourself. Search within and find your true personality and who you actually are instead of being a one-way mirror to society. This one goes out to all of my rejects, my outcasts and my oddballs. It goes out to the misunderstood and the different shapes trying to fit themselves through square holes. Stay weird.
The News
Opinion
November 7, 2014
5A Did she really say that?
Letter to the Editor Poll Results
50
We’ve all had our freshman moments
We asked how many students have used Adderall or another form of ADHD or ADD medication. There are the responses from 74 voters.
45
55%
40
I have never used ADHD medication.
Like our polls?
In our latest poll, we asked you if you have ever taken Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder medicine. To participate in a future poll about the level of student involvement in majors, visitTheNews.org.
35 30
We still want to hear from you
35%
25
Are you concerned about a certain issue on campus or just want to share your opinion? The News is always accepting Letters to the Editor. For a chance to get your letter published in print or on TheNews.org, email your submission to letters@thenews.org.
Yes, I have used it recreationally.
20 15
10%
10 5 Respondents
Yes. It is prescribed.
I’ve Got a Story for You
Valentine: The gift of an hour While we endured a crescendo of idiotic political ads last weekend, a wonderful thing occurred. As we slept (or should have been sleeping) on Sunday morning last, all the world agreed that we should have an extra hour of life. “Fall back,” the clocks were told and suddenly it was Robert Valentine an hour before. Senior lecturer It cost nothing, and it could be a of advertising game-changer for people who are only now realizing that classes are held for a reason, however obscure. So it was on Sun, Nov. 2, we had an extra hour in which to do all those things we intended to do, but never managed to actually, you know, like totally do. It is as if time has been manufactured which, according to Einstein, is pretty tough. The free hour results from the habit of the human body to establish rhythms. The “extra hour” is an illusion, but the fact that your body is
ready to get up at 6 a.m. instead of your usual 7 a.m. can be quite real. The clock says it’s too early, but you want to be awake. So, if your body keeps reporting for work two hours before your first class instead of the usual one hour, why not put it to work?
It is as if time has been manufactured which, according to Einstein, is pretty tough.
“
”
- Robert Valentine, senior lecturer of advertising
Some folks, used to lying around until seven before making a mad dash to campus, can find the temptation of the mattress and pillow just too much. Young people need more sleep than aging professors — it’s a fact. The tendency of young people to stay up until 2 a.m. for reasons which defy sensible analysis just makes it tougher. Binge watching on Netflix, eh? What if your body compels you to start the day an hour earlier? I’ve already talked to some people who are facing this issue and treating it like a problem. It isn’t: it’s a gift. Spend the extra hour trying to decipher the notes you took while asleep in Humanities. An hour spent decoding (“in 32 ac the empor gluteus
Cheers to ... Voters.
Cheers and Jeers Cheers & Jeers is written by the Opinion Editor. Questions, comments or concerns should be addressed to cbesser@murraystate.edu
Comics
We appreciate all the students, faculty and staff members who went out to vote Tuesday. Despite having a low voter turnout, it is still nice to see that people are exercising their right.
Jeers to ... Non-voters. Kentucky had the most important Senate race in the country, yet most students decided that they needed to refresh their Netflix queue. Let’s commit a little more to our civic duties, guys. It only takes a minute and you get a free sticker.
maximus defats hazel”) and looking up the right answer can be uplifting. For a change, appear on time just to see what the professor does when you answer up with a cheery “Here!” That should be fun. As you wolf down the Frosted Mini-Wheats, cast a hurried eye over the chapter you haven’t yet read. (Online gaming ran long, eh?) You don’t need to memorize it; just get an idea. Look at some chapter end questions and write down something you’d like to know. If a discussion breaks out in class, pitch your question to the professor. Definitely fun. Think of it: evidence that you looked at a chapter before the lecture. It is epic. The professors will talk about you at the annual professor picnic. It may even bring a tear to the eye. Look: the first few hours of the day are the peak performance times for your brain. Why waste that power listening to a lecture (or faking it)? Use that first hour to acquire the info you need. Get some breakfast before the toast gets soggy; read a newspaper or outline a chapter while you sip your coffee. Your body is telling you it is ready to do this thing. Why deny reality? You could add a full point to your GPA here in the last six weeks. “Spring forward,” they say, and “Fall back.” You may have fallen back into the gift of the most valuable hour in your day. Say, “thank you,” and get going.
Jeers to ... Schedules. After meeting with our advisers, it’s apparent that a lot of our mandatory classes are only offered at one time. This makes it tough to schedule our classes. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8 a.m.? Yuck.
Cheers to ... More marijuana legalization. Recreational marijuana use is now legal in Oregon and Washington, D.C. It’s good to see more states accept that it could be a money-making industry. Can you say cash crop?
When we were in high school, we were bombarded with stereotypes and stigmas of a social order hierarchy. Jocks and cheerleaders were at the top rung of the ladder, Carly Besser Opinion Editor the band kids stuck together and “Mean Girls” taught us that the cafeteria is the most accurate way to assess where you belong. Then we graduated and were told that college is different. Everybody is accepting of everybody, regardless of background or classification. There’s no such thing as divisive lunch tables. It’s no longer weird to sit by yourself and have a meal. You belong wherever you want to belong. But is that really true? As a senior, I’ve heard my friends and others continually mock freshmen. According to the consensus, freshmen make dumb social mistakes, they don’t know how life on campus works and they wear cargo shorts. Gasp. How dare they? It’s common to see articles about how annoying and clueless freshmen are on websites like CollegeHumor and Total Frat Move. Despite being satirical websites, we often perpetuate the attitudes that we read about in these articles. This negative attitude toward incoming freshmen is poisonous for Murray State. When recruiting new students, the University advertises itself as inclusive to everyone and a community of diverse cultures and people. When we make fun of underclassmen, we are in contrast with the ideals of the Murray State community. I didn’t become a senior without first going through an awkward freshman year. I didn’t know the Greek alphabet, I didn’t know how college parties were different than high school parties, I didn’t understand the concept of meeting with an academic adviser and yes, I wore a lanyard; sue me. Everyone goes through a transitional period when first attending college. Anyone who tells you that they didn’t have a “freshman” moment during their freshman year is most likely lying. Being a college student isn’t just about making changes academically. You become immersed in a completely different social world. Most of us aren’t used to sharing a cubicle-sized dorm room with another person. We’re not used to complete freedom and what it means to make decisions without our parents. Upperclassmen should feel more obligated to help freshmen transition from high school to college without berating them, because feeling alone in a new environment takes an emotional toll on people. Many students drop out after their first semester because of bad grades, but other students drop out simply because they didn’t enjoy their experience. Murray State is often described is a “home away from home,” and many of us love it here. We should give freshmen a reason to love it here, too. A helping hand from an upperclassman is something many of us could have used our own freshman year. Everyone studying at Murray State is an adult. It’s mature to take the next step to better yourself by going to college. Because we are all adults, we should dismiss the stereotypical high school behavior of making fun of students newer than us. cbesser@murraystate.edu
The wicked Mitch of the west By Katie Wilborn
The News
News
6A
November 7, 2014
Preparing students for the future Amanda Grau || Assistant News Editor agrau1@murraystate.edu
Career Services may have a new counselor to aid students’ job hunt, but the advice remains the same: it never hurts to ask for help. Kim Crouch, the newest career counselor to Career Services, has only been on the job for three weeks, but is well-versed in the hiring process. After graduating from Murray State, Crouch worked for 10 years as a recruiter at the University of Louisville before switching to retail. She worked in recruiting employment applications for Victoria’s Secret and staffing firms, where she gathered firsthand knowledge on what employers are looking for in applicants. “I’ve hired for firms across the market,” Crouch said. “I’ve hired for positions from entry-level jobs to mid-level jobs and even a few CEOs. I know what they like to see.” Crouch said she noticed students look at Career Services as a last minute thought for graduating seniors. “We’re so much more than that,” Crouch said. “We’re here as a resource for jobs, internships and grad school. Everything needs a resume nowadays. We can help with that.” Career Services helps students with resumes, cover letters, practicing for interviews and giving feedback. Crouch said students frequently come into the office looking for guidance on careers and internships. She sends students without an idea of where to start to the Career Services website. The site has links to guide students through the process of writing a resume and cover letter. It also has links titled “find a full-time job” and
Jenny Rohl/The News
Ross Meloan, director of Career Services, sits down with Ben King, freshman from Fairview Heights, Ill., to discuss internship options. “find an internship,” which link to job search tips, interview tips and even how to spot a fraudulent job posting. The website also has advice and links to tests that help undecided students figure out what major they may want to choose. Career Services offers a hard copy of the Career Handbook for free. Students can get a copy in the Career Services Office, located in Oakley
Applied Science Building. The handbook has 36 pages of information, along with a resume-writing thesaurus. The thesaurus is a list of action verbs applicants can substitute in place of boring, non-descriptive words like “worked” and “helped.” Crouch said those words are popular among first-time resume writers. “It helps students take their real life skills and
translate them into something that will attract a potential employer,” Crouch said. Katie Mantooth, Career Services counselor with a focus on internships, said the usefulness of the information offered online and in the handbook depends on the need of the student. Freshmen and sophomores will look more toward the tips on picking a major and selecting a career path for that major. Juniors and seniors will likely be more interested in tailoring that career path even more to their needs. For students across the board, resumes and cover letters are important. “Helping a student effectively market their past successes and experience through a strong resume or cover letter is important,” Mantooth said. “Just about any 22-year-old can pull up a Word template and make a resume and attach it to 100 jobs posted on Monster. We can help students personalize their search and be more effective.” Career Services also counsels alumni who have experienced a shift in their career path. Crouch said alumni return after they are laid off, lose their job or want to try a different avenue. “The market has changed since they last applied for jobs,” Crouch said. “Everything is online now. We send them online first. The resources are there.” Crouch said she has a good understanding of how to help students find jobs and excel in interviews, but she is new to helping with graduate school applicants. Career Services has walk-in hours for students Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2-3:30 p.m. Appointments can be made by calling 270-809-3735.
Scholarships awarded to students for unique projects Ben Manhanke || Staff writer
Hartman, an aquatic/fisheries biology major, is evaluating the role of the paedomorphic mole salamander in its habitat and said he was surprised and excited when he discovered he would receive a scholarship. Crittendon, a psychology major, is studying the effects of priming on patriotism and nationalism. Participants in his study will be exposed to either positive or negative political quotes concerning the U.S. and then have their attitudes concerning the U.S. measured. “As a military veteran I have always been fascinated by the concept of patriotism and nationalism,” he said. “I have been interested in research for the last two years and I am so thankful and excited that I will be able to proceed with the help of this scholarship.” The Research Scholarship Fellowships are URSA’s highest paying scholarships. The office also offers several grants during the year, which can total up to $400, and multiple Travel Support Grants of up to $200. Applicants had from April to September to craft a research proposal for submission. These proposals were evaluated by two faculty members from their academic college as well as a third from outside the department. Proposals
bmanhanke@murraystate.edu
How can Benito Mussolini’s secret war with Italy’s organized crime, the ways graphic novels can be used as teaching tools in the classroom and telling the difference between species of alligators come together? Three more student research projects joined these and more than two dozen other past projects funded by Murray State’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activity Saturday. David Crittendon, senior from Murray, Lauren Hamm, senior from O’Fallon, Ill., and Bradley Hartman, senior from Grand Junction, Colo., were this year’s recipients of URSA’s Research Scholar Fellowships. Each recipient received a $1,000 stipend as well as $500 for supplies to help them conduct research over the course of the year. Hamm, a pre-veterinary medicine major, said she was ecstatic when she received the news of her award. Her research concerns the effectiveness of the drugs Ivermectin and Moxidectin, which are used by Murray State to rid its horses of internal parasites, such as worms.
were graded on four criteria: the project’s methodology, its likelihood successful conclusion and publication or presentation, its impact on the student and the role of the faculty mentor aiding and supervising the research project. Jody Cofer Randall, URSA Program Coordinator, said of funding opportunities URSA offers, the Research Scholar Fellowship is the most competitive. The difference between getting the award or not, he said, sometimes comes down to one-tenth of a point difference in a project proposals’ grading. “I could easily have seen a fourth or fifth (scholarship) awarded this year,” he said. “But we just don’t have the resources for it. The last couple of years we have run our budget right to the bottom.” Crittendon, Hartman and Hamm competed with 11 other finalists for their awards. Of those not chosen, all were awarded grants. Cofer Randall said due to the demand for financial aid for research, URSA usually runs out of money for grants between February and March. He said typically the office turns away 10 proposals a year because there is no money left in its budget. Since URSA started offering the Research
Scholar Fellowships in 2006, the office offered stipends of $2,000 as well as the $500 for supplies and typically offered four instead of three awards. As its budget has gotten smaller, Cofer Randall said it offers fewer Research Scholar Fellowships in favor of providing more URSA grants. “We could always use more money,” he said. “In our proposed budget we submit for approval every year we always recommend an increase. Some years we get it and some years we don’t.” URSA’s budget for this year included $4,500 for the Research Scholarship Fellowships, $4,000 for grants and $1,200 for Travel Support Grants. Recently, however, the Office of the Provost has awarded $3,000 to URSA for Travel Support Grants, used in aiding students in purchasing transportation to events such as conferences and national presentations. Recipients of the Research Scholarship Fellowships are required to complete 300 hours of research, although they all have started. Periodically, over the course of the next year, those awarded will submit documentation of their research hours to URSA, so they’ll be awarded part of their stipend money.
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Section B
The News
Sports
Sports Editor: Mallory Tucker Assistant Sports Editor: Kelsey Randolph Phone: 809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews
Soccer ends regular season with win Peter Northcutt || Sports writer pnorthcutt@murraystate.edu
Halloween was a treat for the Murray State women’s soccer team as they capped off their regular season with a 1-0 victory over UT Martin Friday night in Martin, Tenn. The two teams battled for positioning in the OVC, and the Racers grabbed the three seed in the tournament with their win. UT Martin’s loss forced them to settle for the four seed. Facing a team that hasn’t lost at home all season, the Racers executed strongly and earned a late-season road win. “I thought it was probably one of our best performances all year,” said Head Coach Jeremy Groves. “We played probably the most people we’ve played all year, too. So I was just really, really happy. You know, the game didn’t really mean a whole lot. We were still going to have to play three games next week so I was a little bit shocked at how well we did play. Sometimes players kind of get that in their head and they might relax a little bit but I think we played really well. We beat a team that hasn’t been beat on their field all year.” The game was a battle from the beginning as the teams were evenly matched. The highlight for the Racers was their defensive play. Freshman goalkeeper Shelby Haworth made save after save and would eventually end the game with 11 total, earning her the OVC Goalkeeper of the Week award. The first half ended with the competitors tied 0-0. The second half started in much the same way, but in the 59th minute the Racers found an opportunity and capitalized. Senior Pavlina Nepokojova received a pass from freshman Harriet Withers and struck the ball into the upper left corner of the net for the game’s only goal. With the momentum of a 1-0 lead, Murray State only had to survive comeback attempts from UT Martin. After struggling early in the season on the road, the Racers won their last three road games. Their fate in the OVC Tournament will be de-
Jenny Rohl/The News
Senior Julie Mooney battles a Belmont Bruin for a header during the Oct. 26 game at Cutchin Field. cided this weekend as they travel to Southeast Missouri State. Groves said he isn’t worried about his team’s road performance. “We always knew we could do it,” Groves said. “I think early on we probably played some difficult
teams. We knew we could do it and the St. Louis game was a big turnaround. We finally found that we could win on the road and then in our conference we’ve had some big games winning on the
see SOCCER, 2B
Senior shooter finds success as rifle popularity rises Kelsey Randolph
Assistant Sports Editor krandolph3@murraystate.edu
Jenny Rohl/The News
Senior Kelsey Emme practices shooting Wednesday at Pat Spurgin Rifle Range.
Kelsey Emme began her career as a competitive shooter the day her dad gave her a BB gun at age 4, leading to her success as a collegiate and junior Olympic rifle team member. Emme said she begins a typical match by imagining herself having perfect scores. Emme said she goes through all her positions and reassures herself that she knows what she’s doing. “I get to the arena and immediately set up on the line,” Emme said. “I stretch and listen to music. My goal is to keep myself in a good state of mind and try to calm my nerves.” Emme said she prepares for smallbore first and then air rifle. In the smallbore competition, athletes are judged on shooting 20 shots in three different positions; kneeling, prone and standing. Air rifle is judged shooting all 60 shots standing. Shooters are scored on how accurate their shot is on the automated target, which shows immediate results on a monitor in the
range. Unlike other sports, rifle is not given places during each match. Points are awarded and at the end of the season they are given averages and the shooters are placed based on those points. The higher the score, the closer to the target the shooter was. Emme has shot with her dad since she was young, and in middle school she joined a club team 30 miles from her home. Growing up, she played three other sports as well. A typical day after school for Emme was to attend volleyball practice, basketball practice, golf practice then drive the 30 miles from her hometown of Piedmont, S.D., to Rapid City, S.D., to rifle practice. “Coming to college I had to decide what I wanted to do,” Emme said. “I looked at the sports and had to decide what I could do everyday for the next four years. I felt like I could put everything I had into rifle and still love it.” Since Emme began her rifle career,
see RIFLE, 2B
Volleyball continues hot streak Kelsey Randolph
Assistant Sports Editor krandolph3@murraystate.edu
Racer volleyball rolled over fourth place Jacksonville State and No. 6 Tennessee Tech last weekend as it continued to dominate the OVC. “Jacksonville is a strong team and we knew they would be tough,” said Head Coach David Schwepker. “They tried to take us by learning how we play and watching us on video, but we got a feel for what they were doing and the girls did a really good job of pulling back.” The Racers (11-1 in the OVC) outlasted Jacksonville State, (7-5 in the OVC) winning the first set 27-25. They finished the second set on top 25-20 and finished the match at 25-15 for the sweep. Junior Taylor Olden, outside hitter and defensive specialist, said even though Jacksonville State is one of the better teams, they knew they had to get a win. Saturday, Murray State played Tennessee Tech, 6-6 in the OVC, and won in three sets. The Racers had a fast lead taking the first set 25-16, took the second set 25-20 and finished the third 25-11.
WHAT’S
INSIDE
“They had big blockers,” Olden said. “I knew they wanted to stop me. I sized them up and we adjusted to hit the ball where it needed to go and use it to our advantage.” For the first time this season Schwepker started junior outside hitter Emily Schmahl. In the game against Jacksonville State, Schmahl made three points to start the first set then helped the Racers win the first set against Tennessee Tech. “With the way the system works it gives everyone an opportunity to start a game if they want to,” Schwepker said. “The great thing is that she can go in and be awesome and not just be another person.” Schwepker said he suspects other teams are watching footage to learn how to block the Racers’ top scorer, sophomore outside hitter Scottie Ingram. He said the team is so well-rounded that when Ingram feels pressure, Schwepker can replace her with someone else and it doesn’t hurt the team. It only confuses the other team. “Scottie struggled with everyone paying attention to her,” Schwepker said. “We have enough players that are good, we can throw someone in
see VOLLEYBALL, 2B
Haley Hays/The News
Senior Taylor Olden prepares to hit against Tennessee Tech Oct. 31 at Racer Arena.
From the Sidelines
Seasons come and seasons go, but basketball is forever Basketball season is here. And I am not ashamed to admit that I feel in no way, shape or form prepared. Racer Mallory Tucker Sports Editor basketball brings life to Murray for four months of the year, although some might say it provides a shining beacon of hope for us all year long. Here I am with the task of covering one of the hugest forms of entertainment and sources of income for the University. No pressure, right? I feel lots of pressure. The season completely snuck up on me. It feels like just yesterday the football team was kicking off for the first time in 2014 against Union College on that warm Thursday night. It was just three months ago that I watched a football game from a press box for the very first time, yet somehow last week I found myself sitting courtside with the local media for Racer Mania, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as CFSB came back to life for the first time since the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Soon, I will write about the best tradition in basketball this season. I’ll be the one filling in students with weekly stories and live tweets. Me, the girl who hasn’t played basketball since seventh grade. The girl who admittedly doesn’t watch or know enough about college basketball. Oh, and I can’t forget that our men are ranked No. 1 in the conference. Or that Cameron Payne is the OVC Preseason Player of the Year and on the 2015 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award Watch List. Needless to say, I’m a little nervous. But I’m also excited. More than excited, really. And you should be excited, too. This year’s team has unreal amounts of potential. While I can talk about it in my column, I promise to put the fan in me to the side and cover the team in a fair manner all season long. With Payne leading the team at point and seasoned veterans T.J. Sapp and Jarvis Williams holding down the court, there’s no limit to what these guys will accomplish. And we get to follow along and grow with them throughout the whole journey. If you missed the CIT last year, I feel so sorry for you. If you were lucky enough to experience the team’s run in 2011-12, I’m extremely jealous of you. If the thought of this season doesn’t bring joy to your hearts, you go to the wrong school. Basketball is the essence of athletics here, and believe it or not, the reason many students choose to attend Murray State. We’ve been named the 52nd best program of all time, we’re ranked by ESPN as the 30th best program in the country, and we’ve had five-straight 20-win seasons and 27-straight winning seasons. I have so many feels about this season. This column makes that painfully obvious. Like I said, I’m both nervous and excited. But something else underlies all of it. When I watch the men’s team practice or even see the way they connect with each other in front of the media during interviews, I see greatness. I might be wrong, but I think they’ll find huge success this season. And I’ll be courtside the whole time, doing my best to make sure you feel like you’re right there with me. So bear with me as we start this season together. I may be just a journalist with a fan suppressed on the inside, but I see big things coming. mtucker11@murraystate.edu
RACER FOOTBALL
INTRAMURALS
RJ MITTE
PARK REFERENDUM
Racers fall to UT Martin, look ahead to EIU, 3B
Sorority and men’s independent teams battle, 4B
‘Breaking Bad’ star stirs excitement, 5B
Skate park improvements at a standstill, 6B
The News
Sports
2B
RIFLE From Page 1B she has been to the Bavarian Airgun Championships in Germany where she finished eighth and she also competed in the USA Shooting Nationals, where she was named the Junior Champion in air rifle and finished fourth overall in the competition. “I’ve come pretty far since my freshman year,” Emme said. “I’ve learned to not pressure myself. Everyday won’t be a good day; I’ve learned to just play my hardest every match.” Rifle is a rising sport on campus, according to Emme. She said she has seen more people take an interest. “My freshman year people would tell me they didn’t know there was a rifle team,” Emme said. “Now when I mention it people tell me they’ve not only heard of the team but that we’re good.” Emme said the Olympic Committee changed the way it presents rifle matches by making the scores in real-time feedback. According to Emme, this change makes the sport more appealing to the crowd. Spectators can sit in the stands and watch as the scores instantly appear with the shooters’ names automatically moving higher or lower on the scoreboard as the numbers come in. “It’s a slow sport to watch,” Emme said. “Because they changed the way it’s presented, there are a lot more people willing to sit through a match. It’s definitely a rising sport.” As Emme’s last semester approaches, she said she’s had a successful college career in rifle and her memories are something she will always take with her.
SOCCER
From Page 1B
road so, you know, it’s a neutral game on Thursday. Every game is going to be tough in the tournament so there is no real advantage for either team.” Withers agreed with her coach’s sentiment. “Our attitude has always been good,” Withers said. “I think now we are just a lot more excited and determined. We’re ready to win, I guess. We’ve got confidence and I think it’s going to be fun. I think we’re all really looking forward to it.” The Racers made their first OVC Tournament appearance since 2011 Thursday as they took on No. 6 Morehead State. Murray State
RACER HOOPS Inside our guide
Check out our basketball special section this week for a Q&A with men’s Head Coach Steve Prohm, a recap of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, profiles on point guards Cameron Payne and LeAsia Wright, the Racers’ home schedules and the senior teammates’ season expectations.
defeated the Eagles earlier in the season 5-0 in one of its best performances of the year. Groves knows the tournament games will not be as easy as their first meetings with conference teams, however. “They’re going to be gunning for us, I know that for sure,” Groves said. “If we take care of what we need to care of and we play like we did on Friday, then we’ll come out on top, I have no question about that. It’s all about how we do and how we come out and not really what they can do.” The OVC Tournament will be played on a turf field, something the Racers are not used to. To prepare for the unusual terrain, the team practiced all week on Roy Stewart Stadium’s turf field. “Obviously we’re a team that trains and plays on grass,” Groves said. “We’re just trying to get ac-
Tinseltown
Tuesday
November 7, 2014
customed to the turf a little bit. It’s a different surface, it bounces a lot more. We’re trying to get more acclimated for the tournament on turf.” The OVC Tournament is a new experience for many of these players, especially Withers. When asked how she was feeling going into the tournament, she brightened up immediately. “I’m so excited, I can’t wait,” Withers said. “Every time I think about it I get butterflies, but I mean it’s the experience. Some of these girls haven’t even been and they’re seniors so being a freshman and being able to go is amazing. It’s definitely really exciting.” The first round of the tournament started Thursday and will continue throughout the weekend. Today, the Racers face No. 2 SIUE at 4 p.m. at SEMO.
Haley Hays/The News
Redshirt sophomore Kristen Besselsen sets a ball as freshman Olivia Chatman approaches the net Oct. 31 at Racer Arena.
VOLLEYBALL From Page 1B and it elevates us and helps us. Emily has come through for us several times and we put her up to the challenge and she has risen to it. She’s been great.” The Racers play UT Martin tonight in Martin, Tenn., and Southeast Missouri State Saturday in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Schwepker said he suspects that SEMO, 6-6 in the OVC, will treat it as a rivalry match. He said he is focusing on one game at a time and
when the OVC Tournament comes around they will face it. During his 16 years at Murray State, Schwepker has only led one team to win the OVC Tournament. Olden said she wants to see the team have an easy win. “I think we’ll do pretty well,” Olden said. “We’re going to play our game and continue to work well as a unit. We all click and know how to cover each other. If one person has a weakness we have another person that can make up for it.” Following their games this weekend, the Racers have a home game against Austin Peay State at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Racer Arena.
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Racers fall to UT Martin Skyhawks Mallory Tucker || Sports Editor mtucker11@murraystate.edu
The Racers’ game was off from the start Saturday at Roy Stewart Stadium as they fell to the UT Martin Skyhawks 62-38. In opening drive, redshirt freshman punter Zach Bogard’s 20-yard punt put the Skyhawks in scoring position and they took an early 7-0 lead within two plays. Despite multiple unfortunate plays by the Racers, they never gave up. “So far the season hasn’t turned out the way we all had hoped it would turn out,” said Head Coach Chris Hatcher. “We got physically beat up pretty good against UT Martin on Saturday. We couldn’t stop the run, which means you can’t stop the pass. We didn’t force them to punt, and whenever you do that you’re not going to win the ball game. The positive is we did continue to fight. We didn’t quit.” The next drive came to no more fruition than the first as redshirt sophomore quarterback K.D. Humphries’ pass was intercepted for an interception by UT Martin’s junior linebacker Nick Dance, increasing the Skyhawks’ lead to 14-0. “We came out slow you know, the first drive,”
Humphries said. ”The second drive, I was looking for Janawski here, and whoever that linebacker was, he just made a nice play. He made a great play on the ball.” The Racers didn’t let the touchdowns affect their morale as they continued to make drives in an attempt to cut the score. Despite mistakes, the Racers put up impressive offensive stats, including Humphries’ second game of more than 400 passing yards and five touchdowns. “We let them get out early on us, but we didn’t let that get to us,” Humphries said. “We still were fighting, fighting, fighting. We just got to keep things rolling as an offense.” Two receivers added to the offense’s impressive performance with their second 100plus receiving yard games. Junior wide receiver Janawski Davis led the Racers with seven catches for 133 total yards and a touchdown, while senior wide receiver Nevar Griffin nipped at his heels with 115 yards on seven receptions and two touchdowns. Junior runningback Pokey Harris totaled 114 all-purpose yards with 23 from rushing, 18 from receiving and 73 from kick returns. Davis said the receiving core’s performance is based off the team’s attitude as a whole.
“It really goes off our team’s energy,” Davis said. “If the energy’s not up and not well you know we’re going to come out sluggish and then we’ll turn it on in the second half. But today we had good energy. We just couldn’t connect as a whole.” The Racers were looking to make a comeback in the fourth quarter before Humphries threw his second pick-6 of the game. “I feel like we had some momentum,” Hatcher said. “Our sideline was excited. But (UT Martin) went down and scored and made it a 21 point game again. I think that that says a lot about the young guys on our football team that we never could get over the hump – we got in a big hole – and then all of a sudden we’re headed into the fourth quarter and we’ve got some momentum on our side and have a legitimate shot at coming back and at least having a chance to win the game late in the fourth quarter. But we couldn’t do it.” Despite disappointment, Hatcher and his team are only looking forward. “They just beat us at the point of attack,” Hatcher said. “Very disappointing. But we’ve got another game this week and we’ve got to find a way to put ourself in a position to play a little bit
better than we did this past week.” The Racers face Eastern Illinois (4-5) at O’Brien Field Saturday at noon. Hatcher attributes the Panthers’ record to a difficult early-season schedule similar to the Racers’. The Panthers’ losses are accounted for by the University of Minnesota, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois State, Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Ohio. According to Hatcher, Eastern Illinois is starting to find its rhythm. “They’ve got on a roll,” Hatcher said. “I think they’ve kind of found their way on offense now. They run the quarterback a lot more than they did with the guy that they had last season. And they’re playing really good, and that’s a tough place to play. It’ll probably be cold, it’ll probably be windy. We’ve got to go up there and suit it up again and see what we can do.” As the team prepares, it maintains the common goal of the season. “We just want to win a game,” Hatcher said. “That’s the goal each week. We could really care less about how we affect the conference race and all that. We’ve got three games left to play. You can’t ever accomplish anything without having great enthusiasm.”
Kory Savage/The News
Redshirt sophomore quarterback KD Humphries catches a snap from a fellow teammate during the UT Martin game Satuday.
Kory Savage/The News
Junior wide receiver Janawski Davis, catches the ball at the UT Martin game Saturday, Nov. 1.
Kalli Bubb /The News
Sophomore linebacker Jonathan Jackson tackles a UT Martin Skyhawks player.
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Sports
4B
November 7, 2014
Cross-country race in OVC Championship Staff Report
10k, which is farther than what he ran this past weekend. “I just want to run a lifetime best and be competitive with some big schools,” he said. The Racers will continue to work hard because they are making progress working in their regular routines, Severns said. “I think we need to keep doing what we are doing because we don’t lose anyone on either men or women’s teams that competed this past weekend, so it’s basically just about getting experience for the freshman and getting more experience for everybody else,” Severns said. “There is not anything crazy I would change people performed well and we will just figure out what we did well and learn from the things that didn’t go so well and move forward. ” The Racers will compete in at the NCAA Tournament at 1:15 p.m. Nov. 14 in Louisville, Ky.
Results from OVC Championship
Results from OVC Championship
Racer
Place
Time
Racer
Place
Time
Megan Smith (Fr.)
15 20 35 37 40
18:07.37
Gavin Galanes (Fr.)
30 39 45 53 62
25:44.12
Caroline Grogan (Fr.) Emma Gillmore (Jr.) Alicyn Hester (R. So.) Kati Heil (Fr.)
18:15.66 18:39.98
Men
Women
The Murray State men’s and women’s cross-country team raced in the OVC Championship in Oxford, Ala Nov. 1. The women finished fifth out of 12 OVC teams at the conference and the men matched their best finish under Head Coach Jenny Severns and finished eighth in the championship. Severns said one of the most exciting moments at the OVC Championship was that two of her runners, Meagan Smith and Caroline Grogan, performed well for their first OVC Championship. On the men’s team it was exciting that nearly all of the men set a personal record and it was good to see it all come together with the men giving it all they had, she said. “I think that Meagan and Caroline are hungry for more and are
really ready to get after and get those spots in the All-Conference in the future,” Severns said. “The men really went out there and gave it everything they had.” The Racers did face a variety of challenges during the OVC Tournament from cold, windy weather conditions to injured players, but even with these challenges it did not prevent them fromsuceeding. According to Severns, the biggest challenge the Racers faced at the championship was that one of the seniors, Abbie Oliver, injured her ankle a few days before the race. Lucas Prather admited he weather wasn’t ideal. “The cold weather did have a bit of an effect; it did not hurt me from running a lifetime personal best and I still just got up and ran, and raced my heart out,” Prather said. In the next meet, Prather expects to run a lifetime best in the
Mark Ventura (Fr.) Lucas Prather (Jr.)
18:48.31
Evan Staviski (So.)
18:56.61
Cole Cisneros (Jr.)
26:08.71 26:18.03 26:43.20 27:05.07
IM victory for BCM Bruisers Peter Northcutt || Staff writer pnorthcutt@murraystate.edu
It was a lopsided affair on a rainy Tuesday night when #MONEYTEAM took on the BCM Bruisers in intramural football action. The Bruisers played their hearts out, but they couldn’t keep up with #MONEYTEAM and lost 32-6. The game started out unfortunately for the BCM Bruisers when their quarterback left the game after the first play with a hamstring injury. They turned the ball over on downs on their first drive, giving it over to #MONEYTEAM. “After we lost our quarterback to a hamstring injury in his first run of the game, we kind of lost morale,” said backup quarterback Chase Buchanan. “The rain is really putting a damper on our spirits right now.” #MONEYTEAM took advantage of the momentum and capitalized on its first touchdown of the game. The Bruisers were not quick to give up, however, as they responded with a huge reception by Seth Dias, leading to a game-tying
Men Fraternity
1. Lambda Chi Alpha 2. Sigma Chi
touchdown. That was as close as the game would get as #MONEYTEAM ran off with the lead from that point on. They ended the half with two more touchdowns while playing staunch defense. Despite the daunting scoreboard, the BCM Bruisers stayed positive. The rain did not help the Bruisers, however, as they failed to score for the rest of the game. #MONEYTEAM dominated on both sides of the ball in the second half, wearing down the opposing team’s limited roster. They would proceed to tack on 11 more points in the second half to finish the game 32-6. “All the credit goes to the special teams play today,” Travin Hardy said. “Special teams won us the game, thanks to our all-intramural punter Ryan Suiter. Hopefully next time ESPN will be here.” Despite the crushing defeat, the BCM Bruisers were Tim Tebow-like in their commitment to the faith. “All the glory goes to Christ,” Deric Hyman said. “We will praise him in this storm.”
Intramural standings Women
Independent A
Sorority
1. Racer Hoops 2. Feels Like ‘93
1. AGD A Team 2. Tri Sigma A
Independent B
Independent A
Independent C
Independent B
Residential College
Residential College
1. Pylon Pythons 2. #MONEYTEAM
1. GRANNY PANIES 2. AOII B Team
1. Alpha Sigma Phi B 2. Pike B
1. Monstars 2. Decipticons
1. Richmond A 2. Lizo A
Haley Hays/The News
Senior AOII B team player Angela Survant plays Sigma Alpha Monday.
Independent teams valiant fight Staff Report Intramural women’s flag football teams Sigma Alpha and AOII B team faced off at the intramural fields Monday night. Both independent teams gave a valiant effort, but in the end AOII B took home the win. Sigma Alpha coach Michael Hill said compared to previous games, Sigma Alpha is making great strides to play better and is moving in the right direction. “Compared to previous games we are moving the ball better, we are keeping the ball and not turning it over, and we just have to focus on getting it in the end zone and scoring more touchdowns,” Hill said. A first-year coach, Hill said he thinks he can lead Sigma Alpha in the right direction. “This is my first season as their coach and this
is the first season Sigma Alpha has had a coach,” Hill said. One of the most challenging things Sigma Alpha faced at Monday’s game was a play they had not seen before, called a zone sweep that the AOII B team executed efficiently against them. “The most challenging thing tonight for us was probably the zone sweep the other team performed because we have not seen it this season,” Hill said. This season the goal that Sigma Alpha has set for themselves is to play, improve attitude and get better at playing flag football. Even though they did not take home the win, they still took home what they can improve on for their next game. “Even though they did not win we are still making great progress,” Hill said.
1. Springer-Franklin A 2. Hart Ravens
Results as of Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Hannah Fowl/The News
The BCM Bruisers defeat #MONEYTEAM Monday night, despite the rain.
Hannah Fowl/The News
The BCM Bruiserswin 32-6 agaisnt #MONEYTEAM Monday night.
November 7, 2014
5B
The News
Features Editor: Hunter Harrell Assistant Features Editor: Breanna Sill Phone: 270-809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures
Features
Glamour Reigning
Madison Wepfer || Staff writer mwepfer@murraystate.edu
The Curris Center ballroom turned into a throne for royalty Thursday night as queens and kings performed at the Murray State Drag Show. Through the strobe lights and blaring music, performers took the stage with sass and ferocity. Jody Cofer Randall, LGBT program coordinator, said a lot goes into planning a show this size. “It basically takes the entire day of volunteers coming in between their classes to help set up,” Randall said. “I don’t think people see a lot of that. It’s just a fun great event that comes off really well. They don’t think about the fact that at any given moment one of these jobs could go wrong and it could ruin the evening.” Randall said they have to plan everything from the music to the lights to the tip runners to taking tickets at the door. Aside from the logistics of the show, director of the drag show Jo Bennett said another difficulty is organizing the talent. Bennett said he booked a wide range of perform-
see GLAMOUR, 6B
Kalli Bubb/The News
Community eager to hear ‘Breaking Bad’ star’s story
Tiffany Whitfill || Staff writer twhitfill1@murraystate.edu
It is not often students can listen to a celebrity who is famous for his work in a TV series portraying the son of a meth chemist. Wednesday, students at Murray State can listen to RJ Mitte, better known as Walt “Flynn” White Jr. from the award-winning series “Breaking Bad” on Murray State’s campus. After fame and fortune, some students may be curious about Mitte’s experiences in the film industry. Lowell SteMitte vens, senior from Albuquerque, N. M., is a fan of “Breaking Bad.” Stevens said the series was addictive to watch
and he is excited to hear from one of the stars. “I want to go because it’s a major actor from a major piece of television drama,” Stevens said. “And it’s interesting to divorce who he is from his character.” Stevens is not only interested in understanding the role of Walt “Flynn” White Jr. He said he enjoyed the moral ambiguity of the characters and that the series was set in his hometown. “I think RJ might talk about the relationship between the actors and it would be interesting to hear how being on set was or what the fame was like,” he said. Some students are captivated by the skill and fame of the characters, others are interested in the background and personal life of the actors. Engaged fans may know that Walt “Flynn” White Jr. has cerebral palsy, but some may not know
Expo Center to host farm toy show
see MITTE, 6B
The William “Bill” Cherry Agricultural Exposition Center is hosting a toy show Nov. 14. The show will feature a lineup of various farm toys and boutique vendors. The Expo Center will host the show from 6-9 p.m. and all day on the 15th from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. There will be concessions and the admission fee is $3. The toy show has 20 vendors signed up to display items such as toy trains, model cars, farm toys and figurines. These items are perfect for collectors and other people looking to be nostalgic and find old toys from their childhood that they might not be able to find otherwise. “A lot of farmers collect farm toys, whether it be that they collect the ones that they drove when they were younger, or they collect the ones that their kids want,” said Becky Ballard, building manager at the Expo Center. “We have anything from model cars to toy trains. The vendors will have a lot of things for sale; any brand, any color and anything from the little 16 scale to the really big ones.” The toy show not only offers toys and collectibles, but also a selection of clothing and accessories from boutiques around the Murray area. The show will have vendors such as Origami Owl and Scentsy and possibly some local boutiques. Mary Kay representatives will also be in attendance. This event will also be an excellent way to get Christmas shopping done before the stress of the holidays set in, Ballard said. “We have jewelry vendors and clothing vendors,” she said. “We have a mix of everything when you include the toys. So it’s turned into a Christmas bazaar. So there will be all sorts of things to shop for.” This is the first time the Expo Center has hosted the toy show. Murray State organizations have tried to host a toy show in the past, but Ballard explained why this show will be unique. “This is a brand new event for Murray; we took the idea of just having a farm toy show and built on it,” Ballard said. “The area where the boutiques are will be more of a shopping area. We wanted to appeal to not only collectors, but to Christmas shoppers as well.”
Chess players improve strategy, skills Taylor Inman || Staff writer tinman@murraystate.edu
Some of the community’s most tactical minds arrived at the Curris Center Saturday to show off their skills and win the title of chess champion. The Murray State Chess Club held its annual Chess Tournament Saturday. The tournament saw many different types of players from all skill levels and ages. Elementary aged children got to compete alongside men and women who have been playing chess their entire lives. Participants had an hour to play each opponent. The players were matched with each opponent by their level on their U.S. Chess Federation ID. The playing levels at the tournament were beginner, novice, amateur and those with high experience levels. In a game that is all about strategy and mental skill, Chess Club President Cannon Ferguson, freshman from Columbus, Ky., said tournaments like the one they hosted brings even the highest player’s skill to the next level. “Throughout the entire tournament I feel like I improved a lot,” Ferguson said. “One of the main ways of improving yourself is by facing stronger opponents. I have a new way of playing chess now; I’ve taken a big step up from where I was before the tournament,” The tournament was a success
Kalli Bubb/The News
People of all ages competed in the Murray State Chess Club’s tournament Saturday. for the Chess Club, with a turn out of approximately 50 players. Every year the tournament sees chess players travel from all around the area to compete in the Curris Center. The score keepers this year traveled from Louisville, Ky. The entry fee was $20 and all
proceeds went to helping the Murray State Chess Club grow. The club uses these proceeds to help put on another chess tournament in the spring that will be for Murray State students only. The club also gives money to local elementary schools to help
children interested in chess get the equipment to learn the game and gain a passion for it. Every participant has a love for chess and goes to competitions to better themselves and share the experience with other chess players, said Ferguson.
Taylor Inman || Staff writer tinman@murraystate.edu
The News
Features
6B
The week ahead... TODAY 7 3 p.m. Alpha Delta Pi Cornhole Tournament, Intramural Fields
SATURDAY 8 2 p.m. Texas Hold ‘Em tournament, Knights of Columbus Hall
SUNDAY
November 7, 2014
If you would like an event to appear on the calendar here or on TheNews.org, email us at features@thenews.org. Please submit events by noon Wednesday for consideration.
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
9
10
11
12
13
2 p.m. Percussion Ensemble Concert, Lovett Auditorium
All day Spring 2015 scheduling begins
3 p.m. Veteran’s Day Recognition Ceremony, Wrather Museum
8 p.m. RJ Mitte Lecture, Curris Center Large Ballroom
10 a.m. Animal Encounters, Nature Station at Land Between the Lakes
GLAMOUR From Page 5B ers from a king who performed in his first show Thursday night to queens who have performed in Nashville, Tenn., and Clarksville, Tenn.
Newbie Ariel Mitchell, also known as Artemis Fine, performed in her first show tonight. As she ran off stage and into the dressing room, adrenaline pumping, she said, “I just got out there and went for it.” Natalie Simone said she has been doing shows at Murray State for several years. She said she chooses her own songs, puts on her own makeup and choreographs each of her dance numbers. “I started getting ready at 3 p.m. today,” Simone said. “When choosing music, I try to choose one that’s slow and emotional that moves the crowd, one that I can dance to and a medium speed song.” Bennett said getting ready for a drag show is an extensive process. Some of the performers come to the ballroom hours ahead of time while others like to show up already dressed minutes before the show. “The biggest time consumer is the makeup,” Bennett said. “It does take most performers two to two and a half hours to get ready. The other part is binding, whether that be a king binding down the chest or a queen binding down the private parts.” Some queens also choose to wear corsettes to fix their waist. They will use layers of makeup to define the contours of their face such as the cheek bones and jawline. Some will shave or glue down their eyebrows and draw them on to create a more dramatic look. Bennett said after the makeup is finished, the queens add on layers and layers of padding, clothing and multiple wigs. The drag show serves as the main fundraiser for the LGBT community. The outcome of the drag show determines what Alliance will be able to program for the upcoming semester. Randall said over 400 people attend the drag show, and they usually make anywhere from $1,700 to $1,900 per semester. All of the proceeds go toward programs for the Alliance as well as funding necessities for the LGBT community.
Kalli Bubb/The News
Top Left: Kara T. Belle applies her makeup prior to taking the stage in the Alliance’s semi annual drag show. Bottom Left: A king dances for the crowd to “Bye, Bye, Bye,” by N*Sync and accepts a tip from an eager fan. Right: Natalie Simone performed a Pink mash-up of songs for a crowd in the Curris Center Ballroom Thursday night.
Students improve local skate park Hunter Harrell || Features Editor hharrell@murraystate.edu
In 2010, Murray community members petitioned to have a skate park built for the area. Though the Lions Club Community Skatepark was completed in October 2012, students and community members are working to add more ramps and rails. Since the skate park’s opening, students and community members donated money and volunteered their time to aid in the development of the skatepark. Initially, McCoil said Murray’s vote to pass the Park Referendum would be an extra step toward progressing in the project. However, the results of Tuesday’s election showed the tax did not pass. Falwell said it would take approximately $100,000 to outfit the skate park with the halfpipe and other ramps. “We will have to continue working out of private funds and donations as well as hold fundraisers to support the project,” Falwell said. In September, engineering students at Murray State installed two large ramps and two rail sections. Bryan McCoil, senior from Long Island, N.Y., saw the improvements to the skate park as an opportunity to do something for the community, as well as his son. “I thought it would be a great opportunity to do some community outreach for the engineering department,” McCoil said. “My son, who also skates, and I have been waiting on the ramps to be installed for a year since we heard about it, and that weekend was actually my son’s birthday and I thought that would be awesome for him to see that happen.” McCoil worked with his brother Pete and four electromechanical engineering students, Moe Maghrabi, senior from Murray, Dustin Patton, senior from Murray, Majid Alotibi, junior from Murray and Sean James, senior from Pleasureville, Ky. McCoil’s 7-year-old son Will also helped the group with smaller tasks. McCoil said this portion of the project took more than 12 hours to complete. “We started at 8 a.m. and were there until almost 10 p.m.,” McCoil said. “We had to assemble the parts piece by piece. There were bags of bolts and brackets and no instructions. The first one was quite a puzzle, but once we got the hang of it, the rest of the assembly went
CMT UPDATE: Froggy 103.7 announced Tuesday that “CMT Hot 20 Countdown” will be filmed in the CFSB Center Wednesday Nov. 12 with special guests Chase Bryant, Joe Nichols and Big & Rich.
MITTE From Page 5B
Jenny Rohl /The News
McCartney Scarborough, community member, performs a trick at the Lions Community Skatepark. smoothly.” Since the construction of these ramps and rails, there has been more talk of improvements made to the skate park. Leaders of the project, Murray Lions Club
and Matt Falwell, owner of Gear Up Cycles, are continuing efforts to raise money to have more sections of ramps installed. One of these sections includes a large half pipe.
that Mitte also has a milder form of cerebral palsy and has struggled with mobility throughout his life. Bridgette McAuliffe, freshman from Shepherdsville, Ky., has never watched “Breaking Bad” but is interested in hearing RJ Mitte speak for another reason. “I am always interested in learning about diseases that aren’t so well-known and the effects they have on individuals and their family and friends,” McAuliffe said. Mitte will discuss his battles with cerebral palsy as well as his acting career in hopes to inspire the student population to chase after their dreams no matter what setbacks they may have. Grant Grissom, Student Government Association vice president, hopes for students to attend the lecture to help Mitte achieve his goal. “(Mitte) is coming to present a lecture, focusing on his excellent film career as well as his struggles and successes with cerebral palsy,” Grissom said. “The goal is for him to provide an inspirational testimony to students that they can achieve great things, no matter what their limits, as well as to relate to some awesome popular television subjects, as ‘Breaking Bad’ is one of the most critically and generally acclaimed television shows of all time.” The lecture will take place at 8 p.m. Nov. 12 in the Large Ballroom in the Curris Center. Grissom believes that because Mitte is personally inspiring, students will not be disappointed by attending the lecture.
The News
Features
November 7, 2014
7B Celebrity Encounters
FEATURED TWEETS
Pop Culture Corner
Veteran’s Day
Jon Swaine @jonswaine Pay your respects to America’s veterans by eating a camouflage ice cream cone. 5:20 5 Nov 2014 Applebee’s @Applebees Proud to serve those who serve our country. Free meals to Veterans and Active Duty Military on Veterans Day, 11/11/2014. 9:37 a.m. 4 Nov 2014
Celebrity Softball Game
WoundedWarriorProj @wwpinc #VeteransDayIs a day to remind us of the sacrifices veterans and service members make on our behalf. 4:26 p.m. 1 Nov 2014 CP24 @CP24 Remembrance Day may become a country-wide holiday as bill enters its second reading the House of Commons 7:52 5 Nov 2014
UNDERWOOD SHOWS OFF BABY BUMP
Carrie Underwood walked down the red carpet sporting more than an evening gown. Underwood announced she was pregnant in September, but decided to finally show off her mom-to-be glow at the award show. She co-hosted the CMA Awards Wednesday and was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year.
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH IS OFF THE MARKET
Sorry ladies, Benedict Cumberbatch is officially off the market. His surprise engagement to actress and director Sophie Hunter Wednesday left hearts breaking everywhere. The duo met during the filming of “Burlesque Fairytales” in 2009. The date of the wedding has not yet been announced.
Photo courtesy of shockya.com
Jake Gylenhaal stars in “Nightcrawler,” a thriller that was released in theaters Oct. 31.
Gyllenhaal nails eccentric, risky role John Gruccio || Contributing writer jgruccio@murraystate.edu
This fall, we have been treated to so many great dramatic films. Most of them have real and unique sparks of genius that made them great movies. Jake Gyllenhaal’s new film, “Nightcrawler,” is the same. In Los Angeles, there is plenty of crime. Whether it is rape, murder or arson, it’s everywhere. For young Louis Bloom, freelance journalism is where the money is. As a novice in the trade and with help from a local TV news anchor, he slowly muscles into the high-speed world of night crawling. With persistence and dedication, Bloom is soon everywhere a siren screams. As time progresses, he starts to become obsessed with a ceaseless search for footage, which eventually leads him to be the star of his own story. “Nightcrawler” stars Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, Ann Cusack and Bill Paxton. The film is written and directed by Dan Gilroy. Ever since his role in 2013’s abduction drama “Prisoners,” Gyllenhaal has just been on fire. In “Nightcrawler,” Gyllenhaal portrays freelance cameraman Louis Bloom who has a drive to succeed in his
field. His drive, however, takes some dark twists and turns as Bloom starts to fancy himself an artist in a world of crime. It is no secret that Gyllenhaal has taken some risks with his films. However, this one could be his most risky. Not only did Gyllenhaal lose weight for the role, but he makes us aware of his presence on the screen in a way that is both creepy and poisonous. The way Gyllenhaal turns from eccentric cameraman to an almost sociopathic artist is amazingly done. He delivers a great performance once again. Director Dan Gilroy, in his first time as director, nails it. The world he creates is so disturbingly beautiful it makes you question if a world could be that dangerous. Giving the film a bit of realism, supporting actors Rene Russo and Bill Paxton star as a ruthless news director and a fellow night crawler that start off as pawns in Gyllenhaal’s game, only to become his enablers. In a film like this, you need veterans in order to keep such a hard character as Gyllenhaal’s Bloom in check. The only part I had an issue with was that Gyllenhaal’s character doesn’t really know how to stop. Even though he gives probably one of the best performances in his career, the
character does start to become erratic and reckless. The film also has constant shifts from beginning to end, which can grow tiresome after awhile. This film will surprise you by making you sympathize with characters no matter the varying levels of intense, almost sociopathic behavior. If you want to see a film that will intrigue and shock you, then definitely go see “Nightcrawler.”
Quick Facts Title: “Nightcrawler”
Rating: R
Cast:
Jake Gylenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, Ann Cusack and Bill Paxton
Similar to: “Birdman” “Before I Go To Sleep” “The Babadook”
One of my favorite charity events is the City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge, which is held every June in Nashville, Breanna Sill Tenn. Country music fans Assistant purchase tickFeatures Editor ets for this softball game, which hosts a variety of different country music stars, television stars and athletes. Celebrities like Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Vince Gill have all came out in support of the California-based City of Hope charity and played in the nonprofit game benefiting one of the leading cancer research and treatment centers in the world. Fans fill Herschel Greer Stadium in the dead heat of the summer just to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars swinging a bat or sliding into home plate. I attended my first celebrity softball challenge seven years ago and it is crazy to think about how much the event has changed since then. When you attend an event like this, you are given the opportunity to see some of your favorite celebrities in an element that you never have before. For example, I learned that Lauren Alaina is the biggest talker on the field and that Carrie Underwood is an excellent second baseman. The stars separate into two teams: the Opry team, sponsored by the Grand Ole Opry and the After Midnite team sponsored by the After Midnite with Blair Garner Radio Show. Before, after and during the game, the stars walk down the sides of the field and sign as many autographs and take as many pictures with fans as possible. I was lucky enough to have talked to Jake Owen, Luke Bryan, Love & Theft and even last summer, Eric Decker of the Denver Broncos, and his wife, musician Jessie James Decker. This is one of the best opportunities for fans to get up close and personal with their favorite stars as well as helping promote an amazing charity. It’s also pretty entertaining to see stars be just as uncoordinated at softball as I have always been, but in the spirit of sportsmanship, keep a smile on their faces. bsill@murraystate.edu
Class offered to educate on graduate programs Tiffany Whitfill || Staff writer twhitfill1@murraystate.edu
Most students at Murray State have one goal in common after graduation: to get a job. However, for some students, the typical 120 hours of coursework is only a foundation of their educational training. A new graduate degree allows students to attend courses that may lead to a job on a college campus as an administrator. The Post-Secondary Education Program (PSE) has its first class of students this fall and staff are excited to continue accepting students for future terms. The PSE program showcase will take place Saturday in Alexander Hall from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and is open to the public. Ben Littlepage, PSE program coordinator, is excited for prospective students to learn about the program. “(Students) will learn about post-secondary education and the Master of Arts,” Littlepage said. “(The event will) help them understand how this program applies to their career goals, and will help them understand the admissions requirements, opportunities for grad assistantships and internships on campus.”
Littlepage said the program showcase is the first program to have its own event at Murray State. He said if you think about the people behind the scenes on a college campus, students are probably recognizing the college administration staff, which is what this program trains its students for. Littlepage described that employees who work on a college campus have a variety of backgrounds. “College administrators are a very eclectic group of undergraduate majors, which is a good thing,” Littlepage said. “With all of those backgrounds of interests we can solve some complicated situations.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted post-secondary education administration jobs will grow 15 percent between now and 2022. This is a fast acceleration compared to other job markets. Littlepage said this is why timing is perfect for a post-secondary education degree. “Over the next 10 years, more and more people will be going to college as well as a lot of retirements,” Littlepage said. “Someone who is looking at their career options has got to be excited about the employment opportunities in this profession.” Another issue that may influence a stu-
dent’s career decision is a typical work day. Some prefer the same agenda day to day, where others want a job that will be different everyday. “There is no such thing as a typical day; it is not the line of work with monotony,” Littlepage said. “You could meet with a student with a crisis, attend community events or partnerships, or have a wide variety of jobs and roles. It’s action packed.” While some students are worried about tacking more than 120 hours of coursework onto their agenda, the post-secondary education degree will take approximately two years if attended full time. There is parttime coursework and a distance learning option as well. The PSE program showcase will provide an opportunity to meet with a student panel, current administrative leaders and other important guests, but students must be reminded that learning will happen whether they choose to obtain a graduate degree or another option, Littlepage said. “As professionals we never stop learning,” Littlepage said. “Whether you desire to pursue a formal education or not you should always enter life after college as one of continuous learning.”
10 a.m. Check-in – Alexander Hall, Lobby 10 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. Meet and Greet – Alexander Hall, Student Lounge 10:20 a.m. – 11 a.m. Welcome – Alexander Hall, Auditorium 11 a.m. – Noon Campus Tour 12:15 p.m. – 1 p.m. Lunch – Winslow Dining Hall 1:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Information Session – Alexander Hall, room 2207 1:50 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. Information Session – Alexander Hall, room 2207 1:50 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. Information Session – Alexander Hall, room 2207 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Closing session – Alexander Hall, Auditorium
Out this Week
Read It
“Revival,” by Stephen King
See It
“Interstellar”
Hear It
“Man Against Machine,” by Garth Brooks
Rent It
“Let’s Be Cops”
Play It
“Assassin’s Creed Unity”
8B
The News
November 7, 2014