The Murray State News

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The Murray State News November 14, 2014

TheNews.org

Vol. 89, No. 13

COUNTRY

INVASION

Breanna Sill || Features Editor bsill@murraystate.edu

As promised, CMT brought its

film crews and country music stars to invade campus Wednesday. As part of the prize for winning CMT’s “Country College Town Sweepstakes,” the show “Hot 20 Countdown” was filmed throughout campus and an A-list concert was brought to the CFSB Center. Tuesday it was announced students should meet in the Quad Wednesday afternoon for an opportunity to be on television by making an appearance on the “Country Music Countdown” show. Around 75 students gathered in front of the Rainey T. Wells statue in the Quad and hooped and hollered as the two hosts of “Hot 20 Countdown” filmed the show’s opening stand up and introduced videos. “I’ve wanted to be on CMT since I was 13,” said Sarah McK-

enzie, senior from Cadiz, Ky., who finally had the opportunity to achieve that dream Wednesday. The hosts of the show posed for pictures with students and carried conversations between takes despite the cold temperatures. Murray State was the smallest school in the sweepstakes, beating out much larger universities like Louisiana State University and Texas A&M University by a multitude of votes. “I think it was a shock,” said Cody Alan, host of “Hot 20 Countdown.” “You would think larger schools would have the advantage, but I think the passion for CMT, our show, ‘Hot 20 Countdown,’ and for what we were doing in our quest to find the one school in America that wanted to have a free country music concert that it showed the passion behind the cause and I was happy to see it.”

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Kalli Bubb/The News

Chase Bryant (above) was one of the stars to play at CMT’s “Hot 20 Countdown” concert at the CFSB Center Wednesday night.

Veterans ceremony honors military past, present Mari-Alice Jasper || Staff writer mjasper1@murraystate.edu

When veteran alumni were asked to stand for recognition, a young man in a black sweatshirt proudly stood with nearly 20 others at the Veterans Day ceremony held at Wrather West Kentucky Museum. That man, alumnus Adam Horton, is a fiveyear veteran of the U.S. Navy who enrolled at Murray State three months after he left the Navy in 2010. While serving in the Navy, he was deployed overseas on the USS John C. Stennis, an aircraft carrier, and spent time supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. “The nice thing about an aircraft carrier is that it travels all over the place,” Horton said. “We hit 26 different countries.” Horton encourages Americans to learn as

much as they can from veterans while they have the chance. “We all have the same starting point,” He said. “We all went to boot camp, signed the same contract and took the same oath, but all our stories are different.” He said all veterans signed up for the same thing and put their lives on the line for the same purpose and that this is the most important underlying factor of Veterans Day. Horton said he thinks there is a common misunderstanding and disconnect between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. “Memorial Day is for soldiers, veterans, sailors, airmen – whoever has served, but have fallen while serving,” he said. “Veterans Day is a day to remember them as well, but it’s also a day to remember those who you served with.” Horton said on Veterans Day he gets back in contact with the men and women he served

with, whether it be in an email, on the phone or meeting for lunch. “Restaurants, such as Applebee’s, have free meals for veterans on Veterans Day and when you go to those events, you always see veterans in groups,” he said. “No one eats alone.” President Bob Davies said the ceremony was an outstanding tribute to an important part of Murray State’s population. “To me, Veterans Day is a reflection of the military and the protection of our freedom,” Davies said. “We live in a country and work at a University where we encourage debate. At a lot of countries and universities, you can’t debate.” Alison Marshall, veteran and adult student liaison, has been at Murray State since February 2010. Marshall said the Veterans Day ceremony is a tradition at Murray State in addition to a veterans football game and a cook out. “We try to do a little something different each

year,” she said. Marshall said she was excited the University was able to have events and programs for veteran students, faculty and staff. “The veteran population is special; they should be recognized and honored,” she said. Veteran servicemen and women make up approximately 4 percent of the student population, about 400 students. The Murray State Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Color Guard presented the colors at the ceremony and said Veterans Day was a time to reflect and remember their fellow soldiers who have paved the way for them to be where they are today. The guard said everything that they are doing was because of them. The guard’s advice was to remember to talk to veterans about what they sacrificed for this country and remember those who have made the final sacrifice.

Involvement in major aids student growth Amanda Grau

Assistant News Editor agrau1@murraystate.edu

Getting involved on campus, especially within a student’s major, gives them the most bang for their buck. David Balthrop, chair of the department of theatre, said it’s practical for students to get involved. “Students should be involved because they’re paying a lot of money to have the experience,” Balthrop said. He said students who join organizations on campus also have a leg-up in the job hunt as a post-graduate. Those students have more to put on a resume and probably have more experience, he said. “(Businesses) want to hire students who have practical work experience in their major,” Balthrop said. “Employers don’t want to hire students who know where their classrooms and the library are located on campus.” It’s easy to forget to be involved, said Nikole

WHAT’S

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WHAT’S ON THENEWS.ORG

Faudel-Rickard, junior from Southern Pines, N.C., who switched majors from agriculture to zoological conservation two semesters ago. Rickard said labs and classes keep her too busy to get seriously involved in her major, especially so late in the game. “You become more focused on classes and finishing school and less on the social aspects,” Rickard said. However, Balthrop said that’s a bad mindset to fall into. He said one of the biggest mistakes students make is waiting to get involved at the last minute, when graduation looms. The other is thinking faculty members don’t know what they’re talking about. “Rarely does the student understand the business environment and have their fingers on the pulse of the industry as much as the faculty,” Balthrop said. Reika Ebert, chair of the department of modern languages, said another big mistake is not

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VIDEO

Check out our coverage of the Veterans Day ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at TheNews.org.

ONLINE EDITION

Want to access The News but save trees, too? Check out our online edition of the paper at TheNews.org.

POLL Jenny Rohl/The News

Taylor Thomas, senior from Eddyville, Ky., builds a graphic as a public relations major.

Do you shop on Black Friday? Let us know by taking our poll available on TheNews.org.

RJ MITTE

PROFESSOR RETENTION OUR VIEW

VOLLEYBALL CHAMPS

Bringing, keeping professors on Scholarship thank-you letters campus proves successful, 6A cause difficulties, 4A

Murray State volleyball clinches Television star speaks to students, community, 5B regular season OVC title, 1B


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