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Oct. 15, 2020 | Vol. 95, No. 8

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Music department takes precautions after positive COVID-19 case

Jill Rush/The News Nick Fuson, junior from Meade County, completes his classes virtually temporarily due to the pandemic.

Staff Report After a music student tested positive for COVID-19, the department of music decided to suspend in-person activities to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff. Members of Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band Blue, Symphonic Band Gold and Racer Band received an email on Oct. 8 from Director of Universit y Bands Trae Blanco and Associate Director of Bands Brent Johnson after a student in the music department contracted the virus at a personal family event off-campus during a weekend trip home. “With one member of our ensembles contracting COVID-19 off campus… in order to protect the exposure of any member to the virus, effective October 8, 2020, all rehearsals and performances for Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band Blue, Symphonic Band Gold and Racer Band will be suspended and/or held virtually until further notice,” according to the email. Lucia Unrau, chair of the department of music and professor of music, said Racer Band and the department of music was not suspended by the University because they violated the Racer Safe and Healthy Guidelines. Unrau said the department decided to move from traditional instruction with social distancing and hybrid model to an online model to keep students, faculty and staff safe. Unrau said the department of music developed a restart plan in July in the event someone in the department contracted the virus. In addition to the plan for the department as a whole, Unrau asked ensemble directors to create additional plans for traditional instruction, traditional instruction with social distancing, hybrid model and online only.

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To ensure students are still receiving a quality education in the music department, Unrau said faculty members in the music department have completed extensive research on how to do so. “The department of music have spent hundreds of hours attending webinars and reading studies conducted by professional music organizations, along with scientists, all over the world to understand the impact of COVID-19 in various musical situations,” Unrau said. “We have instituted every precaution recommended— masks, distancing, bell covers, etc.” Before suspending in-person practices for Racer Band, Unrau said Racer Band has always I am most proud of the swift action taken throughout the music department when moments such as these do happen. There is no wasted time in making tough calls like this one. - Nick Fuson, junior from Meade County

practiced social distancing, worn masks and followed all safety protocols. Members were only permitted to remove their masks when playing a wind instrument. Nick Fuson, a junior music student from Meade County, Kentucky, said his studies have been affected. “Because there is a risk that we do not know how many students were exposed, other professors have taken action as well,” Fuson said. “I have had one professor move our classes to Zoom for at least one week, information on that pending. Also, despite not being required, we have moved trumpet studio to Zoom until further notice as well.

Calling all Calloway County voters: Early voting is now open

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Other professors have been very understanding of students who may feel unsafe in class right now and would like to Zoom instead.” Fuson said he feels the Universit y has been ver y untrustworthy throughout the pandemic. “I understand that they are trying to manage public opinion, student welfare and of course money, but there are unexplainable decisions that in my view a re i n s i d i o u s a t b e s t , ” Fu s o n said. “For one, the original decision to not reveal case numbers is nothing more than deceitful.” Fu s o n’s m a i n c o n c e r n w i t h how the University has hand l e d COV I D - 1 9 i s w i t h t h e lack of mandator y testing. “ We love to tout our low case numbers as a sign for how great the University community is doing, but when other universities are requiring their students be tested how can we say we are better than those institutions,” Fuson said. “ We would, without a doubt, see a huge increase in case numbers if they were actually recorded properly. Taking the Trump approach that less testing equals less cases in not a method that c an be taken ser iously and is obviously dangerous.” W hile Fuson is not hap py with the University as a whole, he said he is ver y proud of the department of music. “I am most proud of the swift action taken throughout the department when moments such as these do happen,” Fuson said. “There is no wasted time in making tough calls like this one.” Fuson said he thinks the department of music has comparatively treated the situation better than others. “O ur professors have been ver y understanding of difficulties and also ver y no-nonsense

COVID-19 should have marked the end of group projects page 4

when it comes to COVI D-19 restrictions,” Fuson said. “I have heard reports of other departments being very lazy about the pandemic and certain professors even downplaying the pandemic. The music department has done a great job in taking this matter very seriously. We have changed almost everything we do, nothing looks the same as it did a year ago, and that is for the best.” Unrau said the department will reassess the current situation periodically to determine if and when music students can move back to traditional instr uction with social distancing and hybrid courses. Fuson said his opinion on returning back to traditional instruction with social distancing and hybrid courses will depend on how the return is hand led. “At this moment, we do not know if there will be a return to normal,” Fuson said. “If we go back without hesitation or confidence, I will be worr ied. But, if the department considers all possible outcomes and makes great strides in ensuring our safet y upon return, I will be confident in their decision.” The Racer Band ’s final c lass project which was scheduled for Oct. 10 was cancelled because of the transition of in-person activities to an online setting. “ They are hoping to present this project in a private setting once/if they are able to resume in-person work, ” Unrau said. “This is not a public event.” Unrau said their main priority is the health, safety and well-being of students, faculty and staff. “ The department of mus i c i s a c l o s e - k n i t g ro u p a n d we care deeply about each other,” Unrau said. “ We won’t do a ny t h i n g t o j e o p a rd i z e t h a t . ”

Racers defeat Morehead State in home opener

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Alumna represents Murray State in court room page 6

News

Oct. 15, 2020

Jill Rush/The News Calloway County voters can now vote early and in person at the Courthouse Annex.

Calling all Calloway County voters Early voting is now open Ben Overby Staff Writer boverby2@murraystate.edu In compliance with COVID-19 regulations to help reduce the spread of the vir us, Kentuc ky voters are allowed to vote early and in person this election year. According to the Calloway ’s County Clerk office, early voting will take place from Oct.13 to Nov. 2. Calloway County voters can go to the Robert O. Miller Courthouse Annex at 201 S. 4th St. in Murray to cast their ear l y votes. The hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. M o n d a y t h r o u g h Fr i d a y a n d 8 a . m . t o n o on on S a t u rd ay s . Early voting is identical to the voting process on Election Day, simply at an ear lier time. Any registered voter in Calloway County is eligible to vote early. Just as with Election Day voting, voters need to bring a picture ID with them in order to vote. D re w S eib, associate pro fessor of political science and i n t e r i m d e p a r t m e n t c h a i r, said early voting data this year varies from the norm. “If we look to national trends, early voting is up across the country, especially among Democrats,” Seib said. “As of [Oct. 14], over 10 million votes have already been c ast in the 2020 General Election. W hat is int e re s t i n g h e re i s t h a t u s u a l l y Republicans have the advantage in early voting. This raises lots of questions about what this means for election night.” S e i b s a i d t h e s e t re n d s l i k e ly indicate increased enthusiasm for Democratic voters compared to previous elections. Seib also talked about the importance of voting. “Elections have consequences,” he said. “If you are worried about the outcome of the election, you should vote. If you care about the types of policies that the government enacts, then you should vote. Realistically, this is all of us. We all worry about the

I chose to vote early because I knew without a doubt that my vote would be counted and it was right before my eyes. - Ryan Ackermann, junior from Louisville, Kentucky

types of policies the government enacts at one time or another.” Seib said there are long term consequences to not participating in elections that m a n y p e o p l e d o n’t c o n s i d e r. “Down the road in our lives, we may be stuck with the consequences of policies created now that we didn’t think were important,” Seib said. “ Two great examples are the deficit and Social Security, which many of us ignore in the short term, but we also have to think about how we are going to deal with these issues long term and what the consequences are if we don’t.” Junior Ryan Ackermann voted early on Oct. 13. He said the process was easy a n d w e n t a l o n g s m o o t h l y. “The poll workers were accommodating, everyone was wearing a mask and it wasn’t crowded at all,” Ackerman said. “I just brought my license, masked up and I was good to go. ” He chose early voting because of the feeling of security for his vote. “I chose to vote early bec ause I kne w without a doubt that my vote would be counted and it was right before my eyes,” Ackerman said. “ [ Vo t i n g t h r o u g h ] a b s e n t e e ballot is ver y valid as well, but this was my preferred choice and it worked well.” Ackermann also said why he feels it is important to vote. “ Voting is important because we directl y c hoose those who represent us and what policies result as an outcome of that, ” Ackerman said. “ This is our on l y c on c re te say in our go v e r n m e n t a s a ve r a ge c i t i z e n s . ”

Early Voting Oct.13 to Nov. 2. M-F (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Saturday (8am to Noon) Robert O. Miller Courthouse Annex 201 S. 4th St. in Murray

What to Bring:

Mask Photo ID What not to Wear: Political Clothing Political Accessories

Brooklyn Burnett The News

News

Oct. 15, 2020

Canvas adds feature to include pronouns Sarah Mead Staff Writer smead@murraystate.edu C anv as n ow a l l ow s s tude n ts and faculty to select persona l p ron o u n s on t h e i r u s e r accounts to promote inclusion. “It signals acceptance and an inclusive environment,” said Ihsan Alkhatib, associate professor and pre-law adviser. “ We should recognize our diversity and [have] respect for everyone. As a member of cis majority, we take a lot of things for granted. The gender minor ities need [recognition, acceptance and inclusion]. They see this identification as a recognition of their existence.” T h e p ron o u n s a re d i s p l aye d a f t e r a p e r s o n’s n a m e i n v a r i o u s a re a s i n C a n v a s , s u c h a s i n c om m e n t fi e l d s , i n d i s c u s sion posts, on the people page and on the user ’s profile page. M u r r ay S t a t e ’s p ron o u n o p tions include she/her, he/him and they/them. The pronoun options are managed by both Canvas and the educational institution that manages the account. Individuals cannot add pronoun options. “I think the new feature is great [and] very welcoming for students and faculty,” said Maeve McCarthy, assistant dean of Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technolog y. “I think cis people should use their pronouns to normalize their use for everyone. We should tell people our pronouns when we introduce oursel ves.” Adding personal pronouns to educational tools like Canvas is a step closer towards creating an inclusive environment on campus. “[Sharing pronouns] should totally be normalized, especially in group settings like classrooms,”

I think the new feature is great and very welcoming for students and faculty. I think cis people should use their pronouns to normalize their use for everyone. We should tell people our pronouns when we introduce ourselves. - Maeve McCarthy, assistant dean of Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology

said Carrie Jerrell, associate professor of English. “One easy way to normalize it is to offer your p ron o u n s w h e n yo u s ay yo u r own name as you meet someone new. Just saying something like, ‘Hi! I’m Carrie. My pron o u n s a r e s h e / h e r, ’ t e l l s t h e person that you have an awareness of pronouns and their importance, and it gives them the opportunity to share, too.” To change the pronouns setting in Canvas, open Global Navigation and click the Account link followed by the S ettings link. Clic k the Edit Settings button, and in the pronouns drop-down menu select yo u r p re f e r re d p e r s on a l p ro nouns. After saving the sett i n g s , t h e s e l e c t e d p ro n o u n s will be visible in the user settings and throughout Canvas. “ I t ’s a s i m p l e b u t e f f e c t i v e way to help students, especially transgender and nonbinar y students, feel welcome and respected in our classroom spaces,” Jerrell said. “ The more you s h a re yo u r p ron o u n s a n d a s k others about theirs, the easier and more natural it becomes.”

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How to change the pronouns settings in...

Open Global Navigation Click the Account link Click the Settings link Click the Edit Settings button In the pronouns drop-down menu select preferred personal pronouns. After saving, the selected pronouns will be visible throughout Canvas.

Brooklyn Burnett The News

Opinion

Contributed

Oct. 15, 2020

COVID 19 should have marked the end of group projects Joseph Sylvester Contributing Writer The year of 2020 has been stocked with disruption, confusion, loss and a myriad of unanswerable questions. For college students, looming questions such as “will we meet in person?” and “will there be in-person graduation?” have been answered (for now), but there is one that continues to puzzle the masses: why in the world are professors still assigning group projects? Time and time again, students have been told to social distance, avoid gatherings of people and

avert unnecessary exposure, yet group projects are apparently immune to the icy, white-knuckle grip of COVID 19. Oh, but the miracle of Zoom is a great way to safely meet as a group, right? In theory, of course, but good luck getting everyone on the same page for a virtual meeting. Wrangling up all of your group members for Zoom is like trying to get through five points quickly: it’s impossible. Plus, the last thing students want to do after endless hours of Zoom University is hop right back on the adrenaline rush of online, face to computer contact to complete

CHEERS....

an eight-page report for an elective class. Let’s be real. Groups for these aggregated assignments are all made up by the same formula: one person does the majority of the work, another sort of helps and the other rides the coattails of the whole group. How much easier has it become for the weak link of the group to slither out of work? The answer is abundantly easier. Sure, sometimes the professor has a teammate evaluation to fill out, but does that change the fact that one or two people had to complete the entirety of the project for the rest

JEERS....

CHEERS

JEE

to the change in leaves. Fall has finally arrived y’all! Enjoy this beautiful weather.

of the group? The answer is abundantly nope. As we navigate through a global pandemic and some individuals blatantly disregard safety protocols, could we have not at least put group projects on hold? Not that they should be eradicated entirely, but just” pressing pause” could be a good idea. Students understand that group projects allow us to work with others and teach us valuable teamwork, but if we cannot sit within six feet of one another in class, maybe that’s a sign that we should all just do our own work for the time being.

an increase in COVID-19 cases on campus, in Calloway County and across the Bluegrass state!

JEERS

Letter to the Editor Got opinions?

We want to hear from you!

The News welcomes commentaries and letters to the editor. We are also hiring for an Opinion Editor. Contact Gage Johnson at gjohnson17@murraystate.edu.

Comic Strip

Editorial Board

Gage Johnson Cady Stribling Dr. Stephanie Anderson Editor-in-Chief Features Editor Faculty Adviser gjohnson17@murraystate.edu cstribling1@murraystate.edu sanderson37@murraystate.edu Jenna Carnes Allison Manning Chief Copy Editor Ad Sales Manager jcarnes2@murraystate.edu amanning4@murraystate.edu Kalea Anderson Elizabeth Erwin Chief Videographer Public Relations Manager kanderson29@murraystate.edu eerwin1@murraystate.edu

The News welcomes commentaries and letters to the editor. Submissions should be 600 words or less, and contributors should include phone numbers for verification. Please include hometown, classification and title or relationship to the University. 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 Monday of each week via email to mreynolds12@murraystate.edu.

Jillian Rush Contact Us Photo Editor 2609 University Station jrush4@murraystate.edu Murray State University Murray, Kentucky 42071-3301 John O’Neill TheNews.org Online Manager joneill4@murraystate.edu

Contributions to The News are the opinion of the author and not that of The Murray State News. The News is a designated public forum. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The paper offers a hands-on learning environment for students interested in journalism. The campus press should be free from censorship and advance approval of copy and its editors should develop their editorial and news policies.

The News strives to be the University community’s source for information. Our goal is to present that information in a fair and unbiased manner and provide a free and open forum for expression and debate. The News is prepared and edited by students and is an official publication of Murray State University. The first copy is free. Additional copies are available for 25 cents at 111 Wilson Hall.

Sports

Oct. 15, 2020

Photo courtesy of Racer Athletics Junior Emily Fitzgerald lines up her shot.

Rifle off to 2-0 season start with back-to-back wins Racers defeat Morehead State in home opener

Simon Elfrink Staff Writer selfrink@murraystate.edu

The Murray State Rifle team came to play in the 2020-21 home opener, beating Morehead State University 4674-4649 at Pat Spurgin Rifle Range. The Racers bested the Eagles in smallbore, winning 2319-2310. They also pulled ahead in air rifle as well with 2355-2339. “I thought we had a good effort,” Head Coach Alan Lollar said. “I think we went about things the

right way. The only way you can really make a good training plan for what you need to work on is actually play the game every now and then. We needed to compete to identify some things we need to work on.” Sophomore Matias Kiuru shot an 1179 aggregate, going 586 in smallbore and 593 in air rifle. Junior Emily Fitzgerald shot a career-high 577 in smallbore, with a 589 in air rifle to total an 1166 aggregate. Senior Dana Buesseler was third for the Racers, going 581 in smallbore and 584 in

air rifle for an aggregate of 1165. Freshmen Noelle Meals and Allison Henry shot 588 and 587, respectively in air rifle. Chloe Odle shot 587 in the air rifle category while Anna Scheer chalked up a score of 1161. Lollar had good things to say about his shooters, who he said did a great job knocking the rust off in a match early on in the season. “Matias, Dana and Emily Fitzgerald did a good job,” Lollar said. “They were right where they should have been, so we felt good

about them. Noelle Meals did a great job, had a personal best in air rifle and did a nice job there. Other people had some nice streaks where they showed what they can do, [so] it’s just working on consistency now. They’re all great shooters, it just comes to shooting on match day and being consistent.” After the quick 2-0 start to the 2020-21 season, the Racers will take two weeks off before going head to head with the University of Tennessee at Martin on Oct. 24 at the Pat Spurgin Rifle Range.

Features

Oct. 15, 2020

Alumna represents Murray State in courtroom Andrea Jameson Contributing Writer ajameson1@murraystate.edu Stephanie Perlow graduated from Murray State in 2002 with a major in political science and minor in legal studies and now sits as the new family court judge of the 42nd Judicial Circuit for Calloway and Marshall counties. Before Gov. Andy Beshear appointed Perlow in March, she spent 12 years practicing law and has served more than 2,000 family law cases exclusively in Marshall and Calloway counties. Perlow often works with children and said giving kids a chance to shine through their darkest moments is what drives her career. Perlow said the best part of the job is welcoming children into a new family because seeing the joy is a reminder of how much she appreciates her career and is thankful to help families. As family court judge, Perlow works around the clock since a crisis could happen at any hour. Perlow said the payoff of helping children and families in need makes it all worth it. One of the ways Perlow enjoys giving back to the community is by helping Murray residents who are looking to adopt. In the near future, Perlow said she intends to begin a project centered around an adoption fair since many people need assistance in the process of adopting. She plans to organize the project within the next few years. Perlow’s passion for political science began at a young age when she would pretend like she was in a courtroom, typing on a typewriter. She said it didn’t take long before she realized her dream was to work in politics, and coming to Murray State was the first few steps in making her dream a reality. Perlow said she toured Murray State’s campus and simply knew that

this was where she needed to be for her undergraduate degree. “This is my home,” Perlow said. “After touring other schools, I knew immediately that Murray State was the place for me.” The time Perlow spent in her classes and involving herself in organizations helped her prepare in more ways than she could imagine. As president of the political organization Phi Sigma Alpha, Perlow learned to be a leader and to listen to others with consideration. These values prepared her for similar challenges in her career. In her classes, Perlow said the instruction was taught as if she were in law school with case studies and briefings. “If you don’t do well in your classes, then you should know that maybe this isn’t the right path,” Perlow said. “The professors that teach undergraduate political science at Murray State mentally prepared me for my career. You had to be tough.” Perlow said she put in many night hours, which mentally prepared her for her career. “Once I got my undergraduate degree at Murray State, I was heads above when going through law school at Michigan State,” Perlow said. During her time as an undergraduate, Perlow also interned for a law office in Murray. With her own practice, she now provides the same internship opportunities. Perlow said she provides students guidance on pursuing their dreams in the political field and life at large. “Find a problem in the world that you are wanting to fix and then find a career that can fix that problem,” Perlow said. “A chosen career should give you the drive and set a passion in that field to be successful. That is what is going to make you not get burnt out because it is going to be that drive that gives you the tools to succeed.”

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Perlow Alumna Stephanie Perlow and her husband David attend a Murray State formal.

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Perlow Perlow was appointed to 42nd Judicial Circuit for Calloway and Marshall counties by Gov. Beshear.

Music professors help students learn virtually Ben Overby Contributing Writer boverby2@murraystate.edu Many Murray State music professors created a YouTube series for beginner musicians that provides thorough instructions on how to accurately play a variety of instruments. The professors have tackled teaching over eight instruments. Eric Swisher, associate professor of music who also teaches trumpet on the YouTube channel, said a Murray State associate professor and alumnus thought of the idea. “Our Wind Ensemble director, Dr. Trae Blanco, was speaking with one of our alumni, Anthony Darnall, who is a music educator at Christian County High School,” Swisher said. “ They thought that this would be a great way to give students individual instruction during the outbreak.” Since COVID-19 has altered the way music students are able to learn, Blanco and Darnall wanted a way to provide online lessons to middle school students who are beginning band. W ith the series officially launching on Aug. 19, this series provides a safe alternative for any student to learn more about instruments such as the tuba, clarinet, flute, trombone, french horn and much more. There are currently 11 series on the channel, ranging from vocal exercises to playing instruments to music literacy. Although the videos are for beginners, the content can be beneficial for any student

Photo courtesy of the ‘recording services’ YouTube channel Assistant professor Amy McCann teaches clarinet for beginners on the YouTube channel.

to watch and brush up on basic skills. The channel has reached up to 610 subscribers with some of the videos having thousands of views. Assistant professor of music Amy McCann who teaches clarinet on the channel said there are plans to expand their content. Since the first round of videos are for beginners, McCann said the professors are working to make videos that go into more specific details for high school and other advanced instruments. Transitioning to online teaching is difficult for any subject, but music education bears some uniquely challenging aspects. “ Those of us who teach individual lessons are used to getting immediate feedback from students

when we are working with them,” Swisher said. “We use that feedback to alter our instruction in the moment. However, without that one-on-one instruction we have to make assumptions about the kinds of difficulties that students will encounter and anticipate those difficulties. Most students work through similar problems, but every student does so differently.” McCann said another issue of online learning is the inability to correct mistakes. Students can develop bad habits that hinder their ability to play an instrument and the instructor isn’t there to stop them. Despite the difficulties of online learning, there is a consensus among the professors that this program is making the best out of a bad situation. McCann said it provides necessary assistance to band instructors.

“The advantage of this particular series is that we can help students get started and assist the already overwhelmed band directors trying to scramble to keep their music programs running in a remote learning situation,” McCann said. “Ideally, music instruction of all forms works better in person, but for the health and safety of all teachers and students this fall, videos are better than nothing.” Ashley Cumming, assistant professor who teaches french horn on the channel, has been able to find a silver lining of teaching through video. “Students can refer back as needed, as typically only a fraction of information is retained during in-person learning sessions,” Cumming said. Swisher said the program has gotten very positive responses from the middle school students it was designed to help. McCann shared how one of her adult students is benefitting from the videos. “I have a student who is learning horn for the first time as a secondary instrument in order to better prepare herself for public school teaching, and I know these resources have been very useful for her to better understand concepts and how the instruments are unique,” McCann said. Education has been forced to become more flexible and creative as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The Murray State music department has adapted, not only to help themselves, but to teach students at different levels and assist teachers during a difficult period. To learn more about the YouTube channel, visit youtube.com/channel/ UCwHbly9Y3jHP1ilDWVybOPQ.

Features

Oct. 15, 2020

Racer One to return Vegas will spring back into action for football next semester Cady Stribling Features Editor cstribling1@murraystate.edu Mason Galemore Contributing Writer mgalemore@murraystate.edu The first Racer 1 to be born and bred at Murray State, Vegas, is known to be a sweet and social butterfly. Racer 1 jockey and junior pre-vet major Emily Helmick said Vegas lives up to his name with a huge, strong-willed personality. On top of being incredibly intelligent and a thrill seeker, Helmick said Vegas has a bit of a personal space issue since he constantly demands attention. “His favorite place to be is as close to you as possible,” Helmick said. “Sometimes when I’m just standing near him, he’ll turn his head and start nudging me to make me pay attention to him. He knows he’s famous and he loves it. He loves to meet people at our community events, but he gets mad when we don’t let him bump people with his nose.” Vegas, a 9-year-old Quarter Horse, graced the track with victory laps last year. Unfortunately, Vegas is unable to run after Racer touchdowns this football season because of COVID-19, but the Racer community is optimistic for his return next season. Prior to becoming Murray State’s mascot, Vegas was a former competitive jumper. This is Helmick’s first year as the Racer 1 jockey. For 15 years, Helmick has been an equestrian, or a horse rider, having trained in dressage, hunters, jumpers and eventing. Her interest in riding horses began when she received a pony for her 12th birthday. From S t. Char les, Missouri, Helmick decided to come to Murray State when an alumnus informed her about the equine and veterinary programs. “I love the large pastures and fields we have for our horses to live in,” Helmick said. “They have a lot of room to just run around and be horses. I also appreciated that fact that we do have a barn with stalls where we can keep horses inside if they are better off living that way.” Helmick also enjoyed the very large and heated indoor arena, which is uncommon on college campuses.

Photo courtesy of Emily Helmick Junior pre-vet major Emily Helmick rides Vegas at the Murray State Equine Center.

Helmick said the facilities at the Equine Center are phenomenal for housing the riding programs. Helmick said she’d found out about Racer 1 when she first visited and was immediately interested in becoming a jockey. Last year, Helmick submitted the application and was then invited to interview and do a riding and horse handling tryout. “My interview started with the riding portion,” Helmick said. “The panel watched me saddle the horse and prepare him to ride, and then of course assessed my riding skills. The actual interview took place just after that. It was pretty nerve wracking simply because I had been looking forward to this moment for so long, and I didn’t want to blow it after I had gotten so close to achieving my goal.” It wasn’t long before Helmick found out she had, in fact, achieved her goal. In November, she became the new Racer 1 jockey. When Helmick found out, she cried tears of joy. “To say I was elated would be a vast understatement,” Helmick said. “When I opened that email, I actually cried tears of joy. I immediately texted my close friend group and called my mom. To finally achieve my goal of this prestigious position was so exciting and so relieving.” Shea Porr, professor and department head of the Hutson School of Agriculture, oversees all of Racer 1’s care and training. Porr said Racer 1 is very important to the culture of

Murray State and represents Racer pride. When it comes to picking the right horse, Porr prefers a lighter, smaller breed like a Quarter Horse because they can run faster and maneuver better than a larger horse. They can also traverse the track easily if it is slippery from rain. The Racer 1 team is made up of caretakers that prepare him for each game. “Training Racer 1 is an important responsibility that requires a lot of teamwork,” Porr said. “We want to make sure the horse has a calm temperament. In a loud football stadium, it is important to make sure the horse is focused and the rider has control.” The team also has people positioned in the front and behind Racer 1 to ensure his safety and that he doesn’t get spooked in a stadium filled with thousands of people. Fans have the opportunity to meet and pet Racer 1 during games. “It can be dangerous if that large of an animal is spooked,” Porr said. “A horse can kick out of fear just as a dog can bite out of fear. We want to make sure all fans are safe but are also having fun.” Currently, because of COVID-19, if a Racer 1 fan wants to pet the thoroughbred, the crew requires everyone to wash their hands after touching him. Emily Fischel is one of the caretakers for Racer 1. Fischel said there is a lot of prepping to make Vegas into the distinguishable Racer 1.

“For a typical event, the other team members and I will get to the barn about an hour before departure to get Vegas ready.” Fischel said. “This involves grooming and getting him ‘dressed’—blue and yellow leg wraps, head piece, saddle, etc.” Fischel said once they arrive at the event where Racer 1 is needed, the caretakers work with Helmick and Porr to ensure the safety of the horse and the public. Helmick said a trusting relationship is very important when riding a horse. In an environment where multiple factors can make him nervous, Helmick said Vegas has to trust her to take care of him. To build this relationship, Helmic k spends a lot of time with him. “Aside from our track/working relationship, I like to have a fun, exciting relationship with him,” Helmick said. “Sometimes I’ll come out to the farm and just groom him and spend time with him, or ride bareback with no saddle, just to keep things fresh with him. I don’t want him to see me and assume he’s automatically going to be put to work.” Helmick said Vegas tends to focus better when they are working and running the track because he loves being Racer 1. The distractions, Helmick said, come from casually walking around. The Racer 1 crew will continue training until Murray’s first home football game, which has been postponed to Feb. 28.

SGA Calandar of Events

CTOBER

10/15/20 Bingo Night, Curris Center, 3rd floor, 7 p.m. 10/19/20 Homecoming Banner applications due noon, CSI office 10/20/20 Homecoming King & Queen interviews, times TBA 10/26/20 Movie Night (TBA), Stewart Stadium or CFSB, 8 p.m. 10/27/20 MS MSU Scholarship Pageant applications due, noon

MS MSU Scholarship Pageant mandatory meeting, 5 p.m.

10/28/20 10/29/20 10/31/20

Homecoming Queen & King Elections (Online Voting 12:01 a.m. -11:59 p.m.)

Stuff A Horse-Novelty Event, Rocking Chair Lounge, 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. HOMECOMING Parade of Banners 9:30 a.m. Coronation of King & Queen, Great Lawn, 11 a.m. Brooklyn Burnett The News

The Alpha Sigma Phi Philanthropy Challenge

On October 24th, 2020

Challenge a friend Offer them a to participate dollar amount in an activity

All Proceeds will go towards Home

@themurraystatenews

@MurrayStateNews

www.thenews.org

The Murray State News

Send the money to @Delta-Tau-1 via Venmo after completion

For Our Troops.

Make sure you record and post to www.facebook.com/groups/aspphilchallenge

Brooklyn Burnett The News

Features

Oct. 15, 2020

CALLING ALL STUDENTS:

Make Your Voice Heard The future of our country is on the line this election. It is time for a new generation of leaders. Send me to Washington, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll fix our broken health care system, get our economy back on track, protect our environment and fight for racial justice. Early in-person voting starts October 13. To find your polling place, visit kentuckyvotes.com or call or text 1-833-KYVOTES.

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