The Murray State News

M

THE MUR R AY STATE

NEWS

www.TheNews.org

@TheMurrayStateNews

@MurrayStateNews

@TheMurrayStateNews

@MurrayStateNews

Sept. 9, 2021 | Vol. 96, No. 3

NEWS

OPINION

SPORTS

LIFESTYLE

Twenty years since 9/11

Inclusive Language

Football starts season with dominant win

Fulbright Specialist Program selects professor

page 2

page 4

page 5

page 7

Twenty years ...

Faculty, staff share memories of the day America was attacked

Photos b y J ayden H ayn Fall 2 0 2 1 is the first semester Springer has been closed.

Springer closes after 59 years J ill S m ith Contributing Writer j smith19 4 @murraystate.edu Springer has been a residential college on Murray State’s campus since 1962, and it ’s finally closing its doors to residents.

David Looney, executive director Auxiliary Services Administration, said 208 students lived in Springer during the fall 2020 semester.

Resident Adviser in Springer, Maleah Buckner, says she was was surprised to hear of the impending closure.

“When we found out the building was closing during our staff meeting, it made me a little sad,” Buckner said. was going to happen eventually but never expected it to close so soon.”

see Springer, page 3

Board of Regents honors late regent at quarterly meeting D ionte B erry News Editor db erry11@murraystate.edu Em ery W ains c ott Lifestyle Editor ewainscott@murraystate.edu The Board of Regents swore in three new regents, honored the late Phil Schooley and discussed a return to a sense of normalcy despite COVID-19 at its quar ter l y meeting on S ept. 3.

SGA President Ian P uc kett, To m Wa l d ro p a n d S a m A g u iar were sworn in by Calloway Count y Judge Jamie Jameson.

The Board moved into yearly officer elections. Don Tharpe and Jill Hunt were both unanimously nominated for Vice Chair and Secretary.

President Bob Jackson continued the meeting with a report on COVI D-19, facilities, student financial aid and the idea of finding a new normal despite the pandemic. Jackson notes that Thursday ’s football game was a symbol of some return to normalcy.

see Board of Regents, page 2

T he N ews Cover of the 2 0 0 2 edition one year after 9 / 1 1 .

D ionte B erry News Editor db erry11@murraystate.edu America was under attack 20 years ago on Sept. 11, 2001, and it was a catalyst that has outlined much of America’s international military actions and national feelings towards the Middle East and followers of Islam.

The 9/11 attacks signaled the beginning of the War on Terrorism, and gave rise to changes that would alter the course of history.

Despite the attacks being in New York and Washington D.C, Kentuckians were still affected, being home to a few military bases soldiers in the state were deployed to the Middle East.

While most students were too young to remember the day, 9/11 is a day that most professors and staff can recall.

Associate English professor Timothy Johns was a graduate student

getting his doctorate at the State University of New York, Stony Brook. On the morning of the attacks, he was driving with a friend to Stony Brook to teach a class.

“It was a beautiful day, clear, cool and not a cloud in the sky,” Johns said.

“During the drive, I kept noticing emergency vehicles flying by in the opposite direction, as well as unmarked SUVs with sirens, so I asked Melissa to pause the Prince CD we were listening to. On the radio, an R&B station, they were reporting the news: both towers had already been hit.”

He and his friend continued their drive to Stony Brook and over the radio they heard the Pentagon had also been hit. Johns said this is when it started to feel like he was in a movie.

“As we drove, you could see the towers in the distance looking like tall burning cigarettes,” Johns said. “When we reached campus, I was in shock.”

After the attacks, Johns was a part of organizing anti-war protests on his campus, because he had a feeling America would take this attack as an opportunity to start war.

Beyond New York, the 9/11 attacks sent shock waves through the nation.

At the time of the attack, Assistant Prof essor of Jour nalism S tephanie Anderson was a sophomore working on her b a c h e l o r ’s d e g r e e a t M u r ray State. At the time, she living with two roommates.

“I woke up that morning and told my roommates that I had a strange dream about planes crashing into the World Trade Center. I didn’t even know what the World Trade Center was. We turned the television on and saw the news coverage,” Anderson said.

see 9/11, page 2

NEWS

2

9/11, from page 2

“ I w a s n’t d r e a m i n g . I f e l l asleep with my alarm clock radio on and was hearing the reports while I was asleep that morning.”

Even though Anderson was in Murray, she still feared what could happen or if there were any other targets.

A week after the attacks Anderson felt motivated to do something to help.

“I met with a recruiter in Paducah for the U.S. Air Force and was ready to join and serve my country,” Anderson said. “The thought terrified my mother which eventually led me to reconsider enlisting.”

Years later Anderson traveled to New York City with former Murray State student Ashley Bitters to do research that encompassed 9/11.

“We were able to travel to NYC and interview several journalists who have covered a number of traumatic events including 9/11,” Anderson said. “ It was truly enlightening to see the impact it had on journalists who were at ground zero that day. These were photographers and reporters but became emergency responders helping the injured get out alive, all while documenting what they were witnessing.”

From her experiences of witnessing all of the news coverage, Anderson encourages students who were not alive or too young to remember to do their research and learn about what happened. “ While it brought about fear in most, it also brought about a sense of patriotism and comm u n i t y, ” A n d e r s o n s a i d . “ I think we need both of those bac k in our lives r ight now. ” Racer Oral Communication Center Director Regina Hudspeth also remembers the unity in America after the 9/11 attacks.

“It definitely brought us together as a nation and everyone was more patriotic, but unfortunately, it was short-lived to a certain extent,” Hudspeth said. “Around 3,000 people were killed and there is no

telling how many family members’ lives changed forever that day.”

On 9/11, Hudspeth’s specific thoughts were that it was an accident, but once she saw the second plane hit the South Tower.

After she realized Ameri c a w a s u n d e r a t t ac k , H u d s peth was overtaken by emotions.

“I remember thinking what if something like that had happened here it could take both parents, maybe even grandparents from one family because there were generations of families that worked at our facility,” Hudspeth said. “Needless to say, we did not do much work, if we did anything at all that day.

We called all our family members.”

Assistant Director of the Center for Student Engagement and Success Jennifer Smith wasn’t at work when she found out, but at home with her six-month-old baby Smith said she remembers holding her child for most of the day and just watching the news and not believing what was happening.

“The thing I remember the most from that day after the towers were hit was seeing the people covered in concrete dust and ash,” Smith said. “The disoriented looks on people’s faces, I remember those faces.”

After the attacks, Smith describes the same feelings of unity in America.

“Initially, I really thought the way America came together after 9/11 was incredible. People helping one another, it was wonderful,” Smith said. “Sadly, I don’t see that same camaraderie today.”

After 20 years, the effects of 9/11 are still prominent. The War on Terror that started because of it is coming to a close as American troops have been pulled out of Afghanistan.

People are still grieving from family members that have been lost in both 9/11 and the War on Terror.

Sept. 9, 2021

T he N ews P ages from the Sept. 1 2 , 2 0 0 1 edition.

Board of Regents, from page 1 “As we return to a new normal, teaching and learning, campus and student life, athletics and student safety are the issues that we are focusing on each and every single day,” Jackson said. “Last night was a perfect example of that, trying our best to get back to normal and last night was a perfect demonstration of that.

Everyone longs to get back to get whatever that next or new normal is.”

In other business, there was a resolution made addressing the late Phil Schooley and his service and dedication to Murray State.

“This resolution of appreciation and remembrance will honor the longtime service and commitment of Phillip R. Schooley to the Board of Regents and Murray State University,” said Chair Eric Crigler. “In 2009, Schooley was elected by his peers to serve as the staff Regent on the MSU Board of Regents and in 2021 was elected to an unprecedented fifth term as staff regent on the Board.”

Both the Board and the staff congress unanimously voted to rename the Staff Excellence Award in honor of Schooley, making it the “Phil R. Schooley Staff Excellence Award.

“We have an empty seat today and Phil, as you know, has served this university for a long time even long before his service as staff regent,” Jackson said. “We appreciate Phil, we are going to miss Phil, and this University will miss Phil Schooley.”

Jackson said the University is going in a positive direction in moving toward normalcy after the pandemic and he’s extremely proud of the work done and is happy that students are pleased.

Jackson also discussed Murray State’s upcoming centennial. Celebratory events are still in the planning stages, but are set to take place during Spring 2022.

S creenshot from meeting liv estream T he Board of R egents met for their q uarterly meeting on Sept. 3 in H eritage H all.

Although there are steady enrollment rates, the same cann o t b e s a i d a b o u t re t e n t i o n .

A comparison between students enrolled in April 2021 and the fall semester showed that the enrollment rate had a 56% decline. On this note Jackson reminded the Board that they are all recruiters.

Enrollment Management The amount of incoming stuand Student Success Report dents with collegiate credit hours has decreased because of the pandemic. In the past, about 70% • Highest summer class enrollment in came in with credit hours; now, 10 years that number is about 53%. The • Fall 2021 headcount enrollment (all range of credit hours is 1-80 and students) was level to Fall 2019 the average is 22 credit hours.

• Fall 2021 undergraduate enrollment Next, the Finance Committee’s projwas lower than Fall 2019 but level ect proposals were approved unaniwith that of Fall 2020 mously. These proposals included an • Fall 2021 graduate student enroll- electrical infrastructure project, roof rement is up 12% from Fall 2019 and placement for the William “Bill” Cherhigher than Fall 2020 ry Expo Center, HVAC improvement • Fall 2021 undergraduate enrollment for the Business Building and plans for represents 48 states and 50 countries a National Pan-Hellenic Council plaza.

• 66% of students come from KenThis plaza will be located in betucky with 113 counties represented tween the Harry Lee Waterfield Li• 44% of students are first-generation brary and the gates on Olive Street.

This project will be privately funded.

Concerning vaccine card uploads, Jackson said once there are higher amounts of card uploads, then a chart will be provided with vaccination rate data.

Despite still being in the midst of a pandemic, enrollment is still at a steady rate.

The Board then voted to ren a m e t wo b u i l d i n g s i n h on o r o f p a s t f a c u l t y a n d s t a f f.

The Hutson School of Agriculture Equine Education Center was renamed the Rudolph Equine Education Center after Jim Rudolph, a former faculty regent who founded the equine program in 1973. The Board is planning to dedicate the building during Homecoming 2021.

The Murray State Golf Training Facility will be renamed in honor of former coaches Buddy Hewitt, Velvet Milkman and Eddie Hunt.

The sign featuring the building’s name will indicate the facility was renamed in honor of the coaches.

Fu r t h e r m o r e , a n h o n o r a r y doctorate was awarded to Jerr y S hroat, c hair of the Mur r a y S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y Fo u n d a t i o n B o a r d o f Tr u s t e e s .

After serving as interim dean, Dave Eaton was appointed to be dean of the Arthur J. Bauer nfield Col lege of Business.

The next Board of Regents meeting will be on Dec. 3.

Sept. 9, 2021

NEWS

3

Springer, from page 1 Sophomore Jenny Rodriguez lived in Springer during her freshman year and said she never received a notification from t h e H o u s i n g O f fi c e t o n o t ify her of the building’s closure.

“It was to my surprise,” Rodriguez said. “My roommate actually told me and then I overheard a couple people talk about it in my classes.”

Buckner said she tried to do what she could to support students and answer any questions.

“As an RA we were just supposed to be there to answer any questions the girls had and be there to support them,” Buckner said. “Some of the residents were upset because they didn’t know where they were gonna be able to relocate to for a price as cheap as Springer’s.”

Senior Gloria Benz said Murray State should consider building another all-girls residential college.

“I do hope that they build another dorm with the name Springer and to still keep that same rule of an all-girls dorm,” Benz said.

Rodriguez said some Springer residents were drawn to the all-girls residential college.

“It ’s good to have an all-girls dorm because not ever y girl is comfor table with sharing a building with guys on different floors,” Rodriguez said. “That ’s why I chose to live in Springer.”

Buckner said she will miss the community she had in Springer.

“I really will miss the all-female community the most,” B u c k n e r said. “Everyone

J ayden H ayn/ T he N ews Springer R esidential College is closed for the fall semester after 5 9 years of being open for on- campus residents.

was just so nice and easy to talk to and you just felt safe.”

Director of Housing David W ilson said the building was reopened to quarantine international students before the star t of the fall semester.

“Shortly before the fall semester started, we were informed that students arriving from international travel were required to quarantine between three and five days when they entered the country,” Wilson said. “Since a large number of these students came back to campus before the residence halls opened, we decided to use Springer II for their quarantine.”

Students who have tested posi t i v e f o r COV I D - 1 9 a re n o t quarantining in S pringer, but it was not disclosed where students are placed for quarantine.

“Students who live on campus and [are] diagnosed with COVID

are provided temporary isolation accommodations on campus,” Looney said. “However they are not isolated in their residence halls nor in Springer II at this time.”

Looney said it’s time for a replacement in place of Springer.

“Springer II is an old building which has served Murray State well over the years; however, the Housing Master Plan calls for the removal of the building to make room for replacement buildings,” Looney said.

Wilson said there is a Housing Master Plan for any campus projects, inc luding building new residence halls.

“The University has a Housing Master Plan which is included in the Campus Master Plan that is approved by the Board of Regents,” Wilson said. “The cost to build a new residence hall varies greatly based on the number of beds, accommodations, design elements

and many other factors making an accurate estimate hard to provide.”

The Board of Regents Retreat on Friday, Sept. 3 discussed future housing plans to draw students to Murray State’s campus. Looney briefly discussed the proposed plan for Springer under this Campus Master Plan. “ By razing that building in t h e n e a r f u t u re, we c a n c re ate new and exciting facilities in that space there,” Looney said.

Buckner reflected on her time living in Springer as a resident and an RA and is sad to see her time in Springer come to an end.

“I’ve made so many great memories in that building with my fr iends and coworkers so it was a little sad to see it all come to an end,” Buckner said.

The building has not yet been approved to be razed by the Board of Regents for future projects.

The News Reviews: Certified Lover Boy J ak ob M ilani Sports Editor j milani@murraystate.edu It’s no question that Toronto rapper Drake, also known as Aubrey Graham, is on top of the music game and with his recent album, “Certified Lover Boy,” the success keeps on coming.

A project over two years in the works, “Certified Lover Boy” was initially set to release in the summer of 2020, but complications behind the scenes pushed the album back a few months. Then, in December 2020, Drake posted a video to his YouTube page teasing a January 2021 release. However, Graham suffered a knee injury, pushing the album back yet again.

Then, on Aug. 27, Drake took over SportsCenter to tease the album, announcing it was releasing the following Friday. This time, the Six God delivered, releasing his sixth studio LP and his 14th project overall around 1 a.m. Central Standard Time on Sept. 3.

Drake announced previously that this album will follow a specific theme, something we haven’t seen from him since the 2015 release of “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.” If the album title didn’t give it away, “Certified Lover Boy” has an overall theme of Drake’s love interests in life and his struggles with finding the right girl.

From the first track “Champagne Poetry,” we see what kind of style Drake is going for, with a dreamy R&B style sample over drums that sound similar to his style when he first started rapping. The beat switches up in the middle of the track, bringing in this Atlanta trap style, with Drake picking up the pace a little bit. This track plays a great introduction to the album as it shows what to expect for the rest of the project. For the most part, the tracks keep a similar build to their instrumentals, with some songs

sticking with a more R&B style, some tracks using a more trap style beat and others using a combination of both.

Following the opening track, we get “Papi’s Home,” a party style track with Nicki Minaj providing vocals.

Then we get “Girls Like Girls” featuring Atlanta native on-the-rise rapper Lil Baby, a song that feels like it caters to Baby with a trap style beat that allows him to have a much different flow from his past works.

“In The Bible” features Drake and Lil Durk rapping together over a bass-heavy instrumental that switches up halfway through the song, providing a more laid back beat for Los Angeles R&B singer Giveon to close out the track with some beautiful vocals. Graham follows this up with the track “Love All” featuring JAY-Z. The track has the two trade verses over a happier sounding R&B style beat, with JAY-Z delivering one of his best verses in years.

The next track is “Fair Trade” featuring Houston rapper Travis Scott, who also helped produce the song.

This song is a highlight on the project with Drake both rapping and singing over a very party-esque instrumental and Scott shining in both his rapping and production.

“Way 2 Sexy,” the next track on the list, features a sample of Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy” making for one of the funnier tracks of the year.

The song features Atlanta rappers Future and Young Thug, with Future on the chorus and Thug closing the track out with his verse.

Drake follows this up with “TSU,” a song with two different beats and two different styles, which makes for one of the better songs on the album. Future makes a return in the following track “N 2 Deep,” another song with a beat switch in the middle, helping Future produce one of his best verses of the year.

“Pipe Down” has one of the best instrumentals on the album and features Drake singing his heart out

S creenshot from D rak e’ s I nstagram D rak e’ s album ‘ Certified Lover Boy’ features 1 2 emoj is.

about his heart breaks in the past.

This song is a personal favorite as it shows Drake at his top singing ability over one of the best beats in recent months. “Yebba’s heartbreak” is an interlude track featuring Memphis born singer Yebba Smith singing over a piano, a nice contribution to the project. Then we get “No Friends In The Industry,” which features Drake rapping over a Tron-like trap beat. This track proves to be a rap-anthem with a catchy hook and beat that keeps you interested.

“Knife Talk” with 21 Savage and Project Pat has Drake rapping over more trap beats from Atlanta born producer Metro Boomin making for another rap-anthem from Graham.

He follows it up with a diss track aimed at Kanye West titled “7am on Bridle Path,” targetting West and his friend group.

The remainder of the album sees very few highlights, with the tracks “Get Along Better” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, “You Only Live Twice”

featuring Lil Wayne and Rick Ross and “IMY2” featuring Kid Cudi being the only remaining tracks worth much of a listen, The final two tracks “F*****g Fans” and “The Remorse” feel very boring and leave much to be desired but don’t deliver.

With over 153 million first-day streams on Spotify, it’s easy to see just how much of a hold Drake has on the Hip-Hop scene right now.

He was named “Artist Of The Decade” for a reason, after all. But as the days continue on, the streaming numbers continue to drop, leaving many to wonder if this is really the best this album could possibly have been. I give this album a 7.5/10, as it provides many highlights and some of the best production of Drake’s career, but the overall theme gets boring rather quickly, and with the album being 21 tracks long, it becomes a tough listen. It will be interesting to see where Drake goes from here, but one thing is for sure: people will be listening.

OPINION/FORUM

4

Sept. 9, 2021

Gabe’s Take: Inclusive Language

This is Commentary by Gabe Steffen, Opinions Editor of the Murray State News G ab e S tef f en O pinion Editor gsteffen@murraystate.edu

Gabe Steffen/ T he N ews

W

ithin the last decade, there has been a skyrocket of talk of inclusive language. When I was growing up, it was taboo to talk about being in the LGBTQ+ community, especially in the small town where I was raised. When I slowly began to realize I was transgender during middle school and high school, I didn’t understand how inclusive language could affect people. Now that I’ve grown, come out and educated myself, I feel it’s my duty to educate others and explain how and why inclusive language is needed and why it should be talked about.

Why is inclusive language important? First, we need to talk about the difference between sex and gender. Sex is a trait that determines your reproductive function. The two main categories that we know are male and female, but there is no way we can put every human inside of that box.

There are also individuals who are intersex, which can mean a wide variety of things. Some can have differences in their physical appearance, hormones, internal anatomy and/or chromosomes.

According to amnesty.org, around 1.7 percent of people are born with intersex traits. This is comparable to people born with red hair.

Gender, on the other hand, is a binary. Many people in the world don’t identify with the simple two-gender system many have grown accustomed to. A lot of people, 1.2 million according to the Williams Institute, identify as non-binary. Non-binary is simply stated as someone whose gender identity doesn’t sit as just male or female. Using inclusive language can help people who don’t identify with the system we created to describe gender. I, as an example, identify as a transgender man.

Though I was assigned female at birth, around high school, I began using male-assigned pronouns, and I plan on taking testosterone to further my transition. Sex and gender are two separate entities and should be treated as such.

What is inclusive language?

Inclusive language is a way that we as humans can avoid being offensive in many different categories, including race and gender.

This prevents us from being biased and prejudiced against a certain group of people. One example of this comes from the terms “chestfeeding” and “breastfeeding.” We as humans have been using the term “breastfeeding” for hundreds of years. This is often used to describe mothers who lactate and use these biological processes to feed their newborn children. Now, with the gender binary becoming more accepted in today’s society, using the term “chestfeeding” to

CHEERS....

JEE

RS

&

to getting rained on TWICE this week!

JEERS

Dionte Berry News Editor dberry11@murraystate.edu

Emery Wainscott Lifestyle Editor ewainscott@murraystate.edu

Gabe Steffen Opinion Editor gsteffen@murraystate.edu

Pam Goodwin Chief Copy Editor pgoodwin1@murraystate.edu

Kate Manley Ad Sales Manager kmanley2@murraystate.edu

Sam Stewart Photo Editor sstewart26@murraystate.edu

Joey Reynolds Chief Videographer jreynolds38@murraystate.edu

Jakob Milani Sports Editor jmilani@murraystate.ediu

Dr. Carol Terracina-Hartman Faculty Adviser cterracinahartman@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 gsteffen@murraystate.edu.

instead of addressing them as “ladies and gentlemen.” For non-binary or questioning individuals in the crowd, they could feel left out of the conversation. Inclusive language benefits us all, and helps everyone feel welcomed and included. If you don’t know what someone wants to be called, just ask them! It’s as easy as walking up to a person and asking “What are your pronouns?” or asking what they identify as.

At the end of the day, using inclusive language is what is best for this generation. It teaches all of us to be more open-minded and tolerant toward everyone, whether it be because of their gender, their race or something else we aren’t able to see. If we all take the time to educate ourselves and others, we could be closer to breaking down the walls of discrimination and make language more relatable and embracing to others.

JEERS....

CHEERS

to cooler weather.

It’s about time!

Editorial Board

describe those who lactate and feed their children is the best terminology in order to let others feel included. There are many reasons why someone could be uncomfortable using the term “breastfeeding.” Those who are on the transgender and non-binary spectrum may find the word uncomfortable, as it may cause discomfort and dysphoria. The term can potentially cause discomfort among those who are breast cancer survivors, and some may even be uncomfortable with the term “breast” because of the sexual connotation associated with it. Just because this is the inclusive term doesn’t mean people are trying to take away terminology for mothers. The term “chestfeeding” includes mothers as well as trans and non-binary parents.

Some other examples of inclusive language would be a big group of people “friends and colleagues”

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.

Contact Us

2609 University Station Murray State University Murray, Kentucky 42071-3301 TheNews.org

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 an independent weekly student-run newspaper published at Murray State. The content does not reflect the opinions of the Murray State journalism and mass communication department.

Sept. 9, 2021

SPORTS

5

Photo courtesy of D av e W inder/ R acer A thletics unior q uarterback P reston R ice reaches for his third rushing touchdown of the game. R ice finished the game with four total rushing touchdowns.

Football begins season with dominant win J ak ob M ilani Sports Editor j milani@murraystate.edu After a short offseason, the Murray State football team returned to the field on Thursday, Sept. 2 to defeat the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils 35-0.

The Racers started the game on defense and quickly picked up where they left off last season.

In the Delta Devils’ first drive, they were tackled for a five-yard loss by sophomore linebacker Alec Long, stopped at the line of scrimmage by junior defensive end Ethan Edmondson and then sacked by sophomore cornerback Davontae McKee. The Delta Devils were forced to punt on fourth and 25th. The Racers took over at their own 46-yard line.

On the Racers’ first offensive drive, a third down pass from junior quarterback Preston Rice to sophomore Demonta Witherdpoon moved the Racers from the Racers’ 40-yard line to the Delta Devils’ 28yard line. The very next play, Rice took off for a 28-yard touchdown run, giving the Racers a 7-0 lead with 11:26 left in the first quarter.

The Racers’ offense only got better on their next drive. On first down from the Mississippi Valley State 30-yard line, Witherspoon took off for another 20-yard gain, moving the ball into the redzone for the Racers. Three plays later, Rice took it in for the one yard rushing touchdown, his second of the game. The Racers went up 14-0.

The Racers’ defense forced another punt from the Delta Devils,ending the first quarter and starting the second quarter right where they left off. Senior running back Rodeny Castille got the drive going with a 24 yard rush up to the Racers’ 37-yard line. On the next play, freshman running back Cortezz Jones broke off a 23-yard

run to move the Racers up to the MVSU 40-yard line. The Racers weren’t able to move the ball and were forced to attempt a field goal.

However, the kick was too far to the left, leaving the score at 14-0.

The Murray State offense stalled as both teams punted on their next possessions. When the Racers received the next punt from the Delta Devils, their offense went right back into gear as Jones broke off a 69-yard rush, bringing the ball all the way up to the Mississippi Valley six-yard line.

Just two plays later, Rice took in his third rushing touchdown of the game, giving the Racers a 21-0 lead with just 1:20 left in the half.

The Racers’ defense continued to bring the pressure and held the Delta Devils to end the first half.

The Racers started the second half with the ball, and again, made their way down the field with two long range passes from Rice to senior wide receiver DeQuan Dallas and freshman wide receiver Deshaun Britten. Rice followed it up with a 25-yard rush, moving the ball up to the Delta Devil’s fouryard line. But, Rice was unable to do anything as he threw an interception on fourth down and goal.

Despite the interception, the Delta Devils weren’t able to move the ball and were forced to punt yet again. On the ensuing drive, junior receiver LaMartez Brooks got in on the action with a 24yard reception and a 29-yard reception. The two long receptions moved the ball up to the Delta Devils’ eight-yard line and set up Rice’s fourth rushing touchdown of the game, tying the school record for rushing touchdowns in a game. The touchdown extended the Racers lead to 28-0 with 30 seconds left in the third quarter.

Speaking after the game about his performance for the team, Rice says he hopes his contribu-

tions help lead the team to victory.

“I’m just here to help the team win however I can,” Rice said. “ Whether it’s running the ball, throwing the ball, either way. I’m having fun out there just playing with the boys.”

On the first play of the Delta Devils next drive, junior cornerback Quinaz Turner picked off graduate quarterback Conor Regan to keep the Delta Devils at bay. Despite taking the ball back to the Mississippi Valley four-yard line, the Racers had to settle for another field goal attempt that was just slightly left again. The score remained in favor of the Racers at 28-0.

After a series of punts, the Delta Devils threw another interception, this time to McKee who went down at the Delta Devils’ six-yard line. The Racers were able to capitalize on the interception as Jones took in his first touchdown of his career at Murray State, extending the Racers’ lead to 35-0 with 6:25 left in the game.

The Delta Devils were unable to score on their final drive and the Racers walked away victorious in their first game of the season.

Senior linebacker Jacobi Hearn led the Racers with tackles in the game with four solo tackles and a tackle-for-loss. He spoke after the game about the preparation going into the week and how the Racers were able to hold the Delta Devils scoreless.

“Initially, we knew we had to stop the rub, that’s the first thing you have to do,” Hearn said. “We knew they had a new quarterback coming in and we knew we had to keep him in the pocket and we did a good job with that. It’s just an alpha mentality. We just had to go at them and keep going at them and that’s what we did today.”

Hearn also discussed the Racers being the favorites to win the OVC this year and whether or not he felt pressure on the

field. Hearn said there was no pressure for him or the team.

“I really don’t see any pressure,” Hearn said. “We’re gonna go out there and play our hardest regardless if they had us picked to win. We’re gonna play our hardest regardless of that, and we’re gonna show every team that this is our year.”

Rice spoke after the game about the team’s running game and just how strong it is. He said it’s great to have so many options in the backfield as it gives everyone the opportunity to make a play.

“It makes life a lot easier on us as an offense,” Rice said. “When you can rotate three guys and get the same production out of each of them, it’s just something that’s hard for a defense to scheme for.

Then you have me and [freshman quarterback] DJ Williams out there running the ball, making the defense play 11-on-11, which is tough for them. It’s just a really good scheme and I’m excited to move forward.”

Head Coach Dean Hood spoke after the game about the team’s performance and the feeling of getting back to a normal football season in the fall. He said it was great to be back out on the field in the fall.

“It was just really good to get out there on a fall Thursday night and play college football,” Hood said. “Our fans were awesome, the community came out, the students came out, it was a live atmosphere … just getting back to some normalcy in fall football… I thought our guys played physical. We ran the football well, stopped the run which is critical every single game. We protected the ball well.

I thought it was a good night.”

With the first win under their belt, the 1-0 Racers travel to take on what is likely to be their hardest opponent, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. The game is set for Saturday, Sept. 11 at 2:30 p.m.

6

SPORTS

Sept. 9, 2021

Photo courtesy of R acer A thletics S enior outside hitter Emily M atson recorded sev en k ills and one b lock in the R acers game against A rk ansas- Pine Bluff.

Volleyball drops two games in Billiken Invitational Rac hel Es ner Staff Writer resner1@murraystate.edu

The Murray State volleyball team traveled to Saint Louis, Missouri, on Sept. 3-4, to compete in the Billiken Invitational at Saint Louis University. The Racers ended the Invitational 1-2, bringing their overall record to 3-3.

Game One The Racers swept the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in their first game of the Invitational on Friday, Sept. 3.

Murray State took a quick lead at 14-6 against the Golden Lions with kills from freshman outside hitter Brooke Lynn Watts, redshirt senior middle blocker Kolby McClelland, freshman setter Bailey DeMier, sophomore middle blocker Darci Metzger and senior outside hitter Emily Matson. The Racers were able to increase their lead to a 10 point deficit at 21-11, eventually taking the set 25-11.

The Racers and Golden Lions were trading points at the beginning of the second set.

However, with a 6-1 run, Murray State took the lead at 17-13.

The Golden Lions were able to get within two points of the Racers at 20-18, but with a 5-1 run, the Racers won the set 25-19.

Murray State’s first five points scored in the third set were all kills from Watts with three of the next four points coming from Metzger’s kills to help the Racers gain a 10-7 lead. The Racers rattled off four straight points with two kills from Watts and one kill from Matson, increas-

ing their lead to 14-10. After trading points with the Golden Lions, a kill from Watts sealed the set 25-22 for Murray State to take the game 3-0.

Watts led the Racer offense with 21 kills, her fourth straight game with more than 20 kills.

McClelland and Metzger followed, totaling 10 kills each with Metzger earning a .600 hitting percentage. Matson added seven kills for the Racers.

Sophomore defensive specialist Dahlia Miller led the defense with 17 digs while senior libero Becca Fernandez followed with 15 and Matson contributed 11. DeMier tallied 43 assists and seven digs.

Game Two Murray State competed against Arkansas State University on Saturday, Sept. 4, where the Racers suffered their second loss of the season.

The teams traded points in the first set, tying the score at 9, but with a 5-0 run, the Racers took the lead at 14-9 with one kill from both Watts and junior outside hitter Alysha Smith and a block from Smith and McClelland.

After going back-and-forth, three straight errors from the Red Wolves sealed the set for Murray State at 25-18.

With the score tied at 10, Murray State pulled ahead in the second set, using a 7-2 run to make the score 17-12. However, the Red Wolves fought back, scoring the last four points of the set, winning 25-23.

Arkansas State carried their momentum into the third set.

With the teams tied at 12, the

Racer Soccer sweeps weekend series in Florida

Rac hel Es s ner Staff Writer ressner1@murraystate.edu Murray State continued its promising season with back-to-back wins against the Florida Atlantic University Owls and the Florida International University Panthers on Friday, Sept. 3 and Sunday, Sept. 5.

The Racers opened the weekend with a 1-0 win against the Owls with a goal from sophomore midfielder Lauren Payne.

They followed with a 2-1 win over the Panthers to improve their record to 4-1 on the season.

Game One The Murray State soccer team traveled to Boca Raton, Florida, on Friday, Sept. 3 to compete against Florida Atlantic, where the Racers took the win 1-0 and increased their record to 3-1.

A very challenging game left both teams scoreless at the end of the 90 minutes, causing the game to go into overtime.

Payne scored the lone goal of the game four minutes into the extra time assisted by freshman defender Morgan Bodker, ending the game at 94:39. Payne scored her third goal in three straight games while Bodker tallied her second assist of the season.

The Owls outshot the Racers 15-9 but were not able to make any hit the net. Junior goalkeeper Jenna Villacres finished the game with three saves for the Racers.

Payne, graduate defender Izzy Heckman and sophomore forward Chloe Barnthouse each had two shots while graduate forward Rebecca Kubin, sophomore defender Camille Barber and sophomore midfielder Hailey Cole ended with one shot apiece.

Game Two From one Florida city to another, the Murray State soccer team traveled from Boca Raton to Miami to take on Florida International, where the Racers added another win to their record.

Red Wolves used a 6-0 run to take the lead at 18-12. Murray State responded with a 5-0 run, making the score only a one point deficit at 20-19 with kills from Metzger and freshman outside hitter Alexa Harris. However, the Racers were not able to regain the lead as the Red Wolves closed out the set 25-22.

The Racers took the lead in the beginning of the fourth set at 8-6, but with a 5-0 run, the Red Wolves took control of the game at 11-8. The Racers were never able to recover, only coming within two points at 14-12.

Arkansas State rattled off eight straight points to win the set 25-15 and take the game 3-1.

For the fifth game in a row, Watts led the offense with 20 kills followed by Metzger with eight and McClelland with six.

Fernandez led the defense with an impressive 33 digs while Miller collected 16. DeMier totaled 42 assists and 13 digs.

Game Three Murray State suffered another loss as they competed against Saint Louis University for the final game of the Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 4.

The Billikens took the early lead at 16-11, but with a 5-0 run, the Racers tied the score at 16. From there the teams battled for every point, with the Racers reaching set point a total of four times. With Murray State up 29-28, the Billikens scored three straight points to end the marathon set 31-29.

Saint Louis carried their momentum over to the second set,

using a 7-0 run to take a 14-5 lead over the Racers. The Billikens followed with a 6-1 run for set point at 24-12. In an attempt to fight back, Murray State scored five straight points to make the score 24-17, but a kill for the Billikens sealed the set at 25-17.

The Racers turned the tables in the third set, using a 9-1 run to lead 14-6, with kills from Smith, McClelland and Watts.

The Billikens fought back with a 8-2 run, but still trailed 19-17.

With kills from Watts, Harris, McClelland and sophomore middle blocker Taylor Beasley, the Racers closed out the set 25-21.

The Billikens took control in the fourth set, never letting the Racers take the lead.

Murray State was able to cut the deficit to two points at 1715, with kills from McClelland, Watts, Harris and Smith. However, Saint Louis closed out the set 25-20 to win the game 3-1.

Watts recorded a career-high 29 kills for her sixth straight game of 20+ kills and finished the Invitational with 70 total.

McClelland followed with nine kills while Smith and Harris each counted four.

Fernandez led the defense with 23 digs, securing her spot on the All-Tournament team. Miller contributed 17 digs while DeMier added 10 and tallied 43 assists.

The Racers will continue on the road as they travel to Statesboro, Georgia, to compete in the Eagle Invitational against Florida International University and Georgia Southern University on Sept. 10-11, beginning at 9 a.m.

Photo courtesy of D av e W inder/ R acer A thletics Sophomore midfielder H ailey Cole recorded two assists in the R acers win against Florida I nternational.

Only seven minutes into the first half, sophomore midfielder Audrey Henry found the net for the first time this season assisted by sophomore midfielder Hailey Cole to give the Racers a 1-0 lead.

It wasn’t until two minutes into the second half that the Panthers responded, putting the ball in the goal to tie the score 1-1; however, 12 minutes later senior midfielder Symone Cooper scored the game-winning goal for the Racers with another assist from Cole, making the final score 2-1.

The Panthers outshot the Racers 19-11 with 11 shots on goal while the Racers only tallied five.

Junior goalkeeper Jenna Villacres ended the game with 10 saves while FIU counted three. Cole earned her third assist of the season.

With the two wins over the weekend, Murray State’s record improved to 4-1 this season.

The Racers will continue on the road to Bloomington, Indiana, to take on Indiana University on Thursday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m.

Sept. 9, 2021

LIFESTYLE

7

Fulbright Specialist Program selects professor Chemistry instructor matched with project in Colombia Erinn Finley Contributing Writer efinley1@murraystate.edu

T

he Fulbright Specialist Program has chosen a Murray State professor for its research project selection process.

Bommanna Loganathan, professor of environmental and analytical chemistry, will be on the Fulbright Specialist roster for the next four years.

“Fulbright Specialists address critical global issues in all disciplines, while building relationships, knowledge and leadership in support of the long-term interests of the United States,” Loganathan said. “Fulbright alumni have achieved distinction in many fields, including 60 who have been awarded Nobel Prizes, 88 who have received Pulitzer Prizes and 39 who have served as a head of state or government.”

Leaders of the Fulbright Specialist Program send American faculty and professionals to serve as researchers and expert consultants at overseas academic institutions. These professionals advise on curriculum, faculty development, institu-

Photo courtesy of Bommanna Loganathan Fulbright Specialist Bommanna Loganathan, Murray State professor, analyzes blood samples in an Environmental National Laboratory.

tional planning and related subjects.

“Acceptance to the program places my candidacy among a competitive pool of candidates who are eligible to be matched with projects designed by host institutions in more than 160 countries around the world, at any time during their four-year tenure on the roster,” Logana-

than said.

Loganathan matched with a project titled, “Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Environment.” This project was located at the Universidad Ean in Bogata, Colombia.

This specific Fulbright Specialist Project seeks to understand the historical contamination of highly toxic persistent

Edward’s dissertation is a novel titled, “The Diving Season.” The novel focuses on the generational trauma of a Native American girl who lives in a fictionalized version of a town named Larissa, Texas, where other Native American girls are being kidnapped.

Edward said the novel takes place in the 1950s and discusses the Native American removal, relocation and the practice of establishing and running residential schools.

Edward researched American history in order to find a way to make the reader feel the significance of Native American history in a fictional narrative.

Edward has published a collection of short stories, a chapter book, numerous essays and a few poems. Edward says the publishing process can be very difficult, so being tenacious and developing a thick skin is a necessity.

Outside of the classroom, however, Edward says (s)he is a person who enjoys a variety of athletic pursuits.

“I’m a powerlifter, so I spend a lot of time in the gym,” Edward said. “I’m trying to become a runner, too, but that’s slow going . . . I also really like games—video games, board games, etc. I’m a console gamer and am still waiting for the next Elder Scrolls game.”

Photo courtesy of Gwendolyn Edward Gwendolyn Edward was hired in August as assistant professor of English and creative writing.

organic pollutants by using sediment cores. This involves taking samples of sediment and tracking data such as dates and temporal trends. Temporal trends are long-term, historical change in pollution by persistent, toxic chemicals.

see Fulbright, page 8

New professor shares journey in education Raleigh Hightower Contributing Writer rhightower@murraystate.edu

A

ssistant Professor Gwendolyn Edward joined the English department at Murray State in August to further his/her education in creative writing.

Edward was born in Dallas, Texas, and spent his/her formative years split between Dallas and Detroit, Michigan. Edward began his/her college education at the University of North Texas where (s)he holds a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in history and English.

“It took me years to officially become an English major,” Edward said. “I started out studying classics, but I did not love learning Latin and Greek, so I moved into studying European history.”

Edward studied creative writing at Bennington College, where (s)he obtained a Master of Fine Art, and the University of Missouri, where (s)he completed his/her PhD. “Creative writing has allowed me to understand myself and the world in ways I’m not sure I could have otherwise,” Edward said. “I treasure this, but sometimes it’s hard because understanding the world isn’t to me most of the time a positive thing.”

Within the discipline of English, Edward also studied Native American literature, global anglophone literature, disability theory and literature and folkloristics.

Edward’s research focuses on how writers from marginalized communities assert autonomy through creative writing and the power structures and practices that keep people from telling their stories.

“It’s important for me that we, the ‘big we,’ make space and listen to people who are marginalized, and creative writing is a field where anyone can tell the story they want to tell,” Edward said.

What I really appreciate is the immediate sense of community I’ve found.

— Gwendolyn Edward, assistant professor of English and creative writing

Edward also spends his/her free time learning about quantum mechanics and is interested in visiting local state parks and restaurants.

Edward heard about Murray State through an uncle who was raised in Paducah. Edward decided to work here because (s)he says (s)he wanted to be at a primarily

teaching institution.

Edward said the hiring process with the English department was straightforward, even during COVID-19.

“After I submitted my application, I went through two rounds of interviews, one of them being a full day long,” Edward said. “I talked to other faculty in my department, the dean, and I read an excerpt of my creative work. It was all over Zoom, so it was nice to be able to do it all from my home office instead of traveling during COVID.” Edward said (s)he believes that

compared to Dallas and Detroit, (s)he will find Murray to be a more stress-free location and appreciates Murray’s sense of community.

“Large cities can really overwhelm me, and I feel like Murray isn’t going to stress me out,” Edward said. “What I really appreciate is the immediate sense of community I’ve found — both on campus and literally in my own neighborhood.”

Edward teaches two creative writing classes this semester: ENG 214, Introduction to Creative Writing, and ENG 105, Critical Reading, Writing and Inquiry.

LIFESTYLE

8

Fulbright, from page 7 Sediment cores are collected using a one-meter long hollow tube pushed in the bottom of a lake. It is then brought to a lab where they cut it into two-centimeter segments; each segment is then analyzed for pollutant levels and age.

These persistent organic pollutants are called “forever chemicals.” These are highly toxic chemicals that are not easily biodegradable. They are transported through the air and cause environmental and health problems for both wildlife and humans.

Loganathan said forever chemicals include agricultural pesticides, industrial chemicals and some pharmaceutical and personal care products.

It was a great honor for me to visit such a beautiful city— population 8 million— and interact and work with Universidad Ean. . . including elected officials from Colombia.

— Bommanna Loganathan, professor of environmental and analytical chemistry

Through the Fulbright Specialist Program, the Universidad Ean in Bogota, Colombia offered a position on this project for a professional to help solve polluted soil issues. The Fulbright Program posted it on their website and allowed professionals to apply.

“Among the pool of submitted applicants, Universidad Ean selected my application as their top choice to their project

dealing with persistent organic pollutants in the environment and compound specific radionuclide sediment finger-printing,” Loganathan said.

Loganathan says the Fulbright project lasted two weeks.

He says the Universidad Ean has a beautiful campus with a state-of-the-art building, classrooms and laboratory facilities.

Loganathan said it is roughly the size of Murray State with approximately 10,000 students.

“It was a great honor for me to visit such a beautiful city — population 8 million — and interact and work with Universidad Ean students, faculty, professionals and administrators, including elected officials from Colombia,” Loganathan said.

During this time, Loganathan says he delivered lectures, conducted workshops and participated in panel discussions. He also engaged in dialogues with faculty and administrators at Universidad Ean and Murray State, leading to long-term teaching and research collaborations between the two universities.

“I am very proud of Dr. Loganathan and his many teaching and research accomplishments,” said President Bob Jackson. “He brings great pride to the University and his Fulbright Specialist designation recognizes his research, work with students, teaching and expertise in his field.”

Loganathan says he also attended Colombian cultural programs, visited the Botero Museum and Monserrate Mountain, but communication was challenging as he does not speak Spanish.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, most activities at the university had a hybrid format with some people in-person and others participating via Zoom or similar programs.

In May, the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board announced the Fulbright Specialist Program award. Recipients are chosen based on academic and professional achievement, leadership in their field and potential to foster long-term cooperation between institutions in the United States and abroad.

Murray State offered me all the necessary opportunities during the last 24 years to attain the level that is needed to be selected as a Fulbright Specialist.

— Bommanna Loganathan, professor of environmental and analytical chemistry

Loganathan and his students have been conducting research on these chemicals for more than two decades. Based on their results, they could describe environmental behavior and the long-lasting effects of these chemicals in the environment.

They also could find ways to prevent exposure and harmful health effects.

A few years ago, Loganathan says he and his students collected sediment samples from Kentucky Lake and analyzed them for persistent organic pollutants. They dated the sediments through radio-chronology.

Radio-chronology uses radioactive isotopes, which are

Sept. 9, 2021

different forms of a chemical element, to determine the age of sediment, soil or fossils.

For example, the radioisotope method is used to date dinosaur skeletons.

Using this data, Loganathan and his students described the temporal trends of these pollutants in the lake. This process is identical to the one he used in his Fulbright Specialist Project for the Universidad Ean. Loganathan has been teaching at Murray State for 24 years.

He taught for three years as a postdoctoral fellow and 21 years as a professor. This semester, he is teaching both undergraduate and graduate level courses. At the undergraduate level he is teaching Introductory Chemistry and Senior Research. At the graduate level he is teaching Thesis Research.

“Murray State offered me all the necessary opportunities during the last 24 years to attain the level that is needed to be selected as a Fulbright Specialist,” Loganathan said. “I am thankful to the Fulbright Specialist Program, Fulbright World Learning, Fulbright Commission Colombia, the Colombian Institute for Education Credit and Technical Studies Abroad, Universidad Ean and my home institution, Murray State University for all the support and encouragement.”

For further information about the Fulbright Program visit the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’s page on the Fulbright Specialist Program website at eca.state.gov/fulbright.

To view Loganathan’s published works, visit TheNews.org.