The
S TUDENT P RINTZ www.studentprintz.com
SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927
February 16, 2012
Volume 96 Issue 39
ALUMNI
USM grad to appear on reality show Justin Mitchell News Editor A Southern Miss graduate will represent Mississippi on this season of CBS’s reality show Amazing Race as she and her partner travel around the world in hopes of winning $1 million. Kerri Jones Paul is a 2004 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. She is originally from Pass Christian, Miss. and currently works for the City of Gulfport as recreational events and cultural programs coordinator. Paul and her first cousin Stacy Bowers will be competing as the “Pink Team” on the show. In their video interview with CBS, they call themselves “Double Trouble.” “We love doing adventurous things, anything that is out of the ordinary,” Paul said. “My cousin and I are big fans of the show,” Paul said. “We decided it would be a great opportunity to experience a challenge together in our adult lives. Stacy lives overseas, so I don’t get to see her as much as I’d like.” The duo said they would be
considered the “cutesy divas” of the show. “Kerri is a very fun, down-toearth person, but she’s very Jerseylicous,” Bower said about her cousin and teammate. “I really think that in her previous life she lived on the Jersey shore.” Paul and Bowers said that the other teams might underestimate them because they are feminine, sassy women from the South. “We are well traveled and well versed,” Paul said. “Stacy and I will never give up. We have a “no backing down” type of personality. We’re gonna go until we can’t go anymore.” Paul is hopeful that she and Bowers will lead the “Pink Team” to victory. “Let’s put this in the positive,” Paul said. “We love to win. We don’t hate to lose, we love to win.” Paul has a bachelor’s degree in speech communication and a master’s of public relations from USM. During her time as a Golden Eagle, Paul held many positions and offices around campus in groups such as Freshman Associates and Residence Hall Association. She was the president of Alpha Kappa
Alpha, Inc. and was senior homecoming maid in 2004. Bowers is also a native of Pass Christian and a graduate of Mississippi State University. Paul encourages students to follow their dreams and be persistent. “I’ve found success, but I’ve also found roadblocks, pun intended,” Paul said. “We’ve worked hard and stopped at nothing to achieve our goals. Don’t ever stop chasing your dreams.” Season 20 of Amazing Race airs on CBS this Sunday at 7 p.m.
Check out Kerri and Stacy’s bio video for the Amazing Race on the CBS website! http://www.cbs.com/ shows/amazing_race/video/2189939717/the-amazing-race-meet-kerri-stacy Courtesy of CBS
USM graduate Kerri Jones Paul (left) and her cousin Stacy Bowers (right) get ready to begin their journey on “The Amazing Race,” a reality televesion show that will have the duo travel around the world for a chance to win $1 million.
NATIONAL
ON CAMPUS
Birth control debate continues President Barack Obama’s new policy on birth control has infuriated Republicans and some Catholics. The new ruling would require religious schools, hospitals and institutions to provide contraceptive coverage for their employees. Republicans have dubbed the policy as an “unambiguous attack on religious freedom in our country.” The White House, arguing that Obama is looking for a way to alleviate concerns, has taken a stoic approach in the president’s defense.
But the White House isn’t the only place backing his decision. “Women’s health care should not depend on who the boss is,” said Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky. The controversial mandate exploded as House Speaker John Boehner accused the administration of surpassing the First Amendment. “This attack by the federal government on religious freedom in our country cannot stand, and will not stand,” said Boehner, who is Catholic. The issue has caused some major bumps in the road of the presidential race, angering sev-
BASKETBALL
WEATHER
Rachel Beech Printz Writer
Justin Sellers/Printz
Joe Thomas, a sophomore exercise science major, enjoys the warmer weather by reading outside Southern Hall on Wednesday.
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eral religious groups—specifically Catholics— who say the law goes against long-standing beliefs against contraception. This controversy has become closely aligned with issues on the forefront of the election year, such as the economy, and the new mandate could possibly drive away some of Obama’s greatest religious allies. Obama’s top Catholic supporter, archbishop Douglas Kmiec, has indicated there is a chance he may not support Obama because of the new mandate, which forces religious employers to pay for insurance cov-
See OBAMA, 3
INDEX Calendar ........................ 2 News .............................. 3 Feature ...........................4 Arts & Entertainment......5 Opinion ...........................6 Sports...............................8