The Student Printz: Nov. 3, 2021

SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • NOVEMBER 3, 2021 | VOLUME 107 | ISSUE 11

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MIA WESLEY

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Southern Miss Soccer wins division title for first time in program history

Some Golden Eagles cheer after scoring a goal against UTSA.

CHARLIE LUTTRELL SM2 NEWS DIRECTOR

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fter a 1-1 draw against UTSA, Southern Miss Soccer became the Conference USA West Division Champions for the first time in program history.

“I’m just so proud of these young ladies, how hard they’ve worked and stayed resilient in tough times,” Head Coach Mohammed El-Zare said. “Looking back nine years ago, people didn’t believe it could be done at Southern Miss, but I’ve got one thing to tell you. It can be done at Southern Miss and you can do it in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.”

The milestone marked a height El-Zare and his teams had never reached before, and did so with a

squad of 11 freshmen. This is especially impressive considering the short turnaround the team faced from last spring.

El-Zare credited everything from the mix of young talent to leadership from returning veterans to the team’s success in challenging conditions.

“It was hard in the beginning but the leadership within this team, the seniors and everybody from the 2020 season, they stepped up,” El-Zare said. “They are experienced in being in those competitive environments and they helped us get through.”

Coming into the game, the Golden Eagles needed a win or tie to earn the title and UTSA fought hard for the chance to spoil it. The returning veterans and four graduate students had even

final home game performance as she recorded nine saves. El-Zare credited both her play and leadership for the game’s ultimate outcome.

“Not only does she bring an impact on the field, but she mentors younger players. In the second overtime, she stepped up on the sideline and coached the players,” El-Zare said. “I didn’t say a word in that second overtime between the break. [... As] a coach, you’ve got to trust and let go and let them at times solve the problems. She led us and got us the result that we needed.”

“She’s the best keeper I have ever played with,” freshman Ilana Izquierdo said. “She’s so good as a Charlie Luttrell | Printz player [and] as a person, and she’s more to prove in that game with a the best leader we have here. She’s always working so hard.” chance to make history.

And on the attack, it was Izqui“The seniors this year all came erdo’s freshman talent that netted back because we care so much a goal in the 67th minute, tying about this program,” senior goalthe game and earning her seventh keeper Kendell Mindnich said. score of the season.

“We wanted it so bad and I know “It was a free kick for us and [...] I’ve put so much of my heart I wasn’t expecting the ball, but and soul into this program and I it was perfect timing,” Izquierdo just want to see it do well. I want said. the freshmen, the newcomers to Izquierdo’s goal pushed Southjust know how much I care and ern Miss to its fifth overtime of I want to blend that into them to know that our culture matters here the season and helped the team earn the draw after two scoreless and we just want to win champiperiods. onships.”

The Golden Eagles earn a bye Mindnich allowed a goal shortas the number one seed in the ly after the start of the second C-USA Tournament, which will half, but otherwise minimized be held in Boca Raton, Florida.

UTSA’s attack throughout the game. Even though the Roadrun- Southern Miss will face the winner of the Charlotte vs. FAU game on ners outshot Southern Miss 17-7, Mindnich’s desire showed in her Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.

NEWS MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS SM2 News Director

Charlie Luttrell charles.luttrell@usm.edu

NOVEMBER 3, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM Changes to Nursing program promise to help students save time, money

Executive Editor

MARY MURPHY EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Sports Director

he University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Professional Nursing Practice recently made substantial changes to their Nursing RN-BSN program, which they believe will help students graduate with better qualifications in less time.

The RN-BSN program, which helps students and practicing nurses get their bachelor’s degree in four years, is changing multiple requirements for graduation for Fall 2022. The program heads believe these changes will help make their students more marketable in the workplace, as well as allowing many to graduate ahead of schedule.

“The changes in the program will decrease the cost to the student as well as make the student more marketable in leadership positions,” said Dr. Elizabeth Holman, the RN-BSN Coordinator and an Assistant Teaching Professor.

The first major change comes with the number of credit hours required to graduate, which has been almost halved. Students will only need 30 credit hours before being able to apply for

Mary Murphy mary.s.murphy@usm.edu Austin Lindsey austin.lindsey@usm.edu

Entertainment/Features Editor Loren Jones loren.jones@usm.edu

SMTV Executive Producer Sarah Kofman sarah.kofman@usm.edu

Printz Reporters

Garret Grove garret.grove@usm.edu Morgan Lawrence morgan.lawrence@usm.edu Kyra Lampley kyra.lampley@usm.edu

Photographer

Sean Smith seanasmith@usm.edu

The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.

Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

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graduation, as opposed to the currently required 66 credit hours.

With students now able to graduate within three semesters, many are able to better balance work and social commitments.

These changes tie into recent efforts by the College of Nursing and Health Professions to make the program more affordable.

In addition to the credit hour changes, which significantly reduces the amount of tuition needed to attend Southern Miss, they are also working to secure more scholarship funds specifically for the RN-BSN program.

Recently, the college was awarded $100,000 in scholarship funding from the Jimmy A. Payne Foundation, with $50,000 being dispersed this year and $50,000 next year.

Stace Mercier, the Executive Director of the USM Foundation, was thrilled about the massive donation, as it will help current and future students achieve their dreams.

“Jim Payne was a true Golden Eagle -- his passion for Southern Miss was unfaltering. We admire his vision and outstanding gen-

erosity during his lifetime and well beyond,” said Mercier. “His legacy will live on in perpetuity through each student receiving these great gifts of education.”

Beyond the credit hour changes, the RN-BSN program now features a new management certification that does not require any additional fees to obtain.

“The Sigma Nurse Manager Certificate is provided by Sigma Theta Tau, the nursing honor society, after the students complete 16 courses and other learning activities,” said Holman.

“The courses and activities have been included in the curriculum for the RN-BSN program, and once all 16 courses have been completed, students earn the Sigma Nurse Manager Certificate. Students will complete all the courses for the certificate during the fall semester of the RN-BSN program. The cost of the certificate is included in the current RN-BSN tuition, so students do not have any additional fees to complete this program.”

The School of Professional Nursing Practice has also added a Quality Matters Certified course, the Health Assessment and Health Promotion certification, to the curriculum.

“This certification ensures that online classes are delivered with the best methods available.”

Dr. Tom Hutchinson, the Dean of Online Learning and Enrollment, said. “Having this certification means the class offers an extra layer of confidence behind what the students experience.”

The Nursing RN-BSN program admits students during the fall, spring and summer semesters, and offers additional flexibility for nurses looking to continue their education.

For more information, visit the Nursing program’s official website at www.usm.edu/undergraduate-programs/nursing.

NEWS

NOVEMBER 3, 2021

In light of recent events, we decided to dedicate this section to various crisis hotlines and counseling services. If you or anyone you know are struggling, please know that you are not alone.

Southern Miss Student Counseling Services www.usm.edu/student-counseling-services/index 601.266.4829 (during business hours) 601.606.4357 (after business hours) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov 1-800-662-4357 (HELP) Crisis Text Line https://www.crisistextline.org Text HOME to 741741 The National Grad Crisis Hotline https://gradresources.org/crisis/ 1-877-472-3457 (1-877-GRAD-HLP) RAINN National Sexual Violence Hotline https://www.rainn.org 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE) Suicide Prevention Lifeline (For Deaf or Hard of Hearing People) https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help-yourself/for-deaf-hardof-hearing/ For TTY Users: Use your preferred relay service, or dial 711, then 1-800-273-8255

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NOVEMBER 3, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM NEWS IHL complies with Executive Order requiring public university employees to be vaccinated GARRET GROVE PRINTZ REPORTER

Currently, seven states are suing the Biden administration over this executive order. Mishe Board of Trustees sissippi is not one of the states within the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL) included in the lawsuit.

Rodney Bennett, the Presivoted 9-3 on a measure that dent of University of Southern would require employees at all Mississippi, explained the order’s public universities in Mississippi impact on the university in an to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 8. email. He said that faculty and The Oct. 25 decision is in staff need to receive their final response to Executive Order 14042, which was signed by Pres- dose of the vaccine by Nov. 24 so they can be considered fully vacident Joe Biden on Sept. 9. This order establishes new COVID-19 cinated by the Dec. 8 deadline.

“There could be potential imsafety protocols for federal conpacts to your employment status tractors, which includes a vaccine with the University if you are not mandate. Employees at Missisvaccinated in time, and you do sippi public universities are connot qualify for a legal, medical or sidered federal contractors and religious exception,” Bennett said subcontractors in both measures, in the email. and are therefore expected to Bennett was not available for comply with the order. comment, but Spokesperson and

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Chief Communication Officer James Coll forwarded the aforementioned email to the Student Printz.

Prior to the October announcement, the IHL and Southern Miss have not imposed any vaccine requirements on campus. In October, Southern Miss’s Faculty Senate passed a vaccine mandate resolution that was mostly symbolic in nature, as a September ruling by the IHL blocked individual IHL institutions from implementing their own vaccine mandates.

Robert Press is the Welfare and Environment Committee Chair in the Faculty Senate.

Press said that this new measure and existing measures do not go far enough to ensure the safety of the campus community.

“Masks are not the best protection[.] Vaccinations are much better, so we’re a long way from being a real safe campus,” Press said.

Oscar Coles is a first year Ph.D. student researching military history at Southern Miss.

Originally from the United Kingdom, he moved to Hattiesburg this past August. Cole said that in the U.K., mandatory vaccinations are a routine part of life, even before the pandemic.

“If you’ve had vaccines before, why would you be against this one?” Coles said. “I’m sure they’re some people who’ve never got vaccinated before, but I believe the majority of us have, in the U.K. and in the U.S. So this is just another one.”

The vaccine mandate for employees also applies to student workers on campus. Dee Dee Anderson, the Vice President for Student Affairs, conveyed similar messaging as President Bennett in an email sent to students work-

ing at USM. “If you are not vaccinated by the deadline, there could be potential negative impacts on your employment status with the University,” Anderson said.

Anderson was otherwise not available for comment at the time of publication.

Junior Ricky Marcellus is a Music Education major at Southern Miss. He works at the rock wall within the Payne Center on campus. Marcellus, who is fully vaccinated, said that the employee vaccine mandate was needed.

“I want things to go back to normal just as much as anyone else,” Marcellus said. “My view is that this isn’t for me -- this is for everyone else. I got vaccinated and I wear my mask for everyone else.”

Marcellus also told the Printz that the rock climbing community and staff has mostly been receptive of the new measure.

However, this has not been uniform among all student workers.

Sophomore Todd Coulter is a Public Health major and Resident Assistant at Southern Miss.

Coulter is fully vaccinated, but many of his fellow RAs are not.

He said those RAs have reacted negatively to the vaccine mandate for student workers.

“People have very strong and firm beliefs in not getting vaccinated and so, having to be forced to be vaccinated has, you know, given a little bit of a stir,” Coulter said.

Proof of vaccination for university employees will need to be submitted to Southern Miss’s HR system by Dec. 3. Instructions for record submission and information regarding medical, legal, work and religious exemptions, can be accessed on Southern Miss’s website.

NOVEMBER 3, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM NEWS Southern Miss’s Parking and Transit Office explains how parking tickets work violation and a boot/tow citation,” said Cochran.

However, there is a way for stuor a lot of students atdents, faculty and staff to avoid the tending the University worst of fines. Parking and Transit of Southern Mississippi, Services has a designated appeals parking tickets are a common prob- office available through their weblem. It’s easy to park in the wrong site, which you can also find linked spot and not realize it until you find to your emailed parking ticket. an electronic parking ticket waiting “When a citation is issued, the in your email. recipient can follow a link in the Parking is an extremely pricemailed citation or log into their ey issue, too. Parking permits for parking account to file an appeal,” on-campus residents can cost said Cochran. “Once filed, you anywhere from 90 to 162 dollars, will receive a confirmation email depending on whether someone and the citation will be put on hold pays on a yearly or semester-by-se- pending hearing. You will also be mester basis. Regardless of how notified via email prior to your much someone pays for a pass, hearing date so that accommodathough, the parking tickets have a tions can be made if you wish to fixed rate. If Parking and Transit come in person.”

Services find a car in the wrong The appeals process is not only spot, the ticket will cost 25 dollars run by people within Parking and every time.

Transit Services, either. Student ciAnd the consequences can get tations go before a student judicial worse from there. Jacob Cochran, board for review, while faculty and the Director of Auxiliary Services staff members have their tickets for Southern Miss’s Parking and reviewed by a faculty/staff judiTransit office, explained how the cial board. It is then their ultimate price for tickets can increase even decision whether someone’s ticket without “an escalating price strucis reduced or removed, or if their ture for repeated citations”. ticket is removed at all. “[Repeat] offenders can be “After a decision is reached, the booted or towed depending on the person will receive the verdict by violation and how many citations email within two-three days,” said they have previously received. So Cochran. you will receive a citation for the All that being said, anyone lookMARY MURPHY EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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ing to go through the appeal process should be able to produce an acceptable reason for their ticket’s dismissal. The Parking and Transit Office’s website has a tab dedicated to the appeal process, located at www.usm.edu/parking-transit-services/citation-hearing-and-appeals-procedure. This section includes a list of “unacceptable reasons” for someone to make an appeal over. Some of these reasons include: • the inability to find a legal parking space, • being late for class, • experiencing bad weather • or saying someone else parked the vehicle.

During his interview, Cochran mentioned that there has been an increase of students illegally parking in spots designated for disabled people lately. Students who do require those parking spaces should make sure to submit a photo of the front and back of their placard alongside their virtual permit.

Otherwise, those spots should be left alone.

But, as always, the best way to avoid a parking ticket is to pay attention to signs around the campus that designate the lot’s parking zone. Students, faculty and staff can also check to see where their correct zone is at www.usm.

edu/parking-transit-services/campus-maps.

Cochran also said that the parking situation should be getting better soon, especially for the west side of campus.

“The Ross Boulevard North Parking lot is nearing completion and should be fully open to commuter students soon,” said Cochran. “Even with the lot being closed at the beginning of the semester, Ross Boulevard South, 34th, 35th and Scholarship Hall never [fill] up.”

Students who are looking to move around campus without a car may also want to look into the Gold Route, a specially designed track of Hub City Transit that helps students, faculty and staff get around Southern Miss’s Hattiesburg campus and surrounding areas. The ride is free as long as someone can produce a valid Southern Miss ID. “Also, if students would like a guaranteed parking space, Parking and Transit Services has a few extra reserved spaces in the garage available for purchase,” Cochran said.

To learn more about anything mentioned here, visit www.usm. edu/parking-transit-services/index.

PHOTO GALLERY

NOVEMBER 3, 2021

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Local house venue Spice World hosts final show in Hattiesburg SARAH KOFMAN SMTV EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Audience members take turns smashing, stomping and kicking a flatscreen TV in the middle of Spice World.

Henry Coleman performing lead vocals for Eyesore.

Sarah Krock plays drums for Baghead.

Hampton Martin, head of DIY label Earth Girl, taping a homemade sign to the wall before performing.

Ashur Smith performing lead vocals for Fumes.

FEATURE

NOVEMBER 3, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM

Under the Needle: how Hattiesburg’s tattoo culture affects USM’s Nursing students SARAH KOFMAN SMTV EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

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s Hattiesburg’s tattooing industry grows around the University of Southern Mississippi, students have more access than ever to tattoos. But how will industries with traditionally negative views of tattoos, such as Nursing, respond to the influx of tattooed workers when Southern Miss’s students begin joining the workforce?

Brandi Bruce works for Lady Luck Tattoo and has been a tattoo artist for 13 years. She has worked both in and out of Hattiesburg for around ten years. Bruce believes the tattoo industry is definitely “booming” around Hattiesburg.

“To have so many tattoo shops in this area, especially close to the university, [...] it can be overwhelming sometimes, and I’m pretty sure college students feel that,” Bruce said.

Bruce also said Lady Luck Tattoo’s clientele is primarily college students, estimating that between 80 and 85 percent of clients are USM students.

These clients include many nurses and nursing students, and Bruce acknowledges the stigmas against tattoos that exist within healthcare professions.

“I've been tattooing for 13 years,” Bruce said, “and watching it evolve over the past 13 years, it's definitely gotten better. But again, you know, we live in this world where we've got privately-owned hospitals, state run hospitals, federally run hospitals and everything, right? Of course they're going to have more regulations.”

With the popularity of tattoos increasing and college students flooding many tattoo shops across Hattiesburg, one must question whether the stigmas associated with tattoos will affect tattooed students’ perceived professionalism as they leave USM and search for jobs, especially in the healthcare field.

Rusty Anderson, the Director of Career Services at Southern Miss, assists students and alumni as they

choose their majors, hone their interview skills and prepare resumes and cover letters. Anderson believes professionalism is important for students and alumni as they interview for jobs, but that it is not impacted by body modifications, like tattoos, to the same degree as it once was.

“It’s going to vary from employer to employer,” Anderson said. “Some employers don’t have any objections to tattoos as long as they’re covered in the work environment. Other employers couldn’t care less.”

Anderson believes a lot of healthcare professions fall into the later category.

“In the healthcare field, I think it’s probably more of a trend to have tattoos that aren’t visible, but they’re not going to not hire somebody because of a tattoo in the interview,” said Anderson. “They might ask that it be covered in some cases.”

While Anderson said the issue of maintaining professionalism while getting tattoos is not brought up by students at Career Services, some students with visible tattoos receive coaching on how to approach job interviews and openly discuss their body art with employers. Career Service’s website also offers students numerous diagrams and images of appropriate dress codes for different interviews and events, but they do not include information on acceptable workplace tattoos.

Some healthcare facilities in Hattiesburg have dress codes that tend to approach visible tattoos with a conservative attitude, however.

Forrest General Hospital’s dress code policy explicitly says, “Any tattoos, whether temporary or permanent, must not be visible.”

Lynn Welford has been a registered nurse for nearly 25 years, and she has worked in Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. Welford suggests that regional differences contribute to the social stigmas surrounding tattoos in the medical field.

“Mississippi, I believe, is just very conservative when it comes to tattooing and piercings,” said Welford.

While Welford’s workplace, Southern Bone and Joint Associates, P.A., does have a dress code policy

prohibiting visible tattoos, the rule is rarely observed. Welford said numerous nurses at the clinic have visible tattoos.

“It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t have a tattoo nowadays.

People without tattoos are becoming the exception,” Welford said with a laugh.

While some clinics might approach tattoo policies with a lenient attitude, Welford also noted that Forrest General Hospital’s tattoo policy is strictly observed. She knows nurses have been sent home from the hospital for wearing clothes that revealed their tattoos.

Welford believes the strict dress codes within the medical field are primarily due to the wide variety of patients healthcare workers treat.

“Something we have to take into consideration as healthcare professionals is that we’re taking care right now of a generation of people where those things were not accepted,” Welford said. “A lot of older people still have those negative feelings about tattoos and piercings.”

Welford hopes that dress code policies in the healthcare industry will be revised as new nurses enter leadership positions within hospitals and clinics.

“I honestly think that those rules are enforced because their dress codes have not been updated,” said Welford.

Welford herself has a small spar-

row tattoo on her wrist. She said the tattoo helps her connect with her patients, who frequently ask about it while she checks their vital signs.

“It opens up dialogue that’s not just about healthcare,” Welford said. “As a healthcare professional, you [realize people] become more personable when they see you have a tattoo.”

Welford’s tattoo was done at Hattiesburg Tattoo by Tyler Davis, who works with nurses and nursing students to find appropriate tattoo placings for their field and comfort.

“If, for instance, you couldn’t have a tattoo beneath the elbow, couldn’t have anything on your forearms, wrists or anything like that, we would just figure out where you can have it and go from there and choose the spot that you like the most,” said Davis.

Davis also had some advice for nursing students curious about getting tattoos.

“If you’re concerned about your career and perceived professionalism, do not get tattooed on your hands, neck or face, no matter what it is,” Davis said. “Avoid those spots completely.”

Bruce also agrees that hand, neck and face tattoos are considered “unprofessional” for healthcare workers, and are generally seen as pretty hardcore.

“Don’t get a tattoo that’s harder than you,” Bruce said.

8 ENTERTAINMENT

NOVEMBER 3, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM

SMAC offers safe but spooky delights at Kid’s Halloween Carnival

MORGAN LAWRENCE PRINTZ REPORTER

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ad weather did not stop the Southern Miss Activities Council (SMAC) from hosting an afternoon of spooky fun at their annual Kid’s Halloween Carnival.

The event was originally planned to be outside at Weathersby Lawn at 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 27. However, heavy thunderstorms in the area moved the event inside the R.C. Student Union.

Children from around Hattiesburg were encouraged to wear Halloween costumes and stop by different booths to play games.

Classic carnival games like ring toss and corn hole were available, as well as educational activities like making slime with the Polymer Science Club. There were also booths dedicated to face painting, trick or treating, photography and music to help keep festivities going.

Most of the booths at the event were set up by student organizations. This included clubs like SMAC, the Vietnamese Club, the Social Club, the French Association and the Marine Conservation Club.

Jayla Jones, senior Marine Biologist major and the Events Director for SMAC, said SMAC enjoys hosting events like the Kids Hal-

loween Carnival because it helps promote diversity on campus.

“We try to partner with other organizations to connect and get the community together,” said Jones.

Makaela Durham, a senior Kinesio-Therapy major and the President of SMAC, said it takes a lot of work to host events like the carnival. However, she also said that it “feels freeing to live in the moment” after everything is put together and in action.

“We at SMAC do events for the school campus and try to get the school engaged with the community,” said Durham. “We’re like a family. We try to be bigger [and] do better.”

Nuriel Perkins, a junior Biology major, was the main force in organizing the Kid’s Halloween Carnival as the event coordinator.

She said the actual arrangement of the event went smoothly despite the unexpected weather.

Perkins also said she was especially glad to hold the carnival this year as, while an annual event, it was not able to live up to its full potential because of the pandemic.

She believes being able to bring these fun activities back was delightful to Southern Miss and the

One of the booths set up for the Kid’s Halloween Carnival.

Loren Jones | Printz

local community.

“I hope that everyone enjoys it since it’s been two years [since it was properly held],” said Perkins.

“I hope they have a fun time and eat a lot of candy. It’s a fun event for kids and students alike.”

Some of the booths tried to promote education while also having festive activities. Megan Hansen, a junior Marine Biology major and the President of the Marine Conservation Club, was happy to teach children about the kind of things that her club represents.

“We are really excited to be back,” said Hansen. “Our table is about ghost fishing, and we are trying to make education fun for the kids. We are having the kids assimilate that they are a sawfish, and

they get caught in a net. We just wanted the kids to have fun [and] the whole community enjoys it.”

Hansen said that her organization does clean ups of bodies of water in the Hattiesburg area.

Their club is open to all majors, and no dues are required to get involved.

The Kid’s Halloween Carnival not only helped fill the air with the Halloween spirit, but also helped connect different organizations on campus to the community. Adults and children gathered in creative costumes to enjoy a fun and informative afternoon out.

To keep with other events SMAC hosts throughout the year, you can visit SMAC’s various social media pages.

ENTERTAINMENT

NOVEMBER 3, 2021

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Southern Miss Eagle Dining hosts second ever Karaoke Night KYRA LAMPLEY PRINTZ REPORTER

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outhern Miss’s Eagle Dining, working in conjunction with the Southern Miss Wing Company, hosted its second Karaoke Night on Oct. 26.

Students gathered in The Courtyard for a song-filled night of their favorite songs. Students sang musical hits from a wide variety of musicians, from pop singer Ariana Grande to jazz singer Michael Bublé. It helped many indulge in a couple of hours of stress-free fun.

Amy Lemenager, who works in marketing for Eagle Dining, said she hopes this event will increase the amount of student participation on campus.

“We’re putting on this event so that we can get more involvement on campus and more opportunities to open up The Courtyard for the students,” she said.

The Courtyard proved a good spot to host the event. Many students could be seen enjoying the outdoor space of The Courtyard as every single table and chair throughout the venue was occu-

pied.

Freshman Dajiah Green said that she enjoyed the karaoke night.

“I love listening to people sing, so I’m really excited for this,” said Green. “I’m also looking forward to meeting new people.”

Not every student who showed up to the event got up and sang.

They instead chose to cheer on those who did gather the courage to get on stage in front of everyone, keeping the atmosphere light. Some students even began to line dance to several songs.

Almost every student there looked as if the stress of the past week had somehow finally escaped their minds.

“We had this event almost a month ago inside the Southern Wing Company and we had a really big turnout. We’re hoping the same for tonight and the rest of the karaoke nights we do for this semester,” said Lemenager.

Junior Rodney Richards and his group of friends were among those who showed up to the event. He had not initially planned to participate in karaoke, but said he was excited for that

The new Courtyard mural, located across the Cook Library.

night’s activities.

“I just kind of showed up, so I’m looking forward to it,” said Richards.

Since the karaoke nights have been successful so far, students can expect them to become a regular event on campus. They are a great way for students to take their minds off the stress of schoolwork and classes for just a little bit of time, and to hang out with new people with similar hobbies. With the Fall semester

Charlie Luttrell | Printz

halfway done, it is a relief to see that students can still enjoy events such as these.

Karaoke nights are a must for any Southern Miss student to attend. They are easy, laid-back and, most of all, fun. Students should keep a lookout on the Eagle Dining social media pages to see when the next karaoke event will be held. Until then, they may want to start thinking up a song they would like to sing.

NOVEMBER 3, 2021 10 SPORTS Southern Miss drops sixth straight game after loss to Middle Tennessee State

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AUSTIN LINDSEY SPORTS DIRECTOR

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oming off of their bye week, the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (1-7) traveled to Murfreesboro, Tennessee and continued their six-game losing streak in a 35-10 loss to the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (4-4).

“We’re just not a very good football team and we have to do everything right to have a chance,” Head Coach Will Hall said.

Southern Miss played three different quarterbacks in the game, including former student coach Jake Smithhart, after starter Jake Lange and backup Tee Webb

posted a combined quarterback rating of 18.6. Southern Miss has now allowed nine quarterbacks on its roster to receive a snap under center during the season.

By the end of the first half, Lange had been sacked seven times, turning over the football three times.

Middle Tennessee capitalized off Southern Miss’s mishaps, scoring 21 points off turnovers. Two key mishaps occurred in the first half which allowed the Blue Raiders to take control of the game.

The first, taking place mere seconds before the first quarter

ended, was a blocked punt off the foot of Mason Hunt, which was returned for an 18-yard touchdown by MTSU’s Tra Fluellen.

The second took the form of a 29-yard scoop and score fumble recovery by defensive lineman Jordan Branch after a 20-yard sack on Jake Lange by safety Deidrick Stanley.

“The blocked punt coupled with the fumble scoop and score was a killer. It really felt like we had control of the game from the stats of the first half. Those two plays were the difference,” said Hall.

At the half, Southern Miss had 17 first downs and 146 total yards to Middle Tennessee's six first downs and 96 total yards. Still, the Golden Eagles trailed 21-7.

By the end of the game, Lange completed 16 of 34 passes for 166 yards, throwing two interceptions and two fumbles. Lange’s second interception was particularly brutal, as the overthrown ball was returned 43 yards by cornerback DQ Thomas, making the score 35-10 with 26 seconds left in the third.

As a defensive unit, Middle Tennessee forced five turnovers and blocked a punt, also returning that for a touchdown.

Southern Miss also faced another gut-wrencher as, early in the third quarter, Frank Gore Jr. went down clutching his knee. He did not return to the field after being escorted off. Gore had 20 carries for 83 yards before going down.

As the offense struggled throughout the game, the Golden Eagles’s defense made up a bit of the momentum.

Outside linebacker Josh Carr forced a fumble from the MTSU quarterback, which then led to a 12-yard leaping touchdown reception by Jason Brownlee on a fade

with 7:47 left in the first. Brownlee would be one of the few bright spots offensively for the Golden Eagles as he broke a career-high in receiving yards with nine catches for 120 yards.

On the Blue Raiders' next drive, defensive back Eric Scott Jr. intercepted the Blue Raiders’s quarterback Chase Cunnigham on Southern Miss’s eight yard line.

Cunningham did not return after suffering a non-contact injury, which led to backup Mike DiLiello replacing him.

Then the turnovers began for Southern Miss, as Lange was sacked and stripped by MTSU defensive lineman Jordan Ferguson, leading to a six-yard touchdown run from DiLiello. Afterward, things became grim for the Golden Eagles as MTSU scored 14 more points, totaling 21 unanswered points.

Southern Miss could only muster three more points in the game on Briggs Bourgeois’ 38-yard kick in the third quarter.

Though the score did not reflect it, Southern Miss offense did move the ball, with 23 first downs on 234 total yards to Middle Tennessee’s 16 first downs.

“We were moving the ball, we just never could make the play to get us over the hump,” said Hall.

Meanwhile, Southern Miss’s Nasty Bunch forced four turnovers and only gave up 14 offensive points on 287 total yards to Middle Tennessee.

“I was proud of our defense for not letting them in the endzone. I thought we played really hard on defense,” said Hall.

Southern Miss now travels back home to host North Texas (2-6), who just came off a 30-24 overtime win versus Rice.

SPORTS

NOVEMBER 3, 2021 Soccer, volleyball teams celebrate graduating players during Senior Night

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11

SEAN SMITH AND CHARLIE LUTTRELL PHOTOGRAPHERS

Senior goalkeeper Kendell Mindnich hugs Head Coach Mohammed El-Zare after her final home game.

Lauren Talbert waves to the crowd in her final home game at Southern Miss.

Sophomore Maddie Stayer hugs senior Addie Ashton, who holds a bouquet.

Senior Ariel Diaz hugs Head Coach Mohammed El-Zare during Senior Night.

NOVEMBER 3, 2021 12 SPORTS Freshman transfer soars in first season for Southern Miss Volleyball

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CHARLIE LUTTRELL SM2 NEWS DIRECTOR

W

hile Southern Miss Volleyball recovers from six-game losing streak, the squad has shone throughout most of the season.

This is especially true for freshman Mia Wesley, who has recorded 389 kills throughout her first 26 games at Southern Miss.

The outside hitter currently sits at No. 11 on the NCAA leaderboards for most kills in the 2021 season.

“She’s so competitive and focused,” Head Coach Stephanie Radecki said. “It’s really nice to have her on the floor. People like to play next to her and that’s what you want in a volleyball player.”

Wesley, an Orem, Utah native, played at the University of Portland last year, where she recorded 217 kills and 12 service aces, a team-high. With an extra year of eligibility, Wesley entered the transfer portal at the end of last season, looking for a new school.

After a two-hour phone conversation with Radecki, Wesley was sold on Southern Miss, and packed her bags to make the 2,540-mile trip to Hattiesburg.

Hattiesburg wasn’t completely new to Wesley, though. She spent a summer in the city when she was 11, which helped her acclimate to Southern Miss better.

Her parents were also supportive in the lead up to the move, saying that she would fit in well when she arrived.

“The transition has been great. Southern hospitality is such a real thing and people here are just so welcoming,” Wesley said. “My teammates have been super welcoming as well.”

Throughout the interview, Wesley emphasized her passion

Mia Wesley attempts a kill in a match against Louisiana Tech.

for volleyball and her intent to go pro, following in the footsteps of her father. Wesley’s father, Mekelli Wesley, played professional basketball in Europe and for Guam’s national team.

Like her father, Wesley grew up playing basketball. She mostly played center, utilizing her six-foot frame and high vertical jump to great effect. However, she then realized her skill set would be far better in an otherwise unfamiliar sport.

“Everyone in my family always played basketball, so I did growing up, too,” Wesley said. “I had an aunt who was like, ‘Hey, bring her to volleyball, she might really like it’. I immediately fell in love with the sport.”

While Wesley abandoned her basketball career, she says she still plays it with her brother to help train during the volleyball offseason.

Wesley also joked that her father initially was disappointed

that she chose volleyball over basketball, but that he has since supported her a lot throughout her career.

“Both of my parents have been extremely good role models to me, especially my dad [as he’s] a pro athlete. He definitely pushed me to pursue my athletic goals and when I started playing, I wanted to get a scholarship, and he pushed me to be my best in the sport,” Wesley said.

Wesley also said her family helps a lot with her offseason regiment, which helped further fuel her drive to achieve what she has throughout this season.

“I love lifting and I feel like that has a lot to do with my success,” Wesley said. “It’s my favorite part of the grind because you can go lift heavier and push yourself and I love maxing out.

It’s part of my family, too. I get up in the morning and lift with my dad and am always staying active. [...] I feel like it’s just

Sean Smith | Printz

credit to the offseason and putting in the work.”

While the team has dropped eight of its ten conference matchups after a 4-0 start to the season, Wesley is hopeful for the program's future, and looks to close out the season strong.

“I feel like we are just on our way to greatness. [...] We are going to the top,” Wesley said.

“We are grinding as a team, everybody wants to get better and everybody’s competing. We have a lot of super competitive girls, which I really like, and I’m just excited to see how far this team is going to go.”

Wesley also said she plans to join other indoor teammates to play for Southern Miss Beach Volleyball.

“I love beach volleyball. After this year, I’m definitely going to be playing both, which is super exciting,” Wesley said.