The Student Printz May 2, 2018

MAY 2, 2018 VOLUME 102 ISSUE 29

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News

Hattiesburg Burlesque Returns

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Entertainment Review of the new Avengers film

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Sports

Three Golden Eagles were selected in the NFL Draft

serving southern miss since 1927

SGA will be rewriting the constitution over the summer break Caleb McCluskey printz reporter

The Student Government Association of Southern Miss announced they will begin working on revisions to the SGA constitution over the summer and into the fall semester of the 2018/2019 school year. The rewrites will include a code of ethics for members of the SGA, make clarifications and fix inconsistencies within the document.

SGA President and junior communications major McKenna Stone said she has been considering the revisions for a year but was waiting for the SGA to confirm the revisions.

“There is a lot of exciting potential for real change,” Stone said. “What motivated me to change the constitution would be all of the contradictions.”

Stone said the SGA has gotten to the point where a rewrite is needed, partly because of the new leadership that has occurred. Lauren-Hunter Gaudet, a sophomore political science major and SGA Attorney General, said she believes it has been four or five years since the last revision and, like Stone, sees the importance of it.

One of the biggest changes to the constitution will be the inclusion of a

code of ethics for the SGA. “Right now, the Senate has the power to impeach officers, but there is nothing stating the removal of SGA membership,” Stone said.

“So what is holding SGA members accountable in terms of ethical qualities?”

Gaudet said as attorney general her job is to read and interpret the SGA constitution, and she will be very involved with the writing and editing process that will come.

“I like to think of the SGA constitution as my baby. I have to be familiar with all of it,” Gaudet said. “We have already begun the process rewriting the constitution.

I have looked through it from beginning to end looking for all of the inconsistencies.”

“I am going into my third year on SGA,” Gaudet said. “I’ve read through [the constitution] myself. I am very clear on how it works, but it is a very hard read even for me.

There are things I read through that I still don’t understand.”

Stone said that other than the code of ethics there will also be an addition to the election process, making it possible to vote online rather than at the election booths they currently use. Stone said other SGA’s around the country have already implemented this method.

The rewrite came in response to the academic reorganization within Southern Miss in order to better accommodate students.

Caroline Carney SGA Senate President Pro Tempore, Senator for the College of Arts and Letters and double major in history and political science said the merger will be taken into account with the new structure of the SGA senate.

“As it works now, we have representatives from all of the colleges,” Carney said. “What our job will be at the constitutional conventions will be to try to figure out how to proportion the seats to where every student is represented.”

Stone also stressed the cooperation between the Hattiesburg and Gulf park campuses. She said the two SGA governing bodies will be working together to update the constitution.

“We, for the first time, are actually partnering with the SGA at the Gulf park campus.” Stone said.

“Right now there is nothing in the constitution that recognizes [Gulf Park SGA] or the partnership we formed with them.”

Stone said the SGA president at the Gulf Park campus will be calling for a constitutional revision soon as well. Stone declined to give specific examples of revisions or clarifications.

“I don’t want to be too specific because, until I meet with the committee, I really can’t give those specifics,” Stone said. “I want to keep it as vague as possible to give the committee the autonomy they deserve.”

Stone said students will not be

directly affected by the changes unless they decide to become a part of the SGA, but the SGA constitution is an important part of student government because they have to check it before any decision can be made.

Courtesy Photo

Gallery features ‘What were you wearing?’ exhibit Nate Schumann news editor

Southern Miss is currently partnering with the Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention to host an exhibit in the Cook Library Art Gallery as a part of the “What were you wearing?” movement.

The “What were you wearing?” campaign began at the University of Kansas as a means of combating the myth that one’s clothing choices could be the source of an assault.

The campaign itself was inspired by the poem, “What I was Wearing,” by Mary Simmerling.

Survivors of sexual assault offered testimonies regarding the clothes they were wearing when they were assaulted, and recreations of those outfits were assembled and displayed so that people could view them and empathize.

Southern Miss’ Committee on Services and Resources for Women caught wind of this movement through the media and felt that message of the campaign was important. Given that April is National Sexual Assault

Awareness Month, the CSRW had been looking for a way to recognize assault survivors in the Hattiesburg area.

“Our hope is that our campus and Hattiesburg community is able to view the collection and realize the pervasiveness of the problem of sexual assault, as well as understand that what one wears has nothing to do with being targeted for sexual assault,” Melanie Leuty, a member of the CSRW and one of the leading members of this project, said.

The CSRW contacted the project organizer, Jennifer Brockman from the University of Kansas, to determine what resources would be needed for Southern Miss to host an exhibit. Needing a cosponsor from a local sexual assault advocacy group, Leuty contacted the director of the Shafer Crisis Center, Kim Newell.

The CSRW wanted to get other organizations on campus involved in the exhibit so that the event would be more visible, so Leuty and her colleague Stacy Creel reached out to a number of campus organizations and offices through email to see if any would like to

sponsor a survivor story.

A total of 15 organizations on campus committed to sponsoring a survivor story. Those that did were shared the list of 50 survivor stories that described each survivor’s account of what she/

he was wearing when sexually assaulted so that they could select one or more to sponsor. From there, each organization was responsible for obtaining clothing to recreate the described outfits.

The Sexual Assault Prevention

Nate Schumann, Printz “What Are You Wearing?” exhibit in Cook library.

Ambassadors was one of 15 on-campus organizations that participated.

SAPA Vice President Amanda Pridgen said that seeing the outfits give the testimonies a further sense of authenticity.

“The incorporation of the outfits and the stories that go along with them make the experience real and fill the audience with that emotional feeling of, ‘Wow, this actually happens,’” Pridgen said. “I hope the display will show people the reality of sexual assault and hopefully raise awareness – show that sexual assault can happen to anyone, no matter what age, race, gender or sex.”

“I am hoping that this has facilitated some conversation, some boiling blood on the subject of sexual assault, and some more people ready to stand with us and join the fight to end sexual assaults for good,” SAPA President Selma Newbill said.

Southern Miss’ “What were you wearing?” exhibit is currently set up in the Cook Art Gallery, and the outfits will remain on display until the end of May.

MAY 2, 2018 ANDREW ABADIE

Assistant Sports Editor andrew.abadie@usm.edu

KAITLYN WATKINS

SARAH ANNE SCHLOEMER

ALYSSA BASS

DEVON DOLLAR

NATE SCHUMANN

KYLE WILLIAMS

CARLTON MCGRONE

CAMERON CUMMINS

JHAIMEE BULLOCK

AMBER COBBINS

ASHLEY HOBSON

CHUCK COOK

Executive Editor kaitlyn.watkins@usm.edu Managing Editor alyssa.bass@usm.edu News Editor nate.schumann@usm.edu Entertainment Editor carlton.mcgrone@usm.edu Design Editor jhaimee.bullock@usm.edu Social Media Editor ashley.hobson@usm.edu

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Photo Editor devon.dollar@usm.edu Sports Editor kyle.e.williams@usm.edu Printz Designer cameron.cummins@usm.edu

The Cook Library will have 24-hour access this week from Monday, April 29 to Thursday, May 3. Twenty-four-hour access will resume on Sunday, May 7 at 12 p.m. and end on Thursday, May 9 at midnight.

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OPINIONS

EDITORIAL POLICY The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily 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 submissions 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.

Stand Up, Mississippi is a statewide initiative to end the opioid crisis and inspire all Mississippians to work together to create a stronger and healthier future.

Together, we can end the opioid crisis.

StandUpMS.org

MAY 2, 2018

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SMAC and Freshmen Associates hold crawfish fest Hannah Beaver printz reporter

This year’s Crawfish Fest featured food, games, and music. The event allowed students the opportunity to wind down as well as enjoy an evening of fun on campus before they prepare to take final exams.

The annual Crawfish Fest takes places every spring before finals week. It serves as the last major event held on campus by the Southern Miss Activities Council for the school year.

SMAC is a student-run organization that develops special events specifically for Southern Miss students. SMAC holds multiple events each semester that are free for students to attend.

“It’s a long-standing USM tradition,” Nia Jenkins, the event director for the SMAC, said. “We have free crawfish, free events, free stuff for the students to do. It’s just a good end-of-the-year event.”

Along with the SMAC, the SGA Freshman Associates helped sponsor this year’s Crawfish Fest as well.

Both the crawfish and the event itself were a hit with the students.

While many students have attended the event in the past, many students in every classification had not.

“The crawfish were good,” English major Emily Rasch said. “[Crawfish Fest] was good because I’m a junior and I was experiencing this for the first time.”

With the swipe of a student ID, students had access to free food including crawfish, hamburgers and hotdogs. Once a student swiped their ID, they were given a wristband. The wristbands gave students access to any of the games or inflatables as well as the food for the entire evening. The event was held on Centennial Lawn outside of the Hub. Students were able to grab their friends and a plate of crawfish and spread out on the grass to enjoy the weather and the event.

Entering the last few weeks of the semester, students have begun preparing for final exams. As one of the last major events before finals week, SMAC’s Crawfish Fest gives students the chance to

take a break with their friends and classmates before they have to focus on finishing the semester and taking their final exams.

“I like how we can just come together and enjoy ourselves,” freshman nursing major Tiara Lewis said. “It’s just really nice.”

Every hour during the event, SMAC held a new competition that gave students the chance to win prizes. Volunteers could compete in different games, like a balloon toss, and ultimately win gift cards to restaurants around town. In addition to games, caricature artist Ricky Nobile also lent his talents to the event. Students could get a personalized caricature drawn for them. Another favorite among students were two inflatable obstacle courses, one of which allowed students to race their friends. A mechanical bull and a photo booth were also fun additions.

Crawfish Fest is not just reserved for Southern Miss students.

Members of the Hattiesburg community were invited to attend as well.

Hannah Beaver, Printz The Southern Miss Activites Council held its annual Crawfish Fest on April 27.

Hattiesburlesque Returns to the Thirsty Hippo James Massengale printz reporter

The girls (and guys) from Hattiesburlesque are ready to titillate fans with another amazing show as the event returns at the Thirsty Hippo.

Abigail Allen and Rebecca Chandler founded Hattiesburlesque, a burlesque-inspired musical revue, in 2013. This will be the ninth installment the group has produced.

Courtesy Photo

Allen is an artist who loves to create.

“Hattiesburlesque is a celebration of beauty in all shapes in sizes and ages and colors and backgrounds,” Allen said. “It’s really high energy and it’s more like a revival than a strip show.

That’s for sure. It makes people feel more beautiful when they come.”

Allen said that one addition made to the performance in the last show is a catwalk. “The catwalk has added to the show because now there are no bad seats in the house,” she said.

“If you’ve never seen a show, it won’t

seem abnormal, but we have dancers all around the audience, and upon the bar.”

Rebecca Chandler is a choreographer who runs Hattiesburg Ballroom and Beyond in downtown Hattiesburg. “When we started this, we only had fifteen dancers, and now we have double that,” Chandler said.

“In the past, we’ve held auditions, but now we have so many dancers that are able to perform.”

Allison Neville has been involved with Hattiesburlesque since 2015.

“Hattiesburlesque is a show that’s not just for women – it’s for the people and about feeling good about yourself,” Neville said. “It’s about leaving your inhibitions at the door and tapping into your creativity. There is no theme for this particular show, which I enjoy because it opens up the song selection and we don’t feel boxed in to adhere to any themes.”

Brittany Purvis, who was voted best burlesque performer in the Pine Belt in 2017, is a local comedian and emcees the show. “The way I always

describe Hattiesburlesque to people is that it’s a sexy dance recital,” Purvis said. “Because of the decency laws in our city, we can’t get nude or anything like that. I’ve been doing stand-up for over 5 years now, and once I started hosting this burlesque show, I was like, oh, I like this more than stand-up.”

The first show begins at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, and the following begin at 9 p.m. on Friday, May 4, and on Saturday, May 5. Tickets can be found at www.thirstyhippo.com.

MAY 2, 2018

Internships provide students valuable experience Caleb McCluskey printz reporter

Southern Miss offers students seeking work experience assistance in obtaining internship opportunities.

Carlee Welch-Dick, a senior broadcast journalism major who has completed an internship with WDAM and has been interning at the University Communications Office for the past two years, said interning helped her to pin down the career field she wants to pursue. “[An internship] helps with knowing your industry and what options are out there,” Welch-Dick said. “Why have just any parttime job when you can have a paid internship that bolsters your resume and shows employers you already have hands-on experience?”

“Internships are a wonderful dress rehearsal for going out there and finding a job,” Assistant Director and Internship Coordinator for the School of Mass Communication and Journalism Cindy Blackwell said.

“I have a lot of students ask if I can assign them an internship. I can’t do that. I can’t assign them a job.

[Internships] are the opportunity to put themselves out there” Welch-Dick said interning was

extremely worth pursuing because it helped her build professional connections she would not otherwise have been able to obtain.

It also taught her the differences between collegiate and professional environments. “[Students] take for granted the way they communicate with professors and, for the most part, do things on their own time,” WelchDick said. “In the professional world, there is a different standard of communication. You must follow up on every email and be extremely deadline-aware.”

“We like to help students find, fund and give recognition for internships,” Lisa Stevens, the director of the Center for Pathway Experiences, a center that serves to help students in locating internships said.

“There is always time [to set up an internship],” Stevens said. “We encourage students to ask even if a company does not list an internship on their website. Many companies don’t have a structured program but would like to hire someone. All it takes is asking.”

Stevens said students looking for internships should be confident in their resumes and portfolios. The center holds résumé critiques and one-on-one meetings to ensure they have their best qualities and

skills listed.

“A lot of times, students have a lot great things about themselves they are not putting on their résumés, and having that one-onone conversation helps bring a lot of that stuff out,” Stevens said.

Senior international business major Mary Kate Lott said her internship at Sanderson Farm was great because the internship showed her what working in her field is like. “[Working with a cooperation] was completely different from the classroom,” Lott said. “Learning how the professional world really works was such a great preparation.”

“I truly believe that an internship properly prepares you for the real world and helps you to determine what exactly you want your career to be.” Lott said.

Stevens said many departments do not have a director for internships, but the center aids students in finding opportunities to further their career goals. The School of Mass Communications and Journalism is one department, though, with a director and program.

Blackwell said her department has a formal internship program because they want students to get the most out of their internships.

Caleb McCluskey, Printz Lisa Stevens, director of The Center of Pathways Experiences.

Blackwell said students and the companies have a clearer understanding of what each other wants out of the experience when the department has paperwork that states what is expected of the students.

“One of the most important things you can find out about an internship is if a job or career is not what you thought it was,” Blackwell said. “[Students at Southern Miss] are never going to be in a place with more support,” Blackwell said. “There are so many services

on campus that are incredible for any major.”

Blackwell said when students ask her where to start, she presents them with a plethora of options at their disposal such as Career Services, Center for Pathway Experiences and, if they are mass communication and journalism majors, her internship sessions.

For those who are looking to start an internship this summer, but have not found an employer, Stevens believes there is still time, though students’ options will be limited

Three Rock and Roll bands come to the Hippo Caleb McCluskey printz reporter

Clothes, Caver Commodore and Mississippi Shakedown, brought the volume with explosive performances on Thursday, April 27 at the Thirsty Hippo.

Clothes is an indie, shoegaze band that drummer Colin Cameron said is a sub-genre of music that relies heavily on strange effects and loud instrumentals.

Cameron said the group plans to release a new EP soon, but has not settled on a release date. Clothes have, however, released a single, “Never Home,” in anticipation of the aforementioned EP. “Never Home can be found on Spotify and iTunes.

“There is not a sense of carelessness, but carefreeness when we get up there [on stage,]” bassist John Arender said.

Cameron said the band came together for fun and hope that is evident when they play. “Our songs were born out of our friendship,” Cameron said.

Carver Commodore, a rock band from Florence, Alabama, is led by guitarist and vocalist Payton Pruitt. Pruitt said the band subverts audiences expectations of what rock means and prides themselves on their well-practiced performances.

“In the genre, it is ‘sex, drugs and rock and roll,’ but a lot of our songs don’t align with that lifestyle. [Our music] is about

Caleb McCluskey, Printz Carver Commodore playing at the Thirsty Hippo on Thursday.

commitment and Christianity, though it isn’t worship music.”

Pruitt said.

Phillip Blevins, the guitarist, said they began working on a full-length album that should be released within a year.

“I’ve been in a lot of other bands, but it was never straight rock and roll,” Noah Freeman, Carver Commodore drummer, said. “This was one of the last [genres of music] I thought I

would be playing, but ever since I joined the band, I have a new developed love for the genre.”

The Mississippi Shakedown is a rock duo composed of guitarist Chad Edward Cox and drummer Zach Smith.

“We try to keep [our sound] simple and raw,” Smith said.

“We like to keep it as real as possible.”

Like Carver Commodore and Clothes, Mississippi Shakedown

is working on an album. Cox hopes it will be released within five or six months.

Cox said Mississippi Shakedown formed nine years ago, but he and Smith have only played together for a year.

“I feel like we are constantly communicating and listening to each other,” Smith said. “It is fun to look back at videos because it seems like [Smith’s] eyes never leave me. A lot of

our set, my eyes are closed and I am throwing him curve balls not even knowing,” Cox said.

Cox said they are not missing anything without a bassist or other instruments that might level their sound.

“I think we’ve found a way to keep [the sound] full. I don’t find anything lacking, but I may be a little biased,” Cox said.

May 2, 2018

‘Infinity War’ is the first true comic book film Carlton McGrone entertainment editor

Marvel has yet again somehow pulled off the impossible. As stated in almost every other Marvel review from the Printz, MCU fans often feel burnt out on tired, recycled stories of the endless plight of good vs. evil with good constantly being the ultimate victor.

In “Infinity War,” however, Marvel manages to flip the entire MCU on its head, creating a narrative that is truly one of the greatest films ever made.

After 10 years of build-up, “Infinity War” truly displays the full capacity of what Marvel is capable of, constructing the first superhero film that feels like a connected, coherent piece within a massive, unlimited universe and is much like the legacy that comics has offered for decades.

Going into “Infinity War,” fans had one essential question in mind: can this movie possibly live up to the decade of films that have led up to this point? The answer to this question, at least before seeing the film, was an astounding and vocal “No.” With this expansive universe that has cost millions in the making, years of character evolution and thousands of hopes on the line, Marvel has undertaken a beast unlike anything since the massive popularity of the “Star Wars” franchise. Keeping in mind that there have been some critical flops within the MCU, it seems an impossible task to bring together all of the MCU’s significant faces in one cataclysmic event.

Cut to opening night. There’s a packed theater and a stunned, lengthy silence as the ending credits begin to roll.

Marvel had done it. Despite thinking that nothing in this film could amaze me, I was hooked into the narrative from the first few minutes of Tony Stark meeting Doctor Strange and Thanos’ unsightly appearance. Every aspect of this film was spectacular, and after its lengthy runtime of two hours and 40 minutes, I immediately said that I was in desperate need for part two of this fantastic, universe-altering film.

If it can still be referred to as such, “Avengers: Infinity War” is the third film

in the “Avengers” series of movies while also serving as the climax to this initial saga of the MCU. In typical “Avengers” fashion, this movie is meant to show off all off the films that Marvel has added to its roster.

The story picks up years after the Avengers had its climatic falling out in “Captain America: Civil War.” Captain America and his group that defied the Hero Registration Act are still considered war criminals, and Iron Man is preparing to have a child with his newlywed. Meanwhile, unknowingly to Earth’s heroes, the universe is being culled by the “Mad Titan” Thanos in his destructive path to claim all six infinity stones in order to restore balance to the universe. Worlds collide, heroes squabble and only chaos reigns in this almost indescribable event.

Possibly the most surprising thing about “Infinity War” (though its lessthan-impressed critics might disagree) is how connected the storyline is. The biggest fear going into this film was that directors Anthony and Joe Russo would only rush the storyline, making action sequences lose their impact due to a confusing and discombobulated narrative that didn’t know what exactly it wanted to say. Instead, the film feels more solid and thoughtful than any Marvel film before it, considering its sheer scale.

As the Avengers are further split apart, hurdling through separate corners of the universe, the writers clearly made it a priority to not confuse viewers while also making sure to give each character their time in the spotlight, hence splitting the film into two parts. Never was there a time that I wasn’t sure what was going on, even as Black Panther and co. fought aliens in Wakanda in one scene while the Guardians took on Thanos in the next.

There was also never a time where I wished the narrative would slow down, which is surprising considering the film is not shy when it comes to presenting a ridiculous amount of high-stakes payoffs.

Starting off the movie with little time to fully explain the current situation with drawn-out, tiresome exposition, Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Spider-Man

Hannah Beaver, Printz Avengers: Infinity War opened on April 27. are the first to be drawn into combat with the Black Order. From there, the tearjerking scenes are neat places between scenes of absolute carnage following the wake of Thanos and his followers.

Star Lord is faced with a difficult choice concerning Gamora and her father.

Iron Man has to choose between saving the universe or staying home with his potential family, and Spider-Man is just a high school boy on an adventure he hadn’t necessarily signed up for. These multi-faceted sides of our heroes are what truly make this a stunning film.

Gone are the old shackles that held our heroes back from fully exploring their superhero identities. Now in the face of an inter-galactic threat are whole new shackles. As stated earlier, the theme of “choices” is referred to several times throughout the film, much like many traditional superhero movies. This is partially what makes Thanos such an interesting villain as he experiences the

consequences of his choices possibly to a fuller extent than the Avengers.

These choices made by these feuding super-powered beings are not only what defines them as living, breathing entities, but they also literally shape the fate of our existence. Though, that doesn’t mean that on multiple occasions our heroes won’t make unwise decisions based off of their emotions.

Again without going into details, there are several frustrating scenes of the Avengers putting the universe in jeopardy simply because they cannot sacrifice a single life. Though admirable, I do not think it is a stretch to say that multiple dire situations could have been completely avoided if they had gone with the sensible action and broken one or two Infinity Stones as opposed to handing them to Thanos in a feeble attempt to spare their lives.

Despite these minor gripes, seeing the characters in action finally brought back

the nostalgic, spine-tingling moment of seeing franchises collide in “the most anticipated cross-over event in history,” as Marvel put it.

Following the bad taste that “Avengers: Age of Ultron” left with viewers, “Infinity War” truly recaptured the initial grandiose feel of “The Avengers” and propelled the MCU into an actual comic book universe. As Marvel comics often go to other-worldly locations while bringing together multiple heroes to defeat some galactic threat, it was also only a matter of time before the MCU managed to reach such heights. Though we have obviously had a brief taste of this through “The Guardians of the Galaxy” films, nothing will ever compare to seeing my favorite hero, Spider-Man, in his iconic Iron Spider suit on another planet fighting a genocidal god-like being.

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New college football video game to launch in 2020 Grant Chighizola printz reporter

Since the discontinuation of EA Sports’ “NCAA Football” series

iMackulate Vision Gaming

in 2013, many college football fans have longed for another college football game to hit the market. They may just get their wish, as a game named “Gridiron Champions” has been announced

with a projected launch date of 2020.

The game, which will be released by iMackulate Vision Gaming, will be the first collegiate athletics video game released on

the major gaming platforms since “NCAA Football 14.” According to a press release on the Gridiron Champions website, the game will be released for the Xbox, Steam and PlayStation platforms and priced at $59.99.

So far, the game has been prepurchased by more than 1,300 people since it was made available in May 2017.

“There is no college football game on the market that offers a creative experience like Gridiron Champions and we’re excited to be the first to hit the marketplace in 2020,” Alex Lewis, the CEO of iMackulate Vision Gaming said in a press release.

One major difference that will separate “Gridiron Champions” from the old NCAA Football series is that “Gridiron Champions” will not feature the names of current college football teams. Instead, fictitious universities and generic team names will be used for the game. Players of the new game will have the ability to make customized rosters and teams.

In the “NCAA Football”

series, the names of actual NCAA football players were unable to be incorporated into the game due to restrictions. Instead, devoted gamers would edit and create accurate rosters for teams included within the game.

Southern Miss broadcast journalism student Jonathan Smith, who played the “NCAA Football” games as a kid, is looking forward to having another collegiate football game on the market.

“I like it,” Smith said. “I kind of miss playing the NCAA Football [series]. I think they’ll have [IMV] a lot of good sales for it.”

Current professional athletes have also been involved in the project. Current Oakland Raiders offensive lineman and former LSU Tiger Vadal Alexander and Spencer Dinwiddie of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets have been involved with the game as investors.

Despite the generic teams and players included in the game, “Gridiron Champions” potentially fills a void that has existed in the gaming world since 2013.

May 2, 2018

Lanie Leach printz reporter

As my first year of college comes to a close, I am so excited. Don’t get me wrong, college has been terrific, but I am exhausted. The past few weeks have been full of stress and maybe a few tears here and there. But I have learned a lot, and I am not just talking about what I have learned from my dreaded GEC courses. Incoming freshmen, read what I’ve learned during my first year of college and do as you wish.

Something I learned at the beginning of my freshman year was to not take something just because it was handed to you. I don’t mean like a stranger trying to give you a piece of candy (I learned not to accept that in elementary school), but what I do mean is that you should accept something because you want to, and not because society says you should.

A good example of this is when I dropped sorority recruitment because I got to a point where I didn’t know what I wanted anymore. I wasn’t going to join a sorority just to

say I was in a sorority. I wasn’t going to surround myself with people that didn’t accept me for who I am. So, I waited. I waited until I knew what I was looking for in a sorority before joining one. Another example would be standing up for my grades. If I ever knew that I deserved a better grade, or even had a chance to get a better grade, I would do it.

Because of this, I learned to stand up for myself.

In high school, I always avoided confrontation, and this meant I avoided standing up for myself. I know that’s super wimpy, but that’s

just how I was. This year I was presented with many circumstances that pushed me, and I ultimately had to decide between standing by and letting myself be walked over or to standing up for myself and allowing my thoughts to finally be heard. I finally chose the latter, and I have never been so proud of myself.

Something else that I have done, which has made me proud, has been making good grades. Grades have always been a big deal for me since middle school, and I knew that I wanted to keep it that

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way in college However, there came a time when I felt like giving up. School just got so tedious and, honestly, really boring. Like I said before, General Education Courses are dreadful. I didn’t like science in high school, so there’s no way I’m going to like it now.

All in all, freshman year has been a year of learning how college works. From learning how to study, procrastinate, find shortcuts to class and everything in between, freshman year has been a good teacher.

New Netflix original series based on ‘Times’ column Will Veazey printz reporter

The New York Times biweekly column by Lisa Sanders, M.D. “Diagnosis” is collaborating with Netflix to produce a documentary series about rare diseases. Each episode of the series will feature a different patient with a rare disease. Lightbox Entertainment recently posted their first case on Facebook, asking readers to identify a patient’s disease.

The “New York Times” article details the struggles of a young woman named Angel as her body is ravaged by the rare unknown diseases. She had experienced symptoms for as long as she could remember with her first “episode” taking place when she was a little girl.

One day Angel was out hiking with her dog and a friend, the initial hike up the slope was fine.

However, Angel found that she could no longer move her legs on the trek down the slope. Angel collapsed, screaming from the pain. The situation that occurred on that day was by no means the first time this had happened. Her life became a cycle of painful episodes. The routine was the same every time: Her muscles would lock up, causing pain to explode across her body, and she would be taken to the hospital to be stabilized. No doctor was able to diagnose her condition.

Each time she would arrive at the hospital, doctors were only able to determine her muscle tissue had experienced extreme breakdown in the affected areas.

This breakdown of tissue was attributed to many different causes, none of which have proved to be Angel’s true illness.

The nature of the Facebook post is to harness the power of isolated connectivity to achieve a diagnosis for Angel. At the bottom of the article, there is a spot to put your name, email and proposed diagnosis. The post garnered many diagnoses from participants, and, those who the producers believe might have diagnosed Angel will get an opportunity to be on the show.

“Diagnosis” will include a total of eight episodes. Each episode’s patients will be uncovered by Sanders, who is an associate professor at the Yale School of Medicine. The approach to the rest of the episodes will include the same usage of social media, isolated connectivity and the internet in general.

The show also aims to not only acquire diagnoses for the patients but also hopefully find the cure for these diseases. If nothing else, the rare diseases that are exemplified in the show will hopefully receive raised awareness for the patients. The release date for “Diagnosis” has not been determined at this time.

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Cameron Cummins, Printz

May 2, 2018

www.studentprintz.com

Obesity: a consistent silent killer in Mississippi Chelsea Claverie printz contributor

Mississippi has the second highest rate of adult obesity in the United States, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health. Many Mississippians suffer from diseases related to obesity, and the rate continues to rise. These chronic diseases include obesity-related cancer, hypertension and coronary heart disease. Numerous factors contribute to the rise of obesity in Mississippi. However, the Mississippi Department of Health is partnering with the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) program to address this alarming problem.

From the color we wear to the type of music we blast from our car speakers, we make choices daily. Life is full of choices.

Ultimately, it is up to us to decide what is most beneficial. Some choices are bigger than others, and some choices have long-term effects.

According to the Mississippi Department of Health obesity action plan, in 2016, 24.8 percent of Mississippians died from heart disease, 5.3 percent of Mississippians died from a stroke and 3.4 percent died from diabetes. The cost of obesity is way too high.

The rate of obesity will continue to rise in the next 20 years, according to the Mississippi Department of Health.

At the center of this issue is the debate about who is responsible. Some blame the convenience of fast food restaurants

for the rising obesity epidemic. Others blame the individual. The southern part of the United States is most affected by obesity, especially the state of Mississippi.

The Mississippi Department of Health is currently making efforts through the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) program to decrease the rising rates of obesity as well as to prevent obesity in the state.

The program plans to prevent obesity in the state through healthy nutrition and increased activity levels. DNPAO is also partnering with the Office of Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Blue Cross Blue Shield State and School Employees’ Health Insurance Plan to further implement this plan. Funding will be increased for public awareness campaigns that encourage physical activity and healthy options.

According to the Mississippi Department of Health Obesity Action Plan 2018, DNPAO will make healthier foods and beverages easier to access, which includes farmer’s markets and community gardens. The Mississippi Department of Health will also target schools to prevent obesity. Funds will be provided to schools across the state to create healthy nutritional options for schools and an environment that promotes more physical activity, such as walking or biking to school.

Through this plan, Mississippi hopes to raise awareness and to encourage better lifestyle choices to lengthen the lives of their citizens.

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Flint, Michigan, still doesn’t have clean water Lanie Leach printz reporter

Amidst the ever-present problems engulfing the United States, one problem remains unspoken of even though it may be the worst of all.

This problem does not only affect school children, adults, babies, politicians, alt-leftists or alt-rightists.

This is a problem that can affect every citizen of the United States.

The problem is clean drinking water and stems from many sources, such as pipelines surrounding areas of water supply and Flint, Michigan.

Why deprive people of water that is safe to drink?

The Native American Tribe of the Sioux and allies protested the pipeline construction for months.

The protests were for their right to access clean drinking water. They stood during the cold winter of Cannonball, North Dakota, with signs that read “Mni Wiconi” which translates to “Water is life.” Plans to go ahead with the construction of the pipeline passed in February of 2017. The Dakota Access Pipeline’s website reads that, “The DAPL is the safest and most environmentally sensitive way to transport crude oil from domestic wells to American consumers.”

The DAPL has had five spills in six months as of January 2018. In October of 2017, representatives from Energy Transfer Partners, the cooperation responsible for DAPL, went to Iowa to present “a series of $20,000 checks to emergency management departments in six counties. The money was, in part, an acknowledgment of the months of anti-pipeline protests that had taxed local agencies during

construction, but it was also a nod to the possibility of environmental contamination,” “The Intercept” reporter Alleen Brown said.

The Keystone XL Pipeline leaked in November in rural South Dakota. This leak was nearly double the original estimate, making it one of the largest U.S. inland oil spills since 2010.

According to a press release, “Friends of the Earth’s initial analysis is that the State Department’s updated environmental impact review failed to acknowledge the true extent of the project’s threats to the climate, drinking water and the health of people who would breathe polluted air from refineries processing the dirty tar sands oil, among other glaring oversights.”

These water problems are not all because of pipelines. The problem in Flint was caused by its government’s decision to change their water supply source from the Detroit water system to the Flint River. This was initially proposed to save money but has been costing the city so much more than just money.

People have reported smelling urine, losing hair and generating rashes on their bodies. Children had so much lead in their blood from the water that the city had to declare a state of emergency in 2015.

There are also water problems engulfing poor rural areas in the United States. Liquids of various scents and color spew from the sinks of many Americans in Martin county, KY. “I’ll be honest with you, you never know when you go in there and turn on the faucet if you have water, or if you ain’t going to have no water,” Gary Michael Hunt told “The New Republic.”

It is blamed on poor water

Courtesy Photo infrastructure and a financial problem which does not look like it will be fixed any time soon.

The fact that there are no laws that state all Americans have a guarantee to clean water is sickening.

Households lose their access to water on a daily basis simply because they cannot afford their bills. Now, more than one third of Americans

are at risk of not being able to afford water. To combat this, the Environmental Protection Agency has recommended that water and wastewater services should not make up more than 4.5 percent of a household’s income. Some cities are even trying to restructure water bill rates in proportion with household income rates.

People need to be paying much more attention to the water crisis impacting America. Water should be protected and fought for as much as guns are. As a basic necessity for life, water must be thought of as something that needs to be kept safe, and it is our job to do so.

May 2, 2018

www.studentprintz.com

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Multiple Golden Eagles selected in NFL Draft Andrew Abadie

assistant sports editor For the first time since 2004, three Golden Eagles were picked in the NFL Draft, which is the most by any of the Conference USA schools.

Defensive back Tarvarius Moore led the Golden Eagles draft class after being picked in the third round (No. 95 overall) by the San Francisco 49ers. The pick used to select Moore was acquired last Friday in the trade that sent offensive tack Trent Brown to the New England Patriots.

Although Moore was not projected to be drafted in most mock drafts, it is safe to say he left an impression at his Pro Day workout where he posted a 4.32 40-yard dash and had a vertical jump of 39 1/2 inches.

Moore played safety but will most likely move to cornerback based on the 49ers defensive scheme. Moore will be able to sit behind Richard Sherman and is projected to work his way into seeing playing time as a rookie.

Running back Ito Smith followed in the fourth round (No. 126 overall) and is the first Southern Miss

running back to be drafted since 1998. Smith is the all-time leader in all-purpose yards at 6,462 and is the 10th player in FBS history to have 4,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving. Smith will most likely serve as a return specialist and play a role in being a thirdstring running back when needed.

It is worth noting that secondstring Tevin Coleman is in his final contract year and has also had several injuries in his early career.

Smith is also a viable option for a running back that can be involved in the passing game.

Surprisingly, defensive back Cornell Armstrong was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round (No. 209 overall). Armstrong was the second defensive back selected by the Dolphins with their first pick being Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Armstrong will probably start out with special teams due to his speed, but he could see playing time in the future based on how unsteady the Dolphins defense will be.

Wide receiver Korey Robertson’s expectations fell short after being projected to go in as high as the third

round in multiple mock drafts and being invited to the NFL combine.

Robertson signed as an undrafted free agent to the Minnesota Vikings despite not being drafted.

Robertson will join former Golden Eagles Dylan Bradley and Rashod Hill.

Other Golden Eagles will also get the opportunity to extend their careers. Tight end Julian Allen, offensive lineman Devin Farrior, defensive lineman Draper Riley and defensive Curtis Mikell have been invited to try out at rookie minicamps.

No.11 Southern Miss wins nine games in a row Kyle Williams sports editor

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Devon Dollar, Printz NIck Sandlin throws complete game in first Friday start in two weeks.

The Southern Miss baseball team swept C-USA opponent Old Dominion this past weekend on the road. Southern Miss extended its winning streak to nine games and improved its record to 32-11 and 16-4 in conference play.

The bats were sluggish for both sides in the opening game of the series, but a solid performance behind the arm of junior Nick Sandlin allowed Southern Miss to find its offense. It took seven innings, but the Golden Eagles finally managed to take advantage of a Mason Irby walk. Matthew Guidry delivered an RBI-double down the right field line that allowed Irby to score and gave the Golden Eagles their first lead of the game, 1-0. The Golden Eagles added another run in the top of the ninth to solidify the win.

Nick Sandlin faced 30 batters and recorded 10 strikeouts. Sandlin only allowed three hits on the night and walked two. Sandlin did not allow more than one runner to occupy the bases the entire contest. The shutout victory gave Sandlin his sixth win on the season, which kept his record a perfect 6-0.

After only recording nine hits in game one, Southern Miss bounced back in game two with 15 hits to claim the 9-4 victory.

The Golden Eagles took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning after Daniel Keating homered to left field, his fourth of the season. In the fourth

inning, Guidry and Reynolds each had doubles that each allowed a run to score, extending the Southern Miss lead to 4-1.

Southern Miss answered later in the game by scoring two-runs in consecutive innings to kill the Monarchs’ chances.

Southern Miss put four pitchers on the mound, and all of them delivered.

Starter Stevie Powers pitched four innings and allowed three runs on eight hits and one strikeout. In the two and a half innings he pitched, reliever Trent Driver allowed one run and one hit from the 10 batters he faced.

Southern Miss’ explosive offense carried over to game three as it recorded another 15-hit game. This relentless offense helped Southern Miss complete the sweep, 9-2.

The Golden Eagles yet again got out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning of game three. Matt Wallner kicked off scoring with an RBI single, which was followed by an RBI double from Keating that allowed one more run to score in the inning.

Old Dominion answered in the bottom of the second inning with one run scored, but the consistent offense from the Golden Eagles proved to be too much. The Golden Eagles managed to score in six of nine innings and recorded two runs in three of those innings to seal the win.

Southern Miss will look to build upon this success in their Tuesday game against rival Tulane at home and then travel to play the University of Alabama at Birmingham starting on May 4 with first pitch at 6:30 p.m.