MISSISSIPPIAN THE Daily
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Jordan Center debuts with symposium on risks and rewards of artificial intelligence
The University of Mississippi’s Jordan Center for Journalism Advocacy and Innovation hosted its first symposium titled “Addressing the Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Democracy” on April 2-3.
The Jordan Center was created in 2024 through a $4 million donation made by two former UM professors, Jerry and Jean Jordan, with the goal of fostering critical media literacy.
For the event, industry experts, journalists and academics traveled from across the country to deliv -
er speeches and participate in panels on topics including AI, social media, disinformation and censorship.
Members of the public, students and faculty members attended the event.
“We wanted to bring the best thinkers together,” Interim Director of the Jordan Center Jamie Barnett said. “What we think we’ve done is create a cadre of a now-educated audience of people who can be warriors in seeking the truth and advocating for journalism.”
ASB holds joint Senate meeting following spring elections
Members of the Associated Student Body meet on April 1.
for research initiative
The university will receive a portion of $50 million from OpenAI to explore the integration of artificial intelligence in education, research and service to benefit students.
The University of Mississippi is one of the 15 member institutions of OpenAI’s NextGenAI initiative.
The initiative, which will provide a total of $50 million in research grant money and artificial intelligence materials to member institutions, has a goal of “using AI to accelerate research breakthroughs and transform education,” according to OpenAI.
The American artificial intelligence company operates ChatGPT, a large language model chatbot.
UM is one of only three universities from the Southeastern Conference chosen by OpenAI, alongside the University of Georgia and Texas A&M University.
Other institutions include the California Institute of Technology, the California State University system, Duke University, Harvard University, Howard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Oxford, The Ohio State University, the Paris Institute of Political Sciences (Sciences Po). The Boston Children’s Hospital, the Boston Public Library and OpenAI are also members of the initiative.
Wes Jennings, co-director of the university’s National Center for Narrative Intelligence and UM criminal justice professor, played a key role in both attracting attention from OpenAI and securing the partnership.
“They reached out to us, which means that we’re already on the map, so to speak, nationally, in doing AI forward thinking research,” Jennings said. “We’ve embraced the technology and the evolution of tools because we wanted to be out there on the forefront of it, so, that way, we could be on the ground level for this partnership.”
Two of the programs involved in this research are the UM Institute of Data Science, which studies machine learning and data science, and the UM Center for Practical Ethics, which discusses the ethical uses of AI.
In 2024, the Center for Practical Ethics received a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to create a model for AI ethics education, partnering with Texas A&M University and Virginia Tech University.
The university initially received $50,000 from the initiative, but OpenAI did not put major restrictions on how the funding should be used.
“OpenAI didn’t dictate, per se, how the money needed to be spent. It could be used differently at different institutions,” Jennings said. “We’re going to be having a call for proposals that’s going to go out in the next few months for
Wes Jennings
PHOTO COURTESY:
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all faculty, staff and students that are interested in doing a research project related to AI utilizing OpenAI’s platforms.”
Jennings commented on the importance of equipping students with AI skills.
“In terms of my role and my vision on some of these things, education and training on AI
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Andrea Hickerson, dean of the School of Journalism and New Media, explained why there was a focus on AI in particular.
“We need more public communicators that have a basic understanding of AI because there are a lot of risks to the public and opportunities,” Hickerson said. “We need more informed journalists, and we need more informed consumers, as well.”
Throughout the symposium, the pool of 14 guest speakers engaged in discussions about the role of AI in journalism and responsible development of the technology.
tools is crucial for workforce development,” Jennings said. “If you have five people with the same degrees, applying for the same job and four of them say they have a credential in the application of AI tools, the person that doesn’t is going to be at a disadvantage there.”
The 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report, a survey released by Microsoft and LinkedIn, found that 66% of employers said they would not hire someone lacking AI skills.
Keynote speaker Richard Lui — a news anchor for NBC and MSNBC — talked about the importance of exerting control over how AI uses news content.
“The news media has its own treasure trove of data. We have what the AI models need to feed in. We can own the AI engine and apply our journalistic standards to it,” Lui said. “We need to learn from the social media experience — when we gave away our content. We need to grab AI by the horns before it grabs us and steers us in another direction.”
Ian B. Crosby, lead attorney for the landmark case in which the New York Times sued OpenAI for copyright infringement, said he envisions a world in which journalism and AI can positively co-exist and discussed some of the
Jennings encouraged people not to be afraid of AI replacing them in the workplace because human intelligence is still invaluable.
“We’re taking the stance that we don’t want people to shy away from (AI), but we don’t want them to go all in and ignore the fact that you still need human intelligence,” Jennings said. “You still need subject matter expertise.”
Rather than fearing AI, Jennings said, people
tool’s practical applications.
“(AI) is very useful for the needle in the haystack problem,” Crosby said. “You get some giant dump of government documents, and you want to write a story about that the next day. To have AI go through and pull out and say, ‘here are the key documents that hit on that.’ And that’s just one use.”
Elise Jordan, a Holly Springs, Miss., native and nationally acclaimed journalist, agreed about the importance of using AI in newsrooms and emphasized that it needs to be done responsibly.
“I think AI is going to completely transform the world — the newsroom included,” Jordan said. “So much of journalism is rejecting it. You’ve got to learn how to work with it, how to integrate it, and I’ve just been really interested in studying how we do this in a responsible way.”
Many speakers talked about why there needs to be caution in the development of AI tools.
Meetali Jain, founder and executive director of Tech Justice Law Project, participated in the panel discussion titled “Where Artificial Intelligence and the Law Collide.” Jain shared her worries for the future of AI and the rate at which AI is advancing.
“Mark Zuckerberg became famous for his motto, ‘move fast and break things.’ I now feel with AI it’s ‘move fast and break people.’ We need to have that conversation. I’m worried about this (Trump) administration’s rhetoric that AI needs to move ahead so that we can stay competitive with China.”
Justin Hendrix, CEO and editor of Tech Policy Press, spoke at the symposium on the
should learn to use AI to help them work efficiently.
“We’re hoping that this will really be something that gets people energized and excited with ideas of how they can use (AI) effectively, to build efficiencies and research, to collect larger amounts of data in a much shorter time period than they can be done by hand,” Jennings said.
Jennings emphasized that AI is still a new technology that is continuing
to change and progress.
“(AI models) are still learning, and there’s only going to be more improvement in the models as more of us humans participate in the interaction with them,” Jennings said. “It’s really kind of cool to be a part of something at this stage that’s still pretty new for society.”
panel called “Title of Talk: AI, Disinformation, ‘Censorship,’ and the Next Five Years.”
“I do think that AI, while it can be an incredibly useful tool for various purposes — speeding us up, etc. — robs us of that experience of synthesizing the information ourselves, the knowledge ourselves,” Hendrix said.
Meredith Broussard, a data journalist and professor at the Carter Journalism Institute at New York University, similarly talked about remembering the importance of human skills and interactions.
“One of the things that makes us happy is interacting with other human beings,” Broussard said. “This technological future where machines do everything and people sit home by themselves … that’s not a good way for human beings to live.”
Jerry Jordan closed the symposium by encouraging attendees to submit topic’s for next year’s gathering.
“I’d like to hear more about the First Amendment in the computer age or journalism in the age of capitalism,” Jordan said. “This has been an important thing that we’ve started.”
Similar to Barnett and Hickerson, Jordan also highlighted the importance of education.
“I do think the long game is education,” Jordan said. “If you don’t have an educated perspective in which you put the truth, you’re in trouble.”
Full interviews with symposium speakers will be published on thedmonline.com.
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council in a small speech.
“None of what we have done this year behind the scenes could have been possible without the people in the front row here, our legislative council,” Jones said. “They do so much behind the scenes that you don’t see. … So we want to thank them for all of their help.”
Jacklin, a junior public policy major from Mobile, Ala., reflected on his journey to the vice presidency and thanked those who helped him get to where he is.
“Freshman Walker could have never imagined this. I have to give a special thanks to God, my fiance, my family and my many friends
who were there for me from freshman year until now, to those who came before me in legislative leadership,”
Jacklin said. “I cannot thank you all enough for leading this past year in a victorious Senate session with a record amount of legislation.”
Later in the meeting, Caleb Ball, a senior political science major, shared his farewell speech, as he will be stepping down as president pro-tempore after this semester.
“This year, I’m so excited to announce that we passed a record number of 38 pieces of important, meaningful and impactful legislation,” Ball said.
“This is all thanks to you and a testament to your hard work.”
Many committees within the Senate shared their transition speeches, where they talked about their achievements this year, what the individu -
al committees are about and how they hope to shape the committee in the coming year.
Eron Hendrix, a junior public health and public policy leadership double major from Tupelo, Miss., and chair for the Committee on Student Life, expressed gratitude to her fellow senators.
“They’ve been the absolute best this year, and I’ve reflected on what they did because they’re truly so awesome and continue fighting for students every single day,” Hendrix said.
NYU professor Meredith Broussard speaks during the Jordan Center symposium on April 2.
ANTONELLA RESCIGNO / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Jack Jones recites the Pledge of Allegiance at the Associated Student Body meeting on April 1.
REESE JOHNSON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Jerry Jordan poses a question during the symposium on April 2.
ANTONELLA RESCIGNO / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
JOSHUA PELTIER News Contributor
UM adopts three new degree paths
The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning recently approved three new degree programs at the University of Mississippi. These include a Bachelor of Arts in sport management in the School of Applied Sciences, a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies in the College of Liberal Arts and a Master of Arts in teaching in elementary education in the School of Education.
The current Bachelor of Arts in sports and recreation management program in the School of Applied Sciences Department of Health will change to a Bachelor of Arts in sport management. Currently, the program allows students to focus on either sports or recreation. However, the
vast majority of students choose an emphasis in sports, according to Program Director and Associate Professor Brenna Berg.
Berg has spent the last three years restructuring the current curriculum to reflect this focus by reorienting it to include more classes related to sports and taking away the requirement of recreation courses.
“The core curriculum that everyone had to take was still recreation heavy,” Berg said.
The decision to rename the program to sports management is the culmination of this restructuring and will not require any additional funding or resources from the university.
Despite this change, the department will still support students who currently have an emphasis in recreation.
“(The Department of Health,
Exercise Science and Recreation) has plans in place to continue offering some of those recreation courses over the next few years so that students can finish out their major with us,” Berg said.
The program will officially launch in fall 2025.
The new Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies builds upon an existing minor at the university due to increased faculty interest and a private donation from Steven B. King, an alumnus from St. Louis.
The College of Liberal Arts hired Ishana Ratan, a doctoral candidate in political science at the University of California, Berkeley, and a fellow at the Johns Hopkins NetZero Industrial Lab, to teach some of the new courses
Donald Dyer, the associate dean for faculty and academic affairs in the College of Lib-
eral Arts, said the new program is “a very interdisciplinary program where you take courses from a lot of different disciplines.”
The bachelor’s program will become available in fall 2025.
In response to the statewide teacher shortage that followed the COVID-19 pandemic, UM launched a new Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education. This follows the Mississippi Department of Education’s expansion of its Alternative Route Pathway to Elementary Education.
The Alternate Route Pathway provides a way for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree to earn a teaching license. Applicants must enroll in an approved university program, complete several State Board of Education approved licensure assessments and obtain an online institutional
recommendation before receiving a three-year provisional license. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Ann Monroe says the university created this program “because we know we do it well, and we know we have excellent programs that train teachers.”
The new Master of Arts in teaching in elementary education will have additional coursework tailored to elementary education, including an additional three-hour class to help students pass the Foundations of Reading Test required for teaching at the elementary level.
The program will be strictly online, allowing participants from across the state to participate and will become available in spring 2026.
HALLIE DAVIS A&C Staff Writer
Proud Larry’s will host post-punk and goth-rock band Vision Video with Vivica Vanity’s punk drag show as opening act beginning at 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 5. Tickets can be purchased online for $15. Vision Video frontman Dusty Gannon, a native of Athens, Ga., leads the group on guitar and bass. Other members of Vision Video include keyboard player Angelica Avila from Bakersfield, Calif., and drummer Ryan Houchens from Savannah, Ga.
Gannon created Vision Video as a way to play music written about his experiences as an Army infantry officer and a paramedic firefighter.
“The set is really pointing to messages I’m trying to get across to people regarding how I feel about the state of this country and the world, but also internally within myself,” Gannon said. “I think this set is simultaneously meaningful but also fun and dancey and exciting. I want people to walk away like they gained a valuable experience.”
Leading a group founded in the South, Gannon expressed his excitement in spreading Vision Video’s messaging to other small Southern towns such as Oxford.
“It’s really great playing another small Southern college
town. I feel like there are some pretty cool similarities between Athens and Oxford, but they’re also very different,” Gannon said. “I’m happy to be playing alternative music in the South in general because it’s not something that is traditionally thought of when people think about this region.”
Songs Vision Video will be performing include “Dead Gods,” “Normalized” and “Stay” among others.
Scott Caradine from Lafayette, La. founded Proud Larry’s in April 1993 and co-owns the restaurant and bar with his wife Lisa Caradine.
“We have based our strategy on the thought of booking relevant, diverse artists with integrity,” Cardine said. “Blues, jazz, funk, rock, country, alternative, you name it. The drag events that we have been a part of in Oxford fit that same premise.”
Both the opening and headlining acts for Saturday’s performance were chosen for their strong messaging and overall influence on expression.
“Doing a show with Vision Video, a goth/punk/alternative act with heavy ‘80s rock influence, is a no brainer,” Caradine said. “They rock and they are quite original for this current era, and combining with a goth drag group all made sense to us. We think it makes for a killer night of original, unique and super entertaining programming.”
Oxford’s Vivica Vanity, performer and curator of the opening act, has been doing drag for
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almost three years and hopes this show brings more opportunity to show the Oxford community the world of drag.
“I aim to inspire other people to build more queer communities and events in Oxford on the way to building my own,” Vanity said. “I still have a long way to go, but I’m trying my best to learn how to do more things.”
Vanity’s primary goal while selecting the lineup of drag performers for this show was highlighting newer performers, even including two burlesque performers.
The lineup includes Vivica Vanity, Felicity Fox, Fizzy Pop, Nota Maeto, Mad Madame Gothicc and Rug Rat. Sophomore psychology major Roman Wells recognizes drag as an art form and a means of expression for many.
“I think that any form of positive outlet for people to freely express a deeper part of themselves is important,” Wells said.
“With the current state of our country, it’s more important than ever for people to not feel like their art should ever be hidden or taken away from them.”
As a long time fan of headlining act Vision Video, Vanity expressed her excitement about opening for the post-punk and goth-rock band by providing a punked themed show.
“I followed Vision Video and Dusty for a while on TikTok before I even knew he made music. When I saw that he was doing a
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show in Oxford about two years ago, I convinced all of my friends at the time to come with me,” Vanity said. “That was one of the best nights of my life, and if I can help make it like that for someone else by being a part of the show, that would mean the world to me. It’s also a great opportunity to perform with someone who is so outspoken about what he believes in.”
Gannon also expressed his excitement regarding Vivica Vanity’s drag show as the night’s opening act.
“I think drag and punk rock are inexorably tied together, especially nowadays,” Gannon said. “There are few things more punk than being a drag queen in the deep South right now, so I think the pairing is perfect.”
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After a deep dive into the band’s discography and overall messaging, sophomore marketing major McKenley Coleman hopes to attend. “I think it is so neat that Vision Video is bringing back that post-punk gothic vibe and visuals. I feel like this kind of music is so needed in the world right now for so many different reasons,” Coleman said. “The lead singer talking about his own trauma and his hopes for the future within their music is so moving. That’s what music should be all about.”
Dusty Gannon, guitarist and bassist for Video Vision
PHOTO COURTESY: BRITA ADAMOVICS
Introducing the women who are brewing up success in Oxford’s coffee scene
TAYLOR HILL
A&C Contributor
The coffee community in Oxford has grown significantly in the past five years. Women in the coffee industry have also become more apparent and powerful. From coffee roasteries to shop owners, women-owned coffee businesses are flourishing in Oxford.
Located off North Lamar Boulevard, Exploradora is a mom-and-daughter-owned roastery that opened in April 2024. Wade Johnson and Alison Anderson began their roasting business online in 2020, but it grew exponentially when they opened their first brick-and-mortar location.
Exploradora is committed to supporting communities of female coffee growers worldwide.
According to the roast -
inated. This has presented challenges for the female duo.
“I took it as I’m going to try to learn everything I possibly can so when we start getting customers I know exactly what I’m talking about,” Johnson said.
The duo expressed appreciation for the competition provided by other women-owned coffee businesses in Oxford.
“Some women business owners challenge you to be sharper than other people,” Johnson said. “It keeps us holding ourselves to a higher standard.”
All businesses partnered with Exploradora undergo a tasting process.
“(The businesses) come in and get to do a tasting. They tell us what flavors they typically like in coffee, and then we’ll do a tasting of a couple different coffees and then
ery’s website, all of their coffees are sourced from women-run co-ops around the globe that also use their proceeds to create resources for schools, water systems and positive economic change
Additionally, the shop donates a dollar from every coffee bag purchase to Springboard to Opportunities, a nonprofit organization that provides low-income, African-American mothers in Jackson, Miss, with $1,000 monthly for 12 months.
“Anytime we can get connected with the community and give our product or give money we try to do that,” Johnson said.
According to Driven Coffee Roasters, the coffee industry has been primarily male dom -
McCool began carrying Exploradora coffee in 2024.
“I have always found it important to carry local products. The Exploradora team has exceeded my expectations,” McCool said.
McCool has always been on the more creative side of running a business. She aspires to not only draw people to the shop but also build a community, which is why Lost Dog hosts a variety of concerts, art events and book clubs.
“It’s been an incredible exploration,” McCool said. “I feel like I’ve learned and my eyes have been open to new things at every turn.
“I genuinely believe the women business owners in Oxford will pave the way for the generations to come,” McCool said. “I think the strong women in our town will become amazing mentors for so many new students and youth.”
Pam and Joseph Beck, a wife-and-husband team, opened Common Ground Coffee Bar off Sisk Avenue in 2020 in hopes of bringing their passion for coffee and business to the Oxford community.
“My husband always says people gather around food and coffee, so it was a culmination of things and Common Ground Coffee Bar came based on that,” Pam Beck said.
Joseph Beck is active duty military, and Pam halted her career working in hospital management to give her full attention to the shop. The experience and passion for management she had in her healthcare career has carried over to her work at Common Ground.
“I manage day-to-day operations, and I am there daily, morning, noon and night at the shop,” Pam Beck said.
The Becks hope to create a community where people can build good relationships. Building those relationships with customers allows the staff to better their systems.
“We thank everyone profusely. If their drink tastes a little different today, I never would have known that if they had not felt comfortable to come and tell me,” Pam Beck said.
people have their own special blends,” Johnson said.
Additionally, the roastery allows customers purchasing their beans to customize their coffee flavors and bean source locations. This gives each company the opportunity to create a unique taste and roast to personalize everything in its business, down to the bean.
Lost Dog Coffee, another well-known coffee business, is located in Taylor, Miss.
Owner Leighton McCool has tried to make the environment more like a home than a shop.
“I think as a woman I bring kindness and nurturing to the company and how it’s run for both employees and customers,” McCool said. “I can take being a mom and expand that to so many other people.”
The pair’s ability to build a personal relationship does not stop with customers. Their staff members are more involved in the business than simply making coffee. They have the opportunity to help in ways that can benefit their future career.
“A couple of our baristas and staff members help me really focus creatively (with social media) because it’s (part of) their major,” Pam Beck said. “These ladies help me put it on the map and get it out there because it is what they love to do.”
Pam Beck, owner of Common Ground Coffee Bar
PHOTO COURTESY: PAM BECK
Leighton McCool, owner of Lost Dog Coffee
PHOTO COURTESY: LEIGHTON MCCOOL
Monthly music roundup: Six March melodies
CLAY HALE
Managing Editor
KHARLEY REDMON Editor in Chief
March served as a rain cloud, pouring droplets of new music all month long. Here are a few tracks from your managing editor and editor in chief to pay attention to before April hits full steam.
“twilight zone” by Ariana Grande (Clay)
After Grande’s stellar effort “eternal sunshine,” I knew following it up would be a tall order. But Grande succeeds with ease on “twilight zone,” one of the many new tracks on the album’s extension. This track is celestial, vulnerable
and worth your attention, as she exits from her best era yet.
“Hindsight Is Happiness” by Kelsea Ballerini (Clay)
Ballerini is tired of being seen as the lead visual of divorce. She conveys in “Hindsight Is Happiness” that hindsight is 20/20, and she is more than happy to move on from her ex-husband, fellow country music star Morgan Evans. This song is a final farewell for herself — not him, and that is an important distinction that she wants to make.
“The Giver” by Chappell Roan (Clay)
As a fan of country music, I can identify the trend of pop artists throwing on a cowboy
hat and adopting a twang in hopes of being “hip.” Chappell Roan’s “The Giver” is an ode, rather than a bandwagon attempt. “The Giver” is everything that country music is — humorous, fiddle-infused and boot-stompy. I appreciate Chappell Roan’s submission to the country scene, and I will be intrigued to see what country radio does with it.
“Daddy’s Mugshot” by Laci Kaye Booth (Clay)
For those unfamiliar with Booth’s debut record, “The Loneliest Girl in the World,” do yourself a favor and check it out alongside “Daddy’s Mugshot,” the (I am assuming) lead single to her follow-up album. This sizzling single haunts the listener with “I might look like
my mama, but I smile like my daddy’s mugshot” as a hook in the chorus. “Daddy’s Mugshot” is for anyone feeling a flame of rebellion ignited with family pride. Check it out.
“Orlando in Love” by Japanese Breakfast (Kharley)
This song may be short, but it is certainly a sweet listen. This Virginia Woolf-inspired tune has become one of the most popular songs on the artist’s new album, “For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women).” Japanese Breakfast whimsically tells the story of a protagonist who lives by the sea and longs for love. The ethereal instrumentation pairs nicely with imagery- and allusion-packed lyrics like “She came to him from the water
/ like Venus from a shell.”
“Can we talk about Isaac?” by Rachel Chinouriri (Kharley)
I was happy to see the “All I Ever Asked” singer release this tune earlier in the month. Chinouriri’s songs tend to become staples in my playlists. With the college semester beginning to wrap up and due dates for final projects nearing, the lyrics “I feel underdressed and I look like a mess” and the song’s narrative — which is seemingly about a tumultuous situationship — will surely resonate with many in the student population.
AARON BARROW
A&C Staff Writer
Rowan Oak is a historic staple of the Oxford community. The property, owned by the University of Mississippi and in collaboration with the University Museum, is best known as the location where Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner wrote award-winning novels. The house now serves as a monument to his work and his legacy.
Since 1999, Rowan Oak curator William Griffith has worked to preserve the primitive Greek Revival home and 33 acres it rests upon.
Griffith is one of two workers employed at Rowan Oak; the curator shared some of the responsibilities he has in keeping things running inside of the literary home and maintaining the grounds.
“It’s all encompassing,” Griffith said. “I do everything from picking up trash to installing exhibits to minor repair work, yard work and trail work.”
Griffith attended graduate school in Illinois before making the move to Mis -
sissippi in the early 1990s.
“This was my first job, and I didn’t know I was going to stay, but I ended up marrying a Southerner and didn’t know you couldn’t leave,” Griffith said. “I got this job, and I’ve never really been able to get ahead of it into a place where I felt comfortable leaving.”
While a quaint occupation in many ways, no job is without its share of bumps in the road. Griffith explained how his job was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as the property was closed to the public from March 2020 until August 2021.
“It was rough being closed that long,” Griffith said. “I got a lot done in the house and around the house, but I couldn’t let anybody in. I was out here all day, many days, just working and there was plenty to do, and I wasn’t interrupted.”
Griffith saw Rowan Oak come back to life once things returned to normal. People from all over the world come to visit the site, giving Griffith a unique opportunity to experience people’s differing levels of knowledge about Faulkner.
According to the Rowan Oak website, Faulkner named the property after two trees — the rowan tree of Scotland to symbolize peace and security and the live oak of America to represent strength and solitude — but neither plant has ever flourished on the property.
On a tour of the house, guests can explore a dozen rooms in which Faulkner and his family lived, including the writer’s bedroom, office and parlor. Visitors are also welcome to tour the grounds and venture onto the Bailey Woods Trail, which links the property to the University Museum.
The grounds include servant’s quarters, constructed by Faulkner in 1931, a European-inspired English knot garden and a sunken patio where the novelist’s daughter was married, among other landmarks, according to the Rowan Oak website.
“Some people come in and are big fans of Faulkner, and some come in and have never heard of William Faulkner,” Griffith said. “If they didn’t know anything about Faulkner when they got here, then they certainly do when they leave.”
Griffith said this teaching aspect is what fuels his passion for his work.
“I think it’s people’s reaction they get when they visit. They really are intrigued and fascinated by it,” Griffith said. “And part of it is that it’s rewarding. It’s good work.”
GRAPHIC: CLAY HALE / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
William Griffith
‘Forever is a Feeling’ champions the friends-to-lovers
SYDNEY STEPP Assistant A&C Editor
Lucy Dacus’ 2025 album
“Forever is a Feeling” echoes of love that is both romantic and platonic — a sentiment that seems autobiographical while also being relatable to audiences. The album was released Friday after Dacus confirmed her long-rumored relationship with Julien Baker, who is performing at The Lyric later this month.
Dacus, well-known for her song “Night Shift” and for being a member of Boygenius along with Baker and Phoebe Bridgers, last performed at Proud Larry’s in Oxford in February 2019.
The singles that preceded the album gave listeners high hopes for the release, and Dacus did not disappoint. “Ankles,” using string instrumentation and slightly provocative lyrics, joined sensuality with the idea of romantic love and provided a perfect taste of what was yet to come from the album. “Best Guess,” another single released before the full album, captured the hearts of fans everywhere and gave a glimpse into the friends-to-lovers theme.
The titular track is a fun, upbeat song that is reminiscent of a summer day, introducing a dream-like sound to Dacus’ discography. Echoey background vocals and playful lyrics reflect the theme of joyful love that is prominent in the album.
Highlights of the album include “Modigliani” and “For Keeps.”
The repetition of “You will never be famous to me” in “Modigliani” might sound rude to some people, but when taken in the context of dating someone who shares a similar notoriety, it comes as a refreshing promise to see some -
one as they truly are. The song utilises more string instrumentals, delivering an overall dreamy sound that continues throughout the entire project.
“For Keeps” changes the vibes from previous tracks to one that is more somber, utilizing primarily an acoustic guitar and Dacus’ voice to invoke the intimate image of two lovers speaking to each other behind closed doors.
Dacus also sings of the inevitable idea that most relationships are not permanent, while recognizing that those relationships still hold weight within the participants’ lives.
The lines “We were not something, we were not nothing / We were in between things that made sense” offer listeners a glimpse into what can be a relationship defined by both love and incompatibility.
“Come Out,” a song that comes later in the album, is a clever play on the common queer term of “coming out.”
The lines “Come out, come out wherever you are” lean into the playful, childhood game of hide and seek, which brings even more airiness to Dacus’ voice and lyrics.
The sole feature on the album is folk-music legend Hozier on the track, “Bullseye.”
Seeing the feature brought high hopes, but, unfortunately, the song does not stand out from the rest of the album.
While the lyrics are nice and Hozier’s and Dacus’ voices mix well, the song simply does not have enough weight by itself to stick out from being sandwiched between the more distinct tracks of “Best Guess” and “Most Wanted Man.”
While most of the album goes without notes, “Limerence” is another one of those tracks where nothing is necessarily wrong with the song itself but just seems out of place. While “For Keeps”
changes the sound of the rest of the album in a seemingly intentional way, “Limerence” sticks out and would better fit in a different Dacus project, more closely sounding like tracks from her 2018 album “Historian.”
With the exceptions of “Limerence” and “Bullseye,” “Forever is a Feeling” merges platonic and romantic passion into a beautiful project that will be my go-to album for the rest of the year.
Lucy Dacus performs at Neumos in Seattle on Oct. 22, 2019.
PHOTO COURTESY:
DAVID LEE / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Recruiting and rebuilding: the future of Ole Miss Basketball
TEDDY KING Sports Editor
After the conclusion of the 2025 Ole Miss Basketball season on Saturday, men’s head coach Chris Beard and women’s head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin took a quick turn to the transfer portal to recruit new talent and rebuild their teams entering the 2025-26 season.
It is safe to say that both Rebel basketball programs exceeded expectations this year.
The men secured their 10th NCAA Tournament appearance as a No. 6 seed and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second time in program history and the first since 2001. Meanwhile, the women earned their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth as a No. 5 seed and reached the Sweet 16 for the second time in the last three seasons.
This marked the first season in school history that both the men’s and women’s basketball teams competed in the NCAA Tournament. This year, they were one of just four schools to have both teams vying for a Sweet 16 victory in their respective tournaments.
Women’s basketball
The Lady Rebels finished their season 22-11, including 10-6 in SEC play. Some of their most notable games wins include wins against then No. 7 LSU, then No. 8 Kentucky and No. 14 Baylor. This season also marked McPhee-McCuin’s fourth consecutive 20-win season with the Lady Rebels.
The season concluded with a loss 76-62 against No. 1 UCLA on March 28 in the Sweet 16.
The Lady Rebels have five graduating seniors and seven players who have entered the portal since it opened on March 24.
Madison Scott, Kennedy Todd-Williams, Starr Jacobs, Ta-
meiya Sadler and KK Deans will graduate this season. Scott and Deans announced they will declare for the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Those who have entered the portal include Heloisa Carrera, Rhema Collins, Fatumata Djalo, Jite Gbemuotor, Mariyah Noel, Kharyssa Richardson and Ayanna Thompson.
On Monday, March 31, the Lady Rebels secured three transfers in one day. McPhee-McCuin added Virginia forward Latasha Lattimore, Wichita State forward Jayla Murray and Central Florida guard Kaitlin Peterson to the roster.
Lattimore, the 6-foot-4 senior from UVA, averaged 14.3 points and 8.2 rebounds last season. This will be her fifth season, and Ole Miss her fourth team. Lattimore started her career at Texas, spent two seasons at Miami and one at UVA.
Additionally, Lattimore was the top-ranked player in Canada and the sixth-best forward in 2021 per ESPN.
Murray played in 32 games for the Wichita State Shockers this season. The forward averaged 12.4 points and 5.3 rebounds on the season.
The 5-foot-9 senior guard, Peterson averaged 21.4 points for the Knights last season and scored 1,154 points in two seasons with UCF — a tie for fifth-most in program history.
Last season, McPhee-McCuin added six transfers and signed just one freshman. This small freshman class stems from McPhee-McCuin’s preference for an older team.
“Coaches now are (general managers),” McPhee-McCuin said in an interview with The Clarion Ledger. “We’re all figuring out who is leaving, who is staying. We only signed one freshman because I prefer a mature team. I don’t think in today’s times you can be young. By the
time they get old, they’re ready to get rid of you, so you kind of have to stay mature and stay old, and you can see that with my team.”
Men’s basketball
The Rebels had a historic year under the leadership of Beard in his second season coaching Ole Miss. The Rebels posted a 24-12 overall record and finished 10-8 in conference play. Beard was selected the 2025 Jim Phelan National Coach of the year, an award presented annually to the top head coach in Division I college basketball.
This season, the Rebels set school records of most three-pointers scored in a single season (300) and fewest turnovers per game (9).
The Rebels advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament, falling to Michigan State 73-70 on March 28.
Of the team’s talented starting five, Sean Pedulla, Dre Davis, Malik Dia, Matthew Murrell and Jaylen Murray, four are graduating and are out of eligi-
bility. Dia is the only remaining starter. From the bench, Jaemyn Brakefield and Davon Barnes have also finished their time in collegiate basketball.
John Bol has entered his name in the transfer portal. The 7-foot2 true freshman center came to Oxford as the No. 17-rated center in the 2024 recruiting cycle and a Top 75 prospect in the country.
While Ole Miss has no transfers signed to next season’s roster, Beard and his team have hit the ground running with recruiting.
Beard hosted official visits for Creighton guard Pop Isaacs and Utah State guard Carter Welling on March 31.
Isaacs, a 6-foot-2 guard from Las Vegas, missed the 2024 season opener with the Bluejays due to recovery from his hip surgery this past spring.
Upon his return, Isaacs made an immediate impact to Creighton’s lineup, averaging 16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists over eight games with the Bluejays.
As for the 6-foot-10 forward
No. 9 Ole Miss set for SEC road contest against Kentucky
from Utah State, Welling shot 47.8% from the floor and averaged 13.1 points per game.
Welling is a tireless rebounder on the court, leading the Wolverines in rebounds per game with 6.3 this season.
Beard retains a core of young talent ready to step up and fill the gaps left by departing players. Forward Dia will be a key piece next season, alongside true freshman Eduardo Klafke.
Beard highlighted the culture being built at Ole Miss and reflected on the season as proof of that progress.
“Ole Miss Basketball isn’t going anywhere,” Beard said following the Rebels’ loss to Michigan State in the Sweet 16. “And we’ll never forget these seniors that took us on a special ride this year.”
LUKE DUNAVANT Sports Staff Writer
Ole Miss Baseball will travel to Lexington, Ky., to face the Kentucky Wildcats in a threegame series starting today.
The Rebels’ record so far this season is 22-6, including six wins and three losses in SEC play. The Wildcats are 179, going 4-5 in conference play.
Overall the Rebels are hitting .298, meaning that they have hit a little over a quarter of the at-bats they take. They also have 58 home runs on the year, with six players having at least five home runs. The best hitter has been outfielder Mitchell Sanford. He has a .358 batting average with nine home runs.
The pitching for the Rebels has been good for the starters, but the bullpen has struggled on occasion. The pitching staff has a combined 5.04 earned run average (ERA), just a bit above the ideal average, which is in the 3.00 range.
On the low end, two pitchers have a sub-three ERA. Ryne Rodriguez and Walker Hooks have a 2.25 ERA and a 2.55 ERA, respectively. The main difference between the two is Hooks has pitched more than double the amount of innings that Rodriguez has, with 17.2 compared to Rodriguez’s eight innings pitched.
Other notable pitchers are Connor Spencer and Alex Canney. Spencer has a sub-one ERA, a .93, with 9.2 innings pitched. Canny has a sub-two ERA, a 1.64, in 11 innings pitched. Hunter Elliott has cooled down from his outstanding start, still boasting a 3.12 ERA with 34.2 innings pitched.
Overall, the Wildcats have a nearly identical batting average — .290 — but with half of the home runs, having only 29. Their cumulative pitching has been better than the Rebels’ as they have a team ERA of 4.36.
The Wildcats are coming off a series victory over Texas A&M last weekend, win-
ning two of three games.
Ben Cleaver is the best pitcher for the Wildcats, having a 2.5 ERA with 36 innings pitched, which is an astonishing stat line. Kentucky’s best hitter is Cole Hage with a 3.63 batting average and eight home runs.
On paper, Ole Miss should just have the edge over the Wildcats, but the series likely will be even overall. Pitchers Hunter Elliott will take the start for game one, with Riley Maddox on the mound tomorrow for game two and Mason Nichols starting for game three on Saturday.
Following the Kentucky series, Ole Miss will host No. 1 Tennessee next week in a three game series on Friday, April 11 for one of the Rebels’ biggest matchups of the season.
The Rebels’ and Wildcats’ first pitch is set for today at 6:30 p.m. and can be streamed on SEC Network/SEC Network+.
Student assistant coach Tyler Keenan glances at the outfield during a game against Jackson State on April 1.
GRAPHIC: ASHLYNN PAYNE & HALEY REED / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
PHOTOS COURTESY: OLE MISS ATHLETICS, WICHITA STATE ATHLETICS, UCF
RESULTS & BENEFITS
Increased Calorie Burn
Detoxification
Lower Blood Pressure
Anti-Aging & Skin Rejuvenation
Improved Circulation
Weight Loss
