Nov. 24, 2020

Nov. 24, 2020 | thewichitan.com |Real Students. Real Stories. | Vol. 85 No. 7

CULTURE FUSION

a spirited display of diversity MEDIA: Pg 3

Jaden Smith’s ‘CTV3’ album is cooler than cool.

CULTURE FUSION: Pg 9

Cultural Fusion Friday, a night of games, dance and food from Namaste Indian restaurant, was part of the events that the Global Education Office organized to celebrate International Education Week.

COLUMN: Pg 2

Should we cancel holidays during the pandemic?

BLACK GRADUATION: Pg 6

SATIRE: Pg 4

SPORTS: Pg 12

Black Graduation lets graduates shine.

Students protest final exams during a pandemic.

Soccer team adjusts to cancellation of fall season.

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Nov. 24, 2020 Campus Voices | Media | Satire | Covid-19 | News | International Students | Soccer Recap

2 E DI TO R I A L

Looking Ahead to 2021 2020 was not a great year. We were forced to endure the tragic deaths of beloved figures such as Chadwick Boseman and Kobe Bryant, the human rights atrocities seen at home in the States and abroad in countries like China, Ethiopia, Nigeria and the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the natural disasters that hit Australia and California and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused the death of over a million people worldwide.

College students also get to tack on mostly-virtual learning, fewer breaks and increased school-related stress to that intimidating mess. It wouldn’t be surprising if students who usually have no problem passing their classes have struggled this year to maintain that same level of excellence. For the many students who already struggle with learning disabilities, distraction or personal problems at home, 2020 has made their already difficult school assignments even harder.

With all that said, it’s important to remember that while some of this year’s baggage will carry over, 2021 presents room for growth as well. Take what harsh lessons 2020 has presented and use them to avoid the same pitfalls in 2021. Those who saw their grades dip this semester now know what types of classes and study methods do and don’t work for them, and those who saw their personal lives struggle can take this opportunity to focus on their own mental health. This next year may not be any easier, in fact it could very well get worse, but human beings are resilient by design and no matter how cliche it must sound by now, “We are all in this together.”

CAMPUS VOICES

Holidays during the pandemic: should we cancel?

GRAPHIC BY OMAR COMBIE | THE WICHITAN

Health experts are warning against usual gatherings for the holiday season.

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s we get closer to the end of the year, the total number of COVID-19 cases Dallas in Texas has Wabbington reached over 1 million people. People have been debating whether or not Thanksgiving and Christmas should be canceled in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, many people are arguing against this idea, because the holidays are seen as an escape from the reality of the pandemic. However, the reality is that even though we feel drawn to celebrate with our families, large gatherings will only increase the risk of

spreading COVID-19 and risk the health of our loved ones.

I am not saying you shouldn’t spend time with your family at all this holiday season. The issue is when families have large gatherings with people outside of their social circle. You may trust your family member to be safe and healthy but you do not know who is constantly around them, and, more importantly, whether they are taking safety precautions. For example, I live on campus with a roommate. I don’t wear a mask when I am with her in my apartment because that is a safe space for me, and I am not required to wear a mask. I trust my roommate to practice social distancing, hand sanitizing and

EDITORS: Amos Perkins, Stephanie Robledo DESIGNER: Omar Combie Vol. 85 | No. 7 Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201 3410 Taft Blvd. | Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 wichitan@msutexas.edu | thewichitan.com @wichitanonline

wear her mask whenever she is in public. But there are instances when she will hang out with her friends and family and could potentially be exposed to COVID-19, just like family members coming for the holidays. You know the person, but you don’t know the people who are usually around them.

Instead of having large family gatherings, the safest way to celebrate is with the people you live with at home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released an article regarding holiday celebrations and considerations, stating that gatherings with friends and family who do not live with you increases the risk of getting both

COVID-19 and the flu. It is flu season, after all, so you have to take precautions against spreading the flu as well. Celebrating virtually is also an option, especially since most of us are used to using technology to video call people. Avoid traveling if possible, as well. Taking these precautions are not meant to keep you away from your loved ones.

The best way to keep both your family and yourself safe is to stay home and celebrate with the members of your own home. This pandemic has taken a lot from us. Let’s stop the spread of COVID-19, so we can spend the holidays with our families next year.

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ADVISOR: Jonathon Quam

Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University.

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The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a email address, telephone number and address.

Nov. 24, 2020 Campus Voices | Media | Satire | Covid-19 | News | International Students | Soccer Recap

3

JADEN SMITH’S “CTV3” ALBUM IS COOLER THAN COOL

COURTESY OF MSFTSMUSIC/ROC NATION RECORDS, LLC

Jaden Smith’s “CTV 3: Cool Tape Volume 3” album cover.

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arly this year, in August, Jaden Smith released his third studio album “CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3” which fully embraces the Bubblegum Pop/ Dance genre of music. The album in its entirety feels like Christian Lollapalooza in the form of an Evans album with its freeing, lustral, breezy, uplifted, cathartic yet purifying style of music and tone that Jaden Smith takes and sticks with from point A to point B. Unlike the last album review I did, I have personally been listening to Jaden Smith for quite some time now dating back to when he dropped his debut mixtape “The Cool Cafe: Cool Tape Vol. 1” and if you are wondering, “Volume 1”?, Yes there is a Cool Tape Volume 2 aptly titled “CTV2” which is also mixtape; “CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3” is the first Cool Tape to be a featured studio album by

Jaden. “CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3” serves as a “prequel” taking place before Jaden’s debut album “SYRE”, a name he chose after one of his middle names (He has two middle names, Christopher and Syre). Caught up to speed now? Great!

Every song on “CTV3” has a mellow sound to it at some point but ultimately closes with a pleasant cheerfulness that echoes and leaves listeners in a “blissful” kind of mood at the end.

When you listen, it feels as if Jaden was trying carefully not to dip too deep into the pop genre pool during the album creation process and created something amazing in doing so. Songs like “Falling for You” (which features Justin Bieber), “Everything”, “Muted Sunrise”, my personal favorite “Cabin Fever” and “Photograph” pull this off with greatness, but of those songs, “Cabin Fever” pulls this feat off with flawless perfection that would have merit it at least a look as Song of the Summer had this album

been released earlier than it was. When asked about the song “Cabin Fever” which already has a music video out with the 1966 MG MGB Roadster featured on the album cover Jaden remarked that “Cabin Fever” was his vision of a “quarantine love song”.

For those interested in Jadens’ rap prowess, it is clear that purposely “CTV3” offers one of the most scarce servings of Jaden-fueled rap for the listener with a mere four songs, “Rainbow Bap”, “Bad Connection” “Young in Love” and “Endless Summer” with the latter song featuring rapper Raury, who is known for featuring on Jaden’s foremost rap heavy song on each of his albums. “Bad Connection” serves as a chaser to “In the Hills” and in my opinion is the best sounding of these songs where Jaden raps about losing connection verbally and physically with a love interest.

Overall “CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3” is a beau-

tifully crafted concept album and a great continuation to the musical career of Jaden Smith.

The only question that “CTV3” leaves me wondering is in what direction is Jaden going to go next? Jaden has his own Netflix anime series “Neo Yokio” (which is a great watch) and is the front for a new Snapchat Original titled “The Solution Committee” which is intended to target younger kids and help them explore how to instigate change and come up with solutions to taking on racism and inequality which goes in line with the message he shares on the final track on “CTV3”, the boys and girls of the world

CHRISTIAN’S TOP 3 SONGS: 1) Cabin Fever 2) Muted Sunrise 3) Photograph

Nov. 24, 2020 Campus Voices | Media | Satire | Covid-19 | News | International Students | Soccer Recap

4

COVID-19 cancels every major event EXCEPT final exams

GRAPHIC BY OMAR COMBIE | THE WICHITAN

Protest sign with student anti-exam slogan “Give Me Relaxation Or Give Me Death!”

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s 2020 finally rounds to a close, we’ve seen a wide plethora of major events canceled in hopes of preventing the spread of COVID-19. For some universities, this has even lead to the cancellation of in-person classes. However, there’s one thing that even coronavirus can’t seem to cancel: final exams.

“I mean you would think after all the horrible stuff we’ve had to go through, 2020 would finally give us a break and we’d get out of finals, but I guess not. At this point, I’m starting to think dropping out might be the way to go,” Ivanna Leaf, global studies sophomore, said.

Those with experience with analytics and logistics have noticed a trend in 2020 that doesn’t bode well for university students.

“From all the patterns we’ve observed, it appears 2020 is only capable of cancelling something if it provides joy. Christmas? Canceled. The Olympics? Canceled.

Finals? No, those can stay,” CounTin Numbas, accounting junior, said.

Some students have blamed professors for continuing to pile on assignments and exams, but professors have assured students that the excessive work is not their doing. Some of the professors have gone so far as to support the students in their disdain for finals.

“Most of the professors didn’t even want to go back to school in the first place,; why would we make more work for ourselves? I don’t know how it happens. I go to sleep without posting any assignments, and I wake up to thirteen assignments posted on D2L and a hundred death threats from my students,” Professor Lebowski, professor of leisure studies, said.

Despite the backlash, a member of MSU’s board of regents spoke about the merits of having final examinations in the middle of instability and deadly diseases.

“Stress is good. Stress builds character. Having an emotional breakdown every thirty seconds is what being a good ol’ fashioned red-blooded American is all about. I know they might hate me now, but in five years when these final grades have had no direct impact on their lives except to cause them stress, I know they’ll thank me,” Scrooge McGrump, board member since 1922, said.

Students have begun protesting the existence of these finals, as well as the cancellation of beloved events on campus. Students have used slogans such as “No education without spring vacation,” “Remember the water fountains,” and “Give me relaxation or give me death” alongside a white flag with a silhouette of a test underneath the words, “We don’t want to take it.”

“We’re tired of having all these old people force us to take these exhausting finals while the only thing they stress out about

it figuring out ways to stress us out,” Carl Marks, political science senior and student revolutionary, said.

More bad news for college students has recently come out, as the United Nations has announced a worldwide ban on naps for fear that staying in one place may lead to too great of a concentrate of germs in one area. This comes after a United States controversial bill was passed that requires all college students to now complete a final exam, presentation, essay and choreographed song and dance in order to graduate. The United States Senate will meet later this year to determine if it’s necessary to ban fun itself.

“We’re not sure it’s doing anything coronavirus-wise, but geez, it sure is fun to watch college students freak out,” Senator Bo Ring said.

COMIC BY DALLAS WABBINGTON

Nov. 24, 2020 Campus Voices | Media | Satire | Covid-19 | News | International Students | Soccer Recap

COVID-19 UPDATE

MSU TEXAS

231 35

43 8

TOTA L R E P O RT E D C A S E S

•

O F D E AT H S H AV E B E E N AMONG PERSONS 70+ YRS

TOTA L D E AT H S

WORLDWIDE

59.1M 1.39M

TOTA L R E P O RT E D C A S E S

TOTA L D E AT H S

•

101

12.4M 257K

TOTA L R E P O RT E D C A S E S

93%

TOTA L R E P O RT E D C A S E S

UNITED STATES

1.18M 21,090 •

6,141

EMPLOYEE ACTIVE CASES

TEXAS

PFIZER

WICHITA FALLS COUNTY

TOTA L A C T I V E C A S E S

STUDENT ACTIVE CASES

5

TOTA L R E P O RT E D C A S E S

TOTA L D E AT H S

TOTA L D E AT H S

VACCINE RACE - FRONTRUNNERS

Developed a vaccine with 95% effectiveness in initial trials.

Acknowledged the possibilities of experiencing mild COVID-like symptoms such as high fever, body aches, bad headaches, daylong exhaustion and other symptoms.

Expects to produce up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.

• • •

MODERNA

Also developed a vaccine with 95% effectiveness in initial trials.

Also acknowledged the possibilities of mild COVID-like symptoms similar to Pfizer’s vaccine.

Expects to produce up to 20 million vaccine doses ready for the U.S. by the end of the year.

• • •

ASTRAZENECA

Developed a vaccine with 70.4% effectiveness in initial trials.

Plan to make the vaccine cost US $3.00-$4.00 until July 2021 and in poorer countries, they pledge that the cost will remain the same in perpetuity.

Most recent company to come out with a vaccine however information on scaling and distribution have not been released at the time of this article.

SOURCES: “DOCTORS SAY CDC SHOULD WARN PEOPLE THE SIDE EFFECTS FROM COVID VACCINE SHOTS WON’T BE ‘A WALK IN THE PARK’” | BERKELEY LOVELACE JR., NEW YORK TIMES. “COVID-19: THE VIRUS SURGE, ONCE CENTERED IN THE MIDWEST, IS ACCELERATING IN 45 U.S. STATES” | COVID-19 OUTBREAK LATEST UPDATES, NEW YORK TIMES. “NOVEMBER 23 CORONAVIRUS NEWS” | CNN.COM. “CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) COVID-19 STATUS UPDATE” | WICHITAFALLSTX.GOV. “REPORTED CASES” | MSUTEXAS.EDU.

Nov. 24, 2020 Campus Voices | Media | Satire | Covid-19 | News | International Students | Soccer Recap

6

BLACK GRADUATION LE AMOS PERKINS MANAGING EDITOR hen MSU Texas hosts the official virtual Fall 2020 graduation commencement ceremony, it won’t be the only graduation to take place this semester. Different cultural organizations host their own graduations to celebrate the different types of students that make up the campus community.

Among these special commencements is the Black Student Union’s Black Graduation, which took place on Nov. 15 at 12:30 p.m. in Akin Auditorium.

“The goal with Black Graduation was to create an educational initiative through the Black Student Union. We emphasized cultural awareness, making sure we can let the MSU community know about what it means to be Black. We also make sure we provide those educational initiatives for our members,” Jamilah Kangudja, a graduate student of educational leadership and president of the BSU, said.

Cultural graduations such as Black Gradu-

W

PHOTO BY NIKO MCWILLIAMS | THE WICHITAN

Brianna Williams, applied arts & sciences senior, awaits walking the stage, Nov. 15. ation bring attention to some of the different groups of people who make MSU the community that it is.

“Yes, MSU’s regular commencement is important for everyone. It’s very important, but during this time we really wanted to make it personal. It takes a village. There’ an old Afri-

PHOTO BY NIKO MCWILLIAMS | THE WICHITAN

Charles Frazier, MSU Alumnus and commencement speaker, addresses the crowd of black graduates, Nov. 15. can proverb that says it takes a village. Bringing that to life is the point of Black Graduation,” Kangudja said.

Black Graduation was meant to highlight students who might otherwise feel unappreciated at the usual graduation. Many of the participants of Black Graduation were also first-generation students, and Kangudja said it’s important to highlight these students in particular.

“It’s basically to let people know that ‘you are being seen in a place where you may feel like you’re not being seen. You are supported at a place where you may not feel supported.’

[They] did all this hardworking, and even looking at the statistics...it is imperative that people understand that what you’re doing is your breaking generational patterns. Many of these students are first-generation students. I believe, if I’m not mistaken, 10 out of the 12 students who did the commencement were firstgeneration students, and that’s something we emphasize. These people should have that opportunity,” Kangudja said.

The BSU’s most recent graduation was meant to be the third installment in the event’s history, but the rapid rise of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Spring 2020 Black Graduation to be canceled.

“A year ago, December 19, was our inaugural graduation. This year, we were able to do it again, of course following the guidelines and protocols. It was supposed to happen last year, so the Spring 2020 semester, but COVID really threw the world for a loop,” Kangudja said.

While Kangudja hoped for a turnout of 20 people, she said she was happy with the 12 who did participate. The number of students was enough to warrant an in-person commencement, but not too many as to exceed the capac-

ity limits of the auditorium.

“We had just enough graduates to do it in person. We had a goal in mind with how many graduates we wanted, but we also recognized that the capacity limits for the rooms to ensure that people were still following those different guidelines and protocols was necessary for people’s health and wellbeing,” Kangudja said.

In order to be able to host their graduation commencement in person, the BSU placed a limit on the number of guests graduates could invite. The building the graduation took place in had a maximum capacity of 64, and the organizers had to take into account the graduates, their guests, the speakers and the volunteers present.

“We allowed them to bring guests; we allowed them to bring three guests at the max, any more than that we provided them the link to watch the graduation live,” Kangudja said.

To address safety concerns related to COVID-19, the option to participate virtually was made available. Kangudja believes that the fact that the official commencement was solely virtual lead to increased interest in participation in Black Graduation.

“With COVID, it was able to be in person, but the option to do it online was also available as well. We made sure to outline that even though we may reach capacity within the actual building, within the spaces of the walls, we were giving that option for people to be endowed

PHOTO BY NIKO MCWILLIAMS | THE WICHITAN

Kadijah Cash, applied arts & sciences senior, receives her stoll from her two children, Nov. 15.

Black graduates and their families await the

Nov. 24, 2020 Campus Voices | Media | Satire | Covid-19 | News | International Students | Soccer Recap

7

ETS GRADUATES SHINE

PHOTO BY NIKO MCWILLIAMS | THE WICHITAN

Alem Ahmdin, nursing senior, receives a pin from a family member, Nov. 15.

PHOTO BY NIKO MCWILLIAMS | THE WICHITAN

e start of the ceremony, Nov. 15.

who can talk to you about those trials and tribulations, but who can also show you what success looks like and can show you what it means to be very hopeful,” Kangudja said.

Black Graduation was open to students of all identification, but Kangudja stressed that it was important not to undermine what the graduation meant. She also addressed complaints from students who objected to having a Black Graduation and not a white graduation, by saying if they cared about it enough they should organize the counter-event themselves.

“On the application, we ask you do you identify as Black; we give you an outline of what Black graduation means within this application. If you mark no that you don’t identify as a Black person, we’ll let you walk, we’ll let you get up there, but there’s always a chain reaction to things,” Kangudja said.

With many different types of people who identify as Black, there was a multitude of different cultures and personalities at Black Graduation. Many students who weren’t Black still helped set up the event.

“It was very cultural. There were people there who had different cultural upbringing, different religious beliefs, all of these different people. It’s intersectional. There’s all sorts of things that come with being Black, there’s not just one way. There were African people there, there were Black Americans, AfricanAmericans, there were even Hispanics there.

PHOTO BY NIKO MCWILLIAMS | THE WICHITAN

Kelsey Jones, criminal justice senior, receives her stoll from her parents, Nov. 15.

with their stools by their significant persons at home, through a virtual call. But, we didn’t They weren’t in the graduation, but there were have anyone sign up during those specific dates to do it virtual. A lot of people people who volunteered their services did want to do the Black Graduation, that weren’t in the African diaspora,” especially after finding out that MSU’s Kangudja said. commencement was going to be moved Black Graduation isn’t the only virtually,” Kangudja said. cultural graduation at MSU however.

The commencement speaker for Black Graduation was Charles Frasier, The Organization of Hispanic Students an MSU alumnus who graduated in held their Unidos Commencement Cer2017. He graduated with a bachelors emony Friday, Nov. 13 and the Caribbein science and athletic training, was at an Students Organization is hosting a one point the president of the National Association for the Advancement of virtual commencement at a later date.

Colored People on campus, was a seGabriel Ling, president of the CSO, exnior class senator, peer counselor, won pressed his own thoughts as to why homecoming king and helped to create the smaller cultural graduations were the Black Student Leadership Initiative that has made advancements for Black important alongside MSU’s official students at MSU. His variety of accomgraduation. plishments and experiences led to him “By having a separate celebration, I being chosen. feel we can give time for each student “[Frasier]’s done a lot of different things, and that’s always the goal when to give thanks as well as be featured we choose a commencement speaker. and highlighted. With MSU graduaWe want people, the Black communition so big, [with] so many students, ty, to recognize that there is life after PHOTO BY NIKO MCWILLIAMS | THE WICHITAN that it’s easy for one of our graduates MSU. It was hard while we were here, but you can be successful. Granted any- Cammie Dean, Director of FIRST2GO and The Priddy to get lost. Having a smaller graduawhere you go you’re going to have tri- Scholars, delivers the libation at Black Graduation, Nov. tion allows us to bring focus and attenals and tribulations, but here’s someone 15. tion to that individual,” Ling said.

Nov. 24, 2020 Campus Voices | Media | Satire | Covid-19 | News | International Students | Soccer Recap

8

2021-2022 Student Regent search begins STEPHANIE ROBLEDO NEWS EDITOR tudent regent applications are now open.

Student Government Association President Shelbi Stogdill, political science, history and global studies senior, announced this through Postmaster Wednesday, Nov. 4.

“The student regent, sit[s] on the board of regents, and they’re a non-voting member.

They essentially give input on whatever the board of regents is discussing from a student’s perspective. They are there to be the voice of the students on the board and kind of give them student input when they’re making their decisions,” Stogdill said.

Student regents serve as a representative for the students within the board of regents, voicing their opinion on decisions that would affect the students.

“I think it’s important that regents, when making decisions that impact the university, understand the student perspective, because [the students are] the reason we’re here. The students are the reason this institution exists; it’s the reason we get up and come to work every day,” Keith Lamb, vice president of student affairs and enrollment management, said.“We have to understand how decisions impact stu-

dents and...[a student regent] allows a voice within the regents to articulate how different things impact students. I think [having a student regent is] incredibly important. Texas has not always had student regents...and I think it has really brought an important voice to those meetings.”

The application process itself goes through various phases which involve SGA executives, President Shipley and the governor.

“The student regent applications are currently open, and they’re due to the office of student affairs by December 4th at 5 p.m. [The applications] get sent to the SGA [executives who] look at the applications and narrow them down to five applications,” Stogdill said. “Then [the five applications] get sent to President Shipley; she...looks at the applications and...you’ll have a meeting with someone in her office in an interview type of setting. Then two or three [of the applicants chosen] are sent to...the governor, and from there you do a meeting from the governor’s office. The governor makes his appointment and then one student is appointed.”

While searching for the new student regent there are a few specific characteristics that are looked for. According to Stogdill, the preferred candidate is someone that is involved in MSU,

S

because it is important for them to be knowledgeable about student life.

“I think the student regent needs to...be mature certainly because they are representing the entire student body, not just themselves, so they need to have a broad perspective to what’s important to students as a whole and not just any individual,” Lamb said. “They need to be confident in articulating what is important to students because they will be asked by [the] regents ‘What do students think about this?’ or ‘What is important to students?’. They need to be confident in sharing the student experience.

I think it’s important that they are open to feedback and they are open to different views that they can represent to the governing board.”

Lastly, Stogdill says the most important quality that the student regent has is being able to represent the students.

“I think the biggest importance is they just get to provide input on decisions that are gonna affect the university in the future, because the board of regents discusses really high-value important issues, and it’s gonna affect the university and the students as well, so having a student input I think is a really good thing,” Stogdill said.

It was announced in Spring 2020 that MSU

might become part of the Texas Tech system.

MSU joining the Texas Tech system would come with changes, including changes to the student regent.

“With the Texas Tech merger that’s possibly to take place next year, we could be merged with Texas Tech. In that situation there wouldn’t be a student regent at MSU because we would use Texas Tech student regent since we would be under Tech,” Stogdill said. “How it works, if once we get to Tech, it would rotate.

Tech would have a student regent, San Angelo student would be one and then MSU would have one, but next year there’s a possibility that the student regent that represents MSU is not an MSU student. We’d be going to Tech’s board of regents, not MSU [so MSU] wouldn’t have one.”

MSU not having a student regent has brought some concern among Mustangs but Lamb assures that it is nothing to worry about.

“I think that we’ll be fine, because the way the Tech system runs is [the] student government presidents attend the board meetings and so there will still be a student Midwestern voice attending those meetings. Every so many years there will be a student from Midwestern that is the student regent to the Texas Tech system board of regents if we indeed join the system.”

FALL 2020 FINALS SCHEDULE SATURDAY DEC. 5 MONDAY DEC. 7 TUESDAY DEC. 8

8:00AM–10:00AM

10:30AM–12:30PM

1:00PM–3:00PM

9:00 S ALL SECTIONS MGMT 3453 (8AM-10:30AM)

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ALL DAY SECTIONS ACCT 2143 & 2243

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Nov. 24, 2020 Campus Voices | Media | Satire | Covid-19 | News | International Students | Soccer Recap

9

CULTURE FUSION FRIDAY: a spirited display of diversity

PHOTO BY A.J. RUBIO | THE WICHITAN

PHOTO BY A.J. RUBIO | THE WICHITAN

The students attending the culture fusion event, got to participate in a game of Anil Khanal, energy management graduate student, shows off his moves as he plays the challenge to match the dance to the song, Nov. 20. musical chairs as they listened to music from different cultures, Nov. 20.

ELIZABETH MAHAN REPORTER ne student wore a traditional Indian dress that matched the shade of the orange autumn leaves drifting from their trees and rustling in the wind. Another student, who had Grenada’s flag wrapped around his head as a bandana, laughed while conversing with his friend and waiting for the next game to start. Cultural Fusion Friday, a night of games, dance and food from Namaste Indian Restaurant, was part of the week full of events that the Global Education Office organized to celebrate International Education Week. on Nov. 20 at 6:30 p.m.

“The reason I had [cultural student organizations] help me plan this week is because historically, the international organizations on campus, ASO, MISA, CSO and other

O

organizations that are inter- that they bring their ideas. bring their vibe all together to national, they don’t generally work together,” Tobin said.

They bring their culture. They work together. Being a stuJesutobiloba Oladido, dent myself at MSU before, management informaI noticed that there was altion systems junior and ways tension between the president of the Afriorganizations, and now can Student Organizathat I am working at MSU tion, said this event was in the Global Education Ofa good opportunity for fice, not as a student but ASO to be represented. as an actual staff member, “We’re doing this to I wanted to use my platjoin together all of our form to get them working organizations,” Oladido together,” said Kamilah said. “I think it’s imporTobin, global education retant because we can both cruitment specialist. learn from other people This is the first year on the other side of the MSU has held events world, apart from Amerithroughout International ca, so you can learn from Education Week, but Tobin other cultures.” said the Global Education One game students Office is hoping to make played was to listen this celebration an annual to music and attempt event so that international PHOTO BY A.J. RUBIO | THE WICHITAN to dance the cultural students continue to feel dance that they thought Students arrived in their traditional appreciated. matched the music.

“That was the idea be- garments to be welcomed and Then, the hosts projected hind the whole week and checked in to the Culture Fusion the video that goes with Culture Fusion Friday is Friday Event, Nov. 20. the music to show the

students what country the dance was from and what the dance actually looked like. A participant in this activity was Joshua Griffith, chemistry and math senior and cultural chair of the Caribbean Students Organization. He said as an international student from Grenada, he was interested to see what was on display at Culture Fusion Friday.

“It [International Education Week] allows me to see other people from other islands and get to experience what they have in their home place because as we know, each place is different culturally, so it opens my eyes to that,” Griffith said. “We’re in the United States of America, and most people don’t know how our cultures are back home. They may only know ‘Oh this is Caribbean,’ but they don’t know that the Caribbean is of many islands, and each one in their own way is very

unique.”

Seth Skelton, senior associate director of global education, said International Education Week was an opportunity to communicate and have a dialogue with the people around us.

“We want the MSU Texas campus, and the Wichita Falls community, in general, to be more aware of our international students and their presence here. We recognize the culture that they bring, the different perspectives, the diversity. It just adds to the richness of the university. We recognize that, so it’s important to try to raise awareness, and have people from around Wichita Falls and around Texas to experience that and then for international students as well to be a part of the local community and have that interaction,” Skelton said.

10 Nov. 24, 2020 Campus Voices | Media | Satire | Covid-19 | News | International Students | Soccer Recap

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ELIZABETH MAHAN REPORTER or some college graduates or current college students, thinking back to freshman year may bring back exciting but nerveracking memories, since they were immersed in a new community, a new home and a new chapter in life. For international students, adapting to the American college lifestyle and making this university their home away from home may take more time and commitment.

“We have a large Caribbean diversity here, so [MSU is] kind of like a home away from home, because we have people here who feel the same way that I do when it comes to missing home, and who comes from the same culture that I come from,” Tatiana Corbette, psychology senior, said.

Corbette’s home country, Dominica, or ‘The Land of 365 Rivers,’ is a Caribbean island with a

F

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNISHA AARON

Annisha Aaron gazes out at the water in her home country, Dominica. Aaron said, “I lived on the beach area, so there I open my back door, and there’s a beach right there. I miss that. I miss the freeness. You feel a little bit more free because it’s so small, and I feel like up here, sometimes my mind is on things like crimes and abduction and that kind of thing. I wouldn’t really think of that at home.”

population of about 72,000 people.

“It’s small, but it’s doable for me because I’m accustomed to it. I love it. It’s home. Home is where the heart is, and [I love] just being able to wake up in the morning, and from my room, I can see the beach. I can see the ocean. I can see mountains. I can hear birds chirping. It’s just paradise to me,” Corbette said.

Annisha Aaron, English senior, is also from Dominica, which is nicknamed ‘The Nature Isle of the Caribbean.’

“Before I came to Wichita Falls, I landed in New York. I stayed in New York for a week or two, so it didn’t really hit me that I was away; it still felt like a vacation. When we came to Texas and Wichita Falls, I was very overwhelmed, because it was so different. The grass was dry.

It was getting into autumn, so everything was changing colors. That was a big difference for me because I’m used to bright greens, forests, and everything is just brown [here],” Aaron said.

While Aaron’s first impression of Wichita Falls was the lack of color on a Texas fall day, other students noticed the friendly, welcoming atmosphere on campus. Kishelle Licorish, mathematics senior, is from Grenada, a Caribbean country with a population of 111,454 people.

“My other times in America, I’ve gone to places like New York and New Jersey, and these cities are very much so more fast-paced than Wichita Falls. You have subways and all of these kinds of things, so originally coming across to Wichita Falls, I thought it was going to be a bit more fast-paced feeling, but then I saw it’s more calm and community-based,” Licorish said. “It sort of reminded me of home, since it’s more quiet, and you aren’t constantly hearing trains passing.”

Licorish and Aaron both expressed gratitude toward the Caribbean Students Organization for helping international students get oriented and answering any questions new students have about the school. For Aaron, the diversity on campus was something else to get used to.

“I’m not only with Caribbean people. It’s a bunch of other people, so [I am] kind of adapting to that, differences in different people. Back home I’m used to even if I speak broken English or with my accent, no one picks it up. When you’re here, you always have to kind of morph it a little bit to fit in, so that was a little hard,” Aaron said.

Corbette said she was friends with her roommate for ten years prior to attending MSU, so they immediately hit it off when she arrived.

Corbette said she was glad to have the friendships that she made, and it wasn’t too hard for her to adjust, despite a negative encounter she had during her first week.

”Of MSU’s 450+ graduate and undergraduate international students” • • • • • •

67% are from the Caribbean 13% are from Asian countries 2% are from Latin American countries About 5% are from Europe About 8% from Africa The other 5% are from various countries

according to Seth Skelton, senior associate director of global education “I was walking with my roommate, and then this guy drove by, and they literally called us the N-word. That was my first week, so I was just like ‘Oh okay,’ but I didn’t let that deter me.

I was just kind of still getting used to everything,” Corbette said.

One other challenge Corbette faced during her freshman year at MSU was hearing about a hurricane that hit Dominica a few weeks after she left for college.

“It really devastated the island, so it was just hard being away from home because you have

your home is in shambles,” Corbette said.

Another international student, Rodrigo Quezada, finance junior, is from Guatemala.

Quezada applied to colleges in America with the intention of playing soccer. After being accepted at MSU, Quezada tried out for the soccer team, but the team was already full for the season. He considered transferring to another university, but after a couple of months, MSU started to grow on him. He made friends, got involved with the Catholic Campus Ministry, and later joined the cycling team.

“They just gave me a bike, and I started with the cycling team, and they gave me shoes and then clothes, and now [I’ve been] a part of the cycling team since my freshman year. I couldn’t make it with the soccer team, but then I moved forward, and I was like ‘Okay,’ and now I’m doing cycling for MSU,” Quezada said.

Adam Conway, kinesiology junior from Waterford, Ireland, also found a home at MSU through its athletics. For him, it was his soccer teammates who helped him feel at home.

“Firstly, I would say that since the day I came here it felt like a home away from home.

When I met my teammates, they wanted to get to know me straight away and make me fit in,” Conway said.

Quezada’s moving process was memorable because the man who picked him up from the airport was 30 minutes late.

“It was kind of hard for me because I moved during the summer, so I was expecting some-

PHOTO COURTESY OF TATIANA CORBETTE

Tatiana Corbette poses in front of the flag of her home country, Dominica.

Corbette said, “It’s always fun to tell people where I come from. I have American roommates, and I love to cook my Caribbean stuff for them, and they enjoy it.

It’s fun to share my culture with other people.” your family and friends who are going through a hard time back home, and you just left, and

thing huge, but when I moved, there was this guy waiting for me in the airport from MSU. I

Nov. 24, 2020 Campus Voices | Media | Satire | Covid-19 | News | International Students | Soccer Recap

11

TS SHARE THEIR STORIES have bad luck because every time I go to a new country or travel, and someone has to pick me up, they always arrive late,” Quezada said. “I

PHOTO COURTESY OF RODRIGO QUEZADA

Rodrigo Quezada takes in the view at his parents’ restaurant called La Cabaña De Don Robert, which is located in the mountains of Tecpán, Chimaltenango in Guatemala. Quezada said, “I miss my parents’ business. They have a restaurant, so I work and get involved in that a lot.

I talk to a lot of customers and meet people there, and that’s what I love to do.” was waiting in the airport, but I’m very scared because you don’t know what to do, and you don’t know the city.”

After arriving on campus, Quezada’s first week continued to surprise him.

“He told me, ‘Hey, we’re going to Walmart.

You just leave your stuff in the dorm, and we’ll go to Walmart.’ I was like, ‘Why do I need to go to Walmart? I bought a meal plan. I don’t need to buy stuff,’ and he was like, ‘No you need to go buy pens, and blankets, and pillows,’ and I was like, ‘I thought MSU provides all that stuff.’ I was expecting a room set up. When I came here, no room, no pillows, nothing. I was like ‘Oh my goodness,’” Quezada said.

Quezada began to figure out all the little things that come with being a first-year student like where to get a campus ID card made and how to print on campus. He said he loved

some things about America, but one part of Guatemala that Quezada said he refuses to let go of is the way he greets people.

“I really like hugs, and we kiss a lot when we say hi to someone in Guatemala, so if you come to Guatemala, probably I’ll kiss your cheek.

That’s kind of something hard [to get used to].

Here it’s just shaking hands, and no one hugs.

When I came here, I was like ‘Oh I’m going to hug,’” Quezada said.

For Emily Ineson of Berkhamested, England, it was the inclusivity and diversity of the campus community that made her love her foreign university.

“I love MSU Texas, because it is incredibly inclusive and accepting of everyone, from a ll around the world. This creates an amazingly diverse community that thrives with so much uniqueness and individuality, because of the range that exists. It’s a place that makes everyone feel at home, yet special, Ineson said.

Trestelle Joseph, business management senior and international student from Dominica, said the culture was not the hardest thing for her to get used to about America.

“In the Caribbean, I feel like we’re very much open to American culture because we watch American shows all the time and order clothes from America all the time, but food in Wichita Falls is depressing. In the Caribbean, we have grown provisions, and we eat them every day, so that’s what I was used to, and here we don’t have them. You can’t get fresh meat here or fresh fish. You have to go all the way to Dallas, and I don’t have a car,” Joseph said.

Corbette said when she visits home in Dominica, she stocks up on her favorite food supplies from home, so she has a taste of home with her in Wichita Falls. She brings back local snacks, spices like nutmeg, some of her mom’s homemade food, and cacao, which she described as raw Adam Conway chocolate to make tea with.

“You come up here, and you really have to adapt. You have to change your diet and stuff.

You miss [food from home], but what can you do? You just have to adapt to it all,” Corbette said.

Quezada said although the food in America was different from Guatemala, he didn’t mind the change.

“Over there back home in Guatemala, everything is more fresh. Here everything is already [frozen]. You put it in the microwave and then done. You eat it, and it’s really nice. I like it. I love fries. I love burgers, pizza and all the frozen pizzas. I love everything, but over there it’s kind of different like for breakfast, what you have is eggs and beans and all this stuff. Everything is fresh made at the moment,” Quezada said.

Building a home away from home may cause some international students to miss America if they return to their home countries after graduation.

“If I stay here, definitely I would miss home because you always miss home, but also if I go home, I think there are certain things here that are more accessible compared to home since this is a developed country, and my country is a developing country. Certain things, I would definitely miss [about America]. Basically, it

go back, I’m going to miss it here, well certain things here, not everything,” Joseph said.

Corbette said she would love to go back home after graduation, but she doesn’t think she would be able to properly pursue her passion, psychology.

“I wouldn’t be able to get a good job that I really love doing in psychology back home, so I’m going to stay up here and try to get experience as much as possible, and then go back home, so I can bring back that [experience] home and practice, and contribute to my country because they’re the ones that helped me to come up here.

America still has its possibilities, but home will always be home,” Corbette said.

Conway says the welcoming environment and high-quality facilities have made him never want to leave MSU, which is a feeling he claims

PHOTO COURTESY OF ADAM CONWAY

plays in his native Ireland’s national team jersey. works either way. Some people tell you that when you move away from it, you miss it,” Licorish said.

After she graduates in December, Joseph said she wants to get a job and then later pursue a master’s degree, although she has no plans set in stone for where she will live.

“I feel like if I’m here, I miss home, and if I

every international student longs for.

“When it came to class, the teachers and advisors did all they could for me so I could succeed. Being at MSU and looking at how good our facilities are makes me want to stay here forever, and that’s something that every international student wants,” Conway said.

12 Nov. 24, 2020 Campus Voices | Media | Satire | Covid-19 | News | International Students | Soccer Recap

msu men’s soccer adjusts to cancellation of fall season PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN OSEGURA | THE WICHITAN

Kinesiology senior and midfielder Carlos Flores (No. 17) winds up a shot on target in pregame warmups at Stang Park.

CHRISTIAN OSEGURA REPORTER There was hope that the doubtfilled fall semester would still contain a sense of hope for collegiate sports fans and athletes. At first, fall sports were delayed until late September due to COVID-19, and then a month after the news, the LoneStar Conference put an end to all hope by canceling Fall 2020 sports for good. Among the teams who had their official games canceled was the men’s soccer team, fresh off a conference championship and Division II playoff berth the year before.

A lot of changes are in store for the 2021 LoneStar Conference soccer season. The men will dive headfirst into playing seven conference games.

If qualified, the ‘Stangs will

then move on to play in the conference tournament starting Apr. 3. Locations are to be announced at a later time.

Safe to say that this semester was an odd one. In fact, these past couple of months will go down in history. It’s hard to imagine what life would be like without soccer.

For many of the players on the team, it was manageable, as they have years left of eligibility. For the upperclassmen, seniors, in particular, it was a difficult pill to swallow. While they’ll still have a season in the spring, things will be far from normal.

Carlos Flores, senior forward and kinesiology major, said that although the fall season was moved to spring, the team found ways to make light of the situation.

“Obviously it was very dif-

ficult for all of us since it is a very unique situation that no one had ever been in, but we all tried to stay positive and make the most out of every practice,” Flores said.

Scheduled scrimmages have definitely helped the team’s spirits during this time.

The team had games against Irving FC, a team belonging to National Premier Soccer League, and conference foe Lubbock Christian University, which the Mustangs will battle against again on Mar. 16. in Lubbock, Texas.

Brandon Martinez-Trelles, redshirt junior midfielder and business administration major, said that playing in these scrimmages against other schools, as well as each other, is key in preparation for the spring season.

“Getting game fitness

is different from practice.

Games were key for us to get ready collectively as a team chemistry wise. It also shows the team who can play where and who’s ready with you,” Martinez-Trelles said.

This team is ready. Hope is coming back. The players are starting to push into their last gear as the season is near.

As of now, the spring soccer season is a go. The 10 seniors will look to guide the prestigious program to another

successful

campaign

after finishing with a loss to California State-Los Angeles in the quarterfinals of the 2019 DII NCAA tournament last season.

PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN OSEGURA | THE WICHITAN PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN OSEGURA | THE WICHITAN

The MSU Texas men’s soccer team gathers for a pregame huddle at Stang Park.

Business adminisration redshirt junior and midfielder Brandon Martinez-Trelles high fives teammates and coach before the start of the game at Stang Park.