11.10.21 by Reflector Editor

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021

137TH YEAR | ISSUE 9

What is the solution to traffic on Highway 12? City officials discuss drive-thru congestion at Cook Out, Wendy’s MAGGIE ROBERTS STAff WRITER

Drivers along Starkville's Highway 12 at peak meal times and late at night are often faced with traffic congestion and slow-down, all stemming from long drive-thru lines that are spilling out of parking lots and into the highway. This has caused many problems for drivers, both those in the drive-thru lines and those just passing by. Cars at restaurants such as Wendy's, Cook Out, Zaxby's and Taco Bell are often wrapped around the building and flow into the lanes of

Highway 12, causing traffic to stop. Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill is aware of the issue but said it has improved since seating areas at the restaurants are now open after being shut down during the pandemic. "I get Tweeted about it. I haven't been Tweeted about it recently actually, but usually, it is every other week or so. It is a police matter, but we have been enforcing tickets to limit the number of cars still on Highway 12," Spruill said. The question at hand is, how badly does one want a burger from

Mary Georgia Hamilton | The Reflector

Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill at her desk.

Wendy's? Spruill advises moving to the next restaurant for food or parking and walking into the dining area to avoid stand-still traffic on the highway, resulting in a traffic ticket for the driver.

Adam Sullivan | The Reflector

Fast food restaurants, such as Wendy's and Cook Out, tend to cause traffic jams on Highway 12 during peak hours, especially late at night.

With new and upcoming fast-food chains growing on Highway 12, including Chipotle, infrastructure has been a major topic among

Starkville residents and city officials. "Chipotle will have an entrance off of Jackson Street as well as Highway 12, so I would assume

people would be smart and use those additional entrances as ways to get there," Spruill said. HIGHWAY, 2

MSU is making changes to campus due to students' feedback JORDAN BROCK

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Students at Mississippi State University are no strangers to the construction and new additions on campus. However, with changes always happening around campus, many students also notice when issues arise that are inconvenient or impossible to avoid. Student voices and Campus Services have unknowingly been working towards the same goal. Campus Services is responsible for new construction projects and maintaining all buildings and landscaping. Multiple projects are in the works in the offices of Campus Services, like making changes to the Drill Field. A previous Reflector opinion article detailed changes the university should make to the Drill Field to overall better the students' experience when using the paths. Campus Services Execu-

Adam Sullivan | The Reflector

Raylon Johnson, MSU’s first Black president of a Panhellenic sorority, is a member of Chi Omega.

“Outright, it’s segregated:” A look at MSU Greek life HANNAH BLANKENSHIP EDITOR-IN-CHIEf

Hailey Storey| The Reflector

The area between the Colvard Student Union and YMCA building is slated to become a plaza with grassy space and picnic tables for students.

tive Director Saunders Ramsey said the article verified the teams' plans that were already in process. "We are looking at connection points; we are looking at how we can enhance outdoor seating and how we can take a look at how students pass through the Drill Field," Ramsey said. The student experience is something Cam-

pus Services takes very seriously. In addition to the Drill Field modifications, other projects are going on around campus, such as making a plaza in front of the YMCA building and the Colvard Student Union and adding speed bumps and stop signs to make MSU a more pedestrian-friendly campus. Additionally, the university is constantly ex-

panding to include new buildings, and construction for a new kinesiology building is underway. Ramsey said the precise placement of buildings around MSU is because of the students' needs, like where the facility is located based on student walk times, or if it is put on the edge of campus where it is not convenient for students. CHANGES, 2

In 2018, Raylon Johnson walked into a room of girls who did not look like her. Her first thought was "Why is everyone wearing tennis skirts?" Before that year, she had never even heard of Chi Omega sorority — much less known how to pronounce it. Two years later, she became chapter president, an honor with impact far beyond the cream brick walls of Mississippi State University's Chi Omega house. She became the first Black president of any Panhellenic sorority in the history of the university. It is 2021, and even the

casual outside observer is able to see that MSU's Greek life is still largely divided upon racial lines. At MSU there are four separate Greek councils. Panhellenic Council is comprised of sororities such as Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi and Chi Omega and, according to data obtained from the Dean of Students' Office, is 94% white. National Panhellenic Council is made up of seven of the "Divine Nine" historically Black G r e e k - l e t t e r organizations, including chapters such as Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and Sigma Ghamma Rho sorority, and is 99% Black. DIVERSITY, 2

What is the true cost of a teacher’s education in MS? Educators discuss necessity of obtaining master’s degrees, Ph.D. after bachelor’s to receive a higher salary JOSHUA STEWART STAff WRITER

In Mississippi, where salaries for educators are low and the prices for real estate remain high, another issue that has plagued past, current and future teachers is the cost of an education. While some educators end with an undergraduate degree, many feel that the salary increase involved with higher education demands acquiring postgraduate degrees, including a master's and a Ph.D. Kim Mattox is an instructor at Mississippi State University who teaches in the depart-

Courtesy Photo | MSU

Kim Mattox, MSU College of Education.

ment of curriculum, instruction and special education, and she previously taught at Starkville High School for four years. Mattox spoke about low salaries as it relates to the teaching profession.

"It's no secret that teacher salaries are low. In my opinion, they are embarrassingly low in the state of Mississippi," Maddox said. "In terms of a graduate degree, I advise my students right out of the gate to start thinking about it. One of the things I was worried about when I went straight through and got my grad degree was that I was not able to pull from experiences in the classroom to enhance that degree. However, in Mississippi, many do not have a chance to do that. Once you start teaching with that undergraduate degree, there is no way to

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

HI: 75 LO: 55 SKY: Mostly sunny POP: 7

HI: 67 LO: 38 SKY: Rainy POP: 76

HI: 67 LO: 38 SKY: Mostly sunny POP: 5

Courtesy Photo | MSU

Kenneth Anthony, MSU College of Education.

say 'timeout',"Mattox said. Mattox also spoke about the disconnect between the cost of education and teacher salaries in the state. "I don't believe the decision makers at the

FORECAST:Another mostly sunny and pretty week is in our future, Bulldogs! As we head toward the middle of November, temperatures are still reaching the low 70s and high 60s during the day, but the nights are much cooler, often dipping into the 30s. The weekend is looking to be pretty sunny with low chances of rain, so get out and enjoy it!

Courtesy of The Weather Channel

top value education and value teachers. A college education costs the same for a teacher as it does for an engineer, as it does for a pre-med student," Maddox said. "Unfortunately, our tuition is not hedged against future pay. It is the same across the board. I think that is why we're running into the shortages that we're running into today in those critical areas." Kenneth Anthony, an associate professor in the college of education who primarily instructs in elementary education, described the pressure involved with becoming a new teacher in the field.

Courtesy Photo | MSU

Ryan Walker, MSU College of Education.

"A new accountant doesn't get a huge account immediately. A new lawyer doesn't walk right into court. Teachers, however, go straight into the classroom," Anthony said. FOSSIL, 2

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DIVERSITY

Interfraternity Council represents MSU's 16 fraternities, which include names such as Lambda Chi Alpha, Pi Kappa Alpha and Sigma Chi, and is 93% white. Multicultural Greek Council, which comprises 0.25% of MSU's Greek life population, represents two Greek-letter organizations — Delta Xi Phi and Sigma Lambda Beta — and has no ethnic majority. Simply put, Panhellenic sororities and IFC fraternities are white, and National Panhellenic sororities and fraternities are Black. "I tell people this all the time," Johnson said. "Greek life is kind of really the only thing that's still segregated. Like outright, it's segregated. It's so obvious." She quickly follows this up by saying that it's not on purpose — of course anyone is allowed to join any group. If this is the case, then why is Greek life at MSU still so sharply divided along race lines? This question begets many more. What needs to be done to fix this divide? Or, conversely, is this even an issue, or is it just personal preference? MSU was officially desegregated in 1965, but Greek life did not see integration for decades to come. In 1971, a Chi Omega chapter at Davidson College attempted to initiate a Black member but was prevented in doing so by the national organization. According to

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Johnson, Chi Omega at MSU did not have a woman of color in their chapter until 2015. Jackie Mullen, director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at MSU and the assistant dean of students, said she wishes Greek life on MSU's campus was more diverse. "If you are talking about demographics and you're talking about race, there is, yes, there is a divide when you look at race within our organizations. I would say that in the time that I have been involved, almost 10 years in Greek life, I would say that our organizations have become more inclusive. Is it at the rate that I would like it to be? No," Mullen said. Vice President for Access, Diversity & Inclusion Ra'Sheda Boddie-Forbes offered a different perspective. She pointed out that many Greek organizations were originally created to be "identity spaces," and today still largely resemble the demographic that formed them. When asked if this was good or bad, Boddie-Forbes said it depends. "I think that for some organizations, for example your NPHC organizations, which are your historically Black organizations, particularly on a predominantly white campus, that being an affinity space for the students may be necessary. And so the push to diversify in terms of race and ethnicity, I don't think is necessary," Boddie-Forbes said.

Chi Omega President Johnson, however, disagreed. She said she thinks NPHC should be making more of an effort to diversify their members and thinks it would even help them in many ways.

“This is a conversation we are continuously having.” Jackie Mullen Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Mississippi State University

"I'm not going to lie; it would be harder for a white guy or girl to join a sorority or fraternity at NPHC just because of the culture aspect. It just would be so much harder," Johnson said. "I would say I applaud IFC and Panhellenic for their recruitment process and how it's more open. It's an open process. It's easier for minorities, if they're interested in joining, to join. NPHC — it's harder, it's more closed off, it's secretive. It's just all really secretive so if you don't already know what's going on you're not going to learn what's going on." The first "Divine Nine" Greek-letter organization,

Alpha Kappa Alpha, was formed in 1908 at Howard University to be a "support network for women with like minds coming together for mutual uplift, and coalescing their talents and strengths for the benefit of others." At the time, and nearly for another century, Black people would not be allowed to join alreadyestablished fraternities and sororities, so they formed their own, and many of these are the historically Black Greek-letter organizations that exist on our campus today. Shondell Ivy, a senior at MSU and president of NPHC, said anyone is welcome to join NPHC member organizations, but they are not actively recruiting for diversity. "We see diversity within the students who are interested in us, and that's the only thing we can do. So it's not like an active, 'Oh, we would just want somebody because of the color of their skin.' We want somebody for their attributes and what they can give to the organization, what can the organization give to them," Ivy said. For Johnson, she hardly knew sororities existed outside of the Divine Nine until her boss at the boutique she worked at senior year encouraged her to sign up for Panhellenic recruitment. When Johnson chose to rush a Panhellenic group and not Alpha Kappa Alpha, her mother's sorority, she knew her mother would be crushed.

So she did not tell her. Johnson said it is funny now, but at the time it created a rift between her and her mother. After she finally told her mother she had rushed Chi O during a family discussion about finances, her mother did not talk to her for two months. "One of the things I will always remember her saying is 'I just don't know why you would do this. They're not going to look out for you like they would their people, themselves, the same people, because we're different races.' She was like 'You could've gone AKA and been the president of the chapter,'" Johnson said about her mother. Despite the culture shock Johnson first experienced during the Panhellenic rush process, she came to have a fierce love for Chi Omega, something she said she thinks is due to the influence of her mom and her strong Greek loyalties. Her junior year, Johnson knew she was going to be a member of her sorority's executive board, but she did not know which position. While she was waiting for the final announcement of the new leadership, all Johnson could hear was her mom's voice on repeat in her head: "You could have been president at AKA." Then, when her name flashed on the board beside "president," she sobbed. "I don't think people

CHANGES The addition or renovation to things on campus cannot just happen overnight. It is a process that takes many hours of planning and preparation. For instance, the first step to constructing a new plaza in front of the YMCA building is blocking the road off from vehicle traffic. This allows Campus Services to begin preparing to build a

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safe outdoor space for students to sit and enjoy. Some students like Hannah Moroney, a senior communication major from New Albany, Mississippi, understand that making changes takes preparation. "Some accidents happen, like the pedestrian incident in front of the band hall, that causes for automatic change.

However, big changes take time," Moroney said. "I feel that the students' needs are always trying to be met with the building of buildings or even the speed bumps." However, other students disagree. Janna Carnathan, a junior kinesiology major from Mooreville, Mississippi, feels many things about campus are done to save the

university from backlash. "I feel the speed bumps were added to show the university is just trying to fix a problem after something bad has already happened," Carnathan said. "They put the speed bumps there to act like they are helping. Campus Services Director Ramsey said that strategies like

speed bumps are being talked about to make the campus safer for pedestrians. With all these opinions floating around campus, some students find it hard to form their own opinion because they lack the information. Campus Services says all changes to campus have the student experience in mind. "Students need to

HIGHWAY The solution to the traffic is different entrances to upcoming businesses and ticketing the drivers blocking the flow of traffic. While the traffic can be dangerous, overall, having more people out and about is a good problem, Spruill said. Rachel Eschete, a junior biochemistry major, has experienced the frustration of getting stuck behind a line of stand-still cars while traveling on Highway 12. "I used to travel all the way on Highway 12

understand that we understand that campus should be more than the classroom you sit in, the place you live or the place you eat," Ramsey said. "There is a social interaction that happens. We are not telling you (that) you have to interact, but you do it naturally. We want people to feel welcome and safe in all our outdoor and indoor areas." CONTINUED FROM 1

to Walmart because it was a direct path and only a few miles down the road. Now, I take a back way because I always get stuck in Cook Out's line traffic. So, even though it is longer, I get there quicker," Eschete said. When asked if she had ever been on the highway while in line for food, she recalled a time when her friend received a ticket. "Honestly, she should not have been in the road, but we were half in the road and half in the parking lot," Eschete said, "and a

policeman put on his lights and gave her a ticket because of the danger of getting hit. We deserved the ticket, and neither one of us has done it since." Mike Brooks, Alderman of Ward 4, is self-employed and experiences the traffic on Highway 12 daily. "The latest numbers that I have seen is anywhere between 23 to 25,000 cars a day (on Highway 12); that is a lot of traffic," the alderman said. "What we are doing now with MDOT, we've commissioned another

study, and we are waiting on the latest traffic information. Once we get this, we can try to adjust the sequence of the lights to help the traffic flow." Additionally, these numbers do not include game day weekend. On days where there are football games and baseball games, the traffic numbers are most likely a lot higher. "We don't exactly have the infrastructure to handle that (game day traffic), but it is a good problem to have. At times it can be frustrating," Brooks

said. Sometimes, the traffic lights will get off their pattern, which can back up the highway. For example, Brooks said that if the light by Kroger is off for a few minutes, the whole Kroger parking lot will fill up. The information the city officials receive from the new study will help fix this issue. As Starkville's population continues to grow, city officials say they will monitor more routes of traffic management to create a better solution for the future of the town.

EDUCATION "Yes, they can make lesson plans, and they understand students, but if they don't have the mentoring support from a school or school district, you're going to have problems in the end. Teaching has one of the highest attrition rates in all of America." Anthony mentioned the opportunity cost he faced while simultaneously teaching high school and acquiring higher education. "I was a part-time student for both my master's and my Ph.D. What that looked like was teaching five days a week and driving to class two nights a week, doing homework and doing research. I think it adds a significant burden to a teacher. For me at least, it was worthwhile doing it," Anthony said. Agreeing with Anthony, Mattox said that while there is an opportunity cost in-

realize that it's been a journey," Johnson said. Johnson said the key to a more diverse Greek population down the road relies on individuals stepping out of their comfort zone and showing others they can too. Johnson also pointed out several barriers that keep different ethnicities from joining traditionally white Greek life, including cost and the legacy system. According to Sorority and Fraternity Life Director Mullen, Panhellenic sororities have recently taken several steps to mitigate these issues, including changing their legacy process and reassessing their dues to keep them as low as possible. Vice President of Access, Diversity & Inclusion Forbes said, to her, the most important thing was a collaboration between councils, rather than diversity within councils. She said students should balance their time between "affinity groups" and stepping out of their comfort zone to get to know those who are different from them. Mullen said there is a limit to what policies and legislation can accomplish. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the community to enact change. "It has to be a community effort. I will say that our organizations have really been so open to this conversation. This is a conversation we continuously are having," Mullen said.

Courtesy Photo | City of Starkville

Mike Brooks, Alderman of Ward 4.

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volved, it is generally a worthy endeavor in her experience. "You're missing out from year one, salary wise, not having that master's degree. It compounds more and more each year, and eventually, the master's pays for itself. You're losing valuable years, and that's why I encourage my students to go for it as soon as they finish undergraduate," Mattox said. Mattox explained how a teacher's education is paid for, including the Mississippi Excellence and Teaching Program (METP), a co-op between MSU and the University of Mississippi that offers full-ride scholarships to sixty applicants. Additionally, Anthony offered governmental solutions for the teacher shortage that Mississippi and other states are facing.

"If there's a shortage of teachers, and that market cannot correct on its own, it requires legislative action," Anthony said. "The state legislatures have to act, the governor has to sign, and I think there is a lag there. This is a critical shortage. Hospitals have increased the signing bonus for nurses, and schools can do that, but it takes the power of state agencies," Anthony said. One instructor who is highly optimistic about the state of teaching is Ryan Walker, who instructs in the college of education. "The return on investment for a teaching degree is very low, especially when compared to other degrees," Walker said. "However, we are on the cusp of all of this changing. The idea of the traditional teacher is essentially being thrown out the window,

partly because of this national experiment that we're under that was forced onto us by COVID, where most students were pushed into an online format. That has sparked a lot of amazing innovations." Despite the challenges educators face acquiring

their education, Mattox spoke about the value of teaching, and how it has improved her life and impacted her. "Teaching is an amazing field to be in," Mattox said. "It is one of the few fields that you can go home and truly believe that you

may have made a profound impact on someone's life. Without teaching, there are no future doctors or engineers or other fields that we hold in high esteem. It is shameful that the powers that be don't see how important educators are to our future generations."

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SPORTS

It’s always Darty Season in the Griss! MSU volleyball locked into 2nd in the SEC after Alabama win, most SEC wins in program history

Jared Conerly sTaff wriTer

Frigid winds and icy rain blanketed Starkville on Wednesday night, but even the weather could not cool off the red-hot Mississippi State University volleyball team (18-5, 9-2 SEC) as they swept Alabama while having a record-setting night. The Dawgs were dominant in their outing against the Crimson Tide and senior Gabby Waden led the charge. In the Bulldogs' (25-15, 2521, 25-19) three-set

victory, the Columbia, South Carolina, native racked up a game-leading 11 kills, and was given a golden volleyball for becoming the 11th player in school history to surpass 1,000 career kills. Waden said she is proud of her achievements, but said she could not have accomplished the feat without her teammates. "It's not just this team," Waden said. "I've had a lot of teammates and setters in the past: Alleah Stamatis, Morgan Kath, Margaret Dean and Gabby Coulter,

even our liberos, Kanani Price and Lilly Gunter. They've really helped me set the tone for myself and get the attacks that I wanted for our team. I really appreciate everyone that I've played with during my time at Mississippi State to help me achieve that goal." Waden's placement in Mississippi State University volleyball history wasn't the only thing being etched into the record books on Wednesday. Beating the Crimson Tide gave MSU their 9th win in conference play — a feat

that had never been done before in school history. The volleydawgs also won their 6th straight game against a conference opponent, and snapped a seven-match losing streak to Alabama. Sophmore Shania Cromartie, from Tallahassee, Florida, dished out 10 kills and nine digs throughout the match, and junior Lauren Myrick from Louisville, Kentucky, also tallied nine kills, one ace, and three blocks. Senior Deja Robinson also played a huge part in the victory. The Canton, Georgia,

native chipped in nine kills and three blocks to cap off a great streak of volleyball being led by Head Coach Julie Darty Dennis. Coach Dennis said she is pleased with her team's performance and the way they ran the offense. "We constantly work on getting our middles more opportunities and helping run a more balanced offense," Coach Dennis said. "It was really great to see that they were working hard in transition first ball. We've been focused on that all week, so I was

Ashok Manick | The Reflector

Senior middle back Gabby Waden signs autographs after the team’s win against the Crimson Tide this past Wednesday. Waden recorded her 1000th career kill in the matchup, the 11th player in MSU history to do so.

very pleased with their performance tonight for sure." The Bulldogs protected home court and pounded home 49 kills as a team on a .283 hitting percentage, while holding Alabama to 36 kills on a .168 hitting p e r c e n t a g e . Wednesday's victory improves the Bulldogs' home record to 11-1, and they look to Saturday when they take on Missouri in Columbia. Missouri may have the worst record in the SEC (4-20, 1-10 SEC), but coach Dennis said her team has to be ready for a fight. "Mizzou is a tough team," Dennis said. "They play hard, they're hungry, they're very scrappy and they're going to be ready to give us their best effort. We'll need to be dialed in and ready for our next opponent." The Bulldogs did just that, managing to best the Missouri Tigers on Saturday and Sunday this past weekend via a final score of 3-2 and 3-1 on both respective days. The Volleydawgs will return to NewellGrissom this coming weekend for the last home regular season series of the year against the Tennessee Volunteers, a team ranked 24th in the AVCA Women's Division 1 Coaches Top 25 Poll. Those games will take place in the Griss at 1:00 p.m. each day with free admission. Lunch-boxsized coolers are allowed, and concessions are available.

Special teams, defense sputter on Fayetteville road trip Tanner marlar sporTs ediTor

This past Saturday, the 17th ranked Mississippi State University Bulldogs travelled to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for a gridiron matchup with the unranked 5-3 University of Arkansas Razorbacks. MSU ultimately fell to the Hogs via a final score of 31-28. What was the highlight (or in MSU's case, lowlight) of this game one might ask? The Bulldogs left nine points at the feet of different kickers throughout the course of the

game, three of which came after one of the best drives Will Rogers and his receiving corps have put together all season. MSU head coach Mike Leach offered one of the most memorable quotes in recent Bulldog history after the game. "There's an open tryout on our campus for kickers. Anybody that wants to kick … at Mississippi State, we'll hold a tryout any time you can get over there to our building, provided you're cleared by the NCAA." In reality, as much as MSU fans wish that it would, the kicking woes did not sum up the

entirety of the loss the Bulldogs suffered on Saturday. As in every instance, several factors played a part in the Bulldog loss, but this game, it was one that nobody really expected. All season long, the MSU defense has been about as solid against the rush as one can expect. This past weekend, however, that just was not the case. The Bulldog defense gave up a whopping 202 rushing yards in the losing effort on Saturday, the most they've given up in a single game all season, including the 49-9 loss

against Alabama. Couple that with not being able to muster any kind of turnover, and the Bulldog offense was really asked to do a lot in terms of keeping the team in the ballgame. Will Rogers, though, did not shy away. After throwing an interception early in the game, the sophomore gunslinger found his groove and was able to finish the game with 417 yards passing and four touchdowns on 36-48 attempts. Although the final score was by no means what he had hoped for, Rogers turned in a gem of a game.

He could not have done so, however, without the help of his receivers, who managed to make plays all day long. Rogers completed passes to nine different targets, with junior wide out Makai Polk leading the pack as usual with eight receptions for 117 yards. It was a "fresher" face, though, that would steal the show in terms of Bulldog point production. Freshman wide receiver Rara Thomas has slowly been creeping his way into the rotation this season, receiving more snaps and targets as each game goes by. On Saturday, he

showed everyone just why he's been climbing the ranks as of late. The freshman brought in four catches for 63 yards, with two of those being for touchdowns. Rogers summed up Thomas about as simply as one can after the game. "He's a guy that gets open, he catches the ball, and he scores," Rogers said. Fair enough. MSU will look to right the ship this next weekend, as they face a tough Auburn team on the road for an 11:00 a.m. kickoff.

Adam Sullivan | The Reflector

MSU was helpless when it came to stopping Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks (pictured) this past weekend, as the junior wide-out tallied up over 100 all-purpose yards against the Bulldogs.

THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | @REFLECTORONLINE

OPINION

Loose change: W hy keeping your c o n vo c a t i o n c o i n i s i m p o r t a n t LUKE COPLEY is a junior majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu

Mississippi is not as weird as the rest of the country thinks it is, but Mississippi State University sometimes does its best to live up to the stereotype. During my first week at MSU, I attended the "Fall Convocation." During this event, we were joined by Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant impersonators, who talked with MSU President Mark Keenum, wherein all three parties committed entirely to their respective roles. I was also given a commemorative coin, which, at the time, could not really turn my attention from former presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant. The tradition, according

to the brief explanation given at the start, was to keep the coin for your years of schooling, then palm it when we shake Dr. Keenum's hand during graduation. Over time, though, my opinion on the coin has changed dramatically, and I believe that as far as school traditions go, convocation coins are among our best. Let us start with the concept of material culture. According to Brittanica, material culture includes the aspects of our culture which would remain if humans disappeared. These are obvious things, like regionspecific clothing or specialized serving dishes, but also include more nuanced differences within a larger culture. A house in Michigan will be decorated differently enough from a house in Mississippi that you could not only make a distinction, but even glean aspects of the inhabitant's personality and personal history. Colleges tend to have some pretty good material culture. Think about the generations of collegiate letters on T-shirts, hundreds

upon thousands of those felted flags and posters advertising our many D1 sports. The characterization of Mississippi State University would be easily discernible based on those alone. Consider your own material culture. From an outside per-

spect i v e , most of our school merchandise would only really offer evidence that we all liked the same sports teams, as they say very little about the academic aspect of our school. Most MSU merchandise is sports related, certainly all of the cool stuff is, but does not necessarily feel reflective of the profes-

sional half of what I do in college. There are, if we are being honest, at least two major cultures at any college. There is the culture of academia that the school advertises, but there is also the culture of what students actually do w i t h their

ect

efl eR

newf o und o nd freedom. I La bought my MSU sports merchandise from the school, and yet, I do not mentally associate it with almost anything the administration would want me to. Game days are historically among the times where I have been least scholarly. l|

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The coin represents the times when I am being scholarly. The heads side of the coin features the sculpture outside of the Mitchell Memorial Library. According to the Library FAQ's, the sculpture was done by Rod Moorhead, and is officially titled as "The Scholar," but lovingly referred to as "Mitch" by the library staff. Mitch was sculpted by the same guy who sculpted the angel sitting outside of the Chapel of Memories and is reminiscent of Rodin's "The Thinker." The tails side is our school crest, which boasts a sword, a shield and a key as its major iconography. According to MSU's visual identity standards, the sword represents the military aspect of our campus. The key, predictably, represents unlocking knowledge. The shield, for what it is worth, is apparently a reference to the fact that our school was assisted by the federal government via the land grant. These icons very succinctly illustrate the essential characteristics of a stu-

dent: thoughtfulness, commitment, curiosity and some amount of assistance from the federal government. This is not a joke; I am talking about FAFSA. As far as talismans go, the coin does a good job making itself universally applicable to the vast array of experiences which are represented in our student body. Furthermore, the coin is free when you buy tuition, meaning that it is not dependent on a student's personal life or finances whether they get to take home the memory. The Fall Convocation ceremony was postponed due to COVID-19 again this year. I do not think this will be detrimental to anyone's college experience, but I do think that it is, at least, something of a bummer. Now that the world is returning to normalcy, little niceties like these are far more precious than they were to me before. It is just a coin, not even one you can spend, but for better or worse, I am at this school, and I believe the same coin which is worth nothing to me now will be worth much more in years to come.

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The media would like the world to think college life is one non-stop party. "National Lampoon's Animal House" captures this idea and brings it to life. Set in the 1960s, this film follows the antics of the prestigious Omegas and the rowdy Deltas in their constant struggle to one-up each other. "Animal House" takes every negative stereotype surrounding college students and throws them together to create an exaggerated yet engaging

story on just how wild college life can be. The characters and scenarios in "Animal House" attempt to make one point clear: in the right environment, humans will behave like animals. While the institution of Greek life is considered prestigious and respectable by many, the stereotypes shown in the film are the opposite. The movie portrays fraternity life as riotous, violent and disrespectful. The execution of the plot

SHOW TITLE:

NATIONAL LAMPOON’S ANIMAL HOUSE”

is humorous and lighthearted, but the underlying message is less flattering and hopefully untrue. According to "Animal House," college students will quickly stoop to low levels and engage in behaviors they never would under normal circumstances. The Deltas and Omegas constantly resort to violence and revenge to assert their dominance over the other, and the central characters begin to forsake their initial morals

and decency to be a part of this riotous lifestyle. The film follows this plot in an entertaining and engaging way but finding these behaviors on one's own college campus would be less than ideal. "Animal House" glamorizes an outrageous and exaggerated view on college life. The movie is crass and disrespectful, yet undeniably entertaining. Its characters are backstabbing and immoral, but one cannot help root for the underdog Deltas in their

conquests. The film fixates only on the most extreme and unflattering stereotypes surrounding college students. In reality, this is only a niche lifestyle not found as often in real life. College is more than partying, homecoming floats and a ridiculously low grade point aver-

age. All things considered, "National Lampoon's Animal House" does an excellent job at turning all the negative tropes surrounding college and Greek life into a very entertaining film. Hopefully, most of these extreme aspects remain fictional.

Adoptions should have open medical records to warn people of predisposed tendencies EMMA DOTSON is a senior majoring in communication. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu

November is National Adoption Month. Adoption is a good thing— everyone knows this— but what everyone does not know are the vast array of difficulties which can come with being an adopted individual. According to an article written by the Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders, adopted individuals frequently suffer from increased risk of substance abuse, higher rates of mental disorders and problems with identity development. One of my good friends, who is adopted, recently underwent rehab because of substance addiction. More likely than not, their mother or father was genetically prone to addiction or partook in using the substance, but my

friend did not know about this information because of their adoption being closed. This is not to say nonadopted children will not struggle with these issues, but adopted individuals are more prone to be faced with them because of their lack of biological family’s medical history. This is why adoption agencies should be required to provide open birth records and medical records of the adoptee’s immediate biological family. While there are spe-

cial instances where this is not possible, it will help prevent many adoptees from going down the dark path of addiction like my friend and so many others. The process and organization of adoption has changed significantly over the years with a large majority of closed adoptions providing significantly more information provoked by “Bastard Nation” in 1996. Bastard Nation, as the Adoption History Project defines them, is “a feisty organizational newcomer”

CONTACT INFORMATION

Editor-in-Chief | Hannah Blankenship editor@reflector.msstate.edu

Managing Editor | Daniel Dye managing@reflector.msstate.edu

News Editor | Heather Harrison news@reflector.msstate.edu

Opinion Editor | Emma Dotson opinion@reflector.msstate.edu

Sports Editor | Tanner Marlar sports@reflector.msstate.edu

Life Editor | Sarah Morgan Johnson life@reflector.msstate.edu

Photography Editor | Adam Sullivan Online Editor | Joshua Britt multimedia_editor@reflector.msstate.edu

Advertising sales | Brennan Weaver advertising@reflector.msstate.edu

Graphics Illustrator | Dontae Ball Circulation | Amiyah Brown circulation@reflector.msstate.edu

to adoption reform who adopted the “in your face” activist style of the AIDS crisis. The main goal the organization fought for was to end adoption secrecy because of its association with shame about illegitimacy, infertility and being adopted. This activism resulted in the United States’ first open records law “Ballot Measure 58” in Oregon in 1998 which allowed individuals 21 years or older to access their birth certificates. Since then, several initiatives

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor can be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. They can also be emailed to editor@reflector.msstate.edu and have a maximum wordcount of 350 words. Letters must include name and telephone number for verification purposes. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish a letter.

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Tu n e i n e v e r y w e e k fo r a n e w re v i e w fo r w h a t i s t re n d i n g o n yo u r s e r v i c e s. STAFF WRITER

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STREAMING NOW: “ANIMAL HOUSE” GEORGE HUFF

have passed and given adopted individuals more access to their own and birth family’s records. However, it still raises question to think of all the people who were in the adoption system but were not granted access to this same peace of mind. People have the right to know where they came from and what to expect for themselves in the future for their health and wellness. In an article written by Ashley Foster for GLADNEY Center for Adoption, she explains some states allow you to obtain your entire adoption file as long as you meet the requirements, but not all states have open records for adoptees. In the event that your state does not have open records, such as Mississippi, you are forced to petition the court, which Foster discourages because of its degree of difficulty. These laws do not just hurt young people but older individuals who want closure but are roadblocked by the legal system. Sarah Fowler for The Mississippi Clarion Ledger wrote a story in 2019 about Johan Nilsen, a Gulfport native, put in a children’s home in Jackson. Nilsen, at age 83, has peti-

EDITORIAL POLICY The Reflector is the official student newspaper of Mississippi State University. Content is determined solely by the student editorial staff. The contents of The Reflector have not been approved by Mississippi State University.

tioned the court for years to gain access to his birth certificate, but is blocked by a Mississippi law from being able to do so. The law requires biological parents to release the information for their child to gain access, but Nilsen’s parents are presumed dead, thus making it almost impossible for Nilsen to learn valuable information. This is just one example of sealed records impacting an adopted individual’s life, but there are thousands of other lives impacted by this practice in harsher ways than the desire to know who one is. While some biological parents are cooperative when it comes to medical and birth records, not everyone has that luxury, which is why these documents should be required and open when children are given up. Things are getting better for younger generations of adopted children, but there is always room in any system to make improvements. It is time to show adopted individuals they do not just matter to their new families, but also to the place they are from too. Reform the adoption system and make people’s identities their own, not state property.

CORRECTIONS The Reflector staff strives to maintain the integrity of this paper through accurate and honest reporting. If we publish an error, we will correct it. To report an error, email editor@reflector.msstate.edu or call 325-7905.

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THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | @REFLECTORONLINE

LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

Puppies With A Purpose raises the guide dogs of tomorrow

katie rainWater

staff Writer

A new organization at Mississippi State University aims to educate students on raising furry riends to be a help to someone in need. Puppies with a Purpose was ounded this semester with the ntent of teaching students about raising puppies to be guide dogs. The puppies are to be trained in Starkville for the next 14-16 months before being sent to formal harness training. Maya Harlow, a junior animal and dairy sciences major at MSU, s the founding president of Puppies With A Purpose. She said she has raised future assistance dogs in the past and wants to share the passion with likeminded students. Harlow had planned to start the organization prior to her freshman year. "I have messages between myself and Maddie Pipkin, my nowroommate and working assistance dog-handler, that were planning this club before we even set foot on MSU's campus," Harlow said. "Now, two years lat-

er, it has been realized." Their current guide dog intraining is Heidi, an adorable black Labrador retriever who is currently 10 weeks old. She is the first club-affiliated puppy and will be instrumental in training student members who eventually want to raise guide puppies. Heidi's training will be crucial in the success of the club. Harlow discussed the challenge of obtaining a future assistance dog. Thankfully, the club did not have to pay a dime to receive Heidi. "The process of acquiring a guide dog is long. Many organizations have a waitlist of nearly two years for recipients to receive a dog, from the time their application is accepted to placement with their guide dog," Harlow said. These fully trained guide dogs are worth approximately $50,000 by the time they are ready to be placed with their handler. However, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind provides their assistance dogs to their recipients completely free of charge. This is made possible

through the hard work and support of donors, sponsors and volunteers. There are various roles students can fill if they want to be involved in in Puppies with a Purpose. General members attend the club's monthly meetings and assist in fundraising and outreach efforts. Puppy Campers "puppy sit" Heidi when the Puppy Raisers are in a lab and other scenarios that are not appropriate for the puppy. Puppy Raisers are the primary caretakers of the puppy and attend monthly training sessions. Harlow and Isabella Payne, the organization's vice president and co-founder, are Heidi's Puppy Raisers. "Club members receive intensive training and orientation before applying to become a Puppy Camper or Puppy Raiser with the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind. During club meetings and events, members are taught appropriate interactions with working dogs," Harlow said. JT Perrigin, a junior animal and dairy sciences major at MSU, currently serves as the organization's treasurer. He said joining

the club has given him a passion for service animals while teaching him other valuable life skills. "Puppies with a Purpose has already taught me so many things about different kinds of service animals," Perrigin said. "I understand more about different disabilities and how to advocate for guide dogs and people with visible and non-visible disabilities." Grace Sullivan, a sophomore animal dairy sciences major at MSU, is a general member. She says she has many reasons she chose to be involved with Puppies with a Purpose. "My favorite thing about the club is that we all are given the opportunity to be hands-on in training the future guide dog," Sullivan said. "There are many different ways to get involved and that is what I love the most. The club is very accommodating to everyone." Puppies with a Purpose meets monthly and is always accepting new members. Check the organization's Instagram (@puppieswithapurpose_msu) for more information on getting involved.

Maya Harlow | Courtesy Photo

Puppies With A Purpose raises puppies to be trained guide dogs here on MSU’s campus.

Abba journeys fans through time in new album, “Voyage”

heather harrison

neWs editor

The wait is finally over. After almost 40 years of musical silence, Abba is back with "Voyage," a ourney through the years of the band members' relationships, both happy and sad. "We took a break in the spring of 1982, and now we've decided t's time to end it," Abba announced to its fans across the globe in September. Featuring music reminiscent of old-school, disco-pop Abba albums, a constant message throughout "Voyage" is heartbreak and divorce, intercepted with children's laughter and findng joy along the way. Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus produced the record and wrote each song like the group's previous albums. Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad sing the main vocals, while the men harmonize. Opening the album, "I Still Have Faith In You" sets the tone or how we should interpret the record. The band tells us to listen to each song as they paint a picture of a broader story, full of the ups and downs of life. Abba released the song as a single along with

"Don't Shut Me Down" in September, shocking the world in anticipation of the 1970s Swedishpop band's revival. As a lifelong fan of the band, I canhearaconstantthemerunning through most of their songs across its discography. Abba had consistently put out albums at its peak that described the human experience as the narrator sings experiencesoflove,breakups,make-ups and divorce, having children and feeling disappointed but optimistic. "Voyage" is no exception to the message. When I first listened to the record, I dissected different parts of songs that reminded me of Abba's previous discography. Most notably, in "Don't Shut Me Down," the beginning sounds very familiar to the band's 1976 song, "Knowing Me, Knowing You." However, at about 40 seconds into the song, the listener is swirled into a bright, upbeat universe with a piano glissando to transition the tempo— horns, violins and a steady drumbeat complete the switch. Mixed in the album are songs with lyrics like, "You missed the good old times when you danced with me; I miss the good old times

when you danced with me," from track two, "When You Danced with Me," paired next to "Little Things," which describes the cozy,Christmastimefeelingoffalling in love while watching children play by the tree. The third single from the album,"JustaNotion,"isanother upbeat, classic Abba song. Interestingly, according to Abba member Ulvaeus, the tune was recorded in 1978, which sets the melody apart from the rest of

"Voyage." A pulsing beat and rhythmic piano chords push the song into the 1970s. I think this song could have perfectly fit on either "Voulez-Vous" (1979) or "SuperTrouper"(1980)andUlvaeus agreed, saying the piece could have been on the 1980 album. Wrestling with herself, the narrator of "I Can Be That Woman," sung by both Fältskog and Lyngstad,paintsanagonizingpictureof divorce. The listener is in the mid-

dle of a couple's separation, and the lyrics analyze how the singer feels in the room, including the dog who loyally sits by her side. It is hard to listen to the message without feeling upset for the woman as she croons, "You're not the man you should have been … I'm not the woman I could have been." Track seven, "Keep an Eye on Dan,"instantlychangesthemood and tone for the listener. An ominous electronic beat swells in the background as the singer warns her former partner to watch carefully over their son, Dan. The song dives deeper into the split of the parents and their relationship with their son. The mom worries over Dan and spends the song saying she will be back to pick him up on Sunday. Even though the members of Abba have achieved immense fame and success, the album is still relatable for the average listener. Abba breaks the divide of classes and creates songs that unite fans no matter where they are listening to the album, which is especially clear in the middle tracks of the record. "Bumblebee," a light-hearted break between the heartbreak and sorrow of the journey, shows the

good times the narrator has in her garden as she listens to the "hum of bumblebees." After spending time in the garden,"NoDoubtAboutIt,"myfavorite song on the record, makes a bold entrance. I love funky, discopop music, and this song perfectly fits into those criteria. It is a feelgood song that you listen to on a bright, sunny day with the windows open. Abba concludes its Voyage with "Ode to Freedom," which hasacoupleofdifferentmeanings. I see the song as an ode to the break the band took for 39 years, hence the members' freedom from fame. But, remembering the theme of divorce, I notice lyrics that allude to the singer feeling anxious about what her ex-spouse would think of her Ode to Freedom. The singers close the album saying they "wish someone would write an Ode to Freedom that we could all sing." I think Abba's musical journey is far from over, and I am so excited to be included in the destination as a younger fan. Each song holds deep meaning, and that will always be my favorite part about listening to the band's records. No doubt about it, I am a fan of "Voyage!"

SCT’s “Smoke On The Mountain” was a smashing success

Mary Blake Brashier

staff Writer

Last week, Starkville Community Theatre (SCT) put on a production of "Smoke on the Mountain." This was their first indoor performance since 2019. Over the course of the pandemic, they were able to produce multiple outdoor events and other smaller productions. However, it has been a long time since they were able to perform in the traditional sense and they were eager to get back on stage after so long. "Smoke on the Mountain" is a clever play set in a country church n the Smoky Mountains in 1938. The Sanders family, a traveling family band, is leading a hymn sing at this little church, with the assistance of the pastor of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, the young, enthusiastic Reverend Oglethorpe. Throughout the play, the family sings a variety of bluegrass songs and "witnesses" to the crowd in between each song. Pattye Archer was the director of "Smoke on the Mountain." She has been involved with SCT or about 25 years. "This show is a laugh-a-minute rom the start to the time that it ends," Archer said. "My face hurts at the end of rehearsals because they're just so funny. It is kind of heartwarming and funny at the same time. It will cheer you up if you need cheering up." The audience was certainly cheered up throughout the show. The cast had everyone in tears with their comedic facial expressions and hilarious antics. There were no moments where an actor was not doing something, whether it was singing in the center of the stage or creating an awkward romantic scene on stage

Starkville Community Theatre | Courtesy Photo

Starkville Community Theatre’s latest musical, “Smoke On The Mountain,” was the theatre’s first indoor performance since 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

left during a hymn. The characters include: Reverend Oglethorpe, June Sanders (the daughter), Burl Sanders (the father), Vera Sanders (the mother), Denise Sanders and Dennis Sanders (the twins) and Stanley Sanders (Burl's brother). Bob Swanson, who played Reverend Oglethorpe, is a firsttime performer of SCT. He was also involved in some plays prior to moving to Starkville. Swanson and his family moved to Starkville in 2019 right before the pandemic. Since COVID-19 caused extracurricular activities to cease for a while, it was hard for them to get plugged into the community. SCT offered Swanson a new community to bond with. "I enjoy theater people,"

Swanson said. "This has been a good foot in the door for me and it has been a great opportunity for me to meet the artistic and theater crowd in Starkville. Those are people I tend to resonate with." Swanson also writes and performs his own children's songs at libraries. He knows firsthand the energy a live audience brings. "It's a whole different animal when you are playing with a live audience," Swanson said. "The actors get more out of it. The audience gets more out of it." The show combined comedy with classical church hymns, and all the music was live. The entire castsangandplayedavarietyofinstruments throughout the show from piano to the triangle. All the actors had musical ex-

perience. Grif Lippencott, who played Stanley Sanders, played guitar throughout the show and even broke out the banjo a few times. Lippencott is a senior animal and dairy sciences major at Mississippi State University. He has been playing music since his sophomore year and is always looking to broaden his musical experience. "I started on guitar, and then I wanted to do something different. I have always loved listening to banjo music, so I started playing banjo. It has been about four years since I started playing banjo. It's one of my loves and I do it every chance I get," Lippencott said. Lippencott even breaks out into a solo during one of the mu-

sical numbers. He wrote the piece himself. Like Swanson, this is Lippencott's first production with SCT. In fact, besides some plays in early childhood and a little bit of involvement in tech and crew in high school, this is Lippencott's first role in the cast of a play. Lippencott performed his part well and brought a quieter, yet still humorous, character to the stage amongst the colorful and loud Sanders family. SCT performed "Smoke on the Mountain" in 2006 as well. Madeline Golden played Vera Sanders, the mother, in both the 2006 production as well as the 2021 production. She was able to reprise her original role again. This play was also performed

in 2003, and three of the cast members from the 2003 cast reprised their roles for the 2021 production. Krista Vowell, who played June, Madeline Golden, who played Vera Sanders and Paul Ruff, who played Burl Sanders, were all on stage in the same roles they played years ago. While every actor believably assumed their role, it was evident that these three loved their characters, and that their roles fit them like an old glove. The entire cast did a phenomenal job. They were constantly performing, even when they did not have the spotlight. The play itself was hilarious and engaging. The combination of live music and live theater was a great opening show for SCT's current season. "If you missed the show, tough luck, it's been a great time," Lippencott said. "People have been talking about it and people will probably keep talking about it." Starkville Community Theatre has offered its own little pocket of Broadway in Starkville's own downtown area. They have been putting on shows since 1978. SCT's goal is to provide an outlet for creativity for the Starkville community. They want their actors and audiences to be enraptured by imagination, and to let their creative juices flow. "The theater is our home away from home," Archer said. "It is great that the community has a theater, and we are proud to be a part of such a strong art scene." SCT welcomes actors of all ages to perform. To find out how to get involved with SCT or to see what productions they are putting on next, visit their website or visit the theater at 108 East Main Street.

THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | @REFLECTORONLINE

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