11.30.22

HEATHER HARRISON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

National Science Foundation Day returned to Mississippi State University for the first time in over two years.

MSU is the first institution in the country to welcome NSF Day back after the pandemic.

“I just can’t say how delighted we are that NSF would choose Mississippi for its resumption of NSF Day,” U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker said.

The day-long event is geared toward scientists and researchers across the country. MSU welcomed attendees from 12 of Mississippi’s colleges and universities. In-person attendance was sold out,

and

Panchanathan welcomed the crowd to a day of learning and networking.

“Research, well, that’s the reason why we’re here today,” Keenum said.

Keenum

Wicker, MSU President Mark Keenum and NSF Director Sethuraman

Plans unveiled for Main Street water infrastructure

Main Street water infras tructure construction is set to start in January and will take about nine months to complete.

Starkville Utilities and Kimley-Horn & Associates unveiled the plans at an open house two weeks ago. Kim ley-Horn is the civil engi neering team, and Starkville Utilities owns the project.

Mary Williams, capital projects manager for Stark ville Utilities, said contract ing bids have started, and the team will award a bid to a construction company on Dec. 6.

Four downtown business owners attended the open house. Edward Kemp, gen eral manager of Starkville Utilities, spoke to the group and answered questions.

Keenum

Math requirement at MSU could change in near future

DOylE CONTRIbuTINg wRITER

At most universities, math classes are considered to be general education courses. These are classes that all students must take to earn a bachelor’s degree.

At Mississippi State University, the University Committee on Courses and Curricula (UCCC) supervises any changes made to the general education curriculum by reviewing and considering departmental proposals for course modifications.

The committee listens to and addresses student concerns regarding class requirements and changes made to existing classes.

Recently, the UCCC

considered changing the existing general math requirement from six hours to three.

According to MSU’s General Education Requirements, students who place into a course higher than college algebra on the mathematics placement

For students who do not place higher than college algebra, they still have to get credit for six hours as well, but they typically start with College Algebra (MA 1313).

MATH, 2

Oktibbeha County docket reveals public defender shortage

Michelle Easterling has served Clay County and its surrounding areas in Mississippi for more than two decades in the civil courts as a prosecutor and a judge.

She currently serves as the county prosecutor of Clay County, a job that is won via public election.

She has seen the issues of the legal system of Mississippi from both sides of the bench, and now, in the middle of campaigning for a new position, she has come across an issue that is just as prevalent in Mississippi as it is across the nation.

That issue is the criminal docket of the 16th circuit of Mississippi, or more specifically, the length of the docket. There are charged members of the justice system that have been awaiting trial for much longer than their constitutional right to a “speedy trial” can allow. This issue is not limited

to only that circuit, which consists of Oktibbeha, Noxubee, Lowndes and Clay counties, however. It is an issue that is taking place across the nation.

According to Easterling, the subjects, who are typically in court for minor drug related cases, suffer through a vicious cycle

that repeats itself every four to six weeks. They are given a new hearing date, and then, when that hearing date arrives, they are told that the court does not have an attorney for them. The cycle then repeats and can repeat, in some cases, for more than a year.

According to the

American Bar Association, some larger states only have around a third of the number of public defenders they need to handle the case load.

Easterling knows this, and as it is her main platform for election, she has a plan to fix it. She believes the solution lies in the

hiring of more public defenders.

“Public defenders have the most thankless job in the justice system, but they’re essential to handling problems like this one,” Easterling said. “We need to find a way, by any means necessary, to afford hiring at least double the amount of

full-time public defenders as we have now.”

Easterling said there are grants for hiring public defenders that are awarded to places like the 16th circuit every day, and she plans to put Starkville and Oktibbeha County on those lists.

However, not many attorneys are lining up to be public defenders in the first place, meaning this is not a problem that only Starkville and the rest of the 16th circuit is facing — it is a nationwide issue.

Public defenders across the country are quitting their jobs, citing grossly low wages and being severely overworked. In cities like Portland, Oregon, over 250 people did not have lawyer representation at one point. That may seem like an insignificant number to some, but when added up, those awaiting trial can overload jails and prisons.

NSF also offered a virtual session. Attendees listened to panels about research and science topics and networked with fellow researchers.

said MSU has 17 researchers who receive funding from the National

Science Foundation CAREER Award, a high honor for young faculty to receive.

The NSF has given over $58 million to Mississippi for research opportunities.

commended the university’s scientists

and researchers for their strong portfolios. He said MSU is a leader in unmanned air systems and development and noted the strength of the school’s high-performance computing and cyber capabilities.

MSU is ranked 88th nationally for research institutions. Keenum said the university is working to be in the top 50. Mississippi State is ranked 59th for research out of public universities.

test can fulfill a six-hour requirement by taking a calculus course.

ROSE

Last Monday, National Science Foundation Day was hosted to cat er toward scientists and researchers across the state.

Heather Harrison | The Reflector

Main Street water infrastructure construction is set to begin in January of 2023.

Heather Harrison | The Reflector

The Committee on Courses and Curricula has considered changing the math requirement.

Samuel Hughes | The Reflector

SHORTAGE, 2

TANNER MARlAR

MANAgINg EDITOR

In Mississippi, the length of the criminal docket of the 16th circuit is an issue. Many charged members of the justice system have been awaiting trial for a long period of time.

Jahari Bell | The Reflector

HEATHER HARRISON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan.

Courtesy Photo | NSF

United States Senator Roger Wicker.

Courtesy Photo | Roger Wicker

Panchanathan spoke about targeting the “missing millions,” the diverse groups that are left behind in science, engineering, math and technology fields. He said he wants to find the missing millions and include them in the work NSF does.

“The key is to make sure we are channeling the talent and giving it the opportunities it truly deserves,” Panchanathan said. “This starts right from K through 12.”

Wicker said he recently spoke with researchers who work with the kindergarten through 12th grade system, and he said middle school has had advancements over the past year.

The senator said Mississippi needs to increase its research, and

working with the NSF helps achieve that goal.

He mentioned the CHIPS and Science Act, which invests in semiconductor production, fixes supply chain issues, improves security and encourages research.

He said this act is important to furthering research in Mississippi.

“We have proved that we can provide quality research to advance our scientific achievement,” Wicker said, “and it means so much in terms of not only testing for things like COVID but also all of the advances we’ve had in artificial intelligence and quantum computing and things like that.”

He said NSF Day breaks down barriers between less-recognized research states.

“This is an

opportunity for states like Mississippi to get more of their share,” Wicker said.

The NSF director cited Mississippi as a conductor of innovation.

“Mississippi, to me, exemplifies what we need done more all across our nation,” Panchanathan said. “It exemplifies because it has unbelievable talent. It has got amazing context of innovation and possibilities here and it’s got tremendous commitment.”

Wicker said NSF Day impacts higher education research in the state.

The senator said state leaders are concerned about the brain drain in Mississippi, which occurs when individuals graduate from Mississippi colleges and universities and move out of state. He

said Mississippi has ripe opportunities for research and advancements.

Panchanathan agreed. “I see the commitment for creating industries of the future right here,” he said. “So when industries of the future are created here, talent is trained here, there is no reason for anyone to want to go anywhere else because there’s so much prosperity that is here. And that’s the future.”

NSF partners with Mississippi colleges, universities, and elementary and secondary schools. Panchanathan said NSF invests in its partnerships so the institutions can excel.

“Innovation can be anywhere, and opportunities should be everywhere,” Panchanathan said.

“We don’t have the full picture right now,” Kemp said. “The other thing that we don’t know right now is how available materials are, so that might delay the start in January, depending on how quickly they can get the materials.”

Williams mentioned traf fic impacts.

“Main Street will be one way, one lane of traffic at some point just based on how they have to build it, and then the same for Lampkin (Street),” Wil liams said.

Kemp said the water supply for Main Street businesses will have little disruption, but Lampkin Street may be more af fected.

“The goal is to limit the amount of disruption of the street, parking, lanes,” Kemp said.

Kemp said there are

Dana Franz, a member of the University Committee on Courses and Curricula, stressed that this idea was still in the works.

“The goal is to be sure that the courses we ask freshmen and sophomores to take will give them a global perspective,” Franz said.

Jake Rice, a freshman majoring in electrical engineering, thought the change would not be beneficial to most students.

“Math is and always will be an essential part of daily life,” Rice said.

Merrill Nordstrom is one of Mississippi’s federal public defenders, meaning that instead of working for the state of Mississippi like most public defenders within its border, she works for the U.S. government on federal cases.

Nordstrom splits all federal cases in the northern half of the state with two other litigators, while all cases in the southern half are split between another three litigators. She said the case load is very manageable, with each litigator only handling around 30 cases at any given time.

Previously, Nordstrom served as a public defender in Lafayette County, Mississippi, one of the largest districts in the state. During Nordstrom’s time working for the state, she and the one other public defender within the system would have to manage 75 to 100 cases each at the same time.

three main sewer improvement spots: behind Starkville Café, the alley by the police department and the alley and parking lot by the former Boardtown Trading Post.

Although the crowd was small, the attendees were inquisitive and displayed excitement for the project.

Steve Langston, president of Sullivan’s Office Supply downtown, mentioned a distinct sewer odor by the Doodlebugs boutique.

“From time to time, after rain, (the drain) would have a big sewer smell,” Langston said.

“The city used to come by and pour bottles of industrial perfume down in it.”

Mayor Lynn Spruill said she and the planning

team had just spoken about the odor issue. She said the storm and sewer drains “might have gotten mixed up.”

The city will look into the storm drain lines when constructing the streetscape project. Kemp said the city will improve drains and move some drain locations during that time.

Kemp said the city had not replaced the water lines from Jackson to Montgomery streets in over 15 years, and the area needs repairs.

The contractors will complete the water and sewer infrastructure before the streetscape project begins.

For questions and updates on the construction, email downtownwater@starkvill eutilities.com.

However, Rice said it could be a beneficial change for non-STEM majors.

“It could be beneficial, since lowering the required math credits for those who don’t need them as a part of their major would be able to get their required credits faster,” Rice said.

As an electrical engineering major, Rice will have a schedule full of mathheavy courses over the next few years.

“Everyone currently on campus will be in the old rules. This would only impact

Nordstrom said it certainly was not worth the money, nor the toll it took on her professional and personal life either, but those who currently serve in that roll face a challenge that is all too common in state legislature — funding.

Nordstrom explained that every time a state public defender wants to hire an investigator or an expert to examine facts of the case, they must ask the presiding judge for funds to do so, which shows their hand as a defense.

When asked what state governments like Mississippi’s can do to solve this problem, Nordstrom was clear: more funding is necessary.

“Obviously, if you start dangling more money in front of somebody, you’re going to get more competition for those positions, and you’re going to get a better fit,” said Nordstrom. “ … It really is just resources, and

future students,” Franz said.

Jayne Opiela, a sophomore majoring in biomedical engineering, said she felt relieved for future non-engineering students.

“Future students might be happy about the reduction in required hours because it means they get to spend more time on classes that they enjoy as opposed to taking another general class,” Opiela said.

Opiela said she felt this change would not affect future engineering students

also, maybe the law schools should try to do more work in finding those types of students who may have that drive (to be a public defender).”

Wade Healy is one of those prospective students. Healy is a junior political science major with a pre-law concentration at Mississippi State University, and he acknowledged the pitfalls of the job in its current condition.

“I mean, for the amount of time you have to put into it, it’s not really worth it,” said Healy. “The private sector is where the money is at, and that’s where I’m trying to go.”

Nordstrom echoed that sentiment when she attested to having to work another full-time job while being a public defender just to make ends meet.

According to Zippia.com, which compiles data from the U.S. Census and the United States Bureau of

since they are still required to take a lot of math classes outside of the general requirements, but for other majors this could be a much-needed break in classwork and stress.

However, she said math was still an important concept to understand.

To give suggestions or concerns for the Committee on Courses and Curricula, visit its office at 281 Garner Hall or contact Andy Perkins.

To submit with any suggestions, visit www.uccc.msstate.edu.

Labor Services, Nordstrom is on the right track.

Male federal public defenders make on average $57,906, while females make about $2,000 less. This may seem high, but in poorer states like Mississippi, that average income dips into the $30,000 range.

When law school student loans and cost of living are factored in, it is no wonder why most public defenders must take on other jobs.

This causes a chain reaction in the system that has resulted in a problem that Mississippi and the rest of the nation currently face. However, Nordstrom is adamant about one final thing: this is not the fault of the defenders themselves. They are doing the work that no one else wants to do.

“The people that do this type of work … they do it because they care. They certainly don’t do it for the money,” said Nordstrom.

MSU President Mark Keenum greeted attendees at this year’s NSF Day with a welcome speech.

Heather Harrison | The Reflector

Contracting bids for the Main Street water infrastructure project have started, and the Starkville Utilities team will award the bid on Dec. 6.

Heather Harrison | The Reflector

The UCCC stressed that this idea to change the requirement was still on the table. Samuel Hughes | The Reflector

There are close to 10,000 federal public defenders in the United States alone. Kathryn Beatty | The Reflector

Weekly Horoscopes

Pisces- In this week’s conversation with the star god Jbu’antham, the topic drifted towards your crypto portfolio. Doge Coin, really?

Leo- Expect to have a terrible experi ence in Kroger this week. In a not so unrelated piece of advice, invest in some adult diapers.

Cancer - Be thankful for the time spent with your family over the upcoming break, like your uncle who used to drink way too much at each family gath ering. He’s started going to meetings again, he’s completed step nine and his blood transfusions are going well.

Scorpio - Wednesday morning you’ll find a trail of bread crumbs outside your door leading to a realm you cannot comprehend. In this realm, Britney Spears has taken her rightful place amongst the papacy.

Taurus- Walk in fear of the angry gods.

Gemini - Don’t evcn think about pick eting over the lowercase plural form of god in Taurus. We are referring to our new star god friends Elixios’thrai, X’anthrai, Jbu’antham and Clark the Disemboweled. They watch you watch the Office; you have no room to judge.

November 30 - Final day of classes, and our last paper of the semester

December 8- The last day of finals

January 17 - Classes resume, and we’ll begin printing again the following week

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

An employee reported someone tampering with heating and hot water sys tems at College View Apartments. No evidence was found.

A resident of the city/county was arrested on Stone Boulevard for disregarding a traffic de vice and DUI.

Friday, November 23, 2022

A student was arrested on Creelman Street for reck less driving and posses sion of a fake ID. A referral was issued.

More Bad Dawgs can be found each week in our online edition.

Monday,

November 28, 2022

A student passed out in Hilbun Hall. The subject was transported to OCH via an anbulance.

A student passed out in Deavenport Hall. The sub ject refused transport to OCH. The student was in possession of a fake ID card. No charges were made.

Bad Dawgs may be a little short this week, but it’s times like this we have to ask ourselves, ‘is that such a bad thing?’

They say all good things must come to an end.

I can speak to the truth of that statement, whether it is in reference to the end of a particularly lovely day, the end of Thanksgiving break, or most definitely the end of a series of bathroom reviews. For four editions, I have trekked tirelessly across this campus to deliver all readers of The Reflector an honest, allencompassing review. (That is, of course, unless you tend to use mens’ restrooms. For that I cannot be of any help.)

What have I learned over my time? Well, mainly that Marketplace at Perry is a building solely meant for eating and its bathrooms should be avoided at all costs. Also, that you cannot always judge a book by its cover. Some of the prettiest buildings had the dirtiest bathrooms and vice versa. There are life lessons hiding in the most mundane of activities.

Hilbun Hall (first floor), 3/10

• Smelly

• Dirty • Hangout spot

When I entered the women’s bathroom on the first floor of Hilbun Hall, I was greeted by an overwhelming odor. Then, as my eyes adjusted, I saw a bathroom with potential! However,I am worried I missed the memo. It is sad, really, that this bathroom should be so dirty, since it has so many nice features. It has windows that let in a decent amount of natural light, which improves the entire atmosphere. As for its other qualities, the bathrooms were well-stocked with supplies, and the stalls locked beautifully.

Post Office, 9.5/10

• Clean

• Relatively unused

• Well lit

This bathroom exceeded my wildest expectations. This was probably the cleanest bathroom I have used on campus. I have also never run into any other human being in this bathroom. The only reason the Post Office’s bathrooms are not getting a perfect score is due to their location. Sadly, the post office is not in a central enough location to allow for

secure near perfect scores

more use.

Rula Complex, 9.5/10

• Clean • Stall doors need work

• Amazing Ladies and gentlemen, the bathrooms conveniently located in the center of the Rule Complex have almost everything a person could ever need. Firstly, the only reason I entered Rula was to check out a tip I had received from a fellow Reflector writer for an excellent bathroom. It exceeded

expectations, to be sure. While this is strictly a bathroom review, I would be remiss not to mention the quality of building that these lavatories reside in. I strongly considered changing my major to civil engineering (a career choice my grandmother would have applauded) just to have as many classes as possible in Rula. So obviously these bathrooms receive an excellent score. They were most likely the cleanest bathrooms I have seen so far. The only deduction for

these bathrooms came from an inch-wide gap in the stall door. Seriously, how hard is it to make a door that shuts correctly?

Montgomery Hall (ground floor), 6/10

• Very secluded

• Short ceilings

• Dim

Located behind the offices of the Disability Resource Center, these bathrooms are the textbook definition of secluded. They offer utmost privacy to all users and have only two stalls. The downsides to using this bathroom are, yet again, dim lighting and a tile floor that has seen better days. The bathroom was very obviously clean.

Bathroom Trailer in the Junction, 7.5/10

• Not a porta-potty

• Clean if you keep reasonable expectations

• Doors are hard to lock

Firstly, I am a bit more lenient on game day bathrooms, mainly because I am firmly aware that there are plenty of Porta-Potties that I could be in instead. This trailer is decidedly not a porta-potty, despite being a portably potty. Anyways, back to the review. This trailer is

clean at the beginning of the day, and to be honest the latest I’ve been in one was around 2 p.m. on a 3 p.m. game day. It was not trashed; however, I will say it is easier for a small room to get dirty. Anyway, that is all about cleanliness that I will say. The doors should be getting great reviews, seeing as they are full doors that close with no gaps. They are not really stalls, more like small rooms. However, I have had the misfortune of being in 2 of these stalls that would not stay shut. I am not sure if it was user error or not, but I do not think so. I was able to shut and lock other doors. Oh well, who knows. There was a line for these bathrooms, however I think that was probably because people will go anywhere other than a porta-potty.

I have had the time of my life writing these reviews. Writing that made me think I should probably get out of the house more. While this series may be at an end, I will personally continue the quest for a greater bathroom experience via the notes app. Here’s to more pleasant bathroom encounters for all.

Delicioso: Stagger-In wins fried cheese stick food crawl

marinara sauces.

Two former MSU students came home from the holidays with one goal: to revisit the restaurants in Starkville that they once enjoyed in college. Hunter McMillin and his fiance Mandi Johnson called me in, and I was struck with inspiration from The Reflector's Cheese Fry Crawl last spring. Thus began our crawl searching for the best mozzarella sticks in Starkville.

The dish is rated on a scale of 1-5, judged based on taste, price and presentation. After each of us tasted a mozzarella stick, we shared our opinion and then summed everything up into an overall rating.

Our first stop was WalkOn’s Bistreaux, a recent breakout player in the fried cheese stick scene. The Mozzarella Logs were listed on the starters menu for $9.99. They were presented in a basket and appeared coated in bread crumbs with shaved parmesan and Italian seasoning on top. This dish

was paired with ranch and marinara.

“This is a good cheese stick, especially dipped in the marinara. It’s sweet but good,” McMillin said upon his first bite.

The group was strangely torn about how the breading tasted. While McMillin and I felt it was sweet, Johnson was insistent it was too spicy for her to handle.

“It’s, like, burning my throat kind of,” she said while explaining the taste.

Though this was more likely due to her inability to handle spice, she stood by her opinion strongly.

There were also complaints that five sticks were not enough food to justify the price of $9.99, but McMillin believed the price was justified.

Overall rating: 3.5.

Next, we headed to Central Station Grill to taste the well-known PankoCrusted Fried Cheese listed on the starter's menu for $9.49. They came with six sticks, three of which were pepper jack and three were mozzarella-filled. They were garnished with herbs and paired with ranch and

“Mmm melty, this cheese is perfect,” Johnson said after her first bite. “The cheese to bread ratio is elite.”

The group agreed that these cheese sticks were tasty. McMillin appreciated the variation of cheese, as this allowed eating two entire sticks.

“I think that this is delicioso, and the cheese is perfect and velvety smooth,” he said.

It seemed like this menu item was a big hit with our group, and the price was never disputed. The price of these was lower than WalkOn’s, but we were given six cheese sticks as opposed to five.

Overall rating: 3.8.

Our next stop was Mugshots Grill and Bar, where Tee’s Cheese Wedges are available for $8.99. This establishment also offered pepper jack and mozzarella cheese and served the sticks with a side of ranch dressing.

“I do like a good wedge,” Johnson said in reference to their shape.

It was easy to distinguish between the cheese options; the mozzarella was prepared in wedge form and the pepper jack was more of a square. There were also six fried cheese wedges, three of each kind of cheese. Shaved parmesan was used as a garnish on top.

“These are similar to the Grill, in the sense of cheese. You can get the same taste for cheaper here,” McMillin said. “I mean, this is just how I like it,”

The lower price gave us an opportunity to critically compare these wedges to the previous sticks and logs we tried. Johnson challenged some of her previous ratings and claimed Mugshots was the best she had.

“I think the crust-tocheese ratio is honestly better here than the Grill,” Johnson said.

The popular opinion seemed to be positive. The only complaint was that the presentation of the dish was not as good as the others. McMillin insisted that the price and taste were more than enough to make up for the lack of a pretty appearance.

“I want to go back there and kiss the chef,” McMillin said.

Overall rating: 4.2.

Finally, we brought our crawl to a close at StaggerIn’s new location at College View. Their Pregame WarmUp menu listed Stagger Cheese Sticks for $9.99. Again, we were given a mixture of pepper jack and mozzarella cheese sticks carefully placed in a circle around a side of marinara.

“First of all, these look thick and snack-a-licious,” Johnson said.

The six sticks were nicely crusted on the outside and perfectly creamy on the inside. The group made multiple comments about how the environment inside of Stagger-In was the perfect place to consume fried cheese. We were sitting amongst loud, energizing music and many neon lights.

Upon the first bite, there was already talk of these being the best fried cheese sticks in Starkville. The table was quiet briefly as we focused solely on the heavenly appetizer.

“This is perfect because it’s like an upscale Sonic,” Johnson said, referring to the fast-food chain’s famous mozzarella sticks.

“Stag, you did it, you did it good,” said McMillin. “This cheese is bussin’ out the frame.”

Though the price was one of the highest, we were all in agreement that the cheese was worth the money.

Overall, we crowned Stagger-In the winner of our fried cheese stick crawl and rated their Stagger Cheese Sticks at a 4.7.

Happy Landing stuns crowd

BaLadi STaFF WriTer

It is rare to find a band where you will hear a spontaneous performance of Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” a violin solo while missing an entire string and a drummer who plays a whole set with a bleeding hand all in the same concert. Happy Landing performed this past Friday in Duling Hall in Jackson and did just that.

Happy Landing came on to the scene as five college students looking to make it in the folk-rock scene. From going on tour, to playing with The 502s and The Stews, every action they have taken since has done nothing more than help them begin to achieve success.

All the shows they had this year culminated in their show at Duling Hall Friday. As the lead singer Matty Hendley is from Madison, only a few minutes’ drive away, the hometown crowd came out like no other. The venue sold the most tickets for a show since before COVID, and the performance showed why.

From playing an unreleased song exclusive for the crowd to a quick rendition

of “Cotton Eyed Joe,” Happy Landing made sure they had a unique show for us. The energy of every member of the band was extraordinary; they had great interactions with fans, even going so far as to remember some in the front row from a previous show. All of these things made for a great show.

Not only was the energy nice, but the way the band members performed was extremely unique as well. While Hendley ran the show, lead violinist Andrew Gardner ran the band. This led to an interesting solo when Gardner had a string break twice and proceeded to do a spontaneous solo on a three stringed violin. This was the moment I could not get out of my head.

At the end of the day, I can sit here and talk about the energy and the uniqueness of the performance for hours, but it would not do their concert justice. What I can say is that Happy Landing is a band that is willing to take risks, so their fans have a unique experience, and they have the skill to back that up. Their performance on Friday proved that to me, and I cannot wait to see what they will do in the future.

EDITORIAL POLICY CORRECTIONS

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.

The Reflector staff strives to main tain the integrity of this paper through accurate and honest re porting. If we publish an error, we will correct it. To report an error, email

editor@reflector.msstate.edu or call 325-7905.

Luke copLey

John

Luke copLey

Lead violinst, Andrew Gardner, solos during a performance at Duling Hall in Jackson, MS.

John Baladi | The Reflector

Indigenous students rediscover their culture at MSU

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush desig nated November as Native American Heritage Month.

The month is a time to acknowledge rich culture and traditions and re member the numerous achievements by Native Americans.

The month is celebrated nationwide by many differ ent Indigenous commu nities, including Missis sippi State University.

Hunter Harris received his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from MSU and is now a graduate student pursuing a degree in electrical and computer engineering. Along with being a student at Mississippi State, he is also a proud Choctaw In dian from a tribe located in Oklahoma.

Harris was born in Geor gia and grew up in South Carolina. During his youth, his heritage and culture seemed to dwindle as he got older.

While his mother was born and raised within the Oklahoma Choctaw tribe, their family rarely made the trip back to visit. Eventually, at MSU, Har ris was able to rediscover

his culture through the university, along with an internship he pursued within his tribal head quarters in Oklahoma.

Through classes, he learned about the original removal of his ancestors and how some of them were from a different Choctaw tribe in Missis sippi.

“Coming to college, Mississippi was not one of my top choices. I felt a cal ling coming back here and started doing ancestry on my mom's side of the family and noticed in the 1990 census it says they lived in Mississippi,” Har ris said.

After leaving Missis sippi, Harris’s family eventually found a haven in Oklahoma where his an cestors began to restore their Choctaw culture.

Even though much of the culture was disappearing due to lost elders and fear of being “Choctaw proud,” some tribe members made sure to reteach the traditions and values.

“I learned about a cousin that brought back stomp dancing, lion danc ing and so much of our culture from Mississippi to Oklahoma,” Harris said.

Through learning about

his ancestors and Native American history, Harris developed a passion for his Choctaw heritage and con tinues to learn through speaking with his tribe elders as well as peers at Mississippi State.

One way he has been able to connect with others at MSU is through the Indigenous Students and Allies Association (ISAA). The organization was created as a safe place for all Indigenous students on campus and allows them to connect and learn with other ethnic students.

Rayven McMillian, a jun ior electrical engineering major and president of the ISAA, is half Mississippi band of Choctaw and half Navajo nation (Diné). She said the main goal within the organization is to raise awareness and spread cul ture throughout the cam pus.

“ISAA aims to provide education, develop con nections and showcase ad vocacy at Mississippi State University,” McMillian said.

Cultural events put on by ISAA include tribal

dancing, food, art and many other activities which encompass the Native American tradi tions within each student.

Not only do these events provide an outlet for the Indigenous student pop ulation but a new learning experience for those out side of the culture as well.

“This allows students to understand Native Ameri can history and values be cause it establishes our sense of identity and be longing by raising aware ness and explaining its his tory and impacts,” McMillian said.

McMillian said she wants to spread the word about ISAA and make everyone aware of the organiza tion's existence. She said she wants to connect with people to showcase her culture within the Missis sippi State community.

Karl Butler, a junior computer engineering major and event coordi nator for ISAA, is also a part of the Mississippi band of Choctaw Indians.

Putting together events, teaching traditional dances and playing stick ball games are some of the many ways Butler helped bring the Indigenous com munity together.

“We often see new faces and make sure they feel in

cluded to share their own culture, which is one of my favorite parts about our organization,” Butler said. Butler has become close with many students, such as McMillian and Harris, while continuing to learn more about his culture. He has come to appreciate his history and the relation ships and experiences given to him.

“I became more appre ciative about being born Choctaw, and I take pride in teaching others about Choctaw traditions and raising awareness for so cial issues affecting In digenous communities,” Butler said. “I am still learning about my own culture.”

Harris has become a proud Native American and continues to learn about his Choctaw tradi tions daily. From practic ing his language to wea ring special medallions and regalia, he said he hopes to educate those around him and show how proud he is of his heritage.

“To be Native American is about being proud of where you come from or what you came from. As my chief says, being Choc taw is all in your heart. It's about having that feeling to help other people,” Harris said.

Holiday bazaar celebrates 50th anniversary

This Wednesday and Thursday, the annual Starkville Holiday Bazaar will commence at The Mill at MSU.

This year will mark the 50th anniversary of the ba zaar, a Christmas shop ping experience at The Mill.

The event will feature vendor booths set up to showcase local businesses, offering a wide range of products from the edible to the incredible.

Over the past few weeks, the bazaar’s Instagram page has been featuring many of the upcoming booths for the festival.

L.A. Green, a boutique owned by Lauren Ann Cooper, is one of those vendors.

Cooper, an MSU alumna, said the event has been a great avenue for early entrepreneurs to grow their businesses in

Starkville. She said the Holiday Bazaar holds a special place in her heart.

“The Holiday Bazaar was one of the first shows I did as a young entrepreneur as a jewelry designer in 2009. We returned to the show about four or five years ago,” Cooper said.

L.A. Green is just one of around 50 to 60 vendors and 80 booths set to at tend the bazaar. The bou tique sells clothing, shoes, accessories, home décor and various gifts.

The Pop Porium, another booth registered, features numerous flavors of gourmet popcorn. The name might be recogniza ble from Saturdays at Davis Wade Stadium, where the shop sells also popcorn.

Also registered is Ar rowhead Ceramics, which features handcrafted pot tery by Austin Chambliss, another Starkville talent. Jean’s Apothecare also holds a booth, featuring

aromatherapy, skincare and candles.

Dunkington, described by owners Brandi and Josh Herrington as "Stark ville's most unique bou tique," is also registered. The shop carries art, jew elry and handcrafted ac cessories.

“For this year’s Bazaar, we can promise that our unique selections will be the talk of any gift ex change," Herrington said.

Dunkington has been a part of the bazaar for five years now, and Herrington praised the shopping ex perience.

“It’s really important for small businesses to get in front of a new audience and take advantage of forming new relationships. While the old fashioned inside mall is a thing of the past these days, this type of event allows customers to experience lots of new and shiny things all in one place,” Herrington said.

Cooper said the event is

great for friends and shoppers alike.

“My favorite thing is see ing friends from all over the state that come to shop,” Cooper said. “It is a profitable event but also good for the soul.”

Paige Watson, the direc tor of Main Street for the Greater Starkville Devel opment Partnership, serves as the bazaar’s event organizer. She said the event is an annual classic for her.

“I love the Christmas time and shopping, so this is just my favorite (event) that we do throughout the year,” Watson said. “This is my personal favorite event because it really means the holidays are here, and because it’s so special to see the hand made items from vendors.”

Watson said she hopes to continue to expand the event in the future as an organizer for the bazaar.

“I’ve been the organizer of the bazaar since its 45th

year in 2017,” Watson said. “We look forward to having the 50th anniver sary be the best event ever and continue to grow the event in years to come.”

Watson said anywhere from 1,500 to 2,000 people are estimated to at tend the bazaar annually, with around one-third of those being MSU students.

Cooper said the event lo

cation is a great spot for the event to flourish.

“I love the location ven ue. I feel like the Mill is a great bridge between Starkville as a community and the University,” Cooper said.

The bazaar will run from 7 to 10 p.m. this Wednes day and Thursday. Admis sion to the event will cost $5.

mental health in check during finals week

the morning of the girls' annual state testing.

Soon, the front of Mit chell Memorial Library will be covered with a huge sign that reads along the lines of “The library is now open 24 hours.” The Drill Field will temporarily transform from the busiest place on campus to a ghost town of its former self.

Final exams are quickly closing in.

One can feel completely alone while staring down a tower of notecards or struggling under the weight of textbooks on one’s shoulders while trudging to-and-from the library at two in the morn ing.

According to the Healthy Minds Study, a collection of data from 373 college campuses na tionwide during the 20202021 school year, more than 60% of college stu dents met the criteria for at least one mental health problem.

Awareness of mental health in people of all ages is becoming more main stream every year.

Kimberly Kavalsky, the mental health outreach co ordinator for Health Pro motion and Wellness at Mississippi State Universi

ty, serves the student body in a variety of ways. One of her main duties is to visit classrooms, student or ganizations, residence halls and Greek housing all over campus and teach stu dents about mental health.

“My hope is bringing awareness, reducing stigma and normalizing talking about some of the challenges that college students face,” Kavalsky said.

In Kavalsky’s eyes, all areas of health — physical, mental and emotional — work together toward the goal of many college stu

dents: receiving a degree that will help to propel the student forward in their future career or prepare them for the next steps ahead.

When it comes to stay ing well during final exams, Kavalsky said she believes that it all comes down to ensuring that ba sic needs — eating and sleeping — are taken care of.

As a mother of two young girls, Kavalsky has been repeatedly told to make sure her daughters get a good night’s sleep and eat a filling breakfast

“What’s fascinating to me is when you get to col lege, no one says that any more,” Kavalsky said.

Health Promotion and Wellness’ motto is “Be Well Bulldogs: Do Well. Live Well. Stay Well.” Santee Ezell, the direc tor of Health Promotion and Wellness, expressed exactly what this idea means to her.

“We know when stu dents are not well. They are unable to be success ful, whether that’s aca demically or socially, or they may not be as en gaged. So, when we see students who are well, they’re able to be well, live well, do well and stay well,” Ezell said.

In preparation for finals week, the department has an event lined up for stu dents.

On Nov. 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Dawg House of the Colvard Stu dent Union, the depart ment is hosting Finals Study Break. Treats like hot chocolate, coffee and healthy snacks, including a make your own trail mix activity, will be offered while the department edu cates students on the men tal health services available

to them on campus.

Ezell said self-care is im portant at all times during the school year, not just fi nals season. This will form an established, comfort able routine for each stu dent that they will con tinue to practice once finals begin and end.

Listening to music, cooking a meal, reading a book, watching a feelgood movie and exercising are all self-soothing strategies that can be beneficial to a student’s mental health. Some stu dents have even found comfort in meditation, a practice that Kavalsky her self has practiced in the past.

Jordan Taylor, a junior biochemistry major, finds the most stressful part of final exams is preparing for all the different ways that her professors format their tests.

“You can really prepare for some teachers because they’re very straightfor ward in their questions versus other teachers,” Taylor said.

One of Taylor’s biggest hurdles to overcome when studying is to simply sit down and get started. She said it is crucially impor tant to ask the professor for help when facing some

thing she does not under stand.

“I think if you really come from a place of gen uine interest, the teacher is so willing to help you prepare, study, give you tips and pointers and help you out where you need help,” Taylor said.

Sean McCulloch, a sen ior finance major, has faced serious stress stem ming from the actual scheduling of his final exams.

“I’ll go two or three days without having any, and then, maybe one day I have like three or two tests that are right on top of each other,” McCulloch said.

As for de-stressing, McCulloch seeks out any thing that takes his mind away from school in gen eral. He said he is particu larly a fan of podcasts and learning all about new con cepts that are completely unrelated to what he might be studying in the class room.

Ezell said she would like to share a piece of advice with students: “invest in yourself.”

“That means, to me, being kind to yourself, giv ing yourself grace, filling your cup first and then the overflow is for everyone else,” Ezell said.

HaiLey

emma NiSbet Staff writer

Courtesy Photo | Hunter Harris

Graduate student Hunter Harris rediscovered his Choctaw heritage through MSU involvement.

The Mitchell Memorial Library is a common study location for students

Anne Louise Phillips | The Reflector

Lucy HaLLmark Staff writer

Around 50 vendor will have booths at the Holiday Bazaar this Wednesday and Thursday.

Courtesy Photo | Holiday Bazaar

The first is always the sweetest: MSU shuts down the party in Oxford

never forget your first time.

Think about that sentence however you will, but Mike Leach won't be forgetting his first Egg Bowl win any time soon. His Mississippi State University Bulldogs traveled to Oxford, Mississippi, this past Thanksgiving night and didn't disappoint.

"That locker room looks like it's on fire," said Leach of the cigars his players were smoking after the game. "It looks like a damn dumpster fire."

It might have been a nail biter, but a last minute two-point conversion stop via a Randy Charlton shovel pass deflection wound up being the play that sealed the deal for MSU.

The stop came 99 yards and 15 plays after junior signal caller Will Rogers fumbled on the one yard line and sucked the air out of all Bulldog fans in attendance.

MSU finished the regular season 8-4 with the same record as Ole Miss. It was how the team got there, however, that made the biggest of differences.

Zac Arnett's defense has been stellar all year

long, and that was, yet again, no exception on Thursday. The Bulldogs held one of the country's most potent rushing attacks to under 80 yards.

"We were just trying to be physical," said redshirt senior linebacker Nathaniel Watson. "We were just harping on stopping the run ... we knew it was going to be a physical run game."

As for what the future holds, this MSU team awaits their bowl bid. According to several metrics, the Bulldogs should be due a beach vacation at one of the Florida bowls, barring any unforeseen circumstances. If they win

said bowl, they'll almost certainly finish the season ranked and with the most wins in a single season during Leach's tenure.

Leach tied Dan Mullen with his 7th win against a top 25 ranked team. It took Mullen 106 tries. It's taken Mike Leach 36.

"This game had a season's work of excitement," Leach said. "It was a very up and down game, and about the time you thought it couldn't get crazier it did."

To quote an old archive of The Reflector, "What's the matter with Ole Miss?" "She's Dead." Hail State.

The Egg Bowl has been played on Thanksgiving 23 total times in series history.

With the win over Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl, MSU was placed back in the AP Poll Top-25. The 25th-ranked Bulldogs now await the announcement of their bowl game after finishing the season with a record of 8-4 (4-4) in 2022.

Ben Shannon | The Reflector

Courtesy Photo | MSU Athletics

Tanner Marlar Managing ediTor