THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2022
137TH YEAR | ISSUE 13
Release of Old Main documentary OCH employees reflect on recent relives memories for past MSU students vaccine mandate, staf f shortages PAYTON BROWN
JORDAN BROCK
The Old Main Dormitory has been the center of focus since the release of Mississippi State University Films' Old Main documentary. The short documentary, directed by James Parker, focused on the fire of the Old Main Dormitory in 1959 and was released on the 63rd anniversary of the tragedy. Billy Jean Flanagan was a student at MSU during the Old Main fire and recalled her memories from before and after the blaze. DORM, 2
With the beginning of the new year, OCH Regional Medical Center has implemented some changes to its COVID-19 policies, and the most significant change is the addition of a vaccine mandate. On Jan. 13, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to allow the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to put into effect their vaccine mandate nationwide. With this mandate being put into effect, employees at OCH are required to get the
STAFF WRITER
CONTRIBuTINg WRITER
Landon Scheel| The Reflector
MSU built the Old Main Academic Center in remembrance of Old Main Dormitory.
Ivy Rose Ball | The Reflector
OCH recently implemented a vaccine mandate for all its employees. Some exemptions are available.
vaccine or receive a medical or religious exemption. The mandate states that employees are not required to get the COVID-19 booster shot.
Since the start of the pandemic, employees say OCH has been overwhelmed with patients and staffing issues. OCH, 2
Seniors are set to leave the state: Brain Drain presents pressing problem for MS
Mississippi faces highest rate of Brain Drain among southern states, national studies show
HANNAH BLANKENSHIP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Mississippi State University senior Madison Welzbacher has lived in Mississippi for 20 years, but she does not want to stay here. Welzbacher, along with many of her graduating peers, is planning to move away from the Magnolia State. Experts call this phenomenon of young professionals leaving the state and not coming back "Brain Drain." It presents a problem for the development of the state because population numbers fall, and innovation slows. According to a report from the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, Mississippi has the highest rate of net Brain Drain among
southern states. Additionally, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Mississippi is also the only southern state that has seen a population decline since 2010. The report noted that the southern states are commonly among the states with the highest rates of Brain Drain, except for a few outliers with attractive metropolitan areas. Mississippi has no such attractive metropolitan area. When asked if there was any other location or city in Mississippi she would want to move to, Welzbacher immediately said no. Jackson is the state's capital and biggest city, but as Welzbacher agreed, poor infrastructure and high crime rates make Jackson less than appealing.
Welzbacher grew up in Corinth, a small town in northern Mississippi with a population of 14,000. She said the main draws for her to leave the state are, of course, a job, and also moving to a community that is more open-minded than the one she grew up in. "It's the Deep South culture I want to get away from," Welzbacher said. As for career options, Welzbacher pointed out that any type of creative career is going to be difficult to pursue in Mississippi. The only thing that would keep Welzbacher in Mississippi, she said, was her family. But she said her family would probably want her to move away anyway. "I'm very close with
(my mom), and I would be sad to move so far away from her, but I don't think that would scare me enough to want to stay, because I don't think she'd want that either— for me to limit myself," Welzbacher said. A recent MSU graduate, Olivia Kwasny, was a special education major who was raised in Brandon, Mississippi, but has already left the state after graduation. "I've always wanted to move out," Kwasny said. For an education major, Mississippi's status as the lowestpaying state for teachers is a major drawback. Additionally, she mentioned there are not a lot of recreational activities for young professionals in the state. DRAIN, 2
What does disability accessibility look like on campus? Students, DRC employees respond LIZZIE TOMLIN
CONTRIBuTINg WRITER
Mississippi State University is considered an equal opportunity school, meaning it prohibits discrimination of any kind on campus. There are many programs and resources for students with disabilities on campus. The ground floor of Montgomery Hall houses the Disability Resource Center (DCR), which provides accommodations for all students who identify as disabled. It provides services such as testing accommodations, notetaking help and Landon Scheel | The Reflector additional resources. Located in Montgomery Hall, the Disability Resource Center offers assistance to Mississippi State University students who are disabled. Associate Director of the Disability Resource Center Micah upgrade," White said. D i s a b i l i t y disabilities has issues White outlined the "There are committees Coordinator Carla getting to and from biggest issue with on campus who Zimber said the DRC class or getting into accessibility on specifically address does anything it can to their dorm, it is campus. accessibility, but these aid students in a d d r e s s e d " H i s t o r i c a l older buildings were accessibility. immediately," Zimber buildings can be hard to built before the ADA." "If a student with said.
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FORECAST: The middle of the week is looking to be a rainy one for Starkville. Wednesday and Thursday have high chances of showers and highs in the mid-60s. The sun will stop on Friday as the temperature drops to a high of 41 and lows reach the mid-20s. Today, the groundhog decides our forecast for the next six weeks, and it is looking like winter is in our future.
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Zimber explained that the DRC can easily change classes and housing assignments to accommodate students. If any student seeks accommodations for any qualifying disability, the DRC is readily available to help them. DRC employees say they are striving to make campus even more inclusive in the future. Sign language interpreter Niall Cook explained the importance of inclusion for the disabled on college campuses. "If everything from the get-go was designed accessible for those disabled, from the physical infrastructure to course design and instruction, students could feel more included," Cook said. While MSU and the DRC work together to make campus as accommodating as possible, last year, the
policy subgroup of Freshmen Groups discovered an issue with entryways on campus. Former policy subgroup member and current MSU sophomore Matteo Mauro explained the inconsistencies the group saw. "We noticed that there was no consistency in buildings that had 'push to enter' buttons," Mauro said. These buttons are a requirement outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which prevents discrimination of disabilities, specifically in public organizations. While conducting field work, Matteo found that ten residence halls, some of which offered daily classes, did not have ADA button accessibility. ACCESSIBILITY, 2
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DRAIN
"I feel like other states have more towns where you know a lot of young people are going because there's a lot of fun things to do there," Kwasny said. Kwasny, agreeing with Welzbacher, mentioned that the only thing that would keep her in the state would be her family, such as if her parents started experiencing major health issues. Hunter Rochester, a junior civil engineering major at MSU, also grew up in Mississippi but is set on leaving. Rochester pointed out Mississippi's infamous issue with poor infrastructure. "(Mississippi) lacks good infrastructure. Everyone knows that.
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And anyone who tries to come along and actually make changes to that is normally shot down," Rochester said. Rochester also said he feels the state of Mississippi in particular is resistant to change, an attribute that contributes to young professionals wanting to leave. "I think Mississippi is so rooted in the familiar and conservatism as a whole, that you have the same kind of people being elected that just say the same things," Rochester said. MSU itself does research on the numbers of Brain Drain through the National Strategic Planning & Analysis Research
Center, or nSPARC. Steven Grice, nSPARC's interim executive director, explained how the state's longitudinal data system (SLDS) allows them to align data across agencies and over time. This provides data on Brain Drain trends, such as the percentage of students with baccalaureate degrees who are employed in the workforce one year, three years and five years after graduation. According to nSPARC's Life Tracks data aggregator, about 60% of graduated individuals were employed in the Mississippi workforce one year after graduation. Years three and five after
graduation always saw a drop-off in participation. Grice said being able to track the data is a step toward addressing the problem. "If Brain Drain is a thing that people can measure and articulate, then there might be policy decisions or economic development strategies that can counteract that," Grice said. Daniel Morgan, senior coordinator at the MSU Career Center, advises seniors on their post-graduation plans. Morgan said he sees evidence of Brain Drain and said the main reason he sees students leaving is due to Mississippi's lack of developed cities. "A lot of what we
hear is that certainly there are opportunities in more of an urban area. That really attracts a lot of students. Most students are looking for opportunities in larger populated areas," Morgan said. Morgan said the most common cities students from Mississippi settle in are Birmingham, Nashville, Atlanta and Austin. This is directly supported by the same report from the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee that says the top two states for Mississippi leavers to migrate to are Texas and Alabama. Morgan also said that Mississippi has a few programs in place to address the issue of Brain Drain. One of
DORM "Before it burned, I remember it being a big brick building. It was big and noisy, and I remember it having three or four floors," Billy Jean Flanagan said. F l a n a g a n remembered hearing the commotion around campus and soon realized what was happening. "I soon knew it was burning. I sat on the windowsill and just watched it burn; that's what I remember," Billy Jean Flanagan said. Billy Jean Flanagan said she still holds the sadness she felt at that moment as she glanced at the chaos happening around her and as she watched a notable piece of her campus burn to the ground. Her husband, Jim Flanagan, was more personally connected to Old Main due to his short-lived dorm assignment within the building. "When I first came to State, I stayed in Old Main for a while before moving dorms eventually. It was a very big brick building, and I
think at the time, it was the largest dormitory in the country. They put freshmen there, so I was there," Jim Flanagan said. Jim Flanagan transferred to the University of Southern Mississippi a few years into his collegiate journey but remembered the nostalgic disappointment he felt after hearing about the burning of his old dormitory. Sid Salter, director of MSU Public Affairs, recalled the stature of the building and its former title as the largest university residence hall in the U.S. Salter described the old dormitory building as leaving a footprint of where McCool Hall and the Colvard Student Union stand today as its backside formerly faced the Perry Cafeteria. "On January 23, 1959, a fire broke out in the building. The students and emergency officials began to try to clear the building as there were no elevators in the building. They were coming down
various sets of stairs. Because this was an old building with a lot of wood in it, the firewalls and wiring were primitive," Salter said. One person died during the fire, and Salter explained that the
“I sat on that windowsill and just watched it burn.” Billy Jean Flanagan MSU student during Old Main fire
university used the ruins of the building to construct a symbol of remembrance for the loss, the Chapel of Memories. "That became a generational memorial, and the campus needed closure. When the shell of Old Main was raised, and the bricks were salvaged to construct the only place of worship on
the campus, that meant a lot to the students, faculty and the townspeople," Salter said. According to Salter, the Old Main Academic Center is also an architectural homage to the original structure and holds resemblances to it. "Old Main has been an integral part of the history of Mississippi State and continues to be. The design of Old Main Academic Center was forward-looking to how much that building meant to the campus," Salter said. Salter explained the recent initiative of the University Television Center to create MSU Films to share important stories of MSU's past and future. "We were delighted to debut the Old Main film as a means of showing what our capabilities are in the documentary film area and to make it known that we intend to use that medium as part of our storytelling platform," Salter said. David Garraway,
director of the University Television Center and co-producer of the Old Main short film, said he felt it was vital to share this glimpse of history through film due to the importance the building holds within MSU's history. According to Garraway, the directing and production crew were able to carefully piece this compelling film together through the narrative stories of alumni who were there on the night of the fire. "It's a very important part to so many who went to Mississippi State for decades. You would live in Old Main. Everybody who had family at Mississippi State seems to have an Old Main story, either from them or their father or their grandfather or other relatives," Garraway said. Garraway said he felt the short documentary would allow current students to understand the cultural importance of the Old Main Dormitory and the feelings of those who were emotionally
organizations, meaning that Mississippi State has a responsibility to ensure these issues do not occur." The policy team's efforts are still underway, and the group wrote legislation to pass the new construction of "push to enter" buttons in all residence halls. Mary White, a selfidentified student with both
connected to the building in some manner. "We're so far removed from the nuances of that feeling of being in this very large dormitory and watching your home burn. For hundreds of students that night, that was their home, and they watched it burn," Garraway said. Garraway said this documentary preserved the memory of the fire for the older generation and provided insight into that night for generations to come. "I think we say rationally, 'Sure, there was a large building, and it burned on campus.' However, have the students experienced the feeling of that firsthand, as told through the stories of those who were there? Have they seen the photos of the days after? Do they really understand how the Chapel of Memories is literally created from the bricks of Old Main itself?" Garraway said. To watch the MSU Film's Old Main short film, visit films.msstate.edu.
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physical and mental disabilities, believes MSU does a great job accommodating her needs and making her feel valued. "No one really told me I could go to college, so when I heard about Mississippi State's ACCESS Program, I was so happy to get in," Mary White said. "It made me really excited, and I felt like I
could do anything." The ACCESS Program matches student volunteers to members of the program and incorporates students with disabilities to classmates, organizations and events on campus. White says the program is actively helping her achieve her dreams of becoming a public speaker for those with disabilities.
OCH Mary Kathryn Kight is the director of public relations at OCH. She works with these employees every day, and she said the hospital directors hope to minimize any adverse effects from the mandate. "At OCH, we do not want to see anyone negatively impacted by this mandate, and we pledge to compassionately navigate the requirements of the mandate within the criteria we are given," Kight said. Some employees choose not to get the vaccine, for reasons like a medical condition or for religious purposes, in which case those employees may file an exemption. Lauren Gardner is the director of marketing at OCH, and she said the exemptions are going to be completely fair. "All of the exemption letters are put on a
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ACCESSIBILITY This inspired the freshmen policy team to write legislation and push for the addition of these buttons. "While some might argue that this issue is minute, these unnecessary burdens classify as discrimination against people with disabilities," Mauro said. "ADA codes apply to buildings of public
these, the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program, is a joint initiative between the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University to attract high-performing students and retain them to teach in the state. Additionally, the Mississippi House of Representatives passed a bill that would decrease state income tax for those who choose to enroll in the Mississippi workforce after graduation. At the end of her interview, Welzbacher casually summed up why young professionals are choosing to leave Mississippi. "We've got nothing here," Welzbacher said.
THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | @REFLECTORONLINE
White said she has a positive view of her daily environment on campus. "There's always some people who won't understand, but those are only some people," White said. "My favorite part about going to school here is meeting new people, hanging out with friends and getting involved."
White said she does not think MSU could do anything differently to improve her student experience. She further explained how people on campus can relate to those with disabilities. "No matter who people are, everyone is different," White said. "Be patient and mindful that all people with disabilities are different." CONTINUED FROM 1
computer, anonymously, and a committee will go through the letters. Without any of the names attached, it will be a fair and efficient system in deciding who will receive an exemption and who will not," Gardner said. Gardner said the hospital does exemptions this way to promote fairness and equal treatment among all employees. Starting on Feb. 14, covered staff hired must have at least the first COVID-19 vaccination shot. OCH employees explained that the hospital has experienced a severe staff shortage since the pandemic. Resident nurse Shelby Huffman works in the ER at OCH and said she does not think employees are leaving due to the mandate. "At first, there was a good bit of upset about the vaccine mandate, and some people were making
threats to quit, but I do not actually know anyone who has quit because of it. Most people who do not want to get it are taking religious or medical exemptions. We are shortstaffed, but the vaccine mandate itself has not seemed to make it worse," Huffman said. Like OCH, other hospitals in the state are implementing this vaccine mandate. However, Kight said OCH is trying to stay above the struggles of other hospitals. "We have seen the anxiety caused and effect on healthcare workers that such a mandate has created at other state hospitals that implemented a vaccine mandate," Kight said. OCH posted its vaccine mandate on its website for anyone to read. It gives specific guidelines for all staff who provide any care, treatment or other
services for OCH and its patients. The OCH vaccine mandate states that the hospital will keep all information confidential, and it requests that employees do not include any genetic information with the submitted proof of vaccination. The OCH vaccine mandate also states that any staff who fail to comply with this policy will not be qualified to provide any services for OCH or its patients. "I am against the vaccine being mandated. However, I am vaccinated, so I am not actually against the vaccine, just the mandate. I feel it should be everyone's personal choice," Huffman said. OCH is giving its employees free Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Temporary exemptions can be given to employees who need a brief delay for medical reasons.
MSU Organization of the Week: Recovery Ally Dawgs (RAD) 1. What is RAD? — RAD is a student organization designed to provide fellow students allies with an avenue to connect with the Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC). RAD strives to make MSU a more recovery-friendly campus.
2. How can students get involved with RAD? —Students can get involved with RAD by attending their weekly meetings. Meetings are held every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the CRC House. Additionally, students can conect with RAD on Instagram through their acccount @msstate_rad.
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OCH employees say the vaccine mandate should not impact staffing shortages.
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Tuesday, January 25, 2021
Thursday, January 27, 2022
Student reported a gun pulled on him while walking down C.Q. Sheely Drive by an unknown subject.
Six students were issued referrals for causing a disturbance in Hull Hall.
Student reported his vechicle was damaged on Jan. 22, 2022 while parking in the parking lot between Humphrey Coliseum and the Sanderson Center.
Student reported fraudulent charges on her credit card. Student transported from outside Kappa Alpha Fraternity House to OCH via an ambulance due to a panic attack while intoxicated.
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Monday, January 31, 2022
Two students reported they were harrased by an unknown male while walking on campus.
Three students were issued referrals for smoking marijuana in a vehicle in the Sigma Phi Epsilon parking lot.
Student reported a gift card stolen from her office in the Writing Center.
Employee reported her bicycle was damaged while parked in the Lee Hall lot.
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OPINION
Time to get back to work: pandemic handouts are breeding stagnancy MICHAEL BOURGEOIS is a senior majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu
In March 2020, the COVID19 pandemic forced the U.S. into the most severe economic crisis since the Great Depression, decimating the American worker. At its peak adjusted employment rate, nearly 23% of the country was unemployed, according to Rakesh Kochhar and Jesse Bennett of the Pew Research Center. Mass closure of businesses, social distancing requirements and pandemic paranoia shattered the U.S. market, rendering millions of Americans unemployable through no fault of their own. These Americans needed some source of income to navigate the pandemic and provide for their families. Since the government put them out of a job, national leaders took it upon themselves to ensure American families had the financial means
to support themselves. This was done through a series of economic recovery programs and massive social safety nets on a level the U.S has not seen in its history. The federal government has passed six separate COVID-19 relief bills, beginning in March 2020, to distribute to American businesses and families an amount equating to over five trillion dollars of government spending over the course of the pandemic's two years. In context, according to Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Chair Michael Horowitz in the group's semiannual report to Congress, "just one pandemic program—the $800 billion Paycheck Protec-
tion Program (PPP)—is equal to the federal government's entire response to the 2008-2009 financial crisis." Now, two years later, a new kind of financial challenge has emerged, a new war on work. Two years of government benefits has disincentivized the American worker and stagnated the U.S. economy. The government undercut itself by allowing people to earn a similar income from staying home as working citizens and let the American taxpayer foot the bill. The time for stimulus bills and increased unemployment packages has long since passed. We must open our nation through work to revive the American economy.
The most glaring issue with the reckless aid provided by the federal government is the amount of money frivolously allocated to unemployed individuals. According to ZipRecruiter.com, the average person in the state of Mississippi earned around $1,202 weekly and around $62,497 annually. This figure is derived from an average of all wage earners in the state of Mississippi who possess a job. In the current market, following the initial dip in employment at the beginning of the pandemic, thousands of job openings are available. This allows any individual who seeks employment the means to find it. So, one would think the govern-
ment should seek to stimulate the economy through encouraging the previously unemployed to find work and revitalize the American workforce, but the government incentivizes the opposite instead. At peak pandemic, according to Geoff Pender and Bobby Harrison for Mississippi Today, unemployment benefits were upwards of $535 a week, which equates to $27,820 a year. Based on the unemployment benefits provided due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those who are employed within the bottom 9% of wage earners, who earn $17,763- $26,861 annually according to ZipRecruiter.com, would earn less by going to work than those who subsist at the expense of the American taxpayer. In addition to the utter slap in the face of those who choose to work, the addition of stimulus checks places an additional tax burden on their paychecks to benefit those who choose to leech off the government. The U.S. government is quickly breeding a culture of reliance by dolling out large sums of money to all members in a society. The three separate stimulus packages issued to Americans by the government over the course of the pandemic's two years equates to
approximately $3,200, assuming the recipient qualifies for maximum aid. In addition, parents with children under the age of 17 received a $500 tax credit for each child. At the beginning of the pandemic, people who had lost their jobs due to the government putting them out of work needed assistance making ends meet, but now the economy finds itself in a different position. According to Haley Messenger of NBC News, the breakdown of stimulus spending can be seen in 13% nonessential spending, 32% paying down debts, 11% investing and only 45% accounting for the paying of monthly bills in which the money was allocated originally. Future generations are going to be heavily taxed for decades following the COVID19 pandemic's end to pay for this stimulus spending. This burden will only increase should more economic recovery programs be adopted as the pandemic continues. If the desired goal of the U.S. government is the "return to normalcy" we have been promised for the last two years, the first step on the road to recovery starts with everyday Americans. Americans need to reclaim control of their own financial futures—it is high time we all get back to work.
STREAMING NOW: EUPHORIA 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. GEORGE HUFF
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Typical depictions of high school students in the media are often overused and underwhelming. Overdose, abortion and blackmail would have little place in the traditional narrative, but these shocking themes are exactly what "Euphoria" chooses to focus on. In this graphic television show, the usual jocks, mean girls and wallflowers are involved in much more than petty bullying and immature drama. "Euphoria" immerses viewers
into a world where teenagers deal with intense issues of abuse and conflict far beyond what is expected of their age group. While in many ways it is overly crass and highly controversial, "Euphoria" depicts an uglier, more disturbing side of the common coming-of-age story in a way which has never been done before. The goal of the show is to highlight more realistic and darker aspects of life as a teenager. In doing so, the
SHOW TITLE: “EUPHORIA”
leading characters actively engage with substance abuse, physical or emotional violence, criminal activity and toxic romance. For a show dealing with such unsettling content, it masks and covers this darkness in a glittery facade. The clothes, personas and parties attended by the central cast contribute to an aesthetic glorifying their lifestyles and presenting it as something beautiful. This appeal only loosely clouds the distress
beneath. Their lives might look enviable in the dim flashing lights of a house party, but in fluorescent light those emotional realities are quite the opposite. They are all uniquely broken and deeply miserable people. "Euphoria" does not depict a desirable lifestyle or create a hyper-real look into growing up. Rather, most of the themes employed are more for shock value than for enlightening the audience. Its crude depictions of teen-
agers are controversial and distasteful. Regardless of its motives or execution, the show does present a dramatized look into common taboo issues often unaddressed both in real life and the media. The themes it portrays are too grave to be glamorized in good con-
science. Even so, "Euphoria" successfully crafts an entertaining and engaging story, and, in many ways, the show is like the substances it depicts. No matter how wrong it is, "Euphoria" is undeniably addicting and keeps the viewer coming back for more.
The add and drop window for classes needs to be extended for student success AARON WATERSON is a senior majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu
In order to graduate you have to make a lot of hard decisions, so how quickly can you make them? How long would it take you to account for every little factor to make a choice which could disrupt your overall academic plan? You get into a class for the first day and you go over the syllabus— not too bad. However, you quickly begin to find over the course of the week that this class, or professor, is not what you expected it to be. You cannot afford to waste the time slot, money or effort on passing this wildcard of a class when it is not even a requirement for your major. So, you dive back into the system, back to the
Lydia Palmer | The Reflector
A student types on their computer and looks through class options on Banner.
schedule builder. How long does it take you to fight through the shifting sands of class registration to find something better suited to your ladder?
If it takes you more than a week, then according to Mississippi State University's academic calendar you failed to make the deadline. Withdrawing from
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a class after the add/drop period leaves a permanent mark on your transcript for academic advisors or graduate school admissions workers to see— all because you were asked to make this kind of choice before things have truly had a chance to settle. This is the kind of decision that takes time to make in a way that does not pull a keystone Jenga block from an already precariously-tilted tower of homework, classwork, job, sleep, food and health. While adding and dropping classes with no consequences all semester would be chaos, by the time that deadline slips past most classes have yet to gear up fully. Some have not even moved past their syllabus review phase. A week does not provide enough information or time to make a decision about something as important as this. Why should it stay this way instead of being replaced by a timeline which makes more sense and helps students make better choices for their future? Psychology Today's article
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on decision making reveals that when people are put into an unfamiliar situation, they need to take longer to make a decision. Decisions made in a longer span tend to be better, since the extra time is used to dampen down the panicked first thoughts of "something is horribly wrong, get me out of here now," and instead allows the decision maker to come up with an accurate assessment of the situation. On top of that, a stress study reported by the U.S. National Library of Medicine explores the connection of stress and general cognitive functions and found the execution of tasks becomes more difficult when participants are in the presence of a stressor, so there is no doubt students feel these same effects. Overloads of stress, such as having to rebalance an entire semester's schedule before things settle into a routine, are made all the worse by what can be called "noise." "Noise" is any distraction or concern which detracts from the decisive ability of the person. Dr. Imran
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Syed with Geo News writes that the most common reactions to extreme levels of stress are a narrowed attention span and increased distractibility, compounding the issues with the effects of noise. How can we expect college students to make sound decisions when they do not have a level head? The expansion of the time window to add and drop without a permanent "W" on your transcript, or to add and drop at all, would help take a load off the average student's back. It would reduce the crunch time at the start of a semester. While there would have to be a way to make up the work in those situations, it would not be too difficult to adapt given the current climate. The pandemic has increased the number of recorded lectures for normal classes to aid in students not falling behind from unpredictable life events. By continuing this trend, it would allow flexibility for students to not miss lectures even if they add later than normal.
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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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT
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International students experience winter break in Starkville emma nisbet staff writer
Just last semester, the student body at Mississippi State University surpassed 23,000. Of that rising population, about 800 are international students— spanning a broad reach of 80 countries and encompassing about 3% of the heart and soul of campus. Every single one of those 800 students has their own unique story that drove them to seek the next chapters of their lives overseas. However, no matter how far they find themselves from home, starting fresh in a new country, or a new continent, would understandably be a huge adjustment for anyone. That is precisely where the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center comes into play. The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, named after Dr. Richard E. Holmes, MSU's first African American alumnus in 1965, is MSU's multicultural center, seeking to promote a college culture that extends a hand in favor of equality, diversity and inclusion for all students of every background. Kei Mamiya is the associate director of the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, overseeing all functions of the center in terms of operations, programming, events and providing advising for student organizations. "Our mission is to en-
hance our students' experience and we have different ways to do that. One of the focuses is definitely more marginalized students on campus— just trying to understand their experiences based on their identities, needs and support that they need," Mamiya said. "We do events for them to feel recognized and valued in the community, so we do a lot of programs to advocate for them." To the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, a prime way to accomplish this goal is to simply educate others. "We do a lot of different workshops, trainings and presentations for faculty, staff and students to just better understand what inclusion means on our campus and how they can actually support them," Mamiya said. The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center often collaborates with the International Services Office, which handles matters ranging from immigration documentation to international student orientation. To prepare the incoming international students, the two campus organizations host a liaison program. This program connects current MSU students to future international students prior to reaching the U.S. Once the students actually arrive at MSU, those liaisons play a similar role to an orientation leader. For out-of-state students, it might seem overwhelming to pack up and
drive, or fly, across the country to seek their next level of education. Whether that student's home is one state away or 10, that distance pales in comparison to crossing national borders or an entire ocean. Abigail Fox, a freshman animal and dairy science major, recalls her decision to enroll at MSU from her home in Niagara Falls, Canada. Fox made this decision after an experience in a student-exchange program in Germany sparked a fondness for the idea of travel abroad. Fox shared the similarities and differences between college in Canada and the U.S. "It's quite similar. Although it's much easier to get help here like free tutoring, all the SI sessions and labs are set up for their own times rather than just during class. The actual teaching itself I've found is a bit more indepth, though it's quicker— so, more information, better explained, but really fast," Fox said. Fox had the opportunity to spend her winter break back home in Canada, timing the drive back to Mississippi in order to narrowly avoid an oncoming snowstorm. However, for the majority of international students, that is simply not an option. Tajinder Singh, a freshman microbiology and environmental sciences major, hails from the city of Rourkela in Odisha, India. He chose MSU, and to go international in general, in order to truly de-
vote his career to research. "Here, professors have their own labs and they get all their funding from the university and the National Science Foundation, etcetera," Singh said. "I didn't want to go work for a corporate or do a desk job or work in IT. So, it was the best decision for me to come here because I want to focus on research specifically." For Singh, and other students from further abroad, winter housing is a much more feasible option. Singh paints a vivid picture of what campus looks like over that extended month and a half respite from classes. "The university, pretty much, still stays open. There's no classes but the departments are still open, the professors are here, the research labs are open so most of the students continue doing their research work. The university officially only closes for the Christmas break from the 24th to the second or third of January," Singh said. Singh also addressed the accessibility of dining options during winter break. "Food-wise, the dining halls were closed because dining halls have a bigger population; only the retail places were open, like Chick-fil-A or Subway." The International Institute and the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center do make other options available for the winter. Events, such as game or movie nights, were hosted
Courtesy Photo|Holmes Cultural Diversity Center
Kei Mamiya is the associate director of the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center.
by both organizations. These events promoted community while also taking the opportunity to serve dinner and give away food packages. Additionally, staying on campus for the winter may prove useful credits-wise. Many international students end up taking a course during MSU's winter session, since they are staying here anyways. Although, future winter breaks may look very different for some interna-
tional students. "Some of our friends in the international students are planning a road trip to New York. So, we might do that but there's also a lot of options," Singh said. As the number of the general student body of MSU continues to grow, this will bring in new backgrounds, fresh faces, valuable cultures and diverse stories to add to the past, present and future of the school.
Spring Street Cigars opens up for business downtown Joshua stewart
Life & entertainment editor
John Higgins retired from private equity at the age of 55 and picked up a new hobby: cigars. Higgins found the local cigar store in Tupelo, near his home of Guntown, Mississippi, did not have the selection he desired, so he bought it out. That location became Spring Street Cigars. After opening stores in Tupelo, Booneville, Southaven and Oxford, Spring Street has now opened its fifth location, right in the heart of downtown Starkville. The cigar store hosted an opening night on Jan. 29, and Higgins said upward of 200 people came in and out of the store. Higgins said while a business like this can be risky in a college town, he learned much from his experience with the store in Oxford. "You have to remember that the federal law for smoking is 21 or older, so there's less catering to a college crowd. We cater to professionals and the business crowd. We get a much different crowd in college towns," Higgins said. Spring Street Cigars offers a yearly membership, with perks including discounts on products, a private lounge and a personal humidified locker. Higgins talked about the membership perks and some of the people it attracts. "We get a lot of different coaches and sports people that are coming here. Mike Leach, for example, is a member. One of the other perks we're planning on having is a golf cart service to and from sports events," Higgins said. Spring Street Cigars
Adam Sullivan|The Reflector
Spring Street Cigars opened in downtown Starkville recently. The cigar store includes a large humidor room that boasts thousands of tobacco products.
embraces a rustic feeling in their building, which is located across the street from Restaurant Tyler. The walls are adorned with old-school cigar advertisements, and the leather chairs and wooden tables are reminiscent of a place where Winston Churchill would have enjoyed a cigar. Higgins discussed the role aesthetics played while designing the newest addition to his business. "Smoking a cigar is
not a short experience. Do you want that in an uncomfortable environment, or would you want to have it in an environment like this? It's not rowdy, it's a very professional environment," Higgins said. Teddy Mullins, former assistant manager at the Oxford location, now manages the Starkville store. Mullins said he sees the business going "only up." "We had a soft launch on December 31, and our grand opening on
January 29, and a lot of people don't even know about the Starkville location yet. I see baseball season and football season as having a lot of new business," Mullins said. Mullins also mentioned the demographic difference in locations like Tupelo compared to Starkville and Oxford. "In a place like Tupelo, you have a lot of lawyers, professional types. It's the same thing here, but with the brewery in house, we do expect some young
people, some professionals. This is not a lounge or a club, so we do expect a professional crowd," Mullins said. Mullins explained the sort of budget needed to purchase and the amount of products the store has on hand. "In our humidor, you're looking at about 3,000 cigars. These can range in price from $4 to $115. Everybody doesn't like the same thing, so we have a range," Mullins said. The upstairs bar is
tended by William Burris, who goes by Raden. Burris is a junior at Mississippi State University studying building construction science, and is a cigar aficionado. Burris, who hails from Clinton, Mississippi, enjoys a cigar with patrons every once in a while, and self describes his attire as being "like a 'Peaky Blinders' character." Burris sees Spring Street doing well in Starkville, sharing the optimism of Mullins. "I see Spring Street going to great places, for one simple reason. Every time we get someone in here, they always say the same thing. 'Starkville needed a place like this.' People have been saying this was a long time coming," Burris said. Burris also brought up the venture into Starkville being similar to the location in Oxford. "You could say that we already had a trial run at the Oxford location. Oxford turned out to be a great turnout. They already knew that opening up in a college town was going to go well," Burris said. While Spring Street Cigars is presently localized in the state of Mississippi, John Higgins has far greater ambitions. Three stores are on the way this year alone, with 15 total stores being a long-term goal. "We'll be outside Mississippi this year. We're not quite ready to announce where until we're a little further along. We are far enough along to say that we're opening stores in Meridian and Olive Branch. We have a very unique model, and because we have this model and this environment, we're successful," Higgins said.
THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | @SPORTSREFLECTOR
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SPORTS
Marlar: Jessika Carter and team show courage through adversity message to fans and followers, no matter their allegiances. "July 24th, the day I decided that I couldn't take it anymore. It was the day I decided to take my own life. I don't believe in giving up, but (that) day I decided to do just that. A bottle of Nyquil, 30-plus Tylenol p.m. and suffering liver
Tanner marlar sporTs ediTor
damage, I still remain alive … After staying in the hospital a week, I thought I had it together. I promised I would never take life or anything for granted. (That) was a lie. I hid my depression until I started making bad decisions … I felt as if the world was against me, and that no one would ever see the real
Jessika," Carter said. Carter then went on to detail her second attempt at suicide and her ascent out of the darkness. "I continued to mask my depression until November 26. The second time that was supposed to be the final time I tried it. 25 codeine Tylenol and a trip to the hospital (and)
I'm still here … I got sent to the facility this time. I hated the fact that I had to go, (but) this time was different. I didn't hate it. I made friends there that I will cherish for the rest of my life. You guys (those friends) helped me get out of a very dark space. You showed me that people care. (And) that I will always
Adversity. Lately, that seems to be the only word that comes to mind when discussing the Mississippi State University women's basketball team. For those familiar with the events of this season, this is nothing new. It has been the trend since before the first whistle of the year was blown, and it continues to be the trend as the Bulldogs are halfway through their SEC slate. Throughout all of it, though, interim head coach Doug Novak has played the hands he has been dealt, and he has played them exceptionally well, given the circumstances. If you were to ask Novak if he foresaw himself standing in the midst of his current situation in October of last year, he probably would have said no, and rightfully so. Losing an SEC leader in points per game is one thing, but some members of the women's squad have faced a much different, much coarser version of adversity. Throughout the course of the season, MSU has been undersized in the absence of Jessika Carter, the team's starting senior forward. When Carter broke news of her recent mental health struggles via Instagram, she gave fans a glimpse of her own adversity with her recent injuries and many other things. Carter broke news Courtesy Photo | MSU Athletics about her attempted Bulldog forward Jessika Carter makes her way down the floor during earlier play. Carter was able to return to the team bench in the recent game against Missouri. suicide, and left a powerful
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have people there even when they don't know me … check on y'all('s) loved ones, favorite players, etc … CHEERS to more life," Carter said. That takes courage— the kind that not many have. Carter's battle has been something of awe to witness, and the other night, against Missouri, Carter was finally able to rejoin her teammates on the bench— a welcome sign for not only Bulldog fans everywhere, but Novak himself. "The dangerous thing is having her close to the team, and having her close to that bench, and I'm looking down that bench and I see her. And it'll be for next year, but man, do I want to put her in right now," Novak said. As sure as we all are that Carter would love nothing more, she has re-enrolled in school and, as Novak has stated, will be ready to go for next season. There will be plenty more seasons for MSU women's basketball, but when combated with adversity, this team, this coach and this program have stood as tall as possible in the face of impending collapse, and for that, they deserve all of the thanks and praise in the world. There is still more than enough time left for the Bulldogs to make an NCAA tournament run after thumping Texas A&M and Missouri in back-to-back games. Only time will tell on that front, but either way, this is nothing short of a miracle season this team has put together, and it's not done yet.
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