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WEDNESDAY MARCH 24, 2021

136th YEAR ISSUE 20

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

MSU hosts Earth Week events to encourage students to go green HEATHER HARRISON STAFF WRITER

To celebrate Earth Week at Mississippi State University, the Office of Sustainability partnered with the Student Association to host multiple virtual and in-person events emphasizing the importance of making MSU a more sustainable and eco-friendly campus.

On March 16, MSU’s sustainability clubs held an organizational fair on the Drill Field. That evening, students involved in the sustainability organizations hosted a student climate talk via Zoom.

On March 17, faculty members from Loyola University Chicago, University of Maine, Cornell University and the Mississippi Service Commission spoke in a panel about implementing

sustainable changes at their workplaces and respective universities.

Additionally, Aramark partnered with the Office of Sustainability at MSU to offer a plant-based menu at Fresh Food Company and Perry Cafeteria on March 15 and 16.

Due to the weather, the Office of Sustainability postponed yoga and watching “Wall-E” on the Drill Field. The virtual events were successful though, and MSU students, faculty and representatives from other universities shared sustainability and climate action messages.

The student climate talk on Tuesday featured leadership from the student sustainability clubs, Students for a Sustainable Campus, MSU Climate Reality Project and interns from the Office of Sustainability.

EARTH, 2

Space Cowboys certify members with rocket launch day EMMA KING

STAFF WRITER

This past Saturday, the cloudless sky and peaceful pastures of Mississippi State University’s dairy farm were occasionally disrupted by the roaring of rockets and the sight of propelled projectiles.

The Space Cowboys, MSU’s resident rocketbuilding team, had been preparing for months for this day, when many of its members would finally become certified.

The launch day also included members of the University of Mississippi’s aerospace team, the Ole Miss Rocket Rebels, who were

certified earlier that morning.

Briana Taylor, the Space Cowboys’ project manager and a senior in aerospace engineering, said the groups have not worked together in some time.

“This will be the first time the MSU Space Cowboys have collaborated with the Ole Miss Rocket Rebels in at least five years,” Taylor said. “Unfortunately, the pandemic brought their team’s operations to a halt last year, and they have since gotten back together.”

The Rocket Rebels had earned a 100% success rate after launching and

recovering nine rockets and certifying eight members, setting a standard the Space Cowboys could only hope to match.

“Certification launches help build a rocket team’s technical skillset, which is something both of our teams are looking to do,” Taylor said. “We were glad to have hosted them and to have been able to share this experience.”

Before the rockets could fly, Space Cowboys founder and mentor Cody Hardin gave a pre-flight safety briefing.

“We’ve had a pretty good morning,” Hardin told the crowd. “We’ve got a lot of flights to get in the air.”

After discussing the checklists and specifications every rocket would have to meet, Hardin asked for any questions. Seeing none, launch day began for the Space Cowboys.

“Alright, let’s blow some holes in the sky,” Hardin said.

Before their turn to launch, members up for certification began disassembling their rockets, checking parachutes and other items of importance.

Most of the rockets were 3-5 inches in diameter, 4-5 feet long and designed to travel to altitudes of 1500 to 2500 ROCKET, 2 feet.

Allen Pegues | The Reflector

Jonathan Reeves and Oliver Coleman conduct last minute checks on their rocket before launching it. The Space Cowboysʼ launch day was set up to certify new members of the club.

Student Association event bridges gap between students and police of answers.

Corporal Chantel Solis-McCoy from MSU PD spoke about a former desire to join the military and why she decided on law enforcement instead.

“I wanted to join the military, but I had a heart condition and could not be accepted. So instead of serving my country, I decided to serve the community,” Solis-McCoy said.

Captain Kenneth Rodgers of MSU PD explained he was looking for something different and for good pay. Twentyfive plus years later he is still in it.

The officers were asked what they thought set Starkville law enforcement apart from other police departments nationwide.

Chief Vance Rice of MSU PD cited the national recognition of the two departments as testament to the quality of their work.

POLICE, 2

JOSHUA STEWART STAFF WRITER

Bulldogs win!

The Lady Bulldogs soccer team took a 2-0 victory over the Troy Trojans this Saturday. Check it out on our website!

Adam Sullivan | The Reflector

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

HI: 72 LO: 60 SKY: Rainy POP: 50

HI: 75 LO: 52 SKY: Stormy POP: 90

HI: 74 LO: 51 SKY: Sunny POP: 10

FORECAST: Prepare for another rainy week!

Rain is very likely through the middle of the week, with a high chance of thunderstorms on Thursday. Expect clear skies going into the weekend with warm temperatures.

Courtesy of National Weather Service

Approximately 40 students were in attendance at the Colvard Student Union for a Student Association panel dealing primarily with community law enforcement relations on Monday. The panel consisted of officers from the Starkville and Mississippi State University police departments and were represented by both chiefs of police, a captain, a corporal and a sergeant.

The event included a Q&A section; asked first by the host, future SA President Garrett Smith; and followed by members of the audience. After this, a small dinner from Subway was provided and a raffle of various prizes was held, the largest prize being a TV. The first question posited to the officers was why they decided to enter law enforcement, and it received a variety

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EARTH Panelists discussed the South’s climate crisis issues and how to get positive responses from students on campus.

The speakers highlighted the importance of environmental education and making sustainability easily accessible for college students.

Kristen Killgore, an intern for the Office of Sustainability at MSU, moderated the climate talk on Wednesday that featured non-MSU speakers. Her questions focused on how to make positive changes on campus and get faculty, staff and students involved in making campus greener.

The panelists said to use creativity in discussing climate change and green initiatives and find out what matters to students.

They advocated for finding supportive faculty so projects on campus have longevity and do not die out when the students graduate.

Aaron Durnbaugh, director of sustainability at Loyola University Chicago, said it was essential to make sustainability as inclusive as possible by inviting everyone to participate in the conversation.

“We can find really amazing dialogues when

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we’re all willing to kind of come to the table,” Durnbaugh said.

Daniel Dixon, the sustainability director at the University of Maine, expressed his goals for his campus.

“Every decision we make in our lives has an effect on the world around us. I think the more people understand that, the more they’re willing to make sacrifices and change in their daily lives.”

Daniel Dixon Sustainability Director University of Maine “So, I’m excited to get U Maine to zero emissions. That’s probably my primary goal and, then, just to teach everyone about climate change and how important sustainability is,” Dixon said. “Every decision we make in our lives has an effect on the world around us. I think the more people understand that, the more

COPS “Our two departments here are nationally accredited,” Rice said.

“Only about 20% of the departments nationwide can claim that level of professionalism, and you have two here in your immediate area.”

Smith asked what the officers thought students could do to help improve relations with the police departments.

Mark Ballard, chief of police at Starkville PD, encouraged students to take advantage of their brief citizenship in Starkville and to respect those around them.

“One of the things we see sometimes is people buying houses in residential neighborhoods, and their neighbors are 50 to 60.

And they want to turn it into Animal House, and then, they’re surprised when there are issues,” Ballard said. “That has gotten better over the years, thankfully. Meet your neighbors, and respect your neighbors.

Take your citizenship seriously.”

they’re willing to make sacrifices and change in their daily lives.”

Offering a familiar perspective, Alicia Brown, a solar innovation fellow at the Mississippi Service Commission, explained her struggles and successes while advocating for sustainability in Mississippi’s government.

“Mississippi is ripe with opportunity, but we are drastically far behind.

So trying to find creative solutions that work within in, like, a really challenging economic and political framework (is what motivates me).”

Killgore agreed with Brown and voiced some of her concerns for Mississippi. She said it is frustrating at times to get students engaged with sustainability programs on campus.

Although the weather impacted the in-person events, Killgore said she was pleased with the turnout to the virtual events. She said the goal of Earth Week was to help people realize minor changes they can make every day that positively impact the earth.

“I’m trying to just make them aware of their daily impact and how little efforts can go a long way,” Killgore said.

CONTINUED FROM 1

The final question before the audience’s opportunity involved misconceptions about policing. Ballard believes critics focus too heavily on the negative.

“I think that people forget we’re human beings, and I’m not justifying the use of force issues out there today,” Ballard said. “I’m talking about performance under adrenaline. We drop the ball sometimes. Law enforcement will make mistakes. If you expect perfection from any human entity, you’re going to be disappointed.”

Audience questions ranged from the light, such as asking the officers what the most accurate cop show on TV is, to the heavier, such as asking questions about the militarization of police officers in the U.S. A question was asked about what students could do to continue improving the relationship between law enforcement and their community, to which the general response was to not be afraid to speak to

any officer you see about anything from the most mundane to the serious.

After the questions and answers section concluded, dinner was served and raffles for prizes were given out by members of the Student Association. The officers stuck around for a while after and answered any one-on-one question a student may have had.

ROCKET Once everything appeared in order, the rocket would be examined

by Hardin and his team before being loaded into the rail, a device which guides the rocket upward.

The Space Cowboy would then announce his or her name, the model of the rocket and how high it was supposed to reach, and the countdown would begin.

After a simple press of a button, the rocket would ignite, and it would disappear amidst the sky, leaving only a trail of smoke.

Once the parachute deployed, the Space Cowboys would point at the rocket, per tradition.

More often than not, the rocket would be caught in the wind and carried over to other fields in the dairy unit. One was even caught in a tree, 50 feet up.

“You better start walking,” someone would shout at the member, and off they went with a radar gun in hand. Most of the rockets had been fitted with trackers before launch, which would lead

BAD DAWGS Monday, March 15, 2021 Possession of one ounce or less of marijuana was reported in the C4 Critz parking lot.

Tuesday, March 16, 2021 Student arrested in Hull Hall for possession of marijuana and disorderly conduct.

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 Student transported to OCH from Nunnelee Hall for possible overdose.

Friday, March 19, 2021 Student ran toward Cullis Wade Depot carrying a square shape after being told to stop by police officer.

Arrest warrants are being obtained for malicious mischief, disorderly conduct/failure to comply, littering and receiving stolen property.

Saturday, March 20, 2021 Juvenile was stopped on Hail State Boulevard for speeding 69/45 and no driver’s license. Juvenile was released to guardian.

Student broke his leg on the rock-climbing machine at Sanderson Center.

Subject was transported to OCH. Sunday, March 21, 2021 Student transported to OCH from Zacharias Village for medical assistance due to being intoxicated. Referral was issued.

CONTINUED FROM 1

their builders straight to the distant landing sites.

Every rocket had been built from a kit by a team of Space Cowboys, typically a mentor of sophomore or junior level and their mentees.

The Space Cowboys mentorship program is new to the group this year.

Emily Erwin, a senior aerospace engineering major and Taylor’s mentee, said the mentor orders the rocket kit and shows the younger members how to assemble it.

“The goal of the mentorship program is to get the sophomore or junior to Level 1 certification, and the mentees learn how to put a rocket together,” Erwin said.

Certification for rocket design teams has three levels set by the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). Most of the Space Cowboys launching on Saturday were aiming for Level 1 certification.

To earn a Level 1 certification, the Space Cowboys had to simulate, analyze and build their

own high-powered rockets under the team’s supervision.

Each member was responsible for ensuring their high-powered rocket operated safely during its flight and did not exceed altitude and perimeter limitations. They were also required to recover and return the rocket to Hardin for a post-flight inspection.

After earning their Level 1 certification, some members had prepared a second rocket to try for Level 2.

For the Space Cowboys, launch day lasted until later that night, wrapping up around 6 p.m. Their success rate is still to be determined until some members can recover their rockets from trees.

The Space Cowboys ultimately launched and recovered seven rockets and certified six members.

The group plans to return to the dairy farm at a later date to finish certifications and begin certifying Level 2 members.

Allen Pegues | The Reflector

Victor Phelps, an MSU Space Cowboy participating in the launch day, uses binoculars to locate his rocket following the launch.

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BULLETIN BOARD

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

PuzzleJunction.com

SUDOKU

An In-Class Distraction

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solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and Across 1 Iraqi port must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

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42 39 Bankrolled 25 Vatican City Down 40 Athletic game 26 One of the 43 42 Splits up Clantons 1 Gadfly larvae 44 45 Fortune 27 Extinct flightless 45 2 Atmosphere 46 Light-footed 3 Don’t draw, in bird 47 Stream 28 Infamous 1972 poker 47 48 Gambler’s hope 4 Urban ___ hurricane 49 49 Blazing 29 Abbr. after many 50 5 Pitches 52 Strip of wood a general’s name 51 6 Scale 55 Back muscle, 7 Pro ___ 30 Peruvian coin 53 for short 32 Auxiliary 8 Dead against 54 56 Former popular 9 Highlander 35 Mandela’s org. song 10 Word said with a 36 Design item on a 56 58 Blackbird dress, maybe salute 57

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March 17 Puzzle Solutions 2 4 It’s often left hanging To the ___ degree Music genre Saffron-flavored dishes Lone-Star State city Large lizard Swindled person St. Paul’s architect Salad ingredient Crackerjack Smart-alecky Without purpose Prison term Prince of Wales, e.g.

Mountain pass Early afternoon

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PITCH: MUSIC REVIEW Parker’s Pitch:WEEKLY weekly music review CopyrightByPARKER’S ©2021 PuzzleJunction.com COVID-19 pandemic.

Parker Dorsey

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @ reflector-online

This week’s album review is on “NIRATIAS” by Chevelle, the ninth studio album by the Illinois-based rock group. “NIRATIAS” is a concept album revolving around space travel and science-denying, which feels particularly poignant today due to Elon Musk’s Mars colonization plans and the rise of science denial during the

CLUB INFO Student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info. Information may be submitted by email to managing@reflector.msstate.edu with the subject heading “CLUB INFO.” The deadline for Wednesday’s paper is by 3 p.m. on Friday.

MSU student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info.

The Oktibbeha County Humane Society Student Chapter is a student-driven organization dedicated to raising money and awareness about the local Oktibbeha County Humane Society. They volunteer at the humane society and host events on campus that directly benefit it.

Their upcoming meeting date is April 8. They are always looking for new club members and can be reached on any of their social media platforms or at msu.ochssc@ gmail.com.

Sonically, this sounds very similar to Tool, with Pete Loeffler eerily emulating Maynard James Keenan. This record takes risks and strays from Chevelle’s triedand-true formula, partly due to Loeffler’s admission of battling writer’s block and considering putting the band on hiatus. If this is their last, it is a worthy send-off.

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5 6 9 8 2 1 4 7Email3managing@ reflector.msstate.edu 8 3 4 6 5 7 9 1 2 1 2 7 9 3 4 5 6 8 9 7 3 5 1 8 6 2 4 6 4 8 3 9 2 1 5 7 EVENTS 4 6CAMPUS 8 3 9 2 5 1 7ON Kindness Rocks Field 8 2 1 3 269 6 4 712:005Drill March p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

7 1 5 2 8 9 3 4 6 MSU Spring Choral Concert MSU Amphitheater 9 5 26 4 5:00 8p.m.2- 7:001 p.m.6 3 7 March

Upcoming

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Charles H. Templeton Ragtime & Jazz Festival Virtual 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

MSU Big Event Check-in at Barnes & Noble 10:00 a.m -12 p.m.

March 28

March 27

MSU Baseball vs. Arkansas Dudy Noble Field 2:00 p.m.

MSU Student Bingo Night Hunter Henry Center 6:00 p.m.

March 30

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OPINION

The US should build a high-speed cross-country railway for travel

EMMA DOTSON

is a junior majoring in communication.

Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate. edu.

Italy, France, Spain, Japan and China all have one thing setting them apart from other countries. No, it is not their booming economies but rather their bustling high-speed railway (HSR) systems which distinguish these countries. The U.S. may have the strongest economy globally, but it underperforms in various aspects which directly affect American citizens’ quality of life. While implementing a HSR will not solve all of America’s issues, it will positively impact everyone’s lives.

According to the American Public Transportation Association, building a HSR will create around 24,000 jobs for every $1 billion investment.

Since most rail industry jobs have been commercialized, domestic transportation reintroduction will rejuvenate stagnant transportation services and travel.

As noted on History.com, Cornelius Vanderbilt’s business conquests, among others, expedited the rail system which helped make the U.S. geographically united, so it would be natural to use that foundation to build future railways. It

has increased the economy in the past and can contribute significantly to future prosperity too.

One of the recommended ways to reach that prosperity again, as proposed by the High Speed Rail Alliance, is to use the “Phased Network Approach,” which revolves around building new tracks specifically for high-speed travel but connecting those lines to the existing railroad network. Since railroads already exist there, citizens do not have to wait for the completion of the modern network to benefit from it. As each new section is built, the faster the system will become and the greater the variety of destinations will be available.

Existing rail travel, such as Amtrak, has proven to be ineffective, but it does not have to be that way. In an interview conducted by Ted Mann of The Wall Street Journal, national vice president

of the Transportation Communications Union Jack Dinsdale said, “It’s supposed to be a national network. It’s supposed to run across the country.

It’s supposed to be funded by the government.”

In reality, Amtrak accomplishes none of these things it was meant to do.

New York Times writer Caity Weaver, who traveled by Amtrak from New York City to Los Angeles, writes that “there are either 61 or 960 immediate reasons” not to make this trip by use of their trains. Not only is the fare extremely expensive with a whopping price of $1,089, but the trip’s duration is 67 hours.

Part of what contributes to this hefty travel time is there are multiple stops and factors based on the chosen route.

Amtrak offers routes running five trains a day, two to five trains a day, one train a day or three trains a week. Most routes in the

northeast offer multiple trains a day, making them more convenient, but outside of that region, passengers must make plans to stay overnight at their destination as only one train is sent a day. Therefore, day trips are not made possible in other parts of the country through train travel.

High-speed rail (HSR) travel can accomplish the goals Amtrak was supposed to do while also being environmentally friendly.

According to the American Public Transportation Association, HSR is “eight times more energy efficient than airplanes and four times more efficient than automobile use. It will also decrease greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.” It is time to start resolving the fossil fuel crisis through clean energy and minimizing U.S reliance on foreign oil to function.

Not to mention with transportation

like this, individuals significantly reduce their carbon footprint by riding together to their destination, as proven through China’s rail system detailed in Lili Pike’s article in China Dialogue. This will not be a completely new practice to normalize since government officials nationwide have encouraged people to ride together for automobile transportation through carpooling or ride sharing.

HSRs also will make cross-country travel affordable and available to just about everyone. Plane tickets are an expense very few can afford to buy more than once a year — if even that. It usually requires layovers with lots of wasted time and relies heavily on foreign oil reserves. Cars are a financial burden, are very slow in comparison, are environmentally unfriendly and require disruptions in travel for refueling. As far as public transportation goes,

buses tend to only go to a few major cities, make frequent stops and deal with heavily trafficked roads.

HSRs have been proposed before, but parties refused to work together to do what is best for the people. According to Keith Laing of The Hill, former President Barack Obama proposed an $8 billion economic stimulus package in 2009 to jumpstart the high-speed rail program in the U.S., but many state’s governors of the opposing political party rejected it. One of the opposing politicians was representative Jeff Denham who claimed the rail system needs to be in areas with proven ridership numbers and established routes and speeds.

The problem is the regions where HSRs were implemented, such as California, have other forms of public transportation like buses, subways or ferries, so there is competition for which mode of transportation to take. However, outside big cities, there are little to no modes of public transportation.

The southern region of the U.S. especially struggles with reliable public transport.

It is time politicians start doing what is best for the people rather than for their interests. Support high-speed rails, so we can end this problem, boost the economy and help our fellow Americans prosper for the bright future yet to come.

Other languages should play a greater role in our curriculum

TAYLAR ANDERSON is a senior majoring in English. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

The U.S. has always prided itself on being known as the land of opportunity, and it has been further described as a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities and more. With our country becoming increasingly diverse, it is only logical this diversity reflects not only in laws but in our education as well. However, according to Derek Beres at Big Think, only 20% of American students know more than one language, and this is likely a direct cause of foreign languages not being nationally mandated to be taught in our schools. Considering our increasing immigrant and ethnic communities as well as our nation’s expanding diversity, I think it is time America joins other countries in making learning other languages mandatory within our schools.

Teaching other languages within our schools would do much to improve the education of our upcoming generations and future leaders, and this is also the best way to introduce a new language to our nation

considering it is easier to learn another language as a growing child. Including a second language in our nation’s curriculum breaks language barriers between English and non-English speakers, and this will also make our children more social and inclusive.

Being bilingual would also naturally make our children smarter. As stated

by Yudhijit Bhattacharjee at The New York Times, being bilingual improves cognitive skills unrelated to language and also

decreases one’s chances of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s.

In addition to improving our nation’s education, this could also improve our nation’s diplomatic and foreign affairs by producing more leaders, diplomats and representatives who can more effectively communicate with foreign leaders. Learning other languages helps us to learn other cultures and experiences, and without the language barriers

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business gets done at the business table, but it often gets done away from the business table — it gets done in social interactions, it gets done even in the hallways. And if you don’t speak the language, you can’t fully engage in those interactions.”

Therefore, if our country were to adopt another language or at least begin to teach it in schools, I believe we would be laying the foundation for a more inclusive and unified country which has

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which separate us, we can better socialize and empathize with one another in a way which encourages unity rather than letting our language barrier serve as another form of opposition and separation.

Marty Abbott, the executive director of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, described it best when she explained in an interview with Here & Now, “We think naively sometimes that

successful and positive diplomatic relationships with other countries as well.

Furthermore, being bilingual has already become an economic advantage with our job market becoming more competitive and seeking more bilingual employers who can attract and work with different kinds of customers.

According to Matt Schwartz at Schwartz Insurance Group, studies and reports have shown bilingual employees can earn between 5% and 20% more money per hour than those who are monolingual.

Bilingual people also naturally have more job opportunities when they are not limited by a language barrier.

This is particularly the case in southern states with more Spanishspeaking neighbors and communities. This also allows a more accepting and creative workforce which helps everyone since more people are able to help and cater to different kinds of people’s needs.

With more countries teaching and adopting more languages, I think it is time the U.S. tries to do so as well, especially with our country’s diversity increasing. We should always seek to do more which may unify the country further, and I think adding and accepting a new language within our country is the first step of many in the right direction.

Circulation/Amiyah Brown circulation@reflector.msstate.edu

Letters to the editor should be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. Letters may also be emailed to editor@reflector. msstate.edu.

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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, call 325-7905.

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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT 5 THE REFLECTOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 @REFLECTORONLINE

The Undecided Conference was decidedly successful

BRONWEN MADDOX

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On this past Saturday, Mississippi State University’s Freshman Forum and Student Association hosted the Undecided Conference from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The conference was held in the Colvard Student Union and Old Main Academic Center.

In a typical year, Freshman Forum hosts the Donald Zacharias Leadership Conference (DZLC), a leadership conference for high school juniors and seniors. However, this year DZLC was canceled due to COVID-19. The Undecided Conference took its place, and the focus of the event was MSU freshmen and sophomores rather than high school students.

Ryan Harper, a freshman electrical engineering major and member of Freshman Forum, shed some light on the heart behind the event.

“We’re out here to just give back to the freshman students. As well as not necessarily just freshmen, t’s all undeclared. And people who are uncertain of what they want to do, even if you are certain of what you want to do, we still want to give you some skills in life or just some other ideas,” Harper said.

According to Ellie Herndon, a freshman political science major and Freshman Forum member, the decision to target current MSU students helped to

John Griffin| The Reflector

Regina Hyatt opened the Undecided Conference, an event designed to help Mississippi State University students with undecided majors develop their career paths and professionalism.

streamline the event.

“We’d rather focus on people that are already at this campus and professional development for them, you know.

It’s more organized and professional,” Herndon said.

The members of Freshman Forum split into three main groups to plan the event: logistics,

presentation and speakers and marketing.

On Saturday, all members were present to help with check-in, as well as anywhere else they might be needed to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Some of them, like Harper, were even able to attend a few sessions.

“The conference was terrific. I was able to sit

down on some of the sessions and loved what the speakers had to say,” Herndon said.

Eleven notable speakers showed at the conference, including Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill, Jackie Mullen, Camille Young, Regina Hyatt, Leah Gibson, Melissa Moore, Robert Green, Tyrel Jernigan,

Tyler Packer, Laura Dunn and Eric Zacharias. Each one brought a unique topic to the conference and taught a short lecture on their specific subject.

Many of these speakers came from within MSU or surrounding areas.

Each attendee listened to opening remarks by MSU Vice President of Student Affairs Regina

Hyatt, went to three breakout sessions of their choice and ended with a speech from Eric Zacharias. The breakout sessions included career insights, interview tips and diversity training. Some of the fields represented were engineering, pre-med, government and public service and marketing.

Due to the diversity of topics and speakers, Herndon explained there was something for everyone in attendance.

“I think it went great.

Although the turnout wasn’t huge, I think people got a lot of insight out of it,” Herndon said.

Chick-fil-A was provided for lunch, and there were drawings for two Bulldog Burger gift cards, Apple AirPods, an Apple Watch and a JBL speaker.

Savannah Fort, a freshman who is undecided on her major, said Leah Gibson’s breakout session ‘You are Your Brand!’ on social media marketing gave her insight into a possible career. She also mentioned Camille Young’s session ‘Interview Skills and Etiquette’ and her great advice on how to make a good impression in an interview.

Fort was one of over 70 students who participated in the Undecided Conference.

After attending the conference, Fort was grateful she made the decision to go.

“I thought it was very helpful and organized well. In the end, I’m glad I decided to go,” Fort said.

Mississippi Today:women’s roles in the state

HEATHER HARRISON

STAFF WRITER

Women have come a long way throughout Mississippi’s history. From being seen as meek and subservient to influential eaders in the government, women have shown resilience and courage while advocating for equality in Mississippi’s society.

Historically, women’s roles typically revolved around home life. Cooking, cleaning and raising children were part of a woman’s daily routine for thousands of years. Women also played a major part in farming and agriculture in Mississippi.

Over the past 200 years, women’s roles have evolved nto a more coequal level with men. Women work typical jobs, attend college and hold government positions.

In Mississippi, women have taken a little longer than in other states to grow nto their new societal roles.

According to professor of history at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Andrew Haley, even when women began breaking the glass ceiling, their societal responsibility was similar to their domestic roles. Women often led movements such as reforming child abor laws, changing the electoral college process and eliminating or controlling alcohol consumption.

“Some people refer to this as social housekeeping,” Haley said. “Just like they had to clean their homes, they had to clean society as a whole.”

Anne Marshall, a history professor at Mississippi State University, said Jim Crow aws prevented Black men and women from voting, beginning in the 1890s. In 1920, the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution — the Women’s Voting Rights Act — was passed.

However, Mississippi egislators did not ratify t until 1984. Women’s suffragists advocated for the

right to vote to keep Black Americans from voting.

Thus, white women could vote in 1920, but Black American women could not vote until 1965.

Between 1960 and 1984, many Mississippi women held governmental positions, including lieutenant governor, so not having the 19th Amendment ratified until 1984 did not hinder women from assuming new roles.

Evelyn Gandy was the first woman elected lieutenant governor of Mississippi in 1975.

However, women’s roles in Mississippi differed according to race and class.

Minorities were often decades behind the curve due to slavery, segregation and racism.

Marshall said Black women in Mississippi were known as caretakers and

assumed a ‘Mammy’ role post-Civil War. They were at a disadvantage because most jobs offered to them were low paying with no chance to rise in company ranks.

Wealthy white families who owned enslaved people often forced Black women to breastfeed the white children. Thus, the Black woman’s child could not drink his or her mother’s milk. The ‘Mammy’ role that Black women were assumed to have is still in place to this day, despite all the changes in society.

This does not mean Black women have not fought against this status quo, however. Rebecca Tuuri, a history professor at USM specializing in African American and women’s history, said Black American women joined women’s activist groups, like the National Association

of Colored Women, clubs, church groups, sororities and professional associations to enhance their leadership roles. Tuuri said they also joined clubs with Black American men and even white women. According to Tuuri, Black American women faced racism from the white women in those clubs but were able to reap the benefits the clubs provided.

Interestingly, Native Americans, especially in the southeast, have a matrilineal society, tracing everything to the mothers. When couples marry, the man takes the woman’s last name and moves to the woman’s house. The men hunted and went to war, and the women farmed and worked the fields.

This seems shocking compared to other Mississippi cultures because

of the predominantly patrilineal society. Because of the Native American women of Mississippi, the state’s legislators passed the Married Women’s Property Act in 1839, giving married women the right to own property, including enslaved people.

Kimberly Kelly, associate professor of sociology and director of gender studies at MSU, said people often assume women mainly stayed at home and cared for the children. But in fact, she said that is a privileged role only wealthy women were able to have. As for any other group of women, they had to work to put food on the table because of stagnated wages. Women worked in chicken or catfish plants, the service or retail industries or on the farm.

Kelly also said women often face the motherhood

penalty in the workplace.

The motherhood penalty is how women are treated differently for being working mothers. She said for every child a woman has, her salary goes down by a small percentage. This salary decrease usually has nothing to do with the woman’s work ethic. The motherhood penalty centers around the idea that working mothers are less available to their jobs because of their children.

While women have come a long way, there are still plenty of areas where women need inclusion.

Primarily male-dominated fields like STEM and politics are opening their doors to women, but men still greatly outnumber their female counterparts.

In the law profession, women are increasing in numbers. However, Jennifer Ingram Johnson, president of the Mississippi Bar Association, noticed a disparity in the numbers between women who attend law school and women who become practicing lawyers.

Johnson said Mississippi’s law schools are 48% female, but only about 30% of practicing lawyers are women. Part of Johnson’s work in the Mississippi Bar is to close the gap between those two percentages. She said the gap could exist because of issues passing the bar examination, women leaving the state to practice law elsewhere, starting to practice law and realizing it is not the right fit or due to the societal expectations of women.

Johnson explained how the law field can push to include more women and minorities, but her sentiments can apply to the broad range of fields that still see gender disparities in their ranks.

“It needs to be an intentional process,” Johnson said, “something that those that are in power find necessary.”

66-Sports SPORTS

THE REFLECTOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 @SPORTSREFLECTOR

Gators chomp the Bulldogs in softball

JARED CONERLY STAFF WRITER

Mississippi State University (15-11) hosted the University of Florida (21-2) at Nusz Park in Starkville, Mississippi, on Friday for a weekend softball series, where the Gators swept the Bulldogs with three wins.

Friday’s game was a low scoring affair. Florida had a chance to take the lead very early in the first inning when two batters hit singles and one batter walked.

With the bases loaded MSU proceeded to throw two runners out and Annie Willis, the senior pitcher from Huntsville, Alabama, got her first strikeout of the matchup to keep the inning scoreless.

Willis expanded on that important first inning and said she knew her team was ready and prepared to get the stops they needed.

“Honestly, I just trusted the defense behind me,” Willis shared. “We’ve been working all week, honestly, on it, and that was the calmest I’ve felt our team as a whole. I just trusted my pitches. I trusted Mia (Davidson) behind the plate. I trusted Coach Josh (Johnson’s) calls, and we just worked together as a team to get

it done.”

Mostly dominated by defense from both teams, the game was scoreless until the fourth inning when Florida’s Kinsey Goelz hit a solo home run over the wall in left field, giving the Gators the lead. MSU would work its way into opportunities to score some runs, but Florida’s defense kept the Bulldogs from touching home plate. The Bulldogs’ defense stood strong as well and shined by keeping the No.5 Florida team from scoring another run. One play by Florida looked sure to score, but a double play stopped a score when MSU’s senior pitcher Emily Williams from Carrollton, Georgia, struck out a batter. Senior catcher Mia Davidson then fired the ball to second base, catching the runner stealing for an incredible double play.

Davidson, the Hillsborough, North Carolina, native, said her team executed the play perfectly and gave props to the second baseman.

“I honestly didn’t see the runner going until the last second,” Davidson said. “I knew there was a fast runner on, so I was like, ‘If (Emily Williams) does a change up, just be ready for anything.’ She

went and she threw it.

Madi (Kennedy) made a great tag on it, and it was just bang-bang. It was just a great setup.

Florida took game one with a 1-0 victory over MSU, who ended the game with zero runs off six hits.

Saturday’s matchup ended in an offensive explosion for Florida when they kept MSU scoreless in an 10-0 defeat. Florida got out to an early lead after scoring one run in the first inning and would go on to score nine runs on seven hits in the seventh inning, helped by two errors from MSU. Head Coach Samantha Ricketts said her team’s

mistakes mainly came from communication errors and trust.

“You never want to see that,” Ricketts said.

“Again, I think that’s more part of the mentality and speeding yourselves up and less about the physical errors,” Ricketts said. “A lot of them came down to communication and really just trusting yourself and trusting your teammates around you to make the plays, and we did not do that very well today.”

Saturday was not only a day for collegiate softball competition but also a day for the remembrance of Alex Wilcox, a member of the

2018 MSU softball team who inspired the nation when she courageously battled ovarian cancer in a fight that would ultimately take her life. Every one of the 13 schools in the Southeastern Conference wore teal or teal accents during their respective softball games to promote ovarian cancer awareness and show the impact Wilcox had on the softball community.

The weekend series came to a close on Sunday where Florida took a strong lead early and ended the game in five innings, defeating MSU 8-0. In the second inning, Florida’s Goelz once again

hit a home run to left field, this time scoring two runs as a runner was on third base. MSU just could not find the offense they needed to get back into the game and in the fifth inning Florida expanded their lead by adding on six runs. That lead would prove insurmountable for MSU, and any window of opportunity was shut in the bottom of the fifth when junior outfielder Chloe Malau’ulu of Long Beach, California, flied out to center field. This gave Florida their third out of the inning and ended the game, leaving the Bulldogs scoreless through 24 innings.

Mary Georgia Hamilton|The Reflector

Kinsey Goelz, a redshirt junior and Gator infielder from Myakka City, Florida, rounds third after she blasted a home run against the Bulldogs in this past weekend’s series.