SaMUeL HUGHeS Staff writer
WEDNESDAY,
AUGUST 31, 2022 138TH YEAR | ISSUE 2
PaYton Brown newS editor
Library renovations close sidewalk and special collections
The Mitchell Memorial Library at Mississippi State University has been undergoing renovations that have temporarily closed the sidewalk on its northAdditionally,side. the reading rooms and offices in the Archives and Special Collections section are temporarily closed. The Archives and Special Collections section in the library has been the home of MSU-related rare books, handwritten manuscripts and letters dating back to the early Director1500s.of Facilities Management Tommy Verdell said the maintenance on the air conditioning system caused the closures. The current system, which was installed in the 1980s, has shown signs of failure, and MSU has opted for a preemptive replacement to protect“Wedocuments.think this renovation will give us extended life on mechanical systems, which should improve the atmosphere in the facility for its occupants,” Verdell said.Verdell said the project was meant to occur earlier but was delayed due to nationwide supply chain issues.With the assumption that no more delays will occur, Verdell said the sidewalk and the Special Collections reading room should be open to the public in a few weeks. The temporary reading room is in the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library. According to Verdell, the age of the library means maintenance is only natural. The northwest location of the reading rooms and archives were previously used as open library space. Walking east towards the Maxxsouth Digital Media Center, students cross seams in the floor that mark the transition from the original building to an expansion made in the early 1970s. Compared to the original layout from its opening in 1954, the expansion doubled the size of the library.What is now the Digital Media Center was formerly a music listening area full of CDs and cassette tapes. Stephen Cunetto, associate dean for Community Relations and Strategic Initiatives, has seen over 35 years of change at the Michell Memorial Library. Cunetto admired the library’s ability to adapt to students’ interests. LIBRARY, 2 Over the summer, Mississippi State University appointed two new department heads. Brian Shoup was introduced as the head of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration while Daniel Stevens was named the Department of Music’s administrative head.Along with new department heads, a new interim associate head has been named for the Department of Building Construction Science. Associate Professor Michele Herrmann will be fulfilling the position after working in the department for 12 years. Shoup has been a member of his department’s faculty for 13 years now and has worked his way through a variety of roles. He has served as an assistant professor, associate professor, undergraduate director and the director of the Mississippi Model SecurityBeforeCouncil.taking on the role as the head of his department, Shoup served as the interim department head for a year. According to Shoup, that time he served was educational. He had to quickly learn how the role functioned and what the responsibilities would entail.Shoup took on the role as interim department head in 2021 during the downfall of COVID-19 pandemic. “One of the biggest things with being an interim is that you’re aware of the fact that you’re sort of a placeholder in the position until you either officially get the job or someone else gets it, and so, in making monumental or significant decisions, you feel a little constrained in that,” Shoup said. His previous position was especially challenging due to the new developments being prepared, Shoup said. The department has been working to develop an online Master of Public Administration (MPA)Designedprogram. for professionals working in federal,organizationsnon-governmentalorstateandlocal municipal governments, the MPA gives candidates the training and experience they need.Shoup was happy to mention the program is now available.
eMMa niSBet Staff writer HEADS, 2 Senior Gabbi Ferreri used Adobe Photoshop to edit her portrait of Liza McKibben. Heather Harrison | The Reflector
Hannah Strong, a 2017 Mississippi State University graduate, received three awards at the 2022 Ohio Valley Emmy Awards.Strong won an Emmy for best meteorologist and was a part of teams who won best newscast and best coverage of a tornadic weather outbreak. Her station, WDRB, located in Louisville, Kentucky, won 16 awards. Strong, who grew up in Dallas and lived in Birmingham, said she was ready to leave the South after graduating. After her college career, she found a job in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and remained there until she started at WDRB. Strong mentioned the weather differences she has experienced in her career so far.“I've tried to find different geographic regions. I think that the key to being a well-rounded meteorologist is working in a lot of different locales,” StrongAccordingsaid. to Strong, Fort Wayne gets more snow and rain, but Kentucky has weather similar to Mississippi. Courtesy Photo | Hannah Strong Hannah Strong was awarded best meteorologist at the 2022 Ohio Valley Emmy Awards. EMMY, 2
Along with the addition of a new administrative head, MSU’s Department of Music will be housed in a new music building. Landon Scheel | The Reflector ADOBE, 2 Last June, Mississippi State University purchased a license agreement with Adobe to lower costs of the Creative Cloud package for students and faculty. By purchasing an Adobe enterprise term license agreement for all faculty members and 50% of the student population, MSU is Mississippi’s first Cre ative Cloud Campus. The partnership, which began Aug. 10, allows stu dents and faculty to pur chase an Adobe package for $150 each academic year. The cost will be di rected and charged to the individual’s Banner ac count.
Bronwen Maddox Staff writer
The sidewalk on the north side of the Mitchell Memorial Library has been temporarily closed due to the maintenance and replacement of old air conditioning units. Samuel Hughes | The Reflector Courtesy Photo | MSU Department of PSPA Head Brian Shoup. Courtesy Photo | MSU Department of Music Head Daniel Stevens. Courtesy Photo | MSU Associate Dean for CRSI Stephen Cunetto.
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WEDNESDAY FRIDAY Courtesy of The Weather
Channel Bad Dawgs 3 Bulletin Board 3 Opinion 4 Sports 4 Life&Entertainment 5 Reader’s Guide:THURSDAY THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
New administrative heads hired in multiple departments
MSU meteorology graduate awarded local Emmys
FORECAST: This week, hot weather and rain will continue to plague Starkville. The high will reach 92 degrees on Wednesday, so prepare to be a cat on a hot tin roof full of sweat and disdain. Ironically, the low will reach 64 degrees and provide the perfect cool weather after a hot summer’s day.
MSU becomes an Adobe Creative Campus
HI: SKY:LO:9264Partly cloudy POP: 9 HI: SKY:LO:9068Mostly sunny POP: 5 HI: POP:SKY:LO:9071Stormy32
@REFLECTORONLINE2 THE WEDNESDAY,REFLECTORAUGUST 31 CONTINUED FROM 1
ADOBE
“We do have more severe weather than Fort Wayne, more of these big tornado days, and we still get snow and ice storms,” Strong said. Strong began her undergraduate studies as an engineering major but soon found her passion in meteorology.“Ididnot go to Mississippi State thinking I would be a meteorologist. I went to school with an engineering major, and I tried that for a semester,” Strong said. Strong said she enjoyed her challenging math and science courses but became bored of the lack of communication in the field. She said she changed her major due to her interest in making a difference interpersonalthroughrelationships.“Iwantedtotalktopeople.Iwantedtohelp.Iwanttogetpluggedintoacommunityandfindawaytomakeadifference.Thatwasn't happening very much,” StrongAftersaid.struggling to find a major that fit her, she met with an adviser at MSU’s Career Center who was able to point her in the right direction. She took Meteorology 101 with Renny Vandewege, a professor in the geosciences department, who she described as one of the top teachers in the program. That was his last class before retiring. “That first class, I knew right away I was going to love this program,” Strong said. In class and out of class, she worked hard to master her career. “I just knew that that's what I was going to be doing for the rest of my life,” Strong said. Mike Brown, a professor in the Department of Geosciences, taught and advised Strong. He gave Strong all the credit for her success in meteorology.
EMMY CONTINUED FROM 1 Landon
| The
“We are going to continue to try to be usercentered and studentfocused,” Cunetto said. Constructed in the 1990s, the addition of the atrium and space south of the main entrance quadrupled the library’s size compared to its original layout. With the rise of the internet in the 1990s, the library shifted from the use of floppy disks to CDs to servers. Where students once sat and listened to cassettes for their music appreciation class, Cunetto recalled recently seeing students in the area playing “Beat Saber” with a virtual reality headset.Cunetto said the library will continue to adapt to meet the needs of student JessicaMSUresearch.LibraryArchivistPerkins-Smithsaid the library has been through many changes since she joined the staff in 2016. She said the most significant change was the construction of the fourth floor and the improved Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library in 2017.“Having that worldclass exhibit space— that’s the biggest change because it’s brought a lot of attention to campus,”
Recently, within the Research, Instruction and Outreach section on the second floor of the library, the reference desk was removed. Along with floppy disks and the card catalog, the reference desk was removed because it had no Cunetto,use. who has helped direct the library’s technological changes for decades, called for students to voice what they need from the library. He said he felt that students would be responsible for deciding what the Mitchell Memorial Library will become.“We want to continue to evolve and become better and meet the needs of the students,” Cunetto said. “So, if we don’t hear from them, we can’t adjust and can’t adapt to what they want.”
“I’m excited for the future of where this department is heading. I’ve had Dr. Shoup for two classes,” Arceneaux said. “He definitely tries to know each and every one of his students, and he puts in so much extra help to make sure that each of these students are gaining their full Whilepotential.”Shoup was already involved in his department, Stevens is new to Starkville, and he joined the faculty in July. However, the musical experience that precedes him is Stevensvast. has been a fulltime orchestra viola player, an upper strings professor and a conductor of symphonies and orchestras. He has been on stage with Grammywinning artists, brought Disney concerts to life and filled theaters of 1,800 attendees.Before serving as the head of MSU’s Department of Music, Stevens’ first time stepping into an administrative role was at the University of North Alabama, where he shadowed others. He said the experience prepared him to step into the shoes of being an official department head at a big SEC school such as MSU. Stevens noted changes coming to the Department of Music: a new music building is being added to campus. The building stands at 37,000 square feet and adds new advancements.Thewallsare built with sound absorption, so two students could be having a conversation next door to a group of students practicing their trumpets, and neither party will hear the Emmaother.
Madelyn Sykes | The Reflector Hannah Strong graduated in 2017 after receiving her degree in meteorology.
Chief Information Officer Steve Parrott said the partnership will work to help with digital literacy on campus. “Last Thursday, we met with an assortment of academic personnel from all different areas to get a vision of how they could work the apps into their curriculum,” Parrott said.In addition to lowering costs for Adobe apps, the purchase has secured Adobe Sign for employees. Adobe Sign will offer an easier alternative for electronic signatures.Employees can also purchase individual apps at a lower price for department“Employeesuse. have two different ways to buy: if their job requires a certain app or apps, their department can purchase them,” Parrott said. As students become more aware of and involved in the partnership, the university can decide to purchase the package for a higher percentage of students.According to Parrott, his department has been tabling in different locations and hearing feedback from students about the apps. “What we want to do is … as students, become more comfortable with the apps and get more involved with them. We want them to use them to share their story so we can put it on our website,” Parrott said. Eli Thurman, a senior communication major, agreed that students could use the apps to find their passion. “I hope that more people are able to pick up their hobbies and something they love. I feel like this is a really good opportunity for students to find a pathway to express themselves,” ThurmanThurmansaid. has used apps like Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Dreamweaver in his classes and for his graphic design hobby. The price drop has helped Thurman save money since he is required to use Adobe apps helpthesaid.courseandpurchaseforandgreatlyandPhotoshop,teachingfocusedCenter,Maxxsouthproblem.consistentlyofandworkshopsteachingThomasTechnologyInstructionaldaily.SpecialistLaFoehasbeenAdobefor15years,hesaidthehighpricetheappshasbeenaWorkingintheDigitalMediaLaFoehasonusingandAdobeIllustratorInDesign."Thispartnershiphasreducedthiscosthasopenedthedoorfacultyandstudentstotheseproductsintegratetheminwork,”LaFoeLaFoesaidhehopedpartnershipwouldextendtheusageof these programs to new departments.“These tools are interdisciplinary, and anyone can use them,” La FoeLasaid.Foe said the engineering and language departments had a lack of exposure to Adobe before the partnership, but he said those fields are now integrating the software. “I think that it’s a skill that employers will expect people to know,” La Foe Parrottsaid.agreed with La Foe and said the job market is looking for students who stand out from the “Rathercrowd.than giving a paper resume in job interviews, students can give a digital signature or digital brand of themselves through the app,” Parrott said. The Mitchell Memorial Library is hosting Adobe workshops, and representatives from MSU’s Career Center can help students with Adobe, too. To sign up or request more information, visit the instructions and tutorials page on the library’s website.
“We
HEADS
“One of the things we did at our faculty retreat last week was get everyone in the same room and just kind of have an idea of where we want to be one year from now, where we want to be three years from now and where we want to be five years from now,” ShoupShoupsaid.said he was glad to see that many of the faculty members shared the same visions for the future of theLaurendepartment.Arceneaux, a senior double majoring in political science and economics, shared her hopes for the department.
LIBRARY CONTINUED FROM 1 CONTINUED FROM 1
Steve Parrott Chief Information Officer Mississippi State University Courtesy Photo | Gabbi Ferreri Liza McKibben was photographed outside of Nine Twenty-Nine Coffee Bar for Gabbi Ferreri’s class assignment. Scheel Reflector Political sciences classes are held in Bowen Hall.
“She was a tremendous student. She soaked it all in. She asked wonderful questions,” Brown said. He said Strong would go the extra mile by asking for help about advancing in meteorology after college.“She was kind of a forward thinker, and she just took advantage of everything we offered her,” Brown said. Another professor Strong looked up to was Lindsey Poe, an instructor in broadcast meteorology. Poe agreed with Brown's assessment of Strong.“Shewas one of those students who, not only did she want to do well, but she wanted everybody else to do well too and helped them along if they were struggling with something. She definitely was a standout student,” Poe said. Poe recalled Strong excelled in weather forecasting and radar analysis.“She was interested in the field. She studied the field. That made her better on camera and a better meteorologist because she was immersed in it,” Poe said.Coming from a background of supportive instructors, Strong said she had a positive perspective to share with current and incoming students.“Keep your options open. You can take that time to figure it out and learn what you enjoy, what you're good at and then try to find something that fits in your life that way,” Strong said. She encouraged students to take their time and keep their options open. “Put in the effort, put in the time and the energy to practice. The more time and energy you spend practicing, the better off you will start,” Strong said want them to share their story so we can put it on our website.”
Duncan, a junior majoring in music education, voiced her feelings about the music department and her excitement for the new building.“Ido feel like music is definitely one of those things that is overlooked, for as much as we do. I definitely feel like a new building is kind of like a cherry on top of everything,” Duncan said. The department is also adding a new performance degree. Previously, the department has only offered bachelor’s degrees in arts, music and music education. The addition of a performance degree will be geared towards students who wish to work as a fulltime“Imusician.seethat there are aspects of our program that aren’t as strong as others, and I want to lift those that need a little extra assistance: to help provide them with resources— and it’s not just money— but to support faculty, teaching, materials and all kinds of things to help those areas that are just smaller,” Stevens said.
Perkins-Smith said. “It’s brought all kinds of researchers from all over the place to the library.” In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the library had to change the structure of certain offered services by establishing resources virtually. Although campus has largely returned to normalcy, the library will maintain its new virtual resources.
Employee reported his ve hicle was damaged while parked in G-15 parking lot. Friday, August 26, 2022 Student was arrested at Hull Hall for petit larceny. Justice Court citation and referral was issued Saturday, August 27, 2022 Student arrested on Frater nity Row for public drunk eness. Justice court ciation and referral was issued. Student was stopped on Band Street for disregard of a traffic device and switched tag. Tag was confiscated.
Need a hand? Find last week’s answers down below. BULLETIN BOARD 3 An In-Class Distraction THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2022 | @REFLECTORONLINE
Stay in the know! Follow us on Instagram and @reflectoronlineTwitter SUDOKU Dates to Remember September 5 - Labor Day holiday. No classes will be held. Enjoy your three day weekend! Copyright ©2022 PuzzleJunction.com 6 4 29 57 98 7 4 3 5 8 2 4 7 5 1 9 1 1 54 8 3 Copyright ©2022 PuzzleJunction.com 1234 5678 9101112 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 2223 24 25 26 2728 29 30 3132 33 3435 36 37 3839 4041 42 43 44 4546 47 48 49 50515253 54 55 5657 58 59 60 61 6263 6465 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 41 Lather 43 Energy 46 cousinGuanaco’s 48 daggerCloak-and-org. 49 Thin out 51 On dry land 52 Better half 53 Loathing 55 Sanctify 57 Bumpkins 60 Sulk 62 Tree juice 63 Corrida cry 65 Arctic explorer John 66 Morning drops Across1Optimistic 5 Nevada city 9 Table scraps 13 Pot builder 14 Dodge 16 Pinnacle 17 School peers 19 Entertainment award 20 Young fox 21 Quarries 22 Give a hoot 24 Compass dir. 25 Chowed down 26 Champion 29 Exams 31 Puff up 33 Altar avowal 34 Little devil 36 ___ (steamed)vapeur 37 Exploit 38 Ariz. neighbor 40 Black ink item 42 Botanist Gray 43 One Beatle 44 Kind of instinct 45 Annex 47 Superlative ending 48 Gave up 50 Dog tether 54 Anxiety disorders 56 Lyrical Gershwin 58 Jacuzzi 59 Family group 60 Pudding fruit 61 Sweltering 62 Achy 64 Minstrel 67 Wistful word 68 Fry quickly 69 Gaelic 70 Guinea pigs, maybe 71 Summers on the Seine 72 Garden intruder Down1Auditoryannoyance 2 Sur昀ng, in a way 3 Union members 4 Survey choice 5 Send, as payment 6 Delights 7 Bar freebies 8 Poetic tribute 9 La Scala offering 10 Curatives 11 Scottish cap 12 Wild blue yonder 15 Intensify 18 twitchInvoluntary 23 Totally 26 Brazilian soccer legend 27 Brainchild 28 Silent assent 30 Cultivate, like land 32 Garbage 35 Some displaysceremonial 37 Chip’s partner 38 Before crop or register 39 Despot Cottage in the Country New Listing: Available NOW Call$475$475/monthdepositrequired(662)769-25422bed,1bath4milesfromcampusPetfriendly August 29 - Registration to apply for December 2022 degree. Deadline is October 21. Want to learn more aboutCatholicSt.Catholicism?JosephChurch invites you to our Becoming Catholic (RCIA) Inquiry Sessions beginning on Wed., Aug. 31 st at 6:30 pm in Parish Center. Registration requested (but not required) 607 University Drive, Starkville (662) 263 6946 www.stjosephstarkville.org ASAP DOFF MALT IOWA TEPEE ASEA DULLMOMENT STAN MENU SASSING FLU AIRE TEGS LINEN SARCASM ANDES GEAR AMO KEEL SHEEN ATOM ERR BEAR OLIVE SEATTLE BASIN STIR YALE MES BLADDER ROSA LATE MOUNTEBANK AVER MAZES EPEE BEDS ARID TEEN 1687 925 34 5243 819 76 3794 561 28 6 1 7 9 2 5 4 8 3 4538 672 19 9821 347 65 7 4 6 5 1 3 8 9 2 8312 496 57 2956 783 41 September 28 - First progress grade reporting deadline (30th class day)
Citation was issued for driving the wrong way on East Lee Boulevard.
Thursday, August 25, 2022
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Sunday, August 21, 2022
Students arrested at Oak Hall for unlawful use of ID card, resisting arrest and disorerly conduct.
MSU volleyball sweeps South Bend Invitational
M SU middle blocker Sania Petties and setter Gabby Coulter earned SEC volleyball player of the week awards this week. Kathryn Beatty | The Reflector T-17. Wake Forest 19. Wisconsin 20. Pitt 21. Kentucky 22. Miami (FL) 23. Texas 24. Ole Miss 25.ReceivingHoustonVotes: Penn State (329), BYU (299), Tennessee (283), Iowa (217), LSU (110), Minne sota (49), Florida (41), Au burn (33), North Carolina (32), Louisiana (25), South Carolina (23), UCLA (23), Coastal Carolina (21), Mississippi State (21), Appa lachian State (20), Ohio (18), Purdue (17), Washington (17), Stanford (15), UTSA (15), Arizona State (14), San Diego State (13), Nebraska (12), Oregon State (12)
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MSU's Chemistry 1 course needs a rebrand
T-17.ArkansasCincinnatiOneofthefirst things I remember noticing when walking into my Chemistry 1 class during my first semester at Mississippi State University was the condition of the Hand Chemical Laboratory. From the outside of the building, it became evident that it has been in use for many years and was in desperate need of repairs and redevelopment.Thelecture hall my chemistry class met in was lifeless; the desks were small and cramped. The lab rooms were overcrowded and out of date. There was a dispirited tension among the room of nervous freshmen.Thiswould turn out to foreshadow the general mismanagement that would become clear in coming weeks. My Chemistry 1 class met four days a week, including the lectures, weekly recitation session and lab. Full disclosure, my lab class met in the new Richard A. Rula Engineering and Science Complex, though, some of the other chemistry lab classes still used the Hand Lab. Along with class meetings, there were weekly Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions and tutoring meetings available to students. Despite the amount of time the department delegates to the course, I still showed up to take the American Chemical Society final exam feeling unprepared. Although I studied the online sample tests and class lecture notes for over a week, I did not perform well. I made a C, even after the curve. When I took the test, I felt like I was unprepared and studied for the wrong exam. I was disappointed and dissatisfied with my performance; the chemistry department had let me down. Now, I am wondering why I even bothered studying. We should also consider the grading scale.In Calculus 1, another time consuming and difficult core course, any grade below 60% is failing. In contrast, according to my Chemistry 1 syllabus, a failing grade was any grade below 52%. I took both classes in unison and performed better in calculus than chemistry. If Chemistry 1 is having to give an eight-point passing buffer to students, it seems like the time for adjusting curves is over. The time has come for the chemistry department to investigate structural issues and possible paths forward. According to the chemistry department's current vision statement, "The Department of Chemistry will be a U.S. Top 75 doctoral program and an internationally recognized leader in chemical science & technology education, research, and service for the economic prosperity of Mississippi and the World.” This vision statement is contained to a top-ranking doctoral program. It is perhaps Fixing such a major core class as Chemistry 1 should be a top priority. It stands as a prerequisite for many of Mississippi
holly contributingharrisonWriter
In these first few weeks of classes, students have wasted no time voicing their thoughts about the changes on Mississippi State Uni versity's campus. However, no one mentions the Bully statue that has sat outside of the Colvard Student Union forWhileyears. graduation pic tures are taken every year with the bulldog at the Junc tion, this sculpture has been neglected for a year due to a construction project on the road outside of the Union. Now that construction is complete, we can see how out of place that sad, lumpy dog is in the newly-ren ovated pedestrian space. While walking to the Union for the first time this semester, I found it hard not to notice how different that specific statue looked from how I remembered it, al most as if it was simply swapped out in the middle of the night. The other Bully statues looks like they were designed based off of a real dog. I might even claim the other statues were based on dog that enjoyed life, while the Union Bully sits, thinking about driving through the traffic-ridden campus.Itconcerns me that one of the most iconic things about this college is repre sented as poorly as it is. As prospective students tour the university, I wonder what they think of our statue that looks like it was based on a dog the school got during the Great De pression— not quite a real Bulldog.TheUnion Bully sculp ture needs a remodel. Its lo cation is central to the stu dent center of campus, and its general vibe fails to de liver the Bulldog charm we all have come to expect in our photos commemorating our years at MSU.
The Mississippi State University volleyball team opened their season with two straight wins this weekend.MSU played Milwaukee Friday night, winning three straight sets. The set scores were 25-16, 25-14, 25-14, all in the Bulldogs’ favor. Gabby Waden and Lauren Myrick led the ladies in their Friday night win, with 12 kills apiece. Mississippi State had 46 kills overall to Milwaukee’s 18, with a Bulldog hitting percentage of .295. “I thought we handled the ball well, and we managed the risks well,” head coach Julie Darty Dennis said. “Milwaukee is a good offensive team that runs a lot of crazy patterns. We didn’t let them do that just because of how aggressive we were.”Deja Robinson was a key defensive player in Friday night’s games with five blocks and six kills. As of Friday night, Robinson has accumulated 409 blocks in her individual career record.“I’m very proud of an overall team win tonight,” Dennis said. “I think there were a lot of people who did a lot of great things, and it’s just a great team win to start off our season.”Theladies kept their momentum and swept Notre Dame on Saturday. The set scores were 2519, 25-16 and 25-18, all in the Bulldogs’ favor, again.“I think we came out hot. We were super aggressive from the service line; it was one of our big focus things tonight,” Dennis said. “I’m proud that we put a lot of pressure on Notre Dame. This showed what can really happen when we get balanced and get our middles involved.” Waden led the team on Saturday night with 16 kills, Sania Petties had 13 kills and Myrick added another seven to her total for the weekend. Robinson, a middle blocker, added five kills of her “Ourown. middles kind of set that tone for us. That’s the team we want to be,” Dennis said. “We want to be balanced and have everybody in good opportunities to go up and help us carry a load. It was an impressive win for us. I think this is all about us wanting to have pride in who we are and to have the respect that we really want.”Mississippi State was active at the net, having 15 blocks. Petties, Waden and Robinson all led with four a piece. “It was a total team win. Everybody did their best. It was a great overall effort,” Dennis said. “I’m proud of this group. We’re coming home, and we’re going to get back to it. We’ve got a long season, but I think we’re where we need to be. Hail State!”The Lady Bulldogs will head to Nashville, Tennessee, to compete in the Lippy Invitational on Sept. 2. MSU will face Lipscomb at 11 a.m. on Friday, then Oklahoma at 11 a.m. on Saturday, followed by Ball State at 3 p.m. that afternoon.
HOT TAKE: WHO LET THIS DOG OUT?
The 2022 -2023 college football season is officially underway, and with that comes the Student Media preseason poll. In the poll, a total of six SEC teams were ranked in the top-25 and six more teams received 20 or more votes. Mississippi State received a total of 21 votes. 1. Alabama (84) 2. Ohio State (9) 3. Georgia (12) 4. Notre Dame 5. Michigan 6. Clemson 7. Utah 8. Texas A&M 9. 11.10.OklahomaBaylorOklahoma State 12. NC State 13. Oregon 14. USC 15. Michigan State 16.
The Union Bully sculpture leaves much to be desired john contributingbaladiWriter
Heather Harrison | The Reflector The Bully statue stands outside of the Colvard Student Union. It has been there since 1970.
cora yielding staff Writer
In Austin, Texas, the local saying is, “Keep Austin Weird.” If anyone is keeping Starkville, Mississippi, weird, it is the local artists who make the small southern town wel coming and interesting to all who pass through. Not only do many creatives call Mississippi’s College Town home, but they also have multiple opportunities to display and profit off of their art. The Starkville Area Arts Council, SAAC, hosts many events throughout the year to develop that sense of commu nity for local artists. This sense of an artistic community is one of the things that led Joe MacGown to put down roots in the Mis sissippi town that he moved to for college. He has loved art for a long time, engaging in professional artwork through sketches for the entomology department. In an interview, however, he shared skepti cism toward finding people with similar interests in Stark ville. Now, he has a studio here and produces art purchased and displayed around the world.Unlike MacGown, not all Starkville artists come from far away. Georgia Graham, an art ist in various ways, grew up in the area. She is a painter, whose work has been shared at the Midnight Bizarre and the Cotton District Arts Festi val, and a musician with her husband.Graham said she is a firm be liever in practicing art to get better, not just considering art a natural talent that you either have or do not. “These are all skills that you can develop and become better at with time,” Graham said. “Getting involved in the artistic community, you know, having peers and friends who are supportive and help you challenge yourself is really im portant.”Plumalia Henson is another Starkville creative who has found a community for a spe cific style of Japanese ero guro genre and body horror art. One of the prime motivators of Henson’s art is the impact it has on viewers.
lydia palmer Staff writer
Local artisans keep Starkville interesting
The Department of Health Promotion and Wellness and the Office of Student Support & Outreach will host a health and resource fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 8 on the Drill Field. The free event will fea ture resources from cam pus organizations and community partners to promote the well-being of MSU students. It will be the first time the Depart ment of Health Promo tion and Wellness has ever done a health fair of thisAssize.preparations for the event continue, many campus faculty members have expressed their ex citement for the upcom ing fair. Within the De partment of Health Promotion and Wellness, both JuLeigh Baker and Kim Kavalsky are well equipped for the event. Baker, an MSU alumna, is a health education spe cialist for the Department of Health Promotion and Wellness. She specializes in cancer education and sexual health and has been invested in health promotion and education for a long time. “I always had a passion for health, education and learning, but I knew I did n't want to be a teacher," Baker said. "This role married both interests in health and learning to gether, and it felt like this is where my calling is." Along with Baker in the Department of Health Promotion and Wellness, Kavalsky helps to pro mote health around cam pus. She serves as the as sistant director and coordinator of mental health outreach for the department.“I’mthevery first per son in my role, and I ab solutely love it. In that, I can meet students all over campus, and I am always learning and growing,” Kavalsky said. The health resource fair will primarily focus on the eight dimensions of well ness model, which is a ho listic approach to physi cal, spiritual and mental well-being. The model encompasses the dimen sions of physical, emo tional, social, intellec tual, financial, spiritual, environmental and occu pational health. “We realize health is not just being sick,” said Baker, referencing the eight dimensions of well ness model. “A lot of as pects go into someone’s health.”Baker hopes having or ganizations at the fair that focus on different aspects of health will benefit stu dents.“Some of the areas are not things we cover, but we know resources on campus that do relate to that. With student affairs and our department, we really focus on the stu dent’s health and wellbeing outside of the aca demic setting,” Baker said.Shades of Starkville, an annual event where stu dents can interact with local businesses on the Drill Field, was the big gest inspiration behind the creation of the health resource fair. It is one of the school’s biggest events, and Kavalsky hopes to replicate that.
“We may get better and do it every year or se mester based on the need,” Kavalsky said with excitement. “It’s our first time doing it, so we are trying not to set the bar too high. However, we have had a lot of interest from campus partners.” Baker said she hopes the fair will reach a wider range of students that some of the department’s other events may have missed.“We do many campus partnerships every year, so we’re always figuring out ways to work with or ganizations we haven’t worked with before,” Baker said. “We want to find ways to meet stu dents we’ve missed be fore.”The health resource fair will offer students the chance to win a clear bag as they meet other organi zations on the Drill Field. After visiting a specific number of tables, stu dents can grab a T-shirt and other giveaway items from the department. In the case of rain, the event will be held in the Colvard Student Union Foster Ballroom.BothBaker and Ka valsky said they hope the event will reach a wide au dience, especially those who do not keep up with the department’s social media posts. “We know some of it's going to be my chance reaching students, but that’s great because it is another student reached,” Baker said with a smile.
trey Barrett life & entertainment editor
Health resource fair promotes well-being for students
Mia Parker, a recent MSU graduate and professional in virtual reality animation, creates art in her kiln that she purchased after winning a ce ramics award in a competition. Her most famous creation for her brand, Afterwhile Croco dile Studios, is “The Jacka lope,” a unique piece that showcases her creativity and architectural knowledge. Parker now lives in Jackson, Mississippi, where she sells her creations and participates in festivals alongside her vir tual reality work. She shared that holding onto her artistic passions is important and ex pressed immense gratitude for the department of art pro fessors who helped build her confidence and craftsman ship.Bonnie Brumley had her first encounter with clay as a medium at MSU nearly 10 years ago. Since then, her style has developed and built quite a following. Although Brumley loves creating art, there is more to her pieces than just becoming another decor item. She loves that a handmade piece— like a mug, pair of ear rings or a vase— can become a part of someone’s routine. Burmley sells her art online and locally at the Starkville Community Market and festi vals in the city. Attending local events has become special to Brumley. She loves that the community of creatives in Starkville not only still exists but is growing and thriving. “I may be older than most of the crowd that goes to the events, but it’s so nice to know there are still, you know, weird people in Starkville— in the best way possible,” Brumley said with a laugh.
Ivy Rose Ball | The Reflector Joe MacGown, a local Starkville artist and part-time entomologist at Mississippi State University, works on another art piece at his studio and home in the Sessums community.
Album review: 'Viva Las Vengeance' is a short-lived mess LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT 5THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2022 | @REFLECTORONLINE katie rainwater Staff writer
“I’ve always struggled with mental health, intrusive thoughts and stuff like that,” said Henson, embracing vul nerability. “It sounds really cheesy to talk about, but I was surprised by how many people actually felt seen and con nected with me.” Two artists with a ceramic focus have also encountered and enjoyed the local art scene. Mia Parker and Bonnie Brumley produce quite differ ent kinds of ceramic pieces, which adds to the diversity of art in the community.
There is no right way to make a rock album; strong guitar riffs, upbeat drums and powerful lyrics can typi cally result in a great record. Somehow, Panic! At The Disco found the wrong way to make a rock album. With all original members except frontman Brendon Urie leaving the band over the years, Panic! has become Urie’s mediocre solo project rather than the rock band that put out hits like “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” and “Death of A Bachelor.” In Panic! At The Disco’s seventh studio album, “Viva Las Vengeance,” Urie at tempts to tell a story of grow ing up in Las Vegas while finding love, heartbreak, fame and burnout. The opening and titular track, “Viva Las Ven geance,” finds Urie alluding to his career as a “dead man walking.” Much of his cur rent success pales in com parison to the band’s former glory.“Local God” also com ments on this idea. In Las Vegas, the band rose to fame and never paid their dues in the industry, leading many local bands to resent them. As Urie watches his fame de cline, he is grateful that he will at least be a “local god” in his hometown. In the titular track, Urie sings “shut up and go to bed” to a young person de siring a life filled with sex, drugs and rock and roll— al luding to his younger self. His fear of becoming a washed-up celebrity is a re curring theme and trickles its way throughout the album.Track two, “Middle of a Breakup,” is about a rela tionship he knows will fail. The lyrics are immature and creepy from 34-year-old Brendon, especially after al legations of Urie’s sexual ha rassment, assault and racism came to light in recent years. “Don’t Let The Light Go Out” takes an unexpected turn from the edgy tracks be fore and is the album’s most sincere song. It directly con trasts the doomed relation ship featured in the second track as Urie sings about his lover’s death. Once she dies, he is left wondering who will save him from the tight grasp his luxurious lifestyle has overThehim.song may also be about Ryan Ross, the band’s former guitarist who left in 2009 due to creative differ ences with Urie. While Urie focused on becoming fa mous, Ross focused on mak ing great music. “Star Spangled Banger,” the album’s fifth track, is a terrible attempt at an outcast anthem. It wishes it could be Kim Wilde’s “Kids of Amer ica” and Lorde’s “Royals” combined into something worth a listen. “God Killed Rock And Roll” gives insight into Urie’s feelings toward his ca reer’s downfall. While the glamour of Las Vegas has dulled, listeners learn about this lifestyle’s correlation to substance abuse as Urie re peats, “What a perfect day to flyInaway.”both “Say It Louder” and “Super Soaker,” he comments on the people who have used Urie for his name and money and the dark path he went down. He feels little remorse for those he disturbed with his sub stance abuse, like a child cry ing for attention. “Sad Clown” is the most theatrical track on the album. His career is destined to fail like the ending of a Eu ropean tragedy, and he feels like a clown putting on a show for his remaining fans. However, he feels aban doned by those who left him. Throughout the song, he re peats, “Vincero,” translat ing to, “I will win,” in Italian. He believes he is compet ing with the band’s former hits, and Urie hopes to emerge victorious and gain the fame he prioritizes. The closing track depicts a celebrity acknowledging his career is ending, so there is no need to keep a pristine image. “Do It To Death” symbolizes how he will die trying to find satisfaction in the Las Vegas lifestyle, a stable relationship, lack of friends and life before sub stanceBrendanabuse.Urie tried his best to tell a tragedy in the name of rock and roll, but the real tragedy was how shallow Viva Las Vengeance was. The album depicts Urie’s struggles of maintain ing a career so far gone while he is parading the corpse of what Panic! At The Disco used to be.
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