STUDENTS ARRESTED
Student protesters arrested at presidential search committee meeting. Here’s what went down.
Read on page 2
LSUReveille.com
Presidential search timeline quickened
BY MAIA TYLER Staff Writer
The LSU presidential search committee convened on Wednesday for its second official meeting as the process toward selecting a new university president after the departure of former President William Tate IV continued.
The meeting invited a lively student protest, led primarily by members of LSU’s Students for a Democratic Society, many of whom spoke during the public comment period. When one member refused to yield her time and was arrested, six more peers followed her outside and seven total students were arrested.
Chairman Scott Ballard said during the meeting that the search committee’s interviews with candidates selected by SSA Consultants of Baton Rouge, the consulting firm selected by LSU to lead the search for candidates, will be held from Oct. 10-20. Ballard said the plan would be to deliver recommendations to the Board of Supervisors by Oct. 21.
The Board of Supervisors may then vote to select the next LSU president at its Oct. 24 meeting.
The search committee has two scheduled meetings on Oct. 29 and Nov. 12, but the timeline has apparently tightened and the two meetings may not be necessary.
The meeting overall was spent emphasizing the criteria the school is looking for in a potential candidate. presented to the committee. CEO Christel Slaughter asked committee members for their top three characteristics in LSU’s next president, noting the importance of hearing out the committee’s opinions before furthering the process.
“[The people who have expressed interest in the position] are not applicants at this point,” Slaughter said. “They will not become applicants until we hear from you what your criteria is, what your priorities are, and go back and apply that to all the people in the pool of interested parties,”
The meeting continued with the committee expressing their thoughts on what they would want to see in the university’s potential new president, which are also listed on page 6 of LSU’s official search profile.
“Administratively, I think it would be important that they have oversight in academics… as we’re looking towards top 50 [research university],” said committee member Daniel Tirone, the Faculty Senate president a
ESCALATION
Seven students arrested at presidential search meeting
BY LIV TEES & COURTNEY BELL Deputy News Editor & News Editor
LSUPD arrested seven students during the presidential search committee meeting on Wednesday morning. One student was transferred to East Baton Rouge Parish Jail and was released on a $1,000 bond Wednesday evening.
The EBR Sheriff’s Office told the Reveille that Gabriela Juárez, a junior, was charged with resisting an officer and interfering with an educational practice. Her court hearing is Thursday afternoon.
Enola Guyer, a senior majoring in animal sciences, was charged with resisting an officer, obstruction of highway commerce and prohibiting an educational practice.
The other five students were arrested for resisting an officer and obstruction of highway commerce. Those students were Ziad Eissa, Ryan Spalt, Scott Sonnier, Carson Wall and Margo Wilson. They, along with Guyer, were released by LSUPD with a misdemeanor and a future court date.
Juárez was physically removed from the building by two LSU police officers after she went over her allotted three minutes for her public comment. She said she would keep talking, which violated the public comment rules and started calling the committee members fascists.
As she was pulled by the police officers she shouted obscenities and asked repeatedly, “Am I being detained?”
The situation escalated as she left the building while the rest of the students followed, chanting “shame on you” to the board members. Once outside, the six other students were arrested after they reportedly blocked an LSUPD vehicle from leaving with Juárez.
No one was physically hurt during the arrests.
“LSU fully supports lawful free expression,” university spokesperson Todd Woodward said in a statement Wednesday regarding the incident. “Despite multiple warnings to adhere to the posted rules — specifically yielding the floor when the time expired — one individual exceeded the time limit, refused lawful directives and was subsequently arrested for violating La. R.S. 14:329.5.”
LSU also said its priority in the matter was “the safety of all participants and the orderly conduct of university functions.”
What led to the escalation
Before the situation escalated, the students participated in the public comment session of the meeting and spoke about their frustrations and disgust toward the committee.
The students were members of the Students for a Democratic Society, and many of them wore T-shirts that said “No MAGA President.” The students expressed their belief that many of the committee’s members were selected because of their proximity to Gov. Jeff Landry and that the committee lacked diversity.
SDS members passed out a document to committee mem-
B-16 Hodges Hall
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, La. 70803
Editor-in-Chief
bers that listed three demands to make the presidential selection process more inclusive of student opinion.
The document called for five current LSU students to the committee elected by the student body. Another demand was for the committee to hold at least three public meetings to update the student body on the selection process. Finally, SDS requested the committee allow the student body to participate in a ranked-choice vote once the final candidates are selected.
“This committee cannot and will not represent the interests of LSU students unless we are the ones sitting on this board and unless we have a direct say in who the presidential candidates will be,” said Ziad Eissa, a sophomore majoring in film and television, during his public comment.
Wilson, the SDS president, connected the group’s critiques of the search committee to the removal and firing of LSU Law professor Ken Levy and the university’s removal of diversity from its websites and programming, saying she thinks these indicate priorities that oppose student interests.
“These are business owners that are just stakeholders in the university, and what the makeup of the search committee shows us is that LSU is a business, it is not a school, and they are not beholden to student interest. They are beholden to Jeff Landry and the interest of their shareholders,” Wilson said.
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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS
The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.
ABOUT THE REVEILLE
The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.
LUKE RAY / The Reveille
Gabriella Juarez, member of LSU’s Students for a Democratic Society, is placed into an LSU Police car outside the LSU Foundation Building, on Oct. 1 in Baton Rouge, La.
ARREST, from page 2
Shortly after the students were arrested, two members of SDS who were also at the meeting held a press conference in front of the LSU Police Department building.
“I think that it’s absurd to have dragged somebody out of a room for speaking over their allotted time in a public comment,” Wilson said.
Juárez also attracted controversy in September after the Repub -
lican Party of Louisiana reposted a screenshot of her Instagram story where she said “Rejoice” in response to Turning Point USA’s founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
“University leaders must hold their students accountable - violence and the celebration of evil have no place on our campus,” the Republican Party of Louisiana’s post read.
Wilson told the Reveille Wednesday night she thought that
incident “emboldened the police to act against her.”
SDS’ plans from here
At SDS’ weekly meeting later Wednesday, Wilson addressed the arrests and discussed future plans. Wilson said SDS will continue their “No MAGA President” campaign despite the arrests.
Wilson outlined what she called a “heavy-handed” defense campaign following the arrests at the meeting.
The club posted on its Insta-
gram encouraging students to join a “Phone Zap” campaign to mass call EBRSO and demand Juárez’s release, something Wilson echoed at the meeting.
SDS member Zane Sutor-Benfield said there were about 10 to 20 members protesting Juárez’s arrest outside the EBR Parish Prison since Juárez was admitted into holding there Wednesday night.
SDS next plans to create a GoFundMe to raise money for the arrested students’ legal fees and
DIGITAL TWINS
LSU is creating low-cost alternatives for chemical processing plants
BY DREW SARHAN Staff Writer
Co-mingling creative tools in an industrial setting, LSU digital art students are building digital twins — interactive maps with augmented reality overlays of spaces created using over a dozen consumer-grade software programs and hardware tools.
Unlike already existing augmented or virtual reality technology, digital twins are more than just a visual duplicate. Twins are made using tools like Blender, a 3D modeling program, Unreal, a video game engine, and Computer Aided Design, a scientific visualization software.
Digital Twins feature an interactive dashboard of information with live sensors, task management, health data and more that was previously tucked away on spreadsheets.
Jason Jamerson is an assistant professor of Virtual Production and Immersive Media. College of Art and Design professor Derick Ostrenko and engineering advisor David Ben Spry join Jamerson in paving the way to intersplice their work with digital twins into practical applications.
“Imagine getting a path to the nearest coffee shop, finding the friend you’re meeting by seeing them through the wall, ordering a drink by asking the table for it, and working collaboratively on a virtual white board,” Jamerson said in an email to the Reveille. “Digital twins are the first step in bringing the everyday world to life.”
The efforts have been noticed by Future Use of Energy in Louisiana, or FUEL, who awarded the researchers with a $217,403 use-inspired research and development award. Syngenta, an agrichemical company, has also partnered with LSU to develop a digital twin of their processing facilities.
“Digital twins can use any data that’s out there, whether old or new, to make interactive experiences,” Jamerson said. “By
integrating AI tools, we can fill in the blanks with the best possible guess as to what’s missing. Every project is a balance between what we know and what we need to accomplish.”
Ultimately, the goal of this project is to develop a reducedcost alternative to traditional engineering methods. By using consumer-grade products, digital twins have been at least five times cheaper in comparison. This can potentially redefine digital infrastructure, making the chemical processing industry more scalable, adaptable and accessible for future needs.
“Industry partners have told us they are only able to make use of 5% of their data,” Jamerson said. “We connect that data and make it experiential. Once we’ve woven these sources into what we call digital threads, we
can train custom AI agents not just on the databases, but on the real-time sensor feeds so that you can ask a factory how long a repair will take or predict athlete recovery time all with natural language.”
LSU researchers have also collaborated with NASA to develop twins at their research facilities. The hope is that digital twins can create critical spaces across all sectors.
“Digital twins make remote work much more effective,” Jamerson said. “Instead of a phone call or watching a shaky video, remote workers can walk around a live simulation in realtime. On-site workers can get support from remote engineers who can see information they can’t: temperature, humidity, voltage, heart rate, pathing, cybersecurity threats and so much
Juárez’s bond. Wilson also said she will be posting her court dates publicly to encourage SDS attendance.
“We’re going to keep fighting this, every step of the way,” SutorBenfield said.
SDS previously planned to hold a rally on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. against Landry’s call for deployment of the National Guard to Louisiana. The rally will still be held but will now be in opposition to police violence.
more.”
As time goes on, more tools are being made to make working on digital twins easier, like Scaniverse by Niantic, a program available to anyone with a Meta Quest. Scaniverse allows users to create interactive 3D models using gaussians splats. Gaussian splatting in 3D modeling is the process of creating high-quality, real-time digital models by combining photos and videos.
“A good digital model is the first step in building an interactive digital twin,” Jamerson said. “As twins become easier, our research goals change: soon LSU will be producing real-time digital twins for disaster management, factory production dashboards and digital humans of athletes in partnership with Kinesiology to predict performance and injury recovery data.”
LSU is ranked as the No. 1 university in Louisiana for the second year in a row and rose to No. 179 in the country according to the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Rankings. Last year LSU was ranked No. 188 in the country.
The Wall Street Journal ranks universities based on student outcomes, financial value, efficiency and student experience. LSU earned an overall score of 69.4.
According to the report, LSU scored a 75 on graduation rate and a 71 for salary impact. LSU’s financial value is another big part of their high score with an average cost per year of $20,015. LSU graduates earn an average wage increase of $37,023 in their post-grad careers.
LSU graduates pay off their education on average in two years and one month.
LSU’s student experience also earned high points with its learning facilities scoring a 69, its career preparation scoring a 67 and the recommendation scoring a 72.
“Given the exceptional year LSU has had, it’s no surprise we’re rising in national rankings,” LSU Interim President Matt Lee said. “LSU is recognized as the top university in Louisiana, and that’s exactly what you should expect from an institution whose mission is to serve this state. That recognition tells me we’re delivering on our promise to our students and to the people of Louisiana.”
LSU’s Scholarship First Agenda helped drive these high rankings. This program focuses on supporting student success, supplying good candidates to Louisiana’s workforce and pursuing academic and research excellence.
LUKE RAY / The Reveille
The Syngenta sign sits outside the plant Sept. 23 at 3905 LA-75 in St. Gabriel, La.
STAFF REPORT
ORGANIZATIONS
BY KALEY MELANCON Staff Writer
FACULTY
Black Men in Medicine and the Minority Dental Association team up Two LSU law center professors awarded inagrural endowment
Two LSU student organizations hosted game night with a side of donation towards care packages for the homeless on Monday.
Alongside competition, the Minority Dental Association and Black Men in Medicine Club collected hygiene items to assemble care packages for the St. Vincent de Paul homeless shelter.
Members of both groups came ready to play and give back to their community. Each person walked in holding a bag full of essentials such as mouthwash, floss, a toothbrush and toothpaste.
The president of Black Men in Medicine, Daymond Hardison, said he hopes the packages end up in the hands of those who need it most.
“It lets us know that we’re doing a great job and actually helping out,” Hardison said.
Giving back is just as important for the members. Hardison said doing so makes them feel like they can do whatever they set their mind to.
Hardison, the founder of Black Men in Medicine, said he created the organization because of a lack of Black representation in the medical field. The club is there to create leaders and help students get their name out.
At LSU, a predominately white institution, Hardison said it can be hard to find others who are majoring in the same area of study. The club allows members to help each other out and be seen together, Hardison said.
Having a place to meet peers is why Danielle Hughes, a kinesiology and pre-dental senior, chose to come. Hughes is a new member of the Minority Dental Association who was looking to meet more people and network with those going into medicine.
Along with other items, Hughes brought shampoo and conditioner for the drive. Hughes said she hopes the packages give those in need a sense of comfort.
“I hope we can provide at least one thing that’s stable for
them,” Hughes said.
The night’s first activity was speed dating — with a little less romance. In pairs, members of the clubs took turns introducing themselves while their partner listened.
This helped break the ice and even found some connections, with one pair discovering they were from the same small town. Laughs helped ease any shyness and it was time to let the games begin.
Mia Smothers, president of the Minority Dental Association, led the group through each round. Smothers said the night was about collaborating, creating community and having fun.
The same idea goes for the Minority Dental Association itself. Smothers said its purpose is to get as many minority students into dental school as possible. She said the organization helps prepare students through volunteering, outreach and membership.
One of the night’s games was song association. Members were broken up into four groups and
given a word. The groups had three minutes to come up with as many songs that included the assigned word.
One by one, groups would sing a song with the word. Each round continued until the group with the most songs was left standing. Teamwork and a little help from AI made it a fierce competition.
A series of light-hearted but passionate debates ended the night. On the screen, the members played This or That.
Topics consisted of whether Lebron James or Michael Jordan was the better athlete, if members preferred wearing scrubs or a white coat and whether milk or cereal goes first when making a bowl of cereal.
Whether it was milk or cereal, the members did agree on one thing: generosity. Raina Davis, a member of Minority Dental Association said she hopes the packages give people the resources they need during a rough time.
“I’m just glad we are able to bless people,” Davis said.
BY DREW SARHAN Staff Writer
Two LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center professors have been awarded the inaugural Cheney C. Joseph endowed professorship.
Professors Del Wright Jr. and Bill Corbett were awarded this professorship established by colleagues, friends and family of the late faculty member.
A University High alumnus, Joseph earned his undergraduate degree at Princeton University and his law degree from LSU Law. He returned to LSU Law in 1972 to teach criminal procedure, criminal law and evidence.
“Cheney Joseph was my faculty colleague for many years,” Corbett said. “I was privileged to serve with him for a short time as interim co-deans of the Law Center. He even let me run the lakes with him in the afternoons. He was my best friend, I could receive no greater honor than holding the professorship named for him.”
Corbett has been teaching labor and employment law at LSU since 1991. Previously, he was the executive director of the Louisiana Judicial College. He serves as an executive director of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel. Corbett is one of 36 faculty members to receive the 2024 Faculty Award from LSU and he received the Excellence in Legal Scholarship Award last year from LSU Law.
Wright is a former prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division. He is also a legal scholar on crypto and blockchain regulation. He joined LSU Law last fall as the Vinson and Elkins endowed professor of law. At the DOJ, he prosecuted white-collar tax and fraud cases with the Tax Division and served on the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force in Maryland.
“I am deeply grateful to receive the incredible honor of this professorship,” Wright said, “and I am excited to continue contributing to LSU Law’s important mission.”
PRESIDENTIAL, from page 2
LSU and an associate professor. “The key here is the faculty and administrative ability to enable and to mentor the faculty to reach their true potential.”
There was an overwhelming agreement on what the committee wants out of interested parties, but some committee members seemed to take issue with the lack of information given by SSA to the committee on the candidates and how they were being screened.
Slaughter told the commit-
tee that there are around 20 interested parties, all of whom have yet to apply.
“SSA goes through those, and the search committee only gets a narrow number, so the search committee is never going to know the entire pool of applicants,” said James Williams, past chair of the LSU Board of Supervisors.
Slaughter confirmed that this will be the process going forward. The SSA will go through all potential applicants and narrow them down for the committee to choose between only a handful of candidates.
ERIN BARKER / The Reveille
LSU student leaders from the LSU Minority Dental Association and LSU Black Men in Medicine hold up donated hygiene items on Sept. 29 in Patrick F. Taylor Hall in Baton Rouge, La.
COURTESY OF LSU LAW
LSU Law professors Del Wright Jr. (left) and Bill Corbett (right) have been awarded the inaugural Cheney C. Joseph endowed professorship.
ERIN BARKER / The Reveille
Members from the LSU Minority Dental Association and LSU Black Men in Medicine play games on Sept. 29 in Patrick F. Taylor Hall in Baton Rouge, La.
ENTERTAINMENT
ImprovLSU thrives on chaos, comedy and everything in between
BY PAIGE CHERAMIE Staff Writer
In a whirlwind of improvisational comedy, quick-wittedness and pop culture references, ImprovLSU put on a spectacular performance during its free biweekly show.
Improvisation is an art that requires attention to detail and quick thinking to keep the audience’s attention. Senior Ricardo Mendoza, president of ImprovLSU and a theatre performance major, explained how the club members accomplish this.
“The best improv is when people make smart, intelligent connections in a scene,” Mondoza said. “Whenever people are really paying attention to what’s being put out there, it creates a story that is cohesive and makes sense, even if it’s all being made up on the spot.”
The performance was broken into two 30-minute segments. The first featured multiple short sketches, while the second featured one. Regardless of length, each sketch had the audience on the edge of their seats.
During the first segment, actors worked together to create detailed stories that captivated the viewers. From a battle between Lowe’s and Home Depot employees to magical Dawn dish soap, there was no telling what would come next.
Mendoza led the group throughout the show, encour-
aging everyone to participate and even stepping in when necessary to keep scenes moving. The trust and companionship between the club members was evident and drove the performance home.
John Carter, a senior majoring in petroleum engineering, especially enjoys his time in the club due to the memories he has made and the joy it brings him. His favorite part is the community, which he described as very welcoming.
“It’s just something I look forward to after a long day of math,” Carter said. “It makes me happy to make people laugh.”
Carter was a main performer during the second segment of the night: a sketch about casino owners stealing souls for Lucifer. The owners were eventually challenged by the stolen soul of an investor, leading to an epic battle at the end of the scene.
The actors in this segment used props and directional cues to create a cohesive story. With chairs for stilts, a human casino machine and a disembodied voice, the sketch came to life and sparked the imagination of everyone in the audience.
Audience member Paul Tibbets, the father of one of the improv actors, especially enjoyed the show.
“It gives you a chance to kind of escape from a little bit of life and come in and just enjoy talented young folks who
are trying to be creative and trying to come up with something that’s new and inventive, and these kids are quite good,” Tibbets said.
ImprovLSU member-at-large Graham Trainor, a leadership and human resource development major, invites everyone to come watch the show and join the fun.
“People should come and watch the show because it’s super funny,” Trainor said. “We all put a lot of passion into our craft. We all try really hard to work on it, and we always have a good time. We always know the audience has a good time.”
To close the evening, audience members and performers alike were asked to gather in a circle and reflect on the performance. This reflection, known as the “Golden Ring of Light,” brought back many funny moments and gave praise to the actors. The audience gave valuable feedback, allowing ImprovLSU to ensure future shows continue to be entertaining and successful.
ImprovLSU meets in room 135 of the Music & Dramatic Arts building every Tuesday through Thursday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. They use this time to prepare for their shows, which are hosted biweekly on Fridays at 5 p.m. Those interested in joining or attending these shows can find more information on the club’s Instagram.
COURTESY OF IMPROVLSU
Members of ImprovLSU at a recent show at Boomerang Comedy Theater.
JAYDEN BATES
Jayden Bates, a microbiology major with a minor in Chinese, is from Stonewall, Louisiana. He is a senator in SG and an LSU ambassador. He is involved with the Roger Ogden Honors College, the Black Student Union, the NAACP and Leadership LSU.
AN TRA
An Tra, a kinesiology major on the pre-dental track, is from New Orleans. He is a senator in SG, where he is the director of student auxiliary services. He is also the president of the Asian Student Union.
IYANNA ROBINSON
Atlanta native Iyanna Robinson is majoring in microbiology with a minor in business administration. She is the SG chief of staff, a LS-LAMP scholar and a SOARS scholar. She is part of the Pre-Dental Society and the Black Student Union.
TAYLOR DAVLIN
Taylor Davlin is a public relations major from Stonewall, Louisiana. She is involved with the Panhellenic Council, the Order of Omega and the Public Relations Student Society of America. She is the chapter retreat chair for Phi Mu, a Manship ambassador and is the Manship College Council president for Student Government. She is also the Songfest co-lead and social media student worker for Greek Life.
MIHIR BABBAR
Mihir Babbar, a biological science major on the pre-med track, is the president and founder of the Red Cross of LSU, the president of Alpha Epsilon Delta and a SCI LEAD council member. He is the Red Cross of Louisiana’s youth coordinator and a College of Science peer mentor. He is an LSU research ambassador, a science residential college ambassador and a housing ambassador. Babbar is from Mandeville.
ALEXIS HARVEY
Alexis Harvey is a computer science major with a concentration in data science and analytics. A Baton Rouge native, she is the president of the Delta Zeta sorority and the student manager for the men’s basketball team. She is involved with SG, the Women in Computer Science student organization and the Residence Hall Association.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2025
HOMECOMING COURT
Voting has begun to name this year’s Homecoming King and Queen that will represent the LSU community with their leadership, service and spirit.
The Homecoming Court will walk across the field in Tiger Stadium during the Oct. 11 home matchup against South Carolina. The king and queen will be announced during halftime. This is the final event in the weeklong homecoming celebration starting Monday.
Students can vote through for the 2025 Homecoming King and Queen on Tigerlink. Voting closes Sunday at midnight.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JACOB LOFTON AND ABBY FARRAR | DESIGN BY RILEY WHITE
AVERY MCLAUGHLIN
Avery McLaughlin, a psychology major with fine arts and honors minors, is the president of the Student Philanthropy Council, a psychology undergraduate research assistant and an LSU ambassador. She is involved with SG, Habitat for Humanity, the Chi Omega sorority, Phi Kappa Phi and the Order of Omega. She is from Covington.
T’SENRE GRAY
T’Senre Gray is a construction management major from Lansing, Michigan. He is a sergeant in the Louisiana Army National Guard and was previously an assistant director of SG’s Military and Veterans’ Affairs. He is the chapter president of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and is the founder and president of the On Geaux Run Club. He was named BSU’s Mr. Black LSU and is involved with the National Society of Black Engineers and the Construction Student Association.
involved with BridgeLSU and Tau Beta Pi and he is an engineering development ambassador.
Communication and entrepreneurship double major Kalayna Walker is the founder and president of God’s Ambassadors, the empowerment circle leader for the Black Women Empowerment Initiative and an Alo Bloom mentor for young girls. From Gilbert, Arizona, Walker is also involved with the Stephen Entrepreneurship Institute.
EMMA MONROE
Emma Monroe, an international politics major from Baton Rouge, is a member of Kappa Delta, Omicron Delta Kappa and the Order of Omega. She is both an LSU ambassador and an LSU global ambassador in the Senegal cohort. She is part of the Eric Voegelin Research Institute, the Student Philanthropy Council, Leadership LSU, the Tiger Traditions board, the Beyond Emerging Leadership program, SG and the Panhellenic Council.
Hamood Qureshi is a chemical engineering student from Church Point, Louisiana. He conducts research at the university’s McPeak Lab. He is the bass player in the band Wave Runner and is an LSU global ambassador. He is involved with the Roger Ogden Honors College and is a member of Feminists in Action.
Ethan Elmer, a computer science major with a concentration in economics from Alexandria, is the speaker of the Student Senate. He is
HAMOOD QURESHI
KALAYNA WALKER
This New Orleans theater is bringing back old Hollywood
BY PAUL TIBBETS Staff Writer
The Prytania Theatre at 5339 Prytania St. in New Orleans has been screening classic cinema experiences in a unique way for the last 110 years.
In a time where theaters across the nation are making less and less money, it is important to support local theatres. Luckily, places like the Prytania Theatre make it easy to want to spend money there.
The Prytania harkens back to a time when going to the movie theater was a popular event. The classic feel remains in not only the theater’s classic architecture, but also with its photos and posters referencing old Hollywood.
After grabbing snacks or drinks
from one of the three bars in the lobby, patrons make their way into the singular show room. This room feels like you just stepped into the 1950s. Several rows are lined with red velvet cushioning as soothing piano music is played.
One thing that stands out to patrons as they wait for the lights to dim is the lively discussion amongst other people in the theatre. In a typical movie theater setting, movie-goers are spread apart by rows in a dark and vast room. However, the Prytania’s atmosphere feels as if you are at an event with friends. Despite not knowing those around you, it is like you could jump into a lively discussion at any moment.
When the lights begin to dim, the piano stops, and the classic
1957 commercial, “Let’s All Go to the Lobby,” plays. This short reinforces that classic homey feel, along with the old-timey film leader.
Now the full 70-millimeter film experience begins. But what exactly is a seventy-millimeter film, and what makes it so important?
The term “70-millimeter” simply refers to the type of film a movie is shot on. 70 millimeter specifically offers a wider and more enhanced picture which, in turn, gives the viewer a more engrossing experience. Watching a film in this format, particularly in 70-millimeter IMAX, is what someone like director Christopher Nolan called the best possible experience in an interview with AP News.
“The headline, for me, is by
shooting on IMAX 70-millimeter film, you’re really letting the screen disappear,” Nolan said. “You’re getting a feeling of 3D without the glasses. You’ve got a huge screen and you’re filling the peripheral vision of the audience. You’re immersing them in the world of the film.”
Unfortunately, there are only eight theaters that support 70-millimeter IMAX in the whole country, none of which are in Louisiana. The next best way to watch these films is on the non-IMAX 70-millimeter screen at the Prytania, which is currently the only commercial theater in Louisiana that hosts these 70-millimeter showings. The picture will still be beautiful and the audio super crisp.
The current movie receiving this treatment at the theatre is Paul Thomas Anderson’s dystopian political thriller, “One Battle After Another.” Anderson emphasized his belief that this format is the only “right” way to see his film in an Instagram post earlier this month.
“You don’t need reminding, but it always bears repeating that seeing film on film is the way nature intended,” Anderson wrote. “So don’t go against nature and seek out your local theater that projects film.”
The Prytania Theatre has showings of “One Battle After Another” in 70-millimeter format from now until Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets can be bought on its website.
Rev Roundtable: Our favorite spooky movies to watch this Halloween
Scream (1996)
In my humble opinion, Halloween is the best holiday, so I consider myself an expert on spooky movies. Though it’s hard to choose just one movie as my favorite, I’ll have to go with “Scream” (1996). I watched it for the first time two years ago on Halloween night, and it was possibly the greatest experience of my life. I did have prior knowledge of who was behind the infamous Ghostface mask(s), but somehow, I was still on the edge of my seat the entire time.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
When it comes to the best holiday of the year, nothing gets me more in the Halloween spirit than scaring myself silly. To me, nothing captures that fear quite like the found footage film, “The Blair Witch Project.” Horror is all about the mystery and what you don’t see, and this movie does that perfectly. We only ever see as much as what the camera sees, which makes you feel just as trapped as the characters do. It is a horror must-watch and the perfect spooky movie to throw on this October.
Fear Street Part One: 1994 (2021)
I am a total scaredy-cat when it comes to scary movies. As such, it makes it pretty tricky for me to find a good movie for Halloween that won’t make me crawl out of my skin at night. That’s why I love “Fear Street Part One: 1994.” For me, this movie is the perfect blend of jump scares and comedic relief to keep me hooked. However, if you do decide to watch this film for Halloween, make sure you are ready for a cliffhanger.
Suspiria (2018)
Nosferatu (2024)
As the chronic vampire connoisseur I am, I would be remiss to not bring an impeccable vampiric tale to the table. “Nosferatu” was released in late 2024, and I stand to believe it is one of the greatest vampire movies to be released in recent years, as well as a perfect Halloween movie for those that lean towards the gothic persuasion. With epic cinematography and incredible performances “Nosferatu” is the best vampire film for Halloween night.
Coraline (2009)
While most horror fans flock to iconic slasher flicks or jumpscare-galore films, the strongest contender for my favorite horror movie has to be Luca Guadagnino’s “Suspiria.” In this witchy motion picture, the plot centers around Susie Bannion, an American, attending a dance school in West Berlin. However, the school is not at all what it seems to be. I have seen many horror films in my 19,000 years of living, but “Suspiria” is unmatched in all categories, from technicality to the overarching messages.
ParaNorman (2012)
A staple in my spooky season watchlist has always been “ParaNorman.” This claymotion movie is absolutely timeless, centered on a New England town with a witchy past. Though many moments are tense, and this story is certainly spooky, “ParaNorman” is a good alternative to your typical fright night flicks. A tender story of prejudice, community and bravery, this feelgood movie will warm your heart on a crisp fall night.
With fall settling in and Halloween around the corner, it’s the best time of year to get cozy on the couch and throw on your favorite spooky movie. With smooth claymation and a dark yet whimsical storyline, a movie you must add to your watch list is “Coraline.” It’s a great film to watch if you’re looking for a notso-scary Halloween movie that’s still intriguing.
Twitches (2005)
My all time favorite Halloween film would have to be the Disney Channel classic, “Twitches.” As a kid, this movie just spoke to me because of how fun and interactive it was. If you haven’t seen “Twitches,” I think this is a perfect coming of age film that captures the essence of Halloween without being scary. I cannot wait to make pumpkin themed treats and watch “Twitches” this fall season.
MIA HATTAWAY
LANA LAWSON
PAIGE CHERAMIE
SARAH WALTON
LEXIE WARE
PAUL TIBBETS
LAURA ALLEN
SAVANNAH BOYNES
SPORTS LSU’S ANTHEM
The impact of ‘Callin’ Baton Rouge’ on LSU’s culture
BY GABBY GRAY Staff Writer
How ‘Callin’ Baton Rouge’ impacts LSU football’s culture and its fans
Gabby Gray, Staff Writer
In a world of video editing and soundtracks, music plays a part in our lives so large that it’s difficult to account for every melody.
The same can be said about sports; it’s hard to keep track of every recruit, every game, every win.
Yet something fans never forget is when these two worlds collide and create traditions passed down from one generation to the next. For LSU, that takes form in the popular Garth Brooks’ cover of the song “Callin’ Baton Rouge.”
“It brings all of us together,” biological sciences sophomore Shala Hopkins said. “Whether we’re winning or losing, everybody’s gonna stand up when that song comes on.”
If you aren’t familiar with the tune, it dates back to 1978, written by Dennis Linde and later recorded by the Oak Ridge Boys. While it’s been recorded time and time again, the version that Tiger fans know and love was covered by Brooks in 1993 and has been used by LSU since the mid 2000s.
It’s played at the beginning of athletic events in promotional videos as a way to get the crowd on its feet, but if you’re in Death Valley, you’ll hear the song twice: once before kickoff and again before the start of fourth quarter.
“I tell people, ‘You don’t get it until you come here and experience it hands-on,’” political communications junior Alex Sheesley
said. “I feel like everyone kind of gets in a trance where you’re letting the music guide you, and it’s really something special to be a part of.”
Yet the thrill of the song goes beyond just sports — it’s a celebration of being a part of LSU.
Sheesley shared what that means to him through a memory in which the lyrics carried themselves all the way to London while he was studying abroad this summer.
On a late-night walk back to the hotel, Sheesley found himself singing various ABBA songs to entertain his friends. Once he ran out of those, he had to think of something else.
“What other stuff will people know?” he asked himself.
Then it hit him.
“We’re all LSU students, so we all know ‘Callin’ Baton Rouge!’”
Sheesley started singing and was quickly joined by the rest of his friends, chiming in on the lyrics that most Tiger fans know by heart.
Another time fans chimed in on this celebration was in April 2022, when Brooks brought a concert, attended by more than 102,000 people, to Tiger Stadium, in which the movement during the iconic song registered as a small earthquake on LSU’s seismograph.
Present that night was longtime LSU football and Garth Brooks fan Dan Stringer, who described that opportunity as a “bucket list” experience.
“The stadium was in such high anticipation for him to sing that song,” Stringer said. “It was basically bursting at the seams by the time he started to play the notes
Here’s
who to know on gymnastics’ 2026 roster
BY DELANEY POTTHAST Staff Writer
As autumn begins, LSU gymnastics inches closer to the start of competition.
After making it to the semifinals in the 2025 season, excitement stirs around the idea of another deep postseason run for the previous No. 1 team.
The recent release of the official 2026 roster has boosted enthusiasm, as it features both new and familiar faces.
Let’s look at what gymnasts will make an impact on the competition floor ahead of the season.
When analyzing the team’s 2025 statistics, there are some gymnasts who stick out among the numbers and could definitely be score leaders in 2026.
Kailin Chio showed remarkable performances in her freshman year, posting scores that challenged stars like Haleigh Bryant and Aleah Finnegan. After earning some of the team’s highest scores on each event, there is no doubt that the sophomore is an overall difference maker.
for ‘Callin’ Baton Rouge.’”
Stringer also reflected on what it was like to share that moment with his family, specifically with his daughter Amelia.
“Just to let her feel the energy of LSU, that was pretty special,” he said. “I don’t think she’d ever witnessed an LSU game at that point, but that show kind of ignited her desire to go back down and see a game, and afterwards she did. I think that’s kind of what ignited her passion to experience that culture.”
Stringer regarded the song as an “anthem for LSU,” which isn’t an exaggeration.
In 2023, Louisiana senators declared the song as the “Official Welcome Song” for LSU football, legally embedding it into its culture.
The liveliness of that culture is getting ready to rise again in Death Valley as the Tigers first home football game against Louisiana Tech approaches, and students can’t wait to get back to making memories, forever stitched together by Brooks’ song.
“I’m just ready for the lights,” Hopkins said. “I’m ready to feel the vibrations of the stadium when the music starts coming on. I’m ready to be hopping up and down on the stands with my friends singing these songs.”
Whether it’ll be your first time hearing “Callin’ Baton Rouge” this weekend or if it’s your first time in Death Valley, just know you’ll be joining in on something that goes beyond football, beyond music, beyond purple and gold, but within a chapter of LSU’s history.
“It’s more than a song,” Hopkins said. “It’s a tradition.”
ly became one of LSU’s top bar workers, leading the team with a 2025 season high of 9.975, a teambest she shared with Bryant.
The balance beam is a historically tricky event for LSU. This year, however, some new names could be the solution.
Senior Emily Innes, a transfer who competed for Washington in 2025, brings a career-high 9.900 on beam and potential to help stabilize LSU’s event rotation.
Alongside Innes, McClain also proved herself dependable under pressure, with a 9.850 season average and 9.950 career high on the balance beam.
Leading one of the most electric events is junior Kylie Coen. Tying both Bryant and Finnegan with a season high of 9.975 on floor exercise, Coen is one of the standout artistic performers on the team.
With her is sophomore Lincoln, who boasts highs of 9.925 on floor and 9.950 on vault.
Beyond event score leaders, a few of the team’s backbones will make a return, having proven the importance of putting up a quality score when needed.
After obtaining a season-high all-around score of 39.800, both her consistency and perfect 10 potential will make Chio a leader on this year’s roster.
Also looking to have an impact on the all-around is junior transfer Madison Ulrich. Competing for the University of Denver last season, she had season highs of 9.900 and above on all four events and an allaround high of 39.575.
Coming into the 2026 season as a first-year Tiger, the five-star recruit will be a popular contender as she deepens the talent on this roster.
Key gymnasts such as Amari Drayton and Kaliya Lincoln will likely be the team’s top vaulters alongside Chio and Ulrich. Drayton has a clear strength in powerfocused events like floor and vaulting, and Lincoln’s steady score contributions add consistency to the lineup.
With both gymnasts posting 2025 season averages above 9.800, they’ll be key contributors to the event that could help set LSU apart throughout upcoming competition.
Moving on to the second rotation, junior Konnor McClain quick-
Veteran Chase Brock is one, adding useful depth on the vault and floor rotations. Although she only competed in six out of sixteen meets last season due to an Achilles injury, the graduate student averaged above 9.800 on both events and achieved a season-high score of 9.925 on vault.
Leah Miller, Lexi Zeiss and transfer Courtney Blackson could also add scoring dependability in the face of lineup shuffles. While they don’t often earn the highest scores on their respective events, the ability to put up results above 9.800 will be critical to keep LSU ahead of the competition.
The 2026 roster also includes freshmen Nina Ballou, Molly Brinkman, Haley Mustari and Elyse Wenner, as well as redshirt freshman Zoe Miller. Their added potential will be key for lineup depth this season.
There’s still lots of time until the start of gymnastics season at LSU, but soon, Tiger fans will be shifting from Saturdays at Death Valley to Friday nights in the PMAC. When they do, the 2026 team will be ready to try to reclaim its No. 1 spot back.
MALEAH BOURGEOIS / The Reveille
Former LSU gymnist Olivia Dunne finishes her floor routine durinig LSU’s 197.550-197.450 win against the Florida Gators on Jan. 17, in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.
LUKE RAY / The Reveille
LSU football fan cheers after catching a T-shirt Sept. 20, during LSU’s 56-10 win against Southeastern Louisiana at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
Column: Why does LSU football’s run game look so bad?
BY ADAM KIRSCHMAN Columnist FOOTBALL
I take back everything I said about the LSU run game last week. That performance was pitiful.
Although the blame for LSU’s rushing woes will be placed on the absence of Caden Durham due to an ankle injury, the offense looked completely hopeless against this extremely weak Ole Miss run defense.
Ole Miss came into this game as the worst ranked run defense in the SEC, letting up 655 yards to Arkansas, Tulane and Kentucky in the three games prior to LSU. The Tigers put up an awful 59 rushing yards and were unable to break any runs past 10 yards.
Ju’Juan Johnson looked to be LSU’s new offensive spark after the Southeastern game, but instead of increasing his workload and utilizing him more, Brian Kelly and Joe Sloan only gave him six attempts on short
runs. Johnson finished his day with only 18 yards and didn’t get a catch, when I thought he would’ve been a key part of the receiving game.
Harlem Berry also struggled, only getting one more attempt than Johnson and finishing with 22 yards. Berry was able to find the end zone late in the game from six yards out, that being one of the only real bright plays in the run game for the Tigers.
The following play, LSU would go for two, handing the ball off to Johnson from the shotgun, a formation in which the handoff occurs around five yards behind the line of scrimmage, making Johnson need to cover around seven yards instead of just an easy two.
Like expected, this play was blown up completely, with Johnson being tackled behind the line of scrimmage, keeping the Tigers five points down instead of only a field goal away from losing. This play enraged LSU fans, many calling out offensive
coordinator Sloan for the abnormal playcall.
Plays like this are a huge reason LSU lost. Sloan did not create a running plan to counter the weaknesses of the Ole Miss defense. The blocking schemes were awful and made the LSU offensive line seem like they couldn’t push back against this Ole Miss defensive line that has struggled all year.
Sloan also missutilized players. Instead of handing the ball to goalline back Kaleb Jackson on short yardage situations like the two point conversion or third-and-short, Sloan chose the ball to be handed off to smaller backs like Johnson and Berry and instead used Jackson more in the passing game.
These roles should have been flipped, with Johnson and Berry being 210 lb and 190 lb and better receiving backs, while Jackson is 234 lb and better at gaining yards after contact. Jackson even dropped a wide open pass on a vital first-and-10 while LSU
Volleyball defense dominates to drive 1-1 start to conference play
BY MARISSA REISS Staff Writer
LSU volleyball began SEC play on the road at Oklahoma and Arkansas, starting 1-1 against fellow conference opponents.
The Tigers’ efforts fell short at OU, but the team rallied to leave Arkansas with an impressive win, evening its conference record.
What is the main takeaway now that the Tigers are playing more aggressive volleyball?
Head coach Tonya Johnson has proved time and time again that her team is capable of winning if its defense is up to par, and it’s improved tremendously since the beginning of the season.
The Tigers had arguably their toughest match yet to begin conference play in Norman against a vigorous OU team. The Sooners owned a 4-0 record at home, and LSU had to fight against the disadvantage.
Although it wasn’t able to produce offensively on its side of the net, LSU’s defense stepped up to the best of its ability to showcase the work that’s been put in.
The Tigers managed to limit the home team to a .155 attack percentage and only 30 kills throughout all three sets.
Outside hitter Jurnee Robinson had seven digs and one block, while Tireh Smith added another block. Setter Takayla Brown contributed with six digs.
Following the loss against the Sooners, LSU knew it needed to bounce back against the Razorbacks to prove this team had what it took to be combative.
The Tigers’ defense was noth-
Pete
ing less than dominant all around in Fayetteville, producing a seasonhigh 17 blocks on the night to give Arkansas its first conference loss.
Despite the Razorbacks’ .231 hitting percentage on the night, the LSU defense held down its side of the court.
Jessica Jones led the middle with nine blocks, freshman Sanaa Donaie contributed eight and Smith added on six from the right side.
Outside hitter duo Robinson and Nia Washington both had an astonishing night all around. Robinson finished with four blocks and Washington with three, adding nine digs for the defense as well.
LSU’s back row was sensational as Laurel Cassidy stunned with a season-high 14 digs, and Aly Kirkoff followed behind with 10.
The Tigers’ setting duo didn’t go unnoticed either with Lauren Brooker tallying four blocks and
was trying to make a comeback.
With these decisions by Sloan, easy plays looked hard for the Tigers. Every third down looked like it was going nowhere and the Tigers finished off with an appalling 2-of-11 on third downs.
The offensive line also looked awful in whatever scheme the Tigers were running, giving up three tackles for loss while averaging only 2.8 yards per carry, the worst average for LSU all year.
LSU also had one of the worst blocking plays I’ve ever seen, where in crunch time down by five, Ole Miss’ three man rush quickly slipped past the LSU O-line, giving up an extremely easy sack. There’s more little things I can nitpick, but whatever the Tiger coaches had drawn up for this game was not good enough for the No. 4 team in the country.
Playing a top offensive team like Ole Miss puts a lot of pressure on the opposing offense to
play smart and give as few opportunities to its opponents to get on the field and score. LSU did not focus on the run game and instead lost the time of possession battle and gave too many opportunities to the Rebel offense.
Kelly and the whole coaching staff had too much faith in their passing offense, and too many mistakes caused the game to get out of reach and forced LSU to fight back all second half.
Overall, for facing such a bad run defense, LSU should’ve relied heavier on its run game and tried to get that part of the offense going instead of forcing the pass game. This game could’ve gone completely differently if the Tigers converted on a few extra third downs and shaved some more time off the clock to make Ole Miss’ job a little bit harder. Hopefully with Durham back, the offense can get the run game going again against some tough upcoming SEC opponents.
Men’s golf claims second straight tournament title
BY TRIPP BUHLER Staff Writer
The LSU men’s golf team celebrated another victory on Monday evening after beating 14 other teams to finish first in the Bryan Bros Collegiate — the team’s second straight tournament win.
The Tigers ruled over the Solina Golf Club in West Columbia, South Carolina, finishing at 35-under 817 over three rounds. They were headlined by Noah McWilliams and Jay Mendell tying for second at 11-under 202. They posted a 70-64-68 and 6668-68, respectively.
four digs while Brown aided with five digs.
Before conference play, Johnson believed her team still had quite a few things to work on after LSU’s win over in-state opponent Southeastern.
“I think our blocking can stand to get better and should continue to get better,” Johnson said about adjustments heading into conference play. “I think that’s a big part for us in terms of that.”
What did her team go on to do? Exactly that.
If this LSU defense can carry the consistency from these past two matches, it poses a threat to any conference opponent moving forward.
LSU takes on No. 20 Tennessee and No. 23 Florida at home next. Can this team possibly pull off an upset?
One thing is certain: the Tigers definitely have what it takes.
McWilliams, like at the Stephen’s Cup, had the best round in the field, shooting a 7-under 64 in the second round that was only matched by Clemson’s Lucas Augustsson.
The tournament was moved up one day to a Sunday-Monday slate due to weather, but the change did not faze the Tigers.
LSU finished the first round in second place behind UNC Charlotte, but overtook them after Monday morning’s round and retained the lead once the afternoon’s was completed.
Mendell finished the first round tied for first after a 5-under 66. Senior Matthew DoddBerry opened with a 3-under 68 to keep up his momentum following his match-play victory in the Stephens Cup.
The five competing Tigers combined to finish the first round at 11-under par, good enough for second place. The following day was a tough test, with each golfer playing 36 holes
and starting shotgun rounds at 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
The early morning second round saw LSU have the best performance of any round out of any team at 14-under total, led by McWilliams’ 64. Freshman standout Dan Hayes followed the leader with a 4-under 67, while Mendell added a 68.
The Tigers took a threestroke lead over Charlotte into the short break before starting back up in the afternoon.
Mendell and his teammates continued their dominance down the stretch, as he, McWilliams and Arni Sveinsson all shot 68s in the final round.
Throughout the third round, LSU and Charlotte were the only two teams left with a true chance at victory. Both finished the round at 10 under, which gave LSU the victory by three strokes.
This marks the sixth win for LSU under head coach Jake Amos, who is in his second season leading the Tigers.
“That was a lot of fun,” Amos said on X (formally known as Twitter) after the win. “Finished the round really strong to get our second win of the season.”
This weekend, the Tigers also had two players competing as individuals in the Bayou City Collegiate Classic at the Westwood Golf Club in Houston.
Senior Luke Haskew finished tied for 10th at 4-under 212, while sophomore Dylan Kayne tied for 20th at 2-over 218.
The full team will be back together Oct. 18-20 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, for the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational.
COLE TAMPLET / The Reveille
LSU volleyball junior outside hitter Jurnee Robinson (5) goes up for the spike during LSU’s 3-0 win against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 14, at
Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.
GOLF
OPINION
Pretty privilege is a serious problem, and we all suffer from it
TANTAWI’S TALKS
MOHAMMAD TANTAWI Columnist
Like most privileges, we exist with them in unison with our personalities, faults and talents. Each working together with luck and opportunity to create the circumstances we find ourselves in. Today, let’s take a moment and think about what being beautiful gets us; how far can we go in life relying on our looks to get us into coveted doors?
Pretty privilege is defined as having unearned advantages based on our looks.
People whose looks align with perceived notions of beauty, often Eurocentric, are thought of more highly compared to someone who lacks sought-after physical appearances. In every domain of life, we can see how beauty creates advantages while creating a double-edged sword for those objectified and minimized to nothing but their looks.
The Halo Effect was coined in 1920 by psychologist Edward Thorndike, and it describes how our impressions of someone influences our feelings and thoughts concerning their character. The basis of our impression has to do with how someone looks; for better and worse, this oftentimes premature evaluation helps us make sense of the world.
Psychology Today states that, “the Halo Effect can create selffulfilling prophecies in which attractive individuals receive more opportunities to succeed, enhancing their skills and experiences.”
As I was pitching this idea, I felt I wasn’t saying anything people do not already know, so I looked for research corroborating my presuppositions.
Newsweek conducted a survey and found that 64% of respondents said, “good-looking individuals had it easier to advance in their careers, whether it would be a woman or a man.”
The problem though, is that there’s another side to this story, and it lies in a term called the Bimbo Effect. This is where
a good looking woman, while beautiful, is seen as incompetent. The double-edged sword that is beauty is not a black-andwhite concept. The conversation deserves a nuanced, situational approach. Each of us experience how our beauty manifests opportunities in different ways.
By analyzing workplaces, we can see where beauty intersects with income, perceived intelligence and disciplinary leniency. Servers who are beautiful tend to make more money than their less-attractive counterparts.
The New York Post found that employees who viewed themselves as extremely attractive earned $19,945 more annually. Researchers have gone further to suggest that attractive people are oftentimes seen as more likable and intelligent, resulting in a higher likelihood that they are hired or promoted.
It’s important to realize we are programmed to believe certain beauty standards are greater than others. History carries with it standards that vary among cultures and societies, but what doesn’t change is our attraction to the standard in spite of its
subjective nature.
Romantically, we cannot help calling others beautiful whilst simultaneously putting down others who don’t look the part. We all try to look the part, but most of us know where we fall on the scale. Psychologically, beautiful people are consistently reminded of their looks, and it can lead to increased position reinforcement from external sources.
Dr. Afzal from Verywell Mind explains how people who don’t benefit from pretty privilege “may struggle with feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem, as they may receive less positive feedback and validation from others.”
This should all complement what we already know about the world. Looking at places like Twin Peaks and Hooters, it’s easy to understand the draw. The hot secretary, the cute nurse, the attractive server or the hot mom all serve as stereotypes rooted in pop culture, namely porn.
It’d be impossible to ask myself to ignore beautiful people and beauty in general as I walk through life, but I would say we
should remind ourselves of the red dress trope. Famous for its appearance in the movie “The Matrix,” the woman in the red dress is a symbol for the distraction of beauty.
Don’t get flustered eyeing beauty and instead eye connection. Romantically or platonically, no one must meet any standard beyond common interests and personality when evaluating character. No one should be treated like a D.U.F.F. (designated ugly fat friend).
Ask yourself who stands in the middle of the photo when you take a group selfie? Who usually finds themselves on the edge of conversation, chiming in with laughs and jokes instead of giving real insight? Who actually gets to talk about themselves and has everyone listen and give feedback?
We cannot continue to treat people as less than, because they do not meet a subjective standard that we didn’t create but that we help perpetuate.
Mohammad Tantawi is a 24-year-old mass communication senior from Smyrna, Tenn.
Outsider art is the perfect way to liberate your creative energy Hate Taylor Swift? You need to calm down
GORDON’S
James Hampton’s work of art
“The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations’ Millennium General Assembly” is, literally speaking, a giant pile of garbage. Constructed of old furniture, foil wrappers, empty jars and bits of paper, Hampton constructed the piece in a Washington D.C. garage in the fourteen years preceding his death from various objects he collected while working as a street cleaner.
However, if you get the opportunity to see it in person, you’d think it was the finest collection of holy relics this side of the Atlantic. Its immensity and the power of its glow left me breathless. That experience, along with engaging with outsider art as a whole, profoundly changed the way I view creative expression and my own work.
What is outsider art? Outsider art is less of a specific style and more of a grouping of certain artists whose works were created outside of the traditional art world. They were typically untrained, often suffered from mental illness or severe trauma and used styles that radically contrast with contemporary art.
I discovered outsider art while down some Wikipedia rabbit-hole a few years ago and instantly developed a bit of an obsession with the genre. I was really struggling with depression at the time, and seeing how these individuals found an escape from their reality through art, liberated from any need or desire to impress those around them, inspire me.
I was, at one time, a creative child, like most. I wrote fantasy
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stories, drew pictures of superheroes and made stick figure animations. It was one of the main ways I blew off steam as a child. However, as I grew into adolescence, I became deeply self-critical of my work, and my natural desire to create withered.
The content I consumed online didn’t help. The mid-to-late 2010s internet culture saw the rise of “cringe content” to mass success. I watched hours of sniveling commentary, YouTubers dissecting children’s songs, artwork and other creations, degrading the work and lambasting the child creator.
I began to hate that natural creative impulse within myself. I looked back on my old Wattpad stories with disgust. I deleted my old accounts, wiped my Minecraft worlds and damned my colored pencils to the bottom drawer of my desk.
This outsider art, however, stood in an entirely different dimension from this “cringe culture.” These artists created their works uncaring of those that would view it, driven purely by a need to give form to the images in their minds.
I particularly fell in love with the works of Nikolai Pirosmani.
Pirosmani was a Georgian painter who lived in poverty while working as a sign painter near the city of Tbilisi. His works focus on rustic scenes from his surroundings, with a specific focus on animals and everyday Georgian people.
I first discovered him through his paintings of deer. Their fur is composed of soft brushstrokes, and their eyes are large and innocent-looking. These scenes feel serene, even dreamlike, especially in his 1913 work where the deer stands in front of a hazy backdrop of a bush and mountains. Contrast these paintings with his “Black Lion,” a painting which genuinely
unsettled me the first time I saw it. Its frame takes up most of the painting, and its fur is made of thick, less refined brushstrokes. The work is cloaked in darkness except for the lion’s two piercing eyes.
Pirosmani’s work is not detailed. His style is hard to describe, deeply rooted in traditional Georgian art and stylistically distinct from any contemporary work. Its power, instead, comes from its complete emotional authenticity and honesty.
For so long, I placed my works in comparison to titans. I felt if I couldn’t achieve a high artistic vision, if I couldn’t get every feature on a face accurately placed, or if the fingers on a hand weren’t the perfect length, then it was pointless to create. Outsider art taught me that great technique, fine detail and high-quality material, while serving as the foundation of many masterpieces, are all fundamentally unnecessary to create a deeply moving, powerful work.
Therefore, reader, I encourage you to look into outsider art. Allow your inner creative energy out, in whatever form it may come. If you haven’t drawn in a while, try it again. If you were toying around with a jingle in your head, even if you aren’t trained in music or can’t play an instrument, sing it to a friend.
Too often, we are trained as a society to very carefully manage how we express ourselves to those around us. Become like the outsider artist: liberate yourself from the inhibitions of imagined judgement. Silence the critic in your head, and pursue only your vision as clearly as you can.
Gordon Crawford is a 19-year-old political science major from Gonzales, La.
RILEY’S REVIEW
RILEY SANDERS Columnist
In the last five years, Taylor Swift has released nine studio albums, planned and performed one of the biggest tours of all time, rerecorded four of her six lost master recordings, bought back those recordings and got engaged to Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce. Now, this Friday, she is releasing a new album.
She has absolutely taken over American popular culture in a way not seen since Michael Jackson’s constant wall-to-wall coverage. Even in her silent periods, such as the eight month hiatus she took this past year, she remained the subject of countless headlines, think-pieces and rampant speculation. Moreover, she received the brunt of a wave of hatred forged by slowly growing snark culture.
Snark culture is a growing movement in America that is rooted in devaluing and criticizing in bad faith anything that people even marginally dislike. It’s a symptom of the overarching disease of cancel culture in our society. Snark culture has flown under the radar as it has built for some time now, largely in a digital environment.
As social media has taken on the role of our main forum of public discourse, people have become more and more distant from each other and have forgotten that, behind the screens, there are real humans. The treatment of Swift, and anyone deeming themself a Swift fan, is a prime example of how snark culture is destroying our society. As Swift said herself, “The worst kind of person is someone who makes you feel bad, dumb, or stupid for being excited about something.”
Considering just how famous Swift has become over the last two decades of her career, it’s unsurprising that she’s received some backlash. This is a tale as old as time — people love to hate what is popular. That said, the hate she and her fans have received as of late is proof that snark culture is bleeding out of the digital world and into the physical as well. People have begun to feel they have the right to judge others over even the most meaningless facets of others’ lives, and music taste has become one of these.
I am unable to count on both
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hands the amount of times where I have asked someone who their favorite artist was, and without provocation or providing an actual answer, they’ve proceeded to recite an essay on their dislike of Swift. Even in the Reveille newsroom this past week, during a conversation with a friend about the upcoming release of “The Life of a Showgirl,” another reporter interjected unprovoked to explain why Swift’s music was of poor quality and her fans were obsessive.
Countless forums for bad faith criticism and interpretation of Swift exist online. Posts include hate on account of Kelce somehow “codeswitching” to date Swift, discussion on why Swift isn’t sexy and how her fans are mindless zombies. These are only a few examples of countless online forums dedicated to criticizing and slandering Swift and her fans.
If this seems like a far-away issue for you, I want you to imagine for a moment that you are the most famous person in the world. You walk outside in your favorite shirt — someone sees it, hates it and decides to tweet #TaylorSwiftisOverParty. Suddenly, everyone online hates your shirt and you, and it becomes a trend for people to hate on you. Next time you leave your house, you have to be rolled out to your car in a suitcase so no one can see you again. This is the level of scrutiny that Swift deals with every moment of her life. She may be a billionaire and a global popstar, but she is still a real person. Both casual fans and dedicated Swifties are real people too, and to them, she creates art that makes them feel comforted, empowered and seen in a way they may otherwise not.
The world is already a cruel place, and we need to take a look at what we say to people in person and online, no matter what or who we are discussing — you never know the impact it could have on someone. If you dislike Swift, or really anything or anyone, you are entitled to your own opinion, but it is not your prerogative to bash what others derive joy from. I urge you, this Friday, to take a listen to the new Swift album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” If you hate it, just shake it off, and do so privately.
Riley Sanders is an 18-year-old biology major from Denham Springs, La.
Quote of the Week
“Scary news is: You’re on your own now. Cool news is: You’re on your own now.” Taylor Swift Singer-Songwriter 1989 — present
AURIANNA CORDERO / The Reveille
Paint brushes sit in Foster Hall on Sept. 2, 2017.