STEM FOR ALL
An LSU alumna is pioneering accessible science for the Deaf community.
Read on page 2
BREAKING BARRIERS
LSU alumna tackles gap in STEM education with informational content
BY DREW SARHAN Staff Writer
LSU biochemistry alumna Kayla Cureaux exemplifies the school’s motto of building teams that win.
Cureaux graduated in 2021 and currently makes videos training the next generation of scientists.
But there is one thing that sets apart Cureaux from other scientists: she was born completely deaf.
Cureaux, better known as KayDeafSTEM on YouTube and TikTok, posts videos explaining science, technology, engineering and math concepts in American Sign Language.
ASL doesn’t include many STEM terms, so many complex words — like hydrocarbon or thermoplastic — must be fingerspelled, meaning each letter of the word is spelled individually.
Cureaux hopes that ASL will develop more terms for complex topics and she plans to help lead the charge for more Deaf representation in scientific settings.
“According to the National Deaf Center, about one in five Deaf or hard-of-hearing adults have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher, which is far below the rate for hearing adults,” Cureaux said in an email to the Reveille.” The gap is even wider in STEM fields, where Deaf representation remains very limited.”
not an explanation of the concepts themselves. This prompted her to take a teaching approach to her videos.
Cureaux plans to expand her program into a tutoring website and, eventually, into a handson program for Deaf or hardof-hearing students. This would allow interested students to explore STEM in a fully accessible environment.
everything in the world, including us as living organisms, is made of atoms,” Cureaux said. “Chemistry explains how atoms interact, giving us flavors, sensations and scents. Biology focuses on life itself like blood, which represents life. Together, chemistry and biology show how everything around us is beautifully connected.”
ry at home,” Cureaux said. “It felt a little awkward at the time, but I’ve grown so much since now. I’m more confident on camera and have improved how I film, sign and explain each concept.”
Through KayDeafSTEM, I focus on teaching science in ASL, not just translating it.
“Through KayDeafSTEM, I focus on teaching science in ASL, not just translating it,” Cureaux said. “I also provide tutoring services and workshops related to education, self-advocacy, and STEM careers. I hope to collaborate with other Deaf scientists and interpreters to help standardize STEM signs so future generations will have a richer scientific vocabulary in ASL.”
Cureaux’s channel has helped the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community by providing an outlet for scientific knowledge. She said that the internet allowed her to challenge scientific ideas and to explain complex topics in ASL, making the material easier to comprehend for the Deaf community.
Despite these hurdles to her education, Cureaux’s support team from the LSU Disability Services office and her professors worked to ensure her success through accommodations, including providing interpreters and other accessibility materials.
LSU gave Cureaux access to its lab equipment during the summer so she could create her educational videos. She realized that some of the materials for STEM in ASL only focus on signing the particular concepts and
“One Deaf student told me that my video on chemical bonds was the first time they truly understood the concept in ASL,” Cureaux said. “That’s what motivates me to keep creating.”
Cureaux’s love for biochemistry came from her curiosity about the human body, which stemmed from her faith. As a Christian, she believes that God formed everything in the universe, including the human body all the way down to the molecular level.
She says that science proves the existence of invisible forces that created everything in the universe.
“I study biochemistry because
Her favorite video on her channel is when she explained periodic trends, which are the various patterns on the periodic table that can group elements together. She plans to focus on
Her content encourages partnerships between Deaf and hearing scientists, evening the playing field and allowing for collaboration across language boundaries.
more biochemical topics on her channel, from the body’s need for potassium to the benefits of certain acids for skincare.
“My least favorite video was actually my very first one, where I extracted DNA from a strawber-
“My YouTube and TikTok channels help fulfill LSU’s motto by spreading STEM knowledge to the Deaf and HOH community, inspiring more Deaf individuals to pursue science, technology, engineering and math,” Cureaux said. “This builds a stronger, more diverse community of future scientists, mathematicians and engineers who represent LSU’s excellence.”
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.
EDDY PEREZ / Courtesy of LSU
KAYLA CUREAUX
EDDY PEREZ / Courtesy of LSU
NEWS WELCOME TEAM
Meet the LSU Ambassadors that welcome students to campus
BY KALEY MELANCON Staff Writer
LSU Ambassadors welcome students and the Baton Rouge community to campus with open arms through service and connection.
Known for their yellow polo uniform, the group takes pride in representing LSU well. Ambassadors focus on leadership building and service — while also becoming friends.
“Ambassadors is the one organization where you can get everything you’re looking for,” said Nicole Carter, LSU Ambassadors’ overall chair.
Carter, who is from California, said she joined Ambassadors because she wanted a space that was fun, inviting and helped build her future. She said the group wants to be a guiding light for current and prospective students.
It does so by being role models both on and off campus. On campus, the organization works closely with parents to ensure families feel confident sending their child to LSU. Carter said this means being a welcoming face and being able to get along with anybody.
She said members must be goal-driven, hard workers and willing to take initiative. Carter said Ambassadors want to show parents that members can balance having fun and being professional.
The selection process for new applicants is two months long and digs into the most authentic version of a person. Ambassador’s membership chair Kaitlyn Cash said along with professionalism, she is also looking for personality in new applicants.
Cash said Ambassadors try to foster a community that feels like family. With over 100 members from all different backgrounds, Cash said the ambassadors can lean on each other and talk about anything when they are overwhelmed.
This is what sports administration junior Kelsey Draughon
was looking for when she joined Ambassadors this semester. Draughon said she wanted a family outside of her sorority where she could meet new people.
“When people see my face, I want them to see someone they can look up to,” Draughon said.
Being a good influence is where the service aspect of Ambassadors comes in. Cash said every week members can choose from multiple service opportunities to participate in.
Previously, the group has worked with the Boys & Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity and Game Day Cleanup. Cash said it
shows that young people are still active in the community and willing to lend a helping hand.
Completing service leaves Cash feeling fulfilled. She said her favorite memory involves helping kids at McKinley Elementary finish their homework after school.
Cash said knowing what she represents is why she tries to keep the same standard in everything she does.
Service was important for Brooklyn Churchwell when she joined Ambassadors last year. She said she was already volunteering
Green group mentors high school students
BY EMILY BRACHER Staff Writer
LSU EnvironMentors is guiding the path for future scholars and researchers
The average classroom setting allows students to learn traditional STEM through textbooks, lectures and worksheets. The LSU EnvironMentors are trying to change that.
Funded by the Louisiana Sea Grant, the LSU EnvironMentors is a mentorship program that pairs high school students with graduate student mentors. They meet every Wednesday over the course of the school year to work on STEM-related research, projects and activities.
“The way that I wholeheartedly believe to get people reconnected to nature is to give them fun experiences outside and to give them experiences that are outside of their comfort zone,” said EnvironMentors Director Vanessa van Heerden.
EnvironMentors has three main goals: build environmental literacy so students understand the world around them, develop their research skills and teach them how to properly communicate their findings.
see AMBASSADORS, page 4 see ENVIRONMENTORS, page 4
As SNAP questions remain, local entities are providing support
BY AIDAN ANTHAUME Staff Writer
As the federal government shutdown halts SNAP funding and questions remain over how recipients will access their benefits, the LSU Food Pantry and local businesses like House Brew are stepping up to support Baton Rouge residents and students facing food insecurity.
At LSU, the Food Pantry has seen a steady increase in demand. Manager of Operations and Food Pantry Jennifer Cristina said the number of daily visitors has climbed sharply over the past year. The pantry now serves between 350 and 450 students each day, which is roughly 100 more than this time last fall.
“We’re anticipating more people between the government shutdown and people’s families not getting paid, and also the SNAP benefits being cut,” Cristina said. “We expect longer lines, but we’re already experiencing longer lines.”
Cristina said the pantry is working to ensure consistent access to balanced meals, often relying on donations from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.
“We’re trying to make sure we have as much food and as many substitutions for the foods that we pick up each morning,” she said. “When that runs out, we’re trying to make sure we have something for everyone to be able to get meals with nutritional value in them, whether it’s a can of hearty soup, or if it’s a to-go tuna salad kit or something like that that someone can take.”
The pantry also partners with the Food Recovery Network, a student organization that collects leftover food from LSU Dining to distribute to students.
“No one on this campus should ever have to starve, because we have food,” she said. “We have something all the time for anyone who comes in, any time of day.”
While LSU’s pantry handles on-campus needs, House Brew, a community coffee shop on Government Street, is expanding its own relief efforts. Owner Manning Bergeron said their team was inspired by Heretic Coffee Co., a nonprofit café in Oregon that launched a food relief drive following the SNAP cuts.
“They immediately hopped on the relief train to step up against the SNAP cuts,” Bergeron said. “We wanted to do the same here.”
Bergeron and their staff have hosted three sandwich-making parties since last year, assembling hundreds of peanut butter, jelly and Nutella sandwiches for free community distribution.
The sandwiches are available to anyone in need, and House Brew plans to continue offering them to the community even once SNAP benefits are fully restored.
“We will have sandwiches
COURTESY OF KAITLYN CASH
ERIN BARKER / The Reveille Canned goods line the shelves on Oct. 6, 2022, inside the food pantry at the LSU Student Union in Baton Rouge, La.
Educational program supports Louisiana’s commercial fishing by teaching best practices
BY DREW SARHAN Staff Writer
Commercial fishing is vital to Louisiana, bringing in $2.4 billion to the local economy according to the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, and netting more than 850 million pounds of seafood caught per year.
Louisiana Fisheries Forward is a voluntary educational program for local commercial fishers. Started in 2012 with partial funding from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement, its mission is to improve the economic accomplishments of commercial fishing by providing regulatory resources on the internet.
LFF is a collaboration between the LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Sea Grant and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. It helps educate local fishers by modernizing their operations, aids consumers with hands-on workshops and sup -
SNAP, from page 3
available until SNAP benefits are fully restored, and will continue to host sandwich-making parties even after it’s restored,” Bergeron said. “Asking for help shouldn’t be embarrassing; it should be second nature. A lot of us have forgotten how to rely on
ENVIRONMENTORS, from page 3
By the time the mentees graduate high school, they should not only know how to research but feel “empowered” to choose their future career paths, said van Heerden.
Van Heerden said one of their biggest goals is for students to have fun, which she said leads them to want to learn more.
Through activities like hiking, art projects and children’ s book writing they are able to learn in a space outside of their comfort zone.
Protégés are able to present at conferences, which helps prepare them for public speaking, science communication and an even wider range of careers in the future.
The program is not only for future scientists, but for disciplines across the board. Van Heerden said they are trying to build a community that goes beyond the STEM field, including mentors from business, art and sociology schools.
“We have a firm belief that one of our missions is to get as many people outside because we have so many people who are disconnected from nature, and you can’t ask a question about it or be curious about it if you’re too scared to be in it,” van Heerden said.
The research skills taught through EnvironMentors prepare
ports everyone in between by providing training and instructional videos on their website.
LFF runs a two-day summit every other year that teaches different ways to incorporate technology into the fishing industry.
The conference has been held in several locations across Louisiana including Houma, Kenner and most recently Slidell.
Louisiana Sea Grant, set up in 1968 through LSU, is part of a nationally-renowned network of university-based programs.
Modeled after to the Land Grant system, Louisiana Sea Grant sets out to promote care of the state’s maritime resources by providing research, education and outreach.
Louisiana Sea Grant has multiple specialists on staff to help with resiliency, water quality and sustainability, among other special interest areas.
One of those specialists is Evelyn Watts, a Grace Drews Lehman Professor in Human Ecology at LSU. Watts is also
others, and it might be the missing piece to a lot of our lives.”
Bergeron also urged those with time or resources to take action.
“If you have the time, money and resources, you are in the perfect position to help with low risk,” Bergeron said. “Those who can’t spare a second from work
a seafood extension specialist at Louisiana Sea Grant, which means she collaborates with the seafood industry to ensure regulatory compliance. She graduated from LSU with a doctorate in philosophy with a concentration in food science in 2016.
“I’m really passionate about my work,” Watts said in a video on the LSU AgCenter website.
“What I like most about my work is first, [the] interaction with people. I also love seafood and I also love traveling. So as part of my extension work, I get to enjoy those things.”
According to Watts, the state is the second-largest fish harvester by volume in the U.S., behind Alaska. Louisiana is also the fourth largest producer of commercial fish by volume, behind Maine, Massachusetts and Alaska.
Commercial fishing can harm the Gulf’s ecosystem, specifically through habitat destruction. LFF resources and government regulations help mitigate some
and are living paycheck to paycheck shouldn’t be attacked for having such high risk.”
Cristina encouraged students and community members to support the pantry in any way they can, whether by donating, volunteering or spreading awareness. Those who want to contribute can visit the pantry’s website to
EnvironMentors students test water quality from a research boat, learning firsthand about aquatic ecosystems and field sampling methods.
them for college in a significant way. It’s been so impactful, van Heerden said, that a former mentee came back as a mentor as an LSU undergraduate.
She said that the help goes both ways; the mentors also learn from their protégés. Both parties are able to learn together about Louisiana’s unique landscape and use that information in their future career.
By putting together a group of people that don’t know each other in a situation that may be
issues it causes. It limits overharvesting by issuing permits to prevent illegal commercial fishing operations.
Louisiana Sea Grant also has strategic initiatives in place to promote maritime wildlife sustainability.
Watts helps oversee the Seafood Processing Demonstration Lab, the state’s only seafood-focused research facility. The lab houses industrial food processing equipment for demonstration and training purposes.
The goal of the lab is to help the seafood industry develop new production strategies and food safety compliance by providing training and education.
“As a kid, I never dreamed of being a food scientist,” Watts said. “I wanted to own a pet clinic. I made it to vet school and while I was in school, I had to take microbiology classes and food safety classes. Little [did] I know that I fell in love with that area and that became my passion.”
donate through the LSU Foundation link or shop their Amazon wish list.
Students facing food insecurity can reach out directly at foodpantry@lsu.edu for assistance or with questions about accessing resources. Student organizations can also get involved through the Food Pantry’s TigerLink page.
tor. Craft was a mentor last year. The two helped guide the younger students through the process.
Black said they try to get the students “feet wet” with all scopes of science. Their newest development this semester is the incorporation of the social sciences in their work. In a previous program, she said that the group focused on environmental art, where they learned how to communicate science concepts through metaphors and collages.
The fall semester provides students with time to acclimate to the program. Craft said that this means that they are learning what it means to ask questions, meeting their mentors and working on pairing people based on personality.
“We’re trying to get them to walk away to be able to tell a story,” Black said.
AMBASSADORS, from page 3 back home in Texas and wanted to continue that at LSU.
Churchwell has only recently become an active, or “seasoned,” ambassador. New members must complete a five-week training process the semester after joining before becoming an official ambassador.
She said this process involved learning more about Ambassadors, the community, her job on campus and leadership skills. Churchwell said this was crucial since she did not know much about Baton Rouge or Louisiana prior.
She said being a part of Ambassadors has helped her be the best version of herself. She said it has been good for her own personal strength by doing things she would not have done otherwise.
Carter said it is the service that allows this version of herself to come out. She said participating in service makes bad days easier by positively affecting someone else’s experience. Doing this together, Carter said, is also what creates such a great bond between the ambassadors.
Another link between members is their pale yellow polo uniform. Cash said being able to connect the shirt to the person and their actions is crucial in showing what ambassadors do.
For Churchwell, putting on that yellow polo is like Peter Parker putting on his Spiderman suit. She said it amplifies her true self, brings out her smile and pushes her to put herself out there.
“Even though it’s an organization, it really is a family,” Churchwell said.
ed, they will present a poster at LSU Discover Day.
Beyond campus, van Heerden said, sometimes they fund students’ way to presenting at national and international conferences.
“Their research projects are their opportunities to deepen their individual interests and curiosities about the world, be supported by their mentors as they learn how to collect and analyze data and learn from each other in building their environmental literacy about nature-society relationships in Louisiana,” van Heerden said.
Beyond skills learned in the field, both Black and Craft said that the students are able to learn how to have conversations beyond their screens with collegeaged students in a digital world.
out of their comfort zone, van Heerden said they are more likely to bond and realize that nature isn’t as scary as they think.
“I think at the root of everything, if you don’t have fun when you learn, it doesn’t stick,” van Heerden said.
Second-year master’s student Naya Black and third-year doctoral student Hannah Craft are both coordinators for EnvironMentors. Black started off as a volunteer and loved the program so much that she wanted to be a coordina-
In the spring, students begin the research portion of the program. Last year, Craft and her mentee focused on the zooplankton populations in the University Lakes and how it related to microplastic abundance. Another student looked at heavy metal concentrations in the lakes. A communications project was also done, assessing the knowledge of snakes in the state of Louisiana.
The topics are picked by the protégé and guided by two mentors. Once their work is complet-
Some students even build lasting relationships with their pairing. Craft attended her mentee’s high school graduation.
“A lot of these students are learning what we talk about in their high school classes,” Craft said. But learning it and actually getting to do the background research and touch the water and get in the mud and do things that they’ve never been able to do enable them to be more confident as they step into college or the military or whatever their next steps are.”
COURTESY OF VANESSA VAN HEERDEN
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LSU men’s basketball wins 93-58 against New Orleans
MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. UNO
Sophomore forward Robert Miller III (6) surrounded by defenders.
Freshman guard Jalen Reece (2) shoots the ball.
Freshman guard Jalen Reece (2) gets fouled.
Graduate student forward Pablo Tamba (8) tries to block the ball.
Junior guard Dedan Thomas Jr. (11) runs around a defender.
PHOTOS BY ALEXIS PERSICKE | SPREAD BY EMILY BOUDREAUX
Junior forward Mike Nwoko (1) dunks the ball.
Senior guard Max MacKinnon (3) pushes a defender.
Fifth-year senior forward Marquel Sutton (10) dribbles.
Sophomore forward Robert Miller III (6) shoots the ball.
ENTERTAINMENT
His stint on ‘American Idol’ was just the start for Baylee Littrell
BY OLIVIA TOMLINSON Managing Editor
After gaining national attention on “American Idol,” Baylee Littrell is finding his voice again.
The LSU Online student and singer-songwriter is paving his way in the music industry after making it to the Top 14 in Season 23 of “American Idol.” From debuting on Broadway at age 13 to opening for the Backstreet Boys on the “DNA Tour,” Littrell has always been surrounded by music.
The singer knew music would be part of his life forever when he walked into his dad’s dressing room around the age of six. His father, Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys, was preparing to head on stage to play a show on the Unbreakable Tour when his son tried on his outfit for the night. The oversized robe, to match the boxing ring arranged on stage, was dragging along the floor.
“That’s kind of when the seed was planted in my brain,” Littrell said. “I guess we’re going to do this, and it just kind of fell into place after that.”
Littrell was introduced to music at a young age, but it took years to get where he is now. Landing a lead role in the Broadway musical “Disaster!” at 13 years old was an early look into show business for him. Though he enjoyed his time on stage, he yearned for a way to connect deeper with the audience. After realizing a music career would be more fitting, he went to his parents to talk it over.
“My dad was like ‘Work on your voice, work on your songwriting and get these things in order, and then we’ll talk,’” Littrell said. “I come back a year or two later, and they’re like, ‘Alright, you’re ready.’”
The family headed to Nashville to allow Littrell an opportunity to practice writing, recording and eventually performing his music. Confidence in songwriting did not come naturally, Littrell said. He felt he had to perfect his lyrics before singing them in front of a crowd, and at first it was a struggle; however, he learned to finish a song in one sitting, and the ideas began flowing.
“It made writing like a button you can’t turn off in your mind,” Littrell said.
Between being on the road with his father and performing his own shows, Littrell was always too far from home to attend in-person school. Hungry for knowledge, he chose to pursue a higher education, despite his already established career in music. Once his decision to study sports management was clear, LSU felt like an obvious choice.
“I wanted to be prepared for a world without music as well,” Littrell said.
Littrell released his debut single “Boxes” in 2019, months before COVID-19. Later that year, he also released his first album “770-Country.” As the pandemic kept everyone in their homes, Littrell was no longer able to play shows.
He crafted his lyrics throughout the pandemic, eager to perform again. Since then, he’s found a unique sound through incorporating his own faith, love and personal struggles in his songwriting, Littrell said.
“All the songs I never thought people were going to like, they like,” Littrell said.
Littrell’s trust in his songwriting skills have grown so much since his teenage years. He even took the risk of auditioning with an original song on “American Idol.” When a casting director reached out for him to audition, it was the last thing he ever thought he’d do.
“I got to a point where I was struggling in my career, and I was like ‘This isn’t working,’” Littrell said. “I wanted to stop, and I thought, ‘All right, this is your last big push.’”
Auditioning for the show with music already released put Littrell in a unique situation. Performing his original song “Waiting On Myself To Die” in the first audition allowed him to stand out and receive impressive reactions from judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie and Blake Shelton.
“It was that moment of, I need to show them that I’m my own person,” Littrell said. “I’m not trying to emulate anybody else. There’s no influence driving me, but just the want to succeed. And so I thought, ‘All right, let’s go in there with an emotional, original song that people can relate to.’”
Growing up with a famous father figure comes with a lot of pressure. When the judges found out his father is a member of the Backstreet Boys, they asked him to perform “Hey Jesus” with Littrell, and nerves overtook his body. The two sang together, creating an emotional performance, which all three judges would say yes to.
“He’s believed in me when I’ve had zero belief for myself,” Littrell said. “It’s crazy to see, but when we looked in each other’s eyes, we started to cry, because he looked at me like ‘He did it.’ Somebody finally believes other than us.’”
Littrell continued throughout the show until the judges narrowed the contestants down to the Top 14. From receiving advice from successful musicians to performing across the country, Littrell’s experience on the show has revived his career.
“It has helped me now build an independent fan base, which is great, and then for the first time, I can actually go play a tour and headline it, and not be opening for someone,” Littrell said.
“American Idol” was just the beginning for Littrell’s music career. He looks forward to dropping new singles throughout the year and will eventually release an album that encapsulates how his sound has evolved since his debut. Littrell plans to make a name for himself in the music industry, despite sharing a last name with a Backstreet Boy, though that will always remain a part of him.
“You really kind of have to run towards it and be proud of it,” Littrell said. “As soon as you come to peace with it, and you don’t resent it, you move forward, and it makes you more of your own person.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF BAYLEE LITTRELL
Savannah’s Silver Screen Materialists
Review by Savannah Boynes
“Materialists” plays into the softness within the modern age of dating while also unveiling the reality of trying to find the one. With its warm, plush color palette and memorable dialogue, this film reaches into your soul and holds your heart in a way that will leave you thinking about it even after the credits roll.
Starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans, Celine Song’s “Materialists” is about a matchmaker, Lucy, in New York City who is trying to find partners for her clients that check all of the right boxes. As
she does so with both ease and difficulty, she herself indulges in the dating world and looks for someone who is disgustingly, achingly rich.
Towards the start of the film, there is a scene celebrating Lucy’s ninth wedding of her matchmade clients. She later attends the wedding, getting bombarded with matchmaker requests from the guests and even eyed by the groom’s brother, Harry. What stood out to me about the wedding scenes were the colors and lighting choices.
As Lucy is speaking to Harry
at one of the dinner tables, the audience can see her slightly navy blue dress, the white wedding cake and gold accents of the lights and Lucy’s jewelry. The different contrasts of these colors pull me into different focuses of the scene.
The dress singles out Lucy as the main character, and it characterizes her as someone that people are drawn to and can trust with a vulnerable part of themselves. The cake’s whiteness is able to place emphasis on the category of the occasion, and it highlights the level of a
traditionally valued aspect in the wedding.
The lights and the accents of the jewelry symbolize wealth and status, where the lights are something more likely to be real gold, meanwhile Lucy is trying to emulate it. This is made clear when she repeats over and over about wanting a rich husband. However, this want is out of fear, not greed.
As for the lighting choice, it pulled me in because of its warmth. This sort of warmth is consistent throughout the movie, and it leaves me feeling comforted by what I’m watching. No matter the characters’ emotions, I am content with what I see, and it leaves me with a feeling of how everything will work out in its own way.
I am a sucker for both cheesy and meaningful dialogue, and this film has it all. From consistent one-liners about dying alone to a monologue about how familial trauma molds you as you are now, the dialogue represents duality in every sense of the word.
My favorite piece of dialogue is when Lucy is narrating about how she has been dreaming about the first people who got married, asking the questions of how they knew they matched perfectly. In asking different questions, like if they were politically aligned or well-matched in their attractiveness, the nar-
ration pushed me to think about the deeper layers of the film.
Placing people into boxes of where they fit on someone else’s attraction spectrum is a slippery slope, but it has become the norm in this modern age of love and dating. In this dialogue about dreaming, the film testifies to how a human being cannot be categorized or lumped into a chest for another human being to pick through.
The film is a measurement of love and what someone is willing to do to either obtain that love or chase material wealth. I am also a big fan of dreams as a concept in movies, so that contributed to my infatuation also.
I may be biased when speaking about the direction style since Song is in my top five of favorite directors, but it is like no other. When I step into Song’s world as a viewer, the mood is calm and soft-spoken; it feels as if you are in a coffee shop, and you are simply hearing the many conversations happening around you.
Song proved this first with “Past Lives,” but “Materialists” only sealed the deal. Plus, they both have disgustingly amazing soundtracks. This film checks all of my boxes, and I hope it checks yours too.
CARMEN RANDOLPH / The Reveille
SPORTS Column: Football, government don’t mix
LEADING FORWARD
BY TRIPP BUHLER Staff Writer
LSU soccer’s offensive leader doesn’t like to take credit for her success nearly as much as she likes to give it to her teammates.
Selfless is the word that comes to mind when thinking of junior forward Ava Galligan. With 10 goals to her name, she is the leading scorer among the Tigers and received first-team All-SEC honors. For all of Galligan’s achievements, she gives credit where she sees credit is due.
“It’s always been a team thing,” Galligan said. “It’s never been me versus 11 other people. It’s always me with 10 other girls. I think [first-team SEC
SOCCER
honors] is a team award.”
Her consistent contributions to the team reflect her growth in a leadership role, not just as a player.
“We always talk about, when you’re older, giving back to the players younger than you and helping mentor them,” head coach Sian Hudson said.
field. On the field, Galligan said Bailey is a huge asset to the team with her creative and hard-working style of play.
Off the field, the pair recently dressed up together for the team’s Halloween practice. Bailey dressed up as the Lorax and Galligan a truffula tree.
dom to do what I want on the field and pick what path I want to go on definitely helps me succeed more,” Galligan said. “If I fail, then I fail on my own, and I learn from it.”
BY ADAM KIRSCHMAN Columnist
It’s obvious that many of LSU football’s recent programchanging decisions were made with the influence of Louisiana’s Gov. Jeff Landry.
Landry has been both criticized and applauded for his intervention in LSU Athletics. Some say that the governor should not have influence over such a decision, while others see this as a bigger step to stop failing coaches from being in charge of great programs.
Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.
LSU
“Watching her in that mentorship role with Sariyah [Bailey], it’s been great to see this year.”
Galligan and Bailey’s close relationship is obvious on and off the
Galligan’s strong support system extends off the field, as well. During the last regularseason game against Florida, she celebrated one of her two goals with her brother, Jimmy, in the stands.
She also said that her parents, Sybil and James Galligan, have had a profound impact on her growth as an athlete. Her parents pushed her, but not to the point of burning out.
“I think having my own free -
Her love for the game is obvious when she’s on the field, as she plays with high energy and heart.
“She’s one of the players that’s always out here and willing to do extra work,” Hudson said. “She loves the game. She’s playing with a smile on her face and a ton of energy and joy, and it’s just fantastic to watch.”
Galligan attributes much of her and her team’s energy and success to the Tiger fans who show up and support the team
Soccer looks to reverse NCAA Tournament trend, make deepest push yet under coach Sian Hudson
BY DELANEY POTTHAST Staff Writer
LSU soccer’s home match against Houston Christian on Friday is more than another postseason game. It’ll mark a historic moment in the program’s history as the team takes the pitch not just to chase a win but to extend a legacy. With four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, 2025 will mark a fifth for head coach Sian Hudson, the longest in LSU soccer’s history. This season has been one of momentum and belief, truly living up to the team’s mantra: “strike gold.”
LSU has 11 NCAA Tournament appearances all-time, and nearly half of them are attributed to Hudson after taking over the program
in 2020.
She took over a program that went winless in conference play during 2019 and returned it to the NCAA Tournament by her second season.
Despite the bounce-back to postseason play, the team saw a first-round exit in a shutout loss against Memphis. This would be a continuing struggle in the coming years.
Postseason success remained elusive, with the Tigers unable to progress past the tournament’s second round since.
In 2022, Hudson secured her first NCAA Tournament win at LSU with a victory over Lamar, but the Tigers were knocked out in the second round by Florida State. That season also carried the most
momentum the program had seen under Hudson at the time, entering tournament play on a fourgame unbeaten streak before a first-round SEC Tournament exit.
Both 2023 and 2024 appeared to have similar storylines. Shaky regular-season endings and short conference championship runs led to first-round exits in the NCAA Tournament in both seasons.
Past postseason adversity is exactly what makes 2025 so different. A transformed attack and sharper, more composed presence on the pitch have framed this season not just as a step forward for the team, but a statement that LSU’s program is a top contender in the nation.
Now standing with a record of 13-5-4 in Hudson’s deepest SEC
Tournament run yet, LSU enters the NCAA Tournament looking like its most complete and confident squad since 2018.
“This is a team that I think has set a whole new standard for LSU soccer, and off the pitch, they’ve been fantastic characters and readers,” Hudson said.
Unlike the 2018 SEC champion team that relied on overtime advances for the conference trophy, the 2025 Tigers have sustained momentum all through the last half of their season and enter the NCAA Tournament off a run that’s never been more convincing.
Leading up to the postseason was the Tigers’ 10-game unbeaten streak that led them all the way to
see HISTORY, page 11
After former Athletic Director Scott Woodward and former LSU football head coach Brian Kelly decided to part ways, it was reported that Landry hosted LSU athletics leaders at his mansion to discuss Kelly’s contract. Landry also appeared at press conferences after the firing, stating on the university’s behalf that Woodward would not be hiring the next coach.
Recent public appearances have gone viral, with Landry coming across as having significant authority over upcoming internal decisions at LSU. He openly criticized Woodward, and one of his statements made headlines.
“Hell, I’ll let Donald Trump select it before I let him do it,” Landry said.
Woodward was fired the next day, leaving little doubt in Landry’s role in that decision as well.
This has been huge news in college football, as there have not been many instances of political leaders getting so involved in their state university’s athletics.
In other big southern state schools like Texas or Alabama, politics and football may be connected for board hires or budget adjustments, but never for drastic front office decisions like those at LSU. Even if the state government got involved, the decisions and drama would never happen so publicly as Landry’s approach.
Should a governor play this big a role in a university’s football program? The public says no.
Landry has overstepped a boundary in his authority and seems to want even more control over LSU Athletics than any other previous Louisiana governor.
ESPN analyst Ryan Clark had harsh words for Landry on “First Take.”
“This is just another example of politicians poking their noses into
see
11
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
Ava Galligan’s selfless leadership powers soccer’s postseason push
What upcoming LSU-Arkansas match means to interim coaches
BY BRETT KEMPER Staff Writer
When the spotlight fell on LSU football following head coach Brian Kelly’s dismissal from the program in late October, the man chosen to temporarily replace him was already on the staff.
Frank Wilson, a New Orleans native whose coaching roots run as deep as the Louisiana bayou, was promoted from associate head coach to interim head coach to lead the Tigers through the rest of their regular season.
Across state lines in Fayetteville, Arkansas, another familiar face would fill the role of interim head coach: Bobby Petrino, a former Arkansas head coach who was initially let go due to personal conduct issues.
He was re-hired at Arkansas by head coach Sam Pittman in 2023 and took over his duties this season after Pittman was fired in late September.
At LSU, Wilson brings his Louisiana roots, as well as a focus on forward movement, continuity and relationship-building as a recruiter. He knows this part of the country, he knows the players, he knows the culture. That sort of familiarity can mean
GALLIGAN, from page 10
every game.
“Every time the fans come out, I think everyone just wants to do so much better,” Galligan said. “I don’t think they realize how much energy they give us. We want to give them something fun to watch and be entertaining to them.”
Her upbringing and support systems help her to play the game at such a high level.
Coming down from Ashburn, Virginia, Galligan wanted to attend LSU because of how the school highlights its women’s sports teams. She said that the success of established women’s sports programs is encouraging and offers a brand new level of competition.
Her own high level of play was evident from the start of her college career. In 2023, Galligan earned both All-SEC second team and All-SEC freshman team honors. She scored four goals and recorded five assists while playing all 20 games that year.
She had a similar season during her sophomore year, scoring five goals and also appearing every game. She had two gamewinning goals against South Alabama and Old Dominion.
The 2025 season is where Galligan made her name known.
Galligan scored the 89thminute game-winner against Wisconsin in one of the biggest wins of the year for the Tigers. Four assists and almost 1,500 minutes round out her main statistics for the year.
peace when everything else is shifting.
Petrino brings experience and urgency. He knows big games, and he knows the SEC, but he also has a past. For the Razorbacks, it’s a gamble: Does experience outweigh baggage? Can past success fuel a new surge?
In Baton Rouge, the interim label might feel protective. Wilson is not under the same pres-
“I think Ava is one of the best forwards in the country,” Hudson said. “I think on her day, she’s unstoppable. We wouldn’t want anybody else leading our line for us. I think she puts the fear of God into people.”
Her ability to score clutch goals and run up her goal count has won the Tigers many games in this historic season.
In the first game of the SEC Tournament on Sunday, Galligan scored her ninth goal of the year. She said that postseason soccer brings out the team’s adrenaline. She was able to channel that adrenaline into a goal that ended up being the difference in a 3-2 game.
Galligan is making a name for herself on the pitch, but she has also started to become a TikTok personality. Her page has just over 24,000 followers.
She said she started making videos because she enjoys watching similar styles from other content creators and because it helps her friends back home get a glimpse into her life. She also said it’s fun to look back on and helps her appreciate what she has as an athlete at LSU.
Galligan, who made sure to mention her love for oatmeal cream pies, is a growing star on the field and just as fascinating off of it. It seems clear to many that her skill and caring personality will lead to a successful future.
“I just continue to tell her to reach for the stars, because I think she can go on and have an unbelievable career,” Hudson said.
exactly to audition, but to bridge errors — to rally a locker room one last time before the next head coach takes over.
For Petrino, it’s less about rewriting his legacy and more about closing a complicated chapter where it began.
When the Tigers and Razorbacks meet this Saturday in Death Valley, both sidelines will feature men guiding programs through a period of great transition, each with a different story but parallel responsibilities.
One of Wilson’s challenges is managing the emotional side of transition. LSU’s locker is filled with players who came to Baton Rouge under different coaches with different expectations, but who will now look to him to hold it all together. His message has been simple: “go all in.”
sure as his predecessor; his task is simple to lay out but challenging to execute. He’s charged with maintaining recruiting pipelines, keeping the locker room engaged and preserving the program’s identity.
In Fayetteville, Petrino stepped in to stabilize a program in flux, knowing Arkansas had likely already set its sights in a new direction. His task wasn’t
HISTORY, from page 10 competing in the SEC Tournament championship for the first time with Hudson.
LSU’s 46 goals this season mark the highest scoring total under Hudson. Junior Ava Galligan has made history of her own, netting a career-high 10 goals, the highest single-season total by any player since Hudson took over in 2020.
The only thing standing be-
GOVERNMENT, from page 10 things they don’t know about,” Clark said. “You don’t know nothing about football. There is enough going on in the state of Louisiana … I don’t need to see you tweeting on Saturday night about what’s going on in Tiger Stadium.”
Honestly, Landry is just stirring the pot more with his antics around LSU football. In an already extremely chaotic time, his comments should not be seen as proper guidance for a sport he knows nothing about behind the scenes.
Landry thought it was within his purview to make comments and decisions to lead LSU out of this confusing time, but instead, he just threw more trash into an already-lit dumpster fire.
The governor should not be one of the faces of LSU football, as he does not properly represent the university and student body.
He comes from a heavily Republican background and has very close ties to Donald Trump. Football attracts fans of all demographics and is a cornerstone of university culture; it is not the place for
Two coaches. Two fan bases.
For LSU, Wilson represents continuity. He is being trusted to keep the program aligned with its roots until the next long-term plan takes hold.
For Arkansas, Petrino represents closure — a familiar face brought back to study the wheel one final time before a new driver takes the seat.
When these teams line up, the game will mean different things for each sideline.
For Wilson and the Tigers, it’s a chance to show that the program can still play LSU football, fast, physical, proud, even in extreme uncertainty.
At Arkansas, Petrino‘s message is different. The Razorbacks’ season has been defined by frustration, close losses and the looming arrival of a new head coach.
For players who weren’t even in middle school during his first tenure, Petrino‘s presence has been an education in football detail. It’s also been a reminder of how quickly errors shift in college football.
tween LSU and a return to the second round of the NCAA Tournament is Houston Christian, a team making its first tournament appearance since 2016.
The Huskies punched an automatic bid into the NCAA bracket after winning the Southland Conference Championship, but still enter as an underdog against LSU.
After the Tigers’ impressive conference tournament run, confidence is on their side against the Huskies. A win for LSU is a chance
politics.
Although some LSU fans may be happy with Landry’s initiative to make changes at LSU, it’s getting to the point where political outreach is interfering with internal athletics decisions.
Landry needs to look at the reactions of critics and understand that it is probably best to just leave it in the hands of the profession-
For Petrino, it’s an opportunity to leave on steadier ground than he did the first time, to remind people that despite everything, he can still command a team.
Both men know the interim title comes with an expiration date, but in a sport that thrives on emotion and identity, the way they handled these final weeks could echo far beyond the standings.
Because sometimes, the measure of a coach isn’t what he builds every year, it’s how he holds things together when the clock is already ticking down.
for the team to push beyond the history it’s already made this year.
“I think everybody just hopes that we keep trending upwards,” Galligan said. “I think we’re happy with where we are right now. You need to stay locked in and not get complacent.”
As the Tigers prepare to host the Huskies at home on Friday night, they’ll set out to prove that this new era of LSU soccer is more than a streak; it’s the new standard.
als. Let LSU work things out for themselves without the political publicity.
“I don’t remember any governor in my lifetime making decisions on college football … You’d think he would have other things to garner his attention,” Wilbert Pryor, a member of the Louisiana Board of Regents, told the Associated Press.
ERIN BARKER / The Reveille
BUTCH DILL / AP Photo LSU interim head coach Frank Wilson (left) and Arkansas interim head coach Bobby Petrino (right).
GABRIELLA GUILLORY / The Reveille Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry points at the crowd on Oct. 1, 2024 outside of the LSU Memorial Tower on Dalrymple Dr in Baton Rouge, La.
OPINION
Dear gals, it’s long past time to prioritize your pleasure
BODACIOUS BLAIR
BLAIR BERNARD
Columnist
Let’s talk about sex, baby. Let’s talk about you and me. Playful lyrics aside, let’s actually dive into the topic we all dread having conversations about with our parents: intercourse, better known as sex.
Sex has been a topic I’ve wanted to cover for a while now. Sex shouldn’t be taboo to comment on, and, frankly, if it were being done right, we’d talk about it more. Frankly, I’ve just gotten really annoyed at hearing other young women’s stories about hooking up with guys and not feeling satisfied by them — whether that was sexually, through conversation or because his porn-addled brain could no longer function.
That being said, dating comes with trial and error, so
apply the same rule to sex. As long as we’re being safe, ladies, settling for bad bed chemistry is just the same as accepting going on a bad first date over and over. You wouldn’t have sex with someone you swipe left on in a dating app, would you? Swipe left in real life.
While there are troubling facets to the quest for young dating, sexual pleasure is something we should also learn about when getting to know another person.
I don’t think it’s out of the box to require your dating and sexual partner to get you off. I think I, amongst other young, educated women, am really just tired of having a lousy time in bed.
Ladies have failed to remember that we are the golden goose. We are tirelessly held up to this unrealistic sexual expectation, and we no longer shall fear slut shaming just because we appreciate a healthy, sexually charged partner. Don’t be scared to dump him just because the
sex was bad; they’d do the same thing to us — they do the same thing to us.
Remember, just because he’s cute or looks a little like your favorite ex doesn’t make him an expert. Let’s drop the expectation of hooking up with the hot stranger and having the best sex of your life only to never see them again, because the chances of you probably catching a cold sore are higher than you actually orgasming with this person.
Admittedly, getting to know another person’s body is hard. It’s nigh impossible to know everyone’s turn-ons from just meeting them, and it’s critical to remember that a woman’s body has a few more components than a guy’s — and we all know that guys tend to prioritize only their components.
Fellas, pleasure is about all five senses to a woman. What we hear, touch and see; give us a little foreplay, take us on an adventure — show us more than just wanting us physically. Women know when you only care about your own needs, and if you’re okay with that as a man, you’re not a man.
Boys are taught from the media, and also from a lack of edu-
cation in schools, that girls exist for their pleasure. Obviously, phones contribute to this. After all, instead of getting the birdsand-bees talk in middle school, boys just learned about sexuality from porn and adult TV. It tarnishes the female anatomy. This has killed the slow burn of actually committing to having sex and the intimate build-up women lack feeling for in this current
era. If you haven’t gathered any liberating, affirmative confidence from this article, just remember the conversation is bigger than men — and so is sex. Don’t be afraid to drop a man if he isn’t pleasing you. Center your pleasure.
Blair Bernard is a 22-year-old theatre major from Lafayette, La.
BY ANDREW KEMP
Imagine a mortgage so big your children will pay it. That is the offer the powerful made to America this week: keep paying our corporate welfare, and we’ll give you a 50-year mortgage. A 30-year-old couple who bought their home today would keep paying that to age 80. Most of us won’t live that long.
from our readers LETTER
ship of anyone for being an Epstein client. Instead, in a time of knee-jerk executive orders, we witnessed not just the entirety of the Executive Branch but over half of the elected representatives fight to keep the files sealed.
From the Editor: Send us a letter. The Reveille wants to hear
your perspectives on our pages.
in the Reveille’s audience.
That is also a mortgage paid 13 years past 67, retirement age. While most must pay into welfare, it is — like native-born citizenship — no longer a guarantee. This is not hyperbole; below are quotes from the president on both your tax-funded food insurance and your citizenship:
“[SNAP BENEFITS] will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up the government, which they can easily do, and not before.”
“Because of the fact that Rosie O’Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her citizenship.”
To date, he has not threatened corporate welfare or the citizen-
EDITORIAL BOARD
Jason Willis Editor in Chief
Olivia Tomlinson
Managing Editor
Courtney Bell News Editor
Chloe Richmond
Sports Editor
Garrett McEntee Opinion Editor
This is not just government corruption. Tech CEOs have been quick to excuse their own influence operations through their media monopolies with technobabble about algorithms. When tech CEO Elon Musk temporarily removed the dampener monopolies placed on “Epstein” posts, we saw one influence operation paused. The wave of public pressure that followed also exposed the unfiltered truth: With free speech, Epstein’s clients — and their protectors — would be behind bars.
And we don’t need executive orders or radical legislation to see this future — we already have laws against conspiracy, trafficking and monopoly. Let’s use them.
Andrew Kemp is a 36-year-old LSU alumnus from Baton Rouge, La.
GARRETT MCENTEE Opinion Editor
Dear reader,
At the heart of every newspaper is not only a team of dedicated student reporters, columnists, editors and designers, but also you — the reader. It is my goal to encourage and spread awareness about a facet of news publication that we at the Reveille are proud to offer: Letters to the Editor and Guest Columns.
I invite you to share your thoughts and opinions on local happenings, global news or even our own articles through these two opportunities for reader contribution. Your voice is an essential part of the conversation, and we welcome the chance to feature
Editorial
Letters to the Editor are typically short-form submissions that allow you to broach issues in our community, recent Reveille coverage or broader topics of public concern. Whether you want to commend or critique, these letters are a space for quick and powerful exchanges of ideas. I encourage submissions that are concise, factual and respectful. Letters can also be used as a form of requesting coverage on an event or requesting clarification on a topic we have previously covered.
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The Reveille (USPS 145-800) 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. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.
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It is also critical that these channels are not seen as a way of communicating directly to LSU. We may be the newspaper on campus, and we are committed to representing all students, staff and alumni of LSU, but we are not the voice of LSU as an institution. A Letter to the Editor or a Guest Column are not the way to reach them directly, though their potential impact is immeasurable. Your voice is your power. I do hope to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Garrett McEntee Opinion Editor,
the Reveille.
for
PETROS GIANNAKOURIS / AP Photo