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SABRINA HARRISON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
As the student population continues to grow, MSU is beginning to build infrastructure to help support it.
Part of that infrastructure will be the new stadium that is going to be built where the Sikes Senter Mall is currently located. As of right now, the stadium is still being designed so that MSU can better raise funds for the project.
“We are now looking at the specifics,” President Stacia Haynie said. “You've got to have an electrical closet, you've got to have the AV equipment, et cetera. [...] And it's not going to be exactly that [plan] but it will give us an idea so that we can then work with consultants to understand cost.”
Alongside the stadium build, MSU is also updating
XAVIER ROSENBAUM REPORTER
Rthe campus master plan. The master plan is the guidebook and goal sheet the university will refer to as the campus grows. The previous master plans had not been updated since 2014.
“The master plan we have, much of that has been accomplished,” Haynie said. “But how do we extend that plan?”
Parts of the plan focus on utilization of the spaces the campus already has. The other part of it focuses on potentially building more infrastructure to support student needs.
“The other space that they're helping us [with] as we are reaching our enrollment goals, and actually exceeding them [is] housing. So student housing obviously is something we'll need to think about,” Haynie said. “And as we think through the stadium, the development of that property, the campus where
we will need additional student housing. What would that look like on our campus?”
This plan takes into account the number of students MSU could potentially have on campus at once, as well as the resources the campus would need to sustain those students.
“And of course, we're really excited that that conversation is happening at the same time we're talking about the stadium because those two things can't be divorced,” Haynie said.

KASSIDI
|
MSU is still in the design process for the stadium while Sikes Senter Mall sits empty, Dec. 2.
omario Hughes was an MSU student who was arrested two months ago and taken to the Wichita County Jail where he was held and eventually released into Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Hughes was a member of the formula SAE team, as well as the SGA and Redwine Honors.
On Feb. 20 2026, the Wichita County police department arrested Hughes and held him in the Wichita County Jail for three days. On Feb. 23, they Released Hughes into ICE custody.
Following his initial detaining on Feb. 23r he was transported and is currently being held in an ICE detention center in Eden. Hughes is still within the Eden detention center, two months following his detainment.
There have been many reports over the recent months and year detailing and discussing the horrible conditions that are maintained within these ICE facilities and the
cruel treatment detainees endure.
The individuals I spoke to within the ICE detention center directed me to the Dallas field office which is responsible for his case. The Dallas field office however, directed me back to the center he is currently being held in, thus forming a loop of finger pointing with no real solution to contacting him.
There was much talk online from people who claimed to be his peers, they attested to Hughes being a hard working student, they were taken aback by his arrest and eventual detainment.
Coupled with this were accounts of Hughs’s criminal past, including evading arrest last year.
People on Facebook debated under the “Saycheese Wichita County Mugshots & Arrests” post regarding Hughes. There was disagreement over whether or not Hughes was deserving of the detainment he is currently experiencing.

Users on YikYak warn students about ICE and informing about a student being detained, Feb. 21.
Many would argue that due to Hughes’s past conduct, he was deserving of legal punishment.

wichitan@msutexas.edu | thewichitan. com
However, the standard treatment for criminals within the U.S (jail and or prison sentences) is not equivalent with the punishment one endures when being held in one of these facilities.
Editor-in-Chief: Sabrina Harrison
Photography Editor: Madisyn Butler
Business Manager: Bernard Sasu Boateng
Spanish Editor: Juliette Saltos Molina
Social Media Manager: Inuka Hulathduwage
Advisor: Professor Jonathon Quam
Issue Staff: Alex Rhea, Trevor Kelley, Jazz Guillory, Marlee Whitson, Xavier Rosenbaum, Astrith Alvarez, Kassidi Ferguson, Miranda Cunningham, Helen Hamberg, Jay Prado, Kaden Sundheim

One anonymous user reposted a comment thread from the Facebook post alleging an incident between user Jonathan Flores and Romario Hughes, Feb. 21.
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HELEN HAMBERG REPORTER
owntown Wichita Falls came alive April 2 as hundreds of art enthusiasts turned out for the first 2026 After-Hours Art Walk, marking its debut under new management with a renewed focus on art and handmade crafts.
Artists, makers, food trucks and specialty vendors lined the streets to showcase their work and participate in one of the city’s most popular events.
Prominently located along Indiana Avenue, Artists Alley featured makers selling crochet, fan art, fine art, jewelry and other crafts.
Blacksmith Michael Tucker drew a crowd with his live demonstration of metalworking. Musicians played near the entrances and throughout the event.
Food trucks were primarily parked along 8th Street, and vendors selling everything from rattlesnake jerky to ubiquitous 3D-printed dragons filled the perimeter.
The farmers market building housed more vendors, including a very popular flower bar where bouquets were custom-made on the spot.
Crew members in bright yellow shirts were seen everywhere, picking up trash and keeping things clean.
Local artist Tanya Johnson, who has participated in past art walks, was thrilled with the changes.
“I am tickled pink and so glad they adjusted the way they were doing things. It’s much more organized, so much easier," Johnson said. "It had gotten out of hand, but it’s so much bettermore controlled and not just mobs of people walking by and taking your stuff. We have police officers, and the streets are closed off, so the customers are well protected from getting hit by a car.”
Johnson’s booth was filled with hand-painted hats, wood signs and other decorative items.
Fine arts senior Jessica Zimny was invited to be a featured artist in the Art Zone, a curated area on Indiana Avenue sponsored by the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture. She said selling at the art walk is a good opportunity to be part of the community
“I’m glad they are able to make spaces for not just MSU students but all artists," Zimny said. "We have our own events at MSU as well, but [our professors] are always telling us that this is a good way to go out and meet other people outside of the school, professionally.” Zimny was

offering a variety of prints she had made.
MSU employee and painter Christina Fisher was selling fan art and hoped to have prints made for the next sale. She also approved of the changes.
“I like it,” Fisher said. “I feel like it’s more structured and more compact, so all of the artists will actually get seen because it’s all in a specific location. I can see an ambulance over there, I see officers walking by patrolling, and I also feel like it’s safer.”
Wichita Falls resident and fan of the art walk Kim Troupe was happy the event was saved.
“I love the way it’s set up — it’s so organized. I love how safe we feel walking in the middle of the roads," Troupe said. "I think the new layout is really good.” Troupe’s husband was carrying a stack of canvases. She indicated the pile and said, “We come for the art, and we leave with so much art!”
Many believed the event would be canceled when Downtown Wichita Falls Development announced in January that it would not produce the event in 2026 because of safety concerns and a lack of funding. Local officials and community members rallied to save the beloved event.
In March, Potencia Projects, a nonprofit Wichita Falls-based organization dedicated to highlighting Latin art and culture, was contracted by the city to manage the art walk. It will receive funding from the 4B tax fund, and the event now has increased safety, with police and medical professionals on-site. Streets will be blocked to traffic during the event.
The After-Hours Art Walk will be held the first Thursday of each month (except July) from 5:30 to 9 p.m., April through October, centered around Indiana Avenue between 7th and 8th streets.
Attending the After-Hours Art Walk is free. Artists and vendors are charged a small fee to participate, with priority given to artists and makers of handmade items.
All vendors must apply to participate and reserve their location before the event. Anyone interested in having a booth at the next event on May 7 can find more information at artwalkwf. com.


ALEX RHEA | THE WICHITAN Selene Research discusses what they need to complete before they leave for NASA in May, April 8.
ALEX RHEA REPORTER
Selene Research will head to NASA in Houston, Texas, on May 17 to test their project for the SUITS (Spacesuit User Interface Technologies for Students) challenges.
President of Selene Research Adrian Robledo described SUITS as creating a user interface to help the operator's cognitive load, for example, whenever the operator could be low on oxygen.
Computer Science sophomore Conner Taylor described the process of getting chosen for SUITS.
“In the fall semester, we in Selene wrote a proposal to NASA to say ‘Hey, we’re interested in this program,’ where it’s the rover team or the suit team," Taylor said. "We had to write a proposal on what we’d do if we got either task. We gave the proposal to NASA, and they accepted it, and then assigned us the suit task.”
Last year was the team's first time submitting for the competition. Initially, they did not have high hopes because they were competing against
schools like Brown and Rice. However, last year they were one out of the ten who were picked by NASA to further develop their ideas.
This is the second time NASA has picked Selene Research's proposal for the SUITS competition.
Robledo also said their design will get tested and critiqued by NASA engineers on test day.
In addition to that, since NASA is a secure environment, select students were tasked to complete background checks to become badge members for NASA, so they can get into the facility and present their project to NASA for the SUITS challenge is what Robledo stated.
Selene Research has many members but only eight people in Selene Research were able to become badge members. The other remaining members of Selene Research will be there as moral and emotional support, spectating from a hotel in Houston, for the badge members who will be on site at NASA, is what Robledo remarked.
After this, both Robledo and Taylor both said they hope for Selene Research to grow and possibly have 30 to 40 plus members in the team, find more projects, get assigned more NASA projects and possibly do a hackathon or a game jam in the future.

XAVIER ROSENBAUM REPORTER
On Friday, April 10, UPB hosted their First Friday Bingo event. Students came together and gathered in the Clark Student Center atrium to engage in laughs and mingle among one another. On top of the relaxing environment provided courtesy of the UPB, there was also cutthroat competition through the bingo game that played out throughout the night.
Everyone engaged in tireless battle in the long lost art of bingo, sitting there patiently in hopes of winning various awesome prizes.

Students could win study materials including scantrons, highlighters and white out among other things. UPB knows the student population and is well aware of their needs as we approach finals season, which is highlighted in this prize.
Imagine you were stuck in your room at 3 a.m. and you were oh so hungry and just so happened to have a bag of frozen chicken nuggets with no way to cook them. That would be oh so sad, but luckily for you UPB offered an air fryer as a prize, to ease your insomnia riddled hunger plagued soul.
Touching on food with the air fryer, students could also win a snack basket full of wonderful treats to quench their gluttony.
There were a few Lego prizes offered too, including a Lego car and a Lego bouquet of flowers to present to your special someone.

This bingo was special because unlike the previous iterations, this one had numbers called at lightning speed!
Overall, it was a fun night where students relaxed and socialized. I will say the event would be severely improved with snacks offered to those in attendance, but it's understandable they were not, after all the winner had a chance to get some snacks.
There was also a basket of hygiene products for men offered as a prize which included deodorant, breath strips, lotion, body wash and soap. This prize was won by yours truly! (Wow,
TREVOR KELLEY REPORTER
am going to be extremely blunt when saying this: People do not care.
“But Trevor, I care! I care about things,” you may say. But be honest with yourself here, do you? Do you really? When was the last time you looked at the news and got outraged instead of saying, “Oh, same stuff as always”?
I will say it again: People do not care. A lot of people see the recent news and just say “meh,” then go about their day. Even I have to admit, I have done the same thing. I have looked on my phone, watched some egregious news and my next thought was, “Okay, but I have class now.”
In my opinion, the only people who care anymore are the ones causing the problems. I never see protesters on campus talking about trans rights or holding signs protesting ICE.
Do you know what I always see? Turning Point setting up tables and booths, ambushing people trying to eat or run to class just to preach their words. Most often, their messages are telling people to support ICE, fight against the rights of LGBTQ+ people and to bow down to God.
I find it sad to see that nobody tries to stand up for what they believe in unless it is a message of hatred. More often than not, the most vocal group is the one that wants everyone to be violent and hateful towards everyone else.
The world needs people to care about bad things more. It is the reason nobody likes to vote. Why bother voting if the bad
stuff will happen anyways? Well, that is the headspace of someone who has given up.
If you decide to not pick a side, that is picking a side, the side of everyone doing bad things. Being carefree is also being careless. If you treat everything like it is all sunshine and rainbows, you will never notice the knife in your back.
All I can say in the end is that we need to care more.

The apathy this campus, and likely the entire world, shows towards the atrocities happening in this day and age is the very reason the atrocities keep happening. We have become desensitized to it all.

We need to start protesting again, we need to show that we will not take any of this sitting down. We need to be angry, not at each other, but at every wrong-doer that tries to trample on our rights as people.






JAY PRADO| THE WICHITAN
Kanza-James says that her biggest advice to her younger self is to "surround herself with people that only lift her up. To be with people that push her to do really hard things and who want to see her succeed at the highest capacity she is capable of," April 8.

JAY PRADO | THE WICHITAN
During the race, Kasza-James faced a mechanical issue when her front tire came off. "I was descending into the canyon, my front wheel came loose and I had to stop and put it back on, but that just helped to reignite my drive and so even that was a blessing in disguise," she says, April 8.

JAY PRADO | THE WICHITAN
Even after the race, Kasza-James says there is always room for improvement. She says during the race, she was very aware "not to get too excited and to remind myself constantly that 'anything can happen' because tasting victory then having it torn away is a brutal thing," April 8.

JAY PRADO| THE WICHITAN
The hardest part of the race came at the beginning for Kasza-James. She had to decide early on if she wanted to solo from mile 7 onwards, but she says "That decision ended up being one of the many important variables that led to my overall win," April 8.
JAY PRADO | THE WICHITAN
Kasza-James made lots of progress this year, both physically and mentally. She is always had a competitive mindset, which led her to not properly resting and recovering. However, this year, she says that by changing her mindset when it comes to training, she is been able to prepare more comprehensively, April 8.


JAY PRADO| THE WICHITAN
Kanza-James wins a national cycling title from the Inaugural USA Cycling Collegiate Gravel National Championships in Turkey, Texas. This makes her the first Women’s Collegiate Gravel Bicycle National Champion, April 8.











MIRANDA CUNNINGHAM REPORTER
As a horror movie fan I was so excited to watch "They Will Kill You." I heard good reviews about this movie and even volunteered to write about it for my first review. To say this the nicest possible way, this movie sucked.
The plot of the movie really did not make sense.
I felt like even with them explaining what happened to each character, I was still confused on how they got to this situation.
The movie started with two sisters running from their abusive father. When they got caught the older sister ran away leaving her younger sister with the dad.
It then fast forwards to the current time where she becomes a maid at a “secret” hotel. It took me 20 minutes of the movie to understand why she was there. I originally thought she was there to just have a place to stay and get money. But later on we learn in the movie that the younger sister ended up in the same place the older sister is. The only reason why the older sister was there in the first place was to find her younger sister.
I feel like they should have stated this in the beginning instead of leaving us guessing until the end.
I did like how intense it was. I liked the fight scenes but felt like it was more comedic than dark. I feel like there were funny scenes but they were genre bending (and not in a good way). I felt like the “funny scene” should not have been added.
Finally, I would like to talk about acting. It was really hard to get into the movie because I felt like they were just ready off of a script. The acting was emotionless.
The part I liked about this movie was the fact that Tom Felton was in it. My favorite part of the movie was when it was over.
Rating 1/5

JAY PRADO REPORTER
Directed by Kristoffer Borgli, A24's "The Drama" is a divisive dark comedy that functions better as a surrealist horror film.
Zendaya shines as Emma Harwood opposite a charming Robert Pattinson as her romantic interest, Charlie Thompson. Their perfect chemistry anchors the film's plot. Borgli, known for his 2023 film "Dream Scenario," uses a fractured narrative to explore apathy and forgiveness in the aftermath of a terrible mea culpa.
The plot centers on Charlie's attempt to reconcile the truth of his fiancée's past.
Through this framework, the story navigates a taboo subject, examining the paralyzing effects of a society more interested in performative outrage than genuine rehabilitation. Emma's best friend, Rachel (Alana Haim), and Mike (Mamoudou Athie) support the main cast as the couple's counterparts. Their performances elevate the film's plot beyond a simple comedy into a full-blown dramedy.
Haim’s performance is a standout in particular; her character exudes hypocrisy, effectively establishing her duplicity.
These supporting characters find it easier to judge Emma than engage in self-reflection, exposing a double standard. The film tackles the dangerous consequences of this fake outrage, suggesting that a culture obsessed with judgment terrifies individuals away from seeking mental help.
"The Drama" employs the familiar A24 visual aesthetic, but
its phenomenal sound design and sublime audio mix truly set it apart.
The film builds audible tension before monologues, transforming conversations into the auditory equivalent of bracing for impact before an accident.
This auditory weight effectively mirrors Emma's perpetual anxiety. Thematically, the film initiates a conversation about how people process tragedies.
Editor Joshua Raymond Lee and Borgli masterfully wield a non-linear montage, jumping between action and aftermath, often skipping immediate reactions.
This mirrors how victims recall trauma through disjointed, visceral jump cuts. This narrative unpredictability creates a constant sense of dread, and Emma and Charlie's progressively worsening grasp on one another questions the nature of their truths and the malleability of their morals.
Ambitious and deeply original, "The Drama" challenges the audience to reexamine its own complicity.

Despite its disorienting non-linear approach, the film's stellar sound design and complex characters offer a haunting reflection on the limits of forgiveness. It is an unforgettable experience and highly recommended.
Jay Prado
Rating 5/5

JULIETTE SALTOS SPANISH EDITOR

a célebre novela “Como agua para chocolate”, de la autora mexicana Laura Esquivel, fue publicada en 1989 y es parte de las obras más destacadas de la exponente corriente conocida como realismo mágico.
Ambientada durante la Revolución Mexicana, narra la historia de amor prohibido entre Tita y Pedro quienes deben afrontar la tradición familiar impuesta por la madre de Tita, Mamá Elena, que consiste en que la hija menor no puede casarse, sino que debe cuidar de su madre hasta su muerte.
Esta historia va más allá de lo que las palabras pueden decir por sí mismas y le da una libertad al lector para imaginar un sin número de actos de fantasía que le brindan a la novela un toque de encanto sin dejar de lado los sentimientos de amor, furia y tristeza.

Quien la lea tendrá la oportunidad de sentirse parte de la trama, ya que la historia se divide en 12 capítulos y cada uno lleva el nombre de un plato mexicano junto su respectiva receta que genera la sensación de que el lector está detrás de cada platillo y de cada emoción intensa que estos generan.
Como mencioné anteriormente, cada relato está lleno de descripciones fantasiosas que seguramente harán que veas la comida de otra manera. Tita vierte sus intensas emociones en su cocina, afectando involuntariamente a quienes la rodean. En el primer capítulo, por ejemplo, cuando Mamá Elena estaba dando a luz, las lágrimas invadieron toda la casa, pues se decía que Tita ya venía llorando en el vientre de su madre antes de nacer.
En otra ocasión, mientras preparaba el pastel de bodas de su hermana Rosaura, Tita se ve abrumada por la tristeza y llora sobre la masa. Nacha, la cocinera del rancho, prueba la masa y, de repente, la invade el dolor al recordar a su amor perdido y se enferma gravemente para asistir a la boda.
Sin embargo, el encanto de esta novela no solo se centra en el uso de figuras literarias, como la sinestesia, para explorar la mezcla de sensaciones que la preparación de los platos causa en quien los prueba. También aborda temas complejos para su época, algunos que hoy en día prevalecen en nuestra sociedad.
Uno de ellos es el papel de la mujer y tenemos dos grandes perspectivas que se desarrollan en el mismo círculo familiar: la opresión y la libertad. Mamá Elena representa la fuerza y el poder, pues es ella quien sacó adelante a la hacienda Las Palomas por muchos años y se encargó de darles una vida digna a sus tres hijas sin ayuda de una figura masculina.
No obstante, es ella misma quien reprime a Tita, debido a que le prohíbe casarse con el hombre que ella ama, Pedro Muzquis, porque mantienen firmemente su creencia de








que es ella quien debe encargarse de cuidarla hasta el último de sus días.w
Por otra parte se encuentra Gertrudis, caracterizada por ser apasionada, impulsiva y rebelde, en contraste con las normas estrictas de su familia. Ella además se une a la revolución y llega a ser generala, rompiendo así totalmente con los roles tradicionales de la mujer.
Como agua para chocolate es una historia simple de leer y fácil de entender, pero la complejidad de la vida de los personajes, el contexto histórico, el buen uso de las figuras literarias y los temas que aborda definitivamente provocarán en el lector una profunda reflexión sobre el amor, la libertad y las tradiciones, así como una conexión emocional intensa que lo llevará a cuestionar las normas sociales y el papel de las emociones en la vida humana.
Si estás interesado en empezar a leer más novelas de exponentes autores latinoamericanos o simplemente pasar un buen rato, definitivamente recomendaría que le des una oportunidad a Como agua para chocolate.
También puedes ver las adaptaciones en película, publicada en 1992, y su más reciente serie de HBO que salió a finales del 2024 y este año publicaron la segunda y última temporada.



ALEX RHEA REPORTER
TS is back with their fifth studio album “ARIRANG” on March 20.
It has been nearly four years since their anthology album “Proof” on June 10, 2022, and six years since their fourth studio album “MAP OF THE SOUL : 7” on Feb. 21, 2020.
The lead single and title track for “ARIRANG” is “SWIM,” an upbeat alternative pop track featuring electric guitars and vintage drums. The message of the track, if you listen closely enough to the lyrics, is the will to keep moving forward and the love for life.
There are 14 tracks in this album, with “SWIM” being the seventh track in the album. I find it quite interesting how the title track of the album is in the middle, since the previous albums had the title track second after an “intro” track.
For example, “Intro : What Am I to You” in their 1st studio album “Dark & Wild,” released on Aug. 20, 2014. “Dark & Wild” is actually what many ARMY (BTS fans) compare “ARIRANG” to, mainly because it has a similar track structure.
The first five tracks in “ARIRANG” (“Body to Body,” “Hooligan,” “Aliens,” “FYA” and “2.0,”) are more rap or hip-hop feeling and are heavier in beat compared to the rest of the album.
The sixth track is “No. 29,” and it is a one minute and 38 second ring from the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok. The bell is meant to be a transition from the heavier sound to a more elevated sound and an introspective part of the album.
A photo of a photo of all of the BTS members in the photo and lyric book of BTS
The 5th Album "ARIRANG" (Rooted in Korea Ver.), March 20. (Alex Rhea)
To me, this would be similar to an “interlude” which they have done in previous albums. For example, one of their interlude tracks was, “Interlude: What Are You Doing Now” in “Dark & Wild.”
Following “No. 29” and “SWIM” are the next seven tracks in the album, which all have their own styles.
However, to me, both “Merry Go Round” and “NORMAL” feel like they lean more towards pop rock.
I love how in “NORMAL” they make a call back to them being “bulletproof.” The lyrics, “ Show me hate, show me love, make me bulletproof” calls back to this idea.

The tenth track in the album is “Like Animals.” To me, it is a rock ballad track talking about embracing primal instincts and wanting a desire to deep dive into an unrestricted world.
The next track is “they don’t know ‘bout us,” and I see this track as a modern Western rap talking about how other people may see that BTS has changed, but they feel the same, given the lyric “You say we changed? / We feel the same,” which J-hope raps.
The thirteenth track in the album is “One More Night." I see it as a synth-pop track, being quite heavy on autotune.
BTS released the tracklist of "ARIRANG" on Weverse, March 3.
This style is new to them because I do not believe they have made a track that is synth-pop or similar to it. I see this track as them talking about a night that is so special that it feels like a fantasy, and they never want it to end.
I do not have much to say about the second to last track,

“Please,” other than it is a chill track all about wanting someone when they are feeling down. Finally, the fourteenth and last track in ‘ARIRANG” is “Into the Sun.”
This track is soft rock, but it also starts a bit country in the first stanza of the song.
V sings, “Baby, you remind me / I want someone like you / Fires are never dying / I want someone like you,” but his voice is very autotuned.
I see this track as the members giving a message to ARMY to not be afraid in the dark of waiting and be patient because BTS will be guiding us into the sun. ARMY had to wait years for this comeback, and BTS is back for more. Their sound has definitely evolved over the years.

A photo of a set of photocards of the BTS members recieved in BTS The 5th Ablbum "ARIRANG" (Rooted in Korea Ver.), March 20.