SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • APRIL 21, 2021 | VOLUME 106 | ISSUE 29
COVID-19 IMPACT STUDY PG 3 OCEAN ENTERPRISE PG 5
LIVE STREAM TEAM PG 6
Southern Miss student plans to bring back yearbook
Courtesy of Special Collections at The University of Southern Mississippi
BRIAN WINTERS EXECUTIVE EDITOR he University of Southern Mississippi’s yearbook, the Southerner, stopped being published in 2015. But one student hopes to bring the yearbook back next year. Maxwell Greenough, a junior Sports Management major, is also a fourth generation Golden Eagle. Greenough said he grew up looking at the Southerner with all of his cousins, aunts and any other family members who went to Southern Miss. “My grandmother’s mother was the first one who came [to Southern Miss] when it was Mississippi Normal[,] and it changed to State Teachers College while she was enrolled there,” he said. “My mom is the youngest of eight and all of them came to Southern Miss throughout the years, from the 70s to the 90s.”
Greenough did not know the Southerner was gone until he transferred to Southern Miss last year. He said that, because of how important it was to him growing up, he wanted to see if there was something he could do to revive the Southerner. The current plan is to bring back the yearbook in some form next year to celebrate classes being back in person. “What we’re envisioning for that, at most, it will be an actual yearbook[,] and at least it will be a magazine of some sort, kind of a thinner preview of student organizations,” Greenough said. “Let [the student organizations] have a chance to tell what they did, more than just a picture of them and a motto.” Edgar Simpson Ph.D., the Director of The School of Communication, said a lot of universities have gotten away from printed yearbooks. He said a yearbook does not serve a universal purpose in college like it does in most elementary or high
The Southerner from 1915 and the last Southerner published from 2015.
schools, as everyone’s journey in college is different. “That means there is a challenge for the yearbook, what is our purpose or what mission do we serve for those students,” Simpson said. “I do see why the university went away from it, but I think it is a really good idea to talk about what version of it can be brought back and how we can do that.” Simpson said, if there is a group of students with a desire to create a yearbook, then he is committed to helping them get there. He thinks doing outreach and gaining interest in the yearbook would be helpful in figuring out what it would eventually look like. Greenough also said he thinks some alumni would like to see the yearbook come back in some form. He plans to put a message in The Talon to explain the situation to alumni and possibly garner more support for bringing it back.
“All of my aunts and uncles were very involved and loved their time here,” Greenough said. “[They] had no idea we did not have a yearbook anymore.” Greenough plans to go to the School of Communication to garner interest in working on the project. Simpson said the project would need a dedicated group of students to make it a reality. He added that, when students approach faculty with ideas they feel passionate about, the faculty will try to knock down possible barriers to help get students where they want to go. “I do see the School of Communication being the correct home for something like this,” Simpson said. “I’m open to anything, as long as it works for where the kids want to go[,] I’m open to it.” If you want to show support for the plan or to provide help with the project, you can email Maxwell Greenough at robert. greenough@usm.edu.
NEWS
APRIL 21, 2021
MEET THE STAFF Executive Editor
Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu
News & Features Editor Mary Murphy mary.s.murphy@usm.edu
Sports Editor
Charlie Luttrell charles.luttrell@usm.edu
Multimedia Editor
Earl Stoudemire earl.stoudmire@usm.edu
Design Editor
Marissa Haas marissa.haas@usm.edu
The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.
Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications. Courtesy of Moffitt Health Center
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NEWS
APRIL 21, 2021
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Participants needed for COVID-19 impact study by USM, Tougaloo Researchers MARGARET MACLOUD COURTESY OF USM he University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and Tougaloo College have partnered to research and better understand the challenges faced by young adults in Mississippi throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and the group is seeking 18 to 29-yearold individuals across the state to participate in the study. The research study, Young Adults Against COVID-19 (YAACOV), will ask participants to complete a brief online survey and participate in one virtual focus group to share what they know about the virus. The discussion will include how they coped with the stressors and challenges brought on by the pandemic, as well as the sources of information sought to obtain information on vaccination and other prevention strategies. “The Young Adults Against COVID-19 study is an opportunity for our young people to contribute to our understanding of how the virus has impacted their lives,” said Dr. Traci Hayes, Project Site Lead, and assistant professor at USM. “We are encouraging
Courtesy of YAACOV Study
young people, those from underserved groups, rural areas, from across the state to participate.” The YAACOV study is one of five projects supported by the Mississippi Collaborative Engagement Alliance (MS CEAL), which was awarded to the University of Mississippi Medical Center and funded by the National Institutes of Health. Data published by the Mississippi State Department of Health shows that approximately
36 percent of the COVID-19 cases were among young adults from ages 18-39. Among this group, African American young adults are at greater risk of contracting and suffering from the virus. “The data provided by the Mississippi State Department of Health identifies young adults as continuing to be a population of high risks for carrying and transmitting the coronavirus, and that is a major reason why this study
is specifically designed to identify the concerns, challenges, and information needs of that population,” said Dr. Wendy White, YAACOV Principal Investigator and Principal Investigator of the Jackson Heart Study Undergraduate Program at Tougaloo College. For more information, please contact Dr. Hayes at 601-2665434 or visit www.YAACOV19. info.
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NEWS
APRIL 21, 2021
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Southern Miss professor named to National Nursing Organization’s New Diversity Committee MICHAEL ARNOLD COURTESY OF USM r. LaWanda Baskin, Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing and Health Professions at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), will join colleagues from across the country on a new committee designed to promote and develop greater racial diversity among nurse practitioners. Baskin and 14 fellow professionals will serve two-year terms on the inaugural committee launched by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) – the only organization specifically devoted to promoting high quality nurse practitioner education. Baskin, who also serves at the interim director, School of Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice, considers it an honor to work with stellar faculty from colleges and universities across the U.S. on such an important mission. “I hope to take away increased knowledge concerning racial and eth-
nic diversity from those members of the committee that are leaders in the field, but I also hope that my presence will contribute to the national conversation to improve recruitment, hiring, advancement, and retention of diverse faculty,” said Baskin. “I am hopeful that my efforts will assist with providing evidence-based strategies that strengthen the presence of NP faculty of color. I feel that it is important to be acutely aware of the climate in which we are educating our students.” Baskin’s appointment arose from a call by the NONPF board seeking candidates for the new committee. Those interested were asked to submit statements expressing their desire to serve and ideas for advancing the committee. Baskin earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from USM in 1997; her Master’s of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Alcorn State University in 2012, and her PhD in Nursing Leadership from USM in 2017. Dr. Lachel Story, Dean of USM’s College of Nursing and Health Pro-
Courtesy of Southern Miss
fessions, emphasizes that the college’s responsibility in nursing education is to prepare future healthcare professionals who will advocate and care for everyone. This includes minimizing the impact of racism and other social injustices have on all aspects of an individual’s health. “Nursing is uniquely positioned to contribute to the national conversation and has the responsibility to ensure we are living up to our professed
values, particularly those related to diversity, inclusion, and equity,” said Story. “Dr. Baskin’s appointment provides an opportunity for Southern Miss to engage in that national conversation and work to better actualize our professional values.” To learn more about the College of Nursing and Health Professions at USM, call 601.266.5445 or visit: https://www.usm.edu/nursing-health-professions/index.php.
Southern Miss receives $7 million for ocean enterprise efforts MARGARET MACLOUD COURTESY OF USM he University of Southern Mississippi (USM) was recently awarded $7 million in state funding to support infrastructure associated with the Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise (RFWCOE). This appropriated money from both capital expense funds and the Mississippi Development Authority’s Gulf Coast Restoration Fund, brings the total to $21 million in appropriated monies to USM since 2019 for RFWCOE, infrastructure, and programming. The following projects will be supported by this $7 million award: Wharf and pier improvements supporting the Research Vessel (R/V) Gilbert R. Mason and two additional large research vessel slips Short term pier access for support vessels Infrastructure support for launch of uncrewed maritime systems “We are thankful our legislators, the Governor, the Mississippi Port of Gulfport and the community continue to invest and support this transformational project that brings together industry, non-profit, federal and state partners to grow the blue economy in Mississippi,” said Dr. Kelly Lucas, USM’s Associate Vice President for Research, Coastal Operations. The 62,000 sq. ft. Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise will be
Courtesy of Southern Miss
located at the Mississippi State Port Authority at Gulfport and is expected to open in April 2022. The Center is a comprehensive research and development partnership program focused on uncrewed maritime systems and blue technology innovation. The program includes access to prototype fabrication equipment, laboratories, training, and conference space and access to the 4-dimensional shallow, medium and deep-water testing range with a command-and-control center for real time mission support. NOAA, Office
of Marine and Aviation Operations Uncrewed Maritime Systems headquarters will be located in the new building along with USM and other private partners. The previous $14 million in funding awarded to USM includes program support from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources through the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) and additional infrastructure funds from the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund to support building infrastructure and site improvements.
The Mississippi State Port Authority at Gulfport has committed $32 million in restoration funds to build the RFWCOE. “We appreciate our great partnership with the Port of Gulfport. They have been instrumental in building infrastructure needed to support this program, and we look forward to continuing to work with them to implement the waterside improvements for the ocean enterprise program,” USM Vice President for Research Dr. Gordon Cannon said.
NEWS
APRIL 21, 2021
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Southern Miss School of Music introduces first Live Stream Team MICHAEL ARNOLD COURTESY OF USM ork in the arts during the COVID-19 pandemic has required faculty, students, and staff at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) to acquire and hone new skills - not the least of these was how to use a variety of technologies in new ways. When the School of Music determined that there would be no audiences allowed into any recitals or concerts, they had to figure out a way to allow friends, faculty, staff, parents, and other concertgoers to participate in events. The answer was both simple – live stream – and yet complicated. The school created a structure from the ground up that saw them working in small, rotating groups, to livestream and record almost 200 recitals and concerts in 217 days over the last two semesters. Last July, the School of Music started
Photo courtesy of Live Stream Team
by purchasing a significant amount of recording and livestreaming equipment. Knowing the caliber of audio and video expected of a world class performing organization, they had it expertly installed. Then they began the process of training faculty, staff, and students to use the equipment. “We are very appreciative for the efforts of the USM I-tech department, the USM Physical Plant, the College and University administration, outside contractors, and many others for making this happen,” said Dr. Jay Dean, Director of the School of Music. Seeing this as a valuable learning opportunity, Dean reached out to students across the School of Music to gauge interest in learning how to record and livestream recitals and concerts. He created a class called “The Basics of Livestreaming” and initiated the first Livestream Team. Over the past eight months the team learned the basic skills
necessary to record and livestream. “Most performers who were recorded or livestreamed have no idea about the number of people who were involved in getting their recitals and concerts livestreamed,” said Dr. T.J. Tesh, a faculty member who helped organize the team. “They deserve a big thank you for all of the planning, coordination and work that they have done to make all of these livestreams happen.” Comprised of School of Music students, the team leaders were Ana Ruth Cortes and Marc Rivet. The Marsh Auditorium and Intermezzo@Woods Gallery Livestream Team members included Evelyn Anderson, Ana Arosmena Sandoval, Ruth Moreno Calderon, Florencia Cozza, Franco Galetto, Yu Lei, Elton Machado, Francisco Marco, Joy Parker,, Jujia Qin, Rodrigo Quintana, Rebekah Russell, Nathan Tubbs, Patricia Vanuci, and Alvaro Miranda Gamarra. The Mannoni Performing Arts Center
and Bennett Auditorium Livestream Team members included Eli Brand, Aaliyah Chatman, Walker Clayton, Alexander Dutt, and Andrew Sheets. Other team members were faculty and staff, including Rob Corey, Mike Lopinto, Richard Perry, Laurie Rinko, T.J. Tesh, and Lonnie Young. Local partners for installation, training, and technical assistance included Daren Byrd, Aaron Cook, and Josh Shropshire of Stagetec and Daniel Lozada of Gulf South Productions. “Without the ongoing efforts of the people above, we would not have been able to livestream any of our events,” Dean noted. “They accomplished an extraordinary and very important task not only for the School of Music, but also for our students, their families, and our community.” Live stream events for the School of Music may be found on their YouTube channel at youtube.com/USMmusic1.
ENTERTAINMENT
APRIL 21, 2021
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Queen Naija explores why she’s ‘missunderstood...still’ in new deluxe
Photo courtesy of Queen Naija’s Twitter
JAKORI BEAUCHAMP PRINTZ REPORTER n the era of social media, it’s not hard to feel as though you are misunderstood and misrepresented. R&B singer Queen Naija feels no different. About six months ago, she released her debut album, ‘missunderstood’, exploring her relationship with media perception. On April 16, she released the deluxe edition of this album, ‘missunderstood…still’. This deluxe has Naija continue to re-represent herself, giving her fans a clear image of who she is despite what others might say in the media. Naija struck R&B excellence again with ‘missunderstood...still’, with very few blunders throughout. ‘missunderstood...still’ includes all of the original songs on the album, plus six new songs. Naija had been teasing a deluxe version of ‘missunderstood’ since January, dropping snippets of brand new and fan-requested songs throughout
the year. One of the biggest requested songs was a then untitled snippet of a song featuring fellow up-and-coming R&B singer Ari Lennox. Queen Naija would eventually drop the song as the single “Set Him Up”. Both the song and the video were very enjoyable, and, after seeing the tracklist, my anticipation for the deluxe heightened tenfold. The tracklist included one of my favorite snippets, “Supa Vibe”, which dropped right before the world shut down last year. It also included “Butterflies Pt. 2 (Remix)” featuring Wale, which was one of my most played songs last year. Songs to highlight on this reissue are “Love Is…,” “Supa Vibe” and “Insecure.” The J.I. assisted “Love Is...” samples Eve’s 1999 classic “Love Is Blind”. The song discusses domestic violence and self-esteem issues, building on one of Naija’s previous tracks, “Too Much Too Say”. This was the most marvelous track on the entire album. The subject matter, the production, the vocal layering
and the harmonies melded together beautifully, making this track a standout. The Hitmaka produced “Supa Vibe” is also a catchy bright spot on the album. This song that fans wanted to see the most on the original version of the album. When it wasn’t, many fans expressed their disappointment. Queen Naija heard their cries and placed it as ‘missunderstood... still’s’ album opener. The song is a catchy club single with nice drums, and its production allows the song to shine on the album. With the right video, “Supa Vibe” could take off this summer and become another big hit for Naija. Saving the best for last, “Insecure” is a brash, throwback single reminiscent of 2000s R&B songs. The song speaks of Naija’s partner pushing their issues on her, making Naija develop self-esteem issues and want to leave the relationship. The song’s subject matter isn’t anything new for Naija, who spoke on these issues previously on her self-titled EP with “Karma”
and on Soundcloud with “What You Won’t Do For Love”. Overall, the deluxe edition of ‘missunderstood’ was a great continuation of the standard version, building on its excellence. My only problem with ‘missunderstood...still’ is Naija’s continued overuse of reverb and pitch correction. Queen Naija is one of few singers from the new generation of artists that has a very broad vocal ability. But on ‘missunderstood... still’, she seems to tone the vocals down and reverb them until they are barely noticeable. An example of this would be the “Empty (Interlude)”, which, when previewed, had much stronger vocals from Naija. Yet the album version reverbs the song to the point of no return, taking away from its essence. What’s the point of belting the song if we can’t hear or feel it? Other than that, there are no problems with ‘missunderstood...still’. Though I hope we get to hear more raw vocals in upcoming releases, Queen Naija’s sophomore era is shaping up to be a great one.
SPORTS
APRIL 21, 2021
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Eagle Esports make historic playoff appearances CHARLIE LUTTRELL SPORTS EDITOR he University of Southern Mississippi’s Eagle Esports program made history last week when two of its teams made it to the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) playoff tournaments. Team ‘Rocket League’ and Team ‘Overwatch’s’ playoffs mark the first postseason appearances anyone has made in the program’s history. “This is our first semester of competitively playing and to have two of our teams make the playoffs, we’re thrilled,” Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Denny Bubrig said. “We’re beyond ecstatic for the progress that they have made, but that also comes with a recognition that we still have a lot of things to do and a long way to go.” While Team ‘Rocket League’ lost 3-0 in its first-round matchup against Missouri Baptist University, Team ‘Overwatch’ advanced to the semifinals with a win against the University of British Columbia Okanagan. Team ‘Overwatch’ won the first two games, but dropped the next two. The team then broke the tie with a victory in the fifth game. Senior computer engineering major Jacob Cooper earned the MVP for the match. Cooper said the team felt relieved to win, but knew they could improve from the match. “Being the first playoff game, there was definitely more pressure than usual and our [scrimmages] were a little messy but we came through and ended up doing better than we thought we were going to at first and ended up winning it,” Cooper said. “We have the mindset that we’re going to go all the way[,] so that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Team “Overwatch’s” ambitions reflect the progress that Eagle Esports has made in its first year of competitive play in the NECC. Eagle Esports, established in 2019, currently has five teams that each compete in five different games. These teams, playing popular titles like ‘Rainbow Six’, ‘Overwatch’, ‘Rocket League’, ‘Call of Duty’ and ‘League of Legends’, compete in a series of unique tournaments against players all across the country. Both Team ‘Rocket League’ and Team ‘Overwatch’ are led by player-coaches who have split the responsibilities of playing and coaching during a year facing challenges of COVID-19. In October, Jonathan Haigh, junior information technology major and Team ‘Rocket League’ player-coach, said that his team could not meet each other due to COVID-19 restrictions, which presented difficulties in building team chemistry for their new roster. However, this semester, the teams were finally able to utilize “The Arena”, the newly created Eagle Esports’ headquarters, located inside the R.C. Cook University Union. Sophomore computer science major Samuel Stackler, who is the coach of Team ‘Overwatch’, said that making operations in person allowed him to meet teammates for the first time, which created chances for the team to improve. When Team ‘Overwatch’ competed in the fall, Stackler said he was worried about how his team would fare during the NECC’s nine-game season. Despite his early worries, however, the team finished with a 6-3 record, earning the fifth seed in the tournament. Stackler said he believes his team can win the upcoming tournament, and noted how close com-
Charlie Luttrell | Printz petition is between the league’s top teams. “The difference between the one and five [seeds] is minuscule,” Stackler said. “It’s very competitive up there. We’re the fifth seed, but it’s not like we’re the fifth-best team. It’s still very up in the air.” Bubrig said there are several rewards at stake for winning the NECC championship, which includes gear, gaming packages and, of course, a championship trophy. Regardless of the tournament’s outcome, though, the program’s early success will help shape its future as a force in the collegiate esports landscape. “Just in one year, we have gone from being the one to solicit recruits [...to now having] recruits starting to reach out to us everywhere from
Oregon to North Carolina to even Las Vegas [Nevada],” Bubrig said. With a deep playoff run in the NECC tournament, Eagle Esports could add to its recruiting strength and prestige almost immediately. “I think it definitely helps, but I think it validates that we’re for real,” Bubrig said. “We’re here to try and compete. This isn’t a pipe dream. We’re working towards more [...and] this is just a start.” Team ‘Overwatch’ will play next against No. 1 seed California State University, Dominguez Hills on April 24. “We’re going to practice more than we usually do,” Cooper said. “Sam [Stackler] told us to make sure that we’re playing a lot more Overwatch this week. [...] We’re all in it and we’re ready to see what we can do against them.”