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The Student Printz October 27, 2016

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Thursday, October 27, 2016 Volume 101 Issue 16

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Gladney, McCluskey debate at Thad DAISY STUTTS

assistant photo editor The USM Speech and Debate Team hosted the Southern Mississippi Congressional District 4 Debate on Oct. 26, 2016 at the Thad Cochran Center. The debate featured Democrat Mark Gladney and Libertarian Ric McCluskey, both of whom are candidates for the position of Mississippi Congressman. Steven Palazzo, incumbent representative Republican candidate, did not attend the debate due to other obligations. The two candidates answered multiple questions about their stances on topics such as foreign policy, education, immigration, veteran care and other current issues. Members of the Speech and Debate Team acted as moderators for the debate, which was attended by an audience of more than 100 voters, including many students.The event featured audience participation through a text system allowing those in attendance to pose questions for the candidates. Director of Speech and Debate Paul Strait introduced the candidates and organized the event. “We think it’s important for the university to have an outward facing initiative,” Strait said. “This means citizen and community engagement: getting

Courtesy Photo | people involved and educated. The purpose of this institution is to educate people, and we thought this was a great service we could provide as the speech and debate team.” The main topic brought up by the

moderators was the candidates’ opinions on the most important challenges the nation faces and their proposed solutions to those challenges. “We hire politicians for a specific job,” Gladney said. “We can’t let them forget

Julius Kizzee | Sports Editor Congressional candidates Ric McCluskey and Mark Gladney exchange a hug after the debate in the Thad Cochran center on Oct. 26, 2016.

to represent normal, everyday people. The middle class has been crushed by unaffordable healthcare, stagnant wages and unfair tax distribution. If we don’t get a handle on these issues, the middle class is going to disappear.” “Right now we look to D.C.,” McCluskey said. “Both parties are taking a huge involvement in our personal lives when they can’t even sweep off their own doormats. We need accurate representation. Someone to be accountable. It’s my responsibility to protect The Constitution.” McCluskey argued for a more handsoff government with more emphasis on voter opinion and Constitutional values. “We have to stop doing the same things over and over again,” McCluskey said. “Government needs to be reduced and ultimately get out of the way. The economy has gotten progressively worse because the government is getting progressively larger.” Gladney said he leans more toward replacing government officials with those who will make decisions to benefit more people, emphasizing that the government is responsible for handling issues such as unaffordable healthcare and resolving social issues. “Education is the key to 90 percent

of the problems we have,” Gladney said. “A cookie-cutter approach doesn’t solve anything. Until we fix this, nothing else is going to get fixed, and only the government can make this happen.” The two candidates, although they had different opinions on the issues presented tonight, both agreed that incumbent representative Palazzo is not fit to represent Mississippi in congress and gave multiple examples to support this shared opinion. Senior history major Caitlin Osborne said she has been interested in the current presidential debate and wanted to learn about local politics. “I really didn’t know anything about either of these candidates, only Palazzo, which is a big reason I wanted to come,” Osborne said. “This was a definite game changer for me. I think the most important issue discussed was Mississippi’s treatment of gay rights legislation. It was interesting to hear two different sides.” Strait said the event’s turnout was better than expected. “We were really impressed with the turnout,” said Strait. “We hope that this reaches a lot of people and are excited for the next round of debate at the USM Gulf Coast Campus.”


INTRODUCTION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016

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Meet the Staff Fall 2016 Cam Bonelli

Executive Editor

FIND US ON THE WEB The Student Printz

catherine.bonelli@usm.edu

Jack Hammett

Managing Editor

jesse.hammett@usm.edu

@studentprintz

Garrett Minta News Editor

garrett.minta@usm.edu

Hiba Tahir

studentprintz.com

Entertainment Editor

hiba.tahir@usm.edu

Julius Kizzee Sports Editor

southernprintz@gmail.com

Hunt Mercier Photo Editor

hunt.mercier@usm.edu

OPINIONS 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.

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Hannah Heneghan

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hannah.heneghan@usm.edu

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EDITORIAL POLICY

The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily 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 submissions 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.

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NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016

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Vandals deface Medicine Wheel Garden

Samuel Mingo | Printz Samuel Mingo | Printz

CAM BONELLI

executive editor

Between Oct. 23 and Oct. 24, an unknown individual or individuals vandalized The University of Southern Mississippi’s Intertribal Society Medicine Wheel Garden on the Hattiesburg campus. Senior sociology major Samuel Mingo said he received a text message about the vandalism. “I got a text message telling me to let Dr. Greer know that someone wrote stuff in chalk on the concrete sidewalk,” Mingo said. “I asked what was written, and I was told just to let Dr. Greer know. I was worried, so I went to the garden myself and saw someone had drawn and written a bunch of drug-related things in the center of the garden.” Mingo said he immediately went home to get cleaning supplies for the garden. “A majority of the chalk just washed away, but I had to get on my hands and knees and scrub some of the parts that did not come up,” Mingo said. “It took about 10 minutes to clean.” The garden, established in 2005, houses plants native to the southeast and that are still used by Native American tribes today. The USM Intertribal society maintains the garden and uses the space for meditation, education and crafts. Associate Professor of Psychology and Medicine Wheel Garden Caretaker Tammy Greer said she was part of the initialization of the garden. “Back in 2005, I was part of the team that wrote the grant for the garden,” Greer said. “I tend the garden, and, along with my students and along with the native students, we dig plants, we plant plants, we tend plants [and] we weed the garden. I’ve been doing that for the entire time the garden

has been there.” President of the Golden Eagles Intertribal Society Lanena John said the garden belongs to the society and is a place where members meditate. “The Medicine Wheel Garden actually belongs to the club because it pays homage to the Native Americans, so Native Americans of the university go there if they want to meditate or if they just want to [educate] themselves about who they are and where they come from,” John said. “Anybody can use it. It is open to the public.” John said she feels disrespected by the vandalism that took place in the garden. “The medicine wheel garden, like I said, helps [students] find inner peace where meditation or something particular to that,” John said. “But it’s also sacred because it was blessed by one one of our elders, a medicine woman, and for her to come down and bless it and another person to come vandalize it, it’s disrespecting her. Not only her, but everybody else whom this medicine wheel garden touched.” Treasurer of the Golden Eagles Intertribal Society Nicklaus Shumake said he could not rationalize why someone would vandalize the Medicine Wheel Garden. “The garden means a lot,” Shumake said. “[The garden is] not just a place where we educate people but a place for prayer, a place for harmony – to get away from school for a while. A place I can call my meditation place, I guess you could say.” John said she feels discouraged by the vandal’s actions. “For this to happen, especially on a campus, it just shows that students are not fully aware or educated enough about Native Americans – or other, cultures at that – and how important and

respectful their culture are to them,” John said. Mingo said the garden is a spiritual place and that people misunderstand Native American culture. “I kept thinking, people wouldn’t do this in front of the chapel or the BSU,” Mingo said. “I wondered if it was drug-related because people have this idea that Native Americans smoke marijuana in our peace pipes. We do not do that.” Mingo said people live in a global community in today’s world and that USM represents several cultures across the world. “You cannot get along in today’s world being xenophobic or blatantly blinded with ethnocentrism,” Mingo said. “On our campus alone, we have cultures from all over the world represented. Each of those cultures bring something unique and valuable to the USM community.” Greer said the garden had been vandalized before. “Well, I think that with a lot of things about native people culture, people don’t understand the significance or the importance of being respectful,” Greer said. “I feel like the [vandals] didn’t mean harm, but they didn’t also think about what that garden represents. There are ways to use everything in a respectful way, and there is a way to disrespect everything as well.” Greer said she would like for the vandals to come out and see what the garden is about. “The people who maybe have a bad start with something end up being the best defenders of that same thing once they understand what the fuss is about,” Greer said. “And so I guess it’s appropriate for us to make a fuss, and maybe they will want to understand what [the garden is] about, and the best way to do that is to ask people.”


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NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016

CCCD organizes charity bake sale LORA LAVIGNE

printz reporter

The University of Southern Mississippi’s Children’s Center for Communications and Development (CCCD) will support United Way Southeast by hosting its sixth annual Treats for Tots Bake Sale on Oct. 25. The CCCD is a transdisciplinary program that serves over 90 children from 22 South Mississippi counties. According to the CCCD website, the children represent a range of disabilities that include various communication and developmental disorders such as Down syndrome, hearing impairment, cerebral palsy, autism, Rett syndrome, traumatic brain injuries, aphasia, apraxia and conditions related to premature birth. Samantha McCain, the CCCD’s communication coordinator, said during every therapy session the children are provided snack breaks. During snack time, the children pick out their desired treats. “It’s almost like an event for them,” McCain said. ”Especially

for our children who are dealing with texture or taste issues.” After the children pick out their treats, therapists work with them on how to open the packages, count the food and process how they consume it. McCain said the CCCD has its own way of teaching. “Everything here is a lesson,” McCain said. “Everything from outside, to snack time to actual therapy curriculum. We do all of those things and use every opportunity for a child to learn.” Additional fundraising includes “employee giving” by which employees at the university donate a percentage of their paychecks to United Way every month. “It’s the best way to make the most impact by one donation,” McCain said. The CCCD also hosted a random drawing for a basket filled with items from campus partners and local businesses; the items include homecoming game tickets, Southern Miss merchandise, gift cards and more. “Events like this allow us to continue our services with our

Courtesy Photo | parents,” said speech pathologist graduate assistant Candice Franklin. “The center is free for parents and in order for that to happen, we have to have fundraisers like this.” Franklin said her experience as a graduate assistant is “hands-on.”

As an assistant, she provides an extra set of hands for the therapist and has an opportunity to enhance her skills as a speech pathologist. “Working with these children on a daily basis I see how much the volunteers truly mean to them,” Franklin said. “I think they truly

enjoy having visitors. The more supporters and the more money we can raise, then the more children we can bring into our center.” All of the funds raised at this year’s bake sale will go directly to United Way Southeast agencies.

College of Arts and Letters installs new sculptures PRESS RELEASE

southern miss now

As students hurry to their classes at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, they are stopping to take notice of some new outdoor sculptures on the west side of campus. These sculptures are part of the 2016 USM Outdoor Art Exhibition sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters, the Department of Art and Design and Partners for the Arts. The sculptures are the work of artists from across the country and will remain on campus through April 2018. A committee consisting of a student and faculty and staff members from the College of Arts and Letters selected four pieces from 35 entries from 20 artists. The committee was looking for aesthetic pieces that people will find interesting and thought-provoking, yet durable pieces that can withstand the weather of south Mississippi. The committee votes for the works they find are the best and best fit in the space provided on campus. “This exhibition is an opportunity for

the University, students, faculty and staff to open a dialogue about what public art means to the individual and how art impacts our community,” said Jennifer Torres, professor and interim chair of the Department of Art and Design. “Public art beautifies the campus and allows us to have a conversation about why art is important to the community.” “It’s All About Electricity” by Richard Herzog is installed behind the Liberal Arts Building. Herzog, who earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from Bowling Green State University and a master’s of fine arts from the University of Georgia, currently lives in Athens, Ga. “My current work explores botanical forms, the lack of interaction between man and nature, our disconnection from this environment and the ‘artificialization’ of nature, natural spaces and all things living. All a combination of a systematic organization of natural forms possessing a chaotic multi-layered visual effect creating a metaphor of our world, dominated by its rapid pace and over-stimulation,” Herzog explains on his website.

10/29 -

Plant the Waters

10/31 -

Rooster Blues

with War Possum and Dingus Tron

at Benny’s Boom Boom Room

Courtesy Photo | When she’s not in class, meeting with students or grading papers, Dr. Kate Green, a professor in political science, can be found chatting with colleagues and students on the Liberal Arts Building veranda. “I think the sculpture behind the Liberal Arts Building is beautiful and we are trying to figure out what it is. We think it looks like a tree. It’s unique and it’s one of my favorite pieces to ever be on campus,” Greene said. “Delphinian,” a stainless steel piece by Andrew Light is in front of the Liberal Arts Building. Light is a full time sculptor who has been a guest artist and lecturer at universities throughout the country.

He currently maintains an active studio in Lexington, Ky. Light prefers the use of fabricated metals for his work, as they afford a high degree of plasticity and durability for his expressions. He has work currently exhibited throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. “Better Days” by Nathan Pierce is in front of the International Center. Pierce, who earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from Southeast Missouri State University, is currently featured in four solo gallery exhibitions. He is cofounder of Untitled Gallery of Contemporary Art in Cape Girardeau, Mo. and Beyond the Pedestal Sculpture Park in Hunter Valley

Winery. Pierce has also installed several works across the country. Between Cook and McCain Libraries is “Appalachian Balance Beam” by artist Durant Thompson. He is an associate professor of sculpture in the Department of Art at the University of Mississippi and was formerly an art technician at Southern Miss. The steel, wood and cast iron piece, weighing 2,500 pounds, is an interactive bench and balance beam. Thompson is a Connecticut native and grew up in Knoxville, Tenn. He earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a master of fine arts degree from Louisiana State University. Thompson’s work has been featured at exhibitions across the region over the past decade. Students, faculty and members of the community enjoy the sculptures in different ways. Some admire from a distance, some like to touch the art and others enjoy conversing with friends or doing homework while sitting around or even on the pieces. “I think it is really important for the University to continue supporting public art in the future. Showcasing these sculptures is something that the Department of Art and Design does that benefits the campus. We’re always receiving comments from the campus community about how much they love the artwork.” The public is invited to visit campus and view these sculptures. For more information, contact the College of Arts and Letters at 601.266.4315, visit us at www.usm.edu or like us on Facebook, “Southern Miss College of Arts and Letters.”


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OPINION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016 HIBA TAHIR

entertainment editor

So an interesting thing happened not too long ago. When you’re an easily amused and paranoid hijabi with far too much free time and a much too loud platform, interesting things are not hard to come by. I can’t even begin to tell you how many interactions I’ve had on campus that will likely come out in my future books and therapy sessions, so you know that if I can remember them distinctly, they’re particularly special. This incident was indeed very special, but because I don’t think the subject would be comfortable sharing it, I’m going to change a few key details in order to protect his identity.

There I was, minding my own business, spouting off 10 stanzas for my Poetry 322 class in the courtyard of USM’s, um, armory, when a young man happened upon me. Now, as a hijabi in the Bible Belt, I’m used to getting stares. I’m used to widened eyes and shocked faces. However, when someone gives me that shocked face, squints a little and then pedals by on his, um, horse, three times, I begin to grow a little concerned. Still, I managed to keep my composure. I continued typing as I ran his picture through my mental database. I recalled seeing him before in the aforementioned armory, under similar circumstances. I’d decided at the time that he’d mistaken me for someone else, or that he’d never seen a hijabi before or that he was concerned my hijab might be too tight and could be cutting off the circulation to my brain – but here he was again. Staring. And then, he spoke. “Hiba? Are you Hiba?” I looked up, pleasantly surprised and immediately deciding that if I didn’t like him, I would at least tolerate him. Because he’d said my name correctly. That’s literally it – that’s what made this incident so special. For the love of all that’s culturally and linguistically correct, learn to say a person’s name correctly before you use it. I honestly think my parents did really well on the whole foreign-but-still-pronounceable front. I admit that my life could have been much, much harder, and I’m very thankful that it isn’t. But because most people still get it wrong, I’m going to help you. I’m going to do it in a way that makes sense to you. For Music and Theater majors: It’s like Reba McEntire, but with an “H” and without the wisdom and country music and resplendence in cowboy boots. For Science students: Ebola. Hebola. Take out the “ol.” (Or leave it in. I could use the street cred.) For English and other language majors: Shakespeare preferred the pronoun “he.” I prefer the first syllable “he.” For Business majors: If you listen to the horrible screeching noises of the Stock Market Exchange long enough, you can pretend you’re hearing all sorts of things. Let one of those things be the correct pronunciation of my name, please.


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ENTERTAINMENT THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016

Chateau Program offers abroad experience

Courtesy Photo |

DAISY STUTTS

assistant photo editor The University of Southern Mississippi’s Office of Study Abroad invites students to spend a semester in Strasbourg, France through the Chateau Program, which includes a cultural and academic journey through multiple French cities over the course of about three months. This program begins Feb. 15, 2017, and students will return on April 30, 2017. The program will begin with a week-long cultural exploration of Paris. While earning 13-16 hours of history, French and English

credit, students live in the Chateau de Pourtales, an 18th century chateau. Not only do students get to take classes and reside in a historic city, there are many opportunities for students to visit other cities through excursions organized by the program or independent travels during breaks. Some of these guided excursions include a tour of Strasbourg, a visit to the Council of Europe, a visit to the European Parliament, tours of Frankfurt, Heidelberg and Struthof and a performance in Strasbourg. Madame Keltoum Rowland, director of the Chateau Program,

said she especially encourages freshmen and sophomores to consider participating in a semester abroad in France. The program offers credit for courses needed by almost all majors, such as English 203 and World Civilization 102. Because of the offered generaleducation courses, the first two years in college are the best times to participate in study abroad, according to Rowland. The program is not limited to French majors. “Study abroad pushes students to get out of their comfort zone,” Rowland said. “It allows them to broaden their perspective of the

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world and come back home with a more critical eye.” The cost of the Chateau Program is estimated to be $10,830, which includes program fees, tuition, airfare and personal expenses. Many students’ main concern about study abroad programs is the financial aspect. However, financial aid applies directly to tuition and housing in Strasbourg. “Students don’t realize that if they are paying for housing, tuition and a meal plan, they are spending about as much as they would studying abroad,” Rowland said. “Participating in a study abroad program is surprisingly affordable,” said Molly Hinesly, a sophomore international business major who plans to study abroad this spring. “The department helped me really make a plan to make this happen, and I know it is going to be so worth it.” Sophomore public health major Anastasia Walrod attended the 2016 Chateau Program last spring. “I decided the attend the

Chateau Program on a whim, just a few days before the application date closed,” Walrod said. “Choosing to attend was the best decision of my life. I read poetry on a French hillside, discussed Jewish identity in a Nazi work camp, danced to street music near Sacre-Coeur and toured the European parliament. I gained a sense of identity as an American abroad and learned what it meant to be an international citizen. The memories and friendships I made will last a lifetime.” According to Madame Rowland, spending one semester abroad is a great way to do something different and gain cultural experience that students would not find while staying at Southern Miss every semester of their college career. The deadline to apply is Nov. 4, and the program is limited to 25 students. For more information or to apply, students can contact Madame Rowland at keltoum. rowland@usm.edu or the Office of Study Abroad at 601-266-4964.


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OPINION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016

Supreme court not diverse, representative

Courtesy Photo |

J.D. RIMANN

printz reporter

he Supreme Court is not representative of America, nor is it representative of the American legal system. The judges might appear superficially diverse at first glance, but once one digs a little deeper, they almost appear to be clones of each other – at least experientially and educationally.

This is not a good thing, something which one very well-known federal judge made mention of this past week. Judge Richard Posner is the most influential federal judge you have never heard of. The Chief Justice of the Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago Judge Posner is the most cited judge in American legal history. Judge Posner has also been an outspoken iconoclast his entire career,

and one who is nearing retirement, which might explain why he felt fine unleashing this gem at a book signing for his new biography last week about the Supreme Court. “I’m actually writing a book now called ’Strengths and Weaknesses of the American Legal System,’” Posner said. “It’s almost entirely about the federal judiciary. So I have about ten pages on the strengths and about 320 pages on the weaknesses.” Shots fired, sir! But with his next sentence, he addressed something I have often considered: “I’m very critical. I don’t think the judges are very good. I think the Supreme Court is awful. I think it’s reached a real nadir. Probably only a couple of the justices, Breyer and Ginsburg, are qualified. They’re okay, they’re not great.” Pretty harsh words from a lower court judge to level against the Supreme Court, even if that lower judge is one of the most distinguished jurists in American history. Posner explained that the two main reasons he had such a low opinion of the court is because nearly all of the justices lack trial court experience and because by and large justices do not write their own opinions and instead delegate them to law clerks. (Posner himself writes every one of his own opinions and has written over sixty books). Both of these are valid points, and I have a couple other ones to add as well. If a judge is going to issue a major ruling on the U.S. Constitution that will affect 320 million people and the legal system of the most powerful nation on Earth, then they should probably write their own opinions and have clerks there for assistance, not for full-scale drafting. Trial court judges are also not much represented on the court. Appellate law is a hyper-intellectual type of law that

places a heavy weight on written briefs and less on the witnesses and nonexpertise of the trial courts. Appellate lawyers are also increasingly necessary in our modern and heavily legalized world. However, it also has a reputation for insulating practitioners from the more confrontational – and common – experience of trial courts. It would be good for the Supreme Court and good for the United States to have a greater diversity of legal experience on the Court and a richer array of backgrounds for sitting justices to draw upon. While there is a range of races and ages on the court, almost every justice studied law at either Harvard or Yale, clerked for a Supreme Court justice, worked at an elite law firm and then served as a federal appellate court judge before being nominated for the court. None of these are bad things. Indeed, they are each marks of intellect, drive

and high achievement. However, if each member of the Court has roughly the same elite academic and experiential background, it is a disservice to the American people as a whole. If the next president – Republican or Democrat – is serious about increasing the diversity on the Supreme Court, they should consider looking past the glittering ranks of elite graduates and consider those from non-Ivy Schools or from outside the judiciary. Graduates of public law schools, judges who did not come up in appellate courts, and individuals who did not serve as federal clerks would go a long way toward ensuring that our Court is not an elites-only institution but is instead one that represents Americans of every background.

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8

SPORTS MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016

Purdue perseveres through trials, triumph JULIUS KIZZEE

sports editor

It was not always about the offense or about the accolades for the offensive statistics for her. When she started to gather the statistical gains in the record books, she began to take track of what she was doing on the court. “It’s something that I’ve been working towards,” said Stephany Purdue, a senior hailing from Mesa, Ariz. “Once I hit [my] 1,000th kill last year, I realized I could be on track for the record so I could keep chipping away at it so it’s the next kind of milestone.” 1,521 kills. By definition, a kill in volleyball is any time that a player scores a point for her team. For Purdue, when her team is up on the opponent, she takes advantage, and it is because of her teammates that she knows she is not alone on the court. “When we are up, we’re up,” Purdue said. “If we go into the halftime 2-0, we know we got this. I think that’s something we’ve created with the group of girls we have this year. We’re super close. It’s really helped us out.” Her confidence on the volleyball court is not unwarranted. She is the leading offensive player on her team – evidenced by her kill record, which is only 45 shy of the Southern Miss record.

What makes it more of an amazing feat is that she is 22 hours away from home. She is acclimating well to the campus and has been for the past four years. “I get asked that question anytime someone asks where I’m from,” Purdue said. “They’re like, ‘Why are you here?’ But, to play Division I sports was definitely a dream I had growing up and one of the first offers I had was Southern Miss. It kind of felt right when Coach [Berkley] came up to me.” It was not just the family factor that brought her here but the players who were already on the roster. They helped her develop the chemistry and the camaraderie needed to put her stats up and the wins on the schedule. “It kind of helps that my first two years, I was under other captains, and I could learn from them,” Purdue said. “I had to step up into the role, and I had to step up as an offensive player to be a captain and kind of keep the team in check.” The family atmosphere in Hattiesburg provided a situation for her to flourish and hone her skills on the court. However, she did not lose her Arizona touch back home. On game days more than 1,000 miles away, she still gets the same feelings all the way in Mississippi. Her dad is one big component of her game on the

court, and she is thankful for her family atmosphere that is brought to her every game day. “My dad definitely knows what to say,” Purdue said. “I always get a text from him right before game days and no matter how bad or how good I play. He always has something good to say about what I’m doing. He holds me accountable.” Her family has come to watch her play twice this season – in her home opener at Oak Grove and Texas-El Paso, which is a six-hour drive from home – and they look to come watch her play again before the season ends. Even if they are not in the stands on game days, they inspire her play on the court with a fearless attitude and persevere even when the odds are stacked against her team, just as they were at the LSU Invitational when teams like Virginia, UConn and the home team Tigers were facing the Golden Eagles. Southern Miss came out of that tournament a perfect 3-0 including two sweeps in the first day of the tourney. “We learned in preseason that as long as we control what we’re doing, we can take any game from somebody,” Purdue said. “We were brought there to that tournament to lose. We knew it. It kind of hyped us up.” “My motivation every day is my Mom,” Purdue said. “She’s a breast

Courtesy Photo | cancer survivor.” Purdue’s mother learned that she had breast cancer while Stephany was in high school. But through Joanne Purdue’s perseverance, Stephany learned that she had to dig deeper and create a feeling of never giving up and giving it all her best – especially in Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “She’s seven years in remission,” Stephany said. “Just seeing her go through every day and just against

everything that came up in life and face every obstacle and just beat it was definitely motivational. It just gives me the goosebumps every time [I play] because I know I’m playing for a cause and I’m playing for my Mom.“ Perseverance is key to Stephany and with her family’s help here at Southern Miss and in Arizona, she hopes to continue to write her name in the record books.


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