Opinion: Who will be the new president of The W?

Noah Chism
Writer

In Columbus, Mississippi, there is an important presidential search that most outside of the university would never know about. That’s because when most people hear the phrase, our minds turn to that of the national election, prompting images of yard signs, rallies and an election day.

This is very different, but for students, faculty and alumni of The W, also very important.

There are no rallies and ballots, because this is for the future president of Mississippi University for Women.

With the Mississippi Institute of Higher Learning starting its search for a new president, at least three names have been mentioned as leading candidates for the role left behind by former president Nora Miller. Two of the three emerging candidates are alumna from The W — medical scientist Dr. Doris Taylor and former state senator Sally Burchfield-Doty. Current interim President Dr. Scott Tollison has also been mentioned as a possible candidate. So far, it is unknown if the IHL has opened the process for potential candidate submissions, but here is more information about these three possible candidates.

• The first candidate to know about is Dr. Doris Taylor. She has an incredibly lengthy background in medical research that was inspired by watching her family struggle with medical issues.  These experiences led her to pursue two bachelor’s degrees from The W in Biology and Physical Science before she earned a Doctorate in Pharmacology from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Taylor has since spent time as a professor at Duke University, the University of Minnesota, as well as being with the Texas Heart Institute for a number of years. In 2009, TIME Magazine nominated her as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. Currently, she is openly positioning herself for the role of MUW president. 

• The second candidate is former state senator Sally Doty. Earning her undergraduate degree from The W, Burchfield-Doty subsequently earned a Juris Doctorate from Mississippi Christian University School of Law. She served in the Mississippi Senate for eight years. While in the senate, Doty was on several committees including Finance, Economic Development, Public Health and more. After she resigned from the senate, she was appointed by Gov. Tate Reeves to be the Director of the Office of Broadband, where she currently works. Burchfield-Doty's candidacy has been supported by local politicians, District 39 Rep. Dana McLean and District 17 Sen. Chuck Younger, at an IHL hearing in the spring. 

• The last candidate is Interim President Dr. Scott Tollison. He earned his bachelor's, master’s, and doctorate degrees from Mississippi State University. In 2004, Tollison became an instructor at The W and worked his way up, serving in many roles, including as the Dean of the College of Business and Professional Studies, until he became the Provost, which is the chief academic officer on campus. Tollison has taught various graduate and undergraduate courses in computer systems, programming, electronic commerce, and healthcare information technology. Tollison became the Interim President of the university on July 1 after Miller’s retirement. 

Each of these three candidates would be an incredible choice and would steward our university well as we step into a new chapter in its history. I personally predict that Tollison will become the next president for the university. But what about you? Who do you think is the best option for The W? 

One art student's preparation for Under the Oaks Art Festival

Anna Beth Hirshfeld
Reporter

On Saturday, Oct. 31, Mississippi University for Women will host the 4th annual Under the Oaks Art Festival in collaboration with the Columbus Arts Council. 

Since 2022, the Columbus Arts Council has invited local artists to showcase and sell their work at the festival, including students from The W’s Art Department. Each year, the event grows bigger with more vendors and patrons attending.

One artist that attendees can look forward to seeing is The W’s own Delia Lochala, an Art student at The W and a multitalented artist. Lochala has been a vendor since the first year of Under the Oaks, and she will be bringing several types of artwork to sell this year.

Delia Lochala working on a painting
Photo courtesy of Delia Lochala

“Primarily I do like large-scale oil paintings,” Lochala said. “However, for festivals and stuff, I’ll sell a couple of small paintings.”

Along with her paintings, she will be selling small drawings, prints, stickers, pins, keychains and more pieces done in different types of printing at her booth. This year she is excited to start selling relief-printed shirts as well.

 While talking about the logistics of being a vendor for Under the Oaks, Delia shared that students from The W who vend don’t pay a booth fee to attend. She said that all the proceeds she makes go to her.

“Yeah, I keep all that money to get more supplies and stuff to make more stuff,” Lochala said. 

For Lochala, the application process was quick and painless, just an online form that she completed in the summer. She noted the growth that Under the Oaks has seen since the first event in 2022, explaining that she was quick to get her application turned in because of the increasing competition for vendor spots. 

“Which is a good sign that it’s expanding, more people are becoming a part of it,” Lochala said. 

Over the years, she’s had success as a vendor at this event, making a comfortable profit on top of her material costs. Last year, she said her profits were double that of previous years. 

She added that weather is a large factor in attendance and hopes that the weather this year is as good as last year and that people will be encouraged to come check it out. With this event coinciding with Halloween, she has high hopes that the holiday will increase patronage this year. 

“It’s great, people need to come, it’s fun,” Lochala said. “This year, it’s gonna be, since it’s on Halloween, I think it’ll be more of an event, like a Halloween thing, too. Which I’m excited about, because I love Halloween.”

Aptly named for its position under the live oaks on The W campus, attendees can walk rows of stalls and listen to live music as they peruse the hand-made art pieces or stop by the food trucks. The festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with free admission.

Vendors filling the oak-lined street during the 2025 festival
Photo courtesy of Chris Jenkins

Two friends coming together to revive comics, start business

Tia Davis
Reporter

In the parking lot of a movie theater, two childhood best friends came up with the idea of making comics together. With Samuel, “Sam,” Allsup’s illustration skills and Riley Reed’s passion for creating stories, the two had the perfect abilities to make their comic-loving dreams turn into a reality. 

Reed had the idea for starting a business, and Allsup was dedicated to getting the story published and working on a collaboration. They were each other's push that they needed to start this business they have together. Together they established Revive Comics and began publishing the first prints of their comic together, “Blood of the Android,” and started selling them locally.

Allsup is a student at Mississippi University for Women and is pursuing a degree in Drawing and Painting with an emphasis in Illustration. He said that when he transferred from East Mississippi Community College he didn’t really have an academic plan. 

Sam Allsup working on the background for a comic
Photos by Tia Davis

“I guess I sort of went to EMCC because I really didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Allsup said. “And I met a couple people that guided me to the path I wanted to, which was illustration, and moved over here specifically because of that.” 

He said that he developed a newfound passion again in illustration. Illustrating was something that Allsup had done since he was young, and he was always doing it. However, his main dream was to make stories, something he’d always wanted to do but never had an outlet or reason to start. Then the parking lot conversation changed everything, giving him that opportunity to pursue his dreams.

Riley Reed is a cybersecurity student at Mississippi State University and has been rethinking what he wants to do since starting this business with Allsup. Since he has finally been able to write stuff and put it out into the world, it has put a lot of things into perspective for him.

“I almost pressured myself to create things, and I feel like I haven’t been giving myself that outlet,” Reed said. “Now that I have, it’s really changed the way I look at things, and changed the way I look at life in a way, and what I’m doing with it.” 

He shared that cybersecurity no longer aligns with what he wants to do in life, and that it would be something he felt like he had to do, instead of wanting to do. Reed expressed that it’s not what life is about. 

With running this business, the two must also juggle being full-time students. Being a university student and juggling both schoolwork and Revive Comics has been a rollercoaster for the two. 

“Revive Comics has definitely been just, like, kicking my butt, but I enjoy it,” Allsup said. “I think it’s the passion that keeps me going for it. It is very difficult to maintain good grades and a good amount of money while also wanting to do this; it’s a very tedious thing to have to learn how to balance.”

Even with trying to manage Revive Comics and school, it has added some positive attributes to Reed’s life. Reed explained that he had been in a hard place before Revive Comics, focused solely on school, not having time for a social life or job.

“It made school pretty easy, but also like, it sucked, you know?” Reed said. “And then now I’m having the problem of, I got a social life, I got a job, and I have Revive and school. So that’s like, really hard to balance.” 

Even with the difficulties, the two continue to pour into Revive Comics and take it as far as they can. They couldn’t, however, have gotten this far without the support of a few friends. Riley Newell, a student at The W pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, helped Allsup and Reed with designing their logo.

“So, when they come to me, and they ask me, ‘Hey, can you make us this logo, and can you also just tweak it to what looks good, you know?’” Newell said. “It was a good experience, cause it’s not just making the logo; it’s communicating a lot, asking a lot of questions, seeing if revisions need to be made.” 

Newell has known Allsup for quite some time. They attended EMCC and transferred to The W around the same time. Throughout their college years, they’ve grown a tight friendship, and Newell shared that she knew him well enough to know what he likes and doesn’t like about things. So, when asked to help with their logo, Newell felt honored.

“It’s really fun because it’s like, we have so many very, very talented graphic designers in Summer Hall, so it’s like, oh, you want to come to me of all people,” Newell said. 

Though still a work in progress, Revive Comics continues to create and publish more comics. According to their official Instagram account, they will be selling and releasing their next book at Under the Oaks on Oct. 31 in Columbus, Miss.

One of the comic panels made by Sam Allsup

New student organizations filling activity gaps on campus

Katelyn Klark
Reporter

Two new student organizations are making their mark on campus this fall: the Red Cross Club and the Wellness Society. 

As a chapter of a national organization, the Red Cross Club is driven by its century-long mission, while the Wellness Society, different in approach, intends to provide a laid-back, safe environment for those who want to participate in exercise. 

The Red Cross Club has launched its first full semester of projects after founder and president Haley Herring spent the spring 2026 semester working with Student Life, but, while registering with The W was straightforward, the American Red Cross itself required more legwork.

“Everybody who joins has to register as a Red Cross volunteer, so that will require a background check,” Herring said. 

This organization’s mission spans five branches: disaster response, support for military members and veterans, training and certifications, blood donations and international services. 

In September, the Red Cross Club hosted a blood drive. Members are planning on hosting a Veterans Day brunch on Nov. 14 and partnering with a local church.

Red Cross member, Emma Thompson at the recent blood drive
Photo by Haley Herring

For a student to join, they must maintain a 2.0 GPA, attend meetings on the first Tuesday of every month and participate in at least half of the chapter’s events. 

For Herring, the events hosted by the Red Cross Club all lead to one goal. 

“The biggest way to help other people is for them to be educated in how to help others as well,” Herring said. “Me knowing how to help somebody isn’t enough, but teaching everybody else how to is a lot more relevant.” 

Meanwhile, the Wellness Society works diligently to support its own goals on campus. 

Established in the spring 2026 semester by president and founder Alexandria Williams, the organization is the MUW chapter of an international group. Secretary Jordyn Ealy explained what the organization strives to achieve. 

“We’re all about taking care of yourself, both mentally and physically, without going super hard,” Ealy said.

One of those ways is through their weekly Trot Tuesday, an event that promotes activeness through campus-wide walks. The society’s latest ventures have included a mixer with the local tea and boutique shop Modern Magnolia, and a yoga session with the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. on campus. 

Outdoor yoga event
Photo by Alexandria Williams

For Ealy, the organization fills an important, previously missing role on campus.

“The Wellness Society definitely speaks to people who want to be active but don’t know where to start,” Ealy said. “We want to be that first stepping stone into a more active lifestyle.”

Students can apply for membership online and pay the $40 membership fee either in full or using a payment plan.

In November, the Wellness Society plans to hold an event centered around skincare. 

For more information about these organizations you can find them on Instagram, @redcrossmuw and @muwwellnesssociety.

October sports coverage

Noah Chism
Reporter

Men’s Soccer
The men’s soccer team for the Mississippi University for Women is not off to the start that they hoped for when the season began. At this point in the fall season, they have amassed a record of one win, 13 losses and one tie. 

The Owls began the season with nine straight losses before they finished their match against Huntington College with a tie on Oct. 6, having a final score of two goals for each squad.

After this tied match, they continued struggling with four more losses until Oct. 20 when they faced off against Tougaloo College. The Owls would emerge victorious against the Tougaloo Bulldogs with a score of 5-3, giving the team its first win of the season. 

Simon Roth during the Spalding game
Photo by Dave Beyer

The Owls have been fighting hard all season, and this win could be exactly what they need to turn their season around. 

Along with some positive momentum, the Owls have had some stellar performances from individual players. Simon Roth, an impressive freshman from Germany, has put up a team high of six goals this season while only playing in 11 games. This is some nice offensive production from the freshman and hopefully this will only continue to grow the longer he is on the team.

Even though the Owls have had a tough season, there is hope for a turnaround as this recent momentum might provide encouragement for more wins.  

Women’s Soccer
The Lady Owls are off to an almost equally difficult start to the season as the men’s team, coming in with a slightly higher win total. 

The team has accumulated a record of two wins, 10 losses, and one tie this season. They earned one of those two victories in a contentious conference matchup against Eureka College.  The Lady Owls began the season with seven straight losses until they faced off against Eureka, where they won 2-0, to earn a very beneficial conference victory.  

Alison Ragoyta receiving the ball from Lucy Warner against USSU
Photo by Chris Jenkins

They followed this win up with a loss, a win, and a tie which seemed to indicate some positive momentum as the season carried on. However, the last three matches have all ended in a loss for the Lady Owls. 

Even in the midst of a tough season, the Lady Owls have seen some stellar individual performances from several players including the standout freshman Reagan Shinn. Shinn has appeared in 13 games, starting in all of them and has put up a total of six goals this season. This number becomes even more impressive when you learn that the Lady Owls have scored a team total of seven goals this entire season. 

As the Lady Owls get ready to bring their season to a close, there’s hope for more wins. Go Owls!

Students learning about importance of safety and using their voices on campus

Jaelyn Grant
Reporter

Merry MacLellan
Editor

With the days growing shorter and darkness arriving earlier, students at Mississippi University for Women often face a dark walk back to their dorms or the cafeteria. There are some places on campus where lights bulbs are out, and the dark corners can make students nervous about walking alone.

But the danger isn’t always hiding in the darkness.

One student at The W faced this in the spring semester after what she termed a stalking incident with a male student. Aalaya, “Laya,” Campbell is a biology major and a peer mentor through the Student Success Center here at The W. During the spring semester, a male student who was in a few classes with her began sending her unprompted messages, forcing uncomfortable conversations and showing up during her library hours as a peer mentor.

“He would make me feel like I was obligated to help him,” Campbell said. “He literally told me in one of my emails that I was obligated to help him because of a shared past experience because we were both in the Air Force. So, he said because I was an airman, a veteran, I’m obligated to help him. He told me he loved me through email.” 

That’s when Campbell decided to file a report about what was happening. She shared it first with her professor, then the department chair, and then the Dean of Students. However, when she tried to file a Title IX report, she said her situation and the other student’s behavior were deemed ineligible for a Title IX complaint.

As a federally instituted program, Title IX is designed to prohibit any sexual discrimination or harassment at a school that receives federal funding. At The W, there is a Title IX coordinator and 10 Title IX deputies on campus who can investigate reports when they are filed. On the Title IX’s university page, it states, “Any student, faculty or staff member who has knowledge of or concerns about sex or gender-based discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence or gender-based stalking, is encouraged to contact the Title IX Coordinator or Title IX Deputies.”

At The W, Title IX is advertised across campus with information about how to file a report. There are magnets in bathrooms, stickers in the windows of offices and flyers on bulletins boards  — all to educate students. Dr. Matthew Miles, the dean of Student Affairs, emphasized the importance of Title IX’s accessibility. However, as Campbell found, reports don’t always go through. 

“We want to protect the rights of all parties involved, whether it’s staff, faculty or students in that way,” Miles said. “And then from there, if there is information to be found, then we will issue supportive measures or sanctions based on what the student handbook and Title IX is allowed to do.” 

The standard for a ruling is taken case by case. Each outcome and sanction will look different according to the mandates of Title IX, even possibly including the dismissal of students. Miles stressed that during the process, it’s important that comments from both parties are taken into account. 

One of the Title XI flyers posted on campus
Photo by Merry MacLellan

In Campbell’s case, no action was taken, even though she said this student was known to have caused prior issues for several other women on campus.

“He has had previous documented instances of stalking other women on campus, but he had never taken it to the level he had taken it with me, and that was their thing,” Campell said. 

Campbell said she felt as if those in charge put blame on her for not doing enough to make it clear to him that she was uninterested. She said that she had attempted to establish strict boundaries with the student, and her husband actually became involved in some of the exchanges. 

“Like it just, I was flabbergasted,” Campbell said. “I felt so alone. I felt unprotected.” 

She began to fear for her safety on campus, with worry that the stalking could escalate into something physically dangerous. Even though Title IX sometimes can provide accommodations so that the victim does not have to be around the reported person, she was not provided with that option. Instead, he was moved to the back of the classroom. 

While her stalker did end up unenrolling from the university, Campbell said the distress and damage could not be undone.

“He took so much from me,” Campbell said. “He took my piece of mind, and that is just harrowing to think about. Even still, I walk around campus, I drive around campus, and still I look around for him. I go and sit down in my classes, we’re in October, it’s past fall break, no one new’s coming into class, but I am still vigilant. I am still aware of my surroundings in a way that I did not have to be before, and that’s not fair.” 

With stalking taking many different forms including online or in-person, Campbell acknowledged that it can be a gray area and said she wished that the university would take a tougher stance against it. 

“So, university leadership just needs to realize like this is how it starts off,” Campbell said. “Those other women is truly how it started off, and I knew that if I did not make enough noise, he would stay, and he would truly assault someone physically. And I told anyone who listened to me, like this is his next step.” 

Campbell’s outspokenness about the incident is how The Spectator learned about what happened. At the time it was ongoing, she said she did not want to involve any outside parties in the hopes that the case would be dealt with through Title IX. It was when the other student left the university that she agreed to speak with the student newspaper. 

Campbell said that she tries to be more aware of her surroundings and vigilant on campus, and she is probably not the only student who feels that way. Having a formal process for reporting problems doesn’t stop students from facing nervous moments while walking on campus, especially after dark. 

The W once offered the Night Owls program in which students could call the campus police department and receive an escort at night. However, this program was disbanded at some point in 2025 — the Spectator was unable to confirm a date — but most people on campus were not aware that the program had ended. 

At a town hall event hosted by Student Government Association in Spring 2026, students still believed that the program was active only to learn that was not the case. This semester, now a year since the program ended, there were still faculty members who believed the resource existed. This, along with outdated safety information on the police department’s website, were causes of concern to people on campus.

Randy Vibrock, the campus police chief, said that while the Night Owl program is no longer active, students are still able to call the police department and receive an escort. 

“Now, the process is still the same as the Night Owl service,” Vibrock said. “The student would call our department, request that transport and then the student would provide their student ID. And then, as long as the golf cart is available, they would provide a shuttle on the golf cart. 

“So, if the security officer is not available, then they can still call our department and then one of our patrol officers will provide a walking escort. So, the service is available at any time.” 

Vibrock acknowledged that the lack of advertisement about the new way to get a campus escort has been an oversight on the department’s part, and he apologized. He expressed interest in having that changed to reflect current information so that students and faculty would be aware of the current campus safety resources.

For any students who might have experienced similar harassment to Campbell, felt unsafe on campus or dismissed by faculty, it is important to know that even when departments fail, it is your right as a student to speak up and out about any injustice you may have faced. 

“It just takes one person to say: I’m going to stand here against this storm to protect all the others who I know have come before me and give them the courage to come forward and speak,” Campbell said. “Because I promise you, like I’m not the only one, and he was not the only one.” 

The living land takes focus at annual Eudora Welty Writers' Symposium

Merry MacLellan
Report

Every October when the Mississippi heat begins to cool, Mississippi University for Women hosts the annual Eudora Welty’s Writer Symposium and invites authors with ties to the Southeastern region of the country to participate and share in the changing literary landscape of the South, all the while reflecting on the works of Welty, an alumna of the university. 

While featured ideas and themes have changed over the years, one element remains unchanging: the significance of the land. Once a key element in different Welty’s stories, the tradition of centralizing the land and setting has remained relevant to many of the writers attending this year’s symposium.  

With this year’s theme, “Like a Visitor from Nowhere: Encounters in the Uncanny South,” the land takes on a different appearance in the collection of stories being showcased at the symposium. The land becomes a living character and plays a strange part in the stories being told.  

As a scholar in Southern literature and Welty, Dr. Sarah Gilbreath Ford attends this year’s symposium as the winner of the Eudora Welty Prize for her book, “Of Women and Water.” For Ford, years of research on the topics have given her an insight and perspective into the landscape in literature of the South — especially in viewing the way Welty wrote about Mississippi. 

“I think one way in which she is brilliant is her attention to place,” Ford said. “She thinks deeply about places, about communities and how they interact in certain places. About historical context for how people are acting in certain places. And so, I think her work, both her literature and her photography, is many things, but it is a record of a place.” 

Her book is a literary study of Welty’s usage of submersions in water as a spiritual baptism to signify the coming-of-age for many of her female characters. Nature takes a role that is usually reserved for social events in the trope. 

“What I argue in the book is that Welty writes scenes of nature, in which nature is uncanny, specifically where nature is agentic,” Ford said. “Meaning nature has agency in ways we don’t formally think of nature having agency. So that it's not just characters doing things to nature, or characters doing things with nature as a backdrop. But nature has agency, nature is doing things as well.” 

For other symposium writers, their story’s relationship with the land is used to reconcile with the history of the South. In a place haunted by its poverty and bleak history, writing has become a solution in expressing the complexity of emotions for many natives. The keynote address speaker for the symposium, W. Ralph Eubanks, is among those writers. 

The keynote address by W. Ralph Eubanks
Photos by Merry MacLellan

Raised in south Mississippi, Eubanks’ family roots belonged to the Delta until they left in the wake of Emmett Till’s murder. For him, writing and researching the Delta and its communities was a key to his own understanding of the place. He also writes to try to change the poor narrative the region often receives in his collection of essays, “When It’s Darkness in the Delta.” 

“The Delta is a place that is, you know, it's this bigger-than-life topic and has this huge mythology,” Eubanks said. “So, for me it was kind of tackling the myth of the Delta, as well as bringing in the personal and the historical.”

Throughout his writing experience, Eubanks expressed that, despite writing non-fiction, he often thought about the idea of place in his stories similar to that of Welty. The landscape of his works is not just a background, but an archival source to set his story and help him understand the people and their mythos. 

“I hope that people will begin to think about the Mississippi Delta in a new way, change their way of seeing the Delta,” said Eubanks. “That’s a big theme of this book is how do we change people’s ways of seeing the Delta. And I say to change what we see about the Delta, we must change what we know about the Delta.” 

Author David Armand, attending the symposium for the third time with his novel “Walk the Night,” voiced similar feelings about the importance of the environment in his novels and Southern literature. Through his time learning about Southern literature, he said he was able to see his own experiences of poverty and harsh environments written in a way that encouraged him to write about the landscape he was familiar with. 

“Especially in my earlier books, I would say that landscape is so integral to the story in terms of its almost like its own character I guess,” Armand said. “In the way that my actual people in my books act or react is very often a result of their environment.”

W. Ralph Eubanks signing a copy of his book

Though the South that Welty wrote about has changed in many ways, social, cultural and even in appearance, it is evident that the attention to the land has not. Writers across the generations and communities are coming together at the symposium and still acknowledge how the landscapes of the region impact the stories told in similar ways to the symposium’s namesake. 

New music and movie releases

2026 has been a phenomenal year in the music and film worlds. With standout music like “Lost Weekend” or “This Music May Contain Hope,” and movies from “The Odyssey" to “Primetime,” the year will surely go down in history as part of a new pop culture golden age, and the year isn’t over yet. There is still more to look forward to from artists such as Alanis Morissette and Lil Baby, as well as filmmakers like Denis Villaneuve and Robert Eggers. From indie pop and hip-hop to epic sequels and long-awaited adaptations, here are the albums and movies to look forward to in the last months of 2026.

Music

“Legendary Love” by Snoh Aalegra
R&B lovers, get ready to be smitten with a new album from Snoh Aalegra. This album by the Iranian-Swedish artist is her first album in five years and comes with an old-fashioned romantic sound, inspired by the sounds that first made her fall in love with music. Following up from “Karma,” the first single released in three years and “I Love You” featuring guitar and bass legends Nile Rodgers and Raphael Saadiq, respectively, this artist is all about romance and soul. Her dreamy voice and storytelling make her the perfect artist for your late-night driving playlists. Look forward to the release on Nov.13.

“Good Weather for Immaculate Conception” by Alanis Morissette
I have to admit my blatant bias here. As a lifelong Alanis fanatic and lover of the holidays, my excitement for this release is barely containable. With her powerhouse vocals and intimate lyricism, Alanis is getting into the holiday spirit, giving us Christmas classics and two original songs. I’ll be waiting with bells on for this album’s release on Nov. 6.

“FRESH” by Lil Baby
The Atlanta rapper is gearing up to release his next studio album. The 17-track project features highly anticipated collaborations with Future, Young Thug, and Rylo Rodriguez. Fans have already gotten a taste of what’s to come with “Dead Fresh,” produced by Pharell Williams. The album is set to be one of the biggest rap releases of the year and will continue Lil Baby’s influence in the hip-hop world. Hear the full project on Nov. 6.

“Dream Fatigue” by Rex Orange County
Rex Orange County is making a major comeback with his first album since 2024. The 12-track album is an exciting mix of collaborations and solo songs. Known for his catchy melodies and emotionally vulnerable lyrics, Rex is switching things up by adding new voices to his signature sound. Whether you’re a seasoned fan or just looking for your next indie pop obsession, Rex Orange County should definitely be on your radar. Check it out on Nov. 6.

Movies

“The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” directed by Francis Lawerence
As someone who grew up during the “Hunger Games” craze, I have to admit that I am beyond excited for this one. Haymitch is my favorite character, and this movie is his backstory. With an absolutely stacked cast including Elle Fanning, Maya Hawke, Ralph Fiennes and Kieran Culkin, this film is set to be a major hit. Return to Panem on Nov. 20.

“Werwulf” directed by Robert Eggers
Horror fans, prepare to immerse yourself in Eggers’ lush visuals and intense dialogue once again. Known for his gothic aesthetic, Eggers creates eerie atmospheres and dark fairytales like no other. Set in medieval times, the film follows a mysterious creature that turns local folklore into a terrifying reality. This movie is the perfect holiday watch for those who like their holidays with an edge. Beware — Werwulf haunts theaters on Christmas Day.

“Dune: Part Three” directed by Denis Villaneuve
The latest in this ambitious film series, Part Three continues the beloved sci-fi saga. Timothée Chalamet is set to further cement his role as one of the most iconic leading men of his generation, supported by Florence Pugh, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, to name a few. Based on Frank Herbert’s series of novels, the film promises political intrigue, amazing visuals, and plenty of intergalactic drama. Arrakis calls us back to the big screen on Dec. 18.

“The Gallerist” directed by Cathy Yan
As a huge fan of Yan’s “Birds of Prey,” I was elated to hear about this release. With cast members like Natalie Portman, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Charli XCX, this movie is certain to be a hit among those who love a strong female lead. Blending satire, crime and absurdism, the movie takes a jab at the art scene. Experience it on Dec. 4.

Editor's Column: Find your own hope and happiness

Merry MacLellan
Editor

There’s something about making it to the middle of the semester, stuck with endless busy work and the looming fear of finals sinking in that can make it difficult to push through the days. It so often seems like wherever you look, something bad is happening. On the news and in our lives, something goes wrong and it’ so easy to become filled with gloom and dread.

This year’s speaker at the Welty Gala, Elizabeth Smart, has a lot of reasons to know about despair. She is famously known across the country for being the girl who was kidnapped and spent nine months with her captors before finally escaping and returning home. However, the moment I met her before the gala and the moment she started to speak, it was hard to even believe that.

She greeted everyone with a smile, told her own life story with humor and never flinched away from talking about the hardships she went through. Instead, Smart took the deliberate time to tell us how she braved the hardships with one main piece of advice for anyone listening to know: find or make your own hope and happiness.

“There is nothing more important than having hope in difficult circumstances,” she said.

From anyone else, it would be easy enough to dismiss that message. It’s constantly being sold on motivational mugs and signs, it’s on the internet and coming from miscellaneous motivational speakers. Hearing that from her was different. Enough so that I perked up in my seat and not just because I needed something to write about for this column (I had something else entirely planned out).

“Always keep reaching for hope and happiness,” Smart said.

Because without hope, what do we have? For Smart, hope kept her alive during the worst moments of her life. It’s what makes us put one foot in front of the other and keep going even on our hardest days.

These past few days I have been so busy, it would be so easy for me to do it all out of obligation, without any care or heart. Instead, I’ve been guided by a small voice that has enticed me with the great possibilities that might occur.

Hope has led me to interview the most incredible people and attend the most interesting events with the possibility that it will change my life (it has). Hope is what motivates me to take the time piecing together this edition of the Spectator, because I hope that these stories might change someone’s life. At the very least, I hope that it’s an interesting read.

“It’s easy to get caught up on these things,” Smart said. “But never surrender, never give up hope.”

Senate candidate returns to Colombus and demands debate

Merry MacLellan
Editor-in-chief

On Oct. 1, Scott Colom again challenged Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, his opponent in the U.S. Senate race, to participate in a debate. 

He made the challenge at a news conference in Columbus, one of the many in the past few weeks held by Colom, who serves as the district attorney for Circuit Court District 16. He called for a debate to happen before the Nov. 3 midterm election.  

Colom has previously accepted invitations from WLBT and WJTV in Jackson for debates and has extended an invitation for a third debate with Hyde-Smith, with her choice of moderating news station. Colom reiterated this invitation to the senator before turning his attention to voters’ concerns. 

“She won’t do a town hall, and she won’t do a debate, because she wants to lie and hide,” Colom said. “It’s not me she’s disrespected. She’s disrespecting the voters in Mississippi.”  

Scott Colom demanding Cindy Hyde-Smith debates him.
Photos by Merry MacLellan

Colom said numerous issues are impacting Mississippi voters, including a low minimum wage, rising prices because of tariffs and the ongoing war with Iran. He also reminded voters of past events in which Hyde-Smith voted in the interest of tax breaks, causing cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits in March of this year.  

During the press conference, Colom was asked how he would help Mississippians gain access to higher education as the prices of tuition have risen, and access to federal student loans are potentially restricted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.  

“And I will prioritize making sure every Mississippian that wants to go to higher learning has the opportunity to do that,” Colom said.  

Colom urged undecided voters to remember the value of the state and stand against what he called corruption. He encouraged voters to look at his past success and track record in court when considering who would fight for them and for the state.  

“I am promising a senator that’s gonna fight for Mississippi,” Colom said. “That’s what I fight for.”  

The deadline for Hyde-Smith to respond to the formal invitation for the third debate Colom and his team sent is 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. As of now, her campaign has yet to respond.