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Volume 79 Issue 17 Feb. 8, 2013
Sarah’s Journey Sarah Panzau comes to tell her story about drunk driving Allison Price Managing Editor
Adam Sauceda Staff Writer
The consequences of driving drunk might not seem as scary as one may think until they experience a particular incident themselves. That is the mindset Sarah Panzau, Alcohol Awareness Speaker, born and raised in Belleville, IL, had before she slid into the driver seat of her vehicle to drive home when her blood-alcohol level was nearly four times the legal limit. Panzau will present, “Sarah’s Journey,” on Wednesday, Feb. 13, to share her story with students in the CJ Davidson Center at 6 p.m. Panzau, 21 at the time, had a wreck after choosing to drive home drunk. Panzau was going 70 mph on a guardrail turn when her car flipped four times and landed on top of a guardrail. Panzau was hanging outside of her window after she had been drug 30 feet across the guardrail. Panzau was announced dead at the scene, but then she tried to gasp for air. The trauma team stabilized her and she was airlifted to a hospital. After more than 30 surgeries, Panzau was left without a left arm. “Before my crash and at the time of my crash I pretty much pushed my family away,” Panzau said. “My mom and I did not have a very good relationship and I rebelled in spite of my mom. When I woke up from my coma was when I fell in love again with my mom. When I decided I was going to go speak and I had my mind set on it, the people who supported me were my family and my mom. I also have two sisters and brother that I am very close to.” Panzau’s younger sister, Katilyn, was at college in South Carolina during the accident and she flew home to say goodbye to her sister, she said. “When you make poor choices, not only do you affect yourself, but all the people around you are
affected,” Panzau said. Panzau said she was inspired to speak out against drunk driving after she awoke from her coma. “I was your typical person who thought “this” was never going to happen to me,” Panzau said. “I remember looking in the mirror one day and I thought, how was I going to look in the mirror for the rest of my life and be okay? I was horrified by what was looking back at me in the mirror. I had dropped 70 pounds and I was mortified. I thought, I am going to get out there and show everyone this body. What was staring back at me was so hard and it was myself. There was nobody else I could blame or point the finger at. I wanted to put all that emotion and feeling into something positive. My mom told me to start writing. She said that I had to know what I was going to say when I get on the stage. I started writing for a couple days and by the time I was done I had 20 pages sitting in front of me.” Panzau’s first speech was Nov. 14, 2004, a year and three months after her crash, she said. Panzau knew that she was called to speak about her experiences. “When God has a plan for you, he will bring it all together,” Panzau said. “I believe in God and I believe he chose me to do something very special.” Panzau has traveled the U.S. to share her story with middle schools, high schools and colleges to attempt to dissuade students from drinking irresponsibly. “I get the nerves every single time I speak,” Panzau said. “The fact of knowing that, by the time I am done speaking, I will have made someone in the audience think about the life they are going to live from that day forward. Every motivational speaker wants to know that their impacting somebody. “The feeling that I can change someone’s life again and again is so indescribable, and it really lets me know that I am being a good person,” Panzau said. “I don’t want to be known as that drunk driver. To know that I can take what has happened to me and formulate a presentation, and change someone’s life, the feelings are indescribable.”
See SPEAKER Page 2
Photo Courtesy of Sarah Panzau (Above)- After her car accident, Sarah was rushed to the hospital where she underwent immediate surgery and her mom (above) stood by her side every step of the way. (Right)- On August 23, 2003 Sarah drove home drunk and did not wear a seat belt. Sarah was ejected from the car through the rear window of her car and her left arm was torn from her body. (Background)- Sarah’s car was completely wrecked after it flipped over four times on the highway.
AASN program set to phase out in May Hospitals call for nurses with extended education Adam Sauceda Staff Writer The Department of Nursing and Rehabilitation Sciences is phasing out its Associate of Applied Science in Nursing Degree (AASN) after the students currently enrolled in the program graduate in May. Due to a nursing shortage in the field, ASU began to offer the degree to meet the need, but now, nurses who are highly educated are in demand, according to Assistant Clinical Professor of Nursing Jennifer Braziel. Research studies have shown and proven the need for highly educated nurses who can provide appropriate, safe and competent care due to “sicker” patients today, Braziel said. “Hospitals are hiring nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) which is leaving the AASNprepared nurse with difficulty finding employment in Acute Care facilities and in hospitals in larger cities,” Braziel said.
The AASN degree is obtained in two to three years, Tafoya said. unlike the BSN which is usually obtained in four years, Becky Hooper, a second degree student finishing according to Braziel. her last semester in the AASN program, says she thinks Assistant Clinical Professor Martha Tafoya said ASU will make better use of its resources by focusing Texas nursing leaders on the BSN and MSN programs. have set a goal of a nursing “There’s going to be a shortage of workforce that consists RNs in the community for a few years of 80 percent BSNuntil Howard College can get their RN prepared nurses by 2015, program going.” Hooper said. “There as recommended by the will be some LVNs currently nursing Institute of Medicine. that want to get an RN and there won’t “There is a big push be a local program.” out in acute hospitals for Stephanie Landfried, fellow second AASN nurses to go back to degree student also finishing her last school and get their BSN semester in the program, says she in,” Braziel said. believes the program will be better The change means suited for a junior college. AASN faculty will - Assistant Clinical Professor “I don’t think that a two year transition into the other degree program belongs at a four year Martha Tafoya university,” Landfried said. “I think that programs offered, and the students that will be it’s appropriate that it’s moving to a affected are the Licensed Vocational Nurses who want junior college. I feel sad that some people who want to become Registered Nurses. to change careers to nursing won’t be able to come to “We hope in the future to be able to work with those ASU to get the degree, but I’m very thankful that I was students and help them become BSN graduates,” able to be in the final class.”
“We hope in the future to be able to work with those students and help them become BSN graduates.”
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Events Calendar Get involved on campus! Here’s what’s going on this week.
NEWS
Friday, Feb. 8, 2013
ASU SPIRIT WEEK ‘13
Friday Feb. 8
The University Center Program Council annual spirit week continued with their student organization block party Wednesday, Feb. 6. The event was part of Spirit Week. Food, music and competitions enticed the student body and ASU’s mascots, Roscoe and Bella, made an appearance. There will be a Pep Rally on Friday from 12 - 2 p.m., in the UC lobby, to conclude Spirit Week.
Softball: ASU vs. Southern Nazare University. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. @Durant, OK. Softball: ASU vs. University of Arkansas at Monticello. 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. @Durant, OK. Baseball: ASU vs. Southern Arkansas University. 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. @Foster Field. Civil War Lecture Series: The Problem of Slavery in Early Texas. Featuring Dr. Andrew Torget, the lecture will begin at 7 p.m. at Fort Concho.
Saturday Feb. 9
Photos by Rio Velasquez and Adam Sauceda
Funnel Cake 5k hosted by the San Angelo Road Lizards. Beginning at 11 a.m. at the San Angelo Coliseum. Softball: ASU vs. Henderson State University. 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. @Durant, OK. Baseball: ASU vs. Southern Arkansas University. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. @Foster Field. Softball: ASU vs. Southeastern Oklahoma State University. 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. @Durant, OK. Women’s Basketball: ASU vs. Texas A&M-Commerce. 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. @Junell Center. Men’s Basketball: ASU vs. Texas A&M-Commerce. 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Sunday Feb. 10 Softball: ASU vs. Arkansas Tech University. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. @Durant, OK. Softball: ASU vs. Northeastern State University. 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. @Durant, OK.
Monday Feb. 11 Art Exhibit: “Childhood Play/ Adult Realities” by John Hartley continues all week in the Carr Education-Fine Arts building.
Tuesday Feb. 12 Baseball: ASU vs. McMurry University. 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. @Abilene. UCPC Weekly Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the UC. Balfour will be on campus to showcase class rings from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of the ASU Bookstore.
Wednesday Feb. 13 Women’s Basketball: ASU vs. Cameron. 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. @Junell Center. Sarah’s Journey presentation featuring Sarah Panzau. The presentation begins at 6 p.m. in the UC. Men’s Basketball: ASU vs. Cameron. 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. @Junell Center. Balfour will be on campus to showcase class rings from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of the ASU Bookstore.
Thursday Feb. 14 Planetarium weekly showings beginning at 7 p.m.
Speaker gives unfortunate victims a voice Cont. from p.1
Panzau said there are multiple messages that can be taken away from her presentation. “That is the best thing about my presentation,” Panzau said. “The overall message is that if you are going to make the first poor choice (underage drink), I beg anyone that hears my story to not make the second poor choice and get behind the wheel. No one is invincible and I am living proof that if you make poor choices, consequences will follow.” Recently, Panzau signed on for her eighth year with her national sponsor, Annheuser Busch (AB), she said. Panzau traveled and spoke on her own before she became sponsored. In addition to AB, other organizations helping to bring Panzau to ASU include Health Services, The Center for Student Involvement, Student Life, Housing and Residential Programs, ASU Police Department, SAPD, TXDOT, Cares Coalition and the Special Events department. “When you have a college or university in your community, it
is important to see how [much] they collaborate with their community,” AB’s Corporate Social Responsibility Director Retha Fortenberry said. “Everyone has pitched in, and they are making this a success, and I think a lot of community will be here.” The event will include a rollover simulator, an apparatus that simulates what happens to a passenger in a vehicle when it rolls over and there are objects inside the car flying around when a passenger is not restrained, Fortenberry said. “It is a good reminder for everybody as we are approaching spring break to really be thinking about the impact you can have on your life when you drink and drive or if you ride with someone who is drinking and driving,” Fortenberry said. “That one mistake could change your life forever.” Clint Havins, Director for Student Life, said he expects Sarah’s presentation to be very influential and suspects there will be a significant crowd. “We want to do the most we can for students,” Havins said. “Safety is definitely a priority; it is important.
It is nice to see the campus and the [San Angelo] community come together and make this event happen.” Panzau said there are only so many times someone can play with their luck and no one is able to predict their own future. “To know that I could have put somebody right where I was or I could have killed somebody that night is where the survivor’s guilt comes in,” Panzau said. “There are plenty of victims of drunk driving who don’t have a voice. I feel like somewhat in my presentation that I give them a voice. To think that there was a time that I was so shallow and I was driving drunk and I knew I was driving drunk and I didn’t care. I was 21, young, immature, irresponsible. “I am not the miracle worker; I do know that if you see my presentation, it will make you think about the choices you will make whether it be with your family or with other people,” Panzau said. “I am being Sarah Panzau for one hour and I am giving my heart to complete strangers and that is what you will see in my presentation.”
Submit event requests by 5 p.m. Tuesday for Friday publication to rampage@angelo.edu
www.sarahsjourney.com
Wednesday February 13
Presenta�on starts at 6:00 PM
UC C J Davidson Conference Center
OPINIONS
Friday, Feb. 8, 2013
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A review of the sappy and funny Super Bowl commercials It’s no surprise then that my favorite commercial during the Super Bowl is the Budweiser commercial where a horse trainer reunites with the Clydesdale horse that he raised from birth. This commercial, although simple, relates with anyone who has ever loved and lost a pet. The iconic Clydesdale horses also clearly identify this commercial as a Budweiser commercial. Coming in a close second for my favorite Super Bowl commercial is the Dodge commercial featuring Paul Harvey giving a speech about farmers. This commercial really stands out amongst other commercials because of its simplicity. Paul Harvey’s powerful monologue reminds us all about this particular breed of men and women who are easily forgotten about in the media. One funny commercial that I liked despite its “lack of sap” is Tide’s Joe Montana stain commercial. The story line engages the viewer from discovery of the prized stain to the traumatic climax where they learn of the washed jersey.
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Rachel Riggs Copy Editor
Super Bowl commercials can be divided into two distinct categories: those that compel us with absurd and sometimes obscene humor, and those that captivate our attention by targeting our emotions with laser-point accuracy. While both categories are effective, I prefer commercials that fit into the second category because they stand out and leave a lasting impression on the viewer. The more sap, the better, I say.
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What is your best or worst Valentine’s Day memory?
Funny
Stephen Cogan Staff Writer
When we talk about Super Bowl commercials, we have to think of humor and emotion because those are the best taglines to make a commercial that’s appropriate for all and classic at the same time. When it comes to pure humor, the pistachio nuts “Gangnam Style” commercial took a play on the popular song to tell people how to crack their nuts. Crack them “Gangnam Style!” The “Leon Sandcastle” commercial was ingenious, but also semi-frightening. Why you may ask? Because
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“My dad left me a Valentine’s Day card before he left for work but he spelled my name wrong on it.”
“I took a hand-made card that took 19 hours to make to my girlfriend’s job and her face was priceless.”
“I dated a girl and on Valentine’s Day I waited outside in the rain for her with roses. She came out with another guy.”
Aubrey Antle
Bobby Gardner
Fernando Izaguirre
Junior
Ram Page
Senior
Editor: Mariah Powell Managing Editor: Allison Price Copy Editor: Rachel Riggs Online Editor: Riley Mashburn Staff Writer: Stephen Cogan Staff Writer: Adam Sauceda Circulation Manager: Mariah Powell Photo Editor: Rio Velasquez Photographer: Adam Sauceda Advertising Manager: Kaitlynn Glendinning Adviser: Dr. Cathy Johnson Ram Page ASU Station #10895 San Angelo, Texas 76909-0895 Editor: rampage@angelo.edu Advertising: rampageads@angelo.edu Newsroom: (325) 942-2323 Advertising: (325) 942-2040 Fax: (325) 942-2551 Member of The Texas Tech University System Associated Collegiate Press Texas Intercollegiate Press Association
PUBLISHING POLICY Published every Friday and available to students, one copy per student, the student newspaper of Angelo State University is a public forum, with its student editorial board making all decisions concerning its contents. Unsigned editorials express the views of the majority of the editorial board. Ram Page welcomes all letters. Please include your name, classification/position and a phone number and/or e-mail address for verification purposes. Letters must be signed and be no more than 350 words. The paper reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and all letters are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel and privacy. Deadline is 5 p.m., Monday. Submission does not guarantee publication. Letters may be mailed, e-mailed or submitted at the newspaper’s office, Room 324 on the third floor of the Porter Henderson Library. Opinions in letters are not necessarily those of the staff, nor should any opinion expressed in a public forum be construed as the opinion or policy of the administration, unless so attributed.
Freshman
“In the 5th grade this “Two years ago, my boy brought me a huge high school boyfriend teddy bear to our class asked me out the day party. I got so embarbefore Valentine’s. rassed I cried and ran Then the next night out.” he brought me roses.”
Victoria Rodriguez Junior
Ashley Moritz Sophomore
Does it ever get old?
YES!
Staff
2012-2013 Angelo State University
I would not be surprised at all if Deion Sanders and his massive ego tried to come back to play football. The man has a higher opinion of himself than he would the Pope. However, my favorite commercial is one that I see myself doing in a decade. A guy names Steve is walking past his daughter’s room and she asks him in that cute little girl voice if daddy would please play with her. He tries to get out of it by saying his buddies are waiting for him. The little one pulls out a bag of nacho cheese Doritos and basically says she can share them with him if he does. Cut to four guy friends looking for Steve and they see him made over from the Cinderella-like dress, to the lipstick and blush to a tiara while dancing and eating a nacho Dorito. What’s more surprising is his four friends actually join him in the next shot with Steve’s wife walking in and asking if one of the friends has on her wedding dress. He says…, “Maybe,” to end the funny commercial. Cut back to me, a guy named Steve, who already has played horsey so many times with little kids that I wonder if I should eat hay. I honestly can see myself in ten years putting on a dress to play with my little munchkin, but only two things. One, I doubt she’d need to bribe me and two; there is no way I’d wear makeup.
... just my opinion of Valentine’s Day. I remember when I used to think Valentine’s Day was so awesome and that there was no day better than an entire day of being praised by my boyfriend, but my have my thoughts changed. No, I am not a “Valentine’s Hater” like some people but I feel that it has gotten old. Every year I would see the same old thing, girls dressing up to ‘impress’ their significant other and guys buying flowers, candy and/or a cute little bear. My eyes have seen too, too, too many years of this sweet day. In my opinion, a girl or guy should feel significant every day of their relationship. I’m not saying there has to be flowers and chocolate every evening, because of course allergies may be an issue or you may want your teeth to survive a couple more meals before falling to the floor. It’s as simple as opening the door for your girlfriend every now and then, which I rarely see guys do anymore, or bringing her breakfast or coffee when you know she needs it. The beauty of simplicity has obviously hit me over the head, that and marriage. Maybe it’s the idea of trying to find something new to
Mariah Powell Editor do in San Angelo, when me and my love have been here together for years, that turns me away from this overrated day ... Whatever it is, it’s wonderful. I have heard guys say, “Time to break up with her, Valentine’s Day is coming up soon.” Is the guy too cheap? Or the girl too expensive? I guess every situation may be different, but why go through the trouble? If you really admire some-
one and feel that it is a MUST to get them something, try something that cannot be duplicated by anyone else. Make them something, but it has to be special. A cake, a song, a card, just to rattle off a few. Use your talent to show them that you care. I feel that a creative gift, if possible using your hobby or talent, is more memorable than a box of chocolate. There hasn’t been a year since fourth grade that I didn’t have a Valentine’s. Now I am wishing I would have spent more time making myself feel important. And like I said, same old things, so this year I will place that energy, time and money on something more important. Something more valuable; more powerful than those small things ... A massage. If you are single this year, take the time out to enjoy it. Please don’t lock yourself up in a room to avoid all the couples out there. Be merry. Buy yourself some chocolate and address it as anonymous or secret admirer if you just want that thrill period. Every year can’t be your year for relationships, unless you’re married, than every day should be your Valentine’s Day.
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SPORTS
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Friday, Feb. 8, 2013
Reigning Conference Champs start season 5-0 Softball team hopes to keep season on a winning note Stephen Cogan Staff Writer Junior Morgan Spearman said before the season that she felt ASU had a good chance to repeat as Lone Star Conference champions despite losing a few great players who graduated last May. So far, the team is proving her right as the ‘Belles have won their first five games at the St. Mary’s Invitational Tournament in San Antonio this past weekend. Spearman wasted no time in backing up her statement by batting .412 with two home runs (both grand slams) and 10 RBIs over the weekend. Despite her enormous production, Spearman was snubbed for Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week. “Junior pitcher Sandra Serna dominated in her first official week as a ‘Belle by pitching 13 innings of one-run ball over three games Serna picked up her first win by relieving junior Mary Kate McKay in the season opener against East Central University. McKay struggled and allowed three runs, two of which were earned, before Head Coach Travis Scott decided to pull her. Serna allowed two hits and one unearned run in two innings of work while the ‘Belles’ bats exploded in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring five runs to pull ahead and win the game 6-4. Serna then started and won two games against Lubbock Christian University (4-0) and Texas A&M International University (6-2) respectively. Serna’s efforts earned her Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week. McKay started and won the ‘Belles’ other two victories over St. Edwards University (10-1) and St. Mary’s University (5-2). The ‘Belles are ranked No. 4 in the nation according to the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) poll with a score of 310 total voting points. According to the NFCA’s official website, “The NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches, two representing each of the eight NCAA regions.” The three schools ahead of Angelo State in the poll are Valdosta State University, UC San Diego, and Kutztown University. Receiving all 16 first-place votes is Valdosta State University with 400 total vote points that leads all universities. UC San Diego and Kutztown University finished second and third respectively scoring, 382 and 339 total vote points. The ‘Belles are not scheduled to face any university in the Top 25 during their regular season except for no. 22 Abilene Christian University in April. In the meantime, the ‘Belles will focus on the Southeastern Oklahoma State Invitational Tournament in Durant, OK. The event starts Friday, Feb. 8 and ends on Sunday, Feb. 10 and, the ‘Belles will play six games over the weekend.
Photo by Rio Velasquez The ‘Belles practice hitting during practice. The ‘Belles look to pitch off their weekend at South-Eastern Oklahoma State Invitational playing their first of six games against Southern Nazarene University in Durant, Okla., on Feb. 8.
Rams look to bash losing streak against Southern Arkansas University Baseball opens at home in upcoming games Stephen Cogan Staff Writer Rams baseball is off to a hot start with a 4-0 record after sweeping Oauchita Baptist over the weekend. The Rams’ best start in program history is 6-0 and in 2012, the Rams tied that record before losing to Southern Arkansas. The Rams open at home this Friday against Southern Arkansas, but this time, Head Coach Kevin Brooks thinks the Rams might break their 0-4 career record against the Muleriders. In three of the four games the Rams have faced against the Muleriders, they have faced Doug Shields, a right-handed pitcher who flat-out dominated them including six shutout innings last year. “That’s the main thing,” Brooks said. “[Shields is] not on the mound which is good.” The Rams don’t face a Lone Star Conference opponent for another month, so these games are basically tune-up games right? Wrong! At least that’s what Coach Brooks thinks. “These games are way more important,” Brooks said. “Way more important than a Lone Star Conference game; what does winning the conference get you?” Brooks answered his rhetorical question by saying, “That doesn’t get you to regional’s.” Brooks, of course, is referring to the regional tournament bracket for the NCAA D-II College World Series. Brooks said that in order to automatically qualify, you have to win your conference championship to get a berth in the regional’s portion of the tournament. Brooks said winning the conference (having the best record) just means that your team gets to host the conference tournament; it doesn’t guarantee anything. Brooks said he learned quickly after the Rams had won the conference no. 1 seed early in his tenure here at ASU and then they lost the conference tournament
they hosted. “I know the common fan does not grasp that, but you have to win the conference tournament to go to regional’s and just because you win all your conference games does not mean you’ll make regional’s” Brooks said. Brooks has his eyes circled and honed in on winning a College World Series Championship, so the Lone Star Conference is a cupcake compared to the ten-layer chocolate covered ice cream cake that is the World Series. Since Southern Arkansas is ranked 11th and the Rams are ranked 14th, they are two teams in the Top 25 going at each other’s throats and Brooks wants to win games against nationally ranked opponents that can help his team’s standings down the road. As for the team, Brooks said he thought they played very well this weekend and had strong pitching that was similar to last year’s strong start. Brooks’ right hand man and assistant coach John Anderson agreed with Brooks and said that he saw other things that this team has this year that they also had last year. “Enjoyment of the game and work ethic are the two things outside of physical things that are really consistent with last year,” Anderson said. Anderson said Southern Arkansas is a quality team that the Rams are going to have to outplay and avoid errors in order to win a ball game against a team that close or equal in talent level to the Rams. If senior catcher Andrew LaCombe has anything to do about it, the score won’t be close. The team captain won Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week after exploding over the weekend against Ouachita Baptist. LaCombe tormented opposing pitchers; scorching them for five hits that scored 11 runs including seven in the team’s 16-6 blowout win. LaCombe tied a team record of seven RBIs in a single game as well. We’ll see what he and the rest of the Rams will do at home on Friday against Southern Arkansas at Colts Stadium at 3 p.m.
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