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Ram Vol. 86 Issue 14
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Score of a lifetime for collegiate athlete Belles student-athlete sets out on the road to 2020 Olympics in Tokyo
Mbulelo Maqungo, staff writer
ASU soccer’s Gabby Villagrand was invited to play for Panama’s national team in an Olympic qualifying tournament on Jan. 28. For Villagrand, soccer has been a cornerstone in her life for as long as she could remember, but she never imagined that her favorite sport would lead to competing on the biggest stage in the world. Villagrand, a sophomore kinesiology major, will leave San Angelo Jan. 24 for her hometown of Houston, Texas, to start preparations for Panama’s first game against Costa Rica. “I had met some of the national team’s coaches through my uncle.” Villagrand said. “Afterwards, right around the time I completed my application for dual citizenship, they reached out to my family and asked how I
would feel about playing and I said ‘sure.’” Villagrand often travels with her parents and younger siblings to Panama City, Panama and credits this opportunity to her experiences there. Panama’s women’s soccer is a relatively new team compared to other national teams, competing in their first Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football Women’s Cup in 2002. CONCACAF is one FIFA’s six continental governing bodies that’s main function is to organize competitions and qualifying tournaments for the World Cup and women’s World Cup. Besides the World Cup tournaments, all these governing bodies hold competitions to select who qualifies for the Olympic Games. With 40 other nations to contend with, the Pan-
Jan. 31, 2020
What’s in store! Financial Aid Pg. 2
SGA Pg. 2
Cancel Culture Pg. 3
Sidewalk Survey Pg. 3
Oasis Magazine Pg. 4 amanian national team has made tremendous leaps and bounds to get to this tournament. As excited as Villagrand was for the invitation, the process also required change and adaptability in other aspects of the young student-athlete’s life. “I definitely didn’t want to pass this chance, but it would mean I have to miss two weeks of training, lectures and exams here,” she said. “It feels like a lot, but when I expressed all of this to my mom and dad, we all agreed that this is an opportunity that may never present itself, so I shouldn’t waste it.” Villigrand will even have the opportunity to play against the U.S. women’s soccer team, the reigning World Cup champions. When Villagrand isn’t dominating on the soccer field, she can usually be found studying, watching “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Friends” or hanging out with her fellow Belles. “We’re all super close,” she said. “The girls are basically family to me here.” Photo courtesy of Athletic Communications Department: Gabby Villagrand, sophomore, runs the ball past a Lubbock Christian University defender.
A battle of blue and gold
Rams and Belles take on Hilltoppers at Welcome Back Bash Jeremiah Devereaux, staff writer
UCPC on Jan. 23 held the annual Welcome Back Bash featuring two basketball games in the Junell Center. The Belles and Rams faced off against the St. Edward’s University Hilltoppers in back-to-back action. In the first game, the Belles came out victorious with a score of 85-72. Senior Catara Samuel, junior Angel Hayden and freshman Sawyer Lloyd led the team with each player scoring in the double digits. The Rams then suffered a close loss against SEU, with the game ending 77-78. The top scorers for ASU were seniors Ronald Bell, Collin Turner and Andres Ibarguen. “We knew we had a tough opponent,” Turner said. “They are No. 6 in the country. I just had to play as hard, be the best team player as I could and benefit the team as most I can. I knew I had to be a well-rounded player whether that was scoring, rebounding or assisting.”
Sophia Gravatt, copy editor
Travis Hunter, consultant
Cora Bishoppetty, photographer
Aside from the games, the event offered a variety of activities and giveaways. Those in attendance could win prizes, free T-shirts and enjoy free food. During halftime, a raffle took place where three contestants had a chance to win $10,000. In addition, there was a contest for the most spirited fraternity. Alpha Sigma Pi came in first place, winning $500. AMAS came in second, and Kappa Delta Rho came in third place. Photo by Cora Bishoppetty: Collin Turner, senior, soars towards the goal after ASU stole the ball from St. Edward’s University. Turner scored a total of 13 points in the game against SEU.
Correction: In the Jan. 24, 2020 issue of the Ram Page, Ulises Frausto was incorrectly identified as a management and marketing major in the story “University Center hosts memorial display.” Frausto was a computer science major.
2 News
Financial aid puts ASU at the top
1.31.2020
ASU continues to keep school affordable
Ixchel Sotelo, staff writer
A Jan. 13 report by LendEDU.com ranked ASU the No.1 public university for financial aid in the state of Texas. “I really think it’s the combination of our price, our merit scholarships and our need-based scholarships all being really generous,” Ed Kerestly, financial aid director, said. “It’s exciting to see that you can attend here, get a great education and potentially do it at a lower cost than you would at other public universities in Texas.” ASU provides numerous scholarship opportunities for students, one of which is from the Carr Foundation, along with grants offered through the TEXAS Grant program. These contributing factors make ASU one of the most affordable schools compared to other public universities. “It just continues to support the message that we provide that we’re not only a great value when you consider what you get for an education here, but we’re also very affordable for students who are looking for an education,” Kerestly said. One of many features on the financial aid page on the ASU website is a recently added tool called a net price calculator, which helps future students get an estimate of the cost, including financial aid opportunities, to attend ASU. In the next month, ASU will begin making commitments to students who have already applied for financial aid for next year. Kerestly said it is important for students to apply for financial aid and complete or renew the FAFSA applications now. “Along with having a strong financial aid program, our commitment to being available and to help students is something
that we pride ourselves on,” Kerestly said. “A student should take advantage of the folks that are here and come visit us, give us a call, or send us an email if they have any questions or need any help. We are always available to help.”
#1 Graphic by Dominic Rodriguez
Accepting submissions for our monthly entertainment page Creative writing, art and photography Send submissions to rampage@angelo.edu
Turning point for SGA Student Government Association interviews a new RSO, makes committee changes Ixchel Sotelo, staff writer
The Student Government Association held a meeting in the C.J. Davidson Conference Center on Jan. 27 led by newly confirmed Vice President Dylan Sanders. The meeting began with making the decision of accepting or denying Turning Point USA, an organization that promotes conservative, patriotic values. “We’ve had over 160 to 200 people already sign papers of intent that they would be interested in joining our organization, and so we think that interest shows that people are wanting to be active in the ASU community.” said Kevin Franke, vice president of the ASU chapter of Turning Point USA. The Senate approved the organization, which will now be active on-campus. The next order of business was the confirmation of the newest additions to the SGA. Destyne Jimenez will be representing the nursing department, Arabella Pena will represent the English and modern languages department, Maddison Kaiser will represent the biology department, Yuseok Kang will represent the computer science department, Keifer Gilbreath and Houston Smith obtained at-large seats and Vivi Garcia-Marquez will represent the social work department. “I want to be in SGA because I like being a part of something,” sophomore Jimenez said. “I like feeling like what I’m doing is making a difference and I enjoy helping people.” To conclude the meeting, the SGA held nominations to fill
open committee chairs. The newly appointed senators include Transportation Chair Emma Duke, Special Events Chair Weslyn Kirkpatrick, Ram Fam Scholarship Chair Mason Hightower and Health, Environment and Sports Chair Madison Wallace.
Photo by Ian Saint: Representatives from Turning Point USA are interviewed during their confirmation. Once approved, they will be an official registered student organization.
3 Opinion
1.31.2020
Sidewalk Survey:
Who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl, 49ers or Chiefs?
“Probably the Chiefs this year because I’m a Patrick Mahomes dude. I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan all the way, but the Chiefs have my heart. My favorite football coach was a Chiefs fan. Also, I think the Chiefs have a better offense.” –Alec Grasper, freshman
“49ers because, in my defense, they have a better defense than offense.” –Bianca Loredo, freshman
“I am going to root for the Chiefs, just because I believe they haven’t been in the Super Bowl yet and haven’t won a Super Bowl. I’m really excited for them and I like that it’s different people in the Super Bowl this year.” –Priscila Hernandez, freshman
“I’m looking for a good game, honestly. I don’t care who wins. If I’m going to sit all those hours, I want to see a good game.” –Adrian Lincon, senior
Don’t be afraid of your voice Mbulelo Maqungo, staff writer
Whether you found yourself on the receiving end of a family member’s rant about progressivism being out of hand or if you’ve stumbled upon a hashtag demanding the “cancelling” of famous figure, you probably are familiar with the term “cancel culture.” Also known as “outrage culture,” JSTOR Daily defines it as a group of people “being aggrieved against someone’s problematic behavior, and results in ‘calling out,’ silencing or boycotting the problematic behavior.” Some people believe that this organizing strategy can be used as a tool for everyday people to hold those in positions of untouchable affluence accountable for their choices. Others see it as an angry internet mob combing through an individual’s personal life until they can find enough dirt to destroy their livelihood. In an increasingly interconnected age, it’s important for individuals to use their voice where they would otherwise be voiceless. According to the Philosophy Foundation, the Ship of Theseus, a 400 B.C. thought experiment, asks, “If a vessel is a new ship when all the parts are replaced then at what point does it become a new ship?” In other words, if we identify something as totally good, how many bad things would have to characterize it before that something becomes totally bad? Or vise versa? People have a desire to categorize things into camps or groups. From a young age, we’re generally taught in school who the bad guys
and the good guys are in history and eventually grow up to not understand how complex folks can really be. That becomes problematic in real life when the people we portray as good guys do horrible things or their enemies perform charitable acts or make commendable decisions. As society progresses, behaviors that were seen as acceptable before sometimes aren’t appropriate now. Collectively, we need to come to terms with the fact that not everyone or everything from our shared past is going to be revered in the same positive or negative light forever, and that’s okay. Historically, those in power rarely had a reason to listen to the concerns of people in the lower class because there was very little at stake for them. Now, whether you’re the CEO of a major company or the leader of a local PTA, we all share the same online platforms, meaning the communication gap between public figures who hold influence and their audience is virtually nonexistent. The power to decide what is okay is in the hands of the common citizen now more so than any other period in history, and that can’t be framed as anything else but a healthy democracy in action. While it should be acknowledged that there will always be bad actors amongst groups publicly vocalizing their concerns, you can very well have whole groups who, whether knowingly or unknowingly, undermine the democratic process by faking outrage over trivial matters, the solution to this problem wouldn’t be to seal off public figures from any criticism. Do your best to have intellectually honest conversations with those around you and don’t be afraid to ask what your perspectives can offer to the topics that mean the most to you.
Ram Page ASU Station #10895 San Angelo, Texas 76909
Ram Page
Copy Editor Sophia Gravatt
Member of The Texas Tech University System Texas Intercollegiate Press Association
Staff Writers Ashley Rodriguez Jeremiah Devereaux Ixchel Sotelo Mbulelo Maqungo
Consultant Travis Hunter
Photo Editor Ian Saint Designer Dominic Rodriguez
Editor-in-Chief Axel Marcenaro Photographer Cora Bishoppetty
Editor: RamPage@angelo.edu Newsroom: (325) 942-2323
Circulation Manager Jeremiah Devereaux
PUBLISHING POLICY
Faculty Adviser Dr. Ellada Gamreklidze
Published every Friday and available on campus and online. The student newspaper of Angelo State University is a public forum, with its student editorial board making all decisions concerning its content. Unsigned editorials express the views of the majority of the editorial board. Ram Page welcomes opinions from anyone who would like to share. If you would like to contribute, please email us. Do include your name, major (if applicable) and classification/position. The paper reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and clarity, and all submissions are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel and privacy. Deadline is 5 p.m. on a Monday. Submission does not guarantee publication. Opinions 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.
4 Feature
1.31.2020
Bringing students’ creativity to the spotlight ASU’s art and literary magazine nears submission deadline Ashley Rodriguez, staff writer
Oasis, ASU’s annual literary and artistic magazine, is now accepting submissions from students. Oasis, which is published by the department of English and modern languages, offers ASU students the opportunity to submit their work for the chance to be published. According to the ASU website, the magazine is an educational experiment for ASU students and provides training in magazine design and production under the guidance of English faculty advisers. “It’s just to showcase students’ artwork,” Sydney Morris, general editor, said. “It’s specifically for ASU students.” Morris said anyone at ASU can submit their literature, traditional art-
work, photography and even photos of sculptures, 3D artwork or digital art to Oasis. The priority deadline for submissions is Jan. 31 and the final deadline is Feb. 28. According to the ASU website, writers must submit documents in a Microsoft Word compatible format. Artists must submit images that are 300 pixels per inch in either JPEG or Photoshop format. Submissions must be sent to asuoasis2020@gmail.com. Students will be able to pick up a copy of Oasis magazine during the third week of April.
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Works previously publish in Oasis Art and Literary Magazine 1. “Through the Looking Glass” by Agape Manoa - photography
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2. “Tentacle Orbit” by Bailey Upton - drawing 3. “Wonder Woman” by Micah Healey - screen print
Events Calendar
Friday 1/31
Angelo State University Mission Statement
Mission Statement Angelo State University, a member of the Texas Tech University System, delivers undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts, sciences, and professional disciplines. In a learning-centered environment distinguished by its integration of teaching, research, creative endeavor, service, and cocurricular experiences, ASU prepares students to be responsible citizens and to have productive careers.
Vision Statement ASU strives for excellence by fostering an innovative, collaborative, and supportive learning environment that enables a diverse student body to achieve success as citizens and professionals. Values Opportunity - Innovation - Engagement
-ASU Softball vs Southern Arkansas 12:30pm-2:30 *The Scapyards Sports Complex -ASU Tennis vs Tyler Junior College 2:00pm-5:00pm *ASU Tennis Courts -ASU Baseball vs Eastern New Mexico 3:00pm-6:00pm *Foster Field -ASU -ASU Softball vs Henderson State 5:30pm-7:30pm *The Scapyards Sports Complex
Sunday
2/2
-ASU Baseball vs Eastern New Mexico 1:00pm - 4:00pm *Foster Field -ASU Women’s Tennis @ Collin County 3:00pm - 6:00pm *Plano, TX
Tuesday
2/4
-Art Exhibit: SGCI Members Traveling Exhibition 9:00am - 5:00pm M-F (to Feb 17) *Carr EFA Gallery 193 -CLEP 10:00am - 6:00pm Weekly (to Mar 3) *Vincent Building testing center 291 -UCPC: Concert Committee Meeting 4:00pm - 5:00pm Weekly (to Apr 21) *Houston Harte UC
Saturday
2/1
-ASU Day at the Rodeo All Day *Foster Communications Coliseum -ASU Baseball vs Eastern New Mexico 2:00pm - 5:00pm *Foster Field -ASU Softball vs Augustana 3:00pm - 5:00pm *The Scrapyards Sports Complex -ASU Men’s Basketball at Texas A&M Commerce 4:00pm - 6:00pm *Commerce, TX
Monday
2/3
-Rho Gamma Applications Open All Day -Black History Academic Presentation 6:00pm - 8:30pm *CJ Davidson
Wednesday
2/5
-UCPC: Spirit & Traditions Committee Meeting 4:00pm - 5:00pm Weekly (to Apr 22) *Houston Harte UC -UCPC: Nighttime Committee Meeting 5:00pm - 6:00pm Weekly (to Apr 22) *Houston Harte UC -Iheartyosneaks Meeting 6:30pm *Houston Harte University