Volume 25 Issue 22

President’s picnic

Students attend annual Waves of Welcome event

Oil and water PAGE 3

Students kick back, relax and enjoy the annual President’s Picnic.

by TREY SEAL entertainment reporter

O

n Sept 2, Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi held its annual President’s picnic.

A case of sporadic rain caused the event to be moved inside the Dugan Wellness Center.

A&M-Corpus Christi president, Dr. Flavius Killbrew, was unable to attend this year’s event due to an important meeting. In his stead was physical education teacher Dr. Philip Albright

who greeted students as they walked through the door.

“The President’s Picnic is particularly popular among new students,” Albright said.

Freshmen may have made up a majority of the audience, but plenty of upper classmen came to enjoy the event as well. Several students said that they came for the food which included a buffet line of hamburgers, hot dogs and cookies provided by a full service staff. The first 500 students who attended also received a free “Presidents Picnic 2014” T-shirt.

photo by THI MGUYEN

Emmys awards

In addition, this years event had a performance by local country group, Jake Ward and the Coast Riders.

Senior Islander, Daniela Brisenel, said she has attended the picnic every year since she started her freshman year and it is a great way to meet people. She said this year’s event was her favorite one yet.

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see PICNIC on page 6

Islander welcome celebration Center for Academic Student Achievement Hosts First CASA Islander Welcome Celebration STAFF REPORTS

by TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-CORPUS CHRISTI

T

he Center for Academic Student Achievement (CASA) at Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi hosted more than 145 new Islanders during its first CASA Islander Welcome Celebration on Aug. 29, on the Glasscock West Lawn to introduce them to the tools available to them at CASA. “Due to our successful turnout, we are confident that first-year students are well informed of CASA’s academic support services,” said Noelle Ballmer, Director for CASA and the

Writing Center. “We believe they have made meaningful connections to all of our academic support staff.”

The event was an opportunity to welcome freshmen to the campus and introduce them to Academic Support services at CASA including the Writing Center, Starfish, Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction. During the event, there was a deejay from the Planet 102.3 FM, an 18-foot waterslide, a 60-foot obstacle course, snow cones, giveaways, and door prizes including Islander backpacks, T-shirts, tote bags, water bottles, and key chains. The students also received CASA success binders, which included handouts on academic suc-

cess strategies like note taking, preparing for exams, reading strategies and plagiarism.

To receive a ticket to the event, students met with their Islander Success Advocates to set a plan for their first semester as Islanders.

These meetings aided in success strategies for first-time freshmen, especially those at-risk.

The goal of CASA is to retain and graduate diverse and highly qualified students consistent with the University’s mission as a Hispanic Serving Institution and one that serves students representing the changing demographics of Texas.

PORTS 10-11 | A DS 12 INDEX EDITORIAL 2 | NEWS 3-4 | FEATURES 5-7 | ENTERTAINMENT 8-9 | S

Cross Country preview PAGE 11

VOLUME 25, ISSUE 22

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editorial ISLAND WAVES

a student publication of

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

island waves staff

CONNER TICHOTA editor-in-chief

MARIAM AMAYA

advertising manager

AUBREY DANCER layout editor

JUSTIN VU NGUYEN

advertising assistant

TREY SEAL

staff reporter

NICK THOMPSON

distribution manager

RUTH AIPPERSPACH faculty adviser

AMY KOTULSKI staff adviser

contact us 6300 Ocean Drive Unit 5783 Corpus Christi, TX 78412 (361) 825-5862

write us a letter The Island Waves accepts letters no longer than 250 words.

Letters are subject to editing. Send letters to the editor via email at editor@tamucc.edu.

about island waves The Island Waves is a student-produced publication at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The newspaper is printed weekly, except during summer sessions.

Since A&M-Corpus Christi has no journalism department, Island Waves is supported by student fees and advertising sales.

Any student or University employee may submit material for publication consideration. To become a contributor, email or call the Island Waves editor.

09.11.2014

Letters to the Editor introduction by CONNER TICHOTA editor in chief

T

he following are letters that were contributed to the Island Waves by

Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi students enrolled in English 0399, Fundamentals of Writing. These opinions were edited only for AP style formatting and the opinions expressed in

no way reflect the views held by Island Waves. If interested in contributing to the Island Waves, please contact us via our editor e-mail: editor@tamucc.edu

The dangers of Craigslist

by Kimberly Vead contributing writer

P

urchasing items from Craigslist can lead to so many other things like robbery, shootings, stealing or in some cases murder. This should be an eye opener for anyone. Especially college students who are trying to sell personal items for extra money or maybe there trying to get rid of some junk.

There are many different incidents reported for Craigslist. It could happen to anyone.

Police warn people to use caution when conducting transactions from websites such as Craigslist. The police department recommends the following precautions to minimize your chances of becoming a victim: choose a well-lit public location, always bring a friend, do not meet at night and never meet at a private residence or apartment parking lot.

On March 7, it was reported that four people went to look

at a car posted on Craigslist.

When they got there, two suspects, both armed with handguns robbed them at gunpoint. Luckily, police were able to recover some of the belongings taken.

There was also a newlywed couple that would lure men and find men who were willing to pay for companionship.

Then when the men would show up they, together, would murder him.

You never know what kind of sick people you’re really making deals with.

Shoppers should be careful what they post on Craigslist, and be clear as possible on the description. Sometimes shoppers will take it the wrong way.

For example, one article reported a lady put a posting on Craigslist saying, “Fairly large, free yard sale” and for them to take whatever they wanted after 10 a.m. Well that didn’t turn out so well.

Unfortunately people were greedy and showed up before 10 a.m., broke into her house while no one was home and

took everything. There was nothing left, but a few things here and there.

Another example I found was about a shooting. Shots were fired in a Wal-Mart parking lot after a Craigslist buyer snatched the seller’s iPhone. A man named Luke Kwan was to meet the man inside Wal-Mart who had agreed to buy his iPhone.

Instead of paying Kwan, the man snatched the phone from him and took off running.

Kwan ran after him trying to shoot him, which wasn’t the smartest thing considering there were other people around. The man got away with Kwan’s phone and Kwan got arrested for pulling out a weapon.

Police say citizens can protect themselves, but in a responsible manner. Just because nobody was shot doesn’t make it OK. You never know who you’re meeting up with or what they will do. You can never trust people. Young adults should take precaution on Craigslist.

Social media: help or hindrance?

by JOHN RHEINER contributing writer

I

n today’s society, social media is a big part of our way of life. While technology is growing and continues to help us, it also hurts us in some ways.

An example of that is the ability of recruiter’s and hiring staff’s ability to see everything we post on the internet. For the most part these people will look at your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

When Businesses see things they do not particularly like on your social media account, they have more [reason to] potentially to not hire you.

Social Media also gets us in trouble in other ways. On April 14, a Dutch girl threatened American Airlines. American Airlines then sent her IP address and details to the FBI.

The Dutch girl later sent apologetic messages to American Airlines saying it was just a joke. The young fourteen-year-old’s name cannot be given for privacy reasons. So far the reasoning on why this girl sent the threatening messages are not known yet.

When we see these kinds of things on the news about social media, people just assume it’s just another person doing something without thinking about the consequences. For the most part they are correct, but people need to be aware that social media sites can get anybody in trouble and it is not something to be reckless with. Once more, people become aware of how sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can damage people’s lives there will be less problems in our society with social media.

Thank you Robin Williams opinion by TREY SEAL entertainment reporter

R

obin Williams saved my life.

I tend to avoid telling this story to people but at 19 years old, my life wasn’t in an ideal state. I had all of the opportunities, but lacked the drive to pursue them. Instead I sat and waited for them to come to me. They never did. The lack of advancement in my life turned me into an angry, bitter person who blamed society for the pain that I felt. My laziness led me into a life of going to a prominent school and only attending classes. Afterwards, I would go to my dorm and proceed to eat, and watch television. I was destined to be a loser for life and I couldn’t understand why.

That all changed in a single night.

One night, I found myself unable to sleep. In order to pass the time I began to cycle through a collection of my roommates DVDs. I happened upon the movie “Dead Poets Society”, which I had never heard about, but Robin Williams name struck my eye so I decided to check it out.

I found myself empathizing with the crew of schoolboys who were taught to repress their true selves in order to conform to what they considered to be the demeanor of a normal person. The young boys were nothing but zombies in business suits until they met Mr. Keating, played by Williams, who in an iconic scene tells them, ”Carpe Diem, seize the day boys.

Make your lives extraordinary.”

As soon as he uttered those words, I found meaning in them. At the time, those words only planted a seed in my

mind. They inspired me, but I wasn’t ready to live them. A couple of months later, I was kicked out of that school and sent back to my parents, an experience which shames a person more than anyone can imagine.

Then those words came back to me.

I said them to myself as I decided to abandon mediocrity and aim for the stars. With his words resonating in my mind, I abandoned my home and moved to California in order to fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming an actor. Long story short, I never got that multi-million dollar contract. After a year on my own, I learned how to live in pursuit of a dream.

The impact his words made on me made it that much harder to hear the news that he had passed away. Robin Williams was special. He was a man that put his all into every role that he

ever did. He didn’t care if people saw him as a crazy person. He did what he loved because he loved it. While everybody else was busy worrying about each and every little facet about themselves, Williams observed the world around him and noticed its quirky nuances. He was an expert at taking those observations and exposing the facade in order to show us just how big goofballs we truly were.

Sometimes he took those very same observations and advised us to appreciate the world around us. Williams was more than just an actor. He was a poet, a philosopher, and a kindhearted man who touched the hearts of everyone who ever met him or viewed his work.

Let us not focus on how this man died, but let us remember him for the impact that he made on the world.

Constiution Day Sep. 17 3:30 p.m.

Eng. 104

Free pocket sized Constitutions Courtesy of Island Waves

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news

09.11.2014

ISLAND WAVES

System regents approve new Economic Development Center

Michael and Karen O’Connor building, home to the upcoming Economic Development Center.

STAFF REPORTS

by TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY- CORPUS CHRISTI

C

OLLEGE STATION, Texas — The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the creation of the new South Texas Economic Development Center as the hub for assessing and analyzing the area’s economic impact on Sept. 3.

“A&M-Corpus Christi is proud to be in the position to help our community leaders assess the economic impact from oil and gas production and the expected influx from aerospace companies for unmanned flight testing among other projects of impact,” said Dr. Flavius Killebrew, President and CEO of

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. “Through the center, we can examine both the opportunities and challenges that come with rapid economic growth.”

The center housed in the College of Business at the Michael and Karen O’Connor Building, will focus on supporting and advancing sustainable economic and community development throughout South Texas and the Coastal Bend region.

Dr. Jim Lee, regents professor of economics, will lead the center as the director of research.

College of Business Dean John Gamble said, “The new Center will provide timely economic reports and studies that will be valuable to decision makers in South Texas. Understanding the economic conditions of our region is

photo by ISLAND WAVES

essential in crafting the strategic direction of businesses, the community, and the region. The reports and programs that will be offered by the South Texas Economic Development Center will benefit those who live and work in South Texas.”

The University currently coordinates several studies, forecasts, analysis and reports tracking the area’s economy, including the Economic Pulse newsletter, monthly snapshots of the Corpus Christi economy and the Aqua Book, which reviews business conditions each year.

With the center, these services will expand and be offered to community stakeholders, including governments, economic development groups and businesses.

The center will also offer training, research and data analysis, and coordinate the University’s research on economic and business development.

Another focus of the center will be assisting in the development and expansion of academic programs needed to support and sustain new economic development.

The center has received $100,000 in funding already, and plans for community projects to bring in $50,000 over the next five years.

Additional funding is also expected from donors, regional public partners, client consulting fees, and research grants.

REGENTS APPROVED TENURED POSITIONS The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the granting of tenure to three A&M-Corpus Christi faculty.

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION Dr. Steven M. Brown, Professor of Educational Leadership Dr. Heather E. Webb, Associate Professor of Kinesiology COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS Richard Gere, Professor of Art

Gulf turbulence research leads to understanding oil spill aftermath STAFF REPORTS

by TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-COPRUS CHRISTI

C

ORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Studying the turbulence in Gulf waters is helping researchers understand how oil and water mix in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico – data that will come in handy during the aftermath of an oil spill.

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi student, Jonathan Zikos, a senior environmental chemistry student of Dr. Darek Bogucki, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, has spent the summer working on the data collected in 2012 near the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which released nearly 4.4 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf in 2010.

“The turbulence measurements of the upper two meters will allow for better prediction of oil mixing and spreading,” Bogucki said. “Ultimately letting us predict what kind of action we need to take when faced with another oil spill.”

Examining the particles in the turbulence allows scientists to determine if particles are likely to sink or to stay at the surface, or detect the presence of oil in the water.

“Turbulence is chaotic and complex,” Zikos said. “Yet it’s the same on almost any scale.

Turbulence in the atmosphere of Jupiter looks the same as the turbulence in a cup of coffee and cream, or an ocean with oil in it.”

It is important to study turbulence, Bogucki said, especially in the first two meters of the ocean, because of the heat transfer that takes place between the ocean and the atmosphere.

It also controls the movements of nearsurface

contaminants.

“The depth and rate of mixing within the oceanic mixed layer are crucial to understanding and quantifying climate dynamics on all scales,” he said.

Zikos is analyzing and categorizing data from Bogucki’s experiments examining the waters’ conductivity, temperature and particle properties or the size and internal particle structure with depth.

“With the sensors, I can see the turbulence in the water, and the particles of stuff floating around in the water,” he said.

The data then goes into a mathematical program to compare the particles for analysis.

Bogucki and his team of student researchers work with the Consortium for Advanced Research on Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment (CARTHE), a research group created to protect the environment from existing oil spills and to predict the damage the oil spills will create for the ecosystem and the economy. CARTHE provides interactive graphs and 3D models to aid in the protection of the environment and is funded through Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI).

“I’m very excited to be working on this and seeing where it all leads,” Zikos said.

“This could determine my next focus area; the particulates, or the turbulence, or something else. Only time will tell.”

Bogucki’s research focuses on investigation of petroleum released into the Gulf of Mexico by the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion.

He is the recent recipient of an $790,000 grant from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative for his current research, and he is part of a consortium of 12 research institutions across the nation.

news 4

09.11.2014

ISLAND WAVES

Mechanical Engineering students Aid African villages STAFF REPORTS byTEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-CORPUS

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ORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Three senior Mechanical Engineering students at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi recently returned from the trip of a lifetime to Hanga, Tanzania.

The students, who were in Hanga from Aug. 9-24, developed several renewable resource projects they could possibly implement with the assistance of Michael Cornachione, project leader and adjunct professor of mechanical engineering.

Bryan Hunt, Cody Collins and Andrew Schippers received an “A” in their Directed Independent Study course for creating renewable energy solutions specific to the Hanga area. Their ideas included using solar energy to heat and treat water for local hospitals, schools and kitchens, as well as using solar energy for refrigeration, lighting, Internet capabilities and improving hydroelectric power.

“The idea behind using renewable energy is that it will provide electrical power without the community having to put any money into it once it is installed,” said Hunt. “Basically, we can install the renewable resource and walk away. In rural Africa, being able to provide someone with enough solar power to run a small light, a small fridge or a small electric stove can make a real impact.”

Both Hunt and Collins, who paid for the majority of the trip to Africa out of their own pockets, spent their time meeting with villagers and getting an up-close look at their energy needs. Schippers, who was Villagers proudly display their “shockas” and pose with Skinny Izzy, the Islander version of Flat Stanley. not able travel, supported the team from campus by continuing to research other their ideas into action by selecting the best wood,” said Cornachione. “The final project renewable resource and funding options.

“We realized quickly that it was going to be project to implement, creating a proposal, the students choose to build will have a direct hard to secure funding to just go and collect applying for grants and finally, building, impact on the welfare of the Hanga community and testing their project. As of now, all three by providing new energy resources and clean data without having a specific project,” said students are planning to return to Hanga by water in remote sections of the village. If Hunt. “Cody and I decided that we just did not August 2015 to install their selected project. this first project is successful, it can then be want to pass up this opportunity.”

“Many of the villagers do not have clean duplicated in other villages.”

The next step for the team will be to put water, electricity and cook with charcoal or Cornachione has previously worked

A&M-Corpus Christi students pose with local village children.

photo courtesy of TAMUCC with the student organization, Engineers Without Borders, and has completed several projects in Hanga. Hanga Abbey was founded in 1956 and serves as the focal point for five villages with a total population of 22,000. For more information, go to http://hangaabbey. org/.

photos courtesy of TAMUCC

09.11.2014

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special

ISLAND WAVES

9/11/01 we will never forget

photo courtesy of WIKIPEDIA

features 6

09.11.2014

ISLAND WAVES

President’s picnic

continued from page 1

“They’ve never had a band here before, it’s a pretty cool addition,” Brisenel said. “Dr. Albright has been a really great host. He’s been going around introducing himself and asking students what they think about the event.”

The picnic was originally started back in 2000 under the presidency of Robert Furgason. Killebrew has hosted the event since his arrival in 2004. The picnic was started with the intention of letting students meet the school president in a relaxed setting.

Junior Islander, Marina Maroquin, said she loves hanging out with fellow students at the picnic.

“You can’t beat the free food and T-shirts of course” Maroquin said.

Maroquin is a member of the Student Volunteer Connection, and several other members were at the event with her.

photos by THI NGUYEN

The Islander dance team opens the President’s Picnic event.

Students get free burgers and hot dogs at the event.

09.11.2014

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features ISLAND WAVES

Fantastic performance from the Islander dance team.

Members of Jake Ward and the Coast Riders, Jake Ward, Daniel Hawkins, and Mitchell Williams, perform at the event.

Freshman Liliana Trevino said this was her first year at the event and she thought it was pretty cool.

“The band is awesome and everybody here is really friendly,” she said. “I even made a new friend.”

The event was such a success, judged by the fact that officials struggled to keep t-shirts stocked and passed through its entire inventory of 500.

entertainment 8

09.11.2014

Julia Louis Dreyfus wins outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn and Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad celebrate their wins at the 66th Emmys Governors Ball.

photos courtesy of EMMYS.COM

by TREY SEAL entertainment reporter

F

or 66 years now the Emmy Award has been the highest honor in the television industry. Much like the Oscars, Emmys are given to the very best talent of television entertainment for both actors or technical crew. On Aug. 25, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences revealed who they believe to be the very best in the industry for the year 2013. The event was hosted by former Saturday Night Live actor and current Late Night host, Seth Meyers.

This year’s awards were filled with many returning nominees from previous years including fan favorites like “Breaking Bad” and “The Walking Dead”. In addition to these shows, newcomers like the Netflix hit “Orange is the New Black” and HBO’s “True Detective” were nominated for best comedy and drama respectively.

The awards ceremony was filled with celebrities ranging from comedian Louis C.K. to “Breaking Bad” actor Bryan Cranston. It was apparent that the TV industry has seen a large growth in quality over the past few years as many of the nominated dramas had a very cinematic style compared to the B-movie feel of dramatic television only a decade before.

The ceremony stayed true to television’s roots with plenty of comedy routines from both comedic and dramatic actors. Matthew Mcconaughey’s attendance, for his performance on True Detective, was a popular subject to quip about due to his frequent appearances at the movie-centric Oscars. In addition, Julia Louis Dreyfus, of Seinfeld fame, called attention to Bryan Cranston’s appearance as a dentist on the classic comedy years ago.

Seth Meyers made plenty of jokes about classic TV show tropes such as the fear of having your character killed off while working on “Game of Thrones”. In addition, Weird Al Yankovic performed an original song that gave lyrics to many famous shows’ instrumental themes. The performance was meant to poke fun at modern television’s lack of lyrics in their themes.

Many returning nominees left with awards with “Breaking Bad” coming out on top with a total of six.

Lead actor Bryan Cranston walked out with his fifth consecutive award while his co-star Aaron Paul received his third for best supporting actor. In addition the show won an award for writing. “Modern Family” won the outstanding comedy award for its fifth consecutive year.

“Fargo”, a miniseries based on the classic Coen Brother’s movie of the same name, won an award for outstanding miniseries.

Even though the ceremony was filled with a lot of camaraderie from the happy-go-lucky celebrities, the show had its somber moments as well. The audience had a moment of silence as a montage of the various stars who passed away in 2013 played on a large screen.

The sequence showed the pictures of Paul Walker, Casey Kasem and Robin Williams, among many others cycled as pop star Sara Bareilles sang a rendition of film star Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile”. The montage was touching and reminded the audience that even though these people will forever live through the TV shows that we know them on, actors are just as mortal as anybody else.

Long time comedic actor Billy Crystal who gave a speech about the recently deceased Robin Williams, closed the montage.

Crystal pointed at the large image of Williams on the screen and began by saying, “he made us laugh hard, every time we saw him on TV, nightclubs, arenas, hospitals, homeless shelters and even in a dying girl’s living room for her last wish.”

Crystal began to recall memories of Williams’ magnificent talent for finding comedy in the most mundane of situations. He proceeded to call him “the greatest friend you could ever imagine.” The audience filled the room in applause showing that everyone was agreement on how much this man would be missed.

Overall, the Emmys were as exciting as ever and the ceremony does not appears to be losing any steam. It only makes one wonder how the industry will improve upon itself in the years to come.

PRIMETIME EMMY AWARD

Illustration by THI NGUYEN

A NIGHT OF STARS

ISLAND WAVES

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entertainment

09.11.2014

ENTERTAINMENT calender movies

courtesy of MOVIEINSIDER.COM

ISLAND WAVES

A Walk Among the Tombstones

Sept. 12 - PG

Sept. 19 - R

The Identical

The Equalizer The Boxtrolls An orphaned boy raised by underground creatures called Boxtrolls comes up from the sewers and out of his box to save his family and the town from the evil exterminator, Arichibald Snatcher.

Denzel Washington plays Robert McCall, a retired intelligence officer who helps the powerless. In the movie version, he is living a quiet life while working at a Home Depot, when one act of kindness toward a prostitute (Chloe Moretz) gets him embroiled with the Russian mob. Marton Csokas will play a vicious fixer for the Russians.

Sept. 26 - PG

Sept. 26 - R

cd releases

Sep. 15

Anjou - Anjou Black Moth - Condemned To Hope

Sep. 16

Moonface - City Wrecker Spencer - Burton Obey The Brave - Salvation

Sep. 22

Gazelle Twin - Unflesh Suicideyear - Remembrance

Sep. 23

Imelda May - Tribal Kenny Chesney - The Big Revival Perfume Genius - Too Bright

Sep. 29

Jamie T - Carry On The Grudge Oren Ambarchi - Quixotism The Vaselines - V For Vaselines

Sep. 30

Boogarins - As Plantas Que Curam Gerald Way - Hesitant Alien Prince - Art Official Age Witch Mountain - Mobile Of Angels

courtesy of METACRITIC.COM

Blake Rayne portrays identical twin brothers separated at birth during the Great Depression. Both share a similar passion for music which causes their lives to unknowingly intersect as they experience a connection often felt by twins.

A Walk among the Tombstones stars Liam Neeson as Matt Scudder, an ex-NYPD cop who now works as an unlicensed private investigator operating just outside the law. When Scudder reluctantly agrees to help a heroin trafficker (Dan Stevens) hunt down the men who kidnapped and then brutally murdered his wife, the PI learns that this is not the first time these men have committed this sort of twisted crime‌ nor will it be the last. Blurring the lines between right and wrong, Scudder races to track the deviants through the backstreets of New York City before they kill again.

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09.11.2014

ISLAND WAVES

All for one, one for all Women’s soccer team discusses holding each other accountable

Action shots of Velaj (left) and Chandlee (right) during the Islanders vs. Longhorns game on Sep. 5.

by JEREMY PIPE contributing writer

T

he Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women’s soccer program is entering its second season. Last season’s campaign saw the team win two matches, but the experience gained has put the team in a better position to succeed.

“Last year was a start-up, buildup year. We’re doing better than last year”, said Sara Chandlee, senior defender on the team. “Going into summer, we knew what we were. Each year, we’ll keep getting better. We had for the first time an entire year under our belt. We had only two weeks for everyone to get to know each other last year. The freshmen got a year under their belt, and the team got some continuity going and got used to the system.”

The team played better than one would expect from a first year program.

“We didn’t play like a brand new program. Year two, we have no excuse.

We have worked on getting closer as a team. That was a big issue last year”, senior midfielder/forward Aulona Velaj said.

The team has a philosophy centered on commitment and accountability.

Aulona Velaj

“We commit to ourselves, our team, and our university,” Chandlee said. “One of our main words is accountability…

We have become closer as a team, and that will help us in the long run. We are a new team, and we believe we can win.”

Head coach Shanna Caldwell also stressed, “Accountability for all [we] do, whether it’s on the field or off.”

Having a season under their belt, the

Sara Chandlee

team is looking to improve in some key areas this year.

“We’ve improved our shape, working as a team, connecting on passes, and being smarter,” Chandlee said.

Caldwell also said that having drive and purpose is key.

“We’re just looking to improve, stay compact, and keep our shape. We have the same discipline [as a team]. We also

are working on movement on and off the ball, especially on attack,” Caldwell added.

It’s common knowledge that with experience comes the power to influence newer members of the team. “[I bring] positivity, [I’m] really cheery, and I have a lot of team spirit”, Chandlee said. “I like to cheer on the underclassmen, and teach them what they did wrong. It helps the players with their confidence.”

Both Chandlee and Velaj bring something to the table in terms of leadership. “ [I’m] driven, very determined.

Every practice I go into, I go as hard as I can, and I try to get everyone else to get better and on the same page”, Velaj said.

The team has already begun their season. Currently they have a record of 1-1-1.

“This year’s team has a bite to them. Not a chip on their shoulder, but something they want to prove. The girls want to compete against the best and, measure themselves against the other team. Getting the tie against Houston was huge,” Caldwell added.

The team hosts the University of Texas Austin on Sep. 5 at 7:00 p.m.

09.11.2014

Islanders’ Cross Country

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sports

ISLAND WAVES

Men’s and Women’s teams set sights on Regional Championship W

ith the official start to the 2014 fall semester now a full week gone, many fall sports have kicked off their official seasons as well. The Texas A&M University— Corpus Christi men’s and women’s Cross Country teams began their season on Aug. 29 at the Rio Grande Valley Relays.

The Islanders dominated the event once again. The women’s teams swept the event finishing in the first five spots, and the men’s team also fared well taking three of the top five spots.

“I’m always seeking improvements on both sides for both teams. In both their overall training and their ability to handle that hard training and increase mileage,” said head coach Shawn Flanagan. “I basically need them to perform at their absolute best every race and be able to hold pace for longer periods of time.”

The men’s and women’s teams have been ranked 10th and 14th, respectively, in the South Central Region as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

“It’s definitely not the best rankings we’ve ever received and I believe it is actually the lowest our women’s team has ever received,” Flanagan said.

He said the Islanders men’s and women’s teams are actually on opposite sides of the spectrum.

“Each year I’ve seen two very different outcomes from field. The men have been on a constant ascent getting better and stronger each year, progressing, and not only competing against tough competition, but winning.

“They have been building a pyramid and I do not seeing them giving up until they reach the top of that pyramid, which would first be a South Central Region championship. The women have not fared as well. The past two years have been a struggle for us,” Flanagan

said. “[The team has gone] from finishing first or second to slowly slipping down to fifth and sixth. However, I do think that this is just the group we have been looking for to rekindle that old flame and get things going again for us.”

Flanagan said he has high hopes for his teams to make a strong run at the Southland Conference Championships as they each return the core of their teams.

The men return senior Phillip Baar who finished in the top 10 three times.

“Obviously Baar right now is our go to guy.

He is the highest scoring returning athlete I have on the men’s team, Flanagan said. “Baar is also the highest returning finisher from the conference championships.”

The women’s return senior Vanessa Galindo , finished in the top-10 twice, and also took the top spot in the 3k race at the Rio Grande Valley Relays.

“Vanessa is showing very good early season form, along with fellow senior Shelby Polasek,” Flanagan said.

Polasek placed third in the Rio Grande Valley Relays behind Galindo and another Islander teammate Liz Romo.

“This season is going to be a challenge, but by the time of big races roll around I think we will be ready,” Flanagan said. “It’s just like any other sport, I expect my seniors to step up in the big moments,” He said he knows that these teams are going to push each other, because he saw it in their first competition.

“The seniors are leading the way, but our freshmen are just as eager and hungry to get out there and get some experience under their belts,” Flanagan said.

The Islanders next meet will be at the Texas A&M Invite in College Station, Texas, on Sept.

20.

For more details and information about the Islanders’ Cross Country teams visit goislanders.com/sports/xc

photos courtesy of GOISLANDERS

by JAMIE FINK contributing writer

Vanessa Galindo a senior member of the women’s cross country team. Galindo recently took the top spot at the Rio Grande Valley Relays posting a time of 10:50.

South Central Regional Postings SOUTH CENTRAL Region (Men) 1. Arkansas 2. Texas 3. Lamar 4. Texas A&M 5. Stephen F. Austin 6. North Texas 7. Rice 8. UT Arlington 9. Houston 10. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 11. Baylor 12. Sam Houston State 13. Central Arkansas

Corpus Christi senior Philip Baar competes in the Rio Grande Valley Relays Aug. 29.

Baar is the highest scoring finisher returning for the Islander’s cross country team.

SOUTH CENTRAL Region (Women) 1. Arkansas 2. SMU 3. Texas A&M 4. Baylor 5. Texas 6. Lamar 7. UTSA 8. Arkansas State 9. North Texas 10. Central Arkansas 11. Rice 12. UT Arlington 13. Stephen F. Austin 14. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

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09.11.2014

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