Reeling in Rewards
Student Profile:
Graduate student awarded competitive TOWA scholarship
JENNY HARRIS
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Alumni author visits Island University by REAGAN ELAM contributing writer
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photo courtesy of TAMUCC FLICKR
Graduate student James Sanchez (pictured left) conducts research in the field with fellow student Avery Scherer. Sanchez is currently studying the effects of mangroves on the salt marsh ecosystem.
by CONNER TICHOTA editor in chief
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exas A&M University-Corpus Christi graduate student James Sanchez was recently awarded the 2015 Dan Klepper Memorial Scholarship from the Texas Outdoor Writers Association. Sanchez is completing a master’s in biology. He is working closely with the Island University’s marine ecology lab, studying the effects of invasive mangroves on the local salt marsh ecosystem. Judy Mills, co-chair of the TOWA
scholarship committee, said the organization receives anywhere between six and 20 scholarship applications annually and only award one to two scholarships per year. The scholarship was founded 30 years ago in honor of Klepper who was both a founder of TOWA and an outdoor journalist for the San Antonio Express News. “The purpose of the scholarship is to support the next generation of writers, artists, photographers, etc. who are dedicated to enlightening the general public on the importance of our natural heritage while promoting its appreciation, enjoyment
and conservation,” Mills said. “These communicators share knowledge and personal experiences in the outdoors and encourage all generations to learn more about the outdoors.” This year, Sanchez was chosen out of a pool of 17 candidates. “I’ll be honest, I was very surprised that I got it,” Sanchez said. “But what separated me from everybody else, from what I was told by Judy Mills, was that it was just the amount of publications I’ve done.” see SCHOLARSHIP on page 3
Dr. Wendy Martin talks feminism
College of Liberal Arts, English Department hosts public talk by STERLIN KEMP news reporter
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n Feb. 25, the College of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi partnered with the English Department to host a public talk featuring critically acclaimed professor Dr. Wendy Martin. The discussion was entitled, “Women Studies: Past, Present and Future” which centered on the feminist movement in America and the factors that affect it. Martin is known around the country for her academic achievements and numerous scholarly publications. She currently teaches at Claremont
Graduate University where she is the chairwoman of the Department of English. She is founder and editor of an academic journal focusing on the study of women entitled, “Women’s Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal.” “Dr. Martin is a leading figure in women’s studies,” said Dr. Michael Ramirez, associate professor of sociology and coordinator of the Women and Gender Studies program at the Island University. “She has been influential to the development in the field of Women’s studies since its inception.” During the public discussion, Martin started off by giving a brief description about the start of feminism
in the United States. She discussed the influences of the early religious settlers of America, the Puritans and the Separatists, having a direct link to the first wave of feminism. “The first wave of feminism began when a group people felt that women should have a larger role in the public sector,” Martin said. “It was often believed that men occupied the public sphere while women occupied the private or domestic sphere.” Notable figures like Anne Hutchinson, Anne Bradstreet and Susan B. Anthony were often referred to during the discussion as prominent women who helped shape the early feminist movement. see MARTIN on page 3
INDEX NEWS 3-4 | CAMPUS 5-6 ENTERTAINMENT 7-9 | SPORTS 10-11 | VISUALS 12
lumni and winner of the 2014 Stonewall Book Award, e.E Charlton-Trujillo paid a visit back to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Feb. 19. The students and community of Corpus Christi were excited about former student Charlton-Trujillo’s book signing and presentation of her inspiring new book, “Fat Angie.” “[Writing was my] freedom when she was going through a very hard part in her life,” Charlton-Trujillo said. Charlton-Trujillo said her style of writing is creating dialogue and condensing things to its core. She grew up in Mathis, Texas and pursued a degree in theatre and English. The death of very good friend inspired her to finish writing “Fat Angie” during a very difficult time in her life. She said that “Fat Angie” was the foundation for her to travel and change lives one by one. “[It is aimed for] at risk youth in America,” Charlton-Trujillo said. “At risk youth in America is about not reaching your full potential, but does not discriminate against color.” In May 2013, Charlton-Trujillo met a child named George in West Texas. Charlton-Trujillo guided George and showed her interest to help make his dreams come true. George was indeed the start of her unconventional book tour catering to at risk children in the community at no cost. “Fat Angie” is described as raw, sharp and realistic as the story unwraps in front of the audiences’ eyes. see FAT ANGIE on page 5
Find us on Facebook:
www.facebook/IslandWaves VOLUME 26, ISSUE 7
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opinion
ISLAND WAVES
a student publication of
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
island waves staff CONNER TICHOTA editor-in-chief
JAMIE FINK
web editor-in-chief
AMBER QUAID
managing editor
KELSEY FLORES copy editor
JUSTIN VU NGUYEN
advertising assistant
LUIS GOMEZ
advertising assistant
THI NGUYEN
layout assistant
KARA HERRERA layout assistant
STERLEN KEMP news reporter
GERI LEMMONS
features reporter
TREY SEAL
entertainment reporter
JEREMY PAPE
sports reporter
ELI T. BERKE
photographer
MARK MARTINEZ
distribution manager
WENDY MOORE faculty adviser
AMY KOTULSKI staff adviser
JESSE DE LEON
graduate 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.
03.05.2015
Battle of the Tumblr
by REAGAN ELAM contributing writer community is defined as people who relate on a topic. Tumblr is an online community of people who relate in taste of music, ways of thinking, life experiences and art. The Tumblr community is tied together through re-blogging of pictures, videos, messaging, liking pictures, hashtags and of course following people. To post on Tumblr, one has the option of quoting someone, writing a personal thought, sharing a link, chatting with users and posting videos and pictures. It is through all of these options that a person can go from sitting behind a computer, to being Tumblr famous in a matter of seconds. The re-blogging of pictures and videos is essentially an art form. When re-blogging pictures it relates that the user likes the post so much that they wanted to add it to their personal blogs to share with their followers. Another way of showing support of a follower is simply double tapping the heart under the picture. When a follower likes a picture, it relates the message that they agree with the post. As social media reaches its peak, it begins to give people a different ego that was never there before, becoming famous on the Internet. Some blogs are focused on certain things and others are just a bunch of thoughts, art and quotes shared in the online community in a way to relive stress. Social media is so convenient that it is making people lazy. Connecting with followers on Tumblr completely hinders the ability to communicate successfully due to the misconceptions in messages. When messaging a follower, users have two options. The first option is to message a user with self-identification of who the message is coming from. The secondary option is to create a
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Saving money is the smart choice by GERI LEMMONS feature reporter
When in college it is important to save as much money as possible. With all of the expenses that come along like room and board, textbooks, and supplies there is no room to waist money. A budget is a very important thing to think about and saving money is not only a good thing to learn in college but in life too. Living cheap is not a bad thing but it is something one has to get used to while going to college. The habits learned here will most likely stay the same even out of
AGAINST TUMBLR
message using the anonymous option. The option to reveal one’s self gives the users a sense of privacy and possibly gives users a wide open door to bully people. The next option is using privacy by using the anonymous tool. When asking embarrassing questions or receiving advice, it can be useful. Everyone knows the anonymous tool is used negatively by users as well. It is a way to say hurtful things without taking responsibility. The social media world is brutal and in many ways hinders successful communication skills. The connections of Tumblr communities share the same interest in the same subject matter. The amount of followers is essentially how popular people are in the Tumblr community. Many people are “Tumblr famous” from their posts as well as the perception of their lifestyle. Social media is one of the best tools that connects people but it also hinders the ability to communicate physically because connections are being made through a computer. On a positive side of things Tumblr is definitely a knowledge bank. The knowledge accumulated in the online community is amazing through its trends and blogs of all types. It is an exceptional marketing tool. It is through the different options to be creative and express one’s self on Tumblr that makes it appealing to people. Additionally it is the number one fastest growing social networks over Instagram according to Forbes Magazine. Tumblr is great for fashion, art, and connecting with people, but it also hurts our communication skills in the long run.
college. Here are some of the ways to live cheap as a college student. “I just keep things on a priority basis and usually its food and then clothes, than everything else. My mom usually gives me a set amount and I have to make it work for a while” said Savannah Saiz environmental science major. One of the ways to save a pretty big chunk of money is to use public transportation. People who drive to school not only pay for gas to drive to school but pay to park at the school. The busses that come to school are free with a student ID. Utilizing the bus is a great thing to do when trying to save money and stay on a budget in college. They can go to the store, the mall, and even home. Another way to cut cost is to cut down on miscellaneous things that are not essential. Eliminating daily coffee drinks, pastries, and other
by CONNER TICHOTA editor-in-chief he debate on whether or not social media is inhibiting our communication skills as a society is, to say the least, redundant. Some have argued that it has increased the average quantity of relationships an individual has, but weakened the quality of each. Others have argued that we are becoming lazy, cyber bullies and so on and so forth. While this is true to some extent, it would be unfair to generalize all social media as having the same affect. Tumblr is one such site that breaks this stereotype. Tumblr is one of the few online communities, I have seen, where the users engage in a high amount of debate, creativity and overall are just having fun. Tumblr is much more than just pictures, art and fashion. This is merely one facet of the Tumblr universe. Tumblr can be broken down into seven realms: the artists, the faionistas, the lol GIFers, the fandoms, the activists and the porn hubs. Yes, there is a dark side to Tumblr. Within each of these realms, there are subcategories and crossovers galore. Out of each of these areas comes unique creative ideas and discussion. The discussions that take place on Tumblr are important, because a lot of them negate this idea of cyber bullying. For example, a recent GIF set of Kesha has been circulating where she is crying about how no one likes her music. One user left hateful comments on the post, calling Kesha every hurtful name in the book. This prompted another user to fire back a six-paragraph response in defense of the pop star, complete with quotes and music charts. This is not to say cyber bullying doesn’t exist. It clearly does. However, Tumblr users have been known to fight back.
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sweet treats will help in a big way. When buying these daily treats the money starts to add up and by the end of the month that $4.50 to $10.50 spent every week will be a lot when looking back. A trick to this is to buy those kinds of things every now and again. Maybe go a week with out buying any of these treats or buy that treat every Friday as an end of the week splurge. Another option could be making these items at home. Making coffee and smoothies at home can cut cost because buying an abundance of the stuff to make it can last longer and no further money would have to be spent. “I buy the things that I need and not the things that I want. When it comes to the things that I need I will spend more” said Luisa Salazar a health science major. A way to cut costs with roommates
FOR TUMBLR
Tumblr also appears to be a very progressive site. There have been many posts that spread awareness about sexism, sexual assault, LGBT rights and so forth. Again, this is not to say there isn’t a darker side to Tumblr. It is just unfair to whitewash it as hindering communicative skills when there are clear examples where Tumblr excels in promoting communication. Now, does Tumblr make us more effective communicators in the face-to-face arena? Probably not. It is very easy to get swept up in the online world and ignore the real world around us. However, that is where personal responsibility comes in. It’s our own individual responsibility to try and engage with the world around us. If you are so starved for real human, then turn off the computer and go socialize. If you are at dinner, play the game where everyone puts their phone in the center of the table and the first person to reach for it has to pay the bill. For some people, myself included, Tumblr is a place to escape from real world interaction. It’s a place where you can freely express yourself, interact and exchange ideas with other’s who share similar interests.
is to share a budget on food. When living with two or more people it is smart to cook meals and share food. This is important because it allows people to save money on meals by sharing the cost on all the ingredients. Cooking can really be useful and less expensive than eating out and it can also be healthier. If enough food is made there can be leftovers for tomorrow nights dinner. As a college student it is important to know when to spend money and when to save. With so many expenses, a budget can be the thing to help students survive in college. Every dollar counts and every little thing that can be saved should be. These are just a few things that could help students facilitate living cheap and there are many more ways out there that could be used. Living cheap in college is not hard to do as long as people stay encouraged and smart.
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ISLAND WAVES
SCHOLARSHIP continued from page 1 Sanchez has been published through his internships with Texas Parks and Wildlife as well as Aransas Bay’s Coastal Fishery Division. He also contributes to the Caller Times fishing reports and has been featured in two major articles. Graduating this Spring, Sanchez said he hopes to use this scholarship to defer some of the costs associated with graduation and research publication. “It’s actually going towards binding my thesis, getting copies of that,” Sanchez said. “[It’s] helping me pay for registration for graduation… It does take money to publish a thesis in an actual scientific journal. So I’m trying to set aside some funds.” Dr. Lee Smee, associate professor of science and engineering and Sanchez’s adviser, said Sanchez has been working with the lab since 2008 when he was completing his undergraduate degree in marine biology. “James, he’s a good student,” Smee said. “He’s good in the field. He’s a fisherman. He has a lot of local knowledge about fishing that he brings to the research and how that works.” Along with his coursework, Sanchez has been an active member in the community. Sanchez said he has been volunteering in public education for more than seven years. “I love doing public education,”
Sanchez said. “It’s one of the passions I have. There is such as big gap between the community’s knowledge of science and what the actual scientists know. It’s kind of a mystery, trying to bridge that gap, in my opinion, is very important.” For the past three years, Sanchez said he’s been volunteering as a teacher’s assistant for Tuloso-Midway High school’s science club. “There are kids here [who] have lived their entire lives and have never been to the beach, never been fishing before.” Sanchez said, “I mean I took them on a trip a few years ago, took them fishing. Some of them it was their first time catching a fish; these are 15,16 year old kids. Seeing the joy on the students face… I get a kick out of it. It’s awesome.” Sanchez said his main motivation to pursue all of his accomplishments has been his love of fishing. “I got involved in everything I do [because] of fishing,” Sanchez said. “Fishing is the reason why I got into marine biology; not only to conserve our natural resources, but to educate others about it.” After graduating, Sanchez said he is considering either continuing a career in education or finding a job in coastal biology. “I am going to try to continue to write,” Sanchez said. “I’m going to try to continue to do things for public education.”
photo courtesy of TAMUCC FLCKR
Adviser Dr. Lee Smee (pictured right) and graduate student James Sanchez conduct research in the field.
photo by STERLEN KEMP
Dr. Wendy Martin gives a lecture about feminism to interested students on Feb. 25, 2015.
MARTIN continued from page 1 Their courage through writings and influences were praised. Martin gave mention to women such as these who risked their lives to speak about the things that affected women. It is important for all students and faculty to be aware of the tremendous progress made for and by women. The idea of colleges and universities acknowledging the study of women as an actual discipline is fairly new and slowly accepted. “Talks such as this one, along with the courses offered in the Women and Gender Studies minor, allow students to challenge intersecting oppressions such as sexism, racism and classism,” said Dr. Wendy Walker, associate professor of liberal arts at the Island University. “Students are aware of, and thus can address the systematic problems and institutions that create them.” Even in this progressive age where legislation has been created to ensure that discrimination does not take place because of someone’s skin color
or religion or sexuality or gender, women are still put at a disadvantage when compared to their male counterparts. “In the work place, women still make only 78 cents for every dollar a man earns,” Ramirez said. “It may sound like pennies, but over the span of one’s career, this amounts to hundreds of thousands of dollars that women lose out on.” As discussed during the public talk, feminism is not a movement that alienates and criticizes men for their masculinity. It is a movement that includes men into the struggle. Feminism is defined as the social and political equality of both genders. It is important for both men and women to use their voices to bridge of the gap of inequality and discrimination of women. “I believe that Women and Gender Studies and our moving closer to equality improves the lives of everyone,” Ramirez said. “Men can live fuller, more human lives thanks to Women Studies and feminism.”
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ISLAND WAVES
New internet provider support is top noch by STERLEN KEMP news reporter
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amden Miramar, the only oncampus dormitory and apartment residency at Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi, has recently changed their Internet service provider in hopes of gaining a more dependable and reliable Internet service for their student residents. Camden uses Internet provided by Time Warner Cable who then employees a service provider whose job is to monitor and maintain the Internet connection. The previous service provider was Korcett. Camden asked for this provider to be dropped and changed to Kadirnet because of poor performance and connection. “We were unhappy with Korcett’s performance and asked that Korcett be dropped,” said Richard Whatcott, the Director of Housing and Residence Life at Camden Miramar. “Our new provider is Kadirnet, who will also be the Internet service provider at the Momentum campus.” Many students who stay at Camden’s residences have expressed deep frustration with the previous
Internet service. High-speed Internet is included in their monthly rent. Students say that the connection was so bad that it made it nearly impossible for them to do recreational activities, as well as schoolwork. “With the old Internet, I couldn’t even connect to Wi-Fi on my laptop,” said Nicole Hernandez, a pre-nursing major at the Island University who lives on-campus. “I use the Internet everyday for practically everything: my schoolwork, Netflix, paying bills. Pretty much everything.” Whatcott noted that the performance of the previous service was extremely poor. He said that getting the speed needed for the demands of Camden’s students were not up to standards with their commitment to excellent service. “Internet is the most important amenity to today’s students,” Whatcott said. “We at Camden have a strong commitment to excellent service and if it is important to our residents, it is important to us.” Though the change in Internet service providers has made it easier for on-campus resident students to connect to the Internet, some still feel
it has not made a significant change to the Wi-Fi speed. “I think the speed of the Internet is the same,” Hernandez said. “The Internet is still slow, but at least now I can connect to it.”
Illustration by Amber Quaid
Fast Internet is crucial for a college student. It is especially necessary during the time of midterm exams when many students are rushing to catch up on last minute studying. A
quick and fast Internet service could be determining factor of whether or not a student has enough time and efficiency to study for the big test. One benefit of the new service provider Kadirnet, is its transparency. Students can now visit the Camden Miramar Internet portal to view Internet speeds and loading status for data. If students have any issues or concerns, they can simple fill out a help desk support ticket. The ticket will keep residents up to date on the process of their complaint. “Almost everything is different with this new service provider,” Whatcott said. “Probably most notably is the amount of support they offer our residents as well as the transparency with the portal to see exactly what is happening regarding the Internet on the community.” Camden Miramar residents who are curious about the status of their Internet’s speed or would like to file a ticket through the Kadirnet Residential Help Desk Support Portal can simply visit www. camdenmiramar.kadirnetporal.net for more information.
Lost and found safe keeps hundreds of items by JAMIE FINK web editor in chief
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n a normal year, the University Center and Student Activities office holds a biannual Lost and Found sale. This year however, is not a normal year for UCSA. Due to the construction that has been taking place at the University Center scheduling and running a sale has been difficult. When most people think of the lost and found they think of a large container, where everything that gets left behind is thrown into, waiting on someone to claim the item. However, the lost and found here at Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi is a much more organized system. “We have a very organized and systematic way of keeping up with
lost items,” said Monica Kingsbury, University Center administrative assistant. “When someone turns in a lost item, we log it into our found log book. From there we look to see if the item has some kind of identification with it that way we can contact whoever it belongs to.” Kingsbury has been overseeing the lost and found operations since she started working for the University back in 2012. “To maintain that every item is maintained and entered into the system, I also enter the more valuable items that are turned in into our online database,” Kingsbury said. Every item received by Kingsbury is then locked in a storage space for safekeeping until the owner of the item claims the item or until one of the biannual sales.
Kingsbury said that there is around 50 to 100 valuable items currently logged and kept in the lost and found. She also said that there are currently more than 200 miscellaneous items that are kept within the lost and found. Typical items turned in to lost and found are mostly sunglasses, keys, wallets and Sanddollar IDs. However, Kingsbury said, they have also received many electronic items including laptops, tablets and cellphones. “Since I worked with lost and found, I have seen many items come and go through my door. Probably the strangest thing I have had turned in to me have been inhalers and even weapons,” Kingsbury said. Because the University Center has been under construction since the beginning of the 2014-2015 academic year, Kingsbury has been unable to put together a lost and found sale during the first semester. However, Kingsbury is in the preparation stages of having the first lost and found sale of the year. Kingsbury said that students in the past have had a positive reaction to the lost and found sales. “Normally with these sales we would do them the same way you would do a garage sale,” she said.“We would mark the items
photo courtesy of UCSA
with a price and with that type of sale it allows students to find the item they lost, however, they would have to buy back the item.” Also mentioned was that most students are more than happy to buy back their own item especially since the prices are not at necessarily that expensive. Many students were completely unaware that the Island University even had a lost and found. “It was very important for us to advertise and let students know about the lost and found when we were in the University Center,” Kingsbury said. Kinsbury said that the first step one should take is to contact her office at 825-5202 or come by her office, Sandpiper 201.
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campus
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ISLAND WAVES
Student Profile: Jenny Harris, nursing student by GERI LEMMONS features reporter
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exas A&M University-Corpus Christi is most known for their esteemed nursing program. Future nursing hopefuls flock to this school just to come to the program. Jennifer Harris is a prospective nursing student here at the school. Harris is from Corpus Christi and came to this school because it is close to home and it is nationally recognized as one of the best nursing schools in South Texas. Her story for why she wants to join the program is very unique and inspiring. She wants to be a nurse not only for herself but to also give back. “The one on one interaction with other nurses and doctors along with the patients is something I look forward to,” Harris said. “Putting all the knowledge obtained in the classroom and countless hours of studying to good work in the future.” Jennifer has a very unique reason for becoming a nurse and why she wants to work with a specific type of patient. She wants to specialize in working a specific type of patient to help give back to the loss of her best friend. “I want to specialize and work with HIV and AIDS patients. I feel as a society we focus on cancer patients but tend to neglect the fact that the aids epidemic still exists,” Harris said. “These patients need knowledgeable, compassionate and understanding nurses at their side. My best friend who recently passed away from this
disease inspired me to work with these patients. Due to such a horrific disease, it places an open heart for everyone living with this disease.” With the death of her close friend she decided to use the nurses program at A&M–Corpus Christi, after taking some classes at Del Mar, to give back to a friend who helped her. Harris said he had such a positive and joyful impact in her life, she feels it is her duty to pass his influence on. In this way she can make an impact on a disease that hits so close to home. Going into this program she hopes to learn a lot and to get tons of great influences along the way. She knows the program will be tough but she is willing to put it all on the line to give back and achieve her dreams. Harris said she is willing to deal with the emotional and tough aspects that come along with a job of becoming a nurse. “I’ve always had a compassion for people and I really enjoy the medical field,” Harris said. “The one on one interaction and the differences that you experience with each one of the patients is my favorite part of the program so far.” After college Harris said she plans to go to Hawaii to become a traveling nurse. She hopes to gain knowledge and understanding with joining the program. All that is left for her to do is finish up some classes over the summer and she will be well on her way into the program. photo by AMBER QUAID
Portrait of junior nursing student Jenny Harris.
FAT ANGIE continued from page 1 The authenticity of the award winning book is stupendous. “Fat Angie is a book children can read and be inspired by,” CharltonTrujillo said. “It is about conflict, tension and emotion.” “Fat Angie” is based upon a girl in high school that struggles with self-image. As the conflict arises, the readers are introduced to a character named KC Romance which is a mirror for Fat Angie. Little did Fat Angie know, KC Romance is somehow inspired by her. Both characters experience the same struggle of self-image. “Writing is about taking risk,” Charlton-Trujillo said. When she wrote “Fat Angie,” Charlton-Trujillo said she wrote it for all of the children who felt like
outsiders. Her main goal in writing “Fat Angie” was to give children the opportunity to be seen and heard. She not only accomplished her goal, but also exceeded it by generating The New York Times Bestselling Author Buzz from Gregory Maguire and Ellen Hopkins. She also was nominated for best fiction for young adults. Additionally she was an inspiration to all future writers currently attending the University. “I am so honored to have attended this book signing,” said junior public relations and communication major Leslie Rae. “She definitely gave me insight on using talent to one’s advantage to see where it takes you.”
e.E. Charlton-Trujillo is an alumnus of the Island University and an award winning author. Her novel “Fat Angie” is pictured left. photo by REAGAN ELAM
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03.05.2015
ISLAND WAVES
Suicide is something to talk about by AMBER QUAID managing editor
communication means people are ready to talk but more so to listen. “It is a caring gesture to reach out to somebody,” Sharpe said. The quickest way for someone to say ‘No, I’m not suicidal or depressed’ would be to ask the person if he or she is thinking of suicide with a negative connotation. Which would imply a negative or closed off tone which suggests the person wants the answer to be no due to the uncomfortable nature or the inconvenience of the topic if the answer was yes. Open communication is the key. “Suicide is not something that is talked about a lot but it is the second leading cause of death for college students,” Sharpe said. A student of the University is offered services and training through the counseling center (free as it is part of the fees in the tuition costs). The counseling center is for students only; staff and faculty have other options through their
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uicide is one of the most preventable forms of death even though it is the number two cause of death in college students. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi held a QPR Suicide Training Class on Feb. 20 at the University Counseling Center. Friends, family and co-workers are often in the best position to recognize the early signs that someone may be depressed or at risk for suicide. The workshop helps the student, staff and/or faculty member to begin to recognize those signs. “Suicide prevention is everyone’s business,” Theresa Sharpe, PhD. licensed psychologist said. Sharpe is the associate director and clinical manager at the University Counseling Center and teaches the QPR training. QPR stands for question, persuade, refer. These are the steps that are taught in the training to help people get educated about suicide prevention. This training also teaches how to react to someone who is having suicidal or depressed thoughts and how to get them to seek help. “The goal is to train everyone to recognize the signs of depression, the signs of suicidality and then know how to speak to someone who is having suicidal thoughts,” Sharpe said, “And know how to encourage them to get connected with help.” Those who are having suicidal and/ or depressed thoughts will not seek out professional help but will turn to friends, family or even classmates. There are signs to notice such as loss of appetite or too much/too little sleep or a suddenly outgoing person wanting to be alone. These maybe signs of other issues too. However, because these can relate to other issues people tend to ignore the possibility of suicidal thoughts. “I think there can be a tendency, especially with people close to us, to tell ourselves ‘Oh, that person is just kind of going through a phase but they’re going to snap out of it’,” Sharpe said. When a person with suicidal thoughts or depression is ignored it
employment. If a student, faculty or staff believes a friend or family member maybe at risk they can go to the counseling center for a referral for help in the community. There is a Counseling and Training Clinic, located on campus at the Natural Resources Center, which is open to the public. The University Counseling Center is available online at counseling.tamucc. edu and allows online training for students and staff for the prevention of suicides as well as a self-evaluation. “Sometimes during training a person discovers the information pertains to them,” Sharpe said. There is a screening for mental health located on the website for those who wish to check anonymously about themselves. According to the National Institute of Mental Health in the last year one in 10 people in college are too depressed or down to function. “(Mental Health Screening) reveals information about oneself that you may not have known,” Kristen Ruggles, Master of English student, said, “or may have known but just needed conformation.” The next workshop is on Mar. 27 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Island Hall (room 163) and is free and open to all students, staff and faculty. Pre-registration is required by emailing Dr. Theresa Sharpe at theresa.sharpe@tamucc. edu or calling 825-2703. Training is also offered upon request for groups or classes. There is a suicide prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
uiw.edu
reinforces the idea that to talk about it would be too much of a burden on another person. The most helpful tool is to be open to communication and listening. Asking if the person has been thinking about hurting themselves or wanting to die does not put the idea in a person’s head. Sharpe said that this leads to open communication. Open
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR ACHIEVE PARTNER
SUCCESS. UIW graduate students experience flexible, interactive learning opportunities in the setting of a private liberal arts university. At UIW, our students can choose from more than 30 degree plans, including several doctoral programs. Interested students can learn more at uiw.edu/orgs or by calling (210) 829-6005.
To learn more or become an Achieve Partner please visit achievepartnership.tamucc.edu
OFFICE of RESEARCH & GRADUATE STUDIES
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entertainment
03.05.2015
ISLAND WAVES
Tour pedals
toward
cure
Cyclists celebrate as they quickly approach the finish line at last year’s Tour de Cure.
by JESSE DE LEON graduate adviser
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hen faced with diabetes, the most challenging aspect of dealing with the disease is making the necessary lifestyle and dietary changes. Anyone who has experienced this knows that it is a process that most resembles a long, often challenging journey. The Tour de Cure bicycle ride sponsored by the American Diabetes Association is a similarly challenging journey. The highly diverse group of participants in this annual fundraising effort comes together to raise money and to be a part of a very special sense of community. Whether they are riding individually or part of a team, pedaling along the route or cheering their friend or family member on, the Tour de Cure, scheduled for Saturday April 11 at Whataburger Field, will prove to be another chance to make serious gains in winning the fight against diabetes.
Photo courtesy of ADA
for diabetes
Whether participants get behind the handlebars for themselves or a loved one, the sense of community and purpose is truly the guiding spirit of the entire event. It is perhaps the most comforting aspect of the Tour de Cure. “The Coastal Bend community has always supported the fight against diabetes, and that is evidenced by this event’s growing number of participants,” said Caroline Parker, the event’s Logistics Manager. “We are hoping for 500 riders this year, along with 60 red riders,” said Parker. “Red riders are those individuals who are avid cyclists who have been diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and proudly participate in the event by wearing a special red jersey that highlights their heroic commitment to overcoming diabetes.” That sense of determination and purpose brings together bicycle enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels who are focused on making a difference by raising money though their entrance fees as well
as the money that friends and family members contribute to each team or individual rider. And regardless of whether participants choose to tackle the 85, 65, 45 or 20 mile courses, they can definitely expect the route to be as scenic as it is challenging. “One of the great things about the Tour de Cure is that those who take on the 85 and 65 mile routes get to ride over the Harbor Bridge and go through San Patricio County and they will be going around those familiar turbine windmills in Odem and we are very excited about it,” said Janice Cagle, the Tour de Cure Co-Chair and American Diabetes Association Community Leadership Board Member. If that particular stretch of road seems a bit daunting for some cyclists, the Tour de Cure will also feature a much more scaled down experience known as the Family Ride. This area allows moms and dads to ride a bicycle with their kids, participate in various games and activities and enjoy some healthy snacks as they wait for the other cyclists to cross the finish line. see TOUR on page 8
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TOUR continue from page 7 “We hope to raise $200,000 with this event,” said Cagle. “It is our fastest-growing fund raiser and we not only get a tremendous level of support from our participants, but we also appreciate the contributions from our many sponsors that include Flint Hills and Citgo.” The proceeds from Tour De Cure are put to work almost immediately, according to Cagle. Whether it involves helping to devise a new diet plan, formulating an exercise program or answering specific medical questions, the American Diabetes Association utilizes that money to offer several types of services and resources for the individuals and families affected by diabetes. “You can even make a difference from the comfort of your desktop,” said Cagle. “Participants can be virtual cyclists who can raise money without even strapping on a helmet or getting on a bike, because every little bit of money raised gets us that much closer to a cure,” she says enthusiastically.” Cagle also notes that this event offers several opportunities for various campus organizations and groups to participate. All of the registration details, fund raising tips and route maps are available at main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure. Amid her constant preparations and planning
A group of participants in last year’s Tour de Cure pedal past a familiar campus landmark on their way to a cure for diabetes.
for the upcoming Tour de Cure, Cagle sums it up quite simply. “It is a very unique fundraising event that gets people out and gets them active, and ultimately,
we want to continue to raise awareness about the diabetes epidemic in our community,” Cal
A DARK LEGEND the legend of
by TREY SEAL entertainment reporter
T
he Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” is unlike any other game made before or since its original release in 2000. It takes the action and adventure RPG genre and turns it on its head. The standard narrative driven video game has a major threat that the hero(es) must deal with. Even though that threat is almighty and powerful and often able to execute their plan on a whim, the player driven structure of video games often lets people take their time in dealing with said issue. This is a very conflicting idea in terms of narrative structure, if the world faces certain doom and the hero is off fooling around, it kills the since of immediacy that narratives often provide. That is what makes “Majora’s Mask” from its colleagues. The game has a three day clock that is constantly running down at the bottom of the screen, if the goal is no accomplished by midnight of the third day, the entire world will be destroyed. This gives the game a sense of immediacy, which forces the player to manage their time as efficiently as possible. For those familiar with the long-running Zelda series, this game still contains the familiar series gameplay that has been standard since “Ocarina of Time.” Players will fight enemies with a sword and shield, explore dungeons, and meet a wide array of imaginative creatures. Another one of the major differences of this game though is its focus on masks. There are 24 masks in total to collect throughout the game that enable players with different abilities from transforming into different creatures to reading the minds of the townsfolk. While most games in the Zelda series play out like a “Lord of the Rings” journey to save the world, Majora’s mask has a story more reminiscent of an Edgar Allen Poe story. Link, the protagonist of the story wanders into a mysterious land while searching for a long lost friend when he is suddenly ambushed by a kid in a creepy mask (Majora’s Mask). He chases the kid down and is promptly turned into a short wooden creature (a deku scrub), which strips him of his sword and shield, leaving him nearly defenseless. From there, Link arrives in the unfamiliar town of Termina where the citizens are unaware that the moon is slowly encroaching upon their town where it will crash at the end of three days. Unlike most entries in this long-running series, the wide cast of characters have deep personalities with dialogue that goes beyond the plain, robotic style of other games. This extends to the various side quests that these characters will send players on. Players will find themselves performing tasks
ZELDA
majora's mask 3D review
The different transformations add an interesting element to the gameplay that differentiates this title from other entries in the series.
such as delivering letters between lovers, finding toilet paper for a man stuck in the restroom among other activities that range from dramatic to hilarious. These various tasks utilize the 72-hour clock in very interesting ways such as waiting to meet a character at a specific time or delivering an item before the end of a day. There has never been a
Photo courtesy of NITENDO
video game that utilizes time in such a fascinating way. The bottom line is, if players have a 3DS, love Zelda or just have a love for adventure, this is a game worth checking out. It offers an experience unlike anything else in the video game marketplace and will keep audiences entertained for hours on end.
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DEAD SIGNAL: the end of Radio Shack photo courtesy of WRIGHTWOODCALLF.COM
Radio Shack began in the early 1900s.
by TREY SEAL entertainment reporter
A
t 94 years old, RadioShack was the oldest electronics retail chain in America. In Febr. of 2015, the company filed for bankruptcy after many years of struggling to stay afloat. What follows is the tale of a company that started as the sole proprietor of a newly conceived marketplace and how a narcissistic attitude eventually destroyed them. In the early 1900s, the world of electrical engineering was a very niche market reserved to large corporations and the consumers who re-engineered their products by dismantling them. In 1921, two brothers, Theodore and Milton Deutschmann saw potential in opening a store front for aspiring inventors across the nation to buy individual components and build their devices from the ground up. The Deutschmanns named their new store “Radio Shack,” a reference to the radio communications room of a large ship. In its initial years, the store specialized in selling radio equipment for both professionals and amateurs with an interest in building “ham” radios which allow users to broadcast from their own home. In its first 40 years, the electronics chain was a success and over time they expanded operations to a mail-order catalog and eight additional locations. Even with $14 million in annual revenue, the company fell upon hard times in the 1960s due to spending more than it was actually profiting. This was due to its desire to be a onestop shop for just about everything in the electronics field, even though its catalog was diverse, consumers only purchased a small portion of these items while less popular products sat on store shelves gathering dust. In 1962, a leather goods company known as The Tandy Corporation purchased the company and began to restructure the company. They cut down Radio Shack’s product line from 40,000 products to 2,500, abandoned the mail order catalog and brought the company back to profitability. The manufacturing citizens band radios became a major source of profit for the company in the mid 70’s, at one point it accounted for 30 percent of all sales. In 1977, Radioshack introduced one of the most significant products in electronics history, the TRS-80,
one of the very first mass-produced personal computers. This was at a time when computers were only owned by corporations and hobbyists who would build them from scratch. After the death of CEO Charles Tandy in 1978, things began to take a turn for the worse. The company proceeded to operate off of a company road map that Tandy left behind which helped the company thrive until 1983 when everything on the list was completed. With no direction, the company executives began to release products that merely copied what their successful competitors were making. This led to a fall in profits on the storefront. Despite all of this, the Tandy corporation was the largest manufacturer of computer parts for their own product line in addition to those of its competitors. Throughout the 1990s, the Tandy corporation began to shut down divisions left and right without analyzing their individual purposes. This eventually led to Radio Shack not selling a single self-manufactured item, they were just like every other retailer in terms of products and costs. The company began to attract attention by selling novelty children’s toys, primarily remote controlled cars. None of this was enough to bring the long lasting electronics giant back to their former glory. The rise of online shopping giant Amazon only further spelled out their demise, as the retailers’ products appeared costly in comparison. Senior media production major Carlos Flores recounts going to the store for basic electronic needs on occasion. “When I think about Radio Shack I usually think about cables, phones and batteries,” Flores said. “That’s all I’ve ever really purchased from there. It’s not a store I went to often. Always preferred going to Walmart or best buy for electronics and stuff.” In the first week of Feb. 2015, the company announced that it was filing for bankruptcy after 94 years in business. Senior Ruben Teran, an environmental occupational safety major expressed his surprised that the company has lasted as long as it has. “I can’t believe Radio Shack lasted this long, they were the place you would go to when you wanted to figure out how to connect your phone to your your television,” Teran said.
“Nonetheless, the big companies like Best Buy, HHGregg and even WalMart are geared to knock companies like Radio Shack and your local TV and computer repair guys off the market. It’s sad, unfortunately we are a consumer society that would rather shop at big name joints.” What killed RadioShack was complacency, as the market shifted to new avenues, the company never tried to change its direction. Instead it stuck to the same path that was not working as if they felt that their fortunes would suddenly change one day.
Radio Shack tried to reinvent itself last year in an effort to catch the attention of younger consumers.
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03.05.2015
Students challenge Faculty, staff to court play
ISLAND WAVES
Student team scores a three-pointer.
Photos by AMBER QUAID
Students and faculty participate in the annual Student v. Faculty game for Homecoming 2015.
by JEREMY PAPE sports reporter
O
n Tuesday, Feb. 24, students barely pulled off a win against faculty and staff in an annual basketball game. Lily Gonzales, the assistant director of student activities for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, said this event has been held as part of homecoming week since homecoming 2010. Even though the game was all in fun, neither the faculty nor the students lacked effort. Both squads scored most of their early points by virtue of the 3-pointer. The faculty team had some creative ball movement working in their favor. The student team continued the three-point parade, getting out to a 21-14 lead with 12 minutes left in the half. The student team was the first to diversify its strategy, as the students scored from inside to make
the score 26-16. Both squads were playing inspired defense, as they were collecting steals that led to easy hoops. As this was an exhibition contest, some unique rules were put into place that only added to the fun. Beginning In the second part of the first half, a missed 3-point shot resulted in a point being taken off the team’s score. The quirky rule change saw the students’ lead cut to 4. This led to the faculty team finding their way back in the contest, although for a few minutes their shots were not connecting. Even after seeing their lead cut, the students were not deterred, as they finished the half by going back to what worked for them before; looking for baskets closer to the rim. The change in tactics worked in their favor, as the student team was able to bring its game total back up to 26. The students ended the first half with a nice 6-point cushion.
JB Baker makes a jump shot.
Halftime was exciting. The break entertained the audience with a performance from the Islanders dance team and another by the cheerleaders. Next, a twirler did a unique routine to “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar. The halftime festivities ended with the host for the evening, Director of Corporate Sales for the Island University Steven King, announcing the names of the candidates for homecoming court. The faculty started the second half strong, as they managed to trim 6 points off of the lead in just the first three minutes of the second half. The students managed to regain their composure before the game slipped away from them, getting the lead back to 9 by capitalizing on key errors made by the faculty team. Even with 10 minutes of the second half left to play, it seemed that neither squad was ready to give up just yet. The student team continued their hot streak, stifling the efforts of
the faculty team, as they were able to get their lead up to 14. At times, the game had an intensity level usually reserved for the professional level, as both were involved in multiple skirmishes for the ball. The student team was able to pull away in the last three minutes, but an additional rule change kept the suspense alive, as every basket for the faculty team counted as 4 points. The faculty team cut the lead to 5 with under a minute to play left. However, they missed a shot as time expired that would have sent the contest to overtime, falling by a final score of 57-53. The close contest had the audience members on the edge of their seats. This game is a great way to bring the community together and take the student/faculty dynamic to a new level.
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03.05.2015
Islander softball profile: Brittney Morse
ISLAND WAVES
by JEREMY PAPE sports reporter
E
photos courtesy of KYLE MAZOBOB
Sophomore catcher Brittney Morse swinging in agame against Wichita State.
Brittney Morse is up to bat. The game was played Feb. 6, in Waco as part of the Getterman Classic tournament.
ver since she was a little girl, Brittney Morse has been destined to play softball. The starting catcher for the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders mentioned that an item belonging to her father was the catalyst for her interest in softball. “I found one of my dad’s old gloves, and I picked it up, and we started throwing,” Morse said. The sophomore, who came to the Islanders from George Ranch High School, in Richmond, Texas, spent the first few years of her life living in California. When she was living there, another sport had her attention. “I played soccer before I played softball. When I got to Texas, softball was a [more popular] sport,” Morse said. “I had more interest in softball than in soccer, because it was better with my dad, and I had more fun enjoying that time with him.” With one full season at the university under her belt, Morse now can reflect on her progression from being a newcomer to now. “My favorite part of last season was the last game, when I was put in to pinch hit,” Morse said. “My coach gave me a hit-and-run, and I knew I had to do my job and I had to be there for my team. I hit a home run, and we won the game.” Because Morse performs her duties well, she has earned a great deal of respect from head coach Stephanie Hughes. “Brittney has a personality that can fill up a room. Her talent is limitless,” Hughes said. “I have no doubt she will rewrite the offensive record books for the Islanders.” Last season, Morse had a .291 batting average, which was good enough to tie for third place on the team. Even as a freshman, Morse
stepped up, as she blasted eight home runs in the 2014 season, which led the Islanders. For her efforts, Morse received third team All-Conference honors. “This season, I hope to make the all-conference team again,” Morse said. “I definitely want to be a leader of the team, and be there for them.” There are a few things Morse does before every game to make herself comfortable on the field. “[The team plays] hackey a lot, and that is really fun to do as a team,” Morse said. “One other thing I do is I always talk to the pitcher before the game to make sure we are on the same page, and I make sure we are both in a good mood before we go out there and start pitching or hitting.” Having gone through a year of the program, Morse’s sophomore season could be a season of improvements. “Definitely, my mental game has changed,” Morse said. “It’s a lot more complex than last year, now that I know what I’m doing.” Playing the catcher position is no small task. Not only do catchers have to call the pitches, and catch them, they must also catch the pitches, throw out baserunners and block the plate when an opposing player is about to score, and so much more. Of all of her tasks, Morse has a particular favorite. “I definitely love batting [the most],” Morse said. In a sport such as softball, any team can win on a given night. That fact is part of what gives Morse the motivation she needs to do her job well. “Knowing that at the end of the day, we can come out victorious, [gives me motivation],” Morse said. “We won our first game [against the University of Houston on Feb. 21], and you would think we just won the College World Series, as happy as we were.”
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Anchor from the past, present
Photo courtesy of FLICKR.COM
by AMBER QUAID managing editor
N
Uncovering the plaque for the anchor.
Photos by AMBER QUAID
ow and Forever, this year’s Homecoming theme, was brought together with the anchor ceremony on Feb. 27. The anchor is a copy of the original that was on the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi campus and is here now to symbolize the connection between the past and the present and future students. “I came to see the anchor reveal with my sisters,” Maria Rogers, senior criminal justice major, said. “We planned to be here for support because we love our campus.” The anchor ceremony included alumni, faculty, staff and students. This event was to bring together the students of the University of Corpus Christi campus with those of the Texas A&M campus. “It’s a chance for the current Islanders to research what the UCC is about and how we can better connect ourselves and have a relationship with our alumni,” Angel Monjarraz, sophomore student government association president, said.
The original anchor was conceived of in Beeville, Texas. The first fraternity on campus was called the Anchor Men. The anchor was once the responsibility of the students to watch it for thieves, to polish it and to do the general care for it. The plaque on the original anchor was stolen in the sixties by a rival university as a prank. Forty years later the plaque was returned by the son of one of the men of the group who stole it. This led to the hunt for the original anchor as it was moved all over Corpus Christi and no longer part of the campus. The anchor was found but it had already had been cut up for scraps. So another anchor was commissioned and that anchor came from a naval shipyard in San Diego. “The anchor serves as a reminder to the students to hold fast to their values in the face of the challenges and temptations,” Gary Cotter, Alumni 1970, said. The original plaque was revealed at the ceremony and can be seen just outside the University Center along with the anchor.