Volume 27 Issue 31 by Island Waves

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

IslandWavesNews.com

TEXAS’ CHOICE

News

Country bleeds red, protest nationwide

Board of Regents plots TAMUCC, TAMUK merger Page 4

Also

by KACI ALVAREZ • Page 6

November 17, 2016 Volume 27, Issue 31

Opinions Page 2 Entertainment Page 8 Sports Page 11

2 Opinion STUDENT PUBLICATION OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITYCORPUS CHRISTI

11.17.2016

Healthy thanksgiving foods make great alternatives MARIAH OLIVE @mariahmydear

Possibly the most food-focused holiday of the year, ThanksgivISLAND WAVES STI | ISLANDWAVESNEWS.COM | VOLUME 26 ISSUE | a08.27.15 ing, doesn’t need20 to be sacrifice IslandWavesNews.com of healthy home cooking. A lot of the time, people are Editor-in-chief bored with the same-old side KACI ALVAREZ dishes of green-bean casseroles and candied yams which are Web high in fats and sugars. One top MIKAYLA OELSCHLEGEL, editor side-dish alternative is: JEFFREY THOMAS, on-air talent Roasted Sweet Potatoes EILEEN HERNANDEZ, reporter Ingredients: MITCHELL JACKSON, vid. editor • Sweet potatoes ( 1 sweet potato can be a serving for two Copy Editor people but you know your KATIE MEZA guests) • Rosemary and/or thyme Visuals • Canola, olive or coconut oil IZZY SNEED, editor First, pre-heat the oven to 375 MARIAH OLIVE degrees. Begin by rinsing off sweet potatoes and then cut the Layout sweet potatoes into cubes and KARA HERRERA, editor place into a 13x9 cake baking SABRINA HUTTON, assistant pan. Then place some oil into a Reporters saucer and use a kitchen brush GERI LEMMONS, news to cover the cubes of sweet poJONATHAN FORNEY, feature tatoes (use your hands if you do MELISSA RODRIGUEZ, news not have a brush). Finally, add your rosemary Advertising JAMIE FINK, manager

Faculty Adviser WENDY MOORE

ABOUT ISLAND WAVES Island Waves is a studentproduced publication at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The newspaper is printed weekly, except during summer sessions. Any student or University employee may submit material and opinions for publication consideration. To become a contributor, e-mail or call the Island Waves editor. CONTACT US 6300 Ocean Drive Unit 5783 Corpus Christi, TX 78412 (361) 825-5862 editor@tamucc.edu ads@tamucc.edu

and/or thyme across your batch of sweet potatoes and place in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes start to brown. The entrees of Thanksgiving are also predictable each year with turkey and/or ham, often right off the bone. An awesome alternative is: Thanksgiving Pizza Pie Ingredients: • Ground chicken/turkey • 6-8 red potatoes • Onions • Green bell peppers • Corn (kernals) • Mushrooms • Eggs • Pie crust • Butter • Milk Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and pull out pie crust (if frozen) to thaw. Begin with rinsing and cubing the red potatoes; put them into a pot of boiling water and boil until soft. Then take the ground chicken/turkey and cook in a pan on high heat. While the red potatoes boil, dice up the onions which you will add to the ground chicken/ turkey. Dice up the green bell peppers, mushrooms and corn (unless you use canned corn)

and set aside for later. Once the potatoes are done boiling, drain and mash, add some milk, butter and salt to make them creamy (measure by taste). When the meat and onions are done cooking, set them aside. Then sauté the green bell peppers, mushrooms and corn, and set aside as well. Now grab your pie crust and pan and begin to layer the Thanksgiving Pizza Pie. The first layer is the mashed potatoes, then the meat and onions, followed by the veggies. Then press down and lightly pack the filling. Now crack eggs, and keep the yolk intact, over the pizza pie and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Take it out of the oven and enjoy. Let’s talk about dessert because you do not have to sacrifice flavor for health during Thanksgiving here either. Check out this quick, healthy dessert recipe: Apple Pie Bites Ingredients: • 4-5 green apples • 2 or 3 cans of crescent rolls • Cinnamon • Nutmeg

• •

Brown sugar Apricot/apple jam Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut apples in slices and roll in brown sugar and set aside. Unroll the crescent rolls and spread thechosen jam across and then dust with both cinnamon and nutmeg. Place the brown sugar rolled apple slices on the wide end of the crescent roll and roll up and place on sheet pan. Once you have your desired amount place in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy Thanksgiving without sacrificing health. Make this holiday one to remember and get into the kitchen yourself.

Surviving Black Friday tips and tricks MIKAYLA OELSCHLEGEL @mikaylaMOG

As we say goodbye to Halloween, another holiday is right around the corner. Thanksgiving is the time to eat all you can and hope grandma sneaks you enough Tupperware filled containers to last you until next year. One downfall to the Thanksgiving season is Black Friday, the one day out of the year where everyone decides to go shopping at the same time and fights break out in the WalMart parking lot. If you are one of those people who shops on Black Friday, here are a few tricks to help you survive the

crowds. Does the store have an online store- We live in the world where technology is at our fingertips and many companies have online stores. If there is a website of a certain store you are dying to shop at but do not want to battle the lines and crazy crowds, you can almost guarantee that most of the time, online prices will be a little better. Create a budget and stick to it- Black Friday is a great way to get some good Christmas presents for family and friends at great prices. In order to make sure to not over spend money, create a budget for oneself and never go over it. This will help you stay on track and not be too tempted to buy that product that you don’t

really need. Come up with a game planSome stores open on Thanksgiving evening, some open in the early morning on Friday. Figure out which stores open at what time and know the order of stores you’ll be traveling. This is really helpful when you want to make your trip fast and effective. Bring a Friend- Black Friday shopping is a long and grueling process. It is smart to bring a friend who can help you keep your budget and also make sure you don’t get lonely or overwhelmed in the crowd. Dress Appropriately- That Thanksgiving outfit might have been a good idea when it came to eating inside but once you start the long process of waiting in lines, a comfortable

pair of jeans and a sweater might be a more appropriate choice. Some people even go shopping in their pajamas for maximum comfort. Most importantly, keep your cool- With so many people around you and vying for the same hot, new item, tempers are bound to rise, whether it is with you, another customer or a retail employee. There is no reason to be the person to escort out with security because you started an allout brawl with fellow patrons. Black Friday has become a sort of tradition for many people after they have eaten their fill of turkey, stuffing and pie. I do not know if I will be participating in the annual event but everyone who does, I hope you have a safe and fun holiday!

News 3

11.17.2016

I-ADAPT talks cannabis, informs students GERI LEMMONS @GeriLemmons

n Nov. 10, the Islanders Alcohol and drug abuse prevention team also known as I-ADAPT sponsored and education summit about cannabis and the effect it has had on people in America. The event lasted from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., each hour of the event being a different speaker who all have their own opinions and their own experiences with the topic at hand. “We had been tossing around this idea for a long time actually,” said Delaney Foster, student engagement coordinator. “As I-ADAPT, as a committee we always get a lot of questions about drugs, and this is a subject that is really important to our students and staff.” From 11 a.m.-noon, speaker Dr. Gabriel Ferreyra talked about the legal perspective of marijuana and the research he has found doing his work. He also talked about his perspective on the topic. From 12:10-1:10 p.m. speaker and DEA special agent David S. Bishop talked about marijuana trafficking

and how the DEA deals with cases. He also spoke about his feelings and experienceswith marijuana trafficing. From 1:20-2:20 p.m. there was a presentation about the pharmacology elements and the longtime effects of marijuana use. They talked about the effects on the brain and how it affects students as well. “I thought it was informative form people who are pro marijuana smokers and the consequences of it,” said Jose T. Ramirez, one of the speakers from MSW and LCDC. “I thought it was an educated and appropriate discussion because some people can get really intense and debate about it and this was not that, it was very appropriate.” After the speakers were done, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. there was an open discussion with the audience and all of the speakers sitting the panel. The moderator asked a couple of questions to help start off the discussion. Then after the moderator asked everyone on the panel a question, the audience got to ask a couple of questions and have anyone on the panel answer. At the end the moderator wrapped

@__melisssaaaa

hroughout the month of November, people all of the nation are spreading awareness and education about a disease that is prevalent in the Coastal Bend, diabetes. November is diabetes awareness month. Diabetes will be put on the spotlight to generate a greater awareness of the deadly disease. As it does not discriminate against any age group, there is a lot of information available for everyone to learn how to prevent diabetes. “South Texas is the bell of diabetes,” said Kassandra Rodriguez, manager of development (in the South Texas Area)

for the American Diabetes Association. “We have the highest percentage rate of diabetes in this area.” There are three types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes. Rodriguez said the difference between the three is; Type 1 Diabetes is declared when the body is not producing the insulin that it needs, Type 2 is when the body is able to produce insulin but not enough of it and Gestational Diabetes is only found in pregnant women with high blood sugar. “A lot of us take it for granted when we see the warning signs and just brush it off, but it is definitely something that is scary,” Rodriguez said. This disease is growing at

Island Waves News .com

Whataburger Rewards with mobile app

GERI LEMMONS/Island Waves

(Left to Right) Dr. Gabriel Ferreyra, Claudia Ayala, Jose T. Ramirez, Davis S. Bishop, and Mark Skurka make up the panel for the summit.

up this section by asking them all one final question and saying they had two sentences to answer. “I thought the last part was really interesting because I got to hear different perspectives,” said Moses Flores, senor sociology major. “I learned how, like when one of the panelists made a comment about how other countries have research on marijuana and why we are not looking at that research. I don’t see why we can’t use that as a starting point.” The event was a chance

for students to come out and learn and have an open discussion about Marijuana and look at it for different perspective. From the legal aspect, the medical aspect, and then the topic of what the legalization of it in other places has done for them. There was no shortage of opinions and facts being thrown both ways. “The goal was for everyone to walk away learning at least one thing,” Foster said. “I hope people left with a more well-rounded perspective, and that is what it is really about for me.”

rapid speeds. Some statistics provided by Rodriguez claim that one in every 11 Americans is diagnosed with the disease and if this trend is not stopped, these numbers are projected to triple by 2050. Diabetes can often be overlooked and not viewed as significant. Rodriguez said this disease is proving to grow most aggressively within the younger generation, which is why people should become more aware of the situation. “Personally, diabetes runs in my family,” said Jewel Johnson, pre-nursing major and Alpha Gamma Delta member. “So our philanthropy means a lot to me that my sisters and I share the desire to be educated and spread awareness for

diabetes.” Organizations like American Diabetes Association or the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, whose philanthropy is aimed at spreading awareness and education of diabetes, are local resources available to enlighten the community about diabetes. “Alpha Gamma Delta organized numerous amounts of events such as our Diabetes Walk, Dunk Diabetes and Alpha Gamma Delta’s Teeter Totter event,” Johnson said. If you’re looking for more of these type of opportunities to help fight against diabetes, or just looking to get some more information, check out diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES.

November shines light on diabetes awareness

MELISSA RODRIGUEZ

O N L I N E

In Corpus Christi, home of the Whataburger franchise, the launch of the new Whataburger rewards app has hit home and come as a pleasant surprise to most. This rewards programs launched the app on Nov. 1 and has been all the buzz lately for its help in facilitating payments and getting a free reward on the customer’s fifth visit. Whataburger restaurants have all started implementing this rewards system, and are expected to mention it to every customer. View the full story at islandwavesnews.com.

TAMUCC hosts Southland Soccer Championship Island Waves photographer Mariah Olive covered the Southland Conference from Nov. 5-6. While Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s women’s soccer team did not participate in the tournament, the university hosted it, accommodating six women’s soccer teams. View the photo gallery at islandwavesnews. com.

ON THE COVER: Photo courtesy of GOOGLE.COM

4 News

11.17.2016

Board of regents plots TAMUCC, TAMUK merger

KACI ALVAREZ @earthtokace

he Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) Board of Regents met on Nov. 10 in College Station to discuss a possible merger between Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and Texas A&M University-Kingsville. TAMUK president Dr. Steven Tallant, TAMUCC president Dr. Flavius Killebrew, TAMUCC interim president Dr. Kelly Quintanilla and TAMUS Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Dr. James Hallmark offered a presentation about the merger to the board. “Two campuses, one mission is what we see,” Tallant said. “I believe that every great region in this country has a great university doing research to support it. And I think this is where that vision goes.” The presentation included talk about a potential Division 1 football team, becoming TAMUS’ first emerging research university, and providing research grants and more academic opportunities for students. During the presentation, Quintanilla

discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the potential merge between the two universities. The main advantages were broader access to majors and courses, lowered administration cost and students will be able to have access to facilities on both campuses. Disadvantages included blending each university’s cultures and identities, branding issues, short-term costs and resolving and combining administrative functions. “Underlying all these broad categories that I’ve laid out are a host of questions and issue that would have to be addressed as we move forward,” Quintanilla said. “To do this right, if we really want to focus on the right way, we could be more efficient but to do it right is going to take time and we definitely want to make sure that we work through those details collectively so that we have a much stronger outcome at the end. While the board applauded the presentation, members of the board made it clear there were still concerns that have not yet been addressed. “Number one it was a fabulous presentation,” said regent Robert L. Albrit-

ton. “Many compelling reasons to do this but as a great scholar once told me, ‘The Devil is always in the details’ and I personally think this one’s got a lot of Devil in it.” The majority of the Board of Regents’ main concerns were the lack of details and the amount of time the merger will take. According to the Caller-Times, hours after the Board of Regents meeting concluded, the Corpus Christi delegation released a statement they have no plans to propose any legislation. “We will not support any legislation or proposal that would adversely affect or be harmful or detrimental to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi or the Corpus Christi community. There are no plans at this time to file any legislation,” the statement reads.

The statement is signed by State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa and state representatives Able Herrero and Todd Hunter. The board did not vote at the meeting and did not set a specific time to vote in the future. If the regents vote in favor of the merger, the consolidation effort will be taken to Texas Legislature for possible state approval The next Texas legislative session starts on Jan. 10, 2017 followed by another one in January 2019. Hallmark said they hope the merger will be complete by Fall 2019 and at the latest Fall 2020. If not approved by the Board of Regents in time, the merger will be presented during the 2019 Texas legislative session and will take approximately five to seven years from now for completion.

Photo by JAMIE FINK/ Island Waves

CAREER CORNER

Fair’s Fair

inal projects, papers and exams are probably high-priority in the minds of TAMUCC students right now. You may be ending your first semester, or ending your last. Regardless of your current academic status, it’s never too early to start prepping for your final destination: a job. Career Services is wrapping up their Fall career fair season, and setting sights on the spring semester. Career fairs can be a topic of anxiety for many students. They come paired with loud rooms, suited-up folk and business cards a’ plenty. And if you think that a career fair is like a county fair, made for perusing, snacks and free stuff, remember that employers don’t travel hundreds of miles to hand out pens. They come equipped with opportunity: internships and jobs. Be prepared to

meet and talk employment with recruiters. Here are the tops tips for career fair prep to mull over before next semester hits: 1. Complete a resume review with your career counselor & bring copies to the fair 2. Dress professionally (think interview attire) 3. Have an introduction and short explanation of yourself prepared 4. Come prepared with questions for recruiters and topics you’d like to cover 5. To settle nerves, set a goal. “I will get the business cards today from three recruiters” For more information about our upcoming events and career fairs, call our office or website.

News 5

11.17.2016

Vine’s six seconds of fame ends

JONATHAN FORNEY @jb4nay

ue to the inability to turn a profit, the popular mobile app, Vine, will close in the coming months. Twitter bought Vine in 2012 for $30 million. Vine’s claim to fame was its infinitely looping six-second videos that had potential to go viral. Vine was responsible for popular creations turned pop culture such as “on fleek”, Lil’ Teri, and many more. “Vine made me realize I was funny enough to pursue a comedy as a career,” said Christine Sydelko, Vine user. “Most viners are creative people and if they’re not, they’re at least resourcesful.” In the wake of its impending closure, people began sharing their favorite Vines using the hashtag “#RIPVine.” Many users found commercial success on the app, amassing thousands and sometimes millions of followers. Other top tier Vine makers felt they were a part of something truly special. “To me, Vine isn’t a simple app or social network. “It is a community of talented and creative individuals,” said Senan Byrne, a Vine user. “It is an app filled with love and passion.” The announcement came from an official post by Vine to, the blogging site, Medium. Vine thanked its users and creators while explaining the future of the

service. Vine’s mobile app will be shutting down, but the website will continue to run so that users can watch all of their favorite Vines. Additionally, Vine is in the process of building a way for users to download the Vines they created before the app shuts down. Many users regularly checked the mobile app in its early years, but as time went on, Vine shifted from content made by all its users to a more focused following of a smaller pool of content creators. “In the beginning, I was on [the app] very frequently because there was always something new,” said Anyssa Villanueva, junior biomedical science major. “Towards the end, it was probably three times a week.” The future of sharing video on social media seems to be live video. Facebook Live is building an audience in Facebook’s massive user base. Twitter purchased its own live broadcasting service in Periscope. It would seem Vine may follow a similar path as its creators are reportedly working on their own live broadcasting app called Hype. Before Vine officially shuts down, their app users are encouraged to look up their old favorites or discover new ones while there’s still time. Only time will tell the next big social media craze, but for now, it seems that Vine’s six seconds of fame are up and won’t loop again.

JONATHAN FORNEY/Island Waves

A screenshot of Vine’s login screen won’t be in action much longer after Twitter opts to shut down its mobile app.

SGA hosts election watch party on campus GERI LEMMONS @GeriLemmons

tudent Government Association hosted an election watch party on Nov. 8 at the Tejas Lounge in the University Center on campus. The watch party was a chance for students and staff to come out and watch the election results. Some students enjoyed the refreshments and activities to help time pass as they waited for the presidential winner to be announced. “We wanted to have an election watch party to help people come out to vote,” said Garrett Ransom, SGA president. SGA colored in the states depending on which candidate won throughout the event representing the electoral college. They also partnered with other organizations, Campus Activities Board and Islander Cultural Alliance.

“We partner with ICA and CAB to reach more students,” Ransom said. “It helps not only just SGA become better known, but also ICA and CAB.” Campus Activities Board provided coloring sheets for students to color as the states turned blue or red and a BINGO card to play during the event. Islander Cultural Alliance had a table allowing participants to take a citizen test to see if they could pass. They also had an ideology test to help students assess if they’re more liberal or conservative. Some participants sat waiting as the results were revealed for each state while others celebrated their candidates winning states by cheering and clapping. “I think that over all, everyone here won’t riot or anything like that,” Ransom said. “People will be very calm

with the outcome and I don’t see any big issues or anything like that.” At 10 p.m. the UC had to shut down so most of the people did not watch the presidential results unfold until they got home. “This election affects the student

body as a whole and instead of watching the election at home by ourselves it was nice to bring everyone together,” said Garrett Swenson, freshman mechanical engineering major. “I think it was a really good turnout and it was nice seeing all my friends here.”

Photo courtesy of GOOGLE.COM

6 News

11.17.2016

Country bleeds red, protest nationwide

KACI ALVAREZ @earthtokace

onald J. Trump was announced the 45th President of the United States of America at 2:30 a.m. on Nov. 9 after a nail-biting race to the White House. Trump passed the 270 electoral vote threshold after winning the state of Wisconsin. The Republican Party swept the votes winning the presidency, Senate and House of Representatives, leaving America covered in red. Trump defeated Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, with 279-228 electoral votes by taking key battleground states including Ohio, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. According to NPR. org, Clinton won the popular vote with 47.7 percent of the vote while Trump received 47.5 percent. Election night began when Trump won Kentucky and Indiana as Clinton took Vermont, a state that has continuously voted democrat since 1988. According to the Associated Press, Trump won the first swing state of the night, Ohio, which is known for predicting every single President-elect since 1964. While Clinton received the votes from states such as California, with 55 electoral votes, and New York with 29, Trump began to pull away following wins from Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania leaving him with only six electoral votes needed to win the presidency. At around 2 a.m. on Nov. 9, Clinton’s

campaign manager, John Podesta, arrived at the Clinton Campaign headquarters refusing defeat. He informed supporters the Democratic nominee would not appear and to wait for the morning. “It’s been a long night, and it’s been a long campaign,” Podesta said. “But I can say, we can wait a little longer. Were still counting votes, and every vote should count. Several states are too close to call so were not going to have anything more to say tonight.” According to the Associated Press, Trump then captured the state of Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes, putting his count at 274, winning him the 2016 presidency. Although Trump won the presidency, Clinton was ahead in the popular vote by approximately 200,000 votes, becoming the first presidential candidate to win the popular vote but not the presidency since Al Gore in the 2000 election. At 11:40 a.m., Clinton made her concession speech at a hotel in Manhattan, thanking her supporters and making known that she felt pride in her campaign. “This is painful, and it will be for a long time,” Clinton said. Clinton told her supporters the nation must accept Trump as president stating, “We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead.” President Obama addressed the nation that same day about the president-

elect. He said he was proud of Clinton, calling her a historic figure, and reminded the country that everyone is on the same team. “We’re not Democrats first, we’re not Republicans first. We’re Americans. We’re patriots first. We all want what’s best for this country,” President Obama said in his addresss to the nation. “We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country. The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy. And over the next few months, we are going to show that to the world.” Election night aftermath immediately swarmed the country as riots and protests emerged. Tens of thousands of

protestors filled the cities of New York, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Oakland. Protestors chanted “not my president” and “love trumps hate” throughout the night and following day. On Nov. 10, President Obama and Trump met at the White House to discuss the transition that will happen in the next two months. Trump will be sworn into the oval office on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. “I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans,” Trump said. “. . . I’m reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can work together and unify our great country.”

Photos courtesy of GOOGLE.COM

Riots and protests broke out in front of Trump Tower on Nov. 8, 2016.

Art by IZZY SNEED/Island Waves

Donald Trump won the presidency by taking 30 of the 50 states and winning 279 of the Electoral College’s votes to Clinton’s 228

Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton fought for the presidency over many months, with Trump emerging victorious on Nov. 8, 2016.

News 7

11.17.2016

University says farewell to its beloved president JONATHAN FORNEY @jb4nay

n Oct. 7, the Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi Alumni Association put on a farewell celebration for Dr. Flavius Killebrew, university president, and First Lady Kathy Killebrew. The celebration took place at Brewster Street Ice House and featured live music on the location’s patio. The first couple even shared a dance. Additionally, the venue thanked the couple for their work on the restaurant’s sign. Food

was provided for attendees in the form of a taco bar and slider sandwiches. “Dr. and Mrs. Killebrew have been extremely successful at TAMU-CC,” said Steven King, director of corporate sales and broadcasting. “Their commitment to ongoing growth has taken us to a completely different level.” Killebrew announced his retirement back in Sept. and plans to step down in December. He has served as the 10th president of the university, beginning his term in 2005, and has made a lasting impact on the legacy of this institution.

Kathy Killebrew looks on as her husband cuts their celebratory cake.

As part of the festivities, there was the cake honoring the pair. Once Killebrew cut the first slice, attendees were free to grab a slice for themselves. After a brief address from director of engagement Russell Wagner, Killebrew was presented with a commemorative plate by local insurance salesman and Islander alumni Ed Cantu. “You deserve the retirement and we wish you well,” Cantu said. Others in attendance also shared their thoughts on what Killebrew has meant to the Island University.

“This celebration was a great way to say thanks to a great person,” said Scott Kelley, senior computer science major. The Killebrews have changed TAMUCC and their legacy will not be forgotten any time soon. A lot can change in a little more than a decade and the university has grown substantially since 2005. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without both of their efforts,” King said. After Killebrew steps down in December, current provost and vice president of academic affairs Kelley Quintanilla will serve as interim president.

Photos by JONATHAN FORNEY/Island Waves

From left to right: Ed Cantu, Kathy Killebrew and Dr. Killebrew pose for a photo with their new commemorative plate.

Dr. Killebrew shares a dance with his wife, Kathy Killebrew, during his farewell celebration.

8 Entertainment

11.17.2016

Starcatcher shows where magic started

MIKAYLA OELSCHLEGEL @mikaylaMOG

oin the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Theatre department as they take their audiences on a ride to experience the friendship and magic that made Peter Pan into “the boy who never grew up.” The production at the Island University will occur in the Warren Theatre from Nov. 15 to Nov. 20. Kelly Russell, the director of the play at the university, knew he wanted to direct this play once he saw it on Broadway and has been waiting for it to be released since then. “We’ve been waiting for two years actually,” Russell said. “And you can sign up for notifications so they will tell you when it is released for amateur production, so the day it was released I applied for the royalties to get to do it; it was very exciting.” The play is a prequel to the tale of Peter Pan and, according to the “Peter and the Starcatcher” website, has governed several awards. “Peter and

the Starcatcher” began in California, eventually making its way to Broadway in 2012 and had two national tours in 2014 and 2015. Peter Pan is typically seen as a tale for younger kids and the play is said to embody that, but Russell said the best thing about this production is that it has something for everyone. “It is pretty unique because it is a play that appeals to a huge audience base,” Russell said. “It can certainly appeal to children but it is also written with the adult audience in mind, so the humor is something that adult audiences will love.” The play offers many things for people and the actors who portray the characters. Ben Hudson, junior theater major who portrays the character ‘Boy,’ talks about how he sees the play as having a strong sense of hope for the characters and the audiences. “It’s like everybody wants something and sometimes it seems like you can’t get it, but there [are] other people that help you, and there’s love involved,” Hudson said. “And [Boy] hopes for

something real, and he seems like he doesn’t have it, but he somehow finds a way to get to it. It is a blast; it is really fun.” This production will take the audience back to the beginning of Peter Pan and how he came to be the ruler of the lost boys and enemy of Captain Hook. “Everyone knows the story of Peter Pan. It is the story of how Peter Pan

became Peter Pan, so it is the whole background story of Tinkerbell and the whole background story of The Lost Boys, all of those questions are answered in the show,” said Sierra Priest, a junior theatre major. For more information about this play or where to buy tickets, go to http://cla.tamucc.edu/theatre/productions/2016/.

Photos courtesy of KELLY RUSSEL

Kenneth Gregory as The Black Stanche and Spencer Tolleson as Lord Aster in “Peter and the Starcatcher.”

10 Entertainment

11.17.2016

Islander student vet honored on Veterans Day

EILEEN HERNANDEZ @EileenHdz

Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi’s Christopher Douglas Armitage, 42-year-old athletic training sophomore and student veteran, has brought much pride and sense of duty to the Islander community. At the age of 17, Armitage enlisted into the Navy with the initial intent to get away and travel. Fulfilling his desire, he traveled to 28 different countries in his first four years and completed four tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. “I was stationed in Japan, Alameda, Calif., Corpus Christi, Great Lakes, Chicago, San Diego, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Tampa, Fla. and more,” Armitage said. After involuntarily being relocated to a different job, Armitage took a year off, but soon made his way back. Within that time frame, he was called and asked to return to duty. He continued serving for 16 years before retiring from the

Navy at 38 years old. “Once I came back [to] the military, I became [an] electronics technician,” Armitage said. “I’m one of the few guys that parachuted. I became a rescue swimmer and that just kind of launched me into the special operations type of jobs.” Armitage took part in many prestigious roles while in the Navyandsaid he was awarded more honors than me can count. Armitage was presented with the “Three Joint Accommodation” award for his service in Afghanistan and Iraq as a special operations communicator, “Navy Accommodation” award as an operating leading paid officer for NAS Corpus Christi, various “Navy Achievement” awards, two for “Sailor of the Year” in 2008 at MacDill Air Force Base and “Sailor of Year” in 2011 at NAS Corpus Christi. Forced to retire due to the “Higher 10year Tenure,” a program that limits the time of those serving the U.S., Armitage

was negatively affected and even restrained from participating in his retirement ceremony. “When I first retired, I fell into, probably a pretty deep depression like most veterans do. It’s hard it’s all I knew as an adult,” Armitage said. “I loved my job. I loved doing what I did. I miss it every day.” However, the Island University has been able to help Armitage in many ways. Today, Armitage is part of the athletic training program and has worked with the Islander’s Tennis, Soccer and Softball teams. “During season, he comes in and talks to us before our game and would say ‘This is game. We’re going to go for it. You focus on us winning; it’s always like that pep-talk that he always gave us,” said Jenna Charles, Islanders women’s soccer player and senior. “There was always that extra care that we always got before and after the games, at practices, treatments and rehabs, he was always there.”

Though taking care of athletes is in a student-athletic trainer’s job description, the athletes say he goes the extra mile. “Even outside of the stadium, every time he’d sees us he’ll tell us to smile, gives us a big hug, just making sure we’re okay,” Charles said. Armitage’s athletics superiors have high praise for him, too. “I think the biggest thing is there’s a sense of duty of pride that he has,” said Dr. Mikaela Boham, assistant professor and athletic training director. “It’s really nice to have that kind of work ethic in somebody that can demonstrate that model for other students.” She said Armitage has a very busy life and is still able organize and to put in the time needed to enjoy it. “I think that takes special people,” Boham said. “It’s a hard skill to learn.” Armitage will be honored at the first 2016-17 Islanders Men’s Basketball game on Nov. 11 at the American Bank Center at 7 p.m.

Communication professor educates audience on crisis communication GERI LEMMONS @GeriLemmons

Dr. Michelle Maresh-Fuehrer, associate professor of communications at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, spoke on behalf of the Outstanding Speaker Series on Nov. 3. in the Mary and Jeff Bell Library. Maresh-Fuehrer spoke about her research, different chapters she has writ-

ten and her own personal reason as to why she wanted work in crisis communication and public relations. During the event, people were able to learn more about different campaigns she has studied and how people should handle those situations. “It is very important to me having lost my uncle to a refinery accident. I feel like doing my research gives me an opportunity to maybe help other people

make better business decisions when it comes to crisis management,” MareshFuehrer said. This is the first series of its kind that has been held at Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi. Moving forward, there will be an author series held every fall and spring semester. The event was open to the public so anyone was able to come in to hear Maresh-Fuehrer speak. After her speech, a question and answer session was held, then there was a chance to get refreshments and talk directly to the author. “I was of course honored to be mentioned as the speaker for the event when the library contacted me,” Maresh-Fuehrer said. “I was able to invite a couple of friends I hadn’t seen in a while along with students that I’ve had in classes.” One of the topics was a beer campaign in Brazil and how it offended women at the time. Maresh-Fuehrer broke down the situation and discussed what changed after women spoke out against it. “I learned some new stuff and a lot about the media,” said Jaclyn Tacksh, sophomore biology major. “Honestly what she was saying about Brazil and how the company apologized and

changed the advertisement I think is different from here.” Students went up to Maresh-Fuehrer to talk to her about her research as well as thank her for sharing it with them. “I think today was really successful,” Maresh-Fuehrer said. “I felt very honored.”

MARIAH OLIVE/Island Waves

Mahresh-Fuehrer answers a student’s question during the Q&A.

Sports 11

11.17.2016

Islander basketball shoots off with two wins JONATHAN FORNEY @jb4nay

he men’s and women’s basketball teams of Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi won their opening exhibition games, 106-75 and 79-41, respectively. The men’s team took on the Tornadoes of Concordia University in front of a packed Dugan crowd. In the season opener, senior forward Rashawn Thomas had a monster double-double of 32 points and 17 rebounds in 23 minutes of action. Out of those 32 points, 16 came from the line, a sign of a concerted effort to draw contact. “Free throws were a big emphasis and something I worked on over the summer,” Thomas said. “I’m an aggressive guy and the team looked for me to be aggressive.” The team spent a lot of time at the charity stripe, ultimately going 34-48 on foul shots. Which equated to nearly one-third of their points. In addition to the dominance at the line, another major factor was the team’s defense, forcing 28 turnovers which converted into 31 points. Junior guards, Joseph Kilgore and Ehab Amin each tallied five steals. “Our size, our speed and our athleticism provide us with a great deal of diversity to do things defensively,” said Willis Wilson head coach. The women’s team kicked off their season with a convincing victory of their own over the Dustdevils of Texas A&M International University. Their victory

was in large part to a scoring boost coming off the bench; junior guard, Brianna Jackson, scored, a game-high 17 points. She accredited her performance to her teammates looking for her. “My teammates setting me up allowed me to get good looks,” Jackson said. Compounding their reserve scoring, the Islanders also made their presence known inside. The team held the Dustdevils to 10 points in the paint, while

scoring 42 of their own. Leading the charge inside was sophomore forward, Uri Jolivette. She had a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. In addition to the interior dominance, the Islanders stifled their opponents with their defense. The Dustdevils were held at 26 percent shooting from the field. Conversely, the Islanders connected on more than half of their field goal attempts (54percent, to be exact).

“For a lot of people, this was their first time playing in front of a crowd like this,” said Kassie Jones, senior guard. The young team looked ready to play early on, but they know there’s still work to be done. “We’re young, we’ll make mistakes, but we’ve got to fight through them,” said Royce Chadwick, women’s head coach.

The team, cheerleaders and fans gather on the court to celebrate the Islander men’s blowout victory.

Photo by JONATHAN FORNEY/Island Waves

Hometown hero looks to leave her mark on court JONATHAN FORNEY @jb4nay

orpus Christi native and senior Islanders’ forward, Yvette Franco, recently wrapped her final season and she made it count. Franco was a part of the first fouryear class of soccer players on the Island, but the nostalgia took a while to set in. “I can’t even believe I’m a senior. I still feel like I’m a junior. It hasn’t hit me yet, but it probably will senior night.” Franco said. The hometown product has been around soccer from a very young age and intends to continue her career as

long as she can. A seven-year-old Franco was driven by being the only girl on her team saying, “I felt cool and strong. It felt awesome.” “I told myself it’s always been my dream to play on a pro team or play as a semi-pro,” Franco said. “That’s what I want to do first while I’m still young and in shape.” During her time in blue and green, Franco has left a lasting impact on the program and her teammates. She holds the record for career goals but welcomes future players to go after her record. “It feels awesome. Knowing that I’m going down in history here, especially

being from Corpus is a big blessing to me,” Franco said. “But I’ll be happy if someone breaks my records. If someone could do that for this university, I’d love to meet them.” For Franco, it’s all about achieving goals (literal and figurative). On the subject of her goals, Franco had this to say: “Whatever I do after this it’s going to increase. I’m going to set more goals for myself.” Being from Corpus Christi, Franco has never been far from a local support system; her family. The “Franco Fans” as their t-shirts proudly claim, are made up of Franco’s family and close friends; they’ve been there for her every step of the way.

“Their energy and their vibe was always there. They’re always loud, cheering for me, or yelling at the ref,” Franco said. “I feel a difference even when I go out of town and they can’t go. I feel alone when I can’t hear their voices.” Their encouragement throughout Franco’s career has contributed to her continued successes. When she hears their cheers, as Franco puts it, “it reminds me why I’m playing”. Now that her time playing on the Island has concluded, it’s time for Franco to embark on her professional journey, Franco would like to use her kinesiology degree to teach. On or off the field, she has no shortage of goals.

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