TEXAS TEXASA&M A&MUNIVERSITY–CORPUS UNIVERSITY–CORPUS CHRISTI CHRISTI
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THEATER SETS SAIL WITH ARGONAUTIKA
See ARGONAUTIKA on page 12
Military honored for service photo by ELI T. BERKE
Islanders recognize service men, women of Island University by JONATHAN FORNEY staff writer
V
eterans Day falls on Nov. 11 every year in the United States. The holiday is a time to honor those who have served and fought for the country’s freedom. Celebrating both their bravery and courage while remembering those who gave everything for their country. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s own Offices of Veteran’s Affairs and Office of Engagement Initiatives hosted a Veterans Day celebration in the Hector P. Garcia Plaza at 11 a.m. That hour is significant because the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month is the same time that World War I ended, leading to the celebration of Armistice Day (which was later changed to Veterans Day in 1954). Veterans Day means something dif-
ferent to each veteran. For instance, Amanda Drum, executive director of Strategic Engagement Initiatives describes Veterans Day as “a day to honor the people who fought for the freedoms I enjoy.” The audience for the celebration was a varied crowd consisting of retired veterans, student veterans, local grade school children, staff and non-veteran students. The audience was treated to the presentation of the colors by the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Islander Battalion Color Guard and then a performance by the Islander Battalion Drill Team. The celebration began by asking any veterans to stand and be recognized by those in attendance. Following their recognition, Lieutenant Colonel Curtis Johnson, professor of Military Sci-
ence at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, spoke about what it means to be a veteran and how much they sacrifice. Very few people understand just what exactly veterans go through. To be more precise, LTC Johnson said, “One percent of the nation is a part of the military.” He then introduced the president of Student Veteran Services, senior Christina Brooks. Brooks acknowledged the veterans and explained what a truly supportive community is and how she and her organization are striving to make Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi just that. Brooks said that no normal citizen can endure the acts of war and emerge unscathed by war’s psychological toil. She said it is imperative that this
campus and the rest of the country be an open and accepting place for veterans and their families given everything they go through for others. As “Taps” played, LTC Johnson and Brooks presented a wreath to all the veterans and observed a moment of silence. The ceremony concluded as those in attendance were informed of other Veterans Day events going on around the campus such as a free veterans’ lunch in the dining hall and a Veterans Day Social for veteran students, faculty and staff. Other events will take place throughout the month of November including “Outside the Wire…Surviving being a Student Veteran Discussion” and a Veteran’s Networking Mixer both of which take place on Wednessee VETERANS on page 4
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INDEX OPINION 2 | NEWS 3,4,5,8 | CAMPUS 6,7 | ENTERTAINMENT 9,12 | SPORTS 10,11
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opinion
11.19.2015
ISLAND WAVES
Presidential debates or big top circus shows ISLAND WAVES staff editorial
a student publication of
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
island waves staff JAMIE FINK
editor-in-chief
ALEICHIA WILLIAMS web editor
KELSEY FLORES copy editor
GERI LEMMONS
features reporter
KACI ALVAREZ
features reporter
ISAAC PAGE
sports reporter
ABBEY WEAVER sports reporter
JONATHAN FORNERY news reporter
SAMANTHA MAHLER
entertainment reporter
ELI T. BERKE
photographer
IZZY SNEED
photographer/cartoonist
MIKAYLA GONZALEZ layout assistant
KARA HERRERA layout assistant
W
ith a year before the presidential election, the only perceptions we’ve been able to gain from any of the GOP debates, is that we’re living in a big top and the candidates are the main attraction. The presidential candidates for next year’s election are already causing quite a whirlwind throughout the country. From Donald Trump’s announcement, to Hillary Clinton’s e-mail scandal and Chris Christie’s NFL concession stand bills, it’s been pure entertainment up to this point. The first aspect of this circus act that we notice is the sheer number of candidates that are running for president. Since there are so many candidates it has made the debates chaotic as there are so many people trying to get their points across. The moderators in these debates have
not been the best either. A moderator is someone who presides over others and controls the debate. From the debates we’ve seen so far, none of the moderators or bells, have done this. Presidential debates have been aired to the public since the 1960s, but none have been as widespread as this year. Social media has drastically altered the way this year’s GOP debates are being seen. With the media constantly talking about Trump, Clinton and Sanders, younger people have become more involved in the political side of social media. Social media has allowed college students to turn politics into parties. Scroll through any Twitter or Facebook feed during a GOP debate and you’ll see the drinking games. From Republican Bingo to taking shots every time Trump mentions his money or making America great
again, the political debates have become a new form of entertainment following the likes of reality television or late night talk shows. Now, we’re not saying that college students and young people tuning into these debates are a bad thing necessarily, but it’s worrying to see how unprofessional the presidential debates have become due to increased drama and the extremist views of the candidates has people tuning in more. Can America truly afford for any of these candidates to be the next president of the United States? With the intentional spewing of garbage from Trump about other candidates, has caught the attention for his outlandish statements and unapologetic attitude not only of the media, but the entire country. With no ring leader to control the chaos, no clear cut front runner on either party and over a year
remaining until the election, the chance for a quiet more appropriate candidate to fulfill the duty of president is still very much possible. Until then, more candidates will continue going for cheap shots and cut downs of other opponents. There will be less information about what issues in America they plan to correct or strengthen in our country and the craziness of interaction from media outlets will continue. We have to demand more from these candidates as a country. Without any reason for accountability, these candidates will continue to run amuck until one is eventually deemed the next President of the United States. The traditional presidential debates as we know them are no more, for media has changed this from this point on. It will be interesting to see what happens next and who will succeed.
WENDY MOORE faculty adviser
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write us a letter 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. Island Waves is supported by student fees and advertising sales. Any student or University employee may submit material for publication consideration. To become a contributor, e-mail or call the Island Waves editor.
Illustration by IZZY SNEED
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3
news
11.19.2015
ISLAND WAVES
TAMU-CC graduate, professor named Educator of the Year by JONATHAN FORNEY staff writer
T
exas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s own Dr. Michelle Maresh-Fuehrer was named University Educator of the Year for 2015-2016 by the Texas Speech Communication Association. Maresh-Fuehrer is coming up on her seventh year of teaching as she received this prestigious award. “It was exciting,” said MareshFuehrer. “It’s a state level award, so to be recognized by the state of Texas is truly an honor.” Senior communication major Orlando Narvaez reached out to
photo courtesy of TAMUCC.EDU
her on Twitter to congratulate her, saying “When your professor is winning all of these awards!” Narvaez then tweeted a photo of an article announcing her recent accolades. Maresh-Fuehrer is an associate professor of Communication and Media at Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi. She was inspired to begin her teaching career during her time at Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi as an undergraduate. She was asked to teach a public speaking course during her senior year and fell in love. “The feeling I got in front of the classroom was just an awesome feeling,” Maresh-Fuehrer said. “Getting to make students laugh or getting students who were scared of speaking in public to say ‘This isn’t so bad’. From then on, I knew this was something I wanted to do.” After her time at the Island University, she went on to continue her education at Texas Tech University and then University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Once she finished her PhD she saw an opportunity to teach at the Island University. Born and raised in Corpus Christi, Maresh-Fuehrer has many ties to the city and university. Her
family lives here and she enjoys the weather, so coming back home for her career seemed like a perfect fit. Dr. Maresh-Fuehrer is proud to be an Islander, she can still be spotted on occasion wearing the colors of her other alma maters. In the eyes of Maresh-Fuehrer, there is not a definite formula to being a great educator. That being said, she believes there are certain traits that are necessary for someone to be considered a great educator. Maresh-Fuehrer said a great educator is “someone who can establish a good relationship with students, connect with them on a personal level. Go beyond teaching in front of the classroom and get involved in their interests and what they want to do in the future, then find ways to adapt that to the classroom.” One way Maresh-Fuehrer gets involved in students’ interests is through social media sites such as Twitter. Operating under the handle @TheDRofPR, Maresh-Fuehrer considers herself an avid tweeter. Her students are encouraged to tweet to her about the class and from browsing her profile it is clear that her students enjoy the style of teaching. When Maresh-Fuehrer is not
busy with her coursework she enjoys dancing, photography, sleeping and spending time with her family. She and her husband recently bought a house so getting it decorated the way they want gives them something to look forward to whenever she has got some spare time. Spare time is few and far between for MareshFuehrer since she teaches eight courses and an additional public speaking course on occasion. One such course Maresh-Fuehrer teaches is Crisis Communication. She is passionate about the subject matter even calling it “a blast.” It is also a fairly unique course, not just in terms of subject matter, but also in execution. “There are not a lot of colleges that teach it across the nation and, to my knowledge, none do it the way I do,” Maresh-Fuehrer said. Recently her class constructed a 200+ page book for a business filled with how they would respond to dozens of different crises and their possible outcomes. Maresh-Fuehrer is being recognized for her teaching excellence, has the admiration of her students, and is teaching close to home. To stay tuned to her updates be sure and follow her Twitter @ TheDRofPR.
International Games Day coming soon by SAMANTHA MAHLER staff writer
T
he Mary and Jeff Bell Library at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will host the International Games Day event on Saturday, Nov. 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is the second year the event has taken place. Libraries from around the world will hold gatherings similar to the one located out the Island University. While not all games will include interactions with other participating libraries, International Games Day attendees are guaranteed a good time with their peers. “We want people to be able to come to the library and see the library as some place to have fun— not just somewhere to study, do research and read a book,” said Jeff Janko, who is a library information specialist at the Mary and Jeff Bell Library. International Games Day was a huge success last year. Around 120 students, faculty, and members of the Corpus Christi community showed up to participate in the various games offered. This number should be expected to grow with each passing
photo courtesy of JEFF JANKO
year that the library participates in International Games Day. “This is one event that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time,” said Jerry Medellin, a freshman biomedical sciences major. “I’m an outgoing guy. I love to meet people. I also love to compete and play games. Seriously, can you think of a better way for me to spend my day?” Attendees of International Game Day will have the chance to learn about the Island University’s computer science program, as well as related degree plans offered at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The Island University Chess Club is also scheduled to make an
appearance and will be hosting a chess tournament for all guests. In addition all participants will be able to engage in card games, video games and board games, such as giant chess. The first five players that arrive will have the opportunity to win a free gamer’s swag bag complete with a portable charger, games, food, and more. “I’m looking forward to getting to know more people that share my interests,” said Medellin, who says his favorite board game to play is checkers. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll meet enough people that would be interested in forming a club that meets regularly to play games.”
Those interested in participating in International Games Day are encouraged to bring their own games to play as well as using games provided by the library. “One of the professors that came last year brought a card game he likes to play. It was a pretty interesting game,” Janko said. “I invited him to come back this year but he’s going to be in a gamer’s convention in Dallas that weekend.” While the Mary and Jeff Bell Library may not have participated in International Games Day for a long time, Janko is enthusiastic about the promise of this event becoming a new Islander tradition. “I’m hoping this will grow and become a really big thing,” Janko said. “It would give people the opportunity to come and enjoy the library and meet new people, relax and play games.” Events will be held on the second floor of the Mary and Jeff Bell Library. International Games Day is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Jeff Janko at 361-825-2588 or email jeff. janko@tamucc.edu.
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news
11.19.2015
ISLAND WAVES
Island Univesity debuts Islander Mobile “You would want to know all that is going on around school and to exas A&M University-Corpus have it right there on the app is just Christi has a mobile app really useful,” Gutierrez said. Each one of the functions on catering to students and staff the app have its own purpose and Islander Mobile. Francesca Gutierrez, junior reasoning for how it relates to biomedical science major, said the the university. The aspects of the she thought it was a good idea for app vary from simple maps and transportation information to what the school to have an app. to do if the school were to have a threat on campus. On this app, there is an emergency reference guide that tells students the different plans for students during a school emergency. This includes animal incidents, weather, medical emergency and reporting a crime. Each one of these different guides talks about what to do in those emergencies and the important numbers to call for those incidents. Jose Enrique Anguiano Izaguirre, sophomore mechanical engineering major, said it was a well-made app and he likes it. “It is not necessarily very useful but it does guide you through the Islander community by your own effort,” Izaguirre said. Another important aspect of photos by GERI LEMMONS by GERI LEMMONS staff writer
T
this app is that is keeps students involved with campus-related things such as the different sports that are happening around campus. This app is a way for students and staff to see what is going on with the athletic program and what games and events will be happening in the future. It also tells the person how some of the games went that they missed and where the athletes are playing home or away games. According to the app, there is also a feature that tells students what is on the menu of each of the restaurants around campus. There is also an opportunity for users to give feedback and to see if there are any specials on campus. Also on the app, students and staff can have links to OrgSync and the bookstore. With the OrgSync feature students can sign in and get to their account through the app, which is the same process a student would have to go through if they went through the process on the Internet. On the bookstore app, it gives students access to look at Barns and Nobles’ website to look up things like textbooks on the go. This feature also gives students the opportunity to gear the app more toward Texas A&M University Corpus Christi when it comes to shirts and other gear that would be on sale for the school.
Another part is students are able to see if their order is ready when they order books for class. This feature sends an alert to the student when the items that they ordered is ready to be picked up or shipped out. Students can use this app to keep up with what the school is doing and the important things that every student needs to know as they are going through their day. For more information about Islander Mobile, visit the app store and read all about it or visit the school website.
VETERANS continued from page 1
day, November 18. Other resources for veterans include a free transcript for veteran students during month of Nov. and the new Veterans Lounge. As the audience dispersed, the University Tr o m b o n e studio played some more music and the veterans were photos by JONATHAN FORNEY thanked for Lieutenant Colonel Curtis Johnson address the attendees of the Islander Veteran’s their service Day ceremony in the Garcia Plaza. once again. the university cannot try and do The entire ceremony took just that. Veterans Day serves as place in a 20-minute span, but it a reminder that those who serve is apparent there is not enough give up a lot and they deserve to time in the world to adequately be acknowledged and appreciated thank veterans for their sacrificaccordingly. es. However that does not mean
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news
11.19.2015
Best places to grub in Corpus Christi
ISLAND WAVES
by KACI ALVAREZ staff writer
T
he question, “Where’s the best place to eat in Corpus?” always comes up when talking to someone who is visiting and when people try to answer, they honestly cannot. It’s not that there is not good or even great places to eat in Corpus Christi it is just that one never thinks about who has the absolute best food. With that being said why not ask around to see what Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi college students think. Living in Corpus Christi there is bound to be Mexican influenced restaurants. One of the most popular places to eat, according to Corpus Christi college students, is Taqueria Chapala. The go-to taco shop is located of off Nile and McArdle, which is perfect for students who are on their way to class or if they live
close by. Students really enjoy the family-friendly environment Taqueria Chapala has to offer. “It has the best breakfast tacos and is convenient because of the traditional Mexican food in a fast food influenced restaurant,” Cassidy Norton, junior business major, said. When a Corpus Christi resident drove a car into the side of the restaurant it closed down for a few months and people started to panic. Most college students would tweet about having nowhere to eat due to the wreck. When people do not really know what to do with their lives after a restaurant shuts down, that is when you know it is good. Another restaurant that is unique to the Coastal Bend area that students seem to love is Scuttlebutt’s. It’s located on the island, which is not as convenient as Taqueria Chapala for college
students but happy hour is what draws people in the most. Every day from 3-7 p.m. Scuttlebutt’s offers happy hour specials including half-priced sushi and drink specials. If that does not sound amazing listen to this. On Wednesdays happy hour is all day long. They even offer a ghost pepper wing eating contest for the brave souls who think they can conquer the hottest pepper on the planet. Many Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi students stop by the bar and grill for some great seafood, live music and a game of pool after a long day at the beach. A lot of students however lean toward fast, easy and fried. They cannot get enough of Whataburger and with Corpus Christi being the birthplace of this iconic food chain there is no surprise that it is extremely popular. Whenever one goes out with
friends the first thing they want to do before going home is stop at the closest Whataburger to get a honey butter chicken biscuit or patty melt meal. It is a great place when one is in a hurry and wants some fast, quality food to snack on. Whether in the mood for seafood, Mexican or fast food, Corpus Christi has it all. The wide variety the city has to offer gives residents options whenever they really do not want to cook. It is safe to say that although not everyone may agree on where the best place to eat is in Corpus Christi it is a fact that the variety throughout the city allows some great and tasty options for everybody. So who cares about being on a diet, grab a breakfast taco from Taqueria Chapala or half-priced sushi from Scuttlebutt’s and enjoy a satisfied belly.
Cold weather threatens local sea turtles by LEANNE HAAS contributing writer
A
s winter rolls around and less people visit the beach, there is a creature that graces the sands of Padre Island yearround...the sea turtle. Although nesting does not take place during the winter months some turtles will still come to the shore to find food. The largest threat that sea turtles face during the winter months, however, is called cold stunning. According to nps.org most turtles in the area that suffer from cold stunning are juvenile green sea turtles. The upcoming winter months pose a potentially deadly threat to these young turtles. Dr. Donna Shaver, Chief of the Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery at Padre Island National Seashore, said cold stunning in sea turtles occurs when there is a sudden drop in temperature. “Turtles will become immobilized, and float to the surface,” said Shaver, who specializes in sea turtle research and conservation. Andrea Rodriguez, junior spanish major recently attended a free public lecture course with the National Park Service (NPS) that prepared members of the public on the proper procedures for finding and handling a cold stunned sea turtle during the
winter months. “Cold stunned sea turtles may appear to be dead, but may just be m o t i o n l e s s ,” Rodriguez said. “Never try to put the turtle back in the water, as a cold stunned sea turtle is almost immobile due to its low body temperature and could drown.” Shaver said cold stunned sea turtles are mostly found on photo courtesy of nps.gov inshore areas. Dr. Donna Shaver and a member of the US Coast Guard posing at a public release of young sea H a v i n g turtles rescued from cold stunning. completed the with sea turtles she wanted to be If an untrained individual information and training course with the NPS, able to help in any way she could. comes across a sea turtle in need “I have always had an interest their first course of action should Rodriguez is an official volunteer in animal welfare, and felt that be to call the National Parks member. “This means that the park can this was a great opportunity to Service hotline at 1-866-Turtle-5. “Inform them where the contact me when a cold stunning help make an impact in Corpus event occurs, and I can go out Christi and the surrounding turtle was found, and what state of health it appears to be in,” and help find sea turtles that areas,” she said. Sea turtle volunteers are Rodriguez said. need our assistance,” Rodriguez paired with biological science Visit www.nps.gov/pais for said. The National Park Service technicians, doing anything more information about the sea enables individuals over the age from rescuing nesting sea turtles of Padre Island and on of 18 to train to become sea turtle turtles and monitoring radio ways one can get involved to help volunteers. No experience is traffic, to transporting eggs make the area a safer place for needed. Even though Rodriguez found on the coast back to the sea turtles to live. herself had no prior experience facility.
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campus
11.19.2015
ISLAND WAVES
ISLANDER PERSPECTIVES //
collected by KACI ALVAREZ | staff writer photos by KACI ALVAREZ | staff writer
What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory?
“My favorite Thanksgiving memory is when my family had a pie eating contest. It was honestly hilarious and so fun!” Shelby Gorbet Junior, Nursing Major
“My favorite memory is when all of my friends came to visit me and we all spent Thanksgiving with my family.” Andrei Dennis Senior, Health Sciences Major
“My favorite Thanksgiving memory would be going to my great grandmothers, where the whole family could come.”
“I like being able to just be with my family and eat a ton of food.”
“Right after Thanksgiving every year, my family would set up the Christmas tree together. I love that!” Victoria Chan Sophomore, Accounting Major
“When I was little my dad spent two years in Germany and I hadn’t seen him in months and the day before Thanksgiving, she picked me up front of school, didn’t say anything, and took me to the airport and there was my dad.”
Mason Morris Freshman, Land Surveying Major
Stephen Medlin Junior, Biomedical Major
Nicole Eberhardt Sophomore, Nursing Major
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“Every Thanksgiving my family sponsors soldiers, so they spend it with us since they’re away from their families.” Bri England Senior, Business Major
“My favorite memory would be when I was invited to spend Thanksgiving with my big, Brittney and Ben. It was really sweet for them to take me, since I didn’t have a ride to see my own family and I wouldn’t have to spend it alone.” Lauren Coyle Senior, Education Major
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campus
11.19.2015
ISLAND WAVES
Experiencing Thanksgiving Values in Turkish Holidays by ALEICHIA WILLIAMS web editor
T
hanksgiving may be an American holiday but the values that Thanksgiving celebrates can be found in other countries and in other religions all around the world. In fact it can be said that the act of giving thanks is a universal practice. Former undergraduate finance major, and masters program candidate Cem Filiz explained some of the holidays in his country. Filiz was born in Turkey and moved to the U.S to study finance at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. When discussing the holidays in Turkey Filiz separated it into two categories: national and religious. Just like Americans have their national holidays such as Independence Day, Martin Luther King Day, or Veteran’s Day and the religious holidays such as Easter or Thanksgiving, so does Turkey. Filiz
explained the majority of Turkish citizens are Muslim. So their major holidays are different from what one would expect. Still there are some similar values that are celebrated in both countries. Filiz shared a few of those holidays that have some similar values as Thanksgiving. CHILDREN’S DAY Children are an important part of the family and family is very much a central theme of the Thanksgiving holiday. One of the first holidays that Cem mentioned is Children’s day. “Sovereignty and Children’s day is April 23,” Filiz said. According to timeanddate.com, solemn ceremonies and children’s festivals take place throughout Turkey on National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, held on April 23 each year. Children take seats in the Turkish Parliament and symbolically govern the country
for one day. Children’s day was the only national holiday noted by Filiz that immediately compared to a Thanksgiving theme. RAMADAN Religious holidays are next. “When is comes to religious holidays, the first thing that everybody knows is Ramadan. There’s no exact date each year but it happens every summer,” Filiz said. “During that time we are fasting 29, maybe 30 days, then there are four days of festival where people enjoy the moment with their family,” Filiz said. Even though Thanksgiving has no fast it is definitely a feast where families get to spend time together. KURABAN BAYRAMI The second religious holiday is one of sacrifice. “Then we have Kurban Bayrami,” Filiz said. “Where we sacrifice the sheep or cow. After we sacrifice
the animals we contribute it to the poor.” Also according to Timeanddate. com, some families sacrifice an animal on the Sacrifice Feast Eve to remember their dead relatives. They give the meat of that animal to the poor or distribute it among the neighbors. Families may not eat the meat of an animal they sacrificed on this day. Visiting the cemetery is also common during the Sacrifice Feast Eve. Filiz said family is everything in his country. “Each day, every hour, each second, each minute, it’s important to be thankful today because you don’t know what is coming in the future,” Filiz said. This comment can be said to represent the very attitude of Thanksgiving and the holidays in general.
PUT A RING ON IT Photos by ELI T. BERKE ABOVE: Students patiently await to enter the auditorium to receive their Islander rings. RIGHT: Presdient Flavius Killebrew delivers the first ring of the ceremony. BELOW: Dr. Trent Hill explains the proper way to wear the Islander ring prior to graduating the university.
8
news
11.19.2015
ISLAND WAVES
Professor focuses camera on brighter future for Islanders
photo courtesy DR. MOHAN RAO
Venice one of many digital photography prints for sale, was taken by Dr. Rao on a boat.
by SAMANTHA MAHLER staff writer
T
he Mary and Jeff Bell Library will be selling canvas prints in an exhibit titled “Europe Through My Lens” by Dr. Mohan Rao to benefit the Desi Scholarship Fund. The collection of prints showcases around 20 prints taken by Rao, a business professor at Texas A&M
University-Corpus Christi, while on vacation in Europe. In addition, the exhibition features two prints of the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi campus. The prints from the “Europe Through My Lens” collection were taken during a two-week period in summer 2011 in which Rao and his wife visited England, France,
Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. “When you go on these trips, you want to have light luggage, but because I’m so interested in photography, I have to get a camera before I go there,” Rao said. “It was a two-week trip— very hectic—but I’m glad I was able to take these beautiful pictures.” Proceeds from each purchase will go toward the Desi Foundation Scholarship Fund. The scholarship fund was founded in Dec. 2014 by Rao, who is the associate professor of Decision Sciences. The first Desi Foundation Scholarship was awarded in August 2015. The Desi Scholarship Fund is designed to give aid to qualified students of South Asian descent and or those who have studied in South Asia. By receiving a scholarship students from out of country are then eligible to pay in-state tuition, which is a fraction of what many international students pay. “[The Desi] are very hardworking people. They value education a lot, but they can’t get to colleges to get an education because it is so expensive,” Rao said. The Desi Scholarship benefits the Island University as well drawing in driven students with the desire to give back to their community after graduation. “Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is trying to become an emerging research university. We want to attract high-quality students to come into graduate programs to do research, in particular, STEM areas,” Rao said. “By using scholarships, we can attract many high-quality students. Otherwise, they may not even show up.” Jeff Janko, a library information specialist at the Mary and Jeff
Bell Library, said modern-day technology, including photo sharing websites, have allowed for smoother business transactions. “We have one lady who works in the library who’s very interested in purchasing a print for her sister as a gift,” Janko said. “She has taken pictures with her cell phone and I sent her a link to the Flikr slideshow that has all of the prints. They’ve been going back and forth trying to decide exactly what she wants.” The “Europe Through my Lens” display will be available for viewing form Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015, through Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in the downstairs atrium of the Mary and Jeff Bell Library. The price of the prints ranges from $200 to $350. “I hope that many students here would be interested in photography and would want to visit Europe and other places” said Dr. Rao. “It would be a good thing to visit other countries so you know their culture and to gain a better understanding” The exhibit is free and open to all students, faculty, and members of the surrounding community during the library’s regular business hours. Images of Dr. Rao’s digital photography prints from the “Europe Through My Lens” collection can be found online at www.flickr.com/photos/drrao/ sets/72157659875986961. For more information on the canvas print exhibit, contact Jeff Janko at 361-825-2588 or email jeff. janko@tamucc.edu. One can also contact Dr. Mohan Rao at 361-8252458 or email mohan.rao@tamucc. edu. For more information on the Desi Foundation or to become a donor, please visit www. desischolarshipfund.org or e-mail Rao at mohanrao@tamucc.edu.
9
entertainment
11.19.2015
ISLAND WAVES
iPhone iOS 9.1 update reveals new emojis, features by LEANNE HAAS contributing writer
T
he world is one step closer to communicating solely in emoji form thanks to Apple’s release of the iOS 9.1 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The update consists of more than 100 new emojis, including a turkey emoji strategically included for this upcoming Thanksgiving Day. Another significant change made is an adjustment in Live Photos that allows users to take photos while capturing video. With this update, the iPhone 6s is able to sense when the device is lowered or raised. Like most updates iOS 9.1 served to fix small problems within its apps. However the update also led to a glitch with the fingerprint sensor leaving users the pain of manually unlocking their technology. iPhone users with older versions of the device have also reported the battery draining after downloading iOS 9.1. It seems that the newest iOS updates are geared for the newest device, iPhone 6s. However this most recent update is small compared to the release of iOS 9 back in September. According to Apple.com, iOS 9 was the “biggest iOS release ever.” However with the large update came a massive problem as users reported trouble downloading the update forcing them to do a
photo courtesy of FLICKR
The new iPhone iOS 9.1 update was highlighted by the addition of several new emojis, including the user-coveited middle finger emoji.
factory reset on their devices. The subsequent updates have since fixed this problem. In fact, iOS 9.1 has served, in most part, to fix bug mistakes revealed in iOS 9. According to Forbes.com, although the rate at which Apple releases iOS updates is crowdpleasing, it also “creates doubt” as “no less than five betas and the final release done within 30 days” were taken before sending iOS 9.1 out into the world, shattering “the typical 60-80 day testing period Apple usually takes.” But even with its setbacks some
are still able to look past Apple’s mistakes in light of the gift of new emojis. “My favorite part of the update is the middle finger emoji,” said junior accounting major and iPhone user Jenna Lasala. Just a day after Apple’s release of iOS 9.1 on Oct. 21, came demands from Android users for a larger selection of emojis as well. Hiroshi Lockheimer, Android’s Vice President of Engineering, took to Twitter on Oct. 22 to ease his restless followers’ minds. “So I have a feeling y’all want
new emojis?” Lockheimer said, “a). Thanks for the feedback, b) We’re on it, and c) Sorry!” Sophomore computer science major Monica Moltz swears by Android technology, but she admits that she too would like to see improvements in this area. “Our emoji game is weak,” said Moltz. The next update for iPhone, iOS 9.2 is in the beta testing stage and is expected to be released in the near future.
Pros, Cons to Black Friday shopping by GERI LEMMONS staff writer
W
ith Thanksgiving coming up another holiday tradition is also coming along and that is Black Friday. This is a tradition where stores have unbelievable sales on most of their items and most will open on midnight. Most follow this tradition while others think the tradition is taking away from the time that is supposed to be spent with ones families. They say this because some of the stores are now starting to open up earlier and it is cutting into the time that is spent with the family on Thanksgiving. Kendra Johnson, junior communication major, said she hated Black Friday shopping and she does not do it. “There is way too many
people and they all seem to be so aggressive and it is a time when you should be with your families,” Johnson said. Sometimes the idea of Black Friday shopping can be looked at as a bad thing but there are some good things about Black Friday. One of them being the fact that this is a way for people to get early Christmas gifts on sale that they might not be able to find cheaper on any other day. Since most if not all of the stores are having sales it is easy for someone to find the right gift for an even cheaper price than before. However another con is the fact that some people can be so eager about getting what they want from the store that they tend to get really aggressive which can result in people getting hurt. Alyssa Garcia freshman psychology major said that she
really does not like the idea of Black Friday shopping. “It seems like it can be really dangerous, people get hurt from what I hear on the news,” Garcia said. Another advantage is the fact that some people do not have the time to leave their house in order to go shopping. A lot of stores are now starting to allow their customers to go shopping online. Someone can go online at midnight and look up the items that they want and just order it from the comfort of their own home. Then they can still spend time with the family and not have to deal with the big crowds that are at the stores. Sometimes shopping online can be an issue also. Most of the time a lot of people are also shopping online so whoever decides to actually do it has to be really
fast. Most of the stuff online goes quickly, so someone must have an idea of what they want and get it really fast. This can also take time and a lot of patience. Another advantage of Black Friday is the fact that if someone decides to go shopping after Thanksgiving dinner they can maybe take some of the family with them and they can bond with each other. They can all go to certain stores and see what it is like during that day and see if they ever want to come back and do it again. Even if the experience is not all that great for someone they can still have some stories to tell and they can have all shared the same experience. There are some good and bad things about Black Friday Shopping but it is an experience.
10
sports
11.19.2015
ISLAND WAVES
Islanders dominate Saints in season opener by ISAAC PAGE staff writer
I
n their home opener, the Islanders men’s basketball team dominated the Saints of Our Lady of the Lake University, 94-72, Friday night at the American Bank Center. By halftime, the Islanders defense built up a 45-23 lead. In the first half, the Islanders forced the Saints into 15 turnovers and came away with five steals. The Islanders themselves were sloppy with the ball in the first half, giving up nine turnovers. Nonetheless, the ball movement was there as they had a collective nine first half assists. Sophomore Joe Kilgore had an emphatic dunk that got the crowd into the game about midway through the first half. Rashawn Thomas posted a new career-high in points and led all scorers with 30. The senior from OKC was active on the boards, grabbing 12 rebounds, eight of
them offensive. Thomas also did well protecting the rim, finishing with four blocks in his 24 minutes of play. “It was very exciting for me,” Thomas said. “This is my first opening night since I’ve been here. I always miss the first game because of injuries, so I really wanted to lock-in and get a feel with the team early this year.” Thomas did not play in the exhibition game against St. Mary’s at the Dugan on Saturday and he was worried that he would be rusty coming into this game. “I was a little nervous of being rusty, not having a feel for the game or the team since they already had a game under their belt, but I felt like throughout practice, throughout the week, they helped me out with that and we got a good relationship going,” Thomas said. Thomas said he felt “good,” “energetic,” and “loose” out on the court tonight. He also said his teammates encouraging him really
helped him throughout the night. Brandon Pye scored 17 points on six of 12 shooting, including three of six from long range. The senior also claimed two rebounds and handed out one assist. “Once the second one [three] went down, the rim kind of felt big,” Pye said. “It felt like I was shooting into an ocean.” Bay Area native Hameed Ali played a solid 23 minutes at point guard, finishing with nine points and five steals. The senior from Hayward also dished out two assists. He did, however, turn the ball over five times. The Islanders played a nice defensive game, holding the Saints to 34 percent shooting from the field, and forcing 27 turnovers. Sophomore Darion Brown led the Saints in points and minutes, with 14 and 36, respectively. Head coach Willis Wilson was impressed with the way his Islanders defended in the first half, but he expressed concern about
the way his team defended in the second half. “It can be difficult to be consistent defensively when we’re making as many substitutions as we are,” Wilson said. “My hope is that we can grow into a team where we can play a lot of guys every night and that that consistency will show up. That really would make it challenging for our opponents.” There were several sequences of play in which the Islanders were sloppy with the ball. They ended the game with 26 turnovers. Nevertheless, the Islanders outrebounded the Saints, 51 to 32. Collectively, the Islanders shot 31-65 (47.7 percent) from the field, went 6-19 (31.6 percent) from three-point and converted 26-36 (72.2 percent) free throws. The Islanders next home game will be on Monday, Nov. 23, at the American Bank Center where they will face the St. Edward’s University Hilltoppers.
Islanders fall to Cal Poly in season opener W
ith a full bench full of talented and athletic players, the 2015-16 women’s basketball season began Friday with a home loss . The Islanders put up a fight, but fell against California Polytechnic State University 56-45. Shay Weaver dominated offensively scoring a total of 10 points. Brittany Mbamalu spent a year in recovery from her injury but has trained hard before starting the game with her fist three pointer of the season. Jennifer Ramirez hit another three before Mbamalu with her second, creating a back-to-back-to-back streak. With another three from Weaver and lay-up from Ramirez in
the third quarter the blue and green fought to catch the lead. An aggressive fourth quarter displayed the Islander’s motivation but was not enough to defeat the Mustangs. Ramirez recorded seven points and added five assists to top her stats from last year’s season. Camesha Davis succeeded with a team high seven rebounds. The Islanders collectively scored seven three pointers with Mbamalu and Weaver with two each. Mykayla Flores, Kre’Ana Henry,Maddisen Turner and Uri Jolivette making their depute on Friday combined for six points, while Jolivette recorded a benchhigh of six rebounds. The Islanders return to action at the American Bank Center on Nov. 23, as they take on Western New Mexico University.
photo courtesy of GOSILANDERS
by ABBEY WEAVER staff writer
11
sports
11.19.2015
ISLAND WAVES
Missouri football protest brings racism to light
by ISAAC PAGE
SPORTS COLUMN
staff writer
K
udos to the black players of the University of Missouri football team. In the face of unrelenting racism and a disconnected university, a group of roughly 30 players on the Missouri Tigers football team, with the support of their coaches, announced on social media Saturday, Nov. 7, that they would not participate in any football-related activities until the president of the university, Tim Wolfe, resigns. The players argued that the racism black students have been subjected to on campus has become deplorable and Wolfe has essentially turned a blind eye to it because he failed to address any of the racist incidents reported on campus. The Missouri Tigers are a member of the Southeastern Conference one of the most competitive conferences in the realm of college sports. Every state included in the conference used to be a slave state during the American Civil War. A football player strike could have the potential to cost the university millions of dollars. On Monday, Nov. 9, amid
controversy and continued pressure from protesters, Wolfe resigned as president of the University of Missouri. The chancellor of the university, R. Bowen Loftin, immediately followed suit. Some can view the success of the strike as a victory for college students who face discrimination at predominately white institutions of higher learning. Others were piqued by the actions of the football players. Following the resignations of the president and the chancellor, threats of violence against black students surfaced online. The threats were discovered on the anonymous location-based messaging app Yik Yak. One of the threats said: “I’m going to stand my ground and shoot every black person I see.”
photo by MISSOURI.EDU
Another threat said: “Some of you are alright. Don’t go to campus tomorrow.” On Wednesday, Nov. 11, University of Missouri police arrested a 19-year old man who is believed to have perpetrated the posts. Given the importance of football in the state of Missouri and
elsewhere across the United States the black Mizzou football players took a courageous stand against injustice. The athletes used what little bit of leverage they had to their advantage and shined the spotlight on the struggles that present themselves for black students at predominately white colleges all over the country.
12
entertainment
11.19.2015
ISLAND WAVES
Theater puts on epic performance
by JONATHAN FORNEY staff writer
T
uesday, Nov. 10 was opening night of Argonautika, a performance put on by the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Department of Theatre and Dance. The play was based on the Greek myth of “The Voyage of Jason and the Argonauts” as they endure numerous trials and challenges on their quest for the Golden Fleece. The story focused on the themes of love, fate and betrayal. Fate, in particular, was a significant element of the performance as the goddesses Hera and Athena not only narrated the events but they also influenced them to suit their desires. This sort of narrative intervention creates an interesting type of irony for the audience and characters. The show had plenty of emotionally taxing moments. Including the tragic dynamic of Hercules and Hylas, to Madea’s confliction about betraying her country. There is no shortage of memorable moments during the twohour run time of the play. Despite these heavier themes the show had plenty of humorous moments as well. The Shabooya roll call (made popular by the “Bring it On” cheerleader movies) got the whole crowd excited and on clapping along with the Argonauts. Members of the Argonauts introduced themselves to the audience through rhyming verses as the rest of the crew hyped them up
and created a palpable rhythm inside the Warren Theater. Even other members of the cast wanted to be a part of the roll call. Senior theatre major Dylan Walker, for example, who played Pelias said “Honestly, the roll call was awesome. I would’ve loved to be a part of that too.” The cast and crew had been rehearsing the show since late Sept. and it showed. Special effects using shadows, lights and music helped set the scene and alter the mood to fit any number of emotional scenarios. Those effects were the result of dozens of dedicated students and staff. In terms of sheer individuals, the show’s program acknowledged more than three pages worth of names including over 25 members of the cast alone. Many of the cast actually played multiple roles in the performance, such as Eric Alvarado, who played Hercules and also playing one of Aphrodite’s servants and a firebreathing bull. A performance of this magnitude requires a lot of moving parts and director Kelly Russell orchestrated it very nicely. Tickets were sold at the box office, online and at the door. Programs for the show had an envelope to help donate to the Theatre Department’s upcoming trip to Scotland for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2016. The opportunity to donate gave patrons a chance to see a good show as well as help the department bring
their performances to a whole new continent. With six shows scheduled the cast and crew have developed their own ways to prepare to endure the number of shows. Junior theatre major, Schuyler Ballew, who played Jason, prepares by “sitting down and not trying to have an anxiety attack.” For other members, the recipe for success is as simple as “plenty of sleep and breakfast,” Walker said. Overall, the Theatre department put on an exciting show filled with funny and heart wrenching moments. It seems like the cast and crew really had fun with the whole process. Their hard work and collaborative efforts helped turn a great show into an epic one.
photos by ELI T. BERKE
PLAY REVIEW