BACK TO THE ISLAND
Students return to campus after Hurricane Harvey
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
IslandWavesNews.com
by MICHAEL BRODE • Page 7
News
President Trump visits Corpus Christi in wake of natural disaster Page 4
Also
September 14, 2017 Volume 28, Issue 20
Opinions Page 2 Entertainment Page 8 Sports Page 11
2 Opinion STUDENT PUBLICATION OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITYCORPUS CHRISTI
09.14.2017
Staffers share Hurricane Harvey experiences Illi-Anna Martinez Copy Editor
It was Monday evening when I heard the news. I found my mother frantically looking through insurance documents in ISLAND WAVES STI | ISLANDWAVESNEWS.COM | our VOLUME 26 ISSUE 20me | Hurricane 08.27.15 kitchen telling IslandWavesNews.com Harvey was on its way. Although we knew the hurEditor-in-Chief ricane was approaching, my JONATHAN FORNEY mother chose to stay home. With my father’s work, he is hardly Web ever home to begin with, so typiGERI LEMMONS, editor cally it is always just my mother, younger sister and myself. Even Copy Editing if my mother chose to leave CorILLI-ANNA MARTINEZ, pus, there was nowhere for us to copy editor go. Money was tight enough for us already and all my immediate Reporters family also lived in town with us. CATHARINA GARRETT When I told friends and coMICHAEL BRODE workers I would be staying in ERIN NASH town, they thought I was insane. AMBER CASTILLO In those few short days, my mother and I started to prepare Layout by buying food and supplies. ISABELLA MOON, Since my father was working, layout assistant my mother and I boarded up the house ourselves. It wasn’t until Wednesday night we found out Advertising my father would not be staying ALYSSIA CRAWFORD, with us during Harvey. His job assistant resulted in him being chosen QUYNHCHI QUACH, to be one of the first respondassistant Graduate Assistant TAIWO AGBAJE, advertising 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
Catharina Garrett @imacat_moo
On Aug. 19, hundreds of homes and families were left devastated by the wrath of Hurricane Harvey. My home in Portland, Texas, just a mile from the waters of the Gulf, received minimal damage compared to Rockport, Fulton, Ingleside and Aransas Pass. My family and I planned to wait out the storm, but were swayed by rumors Harvey would intensify to a category 4. On Friday morning around 2 a.m., my family and I made a last-minute trip to Concan, Texas, just west of San Antonio. We left early to avoid the traffic that would accompany many other families evacuating. I can’t speak for those who waited out the storm because I do not know what horrors they went through after seeing their
A tree was snapped perpendicular by Hurricane Harvey's winds.
Photo by ILLI-ANNA MARTINEZ
ers during the hurricane, which meant he had to be stationed elsewhere before the hurricane arrived. That night as we watched the news in terror as warnings of massive flooding and storm surge flashed on the TV. I kept visualizing the rising water as my family and pets struggle to swim to stay alive or our house getting so destroyed we would have to start over. We had no flood insurance. My mother stays at home due to health issues and with my father’s job we barely made
ends meet. With all the fear in our heads, we finally decided to stay with my grandparents Friday morning. That evening, we watched the news intently as we saw Harvey strengthen to a Category 4. We lost power by 7 p.m., and all I could hear that night was the strong wind and rain as I watched trees nearly get ripped out of the ground. I couldn’t sleep that night. I just kept praying my family would be okay. Words could not describe how relieved I felt when I came home and saw everything was still in
place. Our fence fell, the shingles were ripped off my roof and there was leaking in the house. It was stressful, but I was just glad I still had a home. It broke my heart when I heard about Rockport, Aransas Pass and all the other areas that suffered from Harvey’s wrath. All in all, despite the mass destruction, I’m glad Corpus Christi survived. My thoughts and prayers go out to those who are still dealing with the aftermath of this disaster.
towns torn apart in front of them. However, I can speak on behalf of those (like myself) that decided to leave. It was hard to sleep the night Harvey visited the Gulf Coast. Although I wasn’t there during the storm’s landfall, there was pain in my chest from knowing there was nothing I could do to prevent this storm from hurting families and homes. The pain was aching, exhausting and constant during the time I was gone. With each passing day, I lived for the news updates that fueled my anxious, restless mind. I had this incessant feeling I was free-falling, completely helpless, like I was in a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. Although Portland is my home, I have deep connections with Rockport. From the time I was in elementary school, I would visit the family restaurant, Rosita’s, and make trips
down to Rockport Beach with family and friends. It wasn’t until two years ago when I got my first job at Sandy Oaks Kennels in Rockport I became aware of how multi-dimensional the town really was. I engaged one-on-one with people from the area through my job, and it wasn’t long before I familiarized myself with the town’s unique culture and friendly community. The personal connections I have with these coastal communities is extensive and deeply-rooted, intensifying the overall impact of the storm on my life. On that unfortunate morning when Hurricane Harvey made landfall, the kennels I worked at experienced flooding, roof damage, and mass tree breakage resulting in hundreds of pounds of debris around the property. These damages will leave me out of the job position for as
long as it will take crews to clear the debris and repair damages, but I am grateful for the fact the kennels were more fortunate than other places. There is much healing both physically and emotionally on the road ahead, but I know our Gulf Coast community will work together to promote a speedy recovery. The damage to my own home can be summed up by a fallen 12-foot tree in the backyard, and hundreds of dollars in water and fence damage. This seemed minimal compared to the homes on the front lines of the storm. The rest of my hometown was affected in various ways, but nowhere close to the devastation experienced in neighboring towns. The power of community is essential in this process of recovery, and my deepest condolences go out to the fellow victims of Hurricane Harvey.
News 3
09.14.2017
DACA termination leaves Dreamers in air GERI LEMMONS @GeriLemmons
A
ttorney General Jeff Sessions announced President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, on Tuesday Sept. 5. DACA was implanted by former president Barack Obama in June 2012. It was a policy made to protect undocumented immigrants who came to the United States when they were children from deportation. It also helped them get work permits as well. “I think DACA should stand because most of the people who are here are Americans in almost every sense of the
word,” junior computer science major Austin Calez said. Trump said he plans on ending the policy and gave congress six months to figure out what to do to fix the program before it is completely gone. According to nytimes.com, this could leave up to 800,000 young adults up for deportation. “It saddens me to know that the DACA program will be revoked because it will affect the future of millions of college students’ educations and futures,” senior business management major Joyce Paez said. According to deadline.com, Trump said in his statement he was thinking about the American people at the time of the
decision. He said he did not want to hurt those who were affected, but he also wanted to make sure America stays within its own laws. “I do not favor punishing children, most of whom are now adults, for the actions of their parents,” Trump said. “But we must also recognize that we are a nation of opportunity because we are a nation of laws.” According to nytimes.com, Sessions said the policy was hurting the average American worker by letting illegal immigrants go out for the same jobs. In his statement he said DACA “denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same illegal aliens to take those jobs.”
“They pay the taxes, they go to school here. They know our language, and they live with our heritage,” Calez said. “They are dreamers, just like every other college student, and it is not their fault they came here the way they did.” According to npr.org, many protests have popped up both before and after the announcement. They took to the streets saying things like, “We are America,” and “We want education. Down with deportation.” The decision now is all up to Congress. This leaves the “Dreamers” with no clear answer about their future, and they may have to wait until March 6 to hear anything at all.
President Trump Visits Corpus Christi post Harvey AMBER CASTILLO @Ambercastillo27
T
housands of citizens in the Corpus Christi-Annaville area gathered to welcome and protest the arrival of President Trump on Aug. 29.
Trump and first lady Melania Trump landed at the Corpus Christi airport to meet with local officials at the volunteer fire department in Annaville in response to Hurricane Harvey. Harvey made landfall on Aug. 25, where it nearly destroyed Rockport and Port Aransas, two neighboring cities of Corpus Christi. Although the city did receive some minor damages, it was not affected as harshly as other cities were. Corpus Christi resident Michael Escobar said he almost did not believe it when he heard Trump was going to be five minutes away from where he worked. “My first thoughts were ex-
hilarating,” Escobar said. “The experience in itself was quite overwhelming. We were some of the first people to show up and I would say around 10 minutes later there was already close to 2,000 people surrounding the area.” Secret Service surrounded the area, as well as snipers above the fire department, but that didn’t stop protestors from speaking their mind. “The downfall to the whole experience would have to have been the protestors,” Escobar said. “People will always stand by their opinion so I get that, but this was not the place or time.” Escobar said he believed Trump’s visit was a positive thing for those affected by the storm. “So many people are still recovering from the storm and so many first responders put their lives on the line to help those in need,” Escobar said. “Trump coming to the volunteer fire department kind of motivates peo-
Photo by AMBER CASTILLO
The Corpus Christi Comunity awaits the arrival of The President.
ple so we can help each other get through this tragedy.” For alumna Corina Paralmas, she said it was just a regular day for her until she saw snipers on the fire department while driving to the grocery store.
“It was an incredible experience to be a part of the crowd and making history,” Parlamas said. “Corpus got very lucky that the hurricane didn’t hit us, but so many people have been affected and it’s honestly so awesome to see how everyone has been coming together to make sure people are getting back on their feet in this traumatic time. I really hope that the president will make a difference in our community.” Many people gathered in hopes they would get to see or speak to Trump. Although they didn’t get to directly talk to him, he grabbed a microphone and said a few words. “I want to thank you for coming out,” Trump said. “We’re going to get you back and operating immediately.” The city of Corpus Christi is still going through its recovery process, but the efforts of workers and volunteers can help speed up the process in not only Corpus Christi, but in other affected areas along the Gulf Coast.
Don’t forget to like or follow us on social media! @IslandWavesToGo
O N L I N E
Island Waves News .com
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi students and faculty were unsure what state they’d find their campus in. Relatively speaking, the campus, as well as the city of Corpus Christi, were fortunate compared to neighboring cities such as Port Aransas and Rockport. That being said, there is still work to be done and damage to repair. The start of the fall 2017 semester was delayed a week along with on-campus movein dates for residents. The delay was in part to assess the damage to the university and allow students who live in more heavily affected areas to make arrangements to return. This included Houston, which saw catastrophic flooding due to Harvey. The storm affected Islander students in a multitude of ways, but one commonality was the desire to help that was shown to those in need. Students offered to volunteer with the relief effort in Rockport and neighboring towns before the semester began. Facilities around town accepted donations of water and other necessities for the victims of the hurricane. As students and faculty shift their focus back onto their school work, these low moments offer a glimpse of people of differing backgrounds and beliefs can come together for a common good. There’s still work to be done, but our combined efforts can make all the difference.
ON THE COVER:
PHOTO BY MICHAEL BRODE
4 Campus
09.14.2017
University rings in semester with mural ERIN NASH
@ErinJohnnae
T
exas A&M University-Corpus Christi recently unveiled new hardware; a ring that symbolizes the university and a mural which portrays the stories of alumni. Located in the center of the University Center Atrium, the oversized gold-plated ring statue represents the untouched design of the very first ring designed in 1999. The idea began July 2015, starting as a partnered concept with Balfour. It worked in conjunction with the Deep in the Heart Foundry in talks about bringing the ring and mural to campus. “The idea stemmed from the giant ring located at Texas A&M University – College Station,” director of engagement Russell Wager said. “The idea was how can we teach the ring tradition towards students? We needed to put it in a place where it’s highly visible and we actually started talking with Balfour and turns out not a lot of schools actually have ring statues on their campuses.” The ring statue was originally going to be placed near the bookstore. However, UC officials made recommended to move it in front of the atrium because
of its availability to students walking by. Each panel of the ring holds significance within university’s history and the students. The ring tradition started in 1999, which is why that specific year is on the front along with the face of the university. The sides of the ring represent an Islander’s career journey as a student and the other as part of the alumni. The ring also includes the founding year of the university, 1947, and the alumni association logo, which represents an alumnus looking back on experiences. “It represents a lot of different things for different people. It’s up for interpretation depending on the person,” Wagner said. “It’s a sign for pre-graduation, a symbolic representation of hard work done. When I look at my ring, I think about all of the fun times I had on this campus.” To accompany the ring statue in the UC, the collage mural behind it tells the stories and traditions of the ring and those who wear it. Designed in spring 2017, the mural hosts more than 750 different photos of alumni wearing their ring. Two close-ups on the side of the mural capture students throwing a sand dollar into the fountain and the emotion
Photo by JONATHAN FORNEY
The newly unveiled mural and ring for alumni.
associated with everyone’s wish on ring day and what it means to them.
Through a campaign conducted through the Alumni Association, members were emailed regarding the mural and asked if they would like to submit their Islander ring photos to be included with their permission. More than 200 photos were submitted prior to selection. “We had different students submit photos to [the alumni association] and other photos wearing their ring because the ring is different to everybody and with the wall, it’s very obvious that you can see a lot of different stories and memories,” Wagner said. Curt Langford, vice president of collegiate partnership development for Balfour, said the mural portrayed those who have participated in the ring tradition in the past. It also helped incoming students see what they’re striving for, given there are certain eligibility requirements one must accomplish to receive a ring. “The goal in mind is to build the ring tradition, to communicate the Islander ring wish story in a whole new way,” Langford said. “We feel this is going to tell the ring story more efficiently than any brochure can and help position the ring tradition prominently on campus.”
University officer dedicated to student safety JONATHAN FORNEY @jb4nay
C
aptain Jesse Peña is no stranger to long nights and seemingly endless work days. In fact, that’s what keeps him coming into work every single day. Peña has been involved with the University Police Department (UPD) for 25 years. During his time at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, a desire to help others has motivated him and his staff. “My favorite thing about the job is keeping people safe,” Peña said. “That’s my goal and that’s what I try to instill in all my officers.” Originally hired as a security officer in 1993, the police chief at the time offered Peña the chance to become a police officer. Peña went through Del Mar College’s police academy program and was hired at the Island University in 1994. The opportunity also offered the newly hired officer the chance to further his education. “I took advantage of a betterment program and got my bachelor’s degree,”
Peña said. “As a leader, I try to push my officers to take advantage of the betterment program to pay for their school and everything. It’s all good stuff.” The life of a UPD officer is certainly a busy one. For Peña, the days start early and end late. A typical day for Peña begins at 8 a.m. “My days are nonstop. It never ends, 24 hours, seven days a week,” Peña said. At the start of his shift he goes through his email, examines reports and going over last night’s events. A big part of Peña’s job is making sure his fellow officers are doing their jobs. “I listen to the radio at all times, to make sure that everyone’s doing what they’re supposed to,” Peña said.“I’ll get with patrol to make sure they’re out doing what their supposed to do, directing traffic and taking reports,” Peña said. Peña said the department has a lot of injuries and mental detentions to take care of. “We have people we run into for traffic violations and run them for warrants,” she said.
A captain’s responsibilities don’t stop there. Peña is also in charge of evidence submitted to the department. “I’ll take [the evidence] and process it, then write a supplement to the case and put it in the evidence room,” Peña said. The officers are so accustomed to these long days that the police station has a kitchen and laundry equipment to essentially allow officers to live onsite until their work is done. During Hurricane Harvey, Peña and his officers stayed on duty. “Throughout the hurricane, we were here. We split the department into two,” Peña said. “The ride-out team and the recovery team. We stayed here to maintain the campus, make sure there was no looting and report to my boss the condition of the campus.” UPD does many things to help keep students safe. There are even opportunities for students to learn from officers. “We have a crime prevention officer who gives crime prevention tips and offers different classes,” Peña said. “I
think that’s kind of underutilized.” Despite the long hours and laundry list of responsibilities, Peña was unable to name anything he didn’t enjoy about his job. “I can’t think of anything, honestly,” Peña said. “I love my job and I’ve been doing it for a long time. I can’t think of nothing [sic] negative.” In the unlikely event that captain Peña isn’t working, he enjoys outdoor activities. “I’m a big hunter and I fish a lot,” Peña said. “I’m more of a deer hunter though. I do a lot of hunting all over Texas and that’s what I like to do.” Peña said he enjoys getting to help protect others so much that he doesn’t mind the long hours and late nights. He instills these same values in his officers and that goes into their training which includes advanced law enforcement response training (A.L.E.R.T). The department is prepared for anything from an active shooter to helping people who locked themselves out of their cars. “We’re prepared and trained for the safety of students,” Peña said.
Campus5
09.14.2017
Food pantry now available to students in need
AMBER CASTILLO
@AmberCastillo27
M
any college students must put their studies on the back burner to maintain a steady income to provide food for themselves and their families. To ensure students put their education first, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi announced this year they will be welcoming Izzy’s Food Pantry, open to serve Islanders in partnership with the food bank. The university believes students experiencing hunger are unable to perform well academically, which leads to students dropping out due to lack of funds. Izzy’s Food Pantry is in room 204 of the University Center. “Over the years we have heard our staff talk about students being hungry, whether it was students in their class, or students that we worked with, so we would try to help them out as much as we could,” executive director of Student Life Lisa Perez said. “We continued to hear these stories over the years from different staff members as well and decided to take action to help benefit the students.” Perez said this problem is occurring nationwide and students are not putting their academics first because they worry about having to pay bills or having to work. “We really thought about what we could do to help our students become successful, so we wanted to take away that barrier if we could,” Perez said. “When we saw other campuses around the nation were doing food pantries, we thought that would be the perfect option for our campus and students.” Any student at the Island University is welcomed to the Izzy’s Food Pantry if they fill out a federal application and provide their sanddollar ID to verify enrollment status.“We partnered with the food bank so they require that students fill out the federal application which is really only for funding purposes,” Communication Specialist Julie Shuttlesworth said. “Once students have applied, they are welcomed to take up to ten items once a week.”
Izzy’s Pantry Hours of Operation:
Photo by JONATHAN FORNEY
The new food pantry already has a variety of foods for students in need. College students won’t have to live on ramen if they visit the food pantry.
The Island University will host several food drives around campus throughout the year, which will now come directly to the Izzy’s Food Pantry. The pantry will
Monday, Tuesday: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
be accepting non-perishable food items and can be donated at the University Center in room 204 during their operation hours listed below.
Wednesday, Thursday: 3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
Friday: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
University recognizes Hispanic Heritage Month
AMBER CASTILLO
@ambercastillo27
H
ispanic Heritage Month is approaching soon and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will be hosting events all month to honor the celebration. Hispanic Heritage Month is an event Americans participate in from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. Participants observe the cultures, history and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States. This celebration allows Hispanic and Latinos to not only feel proud of their roots, but also allows
them to share the culture with other people. Sept. 15 is a significant date because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries. This includes Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence just days after. It is important to understand the significance of each country and the different culture they bring to the United States. Senior communication major Crissy Peterson said she is glad the university will have multiple events on campus for Hispanic Heritage Month. “This month is really important be-
cause it shines a light on a minority that is so often left in the dark,” Peterson said. “It really represents how Hispanic Americans have played a part in our society which should be celebrated to recognize how far all these people have come for their families.” Junior psychology major Jackie Valdez said she is excited about getting to participate in the events hosted on campus because it is a chance for her to celebrate her roots. “This month allows me to be even prouder [sic] of my roots and where I come from,” Valdez said. “There are so many different contributions that His-
panics and Latinos have made throughout history; it would be wrong not to honor them.” Events will begin with Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff on Sept. 14 in the University Center Anchor Ballroom from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event will include a performance from a local band, N’ Rumba, and food will be provided. It is free and open to the public. There will be various events throughout the month including poetry readings and a movie screening. For more information visit the event’s website at Hispanicheritagemonth. tamucc.edu.
6 Campus
09.14.2017
freshman tips
1. Don’t wait until the last minute
2. go easy on the spending
3. check your islander email- That’s including clutter!!!! Don’t forget about me....
This is How I die.
There’s two of them?? I can’t even!!
4. Paying attention goes a long way
5. get involved
6. speak up and stand out Never fear, Professor, I know the answer!
CATHARINA GARRETT / Island Waves
Think you might be Pregnant? STITUTION DAY CON
CELEBRATION September 18-22 September 18-22: Constitution Display: Visit the Library to discover more about the founding documents of the USA and get your own pocket copy of the Constitution! (Available in English & Spanish.) Mary and Jeff Bell Library Atrium, during building hours Where’s Lil Ben? Find Lil Benjamin Franklin hiding somewhere in the Library. Take a selfie with him and post it to the library’s Facebook page for a chance to win amazing prizes!! Daily from11am -1pm
September 20-21:
Exercise Your Right to Vote: Student Government Association (SGA) Elections. v Vote online: sga.tamucc.edu Vote in person: 11am-2pm, University Center Rotunda v Hosted by Student Government Association (SGA)
September 21:
Celebrate Your Right to Peaceably Assemble: All American Red, White & Blue Cook-Out FREE food with the Breakers Gameroom at the University Center South Patio, 2:00-4:00pm Hosted by UCPrograming & Breakers Gameroom
September 21:
First Amendment Celebration: Coffee & a Paper 9-11am - Breezeway, in front of the Library v Hosted by Island Waves Student Newspaper
DIVISION OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT & SUCCESS
For more information or to request disability related accommodations, please contact Lisa Perez at lisa.perez@tamucc.edu or 361.825.5202
You’ve got this. We’ve got your back. Pregnancy Test • Limited Ultrasound Cost Free • Confidential • Consultation 361-991-2008 • ccpregnancy.org
8 Entertainment Save money with these student-exclusive discounts
09.14.2017
AMBER CASTILLO @ambercastillo27
B
eing a college student means having to decide between necessities and luxuries, but why should you choose when you can have both? There are several businesses that offer student discounts around the Corpus Christi area and nationwide. From restaurants, to clothing stores and electronics, these discounts are well worth it and students should be aware of them. Pizza State: With a valid student ID, students can receive the starving student discount, which consists of an $8.50 lunch special and a $9.50 dinner special. Dairy Queen: At participating locations, students can receive 10 percent off their meal with a valid student ID. Jason’s Deli: Students can receive 15 percent off their meal with a valid student ID. Coffee Waves: Every Wednesday, students can enjoy
9/15 9/16 9/21 9/23 9/28 9/29 9/30 9/ 10/07
a latte or coffee drink or some gelato and get 10 percent off their entire purchase. Coffee Waves also offers free WiFi to allow students to get their homework done. AMC Classic Corpus Christi: After 6 p.m., students can receive movie tickets for $4.50 with a valid student ID. Alamo Draft House: Student discount prices are offered, but the ticket must be purchased at the box office with a valid student ID. Forever 21: Throughout the month of August, students can receive 15 percent off their purchase of regular-priced items with a valid student ID. Be sure to ask at clothing stores because some of the discounts last for a certain time, but return again later. Kate Spade: Students will receive 15 percent off their entire purchase with a valid student ID. Apple Music: With a valid student email address and the name of their university, stu-
another level metal shop jb & THe moonshine band
justin furstenfeld of blue october aaron einhouse five card draw jon wolfe with cameran nelson jarrod birmingham
10/14 stone stour w/steel panther & cherry bombs 10/15 ZiegenBock music festival w/josh abbott, aaron lewis,
wade bowen, flatland cavalary, & more!
dents can receive a membership for $4.99 a month for up to 48 months. Spotify: Students can receive 50 percent off the premium subscription. If you are currently enrolled in a university, you can apply for the discount today. Adobe: Students can save up to 60 percent off all Adobe software with a valid university email address. Amazon Prime: Amazon Prime Student is a program created specifically for college students. As a member, students can receive a free six-month trial that includes free two-day shipping on more than 50 million items, streaming of prime movies and TV shows, unlimited photo storage with prime photos, 20 percent off preorder and new release video games. After the trial ends, the membership allows students to receive 50 percent off Amazon Prime, which includes access to all Prime benefits. Senior business administration major Adrian Esquivel said being a member of Amazon Prime helped him
receive great deals with the student discount. “Amazon Prime offers so many different deals for cheap,” Esquivel said. “With Prime, I was able to find my school books for cheap, whether it had been buying or renting them. It was always at a very affordable price.” Senior media production major Taylor Rodriguez said being able to receive student discounts is a huge help and money saver for her. “One of my favorite student discounts has to be Amazon Prime Student,” Rodriguez said. “It has so much to offer and then at the end of the trial you are still saving money because the membership normally costs around $100, and for being a student, you will get it for $49.99 which is a huge deal.” Rodriguez said being able to receive Spotify at a low price was beneficial for her as well. “Nowadays it’s all about the streaming of music,” Rodriguez said. “For me, being able to listen to whatever I want at a low affordable price makes it that much better.”
Campus7
09.14.2017
Delayed move-in welcomes new and returning Islanders
MICHAEL BRODE @michaelbrode
After a mandatory evacuation, students were able to move into their on-campus dorms and apartments in early September at Camden Miramar. Sept. 2 and Sept. 3 marked the delayed move-in date for all students living on campus and at Momentum Village. With the original date scheduled a week prior, Camden Miramar and the entire Island University was set back when Hurricane Harvey formed in the Gulf and headed our way. With the amount of destruction caused by the storm, students and families had a lot to think about. “The storm hit my home in the Woodlands with a good amount of standing water” freshman biomedical science major Eric Haats said. Haats was one of the students who were evacuated from their hometowns, which took them even longer to find their homes on campus. “I would have really liked to be on the Island a week earlier,” Haats said. “I’m just happy to be here now.”
A Camden Miramar resident and his family unload supplies for his dorm.
Haats said he is excited for the freedom that college has to offer. “Between classes that allow me to work more on my own time and the
Photo by MICHAEL BRODE
opportunity to join on campus organizations,” Haats said. “I think that moving to Corpus may be the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Haats said that he has considered joining multiple organizations including volunteer groups, fraternities, and other social or service clubs. He believes joining an organization or club on campus would benefit his college career because of the connections and experiences that he will gain from them. Camden Miramar employees promote a variety of benefits for students who decide to live on-campus, especially in their first year. “Living on campus freshman year immerses new students in Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi culture,” Camden Miramar room adviser Nikacia Shear said. “You never have to be alone, you have peers right next door experiencing college just like you.” Shear said college offers unique opportunities to bond with fellow students and those moments are valuable. “The sense community between residents is fun to witness,” Shear said, “It is something that can only be experienced in college this one time of our lives.”
10 Entertainment
09.14.2017
Hitman movie keeps audience laughing MICHAEL BRODE @michaelbrode
Unnecessary violence, nonstop banter and an overuse of one profane phrase in particular have all come together for a film that is nothing shy of an audience-centered comedy. “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” stars Ryan Reynolds as a professional bodyguard and Samuel L. Jackson as a hitman under the custody of Interpol. This Europe-set movie provides nonstop action and laughs for the majority of its runtime. Many may remember Reynold’s role in the film “Deadpool,” a comedy style largely reflected by his character in this film. This witty and dark humor is channeled into his professional character who is tasked with protecting (Jackson) a man who has tried to kill him on many occasions. I believe this film did a great job of being outright ridiculous throughout its entirety. Reynolds and Jackson played off of each other very well
FILM REVIEW through the juxtaposition of each other’s characters. Though this movie was completely insane, it still found a way of creating a message and change of heart in the main characters, somehow making it even funnier. It would also be important to note that the excess gore in this movie has the potential to turn the viewer one way or another. For some, it is really funny. For others, it can ruin the show. Though only receiving a 39 percent critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this movie did exactly what a comedy is designed to do...make the audience laugh. Despite the low critic rating, this film earned a 72 percent audience score. Although it is nowhere near the movie of the year, the style in which this film mixes serious, lifethreatening situations with countless
Photo courtesy of TEASER-TRAILER.COM
Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds in “The Hitman’s Bodyguard.”
dark and light comedic elements allows it to really stand out from many of the films it satirizes throughout (i.e. spy movies, action dramas, etc.). Rotten Tomatoes states this film coasts on the banter of the main characters, but it fails to “power past an overabundance of action-comedy clichés”. While this is true, it’s unlikely that the serious film buff would go
into any movie involving Jackson and Reynolds expecting a Godfather-caliber production. This film was written and casted to make audiences question the sanity of the producers over and over again, not to win an Oscar. Although I have mostly good things to say about this movie, I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to see it on the big screen.
BIG SCREEN TV’S • FREE WI-FI DAILY BEER SPECIALS
$8.50 LUNCH $9.50 DINNER
Sports 11
09.14.2017
Transfer goalie finds home on Island JONATHAN FORNEY @jb4nay
Senior goalkeeper Jordan Wainwright is rarely in the same spot for long in games; always on the move to a new opportunity to put herself in a better position. At Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, she found a place she can always return to. From a very young age, Wainwright has been around soccer. “I played it all growing up,” Wainwright said. “I was just an athlete. I wanted to play every sport and I ended up loving soccer more than the other ones.” Playing keeper wasn’t necessarily her position of choice early on, but in the long-run, it seemed like the right decision. “It was my seventh or eighth grade year,” Wainwright said. “I was super athletic and they kind of just threw me in the goal and I ended up loving it.” The Florida native transferred to the Island University her junior year following two years at Monroe College in New York. She helped the Mustangs to an NJCAA Final Four appearance her sophomore season as a starter. It was there she developed the love she now has for soccer. “[In] Florida, where I grew up, soccer wasn’t very big. It was a huge football town,” Wainwright said. “It wasn’t until I got to New York that I really started developing a stronger passion for the game.” Playing at a junior college helped Wainwright learn the value of bonding with teammates in a short timeframe. “New York stood out, by far, because you’re only there for two years,” Wainwright said. “So you make super strong connections and then you basically have to leave them and transfer.” Leaving the friends she made in New York was hard, but Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi offered what she was looking for, both in terms of athletics and academics. “I really loved the campus and the facilities here are super nice,” Wainwright said. “I’m studying kinesiology and everything here for that degree stood out to me unlike the other colleges I was viewing. So, a lot of it was for educational purposes.” Since she arrived her junior season, Wainwright and the Islanders’ soccer program had to make their fair share
Photo by JONATHAN FORNEY
Jordan Wainwright makes a leaping save last season. The senior goalkeeper has more than 70 career saves to her name since transferring to the Island University her junior year from Monroe College.
of adjustments. For Wainwright in particular, the transition had its difficulties. “It was hard when I first got here because the team wasn’t very positive,” Wainwright said. “I just focused on myself and made relationships with people who were positive and that helped me adjust.” Head coach Craig Shaw was hired earlier in 2017, and Wainwright said he has helped change the attitude of the program. “I like our coaching staff [much] better now. I feel like last year we had a lot of negativity,” Wainwright said. “This year the freshmen who came in; they’re all ready. They have the mindset that [coach] Shaw wants them to have.” Wainwright believes this new mindset bodes well for the team going forward. “It’s exciting and it’s going to be a good season because of it,” Wainwright said. As she heads into her senior season on the Island campus, Wainwright believes she’s found a similar situation to where she thrived in junior college. “There [Monroe College] and here, it’s more of a family atmosphere for a team, rather than playing as individuals,” Wainwright said.
Shaw echoed this sentiment when he was first introduced as head coach. “A big thing for me when I was looking Texas A&M [University]-Corpus Christi was, ‘it going to be a family?’ That’s a big thing I had at Fort Hays,” Shaw said at a press conference. “It was going to take something special for me to leave there. When I came through the interview process, I found out that this place was going to be that special something I was looking for.” This new positive mindset also comes with an increased focus for the team. “We call it the ‘Line of Commitment’,” Wainwright said. “Before everyone walks on the field, whenever you walk on, it’s strictly soccer. You leave everything on the field.” Soccer is just one aspect of Wainwright’s identity. She is also a dedicated student. “I’m super serious about school,” Wainwright said. “I always focus on my grades and stay ahead in class.” When she’s not in class, on the field or in the weight room, Wainwright has found other ways to enjoy herself. “I have a puppy, her name is Jade,” Wainwright said. “I love the beach and taking my puppy to the beach.” Her teammates have found a way they can have fun while feeding their
competitive natures as athletes. “We’ve recently started working on lip sync groups,” Wainwright said. “We’re having a viewing party, actually. The whole process of making the videos is a lot of fun. Watching everyone else’s groups is going to be the best part so far. It’s basically for bragging rights.” Even as her playing career enters its final stages, Wainwright still wants to be involved with sports in some capacity, along with helping others get the most out of their bodies. “Now I help out coaching at some of the soccer clubs here. I just want to stay around athletics afterwards [college],” Wainwright said. “I want to be an exercise physiologist and work in cardiac or respiratory, mainly in rehabilitation centers.” In a sense, Wainwright’s constant movement, both in life and on the field, echoes her day-to-day life. She has had numerous stops that led her to Corpus Christi and it doesn’t look like she plans on stopping anytime soon. The Islanders soccer season is already underway. Fans can come support Wainwright and her teammates when during home games at the Dr. Jack Dugan Stadium. For more information on the team, visit goislanders.com.
Sports 12
09.14.2017
PURCHASE DINING DOLLARS EARLY…
GET DISCOUNTS & FREE FOOD ALL SEMESTER (FASFA $$$ ACCEPTED!)
PRICING
YOUR DISCOUNT (All Semester)
$200
Dining Dollars
PLUS…
EARLY SIGN UP
BONUS
Tier 1
Get a 6% Discount at the register all semester!
2 FREE drip coffee, tea, or cold brew coffee from Starbucks
Tier 2
$300
Get a 8% Discount at the register all semester!
Tier 1+3 FREE tacos from Chick-N-Grill Tier 3
$400 $500
Get a 9% Discount at the register all semester!
Get a 10% Discount at the register all semester!
Tier 1+Tier 2+4 FREE 8ct Nuggets from Chick-fil-A Tier 4
Tier 1+Tier 2+Tier 3+$5 coupon to ANY dining location on campus
Valid only until September 12th HOW TO PURCHASE: Go to https://dineoncampus.com/islanderdining or contact the SandDollar Office at (361) 825-5978