Volue 28 issue 29

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

IslandWavesNews.com

LEAVING THEIR MARKS

News

Students add their names to new science building

City holds fifth annual Kites and Bikes festival Page 4

Also

by AMBER CASTILLO • Page 5

November 16, 2017 Volume 28, Issue 29

Opinions Page 2 Entertainment Page 8 Sports Page 12

2 Opinion STUDENT PUBLICATION OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITYCORPUS CHRISTI

11.16.2017

Pumpkin spice up this Thanksgiving CATHARINA GARRETT @imacat_moo

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and you know ISLAND WAVES STI | ISLANDWAVESNEWS.COM | what VOLUMEthat 26 ISSUE 20 | Time 08.27.15to means.

IslandWavesNews.com bring out the scarves, s’mores and pumpkin spice for those Editor-in-Chief cold nights around the fire. To JONATHAN FORNEY celebrate all things fall, here’s how to make your very own Web pumpkin spice latte and fallGERI LEMMONS, editor themed mug to go with it.

With these DIY ideas, you’re Copy Editor already saving tons of money ILLI-ANNA MARTINEZ by avoiding the overpriced fall drinks offered elsewhere.

Reporters They’re easy, fun and cheap CATHARINA GARRETT to make. Plus, you get a mug, MICHAEL BRODE recipe and a potential gift idea AMBER CASTILLO to share for many seasons to SAMUEL TRUJILLO come.

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Advertising ALYSSIA CRAWFORD, assistant QUYNHCHI QUACH, assistant

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.

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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.

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News 3

11.16.2017

Islanders plan day to give back to community KEANNA WHISENHUNT Contributing Writer

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exas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi staff and faculty will unite to serve the Coastal Bend communities and Island University for #GivingTuesday on Nov. 28.

The Division of Student Engagement and Success will provide a wide range of community service venues for Islander staff and faculty to get involved on the national day of giving, which occurs every year on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. Paying homage to the meaning of Thanksgiving, #GivingTuesday is celebrated around the world in efforts to make a difference.

“It’s an international day of community service when volunteers go out and give back to their community,” said Ann DeGaish, associate vice president of Student Engagement & Success. “Essentially, they are giving their time to different agencies in town, or organizations that just need some assistance, but it’s tied to a much bigger program. It’s not just something local, it’s international.” #GivingTuesday started in 2012 and is entering its sixth year as a global day for families, friends, churches, schools and businesses to collaborate, connect and cultivate impact.

The Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact established #GivingTuesday to motivate and inspire people to give back.

“It goes back to our Momentum 2020 plan and in that we talk about being engaged in community and being connected to our community,” DeGaish said. “We were trying to find a way of doing that and this was the perfect program because we have a lot of individuals who want to do ser-

Photo courtesy of TAMUCC.EDU

A student volunteer helps clean up scattered branches as a part of service to the community.

vice like this. They really enjoy doing volunteer work and it works well with what our faculty and staff like to do.”

DeGaish said #GivingTuesday is an opportunity for the university staff and faculty members to give back to a community that has supported the Island University continuously. The university began taking part in the global movement four years ago, and has been committed ever since.

“Last year we had 125 [volunteers] and it was about 350 hours of community service completed in that one day,” DeGaish said.

Volunteers will have an opportunity to fulfill a variety of needs with many organizations in the community.

The Coastal Bend Food Bank, Gulf Coast Humane Society, Women’s Shelter, Glenoak Therapeutic Riding Center and Mission 911 are a few organizations that will need volunteers. Hurricane Harvey recovery opportunities will be available in Rockport, Port Aransas and the Coastal Bend.

Staff and faculty will also be able to spend #GivingTuesday staffing donation tables on campus for Izzy’s Food Pantry.

“We set it as a goal to bring [Izzy’s Food Pantry] to students here on this campus,”

said Dr. Lisa Perez, associate vice president of Student Life.

In partnership with the Coastal Bend Food Bank, Izzy’s Food Pantry provides food assistance to Islander students with an accessible selection of non-perishable goods. In efforts to prevent and acknowledge food insecurity, Perez says the food bank offers students a safe place to get the nutritional resources they need.

“We’ve been able to serve over 100 students thus far and we rely a lot on donations,” Perez said.

Perez said any donation, whether it’s food or a monetary gift, makes a difference.

This is the first year Izzy’s Food Bank will participate in #GivingTuesday.

Staff and Faculty who registered for #GivingTuesday will be provided T-shirts to wear at their volunteer activity and will assist with any immediate needs of their assigned organization. These tasks will range from donation sorting, cleaning and storage supply to gift-wrapping, holiday decorating and staffing tables.

“Being out there in the community and giving some of our time to show our appreciation to everybody that supports this university is great and we can do that very hands-on by

going to these different agencies that serve our community and in some cases serve our students,” DeGaish said. “Part of that is to say ‘thank you’ to them but to also help them reach their goals.”

According to their website, #GivingTuesday harnesses the potential of social media and the generosity of people around the world to bring about real change in their communities; it provides a platform for them to encourage the donation of time, resources and talents to address local challenges. It also brings together the collective power of a unique blend of partners— nonprofits, civic organizations, businesses and corporations, as well as families and individuals—to encourage and amplify small acts of kindness.

“To see them out working together and people who have never worked together before doing something positive for our community, it’s really cool to see the impact that we can have when we put our energy into that,” DeGaish said.

All registration forms must be submitted by Nov. 17. For more information on registering for #GivingTuesday and its other service locations, visit their website: www.givingtuesday.org.

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O N L I N E

Island Waves News .com

It’s nearly time for Thanksgiving break here at the Island University.

Pretty soon, Island Waves will be taking a temporary hiatus before starting back up in the Spring. Until then, here are some stories readers can look forward to online: • With finals on the horizon, preparation is key to success. Check out some tricks to stay ready for those exams.

• Got holiday travel plans lined up? When deciding on trip logistics, mobile apps are a great tool to streamline the process.

There’s a guide to travel apps online now.

• The Islander Green Team held a beach clean-up to help make an impact in the local community.

Learn more about their mission and the event online.

• The latest episode of Island Waves’ video recap show “The Riptide” anchored by reporter Amber Castillo is online now.

This show is intended to help keep Islanders informed as they go about their week. Episodes can be found on our social media channels, YouTube and our site.

Be on the lookout for a special edition of Island Waves on stands in the coming weeks.

Those in need of a little something extra push to study, try some free coffee courtesy of your local student newspaper, Island Waves.

ON THE COVER:

Photo by AMBER CASTILLO

Campus 5

11.16.2017

Islanders beam with anticipation for new building AMBER CASTILLO @AmberCastillo

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tudents and faculty gathered in front of Tidal Hall to leave their mark on the final beam to be placed atop the new research and science building.

The campus community was welcomed to sign their names on the beam on the construction site near Surf Lane Nov. 6 from 11:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. The special topping out ceremony took place Nov. 7 from 10:30 a.m.11:30 a.m. at the same location where university president Kelly Quintanilla gave a speech followed by Dr. Cheri

McCollough and Diana Del Angle.Following construction approval for Tidal Hall in 2015, the building’s name was announced the following year when junior environmental science major Garrett Arnett entered it into an online contest.

Tidal Hall will support many of the Island University’s growing programs within College of Science and Engineering. In addition, the facilities will provide students and faculty with improved resources including six new instructional labs, 34 research labs, dedicated work space and even a specialized aquarium room.

“Here at A&M Corpus Christi we un-

derstand that teaching and research are both needed to create a robust campus experience for all of our students,” Quintanilla said. “And that’s what is going to happen once these doors open. Our undergraduate and graduate students will have opportunities for hands-on research and learning from faculty who are experts in their fields and who are nationally recognized for that expertise.”

Quintanilla said many of the students who attend Texas A&M University-Corpus Christ are first-year generation college students and they deserve nothing but the best.

“When it comes to the resources, we want our students to have everything possible to accomplish their education goals,” Quintanilla said. “Tidal Hall is a direct representation of this university’s commitment to that goal to keeping that commitment to our students.”

Senior special education major Ida Barrera left her mark on the final beam and said she was excited to be a part of something so special.

“I think this is going to be a really great addition to the university and it’s going to offer more opportunities for specific classes that will help students in the right direction for their career

goals,” Barrera said. “The signing of the beam reminded me of a time capsule which I thought was really cool and exciting to be a part of. It’s a real symbolic ceremony to take part in and I’m glad that I got to leave my mark.”

McCollough said she knows the building is going to meet all expectations and help students as they head into their professional careers.

“Tidal Hall is going to be equipped to help us answer our research questions,” McCollough said. “It is 111,000 square feet of space and is going to be customized for research and teaching.

I believe that having all of this new research space will bring the university even closer to achieving emerging research university status and provide research opportunities that are unique for our students.”

The new three-story building is located near the first entrance of the main campus. Construction is scheduled to complete in July 2018 and the building is slated to open in fall of 2018.

For more information on the construction and other university expansion projects, visit expansion.tamucc. edu. Those interested can view a livefeed of the progress as the building nears completion.

Photo by AMBER CASTILLO/Island Waves

The final beam for the new Tidal Hall building is hoisted into position with Islander flag in tow.

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4 News

11.16.2017

Corpus Christi Community enjoys Bike and Kite Festival BREE ORTEGA Staff Writer

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n Nov. 4, the City of Corpus Christi and the Mayor’s Fitness Council hosted their fifth annual Kites and Bikes Festival downtown.

The Mayor’s Fitness Council has a motto they follow, to have this festival as a healthy day for families in Corpus Christi. They partnered with professional kite fliers and bike riders to bring the festival to Water’s Edge Park.

The festival was free to both Islanders and the entire community and lasted all day from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Families were able to bring their own kite and

bikes as well as a healthy picnic to enjoy at the park.

“Seeing the community get together is really awesome,” sophomore education major Taylor Saucedo said. “Especially when it’s toward exercising and going outside. In today’s society, you don’t see many kids doing that anymore.”

For those without kites, there were opportunities to win some. Food and music was provided for guests to enjoy as they flew kites and enjoyed the hot day. Booths were also set up for kites and small organizations to help promote healthy living and exercise.

Among the booths was the Corpus Christi Downtown Farmers Market.

They said they believe in growing local and producing your own food for healthier living. This market also participated in Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s annual farmers market, which is an event that takes place every semester. The Corpus Christi’s farmers market is open January through December on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Another booth included an informational about kites. Since the Kite festival has been around, huge kites have been involved. Large kites with character designs such as “Finding Nemo,” the dragon from the movie “How to Train your Dragon” and yellow minions from

the movie “Despicable Me” were a few found at the festival.

“I remember flying kites with my grandpa when I was a kid,” said astronomy major at Del Mar College Paul Ramirez. “Since I’m in college, I don’t really get to see him often. I wanted to go because it reminded me of all the fun times I had with him.”

For more information about dates and times for fitness events taking place in Corpus Christi, visit ccmayorsfitnesscouncil.com. To learn more about festivals and events happening in Corpus Christi such as those mentioned above, visit www.whatsupcc.org for a calendar of events.

Beekeepers Association provides daily dose of sweetness SAMUEL TRUJILLO @SamTrujillo14

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n Nov. 2, the Coastal Bend Beekeepers Association hosted its annual honey tasting event at the Garden Senior Center in Corpus Christi.

This free public event allowed attendees to sit in on one of the association’s monthly meetings while also giving them an opportunity to sample local honey from beekeepers around South Texas. This event drew large crowds of curious Corpus Christi residents who were interested in learning more about beekeeping and perhaps starting a hive of their own.

Upon entering the meeting hall, guests were signed in and seated in preparation for a presentation by guest speaker and beekeeper Eric Flores.

“This project represents a demonstration of how students can learn and experience animal husbandry through beekeeping,” association president Dennis Gray, Jr. said.

After a short welcome and introduction by Gray, Flores took the stage and began giving insight on his personal beekeeping techniques and opinions.

“My dad and I said, ‘Let’s do it!’ but we had no clue what to do or who to start buying from or anything really,” Flores said.

He then went on to describe how he became interested in beekeeping in the first place and discussed the troubles he and his father encountered during the first winter of their keeping.

“Essentially everything died off that first year and we had no clue what it was,” Flores said. “We went to seek help from [a northern beekeeper] and they

PHOTO BY SAMUEL TRIJILLO/ISLAND WAVES

Members of the Corpus Christi community sample honey from local sources as Denis Gray Jr. (right) answers questions.

told me that I basically starved my hive by not feeding it on cold days.”

Flores said thankfully things got up and running for the Flores farm after that unproductive winter over the next few months.

“I bought several hives for dirt cheap, while also capturing several wild swarms and introducing them to the hive,” Flores said.

Flores then went into detail about his production methods and rates, which

seemed to capture the interest of many guests.

Before bringing his speech to a conclusion, Flores asked audience members if they had any questions for him.

One of the most commonly asked questions the audience had for him was whether it was possible for everyday Corpus residents to start a hive without acres of land at their disposals. He said the City of Corpus Christi allows residents to own up to two bee hives per

household, according to Corpus Christi city ordinance No. 026046.

After all questions were answered, Flores gave way to Gray, Jr. once more so he could close the meeting and gave guests an opportunity to sample honey.

“This is definitely something I’d be interested in doing at home,” Corpus Christi resident Pamela Joyce-Gonzales said. “I came in here curious about what beekeeping even was and left wanting to get in on the action.”

Entertainment 7

11.16.2017

Islanders paint to erase negative stigmas JONATHAN FORNEY @jb4nay

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n interactive student art exhibit is currently on display at the Mary and Jeff Bell Library to raise awareness for suicide prevention and eradicate stigmas associated with mental health.

Inspire an Islander is a two-week exhibition put on by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s College of Nursing and the counseling center. The program is the latest result of the Suicide Awareness Focuses on Everyone (S.A.F.E.) grant. In 2016, the grant helped create Links Across Campus, an event where students were able to write positive messages on papers that would be linked creating a chain of support for all to see.

This year, the department wanted to expand on that concept of involvement.

“We wanted to have something that was more visceral, more visually stimulating,” said MBA student and graduate assistant Eduek Inyang “We want people to see the pictures and be inspired to do something.”

The exhibit accepted student submissions related to inspiring others. Works

Photo by JONATHAN FORNEY/Island Waves

A student adds their own artwork to the exhibit’s open canvas to inspire other Islanders.

of varying types of media were accepted including paintings, short stories, collages and more pieces were selected to be displayed.

Students visiting the exhibit were also encouraged to inspire others with their works of art. Attendees could paint their hands and add their handprint to the Commitment Board. This was designed to indicate how students are committed to help others erase stigmas related to

mental health.

Wellness blogger for the New York Times Julie Scelfo said these stigmas have existed for quite some time.

“There is still tremendous stigma surrounding mental illness, and not everyone who experiences depression is willing to talk about it,” Scelfo said.

There were also open canvases for event attendees to write their own positive messages and create artwork. The

only stipulations were: keeping messages in line with the theme of suicide prevention and removing stigmas toward mental health, leave space for others to create their own pieces and clean their supplies after use. Inyang said the open canvas was intended to encourage participation.

“We want people to see what other people have done and be inspired to do something,” Inyang said.

The prior Links Across Campus event led to more than 1,900 individuals signing positive messages. Inyang said this is a result of people making themselves available to help.

“People are committed to being there,” Inyang said. “Learning about mental health, learning about some of the resources on campus and, most importantly, being ready to say ‘I will be there when you need help.’”

The counseling center set up a table with resources available to students on their services such as the mood check or scheduling appointment with on-campus counselors. For more information on counseling services and the S.A.F.E grant, visit their website: counseling. tamucc.edu.

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6 Campus

11.16.2017

Islander Ring Ceremony commemorates student efforts

CATHARINA GARRETT @imacat_moo

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n Nov. 4, Islanders approaching graduation were honored for their time and efforts invested into the Island University with the biannual Islander Ring Ceremony.

The ceremony is a campus tradition that commemorates the start of a new chapter in life for graduating Islanders.

The ring recipients wear their class rings with the Islanders name facing toward them until graduation day. Russell Wagner, alumnus and executive director for the Island University’s National Alumni Association, said he is responsible for working with alumni board, facilitating marketing, accounting and other operations. He said although the ceremony seems like a very simple process, there are many details that go into the planning and facilitation of the event.

“I see the students get their rings, and I think back to when I had my ring ceremony almost 10 years ago,” Wagner said. “Each ceremony brings me back to those fond memories and reminds me why I love doing this. All the work we put into this is worth it.”

After the ceremony itself, Islanders participated in the “Ring Wish” tradition, conducted in the Performing Arts Center. Students who purchased a ring received a sand dollar in their ring box.

Students tossed their sand dollars into the Lee Plaza fountain, promoting the ring wish tradition and a future of fortune for graduating Islanders. As ring wishes were made, students, along with their family and loved ones, posed for photos with Izzy the Islander and enjoyed free refreshments in Lee Plaza.

“My favorite part of doing this is just seeing the nervous energy, excitement and emotions that students have before receiving their rings,” Wagner said. “The fact that the ring means something different to each and every person is special.”

Class ring recipients are granted associate membership into the Island University’s National Alumni Association. Wagner said the ring ceremony represents the partnership between the Island University and the association, aiming to help graduating students build professional networks and to stay connected with the university after graduation.

“Our ring sales have gone up tremendously, and with that, so has the tradi-

tion of owning a class ring,” Wagner said. “It means something to people, and expanding that tradition at this university means a lot to us.”

Senior health sciences major and attendee Ashlynn O’Neal said she enjoyed how smooth and organized the ceremony was.

“It was very convenient, quick and tothe-point,” O’Neal said. “I made a wish at the fountain, so I hope it comes true.”

“This event made me feel like I was part of one big family,” she said. “For other students graduating or fixing to graduate, keep going, because you can do it.”

Photo by CATHARINA GARRETT/Island Waves

Senior Tevin Williams tosses his sand dollar into the Lee Plaza fountain. This tradition is a rite of passage for graduating Islanders who received their rings.

8 Entertainment

11.16.2017

International Games Day connects Islanders

Islander students sit at a table on the second floor of the Mary and Jeff Bell Library play a game of “CLUE” provided at the International Games Day event.

SAMI BREE ORTEGA Staff Writer

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n Nov. 4, the Mary and Jeff Bell library at Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi held their fourth International Games Day. On the second floor of the library, televisions were set up for attendees to play Xbox and PlayStation games. Islanders participated and watched other islanders play different games from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Games such as reversible charades, checkers, Taboo and Monopoly were a few games students could play. A large chess mat with chess pieces were also available for Islanders to take turns and play.

“ALA, American Library Association, sponsors International Games Day,” said library information specialist Patricia Hernandez. “One of our staff members caught wind of that and thought it would be a good opportunity for our library.”

Mechanical engineering major Kyle Carter was one of the attendees of the event and said this was his first time participating in International Games Day. “I’ve never been to this before,” Carter said. “I’ve been to conventions like PAX so I decided to come today.”

Many clubs joined in on the games by bringing their own games students could enjoy. The anime club brought

Photo by BREE ORTEGA/Island Waves

their own big screen for game play. A local “Gears of War” team decided to bring computer systems and monitors as they hosted a tournament.

“I came because I’m a part of the Anime club,” Carter said. “I’ve been a part of the anime club for about two years now and it’s allowed myself to go to this and Realms Con at the American Bank Center also.”

Tabletop games have been successful with this event, Hernandez said.

“What we’ve found is that people who know how to play tabletop games with play with their friends and meet new people,” she said “That’s how other people become friends and just creates connections.”

For the first time in four years, the International Games had an escape room.

Time slots were set up to ensure Islanders would get a turn in trying to escape the escape room. A maximum of seven people and minimum of two or three were allowed in during the escape room time slot.

“One of the things libraries everywhere are trying to do is kind of get rid of that stigma that libraries are just for studying and for research,” Hernandez said. “We try to incorporate events that are a little more engaging.”

For more information about the library and its various services, visit library.tamucc.edu.

10 Entertainment

11.16.2017

Night out

The Office of the Associate Dean of Students would like to thank the following organizations and businesses for their support of Islanders Night Out 2017

BAKERY

Mrs. Gloria Hicks TAMU-CC Police Department Inclusive Islander Network TAMU-CC Counseling Center Men & Women’s Clinic TAMU-CC Health Center

SAFE Grant I-CARE I-ADAPT

Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation Women’s Shelter of South Texas Employee Development & Compliance Services CCPD Crime Victim Assistance Program

Entertainment 11

11.16.2017

Student organizations compete at Islander Revue AMBER CASTILLO @AmberCastillo27

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n Nov. 3, student organizations gathered to show off their talents in the Islander Revue the Remix hosted by Student Foundation Association.

The event has been a tradition for the Island since 1999, where student organizations perform eight-minute Broadway styled productions in competition with one another. The show was sponsored

by Whataburger and all ticket proceeds benefited Student Foundation Association’s scholarship program.

Islander Improv went home with the winning title and they said it took a lot of work and dedication to get to where they are now with their group. Secretary of Islander Improv and sophomore theatre major Austin Brady said he was glad to be a part of such a great team.

“This was my first year being a part of this event and I had a blast taking part in it,” Brady said. “It took a lot of hard work, though. What took the most work was creating a set list for this specific contest, since we do improv, we had to come up with a game that would work

Photo by AMBER CASTILLO/Island Waves

The members of Islander Improv perform part of their first prize winning sets.

for the rules that were created for this event.”

This year’s show was a little different from previous shows because students had to come up with a remix of songs from any genre if they were mixed together properly. Sophomore theatre major Mitchell Jackson said creating the games took some time.

“We had the first game we did for a solid couple of rehearsals but then we had to change the second game that we

did like three different times so it could fit the requirements,” Jackson said.

“One of the major part of the points was the music remix so we had to make sure we made music apart of our skit.”

Senior theatre major and Islander Improv president Micah Knupp said they rehearsed more than three hours per week to improve from last year’s show and it paid off.

“This semester, Islander improv is really expanding,” Knupp said. “We got

second place last year so this was definitely a step up in the right direction.

The music remix was a real challenge to us, but we managed to pull it together in the end which was one of the major scoring points.”

There were four teams who competed in the event and everyone went home with at least a bit of money as their prize.

Fourth Place: The Stage with $100 Third Place: Delta Delta Delta with $250 Second Place: Gamma Phi Beta with $500 First Place: Islander Improv with $1,000 Audience Choice: Gama Phi Beta: with an additional $500 Master of Ceremonies and event hostess Sierra Priest said she thought being a part of this event was a great experience.

“This event was just so fun to attend and be a part of,” Priest said. “It’s great to be able to put on a fun event like this and then to give back for the scholarships. All the acts did such a good job and I enjoyed being able to host it.”

12 Sports

11.16.2017

Basketball star shares secret to success CATHARINA GARRETT @imacat_moo

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ophomore basketball player and nursing major at the Island University, Emma Young, has a lot on her plate, but that doesn’t stop her from scoring points in the game and in life.

During Young’s senior year in high school, she posted a career best of 44 points. Since joining the Islanders basketball team in 2016, she has continued to impress. In 2016, with the help of Young and her fellow freshman teammates, the women’s basketball team reached semifinals at the Southland Conference Tournament for the first time since 2010. Scoring 35 percent of all points throughout the 2016-2017 season, Young and her teammates have set the bar high for this season and those to come. She said her success comes from many different places, but especially her teammates and coaches.

“The players were always super nice from the beginning, these girls are some of my best friends,” Young said.

“I feel like we’re going to have a really good season, and we’ll continue to be successful with how close we are.”

When Young first joined the Islanders basketball team a year ago, she and her teammates were called to change the character of the program and steer it towards success.

“We just had to figure out who cared about the game and who didn’t,” Young said. “Now the culture of the program is amazing because we are all so close and committed.”

Young said the players are always encouraging of each other and the coaches are never afraid to vocalize what players are doing right or wrong. She said this balance of tough love and encouragement is what shapes the team into the mold of success they strive for.

“Making the program close helps us win games as a team,” Young said. “I just love the environment here. We are all tied together on the court, and you can see that.”

Despite the stress of playing five different positions this season, Young said the encouragement of her peers

Photo by CATHARINA GARRETT/Island Waves

Emma Young holds her position against a TLU player in the first game of the 2017-2018 regular season. The Islanders won 87-56.

and coaches sets her up for success.

“I know that when I mess up, I’ve

got to take any chance I can to make it up,” Young said. “In this game, you mess up. A lot of times you mess up more than you make plays, so having that support system behind you is important.”

Head coach Royce Chadwick said in only a year, Young has made leaps and bounds as a student athlete and expects many more great things from the sophomore.

“The one thing you can count on about her is she consistently plays as hard as she can play,” Chadwick said.

“She fights through her mistakes and has already become a better player because of her experience.”

Chadwick said he recognizes Young’s development both on and off the court since she first started playing at the Island University, commending her success in both academics and athletics.

“She is an outstanding basketball player, but more than that she is an outstanding young lady,” Chadwick said.

“She works hard in her classes and she works hard on the court. There’s not much more you could ask for.”