Volume 26 Issue 13 by Island Waves

Alumnus makes new path

THE GREAT HIP RACE

Graduate Mayra Zamora discusses journey into art world by AMBER QUAID managing editor

page 8

rtist, alumni and first generation of her family to live in the United States, this is but the surface of Mayra Zamora. Her family was of limited means and they decided to leave Mexico and come to the United States so Zamora and her sibling could have a better future. They ended up in a small Texas town called Tivoli and that is where her education began and where she graduated from a class of nine. “I think growing up in a small town helped me become the person that I am,” Zamora said. Zamora had the same art teacher from kindergarten all the way through high school. Even when she did not have class with this teacher she would still go visit during lunch and after school to get ideas and opinions on her latest work. She said this art teacher inspired her and kept her doing artwork which lead to her receiving a scholarship to go to college. Zamora stayed at home drawing most of her childhood until she entered college where she discovered the many different forms of art. “When I was an undergrad I kind of lost my confidence, lost my way,” Zamora said. “I was finding my way and in college I was discovering the difference between an artist and a fine artist.” She finally found her way in an advanced art class with Joe Pena, assistant professor of art at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Once she developed her own style she became more inspired by the Calaveras or Day of the Dead skulls. She has paint-

Greeks host supply drive for local shelter by REED HORTON contributing writer

photo courtesy of MAYRA ZAMORA

“El Whataburger” was commissioned by the Whataburger corporation for the company owner. The scan, seen here, was resold by Zamora during the Fiesta de la Flor festival.

ed many of these with ties to her and her family. She represents herself with the color purple to show strength and femininity. Her sister is represented with the color yellow and butterflies, which is her favorite animal. Her dad

is represented with the color blue and spider webs, because of his dream to be Spider-man when he was little and her mom is represented with the color turquoise to show where her strength and femininity came from. see ZAMORA on page 9

Pride Alliance comes to campus Students start new gay-straight alliance group by STERLEN KEMP news reporter

n organization that focuses on the Gay-Straight alliance has been revived at Texas A&M University –Corpus Christi in the form of the Pride Alliance. The Pride Alliance hosted their first meeting at 7 p.m. on April 16 in Island Hall 160. The meeting described the mission and vision for the organization, aiming to provide a safe place for members of the LGBT community. “The purpose of the Pride Alliance is to create a safe place for all people who identify as LGBTQIA etc. or also known as MOGIA people,”

said Chauncey Brandom, founder and president of the Pride Alliance at the Island University. “This is a place for education for allies as well, learning to be a better activist.” The presence of a Gay-Straight Alliance has been inactive for the past few semesters. Many of the previous members graduated and moved on to others things, leaving an absence of an organization that is specialized for members of the LGBT community. “Having a safe place for LGBTQAI students is absolutely necessary,” said Jason Farr, Co-Advisor to the Pride Alliance and assistant professor in the English department at the Island University. “Speaking from personal experience, being able to talk to people

n April 2, Phi Delta Theta and Alpha Gamma Delta held an oncampus community service project on the East Lawn, collecting pet supplies and raising awareness for PALS, a local, no-kill animal shelter. Students were encouraged to leave supplies with the organizations on Thursday, but there will be collection boxes placed in the Faculty Center, Center for Sciences, Center for Instruction, and the Mary and Jeff Bell Library until April 8. Both organizations are proud to be involved with raising awareness and collecting much-needed goods for the animal shelter. Jonathon Le, junior and president of Phi Delta Theta, said the Islander community has an excellent opportunity to impact the Corpus Christi community by participating in this event. “PALS is an excellent mission, but regrettably does not have all the resources to accomplish its goals,” Le said. “As a Greek, it is humbling to be involved with furthering the mission of PALS and helping to save the lives of innocent pets.” Jeena Jimenez, junior and President of Alpha Gamma Delta, voiced a similar sentiment. see PALS on page 3

who are going through similar things is invaluable and empowering.” Many of the newly joined members expressed the need for inclusivity at the Island University. Discussions about educating the public about the LGBT community and how to create a united campus community were some of the topics tossed around. “The Pride Alliance was created out of a need to have a place of support and education here at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi,” according to the Pride Alliance’s website. “Therefore, the Pride Alliance’s argument is: the best activist is an educated one.”

INDEX OPINION 2 | NEWS 3 CAMPUS 5-8 | ENTERTAINMENT 9-12 | SPORTS 13-14

see PRIDE ALLIANCE on page 3

VOLUME 26, ISSUE 13

opinion

04.23.2015

ISLAND WAVES

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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. Since A&M- Corpus Christi has no journalism department, 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.

photo courtesy of Disney.com watch photos courtesy of imgkid.com

Secret spy watch, obsolete item of the past

by TREY SEAL

Entertainment Reporter

ince the dawn of the 21st century, technological companies have been on a mad race to computerize everything they can get their hands on. Everything from cars to refrigerators have Internet connected offerings from a variety of companies. The concept of the computerized watch is one of the oldest in existence, with the idea premiering in 1931 when detective Dick Tracy donned one that allowed him to have two-way video communication with his police chief. The comic stirred the imaginations of a generation of children who would go on to become engineers and writers, young men and women who would make it their life’s work to bring fiction into reality in addition to stirring the minds of further generations. These minds brought people the personal computer followed by the cell phone, which led to the eventual fusion of the two with the smartphone in 2005. With the proliferation of cell phones came the demise of the wristwatch, at least among millennial youth (our generation). We are a generation that likes consolidation, less is more. Why carry a notepad, a handheld game system, and

a camera when a single smartphone (or even a tablet/iPod touch) can have all of that functionality in a single device. This is the main problem of the smart watch. It is a device that does nothing more than extend some of the smartphone’s basic functions to our wrist, these functions currently include text message viewing and being able to view notifications such as scheduled events and Facebook posts. Its purpose is to remedy a perceived problem that only minuscule amounts of people have ever complained about. With their small screen sizes, they are not even effective at solving these issues. For instance, the “Pebble Steel” (compatible with iPhone and Android currently has the smallest screen size of the current line of smartwatches, at 1.33 inches, the Samsung Galaxy Gear S has the largest at 1.8 inches. Neither size is effective for typing, when responding to text messages unless one has the fingers of a small child. Pulling out ones phone and typing a response is more effective and apps like the “New York Times” expect users to read entire articles on it. With such limited functionality, all that smartwatches can really do is act as a fashion accessory. It took tech companies many years to get our phones to the sleek, stylish forms that we have today.

Over time, phones transitioned to plastic, rounded bodies into smooth, thin rectangular forms with a thin profile. Every smartwatch with the exception of the Apple Watch (iPhone only) and the Moto 360 (Android only) looks like the shoddily designed digital watches of the 1990s, rectangular pieces of plastic that do away with the clean, rounded design that clocks have been known for since their invention. The Apple Watch manages to get away with it due to a design that blends the screen into its rounded edges (known as a bezel-less display). The Moto 360 however takes the cake for design with its rounded screen that gives it the appearance of a sleek wristwatch. The smartwatch market will probably stay niche for the entirety of the technologies lifetime, they will most likely continue to be made for a few years to come but just like other prominent technologies such as 3DTVs and curved displays, support will dwindle as time goes on until they cease to be produced altogether. The technology is just too little, too late.

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photo by STERLEN KEMP

Chauncey Brandom, president of Pride Alliance, introduces the new organization at its first-ever meeting on April 16.

PRIDE ALLIANCE continued from page 1 According to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 20 percent of college students in America fear for their physical safety due to their gender identify or their perceived sexual orientation. Places like the Pride Alliance and the University Counseling Center offer a place of solace for those struggling with their sexual identity. “I think the Pride Alliance is a wonderful thing for our campus to have,” said Dr. Alison Marks, Coordinator of outreach for the University counseling center and clinical psychologist who specializes in sexual diversity and LGBT issues. “My hope for this group is that it will be a place for students to look to for education, community, answers and hope.” While the state and national laws regarding the rights and acceptance of the LGBT+ community seems to be progressing, some members still feel

the harsh difficulty of “coming out” in fear of discrimination and backlash. The Pride Alliance at the Island University, as well as the University Counseling Center offer a wealth of knowledge and resources for students who may be struggling with their own sexuality and the acceptance of others around them. “There isn’t one great nugget of advice to give someone who is thinking about coming out because everybody’s struggle is different,” Marks said. “What I will say, is that the first piece is knowing that it is normal to feel like it’s a process. Most people talk about coming out everyday; it may start small and get bigger.” For those interested in joining the Pride Alliance at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi or would like to know more about future meetings and invites, visit their Facebook page at www. facebook.com/groups/pridealliance.

PALS continued from page 1 “Greek organizations do a lot to help people, but this is an awesome chance to help the animals we so often forget about,” she said. “We were excited to join forces with the gentlemen of Phi Delta Theta and promote the ideals of Greek Life, as well as create new bonds in the community.”

PALS is a local, not for profit, nokill animal shelter. The shelter is home to more than 100 dogs and cats, each one awaiting adoption into a loving home. To learn more about the mission of PALS or learn about opportunities available to help, please call 361-884-0366.

04.23.2015

Greeks of the Year

ISLAND WAVES

LEFT: Greek Man of the Year Christian Reyes. He has been presented awards for ROTC Superior Cadet, Reserve Officer Leadership Award, the National Guard Reservice Leadership Medal, U.S. Army Airborne Badge, Spanish Airborne Badge, General George C. Marshall Award, Beta Theta Pi- Zeta Rho Leadership and Responsible Conduct Award, and the title of TAMU-Corpus Christi 2015 Homecoming King.

RIGHT: Greek Women of the Year Allison Grozdanich. She was the Vice President of Membership in the Order of Omega: National Panhellenic Council office, Vice President of Judicial and Vice President of Public Relations. In Fall 2014, Allison led the Tri-Delt sorority to a first place finish in the annual Islander Revue. Year round, Grozdanich served as an Aloha Days staff member. photo courtesy of LILY GONZALES

by JAMIE FINK web editor in chief

very year Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi recognizes two top members of the Greek community for their dedication and service to not only their fraternity or sorority, but to Greek life as a whole. These awards are presented annually to a man and woman of the A&M-Corpus Christi Greek chapters who have distinguished themselves in service to and participation in the Greek community. These awards are the highest Greek individual honor a Greek man or woman can achieve. This year’s winners are no exceptions. The 2015 Greek Man of the Year is Cadet Christian Reyes from Beta Theta Pi and the Greek Woman of the Year is Allison Grozdanich from Delta Delta Delta. Cadet Reyes has been a member of Beta Theta Pi since the Fall 2010 when he rushed with the organization. “I have been blessed with a passion for selfless service, particularly in positions of leadership and command,” Reyes said. “I feel confident that my education, training and experiences here at A&M-Corpus Christi, especially within our Greek community have prepared me to

achieve the goals and aspirations I have for the future.” Reyes has seen his fair share of campus and community service. Reyes has earned an evaluation of “Excellent” and ranking of third cadet in the entire platoon at LDAC. He has also been presented awards for ROTC Superior Cadet, Reserve Officer Leadership Award, the National Guard Reservice Leadership Medal, U.S. Army Airborne Badge, Spanish Airborne Badge, General George C. Marshall Award, Beta Theta Pi- Zeta Rho Leadership and Responsible Conduct Award and the title of TAMUCorpus Christi 2015 Homecoming King. “The greatest experience I have gained from being a member of a fraternity is definitely the brotherhood aspect,” Reyes said. “After all the values are learned, there is just nothing that compares to the brotherhood that we all share. Not just only my brothers, but a bond with all Greek members.” Reyes is majoring in kinesiology with a focus in exercise science and getting a minor in military science. After graduating, Reyes will enter into the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant and attend the Infantry Basic Officer Leadership course-B followed by

the U.S. Army Ranger School before commanding a Mortar Platoon for the Texas Army National Guard 1-143 IR (Airborne). After his service, Reyes plans to return to A&M-Corpus Christi to pursue his Master’s Degree in kinesiology. Grozdanich has been a member of Delta Delta Delta (Tri-Delt) since the Fall 2012 when she rushed with the organization. “The feeling of being Greek Woman of the Year is so rewarding,” Grozdanich said. “I’ve worked very hard and dedicated countless hours to the Greek community to win this award. Winning is reassurance that my time and efforts are recognized and appreciated.” Grozdanich has been very active at the Island Univeristy, she has held several offices including Vice President of Membership in the Order of Omega, National Panhellenic Council office since 2012 from Vice President of Judicial to Vice President of Public Relations. In Fall 2014, Allison led the Tri-Delt sorority to a first place finish in the annual Islander Revue. Year round, Grozdanich served as an Aloha Days staff member, where she became a familiar face for new students. In 2014, she was awarded the position of recruitment counselor

for the organization. “I’ve had so many favorite experiences from being in Greek life,” Grozdanich said. “I love seeing my fellow Greek peers and I flourish from young freshmen into the professional, hardworking men and women we are today.” Grozdanich is currently a senior chemistry major here at the Island University. “For anyone on the fence about joining Greek life, I’d say go for it,” she said. “The A&M-Corpus Christi community is so diverse that it is suitable for anybody. You’re guaranteed to make so many memories and build lifelong friendships while also creating a support team that will drive you to be the best person you can be.” Lily Gonzalez, assistant director of Student Activities and Greek Life, was pleased to add two more outstanding individuals to the list of award winners. “The competition for this award is always very competitive,” Gonzalez said. “There are a lot of things that we take into consideration for this award. We look to see how the candidates have impacted not only the Greek community, but also their own chapter.”

04.23.2015

campus

ISLAND WAVES

Zeta Tau Alpha won chapter excellence among other individual awards.

photos courtesy of LILY GONZALES

Greekalodeon: Week of the Greeks

ABOVE: Beta Theta Phi shows off their awards with member and man of the year Christian Reyes. BELOW: Gamma Phi Beta BOTTOM OF PAGE: Delta Delta Delta

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Ready, set, row: The Great HIP Race

photos by CONNER TICHOTA

(From Left) The Tit-tanic, Walk the Plank, and Medusa were all carried into the Bay by various team members as the audience gathered along the beach.

Students showcase their high impact project on the water

by CONNER TICHOTA editor in chief

t turns out art can be very utilitarian. The sculpture I class at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi turned a simple sculpting project into competitive boat races on the university beach. On April 15, members of the sculpture I class divided into three teams to showcase their high-impact practice (HIP) project. Each team was responsible for creating a boat out of various materials such as plywood and pvc-pipes. Each team then decorated their boat with a theme and dressed to match. The first team called its boat the Tit-tanic, symbolic of their Mardi

Gras theme and the all-girl team. The second team entitled their boat Medusa in honor of its ghost-ship wreck theme. The final team was Walk the Plank named for the classic pirate theme. The teams sent their boats out into the bay with just one member on board to captain the ship. Each boat had to successfully complete one lap around the island of rocks. Whoever came in first would be the winner. When the race started, Medusa captured the lead with Tit-tanic close behind and Walk the Plank in third. When the competitors rounded the island, Medusa still had the lead. Ultimately, the Medusa was the winner of this year’s Great HIP Race.

Toward the finish line, “Medusa” and “Tit-tanic” were tied neck-and-neck until “Tit-tanic” became stuck on the rocks. As “Tit-tanic” tried to dislodge from the rocks, “Medusa” used the time advantage to take the lead and win the race.

Teammates and some audience members went out to the island to congratulate the race participants as they crossed the finish line.

Once each boat was far enough into the water, each team chose one person to steer the boat. While the other teams chose to sit, Walk the Plank attempted to stand and paddle. The move backfired when the race started and “Walk the Plank” fell behind to third.

(From Left) Members of Medusa, Tit-Tanic and Walk the Plank. Students enrolled in the Sculpture I class at the university posed for a group photo before unloading their boats into the Bay.

entertainment

04.23.2015

ISLAND WAVES

ZAMORA continued from page 1 “You have to be your own critic and always question why,” Zamora said. Zamora graduated from Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2010 and a Masters of Science Secondary Education in 2014. She is also a certified teacher in Art for kinder to 12 grade. Currently she works at the Art Museum of South Texas where she shares her story of becoming an artist. She works other art events such as the Selena Festival and the Good Times Festival this past weekend. Zamora has done pieces upon request for the Blind Owls, a local Corpus Christi band that was invited to SXSW and also for the owner of Whataburger. “Thank you so much Mayra! My little brother loved your art. He took his time admiring it,” said Ceasar Quintanilla, Corpus Christi resident. She will have her first solo show on June 5 at Youga Yoga Studios located at 410 Starr St. in downtown Corpus Christi. This will be alongside the local Artwalk event. “I look forward to the adventure,” Zamora said. On May 7 she will have a show in Austin at the Belmont with other artists, designers, musicians as part of a RAWartists event. On July 3, Zamora will be part of a group exhibition at Produce gallery in downtown Corpus Christi. More information on Mayra Zamora is available at Mira.Mayra.Art on Facebook or by email at miramayraart@yahoo.com.

RIGHT: This piece, “La Virgen,” was done with acrylic on canvas and is 30 x 40 inches (or 3 1/2 feet by 4 feet 4 inches). This was one of many pieces that were done in the Loteria bingo style. There is a hidden code on the edges of her art work and have added meaning once deciphered. BELOW: Zamora poses in front of a piece she created of her favorite artist Frida Kahlo. Frida Kahlo was a Mexican self-portrait artist, who was married to Diego Rivera and is still admired as a feminist icon. The piece is 36 x 48 inches (or 3 by 4 feet) in size. photos courtesy of MAYRA ZAMORA

LEFT: This piece represents her mother and father, note the colors and attributes. This piece was entitled “Mis Padres.” The piece is 8 x 10 inches (or approximately the size of a piece of paper) in size and is done in oil on canvas. BELOW: “Las Hermanas Zamora” is a piece about Zamora and her sister and the bond they share. The colors chosen were to represent each indiviual and add a connect to the people in the painting. The piece is 24 x 24 inches (or 2 by 2 feet) in size and is done in oil on canvas.

Mayra Zamora’s Art: www.instagram.com/miramayraart www.zazzle.com/miramayraart www.etsy.com/shopMayraVivianaZamora www.pinterest.com/MiraMayraArt/ photo courtesy of MARCOS ORLANDO

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Spoiler Alert: It’s not worth price of admission photo courtesy of JOBLO.COM

Jay, moments before she learns that she is cursed.

by TREY SEAL entertainment reporter

he horror movie genre has always mined its material from public fears. “Friday the 13th” has historically been about the perceived dangers of promiscuousness while movies like “The Exorcist” deals with strong religious themes inherent in biblical texts. “It Follows,” a recent horror film from director David Robert Mitchell, is a metaphor for the hookup culture that has proliferated among young adults through the use of apps like Tinder. “It Follows” utilizes the concept of sexually transmitted diseases in the form of a dark shape-shifting spirit. The spirit can take any form whether it be somebody that the infected person knows or a complete stranger. Throughout the movie, the spirit would appear dressed in white or fully nude sporting the visage of friends and relatives. The movie opens with a girl running out of her house and into the middle of the street where her neighbors inquire about her well-being, she says that she is fine but continues to get into a car and drive away frantically, seemingly running away from absolutely nothing. She is then seen on the beach calling her father and apologizing for the trouble she has caused him while crying. Suddenly, the scene cuts to the next day and the audience sees the young girl with her leg split open behind her as if it had been torn by a force with immense power. This is where the movie begins to follow its protagonist. Jay is a young college student, seemingly reserved, judging by her personality and attire. When the audience first meets her,

she is talking to a friend about a guy that she has recently started dating. The story begins to take a turn for the weird in the moments after this, Jay and the guy and Hugh go to see a movie and begin to play a game where they point out random people in the crowd around them that they envy. The two try to guess who the other chose, Hugh points out a woman in a yellow dress that neither Jay nor the audience see. He becomes visibly uncomfortable and asks if they can leave. Upon getting in the car, the two drive off and park in a secluded area where they begin to make out followed by sex. A moment of calm proceeds it which is followed by a shocking moment where Hugh puts a rag over Jay’s mouth and holds it there until she passes out. Suddenly, she wakes up in a parking garage tied to a wheelchair with Hugh standing right behind her. He begins to explain the spirit and that it is passed around through sex, that there was an initial carrier that passed it on to another and that person to another. The only way to get rid of it is to have sex with someone else but if that person dies then the spirit begins murdering up the chain until it reaches the initial carrier. The movie follows Jay and her friends as they struggle to destroy the spirit through various methods. The biggest issue overall was that the plot seems to make up the rules for how the spirit functions as it goes. For instance, even though it can only be seen by the carriers, there are multiple instances where it does something that has a physical effect on the environment like smashing in a door. Overall, It Follows is not worth the price of admission but may be good for a quick Netflix stream if it ever shows up on the service.

entertainment

04.23.2015

ISLAND WAVES

From left: Carole Blankenship and Hope F. Thacker performs with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi student orchestra.

Photos by by AMBER QUAID

‘STARS OF TOMORROW’

set pace for future students by AMBER QUAID managing editor

Students recieved awards at the even.

Pattrasai Tipyananukul

Jacquelyn Vaught

Austin Gabrillo

Janell Stallard

ompetition leads to the solo venture in the “Stars of Tomorrow” winner’s concert. The concert was held on April 16 by the Texas A&M University -Corpus Christi’s Department of Music to honor the winners of the Concerto & Aria competition. The competition included six categories: keyboard, voice, string, brass, woodwinds and an overall winner. “We wanted to give them an opportunity to compete for slots to actually play with the orchestra,” said Dr. Hope Thacker, assistant professor of music and co-coordinator of the competition. The Mar. 6 competition, Concerto & Aria, was judged by Robert Reed, executive director of the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, Alene Burch, local Corpus Christi pianist and Stacy Weatherston, choir director of Carroll High school. The three judges picked the five winners and an overall winner to perform at the “Starts of Tomorrow” concert as soloists. Each performer had to pick the piece they wanted to play in the winner’s concert and perform it for the judges. “I am very excited,” Janell Stallard, voice winner, said of her solo in the concert. “This is my first opportunity to perform with an orchestra.” The concert and competition were put together by Thacker and Dr. Jose Flores, associate professor of violin and viola. The concert was recognizing the university students who were at the top of their level and to showcase it for the campus to see. They invited a guest artist to perform on stage for the first half of the concert, Carole Blankenship, who is an associate professor of music at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn. Blankenship, a soprano, performed solo songs as well as duets with Thacker, a mezzo-soprano, during the first half with pieces from “Stabat Mater” by G. Pergolesi.

“Dr. Thacker is my professor and it was very inspirational to see and hear her perform,” said Yvonne Martinez, junior music education major and Concerto & Aria contestant. The second half of the concert consisted of performances by the winners of the competition. The soloist performed with the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Orchestra. The first soloist was Austin Gabrillo, keyboard winner. His performance piece was “Harpsichord Concerto No. 3 in D minor” by Bach. (He performed in the first half, being the only soloist to do so). The second soloist was Juan Vargas III, brass winner. He performed “Concerto for Trumpet in D minor” by G. Torelli. The third soloist was Janell Stallard, voice winner. She performed “Ach, ich fuhl’s” by Mozart and “Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion” by Handel. Fourth soloist was Jacquelyn Vaught, woodwind winner. She performed “Concerto for Flute and Orchestra in D Major K.314” by Mozart. The last soloist was Pattrasai Tipyananukul, string winner and overall winner. He performed “Zigeunerweisen” by P. de Sarasate. Each soloist was awarded a plaque for their accomplishment and recognized on stage at the beginning of the concert. “If the audience had a good time and enjoyed the evening then we did a good job,” Flores said. The evening was made possible by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Mu Phi Epsilon members through their contributions of time and money. Also by Dr. Hye Young Kim, Island University collaborative pianist, who gave her time and talents to accompany the competitors during their auditions for the Concerto & Aria competition. “I think it’s a wonderful thing the stars of tonight are young students,” Flores said. More information on the university orchestra is available at pac.tamucc. edu or by phone at 825-ARTS (2787).

Paying the price for bad behavior

sports opinion

04.23.2015

ISLAND WAVES

by JEREMY PAPE sports reporter

he past calendar year has been a rough one for the National Football League. Several players have been suspended in scandals that have greatly impacted the way the general public looks at the league. The most heinous off-the-field story of the past year involved the ongoing legal drama surrounding former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, who was charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, the boyfriend of Hernandez’s fiancée’s sister. Hernandez was found guilty on the morning of Apr. 15, and will be serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Sports Illustrated published an article a short time after the allegations against Hernandez saying that many teams did not want to draft Hernandez “because of connections he may have had with gang members in Connecticut.” If that was indeed the case, no team should have looked to draft Hernandez. Of course, one would think that if a team trusted an athlete enough to draft them, the player in question would see the great deal of money being thrown at them and change their ways. Alas, that was not the case with Hernandez. Other sports scandals such as the Ray Rice saga are obviously much less brutal. Yet, all of these stories beg the question: Why are athletes committing senseless acts like these? Less than a year before allegations of the murder surfaced, the Patriots had rewarded Hernandez with a contract valued at $40 million. His onthe-field actions were excellent, and in any other situation, that contract would have been a great way to lock up an elite talent for several years. One can make a valid argument saying elite athletes are grossly overpaid. However, the extreme majority of people will never see that level of income in their entire lives.

Honest, hardworking individuals can merely dream of being in the position Hernandez had been in during his NFL days. On the other side of the spectrum, few criminals ever made nearly as much money as a professional athlete. It appears that when more serious allegations are made against a professional athlete, the team and/ or organization that represents the accused takes action to distance themselves from that individual. For context, former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was caught on videotape striking his then-fiancée (and now wife) Janay Rice. That act alone was enough for the Ravens to cut ties with the running back that had starred in the team’s Super Bowl win a little over a year before these events took place. The media surrounds professional athletes all the time. Social media sites such as Twitter help the news of an incident to spread very quickly. Even though the Ravens eventually released Ray Rice, they did not do so with the same sense of urgency that the Patriots had when dealing with Hernandez. Perhaps the slow-moving nature of the team and the league provides some insight as to why these multimillionaire athletes participate in acts that jeopardize their career and significantly alter their lives. Athletes such as Hernandez and Rice made so much money in such a short span of time, yet they spend far less time committing the acts that got them into trouble. They feel invincible, untouched by the laws of ordinary people. In the future, there will be plenty of other athletes who find themselves on the wrong side of the law, whether it is a felony offense or a charge of first degree murder. I hope that athletes take these high-profile incidents to heart, and think about the longlasting impact one horrendous act can have.

sports

ISLAND WAVES

Fri. 24 Sat. 25 Sun. 26 Tue. 28

MAY Fri. 1 Sat. 2 Sun. 3 Wed. 6 Fri. 8 Sat. 9 Sun. 10 Thu. 14 Fri. 15 Sat. 16 Thu. 21 Fri. 22 Sat. 23

04.23.2015

Baseball Schedule

Northwestern State * Northwestern State * Northwestern State * Texas-Pan American Texas-Pan American

Chapman Field Chapman Field Chapman Field Chapman Field Chapman Field

6:00 PM 3:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 5:00 PM

at Sam Houston State * at Sam Houston State * at Sam Houston State * at Rice at Incarnate Word * at Incarnate Word * at Incarnate Word * Houston Baptist * Houston Baptist * Houston Baptist * at Opponents TBA at Opponents TBA at Opponents TBA

Huntsville, Texas Huntsville, Texas Huntsville, Texas Houston, Texas San Antonio, Texas San Antonio, Texas San Antonio, Texas Chapman Field Chapman Field Chapman Field Southland Conference Tournament • Sugarland, Texas Southland Conference Tournament • Sugarland, Texas Southland Conference Tournament • Sugarland, Texas

6:30 PM 3:00 PM 1:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:30 PM 3:00 PM 1:00 PM 6:00 PM 6:00 PM 2:00 PM TBA TBA TBA

Live stats Live stats Live stats Live stats Live stats

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Video Video Video Video Video

Live stats | Video Live stats | Video Live stats | Video

Schedule Summary Overall (Pct.)

19-15 (.559)

Conference (Pct.)

9-8 (.529)

Streak

Won 6

Home

12-8

Away

7-7

Neutral

0-0

St. PAUL THE APOSTLE Catholic Church 2233 Waldron Rd. 361~937~3864 MASSES SATURDAY 5 p.m. SUNDAY 8:30 a.m. 11 a.m. & 6 p.m.

stpaultheapostlecc.com

CONFESSIONS MONDAY

7:30 p.m.

(with adoration & music)

WEDNESDAY 6 p.m. SATURDAY 3:30 p.m.

“Faith and Reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.” St. John Paul II

feature

04.23.2015

ISLAND WAVES

Investing in student success for the future by GERI LEMMONS features reporter

he Center for Academic Student Achievement is a tutoring system at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, to support students academically with different programs and other tutoring. The people who work there have to be certified just like any other job. What is unique about this type of job and training on campus is that it is essential for the people who work there to be the right fit for the job. The purpose of the certification is to make sure that the people who work at C.A.S.A be trained well enough that they feel comfortable working with the students that come their for help. Hector Duarte director for C.A.S.A said the Islander success advocates must complete 35 hours of training, and have a total of 100 hours of mentoring experience. They have a tutoring program, an advocate program, and a mentoring program. They also go through three certification levels; level one, level two and level three, which is a master certification. “All three programs, writing center, tutoring and Island success advocates (mentoring) are certified at level three, the master level. But for the different programs there are a different amounts of hours,” Durarte said. For level one or the regular level,

some of the things they learn are the definition of tutoring and tutor responsibilities, basic tutoring guidelines (do’s and don’ts), role modeling, and communication skills. For level two, they do a review of level one topics, use of probing questions, brain dominance learning, cultural awareness, inter-cultural communications, diversity, and/or special needs students, and tutoring in specific skill and or subject areas. At the final level, the third or master level, they review levels one and two, self-regulate learning, and or memory, how to tutor or deal with target populations, training and supervising other tutors (supervising skills), and group management skills (group interaction and group dynamics). With all of this training the students become certified in the C.A.S.A. program. It requires 10 hours of training and 25 hours of actual training with the students face to face. The success advocates require 35 hours of training and must have a total amount of 100 hours of mentoring experience in order to be certified. “It is a lot of training as well as the face-to-face tutoring, so they are being trained on theory and ideas behind all the things that they do. Either in tutoring, the writing consulting or in mentoring and then they have the actual hands on practice,” Dawn Boeck, coordinator of the writing center, said.

“For a writing consultant or a tutor they would have to go through at least three full semesters of training to get 10 hours of training per semester plus 25 hours of face to face tutoring, so at least three full semesters for a student to reach the master level of certification.” In order for a student to be considered for the C.A.S.A program they are looking for students who have at least 60 hours of college credit and a minimum of a 3.0 or a 3.5 GPA (depending on which position someone wants). They also have to have three faculty recommendations particularly in the subject they are trying to get into. They want people that are friendly

and welcoming, someone who wants to help. “Our staff really finds this as an incentive for them because it is something they can put on their resume, again the goal is to help the students find the tools to best help our students so when they are going through the training they get some confidence in what they are tutoring,” Leticia Villarreal, assistant director at C.A.S.A, said. “In the long run it helps them prepare for something outside their area and outside the college itself. It gives them experience and something else they can put on their resume.”

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR ACHIEVE PARTNER

To learn more or become an Achieve Partner please visit achievepartnership.tamucc.edu

Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi

LUXURY ON-CAMPUS STUDENT HOUSING OPENING FALL 2015

GREAT ON-CAMPUS LOCATION + ON THE TAMU-CC SHUTTLE ROUTE + PRIVATE BEDS & BATHS AVAILABLE STATE-OF-THE-ART FITNESS CENTER + ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER WITH IMACS + RESORT-STYLE SWIMMING POOL WIFI (WITH SPEEDS UP TO 20 MBPS) + STREAMING SERVICES WITH HBO GO & WATCHESPN

LIVEMOMENTUMVILLAGE.COM Amenities & utilities included subject to change.

04.23.2015

ISLAND WAVES

EQUAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE VIOLENCE FREE

Find us on Facebook TheConsentCampaign

a hightime? Know the risks. Look out for each other. And party safe. High times can be high risk. Drugs or alcohol are involved in most date rapes. We don’t always make the best decisions about our safety when we’re high. Most sexual assaults are committed by someone we know. Sex with consent is sexy. Sex without consent is rape. Respect yourself and your partner. Office of Judicial Affairs: judicialaffairs.tamucc.edu Title IX Coordinator: edcs.tamucc.edu University Police Department: upd.tamucc.edu University Counseling Center: counseling.tamucc.edu