Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
IslandWavesNews.com
MAKING HISTORY
Islanders soccer finishes best season since program’s inception
Entertainment
Islanders host improvised comedy Page 8
by JONATHAN FORNEY • Page 12
Also
November 9, 2017 Volume 28, Issue 28
Opinions Page 2 News Page 3 Sports Page 11
2 Opinion STUDENT PUBLICATION OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITYCORPUS CHRISTI
11.09.2017
Hashtag finds its meaning IRL
Island Waves Staff Staff Collaboration
The recent information regarding sexual harassment and assault in Hollywood is nothing new. It’s public response, however, is a sign of changing ISLAND WAVES STI | ISLANDWAVESNEWS.COM | times. VOLUME 26 ISSUE 20 | 08.27.15 IslandWavesNews.com People seem to have accepted sexual favors, unwanted adEditor-in-Chief vances and other inappropriJONATHAN FORNEY ate behavior to be par for the course in the entertainment Web industry, particularly from GERI LEMMONS, editor men toward women. Whether they're OK with it is one thing, Copy Editor but we would say people were ILLI-ANNA MARTINEZ generally indifferent. Especially if the issue didn’t affect Reporters them directly. CATHARINA GARRETT What’s a little real-life drama MICHAEL BRODE to add to the drama actors and AMBER CASTILLO actresses play out on big and SAMUEL TRUJILLO small screens, alike? The only BREE ORTEGA thing is this reality isn’t too far from our own. According to Layout the Rape, Abuse and Incest NaISABELLA MOON, tional Network (RAINN), one in layout assistant six women in the United States have been victim to attempted Advertising or completed rape in their lifeALYSSIA CRAWFORD, time. assistant For younger women, the QUYNHCHI QUACH, numbers get more drastic. assistant Females age 16-19 are four Graduate Assistant times more likely than the TAIWO AGBAJE, general population to be vicadvertising manager tims of rape and sexual assault. Women ages 18-24, i.e. Faculty Adviser college aged, are three times WENDY MOORE more likely than women in the general public to experiABOUT ISLAND WAVES ence sexual violence. The stats Island Waves is a studentgo on and on painting a pretty produced publication at Texas bleak picture for people. The A&M University-Corpus Christi. one positive we can draw The newspaper is printed weekly, from these statistics and othexcept during summer sessions. ers like them, is a reminder of how much further we need to Any student or University emprogress as a society. ployee may submit material and It dispels the notion that opinions for publication this is an issue only affecting consideration. To become a crusty old guys looking to take contributor, e-mail or call the advantage. This is our generaIsland Waves editor. tion's issue as much as any othCONTACT US er's, but we can be the ones to 6300 Ocean Drive do something about it. Unit 5783 One major movement that Corpus Christi, TX 78412 came from these recent allega(361) 825-5862 tions against producer Harvey editor@tamucc.edu Weinstein and others in simiads@tamucc.edu lar positons was #MeToo. The hashtag arose on Oct. 25 after
actress Alyssa Milano tweeted out a request for those who’ve been victims of sexual assault to reply to her tweet as a sign of solidarity. Soon after, people began using #MeToo to share their own stories and find others who’d experienced sexual violence and assault. Nearly 500,000 tweets have used the hashtag since its inception. Twitter even provided a custom emoji to the hashtag showing several hands raised. The tendency for things to go viral online can lead to memes getting recycled into the ground or the latest thing President Trump said to dominate people’s timelines. Like it or not, social media offers an opportunity for content, stories and movements to spread quicker than anything in history. Soon after the hashtag blew up, rallies and marches dotted maps around the world and the movement received think piece after think piece from news outlets. One central theme remained though: selfreflection. Both as individuals and as a society, we think #MeToo represents the best and worst of humanity. On the worse end, it allows for anecdotes on some heinous acts we didn’t even think possible, betrayal of trust and just what the scum of humankind is capable of. On the other hand, the movement, as it was intended to, allows for victims to see they’re not so alone. Others have been in similar situations and they have a common thread that binds them like nothing else can.
The majority of these victims both statistically and anecdotally, according to the hashtag and our own life experiences, tend to be females,
but this issue and particularly its solutions aren’t gendered in nature. There’s the statistic that one in 10 rape victims are male, which at first glance seems like a small number. Inversely, it means nine in 10 rape victims are female, which is sobering. As a male, I’ve never understood why guys feel the need to get defensive when confronted with these statistics. The classic “well I’d never do that” defense doesn’t solve anything. It’s not about pointing fingers, it’s about finding solutions. I think men can learn a lot from the #MeToo movement. The obvious is simply to treat people as equals, regardless of gender and never violate the privacy and intimacy of others without prior consent. But there’s more here. As the most likely statistical perpetrators for sexual violence,
If more men adopted the mentality of looking out for other people, victims and potential victims would be more comfortable coming forward for help. The way things are now, people are hesitant to confide in others because who’s to say this person is any better than the last? Logically, that’s a fair assumption, but that can all change and it starts with giving people a reason to trust. We've seen our share of vulnerable female friends concerned about an ex, dealing with a break-up or any manner of stressors go to a male friend in their time of need only for the guy to take advantage of their openness. That’s unacceptable. The best way to get rid of these sorts of manipulative dynamics is not to take advan-
tage of others. As obvious as it sounds reading in print, being self-aware enough to know better than to take advantage of someone takes one more potential act of sexual violence out of the equation; male, female, transgender and everything in between. The point remains. Another thing #MeToo did really well, was help develop support systems. Victims and non-victims alike found people to confide and seek understanding from. This transfers beautifully to real life. Stopping someone from forcing themselves on a girl at a party isn’t just something that happens so the “hero” can get with the girl, like movies would lead one to believe. Another, more reasonable option is to simply help someone in need because that’s what people should do. A reward shouldn’t be necessary for being a morally sound human being. It shouldn’t take a metaphorical cookie to keep from taking advantage of someone. This effect scales exponentially. Imagine a whole rave full of dudes, glow sticks on full-blast, telling off guys getting too handsy or getting water for the stranger whose had too much to drink before they endanger themselves. As cheesy as it sounds, good deeds are like yawns; they’re contagious. One good one deserves another and we're feeling tired, if you know what we mean. So we encourage everyone to do their best to be someone they would want to have in their corner when they don’t know where else to turn. #MeToo represents a seemingly endless stream of shocking stories and acts of malice. #MeToo also represents an equally limitless source of those who’ve been through horrible things but survived ready to share their stories and support others like them. Think it’s about time these statistics and stories became less commonplace and eventually went away entirely? Us too.
Campus 3
11.09.2017
Islanders walk for mental health awareness BREE ORTEGA Staff Writer
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slander students, university staff and the community got together for the Walk for Mental Health Awareness on Oct. 29 at Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi. The College of Nursing and Health Sciences partnered with the University Counseling Center to host this event. At 8 a.m., residents of Corpus Christi began registering for the two-mile walk that started around 8:30 a.m. The walk began at the second entrance of the Hammerhead Parking Lot. The walk was free and open to the public, where guests could also bring their pets. Guests could visit the various booths that were set up by organizations to support aware-
ness for mental health. The first amongst other booths was the University Counseling Center. The University Counseling Center said meeting with counselor’s help provide opportunities to share concerns in a safe confidential environment. Counselors are under strict confidentiality and will help islanders address any questions they have. In the center, a relaxation room is also there to help students develop relaxation skills in a peaceful environment. On the Island there are counselors available Mondays through Fridays from 9-11:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. University counselors can help students develop strategies to solve their problems, achieve goals and feel better. “Mental Health Awareness
is extremely important,” university counselor Suzanne Bonds said. “We have the University Counseling Center that provides referral out to community services that can also identify and acknowledge the factors related to mental illness and what we can do to help students.” Green Button pins with blue semicolons on them were given out to attendees who participated in the walk. Nursing professor Dr. Pam Green said the button pins were given to signify that just like in English, a semicolon can put two sentences together and continue a sentence. “Well, even in your hardest days; life can go on,” Green said. Izzy’s Food Pantry was also there to support the walk for
Walkers gather in the Hammerhead Parking Lot to register for the Walk for Mental Health Awareness.
mental health awareness. Representatives for the pantry had boxes available for anyone who attended the walk to donate canned goods. “I feel that mental health is important and a major issue that people disregard,” senior history major and cheerleader Dejah Cardenas said. “I think the walk was very successful in the sense of getting people involved and aware of Mental Health while also getting people active.” If there is ever a crisis, students can call to reach a counselor at 361-825-2703. If it is an emergency, 9-1-1 and 361825-4444 are numbers used to reach help at any given time. Services are free for all Islanders who are seeking to see a counselor.
O N L I N E
Island Waves News .com
This week, readers can check out: • A preview the upcoming Prescription Drug Symposium. The event is slated for Wednesday, Nov. 15 • Learn about a student organization promoting environmental sustainability at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. We think you’ll dig this story about the Islander Green Team • What’s better than getting the community together for a good cause? Probably not much, but adding dogs in costumes couldn’t hurt. Check out our coverage of the annual Bark in the Park event online now • School getting you down? Take sometime to check out our fivestep guide to improving mentality and reducing academic stress • Visiting professor Dr. Claudia Stokes had a presentation on how using quotations were able to help female and minority writers in the nineteenth century. We’ve got photos of the event online now. Got your Islander Ring recently? All are welcome to show them off at the next Coffee and a Paper. Island Waves will even throw in free coffee and this week’s issue. Every Thursday from 9-11 a.m. in the Breezeway.
Photo by BREE ORTEGA/Island Waves
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PHOTO BY JONATHAN FORNEY/ Island Waves
Campus 5
11.09.2017
University hosts open discussion on college relationships SAMUEL TRUJILLO @SamTrujillo14
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he Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Office of the Associate Dean of Students hosted a discussion on modern relationships and what they mean to young adults on Oct. 30 at the Camden Miramar Rec Center. Moderated by Camden Miramar resident advisors, as well as representatives from the Women’s Shelter of South Texas, this discussion aimed to allow students to share their ideas on what to expect from a relationship at this point in their lives. Guests were greeted by hosts who would introduce themselves and their roles. The host’s panel consisted of Jeremy Sirio and Cassandra Huye of the Women’s Shelter and two Camden Miramar resident advisors. “We’re definitely in a crucial point of our lives for relationships,” biomedical science major Kristen Castillo said. “I feel like we really define ourselves and our expectations on what a relationship should be when we first enter adulthood, which makes this even more important since this is something that will
Photo by SAMUEL TRUJILLO/Island Waves
“What’s Your Status?” panelists listen in on discussions between attendees.
be carried forward for the rest of your life.” The discussions began by asking attendees what characteristics people
Spotlight: Sea Turtle Club JULIA MAURER Contributing Writer
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he Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Sea Turtle Club is the place to be for those want some hands-on experience and knowledge about sea turtles and other sea life. The Sea Turtle Club is devoted to educating and raising awareness for endangered sea turtles and other sea life. There is a $5 due every semester and the club is open to new members year-round. The meeting days are biweekly and are on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. The meeting locations vary and are listed on the club’s website. “If a student is majoring in environmental science, biology or they are prevet, or they just want hands on experience at all, they can come to our meeting we go out every other weekend to Texas Sealife Center and we’re out there all weekend helping,” two-year Sea Turtle Club member Brennan Morgan said. Morgan said the Sea Turtle Club is unique from other clubs. “I absolutely love having the chance to work in this club,” Morgan said. “I know that it gives students a chance to really broaden their horizon instead of just be-
ing taught something in the classroom.” The club does different seasonal activities. In the summer, members work alongside the Texas Sealife Center to making sure the sea turtle hatchlings make it to the shore safely. During the winter, members focus on beach clean-ups. From January to March, members learn about issues affecting the animals from guest speakers from the Texas Sealife Center and South Padre Island National Seashore. “One big thing we learned about sea turtles is cold setting, which is prominent in the early month of January February and March,” council representative of the Sea Turtle Club Emily Saculla said. “It’s where the water gets really cold too quickly and they’re reptiles so they can’t really adjust and become paralyzed. We’ll send out groups with the Sealife Center to go look for these turtles and help rehabilitate them.” Saculla said every bit helps in these situations. “Everyone and anybody can make a difference whether it’s small or large,” Saculla said. Visit OrgSync for more information on joining the Sea Turtle Club and its upcoming events.
generally prefer when looking for a partner, which helped usher in the evening’s first topic: stereotypes. This particular discussion got the interest of
most guests because of the broad range of examples given. The topic was the longest running discussion of the night. “This is an opportunity to have some dialogue; we want to hear your experiences on these matters,” Huye said. From here the conversation shifted to relationships in the life of college students, which saw topics such as distance, major, communication and more. Sirio asked guests for their opinions on different forms of communication and social media in the scope of relationships, to which the room emphatically responded. “I feel like communication is key,” Corpus Christi resident and event attendee Hannah Baker said. “You learn about their quirks and more about them that way. Personally, I prefer face-toface communication, but that doesn’t mean I can ignore digital methods cause in the end, it’s a good thing.” The evening’s discussion ended with panelists sharing their ideas expectations for healthy relationships and opened the floor for students’ final thoughts. Upcoming discussions can be found on OrgSync.
6 Campus
11.09.2017
Orange faces appear in wellness center lobby
MICHAEL BRODE @michaelbrode
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idterm examinations, course registration and other pressures during this part of a semester can understandably cause stress for students. Releases from the pressures and responsibilities of life can be very nice if the right activities are chosen. On Oct. 30 and 31, the Dugan Wellness Center hosted a pumpkin carving contest to help students relieve their midterm stress in a healthy and non-demanding way. For the competition, staff at the Dugan bought 25 pumpkins and offered students the opportunity to carve festive designs into them. Students jumped on the opportunity, some leaving their masterpieces to be entered in a contest and some taking theirs home for the holiday. By thed end of the event, all 25 pumpkins had been carved. “The good thing about pumpkin carving at this time of year is that students are very stressed out,” coordinator of marking and youth programs Brittney Weise said. “And what better way to
Photo by MICHAEL BRODE/Island Waves
Pumpkins sit on a table in the Dugan Wellness Center ready to be voted best carved pumpkin.
relieve their stress than to rip apart a pumpkin?” Once they were ripped apart, the insides of the pumpkins were donated to the Islander Green Team to use for their compost operations. Weise said students really enjoy the competition for multiple reasons. The
Dugan Wellness Center is a place that allows students to come in and relieve stress normally. Weise said offering a stress relief outlet which has nothing to do with school or fitness can be beneficial to students during this time of the year. “It’s not demanding,” Weise said. “It’s just there to have a good time.”
In addition to stress relief, this event provided students with pumpkins to carve who may not have normally gone out of their way to do so. Helping students get into the spirit of the season is something Weise believes is a key part of working in this department during the holidays. “Pumpkin carving gives the students a nice and easy way to get festive and in the fall and Halloween spirit,” coordinator of facility and aquatics Devon Wilde said. Wilde said students told her they enjoyed the contest because of its ability to get their creative juices flowing while still taking a break from class. These comments hit the core of what the recreational sports department was shooting for with this event. The staff at the Dugan hopes students were able to let go of tensions and stresses in their lives through this event and will hopefully have similar opportunities in the future. For more information on the Dugan Wellness Center and its events, visit www.recsports.tamucc.edu/Facilities/ dwc.html
Entertainment 7
11.09.2017
Window, door decorating contest showcases Halloween spirit CATHARINA GARRETT @imacat_moo
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alloween at the Island University opened the door- and maybe a window or two- for Islanders to experience the importance of collaboration and creative expression. University Center Programs (UCP) hosted a Halloween themed, window and door decorating contest between student organizations faculty and staff that hold offices in the University Center. The Halloween decorating contest gave Islanders the chance to show off their decorating skills for the ultimate prize: a skull trophy. Held every fall by University Center Programs (UCP), the contest served to celebrate Halloween and champion artistic vitality amongst Islanders. Delaney Foster, coordinator for Student Engagement and Success (SEAS) and a judge at the window decorating contest, said she was delighted with how many organizations and departments participated.
“My job was the best,” Foster said. “I got to check out all the creative efforts of our students, staff and faculty and determined who created the spookiest and most on-theme decorations.” Richard Owens, associate director of the University Center and a coordinator of the window decorating contest, said UCP is hoping to have many more departments and colleges participating next year. “We had a record number of student organization participate this year,” Owens said. “We were very impressed by all their creativity and artistic ability.” The windows were judged on general spookiness, how closely the group stuck to the Halloween theme and overall aesthetics. Foster said her favorite part of the contest was seeing how each organization brought a unique style to their decorations. “I love the idea of different people interpreting one concept in many different ways,” Foster said. “It shows how diverse and creative our Island-
ers really are.” Three winners from the UC departments and three winners from University Center Student Organizations were selected to win prizes for their Halloween themed window decor. Winners in the UCSO category included: University Center Student Activities marketing won first place, second place went to the Campus Activities Board and Student Volunteer Connection got third
place. Winners in the University Center departments category included Project Grad in first place, Student Support Services in second place and Student Services Center in third place. “Everyone got a chance to show off their artistic and creative talents,” Owens said. “This contest served as a fun and competitive way to get Islanders into the Halloween spirit.”
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Photo by CATHARINA GARRETT/Island Waves
The Office of International Education’s entry (OIE) in the decorating contest.
4 Campus
11.09.2017
Professor excels beyond classroom
AMBER CASTILLO @AmberCastillo27
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ssistant professor of English Dr. Dale Pattison is known around campus for his double life of being a professor and hooping it up on his down time in the Dugan, but there is much more to him than what meets the surface. Pattison began teaching at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in 2013 and is currently on his fifth year. He started out as a visiting professor on the Island and then received a 10-year contract job. When it comes to teaching, Pattison said he is all about making valuable connections with his students and exploring new ideas every day. “I love going into class every day and just be able to have fun in the classroom with my students,” Pattison said. “I really like productive classes where students are challenging themselves to think about the world or literature in a different way and often times when that happens I start to think of things in a different way also. So to me that’s a lot of fun.” Having heated debates is what Pattison lives for in the classroom. He said there is nothing better than connecting with his students. However, most don’t know he is
actually interested in publishing. Pattison has published four articles just within this past year and prior to this, he has managed to publish something on a yearly basis despite being a professor. “I send the things I write out quite frequently,” Pattison said. “I’m actually working on a book right now that has to do with cities and literature, and I have all these ideas from texts that I have been working with and often times these ideas come from my teaching. But, I eventually want to be able to package all these ideas into a book so that other scholars can be citing me, which would be really cool.” Despite being deeply involved with his students and his publishing, Pattison is involved in the campus community, specifically the sports that take place on campus. While most students tend to see Pattison on the basketball court, he can also be found on the tennis courts. “I love supporting the tennis team here on campus,” Pattison said. “I am at every single tennis match cheering them on, and I think that they have a really great program here. I just love being able to involve myself in the campus community that way.” Besides attending tennis matches and playing when he can, Pattison is also the
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Photo by SAMUEL TRUJILLO/Island Waves
Dr. Dale Pattison conducts a lecture. Dr. Pattison strongly encourages passionate debate in his courses.
faculty sponsor for the basketball club. The club is currently playing schools all around the state. Pattison said he is proud to have been there since the start of it all. Pattison is originally from Scottsdale, Arizona where he went to graduate school at Arizona State University. He said coming to Corpus Christi was a new adventure for him and he now calls Corpus home. “The transition from Arizona to Texas was not that different for me,” Pattison said. “Culturally they are very similar, and they are both also hot so it wasn’t much of a culture shock. Living here has allowed me to take up new hobbies as well.” Since living in Corpus Christi, Pattison said he has found love in bird watching in his down time. His office is currently filled with pictures of birds that he has taken himself while on his birding adventures. He said he never envisioned this hobby for himself. “If you would have told me I would have been into bird watching five years ago I would have probably laughed at you,” Pattison said. “Corpus Christi has really great environment for bird watching, so moving here has allowed me to find hobbies that I didn’t even know I would like.” Growing up, Pattison said he was fortunate enough to have two mentors who inspired him in not only his ways of teaching, but in his way of thinking outside the box. “My two professors Dr. Dan Gilfillan and Dr. Debra Clark at Arizona State were both really influential in different
ways,” Pattison said. “They were just both very smart and would challenge me. I actually modeled my teaching after Debra Clark’s way of teaching because she was just so good at it, so I often find myself modeling her ways.” Pattison said his way of teaching is about digging into the difficult issues that literature presents. When he is reading a text he knows he is going to teach, he said he tries to find core issues he knows are going to be contentious and where there may be a lot of disagreement. Junior production major Daniela Campos took film and literature with Pattison and said she really enjoyed it. “The material was really interesting but also super challenging, which was refreshing and made me want to try to do better each time,” Campos said. “Dr. Pattison challenges his students and really pushes them to explore the material in ways that go beyond the surface. I would definitely recommend his class to students who love film and literature.” Pattison said he believes the learning process is much more effective when the teaching actually allows students to go beyond their horizons and branch their way of thinking. “If I can get people to disagree about a text then they are going to get passionate about it and make arguments to attempt to justify their opinion,” Pattison said. “My students never let me down either, with the smart things that they manage to say, which makes me really happy about choosing this University to be a part of.”
8 Entertainment
11.09.2017
Islanders put Halloween spin on improvisation BREE ORTEGA Staff Writer
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n Oct. 18, the theatre department of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi hosted their islander Improv in Bay Hall. The event began at 7:30 p.m., where attendees were able to watch theatre students play improvisation games. Eight theatre cast members were dressed up in various Halloween costumes and played out their costume character when introduced to the audience. These costumes included Madea, Scooby-Doo, Tommy Treble, Shaggy, Danny Zuko, Beetle Juice, Lion, Eleven from “Stranger Things” and a French woman. “My character’s name was Tommy Treble who is a simple barbershop quartet man who accidently ended up in the show,” theatre major Grace Taylor said. “Needless to say, he got an earful from his quartet.” The Islander theatre students who participated in this event played games like Rejected Slogan, Fortune Teller and the Narrative Story game.
Photo by BREE ORTEGA/Island Waves
Islander students on stage perform improvisation to get a laugh from the audience.
Rejected Slogan was a game where the professor asked the audience to give out a candy slogan. One audience member called out the Snickers’ slogan, “you aren’t you when you are hungry.” The students were then given the task to change the last part of the sentence
into something funny. “My favorite was Rejected Slogan because I could not stop laughing throughout the whole thing,” nursing major Rowland Jared Alvarado said. “I feel like more people should have attended this. It was a good time to just relax and laugh
instead of worrying about homework.” Fortune Teller was a bit like Rejected Slogan, but instead students locked arms and answered fortunes. The professor also asked people from the audience on things they wanted to know in the future. Each student took turns answering their fortune in order in a humorous way. The Narrative Story game was a game where Islanders had to create a story and make a visual scene. In this case, the students chose to do the scene where each person was dying. The scenes would switch when the professor called out to do so. However, when the professor would go back to the previous scene, the students had to act at the point in which they left off at in that scene. “The improvisors did a fantastic job of flowing together and creating an atmosphere as well as an environment,” Taylor said. “They moved together like a New Year’s Chinese dragon.” To find for information about the theatre program at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi visit http://cla.tamucc.edu/ theatre/ or the Department of Theatre and Dance for their 2017-2018 season schedule.
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10 Entertainment
11.09.2017
Bloody Shakespeare coming to Island University DOUGLAS CUBBERLY Contributing Writer
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f you didn’t get your fill of gore and guts this Halloween, have no fear. “Titus Andronicus,” by far Shakespeare’s most violent play, is coming to Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi this month. The play will run for six days, from Tuesday to Sunday, Nov. 14-19, at the Warren Theatre, located in the Center for the Arts. Curtains open every night at 7:30 p.m., with the exception of Sunday’s performance, which begins at 2 p.m. “Titus Andronicus” is the fictional story of a power struggle for the Ro-
man empire. It is a tale of revenge, grief and political nepotism, cut from the same cloth of HBO’s hit show “Game of Thrones.” “Titus Andronicus” is thought to be Shakespeare’s first tragedy, believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593. For a story that is more than 400 years old, it is remarkable how it still resonates with audiences today. “Shakespeare captures the complete human existence, the good and the bad,” said senior Haley Davis, who plays the role of Tamora. “A lot of our shows are about love, and reconciling differences, and opening your mind. This show does open your mind, just in a different way.” This is the second and final stage production this semester by the Island
University Department of Theatre and Dance, after a successful run of “De Donde” last month. This performance is a guaranteed blood-fest, and includes smoke effects, gunshots, sexual content and violent deaths. “It doesn’t sugar coat anything,” Davis said. “It’s about hate, and what it can do to people, and what war and violence can do to the mind.” This production of “Titus Andronicus” is adapted and directed by faculty member Alison Frost, who has directed other Shakespeare plays including “Twelfth Night,” “Urinetown” and “Cabaret.” Frost was recently recognized with the prestigious “University Educator of the Year” from the Texas Educational The-
atre Association. “Seeing all these beautiful people act, all these costumes, the fight scenes. It’s really dope,” said sophomore Tryen “Lil T” Duncan, who plays the role of Aaron. “I don’t know how you could not enjoy this.” There is lots of violence and action in “Titus,” with the fight scenes choreographed by Jason Paul Tate. “It’s a really savage play,” Duncan said. “Watching this insanity unfold on stage is something to really behold.” General admission tickets are $10, and only $7 for students. For more information or to purchase tickets visit cla.tamucc.edu/theatre/production
Downtown Corpus hosts annual celebration of spirits passed MICHAEL BRODE @michaelbrode
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colorful celebration of death might not immediately sound like a positive event, but in the melting pot that is Corpus Christi, this annual tradition holds a place in the hearts of thousands. On Oct. 28, altars, also known as ofrendas, were erected and residents congregated in the streets of downtown at the tenth annual Corpus Christi Dia de los Muertos festival. All along the streets of the Marina Arts District, dances, food trucks, live music and more celebrated the lives of loved ones lost. The festival, organized by K Space Contemporary and Axis Tattoo, spread itself over more than 10 square blocks and allowed foot traffic to flow into small businesses all evening. “The Dia de los Muertos festival killed it with the food this year,” junior mathematics major Dalton Womble said. “You can’t have a festival without street food. This year you could find fish tacos, shrimp tacos, nachos, churros, you name it, it was there.” Many local attractions and businesses were on display during the festival. The Ritz Theater featured the Walk of Remembrance, which invited anyone who desired to create ofrendas honoring any departed loved ones or themes. The Ritz opened the Walk of Remembrance once more for the ArtWalk on Nov. 2. In addition to altars, this year, the festival featured three stages of live music, food trucks of all kinds, and, for the first time ever, a traditional Mexican-style
Photo by MICHAEL BRODE/Island Waves
The streets of the Marina Arts District were filled with the colorful and creative crowd members dressed for Dias de los Muertos on Oct. 28.
wrestling event titled “Lucha Kaboom”. The music performed consisted of almost any genre one could think of: often crossing over between genres and providing festival attendees with entertainment for all ages and tastes. “Aside from its chronologic proximity to the American holiday, Dia de los Muertos shares very little with Halloween,” junior history major John Meri-
wether said. “While the dead play their part in both cultures, they serve dramatically different roles.” Traditionally, Halloween is a holiday centered around fearing the dead; Dia de los Muertos celebrates the lives of those lost. Rather than putting on masks to scare others, masks serve a purpose of honoring the departed through this Mexican tradition. With costumes came
dances, parties, food, drinks, music and more all for the memory of loved ones who have passed away. Meriwether believes that events like the Dia de los Muertos festival thriving in Corpus Christi serve as an incredible reminder of the rich culture surrounding the Island University.
Sports 11
11.09.2017
Spaniard finds family among teammates BREE ORTEGA Staff Writer
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or junior women’s tennis player Marina Vicens Miquel, the sport has always been her lifelong passion. She has focused on playing the sport she loves while getting a degree that can help her succeed in life. Miquel was born in Mallorca, Spain where she also grew up and discovered her love for tennis. She attended high school at IES Centre de Tonificacion Esportiva de les IB in Spain. “In Spain we don’t have college tennis,” Miquel said. “When I was 16, I started knowing about Spanish people coming to America and they explained to me their experiences.” Miquel said all of her friends wanted to play tennis growing up so she began to learn how to play the sport at a very young age. She has been playing tennis since she was 5 years old, which has taught her to grow as a tennis player before she attended Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. When Miquel realized college tennis
was what she wanted to do, she already knew the Island University was the right school for her. She said she chose the university because she knew she would improve greatly both academically and physically with a good program and competitive team. Miquel said she is majoring in computer science and minoring in mathematics. In May, along with Miquel, the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi women’s tennis team was a recipient of the NCAA Public Recognition Award for ranking top 10 percent nationally for academic progress rate. NCAA President Mark Emmert was there to give them their letter of recognition. This summer, Miquel was a part of winning nine matches leading into the Southland Conference Championships. On Sept. 16, Miquel participated in the CrossFit Islander Open. She made her way to women’s singles finals with two victories. Miquel knocked off top players from UIW, Louisiana and UTSA to earn her way to the finals and had a 10-5 victory that led her to win the Islander Open Championship.
Photo by BREE ORTEGA/Island Waves
Marina Vicens Miguel returns a serve as she prepares for her next match.
“We gave this girl a game plan of things to work on this summer and she obviously worked her tail off,” director of tennis Steve More said. “She improved like crazy and came in and won
the tournament. You have to root for someone like Marina who is so driven and determined.” In Spain, Miquel earned the top 94 Spanish ranking and was the sixth Spanish player in the Europe tennis ranking. She was also a finalist in Spain’s CCAA Championship at the age of 14 as she represented the Balearic Islands. She is currently a two-time champion in the Balearic Island’s Championship and four-time champion in Mallorca’s Championship. “It’s important to work hard every day with purpose,” Miquel said. “You have to practice a lot with intensity and have a goal to be motivated to achieve your goals.” Miquel said the team is very close to her like a family. They all care for each other which helps them win matches and tournaments. Both men and women’s tennis seasons have already begun and games are always open to the public. Islander tennis fans can come out to support the team at Thomas J. Henry Tennis Center. For more information visit goislanders.com.
Freshman arrives prepared to contribute JONATHAN FORNEY @jb4nay
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oming into the 2017-2018 season, more than 50 percent of the Islanders soccer team was freshmen. This reinvigoration of new faces and players helped propel the team to its best record since the program debuted in 2013. Among the historic freshmen class was pre-nursing major and Islander midfielder Mariah Ramon. The Arizona native led the team in assists in her first season on the Island University. Ramon said her position lends itself to setting up others to succeed. “As a midfielder, we’re always looking for the attacking players to get at the end of your balls,” Ramon said. “I’ve always been better at assisting than finishing and scoring the goals. It’s what I do.” Ironically, Ramon registered the first goal of the season for the team and her first collegiate goal against Texas State University. For Ramon, that goal meant a little something more. “It was really exciting,” Ramon said. “A lot of my former club players were on the other team. So getting to do that
in front of them was really cool.” One of 15 freshmen on the Islanders roster, Ramon and her fellow lowerclassmen had to adjust quickly to the collegiate game and its competition. “College soccer is a lot faster, the girls are stronger and it’s more aggressive,” Ramon said. The speed of the college game translated into how Ramon and her fellow freshmen adjusted. “We had to learn fast and transition really fast,” freshman forward Emily Keoughan said. “More than other freshmen because our whole team is pretty much freshmen. We didn’t have a lot of time.” Keoughan said having supportive teammates like Ramon helped acquaint her with the rigors of college athletics. “She’s [Mariah] really supportive and positive,” Keoughan said. “I’ve never heard her say anything negative to anyone. She’s always giving out little compliments.” Ramon may have picked up those positive teammate characteristics growing up. She comes from a soccer family. Her Dad coaches soccer and her younger brother also plays. Soccer
wasn’t her sport of choice early on, but eventually she came around. “It’s surrounded my family for as long as I can remember,” Ramon said. “I did a lot of sports when I was younger. At first I didn’t like soccer, but I stayed with it and ended up loving it.” As members of a very young team, the newcomers looked to their upperclassmen for advice and both on and off the field. “The older players really helped us transition into college soccer,” Ramon said. “They’re always supporting us and giving advice.” On a team where freshmen outnumber seniors three to one, as is the case for the 2017-2018 Islanders, the new arrivals had to quickly find their place in the system. “I think a lot of the freshmen have stepped up this year. You can’t really tell they’re freshmen,” Ramon said. “They play like they’ve been doing this.” One area that Ramon hasn’t needed to do much adjusting is in the classroom. The pre-nursing major said she has more time to devote to her studies with a more open schedule than she had in high school.
“I have a lot of off-time that I can use to study, then we practice at night,” Ramon said. “So I use the daytime to focus on school and practice at night.” The rest of the time she’s not in class or on the field, Ramon enjoys reading and staying active by going for runs. Having such a young core is a positive sign for the Islanders, these 15 freshmen will have time to play and mature together for several years. If they won more games than any group in program history their freshmen season, then the sky is the limit for the ladies in blue and green. The team finished the year with a record of 6-9-3 following a first round conference tournament loss to topseeded Lamar University. Ramon finished the season with a team high three assists on the season, accounting for 18 percent of all assists for the team. She also finished with one goal on the year, the tying the fastest goal scored by a freshman in school history. For the time being, the team will begin preparing for their off-season workouts and getting ready for the 2018-2019 season. The Islanders will look to build off the milestones set in the 2017-2018 season.
12 Sports
11.09.2017
Historic season comes to an end
Redshirt senior Brooke Erdmann reflects on her career as part of the winningest Islanders soccer team since its formation in 2013.
Freshman midfielder Mariah Ramon dribbles by a Cardinal defender. The freshman led the team in assists in the 2017-2018 season. The team would go on to fall 1-0 to the top seeded Cardinals, ending their historic season with a record of 6-9-3.
Photos by JONATHAN FORNEY/Island Waves
The Islanders soccer team huddles before their conference tournament game against Lamar University.