The Optimist - 04.09.14

Features Page 5

Nurses abroad vol. 102, no. 50

wednesday, april 09, 2014

1 SECTION, 8 PAGES

Three students provide medical help in Guatemala

INSIDE SPORTS Women’s tennis continues dominance in Southland Conference

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OPINION The Editorial Board discusses the fake parking ticket incident and how it was handled

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Features Professor Jim Gash speaks in Chapel to pre-law students

kelcei young Contributor

Students line up before Chapel and sing praise songs wearing white to support victims of racism and to advocate for a more united campus.

Suspects identified as HSU students Five males confess to fake parking ticket incident

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identified the five suspects on Tuesday. Later that day, they were identified to the public as HSU Five males involved in the students in a statement fake parking ticket inci- released by HSU president have been identified dent Lanny Hall. as students from Hardin “These shameful acSimmons University. tions do not ref lect the ACU Police Depart- values, attitudes or charment announced it had acter of Hardin-Simmons

marissa jones editor in chief

SPORTS ACU softball claims extra-inning win at Stephen F. Austin last weekend

University,” Hall said. “On behalf of HSU, I strongly denounce the actions and wholly reject both the racism expressed in the offensive messages and their sexually offensive nature.”

HSU’s Office of Student Life is investigating the incident, and disciplinary actions will be addressed through the student misconduct process, Hall said.

On March 18, 13 fake

parking tickets were reported to have been placed on students’ cars.

Eleven of the tickets had sexual innuendos and sexist statements written on them, and two tickets contained racially offensive comments.

The names of the five suspects have not been released to the public or to ACU administration and will not unless formal charges are filed, said ACU Police Chief Jimmy

Ellison. If a victim decides to file a criminal charge, ACUPD would present a case to the district attorney for consideration of charges. The DA will determine what charges can be filed against the suspects.

Ellison said ACUPD made this case a top priority when it first occurred.

Ellison said ACUPD spent an untold number of see tickets page 4

Six co-chairs chosen for Sing Song micah hermsdorf Page 7

SPORTS Sports Director Matthew Sloan talks about racism in the world of sports Page 8

NEWS World Wide Witness prepares students for summer missions abroad Page 3

NEWS Miss Frontier Texas contestants advance in the competition and learn to cook and ride horses Page 3

VIDEO Watch the JMC Newscast for an update on the latest news on campus

student reporter Though still 11 months away, the co-chairs for ACU Sing Song 2015 have been chosen.

Zeke Morgan, Amy Sloan, Brance Armstrong, Ashley Crisp, Kirk Farrell and Cheyenne Rawlings represent the new team

excited and couldn’t wait to get started.”

Sing Song co-chairs are responsible for organizing in three areas: upstage, downstage and production.

“Last year, I worked on the downstage production staff and had a blast,” Rawlings said. “It was during my time working downstage that I began

to consider being a cochair.”

This year, Rawlings is working in the production area. This role includes all business aspects of Sing Song, such as ticket sales, ushering the crowd to their seats and controlling the f low of traffic on and off stage. Preparing for this is no easy task.

“It will involve count-

less hours, hard work, occasional anxiety and lack of sleep, but it is to be expected when you are putting on a show as large as Sing Song,” Rawlings said.

“I feel incredibly blessed to have gotten this opportunity to work Sing Song, and I look forward to working with everyone to see co-chairs page 4

Springboard finalists compete for $1500 lanthropy.

Litton was quoted previously on the Griggs Center blog, but was unable to be The Griggs Center at ACU reached for a comment. announced the 2014 Spring“We are excited for the board Ideas Challenge final- teams that have advanced to ists last week. They will com- the final round of the compete for cash prizes in front of petition. Next week they will a live panel of judges. compete for over $40,000 in The competition, now in cash prizes,” Litton said. its seventh year, has students Business plans are classubmit their mini-business sified into Community – plan with the goal of having Growth Finalists, Communithe opportunity to pursue ty – Small Business Finalists, their entrepreneurial ideas. and College Finalists.

Dr. Jim Litton is the direcGrand prize winner of the tor of the Griggs Center for Community – Growth catEntrepreneurship and Phi- egory will get $15,000, the

catherine blakemore student reporter

Community – Small Business category will win $5,000 and the College category will win $7,500.

On April 15, the winners of the 2014 challenge will be announced at an awards dinner.

Before the announcement and dinner, there will be an exhibit of the business ideas from this year’s competition.

Tickets to the event are $15 per person or $150 per table.

Jason McVey, junior business management major from Austin, and Rudy Garza have made it to the finalist round in the College group for their project NovaScore.

“NovaScore is a software, website, and smartphone app to aide in test taking and scoring,” McVey said. “Our app allows students to use their phone to record their answers for a test and our website lets students and professors analyze the information created during test taking.”

Ian Robertson, graduate student in Psychology from Abilene, and Kyle Gainey entered their Crowd Meets Science project into the competition under the Community – Growth groups and have made it to the final round.

“Crowd Meets Science is a business concept I’ve been working on over the last year,” Robertson said. “It is essentially a crowd funding platform for science research and science related expenses such as conference travel and paper presentations. We really want to target and work with students. But in the future we would also really like to expand to career scientists and researchers.”

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Students react to shooting at Fort Hood of eight minutes before turning the gun on himself, according to CNN. While the shooters’ Fort Hood, the Army base true motives are not cerin Killeen, was home to a tain, Lopez’s records show fatal shooting for the sec- a history of treatment for ond time in five years on anxiety and depression.

April 2. Spc. Ivan Lopez, However, CNN found that the suspected gunman, the request for transfer killed three soldiers and Lopez had submitted had injured 16 in a matter been denied just before

kara stutesman student reporter

Read more at acuoptimist.com

of students involved in the year-long process of organizing one of ACU’s annual traditions.

“When Tom Craig told me that they wanted me to be a co-chair, I may have squealed,” said Cheyenne Rawlings, junior marketing and management major from Houston. “It was not my most professional moment, but I was super

the shooting started.

Eric Ambrose, senior music major from Killeen, has a sister, a cousin and an aunt who work on base. He said his fear over the incident isn’t so much about whether it will happen again, but how this will affect those stationed at Fort Hood.

“I am fearful for my

Abilene Christian University

friends and family who work and live out there,” Ambrose said. “I am fearful of how this will affect my friends stationed there, how this will shape and impact them and the families of our heroes who live there. For the men and women who live and serve in the first Calvary and fourth infantry

divisions, they are all heroes.”

For Lindsey Emmons, senior sociology major from Killeen, the shooting brought back memories of the 2009 shooting where an Army major fatally shot 13 people and injured more than 30 othsee hood page 4

Wednesday 04.09.14

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Wednesday 3 p.m. Fall 2014

10 Thursday

registration: freshmen

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Friday

7:30 p.m. ACU Theatre: “The Glass Menagerie”

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Last day to withdraw from a course

5 p.m. All club rush

11:45 a.m. Eric Metaxes lunch

6 p.m. Women’s softball vs. University of Arlington

7:30 p.m. ACU Theatre: “The Glass Menagerie”

Chapel checkup To date:

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Saturday

2 p.m. Women’s softball vs. Lamar University 3 p.m. A Walk to Remember 7:30 p.m. ACU Theatre: “The Glass Menagerie”

Around Abilene

Remaining:

78 22

April 9

April 10

April 11

April 12

6:33 p.m. Beltway College Park at the Paramount Theatre.

5 p.m. ArtWalk

8 p.m. Paramount Theatre will show The Best Years of Our Lives

6 p.m. BikeTown will host the Bent Wheel Bash to benefit the Abilene Police Department at Buck Creek Trails. For more information, contact Kelly MacDonald at 325-677-2453.

@acuoptimist

5 p.m. The Abilene Education Foundation will host the 4th Annual Cajun in Historic Downtown. Tickets are $12.

8 p.m. Jack Rabbit Slim’s will host the Pullman Standard/Handsome As Sin Spring Tour show

The Optimist optimist@acu.edu Police Log Announcements Upward Bound Summer Academy is seeking students to work as student advisors this summer. For more information, contact D’Angelo Sands at 324-674-2514.

Farmer’s Insurance Group is seeking students graduating in May to apply for full-time jobs in Abilene or the Wichita Falls area. To apply, visit www.acu.edu/ campusoffices/careercenter/careerRegistration for the Kirk Goodwin Run link/ and fill out an application by April is open. Applicants can register for the 9.

Run the West half marathon for $80 or the classic 5k for $20. The race will be on The ACU A Capella Chorus and UniApril 26. To register, visit www.kirkgood- versity Chorale will perform with the winrun.com.

Abilene Philharmonic at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Abilene Civic Center.

The Percussion Ensemble and Steelband Tickets are available online at abileConcert will be at 7:30 p.m. on April 14 in nephilharmonic.org or at the door for Cullen Auditorium. Admission is free. $5.

SHADES Step Squad will perform in their spring show at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday in Cullen Auditorium. Tickets are on sale in the Campus Center.

A Walk to Remember will be at 2 p.m. on the Lunsford Trail Saturday to remember the anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide.

Serge Gasore will showcase and autograph his book during the event.

ACU Theatre will perform “The Glass Menagerie” at 7:30 p.m. on April 10-12 and The Gerentology Department will host a 24-26 in Fulks Theatre. Tickets cost $15. To free movie at 6 p.m. tomorrow in the Onpurchase tickets, visit acu.edu/theatre or stead Packer Bible Building room 114. call 325-674-2787.

The Springboard Ideas Challenge Awards The ACU Chamber Singers Concert will be Dinner will be at 6 p.m. on April 15 in the at 7:30 p.m. on April 15 in the Williams Per- Hunter Welcome Center. Stu Crum, presiforming Arts Center Recital Hall. The theme dent of Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC is Breakin’ Up and Makin’ Up. will be speaking.

Volunteer Opp0rtunities Beltway Park Baptist Church is seeking volunteers to help with special needs children in their program Kingdon Kids.

Volunteers would be needed on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. For more information, contact Sharla Sanders at 325-692-6540 or sharlasanders@beltway.org.

Grace Point Church is looking for creative students with craftsmanship skills to volunteer for Vacation Bible School.

Volunteers will be creating props, sets and decorations in preparation for the program. For more information, call Ruth Gregory at 325-675-5060.

New Life Alliance is searching for tutors, Khan Academy coaches, junior acheivement teachers and volunteers for their upcoming Easter program. For more information, contact Ashley Parker at 325-672-1636 or aparker@ newlife-alliance.org.

The International Rescue Committee in Abilene needs your help in welcoming refugees to our community. We are seeking the following donations: hygiene and cleaning supplies, bed linen, towels and kitchen items (dishware, silverware, pots/pans etc). Donations are accepted Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2-4pm or by appointment.

Theirr office is located at 3303 North Third Street Suite D in Abilene, Texas. For more information contact MariePascale Manishimwe at 325-675-5643.

Treadaway Kids is looking for more students and volunteers to join the group. For more information, contact Carly Henderson at cah10a@acu.edu.

JUMP @ Abilene North Apartments is seeking students to asssist in teaching the Gospel to at-risk low-income children. Students must be avaliable to volunteer from 4-5:30 p.m. on Mondays. Service opportunity begins Jan. 27 and lasts until April 28. For more information, contact Caroline Thompson at 281-782-2956 or crt12a@acu.edu.

Friends for Life is seeking volunteers to help with both elderly residents and independent living elderly. Nursing home service opportunities include visiting, playing games, reading to the blind and assisting in arts and crafts. Independent living service opportunities include mowing lawns, grocery shopping and changing light bulbs. To volunteer contact Cecilia Barahona at 325-672-2635 or cecilia@ friendsforlife.org.

The Noah Project is seeking volunteers to help with tasks such as answering phone calls, providing child care and doing maintenance and housekeeping. To volunteer call 325-676-7107.

Love and Care Ministries is looking for volunteers to help with sorting clothing, stocking their food pantry, assisting in prayers in their prayer room and serving food to the homeless. For more information call 325-670-0246.

Volunteers are needed at the BCFS Abilene Transition Center for event planning and setup, assisting in teaching life skills classes, accompanying transport, visiting homes and/or assisting in construction of facilities for assisting in the betterment of male and female youth ages 15-25.

This opportunity is open each morning Mondays through Fridays. Students interested must contact Johnny Nguyen at 325-692-0033 or jnguyen@bcfs.net.

Meals on Wheels Plus needs volunteer drivers to deliver afternoon meals to seniors and adults with disabilities Monday-Friday between 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Drivers must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license. Training is provided. For more information contact Samantha Barker at 352-672-5050 or visit http://mealsonwheelsplus.com.

University Place is seeking volunteers to help with resident birthday parties for residents on the third Wednesday of each month at 2:30 p.m. For more information contact Linda Tijerina at 325-676-9946.

House of Faith is an organization that seeks to take Jesus to neighborhood children. Volunteers are needed to help with the various programs they do throughout the week. Backyard Bible studies are hosted Mondays and Wednesdays and a youth program takes place on Thursday evenings. The organization is seeking volunteers who can commit to a specific day a week. House of Faith lasts from 3-5:30 p.m. To volunteer or gain more information contact Amy Jeffers at abj09a@acu.edu or call 832-331-5324.

Rescue the Animals is seeking volunteers to work at the adoption center performing a variety of tasks, from playing with the animals to working in the office. For more information visit their website at http://www.rescuetheanimals.org/volunteer.

The Abilene Zoo is looking for volunteers to help with general labor such as grounds cleanup and painting any weekday at any time between 12-4 p.m. The Zoo is located at 2070 Zoo Ln. Contact Joy Harsh at 325676-6487 for more information.

Breakfast on Beech Street is seeking volunteers to help set up, prepare and serve breakfast to homeless/lower income folks any Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday at 5:30 a.m. or Tuesdays at 5 a.m.

B.O.B.S. is located at First Christian Church on 3rd St. and Beech St. Service times must be scheduled in advance. To serve on Mondays contact Jody Depriest at 325-669-3312 or jody.depriest@gmail.com.

To serve on Tuesdays contact Allen Daugherty at 325-660-6949 or ale.al@suddenlink.net. To serve on Wednesdays contact Jane Harvey at 325-695-0092 or jharvread@aol.com. To serve on Thursdays contact Margaret Beasley at 325-692-4149 or mbeasley5@ suddenlink.net. To serve on Fridays contact Terry Stremmel at terry.stremmel@acu.edu.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters offers two volunteer programs. Lunch Buddies pairs volunteers with a little brother or sister to have lunch with once a week for 30 minutes. Lunch Buddies has a preferred time of 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. The Community Based program pairs volunteers with a little brother or sister that they will hang out with two to four times a month.

Both programs require committment to the program for 12-18 months. To sign up stop by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters office at 547 Chestnut St. or contact Randy Woods at 325-674-3102.

The National Center For Children’s Illustrated Literature is looking for volunteers to greet patrons, assist with art activities, sell books and make visitors feel welcome. Help is also needed for special events like Artwalk and exhibit openings. The NCCIL is located at 102 Cedar St. For more information on times and dates contact Debby Lillick at 325-673-4586 or visit http://www.nccil.org/index.htm.

The International Rescue Committee is asking for Digital TV Converter Boxes to accompany several older televisions for refugees within Abilene. Drop offs are requested at the office located on 3303 N. 3rd Street, Suite D from 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesday. This is a helpful way to make a difference in the lives of refugees who recently resettled into the local community. For more information, contact Marie-Pascale Manishimwe at 325-675-5643.

The Food Bank of West Central Texas needs volunteers to help sort and stock food and other items any weekday Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. The Food Bank is located at 5505 N. 1st St. For more information contact Janice Serrault at 325-695-6311 or abfoodbk@camalott.com.

The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers for a variety of needs such as sorting and pricing items in the thrift store, helping in the kitchen and/or doing yard work. Times are flexible and volunteers are needed Monday-Saturday. The Salvation Army is located at 1726 Butternut St. For more information contact J.D. Alonzo at 325-677-1408 or visit www. satruck.com.

The Christian Service Center is seeking volunteers to help with filling requests for items such as clothing and bedding from the donation center, sort and organize donations and occasionally pick up donated items. Volunteers are needed every weekday and the first Saturday of each month between 9-12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. For more information contact Roberta Brown at 325-673-7561 orrobertabrown51@hotmail. com. Visit http://www.uccabilene.org/ministries/csc. htm.

Christian Ministries Food Pantry needs volunteers to help with tasks such as cleaning up, stocking shelves and bagging flour. It is looking for students who can make a commitment of 1-3 hours a week. For more information contact Becky Almanza at 325-673-5295 or balmanza7@sbcglobal.net.

The Center for Contemporary Arts needs a gallery assistant to greet partons, answer phones and answer basic questions about the Center and its programs.

Volunteer opportunities are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesdays-Fridays. For more information contact Jennifer Parks at 325-677-8389 or jennifer@center-arts.com.

For additional volunteer opportunities visit: www. acu.edu/campusoffices/ccsl/ministry-service/volunteer-opportunities/

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news

wednesday 04.09.14

Pepperdine professor speaks on law school emily seidel student reporter Professor Jim Gash, ACU alum and former associate dean of students at Pepperdine University, visited the College of Business Administration Monday to give a presentation to pre-law students.

Gash graduated first in his class from the Pepperdine School of Law in 1993. He is currently in his 15th year as a professor of law at Pepperdine, teaching Torts, Evidence and Legal Ethics. He is also the director of the Global Justice Program in Pepperdine’s Nootbaar Institute on Law, Religion and Ethics.

He has a wealth of experience in court as well. After graduation he worked for a small litigation firm before serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Edith H. Jones, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Before returning to Pep-

perdine to teach, he spent a few years in the office of Kirkland & Ellis in Washington, D.C., where he focused on appellate and commercial litigation.

In recognition of his work in Uganda, Gash was named the recipient of the 2013 Warren Christopher Award, which is presented by the International Law Section of the California Bar Association to its selection of California’s International Lawyer of the Year. He is recognized by ACU faculty as one of the most successful active graduates of COBA. “We are very pleased to have Jim Gash here at ACU,” said Dr. Mel Hailey, professor of political science and pre-law adviser.

“He’s one of our own. He’s an alum of COBA and I remember this building was brand new when he got here.”

“He was also our quarterback when he came here,” said Dr. Andrew Little, director of Global Initiatives for COBA. “So just like Johnny Manziel,

Austin Kilcullen Staff Photographer

Professor Jim Gash spoke at COBA Chapel on Monday.

COBA is the house that Gash built.”

Gash presented a new perspective to pre-law students in his speech. He challenged them to consider how to be a Christian lawyer when it seems like an oxymoron. The focus of his speech centered on his missions trips to Uganda, which he did not start until he was 42.

“I never chose to follow the calls from Christ to help those outside my community,” Gash said.

“But ever since I chose to go, I’ve been unable to turn away.”

His journey began when one of his students started the first law school chapter of IJM at Pepperdine. He began hosting meetings, and one of the

themes the group went over was Ephesians 4:1.

The verse challenges followers of Christ to live a life worthy of a calling.

Gash chose to act upon that verse and travel to Uganda in 2010 to assist the Ugandan Judicial Conference that had no clerks and no interns. On the first trip, Pepperdine sent four interns. Since then, each summer, the school has sent ten student interns and a professor to assist the court.

In addition to its work with the Ugandan Judicial Conference, the Pepperdine group has helped with remand homes throughout the area to free minors who have been arrested and jailed without a trial. In 2010, Gash prepared cases for 21 children in the Ihungu Remand Home who had been waiting in prison for two years without their day in court. Since then he has done the same for remand homes in several other Ugandan cities, changing the lives of doz-

ens of children.

His work in Uganda has only increased over the last two years. In 2012 his family moved to Uganda for six months, and he became a specialist advisor to the High Court. In March 2013, Gash became the first American to argue a case in the Ugandan Court of Appeals.

Gash’s presentation concluded with him pressing the importance of helping the oppressed.

He encouraged his audience to consider what more they could do to make a difference.

“To have this small part in a redemption story on the other side of the world is hard to articulate,” Gash said. “But there’s still a lot of work to do. There’s still people who need help.”

Gash will return to Uganda this summer with his wife, Jolene, and three children. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

ASA plans A Walk to Remember in memory daniel zepeda sports editor The African Students’ Association will host a campus-wide walk around the Lunsford trail Saturday, April 12 from 3-5 p.m. The Walk to Remember event will honor the 20th anniversary of the victims killed in the tragic Rwandan genocide.

“The walk is organized as an active commemoration of genocide victims around the world,” said Nancy Ndekwe, sophomore business major from Kigali, Rwanda.

“It’s to raise awareness about the lessons of the Rwandan genocide.”

In addition, there will be a book signing inside the Labyrinth of the Campus Center by Serge Gasore, former ACU student from Rwanda and survivor of the Rwandan genocide. His book “My Day to Die” will be on sale and available for signing before and after the walk.

“I wanted to write this book because it was a way to let people know about problems many children face and so little is being done about them,” Gasore said. “People need to be reminded that life should never be taken for granted and that love, forgiveness and reconciliation should always be viewed as important.”

Gasore’s book tells his story of survival and hope during the Rwandan genocide.

“People will learn that God is bigger than us, and leaning, to ourselves, is the worst thing we can do,” Gasore said. “We are not self-sufficient without God. When you know this, you understand why we should forgive our enemies and help people who are at risk.”

Women from Uganda will be selling jewelry to help raise money for awareness and to help support their families back home.

For Ndekwe, this event is more than just a walk. She came to ACU from Rwanda

and has always been driven to help raise awareness for her country.

“For me, this is a great event to plan because I helped plan the first-ever walk in Rwanda that has now become a national event,” Ndekwe said. “It helps me remember the lives of my family and people who died in the 1994 genocide by helping me feel closer to home through these hard times. It was a bit challenging but good to get to connect with some of the Rwandan community here and the Dallas area for feedback and ideas, and hearing them say it was great to finally be able to do was a big

motivation for me.”

Ndekwe’s main objective for the event is that it will go beyond just brining ACU’s community together, but that it will leave a lasting ef-

“

People need to be reminded that life should never be taken for granted.”

Serge Gasore former ACU student and author of “My Day to Die”

fect on all who participate.

“I want us to commemorate the genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda and remember victims of other geno-

cides and mass atrocities,” Ndekwe said. “I want to educate young people about the causes and consequences of genocide and to highlight the role and responsibility young people have to help prevent such atrocities now and in the future. I want to provide a platform from which the youth of the world can speak out and I want to equip the youth with necessary tools and understanding to take a stand against genocide within their own communities and abroad.”

contact zepeda at d?z11a@acu.edu

Project reaches out to struggling students shera Niemirowski student reporter The James Project is a new student organization that emphasizes depression and suicide awareness.

“We’re just trying to get the word out about suicide,” said Mallory Snowden, freshman psychology and criminal justice major from Midlothian. “In 2013, every eight minutes someone will have committed suicide, and for every person who commits suicide, 12 people will be hospitalized for a suicide attempt.”

Snowden started The James Project after suffer-

ing with depression in high school and experiencing the power of one person’s help.

“My sophomore year of high school, I was a really depressed person and I actually attempted suicide, so that’s how I came to Christ,” Snowden said.

“The guy I was and am dating called me and was like, ‘You’ve got to stop this.’ I had no idea he knew, but he said God just told him that I needed someone there for me, and so I dropped everything and came to Christ.”

Inspired by this act of love and kindness, she changed her outlook and wants to spread awareness

to people not only at ACU, but Abilene as well.

“We are a student organization but we’re trying to expand to the Abilene community so everyone feels like they have a place they can come and talk,” Snowden said. “We don’t want to exclude anyone from knowing and being a part of this.”

Snowden was struck with the idea last fall during ACU’s annual Summit week.

“I came here and had a dream about starting this during Summit,” she said.

“In the dream I was drawn to a booth that was called The James Project and I took that as a green light

from God to do it.”

The group is still in its early stages and is trying to garner membership, but it is rapidly growing.

“I just heard about it and it seems like a good idea,” said Kailee Cremer, junior psychology major from Albuquerque, N.M. “I really hope to see a revival of empathy and sympathy on campus and around Abilene,” Snowden said. “You see all these people going through all kinds of pain but so many people are oblivious to the hurt around them.”

The James Project meets on the last Saturday of every month, with its last meeting of the year in April.

Worldwide Witness trains interns for summer work kirsten holman copy editor The missions department at ACU and Worldwide Witness are preparing to send students out as interns around the world for various ministry opportunities this summer.

Worldwide Witness is a program that allows students interested in ministry to gain experience and go to different cultures and put ministry into practice. Larry Henderson, the missions coordinator with the Halbert Institute of Missions on campus, has been teaching the preparation class, Service in Global Context, this semester.

“We hope that mission sites around the world will be encouraged,” Henderson said. “We hope that our students will bring some energy, some vibrancy and some fresh blood to what is being done in various places.

And we want our students to learn.”

There are currently 79 students in the program, with 75 of them going as interns on mission trips to various places such as South Africa, northern

Thailand, Europe, Peru, Australia, New Zealand and other places. The missions department has sent out over 730 students since it began.

Jenna Johnson, sophomore English and vocational missions major from Tucson, Ariz., will go to Zambia with her brother who is a freshman at Messiah College in Pennsylvania.

“We both definitely have a heart for missions,” Johnson said. “I want to do it with English and teaching and he’s wanting to do it through agriculture and sustainability. I ended up talking to Larry and they were totally on board.”

Worldwide Witness does not actively recruit freshman, however, many freshman will be going as interns this summer with the program, all doing different types of ministry.

Bree Foster, freshman psychology major from Glenn Heights, will go to Brazil.

“So far I have learned so much about how American culture is contrasted with non-Western culture,” she said. “It has really put into perspective

how to reach people dif- American way.” ferent from how I know Jesus. I hope to have an even contact the optimist at deeper understanding of keh09c@acu.edu how the world works, to see people come to the Lord, and to watch people break free from the chains that bind them.”

Mat Medders, freshman undeclared major from Benton, Ark., will go to Arequipa, Peru.

“What I hope to get from this is the experience of learning what it’s like to live the life of a missionary and to understand how social justice causes work in other countries,” Medders said. “And I hope to have a little bit of culture shock so I can come back to the USA knowing what is wrong and what is right with society.”

Alli Collins, freshman family studies major from Vista, Calif., will go to Auckland, New Zealand.

“I couldn’t imagine going on a missions trip now without having taken the class,” Collins said. “You have to be prepared not only for the culture that you’re going into but the way that people listen to Jesus. Different cultures listen to Jesus in such different ways, and you can’t just go in preaching in an

The group plans to start having candlelight devotionals in the fall.

“The statistic is every eight minutes someone will commit suicide, and during the devo, every eight minutes we have someone come up and light a candle so at the end of our meeting we can see how much happened in just one of our meetings,” Snowden said.

Snowden said she wants The James Project to not be a reminder of the darkness in the world, but rather a

place of hope and inspiration for those struggling.

“I want to see empathy in people, I want to see people reaching out to others. There is so much hurt in the world,” she said. “I believe in the power of one smile. A smile can save a life.”

Students and anyone else interested can find The James Project on Facebook or email them at jamesproject14@gmail.com. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

news

wednesday 04.09.14

4

Club rushes begin for fall pledging collin weider assistant sports editor The annual ACU spring rushing season is back for another year beginning with a new all-club rush on April 9.

The students do not have to begin the registration process before they can participate. However, registration for pledging opened this week and will be open throughout the summer until August.

Mark Jackson, associate director of student organizations and programs, encourages students to sign up regardless of whether they want to pledge or not.

“We tell them to go ahead and register, even if you are not 100 percent sure that you are going to pledge,” Jackson said. “If you decide it’s not for you then you can e-mail me and you don’t have to do it.”

The rushing process will include two all-club rushes the first of which will be the new all-club rush in the Hunter Welcome Center April 9 from 5-7 p.m. The second will be the traditional all-club rush around GATA Fountain on April 21.

Other rushes have not been disclosed, but two rushes for each club will happen between April 22 and May 1.

Mara Fleet, junior art major from Abilene and social director of Ko Jo Kai, is excited to meet the new pledges.

“I am always excited to meet new students,” Fleet said. “Especially with rushing, it’s exciting to meet potential new mem-

bers and get to know people on a personal basis.”

Reilly Cox, sophomore art major from Austin and rush director of Trojans, is also looking forward to members getting to know potential pledges at the rushes.

“I am looking forward to the interaction between members and potential pledges and the activities we are going to be doing,” Cox said.

Multiple clubs are changing its rushing events from recent years while some are sticking to tradition. Cox said there could be some differences to their rushes this year, but he will keep some traditions alive.

“I have a couple of ideas for new stuff, but I am not too sure if we are going to be able to do them or not.

It will be a lot of the same stuff we have done in the past,” Cox said. “But I do plan on trying to include a couple of new things just to keep things fresh.”

Eric Schinske, senior social work major from Argyle and Galaxy president, also said there will be a few minor changes to rushing and that he is excited for the process.

“There are some differences,” he said. “We are not doing our Olympian rush, but we are actually doing a rush with the Kojies. I love the spring process because it’s not stressful yet. I think that’s the fun part is just getting to know each other.”

contact the optimist at cpw11a@acu.edu

Austin Kilcullen Staff Photographer

Andrew Tate, junior biology major from Abilene, plays at this years SpringFest. Student bands performed on the Rec Center’s basketball courts on Thursday.

Miss Frontier Texas continues competitions grace coan student reporter The Miss Frontier Texas competition had its second event, “Saddle and Shoot”, last Saturday, which tested contestant’s ability to saddle a horse and shoot a gun.

“Miss Frontier Texas is a scholarship competition for girls in Abilene, college-aged, that compete against each other in different tasks that women would do on the frontier, “said Brenna Jefferies, senior Ad/PR major from Bartonville and account director for Miss Frontier Texas and a former contestant.

“They would saddle a

horse, shoot a gun, I had to catch a chicken when I competed,” Jefferies said.

The competition is put on by Frontier Texas, a museum located in downtown Abilene.

“Ultimately they’re competing for the crown of Miss Frontier Texas and a $3,000 scholarship,” Jefferies said.

Contestants will compete in the overnight challenge on April 11. The contestants will have to pitch their own tent and sleep in it outside of Frontier Texas.

“We will make cuts after the overnight challenge on April 11,” Jefferies said.

The contestants that make it past the overnight challenge with enough

points will continue into finals that include the frontier obstacle course and the cooking challenge.

“I had such a great experience, I made so many friends,” Jefferies said.

Sierra Reed, freshman kinesiology major from Dripping Springs, is one of 11 contestants in this year’s Miss Frontier Texas competition.

“You really have to know your stuff ahead of time,” Reed said.

Contestants have to do intense research for the written and physical portions of the tests.

“I’ve always loved guns,” Reed said.

Reed was eager for the shooting test and was disappointed to have missed

the target.

“The last skill they’re going to test is the cooking,” Reed said.

Contestants are given a list of possible dishes that they will have to prepare over an open stove and a Dutch oven including pork chops, pancakes and eggs and fruit cobbler.

Reed is grateful for the experience and would recommend it to students looking to compete next year.

“You’re all terrified so it’s fun because you’re all in the same boat,” Reed said.

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Tickets: 5 suspects not affiliated with ACU from page 1 hours thoroughly investigating the case. They were able to isolate the incident on security film, but because it occurred at a far away distance at night, police were unable to identify faces or a license plate. They conducted numerous interviews with victims, witnesses and potential witnesses.

They also knew the website where the tickets were printed from, so they attempted to see if any ACU accounts were used to access the website.

Ultimately, it was a combination of information gathered that led to the identification of the suspects.

“We are very grateful for different people who provided different aspects of information, and all of those things woven together led us to the five individuals that we identified,” Ellison said.

J Sheppard, senior IT major from Oklahoma City, Okla., was the recipient of one of the racially

offensive tickets in a parking lot next to COBA. He reported the incident to Byron Martin, director of the Office of Multicultural Enrichment. They then alerted the administration and ACUPD. “In the immediate days that followed, to me, it felt like the administration either wasn’t aware or wasn’t doing anything, but now that it’s come to light I feel they have taken the appropriate steps,” Sheppard said.

Dr. Allison Garrett, executive vice president of the university, said there was a delay in communication about the incident to the student body in order to not alert those responsible of the investigation.

“We had hoped we would quickly find out who did it.” Garrett said.

“We wanted to preserve the integrity of the investigation.”

Sheppard said the real issue extends past this one incident.

“Just talking to alot of my peers, they feel that

a lot of things are done for the white students that aren’t done for the nonwhite students – different funding, different marketing, just a different feel in general,” Sheppard said. “If you were to walk up to your average non-white student you wouldn’t be surprised if you heard that.”

Sheppard and other members of BSA and the OME have been meeting with ACU’s administration over the past two weeks, discussing this issue.

“We’re working as a university very hard to make sure we have conversations and to put processes in place to ensure all of our students feel welcome, feel heard and we have appropriate ways to deal with situations like that when they arise,” Garrett said.

Sheppard said he appreciates the meetings, but they won’t mean anything if they aren’t acted on.

“I was telling my dad that I was kind of scared

that if, as bad as an incident as it was, if this hadn’t happened there wouldn’t be a real need for change on campus,” Sheppard said. “I hate that it happened but at least there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Becca Clay, ACU speech pathology grad student and Morris RA, heard some residents had received tickets that were sexist and derogatory toward women, but they didn’t speak up because they didn’t feel comfortable. Clay said it would be more embarrassing to report sexist comments targeted at a specific person because it could be about a personal quality, like how they dress. She said she thought that was why the tickets that were derogatory toward women weren’t reported or publicized.

“Where’s the group of people speaking out about sexism?” Clay said.

“There aren’t many.”

Brooke Ray, freshman nursing major from Allen, received an offen-

“

I was telling my dad that I was kind of scared that if... this hadn’t happened there wouldn’t be a real need for change on campus.”

J Sheppard senior it major from oklahoma city, okla.

sive ticket in the Gardner parking lot but chose not to report it.

“I really didn’t think it was that big of a deal,” Ray said. “The things that were said on the ticket were definitely rude and uncomfortable, but I just thought some college students got bored and thought it was a joke. I didn’t take offense to it.”

Ray said she was surprised at how much attention the parking tickets received and felt it was unwarranted.

“I feel sorry for whoever did it,” Ray said. “What they did was wrong, but I really don’t think they

meant this any harm. I think if they knew how big it would get and how many feelings it would hurt and if they would’ve known it was a crime – I don’t think they would’ve done it.”

Even though this incident isn’t a ref lection of the university, Garrett said, it will be taken seriously and the university will continue to work with students to address this serious issue.

“I know a lot of people are out for blood, I don’t think their response is wrong,” Sheppard said.

“But for me, I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary to see that. As long as there is some backing from the university and something that reiterates to the student body that this won’t be accepted on campus, I’d be ultimately fine with that.”

contact jones at mnj10a@acu.edu

Co-Chairs: Planning begins for Sing Song from page 1 put on another fabulous show next year.”

Amy Sloan, sophomore advertising and public relations major from Houston, will be in charge of upstage production with Zeke Morgan.

“I became interested in being a co-chair pretty soon after I got to school,” Sloan said. “I was a freshman follies co-chair, and I fell in

love with student productions, the processes and all the details that go into making a show a success.”

Planning Sing Song 2015 begins right away for these six co-chairs.

“We will start brain storming ideas about the show within the next week,” Sloan said. “We will also talk over the summer. Once we get back in the fall, we will hit the ground running.”

Tom Craig, director of

student productions, helps select the group of cochairs through an interview process and is a big part of making Sing Song possible each year.

“Sing Song is a huge enterprise,” he said. “Students coordinate all aspects and all elements necessary to make Sing Song happen.”

The co-chairs will be responsible for everything from planning and conceptualizing the show, to

marketing the show and selling tickets. They also coordinate practices and rehearsals, as well as transform Moody Coliseum into a concert venue.

“Being a co-chair is very much like having an internship, and the experience you gain is invaluable,” Craig said. “They will learn things that help you communicate, become a team player and understand the dynamics of how people

work together.”

Craig said Sing Song is one of those events where everyone comes together to make something great and create memories and relationships that last for years to come. Sing Song draws 8,000- 9,000 people to campus and involves over 1,000 students every year.

Craig said he is excited about the new group of cochairs and looks forward to working with them.

“The greatest thing about working with students is watching the creativity and ingenious ideas they generate year after year,” Craig said. “Theses ideas translate to the Sing Song stage, and it blows you away. It’s what makes this job fun and exciting.”

contact the optimist at optimist@acu.edu

Hood: Students with family members reflect from page 1 ers.

“I have a lot of friends stationed in Fort Hood and to have another shooting

happen is really scary,” Emmons said. “It’s sad too because you’d think Fort Hood is somewhere that soldiers can come home to and be safe because that is

their home.”

Some say the incident has brought to light issues of how soldiers are treated after coming back from war and the effects war has

on them mentally.

“These men and women are heroes in the truest sense,” Ambrose said.

“They lay down their lives for a cause not of their own

so that we as a whole may combat it that makes all live free. But evil shows the difference.” itself everywhere, even in the halls of our heroes. It is contact the optimist at not how we choose to view optimist@acu.edu evil but how we choose to

5

featureS

Wednesday 04.09.14

Three nursing students use God’s love to bridge the language barrier in Guatemala

Meghann McLeskey, Allie Greco and Christina Ponomarenko | Jared Schuetz Staff photographer

linsey thut

|

features Writer

t’s Sunday morning, the day after their arrival in Montellano, Guatemala. Meghann McLeskey, Allie Greco and Christina Ponomarenko pack into an old church in the middle of the isolated village. The red walls of the building are discolored and peeling because of the immense humidity and the community’s lack of money to fix the church. The people around them are speaking Spanish, a language neither of the women know enough to speak fluently. However, they don’t feel out of place.

When the worship begins, the women realize the church is singing a song they all know by heart. The hymn being sung in Spanish is “When We All Get to Heaven.”

Looking back, the women said this was one of their favorite memories. This moment was when they knew, despite the language barrier, they’d make deep connections with these people.

“We were very aware of how different we are, but more aware of how similar we are and how we are all going to be in heaven, no matter what language we speak,” said McLeskey, junior from Burnet.

McLeskey, Ponomarenko and Greco, all nursing majors, spent a week in Guatemala working with Health Talents International to give medical treatment to the people in the city.

HTI, a group that promotes medical evangelicalism to developing countries, hosts doctors and nurses from all over the world to perform certain types of procedures each week. The week they were there was aimed toward promoting women’s health. The four main surgeries performed that week were hysterectomies, gall bladder removals, hernia repairs and biopsies.

Many of the patients the women saw had been waiting for a long time to receive help for their conditions.

“I was shocked at how extensive their medical needs were,” said Greco, junior from Allen. “One patient I saw had a hernia for 20 years and it was the size of a fist.”

Left: McLeskey before scrubbing into surgery. Middle: Greco with Maria and her husband at the clinic. Right: Ponomarenko getting medicine ready for a patient.

Photos provided by Ponomarenko.

Greco said another shock for them when they arrived was how much responsibility they were given as soon as they got there.

She said they were treated like nurses, not students.

“You give medicine, you take care of patients just like a nurse,” Greco said. “Even though my name tag said, ‘Allie Greco, Student Nurse,’ it didn’t matter.”

The women joked and said they got called “doctor” quite a bit by their patients.

While all three of the students got a chance to work night and day shifts, Ponomarenko, junior from League City, also got the chance to travel with two mobile clinics to help outlying villages.

Ponomarekno said they were stationed in a church and constructed makeshift hospital rooms out of foldup tables and curtains. She said people were already waiting when they arrived in the rural villages.

“They waited for three hours just to see us,” Ponomarenko said.

Her job was to take the patients’ blood pressures and vital signs. Ponomarenko smiled when she recalled being with a woman when she heard her unborn baby’s heartbeat.

“That was the first time she’d heard her baby’s heartbeat because they don’t have ultrasounds,” Ponomarenko said.

While Ponomarenko did not get to form deep connections with the patients at the mobile clinics, each interaction she had with them was encouraging.

“Every single person, even if I was just taking their blood pressure, they gave me a hug and a kiss,” Ponomarenko said.

She said each one told her “God bless” and was grateful to even have their pulse checked.

Greco said during her shifts she bonded with a Guatemalan patient named Maria, who was in the clinic from Sunday until Wednesday after an abdominal surgery.

Even though they spoke different languages, Greco and Maria got along really well.

“She was so patient with me, and we didn’t speak the same language, but you could see she had a funny, light-hearted personality,” Greco said.

Greco said she was nervous because she had to administer her first-ever inter-muscular shot into Maria’s thigh.

“Whenever you give a shot, you’re supposed to just stab it in and get it over with.

I did not do that,” Greco said.

Greco said after easing in the painful shot, Maria still joked with Greco and was grateful.

When Maria left, she gave each of her nurses a headband as a gift to thank them.

While many of the stories the women carried back from their trip had happy endings, one particular story, despite its sadness, stays forever in their hearts.

Ponomarenko recalls being with Dominga, a patient, when she discovered she had cancer and couldn’t be operated on.

Dominga was devastated, and when asked if she wanted to go home, she said she’d rather stay at the clinic because she was all alone.

“That night before we left, I asked Meghann to come pray with this lady, since that was really the only thing we could do,” Ponomarekno said.

McLeskey said the three of them prayed over Dominga in English and had a translator say it to Dominga in Spanish.

“Every single one of us was crying,” McLeskey said.

Through the successes and disappointments throughout the trip, the women said the one thing that was always present between them and the Spanish speaking people was love and encouragement.

Ponomarekno said the people’s compassion taught her to be kind to every single person and appreciate what she has.

“They are so grateful and have barely anything,” she said. “It made me appreciative of what I have.”

McLeskey said the trip gave her a new view on life.

“Love is the only thing that can cover everything that can fully matter to someone, and it’s really the only important thing,” she said.

Despite having nothing, McLeskey said these people gave them their hearts and welcomed complete strangers into their town.

She said she learned that loving Jesus is the only important thing.

“You can literally have only the clothes on your back and live in a shack, but if you love the people around you, know you are loved and love the Lord,” McLeskey said, “there’s nothing else that matters.”

Opinion

Wednesday 04.09.14

6

Editorial

Tickets challenge thinking on campus the issue The school and the student body responded when fake parking tickets containing racial and sexual slurs were left on students’ cars.

our take The responses to this incident differed, which is why it’s important to remember that there is more than one side to every story.

Several weeks ago, slips of paper resembling parking tickets began appearing on student’s cars. These false tickets contained offensive phrases and used racist and sexist language to target students.

This unfortunate event led to feelings of tension and different parties felt

they had been wronged.

Some students accused administration of not responding soon enough, while some thought the incident was being blown out of proportion.

This event proved it is difficult to address an issue when people have different sides to a story.

The responses the incident received were strong, and it was handled in different ways.

Several local news outlets picked up the story about the tickets. The local stories like the one aired on KTXS last week sensationalized the story without bringing any covering all sides of the story. The headline alone called the incident a “hate crime,” which, legally, it hasn’t been classified as. They also neglected to bring to light the eleven other tickets – the majority of which had sexist comments.

The university responded to the incident with full support of the victims, but they responded two weeks after the fact. We know they didn’t want to harm the investigation by publicizing it to all of campus, but not candidly talking to the victims made it seem like they were sweeping it under the rug at first. If there’s one thing this event succeeded in it was proving that many people on campus haven’t explored other people’s points of view. Multiple black ACU students said they have previously experienced

some for of prejudice on campus. Multiple white students have expressed they felt accused and guilty of something they haven’t done. Overall there was a sense of uneasiness on campus because of this event. And we should feel uneasy. There are multiple stories and views colliding on campus.

Now that the suspects have been identified as HSU students, we should have a certain reaction.

We should realize that this is not a reflection on HSU, just as students and administration said it wasn’t

a reflection of ACU. We should also ask ourselves “what’s next?” Experiences and feelings have been shared; conversations have been started. Now we need to understand what needs to be changed and act.

The people responsible are not affiliated with ACU. Does this mean racism and sexism are not issues here? Of course not.

Understanding, empathy and compassion should be the response. contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

DAILY doodle dosage

Column

Ben Todd

The post-grad world awaits DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE

MELANY COX OPINION PAGE EDITOR

Graduation is looming ahead like a mountain, and the future is on the other side.

Prospective graduates everywhere are making plans for the rest of their lives, which is no small task.

Some are searching for jobs and some still have yet to decide what they want to be when they “grow up.”

What many graduates have yet to realize is that, at this point in their lives, the whole world is open to them. Their options are unlimited, it just takes a little creative thinking and bravery to realize it.

The current students preparing to venture into the “real world” should take advantage of every opportunity to explore the real world while they can. This could mean traveling the state, the country or abroad.

It could mean spending time with new people, trying new things, maybe even living somewhere unexpected for a little while.

True, this means the future might not be so

certain. But if there’s one thing everyone can be sure of it’s that the future is always uncertain.

While consistency and organization are comforting, spontaneity and surprise lead to excitement and fulfillment.

The future doesn’t have to consist entirely of a career and education doesn’t end after classes are complete.

Some of the greatest learning experiences occur outside the classroom, and the perfect opportunity to take advantage of this is to experience as much as possible. Former students suddenly free of the burden of homework and classes have a chance to make something with their time.

Responsibility still has to be a factor. But they shouldn’t feel pressured to settle down right away. They should be allowed to experience new things and walk in a new frame of mind.

Reminder to save water

We would like to send out a friendly reminder to all ACU faculty and students to conserve as much water

Convictions still have a place GABI POWELL FEATURES EDITOR

as possible.

The water supply here in Abilene is shrinking more and more each year. We ask that you take shorter showers, turn the water off while brushing your teeth, fix any water leaks, etc.

Every little bit will help. contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

“

PASS THE PUNS, PLEASE

contact Cox at MKC09B@acu.edu

Letter

By Cheyenne Barry, freshman accounting major from Henrietta, Tommy Lininger, sophomore criminal justice major from Sacramento, Calif. and Danqing Zhu, freshman international studies major from Fauzhou, China.

Column

I chose a major that has given me no choice but to confront truth from all angles. As journalists, we have a duty to deliver the facts and made to word them in an unbiased AP Style. It forces our truths to be exposed, put on the stand and cross-examined. Many of mine have been trampled, revised and mostly humbled.

However, when it comes to marijuana, some will remain concrete.

My generation’s interest and passion for social issues is a double-edged sword. Our information-

overloaded age has bred people either wanting to discover truth or solely out to prove their own.

And I have read the articles, been told the benefits, but I have also seen the consequences.

Pot was a major pain player in my family. It was not the source, but an ingredient and symptom of larger evils that led to years of wounding that we are just now recovering from.

And marijuana has only grown more common ever since. Many friends are regular smok-

But for myself, fact and favorable opinion are not a sufficing persuasion, because neither can undo the personal effects of pot.

ers and many states are rapidly repealing its prohibition. With the stigma changing and consequences lessening, my list of reasons to decline is growing shorter.

But for myself, fact and favorable opinion are not a sufficing persuasion, because neither can undo the personal effects of pot.

(Plus, neither is it a suitable

remedy for my inhaler-dependent asthma ailment.)

Convictions solely derived from that which is society-approved or scientifically-backed are only a temporally satisfactory to the scruples and a waste of God’s gift of intuition and conscience.

I do not believe smoking pot and being a good and godly person are mutually exclusive. But I do believe it unwise to introduce the temptation.

I’m not arguing marijuana’s health risks, benefits or its inevitable legalization. I am reassuring others that convictions still have a place. And for myself, pot is a platform I choose not to compromise. contact POWELL at GMP10B@acu.edu

hashtagACU April 3 5:11 p.m.

Does it surprise anyone that the most popular station for all the middle schoolers in campus is the Grill? #grilledcheese #ACUDifference

@alyssa_shaffner

April 7 9:22 a.m.

Comparing the book of Kings in Bible class to Game of Thrones. Thank you ACU. #ACUdifference

@JPRalston15

April 4 9:18 a.m.

April 3 6:34 p.m.

Honestly forgot it was Thursday until I walked into the lobby and saw the horde of boys waiting to be checked in. #hatethursdays

April 4 3:45 a.m.

I have seen 4am way too many times this week. #collegeisatrap

@C_Pecky

@amyyynicole

April 7 8:31 a.m.

April 7 11:11 a.m.

PSA: there is a HUGE cockroach in the girls bathroom on the third floor of the library.

Enemies of the heir, beware #hideyokids

@AudreyLucille

Almost got run over by a tour golf cart on the way to chapel. Because the first thing we want the visitors to see is a vehicular homicide...

@CHughes_38

editorial and Letter Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration.

Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university.

The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing

personal attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy. Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published.

published by the department of journalism and mass communication editorial and management board

E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu

April 7 12:26 p.m.

sports desk (325) 674-2684

If you’re listening to music in the library use headphones #whatwouldJesusdo

@kamcqueen

April 7 3:28 p.m.

April 7 9:25 a.m.

@RurenzaMike

@rmal13

April 6 5:37 p.m.

@emilystemen

@acuoptimist There should be more room 4 classes required.

Junior&nvr got into a PEC class. #ACUprobs

I lost my car keys on bid night. Found them today. #victory #betterlatethannever

Just took a test in Lifetime Wellness over stress that I didn’t know about beforehand. It worked; I’m stressed.

@eric_schumann

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“But you’re a chemistry major! You should love cooking! It’s just like lab!”

Fool, I don’t eat what I make in lab.

@MorganWatten

gabi powell

Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79609

April 5 8:07 p.m.

ok acu tour guides. you are overstepping you boundaries by bringing tours into the dungeon of the library. THIS IS SACRED QUIET GROUND.

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sports

Wednesday 04.09.14

7

‘Cats take down the Southland’s top team Price Bahcall student reporter The ACU men’s tennis team finished its weekend matches with a big win over the Southland Conference’s top team, Nicholls State.

The men started the weekend in Houston ,where they took on Rice and lost 1-5. Then they made a pit stop in Kerrville and blanked Schreiner University, 7-0.

The Wildcats did not allow more than two games to a Schreiner’s singles or doubles player. The team came back to Abilene to take on the other undefeated Southland team. The wildcats took down Nicholls in a close match 4-3.

The men jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Nicholls but they came storming back and tied it up at 3-3. Bensley lost the first set in the game de-

For Bensley, sophomore from South Africa, clinching the game for the Wildcats was a dream come true.

“When I was younger thinking of college tennis, clinching a match is what came to mind,” Bensley said.

“Needless to say it felt really awesome to win that match for ACU men’s tennis. My hard work during the past few weeks definitely paid off this weekend.”

Bensley improved to 11-7 on the season.

The Wildcats won both doubles matches by a score of 8-6. Borja Cortes and Guilherme Gesser improved to 5-2, and austin kilcullen Staff Photographer Nico Agritelley and Jason Sophomore Jason Proctor prepares to return a serve at home. The men’s tennis team Proctor won their third took down Nicholls State last weekend in a nail-biter 4-3. straight match together.

This victory against ciding match but won the “I knew I was playing groove and start winning the top Southland team next two sets. The three well and I knew if I kept games,” Bensley said. “It shows that the Wildcats set comeback victory by the right attitude and wasn’t till I went up 4-1 in can claw out wins against Marco Bensley clinched the right fighting spirit the third set that I knew I any team in the conferthe win for the men. then I would find my could win the match.” ence despite being the

new kids on the block.

“This victory shows we are finally starting to believe in ourselves and each other,” Proctor said.

“Everybody is on the same page and we know we can beat anybody if we all play well at the same time.”

The ACU men stay undefeated in conference play at 3-0 and will look to continue the success in their upcoming matches.

The Wildcats return to action Sunday for a noon dual at Lamar.

They will then face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in Austin on April 16 before closing out the home portion of their schedule April 17 and 18 vs. Hardin-Simmons, St. Edward’s and Oral Roberts.

contact Bahcall at pmb09a@acu.edu

ACU captures extra-inning road win Hannah little sports reporter The ACU softball team headed to Nacogdoches last weekend to play the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks in a doubleheader that ended in a split.

The Wildcats defeated Stephen F. Austin 4-3 in game one on Saturday.

The game was a thriller because it spanned into ten innings. Ladyjacks pitcher, Carlie Thomas, kept the Wildcats from scoring for six straight innings.

Ladyjack’s Katelyn Standley homered to right-center in the fourth inning, and Lindsay Campbell scored on a passed ball in the fifth inning, leaving ACU trailing.

In the seventh inning, sophomore center fielder Paige Stevens hit a double to the left-center gap that sent Anna Jones and Demi McNulty home to score.

ACU was then tied with Stephen F. Austin until three innings later when Madison Buckley hit a double to right-center and sent home Lyndi Smith to score. Ashley Nolan then hit a single while Buckley scored.

The game ended after the Ladyjacks made their final run in the bottom of the 10th.

“Our pitchers came into the games confident and let our defense and offense perform,” Stevens said.

After the win the energy level changed for the

paige otway Staff Photographer

Junior Kaylee Crozier gets out of the way of a strong slide last weekend at home earlier this season. The Wildcats were able to win in extra innings against Stephen F. Austin last weekend in the first game of the series. ACU is 5-3 in the Southland Conference this season.

Wildcats, causing them to lose the second game 4-12.

ACU jumped to gain a two-point lead in the first, but was left trailing after the Ladyjacks scored three in their first possession.

“I think the difference between the first game and second game was

the energy level,” Stevens said. “The first game we came out pumped and hungry for the series, versus the second game when we came out with the previous games in mind.”

The rest of the game remained a battle for both teams. SFA scored one run in the second,

three in the third and three in the fourth.

ACU gathered their last runs in the third inning as they came to their total of four.

The Ladyjacks kept putting up runs and in the bottom of the sixth they ended with two runs.The Ladyjacks pitcher, Brittany Lewis, allowed just

Playing in the ‘big time’ Wildcats prepare for games in bigger stadiums as they move into the Southland Daniel Zepeda Sports Editor The 2014 schedule for the football team was released nearly a month ago and features many big-name programs that play in big-name stadiums. None of those teams or stadiums bigger than Georgia State and the Georgia Dome.

“It’s going to be a great experience being able to showcase our abilities as a team in such a beautiful facility,” junior Jonathan Parker said. “We’ve played in some high caliber stadiums before like the Cowboys stadium and FC Dallas. It’s going to be a great experience for the younger guys on our team.”

The Wildcats will start off their season with a trip to Atlanta. The Georgia

Dome has hosted some of the elite teams in the nation such as Alabama, Arkansas State, Tennessee among many others.

“It’s cool to play in a stadium like the Georgia Dome but we can’t let the setting take away from what we’re there to do, which in win a football game,” Parker said.

Compared to Shotwell Stadium, which seats about 15,000 fans and spectators, the Georgia Dome will be a big step up.

The Georgia Dome seats more than 71,000.

With the mass amount of fans, the Wildcats will look to adjust to the new atmosphere.

“What’s great is playing in a hostile environment,” junior Angel Lopez said. “I don’t know much about Georgia State’s fan base but I hope there are

lots of their fans. That’s why I’m looking forward to playing Troy, because I know there will be lots of smack talking from the crowd and I love that environment; there’s nothing like it.”

When the Wildcats played at AT&T Stadium two years ago, they traveled to a venue that had the seating capability to host 80,000 people.

Their game against former Lone Star Conference rival Tarleton State would go down as one of the greatest games in ACU history. Their 34-31 loss on a final minute touchdown sealed the loss, but left many memories.

Fast forward to last year, when ACU took on Tarleton again, except this time it was in the 21,000 seating Toyota Stadium in Frisco. Again, the game would give Wildcat fans many reasons to celebrate, but a victory would not be one of them.

A 34-41 loss in double overtime gave Tarleton the victory again, but allowed ACU to get a little more comfortable playing in big stadiums.

“I feel like playing in

“

What’s great is playing in a hostile enviornment. I know there will be lots of smack talking and I love that enviornment.”

Angel lopez junior acu football

these elite stadiums will be just like playing in the small stadiums that we are used to, except there’s going to be way more fans which will make things that much more exciting,” sophomore Monte Green-Avery said.

The Wildcats season opener against Georgia State will be broadcasted on ESPNU as the first game of the college football season.

“I’m excited,” Lopez said. “Those kinds of games are memory makers. You walk in, feeling like a world-class athlete and play in an amazing environment.” contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu

nine hits as the Wildcat pitchers Peyton Mosley, Emily Seidel and Hannah Null let 14 hits get by.

The split leaves ACU 16-19 overall and 5-3 in the Southland Conference.

The Wildcats will take a break in conference play and face the University of Texas at Arlington

in Abilene on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

ACU will return to conference play this weekend as they play against Lamar University in Abilene.

contact little at hll12a@acu.edu

sports

Wednesday 4.09.14

Tennis dominates Louisiana swing daniel block sports reporter The ACU women’s tennis team swept both matches of its doubleheader on Saturday, defeating Nicholls State University and McNeese State University at the Eager Tennis Pavilion.

The Wildcats improved to 5-2 in conference play, and hold a 13-4 record overall. The team sits fifth in the Southland standings with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

The opening match against Nicholls was decided by a 5-2 score.

ACU continued its dominance in the doubles matches, with the No. 1 pairing of senior Micah Hermsdorf and her sophomore sister, Kaysie Hermsdorf, defeating their opponent handily, 8-1. The Wildcats’ No. 3 pairing, consisting of senior Emily Conrad and sophomore Nada Marjanovic, clinched the opening point with an 8-4 victory.

Already up 1-0, the Wildcats took four of six singles matches against the Colonels, including Micah Hermsdorf’s three-set

victory (6-7, 6-3, 10-5) over Stephanie Barnett. Freshman Erin Walker, Kaysie Hermsdorf and Marjanovic were also victorious.

Walker and Marjanovic won in straight sets, while the younger Hermsdorf required a third set.

Having lost its previous two matches and then enjoying a bye-week, the Wildcats had not recorded a victory in nearly three weeks. Getting back into the win column was crucial.

“I think the two losses [two weeks ago] didn’t affect us because they were such close matches and it could have gone either way,” Erin Walker said. “We jarred schuetze Staff Photographer knew that if we continued Freshman Ansley Boarman returns a serve for ACU. to come out and fight our hardest the wins would come naturally, and it end- winning 8-3, and improvThat doubles point ed up that this time around ing their overall doubles re- against the Cowgirls would we got the wins.” cord to an astounding 15-1 prove crucial as the two Walker continued her this season. teams battled through the strong play in the afternoon “The key to both match- six singles matches, each match against the Cowgirls, es was winning the doubles winning three contests. teaming up with junior point. It’s very tough for a The 4-3 loss dropped McBrittney Reed to clinch the team to win four out of six Neese to 6-2 in conference doubles point yet again for singles matches when the play, and 11-6 overall, good the Wildcats with an 8-2 teams are evenly matched,” enough for third in the win. The Hermsdorf sisters said John Walker, assistant Southland Conference. were also victorious in their coach and father of Erin Kaysie Hermsdorf, Walksecond doubles match, Walker. er and Marjanovic each

picked up their second singles victory of the day.

Marjanovic was the last Wildcat on the court, fighting off her opponent at the No. 5 position to win a close match in straight sets (7-5, 7-5). Walker’s match was over quickest as she steamrolled her No. 3 opponent (6-1, 6-0).

Walker’s freshman season at ACU has been impressive. She is 10-7 in singles matches and 11-5 in doubles, partnering with Reed every time.

“My first year of college tennis has been awesome,” Erin Walker said. “Throughout the year I have learned so many important things relating to life and tennis, but mainly [I’ve learned] to enjoy the opportunity and gift of competing and playing a sport in college.”

Walker, along with her teammates, will look to continue their winning streak this weekend as they travel to Sam Houston State University on Saturday and Lamar University on Sunday.

collin wieder assistant sports editor

Baseball Standings

Team

Div.

Ovrl

MSU NSU Nicholls St. SELA TAMU-CC SHSU UCA SFA UIW Lamar HBU ORU ACU NO

9-3 8-4 8-4 7-5 7-5 6-6 6-6 6-6 3-3 5-7 5-7 4-8 2-4 2-10

19-11 18-13 16-18 20-12 17-17 21-11 17-12 15-15 9-20 18-14 14-14 14-16 12-16 9-20

Softball Standings

Team

Div.

Ovrl

MSU Lamar SHSU ACU SFA UCA HBU NSU SELA UIW Nicholls St. TAMU-CC

11-3 10-4 9-5 5-3 7-6 7-7 7-8 6-7 6-9 3-6 4-9 3-11

27-10 15-15 20-17 16-19 16-19 17-25 11-20 17-17 13-17 14-21 13-26 8-29

Who’s Hot Freshman Nico Agritelley has had a great first season so far for Agritelley ACU. He is the owner of the team’s best individual record with 13-7 and played well this past weekend. He posted a 2-0 record in both individual and doubles matches. He also was announced as the Southland Conference’s men’s tennis player of the week.

briefings Former volleyball head coach Kellen Mock was released, Monday, said ACU athletic director Jared Mosley.

Assistant coach Ijeoma Moronu will take over as the interim while ACU searches for a replacement. jarred scheutze Staff Photographer

Junior outfielder Jordan Forrester prepares to swing last weekend against the Lamar Cardinals at the Crutch.

“I think that’s what he needed was a good confidence booster.”

The series finale ended on a different note, as Lamar scored 16 runs on 20 hits in the Cardinals series sweeping 16-7 win.

Demeyere, the leader on ACU’s pitching staff in earned run average, saw his ERA shoot up from 2.47 to 3.67 in Sunday’s loss.

The Wildcats were only one game under .500 entering the weekend but ended 12-16 overall and 2-4 in the Southland. Senior Seth Spivey’s streak of batting .400 came to end as it dipped down to .387 for the season.

Freshman Brandon Grudzielanek brought his average up to .400 and took the top spot in the Southland Conference.

Head coach Britt Bonneau says the weekend was a setback but the Southland is a good conference and they are looking to win those types of games in the future.

“I was disappointed we got swept at home it’s not something that happens very often around here,” Bonneau said. “We are finding out real quick how tough this confer-

ence is and we just to compete and get stronger as a unit and try to come together and win some of those.”

The Wildcats head to Huntsville this weekend for a series against a 21-11 Sam Houston State team.

contact wieder at cpw11a@acu.edu

Racism in sports faded but not extinct SLOAN RANGER MATTHEW SLOAN SPORTS DIRECTOR

DeSean Jackson, who is black, was recently released from the Philadelphia Eagles amid accusations that Jackson was a member of a gang. Unfortunately, this is an example of racism in the world of professional football.

In American sports, racism festers into the decision-making process of executives and coaches in more teams than we, or they, would like to admit.

Jackson, 27, has never been arrested and was never connected to any sort of gang affiliation until about a week before the Eagles released him. The team cited a hand signal Jackson made last year as their main reason for believing he had relations with a gang.

standings

contact block at djb13a@acu.edu

Wildcats struggle at home ACU baseball took a step back this weekend when conference opponent Lamar swept them in a three-game series.

The Wildcats opened up the weekend with a close 6-4 loss on Friday.

Sophomore starter Joe Gawrieh threw three shutout innings in his first start.

The bullpen continued the shutout into the fourth inning when sophomore relief pitcher Stuart Platke gave up five earned runs in his only inning of work. The offense rallied late but it was not enough.

Saturday’s game started off like it would be a blowout as Lamar jumped out to an early 4-1 lead. Freshman pitcher Mack Morgan’s second start ended after just two innings when he allowed three earned runs.

Sophomore Nate Cole came in to relieve Morgan and pitched five innings only allowing one earned to help bring the ‘Cats back. Lamar gave up the lead in the fourth as the Wildcats scored three runs in a wild pitch, error filled inning. However, ACU gave up the game winning run the eighth giving Lamar a 5-4 win.

Starting pitcher, sophomore Garrett Demeyere felt that Cole’s performance was great even in a loss.

“Nate looked really good,” Demeyere said.

8

However, hand signals are common among players of all ethnicities. Take Johnny Manziel for instance. Manziel, a white quarterback, makes hand signals after nearly every single play.

Nobody has accused Manziel of being in a gang.

Yet, because Jackson is a black man from Los Angeles, rumors have started about him.

It would be great if Jackson’s situation was an isolated incident, but prejudice permeates several different areas of football.

Many scouts in the NFL use the term “faster than he looks” to describe white receivers. How can someone look fast or slow? Players such as Wes Welker, Eric Decker and Jordy Nel-

son, all white men, have each been described this way despite the fact that they run past defenders constantly.

Yet, because it is a statistical rarity to see white wide receivers, many of the men that are good enough to succeed are viewed differently than they would be with a different skin tone.

Another football position where racism is prevalent is the quarterback.

Although the NFL has made strides in increasing the number of black quarterbacks over the last two decades, there are still stereotypes that squeeze themselves into the game.

For instance, there are rarely white quarterbacks in the NFL known for their ability to both run and pass. Tim Tebow, who is out of the league, was the only mobile white quarterback to play in the NFL since the turn of the century.

Yet, there are few black

“

Although the NFL has made strides in increasing the number of black quarterbacks over the last two decades, there are still stereotypes that squeeze themselves into the game.”

Track and Field recorded four personal records and nine topfive showings Saturday at the Texas Tech Open held at the Terry and Linda Fuller Track and Field Complex.

Golf recorded a 10th place finish out of 21 teams at the Arkansas State University Red Wolves Intercollegiate tournament.

The Wildcats football season opener against Georgia State at the Georgia Dome will be aired on ESPNU. Seniors Madison Buckley, Emily Conrad, Ian Evans and junior Tyler Eager were selected as ACU’s student athletes of the month for March.

Follow @OptimistSports on Twitter for more quarterbacks that have come less prevalent, but stories and the latest been known as pocket we are far from the finish ACU sports news. passers instead of runners.

In fact, Teddy Bridgewater is the only black quarterback with a chance of being a long-term starter in the NFL that did not run, from what I can remember.

I am sure there are white kids that are dualthreat quarterbacks and black kids that are pocket passers out there, but they are seldom identified because of assumptions about what a player can do based on his race.

In recent years, racism in football and the rest of the sports world has be-

line. The best way to combat the problem of racism in sports is to simply stop allowing it to be tolerated in any form or fashion in the sports world or otherwise.

Hopefully someday soon this column will not have to be written. Until then, it is important that we begin to recognize what is happening and fight against it, so that racism is left only in the history books. contact Sloan at mes10b@acu.edu

Upcoming Softball hosts the University of Texas Arlington 6 p.m.

Wednesday.

Baseball will play in Huntsville against the Sam Houston State Bearkats at 6:30 p.m. Friday.