Optimist Print Edition 04.05.24

Students prepare for Sing Song performances

BY BRYLIE LEACH NEWSLETTER EDITOR

Since 1957, Sing Song has been a tradition where students participate in an a cappella competition hosted by the school and this year it is happening on Friday and Saturday. is year, Sing Song has one show on Friday and two on Saturday. e price of tickets depends on which show is attended and what seat is chosen, but tickets range from $15-$35.

Sydney Kutz, a junior nursing major from Coppell, is co-director for Tri Kappa Gamma with Megan Denton.

“Sing Song has three

di erent divisions: women’s division - sororities, Men’s division - fraternities, and class divisions,” Kutz said. “Along with the singing, there is also a set, costumes and choreography that aligns with each act.”

Students can get involved with Sing Song by joining an act their sorority or fraternity created or joining a class act. While the club and class acts are the main events of Sing Song, there are other ways to get involved that don’t include competing.

Courtney McGaha, director of student productions, promotions and Sing Song, said audition

and interview information regarding getting involved is released in late fall and early spring.

“Other students perform in between the club and class acts as hosts or hostesses, on the dance team or as a backup singer, and then others serve behind the scenes on the Leadership Team,” McGaha said.

Preparation for Sing Song began last summer, but most of the work starts at the beginning of November each year. McGaha meets with the club and class act directors once or twice each week to help them develop their acts. She also selects both the student directors, hosts and host-

esses and nalizes songs for them.

“In the spring, I’ll audition and build the dance team and the leadership team, and I continue to meet with the club and class acts to guide them as they begin practices,” McGaha said. “In the meantime, my student directors are helping me with behind the scenes planning, most notably the Sing Song Block Party.”

The main goal of Sing Song is to build community with people on campus, so that they can create life-long memories. This show presents an opportunity for parents, alumni and

staff to come together for a unique experience that showcases the hard work and talent of students who have worked very hard.

“Sing Song is not just about the clubs,” McGaha said. “I know it’s easy to think that because they are the most noticeable part of the competition, but this show is for everyone, whether you’re a part of a fraternity or sorority or not. I myself was not part of a club as a student, but I did my class acts and met some of my best friends in those acts; friends I never would have crossed paths with if it weren’t for the class act division. ”

Springer, Triantopoulus new cabinet for SGA

BY LESLIE CARRIGAN CO-SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Josh Springer was elected student body president with 67.2% of the vote, and Athena Triantopoulos was elected vice president with 69.7%.

Springer, junior nance major from San Antonio, hopes to start his new role as president by increasing the connection between the student body and the board of Trustees through securing SGA a nonvoting seat on the board. at is something that we have already gotten Phil’s blessing on and need to take to the board,” said Springer. “I think that gets to our platform points of advocacy, access and action, all three of them in the different ways that we would represent the students on the board of trustees.”

Vice President Triantopoulos, junior advertising and public relations major from Las Vegas, will begin working on improving student representation by adding new committees

to the Senate. “We have committees for things like nance or sustainability, mental health, things like that. And I think we’re lacking a few committees for Greek life, student life marketing,” said Triantopoulos.

“I think those are things that are really important to the Senate, but we don’t have senators speci cally over those things.”

Board of Trustees representation and adding more Senate committees are just the start for Springer

and Triantopoulos, who have many other goals to improve life for students. ese goals include improving food quality in the Bean, working to provide students with Bibles in their native languages, establishing a parking violation grace

period, and creating a NIL investment plan.

“We are always, literally always, available to talk about anything that students need help with,” said Triantopoulos, “I feel like there’s a gap between students and administration and SGA. And we’re hoping to bridge that gap and that starts with being able to or feeling like you can come up and talk to us at any moment, and we truly mean that.”

Next years sta will in-

clude:

•Tyler Gaylor, junior accounting and nance major from Richardson, treasurer

•Ashley Beckner, junior marketing major from Peoria, Arizona, chief of sta

•Annie Jennings, junior advertising/public relations major from San Antonio, marketing director

•Clayton Jones, junior mathematics major from Warner Robins, Georgia.

chief nancial o cer

•Sophie Lopez, sophomore advertising/public relations major from San Salvador, El Salvador, press secretary

Sing Song Block Party to return this weekend

BY FAITH JOHNSON NEWS WRITER

On Saturday, the Sing Song Committee will be hosting their annual block party outside of Moody Coliseum around the GATA fountain. It is free and open for anyone who wants to come.

e Sing Song Block Party was started in 2019 so that the ACU community could continue to celebrate Sing Song together.

is year, we are trying to make the block party bigger than ever,” said Court-

ney McGaha, the head of student engagement. “We have partnered with a lot of on-campus organizations to bring them into to also provide some awareness for their organization but also some fun activities to do.”

ere will be food, student organizations, performances, and shopping at the event. Some of the food trucks that will be there are Black Cats Blues and BBQ, Essence of Soul Food, LLC

Dragon Soul Hibachi, and Tacolote. As for student organizations, e Shinnery

Review, Hispanos Unidos, the Riding Team, the Indian Culture Association, and the Red read Movement will all be present. Additionally, the Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Club will be there with di erent activities for the people to engage with.

Lastly, Sanctify Dance, Swing Cats, and Outlaws Dance Club will be performing from 5-6 p.m. of the party. ere are also shopping opportunities for people, such as Seven and One Books, Field School Brand,

and Kido, and students from the Griggs Center will have tables that showcase the items they will be selling.

“I’m excited to be selling a little fruit snack we have in my culture,” said Rebecca Ramos, a senior psychology major from San Juan. “I’m excited to share something I grew up with with ACU and alumni. It’s a great way to show alumni who are minorities that we are still here making ourselves known and not being afraid to showcase our di erent cultures.” Tickets are still available

for all three of the shows. Tickets are available to purchase at acustupro.com/tickets. Tickets will be sold until the start of each show online and at the door. “ e Sing Song experience has been really positive this year. It feels like we’re nally settling back in, and it feels like we’re getting used to it again,” McGaha said. “ e groups, host and hostesses, and the dance team are all doing great, and everyone’s sounding amazing. It’s going to be a really good show.”

BY STEVEN INFANTE | PHOTOGRAPHER

Members from Ko Jo Kai put on an explosive performance during Sing Song.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOSH SPRINGER Josh Springer and Athena Triantopoulos celebrate their 2024 election campaign.

Hosts, hostesses continue tradition for audiences to enjoy

BY ASHLEY HENDERSON CO-SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Host and hostesses are a longstanding Sing Song tradition where students are selected to perform between competitions for all to enjoy.

This year’s six hosts and hostesses are:

• Tre Lewis, junior ministry and vocation major from Owasso, Oklahoma

• Peyton Deffenbaugh, senior psychology major from Argyle

• Addie McDaniel, senior social work major from Abilene

• Emma Taylor, senior kinesiology major from Edmond, Oklahoma

• Kendyl Rogers, senior environmental science major from Arlington

• Brian Lester, senior music major from Abilene “I'm basically just like getting to live out my 8-yearold dreams of being a pop star,” Deffenbaugh said. Deffenbaugh said she is

excited to be back on stage performing after participating in theatre and A Cappella group in high school.

“There are just so many aspects of the show that we work on and spend a lot of time on, but I just love doing it.”

Performances will include whole group numbers, smaller group numbers, and solos between acts. Deffenbaugh said she hopes the audience enjoys it as much as she has while preparing for it.

“It's been so much time, energy, and emotion that's gone into this,” Deffenbaugh said. “It's really going to mean a lot whenever it's not just us seeing it, but it's others that get to see what we've been up to.”

Lewis said one of his favorite parts of being a host is the friendships he’s made. He said the group formed a close bond and would schedule times to get together despite already spending hours at rehearsals with each other.

“I look forward to everyone seeing our relationship and how close we are to each other,” Lewis said. “We are a really tight-knit group.”

The group practiced singing, dances, and costume changes to prepare for the shows.

“We have been in vigorous dance practices nonstop to get this choreo down,” Lewis said. “We had multiple rehearsals where we're just working on our voices and their blend and everything so

that we sound like a unit.”  Lewis and Deffenbaugh both said they were excited about this opportunity. Deffenbaugh also encouraged other students to pursue a future host/hostess role.

“If being a host or hostess is something you're interested in,” Deffenbaugh said. “Go for it and try it because if you don't ever audition, then there's never going to be a chance for you to do it.”

Pickleball club gaining popularity and adding events next fall

BY FAITH JOHNSON NEWS WRITER

Pickleball Club has been gaining popularity and several students are interested.

ACU has the privilege of having several different clubs that students can join. Whether it be fraternities and sororities or ESports and Running Club, the campus has multiple ways that students can get connected and grow a community of like-minded people. One of the clubs that has been gaining popularity in recent years has been the Pickleball Club. “I had been introduced to the sport my senior year of high school, and I thought it was super fun and easy enough to where I could do it,” said Aspen Malone, senior biochemistry major

from Amarillo and president of the Pickleball Club. “I wanted to pursue that in college, and Pickleball Club was a thing, so I joined, and I thought it was a ton of fun.”

There are two different clubs for the Pickleball Club. The first one is a recreational team where students who are interested in learning the basics of the sport can meet up and play. The second one is a competitive team that gets to travel and play at different schools, which was created just this past year. This past Sunday, they had a showcase to introduce the 15 new members of their team.

“Right now, we’re looking into tournaments,” said Zeke Whisenaut, sophomore engineering student from Conway, AR, and the organizer of

the pickleball club team. “What I’m excited about are the DUPR tournaments. They do a ton of collegiate stuff, and they want to grow the collegiate sport. I’m excited about those; they’re a bit in the fall and the early spring.”

There are a few tournaments in Texas next fall that the team is looking into going to, and they have a tournament coming up in April as well.

The Pickleball club meets on Saturdays from 1-3 p.m. for “Open-net.”

For those wanting to try out for Pickleball Club Sport, they are holding auditions in the fall for people wanting to try out.

“People can take Coach Shake’s class, where they can learn about the rules and techniques,” Malone said. “They can also come

Paws for Change: Feral Cat Initiative evolves into student organization

BY ALAINA WILMON NEWS WRITER

The Feral Cat Initiative has begun a new chapter as it has transformed into its own student organization.

In recent years, ACU has been known to have special feline residents roaming its campus grounds because of a program called the Feral Cat Initiative which helps to feed and neuter campus cats.

Before Fall 2023, the Feral Cat Initiative was a program that the school helped fund and was mainly overseen by the groundskeepers and a graduate student.

The driving force behind this new chapter is Anna Oliver, the director of FCI, and Josh Hollwarth, the assistant director of FCI.

Oliver, a junior psychology major from Queens, New York, said she was inspired to start the club after a heart-wrenching incident involving one of the campus's favorite cats.

“Our beloved cat, Snowball, was found with her entire face caved in from a tu-

mor,” Oliver said. “I already wanted to get the Feral Cat Initiative to become more than just an Instagram account and more than just Josh and I, but after that experience I was like, ‘OK, we need to have this become a formal student organization to be able to really take care of our cats.’”

Hollwarth, a junior psychology major from Longview, said there are many differences between the last generation of the Feral Cat Initiative and this new generation.

One difference for this generation is that they are partnered with All Kind Abilene, which is the nonprofit organization that just took over the animal shelter. The shelter helps run FCI’s Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program, medical fostering and more. Hollwarth said the TNR technique used now is much more effective as they have more people and resources to watch the cat traps and make sure they are catching the cats they

are supposed to be.

“We also have a position in our officer team called community cat coordinator, and she kind of oversees and mediates between our organizations,” Hollwarth said.

With around 40 members, the club aims to provide more than just basic care for the campus cats.

With special initiatives such as their “Adopt a Cat” program, students can “adopt” a campus cat and keep up with their vitals and personality.

Although this initiative is focused on protecting and caring for cats, the club’s mission extends beyond cat welfare as it also fosters a sense of community among its members.

“Although we are for the cats, we are for the students as well, and I've made a lot of great friendships from the club,” Oliver said.

As the club works to take care of the beloved campus cats, they strive to serve as an example of compassion and empathy within the campus community.

to the 24-hour pickleball tournament that we put on. This club is really for fun, but if you’re serious about it, people can try out for our club sports team.”

BY DANIEL CURD | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Members of Sigma Theta Chi put on a sweet performace during Sing Song.

Construction for new Kojie park set to begin this summer

BY LESLIE CARRIGAN CO-SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Construction for the new Kojie Park is set to begin this summer with ground-breaking taking place the weekend of Sing Song. The idea for a new Kojie Park was first suggested at homecoming in 2022 when the GATA fountain was completed. Four Ko Jo Kai alumni reached out to the ACU administration to begin discussing ways to increase Ko Jo Kai’s presence on campus. “We would love to make something bigger for our club to be able to do events there, pledging activities

there, and also just another really beautiful outdoor space for not only Kojies, but students at ACU to be able to use,” said Erin Wessel, Ko Jo Kai alumna. “We thought, another area where seating and a place to congregate would be just another great addition to campus.” Within the park, various Ko Jo Kai traditions will be represented. Metal squirrels will perch around the park representative of the Kojie mascot, Daisy the Squirrel. Along the side of a bench, the Ko Jo Kai motto, “Encouraging higher aims among girls through the binding ties of friendship and love” will

be engraved alongside the Kojie symbol. The park as a whole will represent the history and traditions of Ko Jo Kai.

“I think it is just going to be a cool place for students to sit and walk and study,” said M.C. Jennings, faculty sponsor for Ko Jo Kai. “It’s got some cool swings and places to sit, and it’s a beautiful project for past, present and future Kojies to use.”

“We’re just really excited to just leave a little Kojie love on campus,” said Wessel. “And hopefully, it should stand the test of time to be a blessing to future ACU generations and Kojie members.

Career Development hosts Career Bootcamp for students

BY FAITH JOHNSON NEWS

The Career Development Center will be hosting a Career Bootcamp on Tuesday and is a come and go event.

“I think it’s a very practical workshop-style event to

FilmFest celebrates 20th anniversary as award show approaches

FilmFest will celebrate its 20th annual gala on April 19 at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Abilene.  Created in partnership with the Learning Studio, the FilmFest Gala is a red carpet event held for student film creatives to publicly present a short film and possibly receive one or more awards. This is a special year for the festival as it will be celebrating its 20th anniversary. The event is open to all, and everyone is encouraged to come and witness a special surprise that will be revealed during the night.

The theme for the 2024 Filmfest has not been announced. This year marks the 20th year of ACU Filmfest and the theme will revolve around the celebration. Students participating do not have to create a film towards the theme, but it is encouraged.

“I think that Filmfest is a great outlet for creativity in places that are not in your typical class,” said Katie Pantoja, Director of Film Fest.

Any student can participate in Filmfest. There were a few interest meetings in the fall and spring to discuss details for films that were being planned. Students can still come to this meeting to find a group or to start their filmmaking this semester. This year has also seen a record number of films admitted with over 30 script submissions. This is reflective of ACU’s creative community for which FilmFest has served as an opportunity to interact

with self-expression and innovation. Through special workshops, students involved in the festival have been able to learn from industry professionals on how to hone their skills in trade specialties such as screenwriting and handling music scores.

“If you are even mildly interested in the entertainment industry, I think getting your hands on the Filmfest project and seeing all the intricate ways that you can get involved, is a super good opportunity,” said Kaden Vasquez, senior physics major from Wichita Falls who has participated in Film Fest. “I would say go for it, don’t be scared.”

The films are picked to screen. If there are too many submissions, due to time constraints, some films may not be selected to screen at the Filmfest Awards. The Filmfest committee wants each submission to be picked and takes the time to decide based on the number of submis -

sions and quality. For the films that are picked, there are awards given by the judges.

Sometimes, if the judges see exceptional aspects in a film, they will create an award. The Filmfest committee is also considering a Best Animation award if there is more than one submission in this category. An award for best original music has been awarded in previous years if there are more than one submission as well.

The Filmfest 2024 Gala will show the selected films at the Paramount on April 19th. Any student can come to the event and is encouraged to dress up fancy, like other awards shows. More information will be released closer to the event. “Take a leap of faith,” said Ana Mayes, senior multimedia major from Tegucigalpa, Honduras who has participated in Film Fest. “There are people who want to help you learn.”

URCI to highlight selected students research projects on April

BY CAROLINE HELM NEWS WRITER

This year’s Undergraduate Research, Creativity and Innovation Festival will explore undergraduate research across various fields on April 16.

The URCI Festival showcases projects spanning STEM disciplines, social sciences, humanities and the arts. A common misconception regarding the festival is that it solely STEM-focused. This year,

faculty is placing emphasis on a celebration of creativity across all academic areas.  Dr. Candice Ortbals, faculty director of undergraduate research, plays a large role in the production of this event. In addition to being faculty director, she leads the festival’s planning committee.

“One goal of the URCI festival in coming years is to increase participation from all departments on campus, and, particularly, I am interested in more sessions

about the humanities and the arts,” Ortbals said.

To participate in the festival, students have submitted abstracts of their research projects for consideration. The abstract committee, in collaboration with department committees, will review these submissions and select presenters.

Students present their research through various formats such as poster sessions, oral presentations, and performances. Judges will evaluate presentations based on

certain criteria, including:

• Clear introduction: A show of concise and informative introduction to research topics.

• Methodology explanation: An explanation of the research methodology used.

• Use of literature: A demonstration of familiarity with relevant literature in their field of study.

• Findings and conclusions: A display of clarity and depth in research findings.

One of the festival’s high-

lights is the opportunity for students to receive travel award grants for presenting their research at regional and national conferences. This promotes the exchange of ideas beyond campus.  Dr. Suzie Macaluso, sociology professor and member of the festival’s programs committee, has insights into this year’s runof-show.  “The timeline for the festival day is organized around class times so that the sessions don’t overlap

with more than one class. We put the poster sessions during the lunch hour so that students and judges can walk around and interact with the presenters before or after grabbing lunch. We always end with a dinner with awards for best oral and poster presentations in the various categories,” Macaluso said.

“The festival is a great opportunity to support your peers and to see what research might look like in your field,” said Macaluso.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ERIN WESSEL Rendering of Kojie park plans.

BY DANIEL CURD | PHOTOGRAPHER

The Paramount Theatre hosts the 2023 FilmFest.

FRATER SODALIS

Frats Are Here For A Fresh Take

The Frats look to chill the competition with their refrigerator-themed act. “Is your refrigerator running?” Because they might just run away with the coolest award of them all.

GAMMA SIGMA PHI

Willy Wonka and the GSP Factory

In a world of pure imagination, Gamma Sigma Phi takes us through the whimsical, chocolate-drenched doors of Willy Wonka’s factory. But beware, their act might leave you craving more than just a win.

2024 PREDICTIONS

Guess who’s back, back again? Hoots’ back, tell a friend. With Sing Song fever sweeping through the campus halls, The Optimist has once more enlisted the infamous Hal Hoots for his Sing Song predictions. Known for his sharp wit and keen insight, Hoots has graciously shared his picks for the each category, offering a glimpse into the fierce competition that awaits. Editor’s note: Staff members participating in a Sing Song act did not partake in the prediction process for their respective divisions.

MEN’S VOICES

1. GAMMA SIGMA PHI

Willy Wonka and the GSP Factory is serving up a delectable treat that’s leaving audiences craving more. With fun costumes, props, and hilarious lyrics, this sweet performance is sure to have everyone singing along—even if their diction is a little lacking. But watch out for those Oompa Loompas, they may be small, but they’re mighty!

2. GALAXY

Galaxy is taking a swing at the competition with their golf-themed performance, but unfortunately, their costumes didn’t quite make the cut—more bogey than birdie. Despite their lack of sartorial creativity, these Galaxy members are still ready to tee off and drive their performance straight down the fairway, aiming for a holein-one that’ll leave the audience cheering for more.

3. FRATER SODALIS

The Frats are bringing a fresh take to the stage with their refrigerator-themed performance, but unfortunately, there’s nothing inside the fridge except for a few cold feet and basic costumes. Despite their lack of culinary creativity, these Frats are still sure to bring the house down with their signature charm and infectious energy.

FRESHMAN PURPLE

Get Ready For The Ride Of Your Life

Step right up and hold on tight as the freshmen take us on a thrilling roller coaster ride! With twists, turns, and loops aplenty, their high-octane performance promises to leave the audience breathless.

SUB T-16

SUB T Rises From The Dead With Thriller Act

SUB T-16 is set to raise the dead with their spine-chilling zombie thriller! Get ready to be on the edge of your seats as they unleash their undead performance that will leave you screaming for more.

WOMEN’S VOICES MIXED VOICES

1. SIGMA THETA CHI

Sigma Theta Chi’s performance is a sweet treat that leaves the audience craving more, but will their cautious approach prevent them from taking the crown? With amazing vocals and incredible costume design, Siggies delivers a performance that’s sure to leave a lasting impression.

2. TRI KAPPA GAMMA

Tri Kappa Gamma’s Jurassic adventures promise a journey through prehistoric wonders, but will they roar to the top or face extinction? With their paper mache dinosaurs and spine-tingling vocals, TKG is sure to make a Jurassic-sized impression on the audience. But will their performance leave the crowd roaring for more, or will it end up fossilized in Sing Song history?

3. DELTA THETA

Delta Theta’s cosmic ambitions shoot for the stars, but will they reach celestial heights or fall back down to earth? With their stellar costume design and out-of-this-world choreography, DT is aiming for a performance that’s truly stellar. But will their cosmic journey leave the audience starry-eyed, or will it crash land back to reality?

SENIORS

The senior class turns back the hands of time with their charming Cooko-clock themed performance. Tick-tock your way through a whimsical journey filled with cuckoo surprises and timeless memories.

FRESHMAN WHITE Slaying Dragons, Saving Princesses - All In A Day’s Work

The freshmen take us back to a time of knights and princesses, where chivalry reigns and dragons roam. Join them on their quest as they bravely face the fiery beast to rescue their fair princesses.

1. SENIORS

The Seniors cooking up a storm with their Cooko-clock theme, but will their performance be right on time or leave the audience ticking? With a recipe that includes nostalgia, creativity, and a dash of wit, STC is sure to serve up a memorable show that’s worth savoring. Just be sure not to hit snooze!

2. FRESHMAN ROLLER COASTER

The Freshman Purple class act takes us on a wild rollercoaster ride, but will their thrilling adventure end with a victory lap or a sudden drop? With their fun set design and creative costumes, they are sure to leave the audience screaming for more. But will their performance have enough twists and turns to keep the judges on the edge of their seats, or will it leave them feeling queasy?

3. FRESHMAN PRINCESS AND KNIGHTS

Freshman White’s medieval-themed performance promises a journey through a world of knights and princesses, but will their basic set design leave the audience feeling enchanted or underwhelmed? With their decent vocals and costumes, Freshman White aims to transport the audience to a realm of chivalry and romance.

SOPHOMORES & JUNIORS UNO!

TRI KAPPA GAMMA

Jurassic Adventures With TKG

Tri Kappa Gamma takes us on a Jurassic adventure where dinosaurs roam the stage, and the only thing more ferocious than a T-Rex is their harmonies.

GATA STOP! GATA Drives On Stage

GATA is stopping traffic this year, signaling a high-energy performance with their creative take on Buckle up as GATA aims to take pole position on the Sing Song stage.

SIGMA THETA CHI Siggies Bake A Sweet Surprise

A sweet treat that leaves you craving more. They have mixed up something wonderful with this performance.

DELTA THETA

Delta Theta Shoots For The Stars

DT is ready to launch into orbit with their astronaut-themed act. Get ready for an out-of-this-world performance that’s sure to take Sing Song to new heights!

GALAXY

Moonies Swing For A Hole-In-One

Galaxy is swinging for a hole-in-one this Sing Song, with a theme that promises to drive their performance straight onto the green. Just hope their pitch isn’t a sand trap!

KO JO KAI

Kojies Light Up The Sky

Get ready to ignite the night as Kojies light up the stage with their explosive fireworks. With dazzling displays and sparkling harmonies, they’re sure to leave the audience seeing stars!

Administration returns block tuition model back to 36 hours

At the start of the spring semester, administration notified students that the block tuition model would be reduced to 33 hours for the next academic year. In March, administration retracted this change, returning block tuition to 36 hours.

The initial decision led to comments from students and faculty alike.

Brenda Castillo, freshman biology major from El Paso, planned to leave ACU as a result.

“I was actually not planning on coming back next semester because of the change to block tuition,”

Castillo said. “But then I found out that they’re changing it back, so now I’m okay, and I’m staying.”

In response to widespread criticism, the university took the rare step of resending the policy change. Tamara Long, vice president of enrollment and student engagement, was tasked with notifying students of both changes in a timely manner. She ensured that these decisions were not taken lightly.

“Any time we make a decision at the university, it’s made with multiple senior-level leaders around a table,” Long said. “It’s definitely not done with

one person or even two individuals. It’s done with many and with a lot of thought about what is best for students.”

Several students and parents felt confusion and frustration surrounding the initial change made to the block tuition model. Ariana Pereira, freshman biology major from Houston, struggled to adjust her plans.

“When I first got the email that they were changing it, it completely ruined the schedule that I had. When you’re a freshman, you plan out your whole schedule through senior year to make sure

that you’re satisfying all of the requirements. I had to reconfigure everything,” Pereira said.

The university’s original decision to change the block tuition model was influenced by the majority of students not utilizing the full 36 hours.

“As we were making plans for the next school year and evaluating things, it was apparent that at any given point in time, only about 22 percent of students were really maximizing their utilization of block tuition,” Long said. “There were a significant number of students that weren’t, so we were really

trying to think about what supports the whole.”

One month after block tuition was changed to 33 hours, students were notified that the model was returning to 36 hours. This change was made in time for students to plan their schedules accordingly for the next semester.

“There are a lot of factors of why we had to communicate it when we did.

Upon doing that, as you can imagine, we got a lot of feedback,” Long said. “I’m really grateful and thankful to work at a place where leaders are willing to sit around a table and recognize that maybe we didn’t

make the right decision or the best decision.”

Long has received positive feedback since administration chose to return block tuition to 36 hours. She said it was important to return to the original model due to many factors, including affordability and ACU’s values. In addition, this model encourages ontime graduation.

“We don’t want people to feel like we are just knee-jerking them around,” Long said. “But I do hope that decision sent a really clear message about the type of institution we are and the kind of leaders we are.”

Students constantly are facing day to day battles on campus that go unnoticed, sometimes from miles away. Worry and fear are in the back of their mind as they sit in classes and participate in extra-curriculars. Peyton Dockray is one of these students.

Dockray is a senior Kinesiology major from Canadian, a city that recently burned in a fast-moving grass fire that turned into the second-largest fire in U.S. history. This fire’s destruction extended to almost 1.1 million acres as the flames from the original fire merged into another in the Panhandle.

This fire started on Feb 26 because of an alleged fallen utility pole. This utility pole was owned by Xcel Energy, which is now facing a lawsuit. The utility pole near Stinnett, Texas, was knocked over by strong winds according to the lawsuit.

This broken pole led to multiple acres of farmland torched and destroyed, thousands of cattle and other animals dead and the death of some people as it consumed dozens of homes.

“After going through it myself and my family in 2017, now we know what people are experiencing and what we need to do to help them or try to help them,” said Chaz Rutledge, an assistant chief of the Locust Grove Volunteer Fire Department. “There is a lot of feelings of helplessness. When a fire is moving that fast, even at containment, you cannot chase it, cannot fight it adequately or put enough water out there to stop that fire.”

Wildfires are not new for these communities in the panhandle, but that does not mean the people in these communities are prepared for this type of destruction.

that were stuck in Canadian,” Dockray said. “I wanted to help and be with my family, but couldn’t, so I felt stuck and helpless.” Dockray’s family home survived the fire, but the land did not. Her family lost several acres of land, and some items on the property. The shed that was in the back of the house, once filled with family memories and keepsakes, is now in ashes.

Dockray says she feels fortunate to still have a home to go to, as many do not have this, but is still sad about the memories that were lost.

“It was sad to know that I lost items that once had memories like Christmas items and baby clothes, but it pales in comparison to the loss of others,” Dockray said.

Dockray will graduate in May and will continue her education at ACU in the doctorate program of occupational therapy. She is an honors student involved in multiple organizations on and off campus including Tri Kappa Gamma, Kinesiology club and a volunteer at Palm House.

“People within organizations that I am involved in and people around ACU reached out to me to check on my family and how I was doing,” Dockray said. “It made me feel how the ACU community has your back and how the presence of God shines through communities in times of tragedy.”

Fires can become deadly quick, especially in communities that are surrounded by fields. This makes fires hard to contain, causing these large amounts of destruction. Gregg Abbot stated in a New York Times article that

“It was just so chaotic,” said Shannon Cochran, Canadian community member who drove around giving aide during the fire. “I noticed that we were all stretched so thin.”

early assessments suggested about 400 to 500 structures had been destroyed by this wildfire. Several firefighters and other emergency workers were also injured. Along with the devastating land that was lost, multiple cattle lost their lives as well. Cattle that did not die initially from the fire but were injured had to be killed. Cattle that survived had to be relo-

cated as they had no food or water to survive.

Fires are not unusual in Texas and can happen in the summer, but the highest risk is in March when temperatures change to a hotter temperature and strong winds happen. This can cause dry grass which can start a flame.

Dockray’s family lives 10 miles outside of city limits to Canadian, but this is still

considered part of the town. Some of Dockray’s family members within city limits had to evacuate to her parents’ house, but this did not last long. Her family was evacuated three times before the fire was contained and eventually burned out.

“I felt very worried because I did not know the details about what was going on and was worried about the people

Canadian was helped by many local communities and organizations, which include the Amarillo Area Foundation, the Working Ranch Cowboy Association, the Texas Panhandle 100 Club and the Hemphill County AgriLife Extension Service. The fires ended in early March, but the community still needs help and these organizations have easy websites to donate for the fire relief.

Campus crossroads: navigating ACU’s political climate

Emma Jaax, president of the ACU Republicans, isn’t one to shy away from politics.

With around 40-50 students in regular attendance, the ACU Republicans is a student political club that organizes regular events, such as movie nights focused on freedom and patriotism, discussions with local political figures and the annual 9/11 memorials.

“Personally, I feel like most of the campus is conservative or doesn’t care about politics,” said Jaax, senior accounting major from San Antonio. “Overall, the conservative base truly is the silent majority where I think they are conservative but not loud.”

But by some recent accounts, Jaax is increasingly an anomaly, a conservative young woman.

According to Gallup data published in February, after decades of parity in political persuasion, women between age 18 and 30 are now 30 percentage points more liberal than similar aged men. And that political gender gap has only deepened in the last 5-6 years. The Financial Times noted that is holding true internationally, as well.

That’s an significant trend, especially on the campus of ACU, where the student body is notably 65% women. If the findings from national studies hold true, that women are becoming significantly more liberal that men, one might expect that to have a significant impact on campus.

But Jaax, like others, is skeptical this holds true on the Hill.

“ACU Republicans has over 300 members in it –

just as an example of the strong showing conservative base on campus,” Jaax said. And many of those members are female, she notes. “I do think there are very vocal students that are Democrats, which is why the liberal movement may feel stronger, but I think most students being from Texas encourage a more conservative student body,” Jaax said.  Jaax points out an interesting difference: just because the liberal groups at ACU are more vocal, it doesn’t mean they are the majority. She believes that while these groups might talk more loudly about their beliefs, the quiet part of the campus, which she sees as mostly conservative, is actually larger.

This perspective is particularly relevant at ACU, where Jaax notes that a significant portion of the student body is Texas-born and the possibility that the current generation is less concerned with political topics. Thus, the seeming prevalence of liberal ideologies might not be an accurate representation of the actual numbers, highlighting a dynamic where silence does not necessarily mean absence.

Historically, ACU has maintained a conservative majority, largely due to its geographical and cultural setting. Located in Texas, a state known for its conservative leanings, and as an institution rooted in the Church of Christ, which holds traditional conservative theological values, ACU naturally embodies and attracts students with these characteristics. Its position in the Bible Belt of the United States further cements its conserva -

Global Service Trip applications open

BY JAYLYNN WARD EDITOR IN CHIEF

Global Service Trip applications are open for the summer and students are encouraged to apply.

Global Service Trips are cross-cultural service and learning opportunities for students, faculty and staff, and alumni. These trips are shorter in length, usually about 1-2 weeks in length. A small group of students and two faculty members go to help with nonprofit organizations and local communities.

This year, trips include:

• Jinotega, Nicaragua during the summer with Mision Para Cristo

• Ateiku, Ghana in the summer with Ateiku Christian Ministries “The three trips that we are going on this year are new to Global Service Trips,” said Savannah Gery, travel coordinator for the Halbert Center for Missions and Global Service.

During the summer, Jinotega, Nicaragua will have options for what service opportunities a student can participate in. These options include sports with at-risk youth, companionship for young mothers-to-be, VBS shadowing medical professionals, water and sanitation, community gardens and more. This trip will last from May 19-30 and the fundraising goal is $2,000.

The second trip is to Ateiku, Ghana. This trip also has options for what a student can participate in which include website development, water and sanitation, agriculture, evangelism, capturing stories and creating media, accounting and procurement, assisting nurses, assisting teachers and more. This trip will last from June 2-15 and and the fundraising goal is $3,300.

tive identity.

But Molly Daughterity, vice president of ACU Democrats, disagrees. Daugherity said she’s seen the significant national shift toward liberal beliefs among women and that she believes women on campus are becoming much more liberal, too.

“With the work that I do on campus, I feel that the survey data matches up pretty well,” said Daughterity, sophomore sociology and psychology major from Abilene. “Our entire officer team is all women, and the officer team before us was all women, as well.”

Daughterity believes ACU is becoming more liberal than some might think. She sees signs of this change, like the existence and popularity of LGBTQ+ support group VOICE, which indicates the campus is becoming more open. Along with this, some longstanding rules at ACU that used to be more conservative leaning have been updated to be less strict like all dorms becoming co-ed.  Another reason some students see a potential shift is the growing diversity of the student body. As ACU attracts students from various backgrounds, far beyond the traditional Texas-born Church of Christ demographic, the influx of new perspectives naturally fosters a more liberal campus environment. This evolving diversity, according to Daughterity, is gradually reshaping the campus’s political and cultural landscape.

Daughterity also acknowledges the presence of a conservative majority on campus as she says that she believes that won’t be true for much longer

These trips are funded in a variety of ways, which include fundraising. Group fundraising is used to ensure that every student who wants to participate has the opportunity. This means that, if a student were to raise more than they need, it would go to another. The Halbert Center for Missions and Global Service will help students navigate how to fundraise and the different ways that they can do this. People who want to donate can do so on the website.

Along with Global Service Trips, the Halbert Center offers students two other ways to engage in cross-cultural service and learning which include Worldwide Witness and Wildcat Academics on Mission.

Worldwide Witness trips consist of, on average, two students with a duration of two to three months. These trips are summer mission internships for all students. Students’ destination and type of work depend on their skills and interests. To fund these trips, students can also fundraise to cover the cost.

WAM is a three-week trip that is worked into degree plans. The Halbert Center for Missions and Global Service collaborates with departments to create a cross-cultural development project in their major, which they then go implement in the partnering community. Students will fundraise $750 for this trip.

These participants receive six hours of credit (three hours in their major and three hours of Bible requirements).

“I took away how good God is and seeing God from a different perspective,” said Kaylee Hawes, sophomore nursing major from Flower Mound and participant of the WAM program. “Find a way to do it because it will change your life.”

and suggests that the fear of expressing dissenting opinions may make the visibility of liberal viewpoints less apparent.

Matthew Madison isn’t affiliated with campus political organizations, but he perceives ACU as inherently conservative and that the national trend isn’t being reflected locally. “I have noticed that more women are speaking up about liberal views, but I think women are only becoming more liberal in places where that is the majority, so not in Abilene,” said Madison, senior business major from Midland. “I don’t think our campus is anywhere close to being more liberal because despite what you might be being told, they are only a portion of people at ACU who are liberal.”

While Jaax acknowledges a slow, yet noticeable, shift towards more liberal ideologies, she

believes that the presence of a conservative majority will not only stick but continue to grow.

Jaax’s comments on the role of gender in political conversations, and her observation of the perceived threats felt by conservative men in the face of feminist movements, add layers to the discussion of ideological divides within the campus.

The debate over whether ACU mirrors the national trend of a gendered split in political ideologies is further complicated by Jaax’s assertion that while there might be factors that cause a gender divide, she does not see gender as a main factor for political views.

“I don’t really think there is any connection of gender to politics – that is just not something I am thinking about when I am generally having a political conversation with someone,” Jaax said.

Despite the majority-female demographic, the majority belief among students like Jaax and Madison is that the campus maintains its conservative roots. The university’s conservative leaning, deeply influenced by its location in Texas, its affiliation with the Church of Christ, and its position in the Bible Belt, appears to play a more defining role in shaping its political climate than the gender composition of its students. This presents ACU as a compelling counterpoint to broader studies on political trends such as the one done by Gallup.

“I think we are going to start moving to a more liberal side, in the future, as the conservative population will always be present on campus,” Jaax said. “But, there has always been a strong conservative population on the ACU campus, and I only see that growing every year.”

Baseball wins fourth straight series

Baseball (17-11, 8-4) won its fourth series in a row last week, taking down Utah Valley (13-15, 5-4) at home, two games to one. After falling in the series opener, ACU was able to bounce back on Friday and Saturday to take the last two games including a walk-off win on Saturday.

The Wildcats were coming off a road series win against Sacramento State the previous weekend and were looking to keep the momentum going after getting some rest with no mid-week game scheduled.

Utah Valley entered the weekend on a five-game win streak including a 15-11 win over BYU in their last outing.

In Thursday night’s opener, the Wolverines got on the board early, scoring the first two runs of the game off of a two-run homer into left. The Wildcats quickly responded in the first with back-to-back home runs from senior outfielder Miller Ladusau and graduate utility man Gino D’Alessio.

After the two homers, senior infielder Garrett Williams drove a ball into left for a single and was able to steal second and third base, setting up senior infielder Bobby Serfass to send one up the middle for an RBI single to make it 3-2.

“It was a typical game of a weekend series,” head coach Rick McCarty said. “Back and forth early on and neither team really capitalized early which puts you in the seventh inning in a 3-2 game where every pitch matters.”

with graduate right-handed pitcher Brett Garcia taking the loss in relief.

Junior right-handed pitcher Iain Campa would be on the mound for the Wildcats on Friday night looking to even the series after Thursday’s loss.

After getting two outs in the top of the seventh, sophomore right-handed pitcher Cade McGarrh would come in with the bases loaded and give up an unfortunate goahead grand slam giving the Wolverines a 6-3 lead. UVU would tally one more in the eighth and not give up a hit through the final three innings, taking game one 7-3. “Thursday night was a very competitive game,” McCarty said. “Statistically speaking, they lead the WAC in a lot of offensive categories so to hold them down over the course of nine innings, you’re going to have to score some runs.”

The Wildcats finished with eight hits, two coming from Williams, and two errors

Despite the bats being hot in the first, the next handful of innings would be controlled on the mound. After giving up the two solo shots in the first, graduate right-handed pitcher Austin Glaze would pitch four hitless innings keeping the Wildcats up, one going into the sixth inning. The Wildcats would get runners on the corners in the bottom of the sixth, but would not be able to bring the insurance runner home.

After a dull first two and a half innings of play, the Wildcat offense came to life in the bottom of the third inning, despite getting two quick strikeouts to open up the inning. Junior infielder Zandt Payne got things started, working an eight-pitch walk and making his way to third on a single from Ladusau.

Payne would score the first run of the game on a wild pitch, moving Ladusau to third, who would quickly be brought home off an RBI single from D’Alessio. In the next AB Williams would knock down a single and junior infielder DJ Van Atten would hit a double down the line to bring both runners home and make it a 4-0 lead for the Wildcats. Four straight singles from the bottom of the lineup extended the Wildcat to seven, adding one more after Ladusau would record a hit-bypitch with the bases loaded to make it an 8-0 lead after eight hits from the Wildcats.

“It was great to get out in front and score early,” McCarty said. “Knowing that they are gonna score some runs. Having the ability to just kind of hold on there down the stretch…so to score eight was great there early.”

Despite the lead, UVU would fight to get back in the game, cutting into the lead in the top of the fourth and adding one more in the fifth and sixth innings to make it an 8-6 game.

After the big third inning, the Wildcats would only get one more hit the remainder of the game and junior right-handed pitcher Caden Greanead would pitch a scoreless eighth and ninth to earn the save and close out the game giving the Wildcats an 8-6 victory, evening up the series.

The Wildcats finished with ten hits and four errors, with D’Alessio and senior infielder Benjamin Greer accounting for two hits apiece.

In the series finale, the Wildcats got things going in the bottom of the third with a leadoff single from senior outfielder Aaron Staehely. Greer followed up with a double to move Staehely to third and freshman outfielder Reese Borho would send a SAC bunt down to the first baseman to score the first run of the game. Payne followed with a SAC fly into right to bring home Greer and make it a 2-0 advantage for the Wildcats.

Freshman left-handed pitcher Brett Lanman pitched a strong six innings, striking out five, allowing only two hits and holding the Wolverines scoreless until a solo shot in the sixth to make it 2-1. In the top of the eight, Utah Valley was able to tie it up at two runs each.

In the bottom of the eight,

with the bases loaded, two outs and a full count, Williams would hit a ground ball directly to the UVU shortstop, who would commit a costly error allowing two Wildcat runners to make their way home, giving ACU a 4-2 lead. Despite the lead, Greanead could not shut the door and the Wolverines would tie things up with a two-run homer and send the game to the bottom of the ninth.

Sophomore catcher Maddox Miesse started the bottom half of the inning with a crucial double on an 0-2 count. A bunt moved the runner to third and after an intentional walk, it would be Borho with the chance to end it for the Wildcats. The freshman would do just that, sending one into right, bringing home the runner from third, giving the Wildcats a 5-4 win and their fourth series victory in a row.

“It’s great to see some of these young guys get these experiences early in their career,” McCarty said. “Hopefully, you’re looking back at that two, three, four years from now and they’ve just got a lot to draw from.”

The Wildcats finished the game with six hits and no errors, giving them their eighth conference win of the season and bringing their overall season record to 17-11.

The team hits the road once again as it heads to Nacogdoches this weekend to take on Stephen F. Austin, with Friday’s first pitch set for 6:30 p.m.

Softball loses two straight, dropping weekend series

Softball (12-20, 4-7) dropped its three-game series to Utah Valley (12-17, 6-3), ending the weekend with back-toback losses. After dominating the first game 10-2, the Wildcats lost momentum and fell to the Wolverines 4-5 and 2-5.

In game one of Fridays double-header, the Wildcats were able to plate one run in the first but the Wolverines would quickly respond, tying the game on a solo homer in the second. In the top of the second , the Wildcats began to build a substantial lead scoring five in the inning and going up 6-1. The team continued to pile it on in the fourth, scoring four more and junior pitcher Lina Russo would close out the complete game for the Wildcats and earn the 10-2 vicotry at the end of the fifth.

In game two, the Wildcats got in a hole early, down 5-0 through the first three and a half innings. The team was able to plate two runs in the fourth and two in the sixth but could not complete the comeback victory, falling in the back-half of the double-header 5-4

“It’s really fun to come out of the gates just pounding,” head coach Abigail Farler said. “We put a lot of good balls in play, our base running was a lot of fun, very aggressive and we took some risks and forced some things. So I was really happy on the offensive side there.”

In the bottom of the sixth inning, junior utility player Catrin Hoffman, batted one run in to make it a 5-2 game, which would eventually be the final in the series finale as Russo would take the loss for ACU.

ACU had five hits in the final game of the series with Hoffman recording the teams only extra-base hit.

“We are right there,” Farler said. “In every statistical category we look a lot stronger. We are growing and trying to remind the team in

In the series’ third game, ACU had a slow start and did not score until the third inning when sophomore infielder Sammie Shelander hit an RBI single to drive in junior outfielder Olivia Marble to tie the score 1-1. However, the Wolverines took advantage of the Wildcats in the fifth and sixth innings, scoring four runs to advance their lead to 5-1.

BY JOHN STAI | PHOTOGRAPHER

Benjamin Greer, senior infielder, runs to home plate.