The Optimist Print Edition 03.09.2007 by ACU Optimist

The •

Vol. 95, No. 43

IN THIS ISSUE CAMPUS Church hopping

In the past five years, more students raised in the Church of Christ branch out during college to find a new church home, page 4

Save the environment The Students’ Association passed a resolution Wednesday to promote recycling on campus, page 4

Last chance

Although 125 applications to be a residence assistant have already been turned in, Residence Life is still accepting applications, page 3

Seeing a rerun

Some students who participated in FilmFest last fall are revising their films into a longer format to compete in FilmFest Too, page 3

SPORTS

OPTIMIST

1 sections, 10 pages

FRIDAY

March 9, 2007

•

www.acuoptimist.com

University to launch 21st Century Vision n Future plans for the university include renovating the Campus Center, growing the endowment, raising academic requirements and increasing scholarships. By MALLORY SCHLABACH Editor in Chief

In an attempt to set the university apart from its main competitors including Texas A&M, Baylor and University of Texas, ACU will seek to in-

crease the level of academic challenge in the classroom, said Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, in a faculty and staff meeting Wednesday. Wednesday’s presentation alerted faculty and staff in two separate sessions to the plans for the 21st Century Vision, a document of future goals for the university to achieve. Money said in a national

survey given to freshmen and seniors each year, seniors have responded that they aren’t sufficiently challenged in the classrooms. To change this, he said faculty need to feel empowered by the administration to implement a more rigorous approach to education, whether that is through more challenging courses, higher standards on tests and assignments or raising the grading scale, all at

each faculty’s discretion. “It is far too easy for the student culture to get sidetracked with extracurricular activities and social interactions,” Money said. “Take Sing Song for example; faculty see an increased drop in attendance and grades during Sing Song. “Don’t get me wrong, social involvement is important See

VISION page 5

FUTURE PLANS n A more rigorous approach to academics in the classroom n Renovations on campus to create more spaces for community building n Raising the ACT/SAT scores required to be accepted to the university n Increasing the retention rate to 80 percent and the graduation rate to 60 percent

Missions Institute prepares students for world n With the inception of the Halbert Institute for Missions and the addition of mission coordinators in the past six years, students have a new approach to missions. By LAUREN SUTTON Opinion Editor

Branching out

The ACU tennis teams will travel across Texas to play Division I, II and III opponents during spring break, page 10

In less than a week students participating in Spring Break Campaigns will venture to meet the needs of locals in an array of national and international communities, but this popular ACU tradition is not the only way students are learning about ministerial service. ACU continues to offer a variety of programs and classes and hire overseas missionaries to foster an interest toward mission work and provide a spectrum of opportunities for students of all concentrations to reach the world in both domestic and international contexts. With a mission to equip students for servant leadership across the globe, the university is making strides through the development of the Halbert Institute for Missions to relevantly connect its students to their culture with a unique message of hope.

Halbert Institute for Missions

Championship dreams

The track and field team attempts to win this week while in Boston at the Indoor National Championships, page 10

Boston correspondent

Jared Fields, managing editor of the Optimist, will be reporting from Boston this week with the track and field team as they compete in the Indoor National Championships.

Since as early as 1968, ACU has provided students the option of majoring in missionary training, but in 2000 the Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry reformatted its program See

MISSIONS page 8

LACI ADKINS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Dan McVey, African missions coordinator, sits outside his African hut constructed on the outskirts of his property in Clyde. The hut reminds him of his love overseas and is a ministry tool he uses when preparing missionaries for a cross-cultural experience.

A heart for missions abroad Dan McVey and his family lived in Ghana, Africa, for 21 years ministering to the people and developing life-long relationships By LAUREN SUTTON Opinion Editor

The African hut with its mud walls and thatched roof stands out in the dust filled, tumbleweed landscape of West Texas. Sitting in the back of ACU professor Dan McVey’s property, the hut is used for authentic African worship services, weekend retreats for interns preparing for crosscultural living and as a therapy for its builder. But more than these things, Dan’s African escape

serves as a reminder that, though his residence is now in Clyde, much of his heart still remains in the place where African huts aren’t such a novelty at all: Ghana.

Preparing for Africa A graduate of Freed-Hardeman University, Dan served as a preacher at a small Church of Christ in Southeast Missouri but dreamed of doing ministry overseas someday. “I grew up in the mountains of East Tennessee; I didn’t have any international connection,” Dan said. “Still,

the rest of their belongings and returned to Ghana where they would spend the next 21 years of their lives.

Beginning years Situated on the Gulf of Guinea, Ghana is a West African country with a tropical climate and a rich heritage. Chieftaincy, tribal distinctions and traditional systems remain prevalent in Ghana while other eastern and southern African countries have lost many of their See

GHANA page 8

400+ students to spend break serving others n Students involved in Spring Break Campaigns leave Friday for more than 24 destinations around the country and the world to help, build and work alongside others. By ASHLEY ROBINSON Student Reporter

ONLINE Making smart choices

Last week the Counseling Center sponsored Making Choices Week, which featured guest speakers, Chapel forums and information booths. See how the week went online at www.acuoptimist.com.

the intention was to go overseas somewhere.” In 1981, Dan took advantage of a month-long opportunity to travel to Ghana for a church project and, after making connections with local Ghanaian Christians, became interested in moving to West Africa long term. So Dan went back to Ghana in 1982 to learn more about the logistics of living in Africa, but this time he took his bride, Brenda. Almost immediately after coming home from their two-week trip abroad, the two packed

The map above shows the states where students will travel next week for Spring Break Campaigns. Several states have two campaigns going to different cities.

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

More than four hundred students are giving up their spring break to venture out, from coast to coast and internationally, to spend the week serving others. Spring Break Campaigns have been an ACU tradition for the past 30 years, and this year is no exception. With 24 cities across the U.S. and

four international locations, the impact Spring Break Campaign goers have on those they work with is massive. “Programs like Spring Break Campaigns are unique and important to the ACU student body,” said Jennifer King, junior finance and accounting major from Grapevine and student chair for Spring Break Campaigns. “These campaigns align so well with ACU’s mission statement.” Spring Break Campaigns are student-led and allow students to take part of ACU and its values and impact the lives of others in a positive

Abilene Christian University

way. The Campaigns offer people and their communities Christ-like service through Vacation Bible School, community service, helping in shelters, building houses and hands on service. “It shows whole communities that there are people, college students, who genuinely care about not only their physical well-being but their spiritual well-being,” King said. This year, four new SBC cities are being offered: Anaheim, Calif., led by Blake Earnhart and Jennifer King; See

SBC page 5

Serving the ACU community since 1912

The •

Vol. 95, No. 43

IN THIS ISSUE CAMPUS Church hopping

In the past five years, more students raised in the Church of Christ branch out during college to find a new church home, page 4

Save the environment The Students’ Association passed a resolution Wednesday to promote recycling on campus, page 4

Last chance

Although 125 applications to be a residence assistant have already been turned in, Residence Life is still accepting applications, page 3

Seeing a rerun

Some students who participated in FilmFest last fall are revising their films into a longer format to compete in FilmFest Too, page 3

SPORTS

OPTIMIST

1 sections, 10 pages

FRIDAY

March 9, 2007

•

www.acuoptimist.com

In an attempt to set the university apart from its main competitors including Texas A&M, Baylor and University of Texas, ACU will seek to in-

VISION page 5

Branching out

The ACU tennis teams will travel across Texas to play Division I, II and III opponents during spring break, page 10

Halbert Institute for Missions

Championship dreams

The track and field team attempts to win this week while in Boston at the Indoor National Championships, page 10

Boston correspondent

Jared Fields, managing editor of the Optimist, will be reporting from Boston this week with the track and field team as they compete in the Indoor National Championships.

Since as early as 1968, ACU has provided students the option of majoring in missionary training, but in 2000 the Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry reformatted its program See

MISSIONS page 8

LACI ADKINS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A heart for missions abroad Dan McVey and his family lived in Ghana, Africa, for 21 years ministering to the people and developing life-long relationships By LAUREN SUTTON Opinion Editor

serves as a reminder that, though his residence is now in Clyde, much of his heart still remains in the place where African huts aren’t such a novelty at all: Ghana.

the rest of their belongings and returned to Ghana where they would spend the next 21 years of their lives.

GHANA page 8

ONLINE Making smart choices

Last week the Counseling Center sponsored Making Choices Week, which featured guest speakers, Chapel forums and information booths. See how the week went online at www.acuoptimist.com.

The map above shows the states where students will travel next week for Spring Break Campaigns. Several states have two campaigns going to different cities.

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

Abilene Christian University

SBC page 5

Serving the ACU community since 1912

Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date:

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 Friday, March 9, 2007

Credited Chapels remaining:

38 34

Calendar & Events

Friday

Freshman Action Council co-chair applications are due. 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. The softball team plays Texas A&M Kingsville at Wells Field.

Saturday

12 p.m. and 2 p.m. The softball team plays Texas A&M Kingsville at Wells Field.

Volunteer Opportunities Freedom Fellowship Church needs volunteers to assist with a variety of after-school activities for at-risk youth, such as tutoring, basketball and air hockey, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. and Fridays from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Contact the Volunteer ServiceLearning Center in the Bean Sprout for more information. Big A Club of City Light Community Ministries has an urgent need on Wednesdays from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. for volunteers to ride buses and vans with elementary-age children and to help with Bible studies. Contact the Volunteer ServiceLearning Center in the Bean Sprout for more information. Meals on Wheels needs volunteers to deliver meals to seniors and adults with disabilities. This usually takes about an hour, and students can have one day of Chapel per week excused for this service. Contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout for more information. Girl Scout Troop #1550 needs young women who want to make a difference in young girls’ lives through Girl Scouting. The girls are from underprivileged homes, and they need positive Christian inﬂuences in their lives. Volunteers will help conduct

meetings, including arts and crafts. Help is needed every Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. until May. For more information, contact Diltzie Andrews at (325) 673-6379. Big Brothers, Big Sisters is looking for young women willing to volunteer time and energy mentoring in a program called Y-teens. Through activities and service projects, this program will empower young girls with knowledge about life skills and will build self-confidence while creating an atmosphere for learning and emotional growth. Help is needed every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Franklin Middle School and Lincoln Middle School. For more information, contact Erin McMullen or MC Jennings at (325) 677-7839. Day Nursery of Abilene needs help setting up for their annual Mexican dinner, preparing and serving food and cleaning up. The dinner will be held on March 24 in the Abilene High School cafeteria. Help is requested from noon to 10 p.m. For more information, contact Pat Peck at (325) 670-0002. The Betty Hardwick Center needs help in their office answering phones, filing, copying and running errands. For more information, contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout.

Monday

Spring Break

Tuesday

Spring Break

About This Page The Optimist maintains this calendar for the ACU community to keep track of local social, academic and service opportunities. Groups may send announcements directly to optimist@acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor at mxe06a@acu.edu.

To ensure that an item will appear on time, the announcement should be sent at least 10 days before. The Optimist may edit items for space and style. Corrections and clariﬁcations of published news articles will be printed in this space in a timely manner.

Announcements Dr. James Culp, former English professor, died Monday at the Marshall Co. Hospital in Benton, Ky. Dr. Culp graduated from ACU in 1949, taught English and was chair of the English Department from 1959-67. He won Teacher of the Year in 1962 and endowed the Culp Professorship in English and the Culp Scholarship shared by the departments of English and history. Services will be on Friday in Benton. The family request that memorial contributions be made to the Briensburg Church of Christ Building Fund or to the Briensburg Cemetery Fund, C/O John E. Culp, 1482 Briensburg Rd., Benton, KY 42025. The Women for Abilene Christian University are accepting schol-

arship applications through March 23. The scholarship is for $1,000 a semester for the 2007-08 school year. For a copy of the application or more information, e-mail Samantha Adkins at samantha. adkins@alumni.acu.edu. The First Annual 5k Saving Babies Race will be April 28. This race will be held by March of Dimes in conjunction with Walk America. The race will start at 8:30 a.m.. Check in at 7:30 a.m. at Redbud Park. The Entry fee is $25. Awards will be given to the top overall runners and the top three males and females in each age category. For more information, e-mail sks06k@acu.edu or call (325) 672-0566. Download an entry form at www.abilenerunners.com.

CAMPUS NEWS

Friday, March 9, 2007

‘Sprout’- ing a tune

Page 3

R.A. applicants await response n About 125 students have applied for R.A. positions for next year. The deadline has passed, but applications are still accepted in the residence life office. By SHARON RAPELJE Student Reporter

EMILY SMITH CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Homer Hiccolm & the Rocket Boys perform at the Bean Sprout on Tuesday night.

FilmFest Too marked for May n FilmFest will take place in spring for the first time, and it will try new ways such as an outdoor premiere, a variety of categories and a student voting system. By JOHNNY BAUTISTA Staff writer

For the first time in its threeyear existence, FilmFest will now be part of the spring semester. Doug Darby, FilmFest founder and executive director, said the recent popularity of the event is what drove him to do another show in the spring. “It’s the third year and a lot of people know about it,” said Matt Maxwell, FilmFest student director. “We’ve even had incoming students who already know about it.” Darby said the fall show has more constraints and tests participants’ ability to execute while the spring show is more of a showcase. “It’s the ability to just do your thing the way you want to do it,” Darby said. “We’ve had a lot of success, especially this year,” Darby said. “The quality has improved tremendously over the past few years. We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from the judges, and we just felt

that the time was right.” Darby said the show would probably happen during the first week of May and said this would allow students enough time to work on their films and give them a whole week during spring break to work on their project if they need to. Many FilmFest participants know about the certain requirements the fall show enforces, but Darby said with the spring show, students may use any kind of camera and software they would like to use for their film. “We feel that having a show in the spring will help us establish the event,” Darby said. “We want to make sure that we can find new ways to use this.” One new thing the FilmFest crew will try in the spring is host the show outdoors. Darby said they are hoping to be able to have the premiere at the Tower of Light and make it a two-night event. “We think it would be a more casual environment, and there is no money or admission fee required,” Darby said. “I think it will give us a chance to present this in a unique way.” Another different aspect of the spring show is stu-

dents can make films for any category ranging from horror to musicals. The winner of the spring show will be determined by student votes. Students will be able to watch the films on the FilmFest Web site and each student will be allowed one vote for the “People’s Choice Award.” Darby said the requirements for the spring show are the following: participants must have participated in any of the three years of its existence, students must be in good academic standing, films must be compliant with ACU policy and, like the fall show, films must have an MPAA rating of PG or less. “FilmFest is an interesting phenomenon,” Darby said. “We’re only in our third year, and it already feels like an established institute in the university. I think we touched on something that really appeals on a lot of levels to our students. We feel as though we provide another unique opportunity for them to express themselves.” An interest meeting will be held the week after students return from spring break. E-mail Bautista at: jjb02b@acu.edu

Shannon Buchanan says ‘hello’ to each girl by name, talking to her as though she were her best friend, as she walks pass. “There’s a lot of girls that I’m very good friends with because of this job,” said Buchanan, senior psychology major from Lubbock, who has been a resident assistant since her sophomore year. Buchanan said she really enjoyed forming relationships and fulfilling the needs of others.

So far about 125 potential R.A.s have applied for the next academic year. Although the deadline was in February, Rebecca Cates said applications are still being accepted and can be turned into the residence life office in McKinzie Hall. Cates, director of Sikes Hall, said those applying must be at least of sophomore classification to work in the freshman residence halls and at least of junior classification to work in the sophomore residence halls. She said she would not turn anyone away because she does not want to overlook someone who would be great for the job. “Were looking for someone who has a heart for people,” Cates said.

R.A. duties include working from 10 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday. During these nights, the R.A. can set up activities to interact with the residents. R.A.s also have a desk shift once a week. Cates said a good R.A. goes beyond these basic duties. They try to be a friend, Christian guide and a brother or sister to their residents, Cates said. “Some R.A.s really feel that being involved in residence life, is a ministry opportunity for them — a mission field for them,” Cates said. Cates said some R.A.s reapply each year, but residence life appreciates new faces who bring fresh energy and ideas.

E-mail Rapelje at: optimist@acu.edu

Class offered in Argentina for break n Dr. Paul Ammons and 10 students will spend their spring break in Argentina, studying globalization at the University of Buenos Aires. By EMILY SMITH

Chief Photographer

World globalization, city tours and a tango show highlight 10 ACU students’ spring breaks. Dr. Paul Ammons, professor of social work and director of the School of Social Work, is teaching 10 students as a visiting professor at the University of Buenos Aires. The students earn a three-hour credit for a class, “Globalization,” through the university. Ashley Jefferson, senior social work major from Austin, is going on the trip. “A lot of other programs have study abroad courses, and we thought it would be

fun to go and do one ourselves,” Jefferson said. The trip is more expensive than a Spring Break Campaign but less expensive than taking a class on campus. The total cost of the trip, $950, includes all meals, entertainment and board but does not include the cost of airfare. Ammons said the class is especially useful since he will take the students around to different city sights and apply it to what they are learning in class. “The class is about the effects of globalization on local life and the growing interconnectedness that we have throughout the world in political life, religious life and cultural life,” Ammons said. Students will experience native foods and a tango show as part of their trip.

They will also take a tour called “Ethnic Buenos Aires” where they will learn about the ethnic diversity that exists in the city, Ammons said. “We’ll go to Jewish sights, we’ll go to Islamic sights, we’ll go to catholic sights and compare and contrast those varying influences on Argentine culture,” he said. Even though the class will only last a week, Ammons said the students will have a better knowledge of globalization because they will learn about it and then go out into the community and visit people who are effected by it. “It will be a whirlwind tour of Buenos Aires,” he said.

E-mail Smith at: eds04c@acu.edu

CAMPUS NEWS

Page 4

Friday, March 9, 2007

Students search for churches beyond denomination n ACU has kept to the Church of Christ tradition since its foundation, but today more students are branching out into other churches of diverse denominations. By ANDREA LUCADO Student Reporter

Zack Robinson felt uncomfortable the first time he visited Beltway Park Baptist Church. He did not like the preaching, the music or the environment. He thought the instruments were showy and the atmosphere was distant. It was not the conservative Church of Christ he had attended in Missouri, and he had only gone because of a friend’s persuasion. When Robinson transferred to ACU in fall of 2004, he believed anyone who did not attend the Church of Christ was going to hell, and he had believed that his entire life. It wasn’t until he noticed that his friends outside the Church of Christ were seeking God just as much as he was that he began to change his mind. “I changed the lens I read Scripture through,” said Robinson, senior marketing major from Poplar Bluff, Mo. He said he began to notice what Jesus put importance on in the Bible, and that made him think. By his second year at ACU, Robinson had a new mindset and had become open to different ideas like instruments. He began going to Beltway regularly and within a month he had fallen in love with the church and began to claim it as his own. ACU has been firmly rooted in the Church of Christ since 1905 when Col. J.W. Childers, a member of the Church of Christ in Abilene, became the school’s first financial supporter. One hundred and two years later, Church of Christ roots remain deeply planted. In recent years more students from Church of Christ backgrounds have chosen to visit and attend other Christian churches in Abilene. Steve Hare, adjunct faculty

in Bible, missions and ministry and campus minister at Highland Church of Christ, has noticed this shift in ACU students and where they have begun to attend church. He said over the last five or six years, the Sunday morning college class at Highland has gone from between 150 and 175 in attendance to between 75 and 100 each week. Hare said he believes in many reasons for this change; a main one being that students feel more freedom today to venture outside the Church of Christ. Jordan Lott, senior family studies major from Abilene, grew up at Highland and then left the church for nine months during her sophomore year to go to a nondenominational church. Lott said when she returned to Highland she appreciated it more. “There is wisdom in tradition,” Lott said. Frances Green, campus minister at Southern Hills Church of Christ, agrees students feel more freedom as far as church searching. She said as she was growing up she was taught that the “Church of Christ is the only way,” and said that was a common teaching in her generation. “Students are less bound by tradition … they’re looking for authentic relationships,” Frances said, referring to current ACU students and why they have begun to frequent churches outside the Church Of Christ. Unlike Highland, Southern Hills Church of Christ’s college ministry has grown significantly since Frances and her husband Dr. Gary Green, missions coordinator for Latin America and ministry leader at Southern Hills, joined the congregation a few years ago. Frances said that five years ago the Wednesday night college service did not even have 30 attendees, and it now averages between 300 and 500 a week, vacillating with the seasons.

Gary said High Impact Praise or HIP, the Wednesday night college praise service, is probably what attracts most ACU students to Southern Hills while Sunday morning service attendance is lower at about 100 each week. Although the Southern Hills college student population has not suffered from the shift of ACU students away from the Church of Christ, Gary has seen it on campus. He said this is a result of the consumerist society students are immersed in today. This mindset applies to students searching for a church home when they move to Abilene. Gary said the negative side to this consumerist approach is students tend to search for a church that best fits them and start to think it’s “all about me.” “Our generation is the ‘feed me’ generation,” Lott said, meaning students today tend to want a church to serve them more than they

Local Churches

Fountaingate Fellowship Church Willis St Highland Church of Christ Highland Drive

Baker Heights S 14th St Church of Christ Texas Ave Broadview Baptist Southwest Dr

S 27th St South Pointe Church

Southern Hills Church of Christ Buffalo Gap Rd

Loop 322

This map of Abilene shows a variety of churches in the area that students could attend or visit while at ACU, including Southern Hills Church of Christ, Fountaingate Fellowship Church, Southpointe Church, Broadview Baptist, Highland Church of Christ and Baker Heights Church of Christ.

things,” he said. “That connects with students.” He said Life Groups have been a cause of growth for

“It’s not wrong to search, but stay grounded in the Scripture.” Jordan Lott, senior family studies major from Abilene

want to serve the church. Gary said a positive side to consumerist church shopping is it can convict a church of not meeting the needs of its younger generation if college student attendance is low, inspiring the church’s leaders to action and change in order to meet those needs. Keith Roberson, university pastor at Beltway Park Baptist, said Beltway’s ability to do this is why many ACU students are drawn to Beltway Park. Roberson said the university population at Beltway averages 400 to 500 every week, and 65 to 70 percent of that is ACU students. He said the main magnet for these students is the worship. “We have a release from the traditional way of doing

Ambler Ave

ACU students, and more Life Groups are forming now than before he became the university pastor two and a half years ago. Around 130 to 150 ACU students are involved with these groups. He said these small groups are not Bible studies — they’re life studies. “The community among the college group really appeals to me,” said Robinson who was previously antiBeltway and is now an active member. Beltway is different from the conservative church he grew up in, and this may be why it attracts ACU students who come from a more conservative Church of Christ background, like Robinson. “When kids get a taste of God moving in a new and different way, that appeals

to them,” Robinson said. While many students who attend ACU come from Churches of Christ, ACU is also attracting students of many various church backgrounds, both denominational and nondenominational. Robert Heil, director of admissions and enrollment management and University Relations, said 60 percent of first-year students in fall 2006 were from the Church of Christ. This has declined from the 66 percent of firstyear students that came from the Church of Christ in fall 2002. Heil said this number is not statistically significant and said he has seen growth in both the Church of Christ and not Church of Christ groups. He did say, however, he has seen more growth in the nonChurch of Christ group. Heil said a reason for this could be that students looking into strong Christian colleges are attracted to ACU even if they’re not Church of Christ members. “If they’re looking for a serious Christian university, there’s not a lot of options,” Heil said. Frances said she believes this shift is healthy, and

the only danger in church experimenting is hopping from one body to another for four or five years without becoming familiar with one place. She said she encourages searching for a church but also said it is important for students to “land quickly somewhere.” Lott said, “It’s not wrong to search, but stay grounded in the Scripture.” Robinson and Lott see an exciting future for ACU. Despite the undeniable drifting from the Church of Christ, Lott said she think there’s going to be more unity among students. Robinson agrees and said he senses a spiritual renewal on campus that will result from students who are “hungry for Jesus and Jesus only.” “I feel like ACU five years from now will be completely different spiritually,” Robinson said.

E-mail Lucado at: optimist@acu.edu

Recycling issue, free bowling for students discussed at SA meeting n The Congress has passed the resolution to support recycling facilities on campus and weekly free bowling for students, beginning the week after spring break. By KELSI PEACE Features Editor

Students can celebrate environmental awareness with a free game of bowling, thanks to Wednesday’s Students’ Association meeting. With push from an environmental science class, the Outdoor Club, the Evangelical Youth Climate Initiative and now the Students’ Association,

campus may boast 15 to 20 new recycling receptacles — one per building — by the end of the semester. At the SA meeting Wednesday, freshman senator David Vanderpool, Bible, missions and ministry major from Brentwood, Tenn., presented “a resolution to support recycling facilities and to encourage their use among the students and faculty,” according to the document. Congress unanimously passed the resolution. According to the resolution, the university produces

more than one metric ton of garbage per week, 38 percent of which is recyclable. Vanderpool said while there are receptacles on campus now, there are not enough. With the resolution, SA officially “request[s] that the university administration set up recycling receptacles in each dorm and building on campus, and encourage[s] students and faculty to help preserve the earth through recycling.” The next step, Vanderpool said, is to write a bill requesting money from Congress for the receptacles, a

project Vanderpool said he plans to begin immediately. His goal, he said, is to complete the project before the end of the semester. Vanderpool said while not all students are overtly concerned with the environment, convincing apathetic students to support the project proved easy. He also said administration has been very supportive as well. Congress also agreed to pay $600 to allow free bowling for students, faculty and staff Tuesdays from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., after pass-

ing the bill by representative Kat Edyvean, freshman nursing major from Spring, 38-7 with absentee votes. The bill will allow free bowling beginning the week after spring break through the end of the semester, excluding finals week. “I think in the end, we’ll probably be getting the better end of it,” said Tyler Cosgrove, SA executive treasurer and senior finance major from Amarillo. Edyvean, who has been working with Joel Swedlund, manager of the Cam-

pus Center, for the past five weeks on agreement, said SA is essentially renting the bowling alley for students. “Part of it is just kind of a reward for students,” Edyvean said. Cosgrove encouraged Congress to submit ideas for use of the $3,250 allotted to Congress; the funds will be used for the bowling bill and could be used for the recycling initiative if Vanderpool submits a bill requesting funds. E-mail Peace at: knp04a@acu.edu

Friday, March 9, 2007

Finding a deal

Help sought to tutor English n Two students created a place where international students can receive help on the English language skills and in studying for classes on Thursdays. By MORGAN WILLIAMS Student Reporter

International students are given a chance to interact and practice skills of the English language through the campus-wide organization called Conversation Thursdays. The group meets every Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Room 250 of the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies building. “One goal of International Students Organization is to bring the American community and the international community together,” said Erin Rodermund, senior vocational missions major from Dallas. Thursdays are designed

to help meet the three greatest needs international students on our campus have. Rodermund describes these needs as: community with national students, help with conversational English and tutoring in classes, specifically Bible classes. Rodermund puts together different activities for each week that allows the international students a chance to practice conversational English in ways they might not have the chance to do on an everyday basis. Rodermund is seeking people to help with tutoring for Bible classes Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. “I am not looking for people who know the Bible well,” Rodermund said, “But they need to be able to explain the vocabulary to the students.” Ryan Campbell, graduate

student in the College of Biblical Studies from Thousand Oaks, Calif., came to Rodermund with the idea for Conversation Thursdays. “Ryan is the original visionary who asked me to join him in dreaming about how we can move radically on our campus for the international community,” Rodermund said. Campbell has been living with an international student from Rwanda for the past year. “When he came here, he did not know English,” Campbell said. “Because of our relationship and others like it, he is now a great English speaker.” “Our meetings are for everyone,” Rodermund said. “Our hope and prayer is that all people will come.” ADRIAN CRUZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER E-mail Williams at: optimist@acu.edu

Matthew Dowell, freshman management major from Leon Valley, shops at the GATA garage sale on Saturday.

Student to work at Disneyland, earn credit n Sandra Larson will make her dream come true in May when she joins the staff at Disney World to work in merchandising and take college courses. By KELSI PEACE Features Editor

When Sandra Larson was in elementary school, she made a poster saying when she grew up she wanted to work at Disneyland. More than ten years later, Sandra’s about to live up to the dream that she keeps pinned to her wall. Sandra, junior interdisciplinary major from Tuscan, Ariz., recently received her acceptance letter to the Walt Disney World College Program, where she will work in merchandising and take two college classes during the program. “I’ve wanted to work for Disney for a long time, and

this just seems like the perfect way to get my foot in the door,” Larson said. According to BusinessWeek, it is. In its “Best Place to Launch a Career” for 2006, the magazine named Disney No. 1. Larson said she hopes the internship will be the opportunity she needs to begin a career with Disney, possibly in event planning, she said. “This is such an entry into the Disney company,” she said. “Most of the people who are working for Disney started here, so that’s kind of reassuring.” Future cast members swap advice, excitement and concerns on their Facebook group, WDW College Program Fall 07. The program maintains strict regulations on everything from a notolerance underage drinking policy to maintaining the “Disney Look,” with no

visible tattoos or excessive piercings. Larson is part of the Fall Advancement Program, which means she will begin in May and end in January. In keeping with its goal of entertainment, Disney refers to its employees as “cast members,” Larson said. Cast members work “onstage” in the park and wear “costumes” rather than uniforms — all of which makes it more fun, Larson said. “It’s kind of cliché, but I’m excited about being a part of people’s magical adventures,” she said. “I remember going to Disneyland so many times, and just little things that cast members do, it still sticks in my mind. I’m just excited to be that person who helps create those memories for people.” She is hoping to create those memories from Epcot’s World Showcase, the

kingdom in Disney World that allows visitors to take a “passport” and tour the world, enjoying the food, culture and costumes of many countries. Larson won’t find out where she will be working until she arrives, which she said is a little nerve-raking. While acting as a Disney character was one option, Larson said an extra audition was required and she selected merchandise instead. Disneyland is familiar territory to Larson, who recalls going often while growing up in Arizona, and she has been to Disney World several times as well. In fact, her spring break plans include a family vacation to the Magic Kingdom, Larson said, laughing. If only her elementaryschool self could see her now. E-mail Peace at: knp04a@acu.edu

SBC: 2008 signups begin in October Continued from page 1 Memphis, Tenn., led by Adam Dittemore and Sarah Craddock; Spearfish, S.D., led by Matt Adams and Matthew Miller; and Huntington Beach, Calif., led by Cassie Watson and Kim Leedy. There are also four international campaigns this year: Costa Rica; Honduras; Juarez, Mexico; and Nicaragua.

Campaign work Each Spring Break Campaign destination offers a different experience. The services done by students on the Spring Break Campaigns vary from campaign to campaign. “Each campaign is unique,” King said. “In Seattle and Denver they will be working with the homeless, the Manhattan campaign serves in elementary classrooms in the Bronx, and Costa Rica and Columbus, Ga., campaigns are putting on VBS for the children there.”

Page 5

FROM THE FRONT PAGE/CAMPUS NEWS

Students attending the new campaign to Anaheim, Calif., will be working with the Central Church of Christ to reach out to the Latino community. The Spearfish, S.D., campaign will work with city ministry and the youth. The Huntington Beach, Calif., campaign will serve high school students through the Young Life program. Eric Johnson, senior finance major from Boerne and co-leader for the Manhattan, N.Y., campaign said, his team will work through the Shiloh Summer Camp to go into a public elementary school in the Bronx and help the students by tutoring and encouraging them to work. “Our impact up there is showing students our consistency to be there that week and showing them unconditional love,” Johnson said. Most campaigns go until Thursday, but Johnson’s group will be working through Friday. “We wake up at 7 a.m., take

the subway to the school in the Bronx to work, but we’re finished by 5 p.m.,” Johnson said. “So each night we will go out on the city together and see the city and what all is out there.”

The rewards Students are also affected by the work they do on these campaigns every spring break. “We have so much just coming to this college; an experience so many will never have,” Johnson said. “We learn to be thankful; it’s really an eye opener. We see that there is more to the world than just small town Abilene — our bubble — and we realize how blessed we are and come back with a new attitude.” This Spring Break Campaign is Johnson’s fourth. His campaign is full and has 20 people on the waiting list. “I tell freshman and others to join a Spring Break Campaign; they change you,

and it will impact your life more than you know,” Johnson said. “It’s a really great thing. It just works; people just need to step up to the challenge and go for it.” Signups for next year’s Spring Break Campaigns begin in October. There are also other ways to get involved with Spring Break Campaigns if you cannot attend a trip, such as applying to be on the Spring Break Committee or making a contribution to help fundraising efforts. For more information on Spring Break Campaigns visit the ACU’s SBC Web site at www.acusbc.org or call the SBC War Room at (325) 674-6051.

E-mail Robinson at: optimist@acu.edu

Vision: Board to make final decisions Continued from page 1 at a university, and I love Sing Song and the other activities students are involved in, but if it takes away from the primary reason a student is here, than something has to change,” Money said. Among Money’s goal of changing the student culture on campus include recruiting more talented Christian students; increasing the retention and graduation rates to 80 percent and 60 percent, respectively; growing the $260 million endowment fund to $1 billion; and delivering a unique, Christ-centered experience that draws students into community. Money said after discussing where the university should go for the past two years, it is time to set forth a direction. What he presented Wednesday was the same document also presented to the Board of Trustees at its biannual meeting in February. In August, the Board is expected to begin filling in the details of how this vision will work in each department. More than 200 faculty and staff members were present at the presentations and could ask questions about the proposed vision. “This might sound ostentatious, but by 2020, ACU will become the premiere university for the education of Christ-centered, global leaders,” Money said. “This is where we will compare against religious institutions that take their faith heritages seriously.” Only two of the univer-

sities top 10 competitors are Christian universities, enforcing a trend the university has noticed of entering Christian freshman students who aren’t even considering ACU as an option. “We’re too similar to our competition right now and it’s time we became a higher quality of higher education institutions,” he said. Money also said the Vision includes renovations to the Campus Center, which will begin this summer; updating technology in campus facilities; improving the quality of Chapel; changing the core curriculum; improving intramurals on campus for the more than 3,000 students that participate; name branding the university; nationally recruiting; and increasing the amount of scholarships available for students. Faculty and staff were instructed to think about the proposed vision and to direct comments and questions back to Money following the meeting. A Zoomerang survey was sent out to faculty and staff concerning the vision Thursday, as well. Money concluded the session by reiterating what the university will continue to do in the future. “We will continue to be faithful and relevant, to focus on the heart and be accessible and affordable,” he said. “We want to keep our heritage of faith and aim for the quality of soul. This is not my vision or your vision right here, this is our vision.”

E-mail Schlabach at: mes02e@acu.edu

Page 6

March 9, 2007

The issue:

With spring break quickly approaching, many students will be leaving campus for the week.

Our view:

Students who are preparing to leave Abilene for spring break need to approach this break with caution.

The solution:

Take Steve Rowlands’, director of University of Counseling Center advice and think before you do, ask what your choice will look like the next day, and ask if it is worth the cost right now.

Know your boundaries this spring break All week students heard to make good choices and to know boundaries. While this usually results in many students tuning out, the advice and approach of this year’s Making Choices Week has served as a reminder of safe thinking before spring break more than a preachy list of do’s and don’ts. About 400 students will be part of Spring Break Campaigns. Others will go home, stay in Abilene or travel to other destinations. There are helpful tips for any student to consider before the break. Steve Rowlands, director of University of Counseling Center, said there are more things to consider than the much-talked-about topics

of sex and alfocuses more on College students become accustomed to low cohol. planning. amounts of sleep at school, but on the road, When think“I think of students should try to be well rested ing about things chronobefore a long trip. spring break, logically,” Ellison Rowlands said. “You have asked stuto get in your dents to think about their Rowlands said. “It’s similar car, drive it to where you’re actions instead of trying to to driving while intoxicated.” going, and then arrange for give a list of what not to do. College students become where you will stay.” Three points he made accustomed to low amounts For students who are were to: think before you of sleep at school, but on traveling during spring do, ask what your choice the road, students should break, checking your vewill look like the next day, try to be well rested before hicle before leaving is an and ask if it is worth the a long trip or have some- easy way to avoid potential cost right now. one to trade driving duties breakdowns on the road. Another point of concern with, which Police Chief Ellison said once at your for everyone before spring Jimmy Ellison said reduces destination, you should break is sleep. ACU has lost the chance of falling asleep think with safety and comstudents to car accidents dramatically. mon sense. caused by people falling While Rowlands and the “Have a plan before you asleep at the wheel. Counseling Center have fo- go out,” Ellison said. “Use “We have lost a lot of kids cused on making healthy choic- the buddy system.” falling asleep at the wheel,” es this week, Ellison’s advice Rowlands agreed with El-

Lebensgefahr

Alex York

World needs knowledge of God Prepare for the surprise of the century: Americans are flunking religion. Nearly 60 years after the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional for students to be taught religion in schools, 45 years after Face the the Court Facts ruled prayer Mallory unconstituSchlabach tional and 27 years since the Ten Commandments were no longer allowed to be displayed in public schools, Americans are shocked to find they don’t know the first five Commandments, much less any of them. In a USA Today article on religion Thursday, a religious professor at the University of Boston has found 60 percent of Americans can’t name five of the Ten Commandments, and

Whether people believe it or not, the heart of the world lies in the belief of God — a God, a higher being, a spirit in the sky. half of high school seniors think Sodom and Gomorrah were married. While some may find this humorous, many religious professors and institutions find this disconcerting. The reason? America’s ignorance of world religions, much less their own, could become dangerous in a world where religion plays a large role in understanding what’s going on in Iraq and why people are opposed to capital punishment and gay marriages. While America may be fighting the connection between church and state, other countries around the world allow religion and religious beliefs to dictate their behavior — and if Americans don’t know the history behind world religions, they won’t be

equipped to deal with people in the world or even in their own neighborhood. Schools may not be teaching any less about world religions and the history of religion than they were in the 60s before it was banned, but today they are as many Muslims in America as there are Jews. How many people know much about the Ramadan? When surveyed, 17 percent of high school seniors believed it to be the Jewish Day of Atonement — not the Islamic holy month. If knowledge is power, as people say, why aren’t children taught about religion in schools? Wouldn’t one think to know a little bit about those in neighboring houses, states or countries would help improve relations in the world?

Think outside the world we know right now, inside our community, church and schools. Whether people believe it or not, the heart of the world lies in the belief of God — a God, a higher being, a spirit in the sky. If a child cannot learn about religion in the classroom, they’re missing a vital part of what makes up culture in the world. Religion is infused into every day life. It’s in the choices we make, and for some, its even in the people we associate, marry and trust. Learning about a religion other than what one believes in doesn’t make one a traitor of the faith nor does it brainwash one into believing other religions. It simply offers a different worldview than most know, and puts one’s personal religion into perspective.

E-mail Schlabach at: mes02e@acu.edu or optimist@acu.edu

I’m going home to be with my family.

I’m going on a Spring Break Campaign to New York.

Cole Smith

Amanda McLemore

In Your Words What are you doing for Spring Break? sophomore youth and family ministry major from Temple.

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. Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79699 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu

junior English major from Aledo.

Newsroom: (325) 674-2439

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E-mail the Optimist at: optimist@acu.edu

Recounting old fears from Miami Anytime someone refer- the mile-long line at customs ences Miami International kept this aspiration from Airport, I cringe. coming true. Not only is Miami airport In the next 24 hours I belacking in the came well acquainted with s l e e k n e s s Miami airport as the group of LAX, the of 50 high strung high closeness of school students tried to enDFW or the tertain ourselves despite massiveness poor lighting, frigid air and of O’Hare uncomfortable chairs. I soon International learned from this experience A State Airport in that there are only so many of Mind Chicago, I Starbucks specialty drinks have a spe- you can consume and People Lauren cial, distinct magazines you can read beSutton distaste for fore going crazy. this particular airport at the Because 50 irritable, stirtip of the Sunshine State. crazy students stuck in an I had frequented Miami airport isn’t bad enough, let’s airport multiple times going add drama and injury. to or returning from internaTo add to the series of tional locations, but it wasn’t unfortunate events, three until spring break of my ju- people out of this group renior year of high school when ceived phone calls during I was stuck at Gate 34, Ter- the 24-hour period and were minal C of the told they had Miami airport relatives pass for more than away, and anI have never been other was sent 24 hours that I decided this to the emerso grateful to set airport may be gency room affoot in DFW and my least favor- to know I was only ter falling and ite airport in knocking out half an hour away one of her teeth. the world. from my home Traveling We were quite back from the circus. than I was after a week long But as with this experience. mission trip all people waitto Kingston, ing for a standJamaica, I, as by flight, I did well as the 50 other sun eventually make it home. burnt students with me Come to find out, the airwere grateful for the week port had overbooked our behind us but ready to be flight, and even if the home. Customs at the Mi- group had made it through ami airport was the last ob- customs, we would have stacle in us getting home. been left without seats on This obstacle ended up be- the plane. ing larger than any of us had The experience was as anticipated as our team had frustrating as it was memounwisely booked our flights rable. I have never been so too close together and had grateful to set foot in DFW not thought about the real- and to know that I was only ity of baggage claim and cus- half an hour away from toms at an international air- home than I was after this port during spring break. experience. It was a mad house. PeoSo to everyone going ple traveling back from all through Miami International over the Caribbean packed Airport on the way to some the baggage claim area tropical tourist location, as we piled our luggage good luck, and, as for me, I on carts, ran through the choose from this point forcrowds and headed toward ward to avoid the Miami aircustoms in hopes of mak- port at all extremes. ing the flight to DFW. All that was keeping me from being home was a E-mail Sutton at: les03c@acu.edu or optimist@acu.edu stamp in my passport, but

Mallory Schlabach

Published by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

lison, saying safety doesn’t have to be a chore but an easy thing that can help with overall safety. “It’s about going places at safe times in safe ways,” Rowlands said. “Tell others where you are going.” While some of the advice sounds like most any parent, Rowlands and Ellison acknowledge that not all students will heed their advice. “We’re not trying to be their parents,” Rowlands said. “We just want all of us to think about what we’re doing and the consequences [good or bad] it can have.”

Lauren Sutton

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March 9, 2007

Page 7

Attention to detail is a good sign for ‘Zodiac’ n ‘Zodiac,’ a true story based on several serial killings in 1970s San Francisco, offers an intricate plot along with a story rich in detail and police work. By COLE WILLIAMS Cartoonist

In the unseemly history of serial killers, few were as memorable, or as media savvy, as the Zodiac. During the late 60s and early 70s, the Zodiac killer would murder seemingly random people and send taunting letters to police and newspapers, along with cryptic messages written in code that supposedly gave out details about his identity. He paralyzed the San Francisco area in fear, and as the decades pass since his case went unsolved, it only adds to his legend. Officially, the Zodiac’s identity was never uncovered, but a few intrepid individuals, over the course of decades of work, might have figured out who he was. Their search for his identity, and the toll it took on them, are the subjects of David Fincher’s latest film, one that eschews the stylistic flashes of his previous movies even as it handles darker subject matter than in any of them before. But with its real-life subject matter and detailed, intricate fact-based plot, the film is better for it. Zodiac starts with a stark recreation of the Zodiac’s first murder and barrels

forward into the attempt to uncover his identity. Reporter Paul Avery (a perfectly acerbic Downey Jr.) and cartoonist Robert Graysmith (a wide-eyed and eventually weary-eyed Gyllenhaal) watch as the Zodiac’s first letter is opened by the editorial board of the San Francisco Chronicle, and a lifelong fascination with the case is seared into both. Meanwhile, Detectives Toschi and Armstrong (a stoic Ruffalo and solid Edwards) do the actual police work as they gather details on the Zodiac’s murders. “Detail” is the key word to this film. Almost every fact about the Zodiac’s murders and the hunt for him is gone over, from the type of gun he used to a misleading APB put out on him. And with all these details, be warned — this is a very, very talky movie. However, that’s not a detriment; as the facts of the case are poured over, your attention is never lost, and good performances, dialogue and a little bit of sarcasm keep things lively. Screenwriter James Vanderbilt’s job of adapting Graysmith’s non-fiction book, while at the same time telling Graysmith’s story of writing the book, could not have been easy, but is expertly done. That the movie is 2 hours and 40 minutes long and doesn’t feel it shows how tightly packed and well paced it’s written, acted and

By TODD PIERSALL Arts Editor

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound…” is probably the most well-known and powerful hymn that stirs the hearts of men and women of all nationalities. Recently released in the United States was the powerful movie Amazing Grace, directed by Michael Apted. Through a gripping portrayal of William Wilberforce’s passionate struggle to end slave trading in the British Empire, Apted provides an entertaining documentary timepiece. However, as powerful and gripping as the movie is, the true story of the song is somewhat left in the dark and details on the song itself are somewhat muddled. What turned this poem, written around 1780, into a passionate hymn appearing in more than 1,100 albums with over 972 different arrangements? The story. The story of the famous tune begins with John Newton,

son of a ship captain. Pressed into a life at sea at an early age, Newton went through several hardships, including indentured servitude. On a homeward journey, Newton’s ship went through a severe storm in which he prayed for deliverance. His “great deliverance” marked his conversion to Christianity. However, even after his conversion, Newton came to become a captain of a slave ship. Several years later, Newton left the slave trade to become a

Newly released movies and gross rates for March 2-4. Total gross in parenthesis. n Wild Hogs: $39,699,023 ($39,699,023) n Zodiac: $13,395,610 ($13,395,610) n Ghost Rider: $11,553,469 ($94,810,845) n Bridge to Terabithia: $8,904,512 ($58,207,144) n The Number 23: $6,486,304 ($24,119,947) n Norbit: $6,398,696 ($82,905,396)

Courtesy of ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

Jake Gyllenhaal and Adam Goldberg co-star in a real-life mystery thriller about a serial killer who terrorizes the San Francisco Bay area in the 1970s. The “Zodiac” killer left signs and clues for police, leading to an intense and desperate search. directed. Just make sure you go to the bathroom beforehand, because if you take a break, you will assuredly miss something. Generally great performances keep you glued to the screen as well. As people try and fail to uncover the identity of the Zodiac, the horror and thrill of the film comes not from the Zodiac’s killings, but from the effect the dogged pursuit of him had on those pursuing him. An expectation added to the movie is that it comes from the man who direct-

ed such seminal movies as Se7en and Fight Club, and deals with subject matter similar to the former. But many of Fincher’s visual tricks are toned down or absent here, allowing the story to not be overwhelmed by the visuals. That’s not to say the movie doesn’t look good, because it does, and has a few neat tricks in it — just nothing too flashy. Neither are the Zodiac’s killings performed in any sort of gorehound way; in fact, they’re all the more unsettling because of its matter-of-fact

nature. However, there are only about three or four instances of violence, so those expecting a scare fest, ala Se7en, are going to be disappointed. But those expecting a richly detailed, intricately plotted, and well acted and directed story about the real-life hunt for a real-life serial killer will not by disappointed by what Zodiac has to offer.

E-mail Williams at: cww02b@acu.edu

‘Amazing Grace’ never ceases to amaze n Appearing in more than 1,100 albums, the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ continues to inspire, but the story behind the song is largely unknown.

Box Office Stats

minister. He spent the later part of his life speaking for the abolition of slavery. Between 1760 and 1770, Newton wrote a poem entitled “Faith’s Review and Expectation.” After many years of additions and alterations, the poem took the name “Amazing Grace.” It wasn’t until many years later, in America, the familiar tune was added to the lyrics. Because of the powerful lyrics and stirring tune, the song has been widely adopted by every Christian group and even by many non-Christian groups. This is illustrated by the many renditions of a wide spectrum of musical artists. Hundreds of music artists either reference the song or have recorded their own version of the song. Including several artists such as Judy Collins (in 1970 spending 67 weeks at the top of the British charts), Aretha Franklin, Destiny’s Child, Elvis Presley, Jars of Clay, Johnny Cash, Sufjan Stevens, Willie Nelson and Diana Ross. There are very few songs in which Jars of Clay and Aretha Franklin share in common. Hopefully Amazing Grace

will continue to inspire, redeem and encourage listeners for years to come. For more information go to

Amazinggracemovie.com

E-mail Piersall at: tdp04a@acu.edu

n Music and Lyrics: $4,888,337 ($38,673,388) n Black Snake Moan: $4,143,199 ($4,143,199)

Coming Soon Movies opening Friday: n 300, starring Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Michael Fassbender, Vincent Regan and Dominic West. A graphic novel adaptation by Frank Miller. 300 Spartans battle a massive Persian army at the famous Battle of Thermopylae. Against, all odds, the Spartans use their valor to try and hold Persia and unite Greece. (ACTION) n The Ultimate Gift, starring Drew Fuller, James Garner, Ali Hillis, Abigail Breslin, Lee Meriwether. After his wealthy grandfather dies, Jason Stevens, a fast-cash man, expects to receive a large fund. Instead, he receives twelve gifts which leads him to question whether money can truly make someone happy. (DRAMA/RELIGION)

FROM THE FRONT

Page 8

Friday, March 9, 2007

Missions: Students reach beyond traditional missions Continued from page 1 under the direction of Sonny Guild, now the director of the Halbert Institute for Missions. “In 1999, prior to the Halbert Institute for Missions, there was a strong missions department,” Guild said. “But Dean Reese wanted missions to be at the heart of what the Bible program was all about.” With the hope of achieving this focus, the university hired five overseas missionaries for the newly created position. Mission coordinators: n Dr. Gary Green for Latin America n Larry Henderson for Asia n Dan McVey for African and Islamic regions n Yann Opsitch for Europe n Dr. Kent Smith for North America The missionaries were brought on staff to collaborate in missionary and team unity and to bring unique skills and perspectives from their particular regions of study. “Jack Reese has been working for quite a while to get a strong, experienced, well-educated group of former missionaries here for the Halbert Institute for Missions,” said Mark Clancy, graduate student in the College of Biblical Studies from Houston. “The vision is to train teams to go to the field, and so I think these professors have been recruited for several years. This is really starting to kick off where they have a group of successful professors that

can train missions teams.” With these specific changes to the department and a sizeable donation given in 2004, the Halbert Institute for Missions officially was set in to play. HIM partners with missions academic programs to provide co-curricular programs in missions training which includes assessment of missionary candidates, team development and specific training. The first missions team that has formed through HIM is a group comprised of five family units who will move to Lima, Peru, in two years. HIM will help the team find a congregation to support them financially, offer mentorship as they prepare to move overseas and provide training in missiology. Clancy, a member of the Peru team, anticipates HIM to help aid in this preparation in regards to living overseas long term. “I’ll have spiritual development through the program that will help in my ministry,” Clancy said. “I’ll have professors that I will be able to contact if I need help in those areas. In some ways, the unknown is always terrifying and how can anyone every really be prepared? But in other ways, I feel prepared because of how they have taught me to approach Biblical and spiritual issues.” “The institute has an excellent program and has one of the best gatherings of professors of any training institute,” said Gary Green, mission coordinator for Latin America.

World Wide Witness Mission opportunities at ACU are not restricted to long-term missionaries and Bible majors. With the creation of World Wide Witness in 2001, a 6 to 10 week mission internship, students of all concentrations can travel and serve people in multiple U.S. cities and countries across the world. In 2002, 32 ACU interns participated in WWW; last summer 60 interns were sent to 23 different locations. “Response has been very good,” said Green, director of World Wide Witness. “We have grown every year. We are just now becoming known on campus where students are looking for WWW more than they used to.” WWW internships are broad. Some students will work on college campuses, some work with medical missions and some in orphanages. Internships range from a summer in the Bronx, N.Y., to a summer in a village in Ghana. “It’s incredibly broad and students are beginning to learn that there is a breadth, and you can find your niche,” said Green. Adrienne Carpenter, junior Spanish education major from Austin, will spend her summer with WWW studying at a language school in Costa Rica and working with a local church. After returning from a WWW retreat in February, Carpenter said she had never

been around so many people with such a strong desire to do missions. “It was encouraging to see the vast amount of countries people were visiting as a result of World Wide Witness,” said Carpenter. “These are solid, growing connections that ACU has made all around the world.”

North American Missions While overseas mission work remains a strong emphasis for HIM, the institute offers a domestic alternative for students who are taking a less conventional approach to mission work. Green said there has indeed been a postmodern shift in the world, and people can no longer assume the U.S. and mostly developed nations are Christian. “We are waking up to the fact that we can not take it for granted that people living in the United States are somehow automatically churched, and so our mentality has to be changed,” Green said. “We are catching up to the reality of what is going on in the world. Therefore, to reach people in all these different locations, there has to be a broadening of how to apply missions. The principle is the same, but the application has broadened.” A branch of HIM, The Missionary Residency for North America, is a specific graduate program that is broadening its vision for mission work and applying it within the U.S.

This “hands-on internship” accepts six students every year, and these students pick a specific site to do ministry in upon completion. One location is in New York where former students have formed the Bronx Fellowship Church. Instead of planting a downtown church, putting a sign up and expecting people to attend Bible school, the team is working in apartments and small groups. They have no intent to build a building, but are producing a network of small, intimate cell groups that meet in homes and apartments. In Denver, former students are spending time, providing for nutritional needs, building relationships, and sharing the gospel with homeless teenagers as their ministry. Rather than coercing teenagers into church settings, this team plays pool and eats pizza with the homeless as they help them develop community and understand who Jesus is. “To be a missionary in North America is to wake up to its changing cultural realities,” said Kent Smith, missions coordinator for North America. Smith said the latest polls show the U.S. has the third largest un-churched population in the world and less than one in five people are in church on Sunday. “We must wake up to what most of us have been surrounded by and begin to see

the mosaic of people around us who don’t know Jesus and have no way to know him,” Smith said. Regardless of the ways the university views missionary work, Green says there is always room for more than one model and these models should run parallel to each other. “We need to be cautious about buying into one-model fits-all regardless of what model that is. No one model fits all situations.”

HALBERT INSTITUTE FOR MISSIONS According the organization’s Web site at www.acu.edu, Halbert’s goal is that “By the year 2010 [to] prepare 200 men and women to be used by God to establish and nurture at least four church planting movements on each continent.” The university hired five overseas missionaries — one for each continent. n Dr. Larry Green: Latin America n Larry Henderson: Asia n Dan McVey: African and Islamic relations n Yann Opsitch: Europe n Dr. Kent Smith: North America “World Wide Praise and Prayer,” a small-group Chapel, is offered Thursdays at 11 a.m. in Room 117 of the Biblical Studies Building.

E-mail Sutton at: les03c@acu.edu

Ghana: A passion for people impacts student lives Continued from page 1 traditional roots. “It is considered to be one of the few pure African cultures that still exist because the African cultural values and the traditional lifestyles are very strong in Ghana,” Dan said. The McVeys moved to Ghana at a time when the country was considered one of the five poorest in the world. Though full of abundant natural resources, a drought nearly caused the country economic collapse. Ghana lacked gasoline, and the food supply was limited. “That really forced us to adjust our style of living completely and immediately be immersed in the local day-to-day struggle to survive, which was hard, but it was good,” Dan said. “It helped us identify with the people; they accepted us much more readily. It enabled us to be of assistance to them.” Though the young couple arrived in the capital city of Accra with only two suitcases and $36, Dan said the Lord took care of them abundantly. They lived in a rent house that missionaries before them had lived in. “We didn’t have much money, but we didn’t need much money,” Dan said. Though the McVeys struggled through the drought, the famine and the political chaos taking place in Ghana when they arrived, these conditions ultimately aided Dan in his fresh ministry to the Ghanaians. “It was really a good time for people like us to come in who were young, willing to learn, who were flexible, which is not to say that we did everything correctly,” Dan said. “We made tons of mistakes. I think what affirmed us the most was that the Ghanaian people, especially the church people, accepted us. They took us under their wings, and we grew together.”

Working among Ghanaians

The McVeys were the only missionaries in Accra for much of the time they lived in Ghana. Most Ghanaian missionaries associated with the Churches of Christ would stay only two to three years and then return to the states. But the McVeys felt it was important to remain in Ghana for a minimum of five years in order to learn the language well and to connect with the people. “We weren’t trying to measure things in time,” Dan said. “Longevity on the mission field is valued, and the longer you can be in some places, the more effective you can be.” Dan traveled around the country preaching among Churches of Christ in the Accra area as well as conducting leadership training and special studies seminars. “He really resonated with the people,” said Brenda McVey, Dan’s wife. “He learned the language so well. When he wasn’t with me, he went wherever the people went. He slept wherever they slept. He ate what they ate. He did what the people did.” Dan’s primary job was serving as director of Heritage Christian College, a school that trains individuals for the ministry. Dan taught many types of Bible courses and though he worked long hours, the school grew immensely during his time as director. The McVeys were also involved in developing church plant teams, providing literacy projects in the villages they lived in and helping with community development projects. “99 percent of all we ever did in Ghana was never strategy or plan,” Dan said. “We would have strategies and plans and they would go nowhere. It was just things that would develop. We would be at the right place, at the right time for those things to develop, and that continued the whole time we were there.”

Moving North The last five years he lived in Ghana, Dan moved his family, which had grown from two to four, to the village of Yendi to work with a northern branch of Heritage Christian College. Yendi differed from Accra in its rural atmosphere and its heavily populated Islamic community. “It was just a time when Dan felt like it was good for us to leave Accra,” Brenda said. “He needed to step out of his position at the school. He wanted to leave it to the Ghanaians.” This transition meant moving from a stone house to one made of mud, raising livestock for the first time and dealing more with African illness. “It was really hard,” Brenda said. “We had lots of sickness.” But despite the change of lifestyle, the McVey’s preferred the North to living in the capitol of Accra. “We’re really close because we were forced to be close growing up,” said Kyle McVey, Dan’s son. “I didn’t have any American friends.” Not only did Dan’s family experience closeness among one another, they enjoyed their tight-knit relationships with their friends from the church community. “It’s more than just working together, it’s living in each other’s homes and sharing everything because that’s the African culture,” Dan said. “You don’t hold back anything … everything is shared and you seek out each other for advice.” Dan said his ministry philosophy was similar to the Apostle Paul’s in that he sought relationships with a small group of people, trained them and then stepped out of a leadership position so locals could fill those roles.

Bringing the passion to ACU Dan’s experience with African people made him a prime candidate for ACU’s new position of African missions coordinator, and af-

ter teaching a short course on approaches to Islam, the university offered Dan the job. The McVeys initially turned down the position, but after prayer and consideration, decided that timing might be right for re-entry into the United States. Kyle’s preparing for college in the states and Dan’s father’s illness with cancer were factors that helped in the decision-making. “It was almost overnight when we thought, ‘Yes, this would be good,’” Dan said. “We weren’t looking to leave Ghana, although, the projects we were working with were at a point where it was a good time to ease out of that. I had been working myself out of a lot of those things already.” Since 2004, Dan has taught courses on Islamic studies like “Intro into Muslim Evangelism” and “Islam, Spiritism and the Sovereignty of God.” Byron Rodgers, senior Christian ministry and youth and family double major from San Antonio, took one of Dan’s classes the first semester he taught at ACU and has since developed a deep respect for his professor, friend and mentor. “He had this aura about him,” Rodgers said. “He was humble and kind and very passionate about what he was teaching. Not a loud voice, but a deep-seeded passion that plays out in every aspect of his life.” Dan’s love for Islamic people and his students has established him as a muchloved and highly respected professor on campus. He can be seen speaking in Chapel, heading up a project for African Mission Fellowship or serving homemade Ghanaian pastries to his classes. “I don’t define myself by what my dad’s done, but it’s nice to introduce myself as Dan McVey’s son,” Kyle said. “Dan has a lot of wisdom and experience in a lot of areas that so many of us don’t,

“Dan really resonated with the people. When he wasn’t with me, he went wherever the people went. He slept wherever they slept. He ate what they ate. He did what the people did.” Brenda McVey, Dan McVey’s wife and Ghana missionary

LACI ADKINS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Dan McVey says his home in Clyde, including this African hut in his backyard, is only a temporary stopping point. McVey said he wants to return to a cross-cultural context someday. especially among young people who have spent our lives in America,” Rodgers said. “He’s willing to embrace and tackle issues and topics that aren’t taught very readily that we usually try to sweep under the carpet.” Dan’s current home in Clyde is not a permanent one. While he is content to teach at ACU, he said he someday hopes to work again in a cross-cultural context. Though times and dates are not certain, Dan said he longs to experience

life with people from different cultures and religions, especially Islamic people. “I think for a long time, Dan has realized that he’s a small part of a huge kingdom,” Rodgers said. “He is not the paramount or the center piece, but at the same time, amazing things happen through him.”

E-mail Sutton at: les03c@acu.edu

Friday, March 9, 2007

Page 9

SPORTS JUMPS

Nationals: Limited qualifers add pressure Tests:

Early injury not an issue

Continued from page 10 mile-relay team at nationals, as the Wildcats have had in the past, puts more pressure on each individual. “We are under pressure. We do have the potential to win,” said Sylvester Williamson, who qualified in the 60-meter dash. “All we need to do is have our qualifiers have better scores than the other team’s.” Senior Marvin BienAime echoed Williamson’s thoughts on the pressure. In previous years, Bien-Aime said he could run without pressure because of a larger number of qualifiers. He said there is no nervousness now, but he does sense greater individual pressure. “I’m not going into it nervous at all,” Bien-Aime said. “Now that we’re thin, we’re getting to feel what pressure is like.” For the men, there is a lot of talk about performing to the level each member is capable of. The only concern is if that will happen or not. “As far as capability, if we just do what we’ve done then we’ll be alright,” Hood said. The women’s team, Hood said, is right where he thought they would be at this point. Fourteen women qualified for the meet, and

Continued from page 10

brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Triple jumper Vladyslav Gorbenko lands in the sand pit after jumping during practice on Jan. 29. Gorbenko qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships with a triple jump of 51-4.25. Gorbenko is one of 12 men from the ACU track and field team that qualified for the indoor nationals. Shawna Kaye-Thompson was the only one to qualify in three events: the 60-meter hurdles, 200-meter dash and in the 4x400-meter relay. Seven other women qualified in two events.

Denise Morgan is one of those who qualified in two events. Morgan is a member of the distance medley relay and will run the 800 meters. “We have a very good chance because we have the

most ranked very high and everybody is healthy,” Morgan said. “I am looking forward to returning the championship.” Morgan’s words spoke for the entire team, according to Hood.

“They want to be the team that brings it back,” Hood said, referring to the women’s national championship. “Everybody’s pulling for everybody.” E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu

ACU’s only three losses have been on the road, and Southwestern is coming off of a four-game sweep over Eastern New Mexico. “They’re up and down right now, and since they just got the sweep over Eastern New Mexico, I’m sure they’re feeling good,” Bonneau said. Despite losing its original lead-off hitter in Pacheco, ACU’s batting lineup has been more than good, hitting a conference leading .397 team batting average and 194 runs scored. Bonneau said he would need bench players to continue to step up if they want to overcome his team’s early injuries.

E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu

Golf: ACU best LSC team in tournament Continued from page 10 Florida ran away with the tournament, out shooting the closest competitor, Barry University, by a whopping 27 strokes. Currently, West Florida is ranked seventh nationally. The Wildcats went into the tournament ranked fifth in the nation, according to the Golf World/Nike Golf Coaches poll after placing seventh in the St. Edward’s Invitational in Austin last week. Among the Lone Star Conference that competed, ACU shot the best at the tournament. Central Oklahoma University placed ninth, shooting four strokes behind ACU. Cameron was three strokes behind them placing tenth, and East Central University placed twelfth in the tournament with five strokes behind Cameron University. Nationally, Cameron and Central Oklahoma are tied for ninth place. Cameron and Central Oklahoma are both previously ranked No. 19 in the nation before the St.

brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Wildcat Irene Squillaci runs toward a ball during her match against Chrissie Cooper of Tarleton State on Saturday. Squillaci won the match 6-3, 6-3. Squllaci and the rest of the ACU women’s tennis team will play a throng of matches on the road over spring break.

Tennis: Quality matches ahead Continued from page 10 II rankings, will play a total of seven matches over the next week and a half in an attempt to improve their 12-3 record. First, the Wildcats will play Schreiner on the road. Next, the men will go up against two Division II teams: Incarnate Word, ranked No. 27, and St. Edward’s, ranked No. 9. The Wildcat men will then play three Division I teams, all ranked in the top 75, over spring break. “You just can’t get any better quality practice than playing all these D-I matches,” Jones said. “It’s not like it makes D-II easy, but we’re not intimi-

dated by any level of play — we’ve played against the best.” On Wednesday, ACU will play one of the best tennis teams in the country, Texas A&M, No. 35 in the national Division I poll, in College Station. The Wildcats will then take on TCU, No. 66 nationally, in Fort Worth on March 17. The Wildcat men will go up to Norman, Okla., to play Oklahoma, the No. 42 in the nation, and then go on to play Lone Star Conference rival East Central on March 18. “It’s going to be hard to beat A&M and Oklahoma,” Jones said. “But I’d rather play them than go play schools that we’re just going to crush.”

The ACU women, No. 5 in the Division II rankings, will take their 9-2 record on the road as they play three matches this weekend. On Saturday, the Wildcats will play Schreiner and Incarnate Word. ACU will play St. Edward’s, the No. 23 team in Division II tennis, Sunday. “These should be some quality matches for the girls,” Jones said. After this weekend, the women will not play again until March 20 when they host Barton Community College.

E-mail Freeman at: mxf04b@acu.edu

Edward’s Invitational. The Wildcat golfers will spend their spring break in Granbury, competing in the Harbor Lakes Invitational. Coach Campbell said he is ready for the Monday-Tuesday tournament. “There’s a good diversity since there will be a mix of Division I and junior colleges at the Invitational,” Campbell said Texas Christian University and University of Texas at Arlington are among the Division I schools, while Odessa College and Midland College will both be there also, each of them winning the Junior College National Championship in the past three years. After the Invitational, two tournaments will take place before postseason competition begins at the Lone Star Conference Championship in Roanoke.

E-mail MacDonald at: optimist@acu.edu

Softball: Team to face ‘well-rounded’ opponent Continued from page 10 Texas Woman’s University last weekend. Junior pitcher Kim McDonald was honored for her 2-0 record and an ERA of 0.50 for her two starts against TWU. Junior designated hitter JesMcDonald sica Johnson was named the LSC South Hitter for finishing the four-game series 5 for 6 with two runs scored, one double, two home runs and five RBI and a slugging percentage of 2.000. The team has been working all week to improve consistency at the plate, Wilson said. “We just need to find a way on base

and come through at the plate when the opportunity presents itself,” Wilson said. The team, who is 12-4 and 2-2 in conference play, will need to play aggressively to beat Texas A&MKingsville, Wilson said. “Kingsville will bring a pretty well-rounded team here this weekend,” Wilson said. “They have a good pitching staff, and they seem to be hitting the ball well enough to have won plenty of games already this year. We will need to play aggressively and not hold anything back to be successful this weekend.” The team plays games Friday at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Saturday at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. The next games are scheduled for Tuesday against Mesa State.

E-mail Davis at: optimist@acu.edu

SportsFriday

Page 10

ScoreBoard Standings Scoreboard as of Thursday

BASEBALL

Team

Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

ACU TAMK-U Angelo Tarleton ENMU WTAM

Team

Overall 15-3 12-5 13-6 11-9 10-10 4-11

SOFTBALL

Div. Angelo St. 4-0 TAMK-U 4-0 ACU 2-2 TX Woman’s 2-2 Tarleton 0-0 ENMU 0-4 WTAM 0-4

Overall 19-5 10-4 10-6 10-16 13-5 11-14 5-13

March 9, 2007

ACU golf finishes eighth at California tourney n The ACU golf team placed eighth overall at the Southern California Intercollegiate Tournament. Hugues Joannes shot the lowest score for the Wildcats in California. By NATHAN MACDONALD Sports Writer

The ACU golf team played next to the world’s biggest water hazard Monday and Tuesday: the Pacific Ocean. The Wildcats played in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., at the Marbella Country Club for the Southern California Intercollegiate Tournament,

Golf finishing eighth overall in the tournament. Hugues Joannes was ACU’s top shooter for the tournament, shooting a solid 68 the first round, 73 the second round and finished with a score of 76. Joannes was three strokes shy of winning the first round, losing out to Barry University’s Juan Weissenberg. Hilton Funk placed 34 in the tournament, tying with Noah Moss of University of California-San Diego and ACU’s Stephen Knight. Kyle Byerly wasn’t too far be-

hind Funk and Knight, placing 42 overall. Byerly was in a fiveway tie for 42 with Matt Lazzo from Washburn University, Spencer Shishido from Sonoma State, Tyler Kimrey from East Central and Zach Jones from California State University at Dominguez Hills. Curtis Harris finished the tournament at 61st place, which tied him with Austin Alfonson from UCSD and Raphael Malabanon from CSUDH. ACU golf coach Mike Campbell said he felt good about Monday’s game but just didn’t feel they had it on Tuesday.

See

Boston bound

TRACK & FIELD

BASEBALL

Saturday TRACK & FIELD ACU at NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, Boston.

BASEBALL ACU at Southwestern Oklahoma State, Weatherford, Okla., noon (DH)

SOFTBALL ACU vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville noon (DH)

ACU vs. Schreiner, San Antonio, 9 a.m. ACU vs. Incarnate Word, San Antonio, 2:30 p.m.

MEN’S TENNIS ACU vs. Schreiner, New Braunfels, 9 a.m.

BASEBALL ACU at Delta State, Cleveland, Miss., 6:30 p.m.

SOFTBALL ACU vs. Mesa State, 3 p.m.

Wednesday BASEBALL ACU at Delta State, Cleveland, Miss., 2 p.m.

brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Shawna K. Thompson clears a hurdle during practice on Jan. 29. Thompson qualified for nationals in two individual events, the 60-meter hurdles and the 200 meter dash. Thirteen other women and 12 men qualified for the Indoor National Championships.

Cats chase national titles n The dynastic men’s and women’s track and field team are both competing at NCAA Division II Indoor Championships in Boston this weekend. ACU qualified 26 total athletes. By JARED FIELDS Managing Editor

On paper, the men’s and women’s track teams may not be the favorites, but a title at the national indoor meet would not be that far of a stretch for the imagination. “Sneaking up from behind is a lot easier,” said head coach Don Hood. Hood was referring to the men sneaking up, who qualified 12 people for the meet, with Johnny Ja-

Track & Field

On the Web

cob, Nicodemus Naimadu and Julius Nyango participating in more than one event. Naimadu, the reigning national cross country champion, qualified for three events: the mile, 5,000k and as part of the distance medley relay team. “Twelve is a lot of guys. If every guy scores six points, that’s 72 points,” Hood said. “They do what they’re capable of doing, and we’re in the hunt.” While 72 points can put a team in the hunt for a title, not having a See

NATIONALS page 9

www.acuoptimist.com

Managing editor and track writer Jared Fields will cover the ACU men’s and women’s track teams at the NCAA Division II Indoor National Fields Championships in Boston Friday and Saturday. Read Fields event-by-event articles from Boston at: www.acuoptimist.com

SOFTBALL page 9

Tennis teams hit road for spring break n The nationally ranked ACU men’s and women’s tennis teams will be on the road against Division I, II and III teams over spring Break. By MICHAEL FREEMAN Online Editor

The ACU tennis teams hit the road this weekend to play a trio of Central Texas teams. Both the men and women will play Schreiner, a Division III team, Saturday in San Antonio at 9 a.m. Both Wildcat teams will stay in San Antonio to play Incarnate Word later in the day at 2:30 p.m. On Sunday, the Wildcats will travel to Austin to take on St. Edward’s at 2 p.m. “We want to win,” said head coach Hutton Jones. “But even higher than that, we want to have a strong emotional showing. Whether we win or lose, I want the other team to know this team really competes.” The ACU men, No. 22 in the Division See

MEN’S TENNIS

TENNIS page 9

Road tests ahead for No. 8 Wildcats

ACU vs. Texas A&M, College Station, 10 a.m.

n Home games listed in italics

n The ACU baseball team will play 10 games over spring break, including a two-game series against nationally ranked regional opponent Delta State.

Intramural Round-up Upcoming

By DANIEL JOHNSON

n The intramural schedule and points seen on the Optimist sports page are not final and subject to change. Any lastminute changes can be viewed on the intramural bulletin board in Moody Coliseum.

Despite losing veteran pitcher Ben Maynard and starting second baseman J.J. Pacheco to injury, the ACU baseball team has already posted the third-best start in the program’s history. And if the 15-3 Wildcats want to add on to its superb start, it’ll have to continue to win over spring break. “Everybody on this team

INTRAMURAL VOLLEYBALL Intramural volleyball schedule will be posted on the intramural bulletin board in Moody Coliseum after spring break.

n Curtis Harris, +26

See

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Tuesday

n Kyle Byerly, +19

Sports Writer

SOFTBALL

ACU vs. St. Edwards, Austin, 2 p.m.

n Stephen Knight, +16

The Wildcats will play Texas A&MKingsville this weekend in a four-game series at home. The team is scheduled to play two games Friday and two games Saturday. Currently, Texas A&M-Kingsville is ranked higher than ACU in the conference standings — ACU is fifth and Texas A&M-Kingsville is fourth, but that doesn’t bother the team, head coach Chantiel Wilson said. “It is sometimes more tough to be on top because the pressure is always on to stay there,” Wilson said. “We know what we can do and what we are capable of doing. Whether a team is ranked or not nationally means nothing to us.” That seems to be the case seeing as two ACU players swept the weekly conference honors from their play against

ACU vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville 5 p.m. (DH)

MEN’S TENNIS

n Hilton Funk, +16

By RACHEL DAVIS

ACU at Southwestern Oklahoma State, Weatherford Okla., 1 p.m. (DH)

ACU vs. St. Edwards, Austin, 2 p.m.

n Hugues Joannes, +7

n The ACU softball team will play its first home Lone Star Conference South series against Texas A&M Kingsville this weekend.

ACU at NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, Boston.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Individual Scores

Women face fourth place Kingsville

Friday

Sunday

Nationally ranked ACU finished seventh at the Southern California Intercollegiate Tournament in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

GOLF page 9

Upcoming

ACU vs. Incarnate Word, San Antonio, 2:30 p.m.

Cats in california

“The first day we were all playing really well, but yesterday was disappointing; things just weren’t going our way,” Campbell said. “We had one of those days that everyone has when they play the game of golf.” Campbell also said he thinks the ingredients are there; however, the team just needs to mix them together. “We have sporadic good rounds; we just need to put it all together,” Campbell said. The University of West

Sports Editor

brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Third baseman Sean Nourie catches a ball on Saturday against Southeastern Oklahoma State.

Baseball hasn’t had a spring break in I don’t know how long,” said third baseman Alec Sowards. The Wildcats will kick off its spring break with six games on the road — four against Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, Okla., and two more against Delta State in Cleveland, Miss. — and will end it with a four game series at home against Cameron University on March 17-18. ACU will play Southwestern on Friday and Saturday and then travel to Mississippi to take on Delta State on Tuesday and Wednesday. “I like long road trips,” said

head coach Britt Bonneau. “It’s just another chance to build as a team and learn to play on the road.” Arguably the toughest of the Wildcats spring break opponents will be nationally ranked Delta State. No. 14 Delta State has won eight of its last 10 games for a 16-4 record and the second-best record in the Gulf South Conference West Division. Another challenge will be overcoming the environment of Delta State’s home field, which Bonneau said should be a good road test for the Wildcats. “That environment is kind of like when teams come and

play us here,” Bonneau said. ACU is 12-0 at home and has outscored its opponents 148-40. No. 8 ACU is ranked higher than Delta State, and head coach Britt Bonneau said the tough competition would help prepare his team for the long haul. “We can’t get a big head or assume we’ve won something; you don’t get any awards till the end,” Bonneau said. ACU’s first spring break series against Southwestern will be its first on the road since splitting a series with Northeastern State on Feb. 23. See

TESTS page 9