Playing for pay Football team earns cash from state school opponents
vol. 103, no. 48
Friday, arpil 17, 2015
1 SECTION, 8 PAGES
Sports Page 8
what’s INSIDE NEWS SAAC athletes host Abilene Boys and Girls Club on campus Page 3
SPORTS ACU soccer star tries out for Colombian national team
Mariana Cedillo staff Photographer
Page 7
OPINION Seniors write guest columns, sharing their parting wisdom
emily guajardo staff Photographer
HITTING ALL THE
Page 6
CLUBS
SPORTS Wildcats push nationally ranked opponents, Tech and A&M, to the brink in back-to-back games
Top left: Erika Reagan, a member of Sigma Theta Chi, talks to potential pledges at the Camp Siggie rush. Top right: Members of Alpha Kai Omega dance on the basketball courts at their Zumba rush. Bottom left: Potential pledges sign in at Tri Kappa Gamma’s first spring rush.
Page 8
OPINION Cyber bullying is here to stay. Will deleting Yik Yak off your phone change anything?
emily guajardo staff Photographer
Nursing prepares for first class of graduates rachel fritz copy editor
Page 6
NEWS Betty&June outfit the catwalk to benefit YoungLife Abilene Page 4
Political science majors have the LSAT, health science majors have the MCAT and nursing majors have the NCLEX. Every nursing major needs to take the National Council Licensure Examination in order to become registered nurses. But this year, there’s a little more pressure with this round of exams. If ACU School of Nursing’s first graduating
elijah evans
People Party Productions throws local craft fair
Page 5
what’s online ONLINE Savanah Silva hosts this week’s newscast covering arts, sports and more
Read more at acuoptimist.com
standard as other schools and meet the standard. “It’s a very long process,” said Dr. Becky Hammack, dean of the School of Nursing. “We’re supposed to know something specific by the first part of May; that’s what they’ve told us and we haven’t heard anything, so we’re hoping everything is great.” Hammack came in 2013 to finish the proposal started by the previous dean, Dr. Susan Kehl. A national accreditation team came in November
last year, and in January 2013 Hammock went with the provost and president of the university to the BON to present the altered proposal. Then, it went to a committee in March and will go to another committee in April. Hammock said the visit went well, and it seems there were no concerns in the exit report. Accreditation hinges partly on seniors’ NCLEX scores. If a high enough percentage passes, the school will be able to admit
more students on a semester-by-semester basis. “If our graduates do well on the national exam, we will be able to start a second cohort in January,” Hammock said. “Up to 80 students is what the Board Of Nursing originally approved us for.” Madison Martin is among the first graduating class and is one of many who are feeling the pressure to pass. “The NCLEX is definitely see Nursing page 4
Faculty use Lightboard for online lessons online managing editor
ARTS
class doesn’t perform well enough, the school’s accreditation could be at risk. Two years after its official launch, ACU’s School of Nursing has inherited the responsibility of placing its first class of graduating students in the workforce next month as it awaits word on its national accreditation. The school, created in 2012, has already been approved by the Board of Nursing, but the accreditation team ensures the materials being taught in the program are at the same
The Learning Studio has launched a faculty-focused, cutting-edge technology project that was developed at Northwestern University this semester. The new project is called Lightboard and was created by Dr. Michael Peshkin, professor of mechanical engineering at Northwestern University. Lightboard is a huge, ultra-clear piece of glass. A professor writes and gives
his lesson on one side of the glass while video is shot from the opposite side. The user can watch himself presenting live on a monitor on the other side of the glass. Powerpoint slides and annotations can also be piped into the video. The technology allows faculty to create and present online lessons similar to the classroom experience. Dr. Curt Niccum, associate professor in the Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry, shot several videos with the Lightboard technology for an online graduate
course. “I will definitely use it again,” Niccum said. “There are applications for which it is particularly beneficial. For my applications, I found the Lightboard extremely effective. I had several unsolicited student responses, and all were positive.” Dr. Kyle Dickson, director of the Learning Studio, said he and others in the Learning Studio began talking about a year ago with other universities that used the Lightboard. These universities included Northwestern, Penn State, Notre Dame and Duke.
“We were intrigued with being able to share visual concepts and core ideas directly to camera,” Dickson said. “Presenting the content, but also sharing the process of thinking through that idea in real time.” Like the One-Button Studio, the Lightboard gives faculty the opportunity to create content in an easy manner without putting in extra hours or effort. Dickson said the Learning Studio wanted to stay on the forefront of technological advances in education and be prepared for ACU’s online
expansion. “As ACU continues to expand its online offerings, then we know producing a growing number of video pieces to support the instruction of those individual online classes is something we need to be prepared for,” Dickson said. “The Lightboard gives us one more tool for bringing those online instructors in and begin to turn around a significant amount of content quickly.” contact the optimsit at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
JMC Network awarded at state competition collin wieder sports editor Student reporters with the JMC Network received recognition at two journalism conferences earlier in the semester. Eight students received recognition at a Society of Professional Journalists conference March 27 in Norman, Oklahoma. Then, the network went on to the
Texas Intercollegiate Press Association convention in San Antonio on April 9-10 to win 29 awards. At SPJ, two students from the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication won first place in the Region 8 competitions. The SPJ awards are a multi-state competition, and the organization’s purpose is to recognize outstanding achievement in journalism and to stimulate
high standards and ethical behavior in the practice of journalism. Linsey Thut, senior convergence journalism major from Keller, won first place for her breaking news piece about the cancellation of ACU Spring Break Campaigns titled CCSL drops five Campaigns. “It was funny because I didn’t even know that what I was writing was breaking news at the time,” Thut said.
Abilene Christian University
“I was assigned to write about any Spring Break Campaigns, and when I went in for my interview, I was told they weren’t happening. That’s when I realized that my assignment was bigger than just a typical story.” As the story unfolded, Thut said she felt the excitement of reporting. “I spent the rest of the day calling and emailing multiple people, trying piece it all
together,” she said. “No one wanted to tell me why they weren’t happening, so after much persuasion and a ton of digging, I finally found my answer,” Thut said. “I worked so hard on the story, and it was the first time I really felt the rush of reporting something bigger than myself.” Denzil Lim, senior convergence journalism major see awards page 4
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friday
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saturday TED x ACU 8:30 a.m. Jinkerson Golf Scramble 3 p.m. Softball at Sam Houston State University 6 p.m. Baseball versus Sam Houston State University
monday
8 p.m.Baseball versus Sam Houston State University
Golf at Southland Conference Championship
2 p.m. Baseball versus Sam Houston State University
9 p.m. Siggie/Moonie skate rush
7:30 p.m. Beethoven’s 9th with the Abilene Philharmonic at the Abilene Civic Center
Announcements
Chapel checkup To date:
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sunday 9 a.m. Don Smith Memorial Golf Tournament
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Remaining:
60 13 @acuoptimist The Optimist
The second annual Finals Fun Fest will be April 25. The four-on-four grass volleyball tournament will be at Sanders Intramural Fields. Cost is $80 per team. Each team can have a maximum of five players, but only four can participate at a time; at least one player must be female. The play schedule will be sent by email beforehand. For more information or to register, contact Ijeoma Moronu at ish07a@acu.edu or 325-674-2383. The Second Chance Dance is an event to give everyone,
including the residents at Hill Resources, a “second chance” at prom. Gain admission by bringing one toiletry item, a game or puzzle to donate to the residents. Wear your old or thrifted prom dress to Gym D on Friday. Get ready to dance the night away! ACU Theatre’s spring musical is Ghost: The Musical, a timeless fantasy about the power of love. Don’t miss this roller coaster ride of music, romance and comedy. The musical will run at 7:30 p.m. this Friday and Saturday and April 24-25. There
will be a talkback after the performance on Friday. Tickets are $15 and available for purchase at http://acu.edu/theatre.
ments are fully furnished! Tendollar electricity coverage per month. Some extras such as lamps and some kitchen supplies may be included as well! The Shinnery Review release Let me know if you are interparty is April 23 at 7 p.m. Grad- ested via email at uating language and literature nlj10a@acu.edu. majors are invited to join us for an honorary dinner at 6 p.m. Join BSA Friday at 6 p.m. at the Come for live music, readings Abilene Zoo! Admission is $3 and food. Cocktail attire is pre- for non- BSA members. There ferred. The address is 10947 CR will be a picnic where you can 224 Abilene, TX 79602. bring your own favorite food or purchase from the concesSublease at University Park sion stand. A scavenger hunt is Apartments for $395 per planned with prizes for the top month for the summer! Apart- four winners!
optimist@acu.edu police log SELECTED ACUPD CALLS FOR THE WEEK 04/09/2015 4 p.m. ACUPD investigated a student’s report that a student has been texting the victim unwanted, inappropriate messages. 04/11/2015 8:53 p.m. ACUPD investigated the report of people on top of the Fire Station Theater. Two students were located and advised to exit the roof. 04/12/2015 12:30 p.m. For the second Sunday in a row, ACUPD was summoned to snake call at the Faubus Lake. A campus staff member captured the diamond back water snake [harmless] and relocated it to another venue away from campus. 04/13/2015 9:21 a.m. Officers investigated a reported suspicious box in a COBA conference room; the box was contained two text books. NOTE: ACUPD RECEIVED SEVERAL REPORTS INVOLVING THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO: 04/15/2015 9 a.m. A university employee reported possible identify theft via an unknown suspect’s submission of a fraudulent federal income tax return to the IRS using the employee’s personal data. 04/16/2015 12:08 a.m. ACUPD responded to a ResLife complaint of illegal alcohol use occurring in Barret Hall. Two students were issued citations Stats for the Week of April 9 - 16, 2015 - Total: 422 911 CALL 1 CART PATROL 1 MOTORIST ASSIST: JUMPSTART 5 TRAFFIC STOP 1 ACCIDENT 1 CHECK BUILDING 220 MOTORIST ASSIST: UNLOCK 6 TRESPASSER 1 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITY 18 DIRECT TRAFFIC 1 NOISE VIOLATION 1 WELFARE CHECK 1 ALARM 3 DISTURBANCE 1 OTHER 42 ALCOHOL INCIDENT 1 EVENT SUPPORT 1 PARKING LOT PATROL 2 Police Chief Tip of the Week: ANIMAL CALL 1 FOOT PATROL 30 PARKING VIOLATION 1 April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. ARRESTED SUBJECT 1 FOUND PROPERTY 2 PATROL VEHICLE: MAINTENANCE 8 Most rapes reported on college campuses ASSAULT 1 HARASSMENT 1 PATROL VEHICLE: REFUEL 5 nationwide are date rape/known acquainASSIST 1 INFORMATION REPORT 2 RANDOM PATROL 15 tance situations. Some tips to help prevent BACK UP OFFICER 1 INVESTIGATION FOLLOW UP 10 REPORT WRITING 11 these: establish clear boundaries early, BARRICADES 8 LOST PROPERTY 4 SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT 1 avoid intoxication or impairment on dates BUILDING LOCK/UNLOCK 12 MAINTENANCE UNIV. ASSETS: CCTV 1 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY 3 and at parties, use the buddy system at parBURGLARY (BUSINESS) 1 MEDICAL EMERGENCY 1 SUSPICIOUS PERSON 4 ties. BURGLARY (STORAGE SHED) 1 MONITOR FACILITY/LOT 4 THEFT 3
volunteer opportunities Big Brothers Big Sisters “Lunch Buddy” program is looking for volunteers. Each volunteer is matched with an elementary-age child. Volunteers spend just 30 minutes per week eating lunch with their “little brother” or “little sister” at local elementary schools, while mentoring through the simple act of friendship. Participants can enjoy playing card games, reading books and visiting during lunch. The waiting list has 138 children. Contact Jamie Bearden at 325-674-3113 or jbearden@bbbstx.org for more information. Communities in Schools needs 10 to 20 reading and lunch buddies at Ortiz Elementary. Volunteers are needed anytime between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. weekdays. Contact Sheila Ashford at 325-671-4945 ext.5351 or sheila.ashford@abileneisd.org for more information. Girl Scouts is seeking volunteers to help make a difference in the life of young girls. Girl Scouts offers several flexible ways to volunteer. You choose how: a one-day event, six-week series or year-round troop! Contact Scout Office. rent opportunities at 325-670-0432 and mlawson@gs-top.org. Keep Abilene Beautiful is looking for volunteers to help with litter clean-ups. Small and large groups are both needed. Contact Nicole Eaves at 325-734-3301 and nicole.eaves@abilenetx.com for more information. Kingdom Kids (Beltway Park Baptist Church) is looking for assistance with Sunday morning activities for Kingdom Kids (physically and emotionally challenged children). 5-6 volunteers are needed. Contact: Sharla Sanders at beltwaykids@beltway.org for more information. REACH @ Abilene North Apartments is seeking volunteers. Volunteers will be a
part of building relationships with at-risk kids and their families through a unique and developing apartment ministry. The program takes place Mondays from 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. Contact Caroline Thompson at 281-782-2956 or crt12a@acu.edu for more details. Special Olympics is seeking volunteers for two upcoming events. The first is September 26-27. They will be hosting a Bocce Ball tournament at Centennial Park. 20 volunteers per day are needed to keep score, hand out medals, escort athletes and cheer! The second event is November 6-8. They are hosting a bowling tournament at the Abilene Bowling Lanes. 30-35 volunteers are needed per day to sit with the athletes at the lanes, make sure each athlete bowls on his/her turn and handle issues of stuck balls and lane malfunctions. Contact Luann Chastain at 325-677-3200 or lchastain@sotx. org to volunteer. The Alliance for Women and Children is seeking volunteers for afterschool child care for Pre-K-5th grade children, 6th-8th grade children and A-Teens Middle School Girls Program. For more information about times and location, contact Toni Brown at 325-677-5321 or info@afwconline.org. The International Rescue Committee in Abilene needs your help in welcoming refugees to our community. We are seeking the following donations: hygiene and cleaning supplies, bed linen, towels and kitchen items (dishware, silverware, pots/pans etc). Donations are accepted Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2-4 p.m. or by appointment. Their office is located at 3303 N. 3rd St. Suite D. For more information contact Marie-Pascale Manishimwe at 325-675-5643. Love and Care Ministries is looking for volunteers to help with sorting clothing, stocking their food pantry, assisting in
prayers in their prayer room and serving food to the homeless. For more information call 325-670-0246. Volunteers are needed to help with daily activities organized by the staff at Chisholm House. This could involve playing board games, helping with arts and crafts and helping with a walking club. For some of these tasks volunteers may be asked to lead a group or work alongside a staff coordinator. Volunteer opportunities are from 2-4 p.m. or 6-8 p.m. daily. Contact Larissa Blankenship at 817-578-9296. The Noah Project is seeking volunteers to help with tasks such as answering phone calls, providing child care and doing maintenance and housekeeping. To volunteer call 325-676-7107. The Betty Hardwick Center is seeking volunteers for the Human Resources Center to help with filing and organizing. This job requires someone with attention to detail who wishes to learn more about Human Resources. The job is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. To volunteer, please contact Martin Walker at 325-690-5235 or mwalker@bhcmhmr.org. House of Faith is an organization that seeks to take Jesus to neighborhood children. Volunteers are needed to help with the various programs they do throughout the week. Backyard Bible studies are hosted Mondays and Wednesdays and a youth program takes place on Thursday evenings. The organization is seeking volunteers who can commit to a specific day a week. House of Faith lasts from 3-5:30 p.m. To volunteer or for more information contact Amy Jeffers at abj09a@ acu.edu or call 832-331-5324. Breakfast on Beech Street is seeking volunteers to help set up, prepare and serve breakfast to homeless/lower income folks any Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
or Friday at 5:30 a.m. or Tuesdays at 5 a.m. B.O.B.S. is located at First Christian Church on 3rd Street and Beech Street Service times must be scheduled in advance. To serve on Mondays contact Jody Depriest at 325-669-3312 or jody.depriest@gmail.com. To serve on Tuesdays contact Allen Daugherty at 325-660-6949 or ale.al@suddenlink.net. To serve on Wednesdays, contact Jane Harvey at 325-695-0092 or jharvread@ aol.com. To serve on Thursdays, contact Margaret Beasley at 325-692-4149 or mbeasley5@suddenlink.net. To serve on Fridays contact Terry Stremmel at terry. stremmel@acu.edu. The Food Bank of West Central Texas needs volunteers to help sort and stock food and other items Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. The Food Bank is located at 5505 N. 1st St. For more information contact Janice Serrault at 325695-6311 or abfoodbk@camalott.com. The Christian Service Center is seeking volunteers to help with filing requests for items such as clothing and bedding from the donation center, sort and organize donations and occasionally pick up donated items. Volunteers are needed every weekday and the first Saturday of each month between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. For more information, contact Roberta Brown at 325-673-7561 orrobertabrown51@hotmail.com. For more information on the program visit http://www.uccabilene.org/ministries/ csc.htm. The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers for a variety of needs such as sorting and pricing items in the thrift store, helping in the kitchen and/or doing yard work. Times are flexible and volunteers are needed Monday-Saturday. The Salvation Army is located at 1726 Butternut St. For more information, contact J.D. Alonzo at 325-677-1408. or visit www.satruck.com.
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news
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Student media selects directors for next year abby runnels page 2 editor The Journalism and Mass Communication Network, the student-run public relations and advertising agency Morris & Mitchell, and student multimedia agency 99 West have new directors for the 2015-2016 school year. Brittany Jackson, junior convergence journalism major from Mission Viejo, California, was selected by a panel of faculty members within the Department of Journalism and Communication as the new editorin-chief of the Optimist and director of student media. Kinsey Lee, junior advertising and public relations major from Plano, was also chosen as the group account director for Morris & Mitchell. Erika Thraser, junior multimedia major from Coppell, was chosen as the director of 99 West. Jackson has been on staff of the Optimist since her freshman year, writing
for the publication as part of her Reporting I class. “The oppor tunit y arose my Jackson sophomore year to be copy editor,” Jackson said. “And then, due to class scheduling for the managing editor at the time, she ended up leaving for a semester, and I got to be managing editor last spring. I studied abroad in the fall of this year, and I came back as managing editor.” Jackson has a range of experiences on student media as well as experience from her internship with the Abilene Reporter-News last summer. This summer, she has another internship at TulsaPeople Magazine. “Having daily news experience is a definite plus,” said Kenneth Pybus, assistant professor of journalism and faculty adviser to the Optimist. “It’s helped her to understand what’s appropriate for the web,
what’s appropriate for print and to understand the multiple roles that news media play in socilee ety.” With the ever-evolving industry of journalism, more people are reading stories online, and the Optimist staff is looking to change the way they approach getting content to students and faculty. “We’re going to be making some changes in our distribution schedule, and Brittany has the abilities to emphasize breaking news in our web coverage while holding on to the history that we have with print coverage,” Pybus said. “And she’s excited about doing that.” While most students may not be aware of the amount of work involved in the role of editor-and-chief, journalism and mass communication professors understand it is a tough position to be in.
“ D r . Money used to say it was the hardest and most demanding student job on camThrasher pus,” said Dr. Cheryl Bacon, professor and chair of the department. “When he was president and would participate in the interviews, he told every single person who applied that. I always appreciated the fact that he understood that.” Jackson has been interviewing students this week for positions on next year’s staff and is working on matching them with the right positions on the JMC Network. “I’m really looking forward to this opportunity to work with students more on the student media and to help the publication advance into the ever-changing atmosphere of journalism,” Jackson said. After working at Morris & Mitchell this year, there was no better choice than
Lee to take on the lead role at the agency, said Bailey Werderich, senior AD/PR major from Spring and the group account director for the current school year. “As soon as she started working here, Kinsey jumped in with everything she had,” said Werderich. “She was not afraid to ask questions and always wanted to know what she could do to help. Her experience this past year will definitely help.” Werderich knew that Lee would take on her position, even early on in the year. “My assistant, Amy Sloan, asked me in September who I thought would get it next year, and I knew it would be Kinsey,” said Werderich. Thraser will be the director for 99 West’s third year on campus. She was chosen by faculty closely involved with the group. Thraser became involved in multimedia her sophomore year when she switched majors to JMC. She started working alongside the producers of 99
West at the time and served as a producer for the media group this year. “It’s an awesome place to be and so I feel really lucky to be the director next year,” she said. “It’s an awesome place to be and so I feel really lucky to be the director next year.” In the past year, Thrasher has worked extensively with video production, live shooting, interviews and web design. . Dr. Jessica Smith, associate professor of journalism, helped choose Thraser as producer for next year. “This was her first year on staff and she impressed us all year long with her enthusiasm, good attitude and her ability to pick up on technical tasks quickly,” Smith said. Thrasher just completed interviewing potential workers and plans on announcing her staff within the next week.
contact runnels at anr11a@acu.edu
Applications open for summer mentors hannah little staff writer
mariana cedillo staff photographer
From left: Roy Helen Ackers and Donna Albus speak to an announcer during the KACU pledge drive.
The Upward Bound Summer Academy is looking for advisors and volunteers to participate in the summer program. Advisors for Upward Bound will be held with responsibilities such as being a mentor for the students, making a positive impact and cultivating the confidence for high school students. Free room and board for three weeks will be provided as well has meals for the six- week program. Summer advisors will be there to assist with mentors, teacher assistants, and be cheerleaders for the students in the summertime. The standard for advisors calls for people who are academically sound with a 3.0 or above and also with personality and organizational skills. “We look for a lot of di-
versity because we want our students to experience a team that resembles the world,” Karen Wilkerson, Program Director for Upward Bound. “We like for people to be responsible and for someone who can be a part of a team. Our one goal is to make a positive impact on these students.” The Upward Bound Program is to prepare economically disadvantage and first-generation students academically and personally for college attendance. The program always helps with assisting in the completion of postsecondary degree by giving academic instruction, support and motivation. “Our summer academy is for our participants it is exclusive for our upward bound participants that have been with us in the fall and in the spring,” said Wilkerson. The program is an 8-5 schedule for academic instruction that includes
college classes, SAT-ACT prep, financial management, team-building games and more fun. “It’s designed to simulate a college going experience for those students so they have an introduction to what college life is like.” Mado Assani, the Upward Bound Educational Coordinator, help students apply for college and FAFSA and scholarships. “In the summer we walk close with the seniors to make sure they have everything completed like FAFSA, college acceptance, dorm and food,” said Assani. To apply to be a summer advisor or a volunteer, contact Ms. Mado Assani, at 674-2713 or email mxa09a@acu.edu for more details.
contact little at hll12a@acu.edu
Freshman named Miss Frontier Texas 2015 bailey wederich studnet reporter The Miss Frontier Texas Scholarship Competition crowned Savannah Richardson, freshman nursing major from Graham, as the 2015 Miss Frontier Texas and awarded her a $4,000 scholarship. Kinsey Lee, Frontier Texas Account Director at Morris & Mitchell said the competition is an educational and empowering program for women. “The Miss Frontier Texas scholarship competition
aims to teach young women about the frontier,” said Lee, junior advertising and public relations major from Plano. “It is not a beauty pageant but more of place for strong and independent women.” The competition began in February with 15 contestants. The women participated in a series of competitions including saddling and mounting a horse, shooting a buffalo riffle, sewing, quilting and lassoing. The final set of competitions took place last weekend. Last Friday night the girls had a competition
building tents, Lee said. “They were given a piece of canvas, some stakes, a couple rods and a couple pieces of string,” Lee said. “After the tents were set up, they sewed a quilt square, learned square dancing, and played parlor games before spending the night at Frontier Texas in their canvas tents under the stars.” On Saturday, the eight remaining competitors began their morning by lassoing, chopping wood and washing laundry. After their lunch break, the five finalists fought for the crown and the scholarship with a
SAAC volunteers with after-school club Hannah Null staff writer The Student Athlete Advisory Committee welcomed about 60 children from the Abilene Boys and Girls Club to accompany them in the baseball game Tuesday night. The Abilene Boys and Girls Club was designed to make sure every child is a priority by providing them with affordable after-school care, mentoring and multiple club opportunities. Wildcat student athletes were able to contribute to the children’s club by bringing them to an open environment with positive role models to learn and gain support from ACU students. The children were dropped off at ACU before the baseball game so SAAC leaders could take them to dinner and get to know them.
Kyle Karnei, SAAC president, organized the event in hopes of being able to give back to the community. “It was awesome,” said Karnei, sophomore accounting major from McGregor. “The kids loved the baseball game. For some of them, this was their first baseball game ever.” The event was initially created as a way of honoring and celebrating National Student Athlete Day on April 6. This is the first time SAAC has been able to participate in something like this, and it’s unlikely that it will be the last. “I want to find a group of children from the Abilene Boys and Girls Club that SAAC can partner up with and develop a relationship that lasts for many years,” Karnei said. SAAC hopes to continue this contribution to the community by getting more involved with the Boys &
Girls Club of Abilene and volunteering their time to help the children grow. SAAC member Kenzie Walker, sophomore nursing major from Abilene, found the event to be more than a success. “The kids really enjoyed being able to hang out with us,” Walker said. “Not only the kids, but we had so much fun as well. I was even able to dance with my air guitar with some little girls.” This volunteer work was unlike typical volunteer work for the ACU students. “I loved being able to put a smile on their faces and laugh with them, because we don’t know anything about their home life,” Walker said. “We don’t know if their life at home is good or bad, but we know they had fun that night.”
contact null at hlj12a@acu.edu
cooking challenge. The five finalists were: –Laura Bynum, freshman nursing major from Lampasas –Rachel Mallary, junior multimedia major from Seabrook –Madison Shaw, freshman finance major from Snyder –Katy Westerlage, junior speech pathology major from Richland Hills –Savannah Richardson, a freshman nursing major from Graham “There were a lot of spectators there, cheering on the contestants,” Lee said.
“Many family and friends gathered to cheer on the girls as they competed. Some even came with signs and air horns.” After the final challenge, Richardson won the title, the $4,000 scholarship and a pair of custom-made boots by James Leddy. “This experience has been really challenging because I’ve had a really busy semester, but it’s been such a blessing to meet all the girls and make these close relationships,” Richardson said. Lee said one of her favorite parts about coordinat-
ing this competition is seeing the relationships grow among the contestants. “When they all started the competition, most of them didn’t know each other,” Lee said. “However, by the end of the competition they were smiling, laughing and cheering each other on. I feel like it’s an awesome opportunity to learn more about Texas culture and build longlasting friendships.”
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
News
friday 4.17.15
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Tournament fundraises for scholarship betsy smith student reporter
jarred shuetze chief photographer
Mark Jackson waits to get dunked outside Chapel.
This Friday, students are invited to play in the Jinkerson Golf Scramble to raise money for the Darryl and Cindy Jinkerson Study Abroad Scholarship. The second Jinkerson Golf Scramble will honor the memory of Darryl Jinkerson, former professor of management, who passed away following a heart attack in October 2012. After his death, Jinkerson’s daughters and his close friend, Dr. Phil Vardiman, professor of management, started the Darryl and Cindy Jinkerson Study Abroad Scholarship in his honor. Jinkerson’s passion for golf and studying abroad encouraged Jinkerson’s daughters and Vardiman to start a fundraiser that would be enjoyable and contribute to study abroad scholarships for college students. “Jinkerson was an avid golfer who loved competition and having fun,” Vardiman said. Jinkerson golfed at the Abilene Country Club, which
is why the tournament will be played there Friday. “He was a very close friend of mine who helped me be a better person and teacher,” Vardiman said. “We shared many adventures together.” Vardiman and Jinkerson went on several study abroad trips and owned a consulting business together. “Not only was Dr. Jinkerson a good friend, but he was also a very caring and wonderful professor,” Vardiman said. “He loved his students, and he was highly competent in his subject matter. He brought years of experience and knowledge into his classroom. He was always engaged with his students and committed to their growth.” In the last tournament, 91 students, faculty and community members formed 24 teams at the first Jinkerson Golf Scramble. They raised a total of $10,000 – more than twice the amount they were hoping for. “The Jinkerson Golf Scramble is a lot of fun,” said Michael Smith, ACU alum from Denton. “It’s a great
time to be on the course with my fellow students, faculty, staff and alumni and play the sport Jinkerson loved the most.” Vardimans’ hopes for the golf scramble to become an annual event appear to be coming true. Following the success of last year’s event, Vardiman said their goal this year is to raise at least $10,000 for the endowed scholarship fund. This year, students are encouraged to come in teams of four but can be paired with other students if they come alone. Tickets are $75 for students and $100 for non-students, which includes a shirt, two meals and the expenses of the game. The tournament will start at 8:30 a.m. All proceeds will benefit the Darryl and Cindy Jinkerson Study Abroad Scholarship Endowment. Tickets are available to buy online at: https://secure. touchnet.com/C20286_ustores/web/product_detail. jsp?PRODUCTID=998. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Fashion show advances local businesses catherine blakemore arts editor The third annual Betty & June trend show and late night shopping event is Saturday at the downtown event center, The Majestic. The trend show is the biggest event of the year for the local boutique. This year, the event will incorporate local businesses and students to display new clothing. Owner of Betty & June
Jessica Jackson has facilitated the trend show for three years as a part of Young Life Abilene to give back to the community and raise awareness for local businesses. “Eventually, I want to do it for different local charities, or something local, and help generate money for them,” Jackson said. The event will be fully catered by Abi Haus, desserts by Sweets du Jour, and serve an open bar from Public Haus, all
while selling Betty & June spring clothing. “Just because the community is involved in it, I feel like everyone that we’ve talked to is really excited about getting involved and doing it,” Jackson said. “No one has ever said no. It’s all kind of like we’re feeding off each other and sharing clients. Some of the employees of the store will also be modeling in the show, some for the first time and some as veterans.
Emily Eastman, ACU graduate, has modeled in the show last year and will, again, this year. “The show is just a really fun event for the entire community because it benefits Young Life but also because people can come downtown and get aware of the new businesses coming up,” Eastman said. The planning for this event has been going on for months though Jackson is always looking for trend show clothes
throughout the year. “We do fittings throughout the week before the fashion show, and pretty much everyone is going to be there the day before the show for styling,” Eastman said. “For the girls, we chose their look beforehand. We’re still getting in men’s clothes for the show, so we haven’t fit them in their actual clothes yet.” Ethan Bracken, senior finance major from Salado, is one of the male
models for this year’s show. “I think the show will help showcase the men’s section at Betty & June,” he said. “There’s a lot of demand for Austin-style clothing in Abilene. I hope that the demand will make the men’s section expand.”
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Awards: Students score well in competitions from page 1 from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, won first place for an in-depth reporting piece titled The fight against cybercrimes. “I worked on the piece for about two weeks collecting necessary information on the subject from people and reliable sources,” Lim said. “I didn’t expect to win the award as I was competing with another classmate for it. She is, in my opinion, the better writer and journalist. If anything, winning this award shows the possibilities of success even from ACU.” “Anytime we place well in that kind contest, it reflects well on the whole department, in addition to highlighting outstanding work by individual students,” said Dr, Cheryl Bacon, chair of the department. “It always reflects
well on the faculty that have taught and mentored those students in areas where they have been recognized.” All of the first-place award winners will automatically go on to compete in the National Mark of Excellence Competition. “I can’t wait to see how it fares at the national level. It’s exciting to have made it that far,” Thut said. At TIPA, the Optimist picked up 29 awards, including an overall excellence honorable mention for the paper product. Madeline Orr, editor in chief of the Optimist, said she is impressed at the commendation because the Wildcats compete against at the highest division. “It just shows that our program and our news outlet is just as strong as any other big program in the state,” said Orr, senior jour-
nalism major from North Richland Hills. “I am very proud of the Optimist staff, and I am thankful for the work Marissa Jones did last year, which we were awarded for.” Jones, a senior multimedia major from Abilene, preceded Orr as editor in chief. The Optimist also won first-place awards in five different categories as a part of their 29-award haul. Brittany Jackson, junior journalism major from Mission Viejo, California, said the staff did a great job putting in extra effort to keep up with the bigger schools. “As managing editor, it’s so impressive to see our workers and our staff dedicating so much time to these stories,” Jackson said. “I was assigning these stories, but I didn’t know where the reporters were going to take the story. It was really
cool being able to see all the work that my classmates did last semester and actually win awards.” The awards ceremony included more than just awards for the students. Rachel Fritz, junior journalism major from Haltom City, was elected TIPA Parliamentarian for the upcoming year. “It’s cool that we get to work with Fred Stewart, the executive director of TIPA, and we get to take people’s opinions on the sessions or anything TIPA-related,” Fritz said. “We get to talk with him about how we can make TIPA better and more enjoyable for students.” Fritz said she was glad to see all the hard work pay off, especially in a smaller newsroom with fewer staff members. “We work hard, so I think that reflected in the awards,” Fritz said. “It was
v
SPJ FINALISTS Madeline Orr
AES faces proposal
restructuring
Brittany Jackson
Home school may affect recruiting process
Laura Benson
JMC Network Newscast
Matt Sloan
Financial stakes rise with move to Div. I
Gabi Powell
Catching Atchley
Shera Niemirowski
Sims returns for fresh start
really cool to know that our Benson contributed to this work is being recognized on story. that scale.” TIPA’s 2016 convention will move to Dallas for the contact the optimist at next two years. jmcnetwork@acu.edu Collin Wieder and Laura
Nursing: Accreditation relies on graduates from page 1 tually, we hope they’re more prepared. We’re expecting great things from our graduates.” Some students have already been offered jobs and internships, and there are students who will go on to work with Cook Children’s and University Medical Center in Lubbock.
As for Martin, she said she has high hopes for her future, though she has had some doubts along the way. “The biggest concern I had when starting nursing school at ACU was the quality of the program,” she said. “I couldn’t talk to students who previously went through the program because we were the very first class,
which also made us the guinea pigs, so to speak.” But state-of-the-art equipment and technology have eased some of those concerns and promoted learning. Simulation labs and other equipment aid in training students how to perform in real-life medical situations. “It’s nice because we are able to get the handson of nursing without the fear of harming a real patient,” Martin said. “Our instructors who run the simulation lab are also incredible at teaching us and instilling confidence in us.” Professors were hired through advertisements, though two professors, Dr. Marcia Straughn and Dr. Anita Broxson, were there assisting in the construction of the new program. “I didn’t have any concerns going into ACU’s new School of Nursing because I was confident they were equipped and prepared to teach us,” said Lauren Montoya, a
first-year nursing student from San Antonio. “We are mentored by Christian faculty and taught by practicing nurses.” The selection process for students wasn’t as open as it was for professors. In its first two years, the school only took around 50 students a year, whereas other nursing schools admitted students on a semester-bysemester basis. Students must have an overall grade point average of 3.0, complete the Health Education Systems Incorporated Admissions Assessment (HESI A2) exam, be a certified nurses assistant and complete the necessary prerequisites. The competition to get into ACU’s School of Nursing was just one among the list of concerns for Stacy Campos, a first-year nursing student from Garland. “If I wouldn’t have gotten in, I wouldn’t be at ACU,” she said. “I would have gone to a school that
had a nursing program.” Before the birth of ACU’s nursing school, students attended Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing. ACU’s school was created in 2012 so students would be able to have the on-campus “ACU experience” while receiving their nursing degrees. For students such as Montoya and Campos who still have time before they graduate, finding a job is not a prominent concern but is still on the horizon. “I don’t have any concerns entering the workforce once I graduate because our faculty and staff prepare us for the real world,” Montoya said. Nursing school faculty and staff help students find a career by connecting them to community hospitals and setting up interviews and job fairs as well as helping them prepare for the NCLEX. Seniors are also required to participate in preceptorships where
they shadow a nurse for three or four weeks. Additional help from professors and an incomparable facility has balanced out the newness of the program and has even instilled a confidence in students. “I think I am more prepared than I actually give myself credit for,” Martin said. “Nursing school can’t prepare you for everything you will experience; nursing school just sets the foundation that you build on once you start your career.” As for first-year students, the same applies. “I am confident that I’ll be prepared when I graduate, because not only do I have well educated professors to learn from, but I feel God also made it possible for me to attend ACU for a reason,” Montoya said.
contact fritz at ref11a@acu.edu
5
arts
FRIDAY 4.17.15
photos by mdG photography & courtesy of a people party productions
A People Party Productions and Spring Craft Fair founders Jen and Forrest Harmel pose at the 2014 Fall Craft Fair.
Local craft fair focuses on artists of all kinds Catherine blakemore arts editor A local Abilene promotion company will host the annual Spring Craft Fair to promote and celebrate local artists and businesses. Head of the event, Jen Harmel, is an ACU graduate who previously participated in student-led craft fairs and established JamFest. “When you graduate college here in Abilene, there’s not a lot of opportunities where that stuff is happening,” Harmel said. “So I wanted to create that outlet as a full time working mom.” The event will begin at 10 a.m. April 18 at The Mill, a local downtown event center, and will last all day. “You can expect live music the whole time, food trucks and just an atmosphere of festivity – the kind of stuff that you would, hopefully, see on the streets any given day in a city like Austin or in Oregon,” Harmel said. “Not on that same grand scale, but on that feeling of community and creativity.” Each year, the craft fair has business partnerships for locally owned food and drink places, but the vendors are more difficult to choose. “It attracts people like stay-at-home-moms who have side hobbies; a lot of people who have full-time jobs and don’t have a time to have a store front for what they make,” Harmel said. This is important to the integrity of the brand, she said. The fair seeks to stay away from multi-level marketing campaigns and franchises. “If we’re calling these craft fairs, we really don’t want to yes to things that aren’t hand-crafted and handmade,” Harmel said. “However, because we’re in Abilene, we can’t be too picky and choosy.” This year, the event will feature local vendors and their art, crafts and other various products, though the focus of the event is really on building community and gathering people together to have fun, Harmel said. Maggie Marshall, senior English major from Tulsa, Oklahoma, said she thinks the
photos by mdG photography & courtesy of a people party productions
Andrew Holmes, local artist, performs at the 2014 Fall Craft Fair.
photos by mdG photography & courtesy of a people party productions
Vendor booth from Mary Gregory Studio at the 2014 Fall Craft Fair.
“
You can expect live music the whole time, food trucks and just an atmosphere of festivity – the kind of stuff that you would, hopefully, see on the streets any given day in a city like Austin or in Oregon.” jen harmel founder of the Spring and fall craft fairs
fair is cool because of the local people and it’s handmade items. “I make handmade things, too, and the fair sounds like a really good opportunity for people like me to show off their stuff,” she said. The event has been at the Cloister’s Courtyard three times, but this year, The Mill approached Harmel to have the event at their business. Harmel said the growth of the Spring Craft Fair is slow and steady but growing solidly, and The Mill approaching them for the Spring Craft Fair is indicative of that. The live music lineup includes 11 local musicians. Among them are Andrew Holmes, who is now on tour and has become popular outside of Abilene, and ACU student Jake Rosser, sophomore multimedia major from Abilene. “This is a really valuable thing to be a part of, especially in Abilene,” Harmel said.
contact Blakemore at crb13a@acu.edu
photos by mdG photography & courtesy of a people party productions
Vendor booth from M.E. & YOU at the 2014 Fall Craft Fair.
photos by mdG photography & courtesy of a people party productions
Vendor booth from Eloweezy at the 2014 Fall Craft Fair.
Opinion
6
Friday 4.17.15
editorial
To kick or not to kick the Yik: Deleting the app The Office of Multicultural Enrichment is fighting one of the most powerful forces in the history of civilization: the Internet. The “Kick the Yik” campaign was launched by OME in response to the abundance of racist, sexist and offensive yaks on the controversial app. They are encouraging students to delete the app from their phones. The idea is that there is always going to be inappropriate and offensive yaks posted, and the posters are only looking for a reaction. So by deleting the app, they are eliminating the number of people on the app reacting. The Optimist Editorial Board has split opinions on this campaign. Half of us believe anonymity is a necessary evil created by the Internet and has been a controversy online long before smart phones and apps even existed. Internet trolls and cowards that hide behind the keyboard are something every website with user features have to deal with. You can be anonymous anywhere – well, unless you’re conscious of your IP address, but that’s for a different editorial. OME’s efforts seem futile. While keeping people off the app will keep them from being offended, the same can be said for the rest of the Internet. Are there tweets or Facebook posts that upset them? Probably, but they’re most
Ben Todd
DAILY doodle dosage
likely not going to delete those apps. While the other half of our board thinks OME is approaching the issue with rational and reasonable expectations, they aren’t expecting the bad yaks to go away. They aren’t fighting the yakkers with IP address hunts or campus policy
hashtagACU April 15 9:55 a.m.
makes sense that they realize they don’t have to be on the app if it’s going to upset them. While this may bother some, knowing the sexist and the hateful yaks are still happening, they can feel good about reducing the size of the audience it reaches and the likeliness
MITCHELL EAST VAGABONDAGE
Senior Biblical text major SAMANTHA SUTHERLAND from Austin
@LaneLuttrell @CHughes_38
My heart is broken because I just realized I have $6 left in Bean Bucks
I stole this title from the brilliant Marina Keegan, a 2012 graduate from Yale. She planned to work at The New Yorker when she left school. Then, she died in a car accident five days after her graduation ceremony. In part, my words are written to honor her, to say thank you for the best description of the opposite of loneliness: “It’s not quite love, and it’s not quite community; it’s just this feeling that there are people, an abundance of people, who are in this together.” Yes, that’s the thing I feel. Thank you, Marina. But there’s another
April 15 10:09 p.m.
All my grades are fine as long as you ignore quizzes
@aspengothard
@SoyTophu
April 16 2:37 p.m.
I used to love people and always wanted to help people, After group projects in college, I like furniture a lot more than people.
Tests on papers on projects...
@CortniWilliams
be a reasonable temporary solution for protecting the ACU community, but it’s only ignoring the fact that anonymity and cyberbullying are here for the long haul. contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
The opposite of loneliness
No, that’s okay computer, I didn’t need that paper I was working on. By all means, go ahead, please restart without saving it, I’ll wait.
April 15 10:40 p.m.
of the bad yaks to get a response. So whether you choose to Kick the Yik or not, we are going to live the rest of our lives in a world that has more freedom of speech, and especially press (i.e. self-publication) than any generation preceding us. Deleting the app may
senior guest Column
April 15 2:14 p.m.
At the point where I check my email before every class hoping that by some slim chance we aren’t meeting.
changes like the administration has done in the past with anonymous Twitter accounts. They are passively suggesting students just step away from the ugly conversations. This makes sense, especially for students who are upset by the yaks. It only
YikYak
thing I feel. Because loneliness tags along with its opposite. There are the days I feel like I’m more than me. Then there are pockets of time, seconds or minutes or months, in which I forget what “we” feels like. I bet everyone feels loneliness and its opposite. I assume you experience more of one than the other. And that’s OK. College is like boot camp for feelings. You’ll feel tired yet more awake than you’ve ever felt before. You’ll hate some professors, and you’ll thank others for saving your life. You’ll feel the rush of a kiss, and you’ll feel the rush
of a missed opportunity. You’ll feel loneliness and its opposite. And then there’s apathy. You can’t feel it because it’s the absence of feeling. Unlike loneliness and its opposite, I think apathy kills because it avoids, ignores and stuffs your feelings down deep. Eventually, you can’t be apathetic. The feelings will make their way out. I think now, the present, is the perfect time to feel your feelings. To cry, to smile, to laugh, to grimace and to make yourself vulnerable. My worst times were never when I felt lonely. They were when I pretended to feel its opposite. I guess that’s what my clarion call is all about: do not pretend. Feel what you actually feel. I don’t mean for you to wallow, of course. I want you to take the precious
“
College is like a boot camp for feelings. You’ll feel tired yet more awake than you’ve ever felt before.”
time you have to treat your heart with some respect. Let it feel. You could wait to feel. But the future as we experience it is uncertain. Marina’s future was tragically cut short, and there’s no good explanation for it. But her story does not have to implant fear. It should give you courage. The courage to feel. Today. Now.
contact EAST at MJE10A@acu.edu
senior guest Column
Stepping of the stage and into the job market MAGGIE MARSHALL VAGABONDAGE
SeniorSUTHERLAND English major SAMANTHA from Allen
As a graduating senior, I’ve heard the dreaded question “what are you going to do after graduation?” about 100 times. As an English major, people always assume I want to teach. But, what I really want to do is write. While graduate school is forefront in my mind, the professional world
isn’t far behind. As an English major who doesn’t want to teach, the professional world looks much different for me than for many others in my field. To jumpstart my career, I’ve decided to enter the world of freelancing. Freelancing means I can work for or at multiple companies at a
time rather than be permanently employed by one company. While this provides me some freedom to choose who I work for and what I write, it’s also a much less stable career. To increase the likelihood of getting hired, a freelancer must put a big focus on branding. I’ve had a blog for a while now, but I had to rebrand the entire thing to suit my freelancing business. And, as any beginning freelancer would tell you, it’s scary jumping into a world of professionals when your own
editorial and Letter Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration. Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university. The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing
personal attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy. Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published.
published by the department of journalism and mass communication editorial and management board
experience is limited. Beginning freelancers must be willing to highlight their strengths and their past work, even if they don’t feel the slightest bit prepared to enter
the professional world. I’ve had to do extensive research – What do I charge my customers? How do I find customers? How do I make sure I give them what they need? – and be willing to fight the insecurities that come with beginning a job so that I don’t jilt myself in the process. While I’ve had a lot of fun rebranding, typing up my “hire me” page, signing up on freelancer sites and making fun f lyers, I know that the hard part has yet to begin. Graduating and entering the professional
world is scary. Through this experience, I’ve learned to recognize the fact that I have the skills I need to start this freelancing business. I’m a beginner, but as the cliché goes, everyone has to start somewhere. Believing you have what it takes is the first step you take into the professional world. Maggie Marshall is a senior English major from Tulsa, Oklahoma.
contact MARSHALl at Mxm10d@acu.edu
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7
sports
Friday 4.17.15
Wildcats look for answers in Huntsville savanah silva sports reporter The softball team will hit the road this weekend and travel to Huntsville to take on conference rival Sam Houston State. The Wildcats are coming off a tough sweep by SFA last weekend where they were shut out in three games. Freshman infielder Peyton Hedrick had an incredible first night of the series going 4-for4 with two home runs. She also had three runs and four RBI’s. The freshmen really stepped up against Stephen F. Austin with infielders Baylee Travers and Kaleigh Lightsey scoring in the second game adding to the rally that almost was. The ‘Cats came within one run of SFA,
of team that gives up. “ Seidel has had an important season for the ‘Cats with help from her teammates. “I’ve got to take control of the game through all seven innings,” Seidel said. “Get ahead in the count with first pitch strikes, and move the ball. The great thing about our lineup is that I know they’re going to score runs.” The coaching staff has really focused on teaching the girls to play to win rather than playing not to lose. InMariana Cedillo Staff Photographer stilling that mindset is the thing that could make a treAfter coming off a sweep, ACU will look to get back on mendous difference for the track against SHSU. ‘Cats. but the Ladyjacks took that hard time getting everyACU has improved all game along with the last one. thing to come together in season on slowly shutting Going into this weekend’s games,” said senior pitcher down opponents defenseries with a conference re- Emily Seidel. “Defense, sively. Though the women cord of 3-15 doesn’t discour- hitting and pitching. But may not score as many runs age them at all. we’ve never stopped fight- as head coach Bobby Reeves “We’ve been having a ing, and we’re not the type may want, they have learned
to keep the gap within scoring distance. Hedrick will look to add more numbers to her already outstanding first season as a Wildcat this weekend. She is currently second in the Southland with her hitting average of .466. Teammates Taylor Brown and Kaleigh Singleton also are second and third in the Southland in fielding. As long as the Wildcats can pull their offense and defense together, the three-game series could be just what ACU needs to improve their conference standings. The SHSU Bearkats are faring a little better in conference with a record of 4-12. They are coming off a non-conference win against Texas Southern University where they shut down a rally by TSU and
took the game 6-5. Bearkcats pitcher Meme Quinn struck out three batters in five innings, so look for her to try several changeups on the ‘Cats to try and shut them down. Sam Houston State isn’t afraid to make sacrifice plays either, especially in late innings. Catcher for SHSU Tiffany Castillo earned her fifth homerun of the season in their game against TSU. Look for her to try to earn her sixth in the series against the ‘Cats. Seidel said hitting will be the key in defeating SFA. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. Friday in Huntsville and the second game will follow immediately. contact silva at sns12b@acu.edu
“I was keeping up, I was at their level and I knew I could keep competing.”
Paige Otway Staff Photographer
Sophomore midfielder Maria Gomez spends most of her time practicing and playing for ACU soccer. But recently, she has been training for a chance to represent her home country of Colombia in the 2015 Women’s World Cup.
Competing for the Cup
Gomez tries out for spot on Colombian National Soccer Team Collin thompson sports reporter From the day she was born, she had Colombian blood running in her veins and a soccer ball at her feet. Sophomore midfielder Maria Gomez, who finished her second season playing for the ACU women’s soccer team last semester, also just finished training in the Republic of Colombia for the chance to represent her country at the 2015 Women’s World Cup. Born in Cali, Colombia, but raised for most of her life in the United States, Maria was invited to compete with 24 women for three weeks in her home country which would decide who made the team as they prepared for the upcoming World Cup in Canada. The team made its World Cup debut in 2011 with terrible result but has seen success lately under head coach Felipe Taborda. Last year, the team earned a second-place finish in last year’s Copa América Femenina tournament. But that doesn’t mean the 19-year-old Wildcat can’t compete against the older, professional women players of Colombia. “About a year and a half ago, when I went to my first training camp in Colombia, was when I first realized I could play at that higher level,” Maria said. “I played with the women there, and it was very competitive, but I was definitely there. I was keeping up, I was at their level and I knew I could keep competing.”
After competing in the U.S. and at ACU, Maria found the sport and training to be disparate down south, which allows her to use the skills she’s learned here and combine them with what she learned abroad. “There’s a big difference between American soccer and Latin American soccer,” Maria said. “In Latin America, they do a lot of technical work with their foot skills and focus a little bit less on fitness, so I can get my fitness and my physical aspects here with weight lifting, the amount of running that we do and the fitness tests that we have, and I can put it into work over there when I get the chance.” After training and overcoming struggles with the altitude of Colombia’s capital city, Bogotá, which sits 8,660 feet above sea level, Maria was able to show she could keep up with these nationally acclaimed players. “They’re definitely disciplined in Colombia at the professional level,” Maria said. “They know a lot about the game, and so do the coaches. Everyone is a professional there. They’ve been to the Olympics before; they’ve been to the World Cup before, so they have a lot of experience behind them, and if you mess up or something, they’ll help you. They’ll teach you, and they’ll just show you how to be.” After she returned to the states in March, Maria could only wait to find out if she’d been selected to return to Colombia to tryout for the team in April and hope her name was on the final list. But it wasn’t.
Maria didn’t return to the country she spent the first four years of her life. She didn’t play for the Republic where her father and her uncle both played professionally as goalkeepers, where her father was part of the U-20 National Team in 1987. And she won’t go to the World Cup. But that’s only fueling Maria for the next round. “Not making it will just make me push harder and work harder,” she said. “While they’re in the World Cup, while they’re in the training camps right now, I’ll still be here, doing the same thing – working hard so I can get better and better, even better than I was this time, and hopefully get invited to camp for the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2019 France World Cup. After this World Cup, knowing that I won’t be there, I’m committed to getting there for those two.” Maria said she can’t wait for her next opportunity to show she can compete for her country, where she really feels like herself. “I absolutely love my country so much,” Maria said. “The music, the dancing, the food and everyone’s personalities, it makes me feel at home. I know I was raised here in the U.S. and grew up here for basically my entire life, but I go back to Colombia, and it feels like a sense of me is reestablished. Every time I go, the atmosphere, the culture, I just feel like it’s me.” contact thompson at cnt13c@acu.edu
‘Cats head to John Jacobs Invitational At this meet last year, the men’s team came out with a second-place spot at 114 points, 93 points The ‘Cats will take their behind the leading team, talents to Norman, Okla- Oklahoma. homa, this weekend to The women’s team landcompete in University of ed a solid fourth place out Oklahoma’s John Jacobs In- of five with 61 points, 15 vitational. points ahead of SMU. This is the seventh Kenzie Walker, sophomeet of the outdoor sea- more pole vaulter from son which leaves two more Abilene, placed first at this meets until the South- meet last year with a vault land Conference Outdoor of 3.72 meters. Championships. Walker improved her
Hannah Null
sports reporter
personal best this past weekend to four meters. Coming off an efficacious weekend, the Wildcats expect to have a great finish against some topnotch rivalries. For ACU newcomers such as freshman distance runner Ryan Cleary, this will be the first opportunity to compete at the John Jacobs Invitational. “I really expect to run a big PR and prepare for the final stretch of the sea-
son,” Cleary said. “I believe our team can compete at a high level and will be ready to face some big Div. I competition.” Sophomore multi-event competitor Ramesheon Marine also placed well in this meet last year. Marine earned a sixthplace finish in women’s long jump and the women’s 100-meter hurdles, a-third place finish in the 4-x-400 meter relay and a fourthplace finish in the women’s
4-x-100 meter relay. “I enjoy being able to attend these meets and being able to compete against teams across the United States,” Marine said. “Hopefully as a team, we continue to run great times.” Marine said she hopes to excel her records at this meet this season, as do the rest of the Wildcats. With the conference meet only three meets away, the ‘Cats know they
need to strive harder to beat Div. I competition in order to succeed at Conference Championships. “We’re heading into the peak of our performances,” Cleary said. “And this meet should be an early indicator of how we’ll perform at Conference.” The two-day event will begin at 5 p.m. Friday. contact null at hln12a@acu.edu
sports
Friday 4.17.15
8
standings 2015 Baseball Standings
Team
Div.
SELU 11-4 NSU 12-5 MSU 12-6 HBU 10-5 SHSU 11-7 UCA 9-6 Nicholls St.10-8 TAMU-CC 7-8 Lamar 7-9 ACU 6-9 SFA 6-11 NO 2-13 UIW 2-13
THE
PROMISE OF PAYOUTS
Ovrl 27-11 20-16 22-15 19-15 19-19 18-12 21-14-1 17-15 18-19 8-26 12-24 12-24 11-24
2015 Softball Standings
Team
Div.
NSU 14-2 UCA 14-4 SELU 13-4 MSU 12-5 Lamar 12-6 Nicholls St.10-8 TAMU-CC 8-10 SFA 7-10 SHSU 4-12 HBU 4-13 ACU 3-15 UIW 3-15
Ovrl 25-14 27-15 19-20 26-18 21-19 24-16 13-24-1 15-26 12-24 10-25 9-29 9-31
Who’s Hot Daniel Zepeda Sports director
ACU football played in the famous Georgia Dome, home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons to open up the college football season. The environment, game and experience were all beneficial for the Wildcats as they were payed well off the field for the Georgia State game.
Windfall of cash comes with move to Div. I collin wieder sports editor Seconds remained in the Wildcats’ season opening football game against the Georgia State Panthers. The Wildcats led 37-35 in their first-ever matchup against the Div. I Panthers. Georgia State kicker Will Lutz trotted out to the field to attempt a 26-yard field goal. Lutz’s kick went through the uprights, crushing ACU students and alumni everywhere as they realized the upset attempt had fallen short. The Wildcats lost their season opener 38-37 in the Georgia Dome on national television. However, the athletic program made sure that the loss did not go unrewarded. In fact, Georgia State promised ACU more than $200,000 before its football team even stepped on the field. ACU’s move to Div. I has opened up many doors for its football program to reap financial benefits by competing against larger opponents. The university has already reaped a windfall of more than half a million dollars playing bigger-name schools over the past two years, and it’s certain to add significantly to that amount in the coming years. An increasing number of schools are benefitting financially from off-the-field payout games. These games pit NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, or FBS, opponents
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These games are a huge against generally smaller Football Championship Subsource of revenue and division, or FCS, schools like publicity. It’s a reminder ACU. FBS opponents have that we aren’t just playing been paying to play so-called Stephen F. Austin or warm-up games against FCS opponents for years. Most Lamar. We are playing the notably, Michigan paid Apbig boys.” palachian State $1 million to play in the memorable 2007 upset of the Wolverines. In lee de leon athletic director fact, FBS opponents paid FCS acu athletics teams nearly $13 million over just the opening weekend of the 2014 season, according to Chief Executive Officer and ESPN. President of the Texas High School Sports Hall of Fame. “I Covering hotel and think for us to get the games airline costs that we did against Troy and Georgia State last year is a The ACU football team great fit for us where we are as has yet to play a high-profile a program.” opponent like Michigan. It is, ACU football has reaped however, used to this trend as the benefits of playing big it prepares for a fourth FBS Div. I competition in more opponent in three years and ways than one. ACU was paid the resulting payout. In 2015, $125,000 by New Mexico State ACU will travel to play the for a 34-29 shootout loss that Fresno State University Bull- season. The loss was also teledogs on Sept. 5. While ACU’s vised nationally on ESPN3, financial incentives to play giving the Wildcats a coveted the Bulldogs next fall haven’t level of exposure. been disclosed, the Wildcats According to its contract first were paid to play a 2013 with ACU, Georgia State progame against FBS competi- vided the Wildcats with 41 tor New Mexico State and the paid-for hotel rooms. The next year received payouts game brought even more exfrom Georgia State and Troy posure with an ESPN appearUniversity. ance for the first NCAA FBS Scheduling these games game of the year. Another takes a lot of prior planning, close one-point loss gave said former ACU athletic di- ACU credibility in front of rector Jared Mosley. viewers who had never heard “One of the things with Div. of the Wildcats. I contracts is that you have to ACU also played the Troy schedule those six or seven Trojans this year in a 38-35 years out,” said Mosley, now shootout win on ESPN3
against legendary coach Larry Blakeney. The loss came at high price to the Trojans, who, in addition to being embarrassed on national television, paid ACU’s football program $210,000 to come to Alabama for the game. ESPN analysts even cited the loss to the Wildcats as a key factor in Blakeney’s decision to step down as head coach a month later. ‘Playing the Big Boys’ Head coach Ken Collums says the his current team was built to play against these tough FBS programs. “If you put a team together with good depth and you go in and play well, that’s all you can ask for,” Collums said. “Winning those games is really hard. That’s why it was so remarkable to play that well against Georgia State and Troy.” Athletic Director Lee De Leon, who succeeded Moseley last fall, said these games are crucial to ACU’s exposure, and bigger opponents in the next few years will excite ACU’s fan base. “These games are a huge source of revenue and a huge source of publicity,” De Leon said. “It’s a reminder to our fans that we aren’t just playing Stephen F. Austin and Lamar. We are playing the big boys.” These games not only help the football program, but they also provide a financial boost to the athletic program. “A portion of it goes to the
overall athletics budget,” De Leon said. “Yes, a portion of it does go to football, but it also goes to other things as well in the athletic budget. De Leon says the teams ACU has played will pale in comparison to future opponents. De Leon has announced the Wildcats will open the 2016 season with a trip to Colorado Springs to take on the Air Force Academy. In 2017, the Wildcats will take on the University of New Mexico Lobos, and in 2018, the Wildcats will take on backto-back Big 12 champion Baylor University in newly opened McLane Stadium. “I want people and we need students to get excited about the football program,” De Leon says. “It’s funny. When I got the job, people said we had to compete with McMurry and Hardin-Simmons. No, we don’t. They aren’t playing A&M, TCU or Texas Tech. There are 350 Div. I schools, and we are one of them. The other two schools here aren’t.” Collums also said the scheduling of these opponents is important to the program. But the team also enjoys playing big-time opponents. “It is crucial and is fun to go in to those places to play those guys,” Collums said. “To play schools like that, it’s a good deal to go into a hostile environment and play a quality program.” contact wieder at cpw11a@acu.edu
Baseball drops two against nation’s best collin wieder sports editor ACU baseball just can’t catch a break this week as they dropped two games to two top-25 opponents, Texas Tech and Texas A&M, by just one run. The Wildcats started off the week with a rematch against the Texas Tech Red Raiders Tuesday in front a crowd of 1,537. ACU lost to the Red Raiders earlier in the season 6-5 after a thrilling 16-inning game. Tuesday’s matchup featured a back and forth game as ACU and Tech traded zeroes in the first and two tworun innings in the second and third inning. Tech would finally take the lead with a two-run fifth inning. The Wildcats struggled closing out innings as gave up four runs on the night in two out situations. The ACU bats would answer with a Taylor Waters’ RBI in the sixth to cut Tech’s lead to one. ACU’s bullpen would not give up a run for three innings but could not hold off Tech in the top of ninth. The Red Raiders added a run to cushion their lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
yam saowatarnpong Staff Photographer
The Wildcats faced two nationally ranked opponents this past week. In back-to-back games, ACU lost 7-6 to no. 19 Texas Tech and then lost to no. 1 Texas A&M, 3-2. Down 7-5 ACU started off with Waters flying out to the infield. The bats would rally them back as freshman infielder Marcelle Carter would bring in senior first baseman Tyler Eager to cut Tech’s lead back to one. The ‘Cats loaded the bases with one out on the board. Junior catcher Alex Copeland would not bring in any runs as he fouled out and senior outfielder Colton Hall
would fly out to give the Tech a 7-6 win. Head coach Britt Bonneau said the team matched the Red Raiders run for run but just couldn’t quite finish the job. “I thought we played right there with them,” Bonneau said. “I thought that the way it ended with bases loaded that we had a chance to beat them.” Wednesday’s game fea-
tured a pitcher’s duel between ACU and the number one Texas A&M Aggies. Senior pitcher Nate Cole put in five solid innings of work in his first start of the season. Cole allowed only two earned and fanned nine batters. The offense managed only four hits on the night but were well timed enough to give the top-ranked Aggies a scare.
Through three innings the Wildcats were tied with the Aggie 2-2. The two teams followed up those innings with three straight zeroes on the board. The ‘Cats would turn to their two most reliable relievers in the bullpen to finish the game. First up was Senior Kevin Sheets. Sheets entered in the sixth and put up a shutout inning, but in the seventh the Aggies were too much and snuck in the game leading run. Senior Ladgie Zotyka put up a shutout eighth inning to keep the ‘Cats within one heading into the final inning. Marcelle Carter singled to get on base to open inning. Junior Heath Beasley pinched hit for right fielder Chris Altimont but struck out swinging. Carter would make it an easy second out for the Aggies as he was caught stealing at second. Alex Copeland would ground out to give the Aggies a 3-2 win. The Wildcats dropped to 8-26 on the season heading into a three-game home series against the Sam Houston State Bearkats.
contact wieder at cpw11a@acu.edu
Junior pitcher Nate Cole had his first start of the season against the cole number one team in the nation. Against the Aggies, Cole went 5.0 innings, gave up two runs while striking out nine batters in ACU’s close 3-2 loss to Texas A&M in College Station.
briefings Freshman shortstop Peyton Hedrick was named one of the 25 finalist for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s Freshman of the Year award. Hedrick is currently second in the Southland Conference in batting average (.466). The football team will compete in a team scrimmage on Friday. The scrimmage is open to the public and will be at Shotwell Stadium at 5 p.m. ACU named its four student athletes of the month Wednesday. Junior outfielder Heath Beasley, sophomore track athlete Alexandria Hackett, Senior starting pitcher Emily Seidel and junior golfer Dillon Vaughn Be sure to follow @OptimistSports on Twitter and like the Optimist Sports Facebook page for more ACU sports news and updates.
Upcoming Softball heads to Huntsville to take on conference foe Sam Houston State Friday. The first game starts at 3 p.m. Baseball hosts Sam Houston State this weekend for a threegame series. The first game starts at 6 p.m. Track travels to Norman, Oklahoma Friday for the John Jacobs Invitational. Womens tennis heads to Conway, Arkansas to play against the University of Central Arkansas. Matches start at 10 a.m. Golf heads to McKinney to play in its last scheduled tournament of the year, the Southland Conference Championship.