LU Orientation 2017

2017 ORIENTATION ISSUE UNIVERSITY PRESS The Newspaper of Lamar University

Summer 2017

WELCOME TO LAMAR Cardinal family encourages freshmen to join community Lamar University will welcome incoming students with Big Red Take Off, a celebration of new beginnings and student involvement starting with convocation and running through the first tailgate party and football game of the season.

“Basically, Big Red Take Off is two-and-a-half weeks of opportunities and events that we give students to get connected and learn more about the campus,” Julie Eddards, director of new student and leadership programs, said. “It’s for all students on campus, but we really want our new students on campus to come out and get involved and build our community.”

Big Red Take Off is being dubbed this year as a series of planned events, covering everything from academics to organizations and social events, designed specifically for new students and showcasing the possibilities of what their college experience could look like, Eddards said.

“BRTO will be two weeks — two weekends, beginning when students move in to the first football game,” Eddards said. “Basically, it’s going to be a lot of fun for two weeks—two weeks of free fun, free food and free giveaways.”

While, there are many activities and events

geared toward first year students, she said, all of the events are free and open to all students.

“It’s basically to encourage students to get to know other students and encourage them to get to know the university, have fun and to welcome them to campus when they arrive,” Eddards said.

Other activities include the color run, pep rally on the Thursday before the first football game, where students have a chance to meet some of the student athletes in season, like football, volleyball and soccer players, she added. There will also be group competitions and prizes.

“We have a very full schedule of events,” Eddards said. “There will be multiple opportunities for student involvement—lots See WELCOME page 4

On-campus living enrich college life Financial

Living on campus is a beneficial experience that can broaden your perspective and help you discover who you are during your college years, Kyle Smith, Director of Housing and Residence Life, said.

“There are many benefits to living on campus,” he said. “It takes away that big commute, so the time that you would spend getting to class is significantly less just by living on campus. There are also a lot of programs and services that are offered in the evenings on campus that a commuter student will more than likely miss out on.”

Smith encourages students to reside on campus to strengthen their independence and to forge a stronger sense of identity.

“This is such an exciting and critical time for students coming out of high school because they are getting to learn what it means to be an adult, to be a part of a community,” he said. “As a young adult student, you have the freedom to choose your social circle, your career path, and a number of other paths that define you as a person. When you live on campus, you live with a diverse group of your peers, so seeing others struggling with the same issues definitely is comforting and helps to put your situation into a broader perspective.”

Life in the residence halls is not without rules. The Residence Life Handbook, located on the Housing and Residence Life website (www.lamar.edu/residencelife/), serves as a guide to on-campus living for student residents, including detailed community standards that each resident is expected to follow.

aid fulfills students’ needs

“We expect that all on-campus residents become familiar with the policies and community standards detailed in the Residence Life Handbook and that they consider the needs of other residents and balance those needs with their own. Oncampus residents should hold themselves to the highest standards of academic, personal, and social integrity.”

Making your neighbors feel comfortable, respected, and welcomed within the residence hall is essential in a community atmosphere within which you will be getting to know your neighbors, Smith said.

“Having the opportunity to meet and interact with students from all walks of life of different races, sexual orientations, ages,

and backgrounds gives resident students a broader perspective on domestic and global issues that students who do not live on campus are less likely to receive,” he said.

Smith said there are various support services that are provided to students, and residential students are in the best position to benefit from these services.

“There are many support services available to students to help them to be successful. Tutoring, writing center services, career exploration services, student health services, mental health counseling services, and student employment opportuni-

The experiences associated with higher education may be more than a family can afford. If so, students and their families should know that they may qualify for financial aid.

The financial aid office is located at 200 Wimberly on Lamar University campus. The staff is prepared to help students with their financial aid questions. They provide an informational brochure in all incoming students’ orientation packets that has lists of websites needed to complete the financial aid application process.

Most first time students first question is, “What do I do?” Jill Rowley, director of student financial aid, said.

“We tell them to fill out the free application for student financial aid, FAFSA, at fafsa.gov.”

Students still need to be accepted for admissions, she said.

After the FAFSA has been

See RESIDENCE page 4

See AID page 2

Opportunity knocks University’s Advising Center helps freshmen, sophomores engage

“The Undergraduate Advising Center provides proactive advising for all freshmen and sophomores,” Daniel Bartlett, executive director of student achievement and retention, said. “What we mean by that is that every student has a designated adviser based on their major.

“These advisers are connected to departments. They understand what degree plans are, what the departmental expectations are — they understand who the faculty are and what the events and organizations are.

“Advisers are here to not just get students registered, but also to follow up with them — to make sure they are taking advantage of everything that’s here.”

Advisers help students get involved in activities and

events, Bartlett said.

“We just make sure that incoming students, all the way through that sophomore year, are really taking advantage of everything here so that by the time they are juniors and getting to be seniors, they have a really strong foundation,” he said.

Bartlett said he encourages students to visit the advising center year-round.

“It’s not just something they should do when it is time to register for classes,” he said.

“We want students to really get to know who the advisers are, because the advisers are going to help students get connected with their major and the faculty. Students tend to take a lot of core classes, classes that don’t necessarily have to do with their department. Those students don’t usually get to

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know their department very well. So we are trying to help them do that.”

Bartlett said the center alerts students to campus opportunities.

“There are a lot of great

things all over campus that sometimes are only seen by a few people just because they’re not aware of it,” Bartlett said.

The advising center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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During peak registration, advisors may be available for an appointment after 5 p.m. by request.

For more information, call 409-880-8822 or visit www.lamar.edu/advising.

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Summer 2017 • UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Be Aware, Be Alert, Be Safe COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT HELPS KEEP CAMPUS SAFE

Hector Flores, Lamar University police chief, said the department engages the community to keep our campus safe.

“My big thing is the police department being a part of the community,” he said.

Flores cited the Peelian Principles, developed by Robert Peel in 1829, as a good guide to policing, especially principle No. 7 which states: “Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.”

Flores said he is also a big proponent of intelligence-led policing.

“It’s a combination of community-orientated policing, problem solving and data analysis,” he said.

The LU police department has started a citizen’s police academy to involve the university commu-

AID

nity in campus safety, Flores said.

“We have various officers from the agency who teach classes over topics of law enforcement — from basic patrols to penal code, traffic law to investigations — and each topic is covered in a different week,” he said.

“It’s not a police academy that certifies you. It’s like a community engagement tool, so we can share information and what we are doing at the police department with the community.”

Students can register for the class, which will be offered in the fall. It’s also available for faculty, staff and alumni.

Lamar’s police department also hosts two extensive safety classes. The first is a civilian response to active shooter events or CRASE. The second is RAD, which teaches students what to do to defend themselves against a rape attack. Other basic safety classes are available upon request.

LUPD maintains three levels of safety, security and enforcement. The second level of security is the Campus Safety Officers, or CSOs. These are non-commissioned officers employed by LUPD, who respond to noncriminal incidents.

“We do a professionalized campus safety officer program, and it’s an auxiliary to our police patrol,” Flores said. “We really

push foot patrols and bike patrols, especially with our CSOs. They are non-commissioned, so they don’t carry a gun, but they are trained in police tactics, as far as OC spray (pepper spray), handcuffing, CPR and tactical trauma care.”

Lamar officers are commissioned through the state of Texas, they patrol on and off campus, but have a focus at Lamar.

Guards are posted in every dorm building. Officers run shuttles from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., and are also available for courtesy calls or vehicle assistance at all times. For non-emergency officer assistance, call (409) 880-7777.

“We have three levels that

we’ve implemented,” Flores said.

“You can think of it as concentric circles of safety. They are our police officers, campus safety officers and the security guard program.

“The plan is to have people in buildings, people on foot patrol, bike patrol and the officers working the perimeters and preventing crime.”

Flores said, LUPD uses social media to help students with issues and alerts.

“We use Facebook and Twitter to put out safety notices and crime alerts, so when a major crime happens, or something we feel the campus needs to know about, we will put it on our Facebook besides emailing it out —

it’s a great resource,” he said.

To view safety tips and more information about LUPD, like their Facebook page, follow them on Twitter @LamarPD or visit their website ALERRT.com.

A “MyPD” app is available on AppStore for iPhones or Android.

“It will be a centralized location where you can get Facebook and Twitter, you can look up sexual offenders, you can commend an officer, file a report, ask questions, provide feedback, you can contact the LU Police, and if you don’t remember the police department phone number you just hit call and it will call directly to the police department,” Flores said.

For more, call 409-880-8307.

IRS has recently experienced problems with the Data Retrieval Tool, and as a result it has been down since March. The IRS expects that it will be up and running again in time for the 2018 cycle.

In the meantime, if a student is selected for verification, they will have to submit a tax transcript.

There are different kinds of

aid that have different requirements.

“There is no set pattern,” Rowley said.

Aid depends on many different factors like the household income, how many people are in college in the household, and if the student is Pell Grant eligible.

The standard options are Pell Grants, and subsidized and unsubsidized loans. If enough

funds are not available or eligibility requirements are not met, there are also Parent Plus loans available to parents and students based on credit scores.

Lamar University also has scholarship opportunities that students may apply for, but like other aid, the requirements vary.

Besides standard loans and

scholarships, Rowley encourages students to look to their community for scholarships — churches and other community organizations often have small monetary scholarships or can help out with books or fees.

“Every little bit helps,” she said.

For more information, visit financialaid.lamar.edu/typesof-aid.html.

There are numerous emergency poles around Lamar University that help with maintaining good campus security.

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processed, the potential student is loaded into the Lamar system.

“Then we send out emails that say, ‘OK, now you need these documents,’” Rowley said.

“And then they can go to the Web site and print out all the documents they need.” “(Students) normally use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when they fill out the FAFSA,” Rowley said. However, Rowley said, the

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ORGANIZATIONS

UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Summer 2017

SGA gives campus a voice The Lamar University Student Government Association offers a voice to students.

“SGA is the official voice through which student opinion is expressed,” Dillon Nicholson, 2017-18 SGA President, said. “I encourage all new students to get involved in our student government here at Lamar. The more students we have speaking up about their problems or concerns, the more efficacy we have as a collective whole. Only by participating and working together do we have the legitimacy to bring about change.”

Nicholson said one of the biggest things he hopes to convey in his tenure as president is student empowerment.

“My goal is to empower the student body, by both strengthening the structure of our student government as well as informing fellow students of what’s happening around campus, all year long,” Nicholson said. “As students, we have a great deal of efficacy, or the power to make stuff happen.

Even if we have great ideas or warranted complaints, most students are unaware of our own power to affect change.

“That’s where SGA comes in.

SGA is the single-most effective means to actualizing our wants as students. Whether it be working with administrators on finding solutions to students’ problems, representing the wants/needs of your student organization, or just

“As students, we have the power to make stuff happen.”

SGA president Dillon Nicholson

staying up-to-date on the most pressing issues at Lamar, our SGA has something to offer everyone.”

Student government uses open sessions and town hall

meetings with student legislators to communicate with their constituencies. Positions for which one may serve include Organization Representative, Class Senator, College Senator, Supreme Court Justice, Executive Cabinet Member, and Executive Officer.

The Student Government Association represents all students on a wide array of issues. Students are urged to serve on the Academic Affairs, Campus Sustainability, Legislative Affairs, Student Engagement, Public Relations, and/or Dining Services student advisory committees, regardless of experience or major.

For more information on joining SGA, visit www.lamar.edu/ sga or e-mail Dillon Nicholson,

2017-18 SGA president Dillon Nicholson

2017-18 SGA President, at gnicholson@ lamar.edu. Be sure also to join the SGA portal on OrgSync at lamar.orgsync.com/ org/sga to stay up-to-date on all events/activities.

Lamar Alive! offers fun for all

Cardinals Activities Board hosts’ free events for students to enjoy fun experiences outside of the typical learning environment.

“CAB is the student programming board for LU,” Brandie VanZanden, associate director of student involvement, said. “It is composed of an executive board that research, plan, and run all the events. We also have a chance for all students to join CAB on our volunteer board. These students help run the events and gain volunteer hours by working our office and event.”

The main mission is to provide a fun and engaging atmosphere that provides and encourages campus spirit and life, VanZanden said.

“We strive to bring programs and events that students want and will attend,” she said. “A variety of events throughout the year include, movie nights, variety acts such as hypnotists, comedians, talent shows, do it yourself craft events, games and tournaments. We also host the annual events such as Homecoming, Bid Red Mania and help out with events like Big Red Take Off and De-stress Week.”

CAB strives to build spirit and life and is always open to new ideas and programs, VanZanden said. If you have anything you would like to see on campus contact one of See WELCOME page 4

More than 200 organizations promote student involvement

Now that you’re part of Cardinal Nation, make the most of your college experience by getting involved and joining a student organization.

Lamar University has a variety of ways to get involved outside of class, with more than 200 registered student organizations, including departmental and professional groups, honor societies, mutual interest groups, religious organizations, service- oriented groups, fraternities, sororities, spirit organizations and sports clubs.

The underlying purpose of student organizations is to contribute to the classroom by providing support groups for students with common needs and interests, improving leadership and communication skills, allowing students to apply learned concepts in a real setting, teaching

self discipline, initiative and responsibility.

Participation in student organizations helps students to develop friendships, gain new skills that can be transferred to careers, network with faculty, staff and employees, as well as serving as a campus resource to faculty, staff and other students.

The Office of Student Organization Services is located in Carl Parker 109, and students are encouraged to become part of OrgSync, LU’s online community, for student organizations and university departments.

“We encourage everyone to explore OrgSync,” Elizabeth Jeanes, marketing coordinator, said. “Students can create an account by visiting LU Connect and clicking the OrgSync button. Students will use their LEA username and password to

set up their profile.”

Once students have an account, they can check portals for registered student organizations, learn about volunteer opportunities and track extra-curricular activities.

The office will be launching a campaign for the fall semester to encourage students to join student organizations entitled “Get Involved, Be Involved, Stay Involved.”

“Join at least two student organizations: one for your major and one for your hobby,” Michael Deneus, student organization services coordinator, said. “Build your new oncampus family through participation in student organizations.”

For more information about LU’s student organizations, visit lamar.edu/studentorgs, or call 409880-8722.

Greek life enriches college experience “Greek Life offers something more than any other type of group on campus — and that is the family bond of brotherhood or sisterhood,” Aaron Noon, associate director of Greek life, said.

Greek Life is not solely about being a part of a meaningful community. It is also steeped in tradition, Noon said.

“Each chapter has its own history at Lamar, and also has its founding history and traditions, that for some, date back to the early 1800s,” he said. “It is a community you will have for the rest of your life, no matter where you go.”

Greek life is more than just a social outlet, Noon said. It focuses on service, leadership and professional development, as well as recognizing academic achievements.

“All of these components are what make Greek Life different than any other type of organization on campus,” he said.

“Greek Life is an exciting opportunity for new students.”

For more information, call 409-880-1734, or visit https://students.lamar.edu/ student-engagement/greeklife/index.html.

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Summer 2017 • UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

B&N campus bookstore has what you need

The Barnes & Noble campus bookstore is the one stop shop for all of your Cardinal school spirit gear.

The bookstore is the official carrier of all custom regalia for the school, and of course, your one stop shop for textbooks.

Stop by for the latest items from Under Armour and Nike, along with shopping for school supplies, snacks and many other items.

During the regular fall and spring semesters B&N is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5

RESIDENCE

p.m., Monday-Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday. Check out their website for store hours during, summer, holidays, and graduation. Summer hours are 8 a.m.to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The bookstore features two websites, one specifically for clothing geared for alumni and parents and not textbooks, and another for students.

The Barnes & Noble bookstore mobile app is another way to shop and in-

lives, wants to be independent,” he said. “And while living on campus, you get the experience of being independent while still in that structured environment that allows you to learn those life lessons, but there is someone here to address issues that you might have and give you some guidance along the way.”

For more, call 409-880-8550, or visit lamar.edu/residence life.

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the executive members to share your idea or join the volunteer board today.

“We are always looking for student input in regards to the type of programs and entertainment they want to see occur at Lamar University,” VanZanden said. “If you have great ideas, then we have open ears. We encourage you to stop by and sign up to

nity. We do this with textbooks, school supplies and school spirit items.”

Each purchase, whether in-store or online supports Lamar financially according to a Barnes & Noble press release.

“We price match ama zon.com, bn.com and the offsite bookstore on textbooks,” Forgi said. “We price match rental or purchase books.”

Forgi said to look forward to some fun events for students such as a VIP night, a Halloween costume contest, a de-stress event, and other events throughout the Fall and Spring semesters.

For more information or just to look around visit the Barnes & Noble store next to the Setzer Student Center construction site. Access is located on the north side of the building adjacent to the Archer Physics Building entrance, just follow the signs.

WELCOME

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ties are only a few ways LU works for the students. However, living within just a short walk of these resources, on-campus residents are in the best position to utilize these services, many of which are included in tuition and fees.”

Smith said he urges students to take advantage of the life lessons that on-campus living can teach.

“Everyone, at some point in their

CAB

cludes a special offer with a new download giving a 25 percent-off coupon available in store or online.

To download the app, search My College Bookstore at the app store or on Google Play and fill out the information for Lamar University. The clothing only site is at lamar.shoptruespirit.com and the student site is at lamar. bncollege.com. Your order can be shipped for delivery or picked up at the store.

Barnes & Noble partners with Lamar University to get textbook orders in several months before each semester starts in order to ensure that students have all pricing and ISBN information on their website for purchase.

“Barnes & Noble at Lamar University is a proud partner of Lamar University,” store manager Laura Forgi said, “Our job is to provide superior service to our campus commu-

be a volunteer and help us make Lamar University a great place.”

For more information, call 409880-2395 or visit lamar.edu/cab and follow them on social media at LamarUCab. The CAB office is located in the Student Org Annex and will move to the remodeled Setzer Student Center in Spring 2018.

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of games, from Rec Sports games to organized games.

We’ll have dances. We’ll have workshops. The students have a lot of fun.”

Eddards said some of the highlight events will be an allfreshman lock-in at the Rec Center, a casino night, a fashion show and even a hypnotist performing.

“There are so many things that happen in that first couple of weeks to really showcase Lamar University,” she said. “But also, the main thing is for students to get to know other students, staff and faculty, and get involved. It’s really to highlight two weeks of transitioning to Lamar, so we give (students) multiple ways that they can do that with a lot of fun.”

Building relationships within the Lamar community,

both in and out of the classroom, Eddards said, is important for new students to enhance their overall college experience.

“A lot of these activities will give students an opportunity to get to know one another and build friendships and community on campus,” she said. “So even if you’re a commuter, you’ll be able to have a community on campus when you come. If you’re a resident student, it just enhances your experience overall.”

Eddards emphasizes the importance of welcoming activities in regards to student involvement and retention.

“Between Orientation, Convocation and Big Red Take Off are key things in the world of retention that really impact the students,” she

said. “How a student experiences their university within the first few weeks really dictates the rest of their college life. That’s why we want to give them a lot of opportunites.”

By introducing students to all of the possibilities up front, Eddards said, students can more readily choose and create the experience they want to have and find the opportunities best suited to them.

“One of the biggest messages that we tell students at orientation is ‘Get involved,’ she said.

Transitioning into college can be really stressful, Eddards said, but meeting people through fun events can help combat the stress of the experience and make students want to be involved on campus.

WE

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HEALTH

UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Summer 2017

Student Health Center covered by professionals Lamar University offers enrolled students medical care, psychological care and health education services through the Student Health Center.

“We function like a primary care physician’s office,” Shawn Gray, Student Health Center director, said. “We see coughs, colds, flu, sniffles, belly aches, tummy aches, urinary tract infections, the usual stuff — that type of stuff that you would go to your family physician for. We also do both men and women’s health, including pap smears, STD screenings and HIV testing. In cases of emergency we stabilize the patient and call 911 for transport to a local emergency room.”

The Health Center also has counselors available for mental health issues.

“We want to make sure the kids are safe, first and foremost,” Gray said. “We want to make sure that they’re healthy psychologically. We understand that we’ve got students that come from all over the world, and at 17, 18, 19-yearsold they’re going straight from mom’s house to living in a foreign country. They don’t know anybody and barely speak the language. You need to talk to somebody, and that’s what we’re there for.”

The Health Center operates by appointment and charges a $10 co-pay for each visit, which goes to the student’s account and is due by registration for the following semester. The clinic accepts students with and without insurance.

Physicians or nurse practitioners can write prescriptions for students, and many of those medications can be picked up at the Health Center’s in-house pharmacy.

“We provide some birth control pills, creams, antibiotics, eye drops, anti-fungals and female-type medicines,” Gray said. “We do not carry controlled substances. We are able to offer those medications to the students at a reduced cost.”

Marie Culik, certified health education specialist, provides campus-wide health education programs, which are often held at various locations around campus. Her department also hires students as Peer Health Educators or “Healthy Cards” to help plan and deliver programs.

The Health Center has its own website, dept.lamar.edu/ healthcenter, and has links on Lamar’s Web site to assist students when they are unable to schedule an appointment. Students can access a “Self-Care Guide,” geared toward medical concerns, and a “Stress Management” link, which focuses on counseling and psychological issues, by going to Lamar’s website under “Current Students” and then “Health and Fitness.”

“This is great stuff,” Gray said. “You can type in what you want, and it’ll give you symptoms, causes, treatment, questions to ask, what to do, when to come see us, and self-care. It goes through lots and lots of common illnesses — very helpful.”

The Health Center staff are ready to provide quality health care or answer questions at any time, Gray said.

“No matter how insignificant you think the illness is that you have, let my professionals help you,” she said. “If it’s not a big deal, that’s great. That makes us happy, too. What you think may be a cold may be the beginnings of something horrible, and we can help you stop that.”

For more information, visit lamar.edu/ healthcenter.

Lamar University graduate students assist a patient in the Voice Lab and Audiology Clinic, located in the Speech and Hearing Building.

Speech and Hearing clinics provide conscientious care The Lamar University Speech and Hearing department hosts an audiology clinic and a speech pathology clinic, where student clinicians are committed to providing quality care to their patients.

“We’ve given the community the opportunity to experience cutting edge therapy procedures,” Karen Whisenhunt Saar, director of speech language pathology clinical services, said. “Since we’re training students, we have access to the most up-todate technology. As a result, our students are some of the best trained, so our patients receive the best possible treatment.”

The audiology clinic offers a wide variety of services.

Additionally, the speech pathology clinic has a diagnostic lab for

Audiology Clinic services include:

• Hearing screenings for newborns through adults • Industrial hearing evaluations • Diagnostic hearing testing for newborns • Comprehensive pediatric a nd adult hearing evaluations • Hearing aid evaluations, • Cochlear implant mapping • Sells assistive listening devices and hearing protective devices.

voice and swallowing disorders.

“We are dedicated to providing the highest standard of care in speech-language pathology and audiology,” Whisenhunt Saar said.

Both programs are dedicated to preparing competent and compassionate clinicians, motivated scholars, and ethical professionals for entry into the field of speech-language pathology and audiology.

Members of The National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association and the Student Academy of Audiology strive to promote awareness regarding the fields of speechlanguage pathology and audiology, and support the local community by offering their time and services to those in need.

“In the past few years we have expanded our clinical offerings, in part by adding new faculty with a wide variety of areas of expertise,” Whisenhunt Saar said.

NSSLHA, one of two student organizations that work in conjunction with the Speech-Language Pathology Clinic, is a pre-professional membership association for students interested in the study of communication sciences and disorders.

SAA, a national association for doctoral audiology students, is the national student organization of the American Academy of Audiology, that serves as a collective voice for students and advances the rights, in-

Speech Pathology Clinic services include:

• Aphasia Conversation Lab • Stuttering Therapy (and a summer camp) • Achievement through Collaboration • Summer Articulation Bootcamp • Dysphagia (swallowing disorders) Clinic & Lab • Voice and Vocology Clinic/Lab • Accent Modification Services The SLP clinic also offers various camps such as language enrichment and literacy camp throughout the year at different times.

terests and welfare of students pursuing careers in audiology.

The audiology clinic also contracts with the VA to provide services to veterans to save travel to Houston for services.

Services for students, faculty and staff are free.

Clinic hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The Speech and Hearing Clinic is also free to the community.

The clinics are located at the corner of Rolfe Christopher and Iowa Street.

For information or an appointment, contact Tammy Soniat at 409880-8171.

Medical insurance student plan available Lamar University students can purchase medical insurance through Academic HealthPlans. Insurance coverage is annual with several pay options available. They offer plans for students, student and spouse, or student, spouse and child.

“We encourage students to look at the Academic HealthPlans if they

don’t have insurance,” Shawn Gray, Student Health Center director, said. “Everything that a student would come to the Health Center for is covered 100 percent, except for over the counter and prescription medications.”

Gray said students must pay the full amount before their medical coverage takes effect.

International students are required to carry medical insurance through Academic HealthPlans.

Information about Academic HealthPlans is available in the Student Health Center, on the Student Health Center website at lamar.edu/healthcenter or at www.academichealthplans.com/la mar.

Counseling services available Graduate students in the Psychology Clinic offer counseling services free of charge.

The clinic holds no restrictions on how many sessions clients can attend. Beth Aronson, associate professor of psychology, said the clinic takes both students and people in the community as clients.

“We treat a range of disorders,” she said. “We treat anxiety, depression, relationship issues — we do couples therapy. We do a lot of work with people who have test anxiety or have anxiety about doing a presentation in class. Lots of folks come in for that. Or we work with people who just want to figure out what their goals are, things that they just want to have somebody to think something through with.”

Talking things through helps you see things in a new way, Aronson said.

“It opens up possibilities for change that you might not have been able to see by yourself,” she said. “It’s a fresh perspective, and

sometimes we also have some research-supported tips and tricks that might be helpful that people don’t know about until they come in.”

To make an appointment, or for information, visit the Psychology Clinic at 200 Social and Behavioral Sciences, or call the clinic at 409880-7783.

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Summer 2017 • UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Meningitis vaccinations required

Incoming Lamar University students need a vaccination against bacterial meningitis to attend on-campus classes.

Universities across Texas must comply with the vaccination regulations for admission set forth in Texas Senate Bill 1107, Shawn Gray, Student Health Center director, said.

“Any new student to an institution of higher learning, public or private, will be required to show evidence that they have received a meningitis vaccine within the previous five years if they are under the age of 22,” she said.

The law also applies to students returning after a break in enrollment for at least one fall or spring semester, Gray said.

“There is an option (for students to decline a vaccination) for reasons of conscience or religious reasons, or if it is a detriment to their health,” she said. “If they choose to opt out, there are certain papers that they have to fill out on the Texas Department of State Health Services website.”

The university encourages everyone to get vaccinated early, Gray said.

“There is a 10-day waiting period before you can attend classes from the time you receive the vaccination, because it takes 10 days for the vaccination to take effect,” she said. “And before on-campus students can move in and get their key, they have to be admitted to Lamar — and they cannot be admitted without this vaccination.”

Students can provide proof of vaccination with a Lamar immunization record/medical exemption form, an official immunization record, an official school record or a document signed by a physician, designee or public health official.

Proof of an exemption may be provided with an immunization record/medical exemption form, an affidavit provided by a physician or a conscientious exemption form from the Texas Department of State Health Services at https://corequest.dshs.texas.gov.

LU students may submit proof of vaccination or exemption by e-mail to immunization@lamar.edu, in person to the Records Office in 102 Wimberly or by mail to Lamar University Office of Admissions, P.O. Box 10009, Beaumont, TX 77710.

For more information on the vaccination requirement and to access the immunization record/medical exemption form, visit beacardinal.lamar.edu/accepted-students/bacterialmeningitis-vaccination.

Lamar University senior Jamarcus Corks takes advantage of the Lamar shuttle’s mobility access.

Lamar shuttle provides equal access for students The Lamar University Police Department and the Disability Resource Center have partnered to introduce a mobility-accessible shuttle on campus.

“We have a new shuttle that has an accessible chair lift,” Kyle Mutz, DRC director, said. “There are three spots for someone who is using a chair or scooter, and they can ride it with their friends — it’s not just for students with disabilities, it’s for everybody.”

Mutz said that the shuttle is part of an initiative to make Lamar a more accessible campus.

“The shuttle is there for students who need wheelchair accessibility so that they don’t have to wheel themselves out in the heat or in the rain, especially when it floods.” Jamarcus Corks, Orange

senior, said.

“The idea hit me about a year and a half ago that we had a shuttle for everyone else, but not one for people in wheelchairs. Say I’m out late at night, and I don’t feel safe. What am I supposed to do?

The shuttle can’t get me if I am in my chair, and can barely get me if I am in my walker. What do I do?”

Corks raised his concerns with Mutz, who then began to work with Hector Flores, LUPD chief, to design the shuttle’s weekly route and to run the service.

“The other main difference between this shuttle and the preexisting shuttles that run into Beaumont for shopping, is that Monday through Friday from 8 to 5, (the shuttle) runs all over campus,” Mutz said. “Students can ride

it from building to building, dorms to other places on campus, and it also picks up students from some of the other housing areas on campus. It’s exciting, because this is the first time we have had something operate within the campus.”

Mutz said that the shuttle also works to bus students to events such as graduation or sporting events.

“Students can call the number under parking and transportation to have the shuttle pick them up,” he said. “They can also download the Lamar University app and see the schedules for the shuttle. Students can also call in off-peak hours and the shuttle will come pick them up.”

For shuttle service, call 409880-7551.

UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE • Summer 2017

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‘Lamar, to thee we’re singing’ Math professor’s ‘Smartt’ contribution lives on in alma mater Whenever Lamar University holds an event, students, faculty and staff take a moment to sing the school’s alma mater.

But few know the story of the man behind the song.

Gilbert Rhodes Smartt was

a math professor, who wrote and composed Lamar’s school song.

The school was opened in September of 1923 as South Park Junior College. In 1940, the French, Beaumont and South Park school districts

Gilbert Rhodes Smartt

voted in a city-wide election to jointly form the Lamar Union Junior College District.

After World War II, a movement was started to make Lamar a four-year, state-supported college.

In 1949, a bill was passed to create Lamar State College of Technology.

Lamar became a four-year college in 1951. John Gray, Lamar’s president at the time, decided that the school needed an alma mater, so he went to Smartt.

Smartt, who had no formal musical training, agreed to write the song. His wife, Kathryn, assisted him in the composition.

“He didn’t have a music education,” she said, “but he was very musical. He just had a talent for that.”

Smartt, shortly after composing the song, was killed by a drunken driver while on his way to Dallas. He was 38 years old. He and Kathryn had two sons, who were 5 and 9 at the time of his death.

In 1955, Kathryn married Cleo Creamer of Beaumont.

Smartt and Kathryn, both of whom grew up in Tennessee, worked as a musical team in constructing the piece. He wrote and sang lyrics while she composed and played the piano accompaniment.

“We both came from very musical families,” she said.

She had a strong musical background, majoring in music and working as a piano teacher. She was a longtime pianist at the First United Methodist Church in downtown Beaumont.

She said it did not take them long to write the song.

When Smartt, who sang with

Lamar University’s Alma Mater Lamar, to thee we’re singing.

Voices raised on high.

We will forever love thee, Laud thee to the skies.

We will ever need thee As our guiding star.

To us, you’ll always be Our glorious Lamar. the Esquires, a Beaumont singing group, and in the first United Methodist Church choir, presented the work to the board, board members agreed to use the song as Lamar’s alma mater.

Kathryn said Smartt had several other songs published, although he never envisioned music as a profession.

“He just enjoyed writing music,” she said. “He wasn’t that interested in a music career.”

During World War II, Smartt worked at a shipyard in Orange, building ships to replace those destroyed by Japanese forces. After the war, he came to Lamar to teach.

Mrs. Creamer said Smartt, who started teaching when he was 17 and still in school, was as gifted in teaching as he was in music.

“He was a perfect teacher,” she said. “He never looked down on kids who had trouble in math.”

She said Smartt’s patience with frustrated students was especially important after the war when many young men were just returning from overseas and attending classes on the GI Bill.

Smartt’s patience also kept him busy with projects that many people might avoid. One of his favorite activities while a student at the University of Texas was working on a math problem that had never been solved.

“He loved the challenge of it,” she said. “I still don’t think anyone has solved that math problem.”

Mrs. Creamer said Smartt’s advice helped her support herself and her two boys after his death.

“I am so thankful to him for making me finish my education,” Mrs. Creamer said.

“He made sure I finished school. That was very important after he died because I had to make a living.”

She taught third grade in the Beaumont Independent School District for 16 years before accepting a teaching position at a school for the deaf in Beaumont, where she taught for eight years.

She said both of her sons, Dan, the older of two, and Bill, inherited Smartt’s natural musical talent as well as his love for music.

Smart’s contribution to Lamar lives on in every voice that sings the alma mater.

— This story is from the University Press archive.

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DIVISION OF

8

HISTORY

UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Summer 2017

L.R. Pietzch

C.W. Bingman

Lamar builds from humble beginnings Lamar is a state-supported university with more than 14,000 students, a 230-acre campus, and about 120 substantial buildings. OK, so that isn’t hot news. Everybody knows that, you say?

What everybody doesn’t know is that Lamar first sprang — er, toddled — to life as a tiny junior college holding classes on the third floor of a local high school.

The Board of Trustees of the South Park Independent School District, one of three school districts in the city, simply voted in 1923 to open a junior college, and then proceeded to do so.

It was a bold move. There was only one other publicly supported junior college in the state, in Wichita Falls, and it was only a few months old. Nobody knew if the farfrom-wealthy South Park School District could support a junior college, but the school board, under the leadership of Superintendent L.R. Pietzsch, who became the first president, was confident that the experiment would work. C. W. Bingman was made vice president. A new South Park High School had just been built, and the junior college would hold classes on the third floor. If the experimental new college failed, the third floor could be used by the high school.

The college didn’t fail. By the second year, more than 200 students were applying for admission. Summer sessions were started and have continued until the present. In its second year, the college was accredited by the Texas State Department of Education. Young colleges didn’t usually gain accreditation so soon, and it was considered quite a tribute to the administration and faculty.

According to John Gray, a student in the first session and later president of Lamar, two members of that faculty went on to become presidents of major universities.

“Dr. Grayson L. Kirk, my government and political science teacher, later became president of Columbia University in New York City,’” Gray said, “and Dr. C. A. Whybum, my mathematics teacher, became president of Texas Tech University in Lubbock.”

Since the college was supported by the South Park taxpayers, residents of the district were charged no tuition, only a matriculation fee of $5. Nonresidents were only charged $10 a month for tuition and could

pay by the month if they chose. This made for resentment among the students from the other school systems. Some of them even started moving into the South Park area when they graduated from high school, or claiming the street address of relatives within the system, to avoid paying the college tuition.

There had always been a lot of rivalry among the school systems, especially between the Beaumont and South Park districts, and in 1930 the Beaumont School District started talking about opening a junior college of its own. The talk came to nothing, however, and the districts finally decided that one college in Beaumont was enough.

Whether all the talk was a contributing factor isn’t clear, but things really began to change out at the junior college, starting with the name of the place. A contest was held in 1932 to choose a new name, with a year’s scholarship going to the winner.

Otho Plummer, who had already graduated from the college, won the contest with the suggestion of Lamar College, in honor of Mirabeau B. Lamar, second president of the Republic and generally considered the father of public education in Texas. (Plummer later became a member of the Lamar Regents.)

The junior college had fielded a football team from 1923 to 1926, playing two or three games a year against area high schools and the freshmen teams of four-year colleges. But after a couple of seasons of low attendance, football was dropped after the ’26 season.

In 1932, football was reinstated at Lamar, and young John Gray was hired as head coach and athletic director. Gray changed the team’s name from the original “Brahmas” to the “Cardinals,” and the team colors from maroon and gray to red and blue. (Later, during the ’60s, the colors were changed to red and white.)

In 1933, a new administration/classroom building was built next to the South Park High School, and was soon followed by another new building. Lamar finally had a campus of its own, separate from the high school, although the two still shared a football stadium and other athletic facilities.

Operating a college was pretty expensive even then. The expense was

The S’Park Plug

John Gray

a drain on the South Park system, and besides, the trustees wanted to widen the scope of the college and expand it. The only way they could do that was to make Lamar an areasupported college, completely separate from the South Park school system.

With that idea in mind, they bought a 58-acre tank farm on the present university site from the Texas Oil Co. in 1938. In 1940, the French, Beaumont, and South Park school districts voted in a city-wide election to jointly form the Lamar Union Junior College District.

New college buildings were constructed on the tank farm site. All the oil storage tanks were drained and leveled, except for one huge earthen tank just south of the present Ty Terrell Track. This tank collected rainwater, debris, and snakes for several years, until the surrounding mire of oil and water became solid enough for demolition to begin.

The land was well worth the inconvenience, though, considering what Lamar wound up paying for it.

“After we bought the land,” Gray said, “another oil company asked to lease the mineral rights. Since Texaco had sold us the land, we offered them the lease first. They said they had already checked out the land, but to go ahead and take the other company’s money.

“The other company drilled where the outdoor swimming pool is now, but of course no oil was found.

They had paid us $40,000 for the lease; and since the land only cost us about $25,000 after clearing it, we made a profit of $15,000.”

During the World War II years, vocational classes were taught 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with about 15,000 people graduating from welding, shipbuilding, and other technological short courses.

After the war, a movement was

O.B. Archer started to make Lamar a state-supported college. The movement turned into, a real Texas-style political dog-fight. No senior college had been established in Texas in 25 years, and opponents claimed that if Lamar were permitted to expand, every junior college in Texas would want to do the same. This, they said, would bankrupt the state educational system.

The proponents won out — eventually. A bill was passed in 1947 to create Lamar State College of Technology, but the bill died because the state comptroller said there was not enough money to put it into effect.

The bill was passed again in 1949, and Lamar was given $1 million for building expenses.

By September 1951, Lamar started its first four-year classes, becoming the first junior college in Texas to expand to a senior college.

The graduate school was established in 1962, with master’s degrees being offered in several fields. In 1971, Lamar offered its first doctoral degree, in engineering, and on Aug. 23, 1971, Lamar officially became Lamar University.

On Sept. 1, 1995, Lamar University merged with the Texas State University System. In its development into a major Texas university, it has gained a reputation for high teaching standards which co-exist with a relaxed and open relationship between students and teachers.

With faculty and administrators coming up with new initiatives all the time, the university is far from finished growing.

— This story has been updated from a series of University Press archive stories

UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE • Summer 2016

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Majors and Programs Colleges and Departments

LU’s academic programs are offered through six academic colleges: Arts and Science, Business, Education and Human Development, Engineering, and Fine Arts and Communication — plus the College of Graduate Studies. Students who have not decided on a major are advised through the Center for General Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences.

College of Arts and Sciences General information (409) 880-8508 203 Carl Parker Applied Arts and Sciences Biology Chemistry and Biochemistry Computer Science Earth and Space Sciences English and Modern Languages General Studies History Mathematics JoAnne Gay DishmanDepartment of Nursing Physics Political Science Psychology Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice Study Abroad College of Business General information 409-880-8603 college.business@lamar.edu 232 Galloway Business Building Accounting and Business Law Economics and Finance

General Business Information Systems and Analysis Management and Marketing MBA

College of Education and Human Development General information (409) 880-8661 education@lamar.edu 205 Education Counseling and Special Populations Educational Leadership Family and Consumer Sciences Health and Kinesiology Professional Pedagogy

College of Engineering General information (409) 880-7797 katrina.brent@lamar.edu 2300 Cherry Engineering Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Reese Construction Management Program Phillip M. Drayer Department of Electrical Engineering Industrial Engineering Mechanical Engineering College of Fine Arts and Communication General information (409) 880-8137 201 Theatre Arts Art Communication Deaf Studies and Deaf Education Speech and Hearing Sciences Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music Theatre and Dance

College of Graduate Studies General information (409) 880-8229 graduateoffice@lamar.edu 219 Wimberly

Reaud Honors College General information (409) 880-2296 Building Located on Rolfe Christopher Dr.

Other Academic Units Active and Collaborative Engagement for Students (ACES) Center for College Readiness LU Online Academic Support for Students Student Advising and Retention Services (STARS) Student Support Services Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities Academic Support for Faculty Provost and Vice President (Academic Affairs) Center for Teaching and Learning Enhancement (CTLE) Assessment and Planning Related Pages Academic Calendar and Catalog View Syllabi & Vitae Lamar Language Institute Resources Course Schedules Spring 2012 Final Exam Schedule Self-Service Banner Blackboard Catalogs and Degree Plans Bookstore Academic Advisors

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Summer 2017 • UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Reaud building new gateway to campus The Wayne A. Reaud building is a new landmark building on campus, Craig Ness, Vice President for Finance and Operations, said.

The building is home to the Reaud Honors College, as well as a number of administrative offices, classrooms and an event center.

“Any university that has an

honors college should be proud,” Ness said. “Honors colleges present opportunities to students that they wouldn’t get without an honors college.

Honors colleges are places where people exchange ideas. If you’re sitting around the Honors College, you’re talking about thought and to students outside your major.”

The Reaud building is part of a plan to move the main entrance to Lamar University to the south side of campus, and will act as a gateway for future visitors to the university.

The plan also includes the construction of a welcome center. “(The Reaud building) is probably the first new structure

in a couple of decades,” Ness said. “It shows that Lamar is moving into the 21st century, and shows that the community values Lamar.”

Ness said that the building signals a new era for Lamar University.

“This whole section of campus is part of a new plan to revive campus,” he said.

Ness said that campus improvements like the Reaud building benefit the students.

“When you have a building like this and CICE across the street, it makes the campus attractive,” he said. “It attracts attention from the community and donors, and increases the value of (a Lamar) degree,” he said.

UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE • Summer 2017

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Theatre & Dance offers cultural enrichment The Lamar University Department of Theatre & Dance provides a broad education across its disciplines. Students can build strong relationships and be a part of more than just a learning experience.

“Being a part of the arts builds a skill set for students to find creative solutions to difficult challenges,” chair Golden Wright said. “I think we collaborate and work with other people probably more than anyone else, or any other discipline, on campus.

“Students learn how to take constructive criticism or critiques and apply them on a regular basis, and they find that being an artist is not a destination, it’s a journey. We provide

the necessary tools that lead them in that direction.”

The department offers students the opportunity to experience all aspects of theatre, and dance without having to audition before being accepted into the program.

LU students will be a part of the only program in the United States that combines theatre and dance into their pre-professional program. The students, regardless of their emphasis, take classes in acting, design and dance.

“For someone interested in pursuing musical theatre, we do have a strong program that gives you a solid background in both theatre and dance,” Wright said. “The emphasis

areas are acting, design and dance. So when you come in as a major, you choose one of those three tracks.”

Wright said that students from any major would benefit from any acting class.

“I can’t think of any major in which you are not going to have to get up and present your ideas, talk to a group of people or sell clients on a product,” he said. “Confidence is typically the most important thing behind qualifications. The confident person who can come into the room and sell you on him or herself, or the product, is the person who is going to get the job.”

The Department of Theatre & Dance strives to be a part of the Golden Triangle area as a whole, Wright said.

“We have open auditions to all of the shows in our season,” he said. “We routinely have people who are not Lamar students perform in our productions.

This creates a community and enriches people and their experiences on our stages. This is good for our students and the community.

“We encourage our students to perform with local community theaters and dance companies as their schedule permits.”

For more information, like the department’s Facebook page, or call 409-880-8037.

Alyssa Angelle and Renzo Jimenez perform ‘No Strings Attached’ during the spring “Dance Unleashed” concert in the University Theatre

Art, Dishman reflect international trends Nathan Crump and Sydney Haygood in a scene from “Boeing Boeing.”

Lamar University aims to introduce its students and the surrounding community to the worlds of contemporary art and professional art making through the Dishman Art Museum and the LU art department.

The Dishman offers students the opportunity to experience diverse styles that reflect international trends, and strives to appeal to all art majors, as well as other majors on campus.

Dennis Kiel, Dishman Art Museum director, said the facility tries to appeal to all majors, with exhibits that relate to engineering or nursing, speech and hearing.

“So we attract people who normally wouldn’t come here, and

maybe have never been here,“ he said. “We focus on all mediums, so we do exhibitions of painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography and fibers.”

The Dishman showcases student work as well, with the senior thesis exhibitions at the end of the spring and fall semesters.

The museum also shows films, hosts classes, lectures, events and competitions for school organizations, as well as local institutions, and hosts a silent auction for Le Grand Bal, the annual fundraiser that benefits the College of Fine Arts and Communication.

“I’m coming with my own interests, and trying to figure out what’s going on here,” Kiel said.

“There could be some things that are different, and hopefully some surprises — things that will be exciting.”

LU’s Artist Common is a student organization that organizes local exhibitions and hosts special events on campus and in the community. Students do not have to be an art major to join the organization.

“The Artists’ Common manages the student organization lounge gallery in the art building,” Donna Meeks, art department chair, said. “These are areas of changing exhibitions throughout the year. All are welcome to hang out. It’s quiet and nice.

Sometimes we have openings

Internationally renown photographer Keith Carter, whose work is shown above in the Dishman Art Museum, is on LU’s art faculty.

and movie nights.”

The department also has other groups that specialize in specific areas.

“We have the Lamar University Design Studio, and that really caters to the needs of the graphic design students, they plan activities and conference attendance, and fundraisers,” she said. “They bring in speakers on graphic design, and they actually pick up and do pre-professional jobs for different community entities as a fundraiser.

“We have the NAEA Student Chapter, which is the National Art Education Association, and that’s where our young student teachers who are learning to be art educators are getting opportunities to attend conferences and have pre-professional activities that they plan. The Texas Atomic Iron Commission, which is a statewide organization, (allows) our students participate in iron pours in different places.”

Meeks said the art department’s main focus is making sure students have pre-professional opportunities.

The art department offers courses in painting, sculpture, printmaking, graphic design, photography, ceramics, art education, drawing, art history and other studio arts. Students have access to the department’s dark room facilities, a digital printing lab, a graphic design lab, a foundry for welding and poured metal castings, and ceramics,

woodworking and printmaking studios.

Meeks said the department also offers classes specifically for non-majors, including an art history minor.

“Many of our entry level courses are available to non-majors, so if you are looking for an elective experience, you can take Photo 1, Drawing 1 and Design 1, without needing a pre-requisite,” she said.

All students are encouraged to visit the Student Organization Lounge Gallery located in the atrium of the art department building.

“The SOL Gallery is completely reserved for student exhibitions,” Meeks said. “It’s student run and student focused. Students are welcome to come during business hours to see what’s hanging in the gallery.”

Meeks said that the visual arts are an important part of one’s education.

“I do believe art enriches our lives,” she said. “Whatever you are going to be in life, if you take the time to participate in the arts you are going to have a richer human experience.”

For more information, visit fineartscomm.lamar.edu/dishman-art-museum.

For more information about the art department, like their Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter @artlamaruni or visit, dept.lamar.edu/cofac/deptart.

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Summer 2017 • UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Music carries school beat Lamar University’s music department offers lots of performance opportunities and scholarship opportunities to incoming students auditioning for the department. Students must audition to be accepted into the music department as a major, but are not required to be music majors to perform.

“There’s always something going on,” Eric Shannon, director of athletic bands, said. “Everybody performs. We do have auditions for both band and choir.”

Shannon said that students go through one audition for both concert band and wind ensemble.

This determines which ensemble a student will perform in and what chair they will be. The choirs’ audition process is slightly different.

“They have an audition to be in the a capella choir,

and then anyone can be in the grand chorus,” he said.

The department also offers lessons for majors and accepts non-majors if there are any remaining seats in a course.

“We have courses that non-majors take, like flute lessons, voice lessons, piano lessons, whatever their specialty is,” Shannon said. “We have many people that are not music majors in the ensembles.

They can be in the jazz band, the concert band, choir, the orchestra. The marching band has many non-majors.”

Non-majors have the opportunity to audition for placement purposes.

There are a variety of events for students to perform in, and open auditions for anyone who wants to participate in any of the ensembles. Students are not required to be music majors or audi-

tion to become a member of the marching band.

“We love non-majors,” Shannon said. “We’d like to spread that out over more of the student population. We want students to participate, especially in LU’s marching band.”

Shannon said the music department is still working to grow the size of the marching band and he wants students to come play music for their university and show their school spirit.

“It doesn’t matter what

your skill level is in marching band,” he said.

“You just need prior band experience. We want students to get involved and do something they will love, and they’ll love it, even if they don’t know it yet.”

Performance opportunities are plentiful in the music department and Shannon encourages students to participate, show spirit and “Be the music” at Lamar.

For more information, visit lamar.edu/music.

FUN & GAMES

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UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Summer 2017

enjoy the LU experience

From the Homecoming bonfire to the community garden, there are many activities for Cardinals to participate in during the school year. Movie nights and organization fairs, many complete with games, are frequent, and student groups are constantly offering events that promote diversity and camaraderie. Visit OrgSync, the Lamar University website, or the University Press for information — and become involved.

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Summer 2017 • UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

College experience provides growth, independence, future quality of life Now is the time of year when millions of students are doing the same thing you are: preparing for fall classes. College Orientation, for many students, is the culmination of several months, or even years, of planning with so many hopes and high expectations pinned to the college experience.

The college experience has always been more than just going to classes and earning a grade. It has always been about being exposed to new things and new people.

In short, the experience is about — experiences. It’s a time for checking out new groups and new interests, trying things that have always piqued your interests. College is the first time many of us will go outside the bubbles of our little world.

A college degree is still highly sought and highly valuable.

College graduates, on average, earned 56 percent more than high school grads in 2015, according to data compiled by the Economic Policy Institute.

That was up from 51 percent in 1999 and is the largest such gap in EPI’s figures dating to 1973.

College grads have long enjoyed economic advantages over Americans with less education. But as the disparity widens, it is doing so in ways that go beyond income, from homeownership to marriage to retirement.

Education has become a dividing line that affects how Americans vote, the likelihood that they will own a home and their geographic mobility, according to the Pew Research Center’s annual report on social and demographic trends.

College graduates, on average, earned 56 percent more than high school grads in 2015.

— from the Economic Policy Institute

The decision to attend college is one of the biggest decisions a family can make — one that will have life-changing implications. When trying to decide about this important, and expensive, decision, the question ultimately comes down to this: what is the purpose of a college education?

If you believe, as many do, that the sole purpose of higher education is to prepare you for a career in your chosen field, then your choice is clear: find the Lamar University program that will best prepare you for that career.

But wait, you say, shouldn’t I try to get into Stanford or Harvard? Won’t I get a better education and, therefore, have a better career?

Maybe. Maybe not.

You will discover that most prospective employers don’t care where you got your degree from or a fancy name on the diploma. They only care that you have a degree. It will be your performance and character on the job that matters to them. This is true for the vast majority of college graduates.

Lamar offers a number of programs for academic course counseling, career guidance, networking opportunities and academic support services to assist students in meeting their educational goals. Several of these programs are explained throughout this Orientation Issue.

A university education is also about so much more than preparing you for your chosen career. College is a time of personal and spiritual growth, too — it is where lifelong friends are found and values are embedded.

It is vital that students and their parents think about these ideas at least as much as they do the academic part of the equation.

Take control of your education and future, and be independent. Start by finding out what your instructors are like.

Faculty members, especially those in your chosen field, can have a huge influence on your studies and experience. You can find out what they’ve published, what courses they teach, and which books they require for those courses.

You can find much of this information on the faculty member’s page in the university’ directory or on the departmental web pages.

Second, find out what campus life is like. What sorts of clubs and organizations are there? What is dorm life like?

How important are fraternities and sororities? College is where connections are made and it is important to meet as many of your classmates as you can.

Groups such as Lamar Alive! sponsor and host numerous events each semester and it’s

easy to get involved.

Follow official Lamar University social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and, as always, check the University Press website for news at www. lamaruniversitypress.com.

Students wishing to join an on-campus organization can eliminate the paper trail and any possible confusion by visiting OrgSync.com, Lamar University’s campus information management system, through the student portal.

OrgSync is designed to centralize campus involvement. It allows 24/7 access to information about student organizations, as well as a calendar reminding students of upcom-

ing campus and community events.

Forms for award applications and leadership events are also available on the website.

OrgSync provides a link to every student organization on campus. If students are unable to attend a meeting, they can access any information that they may have missed, as each organization can post their minutes from each meeting. There is also a function that enables the organization’s leader to send a mass text to all the members.

A college education takes place as much outside the walls of the classroom as inside.

But it is up to you to be the best Cardinal you can be.

UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE • Summer 2017

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STAR Services support student success

Starting college is an exciting new journey and as with any endeavor, guidance is key to reaching goals and aspirations.

Lamar University understands the importance of providing support for students to attain their college degrees and offers a variety of programs to help students succeed.

“The STARS programs help students make meaning of their curricular and co-curricular experiences for a full integration to the Lamar University community,” Sherry Waldon-Wells, associate vice president for undergraduate student success, said. “STARS partners faculty and staff with students to assist them in achieving their academic, personal and professional goals. These partnerships facilitate ongoing contact and (provide) comprehensive academic support services to guide the student to academic success.”

Student Tutoring And Retention (STAR) Services provides

sustained support, guidance, resources, and information to help students achieve their educational and lifelong ambitions.

“STARS provides resources that assist students in becoming successful college students,” Waldon-Wells said. “This is achieved through a variety of academic support services—mentoring, tutoring, supplemental class instruction groups, academic enhancement workshops, learning communities, etc.”

STARS serve undergraduate Lamar University students through Learning Communities, mentoring and learning skills development, REDtalks, and Supplemental Instruction.

“Group members become like family,” Whitney Murdock, senior Psychology learning communities member,” said. “I learned more about myself by sharing and experiencing with others.”

STAR Services also offers individual, group and walk-in tutoring for most undergraduate

subjects on the first floor of Gray Library “My job is to make sure that students understand the subject and to help them learn by working together,” Tory Hoecker, biology supplemental instruction leader, said. “I love helping people and handing down knowledge to the next class.”

Students can get connected

with STAR Services through Week of Welcome events, including workshops that will present beneficial information on time management strategies and study skills.

Students are also invited to visit The LU Tutoring Center to receive a first of the semester survival kit, meet the staff, and set up appointments.

Positive peer pressure promotes ‘Healthy Cards’

Lamar University’s peer education program, ‘Healthy Cards,’ was founded on the idea that students can be highly effective in educating their peers, by influencing their attitudes and beliefs, especially concerning health related issues.

“It’s actually something that’s done in lots of universities across the country,” Marie Culik, health education coordinator, said. “I am only one health educator, so the idea is to have students teaching students because they can cover more ground and reach more of the student population and have greater impact, even if it’s just through word of mouth.”

Lamar’s “Healthy Cards” develop and present educational programs to the campus community on a variety of topics such as alcohol awareness, substance abuse, sexual responsi-

bility, STDs, nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, and a variety of other topics relevant to Lamar students.

Members of “Healthy Cards” serve their fellow students by developing relationships with their peers while exemplifying leadership in program development and implementation and effective dissemination of information in formal and informal interaction.

“The power is in the packaging of the message,” Culik said.

“Having peers present pertinent health information has more credibility with students, as they are more likely to listen to their friends and feel freer to ask questions.”

Students are required to go through an application and interview process, and once hired must complete a certification course and attend weekly train-

ing, as well as attend leadership conferences to qualify as peer education counselors.

The application process is open to anyone on Lamar and LIT campuses because the Student Health Center serves both campuses and Culik said they want to serve the entire Lamar community.

“What we’re looking for is not necessarily a background in health,” she said. “We are looking for people skills and presentation skills because peer educators need to be able to discuss sensitive issues in a nonjudgmental way.”

Students who are interested in becoming peer educators should go to the Health Center’s website at lamar.edu/healthcenter for applications and information or call the Lamar Student Health Center at 409880-8466.

VA office aims to serve

The office of Veterans Affairs is a unit of Lamar University’s Division of Global Diversity, Inclusion, and Intercultural Affairs.

The Veterans Affairs office assists all students attending Lamar University using education benefits under the Department of Veterans Affairs Educational Assistance Programs and Texas Hazlewood Exemption Act in the pursuit of bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees. Its goal is to provide the pertinent information re-

quired to all VA students attending Lamar University.

Veterans are afforded the same rights and must meet all academic requirements, and maintain the same academic standards as any student attending Lamar University.

The office is located in 101 Wimberly Building. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday.

For more information, call 409-880-7198, or email va@lamar.edu.

The 2017 Orientation Special Issue is a production of the University Press student staff. All copy and graphics are produced by the student staff or are complied from the UP archives.

Member of Texas Intercollegiate Press Association

Copy.......................................Caitlin McAlister ...............................................Cassie Jenkins Advertising Assistants..........Taylor Phillips ...............................................Erika Leggett Photography............................Taylor Phillips ...........................................Hannah LeTulle

Advisors ...........Andy Coughlan and Stephan Malick

“Statistically, students who participate in STARS programs have a higher grade-point average and graduation rate than students who do not participate in STARS programs,” WaldonWells said.

STARS programs are free to all Lamar students. For more information, call 409-880-7201 or visit lamar.edu/stars.

‘Cardinal Communities’ leads students on path to success Cardinal Communities is a new program this year that incorporated the Freshman Interest Groups and learning communities on campus.

Celine Hodge, assistant director of quality enhancement program, said the main goal of the program is to get new students acquainted with each other and the university.

“We have Cardinal Communities that are major based and others that are theme or interest based,” Hodge said.

“The structure of the community is about 20 students or less. We have a faculty or staff mentor for each community and we also have a peer mentor.”

The community requirements are that students meet once a week with their mentors for an hour and to take one or two classes together.

“We reserve courses for them to take,” Hodge said. “If it is major based, we offer a block schedule that students can take. For the theme-based communities, we connect the community with one class. There’s not necessarily a shared curriculum between the class and the community, but it has been established that one of the best social practices is for students to take classes together. They will get acquainted in class, but also outside of class.”

Hodge said the program mainly reaches out to freshman and transfer students, but can make an impact that lasts through senior year.

“I know a lot of students will be afraid to join,” she said.

“Don’t be afraid. You will measure the pay off of being in a Cardinal Community extremely quickly. You will be able to network with like-minded students, faculty and other students that have been in your shoes.”

For more information visit lamar.edu/cardinalcommunities. More information can also be found on their Instagram page, lucardinalcommunity.

Disability Resource Center advocates, accommodates Lamar University and the Disability Resource Center is committed to supporting students with disabilities through the appropriate use of advocacy, accommodations, and supportive services to ensure access to campus courses, services and activities.

The DRC is the university-designated office that determines and facilitates reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The center is located in 105 Communication Building.

For more information, call 409-880-8347, or email DRC@lamar.edu.

This University Press special addition is available online at www.lamaruniversitypress.com.

For information visit the website URL above or call 409-880-8102.

The UP is located in 202 Carl Parker Building on the Lamar University campus.

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Summer 2017 • UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

17

STUDIES

UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Summer 2017

Gray Library fits all study needs Lamar University’s Mary and John Gray Library is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. until 11:45 p.m. It opens Friday at 7:30 a.m. and closes at 5:45 p.m. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., and Sunday hours are 2 p.m. to 11:45 p.m.

STACKS The library has almost a million volumes available in print.

“The library stacks is where we have a majority of collections arranged by the Library of Congress by classification number,” Karen Nichols, coordinator of

reference services, said. Nichols said the books are grouped into broad subject areas. The third floor is the first floor with stacks, and they go all the way up to the fifth floor. There are posts on each floor with the break-down of call numbers.

“So if a student is looking for U.S. History, it will be in the E’s on the third floor, and there they will find books around it that discuss Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. It lends itself to browsing the shelf,” Nichols said. The stacks also have bound

COMING THIS FALL TO GRAY LIBRARY Gray Library is undergoing a transformation. The façade and lobby are getting a facelift, and a full Starbucks coffee bar is scheduled to open in October. Students will be able to relax and enjoy a beverage and a snack while studying. journals and magazines.

REFERENCES There is a reference area in room 105 on the first floor of the

library, where a reference librarian is available to help locate a book or article, and to help students with research for a paper.

Writing Center’s two locations help students develop skill set

Lamar University’s Writing Centers guide students through the writing process. Their services include brainstorming, organizing, content revising, grammar usage and editing.

“We do it all,” Erin Lanier, Writing Center tutor, said. “Most people tend to come in for help with grammar, and we’ll go over some of that with them to figure what they’re having issues with and how they can fix that.”

Lanier said that the Writing Center can help students on assignments from a variety of courses, not just English classes.

“Most people come in here thinking that (the Writing Center) is just for their English classes,” she said.

“You can come in for other classes.

We might have a couple questions about how certain terminology is being used, but we can still help out in terms of grammar and helping arrange the information.”

Students should not be discouraged from coming to the Writing Center by the mindset that they are bad writers, Lanier said.

“There are all these people that come in and they’re just like ‘Oh, I’m a bad writer,’” she said. “You practice, you write more, and you become better. All of us here started off as bad writers, but we wrote more, we found out what issues we were having, and we learned how to fix that and move on. A lot of people get stuck on thinking that they’re bad writers and they’ll never move on from that, but you can. There are some people who think ‘Oh, I’m just going to have a perfect draft the first time through,’ and that makes you a perfect writer. Everybody has multiple drafts, everybody has to fix and correct and rearrange things, even people who are ‘good writers.’”

Students can receive up to three hours of tutoring each week, either

by walk-in or making an appointment online. Appointments can be made for 30 minutes or an hour, with an hour being the maximum the Writing Center can do in one day.

Online tutoring is offered through Blackboard for students unable to meet in person.

The Writing Center has two locations, one location on the first floor of Gray Library and one on the main floor of Morris Hall.

The Writing Center in Gray Library is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Writing Center in Morris Hall is open Monday through Thursday from no one to 6 p.m., and Friday from noon to 3 p.m.

For more information, call 409880-8571 or 409-880-7344, or contact Jennifer Ravey, Writing Center director, at jennifer.ravey@lamar .edu.

There are also librarians available through instant messaging.

Simply visit the library homepage at library.lamar.edu under “Ask A Librarian.”

INTERLIBRARY LOANS Interlibrary loans is a service offered when the library does not have an item that is needed for research. Available online through the library’s home page, students can request a particular item from the reserve desk on the second floor. The library will then locate another library that has the requested item.

“Typically, it takes three to five days for the student to receive the book from the time the request was received,” Nichols said.

BASIC LIBRARY INFORMATION The circulation desk is currently located in the lobby of the library but due to the addition of a full-service Starbucks, which is projected to open during the fall semester, the circulation desk will be moved into the area behind the computers on the first floor. The first floor printers will be moved to the left.

To get on any library computer or to log on to the print server, students must know their LEA username and password.

Students are allowed to check out a maximum of 25 books, and each checkout period lasts three weeks.

Students can check out books at the circulation desk in the lobby of the first floor, and they must have a Lamar ID. Books can be renewed online.

For more information, contact the reference desk at 409880-7264.

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Summer 2017 • UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Career Center assists professional development

The Center for Career and Professional Development provides students with many different types of career and professional development opportunities.

“Oftentimes, students do not think about utilizing our services until their last few semesters or shortly before graduation. We really want to see students earlier in their college experience,” Jocelyn Robbins, director, said. “The center has dedicated career consultants available to meet with students to discuss career options and industry trends to guide students on a path to success.”

Students arriving to campus unsure of their major or those that have maybe started coursework in a major and are now thinking of switching benefit from career assessment tools. Students’ respective career consultants will assist them in exploring potential career opportunities and discuss academic matches to these opportunities.

Other services that the center provides are resume and cover letter critiques and mock interviews.

“The majority of students that I’ve met need interview assistance. It’s an area that a lot of people are deficient in. So it’s just a good way to practice, to get feedback –‘Practice makes perfect,’ we’re here to help,” Haley Tyson, senior assistant director, said.

The Center works throughout the year to organize and plan events for students to have the opportunity to network with employers. Most notable are the career fairs held in the fall and spring semesters, but there other events students should consider attending.

While companies attending networking events may not necessarily have a current job opening, there have been instances where they were so impressed by a student that they extended a job offer.

“One student that participated in our Speed Interview Workshop had a successful experience,” associate director Angie Thomas said. “She interviewed with an employer for practice that day, and two weeks later was offered

full-time employment by that employer.”

Students interested in searching for employment, including part-time, full-time, internship and co-op opportunities should check out the site HireACardinal.org. This free database allows employers to post positions to Lamar students and alumni.

Students can log in and utilize search features to identify compa-

nies with positions matching their major. “It’s a great way for employers to connect with Lamar, regardless of their geographic location, and for students to begin their job search,” Robbins said.

“Sometimes students just need a little bit of guidance,” Tyson said. “For resume development, job searches, internships or if students are unsure about their major, they can talk to us for ca-

reer planning and development, as well as professional development.”

For more, call 409-880-8878, or visit lamar.edu/career-andtesting-services.

The Center for Career and Professional Development is located in 102 Galloway Building, and can be found on LinkedIn and followed on social media, @LamarUni vCPD.

‘I Will’ program aims to foster student success

Lamar University has created a form of admission for incoming undergraduates. Students accepted through “I will” admission will enter an agreement with the university to do well if they are given the chance to attend college.

“It’s ‘I will,’ and what’s missing there is, ‘I will give it my best shot, I will succeed — I will, if you give me a chance,’” Kevin Smith, senior associate provost, said. “We are well aware that class rank and test scores are not perfect predictors of university achievement success.”

Smith said the university will enter a “quasi-contract” with any “I will” student, provided the student submits an SAT score of 800 or higher, or an ACT score of 17 or higher.

“We will enroll you and give you a chance,” he said. “You will be required to go to advisement and registration. You have to go a

minimum of twice a semester, and these advisers, of course, are trained to help you and to refer you to (support) services. All of your course selections must be approved by the adviser.

“You are limited to 14 credit hours the first semester. If they are subject to the Texas Success

Initiative, they must be enrolled in a TSI course. We’re requiring students to participate in the student success programs that we have.

“In return, students must earn at least nine college credit hours during the first semester. Students must earn a grade of C or higher in an English or math

course. They must take one of our study skills courses and make a C or better, so that we can do the best we can to teach students how to best adjust to university educational experience. They must participate in a Cardinal Community.

“They must finish the first semester with a GPA of 2.0 or higher. They also must not have an outstanding financial obligation to the university. They must not commit a student disciplinary offense, including academic dishonesty.”

If a student meets all of the requirements of their first two “I will” semesters, Lamar will remove the holds and that student will have the freedom of an unconditionally-admitted student.

If a student does not meet the requirements of the “I will” semester, that student will no longer be enrolled at Lamar University, Smith said. The new ad-

mission requirements will make Lamar accessible to first-time-incollege students and will increase student success.

“We will muster all of our resources and put them at your disposal,” he said. “We will teach you everything we know about how to study and how to succeed in a university.

“We will rely on our experience and voluminous data sets to make sure that you don’t end up in something that you don’t belong in or that you’re in too many hours.

“But in return, you’ve got to do your end. There’s an agreement that the students will sign. They will initial each of the requirements. If they have any questions, we will be happy to answer them.

“If you’re not ready for the university, maybe you should consider some other option. But if you are, Lamar is ready for you.”

UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE • Summer 2017

Page 19

Reporting History ‘S’Park’ of campus journalism kept ‘UP’ for 94 years From The S’Park Plug to the University Press, Lamar’s student newspaper is still hitting on all cylinders after 93 years of publication. Some of those years, it has hit on four, some on eight, and, in recent years, perhaps even 12. But some years, especially during the Great Depression, it was lucky to be hitting on two.

When South Park College, now Lamar University, began in 1923, a Student Publications Board was appointed to study the “wishes and abilities” of the students and the need for a student newspaper. The committee decided that, indeed, the school needed a newspaper. The committee and the student body thought its title should be a namesake for the college, and, consequently, they came up with the contraction for South Park and the word “Plug” to indicate action — hence, The S’Park Plug. Elery Holland was named the first editor. The staff managed to publish four issues for 1923-24, quite an accomplishment for a fledgling little school. E.C. Brodie, an English professor, served as the first faculty adviser.

The Board also decided the school needed a yearbook and named it The Navigator.

During the Flapper era and before the collapse of the Stock Market on Oct. 28 and 29, 1929, student publications flourished.

But during the 1930s, money was hard to come by. The newspaper, which was renamed the Lamar Cardinal in 1933, did manage to keep going, but staffs were not able to bring out issues on a regular basis.

The newspaper was renamed The Redbird in 1940, but during World War II, newsprint and staffing were not available, so the newspaper suspended publication for what Americans called “The Duration.”

In 1946, however, the Depression and World War II were over, and Student Publications got back to normal. The newspa-

“Any student, regardless of major, who is interested in writing, photography, graphic design or video, is welcome to contribute to the UP.” Caitlin McAlister, UP editor

per started publishing an edition every other week, and The Navigator started appearing every year. These changes were made to try to establish a separate identity for the college from the South Park school district, which had been its parent.

By the mid-1950s, The Redbird was publishing weekly.

When Lamar gained university status in 1971, the student body voted to change the name of the newspaper to the University Press to give the newspaper an identity correlating with the school’s new status. The name was chosen by then editor Julian Galiano. The Julian M. Galiano Memorial scholarship was created in 2016 to award students pursuing journalism careers.

In 1976-77, the UP, as it is popularly called, began publishing twice weekly — every Wednesday and Friday.

From 1976 until 1985, the University Press published a slick magazine, also named Cardinal. The publication won every award given to magazines by the Southwestern Journalism Congress and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, including sweepstakes (highest points scored by any magazine) for six of its nine years in existence. Again, in 1985, a financial crunch hit the Golden Triangle owing to falling oil prices and Student Publications cut costs by canceling the expensive slick. Later, a newspaper magazine called

UPBeat was started as a supplement, more in keeping with today’s trends.

In the meantime, the University Press has grown into one of Lamar’s showpieces.

It is the largest student-run business on campus, and it has become one of the most respected student newspapers in the country. Since 1977, the University Press and its magazines have garnered more than 1,200 awards, including first place for Best NonDaily Student Newspaper in 1994 and 2005 from The Associated Press Managing Editors of Texas and first places in many other competitions. The UP has averaged almost 30 awards a year in those 40 years.

The newspaper staff competes yearly in multiple student and professional organization competitions including the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, the Press Club of Southeast Texas, the Houston-area chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and others, regularly earning awards against seasoned professional journalists.

The staff consistently attracts some of the best students on campus and is open to students from all majors. These staffers have gone on to become leaders in the media industry, including the staffs of all three dailies in the Golden Triangle, teachers of journalism in most of the Golden Triangle high schools, CNN, Turner Broadcasting, The Associated Press, the Houston Chronicle, the Dallas Morning News, editors of in-house publications, heads of advertising agencies, and the list goes on.

The UP also consistently attracts one of the most diversified staffs, both ethnically and culturally, of any organization on campus. In addition, international students have been represented on staff over the years from countries that include, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, Sweden, England, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Australia, Viet-

nam, Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan, India, France, Cuba, Pakistan, Iran, Zimbabwe and Thailand.

Howard Perkins was director of student publications from September 1976 to May 2011. He served as president, vice president, scholarship chairman, and adviserof-the-year chairman for the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. He was elected Adviser-of-the-Year by that organization in 1979 — a lifetime award.

In 2011, the Howard A. Perkins Scholarship was created and is awarded to the editor each year.

Director Andy Coughlan has been with the UP for 23 years, first as assistant director and as director since 2013. Stephan Malick, a former UP editor with 18 years of journalism education under his belt, returned to the UP in 2015 as assistant director.

Although the name “S’Park Plug” died many years ago, it remains apropos in describing the tradition that students since Sarah Woods, that first editor, have continued in making the UP something of which the University is quite proud.

Zena Stephens, Tourette’s, People and more.

A magazine insert in this issue.

UNIVERSITY PRESS Science, not Silence

UP photo by Trevier Gonzalez

Participants raise their signs as they prepare to leave Sam Houston Park for Houston’s “March for Science,” March 22.

More than 15,000 march for science on Earth Day Trevier Gonzalez UP multimedia editor

HOUSTON — Scientists wore lab coats like armor alongside doctors, teachers, students, and supporters of science, as marchers in Houston and across the United States protested President Trump’s proposed budget cuts to organizations including the National Institute of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The march, which began at a brightly sunny Sam Houston Park, caused road closures along Dallas and Louisiana streets. The route finished at Houston City Hall, where marchers recycled their signs and refilled their water bottles from large tanks to reduce plastic waste. Tables were set up throughout city hall, offering scientific experiments

Madelynn Holdreith UP contributor

The Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate recently announced that Lamar University will join program in June.

Lamar and 21 other new graduate schools of education will unite with more than 80 members of the consortium in the redesigning of professional preparation in education for the improvement of PK-20 education and the organizations that support it, a release stated.

“We have always focused on offering Ed.D programs globally, before this,” Kaye Shelton, associate professor of educational leadership and director

for children to interact with.

Madison Logan, 23, one of the directors for Houston’s March for Science event, said she knew her city wanted to be a part of the movement.

“We didn’t know when, so all of the marches worldwide communicated and decided on the date together,” Logan said. “D.C. announced that it was going to be April 22, and we were like, ‘That’s perfect.’ I knew at that moment that we had to get Houston involved.”

Logan said an immediate result of the march is a stronger connection between scientists and their communities.

“In the planning of this march, I realized that there were a lot of people that had never met a real-life scientist before, and in Houston, that’s kind of odd,” she said. “Because we do have (the) Medical Center, NASA, oil and

of the Center for Doctoral Studies in the College of Education and Human Development, said.

“However, this project encourages new members to do more research, concentrate on global education leadership, and have continuous improvement.”

LU’s doctoral program in edSee CPED page 3

Beaumont Public Library to host annual booksale Caitlin McAlister, UP staff writer

The Friends of the Beaumont Public Library will be holding a book sale, Friday and Saturday. The sale is an annual fundraiser for the Beaumont Public Library. “(The Friends of the Beaumont Public Library) is a support group of volunteers to raise money for the extra stuff that the library and its strained budget can’t afford,” Gary Brice, Friends of the Library treasurer, said.

There will be an estimated

50,000 books for sale.

“They’re typically donated to the library,” he said. “Some of us gather leftovers from estate sales and garage sales. About a quarter are old books that were formerly on the shelf at the library.”

The first day of the sale is exclusively for members of the Friends of the Beaumont Public Library, while the second day of the sale is open to the public. Memberships can be purchased at the book sale for

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Lamar to introduce new DSDE Programs Dylan Lutes UP contributor

Carnegie Project recruits Lamar

The UP Menu

The Newspaper of Lamar University Vol. 93, No. 23 April 27, 2017

See LIBRARY page 2

gas. I think one of the major outcomes that we will see is more communication between communities and scientists, and more engagement.

“People tend to think that scientists are kind of aloof, and they stay in their little corner and don’t interact with the rest of the world. But I think, today, we showed them that that’s changing — things are changing.”

The March for Science worked to make science and its benefits tangible for the average person, Logan said.

“Day-to-day, isn’t something that they really think about,” she said. “But I think with all of our speakers here, they were able to realize that science is something that they benefit from every

Lamar University’s department of Deaf studies and Deaf education is introducing two new programs in the fall, a bachelor’s in ASL advocacy and an ASL minor. They are adding programs for Lamar University students to improve benefits and opportunities for their future jobs, department chair Diane Clark, said.

“Many students have other majors but have enjoyed their language experience in ASL and want to learn more than simply ASL I through ASL IV,” she said.

The classes required to complete for BA-ASL minor are ASL I to IV, introduction to deaf studies and nine hours of advanced American Sign Language electives. The program does not provide interpreting certification.

It is a benefit for hearing students who might work with Deaf people in the future, Clark said. The skills students will gain from the program are See DSDE page 2

Diane Clark

See SCIENCE page 3

‘Mind Garden’ thesis exhibit to open Friday Baylee Billiot UP contributor

Lamar University’s graduating art students will showcase their work in the senior thesis exhibit, “Mind Garden,” opening 6:30 p.m., Friday, at the Dishman Art Museum.

Photographer Victoria Robicheaux said the exhibition is the culmination of a lot of hard work.

“Choosing a theme is one of the hardest thing to do,” she said. “You may know what kind of art you want to make, but it’s difficult to make that idea come together.”

Robicheaux picked a theme that shows the diversity across America. Her series is titled, “All for One and One For All.” It is a series aimed at adult audiences, she said.

“I have constantly been editing through the whole semester,” said Robicheaux.

Prince Thomas, senior thesis course teacher, said each student will showcase roughly eight pieces that revolve around a single theme.

“The purpose of this show has multiple levels — the main one is so that they are able to showcase their talent,” he said.

The show will feature five graphic design students, one painter, one photographer and one sculptor.

Graphic designer Marisol Lua is ready to show her work about the solar system, which is aimed toward children. She said she took a big leap in creating an

UP photo by Noah Dawlearn

Senior Victoria Robicheaux sets up her senior art thesis exhibit in the Dishman Art Museum, April, 24. exhibit that was difficult and n’t even used yet,” she said. “It’s new, but she is hopeful of how fairly new and many people wonderful it will become. don’t know how to work with it “I used something called vir- yet.” tual reality in my exhibit, and Lua said there were times this is something that the See THESIS page 2 graphic design department has-

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Page 20

Summer 2017 • UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Global Classroom Study Abroad program fosters cultural awareness, growth

Incoming students have many opportunities to enhance their education and receive scholarships through experience and travel with the Lamar University Study Abroad program, available to all interested students.

“We are trying to increase the visibility of study abroad programs for all the campus community, starting from incoming freshmen all the way to graduate students,” Jeff Palis, director of study abroad, said.

Students seeking information can visit the study abroad office in 215 Wimberly Building or on the web by searching Global Lamar, which will link students to the study abroad social media pages on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

There are Lamar University study abroad scholarships/ grants available to students.

Palis said that all students contribute to the study abroad program, which goes toward Study Abroad Fee Grant, so they should think seriously about taking advantage of the opportunities available.

“Students pay a fee each semester that goes toward the study abroad program so the students who participate in the

program can receive financial support,” he said. “Each student who participates in an approved study abroad program, and applies for the funding, will receive a scholarship from Lamar University.

“Additional scholarships are available for study abroad, including the Benjamin A. Gilman International scholarship, which many Lamar University students have received in the past and an Access and Inclusion scholarship to help diversify the study abroad student population,” Palis said.

LU President Kenneth Evans’ support has led to increased student and faculty participation in the study abroad program, Palis said.

For details on more than 20 other scholarships offered through Study Abroad, visit the scholarship page on their website lamar.edu/study abroad.

“In the 2016-2017 academic year, we are sending about 215 students abroad on short-term faculty-led programs and semester exchanges,” Palis said.

“Our faculty-led programs are offered during winter break, spring break and the summer.

The durations range from one week to four weeks, with oppor-

Japan

tunities for full semester study abroad also available.”

Students who want a longer experience studying abroad have several partner institutions from which to choose. With these exchange partners, Lamar students pay tuition and fees to Lamar University, but take their

Taiwan Thailand

classes overseas in English for a semester or an academic year.

Chungnam National University and Seoul National University of Science and Technology in Korea are for students in STEM fields. ESC Rennes School of Business is an international business school in Rennes, France. Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen, Germany, is for communications and political science majors.

“This year we offered programs in countries like India, Russia and Guatemala for the first time,” Palis said. “Provided engineering majors a new study abroad experience in the Mediterranean port city of Tarraguna, Spain – where students were able to engage with local industry while enjoying a heavy dose of Catalan culture. This year marks the first time we’re offering short-term programs in each academic college.”

The most popular programs this year have been Criminal Justice and Psychology in Ireland, a global business seminar in China and an interdiscipli-

nary program in Paris offering courses in Deaf Studies/Education, Communication and French.

“Other programs, like our May mini UK and Ireland trip for Speech and Hearing and our business program in spring, offer a shorter, but no less transformative, experience abroad,” he said.

“Study abroad is something for everyone, no matter if you want to study a foreign language, or in English, and no matter your major or academic year. There are no language prerequisites for any of our programs.”

There are plans to expand the study abroad program in 20172018, with a new business program in Costa Rica and Panama, geology program in New Zealand during December 2017.

For more information, like their Facebook, Instagram and Youtube channels at Global Lamar, call 409-880-7516, email Palis at JPalis@lamar. edu or visit, lamar.edu/ studyabroad.

France

Iceland

21

SPORTS

UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Summer 2017

The Montagne Center holds more than 10,000 fans for Cardinal and Lady Cardinal basketball.

LAMAR CARDINAL SPORTS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The Lady Cardinals are led by head coach Robin Harmony, who is on her fourth season with the team. Lady Cards finished their 2017 season 22-8 (15-3 in Southland Conference). LU advanced to the SLC tournament for the second year in a row before losing to SFA in the semifinals. The women’s team led also the nation in steals, steals per a game, turnover margin and turnovers forced.

MEN’S BASKETBALL The men’s basketball team finished their 2017 campaign 19-15 and 10-8 in conference. Head coach Tic Price will be entering his fourth season with the Cards, having accomplished a 4-point victory over SLC rival Sam Houston for the first time in a decade.

The Cardinals also received a spot in the Southland tournament before falling to SFA in the second round. Colton Weisbrod led the team in the scoring and placed sixth in the league, he was also chosen to be a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District team at the end of the season.

VOLLEYBALL LU volleyball team is coached by Alan Edwards who is on his fourth season as head coach. After a previous season of finishing 14-16 (4-12 in SLC), the Lady Cards fell to 622 (6-10 in SLC) in 2016. The team struggled to take off after losing 13 games in a row, before receiving their first victory over Southland opponents New Orleans, Houston Baptist and Central Arkansas. The team closed out their season with a loss to Incarnate Word in the fifth match. LU loses AllSouthland honoree senior Chelsea Grant.

Grant led the conference in kills per set, and finished her career with 1,100 kills and became the 19th member in the 1,000-kill club at Lamar.

FOOTBALL The 2016 Cardinal football team said goodbye to former head coach, Ray Woodard and a few of Lamar’s best. LU cornerback Brandon Langley was drafted to the Denver Broncos after a terrific 2016 season in which he was an all-time leader in inter-

ceptions. Langley ended his college career with an invitation to Reese’s Senior Bowl, before heading to the NFL Combine and Draft Day. Other LU players drafted include offensive lineman Bret Treadway who signed as a free agent with the San Francisco 49ers, running back Kade Harrington also participated in a tryout with the Dallas Cowboys. In the 2017 season Mike Schultz, will lead Lamar as the head coach.

TRACK/X-COUNTRY The men’s and women’s track and crosscountry teams are led by coach Trey Clark.

In 2017, four Cardinals received medals on the last day of the SLC outdoor championships. Jannika John and Evelyn Chávez finished second and third in the women’s 5000-meter competition. Chanissey Fowler placed third in the 100 meter. The men were led by Federico Gasbarri who won third place after a 15:09.91 finish in the 1500.

BASEBALL In 2017, Lamar finished 33-25 and 16-14 SLC. The Cards hit off to a great start winning all four games in the Cardinal Classic versus Milwaukee and Illinois. The team produced wins against conference opponents SFA, Abilene Christian and Texas A&M Corpus Christi. LU advanced to the conference tournament after a 4-1 win over McNeese. Their time at the tournament was cut short after losing to McNeese in the first round and were eliminated completely after an 8-5 loss against HBU.

SOFTBALL LU returned to the SLC tournament for the second time in 2017. The Lady Cards had high hopes for a conference title after defeating Northwestern in round one.

However, they couldn’t inch by Nicholls State or Central Arkansas after losing 2-1 in both games. The Lady Cards weren’t done with postseason play when they were chosen to host the NISC tournament. LU propelled all the way to the finals by defeating teams all over the country, until they met host team Liberty Flames in the finals.

Lamar was one out from clinching a victory before the game was called due to bad weather and reverted to the last finished in-

ning in which the Lady Cards trailed 8-5.

MEN’S GOLF The men’s golf team is led by head coach Jessie Mudd, who joined the school in 2015.

LU did not return to the SLC tournament for what would have been their third year. The Cardinals ended their season at the Longhorn Shootout by finishing in second place.

Zander Goes and Mans Berglund were named to the second team of the Southland Conference Men’s Golf All-Conference team.

WOMEN’S GOLF The Lady Cards fell short of winning their fifth SLC championship title. A rocky start caused LU to fall to fourth place in the tournament. The defending conference championship holder, Wenny Chang dropped to 20th place while teammates Olivia Le Roux tied for eighth and freshman Elodie Chapelet finished tied for fourth place. Chapelet was named Golfer and Freshman of the year. Le Roux was named to SLC All-Academic team and an NSCA AllAmerican.

SOCCER Steve Holeman took over the job as the women’s soccer coach in 2016 and is hoping to turn the team around after posting an 112-2 season in spring. LU returns honorable mention All-Conference player M.J. Eckart and forward Jordan Mulnix. The team will also return spring season stars Amelia Fulmer and Kelso Perkin.

TENNIS The men’s tennis team won the SLC championship for the first time in program history in 2016, they followed up that tremendous victory with their second championship in 2017 and became the two time defending champs. The team is led by head coach Scott Shankles. LU returned to the NCAA tournament only to be shut down by the No. 7 ranked Baylor Bears.

The women’s team finished with a 17-8 record. The Lady Cards advanced to the semifinals of the SLC tournament before losing 4-2 to Central Arkansas.

Lamar Softball Complex Vincent-Beck Stadium The home of Lamar University baseball since 1969, Vincent-Beck Stadium was originally named Cardinal Field. The facility was renamed in 1981 to honor Al Vincent and Bryan Beck. Seating capacity is 3,500.

Vincent was a former professional player and manager in the Texas League. He served 16 years as a special assistant coach at Lamar, ending his tenure in 1989. He was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Honor in 1980.

Beck is a former member of the Lamar University System Board of Regents.

The park is symmetrical with the distances to the outfield fence being 325 feet to the corners, 380 feet to centerfield, and 370 in the power alleys.

Vincent-Beck has played host to the Beaumont Golden Gators and Bullfrogs (professional baseball) and the Junior Olympic Baseball Super Series for 1992 and 1993.

The Stadium played host to the 2001 and 2002 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament. The Cardinals used the home field advantage in 2002 by winning the tournament championship and advancing to the NCAA Regional in Austin.

The Lamar Softball Complex, built in 2014-15 is located next to the Lamar Soccer Complex. The stadium features permanent seating for 467 fans, including 150 chair back seats. The stadium also features a grass berm located behind the outfield fence. which extends from the left field line to mid right center field. The stadium also features covered seating, field lighting, bullpens, dugouts, a press box, a covered hitting area, and an electronic scoreboard.

Thompson Family Tennis Center The "Thompson Family Tennis Center," named for Jennifer (Hebert) and Greg Thompson, includes a pro shop and a stateof-the art electronic scoreboard capable of keeping scores remotely for up to six matches at once. In addition to serving as home to the Men’s and Women’s Tennis programs, the facility is open to the entire Lamar University community and has 16 courts in all, with five stadium courts.

Provost Umphrey Stadium

When the Lamar University Cardinals returned to the gridiron, it was, in large part, thanks to the generosity of donors like Walter Umphrey and his partners at Provost Umphrey law firm. In recognition of a $3 million gift from the Beaumontbased law firm and an additional $1 million gift from Walter Umphrey and his wife Sheila, the renovated Cardinal Stadium was renamed Provost Umphrey Stadium.

The renovated stadium features all new bench and chair-back seating, new restroom and concession facilities, a new concourse area, and increased handicapaccessible seating areas. In addition, the installation of new lighting and a Matrix field turf playing surface provides a stateof-the art venue that will not only hold up to challenging weather conditions, but also allow the stadium to be a multi-use facility.

Furthermore, thanks to a $1 million contribution from Education First Federal Credit Union, Provost Umphrey Stadium features a state-of-the-art, video-integrated scoreboard. The video board offers complete flexibility, with the capability to show one large single video image, multiple video images, and a combination of live or recorded video with real time scores and stats, out-of-town game information, sponsors’ messages, graphics and animation.

The stadium’s capacity is 16,600.

Montagne Center The Montagne Center, which opened in 1984, is a showplace for Lamar University.

Designed especially for the basketball program, the 10,080-seat arena serves the university’s needs in various ways.

In addition to housing most of the athletic staff, the facility is used for concerts, commencements, banquets and other large-audience events. All continuing education classes and some physical education classes are also held in the center.

The largest, single-construction item in the 80-plus year history of Lamar, the Montagne Center was built in just 18 months (from June 20, 1983 through November 1984). The facility originally seated 8,000, but capacity was expanded in 1985. It is located on MLK Parkway, just across from the main campus.

In addition to offices, rooms and the main playing court, other features include two perimeter courts, a VIP room, the Cardinal Club Room, a players’ lounge, a study hall and a scoreboard complete with a message center.

Page 22

Summer 2017 • UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE

Recreational Sports, housed in the state-of-the-art Sheila Umphrey Recreational Center, offers students an opportunity for fitness and social interaction.

Rec Sports aims to get students involved Lamar University built the Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center to offer multiple outlets for students to explore all things athletic. “The building offers everything,� Bo Earls, associate director of programs,

said. “We have multiple racquetball courts, multiple basketball courts, badminton, an indoor soccer arena, tons of cardio equipment, free weights and a group fitness room. “In the fall, we plan to have 15 to 20

group fitness classes offered for any of the students. We have Zumba, belly dancing, cross-fit, and we hope to reintroduce spinning.�

In a typical week, the facility is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The center houses a food court where students can buy sushi, sandwiches and smoothies. There’s a lounge area, with games such as billiards, air hockey and darts.

Not only does Rec Sports provide an assortment of workout equipment, but it also provides intramural sports for those looking to be a part of a team. “We’re going to have flag-football, volleyball and indoor soccer,� Jason Harrington, intramurals and sport clubs coordinator, said. “We’re bringing back cricket, and we’ll have some basic stuff, like a Madden Tournament or Call of Duty. “Just get engaged. The Rec Center is a great place to meet people and relieve some stress. You should definitely stay active, and this is a great place for it.�

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LU athletics runs down competition

UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE â&#x20AC;¢ Summer 2017

Page 23

Visit www.lamarcardinals.com for schedules, events and student activities to cheer on the men and women representing Lamar.

Focus

LU athletics field 15 teams in NCAA sports and and the efforts of these student athletes have been nationally recognized through many seasons.

DRIVE

GRIT

STAMINA

TEAMWORKPRECISE

SPIRIT

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Summer 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ UNIVERSITY PRESS ORIENTATION ISSUE