January 30, 2014

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UNIVERSITY PRESS A THIRTEEN-TIME ASSOCIATED PRESS MANAGING EDITORS AWARD WINNER

The Newspaper of Lamar University and Lamar Institute of Technology Thursday, January 30, 2014

Vol. 90, No. 14

STARS PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR SUCCESS OLIVIA IVINS UP CONTRIBUTOR

UP William Jones

Troy Selby, Princeton junior, scrapes ice from the trunk of car in the Combs Hall parking lot, Tuesday, during the second ice day to cancel school. Temperatures on campus dropped as low as 28 degrees, with a high of 46 degrees and a mix of hail and rain, along with strong winds up to 19 mph.

CAMPUS REOPENS AFTER ‘ICE-POCALYPSE’ LAUREN VAN GERVEN UP S TAFF W RITER After Lamar University and Lamar Institute of Technology shut down all day Friday due to

inclement weather, campuses closed again, Tuesday, after a winter storm warning was issued, and didn’t reopen until 1 p.m., Wednesday. It wasn’t as much the cold

temperature, which never dropped below 25 degrees, or the 1-2 inches of snow that most places around Beaumont didn’t even get, that caused Lamar to close, it was the dangerous driv-

ing conditions. After more than 90 accidents were reported in Beaumont before mid-afternoon on See ICE, page 2

Students looking to for help to maintain or improve their grades need look no further than Student Advising and Retention Services. The STARS program offers workshops, tutoring, mentors and supplemental instruction to assist students. Sheri Shoefstall, STARS director, said students can visit www.lamar.edu/ stars to learn more about the program. She added that the program is open to anyone who wants to keep their grades up. “We have students with 4.0 GPA who are coming to the tutoring center just to keep their edge up,” she said. “The center is very helpful to students who are in competitive programs such as nursing and engineering.” Shoefstall said most of the STARS tutors are college students who are able to work around their school schedule. She said it is important that students who feel they may benefit from the STARS services should visit the center as early as possible in the semester, and do not wait until they fall behind. Shoefstall said the Supplemental Instruction leaders are drawn from students who have taken the class and earned an A or B. The SI leader then takes the class with the student and creates additional alternative learning materials during the week. “(Students) don’t even have to sign up, they can just show up for a session,” she said. The sessions are based on group learning, and do not focus on one-onone instruction. “The SI leader gives a schedule and polls the class, and makes their sessions based on the best time for the class as a whole,” Shoefstall said. “The SI is a participation program, and it is the same thing with Academic Enhancement workshops. “We have faculty, staff and students come from all over the university, and the faculty and students present their research. The staff present learning and study workshops like time management, goals and priorities, note taking skills, tips and tricks.” The sessions start Feb. 4 and run Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 2-3 p.m. in 103 Communication Building. “A lot of instructors give extra credit for students participating,” Shoefstall said. “We have really good statistics for our SI program.” For more information, visit www.lamar.edu/stars, or visit the STARS Facebook page.

LU Ambassadors serve as role models, faces of university JESSICA LANE UP CONTRIBUTOR It takes the right mixture of selfassurance and humility to be a Lamar Ambassador. A select few are trusted with the task of becoming the face of the university. Charles Huynh and Erica Edgerly have proven that they’re up to the challenge. Huynh is the epitome of a laidback college guy — but laid-back and lazy are two totally different things. The Beaumont native has earned numerous scholarships and, in addition to being a Lamar Ambassador, is a member of the Cardinal Tennis Club and the American Medical Student Association. “My goals keep me motivated,” he said. “My main goal at the moment is getting into medical school. I know that realistically, that will require me to work hard academically and build my résumé. When I feel like I want to give up, I remind myself that this is a

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process, and if I want to be a doctor, I have to get past this first step.” Huynh said that he knew Lamar was the perfect choice for him. “I chose Lamar mainly because of the student to teacher ratio,” he said. “I also liked the affordability of the school and the fact that it’s in my hometown.” Math and science are second nature for the motivated middle child. “When I came here, I started to see in my classes how science is applied in real life, and that just made it more interesting to me,” he said. “That’s what engineering is to me. It’s just using science to make the world run more efficiently.” Adjusting to Lamar wasn’t without challenges, Huynh said. “I didn’t know how to read a textbook,” he admitted with a laugh. “In high school I was a very lazy student. I didn’t study much; I didn’t do much. I knew that I had to change my habits if I wanted to succeed here.”

Huynh said Lamar Ambassadors has helped him make the most of his college experience. “Before Lamar Ambassadors, I’d never been to a Lamar football game,” he said. “Being an Ambassador gave me the opportunity to work in the Red Room, which is kind of like a VIP lounge for the president and his guests. It was a real eye-opener for me.” With such a busy schedule, Huynh said he uses tennis to kill two birds with one stone. It’s a compound stress reliever and work out. As for potential Lamar Ambassador applicants, Huynh suggests they get their applications in on time. “In my opinion, Lamar Ambassadors looks for someone who can be a leader, and can represent Lamar well,” he said. “Also, it helps if you’re involved in other Lamar organizations. LU has so many great groups and organizations on campus, and you see how amazing really Lamar is when

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you get involved.” The Chemical Engineering major and pre-med minor talked passionately about his desire to make a difference in the world. “In five years, I see myself still studying hard and dragging out the last couple of years of medical school before starting my residency,” he said. “I just want to be an important surgeon. I want to get phone calls at three in the morning. I know that sounds crazy to some people, but I wouldn’t mind it. Just to know that I’m needed for something important would mean that I’ve succeeded.” From aspiring surgeons to aspiring actors, there’s a place for everyone with Lamar Ambassadors. It can’t be said that Erica Edgerly lacks ambition. While pursuing her dream of being an actress, the Orangefield native participates in Zeta Tau Alpha and Lamar’s Peer Advisor program. The sophomore has also earned numerous scholarships, and

says she’s just getting started. “I like to keep my options open,” she said. “I don’t know exactly where I’m going after college, but I’m excited to see where life takes me.” Edgerly first heard about Lamar Ambassadors through her older brother, who was involved with the organization. “He was always doing really awesome stuff with the ambassador program, and encouraged me to look into it,” she said. “He’s actually the one that convinced me to go to Lamar, and now I love it here. “As an ambassador, I’ve gotten to meet some really great people who donate to the school. I’ve also gotten the chance to work in the Red Room. I just thought that was awesome, because not everyone gets the chance to experience that. “Next month, we’re having a dinner and conversation with some really See AMBASSADORS, page 2

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