UNIVERSITY PRESS
The Newspaper of Lamar University
Vol. 95, No. 22 April 11, 2019
Volunteer Opportunity ‘The Big Event’ set for Saturday Sydney Halvorson UP contributor
UP photo by Noah Dawlearn
Corey Smith, lead kennel tech from Lumberton, plays with Marble the dog at the Humane Society of Southeast Texas, April 9, as a volunteer.
Lamar University will host the “Big Event,” Saturday, beginning at the Montage Center at 9 a.m. Student director Shannon Mills said that hundreds of students are expected to volunteer. “‘The Big Event’ is basically Lamar’s way of saying thank you,” she said. “It started about 30 years ago at Texas A&M — they were the founders — now we have it internationally. We just send a bunch of students out into the community to non-profit organizations and we volunteer to help them. “Hundreds of students volunteer, just to say thank you.” This year, alumni are also volunteering for “The Big Event,” Mills said. “We have alumni that volunteer, that come back from wherever they are, to participate in ‘The Big Event’ with our students,” she said. “We also have alumni that work here in Beaumont with non-prof-
its, so we try to reach out to them and try to get them involved.” Kattya Fernandez, student director of recruitment, said they want to recruit more students to get involved with helping the community. “What we do is a bunch of tabling to recruit, or sending out emails to all the individual organizations on campus, and we just try to emphasize that it’s a great way to get service hours and give back to our community,” she said. “We just make sure to share the opportunities that are provided so people can give back. If you’re looking for community service hours, you can do it with a group.” Fernandez said students shouldn’t see volunteering or doing community service as something that they have to do, but something they want to do. “Community service sounds like boring, but it’s not,” she said. “Somebody might need your help, and one day that might be you needing that help and you would
want students to help you out. If you care for Beaumont, then you should want to volunteer.” “The Big Event” is completely student run, Mills said. “We provide breakfast, we have a DJ there, we are going to have Big Red, the president — Dr. Evans — the mayor is going to come out, we have backpacks, snacks, Tshirts, and waters for free,” she said. “If you don’t have a ride, we have campus options for you as well. “The work that we do is not in vain. It’s not to say we want to feel good about ourselves. The nonprofits need our help. “They can’t afford to pay for someone every week to do all this stuff. It’s really just heart fulfilling.” Students were put into groups and given a volunteer location. “We are working on the maps and directions — we are giving students a folder with the points of contact
See BIG EVENT page 2
THROUGH THE PANE Panel to give voice to LGBT community Juliette Colvin UP contributor
The division of global diversity, inclusion & intercultural affairs will host an LGBT+ Voices panel, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, in 124 Setzer Student Center. The event is designed for people to experience the world through the eyes and voices of LGBT+ individuals,
A construction worker lifts a pane of glass from Cunningham Street to the side of the new Science and Technology Building, Tuesday.
Imelda Wicks, executive director of diversity, inclusive excellence and training, said. The event will explore intersectionality of gender, sexual orientation and culture. Panelists include Donny Avery, Jacqueline Hays and Rose Reindel. The event is free and open to all. “It’s a partnership between the LGBT+ commuSee LGBT+ page 2
Cultural Festival set for Saturday Tayler Lee UP contributor
The office of international student programs and services and the International Student Council will host the seventh annual International Cultural Festival, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, in the Setzer Student Center Ballroom. The event is free and will include dancing, singing, a fashion show and cuisine to
UP photo by Noah Dawlearn
represent multiple countries and their traditions. Mustapha Jourdini, director of the office of international student programs and services, said the main purpose of the universitywide program is to celebrate global diversity and inclusion in international education. “The overarching goal of the event is to bring people See CULTURAL page 4
Investigation Digestion Mueller report finds no collusion, redacted report expected soon Claire Robertson UP contributor
The Mueller investigation, launched in 2017, looked into possible Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential Election, and whether or not President Donald Trump or his team colluded with Russia, and if the President obstructed justice during the course of this investigation. “‘Colluded’ doesn’t just mean they benefitted in
some way,” James Nelson, LU assistant professor of political science, said. “That’s not the standard. Collusion would mean they were actively working with Russia.” During the investigation, Mueller employed 19 lawyers and was assisted by about 40 FBI agents, intelligence analysts and forensic accountants, among others. The counsel issued more than 2,300 subpoenas, 500 search warrants and interviewed
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about 500 witnesses. The Special Counsel indicted 34 people from three different countries, and charges were filed against five Trump campaign members. Mueller, appointed Special Counsel prosecutor in 2017, concluded his investigation, and submitted the final report, exceeding 300 pages, to Attorney General William Barr on March 22. As attorney general, Barr is See MUELLER page 4
AP photo by Cliff Owen
Special Counsel, Robert Mueller and his wife Ann leave St. John's Episcopal Church, across from the White House, after attending morning services in Washington, D.C., March 24.
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