Don’t forget to set your clocks back Sunday morning
UNIVERSITY PRESS
The Newspaper of Lamar University
Vol. 93, No. 9 November 3, 2016
Fired up with spirit Diverse activities draw crowds to Homecoming celebration Trevier Gonzalez UP Multimedia Editor
Finishing off with flames and floats, Lamar University’s 2016 Homecoming implemented many new concepts to be built upon in the future. Terry Mena, dean of students, said he was impressed by the amount of support each Homecoming event received. “I heard a lot of great feedback from students,” he said. “We had a lot of different things, and that was the goal that we started off (with) a year ago — to be able to provide a variety of different programs that’s going to be attractive to different walks of student life here.” Brandie Van Zanden, interim associate director for student activities, said she is looking to see how next year’s Homecoming can grow. She said she wants the celebration to continue to reach past the student body. “There’s certain events that we promote to the community,” she said. “The bonfire, the parade, the football game, of course, and tailgating. “Homecoming, obviously is about the students and welcoming back alumni, but it’s also about getting the community to support Lamar, so we really encourage the community to come out to the bonfire, to the parade.”
Mena said by implementing new ideas, doorways to creativity open up. “As you create these different types of events, you’re going to, hopefully, meet a need of the student body, because you just can’t do a ‘one fits all’ concept,” he said. “You’ve got to have different things, and I think we were really successful in achieving that.” Van Zanden said that on surfacelevel, Homecoming is a time to celebrate one’s school, but it also goes further. “Yes, you should have school spirit all of the time, but during Homecoming, you see students who maybe aren’t as involved come out to events because they want to be involved,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if you’ve graduated in the ’60s or the ’80s, you come back to celebrate your campus. “So if we can instill that tradition and that spirit into Lamar students, that not only gets the students that are here excited — and feel that school spirit and that we’re all part of the LU family, but they see people who graduated 10-, 20-, 30-, 40-, 50-years ago are coming back to celebrate their school because they have that school spirit and they have that love for the university. “To me, that just makes it worth everything.”
UP photo by Matt Beadle
A cheerleader is silhouetted against the Homecoming bonfire, Friday. Big Red, right, was just one of the participants in the Homecoming parade, Saturday.
Religious panel shows tolerance Stephanie DeMeyer UP Contributor
A panel of five local religious leaders of various faiths gave a brief overview of their religion, including a brief history, the tenets that guide their particular faith and common misconceptions about their religion, Tuesday, in the Al Price Auditorium, during “World Religions; Perspectives on Tolerance & Global Conflicts” event organized by Lamar University’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Moderator Stuart Wright asked only one question: “How does your religion contribute to the tolerance of other faiths and
cultures of other faiths with the desired end of peaceful coexistence?” The answers took almost an hour. The religious leaders emphasized the importance of practicing nonviolence and peace within their respective religions. They also discussed the importance of dialogue between people of different faiths in order to achieve peaceful coexistence. “Education and knowledge of the actual religion (is important),” M. K. Hamza, professor of Clinical Mental Health in the Counseling and Special
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Courtesy Photo
Participants at the World Religions panel address tolerance and global conflicts in Al Price Auditorium, Tuesday.
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UP photo by Trevier Gonzalez
Captain Phillips to give academic lecture. Nov. 7 Haley Bruyn UP Editor
Captain Richard Phillips survived a hijack-turned-kidnapping by Somali pirates in 2009, and was the true-life inspiration behind the award-winning film, ‘Captain Phillips,’ starring Tom Hanks. Phillips will be the latest speaker in the Academic Lecture Series, 7:30 p.m., Nov. 7, in the University Theatre. Joseph Nordgren, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the lecture is sure to be compelling. “ (Phillips’ story) is very impactful, and it may be a rare opportunity for many of us to actually engage and have an opportunity to ask questions of someone who has lived through such a personal, or I shall say international, event,” Nordgren said. “Taken hostage, negotiations, all of that — it was compelling TV drama. One may have watched and wanted to see updates. It’s one thing to hear about it and another to see it play out.” Nordgren said he believes Phillips’ story will appeal to many in the larger community. “The reason that Captain
CAPTAIN RICHARD PHILLIPS Phillips, apart from having a compelling story, is a very good fit for us, we thought, is that we have a brand-new port management program on campus,” he said. “We really are appreciative of the time he is going to offer us and our students. For campus and community likewise, it will be a very enriching experience for everyone who attends. “I think those who do attend are going to be people who are interested in our commerce and our port activities. We’ve got the Port of Beaumont, Port Neches, Port Arthur and the Port of
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Houston. Ships, whether they are cargo, military, whatever the case might be, we ship all over the world from around here and (Phillips’) story could happen to anybody.” Nordgren said the college has been advertising the lecture around town in local businesses and schools. “We know the local high schools have Navy ROTC and Army ROTC comprised of young women and men, and we would like them, if they should so choose, to join us,” he said. “I got a call, interestingly, maybe three weeks ago from a Lieutenant Shirley, who is in the Port Arthur coast guard, and they are going to be bringing a group of seven or eight people.” The hope is that students will be inspired by Phillips’ story, Nordgren said, adding that the message is one of trust. “They really need to trust themselves, trust their moral fiber, trust their own character,” he said. “I’m sure they will bring from it a sense of selflessness as opposed to selfishness, and I believe that they are going to know there will be those events that come their way over which they
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INSIDE
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“How do I know what I think until I see what I say?”
Thursday, November 3, 2016 University Press
Page 2
—E.M. Forster
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PHILLIPS from page 1 have no control. How they respond will define, in many ways, how they think of themselves for the remainder of their lives.” Students and attendees are invited to submit questions to Phillips via provided notecards during the lecture. Nordgren said he would personally like to ask about the impact that his capture had on Phillips’ family. “(His family), too, could have prob-
ably seen segments of it on television, but what kind of communication was going on between wife, children, and, likewise, the US government? How informed were they? What was that communication line like?” Nordgren said Captain Phillips bravery is to be admired. “It depends on how you act in that moment,” he said. “You can’t plan these things. Surely, as he notes in his
work, they had weekly if not daily drills before going into the Gulf of Aden — they practiced the routine over and over of what would happen if pirates from the area had singled out their cargo ship. It’s one thing, of course, to practice, and then to actually have it happen.” Phillips will participate in a student only Q&A session from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Landes Auditorium.
November 3 ‘Boeing Boeing’
University Theatre
7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
November 5
‘Anchors’ by Sandra
Laurette, Suzanne Garrett and friends
RELIGION from page 1 Populations Department, who represented Islam, said. “There is a virtual Islam, and there is real Islam. Real Islam is a forgiving religion. “If you are only fed information and never decode information, never question the information, you’re going to believe everything you are told. We are not questioning the source of the information.” In the following Q&A, panelists were asked what they would say to others in their religion who do not promote tolerance. “I think we need to start asking and listening, instead of just saying,” Sandra Wilson, a practicing Buddhist, said. “We need to build a bridge of communication and openness. If we don’t know what their concerns are, we don’t have a way to address it.” Rabbi Joshua Taub of Temple Emanuel, said that it isn’t enough just to listen to the concerns of others. “It’s one thing for me to listen, but it’s another thing for us to try and understand each other,” he said. “Judaism is a system moving towards the repair and healing of the world, and we are committed to peace and understanding.” Rev. Dave Anfendson of Calder Baptist Church, said that the intolerance stems from fear. “People fear that the world is changing, that America is becoming more diverse, and so they clung onto God, guns, glory and patriotism — they wrapped themselves in it, and any attempt to try and talk to them tended to end in, ‘Get away from me, you’re the enemy,’” he said. The panelists also mentioned the importance of the coexistence of their faiths.
CALENDAR
“Exclusivity was never written into the story,” Taub said. “Tolerance has always been built into the Jewish tradition.” Hamza recounted his experience in Syria, where religious lines blurred, and he was unable to feel the differences between the religions that exist there so there was no need for tolerance. “We were just living together, and enjoying each other as humans,” he said. The panelists urged the audience to find what the different religious sects have in common instead of focusing on what makes them different. “The unique opportunity we all have as humans is the ability to discriminate between the right and the wrong,” Rajendra Dhamankar, Hindu Sunday school teacher at Chinmaya Mission Beaumont, said. “It goes by many different names, but it
comes from the same set of principles.” Anfendson said people should get to know people of different faiths and cultures. “One of the best things one can do is get to know people that don’t look, think or act like you do,” he said. “That drops the walls of fear and everything else that can create intolerance in the world.” Anfendson gestured toward Hamza. “How can you have an Islamophobic stereotype in your head after knowing him?” he said. “It can’t even materialize. When you know somebody, and see them for who they are, stereotypes cannot exist. “I hope that the voices of peace and understanding and dialogue can outweigh the voices that seem to drive a wedge and highlight our differences instead of what our commonalities are.”
The Art Studio Inc. 7 p.m.
November 7
Academic Lecture Series Presents
Captain Richard Phillips
University Theatre
7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
November 9
Lecture, Reception and Book Signing: ‘The Long Shadow: The Lutcher-Stark Lumber Dynasty’
8th Floor, Gray Library 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
November 11
Reflections on Study Abroad: Japan 2016
Maes, 108
1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
November 15
‘The Black Chip’ by Chuck Royston Book Signing
UP photo by Stephanie DeMeyer
Participants at the World Religions panel address tolerance and global conflicts in Al Price Auditorium, Tuesday.
Gray Library, 6th floor 7 p.m.
EDITORIAL
3 UNIVERSITY PRESS November 3, 2016
NOW OR LATER?
UP Illustration by Tim Collins
Students must resist temptation to procrastinate It’s official: students are over the hump of midterms and can now see the light at the end of the semester. But first they have to get through four more weeks of classes, fi-
Commentary
Caitlin McAlister UP staff writer
nals, term papers — the list goes on. Knowing that there is still a month of school left, the temptation can be strong to put off work. Don’t want to do that 20-page term paper that’s due finals week? Eh. I’ll do it later. Don’t want to study for that insanely hard exam that’s coming up? No problem. I’ll have time later. This strategy has a dangerous pitfall, however, one which students inevitably do not recognize until it is too late and they have already gone tumbling in – the “End of Semester Pile-Up.” It has happened to everyone
UPeditorial When in doubt, talk it out
More often than not, students neglect talking to their teachers. Whether it be about a missed class, a forgotten assignment or having been mysteriously missing for half the year, students tend to take a non-confrontational approach to their academic careers. This can lead to problems. After all, many teachers are approachable. Many at Lamar have instituted an open-door policy and are more than willing to schedule meetings during office hours. Even just stopping by the teacher’s podium after class can mean the difference between a missing and a late assignment. Teachers can also provide advice. Don’t know which direction to take an assignment? Talk it out with the teacher. They can provide important insights into that term paper on the history of witchcraft in China or that group assignment on relativistic physics. Group projects can also be a pain without communication. Oftentimes one or two people perform 75 percent of the work while the rest of the group coasts into an easy A, but effective communication can turn a loose group of slackers into a tight formation in which everybody lends a hand. Even if you make a mistake, communicate. It may just save your grade. Editor....................................................Haley Bruyn Managing Editor..................................Tim Collins Multimedia Editor......................Trevier Gonzalez Staff ............................Tara Hoch, Danielle Sonnier, ...................Jackie Benavides, Caitlin McAlister, ........................Brianna Barnette, Kyle Swearingen, .........................Stephanie DeMeyer, Mary Hooker, ........Noah Dawlearn, Jackie Hoskins, Cade Smith, .....Shelby Strickland, Matt Beadle, Maegan White Advertising Assistant ..................Mario Carmona Advisors Andy Coughlan and Stephan Malick Member of Texas Intercollegiate Press Association
at least once. One puts off work until later, until “later” becomes now — only now, because one hasn’t done anything that needed to be finished, what was a manageable workload has suddenly erupted, seemingly out of nowhere, into a stress-inducing nightmare of 50 different tasks and not enough time. How does one avoid the “End of Semester Pile-Up?” It’s simple. Don’t procrastinate. For students who know that they are procrastinators — and I, sadly, have sometimes found myself among these ranks – one of the best strategies for making sure that the end of
the semester doesn’t come with a total meltdown is good time management. Know when there’s time to work on assignments, and use it. Set out a timetable, where each assignment is given a slot — term paper on Tuesday, studying for math on Friday, etc. Bigger assignments can be spread out over multiple time slots, to make them less daunting — two pages of a term paper per session over five sessions is far easier than a 10page term paper that’s due tomorrow. Stick to these timetables — it does no good to create a plan for managing one’s time if one
ignores it and procrastinates anyway. The “End of Semester Pile-Up” will invariably rear its ugly head, and the poor student will have to contend with this insidious monster of their own making. Sometimes life gets in the way of taking care of one’s work. That’s fine; it happens. But if one can avoid putting things off at all, it’s always best to. It may seem like a good idea now, but in the long run it only creates more stress and headache. Bottom line: don’t procrastinate. “The End of Semester Pile-Up” is not your friend.
Students should resist guilt while juggling responsibilities
This time of year, life is coming fast. Finals are looming and the promise of holiday madness is on the edge of everyone’s mind — Halloween is over, so now, apparently, it’s officially Christmas — and life has a way of hitting every emotional chord when things get the most hectic. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the responsibilities one might have, but it helps to remember all of
Commentary
Haley Bruyn UP Editor
Letters Policy
the things one is balancing. A life as a student, sibling, parkour expert, friend, cousin, employee, grandchild, or secret government spy are all legitimate pieces of a whole life, and they have to be prioritized every day. It’s that act of prioritization that tends to give people problems. The question of, “What do I do first?” can be overwhelming. Should I exercise even though I have a paper due today? Can I have lunch with my mom if I need to study? Can I take this call from my grandma if I need to go buy groceries because I’ve been living off of the same box of cereal and no milk for three days? Is it okay if I take a nap if I haven’t finished my homework? It’s questions like these that make a lot of students feel
Individuals who wish to speak out on issues should send a letter fewer than 400 words in length to Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 10055, Beaumont, TX 77710, or drop letters off at our office in 202 Carl Parker Building. The writer’s name, address, telephone number and ID number must accompany each letter. Letters received without this information cannot be printed. Letters may be edited for length, grammar, style and possible libel. Opinions expressed in letters are not necessarily those of the UP student management. Letters by the same writer on the same subject will not be published. Poetry and religious debates will not be published.
guilty about choices they have to make — choices between academia and self-care, or maintaining interpersonal relationships while completing work. Sometimes we make the right choice and things go smoothly, and we feel brilliant. Sometimes, we make the wrong choice and it feels like the world is going to stop because we’ve let everyone down. Have we actually let the world down? No. The important thing to remember is that, as humans, we have obligations that sometime take precedence over others. If we can’t accomplish everything, we haven’t failed. Most likely we’ve stumbled in one role because of a choice to succeed in another. As long as we are trying and doing the best we can, we are succeeding at life.
The opinions that appear in editorials are the official views of the University Press student management as determined by the UP Student Editorial Board. Opinions expressed elsewhere on this page are the views of the writers only and are not necessarily those of the University Press student management. Student opinions are not necessarily those of the university administration. ©University Press 2016
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Thursday, November 3, 2016 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
UP photo by Noah Dawlearn
Spirit of togetherness Homecoming activities unite students past and present, and community to highlight university traditions, contributions to Southeast Texas
UP photo by Trevier Gonzalez
UP photo by Gabbie Smith
UP photo by Trevier Gonzalez
UP photo by Hannah LaTulle
UP photo by Hannah LaTulle
UP photo by Noah Dawlearn
UP photo by Trevier Gonzalez
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ARTS
UNIVERSITY PRESS November 3, 2016
Farce on the fly LU theatre’s ‘Boeing Boeing’ opens today Vy Nguyen UP Contributor
In the second half of the 20th century, commercial air travel really took off. Airline staff would land in cities and take off the next day. “Boeing Boeing” draws on the fast-paced world in a hilarious farce. Set in 1960, the farce revolves around Bernard, played by Nathan Crump, who is engaged to three different airline hostesses, none of whom are aware of the existence of the others. When an unexpected event brings all three to his apartment at the same time, as well as his friend Robert, hilarity results. The play begins today and runs through Sunday in the University Theatre. A major aspect of a farce is the pace of the action and the jokes. The energy needs to be consistently high throughout the whole production while going at a specific tempo, director Brian LeTraunik, assistant professor of theatre, said. “One of the biggest challenges is making sure that
the audience doesn’t fall behind or get ahead of the characters and see the joke coming,” he said. “In both cases, it can be disastrous, because we always aim for the audience to experience what the characters are experiencing so everyone can ride on the same journey together.” The set plays an important part in setting the comedic mood. “The set plays a big part in this production because it has to be very specific as far as how the play is structured,” LeTraunik said. “In order for the mechanics of the play to work this person has to go out of one specific door while the other person has to come in a different door so there’s not a lot of flexibility there. “Our set alone has six different entrances on the stage, because it is obvious that there’s a lot of trying to hide one person from the other. It’s like playing traffic cop when directing these actors because I have to make sure they enter and leave the right door at the right time.”
Madelynn Hightower and Rani Hampton rehearse a scene from “Boeing Boeing” in the University Theatre.
“Boeing Boeing” was a popular farce in France written in the early 1960s. It was translated into English two years later. In 2008, the translation made it to New York. LeTraunik said the play fits his interest in plays that have a comedic sense combined with physicality. “I thought it would be a really good challenge for our actors to do this particular kind of play because comedy is notoriously very difficult to do well,” he said. Aside from Crump, the cast includes Sydney Haygood as Gloria, Kristen Jones as Gabriella, Madelynn Hightower as Gretchen, Rani Hampton as Berthe and Austin Jones as Robert. “Robert and I are pretty relatable because he’s socially awkward in the beginning of the play,” Austin Jones said. “I like the fact that Robert does grow and become this confident man by the end of the play.” Bernard’s success with the ladies is due to his personality. “Bernard is a phenomenal manipulator (and) liar, and he has an endless supply of confidence,” Crump said. Bernard is able to transfer some of his confidence to Robert when Robert starts questioning Bernard’s ability to juggle the three women, Crump said. Hightower’s Gretchen is a German air hostess.
UP photos by Noah Dawlearn
“(Gretchen) is more stern and feisty than the other two mistresses,” she said. “I relate to her a lot because I’m kind of hotheaded, too, so it’s pretty easy to quickly get into my character. She’s also a very fun character to play.” Hampton’s character is Bernard’s maid. “Bertha is a significant character because she’s stuck in the middle of the chaos that is going on inside of Bernard’s house with all the women, while holding the house together at the same time with a fierce attitude,” she said. “I love playing Bertha because she runs Bernard’s house even though she’s just a maid. “Bertha has to make sure Bernard’s scheme is not slipping, like she has to put photographs of each women in a particular room when they are present in that room.” LeTraunick said the play depends on timing, and a certain amount of technicality. “The timing has to be right on or the joke won’t happen, and we will lose momentum,” he said. Show times for “Boeing Boeing” are 7:30 p.m., Nov. 3-5, and 2 p.m., Nov. 6. Tickets are $7 for LU/LIT students with a valid ID, $10 for LU/LIT faculty and staff, senior citizens and non-LU students, and $15 for general admission. Nathan Crump and Sydney Haygood rehearse a scene from “BoeFor more information, ing Boeing,” top, as do Madelynn Hightower and Austin Jones, cencall 880-2250. ter. Crump rehearses another scene with Kristen Jones, above.
‘Long Shadow’ book signing to launch history center Kaitlin Vu UP Contributor
Ellen Rienstra and Jo Ann Stiles will present a lecture, reception and signing for their book, “The Long Shadow: The Lutcher-Stark Lumber Legacy,” Nov. 9 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the eighth floor of Gray Library. A student event will be from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in 108 Archer Physics, when the authors will talk about their research and hold a Q&A. “Students with an interest in Texas history and a history of this region — Southeast Texas — would benefit from attending,” Mary Scheer, Center of History and Culture director and chair of the history department, said. The book focuses on the local history of the lumber industry through one family’s story. “Our book tells the story of three extraordinary generations of a Southeast Texas lumbering family,” Rienstra said in an email interview. “The patriarch, a butcher turned lumberman named Henry Jacob Lutcher, came to Orange in 1877 and es-
tablished the Lutcher & Moore Lumber Company, which became one of the largest lumbering businesses in the nation. His wife, Frances Ann, became a philanthropist, building a church and a hospital in Orange. Their older daughter, Miriam continued the family philanthropic tradition, and William Henry Stark, her husband took over the Lutcher & Moore lumber company and expanded and diversified the family’s businesses. “Miriam and William’s son, Henry Jacob Lutcher Stark, became a noted philanthropist toward many Southeast Texas causes and the University of Texas.” Rienstra said the three generations of the family influenced the development of the entire Southeast Texas region for nearly a century, and continues to do so through the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation, established in 1961 by Stark and his wife. Stiles said she urges people to read and learn about the influential family. “Just pick up this book and
Ellen Rienstra and Jo Ann Stiles will sign copies of their book, “the Long Shadow” Nov. 9 in Gray library
read,” she said. The event will be hosted by the newly established Center for History and Culture of Southeast Texas and the Upper Gulf Coast. “This event is the inaugural one for the new center,” Scheer said. “It will honor these two local authors, and the mission of this Center to preserve and transmit knowledge about this region — its history, art, music, institutions and environment. Both these authors have connections to Lamar and their new book will tell an important story of Southeast Texas.”
Scheer said the lecture is an educational lesson about the region’s past. “It will aid students in seeing the great cultural diversity and historical richness that has contributed to the vitality of the region,” she said. “Longtime residents of this region, as well as students and newcomers, will benefit from the knowledge presented by these authors — explaining the past to understand the present.” Both Rienstra and Stiles are from Beaumont and have strong
Lamar connections. “Jo Ann and I have longtime associations with, and loyalty, to Lamar,” Riesntra said. “Her’s through her teaching career and mine through receiving my bachelor’s and master’s degrees there. I’m still active on campus on several boards.” Rienstra said she is excited to be part of the center’s launch. “As participants in the kickoff event of the Center for History and Culture, we hope to bring the center to public notice and spotlight its anticipated role as a collecting point for many facets of the area’s rich heritage,” she said. Scheer said the chance to meet the minds behind the book is an amazing opportunity. “Being a historian, I am always interested in finding the origin of why things are the way they are now,” she said. “This book helps folks in this area see how the Lutcher-Stark lumber dynasty played a major role in shaping this area.” For more information, email mary.scheer@lamar.edu.
Eric Mittal contributed to this story
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Thursday, November 3, 2016 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
Shakespeare down south Stark Museum Hosts Historic Books Caitlin McAlister UP Staff Writer
The Bible and the plays of Shakespeare are two of the most iconic written works in history. The Stark Museum of Art in Orange is currently hosting an exhibit which allows Southeast Texans the opportunity to view historic editions of both. A 17th-century copy of the King James Bible and a first folio of the works of William Shakespeare are on loan to the museum from the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin. “Miriam Lutcher Stark, who is one of the members of the Lutcher-Stark family in the history of our foundation, collected rare books,” Lynae Sanford, marketing manager of the Stark Foundation, said. “She donated the first edition King James Bible and the first edition Shakespeare folio to the University of Texas.” Trina Nelson Thomas, director of Stark art and history venues, said that the books are historic editions of works that are easily recognizable to the average person. “Shakespeare is familiar, because most people encounter Shakespeare in high school,” she said. “King James brought scholars together and they translated the Bible into English, and that has made a difference in the world. It was the difference in making the Bible accessible to a lot more people — that particular translation — and it’s a version that a lot of people are familiar with.” Thomas said that the Bible and the Shakespeare folio are not the only books on display. “There are other books as well,” she said. “There’s Milton, Wordsworth, Charlotte Bronte’s French homework, different reference books that
are about religious topics, lots of things about natural history. They are part of the collections of the W.H. Stark House, which is one of our sister venues under the umbrella of the Stark Foundation. They are all books that we know were owned by the Stark or Lutcher families.” The historic books are part of the exhibition, “Collecting Conversations,” displaying items collected by the LutcherStark family. “I think they have an important story that connects to the Stark and Lutcher families,” Thomas said. “(Miriam Lutcher Stark) enjoyed literature. She was a member of the Shakespeare Club here in Orange. We actually have the folio open to ‘Romeo and Juliet’ because she directed a reading of that here.” Sanford said that the exhibit’s overall theme is collecting. “This is a very unique exhibition,” she said. “The point of it is, we all collect things, whether we have a formal collection or we collect DVDs. We all collect things that we’re attracted to. The Starks and the Lutchers, they collected stuff, just like other families. Sometimes they collected things for the historical value, sometimes because it was pretty.” Thomas said collecting is a relatable theme. “We’re always thinking about ways to make the collection accessible to the public,” she said. “People don’t always feel like they know what to do at an art museum. This exhibit talks about what you collect and why, and what the Lutcher family collected and why. They collected things because they were interesting, because they learned something from them.” “Collecting Conversations” will be on display until Jan. 7. For more information, visit starkculturalvenues.org.
Courtesy Photo
A copy of the First Folio of Shakespeare’s works is on display at the Stark Museum of Art through Jan. 7. The book is part of the exhibition “Collecting Conversations.”
UNIVERSITY PRESS • Thursday, November 3, 2016
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Grant brings toughness to court Cassandra Jenkins UP Contributor
Volleyball is a sport of constant action. It’s a tough sport, with terminology like digs and kills. While sometimes it is overlooked because it coincides with football season, it’s a sport of immense pressure and skill, and, for some women, volleyball is a huge part of their lives. Senior outside hitter, Chelsea Grant, is one example. “I didn’t start playing volleyball until my seventh- or eighth-grade year,” she said. “I started off only playing basketball. I was in love with basketball until one of my friends told me I should try out for volleyball, just because of my height. I did it and didn’t think I would like it, but I ended up loving it and I’ve just carried on since then.” Since she started, Grant has played the middle position, and in 2015 she became an all-conference middle. When head coach Alan Edwards told Grant she needed to play outside this season, it was a big change. “Coming in from summer, I knew I had to switch positions,” she said. “Did I want to? No, because middle was what I was comfortable with. But I had to get out of my comfort zone and learn something new. So that was a low-high point, because I’m learning a lot from having to change what I am used to and getting out of the norm.” Grant said that the entire season has been a learning experience for her, lessons she will take with her as she hopes to enter the professional ranks. “I’m going overseas (and) I take every day as a learning experience,” she said. “When I leave here I can carry that with me. I’m going to continue learning and pushing the ball.” Grant said volleyball has taught her mental toughness and aggression. “For me, in my head, I make it a physical contact sport,” she said. “It helps me be aggressive at the net. They tell us every
Lady Cardinals’ outsider hitter Chelsea Grant leads her teammates to a win over Houston Baptist, Tuesday, in McDonald Gym. time we go up to hit the ball, ‘Oh, hit somebody in the face, hit somebody in the face.’ So when I go up, that’s my thought process. It’s taught me to keep fighting, to be consistent in your game.” “There is always going to be someone in your gym that is bigger than you, probably better than you, but in the end that doesn’t matter. It’s mental toughness and going out there to do what you need to do, regardless of who is in front of you.” Aside from learning to be tough and confident, volleyball has offered a great opportunity to meet new people, Grant said. Even though she and the team didn’t get along in the beginning, they have now become like sisters. “I wasn’t very much liked on the team because of my personality of speaking freely,” she said.” I would say things that
people didn’t want to hear, but would be better for the team. I feel now it’s more accepted, and not taken personally. It helps me and my team grow closer and get on the same page, so we can move forward towards the big goal in the end. This group here, is possibly a group that I leave here with and still be able to call friends. People that have left already, I refer to as my sisters and still talk to every day.” One of Grant’s biggest struggles with playing at the collegiate level has been keeping up with her grades, she said. “My freshman year was a rough year for me,” she said. “It’s a story that I tell when I go back to high school to the girls there, I teach them how important grades are. My freshman year, I wasn’t focused on grades. I was constantly trying to go out. It’s a lot of self-discipline and after my first semester I knew that I had to pick it up.”
Grant, who was a red-shirt freshman from Killeen, has received many awards and honors since her sophomore year. She has been Second Team AllConference, First Team AllConference twice, and was an All-Tournament player in tournaments at both Mississippi and Oklahoma. She was also Hero of the Week in October, and Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week. Edwards said Grant has been an asset to Lamar and is one of the best players he has coached. “I don’t think that there is any rational or sane person that would make an argument that didn’t include Chelsea Grant,” he said. “What Chelsea has done this year is monumental among kids that I have coached, in that, I haven’t had a kid be that willing to step outside her comfort zone. Chelsea Grant was a First Team All-
Photo by Cassandra Jenkins
Conference middle last year, and I went to her at the end of the season and said, ‘In order for us to be really good, you’re going to have to play outside.’ She just looked at me, like, ‘Alright, I’ll give it a shot.’” “In two years, she has gone from a kid who wanted no part in anything outside her comfort zone, to being a kid who I went to and said this is what we need to do in order to help out the team — and has brought in 100 percent. Not only did she not fight it, but gave everything she had into being good at that. She’s leading the league in kills per set and has put up rock solid numbers.” With a commitment to the team, Grant added to her already strong intensity and aggression, her chances of a volleyball career beyond college is sure to have a few bumps, but she will definitely be set up to spike at life.
Lady Cards win five-set nailbiter against HBU Cassandra Jenkins UP Contributor
Tuesday’s game versus Houston Baptist University was a nail bitter for the women’s volleyball team, as well as for the “Hawaiian” crowd whose grass skirts were being ruffled during Luau night. The Lady Cardinals went for the repeat win over the Lady Huskies after winning the first two matches, 26-24 and 25-23, but the Lady Huskies weren’t giving up. HBU caught up in the third match to take a twopoint victory. The intensity would increase throughout the fourth match with neither team gaining the upper half as kill after kill was made. Relief came nine points after the initial 25 and led HBU to another two-point win to tie the game at 2-2. The inevitable fifth match for the Lady Cardinals ended 16-14 to finally take the win under their wing. Lamar leaders included senior Chelsea Grant who tied her career-high in a match with 28 kills. Junior Amy Hollowell followed with 15 and sophomore Murielle Hlavac for 13. The win places Lamar in a sixth place tie for a spot in the Southland Conference tournament, which volleyball head coach Alan Edwards is determined to make. Edwards, in his third season at Lamar, said the program is growing and is close to challenging for a title. “This team is a lot closer to being great than we have been the last two years,” he said. “That makes the growing pains a little tougher to take.” Some of those growing pains include a conference loss at McNeese when Lamar was up 2-0 before McNeese won the next three sets. But, despite their weaknesses, Edwards said he believes in his team’s capabilities. “We are physically as good as anybody in our conference — we’re trying to learn now how to actually go out and win close matches,” he said. Edwards said he has high hopes to build the volleyball program into a dominant force in the league. “From a volleyball standpoint, I took the job because I firmly believe that we can not only build a program that can be a conference championship team, but can be a pro-
Photo by Cassandra Jenkins
Sophomore outside hitter, Murielle Hlavac, during the 3-2 win over Houston Baptist University, Tuesday, in McDonald Gym.
gram like SFA or like Central Ark has been for the last 10 years — a program like Corpus has become,” he said. Edwards said it’s not just that about competing for a conference championship. When the schedule comes out, he wants people to be depressed that they have to face the Lady Cardinals twice. Aside from winning a conference championship, Edwards said his biggest goal is get the players prepared for the outside world. “The most important thing to me, is to turn out women who are educated and prepared to go into the career field they’ve chosen for themselves,” he said. “Not just make money, but to, hopefully, have a career like I have where they roll out of bed and get to go to work, not just another work day, but somewhere where they get to feel like they are making a difference.” The women’s volleyball team has an overall record of 6-19 and is 6-7 in conference. The team will hit the road to play Abilene Christian, Saturday and return to McDonald Gym to face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Thursday at 7 p.m. Free student tickets are available at the ticket stand outside McDonald Gym.
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Thursday, November 3, 2016 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
Lamar’s Zae Giles is swarmed by the Houston Baptist defense during the Cardinals’ 24-17 Homecoming loss, Saturday, in Provost Umphrey Stadium.
Injuries pile up as Huskies bite Cards Trevier Gonzalez UP Multimedia Editor
Although spirits were high throughout Homecoming week, the Cards were unable to draw on that as they lost 24-17 to the Houston Baptist Huskies in Provost Umphrey Stadium, Saturday. While the season started out with six quarterbacks on the roster, LU had significantly fewer for this game. Injuries had decimated the quarterback position and the bad luck continued Saturday. Lamar lost five starters, four quarterbacks and even had to burn two redshirts through the course of two weeks. Quarterback Andrew Allen was the latest casualty, being forced to leave early in the first quarter. Freshman Case Robinson came in to relieve him. Although Robinson was able to complete seven out of 12 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown, this too didn’t last long, as Robinson was knocked from the game in the second half. The defeat drops the Cardi-
nals to 3-5 for the season, and 33 for the Southland Conference. “This is a very tough night,” LU head coach Ray Woodard said. “HBU had a lot to do with that. I thought we fought hard, and I thought we tried to fight through it but it is just a tough night.” The first quarter started with a touchdown by Husky runningback B.J. Kelley who went for a three-yard rush. Lamar was able to tie things up with wide receiver Zae Giles gaining six yards for a touchdown. After a successful 26-yard field goal attempt by Juan Carranco, Lamar had a three-point lead at the end of the first half, 10-7. Houston Baptist scored 10 unanswered points in the third quarter before adding another touchdown in the fourth. The Huskies forced Lamar to punt on its first four series of the half. Woodard then handed the offense to Port Neches-Groves freshman Adam Morse who completed seven passes for 54
UP Photos by Matt Beadle
HBU’s Derek Broussard forces LU’s DeWan Thompson out of bounds during Saturday’s game in Provost Umphrey Stadium.
yards and a touchdown, cutting the Huskies lead to 24-17. However, that was as close as the Cardinals would get. “I don’t think the loss of Andrew by itself would be as tough if we hadn’t lost Carson Earp and
Blake McKenzie prior to that,” Woodard said. “We’ve lost our top three quarterbacks. I thought Andrew had put in a great week at practice and I was really looking forward to watching him on the field tonight.”
The Cardinals will try to get back to winning ways as they travel to Thibodaux, La., today, to take on Nicholls State University. The game against the Colonels is set for today, 6 p.m. at Guidry Stadium.