University Press December 1, 2016

UNIVERSITY PRESS

The Newspaper of Lamar University

Vol. 93, No. 12 December 1, 2016

Blue walls engulf Quad for renovation Tim Collins UP managing editor

Students attending Lamar University may have noticed the blue wall surrounding the Setzer Student Center and the Quad.

While the Setzer Student Center and the Quad are undergoing renovations, both will be closed for the public safety.

“All projects cause inconvenience, but, in compliance with federal and state regulations and insurance requirements, it is necessary to fence off the active construction site to ensure the safety of students, employees and visitors,” Brian Sattler, director of public relations, said in a release. “When and where feasible, walkway access will be retained or restored as the project continues.”

A walkway will be added from the Family and Consumer Science building to the Archer Physics building.

“Careful thought and planning has gone into ensuring that during this period the university will be able to provide the same level of support to LU students, student government, clubs and organizations,” Sattler said.

The Barnes and Noble bookstore in the Setzer Student Center will remain open. Students can find the entrance by the Archer Physics building.

Additionally, the Food Truck Landing, which accepts Dining Dollars, is between Gray Library and the Dining Hall.

“When the project is completed, Lamar University stu-

See WALL page 6

UP photo by Noah Dawlearn

A student peers through the blue tarpaulin wall that surrounds the Quad and the Setzer Student center, Tuesday. The wall will remain in place while renovations are being completed.

Woodard fired as football coach after seven seasons Elisabeth Tatum UP contributor

Lamar Director of Athletics Jason Henderson announced on Nov. 21 that head football coach Ray Woodard will not return for the 2017 season. Woodard has been head coach since the program returned in 2010, and was the longest-tenured head coach in the Southland Conference.

“We would like to thank Coach Woodard for all that he has done for the Lamar University football program,” Henderson said. “It still remains our goal to compete for championships and to put our student-athletes in a position to be successful on the field and in the classroom.”

Lamar’s 35-10 Loss to Nicholls State, Nov. 3, secured Lamar’s sixth losing season in seven under Woodard.

“I don’t agree with the decision, but I respect it,” Woodard said in the press conference Nov. 21. “We should have been competing for a Southland title, and we had opportunities but we didn’t do it.”

Cards have a 34-46 record since 2010. Lamar is 17-30 in Southland Conference games. This season’s record was 3-8 after the loss to McNeese, giving the Cards their worst season since the program’s revival.

The team was picked to finish fourth in the Southland Conference this season, but finished in ninth after the loss.

Players showed their support for the coach on Twitter after the news broke.

“Thank you Coach Woodard for allowing me to live out my dream and play college football when no one else did,” injured running back Kade Harrington tweeted.

Average attendance at games has dropped from 16,078 in 2010 to

Health Clinic to host De-Stress Week events Alonea Jones UP contributor

The Lamar Health Clinic will host De-Stress Week on campus, through Dec. 8, featuring a series of events designed to help students cope with the stress of finals.

The clinic traditionally holds the event at the end of the spring semester and this is the first time they have offered it in the fall, Marie Culik, Lamar health education specialist, said.

“If students are looking for a really good distraction, Lamar Alive! has setup workshops where you can build your own phone case,” she said. “If students need to get prepared for stress week, then we’re doing stress-release kits. If students need more of physical relaxation there will be yoga, water yoga and stress dodge ball.

“Students who need to keep their hands busy can participant in making their own ‘Orbeez Squishy Stress Balls,’ which is made from beads, water and balloons. Students can also attend the STARS game night.”

A “Build Your Own Phone Case” and “Light Up Lamar” will be held today at the Student Organization Annex. “Build Your Own Phone Case” will start at 11 a.m. and “Light Up Lamar” will start at 6 p.m.

See DE-STRESS page 2

UP file photo

LU football coach Ray Woodard, who was released Nov. 21, pictured at the national signing day announcement in Feb. 2015.

7,429 this season. Lamar’s loss to Incarnate Word, Nov. 12, saw 5,566 fans in attendance, the lowest since the program was brought back.

“We felt like we needed to take the program in a different direction,” Henderson said.

Woodard will be paid a buyout of

$100,000 because his contract was terminated a year early. He had previously signed a three-year contract extension in December 2014

Trangender • Josh Yawn Wish Kid • People Humane Society and more

See WOODARD page 9

OSU student reacts to attack Trevier Gonzalez UP multimedia editor

A man drove his car into a group of students at Ohio State University, Monday, before attacking onlookers with a knife.

At 9:52 a.m., Ohio State police officer Alan Horujko made a call to dispatch concerning a gray Honda Civic that had jumped a curb and hit approximately seven to eight students, The Lantern, OSU’s student newspaper, reported. After Horujko reported, “Officer in trouble,” the driver of the vehicle, a man armed with a knife, exited his vehicle and began attacking individuals.

At approximately 10 a.m., Haleigh Staugler, a freshman at OSU, who said she overslept her 9 a.m. class, checked her phone.

“I immediately had, like, 26 texts from friends ask me where I was, telling me to stay put,” she said in a phone interview with the University Press. “I immediately just went into our group chat, no idea what was going on, and I asked them, ‘Um, guys, what the heck is happening right now? Like, why is everybody texting me?’

“I found the alert from my school that said, ‘Active Shooter on campus. Run, Hide, Fight.’ That’s when all of my friends started replying back in the group chat, they were like, ‘Where are you? There’s an active shooter. You’re not out, are you?’”

LUPD’s public information officer, Cpl. Jarrod Samford said OSU’s ‘Run Hide Fight’ message, trademarked by the City of Houston, is

www.facebook.com/UPLamar

similar to the principles found in the Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) program he teaches at Lamar.

“It’s avoid, deny and defend, just like, ‘Run Hide and Fight,’” Samford said. “You avoid the situation if possible. If you cannot avoid the situation, you do things to keep the person from getting to you. Deny them access to you and the people that are around you. And then, if that doesn’t work, and they still are able to get in, you have to defend yourself — you have to fight, like your life depends on it, because it probably does.

“But I think, if you just tell the average person without them having any understanding of those See ATTACK page 2

www.lamaruniversitypress.com

See magazine insert inside www.twitter.com/UPLamar

INSIDE

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Men do not shape destiny.

Thursday, December 1, 2016 University Press

DE-STRESS

The University Press can be read online at www.lamaruniversitypress.com.

Advertising rates can be found on the site, along with practically all information that a person might be looking for.

CALENDAR

from page 1

“’Light up Lamar’ is a Lamar Alive! event and they will light up Lamar with Christmas lights,” Culik said A Cardinal Carnival is set for Friday on the Dining Hall Lawn at 11 a.m.

“It really is a carnival theme,” Culik said. “There will be games, build your own bracelets, and food.”

Stress relief kits will be located on the sixth floor of Gray Library at 11 a.m. Two yoga events will be held on Monday in 111 Fitness Studio, one at 1:30 p.m. the other at 6:30 p.m. The water yoga will be held on Tuesday at the Nidra indoor pool at 12:30 p.m.

“Students will be given a bag and can choose what they want for their stress

ATTACK

Page 2

Destiny produces the man for the hour.”

—Fidel Castro

NOTICE

kit,” Culik said. “There will be snacks, pencils, highlighters and, possibly, scantrons for free.”

Stress Relief Dodgeball will be held Wednesday at the indoor Soccer Area at 1:30 p.m. The Cardinal Craze, located outside Gray Library at 11 a.m., and Painting with a Twist, located inside the McDonald Gym at 6 p.m., will end DeStress week, Dec. 8.

“Cardinal Craze is another Lamar Alive! event where students get free food if they wear Lamar gear,” Culik said. “It will be outside of Lamar library in the walking area.

“At Painting with a Twist, students will get a canvas to paint and there will

be a couple of options for the student to paint from. Students do not have to be skilled to go to this event.”

The events are spread out so that all student who want to can attend.

“A lot of the build-your-own events are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., so students have time to stop,” Culik said. “This is why we do a whole week, so there will be free time for the students to come to our events.”

Culik said she hopes all students will take advantage of the week-long event.

“You never going to know until you try it out,” she said. “We are giving away free stuff. Take it.”

For more information, call 880-8466.

from page 1

three principles, it doesn’t make any sense.”

After being reassured her classmates were OK, Staugler said she sat in her friend’s dorm with about 10 other students.

“All of us had different news sources up, all of us were trying to get in contact with all of our friends that we knew had classes on that side (of the campus),” she said. “We luckily got ahold of everyone.”

Staugler said there was little dependable information at the time.

“Nothing was being released,” she said. “All we knew was there was an active shooter. We heard nine people were injured. Somebody told us it was nine people shot.”

Staugler said her roommate texted her she was safe within the basement of a building right by where the incident took place.

“She said the SWAT team came in and made sure they got down to the basement and searched them all,” Staugler said. “She was really shaken up about that. The worst part was we had no idea what was happening.”

Samford said it sounds as though the police at OSU went in with the right mindset.

“We’re trained to stop the shooter, first and foremost,” he said. “The way

For Lamar University’s campus emergency policies, visit www.universitypolice.lamar.edu they’ve got other agencies, we’ll have the same thing here.

“We’re not going to wait on those guys. We’re going to — even regular Joe Blow officer — we’re going to go in, and we’re going to go stop the threat. That’s the way we’ve trained.”

Staugler said students within her friend’s dorm used police scanners on their phones.

“We knew there were knife attacks, but we didn’t hear anything about gunshots,” she said. “We were confused, because we had heard people were shot. It was just really crazy.”

At 11:34 a.m., OSU lifted the shelterin-place order.

“We all kind of just stood in our lobby area and waited for our friends to come back, to make sure they got back,” Staugler said. “Then we just spent the rest of the day together, waiting to figure out what the heck happened.”

At 12:17 p.m., the attacker was confirmed to be shot and killed by officer Horujko.

The attack left 11 people injured, including at least one faculty member, one staff member and seven students.

Samford, said an incident like this could happen anywhere and students should be vigilant.

“You see that this type of stuff is happening all over the world,” he said.

'There’s a possibility, whether it’s in schools, or malls, or churches, or anything, there’s that possibility something like that can happen.”

Staugler said students at Ohio State are ready to move on.

“I feel like we’re just mostly ready to get back to normal,” she said “We were on a high starting Monday, because we had just beaten our rivals (at football).

Beating Michigan is a huge thing for us every year, so everybody was really pumped up, and then, all of a sudden that was completely taken away from us.”

According to OSU president Michael Drake, during a vigil held Tuesday evening, all but one of the victims who were transported to OSU Medical Center have been released. About half of the victims in surrounding hospitals have been released, and the rest are expected to be released soon.

Staugler said the OSU community is recovering and remaining positive.

“Everybody’s stable,” she said.

“Everybody’s going to be okay — it wasn’t an actual shooting, so, to me, that’s the most relieving part — that it wasn’t near as bad as what it could have been.”

December 1

Ripples:Guest Artist Jason Miller

Betty Smith Creative Works 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

December 2

Wayne A. Reaud

building dedication

Wayne A. Reaud building 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

December 2

Opening Reception

BFA Student Art Show

Dishman Art Museum 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

December 3

Bridge City Christmas Light Parade

The First Baptist Church 6 p.m.

December 6,

Annual Library Wassail

Gray Library, 1st floor 9:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m.

December 8-14

Final Examinations

December 16

LU Commencement

3

HOLIDAY

UNIVERSITY PRESS December 1, 2016

B.C. Light Parade set for Saturday

SOST to host holiday concert

Blake Williams UP contributor

Bridge City Chamber of Commerce will host the eighth-annual Christmas Light Parade, Dec. 3, starting at 6 p.m. The parade will begin at The First Baptist Church at 200 W. Roundbunch Road and conclude at Bridge City Intermediate School.

“The best part of the parade is the fact that it not only puts a smile on the kids watching, but also the faces of the parents or caretakers of the kids that we collect gifts for at the parade,” Scot Shaffer, Bridge City Chamber of Commerce president, said.

Each parade participant must donate a new unwrapped toy as an entry fee.

“These toys are given to the Bridge City/Orangefield Ministerial Alliance who distribute the toys to local families in need,” Barbara Jane Hanneman, Chamber of Commerce administrative director/museum curator, said.

This year the parade will honor first responders.

“The Bridge City Chamber’s board of directors decided to honor our local first responders this year, naming the Bridge City Police Department, Bridge City Fire and Rescue and Acadian Ambulance as parade marshalls for 2016,” Hanneman said. “ They will lead the parade, along with our local Cub Scout Troop 290 carrying the flags.”

This event gives the community an opportunity to come together, Shaffer said.

“You see almost the whole town shoulder to shoulder, five to six rows deep, for a mile long parade,” he said. “Each person you see is all smiles the whole time. Anytime you can get the community together and fellowship together in a positive way, it’s good for Bridge City and the surrounding communities.”

Hanneman said the parade will have 45 to 50 floats, and she expects more than 1,000 spectators.

A movie will be shown on the lawn behind Bridge City Bank at the conclusion of the parade.

“This year’s movie is ‘The Polar Express,’ so everyone is encouraged to wear their pajamas and enjoy some hot cocoa,” Hanneman said.

For more information, call 735-5671, or email bccham ber@bridgecitychamber.com.

Brittany Rodriguez UP contributor

Bring your family “Home for the Holidays” with the Symphony The Symphony of Southeast Texas kicks off the yuletide season with “Home for the Holidays,” Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Julie Rogers Theatre in Beaumont.

“Home for the Holidays” will feature popular seasonal songs performed by the orchestra, and includes a holiday carol sing-a-long. “Oh Holy Night,” “Hallelujah Chorus,” Leroy Anderson’s “Christmas Festival” and more will be included in the family-friendly show.

“This is my favorite time of the year and my favorite concert, as it captures the spirit of the season — family, fellowship, community and great music,” Chelsea Tipton II, Symphony of Southeast Texas music director, said.

“For the holiday concert, Maestro Tipton always invites great local talent to perform with the orchestra and help spread the holiday cheer,” Melissa Tilley, Symphony of Southeast Texas communications director, said.

Joining the Symphony of Southeast Texas this year is community leader, singer and martial arts expert Fred Simon, along with the Symphony of Southeast Texas Chorus and the West Brook High School Chorus. Immediately following the concert, guests are invited to a reception in the Julie Rogers Theatre Lobby featuring desserts and a candy bar.

“We would really love all the support that we can get, it’s going to be an amazing Symphony for everyone to bring their family to during the Christmas holiday.” Tilley said.

Tickets are $25 for adults, and $15 for seniors and students.

To purchase tickets or for information, visit www.sost.org, or call 892-2257.

UP graphic and layout by Haley Bruyn

McFaddin-Ward House offers holiday photo op Baileigh O’Dell UP Contributor

The McFaddin-Ward House will host its 12th-annual Christmas Photo Op, Dec. 4, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

“We love to show off our house and we are very proud of it,” Karen Chapman, public relations coordinator for the McFaddin-Ward House, said. “We will have the staircase all decked out with beautiful poinsettias to give it that holiday feel.

“This is just one of many events that give our guests the opportunity to enjoy our history and get the feeling of how it was to live in Beaumont during this time period.”

Children of any age are allowed in the museum for the pictures. Families must be ready for the picture upon arrival.

Guests should bring their own camera and are allowed to take two photos on the staircase. Volunteer John Ayers will take the photos. Families must sign in at the McFaddin-Ward Visitors Center and receive a number.

“We saw around 75-80 families last year and are looking forward to seeing more,” Chapman said.

After the pictures, guests are encouraged to walk the grounds and visit the carriage house.

For more information, email kchapman@mcfaddin-ward.org, or call 8322134.

Jefferson Theater to host holiday classics Brooke Harvey UP contributor

Beaumont Event Facilities hosts “Classic Movie Night” every Friday at the historic Jefferson Theatre in downtown Beaumont. Movies start at 7:30 p.m. and admission is $5.

Upcoming movies include “Bob Dylan-I’m Not There” on Nov. 29, “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” on Dec. 2, “Elf” on Dec. 9 and “A Christmas Story” on Dec. 16.

“With reasonably priced tickets and concessions, live music before the shows, and chances to win free tickets on the radio, our main goal has been to create a good quality of life for the people in the Beaumont area,” Emily Wheeler, marketing division manager, said.

The Jefferson Theatre holds 1,400 and people from all over have come to see the showings, Wheeler said.

“There is no need to drive to

Houston just to have a good time out and about,” she said.

“People of all ages, from the young to old, have made beautiful memories right here in Beaumont at the theatre. We try to bring something to the table for everyone.”

Originally built in 1927, the Jefferson Theatre was designed

to be an entertainment refuge for the people of the Beaumont area.

Ines Alvidres is one of several local artists who have exhibited their work in conjunction with the screenings. Alvidres, whose work carries a strong Mexican influence, exhibited before the movie

“Frida,” about Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

“As an artist, I was given the opportunity to show my work before the showing of one of my absolute favorite movies and greatest inspirations,” she said.

“It was a very emotional experience for me because I was showing my artwork right be-

fore the people were going to watch my favorite muse.”

Alvidres said the history of the building is the greatest part of the experience.

“Watching your favorite movie in a beautiful place makes the movie even better,” she said. “Growing up, you watch the same old movies on your small screen so much that you have no idea what you are missing. Watching on the theatre’s big screen completely enables you to rediscover the treasure of our town’s history and the beauty of classic movies.

“I highly recommend that every person should see at least one film at the Jefferson Theatre. It truly is such a beautiful experience.”

The Jefferson Theatre is located at 345 Fannin in downtown Beaumont.

For more information, visit www.discoverbeaumont.com, or call 838-3435.

Page 4

Thursday, December 1, 2016 • UNIVERSITY PRESS

Monkey Island Getaway Primate takes bite out of UP contributor’s dream Thailand vacation Shelby Strickland UP Contributor

PHI PHI ISLAND, Thailand — One would expect the vacations you see advertised on commercial breaks, or the destination vacations they give away on “Wheel of Fortune,” to be beautiful and relaxing. My trip to Thailand met those expectations — kind of.

Phi Phi Island (pronounced pee-pee) is a tropical vacation spot in Thailand. The island is not exposed to the pollution that infiltrates the west coast, so the beaches are some of the few pristine that remain. The island has countless restaurants, bars and shops. Numerous small islands surrounding the main island are each famous for their own unique attractions.

One in particular, Monkey Beach, is one of the most renowned.

“You have to go see the wild monkeys,” locals say. “They are very sweet. You can take photos with them!”

Sounds incredibly intriguing, right? No one on my trip seemed too excited to visit monkeys but I was. After much convincing, we all loaded a taxi boat and headed to Monkey Beach.

Visitors flood the island chasing monkeys with GoPros, feeding them fruit and snacks, and putting the monkeys on their backs and shoulders. It was like a Thai petting zoo — except everything was wild and rabid.

After a while roaming the beach, I spotted the smallest of primates on the island, the runt of the litter, so-to-speak. He was trying to get water out of a bottle to no avail.

I gathered that he was probably too young and too weak to put his opposable thumbs to good use.

After watching him struggle, my heart was melted by his innocence and charm. I was forced to help (cuteness would not allow anything else). I walked over to unscrew the cap to the bottle and the baby monkey immediately became fond of me. He jumped on to my arm and I could not do much but

allow him to treat me like his personal jungle gym. The little rascal tried taking my sunglasses and putting them on, and even pulled my hair a bit, but it was all in good fun.

Or so I thought.

In a few minutes, we had attracted a larger monkey as ferocious and intimidating as King Kong. The untamed, primitive beast came out from behind the trees and began sprinting at me on all fours, fueled by what I took to be hatred and discrimination. The little friend I had just let climb on me and invade my personal space had turned on me— the ultimate betrayal.

I turned and locked eyes with the giant monkey’s primal gaze. A shiver went down my spine, immobilizing me until my fight-orflight response kicked in. Lord knows this 5-feet 4-inch, 100pound girl did not stand a chance

against the untamed beast — homegirl was going to run. I hopped up as quickly as I could muster, but the crazed, rabies-infected idiot had already latched on to my elbow with his teeth.

I slung him off, but it was too late. A crimson river of red was already dripping from my arm.

Back on the mainland, in the Thai hospital where I got the first of five immensely painful rabies vaccinations, I thought about the fact that I was the only one who really wanted to see monkeys, and that my hopes and dreams had literally come back to bite me.

I knew monkeys were mischievous, but I didn’t know they had an insatiable craving for blood.

My Thailand vacation was still sweet after my ravenous encounter. Part of me enjoyed the adrenaline rush — not in the moment, but after. I learned I have a taste for action and adventure.

Shelby Strickland plays with a small primate on Thailand’s Monkey Island during a vacation in October. What started off as a cute encounter soon turned ugly when a large monkey entered the scene.

Photos courtesy Shelby Strickland

OPINION

5 UNIVERSITY PRESS December 1, 2016

Body shaming can be shameful, harmful

There are two kinds of people in this world: the ones who, according to society, are “smoking hot” and think they aren’t, and the ones who have a more attractive personality than face or body, but think they have it “going on.”

Well, okay, maybe there are three kinds of people, the third kind being “I know I’m not on David Beckham’s level, but I know I’m not morbidly scarylooking either.” Classify yourself how you wish — or don’t, but whichever category you think fits

Commentary

Danielle Sonnier UP Contributor

best, it is probably the correct category.

What about when it comes to other people and not just a mirror on the wall? Unless we are lusting after someone’s features or admiring their perfect makeup skills, we often do the opposite of admiring.

I’m talking about body shaming.

We all do it. Yes, we do.

Whether to ourselves or to others, it happens. Whether intentional or innocent, it happens.

And it always will. It starts with a brief glance. And then a doubletake and the thoughts are rollin’.

“Oh my gosh, he should really just get a bra. Disgusting.”

“Again? She wears those shoes every day. What kind of fashion-mindless person would even wear those?”

Or maybe it is simply laughing at Ann Coulter as she jokes about “fat” protestors.

Coulter recently tweeted pictures from a rally with captions like, “Without fat girls, there

would be no protests,” and “I guess marching around waving signs is some exercise, but they also need Atkins,” to which one tweeter responded, “What does her gender or body type have to do with her protesting?”

Good question, tweeter. I don’t know?

Maybe you’re not as drastic as Coulter, who has been dubbed “High Priestess of Trumpism” and was probably just trying to act like him via Twitter. Or perhaps you do go even further in your body shaming habits…

Playboy model Dani Mathers seems to be on the extreme side when judging other people’s appearance. One expects her to be strict and highly critical of her own appearance, considering the 29-year-old is a provocative model who makes a living looking like a fun-time doll.

How hard she is on herself, we don’t know. But she sure can give someone else grief about their body — but not to their face, mind you. She hides behind

Snapchat.

Mathers took a picture of a 70year-old naked woman in the locker room of the gym and shared it for her world of Snapchat followers to see. And screenshot.

And report. Mathers included the mocking comment, “If I can’t unsee this, you can’t either.”

The picture, which was taken from afar, shows the woman minding her own business and taking a shower at this gym in the public-designated shower area. Mathers and any other gym members should expect to see someone showering in the shower area.

Now it’s probably going to cost her a little money and perhaps, a little jail time (on a charge of invasion of privacy).

Of course, Mathers says she did not mean for all of her Snapchat friends to see the picture, and her lawyer says she did not try to break any laws. I guess sometimes, “I didn’t mean to” just doesn’t cut it.

In Mathers’ defense, she

probably knows good and well what everyone else thinks of her body, and I’m sure not all of it is favorable. If she didn’t have to be so obsessed with her own body, she probably would not be so concerned with someone else’s body, especially someone old enough to be her grandma.

Don’t worry what you look like because you look just fine — and nobody truly cares what you look like, anyhow. Really. People might think about it for a minute or even say something to you or someone else, but they’ll soon forget about it. And if they are really audacious and post an uncensored picture of you for the world to see, at least you can make some money off of ‘em.

The moral of the Snapchat and the tweet: public body shaming only looks bad for you, and if that’s the kind of attention you want, go for it.

But think twice or even three times before you make comments or send pictures — you’ll thank yourself later.

TimTim’s Toon

UPeditorial New year There’s an ancient Chinese curse that merchants would tell wary travelers to make them feel ill at ease, and it goes, “May you live in interesting times.”

Well, 2016 has certainly been interesting, from celebrity deaths that came one after another to a tiring election cycle that seemed like it just wouldn’t end. But as the holiday season approaches, it’s important to take a moment to do a little work on ourselves and to prepare ourselves for the new year.

Take a vacation, sit in front of the fire, or just sit in your room and don’t talk to anybody, if that works, because we’re all going to need it in 2017, especially after the mad dash of finals and 15-page term papers that inevitably bunch up at the end of an alreadybusy semester.

No matter what the future holds, whether we’re graduating and going off into the workforce or returning to the campus in the spring, let’s hope that 2017 isn’t quite as interesting as 2016 has been.

“Living in interesting times” usually brings with it a great deal of strife and economic distress. It does, however, also bring change.

So, let’s all work together to make sure it’s positive change, and not negative, that ushers in the new year.

Letter: Islam is Religion of Peace

Editor:

Numerous people in today’s time believe that Islam promotes violence.

Islam is a religion of peace. In the Holy Quran it states, “If anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land — it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.” This verse proves that Islam does not promote violence.

Every Muslim should not be judged by the action of one person. One bad apple does not spoil the whole bunch.

Islam, the world’s fastest growing and most misinterpreted religion, began in Arabia and was revealed to people by (pbuh) Prophet Muhammad. People who follow Islam are called Muslims. Muslims believe that there is only one god and that is Allah.

The word Islam literally means “surrender,” it means peace. Islam does not want war. It is not terrorism. It is not violence. It is not what Muslims need to do. Islam is what Muslims are supposed to do. In short, Islam is peace.

Terrorism has no religion. Terrorist attacks have occurred in the United States since 1837 and the majority were committed by non-Muslims, but

Editor.........................................................Haley Bruyn Managing Editor ......................................Tim Collins Multimedia Editor ..........................Trevier Gonzalez Staff .....................Danielle Sonnier, Jackie Benavides, ..........................Caitlin McAlister, Brianna Barnette, .......................Kyle Swearingen, Stephanie DeMeyer, ..............Mary Hooker, Noah Dawlearn, Cade Smith, ...........................Andre Woodard, Shelby Strickland, ..........Elisabeth Tatum, Matt Beadle, Maegan White, .........................Tara Hoch, Lainie Harris, Eric Mittel Advertising Assistant .......................Mario Carmona Advisors Andy Coughlan and Stephan Malick Member of Texas Intercollegiate Press Association

Letters Policy

still Muslims are blamed for terrorism.

People should not attack religion. Religions need to be understood before people start jumping to conclusions.

The answer to violence is not more violence. The problem in this world is everyone is blaming religions for acts of terrorism. Every religion has extremists. Therefore, it is not right to blame the religion as a whole.

In today’s society Muslims face a lot of troubles because of discrimination. They are discriminated against for demonstrating their own faith.

Muslims have unfairly been labeled as terrorists and Islam has been labeled as promoting terrorism. For example, nowadays some Muslim girls are judged for wearing hijab. People automatically assume, “Terrorist.” Some Muslims are afraid to walk around in their religious clothes because of what others would say. Wearing religious and cultural symbols is part of the right of freedom of expression. These rights should be enjoyed by all faiths equally, not judged by people. Many kids are made fun of for being Muslim. For example, in high school when teachers talk about religion, Muslim kids just sit in the back listening to everyone talk bad about Islam. Many argue against it, but at the same time you cannot change the way people

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 200 Setzer Student Center. 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.

think in today’s society. Muslims are not the only people who face this problem; many people from different races also encounter the same problem.

The world needs to change its thinking. Do not blame everyone for the mistake of one person. Everyone is not the same; we are all different.

We need to come together as a whole and bring a change in this world. All of us need to put religion aside and look at each other from the inside — how good of person someone is. Do not judge a book by its cover. Do not judge Muslims, Latinos, Blacks and many more races. At the end of the day, we are all the same; no one is different, we are all humans. Let us stop labeling each other by race.

Instead let us put forth a hand of friendship to each other. A never-ending chain of friendship should be started. This will bring a change in many people. Muslim lives matter, but so do black lives, white lives, gay lives, Hispanic lives, and many other lives.

Every single individual life matters.

We should not fear anyone because of race. We are all humans, so do not let race define someone as a person.

Sahar Shahzad Kountze freshman

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

Page 6

Thursday, December 1, 2016 • UNIVERSITY PRESS

WALL from page 1 dents will have access to a new state-ofthe-art facility that will serve their needs for years to come,” Sattler said.

On Nov. 17, 12NewsNow posted an article in which an LU student lamented that the school would charge “$500 per person, if you multiply that by like 30,000 students that are here, it’s ridiculous, it’s in the millions.”

The Setzer Student Center fee as it stands is actually $100 a student, $35 during summer sessions, and was raised from $30 as the result of a Student Government Association referendum in April 2012. The referendum passed with an 80 percent majority of 1,100 students who voted, and was then passed by the Texas State University System Board of Regents in May 2012. The price change went into effect during the Spring 2013 semester.

The fee goes to maintaining the building and toward furnishings. The remainder was held in reserve for the renovation project, which is currently under way.

Focus groups for the renovation were held in Fall 2014 and included input from students, faculty, staff, and an architectural firm. The renovation is projected to finish in January 2018.

For more information, call 880-7775.

Map of Renovation Area

College Commencement Ceremonies

December 16, 2016

College of Fine Arts and Communication - 2 College of Arts and Sciences - 7 p.m. in the Mon- p.m. in the Montagne Center. Graduates should artagne Center. Graduates should arrive by 6 p.m. for rive by 1 p.m. for check-in and line-up. check-in and line-up.

College of Education and Human DevelopDecember 17, 2016 ment - 5 p.m. in the Montagne Center. Graduates should arrive by 4 p.m. for check-in and line-up.

College of Engineering - 8:30 a.m. in the Montagne Center. Graduates should arrive by 7 a.m. for Receptions check-in and line-up.

We hope our graduates and their guests can gather College of Business - 11 a.m. in the Montagne for an informal reception on the tent in front of the Center. Graduates should arrive by 10 a.m. for check- Montagne Center following commencement. in and line-up.

UNIVERSITY PRESS • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Page 7

Ripples in time Local artist uses vintage videos, music to create calmness Trevier Gonzalez UP multimedia editor

One wouldn’t expect to create a ripple in time through the means of old VHS tapes or footage of water being mixed with oil and Jell-O, but Jason Miller saw the potential and a pattern.

Miller, a Lamar grad and production director at 91.3 KVLU, will host “Ripples,” a multimedia installation of his work, today at 6 p.m., at Betty Smith Creative Works, located at 2485 Calder Ave.

“I found out that all those things have those waves,” he said. “Those ripples and those motions, and so, I wanted it to be something that’s meditative.”

By processing video through synthesizers and technology from the ’80s and ’90s, the video and ambient music artist reconstructs life in a completely different color in his video and art installations.

“When you build something like this, you have to have something that separates you from other people that are doing it,”

he said. “You’re changing some of the patterns with this gear, but if you just can find something that looks pretty compelling just to look at — you make it hyperreal.

“I like it to be where you’re looking at another world. Some of these landscapes look really foreign to you because the grass is pink and the sky is green, and there’s waves that go through stuff that aren’t natural, too, and the sky has a strange feedback black.”

The installation is composed

Photo by Trevier Gonzalez

Artist Jason Miller will present “Ripples,” a multimedia installation, today at Betty Smith Creative Works in Beaumont.

of multiple CRT television sets.

“We love looking at screens,” he said. “I think that it’s just the analog warmth of the image. I just think they haven’t seen a CRT television in a while, and they didn’t see how the colors and the patterns can look on one when you use this stuff — it’s a different image.”

Miller said there are many options he has to enhance, both the footage he finds and what he films.

“You can slow it down just a little bit, slow it down a lot, and it takes on a whole different life,” he said. “They’re very organic when it starts out, but (afterwards) it looks not that way. It looks electronic.”

Miller, who used VCRs to blend visuals with music in high school, said he’s no stranger to manipulating the two.

“I was making videos for songs that I had, but now I’m actually making video pieces,” he said. “I’m putting sound and music to them. I like the aspect of it because it combines those two — sound goes hand-in-hand, and I just love that.”

Listening stations outfitted with headphones will be set up throughout the installation.

Miller said the music offers a different feel in comparison to his previous exhibitions.

“There’s a little bit more motion to it, a little more down tempo, more of a chill-out feel that’s different from ambient,” he said. “You can kind of escape in there, put the headphones on and stare at the screen.”

Miller’s composed both the music and visuals.

“The images that sit inside that video world have to do with ripples in water and oil and movement,” he said. “Some of the things are actually water that I filmed close-up from fountains.

I’m using that as sort of a basis and a foundation to manipulate them all.”

Miller uses a VHS camcorder.

“All the stuff that’s done with the concoctions, its’ pretty simple,” he said. “You take a big glass bowl — as big as you can find — and you take all the things

and you mix them in there, and you stir them up and shake it up.

Once the motion is going, I’ll film that, like really close and really tight, where it’s like you just see the oils and the things move.”

Miller also uses found VHS tapes at thrift stores. He said he’s often surprised with what he comes across.

“It’s strange,” he said. “When you see people that throw away somebody’s baby tape, or a wedding tape, you’re like, ‘They’re pretty darn confident in their digital.’

“All our home videos have the same family things that we film, how we film them. The awkwardness, what people think is funny — it’s all pretty much the same.”

Miller said life was recorded a lot differently back then.

“We take for granted, maybe, that it’s so easy, and we just do little snippets, little soundbites, whereas people rolled for a while,” he said. “We filmed stuff that we thought was very important — now, we can film everything.”

Miller said the thrift store tapes provide a different view of life.

“I got this really cool vacation one, and this whale-watching one,” he said. “Both of those have been really great insights, especially the vacation one to Hawaii.

I really enjoy their trip. It’s like 1988, too, so you’re looking at the world in 1988.

“You see the world as it was.

You see some of the compelling things of that place. They brought that tape home and let somebody watch it, and somebody got a taste of that exotic place. It could be really unique, or it could be a very just normal touristy kind of thing, but either way, you’re watching that and there’s a compelling nature to it.

Someone trying to capture that and show other people, I find that fascinating.

“It’s an interesting kind of little niche part of video hunting, because I’m looking for everything, but whenever I see somebody’s home tape — yeah, I grab it.”

Das earns Fulbright international award Jackie Benavides UP contributor

Kumar Das, director of the office of undergraduate research and associate professor of statistics, has received the Fulbright International Education Administrator Seminar award to France from the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. The scholarship granted Das a two-week seminar in France.

The Fulbright is a prestigious scholarship and fellowship that is offered by the U.S. government and the French government. Only 12 U.S. applicants were given the award. Das attended the seminar Oct. 7 to Oct. 22.

“It went really well that is both professionally and personally,” Das said. “A truly rewarding experience for me.”

During the trip, Das visited 20 institutions, mostly four-year universities and research centers, as well as one high school.

The Fulbright Program aims to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries, and it is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government.

As a Fulbright recipient and a representative of the U.S., Das said he made connections that will allow him the opportunity to work collaboratively with international partners in educational, political, cultural, economic, and scientific fields.

“There’s plenty of opportunities to collaborate for the faculty and plenty of opportunities for the students to take from those institutions in France and Germany,” he said. “In France and Germany, the way it works is kind of different than the way we work here.

“Most of the universities are federally funded, so tuition fees are either zero or close to zero.

That is very surprising to me and because of that, students have more time to spend in education and research. So, they’re very actively engaged in education there.”

Das said he recognizes that free tuition is a significant difference between Lamar and foreign universities, and puts limitations on what students can do.

“Because they do not work that much outside (of school), they enjoy their life in every moment all the way they can,” he said. “Many of the schools I visited, they have a very strong col-

laboration with other universities, like schools in Africa. That type of collaboration we do not have. Now they are trying to build a relation with Asian universities. They send their students there and students come from that place, and they enjoy the sharing culture with each other.”

Das said he encourages faculty and staff to take advantage of opportunities to study abroad in programs available in the academic year as well as the summer.

“The change of culture is needed for everybody,” he said.

“If you want to have any field experience in universal culture, which you have to do anyway if you want to go forward, you cannot confine yourself all the time in your little neighborhood. You have to get out of it.

“The thing I want is students and faculty to get involved in high quality research in the lab and outside of the lab, and that happens in multilateral way. Not only do they work with their own school, but also they work with the companies and other institutions.”

Das said there are some things that Lamar is doing that the foreign universities are not.

“For some reason, they do not

Kumar Das

have dorm systems at the universities I visited,” he said. “Because of that, they do not have all those clubs, organizations — the student bonding. So that is the part I think we are better off, because we need that connection.”

Das said he feels it is important for students to make collaborations and experience study abroad opportunities.

“What I tell my students, you need to get out,” he said. “I’m not asking you to go there and live, but I am saying you should go there and explore the opportunities. There are many, many other opportunities and you

have to have those credentials in your pocket, in your résumé — that you visited these places and you know about them.

“My understanding is (that) the problems we will be facing now (will) be pretty multidimensional problems,” he said.

“Think about the refugee problem that is happening in the world, you cannot solve that problem from here. Either way, if you don’t want to get involved, still you have to know about it.”

Das said that one thing that stood out for him about the students he met in France was that they were well-informed. They asked him questions, they knew about the presidential election, and they knew about student activities.

“They do know not only about the U.S. system, they know about the Chinese system, they know about the Indian system,” he said. “So, in order to deal with those, we have to compete with them to build tomorrow.”

Das said we are fortunate to have a supportive community at Lamar that backs students and faculty in exploring these options.

For more information on undergraduate research, visit www.lamar.edu/undergraduate-research.com.

Page 8

Thursday, December 1, 2016 • UNIVERSITY PRESS

Relentless Runner

Matt Peveto

Whether trudging through muddied water or taking another step, junior Matt Peveto is a Spartan who never gives up. “I get self-confidence from running,” Matt says. “It inspires myself, and I get a sense of accomplishment when I can inspire someone to do something that they normally wouldn't do.” Four years ago, in Austin, the psychology major, who was born with spina bifida, found himself surrounded by 10,000 runners for his first race. “I came across another athlete who had similar back injuries, and it was kind of inspiring,” Matt says. “It wasn't the same thing as me, but still, she was winning. She was just — all over the place, so I wanted to try it. After that, it just kind of spread. I wanted to race a little bit more — I wanted to inspire people. I wanted to show people that there really weren't any limitations.” In March, Matt will compete in his first triathlon as he works toward even greater ambitions. “My hope is to get (to) Team USA in 2020, to go to (the Paralympics in) Tokyo,” he says. “That is the goal right now. I'm here, training a lot. I'll swim or I'll run in there, or I'll bike. It just depends.”

Story and photo by Trevier Gonzalez

‘Sweet’ Dreams Anita Nguyen

“As long as people keep eating cake, I’ll keep making them,” says Anita Nguyen, co-owner of the Golden Croissant bakery in Nederland. After graduating with a business degree in May, the 23-year old joined her mother in the family business after her father died. “Up until a few years ago, I never intended to be baking cakes at all, but now I’ve fallen in love with it and truly enjoy what I do,” she says. Anita has no professional training in the field of specialty baking and says a majority of her skill came from trial and error — and also her eye for detail, which comes from a background in art. “Making these cakes is a pretty long process — prepping, baking, and then icing it as smooth as possible before the intricate decorating part. All in all, it could take anywhere from five to seven hours to make one cake.” In hindsight, maybe it’s not such a stretch to find her in the kitchen. “My mom’s been baking and decorating our cakes at the store for as long as I can remember, so I guess I was born into it. One day my mom asked me for help on a cake for a customer who wanted fondant and the rest is history.”

For more PEOPLE, see UPbeat magazine inserted in this issue.

Story and photo by Elisabeth Tatum

FCA chapter builds fellowship Swicegood sponsors music students Natalie Fazio UP Contributor

Chad Fleischman UP Contributor

Jesus Christ and act to serve for him through sports and in the community, the organization’s website states.

The athletes are planning to volunteer at the Southeast Texas Food Bank during the early weekends of December.

The meetings attract around 40 athletes. Flanigan said the goal of the Lamar chapter is to have at least half of every team attend Monday night meetings.

“It is really great to have a coach like Coach Flannigan start up a chapter of FCA here,” soccer player Ana Moreno said. “It is a way that we can meet new people and more athletes that we might

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Swicegood Music Company has selected two senior music education majors from Lamar to participate in the ConnSelmer Institute program.

“There are master teachers and motivational speakers to mentor the participants,” Kurt Killion, owner of Swicegood Music Company, said. “I feel it is a great advantage for young and inexperienced music educators to be exposed to the wealth of knowledge and common sense that experienced teachers will share with them at the seminar.”

Killion has not sent students to the program in several years and wanted to bring the opportunity back. The program requires a music education degree and is for graduates who want to go into teaching music.

“The Conn-Selmer Institute is open to young teachers and upper-level college music majors, and is filled on a first come, first serve, basis,” he said. “It is a great seminar, addressing specific areas of instruction for young teachers.”

Andrew Sealy, Sweeny senior, is one of the students chosen to participate in the program.

“When I first found out, I was surprised, excited, and very honored,” he said. “I had found out about CSI from a Conn-Selmer rep the week before and I thought I’d never be

able to afford to go. Imagine my surprise when I’m told that I’ve been sponsored by Swicegood to go.

“I’m super excited and stoked for this summer. I am super grateful for this opportunity and honored to represent our school this summer.”

Sealy said he started playing the saxophone in sixth grade. He was in all-state band his junior and senior years in high school before attending Lamar to pursue a career in music education. Sealy said the seminar will help his teaching career.

“This is an opportunity to learn how I can be a better educator for my future students,” he said. “I get to meet worldrenowned musicians and educators, and I get to learn from them.

“By going to this seminar, I’ll be better preparing myself for my career outside of college. It’s going to be an experience I’ll never forget.”

Sealy said he wants to inspire people to find their passion.

“Music education shouldn’t be just about drilling facts and perfecting (composition), it should be about developing character and giving them life skills that they can use in their adult life, regardless of career path,” he said.

Steven Coullier is the other student named to attend the seminar.

For more information about the program, visit edu

Athletes from different sports come together Monday nights to eat, play and worship at Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings in the Dauphin Athletic Complex.

This is the first time that Lamar University has had an FCA chapter. Ramon Flanigan, Lamar University football QB coach, is the head of the chapter and one of the co-founders of FCA Lamar.

“I am a big supporter of FCA,” he said. “I started it at my last college I had worked at. I was not the initial one who started it here, I am just trying to bring it back to the student athletes at Lamar so they can have fun, meet other athletes who are not religiously perfect, and praise and worship together for our Heavenly Father.”

FCA was started in 1954 by Don McClanen to bring together athletes and coaches in a challenge and adventure to receive

not ever have the chance to.”

Athletes do not have to be a certain religion to be a part of FCA, Flanigan said, adding that it is about becoming a tighter community with people who share the same interests and bring the community together.

Moreno said she was raised in a religious family in Colombia but was never really dedicated to her religion.

“It was really great to find FCA and gain back my religious backgrounds without feeling like I had to know everything about The Bible,” she said. “It has also made me feel more like I have my own family here, because it has brought together a lot of people and I have been able to find people who I know will be there for me.”

One does not have to be an athlete to join a chapter, Flanigan said.

For further information about LUFCA, call 880-7493, or email rflanigan@lamar.edu.

For more information, visit www.fca.org.

UNIVERSITY PRESS • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Page 9

Transfer LU player finds opportunity in hardship Sable Hankins UP contributor

am ready to play.”

After leaving MSU, Frenchwood found a home at Hill Junior College in Hillsboro, where he was named FirstTeam All-Conference, averaging 12 points and six assists while guiding his team to a 22-9 record and postseason berth to conference tournament.

“This was the perfect opportunity for me to redo my recruiting and go to the right school,” he said. “I had many offers that came my way after my sophomore year, but Coach Tic Price here at Lamar made feel like I was going to be a part of a family, which I now am.”

Frenchwood is one of the six newcomers on the squad, joining the seven returnees. Starting all three games at point guard, he is averaging 6.3 points a game and three steals.

“Everything is going great,” he said. “We just had a really big upset (Nov. 16) against highly ranked Oregon state. That win is just a small stepping stone for the many more ac-

When Joey Frenchwood IV was cut from Montana State University’s basketball team after his freshman year, instead of feeling sorry for himself, he resolved to work harder.

Now a junior transfer for the Lamar Cardinals, Frenchwood is a fixture in the starting lineup. “(It) really inspired me to work harder than ever to prove people wrong,” he said. “Out of high school, I wasn’t recruited that highly and didn’t get an offer to play college ball ’til after I graduated. It is hard because you feel like people don’t believe in you that much. You have this dream to play basketball your whole life, and then someone tells you that you aren’t as good as you think you are. It has just motivated me to get better when I am given the opportunity.

“There is no one to blame but myself. However, with support from my family, the ball is in my court and I

complishments that we are going to have this season.”

In a press conference introducing the players at the beginning of the season, Coach Price said highlighted Frenchwood’s experience as one of his strengths.

“Joey brings leadership skills to our team that we sorely needed,” he said.

Frenchwood said his focus is on the team.

“It’s not about me statistically,” he said. “I could average 10 points a game and (if) we are still losing, who will that benefit? Anyone can play on the court just to shoot. One person will not win us this game.

“I would rather be a key contributor on a winning team, rather than be a star on a bad team.”

Frenchwood said the LU basketball squad has one goal — to win the Southland Conference.

“Your ceiling is as high as you make it,” he said. “We are talented enough to win so why not win them all.”

UP photo by Matt Beadle

Joey Frenchwood

WOODARD from page 1

Women’s club hoops wins championship

The club went undefeated in the season and in the tournament. They beat Rice University in the semifinals and beat a squad from Texas Southern University in the championship. The club has been in the championship four times in the last six years, winning three times.

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with a base salary of $175,000.

Woodard faced the media with good grace.

“I would like to personally thank Dr. Jimmy Simmons and Billy Tubbs for giving me the great opportunity to be the head coach at Lamar,” he said. “It’s been an honor to coach here and I’m proud of what we accomplished. I only want good things for Lamar University and this program.

“I received my doctorate degree during my time here.

I would also like to thank all the people in the Educational Leadership program, who helped me along the way.”

Lamar will conduct a nationwide search for a new head coach starting this week, Harrington said, adding that all Lamar football assistants are still under contract and will have the opportunity to interview under the new head coach.

Page 10

Thursday, December 1, 2016 • UNIVERSITY PRESS

UP photo by Caitlin McAlister

Seniors to present thesis art exhibition Caitlin McAlister UP Staff Writer

The Dishman Art Museum will host “From Where I Stand,” the fall senior art thesis exhibition, Dec. 2 through Dec. 18. The exhibit is the culmination of 11 Lamar University art students’ senior thesis work.

“The exhibition is called ‘From Where I Stand’ because each student’s thesis gives a different perspective on life,” Amanda Prince, Groves senior, said.

The senior thesis exhibition is the final requirement of art majors before being awarded the bachelor of fine arts degree in studio art or graphic design. The students are required to create a body of work based on a project idea that they have initiated.

“They’re passionate about their individual projects,” Rebecca Seidenberger, Beaumont senior, said.

“They didn’t just do what would be good for their degree, but what they loved.”

Of the 11 students whose art will be on display, eight are graphic artists, two are photographers and one is a sculptor.

“There will be a variety of art in

the show including sculpture, apparel, packaging, magazine and book design, websites, digital assets, and even a board game,” Prince said.

Jazmine Celestine, Beaumont senior, said that the wide variety of art reflects the artists as individuals.

“Everyone’s work is so diverse,” she said. “You’re going to see a lot of personalities in one room.”

All three students are graphic design majors.

“I have apparel, tote bags, packaging, a promotional video, a website and social media assets displayed in the exhibit as part of the creation of a non-profit organization that fights poverty in America called Agape,” Prince said.

Seidenberger said that the graphic art featured in the exhibit shows the diversity of the medium.

“Everyone’s piece challenges what you expect from graphic designers,” she said.

Celestine said that she hopes the wide array of art will encourage other students.

“I hope it inspires other graphic designers to think outside of the normal graphic design box,” she

said. “You can do anything with a graphic design degree. You’re not just limited to business cards and billboards.”

Prince Thomas, LU professor of photography, said that the exhibition is an opportunity for people to appreciate the graduating art majors’ work, and to mark the beginning of the students’ careers.

“The thesis exhibition is a great party where new artists are introduced to the Beaumont community, where they will be active professionals in the future,” he said. “It is a time for all to come together to celebrate the achievements and hard work of our students.”

Amanda Prince said she hopes for a good turnout for the opening reception, Dec. 2.

“The Lamar community should come to the exhibition to enjoy the creative work that these students have worked all semester producing,” she said.

A free opening reception is Friday, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Dishman Art Museum.

For more information, call the Dishman Art Museum at 8808959.

Congratu g tulations S Seniors! !

You are about to b be an ALUMNUS of Lamar Un niversity!

Attend Alumni Evvents Visit our website to find d out about events for alumn ni! www.lamar.edu/a alumn ni

Share with uuss Help LU keep in touch wiith you Let us know if you have a ch hange of address or email address. Sh hare with us about your job promotions, ns, wedding, birth announcement(s), etc.

We love hearing your good n news! alumni@lamar.edu

Stay connected Like us on Fa acebook facebook.com/LamarUniv / e ersityAlumni Lamar University Office of Alumni Afffairs airs

We’re heere for you!

UP photo by Tim Collins

A student displays artwork in preparation for the opening reception of “From Where I Stand” this Friday