INSIDE
Best pizza in town
PAGE 2
A failed policy in the Gulf
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TAMU comes to town
PAGE 5
Special sportsDoes art have a pullout insideplace in print? PAGE 7
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FRIDAY
SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 FRIDAY High 79, Low 66 Saturday High 81, Low 66
VOLUME 98 ISSUE 14 FIRST COPY FREE, ADDITIONAL COPIES 50 CENTS
FOOTBALL
SIDNEY HOLLINGSWORTH/The Daily Campus
Boulevarding is an SMU tradition started by President Turner.
Is the pregame the game? Boulevarding attracts first-years ERICA ROBBIE Contributing Writer erobbie@smu.edu SIDNEY HOLLINGSWORTH/The Daily Campus
The Innovation Gym is a place for students to turn their ideas into tangible projects.
Lyle grows in stature, popularity KATELYN GOUGH News Editor kgough@smu.edu “I thought it was kind of a gem in the rough.” Junior Sami Williams actually started out as a pre-med major— until she discovered SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering. Now vice president of communications for SMU’s Society of Women Engineers, Williams says the program has “opened a lot of doors.” “The opportunities, the number of internship offers…it’s amazing to see these things,” Williams said. Across the nation, there are fewer engineering graduates than there are jobs In the scramble to find qualified students, the Lyle School has created a big name for itself. Companies are jumping at the chance to recruit at the school. “We’re about developing a different kind of engineer,”
Williams said. “I think it’s one of the reasons our graduates are in such high demand.” Lyle’s mission is to educate a well-rounded engineer— someone who can do more than just technical skills. Lyle School of Engineering Dean Mark Christensen says having some “soft skills” allows Lyle students to really “accelerate their career.” “It’s more than just the book learning.” Christensen said. “Our students know how to apply that knowledge, work well in teams [and] be a listener.” To create this learning experience, the engineering school looks at what companies’ topperforming employees are doing right now and identifies what that person looked like four years before they hit the marketplace. “When they go into that first job interview, it’s an unfair advantage. They have all the technical skills,” Christensen said. “But they’re also ready to communicate clearly.”
According to Director of Undergraduate Recruitment Mickey Saloma, the Lyle School is looking for students who are interested in making a difference in the engineering community. They want students who are willing to step outside their comfort zone to tackle some of “society’s problems that matter the most.” “I want to attract students that want to be more than just technical experts, but rather be technological leaders,” Saloma said. Saloma says that the engineering program has seen substantial growth over the past decade, and SMU’s program is becoming more in-demand amongst prospective freshmen. The number of pre-major applicants jumped from 6 percent in 2004 to 14 percent this year. The amount of resources and hands-on experience is one of the key features of SMU’s program, and prospective students and recruiters alike are quickly
realizing this unique quality. Lyle grads leave with “more than just a strong resume and professional references.” “We want them to walk away with a portfolio of the many hands-on projects they have completed in their time at SMU,” Saloma said. Senior Madeline Smith, president of Lyle Ambassadors, is confident she will graduate at the top of the engineering field because of her experience at SMU. “We have so many opportunities for our students to get involved with research and extra-curricular projects as early as their freshman year,” Smith said. Smith finds SMU students are set apart by their networking skills and ability to “interact with different disciplines of engineering.” In a career where technical skills are a necessity, “being able to communicate effectively” gives SMU students the extra edge. “This really sets us apart from other universities.”
RENTALS
According to a random survey of almost 40 SMU students Bouelvarding this past Saturday, only 32 percent actually intended on going to the first home game of the season. To first-years the boulevard culture is absolutely shocking. “I’m about 50-50 on going, depending on how many other people are. I definitely expected SMU to have a little more school spirit.,” first-year Seth Jorde said. So what makes Boulevarding more popular than the game? Bishop Boulevard is often packed with more people than Ford Stadium. People, dressed in their Boulevard best, seem to prefer socializing over spectating a game. Seeing friends and being seen makes it a more appealing activity. When students are free of class and just want to go out and have a good time with friends, attending a Saturday game might not be top priority. Some students simply aren’t all that interested in sports. Sophomore Kelly Neupert admitted that while she may not be the biggest sports fan, she, like any other student, is certainly a fan of her weekends. Her
post-Boulevard agenda doesn’t include making it to the game. “Game time equals nap time,” Neupert said. “You need that game time in order to be able to make it out later that night.” Sports management senior Miguel Medina works for the football team. He socialization attracts students to the Boulevard, but argued that there is more to it. “It’s all about the experience, Currently, the experience we have at Ford Stadium is not one that rivals other universities,” Medina said. “Boulevarding is a tradition unique to only our school. The game is an event one can experience at many other places. Other schools have football games, but nobody else has Boulevards.” So it’s official— the pregame beats the game, by more than just a yard. But with the Mustangs’ move to The Big East, 60 percent of Boulevarders anticipate a greater turn out for future football games. “Because we are still in Conference USA, people aren’t as thrilled about the games, but next year when we are actually in the Big East there will definitely be more interest in seeing the games,” junior Reid Berry said. Medina agreed The Big East
See BIG EAST page 3
GAMING
Diablo III co-creator discusses game design, industry MACKENNA SCRIPPS Contributing Writer mscripps@smu.edu
SIDNEY HOLLINGSWORTH/The Daily Campus
Zipcars are located in the parking lot by Binkley Garage.
Zipcar offers service on Hilltop MARGARET JONES Contributing Writer mjones@smu.edu For students tired of relying on bus schedules and friends for rides, there is finally a solution. Zipcar, a car rental service for ages 18 and up, has teamed up with universities across the nation to assist students with their transportation needs. Zipcar’s extensive network of cars spreads across 150 cities and over 260 university campuses across the nation. And now, this easy to use car-sharing service is available at
Southern Methodist University. Along with its yearly rate of $35/year, Zipcar has hourly and daily rates for shorter rental periods. Students over 18 can partake in all of these rental deals, but not without some regulation. “From ages 18-20, college students with less than two tickets on their driving record, are invited to join Zipcar,” Austin Marshburn, Zipcar senior manager for university marketing, said. “Once an individual turns 21, they are offered access anywhere that Zipcar is offered.” As the price of campus parking permits increase, eliminating this
cost was a major bonus for SMU freshman Aubrey Richardson. “When the parking permits are almost $300 and after $60 in gas, I didn’t want to deal with parking my big SUV,” Richardson said. Cost effectiveness isn’t the only cool feature of this car-sharing service. Each Zipcar is touch and go with the keys already in the car. Members simply reserve their vehicle and unlock it with his or her membership card or mobile app. SMU’s Zipcar parking is
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Co-creator of Diablo III Kevin Martens had video-gamers all ears in the M-Lounge at HughesTrigg Wednesday night. SMU Guildhall program, the graduate video game education program in Plano, brought Martens to campus to share his knowledge and experience on action storytelling. Due to traffic Martens started the presentation late, but the audience filled with SMU graduates and undergraduates became more and more anxious for his arrival. “I hope to learn something about what goes on behind the scenes and why he designs games this way,” first-year graduate student Xiangwen Shang said. First-year Adrian Hernandez shared Shang’s enthusiasm. The computer science major plans to attend SMU Guildhall after graduation. “After I graduate, I want to be a video game designer so I thought this would be good for that,” Hernandez said. Martens easily talked and
Courtesy of AP
Kevin Martens, co-creator of Diablo III, spoke on game design Wednesday.
joked with the audience when the presentation started. The theme throughout his detailed and visual three-part PowerPoint was simple. “We’re making games, not movies,” he said. Martens knew he always wanted to be a writer. He wrote his first fantasy novel in eigth and ninth grade. He got his first big break working for BioWare Corp, where he stayed for 11 years specializing in interactive storytelling. Since 2009, Martens has worked for Blizzard as a lead designer.
“My goal is to entertain,” Martens said. “[It’s] pulp fiction.” Diablo III, inspired by adventure films of the ‘30s including elements of fantasy, romance, westerns and science fiction, is essentially about killing monsters. The game incorporates an epic battle between angels and demons with humans stuck in the middle. “The series is my favorite because of the plot of the game, it is very interactive unlike other online games,” Shang said. Martens also explained the
See DESIGN page 3