The Accent

First Copy Free

Dec. 6, 2011

Volume 14, Issue 6

theAccent.org

NEWS Professor makes chemistry easier to grasp | Page 4

CAMPUS RESA club aims to solve gender imbalance | Page 6

News → Community

‘Daytripper’ wins Emmy

LIFE & ARTS Austin celebrates vintage fashion | Page 8 News → People

International student rates growing at ACC Austin Community College ranks high in nation among foreign student population Karissa Rodriguez

Editor-in-Chief

Dana Manickavasagam • Web Editor

WINNING TRIO — Nathan Locklear, Chet Garner and Richie Lozano share a light moment with their Emmy statuettes Dec. 1 outside of Northridge Campus. “The Daytripper” won its second consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Texas Heritage Program.

ACC sponsored travel show wins second Lonestar Emmy Era Sundar

Campus Editor

Joey Galvan Staff Writer

Having won its second consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Texas Heritage Program/Special at the 9th Annual Lone Star Emmy Awards Nov. 5 at Warehouse Live in Houston, “The Daytripper” continues to deliver Texas-sized adventure during its third season on PBS. “It’s truly an honor to be awarded a Lone Star Emmy two years in a row,” creator, executive producer and host Chet Garner said via press release. “Even though I’m the guy in front of the camera, this award is a testament to the hard work of our amazing crew and the continued support of our PBS partners, sponsors and, of course, our fans.”

Garner said he was inspired to create the show when he realized how little

Texans actually knew about their state. Each episode entertains viewers with Garner’s humorous historical re-enactments and provides travel ideas by documenting his visits to various Texas towns and cities.

“The Daytripper,” which airs on 12 PBS stations including Austin’s KLRU, is able to showcase local destinations through the sponsorship of Austin Community College and other local businesses. Many of the show’s crew members are also ACC staff or students.

“I love taking interns from the [Radio TV Film (RTF)] department to show them they shouldn’t be intimidated by the TV industry,” Garner said.

“It’s all about trying your best.

It’s about doing the best that you can no matter what your resources are and telling a good story.”

Also contributing to “The Daytripper’s” Emmy Award winning stories, were former

producer Nathan Locklear and current producer Richie Lozano, who both hail from ACC’s RTF department.

Locklear teaches editing and is an equipment manager, and Lozano is a teaching assistant.

“I was very pleased because we put in a lot of hard work and effort,” Locklear said.

“It was an honor and it also reflected well on the college and the [RTF] department.”

Lozano, who has been with the show since its inception, enjoys the opportunity to travel and explore his home state.

“I like road trips, I like food, and then I get to do the other thing I like which is make videos and TV,” Lozano said. “So put it all together and the Emmy thing is just pure bonus and enriches all of it.”

Like most of the crew, Lozano is a lifelong Texan and stands behind the work done by “The Daytripper” to raise awareness of local travel destinations.

“The reason to watch the show is to find something that you really didn’t know existed,” Lozano said. “Some of the most exciting people and great food are right under your nose and we can show that to you.”

In addition to showcasing local communities, the program gives back through its “Cans For Q” event held at Rudy’s Country Store and BarB-Q, which is also one of the show’s sponsors.

The event provides an opportunity for fans to meet the crew and eat free barbecue in exchange for can food donations to the Central Texas Food Bank.

“I know the Capital of Texas Food Bank feels a lot of stress this time of year so if I have a platform to help out I’ll absolutely do that,” Garner said.

“The Daytripper” airs Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. on KLRU. For more information visit thedaytripper.com.

Boasting 649 foreign pupils, Austin Community College has been ranked among U.S. institutions with the most international students by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Making the decision to move from Hamburg, Germany to attend ACC was not the easiest decision nursing major Jana Hoffmann has made in her life, but it is a decision she said has provided her with many positive experiences and benefits.“I wanted to attend the University of Texas at Austin (UT) after attending a Longhorn football game with my uncle when I visited him when I was a 13 years old,” Hoffmann said. “I couldn’t afford to go to UT, so I looked up what other schools were in Austin and learned about Austin Community College and it seemed like the right fit for me so I applied, got accepted and am really glad I moved here.”

Hoffmann said ACC has been a great experience so far and is looking forward to her last semester at the college this spring.

“I really enjoy the nursing program at Eastview Campus,” she said. “The professors are great and I’ve learned a lot while here.”

To enroll as an international student, prospective students must complete six steps before officially enrolling as a student, this includes an English language proficiency text, filling out student applications, providing high school and/or college transcripts, providing proper documentation and remitting a $100 application fee.

The sixth step, after being accepted to enroll at ACC, requires students obtain an F-1 visa in order to legally enter and live in the U.S. ACC currently accepts students with M-1 and F-1 visas, according to Carol Duss, International Student Admissions and Records Supervisor.

“Our main population comes from F-1 students,” Duss said. “Those are the students we have to get approval from the Department of Homeland Security to accept. M-1 students are more short-term students than F-1, which are long term.”

The main difference between F-1 and M-1 students according to Duss is that F-1 students are traditional students, while M-1 students are mainly vocational study students.

In addition to proving English competency through the TOEFL, Duss said prospective students must prove financial solvency so they become a dependent on the U.S. system.

“Those are the key differences for international students versus regular admission students,” she said.

“When you think about our numbers, we have 45,000 students and then you have 649 international students, thats pretty small in comparison to our overall population,” Duss said.

“And we don’t recruit so we were pretty thrilled to hear that.”

Duss said she feels international students may decide to attend ACC because the college’s reputation and the connections students make with their peers and college employees.

“I know that we are a feeder school for UT,” Duss said, “but I also know that they really like the service that they get in our office. We get to know our students and they often come back to see us after they graduate.”

Want to know where ACC international students hail from? See page 5 to view our infographic.

News → People

Deaf Student Association presents message loud, clear Club provides link between deaf, hearing communities in Austin Era Sundar

Campus Editor

With a growing population of more than 200 deaf students attending Austin Community College, the Deaf Studies Association (DSA) has taken on the role of encouraging and supporting ACC’s deaf community while fostering interaction between hearing and non-hearing students.

Membership in the club is open to all students regardless of hearing ability.

“It’s good for deaf students to react with hearing students and DSA provides a beautiful opportunity for collaboration between both groups,” counselor, professor and club adviser Patti Singleton said.

“I am the only deaf counselor at ACC, so I have a vested interest. I see students who were

like me when I was in college and I tell them they can do anything — except hear.”

The concept of achievement against the odds is one that Singleton demonstrates by example. She is the first deaf woman from Texas to earn a Ph.D. from Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. According to Singleton, the club’s role is not to shelter deaf students but to help them develop skills and show them how to help themselves.

DSA President Roxanne Ruiz is hard of hearing and relies heavily on lip reading and sign language to communicate. She said she credits the example set by Singleton and her own membership in DSA with giving her the courage and help she needed to fulfill her educational goals, which include studying social work at Texas State University this spring.

“Our main goal is to promote leadership, socialization, community service and empowerment,” Ruiz said.

In order to foster leadership development and community involvement, DSA will hold its biggest event, ASL Fest, during the first week of March at Riverside Campus. The three-day festival will be a collaboration among DSA and other agencies and schools that serve the deaf community such as the Texas School for the Deaf, Vocational Rehabilitation and Gallaudet University Regional Center.

The first day of the festival will focus on high school students and their transition into college.

The next day will highlight professional development, and the third day will celebrate family and community with free food, an art display by deaf artists, drama presented by deaf actors and music. According to Singleton, the club is trying to book a deaf rock band from Austin for the event.

In addition to major events like ASL Fest, DSA meetings provide an environment for

Era Sundar • Campus Editor

SIGNS — Deaf Studies Association (DSA) advisor Patti Singleton (left) and DSA President Roxanne Ruiz (right) speak using sign language on Nov. 28 in Singleton’s office.

students who study American Sign Language (ASL) to practice their skills.

“I picked up a lot of new words at meetings,” DSA secretary and SOCC representative Sabrina Holland said.

Holland, a recent graduate

of ACC who is now pursuing a certificate in American Sign Language, said she has always been fascinated byASL and found speaking with one’s hands to be beautiful. Although not hearing impaired, Holland said being involved in DSA has been beneficial and has taught her

about deaf culture.

“Get involved and get to know them,” Holland said. “Being deaf is not a disability. They are unique.”

For more information or to get on DSA’s contact list, email DSA advisor Patti Singleton at drpatti@ austincc.edu

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Forum → Opinion Columns

www.theAccent.org

Dec. 6, 2011

Editor-in-Chief Don’t donate to The Salvation Army says goodbye

Karissa Rodriguez

Editor-in-Chief

When I first enrolled at Austin Community College in 2005 I felt like a fish out of water.

I was still adjusting to college life and I knew that I wanted to pursue journalism or photojournalism, but ACC’s journalism program didn’t look all that appealing to me considering there were only a handful of basic classes to choose from.

As a result, I enrolled in core curriculum classes and felt really bored and unchallenged until one day, after I had taken a year off from school to take care of my kids, I came across a MySpace post from my former high school newspaper adviser Matthew Connolly.

Connolly was looking for ACC students to volunteer for the student newspaper at ACC. I had no idea that ACC even had a newspaper so when I read his post I jumped at the chance to join the Accent.

The first staff orientation I attended was during the fall semester of 2008 where I met up with another student that I worked with at my high school newspaper.

Her name was Sarah Neve and I hadn’t spoken to her since I graduated high school a few years ahead of her.

In high school, I was Neve’s editor and at the Accent our roles were reversed so it was quite an experience seeing firsthand how much she had grown as a writer and an editor.

She became Accent’s editorin-chief, a role I took on this past year.

Being editor-in-chief is a roller coaster of a ride. There are so many responsibilities placed on our shoulders that sometimes I question why in the world did I ever take this job. In the end though, all the late nights, scrambling for last minute coverage, dealing with ethical dilemmas has been worth it.

I’ve gained so much knowledge and experience working in various roles at Accent. I’ve served as a designer, photo editor and editor-in-chief giving me a deeper understanding on how

Forum → Editorials

to run a newspaper from all angles.

Anyone who has ever worked for a print or online publication can tell you that running a newspaper is one of the most demanding and gruelling jobs.

During my tenure at Accent, I’ve experienced black outs on press day, covering the shooting that occurred at the State Capitol, moving newsrooms from Rio Grande Campus to Round Rock Campus and losing our adviser during this past semester.

Losing Connolly as our adviser has to be the most difficult experience I have had to deal with during my time at the Accent. I’ve written before how helpful and great of an adviser he was to us and my opinion of him still hasn’t changed despite the difficult situation his departure placed us in.

Connolly, hands down, is who made me want to be a journalist. He is the person who taught me how to push myself to become a better photographer and writer and to stay focused on what’s important: reporting relevant and timely news.

I would have to say that above all the experience and knowledge I have gained, the best experience I have felt working at Accent has been meeting the wonderful and talented individuals who have made up our editorial staff over the past few years.

There was the quiet guy, Michael Needham, who only spoke up at random, but every time he did he would make the funniest statements that had the whole newsroom laughing.

There was also the guy who we all envied for being so talented, but we loved him for it anyway.

Christopher Smith was and is an amazing writer who I know will go places in his career.

Then there were the Sarahs.

Sarah Neve, who I have already mentioned, and Sarah Vasquez — two of the best people who I could have ever hoped to become friends with. We’ve been through thick and thin together at Accent and even though we’ve all parted ways we find ourselves working together at Neve’s newsmagazine Uweekly Austin.

I find it really difficult to write about myself, I always have, but this is the last article I will ever write for Accent and it’s really difficult to say goodbye. After working here for over three years and running the show without an adviser this semester, I’m beat.

Still, I’m really hesitant to leave considering I don’t have a job lined up in my future, but I believe I’ve done everything that I can here and it’s time I hand over the reins to a new staff.

So here’s to looking forward to the future and all the endeavors it brings. -30-

Megan McKay • Staff Artist

Charity openly discriminates against homosexuals Staff Editorial During the holidays, the joy of showing compassion for one another puts smiles on faces everywhere. Giving to others, especially those less fortunate, is in season and many of us love to do our part. Choosing the right charity to make contributions to is just as important as choosing to donate at all, because some charities are not as innocent as they seem on the surface.

Take for instance The Salvation Army. The faith-based charity accepts donations of all shapes and sizes, and aims to provide food and jobs to people in need. Those are noble causes, but they also push a hidden agenda.

The Salvation Army is an openly Christian charity group that supports only the ideals and teachings of their chosen faith. They specifically reject homosexuality, claim it is the result of human choice and advocate against gay marriage. For a group whose motto is “doing the most good” they certainly don’t show it through their views on human rights issues.

In 2001, the Washington Post published an article revealing that the Bush administration was working with The Salvation Army to issue a regulation that would override local antidiscrimination laws involving the hiring and employee benefits of homosexuals. Once the news spread and civil rights activists voiced extreme opposition to the charity’s request, the White House denied the regulation. You see, The Salvation Army is not only a charity, but a church, and that gives them the right to discriminate against anyone based on their religious beliefs.

The anti-gay group has been involved in several controversies over the years, yet most people pay no attention and continue to drop change into the group’s signature red buckets every winter.

In 2004, The Salvation Army threatened to close tens of thousands of soup kitchens in New York if the city passed legislation supporting health benefits for the partners of gay employees. They used the well-being of homeless people as leverage to further their hateful agenda.

In New Zealand, prior to the passing of the Homosexual Law Reform Act of 1986 that decriminalized consensual sex between homosexuals, The Salvation Army was very active in

collecting signatures opposing the act. This behavior is sick, sad and outright hateful. After 20 years of public pressure, the group released a statement of apology for the event, but have their views really changed?

On the charity’s U.S. website they state: “Scripture forbids sexual intimacy between members of the same sex. The Salvation Army believes, therefore, that Christians whose sexual orientation is primarily or exclusively same-sex are called upon to embrace celibacy as a way of life.”

However, their international website lists much more than just this blanket statement, quoting actual scripture verses to support their position. One of these passages is Leviticus 20:13, which states, “If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.

They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.”

That doesn’t sound very tolerant, in fact, that sounds outright crazy. What’s mind boggling is that they choose to follow these parts of their faith so strictly while completely dismissing other rules laid out in the Bible, such as not working on the Sabbath or not eating shellfish (Exodus 35:2, Leviticus 11:10-11). Why do they try to mask their hatred of homosexuals behind their faith?

If The Salvation Army wants to be a force for good in the world, they need to change their outlook on this issue. We need to send them a message they will take more seriously than protests and articles: stop donating money to their “cause.”

Skip the red buckets this year outside your local grocers, and if an attendant asks you why, politely say “I support gay rights.”

It’s as simple as that.

Use the change you would have dropped in their donation pots to donate to charities without ulterior motives like Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) or the American Red Cross, which both provide food, water, medicine and help to those affected by disasters regardless of their sexual orientation, ethnicity, creed or any other discrimination.

Do the most good this season by donating to charities who respect all walks of human life and focus their attention on actually helping people.

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-3 2 SEMESTERS 12 ISSUES 1 INSERT 144

PAGES

Infographics

Photo Essays

Maps

Double Trucks

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I hope you have enjoyed this beauty as much as I have enjoyed creating it.

Elizabeth Brown LAYOUT EDITOR

Advertising 512.223.0122

Editorial 512.223.0393

Fax 512.223.0904

RRC, 4400 College Park Drive, Room 2107 Round Rock, TX 78665 Editor-in-Chief....................................................................................... Karissa Rodriguez Assistant Editor .................................................................................... Natalie Casanova Photo Editor........................................................................................... Joey Gidseg Layout Editor.......................................................................................... Elizabeth Brown Web Editor............................................................................................... Dana Manickavasagam Campus Editor....................................................................................... Era Sundar Multimedia Editor................................................................................ Edgar Rodriguez Accent Adviser....................................................................................... Vacant Student Life Director.......................................................................... Cheryl Richard Student Life Communications Coordinator............................ Lori Blewett Staff Reporters Layla Elayyadi, Birdie Michaels, Nathan Bustillos Lead Photographer Walter Challapa Staff Designers Kristen Sauls Writers Aaron Davis, Alexander Aries, Joey Galvan Photographers Jon Shapley, Adrienne Sparks, Janice Veteran Staff Artists Megan McKay ACC President Dr. Richard Rhodes Board of Trustees Dr. Barbara P. Mink—Chair, Jeffrey Richard—Vice Chair, John Michael V. Cortez—Secretary, Tim Mahoney, Nan McRaven, Dr. Victor H. P. Villarreal, Guadalupe Q. Sosa, Dr. James W. McGufee, Allen H. Kaplan

All rights reserved. All content is the property of Accent and may not be reproduced, published or retransmitted in any form without written permission from the Office of Student Life. Accent is the student newspaper of Austin Community College and is printed by the Austin American-Statesman. Accent is published biweekly. ACC students may submit articles for publication in Accent to RRC’s Student Publication Office, Room 2107; e-mail articles to accent@austincc.edu or fax submissions to 223-0904. ACC does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, political affiliation or disability. Accent offers ACC’s faculty, staff, students and surrounding community a complete source of information about student life. Accent welcomes your input, as well as information about errors. If you notice any information that warrants a correction please e-mail accent@austincc.edu. Individual views, columns, letters to the editor and other opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Accent.

Dec. 6, 2011

www.theAccent.org

Forum → Opinion Columns

OF

ALL

Forum → Opinion Columns

Deployed troops still love mail

TRADES

DIY Natalie Casanova

Assistant Editor

Paper Lanterns Being a college student during these economic times is tough on the wallet. Doing or making things yourself instead of buying products and services is one way students can save money.

I’ve learned to be a Jill of all trades and I want to share my penny-wise ways with readers so in each issue of the Accent I’ll be covering do-it-yourself methods for all kinds of projects.

Beautiful indoor lighting can make even the cloudiest, gloomiest of days seem bright and cheerful, and bring a sunny atmosphere to any room during the cold winter months. Paper lanterns can add depth to any setting and complement a variety of different décor styles, old and new. These lamps can also be used to create a sparkling display of shapes and shadows on walls to completely change the ambiance of a room when lit up.

Here is what you’ll need to make your own paper lantern: • Framing materials such as wooden dowels or popsicle sticks • Tissue paper in your choice of color or pattern • A light bulb and light cord

set (IKEA carries one called HEMMA for $3.99) • Liquid craft glue or wood glue (Elmer’s glue works well) • Hot glue or twine • Crafting or modeling wire to hold the light source in place • Scissors and an X-Acto knife for cutting shapes into the lantern First you’ll need to make the shape your lantern will be; try rectangular and triangular prisms, cubes and pyramids or any other form you like. Create your frame by hot-gluing the ends of your popsicle sticks together where they meet at the ends. You can use twine to bind the corners of shape in place for a more natural look.

Next you’ll need to cut pieces of tissue paper to cover each side of your frame except the bottom, and top if you prefer a brighter lit lamp. For a more intricate lamp, draw shapes and designs on your paper before you attach it to the frame, and use an X-Acto knife to cut them out. For a simple yet beautiful look, use a toothpick or pointy object to poke small holes in the paper once it is mounted on the lantern to project a starry night effect on the walls surrounding the lantern.

Wrap the crafting wire around each joint at the lantern frame’s base, and bring each wire in toward the center to wrap and hold the light source end of the light cord set in place.

Finally, use the craft glue to secure each tissue pane in place on your lantern frame. You may cover the frame entirely or leave the edges of it visible for a contrasting look. Your creation should be fully set and dried in a few hours. Screw in the light bulb, plug in the cord and then use that finishing moment to utter those famous words, “let there be light!”

If you have an idea or a request for a do-it-yourself column, contact Assistant Editor Natalie Casanova at editor2@ austincc.edu.

Speak up, be heard

Kristen Sauls Staff Designer

I’ve often wondered what troops today could have in common with troops of wars past. It’s hard to imagine; the images I have of World War II (courtesy of the History Channel) have little in common with those of my own

Want your comments and opinions published? Leave a comment on our website theaccent.org, like us on Facebook.com/AccentNewspaper and follow us on Twitter @theaccent or better yet, e-mail us a letter at editor@ austincc.edu or accent@austincc.edu, and we’ll be more than happy to publish your thoughts.

Literary

Corner

Study Buddies

Nathan Bustillos Staff Reporter

The last few weeks of this semester are upon us and for most students that means that dreaded final exams are just around the corner. Test anxiety is a major factor for many people whether taking the final exam or taking any other exam or quiz in general. Fortunately, there are many ways to combat test anxiety and equally as many sites out on the internet with information on how to do so.

Surviving college life may not come very easily for a lot of college students. Enter survivingcollegelife.net, a website dedicated to providing information on a broad range of topics to help the average college student survive college life. The website provides archived articles not only pertaining to academics and studying, but also for things like technology and other areas that some college students may find interesting. Every topic on the website is geared toward college students; whether it’s how to develop a budget while in college, scheduling classes and even food recipes that will not strain a small budget.

Survivingcollegelife.net is one of the more comprehensive websites I’ve personally found on the internet that is geared toward helping college students in one way or another. In a previous issue of “Study Buddies, Study Breaks”, I recommended

Guest Writer

Ice My pain has changed And therein so have I Mind the beauty, it’s fresh arranged Just as my smile, a new discovered lie A beat, a beat, a beat That lies uncaring ‘neath my bones Radiates novocaine to my seat And both my eyes are stones I am nothing and soon even less Fit to fade away on whim of wind Barely alive when at my best Neither have I prayed nor sinned If it pleases you I’ll laugh and cry I’ll respond at proper moments If it pleases you I’ll try I’ll not be mute and tense But be not alarmed dear sir When I return to numb novocaine ice For compared to pain, as it were Nothing can be nice

getting stuff you can’t get there too.

This holiday season, while you are huffing and puffing at the obnoxious display of consumerism that Christmas has become, please remember those deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Africa and South America.

(Yeah, there are a lot more deployment stations than you would think. Those are only the places I personally know people deployed to—I’m sure the list is longer.)

Deployed troops are completely cut off from the joys (and annoyances) of the holiday season, and it’s especially tough to know your family is celebrating without you. Find a friend, loved one, or distant cousin who is deployed and send them some cheer!

Perhaps a hand-decorated stocking filled with goodies?

They’ll appreciate it more. than you know.

a website that was geared toward the academic aspects of college life. While that website is still relevant and useful, survivingcollegelife. net surpasses that site and provides information on many more topics that some college students may find more interesting and useful.

Study Breaks Choosing a new book to read, a new movie to watch, or new music to listen to has almost become as big a task as deciding on classes in school.

Some people stick to what they know best and go with authors, directors and actors, or musicians they know and enjoy. Others might take the road less traveled and look for artists they may not have seen, heard, or read just to see if they can broaden their horizons.

This is where websites likes liveplasma.com come into play.

With Liveplasma.com, you can enter the title of a book, movie, or song and get an interactive

list generated for you that shows other titles you may enjoy based on several characteristics of the title you entered. You can also enter names of directors, artists, or authors as well and Liveplasma will generate a list based on the information you enter. For people looking for something new, liveplasma.com just might be the tool to help you bring new life to your reading, moviegoing, or music listening.

I’ve used liveplasma.com for a number of years now and over time it has had significant developments in terms of the information it provides, and the addition of books is a recent addition to the site.

In the past, movie titles and music artists were sparse; the website only listed names which had been entered into the website’s database by other users. Now, the website is more comprehensive and has incorporated a much larger list to search for, making it a much better tool for people looking for something new in books, movies, or music.

Forum → Opinion Columns

Pepper Spray Incidents on the Rise at ACC

Alexander Aries Staff Writer

While some may argue that nothing exemplifies the holiday spirit like long lines at the cash register and early bird sales at the mall, the past few weeks have demonstrated a new facet to the holiday season. Nestled alongside the gift of giving and goodwill-to-all is the new face of the holiday season. I’m

talking, of course, of spreading goodwill in the form of atomized weapons-grade pepper spray.

Apparently, ACC campus security wished to convey their holiday cheer directly into a crowd of peaceful protesters last week, prompting a swift reaction from the board of trustees and ACC’s President/CEO Dr. Richard Rhodes.

“This sort of behavior is completely unacceptable,” said Dr. Rhodes at a press conference following the incident. “These students were peaceably protesting in front of the bookstore at Pinnacle Campus; they had every right to be there.”

Julie Stevenson was present at the protest when the incident took place. After receiving medical treatment for the chemical goodwill she received, she explained what happened.

“Police showed up, and demanded we disperse from the area,” Stevenson explained.

Creative writing by Austin Community College Students

Kristina Pollard

Cinco de Mayo, she sent plastic champagne cups, pineapple juice, some sort of non-alcoholic mixer, a jar of maraschino cherries and a bunch of leis. That party box was a collective favorite.

In the technology age of email, cellphones and Twitter, it’s easy to forget how important snail mail is to those disconnected from the everything-at-your-fingertips world. I had several friends who never got a package they didn’t order themselves—despite the fact that they had loving families who knew they were deployed.

And while the USO sends care packages, it’s a bunch of generic crap. (Please don’t tell them I said so, because I appreciate their effort.) But what’s exciting about a care package is mostly knowing someone was thinking of you.

Of course, it’s always great

Study Breaks, Study Buddies

“Good article...have always saluted the rank, and not the individual...still, there were some leaders, officer and enlisted alike that held my respect and admiration.”

- Mark Harden, U.S. Army CW3 (ret.) in response to the Nov. 22 article From one veteran to another

“Awesome, Brad! I’m glad to see you’re still doing great and continuing to represent the fine students coming out of ACC.” -Anonymous in response to the Nov. 8 article What I’ve Learned: Brad Burnett

memory of Iraq. But, I would say—without a doubt—the one constant among all troops of any war is the anticipation of mail day.

Nowadays, if troops are at established (i.e. semipermanent buildings and a flight line) locations, mail is delivered once a week. For those in non-established locations, mail can lack any schedule at all and be very infrequent.

I was at an established location and therefore received mail once a week. My mother (who had been deployed to Iraq four years prior) organized a family-wide mail system in which I received one package a week from different family members. My mom sent the most packages, and always made sure there was plenty to share with everyone.

She really knew what she was doing; everyone looked forward to my packages. For

Forum → Opinion Columns

The Accent loves to hear feedback from its readers. Here are a few comments we’ve received on our website since our last issue hit newsstands:

“I am a former ACC & UT student who now teaches at ACC. As a non-traditional student, I was 35 when I went back to school, I know that going to ACC was the key to my success in college. Couldn’t agree more with this article and thanks for putting it out there.”

-Anonymous in response to the Nov. 8 article What I’ve Learned: Brad Burnett

Forum | Page 3

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“We were protesting because we believe the true meaning of Black Friday has been lost in all the commercialization; we weren’t about to back down. After we locked arms, campus security started spreading holiday cheer right into our faces. It was horrible!”

A second student at Rio Grande Campus was also taken by the holiday spirit earlier last week, and felt the need to convey her well-wishes to the students in front of her in the line for Simon’s Café. After expending an entire can of mace, she was able to order her food and enjoy it in the cafeteria.

Campus security responded immediately by delivering goodwill of their own into the common area. This quickly forced an evacuation.

“I was coughing and wheezing…unable to breathe,” explained Scott Silverman, a freshman. “It was a regular

holiday-party in there!”

Both pepper-spraying incidents have prompted an investigation into how and why the incidents occurred.

“I believe it’s just the jolly mood of the holiday season that’s to blame,” explained Dr. Barbra Mink, leader of the Board of Trustees. “With all the enthusiasm that ACC students have to offer, they’ve taken up the true meaning of the season.”

“If there’s a holiday season without people attacking one another in the malls and on campuses, then I don’t want to be part of it,” explained Dr. Rhodes.

Editor’s note: This column is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered factual in any way. All opinions are those of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of the Accent or Austin Community College employees.

NEWS

Page 4

www.theAccent.org

News → People

Chemistry inspires commerce Professor clarifies 3-D concepts, builds successful business Campus Editor

Era Sundar • Campus Editor

MODEL SUCCESS — Associate instructor of chemistry Thomas Jempty displays molecules built from his ChemKits Inc. kit on Nov. 17 in the Rio Grande chemistry lab. Jempty used the models to demonstrate 3-D concepts to his students and their positive response led him to purchase the company.

and demand soon outgrew supply. There never seemed to be enough kits available,” Jempty said. This led him to contact the original inventor of the kit and inquire about purchasing the company. A deal was struck and, two years ago, Jempty became the owner of ChemKits Inc. Word-of-mouth referrals spread news of the kits quickly and helped the business grow.

University of Texas at Austin student Mike Turner said when he took his kit to class, students began to inquire about them.

Turner shared information about the with classmates over Facebook and the kits become popular with his contemporaries. The quality of the product also attracted student attention. “I looked for a long time to find something that would represent the

molecules and bonds but didn’t find it until his [Jempty’s] kit,” Turner said. “It’s superior to the common ball and stick model.”

According to Jempty, ChemKits differ from others in that the cases have been modernized with latches and hinges so they remain closed when transported in backpacks.

No tools are required for assembly so the kits can be used silently and are not disruptive in testing centers. Jempty has expanded the line of kits from the original organic chemistry kit that he used in college, to include an instructor’s kit and a smaller kit for use by high school AP organic chemistry students. The kits are also available in general chemistry versions.

ChemKits’ appeal also stems from social consciousness.

Jempty said that everything

is made in the U.S., recycled packaging is used when possible, and he has initiated a buy back policy for used kits so they don’t go into the landfill.

Both Jempty and his wife Arline perform quality control checks in their family room.

“It’s a real mom and pop operation for us,” he said.

Arline, who handles international orders and shipping, said that the two work well together and that her husband’s passion for chemistry is evident.

“He is truly dedicated and passionate about chemistry and it shows through his teaching at ACC and his chemistry business,” she said. “He puts his heart and soul into it. He really loves chemistry and students really like him.”

For more information visit chemkitsinc.com.

News → Education

News photography gives students hands on experience

Walter Challapa • Lead Photographer

SHUTTERBUGS — The students of the first News Photography I course take a moment to check their cameras at ACC Rio

Grande Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 22. From left: Ashley Udell, Brianna Satberry , Era Sundar, Bruno Adam, Karissa Rodriguez, Adrienne Lannette, Edgar Rodriguez and Kelly West (instructor).

First journalism department photography course proves to be successful, teaches students basics from professional journalist Walter Challapa

Lead Photographer

This semester, ten students have had the privilege to be in the first news photography class at Austin Community College taught by an experienced local newspaper photographer at the Rio Grande Campus.

News photography I is an introductory photography course taught by adjunct assistant professor Kelly West, who also works as an Austin-American Statesman photographer.

This is ACC’s first photography course that is credited toward the associate of arts degree in journalism.

“We spend some time learning the technical part of digital photography,” West said. “My goal is to increase students comfort level managing all the technical controls on their cameras, so

News Briefs

Student art for sale at oncampus gift shop

Those interested in purchasing art as holiday gifts this holiday season can visit the Austin Community College Art gift shop to buy high quality art pieces that were created by students, staff and faculty.

The gift shop opened Dec. 2 and will continue through Dec. 10 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Rio Grande Campus Art Gallery located in building 3000.

A percentage of the sales will go toward the Steve Kramer Memorial Scholarship, which was put in place to honor former Art Department Chair Steve Kramer who passed away in August 2003.

The scholarship’s purpose is to assist students enrolled in the ACC fine arts program. Students interested in applying for the scholarship must meet a number of criteria in order to be granted the scholarship as well as maintaining the terms of the scholarship.

A few of the criteria needed to apply for the scholarship include having a 2.75 GPA, a letter of recommendation from a recent art instructor and students must submit up to ten hard copy photographs, digital images, or original works in a portfolio.

More information about applying for the scholarship or donating to fund it can be found at austincc.edu/art/scholarship.php.

Era Sundar

In a makeshift order fulfillment center located in his family room, ACC adjunct instructional associate of chemistry Thomas Jempty found a way to combine his desire to help students with his lifelong passion for chemistry.

Jempty, whose affinity for chemistry began while playing with his cousin’s chemistry set at age 10, pursued a degree in chemistry in college where his experiences inadvertently led to his current ownership of ChemKits Inc. During college, Jempty struggled with some of the three-dimensional concepts of chemistry.

“Left handed and right handed molecules are hard to differentiate because they look identical on paper,” he said.

In order to facilitate the learning process, Jempty turned to a 3-D model kit that he said helped him immensely.

Fast forward to the present and Jempty, who has been a chemistry instructor at ACC for more than 15 years, said he has seen students experience the same difficulties with visualization that he experienced as a college student. In response, he turned to the kit he used in college to demonstrate concepts for his students. Their response, he said, was enthusiastic and positive.

“Students liked them and began purchasing the kits online

Dec. 6, 2011

they can begin concentrating more on composition and storytelling.”

“Since it is a news photography course, students learn a lot about visual storytelling, and most of the assignments involve taking photographs of people,” West said.

Students interested in taking this course in the future can currently enroll in the spring semester’s course which will take place from 10 a.m.1:20 p.m. every Friday at Rio Grande Campus.

“I plan to keep teaching the course as long as ACC continues to offer it, revising the content along the way to reflect changes in the news industry,” West said.

“I can offer students a solid understanding of the kinds of skills they need to develop to make themselves marketable.”

The course does not have a textbook, and instead

students are given weekly photography assignments to complete featuring topics such as capturing motion and understanding photo composition.

West said, drawing from her daily experiences at a newspaper, that technologies are changing constantly and the current textbooks can be obsolete soon.

The news photography course is open for up to 12 students to enroll in and this semester’s course, with two sessions a week, started with 11 students.

“The students I’ve had this fall have been great about giving me honest feedback on the course, so I’ve modified assignments and lectures to try and meet their needs as much as possible,” West said. “I will miss my current class — it’s like we all went through boot camp together, so I feel bonded to them.”

News Photography student Ashley Udell said that she feels more comfortable with her camera with the skills has learned in this class.

“I love photography,” Udell said. “I think people are more interested in things that are happening in the world and they can be represented also with words and good storytelling.”

Another student in the class, Adrienne Dever, said that this class is part of her plan to graduate in Advertising with a double major in photojournalism at the University of Texas at Austin.

Before the course, she was afraid to talk people for photos; now, she has no fear.

“This class is going very well and I had a lot of fun,” Dever said. She applauds West for being a great instructor and feels ACC should continue this photojournalism class in future semesters.

Photography, RTF students to present work at showcases Several Austin Community College students will be given the opportunity to showcase work produced over the semester at showcases throughout the end of the semester.

All events are open to the public, including student showcases for the photography and radio, television and film departments.

This semester’s Fall 2011 Austin Community College Photographic Technology Student Print Show will be taking place at 12 p.m. Dec. 7 at Northridge Campus in room 3112.

Students in the photography department will be able to showcase work produced over the semester, which will be judged by a panel and selected in individual categories.

For the radio, television and film student showcase and open house, students will screen videos produced throughout the semester beginning with films produced by the intro to TV technology class.

The open house will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 9 at Northridge Campus in room 4142.

Seating for viewing student films will begin at 6:15 p.m. in room 4136 and continue until 9 p.m.

During the open house portion of the showcase, the public is invited to tour the radio, television and film facilities at Northridge Campus.

Skanska USA awarded $19.7 million contract for Elgin Campus Construction firm Skanska USA announced on Nov. 30 that is has been awarded a contract from the Austin Community College District to construct the college’s newest campus in Elgin, Texas.

The contract, worth $19.7 million, will be managed by Skanska’s San Antonio office. The construction firm will provide preconstruction and construction manager services for ACC’s ninth campus which, officially broke ground Nov. 15.

Elgin Campus will be a 65,000-square-foot building with house administrative offices, classrooms, lab spaces and other student facilities, according to a press release issued by Skanska USA. The LEED Silver certified building sits on 98 acres and is expected to accommodate up to 15,000 students.

As the first full-service college campus in Elgin, ACC Elgin Campus is scheduled to open in August 2013, according to ACC. The site development permit has been issued by the City of Elgin and Skanska is mobilizing onto the site, according to the November 2011 update issued by ACC. Erosion controls are being installed, and earthwork will begin soon.

The building construction documents have been completed and are currently being reviewed by the city. A building permit is anticipated in January.

Dec. 6, 2011

www.theAccent.org

News | Page 5

en Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom The Bahamas Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominican Republic El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Jamaica Martinique Mexico Nicaragua Panama Trinidad & Tobago Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Peru Venezuela

International Students of ACC ACC boasts 1014 international students this past year from over 100 countries. Here’s a breakdown:

OTHER 9.32%

EUROPE 5.76%

AFRICA 9.41%

ASIA 37.08% NORTH AMERICA 33.91% AUSTRALIA <1% SOUTH AMERICA 4.42%

9.32% of ACC’s International students come from a country not even listed on this graphic

Even though most of our International students hail from Asia, 28.15% of them come from Mexico, more than any other country in the world.

ACC’s international students come from every continent except Antarctica.

9.89% come

More students come from Nigeria than any other country in Africa, with 19.

There are 46 students from South America, the most being from Brazil with 10.

from South Korea.

These flags represent the number of international students from each country.

Sources: ACC 2010-2011 Fact Book, ACC International Student Office

Graphic by Elizabeth Brown • Layout Editor

land Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates Vietnam Australia Albania Bosnia & Herzegovina Bulgaria Denmark France Germany Hungary Ireland Italy Macedonia Poland Portugal Romania Russian Federation Spain Swed

Graphic design students to display work Visual Communication department student portfolio showcase open to the public.

Karissa Rodriguez

Editor-in-Chief

Want to see the world?

Study abroad with ACC. Find out more at austincc.edu/intstudy.

Janice Veteran • Staff Photographer

FINAL TOUCHES — Michelle Bracken, Vi Mai, Joselyn Salazar and Linda Garcia plan their portfolio presentations for the Visual Communications Department graduating Graphic Design students show, “Pixel Perfect”, during their class on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at the NRG campus. Each student will show their portfolio book of work examples at the show.

Janice Veteran • Staff Photographer

Graduating visual communications students will be showcasing their work at a portfolio showcase from 7 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 9 at Link Coworking located at 2700 W. Anderson Lane, Suite 205.

The showcase, entitled Pixel Perfect this semester, will give students enrolled in the Portfolio Development for Graphic Design classes the opportunity to showcase graphic design work they have created throughout the semester and their student career. This event is open and free to the public to attend.

To view a pixel rendering created by students to promote the showcase visit Austin Community College’s Visual Communications Department’s Facebook page at facebook. com/pages/VisCom-Dept-at-Austin-Community-College.

DESIGNER — Linda Garcia finalizes her product design samples, Tuesday Nov. 29, in her last class as a graphic design major at the NRG campus.

She has been working on package design for a variety of products which she will have on display at the Visual Communications Show “Pixel Perfect”, Friday December 9, 7-9pm at Link Coworking, 2700 West Anderson Lane Ste 205, Austin, TX.

Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Cambodia China Hong Kong India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Lebanon Liberia Libya Malaysia Mongolia Nepal Pakistan Philippines Qatar Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Sri Lanka Taiwan Thai

Algeria Angola Cameroon Cote D’ Ivoire Egypt Ethiopia Gabon Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Kenya Macau Malawi Morocco Nigeria Senegal South Africa Tanzania Tunisia Uganda Zaire Zambia Zimbabwe Afghanistan

CAMPUS LIFE Page 6

www.theAccent.org

Dec. 6, 2011

Campus Life → Eastview Campus

Campus Life → Eastview Campus

Green jobs lack women

Hospitality Fair held at Eastview campus

ACC’s Renewable Energy Student Association exposes gender imbalance in sustainability industry, aims to improve female interest

Aaron Davis

Natalie Casanova

Assistant Editor

Austin Community College’s Renewable Energy Student Association (RESA) held a presentation to discuss the small percentage of women in the sustainability industry, and why it is important to make these numbers grow.

RESA hosted a panel of women, some former ACC students, who currently work in different areas of green technology to talk about how they broke into the industry on Nov. 30 at the Eastview Campus.

RESA president Jason Shaw

and vice president Mary Kelly spoke of their experience in the green program at ACC, and noted the shortage of women in their classes and in their club. Kelly said the group wants to emphasize the need for women in several areas of the sustainability field as they are underrepresented.

The panel consisted of ACC Continuing Education Workforce Special Projects Coordinator Shelley Attix; ACC Grants and Special Projects Coordinator Cecilia Galliano; mechanical engineer and sustainability consultant Tina Woodings; and former ACC student and founding member of RESA Shayna Lee

who currently works at Austin Energy in their Solar and MultiFamily Programs.

Each woman shared her thoughts on the green industry and how it is progressing, along with other information specific to each one’s occupation.

Attix said green industries are the future of American job creation, and already established jobs are turning to sustainability for technological advancement.

New jobs are not created overnight, she said, but are growing in increments. For many already in other industries that are moving in the green direction, it is important to learn about the technological aspect of sustainability, and get hands-on training.

“Women are more common to take [green jobs] in business, law and politics,” Attix said, “but not many of the technical sciences.”

Traditionally in society, women have been less likely to pursue careers in science and technology fields, Attix said, except for natural sciences areas. Kelly said RESA aims to raise awareness of the imbalance and adjust the bias.

With traditional construction trades going green, several new occupations are in demand. Attix said green jobs ranging from construction laborers to electricians offer annual salaries from around $30,000-$48,000.

Green career tracks that lack women in the workforce are science, technology, engineering and mathematics (S.T.E.M.), manufacturing, information technology (IT), construction and transportation. Statistically, women are more drawn to

natural resources and natural sciences areas of sustainability careers, and those fields are more gender balanced.

Galliano said her job at ACC is to not only find grants for students in technology, engineering and energy degree and certificate programs, but to locate scholarships, hands-on internships and help with job placement once they have graduated.

Galliano updates the website electronics.austincc. edu as often as possible with information about greentech job opportunities, ACC green program and certificate information, tutoring for green programs and more.

Attix said coolaustinjobs. com is another great website for learning about renewable energy occupations, and is a good source for general links and information on the industry, job requirements and industry-related videos.

Lee said she new renewable energy was going to be huge in the future, and Galliano helped her find a scholarship to help her pay for her education in this growing field.

After going through the renewable energy program at ACC, Lee landed an internship with Austin energy and now works as a regular employee in their solar program.

She said the courses at ACC prepared her for many aspects of working in the sustainability industry, such as communicating with technicians, companies, activists and customers.

Kelly said RESA will host more events in the spring semester, including several in April for ‘Earth Month’ as opposed to just ‘Earth Day.’ “We still have a long way to go to get this information out [to women,]” Kelly said.

“This is huge to RESA and to me personally as a part of furthering my career in renewable energy.”

Staff Writer

Dozens of students convened at Austin Community College’s Eastview Campus armed with resumes and business cards on Nov. 28.

These were the students of the hospitality, event planning, travel and tourism and culinary arts department at ACC. The department, along with local businesses, hosted a career fair for students hoping to break into the growing world of hospitality management. Here, students had the opportunity to hear industry professionals speak on the job market and discuss what they are looking for in prospective employees.

Tony Sahyoun, General Manager at the Austin Wyndham Garden Hotel, was one of those speakers.

“Don’t forget where you came from. Even as general manager, I still answer phones and help out where it’s needed.

We’re looking for team players in this industry.”

Students at the job fair also had the opportunity to partake in mock interviews as well as actual interviews with hotel and hospitality professionals.

“I think the students have been really excited about it, they’ve been talking about it in the classroom and everyone’s been pumped up to be here and to hear some great speakers,” said Michelle Costanza, department chair for the hospitality, travel and tourism, and meeting and event planning department at ACC. “This is the first time we’ve done a job fair for the department, and we’re all pretty excited about the turnout.”

Students looking to go into the hospitality career field certainly don’t need a degree to do so, but going through the process of seeking either a twoyear degree, certificate or four year degree shows prospective employers that you’ve dedicated time to being serious about this

career field.

“I’ve worked at the front desk at the Mariott for six months now, it’s definitely something I see a good future in. I think the degree will help me,” said Angela Watters, a student in the hospitality department at ACC. The job market in the hotel industry is expected to grow steadily in Austin. With the addition of a Formula One track soon to arrive, there will surely be a boost in visitors to this city.

Downtown Austin is expected to have a 1,000 room Mariott built within the next few years.

“There’s definitely job growth. Austin is pretty much in a bubble as far is that’s concerned. Our speakers got up today and basically said ‘we need people now,’ and that’s pretty amazing,” said Costanza.

Students and prospective employees have more options than just the hotel side, the hospitality industry includes restaurant management, event planning, marketing and sales and even green initiatives.

“We have about 400 students in our department, the culinary department probably has about 375 to 400 as well,” said Costanza of how many students are interested in entering this job market with a competitive edge. The speakers at today’s job fair also gave advice on how students can stand out in an interview.

“What motivates you? I can’t tell you the number of candidates who say the same thing, it’s like there’s some internet manual out there and everyone has the exact same answer. When you come to work, what makes you happy,” said Cassandra Kokoska, guest services manager at the Austin Wyndham Garden Hotel, “We’re looking for stellar. No matter how far technology goes, you’re still going to need someone to clean your room and present you with a smile and stellar service, and that’s not going to change.”

Campus Life → Rio Grande Campus

rant & rave Literary magazine ‘Rio Review’ released Party held to celebrate students’ creative writing works Students, staff and faculty celebrated the release of this semester’s Rio Review student literature magazine on Nov. 30 at Rio Grande Campus.

The Rio Review is an awardwinning magazine featuring creative writing works by Austin Community College students who are taking Arts & Humanities classes. ACC staff and faculty were also welcomed to submit work as well.

Students interested in learning more about the magazine can visit austincc. edu/crw/html/rioreview.html where they can read about the submission process for next semester’s Rio Review.

Submissions for the spring release are due by Dec 19.

Students at Northridge were asked: What are your plans for the winter break/holidays?

Zana Isakuvic G e r ma n

“I’m visiting my family in Atlanta, Georgia. My dad is sick and I’m looking forward to spending time with him. I will be back and ready for next semester and am looking forward to my academic as well as my fun classes.”

Fabian Mijares Undeclared

“I’m going to relax with the family and party with my friends. I plan on coming back spring semester and taking nine hours.”

Maddie Cosgrove Nursing

Jon Shapley • Staff Photographer

FROM THE HEART — Nori Hubert, ACC student, reads her published piece aloud to the

crowd gathered together to celebrate the release of the new Rio Review, Wednesday, Nov. 30 at the Rio Grande Campus.

Jon Shapley • Staff Photographer

CONFIDENCE — Jonathan Raines, boldly shares his work with the audience during the Rio Review release at the Rio Grande Campus, Wednesday, Nov. 30.

“I’m spending time relaxing and hanging out with my friends from school! And preparing for my full load next spring.”

Interviews and photos by Walter Challapa

Dec. 6, 2011

www.theAccent.org

Campus Life | Page 7

Learned What I’ve

Vivian Butler

Karissa Rodriguez

Editor-in-Chief

Like many Austin Community College students, Vivian Butler attended the college as a stepping stone in her college career before transferring to Texas State University in spring 2009.

Butler graduated with a Bachelors degree from Texas State University on Dec. 4 with a major in psychology and a minor in forensic psychology after attending ACC from Fall 2007 through Fall 2008.

“I always knew I wanted to go to Texas State because it’s close to home but far enough away to be on my own, San Marcos is the perfect place because it is a college town where you get a full on college experience,” Butler said.

Butler focused on taking general studies courses at ACC before transferring to Texas State University.

“I went to ACC to take my basics to transfer to a university,” Butler said. “It prepared me for attending Texas State, helped me figure out what college was ‘all about’ and how much studying, time and effort would be needed to succeed.”

As an Austin native, Butler chose to attend ACC after graduating from Bowie High School in May 2007 because she was not ready to choose what major she wanted to declare.

At ACC, Butler was given the opportunity to complete her core curriculum classes while discovering which career path she wanted to take by taking various electives.

One of those electives did eventually help Butler discover her interest in the major she has now from Texas State University.

After attending one of Adjunct Professor Elizabeth Baldwin’s psychology class during her tenure at ACC, Butler says “her class

motivated me to pursue my current major in psychology.”

In addition to discovering her college major at ACC, Butler also met other professors who made an impact on her college path.

“Julie Kleinhans-Urrutia was my Spanish I professor,” Butler said. “Spanish has never been my forte but she was a wonderful professor who was passionate about teaching us Spanish. She made Spanish ‘fun.’”

After attending ACC, Butler highly recommends that students in her situation, who don’t know what major to declare and are not ready for the full fledged college experience at a four-year university, follow in her footsteps and take core curriculum classes at ACC. “I think ACC is a great school especially for taking basic courses,” Butler said. “It helped a lot because ACC helped me prepare for Texas State plus saved a ton of money on my basics.”

Lower tuition rates were also one of the biggest draws for Butler’s decision to attend ACC. A three-hour course plus fees at Texas State University currently costs $ 1,149.

Compared to ACC’s current tuition and fees for a similar course is $204. That’s a difference of $945.

One word of advice Butler shares with current and future ACC students is to be careful about which courses they choose to enroll in.

“If you intend to transfer to a university you need to make sure what you are taking transfers,” Butler said. “And take every class seriously because you are paying for an education.”

Adrienne Sparks • Staff Photographer

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LIFE & ARTS Page 8

www.theAccent.org

Life & Arts → Culture

First biannual vintage fest vamps

Vintage style fest attracts fashion-savvy shoppers, vendors to Austin boutiques

Fortnight Forecast Ballet Austin’s The Nutcracker

Every December Saturday 7:30 p.m. | Dell Hall at the Long Center for the Performing Arts Ballet Austin presents choreography-loving Austinites with the Nutcracker in its 49th season with The Austin Symphony Orchestra, who will be performing the classic Tchaikovsky score.

Toys for Tots Benefit

by The Skank Family

Natalie Casanova

Assistant Editor

The clicking and clacking of hangers on clothing racks rang through vintage shops all over town Nov. 26-27 for the first ever biannual Austin Vintage Style Fest. Locals armed with wristbands parleyed and gazed at frilly frocks, strapping pearl snaps, bold boots and kicks, nostalgic looks, retro jewelry and exquisite mustaches at participating boutiques.

Purchasing a wristband to the fest, for $5 in advance or $10 the day of, gave attendees access to free food and drinks, major discounts on vintage threads, décor, music and more. Cream Vintage, Blue Velvet, Frock On Vintage, Retro Rubbish, The Fresh and several other pastime boutiques hosted the festival, all offering free beverages and snacks and exclusive discounts on all merchandise.

Out of town vendors and others set up shop at Empire Automotive to display their vintage finds, authentic Americana gear and mustachethemed accessories while Jason Austin (Disc Jockey Pop Noir) mixed funky, soulful rock hits of yesteryear Sunday, Nov. 27. The festival came right after consumerist shopping holiday Black Friday, partially to promote a new shopping movement – Small Business Saturday.

The two-day vintagestyle tour was founded by SLACKER Magazine owner Andy Kaminski and sponsored by his magazine, Do512, UWeekly Austin, Tito’s Vodka, Maine Root, Zico Water,

Dec. 6, 2011

Natalie Casanova • Assistant Editor

I MUSTACHE YOU A QUESTION — Mustaches themed accessories by My Saucy Mustache are a timely display for Movember Nov. 27 at the Austin Vintage Style Fest at Empire Automotive.

Rockstar Bagels, KVRX, 101x, KLBJ, Beanitos, Zenify and more. According to the fest’s website austinvintagestylefest. com, all wristband proceeds were donated to the Movember movement, which helps bring awareness and provide support for men’s health issues.

Owner of Redemption Garb Vintage in San Antonio, Shelby Guevara said she was invited to showcase her shop’s kitschy style and unique clothes. She said the fest is a fun way of highlighting local shops and celebrating vintage style.

“All of us get together [and] give everything at a discount of 25 percent,” Guevara said.

“So it’s kind of making people aware of our stores whether it’s online or at events.”

It’s a great way to have fun, have some drinks and try on clothes, she said, and all of the local shops drew plenty of attention over the two-day tour. Guevara said her shop

will be an exhibitor at the next festival in six months under a new name — Indigo market — and hopes to open a location in Austin in the future.

Gary Rivers, friend and helper of Cream Vintage owner Rob Janzentskey, said he noticed a sizable boom in the shop’s business compared to previous years’ postThanksgiving numbers. The festival brought a lot of traffic to otherwise off-the-radar type boutiques, especially with all the attractive discounts and freebies. He said customers seemed to really enjoy the vintage gathering as well.

“Everybody who came through [Cream Vintage] with a wristband had really positive feedback on the festival,” Rivers said.

For more information about the festival, its sponsors and vendors, or becoming an exhibitor in the next event, visit austinvintagestylefest.com.

Life & Arts → Music

Friday 12/09 8:00 p.m. | Trinity Hall At Old School Bar & Grill The Skank Family, a youthful collective with roots deeply penetrated into the soil of the Austin underground music scene, hosts the release of the holiday mix-tape compilation, featuring local acts such as The Sour Notes, Little Lo and Cole Wilson. All proceeds benefit Toys for Tots. Bring a $5 donation or unwrapped toy. Greg Mullen, MaryAnn & The Revival Band and Milezo and the Noize will be giving live performances.

Christmas Bazaar:

Wednesday 12/14 11:00AM - Saturday 12/24 | Palmer Events Center Over 160 artisan vendors festively congregate to provide you with purchasable home-spun holiday cheer.

Event includes a full bar and live musical performances. A quirky haven for the unconventional holiday customer.

Action Pack presents: The Xmas Pops SingAlong

Natalie Casanova • Assistant Editor

CIRCA GORGEOUS — Racks of pretty vintage clothing

and frames of gently used, old jewelry from San Antonio’s R.G. Vintage shop exibit sheer beauty Nov. 27 at the Austing Vintage Style Fest at Empire Automotive.

Thursday 12/08 10:00PM - Thursday 12/22 | Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz You’ve two weeks to abolish your internal Scrooge and allow the holiday Spirit to deter your attention from your savings account. Why not join a swell crew of fellow singalongers and let Mariah Carey do the rest?

Local artist Seth Sherman releases new album Folk-rock musician to host CD release party with full band Dec. 9 at Mohawk Natalie Casanova

Assistant Editor

Some music is so sweet sounding and soulfully sincere that you can really kick back, relax and be confident that it will elicit nostalgic feelings and good vibes. Austin musician Seth Sherman’s compositions and brazen songwriting definitely convey this sense of reminiscence and a variety of emotions.

Sherman’s new album “When the Moment is True” is an amalgam of delicately radiant finger plucking, polished and poignant lyrics and satisfying melodies and is available on iTunes, Spotify and Bandcamp.

He recorded the album alone, playing every instrument himself, but has collected other musicians over the past six months to perform his music live.

The full band outside of Sherman consists of Drew Schlegel on bass, Dieter Ray Langendorf Geisler on keyboard, Steve Anderson on drums, Morris Ramos on guitar and Devon McDermott singing backup vocals. Sherman said he worked on the album exclusively off and on for the past two and a half years, and is now working on more collaborative songwriting with

the rest of the band.

A seasoned musician, Sherman started playing music as a kid and has been a key player in other rock bands such as Early Lines and Haunt. He toured as a solo act opening for former bandmate Daniel Francis Doyle, and distributed earlier recordings of his songs at different shows across the country.

“Before [the album] I just wanted to play,” Sherman said, “now I’m learning to be a little more ambitious.”

His ardor and passion unequivocally surface in his new album, especially in the contrasting tracks “Soft and Sweet” and “You’ll Never Know Why.” He said much of his lyrical inspiration evolves from philosophical and existential musings of his, during difficult

periods in his life. Musically, his poppy folk-rock style and structures evoke the sound of classic American finger-pickers of the 60s such as John Fahey and Peter Lang.

Schlegel said he was a fan of Sherman’s music before joining the band, would help motivate Sherman to play more shows, and book him to play parties and events whenever possible.

“I’d be kind of lost without someone like Drew,” Sherman said. “I would not have played so many shows.”

Sherman’s CD release concert will be Dec. 9 at Mohawk, with other performances by Daniel Francis Doyle and Marriage Material.

Visit sethshermanmusic.com for more information about the album or upcoming concert dates.

Natalie Casanova • Assistant Editor

CROON — Seth Sherman plays an upbeat folk-rock tune with his full band Sept. 1 at Mohawk as the opening act for Daniel Francis Doyle and Dikes of Holland. The band’s upcoming show will also be at Mowhawk on Dec. 9.

Adrienne Sparks • Staff Photographer

CHILL — Musician Seth Sherman relaxes at a local South Austin coffee shop after work.

Dec. 6, 2011

www.theAccent.org

Life & Arts → Culture

Upcycle for green holidays Natalie Casanova

Assistant Editor

While the chilly breeze outside keeps everyone bundled up and reminds us that the holidays are near, remember that going green on gifts and decorations can not only lessen our impact on the environment but on our wallets, as well.

It’s no secret that the U.S. has a tendency to spend a pretty penny on commercialized products around this time of year, but it shouldn’t be an excuse to create mountains of waste and junk. Use your financial powers for good this season, and try your hand at recycling, upcycling and repurposing things for all of your holiday needs.

Make – if you must – those big purchases, such as TVs or laptops, but for everything else use a little more creativity than the average consumer.

Many of us forget that the meaning and thought behind giving presents is much more important than the gifts themselves. If you’re not much of a crafter, try perusing vintage shops and thrift stores to find perfectly good gifts, which would otherwise end up in a landfill. Eco-friendly stores like Uncommon Goods, upcycling boutiques like Green House, and sustainable brands like TOMS Shoes are wise choices for green gift giving ideas, as well. Buying from local retailers not only reduces packaging and shipping waste related to shipping, but is a good way to invest in our local economy and sustain jobs in our neighborhoods.

A great way to cherish old greeting cards from loved ones is to turn them into ornaments and use them to decorate your tree or home. Cut out stars, snowflakes or other festive patterns in the cards, then punch a hole in the top of your design and hang them with string. To make decorative garlands and wreaths try using natural materials you can find outside like pinecones and branches, or classic treats like popcorn and Cheerios. Both options save you from buying mass-produced, plastic junk that you don’t need anyway.

Wrapping paper can really wreak havoc on our landfills, especially types of paper that are

Life & Arts | Page 9 Life & Arts → Music

Electronic music duo to tour North America, Austin Digitalism to play several shows across US, including Austin, in promotion of their new EP ‘Circles’ to be released Dec. 6 Joey Galvan Staff Writer

Adrienne Sparks • Staff Photographer

REPURPOSED — After enjoying the latest issue, ACC’s Accent Newspaper became a fun and thrifty way to wrap presents this holiday season. difficult or impossible to recycle because of dyes, tape, foil and other non-paper additives. Old newspapers, magazines, maps, T-shirts and other fabrics can be used to create unique, beautiful and green-friendly wrappings.

According to statistics from the University of Colorado, if every American household wrapped a mere three presents using recycled or upcycled methods, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields and enough ribbon to tie a bow around the entire Earth.

That is an immense amount of

waste we can save by simply using alternative gift-wrapping techniques.

As for the gifts, try making them yourself this year and save a bunch of money instead of purchasing commercial items that can be easily made from home. There are several simple homemade projects that the whole family can work on together without harming the environment. My “Jill of All Trades” column in the Accent is focused on easy, do-it-yourself crafts that can also make great gifts, such as screen-printing custom T-shirts, homemade

journals and paper lantern lamps.

Making a gift for someone with your own hands is far more meaningful than charging a factory-forged product to your credit card. It can also be a deed for the greater good by promoting sustainable living during a highly commercialized season. Don’t forget to recycle all your wrapping paper, packaging materials and Christmas tree once the holidays are over. Enter your ZIP code at recyclingcenters. org/Texas to find recycling centers near you.

Digitalism is an electronic duo from Germany currently touring in support of a new EP “Circles” which is set for release on Dec. 6 via V2/ Cooperative Music/Downtown.

Their second album “I Love You, Dude” was released over the summer culminating with The Hard Festival Tour where they were a featured act.

Digitalism is a complex musical group and to simply define them as electronic is a miscalculation. There are too many intricacies going in each track to place them just under the umbrella term of electronic. Most songs consist of a multitude of synthesizers painstakingly layered into each track behind beautifully crafted beats. Tracks bravely leap from one genre to another sometimes becoming ambient melodies and other times dissolving into house beats.

The tracks with vocals are catchy providing a nice touch of ambience to compliment the pulsating drumbeats. There remains an unrelenting sadness behind the vocals at times and the forlorn lyrics build upon this melancholy feeling. This undercurrent of emotions leaves you ultimately feeling curious about the upcoming

tracks.

Some of the highlights off their album “I Love You, Dude” include the tracks “Blitz”, “2 Hearts” and “Circles”. When listening to the decadent soundscapes from “Blitz” it’s hard not to imagine a packed dance floor with everyone having an enjoyable time. The video for this song depicts this imagery perfectly with a live performance of the band tearing up the song on stage in front of an adoring crowd. In contrast, “2 Hearts” is a very poppy, uplifting track reminiscent of eighties bands like Erasure in terms of sound.

Then there is the best track on the album, which is also named “Circles.” This track has elements of pop and a classic-eighties feel similar to “2 Hearts,” but definitely has a more solid feel with catchier vocals and stronger beats.

The band is slated for an Austin performance on Friday, Dec. 9 at The Parish. If you are interested in progressive electronic music and solid drum beats these guys are for you. Catch them while they are in town or visit them online at myspace.com/digitalism to hear selected tracks from previous albums or see the tour schedule.

Life & Arts → Music

Austin band debuts first album Aaron Davis Staff Writer

The newest band to come onto the Austin music circuit is The Couch, an Austin-based band with roots at Texas State University in San Marcos. The Couch will release their debut album “Old and Touchin’ Blue” on December 14th on the outdoor stage at Mohawk in Downtown Austin. The band brings a much needed revival to the scene with smart lyrics, deep-blues vocals and some hard-pounding drums — something that will garner them plenty of affection at their release party.

The Couch brings to

Austin some high-energy rock ‘n’ roll that is often forgotten about in an indie world. With tracks off their new album like “Farhan” and “DOKAT,” they will surely bring Mohawk to its feet with heavy distortion that seems to channel Jack Black if he were in The Strokes.

The Couch consists of vocalist Taylor Wilkins, percussionist Jud Johnson, bassist Kyle Robarge and their newest addition, multiinstrumentalist Sara Houser, who has lent some fresh keys and piano to the mix since the recording of this album.

The band released their first single this summer and it

landed them on KUT’s Song of The Day. “Closer to You” is a gritty rock anthem that blends rhythmic guitar with bluesinfluenced vocals.

The band’s second single, “The Way You Came,” seems to have its roots more in Austin indie rock but maintains the band’s signature high-energy guitar riffs. Fans of this style will love Wilkins’ piercing voice.

Drummer Jud Johnson lends his talents to tracks such as “New Roman Buffalo” and “DOKAT”, two percussionheavy songs that seem to generate back from roots rock n’ roll.

In “Hummingbird Rita,”

the band slows it down and provides some melodic tunes, soft percussion and deeply personal lyrics. The same can be said for the final track, “Indian Summer,” which seems almost sway-worthy and folksy, certainly an interesting end to an album full of fast pulsing and wailing rock ‘n’ roll.

The Couch has definitely found their own voice and “Old and Touchin’ Blue” will hopefully be a testament to their energy and sound.

The band will be joined for their album release party at Mohawk by fellow San Marcos band Zlam Dunk and also by local favorite Little Radar.

Round Rock Campus

Layla Elayyadi

Staff Writer

Best Food spot

Best study spot

Best guilty pleasure

Louisiana Longhorn Cafe 200 E Main Street • LLCafe.com The best juicy burger on this side of town goes to the Louisiana Longhorn Café! Not only do they serve delicious burgers, but they also have awesome Cajun food worthy of making fellow Louisianans miss home. While you are waiting on your food, the waiters bring out a basket of cornbread and French bread to satisfy your hunger early on. Everything about the Louisiana Longhorn Café is about giving you the best food Louisiana has to offer in a fusion of Texas and Creole. They like their LSU team just as much as UT and it shows with all their awesome décor and college games playing on the flat screens. Their staff is super-friendly and love to see their customers smile.

Kawaii Shaved Ice 113 N Mays St

Round Rock Public Library 216 E Main St • RoundRockTexas.Gov/Library

Kawaii Shaved Ice does not sell snow cones but it does serve the best shaved ice there is in the business. It holds the flavor and does not drip to the bottom or get messy like the others. This place offers a vast variety of flavors that will make it hard for you to decide which one to pick. If you didn’t think it could get any better, then you thought wrong.

You can add ice cream or sweet cream to your shaved ice, which makes it unforgettably sweet. Just be sure to bring cash when you come into the establishment because credit/ debit cards are not accepted. Once you get your taste of heaven, sit down on their outside patio, or if its too chilly, take it home and make your neighbors jealous.

The original ideal spot to study is the library and it does not get any better than that. If you want to study on the weekends this is the perfect place to relax and get your study on. It is very spacious and has a ‘No talking’ area that is great and they also have outlets so you can bring your laptop. The staff at the Round Rock Public Library is also very friendly and helpful if you need assistance in finding specific books. The best part about this library is that it is a couple of blocks away from the other two hot spots. You can stop by Longhorn Café for a bite to eat, go study at the Library and then you can make a stop at Kawaii’s to treat yourself for studying so hard. It works for us, and we know it will work for you.

Photos by Layla Elayyadi

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Dec. 6, 2011