thebattalion
news for you texas Map shows need for Internet The Texas Department of Agriculture unveiled its first map detailing high-speed Internet access around the state Wednesday, hoping it will be a boost for unserved rural areas. Commissioner Todd Staples said 96 percent of Texas households have high-speed, or broadband, Internet access, but that doesn’t mean much to the roughly 250,000 homes without it.
● thursday,
june 17, 2010
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2010 student media
opinion
Sending off
soccer
Five reasons Americans are giving the World Cup a red card
A
s the World Cup wraps up its first week, more Americans have found themselves wondering about American football than watching the footIan McPhail, senior ball tournament that is curhistory major rently going on. Although this month is filled with the finest soccer seen in four years, fans of the game will constantly be explaining the rules to less than interested friends, who are only waiting for Sportscenter to recap Game 6 of the NBA finals. For soccer fans — myself included — inclined to drag dissenters kicking and screaming into the World Cup, there are five legitimate complaints our fellow Americans have about soccer.
Border agents arrest driver Border agents found 48 illegal immigrants in the back of a tractor trailer during a routine stop at a checkpoint in south Texas. The trailer was refrigerated, according to the driver’s attorney. The driver, Wayne West of Balch Springs, was charged with transporting illegal immigrants and is scheduled for a detention hearing Friday.
lowest gas price
Jorge Montalvo — THE BATTALION
see story on page 5
$2.52 H-E-B at 1900 Texas Ave. S. and Holleman Drive. www.texasgasprices.com
nation &world Apple hits glitches with new iPhone Apple and AT&T were hit with two major problems when they started taking orders for the coming iPhone model Tuesday: Buyers reported problems getting orders registered and an apparent glitch in AT&T’s Web site was depositing AT&T customers into strangers’ accounts.
South Africa observes Youth Day Amid World Cup fervor, South Africa observed a bittersweet holiday Wednesday, known as Youth Day, in rememberance of Soweto students whose 1976 protest ignited a bloody and pivotal phase of the anti-apartheid struggle. In Soweto, scores of people gathered at sunrise, in below-freezing temperatures, to commemorate those killed in the June 16 uprising 34 years earlier. Staff and wire reports
campus
careers
Professor receives educator award
Recent graduate participates in The One Week Job Project
philosophy, a description detailing the candidate’s creative Special to The Battalion Kathy Smith, professor of teaching methods and supportmarketing in Mays Business ing evidence of the candidate’s School, received the Out- stature as an outstanding teachstanding Educator Award giv- er, which can include faculty, en by the Academy of Educa- peer and teacher evaluations. “I have known Kathy for a tional Leadership. She learned long time. She is a very good she was the winner at the Inteacher,” Kratchman said. “In ternational Conference of the Allied Academies in April in my opinion, she is very knowledgeable. She knows what is New Orleans. “The conference includes going on in the world, and she a banquet at which the orga- is really good in the classroom nization hands out awards for and really easygoing and fun to talk to.” research and teaching,” Students who Smith said. “Mine have taken a marwas the last award keting class with given, and I was toSmith agree. tally surprised when “Dr. Smith has my name was called. been one of my faBy chance, I was sitting at a table with It is different when vorite professors at A&M,” said Samana marketing profes- you do a lot of tha Ringmacher, sor whom I’d had teamwork in class class of 2010. “It is as a student — he is nearing retirement. I versus just sitting. hard to find a profesKathy Smith, sor that cares more had the opportunity professor of about her students to thank him for bemarketing and is clearly excited ing an example of a to come to class evgood teacher.” ery day. Each day of Receiving the presentations the class votes on Outstanding Educator Award what group had the best prewas an unexpected surprise, thanks to a nomination by one sentation and the winner gets a of her colleagues and close wrist band saying, ‘Dr. Smith’s Presentation Day Winner.’ I friends. “I could not think of any- have two. She promotes crebody else more suited for it,” ativity while using business apsaid Stanley Kratchman, pro- plications. Every day we were fessor of accounting in May’s greeted with a big smile.” The professor said she tries Business School. “Murphy [Kathy’s husband] first made to engage students by giving me aware of the award, and we them team activities to keep talked about it. The first thing I them attentive while giving thought of was that it was per- them the opportunity exercise the material and getting to fectly well-suited for Kathy.” To be considered a candi- know one another. “I have a lot of participadate for the award, applicants tion,” Smith said. “I will give must submit a curriculum vitae, a two-page statement re- them a problem and they will garding his or her teaching
Gayle Gabriel
See Smith on page 6
pg. 1-06.17.10.indd 1
Caroline Ward Special to The Battalion Michelle Attah, class of 2010, has decided to try an unorthodox way of entering the work force after earning her degree in psychology. Attah said she is not sure how she wants to spend the rest of her life, which is why she has chosen to follow a program created by Sean Aiken, Capilano College graduate, called The One Week Job Project. “I don’t believe in the word ‘job,’” Attah said. “As long as it’s something that brings joy to myself and others. That’s all I care about.” Aiken found himself in the same situation, but instead of accepting the first job that was offered to him, this class valedictorian found 52 jobs. For one year (between February 2007 and March 2008), Sean worked one job per week, donating his earnings to charity and keeping expenses to a minimum. Aiken worked an entire spectrum of jobs, including tour guide for an aquarium, mayor, mascot, firefighter, preschool teacher, fashion trader, stock buyer, bungee operator and many more. He wrote a book called The One Week Job Project and started a program for college graduates who find themselves searching for a passion. Sean hopes to someday turn the program into a curriculum. From this program, Attah said she will one day find her passion.
Courtesy photo
Michelle Atta, class of 2010, will try out a different job each week. “I have a passion for passion,” Attah said. “You should be living not just to exist.” Casey Beck, friend of Attah, said Attah challenges her friends by learning their passions in life and holding them accountable to pursue them. See Attah on page 6
information technology
Business students win competition In May, CA Technologies, an information technology and solutions company, announced the winners of the second International Case Competition on the Strategic Value of Information Technology Management at their users’ conference. Bedanta Talukdar, Bethany Lipton and Ankit Jagwani, a team of Texas A&M graduate students, received second place. “We utilized personal experience and leveraged each team member’s skills to address the issues outline in the case,” said Lipton, a graduate student in management information systems. “We put in many long hours and even participated
in a practice competition just to integrate a new team member.” The team had extensive support from the Mays Business School, said Talukdar, who received his master’s in industrial engineering in May. The competition united students from business and information technology disciplines to demonstrate and evaluate the strategic value of IT management for an organization. There were 12 finalists who participated in the competition. The first place winners originated from the Copenhagen Business School. Patrique Ludan, staff writer
6/16/10 8:31 PM