thebattalion l tuesday,
april 16, 2013
l serving
texas a&m since 1893
l first paper free – additional copies $1 l © 2013 student media
Bombing kills 3, injures over 140 Government officials call Boston incident an act of terrorism
S
pectators’ cheers turned to screams as chaos unfolded Monday at the Boston Marathon after two bombs exploded near the finish line, killing three people, and injuring more than 140, according to the Associated Press. The first explosion occurred at approximately 2:50 p.m. and another followed about 12 seconds after, Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said. Megan Forrest, a prospective business student to Texas A&M, participated in the marathon and finished a few minutes before the explosions.
Spectators and runners scramble near the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon where the first of two bombs exploded Monday.
“When it went off everyone just thought the moment was surreal,” Forrest said. “Everybody was trying to just get away. The police were coming from everywhere. Then as info got out people just got so frantic and sad and the whole town of Boston was a movie scene. People were shuffling along the roads on their smart phones, their eyes were shifty and everyone is just scared.” Spectators and at least one runner were knocked to the ground, windows were shattered and clouds of smoke covered the street, beckoning the help of security and rescue personnel. Authorities said the timing of the explosions may have been planned to cause the maximum amount of damage during the race — at the four-hour mark when the finishing stretch is crowded with the large See Boston on page 6
Courtesy
Shacks are back
inside
opinion | 2 Boxers or briefs The numbers don’t lie: power brokers in this student body are overwhelmingly male. Batt columnist Robert Carpenter discusses A&M’s preference for masculine leadership and asks why Aggie women seem content letting men run the show.
baseball | 4 A&M hits road
Tanner Garza — THE BATTALION
Students from Lechner and McFadden honors dorms construct a decorative shack in Rudder Fountain Plaza for Shack-A-Thon.
Shack-a-thon seeks to raise awareness of poverty housing John Odom The Battalion
W
alking past Rudder fountain this week, students will see Aggie Habitat for Humanity’s spring fundraiser and living billboard — a village of shacks that has emerged on campus for the past 13 years. Shack-a-thon is Aggie Habitat for Humanity’s spring fundraiser, which seeks a yearly goal of $40,000 that goes toward the cost of building a house. “Every year we raise $40,000 to sponsor a house for the Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity,” said Eric Baken, co-director of
special events and junior biomedical engineering major. “Previously we haven’t been able to raise quite $40,000 every year but we’ve been doing better this year so we definitely should be able to sponsor a house in its entirety.” Junior university studies major and member of the Corps of Cadets Glen Minor said his Company, C-2, has participated in Shack-a-thon for four years. “We’re happy to do this. It’s a lot of fun and a great opportunity,” Minor said. “It’s one of those things that you probably get more out of it than is even advertised — you give back but you also just build bonds, leadership, do some practical work and just enjoy our time out here.”
BAT_04-16-13_A1.indd 1
Texas country rockers the Six String Boys have hit it big abroad, but got their start playing porches and bars in College Station.
F
SGA gives thanks to custodial staff S
lifestyles | 3 Six String Boys
New York Liberty pick Bone fifth overall
Aimee Breaux — THE BATTALION
The Battalion even years after 35 custodians were invited to the first annual Custodian Appreciation Luncheon, Fish Aides opened the MSC Ballroom doors on Monday to its largest number of custodians to date — 535. Student Body President John Claybrook said the luncheon provides an opportunity for Student Government Association to get behind a single cause, thanking those who keep the campus running. “A year ago from now, we wanted all of SGA to be a part of thanking our custodians on campus,” Claybrook said. With music and dancing going on behind her at the luncheon, Sydney Robertson, director of Fish Aides and junior business major, said the $5,000 raised from this increased fundraising is what enabled Fish Aides — the group that spearheaded the event — to pay for the extra costs associated with the increased attendance size. Robertson also said this year marks progress that will continue in years to come. “It’s definitely been a learning year,” Robertson
See Shack on page 6
b!
wnba draft
Student Body President John Claybrook talks with A&M custodial workers at the banquet put on by Student Government Association on Monday in the MSC Ballroom.
Aimee Breaux
Co-director of special events and senior biology major Nikki Schrock said Shack-a-thon helps raise awareness of the organization’s mission — helping to eliminate poverty housing. “A lot of the homeowners for Habitat, they’ve either lived in homes that were too small or too crowded or in an unsafe environments,” Schrock said. The inspiration behind Shack-a-thon is to give participating organizations the opportunity to build something, Schrock said. The event is not meant to be a poverty simulation. “We do want to stress that this is not a poverty
Sam Houston State will play host to Texas A&M on Tuesday as the Bearkats attempt to ruin the Aggies perfect weekday 10-0 record. A&M defeated Sam Houston State 4-1 April 9 and looks to close out the home-and-home set with a victory.
said. “We’ve had a lot of chaos and areas where we can improve, but it’s been exciting to see this expand.” Standing in front of a themed banner that read, “You are our superheroes,” Reid Joseph, student body president elect, addressed the luncheon attendees with words of appreciation. “Think about A&M without this group in a day, in a week, what would it look like?” Joseph said. “It wouldn’t be pretty, would it? One of the defining things about the Aggie family is selfless service, it’s part of our core values, and I can tell you, with the group I am looking at, I would be hard-pressed to find a better representation of selfless service than you all.” Louis Hartmann, who attended the luncheon with his wife and fellow custodian Brenda Hartman, said while the University has supported them for fifteen-plus years in College Station, they are glad students recognize the hard work of custodians. “I’m glad they put this on for us,” Hartmann said. “It’s very hard, I think, for students to get things organized, and when they do, their appreciation shows in what they do for us.”
ormer Texas A&M center Kelsey Bone was selected fifth overall by the New York Liberty in the 2013 WNBA Draft on Monday night after two seasons with the A&M women’s basketball program. After the announcement, Bone told ESPN she entered the draft with the intention of joining the Liberty and was excited about the opportunity. “It just seemed like the right fit,” Bone said. “I entered the WNBA Draft to become a member of the New York Liberty. That’s what I wanted to do. It was a chance that I wanted to take and when the opportunity presented itself, I took it.” The 6-foot-4 Houston native stands as Texas A&M’s highest WNBA Draft selection in program history, beating out 16th overall picks Tyra White (2012), Sydney Colson (2011) and Danielle Gant (2009). Bone is also the 10th A&M student selected to compete at the professional level under head coach Gary Blair, who arrived in 2003, and 11th overall. Blair said the New York franchise will provide Bone the resources to advance her game and create an impact on the court. “I think this is a win-win for [Bone] to be able to use her experience working with the Liberty staff that will help her grow even more this year as a player,” Blair said. “[Bone] has done a great job
Courtesy
WNBA President Laurel Richie (right) presents former A&M center Kelsey Bone her New York jersey. over the last year improving her game. I do not think anyone can find a player in the country that has improved more than Kelsey Bone.” In the 2012-2013 season, Bone ranked second in the SEC for rebounds, third in the SEC for points per game and fourth in A&M’s program history of points in a single season with 582. Staff Report
4/15/13 11:50 PM