The Battalion: October 4, 2016 by The Battalion

Silver Taps BATT THE

THE BATTALION | THEBATT.COM

when 10:30 p.m. Tuesday

TONIGHT WE HONOR THE FALLEN what

where Academic Plaza

In honor of Aggies who have died in the last month, the Ross Volunteer Firing Squad will march in Academic Plaza and fire three rifle volleys of seven shots. Buglers from the Aggie Band will play a special arrangement of Taps.

May 10, 1995 — September 8, 2016

April 16, 1995 — September 17, 2016

ALANNAH ROSE RITCH A devoted friend who spread her Christian faith to those around her

MARICARMEN QUIROZ-OCTAVIANO A passionate, loving daughter who lived life fearlessly

PROVIDED

By Megan Rodriguez @MeganLRodriguez

emembered by her family as a selfless, joyous Christian who enjoyed music and valued friendship, Alannah Rose Ritch left a lasting impact on those who knew her. As a psychology senior and aspiring nurse, Alannah was a student worker who drove an Aggie Spirit bus at A&M and was involved

on campus as an Impact counselor. Alannah’s mother, Kathleen Ritch, said one of the biggest parts of Alannah’s life was music. “She loved music. She played the French horn in band all through high school,” Kathleen said. “She also played guitar. She liked to get together with friends and play a bunch of songs. She didn’t think she had a good singing voice but everyone else thought so.” As the middle child with an older sister and younger brother, Alannah loved her siblings and family very much. RITCH ON PG. 3

UNIVERSITY

PROVIDED

By Angel Franco @angelmadison_

a r i c a r m e n Quiroz-Octaviano is described by her parents as a hard-working and kind-hearted woman who was always one step ahead of the rest. Maria Octaviano-Matildes, Maricarmen’s mother, said her daughter, who came to the United States when she was seven years old, lived her life at light speed with a passion

and ferocity that couldn’t be put into words. “For the time that she was here she did so much compared to other people,” Maria said to a translator. “Now I see that she was always on the move doing something or going somewhere. It seemed like she lived life as if time were to beat her. She was fearless since a young age.” Maricarmen’s diligence also characterized her academic life. Her father, Tomas Quiroz, remembers her as a smart, talented student who was always at the top of her class. “Since I can remember, my Maricarmen QUIROZ-OCTAVIANO ON PG. 3

Experts in their field: The farmers of the Farmers’ Market By Alice Corcoran @aliceJ-cocoran

FILE

Texas A&M President Michael Young will deliver the State of the University address Tuesday.

Young to deliver State of the University address Staff Report A&M president Michael K. Young will address the student body for the annual State of the University address. President Young — in his second year at A&M — will speak at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Arthur Martell Lecture Hall located in the Chemistry Building. Young is expected to speak on topics ranging from his “Fearless on Every Front” message, transformational education and maintaining the success of the previous 140 years at the university. “Fearless on Every Front,” is a campaign launched by Young that brands the university as being involved in our community and nation through selfless service. The movement will be made known all over the United States through advertising, publications and a continuation of giving back.

On any given Saturday at 8 a.m., the streets of College Station are typically deserted. On Main Street in Downtown Bryan, however, local farmers and vendors are out hosting the weekly Farmers’ Market, and customers are out buying their produce for the week. Mirroring First Friday in downtown Bryan, the Farmers’ Market puts on First Saturday. On the first Saturday of every month, the market hosts a raffle open to anyone who makes a purchase at the market. The winner receives a basket featuring merchandise from the vendors and farmers. The basket for September’s First Saturday included a package of four cinnamon rolls, a 6-oz. candle and a whole chicken, among other things. Most vendors at the market have been in the farming industry for all or most of their lives. Ron Bolton, a farmer who sells plants and spices such as barley and sage, was raised in a family of farmers. Bolton said he remembers the exact moment he found his interest in the business, at only

Aimee Rodriguez — THE BATTALION

Some regional farmers have been participating in the Downtown Bryan Farmers’ Market for years.

six years old. “All my grandparents have been farmers or gardeners, but the way I really got started was when we lived in England,” Bolton said. “They have a lot of old wrought iron fences and I stole the uprights of my neighbor’s fence to use as a spear. I was six years old and she [the neighbor] caught me and made

me work it off by working in the garden, and ever since then I’ve really enjoyed it.” Farmer Richard Schubert has been at the market selling eggs and vegetables every Saturday for the last 10 to 12 years. “Sometimes in the wintertime I’ve been here by myself before,” FARMERS’ MARKET ON PG. 2

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The first Saturday of each month, Downtown Bryan hosts a Farmer’s Market where farmers like Richard Schubert (center left) and Harvey Wise (bottom right) sell their produce and join together as a community.

The IndependenT STudenT VoIce of TexaS a&M SInce 1893

Sam Chief MarkKing, Doré, Editor Editor ininChief Aimee Breaux, Managing Editor Katy Stapp, Managing Editor Asst. Managing JenniferPryce, Reiley,News Chevall Editor Editor LindseyFranco, Gawlik,Sports NewsEditor Editor Angel Samantha King, Asst. News Chris Martin, SciTech Editor Editor Katy Stapp, NewsEditor Editor Gracie Mock,Asst. SciTech John Rangel, Sci Tech Editor Josh McCormack, Life and Arts Editor

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FARMERS’ MARKET CONTINUED

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The BaTTalion is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and THE BATTALION is published daily,Thursday Monday during throughtheThursday the(except fall and spring semesters and Tuesday and summerduring session spring semesters Tuesday and atThursday during the College summerStation, session University holidaysand and exam periods) Texas A&M University, (except University holidays and exam periods) Student at Texas A&M University, PPD Hats Battalion 1 Center. 7/20/16 2:38 TX 77843. Offices are inNPSuite L400 of the800_v2.pdf Memorial College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http:// University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. Newsroom www.thebatt.com. phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national advertising, call 979-or Publication of advertising does display not imply sponsorship Advertising: 845-2687. Forbyclassified Office are 8 a.m. to endorsement The advertising, Battalion. call For 979-845-0569. campus, local, andhours national display 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com. advertising call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Subscriptions: parttoof5the University entitles each Texas A&M Office hours are 8Aa.m. p.m. Monday Advancement through Friday.Fee Email: battads@thebatt.com. student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1. A part of the University Advancement Fee entitles each Texas A&M Subscriptions: PPD Hats NP Battalion 800_v2.pdf

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Schubert said. “I missed one Saturday for a knee surgery. But I sell eggs, you know, so I’ve got customers that come every week so I just love it. You meet a lot of students that come — I’ve got one that’s in his second or third year in school — and they’ll graduate and in four or five years they’ll come visit.” Although the flooding in East Texas has affected people in the agricultural sphere, Schubert said for every low there is in farming there is a high to counteract it. “The odds are better in Vegas than they are in farming,” Schubert said.

“It’s just a gamble going from one year to the next, you never know … But you just keep saying, ‘Next year’s going to be better.’ There’s a camaraderie in it. That’s how you keep going.” The market has over 50 members, including president Harvey Wise and his wife, Helen Wise, who have been members of the market for 10 years. Wise works alongside elected members of the Farmer’s Market board to select applicants that become members of the market. Members are expected to meet a number of requirements but, according to Wise, the most important one is that farmers must produce whatever they sell locally. Membership is open to individuals of Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Mi-

lam, Robertson or Washington counties. “We are a vibrant part of the community,” Wise said. The Farmer’s Market sells numerous items, appealing to any shopper hoping to buy something locally produced and support local farmers. Shoppers can expect to find a wide range of goods, including eggs, honey, jam, vegetables, coffee, baked goods, meat, candles, and more. The main tip vendors and farmers have for customers is to get to the market early, before things sell out. The Brazos Valley Farmers’ Market is located at 500 North Main Street in Bryan. It’s open from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. every Saturday year-round.

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SHS TO OFFER 5,500 FREE FLU SHOTS To help fight illness on the Texas A&M campus, Student Health Services will give 5,500 enrolled students flu shots completely free of charge. The SHS “Tackle the Flu Annual Flu Shot Campaign” will take place Oct. 5 and 6. Students can receive a shot at one of four locations, including the Memorial Student Center Respect Lounge, the first-floor lobby of Wehner, the main entry of Evans Library near Starbucks and the first floor lobby of the Emerging Technologies Building (ETB). Shots will be administered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m both days. After all free shots have been distributed the cost will rise to $24. Faculty and staff are also able to get shots at these four locations for $24. — Staff Report

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The Battalion | 10.4.16

QUIROZ-OCTAVIANO CONTINUED was a little girl that was very talented in school,” Tomas said. “When she was in kindergarten, there was this competition which many schools participated in and she was one of the kids to finish at the top.” Maricarmen’s love for academics and school activities only continued to grow as she matured. Not only was Maricarmen passionate about her studies, but she had a profound love for sports. Tomas said when she was in school in the Austin area, Maricarmen was always one of the first students to arrive and one of the last ones to leave. “Aside from studying she liked to do a lot of other things,” Tomas said. “Sports was one of those things. She loved to watch ‘La Lucha Libre,’ which is the Mexican form of wrestling. She liked to play soccer, volleyball and was always involved in sporting events. Almost every day after school we would have to pick her up almost at dusk because she would always stay late for practice or any other school activity.” Tomas said he will always remember his daughter as a determined person who was always happy and smiling. “Every time she would set her mind to do something, she would do it at 100 percent,” Tomas said. “She would give her all to everything she would do and that’s what I’m going to take from her time here with us. She was very enthusiastic and was always smiling huge, just with her personality and everything.” A genetics senior, Maricarmen hoped to help as many people as she could through her profession. She tried to do so while

PROVIDED

Maricarmen Quiroz-Octaviano treasured time with her family above all else.

RITCH CONTINUED “[Her brother] is in the Corps of Cadets and member of the Aggie Band,” Kathleen said. “She was really proud of him and so excited to have this one year to overlap with him, with him being a freshman and her being a senior. She also has an older sister who she loved very much. And not just her immediate family — her extended family too. She always wanted to visit everybody whenever she was home.” Kathleen said Alannah was a faithful Christian who shared that faith with everyone. “We knew that when she was still at home during high school and junior high she would invite people to come to our church,” Kathleen said. “We found out that she was doing that a lot in college. After her death a lot of people came to us and told us that she had brought them to Christ. We were proud to hear that. She was more of a disciple than me and my husband believe we are.” One of Kathleen’s favorite memories of her daughter was during a recent family trip to the beach. “She, my son and another good friend went to the beach this summer and we didn’t do anything real spectacular we just had fun together,” Kathleen said. “She loved the beach. That’s one of her favorite places and she loved sunsets. We got to see some really pretty sunsets on that trip. She loved palm trees and on that trip she started hugging palm trees. She was really silly.” Carrie Walpole, a friend of Alannah, said while she has too many fond memories of Alannah to count, she will never forget the day they became best friends. “I met [Alannah] at the church that we went to in San Marcos,” Walpole said. “When we became best friends I was new to the church and she told me, ‘You’re going to sit next to me and we’re going to be best friends,’ so that was probably my favorite memory.”

PROVIDED

Alannah Rose Ritch’s mother Kathleen said she loved the beach and sunsets.

With unmatched positivity, joy and kindness Alannah displayed a love toward others few people possess, Kathleen said. “She was really easy to be around because she was always ready to have fun and ready for an adventure,” Kathleen said. “I saw that by the way she was with her friends. She and I did fun things together, but when I saw her with her friends it just

living in the College Station area by often spending her time as a volunteer at a local nursing home and other places doing community service. Maricarmen, a first-generation Aggie, would often speak to her parents about her time in College Station. Her father said she would always talk in great detail and with a lot of pride about the great friendships and traditions she was able to be a part of as an Aggie. “She’d always talk to us about the university and about College Station,” Tomas said. “She’d tell us about all of her friendships and how much she loved the school and being an Aggie.” Despite her rigorous school and work schedule, Maricarmen’s father said she always made sure to make time to call her family while she was away and gave them her undivided attention when she’d go back home to visit. “With our family she always got along with everyone,” Tomas said. “When she would come home she’d always take her six-year-old sister out with her no matter where she went. She’d always call her grandparents and lately she had been calling them a lot. She had a beautiful relationship with the entire family.” For Maricarmen’s parents, the biggest thing they take from her life is what impact she made during her short time on Earth. They said there is nothing but pride and gratitude in their hearts from having had the privilege to know and raise such a loving and caring woman. “We’re proud of the person she was,” Tomas said. “We’re proud of what she accomplished and what she planned to do with the rest of her life. Despite her young age, she did a lot that made us proud.”

brought joy to me because she was always up for anything.” Walpole, who was friends with Alannah for nine years, attested to Alannah’s attitude toward her friendships. “[Alannah] loved everyone to the core,” Walpole said. “Whether she only hung out with you one time or she hung out with you 50 times, she cared about every single person that she came into contact with. It was her mission to make that person’s day or life better.” Michelle Guinn, a child professional services junior at A&M, was Alannah’s roommate and close friend. Guinn said one of Alannah’s best traits was the way she served and loved those around her. “She loved people very well,” Michelle said. “She loved authentically and loved people for who they were no matter who they were. She found a way of making you feel valued and known and did things specifically to show you that she knew and cared for you.” A week after Alannah’s death, friends and family held Chalk the Block — an event in which Alannah’s loved ones wrote Bible scriptures and kind notes on the street corner where Alannah died and in her hometown of San Marcos — to honor her life. Through this event the hashtag “#LiveLikeAlannah” was created and has become a reminder to Kathleen to live selflessly. “What I took away [from Alannah’s life] is that I want to live more like Alannah,” Kathleen said. “That’s what our family keeps saying to each other, that we want to live more like Alannah and be more joyous and selfless and be kinder to other people.” While Alannah’s family misses her dearly, they find peace in their Christian faith. “She was a beautiful, beautiful human being,” Kathleen said. “She has left a really big hole in our family and a big hole in this world. I know she’s resting in heaven and that’s the only thing that gives me peace right now.”

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A&M professor Kati Stoddard competed in the Ironman Maryland Saturday with the goal of raising money to help refugees in Europe.

A&M PROFESSOR RACES TO HELP REFUGEES Kati Stoddard competes in Ironman Maryland, donates to UNHRC By Mariah Colón @MariahColon18 Texas A&M professor Kati Stoddard competed Saturday in the Ironman Maryland with a bigger goal in mind than crossing the finish line: helping refugees. Stoddard, a plant pathology and microbiology professor, began training for Saturday’s triathlon in June with the goal of raising money for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHRC) in an effort to help mitigate refugee suffering. Stoddard’s online fundraiser brought in $490 at time of press and is still open for donations. Stoddard said she decided to use her journey to raise money for refugees because the refugee crisis in Europe and the Middle East weighs heavily on her. “The one thing that they really need is money,” Stoddard said. “So I did my research and I found the group that I could trust is the UN Refugee Agency, so I set up a personal fund site that went directly to them, and decided that I was going to try to raise money through doing a 12-hour indoor cycling event and also my Ironman.” The Ironman race included a 112-mile bike ride, a 26.2-mile run and a 2.4-mile swim, which ended up being canceled due to weather. But Stoddard said despite the weather and other obstacles she had to face, the other two events of the race went well and she finished in 12 hours, 44 minutes and 51 seconds — two hours faster than her goal of 14 hours. “I had a flat about halfway through on the bike … A bike support vehicle came by and was able to change my tire,” Stoddard said. “I started the run and it was in an area subject to high tide and low tide and then they had flooding on top of that so there was several parts of the run where we had to run through flooding either up to our ankles and in some places up to our knees … But overall it was a good race and I learned a lot and had a good time and finished.” Stoddard’s training typically consisted of 12-18 hours a week spending a lot of time swimming in a pool or in Lake Bryan, cycling on College Station country roads and running. Additionally, she participated in a one-day indoor cycling challenge to prepare. “There are these cycling videos called Sufferfest videos and they are essentially indoor cycling videos that are set to footage from pro races,” Stoddard said. “I rode my bike indoors for 12 hours and that was a

mental training day because I figured if I could do this, I could do anything else.” Stoddard said she perceived her training as a parallel to the involuntary suffering refugees endure. “I viewed it as I know that I am putting myself through this torturous training voluntarily and I have the freedoms and abilities to do that but other people have been put through hardships and sacrifices that they shouldn’t have to be put through through no fault of their own,” Stoddard said. “I want to raise awareness and money to help them.” Heather Wilkinson, a colleague of Stoddard’s and fellow A&M professor, said this campaign is nothing atypical of the ambition Stoddard typically shows in life. “I think it is what I would expect from Kati — she’s an extremely driven person in everything she takes on,” Wilkinson said. “The fact that she attached [the triathlon] to something she feels so passionately about is also quite admirable.” Stoddard said she was inspired by her friend Leigh Carruth, who has been involved in various causes including childhood cancer, suicide prevention and To Write Love on Her Arms, a campaign that advocates for helping people struggling with addiction, depression and self-harm. Carruth said Stoddard’s campaign shows her passion for helping others. “She is a lover of the underdog and feels very strongly about refugees and feels very strongly about trying to do her part in any way she can,” Carruth said. “Combining her love of Ironman and her love of humanity and trying to make the world a better place is totally fitting for who she is as a human and what she stands for.” Carruth said advice she would give anyone wanting to start a campaign like Stoddard’s is to focus on the passion. “Find what you are passionate about what is it that makes your heart race — for good or for bad,” Carruth said. “What makes you want to see someone in need and step in and help?” Stoddard said this is just the beginning of her triathlon campaigns and she plans to participate in the Ironman Arizona in the future. “When they announced the swim was canceled my husband and I just looked at each other and said, ‘Alright, I guess we’re doing Arizona,’ Stoddard said. “In four to five years I’ll probably do Ironman Arizona and then I’ll probably do another fundraiser … I hope that the refugee crisis has been solved by then and I can find a new cause to support.”

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