The Battalion — January 27, 2022

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2022 STUDENT MEDIA

Silver Taps

Chance McKay Gibson Jan. 24, 2003 — Dec. 18, 2021

Devin Joe Sebastian Oct. 10, 1998 — Nov. 12, 2021

Miranda Elizabeth Meckel Aug. 15, 1995 — Dec. 13, 2021

TRIBUTES ON PAGE 7-8

Omicron causes highest positivity rate on campus In response to rising cases, A&M offers free take-home testing kits

By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel

Sociology Ph.D. student Jaila Joseph said this announcement is concerning, both in their role as a student and instructor within the department, and has made them feel as though their academic pursuits are being ranked as less important.

“Honestly, it’s really frustrating,” Joseph said. “The College of Liberal Arts already gets the short end of the stick on everything.

The university makes it very clear that we’re not as important as the College of Engineering or other [colleges]. It’s very, very blatant that they don’t care.”

In addition to their personal frustrations, Joseph said, logistically, this move will be very difficult given the department’s long history within the building as well as the lack of information on new facilities.

“As it stands right now, even in the Academic Building where our department is already housed, we don’t even have enough space for graduate students,” Joseph said.

The return to campus amid the omicron surge has taken its toll on the campus community with a 25.5% positivity rate, the highest since the outbreak of the pandemic. The 937 positives out of the 3,680 total tests administered last week have not surpassed the fall’s second week totals — 1,498 positive cases out of 26,382 total tests — which included the mandatory return-to-campus testing.

Announced on Jan. 12, the university will continue to hand out a free pack of COVID-19 at-home tests once per week to each student and faculty member, though — since the demand for these tests has declined — the number of distribution sites will be fewer, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Greg Hartman announced in a Jan. 25 email.

The sites will remain open Monday through Friday with the West Campus Wehner location distributing tests from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the A.P. Beutel Health Center location open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“For the home tests, you must visit the request site, select College Station, then use your NetID to log on and fill out the form,” Hartman said in the email. “A receipt number will be emailed to your Texas A&M account; show that number when picking up the test kit.”

A change since the first announcement, A&M has received more kits from the Texas Department of Emergency Management, though this set of tests include both BinaxNOW and another Food & Drug Administation-approved testing kit, INDICAID. “The INDICAID product comes [with] 25 tests per box, so to distribute individually, we are carefully placing the supplies needed for an individual test in a clear Ziplock bag, along with instructions for use,” Hartman said. “While the process for taking this test is like other at-home tests, please be sure to follow directions closely.”

In addition to the at-home test option and regular testing on campus, the Texas A&M Health Maroon Line Clinic will host three popup vaccine clinics in the exhibit hall in Rudder

RELOCATION ON PG. 5

COVID-19 UPDATE ON PG. 5

No way home Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION

The Academic Building is set to become the new center of the College of Arts and Sciences, beginning after the spring semester.

All departments in Academic Building to be relocated by summer, replaced by College of Arts and Sciences admin

By Michaela Rush @Michaela4Batt

A

s the deadline for the merger that is the College of Arts and Sciences draws closer, the interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts announced to faculty, via email, the departure of nearly all departments currently within the Academic Building, with no stated site for relocation.

In the email obtained by The Battalion, interim Dean Steven Oberhelman outlined three major changes: the new School of Architecture will move into the Coke Build-

ing, the new School of Visual and Performing Arts will move into Langford-A and the Academic Building will be vacated over the summer.

“Affected will be the departments of Hispanic Studies, International Studies and Sociology, as well as the units housed in the building (Race and Ethnic Studies Institute, Social Sciences Consortium, Census Data Center),” the email reads. “We will, it appears, also lose the classrooms in the building.”

In total, all of the departments and institutes housed within the Academic Building will be moving, with the goal to prepare the building to be the hub for the new College of Arts and Sciences. Although, with the most current information, sociology and Hispanic studies will remain within the college, while international studies will have some programs remain within the college while others relocate to the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

‘I am an Aggie for life’

Former student-athlete prepares for professional running career

By Kay Naegeli @KayNaegeli

As her 14-hour flight to the 2021 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo took off, Tyra Gittens’ dreams grew closer in every passing second.

Seven-year-old Gittens always envisioned this moment, and 23-year-old Gittens could not believe this was her life.

As Gittens strolled through the Olympic Village upon arrival, her role models consumed her attention. Even though she was competing against them, she could not contain her excitement and even stopped a couple of her favorites to ask for autographs.

All the work and preparation led her to this moment, surrounded by athletes who, to her, represented the definition of greatness. Meanwhile, Gittens was able to view these women as the humans they were and

not just athletes she idolized.

Once at the stadium, it set in that Gittens was, indeed, one of those athletes, but that did not stop her from preparing just as any other first-time Olympian would.

The night before her event, Gittens clipped her number on her uniform and packed her bags, as if she were an eager child ready for the first day of school. Knowing she would not sleep at all, Gittens anxiously snuggled into bed around 6 p.m. with no loved ones to call because of the time difference.

“My fiance and my parents were all asleep and I was saying to myself, ‘Who am I supposed to call? I am dying over here,’” Gittens said. “When I woke up, if there was an award for how fast you could prepare for a competition, I would win. I was ready and downstairs in three seconds.”

As overwhelming thoughts swarmed her mind the day of her event, Gittens kept repeating to herself that “it [was] just another meet” and imagined herself in the presGITTENS ON PG. 6

Abbey Santoro — THE BATTALION

Tyra Gittens previously ran for Texas A&M’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams and competed in the Summer 2020 Olympics.

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OPINION

3

The Battalion | 1.27.22

OPINION

Gabrielle Shreve — THE BATTALION

Following recommended consolidation of Texas A&M colleges and departments, opinion editor Caleb Powell argues this reversal of changes made in 1965 will likely devalue A&M’s education in the liberal arts, sciences and geosciences.

Consolidating colleges will yield disaster Opinion editor Caleb Powell discusses inconsistencies, concerns with A&M’s recent academic realignment Caleb Powell

W

@calebpowell23

hat do a guy who studies rocks, a dude who writes novels and a mad scientist who mixes chemicals have in common? If you quizzically said, “nothing,” then you win bragging rights. (I’m a broke college student with nothing to give you).

For those who are confused, welcome to the new world of more than 14,000 Aggies. On Dec. 14, 2021, Texas A&M President M. Katherine Banks announced the colleges of Geosciences, Liberal Arts and Science would be consolidated into a new College of Arts and Science based on the report written by MGT Consulting of America.

Banks’ decision is puzzling for a few reasons. First, it is based on a recommendation from a consulting company currently under criminal investigation — ironically for mismanagement of school funds — in Colorado, but let’s give Banks the benefit of the doubt since this development is relatively recent. What’s worse is that Banks’ attempt to grow our arts and sciences programs will ultimately hinder their growth. All we need to do is look at A&M’s history, other universities’ successes and our fellow Aggies’ concerns.

History Consider first that A&M had a College of Arts and Science in the past. According to an old newspaper from, yours truly, The Battalion on July 15, 1965, the university split its old College of Arts and Science into what we now know as Liberal Arts and Science. The College of Geosciences opened in October of the same year. This reorganization was ordered to “strengthen offerings in both colleges and allow proper emphasis to be placed in each area.”

Now, these colleges are being combined to reform the College of Arts and Science, an institution students at the time saw to be ineffective. The Battalion’s editorial staff at the time said the social and behavioral sciences “suffered neglect both at A&M and on a national scale since the emphasis on physical science began.”

Of course, those words were written over 50 years ago by the voice of a very different student body. Banks wouldn’t have been a student in Aggieland, let alone its president. The A&M of the 1960s was in a far different situation than what we face today. At least, that’s what one would generally think.

One of Banks’ concerns per the seminal Vision 2020 plan is that A&M will “never be seen as a premier institution nationally without a far stronger letters, arts and sciences program.” But, former A&M President James Earl Rudder’s administration had the same concern, hence why the old College of Arts and Sciences was reorganized.

In fact, the benefits of that division are still visible today. Geosciences students can conduct research in radiogenic isotopes. Anthropology students can roleplay Indiana Jones at undergraduate excavations. Karen Wooley, Ph.D., of the chemistry department won the SEC

Professor of the Year award in 2021 for her research and mentorship. (She was even featured in an advertisement that played during every SEC football game).

Sure, consolidating the colleges would cut down administrative costs. You’d have two fewer deans to pay, only one system and more overlap between faculty. However, the three colleges’ abilities to adequately serve their respective students’ unique needs is a small price to pay in the grand scheme.

Think of it like this — Texas, California and Maine all have different state governments. Would combining them into one megastate save money? Yes. There would be two fewer legislatures, two fewer governors and, in general, fewer government entities. However, Texas has far different needs than

THE BATTALION

Texas A&M announced the creation of a separate College of Liberal Arts in 1965.

California. The same can be said for the colleges of Liberal Arts, Science and Geosciences.

Each department’s individual successes alone warrant their own administration.

However, if we look at our neighbors, we also see that the colleges being separate is not the problem.

Other universities I already know what I’m about to say will be unpopular, and the redass part of me already hates it. I’m going to ask everyone to set aside our rivalry with the University of Texas, or UT. (And no, as much as I want to, I will not be referring to them as anything else). I’m not saying it’s a better school than A&M — I’m an Aggie for a reason. However, let’s take a look at how the U.S. News & World Report ranks UT versus A&M. For context, UT has separate colleges of Liberal Arts, Natural Sciences and Geosciences like A&M before the change occurs in September. For graduate programs in humanities, UT was ranked 19th, 17th and 11th in political science, English and history, respectively. A&M trailed at 28th, 73rd and 67th in the same respective categories. In geosciences, or earth science, UT is a national leader at seventh place compared to A&M’s 31st.

Now, one could look at these numbers and argue they’re the reason Aggieland needs radical reorganization. However, our rival’s national recognition clearly demonstrates that the lack of unity

between liberal arts, science and geosciences is not the reason why A&M isn’t well known for its prowess outside of engineering.

Ignoring teaching staff and curriculum, the divide in A&M’s attention is painfully apparent in the stratification of its facilities. In my time as an engineer, my only experience with the College of Science has been in Blocker and Heldenfels, two crusty old buildings with steep stairs that steal the breath from any Aggie who dares climb them. The Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building is nice, but it’s rarely used for classes. Geosciences fares a little better with the towering Oceanography & Meteorology Building and state-of-the-art weather labs. Liberal arts lays claim to the relatively new Liberal Arts and Humanities building.

None of these structures compare to the opulent masterpiece that is the Zachry Engineering Education Complex. After a $228 million renovation and a goal to have 25,000 engineers by 2025, it’s clear where the university’s focus lies. Many of these endeavors are supported by former students’ generous donations, but without equal investment into other programs, A&M will stagnate as an engineering-first school rather than the well-rounded powerhouse Banks imagines.

Students’ concerns What is often most overlooked when balancing budgets, planning logistics and fighting PR nightmares is how a decision will affect students. Banks took many student and faculty opinions into consideration before finalizing which MGT recommendations she accepted.

However, many Aggies like environmental geosciences junior Kate Faris are still worried about the future.

“Some of my concerns with merging with some larger colleges is losing that element of community,” Faris said.

“Having that tight-knit community specifically within an education setting has been so helpful.”

The academic realignment would possibly preserve different academic departments to still preserve that community, but merging into a bigger college presented Faris with other administrative fears.

“Advising in the College of Geosciences is amazing,” Faris said. “You have the same advisor all four years.”

With the merge into a larger institution that carries the potential for more advising overlap, Faris said she is worried the one-on-one connection will be lost.

With the administrative shifts, there are also concerns some research programs may be lost.

“For students, one of the biggest research programs on our campus is the International Ocean Discovery Program, or IODP,” Faris said. “Losing a lot of those administrators that have been with IODP for years … is going to be a big turnoff for them.”

Most concerningly, Banks’ decision to consolidate the College of Geosciences may have the opposite effect as intended.

“If I had just seen a College of Arts and Sciences, [A&M] wouldn’t have been as set apart from other universities,” Faris said.

Instead of creating a “critical mass,”

these departments would slowly lose their identityies and appeal to future Aggies.

While many of Fairs’ concerns are admittedly speculative, you’d be hard pressed to find any student from the tobe consolidated colleges who is happy about the academic realignment. Many of the 14,000 students affected share Faris’s concerns, and they deserve to have some of these questions addressed.

Compounding these concerns is a recent email ordering several liberal arts departments to vacate their historic home in the Academic Building. Hispanic studies, sociology, the Race and Ethnic Studies Institute and more will soon be without a home and still have no details as to where they will be relocated.

Students rightfully feel marginalized and ignored in favor of other programs, namely engineering. The Banks administration has done little to provide a concrete plan for the affected departments, or if they have, it has been poorly communicated. Because these changes aren’t accompanied by additional steps, students and faculty — even including the interim dean — are left flailing in the dark.

University administrators have an obligation to provide more communication with Aggies who are significantly affected by their decisions to reorganize A&M. If the Banks administration continues to shake up the university without engaging the community, they fail to uphold A&M’s Core Values of Leadership and Selfless Service. Because if the people who you “lead” are in the dark and upset, their service isn’t selfless.

Where do we go from here?

Looking back at our history and past successes, it’s clear that creating three distinct colleges who have three unique missions has been beneficial to the university’s image, created a better society and effectively served generations of students.

Unfortunately, it seems as if Aggies will wear burnt orange before Banks changes her mind and halts the academic realignment. At this point, it’s almost inevitable that the successor to the College of Arts and Sciences will be reborn to serve a far larger and more diverse student body.

Some of the recommendations from the MGT report are good, but the consolidation of three significant colleges is not one of them. The equivalent of an entire section of Kyle Field cried out in opposition, only to be met with silence.

Leaving fellow Aggies feeling confused and alone is unacceptable.

The Banks administration needs to reach out and engage with students more, perhaps by hosting a town hall or continuing to accept feedback regarding the upcoming changes. Our president needs to do something to assuage fears and be directly accountable to the students she leads.

We’ll wait for our leaders to show us the Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service we expect. In the meantime, do not go gentle into one college.

Caleb Powell is a biomedical engineering junior and opinion editor for The Battalion.

NEWS

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The Battalion |1.27.22

Aggies need, One Stop gives

Cameron Johnson — THE BATTALION

Texas A&M’s Aggie One Stop, located in the General Services Complex, offers services for students across a variety of academic needs, including advising for Scholarships & Financial Aid and the Office of the Registrar.

New office provides guidance for students’ academic careers

By Richa Shah @WhoIsRichaShah Need to register for classes and apply for scholarships? Don’t want to run from office to office? The new Aggie One Stop has advisors to help you with all of your out-of-classroom needs.

For the ease of a one-stop-shop to handle

all life and academic needs, Texas A&M’s Aggie One Stop has advisors who can be reached via phone, email and walk-in appointments for services from the Scholarships & Financial Aid Office, the Office of the Registrar, the Office of Admissions and more.

Though talks of a service similar to One Stop have been going on for years, it truly kicked off in the fall of 2020. Aggie One Stop director Darren Curry joined the service last March and said One Stop will help guide students from before their first day in Aggieland to their last.

“Even helping with transferring academic records and transcripts, [One Stop] is like customer service for everything,” Curry said.

“From application to enrollment to graduation.”

One Stop helps students understand the effects their actions have on their billing structure as well as their degree plan. Curry said a student may not be privy to all the ways their actions can affect their time at A&M, and One Stop ensures an advisor is equipped to explain each of the potential consequences. For example, Curry said if a student were to drop a class,

their financial aid eligibility as well as their remaining degree plan may change.

“The goal is to reduce the frustration and surprises that come from all this information,” Curry said. “One Stop advisors are trained across the board to help students holistically.”

Assistant Vice President for Scholarships & Financial Aid Delisa Falks said Aggie One Stop is staffed with roughly 35 professional staff members and 25 part-time student employees to ensure the student perspective is also taken into account.

“One Stop has services for veteran and military students as well,” Falks said. “[A&M] wants to be more student-centric.”

Falks said she hopes students benefit from being able to email any questions they have or get in a virtual queue that gives regular wait time updates.

“Students are very busy, and now, they don’t have to run around. We tell them exactly when their appointment is,” Falks said. “[One Stop] also complements parents so they do not have to wait at an office or stay on hold indefinitely.”

Similarly, as soon as students visit the One Stop website, “Miss Rev” is available to chat about any general inquiries. Curry said he hopes to program Miss Rev for more specific, detailed information in the future.

“The chat can provide students with any basic information they need,” Curry said.

“Miss Rev is a bit of a puppy with the chat services, but has been trained.”

With a new semester beginning, students have begun flocking to One Stop to take full advantage of its services. Biochemistry junior Youstina Soliman said she has already used One Stop’s services twice for information regarding her financial aid status and her degree plan requirements. Soliman said she opted to use the chat feature as well as go to walk-in appointments. With wait times of less than an hour, Soliman said she received text updates regarding her appointment.

“I had to stay after class unexpectedly and [I] was able to push my appointment back just enough for me to arrive on time,” Soliman said. “That way, I knew I would not have to waste time I could have spent studying.”

Aggie One Stop appointment text updates allow students to check the number of minutes left in their wait time, to leave the line and to ask for more time before their appointment.

After being assigned an advisor, students are free to ask any questions about any of the services offered by One Stop.

“I had my questions answered face-to-face at a time that worked for me,” Soliman said.

“It was super easy and convenient.”

For more information, visit Aggie One Stop on the first floor of the General Services Complex.

NEWS

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The Battalion | 1.27.22

For distinguished international studies professor Richard Golsan, this move is a point of concern. Given the lack of clarity on how the International Studies Department will be divided up into the Bush School, the move will be further complicated.

“As far as the reorganization of the department, that involves moving some faculty and courses to the Bush School, and the rest is not

entirely clear yet — we’ve known about that since the end of last semester,” Golsan said.

“But Hispanic studies and sociology, both of those departments have been in there as long as I have been here. I arrived in 1984.”

Given nearly 40 years as an educator at Texas A&M, Golsan himself has been a part of four different iterations of the International Studies Department. He said despite having been moved around various times, this announcement still came as a shock.

“The announcement of the move from the Academic Building, there was no lead up to that; it seemed to catch everybody by surprise,” Golsan said. “We have not been told where we’re going to move, or if we’re going to be able to stay in certain departments. It’s a little bit disconcerting to everyone. As far as we know, we’re also losing the classroom space in the Academic Building, which affects a lot of departments, not just the ones in the building.”

What concerns Golsan the most, he said, is the rapid pace of this change, as President M. Katherine Banks hopes to have the College of Arts and Sciences combined and operational

by Sept. 1. “[This move is] part of a restructuring of the entire university, but it’s only a piece of that puzzle,” Golsan said. “As far as the restructuring of the university, there’s things that I like about it, [and] there’s things that I’m wary of. The speed at which this is being done is disconcerting for a lot of people. That is the president’s decision to do it quickly, so that’s what we’re dealing with.”

Though the email is clear in outlining the changes, there is still no concrete information regarding where the relocating departments will go, nor what will occupy the soon-to-be free space. International Studies department head Stefanie Harris said in an email to The Battalion that nothing else has been communicated to her or her faculty and staff beyond Oberhelman’s email.

“The working group on the Bush School

will be working out the details concerning the move of the international studies program to the Bush School. Dean Mark Welsh is the working group lead,” Harris said in the email.

“At this point I do not have any information to share beyond what was described in President Banks’ ‘Path Forward’ document.”

On top of the significant effect on offices and classrooms, Joseph said another concern is rehousing the three research spaces, especially given how the Race and Ethnic Studies Institute was specifically mentioned within the report as receiving an expansion.

“It is very, very interesting to see the university backtracking on promises for racial progress and equity, especially because the Department of Sociology within the College of Liberal Arts does have some of the highest numbers for diversity, equity and inclusion,” Joseph said. “For researchers to be losing that space, it’s like, you only did [diversity efforts] on paper, but you very clearly do not care.

You’re moving the institute and you’re also moving the people who do the actual work of diversity.”

Joseph said they also believe this uprooting may cause students in the liberal arts field to reconsider their attendance at A&M. “What is the incentive to stay here? If you’re not a STEM major then there’s just none, there’s no question,” Joseph said.

Golsan said he hopes his department and the students within international studies will be able to find a new space, after losing one that has served them well for many years.

“Most of our international studies courses, especially the upper level ones, are in Academic Building,” Golsan said. “That’s the home, that’s where they know to go. I see a lot of them in the hallways when they’re not in classes. Hopefully there will be another location where they can feel at home again.”

as boosters,” Hartman said. “A full third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is given to immunocompromised patients. Shots will be given only to those age 12 and older.”

Beyond campus, Hartman shared vaccine locations across town including the Texas A&M Health Family Care Clinic in Bryan, which is offering vaccines by appointment on Wednesdays from 1-4 p.m.

The White House has also played a proactive role in trying to stop the national spread of COVID-19 with the distribution of at-home tests through the U.S. Postal Service, a Jan.

14 White House press release said. The tests are limited to four boxes per household with two kits per box; to request the tests to be delivered, individuals should fill out the online form.

“Testing is an important tool to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Public health experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, [or CDC], recommend that Americans use at-home tests if they begin to have symptoms, at least five days after coming in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 or are gathering indoors with a

group of people who are at risk of severe disease or unvaccinated,” the release reads.

The Biden administration also announced on Jan. 19 that 400 million KN95 masks will be delivered to pharmacies across the nation, according to AP News. Since the announcement of the lower efficiency of cloth masks from the CDC, the administration hopes to get the most effective masks to many Americans to slow the spread of omicron.

Samuel Falade — THE BATTALION

The Academic Building has housed the departments of Hispanic Studies and Sociology for over 40 years.

RELOCATION CONTINUED “Currently, there is no definitive place where our classes always are, we just get put in random spaces … It’s still very much up in the air. People have made jokes that we’re just going to get moved to a basement somewhere.”

COVID-19 UPDATE CONTINUED Theatre on Friday, Jan. 28, Thursday, Feb. 3 and Friday, Feb. 11 from 12-4 p.m. each day.

No scheduling is required for these appointments, though organizers request individuals to get in line by 4 p.m. to ensure they receive a vaccine. Campus members wishing to get a vaccine should bring their vaccine card, if they have one.

“Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be available for first, second and third doses, as well

Editor’s Note: University administrators did not respond for comment at the time of publication.

SPORTS

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The Battalion | 1.27.22

Aggies hope to chase new records After impressive start to track, field season, A&M prepares for Lubbock

By Michael Horton @mhhort The Texas Aggie Invitational gave many athletes something to smile about to kick off the outdoor season, but game faces will be on for the first road test of the spring.

On Jan. 28, Texas A&M track and field is scheduled to compete in the Texas Tech Open and Multis at Sport Performance Center in Lubbock. The two-day meet will host 23 total programs including Oklahoma, Florida State and SEC rival Auburn.

The Aggies are coming off a sensational showing at the Texas Aggie Invitational, in which 34 athletes tied or broke personal marks and the men’s and women’s squads both took home first place by wide margins.

Sophomore Carter Bajoit and senior Mason Corbin are coming off a record-setting weekend and will be in prime positions to build upon their 7-1.5/2.17m high jump, a mark which currently sits at eighth in program history.

Following last weekend’s milestone, Corbin described the team-first dynamic in the maroon and white high jump team, specifically shouting out teammates Bajoit, freshman Ishmel Williams and junior Jake Lamberth.

“The group with Carter [Bajoit], Jake

GITTENS CONTINUED ence of E.B. Cushing Stadium, now 6,590 miles away in College Station.

Representing Trinidad and Tobago as well as A&M, Gittens placed 10th in the women’s long jump, which was the only event she competed in. As one of the younger track and field athletes there, Gittens said she was satisfied with her performance, but knows she has much room to grow.

“I had just come off a very long and tiring season. I knew I could function and still produce great work [even while] fatigued,” Gittens said. “My coach was not with me, so I kind of just had to wing it. I am proud of how I adapted, and 10th place isn’t bad at all.

This time was definitely an experience; next time, it’s business.”

Gittens’ athletic career started at a young age where she spent most of her time in a gymnasium balancing on beams and perfecting her tumbling. As a gymnast, technique, posture and strength were all critical aspects of the sport in order to do well, which later on

[Lamberth] and Ish [Williams] has gotten close,” Corbin said. “We all get along well, we train hard, we push each other in practice and we all like to see each other succeed.”

The men’s and women’s pole vaulting team is also primed for a big weekend in Lubbock. Last weekend, freshman Heather Abadie notched a personal best mark of 4.18m, earning first place in the process. Sophomore Zach Davis followed up with a top-three finish of his own, nabbing second place in the men’s vault with a personal best of 5.15m.

The men’s 4x400m relay team will be on display as well, coming off an explosive showing. The squad earned a personal best time of 3:07.33 in the event, a full 10 seconds ahead of second place. Junior Gavin Hoffpauir and freshman Cooper Cawthra are also planning for a tightly contested race, as the two runners finished just 0.04 seconds apart in their mile run last weekend.

The women’s 4x400m relay team won by an even wider margin, securing first place by nearly 17 seconds, a performance the squad certainly hopes to emulate in Lubbock. The women’s short distance runners are also ready to compete after strong showings. Senior Zhane Smith is coming off a personal best time of 7.29 in the 60m, and senior Deshae Wise enters the weekend with a blazing 24.06 in the 200m.

The two-day event is slated to start at 3 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 28. The second day of action kicks off at 10 a.m. on Jan. 29.

assisted her track career.

At the age of six, Gittens decided it was time to retire the leotard. However, Gittens’ competitive spirit never died, and at 13, she slipped on her first pair of spikes and hit the track.

Looking back at her childhood, the Gittens family moved from Saint Augustine, Trinidad, to Nashville, Tenn., where Gittens attended The Ensworth School. In high school, Gittens racked up 17 outdoor state titles in five different events and decided to bring her talents down to A&M, a culture she was not familiar with, but eventually adapted to.

“When I was a freshman, I thought the chants were a little obnoxious,” Gittens said.

“Once I got older, I realized this is a part of being an Aggie. It’s amazing how Aggies help other Aggies. Aggies stick together and Aggies get things done.”

During her four-year career as an Aggie, she captured six school records in different events including indoor and outdoor long jump, high jump, the indoor pentathlon and the outdoor heptathlon. Her plethora of awards, titles and records speak for themselves,

Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

Freshman pole vaulter Heather Abadie took first place overall at the Ted Nelson Invitational on Jan. 15.

as seen with her placement on the 2021 Bowerman Watch List.

Looking deeper at her career as a successful athlete, times were not always sunny and bright.

The Summer Olympic Games were originally scheduled for 2020, however, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the events back until 2021. Gittens said she was grateful for the delay because she felt she would not have been ready in 2020, adding that her mentality was not where it needed to be and she took some time during the pandemic to alter it.

“It was hard not being around my teammates and coach for training,” Gittens said.

“It really showed my lack of discipline on my own. I had to do a lot of soul searching. I had to break down in order to rebuild.”

If it was not for now-fiance Donovan Spotsville, Class of 2018, Gittens said she would not have developed into the woman she is now.

The love story between the two Aggies started just as any modern day romance — on Tinder. The now-engaged couple swiped right, knowing a three-year age gap separated them, but that did not prevent the love and

support they had for each other.

“He definitely played a big part in my development,” Gittens said. “It’s motivating to be around people like that. For a while, our relationship was me learning from him, because I did have a lot to learn.”

Throughout Gittens’ college career, Spotsville, a die-hard Aggie, attended all the events he could and even strengthened her mind off the track as well. The couple got engaged in September of 2021 and plan on starting a life together very soon.

“It’s hard to have a bad time around her,” Spotsville said. “I have never met anyone that is so happy all the time. I think a lot of people could use that type of personality in their life.”

Gittens, who graduated in December, announced her decision not to return for her final season at A&M on Jan. 17, and will be moving to jumpstart the rest of her professional career.

Although her time at A&M has come to a close, Gittens said she will never forget the way the university transformed her and is proud of the legacy she has left in Aggieland.

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SILVERTAPS

7

The Battalion | 1.27.22

Silver Taps January 24, 2003 — December 18, 2021

CHANCE MCKAY GIBSON A leading athlete who always went the extra mile

By Kathryn Miller @Kathrynmiller0

A

loving son, brother, boyfriend, friend, athlete, teammate and student — Chance McKay Gibson did it all.

Born Jan. 24, 2003, in Houston to Spencer, Class of 2001, and Jana Gibson, Chance lived to ensure he made his mark on the world.

As a three-year letter winner in cross country and track and field at The Woodlands High School, Chance achieved his dream of becoming a cross country and track athlete at Texas A&M. While at A&M, Chance competed in the Aggie Opener 5K and the Texas A&M Invitational 8K during his freshman year.

His father Spencer said his favorite memories of Chance were watching him compete and run. He said Chance was a team player, even in a seemingly individualistic sport like track.

“I loved just seeing how it was very important to him that the team succeeded,” Gibson said. “Not just him — but the team. Even in a sport like track where it can be individual, he didn’t care about that. He just wanted the team to win.”

On the day of Chance’s passing, A&M track and field head coach Pat Henry made a statement on behalf of the team.

“Chance was a great young person with a bright future,” Henry said. “He will be missed by everyone that came in contact with him. It is a sad day for Texas A&M, and our hearts are broken for his family and friends.”

As shown through his athletic achievements, Spencer said Chance enjoyed working hard and was dedicated to everything he did. Something he said he’ll always remember about Chance is watching him mature from just a kid into someone who decided to do something with his life that was important to him — running.

“His dream was to be a student-athlete at A&M, and about his sophomore year [of high school,] it just clicked for him that that’s what was going to happen,” Spencer said. “And I saw a lot of things change and how he went about doing things. He was an example to me that when you really focus on something, you can do it and have your dreams come true. I hope my other kids also saw that in their brother and saw what can happen when you really dedicate yourself.”

Spencer said Chance was really lucky to be a part of the A&M community and the track and field team — everyone

PROVIDED

Chance McKay Gibson, a sport management freshman from The Woodlands, passed away Dec. 18, 2021.

welcomed him with open arms.

“He felt at home and part of that program so quickly,” Spencer said. “He was only there a semester and made some really, really good friends. I just remember talking with him one time when he came home on a Friday. I said, ‘Chance, I hope you understand how lucky you are to have the things that you do as part of being a student-athlete. You’re part of a very small number of students at A&M. You’re so lucky.’ He knew that.”

Sarah Thomas, Chance’s girlfriend, said he was one-of-akind.

“There’s no one quite like him,” Thomas said. “He would always put others before him. And he always made sure everyone around him was OK before he focused on himself. He was a really, really hard worker. He knew what he wanted in life and what he wanted to accomplish, and he set out for it.

He didn’t need help from anyone because he just wanted to do it all on his own.”

Chance was very selfless when it came to the people he loved and the people around him, Thomas said. She and Chance always had fun, no matter what they were doing, and something she said she’ll always remember was watching the

A&M-Alabama football game with Chance in Kyle Field last October. She said she loved being able to see Chance and the world he formed at A&M and all the friends he met.

“There are just certain little things about him,” Thomas said. “He loved having a Coke ICEE. He loved playing video games. And he loved cars. One of his favorite things in his life was his Dodge Challenger. He would take it to get cleaned with his dad and go through the carwash; it was his favorite thing to do. He would always go fishing with his friends. I think he mostly liked it because he would just tell me how he was better than all his friends at fishing, and it made him really happy to help them out.”

Biology sophomore Brock Bleicher, a childhood friend and high school teammate of Chance, said his favorite thing about Chance was his joy.

“Every time I saw him he had a smile on his face,” Bleicher said. “He just lit up the room — and he wasn’t the most outgoing person to everybody. But if you were one of his good friends, he was always there for you. He was always there to talk and was such a loyal person. The energy he brought in the cross country locker room was just amazing.”

Bleicher said his favorite memories with Chance include their trip to Portland, Ore., for a cross country meet in high school, where Brock said he loved spending time with him, and their trips to A&M baseball games.

“For one, he had a joy for life. He just loved every minute of it,” Bleicher said. “Everybody he just talked to and loved — he just loved them so much. When he started something he’d do it 110%. Whether it was running or being a friend, he would always do it to his full capability. He just never went halfway, he went the full distance.”

Chance had a heart of gold and loved deeply, Thomas said.

“I know he’s looking down on everyone,” Thomas said.

“He loved, and wants everyone to have the best life that they can and to live for him and make him proud. I know that he wouldn’t want us to be sad, so I try to keep that in my head.

He didn’t like when people worried about him, so I know he would just want all of us to do our best in life.”

Thomas had a final message for the team which welcomed Chance with such open arms.

“To the A&M track and field team: Thank you for making my son feel so welcome in being a part of the team. [You all have] been great. Even now, after Chance, my phone has been blowing up with texts and social media hits just from the teammates, and I’ll never forget that, I know that. I want you all to know how much we appreciate everything. To Chance, and to us now that we’re in this spot.”

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THE BATTALION is published Thursdays during the 2021 spring semester (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center.

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Go Online to tx.ag/BuyTheAggieland or call 979-845-2697 to make your purchase.

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All proceeds from sales go back to the students in some way and keep alive this Texas A&M tradition that was started in 1895.

SILVERTAPS

8

The Battalion | 1.27.22

Silver Taps October 10, 1998 — November 12, 2021

DEVIN JOE SEBASTIAN ‘To the core, a stand-up Aggie’

By Michaela Rush @michaela4batt

D

the crowd.

evin “Seabass” Joe Sebastian was an outgoing student with an infectious laugh and strength of character that set him apart from

Devin, a construction science senior from Franklin, was a friend to all. One of his best friends, Austin Davis, Class of 2020, said Devin had everything someone would want in a friend.

“Seabass was always the life of the party,” Davis said. “I never met one person that hung out with Seabass and didn’t want to hang out with him again. [He had] honesty and loyalty to his friends; if he said he was going to do something, by God he was going to do it. From a friend’s perspective, that’s priceless.”

On the note of his dedication to friends, long-time friend Hunter Mack said, in an email to The Battalion, when he was feeling down about missing a weekend with friends, Devin went out of his way to help and would offer to accompany him.

“Devin offered to come with me and help me and my grandfather working that weekend,” Mack said. “He didn’t have to do this … but he was such a good friend he didn’t want me to spend that weekend alone. The drive there we shared story after story of the times we spent together in high school as well as college. During this drive I thought to myself, ‘Damn, I am extremely blessed to have a friend who loves me like Seabass does.’”

Devin’s parents, Donald and Kaci Sebastian, said this commitment to the important people in his life was always a big part of his personality.

“He was very well-liked, goal-driven, well-mannered, with

PROVIDED

Devin Joe Sebastian, a construction science senior, will be honored at Tuesday’s Silver Taps ceremony.

a strong work ethic and very loving. He was an amazing son and brother to his younger brother, Brett,” Donald said. “He was an outgoing personality and had an infectious smile. He was always loyal to those he cared about.”

Another close friend, Maxwell Viladevall, Class of 2021, said Devin’s manners and respect to those around him were always plentiful.

“Devin is well-mannered; his parents did such a good job raising him,” Viladevall said. “His parents raised him with a lot

of respect. Every room he walked into, he lightened up the mood, he was always smiling and laughing … you knew his laugh from a mile away.”

Viladevall, Davis and Mack all agreed Devin treated them, and their other close friends, like family.

“When Seabass moved to my high school, my life changed in a good way,” Mack said. “He was my brother … he loved me and I loved him equally. He would tell me he looked up to me as a big brother because I was a year older than him.

He pushed me to become a better person everyday because I knew he was looking up to me, and he continues to look down on me everyday and pushes me to become the best version of myself.”

One of Devin’s most important relationships was with his younger brother. Viladevall said, “Seabass took pride in being a good big brother to his little brother. He always talked about how much he loved his little brother, he loved him more than anything.”

After playing high school football together, the Davis and Sebastian families grew close through their sons, Davis said.

“I started doing a lot of things with his family, and he started doing a lot of things with my family,” Davis said. “He was my best friend, and we both looked up to each other.”

Being an Aggie, and upholding the six Core Values, was something Devin lived out in his everyday life. Davis said Devin was the best example of why those values matter.

“His integrity was No. 1, if he was going to do something, he’d do it right,” Davis said. “He was going to make sure you were very much taken care of. He showed respect, to his elders and to his friends. At the end of the day, [he] had nothing but respect for everybody, and he showed that respect. If you could show a PowerPoint about a man who had Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service, he embodied every single one of them. To his core, he was a stand-up Aggie.”

August 15, 1995 — December 13, 2021

MIRANDA ELIZABETH MECKEL A passionate person and horse lover who cared for everyone

By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel

A

selfless daughter and friend who never knew a stranger, commanded a room and hoped to help others heal.

Born in Houston on Aug. 15, 1995, to parents Kevin and DeAnn Mitchell, Miranda was a strong-willed person from a young age. She was a planner, who constantly strived for the next move and worked to achieve her goals while preparing for the next.

Her parents said, even as a young child, Miranda was not afraid to speak her mind and was confident in the choices she made, which translated into her job as an ER nurse at CHI St. Joseph Hospital.

“They loved her [at the hospital],” Kevin said. “In fact, one of the doctors told us that she would call and ask who’s working [that night] because they wanted to work on the same shift with Miranda. She was not just a ‘yes man,’ she would question them and would challenge them and a good doctor will appreciate that.”

Not only was she highly loved at work, DeAnn said Miranda never knew a stranger and would make friends everywhere, including school, work and church camp as a child.

“She was not shy at all, she could connect with almost anyone,” DeAnn said. “Within a few minutes, you felt like you knew her. People felt like [they had] known her forever and they just met. She used that [skill] in her nursing and in everything that she did.”

Miranda’s love of horses began young, starting lessons at 11 years old with coach Becky Hellums-Hendricks. It was this love of horses that would propel Miranda to compete with various rodeo outlets including the Fort Bend County Youth Rodeo Association, Women’s Professional Rodeo Association and Texas A&M Rodeo Team and to become a member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo “Horspitality” team.

“She was so passionate about horses,” Hellum-Hendricks said. “She was so talented. [Her] love and who she was really came through to the horse as well.”

Her mother said she would constantly spread her love of horses to her friends as well and always included them on chores and errands so they could learn to love the rodeo world, too.

“She pulled people into what she did,” DeAnn said. “Everybody ended up being a horse person and loving horses or knowing something about horses, whether you wanted to or not. Miranda just pulled people together. Whatever she was doing, she involved everyone around her.”

As she got older, she began to help younger kids, much like herself, find horses of their own and learn how to ride so they could compete in rodeo.

“All of it was natural, not just her riding ability, but [also]

PROVIDED

Miranda Elizabeth Meckel, family nurse practicioner program graduate student from Caldwell, passed away on Dec. 13, 2021.

her natural ability to spot a good one and spot problems,” DeAnn said. “One of her junior high girls that she gave lessons to went to state in poles last spring on a horse that [Miranda] found for her.”

Though their relationship began through horse lessons, Hellums-Hendricks said her love of Miranda grew through a friendship they had outside of lessons. With activities such as grabbing lunch or just chatting about life, Hellums-Hendricks said Miranda always knew how to brighten her day.

“She was one of the best people you’re ever going to know,” Hellum-Hendricks said. “She took care of her patients that way. She took care of her friends that way, she took [care of] her husband that way and she cared for horses that way.”

June 1, 2019, was a great day for Miranda, as she married the love of her life, Trent Meckel. She knew early on that Trent was the one. To top off the day, a few hours before the wedding, Miranda received her NCLEX scores and was then designated as a registered nurse.

Trent said Miranda constantly lived out the A&M Core Values in everyday life and strived to help anyone in any situation.

“Those Core Values were her. If someone was just to describe Miranda, I think even without being an Aggie, and not knowing the Core Values, [you would say], ‘She lived up to all those values,’” Trent said. “It wasn’t because she was an Aggie, it was just how good of a person she was.”

Constantly keeping busy with friends and family, her patients and her horses, Miranda had time for it all, Trent said.

“Somehow she found 28 hours in a day. She could get more

done in one day than I think anyone could ever do,” Trent said. “She kept everyone on their toes. She loved helping people and would give her shirt off her back to anyone, regardless of what was going on.”

In addition to all her hard work, Trent said Miranda will be remembered for her goofiness, which is something he particularly enjoyed.

“She walked into a room and nothing could keep her down,” Trent said. “She was just always silly, there was never a dull moment.”

Miranda’s love of others was truly shown through the lives she impacted, Hellum-Hendricks said, which was evident in the number of friends who she visited regularly, and she was never afraid to lend a helping hand.

“In all my years I’ve never met a friend like her. I mean, even with all the years between us,” Hellums-Hendricks said.

“For me knowing her as long as I did, and just seeing what she would do [for others]. She would do whatever she [could] to help me, among many other people. She [could] anticipate what we would need or what they would need and she’d sacrifice her own time.”

During her prerequisites for nursing school, Miranda befriended Linda Yallonardo, and their relationship quickly grew over their love of animals. Yallonardo said Miranda was a very driven person, giving her everything to nursing, her horses and simply in her day-to-day interactions. “[Miranda was] a force of nature. I’ve never met anybody like her,” Yallonardo said. “She was somebody that owned the room, and she would make friends with everybody and their dogs. People were just drawn to her all the time, she was just a very bright person, always in a good mood.”

Yallonardo said Miranda worked hard for her goals with her horses and dedicated a lot of time to the craft, though without knowing it, Miranda was constantly serving as an inspiration to all those around her. “[Miranda was] somebody [who] could have a goal and go for it, visualize it and know that you can get there,” Yallonardo said. “I don’t think she ever knew things that were impossible, she would just go for it; that’s one [thing] that I can keep in mind and [plan] to honor her by [continuing to] do that.”

In her honor, a foundation, Miranda’s Nurses on Horses, is being created to award scholarships to nursing students who are as passionate about horses and rodeo as Miranda was. The family is anticipating to award the first scholarship for fall 2022 semester. To date, the fund has collected over $30,000 through a combination of Venmo, GoFundMe and direct donations.

“It’s really hard to be a horse person once you get to college because it takes a lot of time. It’s hard to have space for it and financially, it’s difficult,” Kevin said. “The scholarship was just to keep Miranda’s legacy going. She did a good job already on her own, but to help other students that are doing hard things [like the] medical field and keeping your horses, that’s a full time thing.”