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WHAT’S INSIDE? Warrants a must in cell phones searches SHSU student creates art classes for spring Students, faculty honored at banquet

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Volume 125/ Issue 24

Facebook.com/ TheHoustonian Tuesday, April 15, 2014

BOWLING

NATIONAL CHAMPS!

SHSU bowling brings home first championship JEREMY VILLANUEVA Sports Editor For the first time since Sam Houston State entered NCAA division I in 1986, the Bearkats are national champions.

SHSU’s bowling team rolled past 2013 NCAA champions Nebraska 4-2 in the NCAA Championships Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.

The championship comes in the bowling squad’s fourth year as an NCAA sanctioned sport.

“This has been the dream from the beginning,” head coach Brad Hagen said. “Four years ago we started this program with a national title as our goal.”

The Bearkats entered the championships Thursday as the seventh seed among the eight teams vying for the title. After going 2-5 on the opening day, the Bearkats were placed at eighth heading into the double-elimination portion of the tournament Friday.

In the Bearkats two previous trips to the Championships, SHSU had yet to pull off a win in doubleelimination, getting knocked out of the tournament at 0-2 in 2011 and 2012.

In Friday’s double-elimination, the Bearkats defeated No. 1 Maryland Eastern Shore and finished the day going 3-0 to advance to the championship Saturday against Nebraska.

SHSU and Nebraska had faced head-to-head two teams prior to the national championship, with the Bearkats winning both matches 4-2 at the Arkansas State Mid-Winter Invitational on January 23 and 4-3 a week later in Arlington.

Courtesy NCAA

HISTORY STRIKES. In just the team’s fourth year of existence, Sam Houston State University’s bowling squad claimed the NCAA Championships after defeating the 2013 NCAA Champions Nebraska. The Bearkats split the first four games of the best-of-seven series before taking game five and six for the win.

Yet the third time wouldn’t be a charm for the Cornhuskers.

SHSU began Saturday splitting the first four games in the best-of-seven series against the Cornhuskers. The Bearkats claimed the first and third games of the series 181-166 and 193-190, respectively.

SPIRIT TEAM

Spirit wows at nationals CONNOR HYDE Editor-in-Chief The Sam Houston State University Orange Pride dance team and cheer programs made their names known in the national spotlight at the annual National Dance Alliance competition in Daytona Beach, Fla., this weekend.

SHSU’s all-girls cheer team won first place overall in Division I for the first time in team history, as Orange Pride brought home second place and the co-ed cheer squad secured third place in their respective competitions.

Brian McColphin, assistant director of student activities who oversees the spirit programs, said he’s never seen “a team so driven to get back and prove themselves” than the all-girl cheer team.

“I was so proud of the girls and they worked so hard,” he said.

“Last year, they got second and they lost by .01 points. It was very inspiring.”

According to McColphin, the all-girls cheer team is comprised of underclassmen.

Despite competing with a young team,

McColphin said they were able to avoid deductions that kept them from first place in 2013.

“The overall skill was a lot more difficult,” he said. “We hit every single piece in our routine. We had a couple of bobbles, but we were able to save it.”

The Orange Pride dance team went into the competition as the defending four-time champions. Before traveling to the competition, Orange Pride coach Courtney Sutton told the Houstonian her team also has a young group of girls to defend their title.

Although Orange Pride didn’t win first place, they placed second against 21 other teams in Open Division I. Sophomore team captain Natalie Nunez said taking second place was extremely hard.

Nunez added although taking second was difficult, she’s ready to compete next year.

“There’s nothing we can do about it now but fight and dance harder next year to get the title back.”

In the fifth game, the Bearkats struck with momentum.

Beginning the game with four strikes, SHSU topped the game off with an additional two to win 205191 with senior Kimi Davidson finishing the game off with her strike in the tenth frame.

“Coach and I made a couple

of adjustments,” Davidson said.

“After that, I just took a deep breath and let the ball roll.”

Davidson then carried over her success in the fifth game over to the sixth to win the series 4-2 and give the bowling program and SHSU it’s first NCAA Championship.

The Bearkats will lose Davidson

and senior Neishka Cardona for next season, but after the two were part of the inaugural team, Hagen couldn’t ask for any better finish to the two’s collegiate career.

“The two seniors have been great leaders for us,” Hagen said.

CAMPUS

Runoffs, protests plague SGA JAY R. JORDAN Associate Editor After a two-day voting period, students decided they wanted Student Government Association’s University Affairs Chief Spencer Copeland as their next student body president.

With 54.12 percent of the student vote, the president-elect carried the victory over Emmanuel Omoegbele with a 12.05 percent margin. Although, only 1,312 students out of Sam Houston State University’s 19,214 student population voted in a 6.8 percent voter turnout.

However, Omoegbele already filed an official protest for the election results. Omoegbele’s full name is Oseremen Emmanuel Omoegbele, and the fact that his first name appeared on the ballot,

ROAD CLOSURE A portion of Avenue J on the campus of Sam Houston State University will be closed Tuesday from 6 a.m. until noon due to construction, according to the

he said, cost him the election.

“The name that I filed under was Emmanuel Omoegbele and not my legal name, Oseremen Omoegbele,” he said in his protest letter. “Multiple [SHSU] students were extremely confused, because they didn’t know who Oseremen Omoegbele was.”

According to the SGA Election Code, candidate’s applications must have the full name of the candidate, which is how it appears on the ballot. SGA’s official list of candidates shows that Omoegbele put his legal first name on the application since the name on the official list came from his application, according to election coordinator Kolby Flowers.

The commission is meeting Tuesday at 8 a.m. to review the protest. Follow @TheHoustonian for updates.

DEFINITIVE VICTORY Also on the ballot was the rest of the executive board, SGA senator elections and various constitutional referendums.

The vice presidential and chief of staff positions resulted in a runoff election because none of the candidates received at least 50 percent of the student vote.

Drew Carson and Brooke Hunter will square off in a runoff election for the vice presidential position. Robert Ferguson and Tyler Patek will also compete in a runoff for the chief of staff position.

JoAnna Moore won the secretary position with 55.97 percent of the vote. Sam Iredia won the treasurer position with 53.35 percent of the vote. For more information on the SGA election, visit houstonianonline.com.

Office of Facilities Planning and Construction.

The portion of the street to be blocked off is between the new Student Health and Counseling Center and the Psychological Services building, near Bearkat Boulevard’s intersection with

Avenue J. Crossing guards will be available to direct pedestrian and vehicular traffic at the appropriate locations while the construction is underway.

Page 2

News

Tuesday, April 15, 2014 houstonianonline.com/news

CAMPUS

NATION

Exoneree at center of GCJD talk

Income tax day looming for students

KARAH RUCKER Contributing Reporter

JENNIFER JACKSON Contributing Reporter The deadline to file your 2013 federal income tax return is Tuesday, whether you are prepared or not.

Tax season has an aura of stress surrounding it that for some students depending on how they file, may or may not be true.

Senior mass communication major Lauren Adkins has been filing her own taxes for a few years and encourages other students to file as well.

“My taxes are simple enough since I work part time, where it’s not too difficult and I can use free services,” Adkins said. “Although I am still considered dependent on my parents, learning how to do my own taxes was important so as to not stay that way.”

Cyrell Williams, the care service provider for H&R Block in Huntsville, explained what it means for students to file as a dependent or independent.

“If students are counted as an exemption by their parents, they can only earn money based on their W-2, but if they file independently, they can claim their 1098 form, which can provide several benefits,” Williams said.

There are two credits: the American Opportunity Credit, which applies to undergraduate students, and the Lifetime Learning Credit for graduate students.

“Students can receive up to $4,000 in refunds if they claim one of the offered credits,” Williams said. “If they have exhausted both those credits, they can file for Tuition and Fees Deduction.”

Williams said while getting the full $4,000 is a rare occurrence, students normally receive a refund anywhere from $1,000 to $2,500.

“Students may not have to file a tax return if they earn below a certain amount of income, an attractive option for students who are anxious about filing,” Williams said. “The other side of that is that if they are working part time, and taxes are being taken out of their pay and being sent to the government. If they don’t file, then they will never get any kind of refund back. They leave money on the table.”

According to the Internal Revenue Service website, most people younger than 65 who have a gross income less than $10,000 are not required to file a return.

Students who are dependents or do not have a job may also consider not filing at all.

There are ways to apply for an extension to file.

It is unfathomable to anyone who has not experienced it.

Eighteen years of freedom and life stripped away because of a wrongful conviction, Anthony Graves, otherwise known as Death Row Exoneree 138, shared his experience with Sam Houston State University at an event on Saturday.

“Social Justice and Music,” part of the 52nd Annual SHSU Contemporary Music Festival, was a panel including Graves and criminal justice experts including founder and chief counsel for the Innocence Project of Texas Jeff Blackburn. “[In] all the wrongful conviction cases that I have done, there has been some element of dishonesty,

deceit or political ambition on the part of prosecutors or judges,” Blackburn said. “There came a point where they couldn’t play by the rules and have done what they wanted to do.”

Falsely accused of assisting in six murders, Graves was wrongly convicted with no evidence tying him to the scene but solely on a shaky testimony, according to Graves.

After being imprisoned for 18 years, spending 12 of those years on death row, 16 of those years in solitary confinement and having two execution dates, Graves was released and freed by the State of Texas in October 2010.

“I struggled for the most part when I first came out, because I had not been here in 18 and a half years, so technology and everything had changed,” Graves said. “I felt like amongst millions of people, I was alone. So it was

really hard to make adjustments, but I have come a long way today.”

Graves has since traveled the world to speak to others about injustices in the United States justice system and has become a prominent activist for at-risk youth, constructing the Anthony Graves Foundation to aid children whose lives have been disrupted by the criminal justice system.

“When I first went in, it was all about ‘why me?’” Graves said.

“Then when I get out, and I travel the globe to educate people, I say ‘why not me?’ Look at the impact I’m making with this story. So why not me?”

Graves’s conviction was overturned because attorneys had withheld testimony and provided false statements during his trial. In January, Graves filed a grievance against District Attorney Charles Sebesta, who he said wrongfully convicted him.

“There’s a problem here, which is why I was wrongly convicted,” Graves said. “True compensation is to make a system that’s fair and just for us all.”

According to the Innocence Project, there have been 316 postconviction DNA exonerations in the United States. The total number of years served by exonerees is approximately 4,232.

Hoping to prevent others from having to go through what he endured, Graves uses his experience and wisdom to make a difference in the world that put him behind bars.

“I’m not angry, bitter or resentful,” Graves said. “I am just using this story to encourage and inspire. I am taking back my life.”

The School of Music and The Global Center for Journalism and Democracy co-hosted the panel.

NATION

Obamacare enrollment reaches deadline SEAN SMITH Contributing Reporter The Affordable Care Act open enrollment period ended March 31, but thanks to an extension the uninsured can sign up for health care until Tuesday.

Due to the large amount of enrollees signing up for healthcare. gov marketplace insurance March 31, the already fragile website became plagued with technical issues early that morning, according to ABC affiliate wowktv. com.

Numerous problems affected the open enrollment period and were not limited to the website.

There were issues with paper applications and the federal call center that provided information on the enrollment process. The combination of all these problems led the federal government to extend the enrollment period to midnight.

A major hurdle for this new marketplace has been providing awareness of the availability of affordable health insurance and the changes to national policy

regarding coverage.

Mitzi Mahoney, professor of political science at Sam Houston State University, said public awareness of ACA is important to the marketplace’s success.

“A number of nonprofit organizations, community groups, religious institutions and political parties have worked to promote public awareness of the ACA, encouraging people to sign up,” Mahoney said. “Some of these groups have worked oneon-one with individuals to help individuals navigate through the sign up process.”

Mahoney added the availability of affordable health insurance through the marketplace has allowed many uninsured people to find a plan best suited for them. “[People] have not been able to purchase [coverage] previously either because of pre-existing conditions or the high cost of an individual policy over a group policy,” Mahoney said. “The ACA reduces some of the hurdles to getting insurance coverage.”

The open enrollment period, which began Oct. 1, 2013, is the

period during which individuals, families and small businesses can apply for health insurance plans or change their existing coverage.

Sophomore education major Nabil Valenzuela said she will look at the healthcare.gov marketplace when she begins shopping for insurance for herself.

“I’m going to look at the marketplace when I begin shopping for health coverage in a few years,” she said. “As of right now I am on my parent’s plan, but I have no idea what is going to happen or change in a few years.”

Under the Affordable Care Act, a child can stay on his or her parent’s plan until he or she turns 26 years old.

Sophomore nursing major Brooke Nell said her family’s policy changed shortly after the Affordable Care Act became effective.

“I’m still on my parents’ plan since I’m not 26 yet, but I know our policy changed and our benefits are different than they were before the law changed,” she said.

If an individual is uninsured after the deadline passes, he or

she may have to pay a penalty fee.

Penalty fees can be calculated in two ways.

A flat fee of $95 per individual in a household ($47.50 for children under 18 years of age) is applied up to $285. However, the penalty fee can be calculated as one percent of a household’s yearly income as well. The penalty that will be paid is whichever is higher, according to healthcare.gov.

This fee does not ensure coverage. People who do not have health coverage who have paid the fee will also have to pay the entirety of their medical bills.

Healthcare.gov warns that this leaves the person vulnerable to very high medical bills that can lead to bankruptcy.

As long as an enrollee’s attempt to enroll began before the ordinal deadline, he or she is qualified for the deadline extension. A link on the healthcare.gov site contains an application to apply for the deadline extension and requires the applicant to explain the problems they have experience while enrolling.

CAMPUS

Students win Director’s Trophy at TIPA JAY R. JORDAN Associate Editor Sam Houston State University students won the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association’s (TIPA) Director’s Trophy for the second year in a row Saturday in San Antonio, defeating 47 other

Texas colleges and universities.

After winning the inaugural trophy in 2013, SHSU once again took top prize for gaining the most points during TIPA’s on-site competitions.

Student who won or placed in this year’s competition include: • Public relations and

advertising major Cody Lewis, first place in TV Sports Writing and second place in TV Advertising • Broadcast journalism major Steven Snook, first place in News Video Package • Broadcast production major Trent Scott, first place for Radio Sports Writing

• Broadcast journalism major Alexis Bloomer, first place for English Radio Anchor • Broadcast journalism major Laney Fritz, second place for English TV Anchor • M u l t i p l a t f o r m —

TIPA, page 6

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Page 3

Viewpoints

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Equality for Homecoming GAMMA SIGMA KAPPA

Dear Editor, The mission of Gamma Sigma Kappa (Gay Straight Alliance at Sam Houston State University) is to empower the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community and its allies on campus at Sam Houston State University by building community and fostering acceptance for all.

One way we move closer to

accomplishing our mission is to stay involved in the political process at SHSU. Senate Bill S14-21, introduced

by Senator Alex Rangel, offers an opportunity for the Student Government Association to continue its history of inclusion and progress. We fully support the removal of gender requirements for the position of Homecoming King and Queen.

Passing the bill promotes and supports diversity and provides students with the opportunity to run for homecoming royalty,

while embracing the gender with which they identify. We see this need evident in our growing transgender population who are not legally recognized as the gender with which they identify.

SB S14-21 shows support, compassion and appreciation to those who are at a disadvantage in our hetero-normative society.

Gamma Sigma Kappa seeks to be a voice of full inclusion at Sam Houston State University and invites members of the Student Government Association to join us as we celebrate the life and gifts

PAWS UP

of those Bearkats who are unique.

Thank you, Cody Brannan, President David Zavala, Vice President Anthony Ormsbee, Treasurer Robert Aguilar, Secretary Marina Miller, Marketing Director Kayla Stallings, Historian Gamma Sigma Kappa Gay Straight Alliance at SHSU

NATION

Cell phones searches need warrants

PAWS UP to SHSU Bowling: “Smokey, this is not ‘Nam. This is bowling. There are rules.”

Congrats to the SHSU Bowling Team for abiding those rules and bringing home the National Championship!

PAWS UP to Sonic: The fastfood chain is offering half-priced drinks all day today in honor of (or in revulsion to) Tax Day!

PAWS UP to Bubba Watson: Two green jackets in three years and to celebrate, the Masters winner went to Waffle House where he was greeted by a cacophony of golf claps from a gallery of morbidly obese patrons.

BRENT LEITH Columnist Later this month the Supreme Court will hear two separate Fourth Amendment cases, Riley v. California and United States v.

Wurie, regarding the warrantless searches of cell phones by police of lawfully arrested individuals.

Both David Riley and Brima Wurie were convicted of crimes partially based on evidence obtained from their cell phones without a warrant. While in custody, the two defendants had their cell phones confiscated along with the rest of their possessions at the time of arrest. Using information obtained via each man’s cell phone, the police were able to tie them to other crimes and eventually earn convictions.

Should police be allowed to utilize information obtained from suspects’ cell phones to advance their investigations without obtaining a warrant from court?

The police already have quite a bit of leeway in this area due to prior jurisprudence. They may search an arrested individual’s personal effects, including a vehicle, without a warrant on the basis of probable cause. Typically the police might turn up illegal substances or firearms in these legal searches. Evidence obtained this way leads to convictions frequently.

Probable cause is a reasonable tool for law enforcement to have, and I learned from personal experience that probable cause is, in and of itself, an adequate advantage over crime. I was once swarmed by police cars in Houston because the vehicle I was a passenger in was the same make, model and color of a vehicle seen fleeing an armed robbery an hour

PAWS DOWN

Kjetil Ree

PRIVACY ISSUE. The Supreme Court will decide later this month whether or not police can search detained suspects’ cell phones without obtaining a warrant.

earlier.

We sat in silence for several tense minutes while a dozen officers surrounded our car. We had no way of knowing why we were pulled over, let alone why they had their guns drawn. They finally approached and carefully removed us from the car and turned the vehicle inside out.

They removed the contents of our pockets, including our cell phones, but to the best of my knowledge didn’t actually access any information on our phones.

Finding no evidence linking us to a robbery, the police explained the misunderstanding as though it would make a funny story back at the station, and then released us.

We drove home nervously while reconsidering the things we took for granted.

Of course we were neither armed nor dangerous, but at least one car full of dangerous criminals was roaming the streets of Houston that night, so I can understand the response. I cannot imagine that a crucial piece of

evidence might have existed on our cell phones with no other damning evidence in sight. Cell phone evidence wasn’t crucial to the arrest of Riley or Wurie either, and could have been excluded from a warrantless search without changing the outcome of the crimes for which the men were originally detained.

Cell phones are more than the contents of our pockets.

They contain troves of personal information, more than can fit in a filing cabinet and a dozen photo albums. It seems obvious to me that cell phone searches can reasonably be postponed until a warrant can be obtained when the police already have the necessary probable cause to arrest an individual.

That is more or less the suggestion that the American Civil Liberties Union made in its amicus brief on the Riley case as well. They argue that warrantless cell phone searches are akin to entering an arrested individual’s home without a warrant and rifling

through every document, drawer and unopened envelope. With today’s cell phone technology, that barely qualifies as an analogy. It is exactly that.

Though the answers in these cases are obvious, I am at a loss to guess which way the court will go.

Five of our esteemed justices have proven time and time again that they will side against common sense capriciously. Add to that the propensity of lawmakers to misunderstand technology when attempting to apply existing laws to it, and the cases could go either way.

I am grateful to the ACLU and the other civil rights and technology rights organizations that weighed in on the cases.

There is a desperate need to discuss emerging technology and its relationship with the spirit of existing laws. Since these cases will be heard before a meaningful discussion happens, we can only hope the analogy-laden briefs can bridge the gap and aid common sense.

PAWS DOWN to US Airways: They found the missing jetliner!

Nah, just kidding. The company posted a totally NSFW picture on its Twitter account of a model jet (which may or may not have been missing) in some woman’s hoo-hoo. That’s what Snapchat’s for, sillies.

PAWS DOWN to Viagra ice cream: A British ice cream maker concocted the treat, so medicated men worldwide can now blame their sticky fingers on dessert.

PAWS DOWN to Game of Thrones: Caveats about Westerosi weddings and requisite body counts, but Joffery’s death felt so anticlimactic and not nearly as rewarding as it could’ve been.

The Houstonian Editorial

The Houstonian was named in the top 100 college newspapers for journalism students by JournalismDegree.org. Members of Associated Collegiate Press and Texas Intercolligiate Press Association.

EDITOR’S NOTE Articles, letters and cartoons by Houstonian staff members or others in this paper are their own and not the opinion of the Houstonian, unless it is noted as such. Submissions and letters to the editor are welcome. Please send submissions to viewpoints@houstonianonline.com. Articles may be edited for grammar and spelling at discretion of editor. Unsolicited oppinions should be 150 words or under. Please contact us if you wish to submit anything longer. Deadline for submission is by 5 p.m. on Mondays or Wednesdays.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Connor Hyde ........................................................................................................................................936-294-1505 FACULTY ADVISER Robin Johnson..................................................................................................................................936-294-1499 STAFF Jay R. Jordan .................................................................................................................................Associate Editor Colin Harris...................................................................................................................................Viewpoints Editor Jeremy Villanueva..................................................................................................................................Sports Editor Kizzie Frank.............................................................................................................................Entertainment Editor Stephen Green...........................................................................................................................................Web Editor Kassidy Turnpaugh.............................................................................................................. Assistant News Editor Dharmesh Patel.........................................................................................................Assistant Entertainment Editor Marissa Hill........................................................................................................................................Sports Reporter Hannah Zedeker.................................................................................................................................Senior Reporter Steven Snook.............................................................................................................................Multimedia Reporter Samantha Zambrano.............................................................................................................................Layout Editor Lillie Muyskens..............................................................................................................................Graphic Designer Staff Reporter(s)................................................... Kyle Kelly, Brynn Castro, Raveen Johnson and Alex Broussard

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Arts&Entertainment

Tuesday, April 15, 2014 houstonianonline.com/a-e

CITY

Student creates art classes at Wynne Home KATE SAUTER Contributing Reporter Politics and art are crossing paths this month as a political science major from Sam Houston State University has organized a number of arts classes for the spring semester and summer at the Wynne Home Arts Center.

Freshman Kayla Strouse is responsible for an assortment of classes currently in session.

Strouse recently became an intern at the center and will also teach three of the scheduled baton twirling classes.

The classes being offered are ceramic mask making, photography for nonprofessionals, mommy and me: beginning art, and oil painting.

A creative collage class is also being featured using a variety of objects to create collages from every day materials.

There is also the option for children to participate in the class “Drawing Learned the Easy Way” or “Sculpture in Clay.” An open studio is offered for individuals with basic knowledge of pottery sculpting. Attendees will be able use the studio and equipment on site. A facilitator will be on hand for trouble-shooting and advice.

There are also three different baton twirling classes being taught

by Strouse every Monday, starting with basics to baton twirling,

Courtesy Jessica Rodgriguez

FROM THE CLAY. “Sculpture in Clay” classes at the Wynne Home Arts Center have begun early April.

Classes will go throughout the month. Children who have attended have created these sculptures (top) just in time for Easter. Classes were organized by SHSU student, Kayla Strouse. (Right) Local artist and teacher at Wynne Home Tamara Chasteen helps students at a mosaic collage class.

CAMPUS

New group ‘salsas’ way into campus RAVEEN JOHNSON Staff Reporter A new dance organization spreading different styles of Latin dance to all cultures has shuffled its way to Sam Houston State University.

Bailamos is a new organization on campus that promotes the Latin culture through various styles of dance. The club, established in February, practices and teaches several different styles of Latin dance including Salsa, Pachata, Meringue, and Kumbia.

Founder and President Kerrie Hall created the organization as

a means of expression for her and other students that share her passion and interest in dance, she said.

“I was looking for an organization that catered to a less traditional style of Latin dance, and Sam Houston didn’t have one so I figured, why not start one myself?” Hall said.

Hall said she plans to teach students different dances and routines that they may not be familiar with. She hopes that every member will gain a greater appreciation for the Latin culture she added.

“I want to spark a cultural emersion through dance,” Hall said.

Although the organization is

still fresh, the membership has held a constant average of four to five members each week since it began. One of the members, pre-veterinary major Gabriela Chavez, took the initiative to aid Hall in leading the organization as the group’s secretary.

“I have been dancing since I was a little girl, and I think it is important to stay close to your cultural background,” Chavez said.

With a Latin background, Chavez hopes to teach all of the members the significance of her culture through the various dances that are practiced in Bailamos.

Hall and Chavez work collectively to create unique

choreography each week. They are currently focused on the basics and practicing an elementary level of Latin dance. Hall said she plans to do more advanced dance styles as the organization grows.

“I have been Latin dancing for about five years so I would love to start an organization like this that can carry on even after I graduate,” she said.

Students interested in joining Bailamos, email Kerrie Hall at shsu_bailamos13@yahoo. com. Bailamos meeting are open to everyone and are held on Thursdays at 8 p.m. in the Recreational Sports Center multi-purpose room one.

Mother Kissers and Golden Popcorn The 22nd annual MTV Movie Awards on Sunday night were filled with laughs, fashion and awkward celebrity encounters, but some standout moments had the internet and social media buzzing.

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” received the highest honor with Movie of the Year where Josh Hutcherson gave a shout out to his recently deceased costar Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Actress Jordana Brewster presented a touching tribute to deceased actor Paul Walker and reduced the normally rowdy crowd into silence as they watched a montage of his movies flash across the screen.

It was Eminem and Rihanna that really got the crowd moving with their highly anticipated hit song “Monster” giving audiences a preview of their upcoming tour.

“I love Eminem and Rihanna singing together. ‘Monster’ is such a good song and I have had it on repeat since it came out,” Stephanie Sanchez, SHSU sophomore mass communication major said. “They have such a good energy together and it shows on stage.”

Similar to previous awards, the show began with an opening comedic sequence featuring host Conan O’Brian and 49 celebrities from all areas of entertainment.

“Kids don’t laugh anymore. They see celebrities and they go woo,” Conan said during the segment.

And “woo” they did, loud and at the mere mention of a celebrity.

MTV started the show off with one of the most anticipated presenters, Lupita Nyong’o, who looked flawless in a three-dimensional

and tired Chanel cocktail dress, according to Hollywood Life.

Nyong’o has transformed her look through fashion and movie roles and on Sunday night she appropriately presented the “Golden Popcorn” to Jerod Leto for Best On-Screen Transformation.

Leto managed to quite the crowd as he gave a heartfelt and emotionally charged acceptance speech pertaining to his award winning role for “Dallas Buyers Club”.

Sam Houston State University mass communication major Kerrie Hall said the subject of AIDS that surrounded the issue was important to talk about even during the award show.

“I think the topic of AIDS is an important discussion to have, especially with such a large audience of young people, and the MTV Movie Awards are the perfect platform to talk about such a serious issue,” Hall said. “However, it was kind of a buzzkill but Lupita was on point last night.”

After Leto’s speech, the tone of the awards instantly changed and the punch lines and laughs tore through the crowd, often at the expense of Taylor Swift.

Zac Efron has been in and out of the tabloids recently but that didn’t stop him from winning the award for the Best Shirtless Performance for his work in “That Awkward Moment.”

Singer Rita Ora helped solidify his newly crowned title by ripping his shirt off and causing the crowd to go into a frenzy. Several musical acts kept the show rolling along with performances by twenty one pilots, Ellie Goulding and Zedd featuring Matthew Koma and Miriam Bryant.

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baton twirling with dance, and baton twirling for teens.

Most classes are only one day a week and the times differ for each class. Upon registration, a list of necessary supplies for participants to bring from home for each class is given.

According to Wynne Home staff member Jessica Rodriguez, some of the most popular classes are photography and the mommy and me course. The latter class is a way for parents and caretakers to work with their child to create their own works of art. It is designed to stimulate visual awareness and promote hand-eye coordination.

“This is a gateway for us to provide art classes to people in an affordable way. The teachers do this out of the kindness of their hearts and it is a great way for people of all ages to keep learning,” Rodriguez said.

Confirmed classes for the summer are pottery and photography. The final schedule will be available to the public at the end of May or the beginning of June.

“This spring we had the brand new course, ceramic mask making, and a lot of people were really excited about that class. You never know what classes are going to come up for the next semester,” Rodriguez said.

Other notable moments included Channing Tatum winning the Trailblazer Award, Seth Rogan making out with his mom as he presented the award for best kiss, and Mark Walberg foul mouthed acceptance speech for the Generation Award.

The show didn’t have a traditional ending with a musical performance but rather a simple “That’s our show goodnight” from host Conan O’Brian.

Shirtless actors, mother kissers and moving dedications are just a part of the MTV Movie Awards and they will have people talking about them for weeks to come.

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Page 5

Sports

Tuesday, April 15, 2014 houstonianonline.com/sports

FOOTBALL

Offense controls Orange vs. White ROBERT SANDOVAL Contributing Reporter

Sam Houston State football’s offense and defense put on a show as spring football came to an end Friday night at Bowers Stadium with the offense edging their defense 84-70.

Redshirt freshman Don King III started off the game at quarterback and finished with 14 completions for 165 yards and two touchdowns.

“I felt I did pretty well,” King said. “I probably had a couple of mental mistakes, but other than that, I felt I played pretty well.”

The offense played an up-tempo style under offensive coordinator Phil Longo that provided a lot of explosion down the field.

With SHSU having to replace four-year starter Brian Bell, the Bearkats are searching for the man to lead the offense. Freshman John Roderique led the second team on offense and gave a reason why the position is still up for grabs and no one is to be ruled out to be next season’s starter.

Roderique showed flashes of mobility to complement his passing game. After taking a huge shot early on in the scrimmage.

“It kind of hurt but I told myself I wasn’t going to be done and I was going to get back up and do my best,” he said.

Roderique showed off his wheels at the end of the game when he shed tackles and raced to the end zone for a 60-yard touchdown.

Redshirt freshman Jared Johnson didn’t get to see time on the field Friday night due to an injury that kept him sidelined.

With three months until SHSU’s opening game against Eastern Washington, head coach K.C. Keeler said it is impossible to say who would start the game at this point.

“We have a really good competition and nothing is solidified,” he said.

The running game looks to be a strong point for the Bearkats heading into next season as the tailbacks showed off fast agility and lateral quickness. SHSU’s depth in the backfield could provide the team with a ton of skill and game-changing potential

Brian Blalock | GoBearkats

SEE(KING) GREATNESS. Redshirt freshman quarterback Don King III looks downfield ready to air the ball out as he displayed his talents and chances at the starting position come fall’s season opener against Eastern Washington.

when the running backs touch the ball.

Running backs Samuel Kelly and Steven Hicks battled their way to the end zone.

Kelly and Hicks powered their way for touchdowns on their own inside defensive territory.

Despite the high scoring game, the Bearkats defense had some solid stops and

made two big plays.

Denzell Barnett had an interception off quarterback Logan Taylor followed by a forced fumble to hold the offense from scoring.

The Bearkats have struggled with injuries on defense and hope to get those potential starters healthy and back in time for the season opener.

“There is a lot still out there in the tank,” Keeler said. “We are going to need those guys because we are playing the number one team in the country to start the season off.

SHSU will kick-off their 2014 campaign against Eastern Washington Aug. 23 on ESPN.

SOFTBALL

Alex Broussard | The Houstonian

FOCUSED. Junior infielder Sarah Allison waits for a hit from Texas Southern on March 18’s 7-3 win. Since then, SHSU has accumulated a 12-4 record.

Kats win HBU series 2-1 MARISSA HILL Sports Reporter Sam Houston State softball’s seven-game winning streak ended Sunday afternoon as the Bearkats lost the final game of the Houston Baptist series 3-2.

However, the Bearkats did manage the doubleheader sweep Saturday afternoon in Houston, defeating the Huskies 2-1 and 7-0, respectively.

SHSU racked up 20 hits in their opening games against HBU with right fielder Cecilia Castillo and first baseman Sarah Allison each contributing four hits for the day.

HBU drew first blood in the first inning of the series opener, batting in a run off a homerun from Lauren Schrwirtlich.

Junior center fielder Jessica Slater answered the Huskies’ lone run with one of her own. She scored on a throwing error from HBU’s center fielder.

With the game tied at 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning, senior second baseman Alyssa Coggins singled up the middle of the field, batting in sophomore Jennie Kieval.

Along with Coggins’ single, senior pitcher Shelby Lancaster had a solid performance in the circle as only four Huskies recorded hits during the first game.

The Huskies couldn’t muster another surge to take the victory for the first game, giving SHSU the 2-1 win.

SHSU ran with their momentum into the next game of the doubleheader with a landslide 7-0 victory.

The Bearkats opened with three

consecutive doubles from third baseman Tori Koerselman, shortstop Tayler Gray and right fielder Cecilia Castillo.

Allison delivered the knockout to the Huskies with her home run to left field. She batted in three Bearkats, giving them a 5-0 lead before HBU even saw the plate.

The Huskies could not recover from the Bearkats’ fiery first inning as they never managed to gather any offense.

“We focused on the little things necessary to win,” Coggins said. “Our defense was great. We did a good job of not letting get momentum.”

SHSU couldn’t completely retain that energy in Sunday’s game as HBU stole the series finale 3-2 in the final inning.

Slater and sophomore catcher Tiffany Castillo gave the Bearkats their first two runs. Castillo knocked a solo homer to center field as Gray scored Slater on a ground ball.

The Bearkats allowed the Huskies to tie the game at 2-2 on a throwing error. Then HBU scored the winning run with a double from right fielder Victoria Granchelli.

With the change in momentum, Coggins said SHSU didn’t come with their full intensity.

“We had trouble executing with runners on base,” she said. “We left them the opportunity to win the game, and eventually they did just that.”

SHSU will head back to the road for one more game against Texas A&M Wednesday in College Station.

First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m.

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As graduation quickly approaches at Sam Houston State University, graduating seniors and various students were honored at the Department of Mass Communication’s annual banquet Monday.

The banquet hosted nearly 200 mass communication students, faculty and staff as they came together to pay tribute to the most distinguished members of the college. Thirty-five students received scholarships and awards from the university.

One senior from each mass communication concentration was recognized for their outstanding achievements.

The seniors recognized were Trent Scott with a broadcast journalism concentration, Stephen Green with a multiplatform journalism concentration, Gabriela Finney with a broadcast production concentration, Darian Fisher with a media management concentration, Molly Waddell with a print journalism concentration, Patricia Morales del Bostu with a public relations concentration and Taylor Blystone with a film concentration.

In addition, Global Center for Journalism and Democracy director Kelli Arena announced the winner of the Dan Rather Internship as junior mass

communication major Alexis Bloomer.

The Dan Rather Internship takes one distinguished mass communications student from SHSU to New York for two months where they work hand-in-hand with Rather himself.

The internship receives dozens of applicants from juniors every year who are put through a series of rigorous tests and interviews, according to Arena.

“After we made the cut, they took the top five [finalists] into the process of interviews,” Bloomer said. “Supposedly, it was very close between two people. So what they did is they had us write a report about minimum wage, something we would hand over to Dan Rather himself.”

Bloomer has spent her past three years at SHSU working her way toward winning the internship.

“I came to college with that one goal,” Bloomer said. “I engaged myself in as many organizations as I could, got myself out there and really engaged myself within the media world to make it so I could be a better applicant.”

Along with the many honored students, a number of faculty members were also recognized for reaching milestones in their careers. The faculty members include Arena for five years of service, Janet Bridges for 10 years and Christopher White for 25 years.

JUMPS

TIPA,

page 2

journalism major Jay R. Jordan, third place for Print News Writing • Print journalism major Colin Harris, third place for TV News Writing • M u l t i p l a t f o r m journalism major Stephen Green, third place for Front Page Layout • Broadcast journalism major Jackie Villafranco, third place for Spanish TV Anchor and honorable mention for Spanish News Writing • M u l t i p l a t f o r m journalism major Lizeth De La Garza, honorable mention for Spanish Radio Anchor • Film major Dharmesh Patel, honorable mention for radio advertising “The truth about being a journalist is about being both fast and having the ability to

write fast,” Department of Mass Communication chair Jean Bodon, Ph.D., said. “I think we are doing a great job, the faculty are doing a great job here in preparing students to be great journalists.”

SHSU students also claimed victory in different previously submitted categories, which include works produced in students news organizations prior to the competition.

Top winners include film major Jonathan Kinsey, who won first place for his documentary “Illuminate” and John Lopez, Justin O’Neal and Anthony Yanez for their educational program “Blacksmith Shop.”

Broadcast operation manager LeeAn Muns attended the competition at TIPA and said she foresees a “threepeat” for next year’s competition.

“I knew our students were well

prepared for the TIPA event,” Muns said. “The broadcast kids.

I helped train them. We worked for several weeks prior to the competition to make sure that we were ready.”

Bodon said this year’s performance by SHSU reflects the attitude and work done in the classrooms on campus.

“I was afraid that we weren’t going to do as well as we did last year,” Bodon said. “When we won, I was extremely excited in view of the competition. In view of the competition, with places… like Rice University and Texas A&M, I was very, very proud of what we’re doing in news.”

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