Wednesday, February 14, 2018
The Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University
The Official News Source of Sam Houston State University CASTING CALL, P. 2 The College of Fine Arts and Mass Communication is looking for students and faculty for a new film. Volume 129 | Issue 16
SHSU funding has early success RYAN REYNOLDS Editor-in-Chief Sam Houston State University is closing in on its five-year campaign funding goal of $125 million just one year into the process. The university has currently raised $85 million for the “Honoring Traditions. Creating Futures” campaign. The “Honoring Traditions. Creating Futures” campaign launched in January 2017 and is scheduled for completion by 2020. According to Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications Kristina Kaskel-Ruiz, the overarching goal for the campaign is to support the futures of SHSU students, which includes scholarships. “One of the most profound benefits of donor support is scholarships,” Ruiz said. “Thanks to many generous individuals and organizations, students are getting an educational opportunity that may not otherwise be available. Last year, SHSU students were awarded 3,731 scholarships for over $8.7 million dollars.” A recent study by the Student Loan Report analyzed data for 500 public colleges and universities. Each school was ranked from highest to lowest according to average scholarship financial aid per undergraduate, and the top 250 schools made the list. SHSU was ranked at 127; 16 Texas universities made the cut. The campaign is divided into four areas of focus including: academics and student enrichment, agricultural facilities, academic support for health sciences and athletic facility upgrades. Bearkat Athletics has already seen an improvement to locker rooms, and Johnson Coliseum received an extensive makeover in Fall 2016: a revamped training room, a media room for postgame interviews, upgraded bleachers, an additional concessions area and a redesigned maple hardwood court. “It’s pretty cool having the new locker room,” senior guard Cameron Delaney said. “It’s a huge upgrade from where we used to be. It’s more spacious and it makes us kind of look like a professional team. It just shows what direction this program is heading in.” The university has also seen tremendous growth to its infrastructure in the past decade. The Fred Pirkle Engineering Technology Center opened last year and is now providing a clean and modern space for the Department of Agriculture Sciences and Engineering faculty and students. SHSU also opened the Piney Woods Hall in 2017, which houses 684 Bearkats and cost $60 million. Along with new academic buildings and housing options, SHSU also added a dining hall in Spring 2017. Funding continues on page 2
FIFTY SHADES FREED, P. 3 Marina DeLeon reviews the final installment in the Fifty Shades of Grey series.
HUMANS AT SAM, P. 4 Lindsey Henry of Fox 26 takes this week’s spotlight for being an Emmynominated reporter.
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SOCIAL MEDIA, P. 5 Find out how SHSU student-athletes avoid making costly mistakes on social media. @HoustonianSHSU
SOFTBALL SEASON, P. 5 Softball season is here and the Kats are preparing for their first home tournament since 2009. HoustonianOnline.com
Crowning Achievement: Learning about LSC Brianna Beigel, Miss Sam Houston 2018 renovation brings new ‘chill’ spot to SHSU with campus pub
NEW AMENITIES. The Lowman Student Center is undergoing a makeover that includes a wide-range of enhancements, one of which is an on-campus pub that will serve wine and beer,
EMILY DAVIS News/Viewpoints Editor Photo courtesy Brian Blalock
PASSING THE CROWN. Sophomore Pre-Nursing major Brianna Beigel being crowned Miss Sam Houston 2018 at the Miss Sam Houston pageant on Feb. 8 in the Lowman Student Center Ballroom. Every year 12 influential women of SHSU represent their organization and compete for the title “Miss Sam Houston.”
SHARON RAISSI Campus Culture Editor When sophomore pre-nursing student Brianna Beigel was crowned Miss Sam Houston, she received a $1,500 scholarship, a one-semester meal plan, $500 to an organization of her choice, and a one-way ticket to an experience unlike any she has ever had. During the annual Miss Sam Houston pageant on Feb. 8, Beigel’s life as she knew it changed drastically. After her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, asked her to represent them in the pageant, Beigel agreed; she never imagined where it would lead her.
“I did not know what I was getting myself into,” Beigel said. “My sorority nominated me to represent them, and of course I was happy to do that. I’m super grateful for the opportunity. It was definitely a whirlwind.” Prior to Miss Sam Houston, Beigel had no pageant experience of any kind. She soon discovered that the pageant life was not quite as glamorous as she had expected. “We had to get a swimsuit and a formal dress,” Beigel said. “I actually just used things I already had. I used my mom’s old bathing suit and my old prom dress. The night of the pageant, I was painting my toes backstage an hour before. It’s
not all glam as people assume, but it was a lot of fun.” Beigel grew up training to be a professional ballerina, so the stage is nothing new to her. A few portions of the competition, however, took some adjustment. “I was not comfortable at first, walking around in a bathing suit and heels in front of people such as my grandma and my grandpa,” Beigel recalled. “But, that was the beauty of it. It really promoted believing in yourself and being comfortable in your own skin. The other girls were super supportive. We all did it together, so it was a good learning experience.” Pageant continues on page 3
Changes to campus traffic flow coming after Spring Break, Bearkats bear mixed emotions
Map courtesy Sam Houston State University Facilities Management
LEISURE DRIVE. Sam Houston State University Facilities Management announced that campus will see a change to traffic flow following Spring Break. The map shows that certain streets will be converted to one-ways in order to improve safety for student and faculty. Story on page 2
An on-campus pub is in the plans as part of the Lowman Student Center renovation and expansion. The renovations will begin March 9, and the pub is expected to open Spring 2019. According to the Sam Houston State University Office of Communications, the Division of Student Affairs relied heavily on student input during the assessment phase of the LSC renovation and expansion. A pub was among a number of amenities that were proposed. “When time came to vote for the project, students overwhelmingly supported the pub concept as part of the renovation/expansion scope,” Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications Kristina Kaskel-Ruiz said. Aramark, SHSU’s food vendor, will operate the pub. The drinks offered at the establishment will consist only of beer and wine. “The pub and the distribution and consumption of alcohol on campus will be subject to all laws and related university policies that are in place at the time of its opening,” Ruiz said. According to SHSU’s current Alcoholic Beverage Distribution Policy, the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages on any property owned and/or controlled by the university are prohibited except where permitted explicitly by published policies. The policy also includes that the legal age for the purchase, consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages in the state of Texas is 21. Both current and former students are already enthusiastic toward the upcoming project. “It would have been amazing to have a drink with friends after finishing a final or an extremely hard test,” Aluma Hope Dibrel said. “I’m glad future and current Bearkats are going to have a place to socialize and drink, if they are of age on campus. It’s a great idea.” Pub continues on page 2
The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/news | Wednesday, February 14, 2018
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Cajuns come to Kats Jordan Likens | The Houstonian
Pub continued, page 1 — Many Bearkats believe that the addition of an on-campus pub will serve to improve the quality of our campus. “I’m excited, because that means that SHSU is growing,” Alumna Abigail Dewoody said. “I am going to be so proud to call it my Alma Mater.” The hours of operation and the name of the pub are still to be determined. “Based on the strong interest expressed during the assessment and subsequent student body approval, it is anticipated the response will be good,” Ruiz said. “However, if patron traffic falls short of the anticipated interest, the space will be utilized for other purposes.” Stayed tuned to The Houstonian for a survey regarding possible names of the pub.
Myles Smith | The Houstonian
GETTING GROOVY. (TOP) Ken David, Terry Huval, Reggie Matte, Tony Huval and Bobby Dumatrait performing at the Sam Houston State University Cajun festival Mardi Gras Dance on Feb. 8. The Jambalaya Cajun Band performing classic Cajun style music for the audience. (LEFT) Reggie Matte of the Jambalaya Cajun Band at the SHSU Cajun festival Mardi Gras Dance.
Jordan Likens | The Houstonian
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Funding continued, page 1 — Donations to the “Honoring Traditions. Creating Futures” campaign is open to the public and recognizes gifts of all sizes. To donate, visit the official campaign website at www.shsu.edu/ campaign. “Every gift matters and has a meaningful impact on peoples’ lives – both today and in the future,” Ruiz said. “The pride and loyalty our alumni and friends have in this institution are the reasons Sam Houston is a great name in Texas education.”
Myles Smith | The Houstonian
Kats at odds with traffic change
Jordan Likens | The Houstonian
MICHAEL FLORES Contributing Reporter Traffic changes at Sam Houston State University will take place the week of spring break. In order to improve safety for students and faculty at SHSU, many streets will reroute to oneways. These changes are to be permanent. “Over time our campus has grown and it has grown in terms of new construction and new buildings,” Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications Kristina Kaskel-Ruiz said. “There are more people and more cars every year, and we have had growth in enrollment for the past 10 years. There are several different entrances and exits because of all the new traffic patterns due to the growth. The goal is to have a pedestrian-safe environment and these changes will help do that.” According to the SHSU Facilities Management team, the streets undergoing changes are East Bowers Boulevard, West Bowers
Boulevard, Avenue I, Avenue J and University Avenue. East Bowers Boulevard, between Avenue H and Avenue I, will be a one-way street with traffic moving west. West Bowers Boulevard, between Avenue I and Sam Houston Avenue, will be a one-way street with traffic moving east. Avenue I and Avenue J, between 21 Street, 22 Street and West Bowers Boulevard, will be one-way streets with traffic moving south. University Avenue, between West Bowers Boulevard and 17 Street, will be a one-way street with traffic moving north. “I’m getting tired of the construction,” senior Psychology major Katie Hobbs said. “I love Sam Houston, but the construction has been going on non-stop since I started. I’m ready to not have to walk a mile to class every day to just get around all the work.” While some students are frustrated with the construction, others are a little more understanding. “I think at first it’s going to frustrate a lot of people because
of the huge change,” senior Finance major Ashton Joe said. “But overtime people will realize that due to the fact that the school is growing it is going to help. People will have to adjust their schedules as far as arriving to class but it will, in the end, help everyone.” A university vehicle struck a professor on campus last semester, which resulted in a trip to Huntsville Memorial Hospital. The changes to the campus traffic flow is to prevent situations like this from happening again. Facilities Management will put up signs to help redirect traffic, as well as new one-way signs posted and flagmen stationed in certain areas to further assist.
Jordan Likens | The Houstonian
Police Blotter: SHSU’s Finest Keep the Campus Safe Feb 4th: Sexual Assault
An officer was dispatched to the Sam Houston State University Police Department, 2424 Sam Houston Avenue, in reference to a report of a sexual assault. The victim reported that the assault took place in December off campus by an acquaintance. The location of the assault was reported to have occurred in a mobile vehicle over multiple counties possibly including Montgomery and Walker County. At this time, there is no threat to the community and the reported assault is under investigation.
Feb 8th: Theft
An officer was dispatched to Academic Building 3, 1922 Avenue J, in reference to a theft. Five complainants advised they all had cash stolen. All stated they wished to pursue charges.
Feb 9th: Theft
An officer was dispatched to Estill dormitory, 1002 16th Street, in reference to a report of theft. The victim stated that on the evening of Wednesday, February 7, 2018, she had placed her clothing in a dryer while she conducted her Resident Assistant rounds. When she returned, she noticed that three pants were missing. She stated would like to prosecute.
Feb 11th: Possession of Marijuana
An officer observed a vehicle that appeared to be occupied. The officer smelled the distinct odor of burnt marijuana emanating from the vehicle. The driver was in the possession of marijuana and was transported the driver to the Walker County Jail.
The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/campusculture | Wednesday, February 14, 2018
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Photo courtesy Brianna Beigel
TEXAS ROYALTY. Newly crowned Miss Sam Houston 2018, Brianna Beigel, poses with Miss Piney Woods, Celi Burgos, and current Miss Texas, Margana Wood.
Pageant continued, page 1 — A panel of judges based contestants’ scores on a variety of different bases. The candidate’s initial interview, spirit wear, lifestyle and fitness, evening wear, and then the question and an-
swer portion were all taken into account. Luckily for Beigel, her Q&A portion addressed a topic she is quite passionate about— domestic violence awareness. “They asked me about domestic violence awareness, and for me that was kind of
nice because I get to answer something I’m super passionate about,” Beigel explained. “It’s actually super embarrassing— I started tearing up onstage. I didn’t mean to. People don’t know my experiences. There’s a reason why I feel super strongly
about domestic violence awareness. For me to be able to express my opinion about it to Sam Houston was incredible. It’s a moment that I will remember forever.” The $500 Beigel received will go towards SAAFE House, which stands for “Sexual Assault and Abuse Free Environment.” SAAFE House is a local organization dedicated to empowering victims of family violence and sexual assault. She hopes to spread awareness of her cause and help the organization in any way she can. Despite her emotional Q&A portion, Beigel stood tall when she was crowned. The previous Miss Sam Houston, Chandler Berryhill, was also a member of Alpha Chi Omega. She had the honor of passing the crown to her fellow sorority sister. For Beigel, that was the biggest moment of the night. “She’s my biggest inspiration,” Beigel said. “She’s probably the strongest woman I know, for sure. I learn from her every time I speak with her. She doesn’t realize how closely I watch her, I think. She’s the reason I chose to go A Chi O. I saw her and said, ‘I
want to be her when I grow up,’ and to be able to literally follow in her footsteps and wear the crown after her is amazing to me. She’s like my big sister.” This year will definitely be a busy one for Beigel. Aside from the pressures of nursing school, she has to make official appearances at events as Miss Sam Houston, and will have the Miss Texas Pageant coming up at the end of June. There she will compete with other women across the nation for the coveted title of Miss Texas. “Next year is going to be busy, but I’m ready,” Beigel said. “I don’t shy away from responsibility. It will be a lot on my plate, mostly because of nursing school. Nursing school is my number one priority, even though this is an amazing opportunity and I’m not going to take it lightly. I’m going to do everything I can as Miss Sam Houston, but my end goal is to be a nurse. It will be difficult balancing those, but I’ll make it work. Sometimes, you have to.” For her Miss Texas pageant dreams to work, Beigel needs sponsorships. To help out, email her at bab096@shsu.edu
‘Fifty Shades Freed’ seduces audiences MARINA DELEON Contributing Writer This review does contain spoilers. What started as “Twilight” fanfiction, the “Fifty Shades” trilogy comes to a brilliant end with its newest installment “Fifty Shades Freed.” From the wedding and honeymoon to a car chase followed by adventurous sex, this film adaptation had everything that any true “Fifty Shades” fan was hoping for. In 2012, author E. L. James gave readers the final chapters of Anastasia “Ana” Steele and Christian Grey’s love story. With the 2018 film adaptation, readers of the popular erotic novel would be pleased to know that the film stays very close to the original print story. However, like every novel that makes it to the big screen, there were pieces of the story that did not make it off the cutting room floor. The movie begins with Ana and Christian’s wedding (Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan), followed by their French honeymoon. After getting an urgent call that Grey Enterprises Holdings was infiltrated by antagonist Jack Hyde (Eric Johnson), the newlyweds end their honeymoon and rush back
to Seattle. This fiasco leads to Christian, being the protective and controlling dominant that he is, hiring personal security guards for Ana and his whole family. Hyde eventually makes his way into the Greys’ home and takes Ana “hostage” at knifepoint, until he was caught by the security guards and whisked off to prison, where his bail was set at $500,000. Soon after, Ana learns that she is carrying Christian’s baby, and he does not take the news lightly. After a huge fight with Christian, Ana gets a call from Mia Grey’s phone (Rita Ora), that turns out to be Hyde; he is holding her hostage for a $5 million ransom. Ana quickly dupes her security and races to the bank, where she was abruptly met with a phone call from Christian. When Ana rushes out of the bank, he tracks her phone that eventually leads him to the big “boss battle” with Hyde. Ana ends up taking a couple of backhands to the face and a nasty kick to the stomach, but manages to shoot Hyde in the leg just before she loses consciousness. There is a flash forward to Ana waking up in the hospital to Christian and all is forgiven. The audience gets a glimpse of the happy ending a few moments after the credits start rolling where Ana, pregnant with their
second child, and Christian are playing with their now toddler outside their dream home. With one of the biggest aspects of the film being the likeness to the novel, there were several changes in the Hollywood adaptation. The biggest variation was within Christian’s character himself. Director James Foley seemed to have toned down Christian’s anger and controlling nature that is seen throughout all of the novels. When Christian believes that Ana is leaving him at the bank, he is more cavalier in the film. The novel portrays Christian as distraught and devastated that Ana was “leaving him.” The change in his character took a powerful moment away from the audience. As a person that has read the novels, there was a pace in the film that the novel did not have. The last 25 minutes of the film felt rushed. This could have been due to the fact that there
were several minor scenes from the book taken out of the film that prolonged the ending in the novel. The rushed feeling could also be from Ana’s inner monologue and thoughts not narrating the entire film. However, I do feel that it was necessary to cut Ana’s narration from the film series in order to stray from the “Twilight” fanfiction feel that started the series. Finally, for those that are wondering… yes, there was a lot of sex in the movie. Christian and Ana are newlyweds, and we can expect them to still be in the “honeymoon” phase. Despite the drama that takes place, there was still plenty of sex. There were a few new sex toys introduced that audience members from the previous films had not yet seen in the series. There were even encounters that strayed from both the bedroom and the playroom, making the scenes feel less familiar and more adventurous. The one cut that readers
may be disappointed about was that Christian’s private jet saw no new inductions into the “Mile High Club.” The newest movie, however, did not fail to leave viewers, for the lack of a better word, satisfied. The film adaptation of “Fifty Shades Freed” was no doubt a success in the eyes of true “Fifty Shades” fans. The film had the right mixture of drama, action and romance that made members of the audience “feel all the feels.” From flipping pages to watching it all unfold on-screen, fans were treated by the journey they got to take with Ana and Christian for all three films.
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Why you don’t need a Valentine on V-day
MEIOSHIA OMESIETE Contributing Writer “My daughter will know selflove, first.” I read these words aloud to myself in mid-scroll of my newsfeed - once, twice, and then a third time. By then these words had resonated with me so heavily that I immediately began promising them to myself.
I know there are plenty of ways to toss this phrase around in a game of devil’s advocate, but the mere thought of ‘what a gift to give a child,’ regardless of what pronoun they use, just stuck with me. Something of the passing down, hereditarily, of a superpower. To learn to love one’s self innately before any up-ending contradiction to “love” arises in the form of a self-image connoisseur, ever prevalent in the media or from the lips of that first love, that just – “gets you,” is the strength to get back up and just keep being you. Now that it is Valentine’s Day, the nationally syndicated day of romanticism and Tinder meetups, I understand if all you hear is “blah, blah, blah - alone, alone, alone,” but hear me out for a second.
Rather than cutting some serious life corners by thrusting all your eggs into some one else’s basket and hoping they are everything you want and need to feel ‘complete,’ instead imagine the eternal, internal bliss that exists in being whole all on your own. I grew up rather unconventionally; unbeknownst to myself at the time, I was not the center of the universe. Granted, after I was mature enough to pull my head out of my own butt, that egocentrism evolved into a mature love for myself. This selflove could not be compromised by the people that consistently called me an “Oreo” for bearing a complexion as chocolate as my favorite Lindor truffles while also having the nerve to actually enunciate properly. This love
cannot be stained by any of the insecurities of others that often spilled out haphazardly. My mother had carved me out of stone in an era of constant disarray with all the options saying to be anyone but yourself, and the pressure that builds can almost blow your lid off. It’s almost impossible to stand against it with just your two feet, but why not try it, if not to just say that you have? Though the rewards of autonomous love extend far beyond the depths of bucket list trades, you reap the benefits of selfsown freedom. You’ll love others more deeply and freely, and you’ll achieve goals you set without hazy clouds of doubt attempting to spell out “no” on your horizon. Most importantly, you will develop a relationship that all
other subsequent relationships will emulate to populate your life with even more of the same love. This Valentine’s Day, take a deep breath and repeat some sexy positive affirmations to yourself. Tell yourself with and without a mirror present, because when you say it you’ll know it comes from the heart and when some one else says it, possibly sneering with good old quality degradation and attempt to exploit any of the things that make you individually distinct, and you’ll laugh to yourself and warrant them no more attention than a fly on the wall would elicit. This I promise my own child will, because I will raise them to love them self beyond a need of any approval from the world.
The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/campusculture | Wednesday, February 14, 2018
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Lindsey Henry: From Bearkat to Emmy-nominee
Tyler Josefsen | The Houstonian
A TESTAMENT TO SUCCESS. Lindsey Henry, emmy-nomiated reporter and eligible bachelorette, has put her Sam Houston State University degree to good use reporting for Fox 26 in Houston.
TYLER JOSEFSEN Associate Editor Local girl turned on-air personality Lindsey Henry has an eventful life and an already illustrious career. A product of Cinco Ranch High School in Katy and eventual Sam Houston State University Bearkat alumna, Henry now works as a reporter for Fox 26. From covering Hurricane Harvey to being whipped in the face by a fan’s rally towel after the Houston Astros won Game 7 of the ALCS last year (which she handled like a true professional on live TV), she is truly an icon to many. One of the prominent accomplishments that stands out on her very active Twitter account is the first three words of her bio: “Emmy-nominated reporter.” A May 2016 article by The Fresno Bee unveiled that Henry was nominated for the 45th annual Northern California Area Emmy Awards. She was working as a reporter for “KSEE 24 News at 11” and received a nomination in the “Newscast-Evening-Medium Markets” category. Henry was definitely not the stereotypical aspiring journalist, though. She got what could be considered a ‘late start’ in the
field, not even fathoming the idea of being a reporter until after she entered college. Originally, she attended Texas A&M Corpus Christi to pursue a degree in nursing. She always really enjoyed science, but definitely did not feel the same way about math. A conversation with her aunt ended up being a catalyst for her looking into the journalism field. Henry enjoyed reading, writing, talking, photography and videography; her aunt asked if she had ever considered journalism. “I had never thought of it as an option,” Henry said. “I talked with my parents about it and they said, ‘Let’s just see how you feel about it. Think about it for a while—you have some time,’ and the first day of my second semester in English II, I had a professor who went around the room and asked everyone, ‘What do you want to be one day?’ I said, ‘I think I want to be a reporter.’” That professor turned out to be a former television news reporter at a local station in Corpus Christi. She lent a hand to Henry in getting her a job there, and a few days after that she was working as a production assistant running studio cameras, teleprompters and audio at KIII-TV. Following that transition of her
professional ambitions, Henry decided it was time for a change in schooling. “I wanted to go to a school that specialized in journalism in Texas,” Henry said. “Sam Houston State and UT [University of Texas] are two of the best schools for journalism. I thought about it—I’m from Houston, I like Sam Houston, so I went to Sam Houston.” Her summer between junior and senior year yielded an internship at KXAN in Austin. “That really helped. I definitely recommend internships anywhere you can get them,” Henry said. “The more you have, the better your résumé looks, and the more you learn. The professors will teach you a great amount of stuff, but when you’re in the field it’s constantly changing.” One of those perpetually evolving parts of the job for Henry is managing emotion. She talked about how even with everything you learn in the classroom and during internships, the field can always be challenging. “The longer you’re in it, the more you experience and the more you see,” Henry said. “For me, I’m an emotional person, so I have a connection with each person I interview and tell their story. That’s something you don’t
really think about when you’re in college. You don’t think about how connected you’ll become with each person you come in contact with.” In her seven years in the field, Henry has had the opportunity to cover an array of topics— some more difficult to swallow than others. “My first job was in Joplin, Missouri covering the Joplin tornado May 22, 2011,” Henry said. “It was like a week or two after I graduated college. Going into the most devastating tornado as my first job was definitely a tough awakening. I was going to talk to these people that not only lost their homes but their entire families.” The move back to Texas was accompanied by Hurricane Harvey soon after, another difficult event for her to report. “It was just so emotionally devastating for me because everyone I knew had suffered,” Henry said. “I saw my friends lose everything. I don’t think you’ll ever be prepared for the amount of devastation you’ll see.” Shortly following the aftermath of the storm, however, came an opportunity in the field unlike any other. The Houston Astros would finish off the 2017 Major League Baseball season as World Series Champions, and the moment was incredible for Henry both as a reporter and a fan. “From a reporter standpoint it was really exciting because I was an Astros fan,” Henry said. “Normally you try to unbiased on-air and not show your opinion, but knowing that I was from Houston they knew I was a fan, everyone knew I was a fan. I could wear my jersey on-air and cheer them on on-air and get excited. I’ll never forget the moment [the Astros] won the World Series, I was inside Minute Maid Park for the official watch party, and I was the very first live shot they took in our newscast after the game had ended. It was wild.” Since getting her position with Fox 26 and returning to Houston, Henry has had a rather unique endeavor in her personal life, as well. On Jan. 16, The Houston Chronicle named Henry one of Houston’s 33 most eligible bachelors/bachelorettes. She made the cut to the exclusive list with other H-Town icons like James Harden, Alex Bregman and Ashley Turner (daughter of Mayor Sylvester Turner). The Chronicle said, “Lindsey Henry works as general assignments reporter with KRIV-26. The Houston-native graduated
from Cinco Ranch High School and Sam Houston State University, though her Emmy nomination is the highlight of her already impressive résumé.” “The moment I found out I was with my mom with no makeup on,” Henry said. “I had not showered in a day, and we were moving stuff from one place to the next because I had just moved. I was shocked. Why would they choose me? There are so many eligible people, and I’m just your average-joe girl that loves what she does. It was definitely a shock, and an honor, and embarrassing at the same time.” Certainly a strong on-air personality, Henry was reassuring that she was flattered about the article, but threw in the word “embarrassing” because she is a bit less cavalier in her personal life than on-screen. “In my job I can be more outgoing,” Henry said. “But in my private life I feel like I’m more shy, more withheld, so knowing that everybody knew I was single was kind of scary. But it’s been good, lots of positive reactions, and my friends have been really supportive.” She even revealed that one of her “celebrity crushes” is on the men’s side of the list. “James Harden is in there!” Henry said. “I look at James Harden, and I still get goosebumps because he is one of my biggest celebrity crushes. He’s the number one Rockets player. How can you not love him?” The life of a journalist can be a roller coaster, and Henry has certainly experienced both the ups and the downs. She has already accumulated an impressive list of accomplishments topped off by her Emmy-nomination, and looks to have a bright career ahead of her. Even with all the eyes she has opened in her short time working for Fox 26, this humble Bearkat looks forward with the idea of always learning more. “For someone to say that they’re perfect in the field couldn’t ever be true because you are always learning new trades and talking to new people that may share something with you that you never knew,” Henry said. From graduating high school with the ambitions of being a nurse to completely changing her career path on a dime, Henry is the epitome of the ideal that hard work pays off. She worked for her time in the spotlight, is making the most of every opportunity, and the sky seems to be the limit for this talented reporter.
Photo courtesy Lindsey Henry
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The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/sports | Wednesday, February 14, 2018
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Avoiding Trouble: Student athletes and social media
Photos courtesy Brian Blalock THINK BEFORE YOU TWEET. Social media and sports are both key parts of society. So often there are stories in the news about student-athletes that get in trouble based on bad social media posts. Sam Houston State University takes measures to assure that does not happen to a Bearkat.
TYLER JOSEFSEN Sports Editor In August 2014, CBS News ran a story about St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Alabama implementing “the social media talk” as a pre-season ritual for football players. According to the article, “It’s about more than minding their manners.” The policies discouraged posting about injuries so players did not scare away recruiters and even warned against committing to a school via Twitter. Sam Houston State University corroborates closely with the NCAA and its guidelines and recommendations in order to make sure that Bearkat studentathletes do not suffer the consequences that result from poor social media posts. Contemporary society has seen social media advancements
flourish, but that rush of progress can sometimes be accompanied by a need to regress when posting online. According to CIO.com, every 60 seconds there are about 50,000 photos posted to Instagram, 350,000 new tweets and 31 million messages sent on Facebook. How many of these frequent users are college athletes? Maybe less than expected. Sports is an integral part of every news network, with one of the most cult-like followings of any news topic. A perpetually fan-favorite story topic in contemporary society seems to be athletes’ adventures on social media (some good, most not). Despite the commonality of social media gone wrong, SHSU and many other universities have multiple practices in place to guard against these all-toocommon virtual fiascos. “Every team before they get
into their season has a meeting with Chris Thompson [Associate Athletic Director for Student Services] and Curtis Collier [Compliance Coordinator],” Associate Athletic Director for Media Relations Jason Barfield said. “A big part of that is social media policies do’s and don’t’s. They make sure to educate all of the athletes that you have to be careful. You have to be conscious of the fact that you are a Sam Houston athlete and a bigger microscope is placed on athletes.” Mainstream media has allowed sports fans to see that the NCAA does not take social media lightly. It is already a huge part of journalism, and its impact on athletics throughout the nation is growing each season. When someone is an athlete, a tweet becomes more than just a tweet. “The average student can post
something and a lot of times it goes unnoticed, but a football player, baseball player, basketball player then is has more scrutiny on it,” Barfield said. “We’ve seen it nationally. It’s not just lip service. They’re pulling examples of other schools, other athletes that have gotten into trouble. The NCAA has guidelines on this. A simple tweet can get you suspended.” In order to keep Bearkats from suffering this fate, the SHSU Athletics department addresses these potential pitfalls by requiring freshmen to enroll in a course that is basically a student-athlete 101. “All incoming freshmen take a class called CHAMPS,” Barfield said. “It’s a life skills, how to be a student athlete. That class is an overview of everything you need, and they do spend time on social media and how you handle yourself online.”
By comparison, SHSU is lenient when it comes to when and what student-athletes can post on social media. They give their athletes a little more leash than some other universities, but it mostly stems from the enjoyable lack of issues the university has had in the past. “There are schools that have very strict policies, and a lot of that stuff is reactionary to issues that they’ve had,” Barfield said. “We’ve been fortunate. We really haven’t had any issues. We haven’t had an incident that’s gone viral.” Like most universities in the nation, SHSU has a StudentAthlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) comprised of athletes from every sports program. Their goals include improving intra-sport communication, providing student-athletes with a voice, providing gender-equal treatment and promoting overall quality academic and athletic experiences. “Each team has athletes on the SAAC, and they have meetings and they do a really good job of policing themselves,” Barfield said. “There’s not as much administrative-involved monitoring as it is peers. It’s the athletes monitoring themselves. From what I’ve been told, a lot of issues get taken care of at the SAAC level without ever escalating to coaches or administrators.” Adrian Contreras, junior safety for SHSU football and representative for SHSU SAAC, talked about how despite all the horror stories that show up in the news, social media can be used by student-athletes in a beneficial way. “You don’t want to do anything or put anything out there that would make the institution or yourself look bad,” Contreras said. “That’s pretty simple. The thing is when you hear about social media and the NCAA, it can have a negative connotation but it can be used in such a positive way, like promoting our [school] name and other teams at the school.”
@HoustonianSHSU
Softball swings into season with early tournament JORDAN SMITH Sports Reporter The Sam Houston State University Bearkats softball team notched one win in four games played over the weekend at the Bobcat Classic in San Marcos. Their one victory came over Portland State on Saturday when the Kats won the second game of a double header 6-4 over the Vikings. During the weekend, the Kats were outscored by just eight runs over the course of four low-scoring games. SHSU only scored 10 runs over the weekend, six of which came in the win against PSU. Despite not being able to get their offense going, SHSU was outscored by an average of just three runs per game. Head coach Bob Brock, who holds the record for most overall wins (408) and conference wins (227) in program history, talked about the performance from his squad during the weekend in San Marcos. “I was excited that we were opening up against Texas State,” Brock said. “Texas State is ranked. They have done a
pretty good job. They have an All-American pitcher [junior right-handed pitcher Randi Rupp] and all of that kind of stuff. I thought we played pretty well against them. She [Rupp] shut us down. We had a bunch of strikeouts and some things like that. But overall, 1-3 is not what it looks like. I thought we did a lot better.” One key player from the weekend was freshman outfielder Sheridan Fisher, who over the weekend hit 5-16 (.313) as well as scoring three of the Bearkats’ 10 runs during the weekend and driving in another pair of runs. Coach Brock talked about Fisher’s skill level and contributions to the lineup. “I think Sheridan Fisher is about as good of a player as there is around right now,” Brock said. “To be a freshman and come in and do that against that talent, I’ve been doing this a long time and you wouldn’t see me do this very often, which is to take a freshman and tell her that she is the leadoff batter. She bats left-handed, she’s got everything. Speed, she’s got some pop, she has a knack of putting the ball in play and she can also knock in some runs. She had an
Photo courtesy GoBearkats.com ON THE DIAMOND. Sam Houston State University softball completed their first tournament of the 2018 season. They now turn their attention to this weekend when they will host their first tournament in Huntsville since 2009.
excellent weekend and showed why we recruited her.” Meanwhile, SHSU will be hosting the Bearkat Softball Classic presented by Holiday Inn Express and University Hotel this weekend at the Bearkat Softball Complex Friday through Sunday, in which they will play five games that include Seton Hall, Wichita State, Washington and Northern Colorado twice. Coach Brock talked about the importance of being able to have an early season tournament on the schedule. “We might play thirteen or fourteen games early in the year and they are all on the road,” Brock said. “We are going to tournaments and to have a chance to play at home is really
a big thing. Not only that, but we’ve been trying to get a tournament here. So, I think it does a lot to help us in the long run.” This will be the first time since the 2009 season where SHSU hosted a tournament, which was then called the Domino’s Pizza/SHSU Classic. In that tournament, the Bearkats swept the two-day event going 4-0 while outscoring opponents by an average of 7.75 runs per game and only allowing one run to score that weekend. In that 2009 season, the Bearkats finished 28-26 overall and 15-14 in Southland Conference play. Fisher, who will be playing in her first ever live game at the Bearkat Softball Complex, talked about playing at
home before a lengthy road trip to start the year. “I think it’s going to help us out a lot, especially with nerves,” Fisher said. “So, it will help us prepare for games on the road and seeing a bunch of really good teams is nice. To see good competition, that’s what we need. I think it will be a really good start for us, especially since it’s at home.” The Bearkats will take on Seton hall in the first home game of the season with first pitch at 4:45 p.m. Friday at the Bearkat Softball Complex in game one of a double-header Friday night to open their weekend tournament.
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10th Annual Financial Literacy Week
February 19-22, 2018
G N I T L ADU
t h g i R DONE
Event Location: LSC Theater MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
Feb 19, 2018 1:00 – 2:00 PM What’s hAPPening?
Feb 20, 2018 1:00 – 2:00 PM Healthcare: Cost of Having a Disease
Feb 21, 2018 1:00 – 2:00 PM Investments
Feb 22, 2018 1:00 – 2:00 PM Weddings On A Dime
2:30 – 3:30 PM Buying A Car
2:30 – 3:30 PM I Owe How Much
2:30 – 3:30 PM
4:00 – 5:00 PM Apartment Hunting
2:30 – 3:30 PM Making Household Products Last 4:00 – 5:00 PM Banking Basics
4:00 – 5:00 PM Be The Source
4:00 – 5:00 PM Consumer Credit
6:00 – 7:00 PM Broke Millennial
6:00 – 7:00 PM It’s That Serious
6:00 – 7:00 PM A Comedic Guide to Money
6:00 – 7:30 PM Game Night LSC 3rd Floor
Studying Abroad On A Budget
HEADLINERS Erin Lowry
February 19, 2018 6:00pm
Anthony O’Neal
Colin Ryan
February 20, 2018
February 21, 2018 6:00pm
6:00pm
Organization Awards $2000
The two orgs with the highest participation will receive $1000 awards • Must be a registered organization on campus • Must submit org roster AND org contact name, email, and phone number to the Student Money Management Center by February 9, 2018 • There must be org representation at a minimum of three FLW events throughout the week • Must have an active Bearkat OneCard to participate • All representatives must check in at the conclusion of each FLW event
Individual Scholarships $2200
Over $2000 in scholarships will be awarded to individuals during the course of Financial Literacy Week • Must have an active Bearkat OneCard to participate • Must be present for the entire event
Student Money Management Center Student Affairs Annex 919 Bearkat Blvd. 936.294.2600 smmc@shsu.edu shsu.edu/smmc @SHSU_SMMC