Monday, April 8, 2019
The Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University
Students Dedicated to Professional Journalism Volume 130 | Issue 13
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Small Houses, Big Demolition
Three small houses in the heart of campus will be demolished to make way for a new parking garage, according to Executive Director of Residence Life Joellen Tipton.
Gavin Guinther BY SHARON RAISSI Editor-in-Chief Three Sam Houston State University small houses are scheduled for demolition in May. Randel, Vick and Spivey small houses, located by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, will be torn down to provide space for a new 550-car parking garage.
The parking structure will be located adjacent to the Johnson Coliseum (where Randel, Vick and Spivey currently sit) and will help address ADA issues at the Coliseum and traffic congestion on the south side of campus. Along with the demolition of the three small houses in the valley, Rachel Jackson House on Sorority Hill will also be out of use due to foundation issues. “The other buildings are not
in as bad of disrepair as Rachel Jackson,” Executive Director of Residence Life Joellen Tipton said. “It’s still safe to live in. It’s not uninhabitable, it’s not condemnable, nobody is making us not use it. We’re just choosing not to use it. It will take a lot of time and effort this summer, [and] we don’t want to put the money into it when we’re going to tear them all down next year anyway.” The plans to tear down Soror-
ity Hill have been in the works for years now. Destruction of the houses on the hill is scheduled for next summer. In their place, a new residence hall is expected to be built. “We’re going to lose about 400 beds overall before we build another 600 beds,” Tipton said. “In the long run, after the new building is built, we will only have gained about 200 spaces.” Before those 200 spaces are gained, there will be a period
where 400 beds on campus will be out of use. With the campus residence halls clocking in at about 99 percent capacity, this may be a tight squeeze for Residence Life. “We’ll have a couple of years where we’re going to have to probably put a cap on the number of upperclassmen, so we’ll have to start a waiting list a lot sooner,” Tipton said. By Fall 2019, there will be 11 small houses remaining.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/SHSUCampusNews | Monday, April 8, 2019
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campus news
Margaret Lea Houston’s 200th Birthday Celebration BY RACHAEL FORBES Contributing Reporter Margaret Lea Houston, the beloved First Lady of the Republic of Texas, is turning 200 years old on April 11. Houston served as First Lady during her husband, General Sam Houston’s, time as the President of the Republic of Texas in 1841 as well as his tenure as governor. “Margaret was all about her family,” Administrative Coordinator for the College of Health Sciences Carla Clark said. “With all that she was going through and around the time of the Civil War, she continued to hold down
the fort for her husband.” She was a very private person and was not interested in living an overly public lifestyle. Houston provided stability and strength for her husband during very tough and frustrating times. As the community celebrated Sam Houston’s 200th birthday 25 years ago, it only seemed fitting to celebrate the woman Huntsville came to know and love. The College of Health Sciences will be in attendance at the celebration. “This is due to the fact that Margaret dealt with many illnesses that included breast cancer and mental health,” Clark said. In the last few years of her life, Houston became the keeper of her husband’s legacy and later opened his records to a biographer. She died at the age of 48 from yellow fever. For fear of contamination, she could not be buried in a public cemetery next to her husband in Huntsville. She instead was buried alongside her mother on private property. The event will consist of demonstrations of health and well-being throughout history
Grant Worley FIRST LADY OF TEXAS. The Margaret Lea Houston Building on the north side of campus is named after the birthday girl herself.
from the College of Health Sciences, other historic demonstrations, tours of Houston’s Woodland Home and much more. There will also be a silhouette cutting, birthday cake and a special exhibit on Houston’s life. Costumed historic interpreters
will also be on hand to help with the festivities. “This is a very big event for the Huntsville community, so we are expecting a lot of people to attend,” Clark said. “Even relatives of Sam Houston will be in attendance.” The celebration will be held
at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum April 11 from 12-6 p.m. It is open to the public and free of charge. For more information on this historic celebration, contact the College of Health Sciences or the Sam Houston Memorial Museum at 936-294-1832.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/SHSUCampusNews | Monday, April 8, 2019
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campus news
French Major Added to National Book Awards Festival Brings Literary Excellence to SHSU Academic Programs BY RYAN WELCH
Contributing Reporter The National Book Awards Festival is coming to Sam Houston State University April 9-16. The events begin with a Memoir Workshop called “How to Tell Your Story” at the Wynne Home Arts Center, which is followed by a Book-Up Bash at the Huntsville Public Library celebrating children’s books. The events are free and open to the public. The marquee event brings three National Book Awards Finalist authors to the stage at the Gaertner Performing Arts Center to read selected portions of their books and have on-stage talk-show-style discussions with event host Dr. Amanda Nowlin-O’Banion. A book signing with the authors will immediately follow the discussions. Nowlin-O’Banion is a Clinical Professor of Creative Writing at SHSU. As the organizer of the National Book Awards Festival, Nowlin-O’Banion shared what the festival means to her. “I grew up here, so for me it means making the community a better place,” Nowlin-O’Banion said. “I think we each have an obligation to improve the community where we live. It
is really about giving kids and adults the opportunity to read different books that they might not normally come into contact with.” Nowlin-O’Banion also believes the event is important for the SHSU campus. “We are one of only four campuses in the country to host this event,” Nowlin-O’Banion said. “We represent the southwest and it is an honor. It is a huge boon to the campus and the community because Huntsville is typically not a spot on anybody’s book tour.” The three National Book Awards Finalists coming to SHSU are “The Association of Small Bombs” by Karan Mahajan, “I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” by Erika Sanchez and two books of poetry titled “Ignatz” and “Blackacre” by Monica Youn. This program is a joint endeavor of SHSU and the National Book Foundation sponsored by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the MFA Program in Creative Writing, Editing and Publishing. The National Book Awards Festival concludes with two workshops conducted by the authors in the Evans Building— Fiction Craft Talk with Mahajan and Poetry Craft Talk with Youn.
BY JAMIE BARNES Contributing Reporter Starting in Fall 2019, students will have the option to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in French following a steady growth of French minors since 2012. “It’s a big deal because a lot of language programs close and we’re opening one, so that benefits the presence of French in Texas,” Dr. Siham Bouamer said. Bouamer, Assistant Professor of French and French Program Coordinator at Sam Houston State University, believes that the language can help students with both their cultural competency and their future professional pursuits. “As the second most taught language in the U.S. and the fifth most spoken language in
the world, French really brings up an openness to the world for students and the job market,” Bouamer said. With a high demand from both staff and students, new courses are available to take in the fall, which will contribute to the major. Along with Elementary and Intermediate French classes, new classes such as Survey of French Literature I and French for Business Communication will be available for registration. To welcome the new addition to campus, the Department of World Languages is hosting a celebration on April 24 from 4-5 p.m. in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences room 110. Light appetizers and beverages will be provided to students and staff in the French program, as well as those interested. For more information about the event or the French program, contact Dr. Bouamer at sbouamer@shsu.edu.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleCommunityNews | Monday, April 8, 2019
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community news
Program Ensures That No Veteran is Left Behind H.E.A.R.T.S. Veterans Museum Provides Support for Disabled Veterans
BY RYAN WELCH Contributing Reporter Navigating the transition from military service to civilian life is not always easy. Disabled American Veterans (DAV) will have a representative at the H.E.A.R.T.S. Veterans Museum of Texas on Tuesday. DAV is an organization that believes no veteran should have to go it alone, and provides sup-
port for all veterans and their families in positive, life-changing ways. “DAV helps veterans with benefits, the VA, disability plates, getting medical records [and] getting DD 214s (certificate of discharge from active duty),” H.E.A.R.T.S. Administrative Assistant Tara Burnett said. “That’s their focus—records and guiding you through the process.” According to Burnett, there are nearly 8,000 veterans in
Walker County and almost 1,000 veterans attending classes at Sam Houston State University on the G.I. Bill, and both veteran populations are growing steadily. “Our goal here is to honor our veterans, and part of the way we do that is to help them any way we can, so having DAV here has been extremely beneficial to everyone,” Burnett said. DAV works to ensure that veterans and their families can access the full range of ben-
efits they deserve, provides care and support during tough times, advocates for the veteran community on Capitol Hill and connects veterans with meaningful employment. “Last month was our first time to do it, and we had over 40 veterans here,” Burnett said. “We hope that we flood out the museum, and eventually we’ll have to have it next door in the storm shelter.” DAV helps more than 1 million veterans every year
connect with the healthcare, disability, employment, education and financial benefits they have earned, and have submitted more than 11 million claims on behalf of veterans. They provide free, professional assistance to veterans and their families in obtaining benefits and services earned through military service. Those who need help can contact the H.E.A.R.T.S. Museum or their local DAV office.
Southwest Texas Bigfoot Conference Comes To Huntsville BY MASON STORRS Campus News Editor April 12 and 13 at the Walker County Fairgrounds will host the 2nd annual Southeast Texas Bigfoot Conference. Conference-goers will have the opportunity to speak with Bigfoot research experts. During the event, there will be vendors selling a variety of merchandise including books, footprint casts and shirts. “We think our speaker line-up is awesome,” Russel Miller and other organizers said. “Several of the speakers have been on different TV shows and have
traveled around the world in search of elusive creatures.” For attendees interested in getting even closer to the action, there will be a meet-and-greet dinner with the speakers of the event Friday night aboard The Southern Empress— an 1800s era paddle wheel boat— for a three-hour cruise on Lake Conroe. For attendees who are interested in learning more about the Bigfoot research community, there will be a “Researchers Row” set up where the public can sit down and ask whatever questions they may have for local Bigfoot groups. There will also be a silent
auction with 100 percent of proceeds going to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. According to those responsible for putting on the event on, much of the public does not understand the extent of Bigfoot research that occurs in Huntsville. “Huntsville is in one of the hottest spots in the South for Bigfoot activity,” organizers of the conference commented. “If you Google Bigfoot Sightings in Sam Houston National Forest you will find dozens of reports, some going back 30-40 years. Also, by having our conference here we hope to let the community know and understand
what’s in their own backyard.” Tickets are available online at www.southeasttexasbigfoot. com. They will also be available at the door. For more information on the conference contact southeasttexasbigfoot@ yahoo.com or find them on Facebook at Southeast Texas Bigfoot.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleCommunityNews | Monday, April 8, 2019
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community news
Huntsville High Students Win Grand Champion
Jeffrey Sockwell
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936.294.1713 | www.shsu.edu.edu/careerservices
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On March 17, a group of Huntsville High School welding students won in two divisions of trailer building at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) and took the title of Grand Champion at the Walker County Fair. Jacob Doyle, Jesse Hoke, David Mejia, Casey Rawlinson and Kyle Britt worked together to construct the trailer. “What prompted us to work on the trailer was that we needed a trailer to have so that we can take something to competitions and trailer build offs,” junior Jesse Hoke said. “We thought we could find a good use for the trailer, and we wanted a big project to take to the Walker County Fair and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.” The students began construction on the trailer after Christmas break, using all their available time to finish it.
“I can say on behalf of the entire group that we are all very proud of the finished trailer,” senior David Mejia said. “Each one of us had a part working on the trailer and explaining all the details on the trailer when being questioned and judged,” senior David Mejia said. Due to the many steps involved in building the trailer—such as fabrication, welding and painting— in addition to the students’ extracurricular activities, the trailer took just over a month to complete. “We’re really proud of our trailer,” junior Jacob Doyle said. “The plan now is to keep the trailer and work on something else for next year. Before we get started, we must find sponsors, where the materials are coming from and what we even want to build.”
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BY JONATHAN WILLIAMS Huntsville Hive Reporter
SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS, AND BALFOUR
SHSU Ring Ceremony
Balfour
Sam Houston Thank you to the students who participated in the SHSU Ring Ceremony held on State University Wednesday April 3, 2019 Alumni Association Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum
Division of Student Affairs
(Names listed are those students who purchased the official SHSU class ring and were eligible to participate in the Ring Ceremony.) Victoria Abowd Rebecca Adams Kennia Aguirre Marcella Alba Odalis Alejos Baraa Aljuhani Brett Allen Ciara Alley Kimberlee Allison Jocelyn Alvarado Marvin Alvarado Gustavo Alvarez-Teran Julianna Amszi Samantha Anderson Martha Andrade Cierra Angel Raquel Aparicio Tajudeen Are Leticia Arellano Julie Arensdorf Martha Arevalo Jose Arriaga Alexis Ashbaugh Katie Atkinson Rachel Auippa Gerardo Baez Shelby Bagwell Samantha Baker Sara Baker Orlando Balcazar Tony Ballesteros Neida Banuelos Rosa Barrera Alyssa Barta Lauren Beall Wyatt Beard Lakecia Beasley Keaton Bennight Taylor Berrier Hunter Berry Thomas Berry Dylan Bert Amy Bertsch Chelsea Bettis Natalie Bhichitkul Sarah Blair Brittny Blanco Chelsea Blankenship William Boehnemann Ellen Bogan Daniel Bowers Jr Bethany Boyd Ryan Bronikowski Alexis Branton Brandi Bratton Courtney Bray Ravyn Bright Jordan Brooks
Jose Cruz Veronica Cruz Arcenia Cuellar Quinn Cyphers Mary Damian Allee Dana Brandon Daniels Erica David Gregory Davila Stormy Davila Robyn Davis William Davis Brittany Dean Camden Debonis Haley Defriend Rachel Deloach Megan Depine Lane Derrick Samantha Devoll Diamond Dickson Brittany Diego Tessa Diller Kelsey Distefano Lane Divin Hunter Dollery Dulce Dominguez Haley Dominguez Lily Dominguez Luis Dominguez Jacquelyn Doud Patricia Dousdebes Markesha Drayden Brandi Driggers Ashlyn Duck Aaron Dugan Destiny Dumas Brigette Duncan David Durham Abagail Duwel Hope Dybus Emilee Edge James Elam Sheridan Elias Presley Ellis Sherri Ellis Joseph Emley Carly English Ricardo Enriquez Ruth Erwin Stephanie Escamilla Iyesha Escobar Sarrah Esser Miranda Estrada Kaley Evans Joshuaann Everitt Aaron Falcon Andreus Faltesek Amber Farias
Elizabeth Harris Austin Harvey Natalie Head Rhett Hemphill Phoebe Henderson Carley Henry Darell Henscheid Andrea Hernandez Cynthia Hernandez Denise Hernandez Emily Hernandez Idalia Hernandez Jonathan Hernandez Josh Hernandez Marylu Hernandez Stephen Hernandez Alexandra Herrera Javier Herrera Mabel Herrera Andrew Hicks Erin Hill Danyelle Hodges Naomi Hodgson Jessica Hogland Robyn Holley Ethan Hoover Lauren Hopper Megan Horn Kitty Horst Travis Howard Hannah Hubbard Michael Hubbard Thomas Hudson Amy Huerta Tyler Huff Ryan Hughes Tyler Hughes Darby Hunter Sandra Hurtado Mitchell Isbell Charles Ishee Melinda Jallo Nathan James Jaclyn Janak Rachel Janca Kaitlyn Janda Jessica Jecmenek
Gabriella Loredo Cinthia Lorenzo Ashley Lott Kristen Love Allie Lovejoy Ashley Lovett Matthew Lovett Allana Lowe Sarah Luke Tyler Luke Michaela Luna Alissa Lykke Madison Lynch Emily Lyng Patrick Lynn Ethan Lyon Miranda Machala Mallorie Madden Migdalia Madrid Silvia Magana Tania Magarin Logan Magee Alma Maldonado Grace Maldonado Melissa Maldonado Lena Mannino Cinthia Marcelo-Calixto Sharone Maritim Kate Marks Mayra Marquez Jodilyn Marrs Alizabeth Martin Ashley Martin Lashaye Martin Dayana Martinez Maria Martinez Maria Martinez Nicholas Martinez Paige Massey Jose Mata Marcus Mathews Cristine Maxwell Lana Mayorga Olivia Mcbride Lauren Mccormick Rowdy Mccoy Raven Mcdougald
Joshua Nutall Jessica O’bryant Codi Ochoa Leonel Ochoa Sara Ontiveroz John Ordonez Daniel Orlas Catherin Oropeza Denise Orozco-Picazo Avery Osborn Claudia Oviedo Lauren Owers Lexy Paden Myriam Palacios Neisha Pander Jace Parker Molly Parker Jamie Parks Bradon Parr Ashley Parsons Derek Partida Shelby Partin Amber Pasquarelli Hannah Payne Leeann Peacock Matthew Peavy Bibiana Pecero Graciela Pedraza Jouslyne Peinado Conner Percle Jose Pereira Priscilla Perez Samantha Perez Sydney Perkins Khaliah Peterson Kaitlyn Pettyjohn Richard Pickett Samantha Piedra-Lujan Hannah Pierrotti Matthew Pilkington Emily Ponce Symone Powell Rachael Pratt Allison Presley Ashley Presswood Kaitlyn Pyburn Darby Quigley Emily Quinn Lisset Quintanar Wendy Quintero Courtney Rabius Alexis Rainosek Blas Ramirez Emily Ramirez Esmeralda Ramirez Lesley Ramirez Alejandro Ramon Crystal Ramos
Benjamin Sharp Jared Sharp Tyler Shaw Paige Shearer Kaitlin Sheedy Blayne Shepherd Chabrell Shepherd Justin Sheppard Amanda Sherer Lanme Sierra Mckensie Sisco Meagan Sissel Joshua Smith Kendall Smith Kyle Smith Lindsey Smith Norely Solache Nirvana Solano Pedro Solitaire David Sommers Brenda Soto Rodolfo Soto Teresa Soto Ashley Sowell Bailey Spirey Sierra Stanley Cathy Stasulli Ryan Stephens Marygrace Sterling Brandon Stevens Brandi Stewart Kyle Stewart Hannah Stickle Katie Storenski Samuel Strubelt Gabriella Stunz Kendall Swonke Megan Tafallo Candice Taipale Amber Tatum Kennidee Taylor Marleny Teters April Theiss Kamri Thomas Tyler Thomas Allison Thompson Brice Thrasher Cody Tipton Madelyne Tolliver Cameron Torres Kennya Torres Matthew Torres Cody Trahan Adam Traylor Emily Trevino Ashley Troutman Cheyanne Trujillo Leah Turner
Bethany Boyd Ryan Bronikowski Alexis Branton Brandi Bratton Courtney Bray Ravyn Bright Jordan Brooks Cody Brown Jada Brown Mary Brown Trinity Brown Zana Brown Austin Browne Andrea Bui Morgan Bundy Scott Buras Tanner Burks Stephanie Burns Kali Butler Kassidy Butler Gilberto Caballero Jr Michael Cabrera Azha Cain Aaron Calderon Jessica Cales Lilia Calvo Lauren Campbell Jessica Campos Mario Canchola Christiney Cantu Jacqueline Cantu Priscilla Capilla Yolisma Cardoza Javier Carlos Cody Carter Elizabeth Carter Julianne Cashdollar Cole Cashion Gabriela Castaneda Luisa Castaneda Makenna Castaneda Janeth Castellanos Nohely Castellanos Amber Castro-Beltran Osiris Chacon Darren Chambers Lindsey Chandler Thomas Chartouni Vy Chau Diana Chavelas Hector Chavez Madison Chavez Lisa Chiu Deandrea Clark Matthew Clark Nizeyimana Claude Matthew Collier Madeleine Collins Ashley Conn Kaylyn Contreras Tametra Cook Alexis Cooper Karrie Cooper Ambrianna Cote Belinda Cote Mackenzie Cox Aaron Crain Megan Crosby Bradlie Crowley Christian Cruz Eric Cruz Gilbert Cruz
Sarrah Esser Miranda Estrada Kaley Evans Joshuaann Everitt Aaron Falcon Andreus Faltesek Amber Farias Cassie Fellers Bria Ferrier Madison Fielder Brett Fish Garrett Fleitas Andrew Fleming Mikayla Fleming Carolyn Flesher Jenica Flores Jennifer Flores Suny Flores Ana Francois Chase Freeman Sierra Freeze Taylar Fuselier Mikenna Gabler Tyler Gall Kelly Gallo Lauryn Galloway Areli Galvan Omar Galvan Jalen Gamble Ciana Garcia Iselle Garcia Jasmine Garcia Jessica Garcia Jordan Garcia Karen Garcia Luisa Garcia Matthew Garcia Patricia Garcia Salvador Garcia Kayla Garrett Alondra Garza Gennifer Garza Sarah Gatten Shelby Gehovak Mallory Gilbert Sarah Gilbert Brooklynn Gilmore Teria Godwin-Pierce Jared Goff Katherine Golden Mason Gonzales Eva Gonzalez Joanna Gonzalez Karolina Gonzalez Kathia Gonzalez Michael Gonzalez Raquel Gonzalez Salomon Gonzalez Leana Gore Nick Gosselin Kelsey Graham Kyleigh Graham Meagan Graham Samantha Gray David Guzman Erika Guzman Miriam Hailey Nikole Hall Kelvin Hampton Jr Jessica Hansen Alexus Hardy Jessica Harper
Charles Ishee Melinda Jallo Nathan James Jaclyn Janak Rachel Janca Kaitlyn Janda Jessica Jecmenek Marqia Jefferson Madison Jenkins Erika Jessie Raquel Jimenez Emma Johnson Mackailyn Johnson Tanner Johnson Allene Jones Brady Jones Ericka Jones Karly Jones Kimberly Jones Krysta Jones Melanie Jones Brianna Jutson Francia Kabia Kayce Kaderka Katlynn Kaminski Chance Kanady Cody Keilers Riley Kelley Bryce Kelly Logan Kennemer Kaylee Kilcrease Megan Kimes Lacey Kinard Sarah King Travis King Jennie Klatt Alexis Korioth Ashley Kramer Ivy Kramer Kaitlin Krznar Lillie Kucherka Elizabeth Kull Nereyda Lagunas Jordan Lamb Jenna Lambert Scott Lane Robert Langham Elizabeth Lanza Aubrey Larkin Troy Lawrence Melissa Lazo Victor Lecheung Brooke Lecompte Janet Ledezma Zachary Lee Kayla Lengacher Brisie Leon Rubin Leos Christine Leshe Morgan Lindsey Taylor Livingston Jesus Llamas Karissa Loewe Berkeley Long Angelica Lopez Leticia Lopez Lizette Lopez Mercedes Lopez Rosimar Lopez Ruth Lopez Stephan Lopez Zaira Lopez
Marcus Mathews Cristine Maxwell Lana Mayorga Olivia Mcbride Lauren Mccormick Rowdy Mccoy Raven Mcdougald Matthew Mcelligott Shea Mckeon Dillon Mclaughlin Amanda Mcleroy Shelby Mcmeekin Ryan Mcshan Kenna Medcalf Jasmine Medina Jose Medina Jr Lorena Mena Max Menchaca Andrea Mendez Dalya Mendez Sarah Mendez Erica Mendoza Victoria Mendoza Katherine Merlos Ashley Mestas Taryn Meyer Sofie Mifsud Kellee Miller Erika Minnix Jodi Mitchell Keaton Mitchell Adam Moffett Abigail Montalbano Alexandria Montesnieto Oran Moore Kyle Moos Austin Morales Alexis Morgan Travis Morgan Edith Morillon Julia Morin Deanna Morris Cady Morton Chelsea Mosley Lauren Mosley Macy Moss Elena Munguia Erick Munguia Karina Munoz Madeline Murray Lillie Myers Matthew Myers Bryson Nail Josue Najera Meagan Nash Yulissa Nava Lane Neckar Ashley Nell Courtney Nettles Britleigh Nettuno William Newman Lesli Neyland Alisha Nichols Bradley Nichols Kacie Nichols Macey Nichols Marie Nicknish Lacey Nielsen Esteban Nieto Dylana Noack Nicole Noel Trevor Nolen
Alexis Rainosek Blas Ramirez Emily Ramirez Esmeralda Ramirez Lesley Ramirez Alejandro Ramon Crystal Ramos Ashley Rangel Kyle Ranostaj Nicholas Rapsilver Angie Realegeno Markeiysha Reed Jordan Register Charley Reid Hannah Repka Abbie Respondek Serena Reyes Victor Reyna Alexander Reynolds Dwane Rhodes Trace Richards Alexa Richardson Cole Riley Kimberly Rincon Santos Rios Faviola Rivas Ashley Rivera Brendan Roark Michael Roberts Alyssa Robey Diana Robledo Omar Robles Alexander Rodriguez Allen Rodriguez Andrew Rodriguez Cassandra Rodriguez Ivette Rodriguez-Espinoza Jesse Rodriguez Maria Rodriguez Yecenia Rodriguez Sarah Rogers Kaylor Rolf Dulce Romero Jessie Rosales Elvia Rosas Joey Rosenkranz Gwyneth Rufer Martin Ruiz Jr Cortney Rutter Alyssa Ryan Janna Rychlik Carol Sagastegui Holly Salazar Isidro Salinas Lucilla Salinas A’rhyan Samford Aimee Sanchez Edna Sanchez Jacqueline Sanchez Javier Sanchez Ruby Sanchez Jenifer Saravia Haley Saylors Payton Scarborough Madison Schiel Crystal Schmidt Andrea Schooler Kerri Schuler Rebecca Schulte Madison Schwartz Eleanore Scott Luis Sevilla
Matthew Torres Cody Trahan Adam Traylor Emily Trevino Ashley Troutman Cheyanne Trujillo Leah Turner Meagan Turner Susana Turrubiartes Karen Umana Michelle Umanzor Mackenzie Unger Brody Usery Javier Valdez Alya Valliani Cody Vance Anahy Vargas Serena Vargas Mayra Vasquez Shane Veeder Carlos Vega Olivia Vega Benjamin Velasquez Bricyn Velazquez Skylar Venette Prisma Vera Sergio Villanueva Jennifer Villegas Travis Wager Brittany Wagers Megan Wales Alyssa Walker Jordan Walker Abigail Walters Charles Ward Chastity Warren Nyara Waters Alisyia Watson Corbin Watson Haley Webb Elissa Weedon Meaghan Wehnes Savannah Welch Morgan Wendlandt Branden Westbrook Makenzie Wethington Bailey White Hueyuanna White Zachary Whittenberg Katlynne Wilkey Tristan Wilkinson Matthew Williams Wyatt Williams Travis Wills Takoya Wiltz Allison Wockenfuss Kolby Wolf Justin Wollgast Jane Wood Alyssa Wright Brittany Wright Zachariah Wright Cassidy Yackley Louis Yarbrough Stephen Yee James Yokem Michaela Yost Brittney Young Caleb Zaborowski Kingslee Zarate Caroline Zimmerman Tiffany Zumaya
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianAandE | Monday, April 8, 2019
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Arts & entertainment
Review: ‘Mountaintop’ A Bold Depiction of Martin Luther King Jr. BY ARIOLE JONES Arts & Entertainment Editor I was very excited to see “Mountaintop,” a student-directed production at Sam Houston State University. I even invited some people to watch it with me. Sitting in the audience, I could tell everyone else was also extremely excited to see this. Side note: I specifically chose not to read any backstory on the play or the writer just for the sense of surprise. “Mountaintop” is set in the Lorraine Motel and is a fictional adaptation of Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night on Earth right before he was assassinated. Kyle Ward played King and portrayed him phenomenally in his role as well as Destiny
Mosely playing a fallen angle, I assume. My issue with this play lies less with the actors and the director, but more with the story itself. I did not get a chance to interview director Cameron Khalil Stokes, so I do not know his motive and inspiration for choosing to direct this show. Let’s just play with what we have. When the writing of a show is as flawed as this, it is hard to see past that. That being said, the cast and crew did the best job possible of making something of the lackluster script. The beginning was a little off-putting. King walked in coughing and hacking and just seemed like something was wrong with him. A little time passes, and a maid walks in overstaying her welcome, and things
just got weird from there. I appreciated the ‘yessa-massa’ accent which I felt was appropriate for the setting, but the character herself—apart from the actress— I didn’t like so much. I didn’t like her typical ‘60s black woman personality and how everything about her was just extra. Although it gave more life to the show, sometimes it just felt uncomfortable. One thing I really want to point out is their view of God. We all know that Martin Luther King Jr. was a pastor and a dedicated man of God. Being that, I don’t think he is someone to easily believe someone’s words over his own knowledge in his faith. The angel told him that God was a sassy, dark-skinned black woman and whenever he would refer to God as “he” she
would correct him saying “she.” I know Ariana Grande said God is a woman, but according to the Bible that Martin Luther King Jr. was reading, I think not. The writing, in my opinion, portrayed King as things he was not— like a dummy and a common womanizer. I wouldn’t say it was a total fail, but it just didn’t make sense to me. Now, I’m not a total negative. The actual idea of this is that it’s actually super fictional, and I understand that. I did like the
ode they made to black revolutionaries over history and what the future held. That would probably be the only part I thoroughly appreciated. I will commend Stokes on his direction of this play and how he was able to make this story come to life with such great actors. Overall, I appreciate the experience. It was something different. I still cannot appreciate the story, sorry. But good job.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianAandE | Monday, April 8, 2019
Arts & entertainment
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SHSU Gets Ready For 25th Annual Sammy Awards BY BREANNA BIVENS Contributing Reporter The 25th Sammy Awards will be held at the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center in the Payne Concert Hall on April 10. Sam Houston State University hosts this annual event in cooperation with the Department of Student Activities. As part of its respective tradition, the university recognizes students and organizations that have exhibited stellar community involvement in their endeavors to making SHSU and Huntsville a better place. There are four award categories that include seven individual college awards, 17 individual and organizational awards, the Sam Houston Cane Award, and the distribution of four prestigious Sammy Awards. Senior Criminal Justice Major Jaila Moore is one of this year’s emcees, and she believes the event does more than simply offer the community a night of fun and entertainment. “Seeing that any university faculty member or student can nominate the individuals
and organizations encourages integrity,” Moore said. “It also reminds students that they do not have to come from wealth or be popular to be important or influential.”
“It... reminds students that they do not have to come from wealth or be popular to be important or influential.” The Sammys’ most fundamental purpose is to award those for their zealous efforts in giving back to the community. Witnessing these leaders receive acknowledgment for their deeds succeeds in doing nothing but inspiring Bearkats to do the same, if not more. “Being involved in the community is what grows us as people,” Moore said. “The university’s motto is ‘The Measure of A Life Is its Service,’ so growing the community of Sam Houston and building up others around us is one very important thing that has built the character of award recipients.” Moore confirmed that this year’s ceremony will be quite special. “You can expect a beautiful
and entertaining production,” Moore said. “We’ve been working since January to make sure the show is lovely. However, these nominees have been working toward their nominations since they’ve started their journey here at Sam. We have some long nomination lists this year, and that’s all because our Bearkats are amazing and pushing themselves to be even better.”
THE MISSION FOR RECOGNITION. The Sammy’s will acknowledge students who show altruistic qualities.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleSports | Monday, April 8, 2019
Page 10
SPORTS
Hubbard Changes Attitude and Culture in Tennis Rebuild BY GABE MYERS Sports Editor Following the 2015-16 season, Bearkat tennis was not in very good shape. In the three seasons prior, the team had a combined record of 5-29 in Southland Conference play. Most of Sam Houston State University’s matches were not competitive. The team was a cellar dweller in the Southland Conference and things were not looking good going forward. Enter Rob Hubbard, a former tennis pro who had coaching stops at University of Texas Pan-American and University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Hubbard took command of Bearkat tennis going into the
2016-17 season, and the Bearkats have seen a remarkable turnaround. In his first season Hubbard got the program back to respectability, going 6-5 in Southland Conference play. The team finally had a winning record for the first time since 2010. In 2017, the Bearkats went from being respected to being feared. They went 8-3 in conference play and did not lose one match at home all season. Despite losing in the conference semifinals, it was clear following last season that the Bearkats were no longer a pushover. The culture in Huntsville has changed drastically. “In an interview with me they told me they needed discipline and structure in the program,”
Hubbard said. “I was immediately thinking ‘Be still, my heart,” so we were able to incorporate that culture rather quickly.”
The number one thing Hubbard wanted to instill in the girls was a sense of belief. “The most challenging part the first year was getting them to believe again,” Hubbard said. “They had been taking a lot of beatings. It wasn’t very cohesive.” It is an environment of building each other up that Hubbard has been creating in order to create a more cohesive culture. This season— regardless of a young roster— Hubbard has been able to do just that. Despite having a lineup that is almost exclusively freshmen and sophomores, the Bearkats currently sit 12-6 overall and 6-3 in Southland play. Two of the losses were 4-3 defeats against
conference unbeatens Northwestern State University and Abilene Christian University. The quick turnaround should come as no surprise given Hubbard’s previous success. At UMBC, he guided the Retrievers to four consecutive conference titles from 2010-2013. The Bearkats have just two matches left in conference play and could potentially move all the way up to third place in the conference standings. While they will not be the favorites going into the conference tournament, they have played the two top teams in the conference well. That should give the team confidence when they head to Corpus Christi.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleSports | Monday, April 8, 2019
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SPORTS
Softball Uses Experience and Youth for Winning Recipe BY SCOTT MORRIS Contributing Reporter After a late-surge at the end of the 2018 season to eventually claim fourth place in the Southland Conference Tournament, the Sam Houston State University softball team has jumped out to an 11-4 conference record this year. After finishing last season with an overall record of 24-33 (13-14 in conference), the Bearkats are playing .500 overall and are breezing through Southland foes to the tune of an 11-4 record—good for second place in the SLC. The team has been able to succeed due to a number of things such as strong play from some returning players, new breakout players and a brand new head coach that has given new life to the team. A big reason for the squad’s winning record this is the leadership from senior pitcher Lindsey McLeod who is coming off a very strong junior campaign in which she started 30 games, winning 15 of them and having a 3.01 ERA with 21 complete games, 8 shutouts and even a couple of saves. This season she has even improved on that by winning 10 games in only 14 starts and sporting an ERA of 2.71. She also recently broke the previous school record for strikeouts. Sophomore infielder Brooke Malia and freshman infielder Kyndal Kutac have been key components all season long, as well. Malia has been a very steady player, starting in all but two games since she arrived at SHSU and has been one of the team’s most consistent contributors. She has improved her batting average from her freshman sea-
son last year from .241 to .271 while also almost matching her homerun total from last season (five)— hitting four already this campaign in 20 less games so far. She has also hit a team-leading 12 doubles. Kutac has also made an immediate impact as a freshman. She has started in 31 of the 32 games that she has played in this season— batting .250 with five homeruns. One extremely big reason for the team’s newfound success is because of new head coach Garret Valis. The team began last offseason with the announcement that Bob Brock, the head coach at the time, was retiring from the program. On May 11, 2018 the team announced that they had promoted Valis to head coach. “I look forward to the future of this program,” Valis said at the time. “There’s a lot of experience coming back.” Valis comes from a strong baseball background. He played third base and outfield at Ranger College from 2002-2004. He later transferred to the University of Texas where he helped as a hitting coach for the outfielders of the softball team. He also has a strong softball background with both of his sisters playing at the University of Texas. As head coach, he has been able to build off the success from last season. The team recently swept the University of Central Arkansas, outscoring them 18-5 in the series. This was a crucial series because it was a road series against one of the stronger conference opponents. “To go on the road to one of the toughest home field advantages in the conference and win three, that’s just what we needed,” Valis said. Since that series, the team has won three of their last four
series including a sweep of Houston Baptist University over the weekend where the Kats outscored the Huskies 15-2. In 2017 when Valis was an assistant coach, he was able to coach the team to the fourth best batting average in the SLC. Since he took full control of the team, he has been able to implement his offensive style of coaching. He has also been able to improve the pitching statistics, lowering the team ERA from 3.88 a season ago to 3.47. The Bearkats have four conference series remaining before the 2019 SLC Tournament begins May 7. Three of those four series are against teams with losing records. The Kats will face Abilene Christian University April 12.
Brian Blalock
Ring Ceremony Celebrates Honor Among Future Graduates Sam Houston State University held the annual ring ceremony April 3. The event is shrouded in tradition. Each of the class rings stay at Sam Houston’s home at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum the evening prior to the ceremony. SHSU ROTC members guard the rings at the home overnight. The rings all have the word “Honor” engraved inside of them. The significance of the word is derived from a small gold band on which the word “Honor” was inscribed that Houston’s mother, Elizabeth Houston, gave to him when he joined the U.S. Army in 1813. Students wear their rings with the school name facing towards them, until commencement, when they turn them around to symbolize that they are ready to face the world.
Grant Worley