April 15, 2010 by UTRGV Student Media

Volume 66, No. 25

The Pan American

April 15, 2010

Nelsen discusses budget, university’s direction By Naxiely Lopez The Pan American Even though the University of Texas-Pan American is facing turbulent times, including the transition to a new leader after the resignation of a popular one, a debate over faculty workload, a mandatory five percent return of state appropriated funds and an attendant $1.7 million in cuts, UTPA President Robert Nelsen has no doubt that the school will weather the storm. FUTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY: Part 1

He has walked into a whale of a first year as leader of the university, but the former Montana cowboy has ridden hard and fast in the saddle to date. Though the financial trouble has taken center stage, the issue of how to become a more efficient institution, spending less and getting as much or more, has been equally vexing. Former Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Paul Sale resigned April 1 amid a debate over faculty workload, which he said had nothing to do with his decision. Sale, who had been with the university since 2006, proposed increasing faculty workload by adding the responsibility of one class for each professor, meaning more work without a pay increase. The Faculty Senate, however, rebuked that proposition. Since then, Nelsen has appointed a presidential task force on faculty performance and workload that will review the situation’s current

See Nelsen || Page 6

Alma E. Hernandez / The Pan American

Oval office - President Robert S. Nelsen sits inside his office on the sixth floor of the Student Services Building. The newly appointed leader came on board amid financial trouble for the university. Currently UTPA faces a mandatory five percent return of state appropriated funds.

Triumphant Rodriguez-Allen ticket takes over SGA reins By Alejandra Martinez The Pan American After announcing the results for the run-off election this past Friday, the Student Government Association sworn in Alex Rodriguez and Mark Allen as their new president and vice president yesterday at the north side of the Student Union during the noontime activity period. Rodriguez and Allen ran along side Brian Silva and Erika Perez and received 830 votes out of the 1,492

Page 2 - Big business might Commentary: Right Wing have packed their bags, but vs.left Left Wing they never

that were casted during the run-off that ran from April 5-8. Rodriguez, 22, who joined SGA during his freshmen year, noted the important role that the organization plays on campus and why students need to be more involved and aware of what goes on in the university. “SGA is the one who makes all the decisions that affect the students directly,” the business management major said. “It’s not about us, it’s not about the personal interest within the SGA, it’s about serving and if we’re

Page 3 - JobsStudies after International director graduation becoming scarce rolling with changes

going to do so many things, we need to be engaged and for people to know what we’re doing.” Allen, 22, expressed his contentment about how smooth the campaigning process was compared to last year. “We had a deep, personal connection with our campaign and with our running competition,” the social studies composite major said. “We had a very friendly and open campaign with Erika and Brian.” One of the first things in the agenda is to build a kiosk for the

Reel11to- Red needs votes Page Holiday gift guide Webbie award

for

Student Union during summer. The booth will be tended by SGA reps and its purpose will be to answer any questions students may have about the organization and the work they do. “We’re here to represent and if people don’t know what you’re doing as a representative, we’re probably not doing a good job,” Rodriguez said. The new president and vice president will officially take office Friday.

RUN-OFF RESULTS

Ruben former Page 14 - Gonzalez, Q&A with volleyball player Rebecca Toddy Olympian, talks to students

This weekend: Valley notables profiled

Elections Alex Rodriguez and Mark Allen won the race by 12%

See SGA || Page 6

April 15, 2010

Letters to the Editor To the editor: I would like to thank Representatives Henry Cuellar, Ruben Hinojosa and Solomon Ortiz for standing up to politics as usual and having the integrity to treat all Americans with dignity in regards to their health. They voted to end caps on my health insurance and prevent insurance companies from discriminating against people who have pre-existing conditions. They voted to give seniors free preventive care and $250 rebate checks in 2010 for seniors who hit the Medicare Part D “Donut Hole.” Furthermore, individuals up to the age of 26 will be able to stay on their parent’s plans. I’m fortunate enough to have access to health care through my employer, and I for one do not mind paying a little more in taxes to extend what should be a basic, fundamental humanitarian right to my fellow American. No citizen in the greatest country on Earth should live in constant fear of a health care disaster, nor should they be at the mercy of real death panels, insurance companies

Illustrated Commentary who arbitrarily decide when to raise premiums and deny health care assistance. Cuellar, Hinojosa and Ortiz took the moral high road by voting yes. They stood up against the lies and misrepresentations of the naysayers and fear-mongers who deliberately prey on the fears and concerns of Americans. We cannot allow certain groups of people to “speak for the majority of Americans,” considering the bill is supported by more than 350 professional organizations who truly represent millions of Americans, including the American Medical Association and the American Association of Retired Persons. We cannot allow the continued propagation of flat out lies-coverage to illegal immigrants, taxpayer-subsidized abortions and government “death panels”-forestall it’s implementation. Health care is not a privilege afforded to certain groups of people-it is a right that no American should be denied. Edgar Morales McAllen

Vol 66, No. 25

Anthony Salinas / The Pan American

April 15, 2010

1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122

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**Delivery** Thursday at noon The Pan American is the official student newspaper of The University of Texas-Pan American. Views presented are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or university.

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letters to the editor

Senior Designer

The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. The Pan American reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. The Pan American cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all story ideas to thepanamerican@ gmail.com. Individuals with disabilities wishing to acquire this publication in an alternative format or needing assistance to attend any event listed can contact The Pan American for more details.

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Commentary

Idealism in Place of Pragmatism Examining the Political Failure of a Left-Right Environment

By: Benny Salinas Sports Reporter

It says something about us when the term “socialist” has become such a loaded one that throwing it into any discussion about politics will raise eyebrows and blood pressure on both sides of the political spectrum. It says something about us when putting a Hitler mustache on Obama’s picture seems just as natural to the Right as doing the same to Bush’s portrait used to seem to the Left. I won’t lie, I’m not an exception. It’s hard to watch Glenn Beck for more than five minutes without feeling the urge to punch the next Republican I talk to. It’s hard listening to Sarah Palin stumbling through a stump speech without honestly worrying about the intellectual capacity of a significant portion of American. And yet, listening to Keith Olbermann rant about the inherit evilness of the Right Wing, it’s not hard to imagine the Right wondering the same thing. It says something about the nature of the political spectrum when both sides are so passionate and stubborn. It suggests that there is at least a shred of truth on both sides. Immanuel Kant once said that when there are two legitimate yet oppos-

ing arguments, the truth or solution lies somewhere in between. It doesn’t take much thought to realize that both sides are wrong. The Right Wing, with its promotion of “traditional” beliefs and quasiconservative political viewpoints, asks for the deregulation of government programs and the downsizing of government, all the while asking that government impose laws on human sexuality, marriage, religion and abortion. The Left Wing, while eschewing those arguably “Christian” beliefs as the basis for political decision-making, has been responsible for a lot of government bloating and unnecessary entitlement programs. While one side invades your private life, the other empties out your wallet. Both poles find their most vocal opposites sharing a single quality: a misinterpretation and perversion of the classical liberalism this country was founded on. It makes me wonder, what are we actually arguing about? How can a person honestly and legitimately take a side when both are so obviously wrong? Why are we taking sides instead of trying to come up with something better? The real problem, with both sides and with politics in general, is that we’ve lost our sense of pragma-

tism. No one will admit it, but it doesn’t matter if the solution works anymore. If it doesn’t follow your party’s ideals, than somehow it’s wrong. No one’s really looking for answers. Every decision is viewed as an opportunity to spread conservative or progressive ideals or to satisfy the base. The truth is though, none of it is working. When you have a political environment set up the way ours is, all that’s left is an uninformed philosophical tug-of-war and a government unwilling to piss people off to get things done. It isn’t the government’s job to give you your morals, or to feed you. However, if the government can manage to do that without infringing on anyone’s individual liberties, then there shouldn’t be a problem. If there’s any ideal a government should aspire to it’s the principle of utility – the greatest good for the greatest number. We need to stop arguing about who’s right, stop arguing about what direction our country is taking, stop pointing fingers at Right-Wing nut cases and Left-Wing communists and realize that if something has always worked, than that’s OK. But if it needs to be changed that’s cool too. It doesn’t matter which way we’re moving, as long as it works.

April 15, 2010

New director heads International Programs By Pamela Garza The Pan American

Tammy Ayala / The Pan American

Taking care of business - Yvonne Quintanilla (right), director of International Programs, discusses the business continuity plan for UTPA with administrative associate Cherie Hughes Wednesday.

When she was growing up, Yvonne Quintanilla’s parents were a big influence on her, constantly giving their children advice. Of all their words of wisdom, there are three sayings that she’s taken to heart: always remember where you came from; take pride in your work; and finally, if you can close your eyes and see yourself achieving a goal, then it’s yours for the taking. Now the director of International Programs at The University of Texas-Pan American, Quintanilla is showing that the lessons she learned from her parents, and in life, have helped her become a successful administrator. The first lesson was about diversity. Quintanilla was born into a migrant family and brought up in a little community outside of Rio Grande City called Los Garcias. When she was 16 she

was selected to participate in a summer educational program held at The University of Texas at Austin. Through that experience, Quintanilla became exposed to different cultures and points of view that fueled her passion for worldwide cultures. The next lesson was in perseverance. Quintanilla went on to earn her bachelors of education at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos (now Texas State), and lived there for the next 20 years. Quintanilla and her two children later moved back to the Valley, to Edinburg, in order to be closer to her parents as she pursued a double master’s degree in guidance/ counseling and educational administration at UTPA. In the final semester of post-graduate education, one of her professors approached

See International || Page 7

Job market for May graduates may be iffy proposition By Alejandra Martinez The Pan American Much like the weather these days, the job market remains cloudy, gloomy and unpredictable, especially for those just out of college who are looking to kickstart their careers. The recession may be over, but the battle to restore the job market is just starting, and some experts say that things may get worse before they get better. The economy added 162,000 jobs in March but still, finding

work in many fields has become a competition where young people don’t always come out winners. Instead, the jobs are going to older and more experienced candidates. Since the recession began, the number of workers ages 55 and older has increased by 9 percent and nearly 1.3 million workers ages 16 to 24 have abandoned their jobs. The most promising high-growth areas for this season are government employment and the health-care sector. According to specialists at

Moody’s Economy.com, payroll employment will continue to decline until the middle of this year and unemployment will continue to rise, reaching 10.7 percent by the end of next year. According to Araceli A. Perez, internship coordinator at the University of Texas-Pan American, employers are looking for applicants with well-developed resumes that show at least one to two internships. This, Perez says, shows that students are taking initiative to become proficient in

“ It’s not to say that it’s impossible to find a job but students really do need to be aware that they can’t wait until senior year to start developing their resume. ”

Araceli Perez Internship coordinator

their field of interest. “The reason why one or two, if not more internships, is encouraged is so you can try different things with your major, Perez said. “It allows students to become wellrounded and get more experience.” If a student doesn’t have internship experience, another way to gain more skills is to try and look for a job while they are still in school and receive as much training as possible. This however,

See Jobs || Page 7

Costello gives pointers for disposing of harmful materials By Nayeli Mireles The Pan American Fertilizers, chemicals, pesticides, not items you’d normally want in the food for family or oneself. Yet, the truth is, leftover oil from a vehicle, old paint and many other harmful materials to go down storm drain could very well end up in your next meal, not to mention many other places they should never go. Richard Costello, Director of Environmental Health and Safety, along with the City of Edinburg and Hidalgo County have commenced a plan, mandated by the state, to maintain clean drains. The goal is to limit the effect

of harmful disposable items on plants and wildlife, which are often consumed as food. Constructed to limit the amount of contaminants released into storm drains, the MS-4 plan, short for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, will involve the following phases: Public Education and Outreach, Public Involvement and Participation, Illicit Discharge and Elimination, Construction and Post Construction Runoff Control and Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping. “For years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

(TCEQ) have been regulating industries to make sure they’re not disposing of hazardous materials to the environment,” Costello explained, “However, in the last decade, they’re realizing that the majority is not coming from industries but from residents,” “Non-point sources are generally those pollutants that are carried away by the rain water, so every time you wash your car, apply pesticide or fertilizer to your lawn, wash your paint brush and let the paint go down the storm drain it eventually makes it to the Laguna Madre where a fish or

See Environment || Page 7

Courtesy of Environmental Health and Safety

Down the drain - Bucky protests dumping fertilizers, pesticides and other harmful chemicals.

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April 15, 2010

News

Nelsen

continued from Page 1 status and make recommendations. “They will have a report by December and have the new workload in place by March,” Nelsen said. “I’ve asked them specifically to look at peer institutions in making their recommendations.” According to a memo sent by Nelsen March 31 to all faculty members, department chairs and deans, the task force will be deliberately large so that a broad spectrum of knowledge and experience can be brought to the table. It will consist of four faculty suggested by the Faculty Senate and two from each of the colleges -these to be suggested by the deans of the respective colleges -- for a total of 16 members. Dr. Wendy James-Aldridge, psychology and anthropology department chair and associate

professor will head the task force. Once the task force has made its recommendations, the College Councils and Faulty Senate will be asked for additional input. “The input will then be funneled to the provost and her leadership team, and then eventually to the Executive Committee,” he said, referring to Ana Maria Rodriguez, interim provost in the wake of Sale’s departure. “Ultimately, it will end up on my desk.” Nelsen says that votes may be taken in various committees along the way, but that the Executive Committee will work by consensus. He suggests that it’s hard to tell what the UT System’s role will be at this point, but adds that if there is a recommendation to change workload policy it will have to be approved by System. The current workload requires

tenure-track faculty to teach three classes per semester, instead of the previous number of four, with the implicit condition that more research be done. However, the current 3/3 workload was based on former university president Blandina Cardenas’ plans to transform the university into a more researchintensive higher-tier institution. A change in command and tough economic times seem to have necessitated a university shift into a different direction. Nelsen, who took over for interim president Charles A. Sorber in January, was quickly greeted with the news that Gov. Rick Perry and other state officials had asked the school (among others) to return five percent of previously encumbered funds. This means UTPA will give back $5.5 million to the state.

However, Nelsen said because of the way the school is funded, the actual loss will total $7.4 million. J.C. Gonzalez, assistant vice president of business affairs and the budget director, reported that the extra $1.9 million came from other cuts and reductions made by the state. “Because the state pays employee benefits in proportion to the state appropriation versus tuition charged at the institutions,” he said, “as the state’s proportion grows smaller, more of the employee benefit costs get shifted to the institution.” This means the university has to dish out an extra $1.2 million to cover the loss of those state funds, plus $700,000 in employee insurance appropriations that were also reduced. The reduction of those funds, plus the $5.5 million given back to the State, means a net loss of $7.4 million for UTPA.

In order to make up for this loss, the university has made $1.7 million in cuts so far. Nelsen says although no layoffs or furloughs are expected, some individual salaries have been reduced. He added that travel was also cut back, as well as some unnecessary purchases. Salary sweeps, a process by which the university uses allocated funds from positions that have not been filled, will also be used. Nelsen also spoke about possible changes in the programs offered at the university, as well as the criterion and guidelines to be used in deciding whether to cut, add, or enhance programs. He said the university will serve the people of the Rio Grande Valley and will make the necessary changes to make sure it does. Next week: Nelsen talks about specific future plans, including Centers of Excellence and graduate programs

Former provost makes SGA continued from Page 1 transition into faculty By Roxann Garcia The Pan American He’s got a new office now, and is a professor once again. Former Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Paul Sale is in transition mode these days after recently stepping down from a post he held since 2006, out of administration and back into the faculty world he always loved. Sale has begun to decorate his new digs with professional and personal belongings including Milky Way candies for whoever may stop by his office in the Education Building. His famous sense of humor remains intact. “I used to drink plenty of coffee when I was in administration because I was always on the move,” the Virginia native commented. “Now, however, I’ve turned to tea.” Sale’s resignation as provost was announced to the university community via e-mail in late March. Ana Maria Rodriguez was appointed as interim provost and VP for academic affairs while the university begins a national search for the next academic leader. The resignation came in the midst of a stormy period for the university. Two weeks prior the Faculty Senate had circulated a draft resolution criticizing Sale for his handling of the faculty workload criteria development. At the time, President Robert S. Nelsen and Sale emphasized that the resignation had nothing to do with his performance on the matter. And by all accounts, the former administrator still feels that way. “The most important thing is to lead an organization of people in the right direction at the right time,” Sale noted this week. “And I was able to do that in my time as provost.” Sale continued to explain that as the university moves forward, the push

must include new leadership as well. With the arrival of a new president, the naming of a different second-incommand is a common occurrence. “You always want to bring in someone who has new energy and ideas,” Sale said. “It’s a natural event [resigning] and I’m confident Dr. Rodriguez is more than capable of accomplishing this.” After arriving in 2006 to fill the provost position, Sale enjoyed his time spent at the university in that role. “The first time I set foot on campus was on a Saturday and I remember looking around to find parking lots full of parked vehicles,” he noted. “That’s when I first realized how hard-working the staff, faculty and students are.” The initial factor which brought Sale on board for the university was his interest in the dynamic leadership qualities of former president Blandina “Bambi” Cardenas, who resigned in 2009. “I was very much interested in becoming a part of a community with such a drive for excellence,” he said. “I didn’t even know where the university was.” Regarding Nelsen’s leadership role so far, Sale feels more than confident in the direction he will lead the university. “We’ve got some great people in leadership roles here at Pan Am and were going to follow the leader and that leader is Nelsen,” he stressed. “And I feel that he’s going to take us to the next level and I’m looking forward to that.” Sale received his bachelors and master’s degrees in special education from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a doctorate in education from the University of Georgia in 1986. “I’m excited to go back to teaching,” beamed the education professor, who is set to receive a full load of classes this fall. “It’s my passion to be able to work hands-on with the students.”

Alma E. Hernandez / The Pan American

Set the mark - Marco Setien, SGA chief justice, swears in newly elected executives, President Alex Rodriguez (center) and Vice President Mark Allen on Tuesday during activity hour.

April 15, 2010

New director heads International Programs By Pamela Garza The Pan American

Tammy Ayala / The Pan American

Taking care of business - Yvonne Quintanilla (right), director of International Programs, discusses the business continuity plan for UTPA with administrative associate Cherie Hughes Wednesday.

See International || Page 7

“ It’s not to say that it’s impossible to find a job but students really do need to be aware that they can’t wait until senior year to start developing their resume. ”

Araceli Perez Internship coordinator

See Jobs || Page 7

See Environment || Page 7

Courtesy of Environmental Health and Safety

Down the drain - Bucky protests dumping fertilizers, pesticides and other harmful chemicals.

THE PAN AMERICAN

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April 15, 2010

THE PAN AMERICAN

April 15, 2010

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By: Andrielle Figueroa Victor Ituarte

aving unsafe sex is like being on the Price is Right; except the Winners Showcase includes an extended supply of medication and a swab in your pee-hole. Not all unsafe sex leads to this lifestyle, but do you really want to take the risk? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has marked April the month of Sexually Transmitted Diseases awareness, so here are some things that sexually active people should take note of.

• 1 in 2 sexually active young people will get an STD by 25 (most won’t know it) • Sometimes STDs show no signs or symptoms

• Remember you are not just having sex with your partner; you are having sex with everyone else they have had sex with.

Where did you get your information? During high school from people that would have presentations on STDs and pamphlets from the clinics. What are some methods of preventing contracting an STD? Use protection or stay away from (sex). Be abstinent.

Luis Aguilar – 20 Columbus, Nebraska, Sophomore Kinesiology Major What do you know about getting tested for STDs? I don’t know. Where did you get your information? I have been taught about it at an early age. I’ve been told by my parents to not get into a relationship too serious where a person does have an STD.

• STDs are spread during vaginal, anal and oral sex • Some STDs are spread by contact with infected blood

Where did you get your information? Reading pamphlets and people telling you when you give blood. It’s not really something you can talk about with your parents. You just pick it up eventually. What are some methods of preventing contracting an STD? Abstinence is the best way. Condoms. Use a condom. Be safe. Birth control cannot stop you from getting STDs so stick to the condom. Priscilla Lugo – 20 Edinburg, Sophomore Anthropology Major

Where did you get your information? I got mine from my mom, who is an RN. Health classes that I’ve taken, some biology classes, and some pamphlets that get passed around here at Pan Am.

Sam Macias – 19 McAllen, Freshman Pre-Law Major

• Even if symptoms go away, you still have the STD until you are treated

What do you know about getting tested for STDs? I don’t know the name exactly, but there are some places in my hometown where you can get tested for free. I got tested about a year ago just for shits and giggles. Everything was fine. You just piss in a cup.

• Birth Control does not protect you from STDs, it only prevents pregnancy Aaron Olivarez – 20 Mission, Sophomore Biology Major

Where did you get your information? At the very beginning, when I was younger, my dad works for the health department so he’d always warn me and try to scare me about STDs and some of the bad stuff you can get like genital warts. Later, I just read the pamphlets here at school.

Daisy Tercero – 21 Edinburg, Junior Bio Pre-Med Major

What do you know about getting tested for STDs? Your regular doctor is fine. If not, they can recommend you to a free clinic. I don’t know where there is one exactly in Edinburg, but I know there is one. For girls, they can go to gynecologists and get tested. At least once a year, even if you’re having sex or not because they can develop after you’ve been checked.

THE PAN AMERICAN

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April 15, 2010

THE PAN AMERICAN

April 15, 2010

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By: Andrielle Figueroa Victor Ituarte

• 1 in 2 sexually active young people will get an STD by 25 (most won’t know it) • Sometimes STDs show no signs or symptoms

• Remember you are not just having sex with your partner; you are having sex with everyone else they have had sex with.

• STDs are spread during vaginal, anal and oral sex • Some STDs are spread by contact with infected blood

Where did you get your information? I got mine from my mom, who is an RN. Health classes that I’ve taken, some biology classes, and some pamphlets that get passed around here at Pan Am.

Sam Macias – 19 McAllen, Freshman Pre-Law Major

• Even if symptoms go away, you still have the STD until you are treated

• Birth Control does not protect you from STDs, it only prevents pregnancy Aaron Olivarez – 20 Mission, Sophomore Biology Major

Daisy Tercero – 21 Edinburg, Junior Bio Pre-Med Major

April 15, 2010

Reel to Red requests votes to secure Webby win By Kristen Cabrera the pan american

Kevin Eubanks resigned from his band leader position on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Only two days later musical director Rickey Minor from American Idol was chosen to replace him.

Kick-Ass makes its way into theaters April 16, an adventure comedy story of real life people wanting to be superheroes. The movie stars Aaron Johnson, Christopher MintzPlasse and Nicolas Cage.

The Webbys are to the Internet as the Oscars are to the movies. And Reel to Red Productions on campus has garnered two Webby nominations; what the group needs now is for students, staff and anyone with an e-mail address --or multiple e-mail addresses-- to help it win. The winners will be announced May 4 and the ceremony will be held in New York City on June 14. “What’s incredible,” said Chelse Benham the director of Reel to Red, “is that being nominated is an automatic win because for the year 2010 the only people that will be able to stake ‘Nominated for a Webby’ are the five of us in the running.” Reel to Red Productions is up for Best Student Web site and The People’s Voice award for Best Student Web site. The latter is where R2R needs the help of its fans. “We are going to set up computers for the next two weeks in the Student Union so that students can vote,” Benham said. “Our focus right now is the voting. We are going to make a

Are you feeling orgasmic? You may have fallen off a Wii Balance Board. A 24-year-old from Britain fell off her Wii board and hit her head. The hit gave the girl persistent sexual arousal syndrome that is activated by pulsing and vibrating electronics.

dedication and skills of the student team that created the site. “I have the best students,” Benham said. “They are exceptionally trained and are not the average student. That’s how you build a winning team: you need the best people and to you need to support them…I have the best students, that’s all there is to it.” The inspiration for the Web site’s look and feel was generated from a tiny working space: despite being the university’s campus-wide television network, R2R does not have an actual television studio. The 30-foot by 40-foot (that’s shared with University Relations) was the reason the student team that crafted the project wanted a virtual studio. Alexis Carranza, the 22-year-old assistant program director, was the one who pieced together all the individual page composites once they were made by the team. “It took about three or four months to make,” she said. “Everyone on the team designed a page in Photoshop. They gave me their files and I built the site in Dreamweaver.” Carranza, also a designer for The Pan American and Panorama

during her career at UTPA, doesn’t consider herself a Web designer because most of her graphic design background is in print. Having never created a Web site before, she had to do some research. “I had a steep learning curve to go by,” she admitted. “I had taken a web design class and I remember most of it was in Dreamweaver. But my biggest issue was understanding and writing HTML code.”

Fallen frat brother remembered through comedy show By Monica Solis the pan american

British Indie singer Kate Nash will release her second effort “My Best Friend is You.” The album is due to release on April 20, and on April 26 she will start her ninedate North American Tour.

video on YouTube to suggest they vote for us and to show how them how to do it.” From now until April 29 voters can go online to webby.aol.com and vote for their favorite sites. R2R is in first place with 33 percent of the tally, but with the quick and ever-changing pace of the Internet, that can vary at any moment. Voters must first register at the Webby site with their e-mail and create a username and password. Then a verification e-mail is sent to their inbox (sometimes spam folder, beware) and a link is provided to verify the new account. From there the new user can click ‘VOTE’ on the top navigation bar and it will send them to the People’s Voice Webby nominations categories. Reeltored.com is under the ‘Student’ category listing. The Web site is relatively new and has only been up and operational since October 2009. The eight members responsible for constructing reeltored. com, including Benham, have been involved with the program from anywhere from one to six years. She attributes the nomination to the

It is said that every tragedy births a triumph in some way or another, and as the university and fraternity Pi Sigma Kappa mourn the loss of former UTPA student Daniel Flores, we also note the new set of comedy shows in his memory. Flores, who passed away this March and was known as Big D, was by all accounts an outgoing guy who was known as a huge fan of a good laugh, so the Kappas presented a free comedy show April 8 at the Student Union Theatre. Featured were three fellow brothers, all with an edgy and down to earth sense of humor. Audience members were moved to nervous giggles and a lot of times, uproarious laughter. Proceeds went toward funeral expenses. Comedians included self-dubbed “Dat nigga Tre,” Raymond Orta, and Daniel Lopez. Tre was confident in delivering punch line after punch line of race and sex observations as well as the we’ve-all-been-there-down-in-thedumps-with-money jokes that never cease to captivate a college audience. “When you go in porn shops and shit like that, man, be careful,” Tre warned. “That shit’s f***cked up.” Orta is actually a professional who has performed comedy in

many places, including the recent Last Comic Standing auditions in New York City. He related to the audience’s predominantly Hispanic heritage and attitude, poking fun at how when the weather is 70 degrees one can usually see an assortment of heavy letterman jackets and San Marcos blankets. He further said we couldn’t possibly participate in the Winter Olympics unless there was an event specifically designed for us to show up for and succeed at like a “Wapango Marathon,” with teams racing to the finish line in an unwavering dance of cobra snake boots and excited gritos. Orta also made fun of religion and social networking sites such as Facebook. “The post (Facebook) says ‘Jesus died for your sins and if you don’t post this you won’t go to heaven,’ ” Orta said. “And you’re like ‘OH F***!’” Each of the long-time friends of the deceased brother had a take on current events and life in general. “They tell you drugs are bad,” Daniel Lopez said with a smirk. “They’re not.” He then related to audience about the ridiculous amount of “munchies” involved in the dreamy, deranged state of high acquired from smoking weed, and the unforgettable change of events and persona a “tacha,” ecstasy pill, can bring about. He also

Alma E. Hernandez / The Pan American Funny man - Comedian Raymond Orta performs at the Student Union April 8. A former UTPA student, he has opened for Paul Rodriguez. joked about the common cultural misconceptions and how hypocritical they can sometimes be. “Who here believes in gay marriage? Yeah I don’t either,” Lopez joked. “No one can be happy in a marriage.” The frat brothers all appeared very supportive of each other and this led to a receptive audience. “We were just sittin’, chill’n’, and this guy said, ‘Hey there’s a free comedy show,’” Theatre major Mellisa Eberline said. “And it was honestly funnier than I expected. I’m glad I went.” Senior Edinburg resident Chris Dungan agreed that the show was an

unpredictable burst of blunt comedy. “I didn’t know what to expect and I just kept an open mind about it,” Dungan reflected, “‘Dat nigga Tre’ – he was funny, really funny.” According to frat brother Lopez, audience members such as Eberline and Dungan can look forward to future shows throughout the year. “We want to create a comedy circuit throughout Pan Am,” Lopez said. “We are also doing these to recruit for the losses we incurred to pay for our brother’s funeral costs. The show is in memory of frat brother Daniel Flores.”

April 15, 2010

Arts and Life

Page 11

Author discusses life of late aunt through novel By Lupe A. Flores the pan american

At The University of Texas-Pan American, Library Week kicked off Monday evening with an enlightening discussion encompassing the life and work of the late Zora Neal Hurston, famous African-American novelist, playwright, journalist and anthropologist. Her niece, Lucy Anne Hurston, visited with students and faculty at the Union Theatre to lead the discourse on her award-winning book, “Speak, So You Can Speak Again: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston.” A pop-up edition of the estate left by her aunt, the biography contains never-before published poetry, hand-written manuscripts and includes photos, postcards and letters from when Zora Hurston vacationed or worked abroad. Hurston, an associate professor of sociology at Manchester (N.H.) Community College, lit up as she talked about her aunt, the work she produced and how she was first introduced to her. “I found Zora through her books in the attic of our house in Brooklyn when I was nine,” she said in an interview before the event. “I found her life so fascinating, and by the time I was a teenager, realized that the fear I had of being different was just justified by looking at the way Zora lived her life… it gave me a cushion for being weird.” With a cup of mint tea in hand, she began the presentation with a few minutes of personal history then enticed the audience with stories about Zora and her influence on American culture, as well as in Lucy Anne’s life. “Zora could do immersion work, ethnographic work. Because people couldn’t comprehend the culture of the Negroes, she took it unto herself to explore it and write about it,” she said.

And Hurston did so radically through her fiction, synthesizing literary elements with empirical data collected in the field. “She was an original, one of the very first multiculturalists,” the niece added. “She believed that to understand a culture, you must understand the language first.” For an 90 minutes, she explained the importance of Hurston’s contribution to American history as was one of the prominent authors of the Federal Writers’ Project of the 1930s, a New Deal strategy to recapture patriotism and document America’s story through individuals and cities across the nation. In 1937, Zora’s masterwork, “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” was published, a novel that is now read in high school and colleges across America. Privileged to have read many of her aunt‘s hand-written, firstedition works as a child, Lucy told the audience the novel “was my introduction to my family.” “Her work gave me the strength to go off and explore the things that I found interesting, she said. “I looked at all she achieved and I knew I could walk on the moon if I wanted.”

BACKGROUND TO A CAREER Before Lucy Anne Hurston was approached about making a biography about her aunt while working on her doctorate’s degree at The University of Massachusetts-Amherst, the scholar had been an advocate for her since she was a teenager. “In the ‘60s and ‘70s, when I was finding out about her, I felt so cheated and decided that as much as I could do to promote an awareness of who she was and what her contribution were, that would be my mission,” she recalled. She began starring in speaking engagements, writing essays and articles, sharing what she knew about Zora. She also used her inheritance, which she described as, “the material

Pat & Rowley Illustrated by Anthony Salinas the pan american

Mayra Godinez / The Pan American Family Matters - Lucy Anne Hurston (right) speaks with Special Education freshman Adrianna Zaleta after her presentation at the Student Union April 12. The author recalls the events that involved her late aunt in “Speak, So You Can Speak Again: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston.” culture of [Zora’s] life, and that turned into the publication of this book. I decided to share it with the masses, make it widely available for the people who’ve read her work to keep it alive.” Answering a question from a member of the audience at the end of her talk, Hurston mentioned how she sometimes feels that her aunt has allowed her to live the life she has. “There are times when I feel that she’s pushed me, that she’s let me [do this],” she said.

She also marveled at their similarities. “Here is what’s wild,” the author said. “I found out after doing my research that I worked in the same area Zora once did. We were in each other’s workplace, geographically, methodologically… we were falling all over each other 70 years apart from one another.” For Joseph Vega, 21, a junior philosophy major, Lucy’s Anne’s objective is understandable. He

believes her visit to the university was a great opportunity to get a glimpse of a person of national significance. “It’s great that a relative of such a famous writer and anthropologist come here to speak to us about the unique way she got to know her aunt,” the California native said. “Zora lived during the time American anthropology was forming and helped shape it, so to have her niece come here to speak to us about the relevance of her work, it’s pretty amazing.”

Page 12

The Pan American

April 15, 2010

Lady Broncs head to conference tourney with high spirits By Sara Hernandez The Pan American Although the University of TexasPan American women’s tennis team has a 2-13 record this season, members are eager to conclude the season at the Great West Conference Tournament, which will take place from April 30 to May 2 in Grand Folks, N.D. “It’s not about what happens in the regular season. It’s not about the wins and losses, if we win that’s great,” head coach Chris Taylor said. “But losses were okay as long as we got better.” The Lady Broncs wrapped up the regular season picking up a 7-0 win against Prairie View A&M Saturday and lost 6-0 against Louisiana-Monroe Sunday. In the singles against Prairie View A&M Luisa Cantu, a senior, defeated Melissa Gerrier (6-4, 6-1). That same day, senior Nina Ciric won 6-2, 6-2 and 6-0, 6-2 against Lerado Ndlovu and Alejandra Barrea respectively. Sophomores Reetta Raty and Andrea Salvetova defeated Margaret Berry and Lise Karenzie each. Senior Sarah Burton won by default. The Lady Broncs also won all the doubles against the Panthers. Sunday was another story as they lost all matches against LouisianaMonroe. Claire Clark defeated Cantu 6-2, 6-2 and Ciric fell 6-4, 6-2 to Lena Stage. Bedeau lost against Monika Winkel the same way Raty was overcame by Vivian Polak. Salvetova and Burton both lost against Burjaili and Sydney Bruscato. “Last weekend’s matches were good practice for the (conference) tournament,” Raty said. “WE played two totally different teams and even though we lost on Sunday we all played some good tennis.” Taylor stressed that the real objective for the team is to succeed at the conference championship, which will be hosted by the University of North Dakota. “Our goal starts April 30th when we go up to North Dakota,” he said. “That’s been the goal all year… to work hard in practice work hard on the matches and try not to focus too much on the wins and losses but just get better and get ready for the conference tournament.” For players like Raty, the tournament is something to look forward to because it will be the first time the team will contest for a conference championship and the last time the group will play together. “This is our first conference tournament for all the girls, so of course I’m excited and kind of nervous at the same time,” she said. “I’m looking forward to it and I’m sure all the girls are are since it’s our last road trip and tournament together.”

Bernstein Brothers build Bronc bond By Sara Hernandez The Pan American

Buck and Bart Bernstein were college tennis All-Americans as a duet in the ‘80s. The brothers played together at Southwest Texas State the same way Brett and Beau Bernstein share the court as part of the University of TexasPan American men’s team today. After playing together for two years, Buck’s sons, Brett and Beau were ranked 164th in ITA doubles team this week, carrying on the family tradition excellence of net excellence. “I’m happy about it, I was able to do it with Brett the same way my dad and my uncle played together,” sophomore Beau said. Although the brothers learned to play tennis at a young age because their father and uncle are tennis instructors at Sweetwater Country Club in Sugar Land, their hometown, it wasn’t until Beau came to UTPA that they got an opportunity to play together formally. “When we were younger I never got a chance to play with him because he is two years younger and he was much, much smaller,” senior Brett said. “Then, my freshman year of school I came back in the summer and he grew like a foot, he was much bigger. He was improving his game and he was looking for a school and we convinced him to come down here to Pan Am.” That summer, with a much taller Beau, the brothers signed up for the 2007 ITA Collegiate Summer Circuit at Texas A&M University, where the doublet made it to finals. This proved to Brett that although his brother was still a junior at Stephen F. Austin High School, he was capable of competing with high-caliber collegiate players. The recognition that the Bernsteins found on the court led them to realize that they formed a good team and raised their hopes of following their father’s example of playing at a Division I college. “Him and his brother started playing when they were in their teens, they’re both really close and they played a little bit professionally,” Brett said of the ‘80s stars. “It’s always the running joke in the family that me and my brother are the same thing… they always compare me and my brother to my dad and his brother.” For Beau, deciding to come to UTPA was somewhat easy due to the influence of his brother, but for Brett, the Valley school wasn’t even an option when it came to choosing which university to attend. When he was a week away from signing with the Redlands University in California, a late inquiry letter from then-tennis head coach Rob Hubbard offering him to visit the university. It opened up another option, a compelling one considering he wanted to stay in Texas if at all possible. “I’d never been down here before so I was like, ‘Wow, there’s actually a

Freddie Martinez / The Pan American

family thing - Brett (left) and Beau Bernstein were raised into tennis; they picked up their first racket at a young age while watching their father play, and are today keeping family traditions alive. pretty big school down here,’ and I met some of the guys in the team and they were all very nice,” he recalls. “Coach Hubbard seemed like he wanted to get the program back on track and I thought it’d be pretty cool if I could be part of something like that.” But things haven’t been always easy for Brett. During his junior campaign, the older Bernstein wasn’t convinced that he wanted to continue, but support from teammates helped him stay. “There’s a lot of ups and downs; there was a point where I didn’t know if I wanted to be playing anymore but I talked to the guys and they convinced me to go back and I’m glad I did,” he said. “I think it helped me grow up as a person and I just appreciate the fact that I’m here playing college tennis. “The guys on the team are great, I’ve had a lot of good friends that I still talk to and encourage me. It was just a good experience to be part of something I consider pretty special and all the guys on the team are really close and I consider them my brothers more than teammates. Overall it’s been a good experience” SLC TOURNAMENT That same support that members of the UTPA tennis team show in difficult times has turned them into a contending squad that wants to do well at the Southland Conference Tournament April 23-25. The men are 2-2 in the conference and have beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the

strongest team, twice this season. Last weekend, the Broncs defeated Lamar, also a conference foe, 6-1. “We’ve hanging out a lot together and I think that we get along so well off court carries over on court, and we support each other a lot on court,” Brett said. “When we were playing Lamar we were very enthusiastic and pumped up… everyone was cruising and I think that’s what helps us out the most, when we’re very supportive and into each other’s matches and helping each other out. If that’s how we play at conference I think we have a pretty good chance of taking it.” And head coach Chris Taylor agrees about the potential success that the team could have in the tournament. Although the team lost matches against highly ranked universities (Texas A&M, TCU, Baylor and SMU), he believes that this experience gives the men practice that is showing at the right time. “We’re feeling good, I think we’re playing our best tennis right now; we had it rough early …that kind of hurt our confidence but at the same time it prepared us for the rest of the season and here we are at the end of the season and we’re playing good,” he said. “We’re hoping to win the thing.” For Beau, going into the conference tourney in good standing (the two losses for the Broncs were close ones against UTSA and Nicholls State) motivates the younger players to honor Nirvick Mohinta, also a senior, and his brother by giving them the opportunity

of being conference champions. The team has one outing left against UTArlington Wednesday at 4 p.m at the UTPA Orville Cox Tennis Center. “Our team this year is very good, the guys leaving are big part of the team,” he said. “Everyone that’s coming back next year wants to do well for the guys that are leaving.” As the season comes to an end, both Bernsteins reflect on what their lives are going to be like when Brett returns to Sugar Land after obtaining a degree in history this May, while Beau stays here to complete his two remaining years of eligibility. “It’s going to be different because he (Brett) has been there since I’ve been here, we’ve always played next to each other,” Beau said. “It’s going to be weird not having him and Nirvick next to me.” For Brett the four years spent as part of the program will carry on a different type of tradition in his family. The memories remembered will eventually be tales for the young, explaining the way he made of a struggle the experience of a lifetime and of his brother his best friend. “When I was little, my dad would always tell me about all the fun and good times he had with his teammates and I always thought, ‘That’s what I’m gonna do when I’m older, I’m gonna go play and I’m gonna have all this good stories to tell my kids one day,’” he said. “Those are guys that I’m gonna tell the stories about, the guys on the team. It’s a group of good guys.”

Winter Olympian discusses success stories Page 14

April 15, 2010

Sports

By Sara Hernandez The Pan American

Norma Gonzalez / The Pan American

INSPIRING - Ruben Gonzalez, a four-time Olympian, captivated the audience Tuesday night with his story of success. He said that no dream is too big if the person is willing to work and never give up.

Focus on a dream, get started and don’t quit. These are the principles Ruben Gonzalez gave the audience at the Student Union Tuesday for the kickoff event of UTPA Leadership Week. He said that these ideals apply to any area of life and will help a person achieve dreams. Gonzalez is a four-time Olympian, award-winning speaker and bestselling author who became a regular in the world luge competition, competing on the highest level in four decades (1988, 1992, 2002 and 2010). “No matter what your goal is, you’ve got to have confidence and get started,” he said. “And when it gets tough I’m not going to quit and I’m going to do whatever it takes to get the work done.” In Dulles High School in Sugar Land, a friend told Gonzalez that they knew him as “The Bulldog,” because bulldogs never quit. That’s the trait that took Gonzalez to where he is today. After migrating with his family to New York City from Argentina at age six, he had to learn English and was the last kid to be picked for teams in PE class throughout grade school. Gonzalez, who moved to Houston after two years of residence in New York, went on and tried out for the soccer team at Houston Baptist University, from where he obtained two degrees in biology and chemistry. Although he made the squad he was always on the bench, so he set the

goal of not being cut from the team – he was always the first one to show up to and the last to leave. After watching the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Gonzalez decided to attend the following Olympic Games. Since he wasn’t athletic enough to compete in the summer sports, he decided to compete in the luge, a winter sports that consists on sliding down a hill on a sled. He didn’t pick up the sport until he was 21. And he went to four Games. His best result was the 31st place in Albertville, in 1992. He obtained 33rd in his first Games (Calgary 1988) when he was 25, and 41st in Salt Lake City 2002. After six years away from the sport, at 47, Gonzalez was the oldest competitor in this year’s Olympics in Vancouver, where he placed 38th. “You’re going to have bad days, bad weeks, bad months, or even bad years, but don’t go ahead and try to figure it out on your own; call your best friend…your favorite professor,” Gonzalez said. “But don’t quit on your dream. If you quit on your dream, you’ll regret it all your life.” And true to his word, he never gave up, understanding that, as he says, “If life is tough, you need to be tougher.” In order to achieve one’s dream, Gonzalez explained that one must face hurdles not by being intimidated by them, but by treating them as opportunities to learn to overcome, to the point where they’re no longer in the way. “If your struggles look like Mount Everest, but if you start doing things to grow as a person, you start learning

all these principles and you’ve grown so much that the Mount Everest is going to look like a speed bump that slows you down just long enough to take them as growth opportunities,” he commented. “And people start calling you lucky. No, I’m not lucky. I just didn’t quit.” Today, Gonzalez, whose occupation was selling copiers and office equipment before becoming a motivational speaker, lives in Houston with his wife Cheryl and his children Gabriela and Gracen. His book “The Courage to Succeed” is an internationally best-selling book and has been translated to several languages; his column “High Achievement” appears in publications across the nation. Gonzalez was invited to share his personal experience in the motivational movie “Pass It On” and was the associate producer of Napoleon Hill’s Foundation movie about perseverance, “Three Feet From The Gold.” As part of the Leadership Week, the Office of Student Development hosted a Student Leader Mixer yesterday at the Visitors Center and will present “Invictus,” a sports leadership movie, tonight at the Quad at 8 p.m. Gonzalez left the auditorium with a sense of sense of power and confidence, the feeling that “the harder it is, the easier it is for me because I’m not a quitter.” He stressed that ordinary people can do extraordinary things if they just keep trying and… don’t quit. “Be an ordinary kid with an extraordinary dream that kept shooting,”

Bronc baseball breaks Golf looks to surge after fifth-place finish losing streak Tuesday

By Benny Salinas The Pan American

On Tuesday, the University of Texas-Pan American split a double header with Lamar University at Vincent Beck Stadium in Beaumont, Texas, winning the first game 9-7, and losing the second in 10-0 blow. The Broncs Baseball team had added another series of losses to their plummeting record after losing four games to the Northern Colorado Bears. The series, held at Edinburg Baseball Stadium, was the first set of conference games for the Broncs, resulting in a 0-4 start in conference play; their overall mark is now 10-16, after a promising 9-4 start. The series opener was held Friday and started on a bad note with the Broncs, as they gave up six runs in the second inning. The Broncs responded with four runs between the third and fifth innings, including a two runs from senior Garret Bivone. In the eighth the Broncs scored another two runs, with Angel Ibanez and Ryan Vest crossing

the plate. Despite these runs, the Broncs were unable to overcome the Bears’ lead and lost 11-6. The series continued Saturday with a doubleheader, giving the Broncs another two losses. In the first game of the day, the team was unable to put a score on the board until the fifth inning with and finished down 10-3. The second game of the day followed a similar pattern with the Broncs trailing early after the Bears scored seven runs in the third inning. UTPA put up a fight with two runs in the fourth inning including a homer by Vincent Mejia that flew over the left-field bullpen wall. After giving up three more runs the Broncs lost 10-4. The Broncs concluded the series on Sunday with a 7-2 defeat. After tying the game in the third inning, 1-1, and coming within one in the sixth inning, the Broncs lost their grip and gave up four runs in the last three innings. Following this series the Broncs will play the University of North Dakota at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium during the weekend for another four-game conference series.

By Benny Salinas The Pan American

After two days and three rounds of golf the UTPA Broncs pulled out a fifth-place finish at the Jim West Intercollegiate hosted by Texas State University. Hosted at the Victoria Country Club in Victoria, the event attracted colleges such as Rice, Sam Houston State and UT Arlington. The Broncs’ three-day total for the event was 906. “The guys are always improving so I’m happy with how we performed,” said Coach Santiago De Larrea. “This is the first year we’ve been invited to this tournament so we were happy to be here.” Following the Jim West Intercollegiate the Broncs will play at home at Los Lagos Golf Club for the American Sky Conference Championship April 25-27. The first day of competition in Victoria found the Broncs in seventh place with a 601 total, a disappointing end to their first day after they had begun the two-round day in fourth place with a 296 after one round. The Broncs gained nine strokes in the second round, with a 305 score.

At the top of the Broncs scoreboard 20. Kevin Kirakossian was the Broncs for the day was freshman Kevin Ki- top competitor with a ninth-place finish rakossian who finished the first day and an overall score of 219 after a 76 At 143 after a 71 and a 72 in the first in the final round. Armen finished 20th two rounds. Behind him was his older with 75 in the final round. “We’re always imbrother seproving,” De Larrea nior Armen reiterated. “We’re tryKirakossian to play and travel and freshman “ The guys are always im- ing as much as possible Brandon Reyto figure things out na who finproving so I’m happy with and get ready for the ished the day conference champitied for 24th how we performed ” onship.” with a 150 De Larrea seems point finish. positive about the “We need Santiago De Larrea outlook for the rest of to start closHead coach the season, and with ing in and start good reason. Along making it easier on ourselves,” De Larrea said after with the five players De Larrea took the first day of competition. “We need on the road with him, there are another to aim for more pars and stop trying to strong five players at home. Also on his radar is freshman Kevin Kirakossian. get birdies.” “Kevin is doing a really good job The second and final day of competition worked well for the Broncs de- right now,” De Larrea said. “I’m really spite a strong wind. They finished the looking forward to watching him grow final round having improved to fifth over the next three years.” Following the conference championplace with a 305 score, bringing the ship the Broncs will also have the Nathree-day total to 906. The Brothers Kirakossian were the tional Minority Collegiate Golf Chamtop competitors, both ending in the top pionship in Port St. Lucie, Fla., May 7.

April 15, 2010

Running for hope, funds for cancer research She’s a small woman with an enormous heart, with an equally enormous task in mind, to run a marathon for cancer research. Sofia Torres is an alumnus of The University of Texas-Pan American who graduated in August 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in advertising/ public relations. She is also one of hundreds of thousands of people in the world with a family history of cancer. In 2009, Torres’ mother was diagnosed with colon cancer and required surgery to remove part of her mother’s large intestine in order to relieve her suffering. The stress and worry took a toll upon Torres’ life leaving her to understand the true effects of the disease. “This was an eye-opener as to how bad cancer is because it affects the family,” Torres explained. “She’s now cancer-free but I can imagine, if she were still continuing the fight, how our family dynamics would have changed.” With the uplifting results of her mother’s recovery, Torres decided to do something that will not only change her own life, but alter the lives of others. She has never been a runner, admitting that she’s never run a mile in her whole life. “I loathe running,” she said. “I spoke to a friend who had always wanted me to join a marathon team. He explained to me that he was in an organization named The LLS Team in Training.”

cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. Since 1949, LLS has invested more than $680 million in research, including almost $70 million in 2009. LLS partners with TNT, Team in Training, to bring out the best in fund-raising marathon runners. TNT has been providing a training program for a range of participants, from first-timers to seasoned athletes for more than 21 years. The Rio Grande Valley has its own chapter and members get support from Mission to Brownsville. Certified coaches provide training and clinics on fitness, nutrition, gear and injury prevention. From this chapter, runners are joined with others from around the state and all will meet at the Rock ‘n Roll San Diego Marathon & Half-Marathon June 5, running as a state team. A week consists of team training on Saturday mornings starting at low mileage and increasing the distance throughout the season as a runner progresses. There are one to two days of low-mileage training on their own or with a practice buddy, one to two days of cross training including strength training or a different aerobic activity, then finally one or two days of rest. “This is sort of like a bucket list for me, I’m 25 and I’ll be 30 pretty soon so I feel like it’s time to make time for me, make goals and reach them,” Torres said. “Like I said, I’m not a runner but I’m doing this for me, my mom, and those who are suffering with cancer.”

THE ORGANIZATION The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is a non-profit health organization dedicated to funding a

TRAINING IS TOUGH Running a marathon can be compared to having cancer in a sense; there is preparation, pain, and sacrifice.

By Neena Hernandez The Pan American

Torres said when one prepares for it, she gathers all the gear and gets set for a long and vigorous challenge to the body. For a cancer patient, the preparation dynamic includes family too as both gird for the approaching emotional and physical strain. This means pain. Pain through cancer is brought on by the sickness itself or through surgeries or treatment the patient goes through. Sacrifices are made when a runner gives up an hour or two out of their schedule to go through vigorous training for a distance run. Torres began training for the marathon Feb. 6 and recently suffered a setback with an injured knee. When Torres’ mother was in the hospital, weeks went by when the laundry wasn’t done, and a homecooked meal wasn’t present for almost three months. Actually, her support and encouragement didn’t come as easily as she had hoped. “My mother at first was hesitant but later said whatever I think I can accomplish and put my mind to she’ll support,” the UTPA grad recalled. “She feels very honored because my sister Jimena and I are doing it for her. On the other side, my sister and I got hit with a lot of negativity from laughter in our faces to comments such as, ’What are you thinking, you can’t do that.’” She told the surprising anecdote with tears in her eyes, saying, “It was from people that I least expected like my best friend, some of my sorority sisters, and even my grandparents.” Despite the negative comments, Torres pushed herself to prove to others that she can achieve any goal she commits to. She said that she’s learned a lot by joining the team, information and facts about cancer

Courtesy of Sofia Torres

conrats grad - Sofia Torres (center), sister Jimena (left) and their mother after Sofia’s commencement ceremony in 2008. She graduated in advertising/public relations from UTPA.

Alma E. Hernandez/The Pan American

keeping it up - Sofia Torres practices five times a week as part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society training program backed by TNT. research and aid organizations that she had no prior knowledge about. Exercise, health, and strategies about running are also new to her. “There’s a lot more science to running than I ever thought,” she joked. “I’m still learning about how to breathe when I run. I forget to breathe. The most important part about running along with lacing up your shoes right is breathing.” Funding is also part of Torres’ training, because without the funds to support her trip to San Diego, there is no check mark off the list. “I should tell you up front that I am not an athlete, much less a runner,” she reiterated, quoting from a donation letter she sends to solicit funds: “You may ask, then why take this trial on of 26.2 miles? Well, everyone has something they want to accomplish before a given deadline, almost like a bucket list. Running in a marathon is one of my goals to accomplish this year.” The total cost to support Torres is $2,900 and so far she has raised 30 percent of that. Only 25 percent of the total goes toward housing and food, the rest is donated to LLS’s mission to finding cures and saving lives. FURTHER MEANING Torres is the president of the Delta Zeta alumni at UTPA and has brought awareness and inspiration to the sisters of the sorority. Sarah Salazar is the current president and the junior communication disorders major explains what she sees in Torres and how strong-willed she is. “Sofia is so tiny. I cannot picture her running but I’ve heard that she is actually doing great,” said Salazar, an Edinburg High grad who ran track and played volleyball in high school. “She is proving to herself that you don’t need to be an athletic person as long as

you have the dedication to accomplish a marathon. The motivation to raise money has been pushing her.” Salazar said that Torres was an early factor in her life at UTPA. “She was a senior when I started rushing but she made it a point to be known to those who were just joining the sorority,” she remembers. “She did a lot for the chapter and she represents Delta Zeta, especially by running this marathon. She is the ideal Delta Zeta with dedication and heart.” Being part of such a close organization allowed Torres to gather donations from her sorority by sending letters to current sisters and to past members. Salazar noted that because Torres is running a marathon to help raise money for cancer research, it marks a good opportunity to open doors for the sorority and bring the sisters even closer together. “I think she can inspire the girls or anyone to run a marathon such as this,” she insisted. “I hope that when she does run it, she’ll come back and tell us about her experience. Maybe as a chapter, the sorority can raise money and all go. This would be a great event for Delta Zeta to be part of.” It’s a surprise when one who has never ran in her life suddenly targets a marathon of 26.2 miles. No previous experience in running, no knowledge of what a marathon contains, but the will and perseverance keep Torres going. “This is for my mom. This is for those who don’t think that I can do this,” she said emphatically. “This is for those mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters who are battling their way through cancer right now.” For more information on donating to support Torres and LLS, visit http:// pages.teamintraining.org/stx/rnr10/ storreshhg. To be part of TNT and for information on the program, visit www.teamintraining.org.

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the pan american

April 15, 2010