Volume 68, No. 4
Fulbright Scholar resides at UTPA
WWW.PANAMERICANONLINE.COM
September 22, 2011
TIME FOR TUTANKHAMEN
By Alma E. Hernandez The Pan American
Bronc Village will be home to an international artist for the next nine months, as Mark Cloet, recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and Belgianborn sculptor, will be UTPA’s Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence. Cloet received one out of approximately 50 Fulbright SIR grants awarded annually to international scholars. The grants give preference to college and universities with large minority populations and international programs. The Fulbright Scholar program was established in 1964 by Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. Susan Fitzsimmons, chair of the University art department, is responsible for bringing Cloet to the university. “When I first arrived at UTPA as chair, I thought the opportunity of bringing an artist of international fame to our campus would open the dialogue between students, faculty and the international art world,” she said. Because he was working for universities in Africa and Italy when he caught the attention of Fitzsimmons, Cloet says he was in the right place at the right time. Though they had never met she knew of his work, and was impressed by his involvement in the art communities of Belgium, France and Italy. Based solely on his work she took the initiative and worked on a proposal for the Fulbright grant Cloet received.
SEE FULBRIGHT || PAGE 5
Famous pharoah on display
Reynaldo Leal/THE PAN AMERICAN
THE KING IS HERE - The artifacts in the King Tut exhibit arrive at the Visitors Center for a show that will run Sept. 26 to Jan. 4. The artifacts are the only authorized replicas of the pharoah and his family. By William D. Mainous II The Pan American Reproductions of the Egyptian pharaoh King Tutankhamen and the artifacts found in his tomb will be on display at the University Visitors Center from Sept. 26 until Jan. 4. The exhibit will be open Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors may walk through alone or groups may request a tour through a form that is available at the front desk. Admission is free. Most of the 130 artifacts are made
CHECK THE WEB Barraza para la Raza || Artist discusses cultural identity during Hispanic Heritage Month event
of wood and painted to look like golden treasures, and some are carved from alabaster. A few of the pieces are actual artifacts from the time period when King Tut lived (over 3,200 years ago), but most are fairly recent. The objects are all “cast to look like the real thing, with the flaws and all,” said Marty Martin, curator from The Origins Museum Institute, in an interview with the Arizona Daily Star earlier this year. This collection of treasures of the pharaoh is on loan from The Origins Museum Institute in El Paso, the Cairo Museum, and from private collectors. Some notable artifacts include the royal chariot and the iconic golden
mummy case. King Tut became the ruler of Egypt at age 7 in 1333 BC, and ruled Egypt until his death roughly a decade later. He reigned as pharaoh in Egypt’s eighth dynasty and was the 12th king in that dynasty. This magical figure’s death is a great mystery as there are no surviving records of Tut’s final days. Some research suggests he may have been assassinated. Other scholars, however, think an accidental death, like a broken leg that became infected or malaria, is a more likely explanation. After being hidden beneath the deserts of Egypt for thousands of years,
Agreements ease transfer woes || Full credit hours to count for six additional programs
Tut’s tomb was discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922, and is the most complete Egyptian royal tomb ever found. It is also responsible for the infamous myth that anyone disturbing a pharaoh’s resting place will meet an early death. Researchers who have studied death records and journals of people involved with the discovery of a mummy say there is no evidence to support this claim. As HESTEC kicks off next week, the University will have twin fall highlights, with the King Tut exhibit expected to draw in thousands of visitors. “I am happy that the university will house the exhibit,” curator Martin said.
Making a Splash Cross country teams compete in Corpus Christi this weekend. Check out the story online Saturday.