December 6, 2012

Page 1

Year in Review

The Pan American looks back at 2012 Page 5

December 6, 2012

Volume 69, No. 13

DegreeWorks Advisement tool for students still in development Page 3

Women’s Basketball Won 59-57 Both teams played UT Arlington Mavericks with mixed results

Men’s Basketball Lost 60-51 Online

Soñar Despierto UTPA group gives back for the holidays Page 6

panamericanonline.com

LAW SCHOOL: Weighing the options By Charles Vale The Pan American

Important Board of Regents meeting Dec. 6. Check TPA Facebook and Twitter for updates /thepanamerican

The proposal to build a law school in the Rio Grande Valley was once again submitted to the state Legislature, Nov. 12 by State Rep. Eddie Lucio III, just months after the UT System announced plans to build a medical school in the area. Two similar bills were submitted in the 2011 State Legislative Session, but failed to make it out of the House of Higher Education Committee, a body with jurisdiction over education beyond high school in the state of Texas. District 40 State Rep. Terry Canales supports the move to

bring a law school to the Valley. Canales has been an attorney in District 40, which includes a chunk of Hidalgo County, and Edinburg, for almost six years and is a graduate of Saint Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio. In a statement from an article by Edinburg Politics, he expressed the need for a law school in the Valley. “First and foremost, a law school is about empowering a region with tools and knowledge to see and obtain legal and social justice,” Canales said. “In addition, a law school creates jobs through construction of facilities, the hiring of administrators, faculty and staff and securing gov-

ernment and private grants for everything from financial aid to legal clinics.” If a law school were established in the Rio Grande Valley, it would not be the first. In the mid-’90s the Reynaldo Garza School of Law in Mission closed its doors after failing to earn accreditation from the American Bar Association, a professional organization focused on improving the legal profession. Before an attorney can begin practicing, they have to pass the Texas Bar Exam. However, the exam cannot be taken unless the person taking it has graduated from an accredited school. The closest such school to the

Rio Grande Valley is Saint Mary’s in San Antonio. It is one of 10 in Texas (five are private). Jerry Polinard, political science professor at UTPA and pre-law advisor, said that it would play a big part in the decision to establish a law school in the Valley. “Part of the question the Legislature would ask is why we would need more than 10 law schools. Our answer is that it would be location,” Polinard said. “The closest public law school is five hours away. Obviously it would be an advantage (for students), and it probably saves on travel and housing costs.”

Continued on Page 3


2

opinion

December 6, 2012

Hasta la vista, baby!! Mariel Cantu

Advertising Manager In case you are wondering…. no, this is not about any of the Terminator movies. In fact, now that I think about it, it does involve some terminating, not the one in which evil killing machines controlled by an evil computer destroys the human race, but something less devastating that requires more than twice the effort and money than that needed for world damnation…. the culmination of a degree. Although I might be exaggerating a little, getting a degree is not an easy process; it requires a lot of dedication, sacrifice and good judgment to determine what is and isn’t a priority, but not forgetting that it requires a lot of patience as well. I’m not necessarily saying that you need to keep your eyes in your books 24/7 or that instead of studying you need to become some sort of a party animal. What I’m trying to say, is that it’s really impor-

#UTPA

tant for you to find a balance between your family, friends, partner, school and why not, some time for yourself too won’t do you any harm. As a future graduate, my legacy to you all will be the

the probability of meeting new people increases. Take me as an example; I’ve been working at The Pan American Newspaper as an Advertising/PR manager for more than 3 years with absolutely no re-

I got to learn and do things I would have never imagined I would be achieving before finishing my degree. -Mariel Cantu

Advertising manager advice to get the most out of your college life. With a student population close to 20,000, it’s nearly impossible to know everyone. But by joining a club, an organization, or even getting a part-time job here on campus,

grets. Having zero background in those subjects, I got to learn and do things I would have never imagined I would be achieving before finishing my degree. I got to attend several conferences all over the country, sell close to

1,000 ads (making a revenue of more than $180,000), organize conferences for high school kids, meet amazing and talented people throughout the years and even got the opportunity to write my own story. But, if that was not enough, I joined UPB (University Program Board) during my freshmen year, and became a member of SAE (Society Of Automotive Engineers) where building an off-road car has been a hobby for more than 3 years. And last but not least, become an intern at the Office for Sustainability, which has given me the opportunity to learn about the huge impact we can all make in our community by making small changes to our way of life. Overall, I’ve had an amazing time all these years of college, I admit it, It hasn’t been easy at all, but the satisfaction of being part of all these projects and meeting all these amazing people. It’s just priceless. So “Hasta la Vista, UTPA!!” Thank you for everything and good luck to you all.

Comic

Huge news. #UTPA AD and Pres really worked for this. RT @monitornews: UTPA confirms it has an offer to join the WAC. - @parasmuss

Photo of the Week

Adrian Castillo/The Pan American Junior guard Jamal Dantzler goes for a basket during the second half of Monday’s game against University of Texas at Arlington. The Broncs lost 60-51.

The Pan American will return Jan. 14. Have a happy and safe holiday and stay posted with UTPA news online at panamericanonline. com

Vol. 69, No. 13

The Pan American

thepanamerican@gmail.com 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 665-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122

Editor-in-Chief:

Karen Antonacci

News Editor:

Daniella Diaz

Sports Editor:

Norma Gonzalez

Wow. I’m shocked #UTPA got an invite from the WAC. Never thought it would be this soon. Congrats though. - @mikedsaenz

Arts & Life Editor:

Lea Victoria Juarez

Photography Editor: Adrian Castillo

Design Editor:

Erick Gonzalez

Letters

You know what would be cool if I had Bucky Bronc cheer me on before my college of Edu interview it’ll be a dream come true #UTPA - @dase2010

to the

Editor The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. We cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks.

Why doesn’t UTPA have a puppy room during finals week :( #utpa #puppyprobs #stressreliever - @winterbaby1215

Please send all letters to:

Francisco Rodriguez/The Pan American

thepanamerican @gmail.com

Multimedia Editor:

Dimitra Hernandez

Adviser:

Dr. Greg Selber

Administrative Associate:

Anita Reyes

Advertising Manager:

Mariel Cantu

Webmaster:

Jose Villarreal

Social Media Editor: David Alvarado

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.

Next Delivery:

Jan. 14 at noon


Law School continued from page 1 However, the number of existent schools isn’t the only thing that could keep the law school from being established in the Valley. Another hindrance is that the entity would have to be established on state funding. “It is an uphill battle. We are talking about a bill that would support a state law school. States are stingy with their education money,” Polinard said. “It always loops back to what it is going to cost.” According to the Texas Higher Education Coordination Board, the cost of starting a law school can range just above $80 million in a

odds are in your favor against out-of-town attorneys. It’s an unfair advantage.” The idea behind this is that having people who graduated from a Valley school would create attorneys who have already had the chance to establish connections with judges and other attorneys, as opposed to someone who moves here from another city and has to start fresh. In 2009, Texas law schools graduated 2,340 students, but only 1,837 of those graduates passed the Texas bar exam. Also, the Valley has the lowest lawyerto-citizen ratios in the state of Texas according to The

There is a need since we are so far from an accredited law school, but the odds are against it this year. - Jerry Polinard

UTPA Pre-Law Adviser five-year period. This may prove a problem, especially for a state with a recent history of budget cuts. According to National Public Radio, state lawmakers cut $4 billion from education funding in 2011, leaving 12,000 teachers and support staff unemployed. Not everyone agreed that creating a law school in the Valley would be a good call. One such person is Jackie Odum, a 21-year-old political science major and vice president of the UTPA Prelaw Society. She believes that although the school would bring more resources to law students in the Valley, she also thinks it would not benefit the community since it would create an unbalance in the Valley’s legal world. “I think it would open doors for students, but the Valley is such a close-knit community since people who grew up here tend to stay here,” Odum said. “With the system down here, if you’re an attorney from the Valley the

Texas Tribune. Despite the obstacles before it and the history of the last law school in the Valley, Reynaldo Garza, the people behind the move seem determined to make it happen when the Legislature goes into session in January. But to Polinard, the chances are slim, especially after an announcement this summer by UT System Chancellor Dr. Francisco Cigarroa, who has made it his mission to establish a medical school in the Valley. For the medical school, the plan is to convert two buildings in Harlingen and the Regional Academic Health Center, which is behind the campus’ Human Services Building, along with the creation of a school of public health in Brownsville. “I do think that it is inevitable that South Texas will get a law school,” Polinard said. “There is a need since we are so far from an accredited law school, but the odds are against it this year.”

DegreeWorks

3

works?

Advisement tool for students still in development By Daniella Diaz The Pan American DegreeWorks hasn’t been around for too long, but students at UTPA are already familiar with the role it plays in advisement. However, there are still some issues that the registrar’s office is ironing out. The program is designed to help a student track their completed and pending classes for graduation, and became available through ASSIST in spring 2012. A very noticeable disclaimer at the bottom of the page informs users that DegreeWorks is not intended to replace one’s adviser, but is rather considered an advisement tool. It also helps a student calculate their grade point average and predict future GPAs by inputting additional classes with anticipated grades. This program has helped the registrar’s office efficiency when it comes to planning classes for the upcoming semester. With DegreeWorks, the office can predict future semester classes depending on how far along a student is on the degree process. The software was purchased in Spring 2011 from Ellucian for $300,000, paid for by standard operating funds (budgeted University monies). President Robert Nelsen became interested in the software when he saw it functioning at his former home, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, according to Jeff Rhodes, registrar. “We want students to graduate in the shortest amount of time possible and take only the classes that they absolutely need for their degree,” Rhodes said. “That’s what DegreeWorks does. It lets the students know exactly what courses

they need to get their degree so that they don’t waste time taking classes that are unnecessary.” According to Nelsen at the 2011 fall convocation, an average student takes 165 credit hours, but only earns 141 credit hours at UTPA. However, a typical degree plan only requires 124 credit hours. In 2011, the four-year graduation rate at UTPA was 15.6 percent. That means that out of 100 students who started at UTPA, on average about 16 graduated in four years, or on time, in other words. In order to raise both of these statistics and solve what the University perceives as a problem, DegreeWorks was introduced.

15.6% graduate in

4 years

In Rhodes’ opinion, the first semester the software received good feedback. In the most recent survey taken at the end of last semester, 51 percent of students agreed that DegreeWorks is an effective advisement tool. “What I’ve seen from other systems is that they are not very user-friendly,” he said. “What DegreeWorks does is put (class progress) in student-speak. It builds a very simple checklist and says, ‘Here are the courses you need. Here are the options.’ And when they’re completed, it checks them off.”

IMPROVEMENTS Because DegreeWorks is a fairly new deal, there are still some kinks that need to be sorted with the software. Graduate students at UTPA are still not able to use it. The degree plans for graduate students are “much more

on average

124

credit hours required to graduate sticky,” Rhodes said. The graduate degree plans are more complicated because their classes are more specialized, so the registrar’s office is working toward having those degree plans online by the end of next spring as a “soft target,” Rhodes said. Along with the graduate implementation to DegreeWorks, the registrar’s office is also planning to set aside two weeks this spring to fix

a typical utpa Student graduates

141 165

with but attempts

credit hours

any road bumps, such as updated degree plans, with the software. Also, in the case that a student’s major or concentration is incorrect in

DegreeWorks, Rhodes recommends that the student turn in a change-of-major form to the registrar’s office. There is a simpler, updated version of the form available online at their UTPA page. “There was a lot of missing data, especially the tracks (for degrees),” Rhodes added. “That data actually resided in the departmental offices and had not been reported to us, so we’ve been working very hard to get students to fill out the form.” FEEDBACK Ayssa Cabrera has found DegreeWorks to be a useful tool as she maps out future classes. “It was helpful and it made my degree plan pretty clear to me,” the 20-year-old accounting major said. “I recommend it to my friends because it’s pretty efficient. You get to see what you’re doing, what you’ve done, and what you need to do when it comes to classes.” Cabrera also likes a feature that informs her of prerequisites she may need for a class, saving her from having to call the registrar’s office and ask. However, Adriana Ramon doesn’t see DegreeWorks as a useful tool. The nursing major believes it could be more user-friendly. “I couldn’t understand how it works,” the 18-yearold said. “I was really confused by the percentage bar. It was saying I already had a percentage but I don’t know how that works since I just started taking classes.” But Hugo Sanchez, a criminal justice major, agrees with Cabrera. He put his appreciation for the program in simple terms. “DegreeWorks is like an adviser,” he suggested.


Page 4

THE PAN AMERICAN

December 6, 2012

THE PAN AMERICAN

December 6, 2012

February

for

BOOKS Visit utpa.bkstr.com for buyback hours and locations

UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE

The body of an 18-year-old Edinburg North High School student was found stuffed under the staircase of the Science Building’s east stairwell Feb. 8. The UTPA community waited anxiously for updates as morning classes were cancelled. Although the autopsy report lists the cause of death as suicide, friends close to Brenda cast doubts on the cause of death. As a result of the incident, a door was installed on the east stairwell.

1,000 Points for J. Maree

Black & White

Ending their regular season with an overall record of 30-22, the Bronc baseball team clinched their first winning season in 12 years. The Broncs also claimed the number-two seed in the Great West Conference.

Jared Maree becomes the 21st player in UTPA Bronc men’s basketball history to score at least 1,000 points during the 77-69 loss to Utah Valley Wolverines Feb. 2.

June

DECEMBER 15

DHS released a memo authorizing agents to use their discretion when prosecuting undocumented youth that would fall under the oft-debated, never passed DREAM Act, allowing many undocumented immigrants to apply for twoyear work permits.

For the first time in South Texas, local horror fans were able to attend a convention celebrating all things spooky, scary and gory. The Oct. 19 and 20 South Texas Horror Con event took place at the McAllen Convention Center.

Senior Judith Chumba won her 2nd consecutive title of Great West Conference Women’s Cross Country Champion and Runner of the Year after winning the 5K race at the GWC Championships, hosted by Chicago State Oct. 27.

*NO PURCH NEC. VOID WHERE PROHIB BY LAW. Accrue points towards entries for a chance to win a $100 bookstore gift card. “The Game” is valid at the time of this publication and ends on 12/31/12 at 11:59:59 PM PT. Go to http://play.acmeloyalty.com/rules/termsandconditions-holiday.htm for Official Rules and details on entry instructions, winner selection, prizes, how to obtain an entry without sending a text message, etc. Open to eligible, legal residents of the 50 U.S. states and D.C. 16+.Supported Carriers: Alltel, AT&T, Boost Mobile, Cellcom, Cellular South, Cincinnati Bell, Nextel, nTelos, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless.

July

october

Sam Williams Passes

“Father of Broncs Basketball,” UTPA Hall of Famer and men’s basketball head coach emeritus passed away Oct. 22 at the age of 88.

Benny Benassi World renown electronic DJ Benny Benassi made his first appearance in the Valley Oct. 20 as part of his Rough Road Bus tour.

After the 2010 U.S. Cenus reported a growing population of Hispanics, the Hispanic and Latino vote became an integral part of President Obama’s reelection. UTPA student Rogelio Chanes attended the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., as a delegate while campus organizations worked to bring political figures to campus.The early voting location at the Student Union saw record numbers for a general election, with 4,328 ballots cast.

August

With the year coming to a close, The Pan American reflects on the most influential events of the year. What was your favorite 2012 moment? Tweet about it. #UTPA2012

Crawling with Monsters A play about a group of students prevented from performing by the drug cartel violence based on true events. It premiered Oct. 2 at UTPA.

All-Time Bianca Torre Harlingen-native Bianca Torre breaks the 10-year-old University women’s basketball program scoring record Nov. 9 and the program record for career assists Nov. 23.

Chick-Fil-A Stays UTPA President Robert Nelsen announced that the Chick-Fil-A restaurant in the Student Union would continue to be built over the summer amid controversy after Chick-Fil-A President Dan Cathy shared his negative views on same-sex marriage with the world.

September Kidnapping

A student was abducted at about 7 p.m. in parking lot T2 outside the Education Building Sept. 25 and returned to her family two days later. Three men were charged in connection with the kidnapping. The incident triggered a flurry of complaints about campus security, including inadequate lighting in some of the newer parking lots. Temporary lights were erected until more permanent fixtures were installed.

Zouzalik Signed to Rangers

Recently-graduated righthanded pitcher Michael Zouzalik signs with the Texas Rangers after participating in an open tryout in Round Rock on Aug. 22.

Distinguished Speakers

Elections

*We do not charge for SMS. Carrier message and data rates may apply. You can opt out of SMS messages at any time by texting STOP to TEXTBK (839825). Text HELP for help. Msg&Data Rates May Apply. Up to 4 msgs/week.

A South Korean hit with a dance routine by Psy has swept the nation, appearing in places such as the American Music Awards, ESPN and Glee.

Chumba Wins Again

November Play for your chance to WIN bookstore gift cards & cool badges! Text: 0034 to TEXTBK (839825)

Gangnam Style

A new home for art students was completed in July at an off-campus location on Closner St. A shuttle is available to move students between the two buildings.

For Black background, there is a white border around it.

now through

Deferred Action

South Texas Horror Con

/UTPAbookstore

RETURN YOUR RENTAL BOOKS

Mission native Angel Ibañez is selected by the Houston Astros with the first pick of the 28th round (849th overall) of the MLB Draft June 6. Three days later, Ibañez signs with the Houston Astros organization.

Art Annex

4/C

1201 W. UNIVERSITY DRIVE |

Ibañez Drafted to Astros

Baseball: First Winning Season in 12 Years

Death on Campus

CASH

Page 5

Aaron Urbanus Scores 1000 Career Points Senior guard Aaron Urbanus joins the 1,000 points club after shooting his first basket, a three-pointer, against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Nov. 24.

The University hosted TV personality Larry King, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman and theoretical physicist Michio Kaku.

New Board The $250,000 Toshiba LED video board, funded by The CocaCola Company, was installed mid-August.

End of the World

Due to an interpretation of the Mayan Long Count calendar, some believe that a world-ending catastrophe will happen this Dec. 21.


Page 4

THE PAN AMERICAN

December 6, 2012

THE PAN AMERICAN

December 6, 2012

February

for

BOOKS Visit utpa.bkstr.com for buyback hours and locations

UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE

The body of an 18-year-old Edinburg North High School student was found stuffed under the staircase of the Science Building’s east stairwell Feb. 8. The UTPA community waited anxiously for updates as morning classes were cancelled. Although the autopsy report lists the cause of death as suicide, friends close to Brenda cast doubts on the cause of death. As a result of the incident, a door was installed on the east stairwell.

1,000 Points for J. Maree

Black & White

Ending their regular season with an overall record of 30-22, the Bronc baseball team clinched their first winning season in 12 years. The Broncs also claimed the number-two seed in the Great West Conference.

Jared Maree becomes the 21st player in UTPA Bronc men’s basketball history to score at least 1,000 points during the 77-69 loss to Utah Valley Wolverines Feb. 2.

June

DECEMBER 15

DHS released a memo authorizing agents to use their discretion when prosecuting undocumented youth that would fall under the oft-debated, never passed DREAM Act, allowing many undocumented immigrants to apply for twoyear work permits.

For the first time in South Texas, local horror fans were able to attend a convention celebrating all things spooky, scary and gory. The Oct. 19 and 20 South Texas Horror Con event took place at the McAllen Convention Center.

Senior Judith Chumba won her 2nd consecutive title of Great West Conference Women’s Cross Country Champion and Runner of the Year after winning the 5K race at the GWC Championships, hosted by Chicago State Oct. 27.

*NO PURCH NEC. VOID WHERE PROHIB BY LAW. Accrue points towards entries for a chance to win a $100 bookstore gift card. “The Game” is valid at the time of this publication and ends on 12/31/12 at 11:59:59 PM PT. Go to http://play.acmeloyalty.com/rules/termsandconditions-holiday.htm for Official Rules and details on entry instructions, winner selection, prizes, how to obtain an entry without sending a text message, etc. Open to eligible, legal residents of the 50 U.S. states and D.C. 16+.Supported Carriers: Alltel, AT&T, Boost Mobile, Cellcom, Cellular South, Cincinnati Bell, Nextel, nTelos, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless.

July

october

Sam Williams Passes

“Father of Broncs Basketball,” UTPA Hall of Famer and men’s basketball head coach emeritus passed away Oct. 22 at the age of 88.

Benny Benassi World renown electronic DJ Benny Benassi made his first appearance in the Valley Oct. 20 as part of his Rough Road Bus tour.

After the 2010 U.S. Cenus reported a growing population of Hispanics, the Hispanic and Latino vote became an integral part of President Obama’s reelection. UTPA student Rogelio Chanes attended the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., as a delegate while campus organizations worked to bring political figures to campus.The early voting location at the Student Union saw record numbers for a general election, with 4,328 ballots cast.

August

With the year coming to a close, The Pan American reflects on the most influential events of the year. What was your favorite 2012 moment? Tweet about it. #UTPA2012

Crawling with Monsters A play about a group of students prevented from performing by the drug cartel violence based on true events. It premiered Oct. 2 at UTPA.

All-Time Bianca Torre Harlingen-native Bianca Torre breaks the 10-year-old University women’s basketball program scoring record Nov. 9 and the program record for career assists Nov. 23.

Chick-Fil-A Stays UTPA President Robert Nelsen announced that the Chick-Fil-A restaurant in the Student Union would continue to be built over the summer amid controversy after Chick-Fil-A President Dan Cathy shared his negative views on same-sex marriage with the world.

September Kidnapping

A student was abducted at about 7 p.m. in parking lot T2 outside the Education Building Sept. 25 and returned to her family two days later. Three men were charged in connection with the kidnapping. The incident triggered a flurry of complaints about campus security, including inadequate lighting in some of the newer parking lots. Temporary lights were erected until more permanent fixtures were installed.

Zouzalik Signed to Rangers

Recently-graduated righthanded pitcher Michael Zouzalik signs with the Texas Rangers after participating in an open tryout in Round Rock on Aug. 22.

Distinguished Speakers

Elections

*We do not charge for SMS. Carrier message and data rates may apply. You can opt out of SMS messages at any time by texting STOP to TEXTBK (839825). Text HELP for help. Msg&Data Rates May Apply. Up to 4 msgs/week.

A South Korean hit with a dance routine by Psy has swept the nation, appearing in places such as the American Music Awards, ESPN and Glee.

Chumba Wins Again

November Play for your chance to WIN bookstore gift cards & cool badges! Text: 0034 to TEXTBK (839825)

Gangnam Style

A new home for art students was completed in July at an off-campus location on Closner St. A shuttle is available to move students between the two buildings.

For Black background, there is a white border around it.

now through

Deferred Action

South Texas Horror Con

/UTPAbookstore

RETURN YOUR RENTAL BOOKS

Mission native Angel Ibañez is selected by the Houston Astros with the first pick of the 28th round (849th overall) of the MLB Draft June 6. Three days later, Ibañez signs with the Houston Astros organization.

Art Annex

4/C

1201 W. UNIVERSITY DRIVE |

Ibañez Drafted to Astros

Baseball: First Winning Season in 12 Years

Death on Campus

CASH

Page 5

Aaron Urbanus Scores 1000 Career Points Senior guard Aaron Urbanus joins the 1,000 points club after shooting his first basket, a three-pointer, against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Nov. 24.

The University hosted TV personality Larry King, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman and theoretical physicist Michio Kaku.

New Board The $250,000 Toshiba LED video board, funded by The CocaCola Company, was installed mid-August.

End of the World

Due to an interpretation of the Mayan Long Count calendar, some believe that a world-ending catastrophe will happen this Dec. 21.


6

arts & life

December 6, 2012

Macroposada 2012 UTPA group gives back for holidays

Courtesy Photo By Katelyn Flores The Pan American All it takes is one small, smiling face, and members of Soñar Despierto have made it their mission to make as many terminally ill children smile this Christmas. Soñar Despierto is a non-profit organization that aims to help youth

develop an attitude of sensitivity and responsibility towards problems in society, and encourage them to develop the community. Members do cultural, educational and recreational projects for children in need. Although the organization has made its way to the University, it did not start there. Soñar Despierto began in Monterrey,

Mexico 24 years ago. “We’ve been in the Valley for two years” said 23-year-old communications major senior Marcela Gonzalez. “We are all over America, Mexico and some South American countries like Colombia, Argentina and Chile.” Within two years, Soñar Despierto has quickly gained popu-

larity with the student body. From one semester to the next, Soñar Despierto has collected more than 10 times the amount of the members they had before. The organization consists of 160 members from UTPA, with 20-year-old mechanical engineering junior Curt Muller as president and and 22-year-old mechanical en-

gineering junior Tocho Leal as vice president. Due to the organization’s size, smaller groups within the orgaization, led by four officials, have been made to be in charge of different aspects of the organization, such as Public Relations and the Hospital group. The current number of members represents a huge increase compared to the 15 members in the spring of 2012. “We are growing so fast that we are on TV a lot, especially Televisa,” 23-year-old Gonzalez said. They use the television time to talk about the organization as well as providing the public with information about upcoming projects. This year, members have decided to go above and beyond what they usually do for their biggest event of the year, taking on more than double the work from last year. “The event is Macroposada, and it’s actually for low-income kids that usually do not receive anything for Christmas,” Gonzalez said. “We do rallies and give them food, and then at the end we give them a toy.” Macroposada 2012 will take place Dec. 8 in the City Hall at 400 West Veterans Blvd. in Palmview. It will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Macroposada, which translates to “a big party for children,” is projected to have 500 kids attend this year compared to last year’s 200.

According to Gonzalez, usually about 100 attendees are accounted for at other events, like Masquerade and Hawaiian parties happening throughout the year. Soñar Despierto members push themselves to work hard year-round to make Macroposada a success. “We get a lot of sponsors to try and get toys and money because we need a lot,” Gonzalez, said. “There are 500 kids. We have to feed them and give them all toys.” Another project the group works on is Soñar Despierto are Cuéntame tu Sueños, which translates to “Tell me your dreams,” and it is somewhat similar to events established by Make- a -Wish Foundation. “It’s something where we pick the kids that are in terminal phases and then we try to make their dream come true,” Gonzalez said. “There is a kid named Jordy that the doctors said that he had three months left to live, and he wants to go to Orlando, and go to Disney... We are trying to get him there.” All volunteers are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Marcela Gonzalez at 566-7048. “We do this event because we want to,” she said. “The only thing that we want is the smile on the faces of the kids. We just want the kids to be happy and that’s all.”

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE Aug. Cleaning

Aug. 18th—24th

Weekday (11am-1pm & 5-9pm) / Weekend (12pm-6pm)

Labor Day

Monday, September 3rd

8am—8pm

Thanksgiving

Wednesday, November 21st Thursday, November 22nd Friday, November 23rd Saturday, November 24th Sunday, November 25th

6am-7pm Closed Closed 12pm-6pm 12pm-6pm

Christmas

Dec. 17th—Jan. 13th Saturday, December 22nd Sunday, December 23rd Monday, December 24th Tuesday, December 25th Wednesday, December 26th

Weekday (10am - 8pm) / Weekend (12pm-6pm) Closed Closed Closed Closed Closed

Tuesday, January 1st

Closed

MLK Day

Monday, January 21st

8am-8pm

Spring Break

March 9th—17th

Weekday (10am - 8pm) / Weekend (12pm-6pm)

Easter

Friday, March 29th Saturday, March 30th Sunday, March 31st

8am—8pm 12—6pm Closed

Memorial Day

Monday, May 27th

8am-8pm

4th of July

Thursday, July 4th

Closed

* Building Hours Are Subject To Change!


7 Senior guard short in stature but not in talent December 6, 2012

Aaron urbanus Photos and story

By Norma Gonzalez

Last season’s second matchup against North Dakota Feb. 27 was broadcast on cable so fans could see the Broncs clinch the No. 2 seed for the Great West Conference Tournament. Those who tuned in saw senior guard Aaron Urbanus getting pushed, trampled and even hit in the face with the basketball, but time and time again he got up and pushed through. Being on the shorter end of the height spectrum in a sport known for its taller people doesn’t phase senior Urbanus much. In fact, he likes it. “I’ve used (my height) to my advantage and when other people see me, they don’t think I should be playing,” the Bowie High grad said. And that just makes it easier for me because they underestimate me and then I can surprise them.” During his Bronc career, Urbanus has started 70 of the 103 games he played in, totaling 2,737 minutes, as he has become a consistent team leader and sparkplug. But he still gets underestimated. “(Players) probably don’t even mess with me in warmups because they don’t think I’m going to play, and then I wind up being the one starting, and then they start messing with me,” the 22-year-old kinesiology major said. “I like when people mess with me about (my height). It’s an extra little motivator, it’s fun.”

Urbanus may enjoy getting picked on, on the court, but Winter Texans who come out to the games during the holiday season take joy in rooting for the little guy. “I get that a lot. I get the older group,” he explained. “They like to see the smaller guy, who doesn’t have much of an advantage go out there and, I guess, go against the bigger guys.” 1,000-POINT CLUB Senior guard Aaron Urbanus became the 22nd Bronc to join the 1,000-point club Nov. 24 during the home opener against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. Urbanus, 22, was able to reach the record with his first basket of the game, a three-pointer. The coaches first told Urbanus how close he was to attaining the milestone while the team was playing the last game of the Eastern Michigan University “Ice Man” Classic in Michigan a week before the SIUE game. He started as a freshman and has been a productive part of the offense for four seasons now. “Since we won, it’s easier for me to say it felt good. Even when they announced it, I couldn’t help but feel good about it,” Urbanus said after the SIUE game. “My coaches had told me during the tournament that I was close and a couple of them are actually happy that I didn’t get it then, so I could get it at home.”

LIVING IN THE VALLEY When he arrived from the Capital City four years back, Urabus did not have to make that big of an adjustment. Having lived his childhood years in a predominantly His-

panic and African-American area of town, Urbanus recalled not feeling a sense of culture shock upon the transition to the Valley. “Yeah I love (the culture), besides the fact that I can’t understand half the things a lot of the people are saying,” Urbanus joked. “I know when they’re talking about me when they say güero or gringo.” Although Urbanus may have trouble communicating in Spanish, his stomach doesn’t have any issues understanding the food here. “There’s Tex-Mex and then there’s Mexican food,” Urbanus explained as freshman Noe Espericueta, an Edinburg High graduate, offered him a bite of bean, cheese, chorizo and egg tacos. “That’s good.” Even though Urbanus loves the food from this area, the self-proclaimed taco fan hasn’t been able to experience many restaurants from the region. A lack of transportation causes him to spend more nights at home, cooking for himself and his girlfriend, one of his favorite hobbies. UTPA BRONC When Urbanus first heard

about the University all he knew and cared about it was that it was a Division 1 school. According to him, basketball is his life and his one and only job at the moment. It’s what he’s been playing since he could walk and a sport he’s been working at for years. “I mean, I’ve grown up and never really had a job and ev-

“They like to see the smaller guy, who doesn’t have much of an advantage go out there and, I guess, go against the bigger guys.” - Aaron Urbanus Guard

erybody always said, ‘Well, you don’t work,’” Urbanus said. “I had to work to get a scholarship, so my parents don’t have to pay for my college.” At the start of his freshman year, Urbanus wasn’t the only new face. There were 10 new players, brand-new coach (Ryan Marks) and a new system. “It was a bunch of people just trying to learn; learn a new offense, learn how we’re going

to play and it was definitely tough,” he recalled. “Now being one of the people who’s experienced and having experienced people on the team, the coaches don’t have to do all the coaching. We can do it ourselves. It’s definitely made a difference and you can tell how much we’ve grown.” Urbanus knows the Broncs will face some tough teams this season and shared the team’s goal of a 13-0 record at home and win as many games on the road and ultimately get the conference tournament ring. The first part of the goal is now unrealistic as the Broncs fell to UT Arlington 60-51 Dec. 3; their overall record is 2-6. Urbanus, averaging 12.6 points per game in his final go around, still has other big matchups and games to look forward to this season. “I don’t think anything is going to be better than Senior Night,” he said about finishing his time here as a Bronc March 9 against New Jersey Institute of Technology. “Obviously I haven’t experienced it yet. I experienced it in high school, so I can imagine it’s going to be really fun, really emotional.”

Senior guard Aaron Urbanus sprints across the court during the Broncs’ home opener against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Nov. 24. Urbanus recorded his 1,000th career point with his first basket of the night, a three-pointer.


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the pan american

December 6, 2012


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