WEDNESDAY
September 21, 2011
Vol. 94 • No. 16
www.therambler.org
T�� R������ The voice of Texas Wesleyan University students since 1917
Staff at local churches request help from Wesleyan students.
Lycanthrope debuts with Theatre Wesleyan Sept. 29.
Community, page 6
Arts & Entertainment, page 4
Parking tickets dominate appeals process Shauna Banks sbbanks@mail.txwes.edu
Illustration by Shauna Banks & Meisa Keivani Najafabadi | Rambler Staff The majority of on-campus tickets appealed last semester were for parking violations. Students who appealed their tickets were given the choice of going before a student hearing board, made up of Student Government Association members, or a faculty hearing board. Any denied appeals result in the ticket being placed on the students RamLink university account for payment.
There is not a single student parking space as far as the eye can see. A visitor spot and at least 10 faculty spots are looking lonely though, and it is not long before the desperacy to get to class on time takes over and that visitor parking space is no longer unoccupied. After class, a bright orange ticket decorates the windshield, pinned down by a flimsy wiper. Last spring, the executive board of the Student Government Association executed a complete overhaul of the ticket appeals process. Instead of the appeal being examined by a few faculty members, now when students submit an appeal form, they also have the option of going before a student hearing board. Chris Windsor, assistant dean of students, oversees hearings for ticket appeals. Windsor said the majority of ticket appeals have been for parking violations, in which students are parked in faculty or visitor parking spaces, or no parking zones. Any student wanting to appeal a ticket must do so within 10 days of receiving the ticket, by picking up an appeals form outside the SGA offices on the second floor of O.C. Armstrong Hall and then submitting it to Windsor. Students can also submit ticket appeals online through the campus life link on the home page of www.txwes.edu, and then click on the campus security and parking link. Windsor said once he receives an appeal form, if the student has opted for the student hearing board, he sends the appeal to the SGA offices. From there, SGA representatives contact the student and set up a hearing date. “When the hearing date comes, I present the violation to the hearing board,” Windsor said. “You can imagine me as the prosecutor—though I definitely don’t get paid like one!”
Bradden Van Noy, president of SGA, said during the hearing, the student who submitted the appeal and Windsor each give an opening statement, and then witnesses are brought in if they exist for the particular case being heard. Each side gives closing statements, and then the hearing board deliberates. The hearing board then gives its decision on the appeal’s approval or denial, and depending on the violation being appealed, deliberates again to decide punishment. Van Noy said since the majority of appeals are parking violations, a denial of an appeal means that the student must simply pay the ticket, which is then immediately put in as a charge on the student’s account. “In one case last year, we required students to do community service because of some of the things involved,” Van Noy said. Van Noy said there are two levels of punishment for denied appeals. He said no one has reached level two yet, but reaching that level would result in a student being banned from participating in any university-sanctioned event. Most denied appeals are considered level one, and the offender is required to pay the ticket, with some exceptions in non-parking related violations. “Just saying that you didn’t know is not an excuse,” Van Noy said. “When you’re driving down the road and going 10 miles over the speed limit, just saying you didn’t know is not going to get you out of a speeding ticket.” To avoid unnecessary parking sticker tickets, Van Noy said when students are driving a different car for a single day or two, they should obtain a visitors pass in the library. During the first week of classes this semester, campus security officers gave students
APPEAL, page 3
Hartman develops new movement theory for classroom Emma Fradette
ekfradette@mail.txwes.edu
Dr. Michael Hartman, assistant professor of kinesiology and education, theorizes that staying active is not only good for a person’s health, but an even better stimulator for the brains of students in a classroom setting. At 12:15 p.m. Sept.27, Hartman will host a spotlight lunch in the orientation room of the Eunice and James L. West Library, to speak about the cognitive benefits of teaching with movement. Hartman said one part of the brain controls movement and another controls learning. If a student is in class and hears something, he or she may not learn it fully. If a student hears it and reads it, the information is retained more thoroughly. Hartman also said if a student hears something, reads it, writes it and does it, the theory is that a student will have retained the information and understood it more thoroughly. Also at the lunch, Hartman will describe how this method can help in the classroom.
In a classroom setting, there may not be an immediate need to get up and be active. Hartman said research shows, however, that if a student goes and works out for 30-40 minutes before a class, the blood flow and oxygen levels stimulate the brain, and the student can pay attention and retain information at a more efficient level. Hartman said studies have shown that those who are more in shape and work out, are better students and perform better on standardized tests. He said this idea is not to say students must have running and intense movement in their classrooms, but that keeping the brain stimulated with body movements can help the learning process. This teaching method came about when Hartman and a colleague of his, Dr. Karen Wallace, exercise and sports studies assistant professor, put together an idea for the ClassroomNEXT contest held last year. Their idea for the classroom was called interACTIVE. One idea Hartman had was to have stability balls instead of chairs. The stability balls would not allow stu-
dents to slump and require a small amount of movement. Brittany White, senior exercise major, supports Hartman’s ideas. “Sometimes sitting in class just makes me tired, and I lose focus on what is going on,” White said. “I believe movement in the classroom would help. If I am staying active, but controlled, my level of focus will be maintained.” Exercise science major Courtney Turner agrees. “I love when I move around in the classroom. I feel like I concentrate better,” Turner said. “After a workout, I seem to study the best.” Before Hartman came to Wesleyan he was a part of the U.S. Weightlifting Sports Science Committee. He is an alumni at the University of Oklahoma and considers himself a big Sooners fan. “These active ideas can be implemented into any classroom,” Hartman said. “When the heart rate is up and blood and oxygen are flowing to the brain, the brain is more stimulated.”
Meisa Keivani Najafabadi | Rambler Staff Dr. Michael Hartman, assistant professor of kinesiology and education, developed a learning through movement theory, which he said could benefit a classroom setting for today’s students.
Stop in at the Morton Fitness Center to sign up for group fitness classes! For more information, call 817-531-7589.
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Seotember 21, 2011
Opinion
The Rambler | www.therambler.org
Citizenship calls for primary language guage differences. The double-edged sword in Shauna Banks all politics related to AmeriEditor-in-chief can culture and gaining legal sbbanks@mail.txwes.edu U.S. citizenship is whether or not people should be required to learn English in order to become a citizen. Personally, I believe in order I’ll never forget the multicultural to be a successful member of Amerieducation class I took last fall. My can society today, some form of professor had the most engaging functional English is essential. How stories to share about growing up as else does a person communicate a Mexican American. One in partic- with most of society if even the most ular was about a teacher she encoun- basic phrases in English remain untered when she was younger, who known? called Spanish a “dirty language” and So in essence, I believe in a sort of scolded any children who used it in acculturation for people looking to the classroom. become legal U.S. citizens—which I remember being appalled, won- means to take pride in their own dering why such a sentiment would cultures and native languages, but to ever come from a teacher, who in also embrace English and the Amermodern society, is taught to promote ican culture too. tolerance and celebration of diversiThis is a far cry from assimilaty with his or her students. tion, which means to believe that a As an education major myself, person should abandon their own I am definitely supportive of pro- culture and conform completely to moting tolerance of all cultures that the home country’s way of life and Americans encounter on a daily language. That is simply contrary to basis. Because after all, it is the di- American values and the promotion versity in America that makes the of tolerance. United States what it is today. That But regardless of what I personally diversity should be embraced—in- believe, requiring potential citizens cluding cultural, religious and lan- to know functional English is almost
de facto in accordance with the stipulations immigrants must meet to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. According to visaus.com, in order to become a citizen, a person must have the ability to read, write, speak and understand simple words and phrases in English. They must also have knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of U.S. history and government. Furthermore, they must be attached to, and can support, the principles of the U.S. constitution and can swear allegiance to the United States. There is also a literacy test given to potential citizens, written only in English. The only people not required to take this literacy test are those with documented disabilities, people over 50 years old who about.com | Courtesy have lived in the U.S. for 20 years or more as a permanent Any person wanting to become a naturalized citizen of the United States must resident alien and people over pass two tests- one on literacy and another on basic knowledge of U.S. history 55 years old who have lived in and government. These tests can be taken twice each if needed. the U.S. for more than 15 years as a permanent resident alien. exceptions apply. pride in American culture itself A test of general knowledge So in the end, it is not a theft and a want to learn more about about U.S. history and government of non-American cultures that this great country’s primary lanis also administered unless similar needs to be implemented, but a guage and practices.
ourselves a free nation, we have fought relentlessly Alejandra Garcia to maintain that precious Campus feature editor freedom that allows us to agarcia@mail.txwes.edu be who we choose to be. America proudly accepts all new-coming citizens without prejudice or specifications. That is the beauAmerica; land of the free and ty of it; anyone can become home of the brave. It is the one a citizen of this great country. place in the world where all can However, some people believe come together without fear of there should be some rules, spehaving to change who they are or cifically a policy requiring all what they believe in. citizens and potential citizens Since 1776, when we declared to know English in order to be
American. They desire an America in which all of its people speak the same language. To demand that everyone learn English is to demand the people to give up their heritage. If such a policy is executed, America will eventually become a monochromatic society and lose its meaning as a free country. Our languages are an important part of who we are. No one has the right to take it away from us or impose another language, English, upon us. We are a free country; free to
Being American should not require loss of culture speak our mind, free to practice our religion, free to keep our language. We do not tolerate diversity. We celebrate it. America embraces the many cultures and languages of its people with open arms and an open mind. Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese-we love and accept all. I take great pride in being both American and Mexican. Both countries and languages, English and Spanish, hold a special place in my heart. It is true that I love America more because it is my birthplace and
only country I’ve ever lived in but that does not mean that I want to give up my Mexican heritage. I shouldn’t have to give up my origins and neither should anyone else. In the words of Maya Angelou “It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” Let the people of America keep their native languages. Let them keep their heritage. Let it clearly be known requiring everyone to know English will not create a better America, it will hinder it.
Encouragement of Texas pledge not necessary ton Sumner scholars this past April, is the ideal state and Eliana Mijangos one that others like California Sports editor can only dream to be. emmijangos@mail.txwes.edu Without going off on a Perry tangent, I’d simply like to say that I love Texas and being a Texas born and raised cowgirl. However, as a Texan, According to the Handbook of Texas I can also say that I have a larger love Online, in 1993 the legislature passed a for the ideals our country stands for. It law stating that all schools should dis- is not people in Texas alone that came play and pledge to the Texas flag. up with the basic ideals I hope to build Even early on, with the words that a career off of—freedom of speech and originated with David G. Burnet’s flag freedom of press. of 1836, I would say that pledging Children are similar to a blank your allegiance to a state is senseless canvas, eager for any artist to throw and irrelevant. colors on them and format a picture. For one, the United States is about be- I feel that requiring them to recite ing a united nation, key word—unity. the Texas pledge is like requiring With an allegiance to an individual state them to pledge their honor to our rather than the nation, I believe schools state, not our nation—and it is the are siding with the words of their less- ideals of the nation that should be than-sufficient governor, Rick Perry. instilled in each student. Perry also believes that Texas, as For my future children, I want them he noted in a speech given to Hat- to understand the freedoms that are
The Rambler Shauna Banks, editor-in-chief Eliana Mijangos, sports editor Rachel Peel, community editor Jordan Twine arts & entertainment editor Alejandra Garcia campus feature editor Jonathan Resendez, multimedia editor Meisa Keivani Najafabadi, photo editor Erica Estrada, cartoonist Wendy Moore, faculty adviser Dr. Kay Colley, faculty liaison Frederick Slabach, publisher
presented to them because of the work of people all over the U.S., not just in Texas. My second argument comes into play with changes made to the Texas pledge June 15, 2007. According to the Handbook of Texas Online, the line “One state under God” was added to the basic structure. I am a Christian attending a Methodist school, who was actually raised to be Catholic. One could argue these are all a part of Christianity, but the methods of worship are all quite different. American values allow you to choose and practice your religion freely whether that means practicing the worship of multiple gods or just one God. I stand strongly against any one religion being forced upon a people. I do not feel that stating the belief of one God protecting our diverse nation stands to cover the immense beliefs and understandings of religion
Thumbs up to the Blu Cru for showing their Wesleyan pride at the volleyball game last Friday night. You guys showed up even the cheerleaders in level of Ram spirit. Thumbs up to the Social Rams and their hosting of the We are Wesleyan Concert last Thursday. It was one of the highest attended events we’ve seen in a while, and the music definitely got us to shake it like it’s hot.
“We are not afraid to follow the truth ... wherever it may lead.” — Thomas Jefferson
Address all correspondence to: Texas Wesleyan University
The Rambler
1201 Wesleyan St. Fort Worth, TX 76105 twurambler@yahoo.com (817) 531-7552 Advertising Inquiries: (817) 531-6525
panoramio.com | Courtesy Students are now encouraged to pledge their allegiance to the Texas Flag each day in classrooms across the state, in addition to the U.S. pledge.
here in the United States. I believe that if our children are required to pledge their allegiance
to a flag, it needs to be a flag that stands for the basic freedoms of our country.
Thumbs down to the new Texas Wesleyan website. We see that those who created it are trying to cater to prospective students. It is basically un-navigatable for current students, who need to use it for people finder (now non-existant other than RamLink) and to easily get to other resources (near impossible).
Thumbs down to the freshmen and transfer students who did not attend the ‘Meet the Prez’ event last Thursday. He really is a cool guy.
Member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press, Student Press Law Center, College Media Advisers and College Newspaper Business and Advertising Managers. Opinions expressed in The Rambler are those of the individual authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas Wesleyan community as a whole.
R ambler Contribution
Please send all news briefs to twurambler@yahoo.com. Submissions due by noon Friday to see brief in the following week’s issue. Letters to the editor: The Rambler, a weekly publication, welcomes all letters. All submissions must have a full printed name, phone number and signature. While every consider-
ation is made to publish letters, publication is limited by time and space. The editors reserve the right to edit all submissions for space, grammar, clarity and style. Letters to the editor may be subject to response from editors and students on the opinion page.
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Table tennis champion returns to teach at Wesleyan Melissa Bates
mdbates@mail.txwes.edu
Wesleyan alum and table tennis champion Dinko Kranjac has returned to his alma mater, now on the other side of the learning process in college. Kranjac (27), began playing table tennis at age 6 when a Chinese table tennis coach came to his elementary school in Varazdin, Croatia to recruit players for the local table tennis club. He graduated from Wesleyan in 2008 and went to Texas Christian University to pursue his master’s degree, which he received in May 2011. Kranjac returned to Wesleyan as an adjunct psychology professor this fall to teach general psychology. He said he is currently working toward his doctorate and is a laboratory instructor at TCU, where he will graduate in May 2013. “Originally, I envisioned myself being a [table tennis] coach but being able to employ psychological research while instructing and training people
in table tennis,” Kranjac said. Kranjac said he then took a biological psychology class taught by Dr. Jay Brown at Wesleyan and found the class to be intriguing so he changed his plans and decided to go to graduate school for neuroscience at TCU. “That’s when I decided I wanted to be a professor and researcher at one of the higher education institutions,” Kranjac said. Before coming to Wesleyan, Kranjac said he played on the U-14, U-16 and U-18 Croatian National Table Tennis Team. U-14 stands for under 14 years of age. “In Croatia, it’s really difficult to do both athletics and education well on a high level because the way everything is set up, you don’t have the time to practice and train twice a day, so you basically fall behind,” Kranjac said. At Wesleyan, he won second place in men’s championship singles in 2005 and second place in men’s doubles in 2006 and 2007. “I love Texas Wesleyan,” Kranjac said. “I love the intimacy of the cam-
pus. I love how closely professors work with one another. I love how closely professors work with students.” In April 2011, he was asked by Dr. Marcel Kerr, interim dean for the School of Arts and Sciences and associate professor of psychology, to speak to a psychology class about the graduate school experience and how to prepare. A few months later he was asked by Dr. Marilyn Pugh, associate professor of psychology, if he would like to be considered for an adjunct position. “I’m really flattered and honored they offered me the position,” Kranjac said. Kranjac said he hopes to stay in the states for some time because he met his wife, Ashley, when they were Wesleyan undergraduates and they have been married since 2008. Kranjac said he and Ashley became lacto-vegetarians two years ago. “We wanted to try and live healthier,” Kranjac said. “We decided it would be beneficial for us to switch to a completely plant-based diet.” Kranjac defines lacto-vegetarian as
a dietary practice where an individual eliminates the use of all animal food products but eats dairy. Associate Professor of Psychology and Faculty Liaison for the Minor in International Studies, Dr. Jay Brown, said the psychology department looks forward to working with Kranjac. “I think he’ll be an enthusiastic professor who can really turn a student,” Brown said. Associate professor of psychology and chair of the psychology department Dr. Lisa Hensley said Kranjac was an outstanding student in her introduction to counseling class which he took while attemptMeisa Keivani Najafabadi | Rambler Staff ing to receive his bachFormer table tennis champion, Dinko Kranjac, has elor’s degree. “He al- returned this fall to teach at Texas Wesleyan. ways did very well in class,” Hens- have a problem teaching at Wesleyan ley said. “We weren’t at and at TCU while still doing his own all surprised that he was studies. accepted into the TCU “He’ll be busy but graduate students graduate program.” usually are,” Hensley said. “I think he’s Hensley said she going to do a great job for us. I’ve got thinks Kranjac will not complete faith in him.”
APPEAL
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a grace period for obtaining parking stickers from the Eunice and James G. West Library. But now, four and a half weeks into the semester, security officers are patrolling the campus and issuing tickets for violations. Felisa Barnes, head of campus security, said in any cases of illegal suspicions, there is a specific protocol security officers follow. “The protocol is based on
Plain
the urgency or scale of the incident,” Barnes said. “If the incident requires urgent attention, security will contact the Fort Worth Police Department or dial 911,” Barnes said. If the incident does not require police assistance, a ticket may be issued. “I think it’s a great opportunity and learning experience for everyone,” Windsor said. “Now, responsibility may not be a fun lesson to learn.”
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September 21, 2011
Jordan Twine
jetwine@mail.txwes.edu
The Texas Wesleyan theatre department starts the fall season off with Lycanthrope, an original play written by Wesleyan alum Chuck Fain. The play follows a group of strangers that try to escape an unknown creature and find refuge in a shed at the county fairgrounds. The performance is set for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29-Oct 8 and at 2 p.m. Oct 9 at the Thad Smotherman theatre in the Law Sone Fine Arts building. The play was selected as the winning script for Playmarket, a non-profit organization that provides script advisory services and representation for playwrights, in New York City. Connie Whitt-Lambert, theatre professor, is directing Lycanthrope and said she is excited to bring the script to full production. “After its success in New York I wanted to direct it as a fully staged play,” WhittLambert said. “We want to give Chuck the first chance to see his work on stage and allow our students the opportunity to be the first people to act, design, manage and produce this new work.”
The play is intended for a mature audience due to graphic imagery and profanity. Whitt-Lambert said the play will have a few surprises. “They’re all trying to stay safe from the danger outside,” Whitt-Lambert said. “Soon they discover that there’s danger inside as well.” Ben Tatner, sophomore theatre major, is the costume designer for Lycanthrope. He said the show is entertaining and will be fun for the audience. “It’s a great show,” Tatner said. “It’s emotional. It can really get under your skin.” Joshua Dunk, freshman theatre major, plays Lycanthrope in the play. He said the audience never sees his character but Lycanthrope is very important to the plot. “I love the production,” Dunk said. “The play itself is scary and I get to be somebody different.” Tickets are $8 for general admission, $6 for all Wesleyan faculty and staff, and $4 for all students with ID. Tickets will go on sale Sept. 27. The box office will be open Tuesday thru Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Olivia Blanco | Rambler Staff and one hour prior to the Emily Newcomb, junior theatre major and Allen Dean, junior theatre major, rehearse for Lycanthrope. show. For reservations call The play begins at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29-Oct 8 and at 2 p.m. Oct 9 at the Thad Smotherman theatre in the Law Sone Fine Arts 817-531-4211. building. The show centers around a group of strangers who try to escape a mysterious creature by taking refuge in a shed at the county fairgrounds.
Social Rams stage We are Wesleyan show Jordan Twine
jetwine@mail.txwes.edu
The Social Rams set the stage for Texas Wesleyan talent with the We are Wesleyan concert. The concert, held at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 in front of the Eunice and James L. West Library, was sponsored by the Social Rams organization and consisted of a series of musical performances by Wesleyan students and faculty. Free food was provided courtesy of Golden Chick and Smokey’s BBQ. The Social Rams members also proOlivia Blanco | Rambler Staff vided water and snow cones Sophomore bio chemistry major, Abraham Ademola perfroms for those attending. while coordinator of student activities Michael Chaney sets up. Brandon Flowers, senior
computer science major and Social Rams member, said the purpose of the concert was to unite the campus. “We wanted to give the Wesleyan family something to do,” Flowers said. All members of the Social Rams also encouraged attendees to bring canned food to the event. “We’re just donating to the local food bank,” Flowers said. “We’re not only good talent wise, but, we’re good moral wise as well.” Brenton Flowers, senior criminal justice major and Social Rams member, said social interaction helped make the concert a success. “Word of mouth helped.
People don’t really pay attention to fliers,” Brenton said. “Social networks have become so strong now. People saw it [We are Wesleyan concert advertisements] and they responded to it.” Brenton also said he wanted to spotlight hidden talent on campus. “All we do is see each other in class or we might hang out with each other on the weekend but we don’t really know each other’s talents,” Brenton said. “The purpose of this is to showcase those student’s talents.” Trent Sandles, junior business management major and Social Rams member, said he is proud of the event turnout.
“It was a success last year. We did it this year [and] it was an even bigger success,” Sandles said. “I think having Pro Joe M.C. for it was a great idea.” Joe Brown, Dean of Freshmen at Wesleyan, hosted the We are Wesleyan concert. Sandles also said the concert informed students what Social Rams is all about. “I think it really opens opportunities to let the students know there is an organization that can do something for them,” Sandles said. “If a student wants to do something, let us know and I guarantee we can make it happen.”
Casa Mañana has student night for Mockingbird Jordan Twine
jetwine@mail.txwes.edu
Fort Worth’s Casa Mañana is having a student preview night for their latest
production, To Kill a Mockingbird. The show is at 7 p.m. Friday Sept. 23 at 3101 West Lancaster Ave. Tickets for Casa Mañana
usually start at $40, but students who bring a valid ID can purchase tickets for $10 and receive a ‘buy one get one’ voucher for Chipotle. Those who attend Sept. 23 will also get to speak with the cast and director following the show. Darcy Koch, public relations and marketing manager at Casa Mañana, said To Kill a Mockingbird speaks to people regardless of age. “We felt like this was a play that really resonated with a lot of people all over
the spectrum,” Koch said. “It had a powerful message that we wanted to bring to the stage.” Casa Mañana gives student preview nights for all Broadway shows. Koch said it gives students an opportunity to see Broadway caliber shows for a fraction of the price. “If they’re [students] interested in theater and acting, it’s really a great opportunity for them to learn about the field,” Koch said. Koch said that Casa Mañana encourages students to
Texas Wesleyan University and
The Department of Music present
Wesleyan Sunday
September 25 at 10:30 a.m. Polytechnic United Methodist Church
The President’s Council Fall Kick-off and Music Scholarship Benefit Concert
The Fort Worth Symphany Orchestra September 30, 2011 Martin Hall
For more information, visit http://www.txwes.edu/music/music/index.htm or call 817-531-4992
come out to the shows. Students that are not able to make the student preview night are still given a discount. “We also offer a student rush ticket for all the other performances,” Koch said. “They can come any other night for $20.” Student preview night is general admission and tickets are on sale now. Koch said that seats fill up quick. “You want to get your tickets soon,” Koch said. “Doors open up at 6 so I would get here early.” Rachel Benham, junior theatre major, said she is a fan of To Kill a Mockingbird and looks forward to the student preview night. “I’m really excited about To Kill a Mockingbird com-
ing to Casa Mañana. I loved the book and I saw the movie in high school so I’m really excited to go,” Benham said. “$10 isn’t bad for a live production and you get free Chipotle.” Mindy Pospichal, senior business marketing major, said she is excited about the play. “I love Casa Mañana,” Pospichal said. “It’s great for the community for now and for later, and has great plays to see.” To purchase tickets for student preview night of To Kill a Mockingbird call 817-332-2272 or visit the box office at Casa Mañana between 10 a.m and 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.
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Prospective students visit Wesleyan campus Alejandra Garcia
agarcia@mail.txwes.edu
On Friday Sept. 16, admissions staff at Wesleyan hosted the first Texas Wesleyan Sneak Preview of the semester. This was a chance for prospective students to visit and learn more about the campus. From 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., prospective students attended a class, spoke with two professors, toured the campus, spoke with financial aid staff and dined at Dora Roberts Residential Restaurant. Tiffany Smith, admissions coordinator, headed up the sneak preview. Smith said she has been working on making it a success since prospective students sign up for it will really benefit from it. Smith also said she wanted the prospective students to see
all of Wesleyan’s attributes. “[The Sneak Preview will] give them a full view of Wesleyan,” Smith said. She said there were two prospective students who signed up for the sneak preview last Friday. One of them was from Austin and the other from Bedford. Smith said she wanted to accommodate them as best she could. Instead of following an itinerary, she asked students what their interests were and planned the rest of the day accordingly. She said one student was interested in kinesiology and the other in education, but both were interested in music. Once she discovered their interests, she had them meet with Dr. Pamela Rast, chair of the kinesiology department and associate professor, and Dr. Carlos Martinez, dean of
the school of education. She said she also showed them around the residence halls. The prospective students saw a showcase room in Stella Russell Hall for a traditional college residence hall room and a showcase room in West Village Student Apartments for a nontraditional college residence hall room. Smith said once they were finished with the visit, students received a giveaway bag containing a baseball cap, mug, T-shirt and her business card. “At the end of the day, I do a wrap-up session and see if they have any questions,” Smith said. Melissa Marsh (19), was one of the prospective students. Marsh said she found the sneak peak helpful and recom-
mends it to any other student applying to college. “It definitely gave a lot of answers to questions that I had,” Marsh said. Marsh said what she liked the most was meeting professors in a personal setting rather than a formal one. Alejandra Garcia | Rambler Staff “You get to interact with Prospective students, along with their family and an admissions counselor p r o f e s s o r s dined at Dora Roberts Residential Restaurant at the Wesleyan Sneak Preview. more, instead of [them] just answering ques- jor, said she thinks it is impor“It’s important because you tions,” Marsh said. tant for students to visit college know what is available to you Evelyn Del Rio, freshmen campuses before making a de- and you know where to go,” business administration ma- cision on where to attend. Del Rio said.
Students get chance to speak up
Rachel Peel | Rambler Staff President Frederick Slabach met with students Sept. 15 in Martin Hall. This was an opportunity for students to ask any questions they had and meet the president in a personal setting.
Alejandra Garcia | Rambler Staff Students brought up concerns about the absence policy, tuition, no skateboarding policy, Dora’s hours of operation, online upper level courses and the Polytechnic community.
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Local churches seeking volunteers
Rachel Peel
rlpeel@mail.txwes.edu
Texas Wesleyan is now working side-by-side with Project UNITE, a sub-group of Tarrant.NET, to host and participate in various events in the Polytechnic Heights community. Tarrant.NET is a non-profit organization founded by Jeff Sanders in 2001. It is a network of churches around Tarrant County, primarily in the Fort Worth area that work together for the community. John Gonzales, community outreach coordinator for Wesleyan, said Project UNITE is a great organization and community partner. “It’s a great project, and very much needed in the community,” Gonzales said. He said the Wesleyan staff ’s primary involvement was to provide the space that was needed to make the events possible. “That’s an event that we [Texas Wesleyan] will always be a part with however possible,” Gonzales said. “However we can help parents and kids succeed.” Wesleyan community hosted Project UNITE’s Back-toSchool Extravaganza events of
2007, 2008 and 2009. Because of the extreme heat in 2011, the Wesleyan partners were unable to host the event, but went along with the Ram mascots to this year’s event at Brighter Outlook Inc. Community Center. Philip Blocklinger, senior, exercise science major and mascot, said he enjoyed the event. “It was awesome,” Blocklinger said. “I like giving back to the community.” Blocklinger said while participating in the event and getting the Wesleyan name out there, meeting Fort Worth mayor Betsy Price was the best experience of them all. “I thought it was pretty amazing,” Blocklinger said. “I got to meet the mayor and I felt famous.” Blocklinger said he would go back to the event again next year, but what really opened his eyes was seeing the children of the community. “Seeing the kids out there, they weren’t too sure about us, but then they warmed up,” Blocklinger said. Sultan Cole, pastor of Revealed Word Ministries and director of Project UNITE, said what Tarrant.NET does is encourage the church to get engaged in the community.
Meisa Keivani Najafabadi | Rambler Staff Sultan Cole, Pastor of Revealed World Ministries and Director of Project UNITE, preaches to his congregation. On Oct. 14 - 15 and Oct. 21 - 22 Revealed World Ministries, Ebenezar Baptist Church and other churches apart of Tarrant.Net will be asking for Wesleyan student volunteers to assist in the renovation and clean up a senior citizens home in the Polytechnic Community.
Cole said some of the past events have been the Back-toSchool Extravaganza this past August and the 2006 Hopefest. Project UNITE’s next project is Faith in Action on Oct. 15 - 16 and Oct. 22 - 23 at 3000
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Vaughn Street in Fort Worth, according to www.tarrantnet. org. They will host an Extreme Makeover type event in which they take a senior citizen’s home that is extremely run-
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down in the Polytechnic area and fix it up for her Cole said they are talking about cleaning up the trash, making some repairs and basically taking the house and fixing it up.
“We’d love to get Texas Wesleyan to partner with Tarrant. NET and Revealed World Ministries and a couple of other churches,” Cole said. “It’s not about ‘just’ going to church; it’s about being the church.”
WATCH
RAMBLER TV GET LIVE
Channel 25 on campus or www.therambler. org
President’s Council Kick-Off and Music Scholarship Benefit Concert featuring the
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Clifton Evans, Conductor
Friday, Sept. 30 7:30 p.m. Nicholas Martin Hall Free to all – bring your family and friends. Reception to follow in Lou’s Place.
It’s not too late to buy your tumbler to support the Heart Walk
7 S����� Ram soccer takes tough losses on road
THE RAMBLER | www.therambler.org
Eliana Mijangos
emmijangos@mail.txwes.edu
Ram soccer suffered a 3-0 loss when they traveled to Oklahoma to take on the University of Science and Arts Sept. 16. USAO came out strong with a shot on goal in the first 30 seconds of play. In the 13th minute, the Drovers scored a goal, bringing the game to 1-0 “USAO capitalized early in the game during our first road test,” Christopher Soleto, senior defense, said. Shortly after, in the 39th minute, the Drovers brought the score to 2-0, finishing up the half. The second half was no different as USAO scored their third goal just five minutes into the half. “We played a great team who simply out played us on that given day,” Soleto said. The Rams finished the game outshot by the Drovers 23-13 and 6-3 on corner kicks. T.J. Romaguero, sophomore midfielder, had four shots on
September 21, 2011
goal, leading the Rams. Ivan Kovacevic, sophomore midfielder had three shots in the loss. On Sept. 18, Ram soccer traveled to Houston to take on the University of Houston Victoria. The men suffered a 2-0 loss in a game that proved to be very close statistically. UHV took the lead with 11-10 shots on goal while both teams had three corner kicks. Dejan Milosevic, junior goal keeper, was short just one save to UHV’s five. These two road games set the Rams up for a 3-3 record overall for preseason play, with one tie. “We played a hard, physical game, but it wasn’t our best,” Ricardo Aguilera, senior forward, said. “We can definitely play better and we will next game.” The Rams will hit the field again on Sept. 22 when they travel to Oklahoma to take on Bacone College for the Red River Athletic Conference season opener. Soleto said he hopes they will go all the way and get a ring this year.
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Meisa Keivani Najafabadi | Rambler Staff T.J. Romaguero, sophomore midfielder, pushes past Central Christian College Tigers in a victory for their hometown heroes Sept. 10 at Martin Field. The Rams are currently 3-3 after taking a loss to the University of Houston Vicoria Sept. 18 in Oklahoma.
Ram basketball alum gives back to Polytechnic community Eliana Mijangos
emmijangos@mail.txwes.edu
Hector Mukweyi, 2011 Wesleyan graduate and part of a three-year Red River Athletic Conference championship basketball team, decided to give back to the community the way the community gave back to him. Mukweyi played for the Ram basketball team from 2007-2010 as a forward, and said he became part of a family with the team. He said he often mixed with the wrong crowd and made some bad decisions, but his dreams of basketball kept him in line. “I had my ups and downs,
but Wesleyan made me a better person,” Mukweyi said. Head men’s basketball coach Terry Waldrop said Mukweyi came to the program as a two-year transfer student. Mukweyi started at McLennan Community College in Waco, and transferred to Southern Arkansas University, where he again red shirted and sat out a year because of ineligibility due to low grades. “Coming out of high school, I wasn’t the most highly recruited player,” Mukweyi said. “Coaches were looking right past me.” Waldrop said when Mukweyi originally came to Wes-
leyan he was a naturally bright student who had simply never been pushed to achieve any of his goals or had any idea what academic success looked like. “Waldrop was a coach that made me a better person not just on the court, but off the court too,” Mukweyi said. Mukweyi is now a coach for the boys basketball B-team at William James Middle School in the Polytechnic Heights area, as well as the general manager of finance for Americredit. He said people at Wesleyan and his basketball family taught him there is more to basketball than a game. It is about using it as a tool and
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having an education behind it. “Basketball got me out of a lot of trouble, but life’s not about basketball,” Mukweyi said. “It’s about being a part of something, a family.” Waldrop said he is both honored and proud to have had a student athlete like this in the basketball program. “The school and so many people could have just dismissed Hector and thought he would never graduate, but in the end he was successful,” Waldrop said. “No one ever knows what is in the human spirit.” Mukweyi said he is now pursuing his teaching cer-
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tificate and enjoys working at William James because it gives him a chance to teach children the things he knows. He also said he can relate to them on different levels, knowing he has been through some of the same things. “I don’t want them to go through the same things as me,” Mukweyi said. “I want to be a mentor.” Waldrop said Mukweyi’s success both on and off the court is a direct reflection of the difference our school, coaches and instructors can make in the lives of students. “This is one of the best success stories I have had in my 12 years at Texas Wesleyan
and it makes me very proud of Hector,” Waldrop said. Waldrop is not the only one that shares this pride in Mukweyi. “I played with Hec [Mukweyi] for two years,” Ryan Glanzer, senior forward, said. “He is a great player, but more importantly, a great teammate.” Mukweyi received his undergraduate degree in liberal arts in May 2011 and said he hopes to inspire the youth the same way Waldrop and Wesleyan inspired him to be a better person through his sport. “I was helped by somebody,” Mukweyi said. “I want to do the same thing.”
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Sports
The Rambler | www.therambler.org
Lady Rams take 2-2 record in Wesleyan Hughes Classic
Emma Fradette
ekfradette@mail.txwes.edu
The Texas Wesleyan volleyball team played in the 5th Annual Wesleyan-Hughes Classic Sept. 16 and Sept. 17. The Lady Rams split the weekend 2-2. They started their weekend playing against St. Thomas University Lady Celts out of Houston. The Lady Rams and Lady Celts went back and forth the whole match with the Lady Rams coming up on top five sets. Each set was only won by two points. The final scores for the five matches were 25-23, 32-34, 25-27, 26-24, and 13-15. In the second set of the match, sophomore middle blocker Katherine Rosenbusch changed the intensity with two kills that gave Wesleyan the win. In the fifth set, freshman middle blocker Meghan Finley had a kill followed by a Lady Celt error. The Lady Rams won the last set with a score of 15-13. Junior mathematics major Raven Smith attended the match. “The game was so intense,” Smith said. “Everyone in the gym was cheer-
ing, including myself. I lost my voice I was so loud.” The second match of the night was against Plainview’s Wayland Baptist Lady Pioneers. Although the Lady Rams put up a fight, they lost the match in five sets. The scores for the five sets were 25-21, 2225, 26-28, 25-21 and 15-11. In the first set, the Lady Rams started down 7-2. They didn’t give up and worked back up to tie the set at 8-8. However, the Lady Rams couldn’t capitalize on the Lady Pioneers’ errors and lost 25-21. Wesleyan picked the momentum back up winning the next two sets 25-22 and 28-26. The next two sets were again close but the Lady Pioneers came up on top with set wins of 25-21 and 15-11. Senior defensive specialist Marissa Rangel had 26 digs and Finley had 13 kills for the game. The Lady Rams picked up again on Saturday playing against Lubbock Christian Lady Chaps first. The first two sets went to the Lady Chaps with the first set 26-24 and the second set 25-19. That did not stop them from fighting back. In the third set with a kill from Rangel, the score was 16-15.
However, Wesleyan took the loss of the game to the Lady Chaps in a 0-3 match. The last games of the tournament for the Lady Rams was against Huston-Tillotson Univeristy. The Lady Rams won this match in three sets 25-11, 25-9 and 25-14 with sophomore setter Angelica Arroyo having 26 assists. Both days for the Lady Rams were splits, winning one and losing one. Stephanie Dominguez, sophomore setter, said previous practices have prepared the Lady Rams for this weekend. “We worked a lot on different line ups due to injuries, so I think that alone had helped this past weekend,” Dominquez said. “Everyone was ready to play positions that they were not used to. We all stepped up to the plate because we have no other choice.” Rangel said she also felt practices are the key to success. “We have had so many obstacles to go through that we need to stick together,” Rangel said. “A saying we have is we are ‘11 Strong’.” Anyone can catch the Lady Rams at home again on Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. against Oklahoma City University.
Upcoming Sports: 9/24
Game Time/Place Baseball Scrimmage
1p.m./ La Grave
9/24
Women’s Soccer vs. Texas College
1p.m./ Tyler,Texas
9/24
Men’s Soccer vs. Texas College
3p.m./ Tyler,Texas
9/29
Women’s Soccer vs. Our Lady of Lake
5:30p.m./Home
9/29
Men’s Soccer vs. Our Lady of Lake
7:30p.m./Home
9/30
Lady Ram Volleyball vs. St. Thomas
7p.m./Home
Photos by Olivia Blanco | Rambler Staff Top: The Lady Rams huddle before playing the Lady Celts to fire up team spirit. Bottom:Meghan Finley, freshman middle blocker, sets up Bailey Bunting, sophomore middle blocker, for a kill. The Lady Rams went 2-2 this weekend in their first home games of the season. This tournament set up Lady Ram volleyball for a 6-9 overall record.
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