RAMBLER TV WEDNESDAY
January 23, 2013 Vol. 96 • No. 1 www.therambler.org
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Stella’s first floor makes space for academics Victoria Slaten
vaslaten@txwes.edu
Over the Christmas break, one of Texas Wesleyan’s older dorms, Stella, received a makeover. The first floor of the residence hall has been transformed into offices and classrooms for a new program at Texas Wesleyan. Wesleyan is partners with The Language Company, and is the host university for the Dallas/Fort Worth area. As a host university for The Language Company, Texas Wesleyan has to meet certain requirements. Sharon Manson, director of fesidence life said, “The Language Company requires we provide them with office space and classrooms.” Manson said since Wesleyan is limited on room, the best place to put these new additions is the newly altered first floor of Stella. Demetrius Hicks, director of admissions for The Language Company at Texas Wesleyan, said The Language Company is a program where international students can live on campus and are taught English as a second language in order to become eligible to attend a university in the United States. Hicks said instead of semesters, The Language Company works on sessions. One session is four weeks long, which is about a month for each session. Hicks said the students in this program must prove they know a certain amount of English to pass each session. Hicks said there are 13 sessions per year. The number of sessions each student takes varies based on the placement tests taken before beginning classes. This
STELLA, page 3
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OC Hall makes the transformation: Goodbye offices, hello dorm rooms By Victoria Slaten vaslaten@txwes.edu
The Texas Wesleyan student body is continuing to increase due to the influx of international students transferring to campus. In order to accommodate these new additions to Wesleyan, the second floor of OC Armstrong Hall has returned to its original use: housing students in dorm rooms. Sharon Manson, director of residence life, said there were no other options for housing than to refurbish OC Hall back into a dorm. “Enough students needed housing,” Manson said. “And we ran out of places to put them.” Manson explained the process it took to transform OC Hall back into its original form. She said the student organizations had to move out. Additional beds had to be purchased, and Internet was added to the second floor for student’s access. The rooms were cleaned and repaired, but some flooring still needs finishing. She said all of the room walls, which were painted by the organizations who met there, had to go back to the color white. Professor Joe Brown, dean of freshmen, said some offices like his office, security, and the mass communications department remain in OC Hall. Brown likes the change and enjoys having students close to where he works. “Years ago the first floor of Stella Russell were faculty offices, and the students lived on the second and third floor. So this is not new,” Brown said. “And it was really kind of cool because again the students really could find faculty because they were where they lived.” Brown said his vision of a perfect building on campus is a place where there are
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students living and faculty working under the same roof, so there will be more studentfaculty interaction. Before any change to OC Hall was made, all student organizations had to move all of their equipment out of OC Hall and into a smaller storage area they have to share at Polytechnic United Methodist Church. “I know the student organizations that had rooms there were really upset and didn’t have a whole lot of notice to move out,” Brown said. Ashlie Sivley, a junior and active member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority whose office was in OC Hall, said the school is making it seem like organizations are no longer a
priority. Sivley said moving day for the organizations was difficult and frustrating. “It was very confusing. Basically, the way we were understanding it was that we had a date that we had to be out, but we didn’t necessarily have a promise that there would be a room ready for us,” Sivley said. “And it turns out there wasn’t.” Sivley said when the members of Gamma Phi Beta moved their equipment to the room at Polytechnic the walls were still being painted, and there was furniture in the middle of the room. Sivley said there was really no place to put their equipment while the walls were being painted. Gamma Phi Beta
decided to put their equipment in Sivley’s garage for the time being. “I feel like it’s making it seem like the organizations on campus aren’t important ,which seems silly, because it’s been proven that students who are involved in some sort of campus activity are more likely to succeed and graduate,” she said. “So you’d think that student life in general would be one of the top priorities of the university.” However, Gamma Phi Beta members said they acknowledge that as students come in, arrangements must be made for them. Sivley said her sorority is grateful to John Veilleux, vice president for marketing. He
helped by getting lockers for the organizations that will go in the new room. “We do a lot for the school,” Sivley said. “We support the school a lot. We go to events. Students come to school for the classes, but they don’t stay because of the classes. They stay because of the friends they make.” Brown said if more students are admitted to Texas Wesleyan and OC Hall is to be a full residence hall again, it is expected that offices that remain in OC Hall, like faculty and staff offices, must be moved somewhere else. However, right now there is nowhere else on campus to move them, so there they will remain.
Hatton Sumners Scholarship supplies money, support Tristian Evans
Discover where the basketball teams stand at season’s end
Lupe Salas/Rambler Staff Mohammed Althabet, freshman international student, texts his friends while watching TV in the dorm lobby of OC Armstrong Hall. The lobby was converted from a speech classroom over the Christmas break to accommodate an influx of students needing housing.
The Hatton W. Sumners scholarship helps to fund the education of college students who have worked exceptionally hard not only in the classroom, but in their community. “The Hatton W. Sumners Foundation has provided a number of endowed scholarships to a number of universities,” Deborah Roark, director of grants and research, said. “We’re fortunate to be one of those universities.” Roark said the school is given a specific amount of money which is then placed in an investment account. The interest from that money is used for the scholarships. Each year students who are awarded the scholarship receive $3,500 for the fall and spring semesters. As long as the student’s continue to meet the requirements, the scholar-
ship is good for two years. Although some majors such as political science, pre-law, history and social studies are given priority, students from all majors are encouraged to apply. Some of the requirements for the scholarship are having a 3.0 GPA, involvement in campus and civic activities, and being in good standing with the university. Applicants must also submit a 750-word essay about themselves and a resume. The applications must be turned in to the Financial Aid office by Feb. 15. Roark said the top 10 applications are chosen and then sent to the Hatton Sumners Scholarship Foundation in Dallas. “The Foundation trustees come and do the interviews,” Roark said. “In early April [the trustees] will be coming to campus and they’ll interview students all morning long. The students have to put their best
foot forward. They have 15 minutes to answer questions and tell [the trustees] about themselves.” Roark said in addition to receiving the scholarship money, Hatton Sumners scholars receive other various opportunities, such as attending luncheons and workshops in Dallas. They were ponsored by the Sumners Foundation through the National Center for Policy Analysis. The scholars also get the opportunity to attend events such as leadership conferences where they can network with Hatton Scholars from schools across the U.S. “They get broken into groups and meet people from all over,” Roark said. “They talk about leadership, ethics and hot topics that are going on in our society today.” Roark said in the past, networking at such events
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You’ve Got Mail
Job Blasts deliver careers to inbox Rolandra West
rdwest@txwes.edu
Career Services has launched a new service that provides students the chance to view job opportunities that are narrowed down specifically to each student’s field of study. Instead of having to use the Career Link website, the job postings are sent straight to their email once a month. This service is one of the many services provided through career services, Robyn Bone career services director, said. Bone said career services has always provided job postings for Wesleyan students. “We had feedback from students on some of our
surveys and focus groups we did, and either they didn’t know how to access Career Link or they didn’t know that there were jobs relevant to their major,” Bone said. Bone said a lot of students were asking how to sign up for search agents, which career services always had the capability of doing but students just weren’t taking the extra step to do it, Bone said. She said Career Services averages about 120 job postings on career link a month. “We’re talking about tons of employers that are posting jobs, and are just falling through because no
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O������ Wesleyan’s motto still stands strong
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January 23, 2013
Erica Estrada
eestrada@txwes.edu
New year, a new semester, new faces. However, what is not new is Texas Wesleyan’s motto and the student’s awareness about the motto and meaning. A few students get Texas Wesleyan’s new advertising brand “Smaller. Smarter.” confused with the original motto “Scientia Pietasque Vitalis.” The thought behind the original motto definitely supports Wesleyan’s brand today. There is myriad of history behind Texas Wesleyan’s motto “Scientia Pietasque Vitalis,” which translates to Knowledge and Vital Piety (devotion to religious duties and practice). It started out in 1748 by John Wesley’s brother Charles Wesley. Dr. Jesse Sowell, professor of religion, said “The hymn was written for the dedication of the very first Wesleyan School in the world, which was Kingswood School at Bristol, England.” It is evident that Texas Wesleyan
adopted the university’s name from John and Charles Wesley due to their founding of the Methodist movement. Dr. Reverend Robert Flowers, university chaplain, explained the beginning of a student’s college careers as, “...a time in people’s lives where they start to talk about their faith or have questions about their faith.” Wesleyan helps this chapter in a student’s life with the Religious Life on campus. Religious Life offers many faith-based programs and activities that support the vital piety of its community. These include University Chapel, religious classes, Common Meal and volunteerism. These religious entities on campus are not strictly Methodist, they are accepting of other religious beliefs. Wesleyan’s affiliation with the United Methodist Church establishes piety. Financial Aid offers three Methodist-promoted scholarships such as the United Methodist Scholarship, John Wesley Scholar and the Clergy and Dependent Scholarship. Flowers said,“The Methodist tradition has always said, ‘Your faith always has to translate how you live your life,’ and that meant how you go out into the world and serve, how you help the poor, how you get involved in education, how you help people in churches.”
Erica Estrada/Rambler Staff Students discuss a scripture from the Bible during the weeklyCommon Meal in Polytechnic United Methodist Church.
What these faculty and students share across the campus is leadership. In order to be a leader, one has to have the knowledge and skills to lead a group of people. Over the years, Texas Wesleyan has truly shown off the knowledge which is provided by the faculty and students of its classes. It has
also exhibited vital piety through its organizations, the positive work environment, and from the Academic Success Center. The Eunice and James West Library contains a plethora of stored information for the faculty, students and the public. That shows that knowledge is shared beyond this campus.
As of today, Texas Wesleyan proudly advertises it’s brand, “Smaller. Smarter.” The new advertising slogan truly supports the original mission of Texas Wesleyan. I’m proud to be at a smaller college that continues to promote “Scientia Pietasque Vitalis.”
The heart of ‘real’ traditions stolen by impostures
Rolandra West
rdwest@txwes.edu
Traditions. What are traditions and why do they have such an impact on choosing a university or students’ experiences at the university they may have chosen? It’s absurd to choose a university based on its traditions alone or to even choose a university because
of its “celebrity.” Although Texas Wesleyan is a fairly small private school, the greek organizations, the robing ceremony at graduation, family weekend and freshmen Ram Camp are traditions Wesleyan has had for years. They do not “make” the university, or give it credibility. All of these traditions are unique to Wesleyan and elements that some big public universities don’t even have or publicize. Big public universities, like the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech and many other universities tend to forget the value of traditions when sports and
“celebrity”come into the equation. According to the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, there are two major definitions for traditions. The first definition states that a tradition is an inherited, established or customary pattern of thought, action or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom). The second definition states that a tradition is a belief or story, or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past, that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable. Where the confusion lies, is that most people don’t know what a tradition really is. Whether a tradition
is big such as Texas Wesleyan’s Welcome Weekend and Midnight Madness, or a simple, small tradition like the robing ceremony, traditions exist at Wesleyan. Typically people define traditions under definition two, which leaves it wide open for basically anything someone believes to be a tradition. I personally believe in definition one, which states tradistions have to be established in history in order to be considered a valuable tradition; not just something someone came up with out of the blue that coincidentally became a tradition. Texas Wesleyan has always been a small private school
but its spirit is greater than any other university I know. Big colleges are known for their big football games and its roaring crowd to follow; the biggest traditions always seems to be football. In my opinion football is not a tradition, it’s a sport/ entertainment in which big schools have used to up their “celebrity.” Don’t get me wrong, I believe football is one of the best sports out there and it brings in students and publicity, but once it has been publicized so much it tends to lose its personal value. For example, when we see a funny commercial it’s funny the first, second and maybe the third time. But
after that, it starts to get annoying and cheesy, then eventually we just change the channel everytime it comes on. Wesleyan definitely has a great sports program, but it is not the center of all things at Texas Wesleyan. It is an element of Wesleyan that continues to show students that Wesleyan is a multidimensional university full of traditions. These traditions continue to grow because of our continuing growth in our multi-cultural student population. Texas Wesleyan is unlike any other university that just so happens to be traditional, it is the definition of tradition.
Gun and safety laws challenged by horrific events
Emma Fradette
efradette@txwes.edu
Recently in the news there have been more and more public shootings throughout the United States. Unfortunately many people, including innocent children, have lost their lives due to gunshot wounds. On Dec. 11, 2012, there was a deadly mall shooting in Oregon, where 22-year-old Jacob Roberts opened fire on a mall food court. He killed two peo-
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ple before turning the gun on himself. Prior to this incident, Roberts had no prior criminal record. Only three days later, on Dec. 14, 2012, Adam Larza, 20-year-old male, went into Sandy Hook Elementary School where he shot and killed 20 children and six educators. He also killed his mother before he went to the school. He took multiple guns into the
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school building and starting firing at innocent people. I think all states need to have tougher gun laws to protect and maybe prevent some of these horrific events. I understand the gunman, not the gun, kills the person but if there were tougher gun laws, maybe the guns would not be put into the hands of killers. In Texas, people may carry concealed handguns on them
Address all correspondence to: Texas Wesleyan University T�� R������ 1201 Wesleyan St. • Fort Worth, TX 76105 twurambler@yahoo.com (817) 531-7552 Advertising Inquiries: (817) 531-6525 have a full printed name, phone number and signature. While every consideration 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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at all times if they complete the application and get their licenses. The application process involves only a handful of easy steps along with a nonrefundable license fee. The state then runs a criminal background check, and possibly within 60 days, a person could have their concealed handgun license and their gun. Having tougher laws and more enforcement can make
it harder for people to get their hands on guns. I think each state should be more responsible with how they distribute guns and also perform a more in-depth background check on the person, including a psych evaluation. These background checks may cost the states a little extra money but it is worth it if it can potentially save the lives of other people.
thumbs up Thumbs up to all of the new “culture” on campus. Thumbs up to the hummus station, it is a different food option many students seem to like. Thumbs up to the new storage rooms in the church for student organizations.
thumbs down
Thumbs down to the general fee increase. More money, really!? Thumbs down to the food “rationing.” Are we all supposed to be on a diet, or what? Thumbs down to the power outages during the basketball games last weekend.
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Campus Security eases stress, helps students report crimes Candace Johnson
cbjohnson@txwes.edu
When it comes to campus crime, some students are all too familiar with the process of how to file a report. For those who are not, it is actually a fairly simple process. In a few minor steps, a crime can be reported and even resolved sooner than students may think. Blake Bumbard, security manager for campus security, said additional collaboration with campus security will allow students to find ways to prevent future crimes as well as have a voice in the implementation of new security measures on campus. Security Officer Donald Thomas, better known as “Officer Lee,” has been working with campus security for several years and said the first thing to know is what category the crime falls into. Some crimes are handled by campus security while others fall into the hands of the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD). “Anything alcohol, smoking or drug related can be handled by campus security officers. Crimes such as theft and domestic violence are better handled by FWPD,” Lee said. Officer Lee said students are free to call campus security for any reason.
JOB BLAST
“Students can call campus security to report a crime of any kind,” Lee said. “But if a student calls us to handle a crime that is beyond our security measures, we will call FWPD to better assist the student if they choose.” Officer Lee said he would like to see students report more crimes that go on around the campus to help campus security keep a safe environment. “Students either don’t report all the crimes that go on or they report them at the last minute,” Lee said. Once students assess the type of crime they need to report, the next step is to make the phone call. Bumbard said when using a university phone dial 4-911. From a personal phone dial 817-531-4911. Someone is available to answer calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Bumbard said. Bumbard said Texas Wesleyan is one of the most secure campuses he has ever been on. Bumbard has worked at The University of North Texas, Stephen F. Austin and Trinity Valley Community College located in East Texas. Though theft will always be a problem on any campus, Bumbard said. He has not noticed any significant increases in Wesleyans campus crimes. Bumbard does rec-
he saw that her battery was missing as well. “I didn’t know anything was missing until the officer asked me,” Kelsey said. Bumbard said there are a few more measures that can be implemented on campus but it is just a matter of making sure it falls into the budget and deciding which measures are a proper fit for the campus. “We are currently discussing different security options for Texas Wesleyan, such as a few new technologies, blue light call boxes, cameras and additional fencing,” Bumbard said. Bumbard said the mission of the Texas Wesleyan campus security is to provide a safe and secure environment for everyone. Lee said if students, faculty and people in the community come together to help campus security with proper reporting of any dangerous activities, it will help deter criminals of any kind. “Students can assist campus security with making a safer environment by not taking unnecessary risks, locking doors, securing the facilities when they leave and reporting any suspicious activity or crime immediately,” Lee said. For more information on campus security, students can visit their office, Room 117 in O.C. Armstrong Hall.
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one is applying,” Bone said. She said Carreer Services wanted to increase its student-placement efforts. Career services took the feedback into consideration and decided to set up a search agent for all students, a job blast via email. Bone said the students are allowed to opt out if they do not want to receive the job blasts. “We set [job blasts] up for all of the majors for Wesleyan, and based on the students’ degree they are put into a selection,” Bone said. “If it’s business it’s going to include business management, business accounting, finance, all of those, any job that is in the business field environment.” Bone said it is not a weekly blast. It is only sent out once a month. The job blast helps students get exposed to more employment opportunities. “Right now we have an accounting
SCHOLAR
ommend simple measures to help students prevent being a victim of theft on campus. “Students should lock their car doors and be sure not to leave valuable items visible to prevent thieves from targeting them,” Bumbard said. Bumbard said anytime a student calls campus security for help, the matter is handled according to priority. A student who needs a boost for a car may have to wait a little longer for security to arrive if there is a more pressing matter. “As long as the officer isn’t tied up with other calls, they are usually there within a few minutes,” Bumbard said. “It may take 10-15 minutes for non-emergency calls if the officer is handling another situation.” Kelsey Manuel, freshman theater arts major, called campus police last week to get a boost for her car and said campus security’s response time was very quick. “The security officer arrived within five minutes of me calling them,” Manuel said. “I originally thought I just needed a boost because my car wouldn’t start. He asked if anything was missing.” Manuel said she noticed her GPS was gone, so the officer took down her information, wrote a report and when he looked under the hood to give her a boost,
internship, and a lot of students need it for credit for their senior year, and they didn’t know that,” Bone said. “So I’m showing them, look it’s just waiting for you. Now they are getting it in their email so that they are getting on career link and apply themselves,” Bone said the job fields vary depending on the economy. Lately career services have seen a lot of marketing, computer science, accounting and finance jobs. “We have partnership with some radio stations, so we have a lot of broadcast journalism and mass comm. majors,” Bone said. “We definitely have a variety [of jobs]. As of right now accounting, finance and computer science are what we have.” Michael Gatton, associate director of career services, said he thinks students will be happy to receive the career job blasts.
“The job blasts should be considered a supplement to our Career Link website and not a replacement,” Gatton said. “A periodic email from our department will remind students of their journey from getting an education to planning a career, but they still need to login to our site to schedule appointments and take advantage of our other services.” Gatton said he thinks the feedback from the job blasts will be just as positive as the feedback from the Career Link website. “It is our hope that students will seek out our services sooner in their academic career rather than waiting until graduation,” Gatton said. “Not enough students know that Career Services is free and open to all students and alumni and that it is a service to be taken advantage of earlier rather than later.”
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have helped some students get jobs after graduation. Roark said she encourages everyone who is eligible to apply. “It really is a great opportunity for [Texas Wesleyan] students to meet other people and hear from local and world leaders,” Roark said.
Eliana Mijangos, a Texas Wesleyan alumni and former Hatton Sumners scholar, said she was honored to have received the prestigious scholarship during her time at Texas Wesleyan. “I was very honored to receive the scholarship. It was something that made me feel
academically accomplished and was certainly a great opportunity to network,” Mijangos said in an email. Mijangos said while the scholarship funds definitely were a big help, the conferences she attended where great for helping her prepare for the real world.
“To me the real benefit in the scholarship is being able to attend a number of events and conferences that allow you to build on your communication and leadership skills. It is a great organization, and I would highly recommend students to apply.”
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Lupe Salas/Rambler Staff Wesleyan staff members work together at their desk in their newly renovated office on the first floor of Stella Hall.
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test tells each student what level in the program he or she will start. “So if a student arrives that has good English, they might be like level five or six, or something like that,” Hicks said. “If they know no English, they will start at foundations. Other than the foundations class, there are nine other levels.” Hicks said after a student passes all nine sessions, they can take more sessions if they wish. In order to go to a university, a student must be capable of passing the TOEFL Test which measures English competency level. This test is usually passed after nine sessions. Some of the students here will go to Texas Wesleyan, but others may go to other universities around the United States. Although most students eventually want to attend a university, some just want to learn English for fun, Hicks said. “We have students who sometimes study just because they want to learn English, or students from other countries who are on vacation in America and just want to learn English and get immersed in the culture,” Hicks said. Although there are students from all around the
world, most of the students hosted by Texas Wesleyan for The Language Company right now are from Saudi Arabia, Hicks said. Jonathan Bravo, a freshman baseball player who lives in Stella, said he has noticed a few changes in the environment of Stella since The Learning Company has started holding classes. “There are a lot more international students and teachers walking around,” Bravo said. He also said there are more people in general inside Stella during the day because of the added students learning in the classrooms. Also, during their breaks, the students hang out in the Stella lobby. Hicks said so far The Learning Company and Texas Wesleyan’s partnership is working. If the program and involvement at Wesleyan continues to grow, it will help enroll more students in the future at Texas Wesleyan University and other universities around the country. “Our involvement is growing steadily even from when I started up a month ago,” Hicks said. “I see a big increase in the students we expected to come in as well as the students who started new this session.”
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5
24 HOUR
THEATRE Photos by Lupe Salas/Rambler Staff Theatre Wesleyan students lock themselves into the Lawsone Theatre to put together an entire production from start to finish in 24 hours. During the 24 hours days before school started, theatre students brainstorm and write a script for a performance. They collect costumes and props, and build sets for the production. They practice their lines and put on the production, all in 24 hours time. Left: Kaila Saffle (from left), Seth Brech and Krystaline Lasater perform at the final production of 24-Hour Theatre Date?. Above: Logan Rodgers (from left), Kristi Taylor and Saffle practice lines and discuss stage positions during rehearsal. Top Right: Rodgers and Lasater act out a scene in the 24-hour production. Far Right: Taylor performs during the final production. Just Right: Rodgers and Lasater perform a scend during the final production of the 24hour theatre.
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Pop Culture Junkie Tristian Evans tkevans1098@txwes.edu
Hunger Games star is legend in the making “Sketches: An Exhibition of Equine Art and Poetry” from The Fort Worth Art Exhibit featuring artist Kit Hall and poet DeeAnn Day
Jennifer Lawrence, star of the Hunger Games film franchise, and most recently, Silver Linings Playbook, is Hollywood’s new “It” girl. Lawrence is a genuinely talented actress who brings depth and believability to every role she portrays. Whether Lawrence is playing a tough and driven female archer, an emotionally damaged widowed single mother, or a blue, shape-shifting mutant, Lawrence lights up the screen with her acting prowess, and seriousness that she brings to her craft. While watching Lawrence on the screen, one can sense she really puts herself wholeheartedly into her roles. As Katniss Everdeen of the Hunger Games film, she is tough and a survivor. No matter what challenges she faces, she will fight her way through it to emerge victorious. As Mystique in the X-Men films, she is outgoing and bubbly, but secretly ashamed of her mutant nature and just wants to be accepted by the world and people around her. In her recent film, Silver Lining Playbook, which has garnered her second Oscar nomination, Lawrence plays a deeply flawed widow who is trying to deal with her husband’s death. Lawrence makes viewers believe she is really this fictional person and makes them care about and root for the characters she portrays. It also helps that off-screen, Lawrence comes off as friendly, likable and someone who isn’t stuck up. In her interviews, Lawrence’s personality comes off as the perfect mix of self-deprecating and humble. She does not take her growing popularity too seriously. She often jokes since she is so young, she could have a meltdown, which big time celebrities seem to be prone to at any time. I can tell Lawrence just loves what she does, and doesn’t seem to be too caught up in her own hype. I’m calling it now, Jennifer Lawrence is a legend is the making.
Lupe Salas/Rambler Staff
FW Exhibit showcases Wesleyan talent
Rolandra West
rdwest@txwes.edu
Two Texas Wesleyan professors are showcasing their “masterpieces” at The Fort Worth Community Arts Center’s annual art exhibition. Kit Hall, professor of art, and DeeAnn Day, instructor of English and Humanities have joined together for the first time to present their artwork and poetry to the Fort Worth Metroplex on Jan 4-29 . Hall’s art work has been exhibited in art exhibitions since 1986; she inspired Day, who previously had never featured any of her work before, to participate in the exhibition. Collaboratively, the two are exhibiting a collection of art and poetry entitled “Sketches.” Hall said she and Day discovered their common interests after team teaching a Human Prospect class last year. “We found out that we have a friendship and a lot of things in common and we had a good time together,” Hall said. [Day] made the mistake of saying she had a lot of unfinished poems and that just intrigued me because I thought, I have a lot of unfinished drawings too. So that is why we call it Sketches.” Hall said the two inspired each oth-
er to finish their works and collaborated each art piece with a poem and vice versa. A lot of Hall’s artwork consists of, and are inspired from, horses. “My poems are not about horses but they reflect a similar mood, and some images that translate back and forth,” Day said. Hall said Day’s poems are very personal but universal. “We have all kind of experienced the feelings that she has communicated in [poems],” Hall said. “One of things I like to do in my art of horses is to have them have the same expressions as we humans do because they are social animals,” Hall said. “They have very deep feelings, probably a lot more than some people, not like us but you can still find some common ground.” Hall said she got a late start when it came to being an artist. “The first art class I ever took, I was 21 years old, so that’s a little bit late in life. Most kids do art all the way through middle school up until high school, but I didn’t,” Hall said. “That was my first lesson and it’s been uphill ever since.” Unlike Hall, Day said she has always felt like she has been a writer, starting at a very young age. “I’ve always written things and I loved doing that” Day said. “Ever
since I was in college, I tried to write poetry and a lot of it came out sounding like a Hallmark card. Then I would try to write like poets I liked reading. So I’ve been through lots of evolutions with poetry.” Day said with her busy schedule from teaching to graduate school she had a lot of unfinished poetry. “This project sort of made me focus and finish these poems, and made me really work on them. These [poems] I am very proud of,” Day said. “You finally come into your own as a writer or an artist, I think now after many years I finally know what I am doing.” Hall said she believes as an artist, people do learn from other people’s styles of art and eventually perfect their own craft and style. “Like Picasso said, ‘steal from everyone of them and make it your own,’” Hall said. Day agrees that it takes time to come into one’s own style. “You have to want it,” Day said. “It’s not just going to come to you like a bolt of lightning although it would be easier that’s not going to happen.” Day said crafting takes time and any piece of writing is not going to just flow out of that writer perfectly the first time. “You have to not be afraid of throwing something in the trashcan
because 90 percent of the time that’s where it belongs,” Hall said. “It’s the same thing with art and writing. It’s not just for one unique or visual art it’s with everything you do.” Hall said this exhibition has probably been the most fun out of all the exhibitions she has been a part of. “I thank DeeAnn for trusting me with this, there was just this trust that went back and forth,” Hall said. I’m just thrilled with the exhibition.” Day said although she was hesitant, Hall pushed her to get into it. The two professors plan on team teaching an art/poetry honors class spring 2014. “It all started as a friendship and the art exhibit came out of that, and then further we decided to do an honors course,” Day said. “We also plan on doing an exhibition out of that class.” Daphne Day freshman business major and daughter of DeeAnn Day, said she is very proud of her mother and that her mother has been writing poetry since before she was born. “When she told me that she and Kit Hall were going to put together this exhibit, I immediately wanted all my friends to come see the amazing works that my mom had written,” Day said. “The poetry is very moving and the artwork is exquisite.” For more info visit www.fwcac.org.
American Idol ratings not strong, still entertaining Kelsi Holland
knholland@txwes.edu
Time rolls back as the dramatic music and past American Idol winners parade across the screen. As the judges are showcased, we cannot help but notice the outrageous Nikki Minaj with those crazy wigs and body paint she calls clothes. She made a grand entrance but her attitude and outrageous personality was a fail in my book. The first episode of American’ Idol’s 12th season was a success in the entertainment department Mariah Carey graced the presence of the scene with class and elegance. (Well when she wasn’t arguing with Nikki Minaj). Keith Urban showed a low profile, and provided excellent advice to those who did
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not make the cut. Of all the judges, Randy Jackson seemed to take on the role of former judge Simon Cowell. Jackson was very blunt and quite hilarious. These judges are in for the long haul and there were plenty of yes’s and no’s for contestants hoping to advance to Hollywood. Throughout the show many who auditioned boasted about their skills, but when time came to execute, they failed to hold a note. It was sad, but humorous of course. At times, the show almost seemed more of a competition between Mariah and Nikki, than a judgement of the performers’ musical talents. Randy and Keith had to step in several times to keep the show professional.
Minaj’s multiple personalities were a distraction. Why is she even on the show? She cannot sing. Reports show the show’s ratings weren’t as high as they used to be. This season of American Idol is also being portrayed as a reality show. Perhaps that had something to do with it? I enjoyed the portion of the show where contestants shared their heartfelt stories. Several had life struggles they eventually overcame. The story that was a tear jerker for me was the young lady who has a hearing deficiency. When she sang her song the judges were in awe. Mariah Carey’s face lit up because she had a refreshing voice, definitely more unique than most artists out now. There were also some question-
able people who auditioned. Some made an absolute mockery of themselves and expected to move forward in the competition. One man’s rendition of Boys to Men’s “I’ll make love to you” brought nothing but laughs from the judges - especially from Nikki and Mariah, whom he attempted to serenade. Keith Urban even hid under the table and said “it’s not safe out there.” Its contestants like this one that bring on the entertainment, sometimes. How did he get to this point, I’ll never know. But it was definitely hilarious. Forty-one contestants advanced to Hollywood from this New York episode. I will definitely tune into Fox 4 Jan. 23 to see what’s next.
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Men’s Basketball keeps bouncing up Emma Fradette
ekfradette@txwes.edu
Emma Fradette ekfradette@txwes.edu
Morton Fitness keeps students healthy, fit With the New Year kicking off, many students have New Year resolutions, and some of those resolutions may deal with getting healthier. Here at Texas Wesleyan, students have a great opportunity to maintain those New Year’s resolutions thanks to the help of the Morton Fitness Center. I have recently became more involved in my workout routine, and the Morton Fitness Center makes that possible for me and other students trying to stay fit. Just in case some students didn’t know, the Morton Fitness Center offers a weight room, cardio and a studio for private workouts. They also have a fully stocked locker room with showers. The center also has classes such as Zumba and kickboxing at no cost to the students. In today’s economy, especially being a student, saving money is vital. Thanks to the university and the Morton Fitness Center, students at Wesleyan are given the option to join a gym for free. I really enjoy using the fitness center. The staff is always friendly and working hard to make sure all the equipment is working properly and cleaned for the next person to use it. Signing up for classes is easy and they always post the times outside the building for convenient reminders. All students should take full advantage of all facilities on campus, but especially the Morton Fitness Center. For those of you wanting a healthier New Year, join the Morton Fitness Center and get started. You won’t be sorry.
The Texas Wesleyan men’s basketball team is mid-way through their season and beginning their second round in the Red River Athletic Conference. As of Jan. 15, the Rams hold a record of 13-5 overall and are 8-4 in the RRAC conference. Brennen Shingleton, head coach of the men’s basketball team, said he is thrilled with his players so far. “I am very pleased with their work ethic and very pleased with their attitudes on and off the court,” Shingleton said. “We’ve had a great semester academically. We’ve got great guys, and they are fun to coach.” This is Shingleton’s first year as a head coach for Wesleyan and said he has been hard on the players. “When you have change in any position in coaching, things have to change,” Shingleton said. “They are kind of adjusting to me as I adjust to them and they’ve done everything I’ve asked them to do.” Shingleton said so far this season, although the team has been performing well, the team has yet to play their best basketball. “We have yet to play our basketball and that’s what makes me excited. If they can just get over that hump, we are going to be very good,” Shingleton said. “We are just fighting and we are going to be OK, our best basketball is really close.” Jazz Holman, junior guard and mass communications major, said the team has had their ups and downs. “We are getting it together and we are starting to trust each other more,” Holman said. Brian Talley, senior guard and accounting major, said although the team is having their ups and downs, they are dealing with them.
“We are dealing with adversity, but I think we got a chance to make a good run at the right time,” Talley said. “We have good team chemistry and everybody seems to be figuring out their roles on the team.” As far as his expectations for the rest of the year, Shingleton said he is going to take one game at a time. “I’ve been here long enough to where you can have expectations
but what I’ve realized quickly is we can’t get too far ahead of ourselves,” Shingleton said. “I expect us to play well, and every time we hit the court I expect us to do something better than what we did in the past.” Shingleton said he doesn’t know where this season will take him and his team, but they are trying to take baby steps in order to hit their long-term goals. Although the players have
been great, Shingleton said consistency is their biggest challenge so far. “Our maturity has a little bit to do with consistency, but there are days where we are very good and then there are days where we just kind of fight ourselves mentally,” Shingleton said.“But we have the capability to win a championship, we just have to approach everyday like it’s the most important thing we do.”
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Lupe Salas | Rambler Staff Mo Weathers (left), senior guard, looks to pass the ball off to Jazz Holman (right), junior guard, for the Rams. Texas Wesleyan beat Louisiana State University-Shreveport with a score of 97-73 Jan. 14.
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Lady Ram basketball shoots for Kentucky Emma Fradette
ekfradette@txwes.edu
The Texas Wesleyan women’s basketball team is continuing its season and starting to play the second half of conference. In his second year as head women’s basketball coach, Bill Franey said his team is doing well. The Lady Rams are 12-5 overall and, as of Jan. 15, currently 8-3 in the RRAC conference. “The team is doing very well but there have been some bumps along the way,” Franey said. “People need to remember that not only did seven seniors graduate last year, but those seven seniors were the most successful seniors in TWU history.” Franey said last year’s seniors were the first group to ever win 25 games in back-toback years. “So while many people expected this season to be a rebuilding year, I did not,” Franey said. “The players have responded accordingly.” Franey said the biggest challenge so far has been taking so many new players with so many different basketball
backgrounds and getting them on the same page. “We want them to think the same way, but anyone who is watching the team can surely see this is happening,” Franey said. Dre’a Davis, senior guard for the Lady Rams and exercise science major, said a few minor injuries and terms of eligibility have also been obstacles the team has had to face. “We all learn that in order to be a great team, we must be able to respond to adversity and we are putting that statement in effect,” Davis said. Davis said the season has been fun and enthusiastic. “We have been working hard to achieve our seasonal goals and meanwhile have been having fun while doing that,” Davis said. Audrianna Simpson, sophomore guard and business management major, agrees with Davis. “The season is going well but it is not where we want it to be, Simpson said. “So every practice and game we are striving to make it better.” Davis said they have a few goals such as winning conference, advancing in the confer-
ence tournament and going to nationals. With being a senior this year, Davis is a leader and said she is taking her last season seriously. “I will never be able to get this experience back, being a leader is challenging at times, but for the most part we do a great job of holding ourselves accountable of keeping the team on up and up,” Davis said. “We are doing what it takes to better ourselves as individuals and more importantly as a team.” Simpson said the team chemistry is getting stronger with every game they play. Franey said he expects the team to continue to grow as the season goes on and to eventually earn their spot at nationals in Kentucky. “The conference tournament is my favorite time of year,” Franey said.“It is too early to say for certain where the pairings lie, but two wins in the tournament sends the team to Kentucky, right where we belong,” The Lady Rams will have their next game at 2 p.m. Jan. 26 in the Sid Richardson Center at Texas Welseyan against Jarvis Christian.
Photos by Lupe Salas | Rambler Staff Above: Dre’a Davis, senior guard and exercise science major, plays defense in the Louisiana State University-Shreveport game Jan. 14. Wesleyan fell to the Pilots 66-76. Right: Audrianna Simpson, sophomore guard and business management major, dribbles the ball down court on a fast break looking for an easy bucket at the Jan. 14 game.
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The Hatton W. Sumners scholarship provides up to $3,500 per semester toward tuition for outstanding students during their junior and senior years. Preference is given to those studying political science, pre-law, history, or social
studies, but students from other program areas who have high academic achievement, are involved in activities, and exhibit leadership and a strong sense of community responsibility will also be considered. Sumners Scholars participate in exclusive forums, lectures and programs on public policy, leadership, and civic participation.
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Application Deadline: February 15, 2013