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WEDNESDAY
January 28, 2015
Vol. 99 • No. 1
www.therambler.org The voice of Texas Wesleyan University students since 1917
INDEX Opinion 2 News 3 Campus 4,5 A&E 6 Sports 7,8
Campus AROUND
Music Department schedules concert Victoria Garcia vpgarcia@txwes.edu
The Texas Wesleyan University Music Department will present a unique, onenight recital, The Brass Concert, on Thursday, Feb. 5 in Martin Hall. The recital will last one hour and feature seven pieces that mix vocals with trumpets and other instruments, said James Lind, an adjunct instructor who teaches trumpet. The concert is free and doors open at 7 p.m. “The concert is a mix of music for trumpet and piano; trumpet, voice, violoncello and piano; and brass quintet,” Lind said. “I selected each piece for mainly ‘selfish’ reasons-all of the pieces are personal favorites and incidentally standard literature.” Lind will be opening the first half of the concert by showcasing the trumpet, said Christine Beason, director of instrumental studies. The Brass Concert will also feature performances by associate professor Julie McCoy; adjunct instructor Keith Critcher; and adjunct instructor Karen Hall. The first half of the concert will feature a performance of Eternal Source of Light Divine, which was originally written by Handel in 1714. “The piece highlights the beauty and expressiveness of the voice and trumpet together,” Lind said. The next music piece that will be showcased in the first half of the concert is Concerto for Trumpet and Piano by Russian composer Alexander Artunian. “It is a flashy piece that has become a favorite for audiences across the world,” Lind said. The second half of the concert will have The Brass Quintet perform material that was written for them “Playing in a Brass Quintet is challenging in many ways because there is no place to “hide’ as one might be able to in a large ensemble,” Lind said. The Brass Concert will also include Bach’s Contrapunctus IX, with each instrument playing the original melody, said Lind.
Please tell us how Dr. Bobby Deaton impacted your life as a student. Send your remembrances of Dr. Deaton to twurambler@yahoo.com
Lewis gives Wesleyan a nudge Valerie Spears vlspears@txwes.edu
Jim Lewis is here to make a difference. Lewis, who started working as Texas Wesleyan University’s vice president of advancement in November 2014, wants to push Wesleyan to succeed by improving its fundraising. He believes the university is on the verge of a great transformation in development, enrollment, financial growth, community image, and campus facilities. “The university is at a tipping point and maybe I can be a part of helping nudge it over the hump,” Lewis said. Lewis is working to raise funds to help Wesleyan grow and become a more well known and advanced school as part of the 2020 Strategic Vision. Lewis was selected from a national search that university President Frederick Slabach and members of the Wesleyan staff assembled. Slabach said his commitment to advancement and familiarity with helping other colleges really captivated the committee. “Jim has extraordinary experience,” Slabach said. “What was really impressive to me and many of members of the search committee was his ability to understand how to really organize the entire advancement effort to line up with the strategic goals of the university.” Growing up, Lewis frequently moved to different cities around north and central Texas, and attended five different elementary and secondary schools. His father worked as a United Methodist minister, which required them to move approximately every 3 years. Lewis discovered he had a passion for working with colleges while studying at Southern Methodist University. A friend recommended that he go into advancement, and he got his first job in the field at SMU shortly after receiving his master’s in business administration in 1983. “Several people thought that my gifts and graces lent myself to this kind of work,” Lewis said. Lewis has worked at several small universities and said that Texas Wesleyan had a very familiar feel. “The sense of community is very similar,” Lewis said. “It wasn’t a hard transition for me at all.” Lewis worked at the University of Texas at Arlington for 6 years as the vice president for development. In 2014, UTA received an Overall Improvement Award in educational fundraising from the council of advancement and support of
Jim Lewis says that he is happy to be working in academia after eight months as the executive vice president for development at Big Brothers Big Sisters in Irving. Photo by Erica Estrada
education. Myke Holt, the senior director of development at Texas A&M University, worked with Lewis at UTA as the director of development for the College of Liberal Arts. Holt said Lewis was one of the best co-workers she has ever worked with. “Jim is an outstanding fundraiser,” Holt said. “I learned so much working with him, and he was a great mentor to me.” Holt said that Lewis works hard to meet the goals of the university and is very committed to helping schools succeed. Lewis does not like to lose and does whatever he can to make the institution prosperous. “Jim is very passionate about higher education and loves working to fulfill the mission of the university,” Holt said. “He’s not afraid of hard work, long hours, or challenges. Watch out, he’s competitive!” Before arriving at Wesleyan, Lewis spent 8
months working for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Irving as the executive vice president for development. It was the first non-collegiate organization that Lewis had worked for in his advancement career, and he said that it was a very different work environment than he had encountered at colleges. “It was a culture shock,” Lewis said. “They don’t have tuition income like you do in higher education. Philanthropy is pretty much all they have.” Lewis said he appreciates his time at Big Brothers Big Sisters and even signed up to be a mentor at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Fort Worth. He loved the organization, but his true desire is to help colleges. “It’s a great organization with great people,” Lewis said, “but I am glad to be back in an environment I know better.” Lewis is excited to be working with Slabach, and
LEWIS, page 3
SGA passes spring budget,votes to fund honorariums Ryan Grounds rrgrounds@txwes.edu Texas Wesleyan University’s Student Government Association held its first meeting of the spring 2015 semester on Thursday. SGA approved a bill that will help pay for 100 Greek T-shirts for members of Wesleyan fraternities and sororities. SGA voted to split the $580 bill for purchase of the shirts with The Office of Student Life. SGA also approved its $4,103 budget for the semester. The budget includes the cost of new televisions that will be located in the recently reopened Dora’s dining facility. Money was also budgeted for student honorariums. “It is in our constitution that $2,500 be allocated for honorariums,” SGA President Tyler Mendez said.“Students apply for honorariums through our website and the Finance and Audit Committee determines whether the student is
awarded based on their description of what he/ she needs the funding for. The students can apply for an honorarium up to $100.” Last semester the SGA approved to have lights installed around the volleyball court and to build a fire pit area. “The fire pit should be ready this week,” Mendez said. Mendez, who was elected SGA president in May 2014, said there are two big projects for the semester: getting a courtroom on campus and finishing the commuter lounge. The SGA approved the upgrade of a commuter lounge last semester. The lounge, located on the second floor of Polytechnic United Methodist Church, has comfortable chairs and areas for studying, SGA Vice President Abbey Borghee said. “The charging stations were just implemented there, and it has USB ports for charging laptops and I-pods and everything else,” Boghee said. SGA holds its weekly meetings: Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. at the organizations lounge on the first
SGA President Tyler Mendez. Courtesy of Chuck Greeson, University Photographer
floor of the Sid Richardson Center.
Campus greets internationals Valerie Spears vlspears@txwes.edu Isha Joshi is one of the international students seeking a degree in the United States. Joshi, 18, is a freshmen studying business administration. She came to Texas Wesleyan University from Nepal in January 2014 after receiving a recommendation from a friend about the university. “My friend recommended me to Texas Wesleyan,” Joshi said. “So I looked on the website and saw it was a best regional university, I liked that.”
Joshi said that many students from Nepal have come here to get a degree that is internationally recognized. “The U.S. has a good educational system,” Joshi said. “You can get a bachelor’s degree that is accepted all over the world.” Joshi is excited to be at Wesleyan and loves attending small classes. “I love Wesleyan,” Joshi said. “They give us special attention that helps us understand things better.” More and more, international students like Joshi are choosing Wesleyan as their university.
There are approximately 455 undergraduate international students at Wesleyan this semester, an increase from the 409 students in spring 2014, according to The Office of Institutional Research. International students made up 26 percent of undergraduate enrollment in spring 2014, and this percentage is expected to increase slightly this semester. The exact numbers for this semester will be calculated after the 12th day of class because of students who drop or come in during the first few weeks.
STUDENTS, page 3
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Opinion
Keep resolutions fresh Victoria Johnson Content Producer vjohnson@txwes.edu
Another year has come and gone, which means the time has come for yet another set of goals to follow in hopes of discovering your defining traits. With every new year comes a new goal whether it be working out, eating clean, or potentially working harder in classes. While making a resolution at the start of a new year can be a fun tradition, is it easy to lose motivation by Valentine’s Day and your lifechanging revolution gets left behind before the year even starts off. New Year’s resolutions have the potential to be tremendously powerful. In the start of a new year, a person could make the change to only think positive after noticing they are always a Negative Nancy in every situation. Perhaps a person realizes that they need a focus shift and decide they want to focus on school. However, that is not always the case. New Year’s resolutions often get a bad reputation. Every year, many people make a big deal of coming up with a list of goals and aspirations in hopes of changing their appearance or making a drastic change that has nothing to do with the reason behind the change. The best step to making a resolution stick is personalization. Instead of focusing on fixing ourselves and attempting to follow a set of rules
made up by someone else, why not make a resolution that is catered toward you? As college students, whether you are full-time or parttime, you are faced with a busy schedule no matter how you look at it. In between class, practice, clubs, and maintaining a flourishing social life does anyone really have time to use the same workout regimen as a personal trainer who spends all their time in a gym? Be honest. Do we, as students, have the luxury of spending $150 on organic groceries from Whole Foods? Chances are we don’t. And that’s not a bad thing at all. We’re at different points of our lives and have various commitments that don’t always allow us the flexibility of doing what someone out of school does. The focus of New Year’s resolutions should never be about changing yourself to fit someone else’s mold. By personalizing your New Year’s resolutions and tailoring them to highlight your individual potential, you increase your chance of success. You may not get the same results that someone else got or you may find that you are looking for something completely different than you initially believed. For example, you can follow a workout regimen to a T and still find what works for one athlete will not always work for another. However, there is absolutely nothing wrong with finding someone who has had success doing something and you attempting it. Perhaps you need pre-written rules because it is easier than cre-
ating a new set of rules that give you the opportunity to slack. As we enter 2015, keep in mind that you are an individual and you need a resolution that matches you as a person and not a resolution that is applicable to everyone. Take baby steps to create a system that is tailored to your schedule and needs. As students, our New Year’s resolutions should be about expanding and developing yourself for the long run. Short term goals can be great, but building the skills that will expand beyond your college years can be even better. Before making a New Year’s resolution, one should look at things they want to improve, not the things they want to change or eliminate altogether. If you want a better body, it’s always easier to eliminate things one by one instead of dropping everything at once. If you need more time to study, create a schedule that gives you more time to reach your goals. The point is, in order to guarantee success for any resolution, you might want to take some time and find out what you want or need to improve. By turning your focus inward and identifying those things, you are much more prepared to make a goal that revolves around you, your needs, and wants. Look at other people’s success as friendly advice instead of laws to follow. Keep it fresh and be honest with yourself. Resolutions take discipline and above anything else, dedication. Take this year to be dedicated to someone who deserves it: You.
and what assignments are coming up so you can stay on top of deadlines. 2. What works and what doesn’t: Learn from your mistakes. Were you not satisfied with your grades last semester and wish you could do better? Now is your chance! Think of what work and what didn’t. Did you not ask for help or advice on how you could improve on an assignment? Did you skip classes or arrive late? Now is the time to change old habits and be a better, hardworking student. 3. Step-by-step: Pace yourself each day. Sure, maybe you do have about 50 to 100 pages to read for each chapter. Fortunately, you can read at least 10-15 pages a day so by the time your quiz or test comes along, you will remember all the relevant content. 4. Review: Simply reviewing your notes daily can help. As a psychology major, I’ve learned it takes time for infor-
mation to reach long –term memory. When students cram, information is stored in short-term memory and the information stored there does not stay there for a long time, which can result in poor grades. 5. Maintain a healthy lifestyle: When you get a good amount of sleep and a healthy diet, you are more likely to have more energy and feel more alert. Also, exercise increases blood flow to the brain so be sure to keep a healthy, active lifestyle. Lastly, be positive and reward yourself! Your outlook on the semester will leave a result on how you think you will do. When you complete all your assignments for the day or get an A on a test, go out with friends or do one of your favorite hobbies. By the time you know it, all your hard work will pay off and it will be summer. Make it the best semester yet.
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Spring into spring with these five suggestions Erica Estrada Photo Editor eestrada@txwes.edu
Returning back to school from the holiday break may be tough, especially when students are used to sleeping in late and not doing homework. Then they come back to realize a couple of adjustments such as changing their sleep schedule and staying on track of assignments need to be made. As a result, it can be easy to fall behind, so here are a few tips to have a successful spring semester: 1. Take a look at your syllabi: The first day of school you are likely to receive syllabi from your professors. Take a look right away to see what each professor’s expectations are, what your goal expectations are,
The Rambler Print/Web Content Producers: Victoria P. Garcia, Sachiko Jayaratne, Valerie Spears, Brianna Kestler, Victoria Johnson, Jessica Liptak, Michael Acosta
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Rams up Thumbs up to Dora’s renovation being complete. Thumbs up to having more phone charging stations in more campus buildings. Thumbs up to the progress being made in Rosedale. Thumbs up to the ATM in the Eunice and James West L. Library.
Rams down Thumbs down to Dora’s still not having good food.
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Thumbs down to less student parking. Thumbs down to people driving and parking the wrong way on Wesleyan Street. Thumbs down to students getting ticketed for jaywalking to Subway and the Texas Wesleyan bookstore.
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News
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LEWIS
continued from page 1 believes that the most important thing in his line of work is to have great chemistry with the president of any organization he works with. “I have worked directly under 5 college presidents and Frederick Slabach is the best I have worked with,” Lewis said. “I really feel great about the chemistry about his leadership style. We just hit it off immediately.” Slabach said that the advancement team has been historically understaffed, and he believes that Lewis has the experience and ability to build a better team. With Lewis on the team, Slabach hopes to begin fundraising for a new student center that will cost $18.25 million. “We want an iconic building that will really be the symbol of the university,” Slabach said, “and that will be the student center because students are at the center of everything we do here at Texas Wesleyan.” The student center will also make a good first impression with visitors, Slabach said. The most important current goal for campus fundraising is the 125th anniversary of the university, said Slabach. The anniversary will help to re-engage the university with old friends, as well as make some new friends that will help the
school philanthropically. “Another major aspect of the work that he will be doing is helping us utilize that 125th celebration that will take place all throughout the academic year,” Slabach said. Lewis plans to put these goals in action by getting the faculty, staff, alumni, and board members more excited about the Wesleyan name. He also hopes to help the advancement department incorporate the best practices which will pay off over time and change the attitude of Wesleyan. “It’s sort of this mindset that we are just Texas Wesleyan and we can’t do x y or z,” Lewis said. “I want to take some initiatives which I believe will help change the psychology dynamic here in such a way that people will feel confident in where they work. This is an institution people should be proud to be a part of.” He also feels confident in the changes that have already been set in motion, including the Rosedale Renaissance project. “Having been in institutions that have done big projects, I can tell you that perception about the university will change,” Lewis said. Lewis said that while perception plays a role in changing the university, the main focus is on the internal attitudes and stu-
dents. “We don’t do it just for image, we are doing it to serve students and to create a more vibrant campus community,” Lewis said. “We got to believe that we can do these things and project that. That is how we will inspire more people.” The progress is slow, but working on all the little details can lead to a big payoff in the end, Lewis said. “You have to be an optimist to do this business,” Lewis said. “You have to be confident and persistent to see something at the end.” Lewis also wants to help teach students the importance of appreciating endowments and how that affects their scholarships. “[Donors] can see in the form of a student the impact their gift is continuing to make,” Lewis said. “We are teaching philanthropy to students. For them to see the importance of it helps them understand when they get out why it’s important for them to give back.” Lewis said that the Fort Worth area and the Methodist church hold a lot of family history for him, which helps him be become inspired with Texas Wesleyan. “The values here resonate with my own personal values,” Lewis said. “We are about changing lives.”
STUDENTS continued from page 1
University President Frederick Slabach said that Wesleyan brings in international students to help prepare students to be citizens of the world. “In the 21st century, it is absolutely essential that students develop cultural competencies beyond what they grew up with,” Slabach said. “It’s important for them to be exposed to international communities outside the United States.” Slabach encourages domestic students to learn from international students to keep up with business trends that are developing in other countries. “We firmly believe that students learn as much from each other as they do from faculty members in the classroom,” Slabach said. Most students do not have the chance to study abroad and the university works to recruit international students to help domestic students have the chance to be shown different cultures, Slabach said. “I do think that it gives students at Texas Wesleyan an edge in their professional careers,” Slabach said. “It is up to the individual domestic student whether or not he or she will take advantage of that opportunity.” Dr. Bruce Benz, a professor of biology, has taught many international students and said many countries have a hard time providing higher education because of increasing population and economic decline. “The United States is more developed,” Benz said. “We have more technologies they can use.” Benz said that part of the increase is because Wesleyan has
The top 18 countries where Wesleyan international students came from in the fall 2014 semester are shown in white. This information comes from The Office of Institutional Research.
been sending out recruiters to compete for international students against bigger universities in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. “It’s tough to compete,” Benz said. “But they come to Wes-
leyan for the same reasons domestic students come. They get face to face interactions with professors that they can’t get at other universities.”
Dining Services New Counter Seating
Onyesonam Nolisa finishes a practice session with optimism for the season. Photo by Paula Justice
Increased Seatings, 2 drink stations, expanded breakfast bar New Breads at the Deli -Focaccia -Ciabatta Self Serve Hot Dogs & Pizza are back! Ice Cream Station - New Grille works open daily Coming soon - Self Serve Dessert Case
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Campus
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Students should celebrate black culture, not just during Black History Month Victoria Johnson vjohnson@txwes.edu
February is known for its holidays: Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, Ash Wednesday and more. But February is also home to the one of the most important annual celebrations: Black History Month. Though it is the shortest month of the year, the celebration of black excellence and achievements is given widespread attention as black individuals continue to add fire to the ever growing flame. There is, however, a dilemma facing the black community. In the past, Black History Month has been spent educating future generations about the importance of academics and expanding their minds beyond the limits of preset boundaries. The message that has been crafted to inspire the youth of today has been lost. Instead of focusing on growth in academic areas and preparing for the future, the path to success has come down to one of two things: a basketball or a recording booth. While neither of these dreams are unattainable, the emphasis of Black History Month is to gain an insight of how magnificent and truly glorious it is to be a part of a culture that continues to excel despite facing constant hurdles. During this month, we are reminded to look at where we come from and where we can go. If a child wants to be a doctor, there is no reason he or she cannot. If a teenager aspires to be an engineer, this month lays the groundwork for turning a dream into a reality. Black History Month does more than just celebrate past achievements. Black History Month is a reminder that as black people, we are not limited to the roles we see on television. We are reminded that with education and hard work, there is no reason why making seven figures is out of the question. For black students in college, the world and all of its success is at our fingertips. There is so much that we could be doing. However, none of this time is being used for long-term benefits. Instead, there are excuses for why staying static is much better than facing the challenge of greatness that is calling us. As an athlete, I know practice can take up a lot of time. And as a former member of a choir and band, I understand that writing and learning music can take dedication and time. But let’s look at the statistics. Currently only 33.1 percent of black males graduate from a college or university; 57.3 percent of other students graduate. This means that as difficult as it is for black students to go college, the percentage of them actually graduating is 24 percent less than others. So ultimately, two thirds of all black college students don’t obtain the degree they came for. If you aren’t here for your degree, then what are you here for? Though Texas Wesleyan University is a small school, there are still plenty of opportunities for students to get involved. The options are truly endless and it’s borderline impossible for students not to find a group of well-rounded individuals that are doing something positive with their lives. Wesleyan’s Black Student Association has been making waves across the Tarrant County area for the last three years and for a school with a large percentage of black students, the lack of involvement is truly frightening. In December 2012, the association donated 717 pounds of canned food to the Tarrant County Food Bank for the holidays. The organization worked closely with the Boys & Girls Club of Fort Worth and hosted opportunities for youth to learn about their heritage at The Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogical Society. Hosting events such as “Let’s Talk Black America”, “Balling on a Budget”, and a voter registration drive, the organization has given an example of what it is to be black and intelligent in America. So of all the problems plaguing organizations on this campus, why does BSA suffer from such a lack of involvement? Why is BSA not flourishing with individuals who want to exceed limitations set by themselves and others? It’s understandable to have practice and I’m not saying that Illustration by Erica Estrada having dreams is a bad thing. However, you are in college. This means you applied and got women, we are looked at and scrutinized on a much harsher accepted to an institute of higher learning that has been around scale than other races. To quote the television drama Scandal, for the last 125 years. as black individuals, we have to work twice as hard just to be In fact, let’s look at it from an economic standpoint: You are half as good. paying to be here. If you aren’t paying for it with money, you are Consider this as a call to action. Use your Nike’s and walk to paying for it with time. So when the day comes for you to grad- Polytechnic High School. Instead of focusing on writing lyrics, uate, were you involved in any organizations? Were your grades use that voice to talk to future college applicants. so astronomically high that it’s a wonder that you didn’t graduDetermine whether or not you want to get a job if something ate within two years? Did you intern and if so, where and how happens to the killer jump shot you’ve got. Go to a BSA meetrigorous was it? The truth is, college is meant to grow you not ing and learn about educating the youth that have it engraved only as an intellectual, but as a person. And as black men and in their minds that all they will ever become is a thug or an
Welcome back Rams! Baseball Vs. Jarvis Christian Jan. 30-31 Vs. Avila Feb. 5-8 Men and Women’s Basketball Vs. Wayland Baptist Feb. 5
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inmate. You applied for college and you’re in. But what happens when it’s time to leave and the unfortunate reality sets in that you didn’t make it as the starting rookie for the Chicago Bulls? If there was a time to prove that you’re more than a statistic, it’s now. It’s the last 20 seconds of the final quarter. The referee put the ball in your hands and you’ve got to decide if you want to win this by one point of by two. Now isn’t the time to lose focus because, at this point, the game is too close. Play the game however you want, just remember that the game isn’t in here. It’s out there.
Attention International Students: Come join us at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo For free! Saturday, February 7th from 12-4 p.m. For more information contact: Dayon Harris at daharris@txwes.edu
Sponsored by Student Life
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Campus
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Fort Worth Stock Show rides again
Erica Estrada /Rambler Staff
Two riders from the R.A. Brown Ranch in Stinnet, Texas compete in the “double mugging” event on Jan. 16 at Will Rogers.
Jessica Liptak /Rambler Staff
Longhorms are just one of the many different types of livestock at the Stock Show.
Jessica Liptak /Rambler Staff
Saddles and other hand-made Western gear are frequently seen at the Stock Show.
Erica Estrada /Rambler Staff
Two members of the Singleton Ranch team from Lamy, New Mexico compete in the “double mugging” event on Jan. 16 at Will Rogers Coliseum.
Jessica Liptak /Rambler Staff
The Stock Show isn’t just about the animals. There is a wide selection of food and carnival rides.
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Arts Entertainment
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Messages of Selma ring true, even after 50 years Selma opens in Alabama, with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) preparing his speech for the Nobel Peace Prize. There is a brief interaction with King and his wife, Coretta Scott King (Carmen Victoria Johnson vjohnson@txwes.edu Ejogo), about his tie and his appearance. We are taken to a scene with four young girls walking down a flight of stairs as they prepare for their baptism. As the girls discuss their hair, there is an explosion killing all of them. The premise for the film is set up as we are taken to an Alabama court house where we meet Annie Lee Cooper (Oprah Winfrey) as she fills out a voter registration form. Cooper experiences great difficulty in her attempt to register to vote and ultimately her application is denied. The camera then meets King as he is meeting with President Lyndon B. Johnson (Tim Wilkinson) at the White House. The issue is quite simple: black citizens are being illegally denied the right to vote in addition to facing countless acts of violence. While King makes his point very clear, Johnson explains that his primary concern is eliminating poverty. Throughout Ava Duvernay’s film, which has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture, the audience is met with moments that truly shatter the heart, from the death of Jimmie Lee Jackson (Keith Stanfield) to the first attempted march from Selma
to Montgomery. Unlike many biopics, Duvernay uses techniques that allows audiences to march alongside the protesters instead of simply watching them. Viewing this movie half a century after the march happened does not change the fact that, whether anyone is willing to admit it, we need Selma. Yes, the film is rich with history and shows the unnecessary brutality American citizens faced. However, we need this film to reiterate the truth of our nation’s tendency to torture and murder its own people instead of unifying them. Just like in Ferguson, the marchers that were in Selma were careful about their protests. The movie shows a scene of the black citizens of Selma about to march to Montgomery, but King, after kneeling down to pray, decides that it is not a good idea. In a room of his advisors and colleagues, he explains that while they may have been able to make it out of Selma, he could not guarantee they will be safe on the 54-mile march. In 2014, our society and media have painted national protests as violent, particularly ones surrounding Ferguson and the shooting of Michael Brown. However, there is nothing violent about them. Just like Selma, Ferguson is about justice. Here’s the truth: the same marching that was done in Selma, Alabama is being done half a century later for the exact same reason: inequality. There is no equality when an 18-year-old boy is shot, killed,
and left in the middle of the street for four hours. There is no equality when police officers shoot citizens and do not even go to trial. There was zero chance Darren Wilson would be indicted for the shooting of Michael Brown. Why? Due to the way our criminal justice system works, out of 12 jurors, it only takes nine jurors to agree and in this case, those nine jurors were white. We need Selma, not for entertainment but for growth. We need Selma to remind ourselves that even after 50 years, there are certain individuals who are unable to walk down the street at night or must explain their right to be treated as human beings. As Americans, we carry a moral and social responsibility to react in the face of injustice. If we ignore these issues, it does not mean the responsibility is no longer there. It means we are just as guilty as the person who pulled the trigger. We need Selma not because we need another historical film. Once you understand Selma, you will understand Ferguson. You will understand “Hands up, don’t shoot.” You will understand the meaning of protests. But, until you understand Selma, you will not understand what it’s like to watch your brothers and sisters shot and their shooters walk away free. We need Selma, not to see how far we’ve come, but to show that even after 50 years, some lives still don’t mean as much as others.
American Sniper shows how Chris Kyle became a legend American Sniper is based on a true story of Chris Kyle, a U.S. Navy SEAL sniper, played by actor Bradley CooErica Estrada per. Based on his autobiogeestrada@txwes.edu raphy, the film follows Kyle being sent to Iraq with the mission of protecting his brothers-in-arms. He earns the nickname “Legend” from being the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. After watching American Sniper, one could feel like a proud American and realize Kyle’s perspective about what soldiers sacrifice for our country. Director Clint Eastwood did an excellent job keeping the audience’s attention and making the film appeal both to conservatives and liberals - people who support or are against war. The movie relates to all audiences because there was also scenes of Kyle’s romance with his wife, who is played by Sienna Miller, and their family, not just war. I give it an A- since there were some parts that were unfinished, such as what happened to Kyle’s brother, what happened to a sadistic man who harmed a little boy and his father, a visit to the psychologist; also, the scenes where Kyle helps veterans were rather short. Nominated for six Academy Awards (including Best Actor for Cooper and Best Picture), American Sniper was a great film about the story of a true American hero who sacrificed his wellbeing, family, and even mental state for the sake of his country, yet once he returned home afterward, he found that the war has left a significant grip on him and could not be left behind.
Wesleyan Music Music Faculty Brass Concert February 5 at 7:30 p.m. Martin Hall
Youth Duo Piano Competition February 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Ann Waggoner Fine Arts Building
Sigma Alpha Iota Presents: An American Music Concert February 22 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 1000 Penn St. Fort Worth, TX 76102
Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers.. http://www.warnerbros.com/american-sniper
Kyle Gallner and Bradley Cooper star in American Sniper.
TexasWesleyan Religious Life Common Meal: Free lunch & discussion When: Tuesdays @ 12:15 Where: PUMC 312
University Chapel: Live Music & worship When: Thursdays @ 12:15 Where: PUMC 312 *Free luch after service
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Rams baseball gets new home in Grand Prairie
Photos courtesy of Texas Wesleyan Athletics
The Wesleyan Rams are playing this weekend at their new home at QuikTrip Park in Grand Prairie. Ryan Grounds rrgrounds@txwes.edu
The Texas Wesleyan University baseball team lost their longtime home at LaGrave Field, but have found another. The Rams will play the 2015 season at QuikTrip Park in Grand Prairie, close to The Verizon Theater off South Belt Line Road. The Park is also home to the Grand Prairie Airhogs, an independent team not affiliated with Major League Baseball. “It has been a privilege to play in a facility with the incredible history and quality of LaGrave Field,” said Wesleyan head baseball coach Mike Jeffcoat. “Now we are excited about the opportunity to move to another outstanding local facility in
QuikTrip.” QuikTrip Park is a $25 million venue built in 2008. The park seats 5,500 and features 13 luxury suites. “I think the new field is awesome,” said Bailey Laws, a firstyear baseball player and sophomore political science major. “I think it is a lot nicer than LaGrave Field, because the new stadium has turf and the old field was not well maintained.” Freshmen exercise science major Jack Holland is also excited about the move to Grand Prairie. “We get to use the Airhogs locker rooms,” Holland said. “We are not going to play with the team, but we get to share the facility.” The park is located just off of I-30 in the heart of Grand Prairie’s Entertainment District between Lone Star Park and Veri-
zon Theater. Stadium owner Andrew Schatte closed LaGrave Field and hopes to sell the stadium or swap it for more surrounding land, according to fwbusinesspress.com. The Rams played at LaGrave Field for 12 seasons. The Fort Worth Cats have played at LaGrave Field since 2002. According to an article published in November 2014 in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, team owner John Bryant wants to play the 2015 season at another ballpark in the city. However, the Cats have not announced their new home. The Rams will host 11 games at QuikTrip Park during the 2015 baseball season, which begins Jan. 30 against Jarvis University.
Jeffcoat says 2015 team has new strategies, players Ryan Grounds rrgrounds@txwes.edu
The Texas Wesleyan University baseball team is approaching the 2015 season with new players and new strategies. “We have
a lot of new faces this season so we’ll need to find out quickly who we can count on, specifically the starting pitchers,” said head baseball coach Mike Jeffcoat.The Rams finished last season in fifth place in the Sooner Athletic Conference with a 27-26 record. This season the Rams will be joined by new assistant baseball coach Robert Garza, who was hired by Jeffcoat in October. Garza was at Northwood University, and prior to that coached at Dallas Baptist University, according to ramsports.net. He has helped sixteen of his players get into professional baseball. In 2013, he helped lead the Knights to the NAIA World Series. The Knights also won a pair of Red River Athletic Conference championships
during his tenure. “This year’s team has a much better attitude and are working harder,” Jeffcoat said. “We have more depth at pitching, catching and more offense.” According to ramsports.net, Jake Howeth who made firstteam All-SAC, is returning this season. Howeth received the Carroll Beringer SABR Metroplex Small College Player of the Year award last season. Howith also hit 6 home runs and thirtynine run-base-ins in the 2014 season. Starting pitcher Mitch McLeod will also return this season. McLeod went 6-6 with 3.2 ERA last season. “The Rams are going to surprise a lot of teams in our conference this year,” said Tyler Kamtz, left fielder and mass communications major. “I feel like this season is going to be one for the record books. I also think that our senior leadership is going to be a big key to our success.” The Rams have won 30 or more games in nine of the last ten seasons, including four seasons of 40 or more wins, according to ramsports.net. “We expect to compete for the conference title and another trip to the post-season playoffs,” said Jeffcoat.
Wesleyan sports teams begin, continue seasons Michael Acosta rmacosta@txwes.edu
This is going to be a very busy weekend for Texas Wesleyan sports teams. The baseball team kicks off its 2015 campaign on Friday with a three-game home series against Jarvis Christian College. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at QuikTrip Park in Grand Prairie. The team will also play a double-header Saturday January 31 against Jarvis Christian. The first game is scheduled for noon, and the second game is scheduled for 2 p.m. The table tennis team, going for its 12th consecutive national title, hosts the TWU Open on Saturday at the Sid Richardson Center. The men and women’s track and field teams travel to Lubbock on Friday for the Masked Rider Open at Texas Tech University. The
teams then travel to Norman, Ok. To compete the U.C.O. Invitational, which is hosted by the University of Central Oklahoma. On Saturday, the teams competed at the University of Central Oklahoma Open. Several Rams and Lady Rams notched personal or school records, including Cecilia David, Kailene Allis, Ongelic Hill, Brittany Anderson, Oraine Went, and Antony Kimaiyo, according ramsports.net. The men and women’s basketball teams are back in action on Thursday as they travel to Waxahachie to take on Southwest Assemblies of God. The women tip off at 6 p.m. while the men tip off at 8 p.m. The teams then travel to Oklahoma City, Saturday to face off against Oklahoma City University. The women’s game begins at 3 p.m. while the men play at 5 p.m. The men’s golf team begins its spring season on February 2-3 as they travel to California to compete in the Cougar Invitational tournament, hosted by Cal State/ San Marcos.
Etiquette Dinner F E B RUA RY 20th
For more information, contact Career Services at 817-531-6512 or careerservices@txwes.edu or visit txwes.edu/career
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Table tennis team goes for 12th title
Photo courtesy of Texas Wesleyan Athletics
Razvan Cretu is returning for another season on the Wesleyan table tennis team; he and teammate Zhedi Bai helped the Rams take the national title in April. Michael Acosta rmacosta@txwes.edu
Even though Texas Wesleyan University’s table tennis team is going to try for its 12th national title in as many years, head coach Jasna Rather says she is not taking anything for granted. “Winning 11 straight titles is one of the program’s greatest achievements,” Rather said. “Competition is getting tougher each and every year, but I love our team spirit and our unity. Our players are going to train hard and be the best that they can be.” In April 2014, at the TMS College Table Tennis National Championships, Wesleyan’s duo of Zhedi Bai, and Razvan Cretu defeated Mississippi College’s duo of Junyo Xiao and Zesheng Huang to take the title. This year the team is set to defend the title at the 2015 tourna-
ment, which will be played at the McPhee Physical Education Center in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in April. Rather said that strong recruiting makes the Rams dominant year in and year out. Emil Santos, a junior from the Dominican Republic, thinks this year’s team is stronger than last year’s primarily because of the players added to the roster in the last year. “Last year we added a guy from Brazil, Bruno Ventura, who has played professional table tennis, and has a very good match record.” Santos said. “He has also won medals in the Pan-American games, and he makes our team stronger.” Willy Leparulo, president of the NCTTA, believes that Wesleyan has a really good chance at winning the title for the 12th time. He compares Wesleyan’s dominance of the sport to the multiple championships won by the New York Yankees. “Knowing how hard they work it would be difficult to not
consider them a favorite.” Leparulo wrote in an email. “Wesleyan works hard every single year, so I don’t see this year being any exception. You always see all sorts of streaks in all kinds of sports from Basketball to College Football, Baseball etc. This is a streak that will probably not be matched for a long time.” At the same time, Leparulo said, every team wants to beat the Rams because they are the current national champions. Competition stands to be pretty tough this year, with teams such as New York University, Mississippi College, University of California Berkley, and Lindenwood University all looking particularly strong “Schools that don’t have the resources or institutional support have stepped up to give Texas Wesleyan a fight for the title,” Leparulo said. “Love them or hate them, Texas Wesleyan has defined the landscape of College Table Tennis now and for the future.”
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The Hatton W. Sumners SCHOLARSHIP
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.
For more information or to pick up an application, contact
Texas Wesleyan’s Office of Financial Aid 817-531-4420 txwes.edu/sumners
Application Deadline: February 17, 2015