WEDNESDAY Nov. 15, 2017 Vol. 101 • No. 13
www.therambler.org
OPINION
Students react to rat in Dora’s Hannah Onder
hlonder@txwes.edu
#MeToo gives victims the space to speak. With the recent accusations against male celebrities, more people are using #metoo as a safe way to speak up.
NEWS
Amazon Prime offers a new option for subscribers. Subscribers no longer need to worry about their package with the creation of Amazon Key.
CAMPUS
The first football season in 76 years is over. The Rams close out their historic season, the first since World War II.
Freshman Elijah Taplin thought he heard silverware drop during dinner, until the Dora Roberts Dining Hall erupted in screams of, “There’s a rat!” “I videoed it because I didn’t think my friends would believe me,” Taplin said. “One of my friends was like, ‘I bet you won’t post that to Twitter.’ We made a deal and I posted it on Twitter.” Taplin, a biology major, was catching a late dinner Oct. 24, when a rat fell through ceiling. The video he posted to Twitter, “Ratatouille of txwes” caused some students to be concerned about whether it was safe to be eating at Dora’s. As of late last week, the video has been retweeted more than 50 times from the original source, and even more from retweets. “I don’t know [if it’s safe to be eating there],” Taplin said. “I haven’t eaten there since. I’ve been going to the WEE. I don’t really want to eat back there. I mean, there’s going to be bugs wherever, but a whole rat is kind of nasty and disturbing.” Sophomore chemistry major Jose Tiejo also was concerned about a rat being found in Dora’s and stopped eating there for a bit. “Honestly, I was kind of disgusted [by the rat], which is why I didn’t come to Dora’s for like that whole week,” Tiejo said. “I just did not want to be anywhere around that. At
Martin Center set to open in 2019 Hannah Lathen
hrlathen@txwes.edu
A&E
Silas Sheek’s thirst for knowledge continues to grow. Sheek believes his need to be constantly learning stems from his love of education.
SPORTS
Men’s basketball is ready to defy all odds. Even though the Rams faced a recent loss, they are ready for a strong season.
ONLINE
RamblerTV puts a spotlight on issues. Students voice their concerns with the Dora’s Dining Hall.
the same time, I could understand, because it was going to happen at some point. I just don’t want to take the risk of getting sick from that.” Junior education major Hannah Six also wasn’t surprised by a rat being found in Dora’s. “For me personally I’ve heard them [noises in the ceiling] since late September,” Six said. “I’ve heard from a former staff member that it’s been happening since last year.” When Six was saw the video on Twitter, she was upset and ready to act. “I wasn’t here that day, but I saw videos all over Twitter and everything,” she said. “I was so upset about it all. The next day when I realized they were still open that upset me more. How do we know that we sanitized and all that stuff? “That really upset me, so I called the dean right after that happened the next day. I was like, ‘This is not okay’ and he didn’t get back to me, but he put me in contact with Sarah [McMahon, assistant dean of students for residence life]. I sent her a long email saying, ‘The rat isn’t the only problem. It’s other problems that have led up to this and I don’t see why ya’ll haven’t seen all these problems.’ I feel very strongly about it [the rat].” Six and Tiejo both said they’re Photo by Shaydi Paramore only eating at Dora’s right now beOn Oct. 24, Elijah Taplin took to Twitter to post the ‘Ratatouille of txwes’ cause they’ve paid for a meal plan. video. A meal plan is $1,992 per semesedu.“It’s very annoying that [the choose to eat here. I have to eat ter, plus tax, per semester, and is meal plan] is so expensive and that required of all students living in the DORA’S. page 3 it’s required,” Six said. “I can’t even residence halls, according to txwes.
The Nick and Lou Martin University Center is currently in the final stage of pre-construction with groundbreaking expected to happen April, said Executive Director of Facilities, Development and Operation and Emergency Services Brian Franks. A virtual video of the center was posted to the Texas Wesleyan website in late October. The video gave students, faculty and staff a sneak peek into what the center will look like. The center will include a food court, a new welcome center, bookstore, lounge rooms, a ballroom and more and will be in the center of the Wesleyan mall. Franks said designing the building has been cool because the student center is something Wesleyan currently does not have.
“Before we had somewhat of a union building, where the Sub is located, but it really wasn’t a place for students to go hang out,” Franks said. “There wasn’t a game room there to speak of. There is a pool table kind of stuck in the entry way but there is really not a space on campus for students to go and have a vibrant life, a vibrant university-type atmosphere.” Franks said this project is the most exciting in his 20 years of working in construction. “You don’t get to build a university center very often,” he said. It is going to be an important building, Franks said, “with a very high level of finish.” The center is going to have terrazzo flooring, steel cable hand rails, glass elevators and monumental stairs. ”It is pretty neat and very intricate,” he said. Vice President of Advancement Jim Lewis said the center has been
a priority for the campus for a long time. “A lot of people, including a lot of students in the past years, have had it at the top of their list,” Lewis said. “The number one thing is, the idea behind it is student engagement.” The number one factor in student retention toward persistency in graduation is engagement, Lewis said. “The campus does limit itself in that in terms of its facilities,” Lewis said. “There aren’t a lot of places for students to gather and be involved in organizations and that kind of thing. We have a major handicap and that is one of the major reasons why retention of students is not as good as it should be.” There are many aspects to the center, including the addition of a ballroom, that will impact student engagement as well as other parts of the university, Lewis said.
“When I tell people who aren’t familiar with the campus, they are shocked that the university would not have a place where you could have a dinner,” Lewis said. Sophomore exercise science major Asada Samin said she is excited to have another food option on campus and a new place to hang out. “Honestly, I am always on campus wishing there was somewhere other than the library or whatever,” Samin said. “I would be glad to have somewhere else to spend time.” Melany Sanchez Munoz, a freshman education major, agrees with Samin and thinks the student center will be a good addition to the school. “I know that some people are skeptical about it, but I feel like it would be a new, interesting thing to have on campus because everything here
MARTIN CENTER. page 3
Amazon Key has buyers concerned Sam Bastien
skbastien@txwes.edu
Imagine this: You’ve recently purchased something from Amazon. You’re excited to receive your order, so you track your package from processing and handling to shipping and delivery. Amazon has notified you that your package has been delivered to your front porch. You’re so excited to open your package, you race home only to notice your package isn’t present on your front door step. Later, you find out a package thief has stolen your beloved Amazon order. Amazon is looking to stop this exact thing from happening to their customers. In late October, Amazon intro-
duced Amazon Key, a security kit Amazon Prime members can purchase on Amazon.com that allows couriers to enter a customer’s home to drop off packages. The kit starts at $249 and includes the Amazon Cloud Cam (Key Edition), indoor security camera, a compatible smart lock, and free installation, according to Amazon. com. When a courier arrives with a package for in-home delivery, they scan the barcode, sending a request to Amazon’s cloud. The cloud then grants permission to the courier to enter the home, unlocking the door while the in-home camera records the entire process. The courier drops off the package, closes the door behind them, and the door is locked, with the customer’s package safely inside, according to Amazon.com.
Photo by Sam Bastien Amazon has introduced a new way to deliver packages called Amazon Key.
2 | Wednesday | November 15, 2017
Opinion
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#MeToo breaks silence for victims EDITORIAL
Just because nobody says anything doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. We tend to live in a society that tends to put a “hush hush” on sexual assault and sexual harassment. This can be seen with the emerging accusations against public figures such as President Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacy, Charlie Sheen and, most recently, comedian Louis C.K. Just because nobody said anything doesn’t mean sexual assault or sexual harassment didn’t happen. With the #MeToo movement, the victims that are being silenced have gained a way to have their voices heard. Because guess what? Sexual assault and sexual harassment doesn’t just occur among public figures. It can happen to anybody, at any time, by anyone. The #MeToo movement started 10 years ago, when activist Tarana Burke decided to start posting about her issues while using the hashtag, according to cnn.com. After 10 years, the hashtag has taken the social media world by storm, especially after actress Alyssa Millano tweeted a call-out to victims to give people the sense of how big the problem is. This hashtag is important, because it’s bringing a topic that’s been silenced into the everyday conversation on Twitter, and it’s bringing awareness. Awareness is the first step to working on solutions for a problem. Because sexual assault and harassment is a problem that needs to be solved. When we live in society that puts men like Trump, who constantly gets accused of such things, on a pedestal, it shows we do not care about the victims that spoke up. It shows that
Graphic by Hannah Onder #MeToo helps people speak out about their personal experiences with sexual harassment and sexual assault.
we will continue to let things out of awareness, so the people we like can continue to do their job. We need to care. The fact that #MeToo is exploding like it is shows that this issue is important to the public and the news media, and it needs a solution. For everyone that is posting about their experience, there’s more people hidden behind them, not posting about it. Just because people may not post their experiences doesn’t mean they didn’t happen.
It takes a certain amount of bravery to come forward on issues that society tries to cover up. Like mental health issues, sexual harassment isn’t the most visible subject. People need to stop pretending just because they haven’t seen something that it isn’t an issue. #MeToo is showing people that sexual assault and sexual harassment is an issue. It’s started the conversation, but it’s up to us to continue it.
Hearing you can’t graduate is scary Shaydi Paramore Editor-in-Chief ssparamore@txwes.edu Graduation isn’t terrifying. Being told you can’t graduate is. Having to go in front of your family and tell them they won’t be able to see you walk across the stage is. Telling yourself you have just wasted your time telling all your friends and family the exciting news is. When I transferred to Texas Wesleyan from Trinity Valley Community College, I was so excited at the idea of taking less than two years to get my bachelor’s degree. I had taken so many mass communication and theatre credits that I assumed most of my mass communication credits would count as credits toward my degree, while my theatre credits would count as all of my electives. I was excited until I had transfer orientation at Texas Wesleyan. I was basically told none of my mass communication credits would count and I would have to retake a couple of the classes. I smiled, swallowed my pride and agreed to waste the little money I had to pay to retake classes. It wasn’t until I met Dr. Kay L. Colley that everything got straightened out with me. The minute I told her my issue she was excited to help anyway possible. I was told to gather all of my previous mass communication syllabi so we could compare the coursework of the different mass comm classes. If it wasn’t for her, I would be stuck in a constant cycle of retaking courses. Fast forward to my last semester at Texas Wesleyan. I began to receive emails and letters that said I was missing specific classes. I shook off the warning since the classes that I was informed of I was currently taking. I ignored the two letters and emails I received and continued with my semester. It wasn’t until I got a specific email in October that I started to freak out. One morning during class, my phone vibrated with an email
Photo by Eddy Lynton Editor-in-Chief Shaydi Paramore recieved her cap and gown for the graduation ceremony, one of the many steps she must take before graduation.
from the Office of Student Records. I quickly glanced down to see: “At this time I do not see that it is a possibility for you to graduate this semester since you are still lacking the institutional credits. If you have any information that would change this please contact me as soon as possible. Otherwise, please reapply for graduation in the semester that you intend to finish your requirements.” At the time, I understood the registrar’s office was just trying to assist me with graduation, but panic immediately set in. After I got the email, a classmate and I were discussing how stressed out we were with midterms, work, and preparing for graduation. And I literally turned to her and said, “I just want to take a nice bubble bath and cry while drinking” while I
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began to tear up. I started seeing flashes of me having to tell my mom that she wouldn’t get to see me walk across the stage or of me having to tell my fiance that I wouldn’t be able to come home yet. I was terrified at how disappointed my family would be in me. I was incredibly disappointed in myself. I began rushing around looking for every document about my graduation to see if it would help, informed anyone that could assist me with my issue, and literally took 30 minutes out of my day to silently cry in the bathroom. I was distraught. Thankfully, I got it all straightened out. Now, I just need to focus on the possibility of falling off the stage or never getting a job.
Rams up Thumbs up to Thanksgiving break next week. Thumbs up to Ben’s Triple B: Biscuits, Burgers, and Brews opening late spring 2018. Thumbs up to Upward Bound doubling in size. Thumbs up to The Rambler being named the 8th best newspaper and 6th best website nationally.
Rams down Thumbs down to construction all over campus during school hours. Thumbs down to freezing weather. Thumbs down to more students spending tons of money eating off campus. Thumbs down to this being the last newspaper publication of the semester.
Wednesday | September 20, 2017|3
News
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DORA’S
continued from page 1 here, so they should at least keep it sanitary and healthy for us to eat at.” While Six would like to see a public apology from dining services, Tiejo would like it to go beyond that. “I feel like there should be some sort of alteration, because this issue happened,” Tiejo said. “They should give some kind of discount or lower the price, because there was the chance of illness.” Karen Cutler, Aramark’s vice president of communications & public affairs, wrote in an email Monday that the rat appearance at Dora’s is an “isolated situation.” Aramark, she wrote, takes food safety “very seriously” and the company works closely with Wesleyan, the pest control company and the Health Department “to ensure that the food served at Texas Wesleyan is of the highest quality and prepared within the safest environment.” Aramark’s director of dining services, Michael Clifton, referred all comments about the rats in Dora’s to Ann Davis, Wesleyan’s director of communications. Davis said Thursday that the rat issue has been dealt with and it is safe to eat at Dora’s.
“Yes absolutely [students are safe to be eating at Dora’s],” said Davis, who posted a statement about the rat incident and how it
with an independent auditor that does health and safety checks a few times a year as well as their own self-audits.
“I wasn’t here that day, but I saw videos all over Twitter and everything. I was so upset about it all. The next day when I realized they were still open that upset me more. How do we know that we sanitized and all that stuff? -Hannah Six has been dealt with at txwes.edu/update. “It was the day after [the rat] that they completely disinfected and cleaned everything from where the rodent had come down from the night before. Everything was even doublechecked after that.” Davis said that the school is contracted with Massey, a pest control company, that comes out once a month and that Dora’s has regularly reported health inspections by the health department. She also said Dora’s engages
“We have [been having health checks] like clockwork,” Davis said. “Everyone here takes that very seriously. We’re serving food for our students. I know that Aramark takes a lot of pride in the food that they serve.” Davis said the reason for the rat being found in Dora’s was the weather changes. “We’re obviously so sorry that happened,” Davis said. “What happened, which I learned from talking with Michael [Clifton], the director of dining services at Dora’s, facilities,
and everything, is that -- I know this for a fact because I used to work PR with a home pest control service – October is the number one time of year where rodents and little critters are trying to get in. It’s because it was cold that week. We had a huge, first cold snap, so that was the first time this year that they’re running inside to find warm places.” Taplin and Six are concerned that there will be more rats in the future. “I do feel like there is [more than one rat around],” Taplin said. “I talked to some people in the administration office, because they said they’ve seen the video too. They’ve said that there’s been complaints [about rat infestations] down the street like a few blocks over. I feel like they’ll [Dora’s] get a lot more [rats], especially with the weather changing.” The Student Government Association is holding a public food forum at Lou’s Place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to let students voice their concerns about dining on campus. Health or safety issues should be reported to facilities at (817) 531-4454 or emailed to Jimmy Gresham, director of facilities operations, at jgresham@txwes.edu.
MARTIN CENTER continued from page 1
is so, like, normal and ordinary and I feel like it would be a good idea to have a new thing,” Sanchez Munoz said. Sanchez Munoz said she thinks the center is needed on campus because many freshmen living in Stella Russell Hall find themselves looking for something to do. “We have activities but everyone just kind of leaves on Fridays and Saturdays, so if we had a game room or activities going on there, I feel like people would be more drawn to staying on campus,” she said.
However, not all students are excited about the addition. Blen Hussain, a political science major, is worried that with all the money the school is spending, the product will not be as good as it should be and will not be a benefit to her. “It all comes down to how they execute it,” Hussain said. The Martin Center is set to be completed in late 2019, according to txwes.edu.
AMAZON
continued from page 1 But Amazon Key isn’t just for protecting your packages. “I am generally a big fan of Amazon,” Wetrich said. “But “Amazon should guarantee the security of the service both Homeowners can allow access through physically and virtually to keep customers at ease,” their front doors to a multitude of people Dehdashti said. “I am generally a big fan of Amazon,” Wetrich said. “But privacy and such as a dog walker, housekeeper, or When asked if he would use the product, Dehsecurity will be big concerns with this service. I am certain they [Amazon] dashti simply said, “No.” handyman, all while allowing customers understand that and will address these concerns in their approach.” to watch from a security camera facing Junior business management major Conner their front door, thanks to Amazon’s Home Parish is also skeptical of Amazon’s new product. -James Wetrich Service, according to Amazon. “I personally do not like the idea of giving away All this raises a multitude of questions my privacy to someone just to deliver a package from consumers. Many customers are left wondering if they privacy and security will be big concerns with this service. I inside my house,” Parish said. “Some people are not afraid of can trust Amazon to monitor their homes around the clock, am certain they [Amazon] understand that and will address their packages being stolen, but are more afraid of what could and if the benefit of having their packages delivered quickly these concerns in their approach.” be stolen from inside their house.” and securely will outweigh any concerns about privacy and Security is still a big issue among customers. Dr. Yashar Many do agree that Amazon Key has potential to win cussecurity. Dehdashti, associate professor of business, recently spoke with tomers over. Wetrich believes Amazon has room to grow in James Wetrich, adjunct professor of marketing, has been an local news station WFAA about Amazon’s new product. this industry. Amazon customer since 1997 but says he currently does not In the interview, Dehdashti said the new product is a game “Amazon is relentlessly customer-centric in their approaches use Amazon Key. changer but Amazon needs to ensure customers of its security. and I believe this is another step,” Wetrich said.
4 |Wednesday November 15 , 2017
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Photo by Little Joe Freshman football players Dewaun Colbert (43), Geary Jones (41), and Jordan Sutherlins (6), and the rest of the Rams enter the field for the last home game against Arizona Christian University.
Rams players share their top moments Karan Muns kemuns@txwes.edu
The Rams may not have won a game this season, but they had small victories along the way. These are top five moments of the season, as described by the Rams and head coach Joe Prud’homme.
1
The home opener on Sept. 9 was a special day for Texas Wesleyan University, head coach Joe Prud’homme said. Farrington Field was buzzing with energy as football returned to Wesleyan after more than 70 years, and the Rams were eager to get on the field in front of a home crowd of more than 4,000 people. “The home opener against Millsaps College with the crowd and excitement of our team,” Prud’homme said when asked what his favorite moment of the season was.
2
The moments that were most important to the team were also some of the hardest moments the Rams faced, linebacker Vincent Stephenson said. “The moments that were the most important to the team were when we faced adversity successfully and made up for each other’s mistakes when things went wrong,” Stephenson said.
3
One of the Rams’ best moments was one of their very first plays in their first game in McPherson, Kan. on Sept. 2. “The first kickoff of the year against McPherson,” Prud’homme said, “when our guys flew down there and caused a fumble.”
4
The most exciting moment for a lot of the Rams was when they took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter against Lyon College on Oct. 21, Prud’homme said. “[The] Lyon College game where we led most of the game and had a chance at the end to win it,” he said.
5
It was hard for quarterback Kane Hardin to pick a favorite moment of the season. “Personally, my favorite part was our first touchdown at McPherson,” he said. “I just remember being in the moment knowing that I just made history, and that was an awesome feeling.” The team wants Wesleyan to remember a few things about the return of football.
1
The team always gave it their all, regardless of their circumstances, Vincent Stephenson said.
2
“I️ think people should remember that we never gave up,” he said, “and
brought the same intensity to our preparation no matter what happened the week before. We will work even harder this off-season.” When people think about the year football returned to Texas Wesleyan University Prud’homme wants fans to remember “that our kids played with effort and didn’t quit.”
3
People should remember the process that the Rams went through this season, Hardin said. “Of course, we wanted to compete and win football games, but what we were doing was so much bigger than winning or losing,” he said. “We came here to create a program from scratch and create a culture for years to come.” Creating a new program is difficult. There are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes before the team even steps on the field, Hardin said. “Last year the team had their first practice on Sept. 6, 2016,” he said. “In a couple years from now, when Texas Wesleyan is winning championships, they should remember the process and the struggles that we had to go through.” The Rams have been preparing for the future the entire season. This year was about building a foundation for the teams to come, Prud’homme said. “We are contacting the prospects on our list and looking for players that will help us
improve,” he said. Prud’homme said he has enjoyed coaching this team because the team is made up of great men. “I feel that this team works hard and has a lot of great personalities,” he said. “They are fun to be around and they represent us very well on the road.” Some of the best parts of the season didn’t happen on the field, Stephenson said. “My favorite part of the season was getting closer with the rest of my teammates, and seeing everyone develop,” he said. It might seem like the most successful parts of the season would be the most important but the difficult parts were really the most important to the team, Hardin said. “It's weird to say but I think the struggles and growing pains we went through were the most important to the team,” he said. “We learned a lot. It meant a lot to be humbled like we were. Now we know what it takes to succeed.” The Rams know that they have to work hard through the difficulties to get to a place where the program will be successful, Hardin said. “There's got to be low points of the mountain for there to be a peak, and we realize that,” Hardin said. “The struggles we are going through now is just going to make winning even sweeter in the long run.”
Overall the Rams were 0-11 in the five home games and six away games they played. -ramsports.net
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The Rams drew nearly 15,000 fans to Farrington Field, averaging just a tick under 3,000 fans in five home games. -ramsports.net
Photo by Little Joe Junior football player Erik Richards passes the ball during the homecoming game against Bacone College.
Photo by Little Joe Head football coach Joe Prud’homme watches the game agsinst McPherson College from the sidelines.
Photo by Little Joe The Ram Band makes their debut at the first home game.
Photo by Little Joe Freshman football player Adrian Gardner plays in the game against Millsaps College.
Photo by Little Joe Junior TJ Curry (right) and the other Gold Line dancers cheer for the crowd at the first home game at Farrington Field.
Photo by Little Joe Junior cheerleader Zack Lanham cheers for the football team at the first home football game.
Photo by Little Joe Willie the Ram poses with 92.1 Hank FM hosts at the tailgate party before the first home game against Millsaps College.
Photo by Little Joe President Frederick Slabach and company cut the ribbon at Farrington Field on Sept. 9 before the first home Texas Wesleyan football game in 75 years.
YO UR CA LE ND AR !!
APPLY TO BE AN RA! RA Application opens January 19th! Applications close February 16th
MA RK
Students will apply online/Stay tuned for more details!
6 |Wednesday |November 15, 2017
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Sheek shines in and out of classroom Hannah Onder
hlonder@txwes.edu
As his hand reaches out for the stack of dishes stacked in the window, Silas Sheek does just one part of his weekly routine of working at Dora Roberts Dining Hall. “[I do] dishwashing and wash the pots and pans in the back,” Sheek said. “Last semester, I did serving line quite frequently, which is what I actually enjoyed the most since I actually got to interact with the students more. My official position is general utilities though they kind of want me to know how to do everything, if need be.” Sheek, who works for Dora’s at least four to five hours every day except for Wednesdays and Fridays, is also a senior criminal justice major at Texas Wesleyan University. Just like other students, he has his own passions and goals while he works his way through college, even though he spends a large portion of his time serving students in the cafeteria. “Even though I am a student [just like they are] some of them might think I’m below them, because I’m working at the cafeteria they’re going to,” Sheek said. “I honestly don’t know if that’s true or not. Based on the way some of them treat the employees or behave in Dora’s in general it just seems to suggest that they think they are above us.” Dr. Cary Adkinson, an associate professor of criminal justice, can relate to the challenges of having to work as a service provider to his peers, and has advice for Sheek. “The advice I would give a student like Silas or anybody else is to not worry about what people think,” Adkinson said. “There’s always going to be people out there that are critical to you and judge you. You do what you have to to get your education and get in a position where you can use that privilege to help people. I tell students this all the time: I am so thankful that I had that job [at Foot Locker], because it taught me how judgmental people can be, but it also taught me that there’s an inherit value doing any kind of work that you do.” Adkinson is proud of Sheek for working at Dora’s, but he’s even more proud to have him as a student. “Silas is the type of student that I think most of us would be very thankful for us to have in our classes,” Adkinson said. “He’s very enthusiastic and gregarious. We do from time to time have to remind Silas that, ‘Hey, there are other people in class that have questions’ but that’s not a bad thing. It’s just that he is so engaged and so thirsty for knowledge that not once – and I’ve had Silas in several classes – have I had to worry about him being on a cellphone or distracted away from the topic at hand. I think that’s something other students would do well to emulate.” Dr. Eddy Lynton, an assistant professor of criminal justice and sociology, also enjoys having Sheek in his classes. “He’s a great student,” Lynton said. “He contributes a lot in class, which is fun. I like him in class because he participates a lot, he does his reading, and he does his connections to the text and the real-world practicality examples. He pulls it together.” Jared Archer, a senior forensic accounting major, met Sheek
in a summer biology class at Tarrant County College and noticed his engagement in class. “I noticed he was very talkative right off the bat, very energetic, and very outgoing,” Archer said. “He always had something to say during class or after class. He was very rarely at a loss for words.” Archer thinks the field of criminal justice fits Sheek well because he seems to have strong morals and isn’t afraid to call people out when they’re doing something wrong. “He has a very strong set of values and he knows for sure the difference between right and wrong,” Archer said. “He has a very strong sense of justice. I do feel like for those reasons he is really good for being there to lay down the law, enforce the law, and make sure people are abiding by it. He’d have no problem with telling people, ‘Hey, you’re not allowed to do that.’” Archer, Lynton, and Adkinson all agree that Sheek has a strong sense of curiosity. Adkinson believes that will be an advantage for him in the field. “He doesn’t seem to mind – he’s in my homicide class right now – exploring the darker aspects of human behavior, crime scene photos, and talking about cases, because his overwhelming personality style is curiosity, which I think is absolutely critical for surviving the rigors both psychological and physical that come with this work,” Adkinson said. “I think he’s going to do really well because of that.” Sheek says his sense of curiosity comes from his love of knowledge. “I love to learn,” Sheek said. “It’s interesting just learning new things and seeing things from different perspectives.” Sheek also loves working with his hands, so he has several hobbies centered around creating things: building models, creating original LEGO designs, knitting, crocheting, sewing, Photo by Shaydi Paramore drawing, cooking, and baking. “I’ve always been fascinated with how things work,” Sheek Senior criminal justice major Silas Sheek is excited for his future. said. “When I was younger I used to like to take things apart and usually I could put them back together, sometimes I which is that powerful curiosity and the willingness to read couldn’t. Though it wasn’t usually anything extremely impor- what’s assigned to him,” Adkinson said. “Sometimes for other tant, so I never really got in trouble for it. I always fidget, too. I students it’s like I have to hold their hands or strongly encourlike doing stuff with my hands since it keeps me busy.” age them, but with Silas it’s not only that he’s going to read what Lynton admires Sheek for having such a diverse set of pas- we give him to read, he’s also probably come back and ask us sions. for what else can I read on top of that. If he doesn’t go into grad “I think he’s got diverse interests, which I think make him school, more power to him, but both the world and Silas I think really unique and that’s pretty cool,” Lynton said. “He’s not like, might be shortchanged, because I think he’d make an excellent [the people that are] ‘I’m only into one type of thing.’ He’s got a professor some day.” lot of interests and passions and that’s pretty cool.” Sheek would like to get into grad school eventually, but he’s With such a diverse set of passions, Sheek doesn’t quite know unsure if it will be right out of college with him graduating at what he wants to do when he graduates from college. 20. He feels he may need some more experience from a job first. “I’ve always been interested in how people think, how they “Unless I can get some really good experience elsewhere it’s work, and why people do the things that they do, which is why going to be pretty difficult to get into graduate school, which is I’m a psychology minor,” he said. “I’m also interested in helping probably why I might not end up going, at least not initially,” people [which is why I’m a criminal justice major], not neces- Sheek said. “Getting into graduate school is at least one of my sarily law enforcement per say, but something in those lines.” goals, since getting your doctorate is sort of like the ultimate Adkinson has told Sheek he’d like to see him in grad school goal of education and learning. Even if I do get a doctorate, it after he graduates this spring. doesn’t mean that I want to stop there, though. That’s one thing “He’s already demonstrating qualities that are suspiciously that I’m kind of concerned about: continuing to learn, but also associated with success and enjoyment at the graduate level, dealing with life and everything else that it throws at you.”
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Lady Rams work toward the future Ashton Willis anwillis@txwes.edu
Texas Wesleyan’s women’s basketball team is 1-4 after two exhibition games, losses to Wiley College and LSU-Shreveport and a win against University of St. Thomas-Houston. The Lady Rams have been ranked No. 6 in the Sooner Athletic Conference preseason poll and have seven returning players. The team’s first conference game is Nov. 30, when they play Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, according to ramsports.net. Brooke McClure, a guard and freshman athletic training major, said the team looks about how she expected it to look to start off the season. “We all hold each other accountable for our mistakes, so the next day in practice we learn what to do next time,” she said. “With our great coaching staff, we have I believe that we will be really successful by the end of the season.” The Lady Rams play Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls on Wednesday, and then return to Fort Worth on Monday for their first home game, a 6 p.m. contest against Texas College at the Sid Richardson Center. McClure said that she has really seen some good things happening on the court. “I like our hustle, effort, and the way we score. However, just like every team out there we got some things to work on and we are going to get it fixed and be way better,” McClure said. McClure added that the team has definitely set some goals for the 2017-2018 season. “Our big goal for this year is to finish first and we promise to work as hard as we can to reach that goal,” she said. “I think a couple more goals would be how each one of us can get better individually to help make our big goal come true.” Guard Karah Sicurella, a junior business major, said the exhibition games have helped the team prepare for their season. “We have played tough teams that we have learned a lot from. It has given us the chance to learn what we are good at and what we need to work on more in practice before the games actually start counting,” Sicurella said. Sicurella said that the team has gained quite a few new players this season. “It’s been a little bit difficult trying to adjust to playing with an entire group of new girls,” Sicurella said. Guard Lexi Burns, a junior criminal justice major, said the first couple of games have been a good test for the team. “The first couple of games have been tough matchups. They have shown us where we stand as a team and what we need to work on,” she said. Burns said that the chemistry has been something that the team has had to adjust to. “The chemistry has been good sometimes and bad at others, but we are a new team and we are still figuring each other out,” she said. Burns said there have been positive things that she has seen on the court as well as some improvements that need to be made.
Photo by Little Joe Brooke McClure, a freshman guard and athletic training major, believes that the Lady Rams will have a successful season.
“We stay together as a team no matter what the score is and we don’t give up,” Burns said. “We need to work on our communication on the floor and make sure we are giving effort the entire game instead of when we want to work hard.” McClure said she feels confident in this team and believes the
team will have a great season. “My team and I are only going up from here,” McClure said. The Lady Rams play Texas College at 6 p.m. Monday at the Sid Richardson Center. For more information, go to ramsports.net.
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Rams adjusting to new teammates
Photo by Shaydi Paramore Forward and senior mass communication major Jeremy Crane plays defense against the Southwestern Adventist University Knights on Nov. 2.
Ashton Willis anwillis@txwes.edu The Texas Wesleyan men’s basketball team has started the season with a record of 3-1. The Rams’ only loss was against No. 11 LSU-Shreveport on Nov. 6; the final score was 102-80. The Rams are currently ranked No. 1 in the NAIA Preseason Poll. The Rams will play their first conference game on Nov. 30 at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview. Men’s head basketball coach Brennen Shingleton said with the team being new he thinks the first game as a whole went fairly well. “Playing as a new team I feel the first game went pretty good,” Shingleton said. “When you have new teammates, you have to trust each other. We are taking the accountability approach, we’re trying not to have people score on us and things like that.” Naiel Smith, a former player and now graduate assistant, said he feels that the team played better in their opening game of the season. “I didn’t see a lot of good things happening in the second
Photo by Shaydi Paramore Head coach Brennen Shingleton speaks to players before the game against Southwestern Adventist Univeristy.
game; I believe that we are definitely capable of doing better,” Smith said. Guard Praneeth Udumalagala says he feels like any struggles on the court that the team faces right now are mental, not physical. “I feel like a lot of the things we’re dealing with is mental stuff. We do stuff in practice, but in a game, we need to know that it’s 40 minutes and that there can be ups and downs in that time period. The other team can get runs, but we just need to stay strong, stay together, don’t let down, and just do our thing,” Udumalagala said. Jeremy Crane, a forward and senior mass communications major, said that there are improvements that need to be made, but the team is still at the very beginning of the season. “We just need to be more aggressive and play defense as a team, which is a big one,” Crane said. “We also need to make sure we don’t get discouraged when another team gets hot; that is really important. We haven’t even started second semester basketball or any conference games, so we still have time to make changes.”
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Crane said going forward the team needs to look ahead and stay positive. “It’s a game of runs, I mean the other team is going to cool off and we’ve just got to start getting them back, simple as that. We need to be ready to compete,” he said. Mike Wolfe, a forward and senior mass communications major, said that the start of the season has been a great learning experience. “It has been pretty fun; we definitely got to see where we’re at and what we need to work on for future games. It will be interesting to see how we match up against other teams and just see where the rest of the season takes us,” Wolfe said. The team will have another shot at LSU-Shreveport when they play them in Shreveport on Tuesday. “If we had just kept the ball moving we probably would have gotten some easier looks and we’ve just got to focus on doing that the next time we play them,” Crane said. The Rams go back to work on Tuesday when they travel to Shreveport to play LSU-Shreveport. Game time is 7 p.m. For more information, go to ramsport.net.
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