WEDNESDAY April 21, 2010
Vol. 93 • No. 11 ONLINE:
www.therambler.org
The Rambler The voice of Texas Wesleyan University students since 1917
Wesleyan volunteers clean up clutter. College Life, page 4
Theater department labors on ‘Working.’ A&E, page 5
Rebecca Moore
Book rentals available in fall Conner Howell
mhowell@mail.txwes.edu
Rebecca Moore | Rambler Staff Giovanni Monsanto (left), freshman political science and criminal justice major, won first place for his poem Phantom Sights. Kevin Keathley (top right), senior religion major, performs Heath Ledger’s “Joker” (top right). Eric Welch, sophomore kinesiology major, won second place for covering John McMillan’s Oh How He Loves.
Wesleyan’s Got Talent Students shine during university’s talent show Story on page 4.
Video at therambler.org
Report outlines changes for housing Jonathan Resendez
jlresendez@mail.txwes.edu
The results are in: Wesleyan student housing is in need of a facelift. In early March, the university hired a team of consultants to find a way to increase revenue from student housing with a focus on Wesleyan Village. “We felt like we needed an extra set of eyes from outside to come in and look at our whole housing module,” said Pati Alexander, vice president for enrollment and student services, “and
give us recommendations on how to improve it.” John White and Bambi Harris, with 30 years of experience in university housing and real estate each, used focus groups to see what students like and dislike about living on campus. “We offered suggestions for the improvement or addition of services including housing policy, student development programming, facility, landscaping and maintenance and food service,” Harris said. The report suggested revising the
meal plan to have more cash value spread throughout campus. Working out a deal with Aramark to provide food over the breaks was also a suggestion. “I would feel much better about that,” said Jacob Lyons, freshman business management major. “More choices would be better, so we don’t have to spend all our time at one place.” The consultants agreed with the focus group results that students find the Elizabeth and Stella Hall lobbies unappealing.
“We already knew this, but it was good for the board to hear it,” Alexander said. “The students said, ‘Nobody wants to hang out in the lobbies because it’s kind of drab and ugly and boring.’” Certain changes stemming from the report have already begun such as changing vending contractors because several vending machines in the dorms hadn’t worked properly. Another change is the hiring of John
HOUSING, page 3
Students can save 50 percent or more off their new textbooks when they rent them from the Wesleyan bookstore starting next fall. Wesleyan recently signed on with the organization Rent-A-Text to offer the rental program to students. “The pilot stores that tried [Rent-A-Text] saved students over $2 million by renting textbooks,” said Jana Hempling, Wesleyan textbook supervisor. Hempling said students will pay a rental fee and can highlight and mark in their books and still bring them back on the return date. “I would definitely use it,” said Melissa Tice, junior athletic training major. “Not for every class, but for the ones that are major-related.” Students also have the option of returning or keeping the book but will be charged the remaining balance of the book should they keep it. Tiffany Bowie, sophomore exercise science major, said she likes the idea because sometimes teachers won’t even use books. “Some teachers have us buy them, and we don’t use them,” she said. “We spend so much money on the books, and we get way less when we return them even if we haven’t touched them.” Hempling said she’s still waiting for more information from Rent-A-Text on the final procedures of the program, but once everything is finalized, she hopes students will use the bookstore more often. “I know there are other places to buy your books,” Hempling said, “but when you’re supporting your bookstore on campus, money is going back to your school.”
New criminal justice degree opens doors for students Melissa Bates
mdbates@mail.txwes.edu
Texas Wesleyan will offer a degree in criminal justice beginning June 1. Currently, criminal justice is an emphasis offered under the sociology major. “We needed the new criminal justice degree to improve the marketability of our students,” said Dr. Greg Gullion, assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice. “A lot of students who graduate with
a sociology - criminal justice degree have had difficulty getting careers. A lot of these people want to go to work in law enforcement, and the employers don’t even know what a SCJ degree is. “Why should they hire someone with a SCJ degree when they could hire someone with a CJ degree,” he asked. SCJ students have the option to remain with their current degree or switch to the new major, and 99 percent of
them have chosen to switch over, Gullion said. Brenda T. Matthews, chair of social sciences, said the criminal justice major is an asset for the social science department. “All of our programs are growing, and the CJ major is expected to grow by 50 percent within a few years,” she said. The new degree will not add any time to a student’s stay at Wesleyan. A student graduating in De-
cember can switch to CJ and still graduate. Students graduating this May, however, are not eligible for the new major. Lavena Hernandez, senior SCJ major, is graduating in May and said she is hoping that the deans will reconsider since she and other SCJ majors have taken the same classes that the new degree is requiring. Allison Tidwell, senior SCJ major, said employers are
DEGREE, page 3
Rambler Archives Dr. Greg Gullion said the number of jobs in the criminal justice field will increase 27 percent in the next 10 years.
2
|
Opinion
April 21, 2010
Textbook rental is music to my wallet Rebecca Moore Photo editor
rmoore@mail.xwes.edu
Ladies and gentleman, the rumors are true and the posters are up. The Texas Wesleyan Bookstore is officially going to begin textbook rentals next fall. Hallelujah! Textbook Supervisor Jana Hempling issued an e-mail recently announcing the new program. With Texas Wesleyan’s new “rent-atext” program, students can save money up front. This is music to my ears. I struggle every year with textbooks because they are so expensive. I don’t buy online out of fear that my credit card number will get stolen. So usually, I am forced to go with-
out a book or two every semester due to lack of funds. Textbook rentals are becoming very popular, and this is a great way for Wesleyan to jump in on the trend. Bookstore manager Barbra Sherman said, “I’m very excited; I think it’s going to be a good thing for students ... They could save up to 50 percent a semester.” She also said that, just like textbooks you purchase, some of the rental profits will go back into the university as commission. Hopefully, the alternative of renting the textbooks will fuel students’ desire to do business with our campus bookstore and help to support our school’s profit. There is no disclosure on price ranges yet because books have not been chosen for the fall. However, Web sites like CollegeBookRenter.com run as low as $35 per rental period, a huge difference in buying a brand new edition. Professors will be given a list of
available texts that Follet can provide as rentals. Or, if the professors agree to use their texts for four consecutive semesters, they will be able to choose their own texts. There are so many benefits to renting your textbooks that buying used is becoming yesterday’s news. Renting your textbooks is a great way to recycle and be eco-friendly. You can mark and highlight in your rentals, just like books you own. And you feel way better if you never open that algebra book because you’re not spending a fortune on a paper weight. Plus, when you’re renting from the Wesleyan Bookstore, you won’t get in trouble waiting for your books to be shipped. There’s no denying that Wesleyan is moving up with the times. This easy new solution in acquiring textbooks is a no hassle and a no brainer, and I can assure you I will be first in line.
Texas Board of Education deserves a suspension Chuck Fain Opinion editor
cmfain@mail.txwes.edu
Recently, a board of elected officials gathered to decide what Texas textbooks for grades K-12 would include in their pages. Why is this so important? Aside from the fact that these sort of events don’t occur that often, Texas textbooks are used by most every other school in the U.S. This is because of the large amount of textbooks Texas purchases for its densely populated schools. It’s cheaper to buy the already mass-produced Texas textbook than to have an individual one printed for your state. The fact that the textbooks come from Texas doesn’t really bother me. Texas is not the backward, window-to-the-past that most of the country thinks it is. Many fine things have come out of Texas, such as Jamie Foxx and Wes Anderson, NASA and Austin’s cutting edge music scene. It also has some fine institutions of higher education, and experts in various disciplines who spend their lives studying to become experts in their fields. Unfortunately, none of these experts were present when the Texas Board of Education – an elected body of partisan politicians – decided to revise history. There in lies the problem. Even their status as elected officials wouldn’t be so bad if personal politics didn’t play a role in deciding what America’s children learn. And it doesn’t stop at forcing political views on public school children. These newly revised textbooks also force religious views onto our nation’s youth. Some of the new additions (and subtractions) are as follows: A greater emphasis on the conservative revival of the 80s and 90s, highlighting groups such as Eagle Forum, the Moral Majority and the NRA. McCarthyism is now portrayed in a positive light; “capitalism” is now “free-market;” the Great Society programs of the 60s, which includes the emerging rights of women and minorities, is denoted as having detrimental social consequences; and coun-
try and western music will be added to the list of the nation’s important cultural movements – while hip-hop is removed from that very list. All of this is ridiculous, some of it perhaps a bit frivolous, but when you consider what they want to do to Jefferson and why, it becomes all the more terrifying. Thomas Jefferson, primary author of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the United States, has found himself in trouble with the Texas Board of Education as of late. He is another bit of history swept under this conservative carpet because of his views on the separation of church and state – and of religion in general, while at the same time exaggerating the founding father’s Christian beliefs. The rationale in this thinking, thinly veiled as it is, is that the Constitution never states explicitly that there should be “a separation of church and state;” therefore, Jefferson should be punished for his ideals. Let me tell you why this is wrong. First off, the great thing about our Constitution is that it is a living document, written in vague terms to change with the times. Now, the First Amendment of the Constitution says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” According to America’s current interpretation of the Constitution, the word “respecting” in that sentence means not only regarding, but also consulting. That means there should be some sort of wedge between government business and religious affairs – a separation, if you will. As long as we’re redefining amendments, let’s go on down the page to the Second Amendment, which states Americans (or, arguably, only those in the militia) have the right “to keep and bear arms.” What are arms? The Oxford American Dictionary defines “arms” as “a weapon.” That seems pretty open to interpretation. Does that include guns? Are they not just talking about big sticks, or knives? A paperclip could be a weapon in the right hands. How about a vile of acid? That’s a weapon, right? Do Americans have the right to go to Starbucks with a vile of acid or a pouch full of anthrax on their hip? See, creative interpretation is fun. But I digress. This whole ordeal, while not good by any stretch
The Rambler Founded in 1917 as The Handout Publisher: Harold G. Jeffcoat
Jonathan Resendez, editor-in-chief Chuck Fain, opinion editor, arts & entertainment editor Conner Howell, college life editor, special projects editor Joakim Söderbaum, sports editor Rebecca Moore, photo editor Rachel Horton, multimedia editor Kelli Lamers, faculty adviser Dr. Kay Colley, faculty liaison
Letters to the editor: The Rambler, a weekly publication welcomes all letters. All submissions must have a full printed name, phone number and signature. While every 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.
Member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press, Student Press Law Center, College Media Advisers and College Newspaper Business and Advertising Managers.
“We are not afraid to follow the truth ... wherever it may lead.” — Thomas Jefferson
Opinions expressed in The Rambler are those of the individual authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas Wesleyan community as a whole.
R ambler Contribution
Please send all news briefs to twurambler@ yahoo.com. Submissions due by noon Friday to see brief in the following week’s issue.
The Rambler | www.therambler.org
Staff Editorial
Security issues go unresolved Recently, a wave of burglaries has hit Texas Wesleyan parking lots. Shards of tempered glass are still scattered about the campus from recent crimes, making students afraid to leave their vehicles unattended. Wesleyan students need to know what’s being done to make this university a safe and secure place to learn. Recent e-mails circulated throughout student and faculty e-mail accounts stating that as of April, 10 burglaries occurred on campus parking lots. However, the e-mails aren’t doing anything. Last semester the 2009 campus security report stated there had been six burglaries for that year and 19 burglaries on or around the Wesleyan campus since 2007. The school has taken steps towards addressing the issue, such as hiring security firms to assess Wesleyan’s security situation, getting neighborhood police officers to patrol the campus night and day and a three to four year project that will boost safety measures through lighting, cameras and personnel. This is not a criticism of the individual security personnel. But when students such as freshman Robert Tutt say, “Security is predictable in their laziness,” or freshman Kesha Carter says, “I think they’re being cheap about campus security,” administrators should realize that security’s overall image is not up to par. To call security lazy and cheap may be a speculative and vague criticism of this university’s efforts to ensure student safety. But the is-
sue behind those criticisms stems from a lack of communication on the university’s part. One e-mail about burglaries from the office of communications and the registrar’s office is not enough definitive information for students to know that something is being done. The number of burglaries are continuing to rise, and students need a real person to talk to, not an office. And if e-mail is the only preferred method of communicating security situations on campus, then perhaps someone is being lazy,and it’s certainly not the students. There are steps students can take to discourage thieves, like hiding valuables out of plain sight. However, even when students observe all the precautions suggested by campus security, students like A.J. Fenton, who took the precautionary advice she was sent via e-mail, are still getting ripped off. And, according to Fenton, it’s all happening right under the noses of security personnel. True, students are responsible for their personal property, but they need to feel comfortable parking and leaving their vehicle on campus. If Wesleyan wants to see continued growth and retention, then administrators need to start having open forums to address student concerns about safety. Sending out e-mails obviously doesn’t work, as hard as that is to believe. Wesleyan needs to do more than give an electronic response to a very real and potentially growing problem.
of my imagination, is not as extreme as it could have been. Having such power in the hands of these petty individuals with agendas, it’s amazing more damage hasn’t been done. However, this could just be the beginning. If this keeps up, there’s no telling what will be in our school books in the next 20 years. Everyone has their own point of view, a way that they’ve found for the world to make sense to them. Whenever someone goes against that idea, we’re usually upset, and a bit offended. There’s a need people have to make others see their point of view, and while this sort of reasoned personal maxim or set of beliefs is an important part of human nature, it shouldn’t have a place in the classroom. The classroom should be a place to present the facts of the situation, the who, what, when, where, why and how, and let the student reach his or her own personal conclusion.
What would you do for Wesleyan’s next talent show?
Leslie Elston Junior Music
“Probably singing, I’m not really good at anything else, that’s why I’m a music major.”
Phillip Blocklinger Junior Exercise Science
“Bear wrestling.”
Angie Armendariz Senior Education
“The only talent I have is that I used to break dance when I was younger...”
Address all correspondence to: Texas Wesleyan University
The Rambler
1201 Wesleyan St. Fort Worth, TX 76105 twurambler@yahoo.com To contact T he R ambler (817) 531-7552 Advertising Inquiries: (817) 532-7582
Dustin McAlphin Freshman Religion
“I would teach you how to seduce a whale.”
A.J. Fenton Senior Theater
“Wear my shades and sing Corey Hart’s I Wear My Sunglasses at Night.”
April 21, 2010
|
University College Day
Jonathan Resendez
jlresendez@mail.txwes.edu
Rebecca Moore | Rambler Staff
Ram Jam unites Texas Wesleyan
Students and faculty gather at Ram Jam to enjoy food, free Tshirts and the live music of Zane Williams April 15.
HOUSING
White as interim housing director until April 30. White put his vision for change into effect immediately. “In our experiences, marketing is more than just sending out brochures and telling people to live on campus,” White said. “It’s how you treat your customers. It’s the little things you do while you live on campus and what students tell other students.” White said he and Harris noticed very active students desiring the “college experience” who didn’t feel like they were getting it at Wesleyan. “They want a place they can hang out in—that they can
DEGREE
The odder the title, the bigger the turnout. Two students and a professor presented “Nuts, Sluts and Perverts, Part II” to a packed room as part of Wesleyan’s University College Day. The three-part presentation covered child molesters, cults and the misconstrued popularity of Al Capone by popular culture. Lavena Hernandez, senior criminal justice and psychology major, gave the first part of the presentation over child rape. “I have a passion for children Rebecca Moore | Rambler Staff victims of crime,” Hernandez said. Lavena Hernandez offered the solution of imprisoning and torturing Her interest in the subject was people convicted of child rape during her UCD presentation. sparked after seeing multiple cases of child abuse while working for “When a cult leader is looking dispelled many misconceptions the medical examiner’s office. for a member to participate, they about Capone. “It’s a very interesting topic that want the best and the brightest,” “A lot of people think he died needs to be researched so all of us she said. “In the majority of cases, in prison,” he said. “They actually can come together to find solu- there is usually some kind of life- released him because he had contions,” she said. changing event that has happened tracted syphilis.” To the nervous laughter of the to this person that has caused Capone more than likely conaudience, Hernandez recom- them to become involved in this tracted the disease while running mended incarcerating child rap- form of behavior.” a prostitution house for the Five ists then torturing them to save on Lisbeth Cervantes, freshman Points Gang in New York City, prison costs. criminal justice major, said she Gullion said. “When the crime of child rape found the presentation over cults Gullion was a founder of the is committed, do these heinous fascinating. original “Nuts, Sluts and Perverts” criminals have the capabilities of “To know there’s still cults today, that ran during last year’s UCD being rehabilitated,” she asked. and 5,000 [of them],” she said, “I with Dr. Carol Johnson-Gerendas. “Do we lock them up or let them was astonished by that.” The final name came from a rot? Or do we save them with The presentation concluded brainstorming session in which treatment for their low self-esteem with Dr. Greg Gullion’s presenta- more timid titles were thrown and lack of self-control; formulat- tion “Al Capone: Social Construc- around. ing tests they achieve for future tion of a Gangster Superstar.” “We thought ‘nuts, sluts and release back into society and cross “When you think about gang- perverts’ would bring people in our fingers they do not recidivate sters, this is typically the guy ev- even though that wasn’t the enwith the same crime.” erybody thinks about first,” he tire content,” Gullion said. “We Allison Tidwell, senior sociolo- said. thought the university would fire gy major, followed Hernandez and Gullion spoke about Capone’s us, but we ended up having the spoke about women in cults. rise through the Chicago mob and largest session last year.”
continued from page 1 have fun with,” he said. Most students can’t or don’t want to hang out until later at night after most of the services offered by Wesleyan are closed, White said. The consultants noticed several vacant areas in Stella that could serve as group study or music practice rooms. “[We want to ] find out what the students want to use the room for and do something with it,” White said. Students were also concerned with the cleanliness and maintenance of the facilities, the report showed. “My opinion is that they’re not very clean at all,” said Cara Lumpkin, freshman biology
major. “The poor janitors have to do what they can.” Lumpkin said the dorms were old and that the dirtiest parts of them were the community bathrooms. White rewrote job descriptions and moved responsibilities around to create a more efficient system for keeping tabs on maintenance. There are plans in the works for maintenance to keep track of work orders. White said when he first asked how to find out if a work order had been completed, the answer was “when the student stops complaining. “That’s not how it’s supposed to be,” he said.
continued from page 1
very confused as to what a SCJ degree is. “The job market is much better and more open to you if you’re a straight CJ student,” Tidwell said. Gullion said the number of jobs in criminal justice will increase by 27 percent in the next 10 years. “There will be a huge ins.gov/ flux of students coming to ontrol=18Wesleyan in CJ because they
sp
3 Campus ‘Nuts, sluts and perverts’ returns
The Rambler | www.therambler.org
HOT JOBS Benefits Advisor
know it’s going to pay off career wise,” he said. The criminal justice field has become more academic, and they need good, quality people who are very highly educated and want to go out and make a difference, he said. “We need good people that know what they’re doing,” Gullion said. Gullion said he is very excited about this degree because
of his passion for teaching CJ and seeing students succeed. “I love teaching students here at this university, and anything that I can do to help students be successful and get a bachelor’s degree here and then leave the school and get a really fun career, I’m all for it,” Gullion said. For more information contact Gullion at jgullion@txwes.edu or 817-531-6503.
YES, Wesleyan Has Religious Stuff! Tuesdays - 12:15 (Free Period) - MSM FREE lunch with Discussion/Dialogue All Are Welcome and Meet in PUMC 312
Department of Labor For more information: http://jobview.usajobs.gov/
Thursdays - 5 p.m. - University Chapel
Crew LeAder
All Are Welcome and Meet in PUMC 117 (With FREE dinner after in PUMC 312)
SCA-Dallas For more information: www.thesca.org/user/register Brought to you by Career Services and The Rambler
Worship with live music and speakers
For Information Contact:
http://www.txwes.edu/religiouslife/index.htm
4
|
College Life
April 21, 2010
The Rambler | www.therambler.org
Team up to clean up Wesleyan students give Rosedale a makeover
Conner Howell
mhowell@mail.txwes.edu
Heaps of brush lined the curb on Collard Street as students went on filling garbage bags around Wesleyan for the Campus Cleanup project. The event coincided with the Cowtown Great American Cleanup, which encouraged student groups such as the Wesleyan Accounting Society to pick up litter in areas of their choice as part of a citywide event for Fort Worth. Karen Avelar and Maricella Wells, two student members of the Society, were the organizing forces behind their local cleanup project. “We just started a volunteer service [subcommittee] in the Accounting Society this semester,” said Wells, a senior accounting major. Wells said when she approached the group about creating the subcommittee and promoting the group’s volunteer services, Avelar, also a senior accounting major, immediately joined in. “We’re both pretty involved in doing volunteer work,” Avelar said, “and it means a lot to me to let the community grow and not damage it.” Wells and Avelar later pitched the idea of a campus cleanup project to the remaining members of the group.
Conner Howell | Rambler Staff Ripping down vines and sawing off limbs was team effort throughout the entire day.
The president of the Accounting Society, Joshua Stone, said he wanted to help with the project when he heard Wells’ and Avelar’s cleanup proposal. “It sounded like a good idea,” Stone said, “[Avelar and Wells] brought up a bunch of ideas, and this is the one that stuck the most.” With the group support they needed to move forward, Avelar and Wells proceeded to coordinate the event through the student life office and the city of Fort Worth and put their plan into action.
The results of their efforts would show themselves at 9 a.m. April 10 when close to 20 other participants came to clean up Rosedale. Everyone split into two groups. Wells took one group and circled the Wesleyan campus at a one block perimeter picking up litter and trash. Avelar took the second group to work by the railroad bridge on Collard Street. The two groups spent the day stuffing trash bags, ripping down vines and sawing off limbs. Avelar’s group tugged and
Looking for a place to call Home? Check out housing on campus
Singles
Conner Howell | Rambler Staff Neighborhood Police Officer Steve Jackson helps a student clear away brush by the railroad bridge on Collard Street.
out into the community and be a visible presence,” Jackson said. When they finished, the group completely uncovered the overgrown mural that a Girl Scouts troop had painted there more than 10 years ago. “We’re trying to get the Girl Scouts back involved,” Avelar said, “but next semester we will paint the bridge and the wall if we get to that.” After 1 p.m. rolled around,
both groups met at the new Subway on Rosedale and recuperated from their long day of beautifying the area. People chatted about their plans for the remainder of the weekend and reflected upon what they had done for the community surrounding Wesleyan. “I didn’t imagine it was gonna be this much work,” Avelar said, “but it’s been a great experience.”
Talent shows at Wesleyan
Doubles
All to yourself!
pulled their way through all the ensnaring tendrils and vines that had overrun the fence by the Allied Iron Works warehouse, while Wells made full circle towards Collard, trash bags in hand. Stone drove around between both groups making water stops and handing out granola bars and other quick snacks. Throughout the day Fort Worth police officers circulated between the two groups acting as escorts. At one point Neighborhood Police Officer Steve Jackson left his vehicle to help Avelar and the other group members finish removing the rest of the overgrowth by the bridge. “This is the first time since I’ve been involved with Wesleyan for the past few years that a student group has gotten together and done such a good job and wanted to come
Melissa Bates
mdbates@mail.txwes.edu
Get a roommate!
Wesleyan held its second annual “Wesleyan’s Got Talent” event on April 16. Ten students auditioned for the event, but only seven performed the night of the show. Dean of Freshmen Joe Brown, Assistant English Professor Dr. Carol JohnsonGerendas, and Dr. Ibrahim Salih, political science professor, were the judges for the evening.
Dorms and Apartments
Stella, Elizabeth and Wesleyan Village! For more information Contact Residence Life at
817-413-5000
Freshman political science and criminal justice double major Giovanni Monsanto won first place for his poem Phantom Sights. “I was trying to figure out what I wanted to write about,” Monsanto said, “and coming up with different themes and genres, and I just sat down and just wrote.” But Monsanto’s reading impressed the judges. “I really appreciated Giovanni’s words.,” JohnsonGerendas said. “Words mean
“Managing projects for a government contractor requires a unique skill set. I’m pleased to see a degree program addressing this issue and believe it’s highly suited for the Dallas/Fort Worth area.” John R. Murphey, Retired Chairman & CEO, Bell Helicopter/Textron, Texas Wesleyan BBA ’71
Consider this: Estimates of 1.2 million job openings through 2016 is one reason Project Management is a career of choice. Texas Wesleyan offers a BBA with a concentration in Project Management and a unique specialization in government contracting. With the many government and defense contractors located in the Metroplex, that’s advantageous. Become more confident in your abilities and in your future…at Texas Wesleyan. • Personalized instruction from Ph.D. Accounting faculty and defense industry experts • Become more workforce ready for government contractors with specialized courses like Earned Value Management Now accepting applications for summer. Call today at 817.513.4422
T E XAS
Wesleyan UNIVERSITY
1201 Wesleyan • Fort Worth, TX 76105 w w w.t x w e s .e d u
so much to me and listening to him … just knocked me over.” Third place winner and sophomore political science major Donelle McClaine sang Alicia Keys’ Diary. “I chose the song because I love Alicia Keys,” McClaine said, “and I thought it’d be a fun song to display my talent with because no one here really knows that I sing.” The talent show continued with Julie Hutson and Eric Welch. Hutson sang Realize by Colbie Caillat and Welch played backup on guitar. “I’ve always liked that song, and I think it fit my voice best. I really like the artist. It was fun. I enjoyed it,” Hutson, junior political science major, said. Welch, a sophomore kinesiology major, said Julie was going to sing to a CD and then asked him if he knew the song. He said he did. “So I started playing for her then decided to do my own bit,” Welch said. “I tried to back her up and harmonize with her, but I don’t know if I did it too well.” Welch won second place for his performance of Oh How He Loves by John McMillan. “I’m always looking for new songs to play, and when I tried out I’d found that song, and I enjoyed it a lot,” Welch said. Senior religion major Kevin Keathley acted out scenes as Heath Ledger’s “Joker” from The Dark Knight. “I had this prepared in November 2008,” Keathley said. “I had to watch Heath Ledger on the DVD for the physicality of it. I’m a self-trained method actor. I just look and imitate.” “It’s amazing how much talent we have,” Johnson-Gerendas said. “I love it.”
The Rambler | www.therambler.org
Arts & Entertainment
April 21, 2010
|
5
Theatre Wesleyan is ‘working’ this spring
Rambler Review: Notable notes from this week April 21 1956 -Elvis Presley’s Heartbreak Hotel, becomes No. 1 1977 - Broadway play Annie opens April 22 1976 - Barbara Walters becomes first female nightly network news anchor 1991-Johnny Carson announces he will retire 1993 - Who’s Tommy opens at St. James Theater April 24 1950 - Peter Pan opens at Imperial Theater NYC April 25 1979 - Rock ‘n’ Roll High School premieres 1985 - Big River opens at Eugene O’Neill Theater
Courtesy of Erica Maroney Theatre Wesleyan’s spring musical gets to work all the live long day.
Chuck Fain
cmfain@mail.txwes.edu
Theatre Wesleyan’s 56th annual musical Working punches in at the Thad Smotherman Theatre this spring. Both humorous and heart wrenching, Working tells the tale of 23 real-life people with vastly different jobs and vastly different outlooks on life. Working was a book before Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso adapted it into a musical. The literary version of Working, written by journalist Studs
Terkel, consists of interviews with varying individuals about the work they do. During the interview process, these ordinary people revealed extraordinary things: revealing the joy, pain, sorrow, regret and pride people feel for their work and themselves. While not able to include every character from the original book, Working the musical stays true to those characters represented. Most of the dialogues, and even the songs, are verbatim accounts of Ter-
kel’s interviews. Wesleyan alumni Debbie Brown and Mike Skipper direct. Skipper is the Tony award-winning producer of the current Broadway hit, In the Heights, as well as Avenue Q. Brown has worked in local, national and international theaters and was a cast member of Casa Mañana for 15 years. “I’m delighted to return to my alma mater to co-direct Working with one of my favorite fellow alums, Mike Skipper,” Brown said. Students are glad to have them as
Upcoming Events: Thursday
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, House of Blues Sherlock Holmes: The Melodrama, Pocket Sandwich Theatre Working, A Musical, Theatre Wesleyan - Law Sone Fine Arts
Friday
Annie (The Full Musical Version) Teatro delle Muse Bugs Bunny on Broadway, Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center Pink Martini, Bass Performance Hall Working, A Musical, Theatre Wesleyan - Law Sone Fine Arts
Saturday
Prairie Fest, Tandy Hills Fine Arts Film Series: Science Fiction!, Dallas Public Library Hamlet, Bishop Arts Theater Center Working, A Musical, Theatre Wesleyan - Law Sone Fine Arts
Sunday
Spring Festival in the Japanese Garden, Fort Worth Botanic Garden A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer, Rose Marine Theatre Michelangelo’s First Painting: The Torment of Saint Anthony, Kimbell Art Museum Working, A Musical, Theatre Wesleyan - Law Sone Fine Arts
Monday
Performing Arts Fort Worth Presents Body Art, Bass Performance Hall The Lonesome West , Stage West
Tuesday
The Beauty Plays by Neil LaBute - Fat Pig, Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre As Tall as Lions, Bear Hands, House of Blues Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, House of Blues
Wednesday Death of a Salesman, Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre The Music of Andrew Lloyd Weber, Fair Park Les Claypool, Lakewood Theater
Need a clue on where to look? Get help researching your paper at the West Library’s Reference Desk.
Eunice and James L. West Library
Texas Wesleyan University
Services Available: Monday-Thursday 8 am - 8 pm Friday & Saturday 8:30 am - 5 pm Sunday 1 pm - 8 pm or e-mail: reference@txwes.edu
well. “It’s been a great opportunity working with professionals like Mike and Debbie,” said sophomore theater major Sarahi Salazar, stage manager for Working. “They make my job much easier.” The show runs April 22–25. The box office opens at 1:30 p.m., April 13th. Box office hours are 1:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. Tuesday - Friday the week of the show and one hour before curtain. Call 817-531-4211 for performance and ticket information.
Birthdays: Iggy Pop - April 21, 1947 Robert Smith - April 21, 1959 Al Pacino - April 25, 1940 Carol Burnett - April 26, 1933 Death Cesar Chavez - April 22, 1993 Richard Nixon - April 22, 1994 Lucille Ball - April 25, 1989
Delivered to Your Desk. Receive every issue of The Rambler directly to your inbox. Sign up at www.therambler.org
Sports Showcase highlights Wesleyan Starletts
6
|
The Rambler | www.therambler.org
April 21, 2010
Joakim Soederbaum | Rambler Staff
The Wesleyan cheer and dance teams held tryouts April 18. Jacqueline Wittman
jrwittman@mail.txwes.edu
The Starlett dancers are preparing for the first annual Spring Dance Showcase at Texas Wesleyan University April 23. The dancers join with the Boys and Girls Club of Fort Worth. Many of the dances the Starletts will perform are from their experience at the Universal Dance Association Spirit Camp this past summer in San Marcos. The Starletts came out of camp with distinguished honors including traditional fight song recognition, home pom recognition, 11 blue individu-
al ribbons, two red individual ribbons and an overall team superior gold. “This year has been great because our dancers have gone above and beyond,” said Carolyn Ikens-Owen, director of dance. “We started the team in 2008, and last year was a complete positive turnaround for the program. We represent Wesleyan well and have become another quality program on campus.” The Starletts dance team includes junior captain Margo Wring, junior Amber Sanders and freshmen Yvette Rodriguez and Kesha Carter. Wring wanted to include the Boys and Girls Club of
Fort Worth in the showcase to open their eyes to the art of dance. “I figured it would be a good way to give back and incorporate kids from our community,” Wring said. “I wanted to help them realize they can do anything once they set their minds to it and try.” The girls from the Boys and Girls Club range from ages 8 to 12. “It’s all about fun and creating the potential for the girls to become interested in dance and Texas Wesleyan University,” Wring said. The Starletts have been practicing with the girls since the beginning of April.
A variety of dances will be showcased such as jazz, hip hop, pom and lyrical. Each Starlett, except for Rodriguez who is out due to injury, will perform a solo dance. The Starletts will also perform with the girls to Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas. The routine is a home routine the Starletts performed at camp, with a few alterations to make the routine more kid friendly for the young girls. “We want to show them that there are young women in the community who can make a positive impact in their lives and surround them with good role models who perform as
dancers and students,” Wring said. Ikens-Owen said the girls are the future of Wesleyan. “The girls are a part of our community, and our Starletts are great mentors to them through dance,” she said. “They are teaching the girls the importance of education and giving them the opportunity to learn other activities that are fun and rewarding.” The showcase is intended to get the community involved and attract groups such as the Polytechnic High School dance team and local dance studios to join in future showcases at Wesleyan. For next year, Wring already
has a vision: to get a dance camp started at Wesleyan that will lead to a larger summer showcase for the community. “Summertime is when kids get in the most trouble, and it will be a way for them to get off the streets,” she said. While the Starletts main appearances are at the Ram’s basketball games, they are also looking to attend other sporting events next semester. “The Starletts are willing to support any department on campus to represent the university in a positive manner,” Ikens-Owen said. The free performance is at 7 p.m. April 23 in Martin Hall.
Time to graduate, Rochau has firm grip on his future
Toby Rochau
Jacqueline Wittman
jrwittman@mail.txwes.edu
Toby Rochau started young. “I started to play soccer at age 4 with my older brother who needed a keeper in our backyard,” Rochau said. “I like the pressure of knowing I can lose the game or win the game and the intense feeling I get from it. You have to be a special person to be a keeper, and I want to share that with others.” The senior goalkeeper and captain of Texas Wesleyan’s men’s soccer team now wants to share his passion for goalkeeping through coaching, and he hopes to play in a competitive soccer league. Ro-
chau is scheduled to graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in business marketing and a bachelor’s degree in business management. Rochau is an international student from Frankfurt, Germany, and has been a student and soccer player at Wesleyan for four years. He traveled to America in 2002 as an exchange student and was placed into Grand Prairie High School as a junior. He was goalkeeper for the Gophers a year before returning home. After completing high school in Germany, Rochau returned to the States to pursue a bachelor’s degree. “I wanted to attend a college near Grand Prairie in order to stay close to my host family and my friends from Grand Prairie,” he said. Four years at Wesleyan can bring about many memories, but Rochau said he will always remember defeating Oklahoma City University, the No. 6 nationally ranked team in the NAIA, 2-1 in his senior year. “We fought together as a team, and it was a unique experience to beat our rivals, especially a nationally ranked team,” Rochau said. Rochau had eight saves on nine shots on goal in the match, which led to the first Ram soccer victory over a top-10 team in Wesleyan history. The win over Oklahoma City also led the Rams to a 6-0 winning streak in the beginning of the season. “Toby’s work ethic and commitment to the team was shown every day in prac-
tice, and he was the ideal captain for our Wesleyan Week-in-Sports squad,” said senior defender Jorge Pineda. Rochau was ranked No. 35 in the • The Lady Rams Softball team (23-12 , 15-3 RRAC) hosted Bacone College April 17. The game was halted due to rain NAIA division one in saves per game at at the bottom of the third inning with the score at 3-3. 5.85 and named RRAC men’s soccer de• The Rams Baseball team (21-19, 8-0 RRAC) took a runfensive player of the week for Sept. 7-13. shortened 10-0 win against Northwood University April “Toby is a coach’s dream because he 16. does what you ask of him, and he is a great goalkeeper,” said Gaspar Martinez, The Weekly Sports Quote head coach of the men’s soccer team. Away from soccer and studies, Rochau “I don’t want to shoot my mouth in my foot, but interns at ESPN radio in the promotions and marketing department. He also those are games we can win.” works part-time as a journalist for Spox. Sherman Douglas com, a German online sports Web site, football legend covering the Dallas Mavericks games, focusing on forward Dirk Nowitzki who is also from Germany. After graduation Rochau plans to purUpcoming Sports: sue a career in sports marketing/management or complete his master’s degree. Game Time/Place “Toby is a go-getter kind of guy and he Baseball vs. 4 p.m. will do very well for himself after Wes- Thursday Oklahoma City Univ. LaGrave Field leyan,” Martinez said. Baseball vs. His teammate agrees. Southwestern 2 p.m. “I was fortunate to get to know Toby Assemblies of God LaGrave Field Friday for three years on and off the field and his Softball vs. Huston5 p.m. continuous efforts in the classroom have Tillotson University Sycamore Park made his future bright,” Pineda said. “He Softball vs. Noon is headed in the right direction, and he Univ. of the Southwest Sycamore Park will be successful in life.” Saturday Baseball vs. University 1 p.m. Rochau said he knows he will be leavof Houston-Victoria LaGrave Field ing something special behind to pursue Softball vs. 1 p.m. the career he has worked hard for. Langston University Langston, OK “I will miss playing as a team and see- Tuesday Baseball vs. LSU4 p.m. ing my teammates and the Wesleyan Shreveport (LA) LaGrave Field community on a regular basis,” he said.
90 Years of Leadership
WANTED
1920
The Rambler is looking for YOU!
2010 Contact Us at
Phone: 817-531-7550 Email: stugov@txwes.edu
Visit us at
OC Hall 202 and 204
Now seeking applicants for all positions for Fall 2010.
Visit www.therambler.org or stop by the Human Resources Office located in the Administration Building for more details and applications.
Don’t Miss Your Opportunity!