The Gradual Vol. 102 Fall 2018 by The Rambler

The Gradual Vol. 102 Fall 2018

Seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greetings from the Graduates

THE GRADUAL

December 2018

12 Bria Huckaby Theater Major

13 Sunny Clark

Liberal Arts Major

14 Elaine Barron English Major

15 Robin Rivera

Master of Education

17 Shanice Evans Sociology Major

3 Letter from the President

18 McKayla Harwell

4 Anthony Harper II

History Major

Finance Major

19 Paola Mercado

6 Jonathan Kigigha

Education Major

Marketing Major

8 Jennifer Gonzalez Biology Major

9 Marcus Baylor

Psychology Major

10 List of Graduates

11 List of Graduates

Opinions expressed in THE RAMBLER are those of the individual authors only and do not neccesarilty reflect the views of the Texas Wesleyan community as a whole.

Student Media Director Dr. Kay Colley Faculty Adviser Dr. Dave Ferman Editor-in-chief Hannah Onder

Content Producers Hannah Lathen, Tina Huynh, LaTerra Wair, Ashton Willis, David Cason, Jacinda Chan, Elena Maldonado, Hope Allison

Practicum Students Kaylee Conrad, Rachell Aguilar, Hannah Onder, Elena Maldonado, Massaran Kromah, Miranda Day, Kaylia Brown, Thomas Moore, LaTerra Wair, Ebeline Luna

To contact THE RAMBLER (817)-531-7552

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December 2018

Letter from the President To the Class of 2018, Congratulations on completing your degree at Texas Wesleyan. This is a major life achievement and the entire campus community, along with your family and friends, are proud of your accomplishments. As a first-generation college graduate, I understand the hard work and determination that goes into obtaining a college degree. As you continue on your journey, hold on to those qualities and never give up. Whether your next step involves graduate studies or entering the workforce, you are set up for success. The emphasis on critical thinking and analytical reasoning at Texas Wesleyan will help you in your future endeavors, and we hope that your experiences here will be a constant source of inspiration as you make your mark on the world. We are proud of your work. Your success makes Texas Wesleyan the vibrant, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Smaller. Smarter.â&#x20AC;? university that it is. I wish you all the best and look forward to seeing you back on campus soon. Sincerely, Fred

Frederick G. Slabach President Texas Wesleyan University

The Gradual

December 2018

Harper makes his mark at Wesleyan

Warmest Wishes Photo by Rachell Aguilar Anthony Harper II is a forensic accounting major and president of the Black Student Association.

Anthony Harper II is a 22-year-old senior forensic accounting major from Dallas. He started school at Texas Wesleyan in the fall of 2014 and graduates this fall. Harper was homeschooled his whole life until May 2014; the only time he was in public school was when he attended kindergarten at Albert Sidney Johnston Elementary School starting in September 2001. He was at the school through April 2002. Harper said that he was too ahead of his grade level at the time he was attending public school, so his mother, Diana Harper, decided to teach him. “I got pulled out of there early; ever since then I was homeschooled,” Harper said. Harper heard about Wesleyan while swimming at the university swimming pool to prepare for summer camp with his Boy Scouts of America troop. “We were swimming here because our troop was preparing to pass a

swim test for water-based merit badges during summer camp,” he said. Harper said that he did not think he really wanted to come to Wesleyan at first. However, after coming to Wesleyan Day and taking some tours around campus, he knew that Wesleyan was the right school for him. “I got to meet people who I look up to now, and inspire to be,” he said. “I also saw how active they were on campus.” Harper never really got to do much when he was homeschooled, so being in many extracurricular activities at a small school interested him. “I didn’t really have much of a chance to be that social compared to a public school,” Harper said. “So I thought I can get my experience from college.” Harper said that he has enjoyed his college years at Wesleyan while getting to do many exciting things on campus such as working as a Resident Assistant, a Ram Camp leader, and an ori-

entation leader. He played the trumpet in a Wind Ensemble concert in spring 2016, became president of the Black Student Association and played on the football team as safety and wide receiver during fall 2016 and spring 2017. “Playing on the football team at Wesleyan was my first time ever playing a real sport,” Harper said. “I was part of their leadership team that played with their first Blue and Gold spring game.” Being in love with math, Harper wanted his major to be mathematics-based and said that Wesleyan was one of the few schools that has a forensic accounting program. “Before college, the idea was engineering,” Harper said. “Once I got the Ben Hogan Foundation Mentor scholarship here, I found out they don’t have engineering, so I decided to go with accounting.” Harper said he is not sure what job he is going to get yet but he is working

toward testing for the Certified Management Accountant license, which requires two years of work experience. “I would say I get it within three years,” Harper said. “If I do decide to do grad school it will only be for a few hours.” One thing that Harper would advise seniors who are trying to get into the forensic accounting field is to start on internships early. “That is something that I didn’t do,” he said. “If anything I would just try to make the most of their college experience because you can get lost in the business building.” What Harper has gotten out of Wesleyan besides a good education is a chance to explore different skills. “People are often surprised by the fact that I used to be quiet and lowkey before college due to how active I have been on campus,” Harper said. “It’s why I usually encourage students to get involved on campus.”

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December 2018

THE GRADUAL

December 2018

Kigigha to follow in siblings’ footsteps Senior marketing major Jonathan Kigigha has his sights set high for his future. Following in the footsteps of his two older siblings, he wants to set a successful example for his three younger siblings so they, too, will pursue higher education. The Denton Winfree Academy High School graduate began his undergrad career at the Tarrant County College’s south campus in 2012. Kigigha says he was initially attracted to Texas Wesleyan’s smaller size. “When I went to Winfree Academy in Denton, we visited UNT and Texas Woman’s University and I was struck by how big those campuses were,” Kigigha said. “Texas Wesleyan is so small, you have a lot of people with different backgrounds; it’s the first time that I have been able to meet people from all over the world, and almost every culture is celebrated.” Following the campus’ Smaller. Smarter. maxim, Kigigha came to Wesleyan after earning his associate of arts degree from TCC in 2017. He said the most valuable lessons learned at Wesleyan are patience and service to others. “Working with other people with diverse backgrounds, you find out that people have different senses of urgency,”

Kigigha said. “The first thing you think about is anger when partners don’t meet deadlines for group projects.” Kigigha learned that instead of resorting to anger, helping guide others who struggle with their own sense of urgency helped him grow as a work partner. “It’s easy to just finish all the work yourself and think you’ll never work with those people again,” Kigigha said. “It turns out, I ended up having to work with those same people the next semester; this time around we were more successful since we all were on the same page, deadline wise; we all had matured as students and partners.” Kigigha says his most influential instructor during his time at Wesleyan was Dr. Thomas J. Bell, professor of business. “Dr. Bell had high expectations of us,” Kigigha said. “The Business Management of Information Systems course culminated in one 80-question exam and the grade determined whether you passed or failed the course. While it sounds daunting, Dr. Bell made the material easy and accessible and [due to his instruction] I passed the class.” Between a demanding school schedule and his job as the instructional assistant for the testing department at TCC’s south campus, Kigigha found his passion in helping new students adjust

Photo courtesy of Thomas Moore Jonathan Kigigha poses in front of the Texas Wesleyan University sign. He will graduate Dec. 15 with a BA in marketing. He found his passion in guiding new students.

to the college lifestyle. “I really enjoy helping students,” Kigigha said. “Especially first-time college students, I want them to have access to the tools they need to succeed.” Kigigha’s involvement as an orientation leader at Wesleyan has helped him

further explore that role. “Right now, I am undecided,” Kigigha said. “But I do know I want to pursue a master’s degree and either get an MBA or focus on the higher education field. In 2017 when I came here, I made it my mission to help students.”

THE RAMBLER

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December 2018

Congratulations to all 2019 graduates from the School of Business Administration!

n o i s t , G a l r u a t d a r u g ates n o C From the School of Natural & Social Sciences

May your dreams blossom and grow.

THE GRADUAL December 2018 Gonzalez secures teaching job after Wesleyan Jennifer Gonzalez, a 22-year-old biology with life science certification major, will begin working full-time for the Dallas Independent School District as a seventh grade science teacher after graduation. “I picked my major because I have a passion for science, and I want to spark that same interest within our youth,” Gonzalez wrote in an email. Gonzalez began attending Texas Wesleyan University in the fall of 2014. She graduated high school from Trinidad Garza Early College High School in May 2014 with an associate’s degree in science. Gonzalez chose to attend Wesleyan because it is close to her home in Dallas. “I originally wanted to go to Wesleyan because it was close to home and provided smaller class sizes; however, it was the relationships and connections that I made that kept me there,” Gonzalez wrote. While attending Wesleyan, Gonzalez was involved in various organizations, jobs, and volunteering opportunities. “(I was involved in) Guardians of the Golden Shears, Resident Assistants, Project Transformation: Site Coordinators, TriBeta as Vice President/ Treasurer, Mortar Board, Ram Squad, Spiritual Life, Black Student Association, Break a Difference volunteer, and Expanding Your Horizons volunteer,” wrote Gonzalez. She wrote that she chose to get in-

volved on campus to encourage school pride and to build relationships with people who shared her interests. “I got involved by attending President’s Picnic, going to events, and

doing research on different organizations offered by the students and staff at Wesleyan,” Gonzalez wrote. Gonzalez is a recipient of the Dean’s Scholarship; the Ann Waggoner Scholarship; and the Jack and Macie Hester Scholarship. She is also on the Dean’s List and Guardians of the Golden Shears. “I got these awards and recognitions by making good grades and by being

Pho Jennifer to courtesy of J e G Canyon onzalez poses nnifer Gonzale z . at the G rand

involved on campus,” Gonzalez wrote, adding that her favorite moments at Wesleyan will always be the times shared with her Ramily. “Our Ramily consisted of under-

get out of bed, and not wanting to do the required work. “I overcame those challenges by focusing on my purpose,” Gonzalez wrote. “I think that once you understand your purpose or calling in life, everything you do becomes another step towards reaching that purpose and you become more inclined to overcome any obstacle that comes your way.” She wrote that she grew up in in a home where her parents, Steven and Sandra Valenzuela, adopted children with different stories and traumas. “I, currently, do my part by volunteering my time with nonprofits and organizations that target literacy-development, shelter, nutrition, education, and recreation for children and youth in low-income and underserved communities,” Gonzalez wrote. Gonzalez plans to follow in her parents’ footsteps. “My goal is to buy a large home so that I may adopt many children and youth from foster care,” she P Je with hot oc life nnifer J e o classmen wrote, “and provide n u scie G n nce onza ifer G rtesy o l o e f cer and uppertiﬁc z is a b nzalez them with the opatio i classmen portunities that every n m ology ajo r. from Stelchild has a right to: la Russell happiness, love, eduHall that lived together, ate together, cation, support, and attended events together, and always family. I plan to continue to achieve supported each other on our campus,” my goals by remaining focused and by Gonzalez wrote. planning my next move with my end She added that the challenges she goal in mind.” faced in college were not wanting to

Photo courtesy of Je nnifer Gonzalez Jennifer Gonzalez po ses at Horseshoe Bend.

nzalez nifer Go h for n e J f o e Marc ourtesy Photo c zalez attends th n o G Jennifer . Science

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December 2018

Baylor returns for his degree Marcus Baylor is not like most there is one night with his teammates cakes, tons of bacon. It was just a fun 2018 fall graduates who will be walkhe’ll always remember. night. We made loud music, annoyed ing the stage in December because he “Me and my teammates I ran cross one of my other teammates that was actually walked the stage in the spring country (with) stayed off campus, and trying to sleep. It was just an overall of 2018. one night I came over and we all just good night; I’ll never forget that.” Due to having to take two extra hung out all night, pretty much playing Along with getting to walk away classes, an upper level course and an games,” he said. “We cooked breakfast with his bachelor’s degree, the biggest elective, as well as some personal and at like 12 a.m. It was 30 or 40 panthing he was able to take away from financial circumstances, Baylor was not able to meet his degree requirements in the spring. So he returned to finish the remainder of his classwork this semester. “As far as graduating twice I’m just happy to finish officially,” Baylor said. After graduating from North Crowley High School in 2011, Baylor attended Tarrant County College from fall of 2012 until the fall of 2015. After graduating from TCC, Baylor went on to attend Texas Wesleyan in the spring of 2016 and graduated in the spring of 2018. Baylor graduated with his bachelor’s of science in psychology in the spring of 2018. While attending Wesleyan, Baylor was involved in several organizations and activities around campus, including the cross country team, Black Student Association, Ram Squad, and Psi Chi, a psychology honor society. In participating in these various activities, he said, he made lots of memories. Photos by LaTerra Wair When asked what his most memorable moment was at Wesley- Marcus Baylor, a pyschology major and member of the track team, poses outside of Polytechnic United Methodist Church. He walked the stage in spring 2018. an, Baylor said he has a lot, but

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

attending Wesleyan was the impact the individuals he met had on him. “Aside from just the degree and the one-on-one learning experience with the professors, I got to really meet some interesting people,” he said. “I just really got exposed to new people and they really taught me a lot about not just themselves, but about how the world is. It gave me insight as far as the individuals who are in my community. It is just a lot of lessons learned from interacting with a lot of folks on campus.” Since walking the stage in the spring, Baylor said, he has continued to work at Dayspring Phoenix, a private consulting company, where he has worked for around five years. Along with this, Baylor is also an independent contractor who deals with painting as well as trashouts, which means removing belongings from homes that have been vacated in order to make the home livable again. In the future, Baylor plans to go back to school in hopes of obtaining his master’s degree in psychology from the University of Texas at Arlington. “In the next five years I hope to be established financially as well as mentally, just doing what I love. Whether it be my job or just pursuing different hobbies, (I want to be) just doing what I love to do, and enjoying my life,” he said.

THE GRADUAL

December 2018

Graduates, Congratulations!

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

MERRY HANUKKAH AND

Doctoral Program Lucretia Tucker Basham Elizabeth Florence Burleson Lindsey Minta Byrd Emily Michelle Channon April Hutzel Chiarelli Mikala Ortiz Hill Rochelle Chamblee Kaempf Melody Joy Shepherd Sandra L. Tucker Erin Parnell Vader Candace Anne Aguiar Albert Arredondo Jr Dawn Marie Aubuchon James David Beal Amylia A. Black Margaret Elizabeth Cook Elisha R. Coppens Kristin Henderson Jorge L. Hernández Vélez Kimberly M. Lanfranca Jennifer K. Lent Tanya Lee McGowan Vinh Thu Nguyen Kristine Florence Punohu Melissa Morris Puskac Catherine Mary Thomas Robyn Page Bone Michael Sean Carney, Sr. Heather Cawthon Angela Jaye Emerson Christian Love Hutcheson Paulina Natalia Johnston Bianca Angelina Mickan Layla Ziad Scott Angela Elizabeth Stillman Kathleen Petersen Sweeney

Master’s Program

Meagan Lee Brewer Oksana Vladimirovna Budinskaya

Patricia H. Bumgarner Ryan Leigh Cloutier Scott Walker Dickerson Irma Daniela Garcia Blake Harllee Mindy Brooke Tachenko Henderson Devlet T. Hussein Stephanie Margaret Scott Hynes Katherine Kline Yao Lu Nicholas Michael Mabry Courtney Anne Mullins Tina Russchelle Nickelson Tyler David Nix Samantha A. Nudo Patricia Layne Patak Lacey D. Riley Jacqueline Judith Rodriguez Susan Janett Rodriguez Emil J. Santos Mena Kimberly Monique Small Jesse A. Soto Leslie Lee Stephens-Nichols Darek Robert Taylor Tablisha Taylor Huyen N. Tran Emma Elizabeth Treviño Deb Anguiano Stephanie Barreraz Kourtney Danielle Brice Dru Wakefield Godwin Daisy Gomez Amy Leigh Goodman Erica Morales Angelica Ortiz Hernandez Ashley E. Ram Gosnell Robin A. Rivera Melissa Lynn Rothermel Benjamin Aiken Stephanie Betancourt Abby Lee Miller Maria D. Davalos Linda Kathleen Guthery Eric Hinojosa Diana Joyce James Karen Lourdes Lopez

LaTrina Majors Zamanda Martinez Ketara Chantal Moses Sandra Johnson Odom Victoria Reyes Dana Janette Secord S M Noorahmed Siddiquee Anthony Chee Traag Ismael S. Vazquez Jennifer Black Artaya Evette Brown Kaegan Leigh Engstrom-Garner Victoria Ashley Icho Amanda Christine Lea Diana Ashley Padilla Janjura Robins Felicia S. Swan-Evans Elizabeth Leanne Tsirigotis Sean Eric Acebedo Carol Aime Aguirre Gonzalez Dustin Kade Bagley Brandon James Bailey Perla Yvette Baltazar Robert William Blankenship Erin B. Boland Ashley Renee Bolden Shad Aaron Bowers Ashley Jo Brown Christopher Burford Michelle Marie Butler Laura Elise Chase Caitlin Clark Kristin Michelle Couch-O’Brien Colin Coulson Johnathan Michael Culp Timothy Brock Different Erwin Nacpil Dizon Elizabeth Michelle Donahue Ashleigh Amanda Douglas Elizabeth Renee Duling Shawn George Egan Ralph Edward Esparza Christopher Ryan Felan Eric Andrew Fleck Grayson T. Ford Samantha Forsythe

Bency Alan John George Ashley Nicole Glosson Samantha Lee Graling Travis Gray Kristin Nicole Heinsohn Jessica Bean Hendley Johanna Morgan Hensley Brittany Danae Higgins Jacob Peter Hruby Mikel John Ingemansen Kwang Hee Alexander Johng Jake Johnson Nicole Kamann Micah Kellum Jordan Colby Kirkland Sean Phillip Klufa Michael David Kubecka Linda Kim Le Pablo Lema Alexander Donald Lucci Sarah Byrd Call Lukanski Elizabeth Karenina Manullang Edmund Ruiz Martinez Angelica Mata Anu Mathew Matthew James McBride Kayleigh Marie McCarrell Margaret Selman McMillan Sarah Pauline McMillin Alison C. Miller Haylee Kay Miller Nicole Année Miller Seth Nelson Minor Caleb Heath Mitchell Anna Mohamed Katharine Avery Molloy Jose I. Montano Caitlin Ann Moore Paige Elizabeth Mugartegui Waylon Keiji Mugartegui James Mwangi Muturi Anyaogu Emmanuel Obiako Jason Palmer Tyson Joseph Perry Xuan-Ha Thi Pham Leobardo Puga

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HANUKKAH SAMEACH!

December 2018 JOYOUS KWANZAA!

D HAPPY KWANZAA! Trey Ramos Jessie Marie Reese Eduardo Luis Regalado Brian P. Richard Abby Lauren Richardson Brittany Denee Rodgers Janice Carol Rodgers Christopher Allen Rogers Roviena J. Royulada-Ycu Alejos Salais Jr. Stephen Kelly Schaefer Emily Midori Schmitz Jennifer Grace Schofield Hope Elizabeth Seelinger Michael David Speegle Benjamin Spillyards Robert Brooks Stephens Kayla Alice Swader Jacob Joseph Szajkowski Maria Katherine Thomas Alfredo Alejandro Uranga Leanne Valdez Randi Jo Vrba Melody M Watkins Richard Dee Williams Dana James Wilson Matthew Wayne Woolverton Brent Atwood Joy Anne Corey Luke Hill

Undergraduate Program Mercedes Carolina Funes Debra Kathleen Barrick Elaine Barron Sarahy Lilia Cruz Rachel Jordan Frick Bria Shabazz Huckaby Mike Lulloff Lyda Julian E. Rodriguez Jimmy Neil Barber II Bailey Bernice Broadnax Sunny Christine Clark Antonio Coleman

Maria D. Collazo de Sandoval Alexander Shawn Davis Carl Cleveland Greenfield III Jada Kevon High Larasue Michelle Merritt Lorie Mazzella Peak Joshua J. Riley Ryan D. Roberts Taylor Brannon Steel Colt Taylor Tammy Lynn Titlow Larkin Gray Wisdom Wenchuan Xue Drenda Danae Burk Charlotte Kay Marti Antonio QuiĂąones David Allen Walter Mohammad Fahad M. Aldosari Abdullah Talal Alfawaz Soultan Abdullah Alomireni Saad Awad Alqahtani Nasser Sulaiman Alshuaifi Jared Cole Evans Archer James Barrow Gregory Benjamin Mohammad Waleed Binmayouf Leah V. Boyd Jasmine Enisesha Burchett William Campbell Jr. Fatima Castruita Hinojosa Kurt Dalton Steven John Evangelista Chelsea Hanes Edina Haracic Anthony Ray Harper II Mindy Brooke Tachenko Henderson Matthew Lee Henley Jamus Everett Hernandez Jose Antonio Hernandez Jonathan Fredrick Kigigha Connie Lynn Leal Vincent James Leal Kendyl Nicole Lopez Rafael Martinez Alma Mehanovic Mikhail Roger Pinto

Yan Carlos Rodriguez Chandler Schoelkopf Antonia Dora Soto Julius Sterling Strickland Cody Alexander Thompson Thien Lac Tran Thien Lac Tran Bruno Ventura Dos Anjos Veronica Castro Salo Daniel Donoso Yadira Galicia-Robledo Paola Valeria Mercado Abigail Munoz Perla Marina Orozco Daniela PeĂąa Solis Lucelia Saldivar Guadalupe Sanchez Perea Gladys Rios Villanueva Jessica DeLynn Argumaniz Teresa Genoveva Bravo Tahia Rechelle Brown Grecia Maria Ceja Larios Shanika Nicole Cliff Meghan Leigh Gaskamp Amanda Michelle Hubbard Julio Ibarra Casanova Mackenzie Marian Jameson Michelle R. Moore Jessica Nguyen Natalie Prieto Steven D. Randall Theodore C. Udume Amanda Gail Wacasey Adriana Zamarripa-Noriega Roel Cruz Garcia Andrea Gutierrez McKayla Elizabeth Harwell Alexandria Reese Nasrullah Sailab Edith G. Villanueva Razo Liliana Edith Almanza Lechuga Lindsay Ann Andrews Marcus Tyrell Baylor II Jacqueline D. Bull Sydney Shae Cashen Sandra Noemi Castellon

11 A FESTIVUS FOR THE REST OF US!

Chelsey Chandler Dusty Ryan Cloud Derek Carter Cook Brie Nikole Corbin Everett Jack Davis, Jr. Allysa Nicole De Leon Christian Tanner Dent David Estrada Shanice A Evans Erik Sean Feves Randall Freeman Jr. Jennifer Gonzalez Krystal Moreno Gonzalez Sagar Harisharan Claudia Harris Thomas Reginald Ian Harris Alisha DeShone Haynes Jason Hinostroza Tyler R. Jackson Rema Abdi Janale Katherine Jansen Megan Kimberlin Alycia Deonna Louallen Kiffany Clarissa Lyons Tiffany D. Mann-Nolte Wallace Orlando Mays Keanon Monroe Crystal Munoz Manuel Heriberto Perez Allison Paige Spottedbear Pohl Lauren Herlinda Portalez Jennifer Vanessa Romero Lopez Jessica Ann Ruiz Marlene Ruiz Nicole Sanders Jimmie Lee See William Seltzer Austin Wayne Smith Daniel J. Smith Sylvester Spencer III Mason Standish Porsche Vaughn James Yarbrough

THE GRADUAL

December 2018

Huckaby thanks Wesleyan for a great 2 1/2 years Everything in life comes to an end. One chapter has to end for another one to start. Senior theatre major Bria Huckaby has reached the end of her college journey but is excited for what is to come after she graduates from Texas Wesleyan this semester. After transferring from Tarrant County College two and a half years ago, Huckaby developed a close relationship with the people in the organizations she was involved with, which include Lambda Tau Zeta, the Gold Line Dancers, and Theatre Wesleyan. The people that have helped Huckaby the most during her college experience include her roommate and fellow theatre classmate Kimberly Owen; Lambda Tau Zeta President Delaney Pricer; and Gold Line co-captain and senior theatre major Torris Curry.

“[Owen] has been there every step of the way, helping me with class assignments, making sure I had eaten, giving me much needed advice,” Huckaby wrote in a text. “[Pricer] has reminded me of event for our sorority and ran errands for me for theatre. [Curry] has took time to teach me routines that I’ve missed so that I would be caught up with all of my dances. He would spend as much time as I needed going over one move.” A valuable lesson that Wesleyan taught her is to keep trying and to dream big. “The biggest thing I learned from being at Wesleyan is that you can do anything you set your mind to,” she wrote. “If something doesn’t work, keep trying.” Once Huckaby graduates, she will miss seeing her friends and the daily routine she has developed.

“Nothing will be as it is right now,” she wrote. “I’m going to miss waking up, going to class and rehearsal. I’m going to miss seeing my friends all day every day. I’m going to miss being a part of something bigger than myself. Over these 2 1/2 years I have built a family here at Wesleyan and I’m sad that I won’t be able to see them all of the time.” A quote that sums her Huckaby’s time at Wesleyan is by William Shakespeare. “Shakespeare once said all the worlds a stage and all the men and women merely players,” she wrote. “They have their exits and entrances and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.” Huckaby has taken this quote and used it to help her close this chapter in her life. “What that means to me is that in my life I will play many parts whether it be on or off the stage, but all things have a be-

ginning and an end,” she wrote. “I have loved my time here and I don’t want to leave, but it’s

time to end this act and start a new one. I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

Happy Holidays

Photo by Elena Maldanado Theatre major Bria Huckaby poses in the library. Huckaby will graduate with a bachelor of arts degree on Dec. 15.

THE RAMBLER | www.therambler.org

December 2018

Clark makes lifelong friends at Wesleyan the court wearing number 12. She Athletics for aces per game and second Liberal arts major Sunny Clark can’t in the Sooner Athletic Conference for wait to finish her final semester at Texas hopes to continue her volleyball career by finding a good coaching job after aces per game; she also has the most Wesleyan. graduation at either the high school or aces in a set while at St. Gregory’s. Clark is a transfer student from St. She said she is very thankGregory’s University in Oklaful for the faculty members homa and she wishes she had that have pushed her to be come to Wesleyan earlier. successful at Wesleyan. St. Gregory’s suspended its “My time at Wesleyan has operations at the end of fall not only helped me learn 2017. Clark decided to spend to cope with difficult situaher last year here. tions,” said Clark. “Also, the “If I could do it all over, professors here at Wesleyan I would have tried harder hold you to a standard of exto come to Texas Wesleyan pectation that has helped me straight out of junior college,” expect more out of myself.” Clark said. As Clark wraps up her She said that this semester final semester, she said that has definitely been an intershe is going to miss her esting experience, but she Photo courtesy of Sunny Clark teammates the most. wouldn’t change it one bit. “My last semester at Wesleyan (From left to right) Chastiny Brown, Sasha Robinson, and Sun- “I believe I have found some ny Clark smile before they travel to an away game. lifelong friends at Wesleyan,” has been chaotic. Between injuClark said. “There are girls on the volries and trying to graduate, it has been a college level. leyball team that I will definitely stay in semester for the books,” Clark said. According to ramsports.net, Clark touch with as well as some of the people Clark is a setter on the Lady Rams’ was named 8th in the nation in the in my biology courses.” volleyball team. You can find her on National Association of Intercollegiate

nny Clark rtesy of Su Photo cou s at the Lady r, serve ctober. l arts majo rk, a libera wareness game in O la C y n n Su a r e c n ast ca Rams’ bre

Photo courtesy of Sunny Clark Sunny Clark, a setter on the Lady Ram’s volleyball team, poses for the volleyball team’s Media Day at the beginning of the semester. Clark will graduate Dec. 15.

The Gradual

December 2018

Barron grows up at Wesleyan

Photo contributed by Elaine Barron Elaine Barron will be graduating this month with a bachelor’s in English with a literature concentration. Barron plans to get certified to teach Special Needs students.

College provides students the opportunity to gain knowledge, hone and refine acquired skills, and grow as an individual. It is a place where people can prepare to go out into the professional world, and every student begins and ends their college journey with a goal in mind. With a mission to help others, Elaine Barron, an English with a literature concentration major, will be graduating with a bachelor of arts degree this semester. Barron

wrote in an email that her life after graduation looks hopeful and full of opportunities. “In the spring of 2019, I want to work and save money as well as volunteer at either Evergreen Life Services or Hope Center for Autism,” she wrote. She wrote that she would sum up her college experience using a quote from the TV show “The Office.” “It’s simply beyond words. It’s incalculable,” she wrote. Barron’s most memorable time comes from when she did not let her nerves stop her from being successful. “I had to give a presentation with two

other students for Advanced Writing,” she wrote. “I was so anxious; my mind went blank and I ran out of the room in tears! But I came back!!! I was teary eyed and breathing quite unsteadily, but I finished my part of the presentation.” Dr. Jeffery DeLotto, professor of English, has been the most helpful to her college experience. “My advisor Dr. DeLotto has been the most helpful,” she wrote. “It was such a new experience for me to have such an open dialogue with a professor. I borrowed his books, took his time and in return he gave me the best advice on my writing and school.” Barron plans on receiving further education in the near future. “I am hoping to get my certification at Texas Woman’s University in the fall of 2019, so that I can teach Special Needs students,” she wrote. Barron wrote that Wesleyan is where she “grew up a lot and became independent.” A funny memory that stands out to her comes from the time she felt threatened by a squirrel. “The other day I was sitting on the bench under the trees outside the Armstrong building and got chased away from it by a squirrel,” she wrote. “He was very vocal and staring

me down. I thought he was going to jump on me.” Barron wrote that she leaves behind the kind of legacy that everyone else leaves behind. “We all have different personalities and ideas that we bring with us here,” Barron wrote. “We’re shaped by what we learn here, but that’s not only what happens. I think we also shape the campus for the next students to come because of the ideas we put forth while interacting with other students and professors.”

THE RAMBLER

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December 2018

Rivera closes her chapter at Wesleyan

Robin Rivera always knew she was going to college, but not that she was going to become a teacher afterward. Rivera, a graduating Master of Education student at Texas Wesleyan, had originally graduated with an undergrad-

uate degree in history in 2007 from the University of Texas at Arlington with plans to work in a museum. She began her job teaching in 2009, after being laid off from her job in the oil and gas business, where she had worked for two years. “At that point I really wanted a career that was stable and less fickle,” Rivera said. “That’s kind of what put my path towards education. I stuck with it because I loved helping kids. That’s been a passion of mine.” Rivera came to Wesleyan in 2016 while working as a teacher for Fort Worth Independent School District at East Handley Elementary School. “Now I’m a dyslexia interventionalist,” she said. “I work specially with children that have dyslexia. But prior to that, I spent eight years in the classroom, mostly third or fourth grade with one year in kindergarten and one year in first grade.” Rivera likes working one-on-one with students because she can build better relationships with them, which is why she moved away from the

leave, and go to work (here), we have the make you feel welcome, not everyone ability to make those connections and has that personality.” those friendships. I have friends that I’ll have forever not just in class, and I like that.” Rivera also said all of her professors have made a big impact and that she plans to incorporate the teaching styles and strategies she’s learned here in her own classroom. “I think they’ve impacted in different ways,” she said. “Dr. (Twyla) Miranda was just kind of everything you want to encompass; she was very outreaching, very kind, and yet stern enough to get her point across and teach you how to be a teacher. Dr. (Elsa) Anderson is nice but strict. Dr. (Lisa) Dryden is just so welcoming and makes you feel a part of everything. That takes a speAfter graduating, Rivera plans cial quality in a person to to continue her current position as a reading specialist for elementary school students. However, she would eventually like to open her own clinic. “(I want my clinic to focus on) reading intervention,” Rivera said. “I want it to focus on students with dyslexia and all other kinds of reading difficulties, and it would (probably) be in DFW. I love this area, but the wonderful thing about teaching is that everybody needs teachers. You can almost go anywhere with reading; you need reading for all things that you do.” In the meantime, Rivera hopes to continue helping her students by serving as a role model for them. “I had the privilege of growing up in a really great home, and my parents were always helping me with my school work,” she said. “I’ve always taught in the lower income areas of Fort Worth, so typically the role models aren’t always there. I want to be a positive role model for chilPhotos by Hannah Onder dren and help them in any way that I can whether that’s with school or with life in Robin Rivera, a Master of Education student, poses around Dan Waggoner Hall. Rivera has worked for Fort Worth ISD since 2009; she will be married next summer. general.”

more traditional classroom. “I work in a very difficult area of Fort Worth, and it was just getting harder and harder to not take home what I was doing at school,” Rivera said. “I needed to do something different and take a step away from that. I found myself in this position (dyslexia interventionalist) and it’s been wonderful to have those relationships. There’s nothing like working with a kid one-on-one because the relationship grows, and your attention is not pulled in 20 different directions.” One thing Rivera has liked about Wesleyan is all the relationships she’s built with her peers and professors. “I didn’t have that kind of experience in my undergrad as far as that went,” Rivera said. “Class sizes were huge. It’s more of a commuter school at UTA: you go, you leave, and you go to work. Even though we come,

THE GRADUAL

December 2018

Congratulations, Graduates! From the School of Education

THE RAMBLER | www.therambler.org

December 2018

Evans plans to help juvenile delinquents Born in New York City in the middle of Queens and the Bronx, sociology major Shanice Evans moved to Fort Worth when she was nine and has been a Fort Worth resident since then. She attended Southwest High School and graduated in 2010, but college was not in her plans after graduation. Evans took two years off to work then realized that she wanted to go to college. "When I graduated from high school a lot of people thought I was going to go straight to college, because I graduated with honors, and I didn’t. I just was just like, ‘I`m just going to work,’” Evans said. “I worked for about two years then I realized that this isn’t what I wanted." After realizing that she wanted to go to college in 2012, Evans worked part-time and attended Tarrant County College. While at TCC she didn’t know what she would major in; an academic advisor introduced her to sociology. “TCC was okay,” Evans said. “It was nice; I met some professor that helped me out. I had an amazing academic advisor; her name was Ms. Kushman. She helped me understand what it is I felt like I wanted to do. She got me into sociology. I didn’t know what it was. I actually never heard of it until she mentioned it.” Evans came to Texas Wesleyan University because it was close to home; the small classrooms and friendly environment attracted her to the school, as well as the sociology program. “I never really even heard of the school until I started looking up sociology

programs and came across the school. I like that the classrooms are smaller; you built some close relationships with mature people,” Evans said. While at Wesleyan she met some wonderful people who played a big role in her university years. Professors like Dr. Tom Guffey, a visiting assistant professor of sociology, and Dr. Alison Simons, an assistant professor of sociology, helped her fall in love with her major. “Dr. Simons, she’s amazing. She’s very upfront, she shared her experiences from her life back in England, and it gives me a different perspective of life," Evans said. “Dr. Guffey, he grew up in the heart of Alabama, which is not something that I would not see myself doing. For him to grow up in such a place and still be so smart, encouraging and open is such a contradiction, and I admire that.” After graduation Evans plans to find a job with a county helping juvenile delinquents make better decisions so that they grow up to be law-abiding citizens. “I want to work for the city helping juvenile delinquents by guiding and helping them back on track by talking to them and understanding their problems,” Evans said. Saying goodbye to Wesleyan will be tough, Evans said, but one thing she learned from being at the school was that she should never compare herself to other students. "I was not the traditional college student who was 21,” Evans said. “I`m 26 years old and just now about to graduate college, and that’s okay. Everyone has a different direction in life. Don’t compare your journey to the next person’s.”

Photos by Massaran Kromah In the top photo, Shanice Evans interns as the manager of the Wesleyan food pantry. In the middle, Evans educates Jakyron Joseph on dealing with stressful situations. On the bottom, Evans poses with Joseph and fellow student Carman Ochoa.

THE GRADUAL

December 2018

Harwell keeps family tradition

Photo by Ebeline Luna McKayla Harwell, a history major, poses at the podium. Harwell comes from a family of teachers.

McKayla Harwell, a 21-yearold history major, says that she learned a lot from her time at Texas Wesleyan as she prepares to graduate this semester. Harwell says that she was excited to start at Wesleyan and chose to go here because they gave her a large scholarship. “I wanted to go to Texas Christian University, but they did not give me enough money to attend there, so my mom offered the idea at applying at Texas Wesleyan,” Harwell said. Harwell says that she is definitely more independent now as a graduating senior than as an incoming freshman. “In college there is no one to coddle you, so I definitely had to learn a lot,” Harwell said. She currently teaches sixth grade at Hughes Middle School, and says her passion to become

a history major came from her history high school teachers. “I had some cool history teachers and they really inspired me to become a history major,” Harwell said. Harwell is a third-generation educator. Her grandma, Linda Hutchings, a TCU graduate, taught second grade, and her mother, Liz Harwell, 50, has taught Spanish in middle school for almost 20 years. Her father, Jeff Harwell, 54, was in engineering before he got into teaching special education. He went to Maryland State University as an engineering major in fire protection. Her mother went to Texas Wesleyan with a degree in Secondary Education with Spanish and English and then transferred to Texas Christian University, where she studied abroad in Spain.

Harwell will seek her master’s in history at Wayland Baptist University. She will graduate in 2020. “Wayland Baptist would let me teach dual enrollment at public schools, history classes at private schools, or at community classes,” Harwell said. Harwell is excited to go on to become a teacher, and says she always knew she would be a teacher because of her parents teaching while growing up. “I like having my mom at the school I am teaching right now because then I can just go have lunch with her. She is my best friend,” says Harwell. Harwell’s overall experience at Texas Wesleyan was a good one and she is thankful that her graduation is around the corner; she is excited for the future.

THE RAMBLER | www.therambler.org

December 2018

Mercado makes the most of her time as a Ram

Although she transferred in as a junior in fall 2016, education major Paola Mercado did everything she possibly could to make her two and half years at Texas Wesleyan count, especially considering that Wesleyan was the school she dreamt of attending. “I had always dreamed of going there because it was so close to home,” Mercado, a Fort Worth native, wrote in a text. Though Wesleyan was her dream school, Mercado hadn’t always imagined herself graduating as an education major. “I was actually going for a totally different major at the beginning,” Mercado wrote, “but one day as I was dropping off my little brother to his classroom, I looked into some of the classrooms and saw myself being there.” Mercado made sure that during her time here she got involved in different organizations and ended up being a part of four. She even served as the vice presi-

dent of Kappa Delta Pi for an entire year. “I’ve been a part of PAC, KDP, BESO, and Mortar Board. Being involved kept me motivated and involved with the community,” Mercado wrote. PAC is the Planning and Activities Committee; BESO is the Bilingual Education Student Association. One of Mercado’s professors Dr. Jacqueline Gaffner, was impressed with Mercado’s readiness to get involved when she got to Wesleyan. “She was brand new to Texas Wesleyan, but she stepped up and chose to run for an officer position,” Gaffner wrote in an email. “She seemed shy and quiet to me at first, so I was impressed that she chose to run.” Mercado also took the initiative to get involved in different ways during her summer rather than simply enjoying time off from classes. “I was an orientation leader and Ram Camp leader for one summer,” she said.

Mercado also opted to spend her last spring break volunteering with the school instead of going home for the week. “I had the opportunity to do the alternative spring break and volunteer in the Galveston and Houston area,” Mercado said. Because of all her extracurricular activities she’s been part of, Mercado admits that she will miss being a Ram at Wesleyan. “I’ve enjoyed my time here at Wesleyan and will definitely miss it,” Mercado said. Though she will miss the campus, Mercado’s professors, such as Dr. Patsy Robles-Goodwin, believe that she is ready to make the leap from learning in the classroom to teaching in her own classroom. “I know she will be successful as a future educator and anything else she decides to pursue,” Robles-Goodwin said.

“She will be a wonderful role model for her students, especially her Latina students. She will be able to relate to them on many cultural and social levels.” Gaffner also had commented on how she sees nothing but success in Mercado’s future. “I believe Paola will be an excellent teacher who works well with her colleagues,” Gaffner wrote. “I can also see her eventually holding a leadership position, if that is of interest to her.” Mercado admitted that while she is nervous, she feels as though her professors have prepared her well for her future. “I feel that my professors have prepared me enough to where I am still nervous about getting my own classroom soon, but I know that I am prepared,” Mercado wrote. “I would not change a thing about my experience.” “Watch out world, here comes Paola!” Robles-Goodwin said.

Paola Mercado (second from left, in hat) poses with her ﬁrst and last Ram Camp group as a leader in August 2017.

Photos contributed by Paola Mercado Paola Mercado shows off her ofﬁcial Mortar Board certiﬁcation at the induction ceremony that occurred in April 2018.

Paola Mercado (second from left, in black shirt) poses with fellow volunteers during Wesleyan’s alternative spring break in March 2018.

The Gradual

December 2018

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES!!!

Smokey's Smokey's BBQ BBQ is is very very proud proud of of all all Texas Texas Wesleyan's Wesleyan's graduating graduating seniors. seniors.