The South Texan Vol. 94 Issue 6

The South Texan The Award-Winning Texas A&M University-Kingsville Student Publication

Thursday, October 10, 2019 Volume 94, Issue 6 TheSouthTexan.com

Athletics

How to Adult

Page 10

Page 7

Roach marks his first anniversary as athletic director at TAMUK.

The South Texan

TAMU system bans vaping

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ILIANA FLORES Managing Editor The use of vapes and electronic cigarettes will soon be banned on campus after Texas A&M University (TAMU) System Chancellor John Sharp sent out an announcement for all in the A&M system early last week.

Electronic cigarettes and vapes have been in the news often recently as there have been 1,080 reported cases of lung injures connected to the use of these products and 18 deaths as of Oct. 1, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The threat of students at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK), and other schools in the TAMU System, getting the lung disease associated with vapes caused Sharp to issue the ban.

“I do not want to take any unnecessary chances with the health of our students, faculty and staff. To that end, I am directing the presidents of each of the 11 universities and the directors of the eight state agencies within The Texas A&M University System to ban the use of e-cigarettes and vaping as soon as possible,” Sharp said in a memo sent to students, faculty and staff.

TAMUK has submitted the revision

Photo By Aryssa Enriquez

The TAMUK ban on vaping looms ahead. of the university’s “Smoke-Free Environment” policy to include the ban on electronic cigarettes and vapes to the TAMU Office of General Counsel for final approval.

TAMUK is also looking into becoming a tobacco and smoke free campus meaning traditional cigarettes will be banned as well after the Student Government Association passed a resolution for the transition.

The university will be holding three forums to get input from students, faculty and staff on becoming tobacco and smoke free.

The student session will be at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 6. The staff session is at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 13 and for faculty, the session will be held at 3 p.m. on Nov. 19. All forums will be held in the Memorial Student Union in room 221 A&B. Currently, smoking on campus is

prohibited in all “No Smoking” areas and in all universityowned buildings, athletic stadiums, retail service areas and all vehicles owned or leased by Texas A&M UniversityKingsville.

However, smoking traditional cigarettes is not completely banned at TAMUK. “On university property, smoking is permitted in open-air

Vaping continued on Page 11

CFSS focuses on student wellbeing C.R. NEAL Editor-in-Chief

Second in a series on enrollment The university has been implementing various programs across campus to ensure students stay here until they complete their degrees. Their success is measured in the retention rate of the university.

Retention rates are one of the most important numbers to universities, because it tells them how many students are continuing to attend and if the student programs they implement are working.

Interim Associate Vice President for Student Success Shannon Baker, Ph.D said the programs are intended to increase student engagement and sup-

port.

“One of the main themes of our retention initiatives focuses on support and the other is connection, so if students feel supported and connected we believe that they are more likely to persist and receive their college degree,” Baker said.

A new program has joined the fray in the way of peer mentors. These peer mentors are assigned to various sections of the UNIV classes to help students adjust to life in college and teach them the skills they need to succeed.

Interacting with a peer mentor is voluntary, and the Center for Student Success (CFSS) hopes this will help to

Retention continued on Page 11

Thursday, October 10, 2019

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Campus

Have an upcoming event for us to cover? Email us at: thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu

Engineering students hear from Garcia TAMUK alumnus speaks to students about career at Exxon Mobil MARK GUTIERREZ Contributing Writer The path to satisfying jobs looks a lot brighter for the future engineering graduates of Texas A&M University-Kingsville, as many gathered around to listen to the words of Rolando Garcia, major projects manager at Exxon Mobil.

Garcia, a Texas A&I Alumnus, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering.

He has had a lengthy amount of time working at Exxon Mobil as a Projects Executive but moved his way up to Major Projects Manager.

However, Garcia was surprised that Exxon brought him on because civil engineers aren’t exactly what they look for. Garcia since then has overseen many projects.

However, it wasn’t always so straight forward for Garcia.

“I used to work at a photo store when I got out of high school ...at one point the manager liked me and he wanted to make me manager at one of his stores there...you’re talking to a kid in high school, whose making minimum wage and he starts talking about making X amount of wage. It wasn’t a lot more than minimum wage, but it was more,”

Garcia said, “my dad told me ‘look if you have the capability to go to college, then do it.

Why would you stop’?”

One student was eager to ask who inspired Garcia to become who he wanted to become.

“So my dad didn’t have the education that I had, but one thing he did do was he emphasized to me you know get in school stay in school and do well... as a man he was relatively intelligent but he just didn’t have the level of education Contributed photo opportunities, but Along with speaking to students, Rolando Garcia presented a donation to the Colhe was a mentor to lege of Engineering from Exxon Mobil. me,” Garcia said.

Garcia presented graduation and worried about whether my wants and needs. And to look back his experiences as if they could have they were going to be successful. and be thankful that I worked hard happened to anyone. Also, there were However, Garcia made it known that through college,” she said. some tips that students could learn there is still hope.

Garcia’s presentation hit the note that from.

“After hearing him and his experience despite the future looking vague and “I learned a lot in business class and it made me realize there is hope. There students may want to quit and settle for that seems to be important at Exxon, is a chance for me to actually get in a ca- less, it’s better to keep going since the they do some engineering, but I feel reer field I want to be,” Georgiana Gal- students have the educational opporlike business is important, too,” Abigail legos, architectural engineer major, said. tunities to complete college and they Gritton, architectural engineer major, “He [Garcia] seems happy and fi- should stick to it. said. nancially stable and that’s really what I Many students believe that it worked Afterwards, it seemed like there were want, to be happy and go to a job I want out well for Garcia, so it can work out many students who were approaching to go to, and enough money to support for them, too.

Unity to host Coming Out Event ILIANA FLORES Managing Editor Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) Unity members hope to spread the message of acceptance at their Coming Out Day Event at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11 in the Blue Room at Sam Fore Hall.

The Coming Out Day is an annual national celebration. This year, Unity decided they wanted to partake in the celebration by hosting an event on campus.

At the event, members of the LGBTQ+ community will be sharing their coming out stories. Those in attendance will also be invited to share if inclined during an open mic session.

Unity’s secretary Paula Marquardt said the event is not about expecting people to come out but is instead about coming together to show support and understanding as people share their thoughts and feelings from their coming out experiences.

“The purpose of this event is to show support by sharing our coming out stories. We want to share our experiences and help to relate and educate people on coming out to their family,” Marquardt said.

This will be Unity’s first year hosting the event which they hope will serve as a way for students to accept themselves and others.

“We decided to make this event because we believe in building a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community on campus, to let TAMUK students know we are here and proud,” Unity member Diana Luna said.

Alberto Oliveria, the vice president of Unity, believes the event will incite hope for those who attend.

“By sharing our personal coming out story, students of the LGBTQ+ community can let other students know that it will all be ok if and when they decide to come out,” Oliveria said.

While the Coming Out event is meant as a commemoration for LGTBQ+ students, all students are invited to show their support as allies.

“Students can further hear stories that don’t just entail coming out, but of an ally in support of his/her parent, daughter, son, sister, brother, niece, nephew, etc. It’s an opportunity for all students to have a better understanding of one major decision in the LGBTQ+ community that determines a better life in living your authentic self without shame of who we are or the community we represent,” Oliveria said.

Marquardt said those in attendance will have the opportunity to get insight on the different experiences, positive and negative, students have when coming out.

“It is important to attend so other people can hear and understand other people’s stories. We want to show others how we don’t all have the same stories or experiences. This is an event that will help others to understand struggles of the LGBTQ community as well as to support those who have not come out yet,” Marquardt said.

For 30 years the Human Rights Campaign has been celebrating National Coming Out Day. The day is meant to serve as reminder to members of the

LGBTQ+ community and its allies the importance of uniting. TAMUK Unity shares this goal as they work to increase awareness on campus.

“Unity strives to bring further awareness to the diverse population

that makes up the LGBTQ+ community, especially the one found here at our very own TAMUK campus. We need to continue to come together and unite to see a more inclusive society and student body,” Oliveria said.

Want to know about what’s happening on campus? Visit: thesouthtexan.com

Campus

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Time warp with APO at Rocky Horror APO creates a unique, interactive experience for students to enjoy ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ Campus Editor Alpha Psi Omega (APO) will take students through a time traveling experience to the ’70s through a complete experience of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Members of APO will create an interactive experience by selling prop bags to use throughout the film and providing students with a script for only $5 at 8 p.m., on Oct. 17 and 18, at the Little Theater.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a film that tells the story about transylvanian aliens being sent to Earth to study human behavior.

The alien leader is a scantly clad hyper sexual scientist who has created a perfect man to satisfy his “needs” in his castle on top of a creepy hill.

Two young college students are traveling when the car breaks down near the castle.

In an effort to find help and a phone they happen upon the castle and are

taken in by the strange alien cult which leads to a night of chaos.

Each year, this iconic film is presented by the Aurora Theater and at the Alamo Drafthouse in Corpus Christi.

Alpha Psi Omega seeks to offer students the opportunity to experience Rocky Horror without having to commute.

All money raised will go in support of the APO organization.

“Students can expect a complete interactive experience. We are doing a throwback to the original screening they used to have of Rocky Horror in New York City which was hugely popular in the ’70s and ’80s .... some of our theater people will be dressed as characters in the movie and will be performing the scenes live in front of the screen as the movie is showing,” Laurie Hoefelmeyer, Parliamentary of APO, said.

The audience will be able to engage with the cast by using props and being able to shoot at the cast members with squirt gun.

Students will be able to participate during the film creating a unique experience.

“People are welcome to dress up and we will be selling prop bags for people to use to interact with the movie.

People are welcome to get up and sing and a dance along… purpose is to host

a fun event and give students a fun thing to do on the weekend,” Devin Hamblin, APO business manager, said.

Students are encouraged to attend this event, which organizers say will be full of fun.

“I look forward to seeing the joy it brings to people. I know we need as much joy in this time and age. Students can expect a popular cult classic movie to enjoy…” Robin Machuca, member of Alpha Psi Omega, said.

SARAH REYNA Reporter The Interfraternity Council will be hosting a library relief for students from12 to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 16 at the Memorial Student Union Building.

“This event has been put on for multiple semesters, and serves as a pickme-up for students to help with midterms. The library relief will provide

them with free scantrons, number two pencils, erasers, candy and granola bars to help get through their tests,” IFC Executive Board Member Samuel Munoz said.

In previous years, this event was hosted by both fraternity and sorority members, however this year the council wanted to try a different and separate approach to help students.

“Our IFC council wanted to continue the library relief station which gives out free goodies to help students push through midterms.

“And, our Sorority women wanted to give students options to have a ‘coffee shop’ study atmosphere, which will allow students to have a different environment other than the library to

Meet the Mentors

Cynthia Covarrubias is a peer mentor at the Center for Student Success. Covarrubias is a senior studying Agronomy and is from Laredo, Texas. Here is more about her.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies include shopping, sleeping and spending time with family and friends.

Photo courtesy of Folioweekly .com

If you don’t prepare, prepare to fail IFC helps students prepare for midterms

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study,” Fraternity and Sorority Life Coordinator Jessica Montenegro said.

Attending this event is something students should consider doing; it does not take much time to do and gives students the opportunity to get free school supplies for the semester.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for students to be able to receive some free school supplies, because some students may not be able to purchase them on their own,” Lezlie Garcia, communication major, said.

The Office for Student Activities encourages students to participate in this event with midterms just around the corner.

Students will be able to pick up essential school supplies that will en-

Expires 10-17-19

What do you look forward to as a student mentor?

As a student mentor, I look forward to the many opportunities to teach the freshmen some methods of surviving college, as well as having the communication that is needed with the students so they can feel comfortable and confident within the college environment.

What are your goals?

One of my goals is to graduate by Fall 2020 with my Bachelor’s in Agronomy. In addition, I would like to work as an U.S. Custom Agriculture Specialist after graduation.

If you could pick an actor to play you in a movie who would it be?

Why? I would pick Dulce Maria because when she played Roberta Pardo in Rebelde, she had a strong character.

What is the best part of being a TAMUK student?

The best part of being a TAMUK student is that you get to have a close bond with the professors. The classes are small; therefore, you can have more one-on-one time with the professors.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

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Opinion

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The Greta Thunberg Effect The South Texan The First Amendment “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances.”

The South Texan is a student publication produced by Texas A&M University- Kingsville students. The views, opinions and commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas A&M University system. The South Texan uses student fees in part to publish. The South Texan is part of the Art, Communications, and Theatre Department (ACT), The Javelina Broadcast Network (JBN), and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA).

STAFF C.R. Neal Editor-in-Chief Iliana Flores Managing Editor Aryssa Enriquez Campus Editor

GABRIELLA MASTROIANNI

Reporter

She began her journey in August 2018 protesting outside the Swedish Parliament every day after school.

From there, Greta Thunberg took off to become one of the most influential youth figures in the world.

At the age of 15, Thunberg kick-started the “School Strike for Climate” movement. Students around the world joined her in Fridays for Future. She first made an appearance at the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference before attending the UN Climate Action Summit in New York in September 2019.

Born on Jan. 3, 2003 in Stockholm, Sweden, Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg is a 16-year-old environmental activist that has risen to fame in the past two years. Time magazine featured her on their cover and claimed her a next generation leader.

Thunberg has been granted several honors such as the fellowship of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, the Fryshuset Scholarship of the Young Role Model of the Year, the German Goldene Kamera Special Climate Protection award, and nominated for the

Photo courtesy of vox.com

Greta Thunberg addresses world leaders at UN climate summit Nobel Peace Prize. She was also named Swedish Woman of the Year by Swedish Women’s Educational Association and listed in the top 25 most influential people in 2018 by Time magazine.

Thunberg is taking the world by storm with her blunt and outspoken opinions on the climate crisis. Back in 2018, she handed out leaflets explaining why she was protesting: “I am doing this because you adults are [expletive deleted] on my future.” Thunberg believes in four main themes: due to climate change humanity is facing an existential crisis, the current generation of adults is responsible for climate change, climate change will have a disproportionate effect on young people, and that very little is being done about the situation. In her efforts to help reduce pollution, Thunberg has stopped

using air travel and exempts meat from her diet. Her family has also joined her in adapting to this new lifestyle. In her speech at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York last month, Thunberg made valuable points about the critical need of decreasing pollution.

Thunberg states that by 2030 we must reduce CO2 emissions by 80 percent, double the goal set by the Paris Agreement.

Greta Thunberg, although young, is an educated, strong-willed activist receiving criticism by older generation politicians for her age, blunt and truthful facts, and her mass following.

Whether people agree with her, Thunberg is becoming the face of our future and our generation. And at this rate, we will possibly be seeing her as a national leader in the future.

Weather woes for fall clothes

Dylan Dozier Sports Editor Jaylin Morales Advertising Manager Kelby Sprinkles Online Editor Reporters Adam Pena Brenda Riojas Sarah Reyna Gabriella Mastroianni Photographer Amanda DeFrees Nicole Morris Adviser Advertising For advertising inquiries, e-mail The South Texan at thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu or call (361) 593-4370.

Letters to the Editor Letters must be typed, signed and include a phone number. Letters considered for publication must be 300 words or fewer. Letters may be emailed to thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu The South Texan, Manning Hall 165, Texas A&M University-Kingsville Kingsville, Texas 78363

BRENDA RIOJAS Reporter Every day I have to make the difficult decision of what I’ll be wearing.

Sometimes I’ll stay up late the night before deciding or putting together an outfit for the next day, just so I don’t have to waste time in the morning.

However, this plan hardly works out this time of year because the Texas weather is so unpredictable.

As we now approach mid-October, when is it the right time to start wearing fall clothes?

I’ve been told that after Labor Day is the time to start putting away your thin summer shirts, and bring out your cardigans. I actually don’t find myself doing this, instead in September I still find myself wearing nearly the same clothes I did when it was summer time.

I find myself still wearing sandals all through October.

As we’re approaching mid-October now, I like to check the weather for the upcoming days and just barely start to

Photo courtesy of Mamamia

Weather challenges wardrobe choices. get out my fall clothes ready to wear.

I don’t find myself fully transitioning my wardrobe in one setting.

I slowly start to bring it out and eventually it’s all found hung up in my closet once again.

Being a commuter student doesn’t give me the freedom to change my entire outfit in the middle of the day if the weather changes.

I find myself wearing the wrong choices of outfit that don’t match the weather on most days during the season. For instance, when I wake up in the morning and it’s dark and chilly I’ll wear blue jean pants and a long

sleeve shirt. Then later on when I get to school the sun will unexpectedly come out and the temperature will suddenly rise with heat.

A lesson I’ve learned in being in this type of situation, is to just layer my clothes.

Wearing jeans, a thin shirt and scarf or jacket in the morning when it’s cooler and removing the scarf or jacket once it’s warmed up for the day. So, is there really any way to prepare a start into transitioning wearing fall and winter clothes with the Texas heat?

We just have to be patient and constantly keep up with the forecast.

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Opinion

Thursday, October 10, 2019

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The not-so-wild American West

ADAM PENA Reporter The American Old West in its most represented manifestation in media, is a period of time that stretches roughly from the 19th to early 20th century.

But, the related territorial expansion of the nation had begun shortly after America secured its independence from Great Britain and lasted until the most recent annexations of Alaska and Hawaii into the union in 1959. It provokes images of cowboys on horseback, stagecoach robberies and daring gunfights in dusty town streets. It is a common setting for fiction in various forms of media, most recently Rockstar Games’s Red Dead Redemption 2, set to release for players on PC next month. For most, these fictionalized accounts of history portray the Old West as a violent place where gunfights and outlaw desperados are a daily occurrence. However, the real history of the West may show that it is not so wild as one may think.

Despite it being a contentious issue today, towns on the American Frontier typically possessed strict gun control laws that would require gun-toting

Photo courtesy of techradar.com

Gunfighting from Red Dead Redemption 2. cowboys to disarm before wandering around town, according to Smithsonian Magazine. In fact, one of the most famous shootouts in the Old West at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Ariz., on Oct. 26 , 1861 occurred as a result (among other reasons) of Marshall Virgil Earp, his brothers Wyatt, Morgan and Doc Holliday, attempting to disarm a group of cowboys.

“Tombstone has much more restrictive laws on carrying guns in public in the 1880s than it has today,” Adam Winkler, a professor at the UCLA School of Law and specialist in Ameri-

can constitutional law and gun policy, said. “Today, you’re allowed to carry a gun without a license or permit on Tombstone streets. Back in the 1880s, you weren’t.”

One of the main sources of violence on the frontier, the Independent Institute asserts, is the conflict between American settlers and the American Indians who lived on those lands. After the conclusion of the Civil War, violence would erupt between native tribes and American settlers, frequently resulting in the intervention of the U.S. Army. The most famous of these

clashes occurred at Little Bighorn River in southeastern Montana Territory in June 1876. It is frequently referred to as “Custer’s Last Stand” as it resulted in the death of U.S. Army Major General and Civil War veteran George A. Custer.

So, if you were to hop in your time-travelling DeLorean and travel back to 1885, leave your guns at the door before you go into a saloon. While the Old West has its place in American culture and fiction, the real faces and events behind the gun smoke are quite different than you may think.

Man on the Street This Week’s Question:

What are your thoughts on the upcoming ban of vapes and e-cigarettes on campus?

Name: Brianna Brietzke Major: Pre-Pharmacy “Honestly, I am quite happy about it. Having asthma and everything, it really helps out a lot!”

Compiled by: Gabriella Mastroianni

Name: Jesus Castillon Major: Music “Hopefully the sub will stop smelling so bad from everyone vaping all the time in it.”

Name: Vyctoria Rodriguez Major: Vet Tech “I am for the ban of vapes and e-cigarettes on campus because we should take care of our body. We are also in the process of preparing for our future and with stress and being busy with school we should want our body in the best form as possible. But in a way I can see how the ban will not work because there are many other areas that it is allowed, so people can just go there and continue to vape or use the e-cigarette.

Name: Sergio Perez Major: Music “I personally do not use vapes or e-cigarettes, but I feel the A&M University System shouldn’t ban them.

Everyone has a personal reason on why they use them and I’m sure users are aware that there has been death and injury victims. On the other hand, I do understand the concern A&M has for its students. In all honesty, even though they are completely banned, students will still continue to use these outside of campus. I hope students follow what A&M has ruled to avoid any disciplinary consequences.”

Thursday, October 10, 2019

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Entertainment

Do you know alumni we should write a story on? Let us know at: thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu

Honoring Hispanic Alumni

Hernandez, Pena and Flores talk about careers, time at TAMUK graduate from the class of 2015 and double majored in Communication Speech and Journalism. While working on her bachelor’s degree, HernanAs the university is a historically dez worked at The South Texan, and Hispanic serving institution, Hispanic was part of the Javelina Broadcast NetJavelina alumni have impacted their work. The Javelina Broadcast Network communities in many ways such as highlighted articles from The South through mass media, education and Texan, and featured sports reporters business. to update Javelina Nation on the latest Along with serving their communi- games. ty, these alumni have helped pave a Hernandez’s decision to come to TApath of success and inspire future gen- MUK derived from wanting to follow erations of Hispanic students to reach in her older cousin’s footsteps. their goals despite obstacles they face.

Initially Hernandez wanted to study Alumnus Sydney Hernandez is a to go into law enforcement, but after watching a crime TV show broadcasting the disappearance of a news reporter, Hernandez changed her mind.

“I watched this show, and I wanted to be a reporter and when the reporter went missing you could see the way the community, and the way she impacted them…This is really what I want to be and it still connected to crime, it shows the good, the bad, and the ugly. I thought it was good,” Hernandez said.

After graduating TAMUK, Hernandez worried if she would be able to get a job in the media industry beContributed photo cause of her last name.

Hernandez, left, with co-anchor on CBS 4 “I remember being News.

ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ Campus Editor

hesitant because I didn’t know if I could get a job because of my last name or if people would think ‘She’s really short or too dark.’… Luckily, I didn’t have an issue and it hasn’t stopped me,” Hernandez said.

After applying to several jobs, Hernandez was finally hired at KWKTTV in Waco, Texas where she focused on military and crime stories in the Fort Hood-Killeen area.

Hernandez is now an award winning reporter who covers border, crime and breaking news for the Rio Grande Valley through CBS Channel 4 Photo courtesy of San Perlita ISD News. Recently Hernan- Albert Pena, graduate of the class of 1986. dez, has been nominated for three Emmy awards.

Hernandez continues Pena is originally from Laredo, where to work hard and inspire the commu- the population is primarily Hispanic. nity to chase after all their goals.

Coming to A&I offered a sense of culAlbert Pena is another successful tural diversity for him. alumnus who has impacted the realm His exceptional ACT score in matheof education in the city of San Perlita matics earned him numerous scholarwhere he serves as the Superintendent ships and made him a great fit for the of San Perlita Independent School university.

Dirstict.

During his time as a student, Pena “I’m in a position where I can in- enjoyed being part of the Lambda Chi fluence teachers in a broad scales and fraternity. develop skills, it’s a responsibility that After he graduated, Pena became I don’t’ take lightly…and there’s a a lab instructor for an engineering great feeling when a graduate says ‘I course. A friend later helped him find couldn’t have done it without you,’” a job at a junior high where he taught Pena said. math.

Pena is a Javelina graduate from the Hispanic Alumni class of 1986; he earned his Bachelor’s contiued on Page 11 degree in Natural Gas Engineering.

91.1 The One radio shows on campus ILIANA FLORES Managing Editor Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s radio station 91.1 FM will once again be featuring your favorite DJs and talk shows. Make sure to tune in!

The Tea: In the age of social media, Twitter drama and celebrity gossip, it can be hard to keep up with pop culture news. That’s why each week hosts Etta Enow and Troy Sanchez discuss everything from celebrity gossip to campus news on The Tea. As the hosts say, “If it’s tea worthy, chances are we’ll spill it.” While the show discusses the latest pop culture news, rumors and drama, DJ Etta-E and DJ T-Roy also like to talk with Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) students to hear their thoughts on trending topics.

To keep up with all things and learn about campus and community events, follow The Tea @TamukTea on Twitter.

The Lounge: The Lounge is a new show on air this semester hosted by Jorvis McGee. Each week, McGee will have special guests on to discuss the latest campus, community and national news. The Lounge will air twice weekly with an early morning show and late afternoon show. Guests in the morning will be faculty, staff and administration such as TAMUK President Hussey. The afternoon show

will have student guests such as the President of the Student Government Association. The show aims to help students understand the importance of networking and connecting with those on campus who can help them succeed.

The Snake Pit: For anyone who is interested in hearing about local music talent, tune in to the new radio show The Snake Pit. The Snake Pit is hosted by Rolando Castillo, Laurie Hoefelmeyer and Jesse Ochoa and was created as a way to support local music. Every Friday, the hosts of the show bring on local talent to talk about their music. The hosts also discuss local bands they have heard and recommend concerts to attend for that upcoming weekend. As the motto of the show says “Today’s local band is tomorrow’s headliner.”

The Grand Slam: In the fast-paced world of entertainment, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest happenings. To help listeners facilitate what they should spend their time and money on, Edgar Vazquez and friends talk about all things entertainment.

Alongside his guests, Vazquez shares his opinions and recommendations for movies, TV shows, video games and even comics. You can catch The Grand Slam every Friday to hear from Vazquez and friends.

Do you have something you would like us to review? Let us know your thoughts @thesouthtexan

Entertainment

Thursday, October 10, 2019

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Book tells The Ride of a Lifetime BRENDA RIOJAS Reporter In his latest book titled The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company, Robert Iger speaks of his time as the CEO of the Walt Disney Company.

In spring 1995 Iger, the CEO of Disney, couldn’t begin to fathom how it was just the beginning of his long career which would eventually led him to running Disney one day.

“I’ve generally tried over the years to keep my eye on the job I have and not the jobs I might someday have, but the thought that I might have a shot at running Disney one day was hard to ignore,” Iger said Iger knew through instinct that if he stuck with Disney all these years, he’d eventually work his way up and become the CEO of Disney.

He stayed faithful at other jobs before, hoping to move up in the ranks, but for this job he knew that even through the difficult times staying would be worth it.

For those who read Iger’s autobiography, it’s difficult to relate to the situations he endures, but it is very intriguing to be informed of his experiences.

Almost every deal he has made throughout his career is nearly sucess-

ful. For each deal, whether it was for Pixar, Fox or Marvel, he explained the thought process behind it and how each step led to the success of the deal.

In the book, Iger informs the reader that “This book is not a memoir, but it’s impossible to talk about the traits that have served me well over the course of my professional life and not look back

at my childhood.”

He delves into this as he discusses how his father, who suffered from depression, had a huge impact on the kind of person he grew up to be.

“We never knew which Dad was coming home at night, and I can distinctly recall sitting in my room on the second floor of our house, knowing by the sound of the way he opened and shut the door and walked up the steps whether it was happy or sad Dad,” Iger said.

For Iger, being around his father was never easy, but he always treasured the happy moments and advice his father gave him.

He mentions in an interview with Robin Roberts how his father’s depression impacted him.

“It also created resilience and the ability to just understand the world was far from perfect and people were far from perfect, even loved ones,” Iger said Iger’s daily routine begins at 4:15 a.m. with a workout. This commitment and dedication prove it is no coincidence his work ethic, core values and now his well-written book are just as strong as he is.

Iger also stresses that each person

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he’s encountered throughout his career is an incredibly great person and how each person has made an impact on his life.

He mentions that he’s an extremely lucky person and his life is “dreamlike.”

After reading this book, I believe Iger was always at the right place at the right time and said the right words at the right time.

He was smart with his decisions and the words he used around people which helped him get to the top of the Walt Disney Company.

Adulting 101: How to iron clothes KELBY SPRINKLES Online Editor Once you have mastered the art of laundering clothes, it’s time to learn an even more sophisticated skill: ironing.

Learning how to iron your own clothing will not only improve your appearance, but it will impress your perpetually unimpressed mother.

Before you begin, make sure there are no stains on the clothing items you have selected to iron. If you apply heat from the iron, the stains will set and be

impossible to remove.

Next, you will need a hard and flat surface to iron upon. Typically, an ironing board would be the best option.

However, other hard surfaces such as a dining table, vanity or coffee table will suffice. In addition, make sure that the surfaces of both the ironing board and the iron’s base plate are clean.

After choosing your preferred surface, read the garment care label attached to the sizing tag of the clothing item. The garment care label will instruct you as to which heat setting is appropriate for the item. Additionally,

you can do an internet search to find out which settings are best for different types of fabric.

Then, turn the article of clothing inside out or onto the opposite side of how you would normally wear it.

For most fabrics, it is best to iron them when they’re slightly damp. This could be achieved by spraying the item with water, removing it from the dryer a few minutes early or using the water tank compartment within the iron itself. Be sure to use only distilled water when filling the water tank.

Now that you are ready to begin

ironing, be sure to stretch the fabric out over your flat surface.

Begin pressing the iron upon the fabric and gently move it back and forth over the garment’s surface. Never iron over folds or bunched areas of fabric.

This will only create more wrinkles.

Additionally, do not iron over buttons, zippers or decals. After a few minutes of applying this motion, the fabric should start to appear less wrinkly.

Once you’re satisfied with your results, hang the freshly pressed item to avoid causing any further wrinkles.

Sports

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8

For live game updates Follow us on Twitter: @thesouthtexan

Javelina Volleyball picks up road wins

Photo courtesy of Javelina athletics.

Jordan Wonders rises for the kill.

TAMUK comes away with three wins on road trip SABRINA GONZALEZ Contributing Writer

The women’s volleyball team wrapped up another long week of play with four matches on the road and one at home. They finished their

week with three wins and two losses.

The Blue and Gold have a 4-0 record in their division, 5-1 record in conference and sit with a 14-6 record overall.

They traveled to Oklahoma and took on the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers and the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs. Back in Texas they went to Lubbock to go head-tohead with the Lubbock Christian Lady Chaps and finished the week against the Texas A&M International Dustdevils with a home game at the Steinke Physical Education Center in Kingsville and an away game in Laredo.

The Javelinas have put up great numbers on offense and defense so far this season, but it’s clear that there have been games where they struggled more in some areas.

“The girls have responded well to the adversity but I think we still have to work on some offensive stuff and I think our defense right now is carrying us,” Coach Tanya Allen said.

In their first matchup of the week the Javelinas fell to the Rangers in four sets (25-21, 25-19, 22-25, 25-20). Sophomore Jordan Wonders ended the match with a career high 11 kills and five digs, se-

Javelinas fall to Lions in conference contest

Commerce pulls away in the second frame EDGAR SOLIS Contributing Writer

The Javelinas, showing out in their throwback uniform, lost their third conference game Saturday night to Texas A&M Commerce at Pepsi Field at Javelina Stadium.

Both teams struggled to get on the score board in the beginning of the game, turning over the ball on each of their first drives.

“The turnover bug bit us again. That first drive we drove down and fumbled on about the 10-yard line. They hadn’t shown any ability to stop us on that first drive. We needed to put a touchdown on the board, which would have helped things, and so we hurt ourselves,” Head Coach Daren Wilkinson said. “That’s been a theme with this football team and these losses that we’ve had. We find a way to hurt ourselves, whether it’s with penalties or turnovers.”

The Lion’s offense, led by quarterback Miklo Small, got on the score-

board first after a 51-yard run by Antonio Lealiiee set up a three-yard touchdown pass from Small to Eric Hebert. The Lions added to their touchdown with a 24-yard field goal early in the second quarter.

The Javelina defense was able to hold the Lions for the rest of the quarter forcing them to punt in five out of their-next-six drives. The Javelinas were able to get on the scoreboard and get back in the game before the half with a six-yard touchdown pass by quarterback Cade Dyal to redshirt freshman Amonte Bowen. However, in the point after attempt Darius Williams blocked the field goal kick and Alex Shillow ran the ball back to the end zone for an extra two points to make it 12-6 before the half for the Lions.

“We just got something going there at the end of the first half in two-minute mode and scored and felt like we had some momentum at halftime, and they did a great job of coming out in the second half and taking the fight to us when we had the momentum. The game was lost for us in the third quarter. We couldn’t match their momentum or the tide they started rolling in our direction,” Wilkinson said.

Javelinas corral ball carrier.

Lealiiee added another big run in the game, but this time ending in a touchdown for 56 yards for the 19-6 lead for the Lions. That was later followed by a 62-yard throw from Small to Darian Owens to extend the lead even more.

Smalls later completed his third and final touchdown pass of the game to Ryan Stokes on a 34-yard connection with six minutes left in the third quarter. That was the last scoring drive of the night, which put the Lions up 33-6 over the Javelinas.

Dyal was sacked four times and still managed to finish the game with 189 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. Donte Ross led the

nior Melanie Casteel blasted 10 kills and sophomore Kailey Estrada picked up eight kills. Despite a good team effort, the Javs couldn’t pull it off, only winning one set.

In the second match of the week the Blue and Gold came from behind to defeat the Bulldogs in five sets (2516, 21-25, 16-25, 25-21, 15-9). Casteel finished with 11 kills, sophomores Lauren Kadilis and Emily North both recorded 20 assists a piece. The first set started off strong as the Javs never

VB Games Continued on Page 10

Photo courtesy of Javelina athletics

receiver group with 63 yards, Darrian Hambrick and Devin Milburn were targeted the most. As for the defense, Tre ‘Michael Tutt and Josh Wilson were the leading tacklers for the Javelinas with eighth and six tackles for the night.

“We’ve got six games left and were going to take them one at a time, but if we can’t come back to practice on Monday with some fight in us, it’s going to be a long season,” Wilkinson said. “It’s on these guys now. They have to rally around each other, fight and work hard.”

Next week the Javelinas will take on Western Oregon in Kingsville.

Want the full story on all things Blue and Gold? Visit us at thesouthtexan.com

Sports

Thursday, October 10, 2019

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Dodge, duck, dip, dive, and ……

Photo taken by Aryssa Enrriquez

Recreation participants put the five Ds of dodgeball on display.

Rec facility hosts dodgeball games DYLAN DOZIER Sports Editor Javelina gamers converged on the recreation complex last week to throw their hat into the dodgeball arena.

Participating teams included the Cobras, Balls in your Face and Tahcuaches.

The year’s first open-registration competition included five sets of

games, a cinematic, come-from-behind victory and a dislocated pinky.

Rebecca Johnstan and Hector Rivas supervised the competition and plan to hold more competitions in the coming weeks.

“We host a tournament every Wednesday after the second week of school. There’s kickball, pickleball, there’s different ones through the semester,” Rivas said.

Rivas enjoys watching the students engage in friendly competition and appreciates the mental and physical benefits of such tournaments.

“It’s a way to get some stress out and at the same time exercise,” Rivas said.

Faced with a double-elimination, Balls in your Face fell behind one game in the final found. In Cinderella fashion, they won four games in a row to survive elimination and claim the crown.Tournaments and competitions hosted at the rec provide students with an opportunity to compete athletically without bearing the commitments required of NCAA student-athletes. It also provides ex-student-athletes with a place to continue physical competition.

“I’ve been a baseball player for four years now, this is my fifth year so I’m a super senior. I like throwing stuff, it’s cool…It was fun do this, plus I’ve got a

great group of friends,” Joshua Valdez, civil engineer student, said.

Business marketing student Caleb Hanks and his roommates participated in Wednesday’s event, hoping to capitalize on the open opportunity to engage in the friendly-firefight.

“We are all roommates and it’s cool that we get to do this [participate in tournaments] in school…It’s a lot of fun with a little bit of competition,” Hanks said.

Extra-curricular activities will continue. Information on the student recreation center is available online and on all social media outlets.

A decade of grassroots fitness CrossFit begins five week Open DYLAN DOZIER Sports Editor The shortest off-season in the history of the world’s new favorite fitness competition is coming to a close, as athletes all over the world are prepping for the 2020 CrossFit Games Open.

Workout announcements will coincide with a head-to-head throw down between Games veteran Scott Panchik and four-time Games champion Rich Froning. The workout is taking place in Austin, Tx. Only 67 days separate the announcement of workout 20.1 and the closing ceremonies of the 2019 CrossFit Games.

The last 10 years of Open competition has ran primarily during the month of February, giving athletes six months to train, recover and prepare for the national competition.

CrossFit Director and Programmer Dave Castro will announce a new work out to be performed by registered Open athletes. Athletes will submit their score online and recover while they wait for the next week’s workout to be announced.

Participants hoping to have their scores qualified must validate video submissions by following guidelines available on CrossFit.com. Any athlete registered for the Open is also subject

Mat Fraser cleans 380 lbs. at the 2019 CrossFit Games. to random drug testing.

After five weeks of the Open, the top men and women in each eligible country are declared national champions and qualify for the CrossFit Games.

National champions and the top 20 from the Open compete for the title of Fittest on Earth at the CrossFit Games, held in Madison, Wisc.

Though qualifying for the games is at the forefront of Open-season discus-

sion, most of the athletes participating in this year’s Open are doing so in the spirit of self-betterment. This is the same spirit that drives performance on a daily basis in affiliate gyms across the globe, but the inclusiveness of the Open competition provides participants with a universally singular focus.

Most of Castro’s favorite movements in Open competition are body-weight

Photo courtesy of games.crossfit.com

exercises. Chest-to-bar, toes-to-bar, and double-unders have been the trifecta of the Open, programmed in every competition since its inception in 2011. Thrusters are the only bar-movement included in every workout in the Open’s 10-year run.

Workouts can be accessed online and can be conducted at any CrossFit affiliae or any place that has weightlifting and fitness equipment.

Sports

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Meghan Merlino dives to make the play.

VB Games Continued from Page 8 let the Bulldogs take the lead and they took the win. The second set started the same way with the Javelinas on top, but the Bulldogs quickly stopped that and jumped ahead. The Javelinas came close to tying it up several times but they couldn’t take the lead and the Bulldogs took the second set. In the third set, the Bulldogs came out hot and took the lead 10-3, the Javelinas closed on them once but the Bulldogs pushed away once again and took the third set. The fourth set is where it got turned around and the Javelinas kept the lead for all of the set and punched another win to even it up at two wins a piece. In the final set the Javelinas came out ready and racked up the first five points in the set. The Bulldogs

came within one point of the Javelinas and this is when the Javelinas rallied and took the fifth set to win the match.

The third match for the Javelinas had them set up against the Lady Chaps who pulled off the win after five sets (11-25, 12-25, 25-19, 25-21, 15-8). Sophomore Nicole Murff ended the match with 29 digs in total and Casteel fired off 13 kills. In the first two sets of the match, the Javelinas came out hot and held the Lady Chaps to only 23 points total in both sets and started the match off with two wins. The third set went a little different with the Lady Chaps taking the lead and never giving it back to take their first win of the match. The fourth was back and forth for most of the set until the Lady Chaps stole the lead, the Javs came within one point but the Lady Chaps stopped them and tied it up at two wins each. In the final

For live game updates follow us on social media: @thesouthtexan

Photo courtesy of Javelina Athletics

set the visiting team started on top but the Lady Chaps quickly flipped things around and pounced on top to take the win.

In their fourth matchup of the week, the Blue and Gold defeated the Dustdevils at home in four sets (25-18, 2628, 25-15, 25-18). Talleyshia Morris had a career high 10 blocks, with Wonders churning out 10 kills and nine blocks.

The Javelina offense was on fire in this matchup. Junior Roxanne Morris fired off eight kills and sophomore Kelsi Luckenbach recorded seven kills of her own. The Javelinas came out hot and stole the first set by punching a big lead that the Dustdevils tried to close in on but couldn’t catch up. The second set went to the Dustdevils after a back and forth set that went to 28. The Dustdevils took the lead in the third set, but the Javelinas came back and

went ahead full force. The Javs held them to 15 points in this set and never let them take the lead again. In the final set, the Javelinas stole the show once again and took a 10-3 lead. The Dustdevils came within two points of the Javelinas but they couldn’t hold back the Javelina offense who kept going to take the win over International.

The Blue and Gold played in front of a loud crowd that helped pump up the energy in the gym.

“Just having the crowd to build up your energy a little bit more, it helps a lot,” Talleyshia Morris said.

To finish off the week, the Javelinas went up against the Dustdevils once again defeating them in three sets (2826, 25-19, 25-19). Murff recorded 20 digs and Wonders fired off 11 more kills to help lead the team to victory.

The first set started off back and forth until the Dustdevils took the lead and then traded the lead several times before TAMUK rallied back to take the first set. In the next set, the Javs trailed behind the Dustdevils to start but rallied once again to take the lead away and never looked back. The final set of the week started with the home team in the lead once again, and then trading the lead several times before the Javelinas doubled down and pushed forward to secure the sweep.

The Javelinas have had several weeks of traveling to away games during the week and on the weekends but have finished up with non-conference play and will be back to just playing on Friday and Saturday.

“We’ll have more home games in this half so the energy and momentum will carry us and we’re gonna work hard in practice every day and do what we can to win,” Wonders said.

TAMUK hits the road this week with games in Austin and San Antonio.

Steve Roach’s first year as A.D One year down for new admin ROXANNE MORRIS Contributing Writer Texas A&M University-Kingsville Athletic and Campus Recreation Director Steve Roach celebrated his oneyear anniversary at the university Oct. 1.

While being here in Kingsville for only a year, he has already made changes and showing progress in building programs; not only in athletics, but for the university as a whole.

“I think the coaches and I have developed great relationships and bonds over this past year, ultimately that’s where it starts before any type of change happens,” Roach said. “There is always room for improvement and seeing how much we can change is really exciting, especially with our faculties and that is my main focus right now - figuring out how we can build our brand and the student athletes more than we are now.”

Since 2018, TAMUK has made multiple new hires in the athletic department, including new head women’s basketball coach, Michael Madrid, who was hired in May 2019.

Madrid was Roach’s first head coach hire.

“I was his first hire here at Kings-

ville, so it’s really nice to have that bond and go through that process with him as me being the first head coach he hired,” Madrid said. “How professional and down to earth he is makes it so easy to work for him.”

Head volleyball coach Tanya Allen says Roach is supportive of TAMUK coaches.

“It’s a good experience getting to work for him; he is different than our previous A.D. He has great ideas and hopes for the future,” she said. “I think change takes time and that job title has a lot of pressure but how he is handling it and the support he gives us as coaches and our sports team is awesome.”

Roach has been the leader over Javelina athletics for a year now and doesn’t plan on stopping the growth anytime soon.

He hopes to still bring the joy and positive change to TAMUK for years to come.

“I want people to remember their time here in Kingsville, and have a comfortable feelings that at the end of the day my coaches and all the athletes know we care more about them as a human being and how they carry themselves more than just their win and loss record,” Roach said. “I want everyone to be proud to be a Javelina, and while I’m here, I’m going to try my hardest to make sure that happens.”

What events are happening on campus? Let us know at: thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu

News

Thursday, October 10, 2019

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Capt. Perez plays a pivotal role in ROTC ROTC adds officer with 10 years of experience in military ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ Campus Editor The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) welcomes Capt. David Perez to the university to help serve in striving to teach students to succeed in a multifaceted environment.

Perez serves as the new assistant professor of military science while simultaneously serving in the active duty.

Perez is originally from Pennsylvania and commissioned into the Army from Penn State University.

Perez has traveled the world throughout the past eight-and-a-half years. He first went to Virginia, and then was in Hawaii for three-to-four years before serving a year in Afghanistan. The U.S Army is designed for officers to explore different routes and career opportunities.

“The Army calls this a broadening opportunity, it kind of takes us away from our MOS… it takes me away, and kind of just broadens my development as an Army officer, and it gives me an opportunity to impact the future officer corp. because these students that join [ROTC] some of them are going to be logistics but some of them will be infrantry some finance….they’ll all

Vaping continued from Page 1 areas outside of buildings at a distance of at least 20 feet from any entrance door or window so that secondhand smoke will not interfere with the occupants of the buildings or individuals entering and exiting the buildings.

In athletic stadiums, smoking is permitted downwind and at least 20 feet away from the seating and vending areas,” the TAMUK 2019 Annual Securi-

Retention continued from Page 1 create authentic relationships.

Other support programs include the tutoring center on the second floor of the library, which provides tutors for a wide range of subjects and accepts walk-ins. The University Writing Center is also in the library, which is by appointment, and helps students write quality papers in every subject.

These two programs have been in place for a few years, but the CFSS is looking to ensure more students and faculty are informed about them.

“We’re working to make those services better known to people across campus and to also help faculty members better understand how those work, so they know who they should be directing over to our services,” Baker said.

Another new addition is social work interns who offer students referrals based on their needs to various resources and services across campus and in the community. These referrals will seek to get students the help they need including food insecurity, clothes for jobs and even eyewear.

Baker points out that some students’ academic performance is hindered by

go different ways but this gives me a chance to groom these officers and develop leadership skills in a broad base that is relatable in any field,” Perez said.

ROTC enhances students’ ability to adapt to new environments and aids in balancing academics, extracurricular activities and leadership responsibilities.

Students learn to time manage and how to work effectively in a team.

Perez hopes to enhance the ROTC experience for students and be able to influence them to be exceptional individuals.

“Capt. Perez provides a great amount of military experience, having served in the Army for 10 years at different leadership levels. His experience brings an integral education asset to assist in development and mentorship of Cadets into future Army Officers….

Dave brings an abundance of energy and creative thinking to the ROTC program. His eagerness to coach, teach and mentor young college kids into becoming ‘better’ not only in serving the nation as an officer, but also in contributing to society, is exceptional and well received by the ROTC Cadre and Cadets,” Professor of Military Science Lt. Col. Victor Diaz said.

As an ROTC student there will be several challenges that will test your boundaries both physically and emotionally. However, these challenges are beneficial for a student’s personal growth and development. Capt. Perez is determined to lead and help stu-

Contributed Photo

Perez (right) commissioning a cadet as an officer after completing the ROTC program. dents succeed in all their endeavors.

“Here at the TAMUK ROTC program we strive to challenge ourselves in order to become the best leaders possible. Our cadre, like Capt. Perez,

have led soldiers from squad to company sized elements and that kind of experience and expertise you cannot find anywhere else,” MS4 student Jose Gutierrez said.

ty and Annual Fire Safety Report said.

Since the announcement was made to TAMUK students, faculty and staff, there have been varying reactions from members of the campus community.

“I think it’s a good thing, young adults need to see the dangers of vaping and that just because it’s not cigarettes doesn’t mean it’s good for you,” former student Hope Rutherford said after hearing about the ban on Twitter.

Meanwhile, general business major Alexis Lopez, disagrees with the ban.

“I believe that we, as adults, know and understand the harm that comes with vaping/smoking. All of us at one point or another had to take a class or watch [a] presentation on the effects of drugs, smoking and alcohol. Even as freshmen the school made us do that education course about the effects of vaping and smoking as a requirement,” Lopez said, “By creating the ban the Chancellor is taking away one of the many freedoms that comes with becoming an adult...By not including

the majority of the school population in the vote to agree or disagree on this [decision]...is very biased and single minded.”

The TAMU System is one of many schools in the nation banning vape use on campus because of the health dangers associated with their usage.

In Texas, TAMU will now be joining the University of Texas System which banned e-cigarettes and the usage of all other tobacco products on its campuses in 2017.

what is going on at home.

“Often times it’s not academics that trip a student up; it’s what’s going on in their personal life,” Baker said. “We want our students to feel valued and that we care about them as individuals.”

While Baker and the CFSS have been fine-tuning these student resources, Vice President of Enrollment Management Maureen Croft has been working to get financial aid streamlined for students and getting their questions answered as quickly as possible regarding registration and financial aid.

All of these services and resources seek to improve TAMUK’s retention rate, which has been in the mid-to-high 60s during the past few years.

Their goal is to reach a retention rate of 70 percent, far above the national average of 62 percent for public four-year universities with open admissions, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Baker said the students’ wellbeing takes precedence over the statistics.

“Students need to know that if they’re feeling lost or they feel like this is too much for them, they should just come to the second floor of the library,” Baker said. “We are there to help them.”

Hispanic Alumni continued from Page 6 For over 30 years, Pena has worked in the realm of public education. Every day Pena impacts the education system, whether it be by attending a football game to support students or helping teachers develop skills to aid students. Pena strives to help students succeed and reach the best possible outcomes despite any challenge they might face.

“Be proud of who you are and don’t forget where you came from, though that’s not as important as where you are going,” Pena said.

Pena strongly encourages students to pursue the education and be the change they wish to see in the world around them.

Anna Flores is a proud Javelina graduate who seeks to help those in need. Flores is part of the class of 1996 and pursued a bachelors degree in accounting.

Flores started her career as an Internal Auditor for an oil and gas company in Fort Worth and has worked her way up into becoming the Controller for $100M nonprofit organization. Flores has worked as a CFO at a $45M nonprofit organization and has collective

Contributed photo

Anna Flores graduted in 1996.

job experiences throughout Texas.

Flores’ determination and management ability has contributed great success to the nonprofit organization she has worked for.

While studying at TAMUK, Flores recalls the hands-on experiences presented to her by her instructors.

“TAMUK prepared me by teaching me how to learn. My business teachers had working experience and made the lessons practical. Plus, my first job was a result of a career fair I attended at TAMUK,” Flores said.

Throughout her career, Flores has learned about how to manage financial audits, retirement audits, health/ welfare audits and grant management.

Her expertise has helped staff members become exceptional leaders.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

12

News

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Visit us at: TheSouthTexan.com

Keep it secret, keep it safe Nagel offers students tips for how to spot phishing attempts

LONNIE NAGEL

TAMUK Information Security Officer October is Cyber Security Awareness Month.

How appropriate.

Over the weekend the campus community received several emails with a subject line of “TAMUK PART TIME JOB OPPORTUNITIES” stating that they were looking for “MYSTERY SHOPPERS” in our area and they included a signature line that appears to be from TAMUK Job Placement and Student Services.

This is a well-known scam to try and trick you into providing your contact information for a nonexistent job. Once the scammers have your information the scam begins and here is how it works: 1.)

The scammers will contact you saying “Congratulations” that you have been selected for the position and to expect further details along with your first check for the amount specified on the website via FEDEX, UPS or Postal Service. They will also request that you deposit the check immediately into your bank account when you receive it.

2.) In a day or two, you will receive a package that contains the information on the position and a check. Again, you will be instructed to deposit the check immediately into your bank account. You will also see that the check included is for a far greater dollar amount then they said you would receive. Typically, there will be an extra zero in the dollar amount.

If you were expecting $300 then the check will be in the amount of $3000.

3.)

By the end of next day (and sometimes the same day) you will be contacted by the scammers saying that they have made a big mistake in the dollar amount that they wrote the check for. They will then ask that you return some of that amount, usually half, back to them via a Money Transfer (Western Union, etc). They will also tell you to just keep the remaining amount to reimburse you for your trouble.

4.) If you have followed through with the 3 steps above then the scam has been completed and 10 days after you deposit their check – you will receive notification from your bank that the check is a fake and that the funds do not exist so your account is being debited by the amount of the check.

5.) At a minimum – you have lost the money that you returned to the scammers plus whatever your bank charges you.

If you did receive the email but did not click the link and enter your contact information on the website then you are not at risk and you can simply delete the email you received.

At this point you are probably wondering why we were not able to prevent this type of email from getting through to the campus community.

Photo courtesy of liscio.me

Protect yourself from phishing attempts designed to steal your information.

Normally, we can and do block lots of bad email. In fact, approximately 90% of ALL incoming email is blocked because the senders are on our internal “Blocked Senders” list or because the email contains malware, viruses or malicious internet links.

The problem with emails such as the “Mystery Shopper” is that they contain none of the bad things that we can detect. In fact, these emails appear to be quite normal as seen by our security appliances and systems. These emails are commonly known as “Phishing” attempts.

Phishing is totally dependent on the recipient to take some type of action – in this case that action was to go to a non-malicious website and enter in your personal contact information.

Once the bad guys have your contact information - the scam begins.

Phishing is fast becoming the method of choice for bad guys on the internet to profit from their illegal activities without getting caught. We do know that most of the scams such as the “Mystery Shopper” are the culmination of the bad guys collecting information over a long period of time. The initial requirement for them to be successful is to obtain control of local email accounts so that when they begin the campaign the recipients will recognize the sender as “One of Us” such as javelina.student@students. tamuk.edu They will invest a substantial amount of time in sending username/ password phish attempts to gain control of multiple email accounts.

Typically, you will not even realize that they have this control as they will simply add your email account to the list of addresses that they will use as senders once they begin the real (Mystery Shopper) campaign. What is certain, however, is that at some point the control of the email accounts used in these campaigns was granted by users responding to an email that said they were “required” to update their Username & Password information and that they should “Click Here” to do that.

In conclusion please keep in mind that:

1.)

No legitimate sender will EVER ask you to provide your Username & Password in an email – not TAMUK, not your Bank, NO ONE. 2.)

If you are going to provide any Photo courtesy of kapersky.com type of personal The Internet is a minefield of potential threats to i n f o r m a t i o n your privacy and security. online – it is critical that 4.)

If you suspect that your Email you absolutely know where that Account has been compromised in any information is going. If there is any way the 1st thing to do is to Change doubt at all then DON’T DO IT. your Password. Additionally, the iTech 3.) Internet links in any email should Help Desk can assist you in resolving immediately raise a red flag for you to the issue or by opening a ticket for one proceed with extreme caution. If you of the iTech Staff to assist. The iTech feel like the sender has sent a valid link Help Desk can be contacted 24 hours a then the better option is to not click on day at (361) 593-4357 (HELP). it but to enter the destination website 5.)

If you are suspicious of on your own in your browser’s ANY Email that you receive – Please address bar. If you must click the link forward it to verify.email@tamuk. the underlying URL can be determined edu and someone from the TAMUK by hovering over the link itself. If the Security team will check it out and underlying URL does not seem correct quickly respond on the validity of the to you then DO NOT CLICK. email.

Talent Needed 3 Seeking

experienced university folklorico dancers to perform at local events.

3 Seeking

a student instructor to work with middle school and high school aged dancers. m m

No membership fees Group meets on Sunday afternoons

For more information please contact Cristina Briseño at 361-455-6989