05/09/2019

INSIDE

Senior reporters say their last farewell... Pages 4-6 Texas A&M University-Kingsville

The South Texan

Volume 93, Issue 27

thesouthtexan.com

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Class of 2019 ready to graduate More than 1,000 students will be walking across the stage ILIANA FLORES Managing Editor As another semester comes to an end, students who are a part of the class of 2019 are preparing to walk across a stage, receive their diploma and move on to the next phase of their lives.

This May, about 1,095 students will be graduating, according to the Texas A&M University- Kingsville’s (TAMUK) Office of Marketing and Communications.

There will be 737 undergraduates, 336 masters and 22 doctoral students graduating.

To celebrate those who will be graduating, there will be three commencements on Friday, May 17. All ceremonies will be held in the Steinke Physical Education Center.

The College of Agriculture and

Natural Resources and the College of Education and Human Performances will have their ceremony at 10 a.m.

The College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business Administration ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. The keynote speaker for the 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. ceremonies will be Dr. Rumaldo Juarez.

One more ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. for the College of Engineering, and engineering alumnus Mike Howard will be the keynote speaker.

For many students, walking across the stage at graduation marks the first steps into a new chapter of their lives.

This momentous occasion reflects the hard work and perseverance students have gone through while studying for their degree; it also marks the beginning of the careers they have spent time in school preparing for.

Communications major Leslie Garza is one student who will be walk-

ing across the stage to receive her diploma this May. For her, the three years she spent at TAMUK have been memorable, but she is now ready to use the skills and knowledge she has gained in college in her career.

“I feel pretty calm about [graduation], but I also cry every day. I happy cry because I’m so excited to start my career and utilize everything I’ve been taught here,” Garza said. “My memories here are amazing but in order to miss it I have to leave and move on.

The typical college life just isn’t for me anymore, it’s my time to be a big girl.”

Biomedical Sciences major Icia Garcia will also be graduating on May 17.

She has spent the last four years of her life at TAMUK, so the fast approaching graduation ceremony is exciting.

“It is honestly such a surreal feel-

ing, but yet it is mixed with this urge of excitement and accomplishment.

All I remember is when I picked up my cap and gown from the bookstore, and thinking, ‘Wow, I’ve done it, I am one step closer to walking at commencement,’” Garcia said.

Garcia’s next step will be continuing her education at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. But she will miss the TAMUK environment.

“I would say, from the faculty I have met, my amazing bosses and the friends that I have made, that I will miss them all. I will miss the welcoming atmosphere TAMUK exhibits, but I can say with certain[ty] that all the memories I have made here and the relationships I have formed will continue to be alongside me as I move on to the next chapter of my life. I cannot wait to pridefully say that I am a Javelina Alumn[us],” Garcia said.

Changing ranks at The South Texan Neal named new editor-in-chief as seniors graduate DARCY RAMIREZ Editor-in-Chief As graduation approaches Darcy Ramirez, Editor-in-Chief of The South Texan will be leaving the student-run publication in the hands of the current Editorial Editor, Christopher “C.R.” Neal.

Neal took a journalism course with Nicole Morris, the faculty adviser of The South Texan and UNIV Coordinator, during the Fall of 2017 during which Morris recognized his immense talents and skills.

She quickly recruited him for the newspaper and thus Neal became an official reporter in January 2018 and moved up the hierarchy to Editorial Editor within a semester.

Neal still continues to prove his writing capabilities and willingness to communicate the truth.

“C.R. will continue moving The South Texan forward, building on the successes we’ve achieved over the last two years. He has grown as a journalist

in that time, and I’m excited to see how his leadership unfolds,” Morris said.

Neal is an Interdisciplinary Studies major with a concentration in the English Language Arts and is predicted to graduate in Spring 2020.

Neal fell in love with the field of journalism by accident but has quickly developed and strengthened his skills as an investigative journalist. Neal is the author of many in-depth and hard news pieces for The South Texan and shows respectable ethics and morals when dealing with controversial issues.

Ramirez is not the only member of The South Texan who will be departing. Three reporters: Leti Torres, Aaron Monreal, Josue Villarreal and Sports Editor Colby Sims will also be graduating.

Interviews will be conducted this week in order to fill the vacant positions. Iliana Flores will remain Managing Editor and Aryssa Enriquez will stay on as Campus Editor.

“C.R. has always been great to work alongside, and now that he will

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Christopher Neal be the next Editor-in-Chief, I’m excited to see how the newspaper will continue to grow under his leadership. While

I love bringing the news to the community, I love the job even more because of the people I get to work with. We see each other almost every day so we’ve created a lot of memories together.

I’m excited to be able to spend another year with my South Texan family,” Flores said.

When Neal first entered the newsroom, he was quiet and reserved but has grown to be engaging and outspoken about his interests and ideas. He has become a vital and dependable member of The South Texan family.

“We have made numerous changes to The South Texan over the past year, and each one of them raised the bar of excellence. I have quite the job to meet and exceed the standards set by our staff, but I look forward to raising that bar even higher during my tenure as chief editor. When I joined the staff of The South Texan it was almost by accident, and every day I am thankful that I did. I seek to maintain our credibility as a publication, and continue to make reporting the truth our primary responsibility,” Neal said.

Page 2 - Campus

thesouthtexan.com

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Award recipients of employee of the year

Two staff members chosen as employees of the year ILIANA FLORES Managing Editor Each year students, faculty and staff nominate members of the Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) staff to be recognized with a staff award.

After scoring each nominee, the university Staff Council chose Yolanda Ballard and Cristina Briseno as the 2019 Staff Employees of the Year.

For Yollanda Ballard, the Assistant Director of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute Administration, receiving the award came as a shock.

“I was not only surprised and excited to receive the award but am honored and humbled. TAMUK has so many talented and wonderful staff members and that I was selected as a recipient of the Staff Council Employee of the Year means a great deal to me,” Ballard said.

As an Assistant Director, Ballard assists graduate students with academic or research needs they have. She also helps with budget planning, financial reporting, and supporting a team of more than 10 people so they have the resources and training necessary to continue making the institute and TAMUK’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources- shine.

Ballard has been working at TAMUK for 33 years. Ballard started at the Wildlife Research Institute as a

student worker who helped process a mass mail out of the institute’s annual report. After she graduated, she was hired as a part time secretary. During her time at the institute she has also worked as an accounting clerk, office manager and administrative assistant.

Cristina Briseno has been working at the university since 2002. Briseno is a TAMUK alumnus from the College of Business Administration. Briseno first started working at the university in the Office of Financial Aid. She then found her way to the Center for Student Success and works as the Administrative Assistant for the Center for Student Success. Her favorite part of the job is working with different people on campus. “[My] favorite part of my job is that I have the opportunity to work with all people on campus, from the students to the Deans. But I must say that I truly enjoy guiding students and parents to the many wonderful resources we have in the area of Student Success and knowing that they are doing their part to make the grades and graduate on time,” Briseno said.

Both Briseno and Ballard were chosen by TAMUK’s staff council to be awarded Employee of the Year. Staff Council secretary Patsy Rios explains that each person who is nominated is scored on their work performance, communication skills, confidence and personality, willingness to assist and train, and their respect and concern for others.

“Each person that was nominated is voted blindly within their category.

Each employee that was nominated is assigned a number. All nomination

Club of the Week TAMUK CKI Club LETI TORRES Reporter

TAMUK Circle K International (TAMUK CKI), is an organization that enjoys giving back and helping those in need. TAMUK CKI serves the community in a caring, giving and selfless manner and always with a smile.

TAMUK CKI was founded in March of 2016 by Vanessa Marquez.

The organization is based on the service, fellowship and leadership that the organization can offer to the community. The organization emphasizes the Kiwanians volunteering program in hopes of showing the community the power of mankind. The goal of the organization is to serve the community in an international and community aspect.The club encourages students to look for opportunities that can benefit the community. The club also participates in fundraisers and volunteer activities throughout the community.

“We encourage all members to contribute to all the events we volunteer in because Circle K is about service, giving back to those in need,” said Vice President of TAMUK CKI Diana Briseno, a junior and an architectural engineer major.

The organization helps students excel in their aspiration to serve their community. TAMUK CKI hosts many events such as fundraisers to help make their organization known.

TAMUK CKI is co-ed and is an organization in which people can put their desire to help their community and people into work.

This club can help students build

and work on their leadership skills as well as helping them grow personally.

“It has allowed me to take on more responsibilities, multitask efficiently, and create a foundation for my future network,” said President of TAMUK CKI, Dustyn Naldoza, biomedical sciences major.

The organization welcomes anyone who wants to serve their community and to help those who are in need.

“The club is welcoming of everyone and we always participate when we can, but it’s up to each individual whether you are an officer or not, to take leadership roles in service and make an impact in your community,” said Historian Kany Drame, a graduating senior with a major in sociology.

They hold bi-weekly meetings. If interested contact them on their social media: Instagram and Twitter @cki_tamuk .

Photo courtesy of Twitter

forms are then copied with the name of the nominee removed, so all remains fair throughout the process. Original nomination forms with all the information are kept separately. A rubric with different categories and point system

is used to vote. The executive committee, which includes the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Member-at-Large plus the Employee of the Year Committee, are the ones that vote,” Rios said.

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Christina Briseno receives Employee of the Year

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Yolanda Ballard receives Employee of the Year

Thursday, May 9, 2019

thesouthtexan.com

Page 3 - Campus

Genocide is as common as the ABC’s

Exhibit emphasizes awareness against atrocities ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ Campus Editor

Students were found in disbelief as they walked through the Memorial Student Building after witnessing the exhibit, ABC’s of Genocide, mounted in support of Holocaust Remembrance Day. Alumnus Kevin Pendleton showcased his art work on May 2 in hopes of educating students on the relevance of genocide.

Genocide is as common as the ABC’s and has occurred throughout the world in recent years.

The exhibit highlighted the United States’ role in each genocide, and different ways it could have prevented atrocities from happening.

Each alphabet letter was representative of a global atrocity.

For example, C is for Cambodia. The piece was then accompanied by a brief essay providing a summary of the occurred evert.

“It’s interesting to see how the government chooses to teach us about certain things, and if it weren’t for this exhibit we wouldn’t have known about all these different tragedies, world genocides that have taken a place over decades. It’s scary to know how some of these are very recent,” said Kimber-

ly Gonzalez, social work major.

The exhibit was an eye-opener for many students. Students were able to ask questions and interact with students taking the Comparative Genocide class.

Students enrolled in the course were able to provide a small presentation explaining some of the horrific actions that have occurred in history.

“I think that one of the reasons to host this is that, anti-Semitism, racism, these are still very current in our world today, and we need to remember where that can lead and see what we can do to educate ourselves and stop going down that road,” said Dr. Brenda Melendy, professor of Comparative Genocide.

The purpose of the exhibit was to educate students on genocide.

The more people who understand it, the more people that can help prevent genocide from reoccurring.

“The way people understand things like this, like atrocities and genocide and crimes against humanity, is that it is something that is part of the human experience… for me, it becomes our obligation to detest it in such a way that it compels us to act against it, and in our own little way prevent things that can lead to these types of events and atrocities,” Pendleton said.

The exhibit emphasized the theme of “awareness equals prevention,” and the fundamentals of getting educated and acting as global peace-keepers.

“As the people walk down the hall, if they felt the tiniest bit of anything, if they see anything, or if they learned anything…then the exhibition is a success. The exhibition is an extension of peace for prevention,” Pendleton said.

Health and Wellness hosts Stress-Free Zone The Health and Wellness Center educates students on how to handle stress prior to finals. Pep-talk members promoted healthy lifestyle decisions and encouraged students to think before they act.

Photos by Amanda DeFrees

Cristian Miranda and Pacience Walker educate students on stress

Photos by Amanda DeFrees

Marina Munoz,Janett Martinez and Ashely Martinez sign in to enter the Stress Free Zone.

Photo by Aryssa Enriquez

Theresa Cavazos and J’Nora Arevalo admiring the ABC’s exhibit.

Photo by Aryssa Enriquez

ABC’s of Genocide emphasizes awareness against genocide.

Page 4 - Opinion

thesouthtexan.com

Thursday, May 9, 2019

On to the next adventure I go Ramirez thanks her family of all forms as she departs

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

DARCY RAMIREZ Editor-in-Chief Despite contrary belief I am not made of stone. I cry and laugh and feel, it’s just hard to notice I suppose.

I am blunt and rough around the edges, and I have never been one for emotional ties. But Texas A&M University-Kingsville and The South Texan changed that.

People used to tell me that high school would be referred to as the best years of my life. Those people are absolute liars. High school is actually something I’d rather purge from my memory, but college is a rather different story.

Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA).

STAFF Darcy Ramirez Editor-in-Chief Iliana Flores Managing Editor Aryssa Enriquez Campus Editor C.R. Neal Editorial Editor Colby Sims Sports Editor Jaylin Morales Advertising Manager Reporters Josue Villarreal Aaron Monreal Kelby Sprinkles Hector Landin Adam Pena Zachariah Wilson Dylan Dozier Rachel Tapps Leti Torres Photographer Amanda DeFrees Nicole Morris Adviser

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Ramirez and her parents, Kelly and Joe Ramirez at the Sigma Tau Delta celebration for graduates And I know I’m supposed to tell you about my magical journey through college, but everything that happened before December 2016 doesn’t really matter and I’d rather not bore you with the details so let’s fast-forward to when I joined The South Texan. I may have walked into the newsroom half-heartedly, but eventually I gave it everything.

It was here in the heart of Manning Hall, Room 165 where I met the most influential and significant people of my young adult life. I will remember and love them until I die, or until I forget, whichever comes first.

Iliana Flores, Aryssa Enriquez,

Photo by Frankie Cardenas

Darcy Ramirez will be graduating May 17, 2019 with a Bachelor’s of Arts.

C.R. Neal, Colby Sims, Plaserae Johnson, Dakota Roberts, America Quintero, Leti Torres, Kaitlin Ruiz, all the reporters and Crystal Zamarron gave life to this place. Some have already graduated and moved on while others are the future of the university’s media outlet, but each person was vital to me.

Iliana was the voice of reason inside my head, Aryssa was my pillar to lean on when things got tough, C.R. was logical in the midst of chaos, Colby was a savior in a time of need, Plas was the enforcer of justice, Dakota mellowed us out in times of high stress, America was our source of creative designs, Leti, Kaitlin and all the reporters kept us afloat and Crystal was our Red Ranger.

Family isn’t defined by blood, and I spent almost every day with these amazing people and watched as they became my family whether they knew it or not. As I’ve said I’m not a very open or emotionally tied person but family is very important to me. I love and truly appreciate my South Texan family, and I’m sorry if I didn’t say that enough. I would starve for y’all, and for me that’s saying A LOT. During my life many women have been pivotal role models for me. My mom, Kelly, my aunt, Julie, my grandma, Alice, my sisters, Dollie and Kelci, my high school teacher, Mrs. Alice Berecka and my college professor, Dr. Pamela Wright.

I have always been one to see my mentors as heroines for the world to behold and Nicole Morris is a powerful heroine. Morris has been an essential part of my life for almost two years. She has helped shape me into who I am not only as a journalist, but as a person. She is the mother of The South Texan, and I am eternally grateful to have been one of her cubs. I love her dearly. She is a heroine I aspire to be like. I know I’m better because of her, so thank you bunches. I won’t say more because I hate crying and I will

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

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Ramirez’s South Texan family. (Left to right): C.R. Neal, Aryssa Enriquez, Darcy Ramirez, Nicole Morris and Iliana Flores.

look terrible. I hope you understand.

And while I’m at it I guess I should also thank Matthew Ward, the previous faculty adviser for The South Texan, who may have recruited me as a reporter for the newspaper and kick-started my exploration into journalism, but that’s not really why I’m thankful.

Matt Ward once introduced me to this dork sitting at one of the computers wearing square glasses, a black A&M baseball hat and an infectious smile.

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Ramirez with Frankie Cardenas during the May 2018 commencement.

That dork is actually the kindest, selfless and most caring person I have ever encountered. So thank you Matt Ward for introducing me to Frankie J. Cardenas, the man I fell in love with. I am a ball of chaos, and he is my peace.

Thank you to the brilliant artist behind the camera. You are the Daniel Bryan to my Brie Bella, and the Jace Herondale to my Clary Fray. I love you, Dork. Thanks for keeping me sane as I sat on the Iron Throne of The South Texan.

I’m proud of my time here, and if one day I refer to college as the best years of my life I suppose I won’t be disappointed.

There are many people I want to thank, but in order to properly thank everyone I would need to write a book and frankly I don’t have the time with graduation around the corner.

So thank you Texas A&M University Kingsville and all the staff, faculty and students. I especially want to thank my parents for supporting me and loving me unconditionally despite being weird and extremely dorky. David Bowie once said, “I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.” I agree with him, and on to the next adventure I go.

Thursday, May 9, 2019

thesouthtexan.com

Page 5 - Opinion

‘Thankful for the opportunities given to me’ Late start at South Texan doesn’t diminish importance

LETI TORRES Reporter Working at The South Texan has been an experience that I will remember for a long time.

Though writing for the newspaper has been short for me, I wished that I had taken the initiative to participate.

I started writing for The South Texan literally two months ago. I decided that it was time for me to participate in writing when my friend, Iliana, mentioned it to me again. I think it was one of the best moves I’ve made in the past year.

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(Left tor right): Janeth Navarro, a friend of Torres.

I found a way to use my love for writing with The South Texan. Working with all the students and the adviser has improved my writing. I found ways to work my way through college, and to incorporate writing into my lifestyle.

I just wish that I had put away that fear of putting too much on my plate and just participated in writing.

The people at The South Texan helped me find a way to work with my schedule, and I appreciate that so much.

Working as a reporter has made me more confident and has helped me with my writing. I just find it sad that I did not join it till now. I feel as if The South Texan is like a safe place for some people.

The people are always welcoming and helpful when it comes to writing. Everyone at The South Texan is so sweet and so kind.

Literally working with them has been one of the highlights of my time at TAMUK. I remember when I took a class with the adviser of The South Texan, Ms. Nicole Morris, and I remember how vibrant and exuberant she was.

Meeting Morris was a great thing for me.

I found a professor that I could reach out to and who understood the student dynamic. She asked me to become a writer for The South Texan sometime during my first semester in college.

The pressure of working, going to school and keeping up with the homework was a lot, so I denied the opportunity, but she reminded me that if I was ever interested in writing that The South Texan would be right there and welcoming.

I wish I had put myself out there and tried to participate. These past two months have been great, and I am so glad that I got the opportunity to

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(Left tor right): Manuel Flores, Leti Torres and Dagoberto Zamora showing of their Javalina spirit.

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(Left tor right): Manuel Flores and Leti Torres. write for The South Texan.

Ms. Morris, Aryssa, Iliana and Darcy have been super helpful. There are so many ways that working here

has improved me as a person and as a writer. I am more than thankful for all the opportunities that were given to me.

A journey that started with a reality check Monreal reflects on finally crossing the finish line

AARON MONREAL Reporter This whole journey started back in 2012 when my parents asked me, “So what are you doing with your life?”

It’s kind of a million-dollar question

to ask someone, and normally you do not realize what you are doing until questioned about it.

At the time I was working full time at Whataburger putting in about 50 hours a week, playing soccer and going out with friends without a care in the world. I started school at Del Mar in Corpus Christi.

While there I struggled through school and put work and social life ahead of it.

I was a C average student that really went through the motions of school, and even contemplated on dropping out.

While working another overnight shift after the bar rush at Whataburger, an older coworker and I were talking and he said, “You remind me of me when I was your age.” This gave me

a reality check that if I keep going the way I am, I’ll end up here just as this guy has. I did not want this to be my life, because I knew I was better than that.

I quit my Whataburger job and went somewhere I could pull back on my hours and work on my future and self. I then graduated from Del Mar in the fall of 2015 with an Associate’s degree in Kinesiology.

I almost attended Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi (TAMUCC), but because it was overfilled in the field I wanted and I did not want to take a break from school I came out to TAMUK for orientation.

After orientation I just had that feeling. I knew I was meant to be here.

I will never regret coming out here for the two-and-half years I attended,

traveling from Corpus to Kingsville and waking up at 5:30 a.m. every day.

Therefore, as I go on into this new chapter in my life I owe some people my success.

I want to thank TAMUK’s athletic department, with Joe Biedron giving me the opportunity to work with others and learning from David Brock, Dennis Hawkins.

I also want to thank my Sport Business Professors Dr. Daniel J. Burt and Dr. Brian Menaker, and all TAMUK staff and faculty.

Most of all I want to thank my parents. Thank you for your continued support and never giving up on me.

I would never want to change a thing that has happened to me, because it has made me into the man I am.

Page 6 - Opinion

thesouthtexan.com

Thursday, May 9, 2019

It took me too long to be this mediocre An article about how grateful I am to be who I am now

JOSUE VILLARREAL Reporter You’ll have to forgive my dramatic title. I don’t even know if I’m allowed to write my own title, and it very well may not have even been printed.

If C.R cuts it and replaces it with something less pretentious it would probably be for the better, but it would still upset me a bit.

I won’t storm The South Texan like I’ve done before, because believe me whatever he or Morris changes it to won’t be the worst headline change I’ve been through.

Still, I feel like I deserve at least a dramatic title. I remember first walking into the Communications section of Manning Hall, a humble little place that is much less than the talented people I have worked with deserve.

I went for a Radio Control Room class that ended up getting killed. I was content to go back to my dorm and revel in my now extra 50 minutes of time to myself when I stumbled upon a certain Frankie Cardenas inside an office.

I asked him if he knew about the class and responded with a very expected nod. I don’t know why I stuck around, but I did long enough to learn about the organizations that I would go on to work for the rest of my college career.

I don’t remember what I was wearing that day, but it was likely awful jorts with some kind of shirt that was too tight fitting on the gut that I have since gotten rid of and brought back.

My stupid hair patches on my face remained unshaved, and I likely had bad breath from the exorbitant amount of fries I ate from the dining hall.

Not to mention, I know now that at the time I was a casual sexist, as all men are raised to be in this patriarchal society, along with a arrogant sense of superiority of the awful town I came from.

A town that I was privileged to

leave completely unaware of the oligarchic, capitalistic system that thrived on me believing that since I decided to move to another town I was better than the other Hispanic people that were forced to live in garbage conditions by a government that never has cared about any of us.

I was the worst version of myself, and proud of it. I lived and breathed off this assertion that deep down there must be something more to me. My new friends tolerated me because an old friend insisted that deep down I was all right.

My girlfriend at the time stayed because she believed deep down I was all right. I continued being and missing how awful I was, because deep down I must have been all right.

I wasn’t though. Not really. And that’s okay. It took nearly losing my friends, doing something awful and that girlfriend justifyingly leaving me, and some dark thoughts at one point to learn that I wasn’t.

Normally what people tell you at this point is to forget all those haters.

Be you, and grow on your own.

Those people don’t know what growing means.

Growing isn’t ignoring the negative people in your life, being yourself and doing it on your own.

Growing is knowing the difference between petty insults and genuine criticism. Growing is about listening when people with different experiences tell you that you’re inconsiderate and awful to be around. Growing is understanding that you need help to do it.

Growing isn’t an exciting triumph of will. It’s not a declaration of love to another person that solves all problems, and it’s definitely not a one-person journey to enlightenment through hitched britches and pure grit.

Growing is long and boring.

Growing is sitting in a therapy chair every week crying your eyes out about things you didn’t know actually upset you.

Growing is your best friends telling you that what you said was wrong and not easy to forgive, and actually listening, feeling awful about it and vowing never to do anything like that again. Growing is laying awake most nights wondering if you’re even doing enough.

That’s the number one thing people definitely don’t understand about growing. It never stops. What growth is changes along with age, experience and the culture around you. It’s something you always have to do and be

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Villarreal participated at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association competition in 2018 and placed third in Spanish News Story.

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Josue Villarreal at Turner-Bishop when he first arrived at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. prepared to do.

When Frankie found me I was the worst version of myself, and at the time I believed that I was an improvement over who I was only four years before that. I thought I was done, and that I was the standard of what I needed to be. That’s what made me the worst.

These harsh statements on myself

company, discovering a passion for editing and behind the scenes aspects of art that I’ve graduated to mediocre.

And that’s okay. Most men don’t even get that far, and I did. Mediocre is good for now.

I still mansplain and manspread, I often forget to acknowledge my own privilege, I get nervous at the mere mention of money, still can’t drive, I

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Villarreal, a member of the Speech and Debate team helped the team earn third place at competition. don’t come from a place of insecurity.

I’m confident in myself now to know that I wasn’t worth the trouble four years ago. That isn’t a bad thing, it’s just true. It makes me appreciate that there were people who disagreed with me more.

Without the people in my life, I would probably be some sad, pathetic internet troglodyte that spent his days being mad that there were female Ghostbusters, and being mad that all the girls were “friend zoning” me like only silly, pathetic people do.

I’m fortunately not that, and I’ve grown enough to know that I have a lot more growing to do. An amount that wouldn’t be enough even if I had 10 lifetimes.

I’m grown enough to know that after four years of crying, panic attacks, losing friends, therapy, writing for a newspaper, acting for a production

fall asleep when watching TV with my current girlfriend and I still overall struggle with the concept of someone loving me unconditionally.

I’m mediocre. I’m so happy to be mediocre. I worked hard to be mediocre. In fact I took way too long to be mediocre.

But I’m happy I’m there, because it means that I still have room to get even better.

Will I graduate from mediocre?

Probably not, most people don’t. Why would you when people not even at mediocre make it all the way to being the President of the United States?

But I hope to, even for just a moment.

My art, actions, beliefs, effort and creation will all be in the name of even just for a second leaving that place of mediocrity, and becoming something more. Then it would all be worth it.

Thursday, May 9, 2019

thesouthtexan.com

Page 7 - Sports

Softball wins LSC tournament Javelinas set to host the regional tournament COLBY SIMS Sports Editor

Photos by Javelina Athletics

Junior Victoria Romanovskaia.

No. 27 tennis eliminated in semi-finals of LSC tournament Javs skunk Western New Mexico in quarterfinals DYLAN DOZIER Sports Reporter After a rain out on day one of the Lone Star Conference tournament in Abilene, the Javelinas tennis team kicked off the first round of action with a 4-0 win over Western New Mexico.

Junior Victoria Romanovskaia and senior Phonephathep Philavong started off doubles play with a decisive 6-1 victory over Carolina Torrico and Nicole Gonzalez.

Duo Loren Tristan and Valerie Ruiz sealed the doubles point for the Javelinas with a 6-3 win over Karina Diaz Kolovos and Julia Terrazas in the third flight.

Singles victories from Ruiz, Romanovskaia and Julia Rauer locked up the victory for the Javelinas.

A few hours later, The Blue and Gold failed to keep the momentum of their quarter-finals victory, falling to No. 14 Midwestern State.

Tristan and Ruiz suffered defeat at the hands of Lea Cizeron and Taylor Gray, 6-3.

This past weekend the Javelina softball team won the Lonestar Conference Tournament with a 3-1 victory over Texas A&M University-Commerce (TAMUC).

After the game senior Victoria Schoonard-Saborio said, “Clinching the conference tournament and then the LSC tournament has been so unreal… ending the season with single digit losses was something I never imagined happening… since the first day of fall we knew the potential that we had. We believe in each other and believe what our coaches expected of us even though no one else did.”

The Javelinas started off the tournament facing the No. 19 team in the country, Tarleton State. The Javelinas skunked the Texanns, 5-0, off of a big performance from junior Breanna Smith. She threw a one hit complete game to lead the Javelinas to the conference championship.

The next day the Javelinas faced the No. 3 Lions for the conference tournament championship, with freshman Saidi Castillo in the circle.

Castillo struck out five of her first six batters she faced and got the Javelinas rolling. In the bottom of the second, the Javelinas got on the board first

with a sacrifice groundball from Jory Cervantes. In the top of the third inning the Lions evened the score with a solo homerun but the Javelinas quickly ended the inning after that. The Javelinas came back in the bottom of the third with a pair of huge hits from the senior duo of Schoonard-Saborio and Roxy Chapa to give the team back a one-run edge. Schoonard-Saborio would also bat in another run sending Loren Kelly across the plate to add to the Javelina lead.

Castillo ended the game with a total of 10 strikeouts in a stellar championship game performance. Castillo earned all-tournament selection along with Schoonard-Saborio, Kelly, Anastasia Leibas and Smith, who was named the MVP of the tournament.

Head coach for the softball team Craig Nicholson was happy with the way his team performed.

“Our pitching and defense were outstanding and that’s how you win in the postseason. We got some timely hits and found ways to take advantage of our chances,” he said.

The Javelinas have clinched the No. 1 seed in the region after their conference win and will be hosting the regional tournament. Come see the girls play for the South Central Regional Title at the Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field. The Javelinas start off facing Oklahoma Christian at 6 p.m. on May 9.

Bianca Duff and Ashley Ramirez, who are currently the 10th ranked doubles pair, defeated the 46th ranked duo, Lisa Caravajal and Maya Donkor 7-5, to secure the doubles point for Midwestern.

Caravajal would recover from her doubles defeat, with a straight-set victory and the Javelina’s only semi-final point.

Greta Lazzarotto, the 66th-ranked ITA singles player, claimed a straightset victory over Philavong and Cizzeron would go on to beat sophomore Laura Montalvo, 7-5 and 6-1.

Midwestern State would go on to defeat Tarleton State in the championship round, claiming the LSC title, and an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships which will air on NCAA.com. Midwestern State would also go on to claim the LSC title in the men’s division.

The Javelinas are currently waiting on the new regional rankings to Javelina Softball LSC tournament champs. find out if they will continue their season.

Tune in to the NCAA Championship selection show on Tuesday, May 7, to find out if the Blue and Gold will continue competing in 2019.

Photos by Javelina Athletics

Page 8 - Sports

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Baseball plays final home series

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Seniors leave on a highnote Zack Wilson Sports Reporter The hunt for a championship is getting more and more real for the Texas A&M University- Kingsville (TAMUK) Javelina baseball team. The Javelinas sent their seniors out with a series sweep in their final home series at Nolan Ryan Field. With high expectations they’ve been riding on since last season the Javelinas hosted Eastern New Mexico at home for a four-game series headed into the conference showdown.

When asked about the series graduate assistant coach Christian Caudle said, “It was a good weekend for the team especially the seniors. A few of these guys are walking out of here with records and have set a standard for this program for the younger guys.

“We have to keep this momentum as a team going for the postseason now and look to make another run this year.”

Infielder for the Javelinas Giancarlo Servin has stepped into a big role this season at the plate; batting with a solid average of .359.

“We’re not so much worried about Eastern New Mexico.

“We just need to do our job as a team and take care of business.

They’re a team that’s down right now and I expect us to come out and play some good baseball.

“It’s a big weekend going into the conference tournament and it’ll be good for us to have some momentum going into next week,” he said. “We’re just going to take it one game at a time. We have a good team and we’re looking to get going at the right time.

“I just look to keep doing what I’ve been doing all season and that’s put together good at-bats and play good defense.”

The Javelinas swept Eastern New Mexico winning all their games by scores of 4-0, 4-3, 6-2 and 10-6.

This was a great pre-tournament tune-up series for the Javelinas as they get ready to battle for the conference title.

The Javelinas made it all the way to the Division II College World Series last season and they are hoping to make it back and maybe take their run a step further this 2019 campaign.

The Javelinas will be facing Tarleton State in the first round of the Lonestar Conference tournament on May 9 , the exact time is yet to be announced.

Photo courtesy of Javelina Athletics

Senior Pablo Hernandez.

Photo courtesy of Javelina Ahtletics

Sophomore Will Arnold.

Thursday, May 9, 2019

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Page 9 - Features

Student skates away from his back pain Engineering major Rodriguez DIYs electric skateboard to travel across campus ILIANA FLORES Managing Editor

In the effort to cut down the time it takes to travel from building to building on campus, it is not uncommon to see students zooming around on their bikes, scooters or skateboards.

What is uncommon is seeing students riding around on devices they built themselves, however, engineering student Juan Rodriguez does just this on an electric skateboard he made.

Rodriguez an electrical engineering student who is a freshman at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

During his second semester of college, Rodriguez decided to get a skateboard to help him travel around campus.

Rodriguez has back pain, so he decided using a skateboard would help alleviate some of his pain.

Soon after buying a skateboard, Rodriguez’s girlfriend proposed he make an electrical skateboard.

With his knowledge as a mechanical engineering student and his experience with drones he was able to transform the board into an electrical one.

“When I was in seventh grade, I started building drones, so over time I knew what components did what.

So, fast forward to today, I know how to put these components together to make an electric skateboard.

“It’s kind of an oversized drone essentially because you have your battery, then you have the controller and then you have the motors...with those basic things you can actually apply to anything and that’s how I went about building this,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez explains that the board runs off batteries which connect to computers that help regulate the elec-

trical current that runs through the motors.

This allows him to use a repurposed controller from a remote-controlled car to skate around campus.

The most popular electric skateboards currently on the market are called Boosted Boards.

Rodriguez had initially looked in to purchasing one of these, however as the boards cost between $700 to $1,600, it was more than he wanted to spend.

The skateboard he built himself was ultimately about $450, making it at least $300 less than its brand name counterpart.

The base of the board is a longboard from Wal-Mart.

It then took three months for Rodriguez to purchase and receive all the parts he needed. But as he was fueled with the passion to ride the board as soon as he could, Rodriguez assembled the board in only two days.

Rodriguez then talked to some of his engineering professors who allowed him to build the board in the Drone Research Lab located in the Engineering Building.

For Rodriguez, assembling his own electrical skateboard was a passion project that would allow him to customize what he wanted from the board.

This allowed him to make the board have more range and more speed.

“This is not very professional and someone who wants something that looks really nice, this is not it. But for someone who is like me who loves to DIY, tinker and take everything apart and see how it works, this is for me,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez’s friend Alec Gonzales was familiar with electrical skateboards, but Rodriguez’s was the first he saw up close.

Photo by Amanda Defrees

Juan Rodriguez riding the electric skateboard he made to help alleviate his back pain.

“It’s super cool. It’s crazy impressive that he was able to just whip that thing together [with] no problem,” Gonzales said, “I’ve ridden it twice and it was definitely an experience. The first time I gunned it not really knowing just how powerful the motors were and how fast it’d go. It launched forward, so I quickly stopped it after a somewhat embarrassing yelp. The second time I rode it, I took it extremely slow and cautious not wanting a repeat of

the first time.”

Marilyn Coronado shares the same sentiment as Gonzales.

“The skateboard he built is incredible. It is a faster way to get to places and is powerful. I was impressed with his skills to build the electric skateboard just how he wanted,” Gonzales said.

Rodriguez has had the elecrtic skateboard for a little over a week and he has hopes to continue to improve it.

Page 10 - Entertainment

thesouthtexan.com

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Movie Review: Avengers: Endgame

Photo courtesy of BGR

JOSUE VILLAREAL Reporter This review is going to feel good.

Buried deep beneath the unsettling politics of a company that has monopolized an industry, a weaponized marketing campaign of “spoiler culture” that is leading to real injury and an unstoppable hype train of global proportion, is an actual movie that was made by people.

A fact that is certainly lost amidst all the drama of not spoiling the movie is the emotional connection to the characters.

Everyone is talking about how they felt about the story beats, the characters and the memes about crying. It’s all in good fun, but at the end of the day, does the movie stand on its own as a piece of art?

The simple answer is no. The more complex answer is still a resounding no but the movie isn’t trying to be. Avengers: Endgame is a gigantic, fan-service filled, action-packed giant pile of explosions and nonsense, and that’s okay.

What Endgame lacks in any particular substance, it more than makes up for it with its high octane action, emotional highs from characters you likely grew up with, and wall-to-wall references to other movies.

A twist in the prologue of the film, as well as the one leading into the climatic third-act battle, makes Endgame an edge of your seat, exciting thriller.

All of this is true for the Marvel fanboy die-hard, if you’re a new person to the franchise, or just in general don’t care for the Marvel movies, Endgame has little in the ways of introducing the characters or story to newcomers.

Be that as it may, the twist is still engaging and takes the movie in a direction I wasn’t expecting throughout the beginning.

Watching the characters have to cope with what happened rather than immediately finding a solution was a great idea. My only complaint was that I wish it went on longer.

Not much outside of the filmmaking stands out, this movie is filmed in the same blandly competent way all of the MCU films are, other than a handful of

cuts in the ending that felt oddly out of place, the movie was clearly very expensive and well put together.

It lacked the dynamic camera angles that Black Panther had, or any of the color and personality of Thor: Ragnorok, and it definitely had none of the grunge of Guardians of the Galaxy or the enduring heart of Spider-Man: Homecoming, but once again, it was competent and sharp.

Performances ranged from good to excellent, reminding us that what brings us back is the characters, and Endgame is full of them.

Robert Downey Jr. in particular brings it to a whole new level with an Iron Man at his wit’s end ready to give up. Everyone else was hardly a slouch either with even Paul Rudd emoting more than I think he ever has.

Danai Guira is always a delight as Okoye and I loved her even if her screen time is minimal, and Tom Holland rushing into battle is as adorable as it was dorky.

The only person who didn’t have a particularly good performance, and I hate saying this, was Brie Larson as Captain Marvel.

It is just not working. Her character is still pretty dry when you have her next to even the other more serious characters.

The aforementioned Okoye is a no-nonsense serious character and she still brings more to the table in nuance of acting than Larson.

Despite a big marketing push lately for female empowerment, most, if not all the major female characters of the MCU, were not in this movie.

Other than Black Widow, all the other beloved female characters are either written to not be in the majority of the film, or got snapped in the previous film.

The movie was very funny, at least.

Watching new characters interacting was fun, all except for an overlong joke with Thor that ran its course almost immediately. It was in poor taste, cheap and worthy of a singular giggle

SCORE RATINGS

95% of 100%

8.9 out of 10

at best.

Avengers: Endgame brings nothing new to the table and suffers from the same problems that most of them do, fun action undermined by half-baked, underdeveloped themes and blatant face-value marketing decisions for social issues and representation.

All of this is true, but I would be lying if I said the film didn’t have me shedding a tear at points, and to say that I had fun watching it is an understatement.

Even if it was just for a second, I became that kid that watched the first Captain America movie and just loved superheroes.

The movie is flawed to no end, bathed in awful implications inside and out of the business and social issues, the movie is a product of many problems that plague the foundation of art as we know it, something that we should be paying more attention to.

However, there is no harm in taking a few steps back, watching your favorite superheroes get one last hurrah.

Thursday, May 9, 2019

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Page 11 - News

New SGA members take office President Hussey speaks at first meeting of new representatives ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ Campus Editor

As they embark on their 94th session, members of the Student Government Association are experiencing a very exciting time.

SGA officially began its 94th session on May 1 in the Memorial Student Union Building. Students from different colleges were able to take office, giving the student body diverse perspectives and inputs. Senators from each college will advocate for the student body of their college and aim to make a difference.

SGA is a student run organization that serves as the voice of the students with their goal of enhancing the student experience. The organization offers students a platform to express student concerns and gain feedback from administrators.

During the first meeting, university President Mark Hussey expressed some of his expectations from the group and upcoming goals.

Preserving buildings, incorporating more advisors and improving wi-fi are amongst some of his ambitions in the near future.

“A university is only as strong as its student body, its staff and its faculty. A vibrant university must have a shared vision for the future, an honest and open

‘A university is only as strong as its student body, its staff and its faculty. A vibrant university must have a shared vision for the future, an honest and open dialogue with all constituents both external and internal.’

-Dr. Hussey

dialogue with all constituents both external and internal...” Hussey said.

President Hussey is looking forward to collaborating with the new SGA officers, and looks forward to making a change.

Ruben Martinez will serve as president, Lidia Morales as vice-president, Alyssa Guerra as secretary, Sebastian Vela as chief of staff, Ilianna Tijerina as treasurer and Caitlin Bahr as Greek commissioner. Each individual will be responsible for creating a transparent atmosphere between the students and administration.

“I think this is going to be a great year. We have our music building opening and our new University President, Dr. Hussey is amazing and very student oriented. My team and I look forward to working with him lots of great ideas and changes coming through our collaboration,” Martinez said.

Martinez plans to continue improving student participation by sending mass emails and through the use of social media.

One of their many goals is to explain and emphasize the purpose and goal of SGA. Martinez, and the new set of officers, plans to address organization funding issues and working with companies to explore the idea of bringing electric scooters to campus. While there are many areas SGA plans to explore they strive to increase student participation and act as Photo Courtesy Facebook the voice for students.

SGA Vice President Lidia Morales and “I plan to get many organiPresident Ruben Martinez being sworn zations involved. As Miss TAinto office.

MUK, I would like to create and bring on to campus a new event that hasn’t happened before. Something dents, but the surrounding communities meaningful that can bring together not as well,” said Briana Rodriguez, senator only the young and lively college stu- for College of Business.

A year of triumph and heartbreak A look back at the highs and lows of 2018-19 C.R. NEAL Editorial Editor

Javelina Nation will soon close the books on another academic year packed with exciting developments for the university.

Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) President Mark Hussey took over his new role Jan. 2 after being confirmed by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.

“I’ve been amazed at how friendly everyone has been, how welcoming everyone has been, how much everyone wants to work together to help the institution in terms of achieving goals,” Hussey said soon after his arrival.

Hussey was not the only administration change TAMUK saw this year. After 12 years of service, TAMUK Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and University Administration Terisa Riley accepted a new role as chancellor of the University of Arkansas Fort Smith.

“Each person—faculty, staff, students, community members, and TAMU System employees—has made my journey an amazing one where I have been able to learn so much and surround myself with remarkable people,” Riley said in an interview.

In the realm of farewells, TAMUK was forced to say goodbye to Freshman Social Work major Tais Hinojosa after an automobile accident took her

life.

Although TAMUK saw its fair share of heartbreaks this year, it also celebrated triumphs in the academic, theatric and athletic fields.

Carnegie Classification recognized TAMUK as a Doctoral University with High Research Activity, an honor only 89 public institutions in the United States qualified for in 2018. TAMUK was announced as the first four-year university to receive AVID Campus of Distinction in the nation.

TAMUK students earned numerous awards and accolades throughout the school year.

The softball team won the conference championship for the second time in program history and is ranked third nationally, according to NFCA. The cast of June Bugs excitedly received the KCACTF ASPIRE Arts Management Award granted to Ryan Duncan earning him an opportunity to advance to the finals in Washington D.C. Eden Garza was a finalist for the Edward Kleinhammer Orchestral Bass Trombone Competition.

The Vet-Tech club now holds the title of being the 2018 National Association of Veterinary Technician in America’s Student Chapter of the Year.

Students at TAMUK were not the only ones to rake in recognition for their work.

In early July, Christopher Hearon,

Photo Courtesy tamuk.edu

TAMUK President Mark Hussey being inaugurated. the chair of the health and kinesiology department at TAMUK, won the Jerry R. Thomas Distinguished Leadership Award from the American Kinesiology Association.

Representation of African-Americans at TAMUK increased with the creation of the Black Student Union

(BSU.) “A lot of times, a lot of black students get in to school and we just kind of go through the motions and we don’t get involved, and I want to give them an opportunity to get involved,” BSU president Markeia Evans said at the time.

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