The South Texan Vol.95 Issue 14

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Vol. 95, Issue 14

COVID-19 impacts student teaching

Leal to lead Javelinas to workforce

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The Division of Institutional Advancement at T e x a s A & M Un iversit y-Ki ngsville rec e n t l y 1#23.%4/#2 announced 5(*/6")*%)0% Ralph Leal, -#*//*%!/*7(6/ SPHR, as Director of Career Services.

“We searched for a career services leader who could envision how alumni can impact career services while bringing best practices to our campus, and someone who could relate to our students and alumni. We believe Mr. Leal is that person,” said Brad Walker, vice president for Advancement and External Relations & CEO of the TAMUK Foundation.

Leal joined Javelina Nation on Nov. 1, 2020 and has been working diligently to provide students with the support mechanism needed to get the most out of their degree.

Leal has been a human resources professional for more than 20 years with his last role serving as Associate Director of Career Services at Texas State University. ent industries made him the right candidate to lead graduating Javelinas into the workforce.

“Texas A & M University-Kingsville has a great reputation of graduating hard-working and dedicated students and I look forward to how Career Services will help grow our rep-

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Education students at Texas A&M University – Kingsville (TAMUK) face the looming challenge of teaching and observing amid a global pandemic.

Teaching while still being a student poses a Combine that with the coronavirus, and students in the College of Education and Human Performance (CEHP) impossible.

In Spring 2020, CEHP student Anna Arevalo was doing a semester as a student observer in a second-grade classroom. Things changed in March when, after spring break, students on college and public-school campuses !""#*+,-./01%&'(&)

Submitted Photo

L-R, Rocío Galvan (45), Giancarlo Galvan (13), America Galvan (7) Barbara Galvan (14) and Sergio Galvan(49) at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

Sergio Galvan : A happy soul Galvan loses battle against coronavirus 4*5-1#66*$7*/(-&1*++1 &,"/*"#(,8/,"%&'(")*% $0($*(/#01$0(&$'#()*+("$,)-("($./0&!)1

Online Beat Do you not subscribe to !"#$%&!"!#'()*+%,?

Catch up on exclusive stories about our campus and community when you sign up for our newsletter.

Here’s a sneak peak of what you missed online.

Scavenger Hunt From Jan.27-28 the TAMUK CAB hosted a Scavenger Hunt. To play students had to download the Goose Chase app on their mobile devices.

The goal is to complete the challenges around campus for the opportunity to win Aramark money.

On Jan. 18, Texas A&M Un iversit y-Ki ngsville (TAMUK) lost employee and alumnus Sergio Galvan, 49, due to Covid-19 complications. Sergio had worked at the TAMUK bookstore in the Memorial Student Union Building (MSUB) for more than 25 years.

Sergio, born August 14, 1971 in Eagle Pass, Texas, is survived by his wife Rocío Polendo de Galvan and three children: Barbara, 14, Giancarlo, 13, and America, 7.

Sergio, nicknamed Papa Sergio by students who knew and loved him, was the Assistant Manager at the TAMUK bookstore and close friend of Manager Mary Gutierrez. Sergio and Mary had been friends for more than 23

years and had met, as students, here on campus.

“We kind of stuck through it all together.

He’s just a good person, irreplaceable. He liked to play jokes on me, and we just got along very well.

He’s been through all the big things in my life,” Mary said. “I learned a lot about being a giving person from him.”

Mary reminisced on memories she shared with her longtime friend.

She remembered how he hated celebrating his birthday at the bookstore, his co-workers jokingly surprised him with a celebration every year.

“This past year we covered his whole workstation in post-it notes, and he was not happy. One year - we have a restroom here - one of the students with balloons so when he opened the door all the balloons popped out,” Mary recalled.

While a student at TAMUK in the ’80s, Sergio earned three degrees in Biology, IT and Spanish.

Sergio Galvan

During his time, he met his wife Rocío. The two met at a party that took place in Sergio’s apartment unbeknownst to him.

Sergio and Rocío dated for 10 years and have been married for almost 15 years. Thursday, Jan. 28, would have been their 15-year anniversary.

“He was an excellent father and husband. His priorities were the kids

Photo Submitted

and the family,” Rocío said. “I know he’s going to be missed. I miss him a lot. For 25 years we were together almost every single day […] It’s hard, but I guess the fact that I have to be there for my kids I have to be strong and care about Mary has described the marriage between Sergio !""#2#$3#4%&'(&)

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The South Texan undergoes changes Greek Life Spring recruitment for Greek Life is here.

The university is home to fraternities on campus, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Delta Phi Epsilon, Theta Phi Alpha, Kappa Delta Chi, Alpha Sigma Phi, Delta Chi, Kappa Sigma, Sigma Lambda Beta, Sigma Chi and Omega Delta Phi.

Publication date moved to bi-weekly !"#$%&'("$!#)*+ | !"#$

As Texas A&M University Kingsville kicked off the semester, The South Texan prepared for a change in publication dates and an addition of The South Texan will become a bi-weekly newspaper. During the week The South Texan is not publishing print news, multi-media packages will be uploaded to the website and on social media platforms to increase engagement online.

The South Texan also welcomes two new editors this semester. Dylan

the Sports Editor. Gabriella Mastroianni joins the Editor. The duo are both communication majors.

“Being the sports editor is a great opportunity for me to get closer to my goals of being a TV sports analyst. The things I hope to learn here will no doubt be something I can look back on my career, as my career will continue to go upward from this point,” Sanchez said.

Mastroianni echoed the sentiment.

“Being the entertainment editor feels amazing. I feel so lucky to be given this opportunity to be part of something great.

I believe being part of The South Texan will open up career opportunities for me in the future. It’s weird yet exciting to know that my career, and I can’t wait

to see where I go,” Mastroianni said.

Jacqueline Barrera , the former Sports Editor, now serves as the Digital Editor of The South Texan.

“Becoming the digital editor this semester was a position I was very eager to accept. Our generation more ways than one. I’m hoping to provide our audience with solid news and engage more on all platforms of The South Texan,” Barrera said. “Our plan to push this project will begin by interacting more with our students, followers and administration. Overall it’s an exciting time to consider yourself a part of Javelina Nation as these change will only captivate all that Aryssa Enriquez continues to serve as Editor-in-Chief, Calista Reyes

Photo by Aryssa Enriquez

Gabriella Mastroianni working during press night for the first issue of The South Texan

as Campus Editor and Ronni Reyna as the News Editor.

“I’m confident in of the capabilities of The changes being made in an

newspaper. I look forward to working together this semester to put out informative, entertaining and meaningful content,” Enriquez said.

Campus

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February 1, 2021

thesouthtexan.com

TAMUK student pursues musical passion Limas launches original work on Spotify

DianaCanizalez| Reporter

Hailing from San Benito, Texas, Communications major and Journalism minor from Texas A&M UniversityKingsville, Roman Jakob Limas, also known as Sunset Punch, has been creating music for a little

over a year.

Limas’ talent and passion for music has led him to release his first full-length album this past year.

Sunset Punch released a raw, earsplitting, classic rock album called One-Eyed Greatness on Aug. 4, 2020.

Infused with classic rock and alternative punk rock, Sunset Punch gained inspiration for One-Eyed Greatness from rock legends such as The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana and Led

Zeppelin.

“My favorite band ever is The Beatles. If it wasn’t for them, I would not have continued playing the guitar and even started singing,” Limas said.

The album consists of 10 songs. Some of his most played songs listed in the album are Bacon, Love Right Now and One Girl. Although the album is mostly rock with a hint of punk, Limas stated he would like to include some Funk, Western and Surf Rock

Submitted photo Roman Jackob Limas (Sunset Punch) with his guitar.

in future projects.

“When my son first mentioned to me that he was going to release his first album....I got very emotional and very excited at the same time.

I knew that he had not given up on his talent.... his music,” his mother Monika Guerrero said.

On Sept. 19, 2020, Limas released an extended play called The Sunrise.

The EP consists of four songs. Most of the songs from this track and from the album felt much like a song sung by a rock band from the ’60s and ’80s.

One-Eyed Greatness and The Sunrise EP will have anyone listening start head banging and hyped for more.

For some, music is a gateway to escape from reality for a small moment, however for others, music is a part of who they are. Limas was 13 when he picked up a guitar and started strumming.

“His passion for music I would have to say when he was about 10 or so and he got that from his pops... I have faith in him that he will be very successful in his talent in his music. I believe he will rise to stardom. He will always be my star and the sky is the limit. His daddy left him with a powerful talent and legacy which is his

Submitted photo Sunset Punch debut album on Spotify.

music. The love for music. Jakob comes from a family of music lovers,” Guerrero said.

Ever since, he has practiced during his free time to get where he is now.

“Hopefully I can start local gigging really soon, but for now you can find my music on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Soundcloud, Youtube and honestly a lot more platforms,” Limas said.

Student Activites hosts drive -in Students enjoy Zombielanddouble feature CalistaReyes| Campus Editor Campus.editor@thesouthtexan.edu

On Jan. 27 Student Activities hosted a drive- in movie event at the tailgate parking lot.

A double feature of Zombieland was presented to students.

“We were very happy with the turnout of students that were able to make the event. With the pandemic going on, we are always trying to find creative ways to give the students a fun experience while making sure everyone is also safe,” Javelina Camp Director of Registration and Marketing/Event Coordinator Kristian Amador said.

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, many health and safety regulations must stay in place.

Some of these social distancing rules, however, have left students wishing they could interact with each other more.

“It’s important to have these type of events because it gives us a sense of community but I wish we could’ve interacted with more people and made more friends,” student Ryan Carrion said.

Even though venturing out of your friend group isn’t an option right now, students still had a lot of fun being able to relax for the night with their friends.

“Our favorite part of hosting the drive-in is watching the students come to the movie with beds, picnic blankets, and food baskets so they can escape the academics for a night and enjoy a movie with a group of friends,” Amador said.

“I had a lot of fun just being able to hang out with my friends, we took a lot of pictures and it was the first time that we went out together since we got back from break,” student Jennifer Garza said.

If students enjoyed this event or didn’t get to attend this showing, Student Activities is currently planning another showing for the semester.

“As of right now, we are in the works of planning another showing sometime later this semester and we will be providing more details as far as movie selection, dates, and time on our social media platforms for student activities.

Students can check their feed and vote on a poll for what new film they would like for us to feature next. The movie with the most votes gets chosen,” Amador said.

Diana Canizalez Volunteers: Erin McClure, Carlie Clipson, Lauren Silva, Marco Castellanos, Kris Amador, J.C. Mendoza

Magnet artwork by student Velen Leonor.

Submitted photo

CAB DIY Magnet Craft Students get creative with magnet art and crafts GabriellaMastroianni| Entertainment Editor Entertainment.editor@thesouthtexan.edu

Texas A&M University - Kingsville’s (TAMUK) Campus Activities Board (CAB) held a DIY magnet craft event in the pavilion next to the Memorial Student Union Building (MSUB) Tuesday, Jan.26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Magnets, paints, glitter, pens, paint brushes and other materials were provided to the students that participated in this event.

Students gathered around the craft table, choosing different shaped magnets and

material, and painted underneath the pavilion.

This event was aimed to help students relax and have fun as the Spring semester began to kick off.

“We have meetings to come up with ideas that would be fun for students, and one of the things we do every semester are DIYs,“ junior and member of the CAB Erial Hawkins said.

Hawkins, who was handing out magnets to students at the event, has been a member of the CAB for a year.

“Just knowing that we can make fun things for students to do around campus,” Hawkins said.

“We had a haunted house event that people really enjoyed and just knowing that we can come up with ideas that can make students happy, that they have fun on

campus, is great,” Freshman and Architectural engineer major Eva Delgado attends CAB events as often as she can.

“I saw something to relax. Painting is a relaxing thing to do,” Delgado said.

The DIY dream catchers was Delgado’s favorite CAB event. CAB plans to continue to hold more events within the next months.

“For me, I don’t want to just study all the time, I want to at least do something fun and relax and not just focus on school all the time. So, having this club for students is amazing,” Hawkins said.

Students can check out the CAB’s social media platforms @tamukcab for more information on their organization and events.

Entertainment

Feburary 1, 2021

thesouthtexan.com

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Netflix original Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer

Ramirez kills Netflix’ Top 10 most watched AnnalisaPerales| Reporter

Netflix takes their audience back to a chilling time in the 1980s, with its thrilling documentary on the notorious Night Stalker.

The new limited series Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer, dives into the gruesome crimes and search process of serial killer Richard Ramirez.

The series shines the light on detective Gil Carrillo and investigator Frank Salerno, an unexpected pair whose main goal is to bring Ramirez to justice.

In early 1985, the people of Los Angeles felt as though they were in a nightmare as a series of murders, abductions, sexual assaults, and burglarizing happened within the night throughout neighborhoods.

Within the series, it is shown that tension had been on the rise throughout different areas of law enforcement as Ramirez left no clues as to who he was and where he would be going next.

As Carrillo and Salerno tell their journey of investigating crime scenes and piecing the puzzle together to find Ramirez, the story is also told with crime scene photos, news reports and survivors’ perspectives.

Although a flaw of the documentary is that it does not go into depth of the mind of Ramirez, the audience will connect with the show as the aes-

Poem: Swing Set Ronni Reyna| News Editor news.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Take me back to the swing set days, When the gates were open, And play was all day.

Take me back to when the only thing that mattered, Was how high you could swing, And my mind was free from worry, To when the chains were nonexistent, When jumping seemed fun, And not some messed up way to run.

To before the angels turned to demons, Before the light became the dark, Before I feared the dark for what it truly is, And not just someplace where a fictional monster hides; But little did we know how real that monster would one day be.

Take me back to when the sun shined, To when I didn’t feel like I had been mined for everything I had to give, To when friendships were simple, When people seemed nice, And life felt easy, Because life is so not easy.

Take me back to when waking up every day was exciting, And not something I fear, To when sleep came in a wink, Not something I have a hard time finding, When insomnia was someone I didn’t know, And not a friend I can’t let go.

Before alone felt like home.

To when I stared at sunsets, Not my ceiling in the dark.

Before standards even existed, Before I felt that so many things matter, Because so many things do not matter.

When what someone thought of me felt like nothing, Before that became the only thing that filled my mind, Before I was broken.

To when I didn’t have to pick up the pieces, Take me back to when I truly felt whole.

To before there was this hole inside of me, Taking me, And who I feel I am.

Before the chains were there, When broken was okay, Not something to be ashamed of.

So, I could tell myself it’ll be okay, Because being broken is okay, Not something to hide.

Take me back to the simple life, When life felt worth living.

When the only thing that mattered was how high you could swing, When play was all day, And the gates were open, free from chain, Take me back to the simple life,

thetic makes it feel like it is 1985 all over again.

The series director Tiller Russell not only brought the feel of the era to the audience but the emotions as well as he brought out many survivors to speak about their encounters with Ramirez and what they were feeling at that moment.

“Perspective is one of the most important decisions that ends up getting made in the course of telling a story like this,” Russell said as he was interviewed by Variety.

Overall, if you are a true crime junkie like me and happen to be looking for a good documentary that will give you the chills, then this may be worthy for you to watch.

Annalisa’s Rating

How to Adult: Digital Deep Clean CalistaReyes| Campus Editor

campus.editor@thesouthtexan.com

As much as we would like to deny it, we spend an excess amount of time on social media. Just like having a physical messy space, a messy digital space can have a negative impact on you. We need to be sure that our social media is serving us and adding as much good to our lives as possible. Believe it or not social media is as toxic as you allow it to be because when you think about it you have full control of who you follow, who follows you and the content in which you invest time. Here are some steps to clean up your digital space.

1.

Make a list of what kind of content you want to be surrounded by. What interests, inspires, motivates and entertains you? Is there anything that you are interested in that you want to see more of or learn more about?

2.

Look at the peo-

ple you follow. Going through the list from A to Z makes the process faster and easier. Ask yourself if these people or brand content match up with what you want to see more of on your feed.

And ask what this person is contributing to your life.

It’s easy to get caught up in the influencer trend and follow someone because you feel you should or because everyone else is.

3.

Next if you wish, you can follow and search for new people to follow that are a part of what you are interested in.

You can search for hashtags on whatever social media platform you are working with.

Once you search for a hashtag or topic, all kinds of posts from different accounts will pop up and you can follow as many as you wish.

4.

The last thing you can do is go through your own posts. Are they good representations of

the type of space you want to keep online?

You can even archive old posts and start fresh.

Repeat these steps across all of your so-

cial media platforms.

Hopefully these tips help you transform not only your online space, but also its effect on your everyday life.

Social media clean up.

Photo by Ronni Reyna

Poem: The History of Mankind GabriellaMastroianni| Entertainment

Editor entertainment.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Tread through our paths, Covered in moss and weeds, We stumble on the cracks, And scrape our knees, Thunder claps, We take shelter from danger, The commotion caused by nature, Could this be God’s anger?

That only the elite shall live in luxury, While the insignificant starved, The colored enslaved, The “delicates” forced upon a role to serve, Vast revolutions swept the lands, As we evolved over time to what we have become, More civilized and diligent, But still resolved to change the curriculum,

Hence our sense of a higher being.

Recognition is what we demanded, A new platform for us to not be heard, But listened to; to be seen through our disparities, Our aim to transform society blurred,

Groups we had gathered, Differences we divided, And built kingdoms on our branded soil, Destruction and animals we have betided,

Reckless we are becoming, For our sense of good and evil blend, The norm is no longer normal, And the ecstasy of truth and justice tastes bitter,

Our sense of ownership grew, We turned senseless and violent, And slaughtered each other, Compelling our kingdoms silent,

Now we’ve dispersed into different paths, Covered in moss and weeds, We fall over the vines, And bloody our hands,

The fire in our eyes roared, As our thirst for blood thickened, The desire for war in our souls broiled, Demand for change and order quickened,

On our abandoned needs.

Commence a fallacy we nurture for centuries.

To submit a poem, email entertainment.editor@thesouthtexan. com

Sports

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February 1, 2021

thesouthtexan.com

Allen aces through the decade Volleyball coach serves excellence

DylanSanchez| Sports Editor sports. editor@thesouthtexan.com

From Jan. 5, 2011 to what is now 10 years later, the university and community can recognize the excellence TAMUK Volleyball Coach Tanya Allen has brought to the sport and Javelina

athletes.

Starting off as what seemed to be just a run of the mill hire for a team on the decline, Coach Allen was not looked to for interviews or any press conferences.

This was attributed to the fact that until Allen’s arrival, the Lady Hogs only posted four winning seasons in the past 23 years with coaches lasting an average six seasons at a time.

Now in 2021, 10 years later, her performance as a coach exceeds any vol-

Javelina Athletics Coach Allen coaching against St. Edwards on Tuesday, January 26.

leyball coach to step foot on this university.She stands on the edge of a mountain on her own as her 160-plus victories is nearly 100 games better than any previous coach’s record. Upon her arrival, the new coach looked to build a program run on greatness.

“I had to change the talent level,” Allen said.

“I also had to change the culture. A lot of the team culture was based around being average and having fun. We tried to change that to being great and having fun.”

Immediately, Allen set a standard that the team would work to be champions. Stephanie Johns, a player turned graduate assistant, noticed a change immediately.

“Year-by-year, we got more players who had the same mentality because [Tanya] didn’t accept anything other than that mentality, [the culture] started to change,” Johns said.

This might be an understatement.

Not only did the culture change, but Allen in her 10-year tenure has coached the university’s first ever First-Team All-American, Madison Brabham, and winning season after winning season, and posting new season highs in wins consistently this past de-

COVID-19 cancels yet another sporting event Javelinas put their best foot forward as they face virus

DylanSanchez| Sports Editor sports. editor@thesouthtexan.com

A common theme as of late, due to COVID-19, the trip to the Houston Winter Invitational this week was cancelled for TAMUK men’s baseball team.

After the abrupt end to the 2020 campaign, Head Coach Jason Gonzales and the Javelinas looked to start fresh and get going in the three games originally scheduled with eyes set on a trip back to the NCAA Division II College World Series, but COVID still is having an impact on sports and the world in general despite the new year.

“I feel pretty pissed because we were ready, we had been working

for this and after the last practice we were supposed to leave at seven in the morning for Houston but it got canceled on us so it’s pretty upsetting,” Aldo Buendia, senior shortstop for the Javelinas, said.

The three games against The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, Arkansas Tech, and Central Missouri were set to take place Jan. 29 to 31, kicking off the shortened 36 conference matchups starting with the first three-game set against Cameron on Feb. 5-7.

“We are supposed to go to Oklahoma but with all that happened with Houston it’s been kind of a disappointing start, but we start COVID testing on Monday, so we just hope we all come back negative and will be able to go to Oklahoma,” John Mike, pitcher, said.

The postseason is still set to begin on May 7, the first week of the LSC Tournament all the way

TAMUK vs. St. Edwards on March 1, 2020.

until May 28 at which time the South Central Super Region will take place. The Division II College World Series is scheduled to take place on June 5 in Cary, N.C., at the USE Baseball National Training Complex at which the Javelinas look to make a second appearance in the last three seasons.

COVID has given all teams at TAMUK a different feel as every season has been impacted.

This year, teams can expect regular season games to be few. In a spring season in which football is scheduled to only play three games this year and with baseball holding less than 40, the regular season schedule is expected to kick off on time, ready to give Kingsville baseball fans another season to look forward to, and hopefully, ending with the Javelinas baseball team hoisting a championship trophy solidifying them across the nation.

Javelina Athletics

Coach Allen throughout the decade.

cade.

These accomplishments make this program the most consistent winners on campus and in the Lone Star Conference.

Brabham holds high regards for her coach and so do many others who have had the privilege of being coached not only by a coach who expects greatness each and every minute on the court, but a coach who took the time to make sure she had a positive impact on the lives of her players.

Since she has become coach, dozens of players have earned degrees from TAMUK. “The most rewarding thing about coaching in general,” Allen said, “is the impact you can have.

I feel like I’ve impacted some lives, [but] it’s not just me. The players have the most to do with it and [assistant coach] Joe [Morales] has been around this whole time as well. Seeing the impact we’ve had, the growth some of these athletes have had, it’s

Javelina Athletics

amazing. They’re one way when they get here and by the time they graduate, they’re strong and powerful and confident women. It’s amazing to see.”

After a quiet entrance into the scene as the new coach, Allen has quite literally exploded into an all-time winning coach, and that includes all of the athletic programs at the university. She’s no doubt a legend who has nothing but time to add to the team and no doubt, her greatness.

February 1, 2021 thesouthtexan.com

Forum

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“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.”

Our Opinion

Madam Vice-President Born of two immigrant parents Kamala Harris is the epitome of the American Dream and land made of immigrants. Harris is the first female to hold the office of Vice-President, and has made it abundantly clear that she will not be the last.

In the 100 years after women were granted the right to vote, we swore in our first female Vice-President, a moment in U.S. History deemed as breathtaking by women and people of color. In that short time women have made their own lane in the political world leading the way for all women. Harris credits her parents who participated in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, for giving her the path to become the second black woman elected to the Senate. Harris and the many women and women of color that hold seats in the Senate and Congress continue to push for racial equality and women’s rights. It is because of these women that we feel represented in a world dominated by men.

These women make it possible for little girls to believe in their dreams and reassure them that they can accomplish anything. America is now providing opportunity to all, and though that opportunity has always been provided, the boundaries of who can achieve such power has been dissipated as Kamala Harris born of a Jamaican immigrant father, and Indian immigrant mother now serves as our Vice-President. Harris has served as the 27th District Attorney of San Francisco, 32nd Attorney General of San Francisco, was the second black woman to serve in the Senate and is now the first woman, and woman of color, to now serve as our Vice-President. The true American dream of Harris and her parents will continue to echo out into history as being the first of many women in history to serve our country as she encourages us to embrace our uniqueness as it is our strength.

Student’s need to be vigilant

There have been various strains of COVID-19 that have popped up over the past year, however, three new variants of the virus have caught health Gabriella Mastroianni organiEntertainment zations’ Editor attention from around the world.

The three new variants originated from the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa.

The U.K. variant B.1.1.7 was first discovered in London and has

since made its way to the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predict that this variant will be the dominant strain in the U.S. by March.

It may be more lethal than other strains, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.

P.1, the Brazil variant, first made an appearance in the United States in Minnesota brought by a traveler coming back from a trip to Brazil.

The Minnesota Department of Health believes this new variant is more transmissible and capable of immune evasion.

And the third variant,

501Y.V2, found in South Africa, has not been reported to be in the U.S. so far. 501Y.V2 has been found to be more transmissible but not more lethal, and it appears that it is affecting younger rather than older people.

This variant may be more resistant to antibodies, said the former director of Food and Drug Administration Scott Gottlieb.

Bio-tech company Moderna has claimed that their vaccine is equipped to protect against new strains, however, more so the U.K. strain than the South African strain.

Pfizer has made the

same claim.

With these three new possibly dangerous variants, wearing face coverings, social distancing and hand washing is absolutely critical.

Students should not become lenient when wearing face coverings on campus and should continue to limit social gatherings.

Students, faculty and staff should encourage each other to keep face coverings on when in public and when in close contact, even if they’re quickly walking by.

The U.K. variant, B.1.1.7, has already made an appearance in Harris County, Texas.

Cervical Cancer Awareness month In today’s world there is no doubt that our health is a main priority.

Not only because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its detrimental effects on the human body and BrieanaCasarez utter chaReporter os it has caused, but also because there are other diseases that have been around for centuries and there is no cure for them. One disease in particular that currently has no cure and is a scary reality for many across the world is cancer.

When we hear the word “cancer” we often tend to think the

worst. Cancer is a topic that many try to avoid by steering away from a conversation that involves this topic. With everything going on in the world cancer should not be in the dark. There should be more awareness because of its severity and how it is becoming more common in today’s age and time.

January is about more than just ringing in the New Year. January is Cervical Cancer Awareness month. Although it is not as common as other types of cancers, cervical cancer is still just as scary and can have a big impact on anyone’s life. According to the American Cancer Society website, regular cervical screenings can help prevent cancer and

ultimately save lives.

The idea of going to the doctor to get looked at and checked on can be scary especially if it is something sudden or out of the blue. Even though it is scary to think about the unknown it is always better to be safe than sorry. Cancer does not discriminate and can happen to anyone at any age. It is so important to have regular checkups with our doctors and keep up with our health because cancer typically has no warning sign.

Self-awareness is a key ingredient in our everyday health not just with the unknown of COVID-19, but with the unknown of cancer and other diseases that do not have a cure.

Awareness about can-

cer is important today now more than ever.

When we watch the news or read articles, we see many celebrities being diagnosed with cancer or we see one too many lives lost to this terrible disease. Other times this situation could hit near home and it is the hardest thing to comprehend to find out someone you love and care about has cancer. Self-awareness regarding cancer is important not only for those around us, but for ourselves as well. Early detection is key to fighting cancer and ultimately coming out on top.

Just by getting checked or listening to our bodies when something is wrong could potentially save our life.

It’s a New Dawn, It’s a New Day, And I’m Feeling Good Jan. 20, 2021 marked a beautiful day, full of history and hope.

The 2021 American Presidential InauEttaEnow guration Contributing was what Writer m a n y called a “return to normalcy,” with Joe Biden being

sworn in as the 46th President of the United States and Kamala Harris being sworn in as his Vice-President.After a long four years, we have finally woken up from our horrible nightmare that was the 45th President Donald Trump.

What a powerful, inspiring, and uplifting moment in history it was witnessing Kamala Harris become the first fe-

male, first black and first Asian-American Vice President. To watch Sonya Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court Justice, swear-in Kamala Harris as the first female Vice President nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Even now, I’m not sure I have truly processed how big it is that Kamala Harris is going to be so many firsts. I don’t think our nation has fully pro-

Ronni Reyna News Editor news.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Jakki Barrera Digital Editor

cesses the magnitude of how big it is, or how long this moment took.

There already are so many great local leaders that are women of color, and that is amazing.

However, the fact is, we have a woman Vice President who is a person of color that’s going to open the doors for so many people to envision themselves as our nation’s future leaders.

Reporters Sarah Reyna Emma Hodges Brieana Casarez Diana Canizalez Nathan Soord

digital.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Calista Reyes

Nicole Perez Morris Adviser

The South Texan is a student

Campus Editor

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publication produced by Texas A&M

campus.editor@thesouthtexan.com

University- Kingsville students. The views, opinions and commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of the

Gabriella Mastroianni

Texas A&M University system. The

Entertainment Editor

South Texan uses student fees in part

entertainment.editor@thesouthtexan.com

to publish. The South Texan is part of the Art, Communications, and Theatre Department (ACT) and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA).

STAFF Aryssa Enriquez Editor-in-Chief chief.editor@thesouthtexan.com

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Advertising For advertising inquiries, e-mail The South Texan at advertising.manager @thesouthtexan.com 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 chief.editor@thesouthtexan.com The South Texan, Manning Hall 165, Texas A&M University-Kingsville Kingsville, Texas 78363

6 From Leal, Pg 1

utation. I also want to hear from students on what support and assistance they would like to see in their Career Services office,” Leal said.

“Career Services will continue to be aware and mindful of the workplace that our students are entering today.

“We have already seen shifts in how employers engage with students, but the pandemic has expedited these new connections.

Our office will be a key contributor collaborating with staff and faculty on how we can connect with students and prepare them for life after graduation.”

From COVID-19 , Pg 1

alike did not go back into the classroom. Instead, Arevalo filled the rest of her observation hours that semester with videos on topics such as professionalism in the classroom.

“They basically just gave us a bunch of websites and said find any professional development that you can. So, we had to look for all of that,” Arevalo said. “I felt super sad… it really doesn’t compare to being in the classroom with the kids.”

One semester later recent CEHP graduate C.R. Neal was completing his student teaching in a freshman English class in Bishop. He had only three students in his classroom.

News

Leal is currently working on ensuring that virtual interfaces such as Javelina Careers and Quinncia, are functioning properly for students to use.

He has also began contacting employers on how they can engage with Javelina Nation while supporting academic programs.

“Working with Mr. Leal has been a great experience. He brings a fresh perspective to Career Services. He has extensive experience in the field and a great personality that allows him to work well across campus departments, alumni, employers and students,” said Director of Academic Success Christina Rodriguez-Gonzalez.

Leal’s goal is to continue preparing students for the workforce while simultaneously keeping in touch with alumni.

“Having Career Services under the Institutional Advancement umbrella was also an attractive feature. The University desires to maintain a lifelong relationship with our students and alumni with Career Services being a key component of that success,” Leal said.

Although Career Services continues to restructure its program, Leal is ready to tackle any challenge in efforts to provide students with better preparation before entering the job market.

The rest were online.

“A cloud of despair shrouded the classroom…

The social aspect of education had, understandably, been lost,” Neal said.

His in-person students would finish a day’s work by mid-morning and “sleep for the rest of the day.”

The pandemic cannot be blamed for everything.

Alleged mismanagement by the university and local districts contributed to the frustrations felt by CEHP students during their time in the public schools.

The CEHP would “not communicate with their students on both the minutia of day-to-day and overarching responsibilities of being a student-teacher,” Neal said.

“I understand that the situation was fluid and ever-changing, however, it is unacceptable on a professional level to not keep students informed of what is expected of us.”

Arevalo explained that on the district level everyone approached the problem differently, but for some it was “easier” to resort to sources like YouTube videos for students “just to get the hours in.”

It may have been easier for the schools, but the lack of communication and hands-on training made for a far more difficult and frustrating experience for the students.

The South Texan reached out to the College of Education and Human Performance for comment and did not receive a response.

February 1, 2021

thesouthtexan.com

Submitted Photo

Sergio Galvan coached his son’s soccer team.

From , Galvan Pg 1

and Rocío as a fairytale.

Their love for each other, their kids and dancing was visible throughout the years they spent together.

“They would always be dancing and spinning around to all types of music,” Director of Contracts and Grants at the Office of Research and Graduate Studies and sister-in-law Diana Polendo Luna said.

“Every single gathering, they would be the people everyone would watch because they would be dancing, and they did it well.”

Diana had a strong bond with Sergio; to her he was like her biological brother.

“I would call him frequently at the bookstore,” Diana said. “He’s always been my go-to person on campus. Anytime we would hang up over the phone he would say ‘Bueno, I love you, bye.’ That was his thing, he was very lovable.”

Giving, kind, helpful,

positive and family-oriented were words that his loved ones often described him as. Students, current or graduated, and their family members would often call the bookstore to casually speak with him.

After his passing, the Galvan family received multiple messages and cards from the many people who knew Sergio.

“It’s very rewarding to see how many lives he’s touched,” Diana said.

Sergio Galvan’s funeral

Sergio and Rocío Galvan

service was held in Eagle Pass last weekend. The mass was live streamed for friends and family who couldn’t attend.

“Just the fact that he’s no longer here, it’s going to be very hard to pass that,” Diana said.

“But I know that he’s made a lot of friends and that a lot of people loved him.

“I’m thankful to having the opportunity to meet him. He was just a happy soul.”

Photo Submitted