The Vista Sept. 27, 2012

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INSIDE • Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE 2 • Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE 3 • Fatal school shooting . . . PAGE 5 • Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE 6 • Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGES 7 & 8

THEVISTA University of Central Oklahoma

• Page 7

TUESDAY• September 27, 2012

The Student Voice Since 1903

WWW.UCENTRALMEDIA.COM

Men and Women’s golf seasons are in full swing.

ASIAN MOON FESTivaL FRIDAY

Attendees of UCO’s Asian Moon Festival watch dacing costume lions during last year’s event. Photo by Ishaia Gonzales, UCO photo services

Event hopes to bring light to the multiple dimensions of Asian culture • MERVYN CHUA, Staff Writer • The annual Asian Moon Festival will be held at Plunkett Park Friday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. This festival is organized by the Asian American Student Association (AASA) and sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI). The event’s hosts will be Miss Asian UCO 2008 and Miss Asia Oklahoma 2009, Kim Pham, and Joshua Lim, the entertainment chair for the Asian Moon Festival. Programs for the festival will include cultural performances and a traditional-wear fashion show, as

well as activities like face painting, arts and crafts, lantern decorating contest, and food. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. The Asian Moon Festival, or also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival is a popular lunar harvest festival celebrated by many Asian countries in September. During this time, a cake-like delicacy called the “moon cake” is enjoyed. The typical moon cake is a pastry made with a red bean paste or lotus seed filling and sometimes filled with salted egg yolk.

For most of the Asian international students, the Asian Moon Festival provides a platform for them to celebrate with friends at UCO. “The Asian Moon Festival is a big deal for my family and I. It is pretty significant to the Asian community to celebrate this mid-autumn festival. I am glad to be able to celebrate it with friends even if I cannot be home,” Sabrina Ngui, a fashion marketing sophomore from Malaysia, said. Kim Do Yeon, an advertising ju-

nior from Korea, is excited for the event. “This is one of my favorite UCO events of the year. This year, some of my friends are dancing. I look forward to seeing them perform and sharing Korean culture with UCO.” Lim explains why he thinks that the Asian Moon Festival helps people learn more about cultures. “I understand that some people might have a particular stereotype about Asians, lumping them together. Our culture is not lumped

into one. It is multi-dimensional. This festival is an easy sugarcoated package to distinct different cultures”. “This is an opportunity for UCO to witness firsthand the diversity that is amongst UCO. There are international students but there are also Asian American students who might identify things a certain way. This allows international students and Asian American students to celebrate their heritage and what it is all about,” Lim said.

UCO named one of the best schools for military • LUKE LOFTISS, Contributing Writer • The University of Central Oklahoma is one of the most military friendly colleges in the United States, according to a new list provided by Victory Media Inc. The 2013 list, which honors only the schools which rank within the top 15 percent, can be found at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com or in various military magazines published by Victory Media Inc. such as G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse and Vetrepreneur. The list collects information from more than 1,700 schools nationwide and lists the pros and cons of attending each according to degrees offered, financial aid options, class flexibility, such as online and weekend or evening classes, and military specific support programs. UCO’s high marks are the result of concentrated efforts made by the university to improve the experience of the approximately 610 currently serving military personnel and veterans who attend UCO. These efforts include the opening of the Veteran Education Resources Office (VetHERO) in the spring semester of 2013. UCO also has a number of other resources including the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), campus veteran’s clubs and associations, as well as maintaining a chapter of the Student Veterans of America. UCO also retains an advisor on staff that assists veterans with career placement. Speaking to UCO University Relations,

Beth Adele, director of VetHERO said, “We’ve intentionally worked to enhance the services we offer to veterans and active military pursuing a degree here at Central, recognizing they have specialized needs.” VetHERO, formed through a collaboration of the Veteran Support Alliance (VSA) and multiple other UCO departments, is the first centralized office for on-campus Veteran’s support services in the state. According to militaryfriendlyschools.com, UCO’s VetHERO Office, “provides resources and support to students, faculty, and staff regarding military benefits, accommodations, and information. The cross-divisional team, UCO’s Veteran Support Alliance is comprised of faculty, staff, and students and seeks to provide an environment that helps student veterans and service members achieve their National Guard members stand outside NUC during Stampede Week. Photo by Aliki academic and personal goals. The Disabil- Dyer, The Vista ity Support Services, Student Counseling UCO also offers in-state tuition without resi- ing site for the U.S. men’s and women’s ParaCenter, and the Military Sports Coordinator dency requirements for active-duty military lympic sitting volleyball teams, along with also offer presentations and resources to as- personnel. Many other on-campus programs Paralympic track and archery. According to sist faculty with their knowledge and under- are available for veterans through the Student UCO’s profile on Military Friendly Schools. standing of veteran students.” Counseling Center, such as twice weekly vis- com, “UCO houses Paralympic athletes servUCO’s central Oklahoma location was also its from registered psychologists who provide ing as an advantage in recruiting, connecting, listed as an advantage for military personnel screenings. retaining and graduating disabled veterans.” due to its proximity to three major OklahoNotable among UCO’s plaudits was the reUCO’s VetHERO offices can be found in man military installations: Fort Sill Army comendation as an ideal college for disabled room 147 of the Nigh University Center. Base in Lawton, Vance Air Force Base in Enid veterans due to UCO being an official trainand Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City.


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