April 2011 Issue by The Voice

Student Profile Page 12

Japanime Day Page 6

www.TheVoiceofLSCM.com

The Lone Star College-Montgomery Student Newspaper

April 2011 Issue

LSCM Students Lobby Legislators The Voice staff

Is our campus safe? See Page 4

Acoustic Cafe: Jie Lie See Page 10

Phi Theta Kappa See Page 11

AUSTIN - LSCM students braved the 20 degree weather on Feb. 2 to join others from over fifty schools on the steps of the state capitol for Texas Community College Day (TCCD). The students were there to lobby the legislature for lower textbook prices, more funding for activities and curriculum as well as keeping tuition rates from increasing. The state’s multi-billion dollar deficit threatens to raise the costs of higher education, causing concern and prompting student involvement. As the state’s deficit grows, a higher demand on Texas community colleges has become evident. Texas has the second most students enrolled in community college in the country at 800,000, according to Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, Chairman of the Higher Education Committee. The LSCM delegation included nine members of student government, members from several

Campus Suspends Recycling Meg Haile

Staff Writer

Professor Profile See Page 12

student clubs, and Student Activities Director Joseph Maurer. The group was given a tour of the building and attended discussions with members of the state legislature. Students expressed mixed feelings about the meetings with their state representatives. Some were upset about they way they were treated by Rep. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe. “[His operations chief ] told us that Creighton might talk to us for a few minutes as he left to go to his caucus. Did he take that time? No he did not. He came out and smiled at us and walked towards the door saying, ‘I really got to go to my meeting as I am running late,’” said Angela Tallant, a student government senator. The members of the legislature who did take time to speak to students had a significant impact. Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, Chair of the House Education Committee, left the biggest impression on the delegation. The congressman voiced

Students looking to recycle their papers or aluminum cans will have trouble finding a bin on campus for now. According to the Dean of College Relations, Steve Scheffler, the recycling bins were taken away because they were attracting flies and bees. The plan was to already have new bins in place, but it has not yet

been done. Scheffler said that the new bins will be much more durable. They will be made of solid metal, with the college logo and school approved advertisements decorating them. While the exact date of their instillation is not known, Scheffler said, ”If the delay in getting the new bins in place takes an extended

FROM FRONT TO BACK: Kaitlyn Beauregard, Diana Yalinne, Alyssa Oropeza, Kelley Brown, Jamie Ayala, Amanda McCormick, Evan Quarchiono, Joseph Maurer, Angella Tallent, and J.D. Wegner Photo by Juliana Escobar

his support for all forms of higher education and encouraging students to become more involved in the budgeting process, examining the proposed state budget and telling their representatives areas where spending could be cut and instead

put into education. Joseph Maurer, who has taken students to this biannual event three times now, believes that it wasn’t just the legislators making an impression See Students Lobby on Page 2

Lone Star’s Got Some Talent Ashleigh Bloomis Staff Writer

From cowboy boots and tennis shoes to high heels and flip-flops, a diverse group of students ranging from first-time performers to skilled entertainers took the stage to perform in LSC-Montgomery’s sixth annual Lone Star’s Got Talent show that took place Feb. 24 at 7 See Recycling on Page 4 pm. The show had every genre of

music ranging from rock bands to gospel music and also included dancing and poetry. The audience was graced with the presence of the band VerseCity, who served as judges as well as performers. VerseCity officially became a full band in January of 2008 and is made up of Micah Walker, Iam Soulo, Daniel Rascoe, and Nelson Baradat. See Got Talent on Page 6

Page 2, The Voice, April 2011

AROUND CAMPUS

New Renovations Include High Tech Airblade Barbara Garcia

Editor-in-Chief Kellie Pearson Associate Editors Maria A. Javaid Keatin Reagan Online Editor Ashleigh Bloomis Secretary Beth Eytcheson Sales Representative Jorge Garcia Staff Photographer Shawn Bitgood Staff Writers Violeta Ayer Meg Haile Andrew Payne Alberto Roguer-Perez Advisors Jim Fredricks Dr. Tony Fuller Sara Goff Leah Moody Jan Snyder Affirmative Action/EEO College

Contributing writer The Dyson Airblade, a new hightech, earth-friendly feature included in the LSCM campus’ new buildings, has the potential of not only helping to save the planet, but also saving the campus some green. The Airblade is a hand dryer, and 14 of them are now located inside the men and women’s washrooms in the new buildings on campus. “I think it’s cool. I want one in my house!” said Danielle Jones, a student at LSCM majoring in biology. The new product represents a cutting-edge advancement that contributes towards progressive steps being made on campus. “First it was the sensor-enabled sinks, self-flushing toilets, and motion-sensing doors, now this. What will they think of next?” said Sarah Ripple, a second year biotechnology major. Steve Scheffler, Dean of College Relations at LSCM, said the college installed one Dyson Airblade hand dryer in each of the restrooms in the three new buildings. “The cost was $1,400 for each hand dryer. We anticipate that over the life of the dryer, it will save on paper towel costs, as well as being good for the environment (less paper). For now, we continue to give people a choice in these restrooms, and we will monitor the usage of the paper towels, which we believe will go down,” Scheffler said. “We hope

… Students Lobby continued from front page on TCCD. He believes the number first. Maurer was confident that the of students who stormed the capitol made a strong impact on lawmakers. “There’s power in numbers,” said Maurer. The topics for this TCCD were different from the past because there was a stronger emphasis on state funding and the discussion of guns on campuses was an event

students learned a lot from taking a close up look at the legislative process. Delegation member Kaity Beauregard said, “If we want a change [in funding] we have to step up to the plate. The trip opened my eyes to how these types of bills and legislation get passed and the

people opt for the ‘green’ choice. We plan to install one in each of the two restrooms that are located in the older section of the Health Science Center (Building B) later this year.” Dyson Airblade is touted on the product’s Web site as using “sheets of air traveling at over 400 mph” that literally scrape water from hands “like a windshield wiper.” The Dyson Airblade was invented by James Dyson, an English industrial designer, engineer, and No. #746 of the wealthiest people alive on the 2006 Forbes’ billionaire list. He is best known for inventing a bagless brand of vacuums that cyclone dirt out of the air. Dyson did not become a success overnight though, and in a 2006 Forbes interview, he was asked if he ever wanted to give up on his way to the top. “I wanted to give up almost every day. But one of the things I did when I was young was long distance running… And I was quite good at it, not because I was physically good...I learned determination from it….The same thing happens in research and development … There’s a terrible moment when failure is staring you in the face… if you persevere a bit longer you’ll start to climb out of it.” In 2002, James Dyson set up his own foundation which according to www.jamesdysonfoundation. com, “encourages young people to think differently, make mistakes

and invent,” and offers yearly award incentives to inspire the next generation of design engineers . The way that conventional hand dryers work is “all they do is suck in filthy washroom air, heat it up, and then blow it onto your clean hands,” according to www.dyson. com. On the contrary, the Dyson Air Blade, has a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter designed to remove 99.9% of bacteria from the air used to dry hands. The Airblade is triggered by infrared sensors that start a chain of events in which atmospheric air is sucked up into the dryer through the bottom of the unit. This air then flows in, and out through the HEPA filter, moving

onward and upward passing abruptly over electrical parts cooled by the air flow, before reaching the motor which cyclones the air upwards at 81,000 revolutions per minute and sends it flowing out through .3 millimeter openings the diameter of eyelashes onto hand’s surfaces. The end result is a 12-second dry time, which uses 80 percent less energy than conventional dryers and saves on the cost of using paper towels. Other dryers can take up to 43 seconds and in the process even dry out your skin. To find out more about the technology for sustainable, hygienic, and cost-effective hand dryers, www. aecdaily.com offers a free-one hour course that qualifies for one credit hour with the American Institute of Architects. Dyson Airblade meets the guidelines of the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a global standard of excellence in the use of energy, materials, resources, sustainability, and solid waste management. With additional features such as the integration of anti-microbial additives into the product’s surface to protect consumers from the spread of germs, the Dyson Airblade has received accreditation from the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF logo), the British Skin Foundation, and the HACCP International ( Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points). You can find out even more at www.dysonairblade.com.

logistics of it.” Beauregard conveyed her belief that LSCM doesn’t do a good enough job communicating this responsibility to its students, leaving it up to the handful of student leaders who attend events like this one. Fellow delegation member Amanda McCormic agrees that

students have a responsibility to take action. “If you want to see changes in our government, write our representatives and get the word out, but most importantly make it personal. Most people use premade letters and those do not even get noticed because they see so many of them sent in. The personal

letters get noticed and get read,” said McCormic. The trip to Austin was funded by LSCS, who chartered a bus to take LSCM and LSC-Kingwood students to the event. Maurer indicated that he has plans to accompany to TCCD in 2013, but would like to see an even bigger group of students attend next time.

File Photo

The Voice, April 2011, Page 3

Page 4, The Voice, April 2011

AROUND CAMPUS

Could it happen here? The Voice investigates campus readiness in case of shooter Mike Reagan

Associate Editor Thousands of people bustle around our campus everyday, but could there be one person, one lone shadow beneath all the hustle ready to stain the red brick walls with an altogether different shade? It is certainly possible. Sometimes people exhibit signs of being intensely troubled, such as Jared Loughner, the accused shooter in the Tucson rampage in January that left six people dead. Sometimes, an otherwise perfectly “normal” human being can become utterly unhinged after just a few bad days, as was the case when Patrick Sherrill walked into a United States Post Office one August day in 1986 and inspired the phrase “going postal.” So just how safe is this humble and open campus? Capt. Steven Phillips, the head of the LSCM Police, believes it to be as secure as he can make it. The police station located in the bottom level of the parking garage is, for the most part, sparsely occupied, with only one or two officers inside at any given time. The other half dozen or so, Capt. Phillips included, can be found out on patrol around campus, mostly keeping watch for traffic offenders or potential car burglars, their most common problems on campus. As for how safe the campus would be in the case of a lone shooter, the most common and in many ways the most dangerous of mass murderers, Capt. Phillips is confident.

“I think our preparedness is up to task,” Phillips said. “We always hope that it doesn’t occur, of course, but I believe we are prepared for it.” Students and faculty seemed reasonably confident in the campus police when asked. “It definitely makes me feel better to see them around,” said Rachel King, a student from Houston. “Anybody can walk on campus without suspicion, so it’s good to have the officers around in case something happens.” Some feel safe partially due to the student body itself. “I haven’t seen anybody I would consider a threat,” said Cheryl Ruschenberg, of Huntsville. “I’ve always felt very safe here,” said Dr. Craig Livingston, a history professor who has been at LSCM since it was founded. “But when you hear about shootings elsewhere, it does make you wonder, ‘can it happen here?’” Livingston was very supportive of the police and their abilities when asked about them. “They’ve always been very helpful and responsive. There’s not a college campus that isn’t open like we are, but at least the security presence here is always very visible.” When asked about the possible procedures for dealing with a shooter such as those at Virginia Tech or Tucson, Capt. Phillips was direct and to the point. “We want to eliminate the threat before anything else. We want to stop the violence

… Recycling continued from front page period of time, we will look for an interim solution so that on-campus recycling can begin again as soon as possible.” When students were asked about their views towards recycling, most felt it was a good thing and would recycle more if there was easier access to recycling places. Ashleigh Bloomis, a 20 year old student at LSC-Montgomery, said, “I think recycling is something that should be done, but it just seems like it is very inconvenient to actually go through the trouble to find a place to recycle.”

According to a study performed by the EPA in 2009, Americans generate 243 million tons of trash each year or 4.3 pounds per person, per day. To date, recycling has prevented an estimated 82 million tons of trash from hitting the landfills.

Have an opinion about recycling being suspended from our campus? E-mail us at TheVoice@LoneStar.edu

even before we help the injured. If we cannot do that, there’s no point to helping those already hurt because the shooter is out there causing more casualties.” To this end, the police are trained to always go to the source of the shooting while calling other agencies to help. In a situation like that of many other campus shootings, they would be our first line of defense. But what if there were another line of defense? Capt. Phillips has gone on record before that he would be opposed to allowing students or faculty with concealed carry licenses to keep their handguns on them while on campus. He says that the problem would only be made worse, not better, by armed students attempting to take on the shooter themselves. Capt. Phillips believes getting into a shootout with a clearly disturbed person who is possibly better-armed while police who are looking for an armed student are descending on the area is ill-advised at best. So what should a student do if the unthinkable does occur? Phillips recommends the simplest and most obvious solution: run. “Exit the building if you are in one, and under all circumstances just get to a safe area. Get as far away as you can.” For those unfortunate enough to be caught in the path of the shooter, he has a very different recommendation. “Be quiet. Keep a low profile. Try to stay as calm as possible, as impossible as that sounds.

Steven Phillips, Captain of LSCM Police Photo courtesy of LSCM Public Relations

If you are in a building with them, lock the door, barricade it if you have to, and turn off the lights. Above all, avoid their attention.” These procedures have been in place for some time, even if campus shootings might seem like a trend of only a decade or less. “It has been a priority of schools to be more proactive with training and preparation since Columbine (an infamous high school shooting spree in 1999), and there were procedures in place even before then,” said Capt. Phillips. He also elaborated on some of the federally funded training that will be required of LSCM officers in the coming year, including table-top “war game” exercises. Can LSCM be considered safe? There really is not a clear cut answer. Can we be prepared for something so staggeringly violent? Let us all hope we never have to find out.

According to The Voice’s online poll... How would you rate the safeness of our campus?

Are you for or against concealed carry on hand guns on campus?

47 LSCM students responded to our campus safety poll. Visit TheVoiceofLSCM.com to participate in our weekly polls.

The Voice, April 2011, Page 5

AROUND CAMPUS

Lone Star College System Asks for Student Input Keatin Reagan

Associate Editor The Lone Star College System (LSCS) presented its strategic plan to LSC-Montgomery (LSCM) students on March 2, at an open forum that was held in building B. The Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Rand Key was on hand, as was President Austin Lane to address students’ questions and concerns as well as get feedback on the strategic plan. Only about a dozen students attended the event but many issues were presented to the vice chancellor, particularly involving the fourth goal on the strategic plan and one that Dr. Key insists is the biggest priority: ensuring student success. The greatest concern of the students was advising. Many students expressed complaints about advisors not helping them to plan for future goals, such as transferring to a four-year institution or trying to get into an internship program. Instead,

as one female student complained, advisors often only help a student plan for the immediate future over the next semester or two rather than help put together a full academic plan. Key seemed surprised by these issues and promised to look into them, and also stated that they have tested allowing faculty members to volunteer as advisers, and are considering making that permanent. Dr. Key also solicited opinions on the orientation programs for new students at LSCS schools. Feedback on this was decidedly mixed; one male student confessed to not knowing LSCM had new student orientation for over a year after he arrived, and there were several stories of having to do registration steps repeatedly. Student ideas included better coordination between academic departments during orientation, more emphasis on both the campus layout (tours were brought up at one point) and student activities and clubs available, as well as improved

MyLoneStar training. MyLoneStar, the new online portal that was adopted this year to combine many features such as email and online registration into one place, was a topic of debate as well. Many felt, that while not a bad system in and of itself, MyLoneStar is not fully utilized both by students and faculty. The reason for this, according to the pair of administrators, was simple: few people know about the system or what it precisely does. “We need to do a better job of communicating how useful and important it is,” President Lane stated. Dr. Key promised that the administration will make an effort to present the portal better. MyLoneStar was not the only technology concern brought up at the forum. The wealth of new teaching technology that has recently been added is becoming a problem, according to a pair of very vocal members of the Office of Technology Service, who are students as well. D.J. Modisett, whose main

job lately has been running from classroom to classroom to get computers and projectors up and running, said that technology training for faculty, which is currently voluntary, should be required before the beginning of a semester. “The professors are having trouble, and I feel like I have to teach them how to use [new technology],” Modisett said. Similar concerns are delaying what was to be a large new tech program, the student response systems, or “clickers.” According to Key, the clickers did not catch on with faculty who were not familiar with them as was hoped, and the program is still in the trial stage. One of the last and most pressing concerns that Key and the students discussed was the money concerns the college district is expecting to face in the near future, as major cuts to education budgets across Texas are discussed in the state legislature. “Dollars are fairly tight right now.” Key said, referring to the Lone Star System’s attempts to save money

Dr. Lane Presents Monthly Presidential Timothy Conrad

Contributing Writer In February the monthly Presidential forum was held in Building B Room 102 and was presented by Dr. Austin Lane to the faculty and the students. The meeting being held in Building B 102 expressed several ideas and proposals for the improvement of Lone Star College to be considered. Among the many ideas that were presented, perhaps the most important discussion was based on school expansion and budget cuts. Dr. Austin Lane expressed his excitement and enthusiasm for the record enrollment of over 12,000

students at LSCM. During the forum, Dr. Lane talked about the recent trend for major universities to start encouraging continuing education students to migrate into the community colleges. Therefore, more students at the community college level will result in added growth to campuses such as LSCM. However, the added challenges for meeting the demands of such a large student body are vast. To meet these challenges there have been many additions and changes to the campus. The recently added infrastructure includes a new parking garage, two new buildings, and even plans to add a café and faculty

lounge in Building E. Despite the undertaking of expansion on the campus, there were also talks of future budget cuts to alleviate the cost that are associated with the recent economy developments. A couple of the suggestions to meet such needs were decreasing the hours of operation and maybe eventually increasing tuition. Another topic that presented itself during the discussion was the graduation levels at LSCM. Responding to recent criticism that community colleges have had low graduation rates, Dr. Austin Lane took the opportunity to respond to the critique by restating Lone Star’s

mission in education. The purpose that was stated was the goal of preparing LSCM’s students to succeed at whatever they desire including attending four year universities. To this point Dr. Lane expressed his desire to build better relationships with neighboring colleges and universities to make transfers more fluent all parties involved. Finally, the topic of the employment of adjunct professors to LSCM’s campus was brought to attention. With the recent and expected future growth of LSCM, Dr. Lane discussed the plans to continue hiring these part time teachers to help with the demands

for the expected hard times. While Key insisted that teaching and technology budgets would remain intact regardless, he did present several measures already in action that, according to Dr. Key, were already effective. The new “green technologies” found in many of the new buildings on the LSCM campus, such as the motion-sensing lights and paperless hand-driers in the bathrooms, are not only good for the environment, but cut utility costs for the college. Key also announced that the system had implemented a hiring “chill,” meaning only critical hires or promotions would be allowed after a thorough review. In addition, he insisted there would be no layoffs, faculty or otherwise. Travel for administration members and expensive social events like the annual administration luncheon at the Woodlands Marriott were also to be curtailed to cut costs. Send your input to us at: TheVoice@LoneStar.edu

Forum at present. Although there were other minor topics that were discussed during the meeting, the main ideas presented at the forum were in regard to expansion and financial planning for the future. Upon conclusion, the meeting seemed to be a success among the many present and laid the groundwork for the forum in March.

Advertise Here Advertising.TheVoiceofLSCM.com

Page 6, The Voice, April 2011

STUDENT LIFE

Japanime Day Andrew Payne Staff Writer Members of LSCM’s Japanese Club and the Anime Club gathered March 2 to celebrate the second annual Japanime Day event in The Commons. The event was designed to “...show the students the culture, language, and media of Japan,” according to Anime Club’s student leader Alyssa Oropeza. Japanime Day featured traditional Japanese dance, music, art, calligraphy, and clothing, as well as more modern aspects of Japanese culture such as anime, the Japanese style of animation. Enthusiasts manned booths that displayed these various facets of Japan’s cultural history. At one booth, a woman trained in Japanese script wrote visitors’ names in kanji, a hybrid of Chinese and Japanese characters. Interestingly, the term kanji actually means “Han characters” in reference to the second imperial dynasty of China.

The Japanese Society of Houston partnered with Japanese and Anime Clubs to showcase the traditional dance of Japan to celebrate Japanime Day. Photo by Shawn Bitgood

At other booths, fans of anime explained the cultural significance of anime in Japan. Anime, according to some, assumes the role in Japan of such popular American shows as “House” or “The Office.” In Japan, it has a large following similar to mainstream media in America and often deals with adult themes in drama and humor. Although there are some exceptions, such as anime targeted toward small children,

on the whole it is far from childish as many westerners assume. During Japanime Day, the Japanese Society of Houston partnered with the Japanese and Anime Clubs to showcase the traditional dance of Japan. Women from the Japanese Society performed three dances for the students that demonstrated the beauty of Japanese dance, emphasizing grace in transition and the

Annual Actor’s Workshop Par Four Provides Comedic Relief Ashleigh Bloomis Online editOr

About fifty people came out to support the actors who performed in the Annual Actor’s Workshop four ten-minute plays on February 19 in LSCM’s theatre building. The performance consisted of two twenty-minute acts without an intermission. The first act was made up of six plays and two honors performances which are performances that are required for graduation, while the second consisted of two comedies. Act one was a mixture of both comedic plays as well as some serious plays. The plays included were “She’s Fabulous” written by Jack Neary

and a little snippet from William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” “She’s Fabulous” told the tale of two jealous women played by LSCM students Laurel Johnston and Makael Dennison that were watchi ng a show with envy of the actress that golot the re they both auditioned for. The performance of “Hamlet” was a monologue for LSC-Montgomery student Scott Shettig’s honor’s performance. Act two consisted of two comedy plays titled “The Best Daddy” directed by LSCM student Taylor Romaguera,and “Wash and Dry” which was directed by LSCM student Sydney Bertrand. “The Best Daddy” was about a circle of questions with no answers,

perfection of forms much like western ballet. The event boasted 100 visitors to the morning demonstrations and displays, and 50 visitors to the evening dance party. At the dance party, students celebrated Japanese popular music such as J-rock (Japanese rock) and Japanese electronica. Many students were dressed as popular characters from Japanese culture such as the famous video game characters Mario and Luigi as well as others. Student disc jockeys provided the sound equipment. According to Oropeza, “students were so interested in learning Japanese culture, writing, and origami, that many joined the Anime Club to learn more about it. They discovered what anime is and the interest that people have behind it.” As she puts it, Japanime Day was an amazing success! The LSCM Japanese Club has about 10 members while the Anime Club has about 30. The Anime Club meets 3-8 p.m. every Friday in the General Academics Building in room G225. For information on the Japanese Club, contact their student leader Amanda McCormick at ammccormick@my.LoneStar. edu.

… Got Talent continued from front page

Photo courtesy of LSCM theater facebook page

and “Wash and Dry” makes the audience think about ‘reading the small print.’ Over all, the performances were great for all ages and when done again next year, will definitely be a great show with a large audience.

The group originated nearby in Houston and are considered a semifamous alternative pop-rock and soul band. To open the show, VerseCity played two songs to get the audience excited about the event. Although VerseCity were professional entertainers, many of the performers were not and were just there to improve their skills. LSCM student Demetra White who sang the gospel song “The Clouds” said, “I usually sing classical music, so singing gospel tonight gives me a [new] experience.” One of the more unique acts included a poetry recital by LSCM Student Brooks Langford, who performed barefoot. When asked why he was barefoot,

he simply said, “Shoes are bad for your health. They cause some major muscle problems and I feel more connected to the earth [without them].” Another special performance was by LSCM student Sophia Chaves who surprised everyone with the beautiful playing of her ukulele. VerseCity closed the show with another performance before announcing the winners. The second place winner was LSCM student Jefferey “JJ” Baker, who sang “If I Fall” by Billy Currington and “Chicken Fried” by the Zac Brown Band. First place went to the “Barefoot Poet,” Brooks Langford. Many students attended the show while spending the entire time cheering on the performers.

The Voice, April 2011, Page 7

STUDENT LIFE

LSCM Club Makes Way For Wizards Mariah Medus

Contributing Writer LSCM students passing through the temporary buildings on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. might soon find themselves transported into the magical Wizarding World of the Harry Potter Club. More specifically their meetings are held in conference room T112C past Building A where the trailer classrooms are, which the club likes to call their Forbidden Forest. The Harry Potter book series, written by J.K. Rowling, first launched itself into the lives of Americans on Sep. 1, 1998 with “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”

We help others see things from the view of fans on how you can use Harry Potter in your everyday life.”

- Amy Bise “Rowling was very inventive when creating the Wizarding World,” said 22-year-old member, Samantha French. “There are several books that have also been released by her in addition the series like ‘The Care of Magical Creatures’ and the ‘History of Quidditch.’” Rowling completed the book series with the seventh and final book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” “I love the final book,” said 22-year-old sophomore member Amy Bise, “but I was sad that it had ended. I wanted to know so much more about the Wizarding World.” As the books started to be

published, the visually stunning movies soon followed after. There will be eight movies in total after making the decision to split the “Deathly Hallows” into two parts. The final installment, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” is set to be released on July 15 of this year. “I am excited and extremely, extremely sad that the final movie is being released! I am going into a depression knowing that I will not be going to another movie premiere for Harry Potter,” declares member Khai Leblanc, an 18-year-old freshman. Both the book and movie series have created a fan base that is hard to compete with, but as any members of the fan base or the Harry Potter Club will tell you there are more elements to enjoy than just the books and movies. “There is so much more beyond it, there is an entire fandom world,” states Bise. “There are wizard rock bands, musicals, the Potter Puppet Pals websites, and other books that fans have read together to enjoy also.” The LSCM Harry Potter Club first began in the spring of 2010 with its current president 21-yearold Alyssa Oropeza. “There was a Harry Potter Club at my high school and I loved the students who were involved,” said Oropeza, “I officially established the Harry Potter Club here in the Fall of 2010 in order to use the Harry Potter series in both fun and educational ways because the series has multiple references to mythology, History, English, Latin, astronomy, as well as logic.” The club’s main goal is to allow students with the common interest of Harry Potter to be able to enjoy fandom with other students. “It is usually a very relaxed environment where we do the classical activities, like reading the books or watching the movies,” said

French, “but we also listen to wizard rock, take trips together like the time the club went to go see Tom Felton who plays Draco Malfoy in the films and we have even camped out for two days to watch the last movie released.” Along with any student organization, there is always something to be gained by joining. Leblanc stated that, “by joining the Harry Potter Club I have learned that there are charity organizations that help people in need within the Harry Potter fan community, such as the Harry Potter Alliance.” If a student is looking for an

organization with a group of people who are nice and who also share a similar passion for Harry Potter, then look no further. “Simply put, we are awesome,” Bise expressed, “we are able to help others see things from the view of fans on how you can use Harry Potter in your everyday life.” With passion in their hearts, and

Harry on their side, the Harry Potter Club has nowhere to go but up from here. “Our club is like a family, and I’m so happy to be the leader of such a united club,” says Oropeza. For more information on how to join the Harry Potter Club visit the club’s Web site at www.lscharrypotterclub. webs.com.

Page 8, The Voice, April 2011

Phi Theta Kappa members group together to display their award. Photo By Violeta Ayer

Photo by Jill Hinton

Delta Psi Omega club members publicize their club to LSCM students during the Activities Fair held

Student Government Association members have some fun while running their booth during the Activities Fair held the first week of February. Photo By Shawn Bitgood

Students dance to the Cajun-infused music played at the Mardis Gras Celebration held in The

The Voice, April 2011, Page 9

Staff writer Meg Haile and staff photographer Shawn Bitgood run The Voiceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s booth on Activities Fair day. LSCM theater students participate in the Annual Actorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Workshop on Feb. 15. Photo courtesy of LSCM theater facebook page

Members from the Anime Club help promote their club at Japanime Day on March 2.

Brian Jack and the Zydeco Gamblers perform at the Mardis Gras Celebration on March 8. Student Activities have invited

Habitat for Humanity members spend their Saturday morning painting a house

Page 10, The Voice, April 2011

STUDENT LIFE Under the Spotlight: 10 Uncovered Facts about LIE JIE Michelle Castillo and Kellie Pearson

April 2011 Upcoming Events

Contributing Writer, Editor in Chief

Passing through the Commons Building on March 9 at 11AM, LSCM students’ attention was directed to the sound of blues, jazz, and rock songs sung by singer and song writer Lie Jie during last month’s Acoustic Café. This 31-year-old Chinese native, who at first glance could resemble a girl as young as a college freshman, likes to refer to her own original music made up of soulful vocals in a storyteller’s lyrical format as “I-pop”, with “I” meaning “love” in Chinese. She has performed across America, from California all the way to New York, and has even traveled to the other side of the globe to perform in China and England. In an interview with The Voice, this down to earth, always smiling performer tells a bit about herself and how music has been a part of her life since she was 8 years old, while explaining the influences that helped her become interested in music, as well as the meanings behind some of her songs. What is the origin of your name? My name is Chinese, meaning “beautiful and pure” in English. I was named by my dad. My American name is Linda, but I embrace my Chinese name, which is why I chose to stick with it.

Lie Jie sings her original song “Love Me Like a Man” at March’s Acoustic Cafe’. Photo by Michelle Castillo

Where did you grow up? I was born in Baoding, China, which is an

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